Our Advent Journey (E-Pistle Message)

This week we began the Holy Season of Advent. During these next four weeks, we reflect on both the coming of our Lord at Christmas and his second coming at the end of time. It was on that night in Bethlehem when humanity changed forever. Through this gift of infinite value, God reaches out of eternity into our time to live among us and lead us toward salvation.

This graced time of quiet contemplation is also a busy time of celebrating God’s providence in our lives, especially with the Blessed Virgin Mary. This coming week on Dec. 8 we celebrate the patroness of the Diocese of Austin with the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation. The devotion to the immaculate conception of Mary in St. Anne’s womb began around the seventh century and in 1854 Pope Pius IX proclaimed as dogma Mary’s immaculate conception in the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus. Each year on Dec. 8, Catholics celebrate this wonderful gift from God, venerating Our Lady as the one chosen to be the sinless Mother of Jesus.

December 9 is the feast of St. Juan Diego, an indigenous man whose encounter with Our Lady on a hill at Tepeyac, in today’s Mexico City, began the church's devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is normally celebrated on Dec. 12. This year, because the third Sunday of Advent takes liturgical precedent over any feast day falling on that day, we will joyously express our devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe on the days surrounding the 12th.   

Join me and others from throughout our diocese as we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe tomorrow, Dec. 4, at 8 a.m. with Mass and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a mestiza woman of indigenous and European blood, may all people from all nations be drawn together in communion with one another, grateful for her intercession and watchful for the birth of her Son at Christmas.