SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

Nov. 27

Nov. 28

7 p.m. Spanish Mass

Nov. 29

6pm- Mass (English) 7pm– Advent

Reflection– Fr. JP

Nov. 30

6pm Mass (English)

7 p.m. Spanish Mass

1 9am Mass (English)

10 am-Noon

First Friday Adoration

2 1stSunday of Advent

3 1stSunday of Advent

4

5

7 p.m. Spanish Mass

6

6pm- Mass (English)

7 p.m. Reconciliation

Service (English)

7 9am Mass (English)

7 p.m. Spanish Mass

8 9am Mass (English)

9 2ndSunday of Advent

7 p.m.—Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass &

Celebration

10 2ndSunday of

Advent

8:30-OLG Rosary

[Giving Tree gifts due]

11

10pm- OLG

Celebration.

12

13

6pm-Mass(English)

7pm Advent Contemplative Prayer–

Bob Toohey

14 6pmMass (English)

7pm-Spanish Mass

15 9am Mass (English)

16 3rd Sunday of

Advent

17 3rd Sunday of

Advent

18

19

7 p.m. Spanish Mass

20

6 pm-Simbang Gabi

Mass and Reception

21 9am Mass (English)

7 p.m. Spanish Mass

22 Parish Office Closed

Youth Ministry &

Family Christmas

23 4th Sun. of Advent

5pm-Mass (English)

7pm - Mass (Spanish)

24 4th Sun. of Advent

8:30 &11am

Christmas Eve Masses

5pm Nativity Play & 9pm

English- 7pm Spanish

25

Parish Office Closed

Christmas Day Mass

10am English

26

Parish Office Closed

7 p.m. Spanish Mass

27

6pm-Mass (English)

28

6pm Mass (English)

7 p.m. Spanish Mass

29

9am Mass (English)

30

7pm Mass (Spanish)

St. Theresa Advent Calendar 2017

WEEKEND MASSES:

Saturday at 5pm English & 7pm Spanish

Sunday at 8:30am, 11am & 5pm Youth

CONFESSIONS:

Wednesday 5:30pm, Thursday & Friday 8:30am & Saturday at

4pm in English

Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 6:30pm Spanish

May Christ our Savior bring light into

the darkness of this world, and to us, as we

wait for his coming.

A Prayer for Lighting Advent Candles In the darkness we light a flame of hope. May it dance not only upon our Advent

wreath but within each of our hearts as well. Hope is the flower that blooms

from the ground of faith. And so, with joy, we keep the tradition of ages past as

we encircle our Advent wreath with love and prayerful expectation. May this

Advent season bring us a new birth of hope in the ancient promises of God.

Amen.

Please see reverse for more

information on

Our Lady of Guadalupe, the

Posadas and Simbang Gabi.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE On Dec. 12 Catholics celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1531, Juan Diego, age 57, was walking through Tepeyac Hill located in Mexico. Juan was an Aztec Indian. During his walk, he encountered the Blessed Mother through an apparition who asked him to ask the local bishop to build a church in that very spot. Juan asked the local bishop and was denied. Juan told the Blessed Mother and she asked him to try again.

When Juan asked again, the bishop requested that Mary give a sign. Juan felt very bad about this, but told Mary what the bishop asked. She told him not to fear, but return in a couple days and she’d produce a sign. Unfortunately, Juan couldn’t return for a few days because his uncle was sick. When he saw Mary again on Tepeyac Hill, she reassured him his uncle would be fine.

Mary asked Juan to gather roses by the hill. He did so and she wrapped them in his cloak. She told to return to the bishop and show him. When Juan did, the roses fell to the floor and the image of Mary was formed on a cloak made of cactus fiber. This cloth is called a tilma.

THE POSADAS Las posadas is a religious and social celebration that takes place for nine nights, from Dec. 16-24, the holiday known as Las Posadas commemorates Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem and their search for shelter prior to the birth of Christ. Las Posadas is a reenactment of this difficult journey. It is an elaborate preparation for La Navidad (Christmas) in Mexico and some Central American countries.

This tradition was used as an Aztec festival to teach about the birth of Christ and to replace the nine-day celebration of the birth of the Aztec Sun god with a Christian celebration. What started as a novena, or nine days of prayer, eventually moved from the church to the community and was celebrated in people's homes.

Las Posadas includes a procession led by children, followed by adults and musicians. They travel to a different house in the village or neighborhood each night looking for lodging. When they enter the designated house, they begin the evening with prayer; soon after, the celebration begins, full of music, fireworks, food, candy, and treats for all. Children and adults alike anticipate this joyous religious occasion.

In traditional homes and rural areas, particularly in the south of Mexico, La Navidad is still very much a religious holiday. However, just as the Magi

brought gifts to the infant baby Jesus, celebrants also bring toys to good little girls and boys on January 6, the Day of the Kings. In the northern parts of Mexico, especially those adjacent to the United States, Christmas trees and Santa Claus are the order of the day.

SIMBANG GABI "Simbang Gabi" a Filipino Christmas tradition, it is a series of nine dawn Masses, the Mass starts as early as 4 a.m. It begins on Dec. 16 and ends on the midnight of the 24th of December, which is the midnight Mass.

This tradition was introduced by the Spanish friars to allow the farmers to hear Mass

before going to the fields early in the morning. Simbang Gabi is also known by its popu-

lar Spanish name as the Misa de Gallo, or “Mass of the Rooster.''

In the olden days, the church bells start ringing as early as three o' clock waking people

up so they can get ready for the four o'clock dawn mass. The Roman Catholic churches

across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn to welcome

the faithful to the Simbang Gabi mass.

Today, the tradition of Simbang Gabi continues whether you live in the city or in the

province, although it is celebrated in new ways. Most churches are decorated with colorful

lights and beautiful parols (Christmas star-shaped lanterns) to welcome the church goers.

Shortly after the Mass, traditional delicacies awaits the church goers and are sold in stalls

right outside the church, favorites like bibingka, puto (rice cakes), puto bungbong, suman

sa ibos and usually served with tea or coffee. Hot pandesal (breakfast roll) are also very

popular.

Simbang Gabi is not just a tradition that is celebrated because we need to do so but it is

the spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. Simbang Gabi is also

seen as a way of requesting blessings from the Lord, as most people believe that if one

completes the whole series of nine days of Masses, wishes will be granted.

Over the years, Filipino communities have made some

changes in the celebration of Simbang Gabi, some urban

parishes now celebrate Misa de Gallo around 6-7 p.m. in

order to accommodate the needs of the members of the

community who have different work schedules.

The Simbang Gabi tradition is also practiced by Catholic Filipino communities who are

living elsewhere in the world. In the US, Simbang Gabi is celebrated not just within the

Filipino community but also with our non-Filipino brothers and sisters. No matter how

or when this celebration takes place, the Simbang Gabi provides a strong indication of

the depth of Catholicism among the Filipino people.

CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER The liturgical season of Advent (little lent) is a call to slow

down and reflect on our lives - to prepare ourselves for a fresh re-living of the gift of the Incar-nation. We invite you to “Come Away” for an hour during ADVENT and rest in God’s love. Contemplative Prayer is our Catholic tradition of Praying from the deepest place in our heart where Christ lives. It is prayer without words, yet full of desire for more of God, and less of us. It is a prayer of total surrender to our agendas and plans, and a deep listening to God, and to whom He desires us to become.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE MAÑANITAS The Mañanitas are basically a

birthday song serenaded to Our Lady of Guadalupe on her day. It is tradition

to do so on December 11th as it starts becoming December 12th the actual feast

day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Catholics will come to their home parishes

and start with songs dedicated to her until it is time to sing the Mañanitas.