Mass Times for All Saints' Day at St. Mark

Thursday, November 1 is All Saints' Day.  St. Mark in Vienna, VA, will have Masses at the following times:

• 6:15am
• 9:15am
• 5:30pm
• 7:30pm

And from the St. Mark bulletin, a note:

This Thursday, we rejoice in all those who have attained the reward of their faith in the happiness of heaven, as we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. As well as the known and canonized Saints, all who now enjoy the presence of God are of the Communion of Saints, to which we aspire. And as a Holy Day of Obligation, falling upon a week-day, this Solemnity reminds us to be conscious of the saints’ prayers for us at all times

All Hallows Eve

Today is Halloween!  What sort of connection do we as Christians have to this day?  Watch the video below to hear about Halloween, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day from Fr. James Martin, S.J..

[Video is 8:14 long]

No RE on October 29 or 30

Due to Hurricane Sandy, there will be no RE today (October 29) or Tuesday (October 30). Please stay safe!

First Penance Parent Meeting: November 8, 2012

The First Penance Parent Meeting has been rescheduled to Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 7:30pm in the Activities Center.  All parents of children preparing to receive First Penance should have received an email and letter about this change.

The Year of Faith: there's an app for that

As mentioned in previous posts, we are in the middle of a "Year of Faith."  Similar to the "Year of Paul" and Year for Priest, the Year of Faith is a time to focus on a particular aspect of our Catholic faith that the Pope and Bishops think Catholics around the world need to draw their attention to.  While Paul and Priests represent a segment of our faith, this year, we're asked to look at our faith as a whole, to examine our relationship to Jesus and grow in knowledge of our faith.

The Diocese of Ft. Wayne-South Bend commissioned a website and companion smartphone app to help Catholics in Northern Indiana and across the world grow in their faith.  The website and app update daily with new posts designed to "help you learn your Catholic faith, love it more deeply and live it with passion."  So far, topics of posts include the newest American saints, a missionary in Nicaragua, and how to see the Pope when in Rome.

You can purchase the MyYearOfFaith app for your iOS or Andriod device for $.99.

Vatican II -- 50th Anniversary

Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, which is partially the reason why we're celebrating a "Year of Faith" this year.  While the blog will feature articles throughout the year on Vatican II, here's a little known gem straight from the Bl. Pope John 23's heart, spoken on the night of October 11, 1962:

If your Italian isn't what it used to be, see the translation below (HT to Whispers in the Loggia)

Dear sons and daughters,

I feel your voices! Mine is just one lone voice, but it sums up the voice of the whole world.

And here, in fact, all the world is represented here tonight. It could even be said that even the moon hastens close tonight, that from above, it might watch this spectacle that not even St Peter's Basilica, over its four centuries of history, has ever been able to witness.

We ask for a great day of peace. Yes, of peace! 'Glory to God, and peace to men of goodwill.'' If I asked you, if I could ask of each one of you: where are you from? The children of Rome, especially represented here, would respond: ah, we are the closest of children, and you're our bishop. Well, then, sons and daughters of Rome, always remember that you represent 'Roma, caput mundi' ['Rome, the capital of the world'] which through the design of Providence it has been called to be across the centuries.

My own person counts for nothing -- it's a brother who speaks to you, become a father by the will of our Lord, but all together, fatherhood and brotherhood and God's grace, give honor to the impressions of this night, which are always our feelings, which now we express before heaven and earth: faith, hope, love -- love of God, love of brother, all aided along the way in the Lord's holy peace for the work of the good. And so, let us continue to love each other, to look out for each other along the way: to welcome whoever comes close to us, and set aside whatever difficulty it might bring.

 When you head home, find your children. Hug and kiss your children and tell them: 'This is the hug and kiss of the Pope.' And when you find them with tears to dry, give them a good word. Give anyone who suffers a word of comfort. Tell them 'The Pope is with us especially in our times of sadness and bitterness.'

And then, all together, may we always come alive -- whether to sing, to breathe, or to cry, but always full of trust in Christ, who helps us and hears us, let us continue along our path.

Prayer for the Year of Faith

An excellent prayer to pray during the Year of Faith (taken from the Diocese of Arlington Year of Faith website):

Heavenly Father,

Pour forth your Holy Spirit to inspire me with these words from Holy Scripture.

Stir in my soul the desire to renew my faith and deepen my relationship with your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, so that I might truly believe in and live the Good News.

Open my heart to hear the Gospel and grant me the confidence to proclaim the Good News to others.

Pour out your Spirit, so that I might be strengthened to go forth and witness to the Gospel in my everyday life through my words and actions.

In moments of hesitation, remind me:

If not me, then who will proclaim the Gospel?

If not now, then when will the Gospel be proclaimed?

If not the truth of the Gospel, then what shall I proclaim?

God, our Father, I pray that through the Holy Spirit I might hear the call of the New Evangelization to deepen my faith, grow in confidence to proclaim the Gospel and boldly witness to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen

The Year of Faith

To enter the door of faith is to begin a journey that lasts a lifetime -- Pope Benedict XVI

Today, October 11, 2012, marks the opening of the Year of Faith, a 13-month long opportunity to deepen our faith in Jesus.  To help us all enter the Year of Faith, the Arlington Diocese has created a website designed to inspire and invite us to grow in faith.

At the national level, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also has a website designed to help us take a deeper look at our faith.  There's a collection of videos from the website, including an introduction to the Year of Faith, a saint for each of the 13 months, and a Q&A about the Year of Faith.  The Bishops also offer a simple family prayer to pray this year.

Globally, the Vatican's English Year of Faith website provides us with a wider view of our faith, more focused on what the Pope and other Church officials offer us during this year.  For example, below is the video produced with Pope Benedict announcing the Year of Faith:

With the proliferation of these Year of Faith websites, the Church recognizes the need to be present where people work and live part of their lives: the digital realm.  Throughout the year, you can join us here at the blog as we highlight the best of what the Diocese, USCCB, and Vatican have to offer us during this Year of Faith.

No RE on October 7, 8, and 9

We will not have Religious Education classes on October 7, 8, or 9 due to the Columbus Day holiday.  Classes will resume on October 14, 15, and 16.