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Dear St. James Family, |
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We will be completing the season of Christmastide this Sunday with the solemnity of the Epiphany, remembering the visit of the wise men to the home of the Lord. We will be especially remembering this occasion by blessing door chalk and holy water for you to take home. More details on that below. I will also be preaching about how you can grow in your ability to be welcoming to outsiders such as the wise men or shepherds.
Also, today, upon the funeral of Pope Benedict, we begin nine days of mourning. More information about that below. |
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Upcoming Dates at a Glance (click an event to learn more or see All Events at the Website)
Blessed Chalk: Available after Mass on 1/8 for Epiphany House Blessing Blessed Salt & Water: Sunday, 1/8, bring to be blessed after Mass. Prayer & Potluck: Sunday, January 8, 2023, 4:00 PM at Messina Home Catholic Beliefs Class: Every other Mon, 7-9 PM, Jan 2 – Feb 20, 2023. New Attender Dinner: Sunday, January 15, 5:00 PM Learn history and vision of St. James Candlemas: Thursday, February 2, 5:30 PM. Catered Meal. RSVP by 1/29 Shrove Tuesday: February 21, 5:30 PM. Pancakes, Fun, Confessions. Ash Wednesday Mass: February 22, 5:30 PM Mass, 7 PM Ashes outside of Mass: February 22, 7:00 PM, shorter liturgy with ashes |
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Prayer and Potluck Signup for this Sunday, January 8, 2022 at 4:00 PM
Experience one of the treasures of the Ordinariate: Praying the Daily Office Evening Prayer while having fun and eating food with your favorite people at the Messina home (6233 Oleta Way, Jacksonville)! Potluck signup online or check out the Events Calendar for more information. |
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This Sunday: Pick up your Blessed Chalk to Bring a Blessing upon your Home
In remembrance of the three kings who visited Jesus in his first home, Christian homes and households traditionally receive the Three Wisemen or Epiphany Blessing by using blessed chalk to write above the main door of the home the year and the initials of the Three Wisemen who visited the Holy Family: 20 + C + M + B + 23. Join us this Sunday, January 8, 2023 when the chalk will be blessed and given out for you to take home along with instructions on how to chalk your door. |
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Bring Salt and Water to be Blessed this Sunday
Holy water and blessed salt can be used for overcoming temptation, driving away sickness and future illnesses, removing venial sins, driving away the devil, among other uses. Some people cook with blessed salt and or water, others place them in holy water fonts at their homes or sprinkle them in their houses.
The blessing of water and salt goes back to Elisha’s transformation of a poisoned spring of water into that which was healthful (2 Kings 2:19-22). The use of holy water especially has a revered history with the people of God. Old Testament priests were given specific instructions for the creation of holy water (Numbers 5:17) and how it was to be used (19:11-12). It is especially traditional for water and salt to be blessed on Epiphany or on the Baptism of Christ.
Since the beginning of the world, water has been the source of life and fruitfulness. It was from the Spirit of God moving over the waters that creation first came forth. Through water that God saved Noah and his family, through water that God rescued his people from Egypt, and of course through the waters of baptism that we are given new life.
Please place any water or salt that you would like blessed on the table that will be set up outside of the church. The items will be blessed after Mass this Sunday, January 8, 2023. |
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Best and worst times to use the bathroom during Mass?
Are you every curious about the most appropriate or least appropriate times to use the bathroom during Mass? I have been working on updating the website and this is one of those items that you can find out all about, along with many other learnings about the Mass by visiting Mass Experience. |
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Sacristy Closet Improvements
As we have grown as a community, our liturgical implements and the like have grown with us creating need for better working sacristy storage system. Thank you to John Brown and Nate Wolford for spending an entire day organizing, putting up shelves, and rearranging the sacristy storage. This is a great gift to the community and makes it much easier for our Holy Myrrhbearers Altar Guild to set up for Mass and put everything away afterward. |
Bishop Lopes on Pope Benedict and the Ordinariate
Watch Bishop Lopes participate in EWTN’s special segment honoring Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Earlier this week Bishop Lopes traveled to the Vatican to participate in the funeral on behalf of the Ordinariate and was interviewed on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 in St. Peter’s square in a special production to honor the life and legacy of the great Pope Benedict XVI, the father and fearless visionary that brought the Ordinariate into existence.
Bishop Lopes celebrated a Solemn Pontifical Requiem Mass for Benedict XVI in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham, Houston, this past Monday January 2. View the Mass and hear Bishop Lopes’ homily.
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Nine Days of Mourning Begins Today
Today, the day of the funeral for Pope Benedict XVI begins the longstanding custom after the death of a pope, of the “novemdiales” the tradition of mourning for nine days. To assist in the prayerful process you may use this Novena of Mourning, prepared by the chancellery of the Ordinariate (that is the bishop’s staff) which begins today and concludes on Friday, January 13, 2023 |
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Faithfully, your pastor, Father Mayer |