As we continue our Advent journey together in anticipation of the celebration of the birth of our Savior, we are blessed in the Diocese of Paterson with many rich traditions, special Masses, and events at this time of year. While you are welcome and encouraged to experience these uplifting and joyous occasions in person, I realize that may not always be possible. In that case, I encourage you to experience them virtually by visiting beaconnj.org or following our social media accounts. By visiting beaconnj.org, you can follow our local events and important moments in the life of the Church universal.
To learn about some of the many different Christmas concerts, services, missions, retreats, and more happening in our local parishes, go to The Beacon’s “What To Do!” calendar: https://beaconnj.org/events/. Parishes are encouraged to advertise their events there for free!
You can also find special anniversary, installation, and Feast Day Masses listed on my monthly calendar. For example, there are several opportunities to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe this week, as well as Simbang Gabi, and our much-anticipated Jubilee Closing Mass.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Just at about the halfway point of Advent, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, the title of Our Lady that is designated for her as patroness of the United States. Conceived free from the stain of original sin to be the Mother of God; she is also the model disciple leading us toward her Son, Jesus Christ. On Dec. 8, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, led the veneration of the image of the Immaculate Virgin at the Spanish Steps in Rome. Since 1958, when Saint John XXIII was Pope, the Holy Father has gone to the Spanish Steps in person to lead the people of Rome in prayer seeking the intercession of the Blessed Mother. As the Jubilee Year of Hope begins to draw to a close, Pope Leo’s first prayer at this shrine was especially poignant: “After the holy doors, may other doors now open, doors of homes and oases of peace where dignity may flourish again, where people may learn nonviolence and the art of reconciliation.” We pray that the Queen of Peace will help to build bridges between peoples through our shared love for her and through her intercession.
This year, on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I was grateful for the honor to bless the new Monsignor Herbert Tillyer Rehabilitation Center in Paterson, part of the Diocese of Paterson Catholic Charities Straight and Narrow program. Coverage of the grand opening and ribbon cutting is available here.
Our Lady of Guadalupe
As I wrote in a previous column, if you would like to get a little closer to our Blessed Mother during this Advent Season, one thing you could do is find a parish with a Spanish-speaking community that is celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Even if you don’t speak or understand a word of Spanish, you will find people who have a deep love for the Blessed Mother and who want to show their love and gratitude to her by coming for Mass or visiting Church on her Feast Day.
As they come to Mass or for a visit, they often carry roses, symbolizing the roses that Mary instructed Juan Diego to bring to the bishop as a sign of the authenticity of her presence, message, and request for a Shrine/Church to be built in her honor. Almost 500 years later, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe remains on that same spot at Tepeyac and is visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims yearly. The words of the Blessed Mother at Tepeyac to Saint Juan Diego are our consolation and hope this Advent and always: “Am I not here, I, who am your mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection?” Immaculately conceived and pointing us toward the life found in her Son, our Blessed Mother is always our encouragement and support.
During the Season of Advent, there is so much for us to appreciate about the beauty and diversity of our Catholic Faith and our Church, the “mystical Body of Christ.” Whether it is our love for and devotion to Mary, our Blessed Mother, or the many other wonderful traditions and customs that are part of our spiritual preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. The Feasts of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe are two “Advent gifts” given to us by the Church to help us remember, focus, and pray as we travel together with Mary and one another on our “Advent journey” to Bethlehem.
As I wrote in another column, it is important for all of us to know, learn about, and appreciate our Blessed Mother as Our Lady of Guadalupe because it reminds us of the beauty of our Catholic faith. We know that the word Catholic means universal, reminding us that Jesus came to save all people, from all lands, nations, and tongues. We are also aware that in missionary efforts throughout the history of the Church, from Jesus telling his apostles, “Go to the ends of the earth …” and the moment of Pentecost, the “clash of cultures” was, at times, traumatic and sad, and many mistakes were made. However, despite all the human weakness and sinfulness, something happened between Our Blessed Mother, the Mexican people, and the people of the Americas. That loving and maternal bond remains strong and grows stronger almost 500 years later, continuing to be a vibrant part of the Church and, in our times, the “new evangelization.”
Also, Our Lady of Guadalupe helps us see the beauty of our Catholic faith by highlighting how Mary continues to lead us to her Son. “Guadalupe” is one of the countless titles of our Blessed Mother, and as her children, we can each have our favorite title. Yet she is the same Mother, the Mother of God and our Mother, as she said to St. Juan Diego and all, “Am I not here who am your Mother?”
While the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12 is more popular in parishes where there are Mexican or Spanish-speaking communities, there are many reasons why awareness of and devotion to our Blessed Mother, under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, is important for all Catholics, especially all Catholics in the Americas.
Please consider reading the full version of these columns by clicking on the above links and visiting a new parish this week to honor our Blessed Mother.
Simbang Gabi
There are also many opportunities during this Advent season to celebrate Simbang Gabi with members of our Filipino Catholic communities. This is a Filipino celebration of nine days of novenas and votive Masses in preparation for the birth of Jesus. Simbang Gabi in Tagalog means “Masses of the night.” The nine-day novena is held Dec. 16–24, during Advent. The Diocesan Commission for Catholic Filipino Ministries organized the novena and Mass in different parishes throughout the diocese where there are Filipino parishioners.
Please be assured of my prayers for you and our entire diocesan family during this Advent season, in which there is so much for us to appreciate about the beauty and diversity of our Catholic Faith and our Church, the “mystical Body of Christ.” Whether it is our love for and devotion to Mary, our Blessed Mother, or the many other wonderful traditions and customs that are part of our spiritual preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. The Feasts of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe are two “Advent gifts” given to us by the Church to help us remember, focus, and pray as we travel together with Mary and one another on our “Advent journey” to Bethlehem.
