Sharing Advent Observances

I have come to truly love Advent. More and more I find it a refuge from the commercial Christmas (although I admit, it makes me forget to Christmas shop sometimes!). I remember when the kids were young, we used to light the Advent wreath at the dinner table and recite prayers before eating dinner. The kids are nearly grown now and out of the house, so I've had to find new ways to observe this special season.

Advent is such a 'quiet' and short season that it can easily be ignored or forgotten, and for a few years, I let our observances lapse. This year though, I wanted to take some time out each day to observe it.

First of all, I splurged on a really nice Advent wreath - well worth the expenditure. :-) Each morning I light the candle(s) on the Advent wreath (that's my wreath in the picture), read a special Advent wreath prayer, and then read out loud (or chant) the daily readings. I end my time reading a concluding Advent prayer and singing an Advent hymn. The readings for Advent (especially from Isaiah) are so incredibly beautiful and makes this observance a pure joy.

This simple exercise takes just 10 minutes but it sets up the tone for the whole day. I find myself wishing to be with God more often during the day and I so look forward to spending that time with Him in the morning before leaving for work.

Many people have interesting ways of observing Advent. Do you have an observance you'd like to share? Simply click on the Comments link just below this post and share how you and your family observe Advent. We can all learn from each other.

Susan Bailey, Secretary, Commission for Women

Opting for Holiness is Themeof Unity Breakfast Speaker

By Mary Donovan, Catholic Free Press, and member of the Commission for Women

Sanctity is within the grasp of every woman, if she can forget the stereotype of saint and picture herself in the role. That’s pretty much the message of Jamie Stuart Wolfe, the speaker at the Commission for Women’s Unity Breakfast held on Saturday, October 25.

Over a hundred women from all over the diocese heard Ms. Wolfe use the stories of four women named Teresa to make her point. She talked about St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Teresa of Avila, Sr. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Ms. Wolfe is a speaker, song writer and singer from Lynnfield who is also a columnist for the Boston Pilot.

These four Teresas did not come into the world full-fledged holy women, she said. They were of very different lives and accomplishments who opted for holiness and to let God use their abilities.

She quoted Mother Teresa who said, ``I want to be a pencil in His hand.’’

Ms. Wolfe told about going to her spiritual director and saying, ``I need a saint like me. I’m not the silent, mild-mannered, hands-folded-in-prayer type.’’

He answered her with a challenge, "Be the saint you need,.’’ he said.

Discussion groups after the talk were asked to consider one of four questions: What does a holy person look like? Which of the four "Theresas’’ do you relate to most and why? Is there a link between personality and sanctity? What would your statue or stained glass window look like? A representative from each table gave the group’s conclusion.

Here are some of the answers. Marcy Wilson, pastoral associate at Our Lady of the Hills in Boylston said the ``holy person’’ would look like the person looking back at you from the mirror.

Mary Brown from East Longmeadow described her group’s stained glass window.

"Our stained glss window would look smashed – it would have every color, but predominant colors are black and blue. God is the smasher,’’ she said.

Julie O’Connor of St. Paul Parish in Worcester said you can’t tell a saint by the looks. However, after you know a person you get the sense of peace and joy - they are happy with themselves, she said.

The Unity Breakfast is held every other year. It is offered as an opportunity for women from different parishes across the diocese to get together between conferences. The next Diocesan Women’s Conference - Gather Us In, 2009 - will be held at the DCU Center in Worcester on November 7, 2009

as seen in the Catholic Free Press, October 31, 2008