Dear Parishioners,
 
Welcome to Advent!  Advent is a period of preparations and expectation for four Sundays before Christmas.  The word "Advent" comes from the Latin advenio, meaning "to come to" and refers to the coming of Christ into our lives.  The       Advent liturgical color is dark blue with purple.  Perhaps the best-known of the Advent symbols is the Advent wreath.  The first Advent wreath was conceived by Johann Hinrich Wichern in 1839.  He founded a home for poor children in Hamburg,    Germany and during the weeks leading up to Christmas, he was constantly asked by the children when Christmas would come.  He constructed a wooden circle out of a cart wheel and topped it with four tall white candles.  Each Sunday he would light an additional candle until the feast of Christmas arrived.  The Advent wreath tradition didn't spread beyond Germany until the 1930's.  Today, Advent wreaths are common in our parish churches and in the homes of Christians. 
 
With the new church year, we now read from St. Mark.  Mark associated with St. Peter and other Apostles and finally wrote his gospel around 65AD.  Mark's is the shortest gospel, and because of that on some Sundays we will hear St. John's gospel.  Take time to read the gospel of Mark at home during Advent.
 
Many thanks. God Bless You,  Fr. Paul J. Alciati