Faith & Religion - Fe y religion Church Bulletins BREAKFAST WITH SANTA December 4, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Saint Patrick Church, 1603 Cherry Avenue, Lubbock, will host Breakfast with Santa, $7 breakfast plates and $2 picture donations. to be followed by our Winter Wonderland from 6pm- 9 p.m.
A Time of Traditions
ST. JOSEPH'S LUBBOCK VETERAN'S MASS: The mass in honor of veteran's at St. Joseph's Lubbock has been held annually for a number of years. (Photo by Gerardo Mendoza)
KOC CELEBRATE VETERAN'S MASS: Members of the Knights of Columbus posed by the Missing Man Table that represents the emotions and feelings reserved for those who did not come home from war or service. The ceremony symbolizes that they are with us, in spirit. The table was a reminder at St. Joseph's Church Veteran breakfast.
Forward in Chris
he Bible tells us in... Romans T 15:13 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you
trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. The word peace used in this verse is the word, Shalom. (Shalom is the state of well-being) When you hear the word peace, what comes to mind? I use to think of peace as a beautiful sunset on a beach somewhere, or the satisfying feeling of a favorite NFL team winning a game, or when everyone agrees with me and there is no arguing or fighting going on… or a Jason’s Deli Ruben pastrami sandwich on a croissant bun after an amazing Sunday morn-
ing service followed by an anointed Sunday afternoon nap! HALLELUJAH!! The truth is… Peace isn’t necessarily a moment it’s a person… and that person… that Peace… came to us. The bible says in… Isaiah 9:6 6For to us a child is born, to us, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. I pray that the peace of the Lord would saturate you and your family during this season! Open your heart to Him today. AMEN! Joshua Ramirez is the Campus Pastor of the Lubbock Dream Center and has been in ministry for 30 years.
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BY CHRISTY MARTINEZ-GARCIA FOR LATINO LUBBOCK MAGAZINE
T
he voices of young and old can be heard faintly in the distance in a collective and timehonored song. Small glowing lights from candles ascend slowly upon the block of houses and harmonize with the reflection from the luminarias that line the streets and sidewalks of homes and the church. Participating families wait eagerly for this Spanish folk drama re-enactment of the time Mary and Joseph searched for shelter in Bethlehem. The celebration referred to as Las Posadas is relevant to the Inn at Bethlehem in the Nativity story; it begins each Dec. 16 and continues through Christmas Eve. Spanish friars developed the Posadas celebration as a way to introduce religion to the indigenous people in Mexico. They used this event to engage them in a very simple way where they could understand the faith and its significance. Each of the nine nights, the Posadas are observed with religious processions. The tradition varies in different churches and different regions of Texas and New Mexico. Some churches create live nativities, which portray the Virgin Mary and Joseph. Church members walk from house to house singing and carrying candles. At each house, they ask for shelter and food. Like in the story, they are refused. Las Posadas is also a way to
help keep the traditions and culture alive. It’s part of a tradition to keep the Christmas story alive. After a Posada procession, everyone returns to the colorfully decorated church hall that is adorned with a star-shaped piñata. The piñata symbolizes the guiding North Star. Growing up, I remember going to the parish hall for a celebration after the door to door procession. The Guadalupanos, a Catholic church men’s group, served beverages including coffee, cinnamon tea, and hot chocolate. The Guadalupanas, a group made up of many generations of women, served treats and delicatessen made from family recipes, including a variety of Mexican sweet bread, sometimes, tamales. Even today, the conversations in English and Spanish overlap each other and create a restful feeling. Loud laughter from the men as they talk and share stories fills the room, while the children strategically anticipate the breaking of the piñata. “Dalé, dalé,” hollers one of the adults, with that the candy drops. And as we departed, a small paper sack filled with an apple, orange, peanuts, and candy was given to the children of fruit. Today many of the traditions are similar. And fortunately, Las Posadas remain as strong. Posadas will be December 1921st beginning with Mass at 6 p.m. and followed by Posadas from 7 to 9 p.m. each day. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1120 52nd St, Lubbock.
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FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE Sat., December 11th, at St. John the Baptist, at 10805 Indiana Ave. Spanish Mass at 5 pm. Parishioners are encouraged to bring their offerings of flowers and written prayers to the display next to the altar. OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE FEAST DAY CELEBRATION Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 3111 Erskine, Sun. Dec. 12th, Everyone is invited to come and celebrate the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 5:30 am Mariachi's, 6 am Mass, Matachines Dancers following mass, 7 am Reception and Craft Activities in Buxkemper Hall. Everyone encourage to bring roses. SUPPORT FOR YOUR FAMILY: Catholic Charities Youth and Family department is still here to help families’ mental and emotional health. Case managers can help with family conflict, stress, anxiety and more. To be contacted by a case manager, fill out a form at cclubbock.org/ youth-and-families. ONLINE MASS – Check www.catholiclubbock.org/Covid-19 for a listing. COUNSELING: Affordable marriage and family counseling offered by Marriage & Family Life Office, in collaboration with TTU Marriage & Family Clinic. For appointment, call Dr. Nicole Springer at 806-7423074. DIVINE MERCY Chaplet online at https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/ devotions/novena PRAY THE ROSARY ONLINE at https://www.cathedralofmary. org/faith-formation/resources/ pray-the-rosary-online YOUTH MINISTRY WEBINARS: The National Fede r a - tion for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) has resources against racism, including a free webinar series on how to apply the USCCB's pastoral letter, "Open Wide Our Hearts" in a ministry context. Details: www.nfcym.org/open-wide-ourhearts UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES online at https://catholicboard. com/ THE BIBLE ONLINE www. catholic.org/bible/ EWTN NEWS https://www.ewtnnews.com/ LATINO LUBBOCK MAGAZINE ON STANDS AND ONLINE www. latinolubbock.net
