C O N T R I B U TO R S
M r s . L i s a H i l l - S u t t o n , O. P. w w w. l i s a j u l i a p h o t o g r a p h y. c o m Our Lady of Angels P h o t o g r a p h e r / Wr i t e r / P u bl i s h e r M e l i s s a C h av e s Our Lady of Angels Wr i t e r / C o p y E d i t o r Malissa Coy Our Lady of Angels Copy Editor Jo s e p h S u t t o n Our Lady of Angels Copy Editor
Sophie Wheeler Our Lady of Angels Layout Designer Fr. Ke v i n O ’ Ke e f e Pa s t o r - S t . J u d e Spiritual Direction Fr. T h o m a s C av a n a u g h Pa r r o c h i a l V i c a r S t . Jo h n t h e A p o s t l e Spiritual Direction N a t a l i e S u t t o n a n d K a t e r i Fo o s Our Lady of Angels Te e n C o r n e r C o n t r i b u t o rs
Pe g g y L i u z z o St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Wr i t e r C y n t h i a Vi v i a n St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Copy Editor
C O N TAC T U S
To c o n t a c t u s r e g a r d i n g c o n t e n t s u b m i s s i o n s and/or ho w you can support our ministr y email pwccatholic@gmail.com or visit us at: w w w. p r i n c e w i l l i a m c o u n t y c a t h o l i c. c o m T his magazine was printed by Wo o d b r i d g e P r i n t i n g C o m p a n y
During this time of social distancing, you can still be a p a r t o f o u r c o m m u n i t y b y j o i n i n g o u r Fa c e b o o k g r o u p : w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / g r o u p s / P WC C a t h o l i c M a g a z i n e /
P R I N C E W I L L I A M C O U N T Y C AT H O L I C I S A L A B O R O F LOV E W I T H T H E I N T E N T I O N O F D R AW I N G C LO S E R TO G E T H E R O U R LO C A L P R I N C E W I L L I A M C AT H O L I C C O M M U N I T Y. W E B E L I E V E T H AT B R I N G I N G AT T E N T I O N TO O U R N E I G H B O R S I N T H E P E W S , W H O M W E M AY N OT Y E T K N OW O N A P E R S O N A L L E V E L , WILL GIVE OUR READERS AN O P P O RT U N I T Y TO S E E T H E G O O D WO R K S T H AT LO C A L C AT H O L I C S A R E D O I N G I N T H E N A M E O F C H R I S T. W E S E E K TO D E E P E N O U R P R AY E R L I F E , A N D G ROW I N T H E LOV E A N D K N OW L E D G E O F O U R C AT H O L I C FA I T H SO IN TURN WE CAN BETTER SHARE T H AT LOV E , K N OW L E D G E A N D S U P P O RT W I T H O U R C O M M U N I T Y AT L A R G E .
4
Prince William County Catholic
Prince William County Catholic
TA B L E O F CONTENTS 6
Pa r i s h i o n e r P r o f i l e : T h e M o o r e Fa m i l y
12
M a r y & Jo s e p h ’s Jo u r n e y t o B e t h l e h e m
16
Te e n C o r n e r
18
“ I t i s Fa i t h ”
24
T h e T h i r d Jo y f u l M y s t e r y : T h e N a t i v i t y
26
Non-edible Advent Bread Dough Wr e a t h Re c i p e
30
C o l o r i n g Pa g e, Pa r i s h D i r e c t o r y a n d Bulletins
5
6
Prince William County Catholic
THE MOOR
Prince William County Catholic
7
RE FAMILY advent traditions
8
Prince William County Catholic
God certainly works in mysterious ways. My husband and I are an unlikely couple. Bill is a scientist who converted to Catholicism in his late 40’s after the death of his first wife. I am a computer scientist-turned-nurse practitioner who entered the church in my early 20’s. We met at the University of Pennsylvania Newman Center while I was in graduate school and Bill was working as a researcher. Despite an age difference of 18 years, we became fast friends. When I moved to Minnesota in 2001 to begin my first nurse practitioner position with the Religious Sisters of Mercy, Bill escorted me. The Sisters immediately liked Bill and asked him to stay and work on their farm for a week. This led to Bill himself moving to Minnesota later that year, and eventually to married bliss. God has entrusted us with two beautiful daughters, Mary Lou (age 15) and Magdalene (age 13). Currently, we live out educator vocations at Catholic institutions in Virginia and Washington DC, and we are active parishioners at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Triangle, VA. Following, we describe a few of our family’s Advent traditions. Advent Wreath and Jesse Tree Over the years our family has merged these two traditions into a combined practice. The first Sunday of Advent, we place an Advent wreath on our kitchen table and erect an old, artificial Christmas tree in the kitchen
corner. Each evening after dinner we sing “Oh come, oh come Emmanuel,” recite the Advent wreath prayers, and light the wreath’s candle(s)--a coveted job that is often fought over. One person then reads the day’s Jesse Tree Bible verse, and everyone briefly shares what struck them most about the verse (Lectio Divina style). We then search through the huge pile of Jesse Tree ornaments--handmade ornaments from the first year we instituted this tradition (many now glued or taped back together from years of use) in addition to several images that have been printed out over the years to illustrate the readings. There are usually anywhere from 2-5 ornaments to be hung on the Jesse Tree each night. Ornament hanging is also a coveted job, and we have enjoyed seeing our children grow from tyrannical despots (grabbing the “best” ornaments) into skilled negotiators (in more recent years). Both the Jesse Tree and Advent Wreath are visual reminders to us of the coming of Christ. Each evening we are filled with comfort and anticipation as the candles provide light in our darkened kitchen and we see the ornaments slowly fill the Jesse Tree. ADVENT CALENDAR: Every year, each child receives their own chocolate Advent calendar. The calendar image usually portrays a nativity scene--the holy family, star, wisemen, etc. Finding each day’s num-
Prince William County Catholic
bered “door” on the calendar, reading the associated Bible verse, and consuming the tiny piece of chocolate are highly anticipated moments each day of Advent. Because our children enjoy the calendars so much, we have extended this tradition beyond our nuclear family to other relatives and friends. We take great delight mailing out these calendars and imagining our friends and family eagerly opening the calendar doors each day. BABY JESUS: Over the years we have accumulated a variety of nativity scenes. Some are intricate stables with several charac-
ters-–wisemen, shepherds, animals, etc. Others are a simple manger, like the piece of coconut shell with a plastic baby Jesus that I treasure from my time in Calcutta. One of our traditions is to remove the baby Jesus figurines from all the manger scenes and hide them away in a drawer until Christmas. When we look upon the empty mangers throughout Advent, our longing for His coming intensifies. ADVENT ELF: Several years ago, an elf named Lucy appeared in our home. She has a reindeer named Magical and they return to our home each year on the first Sunday of Advent. Lucy can be mischievous of
9
10
Prince William County Catholic
Prince William County Catholic
course, but she is also very devout. We sometimes find her kneeling before an empty creche, clearly longing for Baby Jesus to be born. On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Lucy often wears her prettiest outfit to honor Mary, and one year on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe she left us a beautifully decorated Mexican creche. On her own feast day, Lucy usually wears a wreath with candles on her head and leaves us delicious bread to enjoy for breakfast. We miss Lucy when she departs on Christmas, and we look forward to her Advent arrival each year. LIGHTSHOW: Each Advent we enjoy driving around the neighborhood to admire all the decorations. One year, we discovered our clear favorite: a house with an outdoor lightshow in their front yard. Instructions are posted to tune your radio to a station playing Christmas carols and their light display is choreographed to the music. This family has brought joy to countless others for years. We usually park, listen, and watch the lightshow for 3-5 carols, sometimes screaming out “Look at ---! Did you see ---?” or just sitting in silent admiration while listening to carols like “Silent Night.” Since our favorite Chinese restaurant is conveniently located near this house, we now look forward each Advent to an evening of Christmas lights and Chinese takeout.
SERVICE: Each Advent we look forward to our parish’s “Un-Trim-a-Tree” drive and the challenge of finding the perfect gift for a little boy or girl. Some years we participate in making Christmas baskets and delivering them to those in our community. It is a privilege to be received into another’s home, and this experience always fills us with gratitude for our many blessings. Because Quantico is nearby, some years we participate in “Wreaths Across America.” Our first experience with this event amused us by the “OORAH” spirit we witnessed in some: Balance a large pole across your shoulders, load as many wreaths as you can carry on the pole, run as fast as you can to lay as many wreaths on as many graves as you can! Nevertheless, it is a moving experience to remember someone who sacrificed their life. And it is a privilege to honor their memory by laying a simple green wreath on their grave. NIGHT LIGHTS: The Advent decorations I welcome the most are nighttime lights. At our home, we place a candle in most windows and we have simple white lights on our front porch and bushes. Winter’s dark and cold can sometimes dampen spirits and I am always gratified at how these small lights cut through the darkness to bring a sense of hope and joy. Like our Advent wreath candles, these lights are a visual reminder of the power of Christ overcoming Darkness.
11
12
Prince William County Catholic
Mary and Joseph’s Journey to Bethlehem by Colleen Rooney
One can only wonder what was going on in Mary and Joseph’s minds and hearts as they prepared to travel to Bethlehem for the census (Luke 2: 1 – 5). Both were probably familiar with the journey at least to Jerusalem. Joseph was obligated by Jewish law to travel three times a year to Jerusalem for the major Jewish feasts. Mary had, no doubt, traveled with her parents at various times to Jerusalem for the same feasts. Jerusalem was but a few miles from Bethlehem, the city of David. Joseph was of the family line of King David and was returning to the ancestral home to register for the census. Both he and Mary were of the house of King David, the ancestral tribe of Judah. They may have had relatives who still lived in Bethlehem and could possibly have visited them on a family trip in the past. Now they were preparing to go to Bethlehem for the census, but more significantly for the birth of the promised Savior, Jesus, the Divine Infant. Mary’s pregnancy was draw-
ing to a close. Joseph was aware that she would soon be delivered. What must they both have been thinking? I will leave to the scholars and those with spiritual depth to speculate on their interior dispositions. On the practical side, I would like us to consider some preparations. Mary would have been making swaddling garments for the baby. First, she would card the wool, then separate the fibers into yarn. When she had enough yarn, she would then set her loom to weave the yarn into cloth. The cloth provided much needed wraps to swaddle her baby Son. Did she dye the swaddling clothes some color or leave them natural? We do not know. We do know she was an accomplished weaver as one might expect from a woman who was naturally gifted in every way. Unlike you and me, she did not have the darkness of mind or confusion of impulses that often distract us from learning something well and then executing it precisely. Mary
Prince William County Catholic
wove the swaddling clothes simply and beautifully as she would later weave Jesus’s seamless tunic (John 19:23). Joseph had many concerns on his mind. He knew the trip to Bethlehem (about 60 – 70 miles) would not be easy for Mary in her advanced stage of pregnancy. Certainly, she would ride on the donkey with some type of protective covering used as a makeshift saddle, but it would not be comfortable. He knew she would not complain, but it bothered him that he could not make it easier for her. They would take a slower pace than normal, yet still it would be physically taxing. The preparations for the Child were relatively simple. However, preparing
for the trip and the duration of their stay was more complex, as they did not know when the Child would be born or where they would be staying. Once the Child was born, they knew it would be at least 40 days before they returned to Nazareth. Jesus would need to be circumcised on the eighth day according to Jewish Law (Genesis 17:10 and Luke 2:21). They were not required to go to the Temple for the circumcision. They were required to go to the Temple for the presentation of the first-born son and the purification of the mother. That occurred 40 days after the birth of the child (Leviticus 12 and Luke 2:22). Mary and Joseph had to plan to stay in Bethlehem
13
14
Prince William County Catholic
at least through the Presentation. It would be far too tiring for Mary with the Baby Jesus to travel home after the circumcision and back again to Jerusalem for the Presentation considering how arduous travel was in those days. Food preparations were required for the trip. Surely, they could occasionally find someone who would sell them something but that would cost money, of which they had little. Along with making Jesus’ swaddling clothes, Mary was preparing and baking extra bread to take with them. She also was taking her mortar and pestle for grinding flour, some type of surface for kneading the dough and allowing it to rise, and sour dough starter. She may have had a small cook stove or a baking pit at home; however, if she did not, there were outdoor communal ovens, somewhat like we see at woodfire pizza eateries, where Mary could bake her bread along with other women in Nazareth. Similar facilities would be available in Bethlehem. They must have some food and drink to carry with them. We can imagine Mary drying various fruits and vegetables to take along. Perhaps she made extra cheese. Joseph certainly would have helped her with that, as it was a tedious and tiring job. It is unlikely they took any dried meat since they did not eat meat except for feasts. They probably took dried fish or fish soaked in oil. Whatever foodstuffs they took with them, preparation was required.
They would need to be well-organized and have packed carefully. Unless they had two donkeys, which they are never depicted as having, the donkey carrying Mary would be carrying some of their foods. The couple would need to take along food for the donkey, too. Joseph was considering which tools to bring for the time away from Nazareth. He expected to return after the Presentation, but he might be able to pick up a little work while they were in Bethlehem for 40 or so days. The tools common to a carpenter or tradesmen were the instrument used for marking, called a rule, the compass for drawing circles, the line for measuring, and the ax for felling trees or shaping wood. Did Joseph bring these tools? We are not sure. Others in Nazareth also would have to travel to their ancestral homes for the census. There were animals to be fed. Or did Mary and Joseph take their animals with them? We cannot be certain. Perhaps they left the care of their animals to a young cousin. The boy or girl would feed a goat, chickens, or maybe a sheep in the morning and evening until Mary and Joseph returned with a new baby. Like all of us, Mary and Joseph had many practical matters to consider before they began their journey to Bethlehem. What we can be sure of is early one morning they started out on their sixtyplus-mile journey to Bethlehem. They would have begun with Joseph leading
Prince William County Catholic
the Shema as part of their daily prayers. The trip was normally about a 3-4 day journey that the Jews often made in caravans of men, women, and children. There may have been a few others traveling with Mary and Joseph. We can expect that the couple traveled slower than usual, stopping now and then to rest and for Mary to change position. They would eat and drink a bit along the way, but the couple knew they had to use their resources wisely, so their meals were small. Their thoughts must have been turned inward on this momentous event that was soon to take place. Perhaps those traveling with them found them to be quiet, not given to chatter. Whatever their fellow travelers thought of them, they could not help but sense an abiding spirit of calm and a deep joyous silence. The journey was exhausting. It was tiring normally, but for Mary in her ninth month it was draining. Although Mary received the special privilege of the virginal birth, she nevertheless experienced the weight of the infant within her body and the accompanying physical weariness brought about in pregnancy. Like her Son, she was like us in all things except sin. Mary was not Divine, but she was immaculately conceived and never committed personal sin. She did experience hunger, weariness, and sleepiness. Joseph approached Bethlehem with a sigh of relief. He was glad to be at their destination and to find a place for them
to stay. He, too, was weary, and now he felt the embarrassment and shock --there were no rooms left. He sought out family and public inns, but no one had any room for them. There was not an ounce of privacy to be found for a mother about to give birth (Luke 2: 1 – 7). Then out of the evening’s darkness came a man, humble and quiet, who, seeing the young couple and their plight, offered them his cave a bit out of the way. It was a shelter for some of his animals. It was not much, but it was all he had to offer the young mother. With quiet thanks, Joseph and Mary followed his directions, stopping only to rest for a moment. It was under a cold, starry night when they tied the donkey to a post, gave him some feed, and unrolled their sleeping mats. Their provisions were set aside as they said their evening prayers. It was none too soon, as the Pure and Holy Virgin Mary knew her time had now come to give birth in this modest place to the Divine Infant. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) MERRY CHRISTMAS, FRIENDS!
15
16
Prince William County Catholic
TEEN CORNER by Natalie Sutton and Kateri Foos
Prince William County Catholic
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is beloved by many people around the world of all different ages. From family, to presents, to a wonderful Christmas dinner, it is pretty difficult for the Christmas season to be disliked. There is, however, a downside to all the presents and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season: people forget the true meaning of Christmas. One may ask what the true meaning of Christmas is and the answer is simple: Jesus. Jesus’ birth is the reason we come together with family and friends during the Christmas season. Without his birth, there is no Christmas and even worse, no redemption. But the next question that arises is, “What can I do to properly celebrate the true meaning of Christmas?” Keep on reading, and we will lay it all out for you! To begin, there are many different family traditions that people can participate in that keep in mind the true meaning of Christmas. I, Kateri, and my family have a fun Christmas tradition. Each Christmas, our mother makes us special Christmas pajamas that we have to sleep in the night before Christmas. In the morning, our mother takes a picture of the whole family. Then, we all go and pray in front of Jesus at the foot of the Christmas tree before we open presents. Praying before opening presents allows us to embrace Jesus as the true meaning of Christmas. It prevents us from going right to the presents and totally forgetting that Jesus is the reason for the season. Another exciting thing we do is go to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in DC and help decorate it a few days before Christmas. I, Natalie, have a Christmas tradition of going to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception each Christmas Eve for Midnight Mass. It is a tradition that my family and I
have been observing since I was very little. My favorite part about going to the Basilica each year is the music. The Basilica’s choir and orchestra tie the whole Mass together. Going to the Basilica each year always helps me to remember the true meaning of Christmas. At the beginning of the Mass, the celebrant goes to the nativity scene and prays. The choir sings a song reflecting on what happened the night of Christmas in Bethlehem. It is a touching moment and I think it sets the tone for the rest of the Mass. Most people forget about Christmas the day afterwards. As soon as the 26th of December rolls around, the trees and lights come down. Christmas does not, in fact, end the day after it is celebrated. In the Catholic Church, Christmas lasts until the epiphany--the day the three wise men came and presented Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We can’t truly understand the full meaning of Christmas if we forget about it the day after. There are feast days that we celebrate during the Christmas season that continue to keep the meaning of Christmas in our hearts. One of them is the feast of the Holy Innocents. This is when we remember the innocent young boys that were killed by Herod. These young children are considered martyrs because they died for Christ. This Christmas, we pray each of us remembers the true meaning of Christmas and that Jesus’ birth set in motion our redemption. We pray for strength and guidance to help us avoid being caught up in the commercialism of Christmas and that we will not be blinded by all the presents, shopping, sales and other distractions. We hope all of us will remember to keep Jesus in our hearts and to remember that...He is the reason for the season!
17
18
Prince William County Catholic
“It is Faith” by Jana Monaco
Prince William County Catholic
“How do you do it?” is a common question that parents of children with special needs hear from time to time. My response has always been, “It is faith.” My faith in God equips me with the resources and strength I need for what He calls me to do as a Catholic woman. It is a concept that my husband and I have instilled in the lives of our four children, having raised and educated them in our Catholic Faith. We live our Faith and emphasize its significance in our lives along with the importance of the Sacraments and how they help us grow closer to Christ. The COVID-19 pandemic and all the scares and uncertainties that come with it is one of those times in life where we rely on our faith. Life as we knew it has changed. Where we go, who we see and what we do are quite different now. We have all had to forgo so much that has filled our lives. How we attend Mass is also different, but the Mass itself has remained the same. That’s because through it all, God has not changed. He is still here ever-present in our lives. With the season of Advent upon us, we are reminded of Christ in our lives as we remember his coming into the world in a manager that first Christmas so long ago. It brings hope and joy as we celebrate his first coming and prepare for the next, reminding us what
*this article contains courtesy photos
we truly need in this life. I know this because my family and I have experienced our own personal hardship that impacted our lives much like the current pandemic and it forever changed our lives. We quickly learned then that God was still with us and Christ was a constant presence in our lives. We endured a terrible tragedy with Stephen, our third son, nineteen years ago when he was just three-and-a-half years old. I found our sweet, loving, energetic little boy unresponsive early one morning. I held my son’s limp little body in my arms as I dialed 911, not realizing that in less than 48 hours Stephen would be in a coma on life support fighting for his life. The diagnosis of isovaleric academia came too late to prevent severe brain damage. Imagine being told, “If your son makes it through the weekend, he won’t be the same little boy you knew and loved” and having to tell your other children that their little brother is going to die. All we could do was sit and pray and wait with Fr. Barkett, the pastor from our parish, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, by our side and surrounded by family and friends. The hospital chaplain would always come by his room and after weekend Mass he would tell me, “Keep praying! God listens to nagging mothers!”
19
20
Prince William County Catholic
Stephen remained in a coma on life support for three weeks and with an abundance of prayers and excellent medical intervention he survived his metabolic crisis. However, it left him with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities, seizures, a gastrostomy tube, cortical vision impairment and a host of medical complexities. After four weeks in the hospital and six weeks in a pediatric rehab center, we brought Stephen home to a very different life for all of us. I still remember looking around his room at all of the medical equipment that first night home and sobbed. Life would never be the same…just like now with the pandemic. We had so many fears and life was definitely full of uncertainties. We lost our normalcy and the way we knew life. The devastation of what Stephen endured was compounded by the realization that it could have been prevented had he been screened for IVA at birth. What we did know was that despite the sadness, hardship and profound loss and changes, God never changed. He was there with us. It was a time when we really came to grasp the idea that Christ was walking with us each step of the way. And one of the ways He did this was through our parish family. Our parish of St Elizabeth Ann Seton has surrounded us with
prayer and support in countless ways. Grounded in our strong Catholic Faith we found a way to go on with life. We welcomed our daughter Caroline just one year later who was also diagnosed with the same disorder before she was even born. We were now raising two children with a serious metabolic disorder, including one with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and two other sons who sought some sense of normalcy from the life we had. While it seems incredibly daunting (and, yes, we have felt that way), we have constantly turned to our faith that reminds us of God’s Hand in our lives. As Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purposes for them.” God has used Stephen and our family’s experience for greater good through my advocacy for expanded newborn screening legislation at the state and national level to help prevent other babies and children from sharing Stephen’s fate. He has called us to serve Him in our parish in various ministries. Our two older sons have been altar servers while growing up and one has been an usher along with my husband and daughter. I have served on
Prince William County Catholic
21
22
Prince William County Catholic
the Human Concerns Committee and have had the honor of serving Christ as an extraordinary minister. Together with Stephen, for several years I have presented at our parish Confirmation retreat on the importance of a relationship with God and His presence in our lives while sharing our family story. As we go through life, we are constantly reminded of the endless “what could have been” moments in life with Stephen, while cherishing those first 3-½ years when we watched Stephen grow and develop his fun, loving personality, strong independence and infectious charm. Rather than dwell on the loss, we have chosen to embrace the opportunity to take the series of events in his life and appreciate God’s greater purpose for him--one that has and will continue to impact endless children and families nationwide in the years to come. That same attitude is what helps us through the current challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic reminding us of God’s eternal presence in our lives. The more we live our faith, the more we feel His presence. The season of Advent is a wonderful guide during these trying times by shifting our focus from the struggles of life to the hope and joy found in walking with Christ.
Jana Monaco, wife, mother, rare disease and newborn screening advocate, is married to Tom Monaco for almost 34 years. They have four children-- Nicholas 29, Alex 26, Stephen 23 and Caroline 18. More about the family’s journey is here: http://www.stephenamonaco. org/ Jana recently received the 2020 State Advocacy – Patient/Organization award from the Rare Disease Legislative Advocates group.
Prince William County Catholic
The season of Advent is a wonderful guide during these trying times by shifting our focus from the struggles of life to the hope and joy found in walking with Christ.
23
24
Prince William County Catholic
THE THIRD
JOYFUL MYSTERY:
THE NATIVITY by Mrs. Mary Catabui, O.P.
Prince William County Catholic
Mary was now in the ninth month of pregnancy and decided to go to Bethlehem with Joseph, following the decree of the Emperor Augustus to register under the House of David. She knew it would be a long trip but she wanted Joseph to be with her during her birth. By the time they got there the inns were filled. After three attempts, Joseph finally got lucky and was told by the owner that there was a tiny stable for the animals. He gave directions to Joseph and Mary and when they arrived there they settled down for the night. Under a quiet night and starlit sky Mary had her baby and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. “For 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 COUNCILOR ,
ALMIGHTY GOD,
EVERLASTING FATHER,
PRINCE OF PEACE.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” If you read the prophet Isaiah 9:5-20 (late eighth century B.C.E.) Jesus is born for us! He was poor, He was born in a stable, and He invited the shepherds out in the night to see what only shepherds saw that night. They saw Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! The angels sang, “Glory, in excelsis DEO.” In a few weeks the rich and learned Magi arrived. They had been traveling for months following “The Star.” When they arrived they presented Him with three gifts--Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. They bowed down and worshipped Him. GO OUT INTO THE DEEP AND SPREAD THE JOYFUL MYSTERY-THE NATIVITY TO THE WORLD!
25
26
Prince William County Catholic
Prince William County Catholic
27
ADVENT BREAD DOUGH WREATH NONEDIBLE - ADVENT RECIPE
by Colleen Rooney
YIELDS: 1 large or 6 mini-wreaths
foodsandfestivitiesofthechristianyear.blogspot.com
DIRECTIONS: 1. Combine flour and salt in bowl. 2. Make a well in center of flour/salt mixture.
INGREDIENTS 4 cups of all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups of warm water 1 cup of salt EQUIPMENT Large mixing bowl Baking sheet Floured board Plastic Foil, or Wax paper Green & purple acrylic paint Clean paint brush, 4 candles (3 purple, 1 rose) or B-day candles for mini-wreaths
3. Pour 1 cup water into flour mixture and stir. 4. Add more water until flour is moist but not wet. Continue mixing. May use hands. 5. Knead dough 5 minutes on floured board until smooth. 6. Turn oven on to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 7. Take the lump of kneaded dough and roll between hands making a rope of about 18 inches in length and 3 ½ inches in width. Attach ends to one another, making a smooth seam by using a small amount of water to work dough together. 8. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. With one of your Advent candles, make four impressions 1- inch deep and about 4 inches apart. Dough may shrink during baking, so be sure your impressions a bit larger. 9. Bake for 1 hour or until hard. Let cool thoroughly before decorating.
DECORATING 1. Paint the wreath light green with acrylic paint. 2. Use liturgical symbols found in Celebrating Advent and Christmas with Children or another source, paint four different symbols for Advent beside each candle hole. You may want to use a dark green paint, or a purple paint for your symbols. Let dry. 3. Some people like to weave an artificial strand of storebought evergreen around the bread dough wreath. The wreath may be set on a table or hung by purple and rose ribbons from a fixture – a chandelier, for instance 4. Place your candles in the wreath after you have placed or hung it. A small amount of melted wax applied to the base of each hole may help the candles to remain firmly in place. 5. Change candles to white on Christmas Eve and include the Christ candle in the center of the wreath for those that are resting on a table! Ribbons may be changed to red and white. Store in a cool, dry place after the Christmas season in a gallon-size plastic bag.
For the classroom or home school groups, you may wish to make miniature Advent wreaths that each child can take home. Give each child a lump of dough the size of a woman’s fist. Roll between hands making a rope 10 inches in length. Attach the ends, use a drop of water to work seams together. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. With a small birthday candle make four impressions, 1½ inches apart. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes, until dry and hard. Paint green. You may use white birthday candles with purple and rose-colored ribbons if you are unable to find purple birthday candles. Send the wreath home in a plastic bag with Advent Ceremony instructions, candles, and ribbons. Instruct the family to tie a purple ribbon in a bow around the base of three of the candles; tie a bow using a rose ribbon around the fourth candle.
Celebrating Advent and Christmas with Children by Colleen Rooney may be found on amazon.com In softcover or kindle editions
THE HOLY FAMILY
COUNTY PARISH DIRECTORY
OUR LADY OF ANGELS 13752 Marys Way, Woodbridge, VA 22191 (703) 494-2444 Online Bulletin Here
ST. FRANCIS 18825 Fuller Heights Rd, Triangle, VA 22172 (703) 221-4044 Online Bulletin Here
SACRED HEART 12975 Purcell Rd, Manassas, VA 20112 (703) 590-0030 Online Bulletin Here
HOLY FAMILY 14160 Ferndale Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22193 (703) 670-8161 Online Bulletin Here
ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON 12807 Valleywood Dr, Lake Ridge, VA 22192 (703) 494-4008 Online Bulletin Here
HOLY TRINITY 8213 Linton Hall Rd, Gainesville, VA 20155 (703) 753-6700 Online Here Bulletin
ALL SAINTS 9300 Stonewall Rd, Manassas, VA 20110 (703) 368-4500 Online Bulletin Here
This issue brought to you by the generosity of R e n o v a S m i l e s w w w. r e n o v a s m i l e s . c o m
