December 2, 2018

Baptized in the Holy Spirit!

We have just concluded the six-week course: “The Gift: A

Life in the Spirit”! Nearly one hundred of our parishioners

attended (about 60 on Tuesday nights and another 40 on Sat-

urday mornings) and most of them were baptized in the Spirit

at the fifth session. As a group, we could feel the presence of

the Holy Spirit. We were blessed that Fr. Conley, Pastor at St.

Mary’s Bryantown, had accepted our invitation to have his

parish assist us in the implementation of this course: close to

30 of his parishioners joined us and they brought to our 100

OLHOC parishioners the joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit.

You will recall that Fr. Conley had preached to all Sunday

Masses about his own experience of the Holy Spirit and how

the Gift course had changed his spir itual life (about 25

years after his priestly ordination).

I had great expectations for our parish when we embarked

upon the Year of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. So far, I have

not been disappointed. During the summer, we had a great

Vacation Bible School on the theme of “Surfing with the Holy

Spirit”. It was followed by a seven-week course, “The Wild

Goose: Discovering a Deeper Relationship with the Holy

Spirit”, and many of the attendants did sign up for the Gift

course in the fall. I was able to attend every session of the Gift

course and could appreciate first-hand how the group dynam-

ics helped open our hearts to the Holy Spirit: the common

meal with small groups joining at individual tables, the sing-

ing of glory and praise in the church, the common watching of

a 20-minute video, followed by discussion in small groups

(the same as for meal fellowship), and concluding with more

singing together in the church and a final prayer.

The highlight of The Gift was the fifth week when each of us

was baptized in the Holy Spirit! Has anyone ever prayed over

you? Have you ever felt a strong presence of the Holy Spirit?

If so, can you imagine 2 or 3 people praying over you in a

small group environment (seven to ten people), and being

asked which gifts of the Holy Spirit you would like to be able

to develop and use. At confirmation we already received the

gifts of the Holy Spirit, but we may have not yet been able to

access them. Before being baptized in the Holy Spirit as an

adult, we need to ask God what we desire the most in our

Christian journey on earth.

On the eve of Pentecost 1997, Pope St. John Paul II prayed:

“Open yourselves with docility to the gifts of the Spirit! Ac-

cept gratefully and obediently the charisms which the Spirit

never ceases to bestow on us!” Let the Holy Spirit come into

your heart and guide all your choices and decisions! I like the

image of the door of our hearts as needing two keys for its

opening: one outside the heart belongs to God, and the other

key inside belongs to us individually. God is always ready

to enter our hearts and He has the outside key to do so. But

unless we have the desire to let Him open our hearts to the

Holy Spirit, He will not force us. He has given us free will!

We express our desire by opening the door to the heart with

our inside key.

One significant desire to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit is

to want to have our hearts cleansed of any sins, whether venial

(minor sin) or mortal (grave sin). Once again, we can use the

image of our hearts being filled with a large number of sins,

for which we have never been to confession. The accumula-

tion of sins makes it difficult to open the door to our heart.

One of the positive effects of the Gift seminar is that many of

the participants have chosen to go to confession before being

baptized in the Holy Spirit. St John the Baptist said : “ I am

baptizing with water, for repentance, but the one who is

coming after me (Jesus) is mightier than I. I am not worthy to

carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and

fire”. (Matthew 3:11).

Just before ascending into heaven, Jesus made this great

promise to his disciples, and all of us: “You will receive

power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” (Acts 1:8).

Jesus had promised that He will never leave us alone. His

promise is that He will send us the Holy Spirit. While Jesus is

now in heaven at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit

is the one who is always with us on earth. As a Spirit, we do

not see Him, but we can feel his presence. Being baptized in

the Holy Spirit, as an adult, is in a way to be born again as

we are opening our hearts to the transforming power of the

Holy Spirit. St. Paul reminds us: “Do not grieve the Holy

Spirit by the way you live...be filled with the Holy Spir-

it...pray in the Spirit at all times.” (Ephesians: 4:30, 5:18,

6:18).

As I have repeated many times, we receive the Holy Spirit

whenever we participate in a sacrament, including those that

can be repeated frequently: the sacrament of Reconciliation

and the Eucharist, as in every Sacrament, the Holy Spirit

together with the Church are at work. As we enter the First

Week of Advent this weekend, let us prepare ourselves by

attending our Advent Penance Service at 7 pm this coming

Tuesday, December 4, and then let us walk together with

the Holy Spirit during the whole Advent Season preparing our

hearts for receiving the joy and peace of the First Coming of

Jesus at Christmas!

One in Christ,

Fr. Alain

OUR LADY’S LITTLE CHRISTIANS

Preschool openings (3 and 4 year olds) at OLHOC! Full and half-day programs. We include children’s chapel ser-vices and many opportunities for family involvement!

For more information send an email to pre-

school@olhoc.org or call the office and ask for Nieda, Preschool Director.

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OLHOC Community Outreach

The next Outreach Committee meeting is Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7:00 pm in Fr. Alain‘s

office. New members and ideas are always welcome! Our next Dec. 20 at Good Shepherd Church on Smallwood Drive.

The Outreach Committee wishes to thank the many donors and volunteers who contributed so much to our activities the weekend of Nov. 15-18. On Nov. 15, at Shepherd’s Table some 60 people were treated to a wonderful meal provided by the Cheesecake Factory and coor-dinated by Jeannie Jacobs. On Nov. 17, we pre-pared and served dinner at Good Samaritan Church for the homeless at Safe Nights. Thank you to Golden Corral for donating mac and cheese! On Sunday, Nov. 18, we thank all who helped with the delivery of Thanksgiving tur-keys to those in need and thank you to Giant

Foods for once again donating pies!

We are in need of volunteers to help deliver Christmas packages following the 10 am Mass on Dec. 23. Thank you in advance!!

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The parish office will be closed December 24– 26 for the Christmas holidays.

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Friday Faith & Fellowship Group

Join the group every 2nd Friday of the month for

Movie Night (watch for update)

and for bible study and music each 3rd, 4th, and occasional 5th Friday. 7:00 PM

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First Sunday of Advent

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Religious Education

Important Dates:

Dec. 2/3– CCD Classes resume

Dec. 9/10– CCD Classes

Dec. 16/17-CCD Classes

Dec. 23/24– No classes– Christmas Break

Dec. 30/31-No classes– Christmas Break

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*Attention Sacramental Preparation Families (CCD and Catho-

lic School Families): Workshop dates for First Reconciliation/

Communion (10 am) and Confirmation Year 1 and 2 (2:30pm): Jan 27,

Feb 24, Mar 24, & Apr 28.

Questions? Please contact Therese Thiedeman, DRE

FIAT: Children in Elementary

EDGE: Middle School Youth

Life Teen: High School Youth

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For most current Youth and Evangelization events,

please see our website: www.olhoc.org

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Mary’s Helping Hands Bake Sale

On December 2, Mary’s Helping Hands will hold their annual Holiday Bake Sale & Raffle. A variety of delicious seasonal treats will be available! The raffle this year will be for a “Surprising Snow-man” (hint: he’s worth more than you think!)

After The Gift

We invite everyone who participated in “The Gift” course to join us in a discussion and to share your experience of being baptized in the Spirit. We will gather in the narthex at 7 pm on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. Continue your journey! All are welcome!

Your Church; The Lord’s House

Continue to please respect your church, the Lord’s house, and re-frain from taking any food or beverage into the Church. If your children need food or beverages, please use the cry room. Please care for your building investment by not walking on kneelers or using them as footrests.

Prayer Requests

We are asked to pray for: Sheryl Carter, Alex Leon, Sharketer Butler, Chloe, Harris Fami-

ly, Dennis Wick, Richard Dunham, Edward Krevey, Scott Anderson, Rebecca “Tess”

Franch, Connie Miller, Russell Dickens, Fr. Pittman, Christopher Berger, Christine Proc-

tor, Margaret Reeves, Bonnie Croston, Melody Hudson, Thomas Kennane, Joseph Albrit-

tain, Lam Family, Urrutia Family, Darren Williams, Mary Delores Proctor, Pat Fisher,

Antonio Torres, Chris Goldhammer, Trinidad Mercedes Santos, Shirley & Jerry Bar-

rett,June Swann, Elsy Canare, Martone Family, Maria Mora, Nadia Toledo, Cielo

Quintero, Oscar Marin, Maribel Colindres, Zynae Green Family, Anthony Rodriguez,

James Thompson, Doris Chesley, Laura Flaim, and all our military and civilians serving in

harm’s way.

Our condolences to the family and friends of Dennis Forgash.

*Names will remain on our list for 3 months. Please call the parish office to re-request a name after 3 months or to remove a name when

the person has regained health.

Mass Intentions this Week

Saturday, December 1, 9:00 AM: Alia, Darryl, Duane Blackford

Saturday, December 1, 5:00 PM: Chris Storey (+)

Sunday, December 2, 8:30 AM: OLHOC Parishioners

Sunday, December 2, 10:00 AM: Esmeralda Ortube (+)

Sunday, December 2, 11:30 AM: Patricia Viets

Sunday, December 2, 7:00 PM: Glenda Nova

Monday, December 3, 9:00 AM: Rupert & Evonne Thomas

Tuesday, December 4, 9:00 AM: Deborah Storey

Wednesday, December 5 9:00 AM: Oscar Marin

Wednesday, December 5, 7:00 PM: Thelma Cabatbat (+)

Thursday, December 6, 9:00 AM: Thelma Cabatbat(+)

Friday, December 7, 9:00 AM: Keiry Urrutia

Mass Readings for December 9 , 2018

Second Sunday of Advent

*First Reading

Baruch 5: 1-9

*Second Reading

Philippians 1: 4-6, 8-11

*Gospel

Luke 3: vs. 1-6

www.usccb.org

The Immaculate Conception of

The Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a Holy

Day of Obligation, and is the Patronal Feast Day of the United States of America. Masses at OLHOC for the Holy Day will be held on Friday, December 7 at

7:00 pm (Vigil Mass), and Saturday, December 8 at

9:00 am. (Note: the 5:00 pm Saturday Mass does not apply to this Holy Day; it is the Mass of the Second Sunday of Advent.)

OLHOC Advent Penance Service—December 4, 2018

Prepare your heart to welcome Christ at Christmas by participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation

at our annual Advent Penance Service. It will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 7:00 PM and there will

be twelve priests (five who speak Spanish also) available for confessions. Join us!

2018 Advent at Our Lady Help of Christians

December 15 - 23— Christmas Novena Masses

The Novena will begin with the 9:00 AM Mass on Saturday, December 15th! December 16 through

December 21—Masses at 7:00 PM. Saturday, December 22, Mass at 9:00 AM.

The Novena will conclude on Sunday, December 23, with the Mass at 7:00 PM.

Dec. 16-23-Christmas Posadas (Reenactment of Mary & Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem)

Join group caroling and praising starting at 6:30 PM, Sunday , Dec. 16th. The first night of praise and

reenactment (Dec. 16) will take place in our church. The following nights (Dec. 17-22) will take place in

volunteer homes. The last night of the Posadas (Dec. 23) will take place at OLHOC at 6:30 PM. Groups

are forming now to reenact the nights of journeys. Don’t miss out!

Please contact Maria Lam, Office Assistant, at 301-645-7112 or email the office at office@olhoc.org , to

join a group or host in your home!

More information to follow!

Poinsettia sales coming soon!

www.FaithDirect.net

Faith Direct provides our

parishioners with the ability to give

electronically. To simplify your

Sunday mornings, visit Faith Direct

and consider enrolling using our

parish code: MD614. Applications can also be found

in the narthex. Thank you for your kind donations and

to all those already enrolled in this cost effective

measure for our church.

Social Hall Under Renovation

The Social Hall is closed while under construction. The

kitchen remains available. We strive to be finished as

soon as safely possible. Dick Potter, OLHOC Pro-

ject Manager’s update: All structural steel installed.

Sprinkler heads have been relocated. Column pits are

receiving gravel backfill and concrete.

If you have any questions regarding this

important Capital Campaign step, please contact the

office at 301-645-7112. Concerns will be forwarded to

the Project Manager.