St. Michael Church

ANNANDALE, VIRGINIA 22003 Website: www.stmichaelannandale.org E-mail: church@stmikes22003.org

RECTORY, 7401 St. Michaels Lane 703-256-7822

SCHOOL, 7401 St. Michaels Lane 703-256-1222

CONVENT, 7421 St. Michaels Lane

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (CCD) 703-941-9403

MASSES: Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 7:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. (Novus Ordo Latin) Weekday Masses: See Inside Bulletin

CONFESSIONS: Saturday: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and at 7:00 p.m. SHARP. Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. SHARP. Advent & Lent special schedule. BAPTISMS: Baptisms are celebrated on the first and third Sundays of the month, after the 12:30 p.m. Mass. All parents must attend a class prior to the baptism of their child. Please call the rectory for information and assis-tance. (Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) HOLY MATRIMONY: Please notify one of the priests at least six (6) months before the wedding. Cohabitation (living together before marriage) is not lawful; such cou-ples will be asked to separate. SICK CALLS: Please notify the Rectory for visits and/or Communion Calls to the sick, shut-ins and those in the hospital.

ST. MICHAEL SCHOOL: Pre-K3 through grade 8. For information, contact the school office at 703-256-1222. Website: stmikes22003.org. Principal: Annie Fernandez, annie.fernandez@stmikes22003.org. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: For all children attending public school, Grades 1-12. Director of Religious Education: Adina Ordonez, 703-941-9403 or ccdstm@outlook.com. PARISH MEMBERSHIP: Registration forms are available from the ushers af-ter Mass on Sunday or you may stop by the rectory during the week. Parish membership is required for the reception of either Baptism or Matrimony. Please notify the rectory when your telephone number changes and also when you are moving within or outside the parish. RECTORY OFFICE HOURS: 9:30 a.m. — 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. WEEKLY HOLY HOUR/BENEDICTION: are held on Fridays at 7 p.m. PREGNANT AND NEED HELP? CALL 1-800-848-5683

CLERGY OF PARISH Pastor: Rev. Alexander R. Drummond

Parochial Vicar: Rev. Brian B. McAllister In Residence: Rev. Stefan P. Starzynski

Permanent Deacons: Deacon David S. McCaffrey, Deacon Roger T. Ostrom (retired)

2nd Sunday of Advent

December 8, 2019

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The Priest’s Mass Intentions * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sunday, December 8 7 a.m. Maria Nguyen Thi An + 8:30 a.m. People of the Parish 10:30 a.m. Richard P. Owen + 12:30 p.m. Laurice Jagannathan + Monday, December 9 8:30 a.m. Elena Marie Auclair 12 noon Dan Weiler + Tuesday, December 10 8:30 a.m. Ivan Tette 12 noon Joseph Yohe + Wednesday, December 11 8:30 a.m. Valerie Akers + 12 noon Peter J. Selwood + Thursday, December 12 8:30 a.m. Joseph Giuliani + 12 noon Linda Ann Pasternak + Friday, December 13 8:30 a.m. David Tette 12 noon Crisanto Amargo + Saturday, December 14 8:30 a.m. Robert K. Tette 5 p.m. vigil Richard P. Owen + Sunday, December 15 7 a.m. Irvin & Agnes Santiago + 8:30 a.m. People of the Parish 10:30 a.m. Richard Owen + 12:30 p.m. Primitiva M. Atillo +

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * A Word from Fr. Drummond

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Advent is the Advent Wreath and the lighting of the candles, one by one as the Sundays of Advent pass by. Today you will find an Advent Wreath in just about every Catholic Church you may enter in the month of

December. By the origin of the Advent Wreath is in fact not Catholic but Lutheran. Moreover it was originally intended for home use rather than in the Church.

According to the lore, the use of the Advent Wreath started back in the fifteenth or sixteenth century. However, more reliable evidence points to Johann Hinrich Wichern, founder of the Home Mission Movement of the Lutheran Church in Germany in the 1800’s. In 1833 he founded the Rauhes Haus, a boarding school for impoverished and needy children. During the month of December children would daily ask “Is it Christmas yet?” Wichern devised the Advent Wreath using the wheel of an old cart and placing not four but twenty four candles on it, twenty red ones and four larger white ones. And a candle was lit for each day until they were all lit and when that happened, the children knew Christmas had arrived. The idea caught on but was simplified to four candles, one for each Sunday of Advent, and sometimes a candle in the middle as well for Christmas Day. It took about one hundred years for the custom to take hold among Catholics as well.

Growing up in the late ‘fifties and the sixties’ as a Lutheran boy in Germany, I have many vivid memories of our Advent Wreaths. The candles we used were all red, and in my grandparents’ house the wreath was suspended like a chandelier over the table in the dining room. In our own home it was on a stand in the middle of the dining room table. Each Sunday of Advent after supper we would light the appropriate candles and sing one or two hymns and then have dessert. I rather suspect the custom has fallen by the wayside today in Germany where the Faith is all but dead.

For our own purposes, we have adopted the use of the Advent Wreath into the Catholic Church with a change in the colour of the candles which are not red but purple and rose. These colours are significant. The purple represents the penitential aspect of the season and reflects the colour of the vestments and the Tabernacle veil. The single rose candle is for the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday. This marks the middle of the season. The word “Gaudete” means “Rejoicing,” and we rejoice on the third Sunday because the great Christ Mass is so much nearer and we are almost at the end of our penitence.

I do encourage all of you if you do not have an Advent Wreath at home to get one, especially if you have young children. This is a wonderful way in which we can enter into the Season of Advent in the family setting and helps to drive home in young minds both the meaning and reason for Advent.

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Keep Christ in Christmas -- Purchase beautiful, religious Knights of Columbus Christmas after Masses on December 8, 15, and 22 in Church Library. Cards are reasonably priced and in English and Spanish. Thank You from Knights of Columbus -- Saint Michael Par-ish donated 4,883 pounds of food to Catholic Charities in re-cent Food Drive. Thank you Saint Michael Parishioners for your magnificent generosity to the poor. Many of our less for-tunate neighbors will have a nice Thanksgiving because of your kind generosity. Why not help in other KofC work, and join the St. Michael Knights? Contact Grand Knight Cedric Bernescut at Bernescut@cox.net or join the Knights on-line KofC.org/JoinUs. Please indicate preference Council # 14523 (St. Michael Knights) when joining on line. Immaculate Conception -- the feast was transferred from the 8th to Monday, December 9th. We will follow our regular Mass times of 8:30 a.m. and 12 noon. Please note that it is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year. Family Holy Hour -- takes place every week at St. Michael’s. Come to the church this Friday, December 13th, at 7 p.m. All are encouraged to attend; bring your family! Our Lady’s Rosary Makers -- In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima asked us to pray the rosary for world peace. To help comply with that request, we have here at St. Michael’s, Our Lady’s Rosary Makers to make rosaries for our use and to send to the missions and other countries. We meet every 2nd Wednesday of the month at St. Michael’s Junior School, room 3 at 9:30 a.m. Please join us at our meetings or make them in your home. For further information, please contact Aileen Bashista at 703-978-8373. EnCourage -- is a support group for faithful Catholics with same-sex attracted loved ones. What distinguishes the work of EnCourage is its commitment to offer faithful witness to Catholic teachings on sexual morality while addressing the needs of its members with charity and compassion. To this end, the group both professes an orthodox position on the immoral-ity of homosexual acts and respects the human dignity of per-sons who have homosexual feelings. For more information about Courage International and other resources, visit http://couragerc.org. Are you or someone you know interested in knowing more about the Catholic Church and what we believe and live? -- The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults are meetings to start a journey of Faith to know more and to prepare for entry into the Church and reception of its Sacraments. All who are inter-ested please contact Deacon Dave McCaffrey (571-643-6895 or dsmjr1@gmail.com).

Perpetual Adoration -- Any time spent before the Eucharistic presence, be it long or short, is the best-spent time of our lives.” ~ St. Catherine of Genoa We are currently in most need for adoration members on: Sundays 3 a.m.-4 a.m.; Tuesdays midnight-1 a.m. and 4-5 a.m.; Wednesdays 1-2 a.m.; Fridays 3-4 a.m.; Saturdays 5-6 p.m. To sign up for an adoration hour, or for more information, contact Rosemary Duffy at 703-256-4468.

American Heritage Girls & Trail Life VA0894 Corner -- Recycling Collection Dates: With the new school year upon us, our monthly recycling collection dates have been updated. Our AHG troop will be collecting aluminum and metal items the weekend of 12/21-12/22. We will be at the front of the church AFTER the Saturday 5 PM Vigil Mass and the 8:30 and 10:30 AM Sunday Masses. To request a list of recyclable items please e-mail Jermaine Perkins at wrauthor@gmail.com. Parochial Status of Adult Children -- Please note that Adult Children of Registered Families are not automatically members of the Parish; and especially if they are no longer living with their parents. They should register at the Parish in which they live. Adult children who no longer live in the Parish and/or do not practice the Faith cannot use St. Michael’s as a “default” parish to fall back on if they are in need of sponsor certificates or other proofs of belonging to a parish. Please Pray for: June & Norman Grimm*; Julia & Sophia Lat-tanzio; Mauricio Posada; Robert Peternell*; Carlton Hanson; Sr. Paul Marie; Yoshimi Kadota; Stephan Nguyen*; Delia Sinn; Julie Molony Lee; Andrew F. Zaccardi*; Joe Meister; Mary Roche*; Marco Tulio Gamba; Ethel Apostolico*; Lucas Velleco; Sean Campbell; Terry Spragens; Madelyn Respicio Cabatic; Rose Bledsoe; Bob Cafarella; Elsa Noriega*; Paul McEnrue*; Julia Garcia; John and Marie Sibenik*; Dennis Sud-darth*; Priscilla Chaney*; Irma Barrera; Peter Pometto; Jean Kratochvil*; John Carlson; Elizabeth Medved*; Robert and Courtney Villareal*; Tracy Wilson; Michael Malovic*; Rose-mary Dooley*; Ariadne Pasa; Maria Kerrinckx*; Marissa Ann Wuerthele*; Diana Pascoe; Cecile McNeill*; Tuy Nguyen*; Ellen Louise Daily; Steve Maitland*; Rosemary Furcher*; Dan Keller; Lili Lang; Eileen Carroll-Doshier; with apologies to anyone we dropped; to re-add names call the Parish Office. Here are the names of family members -- of parishioners who are serving our country overseas: PFC Mark Haugh, USMC; Cdr. David Stabish, USNavy; Alex Puentes USNavy; Sgt. Ramsey Hamilton; LtJG Grace Dalton, USNavy; LTJG Andre Acevedo, USNavy; Maj. John D. Barringer, III, USAF; John P. Hoang USMC; ENS Stephan Acevedo USNavy; David Hayes, Jr. USNavy; Sgt. Edward Imperati, Jr. USMC; LCpl Ethan Anderson; David Blincoe, USCG; Cpl. Benjamin C. Martino, USMC; and…. [call Mary at the parish office, 703-256-7822, and we’ll keep our prayers going for our military in harms way.]

Christmas Party with the Parish Priests -- mark your calen-dars for the evening of Monday, December 23rd. More details to follow!

Bad Weather/Church Closings -- If it’s slippery and dangerous, or if there’s an abundance of snow, USE COMMON SENSE. Don’t try to come to Mass. If the Fairfax County Schools system delays or cancels school due to weather, there will be no 8:30 a.m. Mass. Fairfax County Schools, for congruous purposes, is simply an efficient means to follow. If the U.S. Government shuts down because of bad weather, we’ll do our best to maintain the Noon schedule because snow removal work should be well underway by that time – but there are no guarantees. For the safety of those shoveling and plowing the snow, gates will be closed and the entrances will be blocked by cones. (Please do not drive around the cones.) You can receive email notices -- from Fairfax County Schools by signing up via this link: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/VAEDUFCPS/subscriber/new (or use the internet search engine: “Fairfax County Schools closings”). U.S. Government closings be-cause of the weather, of course, are pretty big deals and news is eas-ily accessible from television reports.

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Advent Confession and Christmas Mass Schedule

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Confessions during Advent: Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m.-8 a.m. (one priest) Wed evenings 6:30 p.m. (two priests)

Friday evening during Holy Hour 7 p.m. (one priest) Sat 3:30-4:30 p.m. (two priests)

Sat 7 p.m. (two priests)

Mass schedule for Christmas: 4:30 p.m. prelude - Lessons and Carols sing-a-long

5:00 p.m. Family Mass 10:00 p.m. Mass at Night

10:30 a.m. Mass 12:30 p.m. Mass

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In our Diocese * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Falls-Church-Annandale Lions Club -- is holding its Fruit Sale Fundraiser on Saturday, 21 December, 2019 from 8:15 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. or sold out. The sale will be held on the grounds of the Annandale Swim and Tennis Club, next to the Wendy's on Little River Turnpike. The Lions appreciate the support of our community in raising funds that are used for sight and hearing conservation, as well as community support and youth activities.

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS -- Saint Michael Catholic School is looking for Substitute Teachers. If interested please contact Mau-reen Carlstrom at maureen.carlstrom@stmikes22003.org or 703-256-1222 OPEN HOUSE -- We have an Open House scheduled for De-cember 12th, 9:00am-11:00am Please share with neighbors and friends! Can’t make it to the Open House and you would like to schedule a private tour please call Michelle Kennedy at 703-256-1222 or michelle.kennedy@stmikes22003.org POINSETTIA SALES -- Thank you to everyone that purchased Poinsettia Plants or Wreaths. Pick up will be on December 7th from 11am -2pm in the school cafeteria and 8th from 9am - 12:30pm in the school cafeteria AN ADVENT PRAYER -- Lord, we wait for your coming dur-ing this season of anticipation. Fill our lives with your presence. Fulfill our hopes and our dreams. Let your light break through our darkness as we announce the coming of Emmanuel, God with us. Be with us, Lord, as we ready ourselves. ANGEL TREE -- We have many families in our church and school that need assistance for Christmas. Please take an Angel from the Christmas Tree in the vestibule of the church, purchase a gift card and return it next Sunday in the collection basket. All gift cards should be returned in the church collection basket or to the school or church office no later than December 17th. Thank you for your generosity in helping those in our parish. SAINT NICHOLAS DAY -- The Feast day of St. Nicholas is December 6th. ... Children leave their shoes out in the hopes to find small gifts on the morning of December 6th. The spirit of St. Nicholas is one focused on giving over receiving, remembering those less fortunate and that St. Nicholas loved children. Congratulations to the following Saint Michael Students -- who attend Bishop O’Connell High School and made the Honor Roll for first quarter. Distinguished Honors: Andres Penafiel, Katherine Pham, Caroline Wack, Zakk Beaulieu, Victoria Phan, Albert Castellon, Sydney Pham, Bronwyn Titus-Rogan First Honors: MaiAnh Nguyen, Malee Turner, Annabella Caporaletti, Daniel Kilcoyne Second Honors: Kevin Guilen, Dimitri Hayek, Percy Lopez, Peter Saliba, Jessica Nguyen-Ngo, Sen Will, Joey Nguyen, Margaret Doyle

A CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE

We, the children of God at Saint Michael Catholic School, live the Gospel message by fostering a spirit of worship, a

commitment to service, and a continuous love of learning.

NOT A FUNDRAISER “Life is Precious” Memorial -- A Statue of Our Lady of La-Salette weeping into her hands for all preborn babies lost through miscarriage, abortion, and stillbirth, will be placed on the island in front of the Church. The walkway will include bricks with the names of your lost children engraved on them. The cost for each brick is $20. For more information, contact Cathy Flowers at 703-203-9369. Look for more information in the coming weeks. “Not nameless; not forgotten.”