November Spiritual Message

HOLINESS IS THE ANSWER!

Dear Friars,
It is a bit hard to believe we are in the month of November! Time does fly. Perhaps it is a good time to remind ourselves of the commitments we have made at the beginning of the school year. We started with a clean slate - some of the things we have resolved to do might have met success, and some of them might have gone by the wayside. It is also a time to take another look at realistic options instead. However, it is not acceptable to slack off and say, "I will make it a New Year's resolution to study harder," for example. Studying harder begins right now, even in the thick of the second quarter.

On the 29th of this month we will begin the observance of Advent. It is a time of quiet anticipation for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. How do we usually prepare for Christmas? Yes, that's a non-brainer, isn't it? As soon as Thanksgiving Day ends, hardly had the turkey meat digested into our system, we think about presents, food, trips, longer sleep, etc. Well, there is another way to make Christmas even more memorable. How about spending time in prayer, taking time to thank God for the gift of salvation by sending His son into our midst?

Take a good look at yourself, both outside and inside. Are you ready to meet the Savior this Christmas? We have to prepare a room for Him in our lives by doing good for others and by reflecting on our own lives. Christmas is not really about being endlessly busy, or presents and merry-making only. We hear it all the time but do we practice when we say, "Jesus is the Reason for the Season!"? Make your Christmas worthwhile this year by spending time with God in prayer, not spending hard-earned money that you or your parents have saved up. Prayers of Thanksgiving are more appropriate to welcome the King into our hearts and into our minds. Look up, Friar Nation, look up!

Sincerely,
Father Efren

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Some activities are up ahead:

November 15 - Football Team End of Season Mass
November 20 - Sophomore Day of Prayer
November 25 - School Mass (host: Freshmen Team A)

December 08 - Immaculate Conception Procession
December 10 - School Mass (Seniors Team B)
December 11 - Juniors' Day of Prayer


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Mass Commemorations

November
01 Sunday - 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
- All Saints' Day

02 Monday - All Souls' Day
03 Tuesday - St. Martin de Porres
04 Wedsday - St. Charles Borromeo
05 Thursday - St. Bertilla
06 Friday - St. Theophane Venard
07 Saturday - Blessed Giuseppe Antonio Tovini

08 Sunday - 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
- St. Philip Howard
09 Monday - Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
10 Tuesday - St. Leo the Great
11 Wedsday - St. Martin of Tours
12 Thursday - St. Josaphat
13 Friday - St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
14 Saturday - St. Lawrence O'Toole

15 Sunday - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
- St. Albert the Great

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School Masses

27 August - St. Monica - Seniors A
01 October - Foundation Day - Juniors A
25 November - St. Catherine of Alexandria - Freshmen A
10 December - St. John Roberts - Seniors B
28 January - St. Thomas Aquinas - Juniors B
10 February - Ash Wednesday - Sophomores A & B
17 March - St. Patrick - Freshmen B
21 April - St. Anselm - Campus Ministry Group
05 May - St. Mary Mazzarello - Faculty

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