Pastor’s Corner — December 10th, 2023
Looking Ahead: There Two Mass Obligations the Weekend of Christmas
As you’ll see in the postcard we mailed out to the parish, there are two separate Mass obligations to fulfill the weekend of Christmas (December 23-25th): One for the Fourth Sunday of Advent (regular Sunday Mass schedule) and one of the Christmas Masses. Yes, this means we are obligated to attend two separate Masses (you can’t do one Mass to count for both). While Canon Law allows for creative ways we can fulfill these obligations, I suggest a simpler approach: make sure you attend one Fourth Sunday of Advent mass and one Christmas Mass.
Do you Have a Son or Grandson That Plays A Lot of Video Games?
There’s nothing wrong with video games as a form of recreation and entertain from time to time. I played them as a child and apparently now many adults play them today. But what do we make of boys and men who play video games all of the time? Jason Craig, writing for the great Catholic website The Catholic Gentleman wrote an article called, “The Problem Behind the Problem of Video Games.” In this article he describes not only the insecurity that boys and men might uncover when you challenge them to play their games less. But it also talks about the underlying problem as to why video games are so popular among boys. The answer might surprise you. If you have a boy or a man who plays a lot of video games, it might benefit you to read the article.
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias