Holy Family Catholic Church

830 Main Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96818 Telephone: 422-1135 Fax:423-0389 Email: HFC830@gmail.com and Sebchacko@hawaii.rr.com Second Sunday of Advent December 8, 2013 PASTORS CORNER December 8th, since 1854 has been set aside by Pope Pius IX as the day we honor the Immaculate Conception of Mary. The Catholic Church believes and teaches that the Virgin Mary was conceived in the womb of her Mother Ana, without the stain of Original Sin. This is one of the Dogmas of Faith of our Church. By declaring it to be a dogma, the Church teaches with authority that it is true and not a matter for us to doubt. The Dogma is based on the fact that Jesus is God and His Mother here on Earth must be free of every stain of the Original sin of Adam and Eve. Our First Reading this week-end emphasizes how JUSTICE will flourish when we all accept the Messiah and live by His commandments. Saint Paul in the Second Reading assures us, that Christ loves everyone, especially sinners. In the Gospel we hear the familiar exhortation of Saint John the Baptist; REPENT for the Kingdom of God is at hand. John iwasnot at all happy seeing that there were many hypocrites, whom he called brood of vipers, coming to him for nominal Baptism and pretending to be contrite, just for a show. Repentance must be sincere. Many times we hear preachers and politicians explain the need for change. It is a clever ploy used to win votes or increase their coffers. They themselves do not intend to change their own selfish behavior or attitudes. We are asked by the Scripture Readings today to truly accept Christ, as the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. By living and practicing His commandments of love and forgiveness, we prepare our hearts and minds for the renewal of our Faith, during this Advent and Christmas Season. May the HolySpirit guide us to genuine conversion and change. Fr Sebastian

Mass Schedule
Monday-Saturday: 7:15 AM Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM Sunday: 8:30 AM, 11:00 AM & 7:00 PM 1st SundaySamoan Mass-2 PM 3rd Sunday-Pohnpeian Mass-2 PM Confessions Saturday: 4:004:45 PM and after daily Masses First Friday of the Month Benediction After 7:15 am Mass

2014 THE YEAR OF THE

CONSECRATED LIFE. Come F ollow me.

Matthew 4:19

WEBSITES PARISH: Holyfamilyhonolulu.org ACADEMY Hfcahawaii.org

REPENT, THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND

ST. LUCY 304 AD Every little girl named Lucy must bite her tongue in disappointment when she first tries to find out what there is to know about her patron saint. The older books will have a lengthy paragraph detailing a small number of traditions. Newer books will have a lengthy paragraph showing that there is little basis in history for these traditions. The single fact survives that a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian and she was executed in Syracuse (Sicily) in the year 304. But it is also true that her name is mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer, geographical places are named after her, a popular song has her name as its title and down through the centuries many thousands of little girls have been proud of the name Lucy. COMMENT; f you are a little girl named Lucy, you need not bite your tongue in disappointment. Your patron is a genuine, authentic heroine, first class, an abiding inspiration for you and for all Christians. The moral courage of the young Sicilian martyr shines forth as a guiding light, just as bright for todays youth as it was in A.D. 304. QUOTE: The Gospel tells us of all that Jesus suffered, of the insults that fell upon him. But, from Bethlehem to Calvary, the brilliance that radiates from his divine purity spread more and more and won over the crowds. So great was the austerity and the enchantment of his conduct. So may it be with you, beloved daughters. Blessed be the discretion, the mortifications and the renouncements with which you seek to render this virtue more brilliant.... May your conduct prove to all that chastity is not only a possible virtue but a social virtue, which must be strongly defended through prayer, vigilance and the mortification of the senses (Blessed John XXIII, Letter to Women Religious).

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Dec. 9-The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION Dec. 9-Monday-Bible Sharing-6:30 pm Dec. 10-Tuesday-6:30 pm Our Lady of Perpetual Help Devotion Dec. 12 HFCA Christmas Pageant Dec. 16-Monday-Bible Sharing-6:30 pm Dec. 17-Tuesday-6:30 pm Our Lady of Perpetual Help Devotion Dec. 18-Advent Penance Service-7:00 pm Dec. 25 CHRISTMAS

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is postponed to December 9, that is Monday. We will have two Masses at 7.15 AM and at 7 PM. Both Masses will be preceded by the Recitation of the Rosary. Please come early to honor Our Blessed Mother.

HFCA CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

Will be on Friday December 12 at 6.30 PM. The Parish Council is encouraged to attend and show our support to the Staff, Faculty and Students.

SAMOAN MASS/ CHRISTMAS PAGEANT.

This Sunday the Samoan Community of the Island will gather at Holy Family Church for their ANNUAL Traditional and Cultural THANKSGIVING Mass at 2 PM, followed by Christmas Carols and Pageantry. You are all invited.

Our Weekly Offerings

December 1, 2013 Thank you for your generous contribution for the past weekend. 5:00 PM $658.25 8:30 AM $1,231.00 11:00 AM $925.25 7:00 PM $1,321.11 Funeral $500.00 THANKSGIVING $2,328.00

CHRISTMAS CONFESSION
The Date for our Christmas Season Community Penance Service( Confession) will be Wednesday December 18 at 7 PM. Please prepare well for Christmas with a Good Confession.

GRAND TOTAL $6,963.61

Church Bulletin: EditorJoe Padron, Phone 423-2439. Bulletin deadline is Tuesday 12:00 noon. Please email notice and picture if applicable to pad.ronjoe@gmail.com

Thanksgiving Mass Celebration The three pictures above are from our Thanksgiving Mass. As always we salute our Armed Forces members both active and retirees, and also our diversified races and culture at Holy Family Parish. We THANK everyonealtar servers, lectors, EM, the exuberant choirs and musicians, ushers, cleaners, hospitality ministry, religious education teachers, RCIA, HFCA, Fathers volunteers and most of all YOU for worshiping at Holy Family. Noteworthy are Father Sebastians volunteers (carpenters) who have worked very hard with their amazingly generous hearts and full of kind service, constructing the concrete block walls, monuments, etc.

Angel Tree
Holy Family Church is once again sponsoring an Angel tree (top right) that is set up in back of the church. Each card on the tree has a gift request on it for a boy, girl, or an infant from homes sponsored by local charity organizations. Please help by picking an angel and buying a gift for the child on the card. Wrapped gifts should be placed under the tree by December 16th. Let's ensure that each child has a present this Christmas. Mahalo for your cheerful support.

NEW PARISHIONERS: Newcomers are encouraged to register with the parish and are welcome to participate in all parish activities and ministries. Registration forms are available in the back of the Church.

CONFESSIONS By Fr. Robert J. Fox I am in my fifty-fifth year as a Catholic priest and I still hear confessions during these years of my priestly life. I have experienced fatherhood in a special way whenever Ive heard confessions and granted absolution from sin to repentant souls. For the priest to forgive mortal sin in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and bring us all back to supernatural life is a greater act than if God permitted him to restore physical life to a man who laid there as a dead corpse. Pope Pius XII [19391958] said, Mankind is losing its sense of sin. Pope John Paul II [1978-2005] said, Mankind has lost its sense of sin. Pope Benedict XVI speaks of the need for confession. The corruption of sin is evident everywhere in the world. This is evident even among some who consider themselves practicing Catholics, but go to Holy Communion without first making a good confession after sins such as adultery, deliberate drunkenness, serious dishonesties in business dealings, neglect of the family, and financing by poor planning. How many today realize that it is seriously sinful to deliberately entertain dirty thoughts with no effort to control the mind and imagination? Jesus said that if a man even looks at a woman with lust he has already committed that sin. All mortal sins, of which penitents after diligent selfexamination are conscious, must be recounted by them in confession even if they are most secret. [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1456] According to the Churchs command, After having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year. Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution. [CCC 1457] Children must go to the sacrament of penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time. [CCC 1457] Going to Holy Communion with mortal sin on the soul is another mortal sin called a sacrilege. What about going to confession when only venial or every day, small faults have been committed? Without being strictly necessary the Church nevertheless encourages confession for spiritual growth. To make a good confession one must confess all mortal sins and circumstances which may change their nature. It would be a bad or sacrilegious confession to deliberately conceal or not to confess a known mortal sin. One could fool a priest, but not God who is really the one who forgives sin through the instrumentality of the priest, who by ordination in Holy Orders has the indelible mark of Christs priesthood sealed on his soul forever. (continue next column)

In addition to confessing our sins we must have contrition for them. Contrition is sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the sincere resolution not to commit the sin again. Sorrow (contrition) for sin may be perfect or imperfect. Perfect sorrow is the ideal sorrow and is based on love of God whom one has offended. Imperfect sorrow is a gift from God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit, and comes from the fear of eternal damnation. Before going to confession one ought to examine his or her conscience based on the light of the Word of God, the Bible, and the teaching of the Church. One must be willing to do the penance the priest gives him. The penance is to help make satisfaction to God and neighbor whom one has offended. For example, the return of stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, and pay compensation for injuries. Such is required by the justice of God. Sin weakens oneself and often harms ones neighbor. All sin is social in the sense that it offends the church of God of which we are members. This is why confession is also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It reconciles the sinner with God and the Church. . To grow in holiness, both confession and the Holy Eucharist ---together with daily prayer, such as the Rosary, are essential.

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