BIG C CATHOLICS

December 20, 2016 The Blessed Virgin Mary accepted God's will in consenting to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we pray for all mothers who have chosen life for their children — especially those who have adopted their children. We pray for the couples who desire to be parents, but struggle with infertility and other crosses that prevent them from becoming parents. May they be blessed with children. The Christmas Novena - Day 5  – Love O Lord, infant Jesus, inspire in us Your selfless love! You humbled yourself to become like us in all things but sin, and even humbled yourself to die on a cross. We pray that you will help us to love as You love this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Circumcision O most sweet infant Jesus, circumcised when eight days old, and called by the glorious name of Jesus, and proclaimed both by your name and by your blood, to be the Savior of the world. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us

Father Steve Grunow Archdiocese of Chicago Father Grunow's Sermon Blog ( Click here for today’s readings ) January 1st is celebrated as not only the first date of the calendar’s new year, but also by the Church as the Solemnity of the Mother of God. The Solemnity of the Mother of God refers to one of the great dogmas of the Church’s formal profession of Faith- the child of the Blessed Virgin Mary is God. Not only is January 1st considered to be New Year’s Day AND the Solemnity of the Mother of God, but it is also acclaimed by the Church to be the World Day of Peace, when prayers for peace are to be offered by the Christian faithful. As if this all wasn’t enough, January 1st was formally the day on which the Church commemorated the Circumcision of the Lord Jesus. In fact, the Gospel for today mentions that the Lord Jesus was circumcised eight days after his birth, thus the Church’s commemoration of this event on the eighth day after the celebration of Christ’

December 20, 2016 The Blessed Virgin Mary accepted God's will in consenting to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we pray for all mothers who have chosen life for their children — especially those who have adopted their children. We pray for the couples who desire to be parents, but struggle with infertility and other crosses that prevent them from becoming parents. May they be blessed with children. The Christmas Novena - Day 5  – Love O Lord, infant Jesus, inspire in us Your selfless love! You humbled yourself to become like us in all things but sin, and even humbled yourself to die on a cross. We pray that you will help us to love as You love this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Circumcision O most sweet infant Jesus, circumcised when eight days old, and called by the glorious name of Jesus, and proclaimed both by your name and by your blood, to be the Savior of the world. Have mercy on us. Have mer