Gifts & Blessings
December 2019
Christmas – The Giving Season
By Sheila Ricketts

Thanksgiving – the fourth Thursday of November by federal decree – fell on November 28 this year, meaning that it was about as late as it can be.

That fact, in turn, meant that Christmas is just around the corner, with Advent beginning on December 1 along with the countdown to Christmas. Of course, since decorations have been in stores before Halloween, it is not as though seeing twinkling lights or jolly Santas will be surprising. The season grows ever-longer.

Tucked in the frenzy of gift-buying and over-eating is the tradition of giving – not to each other but to those who are less fortunate. Traditionally, the Christmas season is one of the most important for charities and nonprofits, and we have seen the uptick in emails or letters asking for donations in recent weeks. Though possible tax benefits give year-end giving additional urgency for some, our faith in Jesus Christ and the call to serve others provides a more compelling motivation to turn our attention to our neighbors in need. There are numerous ways that we can help – and one is to give to the annual Catholic Services Appeal.

The appeal helps to supports more than 100 ministries and services in the Archdiocese of Louisville. One is the Office of Youth and Young Adults, which empowers those who form the young Church to be strong in their faith and to share the joy of Christ with others. Another ministry supported by the Catholic Services Appeal is the Sister Visitor Center, which provides food, rental and utility services, case management services, and other emergency items to residents in need.

At Christmas, we remember God’s unconditional love manifest in the gift of Jesus Christ. A donation to the Catholic Services Appeal this holiday season is a wonderful way to show our gratitude for this gift and be good to those who cannot repay us.


Sheila Ricketts is  the Donor Support Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Blessing of a Christmas Tree
The use of the Christmas tree is relatively modern. Its origins are found in the medieval mystery plays that depicted the tree of paradise and the Christmas light or candle that symbolized Christ, the Light of the world. According to custom, the Christmas tree is set up just before Christmas and may remain in place until the Solemnity of Epiphany. The lights of the tree are illuminated after the prayer of blessing.

In the home the Christmas tree may be blessed by a parent or another family member, in connection with the evening meal on the Vigil of Christmas or at another suitable time on Christmas Day.
When all have gathered, a suitable song may be sung.

The leader makes the sign of the cross, and all reply “Amen.”

The leader may greet those present in the following words:

Let us glorify Christ our light, who brings salvation and peace into our midst, now and forever.

R/. Amen.

In the following or similar words, the leader prepares those present for the blessing:

My brothers and sisters, amidst signs and wonders Christ Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea: his birth brings joy to our hearts and enlightenment to our minds. With this tree, decorated and adorned, may we welcome Christ among us; may its lights guide us to the perfect light.

One of those present or the leader reads a text of sacred Scripture, for example,  Titus 3:4  (lines 4-7) or  Ezekiel 17:22  (lines 22-24 4; I will plant ... Read More
Give a Gift of Joy for Christmas 
By Sister Constance Veit, LSP  

I had just begun my initiation to religious life when a very kind Little Sister offered to share with me the secret to joy.

Of course, I wanted to know the secret, I responded!

JOY, she confided, is a matter of putting J esus first, O ther people second and Y ourself last.

Her advice made a lot of sense and, for me, it has mostly proven true. When we pay more attention to God and other people than to ourselves, the result is usually a deep and imperturbable sense of joy.

Recently, someone suggested another acronym based on the word joy.

JOY, I learned, can stand for J esus, O ld and Y oung people coming together. To express it in mathematical terms, Jesus + Old + Young = JOY!

Pope Francis would love this equation, since he has often expressed his desire to see a new embrace between the old and the young. “The young are focused on the future and they face life with energy and dynamism,” Pope Francis wrote, adding that they are tempted to give little attention to their roots, especially the gifts transmitted to them by their parents, their grandparents and the society in which they live.

“Helping the young to discover the living richness of the past, to treasure its memory and to make use of it for their choices and opportunities, is a genuine act of love towards them,” Pope Francis suggested in Christus Vivit, the document he wrote after last year’s synod on young people.

“A genuine act of love” – helping young people to treasure their roots is a beautiful gift we adults can give them – and there is no better time than Christmas to give this gift because the holidays naturally offer many opportunities to gather, reminisce and do things together!

Don’t despair if the youngsters in your family seem unwilling to disconnect from their mobile devices in order to partake in your family’s cherished Christmas traditions or stories. A recent survey cited in the Wall Street Journal found that more than 90 percent of teenagers and young adults are able to retell... Read More
Archbishop's Tweets
Follow  @ArchbishopKurtz on Twitter for more of his tweets.

November 28
@ArchbishopKurtz:
This Thanksgiving I invite you to read a reflection I wrote for the @courierjournal on gratitude, contrition and generosity:

November 17
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Thanks to everyone for your prayers! See my blog for an update after my surgery last week.
Upcoming Events
Resources & Recommendations
This month, we're highlighting some helpful and timely resources for Catholics throughout the Archdiocese. We encourage you to check out the resources below and get involved.

Advent/Christmas
The Office of Worship has prepared a 5-minute weekly Advent wreath prayer for families. Check it out here . Twitter users are encouraged to share photos or video of your family’s Advent prayer with @ArchLouKY using the hashtag #AdventAtHome. Or share on our Facebook page @CatholicArchLou .

See Advent programming and opportunities for Reconciliation here.

Civilize It
Last year Catholic Charities of Louisville launched the Be Golden campaign, inviting all throughout the Archdiocese to “Do to others what you would have them do to you.” This is a rallying cry to unite under this message and practice messages of unity, civility, and empathy every day.

As the nation enters into another major political campaign season, the U.S. Bishops have launched the Civilize It campaign, which is a perfect extension of Be Golden. As Catholics, we have a long tradition of engagement in the political process as a means of putting our faith into action. We are called to bring the best of our faith and ourselves to the public square—and yet today, many shy away from such involvement because our national and local conversations are filled with vitriol and harsh language, often directed at people themselves. 
 
When personal attacks replace honest debate, no one wins. This kind of attack, no matter the reason, only serves to further divide our communities. As Catholics, we must model a better way. We invite you to join the Civilize It campaign by taking the pledge as a way to promote civility, love our neighbors, and build community. 

Last month, Catholic Charities of Louisville sent practical suggestions to parishes for the implementation of this effort.

Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz
While Archbishop is away for cancer treatment, we will be sharing the Best of Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz , by pulling together compelling segments from the past organized around topical themes. December’s theme is the charitable work of the Church through the ministry of Catholic Charities of Louisville. The three segments will include an interview of Catholic Charities CEO Lisa DeJaco Crutcher, a conversation with Catholic Charities Board Chair, Deacon Scott Haner, about the Building a Brighter Future Capital Campaign, and the capital campaign video. 

Conversations airs on the Faith Channel (Spectrum channels 19 and digital channel 279) on Tues. at 7 p.m., Wed. at 10 a.m., Fri. at 7 p.m., and Sat. at 4 p.m. It is on radio stations WLCR 1040 AM, Breadbox Media, and WLHN 95.3 FM in Meade County. In addition, Conversations can be downloaded for no charge through iTunes. Conversations also is available on Bardstown Cable Channel 19 (BRTV) at 7 p.m. on the first two Monday nights of the month and on Bardstown’s PLG TV on Tuesday afternoons at 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Conversations is online here .

Catholic Services Appeal
The annual Catholic Services Appeal invites Catholics throughout Central Kentucky to support the mission and ministries of the Archdiocese of Louisville. To give online, go here . Your support is essential and appreciated! Questions? Call or email Melody Denson, Director of Mission Advancement, at mdenson@archlou.org or 502/585-3291.

For information about how your donations are used, see the Archdiocese of Louisville’s 2019 Accountability Report here . Audited financial statements for the Archdiocese also can be found here .
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