Dear members and friends of the Sodality of Charity,
We had a great Christmas party on the Octave day of Epiphany. On that day we also had the first snow fall of the winter, and the snow brought with it a freezing weather. Father McKenna, who most of the time is travelling when we have our meetings, wrote in his St. Anthony Mission bulletin:
The cold didn’t damper the Christmas spirit of girls’ Sodality of Charity Saturday, as they gathered here at St. Gertrude’s for their monthly meeting. After polishing candle followers, the girls had a Christmas party, where they had a little white elephant gift exchange and played games like Twister and musical chairs. My joints hurt just thinking about trying to contort myself on a Twister board... but I am sure the young lassies had little trouble with such endeavors.
Father McKenna and Father Simpson have been working hard for the St. Anthony Mission in Texas, and they are now offering Mass there every Sunday. The mission is in Bedford, right next to Dallas. The southerners have also been getting a weather which is very severe in their standards, with a temperature in its 30s and as much as 1 to 2 inches of snow. (Meanwhile in Finland it has been 30 degrees below zero and the amount of snow has been varying from 5 to 28 inches).
I said Mass for all Sodality members on January 3, the First Wednesday of January. Many thanks to all the Sodalists who helped to make our little church so beautiful for the Christmas season. Special thanks goes to our Sodality President, who worked literally days and nights to make the nativity scene so impressive.
Lent is fast approaching, and we have started the season of Septuagesima. Friday, February 2, is Candlemas, and the end of the Christmas season. Join us for the blessing of candles, High Mass, and winter soup supper at 5:30 in the evening. Please bring your favorite soup to share. Abstinence is dispensed for those who attend the High Mass. Because it’s First Friday, the all-night adoration follows. The next day, February 3, is First Saturday and the feast of St. Blaise, when you can come to church to have your throat blessed. February 7 is First Wednesday, so do some devotion or an act of charity in honor of St. Joseph on that day. Tuesday, February 13, is the feast of the Holy Face of Jesus. Join us for the High Mass of the Holy Face at 11:25 AM. February 14 is Ash Wednesday. There will again be High Mass at 11:25 AM and distribution of ashes throughout the day.
Yours in Christ and Mary,
