FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT – December 21, 2025

Please, check out the Hungarian section (link at the bottom) as well, as some Hungarian related news or information may be found only there.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTIONS:

9:00 AM Parishioners of St. Emeric Parish

11:00 AM Ádám Matavovszky, by Éva Dömötörffy

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: (1) Today we light the fourth candle which is of purple color and it symbolizes peace. It reminds us of the message of the angels: “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.”

(2) Please note a special Mass on December 27 (Saturday) at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth of Hungary at 4PM after which we will have a light reception. That day we will not have 5PM Mass at St. Emeric.

(3) An update on the anniversary book: Unfortunately, we were not able to finish the editing process by Christmas. We will have the book finished and published in January or February of next year.

THE O ANTIPHONS are a series of seven ancient prayers (dating to the sixth century) used in Western Christian traditions during the final days of Advent, specifically from December 17 to December 23, preceding Christmas Eve. These antiphons are traditionally recited or sung during Vespers, the evening prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, accompanying the Magnificat. They are also incorporated into the liturgy of the Mass, where they appear as the Alleluia verse before the Gospel reading.

Each antiphon begins with the vocative “O” and addresses Christ using a distinct Messianic title drawn primarily from the prophetic books of Isaiah and Micah. The titles are Wisdom, Lord of Israel, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Dayspring (or Radiant Dawn), King of the Nations, and Emmanuel. These titles reflect different aspects of Christ’s role as the promised Messiah, drawing on Old Testament prophecies to emphasize His divine nature and redemptive mission. The sequence of the antiphons is intentionally structured. When the initial letters of the Latin titles—Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia—are read in reverse order, they form the acrostic “Ero Cras,” meaning “Tomorrow I come,” which is interpreted as Christ’s promise to return. The ‘O Antiphons’ poetic and theological richness has inspired the well-known Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which is based on the seven antiphons and reflects their central themes of longing, redemption, and divine light.

TODAY: THE BLESSING OF THE BAMBINELLI: after the Mass, please come forward with the baby Jesus from your home Nativity set for this special blessing.

DECORATING CHURCH: today (12/21) after the 11AM Sunday Mass. If some of you are able to help carry Christmas decorations into the church that would be greatly appreciated.

CONFESSIONS: to prepare ourselves well for Christmas, I will hear confessions on Tuesday, December 23. First opportunity will be after the 9AM morning Mass and then in the evening from 6-7PM. Whether here or at another church, let us take advantage of the great Sacrament of Confession. Let us unburden ourselves and remove any hindrances to the coming of Jesus Christ to us in the Eucharist.

MASS SCHEDULE FOR CHRISTMAS – NEW YEAR

December 24:   5:00 PM Mass – English

December 24:  10:30 PM Christmas Carrols – Hungarian

December 24:   11:00 PM Mass – Hungarian

December 25:   9:00 AM Mass – English

December 25:   11:00 AM Mass – Hungarian

December 27:   4:00 PM Bilingual Mass at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

December 31:    5:00 PM – English

January 1:          9:00 AM – English

January 1:          11:00 AM – Hungarian

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: Sunday Collection: $1,087; Immaculate Conception: $80; Christmas Flowers: $60; Maintenance: $550; Boiler cost offset: $250. May God reward your generosity in supporting the church. Thank you for sending in your donations by mail or using our website https://stemeric.com/donations/.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK, especially for Bev Kimar, Teréz Kalász, Lajos Boday, Márta Takács, Kathy Szabó, Alex Szaday, Virginia Kachmar, Margaret Falk, Mária Hokky, Balázs Bedy, and Sylvia Öszényi.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DECEASED: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen

THIS SUNDAY the 11:00 AM Mass from St. Emeric church will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/saintemeric/

LET US PRAY THREE HAIL MARYS FOR OUR PARISH EVERY DAY!

Ez a bejegyzés olvasható Magyar (Hungarian) nyelven is.