26 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel, CT 06801 Phone: (203)744-5777 Fax
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26 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel, CT 06801 Phone: (203)744-5777 Fax: (203)744-3740 Website: www.stmarybethel.org Email: stmaryoffi[email protected] Visit us on Facebook: StMaryChurchBethel PARISH OFFICE HOURS: The Parish Office phones are open Mon.-Thurs. from 9am-2pm and Fri. from 9am-12 noon. If you need to speak to someone in person, please call (203)744-5777 in ad- vance to make an appointment and masks are required. You can email us for ques- ons and Parish business. St. Mary Catholic Church Fourth Sunday of Advent FATHER COREY’S EPISTLE † As we celebrate this Christmas, may we contemporary world today.” always keep in mind the reason for the cele- Devoon to St. Joseph The decree signed by Cardinal bration: Jesus Christ is born in Bethlehem. Mauro Piacenza, the Major Penitenary of the Apostolic He has come to save us from our sins and to Penitenary, and the Regent, Fr. Krzysztof Nykiel, notes show us how to live in love. May this Christ- that devoon to St. Joseph has grown extensively mas be for all of us a time of forgiveness, throughout the history of the Church, “which not only peace and love. On behalf of the Clergy and aributes to him high reverence aer that of the Mother staff, may you and yours have a blessed and of God his spouse but has also given him mulple patron- wonderful Christmas, full of love, happiness ages.” and memories. At the same me, the Magisterium of the Church conn- ues to discover “old and new greatness in this treasure which is St. Joseph, like the master in the Gospel of Mahew who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” Therefore, the gi of indulgences granted through a de- cree of the Apostolic Penitenary by mandate of the Holy Father “will be of great benefit to the perfect aainment of the appointed purpose.” Condions for the plenary indulgence The plenary indul- gence is granted to the faithful under the usual condions (sacramental confession, Eucharisc Communion, and prayer for the Pope’s intenons) to Chrisans who, with a spirit detached from any sin, parcipate in the Year of St. Joseph on these occasions and manners indicated by the † Church grants plenary indulgence for year of St. Jo- Apostolic Penitenary: seph The plenary indulgence is granted to those who will The Apostolic Penitenary issues a Decree granng plena- meditate for at least 30 minutes on the Lord’s Prayer, ry indulgences for the year of St. Joseph proclaimed by or take part in a Spiritual Retreat of at least one day Pope Francis on Tuesday. The special year will last from 8 that includes a meditaon on St. Joseph. “St. Joseph, December 2020 to 8 December 2021. an authenc man of faith, invites us”, the decree Pope Francis has announced a special year dedicated to reads, “to rediscover our filial relaonship with the St. Joseph starng from 8 December 2020 unl 8 Decem- Father, to renew fidelity to prayer, to listen and corre- ber 2021, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the spond with profound discernment to God’s will.” proclamaon of St. Joseph as the Patron of the Universal The indulgence can also be obtained by those who, Church, as well as the Solemnity of the Immaculate Con- following St. Joseph’s example, will perform a spiritual cepon of Our Lady. or corporal work of mercy. St. Joseph “encourages us The Apostolic Penitenary also issued a decree granng to rediscover the value of silence, prudence and loyal- special indulgences for the duraon of the special year to ty in carrying out our dues,” the decree notes. celebrate the anniversary and “to perpetuate the entrust- The recitaon of the Holy Rosary in families and ment of the whole Church to the powerful patronage of among engaged couples is another way of obtaining the Custodian of Jesus.” indulgences, in order that “all Chrisan families may During this period, the faithful will have the opportunity be smulated to recreate the same atmosphere of to commit themselves “with prayer and good works, to inmate communion, love and prayer that was in the obtain, with the help of St. Joseph, head of the heavenly Holy Family.” Family of Nazareth, comfort and relief from the serious Everyone who entrusts their daily acvity to the pro- human and social tribulaons that besiege the tecon of St. Joseph, and every faithful who invokes St. Mary Catholic Church December 20, 2020 FATHER COREY’S EPISTLE the intercession of St. Joseph so that those seeking the elderly, the dying and all those who for legimate rea- work can find dignifying work can also obtain the ple- sons are unable to leave their homes. nary indulgence. On 1 May 1955, Pope Pius XII ins- They too can obtain the plenary indulgences if they are tuted the feast of St. Joseph “with the intent that the detached from any sin and have the intenon of fulfilling, dignity of work be recognized by all, and that it in- as soon as possible, the three usual condions and recite spires social life and laws, based on the fair distribu- an act of piety in honor of St. Joseph, offering to God the on of rights and dues.” pains and hardships of their lives. The plenary indulgence is also granted to the faithful The role of priests The Apostolic Penitenary encourages who will recite the Litany to St. Joseph (for the Lan priests to pastorally facilitate the celebraon of the Sacra- tradion), or the Akathistos to St. Joseph (for the Byz- ment of Penance and the administraon of Holy Com- anne tradion), or any other prayer to St. Joseph munion to the sick with a willing and generous spirit. proper to the other liturgical tradions, for the perse- cuted Church ad intra and ad extra, and for the relief † From London to New York and from Prague to Buenos of all Chrisans suffering all forms of persecuon. Be- Aires, the following is a journey to discover Christmas cause, the decree notes, “the flight of the Holy Family dishes prepared all over the world for the holidays. (By to Egypt shows us that God is there where man is in Cooklist). danger, where man suffers, where he runs away, Typical Christmas dishes in Denmark The typical Danish where he experiences rejecon and abandonment.” Christmas dish is the Risalamande. It is a traditional des- sert made with cream, vanilla, almonds and rice pudding, all mixed up to form a creamy and delicate cake that is served at Christmas with sour black cherries and berries in syrup. The most important meal of the Christmas holidays is that of the eve dinner. For the occasion, the table will be laden with delicacies and there will also be the unmissable duck stuffed with apples and plums or the roast pork with crispy bacon and caramelized potatoes. And on Christmas Day, do not miss a taste of smørre- A universal saint In addion to these, the Apostolic Peni- brød, the typical canapés with meat, salmon or vegeta- tenary grants a plenary indulgence to the faithful who bles, cream of rice, glog and mulled wine at will. will recite any legimately approved prayer or act of piety Traditional Christmas dishes in London The English tradi- in honor of St. Joseph, for example, “To you, O blessed tion wants that in the dough of the delicious English des- Joseph” especially on “19 March, on 1 May, the Feast of sert there is hidden a coin that will bring luck to those the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, on St. Joseph’s who will find it. Christmas in London is flavored Sunday (according to the Byzanne tradion) on the with Christmas Pudding, the historic Christmas tradition 19th of each month and every Wednesday, a day dedicat- pudding. On the Christmas tables there will also be dishes ed to the memory of the saint according to the Lan tra- of goose and roast turkey, stuffed with chopped hazel- dion.” nuts, veal, bacon and kidney fat, accompanied by pota- The decree recalls the universality of St. Joseph’s patron- toes and apples, sweets, lard, grapes and lemon juice. age of the Church, nong that St. Teresa of Ávila recog- Traditional Christmas dishes in Ethiopia The typical nized him as "a protector for all the circumstances of life". Christmas dish in Ethiopia is the Doro Wat on Injera, it is a Pope St. John Paul II also said that St. Joseph has “a re- spongy and soft paste called Injera served with meat and newed relevance for the Church of our me, in relaon to an excellent and colorful variety of spices and seasonings. the new Chrisan millennium.” It is cooked especially at Christmas (the Orthodox Christ- For the sick Amid the ongoing Covid-19 health crisis, the mas in Ethiopia is celebrated on January 7th). gi of the plenary indulgence is also extended to the sick, Traditional Christmas dishes in Russia Zakuski is a FATHER COREY’S EPISTLE Russian appetizer based on finely chopped and seasoned saucepan. fish with special and tasty sauces. As well as excellent for Traditional Christmas dishes in Poland In Poland, the the pleasure of sight, zakuski is also the best dish to ac- Christmas dinner consists of 12 courses, one for each company with vodka shots. apostle and it is tradition to leave a seat at the table free Traditional Christmas dishes in Mexico The Christmas for the last-minute guest. dish in Mexico is the Chiles en nogada. It is a very particu- At the eve dinner you can not miss the bigos, the tradi- lar recipe based on varied stewed meat and peppers tional dish made of sauerkraut, with mushrooms and served with a cream of walnuts and pomegranate grains.