WINTER 2016 THE ASCENT A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION I N THIS ISSUE: L ETTER FROM FATHER TOM Page 3 C HRISTMAS TRADITIONS FROM ITALY- FATHER ALESSANDRO Page 4 C HRISTMAS TRADITIONS FROM INDIA- FATHER REGIE Page 5 G ENEROSITY Page 6-7 W HAT DOES “BEING PRO-LIFE” MEAN TO YOU Page 8-9 A BITTERSWEET SEASON Page 10 R EFLECTIONS ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES Page 11 T HE SEASON OF ADVENT Page 12 L ITURGICAL YEAR Page 13 A DVENT CANDLE ORDER FORM Page 14 A DVENT CALENDARS Page 15-16 9510 West 127th St. • Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 681-3348 • www.kcascension.org •
[email protected] LETTER FROM THE PASTOR BY FR. TOM TANK November, 2016 Dear Parishioners, As I write this the election is yet to take place. As you read this, it has already been completed. Whoever has won will need our prayers for guidance as our new president assumes office in January. This has been a very difficult election cycle with much acrimony and debasement. Hopefully our society will rise above this and will move forward now in a spirit of reconciliation and collaborative effort. We need to pray that all our civic leaders, president, senators and representatives, will all work together not for the good of their particular party, but for the good of our nation. Very shortly we will begin the season of Advent, the beginning of a new Church year. With this Advent we pray for a renewed spirit of faith and openness to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our world.