A L E T T E R F R O M T H E O F F I C E O F YOUTH MINISTRY DEC. 2020 | VOL. 5 O my God, Word of the Father, Word made flesh. For the love of us, You assumed a mortal body in order to suffer and be immolated for us. I wish to prepare for Your coming with the burning desires of the prophets and the just who in the Old Testament sighed after You, the one Savior and Redeemer… O Lord, send Him whom You are going to send… As you have promised, come and deliver us! I want to keep Advent in my soul, that is, a continual longing and waiting for this great Mystery wherein You, O Word, become flesh to show me the abyss of Your redeeming, sanctifying mercy. St. Teresa of Avila IN THIS NEWSLETTER Office of YM updates Year of Saint Joseph Upcoming Opportunities December / January Liturgical Overview January with St. Joseph OFFICE OF YOUTH MINISTRY UPDATES Most recent Many but One Conversation: UPCOMING YOUTH DEFEND YOUR FAITH W/ SEMINARIAN MINISTRY CONVERSATIONS ESTEBAN MALLAR For Students - Many but One January 19 February 16 March 23 all @ 6:00pm Zoom ID: 896 5628 3050 Password: OnethoMany For Adults - Immersed in Mercy BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR: January 25 - 6:30pm National Catholic Youth Conference February 22 - 10:00am November 18-20, 2021 April 13 - 3:00pm Indianapolis, Indiana May 3 - 6:30pm Zoom ID: 822 7777 9083 Password: MercyFull Notre Dame Vision June 21-25, 2021 Notre Dame, Indiana NOTE LOCATION Learn about the Emerging Leaders Scholarship CHANGE!! Application HERE (opens January) THE LOCATION OF THE World Youth Day YOUTH MINISTRY / August 2023 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Lisbon, Portugal LEADERS RETREAT HAS BEEN Information Session coming early Spring CHANGED TO LITTLE OCMULGEE STATE PARK!! THE YEAR OF SAINT JOSEPH December 8, 2020 - December 8, 2021 On December 8th, Pope Francis declared that the next year be dedicated as the Year of Saint Joseph. This came on the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX naming Saint Joseph the "Patron of the Universal Church." In his Apostolic Letter, Patris Corde (With a Father's Heart), Pope Francis calls to mind the roll of Saint Joseph in our Church and in our lives as an example of fatherhood, trust, humility and silent leadership. Copyright © 2020 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. "But why now? Why St. Joseph?" Father Donald Calloway, MIC writes in his book, Consecration to St. Joseph: "First, we need the spiritual fatherhood of St. Joseph to help us protect marriage and the family. Marriage and the family have always been under attack, but in modern times, the threats have reached extraordinary heights...Who else can we turn to who can help us understand what marriage and family are all about if not to the Head of the Holy Family and the Terror of Demons? "Second, the entire world needs to be re-evangelized, including the vast majority of baptized Christians. Saint Joseph was the first missionary. Today, he desires to bring Jesus to the nations." Learn more about St. Joseph here: Consecration to St. Joseph - Crazy or Crucial? with Fr. Don Calloway For other great resources, check out the Diocese of Charlotte's resource page. Included: Monthly Themes for the Year of St. Joseph St. Joseph Devotions and Traditions St. Joseph in Art History Year of St. Joseph Indulgences 2020 - 2021 EVENTS February 26-28 - Youth Ministry / Religious Education Leaders Retreat Little Ocmulgee State Park With Gina Bauer March 13 - Scout's Convocation Mass, Savannah March 22-26 - Deanery Meetings April 16-18 - Diocesan Youth Conference Valdosta Rainwater Conference Center With Dan Dematte June 13-18 & 20-25 - Prayer and Action, Savannah June 21-25 - Notre Dame Vision June 27-July 2 - Prayer and Action, Augusta D E C E M B E R IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Advent / Christmas HOLY FATHER'S INTENTIONS For a life of prayer: We pray that our personal relationship with Jesus Christ be nourished by the Word of God and a life of Prayer. SUNDAY GOSPEL READINGS LITURGICAL CALENDAR St. Mark, St. Luke, FOR DECEMBER St. John Year B Cycle 1 1. Francis Xavier, Memorial 6. Second Sunday of Advent 7. Ambrose, Memorial 20. Fourth Sunday of Advent 8. Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 21. Peter Canisius, Opt. Mem. Patronal Feastday of the United States of America , 23. John of Kanty, Opt. Mem. Solemnity 25. Christmas, Solemnity 9. Juan Diego (USA), Opt. Mem. 26. Stephen, Feast 11. Damasus I, Opt. Mem. 27. Holy Family, Feast 12. Our Lady of Guadalupe (USA), Feast 28. Holy Innocents, Feast 13. Third Sunday of Advent 29. Thomas Becket, Opt. Mem. 14. John of the Cross, Memorial 31. Sylvester I, Opt. Mem. Taken from CatholicCulture.org J A N U A R Y HOLY NAME OF JESUS Christmas / Ordinary Time HOLY FATHER'S INTENTIONS Intention for evangelization - Human fraternity: May the Lord give us the grace to live in full fellowship with our brothers and sisters of other religions, praying for one another, open to all. SUNDAY GOSPEL READINGS St. Matthew, St. LITURGICAL CALENDAR Mark, St. John FOR JANUARY Year B Cycle 1 1. Mary, Mother of God, Solemnity 2. Basil the Great; Gregory Nazianzen, Memorial 3. Epiphany of the Lord, Solemnity .23. Vincent of Saragossa, Opt. Mem. 4. Elizabeth Ann Seton (USA and CAN), Memorial 24. Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday of the 5. John Neumann, Memorial Word of God 6. Andre Bessette, Opt. Mem. 25. Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, Feast 7. Raymond of Penafort, Opt. Mem. 26. Timothy and Titus, Memorial 10. Baptism of the Lord, Feast 27. Angela Merici, Opt. Mem. 13. Hilary; Kentigern (Scotland),Opt. Mem. 28. Thomas Aquinas, Memorial 17. Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 31. Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 20. Fabian; Sebastian, Opt. Mem. 21. Agnes,Memorial22. Day of Prayer for Unborn, Opt. Mem Taken from CatholicCulture.org J A N U A R Y W I T H S T . J O S E P H MOST VALIANT PROTECTOR OF CHURCH MONTHLY THEME IN THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH St. Joseph had the entire Church under his protection since the Holy Family was the Church. Our Lady is the Mother and Image of the Church, the Holy Spirit the soul of the Church and Christ the Church's head. To Joseph this treasure was entrusted and by his wit, his obedience and his sacrifice he valiantly defended them. MOSAIC DECORATION INSU NTHDAEY BOSAPSELILICA OF SRETA.D MINAGSRY MAJOR, ROME ST. JOSEPH IN ART HISTORY The decoration of the Early Christian churches, and particularly of the basilicas, was mostly with mosaics. The largest series of early Christian mosaics in Rome are the panels on the triumphal arch and the nave walls of the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. These extensive mosaics were completed between 432-40 AD. The arch is decorated with continuous New Testament scenes relating to the early life of Jesus. Mary, the Mother of God, is shown as queen of Heaven, enthroned and dressed regally. Jesus is portrayed as a youth or young adult, not as an infant or child. On the top register, Saint Joseph can be seen to the right. Joseph is young, bearded and garbed as a Roman of status befitting the consort of a queen. Here he is conversing with the angels announcing Jesus birth and holding not a shepherds staff, but in his left hand a rod symbolizing the authority and responsibility, he has just been given. In the bottom register, Joseph stands on the left side, in Bethlehem, the city of David, the king from whose descendants, traced to Joseph, Jesus was born. On the right is seen Jerusalem, the place of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Taken from yearofstjoseph.org/resources/ Over the past 150 years, the following events reflect a deepened appreciation and dedication to St. Joseph: 1868 - Blessed Jean-Joseph Lataste, OP, writes a letter to Blessed Pope Pius IX asking him to declare St Joseph the "Patron of the Universal Church." 1870 - Blessed Pope Pius IX declares St. Joseph the "Patron of the Universal Church." 1871 - Founding of the Josephites by Cardinal Herbert A. Vaughan 1873 - Founding of the Oblates of St. Joseph by St. Joseph Marello 1879 - Apparitions at Knock, Ireland. Saint Joseph appears with the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Apostle, and Jesus (appearing as the Lamb of God). 1889 Pope Leo XIII writes Quamquam Pluries, an encyclical letter on St. Joseph. 1895 - Blessed Petra of St. Joseph begins construction on a shrine to St. Joseph in Barcelona, Spain. It is consecrated in 1901. At her beatification in 1994, St. John Paul II calls Blessed Petra the "apostle of St. Joseph of the 19th century." 1904 - Saint Andre Bessette constructs an oratory dedicated to St. Joseph in Montreal, Canada. It expands, is declared a minor basilica, and finally is completed in 1967. Today, it is known as St. Joseph's Oratory and is considered by many to be the preeminent international center of devotion to St. Joseph. 1908 - Saint Luigi Guanella begins constructing a church dedicated to St. Joseph in Rome. It is completed and consecrated as a basilica in 1912. 1909 - Saint Pope Pius X officially approves the Litany of St. Joseph. 1914 - Saint Luigi Guanella founds the Pious Union of St. Joseph for the Salvation of the Dying. 1917 - Apparitions at Fatima, Portugal. During the last apparition on October 13, St. Joseph appears holding the Child Jesus and blessing the world. 1921 - Pope Benedict XV inserts the phrase "Blessed be St.