VOLUME 42 NUMBER 7 DIOCESE OF RAPID CITY, Diocesan Website: www.rapidcitydiocese.org SOUTH DAKOTA Serving Catholics in Western South Dakota since May 1973 “Blessed are you Lord, God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you, fruit of the earth and work of human hands. It will become for us the bread of life. Blessed be God forever.” —Order of Mass Though every day should be a time to give thanks, the celebration of Thanksgiving reminds us of the importance to stop and reflect upon our many Season of Advent, 2 blessings, the great abundance around us and within us which brings such Social Justice, 4-5 richness to our lives, and the One who provides it all to us. On this Advent Penance Thanksgiving Day, we turn to the Lord in prayer and gratitude for his countless Services, 6 blessings. Assisted Suicide, 8 All of you will be remembered in a special way at my Thanksgiving Mass. As we Photo Directory of give the Lord thanks, may he continue to bless you abundantly this day and always. Diocesan Priests, 12-13 Wishing you peace and joy in Christ. Monday, December 8, Solemnity of the —Bishop Robert D. Gruss Immaculate Conception — Holy Day of Obligation Remembering our loved ones A family prays at the Olsany cemetery in Prague Nov. 2. Catholics in the Czech Republic mark All Souls Day by visiting the graves of loved ones. (CNS photo/David W Cerny, Reuters) Mailing label For a list of those who were “Born to Eternal Life” in the Diocese of Rapid City, October 1, 2013, to September 30, 2014, see pages 18-19. 2 WRC Columns November 2014 The season of Advent must be lived in gratitude In a world filled with the celebration of person knows that God is good, not by consumerism, material- Christmas — Jesus hearsay but by experience. And that is ism, and entitlement, do Christ, the Savior of what makes all the difference” (Thomas we really live the totality the World, who be- Merton: Thoughts in Solitude; Farrar, of our lives with a deep came poor and hum- Straus and Giroux, 1958). sense of gratitude? Do ble to come among For a deeper meaning of Christmas we spend time each and us. This celebration to penetrate our longing hearts, time every day with the Lord also affords us the must be spent in preparation beyond the in grateful contempla- opportunity to reflect shopping, beyond the pre-Christmas WRC Bishop’s Calendar tion? The Roman phil- The season of Advent shines like upon our many bless- parties, and beyond the tempting hustle November 18-December 16 the first moon on a cold, Subject to change without notice osopher Cicero spoke of ings, the great abun- dark night. and bustle of December. We must fight gratitude as not simply dance which brings the battle with the local shopping cen- November 20, Thursday what we owe, but the such richness to our ters or the Internet vendors. Perhaps the 8:30 a.m. Diocesan Investment way in which we should live. From his lives, and the One who has never been best way to approach the battle is to re- Committee Meeting, Chancery perspective, gratitude is not only the outdone in generosity. treat, to withdraw into the quiet recog- 9 a.m. Finance Advisory Council greatest of virtues, but the parent of all But there is an important period of nition of the “Love of God in Meeting, Chancery the others. In other words, a virtuous time in between these two celebrations everything,” so that there can be an 11:30 a.m. Chancery Department life is enveloped in how we live with a called Advent. This season seems to get “awakening to new wonder and to Head Meeting, Chancery grateful heart. True gratitude keeps our lost in a culture that exhibits the sights praise of the goodness of God.” 3:50 p.m. St. Thomas More eyes focused on the giver — God him- and sounds of Christmas, even prior to The season of Advent, celebrated 8th Grade Etiquette Social, self. God is ultimately the giver of all Thanksgiving, and is saturated with one quietly in gratitude, contemplating our Arrowhead Country Club things. All belongs to God. All is gift. of the greatest temptations of all, mate- Savior coming into a sinful world will November 23, Sunday This virtue of gratitude naturally rialism. “Black Friday” is the epitome transform us in ways we cannot imag- 9 a.m. Meeting with Confirmation Candidates, Holy Cross Church, flows from deep personal intimacy with of this display of the saturation of ma- ine. Our anticipation of our Savior’s re- Timber Lake Christ. It is far more than mere thank- terialism. turn in glory will manifest itself through 10 a.m. Confirmation Mass, Holy fulness. All that we have that is good In a way, the season of Advent shines our outward expressions of love as we Cross, Timber Lake has God’s stamp on it and is owned by like the first moon on a cold, dark night. welcome Christ in the stranger, the November 24, Monday God to be used in a God-given way. We For many people it is barely noticeable. poor, the unloved, and the hopeless. 5 p.m. Rapid City Catholic School will never be afraid of not having There is no waiting or anticipation for Most people sense a yearning to re- Board Meeting, Cathedral Rectory enough if we truly believe that, “The the moon to become full and its light to cover the basic meaning of Christmas. November 25, Tuesday Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I brighten the wintry sky. The progres- This yearning will be satisfied when we 6:30 p.m. Catholic Social Services shall want” (Psalm 23). sion from a first moon to a full moon make a conscious choice to not allow Board Meeting, Catholic Social The holiday season is on the near goes unnoticed, much like the season of an excessive consumerism mentality, Services Office horizon. Many Americans will be in Advent. one that measures love by purchases November 27- 28, Thursday- constant preparation mode over the How can we really celebrate the and limits celebration to spending, to Friday next month-and-a-half. Each holiday is truest and deepest meaning of Christ- become our focus. As Pope Francis Chancery Closed for an opportunity to live gratefully. mas if we have not celebrated Advent? noted in a homily, “If money and mate- Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day is next week, a time Can there be a real celebration of rial things become the center of our December 2, Tuesday 9 a.m. Chancery Department to enjoy family gatherings, the presence Christmas without a period of waiting, lives, they seize us and make us slaves. Head Meeting, Chancery Annex of loved ones who have come home for a period of joyful expectation, a period Our life must be centered on what is es- December 4, Thursday a few days, and the rich food and drink of grateful contemplation whereby the sential, Jesus Christ. Everything else is 11 a.m. Western South Dakota that accompany this wonderful day. Lord prepares our hearts to receive secondary.” Catholic Foundation Annual Each of us must reflect upon our many God’s greatest gift to humanity anew? May we all celebrate this Advent Meeting, Cathedral Hall blessings, the great abundance that Thomas Merton wrote, “To be grate- season as the church invites us, with December 15, Monday brings such richness to our lives, and ful is to recognize the Love of God in great joy and thankfulness. In doing so, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Bishop’s Holiday the One who provides it all. A grateful everything he has given us. Gratitude we will experience anew a deep sense Open House (By Invitation Only) heart always returns to the Lord in therefore takes nothing for granted, is of gratitude for the real presence of 2-4 p.m. Open House for prayer and thanksgiving, and never never unresponsive, is constantly awak- Christ among us, the profound mystery Benedictine Sisters takes God’s generosity for granted. ening to new wonder and to praise of we call Christmas. Four weeks later, for most people, is the goodness of God. For the grateful Advent peace and love to all. November 2014 Annual Diocesan Appeal WRC 3 “But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” Mathew 13:8 in the My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with each of you. The 2015 AnnualSown Diocesan Appeal is now underway, andHeart I am very hopeful that we will meet our goal this year with your help and generosity. We have been invited to ask the Holy Spirit to give us a sacrificial heart so that the seeds of God’s love that have already been sown will be pro- vided the rich soil to “produce fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold,” for the people of God in western South Dakota and the many ministries offered by the Diocese of Rapid City. Many of you have already generously responded to this message. I offer my sincere thanks to those who have pledged their support for the mission and ministry of our diocese. The con- tributions you have offered will make a difference in the life of the church and the families of our parishes. For those who have yet to make a pledge, I would ask that you prayerfully consider the many ways that you have been blessed by the Lord and how he might be inviting you to share those blessings with others through your participation in the appeal.