ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy THE BSERVER OOfficial Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford Volume 84 | No. 4 http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY DECEMBER 20, 2019 And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. — Luke 2:4-7 (CNS/Bridgeman Images) This Issue Quick News Inside Bishop Malloy .................................... 2 The Nativity is depicted Poor Clare Monastery Guadalupana, Headliners ............................................ 3 (above) in a 16th-century Diocesan ........................................... 4-6 painting by Italian artist First Stop for Rockford A Growing Around the Diocese ..................... 7-9 Area Simbang Gabi Tradition Young Observer ....................... 10-11 Lorenzo Lotto. Observances Worth the Wait ............................... 12 Next Observer in 2020 Parishes in the Nation/World .................................. 13 Advent custom from the diocese celebrate Christmas Season .......................... 14 There will be no issues of The Philippines continues in the Our Lady of The Junior Observer ..................... 15 Observer on Dec. 27 or Jan.3. Rockford Diocese. Guadalupe. Our Catholic View ................... 16- 17 The next paper will be Jan. 10. For the Record ................................ 18 page 5 page 6 Media/Arts ........................................ 19 Look for new updates online. 2 | FRIDAY DECEMBER 20, 2019 | The Observer The Peace of Christmas is a Great Gift for Us ach year, we come seems to be playing or the family is the context for this step The Observer (ISSN 0029- to the special day on television blaring. However, the in the fulfi llment of God’s plan 7739), is published weekly, the calendar that is scene of Christmas suggests a for the world and for each of us. except fi ve times a year by Christmas. There is healthy and refl ective silence as That child is the Son of God. the Diocese of Rockford, 555 Colman Center Dr., P.O. a special sense that seems to the family comes together with E He is the savior who has come Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 pervade life and the world on that the newborn and the shepherds at long last to save us from the Phone: 815/399-4300; Fax day. An extra grace of peace, of are fi lled with the presence in consequences of the sin of Adam 815/399-6225. BY BISHOP purpose to our lives, is given to the fl esh that the world has never and Eve and from our own sins. Periodical postage paid at DAVID J. us if we are willing and open to before known. The challenge of our place and Rockford, Ill., and additional MALLOY receiving it. In Mary there is a serenity as time is that we live in an era so mail offi ces. The image of Christ’s birth she looks on Jesus and the fl ow of taken with science, so satisfi ed POSTMASTER: send address is surrounded by a peace. The unexpected visitors to welcome with our material abundance that changes to The Observer, 555 f Christmas angels tell frightened shepherds the newborn king. She is the best is historically unheard of, that we Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 Ihad not to hurry and see the newborn of all believers as well as the are tempted to forget about God happened savior. But they console them model mother because she “kept and about sin. If Christmas had For ADVERTISING information: by saying, “Glory to God in the all these things, refl ecting on Contact The Observer at the not happened and Jesus had not and Jesus highest and on earth peace to them in her heart” (Lk 2: 19). address above or call 815/399- come, we would be left in eternal had not those on whom his favor rests” At this moment she is the 4300; fax 815/399-6225, death. The birth of Jesus is a Email: kmccarthy@ (Lk 2: 14). fulfi llment of that magnifi cent come, we crucial step in the off er to each of rockforddiocese.org. The classical images of what image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, would us to share in eternal life and the Send NEWS information to The the shepherds and the Wise Men vested in maternity clothes, Observer at the address or fax be left in saw in the stable add to our sense waiting for the day that now has fulfi llment of what we have been made to be. number above; send email to eternal of calm and true peace of soul. come. Observer@rockforddiocese. death. No riches or fi nery adorned that St. Joseph is often depicted We pass many crib scenes at org; or fi ll out a form at stable. The mother quietly holds looking on. As a good husband this time of year, in homes and http://observer.rockforddiocese. her child. She reminds us of the and father he is probably already even in public places. We hear not org/contact-us. essence of a mother’s love that by praying and worrying about just “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Subscription rate $28.00 per God’s plan children experience details to fulfi ll his task to care Halls,” but numerous sacred and year (48 issues); Canadian without having merited it. for mother and child. And along evocative Christmas hymns. and Pan American $29; other Let’s use this Christmas to foreign: surface mail $37, air Almost certainly they are the way, as a good man, his faith mail $97; single copies $1. staying in a stall with animals is deepened and his salvation think about Jesus and the Holy digital near, thereby further uniting all Family. Let’s recall for the good The Observer Online worked out by his place in the subscriptions are also available. of creation with the birth of Jesus. Holy Family. and peace of our souls what a Publisher: great gift Christmas was and is. We have so many distractions Of course the peace of the Most Reverend David J. Malloy in the moment-to-moment of Christmas celebration goes To all, a Blessed Christmas modern life. A radio always beyond domestic tranquility. The Season and New Year! Editor: Penny Wiegert News Editor: Amanda Hudson Features and Multimedia Editor: Sharon Boehlefeld Circulation/Proofreading: Peace as a Journey of Hope Susan Sabrowski, Keith Ludolph From the Message for 53rd World Day of men and women, young and old. ends up poisoning relationships Accounting: Jill Bonk Peace, Jan. 1, 2020, part 1 Many are the innocent victims between peoples and obstructing Advertising and Marketing: of painful humiliation and any form of dialogue. Peace Kevin McCarthy Peace, a journey of exclusion, sorrow and injustice, and international stability are Production and Web hope in the face of to say nothing of the trauma born incompatible with attempts to Administrator: Gary Haughton of systematic attacks on their build upon the fear of mutual (CNS photo/C. Peri via Reuters) Peri photo/C. (CNS obstacles and trial Contributing Writers: Father people and their loved ones. destruction or the threat of BY POPE Kenneth Wasilewski, Father Peace is a great and precious The terrible trials of internal total annihilation. They can be FR ANCIS Kyle Manno, Keith Ludolph, value, the object of our hope and and international confl icts, often achieved only on the basis of Lynne Conner, Tony Carton, the aspiration of the entire human aggravated by ruthless acts a global ethic of solidarity and Pat Szpekowski, Margarita very war family. As a human attitude, our of violence, have an enduring cooperation in the service of a Mendoza, Louise Brass, Patrick is a form hope for peace is marked by an eff ect on the body and soul of future shaped by interdependence Winn E existential tension that makes of fratricide humanity. Every war is a form and shared responsibility in the Publication Dates: Weekly it possible for the present, with of fratricide that destroys the whole human family of today and except that in 2019 there will that destroys all its diffi culties, to be “lived human family’s innate vocation tomorrow” (Address on Nuclear be no issues on Jan. 4, March the human and accepted if it leads towards to brotherhood. Weapons, Nagasaki, Atomic 29, May 31, Aug. 30, Nov. 29 family’s a goal, if we can be sure of this War, as we know, often Bomb Hypocenter, Nov. 24, and Dec. 27. News Deadlines: Usually, 10 goal, and if this goal is great begins with the inability to 2019). innate enough to justify the eff ort of days before publication date. vocation accept the diversity of others, Every threatening situation the journey” (Benedict XVI, which then fosters attitudes of feeds mistrust and leads people Ad Deadlines: Usually, 10 days before publication date. to brother- Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi [Nov. aggrandizement and domination to withdraw into their own safety hood. 30, 2007], 1) Hope is thus the born of selfi shness and pride, zone. Mistrust and fear weaken Offi cial information on the poli- virtue that inspires us and keeps hatred and the desire to relationships and increase the cies, activities, and positions of the Diocese of Rockford is us moving forward, even when caricature, exclude and even risk of violence, creating a obstacles seem insurmountable. released only in the pages of destroy the other. vicious circle that can never lead The Observer, or in state- Our human community bears, War is fueled by a perversion to a relationship of peace.