This Christmas let us turn to Jesus as never before, opening our hearts and surrendering our lives to him. May we echo the words of the Blessed Mother, the first to give God permission by her powerful response – “be it done unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). While we relive the anticipation of those who anxiously awaited Christ’s first coming, we look forward to his second coming where his kingdom will be fulfilled. And fully surrendered to Jesus, we wait in joyful hope for his coming into our hearts this Christmas, transforming our lives, our parishes, our diocese, and instilling in us a desire to go forth, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, to make disciples of others.
À Noël cette année, tournons-nous vers Jésus comme jamais auparavant, en ouvrant nos cœurs et en lui offrant notre vie. Puissions-nous faire écho aux paroles de notre Sainte Mère, la première à donner la permission à Dieu par sa réponse confiante : « Que tout m’advienne selon ta parole » (Luc 1,38). Alors que nous revivons l'attente de ceux qui attendaient avec impatience la première venue du Christ, nous avons hâte à son second avènement, où son royaume sera accompli. Et pleinement livrés à Jésus, nous attendons dans la joie sa venue dans nos cœurs à Noël, pour transformer nos vies, nos paroisses, notre diocèse, et nous-mêmes suscitant le désir d'aller, fortifiés par l'Esprit Saint, faire des disciples des autres.
Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC's Christmas message for the Diocese of Saint John, December 25, 2021. Pope Francis' message for World Day of Peace, January 1, 2022. St. Joseph may not have speaking parts in Scripture, but his role in the life of Jesus — and ours — is hardly a bit part. A film reviewer explores characters that showcase Joseph’s virtues. Jesus Christ Superstar resurrected on 50th anniversary.
Pope Francis' idea of reform "is to put Christ at the centre of the church and our lives, and this is a process that takes time. Sometimes we think that the Spirit spoke in ancient times and doesn't speak any longer. But the Spirit continues to speak to us. The Spirit makes things new — not by magic, but through us." On Sunday, December 12, 2021, as members of the Spanish community in the Diocese of Saint John gathered for mass in Spanish for the traditional feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They are hoping that a Spanish mass could take place once a month. On December 12, 2021, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC of the Diocese of Saint John, officially launched a fundraising appeal in her honour.
Having visited most of the Fredericton and Miramichi parishes of the Diocese of Saint John, Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC, continued his pastoral visits in the Saint John region with a visit to Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish on December 4-5, 2021. The Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception (SCIC) in Saint John establish an endowment fund in the Diocese of Saint John. God "asks us not to be content with a divided world, divided Christian communities, but to journey through history drawn by his own dream: the dream of a humanity freed of walls of division, freed of hostility, where there are no longer strangers, but only fellow citizens," Pope Francis said.
On Monday morning, November 29, 2021, Michael Crate, Community Outreach worker for the Salvation Army in Saint John, was busy making final preparations for the grand re-opening of Hope Café, an outreach ministry of the Salvation Army. St. Michael’s Museum, Miramichi offers an interesting glimpse at the faith history of the Miramichi region, access to genealogical records, and plenty of information on education in the Chatham area. Open Tuesday-Saturday until Christmas, it also offers an assortment of gift ideas and inspiring texts. For more information, contact 506-778-5152. This past weekend, November 27-28, marked the first Sunday of Advent. “Advent ... is a time to prepare with great hope for the celebration of Christ’s first coming among us at Christmas when the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,” Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC, of the Diocese of Saint John told parishioners