Have Questions about the Catholic Church?
Have you ever wondered why we do some of the things we do at Mass? Fr. George Teodoro has answers to question from our parishioners in all things liturgy!
If you have a question or have ever wondered about any of the rituals of Mass, please send an email to parishbulletin@sfxphx.org.
Why is the third Sunday of Advent called “Gaudete?” And why is it pink?
12-10-2023 |In the Roman Missal, there are lines of scripture assigned to every Mass called “entrance antiphons” which can be spoken or chanted at the beginning of Mass in place of music. The entrance antiphon for the third week of Advent is: “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!” In Latin: Gaudete in Domino semper; iterum dico gaudete.
READ MOREWhy do we have Advent wreathes at our dinner tables and at our church?
12-03-2023 |The Advent wreath has a rather mysterious origin. The tradition has taken many different forms over the years. The ring of lights originates in northern Europe, and likely began with the simple need to light the family dinner table during the long nights of winter. In Scandinavia, they had the tradition of arranging candles in a wheel, representing the changing of seasons from one year to the next. Separately, the tradition of wreath-making goes back to pre-Christian Greece and Rome, where circles of leaves and flowers were used to crown the victors in competitions and brides on their wedding day.
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