Friday, December 24, 2010

Bulletin 30

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806 EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS: Celebrant Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

December 26th, 2010---Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of our Lord
Epistle: Gal. 4:1-7---Gospel: Lk. 2:33-40

THERE WILL BE NO LATIN MASS FROM DECEMBER 27th THROUGH DECEMBER 31st

Saturday, January 1st is the Octave Day of Christmas. I will be traveling to Gainesville and Ava this weekend. There will be no Latin Mass on January 1st, 2011

Mass schedule December 27th through December 31st

Monday —Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist—--NO LATIN MASS
Tuesday —Holy Innocents, Martyrs--------------NO LATIN MASS
Wednesday -5th Day in the Octave of Christmas---NO LATIN MASS
Thursday —6th Day in the Octave of Christmas---NO LATIN MASS
Friday —7th Day in the Octave of Christmas---NO LATIN MASS

From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope:

Dearly beloved, today our Savior is born; let us rejoice. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness.

No one is shut out from this joy; all share the same reason for rejoicing. Our Lord, victor over sin and death, finding no man free from sin, came to free us all. Let the saint rejoice as he sees the palm of victory at hand. Let the sinner be glad as he receives the offer of forgiveness. Let the pagan take courage as he is summoned to life.

In the fullness of time, chosen in the unfathomable depths of God’s wisdom, the Son of God took for Himself our common humanity in order to reconcile it with its creator. He came to overthrow the devil, the origin of death, in that very nature by which he had overthrown mankind.

And so at the birth of our Lord the angels sing in joy: Glory to God in the highest, and they proclaim peace to His people on earth as they see the heavenly Jerusalem being built from all the nations of the world. When the angels on high are so exultant at this marvelous work of God’s goodness, what joy should it not bring to the lowly hearts of men?

Beloved, let us give thanks to God the Father, through His Son, in the Holy Ghost, because in His great love for us He took pity on us, and when we were dead in our sins He brought us to life with Christ, so that in Him we might be a new creation. Let us throw off our old nature and all its ways and, as we have come to birth in Christ, let us renounce the works of the flesh.

Christian, remember your dignity, and now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return by sin to your former base condition. Bear in mind who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Do not forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of God’s kingdom.

Through the sacrament of baptism you have become a temple of the Holy Ghost. Do not drive away so great a guest by evil conduct and become again a slave to the devil, for your liberty was brought by the blood of Christ.


Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Friday, December 17, 2010

Bulletin 29

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS: Celebrant Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Epistle: I Cor. 4:1-5
Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

Monday: Greater Feria of Advent No Latin Mass
Tuesday: Saint Thomas, Apostle
Wednesday: Greater Feria of Advent
Thursday: Greater Feria of Advent
Friday: Vigil of Christmas; Midnight Mass at the Carmelite Monastery
Saturday: The Nativity of Our Lord, Mass @ 2:30pm @ Saint Agnes Cathedral


--A plenary indulgence may be gained by publicly saying or singing the Te Deum in thanksgiving on the last day of the year (December 31). A plenary indulgence may also be gained by publicly saying or singing the Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year, (January 1).

Saint Luke formally introduces John the Baptist in today’s Gospel passage. Christ praises John the Baptist for his strength of will and his commitment to his God-given mission. Humility, austerity, courage and a spirit of prayer are all a part of John the Baptist’s personality. John was so faithful to his mission of preparing the way for the Messiah that Christ said of him: he is the greatest of those born of woman, “a burning and shining lamp.”

John the Baptist preached the need for repentance. He prepared the way of the Lord. He simply announced that salvation was on its way. He knew that his role was to decrease, and Christ’s must increase. Our Lord’s coming is imminent. We must prepare ourselves spiritually for that coming. We must prepare ourselves by doing penance for our sins. We must open our hearts to receive the Divine grace our Lord is offering us.

Now is the time of year once again during Advent to proclaim the coming of Jesus Christ, our Savior. We must purify our souls by a new interior conversion.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Friday, December 10, 2010

Bulletin 28

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806 EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS: Celebrant Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

December 12, 2010-Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)

Epistle: Philipp. 4, 4-7
Gospel: Ioann. I, 19-28

Visit MoLatinMass.com to view the weekly bulletin.
Pot-luck dinner immediately following Mass Sunday, December 12th.

Mass schedule December 13th through December 17th

Monday —Saint Lucy, Virgin & Martyr—NO LATIN MASS
Tuesday —Feria of Advent
Wednesday —Ember Wednesday
Thursday —Saint Eusebius, Bishop & Martyr
Friday —Ember Friday

The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete comes from the Latin verb gaudere (to rejoice). It is an imperative plural form of the verb. In other words, we are commanded to rejoice! As we anticipate the greatest event in the whole history of the world, namely the Incarnation, we are to do so with great joy! We also look to the joy that is yet to come. As we continue with the penitential nature of the Advent season, Gaudete Sunday gives us a brief rest as we focus on our hope Christ offers at His coming into the world.

Advent is about not only the Incarnation, but Christ’s second coming as well. Unfortunately, for many that day will be a day of terror. Christ is coming to judge and He will do so without mercy. This is what we are anticipating with our penance. We want to be prepared and make Christ’s second coming a day of joyful anticipation rather than one of fear. All will bend their knees at the second coming of Christ. Many who knowingly reject Christ will do so in terror. But this is not what God wants for us.

Let us rejoice today at the wonderful works God has wrought for us in the person of His Son! Let us look forward with joyful hope to Christ’s coming in glory at the end of time! Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Bulletin 27

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS: Celebrant Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching


Second Sunday of Advent

Epistle: Rom. 15, 4-13
Gospel: Matth. 11, 2-10


Mass Schedule December 6th through December 10th


Monday: Saint Nicholas, Bishop & Confessor; NO LATIN MASS
Tuesday: Saint Ambrose, Bishop, Confessor & Doctor
Wednesday: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Mass & 7:00pm
Thursday: Feria of Advent
Friday: Feria of Advent


--Visit MoLatinMass.com to view the weekly bulletin.
--Mass for the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be offered at 7:00pm in the Cathedral on Wednesday, December 12th. This will be a High Mass.
--Pot luck dinner immediately following Mass on December 12th.
--The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the six days of obligation in the United States. See the Canons of the Code of Canon Law for Sundays and Holy Days.


Christ comes to us through Word and Sacrament. God is the author of all Sacred Scripture. This gives to Sacred Scripture a character of excellence we cannot ignore. Christ is truly present when the Scriptures are proclaimed. Scripture is of the highest order since it is in fact the Word of God. Scripture helps to instruct us in the faith. It also gives us hope and consolation in times of trial. There are many examples in Scripture which encourage us to be patient and spur us on to fight the good fight. We must constantly reflect on the Scriptures particularly when God asks sacrifice from us. He does so because He has a greater reward in store for us in heaven.

We have a responsibility to listen to God’s word attentively. Through prayer we must then discern what God is asking of us. Receiving the Eucharist gives us the strength and courage to carry out God’s will in our lives.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching