2021 Advent and
Christmas
Grace and Greetings to all our
Family, Friends and Benefactors,
We gather at this time of year to ponder
the great mystery of Jesus’ Incarnation and in anticipation of Christ’s coming
again in glory.
We cry out, ‘Come, Lord Jesus,’ and sing with all the angelic choirs to the glory of God the Father, ‘Jesus Christ is Lord!’
During this year of continuing
(but easing) covid restrictions, climate disasters, human and political
struggle, we find refuge under God’s protecting wings. We are never without God’s loving mercy,
peace
and joy, with the Holy One lighting our way.
Our year has been quiet
but full. Last Advent, Sr. Moira gave a
reflection during the novena before Christmas on the Redemptorist YouTube
channel, on the Key of David. Our Sr.
Lydia died in January and is now rejoicing with the angels in heaven. Her funeral was live-streamed and her family
in Puerto Rico, and others, were able to join in the celebration of her
life. February came in with a blizzard
of 18 inches of snow and Ash Wednesday soon followed. We received ashes applied with Q-Tips – they
were the most precise crosses on our foreheads ever! In March we rejoiced when we and the
Carmelites received our covid shots. Despite that, we continued to follow the
Archdiocesan protocol and celebrated Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter
Vigil without a priest. We missed our
guests who would have joined us for the Triduum. But on Easter morn, we were overjoyed when our
local pastor, Fr. Richard Smith, celebrated Easter Mass with us. What a
blessing! After Pentecost we began to have a few masses
a week but without guests.
In June, Redemptorist Fr.
Ako Walker was able to celebrate a Mass here in honor of our Mother of
Perpetual Help for all your special intentions.
During the summer, Fr. Richard Smith was our honorary Redemptorist when
he celebrated the feast day Masses for Holy Redeemer Sunday on
the Third Sunday of July, St. Alphonsus on August 1 and Blessed M. Celeste on
September 11.
Meanwhile, we held ZOOM
meetings with our Associates, received spiritual direction and attended a
meeting discussing racial issues in religious congregations. We, also, measured
Redemptorists for new habits via Zoom, and Skyped with family and friends.
In June we began a
monthly morning of reflection for our community. It began with a hymn, a short video, a time
for sharing and ended with a prayer on such topics as: How Did You Know: vocation stories, Being a Human Lighthouse,
Are We Angels on Earth, Visions and Dreams of the Dying, and Gratitude.
We, and our Carmelite
Sisters, made our 10-day community retreats together in November. Because neither community had a director,
some of us viewed Season 2 of The Chosen, once- a-day, for eight days. The Chosen tells the story of Jesus and His
followers and, in a powerful way, lends itself to meditation and contemplation.
Our Novena before
Christmas begins December 16. We gather
in Celeste Hall, our community room, around the flickering Advent candles and
pray for all your intentions, saying,
“Adore, oh my soul, in the heart of Mary,
the only begotten Son of God who was made man for love of you.”
Wishing you a blessed and
holy Christmas and New Year as we join the angels sweetly singing:
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
New York.
Sr. Maria Paz is our Correspondence Angel
proclaiming throughout the year the Good News of Salvation with her letters
Sr Mary Jane is our Tech Angel who keeps our
computers in tip-top shape.
Sr Moira is our Creative Angel keeping our website REDNUNSNY.ORG and Facebook up to date.
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