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Welcome to St. Malachy Middle School Youth Ministry

Advent: The Church’s New Year

     Happy New Year! Wait...what? It’s not January 1 you might say. However, with the start of Advent, the Catholic Church begins a new liturgical year.
     Advent is one of two seasons in the Church where it is a time of waiting, preparation, and penance. Lent is the other season. 
     During the four weeks of Advent, we eagerly anticipate and prepare for the birth of Jesus. 
     The season of Advent is joyous and hopeful as we light candles, finding warmth in the cold, dark winter days. There are many traditions that we have during Advent including, but not limited to, the Advent wreath. 
        The first Sunday of the Advent we light the first purple candle on the wreath, which represents hope. We hope in anticipation of the birth of Christ but also celebrate the beginning of a new liturgical season. 
     Purple, the primary color of Advent, symbolizes royalty, the royalty of the king who will soon come. 
     The second Sunday of Advent we light the second purple c
andle representing peace. This candle reminds us of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem before Mary gave birth to Jesus. 
     The third Sunday of Advent we light the pink candle, symbolizing joy. It is also called “Gaudete Sunday” meaning rejoice or praise. As we continue to approach Christmas, our joy grows more and more in anticipation just like the shepherds who journeyed to see Jesus in Bethlehem even before the wise men. 
     The last Sunday of Advent we light the final purple candle representing love, the ultimate love of God that He might send His only Son for us. 
     Often times we also see an Advent wreath with a white candle in the center. This candle reminds us that Jesus is the spotless lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins. His birth was for his death and his death was for our birth.           As we enter this new year, and the season of Advent, may we do so with hope, peace, joy, and love for all that awaits us in the birth of the Jesus Christ, Our King.

 


*** If you are interested in signing up to provide a simple meal for the youth on Thursday nights, please click here. ***

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Dec. 8


Vocation Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: 
where there is hatred, let me sow love; 
where there is injury, pardon; 
where there is doubt, faith; 
where there is despair, hope; 
where there is darkness, light; 
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console, 
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love. 
For it is in giving that we receive, 
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. 

Amen.

Interview: Getting to know Kimberly Souba

Middle School Youth Ministry Happenings

We will be using the REMIND app to text out messages and announcements. To join, please send the following text message: @78thy to the number 81010. Or you can click here to go to the website in order to register. 

Calendar

I am really looking forward to our weekly youth ministry activities. Each week will be something different. We will be having a lesson on something relevant to what is going on in the church or world, adoration, social, and service outreach to the community. We will only meet the first Wednesday of June, July, and August from 6-8 PM with Oasis. 

We will meet on Thursdays from 6:30-8 PM. Join us beforehand with Mass. Father is always looking for altar servers.

 

Events

Dec. 7 - Christmas Shopping trip for Food Pantry Families
Dec. 14
Dec. 16 - Advent Caroling 1-4 pm (Families invited)
Jan. 11 - Bowling Party 6:30-8 pm (Families invited) at Arcadia Family Fun Center, Geneseo
Jan. 18
Jan. 25 - Service Project
Feb. 1
Feb. 8
Feb. 15 - The Rock will not meet.
Feb. 16-17 - Youth Ministry Overnight Retreat
Feb. 22 -  
Feb. 29 

Photos

Director Kimberly Souba
Phone
(309) 944-5393 Ext. 110
Email
ksouba@stmalgeneseo.org