Daily Advent Activities

• Dec 20, Fourth Sunday of advent

  Thank you to all who came out to spread Christmas cheer to our senior friends at Lincroft Senior Living. A different kind of year for caroling and we didn't get to give them hugs, but the Activities Director said the seniors were very excited to see us outside their windows. And they will be even more excited when they are given their goodie bags from us.  Thank you also to Regina and Meredith from the choir for leading us in song!

• dec 16th, third wednesday of advent

  This Sunday after the 11:30 Mass, Ignite and friends will be Christmas caroling around the perimeter of the Sunrise Senior Living in Lincroft.  We will be meeting outside of the Church at 12:30pm to fill soap bags for the seniors and then at 1:00pm we will walk and carol together so that our senior friends can sit in the comfort of their rooms and listen to some Christmas cheer outside their windows.  1 hr service and 1 hr prayer

• dec 15th, third tuesday of advent

  Did you know that Saint Leo the Great Parishioners have been given a gift subscription to FORMED from Father John?Formed is a place to view featured content like movies, documentaries, virtual tours of places like Jerusulem, videos, book reviews, podcasts, reflections, bible studies, current topics and youth programs! Click Here for your FREE Subscription

• Dec 14th, third monday of advent

  You probably have your Nativity set up by now. Take this week to revisit the figures. What might that person have been thinking or experiencing on that holy night when Jesus was born? 

  

• dec 13th, third sunday of advent

  What is Gaudete Sunday?  Here is an explanation from Life Teen.  What is Life Teen? Life Teen is a Catholic youth ministry organization and movement originating in the United States. Life Teen believes that "Eucharist-based ministry has the power to transform teens, transform parishes, and transform culture." 

  CLICK HERE TO WATCH A LIFE TEEN VIDEO

• Dec 12th, second saturday of advent

  Here is some information about Our Lady of Guadalupe whose feast day is today, December 12th.
  ----
  The feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec. 12) recalls the appearance in 1531 of the Virgin Mary to St. Juan Diego, a native who had recently converted to Catholicism, at a place called Tepeyac in what is now Mexico City. 
  
  The Virgin asked that a church be built on the site. The local bishop was skeptical of Juan Diego’s story, however, and requested a sign that the request was really divine in origin. The Virgin offered the bishop several signs, beginning with the out-of-season and non-native Castillian roses that she gave to Juan to present to the bishop. When the roses tumbled from Juan’s tilma (or mantle), they revealed a miraculous image of the Virgin on Juan’s garment. Later, Juan’s uncle testified that the Virgin had appeared to him as well, curing him when he had been on the point of death.

  Prayer Opportunities

   

  Read a  version of the story here: Meet Juan Diego! 

   
  Pray for the intentions of Our Lady of Guadalupe
  For family prayer, pray a rosary for the unborn (the Virgin appears to be pregnant), for the plight of native peoples, or for the people of Latin America, especially migrants and refugees of drug violence.

  You can find many other prayers to pray on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Sancta.org, the most comprehensive resource on Our Lady of Guadalupe online.

   
  Celebrate with food

  Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patron of the Americas, but she has a special place in the heart of the Mexican people. It is traditional to enjoy Mexican food on her feast day. Try these yummy fish tacos for the feast day; you can get the recipe here.

  Shower of Roses has a full menu, complete with an amazing Tepeyac Hill centerpiece.

   

• Dec 11th, Second Friday of advent

  Did you have a chance to join the Stefanick family saying the rosary?  It was a beautiful thing to witness and feel a part of a Catholic family doing a beloved Catholic devotion.
  
  If you need prayer hours, click here to say the rosary, one decade at a time.
  
   

• Dec 10th, Second Thursday of advent

                 For Fun! 
  A Christmas Version of
  The Bohemian Rapsody

• Dec 9th, Second Wednesday of advent

  Does anyone know Chris Stefanick?  He has done the Confirmation Retreats at SLG and local parishes for several years.  Join Chris and his family for a LIVE, virtual Rosary tonight at 8 p.m. The livestream will begin with a short teaching from Chris and will conclude with a family Rosary.  1 prayer hour if needed.
  
  RealLifeCatholic.com/live  

• Dec 8th, Second Tuesday of Advent

  The following was taken from Good News Ministries from which I receive a daily reflection from every day. Sign up if you want!   
  
  Today we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. An  awesome miracle that God the Father granted to Mary so that she could become the mother of God the Son. God, who planned ahead for Mary's participation in salvation history, knowing - before her conception - that she would choose to say yes in faith. Her conception was "immaculate" (untainted by Original Sin), because Jesus, who is fully divine and perfectly holy, could not grow in the womb of a sinner. 
  
   In today's reading from Genesis chapter 3, we see Eve become the mother of all the living, but she sins and she passes this sinfulness onto all generations. In the Gospel reading, Mary becomes the Second Eve, saying yes - through faith empowered by grace - to the vocation of becoming the mother of the only one who could redeem us from sin. Thus, Mary becomes the mother of all those who share in this faith, all those who want to be redeemed from sin and who want to give birth to Jesus in others.
  
   "Let it be done to me according to your word" was not a sudden or temporary leap of faith for Mary; it was her life-long attitude. The power that enabled her to fulfill this desire came straight from the Holy Spirit as a gift of grace.
  
  Grace is a gift, pure gift. Grace is God's power received as a gift when we need it, regardless of what we do or don't do. Placing ourselves into God's grace, however, does depend on what we do. We were given this grace by baptism, but when we sin, we remove ourselves from the state of grace. We cannot sin and remain in God's good graces.
  
  When we repent, God's mercy restores us to his grace. When we rely on this grace at the moment of temptation, we overcome the sin and we are restored to the peace of Christ.

• Dec 7th, Second Monday of advent

  A Virtual Christmas Concert with the Daughters of St. Paul
   

• Dec 6, Second Sunday of advent

  Every Sunday, we go to visit my son Kevin at St. Gabriel's Cemetery.  We listen to a beautiful video of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.  Take 18 minutes out of your hectic day to be at peace with God.  Good for a prayer hour too!
  
  DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET

• Dec 5, First Saturday of advent

  Ignite has two books to give out for free;  Rediscover the Saints and Rediscover Jesus, both written by Matthew Kelly.  If you would like a copy of either or both of these books, just let me know. Here is a video of today's advent reflection by him.
  
  Today's Video from Matthew Kelly

• Dec 4, First Friday of Advent

  A Video from Father Mike Schmitz About Advent and Chocolate.

• Dec 3rd, First Thursday of Advent

  Have you ever heard of Father Mike Schmitz?
  
  Click Here to watch Father Mike talk about Advent
  
  Here are some fun Facts about Father Mike:
  
  “I am one of six kids.  I have three sisters and two brothers. My last name is spelled S-C-H-M-I-T-Z. 
  
  I love carrots and celery…sprouts and kale chips.
  This is not true.  Steak.  Steak is often overlooked as a snack in most people’s lives.  I think we need to get back to our roots here.
  I don’t have any hobbies or hidden talents.
  I rarely hide any talents.  Pretty much, if I can do it, I do.
  I loved college and I loved the seminary.
  In college, I had a class on Shakespeare taught by a monk who was so moved by the beauty of the words that he wept during every class.  It was incredible and drew me to a new love of beauty in the English language.
  In seminary, Dr. Christopher Thompson taught a class in Moral Theology that I still reflect on to this day.
  I love the school year with students, but I like summers too.
  My favorite summer day is waking up at my parents’ place on the lake.  Get in prayer and say Mass.  Get out for a run.  Drink some coffee with my mom and dad, siblings, and in-laws.  Eat bacon.  Get outside in a kayak or paddle board.  Wake surfing with the family.  Lunch.  Bags (AKA “Cornhole”).  “Snooze Cruise” with the nieces and nephews.  Beer and pizza at Zorba’s.
  I’ve traveled as far away as the Philippines and Australia.
  What if I could live anywhere?  I go back and forth between one of those cabins on stilts in Tahiti and a small place somewhere in Israel.  So I think I’ll stay in Duluth.
  My favorite thing about being a priest is everything connected to the Sacraments.
  I love offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  I love preaching.  I love hearing confessions.  There is nothing that I know of that can compare with getting to be a part of someone’s Great Story, the story that God is calling His children to live."

• Dec 2nd, First Wednesday of Advent

  Mr. Mark Russoniello, Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation, has a message for you about his rock!
  

• Dec 1st, First Tuesday of advent

  Faith Can Move Mountains!  That is the message on the rock that Mr. Gary Krall, an 8th Grade Religious Ed Teacher, chose after doing his Advent Reflection for the Parish. 
  
  Click Here to Hear Why.

• Nov 30th, First monday of advent

  1. It is piously believed that whoever recites the St. Andrew Christmas novena prayer FIFTEEN times each day from the feast of St. Andrew (November 30th) until Christmas Eve will obtain the favor requested.

• nov 29th, first Sunday of advent

  Today is the first day of  Advent!
  
  Father John said that if we want a good Christmas, we need to have a good Advent.
  
  So Ignite will be having daily Advent reflections,videos, pictures or community service activities to help us have the best Advent ever!  
  
  Since it is such a nice day out, ask you Mom or Dad to take you to either Sunnyside Park in Middletown or Dorbrook Park in Colts Neck to find Inspiration Rocks that have just been placed there! See the pictures below for clues.
  If you find an Inspiration Rock, take it!  Either give it to someone who needs inspiration or strategically put it in another place. Take a picture and email it back to me so that we can track where our rocks of inspiration go.

   A service hour for every 5 rocks that you either give away or place somewhere else.

  GOOD LUCK!

• Advent is coming!

  Advent is almost here!  Let's hurry up and wait!

  
  Yes waiting is what Advent is all about.  Waiting and preparing for Christmas. This year will be extraordinary.  Why?  Because many of the activities and events that we usually attend will be cancelled.  And that's not a bad thing.  It is an opportunity to kick back and really enjoy the Advent season leading up to Christmas.

   

  Here is a fun advent video from Busted Halo.