Join our Family of Four Parishes for a season of hope and anticipation as we await and then celebrate the birth of our Lord. Advent can be such a beautiful, prayerful season that can help us slow down and focus on Jesus. Looking for ideas? A few recommended by our staff:
For adults:
Advent Reflections from Bishop Barron
Busted Halo Advent Calendar
Best Advent Ever with Matthew Kelly
Advent Made Simple
Advent Wreath Reflections
The Catholic Herald’s Guide to Advent
For families and kids:
Advent Wreath
Holy Heroes Advent Adventure
Jesse Tree
Below you will find prayer, service, and community opportunities in our Family of Four Parishes during the Advent and Christmas Season. Click on the title links to get more details about each item.
Little Blue Books
We ordered a limited amount of Little Blue Advent books that are in the back of all of our churches. These books offer a 6-minute reflection for each day of Advent. If there are none left, check out https://littlebooks.org/seasonal-books/advent-christmas-season. You can order individual books for $5.00 each, purchase it as an e-book, or subscribe to the app.
Holiday Giving Tree
Return gifts by December 18
Look for the Giving Tree in back of church starting December 1. The holiday season is difficult for many in our city. The organizations that receive the gifts help to serve some of the most underprivileged. The tree is filled with tags with gift ideas of many types in many price ranges. There are lots of tags for toys, but the real needs are often for practical items. Select one or more tags from the tree. Return your gift with the tag attached, unwrapped or in a gift bag, by Sunday, December 18 so they may be distributed in time for Christmas.
St. Anne Society Christmas Fair
The St. Anne Society of Old St. Mary Parish invites you to our annual Christmas Fair and Bake Sale. Come enjoy a festive time with your four-parish community! Mark your calendars and plan to attend on December 3 and 4 after all Masses in the Parish Center. There will be the usual wonderful baked goodies, and opportunities to win a raffle gift just in time for Christmas.
Advent Holy Hour
We invite you to prepare your heart to meet Christ, the Lord of Life, by scheduling some time for quiet prayer in Adoration, taking the time to quietly gaze upon the Blessed Sacrament. Join us on Tuesday, December 6 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm at SS Peter & Paul Parish for an Advent Holy Hour.
Eat, Drink & Be Catholic
Eat, Drink and Be Catholic offers women and men of all ages a casual opportunity to explore the Catholic faith. We hope to provide space for intellectual, relational and spiritual growth as well as some real community building. Our hope is that at the end of each evening, individuals not only know more but are inspired and empowered to live out their faith. Our next event will be on Wednesday, December 7, beginning at 7:00 pm. To RSVP or to be added to the email list for future events, contact Chad Griesel at cgriesel@ffpmke.org.
Holiday Plant Delivery
We deliver holiday plants to parishioners who are homebound or living in healthcare facilities. If you are interested, please join us on Saturday, December 10 to help deliver 200 plants and visit with parishioners who continue to be a vital part of our parish community. Many volunteers are needed! We are asking volunteers to also bring the Eucharist with the plants to our parishioners. If you have never done this before, do not fear! A short formational training will be done before you depart for your visits. Pyx cases and prayer cards will also be provided for you. On Saturday, December 10, all volunteers will meet at 8:30 am in the Old St. Mary Parish Center (835 N Milwaukee St). Please feel free to use the parking lot.
To volunteer and/or verify that a nursing home or homebound parishioner is on the delivery list, please contact Terri Balash at 414-469-6173 or tbalash@ffpmke.org.
Advent Vespers
On Sunday, December 11 at 5:15 pm, the choirs from SS Peter and Paul will be singing at Advent Vespers at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Please consider joining us to pray in this special way.
Nativity Play
All children, toddlers to middle/high schoolers, are warmly invited to take part in the Family of Four Parishes’ Christmas Nativity Play immediately after the 9:30 am Mass on December 11 at SS Peter & Paul. Roles include shepherds, sheep, angels, Mary, Joseph, Wise Men, and narrator. A rehearsal will be required for all participating children on Friday, December 9, 6:15 – 7:00 pm at SS Peter & Paul Church. Contact LaTanya Bacon at lbacon@ffpmke.org or call 414-962-2443 to sign up.
Advent Taizé Prayer
Join us again this year for our Advent Taizé Service on Wednesday, December 14 at 6:30 pm at Our Lady of Divine Providence Parish – St. Casimir Church on Bremen and Clarke Street. Taizé Prayer is reflective using simple songs, scripture, silence and a beautiful prayerful environment to help us pray. The service lasts about 45 minutes and is a great place to find solace in the busy month of December. If you would like to join the Taizé Music Ministry or be a reader of Scripture, contact Mary Robertson at 414-271-6577 or mrobertson@ffpmke.org. Taizé prayer is held once per month, usually on the third Wednesday of each month. January 25, 2023 is the first service of the new year. We look forward to seeing you there.
Communal Reconciliation
Is there a past sin or mistake weighing you down? Do you feel a need to begin again in some area of your life? Come and experience the healing power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as we prepare our hearts for Christmas. Our Advent Reconciliation Service will take place on Saturday, December 17 at 10:00 am at Three Holy Women-St. Hedwig Church. Priests will be hearing individual confessions at the end of the prayer service.
Family Justice Brigade
Family Justice Brigade brings together parents and children of all ages to serve others in the community. We provide family-friendly opportunities to live out the works of mercy and be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. Our December event will be organizing and sorting the Advent Giving Tree donations on Sunday, December 18 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm at the Old St. Mary Parish Center. To RSVP, contact Anh Clausen at aclausen@ffpmke.org or 414-962-2443 ext.19.
Christmas Masses
The Christmas Mass schedule is published on the Mass Times page.
