Sharing Bishop McGrath's Advent Message

Sharing Bishop McGrath's Advent Message

The Most Reverend Patrick J. McGrath, bishop of San José and leader of the Catholic community in Santa Clara County recently published an Advent message. In his letter, he calls upon Catholics and all people of good will to join in solidarity, friendship, and compassion for those experiencing fear or uncertainty. He writes:

As a community that professes that kind of hope in Christ, our greatest strength lies in our ability to gather together in prayer.  It is what the Lord Jesus did prior to every major event in his life.  It is what we must also do as we continue “to promote a culture of mercy in which no one looks at another with indifference or turns away from the suffering of our brothers and sisters” (Pope Francis, Misericordia et Misera).

Read the full text of his message here.

Bishop McGrath has asked the Catholic community to mark a day of prayer on Monday, December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  As the Marian feast for the patroness of the Americas, this is a day to pray in thanksgiving for Mary and for the protection of those who are poor, afraid or anxious in our wider community.

Notre Dame students will pray with Our Lady of Guadalupe and other images of Mary from around the world on Monday morning and celebrate Las Posadas on Thursday, December 15.