Mary Queen of the Apostles Parish

IMPORTANT UPDATE: ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT ON TUESDAYS Again due to unforeseen circumstances, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesdays will not be held until further notice. We are grateful to everyone who signed up for Adoration on Tuesdays. You are welcome to pray in the church, which is open Monday-Friday, 8:30-4PM (except on holidays), keeping in mind that Jesus is present 24/7 in the Holy Eucharist in the Tabernacle.

LIVE-STREAMING OF MASSES We will stream and upload the 8AM Masses on Monday and Tuesday mornings and the 4:30PM Sunday Vigil to enable our homebound to connect with the parish. For the rest of the week, EWTN telecasts a number of daily Masses, and our Cathedral streams its weekday Masses at 12N. On Sundays, besides the Masses on EWTN, Channel 43 (WUAB-TV) broadcasts two Masses: 8AM and 10AM from our Cathedral. We realize this will be an inconvenience to some folks, but we tried to reach a compromise based on our recent survey. Initially, one possibility was to cut the streaming entirely but we will not do that.

Here's the link to "Q-Tube":
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4N7DhiHNNxaPnTKO3py7-g

We will also livestream these Masses on our parish Facebook page. You can view the video and other information on this page without being a Facebook member which you can access directly from our parish website mqabrookpark.org or Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Mary-Queen-of-the-Apostles-Catholic-Parish-342319779750650

About an hour after Mass concludes, the video will be uploaded to Q-Tube (our parish's YouTube channel). which you can access directly from our parish website: mqabrookpark.org or at "Q-tube" as shown above.

"Permission to reprint, podcast, and/or stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license A-621009. All rights reserved."

Brothers and Sisters,

We come to the Third Sunday of Advent and the focus of our preparation turns from the second coming of Christ to the anniversary of his first—Christmas. Just as the morning sky turns from deep purple to rose or pink, announcing the dawn, the pink candle on our Advent wreath reminds us of the “dawn from on high that will break upon us,” Jesus!

In the Gospel, John the Baptist contrasts his work with that of Jesus by comparing water and fire. The Baptists says, “I am baptizing you with water… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The difference is that John’s baptism is a mere cleansing that does not change the nature of the person, whereas the baptism of Christ does so.

This imagery calls to mind a familiar analogy in Jewish Scriptures, which would have been known to the Baptist and many of his hearers, which uses the way fire refines metal by working out impurities and increasing its value to describe the working of God in us. The baptism of John was a cleansing that prepared one for the refining fire of Christ in the Holy Spirit.

Jesus brought these two actions together when he submitted himself to John’s baptism. This did not cleanse Jesus, who needed no cleansing, but rather elevated John’s ritual to the work of Christ. Today, when we receive the Sacrament of Baptism, it is done in a cleansing bath (this is why mere sprinkling does not confer Baptism) wherein the fire of the Holy Spirit changes our very being.

Our very nature is changed in Baptism and our dignity increases. As a purifying action, the fire of the Holy Spirit removes the deadly effect of Original Sin and refines our nature, making us children of God—able to receive the same inheritance as the Son of God (the life of Heaven). These graces should not be delayed or denied to our children, something that has become an unfortunate trend.

Presenting our children for cleansing and purifying through the water and fire of Baptism, we are called to raise them in the Faith, helping them to realize these graces they have received. As they grow, they are able to partake more deeply in the life of Heaven through Holy Communion and to enjoy a surging of baptismal graces in Confirmation—both intentional choices that they can and should make for themselves.

This week, December 15 and 16 (Sunday and Monday), we have the great opportunity to learn more about the concept of holiness with Michelle Piccolo, a consecrated Virgin from Detroit who will lead us in our parish mission, “Waiting in Joyful Hope: Responding to Our Call to Holiness.” Each evening begins at 7pm in the church and ends with Night Prayer.

Please also remember our extra Confession times during Advent, each Friday from 8:30-9:00 am and 6:00-6:30 pm.

In amore Christi,

Fr. Michael

AM 1260 THE ROCK NEWS!  

With the Advent and Christmas season fast approaching, AM 1260 The Rock will broadcast special programming starting December 1, then throughout the season, to celebrate this joyous time. Things like Advent Reflections each Sunday at 4PM and 9PM and The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary at 9:30PM. For a complete listing of the Advent and Christmas Program schedule, please visit am1260therock.com.

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Classes are held Monday evenings  6:45-8:15pm (Sept-May)

Contact Trish Solon for more information

216-433-1440 x21

The hall is used for parish functions and events, such as parish dinners sponsored by the Queen's cooks, Night at the Races sponsored by the Holy Name Society, and a Spring Salad Luncheon sponsored by the Ladies Guild.
McMcafferty Hall is not available or rented out for private functions.