December 1, 2022

Dear Companion of St. Anthony:

Peace and all good.  Transitioning into the great season of Advent we cannot forget that in all things we give thanks.  Every time we attend the Eucharist, we are giving thanks, we offer our gratitude to God for our many blessings.  As I celebrated the Shrine mass on Thanksgiving my thoughts were on the many blessings that have happened at the Shrine this past year.  You are part of those many blessings.

Although many of us are already playing our CD’s of Christmas songs, it is the songs of Advent that speak powerfully to me.   On of my favorites is “O Come Divine Messiah, The world in stillness waits for the day.”  Advent is such a hopeful time of great energy and faith.  We express our faith by putting of lights, decorations, sending cards and other greeting.  Generally, it is a time we think of others and want to do more for others.  It is also a time that I hope we want to be our best self for those around us. 

I pray that you might find a time of stillness and peace during this month.  We can get so caught up with many details that distract us from what the season is about.  In my video reflections this Advent I am trying to focus on the line from the Christ mas song “Let every heart prepare Him room.”  Between you and me, I think that these reflections are really made mostly for me because I think that I am really reminding myself of this more than anyone else.

Many thanks for your continued thoughtfulness and support of the Companions of St. Anthony. 

In Christ and St. Anthony,

Fr. Richard-Jacob Forcier, OFM Conv.

Spiritual Guardian, Companions of St. Anthony

Director and Rector of the Shrine of St. Anthony