Father Bob's announcement
Pastor's Notes
Good Morning all as we enter into the 2nd week of Advent.
Just some liturgical reminders: Monday, Dec. 8th is a Feast Day of Obligation, the Immaculate Conception. We remember that Mary was conceived without Sin, so as to bear the Son of God. Masses will be at 8:30am, 12:10pm and 6:30pm.
Friday, though not an obligation, still an important feast in the Americas, is “Our Lady of Guadalupe”.
Our Christmas Schedule will be:
- Christmas Eve:
- 4pm Church and Chapel
- 6pm & 8pm Church
- Christmas Day:
- 9am & 11am Church
- Jan 1 – Mary, Mother of God 9am
- Liturgical Ministers please be sure to sign up for any of those masses to assist.
The annual Diocesan Conference takes place January 9-10, 2026 at the Nugget in Sparks. To register, click HERE. There are a number of speakers, local and national who come to help us to deepen our faith and that of others. There is the Keynote on Friday night with a concert, which is free. Come by with the family.
Sunday is Advent Wreath Making. Families can either make a new wreath, or bring one already made and refresh it. That starts after the 11am mass. (FFE)
This coming Weds evening (Nov 26) we will have our annual Vesper Service for Thanksgiving. We will start at 6pm. Vespers are an ancient form of prayer with Scripture and music. Come by to experience this (FFE)
We will re-decorate for Advent Saturday, Nov 29th at 11am. We will change the green to purple, set up the wreath, add the first tree; and as well if enough people show tidy up the church a bit. Come on by (FFE)
Finally, the office will be closing on Weds at 12:00pm and will be closed until the following Monday. Daily Mass on Friday will be at 9am. Regular weekend mass schedule.
Ordinary Time is running out – soon to be Advent Season. PHEW! Which in my mind means changing church environments, planning for the Christmas Masses, Diocesan Conferences, then onto lent and Easter… I need another break already.
But as I try to tell everyone, one day at a time.
HUGE THANKS to the continued support with baby formula and pet food donations. This parish Rocks! Although the shutdown has ended, SNAP benefits have yet to be paid, so please continue to assist.
ADVENT WREATH MAKING is next weekend. Bring your old ones and refresh them, or come as a family to make a new one. It is a way to prepare the house for the upcoming liturgical season.
Our October counts are finished. Overall we experienced an increase of attendance from last year: 659 to 725. This is good, but we not acheived our pre-covid attendance. The most attended mass is the 10am, averaging 295 people; followed by the 4pm Mass (192); 5pm (191); 8am (162) and 6pm (67). There are some factors that effect this, mainly Washoe County Fall break takes place (along with BMCHS) and many families head out. If any of us know families that have not going to mass, maybe extend an invite?
Clarification – Last weekend at the Commemoration of All Souls, the names we recited during the mass were for those whose funerals we celebrated here in the parish over the past year, or for some celebrated elsewhere by our clergy; and for the clergy and religious that had passed away. It did not include those particular names givenfor the All Souls List. Those names are gathered together in the Novena of All Souls that we have mass intentions.
This coming week I will be out of the office, so see you on the weekend.
Happy Feast Days of All Saints and All Souls. At the weekend masses the names of all those who have died this past year will be remembered in mass, as well as in a special book placed by the Ambo throughout November.
Fr. Boby made it back on Weds. Aside from the jet lag, all is good. Daily mass schedules will return to normal.
Please note the Catholic Charities Barrels at the entrances of the church, there is one for food and the other for baby formula. Please help if you can.
AND–it is that time to FALL BACK one hour with our clocks on Saturday Night/Sunday Morning.
Next weekend: Nov 1, All Saints, we will have mass at 10am for the feast (not a day of obligation this year). The Sunday masses of Nov 2 will be All Souls.
This Sunday, Oct 26th, the Carmelite Sisters will host their annual Card Sale at the Monastery. 1pm-4pm. 1950 LaFond Drive. The cards are amazing, inexpensive and go to support the Sisters (not Hallmark).
November 20th, we have been invited by the Nevada Interfaith Alliance to host the annual Thanksgiving evening service. This will be held at 7pm in the parish center. Many of the different Christian Denominations, LDS, Jewish, Muslim, Bahai, Hindu and others participate in this annual gathering of giving thanks. Please attend. It is an amazing experience and opportunity to experience prayer in other forms.
Weds, November 26 at 6pm we will hold our annual Vesper service of Thanksgiving. Mark those calendars to attend.
Update on Fr. Boby. This week was a major festival in India, Diwali. Many offices are closed. So this will delay him obtaining his visa. He is now thinking next week he will arrive. Stay Tuned.
Fall Festival is tomorrow, Sunday Sept 14th!!! Please come and join in. But reminder that on Sunday morning parking spaces will be limited: no parking on Lander St. in front of the school and along Walker in front of the church and school. The only space on Walker will be for Handicap. Please use the parking lots on Wright Street, and along Wright Street; and if you are mobile, give consideration to those who are not and let them have the closer parking spaces. Thanks!
There will be lector training this Saturday for all those who desire to be a lector at masses.
Last week I wrote about fasting before mass and also not to bring drinks into the worship space. Someone brought in a coffee container that weekend which spilled onto a pew. So please do not bring any container into church at all.
I had a good discussion with some men of the parish about their formation. There is a desire, but like many people trying to find the time and to commit, this gets difficult. Small Faith sharing groups interested most, in which the readings for the mass would be discussed. Faith Sharing is a powerful way to grow in faith and to build community. Suggestions for different times would be when CRE is taking place and also an evening sessions. Bible studies were discussed, but these would be best in 4-6 week blocks with breaks in-between. Please see the questions attached to this.
Last weekend a person inquired about the charcoal drawing of Jesus we have at the back of the church. Prints can be obtained. There is a cost for this, and the money goes to The Bub Hugs Foundation which provides scholarships. Contact me at pastor@olsparish.com for the info.
We have passed Labor Day (and Burning Man) so fall is in full swing. I am waiting for the Aspens to begin their change. Fall also means the start of Religious education and formation. As always an initially busy time in the office for the DRE, plus Zelda is learning the job. As well, transitioning Confirmation to Glaicy in YM. They have handled it well. On that note, please read below…
BMCHS Parents – if your child has yet to complete the Sacrament of Confirmation, it is CRITICAL that you contact Glaicy Morrison (YM@olsparish.com) ASAP.
I would like to meet with the men of the parish on Sunday night to discuss what kinds of small groups or spiritual nourishment are needed. We will start after the 5pm mass in the church this Sunday (Sept 7)
Fall Fest coming up soon (next Sunday). Games, food and amusements! Reminder there will be NO parking in front of the school that morning, so plan accordingly.
Upcoming Week
- Sat. Dec 6
- Confessions 2pm
- Mass 4pm & 6pm
- YA St. Nick Stocking Stuffers 5pm
- Snow Ball 6:30pm
- Sun. Dec 7
- Mass 8am, 10am, & 5pm
- CRE 8:45am
- 1st Reconciliation Parent Meeting 11:15am
- Confirmation Prep 2:30pm
- Adult Confirmation 6:00pm
- Youth Group 6pm
- Mon. Dec 8 IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
- Mass 8:30am, 12:10pm, 6:30pm
- Baptism Class 7pm
- Tues. Dec 9
- Knit and Crochet Group 10am
- Mass Cancelled
- Clergy Gathering at St. Rose
- Weds. Dec 10
- Mass 8:45am
- CRE 3:45pm
- Thurs. Dec 11
- Mass and Adoration Cancelled
- School Program
- Fri. Dec 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Mass 8am
Coming to Mass
The Eucharist celebration in its origins was celebrated in the homes of the local “bishops” and in the language of the people – usually common Greek, lesser Hebrew. As Christianity spread, the language of the people was used and different forms evolved (rites). It was not until the 1000’s that the Roman Catholic Church became more uniform, with the other rites being suppressed in favor of the Latin Rite and the Latin language (even though the majority of people did not speak it). This was more codified in the 16th century after the Council of Trent. During the Vatican II council of hte 1960’s, the allowance for the vernacular was given, and from that the Mass began to be celebrated in all the languages of the world (at return to the past).
This is the last weekend of our Liturgical year. Traditionally it is named, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”, but we simply say “Christ the King”. We conclude year “C” and go to year “A” which focusses on the Gospel of Matthew. During Advent, we prepare for the upcoming Christmas Season. This preparation would center around the coming of the Son of God as human, and what that means for us. These next weeks then, maybe carve out a little contemplation time to consider the meaning of Jesus Christ, fully God and fully Human. |
The readings will tend to “End of Days” as we come to the End of our Liturgical Year. Although we Catholics believe in the second coming, we do NOT believe in the rapture (which is an 19th century belief from evangelicals based on misreading of scripture). We prepare ourselves by living for each day and each moment which includes coming to Mass each weekend. It is here that we touch the coming of Christ in our Eucharist, in our Word and in our community; reminding us to Love and Give Thanks.
This weekend at the 4pm Mass and 10am Mass we will celebrate the Rite of Entrance for Adults and then children. This is a ritual of our Church by which those who are considering becoming Catholic are formally recognized and welcomed by the parish community. The non-baptizted enter into the Catechumenate, and those who are baptized as Christian move forward to complete the Sacraments of Initiation. Listen to the words of the Rituals. Those words, our prayers, tell of our faith and belief. I avoid trying to describe everything that takes place in liturgies, because the words and symbols, when does well, speak for themselves. |
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) gives instructions for how the mass, in all its forms and variations are to be celebrated. It also provides beautiful theology on our worship. Over the next weeks, paragraphs from this document will be shared to give insight into our Mass. n. 29 When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his own word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore, all must listen with reverence to the readings from God’s word, for they make up an element of greatest importance in the the Liturgy. We then need to ensure we listen. I know some people need to see the words as well so they use missals or their phones. All is good. Listen with ears and hearts both. Sometimes a phrase may catch our attention, as a challenge or affirmation. Stay with that…that maybe God speaking to us. |
Singing during Communion: When people have received communion and return to their pews, the Church actually wants all to sing during the whole ritual; it is not a time for individual piety. In the
General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n86 it states: [The Communion song’s]…purpose is to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight…the “communitarian” nature of the procession to receive communion.”
General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n86 it states: [The Communion song’s]…purpose is to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight…the “communitarian” nature of the procession to receive communion.”
Private prayer is given in the 30 seconds or so once the altar is cleared. So the CHURCH wants us to SING! at communion.
The Homily is intrinsic to the mass, meaning it is required. Homilies ideally bring out the truth of the Scriptures and how to apply them to our lives as disciples. When Scripture is difficult or harsh, the homily may be too. At times the homily can be about a particular feast, saint of the day or liturgical season. Homilies also ideally challenge those who feel comfortable and comfort those who are challenged. Both Fr. Boby and myself try work on our homilies throughout the week, amid all the other duties and responsibilities that we have. We take this privilege seriously. People can also help by reading the Scriptures in advance, thinking on them for the week, so that the homily is being sown into more fertile soil on a Saturday/Sunday. To find those readings, go the USCCB site. Vocabulary: Doxology: Greek for words of Glory. The Great Doxology concludes the Eucharistic Prayer, and is the summation of our Faith. “Through Him, With Him, and In Him….” The people’s response is “AMEN”, and it is called the GREAT AMEN, so mean it! |
Fr. Bob Chorey was born and raised in Ohio and moved to Nevada to work as a geologist in the gold mines. He lived in Elko for a number of years before entering the seminary. He was ordained in 2002 and served as parochial vicar at St. Albert the Great and St. Teresa of Avila.
He was named Pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine in 2004. Fr. Bob was later appointed as part-time Moderator of the Curia in 2012 and moved full time into that position in 2013. He was also appointed Chancellor in 2014, and was also a Co-Director of Vocations. Then in 2018 Fr. Bob was appointed as Pastor at the Our Lady of the Snows, along with holding his Chancery positions. Fr. Bob asked to be relieved of the Chancery positions in 2022 so that he could be full time at the Parish.
CONTACT:
pastor@olsparish.com
775-323-6894 (510)