The
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) continues the tradition of
providing online resources for the Advent
and Christmas
seasons with daily suggestions for prayer, reflection and action beginning on
the first Sunday of Advent, December 1. The content is presented in a clickable
calendar format, with each date opening a page of suggestions and links.
The
calendars feature audioretreats in English and Spanish for the four Sundays of Advent and the
three Sundays of the Christmas season. The retreats were produced by Franciscan
Media and made possible by the bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign. The
half-hour audio retreats feature music, a Scripture reflection and Q&A from
a different bishop each week.
The
bishops hosting the retreats are Auxiliary Bishop Alberto Rojas of Chicago,
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock, Arkansas, Bishop David J. Walkowiak of
Grand Rapids, Michigan, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for
the Military Services, and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, Illinois.
Bishops Rojas, Taylor and Malloy recorded their contributions in both English
and Spanish for the first, second and fourth Sundays of Advent, respectively. Bishop
Walkowiak is featured in the English retreat for the third Sunday and
Archbishop Broglio is the guest for the Spanish retreat for that week.
There
are threefeast day Sundays in the brief Christmas season. The retreats for the feast
of the Holy Family (December 29) feature Bishop John M. Quinn of Winona,
Minnesota (English) and Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros of Brooklyn, New York
(Spanish). Auxiliary Bishop Christopher J. Coyne of Indianapolis is the guest
for the English retreat on Epiphany (January 5) and Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio L.
Elizondo of Seattle is featured in the Spanish retreat for Epiphany. For the
final Sunday of Christmas, the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, Bishop Richard
J. Malone of Buffalo, New York, is featured in the English program and
Archbishop Thomas G.Wenski of Miami, the Spanish.
The
calendar is interspersed with excerpts from Pope Francis' audiences and
homilies from the first year of his papacy and observations on Catholic
doctrine and practices from the ForYour Marriage website's "Catholic101" series. Other resources highlighted on the calendars include a Festivalof Lesson and Carols podcast, alist of recommended holiday-themed movies from USCCB, and prayers and blessings
from the USCCB publication Catholic
Household Blessings and Prayers.
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