OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Mater Misericordiæ (Mother of Mercy) Mission glorifies God, uniting its members in faith, hope and charity through confession of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Faith and through participation in the

Sacraments and Traditional Rites of the Missale Romanum of 1962, under the governance of the Bishop of the Ro-man Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter.

The Star of Bethlehem by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, c. 1885-1890.

St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Ephesians:

A star shone forth in heaven above all the other stars, the light of Which was inexpressible, while its novelty struck men with astonishment. And all the rest of the stars, with the sun and moon, formed a chorus to this star, and its light was exceedingly great above them all. And there was agitation felt as to whence this new spectacle came, so unlike to everything else in the heavens.

St. John Chrysostom, Commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew: For if ye can learn what the star was, and of what kind, and whether it were one of the common stars, or new and unlike the rest, and whether it was a star by nature or a star in appearance only, we shall easily know the other things also. Whence then will these points be manifest? From the very things that are written. Thus, that this star

was not of the common sort, or rather not a star at all, as it seems at least to me, but some invisible power trans-formed into this appearance, is in the first place evident from its very course. For there is not, there is not any star that moves by this way, but whether it be the sun you mention, or the moon, or all the other stars, we see them go-ing from east to west; but this was wafted from north to south; for so is Palestine situated with respect to Persia.

Pope St. Leo the Great, thirty-first sermon: To three wise men, therefore, appeared a star of new splendour in the region of the East, which, being brighter and fairer than the other stars, might easily attract the eyes and minds of those that looked on it, so that at once that

might be observed not to be meaningless, which had so unusual an appearance.

St. Ephraem,"Hymns for Epiphany": In the Height and the Depth the Son had two heralds. The star of light proclaimed Him from above; John likewise preached Him from beneath: two heralds, the earthly and the heavenly. The star of light, contrary to nature, shone

forth of a sudden; less than the sun yet greater than the sun. Less was it than he in manifest light; and greater than he in secret might because of its mystery.

Pastor: Rev. Fr. Joseph Terra, FSSP

Phone: 480-231-0573 Mail: 2312 E. Campbell Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85016

Email: contact@phoenixlatinmass.org Website: www.phoenixlatinmass.org

Notitiæ January 3, 2010

Sunday Masses

Propers: Readings:

Most Holy Name of Jesus, Class II, White Acts of the Apostles 4: 8-12; Luke 2: 21

Intention:

10:00 am Mass at St. Cecilia (Clarkdale, AZ) Pro Populo

Intention:

1:00 pm Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle (24th St. & Campbell Ave, Phoenix) Pro Populo

Weekday Masses

At St. Thomas the Apostle at 6:30 am (ending 7:15 am)

and 7:00 pm on Holy Days of Obligation

Monday, January 4 Thursday, January 7

Propers: Readings: Intention:

St. Elizabeth Seton, Widow, Class III, White Proverbs 31: 10-30; Matthew 13: 44-52

Ruth Cassell+

Propers: Readings: Intention:

Feria of the Epiphany, Class IV, White

Isaias 60: 1-6; Matthew 2: 1-12 Barbara M. Nelson

Tuesday, January 5 Friday, January 8

Propers:

Readings: Intention:

St. John Neumann, Bishop and Con-fessor, Class III, White

Eccl. 44: 16-27; 45: 3-20 Matt 25: 14-23 Thomas Flood+

Propers:

Readings: Intention:

Feria of the Epiphany, Class IV, White

Isaias 60: 1-6; Matthew 2: 1-12 Jeffrey L. Nelson, MD

Wednesday, January 6 Saturday, January 9

Propers: Readings: Intention:

Epiphany, Class I, White

Isaias 60: 1-6; Matthew 2: 1-12 Loren E. Nelson, MD

Propers: Readings: Intention:

Saturday of our Lady, Class IV, White Titus 3: 4-7; Luke 2: 15-20

Christopher Nelson

Confessions

Friday 5-5:30 pm and Saturday 3:30-4:30 pm at Saint Thomas the Apostle. Sunday before Mass at

St. Thomas the Apostle, and at St. Cecilia, if possible. Other times by arrangement.

PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Society of Saint Joseph will meet at

the rectory on Saturday, January 9, 9AM- 11AM. For information or to RSVP, please email kennylashutka@hotmail.com

Next Sunday, as every second Sunday

of the month we will be having our Potluck after mass . Your help in cleaning up after-wards is greatly appreciated!

A Prayer for Our Own Church: At every Sunday Mass,

we have been praying for our own church using the prayer of Our Lady of the Cenacle and will continue to do so. In addition to that wonderful prayer I ask families to include this prayer, saying it at the end of your daily family Rosary: O God, Who did restore to the Jews, returning from ex-ile, their beloved temple, hear our prayer. Grant that we may have a house dedicated to your wor-ship, a church in which You will be glorified. May it be the house of God, the gate of heaven. In it may Your Divine Life be given in Baptism, Your grace restored in Penance, Your Body be received in the Blessed Eucha-rist, Your strength shared in Confirmation, Your family be perpetuated in Holy Matrimony, the sick healed by the oil of Extreme Unction. In it may words of Your re-vealed truth be preached. On its altar may You, the High Priest, again make present Your saving sacrifice. May its tabernacle be the throne from which you rule. This we humbly ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

on the Most Holy Name of Jesus:

The sweet Name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens virtue, begets good works, and nourishes pure affections. All spiritual food leaves the soul dry, if it contain not that penetrating oil, the Name Jesus. When you take your pen, write the Name Jesus: if you write books, let the Name of Jesus be contained in them, else they will possess no charm or attraction for me; you may speak, or you may reply, but if the Name of Jesus sounds not from your lips, you are without unction and with-out charm. Jesus is honey in our mouth, light in our eyes, a flame in our heart. This name is the cure for all diseases of the soul. Are you troubled? think but of Jesus, speak but the Name of Jesus, the clouds disperse, and peace descends anew from heaven. Have you fallen into sin? so that you fear death? invoke the Name of Jesus, and you will soon feel life return-ing. No obduracy of the soul, no weakness, no coldness of heart can resist this holy Name; there is no heart which will not soften and open in tears at this holy name. Are you sur-rounded by sorrow and danger? invoke the Name of Jesus, and your fears will vanish. Never yet was human being in urgent need, and on the point of perishing, who invoked this help-giving Name, and was not powerfully sustained. It was given us for the cure of all our ills; to soften the impetuosity of anger, to quench the fire of concupiscence, to conquer pride, to mitigate the pain of our wounds, to overcome the thirst of avarice, to quiet sensual passions, and the desires of low pleasures. If we call to our minds the Name of Jesus, it brings before us His most meek and humble heart, and gives us a new knowledge of His most loving and tender compassion. The Name of Jesus is the pur-est, and holiest, the noblest and most indulgent of names, the Name of all blessings and of all virtues; it is the Name of the God-Man, of sanctity itself. To think of Jesus is to think of the great, infinite God Who, having given us His life as an exam-ple, has also bestowed the necessary understanding, energy and assistance to enable us to follow and imitate Him, in our thoughts, inclinations, words and actions. If the Name of Je-sus reaches the depths of our heart, it leaves heavenly virtue there. We say, therefore, with our great master, St. Paul the Apostle: If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema.

COLLECT O God, who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son to be the Saviour of mankind, and didst bid that He should be called Jesus; mercifully grant that we, who venerate His holy Name on earth, may also enjoy the vision of Him in heaven. Through the same Lord. .

EPISTLE: ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4. 8-12 In those days Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them: Ye Princes of the people and ancients, hear: if we this day are examined concerning the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means he hath been made whole, be it known to you all, and to all the peo-

ple of Israel: that by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, even by Him this man standeth here before you whole. This is the stone which was re-jected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men,

whereby we must be saved. .

GOSPEL: LUKE 2. 21 At that time, after eight days were accomplished, that the Child should be circumcised: His Name was called

Jesus, which was called by the angel before He was

conceived in the womb.

In the Name of Jesus let every knee bow, of those that are in heaven (angels), on earth (men), and under the earth (devils).

Apocalypse 22:1-4 And He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street thereof, and on both sides of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve

fruits, yielding its fruits every month, and the leaves of

the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no curse any more; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face: and His Name shall be on their foreheads. FSSP Prayer Requests

Sun.– Fr. Eric Flood Mon. – Fr. James Jackson Tue. – Fr. Joseph Poisson Wed.– Fr. John Berg Thu. – Fr. Joseph Bisig Fri. – Pope Benedict XVI

Sat. – Fr. Joseph Hearty

Excerpts from sermons XXXI, XXXIII, XXXIV, and XXXVI on the Epiphany by Pope Leo the Great (ca. A.D. 395-461)

The Epiphany a necessary sequel to the Nativity. After celebrating but lately the day on which immaculate virginity brought forth

the Saviour of mankind, the venerable feast of the Epiphany, dearly beloved, gives us continuance of joy, that the force of our

exultation and the fervour of our faith may not grow cool, in the midst of neighbouring and kindred mysteries. For it concerns all

men's salvation, that the infancy of the Mediator between God and men was already manifested to the whole world, while He

was still detained in the tiny town. For although He had chosen the Israelite nation, and one family out of that nation, from

whom to assume the nature of all mankind, yet He was unwilling that the early days of His birth should be concealed within the

narrow limits of His mother's home: but desired to be soon recognized by all, seeing that He deigned to be born for all...

...The wise men from the East are typical fulfillments of God's promise to Abraham. Now the manifestation of this unspeakable

mercy, dearly-beloved, came to pass when Herod held the royal power in Judea, where the legitimate succession of Kings hav-

ing failed and the power of the High-priests having been overthrown, an alien-born had gained the sovereignty: that the rising

of the true King might be attested by the voice of prophecy, which had said: "a prince shall not fail from Juda, nor a leader from

his loins, until He come for whom it is reserved, and He shall be the expectation of the nations." Concerning which an innumer-

able succession was once promised to the most blessed patriarch Abraham to be begotten not by fleshly seed but by fertile

faith; and therefore it was compared to the stars in multitude that as father of all the nations he might hope not for an earthly

but for a heavenly progeny. And therefore, for the creating of the promised posterity, the heirs designated under the figure of

the stars are awakened by the rising of a new star, that the ministrations of the heaven might do service in that wherein the

witness of the heaven had been adduced. A star more brilliant than the other stars arouses wise men that dwell in the far East,

and from the brightness of the wondrous light these men, not unskilled in observing such things, appreciate the importance of

the sign: this doubtless being brought about in their hearts by Divine inspiration, in order that the mystery of so great a sight

might not be hid from them, and, what was an unusual appearance to their eyes, might not be obscure to their minds. In a word

they scrupulously set about their duty and provide themselves with such gifts that in worshipping the One they may at the same

time show their belief in His threefold function: with gold they honour the Person of a King, with myrrh that of Man, with incense

that of God...

...The perseverance of the Magi has led to the most important results. Led then, dearly beloved, into Bethlehem by obeying the

guidance of the star, the wise men "rejoiced with very great joy," as the evangelist has told us: "and entering the house, found

the child with Mary, His mother; and falling down they worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him

gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh." What wondrous faith of perfect knowledge, which was taught them not by earthly wisdom,

but by the instruction of the Holy Spirit! Whence came it that these men, who had quitted their country without having seen

Jesus, and had not noticed anything in His looks to enforce such systematic adoration, observed this method in offering their

gifts unless it were that besides the appearance of the star, which attracted their bodily eyes, the more refulgent rays of truth

taught their hearts that before they started on their toilsome road, they must understand that He was signified to Whom was

owed in gold royal honour, in incense Divine adoration, in myrrh the acknowledgment of mortality.

Such a belief and understanding no doubt, as far as the enlightenment of their faith went, might have been sufficient in them-

selves and have prevented their using their bodily eyes in inquiring into that which they had beheld with their mind's fullest

gaze. But their sagacious diligence, persevering till they found the child, did good service for future peoples and for the men of

our own time: so that, as it profited us all that the apostle Thomas, after the Lord's resurrection, handled the traces of the

wounds in His flesh, so it was of advantage to us that His infancy should be attested by the visit of the wise men. And so the

wise men saw and adored the Child of the tribe of Judah, "of the seed of David according to the flesh," "made from a woman,

made under the law," which He had come "not to destroy but to fulfill." They saw and adored the Child, small in size, powerless

to help others, incapable of speech, and in nought different to the generality of human children. Because, as the testimonies

were trustworthy which asserted in Him the majesty of invisible Godhead, so it ought to be impossible to doubt that "the Word

became flesh," and the eternal essence of the Son of God took man's true nature: lest either the inexpressible marvels of his

acts which were to follow or the infliction of sufferings which He had to bear should overthrow the mystery of our Faith by their

inconsistency: seeing that no one at all can be justified save those who believe the Lord Jesus to be both true God and true

Man...

...The story of the magi is not only a bygone fact in history, but of everyday application to ourselves. The day, dearly-beloved,

on which Christ the Saviour of the world first appeared to the nations must be venerated by us with holy worship: and today

those joys must be entertained in our hearts which existed in the breasts of the three magi, when, aroused by the sign and

leading of a new star, which they believed to have been promised, they fell down in presence of the King of heaven and earth.

For that day has not so passed away that the mighty work, which was then revealed, has passed away with it, and that nothing

but the report of the thing has come down to us for faith to receive and memory to celebrate; seeing that, by the oft-repeated

gift of God, our times daily enjoy the fruit of what the first age possessed. And therefore, although the narrative which is read to

us from the Gospel properly records those days on which the three men, who had neither been taught by the prophets' predic-

tions nor instructed by the testimony of the law, came to acknowledge God from the furthest parts of the East, yet we behold

this same thing more clearly and abundantly carried on now in the enlightenment of all those who are called, since the prophecy

of Isaiah is fulfilled when he says, "the Lord has laid bare His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the nations upon

earth have seen the salvation which is from the Lord our God" and again, "and those to whom it has not been announced about

Him shall see, and they who have not heard, shall understand."

Hence when we see men devoted to worldly wisdom and far from belief in Jesus Christ brought out of the depth of their error

and called to an acknowledgment of the true Light, it is undoubtedly the brightness of the Divine grace that is at work: and

whatever of new light illumines the darkness of their hearts, comes from the rays of the same star: so that it should both move

with wonder, and going before lead to the adoration of God the minds which it visited with its splendour. But if with careful

thought we wish to see how their threefold kind of gift is also offered by all who come to Christ with the foot of faith, is not the

same offering repeated in the hearts of true believers? For he that acknowledges Christ the King of the universe brings gold

from the treasure of his heart: he that believes the Only-begotten of God to have united man's true nature to Himself, offers

myrrh; and he that confesses Him in no wise inferior to the Father's majesty, worships Him in a manner with incense.