And behold, the star that they had seen in the East went before them, until it came and stood over the place where the child was. And when they saw the star they rejoiced exceedingly. And entering the house, they found the child with Mary his mother and falling down they worshipped him."

(Matthew 2: 9-11)

The Good News

The Church Celebrates the Christmas Season

The Church's Christmas Season is in full swing. The secular and commercial entities of the world culminate their Christmas experience with Christmas Day. However, Catholics and the Catholic Church have just begun their Christmas celebrations. This celebration begins Christmas Day and continues on to the Monday following the Baptism of the Lord, (January 10, 2011) which signifies the purification of the world through Jesus.

This week the church enters into the Octave of Christmas, which consists of eight days beginning with Christmas Day and ending with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, January 1, 2011. We celebrate the new Ark of the Covenant, the holy and spotless vessel whose womb would bring God in the Second Person into the world.

Immediately following this feast day, we will celebrate this Sunday The Epiphany of the Lord-whereby the recognition of Jesus as the Son of God by the three wise men (representing all nations) is commemorated. The Wise Men, the first stewards of the world, knelt before God Incarnate and offered all they had to him.

We too, will kneel at Sunday's Mass and offer to Jesus our stewardship of caring for His creation and our time, talent and treasures for the glory of the Kingdom of God.

Let us all celebrate in our homes and families the great and continuing story of Christmas with Mother Church and intensify our prayers for peace in the world.

Father Ron's Column

INVOCATION: Fifth Annual 2010 Northeast Florida All Service Academy Ball

~by Father Ron Camarda 

Father Ron shares the invocation and benediction delivered on December 27th for the Fifth Annual All Service Academy Ball for Northeast Florida at Mayport Naval Station.

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Susi's Commentary

Be Stewards of Creation

~by Susi Pittman

Celebrate Christmas and the promise of redemption for ALL creation! Through sacred scripture and the example of the Wise Men, be CHANGED and RENEWED in your desire to embrace and care for what the Creator has given you.

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Inspiration Blooms

Christmas is a Gift From God

~by Sister Marie Rene, S.S.J.

This week, Sister Marie Rene reminds us of the true Christmas spirit.

A Message from Brother John of Laudate Dominum Hermitage

Merry Christmas to you! May God richly bless you in this joyfilled season. We cannot help but love the Christchild, Jesus, as he lays in the manger with his Mother at his side. God, each year, gives us hindsight of the great occasion...seeing with eyes of faith the newness of this event. We come to the crib and whisper sweet love to Him while His Mother ponders all this in her Heart! And so we ponder as to why after seeing the Lilly and Rose...that we can still embrace sin. When will we love with all our hearts, so that our only desire is Christ...then we will be perfect and we certainly will be Holy as He commanded. We live in a season of Mercy. May we embrace in this Christmas season the great Grace that is present to us out of Love for us. May we SEE with our hearts the importance of our Love being focused on Him for He is the First and the Last, He is the Old and the New, He embraces all that is, He is the Sacrificial Lamb of God of Whom we eat..Body and Blood... so that we may have Life with Him and in Him forever! Praise be Jesus Christ!

Love to you, Br. John.

Please consider donating to Brother John as he cares for the hundreds of abandoned and rescued pets in the cold mountains of Virginia-LDH PETS, 3804 Big Ridge Road, Elk Creek VA 24326

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Artfully Speaking

New Year Wonderment

~by Rick Cannizzaro

Rick is back with us and looks to greet the New Year in a childlike way.

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In the Key of "G"

A La Familia!

~by Mary Galvano-Bajohr

Mary exhorts the joy of family and why we should be grateful for our own families.

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Steward Alerts

Vatican TV Schedule for January 2011

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The Humane Society of the United States victories for the year 2010

Steward Activities 

How to make a THREE KINGS CAKE

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EPIPHANY & THREE KINGS crafts and fun

Invite Susi to Speak

Susi Pittman, author and founder of CatholicStewardsofCreation.com is available to speak to your school, club or organization. *

She loves sharing her passion and love for the creatures of this world with her audience! Susi is about saying "yes" to God when it would be easier to say no! She is about teaching others how to see the created world through the eyes of a dedicated steward, as God's "stand-in." She is about believing that you can do anything you want to do and enjoy getting there, heartbreak and all! If it is the challenge of change, Susi helps people rise to the occasion with all the vigor and enthusiasm that serving God as caretakers demands in this wonderful life.

For booking information, please call (904) 735-5979 or email susi@catholicstewardsofcreation.com

Currently scheduled to speak at Incarnation Church, Sarasota Florida, January 25, 2011, 7:00PM

Wellness & Nutrition

5 Diet Resolutions for the New Years

With the passing of the wonderful family feasts of the Christmas and New Year season, our thoughts turn to losing a few pounds and initiating a healthier start to the new year. We recommend visiting the WebMD website and get some great information to enhance your health while dieting.

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Stargazing

Christmas at the Moon

This article from NASA is a great re-calling of a special moment in history, the Apollo 8 Mission which was circling the moon on the eve of December 24, 1968. Three men, suspended in the heavens, orbiting the moon and reading from the Book of Genesis to all the eyes and ears that were fixed on their televisions back on earth.

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Share a Link

The Star of Bethlehem

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The Star of Bethlehem (Continued)

CLICK HERE and be walked through biblical and historical clues revealing the eternal significance of this celestial event as well as the vastness of God's creativity.

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The names of the three wise men were Caspar (Kaspar), Melchior and Balthasar. Caspar brought the gold, Melchior brought the frankincense and Balthasar the myrrh. Astrologically, the debate continues on what and how the Star of Bethlehem came to be.

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By my presence on earth, I reflect the love of the Creator, subject to Him always. And secondly, subject to the will and the effects of sin of humankind. I, too, have entered this world through Jesus and will return eternally home through Jesus.

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