MILLET – Some of the men from St. Norbert's Catholic Church in Millet were outside preparing the way of the Lord on the first Sunday in Advent, as they set up the Nativity scene to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Although there is no Sunday Mass at St. Norbert's Catholic Church these days, the Catholic community works hard together to keep Catholicism visible in their beautiful little community.

Like the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons, members of the Legion of Mary visit private homes regularly in search of souls.

In Alberta they invite hundreds to the Church every year, most of them fallen-away Catholics.

NORTH BAY, ONT. – Former parishioners at two North Bay, Ont., churches have taken their bishop to court in Rome in an attempt to force him to reopen their already closed, deconsecrated and sold churches.

The groups of former parishioners from St. Rita's and Corpus Christi have submitted long-form appeals to the Congregation for the Clergy asking that the churches be reopened for Catholic worship of some kind.

Since at least the Second World War, there has been a gradual flattening out of human experience in the Western world. Human communication is increasingly mediated by technology. Entertainment is now something we receive rather than something we create. The power of the neighbourhood has been eroded by urban planning, birth control, larger houses and the omnipresence of the automobile.

Even the colour of new homes has become a non-descript, homogenized diminishment of colour. Rural life is in decline because of mechanized agriculture and the lure of city life.

FR. RON ROLHEISER, omi

In our more reflective moments we sense the importance of prayer; yet, we struggle to pray. Sustained deep prayer doesn't come easy for us. Why?

First, we struggle to make time for prayer. Prayer doesn't accomplish anything practical for us, it's a waste of time in terms of tending to the pressures and tasks of daily life, and so we hesitate to go there. Coupled with this, we find it hard to trust that prayer actually works and brings about something real in our lives.

MARIA KOZAKIEWICZ

Third Sunday in Advent
December 11, 2011

There are few words of Mary, mother of God, preserved in Scripture. She is the quietest of biblical women and although she is Jesus' first and the longest-serving disciple and also the one who stood by him under the cross, we hardly hear her voice.

There is the simple question she asks the angel Gabriel: "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" and then comes her consent: "Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word."

BISHOP FRED HENRY

An eight-year-old boy named Jason lived in the land of puzzling tales where the unexpected always happened.

Instead of football, they played knee-ball; instead of children going to school, the teachers went to homes. In the summer, it was not uncommon to see the water freeze; in the winter, leaves grew on the trees. It was a strange place.

SR. LOUISE ZDUNICH, NDC

In the Apostles Creed, why is the Holy Eucharist not mentioned? Or is it understood to be in the "holy Catholic Church" or the "the Communion of saints"?

I would think it would be more specific as is the sacrament of reconciliation in "the forgiveness of sin."

Was this creed written by the Apostles?

LASHA MORNINGSTAR

Bodytext

Christmas comes with its predictable colours – red and green for the conventional secular world and purple and pink – the hues of Advent – for the Christian world.

But for some of us, another colour creeps into this season – blue.

FR. RAYMOND DE SOUZA

Last month the bishops of the United States gathered in Baltimore, their premier diocese, and protested the erosion of the founding liberties of the American republic. In their annual plenary meeting the bishops designated threats to religious liberty as a key pastoral concern.

The American bishops are right to be alarmed, but not only them. Religious liberty is under threat all over the world.