Mass Times: Saturdays at 5:00 pm;
Sundays at 8:00 am and 10:30 am.
Mon, Tues, Wed* (*Communion service),
and Fri at 8:15 am;
Thurs at 6:00 pm.
St. Rita Roman Catholic Church
1008 Maple Dr., Webster, NY 14580
585-671-1100
 

Please join us for the celebration of the birth of Christ on
Wednesday, December 24 at 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm, or 10:00 pm 
and Thursday, December 25 at 9:00 am. 

The Parish Office is open from 9 am to noon, Monday through Friday.  Stop by or give us a call at 671-1100.

Pastoral Messages

Together We Bring Hope

As Francis of Assisi grew in his faith but was not yet fully converted, he suffered from an extreme disgust of those who suffered from the disease of leprosy. Even seeing a leper at a distance would cause him to double over with nausea.

He would go well out of his way to avoid the places where they lived.

One day, while riding home on his horse, there was suddenly a leper in his path. The leper stood there with his hand out and with pleading in his eyes, begging for alms. Francis, made stronger than himself, got down from his horse and not only gave the man alms, but also kissed the open sores on his hands.

Francis turned and got back on his horse and when he turned back to the path, the leper had vanished.

This is my favorite story of my favorite saint. I have always loved how the Grace of God transformed Francis’ heart and made him “stronger than himself”.

Another way that God helps us to be stronger than ourselves is when we come together as a faith community.

Joyfully living the Gospel of Jesus, we can do so much more when we journey through life together. We do this as St. Rita Parish and as the Diocese of Rochester. When we realize our unity as a diocese, we are literally made stronger than ourselves. The work and love extend so much further and bear so much more fruit than we could ever hope to accomplish on our own.

Please support our parish and our diocese. Please give generously and early to the Catholic Ministries Appeal.

For six straight years, we have finished before Christmas. The CMA is important and deserves our attention and energy. But we also have other important things that God is calling us to do. So, let’s do the CMA well, complete our responsibility before Christmas, and move into the new year able to devote ourselves to other ministries.

And also, if at all possible, please increase your ongoing regular contributions to St. Rita. In your envelopes, or even better, online, support all the ministries that St. Rita is involved in. There is so much more happening and being accomplished than any of us could hope to do on our own. But it all does happen. It happens by the grace of God and because together we are made stronger than we are on our own.

Thank you for all that you do. I am so proud of the people of our parish.

Yours in Christ,
~Fr. Tim


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Scripture

An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - December 7, 2025

“Prepare The Way Of The Lord, Make Straight His Paths”

Our readings this Sunday look at the foretelling of the coming of Christ in both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. The Church seeks to put us in the minds and in the shoes of first century Jews who the Messiah. All of our readings today help us prepare for the coming of the one who “shall judge the poor with justice” and who will “baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

In our first reading (Isaiah 11:1-10), Isaiah offers hope to the people of Judah at a time when they were besieged by relentless attacks by foreign foes. Isaiah foretells a time when "the wolf will be the guest of the lamb". His prophesy was that “a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.” Jesse was King David’s father and this is a metaphor for the Kingdom of David. Isaiah is saying that even though the Kingdom of David has been cut down, a new shoot (the Messiah) will arise to restore the kingdom and God’s glory. Isaiah writes, “On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.“

In our Epistle reading (Romans 15:4-9), St. Paul echoes the theme of our first reading and offers a vision of hope and peaceful harmony. Similar to Isaiah’s prophesy of a day when “the calf and the young lion will browse together”, it is Christ Jesus who welcomes both Jew and Gentile, who will “with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.“

In our Gospel reading (Matthew 3:1-12), John the Baptist preached a message of repentance, heralding a new Exodus where God would deliver His people from sin. John was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah, who said, "A voice crying out in the desert . . . Prepare the way of the Lord." John heralded the coming of the Messiah Jesus by declaring that, “the one who is coming after me is mightier than I . . . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ” John was the forerunner of the Messiah, the one who prepared “the way of the Lord.”

For we who hope in Christ during this season of Advent, our call is to prepare our hearts to receive our Lord as if for the first time. We would do well to follow St. Paul’s instruction that "by the encouragement of the Scriptures" we should “think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus”, thus glorifying God. “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20)

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120725.cfm


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© 2014 St. Rita Roman Catholic Church - Last updated 2022-09-13 21:11:10
Mass Times: Saturdays at 5:00 pm;
Sundays at 8:00 am and 10:30 am.
Mon, Tues, Wed* (*Communion service),
and Fri at 8:15 am;
Thurs at 6:00 pm.