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In a special New Year’s episode of ‘The Break’, Fr. Roderick looks back at the highs and lows of 2011. Click on the player to listen. (Click here to go to the website of the Break to subscribe to the podcast)
Happy New Year to all our listeners and supporters!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The website Romereports.com created a video with 10 important stories of the Vatican in 2011. What were your personal highlights of 2011? Share them in the comments!
Merry Christmas to everyone! We originally planned a festive SQPN Podcast Marathon on Tuesday, but we will move that event to a later date so that more people will be able to participate.
Let’s take some time to enjoy the days of Christmas and prepare for New Year’s Eve. We will announce a new date for the SQPN Podcast Marathon as soon as the effects of the Christmas eggnog have worn off! 
What is the most beautiful, inspiring, funny or moving online Christmas video? Post a link in the comments! We will post the Top 5 Christmas Videos on the SQPN website!
We love this one:
This is one of my favorite Christmas videos, care of Mr. Bean. – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDOO3FvGsZ4
The Christmas Pie…semi-evangelistic animation…lots of humor but a serious message. Worth watching…
One of the funniest to me comes from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It is the Turkey dinner scene. Say “Grace!” http://youtu.be/qTwXudZTWQA
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I’ve composed a little Christmas song: It’s a cheery tune with character/costume changes ‘to boot’. HO, HO, HO! Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAv2_zSn9aI.
For the fans of Jim Henson’s family! Blessed Christmas SQPN!
Here is a Christmas video I made with two other priests across the globe. Father Samuel Medley, SOLT in England, myself in the USA, and Father Vladimir Echalas, SOLT in Australia. Three priests, three continents, three Christmas blessings.
Heavenly! Thank you.
Your welcome, Marianna. I’m very happy we were able to do this. God bless you.
I love this one.
Silent Night / acoustic guitar solo instrumental
http://youtu.be/Iqk2YTf1_O4
Here’s a Christmas video that I found last year called “A Social Network Christmas”: http://youtu.be/sghwe4TYY18
In the latest episode of The Break, I share my earliest memories of Christmas:
Click here to listen and to subscribe: http://thebreak.sqpn.com
What are your earliest Christmas memories? Share them in the comments below!
It is truly tradgic to hear the news, esp. when it is released at this time of year, .
Have heart Fr. Roderick, and remember the prayer for the Church:
Defend oh Lord< thy servants, we humbly beseech thee, from all dangers of body and soul, and by the prayers of the Glorious Virgin Mary, of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, of Benedict XVI , and all thy Saint,s, grant us the mercies of peace and safety. That all adversities and errors being removed, thy Church may serve Thee in secure liberty, through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
My best childhood Christmas was not getting a Red Ryder 200-shot range model air rifle but a Daisy Golden Eagle air rifle. ')
My earliest Christmas memory is a smell. Back in the early 70s when I was a small boy, we had a 6ft artificial Christmas tree, which had a brown plastic trunk and branches and green leaves. It had such an unique, clean, ‘plastic’ smell, which faded as the tree was left up over Christmas but intensified again as the tree was boxed up and left in the attic for the next 11 months. That smell, when putting up the tree especially, is branded on my mind and is all my childhood Christmases and memories of my family rolled into one. My brother still has the tree, though not the room to put it up. Maybe one day I’ll see that tree up again and smell that smell and be transported back 40 years……
Hey Sean! Happy 2012! Only 11 months until the “end of the world as we know it!” We also had a fake tree when I was a lad. Then somewhere between high school and college, my parents started getting real ones. Once you go real, you don’t go back to plastic! What did Caitie get from Santa this year? Did Niki like her pink “wellies”? And what Lego book did you get, Harry Potter or Star Wars? TTFN! Dan
Hi Dan! Happy New Year! We went back to a real tree this year – it was lovely. The book was The Lego Ideas book – may mention it on the next JACD!
When I was young I was obsessed with getting up early to open the gifts, but in aging have found the wisdom to know what Christmas is REALLY about–the gift of Jesus Christ becoming human so we can all be holy and share in the Kingdom of Heaven. I wrote a bit about the true meaning of Christmas in my blog with many useful links to video and music: http://www.calltoholiness.us/?p=695
God Bless,
John
My dad was a radio DJ and had to go to work early in the AM. We would listen to his Christmas show and he would dedicate songs to us but the entire time we were dying with anticipation until we would arrive home.
I do remember one time trying to make it through midnight mass but I don’t quite think I made in those years.
I remember exchanging gifts with my cousins on Christmas Eve at my grandparent’s house. When I got home I was allowed to open one gift — it was always a new set of pajamas. When I woke on Christmas morning, there was always sign on the closed door to the living room that told me to wake my parents before opening the door. My parents always took a photo of my first reactions to my presents.
My earliest Christmas memories is: A festival of Lessons and Carols in the Martinichurch (11 dec 2011) and the O-Antifonen in the Francicuschurch both in Bolswrard, Holland. Very beautyfull
My earliest memo’s go back to the Augustinus church in Utrecht. A very large X-mas stall. With real actors as Maria and Joseph. Great atmosphere. Christ is born. I will never forget. Now being in my late 60-ties, I still thinking of Him and the love Hè gave us. Peace with all of you.
My Christmas memories usually include two things. First, waking up Christmas morning with a great deal of excitement, rushing out to the living room and seeing all the gifts that had appeared overnight, including the bulging stockings around the fireplace.
Second, there was always a lot of squinting. My dad had an 8mm movie camera that required the use of two very bright spotlights. Capturing the moments of opening presents usually came at the risk of a sun burn from those lights. We should have had sunglasses but never thought about it.
I’m right in line with you Steve! I’d always rush into my parents room 1st thing in the morning to wish them Merry Christmas, then downstairs to see how much Santa left. “The Rule” was to only open the stocking stuffers, then wait for Mom and Dad to come down. Since I’m an only child I usually didn’t have to wait long. It was always a HUGE deal at my house, because 12/25 was also my birthday (I know, not bad company to share the day with, right!?! . ).
Now being married w/three kids of my own, I get to relive those times through their eyes, create new memories for them. For example, Santa also finishes decorating the tree for us by hanging silver angel hair tinsel on the branches, so it’s extra sparkly for the kids when they come down in the morning. Like your dad, I too video the morning festivities, although between the sun in the windows and the tree lights, I don’t use the “flood lights” on the kids. As far as I know, no eye damage thus far!
Merry Christmas and Happy 2012 to you and everyone at SQPN! As a heads-up, I made an early resolution to be more involved in Catholic New Media next year, in preparation of “the year of faith” starting in October. I’ll pray for you, will you pray for me?
Peace,
Dan
My earliest childhood memories are of how long Christmas eve was. We’d go to the 4pm Children’s Mass. Then have dinner and a gift exchange at a hall rented by my mom’s side of the family. Then ~9 o’clock we’d drive over to my dad’s father and see that side of the family. Typically not getting home until midnight or later. Then I’d wake up the next morning and see the “explosion” under our Christmas tree.
Looking back now as a father of five, I’m not sure how my folks didn’t spend Christmas day napping… catching up on their lack of sleep.
Sean McCarney brings you a new episode of ‘Just a Catholic Dad’: “‘Twas The Show Before Christmas”. His daughter Caitie uses diversionary tactics, Sean watches ‘The 13th Day’ and you KNOW you want to go to confession. Also, 60 Second Saint, Catholic News, Holy Homework and some great feedback.
Don’t miss it! Click here to listen and to subscribe: http://www.justacatholicdad.com/blog/?p=561
We start the fourth week of Advent. What has been your personal highlight of this year’s Advent time? Share your experience in the comments!
Nicki coming to the Christmas Eve Carol Service and Vigil Mass – and my prayesr that she would come more often,
This Advent the highlight was the return of my former pastor, Fr. Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conventual, on December 3rd, to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving. He was ordained as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Savannah on October 18. He also was wearing a beautiful set of Advent vestments that were a gift from his Province of Conventual Friars. I feel so blessed to witness such a rare event — he is the Priest who received me into the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil 1999. To see him raised to Order of Bishop was surreal. My other highlight is my new involvement coordinating the Family Catechumenate for my parish. I have children aged 7 to 14 who are preparing for reception into the church at Easter. The perspective of children is refreshing. We celebrated the Rite of Acceptance on the 3rd Sunday of Advent.
My advent highlight was attending the annual Family Mass at the Básilica de la Sagrada Familia and watching my son, Julian, take up the gifts to Lluís Cardinal Martínez-Sistach.
The rest of Advent was spent preparing for Him.
A highlight for me was attending a Christmas pageant at my daughters’ school. It was a wonderful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas (even if Mary did have to get up and walk Baby Jesus around the stage to quiet his cries).
This Advent Season has brought a lot of great changes. I am grateful for family, friends, SQPN, and that i can celebrate my faith as a Roman Catholic. In closing, Id have to say the new translation is another highlight of this Advent season.
This has been a wonderful Advent season. I’m hosting an Advent wiki for my fellow Catholic school teachers and their students. They are photographing scenes of Advent in their school and homes. I’m so proud of how well my little photographers have done taking their photos and sharing them.
http://advent-2011.wikispaces.com/
My highlights this advent is singing all together in early morning each sunday while
I’m grateful for the depth of this season. The readings and meditations are so nourishing. Now that we’re into the part where the O Antiphons are being prayed, it’s the best time of all!
I am enjoying spending time this Advent creating memories and seeing things afresh with my new husband. He’s not Catholic and doesn’t quite understand Advent yet, but we are still enjoying this time together.
I was excited to purchased this year a daily/weekly prayer guide and candles for my Advent Wreath. Sometime during week 2 one or more of my cats chewed the candles. OK, no more advent wreath, no more enthusiasm.
I’ve been searching for something to spark at least a little spiritual renewal in my life. Unfortunately, with the many views and rules and now the latest bad news from the Church in The Netherlands, I am even more disheartened and confused.
Why can’t The Church just keep it simple. Jesus did. And why doesn’t The Church just live by the adage, “What would Jesus do?”
Sorry Father, no “highlight” here, just a “lowlight” from a wandering soul.
But, I do thank you for SQPN. It’s gives me some hope.
This Advent, my personal highlight is having the opportunity to spend time with Jesus truly present in Adoration. And, for the SQPN community in leading the way in Catholic New Media. Many of the SQPN shows have been a great source of inspiration an encouragement for me to get into podcasting 3 years ago. And the CNMC 2010 in Boston that I attended was great to meet many new and old friends. I’m also grateful this season of Advent for the many blessings that God had granted me in my life, my family’s life and within the community of our Catholic faith as a whole.
My highlight is the nightly ritual our family has of doing the Jesse tree and then singing O Come, O Come Emmanuel. It is so special to hear my 4 children all singing about the coming of our Savior.
I am very grateful to be part of this worldwide family of the Catholic Church. I am grateful that I can experience and celebrate happy times with this family, like attending the CNMC in Boston a while ago, but also be sorrowful together with them in difficult times as the Church in the Netherlands faces now.
This Advent I’m thankful for gift of community. Without it, my life would be a lot bleaker than it is now.
This week’s episode of The Break talks about the recent DC/Marvel Superhero reboot, December movies and working at an Irish Pub for charity!
Listen here: http://thebreak.sqpn.com/2011/12/17/bfr-816-superhero-reboot/
Have you seen this liturgical color in your parish? Let us know in the comments!
I appreciate when the Celebrant does not make a big deal out of wearing Pink or Rose. I find it distracting when the Celebrant jokes about it at the beginning of Mass or in the homily. It is fine to address why the color is used but not to make fun of it in such a way that it causes laughter. That is just my opinion. It is a tiresome joke to bring up twice a year – every year.
Yep, and the exact same style as well! The priest also insists on calling it rose and not pink haha
Yes, and quite a colorful contrast over his brown Franciscan habit.
Yes….at St. Catherine’s in Wichita Kansas! Fr. R we are a 3 yr. old parish with a brand new Church. Others are closing parishes….we have a NEW one!
Not only does my pastor wear a rose-colored chasuble (reluctantly!), my Missouri Synod Lutheran husband’s pastor does too — and Pastor B’s is fancier than Fr. S’s! *grin* Actually, it could be worse; Pastor B asked his whole congregation to wear something pink — I mean rose — on Gaudete Sunday.
Yes, our pastor donned the “rose”(aka, NOT “pink”!) last Sunday. I made a comment to him on my way out of Mass, asking if it was a coincidence that the 2nd communion song for reflection was “Lo How A ROSE Ere Blooming”!?! He got a laugh out of that one!
Both priest and deacon wore rose.
Nope, because my parish is Ukrainian-Greek Catholic. The UGCC has its own liturgical calendar and does not celebrate Advent; this past Sunday was the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers (ie prophets and patriarchs of the Old Testament.) We also still use blue as a liturgical color for feasts of the Blessed Virgin.
No, we don’t. Our pastor always insists rose is optional. It’s actually become a bit of a running gag between the women of the parish and our pastor. A previous pastor said that he looked like a big Pepto-bismal tablet when he wore the rose chasuble.
Yep. Both priest and deacon decked the rose yesterday.
Our priest had his rose chasuble on on Sunday. Not quite as rose as the one in the picture, mind you.
Yeah Sean, our priest had a lighter shade of pin. . . . I mean “ROSE” as well!
The parish has one of those hot pink vestments, but I have a nice deeper shade of rose.
A rose chasuble in Texas? No, we stick with purple here. Rose does not match the boots.
Yes, my former (now suppressed) parish has one. My former pastor, a Marist priest, always made a remark that he wasn’t wearing pink but rose. The pastor of my current parish conveniently forgot to wear it today even though I’ve seen others.
Rejoice! Joy! Here is a good blog entry about Gaudete Sunday: http://blog.adw.org/2011/12/sweet-beautiful-soul-saving-joy-a-reflection-on-the-epistle-for-the-third-sunday-of-advent/
Not only our priest wears rose on sunday Gaudete, also our parish website!
(In Dutch there is no difference between pink and rose, their both called “roze”. )
Yes, we do. I love to see our priests wearing this color. Thanks to Father Roderick’s podcast several years ago I know why it’s worn.
Yes, we have one at my parish. In fact, I even took a picture of my pastor wearing it. (If only he would smile more in pictures…)
My pastor resists wearing the one my parish has. I think it was made by a parishioner and makes him look like a big pink eraser. He was planning to replace it so I’ll check it out this weekend.
A big pink erasor. Now that is one I never heard! LOL
Yes, twice a year, with sunday Gaudete and with sunday Laetare.
Yep! I love when my priest(s) wear that color because they always explain it : ) The 1st time I saw my priest in it he said, “This is not pink. It’s rose. There’s a different. We wear this on the 3rd Sunday of Advent.”
Adrianne
Many mistake is for a pink chasuble, but priest insist on naming it a ROSE-colored chasuble. Happy Gaudete Sunday to All in SQPN-land!
Where Do Priests Come From?, Where Do Sisters Come From? and Where Do Deacons Come From?
In their latest episode of ‘Catholic Vitamins’, Deacon Tom & Dee Fox ask Elizabeth Ficocelli, writer of three ‘vocation awareness’ books.
Gerard, 
Dan are discussing. 
John, 
Robert F and 7 others are discussing. 
Marnie and 10 others are discussing. 
Marteen, 
Charlie and 17 others are discussing.
Gerard 2:11 pm on December 28, 2011 Permalink |
Fr. Roderick, Thanks for the update. I just finished listening to the latest ‘Break’ and heard the date of 12/27 while today is 12/28 !! Needless to say, I was sort of bummed. I always enjoy these marathons and hope to see Dr. Paul again this year.
Daniel 7:45 pm on December 26, 2011 Permalink |
Thanks for the update, Fr. Roderick. Looking forward to the podcast marathon.
Dan 6:57 pm on December 26, 2011 Permalink |
Thanks for that! I’m working all day on 12/27 and won’t get to “chat” much. Please keep me in the loop on Facebook! Blessed Christmas!