Dear Friend of Marytown, Merry Christmas! In this final week of Advent and the coming celebration of the Incarnation and Nativity of Our Lord, the Friars wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!   To help you deepen your faith this season during the Year of Faith, we invite you to visit on pilgrimage or attend Mass or simply come and enjoy this holy season with the friars.      Marytown has been chosen as a Year of Faith pilgrimage site!   Pope Benedict XVI has granted special Indulgences to the faithful who observe and take part in the celebration of the Year of Faith. This year is “dedicated to the profession of the true faith and its correct interpretation, through the reading of – or better still the pious meditation upon – the Acts of the Council and the articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.” We invite you to come and visit us for prayer, adoration or Mass.  For those who come on December 27, the Feast of St. John the Apostle, a plenary indulgence may be offered under the usual circumstances.   O Antiphons —We hope you’ve been able to join us for the Advent O Antiphons this week (Dec. 17 -23).  The O Antiphons are the beautiful ancient sung prayers of the Church.  The O Antiphons prefigure the Messiah from the Hebrew prophecies and royal titles ascribed to the coming of Christ.  The first letter of each antiphon spells the Latin phrase "ero cras" which means "tomorrow I come."        If you can’t get here this week or live far from Marytown, you can watch and listen to the O Antiphons each day this week through our website at www.marytown.com (Dec. 17–23) at 7:00 PM (Central Time).     Christmas Novena – It’s getting late!  But you still have time to enroll your loved ones in our Christmas Novena, beginning December 25 through January 2.  Your special intentions will be remembered during nine days of community prayers – Mass, the Divine Office, Vespers and Adoration.  You may visit our website to make a contribution and to enroll your loved ones.  If you like,  before December 23, you may visit Marytown to pick-up Christmas cards to share with the loved ones you’ve enrolled.)   Christmas Time Schedule —The last confession time this week is (Thursday, Dec. 20) starting at 6:45 PM.  Confessions will resume in the New Year on Thursday, January 8. The Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord (Monday, December 24, Christmas Eve), includes the Vigil Mass at 4:30 PM, Solemn Vespers at 7:30 PM, Christmas Carols at 11:30 PM, and Midnight Mass. Christmas Day at Marytown will begin with Solemn Morning Prayer at 8:30 AM, Mass at 9:00 AM, and concludes with Solemn Vespers at 7:00 PM. Special Events During the Octave of Christmas!   Don’t forget to join us for the Christmas with the Friars on Friday, December 28th at 7:00 PM.      Marytown’s Year of Faith conferences – First Fridays with the Apostles’ Creed – This I Believe!   Beginning Friday January 4, 2013 at 8PM in Founders Hall and proceeding to each First Friday throughout the year, Father Stephen McKinley will lead us through the Apostles’ Creed–the foundational statement of our Catholic Faith – and the central tenets of faith for all Christians.      We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!     God Bless,     Father Stephen McKinley, OFM Conv   Rector of the National Shrine     P.S.  Don’t forget to make your end-of-year tax deductible gift to Marytown! All gifts received before January 1 are eligible for tax deduction purposes in 2012.      Peace and good will to all!   To make a secure online donation, click here       1600 W Park Ave Libertyville, IL  60048  847-367-7800 marytown.com