Fr. Patrick's Christmas Message

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

May the grace and peace of the newborn Christ Jesus Our Lord be with all of you.

The extended Gospel option for Christmas Eve Masses this year begins with “the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt 1:1).  

St. Matthew the Evangelist, its author, is utterly concerned with the historical details of the life of Our Newborn King, and we should be too. 

Remember, our Catholic Christian faith is not based upon some fairy tale by which enough people have been sufficiently entertained. Instead, what we proclaim to believe in our creed was revealed to us through a set of events in history 2,000 years ago, and He in whom we believe was revealed to us, in history, first as a baby born of the Virgin Mary, in a stable at Bethlehem.

The historical reality of Jesus Christ Our Lord is particularly fitting to reflect upon as we celebrate the historic milestone of 100 years of Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

God himself was born as a man into this world, just a few thousand miles away, and this same God designed in his infinite wisdom that this parish would be founded in this place 100 years ago. Indeed, he has willed that each and every one of us would be born in this time and place, and that we would worship him together right here, right now.

What a truly awesome reality we celebrate every year on December 25! And what a gift that we celebrate this great, solemn feast as the patronal celebration of our parish church, now 100 years old. 

I thank God today for his birth, for this parish, and for each and every one of you.

Glory to God in the highest!

Fr. Patrick Hipwell, Pastor of Nativity of Our Lord