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Envelopes are available at the church entrance. Please return them by December 16 and 17 to list your memorial name or names on the Christmas Flowers Remembrance Board. You may mail your contribution to the parish office or put it in the collection basket at Mass. Donations already have paid for new artificial garland and poinsettia flowers for the choir loft.

Please contribute to this yearly collection for neighbors who need help paying bills - rent, heat, electricity, or medicine. You may mail a check to Vermont Catholic Charities, 55 Joy Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403 or donate online: https://www.vermontcatholic.org/ministries-programs/catholic-charities/advent-appeal/

The Cathedral's Bishop DeGoesbriand Council will serve a pancake breakfast in the parish hall Sunday, December 10 from 9:00 to 11:30 AM. Come feast on all of your favorites: blueberry pancakes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, French toast and more. Coffee, juice, and real maple syrup included. The cost is $ 10 per person and $ 25 per family of four. Take-out containers available. Hope to see you there!

Mass times at the Cathedral for the Holy Day of Obligation Friday, December 8 are: Vigil Mass, Thurs., Dec. 7, 5:30 PM; on the Holy Day, Fri. Dec. 8, 12:05 PM and 5:30 PM. There is no 12:05 PM Mass Thursday, December 7. Holy Day Masses are in the upstairs church.

Diving into the beauty of the Faith has never been easier: at home, on the go, or from any internet connected device. Discover thousands of books, audio talks, movies, studies and documentaries...there is something for every member of the family to help them grow closer to Christ and His Church. There are over 4,000 titles now available on almost any device! ROKU, Apple TV, Android, iOS. St. Joseph Cathedral Parish is pleased to offer you a FREE subscription to FORMED. All you need to do on your computer or phone is go to signup.FORMED.org Enter the Parish name and location or the parish zip code which is 05401. Enter your name and email. Cards with this information can be found at the church and chapel entrances. May this be an opportunity of all of us to enrich our faith life. If you are still having difficulties call Dennis at Joseph's House for help at (802) 951-4290

Monsignor Routhier will lead Advent programs Advent Sunday afternoons at 3:00 PM in the upstairs church. Please try to attend these special devotions. December 10's event will offer meditative prayer and music. December 17 will be a penance service with Confessions heard by several priests.

Today we begin the joyful and penitential journey to the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Christmas. Advent means “coming,” and marks the start of the new liturgical year. We may set up and light the first purple candle on an Advent wreath. We may start making, collecting, and hanging our first ornaments on a Jesse tree. We open the first window of our Advent calendar. We may choose our Christkindl, the person to whom we will be like the Christ Child this Advent, secretly doing or making something kind for this recipient each day or every week in Advent - a prayer, Mass intention, rosary, leaving a holy card or medal, making a treat or gift, doing a chore. Readings at this Sunday’s Mass encourage us to watch for and wait for Lord. The priest wears purple or violet vestments during this season, similar to Lent. Church decorations are simple except for the big Advent wreath with its greenery, ribbons, and four candles. The Gloria is omitted at Mass. It will return at Christmas. Sunday readings are from Year B in the three-year cycle. We will hear Mark's Gospel. His symbol is the winged lion.

First Friday devotions date from long ago, and center on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the seventeenth century, Our Lord asked French nun, now Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, to honor His Sacred Heart on nine consecutive first Fridays, by attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion. Jesus said, “I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on nine first Fridays of consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they will not die under my displeasure or without receiving their sacraments, my divine Heart making itself their assured refuge at the last moment."

Following the closing of the La Salette Shrine in New Hampshire, Fr. Harlow, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish and past Cathedral rector, will ask Our Lady of La Salette for drug addiction healing at First Saturday Masses at his St. Johnsbury church. Fr. Harlow invites parishioners to send him names of addicts or communities afflicted by drug use, drug overdoses, and drug sales. All names will be kept secret and not mentioned at these Masses, but Father will pray for them to Our Lady. Please email names to [email protected]. Father asks that no one send money for this cause. The Enfield, NH shrine dedicated to the 1846 appearance in France of the Blessed Mother to French children, is giving its property back to the Shakers who donated it to the missionaries in 1927.

This devotion grew popular after Our Lady of Fatima spoke of it during her appearances to the shepherd children in that small Portuguese town in 1917. The Blessed Mother asked us to perform these devotions as reparation for sins against her Immaculate Heart and for the conversion of Russia: go to Confession within eight days before the First Saturday; attend Mass and receive Holy Communion; pray five decades of the Rosary; meditate on the Mysteries of the Rosary for 15 minutes. The Mother of God promised her help at the penitent’s death if these promises were kept.

This trip visits major shrines, cathedrals, and Catholic historical sites for eleven days April 14 - 24, 2024. Lourdes, Lisieux, Notre Dame de Chartres and Paris, and Ars are among the destinations. Please find flyers at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. The booklet describes the tour and lists internet links for more information including videos.

Daily Mass Friday, November 24 will be at 9:00 AM. There will not be a 12:05 PM Mass that day. The 12:05 PM Mass is cancelled Tuesday, November 28 because diocesan priests will meet that day for an Advent Prayer Day. Advent begins Sunday, December 3.

Introduction The ultimate decision in appointing bishops rests with the pope, and he is free to select anyone he chooses. But how does he know whom to select? The process for selecting candidates for the episcopacy normally begins at the diocesan level and works its way through a series of consultations until it reaches Rome. It is a process bound by strict confidentiality and involves a number of important players – the most influential being the apostolic nuncio, the Congregation for Bishops, and the pope. It can be a time-consuming process, often taking eight months or more to complete. While there are distinctions between the first appointment of a priest as a bishop and a bishop's later transfer to another diocese or his promotion to archbishop, the basic outlines of the process remain the same. Key Terms Apostolic Nuncio The pope's representative to both the government and to the hierarchy of a given nation; a key person in deciding what names are recommended to the Congregation for Bishops for possible episcopal appointment. Auxiliary Bishop A bishop appointed to assist a diocesan bishop. Whether in a diocese or archdiocese, his title is bishop. Coadjutor A bishop appointed to a Catholic diocese or archdiocese to assist the diocesan bishop. Unlike an auxiliary bishop, he has the right of succession, meaning that he automatically becomes the new bishop when the diocesan bishop retires or dies. By canon law, he is also vicar general of the diocese. If the diocese is an archdiocese, he is called coadjutor archbishop instead of coadjutor bishop. In recent years, a growing number of U.S. bishops in larger dioceses or archdioceses have requested and received a coadjutor in their final year or two before their retirement, in order to familiarize their successor with the workings of the (arch)diocese before he has to take over the reins. This minimizes the learning curve of a new bishop and eliminates completely the possibility of the diocese being vacant following the old bishop’s retirement. Congregation for Bishops A department of the Roman Curia, headed by a Cardinal. The head of the Congregation, called the "prefect," is presently S.E. Mons. Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A.. Among the congregation's responsibilities are moderating all aspects of episcopal appointments; assisting bishops in the correct exercise of their pastoral functions; handling ad limina visits (regular visits to Rome by bishops every five years); and establishing episcopal conferences and reviewing their decrees as required by canon law. Its membership consists of approximately 35 cardinals and archbishops from around the world. Diocesan Bishop Pastoral and legal head and representative of a diocese. Province A territory comprising one archdiocese, called the metropolitan see, and one or more dioceses, called suffragan sees. The Code of Canon Law spells out certain limited obligations and authority that the metropolitan archbishop has with respect to the dioceses within his province. The United States is divided into 33 ecclesiastical provinces. Terna A list of three candidates for a vacant office, including the office of bishop. Stage 1: Bishops' Recommendations Every bishop may submit to the archbishop of his province the names of priests he thinks would make good bishops. Prior to the regular province meeting (usually annually), the archbishop distributes to all the bishops of the province the names and curricula vitae of priests which have been submitted to him. Following a discussion among the bishops at the province meeting, a vote is taken on which names to recommend. The number of names on this provincial list may vary. The vote tally, together with the minutes of the meeting, is then forwarded by the archbishop to the apostolic nuncio in Washington. The list is also submitted to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Stage 2: The Apostolic Nuncio By overseeing the final list of names forwarded to Rome, the apostolic nuncio plays a decisive role in the selection process. He not only gathers facts and information about potential candidates, but also interprets that information for the Congregation. Great weight is given to the nuncio's recommendations, but it is important to remember that his "gatekeeper" role, however, does not mean that his recommendations are always followed. For Diocesan Bishops • After receiving the list of candidates forwarded by a province, the apostolic nuncio conducts his own investigation into the suitability of the candidates. • A report is requested from the current bishop or the administrator of a diocese on the conditions and needs of the diocese. If the appointment is a replacement for a diocesan bishop or archbishop about to retire, consideration will be given to the incumbent's recommendations. Broad consultation within the diocese is encouraged with regard to the needs of the diocese, but not the names of candidates. • The report is to include the names of individuals in the diocese with whom the Nuncio might consult and how to contact them. • Previous bishops of the diocese are consulted. • Bishops of the province are consulted • The president and vice president of the USCCB are consulted. • If the vacancy to be filled is an archdiocese, other archbishops in the United States may be consulted. • At this point, the nuncio narrows his list and a questionnaire is sent to 20 or 30 people who know each of the candidates for their input. • All material is collected and reviewed by the nuncio, and a report (approximately 20 pages) is prepared. Three candidates are listed alphabetically – the terna – with the nuncio's preference noted. All materials are then forwarded to the Congregation for Bishops in Rome. For Auxiliary Bishops • A diocesan bishop must justify to the apostolic nuncio his need for an auxiliary bishop. This is easier if he is requesting a replacement for a retired or deceased auxiliary. • The diocesan bishop prepares the terna, or list of three candidates, for his requested auxiliary and forwards it to the apostolic nuncio. • The nuncio then conducts his own investigation of the priests on the diocesan bishop's terna, sending the names to Rome with a report and his own recommendations. • On average, this part of the process may take two to six months. • Stage 3: Congregation for BishopsOnce all the documentation from the nuncio is complete and in order, and the prefect approves, the process moves forward. If the appointment involves a bishop who is being promoted or transferred, the matter may be handled by the prefect and the staff. If, however, the appointment is of a priest to the episcopacy, the full congregation is ordinarily involved. A cardinal relator is chosen to summarize the documentation and make a report to the full congregation, which generally meets twice a month on Thursdays. After hearing the cardinal relator's report, the congregation discusses the appointment and then votes. The Congregation may follow the recommendation of the nuncio, chose another of the candidates on the terna, or even ask that another terna be prepared. Stage 4: The Pope Decides At a private audience with the pope, usually on a Saturday, the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops presents the recommendations of the Congregation to the Holy Father. A few days later, the pope informs the Congregation of his decision. The Congregation then notifies the nuncio, who in turn contacts the candidate and asks if he will accept. If the answer is "yes," the Vatican is notified and a date is set for the announcement. It often takes six to eight months—and sometimes longer—from the time a diocese becomes vacant until a new bishop is appointed.

The Cathedral Parish Office and Joseph's House will be closed Thanksgiving Day and the next day, Friday, November 24. The offices reopen Monday, November 27.

A Thanksgiving Day Mass will be celebrated at 9:00 AM Thursday, November 23 in the upstairs church. Please bring non-perishable food items or a money donation for the North End Food Pantry on North Avenue. There will be no 12:05 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions that day.

Joseph’s House Director Deacon Dennis Moore hopes to help 100 families with Hannaford gift cards for Thanksgiving food. Donations may be made anytime using envelopes at the Church entrances or your own. Checks should be made to “Joseph House” and include the notation “Thanksgiving”. Please drop your envelope in the collection basket on the weekend or mail/ bring it to Joseph’s House at 113 Elmwood Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401.

The Cathedral Parish has exceeded its Appeal goal: $58,187.75 pledged or donated, for 136% of the target $42,750.00. Please contribute generously, through donation materials at church, and online at https://www.vermontcatholic.org/donate/bishops-annual-appeal.

Allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Father Xavier Raj. I hail from the coastal village of Kodimunai in India. I was born in 1974 and I have four older brothers and two younger brothers. Both of my parents are deceased as well as one of my younger brothers. When I look back on my journey to the Priesthood, I realize that my vocation is the fruit of the prayers of my mother, Jesammal. I remember the day when my Vocation Promoter, the Rector of the Minor Seminary, came to my class and asked everyone present: “Is there anyone among you willing to come forward to serve the Lord as a Priest?” One of the boys sitting near me said: “This guy, Xavier, will come forward.” He was correct. I eventually went to the Seminary and began my studies. I entered Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. Through prayer during the discernment process, I came to be Ordained to the Priesthood and gained the conviction that I could be one of His faithful servants. This year is my 20th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood. Over the years, I have served as Associate Pastor, Pastor-in-charge, and Parish Priest in some of the parishes in my home Diocese in India. I worked in New Zealand for four and a half years, and three years in Canada. Now, the Lord has brought me here to the Diocese of Burlington. Here, I have received a warm welcome form Archbishop Christopher Coyne and an invitation to serve in the Diocese of Burlington. I am grateful to him for the invitation to serve here in the Diocese of Burlington. I am also grateful to Rev. Msgr. John McDermott for his support and encouragement as well. I am also grateful to Fr. Jon Schnobrich and his Associate Fr. Paul, who welcomed me as a brother priest. And am grateful to Fr. Paul for all of his assistance. At the Annual Presbyteral Days, I was able to meet many of the priests here in the Diocese who were welcoming to me as well and share the commitment of God’s call to serve. Presently, It is my privilege to serve as Parochial Vicar with the Cathedral Rector, Rev. Msgr. Peter A. Routhier. He has welcomed me and makes me feel at home. I also look forward to meeting the parishioners of the Cathedral of St. Joseph and serving you in the unity of faith. I have an office in the Parish Office and can be reached on the Parish phone at (802) 658-4333. Kindly keep me and all the Priests in your prayers. Please pray for more Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. Know that you are always in our prayers. Yours in the Eucharistic Lord, Fr. Xavier Raj Parochial Vicar Cathedral of St. joseph

On many Saturdays, the priest celebrating the day's Mass may choose a Mass of Our Lady. This memorial is optional: the priest instead may use readings and prayers for the calendar day.

Go to the photos section of the website To see Monsignor’s Collection of relics that he had displayed At Mass.