Calendar of Events
From the desk of Canon Ueda...
December 8, 2024
Dear Faithful,
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed in 1854 by Pope Pius IX.
“The Blessed Virgin Mary was from the first moment of her conception by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by the virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”
Thursday of this week, Dec. 12, there will be another important Marian feast: The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mary appeared to Juan Diego in 1531 at Tepeyac hill, near Mexico City. The title “Guadalupe” is probably the phonetic equivalent of the title, “she who breaks, stamps or crushes the serpent”.
Mary told Juan Diego: “I am the perfect and ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the God of truth through Whom everything lives, the Lord of heaven and earth.”
Lesson from the book of Proverbs in today’s epistle sings this singular grace of the Immaculate Conception so beautifully.
The Lord begot me, the firstborn of His ways, the forerunner of His prodigies of long ago; from of old I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth. When there were not depths I was brought forth, when there were not fountains or springs of water; before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; while as yet the earth and the fields were not made, nor the first clods of the world. When He established the heavens I was there, when He marked out the vault over the face of the deep; when He made firm the skies above, and poised the fountains of waters; when He set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress His command; when He fixed fast the foundations of the earth, then was I beside Him as His craftsman, and I was His delight day by day, playing before Him all the while, playing on the surface of His earth and I found delight in the sons of men. So now, O children, listen to me; happy those who keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Happy the man who obeys me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorsteps; for he who finds me finds life, and wins favor from the Lord.
Our Blessed Mother as the mother of Christ is in a particular way united with the Church, which the Lord established as his own body.
In this way, the reality of the Incarnation finds a kind of extension in the mystery of the Church, the mystical body of Christ.
Like Mary, the Church is a mother, because she continues to bear children through her by the power of God. The Church is pregnant in the sense that she carries Christ and must give birth to Him in the world.
This is the labor of the pilgrim Church on earth; in the midst of the consolations of God and the persecutions of the world, she must bring Christ to men.
In the book of Apocalypse, The Virgin Mary appears clothed in sunlight, clothed in God. The Virgin Mary is in fact completely surrounded by the light of God and lives in God. The Immaculate Virgin reflects with all of her person the light of the sun which is God.
Because the Church continues to bring Jesus into the world, it finds opposition in a terrible adversary, symbolized by the dragon of Revelation that tried to devour Jesus and now direct his attacks against the woman—the Church—in the desert of the world.
We should not fear persecutions which are bound to arise but are bound to be defeated.The only danger of which the Church can and must be afraid is the sin of her members. While sinless herself, Mary remains in solidarity with the Church struggling against sin. This is why we who are pilgrims in time, must turn to our Mother and ask for her help.
We need the hope brought by the woman clothed with the sun that is the Virgin Mary.
May Mary help us to see that there is a light beyond the veil of cloud that appears to prevent us from seeing Our God. Amen.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Canon Raphael Ueda
December 2024
Sunday, December 1, First Sunday in Advent, Public Vespers at 2:30pm, please join us.
Friday, December 6, First Friday. Stations of the Cross at 6pm, High Mass at 7pm, followed by Adoration. Benediction is at 8:45pm
Saturday, December 7, First Saturday, First Saturday. Recitation of the Holy Rosary in reparation of sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Sunday, December 8, Solemnity of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Patron Saint of the Institute of Christ the King: 8am Low Mass, 9:30am Low Mass, 11:15am High Mass
Thursday, December 12, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sung High Mass at 6:30pm, Please note: there is no Low Mass at noon. Act of Consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe, composed by Cardinal Burke, on December 12. All those who are able are therefore encouraged to join in the prayer of this Novena every day from December 3-11. Novena prayer: LINK
Saturday, December 14, Rorate Caeli Low Mass at 6am, followed by Adoration ending with Benediction at 9:45am; Catechism Class at 11:15 a.m., 1101 S. Winchester
Sunday, December 15, Gaudete Sunday
Wednesday, December 18, Monthly Sursum Corda Young Adult gathering at the clergy residence at 6:30pm
Saturday, December 21, Rorate Caeli Low Mass at 6am followed by Adoration ending with Benediction at 9:45am
Sunday, December 22, Blessing of Religious items, Canon will bless them after the 11:15am Mass in front of the side altar of the Child Jesus.
Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, Low Mass at noon
Wednesday, December 25, Sung Midnight Mass of Christmas at 12am, Low Mass at 9:30am, and Sung High Mass at 11:15am
New Information
Tradition for Tomorrow in California with the IHM Oratory Year-end Matching Campaign
It is with great excitement that today December 1st we are going to start our Matching Gift Campaign! Generous donors have pledged to double all donations up to $30,000! This means a $50 donation will increase to $100, $100 to $200, $500 to $1000! All donations must be received by December 31th to maximize year-end tax write-offs. Please make checks payable to “Institute of Christ the King” and note “Matching Gift” on the memo line, or use the specially designated envelopes at the entrance of the Oratory. We will be making a report of the progress in the bulletin each week. May God inspire great generosity in each of us!
Starting Wednesday December 11, you are invited to bring roses and place them in front of the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
December 12
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 4pm
High Mass will be at 6:30pm followed by a Marian Procession
Christmas Cards Now Available!
Christmas cards are now available for purchase in the Oratory Library for $20 per pack of ten. Featuring a lovely image of Our Lord’s Nativity, they are the perfect way to send Christmas greetings to your loved ones, while reminding them that the Incarnation of Our Lord is the reason for the season!
Christmas Flower Donation Envelopes
Donation envelopes are available in the church vestibule; Thank you for your generosity to make our chapel welcoming to the coming of Jesus Christ, Our Lord!!
Mass Intentions:
We will not be accepting Mass intentions until Sunday, December 15, 2024. Thank you for your understanding.
- All families are limited to 2 intentions per month,if available.
- Please do not request dates further than three months out.
Please include a legible email address on your submittal, and you will receive an automatic response with dates confirmed.
Coffee Hours & Reception in December: TBD
Standing Information
Confessions: 30 minues before Mass
Devotions following Mass:
Wednesdays: Devotion to St. Joseph
First Fridays: Stations of the Cross
Saturday: Adoration from 9:50am to 10:45am
13th - 21st every month: Immaculate Heart of Mary Novena
Prayer Requests
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee! If you would like to request prayers, please send a request to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Please pray for:
The Living: Martha Wilson, Leonie C. Pryor, Maritza Hall, Patrick Shapiro, Corey Liu, Alexander Edward Ortegon, Gail Gallagher, Melita Santos, Destinie Nguyen, Sebastian Nguyen, Canon Fancis Xavier de Dainville, Kathy Dias, Anthony Th
Departed Souls: Canon Fragelli, Gilbert Lai, Theodore Swift, Robert Ellis, Walter Avis, Gaudencio Lagria, Nestor Bacani, Maria Hoa Hoang, Richard Chavira, Bishop Patrick McGrath, Madame de Guernon, Mavic Magno, Claire Marie Dixon, Donald Navarini, Josiah Esguerra-Aguilar, Dan Field, Sandra Weaver, Msgr. Luciano Giovannetti, Enrique Fernandez. Barbara Smith, Jim Freeman.
