St. Joseph Marello Catholic Church

7200 Auburn-Folsom Road

9:00-11:30 pm M-F

Are you new to St. Joseph Marello Catholic Church? Welcome!
Please download a Parish Registration Form by CLICKING HERE (or pick one up at the Welcome Table in the vestibule of the church).

Are you interested in becoming Catholic? Please visit our Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults page.

GIVING HAS NEVER BEEN SO EASY!
CLICK HERE TO ENROLL
Questions? Please CLICK HERE for more information
or watch the video directly below.

Placer County's status has returned to purple,
which means we can still have Mass, but outdoors. 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the link for 10:30 Mass 
this Sunday will go "live" at 7 am on Wednesday, November 25:  
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1030-outdoor-mass-november-29-tickets-130322533205

Digital Missal for the First Sunday in Advent, 11/29/20

The 5 pm Mass on Saturday will be
live-streamed and then available thereafter.
Please note that the 10:30 Mass is the only one open to the public.

8AM Daily Mass will also be live-streamed on our YouTube channel: 
https://www.youtube.com/saintjosephmarellocatholicchurch   

Thank you to all who have registered, but PLEASE CHECK IN EVEN IF YOU HAVE A RESERVATION. This information will be needed in the event of the need for contact tracing. Thank you for your continued patience!

A reminder about online resources for Mass:
1) https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings.
2) http://www.catholictv.org
3) https://thedailymass.com/mass/

The schedule for Immaculate Conception Mass(es) will be published shortly.

The holidays always seem to get here faster than we’re ready for them, no matter how early we start planning. If the logistics of seeing family and friends isn’t hard enough, there is the food preparation, the gift purchases, and home decorations to wear us down. The day after Thanksgiving seems to be an automatic flip into the Christmas season--this year maybe even sooner than normal.

We ache for the joy of the season and are eager to enter into it quickly. But in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, it is easy to forget the Reason for the Season and that some of that time should be spent in a spirit of waiting and anticipation of the One Who is to come.

Stephen’s background
I grew up in a non-denominational Evangelical congregation, where there were regular Bible studies and Scripture-packed sermons. Around Christmas, there was an increase in church services, carols sung, and his particular church would light Advent candles as Christmas drew near. The emphasis was on the birth of Jesus Christ.
After embracing the fullness of the Faith, I really appreciated that there was a penitential tone to the season of Advent (including the Sacrament of Reconciliation) as it also helped point to His Second Coming, which we are also called to look towards during this season. It sets the stage well for Epiphany and, later, Lent and Easter.

Laurel’s background
From the time I was about 7 years old, my family began to live the Catholic Faith in earnest. The season of Advent was a time of preparing for the birthday of a Baby in Bethlehem. Every Baby Jesus would be hidden in the tea cupboard, not to make an appearance in the manger scene until the day of His birth. (Turns out, as a child, Stephen liked to steal the Baby Jesus from his family creche scenes too, as he felt that it wasn’t time for Him to be there--He wasn’t born yet!) Mary would ride her donkey across the room with Joseph, and the Wise Men would have an even longer journey as they didn’t arrive until Epiphany. We would spend extra time at the dinner table on Sundays, lighting the Advent candles and praying together. And there was always a (mostly) friendly competition over who could add the most “hay” to Baby Jesus’ manger with his/her good deeds throughout the days leading up to His birth, so He would have a soft place to lay His head upon His arrival.

As a Couple and as a Family

Now, as a married couple, we have sought to meld some our previously held traditions with some new ones. As part of our effort to make it a slow and sacred Advent, our decorating unfolds throughout the season. We, typically, put our tree up around the first Sunday of Advent, but it will hold the lights first for a few days before the ornaments start coming out of the boxes. Our children have enjoyed an Advent calendar that depicts the scene at Bethlehem by adding one piece a day throughout the month of December, culminating with Baby Jesus and Star on the eve of Christmas. We like to take a few minutes each day, both as individuals and as a family, to read an Advent-themed devotional and pray. Often, these are accompanied by a recommended act of service which we try to accomplish together. As we educate at home, we put a pause on some of our regular studies. We use that added time to read books that share stories of the season and do activities that help prepare our home, minds, and hearts for Christmas.

The Church provides us such a richness of beauty in celebrating each Liturgical Season. It helps recall people’s minds and hearts to what (or, really, Who) truly matters, to pull us away from the frenzy of lifeless materialism that the world entices us towards. During the season of Advent, it points us towards the truth that Jesus Christ was born and that He will come again in glory.

We invite you to enter into the beauty of this season of Advent alongside the Church this year, perhaps in a deeper way than you have before. Remember the Tiny Babe, Who longs for a heart to heart, and make space for Him in this hectic season, slowing down to welcome Him into your heart and homes as we walk through Advent to Christmas.
 

We are planning a September 2021 Marian Pilgrimage to Fatima, Lourdes, and Barcelona, with an add-on trip to Medjugorje.  Flyers are available in the Parish office – see Georgette.  The coordinators are Jann O’Neill (408) 966-4808 and Dave Whitman (916) 215-7928.  Father Phil will be the Spiritual Director.  Please give us a call if you have questions.

Dear Parishioners,

We are very excited to announce that our parish is launching a new communication platform called Evangelus. This great new tool will allow us to more easily communicate in the way that is most convenient to you. It will largely replace Mailchimp for our email blasts. Whether you prefer email, text, myParish app, Facebook, Twitter, or our website, you can now stay connected with our parish throughout the week in the method(s) you prefer.
 
You may have already received an email or text message notifying you or requesting that you opt-in to receive messages from us. To complete your profile, join more groups at our parish, or change your communication preferences simply go to: 
 
https://eva.us/sjm
 
If you know someone that would like to connect with our parish, all they need to do is text SJM to 55321.

Stay tuned as we implement! If you have any questions or comments, email marelloparish@gmail.com