Fr. Joseph Alobaidi, OP, preaches Holy Hours at St. Patrick Church

St. Patrick Church in Columbus, Ohio, welcomes Fr. Joseph Alobaidi, OP, who will be giving conferences during Advent Holy Hours on December 22 and 23. The Holy Hours begin at 7:00pm and include the opportunity for confession. On Monday, December 22, Fr. Alobaidi will speak about the Star of Bethlehem. In an interview, he said: “The meaning of stars in the Bible is different from today’s understanding of them. In the Bible the stars represent the pagan divinities. For us today, the Star of Bethlehem has a merely decorative aspect, but in the Bible the Star is part of the struggle, found throughout the entire Bible, of the true God against all false pagan divinities. The Star of Bethlehem means that there is only One God, the God of Israel. This is the crucial theological dimension of the Star in the infancy narratives.” On Tuesday, December 23, Fr. Alobaidi will speak about the Blessed Mother: “I will look at the condition of the Blessed Mother, this young, pregnant, unmarried woman in the first century, focusing on the social factors involved in having her child, a firstborn son, and then losing him. These reflections offer a Biblical basis for the role of Mary in our salvation, a role that finds its home in our devotions and liturgies. Devotion to Mary is not an invention of medieval piety but is found in the Bible itself.” Fr. Alobaidi also offered words for reflection on the meaning of all Advent preparation and Christmas celebration: “Why do we celebrate Advent and Christmas each year as if for the first time, as if we did not celebrate them last year, or the year before? Because we still need a savior. If we have not sinned since last Christmas there would be no need for such a celebration; a mere remembrance would suffice. But since we are always in need of a savior we celebrate this joyous occasion as a novelty every time.” For more information on the Holy Hours and St. Patrick Church, please visit their website.

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