Dear Parish Family, As we celebrate Advent, and the birth of our Lord, family stories can be a window into who we are. As a child, sighing, do you remember thinking "not again" as Aunt Lucille or Uncle Harry began a lengthy story about a past event or situation? Then mom or dad gave you “the look” and you knew you were to appear to be interested in this tale. Now as an adult, we often exclaim - “ we wished we had paid closer attention or asked more questions before a loved one had passed.” Stories remind us of where we come from, the people, places and events that have shaped us. Stories can be beautiful and uplifting or at times sad, or something we wish to forget. The essence of retelling often connects us with loved ones across generations. The greatest story ever told, is the Life of Jesus. This has been retold in every language for over 2022 years. Think of the impact on world history that Christianity has! The bible is composed of stories in the Old and New Testaments. Early stories are held to be of historical basis predicated on the life of Jesus and later reconciled and supported by archaeological discoveries, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Our beliefs today come from “The Word of God”. Our Saints provide windows into who they were and who they became through the tradition of sharing stories. What if – there had been no family stories???? Would we know our relatives, or who, what, when, and why decisions were made to come to a certain place, create businesses or where family traditions started? As a land of immigrants, what is our heritage? Family stories provide this. Never forgetting that friends are the family we choose – these are important stories as well. Often family stories are like a photograph in our minds. What is your favorite family story? Please be sure to share it with family and friends as you share a meal during this Advent season. Mary Jo