St. Benedict Catholic Parish Suamico, WI

04/05/2026

03/30/2026

We cordially invite you to join us on Holy Thursday at 7:00 p.m. for a solemn Mass, followed by a moving reenactment of The Last Supper, led by Fr. Demos and 12 parishioners from St. Benedict and St. Pius Parishes. This special evening will provide a meaningful conclusion to our Lenten Journey, fostering spiritual growth and reflection.

03/23/2026

We invite you to join St Benedict or St Pius for a meaningful Holy Week experience.

02/06/2026

Mark your calendars and make plans to enjoy some delicious fish. Perch or Baked Haddock available, choice of potato and don’t miss out on the homemade desserts. See you there.

12/20/2025

O come, O come, Emmanuel

JOY
HOPE
LOVE
PEACE

Tomorrow is the Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Meaning of the Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Fourth Sunday of Advent marks the final threshold before Christmas. It is not a sentimental pause or a decorative tradition; it is a moment of intense theological focus. Advent, by design, is a season of waiting—but not passive waiting. It is disciplined anticipation shaped by hope, purified by repentance, and fulfilled in love.

The ancient hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” captures this tension perfectly. It is both a cry and a confession. The Church acknowledges that the world remains fractured, restless, and incomplete without God-with-us. Emmanuel is not a poetic symbol; it is a declaration that God enters history, flesh, time, and suffering.

By the Fourth Sunday, all four Advent candles are lit, each carrying a precise meaning:

Hope is not optimism; it is confidence rooted in God’s promise.

Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is reconciliation with God.

Joy is not fleeting happiness; it is the steady assurance that salvation is near.

Love, lit last, is the summit—because God’s final answer to human brokenness is not power, but self-giving love.

The Fourth Sunday traditionally turns our gaze toward Mary, whose “yes” was neither naive nor easy. Her faith was active, costly, and decisive. Advent reaches its climax not with spectacle, but with consent—human freedom cooperating with divine grace.

“Tomorrow is the Fourth Sunday of Advent” is therefore not a calendar reminder. It is a summons. The question Advent asks is simple and uncomfortable: Are we prepared—not just decorated—for Christ to enter our lives?

The candles burn down. Time runs out. Waiting gives way to arrival.

Advent ends. Emmanuel comes.