Five Things to Remember on Nov. 29

 1. If you want to know the power of encouragement, consider this: When it comes to people thinking about becoming a priest, sister or brother, researchers found that having only one person encourage them to consider a religious vocation doubles the likelihood of them actually doing so. That’s for both men and women. Furthermore, the effect is additive. If three persons offered encouragement, respondents were more than five times more likely to consider a religious vocation.
 

2.  Here’s to more respect for the parish bulletin, highlighted in the research study Catholic New Media Use in the United States, 2012.  By far the most widely used Catholic news and information source is the parish bulletin. Forty-one percent of adult Catholics reports regular use of this (print or online). This is equivalent to 23.9 million individuals. Seventeen percent report regular use of their diocesan newspaper or magazine. This is equivalent to 9.9 million individuals.  Significantly more Catholics use one or both of these sources than anything related to the Catholic Church that is exclusively available online.
 
3.  It’s a sad piece of research that says 45 percent of society would rather skip Christmas because of the hassle. The poll looks at financial pressures. Could these be lessened if people set and held firm to their own budgets. Hassle might be alleviated too by pausing to ponder what we’re celebrating: the birth of Jesus in a stable and the promise that he will reign in our hearts as the Prince of Peace.
 
4. Clever homilists help parishioners recall the themes of the four Sundays of Advent with these brief reminders: Wake Up, Wise Up, Cheer Up, and Hurry Up. The U.S. bishops’ website offers spiritual aids for Advent.
 
5. God loves you.