An email from the Schwabs of Desert Voice about Father Altier.

Dear Friends and Supporters of Father Altier,

Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Catholic Medical Association has released a document asking the Catholic bishops of this country to STOP the use of the controversial sex education programs now being pushed upon our children, saying they are inappropriate and not in keeping with Catholic Church teaching. The CMA released its 55-page study prior to the U.S. bishop's meeting earlier this month hoping that the bishops would re-evaluate their 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People which implemented the use of the sex-ed "safety" programs. But there has yet to be an announcement from the bishops concerning the CMA's request that the programs no longer be used.

See www.desertvoice.org for a link to the LifeSite News article.

Parents everywhere need to know that the Catholic doctors of this country have condemned these programs. Our children's souls are at stake and we need to act now in order to truly protect our children -- even if the majority of bishops in America should fail to do so. With the release of the CMA document, it is time to ask for the intervention of the Pontifical Council for the Family in this matter.

We urge everyone to contact Cardinal Trujillo at the following address:

His Eminence Alfonso Cardinal Lopez Trujillo
Pontifical Council for the Family
Piazza San Calisto, 16
00120 Vatican City State
Fax: (39)-06-6988-7272 (When dialing from USA, start with 011)

Email: pcf@family.va

When writing to the Cardinal, please be brief and to the point. Mention the document released by the Catholic Medical Association and the fact that it was distributed to the bishops who have failed to act on this issue. Include the LifeSite News article in your correspondence for reference. The CMA study is not available online but can be ordered from their website at www.cathmed.org You should address the particular situation concerning the sex-ed programs being used in your own diocese. The Vatican will only intervene in cases that are within the diocese of the person writing.

It is most effective to send copies of the materials actually being used in these programs, highlighting the most offensive parts. Should you attempt to acquire the materials from a parish teacher and are denied access, let the Vatican know.

Again, one must be brief and clear. The Vatican receives numerous letters and short letters with documented proof are best.

*Other news: Over the past months, we have been sending Father Altier's monthly schedule via email. It has been decided to reserve the use of email for news items only. So beginning in December, there will be a link on the DesertVoice homepage titled "Father Altier's Monthly Schedule" which you can click on to see his current Mass schedule. Hopefully this will simplify things for both local people and those who live outside the St. Paul/Minneapolis area.

God bless you and may you all have a grace-filled Advent,

The Schwab's at DesertVoice

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 115 (116B)
Thanksgiving in the Temple
Still I trusted, even when I said “I am greatly afflicted”, when I said in my terror, “all men are liars”. How shall I repay the Lord for all he has done for me? I will take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful. O Lord, I am your servant, your maidservant’s son. You have torn apart my chains: I will make you a sacrifice of praise, I will call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, within your walls, Jerusalem. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 115 (116B)

Thanksgiving in the Temple

Still I trusted, even when I said “I am greatly afflicted”,
when I said in my terror, “all men are liars”.

How shall I repay the Lord for all he has done for me?
I will take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful.

O Lord, I am your servant, your maidservant’s son.
You have torn apart my chains: I will make you a sacrifice of praise, I will call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord, within your walls, Jerusalem.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 125 (126)
Gladness and hope in the Lord
When the Lord gave Sion back her captives, we became like dreamers. Our mouths were filled with gladness and our voices cried in exultation. Among the Gentiles they were saying, “By his deeds the Lord has shown himself great”. The Lord’s deeds showed forth his greatness, and filled us with rejoicing. Give us back our captives, O Lord, as you renew the dry streams in the desolate South. Those who sow in tears will rejoice at the harvest. They wept as they went, went with seed for the sowing; but with joy they will come, come bearing the sheaves. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 125 (126)

Gladness and hope in the Lord

When the Lord gave Sion back her captives, we became like dreamers.
Our mouths were filled with gladness and our voices cried in exultation.
Among the Gentiles they were saying,
“By his deeds the Lord has shown himself great”.
The Lord’s deeds showed forth his greatness,
and filled us with rejoicing.

Give us back our captives, O Lord,
as you renew the dry streams in the desolate South.
Those who sow in tears will rejoice at the harvest.

They wept as they went, went with seed for the sowing;
but with joy they will come, come bearing the sheaves.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	Ephesians 1
God the Saviour
Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us, in Christ, with every spiritual blessing in heaven. In love, he chose us before the creation of the world, to be holy and spotless in his sight. He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ, simply because it pleased him to do so. This he did for the praise of the glory of his grace, of his free gift of us to his Beloved, in whose blood we have gained redemption, and the forgiveness of our sins. This he did according to the riches of his grace, which he gave us in abundance, with all wisdom and discernment, revealing to us the mysteries of his will, because it pleased him to do so. In this action he has planned, in the fulfilment of time, to bring all things together in Christ, from the heavens and from the earth. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Ephesians 1

God the Saviour

Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us, in Christ, with every spiritual blessing in heaven.

In love, he chose us before the creation of the world,
to be holy and spotless in his sight.

He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ,
simply because it pleased him to do so.

This he did for the praise of the glory of his grace,
of his free gift of us to his Beloved,

in whose blood we have gained redemption,
and the forgiveness of our sins.

This he did according to the riches of his grace,
which he gave us in abundance,

with all wisdom and discernment,
revealing to us the mysteries of his will,
because it pleased him to do so.

In this action he has planned, in the fulfilment of time,
to bring all things together in Christ,
from the heavens and from the earth.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Short reading	Ephesians 4:11 - 13 ©
To some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Prayers and Intercessions

Brethren, we have been built on the foundation of the Apostles. Let us pray to the almighty Father on behalf of his chosen people, saying: - Lord, remember your church.
Father, who willed that your Son, risen from the dead, should be seen first of all by the Apostles,: grant that we may bear witness to him as far as the ends of the earth.
Father, who sent your Son into the world to bring the good news to the poor,: give us this gift, that the Gospel may be heard by your whole nation.
Father, who sent your Son to sow the seed of the word,: let us, who have laboured to sow the Word, rejoice as we gather the harvest.
Father, who sent your Son to reconcile the world to yourself by his blood,: let us work together to bring peace and reconciliation.
Father, who placed your son next to you in heaven at your right hand,: bring the dead into your kingdom of joy.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N