Week of DeceMBER 21, 2025

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
As we enter the joy of Christmas, I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas. This holy season draws us again into the heart of the Gospel: the mystery of the Incarnation—that the eternal Word of God did not remain distant, but took flesh and dwelt among us. God comes to us not as an idea, but as a living Person; not merely as a lesson, but as a gift. In Jesus Christ, the Creator steps into creation, embracing our humanity so that humanity might be lifted into the life of God.

At Saint Oscar Romero Ministries, we pray that Christmas will be for you not only a beautiful memory or a cherished tradition, but a renewed encounter with Emmanuel—God-with-us—who enters our real lives: our burdens, our hopes, our questions, our griefs, and our longing for holiness. May the peace of Christ be close to you and your loved ones.

Weekly Eucharistic Liturgy Streaming—and Sacraments In Person
Our ministry exists to sustain God’s people with the life-giving message of Jesus Christ, especially those who may feel disconnected or unable to participate in a local congregation.

As part of that mission, we are streaming the Eucharistic liturgy weekly, so that prayer and worship remain accessible beyond the limits of geography, mobility, or circumstance. If you are looking for a place to pray, to listen to the Word of God, and to keep the rhythm of Christian worship, you are warmly invited to join us online.

And if you would like to receive the Sacraments in person—especially the Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation (Confession), or Anointing of the Sick—please reach out. Saint Oscar Romero Ministries provides pastoral and sacramental care, including Baptism, Confirmation/Chrismation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, and Marriage. To request sacramental care: you can use the contact form on our website.

Two Newly Self-Published Books
This season also brings two new resources that I hope will serve both seekers and fellow Christians who want to go deeper.

1) Make Disciples, Not Followers: A Biblical Guide to Christian Online Witness
Many of us spend a significant part of our lives online—yet it is easy to confuse “visibility” with “witness,” and “followers” with true disciples. This book is a practical and biblical guide for Christians who want to live faithfully in digital spaces: speaking with charity, resisting outrage, telling the truth without cruelty, and using online tools for genuine evangelization, encouragement, and formation. The goal is simple: not to build a platform, but to help people draw nearer to Christ.
Make Disciples, Not Followers: A Biblical Guide to Christian Online Witness: Stern, Rev Benjamin J: 9798261898337: Amazon.com: Books

2) Faith Without Permission: The Story and Spirit of the Independent Sacramental Movement
This book introduces readers to the story, spirituality, and pastoral reality of the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM). It explores why sacramental life continues to flourish outside familiar institutional boundaries, how communities like these understand apostolic succession and sacramental grace, and what draws many people toward a “smaller” but deeply sacramental expression of Christian life. It is written both to explain and to invite: to describe a living stream of Catholic and apostolic faith that many have never encountered, even as they have been searching for it.
Faith Without Permission: The Story and Spirit of the Independent Sacramental Movement: Stern, Benjamin J: 9781608628919: Amazon.com: Books

New Video This Week
A new video was released this week: “Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism: Two More Books and Thoughts.” Both traditions are held in high esteem while recognizing real theological differences. We affirms the historical depth and sacramental life present in both communions, then highlights several key areas of disagreement: questions around Petrine primacy and the scope of papal authority, the addition of the filioque clause to the Creed, and concerns within Eastern Orthodoxy about the close interweaving of church, state, and cultural expressions that may not translate universally. We also reflect on two books—one recounting a Franciscan friar’s conversion to Orthodoxy and critique of papal formulations, and another outlining differences between the traditions with an emphasis on grace as a gift for all and a holistic, communal vision of salvation. The speaker concludes with a hopeful, prayerful tone: rejecting the claim that only one communion is the “true church,” he expresses love for both traditions and recognizes God’s work in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Old Catholicism, longing for a future “union of love and sharing.”

A Christmas Invitation
If you are reading this and feeling weary, alone, unsure, or simply hungry for a deeper connection to the life of prayer and sacramental grace: please know you are not an interruption—you are exactly why this ministry exists. Saint Oscar Romero Ministries is here as a community of refuge, grounded in the proclamation of the Word and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

May Christ, born of Mary, bless you richly this Christmas—and draw you ever more deeply into His peace.
Merry Christmas,
Rev. Ben