The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:5
2024-2025 Ministry year

Introducing the Theme

Each year, we will introduce a theme drawn from the Church’s Tradition. It will serve as a common thread throughout all of our programming — a spiritual foundation, a focal point.  

This year’s theme is taken from the Gospel of John: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn. 1:5). The theme hits on at least three levels of meaning for us at Stella Maris.

First, it is eminently Christocentric. Jesus is the light of the world, the light that lights up the darkness of our lives. We live amid a culture of death. It’s an age of darkness. In the midst of that darkness, Jesus still comes and says, “I am here. Do not be afraid.” But the darkness in our lives does not oppress us only from the outside. No. The most oppressive darkness is that of sin. And, Jesus does something about that, too.

Second, the theme strikes a Marian chord, especially for us. Stella Maris means “star of the sea,” that guiding light used by sailors for navigation at sea. Mary, herself, is a light, but always one pointing to Christ and never to herself. Reflecting on all this, St. Thomas Aquinas says, “As mariners are guided into port by the shining of a star, so Christians are guided to heaven by Mary.”

Finally, in Mt. 5:14, Jesus says to his disciples: “You are the light of the world.” Brothers and sisters, we are called to be light wherever we go — our lives illuminated by the light of Christ, guiding others to him like Mary, our model in faith. We are called to be light in this present age filled with so much darkness.

The Logo

A BRIEF EXPLANATION

–––

Our logo is a visual representation for the theme. This year’s artwork is inspired by a discovery by Polish physicists who used holography to discover what an individual photon, a light particle, looks like. Well…it looks like a cross. 

Our logo places the cruciform photon right in the center, emblematizes it with our Marian “M” symbol. The light of Christ emblazoned in gold, emanates outward toward the blue bands that circumscribe it, signifying our community at Stella Maris. The scriptural passage is clearly listed around the circle, along with the dates for this ministry year.

The weekly news

Want to stay in the know?

We send our newsletter every Friday. It’s a great way to be informed about upcoming events and parish life in the 2024-2025 Ministry Year. 

You can receive it as a text or an email. You decide!