St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

Transcription

1 St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church 2414 Seventeenth Street, Gulfport, Mississippi Telephone (228) Fax (228) Website: stjohngulfport.org Staff: Rev. Ryan McCoy, Pastor Deacon David Allen, Pastoral Associate Deacon Rick Conason, Pastoral Associate Sr. Mary Kealy, PBVM, Pastoral Associate Teri Patton, Parish Secretary Masses: Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m. First Saturday Devotion: 9:00 a.m. Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30 a.m., 5:00 p.m. Daily Mass: Monday through Friday: 7:00 a.m. Spanish Mass: Sunday, 2:00p.m. Holy Days: 6:00 p.m., Vigil, 7:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. Confession: Before and after every Mass; and anytime on request The Nativity of the Lord: Christmas HERALD OF GLAD TIDINGS To help understand the richness of the Christ-event, the Church looks to the Hebrew scriptures. One of the great passages that Christians turn to for insight about the role of the Messiah is found in Second Isaiah. Chapter 52, written during the Babylonian Exile in the sixth century B.C., tells about a messenger who brings glad tidings. He proclaims peace, brings good news, announces salvation, and says to Zion: "Your God is King" (Isaiah 52:7). For the captives in Babylon this message held out hope for returning to their home country, the land of Judah. That hope was indeed fulfilled just as Isaiah foretold when the Jews were allowed to return. But centuries later, Christians reading the same passage heard in Isaiah's proclamation a description of the role of Jesus. For truly he was a messenger of glad tidings; he brought the good news of the gospel, announcing a day of salvation. THE LIGHT SHINES IN DARKNESS To the early Christians Jesus was God's messenger. As the Gospel of John explains, he was God's Word who became flesh and made his dwelling among us. As one living among us he taught us God's way. Indeed he was a light shining in darkness, a herald of whom Christians would say, in the words of Isaiah, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings" (Isaiah 52:7). Still, some did not accept him. Their hearts were hardened, unwilling to acknowledge that God could act through this humble, unassuming person. For "[h]e came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him" (John 1:11). But "to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God" (John 1:12). In these words from the beginning of John's Gospel echoes one of the early Christians' most profound realizations: God's love for all people is so great that all are intended to be God's children, not servants or slaves, not distant participants in creation, but tied by the closest of bonds-children of a loving God. Jesus announced the glad tidings of God's love for all, and Jesus taught that there are no obstacles for those who wish to be God's children. No power on earth, not even evil, sin, or death, can separate God's children from their loving Creator. Let us rejoice at the coming of God's messenger. Let us rejoice in the glad tidings he announced. Let us give thanks for the light who came into our world and continues to shine in the darkness. Copyright (c) 2007, World Library Publications. All rights reserved.

2 The Nativity of the Lord December 25, 2016 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 C.C.D. (Grades K-12)... Sundays, 9:00-10:15 A.M. Knights of Columbus... 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 7:00 P.M. K C Ladies Auxiliary... 3rd Tuesday, 6:30 P.M. R.C.I.A... Mondays, 6:30 P.M. St. Vincent de Paul... 2nd Wednesday, 9:00 A.M. Young At Heart... 4th Thursday, 12 Noon.THE GIFT OF GOD S WORD On this day of gifts and gift giving, it seems appropriate that we take a moment to reflect on the great gift of God s Word. Because it is creative, God s Word always points to its author, always calls us to respond. Because it is powerful, God s Word can link the sublime with the ridiculous, the transcendent with the immanent, the divine with the human. Because it is graceful, God s Word establishes a relationship of deep intimacy between us and God. At the heart of God s Word lies a tantalizing tension between the mysterious and the mundane. In our liturgical celebration, this unresolved tension both reveals the meaning of life for us and calls us to respond, to act upon that meaning. Once accepted and opened, the gift of God s Word is a gift that keeps on giving and keeps on calling us to give in return. It dares us to be like the gift giver and to become gifts for others, not only at Christmas, but at every moment of life. Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. Welcome to St. John the Evangelist Parish! If you are new to the parish and have not yet registered, please fill out one of the registration forms on the back table or go to our website, stjohngulfport.org and click on the New Parishioner tab. Happy birthday wishes to: Matthew McHugh & Cleo Dossett celebrate Dec. 24; Lindy Callahan celebrates Dec. 25; Marie Pique celebrates Dec. 26; Payton Dedeaux, Azaria McNair & Landon Windham celebrate Dec. 27; Mario DeRaimo, Tony King & Emma Morgan celebrate Dec. 28; Barb Staccone celebrates Dec. 29; Mike Craft celebrates Dec. 30. May God Bless them with many more Happy Birthdays! Merry Christmas 2016! Our Savior Jesus Christ is born! I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all the staff at St. John the Evangelist parish. It has been an exciting year for me as the new pastor of St. John the Evangelist. I am very grateful for the many warm welcomes and many relationships formed. The parish has received many blessings from God this year of I ask for the intercession of Our Blessed Mother of God to pray to her son, Jesus, for open hearts in St. John the Evangelist parish to receive her Son s forgiveness. For the Holy Spirit can enter into forgiven hearts and bring to birth the graces poured out from God the Father during Christmas. May God bless you with beautifully wrapped graces from heaven this Christmas season. Fr. Ryan McCoy Thank you to Drew Papania and family, Tommy Papania and family, Mark Papania and family, and many more Papania s for putting up the beautiful outdoor Nativity.the The Papania family has been putting up the Nativity here at St. John s since It is a beautiful reminder of the reason for the Christmas Season. Congratulations to Trish and Dudley McAllister and to Matthew & Cindy Serpa on the anniversary of their weddings! Trish & Dudley celebrate their 58th anniversary on Dec.27. Matthew & Cindy celebrate their 37th anniversary on Dec. 28. May God bless them with many more happy years together! We extend our deepest sympathy to Peggy & Wayne Paige and family in the death of Peggy s mother Mary Holder and also to Bernard Estelle Papania in the death of their great granddaughter Lillian Daughdrill. May God reward Mary and Lillian with Eternal Rest, Light and Peace and may He comfort their families in their sorrow.

3 New Year s Mass times New Years Eve: 5:00pm New Years Day: 8:00am,10:30am and 5pm The parish office will be closed Monday and Tuesday, December 26 & 27 and will reopen Wednesday December 28th. Merry Christmas! The annual Mass for Deceased Irish Priests will take place on January 10 at 6pm at Sacred Heart Church, 3702 Quinn Drive, Pascagoula. Father Enda McKenna, of San Antonio, Texas, will be the homilist. A reception will follow in the parish activities center. All clergy, religious and laity are invited to attend the Mass. Christmas Prayer The Word was made flesh, alleluia, alleluia! And dwelt among us, alleluia, alleluia! Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, before the face of the Lord, for He comes. Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Salvation's Eyewitnesses Isaiah 52:7-10 Whenever you see something great, you can feel the excitement. Whenever you hear about something great, it just is not the same. Travelers give eyewitness accounts of their journeys, the people they have met, the places they have seen and the events they have experienced. If something exciting happens on your street, you will want to see it for yourself. Then you can feel the excitement. Christmas is a celebration for the eyewitnesses of salvation. We have not just heard about it. We have experienced it. We know the fulfillment of God s promises, the presence of Christ and the hope of believers. We have experienced the wonder of God in our families, our friends, our church, and our community. God is redeeming people. Isaiah says, when those announcing good news about God come to the mountain of Jerusalem, they are beautiful to behold from head to toe. Even their feet are beautiful. They see directly, before their eyes, the LORD restoring Zion. These eyewitnesses bring back to the city the exciting reports of God s work. It is not enough for us to hear about it. We look, see, and experience firsthand the marvels God has done. This Christmas we reflect on God s action in our lives. We experience the birth of salvation within us. We know from our own experience that God saves us. When we share that good news, we are beautiful. Even our feet are beautiful. Paul Turner Copyright 2010, Resource Publications, Inc., , All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Lectionary Bulletin Inserts, Year A: First and Second Readings. Saint Stanislaus Admissions Testing Admission testing for prospective students who will be in 7th & 8th grade next year has been scheduled for Saturday, January 7th, Registration will be from 7:30 AM until 8:15 AM and students must be registered by 8:15 AM in order to test. The test is used to give us an overview of incoming students' academic abilities. In order to register for the admission test, please return the completed Admissions Application before January 7th. Please also remember to bring a check or cash in the amount of $125, which will cover the $100 Application Fee and the $25 Admission Test Fee. If your son will not be able to take the admission test, but you would still like to apply for admission to Saint Stanislaus for the school year, please return the application and $100 application fee to Saint Stanislaus. You will be contacted to schedule your son's admissions interview which takes place on January 26th. For more information, please call Richard Gleber, Co- Admissions Director, at , ext 249 or Saint Stanislaus Open House All boys in grades 4-11 and their families are invited to join the Saint Stanislaus family for an Open House on our campus (304 S. Beach Boulevard, Bay St. Louis, MS) on Wednesday, February 1, from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, with the final tour beginning at 6:15 PM. Please join us to learn about our Catholic identity, outstanding academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, and financial assistance program. Come experience the proud Rock-A-Chaw spirit, over 160 years old! If you would like to attend the Open House or would like additional information, please contact Richard Gleber in the Saint Stanislaus Admissions Office at admissions@ststan.com or ext 249.

4 Augie Alfonso Gil Bailey Katherine E. Bailey David Bell Jr. Mary Ann Bishop Melissa Bowles Carol Campbell Nunzio Caranna Nanette Carpenter Buddy Cospelich Kendall Dedeaux James Doles Gerald Ellis JonViolet Flickinger Mary Kay Gaspard Dan & Lorraine Goad Gee Gee Grandis Oren Haddock Ardeth Hessell Celeste Hewes Alibe Hinton Please Remember in Your Prayers Jordan Hoang. Annie Hosli Loyce & Nick Hire Roy Jones Margaret Jowers Mary Kealy Florence Keppner Norbert Keppner Les Knighton Gary Lacy Tommy LeTard Joann Liner Carol Loftin Patty Loftin S J Marengo Jace Mathews Tanya McClellan Celeste McInnis Cherie Mennis Msgr Mercier Helen Nilges Margaret Northrup Sophia Nuchereno Gus Pique, Jr. Jay & Sheila Poolson Gary Reeves Roland Riel Gaynelle Saucier Wayne Saucier Ken Saxon Aimee Seichshnaydre Austin Seymour Harry Smith Jason Sneed Charlie Underwood Felecia Vann Liza Alfonso Wall James Williams Mandy Woods Ginger Worth Doan The Xinh Prayer is the door through which all God s Graces comes to us -St. Theresa of Avila TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION An old joke asks, What time is Midnight Mass? The answer is not really obvious, since Christmas is unique in having several distinct celebrations. The readings and prayers vary greatly from hour to hour. The Vigil Mass hinges on the family heritage of Jesus and his origins. The concept of midnight predates clock time, and really has to do with a celebration in the hours of darkness. Years ago, it was not possible to receive Communion without fasting for a full day, so the late hour of this Mass made it possible for the people to receive. The first Mass after sunrise, the Mass at Dawn, was once known as The Shepherds Mass, and later Masses set aside stories of Jesus birth to focus on the key to the day s celebration: John the Evangelist s majestic theology of Christ s identity as the Word made flesh, dwelling among us. One feast, four separate Masses. Only monasteries manage the whole round. Parishioners typically take just one entry point into the mystery. Yet there is much to savor and celebrate in the coming of Christ into the world. Christmas is not a day, but a season. You still have two weeks to send those Christmas cards before you re officially late! James Field, Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. Collection Dec Identifiable: $5379 Unidentifiable: $1155 ACH: $1320 2nd Collection-Christmas Flowers: $809 Children s Collection: $9 Thank you for your generosity! TODAY S READINGS First Reading All the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God (Isaiah 52:7-10). Psalm All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God (Psalm 98). Second Reading God has spoken to us through the Son, the very imprint of God s being (Hebrews 1:1-6). Gospel The Word became flesh; from his fullness we have all received grace (John 1:1-18 [1-5, 9-14]). The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 8ab, 16bc, 17; Mt 10:17-22 Tuesday: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Wednesday: 1 Jn 1:5 2:2; Ps 124:2-5, 7b-8; Mt 2:13-18 Thursday: 1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96:1-3, 5b-6; Lk 2:36-40 Friday: Sir 3:2-6, or Col 3:12-21 [12-17]; Ps 128:1-5; Mt 2:13-15, Saturday: 1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96:1-2, 11-13; Jn 1:1-18 Sunday: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Monday: St. Stephen; Kwanzaa begins Tuesday: St. John Wednesday: The Holy Innocents Thursday: St. Thomas Becket; Fifth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord Friday: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Saturday: St. Sylvester I; New Year s Eve Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK Saturday: 4:00pm: +Anthony Davis; +William Vernon Smith; +Addie Wittmann; +Charlie Odom 12:00am: +Mackie Fayard; Sunday: 8:00am: +Matthew & Thelma Serpa; +Mike Pickich; +Johnny & Betty Fayard; +William Vernon Smith 1030am: +Edna & Marion Garrett; +Patrick Holley; +David McIntosh 6:00pm: People of the Parish Monday: +Matthew & Thelma Serpa Tuesday: +Patrick Holley Wednesday: +Mackie Fayard Thursday +Mary & Ludovic Lee Friday +Mackie Fayard

5 Spain Pilgrimage with Fatima and Lourdes Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Apparitions at Fatima This year we will be traveling to Portugal, Spain and France. In Portugal we will be visiting Fatima, where we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Mother. In Spain, our group will tour Avila, made famous by St. Theresa. We will also take us to the beautiful cities of Salamanca, Madrid and Barcelona. In France, our travels will take us to Lourdes, where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette and where healing occurs even today. The price is $3,699 Per person (double occupancy). This includes air fare from New Orleans, hotels and most meals. The dates are Nov. 7-17, For more information call or or In Christ, Father Mike Austin We really appreciate those who donate toward the flowers for our church. If you would like to have flowers placed in church, please contact the parish office at Calendar of Events Dec 27 St. John the Evangelist Feast Day 31 New Years Eve Vigil 5pm Jan 1 New Years Day, Masses 8am & 10:30am & 5pm XLT Adoration Every Tuesday, at 7pm. Come enjoy some one-on-one time with Jesus for an hour He wants to hear your troubles, your needs, your joys, your prayers...come and ADORE Him! If you've never been, let this be your invitation. Adoration with live worship music. Confessions will be available. Everyone is welcome!! Prayer Groups We have a prayer group that meets every Thursday afternoon from 5:15-6:15pm. Everyone is invited to join us. For more information call the Parish office, Weekly prayer group Thursday s at 10:00am. Call Annette Seymour

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