2324 W. Chase Ave. Chicago, IL 60645

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1 December 16, 2018 Third Sunday of Advent The weekly bulletin of SAINT MARGARET MARY 2324 W. Chase Ave. Chicago, IL PASTORAL STAFF Pastor, Rev. Tirso Villaverde Pastor Emeritus, Rev. James Barrett Residents, Rev. Harold Murphy Michael Okoro, C.S.Sp. Deacon, Michael Neba Accountant, Jim Masini Religious Ed, Cynthia Splatt School Principal, Christine Huzenis Music Ministry, Steve Burke Howard Schneider MASS SCHEDULE Weekend Saturday 4:00 pm Sunday 8:30 am & 10:30 am Weekday Monday-Saturday 8:00 am RECONCILIATION Saturdays from 3:00-3:30 pm. An appointment can also be made by calling one of the priests. OFFICES Rectory (773) W. Chase Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 am-12:00 pm & 1:00-5:00 pm Parish Website: Parish School (773) Northside Catholic Academy Activity Center 7341 N. Claremont Holy Hands (773) , ext. 27

2 2 F r o m t h e P a s t o r s D e s k In Spanish speaking countries, the custom is known as Las Posadas from a word that refers to lodging. In the Philippines where Spanish missionaries introduced it, the custom is known in many parts of the country by the Tagalog word, Panunuluyan (roughly translated: the journey of asking for a place to stay). Forms of the custom are also found in other countries. Obviously, with each part of the world, there are variations in how it is celebrated but the general idea remains the same in virtually every part of the world that celebrates this custom. Generally, the custom is observed over a nine day period generally the last nine days in the Advent season. On each day, there is a procession where either images of St. Joseph and a pregnant Virgin Mary are carried or people dressed up as them lead the procession. The procession winds through the streets making several stops at chosen locations. At each location, someone knocks on the door and the people outside sing a song that asks for a place to stay the night. The people inside then sing a song in response saying that there is no place for the Holy Family to spend the night. The procession continues to the next chosen location until it finally reaches the end where a humble place in the manger is offered for the saintly couple to spend the night. In Mexico and in the other Latin American countries, the procession ends with a celebration complete with food and a piñata full of candy for all the children. In some instances, a Mass might also be celebrated at the final location which oftentimes is the church itself. No matter what the particular differences might be in the custom, the central message of the custom must not be forgotten. The custom reenacts the journey of St. Joseph and the pregnant Virgin Mary to the little town of Bethlehem. We know the story very well. They travelled to Bethlehem because a census was ordered and every man was to register in his hometown. St. Joseph was from the house and lineage of David so he had to register for the census in Bethlehem which was known as the City of David. Upon arrival in the town, Mary and Joseph received the response that there was no room for them in the inn or anywhere else for that matter. The only place available was the manger a small cave where the farm animals were placed during the night. It was there that Mary gave birth to Jesus. Much more than simply nostalgia or an excuse to have a good time, the custom of Las Posadas Panunuluyan or however it is referred to in other parts of the world is a powerful reminder of one of our most basic Christian duties. We are invited in the last days of Advent to make sure that we have prepared a place for Jesus. This duty does not necessarily refer simply to making sure that there is a spiritual place for our Savior in our hearts or making sure that there is a Nativity scene in our homes. More importantly, we are called by this custom to make certain that in every way possible Jesus will find a welcomed place in our world when he comes to make his home with us. We must then remember that the face of Christ is seen in the faces of every human being especially in the poor, the suffering, the abandoned and forgotten, those who are denied a basic human dignity. The custom of Las Posadas or Panunuluyan serve as a call to us to offer a welcomed place to every human being we encounter because, again, we cannot welcome the God who we cannot see unless we welcome the brother or sister who we do see. Another way to put it is simply that we cannot expect others to be able to see the light of God unless they see it in us who profess to be His followers. May the last days of Advent find us watchful and ready to welcome our Savior in every way possible. Fr. Tirso S. Villaverde, Jr.

3 S c h o o l C o r n e r NORTHSIDE CATHOLIC ACADEMY is now enrolling three and four year olds for the school year. NCA is an award-winning academy that has half and full-day preschool. For more information, please go to NorthsideCatholic.org or call , ext. 207 and schedule a private admissions tour. TICKETS NOW ON SALE AT THE EDGE OF SWEETNESS! The Queen of Hearts Pot is almost $10,000 and growing every day! #23 (King of Hearts), #22 (Jack of Clubs), #8 (9 of Diamonds) and now #3 (Ace of Diamonds) have been revealed. If your name is drawn no matter what, you are a winner. If a number card is revealed you win $25, face cards $50, Ace s $100 and with the two Jokers you can win $125. Buy your tickets weekly and let your friends and family know as well. Tickets are sold daily at the Double Bubble at 6036 N. Broadway up until 6:00 pm on the night of the drawing and now also being sold at Edge of Sweetness at 6034 N. Broadway. See you at the Bubble on Saturdays for the drawing! T h a n k Y o u f o r Y o u r G e n e r o s i t y COLLECTION REPORT December 9, 2018 Sunday Envelope Budget... $8, Sunday Envelope Actual... $4, Loose Money... $1, Total Collection... $6, Variance... ($2,673.16) Weekly Budget Amount Envelopes Used GIVE CENTRAL CONTRIBUTIONS July 1, 2018 to date: $18, LEARN ENGLISH! FREE ESL CLASSES! Registration for NEW students: January 7th and 8th 9:00 am - 12:00 pm January 8th, 9th and 10th 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Howard Area Community Center 7648 N. Paulina Questions: Please call Moon Parker , ext 256 Readings for the week of December 16, 2018 Sunday: Zep 3:14-18a/Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6 [6]/Phil 4:4-7/ Lk 3:10-18 Monday: Gn 49:2, 8-10/Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17 [cf. 7]/Mt 1:1-17 Tuesday: Jer 23:5-8/Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, [cf. 7]/ Mt 1:18-25 Wednesday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a/Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, [cf. 8]/Lk 1:5-25 Thursday: Is 7:10-14/Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 [cf. 7c and 10b]/Lk 1:26-38 Friday: Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a/Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, Saturday: [1a; 3a]/Lk 1: Sm 1:24-28/1 Sm 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd [cf. 1a]/Lk 1:46-56 Next Sunday: Mi 5:1-4a/Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, [4]/ Heb 10:5-10/Lk 1:39-45 CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE Christmas Eve Masses Monday, December 24 4:00 pm and Midnight Christmas Day Masses Tuesday, December 25 8:30 and 10:30 am Christmas Eve 4:00 pm and Christmas Day 10:30 am Masses will be preceded by a half-hour of caroling by the choir New Year s Eve Mass Monday, December 31 4:00 pm New Year s Day Mass Tuesday, January 1, :30 am

4 4 Pa r i s h & C o m m u n i t y E v e n t s EXERCISE CLASS meets in the Activity Center on Tuesdays & Fridays from 9:30am to 10:30am. For more information, call Bernadette Dunne, BOY SCOUT TROOP 923 Come join the fun! Boys aged 11 and up are welcome to join Troop 923. We meet every Tuesday from 7:00 to 9pm in the Rectory Hall. Contact us by at HaveFun@BoyScoutTroop923.org or by voic at P O S A D A S

5 F o c u s o n t h e W o r d 5 CYCLES OF FAITH 3rd Sunday of Advent In Christianity, we hear often about the "Good News." We might often associate it with Jesus' compassion to the poor, his healings and miracles, and the salvation he won for us. In today's Gospel, we read of John the Baptist. "Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people." Yet as we examine the rest of the reading, we see examples of John's preaching. If you have two cloaks, give one away. Don't cheat others out of their money, extort, or lie. And, of course, the warning that the Messiah is on the move and "his winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Merry Christmas? Not only do John's listeners enjoy his message, but they seem to think he might be the awaited Messiah! To understand today's Gospel, it's important to understand the Jewish people. For most of their history, God's chosen people had been under someone else's heel. They were slaves in Egypt. Their kingdoms were ravaged first by the Assyrians, then the Babylonians. Now they were under the yoke of the Roman Empire. Familiar with being strangers in a strange land, welcoming the stranger, caring for the vulnerable, and enacting justice was incredibly important to them as a people. While John's words may seem odd or strong to our modern ears, this call to justice was welcome, even if it was directed at the hearer. The truth is, no one is exempt from John's call to repentance. We all have further to go in the Christian life. We can all grow in virtue and love our neighbors more generously. The Church gives us the Advent season to examine our own hearts. Did any of John's warnings resonate with you? That could be a great thing to bring to Jesus this week! REST IN PEACE Our blessed Lord has called home Genevieve Grotz for whom we promise our prayers that she may live in joy in His presence. OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP NOVENA Every Wednesday at 8:00 am. ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT Every Friday following 8:45 am Mass until 7:00 pm. Please enter the middle door, school side. (Become a regular, call Mila Cobarrubias at or Judith Seruelo at ) Mass at 7:00 pm on First Fridays; Vespers and Benediction at 7:00 pm on all other Fridays. HEART OF THE SPIRIT PRAYER MEETING Every Friday at 7:30 pm in Rectory Hall. DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS Every 1st Friday of the month beginning with Mass at 7:00 pm. Fellowship follows after Mass. Contact person: Terry Luciano, FATIMA ROSARY First Saturday of the month immediately following 4 pm Mass. SACRAMENTS Marriage: Arrangements should be made at least three months in advance. Baptisms: On the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month immediately following the 10:30 am mass. Please make arrangements at least one month in advance. Preparation class held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm in the rectory R.C.I.A Program/Process for adults interested in the Catholic Faith (Sept.-April). Call the Rectory for information. NEW PARISHIONERS We welcome our new parishioners and invite them to register at the rectory.

6 6 W o r s h i p C a l e n d a r MASS INTENTIONS Sunday, December 16 3rd Sunday of Advent 8:30 am Chico Maki 10:30 am Isagani Genabe Living members of Nwanah Family Mary Marren Marie Schmid Bette Vitale Julita Trovela Monday, December 17 8:00 am Barbara Weidner Tuesday, December 18 8:00 am Barbara Weidner Wednesday, December 19 8:00 am Roque M. Dizon Thursday, December 20 8:00 am Hazel & Robert Wiltgen Friday, December 21 St. Peter Canisius 8:00 am Deceased members of SMM 7:00 pm Deceased members of SMM 8:00 am Deceased members of SMM 4:00 pm Maria Inaciou & Maria Quetenia D Souza Ann Donohue Sunday, December 23 4th Sunday of Advent 8:30 am George Meyers, Jr. 10:30 am Living members of Nwanah Family Nestor Wong William Lam Kok Ng Linda Fauni Lozada Stanley Kempner - anniversary Julita Trovela LITURGICAL ROLES SMM serves, prays and celebrates. Sacristans Monday, December 17 A Volunteer Is Needed Wednesday, December 19 Anne Schaefer Mila Cobarrubias Lectors Saturday, December 15 4:00 pm Mary Fallon & Maureen Varallo Sunday, December 16 8:30 am Richard Schaefer & Reid Mackin 10:30 am Alex Luciano & Lucy Ibekwem Eucharistic Ministers Saturday, December 15 4:00 pm J. Moylan, G. Lindor & D. Cole Sunday, December 16 8:30 am J & T. Murtaugh, C. Chima, L. Honda, R. Hardy & L. Igboanugo 10:30 am M. Neba, T. Luciano, G. Potucek, V. Onyeaghala, K. Conorquie, Y. Malicay & A. Baldonado Lectors 4:00 PM Judy Moylan & Julie Ashbach Sunday, December 23 8:30 am Janet & Tim Murtaugh 10:30 am Betty David & Leonard Kohl Eucharistic Ministers 4:00 pm M. Neba, M. Varallo, D. Cole, G. Lindor, M. Fallon & J. Ashbach Sunday, December 23 8:30 am P. Mackin, L. Igboanugo, R. Hardy, L. Honda & C. Chima 10:30 am B. Alban, B. Skiles, P. Ohiri, M. Grigsby, M.K. McGuire, J. Seruelo & B. Bingham