Second Sunday of Advent December 9, 2018

Transcription

1 Second Sunday of Advent December 9, 2018

2 Page 2 PASTORAL STAFF Phone: Pastor: Father Frank Schneider, ext. 16 pastor@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Deacon: Fred Finter, ext. 44 deaconfred@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Deacon: Vincent Pozzolano, ext. 45 Faith Formation Coordinator: Mrs. Jane Oliva, ext. 12 reled@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Outreach Director: Deborah O Hare, ext. 22 stjohnsparishoutreach@gmail.com Music Coordinator: Liz McNeill (631) emcneill@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Youth Minister: Michael Clauberg, ext. 18 youth@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Pastoral Assistant: Barbara Johnston Bookkeeper: Lindsay Finter, ext. 17 lfinter@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Receptionist: Jeannine Nicosia, ext. 10 office@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Preschool Director: Mrs. Gayle Mercurio, ext. 14 preschool@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Secretary: Susan Plattner, ext. 19 preschool@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Maintenance: Servio Ortiz Weekend Priest Assistants: Father Ted Howard and Msgr. John Bennett Parish Outreach Hours: Tues & Thurs 10am-2pm; Tues 7-8:30pm Parish Office Hours Monday - Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Website: General Mailbox/Front Desk: ext. 10. Contact us by office@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org Our Vision and Mission Statement guides our pastoral planning... Established in 1922, the parish family of St. John the Baptist Church welcomes and invites all people to our community, especially those in need. Guided by the Holy Spirit we are sustained by the Sunday Eucharist, the Word of God, and the Sacraments. All are encouraged to share their time, talent and treasure as we grow in love through our Catholic faith and the life, death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Page 3 Bulletin Series Paul Turner Understanding the Mass 14. Advent Wreath An Advent wreath symbolizes our longing for the coming of Christ. The wreath is a circle of evergreen branches into which are set four candles. Traditionally three candles are violet and one is rose, but four violet or four white candles may also be used. The wreath symbolizes many things. Evergreens signify God s enduring promise of redemption, evident like green branches in the midst of snow. The circle signifies our hope for the return of Christ, whose kingdom will have no end. The colors of the candles match the traditional colors of the vesture for the four Sundays of Advent. Violet garments signify our penitent hope for salvation. The rose color, which may be worn on Advent s Third Sunday, signals that the season is nearly over joy is at hand! The wreath s most luminous symbol is its growing light. One candle is lit on the First Sunday of Advent, two on the Second, three on the Third and all four on the Fourth. In the northern hemisphere, Advent comes at a time when the days decrease to their shortest length. As the hours of darkness increase, we light more candles on the wreath. The wreath, which symbolizes the coming of Christ, grows in intensity as the anniversary of Jesus birth draws near. The Advent wreath may be used at home or at church. It should be blessed on the First Sunday of Advent after the homily at Mass, at evening prayer Saturday night, or during a prayer service including biblical readings and Advent songs. At home, the wreath could be blessed by a family member and lit during the evening meal, to remind everyone of the true meaning of this holy season. Copyright 2012 Resource Publications, Inc. 160 E. Virginia St. #170, San Jose, CA 95112, (408)

4 Page 4 Second Week of Advent Prayer as your light your family advent Wreath Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN. [from the Roman Missal] Introducing Special Needs Faith Formation For more information or questions, please contact the Special Needs Faith Formation Coordinator, Janet Donnery, chever929@aol.com,

5 Page 5 Thank you to all Christmas Angels! All gifts must be returned at one of the Masses on the weekend of December If you will not be here on the 17th, but want to participate, you can bring the gift(s) in beforehand. Return at one of the Masses on the weekend of December This is a huge undertaking; we have to sort all the gifts by 11:45 AM, December 17 for pickup that day between 12:30-1:30. snacks jelly pancake syrup dish soap laundry soap

6 Page 6 Please join us this week for these Special Events this coming week North Shore Chamber Choir Concert Ring Those Christmas Bells This Sunday, December 9th, 4:00 p.m. in church North Shore Community Band Christmas Concert This coming Friday, December 14th, 7:30 p.m. in church And please come and join us! Decorating the Church for Christmas All parishioners and families invited! Sunday, December 16th, right after the 11:15 Mass

7 Page 7 From the Worship Committee: The Ministry of Greeter: Making Our Parish More Welcoming First Impressions are important, and those who are part of the Greeting Ministry take the lead in our parish each weekend. The Greeters at each Mass are on the front line and are the first faces that our Mass-goers see, whether they are regulars, have been away from the parish for a while, or are visiting our church. Our goal: Everyone feels welcome and at home at St. John the Baptist Church! Interested in more information or in helping? You can call the Parish Office ( ) or It is important that Greeters try their best to greet all the people as they enter the church, whether we recognize them or not. Good morning. Welcome. Glad you are here. Our goal is to speak to each person and welcome them. Greeters have traditionally been called ushers. In recent years Catholic parishes have recognized the importance of welcoming and making the parish church more of a home. Greeter is a more fitting name that emphasizes the most important aspect of this liturgical ministry. Greeters not only welcome people, they make sure that all in attendance have a seat, whether they are early, on time, or come a little late. No one is left standing outside of church or in the Gathering Area. Greeters assist with the collection, and make sure that everyone understands how to be part of the Communion Procession office@stjohnthebaptistchurch.org

8 Page 8 WEEKLY PARISH CALENDAR SACRAMENTS (Please see the Parish Website for full details) Celebration of the Eucharist Saturday, 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, 7:30 a.m., 9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Daily Mass: Monday - Thursday, 9:00 a.m. Holydays of Obligation: posted in bulletin and website Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) Saturday, 4:00pm to 4:45pm. Please feel free to call Fr. Frank and make an appointment to celebrate the sacrament. Baptism We suggest that you contact us before your child is born! Call or the Parish Office. Baptisms are scheduled monthly on the first Sunday throughout the year, and also the third Sunday from April to September. They are held at 1:00 p.m. from September thru June and at 12 noon during July and August. Marriage Contact the Parish Office so that we can arrange the marriage interview and set your date. Anointing of the Sick Call the Parish Office, or speak to Father Frank before/after Mass.

9 Page 9 Thank you to all who helped make last weekend s Hospitality a success. The next Hospitality is scheduled for the first weekend of January: Sunday, January 6th! The Hail Mary is probably the most popular prayer known by Catholics outside the Mass. It forms part of the rosary, the Angelus, night prayer, and certain otherwise hopeless situations involving a football. It took us hundreds of years to write the Hail Mary. The first part came easy. It draws from the angel Gabriel s annunciation to Mary, that she would give birth to Jesus: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you (Lk 1:28). When Mary visited Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist, Elizabeth greeted her with the next phrase we use in the prayer, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb (Lk 1:42). Over a period of centuries Catholics combined these two greetings of Mary and made them our own, figuring if Gabriel and Elizabeth could get Mary s attention this way, maybe we could too. We strung these greetings together with our own prayer for Mary s intercession. Part scripture, part tradition, the Hail Mary runs deep in Catholic spirituality. Two popular prayer forms use the Hail Mary: the rosary and the Angelus. In the rosary, it serves as a mantra, a repetitive sequence of words, thoughts and rhythms that draw the believer into a prayerful trance before the mysteries of our salvation. In the Angelus it reminds the faithful three times a day of the incarnation, the Word of God becoming flesh. In liturgical prayer, the Hail Mary has never staked out territory in the Mass. The Scripture quotations it borrows from Luke s Gospel do occur at Mass as antiphons and responses on feasts of Mary, but we usually substitute a hymn to Mary in their place. However, among liturgical prayers, we find the Hail Mary at the one we call night prayer. The liturgy of the hours is the official Catholic prayer form marking the principal hours of the day: morning, daytime, evening, and night. The brief service that ends the day concludes with a prayer to Mary. The church offers us several options here, but the most familiar of them is the Hail Mary, the last prayer of the day. Copyright 2012 Resource Publications, Inc., 160 E. Virginia St. #170, San Jose, CA 95112, (408)

10 Page 10 Today s Readings Second Sunday of Advent Reading 1, Baruch 5:1-9 Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 126 Reading 2, Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 Gospel, Luke 3:1-6 Next Sunday Third Sunday of Advent Gaudete Sunday Reading 1, Zephaniah 3:14-18 Responsorial Psalm, Is 12:2-6 Reading 2, Philippians 4:4-7 Gospel, Luke 3:10-18 Mass Presiders This Weekend Saturday, Dec 8, 5:00 p.m. Father Frank Sunday, Dec 9, 7:30 a.m. Father Frank Sunday, Dec 9, 9:15 a.m. Father Frank Sunday, Dec 9, 11:15 a.m. Msgr. Bennett Next Weekend Deacons Preach Saturday, Dec 15, 5:00 p.m. Msgr. Bennett Sunday, Dec 16, 7:30 a.m. Father Frank Sunday, Dec 16, 9:15 a.m. Father Frank Sunday, Dec 16, 11:15 a.m. Father Frank

11 Page 11 Looking Ahead to the Christmas Schedule Christmas Eve: 4:00 in church with Msgr. Bennett 4:00 in the hall with Fr. Frank 9:15 music concert (organ, choir, brass) before Mass 10:00 Solemn Mass with Fr. Frank (with choir, brass, and incense will be used) Christmas Day: 9:15 with Msgr. Bennett 11:15 with Fr. Frank

12 Page 12 We are grateful this week for all stewards in our parish who embrace Stewardship by recognizing God as the origin of life, the giver of freedom, the source of all they have and all they are. WEEKLY COLLECTIONS Sunday, December 2nd $ 6, Faith Direct $ 2, Total $ 9, Special Collections: December 9: Religious Retirement This time last year: Sunday Collection $ 8, Faith Direct $ 2, Total $10, December 16: Christmas Flowers Please consider automated giving as you reflect on support of our parish family! The fruitful ministries at our parish are examples of how many of you have answered, and continue to answer, that call. To ensure such work can continue requires not only gifts of time, but also of financial help. I ask you to prayerfully consider supporting our parish with electronic donations through Faith Direct. You can find paper enrollment forms in the parish office, or you can sign up online at by using our church code, NY Catholic Ministries Appeal Goal $47,500 Pledges $31,370 Over (Under) ($16,130) Donors 116 Payments $30,605 Percentage of Goal 66%

13 Page 13 Monday, December 10, 9 am John Peter Lynch Tuesday, December 11, 9 am The Parishioners of St. John the Baptist Upcoming Baptism Dates January 6 February 3 March 3 Wednesday, December 12, 9 am Thomas C. Dioguardo Thursday, December 13, 9am Christoper Allen White Saturday, December 15, 5pm Roberti Petito Please remember the faithful departed in your prayers. May they rest in peace. Sunday, December 16: 7:30am Peter J. & Sophia Lusik 9:15am Robert & Caroline Munroe 11:15am Donald Thomas

14 Page 14 For those serving our country in the Military Michael Brennan, Patrick Hanley, Jeffrey L. Beilman Jr., Ryan Santiro, Thomas G. Verbeeck, Michelle Verbeeck, Joseph DeMonte IV, Nicholas Altman, Michael Anderson, Devin Henry, Marielle Verbeeck, Cassidy Vail, Evan Purdy, Sean Tully, Sean Brady For the Homebound, the Sick and in Hospice Care John Delaney, Beth Lewis, Joan Lambert, Deb Frigon, Carolyn Shipplett, Randy Ball, Chuck Faberzak, Elizabeth Wiwczar All are invited to the recitation of the Rosary after the 9 am daily mass and Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to join the monthly healing service that takes place at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month. You can pray for anyone, including yourself, who you feel has a need for physical, as well as emotional healing. In Memoriam Should you like to donate the candles, bread, wine for the celebration of the Eucharist, especially in memory of a loved one, please contact the Parish Office, , ext 10. Eucharistic Adoration The Blessed Sacrament is exposed for Adoration on the main altar in the church every Wednesday afternoon, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please join us for prayer and Adoration! 2:00 p.m. Rosary for Life; 3:00 p.m. Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

15 Page 15 Around our Area and our Diocese St. Ursula Center, Blue Point: Estate Sale- Everything Must go! December 7, 8 and 9, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. We have many religious items as well as furniture (desks, tables, bookshelves, dressers, end tables, chairs, etc.) housewares, jewelry, lamps, kitchen items, ovens, refrigerators (various sizes), washer & dryer, linens, crystal, holiday items, patio set, paintings, etc. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call ( x 2060), St. Ursula Center, 186 Middle Rd, Blue Point, NY Worldwide Marriage Encounter: Conduct yourself to please God. Renew your marriage and attend a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next Weekends are Feb 8-10, 2019 in Huntington, NY and Apr 26-28, 2019 in Huntington, NY. For more information, call John & Toni Torio at or visit them at