Mass Intentions For the Weekends of December 15/ December 16 and December 22/ December 23. Pray For Our Sick and Deceased Relatives and Friends

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2 Mass Intentions For the Weekends of December 15/ December 16 and December 22/ December 23 SATURDAY, December 15 4:30 PM - Rich Tyrell Carol Nolan SUNDAY, December 16 Third Sunday of Advent 8:30 AM - John Prystalski Michael Staniszewski 10:00 AM - Ed Manikowski Edward Dziedzic 11:30 AM - Robert F. Bak SATURDAY, December 22 4:30 PM - John Serevino SUNDAY, December 23 Fourth Sunday of Advent 8:30 AM - Aleksandra Kubit Irena Platek 10:00 AM - June Pashawitz Edward Dziedzic 11:30 AM - Mary Ellen Ryan Mass Intentions for the Week of December 17 - December 21 MONDAY, December 17 9:30 AM - Stephanie Grabarek TUESDAY, December 18 9:30 AM - The People of St. Bernard s WEDNESDAY, December 19 9:30 AM - Jennie Humes THURSDAY, December 20 9:30 AM - Communion Service FRIDAY, December 21 St. Peter Canisius 9:30 AM - Renee DiVinico Readings For The Week Monday: Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72:1-4ab, 7-8, 17; Mt 1:1-17 Tuesday: Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25 Wednesday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25 Thursday: Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-6; Lk 1:26-38 Friday: Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Lk 1:39-45 Saturday: 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Sunday: Mi 5:1-4a; Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45 Father Joe McCormick, OSA Pastor jmccosa@gmail.com Cell phone : Father John Merkelis, OSA Weekend Assistant Fr. Joe Mostardi, OSA Weekend Assistant Deacon Kevin Ryan deaconkib@comcast.net Mrs. Patricia Bass Director of Religious Education st.bernardsrep@comcast.net Mrs. Julie Kane Director of Music Ministry music.saintbernard@gmail.com Mrs. Mary Ponschke Parish Secretary st.bernardsrectory@comcast.net Parish Offices Tel: Pray For Our Sick and Deceased Relatives and Friends "Life is precious, handle with prayer." For the sick, especially Jonathan Cannon, Bridget Daly, Judy Riley, Jody Fuchy, Bernie Smith, Chuck Reilly, Teresa McMahon, Bob Pearce, Winifred Kasper, Sandra Pope, Lois King, Jeremiah McMahon, Dorothy Johnson, Maryann Owen, Megan Guinea, Virginia Flaherty, Karen Horting, Michael Nolan, Evelyn Lopezalles, Marshelle Santoro, Louise Karkula, Nancy Ludwig, and Rich Waliczek, Jr "For those who have died, life has changed, not ended." For the deceased, especially Allen Niemiec (father of Tami Daly & brother of Daniel), that they may rest in that they may rest in the peace of Christ Today s Readings Website: stbernardhg.weconnect.com First Reading - Your God will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals. (Zephaniah 3:14-18a) Psalm - Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 12:6) Second Reading - Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! (Philippians 4:4-7) Gospel - Whoever who has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. Whoever who has food should do likewise. (Luke 3:10-18) 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.

3 St. Bernard s Ministry News This Week at St. Bernard s: (*See Article) MONDAY, DECEMBER 17 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18 6:00pm KOC Dinner WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19 11:30am Happy Hours* THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20 4:30pm Children s Choir 7:00pm Adult Choir FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21 7:00pm Advent Penance Service At Our Mother of Good Counsel* SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22 9:00am Individual Confessions* SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23 10:00am Childrens Liturgy of the Word 1:00pm Baptisms 3:00pm Christmas Decor Baptism Prep Class Class lasts no more than two hours and is held at the Church. The next class dates are Monday, January 21 at 7:30pm and Saturday, February 23 at 1:00pm. No dates for baptism will be accepted until after you have attended one of the classes. Please call the parish office at for further information or to register. Sounds Of The Season Christmas Concert Please join the Music Ministry of St. Bernard in their first ever Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 16 th at 4:00! Come and hear the St. Bernard Adult Choir and Kids Choir! There will also be a special guest appearance by the Singing Celtics of Providence High School! This will be an event not to be missed! The concert is free! A free will offering collection will be taken up to help support the Music Ministry of Saint Bernard! For more information, please see Julie Kane. Happy Hours The seniors of St. Bernard s Happy Hours Club will meet at Church on Wednesday, December 19 from 11:30am to 2:30 pm for their regular monthly meeting. All are welcome! ADVENT PENANCE SERVICE IN PREPARATION FOR CHRISTMAS St. Bernard s along with Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish will join together for a Reconciliation Service to be held on Friday, December 21 at 7:00 PM at Our Mother of Good Counsel Church, S. Bell Rd., Homer Glen. Please prepare early for this great feast of Christmas and join the parish family in receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL CONFESSIONS FOR CHRISTMAS AT ST. BERNARD S Individual confessions will be heard Saturday, December 22 from 9:00am 11:00am. Liturgical Ministers for the Weekend of December 22 nd and December 23 rd (names subject to change) Date Saturday, December 22 4:30pm Sunday, December 23 8:30am Sunday, December 23 10:00am Sunday, December 23 11:30am Presider Fr. John Merkelis, OSA* Fr. John Merkelis, OSA* Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA* Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA* Deacon Kevin Ryan Kevin Ryan Proclaimers Al Stasko Dorothy Pachuta Teri Gruca Kurt Mikuta Doug Harris Jurate Harris Wayne Felgenhauer Connie Wojcik Eucharistic Ministers Mary Beth Hipke Jim Gow Laura Brassil Frank Kowalik Jennifer Prince Deacon Kevin Jeanie Pecor Betty Drzal Don Drzal Teri Gruca Jim Paruszkiewicz Lori Paruszkiewicz Deacon Kevin Lois Durling Phil Meegan Mary Jo O Connor Pat Carlucci Arlene Guinta Susan Sebranek Linda Primozic Jerry Primozic Jacqueline Maida Shawn Felgenhauer Michael DeFilippis Mary Ponschke Jimmy Rozhon Altar Servers Hanna Rasmussen Rebecca Kazmierczak Kamryn, Kaicee, Kortnee Nissen Tristan Magyar *Homilist

4 HELP AGED RELIGIOUS SISTERS, BROTHERS & PRIESTS SHARE IN THE CARE Religious give thanks. This money is pure gift, writes a religious sister of the support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious. It enables us to continue providing care for our elderly sisters. Your gift to last week s collection helps hundreds of religious communities meet pressing retirement needs while continuing to serve the People of God. Thank you for your generosity! St. Bernard s collected $2, for the Retirement Fund for the Religious. We are grateful for your response! WITNESSES Our actions are the best witnesses of our thoughts. Anonymous Sharing Tree 2018 Thank you so very much for all of your donations to the Sharing Tree this year! Many hearts are warmed by your generosity. Have a Blessed Christmas. Peace & Social Justice Peace must start in ourselves, one soul at a time. Act & Pray for Peace Nothing can be done quickly and prudently at the same time. Pubilius Syrus (1st Century BC-?) Roman writer and poet. December Intention Prudence Prudence is basically the ability to distinguish what is good and bad in any given situation, and to take appropriate action. Act - Be cautious and sensitive to the basic needs of others. Pray - Dear Jesus, grant me prudence. Amen Thoughts/Suggestions: Any suggestions for increasing peace? This can be dropped in the collection basket. God bless you as we journey together. St. Bernard Peace and Social Justice Ministry Christmas Flowers & Decorations You are invited to contribute to the church s Christmas flowers, greenery, and decorations through a memorial gift. The designated envelope in your church envelope packet for December is missing the special line designation In Memory Of. Please add this line either right under Christmas Flowers on the front of your envelope or add it on the back of the envelope. Extra envelopes for the Christmas Flowers may be found at the church entrances. For each deceased person (or couple) you would like remembered, we suggest an offering of $5 or more. Just drop the envelope into the collection basket anytime during Advent. The names of all those memorialized will be listed in the bulletin the weekend after Christmas. LOOKING AHEAD: PLANNING YOUR CHRISTMAS MASS ATTENDANCE For Christmas Masses last year, 300 chairs were added to the worship space to accommodate about 800. We will attempt to do the same this year in the new seating arrangement. To help you and your family plan your Christmas Mass attendance, we share with you the numbers in attendance at last year s Christmas Masses: Christmas Eve 3:30 pm (Children s choir) standing room only! (Come minutes early to be assured a seat) 5:30 pm :00 pm (Adult choir) Christmas Day 9:00 am :00 am The first Mass of Christmas Eve everywhere is always packed, especially with our many Christmas visitors. If your schedule allows, we encourage you to consider attending one of the less crowded Masses to help St. Bernard s accommodate as many as possible this Christmas. Ho! Ho! Ho! Baptisms Taylor Marie McGrath, daughter of Kristin (Synowiecki) & Matthew McGrath Adelina Maria Carrasco- Mahoney, daughter of Mariel Mahoney & Jose Carrasco Adelina Maria Carrasco-Mahoney was Baptized on Sunday, November 25, 2018 and Taylor Marie McGrath was Baptized on Sunday, December 2, 2018, both by Deacon Kevin Ryan. Congratulations to the Carrasco, Mahoney, and McGrath families.

5 Parish Finances Fiscal Year July 1, 2018 June 30, 2019 Budgeted Weekly Amount.....$10, Collection for December 9... $16, (Includes a large end of year gift) Online Giving Week of November $2, Total for December 9... $19, Budgeted Weekly YTD... $241, Total Actual Year to Date... $263, Campaign For Human Development... $ We Give Thanks to the Lord for your Generosity! Men s Club Men's Club would like to say Thank You to all who supported the food drive. Over 80 bags of donations went to Lockport Fish Food Pantry. The pantry appeared to be low on food; they were sorting and placing the items right on their shelves for distribution! They welcomed our food donation!! And also said "Thank You!!" TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Years ago, the trick question on religion quizzes would be to name all the liturgical colors, or the colors of the vestments worn at Mass. Rose is a color seldom seen, used at most two days a year. Today, Gaudete Sunday, is one of those days. The name of the day is drawn from an opening verse in the old Latin Mass texts: Gaudete is Latin for Rejoice! This year s Gospel certainly reflects that mood as Elizabeth feels her infant within her leaping for joy at the presence of Mary. Mary s visit to her aged cousin is an act of compassion between women, as two kinswomen who are bearing children into the world share their joy. Some churches retain the custom of having the priest wear rose vestments today, and many will use a rose candle in the Advent wreath. Violet is the official color for Advent and Lent, but many parishes employ different hues for each season, trying to keep them distinct. In medieval times, dye was costly, and poor parishes used unornamented plain cloth for vestments. Dyes were expensive and some colors, particularly purple, difficult to achieve. In England, purple dye was made from mollusks, yielding at best a deep indigo or blue and not the desired violet. Thus, the color of Advent in the British Isles has long been a deep blue, reminding many people of Mary s presence at the heart of the Advent mystery. That theology is largely unplanned: it s all because of the clams! James Field, Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. SEX/LABOR TRAFFICKING If you suspect Sex and or Labor trafficking, call National Human Trafficking Resource Center at Trafficking is often found in restaurants, domestic workers, family companions, car wash, small retailers, and cleaning services, especially hotels. Children are kidnapped and forced into commercial sex and involuntary servitude/slavery. Human trafficking is second largest criminal industry in the world today and is the fastest growing. Rape, beatings and confinement are used to break victims resistance to make them easier to control. Peace and Social Justice Ministry Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Proclaimers January is almost upon us. Please forward dates you are unavailable to serve in January, February, and March, 2019, to Deacon Kevin no later than December 17. The new schedule will be available to you December 28. Third Sunday of Advent 16 December 2018 God comes. What shall we do? God, indeed, is coming. Near at hand. At the door. Be busy! Be lovinglykind, like God. Do mercy work. Being merciful does not require extraordinary behavior. It simply means, be human. That is, be holy. Prove that God is here by wrestling with conversion to Christ in ongoing ways be genuine, be just, be fair. The gospel offers some suggestions: clean out the closet, share from the pantry, do not take what others need. Do mercy. Be mercy. Read Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate of 2018 on the call to holiness in today s world. Here is a link: francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papafrancesco_esortazione-ap_ _gaudete-etexsultate.html INCENTIVES FOR END-OF-YEAR DONATIONS Make Gifts Now and Reduce Taxes Next Year With the end of 2018 approaching, it is the perfect time to reevaluate gift and estate plans, complete gift pledges and arrange year-end gifts to your favorite charitable organizations and causes. There are many different situations to consider when planning your gifts so that they are advantageous for you. Some gifts made with assets other than cash, such as appreciated stocks, bonds or retirement plan distributions, may offer extra tax benefits. In order to be eligible for additional tax savings next April, you need to complete your charitable gifts by December 31. We want to express our appreciation for your support throughout the year. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like more information about a gift you are considering. How will I be holy, be the saint next door? What mercy work will I do to share with those in need?

6 PARISH OFFICE: Parker Road, Homer Glen, IL Tele: (708) Fax: (708) Fr. Joe s jmccosa@gmail.com Website: stbernardhg.weconnect.com Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OFFICE: Parker Road, Homer Glen, IL st.bernardsrep@comcast.net Sunday and Holy Day Masses celebrated at St. Bernard s Church Campus, W. 143rd St., (just west of Bell Rd.) SATURDAY EVENING MASS: 4:30 PM SUNDAY MASSES: 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30 AM. HOLY DAY MASSES: As announced in bulletin. WEEKDAY MASS: 9:30 AM (communion service on Thursday) at the Church Campus RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES: Contact Office the Baptism. You are strongly encouraged to attend the program before the baby is born. Call the rectory a few months in advance. MARRIAGE: Marriages should be arranged at least 6 months in advance. CHURCH ARRANGEMENTS ARE TO BE MADE FIRST. Hall and other social arrangements are to be made after the Church date has been set. Weddings are not performed on Sundays. If either party is under 19 years of age, Diocesan policy requires special instruction and a date cannot be given until the instructions have been completed and the Chancery Office has granted permission. time or date is set with the Funeral Director. let Father know. Family members may request to take communion to other members confined at home. CONFESSIONS: On Saturdays as scheduled in the bulletin (generally first and third Saturdays at 3:30pm) and at any time upon request. PARISH BOUNDARIES: North: 135th Street; East: Will-Cook Road; South: 151st Street; West: King Road and its extension. NEW PARISHIONERS: All new families are welcome and should be registered in the parish. This may be done by visiting or calling the Rectory. ST. BERNARD S MEMORIAL FUND: Bequests or special donations to our Parish Memorial Fund may be made by contacting the Rectory.

7 CHURCH NAME & NUMBER ST. BERNARD S #809 ADDRESS PARKER ROAD, HOMER GLEN, PHONE NUMBER CONTACT PERSON MARY SOFTWARE MSPUBLISHER 2003 PRINTER HP PHOTOSMART 8400 SUNDAY DATE OF BULLETIN December 16