First Sunday of Advent December 3, Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. Mark 13:33 FOLLOW OUR PARISH

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ST. MARY PARISH 1333 58th Street, Sacramento CA 95819 www.stmarysacto.

Mark 13:33 PARISH INFORMATION MARRIAGE: Contact the Parish office at (916) 452-0296 6 months prior to the wedding date. Marriage Preparation classes are available.

ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Contact the Parish Office regarding sick, elderly who are at home, hospitals or special care facilities.

1 ST. MARY PARISH th Street, Sacramento CA Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm Phone (916) Fax (916) First Sunday of Advent December 3, 2017 Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. Mark 13:33 PARISH INFORMATION MARRIAGE: Contact the Parish office at (916) months prior to the wedding date. Marriage Preparation classes are available. INFANT BAPTISM: Contact the Parish Office. Parents and godparents must attend class. ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Contact the Parish Office regarding sick, elderly who are at home, hospitals or special care facilities. MUSIC: For Music Ministry, call Ben (916) RCIA: Process for adults and children of catechetical age who are interested in joining the Catholic Church and baptized Catholics wanting to complete their initiation sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Please call Michelle Mills at (916) CFF: Catholic youth are formed through the Parish Faith Formation Program (CFF). Deacon Lu (916) x12 BULLETIN: Our church bulletin is prepared two weeks in advance. All submissions are reviewed by the Pastor. requests to traci@stmarysacto.org no later than the Thursday two weeks before. ST. MARY SCHOOL To enroll in Preschool or TK to 8th grade, please contact principal, Laura Allen at the school (916) or find more information on our website MASS SCHEDULE Sunday 8:00, 9:30, 11:00am, and 6:00pm Daily Mass: Monday - Saturday 8:00am; Saturday 5:00pm (Vigil Mass) Holy Days: As announced in bulletin CONFESSION : Saturday: 3:30pm-4:30pm Or by appointment PASTOR: Fr. James Narithookil, CMI frjames@stmarysacto.org PAROCHIAL VICAR : Fr. Sijo Chirayath, CMI frsijo@stmarysacto.org DEACONS Deacon Luigi Del Gaudio, MSW deaconlu@stmarysacto.org Deacon George W. Kriske deacongeorge@stmarysacto.org BUSINESS MANAGER: Tracilyn Peters traci@stmarysacto.org INFANT MARY CHAPEL Open Daily 6:30 am-5:00 pm Solemn Adoration: First Fridays 8:30 am-6:00pm PARISHIONER REGISTRATION: Please contact parish office at (916) FOLLOW OUR PARISH

2 Sr. Rani Maria is beatified The man who served a prison term for the 1995 murder of a Franciscan Clarist nun in central India s Madhya Pradesh state said that the forgiveness shown to him by the slain nun's family has given him "new life." Samandhar Singh said that he experienced a "rebirth" during a 2002 visit by Sister Selmy, the younger sister of slain Sister Rani Maria, while he was in prison. "It gave me a new life," recalled the 46-year-old Singh. Singh said that even his wife deserted him after his conviction. Police said Singh stabbed Sister Rani Maria 54 times in front of more than 50 bus passengers in a jungle area near Udainagar, in India, allegedly at the behest of money lenders affected by the nun's social work among village women who were organizing self-help groups. He was convicted of the murder and sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted to life in prison. Sister Rani Maria has already accomplished a miracle. Her assassin has repented and has become a member of her family. In my own small way, he said, I try to follow her example, helping those who are less fortunate than me, like Tribal Christians and all those who are marginalized. Samandar began to treat Sister Rani s family as his own. I regularly visit her tomb, he said. For me, it is like a sanctuary of peace and strength. I want everyone to know that Christians work to make India great. The missionaries give us hope through their service, which is to make us a strong and independent people. Sister Rani Maria was given the title "servant of God" in Love your enemies: An impossible demand! Jesus proclaimed the impossible demand with absolute clarity: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you. Whoever wishes to be a child of that God will bring into the world neither hatred nor anyone else s destruction. Of course, we may and should pray for the conversion of the wicked. Love of enemy isn t a secondary teaching for Jesus, directed only to people who are called to a heroic perfection. His challenge is to introduce into history a new attitude in the face of those we feel to be our enemy because his whole desire is to eliminate hate and destructive violence from the world. Whoever is like God will not nourish hate against anyone, but will seek the good of all, including their enemies. But Jesus knows what life is like. When he speaks of love of enemy, he isn t asking us to nourish feeling of affection or sympathy or tenderness toward anyone who has done evil to us. The enemy continues being someone from whom we can expect harm, and it s difficult for us to be able to change the feelings of our heart. To love our enemy means above all to not do him evil, to not even wish harm to him. We don t need to get upset if we don t feel any positive love for him. It s natural that we feel ourselves wounded or humiliated, but we try not to keep feeding hate and the thirst for vengeance. Eventually we can take another step forward and be willing to do him good if we find him in need. We need to remember that we are at our noblest and best when we forgive rather than when we rejoice at another s misfortune. Beatification is the penultimate stage in the four-phased canonization process in the Catholic Church. Rani Maria s cause of canonization began in 2003 and she was declared a Servant of God four years later. The beatification of Sr. Rani Maria was held in Indore (India) on November 4, Fr. James Narithookil, CMI Pastor TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Advent calendars appear now in many homes, and newfangled formats are even available on line. Children have fun opening the doors and windows keyed to the days counting down to Christmas. Behind each door is a picture related to the Christmas mystery, perhaps a scripture verse or saying, but more and more these days something totally unconnected to religious life, like a small toy or a chocolate treat, appears instead. The Advent calendar is not very old as traditions go. We can trace it back to German-speaking Christians, both Protestant and Catholic. Lutherans might have originated the custom by placing chalk marks on doors starting December 1, lighting candles every day, or placing a new religious picture on the wall each day during Advent. The oldest known hand-made calendar goes back to 1851, and the first printed ones appeared in 1908 in Germany with Bible verses behind the doors. By far the most interesting calendar is a building, the town hall (Rathaus) of Gengenbach in Germany s Black Forest. Every year the townspeople invite an illustrator of children s books to create twentyfour paintings or motifs for each of the twenty-four main windows of the building. Every night the people gather to see a new window opened and illuminated. Very few commercial Advent calendars pay much attention to the core values of our liturgical calendar: the pivotal place of Sunday, the importance of Advent feasts like Saint Lucy and Saint Nicholas, and the clear shift in tone on December 17 from Advent longing and preparation toward imminent hope in Christ s coming. That kind of creativity is left up to you! Rev. James Field, Copyright J. S. Paluch Co.

We Welcome the Following New Parishioners To Our Parish Family: READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Is 2:1-5; Ps 122:1-9; Mt 8:5-11 Tuesday: Is 11:1-10; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8,

Parishioners to take a moment to register. Jameson Campoy Dees Jerome Chetcuti Special Collection Next Weekend Retirement Fund for Religious Help care for elders.

Your donation helps her religious community and hundreds of others provide for aging members and plan for long-term needs.

Is 26:1-6; Ps 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a; Mt 7:21, 24-27 Friday: Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98:1-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38 Saturday: Is 30:19-21, 23-26; Ps 147:1-6; Mt

Requested By Gloria & Family Pam Myczek Sunday, December 3 8:00am Joseph, Mary, Anthony & Robert DeStefano + Angelo DeStefano Nick Piacentini + The Hart Family

Family 6:00pm For our Parishioners and their Prayer Requests Monday, December 4 8:00am Nancy Miller + Cousin Barbara Tuesday, December 5 8:00am James Martin +

Krissy, Katie, Jon & Jo Bruce Chambers + Tim & Cathy Frame Friday, December 8 8:00am 9:30am Eric Cameron Mary Kassis 12:15pm Saturday, December 9 8:00am Sam

3 We Welcome the Following New Parishioners To Our Parish Family: READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Is 2:1-5; Ps 122:1-9; Mt 8:5-11 Tuesday: Is 11:1-10; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; Lk 10:21-24 Wednesday: Is 25:6-10a; Ps 23:1-6; Mt 15:29-37 Thursday: Paul, Maria, Isabelle & Natalie Chan Helibet & Eugene Olson We encourage all new Parishioners to take a moment to register. Jameson Campoy Dees Jerome Chetcuti Special Collection Next Weekend Retirement Fund for Religious Help care for elders. Thanks to support from the Retirement Fund for Religious, we are now in a much better position to care for our elders, writes a religious sister. Your donation helps her religious community and hundreds of others provide for aging members and plan for long-term needs. Please give to next week s Retirement Fund for Religious collection. Is 26:1-6; Ps 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a; Mt 7:21, Friday: Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98:1-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38 Saturday: Is 30:19-21, 23-26; Ps 147:1-6; Mt 9:35 10:1, 5a, 6-8 Sunday: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Ps 85:9-14; 2 Pt 3:8-14; Mk 1:1-8 Mass Intentions Saturday, December 2 8:00am 5:00pm Paul Bertolani + Douglas Golsong + Requested By Gloria & Family Pam Myczek Sunday, December 3 8:00am Joseph, Mary, Anthony & Robert DeStefano + Angelo DeStefano Nick Piacentini + The Hart Family 9:30am Jesus & Louise Perez + Jesus & Ruth Alejandre + Perez Family Perez Family 11:00am Margaret Walton Tracilyn Peters Tony Mattos + Ernie & Idamarie Barsotti & Family 6:00pm For our Parishioners and their Prayer Requests Monday, December 4 8:00am Nancy Miller + Cousin Barbara Tuesday, December 5 8:00am James Martin + Alarcon Family Wednesday, December 6 8:00am Jerome Chetcuti + Lilian & Nick Clifford Afif Issa + Daughter Thursday, December 7 8:00am 6:30pm Peggy Barsotti Steve, Krissy, Katie, Jon & Jo Bruce Chambers + Tim & Cathy Frame Friday, December 8 8:00am 9:30am Eric Cameron Mary Kassis 12:15pm Saturday, December 9 8:00am Sam Bertolani + 5:00pm Donald Kassis + Mary Andrade + Sunday, December 10 8:00am Joe Guerra + Nick Piacentini + 9:30am Don Dali + Chris Monson + 11:00am Mack White Ante & Josip Batarelo + Gloria & Family Wife Daughter Tracilyn Peters The Hart Family Cathy Nick & Lilian Clifford Jim & Ginny Johnson Bilandzich Family 6:00pm For our Parishioners and their Prayer Requests

Holy Day of Obligation - Immaculate Conception Mass Schedule Art and Environment Art and Environment could use your help!

There are seasonal items that we would like help with and your skills and talent can enhance the beauty of our church.

Poinsettias Last year we were blessed with your donated poinsettias for our Christmas Mass. This Christmas we are asking again for your donation of red poinsettias.

Please leave your poinsettia in the vestibule of the church. We hope to have many fresh poinsettias for the presentation at the Christmas Vigil. Thank you!

4 Holy Day of Obligation - Immaculate Conception Mass Schedule Art and Environment Art and Environment could use your help! We are in need of someone who enjoys scrapbooking type activities and has time to give our ministry. There are seasonal items that we would like help with and your skills and talent can enhance the beauty of our church. In addition, if you are interested in helping with Advent and Christmas decorations, please contact Suzie Rozewski at (916) or Marte Frasca (916) Thank you! Poinsettias Last year we were blessed with your donated poinsettias for our Christmas Mass. This Christmas we are asking again for your donation of red poinsettias. Your red poinsettias will be used as part of the Christmas decorations in the church and on the altar. Please deliver your poinsettia to the church on Saturday, December 23, Please leave your poinsettia in the vestibule of the church. We hope to have many fresh poinsettias for the presentation at the Christmas Vigil. Thank you! Thursday, December 7 at 6:30pm - Vigil Mass Friday, December 8 at 8:00am, 9:30am (school mass) and 12:15pm ST. MARY S 19th ANNUAL PARISH CHRISTMAS CAROLING EVENT Once again, this year St. Mary s will again go Christmas caroling as one big family. Bring your family, your friends. Experience the joy of bringing happiness to others as well as yourselves. Carol booklets will be made available to all. We ll meet inside the new Mercy General Chapel at 6:45pm on Friday, December 22nd. We will be caroling to all those stuck in the hospital on Christmas Weekend. Whether you sing off-key or in harmony we want you to join us and share in this powerful ministry of music. Directions: heading West on J Street take a right at the Red Emergency sign (right before 39th Street. As you drive you ll see the new Chapel (stained glass windows) down on your right. Continue on to the parking garage or park where you can. We ll meet just inside the new Chapel. For more information, call Ben Billeci at Relevant Radio Needs Your Help! December 4 th -8 th Volunteering a few hours of your time to assist us in answering phone calls during our Pledge Drive would be a blessing to us. Enjoy food, fun and fellowship and even win some great books, movies and CD s. Contact Nicole at volunteers@relevantradio.com or call PIER GROUP The Pier Group at Saint Mary Parish is for adults between years of age. We strive to incorporate bible verse reflection and prayer with social and community service events. We have monthly events and hope to return to weekly meetings with more interest. Please follow us on Facebook at Pier Group Sacramento for young adult events. Contact Daniel Rossi or Monika Lopez at PierGroup916@gmail.com or for more information. The St. Mary Building Fund Raiser needs volunteers! There are a number of clerical and interactive volunteer opportunities that we need help with. Please contact any of the following Committee members if you are interested in helping with this very important Building Fund Raiser for our parish. At this time, we request that parishioners, who have submitted their written intention forms in support of the building fund, proceed with their commitment. On the first Sunday of each month there is a building fund collection. Electronic offerings are also encouraged as a convenient online system. Go to to donate and from there you an enroll. Please keep in mind that 100% of your donation to the St. Mary Parish Building Fund stays with the parish. It is with immense gratitude that our parish fundraiser will be a success because of you. Thank you for your gifts. Nikola Bilandzich # Fernando De La Rosa # Suzie Rozewski # Mike Paparella #

HOLY HOUR December 7 Holy Hour Devotion is the Roman Catholic Tradition of spending One Hour in Eucharistic Adoration in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Gethsemane. This practice later became widespread among Roman Catholics. The inspiration for the Holy Hour comes from Matthew 26:40.

Remain here and keep watch with me. In keeping with this tradition, St Mary offers a Holy Hour every first Thursday of the month.

5 HOLY HOUR December 7 Holy Hour Devotion is the Roman Catholic Tradition of spending One Hour in Eucharistic Adoration in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. In 1673 Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque stated that she had a vision of Jesus in which she was instructed to spend an hour every Thursday night to meditate on the sufferings of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. This practice later became widespread among Roman Catholics. The inspiration for the Holy Hour comes from Matthew 26:40. In the Gospel of Matthew, during the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion, Jesus spoke to his disciples, saying "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me. In keeping with this tradition, St Mary offers a Holy Hour every first Thursday of the month. You are welcome to come and adore or you may simply lay your cares at the feet of Jesus. Adoration begins promptly after the vigil Mass. If you come late, please enter in silence and sit in back of church so as not to disturb those in silent adoration. Praise be Jesus! Now and Forever! Calling all Widows Our parish widows group met on November 10, 2017 in St. Mary Church. Father Joshy, the Provincial along with another visiting priest from India, Father Lawrence and our Father Sijo concelebrated the Holy Mass. We prayed for our special intentions, for our deceased spouses, and for all of the former members of our group who have died. All three priests along with our former parish priest, Father Jossy, joined us for our luncheon after the Mass. We all had a wonderful time visiting with all the priests. Our next meeting will be on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We will meet for Mass at a special time of 11:00 am and then we will have our catered Christmas luncheon. We invite all widows to join us. All are welcome. For more information, please call Celeste Gisla at (916) or Gloria Gabrielli at (916) " OUR MISSION STATEMENT St. Mary Parish prepares and sustains its members and guests for a life and eternity in the presence of God. In accomplishing our mission, we proclaim and celebrate our salvation through Jesus Christ enlivened by the Holy Spirit, nourish our sacramental life especially in the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist and demonstrate our faith worshiping, educating, serving and encouraging vocations as modeled by Mother Mary. 12/3/17 Santa s Workshop Adult/Teens Catechumenate Kids Catechumenate Children s Liturgy of the Word 12/4/17 Divine Mercy Chaplet Prayer Request Group 12/5/17 Cub Scout Den 8 Meeting Pastoral Council Meeting Neo Catechumenal Way Bible Study St. Mary Adult Recreational Basketball 12/6/17 Centering Prayer Group Choir Practice CFF 12/7/17 School Reconciliation Choir Practice Holy Hour (after Vigil Mass) 12/1/17 All School Mass Divine Mercy Chaplet Father Daughter Dance 12/2/17 Confessions Neocatechumenal Way 12/3/17 SANTA S WORKSHOP Adult/Teens Catechumenate Kids Catechumenate Children s Liturgy of the Word LIKE A CHILD One who aspires to the grace of God must be pure, with a heart as innocent as a child s. St. Nicholas The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Do you have questions about the Catholic faith? Are you thinking about becoming Catholic? Are you Catholic but never completed the Sacraments of Initiation (Confirmation and/or Eucharist)? If you or someone you know has questions like these, contact Michelle Mills at for more information about the RCIA process.

near!! Altar Society Bake Sale & Boutique

from 8:00am to 1:00pm we will once again

To make sure you have the best selection

6 St. Mary Parish Christmas Open House on Saturday, December 9 In the Rectory from 6:00 pm to 8:00pm Come on over for some Christmas Cheer for Christmas Day is very near!! Altar Society Bake Sale & Boutique December 10 On the Second Sunday 12/10/17 from 8:00am to 1:00pm we will once again be holding our Bake Sale and Boutique. Please stop by Giovanni Hall before or after all the morning Masses. To make sure you have the best selection please come early as we often sell out of items. Our members are gearing up for a wonderful sale which benefits the whole parish. Remember baked goods make great gifts and are a special addition to your menu during the Holidays.

From the WLP Vault comes the Bible Story of Christmas featuring 8 Classic

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8 From the WLP Vault comes the Bible Story of Christmas featuring 8 Classic Christmas Carols and a reading of the Gospel of Luke 2: 4-20 by Bing Crosby! Also available on vinyl. FAMILY PORTRAITS SENIOR/GRADUATION PORTRAITS WEDDINGS BECKEE LIENERT Owner /Parishioner (480) Mention this ad and receive $50 off a regular session! Photo Courtesy of Bing Crosby Enterprises Visit WLPmusic.com to purchase your copy - CD $10.00 STEPHANIE GLORIOSO EPOLITE St. Mary A T T O R N E Y A T L AW CST Cemetery & Funeral Center WILLS, TRUSTS, PROBATES, GUARDIANSHIPS, FD2263 Your family resource for Advance Planning and End-of-Life Services Come Sail Away on a 7-night Catholic Exotic Cruise starting as low as $1045 per couple & CONSERVATORSHIPS Brian or Sally, coordinators 333 University Avenue, Suite 200 Parishioner an Official Travel Agency of Apostleship of the Sea-USA (916) Ask for your Parish Discount Mercy McMahon Terrace Assisted Living At It s Best 3865 J Street Sacramento Owned and operated by the Diocese of Sacramento RCFE # Nicoletti, Culjis & Herberger Funeral Home Great Food Right in Your Neighborhood FD # Folsom Blvd Tues.-Sat. 8:00am-9:00pm Sun. 8:00am-3:00pm BANQUETS AVAILABLE $10 OFF Total Dinner Orders of $30 or More 5401 Folsom Blvd Sacramento, CA AND CATERING A Unique Dining Experience (58th & Folsom Blvd.) Sacramento th St (in the 57th St. Antique Row) S PLU ROONEY MBING Closed Mondays # CATERING SPECIALISTS George L. Cook Sr. Chairman Executive Committee 48th & J St. 55th and Folsom Blvd. CA Lic# Serving the Sacramento Communty ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS with Dignity, Compassion and Integrity Since 1932 Parishioner MARY WILLETT Realtor Cal BRE # Parishioner & School Parent Cell ANDY THIELEN Realtor CalBRE # The best little Heating and Air Company in Sacramento athielen@golyon.com (916) Parishioner for over 40 Years St Mary Church Service Repair Installation Parishioner & Parent at St. Mary St. Mary parishioner discount mary@sacramentohomes.net WEBSITE: FIND ME ON FACEBOOK AT: Sacramento Home Buyer s Resource For Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc

Second Sunday of Advent December 9, 2018 God has commanded that eve ry lofty mountain be made low. Baruch 5:7

ST. MARY PARISH 1333 58th Street, Sacramento CA 95819 www.stmarysacto.org Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm Phone (916) 452-0296 Fax (916) 452-3908 Second Sunday of Advent December 9, 2018 God