St. Francis of Assisi

Transcription

1 St. Francis of Assisi CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 4300 Meeks Drive, Orange TX Office: Fax: Web: Office Facebook.com/St.Francis.Church.Orange Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-3pm Religious Education Office Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-3pm Wednesday 3-7pm during RE PASTOR: Rev. Sinclair K. Oubre, J.C.L. Deacon Hector Maldonado Deacon Tommy Ewing Deacon Keith Hebert MASS SCHEDULE Saturday: 5pm 7pm Bilingual Sunday: 8am 10:30am DAILY MASS Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:30am Wednesday: 6:30pm SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Please call the Pastor to make arrangements for Infant Baptisms. Baptism class is held the third Thursday of each month at 6:00pm. This can be done at least seven (7) months before the birth in order to make proper sacramental preparations. SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE Diocesan policy requires a minimum of six (6) months of sacramental preparations for marriage. Engaged couples are invited to call the Pastor for an appointment. HOLY COMMUNION OR ANOINTING OF THE SICK Please call the Pastor if you or any family members are ill or plan to be hospitalized to arrange the reception of the Sacraments. RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS - Catechumenate Those interested in becoming a Catholic or in completing their initiation are invited to contact Myrna Stimac ( ) to learn more about the Catechumenate Process. PARISH MEMBERSHIP Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community! Please register by obtaining a census form from the Parish Office or at one of the two front entrances to the Church. Please return the census form to the Parish Office or drop in the collection basket. You may also register online and From the home page, click on the registration form. We look forward to the opportunity to know and serve you and it is our prayer that you will bless St. Francis Catholic Community with your time, talent, and treasure.

2 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 10, 2017 Saturday December 9 5:00 p.m. Cecil Bates, Tommy Carroll, Chuck McLain (D) 7:00 p.m. Sunday, December 10 8:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. People of the Parish Monday, December 11 No Mass Tuesday, December 12 8:30 a.m. Young at Heart & families 6:00 p.m. OLG singers, mass at 6:30 Wednesday, December 13 6:30 p.m. Thursday, December 14 8:30 a.m. Cecile & Lucien Bertrand (D) Friday, December 15 8:30 a.m. Saturday December 16 5:00 p.m. William McAllister (D) 7:00 p.m. Sunday, December 17 8:00 a.m. Nolan Guidroz Sr. (D) 10:30 a.m. People of the Parish NEWS OF COMFORT In a time of preparation, much of it having to do with material things, it is good to hear the words of Isaiah, Comfort, give comfort to my people, / says your God (Isaiah 40:1). In a time of such stress and rush, when our usual burdens are augmented by piles of Christmas preparations, we can choose to slow down, take some time to heal, and appreciate the enormous gift we are about to receive. Christ, the Son of God, has become one of us, and knows our human limitations. Yet God, even now, is freeing us from the burdens that our inattentiveness to our God and to our deepest inner longings have heaped upon us. The Lord comes, not as a king with mighty armies, but as a shepherd leading the flocks with care and tenderness. Isaiah prophesies good news: our oppression is over, our sins forgiven. The savior we have awaited is coming, not the first time, but in the end times, as our salvation. Copyright J. S. Paluch Co., Inc. TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Many people think that Saint Francis originated the Christmas crèche, but its origins go far back. The Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome has housed what is said to be relics of the cradle of Jesus since the seventh century. In time, every year during the Christmas season the reliquary (container for relics) was surrounded by an increasingly grand three-dimensional scene of the place of Jesus birth. Rocks and trees, houses, streams, figurines of villagers going about their daily tasks were all included. It was a very dramatic presentation. If you ve ever seen an elaborate model train installation, you get the idea. The proper term for this depiction is presepio, from the Latin word for surround or hedge. Over the centuries, the custom spread first to churches, and then to aristocratic homes. In Italy, whole chapels are often set aside for the presepio, and it is not unusual to have hundreds of figures. It can sometimes be a challenge to locate the Holy Family amid the crowd, almost like a Where s Waldo? children s book. The oldest surviving presepio is in St. Mary Major and dates from the thirteenth century, although many pieces have been broken or lost. Saint Francis of Assisi took a decidedly creative step in 1233 in the village of Greccio, when he directed his followers to fill a manger with hay and tether an ox and ass nearby. He then invited the villagers to attend Mass outdoors near the crib, the worshipers themselves becoming a living presepio. By the seventeenth century, the tradition was wellestablished, particularly in Naples, and had a firm hold in Portugal, Spain, and in the Provence region of France. Today, it is not unusual to find presepios with five hundred figures, a vivid reminder of Emmanuel, God-with-us! Rev. James Field, Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Second Sunday of Advent; International Human Rights Day Monday: St. Damasus I Tuesday: Our Lady of Guadalupe; Hanukkah begins at sunset Wednesday: St. Lucy Thursday: St. John of the Cross Saturday: Las Posadas begins

3 Preparing the Way for the Lord We encounter people at every Mass who help prepare the way for the Lord each and every week. Our ushers and greeters make us feel welcome and help prepare us to encounter the Lord. When our musicians lead us in the opening song of the Mass, their talents help prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. When the lectors, priests and deacons proclaim God s living word, another way of the Lord is opened before us. When the priest prays the sacred prayers of the Mass, the way is prepared for the sacramental presence of Christ to enter our hearts. We believe that the Lord Jesus is the shoot that sprouted from the stump of Jesse, the fulfillment of Isaiah s prophecy. Perhaps each of us can become a present-day John the Baptist by continuing to make the ground fertile for the sprouting and growth of the Lord Jesus in ever new and surprising ways. We can be John the Baptist for those who are seeking ways to encounter the Lord.

4 On The Way to Jesus Christ ST. HELEN CATHOLIC CHURCH ADVENT MISSION With FR. BLAISE CZAJA, PASSIONIST FATHER Sunday, December 10 through Wednesday, December 13, 2017 The Mission will open on Sunday evening, December 10. Each evening service is a major sermon on one of the great themes of Scripture. There will be time for quiet prayer. The evening service is approximately one hour in length. The Mission Mass will be at 9:00am each day. Fr. Blaise will celebrate this Mass and preach an extended homily of about 20 minutes. Note well: the morning sermons are totally different than the evening sermons. Sunday, December 10 7:00pm Mission Opens (Church) Monday, December 11 9:00am Mission Mass (Chapel) 7:00pm Mission Talk and Reconciliation Service (Church) Tuesday, December 12 9:00am Mission Mass (Chapel) 7:00pm Mission Talk (Church) Wednesday, December 13 9:00am Mission Mass (Chapel) 7:00pm Mission Talk (Church) St. Helen s Catholic Church 8105 FM 1442 Orange, TX (409)

5 St. Francis of Assisi Stewardship of Treasure December 2/3 $8, Thank you all for your generosity! Online Giving is an excellent way to fulfill your obligation to support St. Francis parish. Go to: stfrancisorangetx.org and click the Online giving link. Advent Wreath The use of the Advent wreath with four candles has been an Advent ritual for hundreds of years. The Advent wreath is a symbol of the four-week wait for Jesus birth. The green branches remind us of the new life we have in Jesus, the circle represents the eternity of God s love for us (with no beginning and no end), and the candles represent the light and hope Jesus brings into a dark world. Set up an Advent wreath in the center of your dinner table and light a candle for each week of the Advent season. Advent Prayer Loving God, help us to wait with patience and anticipation, to not be caught up in the rush of the season, but resting in your ever-present love. Amen Schedule for December 16/17, 2017 Eucharistic Minister 5:00 p.m. Chris & Abby Leger Paula Perkins Marshall Stone 8:00 a.m. Bobby & Shelby Granger Charlean Lindsey Irene Pachuca 10:30 a.m. Billie Ewing Elizabeth Smith Robert & Cherry Vigil Lector Pat Belcher Cecilia Pillsbury Norma Franklin Jennifer Marcantel Jerome Dimas Myrna Stimac Altar Servers Thomas & Kennedy Audrey Bonnette Caleb & Maggie Cole Puckett Natalie Sulak Eli Vigil Laney Vigil In Our Parish Sunday, December 10 8:00 a.m. Mass 10:30 a.m Mass 6:00 p.m. Rosary in Spanish Monday, December 11 No Mass 9:00 a.m. Altar Society Church Cleaning 6:00 p.m. Rosary in Spanish Tuesday, December 12 8:30 a.m. Mass 9:00 a.m. Young at Heart 6:00 p.m. Our Lady of Guadalupe 7:00 p.m. KC Meeting Wednesday, December 13 10:00 a.m. Dementia Caregiver Support 6:30 p.m. Mass Thursday, December 14 8:30 a.m. Mass 6:30 p.m. Dementia Caregiver Support 6:30 p.m. Theology on Tap Friday, December 15 8:30 a.m. Mass Saturday, December 16 3:30-4:30 p.m. Reconciliation 5:00 p.m. Mass 7:00 p.m. Mass Sunday, December 17 8:00 a.m. Mass 10:30 a.m. Mass VOTIVE CANDLES Light a 7 day candle in front of St. Francis or St. Clair for a special favor in honor or memory of a loved one, or for special occasions, etc. To purchase a candle, check with the ushers on weekend masses or call Paula Perkins at The candles are $7.00 each.

6 December Mass Schedule December 2/3~First Sunday of Advent **December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Patroness of the Americas) Mass Schedule-8:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. December 9/10~Second Sunday of Advent December 12~Our Lady of Guadalupe December 16/17~Third Sunday of Advent December 23/24~Fourth Sunday of Advent Regular weekend mass schedule **December 24/25~Christmas Eve/Day Christmas Eve at 5:00 p.m. Christmas Day at 10:30 a.m. December 30/31 The Holy Family-Jesus, Mary and Joseph Regular weekend mass schedule **December 31/January 1 The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Mass Schedule Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Monday at 10:30 a.m. ** Holy Days of Obligation- The Precepts of the Catholic Church are a description of the absolute minimum actions required of Catholics regarding the Church. The Church uses these precepts to remind us that Christian life requires a commitment to prayer and active participation in the liturgy and sacraments. If we fall below this bare-minimum level, we can t rightly consider ourselves to be in full communion with the Catholic Church. Each of the precepts of the Catholic Church is a requirement. The first precept is You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation and rest from servile labor.

7 ORANGE CHRISTIAN SERVICES CHRISTMAS TOYS HO! HO! HO! It is that time of year again! The gift tags for needy children are available in the church foyer from Orange Christian Services. Many of these children would otherwise receive little or nothing for Christmas. PLEASE DO NOT WRAP GIFTS. Place them in a Christmas shopping bag and SECURELY FASTEN TAG TO THE GIFT. Please return gifts to church by the weekend of December 16/17. CHURCH CLEANING DAY Is set for Monday December 11 at 9:00 a.m. Hoping for good representation as the more show of hands we have, the sooner we get done. Bring your handheld vacuum if you have one, long extension cords, an iron and buckets. Please come to help ready the Lord s Sanctuary. Thank You! St. Mary Catholic School WAYS TO HELP ST. MARY SCHOOL **Remember to save Box Tops for Education **Proof of Purchase squares on the Community coffee bags You may drop them off at the church office or St. Mary School. **Register your Kroger card to St. Mary s Church but the school address of 2600 Bob Hall Rd. Thank you for your continued support and prayers for our Catholic School. The Ligh ng Enhancement Project at St. Mary Catholic School is progressing very well. Thanks to all the contributors who have funded this upgrade project. All the classrooms, hallways, offices and bathrooms are complete. We s ll need to convert the library and the gym. If you thought about contribu ng and just didn't get around to it, now is a good me. If you contributed earlier and can contribute again, please do so. All previous contribu ons have gone to procure materials. All labor is volunteer. **Dona ons may be given to Jerry Ehrman or Joe Murphy, or put in an envelope marked 'Ligh ng Enhancement' and put into the collec on basket.. Thank you in advance for your generosity. St. Mary School is now part of Amazon Smile. When using this St. Mary link on Amazon Smile, the school get a por on of the proceeds. Go to the link below.

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