To Help You Prepare For Next Sunday: Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24

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1 ANNUNCIATION PARISH School Education Commission Meeting Our Annunciation Parish School Education Commission will meet this Tuesday, December 13, at 7:00 p.m. in our Parish Conference Room. Eucharistic Holy Hour Please join us this Wednesday, December 14, at 7:00 p.m. in church for Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration, beginning with brief prayer and song. There will then be time for quiet, personal prayer, reading, meditation, contemplation, and adoration. We will conclude with Benediction at 8:00 p.m. All are welcome! Interested in Becoming Catholic If you have no church home, or are attending Annunciation but are not Catholic, have you ever thought about becoming Catholic or wondered how someone becomes Catholic? There is no commitment required for someone to begin the inquiry process - just an openness to ask questions and find out what is involved in the process for becoming Catholic. If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about the possibility of becoming Catholic, please contact Father Grogan or Dr. Sandi Chakeres at the Parish Office, Help Our Annunciation PTO The PTO will be hosting its annual Advent Market for Annunciation School children this Friday, December 16th. We would greatly appreciate gently used holiday décor, Christmas mugs or other small Christmas items that you would want to donate. Students purchase these Christmas items as holiday gifts for their family members. For more information or to make a donation, please contact Meredith Turner at meredithturner@zoomtown.com Thanks! Christmas Flower Fund You once again this year have an opportunity to make a donation to our Christmas Flower Fund in memory of a loved one. An envelope is included in your monthly packet of envelopes, and also are available at the doors of church. Please make sure and note in whose memory, or honor, flowers are being donated. Vocation View Lasting joy is a hallmark of a Christian. Think where you can bring joy this week. Find your strength in God s promise. (Isaiah 35:16, 10) CLIFTON, CINCINNATI, OHIO Your Prayers Are Requested Please remember to keep in your prayers those of our Parish Community who are unable to be with us at our Sunday Eucharist: Freddie Domineack, Bertie Domineack Harper, Patterson Harper, Joseph Chaky, Jim San Filippo, Mary Thomas, Margaret Talbert, Cheryl Walz, Vince Frasher, David Koenig, Raul Florez, Anna Heuck, Lucy Richardson, Henrietta Bernard, Pam Martini, Theresia Mesgetz, Molly Minihan, Tom Vonderahe, and Patricia & Harvey Sander. If you know of someone else who should be included in this list, please call the Rectory. Also, your prayers are requested for the safety, and safe return, of all the men and women serving our country in the armed forces. Annunciation School Faith Formation News Tuesday, December 13th, is the feast of Saint Lucy, our second grade patron saint. Dr. Chakeres will be conducting a Tour of Church for our fifth grade class this Tuesday morning, December 13. Our weekly celebration of Morning Prayer with students and faculty, preschool-8th grade, followed by Liturgical Catechesis, is Thursday, December 15th at 9:30 a.m. in church. All are welcome to join us for prayer! All students and faculty, preschool-8th grade, will join our parish community this Friday morning, December 16th, for our 8:15 a.m. Mass. For more information about Faith Formation at Annunciation School, please contact our Director of Faith Formation, Dr. Sandi Chakeres at Pray for Persecuted Christians! Remember to pray daily for Christians around the world who are being persecuted daily for our faith, and all those being persecuted for faith. Our Lady of Perpetual help, pray for us! Join Us For Easter 2017! The Sacred Paschal Triduum, the highpoint of our entire Church Year, will be celebrated sundown Thursday, April 13 to sundown Sunday, April 16. As a par ish community, it is important that we celebrate the Triduum together. Mark your calendars and plan your schedules now, so that all family members can join us for the great liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord! To Help You Prepare For Next Sunday: Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24

2 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 11, 2016 Aging religious need your help. Senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests have offered their lives in service to others educating the young, comforting the sick, seeking justice for the oppressed. Today, many are frail, elderly, and in need of assistance. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious helps to furnish medications, nursing care, and other necessities. Please give generously to today s second collection. Our Lady of Guadalupe Masses for the Week Monday, December 12th - Our Lady of Guadalupe 8:00 a.m. Dr. Robert S. Heidt, Sr.; Fritzi Heidt Tuesday, December 13th - Saint Lucy 8:00 a.m. Arthur Abrams; His Family Wednesday, December 14th - Saint John of the Cross 8:00 a.m. Celebrant s Intention Thursday, December 15th - Advent Weekday 8:00 a.m. Celebrant s Intention Friday, December 16th - Advent Weekday 8:15 a.m. Persecuted Christians Saturday, December 17th - Vigil, Fourth Sunday of Advent 5:00 p.m. Loretta C. Geisler; The Burns Family Sunday, December 18th - Fourth Sunday of Advent 9:00 a.m. Pro Populo, For the People of the Parish 11:00 a.m. Maria Regula; Zofia Brautigam When Mass Intentions are listed, the first name given is the person being remembered by the priest celebrant at that Mass; the second name is the person requesting the intention. Mass Intentions are always welcomed. Please call the Rectory. In the Church in the United States of America, on December 12 we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On this feast day we are celebrating the appearances, or apparitions, of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Juan Diego in Mexico on December 9-12, Pope Pius XII declared Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as the Patroness of the Americas. On March 25, 1999, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments raised this feast day to the rank of feast for all the countries of the Americas. In Spanish de Guadalupe means she will crush the serpent of stone. The Aztec word for this is Tecoatlaxope. When the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, she was dressed as an Aztec princess, and had sash around her waist, which indicated she was pregnant. If you recall from the story of Saint Juan Diego, Mary gave Juan a message to deliver to the bishop to build a chapel at the site of her appearance. The bishop did not believe Juan at first, and eventually demanded proof. This proof came in the form of roses growing in the dead of winter, as well as the image of Mary, exactly as she had appeared to Juan Diego, on Juan Diego s tilma, or cloak. The bishop did build a chapel on the site, as Mary requested. Today you can visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico and see Juan Diego s tilma, with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on display. Next Week s Ministers Saturday, December 17th - 5:00 p.m. Servers: Felicia Domineack; Jennifer Ridle; TBD Lectors: Paul Hendrick & Leslie Clark Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Melissa Booth & Gus Giglio Gift Bearers: Greg & Evelyn Schott Sunday, December 18th - 9:00 a.m. Servers: Brady Horgan, Herwens Horgan, Ruby Horgan Lectors: Mindy Horgan & Tony Ertel Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Beth Brichler & Andy Olding Gift Bearers The Horgan Family Sunday, December 18th - 11:00 a.m. Servers: Ian Wilson, Miguel Patag, Pablo Patag Lectors: David Stewart & James Englert Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Claire Dell, Dan Dell, Sean Minihan Gift Bearers: The Macha Family Financial Stewardship Sunday, December 4th (56 Envelopes)...4, Sunday, December 4th (Electronic Giving)... 1, Sunday, December 4th Total Weekly Offering , CCHD Christmas Flowers St. Vincent de Paul...1, Military Archdiocese Please remember Annunciation Parish in your will!

3 ANNUNCIATION PARISH CLIFTON, CINCINNATI, OHIO Annunciation Catholic School Living Wax Museum On Thursday, December 1st, our junior high students (grades 6-8) presented a Living Wax Museum. Amelia Earhart, Sacajawea, Cleopatra, Jackie Robinson, Barack Obama, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman and many more notable persons were represented. See all the photos at our Annunciation Facebook Page!.

4 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 11, 2016 Saint Lucy - Santa Lucia! Early in the morning on December 13th, especially in Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, it is common for the oldest daughter in the family to wear a white gown and red sash, with a wreath of candles on her head, and serve coffee and Lussekatter saffron buns) to the household. It s the Feast Day of Santa Lucia, or Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy lived in Syracuse on the island of Sicily, which is off the southern coast of Italy. Around the year 304, she was martyred (put to death for witnessing to her faith) at a very young age during a time when the Emperor Diocletian was persecuting Christians. Still today, we hear Saint Lucy s name mentioned in Eucharistic Prayer I. But few details are known of her actual life. One legend says that during the persecution, Lucy s eyes were plucked out. That is why you will sometimes see statues or holy cards with Saint Lucy holding out a platter with eyeballs on it! Saint Lucy is the Patron Saint of those who are blind or suffer from eye diseases, as well as the island of Sicily. You could have your own Lucia celebration on December 13th in your home, school or parish. The oldest daughter in the family, or someone else chosen from the school or parish, could portray Saint Lucy. Other young girls could be her maidens, dressed in white gowns with wreaths of tinsel in their hair. The boys also dress in white gowns, but wear pointy hats with stars on them. They are called Starboys. Why is everyone wearing white? Because that is the color of our baptismal garment! The red sash around Lucy s waist symbolizes that she died the death of a martyr. It is simple to find traditional recipes for Lussekatter, or you could even have Swedish pancakes. But however you celebrate, don t forget that it is Saint Lucy we are celebrating, and make sure that all year long you let the light of Jesus shine through you, just as the candlelight shines on Lucy s wreath! Text 2006 by Sandra A. Chakeres. All rights reserved. Help Decorate Church for Christmas! Mark your calendars and plan to join us here in church on Friday, December 23 at 10:00 a.m. to help decorate church for the Christmas Season! This should take about an hour, and will be followed by a light lunch for all helpers! Families are very welcome to work together. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel! We are all familiar with the Advent hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. The text of this hymn was written in the 9th century, and has been translated from the original Latin. Traditionally, the Church sings the O Antiphons at Evening Prayer from December 17th through December 23rd. There is one antiphon for each evening. The antiphons are taken from titles of Christ. December 17th: O Wisdom December 18th: O Adonai December 19th: O Flower of Jesse December 20th: O Key of David December 21st: O Dawn December 22nd: O King December 23rd: O Emmanuel Catholic Charities of Southwest Ohio Coats Needed. Catholic Charities is in need of winter coats for newly arriving refugees. Many refugees come from Africa and are not prepared for our winter weather. We need children s coats sizes 2-12 as well as coats for adults. We will accept gently used as well as new coats. Contact Katie Hannah at or khannah@ccswoh.org to arrange a drop off.

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6 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 11, 2016