Sts. Gregory & Barnabas Parish

Transcription

1 Welcome to Sts. Gregory & Barnabas Parish United In Christ Pastor Rev. Robert L. Ruston Daily Mass: (See inside for locations) 8:00AM Monday Tuesday Wednesday Friday 6:30PM Thursday Weekend Liturgy: All weekday Masses will be held in Daisytown from Dec. 10th 14th for the cleaning of the church in Bon Air. 2 S A D 9, 2018 MISSION STATEMENT As Catholic Christians, we will live to serve God and each other. And do His will as one family united in Faith. We will teach, serve, and be an example to the youth of the parish that they will come to a full understanding of Christ and His plan for their lives. We will nurture the gifts and talents of all parish members and use them wisely for the glory of God. We will compassionately implement the Spiritual and Corporal works of Mercy for those in our Parish, Diocese and throughout the world. Through the celebration of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we affirm our Communion with Christ and each other. All are welcome. Saturday: 4:00PM (Daisytown) Sunday: 8:00AM (Bon Air) 11:00AM (Daisytown) MASS SCHEDULE FOR CHRISTMAS Christmas Eve 6:00PM Daisytown 10:00PM Bon Air Christmas Day 10:00AM Daisytown "Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salva on of God." Lk 3: Boltz Street 408 Luzon Avenue Johnstown, PA Phone: stsgregbar@dioceseaj.org Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00AM - 2:00PM Visit us on the WEB! Join us on Facebook! groups/ssgregorybarnabas/ Reconciliation: Saturday: Noon 12:30PM (Daisytown) Saturday: 3:15 3:45PM (Daisytown) Sacrament of Baptism: Parents are to be examples to their children by being registered, active members of the Parish. Please call the rectory office to make arrangements. Sacrament of Marriage: Couples planning to marry are to make arrangements at least nine months prior to their wedding date. Diocesan Guidelines regarding Marriage Preparation must be followed. The Catholic party/parties is/are to be registered, active members in the parish. Anointing of the Sick: Please call the church office if you have a family member or friend in the hospital who would like to receive the Sacraments. The homebound and parishioners in nursing homes should also receive the Sacrament of the Sick and Holy Communion. Parish Membership: New members are always welcome! If you are moving into, within, or out of the Parish, please call the Rectory Office and let us know. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA): All who would like more information about membership in the Roman Catholic Church are invited to call the Church Office.

2 Welcome to Sts. Gregory & Barnabas Parish December 9, 2018 WEEKLY SCHEDULE MASS SCHEDULE (Mass Stipend $10) Sunday, December 9th 2nd Sunday of Advent K-11, Confession 11th Grade Soup & Salad Luncheon at Noon! Wednesday, Fr. Bob Day Off. Next Sunday, December 16th 2rd Sunday of Advent K-11, Conf. Session 11th Grade RELIGIOUS ED SCHEDULE CLASS 9:30AM - 10:45AM 12/9 K-11, Confession 11th Grade 12/16 K-11, Conf. Session 11th Grade with Sponsors 12/23 Christmas Vacation 11th Grade will attend 8AM Mass, then decorate Bon Air; 10th Grade will attend 11AM Mass, then decorate Daisytown 12/30 New Years Day Family Day No CCD /5 10th Grade Double Retreat 8AM- 4PM includes Sponsor 1/6 K-9, 11th Grade class in BA, then undecorating; 10th Grade class then undecorating Daisytown 1/13 K-11 1/20 K-11 1/27 K-11; ALL classes attend 11AM Mass CHOIR PRACTICE Prac ce is every Wednesday in Bon Air at 6:30PM. Please check with Marlene for 12/12 prac ce. Please contact: Marlene Kotch M (SG) 8:00AM T (SG) 8:00AM W (SG) 8:00AM T (SG) 6:30PM F (SG) 8:00AM S (SG) 4:00PM S (SB) 8 :00AM (SG)11:00AM Family members are asked to present Offertory Gifts at weekend masses being offered for their loved ones. Philip Brunetto by Dorothy & Robert Ullery Betty Stuart by Milissa Ronayne Patricia Hiner by Kay Kormanik Becky Stiffler by Tim & Tammy Goller Deceased of Charles Schellhammer Family by Ed Schellhammer Fr. Daniel O Neill by Ray & Debbie Washington Irene Goller Anniv. By Sister Ruth For the People Liturgical Reflection Advent is a time of hopeful anticipation as we prepare to celebrate the remembrance of the Lord's first coming and, also, recalling his final coming in glory at the end of time. There are many preparations for Christmas that demand our time and attention. Make sure to fill your Advent days with prayerful preparation. Read scripture, pray the rosary with special attention to the Joyful Mysteries, spend time before the Blessed Sacrament. Advent is a time of hope and joy. Liturgy Office Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Soup and Sandwich Luncheon to bring back Donut Sunday! The 9th grade CCD class will be hosting a free Soup and Sandwich Luncheon at 12:00 on December 9th as their fall service project. Soup, sandwiches, desserts, and drinks will be served. All donations collected will be used to bring back Donut Sunday s beginning the first Sunday in January, and lasting until the end of this school year. On Donut Sunday s, donuts and coffee will be served in Bon Air following 8:00 AM mass in hopes of strengthening our community of faith. Please join us and support our students in their efforts! Dona ons were made in memory of R Z By: Hyewon & Jason Miller We have anonymous dona ons received on two separate occasions. The total received is $ We thank you for your generosity. IN STITCHES Next Meeting: December 11th ( no In Stitches 12/25) Join us the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month from 6:30 to 8PM in the Rectory Basement. In your Prayers please remember George Hamula Husband to Veronica; father to Steven (Tracie) and Denice; Grandfather to Nicholas; who died recently. May he rest in peace. May God bless and console his family. Family Ritual In your Prayers please remember Hope Furfari Wife to Gaetano (Tom), Mother to Deanna (Douglas), Tracy (Jarrod), and Tommy; Grandmother to Kara, Gage & Austin; who died recently. May she rest in peace. May God bless and console her family. A Christmas Pledge We believe in the true spirit of Christmas so our commitment is to: Remember those who truly need our gi s. Express our love in more direct ways than gi s. Examine our holiday ac vi es so they reflect our deepest values. Be a peacemaker within our circle of family and friends. Recognize our need for more spiritual growth.

3 FROM THE DESK OF FATHER BOB Every year we hear ourselves or others saying how busy and hectic the preparation is for Christmas, almost as if we had no idea it was coming. Perhaps the image of a pregnant mother is an appropriate one. Ready or not, the baby is coming! Those weeks or days immediately prior to the birth are spent nesting, making the last-minute preparations for the new life, for once here, her life is forever changed. Perhaps that image is also a beautiful one for this Advent season as we prepare to give birth to the presence of Jesus in our time and place. An important part of our baptismal call is to become prophets of the God who has come and is already in our midst. We are now the prophets of God who have been called to create highways that will transform the wastelands of our hearts to bring forth a harvest of justice, forgiveness, charity and peace in our time and place in human history. These days of Advent are a microcosm of our lives: we work to become, we struggle to change, we adjust to the new. It is in our own baptisms that we too have been called to take up the work of John the Baptist in 2019 which is the mission to straighten the crooked roads of our own lives, to transform the barren deserts of our hearts and lives into places of welcome and reconciliation, to gather up the lost and forsaken, to proclaim the coming of God s Christ every day by both word and deed. Our Gospels are not mere history books about events in the past. They are the living Word that has but one message, that God is wildly in love with us. As we proclaim the gospels, they cannot be entirely analyzed and explained simply by rational thought, because, like any human relationship with a person we love, the gospels embody the irrational, beyond-what-we-can-imagine kind of love God has for each of us through the person of Jesus. When those gospels are proclaimed, listen to them with the ears of your hearts. With that thought in mind, we too might enter the desert-places of our world and in the hearts of so many, the glad tidings that God is crazy in love with each of us. Now that is a gift worth opening every day of our lives. Angel Trees are out! We appreciate your generosity in helping these families. Please remember we are asking that gi s be returned as soon as possible so that we may account for all the tags. Also, be sure to tape the tag from the tree on the gi (the colored tags help us to know what family each child belongs to). Feel free to drop them off at the office any me Mon Fri between 9AM 2PM. The last day to drop off gi s will be December 17th. We are to deliver the gi s to Vic m Services first thing Tuesday morning on December 18th so they can take them to the families that day. We appreciate your help in ge ng them back to us as early as possible. Thank you! Everyday Stewardship I remember growing up in Catholic school and having to make construction paper Advent wreaths every single year! The little yellow flames would be cut out and held until each new candle was lit. Great idea, except for the fact that the chance you could find the flames greatly diminished as each week passed. I will bet over 50% of the wreaths never received a 4th flame! Of course by then, most kids in elementary school had moved on to Christmas. Christmas was not a day. It was an entire experience of vacation from school. You may or may not have an Advent wreath in your home or office, but those flames are rather insignificant to the flame that should be burning in our hearts during this season. How are you finding ways to light your fire? How are you preparing the way for Christ to come into your life and the lives of those around you in a more profound way? The ritual of an Advent wreath is a good idea for anyone. But don't think that your preparations are done simply because you have one. You are called to be a flame to others during this season, reminding them of why we celebrate this time at all. Each person is a candle to be lit, and you have the gifts, given to you by God, to light them. At Christmas, you want God to look at you and see all the light generated by those He lit through you. Now is the time. Don't wait until Advent is almost over. You might not be able to find your own flames if you wait too long. - Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS HOSPITALIZED PLEASE, if you have a loved one admitted to the hospital or nursing home contact the office. The hospital may take your church information, but we are not always notified. Fr. Bob likes to get to the hospital in a timely manner, but cannot if he doesn t know. Thanks for your help. PRAYER CHAIN Do you know someone who needs prayers? Please contact Debbie Washington at or dlwashi@hotmail.com to place a name on the parish Prayer Chain! Boxes for requests are also located in the vestibules of our worship sites. PRAYERFUL REMEMBRANCE FOR ALL SERVING IN THE MILITARY Ryan Wood, Army; CDR. Nathan S. Brezovic, US Navy; Fr. Frantisek Halka, Army; Major David Dietz, Army; Petty Officer Tony Pinkas, Navy; Second Infantry Brigade & Det 1, Company C, 2nd 104th; Navy Corpsman Marina J. Sumrada, Annapolis (MD) Naval Academy Hospital Please contact the parish office ( ) if we need to add or remove any of our military personnel from this list. Thank you. Christmas Flower Offering Your envelope is included in your offertory mailings. Deadline to return these offerings for publication is December 16th. Again, we remind you to PRINT legibly so that your memorials may be published correctly. Thank you! Oplatki Wafers will be available this weekend in the sacristy for those who celebrate this ancient custom. Breaking and sharing the wafer on the eve of Christmas is symbolic of our best wishes extended to family and friends, accompanied by expressions of forgiveness. Thus we share harmony and joy in the birth of Christ as we pray for peace and happiness in our hearts and homes. Packs of three wafers, along with explanation of tradition, can be purchased for $1.00.

4 Families and the Gospel December 9 Lk 3:1-6 Today s gospel shows John the Baptist and parents have similar vocations. Like the Baptist, parents are asked to make rough ways smooth and to prepare the way of the Lord for their families. This Advent ask: Does my life hinder or help my family to know Jesus? Communal Penance Services: During the season of Advent, Catholics are encouraged to seek God s healing and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The following is a schedule of upcoming Communal Penance Services at various parishes throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Please consult individual parishes for other Reconciliation opportunities leading up to Christmas. DECEMBER 9 1:30 p.m. Saint John Gualbert Cathedral, Johnstown 4:00 p.m. Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish, Bedford DECEMBER 10 7:00 p.m. Holy Family Parish, Portage 7:00 p.m. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Altoona DECEMBER 12 6:30 p.m. Transfiguration Parish, Conemaugh 7:00 p.m. All Saints Parish, Boswell DECEMBER 13 5:30 p.m. Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Altoona 6:00 p.m. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Windber 7:00 p.m. Saint Patrick Parish, Johnstown DECEMBER 15 10:00 a.m. Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, Altoona DECEMBER 16 2:00 p.m. Holy Name Parish, Ebensburg 4:00 p.m. Saint Mary Parish, Hollidaysburg 5:00 p.m. Saint Benedict Parish, Johnstown DECEMBER 17 6:00 p.m. Our Mother of Sorrows Parish, Johnstown 6:30 p.m. Resurrection Parish, Johnstown 7:00 p.m. Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Altoona DECEMBER 18 6:30 p.m. Saint Mary Parish, Nanty Glo DECEMBER 19 6:30 p.m. Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona DECEMBER 20 5:30 p.m. Sacred Heart Parish, Altoona 5:30 p.m. Church of Visitation of the Blessed Mary, Johnstown 7:00 p.m. Saint Benedict Parish, Carrolltown December 23 2:00 p.m. Saint Andrew Parish, Johnstown Christmas Move Night is planned for Saturday December 22nd star ng at 6:00 PM at the Church Hall in Daisytown. First move will be "The Star". S ll deciding on the second movie, so feel free to give some sugges ons! What we do need know is a count of who is coming. Please let Dan or Kristen know if you plan to a end. There will be pizza, cookies, hot chocolate... Snow Days!!! DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, Ss. Gregory & Barnabas Parish will follow the Conemaugh Valley School District s schedule as we have for the last few years. If the school district is on a delay OR cancelled due to weather and Mass was scheduled in Bon Air on that day, the Mass is moved to Daisytown. The Parish Office open late if school is cancelled. All mee ngs/ac vi es will be cancelled if school was cancelled. Thank you for your understanding in this ma er. FINANCIAL NEWS Fiscal Year July 1, June 30, 2019 Offertory Totals for the week of December 2, 2018 Weekly Offering $2,853 Misc. Income $1,224 Votive Candles $58 Building Fund $231 All Saints $20 Thanksgiving $25 Christmas Flowers $516 Christmas $169 Total $5,096 Weekly Needs $5,000 12/2 $5,096 (Over/under) $96 TV M $13 I C $48 R R $2 S M $33 P $150 CMD 2019: $169 LAY MINISTRY SCHEDULE Liturgy Dec 8/9 Dec 15/16 Dec22/23 4PM Lector: Sorchilla D EM: B P. Harteis P. Harteis P. Harteis (B: Bread) C L. Menett Sorchilla (C: Cup) C J. Pribish Servers: Sorchilla 8AM Lector: Moot Rozum MB D.-Rykala BA EM: B Moot Rozum MB D.-Rykala C Moot C Servers: Rozums 11AM Lector: S. Rosenbaum J. Allison D EM: B R. Rosenbaum C S. Rosenbaum M. Krawczyk C J. Pribish Servers: How to Keep Greed at Bay Hoping to keep your kids from unmitigated greed this holiday season? You ve got to get to them before Madison Avenue does. Since December marks the most profitable month for most retail stores, ads targeting children peak during this time as well. While parents want to give their children a magical Christmas morning, nothing spoils the warm feeling of parental generosity like a case of the gimmes. Each December you ll need to work harder than usual to insulate children from the pull of materialism: Think in terms of protection. Children do not realize they re being manipulated by commercials. Make a conscious point to limit TV. Choose meaningful DVD s for kids to watch during their normal TV time. While grandparents, aunts and uncles may call with requests for present ideas for the kids, encourage children to think about what they can make for their relatives. Provide them with the craft kits or materials to make simple gifts. Do your shopping without the kids. The axiom of Out of sight, out of mind applies to the clothes, toys, and electronics that children and teens see in stores. Make a service project part of your Advent. Reprinted with permission from: At Home With Our Faith, Claretian Publications 205 West Monroe St. Chicago, IL 60606

5

6