Holy Trinity Catholic Church. December 23, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Advent

Transcription

1 Holy Trinity Catholic Church A Stewardship Parish December 23, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Advent Pastor: Fr. Michel Dalton, OFM Capuchin Deacons: Steve Kula and Fernando Ona Masses: Saturday: 5 pm; Sunday: 7, 9 & 11 am; Weekdays: 5 pm Reconciliation (Confession): Saturday: 3:45-4:15 or by appointment Our vision: To be a welcoming parish committed to serving others. Our mission: To make Christ known to the world through Word, Sacrament, Prayer and Service

2 HOLY TRINITY CHURCH CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER Mass 7, 9, 11 No Religious Education Classes 3:45 Youth Choir Gathers 4:30 Caroling in church 7:45 Adult Choir Gathers 9:00 & 11:00 am Masses Merry Christmas Happy Holidays 5:00 Mass 7:00 pm Charismatic Prayer Group 7:30 pm Healing Mass 5:00 pm Eucharistic Service No Mass 3:45 Reconciliation 8:15 Caroling in Church 9:00 pm Vigil Service Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Mass 7, 9, 11 No Religious Education Classes 9:00 am Mass NO CHOIR PRACTICE 5:00 pm Eucharistic Service No Mass 3:45 Reconciliation SCRIPTURE READINGS Readings for Sunday December 23, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Advent 1st Reading Mi 5:1-4a 2nd Reading Heb 10:5 10 Gospel Lk 1:39-45 Readings for Sunday December 30, 2018 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph 1st Reading Sam 1: nd Reading John 3:1-2 Gospel Lk 2:41-52 Holy Trinity Church Contact Information QR Code Online Giving 5919 Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu, Hawaii holytrinity@rcchawaii.org Website: holytrinitychurchhi.org Telephone (808) Emergency Telephone: (808) Please jweaver@rcchawaii.org if you have questions on the Bulletin.

3 Connecting with Christmas. No other occasion of worship seems more joyful than Christmas. We gather in our church amidst carols being sung, festive prayers being read, and powerful and uplifting scriptures being proclaimed. Family, friends, visitors, and fellow parishioners all joy in the excitement of the feast. But the true excitement must first be in our hearts. The rush of the commercial world ceases, and our time of Advent preparation is over. Now is the time to celebrate, now is the time to call out our praise and thanksgiving for, unto us a child is born, Christ the Lord. Our Christmas masses remind us also that Mary gave birth amid an oppressive empire, away from her own home, surrounded by animals in a barn, with only a straw bed for her newborn. The Word became flesh in the context of a quite ordinary world. God invades His creation and allows His Son to be born in our ordinary world. There were many signs and wonders to announce His arrival and all of them point us to pay attention to what God has done for us in our world. One of the Christmas signs are the angels who announced Gods plan in exciting words: See! Good News! Great Joy! A Savior! Glory! Peace! It s interesting that both Zechariah and Mary had only one angel visit them, but the shepherds got a sky full of singing cherubs. Maybe, like them, we need more reminders to look around and see the wonders that He places in our world and lives. A former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, once wrote that God is God by being God for us, we are human by being human for God. Therefore, one of the things we humans can do is celebrate, proclaim, and enjoy the gift of Gods Son in our lives. Everyone should enjoy recalling the birth of Christ with festivity. To know the Savior who is to come, we must first know the Savior who has already come. Our Christmas scriptures point out a responsiveness to the Christ child. Angels proclaim to the unlikely shepherds. Shepherds seek out this child and witness and glorify. Mary treasures and ponders. Our part in this glorious Christmas celebration is to be all those things together. Let this Christmas, our Christmas be carried on beyond Dec. 25 th. Incarnation means that all time and every place are filled with Divine presence. God is not back then or up there, but God is Emmanuel, always with us. Merry Christmas Religious Education Classes resume on January 6, Sacramental Preparation Classes (Eucharist and Confirmation) start on January 13, 2019.

4 Caroling precedes all Christmas Eve Masses December 24th at 4:30 pm December 24th at 8:15 pm Please join us in singing for joy to the Lord! Advent Masses December 22nd Mass at 5:00 pm December 23rd Mass at 7:00 am, 9:00 am and 11:00 am The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) December 24th Mass at 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm Vigil Service December 25th Mass at 9:00 & 11:00 am Happy Holidays We wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a Safe, Healthy and Happy New Year God s Blessings on You All Father Mike, Mary Vrabel, Jenifer Weaver Julianne Ito, Tom Fake, Russ Pinho Our Receptionists Charlotte, Aileen, Margaret, Ayres, Lillian

5 Stewardship Corner Lesson 130 Stewardship at Holy Trinity Catholic Church The Innkeeper...she laid Him in a manger because there was no room in the inn. (Luke 2:7) We ve all taken a vacation; booked a hotel and expect it to be available upon arrival. Then there is the high season; rooms at a premium, or sometimes just not available. An upgrade might be had for an additional charge; being booked at alternate location might suffice. When Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, it was the high season, the census was taking place and many travelers were looking for lodging. Even if Joseph had additional monies, it s doubtful there would be any vacancies. Consider the innkeeper. Faced with a young mother ready to deliver her baby; would he even be willing to accommodate them? Consider the innkeeper. In today s world; he would be concerned with liability. Consider the innkeeper. He found an accommodation, as humble as it was. Now, consider if we were the innkeeper. Would we accept the Holy Family into our home? Would we reshuffle our family s living arrangements to provide room? Let s open our hearts and our church this Christmas, our high season. Let s welcome everyone, especially returning Catholics this Christmas, offer a seat, a greeting, a smile or even a parking space. Let s allow this spirit of Christmas to guide our stewardship; for we are the innkeepers. Let s look for Jesus in all who enter our inn, Holy Trinity Church and be welcoming innkeepers this Christmas and throughout the year. Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and many blessings in the coming year from your Stewardship Committee. You Can t Out Do God s Generosity Summary of Weekly Offerings December 15 and 16, 2018 Offerings $9, MMR* $ Candles $ Thrift Shop $1, Immaculate Conception $85.00 Religious Retirement $ Christmas $ TOTAL $12, * Major Maintenance and Repair Saint John of Kanty (December 23) June 24, 1390 December 24, 1473 John was a country lad who made good in the big city and the big university of Kraków, Poland. After brilliant studies he was ordained a priest and became a professor of theology. The inevitable opposition which saints encounter led to his being ousted by rivals and sent to be a parish priest at Olkusz. An extremely humble man, he did his best, but his best was not to the liking of his parishioners. Besides, he was afraid of the responsibilities of his position. But in the end he won his people s hearts. After some time he returned to Kraków and taught Scripture for the remainder of his life. John was a serious man, and humble, but known to all the poor of Kraków for his kindness. His goods and his money were always at their disposal, and time and again they took advantage of him. He kept only the money and clothes absolutely needed to support himself. He slept little, ate sparingly, and took no meat. He made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, hoping to be martyred by the Turks. Later John made four subsequent pilgrimages to Rome, carrying his luggage on his back. When he was warned to look after his health, he was quick to point out that, for all their austerity, the fathers of the desert lived remarkably long lives.

6 On behalf of the PWH Scholars, I offer you my heart-felt gratitude for your generous gifts that you have shared with our kids and their families. During the holidays, it s hard to imagine a child going without, but they do. Having two locations to distribute your generous gifts this next weekend to our families make the Christmas spirit a reality for our scholars. You not only have touched the students, but the parents and even the little siblings. Thank you very much! Here are a few photos from our Christmas party last Sunday where they got to make a Christmas craft & get official family portraits done.. God is Good- All the time! Mahalo! Sue Ferandin, Executive Director Augustine Educational Foundation P W H SCHOLARS Perseverence Wisdom Hope

7 PLEASE PRAY FOR HEALTH, COMFORT AND HEALING John Baricuatro Jr. Vincent Bradley Morris Campos Ralph Caracciolo Katherine Caracciolo Alexander Chun Richard Hoke Susan McDonough Mary Louise Sandla Iwalani Kamahele-Stone Gail Wong Don Young Please advise the Parish Office when it is no longer necessary or appropriate to keep names on the list, so we may use the space for future entries PLEASE PRAY FOR ETERNAL REST Constantino Agamao Cipriano Baldovi Christopher Delgado Marylou Driscoll Norman Kang Please advise the Parish Office when it is no longer necessary or appropriate to keep names on the list, so we may use the space for future entries.