St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish

Transcription

1 St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish December 23, 2018 MISSION STATEMENT We Worship ~ We Teach ~ We Care 5112 Pocono Crest Road PO Box O Pocono Pines, PA Mass Schedule: Saturday 4:00 pm Sunday 8:00 am & 10:30 am Saturday Confessions 3:00 pm

2 December 23, th Sunday of Advent St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish Staff Reverend Sean G. Carpenter ~ Pastor Deacon Frank Gisoldi Deacon Tom Amoroso Melissa Laverty Pastoral Associate ~ St.MaxMelissa@outlook.com Coordinator of Religious Education Marion Colvin Office Manager ~ mcol@ptd.net John Marcinkowski, Jr. Coordinator of Music ~ jjm1105@ptd.net GOSPEL MEDITATION DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF SCRIPTURE Here we are, mere days from Christmas, and we hear a Gospel anticipating the birth of another child. Mary has received word that her cousin Elizabeth is with child. Pregnant as she is, Mary "set out and traveled to the hill country in haste." She has recently received the greatest news of her life - that she is to be mother to the Messiah by the power of the Holy Spirit - but her concern is for her cousin in need. Through God's grace, Elizabeth turns it into an opportunity to honor the coming Christ. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." Yet Mary's example of selflessness should inspire us. As Christmas draws near, there is plenty of goodness to anticipate for many of us. We'll reunite with family and friends, uphold time-honored traditions, swap stories old and new, exchange gifts, and welcome Jesus at the Christmas liturgy. These are wonderful things! Of course, they probably all come with their own to-do list. Shop for last-minute gifts, pick up recipe ingredients, ready the guest room, or pack your own bags. Mary probably had things to do as well. She had a lot to consider, for one thing. How do you plan to tell your parents you're pregnant, but no man was involved? When Joseph finds out, who will care for the practical needs of you and your child? Into what may have been a chaos of questions, Mary receives news that someone is in need. She goes immediately. In these final days before Christmas, stay watchful and awake! You never know when God might invite you to welcome, hospitality, and compassion. It might be tempting to reject the opportunity for your own needs. Follow the example of Mary! If God is providing you an opportunity to love, He will provide the means to accomplish all your other tasks. This Christmas season, may you too hear, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." Visit us on the

3 December 22nd through December 30th Saturday 4:00 pm Susan Wanko by George Wanko Sunday 8:00 am For The Parishioners Monday 10:30 Monday am - Christmas Anne Marie Eve: Alcamo 5:00 pm - Family by Liturgy Nat Alcamo Patrick Grace by K of C # :00 pm - Mass During the Night Christmas Mass Intentions Tuesday - Christmas Day: 10:30 am - The Nativity of the Lord Christmas Mass Intentions Tuesday 9:15 am Christmas Mass Intentions Wednesday 9:15 am Christmas Mass Intentions Thursday 9:15 am Christmas Mass Intentions Friday 9:15 am Communion Service Saturday 4:00 pm Christmas Mass Intentions Sunday 8:00 am For The Parishioners 10:30 am Christmas Mass Intentions 9:15 am mass will still be celebrated when we have a funeral mass that day. The office will be closed for the Christmas Season from Tuesday, December 24th and will re-open January 2nd. We wish you all a Joyful Christmas filled with Blessings. Saturday: 1 Sm 1:24-28; Lk 1:46-56 Sunday: Mi 5:1-4a; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45 Monday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Lk 1:67-79 Tuesday Vigil: Is 62:1-5; Acts 13:16-17,22-25; Mt 1:1-25 Mass at Night: Is 9:1-6; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14 Christmas Day: Is 52:7-10; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 Wednesday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Mt 10:17-22 Thursday: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Friday: 1 Jn 1:5-2:2; Mt 2:13-18 Saturday: 1 Jn 2:3-11; Lk 2:22-35 Next Sunday: 1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28; 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24; Lk 2:41-52 Confessions -Saturday 3 pm First Friday Adoration held after 9:15 am Communion Service each month. Weekly Collection 12/9/18... $ 5,291. Immaculate Conception -Holy Day. 1,097. Diocese Collection Retirement for Religious Thank You for Your Generosity.

4 Faith Formation FAITH FORMATION NEWS Sunday, December 23 No Class Sunday, December 30 No Class Sunday, January 20 No Class Saturday, March 30: First Communion Retreat, 10 a.m. Sunday, April 28: Celebration of the Sacrament of First Communion, 10:30 a.m. Mass Sunday, June 9: Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation at 10:30 a.m. Mass LITTLE ROCK SCRIPTURE STUDY will be taking a hiatus through the winter months but resumes Tuesday, March 5, Using both videos and written materials, this program is designed to help bring Catholics to a greater understanding of the Bible and an awareness of God s living presence in the Scriptures, as well as an appreciation of how the Bible can be applied to daily life. For more information, call or stop by the parish office. JEFF CAVINS BIBLE STUDY CONTINUES Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. and now Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. For those who have not yet had the opportunity to participate, new sessions will be introduced. For more information, contact June Schott at GOD BLESS OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION STUDENTS CELEBRATING THE SACRAMENT OF FIRST PENANCE THIS WEEKEND Prayers are requested for our second grade students celebrating the Sacrament of First Penance on Saturday, December 22, at 12 p.m.: Chloe Cosentino Damarion Daguio Gianna Masotti Rory Murphy Christopher Pimpinell Ajay Reese Teacher: Mrs. Ann Negvesky RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CANCELLATION PROCEDURES Parents, in the event of inclement weather, you will receive an from Melissa, Coordinator of Religious Education, if classes are cancelled. If you do not receive regular s from the parish, kindly contact the parish office to ensure we have your most recent address. You may also call the parish office on Sunday morning to check if classes are cancelled for the day. CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS Adults who would like to become members of the Catholic Church are welcomed into a process of inquiry and formation. It is open to those who have never been baptized, those baptized in another Christian Church and those baptized as infants in the Catholic Church but who have not received further catechetical formation nor, consequently, the Sacraments of Confirmation and/or Eucharist. For information please call the parish office. Parish Life THANK YOU TO OUR PARISHIONERS Thank you to our parishioners who selected from our Giving Tree the names of children served by the Top Of the Mountain Ecumenical Food Pantry at Five Loaf House and purchased gifts of clothing for those children. The food pantry reports that thanks to the generosity of the churches on the Pocono Plateau, 270 children received gifts. Thank you also to the Knights of Columbus for hosting the Annual Parish Christmas party and supplying the delicious food, toys and more for the event. The parish is also grateful to Jo-Ann and Maurice Berger for their generous gift donations and the Jubilee Restaurant in Pocono Pines for its donation of food.

5 Parish Life Jesus Christ ~ the light that knows no power failure. (Paul L. Powers) I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me...will have the light of life. ~ John 8:12 Footprints by Margaret Fishback Powers Jay Crandall ~ Daniella Maldanado Betty Colburn ~ Bill Gleason Darrin Rockefeller ~ Kyle Brennan Sr. Marietta ~ Lou Larson ~ Robyn Mappa Joseph McKenna ~ Louis Siroco Bob Ruezinsky ~ Fr. Urban Margaret Broderick ~ Cecilia McIlvenny Frank Ware ~ Richard Snell - Kim Maria Giganti Michael F. Romano ~ Vivian Kanopp Violet Sloat ~ Marin Stober ~ Kathleen Hanratty Jennifer Royall ~ David Mancuso ~ Paul Fulton Deacon Frank ~ Antoinette Gisoldi ~ John Schriever Lisa Champney ~ Rosa Santos ~ Leslie Fox Crystal Martinez ~ Penny Staph ~ Carolyn Donahue Sharon Jones ~ Terry & Jeanie Howe Gunner Gonzalez ~ Grace Bush Irene Halupa ~ Alice & Eileen O Neill Jim McLaine ~ Samson Colborn ~ Darlene Delaney Joan Harrigan ~ Jamie Nderitu ~ Maurice Berger Tom Schoettle ~ Sal Rullis Msgr. Fitzpatrick ~ Fr. Ed Kearns ~ Sandra Carroll Parish Life "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." - John 1:14 THE COOKBOOKS ARE IN! As part of our 2019 Year of Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, a second printing of our original cookbook is now available. If you have enjoyed some of the delicious dishes served at our Parish Family events, you no doubt have often heard, It s in the cookbook! The original fundraiser, designed to help purchase our statue of St. Maximilian Kolbe, was a labor of love that sold 796 cookbooks featuring 450 favorite recipes of members and friends of our St. Max Family. Did you miss the opportunity to get your copy? Is your copy so well-used that you need a new one? Would you like to give friends and family a gift that is truly in good taste? Only 300 copies have been printed. Buy your copy soon; like good cooking, they will disappear quickly! Pick up your copy in the Parish Office during business hours in the narthex after Masses, or use the form at the bottom of the page and return it with your payment to St. Max s Parish Office in person or mail to: St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, P.O. Box O, Pocono Pines PA 18350, or drop it in the collection basket. Please make your check payable to St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, and write COOKBOOK in the memo. Questions? Call Mary at or Lynnette at Name Phone # Mailing Address Number of Copies Ordered: Total Enclosed ($10/copy) Do you need your cookbook(s) mailed to you? Please add $4 per copy and indicate on the lines below how many to send and where we should send your order. Number of copies to be sent Postage Included ($4 per book) $ Mail to:

6 Parish Life Parish Life Prayers for Military and Government Service HA Valerie Novak ~ Sr. Airman Charlie Maldanado Alston Smart, Jr.~ Eugene Maslar, Jr ~Sgt. Matthew Price 1st Lt. Mark Gaido ~ Lt. JG Michael Huf Airman Patrick Alminde ~TECH Sgt. William D. Olsen Seaman Nicole Beckman ~ Cpl. John P. Bramley Lt. Joseph V. Yuskaitis, Jr. - Major Thomas M. Smith 2nd Class Petty Officer DC2, Jeffrey Royall Sgt. Amber Keppol ~ Sgt. Andrew Malave Sgt. Matthew Ponce ~ MK1 Katie Stodnick Meetings are the 1st & 3rd Mondays of the 7 pm in the parish hall. ~ ~Facebook: Knights of Columbus Pocono Pines RECOGNIZE GOD IN YOUR ORDINARY MOMENTS When Elizabeth was visited by Mary, her joy was overwhelming. Elizabeth recognized that Mary was carrying inside her the Messiah. She was honored to receive Mary, not just because of who Mary was herself, but also because of the One she had inside her. We meet people every day in our lives. Some we know well, some are acquaintances, and others we may have never seen before. Yet all of them are made in the image of God and carry within them the person of Jesus. If we considered this more frequently, would we act more graciously toward each other? Mary gave birth to the Son of God so that we might be able to be adopted sons and daughters of God. If we thought of this more often, would we be so quick to dismiss someone or ignore him or her? This time of year is filled with gatherings and parties for many of us. We also find ourselves rushing about getting ready for Christmas. There are so many people who cross our paths. Will we allow the Jesus in us to greet with joy the Jesus in them? Will we pause to offer a greeting or kind word? Instead of looking at them with human eyes, will we try to see them through the eyes of faith like Elizabeth. If not, what is all of this celebration and preparation about anyway? - Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS Youth Group Event. Sunday, December 30th Christmas Caroling to a few of our parishioners that are home bound in the area - 3 pm. Hot chocolate and cookies in the church hall after caroling. ********************************** INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK Life is often unfair. Sadly, life's inequity usually occurs at our hands. The world's systems - economic, political, and environmental - do not always serve the best interests of the people. We create situations that tip the scales by profiting a few and reducing the quality of life for many. We look at all of the injustices in our world, people being hurt and exploited, and wonder why God has abandoned us or why He won't fix what is happening. God did fix it. He sent his Son into the world as our just ruler and the one who will bring peace. The problem is we still turn away and think that we can do better. The Son of Justice has come into the world. We can work for change and be the voice of justice. We can dream and do things differently. Blessed are you who believe that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. ********************************** Week of December 23rd Sanctuary Light Is Available for $20. for two weeks Bread and Wine For The Unborn Altar Flowers Are Available for $100 for one week. Bulletin submissions can be ed to mcol@ptd.net or brought into the parish office. Please submit two weeks prior to publication date otherwise we cannot promise publication date desired. ~ Thank You

7 Around The Diocese The birth of the Messiah gives the church great hope. Although secular celebrations of Christmas ignore the significance of the holy day, the church gives us Advent to help us keep our focus. We reorient our hearts and minds to recall, once again, the mysterious glory of the Incarnation. In these weeks of yuletide preparation, we stop to remind ourselves what it means to be Christian, in case we have begun taking it for granted. To be Christian is to believe that God is truly with us, in the most personal, intimate way imaginable; he is one of us! "They shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" Through the Incarnation, God became human and lived among us to love us, to guide us, to heal us, and to strengthen us. It is the promise of a savior given through the early prophets, a promise that the faithful held dear as they waited. As that most beautiful of all anniversaries approaches, celebrate this season remembering the greatest gift ever given to every person--the gift of a Savior. Donate Your Passenger Seat to Help Save Lives Volunteers are needed to drive cancer patients to treatment! All you need is a good driving record, a current, valid driver s license, complete an American Cancer Society training course, access to a safe and reliable vehicle, proof of adequate auto insurance and availability - Mon. thru Sat. during the hours of 7 am & 7 pm. Contact: cancer.org/drive or LIHEAP - Helps low-income families pay their heating bills. To apply, you will need the names of people in your household; their dates of birth; social security numbers for all and a recent heating bill. Apply online at: or request one by calling the LIHEAP After your application is processed, you will receive a written notice that will tell you if you qualify and the amount of your grant. Around The Diocese St. Maximilian Kolbe is a Welcoming Roman Catholic Parish If you would like to join our parish, registration forms may be found in our church narthex and in the parish office or if you prefer, register online at You may also call the parish office ( ) and we would be happy to send you a registration form. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY JANUARY Thru APRIL 2019 Tax time is just around the corner! Once again, AARP together with RSVP will join forces to assist county residents complete their simple tax returns at no cost. Services will be offered at the following locations: Tannersville - St Luke s Ambulance Bldg.; Smithfield Library; Middle Smithfield Township Bldg.; Hugh Library, Stroudsburg Volunteers must be comfortable with using computer and enjoy working with people. There will be a twoweek training period, beginning in January. If you are interested in learning more please contact Emily at the RSVP office by calling FOOD PANTRY NEWS - : Five Loaf House 133 Fire House Rd., Pocono Pines Distributions are to qualified persons and families only. Distributions are the Second Monday of each month and the Tuesday following that Monday. Monday Hours 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. by appointment after these hours & Tuesday 8:00 am. to Noon. Food Donations are accepted on Mon/Tues only, from 9 am -11 am, or call Come and Take: Fri., January 11, Sat., January 12 & Mon., January 14th, during the Clymer Library business hours. Free of charge. The Library invites you to take what you need in our multipurpose room, no questions asked. These items are provided by local resident Elaine Madere, who collects and shares with those in need. St. Maximilian Parish greatly appreciates the support of the advertisers allowing our congregation to receive this bulletin at no cost to the church. While we appreciate their support, we are not liable for any of their actions, fees, or services.