St. Francis of Assisi Parish Warwick. Rhode Island Third Sunday of Advent December 15, 2013

Transcription

1 St. Francis of Assisi Parish Warwick. Rhode Island Third Sunday of Advent December 15, 2013 St. Francis of Assisi Church, Warwick December 15, 2013

2 Saint Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church 596 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick, Rhode Island A faith community since 1900 A faithful parish since 1943 Rectory Phone: Rectory Fax: Rectory stfrancis737@cox.net Parish Web Site: Father Pierre J. Plante Father John A. Kiley Kathleen McKeon Robert Gauthier Charles Sewall Kenneth Mallette Sheila Ehrens Cheryl Pertuso John Pare pastor pastor emeritus trustee trustee auditor auditor council president parish secretary parish music director RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM Grades Tuesdays at 3:30pm at St. Francis School Grades Sundays at 9:15am at St. Francis School Sisters of St. Joseph, Sr. Joan Hawkins, SSJ 249 Chestnut Street, Warwick, RI Our Mission: Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Warwick, RI, is a Roman Catholic worshipping community, rooted in the Eucharist, committed to prayer, to religious education, to Christian family life, to welcoming the stranger, to aiding the disadvantaged and supporting the universal Church. Mass & Services Schedule Saturday: 8am & 4pm Sunday: 8am & 10:30am Monday through Friday: 8am Holy Days except Christmas & New Years 8am, 12:05 & 5:15pm First Fridays: (except July & August) 8am & 12:05pm Lenten Weekdays: 8am & 12:05pm (except Wednesdays) Morning Prayer daily at 7:20am Rosary daily at 7:40am Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Tuesdays during the 8am Mass Little Office of Ste. Ann Thursdays after the second Sunday at 7am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament First Friday (except July/August) from 12:45pm until 9pm First Saturday Devotions monthly at 7:30am Lenten Stations Fridays at 7pm Masses, Baptisms, Marriages, Home & Hospital Visits may be arranged at the rectory. Prayer Line for personal intentions: Call Gloria ( ) Confession daily at 7:40am before morning Mass and Saturday at 3:30pm before the vigil Mass. OUR CHURCH IS OPEN DAILY FOR PRIVATE ADORATION AND PRAYER Thank You: To all of our Parishioners for the generous donations to our friends in the Philippines, our Thanksgiving collection and our Jesse Tree collection. St. Francis Parish Community always rises to the call of the hungry and needy. Parish Council: The last meeting of the 2013 year will be on Tuesday, December 17 at 6:30pm. After a brief meeting the Council will have their Christmas celebration. Women s Club: Merry Christmas to all. The next meeting will be on Thursday, January 9th at 6:30pm in the school library. SS. John & Paul Church Advent Lessons & Carols Sunday, December 22, : South Main Street Coventry, RI Come hear our Adult Choir and Family Choir join together in providing the musical backdrop for a presentation of the Nativity story. St. Francis of Assisi Church, Warwick 2 December 15, 2013

3 MASS Schedule December 14 Saturday 4:00pm Memorial Mass for Vincent, Antonetta DiOrio, Catherine Cipolloso requested by Bob & Kathy Midura. December 15 Sunday 8:00am Memorial Mass for Vincent & Catherine Dearden requested by their family. December 15 Sunday 10:30am Memorial Mass for Mike Mike Castagliuolo requested by his family. December 16 Monday 8:00am Memorial Mass for Tom & Estelle Ryan requested by Sheila Ehrens. December 17 Tuesday 8:00am Memorial Mass for Patricia Miga requested by her family. December 18 Wednesday 8:00am Memorial Mass for Joan Croft requested by Michaela Murphy. December 19 Thursday 8:00am For the People of the Parish. December 20 Friday 8:00am Mem. Mass for Stanley Wojciechowski Sr. requested by his son Thaddeus. December 21 Saturday 8:00am Memorial Mass for Rosemary Lusignan requested by Michaela Murphy. December 21 Saturday 4:00pm 18th Anniversary for Vincent Sabatini requested by wife Dolores and family. December 22 Sunday 8:00am Memorial Mass for Frances McKeon requested by daughter Judy. December 22 Sunday 10:30am Memorial Mass for Justin Trainor requested by his family. PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Lynette Lopes, Jacqueline Bert, John Joseph, Diane Pike, David DeAngelis, Erin Schmidt, Jennifer Desjardins, Antoinetta Miccolis, Betty Angeloro, Michaela Murphy, Stephen Edelstein, Kaylee Robinson, Elaine Flynn, Richard Punzi. Anne Rowley, Joan Gorton, Dorothy Roppe, Elizabeth Iacovino, Jane Natale, William Martin, John Mulhern, Barbara Mulhern, Ann Pellegrino, John & Stella Midura, Carol Brown., Jessica Quinn PRAY FOR OUR DEAD: William Petrarca, Pat Miga, Emily Wojciechowsi, William Perry, Rosemary Lusignan, Joe & Violet McKeon, Robert Cronin, Eva & John DiCarlo, Angelo J. Pertuso, Betty Mason, Adele Reed, Robert Noret, Carol Hassell, Olga Butler, Sally Vadenais.. IN HARM S WAY: Brian Haley, Joseph Reilly, Phillip DiMillio, Matthew Dubois, Paul Chappelle, Alyson Gillissie, S. Msgt. Wlliam A. Potenza*( If you have not contacted the rectory within tree months, please do so, so we can compile the correct address of all loved ones.) During this time of crises, the parish will pray for any parishioner who is active in the Armed Services. Submit names: Counting our Blessings Thank You Sunday, December Retired Religious Immaculate Conception Scripture for the week of December 15, SUN Is 35:1-6a, 10/Jas 5:7-10/Mt 11: Mon Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a/Mt 21: Tue Gn 49:2, 8-10/Mt 1: Wed Jer 23:5-8/Mt 1: Thu Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a/Lk 1: Fri Is 7:10-14/Lk 1: Sat Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a/Lk 1: SUN Is 7:10-14/Rom 1:1-7/Mt 1:18-24 TABERNACLE LAMP: In Memory of Joseph & Elizabeth DeCesare requested by Mark, Cheryl, Barbara Pertuso. MARIAN LAMP: In Memory of Raymond Sheridan requested by his wife Giulia. MARIAN ICON LAMP: In Memory of the Abet family requested by Giulia Sheridan. PARISH BULLETIN : In Memory of our Armed Forces serving overseas. The parish bulletin and the sanctuary lamps may be dedicated on the anniversary of a death or as a birthday remembrance by calling the rectory at A $10 offering will reserve the lamps or bulletin for the week. St. Francis of Assisi Church, Warwick 3 December 15, 2013

4 Pastor s Reflections It seems like everyone is talking about Pope Francis. Cable news networks are frequently showing video clips from his weekly audiences and other papal events that show how the pope has so tenderly embraced a disabled or disfigured person. There are also those videos that show how at ease he is with a child plopping down in his chair or surrounded by a crowd in dense traffic. In addition to the images the media is also quick to pounce on off the cuff remarks that many interpret as signifying a major change in Church teaching, especially on the usual hot button issues of life and intimacy. There is no question that Pope Francis has a very different style than any of his recent predecessors. He is also clearly not comfortable with the papal handlers who surround him, having been very used to being pretty much on his own in his home country. Many who hear his off the cuff remarks, unvetted by the handlers, theologians and canon lawyers, think that he is ushering a whole new set of teachings. This is celebrated by those on the left and bemoaned by those on the right. The fact is that the pope has showed himself to be quite consistent with the doctrinal positions of recent pontiffs. He has spoken forcefully and eloquently about the sacredness of human life at all stages. While he has recognized the unique gifts and approach of women and suggested we need to find new ways for these to enrich the Church, he has firmly stated that the door is closed on ordination to the priesthood. He has even disciplined clergy and bishops who have taking positions at odds with the teachings of the Church. What is it then that Pope Francis brings that seems different? I think it is the manner in which he has chosen to speak. Take his recent document, Evangelii Gaudium, Apostolic Exhortation on the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today s World. This was the document which summed up the discussions of last year s synod of bishops which considered the new evangelization. The hint of what is different is in the name of the document itself. It is an exhortation. He is not writing a carefully thought out and reasoned teaching on the Gospel but rather an exhortation designed to move Catholics everywhere to go out and preach the Gospel both by word and example. It is more of a homily than a catechesis. It s purpose is to rouse people s hearts rather than form their minds. In fact, in several places in the document he refers to and embraces doctrinal teaching expressed by prior popes. This pope s unique contribution is to rouse people to appreciate the centuries pf teaching in our Catholic Tradition and to want to absorb it for themselves and share it with others. The danger is, of course, as I have found over the years, that when you give a homily or try to rouse people, sometimes some hear or read things you never intended to say. It is particularly true when the media tries to pass on the message by taking clips out of context. Over the last six months I have heard news reports of what supposedly the pope has said only to find out when reading his verbatim comments that the reports were distorted. The bottom line for me is that I believe we have been greatly blessed by this new Holy Father. His experience with the poor and suffering gives him great insight into the mercy of God but also into the power of evil in our world. I encourage all to read his words in full rather than rely on reports. Much of his teaching can be found on the Vatican website, vatican.va. Take a look. Father Plante St. Francis of Assisi Church, Warwick 4 December 15, 2013

5 By Dr. Scott Hahn Here is Your God Third Sunday of Advent (Cycle A) Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 Psalm 146:6-10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 John questions Jesus from prison in today's Gospel - for his disciples' sake and for ours. He knows that Jesus is doing "the works of the Messiah," foretold in today's First Reading and Psalm. But John wants his disciples - and us - to know that the Judge is at the gate, that in Jesus our God has come to save us. The Liturgy of Advent takes us out into the desert to see and hear the marvelous works and words of God - the lame leaping like a stag, the dead raised, the good news preached to the poor (see Isaiah 29:18-20; 61:1-2). The Liturgy does this to give us courage, to strengthen our feeble hands and make firm our weak knees. Our hearts can easily become frightened and weighed down by the hardships we face. We can lose patience in our sufferings as we await the coming of the Lord. As James advises in today's Epistle, we should take as our example the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Jesus also points us to a prophet - holding up John as a model. John knew that life was more than food, the body more than clothing. He sought the kingdom of God first, confident that God would provide (see Matthew 6:25-34). John did not complain. He did not lose faith. Even in chains in his prison cell, he was still sending his disciples - and us - to our Savior. We come to Him again now in the Eucharist. Already He has caused the desert to bloom, the burning sands to become springs of living water. He has opened our ears to hear the words of the sacred book, freed our tongue to fill the air with songs of thanksgiving (see Isaiah 30:18). Once bowed down, captives to sin and death, we have been ransomed and returned to His Kingdom, crowned with everlasting joy. Raised up we now stand before His altar to meet the One who is to come: "Here is your God." A service of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology St. Francis of Assisi Church, Warwick 5 December 15, 2013

6 3rd Sunday of Advent The teachers that everyone seems to remember from high school fall into one of two categories. One type of teacher was your best cheerleader, offering encouragement, and support and always pointing out your strengths and potential. The other type of teacher was the naysayer, never seeing good in anyone, except, of course, in his or her self. It was so easy to dwell on the negative that many students could easily lose sight of the positive, doubting their own ability and talents. John, along with the rest of Israel, had been disappointed before. Many had come, claiming to be the Chosen One, the messiah, the savior, only to be exposed as frauds and imposters. John can hardly believe his own eyes and ears and he asks of Jesus the most basic question of faith: are you the one? Like a good teacher, Jesus encourages John to trust his own observations and thoughts. The signs are all around John that the Kingdom is at hand, Israel s time of redemption is near. The signs and reminders of the Lord s coming are all around us. We see the Kingdom of God advancing in the world, as wars cease, people are healed, sin is overcome and good people reach out to those in need. Advent is a time to expect good things and to look for the Lord s coming. He will teach us all we need to know. ~James Gaffney, 2007 Karides Lic. to St. George Publishing jim@stgeorgepublishing.com 3rd Sunday of Advent One ingredient in any relationship that is always sure to keep things moving and interesting is a shared vision of the future. When people dream great things, their energy is renewed, their thoughts directed, their goals articulated and their victories celebrated. Dreams give us a reason to get up in the morning with a fresh start and new possibilities. It is the promise of a better tomorrow that gives today its purpose and meaning as well as its joy and contentment. Life to the fullest is not found in the goal, but in the journey to it. Dreams are important to both a marriage and a family. Whether they are found in short or long term goals, in plans for vacations or for new gardens, in school or in work, dreams give us hope, something to look forward to and something of value to share together. A proverb says that a person without dreams is a person without life. Support each other s dreams. Spend time imagining the future. The joy and hope you feel will make for a better today. ~James Gaffney, 2007 Karides Lic. to St. George Publishing jim@stgeorgepublishing.com St. Francis of Assisi Church, Warwick 6 December 15, 2013

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