The Sunday Good News ADVENT PRAYER

Transcription

1 The Sunday Good News The Church of Saint John Bosco December 23, 2018 HIS WORD TODAY BY Rev. William J. Reilly When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby stirred in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out in a loud voice: Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?... Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled. ADVENT PRAYER Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, (mention intentions) through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ and of his blessed Mother. Amen. What a wonderful family reunion. Two expectant mothers meeting, greeting, celebrating imminent births. St. Luke points out the presence of the Holy Spirit, even before the Pentecost event. The question posed by Elizabeth who am I?...can be changed for us today. Who am I that my Lord and Savior should come to me? A loving Father saw our need, and in concern for us, sent, not the mother or our Savior, but the saving Lord Himself. How frequently we pray the words of Luke in the Hail Mary. As we complete our advent may the question of Elizabeth, and my question be answered. As we approach the feast of the birth of Christ this week, may we live the visitation event, greeting others in the name of the Lord, recognizing His presence among us in our needy world. The two holy women rejoiced in Christ's presence, and so do we. Reflect for a few moments on the biblical basis of the Hail Mary. MASS SCHEDULE CHRISTMAS: HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION Monday, Christmas Eve, December 24: 4 PM, 6 PM and 10 PM Tuesday, Christmas Day, December 25: 9 AM ONLY. SOLEMNITY OF MARY: HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION Monday, December 31: 4 PM Tuesday, January 1: 9 AM The 4 PM Christmas Eve Mass is always overcrowded in the Church and Gym. Please consider going to the 6 PM or 10 PM Mass on Christmas Eve or the 9 AM on Christmas Day. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SAVING SEATS ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Also, be considerate of where you park in the neighborhood. Do NOT park in front of neighbors driveways or on their property. THIS WEEK & IN THE WEEKS AHEAD Outdoor Nativity Take-Down... Saturday, January 12, 9 AM Spiritual Reading, Gift of Imperfection January 12, 9:15-11:15 AM March for Life, Washington, DC... January 18, 2019 Confirmation Class... Sunday, January 20, 6:00-7:30 PM Parish Finance Council Tuesday, January 22, 6:30 PM, Multi-purpose Room Parish Pastoral Council Thursday, January 24, 6:30 PM, Multi-Purpose Room SJB Book Club...Sunday, January 27, 12:30 PM, Frogtowne Grille Confirmation Retreat... Saturday, February 2, 9 AM to 5 PM Liturgy Committee Meeting... Feb. 6, 6:30 PM, Multi-Purpose Room Grey Dog Raffle Drawing... February 3, following 11:30 AM Mass

2 PAGE 2 SUNDAY STEWARDS 1,115 families receive envelopes. 392 white offertory envelopes were used on the weekend of Dec. 15/16 Sunday Mass Attendance: 917 Total Sunday Offering: $8, Thank you for your generosity! SECOND COLLECTION ON CHRISTMAS Offerings given in the second collection on Christmas will be used to support our parish charitable works and Saint Vincent De Paul Society. Your generosity is appreciated. OUTDOOR NATIVITY TAKE-DOWN Saturday, January 12 at 9:00 AM. Adult volunteers needed! Faith Formation Corner The Sunday Good News Thank you to our Families in Faith group, and all who donated food and supplies for last weekend s Cook and Serve event for Divine Providence shelter. Keep an eye on the bulletin and Service bulletin board in the Faith Formation hallway for other upcoming activities and service projects. There will be no Faith Formation or CLOW on December 23rd or 30th. The Faith Formation office will be open on December 30th from 8:00 am-1:00 pm. This is a great time to turn in any missing paperwork (sacramental preparation students), make up any missed fall work, and begin work on Saint projects (Confirmation students)! The Faith Formation staff and volunteers wish all of our families a Blessed and Merry Christmas! Please keep our Level 2 students in your prayers as they continue to prepare for their First Penance on Tuesday, January 15th. We thank our Level 2 teachers and aides, Mrs. DeDe Maylath, Ms. Marian Pekala, Mrs. Ann Marie Zapotocky, and Julia Ruggiero, for their continued dedication to our students! Confirmation Class will meet on January 20th from 6:00-7:30 pm in the Gym. All students must attend, and should bring Decision Point books and red folders to class. Saint projects are due at this time. Please note, if paperwork was not turned in at the December class, this is due immediately. YOUR CHRISTMAS OFFERING Let the theme of this Christmas be giving and receiving. Receiving first, the amazing grace of God in the gift of Jesus Christ. Then to give. A gift for someone in need. A thank you offering of your treasure for the work of the Lord at our parish. What do we have that we did not first receive? As you make your Christmas list and check it twice, please consider what your gift to St. John Bosco might be this year. Pray in heartfelt gratitude for all that God has given to us. Donations to St. John Bosco Church of stock or mutual fund transfers may provide you with an income tax deduction, as well as a way to avoid paying capital gains tax on the shares increased value. As always, check with your tax consultant for details. DIOCESE OF SCRANTON HUMAN RESOURCES/SAFE ENVIRONMENT OFFICE VIRTUS: Protecting God s Children: This training session is required for all adult employees and volunteers who have direct contact or routine interaction with children. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019, 6 P.M. Holy Family Academy, 601 North Laurel Street, Hazleton *Session will take place in the school cafeteria* To register, please contact the school office by calling PARISH FAMILY CHRISTMAS TREE We are grateful to our Faith Formation students and families who made a handmade family ornament for the Parish Family Christmas Tree that is located near the main entrance of our Church. Please take some time to enjoy looking at the creative ornaments. HIGH SCHOOL & YOUNG ADULT BUS TRIP Have you attended the Annual March for Life in Washington DC? If you joined us last year or would like to attend this year, now is your chance to sign-up! The 45th Annual March for Life is Friday, January 18th, The March for Life is the largest pro-life rally in the world, and has taken place each year in Washington, DC since the legalization of abortion in 1973 with Roe v. Wade. Hundreds of thousands of young people from around the nation will attend this year s March with the prayer that we will one day soon see the dignity of life be upheld, and abortion to be realized for the tragedy it is for child, mother, father, and all of society. Attending the March is quite a life-changing experience and a pilgrimage. More information will follow regarding transportation and agenda which will also include Mass in DC. Students, grades 8-12, will receive an excused absence from school. Spots will fill fast! Contact Dr. Rachel Leskosky at or dr.rachel.leskosky@gmail.com for more information and to reserve your spot for the trip. Thank you! DIOCESAN VOCATION OFFICE - CALENDAR OF YOUTH EVENTS, Project Andrew Dinner... Thursday, December 27, 2018 International Student Leadership Institute (ISLI), Camp Ladore, Waymart...February 15-17, 2019 Come and See Vocation Retreat, Villa of Our Lady Retreat House, Mount Pocono... March 8-10, 2019 Bold Choices Young Adult Retreat, St. Gabriel s Retreat House, Clarks Summit... April 12-13, 2019

3 The Sunday Good News GLOVE, HAT AND SCARF COLLECTION We are collecting winter gloves, hats, and scarves for the men and women clients we see each month at the Salvation Army. There are more men than women. Please deposit your unwrapped gift in the basket provided. Thank you in advance for your generosity. ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, and the Office for Parish Life wish to invite couples celebrating their 25 th or 50 th wedding anniversary in 2019 to a diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass on Sunday, June 30. The event includes a 2:30 pm mass at St. Peter s Cathedral followed by a reception. Requests for an invitation, with a mailing address, should be made through your pastor before April 2. SJB Book Club will meet Sunday, January 27, 2019, 12:30 PM to discuss My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok at Frogtowne Grille in Sybertsville. Feel free to join us. LITURGICAL ROBES In preparation for the Christmas Season all 25 Altar Server albs have been laundered. We urge our Altar Servers to treat their robes with respect by hanging their alb on the proper hanger (according to size) and secure the snap so they don t fall on the floor of the closet. Your cooperation is appreciated. All Special Ministers of Holy Communion are asked to launder their own albs (wash and iron) on a regular basis. CHRISTMAS EVE/DAY CHURCH SEATING The Church Gym will be set up with seating for church attendees. The Mass can be heard and viewed and will be visible for your convenience. ABSOLUTELY NO SAVING OF SEATS. IT IS VERY UNWELCOMING AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!! CHURCH PARKING ESPECIALLY OVER THE HOLIDAYS Please remember that all parking rules apply in and around the church. The driveway around the church and the driveway in front of the church MUST be accessible in the event an emergency vehicle needs to get through. Do not block the exits and entrance area and be considerate of our neighbors driveways. Thank you for your cooperation. ALTAR FLOWERS The Altar Flowers last week, December 15/16, were in memory of Jeff Kuchar given by Wife and Sons. The Tabernacle Candle burns this week in memory of George A. and Helen C. Kattner, Sr., and George J. Kattner, Jr. given by June Leitner. COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS... Holy Family Academy is selling their annual Eagle Cards. The cost is $10 with various vendors on the card. For more information call WE REMEMBER PAGE 3 Saturday, 4:00 PM December 22 George A. and Helen C., Sr., and George J. Kattner, Jr. By June Leitner Sunday, 7:30 AM December 23 Margaret McCallus By Joe McCallus Sunday, 9:00 AM December 23 Living and Deceased Members of St. John Bosco Sunday, 11:30 AM December 23 Vera and Joseph Gallagher By Mr. and Mrs. Terry Gallagher Monday, 4:00 PM December 24 CHRISTMAS EVE Robert Wallace By Mary Nora Wallace Monday, 6:00 PM December 24 CHRISTMAS EVE Carmen James Ferrigno By Bob Shanno Monday, 10:00 PM December 24 CHRISTMAS EVE Raymond Kowalski By Nancy Kowalski Tuesday, 9:00 AM December 25 CHRISTMAS DAY George and Helen Uricheck Family By Phil and Marie Guza Wednesday, 8:00 AM December 26 Sally Ritz By Family Thursday, 8:00 AM December 27 Anthony James Oberto By Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gregoire Friday, 8:00 AM December 28 Genevieve Kutzor By Pat and Nancy Conahan Saturday, 4:00 PM December 29 James Stagg By Parents Sunday, 7:30 AM December 30 Michael Maylath By Kashubski Family Sunday, 9:00 AM December 30 Living and Deceased Members of St. John Bosco Sunday, 11:30 AM December 30 Gerard J. Bednar By Fr. Ric Polmounter

4 PAGE 4 The Sunday Good News The PASTOR S PAGE From the Pastor s Laptop... Christmas is for Children! Dear Parishioners and Friends, In just a few hours Advent will be over and we will celebrate once again the Feast of Christmas. It is often said by many adults that Christmas is for children. Yet, the Child Jesus is born for the child in all of us, old and young, great and small. Perhaps, Christmas is needed more for adults than for children. Our world often seems filled with the darkness of sin, injustice, apathy, despair, terrorism and war and the fear of death. We may think that there is no worse time than this present moment to celebrate Christmas. Isaiah the prophet, in his own dark days, foresaw the coming of a great light that would break the hold on darkness. This light is Jesus, the one whose Glory gives us hope, and who can mold us in His likeness. Through faith in the Babe born in Bethlehem, we open our hearts to the wondrous gift of salvation and are reminded of His great love for each of us. A love that can overcome darkness, and if we allow, fill us with a deep inner joy and peace. Yes, Christmas is for children, for the child in each of us. May this holy season be a time when God rekindles our Faith and strengthens us to bring the light to His Good News to our families, co-workers, neighbors, relatives and community by our words and deeds. As we celebrate Christmas and enter into this Holy Season, Father Hockman, Father Steven, Deacon Maurice and I want to assure you of our prayerful remembrance of each of you and your families in our masses and prayers. We are grateful to all who have worked so hard, sharing their time and talents to make this season so uplifting and our parish so vibrant. Your efforts, great or small, hidden or in view of others, will not be forgotten by Jesus. May God reward you with a sharing in His Life. May you and your loved ones, here and far, have a Holy and Happy Christmas! God Bless You! Fr. Ric, Pastor PRE-CANA PROGRAM GIVING TREE Engaged couples who are planning to be married at St. John Bosco Church in 2019 are reminded that in addition to their meetings with the Pastor, they are required to participate in a Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation Program as well as to take the FOCCUS Marriage Readiness Instrument online. A listing of 2019 Pre Cana Reflection Days held throughout the Diocese may be found online on the Diocese of Scranton website under Parish Life Office or by calling the Diocese. Registration may be made online. Two sessions that will be held in our area are scheduled for Saturday, March 30 and Saturday, July 20 at Good Shepherd Church Hall in Drums from 8:30 am until 4 p.m. Pre-registration with the Diocese is required. The day includes snacks and a luncheon. We wish to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the members of the St. John Bosco Parish Family who participated in the Giving Tree this year. We collected over 300 gifts for needy children. Your continued support of this worthwhile Catholic Social Service project has enabled us to fulfill the Christmas wishes of the children in the Hazleton area for over 25 years. We wish you a Happy and Blessed Christmas! Thank you, Father Ric, Carla, Bob and Linda for your help and support during this project! Sincerely, Donna Pesansky and Jocelyn Buffone

5 DIOCESAN ANNUAL APPEAL Update as of December 17, 2018 GOAL:... $59,000 RECEIVED TO DATE:... $39,388 NEEDED TO REACH PARISH GOAL:... $19,612 PERCENTAGE OF OUR PARISH GOAL:... 66% PARTICIPANTS: 191 out of 1127 gave/pledged or 16.95% of parishioners KNIGHT S CORNER Knights OF columbus, Our Lady of Fatima, Council 8613 The winners for the Statewide Chance of a Lifetime raffle tickets are posted on the Church's bulletin boards. The Council had one winner, John Lazosky of Hazleton. He won 3rd prize - a trip for two to Scandinavia for 12 days. Congratulations to all our winners. We are grateful to all who have already participated. If everyone would give something we could reach our goal. Please prayerfully consider what you can offer to the Appeal this year. GREY DOG RAFFLE $25,000 IN CASH PRIZES - MORE CHANCES TO WIN! 25 cash prizes will be awarded. GRAND PRIZE is $10, $500 PRIZES 1 - $5,000 PRIZE 8 - $250 PRIZES 4 - $1,000 PRIZES 5 - $200 PRIZES Tickets are $ and are available before and after all Masses and in the parish office during the week. You may also call (570) , Ext. 3, to order one and it will be mailed to you. Drawing date: Sunday, February 3, 2019, after the 11:30 Mass. Great odds! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We are in need of an adult man, woman or couple to make Grey Dog Tickets available before and after the 9 am Sunday Mass. All that is required that you are here by 8:45 am to make the tickets available before mass and for 10 minutes after Mass. If you would be available please contact Linda at the Parish Office , Ext 3. The Grey Dog is our largest fundraiser and one that takes the least effort. If you can give a few minutes of your time for the next few weeks, it would be deeply appreciated. Dear Parishioners and Friends, In the name of Deacon Maurice and the pastoral staff of St. John Bosco Parish Family, I want to thank you for your very generous remembrances during the Christmas Season. Your thoughtful cards, delicious baked goods, generous gifts and holiday greetings and sincere prayers are deeply appreciated. It is an honor and privilege to serve the people of the Conyngham, Sugarloaf and surrounding communities in the Name of Jesus. Please be assured that you, your loved ones and all of your intentions are being remembered at the creche and during our Christmas Masses. May the joy, inner peace and hope that the Infant Christ Child brings fill your life and your home today and throughout the New Year. God bless you and Merry Christmas! Father Ric A WORD OF THANKS THANK YOU to the following individuals who helped with the Hanging of the Greens : Joe Minzola, Edward Matisak, Tim Martonik, Joe Molitoris, Chris Blazic, George Fadule, Rich Stanek, Rich Tihansky, Geran Triano, Amy Triano, Eden Triano, Bob Peak, and Mary Nora Wallace. Just as the Virgin Mother pondered in her heart on the Word made flesh, so every individual soul and the entire Church are called during their earthly pilgrimage to wait for Christ who comes and to welcome him with faith and love ever new. ~ Pope Benedict XVI

6 BLESSING FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS MANGER OR NATIVITY SCENE Once you have your Nativity Scene all set up, take some time to ask for God s blessing as a family. In its present form the custom of displaying figures depicting the birth of Jesus Christ owes its origin to St. Francis of Assisi, who made the Christmas creche or manger for Christmas Eve of The blessing of the Christmas manger or nativity scene may take place on the Vigil of Christmas or at another suitable time. BLESSING All make the sign of the cross as the leader says: Our help is in the name of the Lord. R/. Who made heaven and earth. A family member reads Luke 2:1 (lines 2-8). The parent recites the following prayer... God of every nation and people, from the very beginning of creation You have made manifest your love. When our need for a Savior was great You sent Your Son to be born of the Virgin Mary. To our lives he brings joy and peace, justice, mercy, and love. Lord, Bless all who look upon this manger. May it remind us of the humble birth of Jesus, and raise our thoughts to him, Who is God-with-us and Savior of all, and who lives and reigns forever and ever. R/. Amen. ~ from Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers D A I LY R E A D I N G S Sunday Mi 5:1-4a; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45 Monday Morning: 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 or 1: Night: Is 9:1-6; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14. Dawn: Is 62:1112; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2: Day: Is 52:710; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14 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 Members of the RCIA Team: Fr. Ric Polmounter Deacon Maurice Cerasaro Jason Seiwell Thomas Pandolfi Sandy Honis Frank Polidora Joseph Molitoris RCIA TEAM CALENDAR Date of Session: January 6, 2019 Place & Time of Session: Office Conference Room, AM Presenter: Tom Topic: Commandments 1, 2, 3 ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT Thank you to DARRIN HERBENER, Agent - State Farm Bulletin Advertiser Please support all our advertisers. Tell them you saw their ad here!