Saint Clare of Assisi, Pray For Us!

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1 Third Sunday of Advent December 13, 2015 Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton, Bishop of Belleville WEEKEND MASS SCHEDULE Saturday 5:00 p.m. Sunday 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. BAPTISM Preparation classes for parents are offered every other month for infant baptism. Call the Parish Office to sign up. Adults wishing to be baptized should also call the Office. RECONCILIATION Saturdays 3:30 until 4:30 p.m. or by appointment. Community celebrations are also offered every Advent and Lent. MATRIMONY Contact Pastor a year prior. ANOINTING OF THE SICK Communal celebrations twice a year, or by appointment. Saint Clare of Assisi, Pray For Us! We, the people of St. Clare Catholic Parish, In the Diocese of Belleville, are called by God in baptism to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Centered in the Eucharist, and strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we strive to live the Gospel and further the reign of God. We do this by creating a vibrant faith community, by actively promoting justice and evangelization, and by using our gifts in the service of God s people, to give God glory and reverence all of Creation. St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church 1411 Cross Street O Fallon, IL / / (fax) Fr. Jim Deiters Dennis Vander Ven Marcia Fix Jamae Shubirg Shirley Seipp Patrick Jurgensmeyer Stephen Eros Jane Dotson Matt Flynn Pastor Deacon Parish Secretary Administrative Assistant Business Manager Facilities Manager Music and Liturgy Director Family Faith Formation Adult Faith and Mission ST. CLARE SCHOOL West Third Street, O Fallon, IL Milissa Faust Principal Gloria Schmidt Secretary Eileen Yahl Accountant MT. CALVARY CEMETERY Jim Deschesne, Sexton PARISH TRUSTEES Michael Crupe John Dempsey ST. VINCENT DEPAUL Emergency Assistance

2 From Our Pastor... THANK YOU! We had a great response for our first weekend of campaign pledge commitments for which I am so grateful! I send out a special encouragement to all parishioners who have joined our parish since 2008 to turn in your card to help us meet our goal of 100 new households since we moved into this new church. See the update on the next page for details. On another note it s Confession Time. I want to give you plenty notice for our Communal Reconciliation Service on Thursday, December 17. Seven other priests will be here for individual confessions. Perhaps it has been too many years and you don t know where to start with a confession. We provide a simple worship aid with the Act of Contrition prayer for the service in which you do not need to worry about the how to. What is most important is to take the time to make a good examination of conscience. Some options for your examination: 1. The Ten Commandments 2. Great Commandments of Jesus: Love of God, self, and neighbor. The U.S. Bishops website (USCCB.org) has an examination based on Catholic Social Teaching Making a good confession can be the best thing we can do not only for our relationship with God but it is just as helpful for our relationships with family and friends. We may have past hurts, resentments, built up anger, feelings of distance, or a sense of failure in our relationships. A good examination before confession requires us to ask our self, What do I need to change in myself to be a better parent, spouse, friend, son or daughter? Especially as we begin this Year of Mercy, we all need this sacrament of healing so we can be more merciful, patient and loving toward others. It would be a great Christmas gift to your family, friends, and yourself, to enter Christmas day with a clean slate and a pure heart. Please mark Thursday, December 17, 7:00 PM, on your calendar for this sacrament of healing. Parents, be sure to bring your children with you. If you cannot make Thursday night, there are other nights available as listed in the bulletin. Come celebrate God s unconditional love and mercy! God s Peace, Fr. Jim Deiters We extend our loving sympathy to the family of Helen Murphy. May she rest in the peace and love of Christ. Please pray for all who have died and all who are mourning the death of a loved one as we are preparing for this Season of Christmas. December 12 Mike O Donnell Stephanie Chambers Amber Hardy Dani McDaniel Jacob Knaust Hannah Cullen Audrey Brown December 13 Daryl Spencer Odile Accilein- Sorger Lucia Barragan Robert Eberhart Halle Hites Brock Dintelman December 14 Sandy Walter Robert Kirchgessner Kevin Karrigan Amelia Abalos Patricia Cavins Lee Milo Travis Wheeler Ashley Borawski Jessica Vargas Courtney Wisnasky Jimmy Haughey Brigitte Wiegert Molly Allen Indy Johaningmeyer December 15 Emma Shanks Carol Burk Renee Ignatz Mike Hollenkamp Kathy Newcomb Tom Fergus Gerald Spencer Arnelle Davis Eli Garcia Ben Cullen December 16 Shirley Carroll Lilia Levrault Chuck Currier James Hempsted Doug Mennerick Drew Wise Alissa Wieman Katelyn Sternberg December 17 Russ Thoman Ellen Gravlin DJ Palagi Matthew Blacharczyk Amber Borges Joshua Bevers Vincent Garcia Alexis Schillinger Connor Guttmann December 18 Ken Gass Henry Beykirch Brad Joseph Christine Barttelbort Suneal Menzies Corey Drewes Tylor Fergus Jack Stewart December 19 Jeff Fessler Billy Findley Josh Gansauer Fred Vrieswyk Travis Tanner Tom Gravlin Lindsey Berry Jaquelyn Whyte Bennett Odom Brayden Odom Brentley Odom December 20 John Vassen Janet Libell Darcy Benway Terry Jordan Bridget Dolbeare Benjamin Dalman Kyle Sternberg

3 MASS INTENTIONS Saturday, December 12 Third Sunday of Advent 5:00 p.m. Paul Vogelbacher Sunday, December 13 Third Sunday of Advent 8:30 a.m. Ed Kloustermeyer 10:30 a.m. Bernard and Johanna Spracklen Monday, December 14 Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church 12:00 Noon No Mass due to 1:00 p.m. funeral of Helen Murphy Tuesday, December 15 Advent Weekday 7:30 a.m. Arthur Maher 8:30 a.m. School Mass Wednesday, December 16 No Mass Advent Weekday Thursday, December 17 Late Advent Weekday 8:30 a.m. Mass in School Chapel Friday, December 18 Late Advent Weekday 7:30 a.m. Amy Keck and Adeline Keck Saturday, December 19 Fourth Sunday of Advent 5:00 p.m. Bill Munie, Jr. Sunday, December 20 Fourth Sunday of Advent 8:30 a.m. Dorothy Wielgus Lalo and Frances Alvarado 10:30 a.m. For Our Parish Weekday Readings December Monday: Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6, 7bc-9; Mt 21:23-27 Tuesday: Zep 3:1-2, 9-13; Ps 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-19, 23; Mt 21:28-32 Wednesday: Is 45:6b-8, 18, 21b-25; Ps 85:9-14; Lk 7:18b-23 Thursday: Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72:1-4ab, 7-8, 17; Mt 1:1-17 Friday: Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25 Saturday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25 Sunday: Mi 5:1-4a; Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45 Next Weekend December 19/20 Cantors Saturday 5:00 pm Katie Szwedo Sunday 8:30 am Jamie Eros 10:30 am Rachel Sill Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Saturday 5:00 pm Michael DeCarpentry, Sella Roman, Ellen Gravlin Lee & Anne Crowe, Scott Brown, Brigid Sternberg Tom Grimmig, Barb Kovach, Carl Lurk*, Lucy Mixen* Shirley Suski* Sunday 8:30 am Mark & Amie O Connor, Jessica Kalmer, Kristy Turner Sharon Ripplinger, Ken & Jeanne Smith, Gary Borges Judy Lemansky, Jim, Pennie & Sarah Pavlisin* Jeanette Giebels* Sunday 10:30 am Michele Taylor, Richard Smith, Mark Arbogast Kitty Luehrs, Laura Pacatte, Dan & Tara Ashbaker Dominic & Rena Sabatino*, Karen Holzum* Tanja Ramsby* Lector Saturday 5:00 pm Barbara & Jim Calandro Sunday 8:30 am Judy Menzies & Brian Kloustermeyer Sunday 10:30 am Amelia Abalos & Kathy Sjoquist Servers Saturday 5:00 pm Elizabeth & Madeleine Henken Thomas Jackson, Isabelle Wohlgemuth 8:30 am Ben & Olivia Harris, Matthew Turner, Liam Kenney 10:30 am Drew & Ava Taylor, Connor Chapple, Alyssa Faigal Ushers Saturday 5:00 pm Josh Gansauer, Richard Ransom, Bruce Rackers John Winkelmann, Eric Sheesley, Ken Kenney Sunday 8:30 am Walt Leninsky, John Bechtoldt, Dennis Collins Jim Hendricks, Mike Lafferty, Don Proffer Sunday 10:30 am John Meise, Matt Chambers, Darrell Raynor James Taylor, Mark Stevens, Stephen Smith Gift Bearers Saturday 5:00 pm Milton Saltmarsh, Scott & April Leo Sunday 8:30 am Winnie, Heather & Anya Kenney 10:30 am Patrick, Dannette, Joseph, William & Lydia Kinsella Greeters Saturday 5:00 pm Bo, Cyndi, Eli & Olivia Butters Sunday 8:30 am Babe Papproth, George & Mona Peach 10:30 am Brian, Mandi, Abby Huelsmann & Drew Ferguson Sound Board Saturday 5:00 pm 8:30 am Jacob Nguyen 10:30 am Jim Colombo Bread Bakers Joe & Lona Moore, Sherry D Amico, Shawn Sebora Children s Word Saturday 5:00 pm Lucy Ueda & Sophia Cherry Sunday 8:30 am Alicia Luechtefeld & Sophie Wilkerson 10:30 am Heather Ertel Nursery 10:30 am Brandy Koory & Shelby Koory Please pray for the sick, their loved ones and caregivers; may they never lose sight of the love of God Jennifer R. Barajas, Wray Barr, Shirley Carroll, Yasuko Estabrooks, Rita Ferreri, Mildred Gerardi, Mike and Linda Gilkerson, Hannah Grubofski, Rita Haukapp, Margaret Heinke, Dennis Holdener, Jessica Holmes, Elnora Hostetler, Boston Johnson, Pauline Keller, Dan Kimutis, Keith Klein, Liz Klingler, Dawn Papproth Kuhn, Thelma LaSalvia, Abelina Leon, Vincent Lepes, Mary Lugge, John Molnar, Mary Molnar, Nona Morgan, Jenifer Morris, Margaret Nettles, Katie Paulochk, Doris Prosser, Dale Reeser, Megan Saldana, Madelean Sanford, Michael Schmitz, Clete Schwaegel, Craig Seipp, Betty & John Stogner, Betty Tomasovich, Jake Van Hook, Deacon Dennis Vander Ven, Steve Wells, Virginia Woods Please pray for all our military families, especially those separated by deployment.

4 PSR Parish School of Religion Sunday Mornings 10:30 11:40 St. Clare School, 214 W. 3rd St. Dec 13 PSR Class Dec 20 & 27 No Class...Christmas Break Jan 3 No Class...Christmas Break Confirmation Students Class of 2016 Saint names are due by December 15. your name to janeadotson@yahoo.com First Communion Parents Meeting Tuesday, January 12 from 6:30 8 p.m. Fellowship Hall Free babysitting is available; contact Jane at janeadotson@yahoo.com to RSVP We would like to get a nursery going for 8:30 a.m. Mass. Please sign up to help once a month (or less if we get enough volunteers). Parents who want to use this nursery also should sign up to help. Contact Jane at the parish office or janeadotson@yahoo.com. Thanks to our Crazy 8 s for making blankets for elderly people who live at Cambridge House Assisted Living! Youth Group Schedule Dec. 13 Youth Group Study, Snacks, Fun & Christmas Reflection from 2 4 p.m. in Youth Room Pick up your study bags after Mass Dec. 20 & 27 No Youth Group...Christmas Break ***New Youth Room*** is on lower level of St. Clare School. Attention High School Students! Pick up your finals bag of goodies from St. Clare Parish after Mass December 12/13 in the Gathering Space. Study and Snacks 2-4 p.m. Sunday, December 13 in the Youth Room. All high school youth are welcome. We will have a little fun and a Christmas reflection, too! Parents: Please note: Love or Lust CDs from the Chastity Project will be given out to students in their high school study bags next weekend. If you have any questions, please contact Jane at or janeadotson@yahoo.com or Save the Date! Family Bingo!! January 29 Men For Christ Weekend Discernment Retreat Young Men: High School Juniors through age 35 Are you wondering what to do with your life? Do you want to find out what God has planned for you? Consider the Men For Christ Discernment Retreat! You don t need to want to be a priest this retreat will help you discern your vocation, whatever God is calling you to do. December at Our Lady of the Snows. More information and registration at A new Catholic children s book is available to order now through St. Clare Parish. $12.50 per book A Light for the World: A Catholic Kid s Guide to Advent and Christmas janeadotson@yahoo.com Deadline to order is Dec. 15

5 ADVENT Evening Prayer Service Wednesdays of Advent 6 6:30 p.m. in Church Penance Services Let the year of mercy begin with a return to the Great Sacrament of Mercy by all In preparation for Christmas! Sunday, December 13 at Noon 5 pm Saint Peter Cathedral, Belleville CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE Christmas Eve 4:30 and 11:00 p.m. Christmas Day 10:00 a.m. Prelude music will begin one half hour before each Mass. Monday, December 14 at 7 pm Corpus Christi, Shiloh Tuesday, December 15 at 7 pm Holy Childhood, Mascoutah Wednesday, December 16 at 7 pm St. Nicholas, O Fallon Thursday, December 17 at 7 pm St. Clare, O Fallon Sunday, December 20 at 7pm St. Mary, Valmeyer "Mercy is a Bridge" Men's Quiet Retreat King's House Retreat Center in Belleville January 8-10, 2016 Registra on deadline is January 5. Please contact Len Ratajczyk at (618) or lenratajczyk@gmail.com with ques ons or to register. Suggested Dona on for the retreat is $ Days to Morning Glory God Bless our many parishioners who consecrated themselves to Jesus through Mary this past week. Come, Holy Spirit, living in Mary...draw me in, with and through Mary to the Fountain of love and mercy. Lighthouse Catholic Media We have all new CD and book titles on our kiosk...great for gift giving to yourself or family members this Christmas! Check out our selection of Advent, Youth and Young Adult and Our Catholic Faith titles! Please join The Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study as we begin the 2nd half of our study on the Gospel of Luke, which is some mes referred to as the Gospel of prayer due to the many beau ful prayers included within it. New members must a end the informa on session on Wednesday, January 13th from 9:30-11:30 am. at St. Clare Church in O'Fallon, IL. For more informa on please call Kristy Turner at

6 Stewardship Share God s Gifts You have been given wonderful gi s from God Will you share them? Every good gi is from the Father. James 1:17 Our capital campaign con nues with another opportunity to turn in pledge cards this weekend just place your card in the regular collec on basket. Cards can also be dropped off or mailed to the parish office; addi onally, you can make your pledge and set up electronic payments using the We Share op on on our parish website, stclarechurch.org. weshareonline.org. Campaign informa on packets and pledge cards can be found in the Gathering Space. We're pleased to report that nearly one-third of the pledges made so far have come from new households! But, we s ll need many more to help us meet our goal of 100 new families par cipa ng in this campaign. Whether you make a 3-year pledge commitment, a one- me gi or something in between, returning your card lets us know you'll be joining many fellow parishioners who support St. Clare's efforts to "dent the debt." You may enjoy end-of-year tax benefits as well for any campaign contribu ons you make before 2015 comes to a close. Many sincere thanks to all who've already made a pledge! Liturgical Ministry Training and Refresher Courses Eucharistic Ministers: New Ministers are asked to attend one of the following sessions in church: Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2:00 pm All ministers are asked to attend this session in church: Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 7:00 pm Volunteers Needed for Ministry at Memorial Hospital East Memorial Hospital East in O Fallon will open April, 2016 and will require volunteer Eucharistic Ministers from our parish to provide prayer and Eucharistic Ministry to patients. The Diocese of Belleville / Ministry to the Aged and Sick (MSA) oversees this vital ministry and will hold identical informational meetings at the Pastoral Center in Belleville on February 3 rd at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm to be followed by identical training sessions on February 16 th and 23 rd at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm (need to attend ONLY one session). Individuals who may be interested in this ministry are asked to contact the parish office should they have any questions. Looking for Alterna ve Ways to Give or to Honor Someone with a Dona on? Our Sister Parish in Guatemala Support their infrastructure, faith forma on programs and outreach to those in need. Use the pink envelope in your monthly packet. Christmas and End of Year Giving Made simple with WeShare! Thinking about making a gi to St. Clare Parish as Christmas draws near and the year comes to a close? Use the fast and easy on line giving op on: WeShare. A simple click on our parish home page will lead you step-by-step through giving via credit card, debit, checking or savings. With WeShare you can donate to any collec on, take advantage of end-of-year tax savings with a one me gi, or set up recurring draws such as a weekly or monthly the or church mortgage payments. The WeShare site allows you to direct your dona ons to specific causes so you know your gi will go exactly where you wish. God has blessed us all abundantly, and it s never been easier to share! Go to our website: Stclarechurch.weshareonline.org. Our Guatemala Scholarship Fund Help children in our sister parish get an educa on beyond 6th grade. Help with tui on, food, transporta on, school supplies and more. It costs approximately $1,000 to fund one student per year. Sunday, December 6, 2015 Tithe...$23, New Church.....$5, Month of November: Thanksgiving.$1, For the Poor... 2, Annual SVDP Collec on.10, Guatemala (including scholarship fund)...4, Catholic Camp for Human Dev Children s Envelopes Capital Dev. On Line Giving.8,415.00

7 T `táàxüãéü~á V{Ü áàåtá Sunday, December 13 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Clare Church Masterworks Chorale, Children s Choruses, and Orchestra present their annual holiday classics. A candlelight procession, favorite Yuletide carols and an audience sing along! ALTAR ANGELS December 12: Marie Berry, Jackie Burke, Jeane e Giebels, Eleanor Henken, Judy Lemansky ORNAMENT FEATURES CHAPEL WINDOW This year s ornament is the 8th in a series of collectors ornaments featuring a stained glass window from the Blessed Sacrament chapel of our church. The ornaments will be sold for $10 each a er Masses December 5 20th. A limited number of ornaments from previous years will be available. Proceeds benefit the parish s capital development fund. INTERDENOMINATIONAL REMEMBRANCE SERVICE for families who have experienced the death of a child, extended family & friends are welcome. Sunday, December 13 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Hospital Chapel, Belleville. A recepton in the Centennial Room will follow the service. You are welcome to bring your child s favorite dessert to share! Love dona ons in memory of the children are welcome and parking will be available in the hospital garage. No reserva ons needed. For informa on, please call parishioners, Ralph and Carolyn Wo owa at ST. CLARE SENIORS MEETING Monday, December 14 at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Pot luck dinner and bring a $5 gi for gi exchange. ST. CLARE SCHOOL The Christmas Band Concert featuring band members in 4th 8th grades will take place Monday, December 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the gym. In addi on, the Kindergarten and 1st grade will perform the Na vity play and carols will be sung by our 2nd 4th grade students. On Wednesday, December 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the gym, the school choir will showcase their talents and present a play as an old me Christmas Special. All are welcome to a end. LIVING WITH CANCER? Are you living with cancer in your day to day life? Join Kathy Harvey, Social Worker, to learn ways to live each day as normally as you can. Discuss how to enjoy the simple things and take pleasure in the special things in life. December 17 at 1:00 pm at The Cancer Treatment Center, 4000 N. Illinois Street, Swansea. Walk ins welcome. (618) ALTAR SODALITY CHRISTMAS PARTY is December 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring an appe zer and a $2 wrapped bingo prize. All women of the parish are invited to a end! Luke 18 Bringing fun and faith together for an awesome weekend retreat. Jan , 2016 St. Clare School 8th grade registration is open through Dec. 15. visit stclarechurch.org to register on line. Required planning meeting for Leaders - All high school leaders will meet at St. Nicholas Dec 20 at 10:30 and St. Clare Jan 3 at 10:30 for Mass and meetings. ST. CLARE IS BLESSED TO HAVE THREE SEMINIARIANS AMONG US! Everyone is invited to pray for and send notes of encouragement to the seminarians from three of our parish families! Joel Seipp and Nick Fleming, both of whom grew up in St. Clare Parish and graduated from St. Clare School, are discerning the priesthood in the Belleville diocese and are in their second year of studies after each served a summer internship in our diocese. Joel is studying at Sacred Heart School of Theology and Seminary in Wisconsin. He is the son of Larry and Shirley Seipp and has three sisters. Shirley is our parish business manager. Nick is studying at Kenrick-Glennon College Seminary in St. Louis. He is the son of Dr. Tom and Mary Fleming and has five siblings. Brother Rinju Chenet is studying in a seminary of the Institute of the Incarnate Word in Maryland. His parents, Franz and JoMary Chenet, moved to our parish last year; they have five children. Joel Seipp (bday Oct. 27) Sacred Heart School of Theology and Seminary PO Box 429 Hales Corners, WI dmbfanjoel1@yahoo.com (that is the #1 after joel) Nicholas Fleming (birthday Sept. 8) Kenrick-Glennon College Seminary 5200 Glennon Drive St. Louis, MO Brother Rinju Chenet (birthday June 8) Institute of the Incarnate Word 5706 Sargent Road, Chillum, MD 20782