St. Hugh of Grenoble Catholic Church

Transcription

1 St. Hugh of Grenoble Catholic Church Fourth Sunday of Advent December 22, 2013 They shall name him Emmanuel, which means God is with us. Matthew 1:23 Clergy Rev. Walter J. Tappe, Pastor Rev. Richard D. Kramer, Jr., Assisting Priest Mr. Desi Vikor, Deacon Parish Staff Mrs. Lucy Fuentes, Business Manager Mrs. Mary Wade, Coordinator of the School of Religion Mrs. Jennifer Goltz, Director of Music Gerald Muller, DMA, Principal Organist Mr. Hung Le, Plant Manager Parish Office Office Hours: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday Friday School of Religion (CCD) shreligioused4@gmail.com Mrs. Mary Wade, Coordinator St. Joseph Regional School Montgomery Road Beltsville, MD Holy Hour First Fridays at 7:00 p.m. The Sacraments Reconciliation: Saturday: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Baptism: 2nd Sunday of the month after the 11:00 a.m. Mass. Call the rectory to make arrangements. Marriage: By arrangement. Contact the pastor at least six months before intended date of wedding. New Parishioners See the Greeter after Sunday Mass to register. Departing Parishioners Please inform the parish office that you re leaving. Music for this Sunday Entrance: no. 480 Preparation: no. 485 Eucharistic Acclamations: St. Hugh Mass Lamb of God: Agnus Dei Communion: R./ Rejoice! Rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel! Marian: no. 986 Final: no. 466 Mass Times SUNDAY Sat. 5 p.m. Vigil 8 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11 a.m. DAILY Mon.-Fri. 7:15 a.m. Fed. Holidays 9 a.m. Saturday 9 a.m. 135 Crescent Road Greenbelt MD, Phone (301) , FAX (301) sthughoffice@gmail.com

2 Your Prayers Requested For those preparing for their vocations Deacon Chip Luckett, Jack Berard, Sister Mary Joy of Martyrs Kimble, SSVM, and Joe Lomax For those preparing for the sacraments For all those preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation. For the sick Please pray for: Bobby Mittelstetter; Elizabeth Pels Nash; Mary & Ludvik Matyas; Dave Williams; Tom Moran; John Yamnicky, Nancy DePlatchett. For the deceased In your charity, please pray for the souls of our beloved dead: James Johnston; Loynette McNew. For our troops Please pray for: Adam Weaver, James Hall, Christopher Pfaffman, Anthony (Tj) Hose, Anthony Ladnier, Tony Alves, Karen Mealey. To add a name to these lists, please call the rectory. Hodie Christus natus est Christmas Flowers Help make the Church beautiful for Christmas by using the Christmas Flower envelope, available in the back of the Church. Please take one and drop it in the collection basket. Masses for the Week of 12/22-12/29 Saturday 5pm Mary & Joseph Fitzmaurice Sunday 8am Tony Iacone 9:30am Intention of the Parish 11am Elena Valda Monday 7:15am Lorraine Moroney Tuesday 7:15am Frances A. Bates 5pm Nancy Muller 11pm Anthony Iacone Wednesday 8am Intention of the Parish 10am Walette Winchester Thursday 7:15am Mary Orbin Friday 7:15am Eileen Madden Saturday 9am Int. Dennis Terreff & Family 5pm Eileen Madden Sunday 8am Johanna Neilsen 9:30am Elena Valda 11am Intention of the Parish This Week at a Glance Today 12/22/2013, Fourth Sunday of Advent 8am Mass 9:30am Mass 11am Mass, Parish Choir Monday 12/23/2013, St. John of Kanty Tuesday 12/24/2013, Vigil of Christmas 5pm Vigil Mass of Christmas 10:30pm Lessons and Carols 11pm Christmas Mass at Night Wednesday 12/25/2013, The Nativity of Our Lord 8am Christmas Day Mass 10am Christmas Day Mass Thursday 12/26/2013, St. Stephen Friday 12/27/2013, St. John Saturday 12/28/2013, Holy Innocents 9am Mass 3:30pm 4:30pm Sacrament of Reconciliation 5pm Vigil Mass The calendar is also online: LORD OF ALL Jesus Christ will be Lord of all, or he will not be Lord at all. St. Augustine Celebrating Christmas READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Mal 3:1-4, 23-34; Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-10, 14; Lk 1:57-66 Tuesday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Lk 1:67-79 Wednesday: Vigil: Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 [18-25]; Night: Is 9:1-6; Ps 96:1-3, 11-13; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14; Dawn: Is 62:11-12; Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2:15-20; Day: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1-6; Heb Thursday: December 24 Children s Mass at 5pm Lessons and Carols at 10:30pm Mass at Night at 11pm December 25 8am and 10am 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 [1-5, 9-14] Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 8ab, 16bc, 17; Mt 10:17-22 Friday: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Saturday: 1 Jn 1:5 2:2; Ps 124:2-5, 7b-8; Mt 2:13-18 Sunday: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14; Ps 128:1-5; Col 3:12-21 [12-17]; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

3 From the Pastor Christmas is almost upon us. Advent has zoomed by, except for the children of our parish for whom every day before Christmas seems like an eternity. For most if not all of us, we never seem to have enough time to get ready for Christmas. We shouldn t let this bother us. Advent is essentially about letting go and letting God: letting go of our expectations and letting God fill us with his expectations. The Advent season has been about preparing our hearts, as best we are able, to receive the gift that Jesus is prepared to give us this Christmas: the gift of his Father s love. Come to me, Jesus says, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus yoke is simply allowing the Father to be everything for us. His burden is trusting God in all things because we know he loves us; because he has given us his Son to show us how to enter into the joy of that love, that it may truly fill us. The joy of Christmas is not something we can manufacture for ourselves. We do not produce it by saying so many prayers or doing so many good works. We say the prayers and we do the good works because it is the way to receive the joy that Jesus offers us this Christmas and, indeed, every day the joy of abiding in the Father s love and acting ever in accord with what it requires of us. For the Father is love, and all that is gives us and demands of us is from love and for love. Yours in Christ, Father Walter Advent Meditation From Father Walter Christ was born to manifest the Father s love. As Christians, we are born again in Christ for the same purpose: to manifest the Father s love in the world. God s love is not a private affair to be expressed only at the private level. God s love is all-pervasive. It is meant to be experienced and shared in every possible human setting, from the privacy of the marriage bed to the most public ordering of political, social and economic affairs. In his message for the World Day For Peace which is observed worldwide on January 1, Pope Francis calls upon all people to exercise fraternity, which he describes as an essential human quality that entails a lively awareness of our relatedness as human beings. Fraternity helps us to look upon and to treat each person as a true sister or brother. Without fraternity, the Holy Father says, it is impossible to build a just society and a solid and lasting peace. Francis goes on to point to the theological underpinnings of fraternity, and specifically how Christ makes fraternity among people possible: The basis of fraternity is found in God s fatherhood. We are not speaking of a generic fatherhood, indistinct and historically ineffectual, but rather of the specific and extraordinarily concrete personal love of God for each man and woman. It is a fatherhood, then, which effectively generates fraternity, because the love of God, once welcomed, becomes the most formidable means of transforming our lives and relationships with others, opening us to solidarity and to genuine sharing. In a particular way, human fraternity is regenerated in and by Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection. The Cross is the definitive foundational locus of that fraternity which human beings are not capable of generating themselves. Jesus Christ, who assumed human nature in order to redeem it, loving the Father unto death on the Cross, has through his resurrection made of us a new humanity, in full communion with the will of God, with his plan, which includes the full realization of our vocation to fraternity. From the beginning, Jesus takes up the plan of the Father, acknowledging its primacy over all else. But Christ, with his abandonment to death for love of the Father, becomes the definitive and new principle of us all; we are called to regard ourselves in him as brothers as sisters, inasmuch as we are children of the same Father. He himself is the Covenant; in his person we are reconciled with God and with one another as brothers and sisters. Jesus death on the Cross also brings an end to the separation between peoples, between the people of the Covenant and the people of the Gentiles, who were bereft of hope until that moment, since they were not party to the pacts of the Promise. As we read in the Letter to the Ephesians, Jesus Christ is the one who reconciles all people in himself. He is peace, for he made one people out of the two, breaking down the wall of separation which divided them, that is, the hostility between them. He created in himself one people, one new man, one new humanity.

4 After looking at fraternity as the necessary basis for every human relationship political, economic, social, spiritual the Holy Father concludes, Fraternity needs to be discovered, loved, experienced, proclaimed and witnessed to. But only love, bestowed as a gift from God, enables us to accept and fully experience fraternity. The necessary realism proper to politics and economy cannot be reduced to mere technical know-how bereft of ideals and unconcerned with the transcendent dimension of man. When this openness to God is lacking, every human activity is impoverished and persons are reduced to objects that can be exploited. Only when politics and the economy are open to moving within the wide space ensured by the One who loves each man and each woman, will they achieve an ordering based on a genuine spirit of fraternal charity and become effective instruments of integral human development and peace. We Christians believe that in the Church we are all members of a single body, all mutually necessary, because each has been given a grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, for the common good. Christ has come to the world so as to bring us divine grace, that is, the possibility of sharing in his life. This entails weaving a fabric of fraternal relationships marked by reciprocity, forgiveness and complete self-giving, according to the breadth and the depth of the love of God offered to humanity in the One who, crucified and risen, draws all to himself: 'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. This is the good news that demands from each one a step forward, a perennial exercise of empathy, of listening to the suffering and the hopes of others, even those furthest away from me, and walking the demanding path of that love which knows how to give and spend itself freely for the good of all our brothers and sisters. Christ embraces all of humanity and wishes no one to be lost. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him, He does it without oppressing or constraining anyone to open to him the doors of heart and mind. Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves Jesus Christ says I am among you as one who serves. Every activity therefore must be distinguished by an attitude of service to persons, especially those furthest away and less known. Service is the soul of that fraternity that builds up peace. From the School of Religion Thought questions: How have I experienced fraternity in my life? Who has shown fraternity to me? How do I show fraternity to others? What are the areas of my life where I find fraternity difficult? How does the fraternity I experience in my relationship with Jesus affect how I relate to others? Parish Life Congratulations to our fourteen children who received the sacrament of Penance for the first time on Saturday, December 7th. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to prepare to receive First Holy Communion in May. Thank you to the catechists and families who helped make our first Family Advent Retreat a wonderful success. Twenty-five families participated in various Advent prayers and traditions including art activities and games. We will be closed on December 22nd and December 29th for our Christmas and New Year holidays. We will resume classes on January 5th. Our Christmas Pageant will take place on Sunday, January 5th in the school gym during our regular class time. After the pageant, we will enjoy a potluck lunch. Please bring a favorite family food and drink to share. Thank you. News from the Knights of Columbus Mark Your Calendars! Who won t be tired of rich and heavy holiday fare? Who wouldn t fancy some pasta and fellowship? Join the St. Hugh's Knights of Columbus on Saturday evening, January 4, 2014, at 6:30 for our first Spaghetti Dinner of the New Year! Donations will be accepted at the door; all proceeds go to fund the programs of the St. Hugh's K of C. Christmas Bazaar Raffle This is just a reminder to turn your tickets in before December 31, Also, additional tickets will be sold after all Masses December 15 and 15. Thank you again for your continued support. If you have any questions, please contact Ginger Feliciotti at Dear St. Hugh Families and Parishioners, The preparations are nearly complete, the children are home and we want to meet the infant Jesus. We pray that you all have a blessed Christmas full of family and love of Christ. Thank you to all who came and supported our students for the Christmas program. It was wonderful to see the children share their talents. Would you like to keep up to date with the happenings at St. Joseph s Regional Catholic School? Like the Home and School s Facebook page at Home and School, St. Joseph s Regional Catholic School. Merry Christmas! A look ahead: December 21-January 5: Christmas Break January 6: School Resumes, Feast of the Epiphany January 13: Re-Registration Begins January 22: Rally and Mass for Life (7-8 grade) January 24: Boxtop tag day, Noon dismissal Peace and all Good, Mrs. Anne-Marie Miller OFS Principal, St. Joseph s Regional Catholic School

5 Around the Archdiocese Christmas Dinner for those In Need at the National Shrine The Shrine will sponsor dinner for those who are alone or in need on Christmas Day, December 25. Volunteers are needed to assist in preparing, serving, and delivering meals as well as assisting with other logistics. Those interested in volunteering can sign-up online atwww.nationalshrine.com/ christmasdinner or by calling the Basilica at (202) Men's Discernment Retreat Friday January 31 through Sunday, February 2, 2014: Cardinal Donald Wuerl invites men in their 20 s 40 s who are considering a call to the priesthood to attend a discernment retreat at Blessed John Paul II Seminary led by priests of the Archdiocese of Washington. The weekend will offer opportunity for prayer and reflection to examine God s call and will cost you nothing more than your time. Registration is now open at or vocations@adw.org for more information. Wizards fans, save money on tickets while supporting Catholic Charities! Catholic Charities has partnered with the Washington Wizards for a season-long promotion. When you purchase tickets with their special offer code (WIZARDS), you ll get discounted ticket offers plus, $3 of every ticket sold will be donated to support their ministries to those in need. Discounted tickets available at or call Jill Buxbaum at for more information. The name Emmanuel implies closeness and intimacy and compassion. Emmanuel is the name given to the one who is coming. It means God is with us. God is entrusted to the care of a virgin, who will bear this child. Only God would be so compassionate to draw so near, to be so available and vulnerable. Only God could love this well. Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. A Christmas Movie for the Whole Family Currently playing in theaters, The Christmas Candle is a movie that the whole family can enjoy during this season of Advent. Based on the novel by Max Lucado, the movie tells the story of an English village where, according to legend, every 25 years an angel visits the village candlemaker and touches a single candle. Whoever lights this candle receives a miracle on Christmas Eve. But in 1890, this centuries old legend may come to an end. When a new young minister arrives, the villagers discover a new formula for miracles: good deeds and acts of kindness. The minister's quest to modernize sets him at odds with the old world candlemaker, who must fight to preserve the legacy of the Christmas Candle. But when the candle goes missing, the miraculous and human collide in the most astonishing Christmas the village has ever seen. For more information, visit Adult and Family Rally and Mass for Life Once again this year, the Archdiocese of Washington and the Association of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities will sponsor the Adult and Family Rally and Mass for Life on the morning of the National March for Life on January 22, This event for parishioners of the Archdiocese of Washington will be held at The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle (1725 Rhode Island Ave., NW). The Rally kicks off at 9am and features Chad Judice, author of Waiting for Eli, as the main speaker. Bishop Francisco Gonzalez will celebrate the Mass, which begins at 10am. Departure for the National March for Life at 11:30am. Registration is required: Visit for more information. From the Domincan Retreat House December 31 January , Remember the Past; Celebrate the Present; Embrace the future New Year s Eve Overnight Retreat. Directed by Fr. Don Howard.Time: Tuesday 5:30pm Wednesday 10:30 am. January 5, 2014, Epiphany Open House Please join the Sisters and Staff in celebrating the new year. There will be lots of holiday cheer and food and entertainment! Time: Sunday 2pm 4pm For further information and reservations call Dominican Retreat at or check our website at Enjoying the Christmas Season at the National Shrine Come see the spectacular decorations as the Basilica of the National Shrine dresses up for this joyous time of year and join the National Shrine in celebrating the Christmas season. Visitors will be welcomed by 51 trees, as tall as 15 feet, together with more than 500 vibrant poinsettia plants. More than 65,000 brilliant lights will brighten the Basilica, inside and out, for this most wonderful time of the year. Be sure to see the two manger scenes, one of which is nearly life size. Decorations will be up December 20 - January 12; the Basilica is open daily 7am 6pm. The Basilica is located at 400 Michigan Ave. NE, offers ample free parking, and is within walking distance from the Brookland-CUA Station on Metro s Red Line. For more information please visit: or call (202) O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.