PARISH SOLEMNITY OF ST ANDRE BESSETTE Friday, January 6, pm Mass followed by Reception There will be no morning Mass today

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1 December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord IN THE PARISH HOW TO... JOIN THE PARISH New Parishioners are always welcome. Census forms can be found in the vestibule of the churches. Simply fill one out and drop it in the collection basket. REQUEST PRAYERS Our Intercessory Prayer Ministry provides prayers for anyone in need throughout the parish. Mary Ann Magda is the Coordinator and can be reached at REMEMBER YOUR PARISH Please Remember St. Andre Bessette Parish with Memorial gifts at the time of death or with a bequest in your will. Make a return to the Lord for all the good He has given you. ANOINTING OF THE SICK The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may take place at any time, especially if one is seriously ill. Please contact the parish office to set up a time for Fr. Ken to visit. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, or if Fr. Ken is unable to visit immediately, another priest may be called by the office to celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing. CARE FOR THE HOMEBOUND AND HOSPITALIZED Sr. Madonna SSCM, assisted by our dedicated EMOCs, provides Sacramental care to the elderly, homebound and hospitalized. If you, or someone you know, are homebound or in need of a pastoral visit, please contact Sr. Madonna. PLAN A FUNERAL The loss of a loved one is a particularly difficult time for those who are bereaved. Our parish community collaborates with local funeral directors in assisting families during their time of grief. SCHEDULE A BAPTISM The birth of a child brings joy to the family. Through Baptism, that child is joined to the family of God, which brings great joy to the church. Parents seeking Baptism are asked to contact the parish office. SCHEDULE A WEDDING Couples contemplating marriage are asked to contact the parish office and set up an appointment with Fr. Ken before making any other plans for their wedding. This appointment should take place at least one year before the contemplated date. Monday, December 26, 2016 Feast of St. Stephen, Martyr Tuesday, December 27, 2016 Feast of St. John, Evangelist Wednesday, December 28, 2016 Feast of the Holy Innocents Thursday, December 29, 2016 Feast of St. Thomas Beckett Noon 5 pm Eucharistic Adoration 5 pm Vespers Friday, December 30, 2016 Feast of the Holy Family Saturday, December 31, 2016 Feast of St. Sylvester NO Morning Mass Scheduled SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD (NEW YEAR) Saturday, December 31, :00 pm VIGIL MASS 5:30 pm VIGIL MASS Sunday, January 1, :00 am MASS PARISH SOLEMNITY OF ST ANDRE BESSETTE Friday, January 6, pm Mass followed by Reception There will be no morning Mass today SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Saturday, January 7, :00 pm VIGIL MASS 5:30 pm VIGIL MASS Sunday, January 8, :00 am MASS FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD Monday, January 9, :00 am Mass I am grateful to those faithful parishioners who support the work of the parish each week, not only in their Sunday offering, but in the donation of time and talent that is the hallmark of this parish community. We could not accomplish all that we have accomplished in the past year without your perseverance. I am grateful to all the members of the parish staff who work so diligently every day to serve the needs of the parish. All that we accomplish is done through their dedication and service to the community. I am grateful to all who serve on our administrative councils and committees. This is the powerhouse of the parish. I am grateful to all who minister at the altar and in various other venues throughout the parish. Sacristans, Servers, Lectors, Choir members, Ushers and collectors, and the Ministers of Communion who not only serve at Mass, but are more often found ministering to the needs of the homebound, the hospitalized, and the infirm of our parish. I am grateful to all who come to visit us from time to time because of ties of home and family that remain here, even though you may live many miles away. It is always a joy to see you and your families worshipping with us. I am grateful to those who are searching for a spiritual home and who have come to try us out. Our hope is that you will find what you are seeking in the embrace of our parish family. I wish each of you and your families best wishes for good health, happiness, and prosperity at Christmas and throughout the New Year. - Fr. Ken We wish to thank the Family of Dr. Albert Danishanko for the donation of a set of cut crystal cruets in his memory for use during our Sunday and daily Eucharists. They will be an ongoing testimony of the Doctor s love for the Eucharist and the parish he was pleased to call his spiritual home.

2 PARISH MINISTRIES December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Parish Feast Day Tuesday, December 27, 2016 River Grille Restaurant River St. Wilkes-Barre, Pa RSVP to Mary by December 26th, if you haven t already! Our Parish will observe the Feast of St. Andre Bessette on Friday, January 6th with a Special Mass and Reception beginning at 6 pm. If you are planning on attending, please RSVP to Mary at the parish office by Wednesday, January 4, Liturgical Ministries December 31, 2016 January 1, :00 pm 5:30 pm Server Michael Boris Hailey Stephens John Morris Richard Morris Loaves & Fishes Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God Lector John Bednarz Jackie Barkus Extraordinary Minister of Communion Ted Harowicz Rosemary Shedlock 8:00 am Nicholas Kreidler Anna Hudock A.J. Kondracki 11:00 am Aiden Burridge Josh Price Mimi Tosh Friday, January 6, :00 pm January 7-8, 2017 Michael Boris AJ Kondracki Tina Evans David Alusick Parish Solemnity of St. Andre Bessette Rosemary Shedlock Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord 4:00 pm Maggie Benish Tina Evans Maggie Benish 5:30 pm Michael Boris Pat Baran William Klukoske 8:00 am Nicholas Kreidler Mary Ann Slavinski John Benz 11:00 am Patrice Rembish David Alusick Robert Dunsmuir Sr. Food for December Salad Dressing & Sugar by the pound ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS The Liturgical Council will meet on Tuesday, January10th at 7 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. The Parish Social Justice Council will meet Thursday, January 12 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. The Finance Council will meet on Thursday, January 19th at 6:30 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. All members of the Finance Council are asked to plan to attend. The Pastoral Council will meet on Thursday, February 16th at 6:30 pm in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. PARISH COMMITTEES The Young at Heart Committee will meet for their next monthly meeting on January 18th at 1 pm in the Fr. Murgas conference Room. The Development Committee will meet after the holidays.

3 December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord THE LITURGICAL YEAR The 12 Days of Christmas are now most famous as a song about someone receiving lots of presents from their 'true love'. However, to get to the song there had to be the days to start with! The 12 Days of Christmas start on Christmas Day and last until the evening of the 5th January - also known as Twelfth Night. The 12 Days have been celebrated in Europe since before the middle ages and were a time of celebration. The 12 Days each traditionally celebrate a feast day for a saint and/ or have different celebrations: Day 1 (25th December): Christmas Day - celebrating the Birth of Jesus Day 2 (26th December also known as Boxing Day): St Stephen s Day. He was the first Christian martyr (someone who dies for their faith). It's also the day on which Good King Wenceslaus looks out according to the carol. Day 3 (27th December): St John the Apostle (One of Jesus's Disciples and friends). Traditionally, wine is blessed on this day in remembrance of John s escape from being poisoned. He blessed the poisoned wine, and a serpent came out of the goblet. Day 4 (28th December): The Feast of the Holy Innocents - when people remember the baby boys which King Herod killed when he was trying to find and kill the Baby Jesus. Day 5 (29th December): St Thomas Becket. He was Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century and was murdered on 29th December 1170 for challenging the King s authority over Church. Day 6 (30th December): Christmas Weekday or Feast of the Holy Family when Christmas and New Year s fall on Sundays Day 7 (31st December): New Years Eve (known as Hogmanay in Scotland). Pope Sylvester I is traditionally celebrated on this day. He was one of the earliest popes (in the 4th Century). In many central and eastern European countries (including Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland and Slovenia) New Years Eve is still sometimes called 'Silvester'. Day 8 (1st January): 1st January - Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of Jesus in the Roman Rite. The Eastern Rites celebrate the Circumcision of Jesus and the Feast of St. Basil the Great. Day 9 (2nd January): In the Roman Rite, This is the feast of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, two important 4th century Christians and Fathers of the Church Day 10 (3rd January): Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. Though Jesus was named at the rite of circumcision on the 8th day (January 1), the Church celebrates His most Holy Name on this day. Day 11 (4th January): St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American saint, who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. She is patron of Catholic Schools. Day 12 (5th January also known as Epiphany Eve): St. John Neumann who was the first Bishop in American. He lived in the 19th century. The Twelve Days of Christmas Twelfth Night Twelfth Night was a big time of celebration with people holding large parties. During these parties, often the roles in society were reversed with the servants being served by the rich people. This dated back to medieval and Tudor times when Twelfth Night marked the end of 'winter' which had started on 31st October with All Hallows Eve (Halloween). At the start of Twelfth Night the Twelfth Night cake was eaten. This was a rich cake made with eggs and butter, fruit, nuts and spices. The modern Italian Panettone is the cake we currently have that's most like the old Twelfth Night cake, also the ever familiar Fruit Cake is an offshoot of this custom. A dried pea or bean was cooked in the cake. Whoever found it was the Lord (or Lady) of Misrule for night. The Lord of Misrule led the celebrations and was dressed like a King (or Queen). This tradition goes back to the Roman celebrations of Saturnalia. In later times, from about the Georgian period onwards, to make the Twelfth Night 'genteel', two tokens (or today, a plastic Baby Jesus) were baked into the cake (one for a man and one for a women) and whoever found them became the 'King' and 'Queen' of the Twelfth Night party. This tradition carries on in the French Quarter of New Orleans where the King and Queen of Mardi Gras are chosen on this night. Twelfth Night is also known as Epiphany Eve. In many countries it's traditional to put the figures of the Wise Men/Three Kings into the Nativity Scene on Epiphany Eve ready to celebrate Epiphany on the 6th January. "Twelfth Night" (as all lovers of Shakespeare know) is the ultimate celebration of Christmas madness (Shakespeare's play features one of his many "wise fools" who understand the real meaning of life better than those who think they are sane). The Solemnity of the Epiphany Finally, on Epiphany (January 6 except in the United States where it was transferred to the Sunday between January 2nd and January 8th!), the celebration of Christmas comes to an end. Epiphany commemorates the beginning of the proclamation of the gospel Christ's manifestation to the nations, as shown in three different events: the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the turning of water into wine. In the Western tradition, the Magi predominate. But in the Eastern churches, Jesus' baptism tends to be the primary theme. In the Bucharest subway, children leading lambs walk through the trains in commemoration of the Lamb of God to whom John pointed. Orthodox Christians traditionally have their homes blessed with holy water on or around this day. Nowhere is Epiphany celebrated more joyously than in Ethiopia. Pilgrims from all over the country converge on the ancient city of Aksum, where they bathe in a great reservoir whose waters have been blessed by a priest. Epiphany is often a forgotten festival. As the true end-point of the Christmas season, however, Epiphany sends us into the world to live out the Incarnation, to witness to the light of Christ in the darkness. Following Jesus, we have been baptized into his death and resurrection. Whether we are called to martyrdom, or to prophetic witness, or simply to faithful living in the joys and sorrows of our daily lives, we live all of our days in the knowledge of our dignity, redeemed through Christ and united to God. Christmas Decorations are taken down following the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (January 9th this year) as a sign that the days of Christmas have come to an end.

4 FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Humanity Matters: Incarnational Spirituality by Richard Vincent The central event of the incarnation is both a revelation of God and humanity. God is made known in and through a real human life at each stage of human growth and knowledge. [1] It is impossible to overstate the significance of this. Because of the incarnation, we can never look at God or ourselves or, for that matter, all of creation in the same way again! Two profound movements have occurred in the incarnation: the humanification of God and the divinization of humanity. In the words of Raimon Pannikar: Christ is the revelation of God (in Man) as much as the revelation of Man (in God). The abyss between the divine and the human is reduced to zero in Christ. [2] In this complete union of God and a human being, Jesus not only reveals the true God to us; Jesus also reveals true humanity. Through Christ, humanity is made the habitation of God. The glory of God makes its home in human flesh. In Christ, our bodies are made temples dwelling places of the living God. Human flesh becomes the receptacle of the divine. We possess the treasure of God s glory in earthen vessels (see 2 Corinthians 4:7). Consequently, Christian spirituality is fully embodied fully human. We are not spirits having a human experience, nor are we mere matter having a spiritual experience. We are humans caught up in the divine experience through the mediation of Christ s humanity: For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). It is for this reason that the early church wholeheartedly rejected Gnostic dualism. Unlike Gnosticism, the Christian tradition refused to set the spiritual over against the material. Instead, it taught that authentic spirituality is fully human, fully embodied. Edith M. Humphrey puts it well: Christian spirituality is the study and experience of what happens when the Holy Spirit meets the human spirit. This definition is not meant to exclude God s contact with the entire person, including the body. Indeed, Christian spirituality is profoundly incarnational, since that meetingplace between spirit and Spirit, that holy tryst, finds its example par excellence indeed, its prototype and its cause in Jesus, the God-Man.[3] Christian spirituality is a fully robust incarnational spirituality. It is no less than the experience of humanity fully alive in, with, and for God! What Does It Mean to be Human? So, what does it mean to be human? At the very least, being human involves possessing a body, being someone in particular, being a person shaped by relationships.[4] Sadly, these human limitations are often perceived as obstacles to unhindered union with God. On the contrary, it is precisely in and through our humanity that we experience God. Christian spirituality is not an attempt to escape our humanity but to embrace God in and through it. Possessing a body. Christianity builds on the Jewish sacred scriptures which repeatedly proclaim the goodness of creation. The scriptures open with God creating the entire universe and repeatedly declaring it is good, indeed, very good![5] This includes all human beings, both male and female, who, as image-bearers, are made to reflect God s goodness, mercy, and love. Clearly, there is nothing shameful about our bodies. Possessing a body is foundational to human experience and expression. We know of no other means to exist in this world. It is for this reason that we are creeped out by ghosts (spirits without bodies) and zombies (bodies without souls). Unfortunately, some Christians throughout history and even into our modern day have understood human embodiment to be an obstacle to their spiritual good. But the incarnation stands as [God s] enduring witness against everything that defiles the body, showing it to be the place the divine image has chosen to dwell. [6] From its beginning, the Christian tradition has rejected any traces of Gnostic dualism in its understanding of humanity. The human body is not set over against the human spirit. The body is not the problem; sin is. The flesh is not a cocoon or a prison of the spirit. The flesh is the place where God s spirit meets our spirit. The goal of spirituality is not to be set free from the human body, but to live fully alive in God as embodied image-bearers. In the Christian tradition, the opposite of spiritual is not material; the opposite of spiritual is dead. To be spiritual is to be alive in God. Through the incarnation, God embraces the whole world of creation flesh and all. God even embraces the boundaries of human experience birth and death! James Hawes reflection on Jesus birth states it well, wrapping Jesus in all the actions of a normal child: It was the first Christmas and God giggled God farted God burped God gurgled God needed a cuddle God was a baby Christmas reminds us: That we don t have to find God he finds us in our humanity We don t have to go up he came down We find God in the physical, in our bodies, in material, in humanity. God became one of us [7] An incarnational spirituality is nothing less than an embodied spirituality. It is a spirituality that embraces creation including our own creatureliness. [8] We are not pure spirit; we are not pure matter. We are creatures ordered toward our Creator. In our spiritual experience, we should not be surprised to find we are creatures. Willimon writes, there is something about us, as we are going about our so spiritual endeavors, that genuinely surprises us to find that we are, despite our noble intellectual or spiritual virtues, creatures. [9] -- TO BE CONTINUED! [1] Brian Hebblethwaite, The Incarnation: Collected Essays in Christology (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1987), 66. [2] Raimon Panikkar, Christophany: The Fullness of Man (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2004), 17. [3] Edith M. Humphrey, Ecstasy and Intimacy: When the Holy Spirit Meets the Human Spirit (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2006), 17. Emphasis hers. [4] Put succinctly: to be human is to be an embodied relational individual. [5] See Genesis 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31. [6] Wendy Farley, The Wounding and Healing of Desire: Weaving Heaven and Earth (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005), [7] [8] Note that in everyday language the word creature is hardly ever used today except negatively. Horror movies have creatures from the deep, and we speak of bothersome insects as creatures, but most people would not call their pet dog a creature, never mind their best friend. This is a triumph of gnosticism in our popular culture. It is the most elementary fact about what and who we are creatures. We are not the Creator; we are not God. Richard John Neuhaus, Death on a Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus From the Cross (New York: Basic Books, 2000), [9] William H. Willimon, Thank God It s Friday: Encountering the Seven Last Words from the Cross (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdom Press, 2006), 51. Copyright 2008, Richard J. Vincent

5 December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord IN THE DIOCESE Wedding Anniversary Mass 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 2017 to a diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass on Sunday, June 11. 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 the parish office before March 13. Creatively Reaching Out to Persons with Disabilities An evening of networking and sharing of ideas and resources for DREs, Pastors, Catechists, Building and Grounds Personnel and anyone interested in finding better ways to better minister to and include persons with physical or mental disabilities Bernadette Rudolph will facilitate networking and sharing of ideas and resources. Rev. Richard Hockman CSC will speak about the spiritual needs and abilities of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and introduce the SPRED program. Fr. Hockman has a professional background and long history in special education and assists the Diocese in parish-based SPRED Programs. Free Library Fall into a Good Book with the Office of Parish Life s collection of good books for the average parishioner. Topics include Catholic Spirituality, the Scripture, the Lives and Writings of the Saints, The Eucharist, Ecclesiology, and more. All in the Spirit of Vatican II! This can be a bridge between good materials and good parishioners!! You can access the site by ing Bernadette Rudolph for a PDF listing: Bernadette-Rudolph@dioceseofscranton.org. Our parish is at approximately 71% of our goal. If you have not yet made a sacrificial pledge to the Diocesan Appeal, we ask that you do so today. Pledge cards are available in the vestibule. Thank You to those who have already made their pledge to this year s annual appeal. February 21 at the Diocesan Pastoral Life Center, Scranton 6:30 pm 8:30 pm February 27 at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Wilkes-Barre 6:30 pm 8:30 pm Call Jennifer at the Office of Parish Life at to register. Notice Regarding the Sexual Abuse of A Minor It is the policy of the Diocese of Scranton to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse, you are encouraged to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania s Child Protective Services Law, reports of suspected child abuse should also be made immediately by phone to the 24 hour Child Abuse Hotline (ChildLine) at or electronically at It is also the policy of the Diocese to adhere to all civil and state regulations. To this end, the Diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of the Code of Canon Law and to upholding the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such, information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator, Mary Beth Pacuska at or to Diocesan Officials, including the Vicar General, Msgr. Thomas M. Muldowney, V.G. at

6 FROM THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Amoris Laetitia Pope Francis The erotic dimension of Love Chapter 4: LOVE IN MARRIAGE 150. All this brings us to the sexual dimension of marriage. God himself created sexuality, which is a marvelous gift to his creatures. If this gift needs to be cultivated and directed, it is to prevent the impoverishment of an authentic value. 146 St. John Paul II rejected the claim that the Church s Teaching is a negation of the value of human sexuality, or that the Church simply tolerates sexuality because it is necessary for procreation. 147 Sexual desire is not something to be looked down upon, and there can be no attempt whatsoever to call into question its necessity To those who fear that the training of the passions and of sexuality detracts from the spontaneity of sexual love, St. John Paul II replied that human persons are called to full and mature spontaneity in their relationships, a maturity that is the gradual fruit of a discernment of the impulses of one s own heart. 149 This calls for discipline and self-mastery, since every human person must learn, with perseverance and consistency, the meaning of his or her body. 150 Sexuality is not a means of gratification or entertainment; it is an interpersonal language wherein the other is taken seriously in his or her sacred and inviolable dignity. As such, the human heart comes to participate, so to speak, in another kind of spontaneity. 151 In this context, the erotic appears as a specifically human manifestation of sexuality. It enables us to discover the nuptial meaning of the body and the authentic dignity of the gift. 152 In his catecheses on the theology of the body, St. John Paul II taught that sexual differentiation not only is a source of fruitfulness and procreation, but also possesses the capacity of expressing love: that love precisely in which the human person becomes a gift. 153 A healthy sexual desire, albeit closely joined to a pursuit of pleasure, always involves a sense of wonder, and for that very reason can humanize the impulses In no way, then, can we consider the erotic dimension of love simply as a permissible evil or a burden to be tolerated for the good of the family. Rather, it must be seen as gift from God that enriches the relationship of the spouses. As a passion sublimated by a love respectful of the dignity of the other, it becomes a pure, unadulterated affirmation revealing the marvels of which the human heart is capable. In this way, even momentarily, we can feel that life has turned out good and happy. 154 Violence and Manipulation 153. On the basis of this positive vision of sexuality, we can approach the entire subject with a healthy realism. It is, after all, a fact that sex often becomes depersonalized and unhealthy; as a result, it becomes the occasion and instrument for self-assertion and the selfish satisfaction of personal desires and instincts. 155 In our own day, sexuality risks being poisoned by the mentality of use and discard. The body of the other is often viewed as an object to be used as long as it offers satisfaction, and rejected once it is no longer appealing. Can we really ignore or overlook the continuing forms of domination, arrogance, abuse, sexual perversion and violence that are the product of a warped understanding of sexuality? Or the fact that the dignity of others and our human vocation to love thus end up being less important than an obscure need to find oneself? 154. We also know that, within marriage itself, sex can become a source of suffering and manipulation. Hence it must be clearly reaffirmed that a conjugal act imposed on one s spouse without regard to his or her condition, or personal and reasonable wishes in the matter, is no true act of love, and therefore offends the moral order in its particular application to the intimate relationship of husband and wife. 156 The acts proper to the sexual union of husband and wife correspond to the nature of sexuality as willed by God when they take place in a manner which is truly human. 157 St. Paul insists: Let no one transgress and wrong his brother or sister in this matter (1 Thessalonians 4:6). Even though Paul was writing in the context of a patriarchal culture in which women were considered subordinate to men, he nonetheless taught that sex must involve communication between spouses: he brings up the possibility of postponing sexual relations for a period, but by agreement (1 Corinthians 7:5) 155. St. John Paul II very subtly warns that a couple can be threatened with insatiability 158. In other words, while called to an increasingly profound union, they can risk effacing their differences and the rightful distance between the two. For each possesses his or her own proper and inalienable dignity. When reciprocal belonging turns into domination, the structure of communion in interpersonal relations is essentially changed. 159 It is part of the mentality of domination that those who dominate end up negating their own dignity. 160 Ultimately, they no longer identify themselves subjectively with their own body, 161 because they take away its deepest meaning. They end up using sex as a form of escapism and renounce the beauty of conjugal union. 146 JOHN PAUL II, Catechesis (22 October 1980), 5:Insegnamenti III/2(1980), Ibid., ID., Catechesis (24 September 1980), 4: Insegnamenti III/2 (1980), Catechesis (12 November 1980), 2 Insegnamenti III/2 (1980), Ibid., Ibid., Ibid., 1: Catechesis (16 January 1980), 1: Insegnamenti III/1 (1980), Josef Pieper, Über die Liebe, Munich, 2014, 174. English: On Love, in Faith, Hope, Love, San Francisco, 1997, p John Paul II Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae (25 March 1995), 23: AAS 87 (1995), Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Humanae Vitae (25 July 1968); 13: AAS 60 (1968), Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, Catechesis (18 June 1980), 5: Insegnamenti III/2 (1980) Ibid., Cf. Catechesis (30 July 1980), 1: Insegnamenti III/2 (1980), Catechesis (8 April 1981), 3: Insegnamenti IV/1 (1981), 904

7 December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord STEWARDSHIP you might say that the Synoptic Gospels tend to be more historical while the Gospel of John is more theological. Today s Gospel Reading, which is the opening statement of John s Gospel, is an example of this difference. Note how John describes Jesus birth: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him. And without Him nothing came to be. What came to be through Him was life; and this life was the light of the human race: the light shines in the darkness. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is the Messiah and Lord, and this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, and suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest. We are all very familiar with the report of Jesus birth. We know about the multitude singing, and we are aware of how the shepherds came from the fields to see and worship the child. On this glorious day we are the heavenly host singing and we in a sense are the shepherds who kneel in admiration of this child. This child is like none other. We know that every child changes the world in his or her own way. But the birth of Jesus, the Son of God and the son of Mary does more than change the world. He changes our lives completely. He comes to save us. He comes to embrace us. And He invites each of us to embrace Him. Most of us are aware that the first four Books of the New Testament Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are called the Gospels. We also know in general that these Gospels tell the story of Jesus Christ His birth, ministry, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection. What you may not know nonetheless is that the first three Gospels, which we call the Synoptic Gospels, are very different from the Gospel of John, from which our Gospel for today comes. The Gospel of John is unique in many ways. For example, almost 90% of the material it contains about Jesus life is not found in the other three Gospels. Also, On this magnificent Christmas Day we receive the life and we receive His light. It is no wonder that all of our readings reflect that life and that light and the joy that results. Just listen to the words and phrases we find in the First Reading from Isaiah. These are perfect descriptions of what we should feel on this day: beautiful; glad tidings; peace; good news; salvation; shout for joy; break out in song. What a summary of this day! The Second Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews complements and affirms the feelings expressed in Isaiah. The writer makes it clear that Jesus is God and that today marks the beginning of salvation for us. This passage from Hebrews parallels our Gospel today in that it is the opening words of the letter to the Hebrews. The first word is God as that is where it all begins. God speaks to us in the birth of Jesus, and the author of the letter uses a word to describe Jesus that may be foreign to us: the author speaks of the refulgence of his glory. Refulgence means brightness or radiance. The original Greek word from which this is translated is apaugasma. That means brightness beyond our understanding. It is as if we cannot see or look upon the Lord only through the light of Jesus His Son. The Gospel, as explained previously, speaks of the Christ child in a way that is not found in the other Gospels. Jesus is the Word incarnate. If we review what we know about Jesus, we might say He was from Nazareth or He was born in Bethlehem or He is descended from Abraham through David. However, John wants us to understand that Jesus has come to us directly from God as He is One with God. He is the Word. Toward the end of His Gospel John states of his Gospel: But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Today is day of life and light. It is truly a day on which we must proclaim Glory to God in the highest.

8 FINANCES December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord PARISH DEBT SERVICE Parish Loan Amount Paid Balance Due PRINCIPAL 400, , , INTEREST 12, , , BALANCE 412, , , INCOME EXPENSES December 17-18, 2016 December 15 to 21,2016 PARISH COLLECTION Administration 2, In Church Mailed In Clergy Residence -0- Loose Liturgy Offering 3, , Religious Education Holy Days Social Justice -0- Initial Maintenance 2, Dues Savings -0- Debt Reduction Insurance -0- Holiday Flowers Taxes -0- TOTAL PARISH COLLECTION Diocesan Collection TOTAL DIOCESAN $4, $2, Capital Outlay -0- DIOCESAN COLLECTIONS Diocesan Collections $52.00 $38.00 Debt Service (Principal + Interest) -0- Other Expenses -0- OTHER INCOME TOTAL EXPENSES $4, Candles Holy Day -0- GENERAL FUND RECAPITULATION Rental -0- Previous Balance $3, Miscellaneous Income 7, Fund Transfers Expenses -4, TOTAL OTHER INCOME $65.00 BALANCE FORWARD $6, TOTAL INCOME $7, DIOCESAN ASSESSMENTS (July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017) TITLE Prior Balance Current Assessment Amount Paid Balance Due Diocesan Assessment 348, , , School Assessments 134, , , , BALANCE 482, , , , Your Gift to God December 17-18, 2016 Over $ $20 42 $ $ $ $15 22 $75 0 $ $ $10 96 $50 7 $6-9 7 $ $5 59 $25 11 under $5 37 $ Total Envelopes used Mass Attendance December 17-18, 2016 People In-Church Collection 306 Average Offering per person 4:00 p.m , $ :30 p.m :00 a.m. 52 1, :00 a.m. 58 1, Total 288 $4, $16.81 Intention Offered by Intention Offered by Votive Offerings Bread and Wine Dr. Albert Danishanko Children, Grandchildren & Great-children Sanctuary Candle Marie Siemon Daughter & Family

9 December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord LOCAL EVENTS Hanover Area Chili, Chowder and Soup Contest Sunday, January 22, 2017 Hanover Area High School Cafeteria Sponsored by Hanover Area Student Council and JSC Proceeds benefit Ashley Food Bank Set up Time: 10 am 11 am Celebrity Judging 11 am Noon Open to the Public People s Judging Noon 2 pm (Fee is $5.00 for Adults, $3 for children 6-12, 5 and under are free) Entry Deadline: Tuesday January 17, 2017 Entry Fee: One entry $10.00 Two entries $18.00 Three entries $21.00 Congratulations to Joseph Danishanko, the big winner of our recent Gift Card Raffle. We hope the gift cards came in handy for some last minute Christmas Shopping! Thank you to all who took chances on our Impromptu Christmas Gift Card Raffle. Thank You also to all who donated the gift cards. Your generosity is very much appreciated. All chilies, chowders, and soups must be brought to the cafeteria in an electric crock pot between 10:00 and 11:00 am for set up along with an extension cord. Entrants are responsible for their own set up, distribution, and clean up of assigned areas. Disposable taste cups for the judges, and bowls and spoons for the public will be provided. Due to food allergy concerns, all entrants must bring with them a list of all ingredients in their entries. The school reserves the right to reject any enty. Proceeds benefit the sponsoring clubs and the Ashley Food Bank. Winner will be awarded gift certificates from local businesses. Applications are available at or by calling , extension 229. St. Mary Byzantine Parish 300 Club is starting soon. Tickets are $30 each. There are only 300 being sold. Winners are drawn every Sunday for 25 weeks! On the last week, there is a dinner and final drawing. To get your tickets, call Karen at the parish office or Pauline Kozich ( ), or Marge Dorzinski ( ). Looking Ahead! The holidays have only just arrived and the New Year isn t even here yet, but it never hurts to start thinking ahead. Our pilgrimage to Montreal last year was a great success and many people were asking if we were having another. The answer is yes though not quite as extensive. This time we are planning a trip to the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes at Mt. St. Mary s and The Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity and Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton. Both are located approximately 4 hours away in beautiful, historic Emmitsburg, Maryland. (Just over the border past Gettysburg) This will take place on Saturday, October 14th. Cost for the bus is $ We will be stopping at the Cracker Barrel in Frackville for Brunch. Dinner will be at the Carriage House Inn, which is directly across the street from St. Elizabeth s Shrine. Both meals will be on your own. Timetables and schedules will be worked out at a later date. So mark October 14th on your New Year s Calendar and plan to join us for this one-day pilgrimage. Save the Date! VALENTINE DANCE Friday February 10th 6-10 pm BYOB St. Mary s Byzantine Social Hall Music provided by MILLENNIUM! Buffet Dinner and Desserts Tickets are $20 per person and will go on sale in mid-january.

10 WEEKLY CALENDAR December 25, 2016 Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Octave Days of Christmas December 26, 2016-January 1, 2017 Day and Date Time Intention Offered by Events of the Week Monday, December 26 St. Stephen, Martyr Tuesday, December 27 St. John, Apostle and Evangelist Wednesday, December 28 Holy Innocents Thursday, December 29 St. Thomas Beckett Friday, December 30 Feast of the Holy Family Saturday, December 31 Pope St. Silvester 8:00 am Kelly Chalker Verdekel Mr. & Mrs. Tom Jones 8:00 am Andrew Koval Wife & Children 8:00 am John Rocky Sepela June Januszka 8:00 a.m. David Brian Tirpak Mr. & Mrs. James Frew 8:00 a.m. Joseph A (Hozay) Mamola Mr. & Mrs. Donald Koval No Morning Mass Scheduled Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Yes, Virginia, There will be Mass on Monday. No Cantor or Choir Rehearsal Parish Staff Christmas Party 6 pm River Grille. Noon 5 pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 5 pm Vespers and Benediction New Year s Eve NO CONFESSIONS on New Year s Eve Vigil 4:00 p.m. Parishioners Pastor Vigil 5:30 p.m. Craig Cummings David Diocesan Collection for Clergy Feast Day 8:00 a.m. Joseph F Strazewski Family Feast Day 11:00 a.m. Emily Mullay Son, James AGNUS DAY The Lectionary Comic Strip by Pastor James Weitzman In the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom He has appointed Heir of all things, and through whom He made the Universe. Hebrews 1:1