Pastoral Staff Pastor

Transcription

1 Pastoral Staff Pastor Rev. Denis Condon Associate Pastor Rev. Henry Kricek Pastor Emeritus Rev. John Hergenrother Deacon Mr. Dave Brencic, School Principal & Faith Formation Coordinator Ms. AnnMarie Mahay Youth Minister Mrs. Karyn Miller Business Manager Ms. Lynn Waterloo Music Director Mr. Jim Harrold, Secretary/Bulletin Editor TBD, Spiritual Companion Mrs. Jane Kucera, Parish Council Chair Ms. Marcy Fishback, Rectory 1144 Harrison Ave., FAX Sacraments and Ministries Reconciliation/Confessions Saturdays 4:00 4:30 p.m. or on request. Baptisms Second Sunday: 12:30 p.m. A baptismal class is necessary prior to scheduling a Baptism. Marriage Contact the rectory six months prior to wedding. Home Communion Visits Contact the Rectory Parish Nurses, Hours as posted in church. New Parishioners Register at the rectory or online

2 Comfort, give comfort to my people says your God.Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. As I basked in the warm comfort of those words of Isaiah the prophet last week. I felt all the wonderful joy of this season wash over me. December wraps us in nostalgic memories of Christmases past, the Christmas spirit we expect this time of year. Putting up the lights, unpacking ornaments, writing cards, telling stories feeds this spirit. Granted there s the other side of this month - all the shopping, the busyness, the crowds, etc. But in the comfort of our own home we feel the glow of this season..prepare the way of the Lord.Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good new! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! I allowed these words to wash over me like the lines in Handel s Messiah. But then I was brought up short like someone slamming on their brakes. Comfort prepare go up onto a high mountain cry out are all commands! Who s being commanded to do all this? At first I thought God was commanding Isaiah. But then, I realized God commanded Isaiah to speak these words to God s people. Go up onto a high mountain, Zion! The People of God are to prepare the way of the Lord; to cry out at the top of your voice ; and say Here is your God! The people are to make God known. Fine, I thought. Yahweh commands the people of Jerusalem, the folks living thousands of years ago. That s fine. But Vatican II came up with the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church which boldly proclaimed we, the members of the Church are the People of God, and that changed everything! Now this comforting passage is addressed to us! We are to comfort God s people and speak tenderly. We are to prepare the way of the Lord. We are to cry out. We are to say Here is your God to the world! That kind of blows the warm comfy Christmas spirit right out the door. We have to be prophetic! the Son of God is born, our God is here (Emanuel). Our green Christmas trees, a sign of hope, proclaims our faith in God s promises. Even those who only come to church on Christmas proclaim by their presence the longing for peace and harmony among all and that the Christ child embodies that. The People of God are proclaiming Here is your God. But what about the day after Christmas when we pack up Christmas for another year? Do we carefully wrap the comfort my people, the prepare the way of the Lord. the Here s your God in bubble wrap and place them in the box next to the tree lights? Are those commands only for the month of December? Isaiah s prophecy is not just for the Christmas season but for year round life. We long for people to live in peace together. We desire prosperity for everyone. But we doubt. Many times I ve heard it said that living the Gospel is a nice idea, but it s unrealistic. We live in the real world and need to live by its ways. How often have people asked why you go to church? After all, the Church is not in tune with today s world? That s probably why some people think my life is a waste. I don t have a wife, children, or a career like others. I m not involved in the pursuit of happiness. If God s way is unrealistic, my life is a waste, Jesus isn t real and salvation is a hoax. Isaiah calls us to tenderly proclaim comfort to God s people and to energetically prepare the Lord s way. That s discipleship! Living as best we can the faith in Christ-among-us (Emanuel) cries out to the world Here is your God! Isaiah spoke God s word 4,000 years ago, a word that is as fresh today as it was then. We, the People of God, have the knowledge of Yahweh through his Christ born 2,000 years ago and the today s world waits to hear from us. Father Denis Like the star leading the Magi I was led to see we have nothing to fear. The way we prepare this month speaks for us. Lights inside and outside our houses proclaim the Light in the darkness. Preparing gifts announces our love, our care, for others, especially giving gifts to the needy and poor. We cry out with our Christmas carols that Page 2

3 Monday, Dec. 18 6:30pm Play Practice PC/rm 216 6:30pm Boy Scouts - C Tuesday, Dec. 19 3pm Adoration 6pm BEDS - Colonnade Room Wednesday, Dec. 20 5pm Faith Formation Classes - School 7pm School Christmas Program PC 7pm Renew - Marillac 7pm Adoration Thursday, Dec. 21 Friday, Dec. 22 3pm Jr. High Teen Club -C 6pm Cub Scout Pack Night - C Saturday, Dec. 23 9am Bitty Basketball - PC Sunday, Dec. 24 NO Faith Formation Classes 6pm BEDS - Colonnade Room 8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous-R Advent Booklets Daily Reflections for Advent & Christmas is a booklet of suggested bible readings and reflections for the Advent season, spiritually preparing us for the coming of the birth of Jesus Christ. This pocket-size booklets are available at the back of church and at our rectory. The cost is $1.00. Oplatki Families of Polish, Slovak and Lithuanian background observe this Christmas Eve Tradition. Family members and guests each are handed an oplatek and they each break off a piece from one another and eat it, expressing best wishes and blessings to each other, and asking for forgiveness. This is a tender, touching family celebration of love and forgiveness. Oplatki are now available to purchase an envelope of 3 wafers for $1.00 at the back of church and at our rectory. Tuesdays 3-6:30 PM Wednesdays 7-9 PM One thing Adoration reflects is the invitation of God to sit at His feet and know His love, His wisdom, and His healing presence. -Dan Burke Sacrament of Reconciliation Service Tuesday Dec. 19 7:00 PM St. Barbara Church 4008 Prairie Ave., Brookfield December 23 & 24 Regular Weekend Masses 5:00 PM 7:30 AM 9:30 AM 11:00 AM Christmas Eve Schedule Sunday, December 24 3:30 PM Mass 5:00 PM Children s Choir 5:30 PM Family Mass 10:00 PM Carols 10:30 PM Vigil Mass Christmas Day Schedule Monday, December 25 9:00 AM Mass 11:00 AM Mass New Years Day Monday, January 1, :00 AM Mass Page 3

4 Enroll in Electronic Giving Do You want to transi on away from envelopes & contribute electronically? It is SO EASY! Visit our Website & click the Donate Now bu on. Click on events to which you would like to contribute (weekly and special collec ons). Enter your profile & payment informa on. If you have ques ons or need help, call our Rectory at or Monday, Dec. 18 8:30 - Marian Robles, MaryAnn & Gina Albrecht RDGS: Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25 Tuesday, Dec. 19 8:30 - Gertrude Peirick RDGS: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25 Wednesday, Dec. 20 8:30 - Otto Weiler RDGS: Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-4ab, 5-6; Lk 1:26-38 Thursday, Dec. 21 8:30 - RDGS: Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Lk 1:39-45 Friday, Dec. 22 8:30 - A.J. Graf RDGS: 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Saturday, Dec. 23 5:00 - Andino Cipolletta, Frank Materazzo Sunday, Dec. 24 3:30pm - Wrobel & Bukowski Families, Monica Voldan, Raymond & Bernette Worobey, Carol Agrimonti, Joseph Wynn, Joseph & Elizabeth Smuda, Scott Richardson 5:30pm - Fritz Rochowiak, Barbara Matusiak, Rose Baumann, Linka, Zalac & Sukola Families 10:30pm - Drew Myslicki Monday, Dec. 25 9:00am - Don Goldthwait, Otto & Rose Spevak, Ignatius & Anna Paurazas, Leslie Russ, Sr. Gaborik Family, Karaba Family 11:00am Sukola, Zalac & Linka Families Many thanks to all who contributed to the Giving Tree for B.E.D.S. The many gift certificates are very much appreciated for the homeless and the families that BEDS serves. A special thanks to those who organized the Giving Tree, above all Anne Szymczak and her helpers who gathered and distributed all the gifts to the various organizations. Christ s call for charity is very apparent at St. Louise, especially in these hard times. May Christ s peace and blessings be with all of you in the coming year! You may have heard by now about the new tax credit scholarship program created through the Invest in Kids Act. This Christmas, you can give the gift of a Catholic education to children from low-income families while also receiving a tax credit yourself. This program is different from regular charitable giving to St. Louise de Marillac or another charity. Visit archchicago.org/tcs to learn why and to access a step-by-step guide to the program. Page 4

5 Teen Club Teen Club Friday, December 15 and 30, 7:30-10:00 PM. Open gym begins at 8:00. Enter Colonnade parking lot entrance. No Teen Club December 22 or January 5 due to Christmas break. Jr. High Teen Club Next Jr. High Teen Club will be January 12. Teen Room, open gym, snacks! 2:45-4:45 PM. Faith Formation youth should enter Colonnade parking lot entrance. Choir for Christmas Eve Family Mass Any high school youth interested in singing or playing an instrument at the Christmas Eve Family Mass should contact Karyn Miller at kmillerslm@yahoo.com. There will be a rehearsal at 10:30 on Saturday, December 23 for all interested teens (followed by pizza). Christmas Lock-In--Reindeer Games! Our annual High School Christmas Lock-In will be December Come play games inspired by the classic Christmas movie "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Connect this classic to your journey in faith! Permission forms and $10 fee due by December 22--need a minimum of 10 people. Karyn Miller with questions. Holiday Magic Any youth in grades 7-12 interested in a Youth Ministry trip to Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo during Christmas break should contact Karyn Miller. If there is enough interest, we will find a date that works for all! Just5Days Seven youth are signed up for our middle school mission trip next summer! We can still add people if you are interested--contact Karyn Miller. Next meeting: January 23 at 4:00 in the Teen Room. Coming soon! Hunger Banquet: January date TBA Off-site event during January: date TBA Our Sympathy to the families of James Kummerow Page 5

6 Weekday Altar Servers Mon. Dec. 18 Tues. Dec. 19 Wed. Dec. 20 Thurs. Dec 21 Fri. Dec. 22 P. Steger N. Spielman M. Hopkins J. Steger P. Steger T. Bosshart M. Hopkins J. Steger Z. Mazurkiewicz A. Porras Regular Weekend Masses December 23 5:00 pm December 24 7:30 AM December 24 9:30 AM December 24 11:00 AM Presider Fr. Denis Fr. Denis Fr. Henry Fr. Henry Readers P. Hammerschmitt M. Koutek C. Parisi M. Miller Eucharistic Ministers M. Gyorke D. Kucera J. Kucera R. Stepina B. Stepina S. Czarnik T. Nedvar M. Voss R. Voss B. Petek A. Porras DEACON L. Korenchan S. Buckley M. Powderly M. Sinde, Jr. DEACON S. Lifka P. Cavalier A. Janacek R. Kappeler J. Zalig Altar Servers J. Steger P. Steger T. Bosshart F. Martinez J. Camerena A. Roussin E. Kimmelman-Wyles A. Porras Christmas Eve Christmas Day Masses Christmas Eve 3:30 PM Christmas Eve 5:30 PM Christmas Eve 10:30 PM Christmas Day 9:00 AM Presider Fr. Henry Fr. Denis Fr. Denis Fr. Henry Fr. Denis Readers D. DeSantos Special Lectors S. Young M. Koutek D. Porras Eucharistic Ministers Altar Servers M. Sinde, Jr. G. Sapp M. Sapp S. Buckley M. Gyorke B. Koll C. Korabik A. Porras R. Voss J. Steger N. Spielman P. Steger M. Golden P. Golden D. Golden J. Hanson R. Kappeler C. Sherman G. Witkowski M. Hanson Z. Jaksa T. Bosshart S. Lifka C. Lemkau L. Lemkau S. Cipolleta M. Gibson A. Janacek D. Parcel E. Kimmelmann- Wyles A. Sylvie L. Korenchan W. Prokop K. Prokop S. Czarnik B. Petek B. Strnad Christmas Day 11:00 AM Jo. Gaske Ja. Gaske A. Greig R. Greig L. Lisiecki W. Lisiecki P. Cavaliere J. Zalig DEACON A. Roussin F. Martinez Weekly Offertory December 10, 2017 Sunday Collection, this Week: This Year $ 7,000 Last Year $ 8,000 Sunday Collection, Year-to-Date: This Year $ 195,400 Last Year $ 219,700 Year-to-Date Collection Budget $ 221,500 Envelopes Returned, this Week: This Year 275 Last Year 330 Page 6

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