Coming Events. St. Mary Mother of the Church. BISHOP MEDAL OF SERVICE AWARDED This Sunday, December 11 th 5:00 PM Mass

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1 T S A D 11, 2016 Coming Events BISHOP MEDAL OF SERVICE AWARDED This Sunday, December 11 th 5:00 PM Mass ST. MARY PARISH CHRISTMAS SOCIAL This Sunday, December 11 th 6:00 PM - Parish Hall USHER S SUPPER Tuesday, December 13 th 6:00 PM - Parish Hall ALTAR SOCIETY CHRISTMAS SOCIAL Thursday, December 15 th 6:30 PM - Parish Hall LIVE NATIVITY Saturday, December 17 th 5:30 to 7:30 PM - St. Mary Oaks St. Mary Mother of the Church 419 Doucet Road, Lafayette, Louisiana Pastor Rev. Harold J. Trahan Phone Office Hours Monday-Thursday: 9:00-12:00, 1:00-4:00 Friday: 9:00-12:00 Masses Monday, Wednesday-Friday: 7:00 Saturday: 4:30 Sunday: 7:30, 9:30, 11:00, & 5:00 Reconciliation Saturday: 3:00-4:00 Monday, Wednesday-Friday: 6:45 Baptism Marriages Funerals Expectant parents should register for Baptism Class four to six months before the child s birth. Baptismal classes are held once every month. The pastor celebrates baptisms once per month on Saturday at 10:00. and those interested in becoming parishioners. The pastor should be contacted 9-12 months before the wedding date. The pastor should be contacted immediately after the death of a loved one. Funeral plans should be discussed with the pastor prior to making final arrangements at the funeral home.

2 THIS WEEK Morning Prayers Monday thru Friday 6:30 6:45 AM SUN Dec 11 2 nd Collection Retirement for Religious 9:30 AM Children Ringing at Mass (Church) 6:00 PM Parish Christmas Social (Parish Hall) TUE Dec 13 6:00 PM Usher s Christmas Supper (Parish H) 7:00 PM Life Teen (School) WED Dec 14 6:30-8:00 PM Confessions (Church) 6:30 PM Adult Vocal Choir (Ministry Room) THU Dec 15 6:30 PM Altar Society Christmas Social (PH) SAT Dec 17 5:00 PM Live Nativity (St. Mary Oaks) MASS INTENTIONS Mon Dec 12 7:00 M/M Walter Blanchard; Dan & Jackie Bouligny Tue Dec 13 7:00 Communion Service Wed Dec 14 7:00 Arthur J. Mire Family; Del & Emery Guidry; Claylee Latour Thu Dec 15 7:00 Dan and Jacki Bouligny Fri Dec 16 7:00 Al Horaist Sat Dec 17 4:30 Dan & Jackie Bouligny; John Meche; Bill Stonecipher; John Melancon Jr.; M/M Edmund Baudoin; Al Horaist; Gertrude & Dudley Lastrapes Sr.; Lloyd Joseph Hebert Sun Dec 18 7:30 Raymond Cordova; Helen Weiss; Gerry Guidry; Dr. Dean Keeley 9:30 Al Bush; J.T. Landry Family; Rita Babineaux 11:00 M/M Herman Gesser Sr.; Rose Downs; Micky Babin; Faye Marie Gesser; John & Faye Cudd; Keith LeJune; June G. Concienne; Lynn Reeves; Rita Prejean Breaux; Julie Block; Emile & Lessie Concienne; Irby & Inez Gaudin 5:00 Diana Gesser; Beverly Bowles; Beulah Guidry; St. Mary Parishioners SICK IN THE PARISH Loraine Namias; Thad Doucet; Tom Martin; Alice Carlin; Fr. Joseph Brennan; Vance Carlin; Jerry Sibille; Billie Hebert; Lil Holleman; Jeannine Sibille; Connie Uildriks; Liz Huval. GOOD BYE AND THANKYOU St. Mary Parish thanks Mrs. Polly Marceaux for her 4 years of service as Adult Vocal Choir Director. She is stepping down from that position for personal reasons. We wish her and her family well in her future endeavors. Applications and resumes are being accepted for this position. For more information contact Deborah Duhon at ext All resumes must be turned in by January 15, NOVEMBER FINANCIAL REPORT OFFERTORY COLLECTION Sunday Weekly Offertory $54, Average Weekly Offertory $14, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS COLLECTION November $6, TOTALS: NOVEMBER 2016 Total Parish Income $60, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS St. Mary Charities $3, Campaign for Human Development Archdiocese for Military Services 1, Missionary Speaker 9, DECEMBER HAPPY BIRTHDAY ST. MARY PARISHIONERS Mon Dec 12 Robert Morella Nedra Kerin Melinda Blackwell Antonio Viale Matthew McCoy Russell Brown, Sr. Wed Dec 14 Kevin Moody Susan Camel Nicole Angers Hershel Spikes Carl Douglas Bailey Broussard Dolores Villarreal Jessica Farrington Kenneth Broussard Sat December 17 Kristopher James Sandra Farrar Anne Bourgeois Olivia Lerille Mark Lerille Ruth Ann Gannon Matthew Manuel Coleman McKay Lauren Hains Jason Miller Lenore Voorhies Dorric LeBlanc Gabriella Monfra Thu Dec 15 Leslie Mancuso Ellen Montagnet Christopher Barron Maeve McCoy Julia Schulze Christopher Domingue Timothy Norby Griffin Warren Ross Ellender Sun Dec 18 Tue Dec 13 William Labit Carol DiBenedetto Lauren Ardoin Grayson Smith Randall Duplechien Louise Escuriex Andrew Sullivan Jill Guidry Courtney Grant Fri Dec 16 Max Jumonville Paul Hebert Michael Corry Dr Harold LeDoux Patrick Juneau, Jr Thomas Judice Robert Rhymes Gabrielle Smith

3 QUESTIONS ABOUT NEW MASS TIMES On December 4 th, the pastor announced at all the Masses that serious consideration is being given to reducing the three Sunday Masses to two 8:00 and 10:30. The following are answers to some questions: What are the major advantages to the proposed schedule of 8:00 and 10:30? 1. 8:00 is only 30 minutes later than 7:30, which isn t much of an adjustment for the 7:30 group. 2. It would be wise to have a Mass that is still early for when parishioners have things to do on Sunday. 3. 9:30 group would have an extra hour to get the kids ready for Mass :30 is only 30 minutes earlier than 11: Choir members would have an extra 30 minutes to go to lunch or spend more time with family and friends. 6. Those who attend 10:30 would be able to arrive at restaurants before the rush begins :00 group would be able to attend 10:30 and get home in time for the Saints kick off. 8. The 10:30 Mass would become the main Mass of the weekend with a larger attendance resulting in a more uplifting Mass; the adults and children s bell choir would play along with the choir. It would also be the Mass for Children s Church and children s liturgy. 9. Those with young children would most likely attend the same Mass (10:30) and meet other young families. 10. New CCD class time would allow the families to choose 8:00 or 10:30 Masses. 11. More convenient time for CCD classes, as well as increase class time to 1 ¼ hour rather than 50 minutes. 12. Opportunity to go to confession on Sundays during Lent and Advent. 13. Schedule baptisms at 10:30 Mass several times a year for the sake of children. Why not simply drop the 7:30 and keep the 9:30 and 11:00? This would reduce the number Masses; however, it would not address other challenges or problems: o 9:30 and 11:00 are too close to each other. Notice that few parishes schedule Masses with only 30 minutes between them. 11:00 group can t find parking space close to the church. o CCD classes are not long enough we would not be addressing that issue with this schedule. o The Sacrament of Penance could not be scheduled on Sunday. o It would ask those who are used to attending an early morning Mass to attend a Mass two hours later. Why not 9:00 and 11:00? Again, we would be asking only those at 7:30 to change their habit of coming to an early morning Mass and attend a Mass 1 and ½ hours later. 11:00 for many years was the main Mass, but choir members will testify how attendance at the 11:00 is very erratic and sometimes quite low. The CCD issue of a convenient time and longer classes, as well as the confession issue would not be addressed. Many other parishes have that schedule; why not have a schedule that would be different from them, possibly gaining new parishioners? What about 8:30 and 10:30? CCD would have to be at 9:30 allowing only 45 minutes for class instead of 1 hour15 minutes. Confessions could only be at 10:00 (the pastor needs time to eat breakfast) and would only be for 15 minutes (pastor needs to be free 15 minutes to be prepared for Mass).

4 Parish Council ( ) St. Mary Mother of the Church Carol Duplechin Paula Gibbens Peggy Giglio Darren Guidry Ben Mader Laura Slavich lsu Jim Venable Donald Broussard Trustee Armand Doize Trustee

5 As of Thursday, November 30 th Parish Participation Goal * Pledges as of Nov. 30 th Percentage of Goal...82% Needed to meet Goal 54 Pledge cards and envelopes are at the church entrances. Place your pledge in the Sunday collection basket or bring them to the parish offices. * The Parish Campaign Committee decided to adjust the Participation Goal in light of those who wanted to pledge but could not because of their financial situation such as a fixed income or flooding. Christmas Mass Schedule Saturday, December 24 4:00 & 6:30 PM (No 4:30 PM Mass) Sunday, December 25 8:30 AM & 5:00 PM (No 7:30; 9:30; or 11:00 AM Masses) 2 nd Collection is for St. Mary Charities LITURGY CONFESSIONS THIS ADVENT Saturdays, 3:00 to 4:00 PM (No confessions on December 24) Wednesdays: 6:30 to 8:00 PM December 14 & 21 CHRISTMAS FLOWER MEMORIALS AND DONATIONS Christmas Flower Memorials for deceased loved ones and donations can be made by calling the church office during regular business hours. CHURCH DECORATING Anyone interested in helping with the decorating of the Church for Christmas is asked to call the Parish Office during regular business hours for details. FROM PASTOR S DESK 2016 BISHOP S MEDAL RECIPIENT Mrs. Margaret Hargroder Every year in December the Bishop s Medal of Service is presented to a parishioner for their many years of service to our parish community. This year Bishop Deshotel has chosen Margaret Hargroder to receive the Bishop s Medal. She will receive the Medal at the 5:00 PM Mass this weekend. Past recipients of the Bishop s Medal will be in attendance. Please join Margaret and past recipients at the annual Christmas Social at 6:00 PM in the Parish Hall, when we can all personally thank Margaret and past recipients for their service. Congratulations to Margaret, her husband Raymond, and her entire family. (HJT) SOCIALS PARISH CHRISTMAS SOCIAL All St. Mary Parishioners are welcome to join us this Sunday, December 11, for our Annual Parish Christmas Social, in the Parish Hall, beginning at 6:00 PM. USHER S CHRISTMAS SOCIAL All St. Mary Ushers and their spouses are invited to a Supper, Tuesday, December 13, 6:00 PM, in the Parish Hall. ALTAR SOCIETY St. Mary Altar Society members and their spouses are invited to a Christmas Social, Thursday, December 15, in the Parish Hall, beginning at 6:30 PM. COMMUNITY SERVICE 2 nd COLLECTION The 2 nd Collection this weekend, December 10-11, is for the Retirement Fund for Religious. In the United States today, there are more than 33,000 senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests. These religious worked tirelessly in Catholic schools, hospitals, and agencies, usually for little to no pay. As a result, many religious communities lack adequate savings for retirement and eldercare. Your gift to this 2 nd Collection helps provide medications, nursing care, and more. Please be generous next weekend. CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE St. Mary Outreach Committee is sponsoring the Giving Tree in the Vestibule of the Church. The items are for the Elders of St. Mary Church, either homebound, Assisted Living Facility or Nursing Home and those in St. Martin de Porres Church in Scott. The ornaments on the tree will indicate male or female and their age. Choose an ornament and bring the UNWRAPPED gift with tag attached to the top of the gift, on or before December Medium to Large Christmas bags are also needed. RUNNIN REVS vs. SLAMMIN SEMS All are invited to watch the 11 th Annual Basketball Game between the Lafayette Diocesan Priests and the Diocesan Seminarians on December 19, 6:30 PM at Cathedral-Carmel Gym. This fun-filled family event helps to promote and support priestly and religious vocations. All are welcome. ST. MARY EARLY LEARNING CENTER SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA ELC Staff and Parents are using their talents to create a shopping experience like no other. All of your shopping needs can be met with one stop. There will be pottery, jewelry, pastries, fruit, kimonos, novelty baskets and more. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Early Learning Center. Come join us at St. Mary Early Learning Center on December 15 & 16, 8:00 AM till NOON.