Our Lady of Grace Church 1088 Ridge Road Hinckley, Ohio (330) Website:

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1 Our Lady of Grace Church 1088 Ridge Road Hinckley, Ohio (330) Website: Reverend Joseph Mecir, Pastor Reverend William P. O Neill, Pastor Emeritus Reverend John T. McDonough, In Residence Deacon Bruce Dobbins Mission Statement We, the Roman Catholic faith community of Our Lady of Grace, rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and dedicated to our Blessed Mother, value our mission to make God s presence visible in today s world. In service to God s will, and with the Holy Spirit s guidance, we manifest God s peace, love and saving presence as we pray, worship, work and live together in His Name. November 29, 2015 First Sunday of Advent Sunday Masses: Saturday: 4:00 pm Sunday: 8:00 & 11:00 am Weekday Masses: Monday through Friday 8:00 am Holy Day Masses: As scheduled in the bulletin. Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday 3:15-3:45 pm Anytime by appointment. Sacrament of Baptism: First & third Sundays at 12 pm Baptism classes required for first child. Sacrament of Marriage: Allow 6 months preparation. Call parish priest to set a date. Catering Call Church Office Bereavement Ministry and Women of Hope Carolyn Zaverl: PSR Dept. ologpsr@gmail.com Music Ministry Mary Gabriel: Parish Council Tom Higgins: tomhcj7doc@aol.com Home of Triumph of the Two Hearts Shrine Open 24 hours a day all year long Unique statue of Jesus with the Blessed Mother Outdoor Stations of the Cross Beautiful country scenery One of Ohio s newest Shrines

2 Readers MINISTRY SCHEDULE - December 5 & 6 Extra-ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Servers 4 pm 8 am 11 am Ruth Ann Manley Cheryl Valasik Michele Zelazny Bruce Dobbins Jan Lemke, Ruth Ann Manley Tom Minch Bob & Marie Jakubiec Angela Chesnick, Andrea Powers, Ali Thomas Church Cleaners Sat. (12-5) Mary Janesch, Holly Majestic, Charlotte Miller, Suzanne Peterlin Sunday, November 15 $4, Envelopes used Thank you for your generosity! PSR SILENT AUCTION Join our Parish School of Religion for their annual Christmas Silent Auction and Bake Sale. This is a perfect time do your Christmas shopping. Choose from a variety of wonderful baskets. This all takes place after the Masses on December 5 & 6. The proceeds from this fundraiser benefits our PSR to purchase extra DVD s, books, etc. IMMACULATE CONCEPTION The feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th is a holy day of obligation. This is a special feast day for us because Mary of the Immaculate Conception is the patroness of the United States. Masses to celebrate this feast are on Tuesday at 8 am and 7:30 pm. OPLATKY Christmas wafers are available in the sacristy or through the church office. Any donation given is appreciated. NATIONAL NIGHT OF PRAYER On Tuesday December 8th from 9 pm to 1 am on December 9th, we will participate in the National Night of Prayer. The purpose is to unite our prayers with Catholics throughout the country in an effort to help bring back the world to Christ and to bring about an end to abortion. The hours are chosen to coincide with Our Lady of Guadalupe s appearance to St. Juan Diego. HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS NUT SALE The holiday nuts are here! One pound bags from Olympia Candy can be purchased after the weekend Masses or through the church office. Cashews, $9.50; mixed nuts, $9.50; natural pistachios, $8.75, chocolate peanuts, $7 or chocolate raisins, $ CALENDARS Carlson Funeral Homes has been kind enough to provide our parish with 2016 calendars. Pick up a calendar for your family. You will find them in the church vestibule beginning December 1st. SUPPORT ELDERLY RELIGIOUS A parishioner writes, As a Catholic school student from grades K-12, I was formed to be the person I am by many religious brothers and sisters, and I am forever grateful. Show your appreciation for the senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests who made a positive difference in so many lives. Please give generously to next week s collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious (Cut Here) Christmas Decorating Fund Donations are being accepted for the Christmas Decorating Fund Deadline is December 15th Donated by: $10 In memory Other

3 November 29, 2015 Page 3 FAMILY PERSPECTIVES At this time of the year we become more conscious of our family was we make preparations for cards, gifts, and visits. Today s Gospel warns us to guard our hearts from the anxieties of daily life. During this Advent devote yourself to appreciating the gift of those who are already such an important part of your life. The greatest gift this season might be the true appreciation of Christ in others. FIRST CONFESSION On December 3rd our second grade students will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. Please keep them and their families in your prayers. O, come all ye faithful to the first annual Our Lady of Grace Christmas Concert on December 18 at. Enjoy an evening of Christmas music by our wonderful choir. A reception will follow in the church hall. CHRISTMAS TEA FUNDRAISER Oaks Family Care Center, Brunswick is hosting a Christmas Tea on Saturday, December 5th at Diamond Party Center, 1480 Pearl Rd., Brunswick. Guest speaker is Pastor Deb Giaimo of Cornerstone Chapel. Enjoy good food, fellowship, silent auction and raffles. A $30 donation is requested and all proceeds will be used for medical services. For more information or to get tickets, please call or go to oaks-family-care.org. ADVENT PRAYER & CHRISTMAS CARD SIGNING The Catholic Commission of Wayne, Ashland, Medina invite you to an Advent prayer gathering and signing Christmas cards to Ohio death row inmates on Thursday, December 3, 7-8 pm at Holy Martyrs (Pfieffer Hall), 3100 S. Weymouth Rd., Medina. Ohio has 141 people on death row needing mercy and dignity. All are welcome. Materials and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to Jeff Campbell at jcampbell@ccdocle.org or CHRISTMAS CONCERT A Christmas Concert with the Daughters of St. Paul Choir will take place on Friday, December 4th at at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 1007 Superior Ave., Cleveland. The concert is free and open to all. No tickets or reservations required. Free secure parking at the Cathedral Plaza Garage, Rockwell Ave. and East 9th St. For more information gheislman@dioceseofcleveland.org. POP GOES CHRISTMAS St. Rita Parish, Solon invites you to The Singer s Club of Cleveland s 123rd Concert Season Pop Goes Christmas! The concert takes place on December 6th at 3 pm. Enjoy sounds of the season with both traditional and innovative holiday repertoire. There is also be an audience sing-along! RETROUVAILLE WEEKEND Someone once said, Marriages may be made in heaven, but they sure take a lot of work on earth. Have you become so distracted by outside pressure that you neglect your spouse? The Retrouvaille program can help you put your troubled marriage back on track. This program is supported by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. The next Retrouvaille weekend will be held January 15-17, A registration fee of $150 is required to confirm your reservation. For more information concerning the program, or to register, call Al or Diane Miskinis in complete confidence at or For additional information or to register online, go to PRAYERS WORK WONDERS Our Lady of Grace prayer line is always available to you. It is not just for the sick of the parish but for any suffering (emotional, financial, spiritual, etc.) Just call the church office to have a name placed on it. Please remember the sick and suffering of our parish family especially: Blanche Bieda, Barb Blake, Claudia Bulkowski, Ruth Fredrick, Chris Fuciu, Arlene Fuller, Linda Joseph, Kathleen Klosinski, Betty Kmiecik, Bridget Kovalik, Jane Lemke, Fred Maloney, Mark Pajak, Joe Palmentera, Patricia Pesek, Lois Rhodes, Frank Scheid, Braidyn Schneid, Janet Taranto, Kim Thiessen-Hericks, Michelle Triska, Dave Zeleznak. WORK AVAILABLE Foster s Tavern in the center of Hinckley is looking to hire kitchen help and servers. If interested call Teresa at UPCOMING EVENTS Dec. 1 Women of Hope Noon Dec. 2 Youth Choir 6 pm Choir Practice Dec. 3 Mom s Prayer Group 10:30 am First Confession 4:30 & Women of Hope Men of Faith Rosary for Peace MMP Cenacle 7:30 pm Dec. 5 Tri-County Marian Society 8:30 am Dec. 5/6 PSR Auction

4 November 29, 2015 Page 4 ADVENT PONDERINGS Adam, our first parent, sinned. Ungrateful for the great benefits conferred on him, Adam rebels against God by a violation of the precept given him not to eat of the forbidden fruit. On this account, God is obliged to drive him out of the earthly paradise in this world and, in the world to come, to deprive not only Adam but all his descendants of the heavenly and everlasting paradise which He had prepared for them after this mortal life. There was not one innocent person on the earth. Since, therefore, said the Eternal Father, among men there is no one who can satisfy My justice, let someone come forward who will go down to redeem man. The angels, the cherubim, the seraphim all are silent. Not one replies. Only one voice is heard: that of the Eternal Word, Who says: Lo, here I am! Send me! (Isaiah 6:8) But think, answered the Heavenly Father; Think, O My Son, that in taking upon Yourself the burden of man s satisfaction, you will have to lead a life full of sufferings. No matter, replied the Son, lo, here I am send Me! Think that You will have to be born in a cave, the shelter of beasts; from there You must flee into Egypt while still an infant to escape the hands of those very men who, even from Your tenderest infancy, will seek to take away Your Life. It does not matter. Lo, here I am send Me! Think that, on Your return You shall lead a life most arduous, most despicable, passing Your days as a simple boy in a carpenter's shop. It does not matter send Me! Think that, when You go forth to preach and to manifest Yourself, You will indeed have very few to follow You; the greater part will despise You and call You imposter, magician, fool, Samaritan. Finally, they will persecute You to such a point that they will make You die shamefully on a cross by way of torments. No matter! Send Me! The decree then being passed, the Archangel Gabriel speeds on his way to Mary. Mary accepts the Word for her Son. And the Word was made flesh (John 1:14). Thus behold Jesus in the womb of Mary! Having now made His entry into the world in all humility and obedience, He says, Since, O My Father, men cannot make atonement to Your offended justice by their works and sacrifices, behold Me, Your Son, now clothed in mortal flesh; behold Me ready to give You satisfaction in their stead with My sufferings and My death! Wherefore, when He came into the world, He said: Sacrifice and oblation You would not; but a body You have fitted to Me...Then I said: Behold, I come! (Hebrews 10:5) From The Incarnation, Birth, and Infancy of Jesus Christ by St. Alphonsus Maria de Liquori

5 November 29, 2015 Page 5 MASS INTENTIONS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28 4 pm Al & David Zelenak / Ruth SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29 First Sunday of Advent 8 am Living & Deceased of the Parish Family 11 am Mary Sowul / Agnes & Paul Miller MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Saint Andrew 8 am Judy Morrill / Friends from the park TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 8 am Fred Schrembeck / Kenneth Schrembeck WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 8 am Brother Roman Wicinski THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Saint Francis Xavier 8 am Barbara Keffer / Kralovic Family FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 Saint John Damascene 8 am George Koch / Kralovic Family SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 8 am For Prisoners / Tri-County Marian Society 4 pm Living & Deceased of our Parish Family SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 Second Sunday of Advent 8 am David Stucynski / Ron & Kathy Flachbart 11 am William Prusak / Family & Friends SAINT OF THE DAY Saint Francis Xavier Francis was born in the family castle near Navarre, Spain on April 7, He was the youngest son of a prosperous farming family. In 1525 Francis began his studies at the University of Paris. In the early days he acquired some reputation as an athlete. He shared his lodgings with a friend, Pierre Favre. A new student, Ignatius of Loyola, came to room with them. Pierre was won over by Ignatius to become a priest. Francis, however, had aspiration of worldly accomplishments. Francis received the degree of Master of Arts and taught philosophy. Eventually, Francis, Ignatius and five other friends met and made private vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to the people. They planned to go as missionaries to Palestine but this never happened. After4 Francis began his study of theology, he was ordained in The pope formally recognized the Society of Jesus. King John of Portugal asked the Jesuits to send missionaries to spread the Faith in his new Indian possessions. Francis was the first to go. During the year journey to India Francis offered his cabin as an infirmary for the sailors. At Goa, he gathered little children for catechism by ringing a bell in the streets. Among the native Paravas, he spent long days baptizing and teaching the creed. He made his way to Japan where he spent a year learning the language. He then produced a catechism for the Japanese. On his way to China Francis was taken with a fever but died before reaching the mainland in Francis is the patron saint of foreign missions