St. Mary-Big River Catholic Church 4 t h S u n d a y o f A d v e n t D e c e m b e r 2 3 r d, 2 0 1 8 Oh Sacrament most holy! Oh Sacrament Divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine. Praised and adored be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, now and forever. Amen T h e N a t i v i t y o f t h e B l e s s e d V i r g i n M a r y W 1 0 1 3 7 5 7 0 t h A v e. R i v e r F a l l s, W I 54022 Welcome to St. Mary s www.stmarysbigriver.com Mass Schedule Weekend. Saturday 6:00 pm Sunday 9:30 am Weekday. Mon. to Fri. 8:30 am First Friday & First Sat. 8:30 am Holy Days.See bulletin Confessions - One hour before each Weekend Mass - Thurs. before First Fri. 9:00 am - First Friday 9:00 am - First Sat. 9:00 am - Any time by appointment - Additional times during Advent, Lent, and Ember Days Devotional Times Eucharistic Adoration - Every Tuesday 7:00 am - 7:00 pm - 9:00 to 10:00 am every First Friday Militia Immaculata (MI) Prayer Group - Meets Wednesday - 6:30 to 7:30 pm in the church http://missionimmaculata.com/
P a g e 2 News & Events Welcome to St. Mary s! Welcome Visitors! If you would like to become a member of our parish call the Administrative Assistant and we will help you register. Merry Christmas! S t. M a r y - B i g R i v e r Parish Calendar Monday - Dec. 24 8:30 am Mass Christmas Eve Vigil: 4:00 pm Mass Tuesday - Dec. 25 NO Adoration Today 9:30 am Christmas Day Mass Wednesday - Dec. 26 St. Stephen, First Martyr NO CCD 6:30 pm MI Prayer Group Thursday - Dec. 27 St. John, Apostle & Evangelist Friday - Dec. 28 Holy Innocents Saturday - Dec. 29 St. Thomas Becket, Bishop & Martyr 5:00 pm Confessions 6:00 pm Holy Mass Sunday - Dec. 30 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph 8:30 am Confessions 9:30 am Holy Mass Saint of the Week: Remember the sufferings of Christ, the storms that were weathered... the crown that came from those sufferings which gave new radiance to the faith... All saints give testimony to the truth that without real effort, no one ever wins the crown. When is constancy required, except under persecution. Are not friends then proved? If they always yield, how can they ever succeed? They must, one time or other, make a stand. St. Thomas Becket, Bishop & Martyr FORMED is now offered at St. Mary s! THIS IS TOTALLY FREE FOR YOU TO USE! FORMED On Demand is a parish subscription service offering access to thousands of studies, films, audios, and ebooks. Discover great digital media from over 40 of the best Catholic content producers including the Augustine Institute, Ignatius Press, the USCCB, Catholic Answers, EWTN, St. Paul Center, Marian Press, Sophia Press, Knights of Columbus, FOCUS, and many more. Through its online platform and free mobile apps for ios and Android, FORMED has helped individuals and communities know, love, and share their Catholic faith. Go to www.formed.org and enter the passcode DNNX28 Go to: Get Started - ENTER CODE It will prompt you to set up an account. Now you are set! You can also download the FREE App on your mobile device so you can watch, listen, or read anywhere! Get started right away. Each week in the bulletin we will be featuring a particular program you can find on FORMED. Fill your Christmas break with new knowledge about the Faith! The story of the birth of Jesus is often misunderstood. But this fast-paced, thought-provoking look at the true story of the Nativity clears away widespread misunderstandings of Jesus origin. Join top scholars, inspirational speakers, and popular authors as they explain the story behind the story of the birth of Jesus. The Story of the Nativity also includes stunning works of art depicting the biblical story, from Fra Angelico to Rembrandt, and footage from the Holy Land showing the places where the Christmas story actually took place. Explore the true story of Mary and Joseph, Jesus s miraculous conception, the birth of John the Baptist, the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the Star of Bethlehem, and the birth of Jesus. This is an invaluable tool for believer and unbeliever alike to learn more about Jesus of Nazareth and about the truth of Christmas. (Video) Dr. Scott Hahn, one of the most eminent Catholic theologians in our country today, reveals what scholars now know about the shepherds, the mysterious Magi, and King Herod. Your Advent journey will take on new meaning as you prepare your heart for the birth of our Lord. This illuminating presentation is sure to help you grow in appreciation of the greatest gift ever given to mankind Jesus Christ. (Audio Recording)
4 t h S u n d a y o f A d v e n t P a g e 3 News & Events Christmas Masses Christmas Eve Vigil Mass 4:00 pm Christmas Day Holy Day of Obligation Mass 9:30 am Christmas Eve Vigil Mass Monday - Dec. 24th 4:00 pm Reader: Shari Turvaville Ushers: George Matzek, Randy Maier, Mark Huppert, Peter Schommer Cross/Incense: David & Michael Regnier Candles: Issac Loe, Joseph O Malley Christmas Day Holy Day of Obligation Tuesday - Dec. 25th 9:30 am Reader: Bob Maier Ushers/$ Counters: Joe Merta, John Yunker, Charles Beeler, Pat Pechacek Cross/Incense: Austin & Andrew Aamodt Candles: Marcus & Nathaniel Merta Invite Someone to Mass You are encouraged to invite someone to Mass. Statistics say that most people would be coming to Mass on the weekend if they had someone to go with. Reach out to someone and ask them to come with you. We are so happy you have joined our parish! Dustin and Rebecca Dodge, Emily Groetsch, and Raymond Formanek No Mass Father will be with his family back home for the week. There will be no mass on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. He will return Saturday afternoon. No CCD There will be no CCD classes until January 9th. Enjoy the Christmas and New Year break! Holy Day of Obligation - Mary, Holy Mother of God Don t forget that January 1st is a Holy Day of Obligation. A Christmas Gift for You! St. Mary s is giving every parish family a copy of Edward Sri s book, Into His Likeness, for Christmas! In the ancient disciple-rabbi relationship, the disciple would follow the rabbi so closely that he would be covered in the dust kicked up from his rabbi's feet. Thousands of years later, though we walk on roads of pavement and not dust, we are still called to be disciples to follow our Rabbi, Jesus Christ, so closely that we are covered with his life, changed, and made new. Into His Likeness provides an approachable but in-depth exploration of how to live as a disciple and experience the transformation Jesus wants to work in our lives. We might desire to live more like Christ, but we know we fall short. This book simply helps us follow those initial promptings of the Holy Spirit, so that we may more intentionally encounter Jesus anew each day and be more disposed to his grace changing us ever more into his likeness. Available this Sunday. Please just take ONE per family so there will be enough for everyone.
The angel said to the shepherds: Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David, a Savior has been born for you who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger (Luke 2:10-12). Indeed, this Holy Infant, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, fills us and through us the whole world with joy and hope. When faced with the horrors of our day the slaughter of the most innocent ones in the womb and those weakened by old age, terrorism and war, material and spiritual poverty, confusion and moral depravity within the Church, to name just a few we can be paralyzed by fear. With the birth of Jesus, however, the angel assures us that we need not be afraid! The good news is that the Word of God, God the Son of God... has taken on our human nature to free us from eternal death (Saint Leo the Great, Sermon 1.2.1). May we who have been given the gift of faith embrace more fully the hope that is ours at the birth of the Savior! In this mystery of the Incarnation the Eternal Son of the Father taking on our human nature being born of the Virgin Mary we believe that Jesus Christ is the human face of God and divine face of man (Saint John Paul II, The Church in America, 67). An encounter with this Jesus of Nazareth the Incarnate Son of God brings about a profound transformation in all who do not close themselves off from Him. The first impulse coming from this transformation is to communicate to others the richness discovered in the experience of the encounter. This does not mean simply teaching what we have come to know but also, like the Samaritan woman, enabling others to encounter Jesus personally: Come and see [John 4:29]. The result will be the same as that which took place in the heart of the Samaritans, who said to the woman: It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world [John 4:42] (Saint John Paul II, The Church in America, 68). If you find yourself having grown lukewarm after that original encounter with the Lord or having closed yourself off from Jesus of Nazareth for whatever reason I invite you: Come and see! Come to encounter Jesus Christ at Saint Mary s! Come to meet the merciful Savior in the Sacrament of Penance! Come to meet the Incarnate Son of God who makes Himself present under the forms of bread and wine at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass! Come to meet Him who is the Truth in study of the Word of God handed on in Scripture and Tradition! Come to meet the Crucified Lord in the persons of the young, the needy, the suffering, and the sorrowing! Today Christ was born; today the Savior appeared; today the angels sing on earth, the archangels rejoice; today the just exult, saying: Glory to God in the highest, alleluia (Christmas Day, Evening Prayer II, Magnificat Antiphon). May you and your loved ones have a joyful and blessed Christmas! Be assured that I keep you in my prayers in this holy season. Please pray for me! May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, watch over you and your family with her motherly care! May the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us! Father Kevin C. Louis, STL Income for 12/9/18 2018 Income for 12/16/18 2018 Plate.. $230.65 Youth Envelopes.. 3.75 Adult Envelopes. 3055.00 Retirement for Religious... 790.00 Immaculate Conception Holy Day.. 371.00 Total. $4450.40 Plate.. $771.03 Youth Envelopes... 7.50 Adult Envelopes... 2547.00 Immaculate Conception Holy Day... 30.00 Improvement Fund... 925.00 Total.... $4280.53 Page 4
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Pastor - Fr. Kevin Louis, STL 10137 570th Ave. River Falls, WI 54022 Rectory Phone: 715-425-5806 Fr. Louis Cell: 715-505-3870 email: crossensis89@gmail.com Deacon - Deacon Dan Gannon 651-210-9651 gannon.dan@gmail.com Administrative Assistant - Traci Campion 715-307-8844 reginahope1917@gmail.com Bookkeeper - Lori McNamara 715-821-3373 llmbigriver@outlook.com Director of Religious Education (DRE) - Traci Campion 715-307-8844 reginahope1917@gmail.com Youth Ministry - Corrie Loe 715-262-3663 corrieloe@gmail.com Cemetery - John Matzek 715-792-2582 Rod Janovec 651-341-9203 Prayer Chain Requests - Pat Bjork 715-273-3577 bjork.p@outlook.com School Hall Office - 715-425-7830 Altar Rosary Society (ARS) - Angie Dosdall 715-792-2447 Finance Council - Pat Pechacek 715-262-4089 Stewardship Committee - Andy Mishek 651-200-5272 Grounds & Building Maintenance - Danny McNamara 715-821-1197 Mass Intentions Monday, Dec. 24 8:30 am Mass - Andy Campion By The Campion Family 4:00 pm Mass - Living & Deceased Members of St. Mary s Big River Parish By Parish Tuesday, Dec. 25 9:30 am Mass - Cathy Felt By Pete & Cindi Beurskens Wednesday, Dec. 26 8:30 am Mass - Joseph Barstad By Grandmother Thursday, Dec. 27 8:30 am Mass - Jim Huppert By Glen Buss Friday, Dec. 28 8:30 am Mass - Doug McNamara By Dan & Lori McNamara Saturday, Dec. 29 6:00 pm - Leroy & Dorothy Frandrup By The Dallan Frandrup Family Sunday, Dec. 30 9:30 am Living & Deceased Members of St. Mary s Big River Parish By Parish December 29th Saturday - 6:00 pm Mass Reader... Bob Maier Ushers..Randy Huppert, Randy Maier, Jon Matzek, Don Huppert Jr. Servers.. Matt & Justin Maier Music...... Joanne Maier Rosary........ Pat Bjork Liturgical Assistants December 30th Sunday - 9:30 am Mass Reader..... Jason Husby Ushers/$ Counters.Pat & Derek Pechacek, John Yunker, Craig Zuelke Cross/Incense... Xavier & Maximus Husby Candles... Marcus & Nathaniel Merta Rosary.... Toby & Janice Keller Gift Bearer... Joe Merta Family Has your contact information changed? Do you want us to contact you? Would you like to register? Cut out this little form, fill it out, and place it in the collection basket. Name: Address: Phone: (home) (cell) Email: