Most Blessed Sacrament 15615 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70817-6311 Parish News On Line: www.mbsparish.org December 15-16, 2018 Volume XXXIII No. 50 3rd Sunday of Advent SUNDAY READINGS First Reading Your God will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals (Zephaniah 3:14-18a). Psalm Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 12:6). Second Reading Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! (Philippians 4:4-7). Gospel Whoever who has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. Whoever who has food should do likewise (Luke 3:10-18). Holiday Mass Schedule Christmas Eve Monday, December 24, 2018 Mass Times: 4:00 p.m. - Fr. Phil 6:30 p.m. - Fr. Blanchard 11:00 p.m. - Fr. Phil We will have a special musical prelude 30 minutes before each Mass. Christmas Day Tuesday, December 25, 2018 9:45 a.m. only - Fr. Blanchard Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Monday, December 31, 2018 4:00 p.m. Vigil Tuesday, January 1, 2019 9:45 a.m. Parish Staff Pastor...Fr. Phil Spano Mass Assistance Fr. Donald Blanchard Parish Life Coord....Deacon Don Musso Permanent Deacon.. Deacon Mark Berard Receptionist...Andrea Leger Secretary...Caryn Didier Bookkeeper...Darlene Moscona Director of Music..Kathy Duplessis and Ministry Youth Director...West Giffin Director-Christian Form... Christian Formation phone (225) 751-5867 Secretary-Christian Form...Theresa LeBoeuf Child Protection Office...Roslyn Landry (225) 753-5526 Mass Schedule: Saturday: 4:30 p.m./confessions 3:00 p.m. Sunday: 8:00 a.m., 9:45 a.m., & 11:30 a.m. Monday 8:45 a.m. - Communion Service Tuesday - Friday - 8:45 a.m. except during school year, Thursday Mass 8:15 a.m. MBS SCHOOL Principal: Cheri Gioe School Phone 751-0273 / Fax: 753-7259 Extended Care: Sheena Gauthier 751-0023 MBS Early Learning Center Director: Laurina Conger 752-8829 Parish Office Hours: Monday Thursday: 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Closed 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.) Friday: 8:00 a.m. - Noon BAPTISMS: Twice a month, after 11:30 Mass. Call office during pregnancy to sign up and for class information. MARRIAGE: Law of Diocese requires 6 month preparation period prior to wedding. Call church office for more information. FUNERAL: Please call the priest for prayer and before setting date/time. RCIA: If interested in becoming Catholic, call the church office.
December 8-9, 2018 Collection for St. Joseph s Seminary College (St. Ben s) In March 2016, a disastrous flood overwhelmed the abbey and seminary. In all, 30 buildings on the campus received at least two feet of water. The damage repair estimates were in the millions of dollars. In order for the monks of the abbey to continue their mission of forming seminarians for the priesthood, they need the generous help of the people of the Dioceses of Louisiana. Bishop Muench authorized a special collection to benefit the St. Joseph Seminary College. This collection will be taken up in all churches of the diocese this weekend, December 8th and 9th. Special envelopes are available for this collection in your monthly packet. We are grateful for your generosity as we offer our gratitude to the monks of the abbey as they continue through the recovery process. Parish Adora on Night Tuesday, December 18th M.B.S. Church 7:00 p.m. Praise and Worship music will be provided by our MBS house band. Adora on will be begin at 7:00 p.m. and end with Benedic on (a blessing with the Blessed Sacrament). All ages are welcome and we invite families to come together for this wonderful hour of prayer. An Advent Tradition The most common Advent candle tradition involves four candles. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Each candle represents something different, although traditions vary. Often, the first, second, and fourth candles are purple; the third candle is rose-colored. Occasionally, a fifth white candle is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day to celebrate Jesus birth. The first candle symbolizes hope and is called the Prophet s Candle. The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah s arrival. The second candle represents faith and is called Bethlehem s Candle. Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is also the birthplace of King David. The third candle symbolizes joy and is called the Shepherd s Candle. To the shepherd s great joy, the angels announced that Jesus came for humble, unimportant people like them, too. In liturgy, the color rose signifies joy. The fourth candle represents peace and is called the Angel s Candle. The angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace. He came to bring people close to God and to each other again.
REJOICE! Today has traditionally been called Gaudete Sunday. The Latin tag is derived from Paul s appeal in the second reading to rejoice always in the Lord, and the Latin Mass text based on that reading. The irony and paradox of this Christian joy is underlined by the fact that Paul wrote those words in prison. But from there he could see the progress of God s work. Is it obvious to us? We feel that this is not the time for joy when there is so much suffering and moral evil. It is interesting, then, that the first reading is from the prophet Zephaniah, who is almost exclusively concerned with gloomy visions of Judgment Day. Today the Church selects the only optimistic text in Zephaniah, in which the prophet has been touched by the spirit of joy. This, we are assured on all sides, is the season of joy. Let us recapture that feeling of joy in our lives and reflect it to those who are joyless. Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. Michael McDowell s Christmas Spectacular December 16th - MBS Church 7:00 p.m. Performing in concert at Most Blessed Sacrament Church, Michael McDowell will put on a Christmas Spectacular sure to capture the joy of the Christmas Season in a solo performance while unveiling the Church fully adorned for Christmas. All are invited to join us on Sunday, December 16th Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. Concert begins at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $20 (premium seating if available) and $15 (regular admission). To purchase tickets, go to www.mcdowellpianist.com or regular admission tickets may be purchased at the MBS Church Office. Tickets: www.mcdowellpianist.com or at Church Office Confessions (Reconciliation) During Advent Prepare the way for the Lord, cried John the Baptist from the desert to the people of his time. As Catholics, we are given the opportunity to heed St. John s call by readying ourselves for the Lord s coming during this Advent Season through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Have you been putting off going to Confession? When was the last time you received the Sacrament of Reconciliation? This prayer is for you: Lord, help me genuinely accept that You have taken all my past - all sin I have committed or accusation against me. Since You do not condemn me, help me renew my thinking & not condemn myself. Rather, I want to live in the Joy, Peace, & Freedom You have purchased for me by Your death and resurrection in Jesus name. Amen Locations: St. Jean Vianney - Advent Reconciliation Service on Tuesday, Dec. 18th 6:00-7:00 pm Our Lady of Mercy - The Light Is On For You on Wednesday, Dec. 19th 6:00-7:30 pm Closest Location for MBS Parishioners... St. George - Advent Confessions on Wednesday, Dec. 19th 6:00-7:30 pm Several priests will be available at these parishes for confession. You may also attend confession at MBS church before the Saturday vigil mass from 3-4 pm or call the church office for an appointment. Recovery from Divorce Workshop Where: St. George Catholic Church When: Saturday, December 15, 2018 Time: 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Place: Kleinpeter Activity Center Cost: No Fee St. George will be starting a 13-week divorce support program early next year. If you are separated or divorced, consider attending this 2-Hour workshop where you will learn about this important step in healing through your separation or divorce. The program is based on the book and workbook Divorced. Catholic. Now What?. To sign up email Gretchen Schneider gretchensburton@gmail.com or Angela Falgoust, afalgoust@staloysiusparish.com.
Most Blessed Sacrament Church Mission Statement The mission of Most Blessed Sacrament Church is for members to witness the real presence of the Lord in word and sacrament, and that they may live out the message from the gospel and serve one another as followers of Jesus Christ. Mass Schedule and Intentions Sat. Dec. 15 4:30 pm For The People Sun. Dec. 16 8:00 am Clemelia Marcel Will Lorino Sara Morales Bourgeois Rosemary La Bruzza Day 9:45 am Henry Prochaska Grace Craig 11:30 am Nora Lovas Jennifer Gauthier Mark Kimball Kay Sulik Betty Kershaw Mon. Dec. 17 8:45 am Communion Service Tues. Dec. 18 8:45 am Wed. Dec. 19 8:45 am Ashley Kimble Thurs. Dec. 20 8:15 am Fri. Dec. 21 8:45 am Daisy Allen Sharon Ann Couvillion PRAYING FOR ALL MILITARY Please keep the following in your daily prayers: Andy Blum Scott & Jamie French Caleb Burris Nathan Colter Jeremy Ferguson Brett Gilbert Chris & Ali Jones Eric Schweitzer Connor Ryan Adam Girior Morgan Miller Tyler Phelps Andrew Barksdale Trey Perault Craig Dardenne Alex Grantier Brian Primeaux Will Howland Landon Bourg Matthew Bourgeois Maxwell Conger Steven Dubuc Nathan Scott STEWARDSHIP OFFERING - Dec. 1-2, 2018 Identified Contributors $27,580.00 December 1st Bank Drafts $23,793.00 Unidentified Contributors $ 2,464.00 Total $53,837.00 December Bldg. & Develop. Fund $6,789.50 READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday:Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72:1-4ab, 7-8, 17; Mt 1:1-17 Tuesday:Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25 Wednesday:Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25 Thursday:Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-6; Lk 1:26-38 Friday:Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Lk 1:39-45 Saturday:1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Masses - December 15-16, 2018 4:30 p.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:45 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Celebrant - Subject to Change Fr. Phil Fr. Phil Fr. Blanchard Fr. Blanchard December 15-16, 2018 3rd Sunday of Advent Servers Lectors Extraordinary Ministers 4:30 pm A Loya, J Leier, J Wicker A Torregrossa, C Lieux C Willis, B Willis, J Didier, B Conner, E Wright, L Sulik, Deacon Don, J Sutherland 8:00 am A Wimberley, P Hines, E LaCombe E Daugherty, K Eads C Mendoza, L Bayhi, M Authement, M Robichaux, W Rabalais, C Rabalais, Deacon Mark, S Gauthier 9:45 am J Garon, D Garon, J Garon K Andress, S Menard J LaBar, K Johnson, B LaSalle, M Messina, L Stevens, E. Moran, W. Golden, C Heath 11:30 am M Edney, I Garbutt, HG Vautrot S Long, L Duplantis D Gremillion, S Gremillion, J Johnson, A Byrne, A Kelley, T Kelley, L Landry, M Leger
CHURCH NAME AND ADDRESS Most Blessed Sacrament Church #515223 15615 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70817 TELEPHONE 225 752-6230 CONTACT PERSON Caryn Didier EMAIL: cdidier@mbsparish.org SOFTWARE MSPublisher 2016 Adobe Acrobat XI Windows 10 TRANSMISSION TIME Thursday 5:00 SUNDAY DATE OF PUBLICATION December 15-16, 2018 NUMBER OF PAGES SENT 1 through 5 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: