Living the Word of Christ Together Pastor: Deacons: Office Administrator: Rectory Phone: Office Phone: Fax: e-mail: website: Father Bruce Riebe Bill Fredrick, Robert Kirschner Michele Wiltshire 440-526-1818 440-526-0016 440-526-6464 stjoebyz@sbcglobal.net www.stjoebyz.com Dear Parishioners: At the St. Nicholas Pot Luck many of us had fun playing St. Nicholas Family Feud. When I stop and think about it, our nation is like a family feuding. Call it the Hatfield s and the McCoy s, but it s mainly politics and it s out of hand. I think we can turn to the Birth of Our Savior for a little advice. On that first Christmas night, the sky was lit with stars but what showed brightest was God s Glory. Born that night was Jesus, the light of the world (Jn. 8:12). He is the true light which enlightens everyone (Jn. 1:9). The angels proclaimed, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests (Lk. 2:14). When our lives are in order, the peace of Jesus reigns in us and we become sources of true peace in a divided nation. When our lives are stricken with various forms of disorder, we contribute to the division and strife. The path to peace in our country, our families and our hearts, begins with conformity to the virtues of Christ. At Christmas let us open our hearts to Jesus. Let us ask him for the grace of the Holy Spirit to put our lives in order, modeled after Christ s humanity. The closer we are drawn to Him and the more we reflect His goodness and love, the greater will be our peace and the better equipped we will be to bring peace to a troubled nation. In Christ s peace, Fr. Bruce Riebe
December 24, 2017 Christ is Born! Liturgy Schedule Sunday December 24 Christmas Eve Vigil 9:30 p.m. Carols 10:00 p.m. Intention of the Parishioners Monday December 25 Christmas (Holyday of Obligation) 10:30 a.m. Bertha Galaida by Mike Magdinec Tuesday December 26 Synaxis of the Holy Family (Solemn Holyday) 7:00 p.m. Michael Lechko by Virginia Lechko Wednesday December 27 St. Stephen (Simple Holyday) 7:00 p.m. Intention of Mel/Pauline Skabar (14th Wedding Anniv.) Thursday December 28 No Liturgy Friday December 29 No Liturgy Saturday December 30 4:00 p.m. Richie Sadie by Jeff/Jan Lukas Sunday December 31 10:30 a.m. Intention of the Parishioners Altar Servers Lectors Greeters December 24 10:00 p.m. B. Dirda, B. Hotaling S. Katrenich K. Strobel & J. Carrig A. Steen & J. Loya December 25 10:30 a.m. N. Jaryga, L. Tinter, J. Pinchot J. Pinchot & L. Greb B. Kirschner & M. Kirschner December 26 7:00 p.m. C. Lupia & G. Lupia December 27 7:00 p.m. S. Lupia & D. Tytko December 30 4:00 p.m. S. Lupia & C. DeCapua J. Pinchot D. & S. LaFleur December 31 10:30 a.m. T. Macik, J. Warner, A. Pinchak H. Oros & J. Klinkovsky A. Percic & R. Percic God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life. Liturgy for Christmas Eve starts at 10:00 p.m. That will be preceded by caroling beginning at 9:30. The liturgy on Christmas Day is at 10:30 a.m. I know some local Roman Rite churches may offer a more convenient time slot, but try real hard to be at your own parish for this wonderful celebration of Christ s birth. Speaking of trying hard to be here, please make every effort to be present for the liturgy next Sunday (New Year s Eve morning). Bishop Milan Lach will be attending for an informal visit. I spoke with him at last Sunday s wedding jubilarian celebration and he has heard nice things about St. Joe s and wants to experience it. We booked a date right on the spot! You will enjoy his friendly demeanor! Confession This Afternoon If you still need to make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Father will be In the confessional this afternoon from 2:00-4:00. Christmas Eve Social Feel welcome to come downstairs after the Christmas Eve Liturgy for some fellowship and merriment before returning to your homes. It s a long-standing custom at St. Joe s! Two Holydays This Week We keep the Christmas Spirit going this week with two Holydays. Tuesday is a Solemn Feast (The Synaxis of the Holy Family) and Wednesday is a Simple Holyday (St. Stephen the First Martyr). Services both nights will be at 7:00 p.m. Father s Away,,, Following the liturgy on Christmas Day Father will be heading to Indiana for a visit with his family (returning in time for liturgy on Saturday). Father Dennis Hrubiak will be the celebrant for the Holydays on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. In the event of an emergency requiring a priest, contact Deacon Bill Fredrick (216-469-1425), Fr. Marek Visnovsky (216-741-7979) or call Father Bruce on his cell (440-227-5037).
Church Decorations Because of the timing of Christmas, the decorating crew had to get a head start. Staging was done prior to last weekend, followed up by the decorating and flower placement. That s why it s in full view today (except for Baby Jesus in the manger). For the third year in a row we had a nice turnout of volunteers. Please take a bow for a job well done! (Take-down will be January 2 at 4:00. Folks are needed for that as well. Contact Dawn Tinter at 216-544-1919 if you are able to help.) ECF Classes ECF classes resume on January 7. No Sandwich Making There will not be any sandwich making on Saturday. The assembly line resumes on January 6 at 10:00 (after the Holyday liturgy). The Men s Club annual Night at the Races is January 27. Horses are available for $20. Tickets are also $20. Ads are being accepted for the race program. Contact Chuck Ricco (216-215-8482) or any Men s Club member. Lector Schedules New lector schedules are available in the mail slots and on our website under Ministries. Anyone interested in this ministry should contact Father for training purposes. Thanks to the Men s Club for sponsoring last week s Altar Server Christmas Party. Twenty-one boys enjoyed a fun evening. House Blessing House blessing this year will cover areas east of I-77. The schedule will be listed in next week s calendar insert. Your Weekly Offering December 17, 2017 Sunday: 15 Student Envelopes: Cash: Candles: Holy Days: Initial Envelope Donation: Flowers: Building Fund: Thanksgiving: Christmas: Total: $3,958.00 16.00 71.00 108.00 95.00 6.00 105.00 500.00 20.00 10,653.00 $15,532.00 Have you remembered St. Joseph Church in your Will and/or Trust? Mirovanije $$ Mirovanije $$ from Christmas will be used for rectory almsgiving. Stewardship Appeal The annual Diocesan Stewardship Campaign is underway. Our goal remains the same as last year ($14,000.00). We need everyone s participation. The parish gets a rebate for anything over the amount. Pledge forms can be returned via the collection basket or U.S. Mail. Checks should be made out to St. Joseph Church. (We will forward a lump sum to the Diocese.) Next week s Byzz Line will contain the first update. GCU Holiday Raffle Winners GCU Lodge 302 wants to thank everyone who bought chances for the Holiday Raffle. (The proceeds from this matching funds project will benefit the parish.) The winners were drawn last Sunday after the ECF Christmas Program. 1 st John Szpansky ($500) 2 nd John Sexton ($250) 3 rd Diana Simpson ($100) Christmas Radio AM 1260 The Rock will have plenty of good programming on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For a complete schedule visit am1260therock.com. Please Pray Please remember all of the sick and suffering in your prayers especially Betty Fedor (Parma).
Christmas Reflection By St. Jerome (c.347-c.420) The shepherds said to one another. Let us go over to Bethlehem. Let us leave the deserted Temple and go over to Bethlehem. And see the word which was made. Truly alert, they did not say. Let us see the child, let us find out what is being announced; but: Let us see the word that has been made. In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was made flesh. The Word that has always been, let us see how it was made for us. And see this word which was made, which the Lord has made, and has made known to us. This same Word made itself, inasmuch as this same Word is the Lord. Let us see, therefore, in what way this same Word, the Lord Himself, has made Himself and has made His flesh known to us. Because we could not see Him as long as He was the Word, let us see His flesh because it is flesh; let us see how the Word was made flesh. So they went with haste. The ardent longing of their souls gave wings to their feet; they could not keep pace with their yearning to see Him: So they went with haste. Because they ran so eagerly, they find Him whom they sought. Let us see what they find. Mary and Joseph. If she were truly wife, it would be improper to say, they found the wife and the husband; but the Gospel named the woman first, then the man. What does Holy Writ say? They found Mary and Joseph: they found Mary, the mother, and Joseph, the guardian. And the babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen, they understood concerning the word, what had been told them concerning this child. But Mary kept in mind all the words pondering them in her heart. What does pondering mean? It must have meant weighing care- fully in their heart, meditating within herself, and, in her heart, comparing notes. A certain exegete explains, "pondering in her heart" thus: She was a holy woman, had read the Sacred Scriptures, knew the prophets, and was recalling that the angel Gabriel had said to her the same things that the prophets had foretold. She was pondering in her heart whether the prophets anticipated the words: "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and therefore the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God." Gabriel had said that; Isaiah had foretold: "The virgin shall be with child, and bear a son." She had read the latter; she had heard the former. She looked upon the child lying before her; she saw in the manger the child crying; she saw there the Son of God, her Son, her one and only Son; she looked upon Him, and in her musing, she compared what she had heard with what she had read and with what she herself perceived. PARISH INFORMATION ACTIVITY CENTER & HALL RESERVATIONS: 440-526-0016 PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: 440-526-6464 (24 hours) CONFESSIONS: One half hour before liturgies for fifteen minutes and by request MEN S CLUB: 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. LADIES AUXILIARY: 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. A-OK CLUB: 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. COFFEE SOCIAL: Every Sunday after liturgy EASTERN CATHOLIC FORMATION (ECF) CLASSES: Sundays 9:00 a.m. 10:20 a.m. BULLETIN INFORMATION DEADLINE: Tuesday noon