CHURCH OF SAINT BERNARD 1160 WOODBRIDGE STREET SAINT PAUL, MN 55117 One block west of Rice Street on Geranium Avenue 4TH 26TH SUNDAY IN IN ORDINARY TIME CHRIST THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE JANUARY OCTOBER 29TH, 1, 2017 NOVEMBER 26, 2017 Parish Staff Pastor Reverend Ivan Sant Associate Priest Reverend Joseph Kureh Parish Administrator Karen Cronin Secretary Gloria Nava RCIA and Missionary Internship Program Alonna Mertz Refugee Liaison Hsawreh Sharpoehtay Refugee Liaison Assistant Julia Marksue Music Director Mary Beth Redmond Assistant Music Director Grace Thompson Parish Office Phone: (651) 488-6733 Fax: (651) 489-9203 Website: www.stbernardstpaul.org Facebook Page: Parish Life at St. Bernard's Catholic Church, St. Paul, MN Mass Schedule Saturday 8:30 am & 4:00 pm Sunday at 8:00 & 10:30 am 1:30pm Weekday (Spanish) Monday-Saturday Weekday - Mass at 8:30 am Monday-Saturday - Mass at 8:30 am M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T Confessions Confessions Mondays after the 8:30 am Mass Saturdays Mondays 3:30 after and after the 8:30 the 4:00 am Mass pm Mass Saturdays 3:30 and after the 4:00 pm Mass Saint Bernard s is a Roman Catholic parish providing vital services to the diverse North End community of St. Paul. As we extend the hand of welcome to all, our mission is to learn, love, and live the challenging Word of Jesus Christ, offering parishioners and neighbors direction and support at every phase of their faith journey.
A WORD FROM FR. IVAN Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, At the end of each liturgical year we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King. As St. Paul says, In Jesus Christ everything in heaven and earth was created... and continues into being. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the Way, the Truth and the Life. Also in today s gospel Jesus says, My Kingdom does not belong to this world... that is why I came to this world, to testify for the truth. Jesus came to open for us the possibility of God s Kingdom to us that is eternal happiness. The origin of this solemnity goes back to Pope Pius XI who in his encyclical Quas Primas (from Latin, In the First) in 1925. The first paragraph of this encyclical summarizes the situation we are living in the world even today: As long as individuals and states refuse to submit to the rule of our Savior, there would be no real hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations. How true! Society has apostatized from the True Faith, and after rejecting Christ, it is readily accepting a form of totalitarianism which suppresses freedom of speech and religious liberty. But even in the midst of rampant confusion and fear, there is hope. It has often been said that you can tell the faith of a people by the zeal of its shepherds. Tomorrow will be the 88th anniversary of the execution of a dear son of the Church who remains a shining example of priestly fervor and love of Christ, the King of the Universe. Miguel A. Pro, S.J. (1891-1927) was a young Mexican priest who after his ordination in Belgium served his people in Mexico during a fierce persecution of the Catholic Church. Trumped up accusations were fabricated against him, and he was condemned to be executed on November 23, 1927. Pictures of the execution were taken, because government officials wanted to show the international media how cowardly priests would act when faced with imminent death. However, Father Pro very bravely stepped up before the firing squad, rejected the blindfold he was offered, forgave his executioners, stretched out his arms and boldly shouted, "Viva Cristo Rey!" (Long live Christ the King!). Then he was riddled with bullets. The volley of gunfire did not kill him, so a single shot was fired into his temple. Because he had faced death so bravely, there was an order to suppress the execution photos: One photo taken the morning of his execution and the other just a few seconds before Fr. Miguel gave witness to his love of Christ. The funeral for Father Pro was huge, with people openly praying the rosary and shouting "Viva Cristo Rey!" as the procession passed through the streets, at a time when any form of public manifestation of the faith was absolutely forbidden in Mexico. In his beatification homily in 1988, Pope (now St.) John Paul II said of Blessed Miguel Pro, Neither suffering nor serious illness, neither the exhausting ministerial activity, frequently carried out in difficult and dangerous circumstances, could stifle the radiating and contagious joy which he brought to his life for Christ and which nothing could take away. Indeed, the deepest root of self-sacrificing surrender for the lowly was his passionate love for Jesus Christ and his ardent desire to be conformed to Him, even unto death. Yet Fr. Miguel Pro was not the only person to demonstrate such fearless faith. A movie released three years ago, For Greater Glory, recounts the struggle of several Christians (called Cristeros) who stood up to the tyranny that sought to undermine the Catholic Church. Particularly fascinating is the witness of St. José Sanchez del Rio, who, at the age of 14 walked towards his grave and instead of denying the Faith, screamed Viva Cristo Rey after having the soles of his feet sliced off. The blood of these martyrs, both laity and clergy, continues to beautify the Church and calls many others to follow their lead. God bless! Wishing you a blessed Sunday. Fr. Ivan Sant FrIvanSant@churchofstbernard-stp.org Page 2 St. Bernard
Mass Intentions Saturday November 25 8:30am Kathy Thelen 4:00pm Tom Loida Sunday November 26 Christ The King 8:00 am Parish 10:30 am Dave Anderson 1:30pm (Spanish Mass) Monday November 27 8:30 am Tom Jackson Tuesday November 28 8:30 am Zita Kennedy Wednesday November 29 8:30 am Natalie Nusbaun Thursday November 30 St. Andrew 8:30 am Hsu Reh-Peter Friday December 1 8:30 am Elizabeth Hernandez Saturday December 2 8:30am Edward J Gunter 4:00pm Paul & Robert Platzer Sunday December 3 First Sunday of Advent 8:00 am Parish 10:30 am All Souls 1:30pm (Spanish Mass) Sacraments Call the Parish Office to make arrangements (651) 488-6733 Anointing of the Sick This Communion for the Sick & Homebound Please call the Parish Office to make arrangements. Baptism of Infants Baptism of Older Children & RCIA To become a full member of the Roman Catholic Church, contact Alonna Mertz or Fr. Ivan at the Parish Office. Marriage Preparation Couples anticipating Christian Marriage need to contact the Parish Office at least six months prior to the wedding date they desire. After a pre-nuptial interview with a priest, a specific date will be set. Marriage preparation classes are required. Ministries Prayer Line..Shirley (651) 488-6330 or Judy (651) 224-2966 Liturgy Parishioners are encouraged to offer to be readers and altar servers at Mass. Faith Formation Faith Formation... Fr. Ivan (651) 488-6733 Mass Readings for the 34th week of Ordinary Time: Sunday : Ez 34:11-12,15-17/1Cor 15:20-26,28/Mt 25:31-46 Monday: Dn 1:1-6,8-20/Lk 21:1 4 Tuesday: Dn 2:31-45/Lk 21:5 11 Wednesday: Dn 5:1-6, 13 14/LK 21:12 19 Thursday: Rom 10:9 18/Mt 4:18-22 Friday: Dn 7:2-14/Lk 21:29-33 Saturday: Dn 7:15-27/Lk 21:34-36 Sunday: Is 63:16-17,19b,64:2-7/1 Cor 1:3-9/Mk 13:33-37 Please pray for the sick and homebound: Yvonne Spence Lloyd Anderson Devra Shepherd Lucille Biron George Kramlinger Rosie Lynch Helen Reinhardt Lorraine Eheim Bob Rauen Dale Mercado Thanks for your Donations!
Parish News & Events Karenni Outreach Update During this year Fr. Ivan and Karen have been working hard to find funding or partnerships for our Karenni Outreach Program. We have been able to raise $89,332 through November 20 and get Ramsey County Human Services staff here on Monday mornings. The power of prayer is evident. We received notice late last week that Assumption Parish would contribute $25,000 to fund our RCIA/Missionary Internship work this year. We had set a pretty ambitious goal of finding $200,000 of outside funding. Some of our funding is coming through the Ramsey County partnership which is not actual money coming to the parish. Since we have not raised enough to meet our outreach expenses, a decision was made to reduce our outreach staff. Julia Marksue has been with the parish since January 2011. She has been instrumental in creating and sustaining the Karenni Outreach that the parish has embraced. She will be leaving the parish staff as of November 30. She will be missed! We are grateful for her years of service to the parish. Christmas Carol CD In two weeks we will have Christmas Carol CD recorded by our Youth of the Neo-Catechumenal Way available for sale after the masses. It is a contribution for their upcoming pilgrimage we are organizing. From the Parish Administrator I want to let you know that I will be out of the office for awhile due to some upcoming surgery on November 30. I will need to be in a boot for up to 12 weeks and will be unable to drive. I do plan to work from home for the things that I can do via computer. During my absence, Fr. Ivan and Hsawreh Sharpoehtay will handling day to day administrative items. I have been working with Hsawreh so he can handle some of these items. He will do a great job! Feast Our Lady of Guadalupe December 12 at 6pm Rosary, followed by a play of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe and music Mariachi style. Mass at 7pm and refreshments and music after mass at the Parish Center. Organized by St. Bernard s Hispanic Ministry. All are welcome! Bake Sale The Festivities Committee of St. Bernard's will be hosting the annual Christmas Bake Sale in the back of the church after the weekend Masses of December 16th and 17th. Please consider donating to the bake sale as you plan your Christmas baking. North End-South Como Block Nurse Program www.nescbnp.org 727 Front Ave #118 St. Paul, MN 55103, 651-487-5135 Do you know a senior who could use some help to live a happy, safe and healthy life right in their own home, preventing nursing home admission? We help to make that happen every day! We are ready and able to help anyone age 65 and older have a great quality of life right in the home and neighborhood they love. Our dedicated volunteers provide transportation, snow shoveling and friendly visiting. We coordinate and/or provide fun social opportunities to decrease loneliness. We coordinate many services including Meals on Wheels. In-home nurses set up medications and provide foot care. Home health aides assist with bathing, laundry and meal preparation. We teach seniors simple exercises to do at home to maintain strength, flexibility and balance to reduce their risk of falling. Our motto, and we re proud to make it happen, is: Neighbor helping neighbor. St. Paul, Minnesota Page 4
Advent 2017 Events Advent Holy Hour : In preparation for Christmas, we will be having a Holy Hour of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on every Thursday, starting on December 7 at 6pm. All are welcome and invited to pray. Immaculate Conception (Holy Day of Obligation): Friday, December 8 Masses 8:30 am, 6pm and 7:30pm (Spanish). Live Christmas Carols from 7-7:30pm. Church Cleaning: Saturday December 9 from 9am onwards. Please help clean the church as the Advent and Christmas seasons are around the corner. Start your day with morning Mass and then stay and help with the cleaning. Many hands make for light work! Our Lady of Guadalupe: Tuesday, December 12 Masses 8:30am (English) 6pm Special Celebration in Spanish with Rosary, play of the apparition, mariachi music and mass, and food and refreshments after mass. All are welcome. Church Christmas Decorations : Saturday December 16 from 9am onwards. Advent/Christmas Penance Celebration: Sunday, December 17 at 4pm. Confessions to prepare ourselves for a beautiful Christmas Celebrations. Hope to you take advantage of these events to have a blessed Advent waiting for Jesus Christ to be born in us. St. Paul, Minnesota Page 5