walk in his ways (Psalm 128) or Psalm 105. Second Reading Be thankful; do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:12-21 [12-17]) or Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19. Gospel The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom (Luke 2:22-40 [22, 39-40]). ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH Pastor: Rev. Msgr. Dennis R. Schaefer Address: 802 Middle Street Prairie du Rocher, IL 62277 Phone: 618-284-3314 Email: sjospdr@htc.net Website: www.stjosephpdr.com Diocese website: www.diobelle.org LIKE US ON FACEBOOK Secretary: Jill Whelan Parish Council President: Justin Roy Finance Council President: Roger Henry St. Joseph Cemetery: Jack Laurent St. Leo Cemetery: Steve Gonzalez Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Msgr. Daniel J. Jurek WEEKEND MASSES AT ST. JOSEPH: Saturdays: 6pm (odd months) Sundays: 8am (even months) Ruma Convent: Sunday at 11am Daily Mass varies at both locations Confessions at St. Joseph: Saturday 5-5:40 pm & Sundays 7:15 7:45 am The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph December 31, 2017 My eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples. Luke 2:30-31 TODAY S READINGS First Reading Those who honor their parents will be greatly blessed and will atone for sins (Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14) or Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3. Psalm Blessed are those who fear the Lord and BEARERS OF THE WORD The Church has placed a number of notable feast days immediately after Christmas. The feasts of Stephen, John the Evangelist, and the Holy Innocents form a summary of the life lived in Christ, the Word made flesh. What do these have to do with the feast of the Holy Family, which crowns the Octave of Christmas? These feasts remind us that suffering will occur in fulfilling the mission of Christ, and that we are all called to be bearers of this Word whose birth we celebrate. We also see this manifested in the lives of Joseph and Mary, both of whom took social and religious risks in obedience to the will of God, and both of whom were open to the word of God sent to them from on high. In these ways they prefigured the life of Jesus himself. Most likely, few of us found ourselves at Mass this past Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, but the essence of these feasts and the essence of the holiness of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus remain central, a holiness we celebrate today. TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION There s no more unusual setting to celebrate today s Feast of the Holy Family than Barcelona, Spain and the towering unfinished sandcastle known officially as the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia. In 1882, the plan was hatched to build a vast place of worship in reparation for the revolutionary and liberal leanings of the city. The modern artist Antoni Gaudi dedicated his life to the project, living in the building, attending Mass daily, and giving up his personal wealth. When people pressed him to pick up the pace, he responded, My client is not in a hurry. (Gaudi s cause for beatification is moving along, and he could be the first professional artist and architect to be beatified.) The Spanish Civil War, a disaster for the Catholic Church in which thousands of priests, brothers, and nuns were murdered, halted work in 1935. In the 1950s work began anew, speeded up by computers in the 1980s. Still, the final stage of construction is not due to end until 2026. If the original methods had stayed in place, it would take several hundred more years to complete the plan. So far there are eight towers, with four to go. The highest
steeple is three feet shorter than the nearest hill, since the architect didn t want his work to surpass God s artistry. The three faces of the basilica each have three doors, with the faces named Passion, Nativity, and Grace. The interior is crammed with geometric figures that almost seem to spin, crazy-quilt windows, spiral staircases, and jumbles of statues and figures. Although inspired by ancient Gothic cathedrals, the style is called Expressionist, and very little is left unexpressed by the masonry. If you can t afford a visit, Sagrada Familia maintains a web site, and virtual visits are free. DEC 30 rd THROUGH JAN 7 TH Sat. 6pm (J) Tom & Mike Lux & James Roth & Our Parishioners Sun. 5pm Thelma Romay Sun. 11am (C) Herbert Wilhelm Mon. 11am (C) Bill Wurth Tues 11am (C) Bernie & Eileen Wuertz Wed. 11am Daniela & Walter Kawalec Thurs. 8am (J) Sylvia Krebel Thurs. 8:15am(C) Fredrich Bowman Fri. 8:15am (C) Gene & Marilyn Joshu Sat. 6pm (J) Tom Moll & Sylvia & Earl Krebel & Our Parishioners Sun. 11am (C) Marcel Wilhelm December 24 Envelopes (44) $ 878.00 Loose 145.00 Total $1,023.00 (Weekly Goal $1,700.00) Sat. Dec. 30 th 6 pm Sun. Dec. 31 st 8 am B Mary S. B Steve D. C Marvin & Jolene C Lynne & Paulette A. L Chad L Steve G. S Sam & Langston S Meg & Olivia G Richard & Laura G Volunteers Mae Sat. Jan 6 th 6pm B Carla C Ava & Briahna L Madeline S Meg & Olivia G Richard & Laura Mae Dec. 30 Tina Jones Jan. 1 Douglas Mudd Jan. 2 Jarret Herzog & Meg Carle Jan. 3 Luke Proctor Jan. 4 Briahna Whelan Jan. 6 Mark Marquardt & Allen Menard Jan. 7 James Chandler May your day be filled with Good Wishes, Birthday Greetings and God s Blessings Christmas Flowers Needy of So. Illinois $ 20.00 $ 341.00 December 25 Envelopes (64) Loose $2,614.00 694.00 Total $3,308.00 (Weekly goal $1,700) Jan. 4 th Raymond & Millida Ellner God Bless the two of you on your anniversary!
Shelly Hooker Dan Krebel Tony Melliere David Braun Lydia Boyer Freeman Greer Diane Corzine Alan Deterding Bill Sauer Fr. Don Lenzini Caleb Oakley Austin Scheibe Randy Bingham Harold Moses Jane Donjon Mary Ann Klein Jackie Prange Betty Schneider Maxine Linnertz Cora Walster Derrick Dewilde Edward Luttman Sr.Janis Yaekel Shirley Marquardt George & Pat Deterding Rhonda Tockstein Tim Durbin Beginning in 2018 all names of the prayer list will be left on for four weeks. After that if you would like to remain on the prayer list, you must call the rectory. Mon.: New Year's Day: 9 am St. John's 11 am Convent Tues. - Fri. No Mass at St. John's. Fr. Dennis will be on Retreat at King's House. Fri.: Eucharistic Adoration in Church at St. John's from 1-4 pm. All are invited to come and pray!! Sat. & Sun.: Epiphany- Sr. Joan Stoverink ASC will make available to all who are interested a DVD on the Martyrs of Charity. Sat. January 6 th 4 pm - St, John's 6 pm - St. Joseph's Sun. January 7 th 8 am - St. Patrick's 10 am St. John's 11 am Convent 5 pm St. Joseph Epiphany party This will be the Mass schedule for the REST OF JANUARY! A special thanks to all who helped with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses. God Bless every one of you. Every child is born to greatness in the Lord. Every child is full of grace even when growing old. Every family is holy. This is the message today. Not only Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. But also, me and mine. Also, yours. How will I cherish my children, my family this week? How can I grow and become strong in the Lord? How will I strengthen family life by mercy works? THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. ON THE LIGHTER SIDE May all your troubles last as long as your New Year s resolutions. HAPPENINGS NEXT WEEK IN THE PARTNERSHIP Sat. Dec. 30 th 4pm St. John s 6pm St. Joseph Sun.: Mass 8 am St. Patrick's 10 am St. John's 11 am at Convent Sun: New Year's Eve: 4 pm St. John's; 5 pm St. Joseph's 6 pm St. Patrick's DID YOU REMEMBER Please contact Deb Ellner at 284-3565 if you or a fellow parishioner are suffering from an injury, illness, or grief and would like a visit. The Prayer chain is in place. If you know of someone who is in need of emergency prayers, please call Jeanelle Dinan @ 284-7788 or the rectory @ 284-3314. Remember Junior and Senior High Youth Next meeting will be January 14 th 6-8pm at the rectory. All youth from grades 7-12 are welcome. Game night. Bring a game or a friend.
PSR classes resuming @ 7:15am on January 9 th If anyone has any Rosaries that they would like to donate for the PSR classes, we will gladly accept them. Please call 284-3314 for more info. RESPECT LIFE CORNER Family Prayer Praying together as a family is a beautiful way to increase your family s relationship with the Lord and with one another. The Holy Family of Nazareth experienced both joy and sorrow as do families of today. Learn, Act, Connect, Pray: In daily family life, Pope Francis affirmed the importance of speaking key words within our families: may I, please and sorry. We must use our words to treat every person with dignity and respect. Pray for healing and reconciliation within families so that no one feels unloved or unwelcome. DIOCESAN HAPPENINGS: Evansville Knights of Columbus Fish Buffet Friday, Jan. 5th Serving 4:30-8pm 4 kinds of fish, chicken strips and 7 sides Adults $12.00 Children 5-12 $5.00 Buffet is Dine-in Only Carryouts available by the Plate, Sandwich or by the Pound. GIBAULT RAFFLE TICKETS are great Christmas gifts and are now for sale! For only $25, you get a chance to win $25 every calendar day between January 1 st and May 31 st, with grand prizes of $2000, $1000, $500, and $250 drawn on May 6 th, 2018. A single ticket can win multiple times! To purchase your chance, contact any Gibault student or contact Andrea at the Gibault office, abiske@gibaulthawks.com or 618-939- 3883. Thank you for your support! Pre Cana Day on Saturday, January 20 th, 2018. Saint Francis Xavier Parish in Carbondale. Couples may go to the parish website, http://www.stfxcarbondale.org/precana to download the registration form, fill it out and mail it in with the $40 registration fee. The cutoff date for registration is January 16, 2018. Teens Encounter Christ weekends: Calling all juniors and seniors in high school: TEC (January 13-15, 2018 at Immaculate Conception in Columbia, IL or February 17-19, 2018 at Mater Dei High School in Breese, IL. Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) is a three-day Catholic retreat for the young adults of Southern Illinois. It's a place for older teens and young adults to reflect--through talks, skits, art, music, sacraments, fellowship and fun--on where they are in life and where they're going, where God fits in, where their faith is leading them, and how they can live their faith with love, joy and courage. TEC is also open to adult observers (18+). To learn more and/or to apply visit: www.bellevilletec.org UPCOMING EVENTS PDR American Legion Upcoming Events Bingo 1 st & 3 rd Wednesdays Doors open @ 6pm Play begins @ 7pm Prairie du Rocher American Legion Euchre Tournament January 21, 2018, February 18 th & March 11 th Sign up at 12:15pm, Play begins @ 2pm Lunch provided For information call: 284-9509 or 284-7704 Food Pantry Prairie du Rocher Elementary has an ongoing food pantry every Thursday from 9 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. in the lobby of the gym. Please pass the word. They would like to share as much as they can. FROM PARISH COUNCIL: MASS SCHEDULE: The Liturgy committee has agreed to try something new. There will be a calendar in the foyer for the months of January and February for our Lectors, Gift Bearers, & Servers to sign up for which ever weekend works for them. If by the last Friday of the month the calendar has not been filled, assignment will be given for whatever is left. Hopefully this will eliminate any conflicts with your schedules. CALENDARS The 2018 St. Joseph calendars are at the back and side of church. Please take one or two or three. Also a big thank you to Buena Vista National Bank for purchasing our calendars.
ENVELOPES On all sides of the Church are your yearly contribution envelopes. They are in alphabetical order per the side you and your family usually sit. Please take them home as our gift to you. QUILTERS NEEDED: No experience necessary. Please come either during the day or in the evening. We are falling behind in the number of quilts we should have done. Hours for quilting are on Wednesday from 9am - 3pm & 3pm - 9pm. You don t have to stay the entire day, stay what you can. Try it you just might like it. ALSO An evening with the ladies of the Needle, Thread and Thimble Society will have their annual dinner on Jan. 9 th after the busy Christmas Season. It will be at the fabulous Lisa s Market Street Grille beginning at 6pm. Please RSVP no later than January 5, 2018. A Way to Leave a Legacy When you prepare or amend your will, have you thought of putting your Church in it? What a great legacy to leave. I give, devise, and bequeath, to St. Joseph Parish (and/or St. Joseph Cemetery), 802 Middle Street, Prairie Du Rocher, Il 62277 % of my estate or $ sum of money, or described property to be used for its general purposes, as part of the Catholic Diocese of Belleville, Illinois. Or I give, devise, and bequeath to St. Leo Cemetery, c/o Parish Pastor, 802 Middle Street, Prairie du Rocher, IL 62277 % of my estate or $ sum of money, or described property to be used for its general purposes, as part of the Catholic Diocese of Belleville. EPIPHANY PARTY Our annual Parish Christmas-Epiphany Party will be held on Sunday, January 7 th beginning at 5pm in the parish hall. Meat, drinks, and table settings will be provided. I ask you to provide the other dishes as follows: last names ending in J-R are asked to provide a dessert, last names ending in S-Z are asked to provide a vegetable dish, last names ending in A-I are asked to provide a salad dish. If you are able, we are asking that you donate prizes ranging from $3-$5. Please do place the prizes in the tub in the Church foyer. Then show up at the Christmas-Epiphany party to find out what it is all about. Please RSVP by January 3 rd. Thank you in advance! If you intend to come to the party, sign your name and number of people who will attend. There are sign-up sheets by the back pews and the north side door. I look forward to seeing many of you at the party for a great time of fun and fellowship. DIRECTORY UPDATES Last call for directory updates. Jill will begin to compile the list of folks into new categories after Christmas, so if you haven t filled out the form we will assume nothing has changed.