Third Sunday of Advent Year B December 17, 2017 Readings: IS 61:1-2A, 10-11; 1 THES 5:16-24; JN 1:6-8, 19-28 Readings begin on p. 1297 THE DEACON S SPEAKIN Dear sisters and brothers, Light is the opening image of today s gospel. John proclaims Jesus as the Light who will shatter the darkness that envelopes our world, the Light who illuminates our vision with compassion and justice. At the midway point of Advent, today s liturgical texts overflow with joy. Rejoice appears in the first and second readings and the responsorial psalm and the gospel acclamation speaks of glad tidings. This Sunday is obviously meant to communicate the joy of our faith in Christ the Light. Now let s take a look around us at the faces of those present, especially at our liturgical ministers and other parish leaders. Do their faces testify to the light, to that joy? Or do they look like the Christians that Pope Francis described as those who have expressions like they re going to a funeral procession rather than going to praise God? (Homily in Casa Santa Marta, May 31, 2013) As liturgical ministers we must look the part of being joyful! That s important for homilists, lectors, and music ministers. Our faces need to be a silent proclamation to the truth of Christ. That joyful and rejoicing demeanor can be more powerful than our words. As ushers and greeters, let our faces radiate joy to all we greet not just those we know. If we are Communion ministers, let s use the most of our few seconds with each person to express joy through our eyes and faces. This same is true of all who come to worship in the sacred space of our chapel. When we say rejoice, let s mean it! At every Sunday liturgy and most especially on this Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday let us testify to the truth of Christ the Light who radiates through our faces, words, and actions. Peace and love, Deacon John
Christmas Altar Flowers Signups to purchase Christmas flowers will be in the foyer before and after this weekend's Masses. Please consider our longstanding tradition of a donation in memory of a loved one to help decorate our sanctuary for the Christmas season. Last Week s Second Collection A religious sister writes, When we see the generous response of so many thousands of persons in order to help us, religious men and women, we are left speechless. Senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests across the country send heartfelt thanks and prayers for your donation to last week s Retirement Fund for Religious which totaled $3,736.66. Fair Trade Coffee Sales Fair Trade Sales will be held this weekend after the Saturday evening Mass and the Sunday morning Masses. For the holiday season, we are offering not just coffee, but also hot cocoa mix, chai tea, and chocolate bars. Please come and do your holiday shopping here! This Fair Trade project implements the exhortation of Pope Francis in Laudato Si to steward our environment and promote sustainable development wherever we can. Since March our parish has switched to serving Fair Trade Coffee for all its activities. Fair Trade helps small scale farmers maintain sustainable environmental farming practices, promotes better trading conditions, and forbids child labor and forced labor. In addition, Catholic Relief Services receive a donation from every sale to do their good works. Come Support Fair Trade! Altar Flowers This weekend's altar flowers are in memory of Chester Sr. and Harriet Stoeckle. College Corner Wednesday Night Dinners Dinners will resume in January 2018 after the school break. End of Year Giving In this season of gift giving to family, friends, and those less fortunate, we hope you will also consider your gift to St. Paul Catholic Newman Center. It is through the donations of every individual and family in our congregation that we are able to carry on our work. Donations can be turned into the office or made online on our website. Visit www.csufnewman.com, click the Giving tab, then click the Credit Card Donation tab. To help us achieve a more consistent level of funding, we encourage you to use electronic giving (ACH) or reoccurring online donations for your regular offerings. ACH forms can be found on the reverse of this week s insert or picked up at the front desk. Reoccuriring online donations can be setup by calling the office at 436-3434. Thank you for your generosity. Bulletin Emails We have recently switched over to a new system to send out our weekly bulletin. The emails will now be coming from bulletin@csufnewman.com. If you have not been receiving the emails please check your spam folder to be sure it has not gotten lost there. Another possibility is we may not have your correct email address. If you do not have these emails in your spam please go onto the website and fill out the short online form to be added to the new system. Christmas Nativity Play-Thank You Thank you to all the moms and families that made our 2nd Annual Christmas Nativity Play a success. Each of the children were bright stars, shining bright to welcome our Savior in the manger. A special thank you to ninth grader Ella tenyenhuis for once again volunteering her time and talent as director of our play. Weekend Contributions Dec. 9-10 $19,059.54 Dec. Received $36,630.08 December Goal $80,334.00 YTD Received $305,591.51 Year to Date Goal $300,276.19 Thank you to all the parishioners who have supplied meals for the college students. They are very grateful for your generosity. Please keep checking here for college updates throughout the year. Contact John Kyler, Director of Campus Ministry at 436-3434, ext. 106 or johnk@csufnewman.com.
Get the Perfect Christmas Gift Sponsor a set of hymnals in honor of your loved ones and share the gift of music! Each sponsorship is only $30 and will include a commemorative bookplate inside our new parish hymnals! Sign up at the reception desk or contact John Kyler at johnk@csufnewman.com for additional information. Christmas CDs Now Available Our Newman Center choirs are excited to announce the release of 'Sing Joy: Music for Advent and Christmas. This album contains a wide variety of music for the seasons and includes selections by all our choirs, including the children! Get your copy to pray with or to give as a gift. We are asking for a $5.00 donation to cover licensing and production costs. Sacrament of Penance Services Two neighboring parishes will celebrate community Penance Services for individual celebration of this Sacrament of God's healing love, the Sacrament of Reconciliation. * St. Anthony of Padua Church (cor. Bullard & Maroa) Monday, December 18 at 7:00pm * Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (929 Harvard Ave., Clovis) Wednesday, December 20 at 7:00pm Several priests will be available for the Sacrament at each of these services. Please note: We will have no regular Tuesday hours of the Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Paul Catholic Newman Center on December 26 (Center closed) or January 2, 2018. Interested in Becoming Catholic? One of our calls as Catholic Christians is to spread the Gospel of Jesus. One way to do that is to invite people to explore the Catholic faith. If you are interested in becoming Catholic, or know someone who is interested, please contact Charles Arokiasamy at 286-6372 or by email charles.arok@icloud.com. RCIA is a year-round program in our parish. Now is the ideal time to start because it will provide for a full year of formation with anticipated baptism at Easter 2019. We are also looking for more RCIA team members. If you are a practicing Catholic and feel called to serve in this ministry, please contact Charles. Mardi Gras - Save the Date Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez! Celebrate Mardi Gras 2018 with your friends at St. Paul Catholic Newman Center on Saturday, February 10 from 6:00pm to 11:00pm. The festivities will include dinner, a silent auction, and dancing. A wonderful dinner will be provided by Pardini s. Tickets will go on sale in January. Contact the front desk at 436-3434 for further information. Let the Good Times Roll! Faith, Family & Friends "Growing as a Faith Family" Thank you to all the Faith, Family & Friend families who brought Christmas gifts for the Angels of Grace Foster Family Agency in beautifully decorated bags. We received over 100 gifts to brighten Christmas and the Holidays for so many foster children! Your generosity is very much appreciated! Faith Family & Friends will not meet again until Tuesday, January 9. Until then, we wish you a Happy & Holy Christmas and a Happy New Year! Christmas Mass Schedule Fourth Sunday of Advent Masses Saturday, December 23-5:00pm Sunday, December 24-7:30am and 9:00am Christmas Eve Masses Sunday, December 24-4:00pm Children s Mass, 6:00pm, and 10:00pm (with incense) Christmas Day Mass Monday, December 25-10:00am (with incense ) Great Christmas Gift for Your Spouse! Marriage is an Adventure: It Helps to Have a Guide St. Paul Catholic Newman Center s Marriage Ministry is sponsoring a Married Couples Retreat from Friday, February 16 at 6:00pm to Sunday, February 18 at 1:00pm at St. Francis Retreat Center in San Juan Bautista, CA. Your Adventure begins with an online, pre-retreat assessment to identify your strengths as a couple and areas that need growth. During the retreat you will be guided through your results by Marriage Ministry Director, John Prandini, to help you understand and strengthen important relationship skills. Marriages thrive when there is understanding. This retreat provides the insights to get there. Please join us! There is an Early-Bird Special. Reserve your spot by Wednesday, December 20 and it is $300 per couple. After December 20 it goes up to $325 per couple. The registration deadline is January 5, 2018. There are only 14 spots remaining. Register today! To register pickup a flyer in the hallway or at the front desk. For additional information contact John Prandini at prandinij@csufnewman.com. St. Helen s Crab Feed St. Helen s School is having a fundraiser on Friday, January 13, 2018 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. It will be in St. Helen s Parish Hall (4870 E. Belmont Ave). Tickets are $60 tickets and include all you can eat crab, pasta, salad, bread, and dessert. Please go in or call the office for tickets at 251-5855. All proceeds benefit the students of St. Helen s.
Weekly Calendar Sunday, December 17 IS 61:1-2A, 10-11; 1 THES 5:16-24; JN 1:6-8, 19-28 7:30am Mass for Jacob Gallegos Chapel 9:00am Mass for Chester Sr. and Harriet Stoeckle Chapel 11:00am Mass for Curie Arts Sawit Chapel 12:00pm HS Confirmation Class CNH 101-103 12:00pm Mardi Gras Committee Meeting Community Room 12:30pm Baptisms Chapel 3:00pm ValLimar Jansen Concert Chapel 7:00pm Mass Chapel Monday, December 18 JER 23:5-8; MT 1:18-25 7:00am Mass for John Murao Jr. Chapel 6:30pm CCAEYC St. John XXIII 6:30pm Adult and College Sacramental Prep Community Room 6:30pm RCIA Catechumenate Annex Tuesday, December 19 JGS 13:2-7, 24-25A; LK 1:5-25 7:00am Mass for James Byrne Chapel 7:30am Men s Scripture Study Community Room 9:00am Beginning Tai Chi for Arthritis CNH 102 & 103 10:15am Tai Chi for Arthritis CNH 102 & 103 11:15am Christian Meditation CNH 104 11:15am Advanced Tai Chi CNH 102 & 103 4:00pm Confessions Outer Sacristy Wednesday, December 20 IS 7:10-14; LK 1:26-38 7:00am Mass for Louis Grieco Chapel 6:00pm Scriptural Rosary Community Room 6:30pm PAIN Meeting Cafeteria 6:30pm Liturgical Music Choir Rehearsal Chapel 7:00pm Interfaith Meditation Library Thursday, December 21 SG 2:8-14 or ZEP 3:14-18A; LK 1:39-45 7:00am Mass for Claire Lapolla Chapel 9:00am Beginning Tai Chi for Arthritis CNH 102 & 103 10:15am Tai Chi for Arthritis CNH 102 & 103 11:15am Advanced Tai Chi CNH 102 & 103 5:30pm Tai Chi CNH 102-103 6:00pm Liturgical Music Choir Rehearsal Chapel Friday, December 22 1 SM 1:24-28; LK 1:46-56 7:00am Communion Service Chapel 6:00pm Food Recovery Network Cafeteria 6:00pm Liturgical Music Choir Rehearsal Chapel Saturday, December 23 MAL 3:1-4, 23-24; LK 1:57-66 5:00pm Mass for Paul DeRuosi Chapel Sunday, December 24 2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16; ROM 16:25-27; LK 1:26-38 Christmas Eve 7:30am Mass for Fr. Michael Burchfield- 4th Chapel Sunday of Advent 9:00am Mass for Mick Schroeder- 4th Sunday of Chapel Advent 4:00pm Children s Mass Christmas Eve Chapel 6:00pm Mass Christmas Eve Chapel 10:00pm Mass Christmas Eve Chapel Prayers Deceased: This Week: Odilia Ibarra Pittman Intentions: John Barretto, Jacob Gallegos, Chester Sr. & Harriet Stoeckle, Curie Arts Have been requested for the intentions of: Pamela Rivera, Esmeralda Navarro, Nicole Horn, Jonathan Edmondson, Malcom Anthony Francis Ferrao, Jane Catherine Ferrao, Nicole Antonette Ferrao, Shawn Anthony Ferrao, Joseph Rogers, Dave Sharafian, Ed Zmarzly, Steven Strope, Steven Jim Carroo, Dorothy Young, Amanda Marie Dennis, Jadon Michael Kalp, Mary Ann Latimer, Deacon Chuck Reyburn, Fel Abenoja, Bob Sharp, Frank, Shirley Lea, John Murao, John Estep, Kelly Pope, Mike Caglia, Carlo Di Cicco, Fr. Eric Swearingen, Joan Contino, John Dooley, Dave Derby, Steve Kavookjian, Frank Clark, Vince Casella, Megan Elower, Maria Molinar, Deacon Gary Stevens (OLPH), Kenny Smith, Alice Schulz, Kathy Frye, Trish Young Parish Information Weekend Masses: Saturday Vigil: 5:00pm; Sunday: 7:30am, 9:00am, 11:00am & 7:00pm Weekday Masses: Monday - Thursday at 7:00am; First Friday at 7:00am Communion Service: Friday at 7:00am Reconciliation: Tuesday 4:00pm to 5:00 pm Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:00am to 5:00pm, Friday 9:00am to 1:00pm Parish Life Coordinator: Deacon John Supino 436-3434; deak@csufnewman.com Parish Priest: Fr. David Norris 436-3434 ext.109; frdave@csufnewman.com Office Manager: Jenna Sainz 436-3434 ext.102; jenna@csufnewman.com Communication Coordinator: Emily Roth 436-3434 ext. 111; emily@csufnewman.com Follow us! St. Paul Catholic Newman Center newmancenterfresno College Pages Newman Catholic Student Association (Fresno) newmancenter_fresno Bulletin articles are to be submitted by Tuesday at 5:00pm for the upcoming weekend. Any articles not submitted by this time will not be considered for publication. Please send all articles to bulletin@csufnewman.com. All articles are subject to editing for length and content by the bulletin editor.