Fr. Steve Binsfeld Our Mission is to know, love, and serve God by living the Eucharist. Promulgated on Pentecost Sunday 2013 The Church of St. Mary 420 Irving Street Alexandria, MN 56308 Parish Office: 320 763 5781 School Office: 320 763 5861 Rel Ed. Office: 320 763 9202 Website: www.stmaryalexandria.org Email: stmary@stmaryalexandria.org Diocese website: www.stclouddiocese.org Office Hours: 7:30 AM 3:00 PM Monday Thursday 7:30 AM 1:00 PM Friday December 31, 2017 THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH Dear Members of St. Mary s, Tonight is New Year s Eve and we say farewell to another calendar year. It has been quite a year in so many ways. I find myself these days being amazed more often than any other time in my life. I am not talking about the speed of technology, the options for travel or the discoveries in astronomy. I am amazed at the ease with which we take credit for all that God has created. Idolatry is the worship of false gods. Isaiah said a long time ago, Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the works of their hands, what their fingers have made. Paul said much the same to the Christian church in Rome, They revered and worshipped the thing created, rather than the creator. Idolatry is still alive and well. When we lose our sense of awe at all that God has given us and make ourselves the center of the universe whether as an individual or collectively as a country or a church, gratitude becomes unnecessary...and when gratitude becomes unnecessary, prayer and worship seem useless. When we make ourselves the center of the universe, when our own interests are the only thing that matters as we ignore our inter connectedness, seeing others as beloved of God, being our brother s and sister s keepers appears nonsensical. When we start seeing good human relationships as antiquated, we begin to treat others as competitors who need to be eliminated, life becomes every one for him or herself. This is NOT the very world that Jesus Christ came to save! We are brothers and sisters in him. As we enter the year 2018, we must keep our heads, but also recover our hearts, because we can be smart but not wise. Like the mythological Narcissus, we must beware that we not fall in love with our own reflections. A narcissist lacks empathy, is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others and has a grandiose sense of self importance. Amazing is probably not the right word for it. I fundamentally believe that there is far more that unites us as human beings than divides us. We cannot buy into fear mongering and a philosophy of scarcity. Remember the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. When we open ourselves up and share what we have, there is more than enough. Fr. Steve Readings for the Week of Dec 31 sr Monday: Nm 6:22 27; Lk 2:16 21 Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:22 28; Jn 1:19 28 Wednesday 1 Jn 2:29 3:6; Jn 1:29 34 Thursday: 1 Jn 3:7 10; Jn 1:35 42 Friday: 1 Jn 3:11 21; Jn 1:43 51 Saturday 1 Jn 5:5 13; Mk 1:7 11 or Lk 3:23 28 Sunday: Eph 3:2 3a, 5 6; Mt 2:1 12 WEEKLY MASS SCHEDULE Daily Mass Server: Tues. Wed., Thurs., Phil Bromen Monday 9:00 AM +Lorraine Hiebel Tuesday 5:00 PM +Perry Meyer Wednesday 8:30 AM +Dorothy Trousil Thursday 7:00 AM Int of Rummage Sale Workers 1:30 Knute + Dorothy Trousil Friday 8:30 AM + Raymond Trousil Saturday 5:00 PM For the Parish Sunday 8:00 AM +Jimmy Chan 10:00 AM +Hyacinth Kuhn Sacraments Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday at 4 PM in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel (room behind presider s chair; also has a separate entry) Celebration of Baptism: All parents must take the Baptism Preparation Course before their child s baptism. Sign up by calling the Parish Office. The next course will be offered on Jan. 9 th at 7 PM Baptism Dates: Jan. 6 th & 14 th. Feb. 3 rd & 11 th. To schedule a baptism on one of these dates, please call the Parish Office. Preparation for Marriage: Members of the parish (or children of members) must arrange for marriage at least 6 months in advance. Information can be received from the Parish Office. Anointing of the Sick: is held on the first Sunday of the month, immediately following the 8:00 AM Mass. Those who wish to be anointed are asked to come to the front of the church. New members to register please stop by our hospitality desk located in the Commons Area of the church or visit our website to complete the registration online.
WELCOME TO THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY 1 LITURGICAL MINISTERS January 6 th & 7th SATURDAY 5 PM MASS Greeters Team 1 Cheryl Wille, Grace Lambert, Reenie Elkington, Brenda Struck, Pat Polesak Ushers Team 1 Bradley Olson, Joseph Struck, Gail Feriancek, Joyce Essler, David Essler, Ed Dummer Extraordinary Ministers Team 1 Lector 1 Robert Friederichs Lector 2 Char Hanson Server Matthew Donley, Julia Wilmesmeier SUNDAY 8 AM MASS Greeter Team 5 B Larry & Mary Lou Sampson, Patricia & Paul Johnson, John & Janet Stone Ushers Team 5 Bernie Wambeke, James Walz, Bradley Brejcha, Daniel Zimny, Kevin Tvrdik, Kenneth Tvrdik, Vincent Hennen Extraordinary Ministers Team 5 Lector 1 Parker Olson Lector 2 David Peterson Servers Selby Olson, Ashton Schlosser SUNDAY 10 AM MASS Greeters 9 Gregory & Linda Thompson, Paulette Engels, Rodney & Sue Borden Ushers Team 9 Brad Dumm, Bruce Strandskov, Jacob Schiltgen, Mark Meuwissen, Hank Janz, Dennis Mack, Lyle Holscher, T Michael Thompson Extraordinary Ministers 9 Lector 1 Joseph Korkowski Lector 2 Randall Holthaus Servers Brendan Eckstein, Patrick Klecker Drivers January 7 th Bethel Manor Mike Savageau Windmill Ponds Blair Hovel Arabella Manor Ken Wersinger Grand Arbor John Hovel & Ron Boyden.Hospital/Nursing Home January 7 th Hospital Peggy Crist Knute Nelson/Nelson Gables Len & Bonnie Didier Bethany Kathy Fischer We wish to offer our sympathy and a promise of our prayers to: Family and friends of Benedict Vanderheiden & Irma Cattoor Thank you to Florence Hvezda, Kathy Thoennes & Team 2 for serving the funeral luncheon for Benedict Vanderheiden Baptism Micah Jeffrey Child of Jeff & Mary Peterson ADULT FAITH FORMATION ADULT BIBLE STUDY Tuesday evenings in the Great Hall immediately following the 5 PM mass. Call Mike at 759 1911 for more info. MEN S BIBLE STUDY Thursday mornings in the Commons Area of the church at 6 AM. Call Mike at 759 1911 for more info. WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY Please join us when we begin the exciting new study Wisdom: God s Vision for Life by Jeff Cavins and Thomas Smith. Meets both Sat. AM and Sun. PM beginning Jan. 13 th & 14 th. For more info. and/or to enroll, contact: Tammy 320 808 6404 or Lori 320 808 1145. Email: biblestudywomen@gmail.com ST. MARY S PRAYER LINK: If you have a prayer request, please send to Wosepkak@aol.com or phone Kelly Wosepka at 320 815 4655. You may also call Julie Desautels at 846 1842. All prayer requests will be kept confidential. PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel Rosary: Sundays (before Mass) 7:35 AM & 9:35 AM Holy Spirit Prayer Group: Thursdays 5:30 6:00 PM (rosary in Commons Area) 6 7 PM prayer time in the Chapel. Contact Jim Joerger at 834 2945. Divine Mercy Hour: Mondays from 3 4 PM. Contact Barb Nei at 846 0022. Sanctity of Life Prayer Group: Meets the 1 st Wednesday of every month at 7 PM. Contact Louise Revering at 762 8632. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION, A STEWARDSHIP OF PRAYER. For more information contact Sue McCulloch at 320 491 7006 (call or text); tscamcculloch@charter.net. The Parish Office will be closed on January 1, 2018 PRAYER CORNER If you or someone you know in our parish community is sick or ill or has a family member who could use our prayers, please call our Parish Nurse, Kathy Fischer, at 762 2320. Please remember the following people in your prayers: Ruth Partington, Ron Hoffman, Chris Ficenec, Ken Judson, Betty Schlosser, Butch (Bruce) Schmidt, Jim Rutten, Nancy Westhoff, Scott Addy, Kathryn Vieaux, Dick Wagner, Pat Pahl, Ione Grubb, Maureen Bruzik, Janine Clayton, Ilene Woida, Joel Novak, Laurel Bruder, Phyllis VanKempen, Glorene Iverson, Joy Guenther, Ryan Beers, Lyle Keller, and Emily Trousil.
2 COMMUNITY NEWS THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BINGO Sunday, Dec. 31 st at 7:00 PM & Wednesday, Jan. 3 rd at 2:00 PM at the KC Hall on 6 th Ave E. & Nokomis. Team 2 John Leesch, Roy Nodsle, Hank Wessel, Gene Burghardt, Shawn Becker will be in charge. THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MONDAY NIGHT MEETING TIME HAS BEEN CHANGED TO 7 PM. Bishop s Annual Appeal: Please consider a year end gift of the appeal. Your gift supports our shared Mission to be Christ s heart of mercy, voice of hope, and hands of justice in the Diocese of St. Cloud. www.stcdio.org/appeal, call Anna at 320 258 7654, or mail to Bishop s Annual Appeal, PO Box 1538, St. Cloud, MN 56302 SANCTITY OF LIFE MOMENT: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Meets the 2 nd Monday of each month from 7 8:30 p.m. in the prayer room in St. Mary s School. Please join us! Contact Bruce Becker for more info: 320 759 2003 or bbecker100@gmail.com. Visit St. Mary s Sanctity of Life online at: http://sanctityoflifestm.org/ for information and resources. The 50/50 Club is excited to present Josh Waltzing at the January 3 rd Session. Josh has started a local organization called F.R.E.E. Alexandria. During the January 3 session, Josh will be talking about the current realities of human trafficking and exploitation in the Alexandria Area. He will be discussing what it looks like in rural Minnesota, the ages of victims of trafficking and how victims get ensnared in the business of trafficking. Human exploitation patterns in Alexandria do not look like girls disappearing from their families and being held against their will. Most often it is a cycle of emotional control and abuse that finds girls and boys trapped in a cycle of behaviors they cannot stop. Please mark your calendars for January 3 rd at 6:30 p.m. in the K.C. Hall for this important discussion. For more information, times, directions, see the 50/50 Club Web site: https://sancityoflife.org/the 5050 club/ SPRING RUMMAGE SALE: April 7 th from 8 AM to 12 PM. Drop off date is April 6 th from 4:00 6:30 PM at the St. Mary s School Gym. Please contact Cecelia at 320 491 8527 with any questions. MEMORIAL SERVICE for Irma Cattoor will be Jan. 8 at 4:00 PM in the church. HELP US! We are in the process of getting ready for a new parish directory, and before we can get started we need to update our parishioner contact information. This is a big job and you can help us by contacting the parish office at 763 5781 if you have any of the following changes or would like to add additional information: New address Change in your household (spouse, children, adult children should set up own household) Disconnected your land line phone number and now using your cell phone E mail address to receive our bi monthly email communication Photo sessions will begin May of 2018. More information to come. We are looking for volunteers to help parishioners schedule a photo session before and after Masses and/or greet during photo sessions. Please contact Laurie at 763 9202 if you are interested or have questions. PARISH HEALTH MIISTRY Lifting Spirits, Touching Lives January is National Blood Donor Month: Blood is typically in short supply during the winter months, especially January, due to the holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather, and illness. A reduction in donor turnout can cause blood shortages around the country. Listed below are important facts about blood needs, blood supply, and the blood donation process. St. Mary s will be hosting a Red Cross Blood Mobile on Jan. 15 th & 16 th. To schedule to donate blood please call Janet at 763 3381. Facts About Blood Needs: *Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. *Approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed everyday in the U.S. *The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 pints. *The blood type most often requested by hospitals is type 0. Facts About Blood Supply: *The number of whole blood red blood cell units collected in the U.S. in a year is 13.6 million. *An estimated 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time, less than 10% of the eligible population actually do give each year. *Type 0 negative blood (red cells) can be transfused to patients of all blood types. Facts About the Blood Process: *The average adult has about 10 pints of blood in his body. Roughly 1 pint is given during a donation. *A healthy donor may donate red blood cells every 56 days or Power Red every 112 days. *All blood donated is tested for HIV, hepatitis, B and C, syphilis and other infectious diseases before it can be released to hospitals. *Information you give to the American Red Cross during the donation process is confidential. For more information see www.redcrossblood.org
WELCOME TO THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY 3 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION email: stmreled@stmaryalexandria.org Phone: 763-9202 Class Schedule Sunday School: January 7, 9:50 11:00 AM Grades 1 5: January 10, 3:45 4:30 PM Grades 6 11: January 3, 6:30 8:00 PM Birthright is Alexandria's local crisis pregnancy center, but we serve women from seven counties we have no geographical restrictions. We are staffed by volunteers. Your support is greatly appreciated. We thank you all and wish you a blessed holiday season! VBS 2018!!! Holiday Decorators... When you begin to think of packing away your Christmas decorations, St. Mary's VBS 2018 is looking for any ARTIFICIAL GREENERY (trees of all sizes, garlands, etc.). If you are planning to discard your greens, consider donating them to us! Call Julie at 320 491 7089 for more information. Sunday School Voices Happy birthday, Jesus! world. Thank you for coming into our Birthright sends a great big thank you to the people of St. Mary's for their donations during the advent season. The diapers, blankets, food, and other baby items will be given to families in need. Birthright is a crisis pregnancy center, but our support doesn't end after the choice for life is made and the child is born. People are surprised when they discover the range of services we offer the women of this community. We are not here to serve only those with low income. Our primary mission is to be a listening ear to anyone who has concerns over an unexpected pregnancy. Women of ALL socio economic levels experience unexpected pregnancies, as do educated women, and even churchgoing women. Our free, confidential, non judgmental services include (but are not limited to): Client centered life coaching with a certified life coach Community referrals for car repair, emergency assistance, food, furniture, etc. Classes (parenting education, budgeting, nutrition, prenatal care, smoking cessation, and lots more) Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED certification (open to all community members) Access to free car seats and car seat safety education by certified car seat technicians Baby and maternity clothing and supplies Free pregnancy testing Once a month formula & diaper supplies Spanish translators Non judgmental post abortion recovery JR/SR HIGH FAITH FORMATION Junior High: The 6th 8th graders will be completing their semester on the Creed this week. Our focus is to help the youth understand why suffering and evil exist in the world and are allowed by God who is good and loving. Senior High: The 9th 11th graders will be continuing their series on the Paschal Mystery with an evening focusing on the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. It will be an evening where they will be immersed in the time and experience and challenged to consider the true suffering of Christ and God s love for us. JR HIGH YOUTH RALLY WINTER SPECTACULAR Grades 6 8 Sunday, January 7, 2018 St. John s Prep School/University This event is for all 6 th 8 th graders interested in spending a fun, faith filled day with other youth from our Diocese. Students will go with parish leaders and will get to choose from a variety of different activities (snow football, ice fishing, dodgeball, volleyball, etc.), along with Mass and a speaker. Cost is $21. Registration forms are in the Religious Education office.
4 ST. MARY'S SCHOOL St. Mary's School educates the whole child within a nurturing Catholic Christian environment. Email: stmaryss@stmaryalexandria.org Phone: 320 763 5861 Fax: 320 763 7992 DECEMBER 2017 CALENDAR RAFFLE WINNERS December 24 Joe Kuperus, Alexandria $35 December 25 Janelle Sladek, Alexandria $20 December 26 Kristen Peterson, Alexandria $20 December 27 Andrew Winter, Alexandria $20 December 28 Donna Korkowski, Brandon $20 December 29 Ashley Johnson, Alexandria $20 December 30 Josh Sanden, Garfield $20 WHAT: St. Mary s School 10 th Annual Casino Night Fundraiser SCHOOL HAPPENINGS School Resumes on January 3. Calendar Raffle Ticket sales have begun! Tickets can be purchased after Mass in the Commons area or at the School Office. It s a great way to have some fun and support St. Mary s School at the same time! Watch for your name on this page in the bulletin every week. Winners for every day of the year are posted along with the amount they have won. If you see your name, you will be receiving a check in the mail! WHEN: Friday, April 13 th, 2018 6:00 p.m. WHERE:
5 LITURGICAL & MUSICAL NOTES CHRISTMASTIME For most, Christmas is over by December 26 and life has resumed its normal activities. The Church, on the other hand, observes an Octave of Christmas until January 1 (after the Jewish practice of an 8 day celebration) and an extended Christmastime until January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. (It is now celebrated on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8.) ORIGINS OF THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS The popular Christmas song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, is rooted in the festive celebration of Christmastime and a celebration of the Catholic faith, from a time in England and Ireland when Catholics had to disguise their Catholic beliefs. Most people are familiar with this beloved nonsensical rhyming Christmas Carol. However, most are probably unfamiliar with the Origin of The Twelve Days of Christmas. At the time this carol was written it was a crime to BE Catholic in England. Catholics were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law private or public. The Twelve Days of Christmas was written in England as a catechism song to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith a memory aid, when to be caught with anything in writing indicating adherence to the Catholic faith was punishable by imprisonment or death. The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The true love mentioned in the song doesn t refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The me who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of Christ s sadness over the fate of Jerusalem. The other symbols mean the following: 2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments 3 French Hens = Faith, Hope, and Charity the Theological Virtues 4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John 5 Golden Rings = The first five books of the Old Testament the Pentateuch which gives the history of man s fall from grace. 6 Geese A Laying = the six days of Creation 7 Swans A Swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven Sacraments 8 Maids A Milking = the eight Beatitudes 9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit 10 Lords A Leaping = the Ten Commandments 11 Pipers Piping = the eleven Faithful Apostles 12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle s Creed If this a beloved Christmas Carol for you, then perhaps this is the new way to learn your Catholic faith. How many answers did you get right? Fr. Hal Stockert, Fishnet All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission FINANCIAL GIFTS Collection for the Weekend of December 24, 2017 Actual Budgeted Sunday Envelope $ 45,799.50 $ 29,941.18 Loose $ 3,855.50 $ 2,115.38 Sunday Children $ 217.77 $ 115.38 A more detailed report may be viewed at the Parish Office. PARISH STAFF Pastor Steve Binsfeld 763 5781 Parish Business Administrator Todd Wentworth 763 5781 Director of Music and Liturgy Laurie Youngers 763 5781 Parish Nurse Kathy Fischer 762 2320 School Principal & Elem. Religious Ed Troy Sladek 763 5861 Logistics Coordinator Laurie Bienias 763 9202 Coordinator of Youth Ministries & Confirmation Gina Pohlen 763 9202 COMMITTEE CHAIRS Parish Trustees Elmer Kobbermann 834 3103 Francie Peterson 320 360 0325 Pastoral Council President Steve Russell 218 943 5191 Finance Committee Mike Dolan 763 4705 Board of Education Francie Peterson 320 360 0325 Liturgy Committee Laurie Youngers 763 5781 Committee for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Tammy Boushek 760 5405 Parish Life Committee Verna Winter 507 329 0135 Cemetery Committee Leon Breun 320 763 5781 CARING & SHARING ROOM 320 760 8084 PASTORAL COUNCIL President: Steve Russell Vice President: Mike Sponsler Secretary: Sonya Skinner Megan Bristow, Tammy Huss, Dan Hillback, Dawn Houska, Mary Jane Reif, Tabatha Odens.