catholicgators.org 1738 W. University Ave, Gainesville, Fl 32603-1839 (352) 372-3533 Fax (352) 378-9010 Sunday Mon-Fri. Saturday Mon, Th, Fri Tue, Wed MASS TIMES 9:00am Family Mass 11:30am 1:30pm (Spanish) 5:30pm 7:30pm 12:00pm 5:30pm 5:30pm Vigil OFFICE HOURS 10:00am-5:00pm 9:00am-5:00pm RECONCILIATION M-F 4:30pm 5:20pm EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Monday Wednesday Friday 6:00-7:00pm 4:30-5:20pm 8:15-9:15am FIRST FRIDAY 5:30pm Mass of the Sacred Heart and Eucharistic Adoration ROSARY Monday-Friday 11:25am Home of the Merry Christmas Fourth Sunday of Advent Christmas Poinsettias pg 4 Holiday Schedule pg 4 Diaper Drive pg 4
Information Clergy & Staff Members St. Augustine Church Pastor Father David Ruchinski Parochial Vicar Father Philip Timlin Administrative Assistant to the Pastor Gail Fitzsimmons RCIA and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator Vincent Herzog Liturgy Coordinator Melissa Likamwa Music Coordinator Lindsey Tran Religious Education Coordinator Elena Melendez Facilities & Operations Manager Mary T. Wise Bookkeeper Lee Ann Andrewskiewicz Parish Secretaries Brian Gulig Cecile Sands Communications Liaison Itzel Guzman The Catholic Student Center Director of the Catholic Student Center Father David Ruchinski Assistant Director Ashley Hemingway Campus Minister Sandy DeTeresa Director of Development Mel Rio Campus Ministry Assistant Sr. Ana-Luisa Galvan Alumni Outreach Coordinator Lauren Troncoso Parish Evangelization Team Coordinator Natalie Molina Seminarian Clay Ludwig FOCUS Missionaries Andrew Collins Drew Decker Kassandra Leal Hayley Tomilson Chloe Page Date Intentions Events Sunday, December 24 Fourth Sunday of Advent 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 Rom 16:25-27 Lk 1:26-38 Monday, December 25 The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Vigil: Is 62:1-5/ Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 / Mt 1:1-25 Night: Is 9:1-6/ Ti 2:11-14/ Lk 2:1-14 Dawn: Is 62:11-12/ Ti 3:4-7 /Lk 2:15-20 Day: Is 52:7-10/ Heb 1:1-6 / Jn 1:1-18 Tuesday, December 26 Saint Stephen, The First Marty Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59 Mt 10:17-22 Wednesday, December 27 Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist 1 Jn 1:1-4 Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Thursday, December 28 The Holy Innocents, Martyrs 1 Jn 1:5 2:2 Mt 2:13-18 Friday, December 29 Fifth Day within the Octave if the Nativity of the Lord 1 Jn 2:3-11 Lk 2:22-35 Saturday, December 30 Sixth Day within the Octave if the Nativity of the Lord 1 Jn 2:12-17 Lk 2:36-40 The Tabernacle Candle is being sponsored this week in honor of Marina by Marina 9:00am Sari-Sarrafi Family by Shireen Williams 11:30am For the Parish 1:30pm Ann de Rincon by Ambaro Neely 7:00pm (Christmas Vigil) 10:30pm (Christmas) 11:30pm Glady Sands by Cecile Sands and Sam Saxon 1:30pm 12:00pm 12:00pm Souls in Purgatory by Freddy Rojas 12:00pm St. Augustine Parish & CSC. Friends, alumni, & benefactors 12:00pm 5:30pm 2:30pm Cafecito 7:00pm Spanish Choir Rehearsal 7:00pm Cursillo 3:00pm Wilgenbush/Garbe Wedding Rehearsal 3:00pm Wilgenbush/Garbe Wedding RCIA Sacramental Preparation Sacrament of Marriage Sacrament of Baptism Contact Vincent Herzog at vincent@catholicgators.org Call the office for information on First Reconciliation, First Communion, High School Confirmation, & Adult Confirmation preparation. Couples should meet with a priest at least eight months prior to the wedding. The wedding date should not be set before talking with a priest. Contact Gail Fitzsimmons at gail@catholicgators.org for an orientation session. Parents and prospective godparents needing to attend a baptism class should complete the Baptism Registration or Sponsor/Godparent Eligibility at catholicgators.org. Fr Philip Timlin, will contact you when we receive your registrations. Please call the parish office (352.372.3533) with questions. 2
Parish Stewardship STEWARDSHIP Masses on December 17, 2017 Third Sunday of Advent Collections totals were not available at the time of publication. STEWARDSHIP SPOTLIGHT - FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT December24,2017 OK, this Stewardship Spotlight is designated for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, but it is also Christmas Eve. Having attended 9:00 mass, I will be returning at 10:30 pm for Midnight Mass. So, my thoughts are more on Christmas than on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Besides, the Fourth Week of Advent lasts less than one day hardly worthy of its own Stewardship Spotlight! We have a beautiful nativity scene at the front of the church, and I would like to focus on what s going on there. Of course, we dwell on Baby Jesus a beautiful, helpless, adorable baby who came into the world in the usual way. Jesus chose to become human to save us and to show us God s infinite love. He could have just suddenly appeared as an adult and done everything that he accomplished through his life, death, and resurrection. However, God saw it fit to for Jesus to be born under the most humble of circumstances. And the first people he revealed himself to (other than Mary and Joseph) were shepherds dirty, smelly, most likely uneducated people. It didn t take a Ph.D. for these people to accept God s love through Jesus birth. May we see and believe with the simple faith of those shepherds. Then there is Joseph. He accepted God s will in his life. He believed in the fidelity of Mary and took on the awesome task of raising God s Son. He is a model of faith and strength. When we are faced with uncertainties and a lack of understanding how God is working in our lives, may we have Joseph s faith and strength to participate in God s will. Finally, is Mary, the Mother of Jesus. As the Gospel details, she accepted God s will in her life, as overwhelming as it sounded from the angel. Her final words in today s Gospel, should be our prayer on a daily basis, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Mary, our mother, is our model of Yes to God s will. As St. John tells us, doing God s will is loving Him. So, in our nativity scene we are reminded of God s immense love and sacrifice for us, Jesus being born in humble circumstances; Joseph participating in God s plan by his faith and trust in God; and Mary, the perfect Yes to God s will. At the end of Christmas day when the wrapping paper is thrown out, the gifts enjoyed, and a hearty Christmas dinner is shared with loved ones, let s take one last look at our nativity scenes and give thanks to God for what we are truly celebrating today. Have a blessed and holy Christmas! Paul Gulig Member, Stewardship Committee and Chair, Parish Council 3
Around the parish, greater Gainesville and the Diocese The angels announced the birth of Jesus the Messiah, the promised one of Israel. To you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ Jesus. (Lk 2:11) His works and words identify him as the Holy One of God. (CCC 437-438) Saint Vincent de Paul Society SVdP is in need of volunteers at SVdP-Gainesville Conference and St.Francis-Newberry Conference. We will pay for your background check and help you get into a 3 hr. program, "Protecting God's Children". You will then be qualified to help us do home visits. We do home visits in pairs. We have many programs that may be of more interest. Read Matthew 25:40 and then give us a call at 352-222-0588 Holiday Schedule The 5:30pm Daily Mass, confessions, Vespers and Holy Hours will be suspended beginning December 18th through December 29th The Sunday 7:30pm Mass will be suspended on December 31st January 1st through the 5th there will be no noon mass, but there will be 5:30pm Mass and confessions 4
Catholic Student Center and Young Adult Ministries 5
Ministerio Hispano El ángel anunció a los pastores el nacimiento de Jesús como el del Mesías prometido a Israel: "Os ha nacido hoy, en la ciudad de David, un salvador, que es el Cristo Señor" (Lc 2, 11). Sus obras y sus palabras lo dieron a conocer como "el santo de Dios". (CIC #437-438) 6
Greater Gainesville, catholic schools, the Diocese and The parish 2017 ADVENT-CHRISTMAS APPEAL Gifts to the appeal will fund sanctuary furnishings which will enhance our worship and the celebrations of the sacraments. They will support our music ministry in its innovative and long-awaited move to the choir loft. Work in the sacristy will include building cabinets for albs and chasubles for our priests, as well as for altar server albs. Donations may be made on-line at catholicgators.org or by check or cash. Please note Advent-Christmas Appeal on the memo line of your check. Donations are tax deductible. SANCTUARY AND CHURCH FURNISHINGS *Altar Server Chairs (Nine chairs at $250.00 each) Thank you for your generosity, two chairs are funded! *Wedding kneeler sets and carpet (Two kneeler sets and one carpet, $1,400.00.) *Microphones for choir loft (Four at $250.00 each.) Thank you for your generosity, the mics are funded! *Mic stands for choir loft (Four at $150.00 each.) Thank you for your generosity, the mic stands are funded! *Lighting for choir loft (Two torchieres at $250.00 each.) SACRISTY AND CONFESSIONALS *Priest s Sacristy (Repair existing cabinetry and create new cabinetry, $4,000.00.) *Refurbish Confessionals (New lighting and chairs, $1,000.00 each Confessional.) Thank you for your generosity, one confessional is funded! Catholic Pilgrimage BELLA-ITALIA! Now is the best time ever to take a Pilgrimage! BELLA-ITALIA TOUR takes you to Rome, Vatican City, Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo, the house of the Blessed Mother in Loretto, the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano, cave of St. Michael, Venice, Padua, the catacombs, an audience with the Holy Father and praying at the four major Basilicas. Experience a once in a lifetime pilgrimage with two Priest, including daily Masses, first class hotels, meals and round trip airfare for 12 days, (June 12-23, 2018). This affordable and inspiring pilgrimage takes you to beautiful breathtaking areas with Spiritual meanings. This tour is fully escorted, customized and guided, with daily Masses. Call father Hoyer at 954-854-0079, or the tour agency at 1-800-242-4122 (Altura Tours) for complete information and group pricing for Catholic Italy! Come and experience a pilgrimage of a lifetime! 7