St. Nicholas Parish 24252 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637 (949) 837-1090; FAX (949) 837-9510; www.st-nicholaschurch.org School of Religious Education: (949) 837-7676 Our Parish Mission Statement St. Nicholas Parish is a Catholic community, celebrating our faith through the Sacraments, Liturgy, Prayer and Service. We strive to nurture family life and to create one body out of many in the Lord. We share the Good News with people of all ages, cultures and faith backgrounds. CLERGY Parish Administrator Rev. George P. Blais Parochial Vicar Rev. Raphael Nguyen Parochial Vicar Rev. Quyen Truong Visiting Priest Rev. Msgr. John Campbell Visiting Priest Rev. Gerald Walker Visiting Priest Rev. Brendan Hankins Deacon Wayne Thompson Deacon Chau Tran Deacon Gerardo De Santos MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil: 4:00PM, 7:00PM in Spanish Sunday: 7:30AM, 9:00AM, 10:45AM, 12:30PM, and 5:00PM in Vietnamese. Monday through Friday: 7:00AM and 9:00AM Saturday: 9AM Filipino Mass: 5:30PM, First Saturdays, October-June. Holy Days: 4PM Vigil, 7AM, 9AM, 12PM, 6PM and 7:30PM in Vietnamese RECONCILIATION (Confession) Saturday: 9:45AM to 10:15AM and 3:00PM to 3:45PM or by appointment. BAPTISM Fourth Sunday of the month at 2:00PM. Arrangements must be made a month in advance. Parents must attend two preparation sessions. MARRIAGE Arrangements must begin at least six months in advance with a priest of the parish. ANOINTING OF THE SICK Call Parish Office in an emergency. Special Service celebrated in fall/spring as announced. FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS At the death of a family member, please call the Parish Office at your earliest convenience to plan for the Mass of Christian Burial. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION DAY 24-hour adoration begins the second Wednesday of the month at the 9:00AM Mass. DEVOTIONS & BENEDICTION Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM; Vietnamese 2nd Wednesday of the month at 8PM. Recitation of the Holy Rosary and Benediction. Parish Office Hours: Sunday: 8:30 AM 1:30 PM Monday through Friday: 9 AM 12 Noon; 1 PM 4:30 PM; 6 PM - 8 PM Saturday: 9 AM 12 Noon
A Prayer for Christmas Morning By Robert Louis Stevenson The day of joy returns, Father in Heaven, and crowns another year with peace and good will. Help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds and the worship of wise men. Close the doors of hate and open the doors of love all over the world, and let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing that Christ brings and teach us to be merry with clean hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children and the Christmas evening bring us to our bed with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus sake. AMEN. For parishioner and visitor convenience, extra Christmas Offering envelopes will be available in the pews for Christmas donations. PLEASE NOTE: For the week between Christmas and New Years, the Parish Offices will be closed in the evenings on December 27, 28, 29, 30. Offices will be open till 4:30pm those days. Don t Throw That Card Away!! A heartfelt request to send your used Christmas, Easter and other cards to: St. Jude s Ranch for Children, St. Jude Road, Boulder City, Nevada 89008 They recycle your old cards for income! The Hispanic Group celebrated Las Posadas on December 16. Thank you to all of our contributors and volunteers. We were able to distribute more than 100 gifts to children in our community. The Knights of Columbus & The American Red Cross invite you to a Community Blood Drive on Thursday, January 19 7:45am to 7:45pm St. Nicholas Church in the Parish Center Council 10590 To schedule appointments: Rod 949-831-0208 Walk-ins also welcome or make an appointment for faster service! Stewardship of Treasure 2016 2015 52-Weekly Required Budget December 18th $27,085.41 $24,384.17 $22,987
Monday: 7AM John & Cristina Chihorek 40th Anniversary 9AM Mr. & Mrs. Jessie Garcia (d) Tuesday: 7AM Andrew Palmer 9AM Mario Balledos (d) Wednesday: 7AM Margarita Nuval (d) 9AM Scott Ferguson (d) Thursday: 7 AM Donna Gerard (d) 9AM Peter Kim (d) Friday: 7 AM Aida Masa (d) 9AM Donna Krause (d) Saturday: 9AM Clarice Matheson (d) 4PM Maria Loy (d) Sunday: 7:30AM Robert & Vic Cobarrubias, Celia Yamashita (d) 9:00AM John Pisanis (d) 10:45AM For the Parish 12:30PM Louie Bilowitz We Remember Patricia Balding who entered her new and eternal life in Christ. Grant to all our dearly departed, eternal rest, O Lord, and may your light shine on them forever. Parish Calendar This Week MONDAY Parish Offices Closed for Christmas Holiday TUESDAY No events. WEDNESDAY Devotions and Benediction, Church, 7PM THURSDAY No events. FRIDAY No events. SATURDAY Hispanic Choir, Room C, 5PM SUNDAY Library is closed till January 22nd. Are you called to be a Sister? Single, Catholic women between the ages of 18 and 38 are invited to experience a taste of the life of a cloistered Dominican nun. Contact Sr. Joseph Marie, O.P., Vocation Directress, at vocations@nunsmenlo.org, or visit their website at http://nunsmenlo.org/discernment-days/ to learn more and to register for one of their Come and See Days, to be held at Corpus Christi Monastery, 215 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park, on Saturday, January 21, 2017, Saturday, July 15, 2017, or Saturday, October 21, 2017. The event is free and all meals are provided. Space is limited and fills-up fast! Christmas Flower Dedications We deeply appreciate the many donations of Poinsettias in memory of your loved ones which decorated the Church and the Parish Center for Christmas. TODAY S READINGS First Reading: Isaiah 52:7-10 All the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God. Psalm 98: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Second Reading: Hebrews 1:1-6 God has spoken to us through the Son, the very imprint of God s being. Gospel: John 1:1-18 [1-5, 9-14] The Word became flesh; from his fullness we have all received grace. The SRE and Parish Offices will be closed on Monday, December 26th for the Christmas Holiday. The St. Nicholas Priests and Staff wish all of our parishioners a very joyful and blessed Christmas!
School of Religious Education Check us out on Facebook! All SRE Classes (elementary, junior high and Confirmation I & II) will be on Christmas break from Dec. 19 through Jan. 9. A 2017 class schedule will be mailed during the break; watch the bulletin and your mail. SRE PARENTS PLEASE NOTE: Parents of Students for First Reconciliation: There is a REQUIRED PARENT MEETING on Monday, January 9 at 7pm in Room 201 in the Parish Center. The date for First Reconciliation is Saturday, January 28 at 10am. Confirmation: Parents of Confirmation II Students: There is a REQUIRED MEETING for at least one parent on Tuesday, January 3 at 7pm in Room 201 in the Parish Center. This is in preparation for the upcoming retreat which will be held on February 3, 4, and 5, and other Confirmation requirements that must be fulfilled in order for students to be confirmed. May your family and loved ones be blessed with the love and peace that is Christmas! Growth in Faith Opportunity Spiritual Formation Classes R210A Starting in January, St. Nicholas will be offering a class through the Institute of Pastoral Ministry to help our catechists and anyone else interested in learning more about their faith. The class being offered is: Spiritual Formation. This course explores spiritual growth built on the Word of God. Primary Church Documents are featured throughout as well as discussions that move from head to heart to hand. The goal is for all to articulate personal spiritual formation to enable and empower their vocational ministry. This class fulfills one of the course requirements for basic certification. Those involved in Faith Formation and other ministries are encouraged to consider signing up for this course. Classes will be held on six consecutive Thursdays (starting at 6:30pm), beginning on January 26th and ending on March 2, in the Parish Center, first floor. To sign up, forms are available from the SRE Office, the Parish Office, or you can sign up online at www.rcbo.org/ipm, or contact Gwen Wieser: 949-837-7676. The cost is $40 per person. The Teen/Family Choir Christmas Caroling at Villa Valencia on Sunday, December 18th. Bible Study will start again on January 10th at 6pm in the Youth Ministry Room. Join us and learn more about the Bible and how it relates to our lives. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Choir Rehearsals in January: Thursdays, January 12 & 26. Teen/Family Mass on: Saturday, January 28th at 4pm. Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass Friday, Feb.10, 2017 at 7PM at Christ Cathedral Arboretum All are invited to attend this Mass which celebrates the joy of Christian marriage, and this Mass is especially intended for those celebrating 15+ years in 2017. Bishop Vann will be the celebrant, and anniversary couples will have the opportunity to take a photo with him. Couples will also be presented with a certificate in honor of their marriage anniversary. Registration Fee: $20.00/couple. A reception for anniversary couples and their guests follows the Mass and will be held in the first floor of the Cultural Center. $10.00/each additional adult (16+years) reception guest of the anniversary couple must be registered and paid in advance. Register at: http://bit.ly/2fhpwyy, email eramirez@rcbo.org, or call Esther at 714-282-6001. James Pacelli, Grand Knight presented awards on December 13th, to SRE Students Daniel Cruz, 9th Grade, and John Vergara, 10th Grade, for writing first place essays in the Knights of Columbus Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest: The Importance of Religious Freedom. Jackeline Rincon, 9th Grade, (not pictured), received a participation award. SRE thanks the Knights for their support of our students.
THANK YOU FROM THE SEWING GROUP! Thank you to the many St. Nicholas Parishioners who helped make our Holiday Boutique on October 29-30, a huge success! The sale of our handmade items totaled $2,861.50 a new record!! This event would not be possible without the talents of the St. Nicholas Sewing Group that meets weekly, the Council of Catholic Women who volunteered at the event, the St. Nicholas Facilities Management team who set up the Parish Center, and our Priests who promoted our efforts. An added thank you to the St. Nicholas Coffee and Donuts Committee for opening extra early to serve after the 7:30am, 9am, and 10:45am Masses. The delicious donuts kept us energized! Proceeds from the Boutique will be split 3 ways and provided to: Caterina s Club: Chef Bruno Serato of the Whitehouse Restaurant serves 1,200 needy children a hearty pasta meal daily in 7 cities in Orange County. Orange County Ronald McDonald House: Provides comfort and care to critically ill children and their families. St. Nicholas Church: The Church has supported the efforts of the Sewing Group for years, allowing us the use of the Small Hall each Monday morning. During the month of December, 497 handmade items from the Sewing Group were delivered to the following: 241 Clothing items to Orangewood Child/Family Center 91 Baby items to 3/5 Marine Battalion pregnant wives 71 Knitted caps/scarves to Covenant House for homeless teens on the street 70 Baby items to Obria Medical Clinics 24 Lapghans to the Veterans The Sewing Group will be on hiatus till January 9th, and we wish everyone a blessed and joy-filled Christmas! HELP WANTED! More volunteers are needed to help in the cleaning of the Church. We meet every other Tuesday after the 9AM Mass. Library Hours: The library is now closed till January 22nd. However, we are currently seeking volunteers to join the Library Ministry. Duties are light and include cataloging books/materials and checking books/dvds in and out. If interested, call Aaron at: 949-397-7682 Happy New Year to all our Parishioners at St. Nicholas! OneLife LA Walk SAVE the Date! Council of Catholic Women General Meeting on Friday, January 6, 2017 Our speaker will be Pat Burr, a parishioner, who will present on the AIDS crisis in Africa why it is still a crisis and how it is affecting children. Social time starts at 9:30am and the meeting begins at 10:10am. Please bring your donations of pennies for Water for Life, can tabs for Ronald McDonald House, pasta/sauce for Catarina s Club, and cosmetics for the prison ministry. The St. Nicholas Knights of Columbus will have a bus for the OneLife LA Walk for Life on Saturday, January 21, 2017. Contact: William White 949-859-6203. The bus will leave St. Nicholas at 9:30am and return at approximately 5:30pm. There is no cost; however, donations will be gratefully accepted. Plan to join thousands of people from dioceses throughout Southern California to walk one mile to promote the beauty and dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. There will be speakers, vendors selling food, entertainment bring a blanket to sit on (no chairs allowed)! St. Nicholas Parish Senior Singles We are gathering together for lunch and to celebrate, with joy and love, the first wedding of club members, Jeff and Teri Stier. Friday, January 13, at 12:30PM, at the 19th Hole Restaurant, 24122 Moulton Parkway, (Gate 12) Laguna Woods. RSVP: Dolores 472-3580. If you are not a resident of Laguna Woods Village, please be sure to request gate entry with your reservation. Friendship with the love of God in our hearts. PARISH OFFICE STAFF Parish Liturgical Secretary: Cate Wolski Business Manager: Irma Contreras Receptionist/Records: Karen Falagrady Ministry to Sick & Homebound: Barbara Price Director, Youth Ministry: Gwen Wieser Director, Religious Education: Gwen Wieser SRE Secretary/Admin Assistant: Alfonso Lopez Music Ministry: Emett Loera Plant Supervisor: Steve Burton SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: (949) 837-7676 VIETNAMESE MINISTRIES: (949) 837-1090, Ext. 116 Sr. Maria Loan Tran, LHC: (949) 837-1090, Ext 137
Christmas/New Year s Mass Schedule Saturday, December 24th Christmas Eve Daily Mass at 9AM Solemnity of the Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord: 4:00PM, (English), SRE Family Mass with Teen/Family Choir Note: 3:30PM Christmas Pageant and Christmas Carols. 6PM, (English), with St. Nicholas Parish Choir and String Quartet (Prelude at 5:40PM) 8PM, Vietnamese Mass in the Church 8PM, Spanish Mass in the Parish Center 10:30PM, with St. Nicholas Chorale and oboe & flute (Prelude at 10:10PM) Sunday, December 25th Christmas Day 7:30AM, with Cantor and Piano 9:00AM, with Cantor and Organ 10:45AM, with St. Nicholas Chorale 12:30PM, with Cantor and Organ 5:00PM, Vietnamese Mass Monday, December 26th Day after Christmas Regular Weekday Mass Schedule: 7AM and 9AM Saturday, December 31st New Year s Eve Regular Schedule of Masses: 9AM, 4PM and 7PM (Spanish) Sunday, January 1st New Year s Day Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God Regular Sunday Mass Schedule: 7:30AM, 9:00AM, 10:45AM, 12:30PM and 5:00PM (Vietnamese) If possible, please carpool to alleviate parking and traffic problems at holiday Masses.