12/07/2014 - St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr
Transcription
12/07/2014 - St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr
St. Stephen, Deacon & Martyr C a t h o l i c C h u r c h A Catholic community of faith striving to witness to the Gospel. Our Baptism and Confirmation calls us to bring Christ’s Love to our families, our work places and our community. Grateful for God’s gifts, we seek to nurture those gifts and to give back to the Lord by sharing our time, talent and material treasure. In all of our parish activities we seek to develop a personal relationship with the Lord who directs our lives and a vision that sees the world with the eyes of Christ and that leads to a commitment to justice. We seek a sense of unity in Christ that leads us to be an open and welcoming people and a sense of joy in being graced by the gifts of God’s Love. December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent MASS SCHEDULE Monday—Saturday: 8am (English) Saturday Liturgy: 5pm (English) Sunday Liturgy: English: 7am, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am, 6:15pm Polish: 1pm December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 2 WE ARE A STEWARDSHIP PARISH We at St. Stephen, are striving to be good disciples of Christ. We focus on the spirituality of stewardship, through the grateful sharing of our time, our talent and our treasure, to help us become better disciples of Christ. As good stewards, we share our gifts responsibly with charitable groups and with our church. We urge our parishioners to consider remembering St. Stephen in their wills. Please phone Fr. Jay in the church office at 708.342.2400 for more information. Collections for 11-23-2014 Regular Kids Sharing All Souls All Saints Immaculate Conception $21,264.00 $87.23 $320.00 $25.00 $70.00 $15.00 Collections for 11-30-2014 Regular Kids Sharing All Souls Assumption Immaculate Conception Electronic Parish Center ~ O UR CHURCH $22,334.00 $76.31 $507.00 $40.00 $25.00 $15.00 $4,953.50 $20.00 ~ Parish Office 17500 South 84th Avenue Tinley Park, IL 60487 Office Hours: 8:30am-8:30pm Mon-Th; 8:30am-7pm Fri; 9am-5pm Sat Office Closed: 12:30-1pm Mon-Fri Office Phone: 708.342.2400 Office Fax 708.342.1545 Religious Ed. Phone: 708.342.1544 Website: www.ststephentinley.com email: [email protected] @ststephentinley Thank you for your continued Stewardship in support of St. Stephen. Please visit our website to find other opportunities for generosity through planned giving by remembering St. Stephen in your will or living trust. TIME, TALENT & TREASURE In addition to printing the collection, we are printing the Sunday and Holy Day collections from the previous month and for the fiscal year to date as well as budgeted amount needed for us to meet both our expenses & mortgage payments. Mortgage payments are $41,500 per month (interest and principal). The Archdiocese loaned us the money to start our parish and build our facilities on the basis of a commitment to Stewardship by the parish. We thank everyone whose support enables us to do the work of our Actual Budget parish. Last Month October $117,377 $112,500 Year-to-Date July 1—October 31 $471,966 $459,600 BAPTISMS are celebrated every Sunday at 3pm in English and 1pm in Polish. Please contact Deacon Ken in the parish office for the necessary preparations. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION is available on Saturdays, from 8:45—9:30am in the church or by appointment. FUNERALS can be arranged with the parish office. MARRIAGES St. Stephen Parish welcomes the celebration of the weddings of both registered parishioners and the children of registered parishioners. Information is available from one of the priests or deacons. PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK can be arranged for the sick, elderly and handicapped desiring Communion by calling the parish office. BULLETIN ARTICLE DEADLINE Articles are to be in the parish office noon on Friday for the following week’s bulletin. E-mail: [email protected] REGISTRATION OF NEW PARISHIONERS is held on the 2nd & 4th Sundays every month after 10am Mass. New parishioners unable to register at Sunday registration, may register at the parish office on Mondays at 2pm, Tuesdays at 11am, Wednesdays at 8:30am or Thursdays at 6:45pm. Please phone 708.342.2400 to make an appointment. We warmly welcome new parishioners and cordially invite you to join us on our life-long journey to the Lord. ~ O UR STAFF ~ ~ O UR Rev. James Finno, Pastor Rev. Grzegorz Warmuz, Associate Pastor William Engler, Deacon Chuck McFarland, Deacon William Schultz, Deacon Joseph Stalcup, Deacon Pete Van Merkestyn, Deacon Kenneth Zawadzki, Deacon Karen Opyd, Administrative Assistant to Pastor Mary Jeanne Pazin, Director of Religious Education Leslie Krauledis, Assoc. Director of Religious EducationTammy Burns, Admin. Assistant for Religious Education Mark Gorka, Music Minister Karen Dillon, Youth Minister Dave Prete, Maintenance Director SCHOOL Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School 9300 167th Street Orland Hills, IL 60487 Phone 708.403.6525 Fax 708.403.8621 Ms. Mary Iannucilli, Principal ~ December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 3 From Our Pastor D ear People of St. Stephen, The gospel readings this Sunday and next Sunday both focus around a key figure of Advent: John the Baptist. John’s message in today’s gospel is expressed in our theme for this week: “Prepare”. John the Baptist, as the forerunner of Jesus, inspires our preparation to welcome Christ both by his words and by his witness. “Prepare” reminds us to not allow Christ to slip into the background of our lives. A frequent temptation of our time, given the busyness of life and the stimulation of all sorts of media, is to allow Christ to slip from our consciousness. John’s call to “prepare” challenges us to keep Christ at the center of our lives and values. John the Baptist also calls the people of his time and us to repent – to turn away from sin and to allow Christ to form our values and guide our decisions. As Isaiah said in the first reading last Sunday, we are the clay in the hands of the Lord who is the Potter. We are called to allow the Lord to shape and to transform our lives. John the Baptist’s life gave witness to allowing the Lord to guide and shape him. While we do not have to imitate John’s lifestyle of being fed on locust and wild honey and living in the desert, we can all learn from his putting the Lord at the center of his life. Many people wondered if John the Baptist were the Messiah. He certainly could have taken advantage of that and put his own self-interest and ego at the center of his life. But John always sought to point the way to Jesus as Messiah and Lord. He gives witness to living in a way that allows God to form and guide his life – a witness that we can all seek to imitate in the individual circumstances of our lives. Mary is another key figure in Advent. Her “yes” to God, her response to the Lord’s call given to her by the angel Gabriel - “let it be done to me according to your will”- is the model of faith for us. We celebrate the feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception – her being conceived without sin – this Monday. This feast is the patronal feast of our nation and is always a holy day of obligation in the United States. I invite you to join us at Mass at 8am, 12 noon, and 6:30pm in English and at 7:30pm in Polish this Monday, December 8. I also want to express some “thank yous” today. Thank you to the committee who prepared a very enjoyable 15th anniversary celebration last Saturday. Thanks to the planning committee members Bern Daley, Emily Johnson, Joan Kapala, Karen Opyd, Mary Jeanne Pazin, Toni Rafferty and Gloria Wisniewski for their work coordinating the celebration, and thanks to all those who assisted with the liturgy and with the reception after Mass. The efforts of many people made for a fine event. Thank you also to Kathy Davis, a group of her art students at Mother McAuley, and some members of our Confirmation class who prepared the Advent windows that you see along the entrance hallways on both the parish office and meeting room sides of our facilities. The six panels of windows on each side have these themes: the vision of peace from Isaiah 11, the Annunciation, Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem, the shepherds and angels, the three Kings, and the Nativity scene. The windows will remain decorated through the Advent and Christmas seasons. The idea for the windows comes from a practice in some areas of Germany where Advent and Christmas scenes are put in the windows of Catholic homes. We are grateful to Kathy and to the young people for their efforts that enrich our church. Congratulations to the children who this Saturday received the sacrament of reconciliation for the first time. They are preparing for their first communion in May. Please keep the children and their families in your prayers. Finally, I want to thank all those who participated in the work of the Parish Transformation Initiative - those who participated in the meetings over these past three months, those who gave their input through the parish survey, and all who prayed for this work. Special thanks to the steering committee members who worked to coordinate the process: Barbara Black, Ken Beukema, Jim and Kathy Knawa, Megan Lamb, Connie Lambke, Elaine Lindenmeyer, and Margaret Wendt. The next step in the process is to take the ideas produced over these months to be reviewed in a meeting with Bishop Wypych, the vicar of our area. This meeting, scheduled for January, will discuss ideas produced in the areas of education, the call to holiness, prayer and worship, and finance. Once these ideas are approved by the Bishop we will present them to the parish and begin to work on their implementation. Please pray that the work of the Parish Transformation Initiative will help us as we begin the next 15 years of the work of our parish. May God bless you and your loved ones. Fr. Jay Gluten Free Hosts Available The Benedictine Sisters, who have been providing our altar breads since we began as a parish, have developed a communion host that will benefit all those who suffer from celiac disease. Celiac disease is a digestive disorder triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. Since Church law and tradition require that the Eucharistic bread be wheat based, some Catholics have been unable to receive the host because they cannot tolerate the gluten in altar breads. The Benedictine Sisters have developed a low gluten host that is safe for most people with celiac disease and which meets all Church requirements and is approved for use at Mass. The gluten content of these breads is 0.01%, a level which the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland calls perfectly safe for the vast majority of celiac sufferers. The Sisters still recommend that individual celiac sufferers consult with their doctor before using the breads. If you have this need, please mention it to the priest, deacon, or one of the ushers before Mass. However, if for some reason you do not see someone before Mass, just mention to whoever is distributing communion that you need a gluten-free host. We will always have a small supply available. December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent Pastoral Ministries P AGE 4 Heavens no! Contact Deacon Ken Zawadzki Pastoral Ministry Director Phone: 708.342.2400 Ext. 136 Email: [email protected] Donating to St. Vincent de Paul has become easier through our new ONLINE GIVING. Go to www.ststephentinley.com and click on the ONLINE GIVING logo to the left of the screen to register and make your donation. Thank you from our St. Vincent de Paul Society. If you or a parishioner close to you is in need, please contact SVdP at 708-342-2400 ext.205. A representative will return your call as soon as possible to arrange a confidential conversation. Confidentiality and Compassion are cornerstones of our ministry In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist urges us to “Prepare the way of the Lord.” This is what Advent is all about, for we are called to help prepare the way of the Lord by making the real meaning of Christmas come alive in our own hearts, in our family and to reach out to those in need. Is there a family you know who needs assistance? Please call the Society of St. Vincent de Paul so that together we can help the suffering and poor. Several months ago, I was deeply troubled with some issues with my Minister’s Scheduling program at the church. Some of the people didn’t get their assignments as they thought they would. Problems overwhelmed me. Perplexities piled up. Life was hard, anxiety abounded, and everywhere I looked misunderstandings multiplied. In a discouraged moment, I decided to call my friend Phil. He’d know just what to do. Phil had worked with this program previously, and I always could count on him for a good word of wisdom and encouragement. “Hey, Ken!” he answered the phone cheerfully, “How are you doing up there at St. Stephen?” (He’d retired to Florida.) “Don’t ask, Phil! It’s just terrible! I have more troubles than I can count. Every time I turn around, new problems pop up. Phil, would you please pray for God to take away my problems?” I was astonished when my esteemed friend shouted, “No! Heavens, No!” “What? No? I thought you cared! I thought you understood! Why won’t you pray for me?” — He said, “I’m sure not going to ask the good Lord to take your problems!” “W-w-why not?” I muttered. Because, all those problems have to do with people — right? And if I asked God to take away all your problems, He’d take away all your people and how would your Ministry look then? Now, you don’t want that do you?” I gulped, “Well, I suppose not.” “So, Instead of praying that God will take away your problems, I’m going to pray that God will help you face them head on. I’m going to pray that you will endure the problems like a good soldier, that you will learn something valuable from them and that you will come through them all shining like gold!” “I’ll pray that God will help you love people, the way Jesus loves them, and that you will stay sweet, no matter what happens or anybody says or does against you.” If you are satisfied with that kind of prayer, I’d be happy to send one up on your behalf.” I accepted. Sometimes we pray for the wrong reasons. Just give it up to God and let him sort it out for us. Prayers are always answered in one way or another. Blessings, Deacon Ken Zawadzki Military Corner Please pray for our Military men and women on a daily basis for their safe return. Capt. Anthony J. Cesaro Major Vincent Cesaro 1st Lt. Michael Chimienti Lt. Amanda Griffith Lcpl. Evan Grober Capt. Michael Gryczka Sgt. Joseph Malone Capt. Christopher Mazurek Sgt. Dominic Messina Tsgt. Laura Langley Ssgt. Carl Langley PFC Matthew O'Boyle Capt. Thomas Pierczynski Tsgt. Stephen Vlaming LCDR Marilyn Walsh Major Thomas Walsh December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 5 The Parish Transformation Team submits the following Mission Narrative which will supplement our current Mission Statement and expand on the “spirit” of who we are here at St. Stephen. ST. STEPHEN, DEACON AND MARTYR To grow God’s Kingdom by living, learning, teaching and speaking the Good News We the people of St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr Parish believe that, through our Baptism and Confirmation, we are called to spread the Gospel and bring Christ’s love to our families, workplaces and communities. We model ourselves on the example of our patron, St. Stephen – a beacon of fearless evangelism – whose deep faith was expressed in his witness to Christ and in his service to those in need. Through our dedication to active stewardship, we strive to follow St. Stephen’s lead by celebrating and nurturing God’s gifts and sharing our time, talent and treasure with love and gratitude. On April 14, 2013, Pope Francis said, “Those who listen to us and observe us must be able to see in our actions what they hear from our lips, and so give glory to God.” To share the faith, we must know our faith. Our commitment to catechesis will deepen the knowledge and understanding of our parishioners at all stages and will encourage even closer relationships with Christ. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19) We respond to this command through catechesis. In our mission to live Christ’s example, we need the nourishment offered through prayer and worship. Here at St. Stephen we have abundant opportunities to participate in giving thanks and praising our Lord through enriching prayer services, beautiful music, children’s liturgy and masses presented in both English and Polish. All of these efforts move us toward our call to holiness, exemplifying Christ’s love to all who enter His church or call out for help. Together we will strive to help our parishioners live their Catholic vocations, strive to create missionaries who reach out to others and offer a fertile ground on which saints will grow. The multitude of ministries here that educate, serve and share attest to the fact that we are a parish blessed with a wealth of gifts and talents and are alive with the Holy Spirit. As stated in 1 Corinthians 12: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” We are an Easter people, whose lives are filled with joy. We thank God for the sacrifice of His Son for our salvation. Strengthened by Jesus’ love for us, we seek to grow in our own relationship with the Lord and in our bringing Christ’s love to others. As we celebrate our 15th anniversary as a parish family, we reflect on the faithfulness of those who worship in our church, celebrate our parish blessings and strive to be the best followers of Jesus that we can be. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we will continue to grow God’s kingdom by living, learning, teaching and speaking the Good News throughout the world! “Cookies with Santa” The Men’s club are providing an open invitation to the children of our parish. They will have the opportunity to meet with Santa in the west wing of the church directly after the 10am mass on Sunday, December 21st. Cookies and juice will also be available for those families wishing to participate. Parents are welcome to take pictures of this exciting event. Women’s social CLUB Save the date of December 18, 2014, at 10am and get in the Christmas Spirit at our next meeting. We're having a Christmas Carol sing-along and games in Rooms 125/126. If you wish you may, in the spirit of Christmas, bring one or two non-perishable food items for the food pantry. Please consider joining us and bring a friend or two. 2015 Golden Coupon Book-only a few left! We are again offering the New 2015 Golden Opportunities coupon book for only $25. It has hundreds of discounts at numerous local merchants that you shop at everyday. The Dining Pleasures and Casual Dining section offer 2 for 1 dining, with many of them having offers Valid Once A Month for the entire year. It also has a Sports and Entertainment section as well as a Retail Section. Please stop by the Parish Office to view a sample or to purchase this great gift that you can begin to use immediately. December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 6 SecondWeek of Advent Sunday 7 Second Sunday in Advent Pearl Harbor Day Pray for all our veterans - living or Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Be Prepared 8 9 10 11 12 Feast of Immac- Make a donation Jesus said Make a donation Ask Deacon ulate Conception of time, talent, "Come to Me" - to your local Chuck how Honor the Virgin or treasure to invite someone food pantry. you can help Mary - the patron your favorite back to the PADS. saint of America. charity. Church. Saturday 13 Pray that a lost soul returns to the Church. ADVENt Reflections—Week 2— Prepare “Prepare the Way of the Lord, make straight His paths”. Mark 1:3. Prepare to follow Jesus who has shown us the way. Follow His example. “Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.” Saint John XXIII “Lord, shape us to transform our hearts and our community” Advent Season The word “Advent” (Coming) indicated how Christians view the four-week period preceding the Nativity of our Lord. It is a time of preparation for an even more intimate coming of the Lord to you and all of us. When I come to visit a friend, I am present to him. Coming results in presence. Of course, the Lord is already present to his people. Therefore, his coming at Christmas should result in a more intimate presence. People (friends, lovers) who get to know and love one another better are becoming more intimately, more personally, present to one another. It is a question of opening up and sharing one another’s personality. Our preparation for Christ’s coming should consist in an ever more opening up to him who wants to share our human condition in loving care. By preparing for the Lord’s coming time and again at Christmas, Christians prepare for his final coming which will be decisive for you and all human beings. “Now we watch for the day hoping that the salvation promised us will be ours when Christ our Lord will come again in his glory” (Preface of Advent). St. Joseph Daily Missal In Addition to the Communal Reconciliation service on December 16, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered at the following times: Sacrament of Reconciliation Communal Reconciliation Service Tuesday, December 16 – 7:30pm Thursday, December 18 7:00— 8:00pm Saturday, December 20 8:45— 9:45am 3:00— 4:15pm Monday, December 22 8:45— 9:45am 7:00— 8:30pm Using a purple ribbon for each week, (except a pink ribbon for the third week), attach the ribbon at the end of each tag and tie the ribbon around the wreath near the candle. Be careful not to start a fire. Mindful Week 1: Be Mindful Prepare Week 2: Be Prepared Rejoice Week 3: Rejoice Behold Week 4: Behold the Glory of God Confessions will be available in English & Polish. There will be no confessions on Christmas Eve. Christmas Masses Lectors, Ministers of Communion and Servers sign-up sheets to assist at our Christmas Masses are in the sacristy. Please sign-up to help us celebrate this great feast. December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 7 Feast of the immaculate conception This feast of Our Lady is the patronal feast of our nation and is always a holy day of obligation in the United States. I invite you to join us at Mass at 8am, 12 noon, and 6:30pm in English and at 7:30pm in Polish this Monday, December 8. Christmas Family Mass As we are about to begin the Advent season, it is time for us at St. Stephen to begin to prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Your children, grades 1 and up, are invited to be a part of the Christmas Eve Nativity Liturgy. This year St. Stephen will be celebrating a 5pm Mass on Christmas Eve, at which the children will be presenting the Christmas Gospel. We hope to involve many of our children in this experience. All parts are non-speaking. A few special parts, grades 3 and up, will be selected by lottery. While we have a few costumes, families will need to provide most costumes which are all very basic. Please consider the schedule of rehearsals below. All rehearsals are mandatory. Rehearsals will be in church on the following dates: Rehearsals for Christmas Eve Mass at 5 PM: Thursday, December 11—6:30-7:00 PM (assignment of parts) - Church Thursday, December 18—6:30-7:00 PM- Church Monday, December 22—6:30-7:00 PM (dress rehearsal) - Church At the dress rehearsal on December 22 costumes must be worn. All rehearsals are in church. If your child(ren) are interested in participating in this special Mass, please come to the first practice for the Mass on December 5 at 6:30 PM. Adult helpers are needed and welcome. If you have any questions, please call Fr. Jay at 708342-2400 or Mary Jeanne Pazin at 708-342-1544, ext. 147. ADVENT PRAYERS As part of our Advent observance we invite everyone to write a prayer expression, personal intention or gratitude for blessings on the sheets that are available on the table in the narthex. Please write your prayer and family name on the sheet and place the sheet in the basket marked Advent prayers. These intentions will then be placed in a basket placed by the altar. By posting our prayers we show our willingness to let “The Lord, shape us to transform our hearts and our community” during Advent. Advent Candle Lighting Sign-up Sheet There is a sign-up sheet for those wishing to light the Advent Candles at the beginning of Mass. Please check in with the usher no later than 10 minutes before Mass starts. This way they know that you are here; otherwise, they will look for someone to take your place. The sign-up sheet will be in the back of the church on the usher’s table. Please remember to honor your commitment. Oplatki (Christmas Wafers) will be on sale after all the Masses during Advent on the table in the narthex and will also be available at the parish office. Please put your donation in the box marked Oplatki donation here...we will not be sitting in the narthex as in the past. The cost for the Oplatki is $2 per package (which includes 3 white and 1 pink wafer). Sharing Oplatki with your family and friends at Christmas is a beautiful Polish custom. Each member of the family shares a part of their wafer with those at the dinner table and wishes them a Blessed Christmas and New Year. SENIORS YOUNG @ HEART At our next meeting on Monday, Dec. 15th at 10am we'll be entertained by famous guitarist, Dave Byron who is sure to please. As in the past, our members will be bringing their wonderful desserts or appetizers. See you there! December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 8 Living every day with PASSION AND PURPOSE Are you thriving or just surviving? Are you ready for more energy? A deeper sense of purpose? More joy? A clearer understanding of God’s plan for your life? Join us for one of our Passion and Purpose Live events. It’s not your typical church event! It has been a life-changing event for tens of thousands of people. Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose Live is presented by internationally acclaimed speaker and author Matthew Kelly and the incredibly talented musician Eliot Morris. About Eliot Morris Eliot Morris is an acclaimed singer song writer who has toured with the Counting Crows, John Mayer and James Taylor. He is best known for his albums “What’s Mine is Yours” and “All Things in Time”, which includes the hit “UP from the Bottom”. Matthew Kelly’s presentation will be at St. Stephen Church on Saturday, May 2, 2015, at 7pm. The presentation is co-sponsored by St. Elizabeth Seton, St. Francis of Assisi, St. George, St. Julie Billiart and St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr parishes. Tickets are $39. Make checks payable to “Dynamic Catholic.” All proceeds go to support the work of Dynamic Catholic. Tickets are available in the parish office. Hearing Assist System Our church is equipped with a Williams Sound hearing assist system. Tied into our sound system, the system has four receivers that can help those with hearing difficulties. Receivers are available form the ushers; please return them to the ushers after Mass. The receivers are battery operated. If the battery is low, please ask an usher to contact one of our staff. The system also has two neck loops designed to work with the hearing aid equipped with a telephone coil (T-Switch). These neck loops are also available from the ushers. We have been told by the installing company that some people may want to purchase a receiver for their personal use. If you are interested in purchasing a receiver, please contact Fr. Jay. Music Department of St. Elizabeth Seton The Music Department of St. Elizabeth Seton in Orland Hills invites you to “Believe”! Our annual Christmas Concert and Gala Benefit will take place December 14, 2014 at 3PM in the Church at 9300 West 167th Street. The Dessert Gala with free food and raffle prizes will immediately follow downstairs in the church hall. The concert, directed by Linda McKeague, Director of Music, will feature our Adult and Teen Choirs, Liturgical Dancers, Narrator and Orchestra. Join us as we sing in the season and BELIEVE! December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 9 Teens Growing in Faith Upcoming Events If you are interested in more information about the Youth Ministry, please contact Dillon at: 708-342-2400, ext. 149 or at [email protected]. T.G.I.F. Karen Teens 7th grade through high school are invited to teen activities the 2nd and 4th Sundays of every month following the 6:15 pm mass from 7-9 pm! Come help us plan our activities for the year! Give your input on decorating and what we need in the new teen room! Wednesday, December 10th: Service Project at Catholic Charities Meal Program-St. Blasé Church. Meet in the Narthex at 4:30pm. We will drive together and return to church by 7:30pm. YOU MUST CALL TO RESERVE A SPOT AS SPACE IS LIMITED! A PERMISSION SLIP IS REQUIRED. Counts as 3 hours of service. Saturday, December 13th: Mom & Dad’s Night Out 6-9pm in Large meeting room. We play games, watch a movie, do crafts, have a snack with younger kids (BABYSITTING). Lots of FUN and Counts as 3 hours community service. PLEASE CALL TO SIGN UP AS SPACE IS LIMITED. MERCY HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS COLLECTION Once again the St. Stephen Teen Group is sponsoring a collection of stocking stuffers and small gifts for the teens who live at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. There will be collection boxes in the Narthex the weekends of Nov. 29 & 30 and Dec. 6 & 7. Everything will be picked up by Mercy Home on Monday, December 8th. Items they have specifically requested this year are listed below: The gifts are best left unwrapped. Wrapping paper or medium to large gift bags are also welcome. Please submit your unwrapped gift by Sunday, December 7th. Thank you! Small games like Uno, Jenga Water bottles Head Phones/Ear Buds Planners, Journals Wallets Umbrellas Magazine subscriptions to Mercy Kid’s Sports Illustrated ESPN Magazine Game Pro MP3s Small cologne and perfume Body Lotions $15 Walmart gift cards Disposable cameras Slippers all sizes Scrapbook supplies Baseball Caps Twin Size sheet sets. Movie DVD’s Muppets Most Wanted The Lego Movie How to Train Your Dragon 2 Maleficent Facing the Giants The Amazing Spiderman 2 Captain America Winter Soldier Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014 Time $15 Best Buy gift cards Godzilla 2014 Socks- athletic for boys and more National Geographic’s $15 Target Gift Cards Frozen Video Games for:Xbox 360 or Wii rated E or sports game Moms and Tots Join us at Moms and Tots! Moms and Tots is a casual playgroup that meets on Tuesdays between 9:30 and 11:00. It is a fun free way to get out with your little one(s). New moms, dads, tots, and babies are always welcome! We meet in the church, Room 158. We hope to see you there! If you have any questions feel free to contact Julie [email protected] or(708)299-9404. Retirement Fund for Religious On the weekend of December 14th Catholic Churches throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago will have a second collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious. The annual Retirement Fund for Religious Appeal has provided much needed assistance to women and men religious who have faithfully and generously served in our schools, hospitals, parishes and communities for years. Our Church and nation have been blessed beyond measure by these dedicated religious. They ministered in the spirit of the Gospel, asking little in return. As a parish we will no longer have an actual second collection for this need, but as a parish we will send a contribution based on previous years’ contributions. So we ask you to increase your regular donations which become part of our parish’s donation to the Retirement Fund for Religious and other eliminated second contributions. The need of our support for the Retirement Fund for Religious is important and the religious are grateful for our financial help. December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 10 Welcome to the Marriage Center Banns III Nick Billone & Michelle Musial Congratulations! Patricia Oliva and Paul Vieraitis Dana Paliga and Frank Calderone These engaged couples have just completed our parish’s marriage prep program and will be married at St. Stephen’s soon. As you see them, please congratulate them and wish them a life time of happiness! Deacon Joe Nursery Rhyme Time at CJB! CJB’s Pre-K students keep very busy! Each month they learn a new nursery rhyme. They practice reciting it as they identify words that sound alike. Then they form their own interpretation of what the rhyme is about and finally, they have an opportunity to act it out, as well! Recently, students constructed a wall out of cardboard bricks and used a real egg as Humpty Dumpty, and allowed it to fall off the wall and crack into pieces. Photograph: Mrs. Sharon O’Toole and the Pre-K students at Cardinal Bernardin Catholic School reenacting the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme. Cardinal Bernardin School Takes Top Honors at the Providence Academic Bowl Nineteen 7th and 8th Graders from CJB recently competed in the Providence Catholic High School Academic Bowl. They earned an impressive eleven awards, including the 1st Place Overall team award for both the 7th and 8th Grade teams. CJB also earned 1st Place honors in two of the five subject areas in 7th Grade. CJB was one of twenty-one teams from Catholic and public schools in the area to compete at the academic bowl. “We really look forward to the Providence Academic Bowl every year,” said 8th Grade teacher Chris Kirk. “We’re excited that so many of our students participate in this academic bowl and support each other during the competition. To win first place in both Grades is a great accomplishment for the students and for our school.” Eighth grade student Kyle Jennings added “what I enjoy while participating in these academic bowls is learning new things, fun facts and having fun while competing”. The individual 8th Grade winners include Jimmy Calcagno (2nd place – mathematics), Clarice Ferrolino (3rd place – language arts), Deirdre Flanagan (4th place – geography), Ellie Houlihan (3rd place – science), Kyle Jennings (3rd place – social studies) and Gino Kozel (4th place – social studies). The individual 7th Grade winners are Christopher Cokinos (1st place – geography), Amanda Flowers (4th place – geography), Jonathan Laxamana (2nd place – science), Michael Nacik (1st place – social studies), and Anthony Rihani (5th place – mathematics). The 1st Place winning team from the 8th Grade includes Jim Calcagno, Clarice Ferrolino, Deirdre Flanagan, and Ellie Houlihan. The 1st Place winning team from the 7th Grade includes Christopher Cokinos, Diya Dileep, Katie Juds, Jonathan Laxamana, and Michael Nacik. Photograph 1: 7th Grade CJB Academic Team (front row) Terrance Amador, Chris Cokinos, Anthony Rihani, (back row) Michael Nacik, Diya Dileep, Katie Juds, Tori Quinlan, Amanda Flowers, Jonathan Laxamana Photograph 2: 8th Grade CJB Academic Team – Deirdre Flanagan, Clarice Ferrolino, Allison Brankin, Ellie Houlihan, Kyle Laird, Kyle Jennings, Jimmy Calcagno, Gino Kozel, Morgan Sassetti, Adele Lyons December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 11 Informacje Dotyczące Duszpasterstwa w Parafii Sw. Śzczepana W ciago calego roku Msza Św. w niedziele w języku polskim jest o godz. 1PM -Pierwszy piątek miesiąca: Spowiedz of 7-8pm Msza o 8pm -Pierwsza sobota miesiąca: od godz. 7pm-9:30pm -Spowiedz w kazdą sobote of godz. 8:45-9:30am -Po bliższe imformajce proszę dzwonić do biura parafialnego pod numer 1(708) 342- 2400 wew 137 Nic cię nie zaskoczy? Może to i slogan usłyszany w reklamie, ale jakże prawdziwy, jakże realny w tym czasie, w czasie oczekiwania na coś, czego się spodziewamy. Czy aby na pewno? Z jednej strony, żyjąc w kulturze chrześcijańskiej, żyjemy w okresie oczekiwania – Adwentu – od narodzin po kres naszego życia. Z drugiej zaś strony, oczekujemy ciągłych niespodzianek, atrakcji, nieprzewidzianych sytuacji. Jak to więc z nami jest? Biorąc pod uwagę Tradycję Kościoła, tradycję rodzinną, wiarę i to, co słyszeliśmy podczas katechez, znamy scenariusz zbliżających się Świąt, znamy stan naszych kieszeni, stan posiadania, wiemy z kim, gdzie i jak je przeżyjemy. Ale przecież 4-tygodniowe oczekiwanie nie może ograniczać się do zakupów, przygotowania potraw, sprzątania, dobierania gości mających zasiąść przy stole wigilijnym, lecz powinno być przede wszystkim wykorzystane na przygotowanie naszego ducha, naszego umysłu, naszego serca . Okres ten mamy przeżyć tak, aby przygotować się na przyjęcie Chrystusa, tego który Był, Jest i Będzie, który przychodzi po to, by zawisnąć na krzyżu, zmartwychwstać i dokonać zbawienia. Przychodzi, by dokonać dzieła, którego nikt i nigdy w czasie i przestrzeni nie dokonał. Prorok Izajasz składa nam propozycję przygotowania się w sposób następujący: «Drogę dla Pana przygotujcie na pustyni, wyrównajcie na pustkowiu gościniec naszemu Bogu! Niech się podniosą wszystkie doliny, a wszystkie góry i wzgórza obniżą; równiną niechaj się staną urwiska, a strome zbocza niziną gładką. Wtedy się chwała Pańska objawi, razem ją wszelkie ciało zobaczy, bo usta Pańskie to powiedziały». (Iz 40,3-5) Nie oznacza to, że nagle mamy się zająć infrastrukturą naszego otoczenia, bo do tego są wyznaczone odpowiednie służby. Owo wyrównywanie, niwelowanie dotyczy naszego jestestwa, naszego postępowania, naszego własnego życia – to wyrównanie różnic pomiędzy nami, to zniwelowanie naszych grzechów, wreszcie to pogrzebanie wszelkich animozji wobec drugich, abyśmy mogli w pokoju i miłości wzajemnej oczekiwać Pana. Podobnie instruuje nas święty Piotr, Najwyższy Apostoł, tłumacząc nam, iż na przyjście Pana winniśmy być przygotowani w każdej chwili, o każdej porze. „Niech zaś dla was, umiłowani, nie będzie tajne to jedno, że jeden dzień u Pana jest jak tysiąc lat, a tysiąc lat jak jeden dzień. Nie chce bowiem niektórych zgubić, ale wszystkich doprowadzić do nawrócenia. Dlatego, umiłowani, oczekując tego, starajcie się, aby [On] was zastał bez plamy i skazy - w pokoju.” (2 P 3,8.9b.14). Czy jesteśmy w stanie zdobyć się na wyrzeczenia, oczekując na przyjście Tego Jedynego? Czy potrafimy tak zawierzyć, by w miłości, pokoju i wzajemnej dobroci przeżyć Adwent, a potem oczekiwać Zbawiciela aż do końca naszych dni? Jesteśmy narodem Chrystusowym, wybranym, bo ochrzczonym, a mimo to czasami postępujemy jak poganie. Dlatego też przyjmijmy sercem słowa Jana Chrzciciela i żyjmy nimi przynajmniej przez cały Adwent: «Idzie za mną mocniejszy ode mnie, a ja nie jestem godzien, aby się schylić i rozwiązać rzemyk u Jego sandałów. Ja chrzciłem was wodą, On zaś chrzcić was będzie Duchem Świętym». (Mk 1,7-8) Maryjo, dopomóż nam w czasie Adwentu trwać w miłości, byśmy pogłębili nadzieję i umocnili wiarę. COUNSELOR AVAILABLE Michele L. Nowak, LCPC, is available to provide counseling to individuals and couples right here at St. Stephen parish! Michele is an experienced professional counselor who has worked with all age groups and issues. She is a staff member of The Hollbrook Counseling Center of Catholic Charities. Blue Cross / Blue Shield accepted. Those without insurance are eligible for sliding scale fees based on income & number of dependents. Appointments can be made by calling (312) 655-7725. The first session is free for all who are members of St. Stephen. December 7, 2014 Sun 12-07 Mon 12-08 Tues 12-09 Wed 12-10 Thurs 12-11 Fri 12-12 Sat 12-13 Sun 12-14 12/14 Lector 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 12 Baby Nursing #153 | Narthex...Oplatki Narthex...TGIF Mercy Gifts Return | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Babysitting #158 10:00 AM Family Mass Church | 10:00 AM Growing with God #162/163/164/165/166/167 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM RCIA #125 | 1:00 PM Kingdom Mtg #126 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Baptism RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | 8:00 AM Mass for Immaculate Conception (English) Church 10:00 AM Young @ Heart Board #125 | 12:00 PM Mass for Immaculate Conception (English) Church 6:30 PM Mass for Immaculate Conception (English) Church | 7:30 PM Finance Comm. #126 7:30 PM Mass for Immaculate Conception (Polish) Church RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Moms & Tots #158 7:30 PM Highlanders #171,172,173,174 | 7:30 PM Rosary Daily Chapel RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Adult Choir Church/Choir Room 7:30 PM Healing Service Daily Chapel | 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM Portrait of Jesus book study #126 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Scouts #166,167 8:30 AM - 6:30 PM Adoration of Blessed Sac Daily Chapel with Rosary @ 8:30am 8:45 AM A & E #167 & A&E Storage |9:00 AM Comedy Night #126 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM Moms and Tots Christmas Party LMR |4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Children's Choir Church 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM Benediction Daily Chapel followed by Divine Mercy Prayers 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM Christmas Eve Practice for 5pm Mass | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Praise Band Church 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM Scripture Study #126 7:00 PM Advent Mission (Polish) Church followed by Confession Baby Nursing #153 | Narthex...Bethlehem Gifts Narthex...Oplatki | TGIF Parent's Night Out LMR 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM Portrait of Jesus book study #126 7:00 PM Advent Mission (Polish) Church followed by Confession Baby Nursing #153 | Narthex...Bethlehem Gifts |Narthex...Oplatki | 10:00 AM 3rd Grade Mass Church 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Babysitting #158 | 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM Parish Registration LMR 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM RCIA #125 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Baptism 5:00 PM Cascone,Joe Power,Dorothy Eucharistic Bulvan,Christine Magdziasz,Tom Magdziasz,Marilyn Franckowiak,Pam Baste,Choleen Vallejo,Judi Vallejo,Ruben Smith,Patrick Bodinet,Nicole Bodinet,Rachel Jakocko,Donna Przybylski,Dianne Altar Meagher,Amanda Meagher,Katelyn Wilmot,Keri Celebrant Deacons Dcn Bill S. Greeters Geraldine Casey Mary Tafoya Tracy Kielak Pete Kielak 7:00 AM Bellettiere,Sam Tierney,John Connolly,Bill Connolly,Marie Erzinger,Ruth Rice,Connie Rice,Edward Lucas,June Smajo,Nicholas Smajo,Geri 8:30 AM Lazzara,Angelo DuMais,Brian Lazzara,Susan Biedron,Janet Biedron,Greg Labriola,Lawrence Labriola,Sue Kapala,Joan Miguel,Ihidia Deanching,Minerva Werr,Mary Brouch,John Juvida,Gregorio Hildebrandt,Walter Galante,Joe Juvida,Hannah Nowak,Haley 10:00 AM Ceballos,William Guzman,Lily Feyerer,Barbara Feyerer,Edward Orawiec,Claire Davidson,Jacqueline Stephans,Kathy Meteisis,Pam Panno,Mary Knauf,Judy Marth,Lisa Mangan,Melissa Kulpinski,Glenn Voltolina,Jeanette Delaleurs,Mitchell Loftin,Alex Cunico,Nicholas Dcn Chuck Dcn Chuck Eileen Tyrrell Mike Tyrrell Kathy Stephans Jim Stephans Dcn Bill E. Chris Losey Mark Losey Kathy Cunningham Sean McCauley 11:30 AM 1PM Grober, Debbie Sierakowski,T. Goeppner,Mike Maciejewska,B. Lingle,Karen Boblak,Andrej Bibzak,Joyce Kwiatkowski,S. Bibzak,Ray Kita,Barbara Dillon,Karen Witry,Bernard Kolloway,Mike Rutkowski,Kathy Sullivan,Janet Bialas,Mary Brennan,Mike Brady,William Brady,Bette Skarzynski,Andrew Neville,Veronica Reilly,Owen Fr Greg Dcn Ken Counters Carol De Joris Sun 12-7 Joan Beck Team #3 Theresa Buckley Sun 12-14 Terri Buckley Team #4 December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 13 12/7 7:00am Sunday For the People Lawrence Menconi req.by 8:30am Patricia Mitus req.by Thomas Rogasn req.by 10:00am Ann Vidinich req.by Maury Kane req.by 11:30am Cynthia Kinney req.by Lorraine Tateyama req.by 1:00pm Nellie Rafacz req.by Wojciek & Anna Juraszek 6:15pm Johanna Silbernagel req.by Virginia Biegel req.by Monday 12/8 8:00am Joseph W. Brasky req.by Caroline Wojtkowski req.by Noon Frank Nowobilski req.by Pat Pignatiello req.by Judy Dwyer req.by 6:30pm Spec. Int for Liby, Sebastian, Monica & John 7:30pm Tuesday 12/9 req.by 8:00am Petermann Family Don Daley req.by Wednesday 12/10 req.by 8:00am Carolyn Jablonski Julia Wegner req.by 12/11 Thursday req.by 8:00am Jim Dwyer Billy Casserly Christy Van Merkestyn req.by 12/12 8:00am Friday Frances H. Brasky Roger Johnson, Jr. Jack Downey 12/13 Saturday 8:00am John Kinney, Sr. Eugenia Ruzgis 5:00pm Jesus Araiza Gibbons & McLean Families Geoffrey Evert Jim Dwyer Mary Piszczor Lance Kibilko 12/14 Sunday 7:00am For the People Ciprian Mazeikis 8:30am Alice McGoldrick Gene Oleksy 10:00am Megan Gilligan Joseph Lindenmeyer 11:30am Patrick Malone Arlene Kmiec 1:00pm Joanna, Malgorzata, Jan Piekarczyk Anna Slowiak 6:15pm Jim Dwyer Peter Aldeza Pray for Our Sick Judy Menconi Tom Mitus The Family The Family The Family Krystyna Soprych Mary Schroder Paul & Nancy Madigan Alex, Helen & Family The Goodrich Family Dolores F. Michalski Lottie Fornek The Family Young At Heart Ministry Sr. Altar Servers Marion Schimick Bern Daley & Family Connie Czerniak Ted Wegner Donna Kuban Dcn Pete & Jan Van Merkestyn req.by req.by req.by Dolores F. Michalski Emily Johnson Linda McCauley req.by req.by req.by req.by req.by req.by req.by req.by The Galvin Family Jack & Betty Cory The Araiza Family The McLean Family The Family Delores Michalski Carole Guger The Pumfery Family req.by req.by req.by req.by req.by req.by Janet Edwards Gene & Delores Skowronski The Family M/M Dick Lindenmeyer Mom & Dad Jackie & Pat req.by req.by req.by The Family Dolores Michalski The Family Mike Abramowicz Albert Agresti Kristen Baldyga Julie Barth Josephine Basie Arlene Beavan Augustina Braccolino Frank Braccolino Kathie Brosius Tammy Burns William Callahan Raymond Callahan John Czerniak Janice Dorff Joe Dorff John Drahos Cardinal George Caroline Grady Fran Grousnick Marion Kummer Lillian Kurzawski Ed Malone Jim O'Donnell Nathan Parry Carmen Pignatiello Judy Ratkovic Kevin Renderman Betty Ruzich Terry Ryan Mary Lou Schoettler Nicole Siedschlag Rachel Swallow Joseph Tierney Ruth Ann Tomaszeski Alex Udaykee Jane Van Duch MaryBeth Vasquez Maeve Walsh Kelly Weiss And for all for whom our parish is asked to pray To help keep the list of names read at Mass and placed in the bulletin accurate and current, we will keep the name of a non-parishioner who is an immediate family member of our parishioner on the list at Mass for two weeks and in the bulletin for two weeks. For a parishioner, we will keep the name on the list at Mass for four weeks and in the bulletin for 60 days. We ask that an immediate family member call after 4 weeks if you wish to have the name continued to be read at Mass. Pray for Our Deceased Arthur Laski Audrey Pavlik Thomas Ruane John Trendl Charles Young Weekly Readings Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat Is 40:1-5, 9-11/2 Pt 3:8-14 Gn 3:9-15, 20/Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 Is 40:1-11/Mt 18:12-14 Is 40:25-31/Mt 11:28-30 Is 41:13-20/Mt 11:11-15 Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab Sir 48:1-4, 9-11/Mt 17:9a, 10-13 Welcome to Our Newly Baptized Mackenzie Dylan Farias Harper Lynn Heintz Jericho Aaron Mocorro December 7, 2014 2nd Sunday of Advent P AGE 14 AN OFFER FROM NANCY’S PIZZA Nancy’s Pizza at 171st Street and 80th Avenue (in the Family Dollar Plaza) is making an offer to St. Stephen Parishioners. On any Monday through Wednesday, present this coupon and 20% of the pre-tax amount (10% if a discount coupon is used) will be donated to the St. Stephen Parish Center Fund. You can enjoy a pizza and support our parish. Nancy’s Pizza’s number is 708-614-6100. Nancy’s Pizza and St. Stephen Pizza Coupon 20% of the pre-tax amount (10% if a discount coupon is used) to be donated to the St. Stephen Parish Center Fund on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays! Phone:_______________________________________ E a r n $$$$ f or S t. S te p h e n ’s Pa r i s h! !! Have lunch or dinner at Gatto's on the 2nd or 4th Wednesday of the month and help in raising funds for St. Stephen’s parish. The parish will receive 15% of the before tax cost of your meal. Please present this coupon to your server or ask your server to write St. Stephen's Men's Club on your bill. This applies to Dine-in or Carryout!! Gatto’s Restaurant & Bar S t .2ndS& t4theWednesdays p h e n ’ofstheM en’s month Present this coupon to your server Dine-In or Carryout 15% Donation (before Pop Tabs collection to benefit the Ronald McDonald Houses of Chicago . A collection bin for pop tabs is located in the nw corner of the narthex and in all RE classrooms. Thank you for your support! Please Recycle Your Newspapers, Magazines, etc. into our green and yellow recycling bins located in the Parking Lot. Youth Ministry of St. Stephen will earn money from your donation. Thank you to all who advertise in our bulletin. Please patronize our advertisers!
Similar documents
10/19/2014 - St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr
Mary Jeanne Pazin, Director of Religious Education Leslie Krauledis, Assoc. Director of Religious EducationTammy Burns, Admin. Assistant for Religious Education Mark Gorka, Music Minister Karen Dil...
More information