CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE

Christmas Eve Masses 5:00pm, 11:00pm Christmas Day Masses 8:30am, 11:00am 5:00pm Vietnamese Mass Parish Office will be closed both days.

A SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WOMEN OF THE PARISH

Mark your calendars for January 18, 2020! The PCCW is planning our annual Morning of Recollection. Details will be coming in future bulletins, but we wanted to make sure you knew to set aside that morning for spiritual development and social togetherness. There will be lunch after the presentation.

Travel With Fr. Lewis Hejna

June 30—July 10, 2020
Cost: $4,599
Eleven days in IRELAND AND SCOTLAND
See Shannon, Cliffs of Moher, Our Lady of Knock,
Galway, Dublin, Ayr, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Price
includes airfare, 4 or 5 star hotels, transfers,
transportation on luxury bus, guided tours, all breakfasts
and dinners. Contact Proximo Travel at (855) 842-8001
or (508) 340-9370 and refer to trip #769 or #8684
when registering

From The Pastor’s Desk

During the month of December we are high lighting ministries in the celebration of the Eucharist. As I train and teach new altar servers, I explain how important their service is to the worshipping community. In fact all ministers at mass are assisting the celebrant in leading the people in worship. All ministries are important and need to be approached as such.

When people walk into a church they need to be welcomed, not just looked at, but truly greeted and made to feel welcomed. Greeters and ushers are the first people that are seen when someone enters a church.

As I train new lectors and review with experienced lectors, the first thing I tell them is what you put into a microphone is what comes out of the speakers. If you speak soft your proclamation will be soft. As I age I am more aware of sound or the lack of sound than ever before. We should not need to follow along in the book because we cannot hear, unless we truly have a hearing problem. Proclaiming the Word of God is just that, proclaiming the WORD OF GOD. It is not reading. Lectors should not apologize for what they are proclaiming.

The altar servers help the celebrant lead the people in worship. They are constantly in front of the congregation during the liturgy. They have an important function assisting the priest, thus they need to be attentive to what is happening. Fr. Joseph and I have a different styles, but the servers function is the same regardless. If we want something different then we will tell them and if they are being attentive the liturgy will continue smoothly.

Extra Ordinary Eucharistic Ministers assist the priest in the giving forth of the Body and Blood of Christ. This ministry is not to be taken lightly. They are participating in my priesthood. They are an extension of me to the people, and I am extension of the Bishop to the people. We all hold our ministry from the bishop. Giving the Body and Blood of Christ to the people must be done reverently and prayerfully.

Musicians are also a ministry in which whether vocal or instrumental, help the celebrant lead the people in worship. Music has been a part of worship from the days of Jewish worship in the temple in Jerusalem. They used all types of instruments along with songs and chants. Today we are only following a 3000 year tradition.

In the name of St. Agnes Cathedral Parish I want to thank all those who are involved in any ministry which assist me in the celebration of the Eucharist. I also invite anyone to think about a ministry here in the Cathedral.

RECTORY CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE December 18, 19 and 20 at 7:30pm each night

Steubenville Signup:

Steubenville Signup: youth in grades 8-12, join us for The Steubenville Summer Conference! The theme for this year’s conference is “Restored” from Psalm 80:3. This dynamic conference held on the MSU campus brings together Catholic Youth from across the nation. Youth will hear nationally known speakers, hear tremendous music & partake in the celebration of the sacraments. St Agnes parish helps to sponsor this event to lower the cost for our youth. Check out STEUBYSTL.com for more information. Our parish must turn in our registration numbers by Feb 1. To sign up or to get more information, contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org or by calling the parish office 831-3565.

WE ARE CALLED

I remember the first time that Matthew Kelley mentioned Holy Moments. I loved them, they are so easy, so kind, and have a lovely boomerang effect. He explained them as just doing the right thing when we see someone who needs help. Perhaps opening a door for someone, helping someone cross the street… no big deal. This week he’s been encouraging us to develop our amazing possibilities. Admittedly, we have many questions and few answers. But God can turn confusing situations into beautiful answers. So again, Matthew suggests Holy Moments with God which will bring beautiful answers, peace, and love.

Ginny Smithberg 894-2954

THANKS

to all of you who have picked up a symbol from the Jesse Tree or baskets, and have brought an items or two to the parish office. St. Agnes will be able in this way to make the lives of those who need these articles a bit easier. We will donate items either to Sammy’s Window for foster children, Crosslines for Council of Churches holiday giving and to Grace United Methodist Church for the homeless men and women who gather there. Whether or not you are able to buy anything, please pray for all those people who need these items.

S. Elizabeth Ann

From The Pastor’s Desk

Last weekend we began the beautiful season of Advent. It is a spiritual time of walking with the prophets as they pointed the way to the coming Messiah. The prophet Isaiah is the prophet most read during the Advent Season. He had the difficult task of calling the people back from their sinful ways of idolatry and immorality to the one true God. This was not an easy task as the Northern Kingdom had been destroyed by the Assyrian Empire and only Judah was still free and the people had turned away from God.

Advent is a time for us to strengthen our faith, our love for God as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. Isaiah, in fact all the prophets longed to see the Messiah and did not see him. They could not have imagined the great love of God in sending His son to suffer and die for all the human race. In that suffering, Jesus the Son of God left us the greatest gift, the Eucharist.

St Teresa of Avila once marveled at the vulnerability of Our Lord in the Eucharist. She once said, “One might be overcome by the chance to meet a king, however it should never be forgotten that the King of the Universe has made himself available to us at all times, in every Catholic church. In every chapter of the story of salvation, Our Lord seeks us out and draws ever closer to us, to be with us in the most radical way in the Eucharist.”

As we walk through the Advent Season do not surrender to our culture, to the social pressure to celebrate the man in the red suit. The mission of the church, in fact each of us is to hand on the faith from one generation to the next. The celebration of the Eucharist, the receiving of the BODY and BLOOD of Christ is the way He left us to receive His strength, guidance and love. The Eucharist is the food for our journey with all the pressures and stress of our daily life. Bread and wine is served at our dining room tables, the BODY and BLOOD of Christ is given to us freely from the altar of our church.

ADVENT GIVING

Again this year, through the first 3 ½ weeks of Advent, the Jesse trees in the Cathedral will provide you with an opportunity to buy something for the homeless who eat their meals at Grace United Methodist Church, the foster children who go to Sammy’s Window for clothing and toiletry items, and the children whose parents can pick up gifts at Crosslines. Please bring the unwrapped items to the front office before December 18th and I will see that they are delivered to the right place.

S. Elizabeth Ann

WE ARE CALLED

I’m late, I’m late. I should have had this in last weeks Update. I apologize since you may have missed a week of a beautiful program. Every Advent, Dynamic Catholic offers an opportunity to enjoy a few minutes of peace and prayer during the holiday season. It’s free, you don’t have to leave your home, or attend meetings. All you have to do is go to BestAdventEver.com and enter your name and email address. Every day you will receive an email with a short video from Mathew Kelly and the Dynamic Catholic team. We’re all so busy now but this is one of the best ways to prepare our hearts and minds for the Most Blessed Event.

Ginny Smithberg 894-2954

Knights of Columbus:

The Knights’ monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, December 17th at 6:30 PM in the cafeteria. This is our annual Christmas dinner. All Knights and their families are invited. Meat and drinks will be provided. Please bring either a side dish or dessert.

Knights Breakfast

The Knights will be serving breakfast today after the 7:00 & 8:30 Masses. This includes the Breakfast with Santa event. We will be serving pancakes, sausage and eggs. Please come join us.

LADIES OF THE PARISH:

Mark your calendars for Monday, December 9th at 6:30pm in the dining room. Please join us for our PCCW cookie and cupcake decorating party! We will have cookies and cupcakes to decorate! There will be snacks & drinks! Come join us and have some fun with other ladies of the parish. We will provide all supplies. We just ask you to bring 1/2 dozen to a dozen cookies to share with Sister Elizabeth as she prepares the Christmas cookie tins for our homebound parishioners. There is no charge, but we will have a donation basket to help offset expenses. Please spread the word! All ages are welcome! Come share some Christmas joy! Please call the parish office, 831-3565, by Friday, December 6 to sign up so that we will have enough supplies.

From The Pastor’s Desk

Each year I include the following paragraph in my Thanksgiving letter in the bulletin because we need to be reminded of where and why we celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s not about turkeys and native Americans, but to give thanks during a sad time in our history.

In 1941, the “Thanksgiving Day” was officially set by the United States government on the fourth Thursday in November. All of the early Thanksgiving celebrations had one thing in common; the celebrations were always directed toward God. It did not matter how good or bad the times were, the people knew God was their creator and provider and that all good things ultimately came from Him. As the United States celebrates Thanksgiving this week, the secular holiday has nothing to do with our Catholic faith, but at the same time it has everything to do with our faith. Each time we gather around the Eucharistic table we are giving thanks to our God who sent His Son to suffer and die for us, that we might have eternal life.

The Catechism reminds us that “Believing in God, the only One, and loving him with all our being has enormous consequences for our whole life,” and then it adds that this involves, “living in thanksgiving: if God is the only One, everything we are and have comes from Him: “What have you that you did not receive?” “What shall I render to the Lord for all his bounty to me?”

Each family has their own traditions, their own way of celebrating; birthdays, weddings, the different sacraments, the holidays of Fourth of July, Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. I encourage that your family include God in every holiday.

This coming week as we celebrate with family and friends, let us not forget that the whole reason for the day, is to GIVE THANKS TO GOD. If you are here in the Springfield area, come to church Thanksgiving morning at 8:30 for our Thanksgiving Day Mass, and give thanks to God for all that He has given you/us.

This year we have no break between Thanksgiving and the first week of Advent. The first Sunday of Advent and the 4 week count down to the birth of Christ begins immediately. Enjoy and give thanks, first of all to God for all that He has given you/us this year, and then make the time to spiritually as well as physically get ready for the birth of Christ by walking through the Advent Season.

Women of Faith

Invitation for all women of the parish. Women of Faith invites you to join them in prayer and social time! Join us Wednesday, December 4 at Life House for noon Mass followed by lunch at a restaurant. This is a great opportunity to meet others from the parish in a small group setting. For more information please call Katie Williams, 883-5181.

LADIES OF THE PARISH:

Mark your calendars for Monday, December 9th at 6:30pm in the dining room. Please join us for our PCCW cookie and cupcake decorating party! We will have cookies and cupcakes to decorate! There will be snacks & drinks! Come join us and have some fun with other ladies of the parish. We will provide all supplies. We just ask you to bring 1/2 dozen to a dozen cookies to share with Sister Elizabeth as she prepares the Christmas cookie tins for our homebound parishioners. There is no charge, but we will have a donation basket to help offset expenses. Please spread the word! All ages are welcome!

Come share some Christmas joy! Please call the parish office, 831-3565, by Friday, December 6 to sign up so that we will have enough supplies.

SENIORS

will have a holiday meal on Wednesday, December 4 at 11:15am in the St Agnes dining room. Please sign up early at the parish office, 831-3565. Having an accurate count is very important.-Sr. Elizabeth Ann

From The Pastor’s Desk

This past Monday we honored all veterans of our country, but especially the millions of veterans who have fought in the wars of the last 100 years to keep us safe and free. There are approximately 15,764,242 veterans alive today who have in the various wars. The Vietnam veterans are 9.2 million, Gulf War veterans are 5.2 million, Korean veterans are 2.8 million and those who served in WWII are 389,292. The veterans of WWII are dying at an estimated 327per day. That generation who gave so much to keep us free are now returning to the Lord. From 1941 to 1945 the United States fought across the world to stop dictators and their governments from seeking to dominate the world. We owe so much to those men and women. It has been no different for the wars which followed, Korea, Vietnam and the wars in the Middle East. Dictators and ideologies seeking to control people and the world. Let us keep all veterans of our past wars in prayer, as well as those fighting today that we may be free. Each evening mass I celebrate I pray for our military and their safety.

When I mention stewardship, is seems like people only think about, “Father wants more money!” Within marriage, money is a lot of times a touchy subject due to budgets and unexpected emergencies, so it is within “church”. It is not easy to tackle this subject within the parish family. So let’s forget about money, budgets and talk about true stewardship.

It is easy to look at the examples of the Saints before us and throw our arms up in defeat, saying, “Giving up all of my possessions is not realistic—I have a family to take care of. So I guess I cannot do this stewardship thing.” But that thought process is kind of like missing the “spirit” of the law because one is so focused on the “letter” of the law. In the spirit of the great Saints before us, let’s all consider how our lives, our priorities, and our decisions reflect Christ and make some changes where necessary.

Ask yourself: How can I use ten minutes this day, or an hour—whatever is the case, to thank God for all of the blessings he has bestowed on me? I have $5, $50 or $500—how can I use it to help others in need? I have skills in music, computers, listening, carpentry, gardening—whatever talents you’ve been blessed with. How can I use these gifts to show God that I love my brother and sister as I love myself?

Stewardship isn’t a contest of who can give the most money. It isn’t a popularity contest of who is in the most activities. And it certainly isn’t a “Who’s Got Talent” contest of who has the most impressive gifts from God. Stewardship is a very personal commitment to god and to our faith community. And just like jumping back on the diet wagon after you have eaten a dozen donuts, Stewardship is a decision to be made daily—hourly—one act a time. It is never too late to choose Christ as the first priority in your life. And making that choice certainly does not mean that you walk away from your job, your house or your belongings. Stewardship simply means remembering that all we have: in our bank accounts, in our resumes, our hobby rooms and on our Calendars…ALL we have is a gift from God and we should treat it all accordingly. Thank you to Sr. Richard Mary Burke and all those who participated in and organized the Kick off Event to our 5 Year Stewardship Plan Monday, November 4th. It was wonderful to see all who came so energized and inspired for the future of our Parish.

WANTED

If you have any good used flannel shirts that you’re not wearing, would you please bring them to the parish office for the homeless who come to eat at Grace United Methodist. Also, good used socks are always welcome. S. Elizabeth Ann Weiler

LECTOR AND EUCHARISTIC MINISTER TRAINING

Lector and Eucharistic Minister training for those who recently signed up for these ministries will be held in the Cathedral at 7:00pm on Thursday, Nov. 21. Any parishioners currently serving in these ministries who want an update are also welcome to attend.

SENIORS HOLIDAY MEAL

SENIORS will have a holiday meal on Wednesday, December 4 at 11:15am in the St Agnes dining room. Please sign up early at the parish office, 831-3565. Having an accurate count is very important.

S. Elizabeth Ann