YOUTH ADVENT PROJECT

Our PSR program will be collecting rain ponchos during the Advent season. These will be shared with area homeless shelters such as Grace Methodist and Sacred Heart Catholic Church. These simple ponchos are easy to carry and inexpensive. They can be found at local retail outlets for around $1.25. They are great to help keep people dry and coats from getting wet. Anyone is welcome to contribute and these ponchos can be brought to the parish office. Please contact Iris if you have additional questions.

ADVENT PROJECT 2022

ADVENT PROJECT 2022 Once again this year you will see Advent symbols in baskets near the doors of church. On the back of each symbol is a suggested item that you can purchase. These UNWRAPPED items are given to the homeless men and women or poor and/or foster children through Sammy”s Window, and Grace United Methodist church. If you go shopping before Advent or just plain forget to pick up a symbol, just purchase any of the following and bring it to the office for me to distribute: books and toys/stuffed animals for children, or clothes of any size for children or adults including stocking caps, gloves, scarves, flannel shirts, underwear and socks of ANY SIZE, hoodies, etc. St Agnes has always been able to help a lot of people this way. PLEASE BRING THESE ITEMS TO THE PARISH OFFICE BETWEEN 9-4 ON WEEKDAYS IF POSSIBLE. Thank you for your generosity in the past.

From the Pastor’s Desk:

This weekend beginning on the evening of December 17th we begin our Christmas Novena here at St. Agnes Cathedral. It is a beautiful tradition which many people do not even think about or enjoy.  The Christmas Novena which we celebrate comes to us from the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood in O’Fallon Missouri.  It is built around the O Antiphons.  Their main theme is messianic, stressing the hope of the Savior’s coming.  Within them Jesus is proclaimed by various titles, mainly taken from the prophet Isaiah.  Each O Antiphon begins with an invocation of the expected Messiah, followed by praise of him under one of his particular titles.  Each ends with a petition for God’s people, corresponding to the title by which he is addressed in the Antiphon.

On December 17th, Wisdom from the Most High:  O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care.  Come and show your people the way to salvation.

On December 18th, Ruler of House of Israel:  the Lord will be there with us, majestic, our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our King, he it is who will save us.

On December 19th, Root of Jesse:  remember that Jesse was the father of King David, and the prophet Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem.

On December 20th, Key of David: O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven, leading the captive people into freedom and He will rule forever.

On December 21st, Rising Dawn and Dayspring: for the people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.

On December 22nd, King of the Gentiles:  a King of all the nations, and He shall judge between the nations and impose His justice and terms on all peoples.

On December23rd, Emmanuel:  the King and lawgiver, the desire of the nations and Savior of all peoples.  The title itself means, “God is with us.”

Many people have asked me, “Are not novenas normally nine days?”  The Christmas Novena continues at the Christmas Eve Mass when I sing the Christmas Proclamation and concludes on Christmas Day with Mass and the Gospel of Jesus’ Birth from John’s account.

I invite everyone this year to share in this beautiful Advent tradition leading up to the celebration of our Lord’s birth on Christmas.  Let the Christmas Novena help make this a truly spiritual time.

A reminder that St. Agnes Penance Service is this coming Tuesday, December 13 at 7 pm.  Come and celebrate the healing love and forgiveness of God.

Knights of Columbus Breakfast

Parish Breakfast - Your Knights of Columbus is sponsoring their monthly breakfast for December next Sunday the 18th after the 8:00 AM Mass.  Come join us for French toast and various side items.  See you there!

ADVENT PROJECT 2022

Once again this year you will see Advent symbols in baskets near the doors of church.  On the back of each symbol is a suggested item that you can purchase. These  UNWRAPPED  items are given to the homeless men and women or poor and/or foster children through Sammy”s Window, and Grace United Methodist church.    If you go shopping before Advent or just plain forget to pick up a symbol, just purchase any of the following and bring it to the office for me to distribute:  books and toys/stuffed animals for children,  or clothes of any size for children or adults including  stocking caps, gloves, scarves, flannel shirts, underwear and socks of ANY SIZE, hoodies, etc.  St Agnes has always been able to help a lot of people this way.

PLEASE BRING THESE ITEMS TO THE PARISH OFFICE BETWEEN 9-4 ON WEEKDAYS IF POSSIBLE.    Thank you for your generosity in the past.

END OF THE YEAR GIVING

Almost half of all charitable giving is made during the last two months of the year. It is a time to give thanks for the blessings we’ve received. It is also a time to review finances and do tax planning. Consider a gift to St. Agnes Cathedral Parish Hall Building Fund as part of your year end planning. To make a gift please visit our website by using the QR code above or by calling 417-831-3565 Ext 110. Thank you and may God Bless you with a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

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 was 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.

AN INVITATION ALL TO THE LADIES OF THE PARISH

All ladies of all ages are invited to the PCCW Christmas party which will be held on December 6 from 6:30 to 8:30.  Food and drinks will be provided.  We'll have dinner, then a gift exchange (around $5 for whatever you bring and be aware--someone might steal your gift pick right from under your nose!), and sing a few Christmas carols.  Sounds like fun!  

Hope to see many of you that evening.  We would like for you to call the parish office if you are planning to attend so we know how much food we'll need.  BUT if you forget or decide at the last minute, don't let the fact that you didn't call stop you from coming.  Everyone (meaning ladies) is welcome!

Youth Activities

Advent Fair Thank You!

A huge thank you goes out to St Anne’s group & to all those who helped to set up, organize, run & take down the Advent Fair. We appreciate all those who came to the Advent Fair as well! We hope that you found resources to help prepare yourself & your families for the birth of Christ! If you have any suggestions or specific requests, please call Iris at the parish office!

Reconciliation 

First Reconciliation will take place on Sat, Dec 3rd in the cathedral. We have about 22 young people who are preparing for this sacrament.

Please keep them in your prayers!

Confirmation 

Our Confirmation retreat will take place Sunday, Dec 11th at Catholic Campus Ministry. All candidates preparing for Confirmation need to attend this retreat. Make certain all candidates complete a permission slip.

FINAL AMOUNTS FOR HOLIDAY MARKET

We wanted to let everyone know the results of our parish Holiday Market.  The total donated to the Parish Hall Fund was $3,176.90.   Included within this amount was the Raffle items which so many of you donated to.  Raffles made $1,000. Again, thank you to everyone that donated items and bought the tickets.  The parish appreciates you!

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

I am concluding this week with my detailed look at the development of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  The Mass can be seen as it developed over the centuries into five parts.  These areas were given directives from the council fathers at Vatican II, along with directives from Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and the Congregation for Divine Worship.

The Gathering of the faithful includes the Entrance Procession with accompanying music, the greeting of the people, the penance prayer, the Gloria and the Opening Prayer.

The Liturgy of the Word is composed of the readings from the Old Testament and from the New Testament: the epistles of the Apostles, the Acts of the Apostles, the Book of Revelation and the four Gospels.  The readings are followed by the Homily and the Intercessory Prayers.

The Presentation of the Offerings comes from the earliest days of the church when there was an offering of food and money taken up for those in need.  Today the collection for the needs of the parish and other worthy causes happens at this time and is brought to the altar along with the bread and wine that will be used at the consecration.

The fourth area is the Eucharistic Prayer in which there is six parts: the Preface, the Epiclesis (Invocation), the Institution Narrative (the words of consecration with the proclamation of Faith), the Remembrance (the mass is a living memorial), the Intercessions (joining the saints and angels in prayer) concluding with the receiving of the living Body and Blood of Christ, the very source of life itself.

The concluding and fifth area is the Commission to Live the Mass.  The Mass closes with the final prayer, blessing and procession forth to live what we have just celebrated.  The Gospel Book is not carried out in procession, because we are to carry forth the word of God and live it in our daily lives as an example for all.

I hope these weeks of reflecting upon the development of Liturgy of the Eucharist over the centuries has been helpful.  Over the centuries the liturgists of the Church under the direction of the Liturgical Commission in Rome have directed and changed how the different areas of the liturgy are celebrated.  At different times, different areas are more prominent.  The whole area of music changes perhaps the most depending upon the parish, the talent available and the pastor.  We are blessed here at St. Agnes with all those who use the talents that God gave them to help lead us in worship.

THANK YOU’S ALL AROUND!

We had so much fun seeing everyone at the Holiday Market last weekend!  It was such a success and that was all due to the many volunteers we had to help set up, those that “manned” the tables, and those that helped clean up afterwards. And, of course, it wouldn’t have been the financial success without those that provided our raffle baskets and items, all our vendors, AND all that came to shop. Next week we will have the amount we were able to give to the Parish Hall Fund on the financial page of the bulletin.

Raffle baskets and items were provided by:

Women of Faith (2) John & Peggy Kubicek  (2)

St. Anne’s Group Jo Bolton (2)

St. Martha’s Group Home & School

Cathy Moore Judy Hauschildt

Jean Coleman Karen Carroll

Downtown & Pickwick businesses:

St. Michael’s Café Pappo’s Pizza

Zayka’s Restaurant Gailey’s

Formed Gallery Civil Kitchen

Underground Painting The Local Bevy

Cherry Picker Ott’s Pasta

Skully’s Dani’s Flour Pot/Sleepy

                                       Opossum Cafe

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Parish Breakfast:  Your Knights of Columbus will be serving their monthly breakfast on Sunday, Nov. 20th after the 8:00 AM Mass.  All are invited for a hot breakfast with your fellow parishioners.

Knights Meeting:  Our next monthly meeting is this Tuesday, Nov. 15th.  We will meet in the dining room area of the cafeteria at 7:00 PM.  There are several upcoming events to discuss.  Please join us.

AN INVITATION ALL TO THE LADIES OF THE PARISH

All ladies of all ages are invited to the PCCW Christmas party which will be held on December 6 from 6:30 to 8:30.  Food and drinks will be provided.  We'll have dinner, then a gift exchange (around $5 for whatever you bring and be aware--someone might steal your gift pick right from under your nose!), and sing a few Christmas carols.  Sounds like fun!  

Hope to see many of you that evening.  We would like for you to call the parish office if you are planning to attend so we know how much food we'll need.  BUT if you forget or decide at the last minute, don't let the fact that you didn't call stop you from coming.  Everyone (meaning ladies) is welcome!

From the Pastor's Desk

I have been ordained for 41 years and that in itself is unnerving. During this period of time I have seen many changes take place within the Eucharistic Liturgy as well as in the style of architecture for worship spaces. My first pastor, Monsignor Gosche had me write about the different changes as they came forth within the Liturgy at that time. I have been writing letters from the “pastor’s desk”, my whole priesthood, except for the short time when I was the Associate Pastor at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in 1986-87. During my graduate studies at the University of Dallas and then later at St. Meinrad School of Theology the congregation was invited to receive Holy Communion either in the hand or on the tongue and to stand during its reception as in the early Church of the first 600 years. I remember writing my letter at St. Mary’s Cathedral when the chalice was first offered to the laity so they could communicate under both species. Next came the training and instructing of Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist to help with giving forth of the Body and Blood of Christ. In our Diocese later than in more populated dioceses, married deacons appeared who not only assisted the celebrant at Mass but could preach the homily, celebrate weddings, baptisms, bury the dead and celebrate communion services, again going back to the early church. The old “fiddleback” vestments were no longer being worn when I was ordained, but the chasuble style which traced its lineage back to Roman times of the 3rd through the 10th centuries. I myself have many of my own vestments made in the monastic style which I became very comfortable with since I was taught by Benedictine Monks for seven and half years. By the time I was ordained the altar rails were already removed from most churches since their purpose no longer existed, to kneel for communion and to keep the people at a distance from the altar and out of the sanctuary. In newly built churches the baptismal font was returned to its prominent place at the doors of the church and also became what it had been in the early churches of Rome, a baptismal pool. Baptisms once again became a part of the Sunday Masses, not a private event. This emphasizes that a child is being brought into the family of God, which is a community event, not a private family event. Today I continue to learn about sound and lighting as modern technology continues to grow and change. Choirs and cantors are to lead us in music, not to entertain us. Organs are supplemented with guitars, pianos and in some instances electronic instruments. The Sacred Scriptures tell us to make a joyous noise unto the Lord. In the Old as well as the New Testament, all types of musical instruments were used in celebrations at the temple and in the synagogues. Modern microphone systems are attuned to individual voices and even whispers can be heard at the back of churches. I will continue next week.

St. Agnes Youth Activity

Mark your calendar for our next St. Agnes Youth Activity. This event will happen Sunday, November 13th from 6-8:00 PM in the cafeteria. We will be working on a service project of preparing sack lunches for our food pantry, Well of Life" to distribute. All are welcome.

WOMEN OF FAITH

Any woman in in the parish is welcome to attend Mass with the Woman of Faith group on Wednesday, November 9 at 12:15 pm at Catholic Campus Ministry, 848 S Holland. We will be going to lunch together after Mass at Village Inn on Glenstone.

St. Agnes Annual Advent Fair

will be held Sunday, November 13 from 9:15 -11:00 AM in the St. Agnes Gym. Families of all ages are welcome to attend as we prepare ourselves and our families for this important season. Supplies will be available to make advent wreaths to take home . (If you have your advent wreath and just need candles, those will also be available. Other activities will include crafts for the "Saints of the Season, a Nativity Scavenger Hunt, Advent Bingo with prizes, Jesse Tree Activities & much more. We will also have activities and prayers that families can take home and use throughout the Advent season. This event is sponsored by our St. Anne’s group and the Faith Formation program. All are welcome. Call the parish office at 831- 3565 if you have questions.

From the Pastor's Desk:

In 835 Pope Gregory IV moved the commemoration of martyrs from May 13 to November the first. The night before became known as All Hallow’s Eve, or “holy evening,” and eventually it became Halloween. Our Holy Day Masses for All Saints Day, October 31 at 7:00 pm and on November 1 with be at 8:30, 12.15 and 5:30. It will always be up to debate, if Pope Gregory was simply trying to simulate the pagan peoples of Ireland and England into the church. The pagan people of these lands already had a celebration on that particular date. However it was the Irish farmers living in Ireland hundreds of years ago which prepared for the All Saints Day and the following All Souls Day the night before by going door-to-door collecting food and goods for a village feast and bonfire. Those who contributed were promised prosperity; those who didn’t received threats of bad luck. And yes you are right, the Irish Catholics who immigrated in the 1800’s brought this practice of “trick-or-treating” with them. The rest is the great United States use of advertising and commercialism. Next to Christmas Halloween is the largest money “maker holiday” for businesses. Unfortunately our society has turned a night of prayer and celebration into one of haunted houses, witches and ghosts. This week on November 2, the Church celebrates All Souls Day. It could be said that All Souls Day is the Catholic Church’s Memorial Day/Month. The Month of November begins with the feast of All Saints’ Day, followed by All Souls’ Day. We distinguish between our beloved dead who are in heaven, “all saints,” who pray for us and our loved ones who have died and for whom we are moved to pray. These are the poor souls who still may be undergoing the purging process of death-to-self that follows repentance. In the month of harvest and dying, the Catholic Church memorializes the dead and recognizes Jesus as Lord of the living and the dead. Tickets for our fall musical, “Oklahoma” are on sale this weekend here at St. Agnes beginning at the vigil mass on Saturday evening. The musical was the first, the beginning of the true Broadway musicals. With Oklahoma, vaudeville began to disappear from the stage and classical musicals first under the direction of Rogers and Hammerstein ruled the stage.

SAINT EXTRAVAGANZA!

SAINT EXTRAVAGANZA! The PSR classes invite families to attend this event on Sunday, Oct. 30th from 10:00-11:00 AM in the school cafeteria. Come dressed as your favorite saint; play some Saint Bingo, Saint Jeopardy and much more. There will be prizes and opportunities to learn more about the saints. All are welcome!