From the Pastor’s Desk:

The Advent season is a time for us to reflect upon the threefold coming of Jesus Christ: His birth, His death, and His promise to return in glory. The Sacred Scriptures are to help us recognize His coming, thus we have this beautiful season to help us prepare. Each year we begin the new liturgical year with the season of Advent.

This coming weekend in the Church we will celebrate the 1st Sunday of Advent. Our culture’s expectation of Christmas contrasts with the experience of longing for the coming of Christ. We all need to balance the drive of modern culture which pushes Christ and even the time-treasured greeting, “Merry Christmas,” aside in favor of the generic “Happy Holidays.” That said, we need to keep in mind that we are not celebrating Christmas yet. We are celebrating Advent—the time of looking at God’s promise that the Lord will indeed come and we as Christians need to make ready his way. The Advent attitudes are to be joyous and hope filled, trusting in a loving Father who sent His Son. Many of our Advent readings throughout the Sundays, as well as the weekday readings, refer to events long past and persons associated with Jesus’ first coming. Advent’s focus, however, is not on the past but on the future. Advent sees those events and persons as symbols and models for a new advent which stretches from long before our time to the future of human history. It looks to a time when Christ will return in divine glory.

In our path through Advent, we are made very much aware of the theme of promise and fulfillment. This biblical theme is fundamental for Advent, in which we see the present time as a fulfillment with regard to past history and as a promise of future fulfillment. The New Testament times could look back to the Old Testament and see in the writings the promise of what was now fulfilled in its gospel experience. Today we see how the New Testament itself is fulfilled in its daily unfolding, full of surprises, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Just as our Advent prayers and Scripture readings are a prelude to Christmas, so should our Advent decorations lead us to the celebration of Christmas. The blue violet color of Advent can become the background for Christmas. Using ribbon or material intertwined with gold can be enhanced in the Christmas season. The purples can be added to with gold or silver. Greenery can be left unlit through Advent and then become aglow during the Christmas season. Regardless, as we celebrate Advent this year, we are called as God’s holy people to open our hearts, individually and communally, to the reality of Jesus Christ.

The parish has an Advent Booklet to help you walk through the Season of Advent, please pick one up at Church or stop by the office or chapel. Our Advent Penance Service will be on Monday, December 11 at 7pm.

AREA PARISHES PENANCE SERVICES

Dec 3 @ 3 pm Our Lady of the Lake Branson

Dec 5 @ 10 am , 3 pm & 8 pm -H.T.

Dec 10 @ 3 pm Our Lady of the Cove

Dec 11 @7 pm St. Agnes Cathedral

Dec 12 @ 7 pm St Joseph the Worker

Dec 13 @7 pm Sacred Heart

Dec 14 @ 10 am 12 pm, 6 pm I C

Dec 18 @ 7 pm St Elizabeth Ann Seton

Dec 19 @ 7 pm St Joseph

Springfield Catholic Schools Annual Fund

Springfield Catholic Schools Annual Fund

Please prayerfully consider supporting the Springfield Catholic Schools Annual Fund. The money raised directly benefits families seeking a Catholic education. 27% of SCS students receive tuition assistance. The actual cost to educate is 22-31% higher than the tuition collected. Thank you for supporting Springfield Catholic Schools!

SUPPORT CATHOLIC CHARITIES

Our Faith Formation Program will be assisting Catholic Charities during the Thanksgiving and Advent season. We will be collecting hygiene products during this time. There are 3 items that are greatly needed. The items specifically requested are lip balm, men's and women's deodorant and hand warmers. We will be collecting those items through December 17th. You can bring these items to the parish office, to PSR classes or to the collection boxes in the Cathedral.

From the Pastor’s Desk:

We live in a time and culture in which there seems to be no recognition of sin.  That should not surprise those of Christian Faith, as more and more Americans no longer state they are Christian.  Remove the moral foundation of the Bible and sin no longer exists. No one wants to take responsibility for their actions.  Learning to say “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” is part of growing into maturity.  To admit when we are wrong and to ask forgiveness of the person, gives us some idea of what it means to sin against God and to ask forgiveness from Him.

Sin is saying no to God, to His laws, and to His will.  Each of us have sinned and do sin and we need to have those sins removed.  Removal of our sins is the beginning of a restoration of our relationship with God, it is a “reconciliation”.  True reconciliation with God comes to us through Jesus Christ.  He is total compassion and total love.  Through His love upon the cross, He overcame sin.  By His suffering and dying Jesus achieved the forgiveness of all our sins.  In the Sacrament of Reconciliation we admit to ourselves and to God that our actions have hurt others and God because we have chosen not to follow God’s laws.

The reality of sin which is so ignored in our world today, makes clear the importance of forgiveness.  Sin separates us from God, forgiveness and reconciliation repairs the damage due to sin.  Our modern culture wants God and His laws removed from our world, and to replace them with human laws and lawsuits.  It seems that there cannot be forgiveness and reconciliation in our modern world, without a lawsuit, or the threat of one.

Since sin offends God and others, only God Himself can truly make reparation for sinful offenses and injustices.  Our law courts try to do so by imposing huge settlements upon offended people:  in the news last week, another person’s lid came off the coffee cup and spilled hot coffee, a law suit is coming, a man sued in Florida because a car accident made him a homosexual (received $225,000), Southeast Airlines sued because a flight attendant said “Eenie Meeni Minie Mo” to the passengers, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimate $70-126 billion in frivolous lawsuits to doctors and hospitals.

The apparent absence of sin from our culture, means that the passion of Christ and the sacrament of penance and reconciliation has little meaning.  But at the same time people are hurting and emphasis is placed upon relationships and the need to heal them when broken.  Thus we have TV talk shows providing vivid accounts of confrontation, admission of guilt, acceptance and some type of reconciliation all right in front of millions of people.  What a mixed up world!  Non Catholics ask why do you want to go to a priest for confession, and yet millions are watching people’s real life sins on TV.  Within the Sacrament of Reconciliation we are looking not only for human healing, but forgiveness into eternal salvation.

Springfield Catholic Schools Annual Fund

Please prayerfully consider supporting the Springfield Catholic Schools Annual Fund. The money raised directly benefits families seeking a Catholic education. 27% of SCS students receive tuition assistance. The actual cost to educate is 22-31% higher than the tuition collected. Thank you for supporting Springfield Catholic Schools!

ADVENT FAIR

Please note that the date of the Advent Fair has been changed to Dec 3rd. The Advent Fair is sponsored by St. Anne's Group and the Faith Formation program. The Advent Fair will be held in the cafeteria on Dec 3rd (the First Sunday of Advent) from 9:30-11:00 AM and will feature a variety of games, activities and crafts. There will also be spiritual resources for the entire family. We also need volunteers who may be available to help with the games ,crafts and other activities. This is a great opportunity for high school youth who may need service hours. We are also asking for donations of "Little Debbie Cakes" to be used for our "Saints Cake Walk". You can bring the Little Debbie cakes into the parish office. If you have further questions or would like to volunteer to help, please call iris at the parish office or email ibounds@sta-cathedral.org.

First Reconciliation

will be held on Sat, Dec, 2nd at 9:30 AM in the cathedral. The children will have a special penance service and family members are invited to attend. Please keep these young people in your prayers as they prepare for this sacrament. There will be a simple reception to be held in the dining room immediately following the service. We are looking for a few volunteers who may like to assist with the reception. Please call Iris if you would like to volunteer.

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.

Recycling Dumpster is for CARDBOARD ONLY! Please do not put any other recyclables in it.

Travel in the Footsteps of St. Paul

with Fr. Lewis Hejna, beginning May 25-June 4, 2024.  The cost of the trip, including roundtrip airfare from Springfield is $4,999.00.  Contact Fr. Lewis at St. Agnes (417-831-3565)  for information or a trip itinerary.  You may also go on line at www.proximotravel.com. Please refer to trip #1054 when registering And look for trip with Fr. Lewis Hejna.

SEEKING ALL THOSE WHO BAKE AND/OR WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TIME TO THE HOLIDAY MARKET

The Holiday Market is in need of baked goods and volunteers to man the parish tables.  Our bake sale table is always a huge success, but only because we have wonderful parishioners who help us out with their baking talents, so please consider donating a baked item or two.  We also need people who would be able to spend an hour or two (or more) to man the parish tables.  If you are able to spend time with us in this way please call Janet: 417-880-9359.  It will be greatly appreciated.  You can bring your baked goods to the parish office on Friday, Nov. 3rd, or drop it off at the Catholic Center gymnasium after 3:00pm.  You could also bring it any time on Saturday, the 4th.

Thank you to all who can help us with this!  

You’re Invited to Join Us For..

The Diocesan Office of Family Life is excited to celebrate the Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Masses. Preparations are underway for this celebration, including a special Mass with Bishop Edward M. Rice, followed by a reception with appetizers, cake, and punch. Couples who will or have celebrated their 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 50th, or 50+ anniversary anytime during 2024 are cordially invited to attend with their family and friends. These occasions enable us to celebrate and affirm the great gift of married love within our families and communities. Please make plans to attend!

The anniversary celebrations are offered at the following times and locations:

*Sunday, February 4, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., in St. Mary Cathedral, Cape Girardeau

*Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., in St. Agnes Cathedral, Springfield

Each couple will receive a Marriage Anniversary Certificate from Bishop Rice. Those celebrating 25 or 50 years of Marriage will receive an Episcopal Blessing and a special gift from Bishop Rice.

Couples are requested to pre-register for one of these two events so that food and gifts may be ordered in advance. Please register no later than January 19, 2024, by completing an online registration form here or by filling out the attached form and mailing it to Kim Brayman in the Office of Family Life, 601 S. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806-3143, or email the information to kbrayman@dioscg.org

From the Pastor’s Desk:

It matters not where you look today in the world: politics and government, our country or foreign countries, the Roman Catholic Church, or other Christian Churches, Muslim peoples or Israeli people.  There is anger and the desire to want only what they want without any compromise.  We read about it in the newspaper, hear about it on the news, and see the problems first hand on the internet.

The art of compromise has been lost.  Many of those in seats of power have forgotten the Christian values if they ever held them.  The Russians have destroyed cities, villages, killed tens of thousands to occupy a country that has been free from Russian dominance for 30 years.  The whole problem in the Holy Land is due to conservatives and radicals who only want what they want and are unwilling to accept and work with others.  Within our own government, Republicans cannot work together, nor can the two political parties.  Congress is at a standstill and the whole country, the whole world is paying the price.  In the Roman Catholic Church there are those who want the clerical Church of the past back, not the Church of the Second Vatican Council, a Church without lay leadership.

Where do we go with all of this, except to the Lord Jesus.  Prayer is where we strengthen our relationship with God, prayer at the Eucharist, prayer on our way to work, prayer devotions, prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.  Each time the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared it was to ask the people to pray, because of the terrible problems that were coming.  Have we forgot to pray and put our trust in God?

Conservativism and radicalism are tearing our world apart, because people are refusing to work together for the good of everyone.  Jesus was born a Jew, lived as a Jewish male, died a Jew, but forgave the pagan, Roman soldiers who nailed Him to the cross.  That is the example He set for us to follow.

Our third Eucharistic Session will be held on Monday October 23rd at 1pm, or Tuesday October 24th at 6:30pm in the Cafeteria: Salvation is a gift from God through Jesus Christ that requires our “yes”.

Travel in the Footsteps of St. Paul with Fr. Lewis Hejna, beginning May 25-June 4, 2024.  The cost of the trip, including roundtrip airfare from Springfield is $4,999.00.  Contact Fr. Lewis at St. Agnes (417-831-3565)  for information or a trip itinerary.  You may also go on line at www.proximotravel.com. Please refer to trip #1054 when registering And look for trip with Fr. Lewis Hejna.

SAINTACULAR

You are invited to a "Saintacular"  to be held on Sunday, Oct 29th from 9:30-11:00 AM in the cafeteria.  Come dressed as your favorite saint, join us in a saint scavenger hunt, saint bingo, crafts and more.   There will be a book give away where parishioners can pick up a book of their favorite saints.  Prizes, give aways and much more.  ALL ARE WELCOME!

BOO Fest -Be a Trunk or Treater!!

The school Halloween Party is in need of Volunteers to open your trunk and hand out candy October 30th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the school parking lot. You provide the treats, kids provide the fun!

Trunk or Treat!

Join our Vietnamese Community at Trunk or Treat 10-29-2023 starting at 6 pm. There will be hot dogs, pizza, snacks and drinks. Competitions for decorations, Costumes, and pumpkins! Bring the whole family!

From the Pastor’s Desk:

A week ago, on Saturday morning the world awoke with another war in the Middle East. The Palestinian Hamas launched hundreds of rockets into parts of occupied Palestine. It is a confusing mess with the result of death and destruction on both sides. In the Ukraine the war continues as the Ukrainian forces continue to fight to free their country from the Russian invasion. There is constant fighting continuing in other parts of our world that are overshadowed by these two major conflicts. Why do I bring this up in my letter?

October is designated by the Catholic Church as the “Month of the Rosary” because in this month the Church celebrates the Marian advocation of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7th. The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, was established by Pope St. Pius V in 1571 to celebrate the miraculous victory of the Christian forces in the Battle Lepanto on October 7th of that year. Before the battle St. Pius V had requested all Western Christians to pray the rosary; so with the victory he attributed the victory to the power of the Marian prayer, rather than the power of the outnumbered ships and cannons.

The dedication of the month of October to the Holy Rosary became common in the Church thanks to Pope Leo XII who was an enthusiastic promoter of the rosary. Within five years, Pope Leo wrote eleven encyclicals on the rosary. In our life time, St. John Paul II called the rosary his favorite prayer. As we celebrate the beautiful colors this October, pray the rosary asking Mary to petition her son, Jesus to send the Holy Spirit to bring about peace in our torn and troubled world.

This week, I will be attending the Priest Institute in Cape Girardeau as will be the priests and permeant deacons. Fr. David Miller will celebrate an 8:30 am mass Monday through Friday of this week at St. Joseph here in Springfield on North Campbell.

Our second Eucharistic Session will be held on Monday October 16th at 1pm, or Tuesday October 17th at 6:30 pm in the Cafeteria: Jesus is both God and man, therefore he reveals who God is in relation to us. Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus asks this same question of us: who do you say Jesus is?

Travel in the Footsteps of St. Paul with Fr. Lewis Hejna, beginning May 25-June 4, 2024. The cost of the trip, including roundtrip airfare from Springfield is $4,999.00. Contact Fr. Lewis at St. Agnes (417-831-3565) for information or avtrip itinerary. You may also go on line at www.proximotravel.com. Please refer to trip #1054 when registering And look for trip with Fr. Lewis Hejna.

SEEKING ALL THOSE WHO BAKE AND/OR WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TIME TO THE HOLIDAY MARKET

The Holiday Market is in need of baked goods and volunteers to man the parish tables. Our bake sale table is always a huge success, but only because we have wonderful parishioners who help us out with their baking talents, so please consider donating a baked item or two. We also need people who would be able to spend an hour or two (or more) to man the parish tables. If you are able to spend time with us in this way please call Janet: 417-880-9359.

It will be greatly appreciated. You can bring your baked goods to the parish office on Friday, Nov. 3rd, or drop it off at the Catholic Center gymnasium after 3:00pm. You could also bring it any time on Saturday, the 4th.

Thank you to all who can help us with this!

TIME FOR THE PARISH HOLIDAY MARKET!

Get your calendars out and mark them for November 5th & 6th! The Holiday Market is coming to the Catholic Center Gymnasium. Saturday’s hours are 9:00am – 4:00pm and Sunday we’ll be open from 8:30am – 1:00pm. You know there will be many booths to browse and items that you will be sure to want for yourself or as gifts. The bake sale table will be there, of course, and several raffle baskets and items to take chances on.

It’s always lots of fun and a great chance to meet up with friends and other parishioners. New this year is a photo booth with a fall scene for family pictures! By the way: all St. Agnes Elementary students that attend will receive an “out of uniform” pass.

All proceeds will go toward the parish building

Saintacular Service Opportunities:

We are

looking for youth who might need service hours

to help with the upcoming Saintacular. This

event will be held on Sunday, October 29th. We

will need volunteers from 9:00-11:15 AM and it

will be held in our St. Agnes cafeteria. If you

would like to help with games, activities or

snacks, please call the parish office at 831-3565

or email Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org. You

can even come dressed as your favorite

saint. Hope to see you there!!!!