1

ADVENT III SUNDAY (Dec 17)

,

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Phone: 251-865-6902

P. O. Box 417, Grand Bay, AL 3641 Fax: 251-865-1412 Email: StJohnGrandBay@gmail.com Parish website: www.StJohnGrandBay.org

Pastor: Fr. Anthony Kadavil (akadavil@gmail.com)

Secretary: Rev. Deacon Billy Graham

Parish Council Chair Person:

Mr. Bill Schaffer

Finance Council President:

Mrs. Paula Dyess

Sunday School Coordinator: Mrs. Tiffany Teofilo

Youth Director: Mrs. Karen Day

2

Televised Mass for the Homebound and Shut-Ins: We will be filming

Masses for the shut-ins on Tuesday, December 19th, at 9:00 am in the church.

We ask anyone that is available at that time to come join us in celebrating the

4th Sunday of Advent and the Sunday of “The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and

Joseph” with the homebound of the Archdiocese of Mobile.

Special Prayers requested for Isabel Rel with Pneumonia and Dr. Reggie

Stewart who is preparing to undergo surgery for a fractured bone in the foot.

Live Nativity: (Christmas program by children): This Saturday and on

Christmas Eve, the Youth of Saint Johns will be hosting a Live Nativity for

the parish and community. It will start at 4:30pm this Saturday, and resume

after mass at 6pm. Please send your kids for rehearsal at 8-45 am this

Sunday.

Advent Reconciliation Service: Advent reconciliation service

(Confession) will be conducted in our church on next Wednesday

at 7 pm. Three priests will be in the confessionals. Please

participate in it and receive the sacrament of Reconciliation to

cleanse and prepare our hearts and lives for Jesus to be reborn in

us during Christmas this year.

Church roofing: Please pray for the successful completion of the

replacement of our 45-year-old sheets on the church roof with brand new

sheets. The replacement began on Dec 14th and will continue as soon as the

weather permits.

3

Make Advent season fruitful by participating in the

weekday Masses from 7-45am in the rectory chapel and spending half an

hour of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesdays starting

at 7-30 am

Congratulations and special thanks to Ambre Cauley for being

recognized by Ingalls Shipbuilding as an employee in support of the

Shipbuilding Political Action Committee. In appreciation and thanks for

her commitment to the committee, Ingalls had donated $500.00 to St. John

the Baptist Catholic Church in her name. We appreciate the gift and

again say thanks and well done.

Prayer for speedy healing requested: Your fervent prayers are

requested for the post-surgery healing of Sarah Thornton, Terry Roberts,

Virginia Gable, Joe Gable, and Tiffany Fontenot.

Birthdays this week: Dec. 16th: Carol Voss, 17th: Lynda

Jones, 21st: Sylvia Gray, Known Wedding Anniversaries: 21st: Carol and

Terry Roberts

.

4

\

ALTAR CARE: DECEMBER

Ruth Pigorsch

CHURCH CLEANING – DEC 23, 24

Ruth Pigorsch

Dec 16-22

16th: --------------------------- For the eternal repose of the souls of deceased

parishioners

17th: --------------------------- For the intentions of all members of the parish

18th, 19th, 20, 21st & 22nd: ----- For the eternal repose of the souls of deceased

relatives/friends of Gloria & Charles Krause

5

Extraordinary Minister Schedule for December 23 & 24, 2017

Mass

Altar

Servers

(Green

Cincture)

EMCH

Lectors Ushers

Saturday

Dec. 23,

2017 5:00

pm

Volunteers

Kathie

Sema

Steve

Sema, Jr.

Andre

Grah

am

Jay

Grah

am

Paul Pigorsch, Wayne Jackson

Eugene Poiroux, Al Hurd

Sunday

Dec. 24,

2017 10:00

am

Volunteers

Maria

Switzer

Daryl

Kirchoff

John

McBride

Tiffany

Teofilo

Ruth Riddick

Tom Thornton, Avis Garrett

Please take your responsibility seriously. If you are interested in

serving as an Altar Server, Eucharistic Minister, and Lector or as an

Usher, please let Fr. Tony or the Office know of your willingness to

serve. We especially need Usher/Greeters for the Saturday Mass.

6

Videos of the week

1) Video reflections on daily gospel: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/

2) Catholic doctrines in short videos: http://thatcatholicshow.sqpn.com/

3) Video catechism for the youth: http://vcat.org/

4) Mathew Kelly videos: https://youtu.be/2MV-

ORHc0oo?list=PLZisXcLIZva7pP_zkApX1c6D67PuRuQON

Remember the sick brothers and sisters in

your prayers: Grant Jones, Cindy Smith, Holly Raymond, Bo

Roderick, Bo Roderick, Glenn Boney, Charlena Hetrick, Ty Teofilo,

Chris Brown, Aubreigh Nichols, Stacy Moore, Ann Vick, Catherine

Kostyk, Richard Voss, Wayne Seymour, Frances Walley, H. Sanders,

Cora Grigsby, Patricia Davis, Maurine Habley, Phillip Scott, Ray

Thornton, Alice Skutack, Joe Whitson, Terry Roberts, Cory Moncrief,

Carolyn Collier, Bruce Dyess, Joe Gable, Vicenta Obsenares, Rachel

Vallas, Rick Joseph, Virginia Gable, Harrand Broussard, Edgar Gunter,

Victoria Porter, James Cauley, Betty Cauley, Jonathan Cruz, Gennie

Garret, Becky Thompson, Bob Echement, Pat Bourne, Lilly Breaux,

John Stein, James Wink, Mike Wilson, Johnnie Tate, Carol Tate, Roger

Young, Leyah White.

Pray for the deceased dear ones of the parish: Pray for the eternal

repose of the deceased members of the parish: Joe Penton, Richard

Boswell, Marian Poirier, Louis Poiroux, Louise Marchand, Carolyn

Bidlingmaer, Kenny Kirchoff, Voncille Hulcher, Mary Nicholas

7

Rambo, Paul Delmas, Cody Driskell, Evelyn Robison, Jean Mitchell,

Veretta Tulos, Jim Kimble, Lynn Poirier, Phillip Marchand, Sue

Kirchoff, Mary Sanders, Margaret Jackson, Catherine Schnadelbach,

Darlene Alexander, Patrick Marchand, Steve Sema, Sr., Mary

Marchand and Sis Marchand. Close relatives of our parishioners:

Judy Courtney, Regina La Force, Ronnie Moran. Russell Gray, Gerald

John Brannan, Emilee Voss, Former pastors: Rev. Monsignor Hugh

Maguire and Fr. Strejeski. Other priests and deacons and Sisters: Rev.

Msg. Joseph Jennings, Rev. Andrew J. Stauter, Rev. Walter Menig, Rev.

William Gorman, Deacon John Cretaro, Deacon Holscomb Pryor,

Deacon Marvin Johns, Sr. Maria Bernarda Kadavil and other deceased

relatives and friends. Pray for our former parishioners serving in the

Armed Forces: Travis Wilson, SPC Jackson Triston, Jr., Captain Will

Hurd, Bryant Bailey & Zachery Bailey.

To schedule a meeting or event using parish facilities you must

check the calendar or contact the office to be sure the date and room is

available. You must have approval from the office for any scheduled

events.

Items for Soldiers’ needs: Please don’t forget to bring items for

soldiers’ needs: Shaving cream, disposable razors, solid deodorant,

bars of soap/body wash, anti-bacteria cleaner, shampoo, tooth paste,

dental floss, personal handy-wipes, personal hygiene items for

women, foot powder, insect repellent, flea collars (they put them

around their ankles), chopstick, athlete’s foot powder/spray, sun block

lotion, sun shades, protective safety dust masks, socks, sweat

headbands, batteries (AAA, AA, C), DVD movies, cards, writing

tablets, paper, pens, envelopes, reading materials, snacks: cookies,

8

gum, crest, life-savers, mints, pudding, crackers, sardines, chicken,

tuna, salmon, jerky, peppermints, kool-aid, gatorade, tea/coffee. Put

items in the designated box in the Parish Hall

Help us to keep flowers at the altar: The

slotted wooden box on the glass table in the Parish Hall will receive donations for flowers. If you wish to give flowers for a specific remembrance or thanksgiving, there is a sign-up flower chart on the wall to the left of the front doors.

1) Bishop Barron’s homily (Advent III): https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/homily/rejoice-pray-

give-thanks/5668/

2) Fr. Bill Grimm homily (Advent III):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=64&v=KoDAQh0hOUk

3)St. Paul Media (Advent III): https://youtu.be/hdbaziT56wA

9

Synopsis of Advent III Gaudete Sunday (Dec 17) John 1:6-8, 19-28 :

Introduction: The third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete Sunday”

because the Mass for today (in its original Latin text), begins with the

opening antiphon: “Gaudete in Domino semper” --“Rejoice in the Lord

always.” To remind ourselves that we are preparing for the very joyful

occasion of the birth of Jesus, we light the rose candle, and the priest

may wear rose vestments. The common theme of the day’s Scripture

readings is one of joy and encouragement. The readings urge us to

make the preparations required of us as we await the rebirth of Jesus

in our hearts and lives. Holy Scripture reminds us that the coming of

Jesus, past, present and future, is the reason for our rejoicing.

Scripture lessons: The Prophet Isaiah, in the first reading,

encourages the Jewish exiles returning from Babylon to rejoice because

their God, Yahweh, is their strong Guide, Provider and Protector. In

today’s Responsorial Psalm (Luke 1:46 ff.) Mary rejoices in the great

blessing given to her by exclaiming: "My soul glorifies the Lord, my

spirit finds joy in God my Savior." St. Paul, in the second reading,

advises the Thessalonian Christians to “rejoice always” by leading

blameless, holy and thankful lives guided by the Holy Spirit, because

Christ’s second coming is near, and he is faithful in his promise to

reward them. Today’s Gospel tells us that John the Baptist came to

10

bear witness to Jesus as the Light of the world. The Baptizer wants all

the Jews to rejoice because the long-expected Messiah, as the light of

the world, will remove the darkness of sin from the world. We rejoice

at the humility of John the Baptizer who tells the Sanhedrin members

challenging him that he is unworthy even to become the slave of Jesus

the Messiah. We also rejoice in the sincerity and commitment of John

who spent himself completely in preparing people for the long-

awaited messiah. We have an additional reason to rejoice because, like

John the Baptizer, we, too, are chosen to bear witness to Christ Jesus,

the Light of the world.

Life message 1) We need to bear witness to Christ the Light. Our

mission as brothers and sisters of Christ and members of his Church is

to reflect Christ’s Light to others, just as the moon reflects the light of

the sun. It is especially important during the Advent season that we

reflect Christ’s sharing love and his unconditional forgiveness. There

are too many people who live in darkness and poverty, and who lack

real freedom because of their evil addictions and bad choices. There

are others who are deafened and blinded by the cheap attractions of

the world. Many others feel lonely, unwanted, rejected, and

marginalized. Let us bring the true Light of Christ to illumine the lives

of all these brothers and sisters during this Advent season through our

sharing love, overflowing mercy, unconditional forgiveness and

humble service. We will be able to accomplish this witnessing mission

of radiating Christ’s Light only by repenting of our sins, asking God’s

pardon every day and renewing our lives by our daily prayers, by

frequenting the Sacrament of Reconciliation, by attending and taking

part in the Eucharistic celebration, by reading the Bible daily in

11

meditative, prayerful fashion and by performing the corporal and

spiritual works of mercy where we see these are needed.

Question of the week: Was Jesus born on Dec 25th, AD 1 or Jan

6th, 4th BC? The Bible does not specify a date or month or year. The

traditional belief is that Jesus was born on January 6th, 4 BC shortly

before the death of Herod the Great in 4 BC. The four earliest Christian

writers who report the date of Jesus' birth are Irenaeus (late second

century), Clement of Alexandria (about AD 200), Tertullian (early third

century), and Africanus (early third century). Africanus specifies the

date in terms that can be understood as BC 2 or 3. Luke 3:1 and Luke

3:23 suggest that Jesus turned age thirty in the fifteenth year of

Tiberius (AD 29). Hence, many early Christians deduced by calculation

that Jesus was born in 2 BC. Month and date: Several considerations

strengthen the probability that 6th January was the actual birthday of

Christ. Clement of Alexandria’s testimony proves that the association

of Christ's birth with 6 January was a tradition rooted century earlier,

perhaps in the early church itself, perhaps even in historical fact.

Before the church as a whole fixed the date of the Nativity as 25th

December, the generally accepted date in the Eastern church and

possibly also in the Western church was 6 January. In fact, no tradition

linking Christmas to 25 December can be traced back beyond the time

of Constantine. In 336 the church at Rome officially observed the "birth

day of Christ" on Dec. 25th. The most important reason to fix Jesus’

birth on Dec 25th was that it was the Roman feast of the Sun god

celebrated in the pagan Roman Empire. Replacing the pagan feast

with Christmas was also a ploy to make Christianity, the newly official

religion of the Roman Empire, more palatable to Roman soldiers,

many of whom had been devotees of the Roman virility god Mithra

12

whose birthday was also celebrated on Dec 25th. Besides, the first day

of Hanukka (the Jewish festival of light) was on December 25th. Hence

it is a theologically sound date for Jesus' birth when we consider that

every other major event in the unfolding of His redeeming work also

fell on a feast day. He died on Passover, He rose again on the Feast of

First fruits, and He created the church on Pentecost (Acts 2).

Pope Francis tweets: We become holy when we work for others.

When we do so, we continue the creative action of God in history.

Even if there were no one else left to remember us, Jesus would always

be there at our side. I encourage all of you to live the joy of your

mission by witnessing to the Gospel wherever you are called to live

and work. Christians are called to work concretely in the realities of

this world, illuminating them with the light that comes from God.

Thank you for following @Pontifex which turns five years old today.

May social media always be spaces that are rich in humanity! We ask

for the grace to make our faith more and more operative through acts

of charity. Political activity must truly be conducted at the service of

the human person, with respect for creation and for the common good.

We must fight corruption with determination. It is an evil based on the

worship of money and it offends human dignity. May the Virgin Mary

always be our refuge, our consolation, and the way that leads to

Christ. The most holy name of God can never be invoked to justify

hatred and violence against other human beings. The love of Christ is

like a “spiritual GPS” that guides us unerringly towards God and

towards the heart of our neighbor. I want my visit to embrace all the

people of Myanmar and to encourage the building of an inclusive

society. Let us look to Jesus today and say to Him in our hearts:

"Remember me, Lord, now that you are in your Kingdom!" As I

13

prepare to visit Myanmar and Bangladesh, I wish to send a message of

greeting and friendship to everyone. I can't wait to meet you! There is

also hope for those who have done wrong. Jesus came for this: it is

possible to be reconciled with God and begin a new life. At the end of

time, when the Lord comes to meet us, our joy will be immense. We

live in anticipation of this encounter! When we encounter others, do

we bring them the warmth of charity or do we stay closed up and

warm only ourselves before our fireplace? May Mary's pure and

simple smile be a source of joy for each one of us as we face life’s

difficulties. Let us work together to ensure that children continue to

smile: their faces serene, filled with joy and hope. On this day, I invite

the entire Church to keep its gaze fixed on those who hold out their

hands asking for our solidarity. We need to encounter the poor and

learn how to share so that it becomes a way of life. Poverty is not an

accident. It has causes that must be recognized and removed for the

good of so many of our brothers and sisters. Faith is a great life

companion, allowing us to feel the presence of a Father who never

leaves His creatures alone. Nothing and nobody can block the light

that Christ puts in our hearts and on the face of His friends. A

Christian can never be a pessimist! We cannot change the world alone,

but together we can spread the joy of the Gospel by staying close to

those most in need. Let us remember in our prayers all those who,

with dedication and spirit of sacrifice, care for those who are ill.

Science expresses its full dignity when it serves the integral

development of the person and the human family. May a culture of

encounter always be promoted that is able to bring down the walls

which still divide the world. Only faith can transform the end of our

earthly life into the beginning of eternal life.

14

The Pope's Intention for December 2017: The Elderly: That the elderly, sustained by families and Christian communities, may apply their wisdom and experience to spreading the faith and forming the new generations.

http://stjohngrandbay.org/ for Sunday Homilies, 194 - Questions & Answers and 56 - Faith Formation Lessons, introduction to all Bible books.

As parishioners at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church,

we are committed to know Christ better and make Him better

known.

To k-n-o-w, we are committed to

Keep connected to our parish community

Nurture the development of faith and knowledge of Christ

Offer to share the Holy Spirit’s gifts of time, talent and treasure

Worship through prayer, Mass and the Sacraments

In carrying out this mission, we will demonstrate the love that we have for God, by the community we create with each other and our response to the needs of our neighbor.

Parish prayer: Almighty Father, we humbly acknowledge that the

Body of Christ, the Church, is made up of people who believe in your

Son, Jesus Christ, and saved through his suffering, death and

resurrection. We ask for your paternal blessing to be Your visible life in

our world. Here in our parish church, we unite in worship, proclaim

15

your Word, celebrate the Eucharist and are sent forth to share Your love

and make disciples. Enable us to grow in faith, hope, love and service

that we may build a welcoming, friendly faith community. A

community that witnesses your Son’s life and mission after the life

example of Mary, the Mother of God, through the power of the Holy

Spirit. Amen.

to St. John’s with open hearts, open minds and

open doors.

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Grand Bay celebrates God’s

presence, grows in God’s grace, welcomes all people and reaches out

with God’s love. We try to be to be a vibrant community of faith where

all people feel they belong.

No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church, No matter

what your current family or marital situation, No matter what your

past or present religious situation, No matter your personal history,

age, background, race, etc., No matter what your own self-image or

esteem, you are invited, welcomed, accepted, loved and respected at

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Grand Bay!

We come together as a parish family to draw our life from the

Eucharist and other sacraments.

As believers, we participate fully, consciously and actively in the

liturgy of the Church and seek to spread the Good News of Jesus

Christ in word and action.

16

We commit ourselves to worship, education, stewardship and service

as we extend our hand to others in need and to those who wish to join

the church.

By the grace of God, after the example of Jesus Christ, and the

guidance of the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to accomplish our

mission within and beyond our community.

The New Church blessed and consecrated by Bishop May on June 18, 1972

17

Consecration of the first St. John the Baptist Catholic church in Grand Bay on November 16, 1924

By Bishop Allen

18

Photos of the great pastors who guided the destiny of our parish

are given above

Please visit St. John the Baptist Catholic parish website:

http://stjohngrandbay.org/ for the full text of the

Sunday homilies, Sunday bulletin, 56 Adult Faith Formation and RCIA Lessons &

introduction to all books of the Bible and 194 Question & Answer of the Week.