December 17, 2017 - Third Sunday of Advent

Rev. M. Keith LaBove, Pastor Parish Website: www.stpat.org

stpat.org@gmail.com

Office Hours

Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm; Friday 8:30 am – 12 noon Celebration of the Eucharist

Saturday: 4:00 pm – Sunday: 8:30 & 10:00 am Monday through Friday: 7:30 am

Holydays of Obligation: 7:30 am only Sacrament of Reconciliation

Saturday: 3:00 – 3:30 pm and Weekdays: 7:00-7:25 am (and by appointment)

Baptisms

Seminars are held every other month - register

by calling the office. At-tendance is suggested

during pregnancy.

Anointing of the Sick The Church recom-

mends this sacrament for those who are grave-

ly ill or in danger of death. Call the priest to

arrange a visit.

Weddings

Arrangements must be made at least six

months in advance to allow time for prepara-

tion and planning.

406 East Pinhook Road Lafayette, LA 70501-8727

Phone: (337) 237-0988

Welcome to St. Patrick Church

Third Sunday of Advent December 17, 2017

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK

Saturday, December 16--Vigil of the Third Sunday of Advent 4:00 PM: Dr. Leonard & Betty Rolfes; Phil Simon, Bud & Euna Arceneaux; Foti, Romero, Theriot, Champagne, Kalweit Fami-lies, living and deceased; S. Rick & B. Rick; Bernice Bower; Diana Romero; M/M Brian Scott Sunday, December 17--Third Sunday of Ad-vent 8:30 AM: Dr. Robert Chastant & Evelyn; Eddie Upton; John Daigle; Phil Simon; Bud & Euna Arceneaux; George Sigue & Siblings; Lorraine Day; Lloyd Sigue; Una Hargrave 10:00 AM: Parishioners of St. Patrick’s Monday, December 18--Late Advent Week-day 7:30 AM: In Thanksgiving

Tuesday, December 19--Late Advent Weekday

7:30 AM: Fr. Robert Young, O.F.M. Wednesday, December 20--Late Advent Weekday 7:30 AM: Dr. Tommy Comeaux & Dorinne; Col. Clark Comeaux & Catherine (living); Col. Kimberly Fedele (living) Thursday, December 21--Late Advent Weekday 7:30 AM: Diana Romero Friday, December 22--Late Advent Weekday 7:30 AM: Dr. Charles Stewart

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Non-Liturgical Devotions Daily Rosary: Monday - Thursday 6:55 am Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena: Tues-day 7:15 am Rosary for Priests: Wednesday 7:00 am Chaplet of Divine Mercy: Thursday 7:15 am Pro-Life Rosary: 1st Friday of the month 7 am Shamrocks—Friday, December 22: No clean-ing this week. We appreciate all volunteers who participate in this Ministry throughout the year! Annual Christmas Social - Thank You We would like to thank all the volunteers who came in Saturday morning to set up and deco-rate the Parish Hall for our Annual Christmas Social. A special thank you to those who pro-vided door prizes and to the cooks for the deli-cious food. All in attendance had a good time visiting and meeting people who attend mass at another time. We are grateful for your presence at this joyful event!

Decorating Help We are looking for two or three able-bodied folk who can assist for an hour with decorating for Christ-mas. We will be decorating on Sunday, Dec. 24th, at 11:00 a.m., and need a few more people who can lift and carry. Please call the office if you can help. Christmas Poinsettias If you wish to make a Christmas donation for Altar Flowers in memory of a loved one, please come by the office, or call as soon as possible. Gumbo Supper All are welcome on Thursday, December 28, 2017 at St. Paul’s Church Hall, 326 S. Washington in Lafayette, 5—7 pm. Gumbo, side dishes, dessert and soft drinks will be served free of charge and spon-sored by the Franciscans. Please join us for a special Christmas Season supper in honor of the newborn King— the Savior of the World.

Christmas Eve, Sunday, Dec. 24: 4 & 6 p.m.

Christmas Day, Monday, Dec. 25: 8:30 & 10 a.m. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * New Year’s Day, Monday, January 1: 9:00 a.m.

Note: January 1, New Year’s Day, is The Solemnity of Mary, The Mother of God. This year it is not a holyday of obligation. The Light is On For You On one more Wednesday of Advent -- Dec. 20, from 6:30-8:00 p.m., St. Patrick and all the parishes of the Diocese of Lafayette will be open for individual confession. Please make plans to come on this Advent Wednesday and spread the word of this special outreach of mercy to those you know. (For regular confession opportunities, please see the front of the weekly bulletin.) Retreat Information The Jesuit Spirituality Center in Grand Coteau, LA is offer-ing the following Retreats: The Little Way: A Journey along St. Therese’s Path of Confidence and Love - Robin Hebert will present, Janu-ary 18-21, 2018. Introduction to the Directed Retreat - Nelda Turner will lead this retreat from February 9-11, 2018. Silent, Individually-Directed Retreats of 3, 5, or 8 days beginning on the following dates: (3 & 5 days only) Mon., Jan. 29 or Thus., Feb. 1st. To register, visit website jesuitspiritualitycenter.org or call 337-662-5251, M-F 8 am-12 noon and 1-5 pm. St. Mary’s Church Christmas Concert December 19, 7:00 pm All are invited to a St. Mary Christmas Concert including Adult Vocal Choir, Adult and Children Bell Ensembles, and Chorale Des Amis. Bring a friend. Bring the children. Light refreshments will be available after the concert. Runnin’ Revs vs. Slamin’ Sems Basketball Game Game On! Join us as the Runnin’ Revs will take on the Slammin Sems in the 12th Annual basketball game be-tween the Lafayette Diocesan priests and seminarians. This popular, fun-filled, family event helps promote and support priestly and religious vocations. We invite you to join us for the 2017 game on Wednesday, December 27, 2017. Tip-off is at 6:30 pm at Cathedral-Carmel School Gymna-sium, 848 St. John Street, Lafayette. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $1.00 for children concessions will be avail-able for sale. Last year the Seminarians beat the Priests 36-29. Join us to see who will win this year! Hope to see you there!

Christmas Project Heifer International Heifer International’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. For more that 70 years, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently work-ing in more than 25 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become self-reliant. Your gift supports the entire Heifer mission. In fiscal year 2016, more than 3.6 million families were assisted. These gifts change the lives of families in need who receive the livestock you help to provide. We can make a difference in the world—and help a family transform their future. Donation sheets are available under the stairwell. Make checks payable to St. Patrick Church. All donations will be sent to Heifer International at the beginning of the year. Heifer International meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance’s Standards for Charity Accountability. For additional information please visit their website: http//www.heifer.org/ Baby Items-Women's Center Some of you may have noticed that the 'bassinet' for baby items is now out every weekend. This is to make it easier for those who want to support new mothers in bringing their children into the world, at the Women's Center and their maternity home. Here is a list of items that are always needed: Paper towels; Liquid washing detergent (baby & adult); 13 gal trash bags; Deodorant; Windex; Pledge; Lysol; Shampoo; Condi-tioner; Bath Soap; Liquid dish washing gel; Ziplock bags; Gift cards for maternity clothes, etc.; Baby pow-er & lotion; Diaper rash ointment; Baby wash; Diapers (size 4 & 5). Add one or two of these items to your shopping list each month, leave it in the car, and drop it off when you come to church. We will publish this list once a month. Second Collection This Weekend—Retirement Fund for Religious Help religious communities. “Your generous contri-bution helps us to care for our retired sisters and ena-bles our younger sisters to continue in active ministry,” writes a religious sister. Your gift to today’s collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious helps provide medications, nursing care and more for thousands of senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests. It also helps ensure younger members can continue the good work of their elders!. STEWARDSHIP OF THE PAST WEEK Our Response to God’s Generosity to Us Offertory…………….……… $5,331.49 Immaculate Conception.…..…$ 649.00 Heifer International…………..$4,040.00 (to date) Thank You!

Date

Saturday, December 23 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 24 8:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 24 10:00 a.m.

Lectors Robert Andrus Linda Garber Karen Begnaud

Eucharistic Ministers

George Eaton Merrick Stelly Candis Thompson

Suzanne Lavergne Ted Hampton Kay Hampton

Kenneth Broussard Madeline Simon Janeth Harrington

Altar Servers Harold Guilbeau Fred Vallot Nicholas Begnaud

Ushers Kevin & Dylan Phillips Rachelle Trahan Keith Toups

Robin Roy Ben Berthelot

Liturgical Roles for December

From the Pastor’s Desk

Over the years, I’ve come to really love the Advent season. Perhaps part of the attraction is that we simp-ly pack so much into such a short liturgical season. (And this year it’s even shorter, since in effect we have three weeks rather than four.) We begin by continuing the theme of late ordinary time, as we are reminded about the end of the world, and that no one knows the day or the hour. Therefore we must be prepared. This theme of preparation sets the theme for the second and third Sundays of Advent, when we find ourselves at the Jordan riv-er with John the Baptist, whose mission in life was preparation: He came to prepare the way for the one who was greater than he, the long awaited one, who would baptize with fire and Holy Spirit, rather than only water.

Only after we have done all that do we hear anything about the one whom we might have thought would be at the center of this season. It is not until the Fourth Sunday of Advent that we hear about Mary, as the Sunday Gospel describes for us the events of the Annunciation. This is one of those times when attending daily Mass real-ly fleshes out the story. Leading up to that fourth Sunday, the weekday readings during the third week of advent tell us the rest of the story. We hear about the unexpected conception of John the Baptist, and the events sur-rounding the coming of this cousin of Jesus. We hear the moving story of the Visitation, as two women at the heart of this salvation story meet, when Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. The simple act of one woman going to visit another, both of them pregnant, is as old as humanity. Yet this particular visit is filled with miraculous recogni-tions, as Elizabeth names Mary as the mother of her Lord. We hear too about Joseph who also plays his own es-sential role in this Advent saga, believing the dream and acting on the conviction that God’s Holy Spirit had in-fused life into his bride to be. One of those weekdays also offers us the hearing of Mary’s great hymn that we call the Magnificat, a hymn of humility and faith and praise, placed on her lips during her visit to Elizabeth.

In a few short days, we will all be gathered at the manger in Bethlehem, marveling with the shepherds at the birth of a child. But let us not overlook all that took place to bring us to that stable in the tiny town which bore the name of King David. We rejoice at the long-suffering faith of Elizabeth and Zechariah, from whom came the Baptist at the Jordan. We marvel at the willingness of Joseph to believe the impossible, and risk ridicule and shame by acting on that belief. Most of all we are astounded by the complete and total surrender of Mary to the will of God in her life, which would enable the coming of the Light of the world. With Mary, we pray: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

Readings for the Week

Monday Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25

Tuesday Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25

Wednesday Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-4ab, 5-6; Lk 1:26-38

Thursday Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Lk 1:39-45

Friday 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Lk 1:46-56

Saturday Mal 3:1-4, 23-24; Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-10, 14; Lk 1:57-66

Sunday 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Rom 16:25-27; Lk 1:26-38