FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

The birth of the Messiah

gives the church great hope.

Although secular

celebrations of Christmas

ignore the significance of the

holy day, the church gives us

Advent to help us keep our

focus. We reorient our hearts

and minds to recall, once

again, the mysterious glory of the Incarnation.

In these weeks of yuletide preparation, we stop

to remind ourselves what it means to be

Christian, in case we have begun taking it for

granted. To be Christian is to believe that God

is truly with us, in the most personal, intimate

way imaginable; he is one of us! "They shall

name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is

with us.'"

Through the Incarnation, God became human

and lived among us to love us, to guide us, to

heal us, and to strengthen us. It is the promise

of a savior given through the early prophets, a

promise that the faithful held dear as they

waited.

As that most beautiful of all anniversaries

approaches, celebrate this season remembering

the greatest gift ever given to every person--the

gift of a Savior.

Today’s Homily The final Sunday of Advent each year is the only

one on which the Gospel explicitly refers to the birth of the one whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.

Today, that proclamation takes place in the context of that famous meeting between Mary and

her older relative Elizabeth.

Prayers of the Faithful Judy C., Ron,

Deanne MacDonald, “Rosebud” Bouquet

ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH

Weekly Scripture Passage for Next Weekend

December 29th & December 30th, 2018

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28 (17C)

Psalm 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10

1 John 3:1-2, 21-24

Luke 2:41-52

Scripture readings are held each Wednesday after 8am

Mass in the Rectory. These readings help us to

prepare for the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel.

Feast of Christmas

Monday, December 24th ~ 4:30pm Christmas Eve Mass Monday, December 24th ~ Midnight Mass

Tuesday, December 25th ~ 9:00am Christmas Day Mass

Solemnity of Mary Monday, December 31st ~ New Year’s Eve

4:30pm Adoration 5:00pm Mass

Tuesday, January 1st ~ 9:00am New Year’s Day Mass Feast of Epiphany

Saturday, January 5th ~ 5:00pm Mass Sunday, January 6th ~ 8:00 & 10:30am Masses

Just a friendly reminder, please join us in the Parish Library Sunday, January 6th from 1 to 3 to discuss life after loss. You can share your experience, strength and hope (or just

listen if you prefer).

Vol LXIII No. 49 Fully Alive Adoration Friday, January 4th, 2019 Stop into Church ANYTIME

between 6:30 – 8:00pm – stay for 10 minutes, half an hour or

the whole time, the invitation is to everyone, young and old alike.

Spend some time in the presence of Jesus – enjoy a meditative song or reflection, and begin your weekend by leaving your burdens and soaking up the Peace and Love

that only Jesus can give!

Meeting January 3rd, 2019 @ 7:00pm in the Parish Hall.

Please join us on Sunday, January 6th in the Parish Hall for Coffee & Donuts

after the 8:00am & 10:30am Masses. All are Welcome!

Gift to God: Collection Week Of: 12/16/2018

$2665 Regular Collection, $677 Religious Education,

$80 Fuel, $50 Religious Retirement

Attendance Week Of: 12/16/2018

Saturday Mass 5pm ~ 61 Sunday Mass 8am ~ 73

Sunday Mass 10:30am ~ 86

Total = 220

Counters for December 30th– M

September-November YTD Collections $38,645 YTD Budget $38,750 YTD Variance ($105)

December 22nd – December 23rd, 2018

Mass Schedule & Intentions for the Week

M – Memorial A – Anniversary L –Living Monday, December 24th

4:30pm Marcia & Zenon Zakrzewski

(Zakrzewski Family) Midnight Rose Painter –M

(Tim & Family)

Tuesday, December 25th

9am Ron Michalski – M (Joyce)

Wednesday, December 26th

8am All Souls

Thursday, December 27th

8am Members of the Golden Treasury of

Masses*

Friday, December 28th

8am Fr. Matt and the Wendzikowski Family

Saturday, December 29th

5pm Robyn Richards (Kennick Family) Sunday, December 30th

8am Frances Willard Scott Key Lentz – M (Hilton Family)

10:30am Edward Posluszny (Dan & Maryann Posluszny) ALTAR SERVER SCHEDULE

Saturday, December 29th 5pm Help Needed Sunday, December 30th 8am Zywiczynski Children 10:30am Emily & Ian

EUCHARISTIC MINISTER SCHEDULE

Saturday, December 29th 5pm N Hack & C Roth Sunday, December 30th 8am J Montgomery & C Kramer 10:30am S Youngers

LECTOR SCHEDULE

Saturday, December 29th 5pm Norm Turner Sunday, December 30th 8am Ann Everts 10:30am Mary Ruminski

SACRISTAN SCHEDULE

Sat/Sun December 29th – December 30th ●5pm K Orlando ● 8am S Franczak ● 10:30am K Macy