Holy Spirit Catholic Church December 22nd & 23rd, 2018

1244 St. Francis Rd. Santa Rosa, CA 95409

Parish Office & Rectory: (707) 539-4495 FAX (707) 539-3343

E-Mail: holy-spirit@sbcglobal.net Website: www.holyspirit-sr.org

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Pastoral Staff: Fr. Ron Serban, Pastor, Ext. 12

Deacon John Storm, 479-5424, jstorm@srdiocese.org Ext. 11

Robyn Tubiolo-Wood, Office Manager, Ext. 10

Megan O’ Neill, Director of Faith Formation

Ext. 13, m.oneill-hsc@outlook.com

St. Vincent de Paul Society, 537-7835

Kirt Schlander, Men’s Club, 293-4961

Cheryl Dudley, Women’s Club, 539-5313

Patty Edson, Holy Communion Visitation, 538-3208

Diane Bowman, Prayer Chain, 539-9035

Sharron Simpson, Ministry Coordinator-simshar21@gmail.com

Mass Schedule: (Holy Days Schedule Inside) Saturday: 5:00 p.m.

Sunday: 7:30 a.m. & 10:15 a.m.

Liturgy of the Word for Children; Sundays at the 10:15 a.m. Mass

Weekdays: Mon.-Thurs. & First Fridays & First Saturdays 9:00 a.m.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Every Thursday, First Friday and First Saturday following the

9:00 a.m. Mass or at the Parish House with an appointment

For other Sacraments: Please call the Parish Office

6 months in advance for Marriage

3 months in advance for Baptism

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The 4th Sunday of Advent December 22nd & 23rd, 2018

…from the Pastor’s Desk…

In a dinner conversation several Advents ago, one man commented that with all the commercialization of the day, we are losing the real meaning of Christmas. He asked me if I agreed. I responded by asking the table guests to each say what their particular version of the ‘Real’ meaning of Christmas was. As you might guess the answers were as varied as the number of people. Gift giving, family, making peace, expressing love...

There are many levels of meaning to Christmas. For Christmas can mean many different things to people. I do believe that a word we have been singing for four weeks now, a name actually, really expresses the deepest meaning of Christmas. In a profound, yet simple way. Emanuel, which means: God is with us, “The Word became flesh” – that is, God became human, flesh – and – blood, like us, ‘To dwell among us”.

The words are so simple and so easy to say, and we have heard them so many times. And yet, these few words express the deepest meaning of Christmas, the deepest meaning of our whole Christian faith. They are telling us that the infinite, all-knowing, all-powerful, all- perfect God came into changing human history, came into the flesh and blood condition of a human being. That means that God took on all the limitations, imperfections and deficiencies of being human. God did not stay being God and just play of being human. But rather, God actually became that baby in a manger, completely dependent on his mother for everything; and then that child and the youth of Nazareth who had to struggle as we did with the uncertainties and hesitancies of growing up. And then as a mature adult who even though He had a specific mission, like each of us had Free Will and had to choose among many possibilities and on His own individual life according to His own circumstances.

That is, God, Jesus, was born, grew up, and lived life just exactly as we all do - not only as the infinite, almighty God, but also as a flesh and blood human being, really and truly like us all- yet still really and truly God. How can this be? That is the mystery of the Trinity.

Do you see what these words - God became flesh: God is with us - really mean? They mean that our religion must not lead us to seek God someplace outside of this world, like only in heaven, someplace outside of our human history. They mean that the Christian religion, right from the very beginning with the birth of Jesus and Christmas, specifically teaches the direct opposite – that God came into the world, God is right here, with us, STILL in the world, in daily human history with all of its good and bad, with all of it’s ambiguity; that for us this is the place where we can find God. Emanuel – God IS with us!

To me, this is the special, particular message of Christmas; that, like Jesus we must make our way by who we are and where we are, and when we are. That is it; that is all; that is the whole story. And that is the kind of understanding towards Christmas called us in these simple Scripture word; “God became flesh; God is with us”.

God is here. God knows what it is to be like you. God knows you. God loves you. God will never hurt or abandon you. I wish you all the best and blessed Christmas and a peaceful new year.

Father Ron

Mass Schedule Dec 22nd to Dec 31st 12/22 Sat 5:00pm Father Ron’s 64th Birthday

12/23 Sun 7:30am Int of Archibaldo & Helga DaLuz

12/23 Sun 10:15am Mass for the People

12/24 Mon 9:00am Int of Tom Peterson

12/24 Mon 5:00pm Int of our Children

12/24 Mon 12:00am Midnight Mass

12/25 Tues 7:30am Int of our Benefactors

12/25 Tues 10:15am Int of our Expectant Mothers

12/25 Tues 12:00pm Int of the Newborn Babies

12/26 Wed 9:00am Int. of Clint Radcliff

12/27 Thur 9:00am †Ray Hill

12/28 Fri 9:00am †Betty & Truman King

12/29 Sat 5:00pm †Bill Ayres

12/30 Sun 7:30am Mass for the People

12/30 Sun 10:15am †Will Davis

12/31 Mon 9:00am Available

12/31 Mon 12:00am Midnight Mass

December 29th– 30th—The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

Readers Eucharistic Ministers Greeters Servers

Sat, December 29th

5 pm

#1– J. McHugh

#2– J. Albers

Cheryl Dudley, Joann Albers, Joanne Landen, Mary Ellen Friesen, Pat O’Bri-en

As Available

As Available

Sun, December 30th

7:30 am

#1– L. Davis

#2– L. Kubo

Robin Kunde, Kurt Kunde, Patti Ma-zur

As Available

As Available

Sun, December 30th

10:15 am

#1– M. Davis

#2– B. O’Shell

Charlene Hullinger, Diane Lisciandro, John Lisciandro, Jacky Macy, Jolon Wagner, Patty Zack, Michelle Davis, Dave Adams, Diane Hobaugh

As Available

As Available

Children’s Liturgy of the Word –No Dismissal

Homebound Week of January 2nd– H. Salemi, D. Boito, M. Breuer

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK AND THOSE WHO NEED

OUR PRAYERS: The intentions of the Holy Spirit Prayer

Chain, Steve Straessler, Tristan Humble, Mauro

DeTrizio, Helen Hubbard, Joey Benjamin, Karen D’

Ambrogi, Renee Dierckx, Jackson Langdon, Nina

Cantacessi, Margaret Potchatek, Charlotte Facchini,

Erasmo Roque, Ken Davis, Marilyn Lechuga, Chuck

Fritch, George Fannuci, Pat LaRussa, Irma Schelter,

Thomas Peterson, Taylor Gouin, Joe Gouin, Pat Fryer,

Ken Hicks, Jane Young, Maria Prentiss and Roger

Cooney.

FOR THE SOULS OF: Dennis DeCota, Charlie Rogers,

Frank Mantellina, Ray Hill, Alice Puruggannan, Marlene

Soohoodolskey, Howard Furlong, Richard & Virginia

Marson, Al Pisenti, Margaret Winrich, Carmen Leon

Guerrero, Barbara Bobrowski, George Gooding,

Geraldine M. Gonfiotti, Concha O’Dell, Hank Cooper,

Bonnie Clark, Esther Keating and Shirley Kielty.

LAST WEEK’S PLATE COLLECTION: $7,686.33

Happy Birthday Father Ron!!

This drawing depicts Joseph and Mary with child, on their way to Bethlehem where our

Savior is to be born.

Artwork & Design by Fr. Ron Serban -1979

Christmas Mass Schedule

Christmas Eve Monday, December 24th-5pm (Children's

Mass) 12am Midnight [Candle Mass]

Christmas Day

Tuesday December 25th 7:30am, 10:15am, 12pm

New Years Eve

(Fulfills Holy Day of Obligation) 12am Midnight [Candle Mass]

New Years Day

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Holy Day of Obligation

Tuesday, January 1st, 10:15am

FAITH FORMATION INFORMATION Faith Formation Grades K-12

December 22nd & December 23rd

All children are invited to participate in the Christmas Pageant!

Monday, Dec. 24th 5PM mass.

This year it will be done with NO rehearsals! You are asked to bring your child in costume to church (no later than 4:45PM). Costumes may be; stable animals, wise people (kings and queens), angels, shepherd or sheep. If you do not have a costume, please drop by the Holy Family Room at 4PM and we will help provide one for your child. Pick up a blue flyer in the back of the church for more details! Contact the Parish Office with any questions.

Faith Formation Grades 1-6

As Advent comes to a close... One Christmas carol is perfect for the last few days before Christmas- “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” The song contains all the longing, hope, and

trust in God’s Promise the season provides.

All classes (Grades 1-12) are done for the year!

Thank you for the gift of walking with your children on their faith journey in 2018. All classes and youth ministry will resume in 2019!

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Grades 1-5 Sunday classes, will resume January 6th 9-10:05 AM Confirmation 1st & 2nd year Prep will resume Monday, January 7th 6:30-8PM

Grades 1-6 Wednesday classes will resume January 9th 3:30-4:30PM Youth Ministry (grades 8-12) will resume Wednesday, January 9th 7-8:30PM

We welcome new parishioners to join us in the new year. Contact Megan O’Neill

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

Anyone wishing to become Catholic or wanting to receive further Sacraments, i.e., First Communion or Confirmation, may contact Megan O’Neill for more information. You are invited to a period of Inquiry!