St. Kieran Catholic Church

Third Sunday of Advent December 13, 2020

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.

— 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Notes from Fr. John

T oday we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent. The Prophet Isaiah speaks to the people and tells them that one is to come who will bring glad tidings. We know that person as Jesus. For Israel they did

not have that knowledge, they waited to see who it would be. That brings us to the Gospel where the leaders of the temple have sent people out to John the Baptist asking if he was the long-awaited Savior. John tells them he is not. But he quotes Isaiah and tells them that he is a voice in the desert who is telling them to prepare for the Lord’s coming. I think as we near the Christmas celebration one way to look at these readings is as a mandate to bring “glad tidings” to the world. Yes, we wait for a Savior, but that doesn’t relieve us of our responsi-bility to prepare the way before the Savior gets here. In a time of pandemic let’s all try to be a light to our family, our friends, and the world. This weekend we also celebrate the second feast to our Blessed Mother. Last Tuesday we cele-brated the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Mary is chosen to be the Mother of God so no stain of original sin can fall upon her, thus her Immaculate Conception. Did Anna and Joachim know they had given birth to someone so special, probably not. All they knew is that she was special to them and they needed to take care of her the best they could. They are models for parents everywhere who are trying to do their best for their children. The second Feast is the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mary is not only the mother of Jesus, but she is also the mother to all of us. Mary appears on a hill in Tepeyac to a poor man Juan Diego. She reminds

him and us that she is there for everyone whether they are rich or poor. By appearing to Juan Diego, a native Indian from Mexico, she is telling us that Jesus has come to save everyone and she is the mother of all. Today she holds the Titles of Queen of the Americas and Queen of the universe. As we continue the journey toward Christmas make sure you take time to remember our Blessed Mother and her role in salvation. Christmas mass registrations have already gone online at both St. Agnes and St. Kieran. The schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be the same as our present weekend schedule. Registration is required for the masses. All attend-ing is required to wear face masks and social distance. We are now entering the worst time of the pandemic and we need to maintain our vigilance. That way all of us will be here for Christmas next year as well. The 4:00 PM at St. Agnes and the 5:00 Pm at St. Kieran will also be live streamed for those who are more comfortable at home. Thanks to everyone who donated to the Giving Tree at St. Agnes and at St. Kieran. This year those donations took the form of gift cards that the families in need will receive so they can do their own shopping. The lessens the concern that some-one will get Covid because they were out shopping in too many places. Your help and generosity are always appreciated. Finally, a thanks to everyone who continue to financially support the parishes during these difficult times. We have reduced our costs as best we can, but the second half of the fiscal year will be difficult for both parishes. We are operating on about 65% of our normal income. So, any help you can give is greatly appreciated.

Notes from Father Tom

Page 2 December 13, 2020

T oday the Church gives us images of John the Baptist, not to have us distance him and his message in the far away past, but rather for us to hear his proclamation fresh this

year and to see ourselves as called and trusted to be like him pointing and saying ‘look

and see how close God is’ in the here and now.

The challenge of John the Baptist was in his saying that there was someone among us who just wasn’t recognized. St Paul says that we should not quench the Spirit that helps us to see that we should be

rejoicing and ready to meet the Lord in whatever form that encounter might take.

The unexpected kindness, the opportunity to build up rather than to tear down, the encouragement

offered or received, the self-sacrifice freely embraced, the forgiveness and healing asked for and

granted - all of this is more than just being nice or friendly. It is holy. It is God’s love enfleshed in what we are. It is the Christmas miracle unfolding each day around us still.

We are each of us called to show by the way that we live, the way we love and by our joy that we do see that God continues to favor us and our world with his love and presence.

Our goal this year, especially in the face of all that is dark and fearful around us, is not just to remember the Christmas story with all of its details and characters, but to become the mystery of Christmas for

those in greatest need; to announce to the world and become the gift of God’s love present with us still.

Father Tom K

Parish News and Events

Third Sunday of Advent Page 3

December 2020 Dear Ladies of the St. Kieran Women’s Club,

“There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

It is with a hope filled sadness that the St. Kieran Women’s Club will be disbanding as of June 30, 2021. The year 2020 has brought a lot of heartbreak and surprises, as well as new twists on expected events. Some things have continued along on a mostly normal course, and one of those things is the Renew My Church initiative. Renew My Church (RMC) is the Archdiocesan plan to consolidate parishes within the Archdiocese in order to have stronger, more vibrant, fully staffed, and debt free parishes. Our cluster of parishes originally included St. Kieran, St. Agnes, St. Irenaeus, and St. Paul. This past summer, the cluster that included St. Ann (Lansing), St. James (Sauk Village), St. John (Glenwood), and St. Lawrence O’Toole (Matteson), were added to our cluster to make a group of eight parishes. Out of this grouping, several parishes and/or worship sites will emerge, but the one certainty is that none of the eight parishes will exist as we know them after June 30, 2021. So it follows that organizations and clubs within those parishes will also disband, but hopefully new, more active groups will form in our new parishes. We had hoped to hold a full year’s worth of our normal events, but the Covid-19 Pandemic has put a crimp in those plans. As of now, no events are planned for the remainder of 2020. We hope to schedule some events in the first half of 2021, but will have to wait and see what the coronavirus situation is by late December. We will keep you informed of any plans via the parish bulletins (available on the parish websites) and by e-mail. A Mass will continue to be offered at St. Kieran once a month for the living and deceased members of the Women’s Club. At the very least, we are praying that we can hold one last “famous” indoor picnic. All memberships from 2019/2020 will be renewed automatically without dues. If there are any changes to your address, phone, or email information, we ask that you let us know via e-mail (stkieranwomensclub@gmail.com), snail mail (St. Kieran Women’s Club, 724 W. 195th Street, Chicago Heights, Illinois, 60411) phone or text (708/912-3773). If you are not currently receiving emails from us, please provide us with a current email address. This is the most efficient way for us to communi-cate with you. We hope to see you in 2021! Sincerely, St. Kieran Women’s Club Board of Directors

The St. Kieran Women’s Club wishes good health, happiness, and blessings to the following

members who are celebrating a birthday in the

month of December:

Carol Harris Rose Klauck Elaine Muzzo Louise Narcisi Karla Porrata Lena Segala Peg Skalski

Mary Lou Stackhouse Dawn Sterning

Gayle Tama Sandy Vasek

Debbie Wlodarski

Happy Birthday and God bless You!

V ! Just go to www.stkieranchurch.org

On our website you can look up:

♦ Our current and past bulletins ♦ St. Kieran and St. Agnes Online Masses ♦ Archdiocese of Chicago recent updates ♦ Links to other Catholic websites ♦ Our Section: For this we Pray… email us your prayer requests

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Have ideas of what you would like to see added to our site or to comment on its content?

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St. Kieran Church

Christmas Food Collection

This Weekend

December 12 @ 4:30 pm & December 13 @ 9:30 am

Food will be collected in front of the school building. Just go through the driveway between the church

& school buildings. Volunteers will be parked to take your donations from your car to theirs.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!

DO NOT LEAVE ANY FOOD OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH

Unable to meet the donation hours,

food items can be delivered directly to St. Irenaeus Food Pantry in Park Forest

on Mondays between 9am & 5pm. For more information regarding the food drive

please call (708) 758 2484. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!!

Parish News and Events

Page 4 December 13, 2020

Third Sunday of Advent Page 5

ST. KIERAN PARISH MASS BOOK NOW OPEN FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2021

The Parish Mass Book is now open for Mass intentions for calendar year 2021. Masses are open for the following days and times: Daily Mass (Tues. through Fri.) 8 AM; Saturday Anticipated Mass 5 PM; Sunday Mass 10 AM. INDIVIDUAL MASSES MAY NOT BE SCHEDULED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:

December 24/25, 2020 November 01/02, 2021 December 31, 2020/Jan 01, 2021 November 25, 2021 February 15/16, 2021 December 24/25, 2021 April 01 through April 04, 2021 December 31, 2021/Jan 01, 2022 Stipend for each Mass is $10. Please complete the form below and send to the Rectory Office. A confirmation letter will be sent to you; allow two weeks for confirmation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MASS REQUEST FORM FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2021

Person Requesting Mass(es): ________________________________________________________________ Street Address, City, ZIP: ____________________________________________________________________ Telephone Number: ________________________________________________________________________ (1) Mass Intention Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Requested By: _________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ First Choice Date/Time Second Choice Date/Time Person Requesting Mass(es): ________________________________________________________________ Street Address, City, ZIP: ____________________________________________________________________ Telephone Number: ________________________________________________________________________ (1) Mass Intention Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Requested By: _________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ First Choice Date/Time Second Choice Date/Time Person Requesting Mass(es): ________________________________________________________________ Street Address, City, ZIP: ____________________________________________________________________ Telephone Number: ________________________________________________________________________ (1) Mass Intention Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Requested By: _________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ First Choice Date/Time Second Choice Date/Time

Our Troops

Air Force E-3 Conor Fitzgerald

Major Anthony O"Shea

Army PFC Roman Ambriz E5 Patrick Atwater Pavel (P.J.) Borak

Sgt. Brenden Flanagan Sgt. James R. Hibbs Sgt. Lucas Johnson

PFC Lee James Roché CWO Thomas J. Seehausen

Coast Guard Luke Stocker

Marine Corps SSgt. John Henry

LCpl. Joseph Johnson Sgt. Patrick Russell SSgt. Nathan Taylor

National Guard Captain Paul LaBelle

Navy Rachel Steinmetz

Peace Corps Hannah Basham

Marian Adamczyk Kim Alexander

Dennis Bandera Bob DeBoer Jan DeBoer

Philip Cameli Janel Compton Jack DeLaney Kathie Diette Chris Dymek Ava Emroll Bob Flaws Bill Flaws

Mary Flaws John Formentini Patty Formentini Lucy Janaszak

Marlene Gaughan Keri Gelsosomo Kimberly Giles

Thomas Haggerty Dominick Hamilton

Beverly Hollingsworth Pamela Jacks Belinda James Lucy Janaszak Crystal Kelly

Jim Kelly Daniel Klauck Rose Klauck Jane Leahy Nick LoBue

Paul Lukacek Chris Mann Sara Mann

Jeannine Montgomerie Chloe Ochoa Sue Osborn

Bernice Pappalardo Paula Pera

Carol PeBenito Jerry Plucienik

Jerry Piunti Mary Prisco-Rodriguez

Ramón L. Santiago James Schunk

Sally Sklar Ray Smith

Sandi Smith Gayle Tama

Nancy VanHoutegan Sister Joy Weideman

Police & Fire Departments, and All First Responders

Tuesday, December 15 – Weekday 8:00 a.m. • Liv & Dec Mem of the Langston & Steinkirk Families, req. by Louis & Laura Steinkirk • Angelo, Teresa & Nancy Popolla, req. by Virginio & Family • Pasquale & Palma Iacovacci, req. by Virginio & Family Thursday, December 17 – Weekday

8:00 a.m. • Purgatorial Socity Friday, December 18 – Weekday I 8:00 a.m. • Fr. Joseph Cook, req. by the Steinkirks Family Saturday, December 19 – Weekend 5:00 p.m. • Leslie Imbery, req. by Lorna Imbery • Chuck Panici, req. by the Linde Family • Anthony Bruno, req. by Carol Bruno & Family • Patricia Longo, req. by Ray & Char Brower Sunday, December 20 – Fourth Sunday of Advent 10:00 a.m. • Thomas Maxwell, req. by Anna Maxwell & Fam • Antonio Porrino, req. by Giacomo & Maria Mancini • Michelina Mancini, req. by Giacomo & Maria Mancini • Dec Mem of Maciariello & Litro Families, req. by Fred • Dennis R. Arakelian, req. by Wife Roe, Children & Grandchildren

Vincenzo Gianfrancesco

Page 6 December 13, 2020

... and all who are ill or injured, in a hospital or a nursing home, as well as their relatives and caregivers.

There are dates available throughout 2021 to purchase flowers

dedicated to a loved one for the Holy Family Shrine

in the Church.

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — As a garden makes its growth spring up, so will God make justice spring up before all the nations (Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11). Psalm — My soul rejoices in my God (Luke 1:46-50, 53-54). Second Reading — Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24). Gospel — I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord (John 1:6-8, 19-28).

The English translation of the Psalm Responses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Monday: Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6, 7bc-9; Mt 21:23-27

Tuesday: Zep 3:1-2, 9-13; Ps 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19, 23; Mt 21:28-32

Wednesday: Is 45:6b-8, 18, 21c-25; Ps 85:9ab, 10-14; Lk 7:18b-23

Thursday: Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72:1-4ab, 7-8, 17; Mt 1:1-17

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

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

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

St. Kieran Catholic Church 724 West 195 Street, Chicago Heights IL 60411

Visit our Website at www.stkieranchurch.org

Parish Mission Statement:

St. Kieran Parish is a Catholic community within the Archdiocese of Chicago. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, nourished by Scripture and Sacrament, we are called by Christ to become disciples and stewards. Through worship, fellowship, catechesis, and service to all God’s children, we embrace our Lord’s challenge to live as family and be his witnesses, beginning here in Chicago Heights.

Parish Staff: Rev. John Siemianowski, Pastor Rev. Erasto Nyoni, Associate Pastor Rev. Thomas Kasputis, Associate Pastor Deacon David Dutko Rev. William O’Mara, Resident Associate Deacon Emil Vasek

Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturdays at 5 PM; Sundays at 10 AM Weekday Masses are celebrated Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 a.m.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated by appointment

Rectory Office: 708/755-0074, Fax: 708/856-0267 Hours of Operation: 9 AM to 3 PM (Monday—Thursday)

Sheila Porrata, Bulletin Editor, stk-bulletineditor@comcast.net Emily Hernandez, Parish Secretary, stk-parishsecretary@comcast.net

Religious Education Office, located at St. Agnes, 708/754-0713 Teri Klopp, Coordinator, stk-reoffice@comcast.net

Director of Music: Mrs. Joanne Rossbach, 708/755-0074

Parish Ministries: Knights of Columbus: Rick Schulp, 708/957-2056, email: GKCouncil997@gmail.com

Parish Council: Keith Betton, Kevin Deenihan, Sue Habegger, Tony Narcisi, Dave Nozar, Terry Shelley, and Joe Sopron. Contact us at stk-ppc@outlook.com

St Kieran Women's Club: Teri Klopp, 708/912-3773, email: stkieranwomensclub@gmail.com

SACRAMENTAL/IMPORTANT INFORMATION

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: Contact the Rectory Office to make arrangements.

SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY: Contact the Rectory Office at least six month prior to date of marriage.

SACRAMENT OF EUCHARIST TO THE HOMEBOUND: Please contact the Rectory Office to set-up visits.

ORDER OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION: For adults who wish to know more about the Roman Catholic faith, please contact the Rectory Office and the Director of Religious Education will contact you.

NEW PARISHIONERS: To become a member, please contact the Rectory Office for a registration form.

BULLETIN/PARISH CALENDAR: Bulletin information should be submitted by email to the Bulletin Editor. Contact the Office for arrangements to use parish facilities.

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