St. Sebastian Parish December 15, 2019

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476 Mull Avenue, Akron, Ohio 44320 Email: church@stsebastian.org Website: www.stsebastian.org To reach Parish Council email: parishcouncil@stsebastian.org

Main Office……………………………………………………….330-836-2233 Parish School Office………………………………………………330-836-9107 Center for Early Learning………………………………………...330-836-9107 Parish School of Religion………………………………………...330-836-2233 Academy of Culture & Arts……………………………………….330-867-5347 Julie Billiart School at St. Sebastian……………………………...234-206-0941 EMERGENCY LINE…………………………………………….330-836-2233

For a priest at night and only in the event of urgent sickness or imminent death Reverend John A. Valencheck…………………………………………...Pastor Reverend Anthony J. Simone…………………………………...Parochial Vicar Reverend William D. Karg……………………………………..Pastor Emeritus Reverend Matthew E. Pfeiffer……………………………...Weekend Associate Reverend Bede Kotlinski OSB……………………………..Weekend Associate Reverend Justin D. Dyrwal OSB…………………………...Weekend Associate Terry Peacock…………………………………………………………...Deacon Mr. Ian Kelly…………………………………………………..Seminarian Intern Kevin Audin……………………………………………Parish Business Manager Lynn Frey-Steward, CAGO, MM………...Director of Music/Choirmaster/Organist Jennifer Jones…………………………………………………...Office Manager Michelle Huber...…………………….Director of Marketing & Public Relations Kathy Holaday………………………………………..Director of Development John McVicker………………………………………………..Facilities Manager Anthony Rohr …………………………………………………..School Principal Keith Johnson………………………………………..Parish Catechetical Leader Cinnamon Chivers………………………………………………..PSR Principal Scott Mason.………………………..Director of the Academy of Culture & Arts Jason Wojnicz……………………………………...Julie Billiart School Principal 330-825-9330, 330-867-2757, 330-873-1559, 330-867-7081 Tuesday 7:00 to 7:30pm, Friday 4:00 to 5:00pm, Saturday 9:30 to 10:00am and by appointment Tuesdays, 8:30am-8:00pm, closing with Benediction at 7:40pm

New parishioners are most welcome and should stop by the rectory office as soon as possible. Rectory office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm, Saturday 8:30am-6:00pm and Sunday 8:00am-1:00pm. Current parishioners who must leave us should call the rectory with your date of departure. We’ll miss you and bid you God’s blessings.

Requests must be submitted by 8:00am on Monday morning. Requests for full page inserts must be submitted 2 weeks in advance using Microsoft Word or Publisher software. Drop off at the Rectory, fax to 330-836-2235 or email to jonesj@stsebastian.org.

Parish Contact Information

Office Telephone Directory

CLERGY

ADMINISTRATION

EDUCATION

Prayer Line

Sacrament of Reconciliation Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Registration

Bulletin Deadline

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Greetings, Happy Gaudete Sunday! You will notice that our ever vigilant servers will have lit the rose colored candle today on our advent wreath this weekend leaving only one candle left for next Sunday before Christmas is upon us - and that is quick because Christmas comes right on the heels of that last Sunday of Advent. There are still a couple of things in which to participate at your parish to help you make way for the coming of Christ at Christmas. There is still one more Advent Adoration and Organ Recital at noon on Tuesday, December 19th, with Mr. Mario Buchanan. Adoration continues all day, but at 7:40pm Compline is sung (the official night prayer of the Church) and benediction. We are winding down on available confession times. Please consider getting your confession in earlier rather than later. Confessions are at 7:00pm on Tuesday evenings but they have a hard end time of 7:30pm because of compline. Fridays confessions are from 4:00 to 5:00pm and on Saturday morning from 9:30am to 10:00am. Our choir with organ and other instruments will be having a candlelight concert on Saturday, December 21st, at 7:30pm in the church. IN OTHER NEWS: MULL AVENUE: After reporting to you otherwise, there was an article in the newspaper two weeks ago that made it sound as though work on Mull Avenue might begin as early as this summer. We immediately contacted the City to find out if this was correct because then we would need to prepare ourselves and make plans for how to cope with accessibility and parking. As it turns out, the report was incorrect and the work on Mull Avenue is still about two years away. ELECTRIFYING: We have had electricians working on our church recently getting power to the south east doors and to the former baptistry/library. The work was a success and I am pleased to announce that another stage of our 90th anniversary restoration is on the verge of being completed! Automated doors will soon appear at the south east entrance near the handicap seating area and parking. We are just waiting for the workmen to come and install the doors. The new prayer room as well as the new McDonough Resource Library are on the verge of being completed. I will write more fully on that when we are a bit closer. CHRISTMAS NOTES: Our brand new Children’s Choir and our band will be providing the music for the 4:00 Mass on Christmas Eve. There will be a second Mass beginning at 4:15 in the Julie Billiart Chapel on Mineola if Mass in the church is too crowded for you, or if you just want to attend that Mass. God bless, Fr. Valencheck

From The Pastor

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MASS INTENTIONS Monday, December 16 8:00am John Jahant - Fr. Valencheck 4:00pm The People of St. Sebastian, White Pond Villa - Fr. Simone

Tuesday, December 17 8:00am Jeanette Adams (Anniversary) - Fr. Valencheck

Wednesday, December 18 8:00am Leo Longville - Fr. Simone

Thursday, December 19 8:15am Dorothy White - Fr. Valencheck

Friday, December 20 8:00am Tanya Boyer - Fr. Valencheck

Saturday, December 21, St. Peter Canisius, Priest & Doctor of the Church 8:00am Joseph William Berger Jr. - Fr. Simone 4:30pm Carolyn Lancione - Fr. Valencheck

Sunday, December 22, Fourth Sunday of Advent 9:00am Mary and Erich Fritz – Fr. Simone 11:00am The People of Saint Sebastian Fr. Valencheck 1:00pm Extraordinary Form Mass, Edna Stitzlein Fr. Bede

WEEKLY READINGS

Monday: Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a/Ps 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9 [4]/Mt 21:23-27

Tuesday: Gn 49:2, 8-10/Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17 [cf. 7]/Mt 1:1-17

Wednesday: Jer 23:5-8/Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19 [cf. 7]/Mt 1:18-25

Thursday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a/Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17 [cf. 8]/Lk 1:5-25

Friday: Is 7:10-14/Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 [cf. 7c and 10b]/Lk 1:26-38

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

Sunday: Is 7:10-14/ Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 [7c, 10b]/Rom 1:1-7/Mt 1:18-24

©LPi.

WEEKLY CALENDAR Monday, December 16 8:30am Legion of Mary Servers Sacristy 6:30pm Bear Cub Scouts Meeting Byrider 3 7:00pm K of C # 818 General Mtg. Forest Lodge 7:30pm Webelos Meeting Byrider 3

Tuesday, December 17 8:30am-8:00pm Adoration Church 12:00pm Advent Organ Concert Church 7:00pm Sr. High Youth Ministry Byrider 2 7:00-7:30pm Confession Church 8:00pm Gregorian Schola Rehearsal Church

Wednesday, December 18 4:00pm Children’s Choir Church 7:00pm K of C Officers Mtg. Forest Lodge 7:30pm Praise & Worship Ensemble Church 7:30pm Overeaters Anonymous Byrider 2

Thursday, December 19 9:30am Pre-School & Toddler Open Gym Byrider Gym 7:00pm RCIA Forest Lodge 7:00pm St. Vincent de Paul Meeting Byrider 2 7:30pm Boy Scout Troop #96 Byrider 1 & 3 7:30pm Parish Choir Rehearsal Church

Friday, December 20 4:00-5:00pm Confession Church 6:30pm Alcoholics Anonymous Mtg. Church Mtg. Room 7:00pm Faith and Light Community Byrider 2 & 3

Saturday, December 21 9:30-10:00am Confession Church 7:00pm Alcoholics Anonymous Mtg. Church Mtg. Room 7:30pm Candlelight Christmas Concert Church

Sunday, December 22 12:00pm Gregorian Schola Rehearsal Church Mtg. Room

Have a Blessed Week!

all the sick of the parish: Stan Kennedy, Brenda Walsh, Tom Welsh and Marie White. When admitted to the hospital, please notify the Rectory Office. Due to the HIPAA rules, hospitals no longer inform parishes of their patients.

Let us pray for those recently deceased especially: Mary Jo Mellody & Concetta Peters (mother of Janet Di Rossi).

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Men’s Breakfast Club All men of the parish are invited to the final Men’s Breakfast of 2019. Join us immediately following the 8:00am Mass on Saturday, December 28th, in Zwisler Hall. We will have a meal, discuss topics of interest and importance

to Catholic men, pray for our special intentions and begin a novena for the new year. This is a great way to celebrate the joy and hope of the Christmas season and to support men in their quest for Sainthood. RSVP to Bert Brownfield at rbsdad@aol.com, or call 330-864-1708, and as always, bring a friend.

Revelation Bible Study This study invites the modern reader to revisit a volatile period of history through

apocalyptic, symbolic writing. Enter through the struggle between good and evil, hear the call to conversion and experience God’s ultimate triumph. Revelation’s apocalyptic imagery, symbolic colors and numbers are explored. The evils of the Roman Empire during a specific period of time persecution are behind much of the apocalyptic imagery. It contains letters to seven churches of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), which urge faithfulness to Christ. Powerful visions of God and the victorious lamb in heaven are unveiled as God and Lamb achieve the ultimate and absolute victory over evil, culminating in a new heaven and a new earth, with a new Jerusalem as home to God’s holy people. You can purchase your study set from the Little Rock Scripture website. IBN 9780814631423. Call Lori Oakes at 330-861-6417 with any questions.

Holy Angel Did you know that God intended for us to work together with the holy angels? Did you know it’s possible to imitate your guardian angel? Our country and diocese each have a guardian angel.

Would you like to know how, or when to call upon them for their help? Come and hear how to utilize the incredible gift of your guardian angel and so much more! If you missed the talk in October, or want to bring someone to hear it, there will be an encore presentation. Therese Holderbaum will be giving an introduction talk on Angels 101 at 6:00pm on Thursday, January 9th, in the church basement meeting room. For those in formation for consecration to their guardian angel there will be a discussion from 7:15 - 8:30 on the brief history

and excerpts from the general statutes of the Opus Sanctorun Angelorum. (Formation Letter 1.) All are welcome. Please RSVP to Sue Sassano at 330-606-2528.

Parish Choir Cookbooks Available Parish Choir Cookbooks are available for purchase. Great Stocking Stuffers. $3.00 each. See a choir member, or ask Lynn Frey.

The Handbell Choir Needs You! Rehearsals begin Thursday, January 30th, and go through Thursday, April 23rd. You do not need to know how to read sheet music, or have played handbells before—we will teach you! Contact Lynn Steward 330-836-2233 ext. 111, or at freyl@stsebastian.org.

Financial Update Week of December 8, 2019 4:30pm....................................................... $6,190 9:00am ....................................................... $4,787 11:00am ....................................................... $2,480 1:00pm ........................................................ $1,328 Mailed in to Rectory ................................. $1,139 ONLINE GIVING (Electronic) ............ $7,125 *weekly average based on a monthly total

Total Collection ....................................... $23,049 Month-to-date Over/(Under) ................. $1,300 Thank you for your continued commitment to St. Sebastian Parish. We pray for your continued generous support of God’s work here at St. Sebastian.

Musical Arts Corner

Advent Noon Organ Recitals December 17th - Mario Buchanan

Christmas Candlelight Concert Saturday, December 21st at 7:30pm

in St. Sebastian Church featuring the Parish Choir & Instrumentalists

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Youth Ministry December News Senior High 17 – Advent Party from 7:00-8:30pm in the Byrider Hall Youth Room. Join us for food, games and a holiday gift exchange. Bring a $5.00 gift to exchange.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Save the date for a Twelfth Night Party: January 7th.

Tony and Michelle Villarreal Youth Ministry directors

Please send questions to seniorhighym@stsebastian.org.

St. Sebastian Teachers Earn Awards

from Dietrich Family Endowment Four teachers from St. Sebastian Parish School earned awards from the James E. and Yvonne Dietrich Family Endowment. This endowment, which is held by the St. Sebastian Parish Foundation, was established in 2014 to provide funds for teacher enrichment at the parish school. The endowment provides cash reimbursements for teacher-focused enrichment expenses, such as continuing education courses and professional development conferences and seminars. Kathy Holaday, director of development for the St. Sebastian Parish Foundation, presented the 2019 awards to this year’s winners at the faculty meeting in November. Congratulations to this year’s recipients, pictured here (l to r) with Principal Anthony Rohr: Allyn Rose, Michele Kellner, Debra Landis, and Jennifer Slegus.

Retirement Fund for Religious Religious give thanks. “Thank you” hardly seems adequate to convey what this means to us,” says a Catholic sister speaking of the financial assistance her community received from the Retirement Fund for Religious. Prayer-filled thanks for your donation.

Kindergarten Buddies – Recently the 8th graders visited the kindergarten classrooms and got to spend time with their kindergarten buddies. Together they read Christmas stories and talked about their holiday plans.

St. Nicholas Day - The 8th grade students visited all the school classrooms and delivered candy canes to the students and read a passage about the symbolism of the candy cane for the Feast of St. Nicholas Day.

Toy Drive – St. Sebastian Parish School is having a Toy Drive. Please donate new and unwrapped Toys December 9th through December 18th. All Donated Toys will Support the Summit County Children's Services. Drop-off boxes will be located in the school hallways.

Santa Shop – These special days of shopping for our students start this Monday. If you would like to volunteer and help the students with their shopping and wrapping, please contact Anita Calleri at alcalleri@aol.com to donate a few hours of your time.

Baby Jesus Blessing – All are invited to join HASA at this year’s Baby Jesus Blessing. This special event will be held on Sunday, December 15th from noon – 2:00pm in Zwisler Hall. Bring your Baby Jesus statue from your nativity set and Fr. Valencheck will be there to give it a special blessing for the Christmas Season. After the blessing you are invited to stay for Christmas crafts, activities and snacks! HASA will be supporting Embrace Pregnancy Center this year, so they are asking guests, if they are able, to bring baby items such as diapers, wipes, baby food and pajama sets to be donated to this special organization.

The Spectacular – Save the date for this year’s exciting Spectacular, Saturday, February 22nd, where we will celebrate our parish school’s 90th Anniversary. Your $90 ticket includes appetizers, open bar, sit down dinner, live and silent auction and an exciting dessert dash. Invitations will be mailed in early January.

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Fr. Anthony’s Word of the Week As one family, everything in Our Church affects us, though some things particularly hit closer to home. Fr. Bob McWilliams' recent arrest for child pornography hits as close to home as it can get. Many people have known and loved him. He's my classmate. I came up through the seminary and was ordained with him. He's my brother. To say the least, it is disheartening that all the while he was struggling with this evil and double-life underneath the surface. This justice needed to happen and these sins needed to come to light. I tell people that knew him personally and to parishioners of his, the good he did as a priest wasn't a lie. The homilies he gave, the songs he sang, the ministry he did were genuine fruits of the priesthood. We hate the devil for causing these priests to fall, but we hold each accountable for their sins and their weakness. Justice must always come before mercy. We all wonder in these cases, how did this happen??? I can only offer my own insights as I HAVE been praying much about this. Clericalism for one comes to mind. It is sad and dangerous when a priest thinks he deserves to be a priest, or takes for granted the love of his people. It's dangerous when a priest thinks he is doing a job, rather than his whole life...a marriage. If so, he thinks priesthood is clocking-in for ministry, clocking-out, then doing YOUR thing. Everything in us...everything we do affects our people, our family, our spouse, Jesus's beloved who have been entrusted to our care. Nothing, including our chastity belongs to us. Our sinfulness, if not surrendered to Christ, WILL harm His people and the world in one way or another. Secondly, addiction, if not exposed to the Lord, only grows. Pornography is every bit as addicting and destructive as heroin. A very wise priest I know said "More marriages than I can count have been destroyed by pornography." Priesthood is no less affected and equally attacked by this master stroke of the devil. When one is locked into that screen, rationality and love are violently shoved aside. The cycle, if not confessed, only spirals deeper and deeper down, until one loses themselves. Yet, by the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, there is no depth that He cannot bring us back from. The reality of one of our own priests: my brother priest fallen from ministry and now in jail is a reality that is still sinking in and it is painful. Yet I already feel Christ at work through all of this. He is already bringing us closer together, finding strength and consoling one another. Healing will come. My sincere prayer is that every priest in the Diocese of Cleveland might take these events soberly

to heart. I pray every priest and seminarian may take a deep, honest look at themselves (including myself). May they bring to light anything they have to hide and know their sins affect so many. Finally, from the bottom of my heart I beg you, do not let this, or any failure of a priest, stain the way you see priesthood itself, or change the way you see your priests. Have confidence in our diocesan policies for protection, but trust in our love. I can speak for Fr Valencheck as well in saying "I love you and your children very much. I would die to protect any of your children.” In Christ, Fr. Anthony.

St. Sebastian Parish Foundation

Welcomes New Development Assistant The St. Sebastian Parish Foundation is pleased to welcome Kate Mathis as the newly-appointed Development Assistant, Financial Analyst. In this part-time position, Kate will manage the Foundation’s bookkeeping and assist the development director with

the Foundation’s financial reporting and tax preparation. Kate and her husband, Alex, are members of St. Sebastian Parish and are involved in a number of different ministries including West Side Catholic Couples and The Peter Maurin Center. Alex serves as a member of Parish Council. Kate’s background includes experience with Northeast Ohio Catholic-based organizations, including Catholic radio station AM 1260 The Rock and Catholic Charities. Welcome, Kate! Many thanks are extended to Rosanne Burns, who held the position previously for nearly 5 years. We are grateful to Rosanne and her husband, Jim (parishioners and parents of two St. Sebastian graduates), for their continued support and dedication to our parish.

Adoration for Vocation Campaign Vocations are everyone’s business

Please come and offer one hour on Tuesday

from 8:30am to 8:00pm for vocations

Community prayer at 7:00pm

Benediction at 7:45pm The Harvest Is Great - the Laborers Are Few

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St. Sebastian Scholarships The St. Sebastian Parish Foundation is pleased to offer information on the following scholarships for 2020-2021 that are available to parishioners and to students attending St. Sebastian Parish School. Funding for these scholarships is provided by generous donors to the St. Sebastian Parish Foundation as well as by several parish-related groups. The application deadline for the scholarships listed below is January 24, 2020. NEW! Mary Ley Burke Scholarship is for students currently in grades K-7 to help cover tuition costs for families who appreciate the Catholic values and exceptional academics at our school. Dayspring Opportunity Scholarship Fund is given to students going into grades K-8 to promote and encourage a diverse student body. Lynn Frey-Steward Scholarship is for organ lessons for parishioners going into grades K-8 interested in studying the beauty of playing the organ. GOAL Scholarship (Graves O’Neill Academic Leaders) is for students going into grades 3-8 who exemplify leadership and academic excellence. Sanctuary Society Service Scholarship is for students currently in grades 5-8 who are ushers or altar servers. Frances L. Sharp Scholarship is given to students going into grades 5-8 to promote musical arts at our school. St. Irene Principal’s Scholarship is for students currently in grades 1-8 who exemplify the school’s mission. Additional High School Scholarships In addition, there are many scholarships, funded through the Foundation and parish groups, available to our 8th-grade students who choose to attend Catholic high school, including the HASA Youth Christian Service Scholarship, the Knights of Columbus Council #14255 Reverend Terry Peacock Scholarship, the Sanctuary Society Service Scholarship, the St. Irene Principal’s Scholarship, the John A. Trecaso Scholarship (STVM), the Denise Maroon Finley Memorial Scholarship (Hoban), and the Gerstenmaier Family Scholarship (Walsh). Applications for these scholarships are also due on January 24, 2020.

Natural Family Planning If you are interested in learning about Natural Family Planning: contact Hayley Jay at hayleytjay@gmail.com.

St. Sebastian Spectacular Our parish school’s largest fundraiser is fast approaching, Saturday, February 22nd, and the committee is looking for additional silent auction items, especially

ladies items such as purses, jewelry and home décor. If you are able to donate an item, please drop it off at the rectory at anytime, or email spectaculars@stsebastian.org and we will gladly pick it up from you. Thank you in advance for your support of this important fundraiser.

Family Perspectives The question in today’s gospel demands a response: “ Are you the one...or shall we look elsewhere?” Put another way: Do you live your life in the way that gives clear guidance to others? Or must children and friends look elsewhere for direction: to sitcoms, athletes and politicians? The gospel asks, are you the one to bring Christ to others?

Alternatives to Abortion Option Line: 1-800-712-HELP. Abortion Pill Reversal Hotline: 1-877-558-0333. Project Rachel (post-abortion healing): 216-334-2966.

Catechetical Corner Today we celebrate Gaudete Sunday, so named for the Latin word for “Rejoice.” It is the first word in the traditional Entrance Antiphon at Mass. This Sunday, also known as the Third Sunday of Advent, signals our halfway point through our Advent preparation for Christmas. We are called to rejoice because the coming of the Lord draws near. The liturgical color shifts to rose from violet to illustrate this “reprieve” in our penitential preparation.

This week we also begin “The Golden Nights” which are characterized by the traditional “O Antiphons.” Beginning December 17th and running through December 23rd, the Gospel Antiphon at Evening Prayer will begin with “O” and a title of our Lord. This is the countdown to His coming. The first letter of the title used for each night when given in Latin forms an acrostic: “Ero Cras,” which means, “Tomorrow I come!” To learn more and to pray with your families during this time see this link: https://www.fisheaters.com/customsadvent10.html.

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2019 Christmas & New Year’s Schedule Christmas Eve Tuesday, December 24 4:00pm (Children’s Mass) 4:15pm Mass at Julie Billart Chapel 7:00pm 12:00am Midnight Christmas Day Wednesday, December 25 9:00am 11:00am 1:00pm (Extraordinary Form Mass) New Year’s Eve Tuesday, December 31 8:00am 7:00pm Holy Day Vigil Mass New Year’s Day (Holy Day of Obligation) Wednesday, January 1, 2020 9:00am 5:15pm (Extraordinary Form Mass) 7:00pm

Catholic Cemeteries Association The next Grief Support Group meets on Sunday, December 15th, 3:00 - 4:00pm at Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron. The topic for December is: Emmanuel/God With Us: You are Not Alone. We have compassionate and skilled grief support

leaders. Our Grief Support Groups are available to everyone in our diocese and the grieving in our communities at large. Many people courageously walk this daily grief journey alone and this holiday season can be particularly difficult. Our desire is that no one grieves alone. We invite you to join us as we accompany you on your journey toward understanding, clarity and peace this Advent/Christmas season. If you are interested in participating in our Grief Support Groups, please contact Rhonda at rabrams@clecem.org., or call 216-930-4866. A reservation is not required, but is appreciated.

The FEST Internship Looking to do something extraordinary this summer? The FEST (www.theFEST.us) is looking for marketing & communications, event planning, and logistics management interns to join the team that puts together our annual Diocesan Family Festival. Interns will be a part of a fast-paced team and will play a critical role in the marketing, planning and coordination of this annual event for 40,000+ people. Interns will provide support and have responsibilities including public speaking, marketing, mailings, digital and social media, press releases, logistics, event planning and more. Interns must have strong people skills, work ethic, critical thinking, organizational skills and reliable transportation. For more information, or to apply, please send your resume to Caitlin@theFEST.us by January 10th.

Paid Position in the Rectory St. Sebastian Church is looking for people to substitute in the rectory office on Saturdays and Sundays when our regular employees need to take time off. If you are interested and would like more information, please call Jennifer Jones, Office Manager, at 330-836-2233 ext. 101.

Prayerful Service and Reflection Opportunity The Dominican Sisters of Peace are sponsoring a five day prayerful service and reflection opportunity for single Catholic women between the ages of 18 to 45 who are discerning a possible call to religious life, or lay ministry in the church. This experience is scheduled for Wednesday, January 4th, to Saturday, January, 8th, 2020, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and includes prayer, service, community and fun! Participants will live together in one of our small community houses and will be cooking a meal for several homeless families, rebuilding a house over several days, visiting a Peace Center and more. We will have group prayer and reflection time on these service experiences to explore the connection between service and justice. You will have time also for individual reflection and to journal your experiences. Space is limited, so register now! Free room and board provided. Some travel funds to New Orleans are available on a need basis. Visit our website at https://oppeace.org/mission-immersion-weekend-january-4-8-2019/ to register, or for more information, contact Sr. Bea Tiboldi, OP, by phone or text at 614-400-1275, or email at btiboldi@oppeace.org.

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Feed Neighbors in Need The Cleveland Cavaliers have teamed up with the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Hunger

Centers to help feed the hungry this Christmas season. The Cav’s are offering discounted tickets to the Friday, December 20th, home game at 7:00pm against the Memphis Grizzles. In addition to your ticket purchase benefitting our hunger centers, all attendees will receive a Whammer Bobblehead. The fun-filled evening includes a free throw on the court after the game - a great photo opp for all! Order tickets at svdpcle.org, or https://go.rallyup.com/svdp-cavs. Ticket sales end December 19, 2019.

Everyone’s talking about “Table Talk” Join us Thursday, December 19th, at 5:00pm for “Table Talk” with Bishop Bohdan Danylo of the Ukrainian

Eparchy of Parma. (Rebroadcast Saturday, December 21st, at noon and Sunday, December 22nd, at 1:00pm).

Send your questions for Bishop Nelson Perez to tabletalk@am1260therock.com by December 24th, and you may have your question asked and answered on the Thursday, January 16th, edition of “Table Talk.”

He is the Light of the World The celebration of the birth of Christ is global, and EWTN brings you special programming throughout the season. Experience Mass in Italy at the Vatican, enjoy concerts from Europe and visit sacred sites in the Holy Land. Enrich your faith: tune into EWTN this Christmas season. Visit ewtn.com for more programming details.

Gospel Meditation 3rd Sunday of Advent Who did you come to see? A version of this question is posed by Jesus many times in the Gospels. He asks it of Andrew and John when they begin to follow him. He asks it of Mary Magdalene in the garden of the resurrection. He asks it in today’s Gospel. “What did you go out to the desert to see?” There is something innately human about “seeing.” Animals have eyes — some with much more powerful vision than our own — but that’s not the kind of seeing Jesus is talking about. We could phrase the question several other ways. “What are you looking for?” “What are you longing for?” “Whom do you seek?”

It is in seeing for ourselves that our suspicions or hypotheses are confirmed, that our desires discover their fulfillment, and that we can rest for a moment in certainty. John the Baptist sought certainty of Jesus’ identity. “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus sends word to him based on the testimony of sight, observations of the mighty deeds Jesus has begun to work. “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” God recognizes our desire to see. In the Incarnation, the Word is made flesh. The invisible is made visible. The supernatural is made manifest in an infant who can do little more than the most natural of movements as he feeds, cries, sleeps. We don’t need to wait for Christmas to see God. The work of God is all around us. Those blinded by sin “regain their sight.” People overcome backgrounds of poverty and violence to make world-changing contributions. Addicts grow and heal. Truth is spoken, and people listen. Let’s pray for the grace to see God’s movement in our lives this week. How have you seen the work of God?

©LPi

Gratitude Corner

This month we are thanking those involved in:

McDonough Resource Center Bookrack

General Intercessions Giving Tree Prayer Line

For more information regarding any of these groups, please contact the Rectory.