Bulletin Deadlines for the Holiday Season: The Deadline for the December 29th weekend bulletin will be on Monday, December 23rd. The Deadline for the January 5 weekend bulletin will be on Monday, December 30th. Please note: The parish office will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and on December 31 and January 1. Help Needed Christmas Church Decorating Would you like to be part of the process of creating an experience of awe, reverence, and wonder this Christmas Season? Our humble additions to the presence of Christ, already in the tabernacle, lead us to prayer and praise. Our decorating team strives for noble simplicity that draws people to the true nature of the mystery being celebrated. This is truly a labor of love and takes many hands and hours to complete. Please join us on Monday, December 23, at 8:30 am. We will work throughout the morning. You do not need to have an artful eye, just a willingness to follow direction and be able to lift and carry. If you are able to help, come and join us. Thank you! Pastoral Council Meetings Tuesday, December 17, 2019 Church of St. Mary Conference Room 6:30 PM St. Mary Pastoral Council 7:00 PM Joint Pastoral Councils 8:00 PM St. Henry Pastoral Council St. Mary Pastoral Council Members Jean Cemensky-Mohr Matt Wallskog Hayley Hunt Sheila McCabe Swan Don Reak Deb O’Connell Juan Zamora Madonna Russo Phil Campbell Jim Harmon St. Henry Pastoral Council Members Nancy Stauff Nathan Traxler Mike Boettcher Sharon Riebel Joe Boettcher MEALS ON WHEELS IN NEED OF VOLUNTEER 1 week open: March 23-27 If you are able to serve or have questions about what is involved in volunteering for Meals On Wheels, please contact Tara in the Parish Office. Symbolism in Advent Decorations You have certainly noticed that in addition to our Advent Wreath at St. Mary we also have an Advent Tree. Like the Advent wreath the evergreens symbolize our everlasting relationship with God, the source of continuous new life. Purple is the royal color reflecting the kingship of Christ and also repentance. The rose color, represents joy, which is expressed on the Third Sunday of Advent. The lighting of another candle each week on the Advent Wreath, reminds us that the incarnation (God becoming man) has transformed the darkness of hatred and evil into the light of joy and love. Have you noticed our Advent tree, too, has additions each week which represent our growing anticipation of the arrival of Christ this Christmas and in His second coming! Stabat Mater Dolorosa… although these words are in Latin, you know this very old poem/hymn quite well. We sing it every year during the stations of the cross celebrated throughout the season of Lent. I remind you of the first few lines: At the cross her station keeping; stood the mournful mother weeping; close to Jesus to the last. These beautiful opening lines truly describe Mary: she is the one who always remains close to Jesus. Her deepest love for her Son was expressed most powerfully in that she journeyed to the very end with Him on His road to death. Mary continues to draw near all her children as they face their own death or mourn the loss of a loved one. In light of the gratitude we feel toward Mary and our recognition of our need for her to always remain close to us, with my full support, the cemetery board is proposing to have sculpted a beautiful granite statue of Mary to be placed next to the crucifix at St. Mary’s Calvary Cemetery. Not only will it be a great comfort for all to see the tender face of Mary in the place their loved one’s bodies await the day of resurrection, but her presence next to Christ on the cross will constantly remind us that we must stay close After her beloved Son had died on the cross, Mary helped ensure that His body was placed in a dignified place (cf. LK 23:55-56). We too have the desire that our loved ones would not only be given a proper Christian burial, but the very place in which they are buried be places of dignity and beauty. Currently, St. Mary’s Calvary Cemetery needs some critical enhancements to help it measure up to such a standard. Namely, the various roads by which most people use to travel through the cemetery need repair. What good is a cemetery if its structures don’t make it easy for you to visit your loved one’s grave? Therefore, with my full support, the cemetery board proposes that now is the time to repair these roads. I am grateful for the cemetery board’s due diligence in caring for our cemetery, and I ask that you all support either one or both of these initiatives. To see an image of what the statue of Mary will look like or for details on the road repairs, please see the display boards at the entrances of the church and/or speak with one of the cemetery board members. While my body here decays, may my soul your goodness praise; safe in paradise with Thee. Amen. Your Pastor, Fr. Stiles Churches of St. Mary & St. Henry 165 N. Waterville Ave., Le Center, MN 56057 Phone: 507-357-6633 Phone/Fax: 507-357-4838 www.stmarysthenry.org Parish Staff Pastor: Fr. James Stiles (ext 306) [email protected]After Hours Emergencies: 507-456-8473 Associate Pastor: Fr. Timothy Sandquist (ext 307) [email protected]Trustees St. Mary: Clarence Mager 357-4338 Pete Plut 357-6222 Trustees St. Henry: Dan Germscheid 357-4923 Jim Selly 357-4898 Coordinator of Faith Formation: Jean Boothby (phone ext 304) [email protected]Secretary/Receptionist: Gloria Wolf (phone ext 301) [email protected]Accounting/Bookkeeping: Tara Robinson (phone ext 302) [email protected]Maintenance: Joe Holicky (phone ext 305) [email protected]Music Ministry: Terri McMillen [email protected]Office Hours - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Thursday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Friday Bulletin Deadline - articles need to be submitted to Gloria by noon on Wednesday. For use of meeting rooms or Social Hall - contact Gloria Thrift Store - 507-357-6942 Mass Schedule Saturday 4:30 PM (St. Mary) Sunday 8:00 AM (St. Henry) 10:00 AM (St. Mary) 12:00 PM (St. Mary, in Spanish) Monday No Mass Tuesday 5:00 PM Wed, Thursday, & Friday 9:00 AM Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday 3:45-4:20 PM (St. Mary) Sunday 7:30-7:50 AM (St. Henry) Or by appointment (contact Fr. Stiles or Fr. Sandquist) Our Eucharistic Adoration chapel is open for individuals to come for 5 minutes or an hour and be with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Our chapel hours are: Tuesday 9:00 AM to Thursday 9:00 AM (closes during daily Mass and Funeral Masses). THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 15, 2019 "Let your door stand open to receive Him, unlock your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your mind, and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the joy of grace.”
Transcript
Bulletin Deadlines for the Holiday Season: The Deadline for the December 29th weekend bulletin will be on Monday, December 23rd.
The Deadline for the January 5 weekend bulletin will be on Monday, December 30th.
Please note: The parish office will be closed on Christmas Eve
and Christmas Day and on December 31 and January 1.
Help Needed Christmas Church Decorating
Would you like to be part of the process of creating an experience of awe, reverence, and wonder this Christmas Season? Our humble additions to the presence of Christ, already
in the tabernacle, lead us to prayer and praise. Our decorating team strives for noble simplicity that draws people to the true nature of the mystery being celebrated. This is truly a labor of love and takes many hands and hours to complete. Please join us on Monday, December 23, at 8:30 am. We will work throughout the morning. You do not need to have an artful eye, just a willingness to follow direction and be able to lift and carry. If you are able to help, come and join us. Thank you!
Pastoral Council Meetings Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Church of St. Mary Conference Room 6:30 PM St. Mary Pastoral Council 7:00 PM Joint Pastoral Councils
8:00 PM St. Henry Pastoral Council
St. Mary Pastoral Council Members
Jean Cemensky-Mohr Matt Wallskog Hayley Hunt Sheila McCabe Swan Don Reak Deb O’Connell Juan Zamora Madonna Russo Phil Campbell Jim Harmon
St. Henry Pastoral Council Members
Nancy Stauff Nathan Traxler Mike Boettcher Sharon Riebel Joe Boettcher
MEALS ON WHEELS IN NEED OF VOLUNTEER
1 week open: March 23-27
If you are able to serve or have questions about what is involved in volunteering for Meals On
Wheels, please contact Tara in the Parish Office.
Symbolism in Advent Decorations
You have certainly noticed that in addition to our Advent Wreath at St. Mary we also have an Advent Tree. Like the Advent wreath the evergreens symbolize our everlasting relationship with God, the source of continuous new life. Purple is the royal color reflecting the kingship of Christ and also repentance. The rose color, represents joy, which is expressed on the Third Sunday of Advent. The lighting of another candle each week on the Advent Wreath, reminds us that the incarnation (God becoming man) has transformed the darkness of hatred and evil into the light of joy and love. Have you noticed our Advent tree, too, has additions each week which represent our growing anticipation of the arrival of Christ this Christmas and in His second coming!
Stabat Mater Dolorosa… although these words are in Latin, you know this very old poem/hymn quite well. We sing it every year during the stations of the cross celebrated throughout the season of Lent. I remind you of the first few lines: At the cross her station keeping; stood the mournful mother weeping; close to Jesus to the last.
These beautiful opening lines truly describe Mary: she is the one who always remains close to Jesus. Her deepest love for her Son was expressed most powerfully in that she journeyed to the very end with Him on His road to death. Mary continues to draw near all her children as they face their own death or mourn the loss of a loved one.
In light of the gratitude we feel toward Mary and our recognition of our need for her to always remain close to us, with my full support, the cemetery board is proposing to have sculpted a beautiful granite statue of Mary to be placed next to the crucifix at St. Mary’s Calvary Cemetery. Not only will it be a great comfort for all to see the tender face of Mary in the place their loved one’s bodies await the day of resurrection, but her presence next to Christ on the cross will constantly remind us that we must stay close After her beloved Son had died on the cross, Mary helped ensure that His body was placed in a dignified place (cf. LK 23:55-56). We too have the desire that our loved ones would not only be given a proper Christian burial, but the very place in which they are buried be places of dignity and beauty.
Currently, St. Mary’s Calvary Cemetery needs some critical enhancements to help it measure up to such a standard. Namely, the various roads by which most people use to travel through the cemetery need repair. What good is a cemetery if its structures don’t make it easy for you to visit your loved one’s grave? Therefore, with my full support, the cemetery board proposes that now is the time to repair these roads.
I am grateful for the cemetery board’s due diligence in caring for our cemetery, and I ask that you all support either one or both of these initiatives. To see an image of what the statue of Mary will look like or for details on the road repairs, please see the display boards at the entrances of the church and/or speak with one of the cemetery board members.
While my body here decays, may my soul your goodness praise; safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
Your Pastor, Fr. Stiles
Churches of St. Mary & St. Henry 165 N. Waterville Ave., Le Center, MN 56057
Bulletin Deadline - articles need to be submitted to Gloria by noon
on Wednesday.
For use of meeting rooms or Social Hall - contact Gloria
Thrift Store - 507-357-6942
Mass Schedule
Saturday 4:30 PM (St. Mary)
Sunday 8:00 AM (St. Henry)
10:00 AM (St. Mary)
12:00 PM (St. Mary, in Spanish)
Monday No Mass
Tuesday 5:00 PM
Wed, Thursday, & Friday 9:00 AM
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday 3:45-4:20 PM (St. Mary)
Sunday 7:30-7:50 AM (St. Henry)
Or by appointment (contact Fr. Stiles or Fr. Sandquist)
Our Eucharistic Adoration chapel is open for individuals to come
for 5 minutes or an hour and be with Our Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament. Our chapel hours are: Tuesday 9:00 AM to Thursday
9:00 AM (closes during daily Mass and Funeral Masses).
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 15, 2019
"Let your door stand open
to receive Him, unlock
your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your
mind, and then you will
see the riches of simplicity, the treasures
of peace, the joy of grace.”
From the Pastor’s Desk
“Is there anything else that you need?”
Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ,
I interrupt my reflection geared toward the men of the parish in order to touch on an extremely important topic today. This past Thursday, Dec. 12th, all around the world Catholics celebrated the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Do you know the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas and of life?
Just about a decade after the dethronement of the Aztec empire by the Spaniards and many of their indigenous allies, a poor peasant named Juan Diego, a convert to Christianity, was making his way to mass early in the morning on Dec. 9th, 1531. As he passed over the now famous Tepeyac hill (located in Mexico City), he heard the sound of singing and saw an incredibly bright cloud before which a beautiful Lady could be seen. This mysterious Lady told him, “You must know and be very certain in your heart, my son, that I am truly the perpetual and perfect Virgin Mary, holy mother of the True God through whom everything lives, the Creator and Master of Heaven and Earth. I wish and intensely desire that in this place my sanctuary be erected so that in it I may show and make known and give all my love, my compassion, my help and my protection to the people.” Our blessed Mother then instructed Juan Diego that he was to inform the bishop of her desires.
Understandably, after Juan Diego told the news of what happened to him and what our Lady wanted, the bishop was skeptical. A disheartened Juan Diego met our Lady again at the top of Tepeyac. Though Juan tried to convince Mary to send someone more dignified than himself, she insisted that it be he who carry the message again to the bishop. So, Juan gave it another attempt the following day.
Still, although more intrigued this time, the bishop demanded that the mysterious Lady give some sign in order that he might be convinced that it was indeed the Mother of God. That same day in the evening, Juan met the Mother of God once again on top of Tepeyac. She assured him that she would provide such a sign.
However, Juan’s uncle was deathly ill, so he preoccupied himself that whole next day with caring for his uncle and didn’t return to see the Lady to obtain the sign. On the following day, Dec. 12th, 1531, Juan Diego was on his way to find a priest who could come and anoint his uncle. Embarrassed that he did not return to Tepeyac in order to retrieve the sign from Mary, when Juan needed to pass by Tepeyac hill in route to find the priest, he tried to avoid Her by not going to the top of the hill. Yet, Mary came down the hill and intercepted him and said the following: “Listen and be sure, my dear son, that I will protect you; do not be frightened or grieve, or let your heart be dismayed, however great the illness may be that you speak of. Am I not here? I, who am your Mother, and is not my help a refuge? Am I not of your kind? Do not be concerned about your uncle’s illness, for he is not going to die. Be assured, he is already well. Is there anything else that you need?”
After these consoling words, Mary told Juan to ascend the hill and there he would find flowers in bloom (the arid conditions on that hill should never have been able to produce the type of flowers he found.) Sure enough, Juan found gorgeous Castilian roses. As Juan picked the flowers, Mary arranged with her own hands and helped him gather them in his garment (tilma).
In the presence of the bishop again, Juan Diego told the bishop of all that had happened and allowed his garment to open and the roses fell to the ground. But, that wasn’t all! Juan’s garment now miraculously contained the exact image of the Lady who had appeared to him 4 times. At this, the bishop fell to his knees and asked the Blessed Mother to pardon him for doubting that it was truly her who had appeared and her messenger.
The bishop responded quickly to the Blessed Mother’s request that a sanctuary be built on Tepeyac hill. Within a period of two weeks, a simple adobe sanctuary (little shrine) was erected on the side of the hill.
While the look of the sanctuary has changed forms throughout the centuries, the garment with the miraculous image of our Lady remains virtually the same as it was nearly 500 years ago (a miracle in itself). In fact, anyone can travel to Mexico City to see the miraculous garment this very day.
Friends, as we approach Christmas, let’s invoke Our Lady of Guadalupe to continue to show us Her compassionate care as we remember her words: “Am I not here? I, who am your mother…Is there anything else you need?”
Happy Gaudete Sunday!
With fatherly love, Fr. Stiles
Mass Schedule & Intentions
Monday, December 16
Tuesday, December 17 9:00 AM Opening of Adoration 5:00 PM Mass Jean Weber†
Wednesday, December 18 9:00 AM Mass Living & Deceased of Grace & Lloyd Sandberg family
Thursday, December 19 8:55 AM Closing of Adoration 9:00 AM Mass Mike Tikalsky†
Friday, December 20 9:00 AM Mass Ken Sinclair† 11:00 AM Mass at Central Health Care Rita Schipreth†
Saturday, December 21 3:15 PM Confessions 4:30 PM Mass Donna & Edward Dudley††
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, December 22 7:15 AM Confessions (St. Henry) 8:00 AM Mass (St. Henry) Living & Deceased of Aloyz & Bette Haefner family 10:00 AM Mass Roy Richter† 12:00 PM Mass (in Spanish) Erika Mendez & Amalia Ruiz
This Week in the Parish
Monday, December 16 AM-PM Social Hall in use
Tuesday, December 17 Communion Calls - Sue 6:30-7:00 PM St. Mary Pastoral Council Meeting 7:00-8:00 PM Joint Pastoral Council Meeting 8:00-8:30 PM St. Henry Pastoral Council Meeting 8:00 PM Posadas
Wednesday, December 18 10:00 AM Women’s Grief Support Group 5:30-6:30 PM Faith Formation Classes 6:45-8:00 PM Faith Formation Classes 8:00 PM Posadas
Thursday, December 19 8:00 PM Posadas
Friday, December 20 Communion Calls - Horizon Place 8:00 PM Posadas
Saturday, December 21 8:00 PM Posadas
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, December 22 Children’s Liturgy of the Word Baptisms after Masses 6:30-8:00 PM Advent Penance Service 8:00 PM Posadas
Readings for next Sunday, December 22, 2019
Isaiah 7:10-14 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-24
Community and Social Events
Sunday, December 15, 2019 Nativity Breakfast and Cookie Sale - Church of the Nativity, 200 Main St., Cleveland, MN from 9AM-12PM. Come, have breakfast and get your Christmas baking done in one-stop. Our wonderful cooks and bakers are well known throughout the area!
Thursday, December 19, 2019 Village 55 - at 2PM at the Horizon Place, Le Center. We will gather for Christmas festivities! Jessica Shouler along with her dad, Mike David, will be entertaining us with a Christmas Carol sing along. Please bring a wrapped $5 gift to exchange. Ho! Ho! Ho!
Tuesday, January 21, 2020 Life Line Screening - A leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings will be at Church of St. Mary. Available will be ultrasound screenings to identify risk factors for cardiovascular disease, EKG heart rhythm screening, and an Osteoporosis Risk Assessment for men and women. Register online today at www.lifelinescreening.com/communitycircle
We are so very blessed in our country to have religious freedom which means we have a right to choose and practice our religion. We do not have to accept policies that work against the teaching of our faith or go against our conscience.
May 23, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — “The Little Sisters of the Poor are once again the target of liberals in government who believe that the sisters must be strong-armed into violating their consciences by providing contraceptives and abortifacients to their employees, or face extinction.
After fighting a lengthy battle against the Obama administration to defend their religious liberty, their ministries to the poor and elderly, and their very existence, the sisters had finally found relief when the Trump administration granted them an exemption.
Pennsylvania attorney general Josh Shapiro now wants to take that exemption away from the Little Sisters of the Poor and again force them to comply with the Health and Human Services (HHS) birth control mandate. If Shapiro prevails and the sisters resist, they will be forced to pay tens of millions of dollars in fines.”
October 23, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) -- “A federal court in California blocked efforts by the Trump administration to exempt religious organizations from Obamacare requirements that force employers to provide birth control as part of healthcare insurance.
In a 2-1 decision, a panel of judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that the Trump administration’s rules that allow exemptions for religious groups such as the Little Sisters of the Poor are contrary to the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The Obama administration issued rules requiring all employers, including non-church religious organizations, to cover all forms of birth control free of charge to employees, including abortifacient devices and drugs.”
Please pray for The Sisters of the Poor and that we, too, may retain our religious freedom!
St. Mary-St. Henry Pro-Life Team
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe TODAY, Sunday, December 15
Come celebrate this important feast for all people. We begin with Mass on Sunday, December 15 at 12:00 pm, followed by a meal, music and dancing in St. Mary’s Social Hall.
All are invited.
St Mary’s Choir is getting ready for Christmas! Won’t you join us? All voices are needed!
Practices are scheduled for: Monday, December 16 6:30-8:00 pm and St Mary’s Choir meets at 9:30am every Sunday to practice
St Mary’s Choir sings for the Christmas Eve Mass at 10:00 pm. We ask anyone, who can, to also sing Christmas Day at the 10:00 am Mass.
Youth Choir All students in grades K-12 are welcome to join in the fun of spreading God’s word through song! Youth Choir practices Sundays after the 10AM Mass. Students will meet in the choir loft after Mass and then move to a classroom. Practice will be done at noon. Confirmation students – This is a great way to earn service hours and be a part of your parish community!
St. Mary’s Thrift Store Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM NEW Thrift Store #507-357-6942
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Stop in at our Parish Thrift Store for half price sale storewide starting
Tuesday, December 10 - Saturday, January 4
Cleveland & Marysburg Mass Times
WEEKEND MASSES: Saturday, 4:00 pm - Nativity Saturday, 6:00 pm - IC of Marysburg Sunday, 8:30 am - Nativity Sunday, 10:30 am - IC of Marysburg RECONCILIATION TIMES: Sat. 3:15-3:45 pm - Nativity Sat. 5:30-5:45 pm - IC of Marysburg WEEKDAY MASSES: Monday, 8 am - Marysburg Tuesday, 8 am - Nativity Wed, 8 am - Marysburg Thursday, NO Mass Friday, 8 am - Nativity
POSADAS: December 16-24, 8:00 pm in St. Mary’s Social Hall (please note the Posadas will take place elsewhere on Dec. 16) All are invited to join us in our celebration of Posadas (in Spanish), nine days which commemorate Mary and Joseph’s difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a place to spend the night, eventually finding refuge in a humble stable, where Mary gives birth to our Savior Jesus Christ. Each night of Posadas leading up to Christmas, the community gathers to offer prayers, sing songs, and share food. All are invited to commemorate this important part of the Christmas story and to share in the faith of our community.
Baptism Classes If you are interested in having your child baptized, please contact Father Sandquist at the Parish Office to reserve your spot and to schedule a Baptism class. This 1 1/2 hour long class is required for the parents and godparents of the child to be baptized.
Please note the next scheduled date for baptism will take place on December 22, 2019.
Please Note: A requirement for Baptism is a copy of the child’s birth certificate.
Sacramental Information Baptism - offered once each month. Contact Fr. Sandquist for baptism in English or Fr. Stiles for baptism in Spanish.
Marriage - contact Fr. Sandquist at least 6 months in advance. All couples must complete a weekend retreat as well as marriage preparation classes.
Confirmation - youth are prepared in grades 8 & 9. For adult confirmation - contact Fr. Stiles.
Anointing of the Sick - communal anointing for the Parish once each year in the spring. For private anointing, contact the parish office. In an emergency call 507-456-8473.
Communion calls for ill or homebound - please contact the Parish Office.
Sacramental Life
Thank you to all who joined us for the Christmas Fair
If you missed the Nativity/Christmas Play, join us Wednesday, December 18th at 6:15pm in the church for another showing!
All are welcome. (We will have early session classes before the play and late session classes afterwards. Students are welcome to bring a
canned good to carry up to the manger as a gift for baby Jesus that will then be donated to the food shelf.)
Steubenville Rochester Youth Conference All current 8
th – 12
th grade students are
invited to participate in this July 10-12, 2020 weekend conference packed with great speakers, small group discussions, Mass, Reconciliation, and Adoration. Registrations for Steubenville Rochester Youth Conference may be found at the church entrances.
Upcoming Dates: Dec. 18 – FF Classes, Christmas/Nativity Play performed for all parents and students in the church beginning at 6:15pm Dec 25 & Jan 1 – No FF Classes Jan 8 – FF Classes including Kindergarten
Stay in touch with Faith Formation activities by downloading the Remind App (class code is
7g962b), following us on Facebook, or visiting our website at www.stmarysthenry.org.
“All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of lights.” James 1:17
Jean R. Boothby Faith Formation Coordinator [email protected] 941-962-5168
Faith Formation
Please note the following opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Advent:
Beginning December 1, during Advent: Confessions will be heard Saturdays 3:15-4:20 PM, prior to the 4:30 PM Mass (St. Mary) and Sundays 7:15-7:50 AM prior to the 8:00 AM Mass (St. Henry).
Advent Penance Services:
Sunday, December 22, 6:30-8:00 PM at St. Mary.
Fr. Stiles, Fr. Sandquist, and additional priests will be available to hear confessions during the Penance Service.
Christmas Mass Times
Tuesday, December 24: 4:00 PM, 7:00 PM (Spanish)
& 10:00 PM
Wednesday, December 25: 8:00 AM (St. Henry)
& 10:00 AM
Please Note: Eucharistic Adoration will close just before the 4PM Christmas eve mass and
will reopen after the 10pm Christmas eve mass. In addition, it will be closed during the 10am
mass on Christmas day. Bring your family to spend a few quiet moments with
the Christ Child in our adoration chapel on Christmas day. Just like the Magi showed up to be in
the presence of Our Lord, we, too, can be in his divine presence. “O come let us adore him!”
Christmas Mass Times at Nativity/Marysburg
Christmas Eve Tuesday, December 24: 4:00 PM Nativity
6:00 PM Marysburg
Christmas Day Wednesday, December 25: 8:30 AM Nativity
10:30 AM Marysburg
The Blessed Mother, Mary, statue that rests on top of our sign outside the church entrance has received a much needed repainting. Priscilla Malinski did a beautiful job of working with a paint chipped and faded image. Thank you, Priscilla! The transformation is amazing! Please take time to take a look at the job well done and while you’re there, ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for you in all your intentions.
Church Cleaning - Terry Blaschko & Charlene Boettcher are scheduled to clean the church by December 22, 2019.
St. Henry News
Weekly Giving envelopes are at the back of the church at St. Mary & St. Henry. Please pick yours up at your convenience. If you
don’t find your name and would like envelopes, stop in at the parish office and we will be happy to issue you envelopes. If you have decided to switch to electronic giving, please let the office know and we will no longer order envelopes for
you. We also have envelopes that are for youth that are not dated and can be used year after year.
Retirement Fund for Religious
Religious give thanks. “’Thank you’ hardly seems adequate to convey what it means to us,” says a Catholic sister of the financial assistance her community received from the Retirement Fund for Religious. Prayer-filled thanks for your
donation of $291 to last week’s second collection.
Please note, due to IRS tax laws, end-of-year donations to the parish or building fund must be turned in by 5 PM closing of the office on Monday, December 30, placed in the Saturday, December 28 or Sunday, December 29 collection basket or the Tuesday, December 31, 5PM Mass collection basket. Your end-of-year donation can also be mailed with a postmark of December 31 (or earlier) in order to be reported on 2019 giving statements. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of making a special gift to St. Mary or St. Henry at this time of year!
December 21 - December 22: Fourth Sunday of Advent
Altar Server Extraordinary Minister Lector Usher
Saturday, 4:30 PM (St. Mary)
Adalyn Gibeau Ann Gindt - Host Barbara Tiede - Host
Maureen Blaschko Ethan Gibeau Jeremy Gindt James O'Connell Andy Simonette
Sunday, 8:00 AM (St. Henry) Brendan Germscheid Sharon Riebel - Host Madonna Russo
