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SAINT FERDINAND& GOOD SHEPHERD
PARISH BULLETIN | December 29, 2019 | The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Pastor
Rev. Fr. Brion Zarsky
[email protected]
Deacon Jessie Esquivel
[email protected]
Cathy Cudd, Parish Secretary
[email protected]
St. Ferdinand--DRE – Susan Moore 830-833-0444
[email protected]
Office hours/Horarios de Oficina:
Wednesdays/Miercoles 12:00-6:00 p.m.
Good Shepherd--Margie Vasquez 830-833-5227
Coordinator of RE & Youth Minister
[email protected]
WEEKEND MASSES:
St. Ferdinand
Saturday: 5:00 p.m. ; 7:00 p.m. (Español)
Sunday: 11:00 a.m.
Good Shepherd
Sunday: 9 a.m.
For a Complete weekday
Mass Schedule and Mass Intentions,
please see the next page
SACRAMENT OF
RECONCILIATION (CONFESSION):
St. Ferdinand
Saturday: 4 p.m.
Good Shepherd
Sunday: 8:30 a.m.
(or by appointment)
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday through Friday
1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
WEBSITES:
W W W.STFERDINANDBLANCO.ORG
W W W.GOODSHEPHERDJCTX.ORG
MAILING ADDRESS:
25 MAIN STREET
BLANCO, TEXAS 78606
PHONE NUMBERS:
OFFICE PHONE: (830) 833-5227
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: (830) 833-0444
OFFICE FAX: (830) 833-9978
GENERAL INFORMATION:
[email protected]
BULLETIN INQUIRIES:
[email protected]
P A R I S H I N F O R M A T I O N
Saint Mary’s Help of Christians Cemetery
Catholic Churches
All of the love that God has in Himself, all of the beauty that God has in Himself, all of the truth that God has in Himself, He gives to the family. And a family is truly a family when it is able to open its arms and receive all of this love.
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W e l c o m e V i s i t o r s & G u e s t s
Thank you for Celebrating the Mass with us. We are glad that you are here. If you have any questions about our
parish or joining the Catholic faith, please contact the Church office for information concerning reception of
Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Matrimony and Anointing of the Sick. Parent
interviews for Baptism need to be scheduled with the priest six weeks in advance. Marriage Arrangements need to
be made with the priest at least six months in advance. Holy Communion can be brought to the sick on request. If
you know of anyone in need, please call the office.
Saturday, December 28th (StF) 5:00 p.m.
Repose of the Soul of Joshua Paul Knight by Jenny
Donovan
Saturday, December 28th (StF) 7:00 p.m.
Parishioners of St. Ferdinand and Good Shepherd
Sunday, December 29th (GS) 9:00 a.m.
Rosary at 8:25 a.m., Parishioners of Good Shepherd and
St. Ferdinand
Sunday, December 29th (StF) 11:00 a.m.
Repose of the Soul of John Geldorf by Family
Tuesday, December 31st (GS) 5:00 p.m.
Vigil of the Holy Day of Obligation
Parishioners of Good Shepherd and St. Ferdinand
Tuesday, December 31st (SF)
No Mass
Wednesday, January 1st (StF) 10:00 a.m.
Holy Day of Obligation
Parishioners of St. Ferdinand and Good Shepherd
Thursday, January 2nd (SF) 9:00 a.m.
Souls in Purgatory
Thursday, January 2nd (GS) 6:00 p.m.
Parishioners of Good Shepherd and St. Ferdinand
Friday, January 3rd (StF) 9:00 a.m.
Repose of the Soul of Dan Kubin by Family
Saturday, January 4th (StF) 5:00 p.m.
Repose of the Soul of Walter Heffner by Family
Saturday, January 4th (StF) 7:00 p.m.
Parishioners of St. Ferdinand and Good Shepherd
Masses & IntentionsWeek of December 28, 2019 – January 4, 2020
Prayer ListPlease continue to pray for comfort and healing for the sick
in our parish community. In addition, please ask the Lord
for wisdom for their doctors and nurses, rest for their
caregivers, and peace and strength for their family and
friends.
We are proud of all those in our
parish who are serving and
protecting our country.
Thank you and God bless all of you.
If you or someone you know needs prayer in a special
way, please email: [email protected] .
Llano Baumgartner
Joyce (Edge) Bishop
Joanne Bodine
Michelle Campbell
Richard Cole
Barbara Crowley
Lee Durci
Jesse Estrada
Pete Garcia
Dana Ninneman Gonzales
Steve and Teen Grigory
Natalie Hernandez
Earl Hunter
Mike Kleiss
Clifford Lane
Abby and Judy Lantier
Charlie Lechow
Charles McKinney
Naomi Michalsky
Olivia Miller
Ralph Moss
Ivan Nelson
Andrea Perez
Charles Reinert
Sid Reinert
Nancy Romero
Opie Romero
Martin Antonio Martinez
Joan Sauerhoff
Lucille Scharnhorst
Gay Schuler
James Slaughter
Jacob Umanzor
Tony Vela
Polo Zamora
Mass PreparationJanuary 5, 2020, The Epiphany of the Lord
First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6Jerusalem shall be a light to all nations.
Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,10-11,12-13Every nation on earth shall worship the Lord.
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3a,5-6Gentiles are coheirs in the promise of Christ.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12The Magi seek out Jesus and do him homage.If you know of someone who is unable to get to Mass
but would like to receive Communion, call the parish
office at 830-833-5227. We will contact an
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion who will
bring Communion to the parishioner’s home.
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Good Shepherd Men’s Club
Meets the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the parish hall.
Knights of Columbus
Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Ferdinand Parish Hall.
Catholic Daughters Of The Americas
Meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Ferdinand Parish Hall.
St. Ferdinand’s Parish Choir
Meets Wednesday nights at 5:00 p.m. Call 830-833-4939 for more information.
Good Shepherd Youth Choir
Practice 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in Good Shepherd Church
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
Meets Thursday nights from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. in the St. Ferdinand RE Building.
Women’s Bible Study
Meets every Thursday at 1 p.m. If you’re interested in joining please contact Karen Gebhardt at 210-427-3060or [email protected] .
Parish Organizations & Meeting Times
St. Ferdinand:
Regular Collection
Black Bag
Good Shepherd:
Regular Collection
Christmas:
St. Ferdinand
Good Shepherd
$4,428.00
$465.15
$836.00
$2,747.48
$665.00
Week of December 22, 2019
Thank you for your generosity!
Second C o l l e c t i o n f o r T o d a y :
SF& GS: Holy Family
Altar Server Training, St. Ferdinand
Meets every Sunday of the month at St. Ferdinand at
8:30 a.m. (following school schedule)
Good Shepherd
Vocat ions Cha l i ce
If your family feels called to pray with the Chalice, please
contact Warren Davis before or after Mass or by calling
him directly at 713-569-9491.
Good Shepherd Contemplative Prayer
Every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Church, Contact George and Karen Gebhardt(210-216-6771 or 210-427-3060)
Good Shepherd
December 24-January 1 – Parish Office Closed
December 31 – Vigil of Solemnity of Mary, Holy Day of
Obligation, 5:00 pm Mass
January 8 – Men’s Club Meeting, 7:00 pm
January 14 – Contemplative Prayer Group, 7:00 pm
January 15 – Youth Choir Practice, 5:30 pm
January 19 – Men’s Club Breakfast Tacos following
9:00 am Mass in GS Parish Hall
Calendar of Events
St. Ferdinand
December 24-January 1 – Parish Office Closed
December 31 – No 9:00 am Mass
January 1 – Solemnity of Mary, Holy Day of Obligation
10:00 am Mass
January 3 – Adoration, 9:30 am to 8:00 pm
January 5 – Altar Server Training, 8:30 am
January 12 – Altar Server Training, 8:30 am
January 14 – Catholic Daughters, 7:00 pm, SF Parish Hall
January 15 – Knights of Columbus, 7:00 pm, SF Parish Hall
January 19 – Altar Server Training, 8:30 am
January 26 – Altar Server Training, 8:30 am
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If you could name just one quality that makes a family holy,
what would it be? You might say love, or any of the other virtues
that St. Paul lists in today’s second reading. And you may well
be right. But what do you think keeps a family holy? What
keeps them together for the long haul? Forgiveness.
Why? Because we are all fallen human beings. Even though
we have Jesus living in us, we still commit sins. We are bound
to hurt each other at times, even when we don’t intend to.
That’s why forgiveness in a family is so important.
You might think that the only family that never needed to
forgive one another was the Holy Family. After all, Mary was
born without original sin, Joseph is a saint, and Jesus is the
Son of God! But even without actually sinning against one
another, there were still plenty of times when mercy and
forbearance were necessary. Maybe Mary forgot to let the bread
rise one morning, so they had to go without it that day. Perhaps
the boy Jesus accidentally broke the water pitcher. Or maybe
Joseph felt hurt because he misunderstood something Mary
had said to him. Each of these “innocent” events could have led
to resentment if it wasn’t dealt with right away.
The ability to forgive one another, even for the minor offenses
that happen in daily life together, is the oil that makes family
relationships run well. Saying “I’m sorry; will you forgive me?”
and “I forgive you” should roll off our tongues as readily as the
words “I love you.” Because without forgiveness, bitterness can
grow and love can wither.
So make forgiveness a goal for your family for the coming
year. Show your children and grandchildren how to forgive by
modeling it yourself. It’s not a concession to say you’re sorry to
another person; it’s a grace—one that the Holy Family will give
you for the asking!
“Jesus, give me the humility to ask for forgiveness and the
mercy to grant it.”
F e a s t o f t h e H o l y F a m i l y
herido porque malinterpretó algo que María le había dicho.
Cada uno de estos eventos "inocentes" podría haber llevado al
resentimiento si no se trataba de inmediato.
La capacidad de perdonarse mutuamente, incluso por las
ofensas menores que ocurren en la vida diaria juntos, es el
aceite que hace que las relaciones familiares funcionen bien.
Decir "Lo siento; ¿Me perdonarás?" y "te perdono" debe rodar
por nuestras lenguas tan fácilmente como las palabras "Te
amo". Porque sin perdón, la amargura puede crecer y el amor se
puede marchitar.
Así que haz del perdón una meta para tu familia para el
próximo año. Muestre a sus hijos y nietos cómo perdonar
modelándolo usted mismo. No es una concesión decir que lo
siento con otra persona; es una gracia, ¡una que la Sagrada
Familia te dará por pedir!
“Jesús, dame la humildad para pedir perdón y la misericordia
para concederlo."
F i e s t a d e l a S a g r a d a F a m i l i a
Si pudieras nombrar sólo una cualidad que hace santa a
una familia, ¿cuál sería? Podrías decir amor, o cualquiera de las
otras virtudes que San Pablo enumera en la segunda lectura de
hoy. Y puede que tengas razón. Pero, ¿qué crees que santifica a
una familia? ¿Qué los mantiene unidos a largo plazo? El
Perdón.
¿por qué? Porque todos somos seres humanos caídos.
Aunque tenemos a Jesús viviendo en nosotros, todavía
cometemos pecados. Estamos obligados a lastimarnos a veces,
incluso cuando no tenemos la intención de hacerlo. Por eso es
tan importante el perdón en una familia.
Podrían pensar que la única familia que nunca necesitó
perdonarse mutuamente fue la Sagrada Familia. Después de
todo, María nació sin pecado original, José es un santo, y Jesús
es el Hijo de Dios! Pero incluso sin pecar entre sí, todavía había
muchas veces en que la misericordia y la tolerancia eran
necesarias. Tal vez Maria olvidó levantar el pan una manana,
así que tuvieron que irse sin él ese día. Tal vez el niño Jesús
accidentalmente rompió la jarra de agua. O tal vez José se sintió
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Friday January 3, 2020
9:30 am to 8:00 pm in the St. Ferdinand Chapel
Let’s start the new year off right! This Friday, come and receive the graces promised from the source of ultimate love. Take
time out of your day to spend a few moments in quiet prayer with our Lord at HIS House – He’s waiting for you.
Volunteers are needed to make sure the church is never empty while the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. A signup sheet is
posted at the back of the chapel for 30-minute prayer times throughout the day.
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Are you looking for ways to center yourself on Christ
during the busyness and distractions of this time of
year? Create a space in your day and in your heart for
Christ. Journey with Formed this Advent through
FORMED Daily Advent.
If you are not yet a FORMED subscriber, registration is
free to St Ferdinand and Good Shepherd parishioners,
and to anyone living within the parish boundaries.
Sign up at signup.formed.org.
Select St Ferdinand
Enter your name and email.
Download the free FORMED app if viewing on a device.
A link will be sent to your email. Click the link and
you're signed in.
To access FORMED Daily Advent, scroll down to
Reflections, or register at: https://formed.org/advent
Donation Acknowledgement Letters
Available after January 1, 2020
The IRS requires that a tax-exempt organization send a formal acknowledgment letter for any donation that is more than
$250 if a taxpayer wishes to claim their donation in order to receive a tax deduction. If you wish to receive a donation
acknowledgement letter from St. Ferdinand or Good Shepherd detailing your contributions, please email
[email protected] to request one. We can email the letter to you or if you prefer receiving a hard copy, please
include a current mailing address with your request. Donation acknowledgement letters will be printed off by request only.
Letters may also be requested by phone at (830) 833-5227, or in person during normal business hours.
This is spiritually more beneficial than fasting,
according to St. John of the Cross. And his advice may
surprise you.
Spiritual writers have always stressed the importance of
fasting, but St. John of the Cross would argue that there is
one spiritual discipline that may be even more beneficial
than fasting.
He writes in his Sayings of Light and Love, “Conquering
the tongue is better than fasting on bread and water.”
What he is referring to is the ability to use our words to
build up others, rather than tear them down.
If St. John of the Cross were alive today, he might
include “Conquering your digital comments” in the mix.
It requires great spiritual discipline to refrain from using
the internet to take a personal jab at someone or posting a
snarky comment about an individual.
Too often we forget that there are real people behind the
millions of social media profiles on the internet and don’t
think that we could actually hurt someone else by the
words we use in the comment box. If fasting is easy for you
to do, try reforming your speech and internet interactions.
You may find yourself having a much more difficult time
restraining your impulses and turning off your phone
before you do something you will regret.
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St. Ferdinand
Class Times:
PreK-6th: Sundays 9:30-10:40 a.m.
No class Dec 22nd, 29th, & Jan 5th
Classes resume January 12th
7th-8th: Wednesdays 6:30-7:45 p.m.
No Class Dec 25th, Jan 1st, and Jan 8th
Classes resume January 15th
Catechist Gathering January 8th 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Good Shepherd
Religious Education Classes:
Pre-K thru 5th Grade: Wednesday’s 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
No Classes after Dec. 18th – Classes will resume January
8th, 2020
Middle School EDGE Youth Ministry: Once a month on the
4th Sunday of each month, from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Classes
will resume on January 26, 2020.
High School RICH Youth Ministry: Every Sunday, from 5:30
pm – 7:30 pm. Classes are held in the St. Ferdinand Parish
Hall. Classes will resume on Jan. 12th, 2020.
Pre-Confirmation Classes: Classes are held once a month
on Saturdays from 9:30 am – 11:30 am at the Good Shepherd
RE building. This class is for 8th grade – 12th grade. If you
need information about Pre-confirmation or confirmation
requirements, please contact Margie Vasquez. Classes will
resume on Jan. 11th, 2020.
Volunteers/Teachers: If anyone is interested in helping in
our RE program, or would like to make donations – Please
contact Margie Vasquez or call the Parish office. Remember to
volunteer you must be EIM compliant. Please refer to the
bulletin or the Diocese Website for upcoming EIM workshops
in our area.
Religious Education
Wishing you a blessed
and beautiful Christmas
filled with the gifts of
health and joy, family
and friends.
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High School Religious Education: Summer 2018
High School: (9th – 12th)
Blanco and Johnson City High School Teens can join RICH (Resting in Christ’s Hands). We utilize the Life
Teen Program. Life Teen is an environment in which high school youth can come into a relationship with
God through spiritual, educational, emotional and social experiences. Our Youth Ministry follows the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USSCB) guidelines for comprehensive youth ministry
programs. Our classes are held every Sunday at St. Ferdinand Parish Hall. We start the evening at 5:30 pm with a light meal
and move into the lesson and discussion for the evening. Classes will resume on January 12th, 2020.
Middle School: 6th – 8th)
Blanco and Johnson City Middle School Students can join EDGE Youth Ministry. EDGE is a part of the Life Teen middle
school youth ministry. We meet once a month on the 4th Sunday of each month, from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Classes will
resume on January 26th, 2020.
Confirmation:
Classes for 2020 Confirmation are to begin on January 12th, 2020. Please plan on attending to receive a schedule of
dates, service hour information, requirement information for Confirmation as well as Program information. Registration for
Confirmation will be $45.00 (which also registers the student for RICH high school classes) – Classes to be held once a month
during the RICH nights from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm in the St. Ferdinand RE Building.
Pulse: (Prayer, Unity, Leadership, Service, Evangelization)
Any youth (high school or middle school) wanting to participate can be a part of the PULSE TEAM. We will meet to discuss
and plan – lessons, retreats, lock-ins, service talks, service projects, and learning how to promote spiritual growth in self and
in others! Please contact Margie Vasquez if you would like to start attending.
Youth Ministry Volunteers:
If anyone is interested in helping in our program or would like to make donations – Please contact Margie Vasquez
or call the Parish office. Remember to volunteer you must be EIM compliant. Please refer to the bulletin or the
Diocese Website for upcoming EIM workshops in our area.
For all Youth Ministry inquiries or to learn more about all the events, activities and retreats planned for this year or to
register for any of our programs, please contact the parish office during regular business hours or email:
[email protected]
DCYC 2020JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 2, 2020
WACO CONVENTION CENTER, WACO, TX
You won’t want to miss this year’s Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference (DCYC)! This
year our theme is Mater Dei. We’ll take a deep dive into how Mary draws us ever
closer to her Son’s heart. Our keynote presenters will be Fr. Josh Johnson, Joelle
Maryn, Chika Anyanwu and Armando Cervantes. We can’t wait
to see you in Waco for DCYC 2020!
The Deadline to register is quickly approaching, DEC. 15, 2019.
Please contact Veronica Hernandez or Margie Vasquez to get registered.
Registration cost is $65.00. We will have registration and permission forms this
Sunday at RICH.
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Open Everyday
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318 4th Street
1-830-833-1BBQ (1227)
[email protected]
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BLANCO BANKING CENTER
401 MainP.O. Box 1329Blanco, TX 78606
(830) 833-0240Cell: (830) 688-3686Fax: (830) 833-0242
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Call Us Now: 830-833-2558
