Saint Joseph on the Brandywine Founded 1841
Schedule of Liturgies Saturday Eucharist: 8:00 AM & 5:00 PM
Sunday Eucharist: 7:30 AM 9:00 AM 10:30 AM Daily Eucharist: 7:00 AM & 12:05PM (Monday – Friday) 8:00 AM (Saturday)
Holy Day Eucharist: As announced Reconciliation Services: Saturdays: 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM; anytime by appointment
Sick Calls: Anytime by appointment
Religious Education Over the next weeks of Advent, we will be decorating a
Jesse Tree in the Family Center, please stop by to see our
work in progress!
The Jesse Tree itself is a traditional Catholic teaching tool
which dates back to the middle Ages. Keep in mind that
during those times it was unusual for an average person to
be able to read, so paintings and stained glass windows in
church weren’t just there to look beautiful, they taught a
lesson. Images of the Jesse Tree taught a lesson about the
genealogy, or “family tree,” of Jesus. Isaiah, one of the
Messianic prophets (that means he was a holy person,
chosen by God to give Good News about the coming
Messiah to the people) foretold that Jesus would be born
into the family of King David, whose father was Jesse:
"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah 11:1).
That’s why when you look at Jesse Trees in art; you see a
tree growing out of Jesse, who is reclining at the bottom
where the roots would be. In the branches, you see other
forbears of Jesus (you can read more about the genealogy
of Jesus in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew). At the very
top of the tree, you always find the Blessed Mother and
Infant Jesus. Blessings, Eva
Advent Angel Tree 2016 The Advent Angel Tree is an annual ministry of St. Joseph
on the Brandywine. It is an opportunity to bring the love of
Christ to our neighbors in need during the Christmas
season.
The mission of the Advent Angel Ministry is to assist the
needy by offering gifts and essentials of daily living such as
food and shelter. This program has been very successful in
the past due to the generosity of St. Joseph on the
Brandywine parishioners who donate gifts and time to this
ministry. We work closely with the St. Vincent DePaul
Society of St. Catherine of Siena and the staff at Martha’s
House. Both organizations provide us gift suggestions for
the individuals and families they work with -- a difficult task
since the people do not ask for anything for themselves, yet
their needs are many.
Parishioners are invited to take ornaments from the tree and
to purchase the suggested gift. Please wrap the gift, attach
the tag to the outside of the gift and return it to church no
later than Sunday, December 11th
. Kindly return the gifts by
December 11th
to allow the committee ample time to sort and
deliver the gifts. Any questions please call Mrs. Barbara
Vieira 302-516-7938. Monetary donations may be made by
check payable to St Joseph on the Brandywine with “Advent
Angel” on the memo line. Please place the check in an
envelope and place it in the offertory collection or mail it to
the Rectory. Please do not wrap any cash or checks.
A Tribute Indeed The Papal Blessing and a Tribute from the Governor of
Delaware in honor of our 175th
Anniversary Celebration is
displayed in the Sanctuary. Stop, look and smile!
Pastor’s Notes Annual Collection Supports
Eldercare Needs of Religious Communities
The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be
held Dec. 10-11 in the Diocese of Wilmington. The second
collection will be dedicated for this effort. Coordinated by
the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO), the
parish-based appeal benefits nearly 33,000 senior Catholic
sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose
communities lack adequate retirement savings. The Diocese
of Wilmington contributed $163,498.95 to the last collection.
Thank you for caring.
******************************* Are you being called to the priesthood or religious life? Find
out more about the priesthood: diocesanpriest.com Find out
more about the religious life: religiouslife.com Let us help
you to discover God’s plan for your life. E-mail:
[email protected] or call us (302) 573-3113 today!
Inward Peace Acquire inward peace, and a multitude around you will find
their salvation. – St. Seraphim
RCIA: We invite those who are considering becoming a
Catholic to become part of the RCIA process. This includes
Christians of other denominations, non-baptized or
Catholics who might have been baptized as infants in the
Catholic Church but have not received the sacraments of
Eucharist and Confirmation. Call or email Deacon Ed
Lynch at [email protected] or 654-7471, 477-3200 ext.
30.
KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS
To remind travelers of the true meaning of the season, we
shall have an outdoor crib in the front of the archives
building Rt. 100 and 141. The figures of Jesus, Mary &
Joseph have been obtained from St. Peter’s Cathedral.
Perhaps you could put up a nativity scene when decorating
your lawn this season. Imagine what could happen if people
saw nativity scenes all over town proclaiming the birth of the
King.
THE HOLY LAND CHRISTIANS ARE OUR GUESTS
HEAR THEIR STORY AND BUY THEIR BEAUTIFUL
OLIVEWOOD CRAFTS
After all masses we will be hosting at the Church fellowship
hall a nice display of handmade olivewood religious carvings
from Bethlehem and Jerusalem available for purchase. These
carvings include olive wood nativity sets, crucifixes, rosaries,
Christmas ornaments, candle holders, angles and many other
religious crafts that make nice wedding, baptism, Easter, and
Christmas gifts. These carvings are handmade by Catholic
families in Bethlehem who rely on sales for their daily bread.
Please help support our Catholic brothers and sisters in
Bethlehem by purchasing their carvings. George Ghanem,
an indigenous Christian from Bethlehem will be standing by
the carvings after all masses. Let us keep Bethlehem a
Christian town forever.
A Season of Giving - can I make a pledge with a stock gift?
Yes, gifts of stock not only benefit the church, but also can
have significant tax advantages to the donor. In addition to
receiving a tax deduction for the current value of the stock, a
donor avoids paying capital gains on stock that may have
increased in value over the years.
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is
Thursday, Dec. 8 and a holyday. Masses will be held at 7
a.m. & 12:05 p.m. on Dec. 8th
. A Vigil Mass will be held on
Wednesday, December 7th
at 7 p.m. for the holyday.
Adult Formation Join Us for Our 2016 Parish Advent Retreat
Why are we reading Jewish scriptures in our Sunday masses
during Advent? How are we to understand these passages
from the Old Testament/Hebrew Scripture? Why are they an
integral part of understanding the New Testament and
especially the four Gospels?
Join Father Michael C. Connolly, OSFS, to discover
answers to these questions and more on Saturday,
December 3. The day begins with Mass at 8 a.m. in the
Church followed by a light breakfast in the Family Center.
The retreat proper begins at 9 a.m. and will end no later
than Noon. This special Advent Retreat will include two
inspirational presentations with question and answer
periods, followed by the Sacrament of Reconciliation for
those who desire to receive it. To register, contact Ann
Hapka at 610.388.1362 or [email protected] no
later than Wednesday, November 30.
Bless Your Big Generous Hearts! St. Joseph on the Brandywine Knights of Columbus
and Stockings for Soldiers wish to thank you for all the
generous outpouring of donations including cards,
comfort items and financial assistance. Thanks to our
St. Joseph parishioners for your kindness, as we were
able to bring much happiness and holiday cheer to so
many of our deployed troops. You have helped us to
let them know that we are thinking of them while they
are in harms way.
The Ecumenical Worship Service raised $601 for
Habitat for Humanity from combined
congregations. Blessings on you and thank you
Green Hill Presbyterian Church, Christ Church and
Lower Brandywine Church for an evening of
worship and fellowship!
Festival of Lessons & Carols
December 4th
at 2 p.m.
Cathedral of Saint Peter Join the Cathedral community for
an hour of peace in the midst of a
busy season. The Festival of Lessons and Carols features
Advent Scriptures and music, time for meditation, seasonal
songs and hymns. No admission fee; free-will donations
will benefit The Cathedral of St. Peter School.
Around the Corner Momentum is already building for the March for Life on
Friday, January 27th and Delaware Right to Life wants you
to be a part of the largest pro-life rally in the world! Right to
Life will be fully sponsoring a March for Life bus that will
take pro-life Delawareans from the Christiana Mall in
Newark to Washington, D.C for FREE. derighttolife.org or
call Janet Grayson at [email protected] or 302-661-
1877.
Mass Intentions Saturday, Dec. 3
5:00 p.m. James & Helen Grant & James & Diane
Grant requested by his family
Sunday, Dec. 4
7:30 a.m. Christopher Leach by Barbara & Joe Vieira
9:00 a.m. Parishioners
10:30 a.m. Jean M. Kleanski by Nancy Dillon
Monday, Dec. 5
7:00 a.m. Anthony Vari by Josephine Conaty
12:05 p.m. Mrs. Rosita Aniceto by Dr. Rosie Elazegui
Tuesday, Dec. 6
7:00 a.m. Mary Ellen Farnan by Margaret T. Speicher
12:05 p.m. Bernard C. Armstrong by Marie L. Armstrong
Wednesday, Dec. 7
7:00 a.m. Sal DePaulo by family
12:05 p.m. Dorothy Tillillie by Joseph & Erin Grace
7:00 p.m. Open intention
Thursday, Dec. 8 (Holyday)
7:00 a.m. Helen & Vincent Rizzo, Sr., by son
12:05 p.m. Betty Nedwick by Prince family
Friday, Dec. 9
7:00 a.m. Matthew B. Speicher by Margaret T. Speicher
12:05 p.m. Richard Beck by Annie & Alex Jordan
Saturday, Dec. 10
8:00 a.m. Paul Noone by family
5:00 p.m. Robbie Bock by Donna Kern
Emmanuel Dining Room – Friday, December 9
St. Joseph’s provides 350 servings of food for the hungry in
Wilmington each month. Volunteers purchase, cook, and
donate 24 chicken thighs. Our next date to cook and deliver
food is Friday, December 9. Please have your cooked
chicken and desserts at the Family Center by 9 A.M. on that
day. If you would like to assist in making the stuffing, we
meet at the Family Center at 8 A.M. We can always use
more chicken cookers. Call Peg Janes (302) 656-3635.