St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church 2414 Seventeenth Street, Gulfport, Mississippi 39501

Telephone (228) 864-2272 Fax (228) 864-2273 Email: stjohnthee@cableone.net Website: stjohngulfport.org

Staff: Rev. Ryan McCoy, Pastor Deacon David Allen, Pastoral Associate Deacon Rick Conason, Pastoral Associate Sr. Mary Kealy, PBVM, Pastoral Associate Teri Patton, Parish Secretary Masses: Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m. First Saturday Devotion: 9:00 a.m. Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30 a.m., 5:00 p.m. Daily Mass: Monday through Friday: 7:00 a.m. Spanish Mass: Sunday, 2:00p.m. Holy Days: 6:00 p.m., Vigil, 7:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. Confession: Before and after every Mass; and anytime on request

Second Sunday of Advent December 4, 2016

MODERN-DAY JOHN THE BAPTISTS

Have you ever wondered what John the Baptist might look and act like if he were to appear today? Each of us has probably encountered someone in our lives who prepared a way that the Lord could use to come into our presence. We often think of people like Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who certainly prepared the way for the Lord as she minis-tered to the poorest of the poor in the streets of India. We also think of the saints who throughout the ages have risked their lives to announce the message of salvation that comes through belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Have you ever been John the Baptist for anyone? Have you ever prepared the way of the Lord for someone in your life?

PREPARING THE WAY FOR THE LORD We encounter people at every Mass who help prepare the way for the Lord each and every week. Our ushers and greeters make us feel welcome and help prepare us to encounter the Lord. When our musicians lead us in the opening song of the Mass, their talents help prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. When the lectors, priests, and deacons proclaim God's living word, another way of the Lord is opened before us. When the priest prays the sacred prayers of the Mass, the way is prepared for the sacramental presence of Christ to enter our hearts. We believe that the Lord Jesus is the shoot that sprouted from the stump of Jesse, the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Perhaps each of us can become a present-day John the Baptist by continuing to make the ground fertile for the sprouting and growth of the Lord Jesus in ever new and sur-prising ways. We can be John the Baptist for those who are seeking ways to encounter the Lord.

Copyright (c) 2007, World Library Publications. All rights reserved.

Second Sunday of Advent December 4, 2016

The earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.

— Isaiah 11:9

PREPARE THE WAY Saint John the Baptist appears on the scene today as Advent enters its second week. The mysterious consumer of locusts and wild honey, John echoes the words of the prophet Isaiah as he calls for repentance in the face of the nearness of the kingdom of heaven. The rhythms of the Christian life are often confounding. Each year we meet the Baptist and hear his calls for repentance. Each year we see him pointing to the one who is coming after him, the Lord Jesus. Yet each year the words and actions of John the Baptist echo anew in our hearts, because we have fallen into old sinful traps again and again. Advent gives us the opportunity once again to turn away from our sinful ways and embrace the gospel way of life. John the Baptist invites us to prepare the way for the Lord, in whom we place our hope. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.

Welcome to St. John the Evangelist Parish!

If you are new to the parish and have not yet registered, please fill out one of the registration forms on the back table or go to our website,

stjohngulfport.org and click on the “New Parishioner” tab.

C.C.D. (Grades K-12) ................ Sundays, 9:00-10:15 A.M. Knights of Columbus...... 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 7:00 P.M. K C Ladies Auxiliary..................... 3rd Tuesday, 6:30 P.M. R.C.I.A. ................................................ Mondays, 6:30 P.M. St. Vincent de Paul................... 2nd Wednesday, 9:00 A.M. Young At Heart............................... 4th Thursday, 12 Noon

Happy birthday wishes to: Janet McDon-ald celebrates Dec. 4; Betty Martin celebrates Dec. 5; James Feldmeyer celebrates Dec. 7; Kim LeMere celebrates Dec. 8; Shelton Pe-terson celebrates Dec. 9;

May God Bless them with many more Happy Birthdays!

Thursday, December 8th, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary It is a Holy Day of Obligation. A Vigil Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 6:00pm. The Holy Day Mass times are 7:00am and 12 Noon.

Thank you to Lauren and Austin Dossett for removing the old Missals and putting the new Missals in the pews. They also hung the Advent banners in the Church. This is a great way to earn your Catholic School service hours as well as helping your church family.

We are blessed to have the Dossett’s in our Parish Fam-ily!

We extend our deepest sympathy to Tom & Robin Midcalf Brosig on the death of Robin’s father Charlie Odom and to Ronald & Theresa Purchner and Norma Bond and Family on death of Carolyn Purchner. May God reward Charlie and Carolyn with Eternal Rest, Light and Peace

and may He comfort their families in their sorrow.

Drawdown Update!! We want to thank Debbie Ladner again for doing such a great job organizing our Drawdown this year. Thank you also to everyone that purchased and ticket and donated items for the silent auction. We sold a total of 369 tick-ets. Ticket Sales and donations 37,050.00 Split the Pot 268.00 Christmas Wreath Raffle 196.00 Silent Auction 5,081.00 42,585.00 Checks written 7,000.00 $35,595.00 This was our most successful Drawdown to date! Our profit from the Drawdown and Silent Auction was $35,595.

Rite of Acceptance : We offer our congratu-lations and prayers to our RCIA Candidates and Catechumens - Cynthia Costellanos, Loretta Grimsley, Val Murphy, Vicki Smith, Eddie Ta-quino and Alicia Wagner - who celebrate the

Rite of Acceptance at the 10:30am Mass this weekend. A special thanks to their sponsors who have graciously offered to accompany our RCIA members on their faith journey: Shannon McNair, Teresa Grimsley, Eddie Duran, Mary Ann Smith, Jon Williams and Wanda Li-zana.

XLT Adoration Every Tuesday, at 7pm. Come enjoy some one-on-one time with Jesus for an hour He wants to hear your trou-bles, your needs, your joys, your prayers...come and ADORE Him! If you've never been, let this be your invitation. Adoration with live worship music. Confessions will be available. Everyone is welcome!!

The Altar Society Christmas Lunch is scheduled for Monday, December 5th at 11:30 at White Cap. Altar Society dues are due in December. Dues are used for Masses for deceased members, cleaning Altar linens and purchasing oasis for the flowers.

Christmas Eve Nativity Pageant Registration forms for Nativity Pageant that will be held at the 4:00 Children’s Mass on Christmas Eve are on the back tables. All parish children in grades K-6 (whether enrolled in a Catholic school or in our CCD Program) are invited to participate in the pageant and all parish children in grades K-12 are invited to participate in the Children’s Choir that will provide music for the Mass. Practices will begin soon. Any questions can be directed to Linda Hebert at 832-7551.

Advent is a season to prepare for Christmas

A time when Christ’s first coming is re-membered. A season when that remem-

brance directs the mind and heart to await Christ’s Sec-ond coming at the end of time. Advent is thus a period for devout and joyful expecta-tion.

Advent Prayer

Father in heaven, our hearts desire the warmth of your love

and our minds are searching for the light of your Word.

Increase our longing for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love,

that the dawn of his coming may find us rejoicing in his presence and welcoming the light of his truth.

We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.

Offering envelopes for 2017 are on the table in the back of church. Please pick up your envelopes on the way out of church. If you do not see your name please fill out the form on the table and we will prepare them for you to pick up next week. Thank you!!

The Pope’s Prayer Intentions for December 2016

Universal: End to Child-Soldiers That the scandal of child-soldiers may be eliminated the world over. Evangelization: Europe That the peoples of Europe may rediscover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Gospel which gives joy and hope to life.

Saint Stanislaus Prospective Rock-A-Chaw Evening (PRE) Camp

Saint Stanislaus will host a Prospective Rock-A-Chaw Evening (PRE) Camp on Friday, December 9, from 5:00 PM until 10:00 PM. All boys in grades 6-7 are invited to attend this fun event. The purpose of PRE Camp is to pro-vide a fun, safe and friendly opportunity for prospective students to meet and interact with current students and faculty and to find out what it’s like to be a Rock-A-Chaw! Some of the planned activities include a dinner, a beach bonfire with S’mores and a dodgeball tournament. A parent or guardian must fill out a permission form for each participant. For more information you can contact Richard Gleber at admisssions@ststan.com or (228) 467-9057 ext. 249. Permission forms can be downloaded from the Admissions Events page at www.ststan.com.

Advent Penance Service!! To prepare for the celebration of Christ’s coming, we will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Tuesday, December 20th at 6:00pm. There will be a number of priests here to help us celebrate this Sacrament. Other penance services in the area: Dec. 5- 7pm- St. James, Gulfport Dec. 19–6pm- St. Joseph, Orange Grove Dec. 21- 7pm- St. Thomas, Long Beach

Christmas Eve: 4:00pm and 12:00am Midnight Mass Christmas Day: 8:00am, 10:30am and 5pm

Christmas and New Year’s Mass times

New Years Eve: 5:00pm New Years Day: 8:00am,10:30am and 5pm

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK Saturday: +Anthony Davis Sunday: 8:00am: +Ernest Norris; +Mary Kelly; +Johnny & Betty Fayard 1030am: +Milton Barthe; +Patrick Holley 6:00pm: People of the Parish Monday: +Matthew & Thelma Serpa Tuesday: +David McIntosh Wednesday: +Mackie Fayard Thursday 7:00am: +Patrick Holley Noon: +Zella Nannby Friday +Edward Panter

Augie Alfonso Gil Bailey Katherine E. Bailey David Bell Jr. Mary Ann Bishop Melissa Bowles Carol Campbell Nunzio Caranna Nanette Carpenter Buddy Cospelich Kendall Dedeaux James Doles Gerald Ellis Betty Ferguson JonViolet Flickinger Mary Kay Gaspard Dan & Lorraine Goad Gee Gee Grandis Oren Haddock Ardeth Hessell Celeste Hewes Alibe Hinton

Jordan Hoang. Annie Hosli Loyce & Nick Hire Roy Jones Margaret Jowers Mary Kealy Florence Keppner Norbert Keppner Les Knighton Gary Lacy Tommy LeTard Joann Liner Carol Loftin Patty Loftin S J Marengo Jace Mathews Celeste McInnis Cherie Mennis Msgr Mercier Helen Nilges Margaret Northrup Sophia Nuchereno

Gus Pique, Jr. Jay & Sheila Poolson Gary Reeves Roland Riel Gaynelle Saucier Wayne Saucier Ken Saxon Aimee Seichshnaydre Austin Seymour Harry Smith Jason Sneed Charlie Underwood Felecia Vann Liza Alfonso Wall James Williams Mandy Woods Ginger Worth Doan The Xinh

Please Remember in Your Prayers

Prayer is the door through which all God’s Graces comes to us -St. Theresa of Avila

The second collection at all Masses this weekend is for St. Vincent De Paul Pharmacy in Biloxi. The second collection next weekend is for Retired Reli-gious.

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — He shall bring justice for the afflicted; the earth shall overflow with the knowledge of the LORD (Isaiah 11:1-10). Psalm — Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever (Psalm 72). Second Reading — Glorify God by living in harmony with one another, welcoming each other as Christ welcomed you (Romans 15:4-9). Gospel — Produce good fruit worthy of your baptism; re-pent, for the reign of God is near (Matthew 3:1-12). The English translation of the Psalm Responses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, Interna-tional Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Monday: Is 35:1-10; Ps 85:9ab, 10-14; Lk 5:17-26 Tuesday: Is 40:1-11; Ps 96:1-3, 10ac, 11-13; Mt 18:12-14 Wednesday: Is 40:25-31; Ps 103:1-4, 8, 10; Mt 11:28-30 Thursday: Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98:1-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38 Friday: Is 48:17-19; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Mt 11:16-19 Saturday: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11; Ps 80:2ac, 3b, 15-16, 18-19; Mt 17:9a, 10-13 Sunday: Is 35:1-6a, 10; Ps 146:6-10; Jas 5:7-10; Mt 11:2-11

SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES

Sunday: Second Sunday of Advent Tuesday: St. Nicholas Wednesday: St. Ambrose; Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Thursday: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Friday: St. Juan Diego Saturday: International Human Rights Day

Collections October Nov. 26-27 Identifiable: $2647 Unidentifiable: $1024ACH: $20 2nd Collection-Catholic School Support : $305 Children’s Collection: $35

Thank you for your generosity!

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Did St. Francis of Assisi invent the Christmas crib? Not exactly, but his devotion to the Incarnation and his love for the poverty of the Christ Child certainly popular-ized this beloved custom. Long before Francis, it was a custom at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome to en-shrine a rich image of Mary, gilded and bejewelled, em-bracing the child Jesus. This church was founded as a kind of home for the feast of Christmas in the fourth century. In 1223, Francis was ready to celebrate this feast in a new way. In the tiny city of Greccio, he asked friends to prepare a place where they could experience the poverty and suffer-ing embraced by Christ in his birth. It was a living scene: an ox from the barn, an ass from the stable, and peasants standing in for shepherds and kings. The night of the cele-bration was beautiful, the weather was warm, and people came in crowds, bearing candles and singing hymns that echoed through the forest. Francis himself chanted the Gospel and preached. The custom spread quickly, and by the sixteenth century cribs were seasonal features not only in church, but in the home. On December 17, the liturgy begins to unfold the Lord’s birth before us, and it’s the right time to follow this beautiful tradition. In Germany, each night through-out Advent children prepare a bedding for the manger. At bedtime prayer, a child places a single straw in the man-ger for each act of devotion or virtue performed during the day. If the children are good, then the Christ child will have plenty of soft bedding when he is placed in the man-ger on Christmas. —Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Calendar of Events Dec 5 Altar Society Christmas Lunch, 11:30 7 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Vigil Mass 6pm 8 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Mass 7am & 12 Noon 20 Advent Penance Service, 6pm 24 Christmas Eve, Masses 4pm and 12am Midnight Mass 25 Christmas Day, Masses 8am and 10:30am & 5pm 27 St. John the Evangelist Feast Day 31 New Years Eve Vigil 5pm Jan 1 New Years Day, Masses 8am & 10:30am & 5pm

We really appreciate those who donate toward the flowers for our church. If you would like to have flowers placed in church, please contact the parish office at 228 864-2272.

We have a prayer group that meets every Thursday af-ternoon from 5:15-6:15pm. Everyone is invited to join us. For more information call the Parish office, 864-2272.

Weekly prayer group Thursday’s at 10:00am. Call An-nette Seymour 326-0851.

Prayer Groups

Spain Pilgrimage with Fatima and Lourdes Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the

Apparitions at Fatima This year we will be traveling to Portugal, Spain and France. In Portugal we will be visiting Fatima, where we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Mother. In Spain, our group will tour Avila, made famous by St. Theresa. We will also take us to the beautiful cities of Salamanca, Madrid and Barcelona. In France, our travels will take us to Lourdes, where the Vir-gin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette and where healing occurs even today. The price is $3,699 Per person (double occupancy). This includes air fare from New Orleans, hotels and most meals. The dates are Nov. 7-17, 2017. For more information call 228 238 1050 or 228 697 7814 or email mpmn98@aol.com . In Christ, Father Mike Austin