WEEKEND MASSES Saturday 4:00 & 5:30 pm Sunday 8:00 & 11:00 am Daily Masses Tuesday—Friday 8 am First Friday 8:00 am Mass 6:00 pm Confessions 6:30 pm Sacred Heart Devotions 7:00 pm Mass Reconciliation Saturday 3:00—3:45 pm First Friday 6:00 pm Other times by appointment Anointing of the Sick call Parish Office Funerals 10 am Arrangements made through local Funeral Directors Baptisms Arrange through the Parish Office Weddings Arrange through the Parish Office Adult Faith Formation Communities Contact Sr. Madonna (570) 823-4988 Elementary Faith Formation Sundays at 9:15 am

Worship

and Word

Address 668 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18705 Parish Office (570) 823-4988 Online standrebessettewb.com E-Mail ccnewb@live.com FAX (570) 823-5932 Check out our Facebook Page Convent 421 Madison St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (570) 822-7629

Contact

Information

Parish Mission

Statement

The Parish of St. André Bessette is a Catholic Christian Community where the Mercy of God is made evident in daily living.

We strive to be a community that welcomes the stranger, reconciles the outcast and proclaims the Good News to the Poor.

In fulfilling this Gospel Mandate, we give witness to God’s unfailing Love for all humanity.

The Parish of St. André Bessette

2

FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

Enter Into Advent: Journey Into Darkness by Katie Jensen

www.asacredjourney.net

With Thanksgiving suddenly behind us here in America, we are launched full-force into the Christmas season. Stores are all playing Christmas music, Starbucks has brought out their red cups, and Christmas Tree lots are popping up on every abandoned roadside corner.

Yet amidst the inevitable hustle and bustle of this time of year (this “getting ready” for Christmas), we often neglect the most important preparation we need to be doing–readying our hearts and lives for the coming of Christ. This is why remembering the season of Advent is important. In Advent we are ushered into a time of waiting where we are connected again with our desire, our longing, and our yearning for God. Joan Chittister, in the book The Liturgical Year, comments: “The year opens with Advent, the season that teaches us to wait for what is beyond the obvious. It trains us to see what is behind the apparent. Advent makes us look for God in all those places we have, until now, ignored.”

“In Advent we are ushered into a time of waiting where we are connected again with our desire,

our longing, and our yearning for God.”

A few years ago a worked for an organization called Advent Group Ministries. It was a residential treatment program for teens dealing with drug and alcohol addictions. I was one of the residential counselors who lived in a house with a group of these girls. Much of our time was spent doing everyday things–chores, school, cooking. I’d also bring them to an AA or NA meeting every night. Most of these girls had come from pretty rough backgrounds. They were involved in gangs, abuse, drug dealing, and sometimes even prostitution. They were often put in our program by the Juvenile Hall, social services, or sometimes by their parents for a multi-month season of re-habilitation, of re-orientation, of sinking down deep into themselves and to ask what they really want for their lives.

It was a time that provided an honest look at the past, and poignant questions about the future. It was often a time of hoping and waiting for some sort of magic–a movement of God to happen, to bring light to some really dark places. Many of these girls are still waiting. How appropriate that they spent this time in a place called Advent. Advent is a time when we, too, are invited to sink deeply into ourselves and re-orient ourselves to the world and to God. It is a humble time of recognizing one’s need, and yearning for God’s powerful presence to break into the world.

“Advent is a time when we… are invited to sink deeply into ourselves

and re-orient ourselves to the world and to God.”

The waiting we are called to do during Advent is not the busy, numbing, frenetic kind of waiting, but the stilling, germinating kind that connects you deeply with the

present and your true self. We await the celebration of the human arrival of Jesus and we anticipate the eventual Second coming of Christ, but more profoundly, we open ourselves up to await the in-breaking of God into our own personal lives and communities here in the present. It is a time to connect with our hope and our desire.

Desire is more than wanting; it is longing, yearning, a deep-seated hope that has the power to burn into being a multitude of things. Theologian Wendy Farley, author of The Wounding and Healing of Desire, wrote, “Desire is the absurdity that holds open the infinity of possibility.” From experience, many of us have learned that desire itself often feels foolish. We are all familiar with the devastation of disappointment and have, in turn, used it to disown, numb, and shrink our desire.

Advent is a season for us to settle down deeply into ourselves–to hear our heart cry, to find that spark of life and hope deep within the darkness of unknowing. Desires unfulfilled. Hope unmet. Longing unsatisfied. It is a time of discernment, of waiting, of being present. It is an active waiting. Because of this, it seems appropriate that in the northern hemisphere, this is the darkest time of year. I’ve heard that that is one of the reasons why the celebration of Christmas was set for end of December. Because in a very real way, it is Christ that ushers in the light.

“Advent is a season for us to settle down deeply into ourselves—

to hear our heart cry, to find that spark of life and hope

deep within the darkness of unknowing.”

Just as in the Jewish tradition, each day begins at sunset, begins with darkness, so it seems appropriate that the beginning of the church calendar would likewise begin in stillness and the dark, with us facing our deepest fears and desires, cultivating our hope for the light. In the silence and the darkness, we hear our own heart’s cry, our own flame of desire, our own longing for God.

During the season of Advent I invite you to not get caught up in the frenetic chaos of holiday preparation, but do the work of preparing your soul, of reconnecting with yourself and your desire.

ADVENT PRACTICES

1. Walk your neighborhood

So much about Advent is about re-centering, about coming back to that deep place of home. I have a few block circle that I make regularly about my neighborhood. It has been an excellent way for me to find a sense of grounding, to still the frenetic chaos of my mind and life and dig deeply into a sense of place and of embodiment. Try bundling up

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE Continued

and walking your neighborhood during this season as a physical way to settle your mind and return to a sense of center, of home.

2. Light a candle each morning

Advent is a season where we sink deeply into darkness—for most of us in a literal way. Consider making it a practice each morning or evening of Advent to light a

candle as a symbol of hope and of active waiting. Our desire burns in us as we anticipate the coming of the light of Christ. Light your candle as a way of daily connecting with your desire and your hope.

3. Use an Advent calendar

This is a common Advent practice, but growing up I never really associated any meaning with it except a way to countdown until Christmas and a source of argument between me and my sisters. But much more is going on. For an Advent calendar, you need to pull something out of a secret pocket or door every day. This is a good practice of anticipating the good gifts of Christmas, and I don’t mean the ones under the tree. In these small, everyday uncoverings, we are learning to look for God, and hoping God will turn up in small, daily, unforeseen ways.

4. Create a nativity journey

I began doing this practice last year as I was learning more about stepping into Advent. When I set up my nativity set, I didn’t set it up all together. Instead I put Mary and Joseph on one side of the room, the shepherds on another, and the Wise Men on

another. Sometimes throughout the season I’d move them a little closer together to replicate the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and the Wise Men following the star. This continued throughout advent and then the manger scene was not complete until Epiphany, when we celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men, at the very end of the Christmas season. This has served as a visual and tangible way for me to remember and participate in the story throughout

Advent, the season of preparing and waiting, where we journey in darkness and in hope.

5. Build a community hope chain

For Advent at my church this year we are creating a paper chain–not a chain counting down the days until Christmas like I used to make when I was young. This is a chain about hope–and more importantly, about hope in community. We are buying nice Purple paper, the color of Advent, and inviting each member of the community to staple loops to the chain each week as a symbol of individual and communal hope. We will do this each week throughout Advent and keep the chain up in the sanctuary. So that when Christmas really does come our hope will be strong, our community bolstered, and our anticipation high. Try this with your family, a small group, or even on your own as a specifically Advent decoration.

GO FURTHER…

How will you live in the waiting?

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IN THE PARISH Helpful Information

Join the Parish Anyone wishing to register for membership in the parish is asked to fill out a registration form and drop it in the collection basket.

Request Prayers Our INTERCESSORY PRAYER MINISTRY provides prayer for anyone in need throughout the parish. Contact MARY ANN MAGDA at 570-820-0525 or make your intention known on our parish website at www.standrebessettewb.com

Remember your Parish Your parish serves you faithfully throughout your life. Please remember your parish with a memorial gift or a Bequest in your will. Make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for you.

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATIONS

Anointing of the Sick The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may take place at any time, but, sadly, too many families wait until the last minute to call the priest to anoint their loved ones. If someone in your family is seriously ill, preparing for surgery, or suffering a prolonged illness, please contact the parish office to arrange a time for Fr. Ken to visit. IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY—or if Fr. Ken is unavailable to visit immediately, we will contact the first available priest to celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing with your loved one.

Funeral Preparations We collaborate with the local funeral directors in arranging the times of the funerals. Please be aware that there is an additional fee for funerals on Saturdays imposed by most cemeteries in the area.

Baptismal Preparations Parents of newly born infants may call the parish office to arrange a time for the Baptism of their child. Baptisms are celebrated, for the most part, on any Sunday, with the exception of the season of Lent.

Wedding Preparations Couples contemplating Marriage are asked to contact the parish office at least one year prior to the contemplated date of marriage, before making other plans.

THE GIVING TREE Its Beauty is in its barrenness! During this season we invite all parishioners to help us un-decorate the Giving Tree. Our Social Justice Council members have prepared hundreds of tags filled with a variety of gifts requests which should fit everyone’s budget. The tag you choose could be a request from the “wish list” of a child in our community who is only hoping to wake up on Christmas Morning and finding something/anything for them; or it may be from a teenager, who, through no fault of his/her own, will be spending Christmas apart from family and friends; or it could be a request from one of our many homebound parishioners or nursing home residents.

For easy distribution, our tags are numbered and color-coded. Therefore, it is IMPERITIVE that you securely attach the tag to the wrapped gift before placing it under the tree.

GIFTS MUST BE PLACED UNDER THE TREE BY NOON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15!. If you have any questions, contact Anna Hudock at 570-822-1926. Thank You.

Other Avenues of Giving

In addition to our GIVING TREE, we will also be collecting MITTENS, SCARVES, and HATS for Catholic Social Services. New Items may be dropped in the box which is provided for that purpose.

We also will be collecting TOYS for TOTS, also to be distributed through Catholic Social Services. NEW TOYS can be deposited, unwrapped, in the box provided.

PLEASE NOTE: Gifts for the GIVING TREE must be wrapped with the tag securely attached. Donations of mittens, scarves and

gloves and TOYS for TOTS must be

UNWRAPPED. Thank You.

SCRIPTURE and LAUDATIO SI Several years ago, Pope Francis issued an encyclical calling upon the church to be environmentally responsible. JOIN US on SUNDAY DECEMBER 8th at 2 pm as we dive into this encyclical and unearth its richness for our life. Rabbi Daniel Schwartz has spoken extensively upon this topic, focusing on Pope Francis’ teaching from a Scriptural perspective.

He will lead us in a discussion of the Holy Father’s teaching and make connections with the Hebrew Scriptures, especially the book of Bereshit/Genesis. This event will take place in our parish hall, located behind the church. Refreshments will be served. There is no charge for this event, but a free will offering will be taken up.

CHRISTMAS COOKIE WALK We are looking forward with anticipation to our first “COOKIE WALK”! In order for this event to be a success, we need the help of competent bakers in the parish willing to donate cookies which will be offered for sale. So far we have 10 willing bakers. The more the merrier! If you would like to bake for the cookie walk or have any question, please contact Thom Jagoda ASAP 570-852-8042.

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Thursday, December 12

1 pm

CATECHETICAL COUNCIL Sunday, December 1

NOON

FINANCE COUNCIL Thursday January 16

6:00 pm

LITURGICAL COUNCIL Thursday, January 30, 2020

6:00 p.m.

PARISH LIFE COUNCIL Thursday, December 19

6:00 pm

PASTORAL COUNCIL Thursday January 2, 2020

6:00 p.m.

SOCIAL JUSTICE COUNCIL

Thursday, December 5 6:00 p.m.

Night at the Races

Wednesday, December 4 6:00 pm

Development Committee

Monday, January 13 6:30 pm

FAITH SHARING

ST. ANDRE FAITH SHARERS Monday, November 4

6:00 pm

DISCIPLES of the SPIRIT Saturday, November 16

10:30 am

COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY Sunday, November 24

2:00 pm For More Information, please contact Sr. Madonna at 570-823-4988.

Advent Season

Weekend of November 30 -December 1 First Sunday of Advent

8:00 am Mass 9:30 am Elem Faith Formation 11:00 am Mass 12:00 pm Catechetical Council Clergy Collection Dues Envelope GIVING TREE

Weekend of December 7-8 Second Sunday of Advent

8:00 am Mass 9:30 am Elem Faith Formation 11:00 am Mass

Religious Retirement Collection Cemetery Envelope GIVING TREE 2 pm SCRIPTURE and LAUDATO SI—Fr. Zolcinski Hall

Monday, December 2

6 pm Parish Family Life Council Monday, December 9

9 am Mass of the Solemnity Immaculate Conception PARISH OFFICE CLOSED

Tuesday, December 3

8 am Mass 5:30 pm CHOIR

Tuesday, December 10

8 am Mass 5:30 pm CHOIR

Wednesday December 4

8 am Mass 6 pm NIGHT AT THE RACES Mtg

Wednesday December 11

8 am Mass

Thursday, December 5

8 am Mass Noon Exposition 6 pm Vespers Parish Social Justice Council

Thursday, December 12

8 am Mass

Noon—Adoration begins 6 pm VESPERS

Friday, December 6 FIRST FRIDAY

8 am Mass 6 pm Confessions 6:30 pm Sacred Heart Devotions 7:00 pm Mass

Friday, December 13

8 am Mass

Saturday, December 7

3:00 pm Confessions. VIGIL Second Sunday of ADVENT

Saturday, November 9

3:00 pm Confessions.

VIGIL 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS

PARISH COMMITTEES

Loaves and Fishes Food for December

Hot Chocolate

Check Out Our Website:

www.standrebessettewb.com

CHANGE of ADDRESS If you or a loved one has been hospitalized, confined to your home, placed in a care facility or moved from one care facility to another, please let our PARISH OFFICE KNOW so that we can update our records and continue to provide you and your loved ones with spiritual support, especially in times of need. You can reach the parish office at 570-823-4988 or Anna Hudock at 570-822-1926

END OF YEAR GIVING As we approach the holiday season and the end of the calendar year, we remind all parishioners and friends that, according to the Tax Laws, all donations for 2019 must be given prior to December 31st. Any donations after that date must be recorded as donations to the calendar year 2020. If you are making a one-time donation to the parish, or catching up on your annual contribution, please make sure that your gift is presented before December 31st. Thank You.

CHRISTMAS WAFERS shadow the Eucharistic Meal we participate in each Mass. Just as we share the Eucharist as one family in Christ and receive Christ’s Love through the Eucharist, the Wafer allows for one’s immediate family to come together and share the love the have for one another. The Christmas Wafer tradition is an especially beautiful way to celebrate the charity and unity so characteristic of the Christmas Season. WAFERS are available for $3.00 per package or 2 for $5.00 and can be picked up in the back of the church.

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ADVENT and the DRAMA of LIGHT and DARKNESS by Msgr. Charles Pope

www.blog.adw.org

OUR LITURGICAL LIFE

Many people think of Advent merely in terms of pre-Christmas time: office parties, shopping, decorating etc. But in the Church, Advent is more a penitential period, a time of preparation for both the Christmas Feast and the Second Coming of the Lord. The purple vestments signal penance. The faithful are encouraged to go to Confession, and the liturgical texts and readings emphasize readying for the coming of the Lord.

The theme of preparation (and much of the season itself) is couched in the dramatic struggle between light and darkness. This makes sense (at least in the northern hemisphere, where the darkness deepens and the days grow shorter). In these darkest days, we light candles and sing hymns that speak of the light that will come: Jesus the true Light of the World. Let’s take a look at Advent in three ways.

I. The Symbols of Darkness and Light –

Outside, there is a great drama of light and darkness unfolding before us. The light is giving way to darkness. Here in the northern hemisphere, the days are getting very short, and they’re going to get even shorter. In Washington, D.C. (where I live), it is dark by 5:00 PM. On cloudy days, it is nearly dark by 4:00 PM. My brothers both live farther north: one in St. Paul and the other in Seattle. It gets dark even earlier there. There’s even a famous saying (probably by Yogi Berra), “It’s getting late very early out there.”

For us who live in modern times, the drama is less obvious. It is little more than an annoyance, as we must switch on the lights earlier. But think of those who lived not long before us in an age before electrical lights. Perhaps it was possible to huddle near a candle, oil lamp, or fire, but in the end, the darkness put a real stop to most things. Neither work, nor reading, nor most forms of recreation could take place. Darkness was a significant factor.

Some years ago, during a widespread power outage, I was struck at just how incredibly dark it was outside at night without the streetlights and the lights emanating from homes. Frankly, it was hard to venture out. I lost my bearings quickly and stumbled over some simple things like a curb and a fencepost. We moderns just aren’t used to this. Once, I toured Luray Caverns in the nearby Shenandoah Mountains. At the bottom of the caverns, hundreds of feet down, they gathered us near the center of a large cave and shut off the lights. The darkness was overwhelming. It was an almost physical feeling. I felt a wave of slight panic sweep over me and was so relieved when the lights came back on. I wondered, “Is this what it’s like to be blind?” Yes, light is very precious.

And so, here in a “deep and dark December,” the light continues to recede. The spiritual impact of this drama of light is brought into the Church. Our hymns turn to images of light. The darker it gets, the more candles we light on the Advent wreath. In the darkest days of December, our Advent wreath is at its brightest. As Scripture says, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it … The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world (John 1:5, 9). An old prayer says, Within our darkest night you kindle a fire that never dies away.

As the drama of light and darkness outside continues, we arrive at December 21st and 22nd—the shortest, darkest days of the year. By December 23rd, the ancients could detect a slight return of the light. Now the morning star heralds something new, something brighter.

People, look East. The time is near Of the crowning of the year … People, look east and sing today: Love, the guest, is on the way.

And then, on December 24th, in the middle of one of the longest nights of the year, the liturgy of Christmas begins: Christ is born and on December 25th a new light shines. From then on, the days get longer.

Yes, a great drama of light is unfolding before us. It is Advent. It is a time to recognize our need for the light and just how precious Jesus, the Light of the World, is. Ponder, in these darkest days, the beauty of the light. There are so many Advent hymns that set forth the dramatic images of light, darkness, and expectancy. .

Of course, this external drama of light and darkness in nature is but a symbol of the great struggle between light and darkness in our

world, our culture, our own hearts, and the hearts of all whom we love. It is the greatest drama of each of our lives. Will we choose to walk in the light or will we prefer the darkness? Our choice will determine our destiny. Judgment day is coming and we must be prepared by embracing the light of God’s truth and Jesus Himself, who is the Light of the World.

Thus, in Advent, we are summoned to understand how bad the darkness of sin really is, and we are warned to prepare for the coming judgment. Almost all the readings of the first two weeks of Advent speak to this theme of warning and readiness. The Dies Irae, which most associate with the Latin Requiem Mass, was actually written as a hymn for the Second Sunday of Advent.

Now, of course, some may protest such “negative” themes for Advent. But remember, if we aren’t aware of the bad news, then the good news is no news. Hence, this Advent reflection on the seriousness of the dark reality of sin is to prepare us for even greater joy at the birth of a Savior, who is the Light of the World and can lead us out of the dark tomb of sin into the wonderful light of grace.

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STEWARDSHIP

Mass Attendance

November 23-24, 2019

# of People

In Pew Collection

4:00 p.m. 117 1,582.25

5:30 p.m. 63 703.00

8:00 a.m. 63 1,151.00

11:00a.m. 66 1,624.00

Total 309 5,060.25

Votive Offerings

Bread and Wine

Intention Bernard Skibinski Sr.

Offered by Wife and Family

Sanctuary Candle

Intention Joan Skibinski Thiemann

Offered by Mom and Family

Your Gift to God

November 23-24, 2019

Over $100.00 3 $20 51

$100.00 2 $16-19 2

$76-99 0 $15 25

$75 0 $11-14 9

$51-74 1 $10 89

$50 7 $6-9 0

$26-49 19 $5 39

$25 6 under $5 20

$21-24 0 Total Envelopes used

273

Is your gift to the parish each week an honest reflection of God’s goodness to you?

Walking in the Light of the Lord www.Catholic Steward.com

“Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12) The readings for this First Sunday of Advent, as we prime ourselves for the coming of Christ, point to the light of Christ. In fact, as suggested in the first reading from Isaiah, “Let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

Of course, to truly see the light, we must open our eyes, thus the clarion call throughout the readings to “Awake!” This may be the “busiest time of the year” but it is also time for us to act on our faith lives and be good stewards of all we are and all we have.

There are many readings during this season from the prophetic Book of Isaiah. Isaiah, the son of Amoz, did not just hear the Word, he “saw” it. On this First Sunday of Advent we are called to “see”; we are called to a new way of looking at the world. We are to walk in the light of the Lord now, not gradually, not in a few weeks, but right now.

In his letter to the Romans St. Paul echoes the urgency and the call reflected by Isaiah. Paul reminds us that we “know what time it is.” We should understand that it is time for us to change and conduct ourselves “properly as in the day.” The night is over and this is no time to rest. There is a compelling need for us to concentrate, in spite of the seasonal business which is all around us, on the light of Christ. It is not just that He is coming (Advent is rooted in the Latin word adventus which means “coming.”) The Lord is not just coming; He is here.

We can hear the sense of immediacy in Jesus’ voice as it is recorded in the Gospel, Matthew

24: 37-44. He says outright and abruptly, “Stay awake!” Today’s Gospel closes with Jesus telling us “You… must be prepared for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” During our Advent “expectations” it is well for us to remember that the term “Son of Man” occurs 107 times in the Old Testament and 81 times in the four Gospels. In the New Testament almost every time it is used is when the Lord refers to Himself as the Son of Man.

We know He is the Son of God, but He also wants us to discern that He is the Son of Humankind. In fact the original Greek word anthropos, which has been translated as “Son of Man,” is a singular word, and it is, according to a number of scholars, better translated as “the son of the human being.”

Jesus is coming as one of us. Yes, He is also the Son of God, but more essential is that He is to be born of Mary, a human just as we are. Stewardship calls us to wake up, be ready (not “get ready”), to put on the light of Christ, and to carry out our stewardship in action, not just preparation. It is Advent; He is coming, and the time to change is now. “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

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FINANCES

Weekly Income November 23-24, 2019

Funds from these collections go directly into the Parish Operating Account They are used to pay the utilities, the staff salaries, and provide for the day to day running of the parish.

PARISH COLLECTION

In Church Mailed

Loose 190.25 -0-

Sunday Envelopes

3,711.00 1,162.00

TOTAL WEEKLY COLLECTION

$5,063.25

HOLY DAYS

Assumption -0- -0-

All Saints 15.00 10.00

Immaculate Conception

15.00 27.00

Christmas 155.00 80.00

Mary, Mother of God

15.00 27.00

Easter -0- -0-

Ascension -0- -0-

TOTAL HOLY DAYS

$344.00

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Initial -0- -0-

Dues 185.00 223.00

Debt Reduction

27.00 10.00

Holiday Flowers

747.00 70.00

TOTAL SPECIALS

$1,262.00

TOTAL PARISH COLLECTION

$6,669.25

These funds augment the

weekend offering, go

into the Parish

operating fund and

contribute to the running

of the parish.

OTHER INCOME

Candles 76.35

Transfer 600.00

Perquisites 225.00

Miscellaneous 21.87

TOTAL OTHER

$923.22

Diocesan Collections November 23-24, 2019 These Collections pass through the Parish General Account but do not contribute to the running of the parish. They are sent directly to the Diocese for Distribution

In Church Mailed

Monthly Collection for the Care & Education of the Clergy

20.00 20.00

Mission Sunday (3rd weekend of October)

-0- -0-

Mission Co-Operative (Funds Specific Mission)

-0- -0-

Human Development (Weekend before Thanksgiving)

372.25 7.00

Religious Retirement (Second Weekend of December)

5.00 10.00

Church in Eastern Europe (Weekend before Lent)

-0- -0-

Catholic Relief Services (4th Weekend of Lent)

-0- -0-

Operation Rice Bowl (Holy Thursday)

-0- -0-

Holy Land Collection (Good Friday)

-0- -0-

Catholic Home Missions (Last weekend of April)

-0- -0-

Catholic Communications (Third weekend of May)

-0- -0-

Peter’s Pence Collection (Weekend closest to June 29th)

-0- -0-

Miscellaneous Diocesan Collection (Whenever a need arises)

-0- -0-

TOTAL DIOCESAN COLLECTION

$434.25

WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM??

Transfer of Funds into the General Account From time to time it becomes necessary to withdraw funds from other parish accounts to augment the weekly offering, to fund a ministry, or to pay the assessments or unforeseen expenses.

From Fund Raising

Dance/Raffle -0-

Toy Bingo -0-

Night at the Races -0-

Summer Raffle -0-

FROM Fundraising Acct. -0-

FROM Social Justice Acct. -0-

FROM Memorial Acct/ -0-

FROM Stipend Acct. -0-

FROM Savings Acct. -0-

TOTAL TRANSFERS -0-

Collection + Holy Day + Special + Other Income + Diocesan + Transfers = TOTAL INCOME

5,063.25 344.00 1,262.00 323.22 434.25 600.00 $8,026.72

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WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?? Week of October 17-23, 2019

FINANCES

RUNNING the PARISH

ADMINISTRATIVE 2,481.71

A Portion of the Parish Income goes to fund the Ministries of the Parish, Pay the Staff, Maintain the properties, and provide for those in need.

Taxes 465.11

Loan 2,818.39

LITURGY 864.59

RELIGIOUS FORMATION

600.00

SOCIAL JUSTICE 600.00

MAINTENANCE 2,762.91

Diocesan Collections

441.25

TOTAL PARISH EXPENSES

$11,033.96

SUPPORTING the Diocese

A Portion of the Parish Income goes to fund the Ministries and Services of the Diocese, Provide Insurance for parish Properties, provide care of the clergy and their retirement, and fund Catholic Schools in the Diocese

Assessment Annual Fee Prior

Balance Payments

Made

Balance due by

June 30, 2020

SCH0OL ASSESSMENT (14.5 % of Income)

62,196.00 148,331.34 3,443.61 207,083.73

CATHEDRATICUM (9.5% of Income)

40,008.00 37,870.89 4,652.29 35,355.71

CLERGY BLUE CROSS

16,727.00 0.00 0.00 16,727.00

INSURANCE 16,148.00 0.00 0.00 16,148.00

CLERGY CARE AND WELLNESS (Not the monthly collection)

9,562.00 0.00 0.00 9,562.00

CLERGY PENSION 7,440.00 0.00 0.00 7,440.00

POST RETIREMENT FUND

5,200.00 0.00 0.00 5,200.00

EMPLOYER 403 (b) 1,393.92 0.00 0.00 1,393.92

PAYROLL PROCESSING FEE

780.00 0.00 0.00 780.00

TOTAL ASSESSMENTS

159,454.92 110,460.45 8,095.90 299,690.36

A Loan was taken from the Diocese to consolidate Inherited debt that occurred when the Parishes

were consolidated to form St. Andre Bessette Parish.

Parish Loan Amount Paid BALANCE Due

BALANCE 412,000.00 100,636.56 311,363.44

PAYING TOWARD the PARISH DEBT

Calculating Payment of Cathedraticum and School Assessments

Weekend of Envelope Loose Holy Days Special

Collections TAXABLE INCOME

Diocesan x.095

Schools x.145

24% of Total

Income

Other Income

Nov.02-03 4,996.00 403.33 233.00 2,191.27 7,824.60 743.34 1,134.57 1,877.91 -0-

Nov.09-10 4,245.25 225.50 40.00 631.00 6,624.57 629.34 960.57 1,589.91 1,482.82

Nov.16-17 3,850.30 237.76 25.00 715.00 4,828.06 458.67 700.07 1,158.74 -0-

Nov.23-24 4,873.00 266.60 344.00 1,262.00 7,068.82 671.54 1,024.98 1,696.52 323.22

Monies must be held in Operating Account until Payment of the Monthly Assessments on the 25th of the month. This limits our ability to pay other bills in a timely fashion.

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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FINANCES

PARISH ACCOUNTS

General Operating Account This is the daily operating account of the Parish. The Sunday Collection and Other Income are deposited into this account. All Expenses are paid from this account.

Prior Balance November 21, 2019 4,438.27

Deposits (Sunday Collection) 6,669.25

Other Deposits 757.47

Transfers from Parish Accounts 600.00

Transfers from Diocesan Accounts -0-

Working Balance 12,464.99

Withdrawals -11,033.96

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 1,431.03

Parish Social Justice Fund Monies for this account are accrued through the quarterly collection, Donations specifically earmarked for the Parish Social Justice Fund and grant monies donated to the fund. This fund is used to provide for those in need and to fund programs and ministries of outreach, compassion and mercy in the parish and beyond.

Prior Balance November 21, 2019 $6,708.05

Deposits -0-

Withdrawals 2,320.00

Transfer to Parish General Account 600.00

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 3,788.05

Parish Memorial Account Monies for this account are accumulated from Donations to the parish given in memory of parishioners and bequests. Funds from this account are regularly transferred into the General Operating account to augment the regular income of the parish

Prior Balance November 21, 2019 5,921.42

Deposits -0-

Withdrawals -0-

Transfer to Parish General Account -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 5,921.42

Parish Fund Raising Account

This account is used to gather income from all parish fund raising activities and to pay expenses for those activities. When an activity is complete, the proceeds are then transferred into the General Operating Account to augment the regular income of the parish.

Prior Balance November 21, 2019 13,115.61

Deposits 450.00

Withdrawals -0-

Transfer to Parish General Account -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 13,565.61

Parish Stipend Account

Funds in this account come from donations offered for Masses to be said. Funds are dispersed directly from this account to the Celebrant who offers the Mass once it is said.

Prior Balance November 21, 2019 $5,876.86

Deposits 75.00

Withdrawals -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward $5,951.86

Sacred Heart Cemetery Acct Funds in this account are accrued from the sale of graves or through the monthly collection. Funds are dispersed for burials and maintenance of the cemetery.

Prior Balance November 21, 2019 25,088.24

Deposits -0-

Withdrawals -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 25,088.24

St. Stanislaus Cemetery Acct. Funds in this account are accrued from the sale of graves or through the monthly collection. Funds are dispersed for burials and maintenance of the cemetery.

Prior Balance November21, 2019 14,266.33

Deposits -0-

Withdrawals -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 14,266.33

Parish Saving Account

Funds placed in the Diocesan Bank.

Prior Balance November 21, 2019 58,433.59

Deposits -0-

Interest -0-

Withdrawals -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 58,433.59

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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FROM THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Christus Vivit! Message of Our Holy Father Francis to Young People and to the World

www.vatican.va

The call of Jesus our friend

287. To discern our personal vocation, we have to realize that it is a calling from a friend, who is Jesus. When we give something to our friends, we give them the best we have. It will not necessarily be what is most expensive or hard to obtain, but what we know will make them happy. Friends are so sensitive to this that they can already imagine the smile on their friend’s face when he or she opens that gift. This sort of discernment that takes place among friends is what I suggest you take as a model for trying to discover God’s will for your lives.

288. I want you to know that, when the Lord thinks of each of you and what he wants to give you, he sees you as his close friend. And if he plans to grant you a grace, a charism that will help you live to the full and become someone who benefits others, someone who leaves a mark in life, it will surely be a gift that will bring you more joy and excitement than anything else in this world. Not because that gift will be rare or extraordinary, but because it will perfectly fit you. It will be a perfect fit for your entire life.

289. A vocation, while a gift, will undoubtedly also be demanding. God’s gifts are interactive; to enjoy them we have to be ready to take risks. Yet the demands they make are not an obligation imposed from without, but an incentive to let that gift grow and develop, and then become a gift for others. When the Lord awakens a vocation, he thinks not only of what you already are, but of what you will one day be, in his company and in that of others.

290. Sheer vitality and strength of personality combine in the hearts of young people to make them constantly aim higher. This exuberance will be tempered by time and painful experiences, but it is important for “this youthful and still untested yearning for the infinite”[160] to encounter the unconditional friendship that Jesus offers us. More than rules and obligations, the choice that Jesus sets before us is to follow him as friends follow one another, seeking each other’s company and spending time together out of pure friendship. Everything else will come in time, and even failures in life can be an invaluable way of experiencing that friendship, which will never be lost.

Listening and accompaniment

291. There are many priests, men and women religious, lay and professional persons, and indeed qualified young people, who can help the young with their vocational discernment. When we are called upon to help others discern their path in life, what is uppermost is the ability to listen. Listening calls for three distinct and complementary kinds of sensitivity.

292. The first kind of sensitivity is directed to the individual. It is a matter of listening to someone who is sharing his very self in what he says. A sign of this willingness to listen is the time we are ready to spare for others. More than the amount of time we spend, it is about making others feel that my time is their time, that they have all the time they need to say everything they want. The other person must sense that I am listening unconditionally, without being offended or shocked, tired or bored. We see an example of this kind of listening in the Lord; he walks alongside the disciples on the way to Emmaus, even though they are going in the wrong direction (cf. Lk 24:13-35). When Jesus says he plans to go farther, they realize that he has given them the gift of his time, so they decide to give him theirs by offering their hospitality. Attentive and selfless listening is a sign of our respect for others, whatever their ideas or their choices in life.

293. The second kind of sensitivity is marked by discernment. It tries to grasp exactly where grace or temptation is present, for sometimes the things that flit across our minds are mere temptations that can distract us from our true path. I need to ask myself what is it that the other person is trying to tell me, what they want me to realize is happening in their lives. Asking such questions helps me appreciate their thinking and the effects it has on their emotions. This kind of listening seeks to discern the salutary promptings of the good Spirit who proposes to us the Lord’s truth, but also the traps laid by the evil spirit – his empty works and promises. It takes courage, warmth and tact to help others distinguish the truth from illusions or excuses.

294. The third kind of sensitivity is the ability to perceive what is driving the other person. This calls for a deeper kind of listening, one able to discern the direction in which that person truly wants to move.

Apart from what they are feeling or thinking right now, and whatever has happened up to this point in their lives, the real issue is what they would like to be. This may demand that they look not to their own superficial wishes and desires, but rather to what is most pleasing to the Lord, to his plans for their life. And that is seen in a deeper inclination of the heart, beyond the surface level of their likes and feelings. This kind of listening seeks to discern their ultimate intention, the intention that definitively decides the meaning of their life. Jesus knows and appreciates this ultimate intention of the heart. He is always there, ready to help each of us to recognize it. We need but say to him: “Lord, save me! Have mercy on me!”

295. In this way, discernment becomes a genuine means of spiritual combat, helping us to follow the Lord more faithfully.[161] The desire to know our personal vocation thus takes on a supreme intensity, a different quality and higher level, one that better respects the dignity of our person and our life. In the end, good discernment is a path of freedom that brings to full fruit what is unique in each person, something so personal that only God knows it. Others cannot fully understand or predict from the outside how it will develop.

296. When we listen to others in this way, at a certain moment we ourselves have to disappear in order to let the other person follow the path he or she has discovered. We have to vanish as the Lord did from the sight of his disciples in Emmaus, leaving them alone with burning hearts and an irresistible desire to set out immediately (cf. Lk 24:31-33). When they returned to the community, those disciples heard the good news that the Lord was indeed risen (cf. Lk 24:34).

297. Because “time is greater than space”,[162] we need to encourage and accompany processes, without imposing our own roadmaps. For those processes have to do with persons who remain always unique and free. There are no easy recipes, even when all the signs seem positive, since “positive factors themselves need to be subjected to a careful work of discernment, so that they do not become isolated and contradict one another, becoming absolutes and at odds with one another. The same is true for the negative factors, which are not to be rejected en bloc and without distinction, because in each one there may lie hidden some value which awaits liberation and restoration to its full truth”.[163]

298. If you are to accompany others on this path, you must be the first to follow it, day in and day out. That is what Mary did, in her own youth, as she confronted her own questions and difficulties. May she renew your youthfulness by the power of her prayers and accompany you always by her maternal presence.

And to conclude… a wish

299. Dear young people, my joyful hope is to see you keep running the race before you, outstripping all those who are slow or fearful. Keep running, “attracted by the face of Christ, whom we love so much, whom we adore in the Holy Eucharist and acknowledge in the flesh of our suffering brothers and sisters. May the Holy Spirit urge you on as you run this race. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. We need them! And when you arrive where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us”.[164]

Given in Loreto, at the Shrine of the Holy House, on 25 March, Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, in the year 2019, the seventh of my Pontificate.

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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IN THE DIOCESE

$ 30,000

$20, 000

$15,000

$10,000

$5,000

$1,000

DIOCESAN ANNUAL APPEAL Parish Goal: $30,000.00 Pledges to date: $16,308.50 Amount due: $ 13,691.50

To Date, 27% of parishioners donated 54% toward our appeal Goal. Thank You.

THANK YOU Bonny Alexy M/M Dan Amerise Mary Ann Amesbury Nancy Amesbury Regina Amrick Edward Balicki John Baloga M/M Joseph Baloga Patricia Baran John Benz M/M John Bergold Helen Blizman Mary Blizman Anthony Bonczewski M/M Joseph Boris Tillie Boza M/M Dennis Bozinski M/M Mark Breznay Mrs. Regina Buczynski Barbara Ceklosky Florence Check M/M William Check Theresa Chupka M/M Robert Cirko M/M John Connell Monica Cunningham Joan Danishanko Mark Dechman Michael Degnan Nicholas Degnan M/M Peter Degnan Claire Dirvonsky David Dirvonsky Dolores Dlugosh Marcella Domanski Marge Dreier Rinaldo Ercolani M/M Daniel Evans James Evans

Ann Flannery M/M Brian Flannery Marie Flannery Patricia Flynn John Gdovin M/M William Giebus M/M John Gilligan M/M Frank Glazenski M/M Louis Goeringer Diane Gregor David Gryczko Patricia Gryskevicz M/M John Harowicz M/M Theodore Harowicz M/M John Hassay M/M Marty Heaney Eric Helfrich M/M J. Hendershot Betty Herbert Eleanor Howe Anne Hrycenko Anna Hudock Margaret Hvozdovic Kariann Iskra –White Mary Ann Jagoda Thomas Jagoda M/M Anthony Janick Kathleen Kaiser Maria Kasper Andrew Katsock III Rita Kcenich Rita Kelly Marilyn Kenzakoski Frank Klemek Bernadine Kondracki Jean Koval Joyce Langan Anna Lavan Monica Lazorick M/M John Lewandowski M/M George Lovrinic

Karen Luce M/M Ronald Lyons Mary Ann Magda Mary Lou Malloy Mary Therese McCabe M/M Thomas McCabe M/M John McKlosky John McNelis Susan Mentrikoski M/M Harry Messersmith M/M Francis Montague Scott Montague James Morpeth M/M John V. Morris III Anthony Mulvey M/M Robert Novak Donna Owca Florence Paciga Theresa Partika M/M Mark Povilitus Steven Prevuznak Mary Rembish M/M Stephen Rembish M/M Robert Ripski John Rollman M/M James Rother M/M Michael Rushton Bernadine Sabol John Saraka Carol Schultz Joan K. Selner M/M Dan Shedlock Mary Shorts M/M Tony Shurmanek Agnes Siskovitch M/M John Sitar Gertrude Skibinski Mary Ann Slavinski Elaine Snyder M/M Jeffrey Snyder Sandra Snyder

Mary Lois Sokolski William Stavishak Robert Stofey Joseph Stone Jr. Mrs Frances Suchar Mark Suchar Geraldine Tarantini Marylin Tosh M/M Frank Tribendis M/M Joseph Trudnak Geraldine Ulichney M/M Carl Walkowiak Christina Walkowiak John Wassil Julia Wilcox Leonard Wilcox Jr. Dr/Mrs Jason Woloski Dolores Yesuvida Helen Zuba

Notice Regarding Reporting Sexual Abuse of a Minor It is the policy of the Diocese of Scranton to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse committed by a priest, deacon, religious or lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton, you are encouraged to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. It is also the policy of the Diocese to adhere to all civil and state regulations. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Laws, reports of suspected child abuse should also be made immediately by phone to the 24-HourChild Abuse hotline (ChildLine) at 1-800-932-0313 or electronically at www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis To this end, the Diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of the Code of Canon Law and to upholding the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such, information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator, Mary Beth Pacuska at (570-862- 7551). Aviso al Respecto de Reportar el Abuso Sexual de Un Menor de Edad Es la norma de la Diócesis de Scranton reportar cualquier alegación de abuso sexual de un menor de edad a las autoridades. Si usted es una víctima de abuso sexual cometido por un sacerdote, diácono, religioso o empleado laico, o voluntario de la Diócesis de Scranton, usted está obligado a reportar el asunto inmediatamente a las autoridades de la ley. Si algún sacerdote, diácono, religioso, empleado laico o voluntario de la Diócesis de Scranton tiene sospecha de que un menor de edad ha sido sujeto a cualquier forma de abuso, incluyendo abuso sexual de menor de edad, el asunto será reportado a las autoridades de la ley. Es la norma de la Diócesis defender todas las regulaciones civiles y del estado. De conformidad con la Comunidad de los Servicios de Protección Infantil de Pennsylvania Leyes, informes de sospecha de abuso de niños también debe hacerse inmediatamente por teléfono las 24 horas maltrato infantil hotline (ChildLine) al 1-800-932-0313 o electrónicamente en www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis Al fi n de que la Diócesis esté comprometida igualmente a defender las normas del Código de Derecho Canónico y defender los principios de la Carta Para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes (Conferencia de los Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos), lo cual incluye apoyar a las víctimas de abuso sexual en pos del bienestar emocional y espiritual. Por eso, información respecto a una alegación del asunto sexual de un menor de edad, debe ser reportada a la Coordinadora Diocesana de Asistencia para Las Víctimas, Mary Beth Pacuska, a (570-862-7551).

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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LOCAL EVENTS

SCRANTON PREP

SCHOLARSHIP ENTRANCE EXAM Saturday, December 7th

for 8th grade students interested in applying for Fall 2020.

Registration is at 8:30 am Exam begins at 9:00 am Students may register and apply at

www.scrantonprep.org

Ca

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an

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ob

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s

by B

ill W

ate

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The

Wyoming Valley Harmony Chorus presents

HOLIDAYS, HOLLY, & HARMONY

Sunday, December 15 2:00 pm

Church of St. Benedict Parsons

The show will include seasonal secular and sacred favorites

in the “barbershop style”. Tickets are $5.00 each

Advanced Ticket Sales: 570-285-4810

They will also be available at the door.

CHOMAN’S MOBILE CARE Cemetery Care

His services include steam cleaning of headstone, manicuring the lawn around the stone, mulching, flowering and more! He offers one time, seasonal and monthly packages. He also offers military

and veteran discounts.

Automobile Detailing We love our cars and rely heavily on them. But giving them the

care they deserve is no easy task! Even dropping it at the detailing shop can be an obstacle. That’s why we bring the detailing shop to

you! We supply the water, power, tools and come right to your home or office! We’ll have your vehicle looking like new with no

worry or hassle to you!.

Power Washing Buildings lose their pristine look due to dirt, grime and motor

exhaust. These can build up and severely damage your property and destroy its value. We’ll restore your investment and help prevent the mess for coming back as well as increase the curb

value of your property overnight. We build our service based on your desire and your budget. We remove mold, graffiti, tar, gum,

oil and more. We clean buildings, houses, sidewalks, balconies, porches, rain gutters, decks and patios, windows, parking lots, garages and much more. Commercial and Residential services

available.

You can contact Chris at (570) 262-3109,

or Book your appointment by e-mail at

ChomanCares@gmail.com.

ECO-FRIENDLY CARE FOR YOU

AND YOUR INVESTMENTS

Come Swiftly King of Kings!

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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7 Reasons to Celebrate Advent by Ryan Shelton

www.desiringGod.org

FINAL THOUGHTS

I grew up in one of the branches of the church that did not celebrate Advent. Before the leftover turkey disappeared from the refrigerator, we were in full-blown Christmastide through December 25.

I was in my twenties before I was introduced to the tradition of Advent, and it frankly did not have much appeal right away. What was the value of four weeks of longing and expectation? It seems so contradictory to the prevailing atmosphere of festive, cheery glow in the shopping malls.

But I have grown to love Advent. And though it is not a mandated observance in Scripture, there are profitable reasons to consider making Advent part of your holiday rhythm. Here are seven potential benefits of observing Advent.

1. Advent reminds us we are not the center of God’s plan.

Advent is an opportunity to refresh your perspective that God has a grand plan for history that is so much larger than just you and your kin. For all the emphasis on gift-giving and sentimentality that characterizes our cultural holiday, we can tend to focus on our small circles of friends. So in the midst of a season that might shrink our gaze, Advent reminds us to pan the camera back out to the larger scope of God’s purposes for history.

Before the foundation of the world, God wrote “the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 13:8), a story culminating in the marriage of the Lamb and his Bride (Revelation 19:7). What a marvel that we are spectacularly included in this grand plan, but we are not individually the main characters in this story.

The expectation of Advent points our gaze to a far grander story than our sentimental yuletide inclinations.

2. Advent reminds us of generations of saints longing for the Messiah.

Not long ago, it was a luxury to have two-day shipping for online purchases. Now you can have your purchase show up in just a matter of hours. Do modern people even have a category for longing, pining, and waiting?

Advent gives us an opportunity to imagine the long-awaited coming of the Messiah, who was promised thousands of years before his arrival in Bethlehem (John 8:56; Hebrews 11:13). Generations of saints had promises from God in Scripture, and types that heightened their yearning for the coming One.

As we imagine ourselves in this kind of expectation, we begin to see glimpses of how Jesus expected his disciples to see predictions for his ministry in the entire collection of Scriptures (Luke 24:27, 44), not simply a few isolated prophecies. With this kind of yearning, the pages of the Hebrew Bible rustle with Jesus from Genesis to Chronicles.

3. Advent connects us to centuries of church tradition.

Church tradition is not our final authority like Scripture, but we are not the first generation to seek to live faithfully to God’s word. We are naïve to blindly disregard a practice that has been fruitful for so many citizens of God’s Kingdom.

We should remember our leaders, and consider the outcome of their faith (Hebrews 13:7), and celebrating Advent is an opportunity to imitate the faith of many faithful leaders who have gone before us. We can avoid what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery” by letting the voices of seasoned saints offer wisdom into our context.

4. Advent brings slowness in the midst of a frantic season.

The Christmas holiday, especially in the West, seems to be on a vector towards insanity. Black Friday appears to have no desire to remain confined by a 24-hour window, even while shoppers have literally been reported to stampede retail stores. Students are busy studying for finals, parents are busy shopping for gifts, families are busy traveling to visit relatives — even social calendars can crowd uncomfortably during December.

Advent provides opportunity to slow the pace, or even comparatively grind it to a halt. Remember the deliberateness of God. He completed his promise “in the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4). Whether through daily readings, candle-lightings, or other Advent-themed traditions, we resolve to pause and reflect in a season that

could otherwise drown out reflection — and be still.

5. Advent teaches us patience.

Patience is a fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22). But though it is his work, we may seek out means whereby the Spirit of God can cultivate patience in our hearts.

As we observe Advent, God can grow patience in our hearts by demonstrating that God is patient, and not because he is slow (2 Peter 3:9). By remembering the longing for Christ’s first coming, we see God’s mercy. He did not rush into swift destruction of his enemies and triumph of his kingdom — glorious as that will be.

Every moment of God’s patience is an opportunity for repentance for those who would otherwise be destroyed in his final coming (Romans 2:4). During Advent we behold the patience of Jesus, and by beholding him we are transformed more into his likeness by God’s Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

6. Advent demonstrates the rarer jewel of Christian discontentment.

Puritan author Jeremiah Burroughs wrote of The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. And indeed this rare jewel is worth cultivating, especially in view of a mass conspiracy of advertisements designed solely to rob it from you. But not all discontentment ought to be shunned.

Where Christian contentment is rare in the vast sea of discontented people, distinctly Christian discontentment may be rarer. How else can the result of the firstfruits of the Spirit be groaning inwardly (Romans 8:23)? What are we to make of the souls of martyrs under the altar of God crying out, “How long, O Lord?” (Revelation 6:10)? We do not have to look far to find reasons to grow in righteous discontentment with the sin-broken world around us, and lift up holy cries of lament.

Advent uniquely models this in the Christian calendar, as we remember similar cries for the first coming of Christ, and join their refrain for the second coming.

7. Advent fortifies confidence in the promises of God.

Finally, the best application of all of a season of heightened, purposeful remembrance and expectation directs us toward the glorious Second Advent of King Jesus.

As we reflect on God’s faithfulness to his promises past, we are reassured in the promises we yet await. Jesus said he is coming soon (Revelation 22:12), and though our concept of soon may seem to have a different calibration than our Lord’s, the Holy Spirit strengthens our faith by tracing the exactitude of God’s faithfulness to the saints long ago. Confidence in the second coming of Christ inspires missions (Matthew 24:14), enables Christian fellowship and mutual encouragement (Hebrews 10:25), and equips us for joyful suffering (Hebrews 10:34).

So if you are like me, and did not grow up with the tradition of Advent in your family or church, consider the benefits to your Christian walk this season by joining many in the Christian faith who have found great benefit in purposefully preparing during Advent for the great celebration of Christmas. Let us join the voices of generations of saints past and present in the refrain, O come, O come, Emmanuel.

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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WEEKLY CALENDAR

First Week of Advent December 2—8, 2019

Day and Date Time Intention Offered by Events

Monday, December 2 Advent Weekday No Morning Mass Scheduled

Tuesday, December 3 St. Francis Xavier 8 am John P. Jones

Rob & Jackie Barkus

5:30 pm Choir

Wednesday, December 4 St. John Damascene 8 am

Joan Skibinski Thiemann

Mom & Family

Thursday, December 5 Advent Weekday 8 am Carolyn Martin Stanley Sipko

Noon—Adoration Begins 5 pm Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Friday December 6 St. Nicholas

8 am Priests of the Diocese Fr. Ken FIRST FRIDAY 8 am Mass 6 pm Confessions 6:30 pm Devotions to the Sacred Heart 7:00 pm Mass

Men of the Sacred

Heart MOTSH

Saturday, December 7 St. Ambrose 9 am No Morning Mass Scheduled

3:00 pm Confessions

Second Sunday of Advent

VIGIL 4 pm Amy Lynn Owca Family 9:30 am Elementary Faith Formation RELIGIOUS RETIREMENT COLLECTION Cemetery Envelope GIVING TREE 2 pm The SCRIPTURES and LAUDATO SI

VIGIL 5:30 pm Thomas Flannery Wife Marie and

Children

SUNDAY 8 am Joseph and Josephine

Melman Frank & Camille

Glazenski

SUNDAY 11 am Parishioners Pastor

LITURGICAL MINISTRY SCHEDULE

Monday, December 9th Immaculate Conception

December 7-8, 2019 Second Sunday of Advent

4:00 pm 5:30 pm 8:00 am 11:00 am 9:00 am

Server Patrice Rembish Brian Flannery Anna Bozinski Manuel Baez Weekday Server

Lector Anne Bergold Pat Baran Mary Ann Slavinski Edward Ostopick-Chesek Weekday Lector

EMOC John Bergold Brian Flannery Anna Bozinski Robert Dunsmuir Sr. Weekday EMOC

Cantor Joan Cavanaugh Brian Clark Carol Zukowski Geri Ulichney Geri Ulichney

Hospitality Anna & Dennis

Bozinski Pat Baran

Margie Dreier Dolores Yesuvida

Patrice Rembish David Alusick

Delores Yesuvida

David Alusick

Join Us for Eucharistic Adoration

every Thursday from Noon to 6 pm.

The Day concludes with Vespers and Benediction

at 6 pm.

1 December 2019 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Are You Having Trouble Finding a Ride to Church? Our Parish Social Justice Council has teamed up with LCTA to provide Bus Transportation to the 4 pm Vigil Mass each Saturday for our Parishioners. All you have to do is 1. Contact Anna Hudock (570-822-1926) and let her know you are interested. She will instruct

you to 2. Call LCTA and enroll in the Shared Ride Program. 3. Our Parish Social Justice Council will pay for the tickets monthly. This service is provided through the generosity of our parishioners in the quarterly Social Justice Collection.

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