SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH

LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA December 16, 2018

PLEASE REMEMBER IN PRAYER: Those who are ill: Patri-cia Bostick, Jerry DiCrocco, Margaret Ellis, Betty Graybill, Lisa Helfrich, Gabriel Lugaro, Patricia Wisniewski, Joyce Yeager and those in nursing homes; those presently or re-cently in the hospital; and those listed in our Book of the Sick.

DEATH: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Minh Tran, grandmother of Fr. Pang Tcheou and Francis Mon-geau, Sr., brother of Robert Mongeau, Sr. May they rest in glory with the Lord.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SEMINARIANS: Rev. Mr. Samu-el Miller, Richard McAlister, Chiedozie Ononuju, Michael Pray, Alexander Quach, Peter Rettig.

FLOWERS FOR CHURCH: Due to decorating the church for Advent and the Christmas season the next available date for Altar Flowers is January 13, 2019.

BAPTISM: May God continue to bless Benedict Raphael DiCamillo, son of John and Serena DiCa-millo, baptized December 10.

Third Sunday of Advent

SCRIPTURE READINGS:

December 23, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Micah 5:1-4a Second Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10

Gospel: Luke 1:39-45

MASS IN THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Fourth Sunday of Advent (Roráte) Epistle - From the First Letter of Blessed Paul

to the Corinthians, 4:1-5. Gospel - Continuation of the holy Gospel according to

St. Luke, 3:1-6. To receive announcements, please go to

LancasterLatinMass.com and click on "Newsletter Signup" on the homepage.

Rejoice in the Lord!

Dear People and Friends of Saint Joseph’s,

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus! As we eagerly await the Lord’s glorious return at the end of time and prepare to celebrate again his birth as our Savior in Bethlehem, JOY characterizes our attitude and sentiments. As the popular Christmas carol proclaims it: “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” But why does the Messiah’s birth cause joy? It may be obvious, but often we forget to be joyful in the Lord and how to practice that joy. Saint Paul urges us to be people permeated by joy as he exhorts us: “Rejoice in the Lord al-ways. I shall say it again: rejoice!”

A Christian without joy is like a tire without air, a lake without water, or an apple tree without apples. This joy is more than the emotion expressed in the pop song by Bob Marley “Don’t worry, be happy.” Joy characterizes the person touched and transformed by God. The prophet Zephaniah very clearly indicates the reason for our joy:

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you.

Our Messiah and Savior Jesus Christ has removed the judgement against us, has lifted the yoke that has burdened us, and has reconciled us with the Lord. We rejoice, because we have been reconciled with God and brought close to Him again. This reconciliation is only possible, because God is Merciful. JOY is the fruit that reconciliation bears, because reconciliation renews our relationship with the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Like the tire with air or the apple tree with apples, we have been made for a relationship with the Lord. To rejoice in the Lord always, as Saint Paul urges, then, requires that we experience and live this reconciliation with God daily. As one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, JOY blos-soms in our hearts and our lives when we are living this rela-tionship guided by the Holy Spirit and being docile to the Spirit’s lead.

Christmas, then, is not primarily a sentimental trip down memory lane nor delighting in the amazing beauty of our church wondrously decorated. Christmas is not about enjoy-ing inspiring Christmas carols, receiving the perfect gift, nor pretending that Jesus is being born for the first time. Christ-mas does not center on us; it centers on God—the Word made Flesh—who has come close to us, that we might be close to God again.

So celebrating Christmas without participating in recon-ciliation is an illusion; it is a day that is empty and hollow. The Savior was born to save, but we must accept this salva-tion and reconciliation. Baptism first offers us this reconcilia-tion and salvation. The Sacrament of Confession renews that reconciliation when we fall into sin again. And the Sacrament of Confession is more than the slate being wiped clean; it opens the door to conversion.

We hear in the gospel today that as John the Baptist had preached repentance, the people kept questioning him, “What are we to do?” Reconciliation changes the way we are to live. It transforms our relationship not only with the LORD,

but ought to transform all of our other relationships. In an-swer to their inquiries, John indicates that our lives, trans-formed by the One who baptizes with fire and the Holy Spirit, ought to reflect the works of mercy, justice and fulfillment of the commandments. The graces of baptism and reconcilia-tion, then, enable us to be Intentional Disciples, who know, love and serve the Lord.

This Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. we will have our annual, Advent Penance Service with individual confessions. Five priests will be available for confession through which God offers you his mercy. Please bring your family to experience this mercy and reconciliation, so you too can be filled with the Joy of our Savior. Confessions will also be available on Friday, December 21st from 10:00-11:00am & 7:00-8:00pm and Saturday, December 22

nd from 9:00-10:00am & 4:00-

4:45pm.

As Intentional Disciples, may our hearts fervently yearn, Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus! In this way we will Re-joice in the Lord always!

Expectation of our Lord’s Coming, Fr. Allan F. Wolfe

SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH

LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA December 16, 2018

Saturday, December 15 4:00 pm Confessions

5:00 pm Mass - Corrie Wade (Mike & Cheryl Hansberry)

Sunday, December 16 - Third Sunday of Advent 8:00 am Mass - Anne Marie Reisinger Kaiser - John & Bobbie

Reisinger

9:00 am Christmas Cookie Breakfast Social - Msgr. Smith

Social Hall

9:15 am Faith Sharing - Msgr. Smith Social Hall

9:15 am CCD - Education Building

10:30 am Mass - People of the Parish

11:45 am Christmas Cookie Breakfast Social - Msgr. Smith Social Hall 1:30 pm Mass - Extraordinary Form - Intention of Tim & Michele

Quigley (Joe & Hermina Cunningham) Monday, December 17 6:30 am Mass - Edward Tobin (Jim & Sharon Rago)

9:00 am Legion of Mary - Good Shepherd Room

5:30 pm SoWe - St. Francis Room

7:00 pm Boy Scouts - Scout Room

7:00 pm RCIA - Education Building

Tuesday, December 18 6:30 am Mass - Living & Deceased Perpetual Adoration

Adorers (Vonnie Kirchner & Family)

8:00 am Morning Prayer

8:15 am Mass - Joan Hauck (Estate of Joan Hauck)

6:30 pm Cub Scouts - Scout Room

Wednesday, December 19 6:30 am Mass - Marian Madonna (St. Joseph Parish)

4:00 pm Lancaster Curia—Legion of Mary - St. Francis Room

7:00 pm Parish Penance Service

Thursday, December 20 6:30 am Mass - John G. & Mary E. Stumpf (Vonnie Kirchner &

Family)

8:00 am Morning Prayer

8:15 am Mass - Helen Bitts (WO)

Friday, December 21 - Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and

Doctor of the Church 6:30 am Mass - Living & Deceased of Altar Rosary Society

(Altar Rosary Society)

8:15 am Mass - Extraordinary Form - Deceased Infants (Anna Dung Pham)

Saturday, December 22

8:00 am Mass - Intention of Regina Crnkovich

4:00 pm Confessions

5:00 pm Mass - People of the Parish

6:30 pm Children’s Pageant Rehearsal

Sunday, December 23 - Fourth Sunday of Advent

8:00 am Mass - Magdalen Duffy (Patrick Duffy)

9:15 am Tipitina’s - Hospitality, Friendship, Faith Sharing 9:15 am NO CCD

10:30 am Mass - Intention of John Klouse (Vonnie Kirchner & Family)

1:30 pm Mass - Extraordinary Form - Russell O’Day (Dave & Kathy Haddon)

HOMEMADE COOKIE CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST CELEBRATION: Join us TODAY in the Msgr. Smith Social Hall for our FREE Christmas Cookie Breakfast Celebration following the 8:00am & 10:30am Masses.

“In the Mass and in Eucharistic Adoration we meet the merciful love of God that passes through the Heart of Jesus Christ." ~ Pope John Paul II

Consider becoming an adorer or a substitute. You can choose the time that would work best for you.

Call 717-397-6921 to schedule your hour. Open Hour(s)

Tuesday 11-pm-12:00am

Friday 1:00-2:00pm

Saturday 6:00-7:00pm

Perpetual Adoration is held in our Holy Family Chapel. The Blessed Sacrament is reposed during all Masses and Sundays from 7:45am until 2:45pm.

SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION: During Advent, rec-onciliation will be available through the Sacrament of Con-fession:

Each Saturday evening from 4:00–4:45pm. Each Sunday from 7:30–7:50am & 10:00–10:20am During the Parish Penance Service on Wednesday,

December 19th

at 7:00pm. Friday, December 21

st from 10:00–11:00am &

7:00–8:00pm Saturday, December 22

nd from 9:00–10:00am & 4:00–

4:45pm. And by appointment with Fr. Wolfe, Fr. Olkowski or

Fr. Deogratias, if these times are not workable.

Please plan now as families to use Confession during Ad-vent to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.

LET’S BE SAINTS: A Children's Eucharistic Advent Journey to Sainthood! Come join children from all parishes for our FINAL Children's Eucharistic Adoration on Friday in the lower chapel from 4:30-5:30pm. Together we will spend time with Jesus, while asking Him to mold our hearts to be like the saints.

December 21 (St. Francis Nativity Story Lesson and 3 Kings Lesson) We will also be doing a St. Andrew Christmas Novena for 9 days during Advent. (Dates chosen by each family). Con-tact: Annie Celotto annie.celotto@gmail.com or via phone at 804-869-7125 for questions. CHURCH DECORATING: Final day to help with deco-rating the church. If you can make it, please come at 3:00pm to help.

LOCAL PARISH ADVENT PENANCE SERVICES St. Mary - Sunday, December 16 at 7:00pm

St. Anthony - Monday, December 17 at 7:00pm

St. Joseph - Wednesday, December 19 at 7:00pm

San Juan Bautista - Thursday, December 20 at 7:00pm

USHERS NEEDED: As part of our Church ’s social out-reach programs, we are encouraging younger members to become involved in church functions. We are asking you to consider becoming an usher at one of our weekend Masses. For more information, please contact the rectory.

SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH

LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA December 16, 2018

POINSETTIAS AND DECORATIONS: An envelope was included with your November envelope packet for those who would like to give a donation of $10 towards poinsettias and decorations for Christmas. NEW YEAR’S DAY COMMUNITY MEAL: Our New Year’s Day Community meal is happening again for the 6th year. This meal is FREE and open to ANY-ONE. The meal will be served from 1:00-3:00pm. We are looking for help on Saturday, December 29

at 1:00pm to prep food and set up the gym. Then again on New Year’s Day beginning at 8:00am to heat food. Workers are also needed at the event, beginning at 12:30pm to help serve food, wait on tables, refill drinks, run the dessert table, and clean up afterwards. To find out how to support the meal or volunteer, call Matt Stewart at 717-587-8409, or email him at wallaby38@gmail.com. COPING WITH THE HOLIDAYS: Individuals who find holi-day traditions they once anticipated with great joy now leave them with feelings of uncertainty and sadness will learn to not only get through the holiday season, but perhaps find some-thing positive during an otherwise difficult time. Call the Path-ways Center at (717) 391-2413 or (800) 924-7610 to register.

“What Are the Gifts?” Tuesday, December 18 from 6:30–8:00pm at Hospice & Community Care, 685 Good Drive, Lancaster.

THE ANNUAL DIOCESAN RESPECT LIFE MASS will take place on Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 9:30am at Good Shep-herd Church in Camp Hill. Reverend Stephen Kelley, chaplain to our diocese’s Rachel’s Vineyard post-abortion ministry, will be the celebrant and homilist. All are welcome!

2019 Sanctity of Life Mass spon-sored by the Order of Malta extends an invitation for your participation in this special liturgy. A Free Will offer-

ing will benefit A Women's Concern. The celebrant will be Rev. James J. Greenfield, OSFS, president of DeSales University located in Center Valley, PA. DeSales University is rooted in the Salesian spiritu-al values of St. Francis de Sales, human develop-ment. Rev. Greenfield is a certified pastoral counse-

lor and author of articles on religious life, life-long faith for-mation and the intersection of spirituality. Mass will be held at St. Leo the Great Church at 2427 Marietta Ave starting at 7:00 pm. Contact Chris Gillbons, KM at cmgibbons@comcast.net for more information.

MAILCHIMP the e-mail system that Saint Joseph is using for announcements has a tendency to send unrecognized e-mails to SPAM. "Our parish will be utilizing e-mail more in order to communicate with you in a timely, more consistent manner”. These e-mails can sometimes get redirected to SPAM. Please check your SPAM folder and mark as "NOT SPAM."

RETROUVAILLE :Do you feel lost, alone or bored in your mar-riage? Are you frustrated, hurt or angry with your spouse? Are you constantly fighting? Or, do you simply shut down? Have you thought about separation or divorce? Does talking about it only make it worse? Retrouvaille provides marriage help! The next Retrouvaille weekend is scheduled for January 11-13, 2019. For more information and to register, please visit retrouvaille.org or call (717) 356-2185.

RESURRECTION CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Rock The Church Lights Up Christmas was a beau-tiful show with great performances by Liz Fulmer, the St. Anthony Ensemble, the San Juan Bautista Ensem-ble and the Resurrection Singing Saints. Videos of their songs may be viewed on YouTube – search Resurrec-tion Catholic School Lancaster PA. We raised about $2,300 to complete a STEM lab in the school. We are grateful for our sponsors’ support and that of the musi-cians, volunteers and attendees. Your gifts of time, tal-ent, money and prayers make Resurrection what it is. Thank You!

School Mass Thursday, December 20, 9:30am, will be led by third grade at St. Anthony of Padua Church. Christmas break begins December 24 and school re-sumes January 2, 2019. There will not be a school Mass January 3.

We invite your family to become part of the Resurrection family! Family of Faith – Guided by the Spirit.

LANCASTER CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Activities Fair: During the Activities Fair on Satur-day, January 26 from 1:00-3:00pm in Berger Gym, new student attendees will have the chance to speak and interact with various clubs, sport teams, campus minis-try and the Fine and Performing Arts clubs. At the Activ-ities Fair, one lucky new student will have the chance to win FREE TUITION for the 2019-2020 school year! For more information and to register, go to www.lchsyes.org/activites/.

Open House: Lancaster Catholic's Winter Open House will be Thursday, January 31 from 6:30-8:00pm in the Library. This is a unique opportunity to tour Lan-caster Catholic with one of our students, observe our faculty and students in classroom activities and enjoy performances from a variety of our student ensembles. Those who preregister will be entered in a drawing to win Amazon Gift Cards and have the chance to win Registration Fees waivers (a $150 value). Go to www.lchsyes.org/open/ to learn more and to register.

Kitchen Staff Needed: Lancaster Catholic is looking for part-time help in the kitchen. Hours are 8:45am-12:45/1:00pm, Monday-Friday. Please contact Denise Rooff at 717-509-0306 for more information or email, drooff@lchsyes.org.

WOMEN’S CLUB NEWS: The St. Joseph Women’s Club and St Joseph Choir made “joyful noise” Sunday as we caroled in the halls of St Anne’s Retirement Home. We sang many old time favorites and many staff

and clients sang along. Thanks to those who spent this time uplifting the spirits of all through song. The next Wom-en’s Club meeting is January 24. More details will follow.

SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH

LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA December 16, 2018

TIME TALENT and TREASURE A Way of Life at Saint Joseph’s

Parish Renewal by Becoming Intentional Disciples

What does it look like to really follow Jesus? In the ancient disciple-rabbi relationship, the disciple would follow the rabbi so closely that he would be covered in the dust kicked up from his rabbi’s feet. Thousands of years later, though we walk on roads of pavement and not dust, we are still called to be disciples—to follow our Rabbi, Jesus Christ, so closely that we are covered with his life, changed, and made new. Edward Sri, Into His Likeness: Be Transformed as a Dis-ciple of Christ.

Following Jesus so closely that we are covered with his life, changed, and made new, begins with a desire to imitate him. Please consider deepening your relationship with our Rabbi, Jesus Christ, by participating in one or more of the following:

Attending Daily Mass: One of our goals this year is to invite you to attend Mass daily. We know that schedules may make it impossible to do so. However, please consider at-tending as often as your weekly schedule permits. If you cannot attend Mass at St. Joseph’s, please look at daily Mass times offered in other parishes.

Becoming a Perpetual Adorer: In his book, The Healing Power of the Eucharist, Fr. John Hampsch states: The Eu-charist is the most effective means of healing known to man-kind. At St. Joseph’s we are so very blessed to have the mystical treasure of Perpetual Adoration where we can en-gage Christ present among us. Please help make Eucharis-tic Adoration available to all by volunteering as an adorer or a substitute. Please see page 2 for details.

Intercessory Prayer Ministry: Becoming a parish of inten-tional disciples includes an intercessory prayer team.

Are you being called to join others in opening yourself to the Holy Spirit so that He leads us in prayer?

Do you have a strong desire to pray for God’s will to be manifest within our parish?

Do you relate to the image of intercessory prayer as “tilling the soil of the heart of our parish” so as to prepare it to receive the seed of the Gospel?

There are both individual and group prayer opportunities. For information please contact: Suzanne Ganse at 717-393-0067 or sganse49@gmail.com or come to the 1st floor meet-ing room in the Religious Education Building at 6:30pm on First Fridays (next date is January 4) for group prayer followed by Mass at 7:30pm.

Two children offered their time, talent and treasure to God on December 9th totaling $1.00 which goes to

the Missionary Childhood Association.

MASS ATTENDANCE

December 9, 2018 5:00 pm Mass 158 8:00 am Mass 130 10:30 am Mass 223

Nursery 4 1:30 pm Mass 122

Total Attendance 637

SAVE THE DATE: Hear Bill Donaghy as the Keynote speaker at the Holy Family Radio Benefit Dinner on Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Sheraton Harrisburg/Hershey Hotel. He will speak on “The Art of Being Human: Rediscovering the Gift of Life and Human Love”. Bill is a Senior Lecturer with the Theology of the Body Institute and has worked in the missions, evangelization, and education for nearly 25 years. Plan now to hear this dynamic Catholic speaker and support our only local Catholic voice on the radio. More information is at www.720whyf.com. THE EPIPHANY ITALIAN MASS- EPIFANIA DEL NOSTRO SIGNORE will be celebrated on Sunday, January 6 at 12:15pm at SAINT PATRICK CATHEDRAL, 212 State Street, Harrisburg. Father Joshua Brommer will be the Celebrant. For information please contact: Mariella Amato at 717-278-9420 or Maria DiSanto at 717-554-5698, or e-mail:disanto1@comcast.net.

GIFT CARD SALES Date Sales Profit

December 9, 2018 $1,861.50 $113.90

In Pew Collection $17,878.95

Electronic Giving 3,983.00

Online Giving 980.00

Budget 12/09/2018 $12,500.00

Actual $22,841.95

Difference $10,341.95

Vigils 343.20

Religious Retirement 2,478.38

Immaculate Conception 1,792.25

EWTN ADVENT PROGRAMING: Join EWTN each week this Advent Season for special programming and devotionals easily located on their website www.ewtn.com/advent. Re-member, your purchase of holy reminders from the EWTN Religious Catalog at the

online Catholic store at www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com guarantees quality and helps support the network.

Thank you to our Bulletin Sponsor of the Week

Don Spica, Realtor—ReMax Associates of Lancaster

Office—717-569-2222

You can read the bulletin online at our parish website: www.stjosephslanc.com