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Welcome to St. John the Evangelist! Whether you’re just visiting for a brief time, looking for a new parish home, returning to the practice of your Catholic faith or interested in finding out more about the Catholic Church, we are happy you’re here! To learn more about St. John, please visit stjohngulfport.org.
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Saturday: 9:00 AM + D’Wayne Swear 5:00 PM + Lorraine Goad Sunday: 8:00 AM + Estelle Papania 10:30 AM People of the Parish 5:00 PM + John Carmicheal Healy Monday: 7:00 AM + Richard & Edna Garrett Tuesday: 6:00 PM + JoPat Murphy Wednesday: 7:00 AM + Mackie Fayard Thursday: 9:00 AM + Cecil & Margaret Dubuisson Friday: 7:00 AM Dane Hewes (Special Intention)
Parish Ministry Meetings
Knights of Columbus: 1st & 3rd Wednesday - 7:00 PM
K C Ladies Auxiliary: 3rd Tuesday - 6:30 PM
Young At Heart: 4th Thursday - 12 Noon
Prayer Group: Every Thursday - 5:15 PM
For information, call the Parish Office.
Legion of Mary: Every Thursday - 10:00 AM For information, call Annette Seymour 228-326-0851.
Last Week’s Collections
1st Collection: $7082 2nd Collection: $1015 for St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy Children’s Collection: $18
Thank you for your generosity!
This week’s second collection is for the Retired Re-ligious. Next week’s second collection is for Christ-mas flowers.
Kris Allen John Atwood Regina Papania Bell Mary Ann Bishop Frances Carrubba Garry Cooper Ed Croal Desa Elkins Ronnie Guidry Joann Hoda Mike Hoda JoAnn Liner Eleanor Mize Lulu Mount
Sophia Nuchereno Bernard Papania Linda Papania Ruthie Parker Toney Phillips Colette Marissa Quigley Alexander Rich Peggy Ryland Skip Ryland Sandy Senseney Suzanne Shifalo Vickie Smith Jon Williams
Erma Wilson
Your prayers are asked for the following individuals
who are facing illness or other life challenges.
Catholic Education
St. James Elementary 603 West Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39507
Principal: Jennifer Broadus Tel #: 228-896-6631
St. Vincent De Paul Elementary 4321 Espy Avenue, Long Beach MS 39560
Principal: Carol Church Tel #: 228-222-6000
St. Patrick High School 18300 St. Patrick Road, Biloxi, MS 39532
Principal: Dr. Matt Buckley Tel #: 228-702-0500
If you are new to the parish, please complete a
registration form on the back table or go to our
website and click on the “New Parishioner” tab.
Second Collection Envelopes
Second collection envelopes for designated national and diocesan appeals will be available on the tables in
the back of the church two weeks prior to the collection. Please pick one up and remember to print your name and envelope number on the back of the
collection envelope.
To add or remove a name from the prayer list, please contact the Parish Office. Names will appear on the prayer list for six weeks, but are renewable.
Sister Mary’s Contact Information
Sr. Mary Kealy, PBVM
Nano Nagle Place
Douglas Street
Cork, Ireland
Our youth group meets on
Sunday from 3:30 - 4:45 PM
in the Youth Room. For
more information, please
contact Bridgett Bermond at
228-209-9281.
A Family of Faith
Family Gathering
Sunday / December 15 / 11:30 PM
Presentation Hall
Attention Lectors
The 2020 Workbook for Lectors, Gospel
Readers and Proclaimers of the Word is
now available and may be picked up in
the Sacristy.
Advent Wreath Lighting
During Advent, the Advent wreath will be lit prior to Mass and we need families to light the wreath at the
beginning of each Mass. A sign-up sheet can be found on the center table in the back of the church.
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Since December 8 falls on a Sunday this year, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception will be celebrated on Monday, December 9. It is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation; however, we will offer daily Masses at 7:00 AM and 12:00 Noon.
Nativity Advent Concert-Service
Saturday / December 14 / 2:30 PM
The Music & Fine Arts Ministry of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral will offer their annual “Advent Lessons & Reflections” Concert-Service to honor and reflect upon the season of Advent. Designed in the style of the English Christmas Service – “Lessons & Carols” – this hour-long concert-service for Advent will have musical reflections that will enhance the scriptures of Old Testament prophecies of the coming “Messiah” and the “Annunciation Story” of the Angel Gabriel appearing before Mary and announcing that she is the chosen one to be the Mother of God from the New Testament.
All married and engaged couples are welcome to come
and join in fellowship and Christmas fun. A meal will
be provided; however, there will be no babysitting
services provided for the evening. There is no
charge; but to plan properly, please reserve your spot
48 hours in advance by contacting Mara Russo at
228-265-7156 or [email protected] or on
GroupMe on the Couples Date Night Group.
A PASTORAL VISIT
Later this month, Bishop Louis F. Kihneman, III will
make a pastoral visit to St. John the Evangelist. The
Bishop will celebrate Mass with our parish at the 5:00
PM Vigil Mass on Saturday, December 21. He will also
celebrate the 2:00 PM Spanish Mass on Sunday,
December 22. Following the Vigil Mass, there will be a
light reception in the Memorial Room; and following
the 2:00 PM Spanish Mass, there will be an early
dinner reception in Presentation Hall. All are
encouraged to come and extend a warm welcome to
Bishop Kihneman!
Upcoming Events Continued
Happy birthday wishes are extended to:
Shelton Peterson on Dec 9; Mimi Salloum & Charlie Underwood on Dec 10; Tom Bailey & DeBorah Simpson on Dec 11; Emily Hale on Dec 12; and Rogers Fredericks on Dec 14.
May God grant them many blessings in the coming year!
We extend our deepest sympathy
and prayers for peace and comfort
to the family and friends of Jean
Ladner. May she and all the souls
of the faithfully departed, through
If you or anyone in your family is ill at
home or in the hospital and would like
us to visit you - please call 228-864-2272.
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday: Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98:1-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12;
Lk 1:26-38
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: Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab;
Jdt 13:18bcde, 19; Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47,
or any readings from the Common of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, nos. 707-712
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
We appreciate those who donate altar flowers. If
you would like to have flowers placed in the
church for a week in honor of a birthday,
anniversary or other celebration, or in memory of
a deceased loved one, please contact the Parish
Office.
Please Take One
Copies of the Advent The
Word Among Us are available
on the tables in the back of
the Church. Pick one up.
They are a wonderful
spiritual resource during this
season of preparation.
Christmas Eve Vigil (Children’s Mass ) - 4:00 PM
Christmas Eve Midnight Mass - 12:00 AM
Christmas Day Mass - 10:30 AM
Solemnity of Mary Vigil Mass (Dec. 31) - 6:00 PM
XLT Adoration - 7:00 PM
Solemnity of Mary Holy Day Masses (Jan. 1)
7:00 AM / 12:00 PM
Tour # MJ20 0414-DB
All inclusive price:
$3,195 per person from
For more information, please contact Holy Family
Parish Office at 228-452-4686 or register online at
www.CatholicJourneys.com/mjdb
2020 Calendars
The 2020 Extension Society calendars have arrived
and are on the tables in the back of the Church.
Please take one!
Prayer Candles
5-Day Prayer Candles are
available for a $5 donation
and may be picked up in
the Church Sacristy after
Masses and in the Parish Office from
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM throughout the work week.
Red Candles for St. Joseph
Blue Candles for the Blessed Mother
Children’s Activity Guides
These guides go along with the Sunday readings.
If you have children, please take one for each
child on your way out of Mass. The guides are in
the Bulletin Stands.
The Jesse Tree helps us connect the custom of
decorating Christmas trees to the events leading to
Jesus’ birth. Jesse was the father of King David,
and the Jesse Tree gets its name from Isaiah 11:1:
“A shoot shall come out of the stock of Jesse, and a
branch shall grow out of his roots.”
We adorn a Jesse Tree with illustrated ornaments
that represent the people, prophesies, and events
leading up to the birth of Jesus. The ornaments of
the Jesse Tree tell the story of God in the Old
Testament, connecting the Advent season with the
faithfulness of God across four thousand years of
history.
Our Jesse Tree is located at the front of the church
in between the statues of St. John the Evangelist
and Jesus, the Good Shepherd; and our tree
ornaments were made by the families who
participate in A Family of Faith. Please stop by
and look at the family tree of Jesus!
Throughout the Church’s history, many popes and
saints have recommended that we pray the Rosary.
St. Louis de Monfort said, “When the Holy Rosary
is said well, it gives Jesus and Mary more glory and
is more meritous than any other prayer.”
Battles have been won because people pray the
Rosary. There have been hearts converted and
impossible intentions answered.
St. John the Evangelist’s Legion of Mary Presidium
has purchased a statue of Our Lady of Grace. We
would like different families of our parish
community to take her into their homes for a week
and pray the Rosary with her daily.
We invite anyone who would like to have Our Lady
in their home to call or text Kathy Pitre at
228-229-8750 or Annette Seymour at 228-326-0851
for more information and/or to set up a home visit.
A Liturgical Reminder
While reciting the Nicene Creed during the Christmas Masses on December 24 and 25, the faithful genuflect during the words “… and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.”
