"Mission to Serve": New Orleans Diary   HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH December 30/31, 2006   What causes people to lose Jesus? To find him?    Gospel Reflection (Luke 2:41-52): Can you identify with Jesus in this wonderful story from Luke’s Gospel? Jesus at the age of twelve is on the verge of becoming a man in the Jewish society of his day. He and his parents have traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. After the departure of Mary and Joseph, Jesus remains behind in the Temple. There he amazes the religious teachers with his wisdom and intelligence.    When Jesus’ parents discover him missing, they are upset. Jesus explains the importance of putting God first in our lives. When we do this, everything else in life will fall into place. Discussion Points for Gospel: What do we learn about Jesus in this story? How can you put God first in your life? Jesus understood his relationship with God. It enabled him to grow “in wisdom and age and grace.” How do you think following Jesus’ advice will help you in your family life?     MASSES FOR THE WEEK SATURDAY          5:15 p.m.     Beulah Udvardy SUNDAY               8:30 a.m.     Bob Stockmal - Wendy & Bill Serbonich   Holy Family            10:30 a.m.     People of Our Parish MONDAY            10:00 a.m.    Russell & Harriet Dumont - the Oswald family TUESDAY            12:15 p.m.    Memorial Mass for Frank Abremski WEDNESDAY      12:15 p.m.    George Horak - Pauline Rodgers THURSDAY          5:15 p.m.     Sick & Shut-ins of Our Parish FRIDAY               12:15 p.m.    Area Homeless SATURDAY          5:15 p.m.     Lou Ruman - Alice Mulligan SUNDAY               8:30 a.m.     Bob Stockmal - Karen & Rich Vedder   Epiphany               10:30 a.m.     Isabel Maria Teresa Frost -     of the Lord                                   her extended family from New Mexico                              6:15 p.m.      People of Our Parish PARISH CALENDAR: December 31 - January 7 SUNDAY          Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph        8:30 & 10:30 a.m.     Mass                      9:30 a.m.     Rosary MONDAY         Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God                                        World Day of Prayer for Peace                                        New Year's Day                   10:00 a.m.     Mass (office closed) TUESDAY                                        NO Religious Education classes WEDNESDAY                                        Winter Quarter begins                     7:00 p.m.     Newman Community meeting THURSDAY                     7:15 p.m.     R.C.I.A. FRIDAY                   11:00 a.m.     St. Francis Society Mass & lunch                                          @ St. Paul's Church SATURDAY                     4:15 p.m.     Reconciliation SUNDAY         Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord                     9:30 a.m.     Rosary                     2:00 p.m.     Religious Education staff meeting                     4:30 p.m.     Religious Education classes                     5:15 p.m.     Reconciliation                     6:15 p.m.     Mass                     7:30 p.m.     Knights of Columbus meeting
Sunday Scripture Readings      Reflection on the Scriptures has become more and more a part of basic Christian spirituality. At times we would like to return to the Sunday Scriptures at home, but we do not have the missalette with us. At other times we may be interested in seeing just what came before or immediately after the reading for the day to gain more insights.      To encourage this encounter with the Scriptures, we will be including in the bulletin the scripture reading references for the current Sunday and the following Sunday. In addition, in our on-line bulletin we will have the actual links to the readings.	New American Bible Sunday within the Octave of Christmas The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Sirach 3:2-7, 12-14 or 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28 Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or Psalm 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10 Colossians 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 or 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24 Luke 2:41-52 The Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12
QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Feast of the Holy Family    In today's Gospel reading from Luke we are given a glimpse into the family life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. What we see is a very simple, everyday example of holiness -- in Jesus' obedience to Mary and Joseph and in their loving concern for him.   Adults: What is one concrete, specific action I can take this week that will support family values, either in my own family or in other families? Children: How can I be more obedient to my parents as Jesus was in today's Gospel? DECEMBER 30/31 Saturday    5:15 p.m. Mass Sunday      8:30 a.m. Mass                10:30 a.m. Mass JANUARY 1 MARY MOTHER OF GOD**                10:00 a.m. Mass **not a holy day of obligation this year CHRISTMAS FLOWERS For our loving parents and grandparents: Mary Spetnagel, Mary Catherine Valentour and Louis Valentour from John, Kim, Mallory and Frank Valentour. FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH    The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, the Blessed Virgin Mary and His father, St. Joseph.    The Feast of the Holy Family occurs on the Sunday after Christmas. On Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The Holy Family celebrates the union of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as a family unit. A Blessing for the Family at the New Year Eternal God, you make all things new, giving strength to the weak, hope to the despondent, and love to the forsaken. As we begin a new year, we ask for your blessing upon our family. Renew our faith and revive our hope. Grant us patience in adversity and gratitude for our many blessings. Make us a blessing to one another and to the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS    Religious Education classes will resume Sunday, January 7, and Tuesday, January 9. Have a blessed Christmas!    A teacher is needed for the Sunday 5th/6th grade class. Please contact Nancy Denhart if you are interested or would like more information. BAPTISM We congratulate Amelia Elizabeth Mackesy, newly-born on December 26th through the waters of Baptism! She is the daughter of Kellie and Thomas Mackesy and the granddaughter of Chris and Deb Meyer. PARISH MEETINGS St. Francis Society    Members of the group will celebrate First Friday Mass on January 5, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s church. A potluck lunch will follow Mass. Greg Kremer will speak to the group about his experience working on an engineering project in Ghana, Africa, in Father Louis’s home Diocese of Acra. St. Vincent de Paul Society    The monthly meeting will be held Monday, January 8, 7:30 p.m. at the CTK Parish Center.    Volunteers are needed for food deliveries the first Friday and first Tuesday of every month. For more information or to volunteer, call Kathy Baca at 593-5338 and leave a message. The January issue of LIVING WITH CHRIST is now available at the bulletin board in the Gathering space. These booklets are very well done. Each issue is $2.00, or you can purchase a yearly subscription for $15.00. Contact the office for more information.	He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. BIRTHDAYS: January 1-7 Charlotte Agnone, Clare Bruggeman, Dorothy Bryant, Sarah Denhart, Jim Gannon, Sam Gdowski, Amy Hecht, Barb Kostohryz, Chris Matters, Kyle McCarthy, Kathleen Morrow, Wyatt Radford, Maureen Rogers, Nancy Sand, Justin Tinkham, Mike Trout, Jamie Underwood, Claire White and Sharon Zimmerman. Student: Rebecca Robinson   ANNIVERSARIES: January 1-7 April & Bill Holmes (26th), Ann & Steve Hurst (34th), Valerie & Jerry Miller (19th) and Sharon & Jack Gloeckner (39th). PRAYERS FOR THE SICK Let's be one in hope and prayerful presence to all on our prayer list and pray for the Wasko-Smell triplets, Cliff Wasko, Judy Engel, Kathleen Morrow, Bill Kane, Tim Ewing, Linda Huck, Mary Simmons, Teresa Walsh, and Mike Mulligan. (Remembered in the petitions) REST IN PEACE    Please pray for Sandy Patton’s father Pete Milum who died a week ago and for Frank Abremski who died this week. He was former parishioner Joanne Reed’s father. We offer both families our sincere sympathy while praying that Mr. Milum, Mr. Abremski and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in the peace of our Lord. RESPECT LIFE    Looking back on the wonder of the Nativity, we realize that the conception, pregnancy, and birth that brought forth Our Savior is the same path traveled by each human being. Each person was “tiny as a snowflake in the beginning, yet infinitely loved by God, as tiny as their Creator was when he became a human being for our redemption.” --Fr. Alfonso Aguilar, LC, National Catholic Register, 3/12-3/18/06 LIVING FAITH booklets for January, February and March are now available. These are great prayer aides and are FREE in the Gathering Space. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION    CTK parishioners are invited to participate in Adoration at St. Paul’s Church Saturdays, 12 noon to 4 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. Contact Rob and Mary Thomas at 698-4012 for more information on how to get involved. NATIONAL SHRINE IN CAREY, OHIO    The Franciscan Friars invite you to make a pilgrimage to the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. It is a place of quiet prayer and devotion on your journey to faith, hope, and healing. For more information, please call 419-396-7107 or visit the website www.olcshrine.com VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK    Mark your calendars! The week of January 8-12, 2007 parish communities across the U.S. will celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week. It begins with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Monday. We are invited to renew our baptismal commitment and to pray for a strengthening of all vocations.