DECEMBER 2020 PARISHO FFICE Office Hours (Monday-Friday): 9:00a .m. - 12:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Phone: Fax: (806) 655-3302 (806) 655-3384

Parish Email: [email protected] Parish Website: 60538TH STREET•P. O. BOX 59 • CANYON, TX 79015 www.stannsofcanyon.org

CLERGY Director of ReligiousEducation: PARISH LEADERSHIP Adrian Johnson Pastor: [email protected] Fr. Scott L. Raef Pastoral Council: [email protected] Youth Ministry: Glenn Backus, Mike Coulter, Ron Kershen, Joshua Dutchover Rhonda Melugin, JamesMill er, Kevin Rickwartz, Deacons: Cindy Rohrbach [email protected] Beck Knox Dave Rausch Parish PlantMaintenance: Finance Council: Gabriel Rivas Jose Vasquez Roger Cross, Jeff Haggard,Mik e Leheska, and Joe Roder [email protected] KathyP orter PARISH STAFF Parish PlantMaintenance: Roman Asbill LadiesofSt. Ann’s President: Parish Administrative Assistant: [email protected] Pam Shehan Stefani Wilhelm Website and Digital Communications: [email protected] Mary Rausch Knights ofColumbus Grand Knight Music Ministry: LiturgicalEnvironment: (St. Ann’s Council #7840): Cindy Good Debbie Godfrey Joe Shehan [email protected] Garet Rocha Parents’ DayO utDirector: [email protected] Mary Bowling THIS WEEK AT ST. ANN’S New Building Committee DECEMBER 7 - DECEMBER 13 Please pray for our newly formed Building Committee that gathers (Any changes to this schedule will be announced via Flocknote) for its first meeting this Thursday at 7 p.m. in the parish hall. They Monday, December 7 will begin to consider the report Tuesday, December 8 from the Building Assessment Solemnity of the Immaculate Concep�on of the BVM Committee (whose work is now Parish Office Closed done), and feedback from 12:15 p.m. Holy Eucharist parishioners and construction (For †Nancy Aragon) experts. The members will then move move us forward with a plan to 6:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist renovate, expand and/or build new to meet the current and future (For the People of God) needs of our dynamic parish. I will share the names of the members of Wednesday, December 9 this committee as soon as the first few meetings are concluded and 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist the membership then solidifies. (For †Mary Kershen) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 6:30 p.m. Jr. High Youth Pregnant Pauses Thursday, December 10 Once again, we’ll try to take advantage of the quiet expectation of 5:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist Advent to evaluate and implement more purposeful times of silence in (For †Marie Wieck) our parish liturgies. The Church warns against ignoring times for 7:00 p.m. Building Commi�ee Mtg silence at Mass, emphasizing that times of silence in Mass gives us a Friday, December 11 chance to pause and reflect as well as to connect our active worship of God with God’s message of love and mercy to us in our real-time 12:15 p.m. Holy Eucharist (For †Vincent Ehly) circumstances. Taking the time to pause, even and especially at Mass, is to ponder like Mary, the living Word within us. Saturday, December 12 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Confession Upcoming Blessings and Special Days 5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist Taking more purposeful pauses doesn’t mean ignoring the wonderful (For †Michael Walsh) opportunities to deepen in our Catholic spirituality and practice of Sunday, December 13 Catholic customs. Please note the following special events: 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (For James Edward Gibbs) • Our Lady of Guadalupe—Our parish image of Our Lady of 10:15 a.m. RCIA Guadalupe will be positioned in a more visible place near the 10:20 a.m. High School Safe sanctuary on the weekend of December 12-13. Her feast day is Environment Make-up December 12 and she has been hailed as the Patroness of the Session Americas. Feel free to bring a rose to place in a vase near her 11:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist image as a symbol of honoring her and asking for her intercession. (For the People of God) • Blessing of Expectant Parents/Those Desiring a Child – At all 5:00 p.m. RCIA Teaching Mass weekend Masses of December 19-20 6:30 p.m. High School Youth • Blessing of Families – At all weekend Masses of December 26-27, the Solemnity of the Holy Family. UPCOMING EVENTS • Blessing and Distribution of Blessed Chalk to Bless Homes – At all Masses of January 2-3, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. December 13 Angel Tree Gi�s Due We ask for the prayers of the magi, Caspar, Balthasar and January 1 Solemnity of Mary, Melchior, as we mark our doorways for Christ in the new year. Mother of God • Blessing ofWater – Since we don’t have holy water available in our usual containers, we invite you to bring water in your own container to be blessed on the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord on January 9-10. It is that weekend when the main season of Christmas draws to a close. Fr. Scott

Solemnity of the STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE: Nov. 28-29 Immaculate Conception of Cash/Checks: $1,826.00 the Blessed Virgin Mary Online: $6,441.50 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 Weekly Total: $8,267.50 (Weekly Goal: $10,000) 12:15 P.M. & 6:00 P.M. Month of November: $56,877.00 (This Month’s Goal: $50,000) IN THE MAIN CHURCH. Parishioners can make weekly one �me payments or automa�c payments at Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bishop Patrick stannsofcanyon.org/give. Envelopes can be dropped off at the collec�ons baskets Zurek has con�nued the dispensa�on from at the entrance or exit in the Church, in the curbside mailbox in front of the Rectory, a�ending Mass on Sundays and holy days. or be sent to the parish, P.O. Box 59, Canyon, TX 79015. CHRISTMAS Happy Advent everyone! Advent is a season of hope and AT ST. ANN’S joyful an�cipa�on of our Savior's birth! "Christmas is a privileged opportunity to meditate on the meaning and value of our existence. The approach of this Christmas Eve (Monday, December 24) Solemnity helps us on the one hand to reflect on the drama of history in which people, injured by sin, are perennially in 5:00 p.m. Family Eucharist with Children’s Homily search of happiness and of a fulfilling sense of life and death; Parish Choir and on the other, it urges us to meditate on the merciful Carols Begin at 4:30 p.m. kindness of God who came to man to communicate to him *Overflow space available directly the Truth that saves, and to enable him to partake in (Will be streamed and available for playback on our website) his friendship and his life. Therefore let us prepare ourselves for Christmas with humility and simplicity, making ourselves 8:00 p.m. Solemn Eucharist ready to receive as a gi� the light, joy and peace that shine Parish Choir from this mystery." Carols Begin at 7:30 p.m. --- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, General Audience, December 17, *Overflow space available 2008 Christmas Day (Tuesday, December 25) If you didn't get a chance to pick up children's Advent materials, we s�ll have some in the narthex by the exit doors 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist and in the parish office. Thank you to all of you who have Parish Choir turned in your reflec�on sheets! It's been wonderful to see Carols Begin at 9:45 a.m. how you are passing on the faith to your children. Blessings *Overflow space available as you teach your children about confirma�on this month! Remember: Masks and social distancing will be in place. Adrian Johnson

Christmas Goodies for You Look for the “Christmas Blessings” table set up in the narthex on the weekend of December 19-20 with gi�s and helps to you on your Catholic-Chris�an journey. Among the freebies: 2021 parish calendars; a Christmas holy card; a copy of Dynamic Catholic’sDo Something Beau�ful for God: The Essen�al Teachings of Mother Theresa-OR- Ma�hew Kelly’s I Heard God Laugh: A Prac�cal Guide to Life’s Essen�al Daily Habit; and children’s items. ‘Tis the season for gi�-giving and Both the season of Advent and the approach of the end of the year (“Good riddance, 2020!”) invite us to reflect upon the many blessings growing closer to the Lord Jesus! bestowed on us, even in the midst of so many challenges. The end of the year also provides a great opportunity to thank God for our blessings by gi�ing to St. Ann’s Parish. The benefits of income tax deduc�ons, capital gains savings, and other financial benefits are significant advantages that provide an incen�ve to make a gi� at the year-end. A gi� can also help support St. Ann’s Parish not only in the near future but for years to come. Some significant financial gi�s this Quota:$61,130.00 last year have made it possible for us to fund our youth ministry, purchase land, and begin discussions about renova�ng/expanding/ Pledged:$64,075.53 building our parish hall. Please call us at the parish office if we can help answer ques�ons about giving. May God bless you for your con�nued generosity! Paid: $33,919.42

Thank you to all who pledged, and fulfill their pledge.

December Prayer Intention of : We pray that our personal rela�onship with Jesus Christ be nourished by the Word of God and a life of prayer. In Special Need of Prayer: Thomas and Barbara Aus�n,Misty Blevins, Mitzie Brockman, Robert Krause,Dorothy Leija, Sheri Rios,Ruth Simms, andDennis Weeg.

*Please call the parish office to add someone to our prayer list. The person’s name will then appear on our prayer list for two consecu�vemonths. AROUND T HE P AR ISH AROUND T HE D IO CESE

High School Youth Ministry - All youth in grades 9 - 12 are invited to join 2023 us Sunday night for a meal followed by our next session in our seriesThe DELEGATES SOUGHT Search: Why a Church? We look forward to seeing everyone! Interested in a�ending World Youth Day 2023 as a Jr. High Youth Ministry - All youth in grades 6 - 8 are invited to join us member of the delega�on represen�ng the Diocese of Wednesday night for a meal followed by a lesson �tledTBH: What is the Amarillo? The Diocesan Youth Office has begun the Bible? See you then! process of accep�ng names for the event, taking place Youth Safe Environment -All high schoolyouth who missed the ini�al Safe in August 2023 in , . Environment Training will need to a�end our make-up session on Sunday, The es�mated cost of a�ending World Youth Day is December 13 at 10:20 a.m. in the youth room. $3,100 per person. For addi�onal details or to reserve your place for the WYD delega�on, please contact Oscar Angel Tree- The St. Therese Circle will coordinate our parish’s annual Guzman at 383-2243, ext. 118, or via email, Angel Tree project to provide children in need with Christmas gi�s. [email protected]. Wrapped gi�s should be brought to the churchno later than Sunday, December 13. Please make sure all of your gi�s are placed in two wrapped boxes with the angel a�ached. This ensures that all children will be able to SAVE THE DATE: WALK FOR LIFE open two boxes when they receive their gi�s. Thank you for your Life and Family supporters throughout the Panhandle generosity in helping to provide a merry Christmas to children from our are asked to save Saturday, Jan. 23 on their calendars community! for the annual Mass and Walk for Life. The theme of this year’s Mass and Walk is Live the Gospel of Life, To Imitate Christ and Follow in His Footsteps, according to diocesan Family Life Director James Schulte. Activities begin with a Diocesan Respect Life Mass at 10:00am at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1200 South Washington, celebrated by priests of the Diocese of Amarillo. Following Mass, the Walk for Life will begin with prayer and a procession to 15th and Taylor, where the for Life, Marriage and Family will be prayed at Sanborn Park.

ANNUAL HOLY CROSS ALUMNI GAME Alumni from Price College, Alamo Catholic High School and Holy Cross Catholic Academy are invited to a�end and take part in the annual Holy Cross Catholic Academy Alumni Game, tenta�vely scheduled Friday, Dec. 18 at the Holy Cross Catholic Academy Event Center, 4102 South Bonham. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner being served un�l 7:30 and will include a $10.00 meal deal of a barbecue brisket sandwich, chips, dessert and drink from the concession stand. Games will begin at 7:00pm, with the varsity Lady Mustangs and Mustangs teams taking on teams made up of alumni guests. Alumni interested in playing in the games can call the school at 355-9637 to have their names put on the alumni all-stars roster. Dona�ons will be accepted in lieu of gate admission.

Sacrament of Bap�sm Sacrament of Marriage Parents seeking bap�sm for their children must be registered at St. Please call the parish office at least six months in advance for an ini�al Ann's for at least three months and turn in a completed Bap�sm mee�ng with the pastor. All couples are required by the Diocese of Registra�on Form (located in the parish office, the parish website, or Amarillo to a�end complete pre-marital and Natural Family Planning narthex) to the DRE, Adrian Johnson, in the parish office. Parents and classes. A�er they have fulfilled these requirements, a follow-up godparents (from St. Ann's) are required to a�end a bap�smal mee�ng with the pastor be scheduled to finalize plans for the prepara�on class, currently held on the last Tuesday of all odd- wedding. numbered months. Please contact Adrian Johnson to register for the next bap�smal class. Godparents from other parishes must have a Sacrament of Penance le�er of good standing to serve as godparents. Every Saturday from 3:45-4:30 pm. or by appointment. Sacrament of Confirma�on Sacrament of Anoin�ng of the Sick Celebrated with students in the 8th grade (or older) every year during the Easter season. Students must have regularly a�ended Sunday Please contact the parish office when you are in need of this morning faith forma�on classes in 6th and 7th grades, be currently sacrament. A priest chaplain is available at all of the hospitals and enrolled and par�cipa�ng in St. Ann's faith forma�on family hospices in Amarillo. catechesis, and par�cipate in the Confirma�on prepara�on program.