Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church November 29, 2020 PO Box 130, 411 Ware St, Groom TX 79039 Phone & Fax: 806-248-7584 / Cell Phone: 806-316-4146 Parish Email: [email protected] Website: immaculateheartgroomtx.com

Pastor Fr. Arokia Raj Samala Parish Council Chair Jason Eugea Finance Council Chair Rodney Bohr Christian Mothers Pres. Marla Britten RCIA Tabitha Eggemeyer Dir. Religious Education Nicole Kuehler Youth Director Kathleen Barkley Bookkeeper Sherri Wieberg Bulletin [email protected]

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT "Be constantly on the watch!" Mark 13:33

We begin a new Church year and Advent with Jesus commanding us to watch vigilantly for His Christmas coming and His final coming. Chances are that Jesus' message will go largely unheeded in a culture which has generally displaced even the name of His birthday, "Christmas," with the politically correct "holidays."

Vigilance and waiting come naturally to those in love (see Sg 3:1-3). The loving father of the prodigal son waited and watched for a long time for his boy's return. So vigilant was his watching that he was able to spot his son "while he was still a long way off" (Lk 15:20). "Jacob served seven years" to gain the privilege of marrying "Rachel, yet they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her" (Gn 29:20). Simeon loved God and so waited vigilantly in the temple for the appearance of the Infant Jesus (Lk 2:26ff). Jesus, Who is Love (1 Jn 4:8), waited several decades in the obscurity of Nazareth until the right time to begin his public ministry. We'll wait enough for what we love enough.

This Advent, some folks will wait hours in line to buy this year's popular toy. Many children will rise well before dawn on Christmas morning and wait for hours until they can open presents. Parents and children will wait in long lines to visit Santa. Who we wait for says a lot about who we really love. Who will wait for Jesus? Who will love Jesus? We will watch and wait for Jesus if we love Him enough. Ask the Holy Spirit to pour out the love of God in your heart (Rm 5:5). Then "wait for the Lord" (Ps 27:14). Mass Schedule Pray for Our Sick Saturday...... 5:30pm Brandi Sustaire, John Detten, Emma Sunday...... 8:30am Detten, Celeste Connelly, Shamara Tuesday and Wednesday...... 6:00pm Husemann, Bill Becker, Charleen Weller, Thursday and Friday...... 7:30am Leonard Koetting, Alina Becker, Anna Marie Wink, Matthew Gary Britten, Doris Confession: Britten, Phillip Ollinger, Dee Martinez, Saturday...... 4:30-5:15pm Shane King, JoAnn Britten, Ann McNabb, Sunday...... 7:55-8:15am George “Jiggs” Britten, Cobb Britten, or by appointment Sister Louise, Schellon Major, Dianne Ollinger, Tony Moranic, Joe Winner, 1st Wednesday Adoration of the Blessed Patrick Harvey, Ashli, Brighton and Sacrament...... 7:00pm-10:00pm Braelyn Evans, Ron Connelly, Jim Becker, Tony Treadwell, and Arvella James.

Information Heavenly Father, we pray that You will Marriage Preparation: Contact Father Raj at lay your healing Hands upon all those least six months in advance. who are sick. Baptism: Call the rectory for an appointment. Communion: Anyone unable to come Family Chalice Program forward for communion, let Father Raj know before Mass. Those ill or homebound, please November 29...... Cobb & Kay Britten contact Father Raj to arrange for communion December 6...... Pam & Cassie Ashford to be brought to your home. December 13...... Clifton & Susan Britten December 20...... Mike & Marla Britten Mass Intentions December 27...... Cobb & Kay Britten Saturday, Nov 28...... 5:30pm Souls in Purgatory Stewardship Reports Sunday, Nov 29...... 8:30am Souls in Purgatory 11/22/2020 Stewardship Report Tuesday, Dec 01...... 6:00pm Individual $ 2,930.00 Special Intentions of Alice Kuehler Loose $ 250.00 TOTAL $ 3,180.00 Wednesday, Dec 02...... 6:00pm Special Intentions of Alice Kuehler 11/22/2020 Catholic Campaign for Thursday, Dec 03...... 7:30am Human Development Special Intentions of Alice Kuehler Individual & TOTAL $ 225.00

Friday, Dec 04...... 7:30am Special Intentions of Alice Kuehler 11/22/2020 Building Fund Individual & TOTAL $ 170.00 Liturgical Ministers Announcements Saturday, Nov 28, 2020 at 5:30pm CCD classes will resume on Sunday, Lector: Kay Britten November 29 for High School and Extraor. Com. Minister: Kevin Brown Wednesday December 2 for Junior High and Elementary. Sunday, Nov 29, 2020 at 8:30am Lector: Nick Kuehler Sunday, Nov 29th at 10:30am, Christian Extraor. Com. Minister: Nicole Kuehler Mothers will decorate the South and West entrances of the Parish Hall for the Saturday, Dec 05, 2020 at 5:30pm Advent/Christmas season. Your help is Lector: Jason Eugea greatly appreciated! Extraor. Com. Minister: Vanessa Eugea Saturday, December 5th, after Saturday Sunday, Dec 06, 2020 at 8:30am evening Mass, Christian Mothers will Lector: Cliff Britten gather in Debbie Ollinger’s home to Dine, Extraor. Com. Minister: Susan Britten participate in a $25 Gift Exchange, and help support Snack-Pak-4-Kids with a Saturday, Dec 12, 2020 at 5:30pm monetary donation. See you there! Lector: Kay Britten Extraor. Com. Minister: Kevin Brown St. Mary’s of Clarendon is having their 2nd enchilada dinner on Sunday, Sunday, Dec 13, 2020 at 11:00am Dec 13th, drive through only, 11am to Lector: Ron Kuehler 1pm. Place your order with Jacob Extraor. Com. Minister: Joannie Kling Fangman 806-206-5737, choose chicken or beef. Saturday, Dec 19, 2020 at 5:30pm Lector: Jason Eugea Sunday, Dec 13th from 8:30-10:30am, Extraor. Com. Minister: Vanessa Eugea before 11:00am Mass, the Parish is set to decorate the Church for Christmas.

December Mass Schedule Christian Mothers Secret Pals are leaving Monday, Dec 7th Immaculate Conception gifts at the south entrance of the church, Eve Mass at 5:00pm check weekly to see if you have a Tuesday, Dec 8th Immaculate Conception surprise. Feast Day Mass at 7:30am Thursday, Dec 24th Christmas Eve Mass Birthdays & Anniversaries at 5:00pm Friday, Dec 25th Christmas Day Mass at November 28...... James Weinheimer 9:00am November 29...... Jason Eugea, Thursday, Dec 31st New Year’s Eve Mass and Ryan James Weinheimer at 5:00pm December 3...... Jill Britten Friday, Jan 1st New Year’s Day Mass at 9:00am Christmas & Year End Giving: Christmas and Year end giving is not only a Catholic tradition but Christmas marks the beginning of the Ultimate Gift- God’s gift of His only son, Jesus Christ. Christmas of course, celebrates the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. Tradition holds that the three kings or wise men followed the star to bring gifts to the newborn king, begin- ning a tradition of gift giving to the Christmas season we enjoy each and every year. But what about the gifts that God has bestowed upon each and every one of us during the year and throughout our life time? We are merely stewards of these gifts. Christmas and year’s end is a spiritual opportunity to make a return to God of His many blessings at Christmas and year’s end… UCA 2020 – 2021 Report: Quota $13,685.00, Pledged $13,700.00, Paid $10,200.00, Balance $ 3,485.00 SAINT As of Council of Rome in 745 under the reign of Pope Saint Zachary, the Catholic Church officially only acknowledges the names of three of the seven : St. Michael, St. , and St. . The names of the other four Archangels appear in Jewish and Christian sources outside of the canon of Sacred Scripture (an example is the chapter 20) and their names are: , , , and Remiel. Michael in Sacred Scripture – 10:13, 10:21, and 12:1; Jude 9l and Revelation 12:7. Michael’s name means, “Who is like God?” Michael also plays a role in human history in interactions with the Saints. During the 590s, there was a great plague in the city of Rome that took many lives. Pope St. Gregory the Great led a procession of prayer through the city streets pleading with God to end the plague. When they reached the tomb of Emperor Hadrian, Pope Gregory saw a vision in which Michael stood atop of the tomb sheathing his sword, which was taken as a sign that what the Pope and those who joined him in prayer had done was pleasing to God. The plague came to an end shortly afterwards. St. Joan of Arc (ca. 1412–1431) was a very young woman who led the French forces in numerous military battles against the English during the Hundred Years War, which was actually a series of wars between these two nations that lasted from 1337 to 1453. She was seen to be a gift from God used by Him to encourage the French that He favored them in the war. She received numerous visions from many Saints, among whom was Saint Michael. Pope Leo XIII, who reigned during the later half of the 19th Century, had a vision of and composed the Prayer to St. Michael as a result. The Pope’s experience involving the devil is said to have happened in the following way: While consulting with a number of Cardinals in the private Vatican chapel on October 13, 1884, he happened to pass before the altar, where he stopped suddenly and seemed to lose all awareness of his surroundings. His slender face grew pale, his eyes stared in horror, and he stood motionless for several minutes until those around him thought he was going to die. His physician rushed to his side, but in a moment or two the Pope recovered and almost painfully exclaimed, “Oh! What terrifying words I have heard.” It is said that after the Pope recovered, he retired to his office, where he composed the famous prayer to the Archangel Michael: St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…. …Amen.