Catholic Church

“Shine like stars in the world, as you hold fast to the word of life.” Philippians 2:15-16

A Stewardship Parish - Founded in 1963

The mission of St. Nicholas Catholic Church is to proclaim and spread the Parish Administration gospel of Christ through celebration of our faith and sharing our time, Fr. Venancio R. Balarote, “Jun” talent and treasure in service of the Kingdom of God. Pastor [email protected] Mass Schedule Saturday Penance/Vigil 4:45 p.m. /5:30 p.m. Lora DiNardo Pastoral Associate, Business Manager Sunday 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. [email protected] Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration 10:00 a.m. - 6:45 p.m.; Mass 7:00 p.m. James Gardner Wednesday - Friday 9:00 a.m. Director of Music Ministry [email protected] Steve Branning Dir. of Christian Formation, Evangelization [email protected] Ryan Castro Youth Minister [email protected] Mary Margaret Scott Social Ministries Coordinator [email protected] Grace Russell Administrative Assistant [email protected] Charlene Brehl Office Assistant [email protected] James K. Throne Maintenance Manager [email protected] Edward Hill, Tom Pannullo Maintenance Assistants Denise Foster Sacramental Records Volunteer

Councils Ken Inglesby - Pastoral Council Vice Chair Paul Battaglia - Finance Council Chair

Office Hours Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Website: www.stnicholasvb.com Email: [email protected] Phone: (757) 340-7231 Fax: (757) 340-2727 712 Little Neck Road Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452-5807

ST. NICHOLAS CATHOLIC CHURCH 22, 2019 CALENDAR SACRAMENTS

Baptism: Celebrated the third weekend of every month except Sunday, December 22 during Lent. Parents must be registered in the parish for at least Fourth Sunday of three months and participate in the preparation sessions held 9:00 a.m. MASS with Children’s Liturgy of the Word prior to the celebration of the sacrament. Baptism classes are 10:15 a.m. FOLK GROUP REHEARSAL held the third Sunday of each month. Please call Steve 11:00 a.m. MASS with Children’s Liturgy of the Word Branning in the parish office to register to attend. 12:00 p.m. ARTS AND ENVIRONMENT RCIA: Are you or someone you know interested in learning 12:30 p.m. CHILDREN’S PROGRAM more about joining the Catholic Church? RCIA meets on PRACTICE Sundays at 12:15 p.m. Please contact Steve Branning in the parish office for more information. 6:00 p.m. LIFE TEEN First Reconciliation: Preparation sessions for parents and Monday, December 23 children are held in the fall and early winter in the 2nd grade 7:30 p.m. FOLK GROUP REHEARSAL First Communion Class. Adults are needed to assist with Tuesday, December 24 workshops, retreats and office. Children must be registered in Christian Formation Class. 3:15 p.m. CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS NATIVITY First Eucharist: Preparation sessions for parents and children 4:00 p.m. CHRISTMAS EVE MASS are held in the winter. Adults are involved with the children as (CHURCH & SOCIAL HALL) leaders, aides, assistant coordinators, and at social events. Children, usually 2nd graders, must be registered in Christian 6:00 p.m. CAROLING Formation Class. It is Holy Communion that draws us into a 6:30 p.m. CHRISTMAS EVE MASS deeper intimacy with Christ. 10:30 p.m. CAROLING Confirmation: The appropriate age for preparation and 11:00 p.m. reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation is “when an Wednesday, December 25 individual is both at least 15 years of age and enrolled in at The Nativity of the Lord least the tenth grade.” “Preparation for Confirmation must be a 11:00 a.m. CHRISTMAS DAY MASS separate and distinct program from the parish youth ministry or religious education program.” (Diocesan Policy and Guidelines Thursday, December 26 for Preparation of Baptized Adolescents to Receive the Church Office Closed/ No Daily Mass Sacrament of Confirmation, 2010 Summit Edition, Catholic Friday, December 27 Diocese of Richmond). For further information, contact Steve Church Office Closed/ No Daily Mass Branning in the parish office. 6:00 p.m. LA PIETA Anointing of the Sick: Please contact Lora DiNardo in the parish office so that the hospitalized and homebound may Saturday, December 28 receive Holy Communion or request Anointing of the Sick. 4:45 p.m. RECONCILIATION Holy Orders and Religious Life: Men and women who are 5:30 p.m. VIGIL MASS considering Holy Orders or Religious Life are encouraged to Sunday, December 29 call the Pastor. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Marriage: Requires six month’s advance notice before 9:00 a.m. MASS with Children’s Liturgy of the Word wedding date is set. Instructions offered by parish priest. Please 10:15 a.m. FOLK GROUP REHEARSAL call Lora DiNardo in the parish office to schedule an 11:00 a.m. MASS with Children’s Liturgy of the Word appointment. 12:00 p.m. BAPTISM CLASS

PASTORAL CARE Fr. Jun and the Parish Staff wish you Please pray for Jean Hayward, Dale Feltes, Dawn Abrams and your family a blessed Christmas Bretz, Edwin Goebel, Francis Doe and those listed in the Book and a joyful New Year! of the Sick in the Commons.

Communion: If you or someone you know would like to receive Holy Communion but cannot attend Mass because of hospitalization or being homebound, please notify Lora DiNardo at 757-340-7231, ext. 16.

Gluten Free Communion Hosts are Available. For parishioners requesting gluten-free (less than 1%) hosts, please see an usher at least 15 minutes prior to the start of Mass. Thank you.

712 Little Neck Road | Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT YOUR STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE FROM THE PARISH OFFICE

PARISH OFFERTORY & STEWARDSHIP Columbarium Update Week The St. Nicholas Columbarium currently consists of 300 niches ACH & Ending Offertory Total Offertory of which 118 remain available for purchase by registered Electronic Current Received Giving Budget parishioners and their immediate household. Each niche may Giving Month be used for the inurnment for the cremains of one or two 12/1/2019 $11,444 $975 $12,419 $18,961 persons. As a result of updating a 2010 survey of area church 12/8/2019 $11,076 $7,733 $18,809 $18,961 niche pricing, the Columbarium Committee has recommended, 12/15/2019 $8,240 $1,485 $9,725 $18,961 with the Pastor’s approval, a niche price increase from $1900 12/22/2019 $18,961 to $2200. Effective November 16, all niches will be priced at $2200. Parishioners desiring information regarding the 12/29/2019 $18,961 purchase of a Columbarium Niche may contact a committee Total $30,759 $10,193 $40,952 $94,808 member through the parish office. Year to Year to Thank you November Date Office for Cemetery and Funeral Services November Date for your Offertory Offertory Effective January 1, 2020, the diocesan Office for Cemetery Offertory Offertory consideration Budget Budget and Funeral Services will assume management and July-Nov and support of July-Nov administration of diocesan regional cemeteries and funeral St. Nicholas. $46,583 $57,420 $251,611 $283,925 services, which were previously overseen by Catholic Funeral Week Ending Week Month and Cemetery Services. Deacon Ed Handel will serve as Building and Grounds $125 $1,144 director of the new office. For more information, please visit Campaign for Human www.richmonddiocese.org. Development $20 DIOCESE OF RICHMOND BICENTENNIAL Catholic Charities $80 $80 Christmas $806 $806 Haiti Ministry $195 $2,165 Holy Day $561 $586 Social Ministry $10 $20 U.S. Catholic Missions $4 Total $1,777 $4,825 LIVING OUR MISSION, LOVING OUR CHURCH All are invited to join

Capital Improvement Giving Bishop Barry C. Knestout for the Week: $969 Bicentennial Regional Mass Month: $41,317 To Date: $223,643 Commemorating the arrival of our first Bishop of Richmond, SCRIPTURE READINGS Patrick Kelly, and the opening of our Bicentennial THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS: Is 7:10-14/ Rom 1:1-7/ Mt 1:18-24 Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 10:30 a.m.

NEXT SUNDAY’S READINGS: Mass in Recognition of the Catholic Presence in the Sir 3:2-6, 12-14/ Col 3:12-21 or Col 3:12- Eastern Vicariate with Reception to Follow 17/ Mt 2:13-15, 19-23 Sacred Heart Catholic Church POPE FRANCIS PRAYER INTENTION 520 Graydon Ave, Norfolk, VA 23507

The Future of the Very Young: That every country take In addition to the Bicentennial Regional Mass in the Eastern the measures necessary to prioritize the future of the very Vicariate, the weekend of January 18/19, parishes across the young, especially those who are suffering Diocese will use the Mass setting “For Giving Thanks to God” from the Roman Missal to commemorate Bishop VOCATION GENERAL INTERCESSIONS Patrick Kelly’s arrival to Virginia and the opening of our

Bicentennial. This Mass setting will also include special For a deeper trust and acceptance readings, intercessions, and the reciting of the Diocesan to the Holy Spirit with persons Bicentennial prayer. discerning a call to serve Christ as a priest, deacon or consecrated life, ASL interpreting for the deaf and hard of hearing will be available.

we pray to the Lord. 2020.richmonddiocese.org

ST. NICHOLAS CATHOLIC CHURCH DECEMBER 22, 2019 MASS INTENTIONS CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL FLOWERS Tuesday You are invited to participate in our Christmas Flower 4:00 p.m. December 24 (†) Earl Hydeman Memorials. This is a wonderful way to honor the memory or Church Christmas Eve remember in thanksgiving a loved one or someone special in your life. The flowers are a beautiful reminder and will help Tuesday 4:00 p.m. decorate our Church for Christmas. If you would like to December 24 (†) Ann Rector Social Hall participate please contact the parish office or place your Christmas Eve offering in the weekend offertory in one of the “Christmas Tuesday Flower Memorials” envelope which can be found on the (†) Paul and Rita Delaney December 24 6:30 p.m. credenzas. Please indicate the name of the person to be R/B The Brunner Family Christmas Eve remembered, as well as your own name. The memorial will be published in the bulletin. Tuesday (†) Wayne Wood

December 24 11:00 p.m. (†) Trey Duncan Christmas Eve R/B Lora and Paul DiNardo Wednesday December 25 11:00 a.m. The People of the Parish Christmas Day CHRISTMAS 2019 MASS SCHEDULE Saturday 5:30 p.m. (†) Monica Beaudry December 28

Sunday (†) Rachel Galya 9:00 a.m. December 29 R/B The Galya Family

Sunday 11:00 a.m. (†) William Kuchem December 29

RESPECT LIFE

January is Respect Life Month

Join thousands of Catholics nationwide in the annual Respect Life novena Tuesday, January 21 – Wednesday, January 29. Weekend of December 21-22 Get daily intentions, brief reflections, and more. Sign up at 4th Sunday of Advent www.9daysforlife.com! 5:30 p.m., 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Mass

Tuesday, December 24 Prayer for Pregnant Mothers Christmas Eve O Blessed Mother, you received the good news of the 3:15 p.m. Children’s Christmas Nativity incarnation of Christ, your Son, with faith and trust. Grant 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass your protection to all pregnant mothers facing difficulties. (Church & Social Hall) Guide us as we strive to make our parish communities places 6:00 p.m. Caroling of welcome and assistance for mothers in need. Help us 6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass become instruments of God’s love and compassion. 10:30 p.m. Caroling Mary, Mother of the Church, graciously help us build a culture 11:00 p.m. Midnight Mass of life and a civilization of love, together with all people of good will, to the praise and glory of God, the Creator and Wednesday, December 25 lover of life. Amen. Christmas Day 11:00 a.m. Mass FEAST DAY RAFFLE Weekend of December 28-29 Congratulations to Charlene Brehl, first place winner, and Fr. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Jun, second place winner! The parish raised $11,350 for parish 5:30 p.m., 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Mass ministries. Because of your generous participation in support of the Feast Day Raffle, the parish has purchased 350 new youth Tuesday, December 31 hymnals with contemporary praise and worship music that can Solemnity of Mary be used at Masses. Thank you for your continued commitment 10:00 a.m. - 6:45 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration and participation. Merry Christmas! 7:00 p.m. Mass

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT GIVING TUESDAY—THANK YOU! ADULT FAITH FORMATION Giving Tuesday was a huge success because of YOU! St. Monday Night Bible Study Nicholas would like to thank you for being so generous in this A quick journey through salvation history season of giving, sharing social media posts, and supporting The Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible study program helps our Giving Tuesday campaign. St. Nicholas raised the you to get the “big picture” of the Bible by showing how four- second highest amount in the diocese and placed #1 in giving teen narrative books of the Bible tell the complete story from totals for a parish in The Diocese of Richmond. We also had Adam and Eve to Christ and the Church. the highest number of individual donors for a parish. During Monday nights starting January 6th the day, we collected two prizes from the diocese 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. totaling $1,000. We would like to thank Bishop Knestout and $25 per workbook the Diocesan Office of Development for encouraging and Contact Steve at [email protected] supporting us in this campaign. Our matching donor of $10,000 was very excited to see that we exceeded our goal and MINISTRY generously offered to raise his pledge to match every dollar contributed during our campaign! In total, St. Nicholas raised The generosity of St. Nicholas parishioners can be seen from $26,150 including the matching donor’s contributions to go our Christmas gifts collection this year. Thank you to all who towards our Living Our Mission Repair and Renovation fund. donated their time and treasure by filling the Thanks be to God for our wonderful parishioners, supporters, needs within the community through this and community! ministry. A huge thank you to all our volunteers who decorated the gift boards, helped carry the gifts to the office, and sort and count all the presents. God bless you all. ADVENT REFLECTION CATHOLIC CHARITIES 4th Sunday of Advent Second Collection Each Advent season, we prepare to welcome Jesus into the inns We will have a special collection for Catholic Charities of and stables of our hearts. But Jesus’s coming wasn’t welcomed Eastern Virginia (CCEVA) at all Christmas Masses. Guided by by everyone with choirs of angels. For St. Joseph, the first God’s love for all people, CCEVA provides comprehensive, coming of Jesus was a bit more complicated. “When his compassionate services, collaborates with community partners, mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived and advocates for those in need in order to empower and enrich together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.” lives. CCEVA serves over 9,300 families in Eastern Virginia. For Joseph, opening his heart (and home) to Jesus meant, at They primarily serve the poor and the working poor (88% of best, appearing to all the world like a man who had those they serve live at or below 200% of the poverty level). impregnated his wife out of wedlock. At worst, he appeared a Your Gift Makes a Difference! cuckold, raising the child of another man. God doesn’t always appear the way we expect. • $60 purchases diapers for a month for a family in need For some of us, the birth of Christ is a bit relationally • $100 provides five hours of free mental health counseling complicated. Perhaps over the past few months, a loved one • $500 provides 15 individuals with Family Life Education has died. This Christmas, you’re taking it upon yourself to classes keep up the traditions and hold the family together. Welcoming • $1,000 pays three utility bills for a family in crisis Jesus means welcoming grief. Perhaps it’s a difficult relative (or two or three) and it’s all you can do to bite your tongue and swallow your pride while they’re under your roof. Welcoming Jesus means welcoming strife, discord, and tension. Yet “do not be afraid,” the angel says. Do not be afraid. Why? Because we celebrate the birth of “Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Before Jesus’s earthly ministry would begin,

Jesus would lose his father, Joseph. God is with us in our grief.

Wherever Jesus went, he stirred up controversy and faced down challenging personalities. God is with us in our stress. The trick is, like Joseph, to allow supernatural grace to prevail. Joseph was a good man, filled with natural virtue in that he didn’t want to “expose [Mary] to shame.” Yet he was prepared “As faithful disciples and imitators of Christ, you are urged to to “divorce her quietly” all the same. Our natural abilities only go against the current, choosing the evangelical option of take us so far. Where is receiving Jesus complicated this serving the brethren…above all, because you are impelled by Christmas season? Are you relying on your own strength to get the unceasing power of divine charity.” you through, or are you truly ready to accept the grace of St. Pope John Paul II Emmanuel, God with us?

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