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Home , Saint Patrick, Thomas Becket

DECEMBER 27, 2020 The of Jesus, Mary, and James & Patrick Parish

TO REMAIN IN CHRIST AND REVEAL CHRIST TO OTHERS James Church Church 742 E. Clay • Decatur, Illinois 62521 407 E. Eldorado • Decatur, Illinois 62523

Masses.... Sat 4:00 pm, Sun. 8:30 am Masses .. Sat. 5:30 pm, Sun. 10:00 am Office Hours .. M-Th 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Office Hours ....M-F 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Office...... (217) 428-7733 Office ...... (217) 429-5363 Fax ...... (217) 429-8206 Fax ...... (217) 429-8206 School ...... (217) 423-4351

Parish Staff

Pastor Fr. Chris Comerford

Pastor Emeritus Fr. John C Burnette

Office Manager Anita Olson

Office Assistant Robin Canary

Outreach Tom Prior

Financial Secretary Carla Hahn

Ministry Scheduler Sue Miller

Maintenance Pete Brosamer

Organist Kate Tiemann

School Staff

Principal Nicholas Blackburn

Secretary Michelle Gillespie

Parish Email: [email protected] Parish Website: www.ssjpparish.com Like us on Facebook Saints James and Patrick Parish (Page with logo) 2 2 From the Pastor’s Desk

FR. CHRIS’ COLUMN Reflection on the Readings provided by: EMMANUEL-GOD IS WITH US Oblates of St. Although this is a very different Christmas, we still are filled with joy to celebrate the birth of our Savior. May As we reflect on the Holy Family today, the Church these days of Christmas fill your hearts with peace, love offers us Scripture readings that emphasize faithfulness, trust in the promises of God, and loving and joy. obedience. Thanks to everyone who made our Christmas Liturgies so All the people involved in today’s readings are faith- beautiful. Thanks to everyone who helped decorate our filled: Churches last Sunday. Thanks to Kate, Sarah, and Francie - who is our father in faith for all the beautiful music. Thanks to everyone who serves - Sarah, a woman beyond child-bearing age, who in a ministry, especially our greeters and ushers who believes what God has told her husband helped to manage our larger crowds with the sign-ups. - Mary and Joseph who come to the Temple to fulfill Thank you also for all of the gifts, goodies, cards, and kind the requirements of God’s Law words you have given me. I will get a personal thank you - who has been waiting long years to see the to you all soon. Here is the poem from my Christmas Christ Homily: - And Anna, a widow who has spend many hours in the Temple fasting and praying A CHILD AT THE CRIB BY FR. LEONARD FEENEY S.J. Each of them has put his/her trust in the promise of O sweetest baby Jesus, how cold you were that night God: No Santa Claus came near you, no candle gave you light. - Abraham and Sarah in God’s promise that their If I were there dear Jesus, I’d put you in my bed descendants would be as numerous as the stars in And wrap you warm dear Jesus, and cover up your head the sky And when you woke dear Jesus, I’d share my toys with you - Mary and Joseph in the promise of the angel, the messenger of God And when the tree was lighted, you’d clap your hands and - Simeon, in the promise that he would see the coo. But mother told me Jesus, you did not come to play Messiah For God Our Father sent you, to take our away. - And Anna who was waiting for the redemption of You are the real Santa who brings us more than toys Israel. The gates of Heaven you opened for everlasting joys. And all of them lived their lives in loving obedience I’ll always love you Jesus, and Mother Mary too, and to the God who loved them. I hope when I’m in heaven she’ll let me play with you. All these women and men offer us an example about living, especially family living. Their example of Featured Saint faithfulness, trust and loving obedience gives us a St. Thomas (Dec. 29) pattern for living together each day. Our Holy Father has encouraged all of us to be eager about living our St. was a 12th-century faith and sharing it with others around us. We do this archbishop of who was best within our own family, encouraging each other initially a good friend of King Henry II. to be faith-filled, just and peaceable each day. However, St. Thomas opposed the After the example of Joseph, Mary and Jesus, and king’s attempt to usurp Church rights, Abraham, Sarah and , may we embrace the and fearing death, he fled to France challenge they offer us. May we live a holier life for seven years to live in exile. After within our own family, and in our wider family of returning to , four of the faith, the Church. Through us, may the world around king’s knights killed St. Thomas in the us come to know in a deeper way that we have a . St. Thomas Savior who is Christ the Lord. Becket is a good example of someone who stands in the face May our God be praised! of pressure despite the consequences. Mass Schedule and Sacraments 3 3

BAPTISM Before an infant may be baptized, the parents are required to attend a Class. Please contact the Parish Office. generally take place on a Sunday, the day of the Resurrection.

MATRIMONY Arrangements must be made six months in advance with the Pastor.

PENANCE (Reconciliation) Anytime by appointment or:

at St. James: at St. Patrick: Monday 7:30-7:45am Friday 10:30-11:00am Wednesday 7:30-7:45am Saturday 11:00am- 12:00 Noon Saturday 3:15-3:40pm

Ill or Hospital Bound? Please call the office so Father can anoint you if you have not been anointed recently. When you go to the hospital please register as a parishioner of Ss. James and Patrick. If you have not been visited by a within two days, please call the office.

“St Patrick School admits students of any race, color, sex or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate based on race, color, sex, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships and loan programs, and athletic and school administered programs”

MASS INTENTIONS Tabernacle Candle Diocesan Child Abuse Reporting and Investigation: (217) 321-1155.

In Memory Of St. James: Welcome New Parishioners: Please register at the office during the week. St. Patrick:

Monday, Dec. 28 8:00 am at St. James Mary Horine Winkler Rest in peace: May Elma Mae Pallone, Aileen Hagan, Martha Schuerman Tuesday, Dec. 29 (mother of Linda Gregory), parishioners, family, and friends who have died 8:00 am at St. Patrick be embraced with God’s love forever.

Patricia Slifer

Wednesday, Dec. 30 Daily Marriage Tip: 8:00 am at St. James God gave us two ears and one mouth. Richard & Marie Stephan Keeping this ratio in mind can help you

Thursday, Dec. 31 deepen your relationship. Try listening to 4:00 pm at St. James your spouse twice as much as you speak! www.foryourmarriage.org Marcia Wagner

Friday, Jan. 1 10:00 am at St. Patrick All Parishioners Gift of Treasure Thank you for your generosity! Saturday, Jan. 2

4:00 pm at St. James Fiscal 2020-2021 Week Year to Date FY19-20

Gene Tatham December 12/13 (24) $11,098 $351,052 $420,396 5:30 pm at St. Patrick Needed $18,500 $444,000 All Parishioners Over (Under) ($ 7,402) ($92,948) Sunday, Jan. 3 8:30 am at St. James Altar Decorations $340 Building $370 Christmas Day $210 Barbara Sweitzer Retired Priest $515 Fr. Mangan $175 Misc $180

10:00 am at St. Patrick Have you considered giving online? Mike McKey Check out the possibility at: www.ssjpparish.com

Long may you live, but please remember our parish in your will. 4 Parish News & Notes

The pain and sorrow of a past abortion Parish School News need not endure for a lifetime. www.decaturstpatrick.org Call Project Rachel for a confidential, And on Facebook through the school website non-judgmental referral to those who

can help: 1-877-RACHEL-5. Thanks to the generosity of so many parishioners and friends, we celebrate our 165th year!

Protecting God’s Children - All volunteers need to take a session one time and fill out a background check form. Visit our parish website at https:// www.ssjpparish.com/ to learn about an online version.

************************************************************** Online Resources (Formed.org) - Visit www.formed.org to access faith- based videos, podcasts, and much more - all from the comfort of your home! Our parish has paid the subscription, so you only need to sign up with your email address. First Friday Eucharistic Adoration will Pray for Seminarians - Be Not Afraid to PRAY BIG! We currently have not be held in the January.

16 seminarians, which is great! But wouldn’t 40 be better? YES! We Parish and school invite you to pray a Hail Mary EVERY DAY at 4:40pm for our to is hiring for a maintenance/custodian have 40 seminarians. 4:40 for 40 Seminarians! position. If you are interested in

Hey, Father! - Confession, Purgatory, praying to saints - the Catholic applying for this position, please call (217) 877-4404. Church has a lot of teachings that can be hard to understand. Luckily, our are here to answer them and help you better know and My Parish Prayer appreciate our rich faith. Go to dio.org/videos/hey-father.html where there are 40 questions about our faith answered by our priests. Dear Heavenly Father, My parish is composed of people Empower Illinois - If you pay Illinois income tax, you can contribute to like me; I help make it what it is. It St. Patrick School through the Invest in Kids Act/Empower IL and will be friendly, if I am. receive 75% of your donation back in the form of a tax credit against The pews will be filled, if I help fill your Illinois income liability. For example, a donation of $1000 to them. Empower IL in 2020 means the donor will receive a tax credit of $750 It will do great work, if I work. when he/she files the 2020 IL tax return. The Empower IL team is ready It will make generous gifts to many to help you with the process– just call (800) 616-7606. For more causes, if I am a generous giver. information go to empowerillinois.org It will bring other people into its Annual Catholic Services Appeal transition to the Parish Tithe - The worship and fellowship, if I invite Parish Community Tithe is 10% of the parish revenue and is the new and bring them. vehicle of support for the mission and ministries of our Diocese. Each It will be a parish of loyalty and parish calculation is based on 10% of parish revenue and a goal will be love, of fearlessness and faith, a assessed at each parish. All parishioners have received a mailing from parish with a noble spirit, if I, who the Diocesan office. Thank you to all those who have so generously make it what it is, am filled with given to the Parish Community Tithe. If you have not responded yet, these same things. Therefore, with please consider giving to the campaign. You may donate online, send a Your help, O God, I shall dedicate check to the Diocese (please identify Saints James and Patrick Parish), myself to the task of being all or send a check to the parish and we will send it to the Diocese for you. things that I want my parish to be. Amen. Pray for the , bishops, priests, and to live as Jesus lived.

Parish Calendar & Events 5 5

New Years Eve– of Mary Mother of God 4:00pm @ St. James Church COVID-19 Prayer for Solidarity New Years Day- Solemnity of Mary Mother of God For all who have contracted coronavirus, we pray for care 10:00am @ St. Patrick Church and healing.

For those who are particularly vulnerable, we pray for safety and protection.

For all who experience fear or anxiety, we pray for peace of mind and spirit.

For affected families who are facing difficult decisions between food on the table or public safety, we pray for policies that recognize their plight.

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph – 27 December 2020

Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3. Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9. Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 7-19. Luke 2:22-40.

This Child. Every parent knows a child is a blessing who is filled with innocence and wonder and grace. Grandparents know this, too, perhaps in renewed and deeper ways. It is their hope that every child will grow strong, be wise, and be favored.

How will I care for a child today even if not related to me?

How can I help children be holy?

How will I be holy because of the blessedness of children?

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