St. Francis of Assisi CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

4300 Meeks Drive, Orange TX 77632 Office: 409-883-9153  Fax: 409-883-9154 Web: www.stfrancisorangetx.orgOffice Email:[email protected]

Facebook.com/St.Francis.Church.Orange

Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-3pm

Religious Education Office Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-3pm Wednesday 3-7pm during RE

PASTOR: Rev. Sinclair K. Oubre, J.C.L. [email protected]

Deacon Hector Maldonado [email protected] Deacon Tommy Ewing [email protected] Deacon Keith Hebert [email protected]

MASS SCHEDULE Saturday: 5pm  Sunday: 8am Bilingual 10:30am

DAILY MASS Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:30am  Wednesday: 6:30pm

RECONCILIATION: Saturday: 3:30-4:30pm

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Please call the Pastor to make arrangements for Infant Baptisms. Baptism class is held the third Thursday of each month at 6:00pm. This can be done at least seven (7) months before the birth in order to make proper sacramental preparations.

SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE Diocesan policy requires a minimum of six (6) months of sacramental preparations for marriage. Engaged couples are invited to call the Pastor for an appointment.

HOLY COMMUNION OR ANOINTING OF THE SICK Please call the Pastor if you or any family members are ill or plan to be hospitalized to arrange the reception of the Sacraments.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS - Catechumenate Those interested in becoming a Catholic or in completing their initiation are invited to contact Deacon Keith Hebert at the Church office to learn more about the Catechumenate Process.

PARISH MEMBERSHIP Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community! Please register by obtaining a census form from the Parish Office or at one of the two front entrances to the Church. Please return the census form to the Parish Office or drop in the collection basket. You may also register online at www.stfrancisorangetx.org. From the home page, click on the registration form. We look forward to the opportunity to know and serve you and it is our prayer that you will bless St. Francis Catholic Community with your time, talent, and treasure. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph December 30, 2018

.HOME IS WHERE THE FAMILY IS The idea, dream, and reality of family is so strong and durable that we use it to describe all that is best about human gatherings. We speak of the family of nations, of our church and parish families. The greatest compliment we can pay a friend or gracious host is to say that we feel at home with them, we feel part of the family. Families are the first crucibles in which love is tested and tempered. Jesus himself was one of three people who lived in the shadow of each other. This family, like our own, did not always “get it right,” but they always tried to. These three “amateurs” were on holiday, and one of them got lost. Two were worried sick and took great measures to find the third, a boy after all, who was seeking the meaning of his calling. He found his vocation—to do his Father’s work—but he also returned home with his parents. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Today’s feast is new as feasts go, and it sets us this year in a very modern crisis. Amid conflicting schedules and commitments, a young man, testing the limits, has strayed from his parents and gone off to the big city. Mary and Joseph search frantically, only to find the child Jesus in the temple, conversing with the elders and scholars of the law, who are amazed at his wisdom. In the time of Jesus, the temple was the religious center of Jewish ritual. Outside of Jerusalem, people gathered in the synagogues, centers of learning, for daily prayer and study. Still, everyone longed to journey to the temple to participate in the offerings, and to fulfill certain obligations of the law that could only be done there. On this feast, we catch a glimpse of the family of Jesus: parents dealing with the normal stresses of raising a child, and yet completely grounded in the ways of faith and tradition. There has always been an appreciation in Christianity for the value of pilgrimage—the journey to holy places that is a symbol of our life’s journey to God, and a sense of connection to important events in our family history. During the Christmas season, many of us undertake pilgrimages to the family homestead for festival meals, to the parishes where we were formed in the faith, or perhaps even to a beautiful manger scene or festival of lights. There are few better days than this in our calendar for spending time with the family, especially on a short pilgrimage to a favorite place. Just make sure that no one gets left behind! —James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co

READINGS FOR THE WEEK SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES

Monday: 1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96:1-2, 11-13; Jn 1:1-18 Sunday: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, Tuesday: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; and Joseph Lk 2:16-21 Monday: Seventh Day within the Octave of the Wednesday: 1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 1:19-28 Nativity of the Lord; St. Sylvester I: Thursday: 1 Jn 2:29 — 3:6; Ps 98:1, 3cd-6; New Year’s Eve Jn 1:29-34 Tuesday: The Octave of the Nativity of the Lord; Friday: 1 Jn 3:7-10; Ps 98:1, 7-9; Jn 1:35-42 Mary, the Holy Mother of God; World Saturday: 1 Jn 3:11-21; Ps 100:1b-5; Jn 1:43-51 Day of Prayer for Peace; Sunday: Is 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13; New Year’s Day Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12 Wednesday: Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen Thursday: The Most Holy Name of Jesus Friday: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton; First Friday Saturday: St. John Neumann; First Saturday

For the scriptures used at Mass every day and to hear a reflection: go to http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings and select the day of the month and reflections in the menu on the left side of the page.

In Our Parish

Sunday, December 30 8:00 a.m. Bilingual Mass Saturday December 29 5:00 p.m. Jack Oldani (D) 10:30 a.m Mass

Sunday December 30 Monday, December 31 8:00 a.m. People of the Parish/Novena 6:30 p.m. **Mass Mass in reparation of sins that wound the Body of Christ 10:30 a.m. Knights of Columbus & families Tuesday, January 1 10:30 a.m. **Mass Monday December 31 6:30 p.m. Marcus Clay Darby (L) Wednesday, January 2 Tuesday January 1 6:30 p.m. Mass 10:30 a.m. Nolan Guidroz Sr. & Bertha Leard (D)

Wednesday January 2 Thursday, January 3 6:30 p.m. Michael Coy Darby (L) 8:30 a.m. Mass 6:00 p.m. SVDP Meeting Thursday January 3 8:30 a.m. Earl & Paula Perkins’ 59th Anniv Friday, January 4 Friday January 4 8:30 a.m. Mass 8:30 a.m. David and Kevin Wilson (D)

Saturday January 5 Saturday, January 5 5:00 p.m. Rena Veillon (D) 3:30-4:30 Reconciliation 5:00 p.m. Mass Sunday December 30 8:00 a.m. People of the Parish 10:30 a.m. Gene Breaux (D) Sunday, January 6 8:00 a.m. Bilingual Mass 10:30 a.m. Mass 7:00 p.m. Rosary for St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Stewardship of Treasure Religious Freedom

**Holy Day of Obligation-The Solemnity of Advent Mission Mary, the Mother of God $407.00

December 15/16 $6,547.00

Online Giving $3,360.00

Thank you always for your generosity!

Ministry Schedule for January 5/6 SAVE THE DATE!!

Eucharistic Lectors Altar Servers Altar Server Training Ministers Sunday January 20 5:00 Elisa Sonnier Norma Franklin Vincent Seppi After 10:30 Mass p.m. Andy Sonnier Hazel Webb Dominic Seppi Mary Gravett Lunch will be provided Frank Lomonte We will meet in the SDC

8:00 Mary McDuffie Spanish Lectors Kennedy Abshire This training is not just for the new a.m. Paula Perkins Thomas Abshire ones. We need ALL altar servers

12/30 there.

Parents are needed to attend as well. 10:30 Elizabeth Smith Youth Lector 1 Caleb Granger a.m. Shelby Granger Youth Lector 2 Maggie Granger Bobby Granger Matthew Brown We look forward to seeing everyone. Mary Montgomery

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament January 8

8:30 Mass and adoration to follow until 5:30 with benediction

Each hour you spend with Jesus on earth will leave your soul everlastingly more beautiful and glorious in heaven!

• Do you have problems? – Come to the Blessed Sacrament! • Are you sad? – Come to the Blessed Sacrament! • Do you need peace? – Come to the Blessed Sacrament! • Are you ill? – Come to the Blessed Sacrament! • Do you want to give thanks to God? – Come to the Blessed Sacrament!

Witnesses for Jesus Christ Called, Formed, & Sent Day Saturday – January 26, 2019 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (including Mass at 4 pm) Saint Mary, Fannett

This annual event will help you to become a better evangelizer and more informed about your faith. We will hear from Vanessa White, Gustavo Rodriguez, Jesus Abrego, Bryan Reising, Twyla Satterthwaite, Sr. Misty Garriga, CDP, Paul Thomas, Fr. Kevin Badeaux, and others. There will be tracks including the RCIA, adult faith formation, the elementary grades, and middle school and high school. It is open to all those working in Evangelization and Catechesis, especially catechists, parish catechetical leaders, parents, youth ministers and their teams, RCIA teams, adult faith formation teams and anyone looking to grow in their faith. Come join us on the mission…

Contact Cathi Sulak at 883-8232 to register. There is no fee for this event and lunch is provided. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

Christmas celebrates the Incarnation, the “en-flesh-ment” of God as a human person. In Jesus, God is bodily present in the human story. Today we honor the Holy Family, helping us to see that God is active in daily family life. God is near at hand, amidst the tensions, joys, and uncertainties of family life. As our Gospel passage describes, even with family miscommunications and with limited understanding of Jesus’ mission, the Holy Family persevered in their life together. Like many family conflicts, there was no immediate or clear resolution of the issues raised by Jesus and by Mary. God’s intentions for the family, and for Jesus, were still unfolding. They continued to stay connected with each other and with God. Within the turbulence of family life, they trusted God to actively sustain and guide them into an uncertain future. We are invited to follow their example.

La Sagrada Familia de Jesús, María y José

ANA Y MARÍA La historia de Ana y su hijo Samuel en la lectura de hoy, tomada de 1 Samuel, fue espe- cialmente importante para el Evangelio de Lucas. Este pasaje describe la presentación del joven Samuel al sacerdote Elí como parte de la historia de la fe de Ana. Ella había es- tado sufriendo mucho, pues durante mucho tiempo deseaba tener un hijo, y consideraba esto algo importante en su vocación e identidad. La honestidad intensa de Ana para con Dios durante su angustia, junto con su confianza persistente en la oración, la pone de manifiesto como un modelo de fe. Lucas relaciona a Ana con María por medio del canto del Magníficat en Lucas 1, el cual refleja el canto alegre de Ana en 1 Samuel 2. Lucas relaciona al joven Samuel con Jesús, por medio de la presentación en el Templo en Lucas 2. Lucas sugiere que Dios está tramando algo grande. Así como Samuel inició un momento crucial en la historia de Israel, Jesús está por abrir un capítulo nuevo en la historia de la humanidad. Sus historias están enraizadas en la fe extraordinaria de sus madres, Ana y María

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI SEMI ANNUAL BLOOD DRIVE SUNDAY JANUARY 13 WHY GIVE BLOOD? Every two seconds, someone somewhere needs blood. One of every seven people who enter the hospital will need blood. That person may be you, your loved one, friend or co-worker. With all the wonderful advances in modern medicine, there still is NO substitute for human blood. The blood that helps patients comes only from caring people who volunteer to help others by donating their life-saving blood.

In the short time it took to read the above paragraph, 11 people needed blood.

Will you help? Keysis at the Meadows! Christmas caroling and gifts brought forth smiles and tears to these sweet residents! Our kiddos were great! I’m very proud of them. Love, Angie Lathrop STEIRMAN-WHITFIELD MIKE MAZZOLA - Agent Company, P.C. 827 Strickland Dr. Bus 409-886-5218 Certified Public Accountants & Consultants [email protected] Providing Insurance and Financial Services 109 Camellia, Orange 409-883-3350

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