Saint Bernadette Parish Saint Mary Parish

1343 Wheeling Road NE 602 Marietta Street LANCASTER, OH 43130-8701 BREMEN, OHIO 43107 (740) 654 • 1893 (740) 569 • 7929

John the Baptist Preaching

The scene of today’s gospel reading. A large fresco (10’ x 11.5’) painted (1732-33) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, (1696-1770)

in the Cappella Colleoni, Bergamo

The Second Sunday of Advent

December 6, 2015

Our Parishes Sacramental Life FATHER THOMAS KESSLER pastor BAPTISM (614) 634-0499 wmthomaskessler @ icloud . com To have a child baptized, you must register and attend a class as a couple AT ST BERNADETTE PARISH (unless attendance just isn’t possible, in which case some discussion with http://stbernadetteparish.net Kathy Kehnast will be necessary). Sessions are held quarterly for both par- MARK SCARPITTI 438-3970 ishes. The next session will be Dec 16. Try to take the class before the child deacon dcn.mark @ frontier . com is born. If you are expecting, call Kathy to register for the class. JEFF CARPENTER 681-9918 deacon carpenter.277 @ osu . edu Please don’t ask if you “have to go.” This is an opportunity to meet with ANN ESSMAN 653-9347 parents of children about the same age as your little one; they are in the pastoral minister aessman001 @ att . net same wonderful boat as you are. STEVE HUBER 654-3137 At least one parent must be a practicing Catholic. Both godparents need to be facilities coordinator shuber57 @ yahoo . com LIZ LATORRE 243-1872 practicing Christians, at least one a practicing Catholic. If you don’t attend liturgical music lizlatorre @ gmail . com Sunday Mass regularly, there is something you can do about it: Start coming The St Bernadette Parish office is in the Mary Good Center, to Sunday Mass. across the back parking lot from the school. ENANCE Hours are: 9 AM-1 PM, MWThF; 11 AM-1 PM, Tu. P 1343 Wheeling Rd NE, The priest is available for Penance Lancaster, OH 43130-8701 (740) 654-1893 • at St Bernadette Saturdays at 3 PM and Thursdays at 5:30 PM, and AT BREMEN ST MARY PARISH • at St Mary Bremen on Sunday at 8 AM. BEN FACTOR In addition to Advent and Lenten Penance Services, every Catholic priest is liturgical music b_factor @ lancaster . k12 .oh . us available whenever there is a need. We are beginning to provide Penance JIM SCHMELZER opportunities for parochial school children several more times during the maintenance chair ANGI SKINNER year so that they will learn the beauty of frequent confession. The Church’s religious education (740) 569-7929 law requires us to receive the sacrament of Penance at least once a year. coordinator NOINTING AND ARE OF THE ICK The St Mary Parish office is at the church vestibule. A C S Hours are 9-11 AM, Tu. The Sick receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick when danger- 602 Marietta St, ously ill, facing major surgery, or suffering from the ravages of old age. Bremen, OH 43107 (740) 569-7929 We celebrate the sacrament communally at a Sunday Mass before Advent AT BOTH PARISHES and during the Easter season so that we can all pray with you for “health of NIKKI SCHMELZER 654-1893 mind and body.” bookkeeper businessmstbparish @ yahoo . com KATHY KEHNAST 654-1893 And, we are happy to bring Penance, Anointing, and Holy Communion to pastoral coordinator stbernparish @ yahoo . com the homes or hospitals of the sick or shut in. It is very helpful to call the ANGIE & KENT KERNS 654-2588 parish office to let us know before a hospitalization or when it has been too religious education kwkerns @ gmail . com long since the sacraments were last available. JULIE & CHASE STALFORD 808-7294 youth ministry maristellaspirit @ gmail . com HOLY MATRIMONY AT ST BERNADETTE SCHOOL Couples wishing to marry should contact the parish office six months PAM ELTRINGHAM principal peltring @ cdeducation . org before they wish to celebrate the sacrament. Why so long? Because this BARB HUBER sacrament, not just the ceremony, requires serious preparation. And the secretary bhuber @ cdeducation . org Church needs to be involved in that preparation. Saint Bernadette School is located at The Church wishes to support couples through the years of their married 1325 Wheeling Rd, 654-3137 life. For this reason our diocese offers programs to enhance married life. To Lancaster, OH 43130-8701 www.stbernadetteschool.com learn about these programs, watch the weekly bulletin. stbernlan @ cdeducation . org.

let us pray

PRAY WITH THE POPE COLLECT FOR ADVENT 2 THE MEMORARE • that all may experience Almighty and merciful God, Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never the mercy of God, may no earthly undertaking hinder was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, who never tires of forgiving. those who set out in haste implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was to meet your Son, left unaided. that families, • but may our learning of heavenly wisdom Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin especially those who suffer, gain us admittance to his company. of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee may find in the birth of Jesus I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word a sign of certain hope. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, hear and answer me. Amen. for ever and ever. ST MARY PARISH in Bremen and ST BERNADETTE PARISH in Lancaster December 6, 2015

both our parishes ADULT CHOIR St Augustine once said that, “he who sings prays twice.” The Saint Bernadette Adult Choir has begun practicing on Wednesdays at 7 BLOOD DRIVE PM in the church, but it’s not too late to join. Our adult choir is both The St Bernadette blood drive will be Saturday, Dec 12, from 9-2 in a vocal ensemble devoted to making beautiful music for the Lord the parish hall. This is a great way to support our community blood and a small faith family within our parish. They would welcome needs. To make an appointment to donate, go to www . some new members into the choir family. Consider if membership redcrossblood . org or call Joyce Guenther at (740) 974-5040. As in the choir might be an opportunity for you to get involved in the always there will be lunch, cupcakes and crafts for children. parish and grow in your faith. Contact Liz Latorre after Mass or call or text her at (740) 243-1872 if you have questions. OUR NEW PARISH WEBSITE CHRISTMAS CAROLING stbernadetteparish . net The St. Bernadette Adult Choir, joined by a brass quartet, will sing SANDWICH SATURDAY Christmas carols before the Christmas Midnight Mass. The music Each month a different grade in our school makes meat and cheese begins at 11:30 PM on Thursday, Dec 24. sandwiches for Foundation Dinners to distribute to their patrons. This BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE is a way for St Bernadette students to learn that being of service and helping others can happen at any age. Donations of zipper sandwich Fashion and Vanity Cleaners announce their eleventh annual bags, lunch meat, cheese and bread are always welcome. Coats for Kids Drive. They are collecting gently worn coats which will be cleaned at no charge and distributed by Job & Family IGNATIUS PRESS BOOK FAIR Services. You can drop off coats through January at Fashion Support St Bernadette School and do some of your Advent shopping Cleaners, Vanity Cleaners or Job & Family Services. by purchasing books from Ignatius Press as part of our book fair. CHRISTMAS BASKETS Books will be available following select Vigil and Sunday Masses and through catalogs until Christmas. Enjoy 10% off books and free The Bremen Community Food Pantry is in need of turkeys and shipping. For information contact Kara . tencza @ gmail . com. cookies for Christmas baskets for families. Drop off … • cookies on Thursday, Dec 17, between noon and 6 PM and FRIENDS FOREVER • turkeys on Saturday, Dec 19, at 8 AM at the Calvary United Friends Forever will meet at noon on Thursday, Dec 17, in the Methodist Church. Mary Good Center for an Advent pot luck. And they would like to • Bring monetary donations or nonperishable food items to see you there. Call Ann Essman at 654-1893 for details. Bremen St Mary Church. • To make other arrangements, or if you can donate a turkey RECYCLE FOR SIGHT for the baskets, call Mary Shumaker at 569-4796. Our young parishioner, McKenzie Ortiz, a junior at Fisher Baskets will be distributed on Saturday, Dec 19. Catholic and St Bernadette School alumna, invites you to drop used eyeglasses in the box at the school entry. Glasses will be SUPPORT ELDERLY RELIGIOUS sorted and checked by students at Ohio State College of A parishioner writes, “As a Catholic school student from grades Optometry. Then doctors and students will transport the glasses K-12, I was formed to be the person I am by many religious to Lima, Peru, where needy people will be fitted. They will be brothers and sisters, and I am forever grateful.” Show your grateful to you for helping give the gift of sight. appreciation for the senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests who made a positive difference in so many lives. SUNDAY COLLECTION Please give generously to next week’s collection for the The offertory collection for Nov 29 at St Bernadette was $5,383. Retirement Fund for Religious. The offertory collection for Nov 29 at St Mary was $1,631. ST VINCENT DE PAUL ADVENT DRIVE YOUTH CHOIR The Lancaster St Vincent de Paul Society tells us that their biggest The St Cecilia Society (the St Bernadette Parish youth choir) has need these days is for non-perishable foods, paper products begun its fifth season. They meet on Sunday at 6 PM in the church. (kleenex, paper towels, toilet paper), personal hygiene products All parish students in grades 2-8 (public, parochial, or home (deodorant, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes), and laundry products school) are invited to join. SCS members in grades 4-8 are also including detergent. So that’s what they ask us to provide. Don’t invited to be a member of the handbell ensemble, which meets on worry about too much of any of these items. There won’t be too Sunday evenings at 7 PM, immediately after the full SCS meeting. much, for the Society will share surplus items with the St Francis Mrs Latorre can answer questions after Mass or you could call or Center in McArthur. This drive will last through the four Sundays text her at (740) 243-1872. of Advent. Our drop off point will be in the vestibule between the school entrance and the church. HAND MISSALS YDISCIPLE: OUR YOUTH MINISTRY ! Copies of a paperback 2016 hand-missal for the Sunday liturgy have been made available for distribution to home-bound YDisciple, the youth program for all our high school students at parishioners of either parish. Extra copies were sent for other St our two parishes, directed by Chase and Julie Stalford, has begun Bernadette parishioners who wish to take them home to use to to meet. And they will meet again this Sunday evening at 7. The prepare for the liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass. program is exciting. The young people are excited. Pray for this ST MARY PARISH in Bremen and ST BERNADETTE PARISH in Lancaster December 6, 2015 new ministry. in the diocese BREMEN ST VINCENT DE PAUL Because today is the first Sunday of the month, the St Vincent de CELEBRATE ADVENT AT THE JUBILEE Paul Society of Bremen will take up a collection in aid of the poor after Mass. Your generosity and thoughtfulness are very much MUSEUM appreciated. During Advent, the Jubilee Museum in Columbus presents over 200 nativity sets from around the world, including artist Lois Algueseva’s 3-D, life-size nativity set made entirely of carved in the deanery cardboard. While touring the museum, your children may have their pictures taken with a historically accurate St Nicholas on the ADVENT AND PENANCE Second, Third, and Fourth Sundays of Advent: Dec 6, 13 and 20, at $10 per picture. Live choirs and musicians will perform It is the season to … what? Shop? Decorate? Send cards? Give gifts? throughout the Advent season. For details, email jubileemuseum Go to parties? Do we do these things in honor of Jesus? Well, actually @ gmail . com or phone (614) 600-0054. it is the season to prepare the way of the Lord. Those other activities may help us prepare the way of the Lord. But they are not the main IT’S TIME FOR THAT WARM FEELING preparation. Turning our hearts to him is. Going to Confession is how Catholics do that. Colder weather means our homes should be a source of warmth. Go on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend and find out We have Confession every Thursday at 5:30 at St Bernadette and how to build a cozier home in just 20 minutes a day. The next two every Saturday at 3 at St Bernadette and at 8 AM on Sunday at St weekends in central Ohio are Feb 19-21 and Apr 22-24. For Mary. That’s all year round because it is an all-year-round sacrament. information or to register, contact Paul & Marilou Clouse at (614) To teach this lesson we are trying to increase the frequency of 834-6880 or visit www . wwmecolumbus . org Penance Services at St Bernadette School. And during Advent, we will have communal Penance services with YOUNG PROFESSIONAL: individual confessions (and extra priests to help make that work!) at BALANCE BETWEEN FAITH AND WORK each of the parishes and schools in our deanery. Join the Catholic Foundation’s Young Professionals Group on The Sacrament of Penance is very much a part of Catholic life. Dec 8 for their Cocktails and Conversation series. Guest speaker But it is the easiest part to drift away from. The Church reminds us will be Kevin Lowry, chief financial officer at RevLocal (www. that we need to confess our sins, at the very least, once a year. We revlocal . com). Past president of the local chapter of Legatus and need it, even if we haven’t any very serious sins. Saint John author of Faith at Work: Finding Purpose Beyond the Paycheck reminds us bluntly that and dozens of articles in books, magazines, and websites, he sits “If we say, ‘We are without sin,’ we deceive ourselves, and on the boards of Our Sunday Visitor and Friends of Little Portion the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is Hermitage. Kevin will give his take on finding the balance faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from between faith and work. For details and to RSVP visit http: //www every wrongdoing.” 1 John 1:8-9 . meetup . com/ Catholic-Young-Professionals-Columbus-Meetup If you have been away for a while, now is the time to come back. NIGHT OUT WITH THE BLUE JACKETS Decide which service or which Confession time you will attend this Advent. So you can prepare the way of the Lord! The Catholic Foundation’s Young Professionals Group is organizing a night out with the Blue Jackets, on Saturday, Jan 16, St. Joseph Circleville Sunday Dec 6 4 PM as the Blue Jackets take on the Colorado Avalanche. There will be St. John Logan Monday Dec 7 7 PM a networking session prior to the game in the Labatt Blue Zone to mix and mingle with other young professionals. Take advantage of St. Mary Lancaster Thursday Dec 10 7 PM a preferred rate exclusively for the Catholic Foundation’s Young St. Bernadette Lancaster Sunday Dec 13 3 PM Professional Group. For details and to RSVP visit http ://www . St. Joseph Sugar Grove Monday Dec 14 7 PM meetup . com/ Catholic-Young-Professionals-Columbus-Meetup/. St. Mark Lancaster Tuesday Dec 15 7 PM HEALING AFTER AN ABORTION St John School Logan Tuesday Dec 15 11 AM We know that after an abortion, mothers and fathers often feel St. Mary Bremen Sunday Dec 20 3 PM isolated and alone. At Bethesda they recognize that abortion wounds the body, soul and spirit. You are not alone. Healing can MEALS ON WHEELS begin with acknowledging the hurt, coming for support and prayer. “Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool with Put your faith into action by helping to feed our elderly five porches, in Hebrew it is called Bethesda .…” (John 5:2) Call neighbors. Become a Meals on Wheels of Fairfield County Bethesda Healing Ministry confidential lines: (614) 309-0157 or volunteer. They have a variety of volunteer opportunities to (614) 309-2651 or visit bethesdahealing . org. choose from and will work around your schedule. Deliver a nutritious meal, a friendly smile, and a safety check to homebound ADVENT MORNING OF REFLECTION seniors in your community. Call Anna Tobin, executive director, at (740) 681-5050 or visit www . mowfc . org to say you want to Waiting in Darkness: this Advent Morning of Reflection happens on help make a difference in the life of an older adult. Saturday, Dec 12, from 9 AM until noon at Sts Peter and Paul Retreat Center and is facilitated by Sr Louis Mary Passeri. Cost is $20 and includes continental breakfast. Visit www . stspeterpaulretreatcenter . com, or call (740) 928-4246 to register. ST MARY PARISH in Bremen and ST BERNADETTE PARISH in Lancaster December 6, 2015

MARRIAGE PREPARATION COORDINATOR they are meant to be: disciples of Jesus Christ, their Savior. That formation must be spiritual, social, physical, intellectual. How else The Marriage & Family Office of the Diocese is looking for a are they going to learn to love God with all their heart, with all qualified individual to fill the fulltime position of marriage their being, with all their strength, and with all their mind, and preparation coordinator. This position provides support, and serves their neighbor as themselves? (see Luke 10:27) as a resource person, to various individuals and groups, presenters and parishes for diocesan marriage preparation curriculum and also We provide an opportunity for that grounding at St Bernadette provides assistance through education, research, updates, training, and elementary school, at St Mary middle school and at Fisher in the development, implementation and coordination of the marriage Catholic High School. preparation programs. Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree in But the task doesn’t stop there. When our young folks go to college, theology, ministry, family studies, or a related field. Send cover letter, the formation goes on. In most universities there are many resume, and references to Human Resources, at dprunte @ colsdioc . challenges to the Faith and to all of the values which our schools and org. For details, see the posting at the “employment” section of the our families have tried hard to inculcate. Seldom are our students diocesan website, www . colsdioc . org. adequately equipped to face the overwhelming pressure of these often unprecedented challenges. Learning to respond to the challenges is not at the heart of the agenda of most secular and and elsewhere nominally Christian colleges—even some of the Catholic colleges. It would be good to be able to tell our parents to consider sending their SUPPORT THE REFUGEES IN EUROPE children to Catholic colleges and universities, but some institutions are As the refugee and migrant crisis grows in Europe, Catholic not doing the job in a way that is truly faithful. That’s why we Relief Services and their partners like Caritas are there on the ordered 50 copies of a college special section on seriously Catholic ground, providing assistance to families in need. As the difficult colleges in Our Sunday Visitor, Oh, the Places They’ll Go! images fill the news, many people and parishes have asked what This year’s supplement puts an emphasis on affordable semesters they can do to help. For information, go to the CRS web-site at: abroad at some good Catholic colleges, but the important message http://www . crs . org/media-center/current-issues/syrian-refugees is to be found in the “Directory of Catholic Colleges and or contact Columbus CRS , at (614) 241-2540, ecordle @ colsdioc Universities.” If you have a high school student, please take a . org, or socmailbox @ colsdioc . org. In the meantime, keep the copy of this supplement to help you as your think about where refugees in your prayers. your child will be a college student.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION … GETTING IT JOB OPENING RIGHT ALL THE WAY THROUGH St Rose School in New Lexington needs a long term substitute At our parishes we heartily encourage—even urge—our parents to for the fourth grade. The position will last from late February send their children to good Catholic schools. The young ones until the end of the school year. This is a self-contained classroom need to be grounded in the Faith. They need an education that with 16 students. If you can help with any part of this time frame, forms them in the ways of the Faith if they are to become what call Jonathan Medaugh, principal, at (740) 342-3043. Guidelines for the Reception of Communion On November 14, 1996, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the following guidelines on the reception of Communion. … The guidelines, which are to be included in missalettes and other participation aids published in the United States, seek to remind all those who may attend Catholic liturgies of the present discipline of the Church with regard to the sharing of Eucharistic Communion. for Catholics sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is con- (canon 844 §4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian scious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the recp- mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, includ- tion of Communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 §3). ing the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A for those not receiving Holy Communion frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all. All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to for our fellow Christians express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Jesus and with one another. Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common for non-Christians baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Holy which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and disappear, in keeping with Christ's prayer for us “that they may the unity of the human family. all be one “ (John 17:21). © 1996, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a ST MARY PARISH in Bremen and ST BERNADETTE PARISH in Lancaster December 6, 2015

readings, feasts, and memorials for this week

Saturday, Dec 5 2nd Sunday of Advent Baruch 5:1-9 Philippians 1:4-11 Psalm 126 Luke 3:1-6 Sunday, Dec 6 Monday, Dec 7 St Ambrose Isaiah 35:1-10 Psalm 85 Luke 5:17-26 Tuesday, Dec 8 Immaculate Conception Genesis 3:9-20 Ephesians 1:3-12 Psalm 98 Luke 1:26-38 Wednesday, Dec 9 St Juan Diego Isaiah 40:25-31 Psalm 103 Matt 11:28-30 Thursday, Dec 10 Advent Weekday Isaiah 41:13-20 Psalm 145 Matt 11:11-15 Friday, Dec 11 St Damasus I Isaiah 48:17-19 Psalm 1 Matt 11:16-19 Saturday, Dec 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe Zechariah 2:14-17 Judith 13 Luke 1:26-38 Sunday, Dec 13 3rd Sunday of Advent Zephaniah 3:14-18 Philippians 4:4-7 Isaiah 12 Luke 3:10-18 Mass intentions and ministers this week at St Mary

extraordinary ministers sacristan / intention lector servers gifts of Holy Communion usher Caden Fyffe Neil Boch, Pam Redding, John Schoenlaub Sunday, Dec 6 8:30 AM for the people Karen Wolfe Jim Schmelzer Cody Fyffe Karen Wolfe family Francis Tuesday, Dec 8 NOON Jim Schmelzer Jim Schmelzer Schmelzer Sydnee Rogers Tyna Schmelzer-Fox, Joseph Young Sunday, Dec 13 8:30 AM for the people Joseph Young Joseph Young Isaac Schmelzer Joseph & Cathy Young family Mass intentions and ministers this week at St Bernadette

intention lector servers extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion Debbie Clara & Susan Craaybeek, Teresa Carpenter, Susan Garrett, Shelia Taylor, Saturday, Dec 5 4 PM Tara Craaybeek Briercheck Eve Darfus Kathy Wagner, Julia Whitehead, Darlene Yarmesch Brooke, Bryson & Patricia Dreyer, Nancy Griffith, Jim & Rita Merk, Sunday, Dec 6 11 AM for the people Patrick Gins Zachary Vogel Benjamin Peters, Amy Woo

Monday, Dec 7 8:20 AM Louise Young Mary Jane Vajen Kendall Cox, Emeline Neighbor Pat Dreyer, Kathy Kehnast Tuesday, Dec 8 8:20 AM for the people David Shonk Addy Myers, Emeline Neighbor Mary Steyaert, Mary Jane Vajen

Tuesday, Dec 8 5 PM George M. Sus John Hartig Anna & John Hartig Rosalie DeFillippo, Joyce Guenther Wednesday, Dec 9 8:20 AM Lillian Grabowski Bob Christy Emma McCrady, Avee Solt Mary Guinan, Mary Jane Vajen

Thursday, Dec 10 6 PM Helen Henry Kathy Kehnast Ava Ewing, Cady Tipple Paul Lonergan, Darlene Yarmesch Friday, Dec 11 8:20 AM Ann Muetzel Robin Sanders Addy Myers, Emeline Neighbor Jim & Rita Merk James Rosalie DeFillippo, Marguerite Grimm, Joyce Saturday, Dec 12 4 PM Donald Libert Gus, Olivia & Ross Spiegel Mahon IV Guenther, Kathy Kehnast, James & Rebecca Kuhn Collin McCrady, Caroline Benjamin Peters, Larry Sanford, Teresa Scarpitti, Sunday, Dec 13 11 AM for the people Robert Christy Messerly, Makaila Moses Valerie Shaw, David Shonk, Mary Jane Vajen Confessions and weekday Masses each week in the deanery

confessions the parish Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

8 AM Sunday Bremen St Mary 8:20 AM 5:30 Thursday & 3 Saturday 1st Saturday Lancaster St Bernadette 8:20 AM 8:20 AM 6 PM 8:20 AM 8:30 AM on 1st Saturday 9 AM

4- 5 Saturday Lancaster St Mary 7 AM 9 AM 7 AM 9 AM

5:30 Saturday Lancaster St Mark 8 AM 8 AM 6 PM 8 AM 8 AM

½ hour before each Mass Sugar Grove St Joseph 8 AM NOON 8 AM NOON 8 AM

4-4:45 Saturday Logan St John 8 AM 8 AM 9 AM 8 AM 9 AM + ST MARY PARISH in Bremen and ST BERNADETTE PARISH in Lancaster December 6, 2015 Rediscovering the Lost Sacrament Penance, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Confession … the different names for it bring out its different aspects. But whatever we call it, this sacrament is not easy. Call it Penance and we have put the emphasis on the punishment that we voluntarily take on because we have repented. We have thought about things we have done, we have faced up to what was wrong with them, and we have said we are sorry If it is Confession, it is a telling of our sins: admitting that I did this thing, acknowledging that I shouldn’t have, saying out loud that I didn’t have to do it and that it was my fault. When we use the Church’s newfangled (= since the Second Vatican Council) expression, calling it the sacrament of Reconciliation, we say that this sacrament is mainly an action of God and not mainly our doing at all: God brings us back together after we have wandered away. The way sin works, there is nothing we could do to patch things up. But God can do it. And he does it in the sacrament. Mind you, God’s hands aren’t tied by the sacraments; he can save someone even when that person can’t be baptized; he can be in communion with someone even when that person can’t get to Holy Communion; he can certainly forgive someone who is sorry for sins committed, regardless of the availability of the sacrament. But God knows how he made us: corporal and social. God chose a sacramental way of communicating his life to us because he knew that he invented us not simply as spirits and not simply as individuals. We use symbols and we use conversations, we say things out loud. There is a prayer of blessing over the water in the rite of Baptism that says simply and clearly what is going on in each of the sacraments: Father, you give us grace through sacramental signs, which tell us of the wonders of your unseen power. That is the ordinary way God has for giving us his gifts. It involves other people and it involves actual communication with them. He designed confession as the sacrament by which he gives his grace through a special conversation between two persons, a priest and a penitent. We don’t go to confession (or Penance or Reconciliation) much any more. And it is too bad. In our country many of us have gradually abandoned a necessary means of grace. Why have we done that? We know God commands it. We know that it is good for us, even from a psychological standpoint. We know that we need the chance to say out loud (but not too loud and not publicly!) what is eating at us. We know we need to hear the words of absolution: God the Father of mercy has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of our sins. Through the ministry of the Church may he give you pardon and peace. I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. To say that he tailored his grace to the shape of human personality is not to say that he made all of the sacraments easy. Especially in the case of this reconciling, he didn’t fit us up with any easy comfort in admitting that we are sinners. It is the sacrament that it can be uncomfortable to go to. And we live in an era and in a culture that has taught us to say: “If it is not enjoyable, I don’t think I’ll be bothered.” So, what can we do about it? We can come back to the sacrament. Not make a big deal about it, not fret about whether it is absolutely necessary, whether our sins are all that bad, whether they are sins at all, whether God wants us to say we’re sorry if a little corner of our souls is not yet completely sorry, whether we like the priest we have to go to confession to. Not all that … just come back to the sacrament. Advent is a great season for coming home. Come back now, during the season of the coming of the Lord. Remember, this is one of the main reasons for our being Catholics and having a Catholic parish. When G.K. Chesterton was asked why he had become a Catholic, in spite of the fact that the local Anglican parish had a nicer church and a more gentlemanly rector, he replied very bluntly: “To have my sins forgiven.” — Father Kessler

Getting Marriage Right Last summer the government of our country, in what is usually called its judicial branch (but sounded much more like a legislative branch), did what it had no right to do. It pretended to turn the most fundamental social grouping that human beings have, the family, into something entirely different from what it has always been. Always, through all the history of humanity. At least that is what the Supreme Court of the United States of America pretended it could do. And they mostly pretended that it was just a matter of not hurting anyone’s feelings. They will not be successful. Human life is based on family. Both are more fundamental than the government. The government must defend them. It must not try to reinvent them. And citizens (including Catholic citizens) must reject such tyranny. Family life has undergone many changes through the centuries. But at its root it is based on marriage. Marriage is the permanent, exclusive, uniting of one man and woman. But there are voices that say that is just my opinion. Or that is the ideal, but we aren’t all the same. That I don’t have any right to impose my opinion —which is derived from religion (actually, it is derived from reason and confirmed by religion)—on people who have another opinion. That’s about where the discussion is now in the United States. And in many other countries as well. Even Ireland, the “most Catholic country in the world” as Pope Paul called it a couple of generations ago, has decided, by overwhelming popular vote, that they are going to pretend that marriage is something else. So that is where the discussion stands in many of the countries where the more prosperous people live. Don’t ever give up the effort to restore the truth without which the family would collapse. Oh, the family will survive, but it will be put under much more strenuous pressures. And many families will not have the governmental and cultural supports that they need to make it. We can change this if we stay with the issue. It happened with slavery. It is happening with abortion. It can happen with real marriage. — Father Kessler ST MARY PARISH in Bremen and ST BERNADETTE PARISH in Lancaster December 6, 2015