Saint Bede the Venerable Founded 1965 1071 Holland Road • Holland, PA 18966 Web Site: www.st-bede.org Pastor Rev. Monsignor John C. Marine Parochial Vicars Rev. Matthew J. Tralies Rev. Thomas D. O’Donald Parish Office 215-357-5720 Hours: Mon-Fri 8a.m. to 9p.m. Sat 9a.m. to Noon CLOSED SUNDAY Fax Number 215-396-0704 Office Manager Barbara Rogowski Receptionist, Secretary, Safe Environment Manager Cathleen M. Lynskey Communications Patrick McNally Music Coordinator Susan DiFlorio Facilities Manager Tina Engle Eucharistic & Devotional Celebrations Vigil Mass (Saturday Evening): 5:30PM Religious Education/C.C.D. Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:30, 11:00AM, & 12:30PM 215-357-2130 Weekday Masses (Monday through Friday): 6:30 & 9:00AM Director. Religious Education Saturday Mass & Miraculous Medal Novena: 8:30AM Carole Obrokta Holy Days (Except Christmas & New Year's) Vigil Mass: 5:30PM Administrative Assistant Holy Day Masses: 6:30, 9:00AM, 5:30PM, & 7:30PM Linda Bourcet Sacrament of Reconciliation (Saturday): 4:00 to 5:00PM Parish Rosary (Tuesday). 7PM Parish Youth Ministry 24-Hour Perpetual Adoration Chapel 215-357-5113 Youth Ministry Coordinator Sacramental Sponsorship - For letters of eligibility, one must be a registered member Maritza Carmona-Kelly of the parish for six months or more (a reference letter from your previous parish will Parish Nurse Ministry be accepted). Please contact the Parish Office five days in advance. Baptism - Usually celebrated on 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. MANDATORY 215-357-4113 Parish Nurse Pre-Jordan Classes are held on the 2nd Sunday of the month. Kris Ingle PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED - please call the Parish Office to make arrangements (215-357-5720). Marriage - Saturday weddings are 10:00AM, 12:00 Noon, & 2:00 PM. It is St. Katharine Drexel Diocesan policy that arrangements must be made AT LEAST 6 MONTHS prior to the Regional School wedding. Information on Marriage Instructions can be obtained from the priests. For 215-357-4720 information on music, call Susan DiFlorio at 215-891-0869. Principal Anointing of the Sick - In case of serious illness (or advanced age), please call the Laura Clark priests. Hospital cases should contact the Chaplain, but the Parish Office should be Interim Principal Barbara Zanaras notified so one of the priests may visit the patient. Advancement Director Sacrament of Reconciliation - Saturdays 4:00 PM to 5 PM, Wednesdays of Lent at Lisa James 7 PM, or by appointment with a priest. Grade School Secretaries _________________________________________________________________ Debra Guarino Kathleen Young NOTICES FOR THE BULLETIN (SUBJECT TO SPACE AVAILABILITY) MUST BE AT THE RECTORY BY MONDAY, 12:00 NOON. December 11, 2016 St. Bede 103 Third Sunday of Advent December 11, 2016 A Message From Your Pastor Scripture Readings My Dear Parishioners, Fourth Sunday of Advent December 18, 2016 If you are like me, you are feeling yourself Isaiah 7: 10-14 being pulled deeper and deeper into the Christmas Psalm 24 spirit. Even though many people call it the "holiday Romans 1: 1-7 spirit," we know that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." And yet as beautiful as this time of year is, Matthew 1: 18-24 don't you feel bad for those who seem to be only The most important dreamer of all was a carpen- Rev. Monsignor ter named Joseph. In his dream, an angel came and John C. Marine living it on the surface, and never appear to go deeper than the parties, the drinking and the food? spoke to him and said, “Do not fear to take Mary Somehow they've missed the fact that Christmas is about the reality that into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit God so loved the world, that He gave us His only Son so that we that this child has been conceived in her.” In addi- may have life, and life to the fullest. Without that reality before us, tion, in his dream, Joseph was told to name the child Christmas comes and goes, and nothing is left but credit card bills, Jesus, which means “God saves.” hangovers and post-holiday depression. They miss out on the "life to the fullest" part. Adoration Chapel But that is what makes our Catholic faith so reasonable. It's called "reality." We are all sinners who, under the grace of God, and through Altar Candle Dedication His mercy are continually being raised up to become a Church of Dec. 12-18 Saints. For deceased members of the Lis, Christmas is not that far off. Every Christmas, people long for the Jezak, and Ariansen families spiritual, and actually consider coming back to church. Yes, many will (Req. by Marie Lis and family) only come for the day, caught up in sentimentality. But there are some - Weeks are still available for early 2017. no, there are many, who will come, using Christmas as an opportunity Just come into the Parish Office to reserve. to give religion and the Church another look. Candle dedications are a $30 donation for the week. Who are these people? They are your neighbors, your friends and GIFT CARDS ARE AVAILABLE! your relatives. Some of them, perhaps most of them, may feel very uncomfortable attending Mass, in that they feel that they don't belong among such good people who worship every week. So reach out to Welcome Our New Parishioners them. Invite them to join you on Christmas, and beyond. Let them George & Donna Gouneris family know there is no one in church who is not totally dependent on the Gregory & Jennifer Schuh family Mercy of God. Richard & Nichole Meyers family Anybody who says that they don't go to church because I am such a New parishioners can register sinner needs you and me to say with all sincerity, "Come and join the by seeing one of our priests after Sunday Mass. rest of us sinners. Jesus is trying to make us into saints." The first Christians in fact referred to themselves as the "community of saints." Not because they felt that they were so good, but because they were Holy Baptism acutely aware that the God who sent His Son to this world on that first Congratulations to Andrew Michael Keefe, Christmas is so merciful. Tell them we cannot comprehend the depth of who was recently baptized in our church. the love of our God. He sees each of us for who we are, with all the Welcome to the St. Bede Community! warts and bumps, yet but also with the love, courage and character that is in every one of us. He loves us. Remind them that God is far more Bereavement Support Meeting concerned with extending us His mercy, than He is with our sinfulness. Tuesday, December 13 at 7:30 p.m. So take some extra bulletins home with you and spread them around In the St. Francis Center to your friends and neighbors! Invite them to come home. When we Topic: “Dealing with the holidays after a loss” come home to church, seeking this mercy and love of God, we leave All are welcome! church living under His mercy and love. And if we can convince one For Information call Lynne O' Brien 215-504-4718. person about that reality, then the Star of Bethlehem will shine much brighter this Christmas, because of us! Photos Wanted! If you were at our Christmas Concert last week and May God Bless You, took some pictures, we'd love to share them. Please send your photos by email to [email protected]. Thank you! December 11, 2016 2 St. Bede 103 Advent Mass and Gift Giving Outdoor Manger Tableau St. Bede parishioners once again showed their generosity and Christmas spirit at our 11th annual Advent Mass. (photos by Gary Gehringer) Thanks to members of our Knights of Columbus, who this year built a new manger for the front of our church! The Knights’ Christmas Meeting will be held on our normal meeting night, Thursday December 15 at 7:30pm in the Drexel Center. ALL Knights should check their email for details and respond to Ed Bagdon to confirm attendance at [email protected]. Father Gus Puleo gratefully accepted the gifts from parishioners, which will Greeters Needed be given to needy members of his parish, St. Patrick, in Norristown. For Christmas Masses If you’ve ever thought about becom- ing a Greeter, now is the time to try it out. Because of the additional Masses on Christmas Eve as well as the holiday schedules of many of our regular Greeters, we are seeking your help with greeting for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses. Sign-up sheets are located at all the entrances. You may pick your Mass time and location. It’s a great way to have the opportunity to wish a Merry Christmas to your fellow St. Bede parishioners! Thank you! 2017 Calendars Available This year’s Liturgical Calendar focuses on the Saints of the Americas, including St. John Neumann and St. Katharine Drexel. We thank the Joseph Fluehr III Funeral Home The procession of parishioners bearing gifts was only surpassed by the for providing our families with this calendar. amount of gifts themselves! Everyone was once again so generous. Please take one home with you today, and in the coming weeks, leading up to the New Year. St. Bede Women’s Club Our December Women’s Club meeting will be on Wednesday December 14 at 7:00 PM in the Drexel Center. We will have an ornament exchange. Bring a wrapped ornament to the meeting. It can be a purchased or homemade ornament. Also Gina Mather will help us make a decorated a picture frame.