acts retreatdecember · 2019. 12. 30. · talk about new-parent fears! what’s changed in your...

SAINT MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

Ponca City, Oklahoma December 29, 2019 THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH

What’s Changed?

Now that the Christmas rush is over, reality sets in.

Credit card bills, bathroom scales, and dirty kitchens

tell the tale of a joyful celebration completed. In a

few days, New Year’s Eve will remind us all that while

we may not have accomplished everything we

wanted to do in 2019, another year of new

opportunity is just around the corner.

So what’s changed? I think we should place ourselves

in the shoes of the Holy Family this weekend and

imagine how radical their lives changed after that

night in Bethlehem. Mary is a mother for the first

time, and Joseph, who tradition claims to have been

older, is now a father to a very young baby. Their

concerns suddenly shifted, as many of you remember

when you were first parents. And their new-parent

learning curve was compounded by the threat of

genocide at the hands of the jealous King Herod.

Talk about new-parent fears!

What’s changed in your life now that Christmas has

come? The infant Jesus present with us in the

Christmas season should be a call to all parents,

fathers especially (including Fr. Carson and myself), to

keep to our parental duties. As head of the

household, Joseph’s primary concern would have

been the survival of his child and spouse. The

presence of the infant Jesus in our hearts at Christmas

needs to continue to live on, and it’s the role of all

parents, especially fathers, to keep that presence alive

in the family!

Now, that obviously doesn’t mean we neglect the

other concerns of our life. However, if Christmas

becomes the occasion for personal fretting about its

consequences, then how can we say we live in the

spirit of the Holy Family? St. Joseph and Mary’s

example is one of prayer: relying on the Word of

God through the angel to keep them safe.

As a new year comes, so too comes an opportunity to

keep Christ alive in our hearts always. Make a

resolution this year to care for the infant Jesus in your

hearts, in your homes, and in your families. Begin a

new family prayer routine or find some way to

incorporate spiritual conversation at the dinner table.

Even committing to never miss Sunday mass would be

a great resolution! Let’s make 2020 a happy New

Year by keeping Christ alive in and through us!

In Christ,

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2019 12:10pm †Jane Blount/Tuesday Bridge Club

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019 12:10pm People of the Parish (Chapel)

6:00pm Spec. Int. The Gemmill Family (Vigil Mass)

6:30pm People of the Parish

(St. Francis, Newkirk, OK)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020 – Mary, Mother of God 10:00am People of the parish

12:10pm †Jane Blount/Kathleen Billington

7:00pm People of the Parish

THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2020 9:30am †Gladys Vap/Her Family

(St. Francis, Newkirk, OK)

4:00pm People of the Parish

(Via Christi Village)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2020

7:00am People of the Parish

12:10pm People of the Parish

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 2020 9:00am People of the Parish

5:00pm †Don Lawson/Sue Lawson

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2020- Epiphany of the Lord

8:00am †Ruth Steichen/Ed & Marilyn Seagraves

9:30am People of the Parish (St. Francis Church, Newkirk)

11:00am †Arlene Bechtel/Keith & Sue Behara

1:00pm People of the Parish (Spanish Mass)

7:00pm People of the Parish

ACTS Retreat Registration is open for the ACTS retreat sponsored by St. Francis of

Assisi Parish in Wichita.

Women’s retreat: January 23-26, 2020

Men’s Retreat: February 27-March 1, 2020.

ACTS (Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service) Retreat

weekend provides attendees opportunities to strengthen their faith,

experience spiritual renewal, and build strong and lasting friendships.

The retreat begins on Thursday at 5:30 and concludes at the 11:30

Sunday mass at St. Francis of Assisi in Wichita. The cost is $200

($180 if registered and paid before January 1, 2019.) Please contact:

Ann Schneider (918) 630-5197 or by email to:

ACTS.SFA.W@gmail.com

The SMCS Alumni magazine has been mailed! If you didn’t receive a copy but would like one, email your contact info to alumni@smsponcacity.org or message us on Facebook, St. Mary’s Catholic School Alumni-Ponca City.

It's never too late to join us for Faith Formation. Grades K-6 meet Wednesdays from 6:30-8 PM. Classes resume 1/8.

Curious about the Catholic Faith? Want a refresher? Join us on Tuesday evenings from 7-9 in the McGurk Room. Our topic for January 7th is The Church.

Women's Bible study meets on Thursday at 10 am in the McGurk Room. Join us to open up the book of James starting on January 9. Call Bridgit to order a book. Scholarships are available.

FEBREUARY 29, 2020 - NORMAN, OK

EMBASSY SUITES CONVENTION CENTER

For the 24th annual installment of Oklahoma's Catholic

Men's Conference, we're pleased to welcome Dr. Edward

Sri, Paul George, Dave DiNuzzo, and Fr Leo Patalinghug to

help us build the bridge from repentance to faithfulness.

Our conference day will begin with a powerful examination of

the lives we live – our challenges, temptations and obstacles.

We'll gain insights an tools throughout the day and move

toward a clear vision of how to claim the lives we're called to

live – lives forged by the way and the truth, built upon

bedrock values and placed in service to God, family and faith.

This is truly the Good Life!

St. Mary’s Youth Group wishes to thank the parishioners of St. Mary’s Catholic Church for all the support you have shown us through the year. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Monday

Tuesday 12:10pm DAILY MASS, Chapel

6:00pm VIGIL MASS, Church

6:30pm VIGIL MASS, St. Francis

7:00pm NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY, Gym

Wednesday OFFICES CLOSED

10:00am HDO MASS, Church

12:10pm HDO MASS, Church

7:00pm HDO MASS, Church

Thursday OFFICES CLOSED

1:00pm BROOME BAPTISM, Church

Friday 9:00am STAFF MEETING, McGurk room

10:30am CONFESSION, Chapel Area

5:00pm WYATT BAPTISMS, Church

Saturday 3:30pm CONFESSION, Church

Sunday 10:15am CHOIR PRACTICE, Parish Hall

6:00pm CONFESSION, Church

Please Pray For those who need prayers: Jeanette Vassar, Charlotte Meyer, Charlene Vap, Dora Behar, Cindy Wardlow, Don Schiltz, Jeanne Glaser, Patsy Hastings, Bennie Westerman, Eileen Spellman, Linda Courtney, George F. Brown, Martha Begwin, Donna Schlitz, Jim Sheets, Asher Dailey, Tyson Rutter, Betty Pino, Kaye Cunningham, Barbara Spore, Alicia Aguilar, James Hess, Gabriel Dietz, Ed O’Neill, Don Raulston, Brent Roberson, Jillian Beekman, Joe Badley, Sandy Hudack, Pamela Cline, Sherry Burgell, Ben Delapaz, Tom Courtney, Mary Knori, Helen Bloxsom, Jill Kestler, Dean Tate, Bertha Smith, Wendel Hacker, David Courtney, Joyce Johnson, Genevia Kitchen, Dana Stahl, Lee Box, Barbara Carter, Mike Lessert, Teresa Lane, Mollien Koenig, Keke Johnson , Chasity Turner, Pam McEnany, Antonio Pasquarelli, John & Cecilia Cobble, Helen Voegele, Michael Rico, Jerry Vap, Denise Duffle, Kim Maxson, Sr. Vickie Dianne Bass, Albert Espinosa, Marilyn Tharp

Weekly Income Report

December 22, 2019

Weekly Collection $19,296.39

Our contribution books will be closed as of December 31, 2019. If you need to finish up your pledge for the year, we would appreciate your payment by that date. Thank you.

MARY, MOTHER OF GOD:

6:00 pm Vigil Mass (Tuesday 12-31-19)

January 1, 2020

10:00 am

12:10 pm

7:00 pm