churches of st. mary & st. henry · churches of st. mary & st. henry 165 n. waterville...
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Churches of St. Mary & St. Henry 165 N. Waterville Ave., Le Center, MN 56057
Phone: 507-357-6633 Phone/Fax: 507-357-4838
www.stmarysthenry.org
THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
DECEMBER 25, 2016
Parish Staff
Pastor: Fr. Christopher Shofner, [email protected]
After Hours Emergencies: 612-227-7985
Associate Pastor: Fr. James Adams
Trustees St. Mary: Clarence Mager 357-4338 Pete Plut 357-6222
Trustees St. Henry: Dan Germscheid 357-4923 Jim Selly 357-4898
Coordinator of Faith Formation: Jean Boothby
Secretary/Receptionist: Gloria Wolf [email protected]
Accounting/Bookkeeping: Tara Robinson [email protected]
Maintenance: Joe Holicky [email protected]
Music Ministry: Terri McMillen [email protected]
Office Hours - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Thursday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Friday
Bulletin Deadline - articles need to be submitted to Gloria by noon
on Wednesday.
For use of meeting rooms or Social Hall - contact Gloria
Mass Schedule
Saturday 4:30 PM (St. Mary)
Sunday 8:00 AM (St. Henry)
10:00 AM (St. Mary)
12:00 PM (St. Mary, in Spanish)
Monday No Mass
Tuesday 5:00 PM
Wednesday to Friday 9:00 AM
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday 3:45-4:20 PM (St. Mary)
Sunday 7:30-7:50 AM (St. Henry)
Or by appointment (contact Fr. Shofner)
Our Eucharistic Adoration chapel is open for individuals to come
for 5 minutes or an hour and be with Our Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament. Our chapel hours are: Tuesday 9:00 AM to Thursday
9:00 AM (closes during daily Mass and Funeral Masses).
He is truly the Savior,
for he is the Lamb of
God who takes upon
himself the sin of the
world (cf. Jn 1:29). With
the shepherds, let us
bow down before the
Lamb, let us worship
God’s goodness made
flesh, and let us allow
tears of repentance to
fill our eyes and
cleanse our hearts.
-Pope Francis 2015 Christmas Message
Readings for next Sunday, January 1, 2017 Numbers 6:22-27 Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21
From the Pastor’s Desk
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On behalf of myself, Fr. James Adams, and our parish staff, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas! The birth of Jesus Christ is a pivotal event in history that marks the moment that man can look upon the face of our Lord and see one like us in every way but sin. We look upon the Christ-child and see the vulnerability of humanity, as well as its innocence that, for the rest of us, has been marred by sin. When we look at the Christ-child, we see our Redeemer who has come into the world, and we stand in awe that God would humble Himself to enter into our midst in such a way.
One of my favorite stories about the power of the Christ-child comes from the early twentieth century French saint Therese of Lisieux. In her well-known autobiography Story of a Soul, she recounts many of her struggles and experiences that helped her to grow in her love for Jesus Christ. But it was one particular event on Christmas Eve 1886 that affected her so deeply that she later pointed to that night as the night “that I received the grace of leaving my childhood, in a word, the grace of my complete conversion…I felt charity enter into my soul, the need to forget myself and to please others; since then I’ve been happy!”
As the story goes, Therese’s family had just come back from Midnight Mass. The French had a custom on Christmas Eve that the children would lay their shoes by the fireplace and wait for them to be filled with candy and gifts. Therese looked forward to this tradition, not just because of the gifts, but because she knew how much her father loved to see her cry with delight as she withdrew each gift from her shoe. On this Christmas Eve, however, her father felt annoyance at the sight of the shoes and remarked, “Well, fortunately, this will be the last year!”, since Therese was soon to turn 13 and would no longer be considered to be fit for such “childish” customs. Therese overheard these words as she was going upstairs and was cut to the heart. She was a very sensitive girl and wanted to cry. Her sister Celine encouraged her not to go downstairs because she would see the slippers, and it would cause her too much grief. But at that moment, Therese recounts how Jesus touched her heart, and she gained the strength to go downstairs, take her shoes, and place them in front of her father as she took out each of the gifts. She had received the grace to do so with the renewed cheerfulness of a four-year-old, and her father could only laugh with joy. In that moment she forgot herself and her own sorrow at her father’s words and desired only to bring such joy to her father as he watched her with delight. It was then that Therese regained the strength of soul that she had lost years before, and as her words above attest, she regained the joy of heart that remained with her the rest of her life. She recovered this through the grace of Jesus Christ on the feast of His birth. She realized that, by living out the charity of Jesus for all people and not thinking of herself, she could hold onto that joy indefinitely.
It is this selfless joy that I wish for each of you this Christmas Season. May the sorrows and disappointments of life not weigh you down. May the fears and distresses that arise not take away your confidence in God. May you find genuine joy in being generous with others. And may the joy of the newborn Jesus Christ fill your heart and teach you that His love shared with others takes nothing away from your happiness, but increases it in countless ways. Merry Christmas!
God bless, Fr. Chris Shofner [email protected]
Mass Schedule & Intentions
Monday, December 26
Tuesday, December 27 9:00 AM Opening of Adoration 5:00 PM Mass Tom Matejcek†
Wednesday, December 28 9:00 AM Mass Sandra Goettl†
Thursday, December 29 8:55 AM Closing of Adoration 9:00 AM Mass Gerald Marohio†
Friday, December 30 9:00 AM Mass Pat Blaschko†
Saturday, December 31 MARY MOTHER OF GOD
3:45 Confessions 4:30 PM Mass Bob Leary†
Sunday, January 1 MARY MOTHER OF GOD
7:30 AM Confessions 8:00 AM Mass (St. Henry) Monica & Tony Traxler†† & Leone Loween† 10:00 AM Mass Jon Ruhlmann† 12:00 PM Mass (in Spanish) For the Parish
This Week in the Parish
Monday, December 26 OFFICE CLOSED
Tuesday, December 27 Communion Calls - Sue Leary Beacon - Darian Hunt
Wednesday, December 28 No Faith Formation Classes
Thursday, December 29 9:00 AM Pro-Life Meeting in Mission Room
Friday, December 30 OFFICE CLOSED
Saturday, December 31 MARY MOTHER OF GOD
Sunday, January 1 MARY MOTHER OF GOD
Monday, January 2 OFFICE CLOSED
Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God Mass Times:
Saturday, December 31: 4:30 PM
Sunday, January 1: 8:00 AM (St. Henry) & 10:00 AM &
12:00 PM (Spanish)
Please note: Children’s Liturgy of the Word will not be offered
on January 1.
Donated by: In Memory/Honor of:
Patti Gruetzmacher Jennifer Gruetzmacher Joe & Lillian Budin Skeeter & Delia Blaschko John & Martha Hoffman
Sharon Zwirn Al & Karl Zwirn Harry Thomas Joanie Thomas Bill & Lorraine Thomas
Gwen Wallskog Jerry Wallskog
Kenny & Dolores Kalina Giesen & Kalina Families
Jerre Richter Roy Richter Lorraine & Gordon Sykora John & Mary Lukes Marie Gallagher William & Emily Benzick
Norb Krenik Norby Krenik Family
Liz Sladek Roy Sladek
Mike & Darcy Schloesser Dennis Kelly
Tim & Jean Cemensky-Mohr Joseph Cemensky Jr. Joseph & Katherine Cemensky Joseph & Milda Androli Mike & Agnes Trezcinski
Fredrickson James & Darlene Huonder Ray Fredrickson Bob & Joyce Bittrich Rose Marie Fredrickson
Greg & Teresa Goettl Sandy Goettl Louis & Marqineta Hogan
Viola Cooney Patrick J Cooney Sr.
Rita Schipreth Frank & Mary Schipreth Sandy & Irene Buesgens
Don & Louise Hayden Jerry & Mabel Hayden
Dave & Mary Krenik Ralph & Sarah Parkin
Mary Dwyer Eugene H. Dwyer Joseph & Adeline Tikalsky
Kathleen A. Hunt Michael J. Hunt Thomas J Hunt Sheehy/Hunt Living & Deceased
Judy & Dave Ykema All Deceased Family Members
Brent & Angie Christian Margaret Struthers
Helen Berger
Sandra Blaschko
Paul & LaVonne Weber
Ch
ristm
as F
low
er
Don
ati
on
s
Sacramental Life
Baptism Classes If you are interested in having your child baptized, please contact Father Chris at the Parish Office to reserve your spot and to schedule a Baptism class. This 1 1/2 hour-long class is required for the parents and godparents of the child to be baptized.
The next scheduled date for baptisms is January 15, 2017. If you would like to baptize your child, please contact Fr. Chris in the Parish Office.
Please Note: A requirement for Baptism is a copy of the child’s birth certificate.
St. Mary’s Thrift Store Hours
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Wednesday 10:00 AM to 7PM
Saturday 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
1/2 Price Sale at the Thrift Store: Everything except winter outerwear and boots will be half price December 20-29.
That includes Christmas items!
Thank you for your donations. We accept Christmas items all year long, so drop them off during open hours.
The Thrift Store will be closed Monday, December 26 and Friday, December 30 through Monday, January 2.
Eucharistic Adoration
Adoration is open from
Tuesday 9AM- Thursday 9AM
in the Cry Room.
Adoration Makes Every Day Christmas Here we are in the season to sing one of our most cherished carols: “O Come Let Us Adore Him.”
This heartfelt carol should remind us that adoring Jesus isn’t limited to Christmastime. We can do that all year long at Eucharistic adoration. Just ask Lucy Gatza, coordinator for the daily adoration at Church of the Incarnation in Sarasota, Fla.
“At Christmas, when we look in the crib and at that beauty of the crèche, we’re all drawn to the central image: baby Jesus and his face. And we can imagine what it was like for Joseph and Mary to see that face for the first time,” Gatza says.
She’s constantly amazed at how drawn people are to the innocence and simplicity of a baby’s face, especially Jesus’ face at Christmas.
“And that’s what we do at adoration,” she says. “We are in awe of what we see, and that awe is one of peace, love, joy and fulfillment. What we gaze upon is so simple and beautiful. There’s no artificiality. We gaze upon the beauty of the living God. That’s an echo of looking at the crib at Christmas, and it’s a continuing gift throughout the year.”
-Joseph Pronechen, National Catholic Register, Archives-Culture of Life/Dec. 10, 2010 If you have any questions about Eucharistic Adoration, contact Gloria 357-6939/Joyce 357-4410.
Please Pray For
Part of our Christian duty is to pray for each other. The following have asked for your prayers:
Charlotte Simonette Tim Simonette Katie Kalina
All residents at Central Health Care, Mala Strana, Good Samaritan, Traditions, Villages, Three Links, Horizon Place, Beacon. Some people have requested to not have their name included on this list. We respect their wishes and ask that you pray for all who are ill.
Merry Christmas from the Pro-Life Team!
Next Pro-Life meeting will be Thursday, December 29, 2016 in the Mission Sewing Room following the 9AM Mass.
St. Mary-St. Henry Pro-Life Team
Lighthouse Catholic Media CD of the Week
“What’s So Great About Being Catholic?” by Jason Evert
The greatest testimony to Catholicism is how it has been lived out by holy people in every age, and how God has worked through them. In this outstanding presentation, Jason Evert shows us the beauty and the treasures of the Catholic Faith, as revealed through the Saints and Sacraments. Jason has spoken about the Faith to more than one million people around the world and is author of more than a dozen books.
“A wonderful presentation; humorous, down-to-earth, and resourceful.” ~ Nancy – Warroad, MN
You will notice we have placed copies of 3 different books in the church entrances. Feel free to browse through them and take a one for yourself and a friend or family member who you think may be interested. We are grateful to the Church of St. Patrick, Oak Grove, MN, for making it possible for us to give you these free of charge as our Christmas gift to you. We especially pray that you will experience a deepening of your faith as you read and discover.
Made for More by Curtis Martin: A beautiful aid in helping you to discover your God-given purpose and to understand that God truly made you for more in this life.
Ordinary Lives: Extraordinary Mission by John R. Wood: We are called to do more with our faith than what we have. We are called to heroic Catholicism. This book helps you to discover the potential saint within you so that your life can be lived in extraordinary ways.
Beautiful Mercy by various authors: This collection of writings from various authors touches on the theme of God's extraordinary love and mercy that He gives to us so that we can be instruments of that mercy in the world to those who need it most.
Merry Christmas! May the love of Christ be with your family
on this glorious day!
May this Christmas season bring many blessings for you and your family. Ask your child to share with you what they have learned this week in Faith Formation to help build love and understanding of the birth of Christ. We are very blessed to have such wonderful children in our classes!
Teachers & Aides are needed for both the early and late sessions of Faith Formation. We need more adults to help fill in some spots in the classroom. Please contact Jean or the Parish office if you are able to help in any of these roles or if you have questions.
Upcoming Dates: Dec. 25th & Jan. 1st – No Children’s Liturgy Dec 28th & Jan 4th – No Faith Formation Classes Jan. 11th – Faith Formation Classes, Kindergarten Classes & 2nd Grade Parent Meeting @ 5:15 – 6:30pm in the Social Hall
“For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.” Luke 2:11
Jean R. Boothby Faith Formation Coordinator [email protected] 941-962-5168
Faith Formation Mary, The Holy Mother of God
Saturday, December 31, 4:30 PM Altar Server James Wolf
Eucharistic Minister Jean Cemensky-Mohr Beth McCabe Deb O’Connell Mary Jo Stocker
Lector Barb Kavan
Usher Don Hayden Paul McCabe Mark Wolf Tim Wolf
Sunday, January 1, 8:00 AM Altar Server Caleb Holicky
Eucharistic Minister Mary Boettcher Lawrence Germscheid Sharon Riebel
Lector Madonna Russo
Sunday, January 2, 10:00 AM
Altar Server Jena Weiers Josie Weiers Alexis Wondra
Eucharistic Minister Jo Blaschko Peggy Cooney Ruth Germscheid Rose Krenik Tim Traxler Jennifer Weiers
Lector Sharon Miller Cami O’Meara
Usher Phil Campbell Wayne Schloesser Jeremy Weiers Tim Widmer
Parish Stewardship
December 17-18, 2016 St. Mary St. Henry
Weekly Budget $ 3500.00 $ 675.00
Sunday Adult $ 2961.70 $ 705.00 Plate $ 161.00 $ 43.00 Youth $ 0.00 $ 0.00 TOTAL $ 3122.70 $ 748.00
Diff. from budget -$ 377.30 +$ 73.00
Building fund $ 2352.54
Building fund Campaign: Pledges: $ 258,684.13 Collected: $ 187,236.49
Building loan balance as of December 20, 2016: $ 48,641.50
Church Cleaning - Joan Traxler and Jean Connelly are scheduled to clean the church by January 1, 2017.
St. Henry News
Our prayers and condolences to Theresa and Norb Krenik
on the passing of Theresa’s sister, Mary Kathryn
(Schumacher) Sheridan, age 90, of Kilkenny. Mass of
Christian Burial was held on Saturday, December 17,
2016 at at St. Canice Church in Kilkenny.
Mission Sewing will not be meeting on December 27. Call Ruth 357-6421, if you have any questions or would like to donate
material, time or talent.
Please note, due to IRS tax laws, end-of-year donations to the parish or building fund must be turned in by the 5:00 PM closing of the office on Thursday, December 29, placed in the Saturday, December 31, collection basket (not the Sunday collection), or mailed with a postmark of December 31 (or earlier) in order to be reported on 2016 giving statements. The Sunday, January 1, collection will be reported on your 2017 giving statement. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of making a special gift to St. Mary or St. Henry at this time of year!
Attention Parishioners: As Christmas and the holiday seasons are here you may be pondering the best way to make a charitable contribution to the church. One way you might not have thought about was donating an appreciated stock. This could be very beneficial to you in many ways. First, you can take a tax deduction for the current fair market value. Second, you or your family avoids paying taxes on the growth. And third, you can feel good about yourself, knowing you did your part. If you have questions about the tax savings consult your tax advisor. If you are interested in making a stock donation please contact Emmett Krenik at 357-2225 or Pete Plut at 357-2238.