December 25, 2016 - The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Rev. M. Keith LaBove, Pastor Parish Website: www.stpat.org

stpat.org@gmail.com

Office Hours

Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm; Friday 8:30 am – 12 noon Celebration of the Eucharist

Saturday: 4:00 pm – Sunday: 8:30 & 10:00 am Monday through Friday: 7:30 am

Holydays of Obligation: 7:30 am only Sacrament of Reconciliation

Saturday: 3:00 – 3:30 pm and Weekdays: 7:00-7:25 am (and by appointment)

Baptisms

Seminars are held every other month - register

by calling the office. At-tendance is suggested

during pregnancy.

Anointing of the Sick The Church recom-

mends this sacrament for those who are grave-

ly ill or in danger of death. Call the priest to

arrange a visit.

Weddings

Arrangements must be made at least six

months in advance to allow time for prepara-

tion and planning.

406 East Pinhook Road Lafayette, LA 70501-8727

Phone: (337) 237-0988

Welcome to St. Patrick Church

The Nativity of the Lord—Christmas December 25, 2016

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK

Saturday, December 24--Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord 4:00 PM: Cecil & Eva Mae Hebert; Dr. & Mrs. Leonard Rolfes; Jules, Isola & Bart LeJeune; Wallace & Romaine Venable; Ron Venable; Dr. Tommy Comeaux & Dorinne; Col. Clark Comeaux & Catherine (living); Col. Kimberly Fedele (living); M/M Anthony Judice; M/M John B. Nepveux; Deacon Julian Judice & Duane; M/M Warren Nepveaux; John A. Nepveux & Stephen; Darrell L. Nepveux; M/M John W. Picard & Jimmy; Mike Guilbeau 6:00 PM: Johnny Leon Ducote; John Viltz, Sr.; Hazel Cormier; Shelton LeBlanc, Sr.; Larry Lampo; Christopher Landry; Bannon Braun; Kenneth Langlinais Sunday, December 25--The Nativity of the Lord— Christmas 8:30 AM: Robert Chastant & Evelyn; Eddie Upton; Lionel Pitre; Cecile Pitre; Rita Keller; Rev. Msgr. Charles Mallet (living) 10:00 AM: Parishioners of St. Patrick’s The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. — John 1:5

Monday, December 26--St. Stephen, The First Martyr 7:30 AM: Sick List Tuesday, December 27--St. John, Apostle and Evangelist 7:30 AM: Sick List Wednesday, December 28--The Holy Innocents, Martyrs 7:30 AM: Dr. Tommy Comeaux & Dorinne; Col. Clark Comeaux & Catherine (living); Col. Kimberly Fedele (living) Thursday, December 29--Fifth Day within the Oc-tave of the Nativity of the Lord; St. Thomas Beck-et, Bishop and Martyr 7:30 AM: Sick List Friday, December 30--The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 7:30 AM: Dr. Charles Stewart Christmas Poinsettias In Loving Memory of: Dr. & Mrs. Leonard Rolfes; Dr. Tommy Comeaux & Dorinne; Larry Lampo; Bannon Braun; Christopher Landry; Monty & Pierre Montagnet; Sidney Begnaud; Henry Bourdier & Elzia Lavergne Family

Non-Liturgical Devotions Daily Rosary: Monday - Thursday 6:55 a.m. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena: Tues-day 7:15 a.m. Rosary for Priests: Wednesday 7:00 a.m. Chaplet of Divine Mercy: Thursday 7:15 a.m. Pro-Life Rosary: 1st Friday of the month 7 a.m. Shamrocks—Wednesday, December 28: Jer-ry and Dee Boudreaux; Betty Fournet; Daniel and Charlotte Privat.

‘At the birth of Christ , the manger was full- he was lying in a manger as a baby boy.

At the resurrection of Christ the tomb was empty. It’s not as through human nature

was a costume God wore and when he was finished with it

he left it behind, and went back to being God. Christ became one of us,

and when he rose from the dead his human body was still with him.

That’s why the tomb was empty. He still stayed one of us and is still part of our family today. The child who was

in that manger lives on as a human being, one of us, today.

That’s what we celebrate at Christmas.’

-Bishop Ken Untener

Holy Day Mass Schedule

New Year’s Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31: 4:00 p.m.

New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1: 8:30 & 10a.m. Holy Hour for Vocations Please join us for our monthly “Holy Hour for Vocations and for the Spiritual Renewal of All Priests” on Monday, January 2, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 406 E. Pinhook Road. Recitation of the Rosary be-gins at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to join in these prayers for vocations and perseverance of vocations to the priest-hood and religious life, sponsored by the Serra Club of Lafayette. Food for the Journey Due to the early date of the first Tuesday of January 2017, the January session of “Food for the Journey” will not be held. Our February session of “Food for the Journey” is scheduled for Tuesday, February 7, 2017. Information on the February session will be forthcoming. Thank you for your understanding!

Come, Lord Jesus! We have an active group that meets on Tuesdays, at 6 pm, in the classroom directly behind the Church (across from the restrooms). Anyone interested who missed the previous meetings is welcome to attend, even if you are not sure about continuing. Resources for the program are available for purchase at the Come, Lord Jesus! office at 1804 West University Ave, Lafayette. Call: 337-233-6277 Theology of the Body—January 4, 11, 18, 25 Sponsored by the Office of Pro-Life Apostolate, this 8 week series will be presented by Adele Guillot and Karol Me-ynard. Sessions will be held at Immaculata Center, St. John XXIII meeting room, beginning on January 4 and conclud-ing on February 22. For details, please contact the Office of Pro-Life Apostolate at 337-261-5607. March for Life The Knights of Columbus Council #7557 will sponsor a Pro-Life Walk on Saturday, January 14th., 2016, at 8:30 am. The presentation will begin inside Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Broussard by Lori McGrew followed by a blessing from Father Keith Ruskoski. The Rosary and prayers will be prayed during the march through Broussard to St. Joseph Church and the return to the Parish Life Cen-ter. Refreshments will be served after the march.

Christmas Project Heifer International Wow Them With A Water Buffalo!

Napoleon Apolinario, from the Philippines, received a water buffalo like the one you can buy today. “By giv-ing us a water buffalo I no longer have to pay for plowing,” explains Napoleon. He now earns almost three times as much as he did before the project and can provide his children with plenty of food, decent shelter, and an all-important education! “I will never forget how Heifer helped me,” adds Napoleon. Water Buffalo.….$250.00 each; buy a share of a Water Buffalo.….$25.00. Donation sheets are available under the stairwell. Make checks payable to St. Patrick Church. All donations will be sent to Heifer Inter-national at the beginning of the year. Heifer Interna-tional meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance’s Stand-ards for Charity Accountability. For additional infor-mation please visit their website: http//www.heifer.org/ Church Office The office will be closed on Monday, December 26th. Icon Workshop/Retreat The Diocese of Lafayette Office of Worship is spon-soring a week-long residential icon painting workshop at the Jesuit Spirituality Center in Grand Coteau, LA., from January 30—February 5, 2017. Instructor is Dmitri Andreyev of the Prosopon School of Iconology. Participants will leave with a completed icon of St. Michael the Archangel, Leader of the Heavenly Hosts. Cost is $1,230.00 and includes room and board for the week, 36 hours of painting instruction, and all art sup-plies. For more information, please contact Faye Drob-nic at fdrobnic@diolaf.org or call 337-261-5554 or 337-344-7031. Gumbo Supper All are welcome on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at St. Paul’s Church Hall, 326 S. Washington in Lafa-yette. Gumbo, side dishes, dessert and soft drinks will be served free of charge and sponsored by the Francis-cans. Please join us for a special Christmas Season supper in honor of the newborn King— the Savior of the World. STEWARDSHIP OF THE PAST WEEK Our Response to God’s Generosity to Us Offertory………………………… $ 4,461.73 Retirement Fund Religious...… ….$ 1,026.35 Heifer International……………….$ 2,985.00 (to date) Thank You! The second collection next weekend is for our Build-ing Fund.

Date

Saturday, December 31 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, January 1 8:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 1 10:00 a.m.

Lectors Janell Venable Gerrie McGovern Karen Begnaud

Eucharistic Ministers

Rosalind Allen Candis Thompson Peggy Spruill

Maggie Sonnier Larry Lewis Suzanne Lavergne

Robin Roy Andre Arceneaux Jean Arceneaux

Altar Servers Oren Spruill Freddie Vallot Nicholas Begnaud

Ushers Kathy Kalweit George Guidry

Donald & Scottie Vallot Ben Berthelot Lionel Jeanmard

Liturgical Roles for New Year’s Day

Readings for the Week

Monday Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 8ab, 16bc, 17; Mt 10:17-22

Tuesday 1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Jn 20:1a, 2-8

Wednesday 1 Jn 1:5 — 2:2; Ps 124:2-5, 7b-8; Mt 2:13-18

Thursday 1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96:1-3, 5b-6; Lk 2:36-40

Friday Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 or Col 3:12-21 [12-17]; Ps 128:1-5; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

Saturday 1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96:1-2, 11-13; Jn 1:1-18

Sunday Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21

From the Pastor’s Desk

In the 19th chapter of the First Book of Kings, we read the following: “The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.“

Yes, there was a star, but it was apparently only noticed by a few wise men. There were angels singing, but they sang only to a group of misfits called shepherds. The setting was a barn, and the cradle was a feeding trough. The parents were away from home, and seemingly rather alone, as the child came into the world. The most significant notice of his birth at first was the attempt by the powerful to kill the child, unsuccessful as it was. Yet still that whisper would come to be known as “the Word made Flesh”, come to dwell among us.

Without a doubt, one would have expected a great and powerful wind, or at least an earthquake, or per-haps a fire. There was none of that. Instead, there was “a gentle whisper”, the birth of a child, delivered in a sta-ble and laid in a manger, for there was no room for them at the inn.

From such humble beginnings, this child born on what we now celebrate as the Feast of Christmas, would continue to search for hospitality. But the welcome sought by this child named Jesus from before his birth was not primarily at table or under a roof, or in a warm bed. Quite to the contrary, the Son of Man had no place to lay his head. His goal was the hospitality of the human heart. He spoke to the rich and powerful, and he dined with the outcasts and abandoned, those disdained by society. In every case, whether recounting a parable, or healing a loved one, he sought to touch and heal the hearts of those he met. With some people, there continued to be “no room at the inn”, as they closed their hearts to him. With others, however, there was welcome and hospitality, as they opened their hearts to his proclamation of the Kingdom of God. For these, who made room for him, their lives were transformed, by forgiveness and healing, and the freedom to become what they truly were: sons and daughters of the Most High God.

No one would have expected this. Blest indeed are those eyes that saw, those ears that heard, yes, until this very day. And it all began as “a gentle whisper”, the loving embrace of a new mother and doting father, a son born to us, whom we call Emmanuel. We rejoice, as that whisper resounds throughout the earth.