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:
The SMCS Alumni magazine has been mailed! If you didn’t receive a copy but would like one, email your contact info to [email protected] 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