St. Cornelius Church 5500 Wardlow Rd., Long Beach, CA 90808

(562) 421-8966 www.stcorneliuslb.org

December 10, 2017—Second Sunday of Advent

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Celebration December 12, 2017

5:30 a.m. La Mañanitas 6:00 a.m. Mass

The music will be provided by Mariachis

If you would like to

donate roses for this celebration, please contact Mariana at (562) 857-8522

or bring them to the church on December 11th.

PASTOR’S CORNER 1 1 PASTOR’S CORNER 1

John The Baptist is one of my favorite Bibli-cal persons. He is the bridge between the Old Testa-ment and the New Testament. He is a marvelous combination of courage and humility. One of the de-scriptions of a prophet is one who gets his head knocked off for sticking his neck out. This is literally what happened to John when he opposed Herod. John was a very effective teacher. So much so that many thought that he might be the long awaited Mes-siah. Yet, his humble response was: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” In today’s Gospel we hear the voice of John the Baptist announcing the Good news that the long awaited Savior was about to arrive. He urges the peo-ple to “Prepare the Way of the Lord.” The Israelites had lived on God’s Promise: First of the land and then of a Savior. This is not to say that they didn’t sometimes forget it in good times and doubt it in bad times. And they knew a lot of bad times, the worst being the slavery in Egypt and the years of wandering in the desert. What sustained them during these bad times was the belief that God would not abandon them or forget the promise he had made to them. One of the great things that Advent does is remind us of God’s fidelity. The grass withers the flowers fade but the Word of our God remains forev-er. (Tues WK 2) The mountains may depart, the hills be shaken but my love for you will never leave you and my covenant of peace with you will never be shaken. These messages of reassurance are addressed to us also. We, too, are living by God’s promise. What sustains us is the knowledge that God is faithful to his word and true to his promise. But like the Israelites of old, we too can for-get God’s promise. There are lots of voices calling us in different directions. The most obvious ones are those that come from outside us. They are the stri-dent, late-filled voices of demagogues, are bigots call-ing us to racism, discriminations, bigotry and of course of the voices of commercials calling us to self-indulgence.

But God too is calling us. It can be so easily drowned out in the torrent of words and the din of daily life. God’s word is not to be heard amidst the many words that invade our lives but in the SILENCE. As the Psalmist reminds us: “Be still and know that I am God. God is faithful God is true to his word God keeps his promises We sometimes make Gods fidelity conditional on our behavior. It’s as if we believe that God won’t come to us unless we prove ourselves worthy. But if we were worthy, he wouldn’t need to come. He come because we are sinners, sinners in need of redemp-tion. In the words of the Benedictus God comes to free us from our sins and delivers us from the power of evil. He comes to rid us from fear, and enable us to live in holiness and justice all the days of our lives. He come to give light to us when we are in darkness and the shadow of death surrounds us. He comes to guide our feet in the way of peace. And so as we approach Christ, our focus we should be on is “Preparing the way of the Lord” un-fortunately Christmas has become commercialized. Black Friday is Red Friday for too many people. Per-haps, it is time to make the Lord and the people in our lives the priority. LOWLY VOICES The voice of John the Baptist was a lonely voice Which many of his contemporaries ignored. There are many lonely voices in our world. Somewhere at this moment a child is crying— Crying for love or maybe simply for bread. Somewhere a young person is crying— Crying for a listening ear or an understanding heart. Somewhere an old person is crying— Crying for a visit or a word from his / her children. There are a thousand unheard cries in our world, Coming from the victims of injustice and neglect. Lord, help us to listen to these voices. Above all, help us to listen to your voice, Whispering to us in the wilderness of our hearts, Telling us that we are loved by you, And that we are to love one another. Siempre Adelante,

Fr. Mike

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD

By: Fr. Mike Gleeson, Pastor

MASS INTENTIONS † = Indicates Deceased Sunday, December 10 8:00 a.m. †Jim & Mark Koblensky †Orsa Family †Harlan Azpei a Jr. 10:00 a.m. †Brian Tempel †Tom & Rosemary Steinbroner †Ethan Briggs 12:00 noon †David Chapman †Irene O’Neil †Steve Szito 5:00 p.m. †Francisco Herrero †Mr. & Mrs. Max Alog Monday, December 11 8:00 a.m. †Maureen O’Hanlon †Eric Dagel Kene Leilua 5:00 p.m. †Jesus David Romero Frankie & Ca e Cannova Alapa Leilua Tuesday, December 12 8:00 a.m. †Manuel Hernandez Anna Campbell Priests of St. Cornelius 5:00 p.m. †Lupita Diaz The Cortez Family Yodit Glaze (Birthday) Wednesday, December 13 8:00 a.m. †Mr. & Mrs. Peter Badrov The Dagel Family Kene Leilua 5:00 p.m. Fr. Edward Broom Kim Pham & Thai Vo Alapa Leilua Thursday, December 14 8:00 a.m. Chinedu Anumudu The Dagel Family Kene Leilua 5:00 p.m. †Teresita D. Robledo †Maureen O’Hanlon Kene Leilua Friday, December 15 8:00 a.m. Chinedu Anumudu The Dagel Family Kene Leilua 5:00 p.m. Marge Hengehold Sesilia Suafoa Aoga (Birthday) Alapa Leilua Saturday, December 16 8:00 a.m. †Jus no Ma as †Petronilo L. Garcia Jr. Kene Leilua 5:00 p.m. †Fernando Capitulo †Margaret & John McFadyen Alapa Leilua Sunday, December 17 8:00 a.m. †Michael Dipietro †Esther L. Vieyra Maximus Orbiso 10:00 a.m. Irene Snyder Luke & Chase Snyder Kene Leilua 12:00 noon †Brian K. Tempel †Eusebio Sombilon †Mary Maglione 5:00 p.m. †Maureen O’Hanlon †Petronilo L. Garcia Jr. Alapa Leilua

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WEEKEND MASSES Saturday, December 16 5:00 p.m. Fr. George Reynolds Lector Pam Branch Sunday, December 17 8:00 a.m. Fr. Bill McLean Lector: Ed Barwick 10:00 a.m. Fr. Mike Gleeson Lector: Bert Howard 12:00 Noon Fr. George Reynolds Lector Darlene Boucher 5:00 p.m. Fr. Mike Gleeson Lector: George Mora

LITURGY

Second Sunday of Advent

Prepare the Way of the Lord Saint Peter shows us a characteris c of God that we normally do not think about. He tells us that for God, "a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day" (1 Peter 3:8). Be-cause early Chris ans some mes com-plained that Jesus' second coming had been delayed, Peter is trying to tell us that what seems like a long me to us is nothing to God. Like the early Chris-

ans, we may wonder how long it will take for God to answer our prayers. We may be praying for someone who is looking for a job, a sick rela ve, an end to abor on, or world peace. Some pray-ers require us to change, and we may not be ready. What Peter means is that a thousand years is not too long for God if someone needs that long to repent. God is far more pa ent than we are. God has been "wai ng" over two thou-sand years for us to preach the gospel to all na ons. Tom Schmidt, Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co.

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CONNECTING THE DOTS Spirituality book club Our new reading selec on is Pope Francis document, Amoris Lae a, on love and the family. We'll be reading during Advent but not mee ng un l January 18, (3rd Thursday) at 7:00 p.m. at The Duffy’s home. Call Deacon Rich or Norma at (562:429-1094) for more informa on.

FAITH AND FICTION St. Cornelius Book Discussion Group The next mee ng of the book club will be held on Monday, December 11th at 7:30pm, in the school library. The book we will be discussing is “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi. You are wel-come to join us. For more info, call Katy Ellis at 607-1100.

ADULT FAITH & SPIRITUALITY

Marcey McConnell Flood Adam & Carla Mars Sandee Bradley DJ Barwick Peggy Hasse Dolores Lounsbury Peggy Pen s Walter Bordeaux Erin & Brian Longhofer Ghusn Mhawji Martha Burris Frances Boudreau Lee Hicks Julienne Aoga Sio Patolo Kasiano Alai Fiu Iosefo Aoga Mulitalo Mikaele Patricia Wolfe Samuel McCarthy Sherill S llwell Judy Klenk Jonathan Kolp Frank Novak Jean Wells Karen Gingras Alvin York Jack Alva Cooper Chris Leon Greg & Laurie Kelly Diane Reed Larry Gaudy Travis Melnick Joseph Lesko Helen Orton Dave Wills Henry Sarnecki Bob Early Jenni Rojas Rochelle Lewis Lavin Percival Francisco Paxton Thompson Maria Valadez Rosa C. Lopez Diaz Salvador Diaz Rosa M. Vivar Anna Salinas

Bella Moody William Steele Dennis Meza Javier Roberts Jessica Ortega Erin Miskelly Renee Ganske Roman Romo Rebecca Upton Jesus Palacios Pat Kitching Jim Kline Marjorie J. Lehman Alma Gomez Carna Ahmadzai Marta R. De Quiros Fernando J. Rodriguez Ana Maria Menendez Anna Coles Ruben Diaz Hazel Foley Kathy Statlander Sharon Barre Olivia Howard Jan Wynn Carlos Jaramillo Jessica Rigsby Cliff Richard John Cutler Alberto J. Smith AnneMarie Robinson Anita Digregorio Joyce Kelly Nadine Roberts Deb Sanders Sherry Waide Carmen Bernales Ronald Collins Kenny Collins William Priest Chris Norton Victor DeGrazia Harry Lacave Nanda Wijetunga Lori Richards Bret Has ngs Joe Miskiel

PRAYERS FOR THE SICK For The Sick Who Have Asked To Be Remembered In Prayer:

PRAYER LIST O en mes family members and friends call us to

ask that we pray for individuals during a trying health issue. Most of the me they do not call back to let

us know if the person is well. Please contact the Rectory if your loved one can be

removed from the Prayer list.

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ATTENTION LECTORS If you have not received the new Eucharis c Minister & Lector schedule for this quarter, please contact the Rectory or download it from the church website. If you are unable to make your scheduled Mass, please make an a empt to find a subs tute. If you are unable to find a subs tute, please contact the Rectory by that Friday at 5pm so arrangements can be made. Your con nued service is a blessing. Thank you!

4 YOUTH MINISTRY

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION Start clipping and saving Box Tops from packed food products. Every clip counts to our goal. Please send your Box Tops to the school or you can drop them in the collec on basket on Sunday. **Note: Campbell's Soup no longer provides a program for labels.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY Third Sunday of Advent: In today’s Gospel John the Bap st says, “I am the voice of one crying in the desert; make straight the way of the Lord.” Let us ask for the grace to help others to know the love of the Lord. Christmas is a me of love and gi giving…please give to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul so that those who do not have clothes and food can share in the blessings of Christmas.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS Early Childhood Christmas Pageant The children in the Early Childhood program will be pre-sen ng their annual Christmas play, Sunday, December 10th, a er the 10:00 am mass. Prepare to be charmed and entertained! Please join us in the Large Hall as they present the true meaning of Christmas.

EDGE Night Junior High Edge Night will be held on Tuesday, December 12th, in the Large Hall, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm. Join us as we explore the true meaning of Christmas and how to use Advent to prepare for the coming of Jesus. All sixth, sev-enth and eighth graders of the parish are welcome to join us for a fun, faith-filled night of fellowship.

Las Posadas The students in the religious educa on program will be par cipa ng in a tradi onal Las Posadas, searching for shelter for Mary and Joseph. All family members and any interested parishioners are invited to join us on this jour-ney, Thursday, December 14th, 3:45 in the church.

THE LOS ANGELES RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CONGRESS RE Congress is the largest annual gathering of its kind in the world. The four-day event is held at the Anaheim (Calif.) Conven on Center and is sponsored by the Los An-geles Office of Religious Educa on.

Youth Day (March 15, 2017) – Congress opens on Thurs-day with a day-long event for high school youth. This is an opportunity for students – not only from the Los Angeles Archdiocese but throughout California and the western states – to come together and share in Liturgy, work-shops, entertainment and to experience the energy of a Youth Day Rally.

Congress days (March 16 - 18, 2017) – The remaining three-day weekend is open to adults and young adults and offers more than 200 speakers presen ng over 300 work-shops, in addi on to lunch me entertainment, evening concerts, 16 Liturgies in a variety of characters, the Exhibit Hall and much more.

Free Exhibits (open to Registrants only) – One of the perks of Congress is the Exhibit Hall – held Friday through Sun-day – showcasing over 200 companies ranging from reli-gious art to music, and from publishing houses to educa-

onal ins tu ons, in addi on to our own represented Archdiocesan ministries.

Informa on is available online, www.recongress.org or in the Religious educa on Office.

SAFEGUARD THE CHILDREN Did you know? Prac ce situa onal awareness as part of your holiday travel plans At Christmas me, families come together to spend this blessed season surrounded by their loved ones, and for many families, this involves some travel. Parents with young children who are hi ng the roads or the airways should be prac cing situa onal awareness to ensure their children’s safety. Situa onal awareness means staying alert and knowing what is going on around you. Keep an eye out for suspicious ac v-ity, and know where your family members are at all mes. Do not allow yourself to become dis-tracted by your phone or other electronics—it only takes a minute for a child to disappear from your eyesight. For more holiday travel ps, visit h p://www.catholic.org/travel/story.php?id=65521.

COMMUNITY NEWS

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CANDLES Candles can be purchased in the Rectory. The cost of can-dles is $5.00. The ligh ng of the candles is the responsibility of the buyer. For more infor-ma on please contact the Rec-tory (562) 421-8966.

COMMUNITY NEWS 5

BINGO Every Friday come and play Bingo! Doors open at 4pm and Bingo starts at 6:30pm in the large hall. A snack bar is available. We also have Pull-Tabs and Flashboards. Ques ons, comments or concerns please contact the Rectory. (562)421-8966

RESPECT LIFE NEWS & NOTES Join LA’s Walk for Life!

What: OneLife LA 01.20.18 When: Saturday, January 20,2018

Time: 12 noon Loca on: The walk will begin at La

Placita/Olvera St. ending at LA Historic Park

Celebrate the beauty and dignity of every human life from concep on to natural death.

A er, join us for a family friendly day of inspiring speakers, live music, food trucks and much more! Visit

onelifela.org for the most up to date informa on.

We an cipate 20,000 par cipants from all across Southern California!

OneLife LA invites all people to join us in declaring our uncompromising commitment to valuing and pro-

tec ng all human life, par cularly the most vulnerable in our community.

We are partnering with organiza ons that feed the homeless, liberate trafficking vic ms, find adop ve

families for foster children, provide life-affirming ser-vices for pregnant women, include those with special needs, and accompany the dying through their final

days.

If you are interested in championing this event for our parish, please let me know.

Bridge e Flores 714-984-3427 or scrlteam17@gmail.com

Do you know how to defend your pro-life posi-on? Afraid you’ll say the wrong thing? You will

love this APP:

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT St. Cornelius School is now accep ng applica-

ons for the 2018-2019 school year. Transi-onal Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten ap-

plica ons are due to the school office by Janu-ary 26, 2018. Children applying for Transi onal Kindergarten must be 4 years old by Septem-ber 1, 2018. Children applying for Kindergarten must be 5 years old by December 1, 2018. Please call the school office at (562) 425-7813 or drop by to pick up an applica on pack-et. The applica on form can also be found on the school website at www.stcornelius.net.

7 COMMUNITY NEWS

Christmas Schedule—2017 SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

Saturday, December 16th after 8:00a.m. Mass and 4:00p.m.—4:45p.m.

Monday, December 18 7:00 p.m. - St. Joseph's

Tuesday, December 19th 7:00 p.m. - St. Cornelius— Visiting Priests Available

Thursday, December 21st after 8:00a.m. Mass and 4:00 p.m.—4:45 p.m.

Friday, December 22nd after 5:00 p.m. Mass

Saturday, December 23rd after 8:00 a.m. Mass and 4:00 p.m.—4:45 p.m.

CHRISTMAS EVE MASS SCHEDULE

Sunday, December 24th - Christmas Eve 3:30 p.m. Samoan Choir - Church

(Music program begins at 3:00 p.m.) 3:30 p.m. Children's Choir - Large Hall

5:30 p.m. Organist & Cantor 10:00 p.m. Adult Choir - (Music program begins at 9:30 p.m.)

Monday December 25th - Christmas Day

8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. 12:00 noon

There will be no evening Mass

NEW YEAR’S EVE MASS SCHEDULE

Sunday, New Year’s Eve 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 Noon

and 5:00 p.m.

Monday, January 1, 2018 New Year’s Day

8:00 a.m., & 12:00 Noon No Evening Mass