P O B O X 6 7 · I R E L A N D , I N 4 7 5 4 5 - 0 0 6 7 P H O N E : ( 8 1 2 ) 4 8 2 - 7 0 4 1 FA X : ( 8 1 2 ) 4 8 2 - 3 6 9 9

Parish Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm Website: http://stmary.irelandindiana.com

St Mary Church - 812-482-7041

Fr. Joseph F Erbacher, “Fr. Effie”, Pastor, Ext 33 ……………………………..………...jerbacher@evdio.org

Deacon John Huether………..jhuether@evdio.org

Dianne Gogel, Secretary, Ext. 21……………………... dgogel@evdio.org

Sherri Hartley, Secretary, Ext. 22…………………….. chartley@evdio.org

Stan Heim, Property Manager, Ext. 36…………….. sheim@evdio.org

Martha Schmitt, PCL, Ext. 45…………………………... mjschmitt@evdio.org

Charlene Sermersheim, Music…..…812-482-7837

Annette Witte, Cleaning …………..…812-630-7870

Parish Contacts

Bereavement Meals, Sherri Hartley……………….. ……………………………………………….…...812-482-7041

Church Decorations, Janet Schitter …………………………………………………....812-482-3500

Finance Council, Audrey Wehr…..…812-639-3393

Holy Trinity Catholic School, Lauren Emerson ………………………...……………...812-482-7041, Ext 40

Ireland K of C, Grand Knight, Allen Reckelhoff ……………………………..……………....….…812-631-4449 Ireland K of C Building Rental - Allen Reckelhoff …………………….…………….……….……….812-631-4449

Parish Nursing, Deb Brescher….…...812-639-1882

Parish Council President,Pat Gress.812-639-0795

Prayer Line, Bev Himsel……………....812-639-1384

St Anne’s Society, President, Lynn Mehringer…. ………………………………………...…….…..812-631-4849 Director of St John Bosco Youth Ministry - Angie Greulich…………………………….812-481-2442 812-639-4227

St. Mary’s Mission Statement: St. Mary Church is a community of faith united in Eucharist and committed to seeking God through prayer; sharing our gifts of time, talent and treasure; providing formation and education for children and adults; responding to the needs of people by sharing our faith and resources. We are dedicated to living and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

St. Mary Church

Third Sunday of Advent December 17, 2017

Readings for the Week of December 17, 2017

Sunday: Is 61:1-2a, 10-11/Lk 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54 [Is 61:10b]/1 Thes 5:16-24/Jn 1:6-8, 19-28 Monday: Jer 23:5-8/Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19 [cf. 7]/Mt :18-25 Tuesday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a/Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17 [cf. 8]/Lk 1:5-25 Wednesday: Is 7:10-14/Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 [cf. 7c and 10b]/Lk 1:26-38 Thursday: Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a/Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20 -21 [1a; 3a]/Lk 1:39-45 Friday: 1 Sm 1:24-28/1 Sm 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd [cf. 1a]/ Lk 1:46-56 Saturday: Mal 3:1-4, 23-24/Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14 [cf. Lk 21:28]/Lk 1:57-66 Next Sunday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16/Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29 [2a]/Rom 16:25-27/Lk 1:26-38

Breakfast with Santa and Cookie Walk - Sunday, December 17

St. Mary Church Mass Schedule Saturday 4:30pm Sunday 7:00am and 10:00am Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:30am *There will be no morning Mass on funeral mornings. Also when school is cancelled or delayed because of the weather, there will be no morning/evening Mass.

Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Mary Church First Friday 7:00-7:20am Saturday 3:00-4:00pm *On Saturday when there is a wedding, there will be no confessions.

Anointing of the Sick: Notify the parish office if there is a need for Fr. Erbacher to administer Anointing of the Sick.

Sacrament of Baptism: Baptisms will take place the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month with Fr. Erbacher or Deacon John. Call the Parish Office to make an appointment.

Sacrament of Marriage: Parishioners who wish to be married at St. Mary Church are asked to contact the parish office six months prior to setting a date. This will provide time for prayer, preparation and paperwork.

Homebound Parishioners: Communion calls are made on Monday mornings to parishioners’ homes. Call the parish office if you would like a visit from our Eucharistic Minister.

Mass Intentions

Confessions on Saturday, December 16, 3:00-4:00pm Sat-Dec 16 4:30 pm Bob & Kurt Lichlyter Sun-Dec 17 7:00 am Members of St. Mary Parish 10:00 am Charles Heichelbech Tues-Dec 19 7:30 am Lester & Caroline Merder

Wed-Dec 20 7:30 am LaVerne Kieffner 10:00 am Elmer & Eleanor Gogel Family (Mass at Brookside)

Wed, Dec 20, Confirmation Class Penance Service 7:00pm

Thurs-Dec 21 7:30 am Randy Schmitt Thursday, December 21, Parish Penance Service at 6:00pm.

Fri-Dec 22 7:30 am Elizabeth, Leonard & Dave Fleck Confessions on Saturday, December 23, 3:00-4:00pm Sat-Dec 23 4:30 pm Helen Gress Sun-Dec 24 7:00 am Members of St. Mary Parish 10:00 am Tom Renner

Sunday, Christmas Eve, December 24 4:00 pm Lawrence & Bernita Stenftenagel 6:00 pm Mary & Herman DeKemper Family 9:00 pm Flower Donors

Monday, Christmas Day, December 25 7:00 am John & Dottie Jerger Family 10:00 am Morris & Millie Weidenbenner

Church Support

Budgeted Weekly Operating Costs: $14,000.00 Collection for the weekend of December 9 & 10

Weekend Collection……..…………...……….……...…$ 8,773.13 Average ACH weekly deposit for December…..$ 4,965.25 Children’s Collection………………………………………$ 6.00 Total Weekend Collection………………………………$ 13,744.38

Short................………………………………………………$ (255.62)

Year-To-Date-Budget (7-1-17 to current)……….$ 336,000.00 Year-To-Date-Total..……………………………………….$ 322,384.59 Year-To-Date-Difference…………………………………$ (13,615.41)

Campaign Goal……………………………………………....$ 6,000,000.00 Amount in Pledges……………………………………….…$ 5,226,124.12 Cash Collected to date………..……………………..…..$ 2,301,283.84

Thank You!!!!!!

Mass Attendance for December 9 & 10

4:30pm [328] 7:00am [217] 10:00am [340]

Virginia G Heim

Our prayers and sympathy to the family of Virginia

who died December 10. May they be comforted by our prayers.

St. John Bosco Youth Ministry

St. John Bosco Catholic Youth Ministry reaches out to youth in

grades 6 through 12 from St. Mary, Holy Family, Precious Blood,

and St. Joseph. Check out more Bosco info and announcements at:

https://saintjohnboscoyouthministry.wordpress.com/

December 20: High School Christmas Party 8:30-9:30pm at the

Bosco House.

December 29: Middle School Youth Night 6:30-8:00pm in the

Precious Blood Gym & Endress Hall. Wear your best Christmas

Cheer Outfit.

**Parents: St. John Bosco Youth Ministry is taking registration for

the 1st Annual Middle School Retreat in March. During the weekend

retreat, high school students will lead the youth in games, faith chal-

lenges, bonfires, zip lines and a rope course. Spots are limited so

parents, be sure to register your middle school youth soon. Contact

Angie for questions.

Bosco is using the free app “Remind” this year to keep families in

the loop regarding middle and high school youth events. To be added

to Bosco’s “class”, text@bosco20 to 81010. Everyone is welcome,

but parents and teens are highly encouraged to join!

“Building For Our Future”

Drop off your aluminum cans on the trailer in the parking lot.

The “Building For Our Future” Campaign would like to reach out

to former parishioners who might have an interest in giving to the new

church. If you have a friend or relative who you think might be inter-

ested in making a donation, please let the parish office know. We will

be glad to get information out to them.

Embroidered “St. Mary Church” hats in the parish office for $5.

December 17: Breakfast with Santa and our Cookie/Candy Walk.

Come and enjoy breakfast, see Santa and get your cookies and candies

for Christmas. Lots of goodies for your families, co-workers, teach-

ers and neighbors.

Divine Providence Eucharistic Adoration Chapel has open

hours for adoration. If you are interested in filling any of

these hours, please contact the number or send an email: 812-

630-8382 or dp@adorationmanager.com.

Saturdays 2:00-3:00pm

1st, 2nd, 3rd Saturday of the month 11:00pm-12:00am (midnight)

The Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is

located in the Parish Center on the campus of Precious Blood Parish.

Please spend an hour with Jesus.

From-the-Desk-of-the Pastor,

“Joyfully” we continue our Advent Journey in preparing for the Lord’s Coming at Christmas. Amidst all the beautiful preparations of

gift giving, family dinners, decorations, and exchanges of holiday greetings, spiritually we prepare ourselves in receiving the sacrament

of penance either individually or in a communal penance service, the schedule and times have previously been announced. Wish to re-

mind you of the penance service December 20 at 7:00pm., for our Confirmation Class and on Thursday, December 21, at 6:00pm., for

our Parish penance service. A penance service is a communal celebration which consists of song, prayer, reading of a scripture passage,

homily, examination of conscience, act of contrition; and individually the person comes before the priest confessing their sins, and the

absolution is given, and the person returns to their place and does the penance as given by the priest. Remember there are many oppor-

tunities for either the individual sacrament or a communal celebration; let us use either one so that at the Christmas Mass we will receive

our Divine Savior in a most worthy manner. A blessed and Holy Season to every one. (Fr. Erbacher, “Effie”)

Thinking about Separation or Divorce? - Retrouvaille helps cou-

ples through difficult times in their marriages. It is designed to pro-

vide the tools to help get your marriage back on track. For confiden-

tial information about or to register for the January program begin-

ning with a weekend on January 12, 2018 call the Diocese of Owens-

boro Family Life office at 270-852-8346 or email: felliot-

t3232@yahoo.com or visit the web site at www.retrouvaille.org.

December 23 and 24, our Mass times will remain the

same for the Sunday obligation: 4:30pm, 7:00am and

10:00am.

December 25 is a Holy Day of Obligation. The Mass times are:

December 24, Christmas Eve, 4:00pm, 6:00pm and 9:00pm and

December 25, Christmas Day, 7:00am and 10:00am. Participating

in Mass the evening of December 24 only fulfills one obligation -

The Holy Day and not Sunday. If you do not have an Advent-

Christmas schedule of the confession and Mass times, please pick

one up in the back of church or the parish office.

This Week’s Parish Events

Sunday [12/17]: Second Collection for the Community Food Bank.

Breakfast with Santa and the Cookie/Candy Walk. Breakfast will be served 7:30-10:00am - free will donations will be accepted. Face painting, make an ornament, and pictures with Santa - bring your camera! The Cookie/Candy Walk will be in the classroom in the Community Center. Lots of goodies. Sunday School during the 10:00am Mass in the Social

Hall Basement. This will be the last Sunday School in 2017; it will start up again January 7.

Monday [12/18]:

Quilting in the rectory basement at 5:00pm.

Servants of the Holy Spirit at 7:00pm in the Library.

Ireland K of C 20/20 at 8:00pm.

Tuesday [12/19]:

Mass will be celebrated at 7:30am because of the Dean-ery Penance Service. Choir Practice at 6:30pm. New members welcome.

Deanery Penance Service at St. Joseph Church at 6:30pm.

Wednesday [12/20]: Mass will be celebrated at 7:30am. Rosary at 11:30am in the church.

Deanery Penance Service at St. Joseph Church at noon. Quilting noon to 4:00pm in the rectory basement.

St Anne’s Sewing 6:00pm in the Rectory basement. No Religion Classes - Classes will resume January 3,

2018. Confirmation Class Penance Service at 7:00pm.

Thursday [12/21]: Mass will be celebrated at 7:30am.

Parish Penance Service at 6:00pm.

Friday [12/22]:

Mass will be celebrated at 7:30am.

Saturday [12/23]:

Confessions 3:00-4:00pm. Mass will be celebrated at 4:30pm.

Sunday [12/24]: The Sunday Masses will be celebrated at 7:00am and

10:00am. The Christmas Eve Masses will be 4:00pm, 6:00pm and 9:00pm.

*In your envelope packet is a red envelope for “Christmas Flowers”. If you would like to make a donation “in memory of” a deceased loved one, please use this envelope and include their name. If you do not receive monthly envelopes, just use a white envelope and put “Christmas Flowers” on the outside. Deadline is Monday, December 18. ***We are in need of volunteers to lead the Rosary before the 10:00am Mass. Call the parish office if you are interested or want more information.

December 17: Breakfast with Santa and Cookie Walk. January 14: Confirmation at 10:00am Mass. February 17-19: TEC (Teens Encounter Christ). For information or an application go to http://www.switec.org/ March 30: Easter Egg and Bake Sale in the Community Center Cafeteria. April 5: American Red Cross/St. Anne Blood Drive - 2:00-7:00pm. April 28 & 29: 1st Communion Mass at 4:30pm on Saturday and 10:00am on Sunday. May 20: Graduating Seniors Mass and Meal. July 21-23: TEC (Teens Encounter Christ). For information or an application go to http://www.switec.org/ September 9: St. Mary Church Picnic

Upcoming Parish Events

“Our journey of Faith begins in Baptism”

We welcome into the Family of God:

Maxton Robert Schmitt, child of Jason and Bridget (Gehlhausen)

Schmitt and

Emma Louise Zehr, child of Austin and Staci (Schmitt) Zehr.

Congratulations!!

December 10, $100 Irish Sweepstakes Raffle Winners

are Kenny and Lisa Elliott.

Liturgical Ministers for December 23 & 24

Servers:

4:30 pm Landon Kissel - John Kemker 7:00 am Riley Merder - Katie Stenftenagel 10:00 am Cale Schmitt - Jeb Prechtel

Extraordinary Ministers:

4:30 pm Audrey Wehr - Carla Durcholz - Helen Giesler Michelle Kieffner - Betty Gehlhausen 7:00 am Donna Renner - Lauren Emerson - Jenny Hayes Shari Weidenbenner - Donna Wendholt 10:00 am Laura Otto - Donna M Renner - Larry Goeppner Deb Brescher - Julie Truesdale

Lectors:

4:30 pm Martha Schmitt 7:00 am Pat Stemle 10:00 am Michelle Renner

Lectors Website: http://lectorsproclaim.org (Year B)

Ushers:

4:30 pm Linda Eisenhut - Gina Scherle 7:00 am Clint Gogel - Phil Gogel 10:00 am Danny Brescher - Pat Brescher

Sunday School:

10:00 am No Sunday School until 1-7-18

Thank You!! This bulletin is furnished to the Parish without charge. The advertisements that appear completely defray all publishing costs with which the church would otherwise be burdened. Please patron-ize these sponsors as a “Thank You” for their generosity.

Liturgical Minister help for Christmas Eve, December 24

Servers:

4:00 pm Evan Leuck - Ryan Leuck 6:00 pm need 2 9:00 pm need 2

Extraordinary Ministers:

4:00 pm Need 4 6:00 pm Bridget Fleck - need 3 more 9:00 pm Deacon John - need 3 more

Lectors:

4:00 pm Karen Schwenk 6:00 pm Brian Seibert 9:00 pm need

Ushers:

4:00 pm need 6:00 pm need 9:00 pm need

Liturgical Minister help for Christmas Day, December 25

Servers: 7:00 am need 10:00 am Caden Schmitt - Cale Schmitt

Extraordinary Ministers:

7:00 am Audrey Wehr - need 3 more 10:00 am Gina Scherle - Larry Goeppner - need 2 more

Lectors:

7:00 am need 10:00 am Deb Brescher

Ushers:

7:00 am need 10:00 am Pat Brescher, Daniel Brescher, Mike Brescher