Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church
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Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church
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October 12, 2008
FATHER'S TWO CENTS WORTH I wish to thank all who participated in the Pro-Life activities of last week-end. Although I was not able to be with our people on the Life-Chain here in Mascoutah, I know that many showed up, and demonstrated their opposition to abortion. I thank Sally and Jerry Mueller for all their work in organizing and coordinating the program here in Mascoutah. I also thank Mary Kellerman for her efforts in the Pro-Life novena here in our parish.
Since October is the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, and we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Rosary on this past Tuesday, I hope that all are making a special effort to pray the Rosary every day. I thank all who were present for our Rosary and Benediction service on Tuesday evening. There is so much to pray for, especially the economic situation of our country and the world, and how it is eroding the fabric of our society. Many are already suffering from financial problems, and many are losing their homes because of misguidance and mismanagement in the financial world. And it seems that it is not going to get better for some time to come. The poor, the aged, and the handicapped will probably be the biggest casualties. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ—God is the Father of all of us! To deny this is to deny our own inheritance in the Kingdom of God! To ignore it is to deny God’s care and concern for His children, His creation! We are all in this together, whether we like it or not! And we all have to do what we can to make it better! Praying is the Christ image in us, calling on the Father to help and for wisdom to heal the situation. It is a lot easier than the consequences!
I am having eye surgery on my other eye this coming Wednesday. Say a prayer that it all goes well, and that I can get back to normal eyesight again. I know that it is a rather routine procedure. But I also know that life does not always go as planned. Say a prayer for my doctor and myself, that it goes as planned.
Next Saturday is our annual school auction. MASS WILL BE AT 4:30 P.M. NEXT SATURDAY! The success of the auction is a big help in the school’s budget. Please do all that you can to make it a success! Tell others about it, and invite them to come. Reservations are needed!
An item that often passes over us, unless we are personally involved, is that we have many students in college away from their homes. Most are in secular colleges and are often confronted with religions and ethics quite different from those taught here in our Catholic environment. And usually, our Catholic students are in the minority. Did it ever cross our minds to offer prayers for them, so that they can remain faithful to their Baptismal and Confirmation promises? Out of sight and out of mind! It happens, doesn’t it? And yet, all of these students are members our parish family, and our friends families! Say an extra prayer for them, so that they will be strong in the practice of their faith. “It is too late to lock the barn door after the horse has been stolen!” It is too late to bemoan a problem if we did not do something to avoid it!
"THANK YOU" to all of you who attended the Life Chain last Sunday. Over 80 parishioners and fellow Christians joined in prayerful silence to speak for the unborn. Special thanks to Pastor Wayne and Susan Boostrom of the First Assembly of God Church and Pastor Charlie McGee of Cross Pointe Church for attending and inviting their congregations. Holy Childhood Council of Catholic Women (HCCCW) will meet on Tuesday, October 14th at 7 PM in the parish center. The HCCCW is a member of the Belleville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Through fund raising the HCCCW takes care of the altar and sanctuary, providing vestments, altar bread, wine, flowers and other items needed for the liturgical events of the parish. The ladies also take care of the funeral lunches. All women of the parish are welcome. PRO-LIFE ACTIVITIES October 15th, Diocesan Day of Prayer. Meet at 8:10 AM at Holy Trinity, 505 Fountains Parkway, Fairview Heights for Mass, then carpool to the abortion clinic in Granite City to support the Springfield diocese in the 40 Days for Life, returning at approximately noon. Eucharistic Adoration from 5 to 8 PM will take place at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville, beginning and concluding with brief prayer services to encourage the respect for life in all stages and against all assaults. On October 26th: Respect Life Convention, hosted by the Archdiocese of St. Louis. For more information call 314-792-7555. HOLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL DINNER AUCTION The tickets for the 15th Annual Dinner Auction "It's Game Show Night at HCS" are available after Masses. Tickets are $30 per person which includes dinner, bar, and setups. If you would like to make a donation to the auction, please contact Mary Moll @ 566-2300. Auction to be held October 18th. JUST A REMINDER If you are donating baked goods for the Dinner Auction Sweet Tooth booth October 18th, please bring them to the school cafeteria the morning of the auction from 8 to 11:30 AM. Please label your item and let us know if it contains nuts (for those who may be allergic). Thanks so much for your help! FLU SHOTS Holy Childhood will once again offer an opportunity to receive an annual flu shot. The clinic will be held on October 22nd from 9 AM to 1 PM in our parish center. Cost for the shot is $24.99. For reservations please call the rectory. Gift Cards Getting ready to do some home remodeling? Fall Landscaping in your future? We have gift cards in stock for Lowe's ($25 & $100), Home Depot ($25), Sears ($25), Ace Hardware ($25) and Wal-Mart ($25 & $100). Stop by the school office during any school day or in the gathering space after any Mass. FALL SCRIPTURE PROGRAM BEGINS NEXT WEEK! If you are not already part of a Catholic Scripture study group, we invite you to sign up to join a small group of adults who will gather once a week for a period of six weeks to explore Scripture, to pray, to share faith, and to grow in faith. We invite you to take advantage of this special opportunity to reflect on the meaning of God's activity in our lives. The program is entitled Quest: A Reflection Booklet for Small Christian Communities. To sign up call John Pettinger at 677-2724. Quest will be offered at various times and locations in the parish. WANTED: used egg cartons; place in the breezeway; Will be used for local food pantry. Thank you.
October is Respect Life Month "Nowadays, in America as elsewhere in the world, a model of society appears to be emerging in which the powerful predominate, setting aside and even eliminating the powerless: I am thinking here of unborn children, helpless victims of abortion; the elderly and incurably ill, subjected at times to euthanasia; and the many other people relegated to the margins of society by consumerism and materialism. Nor can I fail to mention the unnecessary recourse to the death penalty when other “bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons. Today, given the means at the State's disposal to deal with crime and control those who commit it, without abandoning all hope of their redemption, the cases where it is absolutely necessary to do away with an offender 'are now very rare, even non-existent practically'”. This model of society bears the stamp of the culture of death, and is therefore in opposition to the Gospel message. Faced with this distressing reality, the Church community intends to commit itself all the more to the defense of the culture of life." Ecclesia in America, Pope John Paul II, 1999.
PRO-LIFE ACTIVITIES September 24th thru November 4th: 40 Days for Life begins. This is a national campaign to pray for an end to abortion. Daily devotional prayers are available at www.40daysforlife.org or contact Mary Kellerman at 566-8139.
October 15th: Diocesan Day of Prayer. Meet at 8:10 AM at Holy Trinity, 505 Fountains Parkway, Fairview Heights for Mass, then carpool to the abortion clinic in Granite City to support the Springfield diocese in the 40 Days for Life, returning at approximately noon. Eucharist Adoration from 5-8 PM will take place at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville, beginning and concluding with brief prayer services to encourage the respect for life in all stages and against all assaults.
October 26th: Respect Life Convention, hosted by the Archdiocese of St. Louis. For more information call 314-792-7555.
OCTOBER: MONTH OF THE ROSARY Rev. Matthew R. Marriello The month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. This is primarily due to the fact that the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated annually on October 7th. It was instituted to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary in gratitude for the protection that she gives the Church in answer to the praying of the Rosary by the faithful. The feast was introduced by Pope St. Pius V (1504-1572) in the year 1571 to commemorate the miraculous victory of the Christian forces in the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. The pope attributed more to the "arms" of the Rosary than the power of cannons and the valor of the soldiers who fought there. Legend tells us that the Rosary as a form of prayer was given to St. Dominic (1170- 1221) by Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, who entrusted it to him as an aid in the conflicts with the Albigensians. The Dominican pope, St. Pius V, did much to further the spread of the Rosary and it thereafter became one of the most popular devotions in Christendom. It was the same Pope St. Pius V, who in 1569 officially approved the Rosary in its present form with the Papal Bull, CONSUEVERUNT ROMANI PONTIFICES. It had been completed by the addition of the second half of the "Hail Mary" and the "Glory be to the Father" at the conclusion of each mystery. Current scholarship traces the development of the Rosary to the High Middle Ages where it came into being in various medieval monasteries as a substitute for the Divine Office for the lay monks and devout lay persons who did not know how to read. Instead of the 150 psalms, they would pray 150 "Our Fathers" counting them on a ring of beads known as the crown or "corona." With the growth of popularity of Marian devotion in the twelfth century, the "Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary" developed now substituting 150 "Hail Marys" in place of the "Our Fathers." The 150 "Hail Marys" were subsequently subdivided into 15 decades by the young Dominican friar, Henry Kalkar (1328-1408), with each decade referring to an event in the life of Jesus and Mary. The Dominican, Alanus de Rupe (1428-1478) further divided the episodes in the history of salvation into the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries. He also attributed the origin of the Rosary, then known as the "Psalter of the Blessed Virgin" to St. Dominic and thus spurred the Dominican Order to make the Apostolate of the Rosary their special concern. The Dominicans have, since then, promulgated the Rosary with notable results. In this month of October, let us consider this beautiful prayer of the Rosary as a means that we too can use in order to draw closer to Jesus and Mary by meditating on the great mysteries of our salvation.
Holy Childhood will be having Rosary and Benediction on Tuesday evenings in October at 5:30 PM
Parish School of Religion Director: Marilyn Byrne
October is the month of the rosary: PSR is having a family rosary around the Blessed Virgin statue in the side yard of the rectory at 9:20 am on October 19th. All are welcome! ATTENTION PARENTS: On November 2nd following the 10:30 AM Mass there will be a Rite of Enrollment for ALL 8th graders receiving Confirmation. This is a mandatory service. There will be a short meeting following the service.
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
"Could you not then watch one hour with me?"
"It is very important for us to come to a better understanding of how to be really present to the Lord, in the present moment. We need to trust that He knows what He is doing. If we could go before Him in the Blessed Sacrament and say very simply, 'Here I am, Lord I am concerned about this, so I offer it to you. I offer me to you,' we then allow Him to take care of us. We allow Him to answer our prayers instead of telling Him what we want Him to do." (Hope for the Journey, Fr. Jack Spalding)
Visit Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration every Tuesday following the 8 AM Mass until 7 PM, and on Saturdays from 9-10 AM. If you would like to commit to a specific hour to pray on Tuesdays, please call Mary Ellen Mueller at 566-9529.
MASS INTENTIONS
Tuesday, October 14 8:00 AM 1. Dan Stukenberg 2. George & James Wilhelm
Wednesday, October 15, 8:00 AM Rosalia Orlet
Thursday, October 16, NO MASS
Friday, October 17, 8:00 AM 1. Robert Hopfinger 2. Pat Huff 3. Special Intention
Saturday, October 18, 4:30 PM Ray & Alice Klein 40th Anniversary
Sunday, October 19, 8:00 AM Elsie & Louis Wombacher
10:30 AM People of the Parish
October 5, 2008
THE WEEK AHEAD
MONDAY, October 13, OFFICE CLOSED NO SCHOOL 2:30 PM St. Vincent de Paul Mtg.-pc
Tuesday, October 14, 8:00 AM Mass →Adoration→7 PM 9AM Quilting 5:30 PM Rosary & Benediction-c 7:00 PM HCCCW-pc
Wednesday, October 15, 8:00 AM Prayer Service-c 7:30 PM Choir practice-c
THURSDAY, October 16, 8:00 AM NO Mass 9:00 AM Quilting 7:00 PM HC School Board-hcs
FIRST FRIDAY, October 17, 8:00 AM Mass
SATURDAY, October 18, 9:00 AM Adoration 3:30 PM Confessions 4:30 PM Mass HCS Dinner Auction
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY, October 19, 8:00 AM Mass 9:00 AM PSR-hcs 9:00 AM RCIA-pc 10:30 AM Mass 11:45 AM Baptism-c
HOLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL
WEB SITE:
holychildhoodschool.com
Calendar 10/12 Children’s Choir sings at 10:30 Mass in St. Joseph- Lebanon 10/13 No School – Columbus Day 10/14 Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast 10/15 Picture Retake Day Faculty Mtg. 5-8 School Board @7pm Respect Life Prayer Service 2pm in church–All are welcome! 10/16 Dress Down Day Confirmation Rally @ Shrine 10/17 Setup for Dinner Auction (contact school office 566-2922 for tickets) 10/18 Dinner Auction / Mass @ 4:30 Come and enjoy a special evening ATTENTION PARENTS: On November 2nd following the 10:30 AM Mass there will be a Rite of Enrollment for ALL 8th graders receiving Confirmation. This is a mandatory service. There will be a short meeting following the service.
All high school students who are members of Holy Childhood Parish are part of the group and are always welcome. If you would like to receive a calendar, please contact Kathy Renth at 588-4018.
FAMILY HOSPICE VOLUNTEER TRAINING Family Hospice, located at 5110 W. Main in Belleville, has been providing compassionate and professional care for 17 years to individuals experiencing a terminal illness. We serve six counties including St. Clair, Madison, Clinton, Monroe, Washington and Randolph. We will be providing volunteer training on Saturday, Oct. 18th. Those interested can choose to serve in one or more of the following areas: patient care, clerical support, fundraising activities, or bereavement. We also have volunteer support opportunities with Heartlinks, our grief program for children who have experienced a loss. Please contact Julie Pena at 277-1800 if you would like to register for training or if you have any questions.
Vatican International Exhibit of Eucharistic Miracles In His Mercy, God has shown us the flesh and blood of Jesus through Eucharistic miracles. Come see 126 Vatican authenticated miracles of the world. This walk-through exhibit will be available for viewing at St. Teresa of the Child Parish Center on Saturday, October 18 from 2-7 PM and Sunday, October 19 from 8 AM-2 PM. Admission is free. For questions call John Richardson 618-235-2711.
St. Liborius Parish Wurstmarkt, Sunday, October 19th at the American Legion Hall, 7236 State Route 15, Saint Libory, IL. Dinners will be served from 11 AM to 6 PM.
OPEN HOUSE Sunday, October 19th from noon to 2 PM. Students in 5th through 8th grade, who are interested in attending Althoff Catholic H.S., along with their parents are invited to Open House. Althoff Catholic High School, 5401 West Main St., Belleville, IL, 235-1100 or www.althoff.net
National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows Spirituality in the Catholic Church for the21st Century on Saturday, October 25th, 9-11:30 AM in the Guild Center, 11:45 AM Mass Christ the King "Taking the SAT's: Surrender, Action, Transformation and Spirituality for Everyday Life" presenter: Fr. Jeff Vomund; Cost: $20; Call 618-397-6700 or 314-241-3400, ext 6272 to register.
PRESS RELEASE The AARP Drive Safety Program will be offered again at the Mascoutah Senior Center October 30th and 31st from 1-5 PM. The cost of the 8 hour class is $10 per person and is designed for drivers 50 years old and older. It will help drivers understand the effects of aging on their driving and learn strategies to compensate for these changes. The State of Illinois requires insurance companies to reduce the premium for those who complete this course. The course requires attendance but there is no testing. We will need 20 registrants to finalize the schedule for the class. Less than that number will cause it to be rescheduled for November. Please call 566-8758 to reserve your space.
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