FATHER'S TWO CENTS WORTH

I went to Iowa and had a good time.  Now it is time to settle down again and get ready for all of the events coming up.  Join with me and the rest of the parish as we prepare for the coming of Christ into our lives.

Today is the Feast of Christ the King.  We all have ideas about kings, and they seem to go contrary to what we are used to in a democracy.  In many ways, our democracy is much like that of England.  They have a king, and we have a president.  For the most part, both are figureheads.  However, our King, Christ, is all powerful and most caring about all of His subjects.  He is truly the creator, the provider, the model of virtue, the guardian, the savior, the protector, and the truth.  We do not have to worry about an election, or a death and succession, and the change that comes from new leadership.  God is consistent in His love for us and His care for all of us.  We are His children, and He is our Father.  Thank God for such a worthy and loving leader, King, that He is to us.

This evening, there will be the Community Thanksgiving Service at the First Baptist Church on West Main Street, beginning at 7:00 P.M.  It is a great time to show our community spirit as we pray together and for one another in Thanksgiving.

Our Christmas letter and the Advent booklet, “The Little Blue Book” were mailed to you this past week.  The  letter stressed Christ in our lives in preparing for Christmas through a great use of the season of Advent.  I hope that all will avail themselves of this season to come to a closer union with Christ and an appreciation of His love for us, and His goodness to us—a deeper and stronger union with our Savior.

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day.  Our Mass will be at 9:00 A.M.  The purpose of this day, from its very beginning in our country, was to take time to thank God for all of our blessings.  Take time to come to Mass and thank God for all of your blessings.  I am sure they outweigh any and all negative events during this past year.  God owes us nothing!  But we owe all that we are and have to God!  Without Him, we are nothing, and can do nothing.  Hope to see you at Mass on Thursday.

On Friday, we will be changing our yearly prayer books/song books here in church, after the 8:00 mass.  Here is an opportunity for our Confirmation candidates to earn some service time for church.  We remove the books, insert the new books for the coming year, and take the old books over to the paper recycling dumpsters.  Moms and Dads!  We need your support in helping your Confirmation candidate grow in service to church.

Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent.  At 1:00 P.M. we will start decorating our church for the rest of the Advent season and in preparation for Christmas.  Again, we will need many young people to help move decorations from the basement to be hung in our church.  Confirmation candidates and other adults, please come and help us.  We all like our church to look nice!  Help make it happen!  Come to the event!

HCCCW:  The Nov. 16th, 8 AM Mass was for the Living and Deceased HCCCW Members.

QUILTING:  There will be no quilting on November 25 & 27; this is Thanksgiving Week!

GIFT BEARERS:  Danny & Ronda Beck family will be Gift Bearers for the Thanksgiving Day Mass.

SPECIAL PERSON'S DAY:  Special Person's Day will be on Nov 25th. Mass with the students and special persons will be at 10:30 AM, followed by lunch. Each family and students should bring their own lunch and drinks. We will dismiss at 1 PM and there will be no buses. Grandparents, family and friends are invited to join us for Mass and lunch.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL:   Meeting will be held on Monday, November 24, at 2:30 PM in the PC.

The St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store is in serious need of appliances in good working condition and beds and mattresses. Schedule a pick-up by calling 618-875-3886-Extension 1.  Your donation is appreciated so much!

CONFIRMATION HOURS:  On Friday, Nov. 28th, after 8 AM Mass, the old missalettes need to be exchanged with the new ones. All 8th graders are urged to stay after the mass and help to earn confirmation hours.

PICTURE TAKING: We are forming a committee to take pictures at all of the church events. If you are interested please contact; Robin Booth at: 618-792-0647.

GIFT CARDS:  Holy Childhood School sells gift cards year around, but the holiday season is our busiest time of the year.  We have gift cards for many local and national retailers.  The cards are sold at face value. Just stop by the school office or gathering space after mass to purchase your cards.  Gift cards can be used for your own purchases or to give as gifts.  New Gift Cards are available such as: American Express ($100/$200), Hallmark ($25), Steak ' n Shake ($10), Dell Computer ($100) - some restrictions apply, Gift Card Wrappers - Regular or Holiday 16 pack ($5.60). To ensure Christmas Delivery, order by December 10th. Call the school (566-2922) or Debbie (566-2866) with any questions.  Thanks for supporting HCS!

CCHD:  Of the 37 million people considered living below the poverty line, 45% work full time but still do not make enough money to feed their families, keep roofs over their heads and pay for health care.  The Catholic Campaign for Human Development supports community-based projects – founded and managed by the poor themselves – that work toward building a better and more just community where poverty does not exist.  You can make a difference.  Please donate generously in today’s CCHD collection.

IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER: If you are over the age of 70, the IRS requires that you take a minimum distribution from your IRA each year.  Normally, the amount of this distribution is taxed as ordinary income.  Such distributions will still count toward fulfilling your required minimum distribution. For more information about how you and the church can benefit from an IRA charitable rollover, call the Planned Giving Office at 618-277-8181, ext. 132.

WANTED: used egg cartons; place in the breezeway; will be used for local food pantry. Thank you! 

Tuesday, November 25,

  8:00 AM  Viola Klinkman

Wednesday, November 26,

   8:00 AM  Lucille Karpel 

                          Paul Jung              

Thursday, November 27, Thanksgiving

                            9:00 AM  People of the Parish                      

Friday, November 28,

8:00 AM    Joseph & Anne Wilhelm Family

Saturday, November 29,

5:30 PM   Irene Lanter

                   Anna Lang    

                    Norman Siegel

Sunday, November 30,

8:00 AM    People of the Parish

           10:30 AM    Bernard & Anna Hamilton

                                                                         Deceased members of the Knights of Columbus 

November 16, 2008

MONDAY, November  24,

2:30 PM   St. Vincent de Paul-pc

7:00 PM   Welcome Cmt - pc

Tuesday, November 25,

8:00 AM   Mass →Adoration→7 PM

9:00 AM     Quilting

6:00 PM      Quilting

                          7:30 PM    Pastoral Council - pc    

Wednesday, November 26,

8:00 AM   Mass

 7:30 PM   Choir  practice

No School

THURSDAY, November 27, Thanksgiving

9:00 AM Mass

No School - Office closed

FRIDAY, November 28,

8:00 AM Mass

No School - Office Closed

SATURDAY, November 29,

9:00 AM  Adoration

4:30 PM  Confessions

5:30 PM   Mass

SUNDAY, November 30, First Sunday

 8:00 AM  Mass of Advent

 9:00 AM RCIA-pc

  NO PSR

10:30 AM  Mass

   1:00 PM Greening of Church

BANNS OF MARRIAGE II:

Steven Kelly & Jennifer Bilyeu

I love Thanksgiving! It can be a time of prayer, family, food and thanksgiving.  We get a little taste of it next Tuesday with Special Person’s Day. Mass is at 10:30 am and the families and students can sit together, then come over to the cafeteria to enjoy lunch together. You bring your own food and drink. You can drop it off early in the cafeteria if you like. We dismiss at 1pm and there are no buses at that time.

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate. I cannot remember a time when I did not celebrate Thanksgiving with either my wife’s family or mine. One year we drove to Omaha, Nebraska to have Thanksgiving with my sister and her family. One year my wife and sons drove to Springfield for Thanksgiving and saw the opening of "Christmas Story". We have never forgotten that Thanksgiving.  Not only do we give thanks; we share food and stories, laughter and joy. My favorites are turkey (white meat), cranberry sauce (shaped like the can), corn, mashed potatoes, green beans, sauerkraut, rolls, butter, pumpkin pie (mincemeat) if someone makes it) and many other foods. This year I am driving to Mt. Vernon to have Thanksgiving with my brothers and sisters and mom. They asked that I bring home-canned dill pickles and beets; and I will. We will eat, share stories, laugh and stuff ourselves and just enjoy being together.

I pray that you have a Thanksgiving with family you enjoy and food that is great. I also pray for those who cannot be with us for Thanksgiving, for those who are overseas fighting for our country. We can give thanks for our freedom. God bless you during the Thanksgiving season.

Sincerely,

Deacon Ron Karcher

Principal

Nov. 26-28            Thanksgiving Vacation

December  12       Christmas Program – 7pm Gym

Once again the Youth Group is sponsoring an Angel Tree.  Each angel contains the age, gender, and size for a person in need from our community this Christmas.  The names are gathered by a representative of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Mascoutah and are passed on to the youth group.  There will be two angels on the tree for each child ages 18 and under, one angel for each adult in a family, and two angels for any adult living alone.

This year to better serve the needs of the families on our Angel Tree we are asking you to list on the angel what is inside of each package when you attach the angel to the gift.  We have run into a problem in the past when one child in a family receives more gifts than another child in the same family. It is also very important that we have your gifts by Sunday, December 14th. Thank you!