John Stack Ministries Announcements & Reminders – Page 116 – Stay connected with our Catholic community through weekly Mass announcements and recaps, fostering faith and fellowship in every gathering.

Announcements

Announcements
ByRosemary January 8, 2017
Rosemary's Blessing of The Week

When the decorations of Christmas have been packed away
then the work of Christmas begins:

Lord, help us

to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
and to make a little music with the heart…

Adapted from Work of Christmas Begins by Howard Thurman

Kerry reading from The Great Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah III this selection).

Our Special Thanks
- For the Readings: Kerry & Mary
- For The Team: Kevin & Georgie & Buddy
- For the Communion Bread: Alison
- For the Special Communion Cups: Jan
- For the Pictures: Rick & Connie & Beth & Mike
- For the coffee and extras: Mike & Jackie & Kim & Ray
- For the altar & sound: Jackie & Hue
- For the Music: Ray & David & Shonda
- For all who helped with Communion
Mary reading from Ephesians.

Birthdays:   Meredith (last Monday), Tom Fleming (58 last Thursday), Jan (Saturday), Ben Kern (14, Friday)

Anniversaries

Jackie & Rick (16th, Friday)

Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week.

Please Remember these special people:

For Carol's recuperation from her operation; For Frank's family & friends;   For Tom Good; For Dee; For John Schanot's continued recuperation; For Nadia's recuperation; For a young man who is suffering from depression; For Claire's mom; For Jan’s mom; For Grace's mom and brother in Alberta ; For Cliff & Jean; For Laura's sister Claudia; For Dawn; John Simari’s friend, Ron; For Anthony; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues; For Frank & Mary's niece, Lisa, with cancer; For John & Jean's son John Louis; For our good friend Kay in Ontario; For Jackie Urbanzyk's continued recovery;

Happy 58th, Tom, and to help you keep in shape, instead of a cupcake, a Belvita.

For Geri's friend, Elsa Billman, 88, whose house burned; For Rosemary's sister, Patty and her husband, Lou; For Cathy's uncle, Jim Wright at 90; For Connie's nephew, Fred; For Mary Jane Stevenson's son Philip, 34, sick & don't know why; The Quinn’s granddaughter, Mikayla;   For Maureen’s daughter, Kathleen, with cancer; For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela; For Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli; Frank’s & Mary's niece, Lisa, with brain cancer, Franks brother with advanced Parkinsons; Diane McClurg's mom in Fort Dodge; For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie;

And Happy Birthday to you, too, Jan. Don't let that Sir Charlie swipe your cupcake.

Dick Thompson's daughter, Teri Jill, and Judy's aging parents & daughter of her best friend, Mekala; Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's dad & niece & Annie & Kyler; Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer; Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; for Mary Ellen & her Margaret, Jim, & Christopher; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President that he have great success and someday hold his grandchildren in his lap.

And to you, Rick and Jackie, happy 16th Anniversary.

Your Finances, January 8, 2017

Expenses: $930.00

Outreach: $280.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

$2,000.00 donated to Soul's Harbor.

Happy Birthday to you, Meredith, and to you, Brent, I hope this check for $2,000 helps with the marvelous work you do as director of Souls Harbor. You both are an inspiration to me and to the community.

Have a Great Week, J.S

(214-783-0443)

No way, Buddy, can you be bored, what with such a fascinating Epiphany homily and all the fun things going on.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

      Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.

      Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

From Mary and Genevieve, "Have a great week, Folks, peace."
Read More Announcements
Reminders

Reminder for Sunday, January 8, 2017, Epiphany
ByRosemary January 4, 2017
Hey, who is that making off with our microphone?

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack.

Place: Sigler Elementary, 1400 Janwood Drive, Plano, TX 75075

"May I have one of those cookies, please, Mary Ellen?" Actually, a non-verbal, but who can resist!

Readings:

Isaiah 60, 1-6,  Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem.

Psalm 72,  Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Ephesians 3, 2 & 3, 5 & 6, The Gentiles are coheirs.

Matthew 2, 1-12, The visit of the Magi to Bethlehem.

Hue doing his specialty, setting up the sound system. Thanks, Hue, for your non-stop, weekly help for the whole of our 13 years of celebrating together.

Community Activities:

ROMEO MEET: Friday, January 6, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00. Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.

Are you people crazy?! This is 9:30, New Years Day, and all of you are up.

JULIET LUNCHEON, (aka.,just us ladies into eating together), Jamuary,

Happy New Year, JULIET friends,

Please join us as we ring in 2017,
this Fri. Jan. 6th at 12:30pm, for a delightful luncheon at the
Chocolate Angel Cafe & Tea Room, located

inside the High Street Antique Mall, north bound access road
of 75/Central just north of Plano Parkway
behind the Olive Garden Restaurant.
Please RSVP by email to Marilyn Ackerman by Thursday morning 1/5.

Good New Year's Morning to the O'Donnells, Aiden, John, and Jean

What is going on in Our Catholic World
1. Married priests?, National Catholic Reporter, December 16, 1090 words, Download MAYBE MARRIED PRIESTS 1-5-17
Yes, we know these people are crazy, up celebrating the New Year and now up at 9:30, John, Connie, and Tom.

True?

Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.

George Burns, American comedian

Would you buy a used car from this character, even a new car?! Hold on to your bag, John, Sir Charlie's hand is getting suspiciously close.

Special notice from our barrister:

The coffee bar will be open before mass

for those who arrive early…

( closes promptly at 0930 until after the service :-)

-mike

footnote 1: The Matron of Blessings was heard saying that if the homily drags on too long, the coffee bar may open up for emergency service.

See you Sunday.

J.S., 214-783-0443

Think these people are having too much fun? The Old Geezer is probably talking.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

Cindy and Ken, "Peace, Everyone, and Happy New Year."
Read More Reminder for Sunday, January 8, 2017, Epiphany
Uncategorized

Sunday Homily, January 1, 2017
ByRosemary January 1, 2017

Readings:

Numbers 67, 22-27,  The Lord bless you and keep you.

Psalm 67,  May God bless us in his mercy

Galatians 4, 4-7,  God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts.

Luke 2, 16-21, The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.

Genevieve, are you the little girl in the red dress who stole the whole show at our Christmas Eve celebration??

First reading: God blesses people in countless ways. Today’s reading from the Book of Numbers is a priestly blessing given first to Moses by words that come to him from the Lord.

Second reading, Galatians 4:4-7: God sent his Son to redeem us so that we can become God’s adopted sons.

Brandon says, "Welcome in, Everybody. Yep, she is the girl in the red dress."

Gospel reading, Matthew 25: 31-46:

John gave me permission to switch gospel readings. What you are missing is a small part of a metaphorical story about Mary, an angel, shepherds and the baby Jesus.

You might recall 15 or 20 years ago that the Liturgy of the Word, for each of the A, B, and C cycles on New Year’s Day, had as its gospel Matthew’s parable of The Last Judgment. I imagine that its purpose was to encourage parishioners to incorporate some of its teaching into their New Year’s resolutions.

Alison, you know that the kids all love your home made communion bread and want more than one.

But I want you for a moment to think about where we live. When we go shopping, to work, or to a movie or local restaurant, to Whole Foods or Target, it isn’t really clear to us if there is, for example, an orphan or a widow in our midst who needs our help.

Simply put, we choose to support with taxes and contributions, governmental agencies and nonprofits, to provide food and drink to the hungry and thirsty and stranger twenty miles south of us. The fact is, whether we realize it or not, we distance ourselves from the needy.

Clear the way, Folks, here come Mike the Coffee Man.

The meaning to today’s parable is this: When we distance ourselves from the needy, we distance ourselves from God.

I placed myself in the following scenario: I was in one of the poorer parts of South Dallas, around seven in the evening, in front of a drug store where I had gone to pick up some cough medicine.

Aiden with his grandparents, John & Jean O'Donnell.

When I got out of the car and pushed the button to lock all of its doors, I immediately noticed, about two yards from the entrance of the store a stranger, at least to me. He was homeless, for he was wearing too many clothes, unshaven, had dark hair and complexion, and he was finishing the last drink of water that he would get from a small plastic bottle.

Learning: Big brother teaching little sister how to work a water fountain.

He was looking right at me, and I at him. As I approached him he addressed me in a language I did not know or understand. Searching his face I sought his eyes and noticed a bit of a smile as he ran his fingers through his hair. He reached to open the door for me. What should I do?

Mike ready to share his ideas in his homily.

In a split second I heard the question from the unrighteous in today’s parable, ‘When was it that we saw you a stranger and did not welcome you?’

Offertory, Cheryl, Carrie, & Paul.

Would I have responded with a joyful smile? Would I have embraced him with his perfume of sweat? Would I have kissed him on his forehead, taking hold of his arm to have him enter with me? Would I have asked the people in the store if anyone knew his language so that I could find out why he was there and what he needed? Would I have invited him to my home, offered him the opportunity to take a shower, laid out something for him to wear as I washed his clothes and prepared something for him to eat?

Brandon, our Candle Lighter of The Week.

Jesus, an itinerant preacher, had a dark complexion and nowhere to rest his head. Was he present to me here and now? The Lord in our parable was hungry, thirsty, a stranger longing for a visit.   Yes, every encounter we have with another is meant to be a holy encounter.

Our School gorilla (know any other school with a pet gorilla at the door to the cafeteria?) says he is happy to see us back in the cafeteria after being in the gym for Christmas Eve.

When we name the other person God, we name ourselves. We verify our name, the body of Christ in the world.

Read More Sunday Homily, January 1, 2017
Announcements

Announcements
ByRosemary January 1, 2017
Rosemary's Blessing of The Week

Another fresh new year is here …
     Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
     To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
     To live each day with zest …
To daily grow and try to be
     My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
     Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
     And sing more joyful songs!

William Arthur Ward

John reading from Numbers.

Our Special Thanks
- For the Readings: John & Connie
- For The Team: Kevin
- For the Communion Bread: Alison
- For the Special Communion Cups: Jan
- For the Pictures: Rick & John & Mike
- For the coffee and extras: Mike & Jackie
- For the altar & sound: Jackie & Hue
- For the Music: Ray & Katie
- For all who helped with Communion
Connie reading from Galatians.

Birthdays:   Meredith (last Monday), Connie Bresson (last Tuesday), Hugh Bivona (tomorrow), Tom Fleming (57 Thursday)

Anniversaries

Carol & Richard (41st, Wednesday)

Tom & Teresa Quinn (49th, last Friday)

Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week.

Please Remember these special people:

For Carol's recuperation from her operation; For Frank's family & friends;   For Tom Good; For Dee; For John Schanot's continued recuperation; For Nadia's recuperation; For a young man who is suffering from depression; For Claire's mom; For Jan’s mom; For Grace's mom and brother in Alberta ; For Cliff & Jean; For Laura's sister Claudia; For Dawn; John Simari’s friend, Ron; For Anthony; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues; For Frank & Mary's niece, Lisa, with cancer; For John & Jean's son John Louis; For our good friend Kay in Ontario; For Jackie Urbanzyk's continued recovery;

Ray with Katie on music.

For Geri's friend, Elsa Billman, 88, whose house burned; For Rosemary's sister, Patty and her husband, Lou; For Cathy's uncle, Jim Wright at 90; For Connie's nephew, Fred; For Mary Jane Stevenson's son Philip, 34, sick & don't know why; The Quinn’s granddaughter, Mikayla;   For Maureen’s daughter, Kathleen, with cancer; For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela; For Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli; Frank’s & Mary's niece, Lisa, with brain cancer, Franks brother with advanced Parkinsons; Diane McClurg's mom in Fort Dodge; For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie;

Happy Marvelous 49th, Tom & Teresa.

Dick Thompson's daughter, Teri Jill, and Judy's aging parents & daughter of her best friend, Mekala; Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's dad & niece & Annie & Kyler; Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer; Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; for Mary Ellen & her Margaret, Jim, & Christopher; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President that he have great success and someday hold his grandchildren in his lap.

Richard, Happy 42nd to you and Carol.

Your Finances, January 1, 2017

Expenses: $570.00

Outreach: $290.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

Happy Birthday, Connie, and thanks for all you do for us all.

Have a Great Week, J.S

(214-783-0443)

Thanks, Brandon, for being our Candle Lighter of The Week and even more for being such a neat young man.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

      Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.

      Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.
Read More Announcements
Reminders

Reminder for Sunday, January 1, 2017
ByRosemary December 28, 2016
Welcome, Everybody, and Happy New Year.

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack & Mike homilizing

Place: Sigler Elementary, 1400 Janwood Drive, Plano, TX 75075

And from Nora and Charlotte, also, "Happy New Year, Everybody."

Readings:

Numbers 67, 22-27,  The Lord bless you and keep you.

Psalm 67,  May God bless us in his mercy

Galatians 4, 4-7,  God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts.

Luke 2, 16-21, The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.

The Offertory Gang. Back row, McClurgs, Ryan, Grace, Erin, & Diane. Front row, Dick & Judy, Mary & Frank. Ryan & Dick: Air Force chums.

Community Activities:

ROMEO MEET: Friday, December 30, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00. Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.

JULIET LUNCHEON, (aka.,just us ladies into eating together), Jamuary, TBA

Sez Everett (son of Kristin & Josh), "Who is this Santa Clause? I've never heard of him from where I come."

What is going on in Our Catholic World
1. What is the status of Bethlehem, National Catholic Reporter, December 19, 747 words, Download BETHLEHEM STATUS 12-29-16
And sez Emily (daughter of Stephen & Kate), "Where I come from I never heard of this Santa Clause either. He looks funny to me."

True?

Sharks are as tough as those football fans who take off their shirts during games in Chicago in January, only more intelligent.

Dave Barry

Who let that little mouse loose? Is that our Genevieve trying to learn to overcome stage fright? Not only climbing those stairs, but chattering away to those on the stage the whole time.

See you Sunday.

J.S., 214-783-0443

It does not get better than what we see here.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

Peace and Happy New Year, Everybody.
Read More Reminder for Sunday, January 1, 2017
Homilies

Christmas Eve Mass & Homily, December 24, 2016
ByRosemary December 25, 2016

Readings:

Isaiah 9, 1-6,  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Psalm 96,  Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Titus 2, 11-14,  The grace of God has appeared.

Luke 2, 1-14, In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus.

Christmas Eve, 2016, Welcome.

Isaiah observations:

What: This is again Isaiah I (one of three). Isaiah 1 criticizes the people for their sinful ways and forecasts doom, which will come in the form of the Babylonian Captivity.

When: Isaiah was warning the people ahead of the Captivity, ca. 555 before Christ. It was during the Captivity when the book of three authors was put together.

Today's selection: One of the all time beautiful passages promising light to people who have walked (or lived) in darkness.

All of today's readings are consoling and dear.

Cody with his kids Ben and Olivia.

A Christmas Story

Despite the fact that I have told this story previously, I like it so much and it is so relevant, I would like to repeat it.

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that.”

Jennifer and her beautiful little one say, "Merry Christmas."

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight up with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted…."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

The Beautiful Claire and her beautiful daughter, Chloe.

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world- famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

Carrie and Paul with her granddaughter, her daughter and husband.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.

For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and whom on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.

Hi to the Great Gerwer Clan.

I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter.

His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!

Sir Charlie helping his grandson light up the candles.

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."

The Nativity Scene.

The nice lady smiled at me as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.

The music team of Shonda, Ray, and David with a special welcome back to Wendy.

Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

John reading the second half of the Eucharistic prayer.

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.

Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

The Team, Georgie, Kevin, Mike, and John

Sixty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were — ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and Grandma and I were the proof.

I still have Grandma’s Bible with the coat tag still tucked inside: $19.95.”

And The Angels.

Read More Christmas Eve Mass & Homily, December 24, 2016
Announcements

Announcements
ByRosemary December 25, 2016
Grace reading from the Great Prophet Isaiah

Our Special Thanks
- For the Readings: Claire & Grace & Mike
- For The Team: Georgie & Kevin
- For the Communion Bread: Alison
- For the Special Communion Cups: Jan
- For the Pictures: Rick & Connie & Mike
- For the coffee and extras: none this afternoon
- For the altar & sound: Jackie & Hue
- For the Music: Ray & David & Wendy & Shonda
- For all who helped with Communion
Mike reading the second reading, this one from Titus.

Birthdays:   Meredith (Monday), Connie Bresson (Tuesday), Amanda Baach (Thursday), T.J. Gleason (21, Saturday)

Anniversaries

Tom & Teresa Quinn (49th, Friday)

Claire reads the Nativity Narrative from Luke while the Narrative is acted out on the stage behind & to her left.

Please Remember these special people:

For Carol's recuperation from her operation; For Frank's family & friends;   For Tom Good; For Dee; For John Schanot's continued recuperation; For Nadia's recuperation; For a young man who is suffering from depression; For Claire's mom; For Jan’s mom; For Grace's mom and brother in Alberta ; For Cliff & Jean; For Laura's sister Claudia; For Dawn; John Simari’s friend, Ron; For Anthony; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues; For Frank & Mary's niece, Lisa, with cancer; For John & Jean's son John Louis; For our good friend Kay in Ontario; For Jackie Urbanzyk's continued recovery;

"You guys left me behind," says Genevieve, (though not really)

This little girl has a severe case of stage fright, right?

For Geri's friend, Elsa Billman, 88, whose house burned; For Rosemary's sister, Patty and her husband, Lou; For Cathy's uncle, Jim Wright at 90; For Connie's nephew, Fred; For Mary Jane Stevenson's son Philip, 34, sick & don't know why; The Quinn’s granddaughter, Mikayla;   For Maureen’s daughter, Kathleen, with cancer; For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela; For Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli; Frank’s & Mary's niece, Lisa, with brain cancer, Franks brother with advanced Parkinsons; Diane McClurg's mom in Fort Dodge; For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie;

Guess who stole the show, the Angel in the Red Dress.

Dick Thompson's daughter, Teri Jill, and Judy's aging parents & daughter of her best friend, Mekala; Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's dad & niece & Annie & Kyler; Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer; Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; for Mary Ellen & her Margaret, Jim, & Christopher; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President that he have great success and someday hold his grandchildren in his lap.

Angels, sheep, and a shepherd. What more could a person want on Christmas Eve.

Your Finances, December 24, 2016

Expenses: $1950.00

Outreach: $1490.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

That's what! Santa.

Have a Great Week, J.S

(214-783-0443)

Somebody's very first visit to Santa.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

      Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.

      Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.
Read More Announcements
Reminders

Reminder for Christmas Eve, December 24, 2016
ByRosemary December 20, 2016

"Welcome in and Happy Christmas," from the Dinsmore girls, Donna, Darbianne, and Dana, plus a little friend.

Welcome: Catholic Mass with Nativity Drama and Santa’s arrival

Time: 4:00; Celebrate with the Community & Stack.

Place: Sigler Elementary, 1400 Janwood Drive, Plano, TX 75075

Thanks, Buddy, for all the good you do for us and for just being a part of our helping team.

Readings:

Isaiah 9, 1-6,  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Psalm 96,  Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Titus 2, 11-14,  The grace of God has appeared.

Luke 2, 1-14, In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus.

Thanks to you, Kevin, for being such a warm and reliable caretaker of the community, especially of those two to your left and the guy behind you.



Community Activities:

ROMEO MEET: Friday, December 23, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00. Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.

JULIET LUNCHEON, (aka.,just us ladies into eating together), Jamuary, TBA

NOTE: Please bring poinsettias & flowers to decorate the Christmas Eve scene. Then they can be taken home.

Those two keep showing up everywhere. Karaoke?

Charlie Fechtel & his daughter Samantha, Saturday, Austin. See Sunday homily for explanation.

What is going on in Our Catholic World

Nothing new this week.

Offertory with David & Caroline, Carrie & Paul.

True?

Happiness Doesn’t Make Us Grateful;

Gratitude Makes Us Happy.

– Miya Goodrich

Finally, the Community has found a volunteer to shake Sir Charlie's hand.

See you Christmas Eve, 4:00, Sigler Elementary. Welcome!

J.S., 214-783-0443

Bill also told a story about how at the Love for Kids picnic he had a bit of a struggle with a little boy who was impatient to ride one of the horses. When he finally rode, as he walked away he stopped, turned around, and said "Happy Christmas, Mr. Bill."

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

Healing and Life.

Read More Reminder for Christmas Eve, December 24, 2016
Homilies

Sunday Homily, December 18, 2016, 3rd Advent, Cycle A
ByRosemary December 18, 2016

Readings:

Isaiah 7, 10-14,  Ask for a sign from the Lord

Psalm 24,  Let the Lord enter, he is king of glory

Romans 1, 1-7,  Grace to you and peace

Matthew 1, 18-24, Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son.

Say Ray and Genevieve, "Welcome in, Everybody, to the 4th Sunday of Advent. Next time, Christmas Eve, 4:00, in the gym."

Observations on Isaiah:

What: This is Isaiah 1.

When: Isaiah 1 lived before the Babylonian Captivity and predicts the downfall of Jerusalem.

Our selection: Optimistic.

Hi, Cody, Hi, Ben.

Finding The Presence

I would like to speak this morning on finding the presence. What is this? It is a feeling of consolation and peace of heart when something special happens. Around the season of Christmas I tend to reach out for these events, many of which are repeats from former seasons of Christmas.

Leo, our Candle Lighter of The Week.

I've had two of these moments this past week.

The first was our visit to the Meyerson to hear the Christmas presentation Friday night. This event every year puts me in touch with the presence.

First, the concert hall itself is a visual feast, just beautifully decorated. It takes my breath away almost every year when I walk in. It was at its best this year.

Welcome home from college, Darbianne and Dana.

The concert itself is an auditory feast and presents so many of my favorite Christmas carols. This year the conductor, Laurence Loh, was in rare form, teasing the audience, inviting participation, dancing on his podium, and just being congenial.

I was also surrounded by about 30 of my best friends.

So, I felt the presence in my friends, and the visual and auditory artistry.

"Yippee," says Victoria, "My mommy loves me."

Secondly, I had a wedding yesterday, Saturday, in Austin. The presence was everywhere.

First, the bride, Samantha, was the daughter of Charlie Fechtal, a student of mine at Jesuit when I was teaching there as an intern Jesuit priest in the latter half of the '60's. Charlie and his wife, TJ, live in our neighborhood. As I told him during the wedding, I love him as much now as I did then. Even more tears of consolation during this wedding than usual.

Time to celebrate.

After the wedding I was talking with Charlie and a classmate, Mark Goedeke, another guy I have loved. His wife Liz is with us and she reminds me that I had done their marriage also. 43 years ago!! Talk about feeling the presence. Very consoling and very humbling.

Dear old friend, Charlie Fechtel.

A footnote to this homily is that I took the special luxury bus from Dallas to Austin. It has received rave notices from people like Beth & Rob. It lived up to its reputation. 3 hour trip non stop, comfortable seat (19 only in a full sized bus), a stewardess who offer drinks and snacks on the house (or bus). $99, heart of Dallas (Love Field) to heart of Austin (Congress & 2nd).

During this season of Advent, how are you finding the presence?

Mark Goedeke and Charlie.

Read More Sunday Homily, December 18, 2016, 3rd Advent, Cycle A
Announcements

Announcements
ByRosemary December 18, 2016
Rosemary's Blessing:

May an abundance of gratitude burst forth in our minds and hearts as we remember all the blessings in our life.

May we slow our hurried pace these days so we can be aware of, and enjoy, what we can too easily take for granted.

May we always be open, willing and ready to share our blessings with others and never forget the God who loves us lavishly and unconditionally.

And may we remember that our thanksgiving is incomplete until we pay it forward by doing for others what they cannot do for themselves.

Amen.

From a prayer by Sr. Jean Amore CSJ, Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, N.Y.

John reading from The Prophet Isaiah.

Our Special Thanks
- For the Readings: John & Patricia
- For The Team: Georgie & Buddy & Kevin
- For the Communion Bread: Alison
- For the Special Communion Cups: Jan
- For the Pictures: Rick & Connie & Mike
- For the coffee and extras: Mike & Jackie
- For the altar & sound: Jackie & Hue
- For the Music: Ray & David & Bethany & Shonda
- For all who helped with Communion
Patricia reading from Romans.

Birthdays:   Alex Grattifiori (19 Sunday, today) & Ben Porter (Sunday, today)

Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week with a little help from her friend.

Please Remember these special people:

For Carol's recuperation from her operation; For Frank's family & friends;   For Tom Good; For Dee; For John Schanot's continued recuperation; For Nadia's recuperation; For a young man who is suffering from depression; For Claire's mom; For Jan’s mom; For Grace's mom and brother in Alberta ; For Cliff & Jean; For Laura's sister Claudia; For Dawn; John Simari’s friend, Ron; For Anthony; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues; For Frank & Mary's niece, Lisa, with cancer; For John & Jean's son John Louis; For our good friend Kay in Ontario; For Jackie Urbanzyk's continued recovery;

The Best, Shonda, Bethany, Ray, & David.

Gor Geri's friend, Elsa Billman, 88, whose house burned; For Rosemary's sister, Patty and her husband, Lou; For Cathy's uncle, Jim Wright at 90; For Connie's nephew, Fred; For Mary Jane Stevenson's son Philip, 34, sick & don't know why; The Quinn’s granddaughter, Mikayla;   For Maureen’s daughter, Kathleen, with cancer; For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela; For Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli; Frank’s & Mary's niece, Lisa, with brain cancer, Franks brother with advanced Parkinsons; Diane McClurg's mom in Fort Dodge; For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie;

Can we trust David to take this cupcake home to his son on his birthday today?

Dick Thompson's daughter, Teri Jill, and Judy's aging parents & daughter of her best friend, Mekala; Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's dad & niece & Annie & Kyler; Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer; Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; for Mary Ellen & her Margaret, Jim, & Christopher; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President that he have great success and someday hold his grandchildren in his lap.



Thanks, Leo, for being our Candle Lighter of The Week.



Your Finances, December 18, 2016

Expenses: $ 1,470.00

Outreach: $ 879.00

Our food drive brought in over 280 lbs. of food.

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

Best buddies.

Have a Great Week, J.S

(214-783-0443)

Have a Beautiful & Peaceful Christmas from Cathy & Donna.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

      Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.

      Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

Says Zoe, "See you Christmas Eve, 4:00, in the gym, bring flowers for the altar and stage, and get ready for a great Nativity Drama."
Read More Announcements