O Lord Jesus Christ, reward the apostolic zeal of Friar Pedro de Corpa and his four companion friars, Blas, Miguel, Antonio and Francisco, who labored

for the spiritual well-being of the native Guale peo-ple of Georgia and gave their lives in witness to the Christian faith. Through their merits and interces-

sion graciously grant the favor I humbly ask of You, so that, for the glory of Your Name, their heroic

sacrifice may be officially recognized by the Church. Amen.

“A Catholic Community With A Welcoming Heart” 1000 North Way (Hwy 17), P.O. Box 1079, Darien, Ga 31305

Fr. Timothy McKeown, Pastor Fr. Christopher Hassel, Parochial Vicar

MASS SCHEDULE

Saturday Evening: 4:15-4:45 p.m. Reconciliation

5:00 p.m. Mass Sunday Morning:

9:15-9:45 a.m. Reconciliation 10:00 a.m. Mass

Holy Days 7:00 p.m. Mass

CHURCH OFFICE Secretary: Nadine Crosby (912) 437-4750

E-Mail: nativity@darientel.net

Website: www.nativitydarien.us

Nativityofourladydarien

OFFICE HOURS

Monday: 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Closed Holidays

PRIESTS’ OFFICE

Fr. Tim and Fr. Chris have offices at St. Francis Xavier

Church located at 405 Howe St., Brunswick, GA 31520.

The office is open Monday - Friday from 9 am - 4 pm.

The SFX Church Office: (912) 265-3249

(Fr. Tim Ext. 11 and Fr. Chris Ext. 12)

Fr. Chris’ Nativity office hours are

Wednesdays 9 am-1 pm

“You are the salt of the earth…. “You are the light of the world…”

Matthew 5:13-16

In light of National Marriage Week, we will do a 7-week reflection exercise. From the Leaders’ Guide to Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan

Theme 1: A Natural and Supernatural Gift

Relationship to Lived Experience Reflection

Many neighborhoods are blessed to have a married couple on the block who are the true community makers. This is the couple on whom everyone counts to generate enthusiasm for the block party or to make the first welcoming visit to new arrivals. When this special couple also happens to be Christian, their positive influence gives the Church a good name. People seek their opinion on moral questions or ask them to pray for their loved ones. They seem to enjoy working together in the yard and on church projects. Their dinner table always has room for another teenager. In such a couple, people witness the natural and supernatural dimensions of mar-riage in the flesh. Discussion Questions 1. Think of a couple whose marriage you admire. Why do you admire them? What would you say are their best qualities? 2. What seems to make a marriage strong, despite the flaws of the spouses? 3. In what ways can your marriage become a gift to other people, not only to each other? 4. What practical steps could you take to extend encouragement or support to another couple who are struggling? 5. What signs do you see that the love of a husband and wife benefits society? Journaling Questions 1. How has your spouse been a gift to you? 2. What would you like to do for your spouse that would express your love in a special way? Write down a plan for doing it, and follow your plan. 3. A couple who need our encouragement and prayers are ______________________. What can we do for them, individually or to-gether? (Some suggestions: Babysit for their children while the couple goes on a date; write them a note of encouragement; invite them to work with us on a project in the parish or neighborhood.)

Saturday 8 @ 5 pm GREETER: Jane Meyer READER: Bill Wikoff COLLECTORS: Jerry Meyer & Fran Guilfoil EUCH MIN: Dottie Wikoff & Carol O’Connor ALTAR SERV: Amanda Wood Sunday 9 @ 10 am GREETER: Sandy Stalgaitis READER: Mary K. DeVries COLLECTORS: Carlos Cha-con & Kevin Heying EUCH MIN: Catherine & Rick Caauwe & Jedon Lil-liston (stairs) ALTAR SERV: Joseph Ali PLEASE CHECK EMAIL OR

BULLETIN BOARD FOR NEXT WEEK’S SCHEDULE

Dody Sheppard, Lou Case-bonne, James Karwacki, Lorraine Karwacki, Jack Salay, Linda Moore, Clare Moore, Cori Kusik, Meg Wallace, Caryn Pinto, Pa-tricia Kusik, Star Purcell, Dionne Pierce, M.J. Ho-gan, Courtney Cobb, Michele Meyers, Wayne Doke, Carol Whitson, Car-la Mucha, Cory Adamson, Michael Higgins, Brigett Conlin, Ann Doherty, Glenford John, Rosa Marie Santos, Maria Bourget, Bob Walczak, Bruce Lowie, Scarlett Bosque, Randy Morris, Bill Reale, Jennifer O’Day, Donna Cole (Shuman), Timmy Tindall, Theresa Morgan, Susan Maggio, Elizabeth O’Connor, Dawne Span-gler, Berend Tober, Carla Damron, Mary Joiner, Ruth Mest Zehler, Nuris Copeland, Jack Lawless, Les Thomas, Sr, MaryPat Burtt-Henderson, Jean Akers, Sheri Carter, Gail Dednarczyk, Randy Cros-by, Bobbie Loganbill, Ei-leen Singleton and Patrick Mitchell. Also, for all of our loved ones serving our Military and for the Christians in the Middle East.

Nativity News

Welcome visitors and new parishioners.

If you are a new parishion-er, please call the office to

register. Please join us after the 10am Sunday

Mass for refreshments in the hall.

ROSARY is at 9:35 am on the

1st and 3rd Sun-days before

mass. Please join us.

Diocesan News

February 1 & 2 offertory $2,286

The next 2nd collection will be February 26 (Ash

Wednesday) for Eastern Europe

Saturday, Feb 8: † Marie Schoettle

Sunday, Feb 9:

SI Nativity Parishioners

Father’s Reflection

Prayer Requests

Mass Intentions

~ 5th Sunday in ordinary time ~ ~ welcome to nativity of our lady church ~ February 9, 2020

If you are not taking your bulletin with you, please return them to the back table. Thank you. If you are not taking your bulletin with you, please return them to the back table. Thank you.

Minister’s Schedule February 2020

75th Anniversary FEBRUARY: Sunday, Feb. 23rd, 9am-12pm

PANCAKE BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER Cost: lg portion $5/sm portion $3.

Please contact the office if you can volunteer to help.

30th Annu-al Interna-tional Food

Tasters Festival

Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 11 am to 1 pm in Xavier

hall, 1120 Newcastle St., Brunswick, GA. Tickets are

pre-sale $5.00 for 8 tastes or $7.00 at the door. To order tickets or to participate as a

cook call 912-264-6805 x. 12. Sponsored by St. Francis Xa-

vier Council of Catholic Women.

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE IN

THE NATIVITY CHURCH OFFICE.

You should have received a letter and pledge card from Bishop Hartmayer last month. Please prayerfully consider your gift this year. We want to show our sup-port of the diocesan family by exceeding

our goal this year .

RACHEL’S VINEYARD POST ABOR-TION HEALING RETREAT:

March 27-29, 2020 For any woman, man, family member, or friend, who is struggling with the emotion-al, spiritual and psychological pain after an

abortion; a Rachel’s Vineyard Weekend Retreat offers an opportunity to find

healing, hope and forgiveness. Come ex-perience the mercy and compassion of God through this healing weekend near

Augusta, GA. For additional information contact Stepha-

nie May at 912-306-0406, or stephmay@bellsouth.net, or visit the web-

site and testimonial video at https://diosav.org/family-life/abortion-healing/

rachels-vineyard All calls and inquiries are strictly confiden-

tial. Come and be restored.

Discover the Inner Path: A Gathering of Women

“Behold I Stand and Knock” You are invited to a day of listen-

ing, questioning, “sitting with”, re-ceiving and giving grace as you

share with God, one another, and yourself. Ask yourself: “Who is

knocking at my door?” Join with Sister Pat Thompson, RSM at

beautiful Villa Marie Center on the Isle of Hope on Saturday March 7

from 9-3PM. Donation is $20. Bring a bag lunch and a mug. Beverages

and snacks provided. PRE-REGISTRATION is required. Call/

text/email Sr. Donna Loeper at 912-484-7860 or donnaloe-

per@comcast.net for registration form and details.

Salt of the Earth!

Make no mistake about it, we are all called to be evangelists. This is not just a job for priests or nuns. Pope Paul VI said, "The Church exists in order to evangelize." Pope John Paul II called the entire Church to take part in a "new evangelization." He exhorted us to bring the Gospel in a new way into our fami-lies and work places. Pope Francis has continued that call in his letter The Joy of the Gospel. In the Gospel Jesus gathers His disciples and says, "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." You must let your light shine before oth-ers. Jesus is calling His disciples to be evangelists. What purpose does salt serve? It gives flavor. Jesus is saying the same to us. Go out and be flavor! Salt permeat-ed the ancient world. The word "salary" developed from the custom of paying sol-diers with salt. Even today if someone does not work hard we say, "They are not worth their salt."

We need to bring flavor to the world. This means we cannot sit by idly but we must be involved. If we are silent at work when a crude joke is told or some-one is slandered we are not being salt. We are being bland. We cannot be bland Christians. Salt gives flavor and at times salt can irritate. Jesus says, "Go out and be salt!" We need good Catholics in all walks of life. We need Catholic lawyers, doc-tors and engineers. We need Catholic teachers in private and public schools. We need Catholics in the construction business. We need Catholic college students. This is how we are salt. This is how we become leaven in the dough. The geography of the Holy Land teaches us an important lesson about salt. The Sea of Galilee in the north of the Israel is rich in minerals. It is a generous sea as it flows freely into the River Jordan. At the headwaters there is abundant life. As the water continues to flow south it becomes more selfish. This culminates in the south reservoir that has no outlet. It receives the River Jordan and keeps all the minerals. It is known as the Dead Sea. It gives up none of the salt. It is a life-less place. The same is true of our spiritual life. If we take the salt of Christ and keep it within we will grow stagnant. If we take in the salt and share it we will be life-giving. Jesus also calls us to be the light of the world. Morally, it is a dark time out there. However, it does no good to be a naysayer. You can sit on the sidelines all you want or you can get into the game. We are commanded by Jesus to set our light on a lamp stand. Are we fulfilling this command? Do we light our words and actions shine forth into a hungry world? Are we salt to spice up the tedium of the world? Let us also keep an eye on Lent which is quickly approaching. Ash Wednes-day is Feb. 26. Let’s begin thinking about our Lenten plans. In what ways we can grow in our call to be salt and light? -Fr. Tim McKeown

As of the end of January

Offering to Date (Fiscal YTD) $ 61,949.30

Budget to Date (Fiscal YTD) $ 56,769.19

NET $5,180.11

All within the Diocese of Savannah are participating in the Called for More program, with a survey beginning Febru-ary 24. Please know the survey we conducted last Spring supports and adds to this survey. Between now and the

weekend of February 24, additional information will be in the bulletin, the website, and the Facebook page. We will be asking everyone to complete the survey which will be available either on-line or in paper format. Of course all information is confidential and results are expected for

early summer. Thank you for your participation.

In preparation for Ms. Sheri coming home, her daughter, Deena is in need of assistance with the building of an 8x8

porch with ramp for Ms. Sheri. If anyone can help or knows of someone, please contact her daughter, Deena at

912-602-0464.

GA Martyr Pilgrimage

A 1.5 mi walking pilgrimage and Mass from Ft King George to Nativity honoring Pedro de Corpa and

Companions, the GA Martyrs. It will start at 3:15pm from Fr. King George to arrive in time for the 5pm

Vigil Mass on Sat., Feb. 22. All are invited to attend. See flyer on bulletin board for more details.

In preparation for Lent & Easter, we would like to do a grounds touch up. The

main cleanup has been done. We need volunteers for Saturday, Feb. 22, at 9 am.

Fr. Chris will be out of town Monday-Friday on retreat. If you need a priest

please contact the church office. Please know of Fr. Chris's prayers for

Nativity while he is on retreat.

For Your Safety: From time to time criminals will take the names of clergy and make up realistic email addresses and ask you for assis-tance, especially in the form of gift cards. This is a scam known as

phishing. Please know that our priests will never email you asking for financial assistance or gift cards. Thank you.