december 20 4 sunday of advent, year b
TRANSCRIPT
December 20th, 2020
4thSunday of Advent, Year B
PARISH CONTACT INFORMATION Parish Office 616-455-9310 Website Address 1253 52nd St. SE www.stmmagdalen.org Kentwood, MI 49508 Facebook Fax 616-455-4139 St. Mary Magdalen Parish Email address [email protected]
Parish Office 616-455-9310
Pastor Fr. Peter Vu, ext. 100 [email protected]
Parish Secretary Laura Moore, ext. 107 [email protected]
Administrative Assistant Michelle Mason, ext. 112 [email protected]
Coordinator of Faith Formation Molly Wisdom, ext. 103 [email protected]
Coordinator of Youth & Young Adults Allison Hawkins, ext. 104 [email protected]
Business Manager Joseph Hakeem, ext. 102 [email protected]
Director of Music Emily Rushmore, ext. 105 [email protected]
Coordinator of Christian Services/Volunteers Ruth Bush, ext. 106 [email protected]
Ministry of the Elderly, Homebound, & Grieving Sr. Agnes Mai Do, ext 117 [email protected]
Kyle Friar Dorothy Terpak Barbara Kuhn Mary Schauer Oliver David Jean Judy Gorkowski & Family Jeremiah Herrmann Diane Asplund Camden Keeley Roberta Hagen Rob Dordan Max Witgen Orcelle LaLonde-Fordham Paul Toohey Matt & Melanie Potter Therese Partridge Alice Petrlich Edward Kaminski Robert Church Kathy Fraher Dorothy Nelsen Norma Reese Pam McDaniel Robert Bowman Trudy Swing Barbara Nawrocki Sue Reynolds Tim & Deb Pelletier Michelle Rhoades Tayman & Bryson Sowers Tom Gabourie Gloria Kenzie Henry Hartwell & Family Marie Reynolds Ed Jacobs John Kehoe Ray Kulczyk Jack Harrington Karen Waldron Sally & Andrew Downey Barb Mareski Colleen Lehman Carrie Diegel Todd Scott Kathy Banks Michael Wittkowski Mark & Jean Kastenholz Betty Schlickman Sharon Beintema Bob Schmidt
Support Services
Tim Olexa Maintenance Phil Martin Maintenance Mike Wood Deacon Thomas Roos Pastoral Council Patricia Snyder Financial Council
December 20th, 2020 4th Sunday of Advent, Year B
Josh Lemke, Alex Beauchamp, Thomas Church, Egan Simmons, Lindsey Garrett, Paul Beauchamp, John Beauchamp, Steve Jacobs,
Sean Branagan, Scott Stockreef, Jon Fraher, Daniel Yonker, Carl Simmons,
Louis Carlson II, Cpt. Andrea Shefferly
MASSES & SACRAMENT SCHEDULE Mass Saturday 5:00 pm Sunday 9:00 am, 11:00 am, & 5:00 pm Mon, Wed - Fri 8:00 am Adoration 1st Friday of the month Postponed until further notice Reconciliation Saturday 3:30-4:45 pm Or by appointment if necessary Baptism 1st Sunday of the month 12:00 pm Call Parish Office, prep necessary Wedding 6 months preparation necessary. Call Parish Office Anointing 1st Saturday of the month 6:00pm Funeral Call Parish Office
Saturday, December 19, 2020 5:00pm †Frances Rinehart by her family †Paul & Mary Nguyen by To Tam Nguyen Sunday, December 20, 2020 The 4th Sunday of Advent 9:00am †Victoria Jeon by Paul & Clara Jeon †Kenneth W. Noelsch, Jr. by Paul & Clara Jeon †Estelle & Frank Fabian by Arlene Chatlosh †Ted Cipponeri by Freda Cipponeri 11:00am †Sharon Babcock by St Mary Magdalen Parish Give Thanks to God by Marie Uwanahoro Pray for the sick by Marie Uwanahoro 5:00pm Family Simic by Anita Simic Monday, December 21, 2020 8:00am †Terry Harvey by Luu Harvey Wednesday, December 23, 2020 8:00am †Elizabeth Hensell by Jack Hensell Jonckheere family by Rose Jonckheere Thursday, December 24, 2020 Christmas Eve 4:00pm Parishioners of St Mary Magdalen 10:00pm †Ted Cipponeri by Freda Cipponeri Family Simic by Anita Simic Friday, December 25, 2020 The Nativity of the Lord 9:00am †Terry Harvey by Luu Harvey †Joseph P. Russo by Catherine Hamilton & family 11:00am Volunteers & Benefactors of St Mary Magdalen Parish Saturday, December 26, 2020 5:00pm †Mary Tinh & Vien by Hoa & Muoi Nguyen Sunday, December 27, 2020 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 9:00am †Victoria Jeon by Paul & Clara Jeon †Kenneth W. Noelsch,Jr. by Paul & Clara Jeon 11:00am †Joseph P. Russo by St Mary Magdalen Parish
Readings for the Week of December 20, 2020 Sunday Fourth Sunday of Advent 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27,29; Rom 16:25-27; Lk 1:26-38 Monday Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor of the Church Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Lk 1:39-45 Tuesday 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Wednesday Saint John of Kanty, Priest Mal 3:1-4, 23-24; Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 & 14;Lk 1:57-66 Thursday Vigil: Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 Friday Feast of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Day: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 or Jn 1:1-5, 9-14 Saturday Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr Acts 6:8-10, Acts 7:54-59; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 & 8ab, 16bc and 17; Mt 10:17-22 Sunday Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 or Gn 15:1-6, 21:1-3; Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or Ps 105:1-2, 3-6, 8-9; Col 3:12-21 or Col 3:12-17 or Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19; Lk 2:22-40
ST. MARY MAGDALEN PARISH 1253 52ND ST SE, KENTWOOD, MICHIGAN
Lectors/Cantors for the Weekend of December 26th & 27th
Allison Hawkins, Cantor
Music for Mass December 26
th & 27
th
Entrance Angels We Have Heard On
High
Offertory Good Christian Friends, Rejoice
Communion O Come, All Ye Faithful
Recessional Joy to the World
BISHOP DAVID J. WALKOWIAK ASKS US TO
PRAY FOR OUR SEMINARIANS
Lord Jesus Christ, our King, may the witness of the saints prompt us to heed your call to holiness. Support and direct the efforts of those you invite to serve as priests, deacons, brothers, sisters, consecrated seculars, and lay ministers. May your kingdom come. Amen.
Pray for:
David J. Sacha
University of St. Mary of the Lake
Mundelein Seminary
1000 East Maple Ave.
Mundelein, IL 60060
Midnight Mass and concert to be broadcast from the cathedral on FOX 17 and online
The Prelude of Carols with Brass, Strings and Choirs on Christmas Eve (prerecorded), followed by Midnight Mass (live) will be broadcast from the Cathedral of Saint Andrew on FOX 17 (check your local listings) and on the diocesan website, grdiocese.org, and Facebook page (Diocese of Grand Rapids). The concert begins at 11 p.m. and Mass begins at Midnight.
There will be a replay of Midnight Mass on FOX 17 beginning at 7 a.m. Christmas morning. The live broadcast of Mass from the cathedral is a ministry provided by
our diocese for 65 years.
Hello Everyone, All the candles on the Advent Wreath are not lit! We have just a few days until we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, but it seems farther away than that. Maybe because many of the things we normally do that keep me busy at this time have been postponed, yet I still feel busy. Somehow the time has been filled with other things. But isn’t that the way it goes? The things that keep us busy may change but often the pace remains the same. I feel as if maybe I have missed the chance to celebrate the Advent season in a unique way this year, quietly. We were told the first week of Advent to be, “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.”. But I find myself in the final week of preparation and I wonder how watchful I have been, how alert I have been. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to reset the clock and spend more time doing what I had intended. So do I try to pack more into this next week, as seems to be my norm lately? The answer is yes! You see my Advent rarely unfolds as I plan but they always finish strong. So this week as we watch the four candles burn in anticipation of the celebration of Jesus’ entrance into the world, I will focus on remember why we are here, to prepare. To prepare ourselves, not just our homes; to welcome Jesus, not just our holiday guests; to wrap ourselves in God’s love as we wrap our presents; and as we open those presents, remember the greatest gift we have been given and the price he paid for our sake. Blessings, Molly Wisdom
Children’s Christmas Program This year we are planning something a little different for our 4 pm. Children’s Mass on Christmas Eve. We will be offering inspiring Christmas stories for children of all ages along with beautiful music provided by the music ministry. Please join us as we begin presenting the stories and music at 3:30 pm.
I am looking forward to this new experience, but also cannot wait until we can present the Nativity Story Pageant again next year!
Faith Formation Information In-person classes are suspended until January. Stay tuned for updates.
ST. MARY MAGDALEN PARISH 1253 52ND ST SE, KENTWOOD, MICHIGAN
Youth Ministries Faith Formation
Hello everyone! Christmas is coming, and in our eagerness to prepare for the day itself, as unconventional as it may be this year, I think that we can lose sight of the beauty that comes in the final week of Advent. This week, for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the “Angel’s Candle,” recalling the virtue of love and awaiting peace on Earth, which the angels heralded upon the birth of Christ. Where do we find our peace? I think we have been called to focus on and try to find the answer to this question. The time away from and the upheaval of jobs, regular day-to-day activities, and loved ones have forced many of us to reckon with this question in a way that we haven’t had to previously. Where do we find our peace when everything around us is in a state of upheaval? I know that I tried a lot of different things to try and find peace this year, as did many of my friends and family members. Everyone is different, and so everyone found success in different practices. However, one common thread that I found was that those who seemed to find the most peace in their lives this year were those who put their relationship with God at the forefront of their lives. Some made the rosary a daily practice. Others made it a point to read scripture more often or recommitted to their prayer life. Even those who were not practicing or not religious at all found peace in ways that I think are connected to a relationship with God whether they recognized it or not: through acts of creation or practicing gratitude, for example. For me, it’s Adoration. This was never a standard practice for me until this year, but now that I’ve made it a regular part of my faith life I’m left wondering how I went so long without it. Even on days that I think I’m perfectly relaxed and untroubled, walking into Adoration inevitably shows me just how much tension I hold in my body and just how many things I’m worried about in the back of my mind. Being able to be in the same space as our Savior, to be able to feel His presence and know that He is there, to sit in silence and in prayer, to spend time with Him, talk to Him, and build a relationship with Him...I think this is such an unsung gift that we’ve been given as Catholics. “And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’” This is Luke 2:13-14, and as we light the Angel’s Candle I think keeping these verses in mind can reorient our attention to Christ as the Prince of Peace, the one in whom we can find our peace in a world that is anything but peaceful. I feel Christ’s peace when I’m in His presence in Adoration. This week, I pray that everyone, in their own faith practice, can find that same beautiful, absolute serenity. Peace, Allison
Youth Ministry Upcoming Events High School Seniors: stay tuned for information concerning the
Breitenstein Scholarship for this year. Information and application instructions will be coming your way shortly. Thanks
for your patience!
If you’re part of the choir, please meet in church at 8:30pm to rehearse before Christmas Eve Mass and carols. It’s been a tough year for us all. I see this coming Christmas as a balm for our frazzled nerves and worried minds. I am looking forward singing old and familiar carols this year to celebrate our Lord’s birth and the peace it brings. Please join us for the following caroling before Mass this year: Christmas Eve Mass at 4pm, with storytelling and carols starting at 3:30pm. Christmas Eve Mass at 10pm with caroling beginning at 9:30pm. This last week of Advent we look at the history behind one more Advent Hymn: Come, O Long Expected Jesus was written in 1744 by the prolific English hymn-writer Charles Wesley. It is reported that Wesley’s contemplation of the suffering of the orphans and the poor around him and a verse from the book of Haggai, “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Haggai 2:7) inspired him to compose a prayer which he eventually turned into a hymn. Wesley was able to pack the urgency, the longing, and double meaning of the Advent season into 16 compact lines. We began our season of Advent with this text and I chose to close the season with this text as well. The original text is below: 1. Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
2. Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring. By thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.
Emily
Christian Services
December 20th, 2020 4th Sunday of Advent, Year B
I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who helped with this year’s Giving Tree. We had to go virtual and YOU did a great job. All of the needs for SMM Families were fulfilled. YOU ARE AWESOME!!
+++ We are hearing the different Christmas songs at this time of year, but do you know the meaning behind them? The 12 Days of Christmas was written by Catholics in England as a catechism song to teach their children about the Christian faith. The song’s “gift” helps you remember the teachings of the faith. “True Love” refers to God and “Me” refers to every Christian. The symbols mean the following”
1 Partridge in a Pear Tree = Jesus Christ 2 Turtle Doves = the Old & New Testaments 3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity or the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Trinity 4 Calling Birds = The Four Gospels 5 Golden Rings = first Five Books of the Old Testament 6 Geese A Laying = The Six days of creation 7 Swans a Swimming = The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit ( 1 Corinthians 12:8-10) 8 Maids a Milking = The eight Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 3-10) 9 Ladies Dancing = The Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) 10 Lords a Leaping = The Ten commandments (Exodus 20) 11 Pipers Piping = Eleven Apostles, not Judas 12 Drummers Drumming = The Twelve Point of Doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed.
+++ We will be decorating for Christmas on Monday, December 21st at 6:00 p.m. We have a lot to do, so many hands will make light work.
+++ Although we are unable to predict the repercussions of COVID-19, we are determined to offer Soup’s On For All! to our community members who are called to help fight hunger. This year’s event will be celebrated in the home’s of ticket holders from Monday, January 25 to Friday, January 29, 2021. Ticket holders may choose their hand painted soup bowls and pick up their soup packages from God’s Kitchen, or opt for delivery. An online silent auction will also be introduced this year to raise funds for our neighbors in need of extra support! One event ticket includes: – 3 gourmet soups made by our God’s Kitchen chefs – Artisan bread from Panera – Delicious dessert from Panera – Local restaurant soup punch card – Hand painted soup bowl, available for pick up or delivery You can redeem your soup package and hand painted bowl between January 25-29, from 3-6pm. Catholic Charities West Michigan’s food programs are dedicated to addressing the topic of feeding the hungry. For event questions, please contact Karol Maurer at [email protected] or 616.356.6207. To learn more about donating silent auction items, please contact [email protected].
ST. MARY MAGDALEN PARISH 1253 52ND ST SE, KENTWOOD, MICHIGAN
Homebound Ministry
Hello everyone,
Since the feast day of The Immaculate Conception of Mary, I have been gazing at God’s masterpiece - the Blessed Virgin Mary. For the last two weekends, the echo of Saint John the Baptist: “Prepare the way of the Lord” has awaked me from the wilderness of my spiritual life. John's call to conversion is urgent and challenging as the first steps towards building a worthy dwelling for Jesus. Then the Gospel of the last Sunday of Advent highlighted a particular model– the Blessed Mary- who prepared and welcomed Jesus into the world and to her life with humility and openness to God’s plan. Virgin Mary has waited for Jesus in the humility of a beloved woman of God. The greeting of the angel Gabriel: “Hail, Mary, full of grace” doesn't fit anyone but Mary who is filled with love and grace from the first moment of conception. God created her wonderfully with the grace of the Immaculate Conception. She cooperates with God’s grace to keep her soul totally pure from all sins and temptations. Her soul, indeed, is the warmest and most worthy house for the Son of God. Mary is not proud but keeps in mind that she is “the handmaid of the Lord”.
Her heart is willingly opened to God’s will. God sent the angel to Mary on an unexpected day and with an incomprehensible message. The docile daughter asked “How can this be?” (Lk 1:34) to seek understanding God’s mission and the way to follow. From thence, Mary humbly and gratefully responded “Fiat” to the great mission of bearing the Savior for the world. May our Mother teach us to trust in God and realize that Jesus is coming to us in all moments and events of life. Like Mary, may our souls be a loving place for Jesus this Christmas. During the rest of Advent, let us come to our loving Mother, that she may share her experience of trust in God, of the joy of bearing Jesus and of the gratitude of having the Immanuel – God is with us - and with her “giving birth to Jesus” and to the world. Christmas is around the corner. The joy of Christmas can overwhelm us. Wishing you and your family a Blessed and Joyous Christmas. May the presence of our Savior dispel all the darkness of sadness and despair. May the Light of Baby Jesus fill us with Peace, Hope and Love. Christmas Blessings, Sr. Mai Do
Please remember Christmas Flower donations are due to
the office by December 23rd.
New Years Eve Dinner to Go! The Knights of Columbus Banquet Center is offering
Dinner for Two to Go, this includes: Prime Rib, red skin potatoes, vegetable medley,
garden salad, dinner rolls, and cheesecake for dessert. All for $50.00
If you are interested, please contact the Knights by calling 616-531-9070, visit their website
kcbanquetcenter.com, or text 616-885-2502 Help us get through this devastating year for our
industry. Orders due by 12/27
Mass Times for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day December 24th 3:30pm Christmas Caroling 4:00pm Children’s Mass 9:30pm Christmas Caroling 10:00pm Vigil Mass December 25th 9:00am Mass 11:00am Mass No 5pm Mass
Fourth Sunday of Advent
9:00am Mass
10:00am RCIA Class
11:00am Mass
5:00pm Mass
8:00am Mass
6:00pm Church Decorating
8:00am Mass
3:30pm Confession
5:00pm Mass
The Nativity of the Lord
9:00am Mass
11:00am Mass
Sunday, 20th Monday, 21st Tuesday, 22nd Wednesday, 23rd Thursday, 24th Friday, 25th Saturday, 26th
Christmas Eve
3:30pm Caroling
4:00pm Mass
9:30pm Caroling
10:00pm Mass
Financial News
December 20th, 2020 4th Sunday of Advent, Year B