St. Mary Parish Marion, Ohio

FROM THE PASTOR:Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, we begin the season of Advent and with it a new church year. As you know, the readings for Masses on Sundays repeat every three years. We are now taking our Sunday readings from year “C.” On most Sundays, the Gospel reading will be taken from the Gospel according to Saint Luke. Luke highlights the role of women in the life and ministry of Jesus. Of course, it is thanks to Luke that we have the story of the angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she will become the mother of the Son of the Most High (we will hear that story at Mass on December 20). On the last Sunday of Advent, we will hear about Mary going to visit another woman, her kinswoman Elizabeth, awaiting the birth of her son who will prepare the way of the Lord. Even among non-Catholic Christians, there is an awareness that one cannot tell the story of the coming of the Savior without talking about the fact that He was born of a woman. The manger scenes that so many people set up in their homes and churches would look very strange without the Mother of Jesus. This is the only time of the year, then, when statues of the Virgin Mary appear in Protestant Churches.

I’d like to remind everyone that this Saturday, December 8 is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Because that day is the patronal feast day of the United States of America, it is a Holy Day of Obligation even when it falls on a Saturday or Monday. The Mass schedule for this Friday and Saturday will be:

Friday, December 78:30 a.m. – (not an anticipated Mass for the Holy Day) – Eucharistic Adoration will take place beginning at 4:00 p.m. as usual, but will conclude with Benediction at 6:00 p.m., followed by 6:30 p.m. (Vigil Mass for the Holy Day).

Saturday, December 811:00 a.m. – (Holy Day Mass)5:00 p.m. – Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of Advent

Sincerely Yours, in Christ, Fr. Thomas Buffer

PARISH STAFFPastor Fr. Thomas Buffer 740-382-2118

Parochial Vicar Fr. Ryan Schmit 740-382-2118

Deacon Dwight Larcomb (Ret.) 808-651-2779

Business Manager Mike Nicolosi 740-382-2118

Religious Education Glenna Celestino 740-382-2262

Director of Music Betsy Iacobucci 740-387-4971

St. Mary School Jack Mental, Principal 740-382-1607

Youth Ministry Mark Starrs 740-223-8656

Latino Ministry Evelyn Lisiecki 860-997-0627

Missionary Servants of the Word/ Misioneros Servidores de la Palabra MisionOhioMSP@gmail.com 740-751-7748

Parish Secretary Dolores Zentkovich 740-382-2118

Financial Secretary Vicki Moser 740-382-2118

Pastoral Council President Gilberto Aguirre

St. Vincent de Paul 740-386-6422

PARISH OFFICEParish Office 740-382-2118 Hours: Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Fax 740-382-2110

Email Address stmaryinfo@marionstmary.org

Website www.marionstmary.org

Bulletin Deadline Monday, 12:00 noon

HOSPITALITY SUNDAY – December 2 You are invited to join your fellow parishioners for coffee,

donuts and conversation in Moira Hall after the 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Masses

ATTENTION, LITURGICAL MINISTERS:Liturgical Minister Schedules

for JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 2019.IMPORTANT – PLEASE NOTE: If you know you will be out of town, if you want to change your Mass time preference, or if you no longer wish to continue serving in your ministry, please let us

know by contacting Dolores at the Parish Office at 740-382-2118 or e-mail dolores@marionstmary.org on or before DECEMBER 18th. Thank you!

SUPPORT THE RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUSA donor writes, “Your flyer touched my heart – seeing the retired religious, such memories surfaced.” Do you remember the sisters, brothers, or religious order priests who made a positive difference in your life? Today, many are elderly and need assistance. Their religious communities struggle to meet retirement needs while continuing to serve the people of God. Please give to next week’s collection in support of the Retirement Fund for Religious. Thank you.

First Sunday of Advent December 2, 2018

PARISH MEMBERSHIP

New Members Welcome. Please contact St. Mary Parish Office. Present members, please keep our Office informed of change in name, address and family members.

REMINDER FOR VISITATION OF THE SICK

Please remember that due to privacy laws, hospitals no longer notify us when one of our parishioners has been admitted. Please notify the Parish Office if you or a loved one is ill or in the hospital by calling 740-382-2118. Thank you.

For a prayer request for the Prayer Line, please call Ellen Distel at 740-389-

4551 or Dolores at the Parish Office at 740-382-2118 or email

dolores@marionstmary.org.

The Nursery is available at the 11:00 a.m. Mass each Sunday. Looking for a rewarding way to acquire service

hours for Confirmation? Think about helping in the Nursery.

Please call Angie at 419-834-5783 if you would like to help out.

Del Párroco:Hoy comenzamos el tiempo de Adviento y en este día empieza un nuevo año de la iglesia. Como ya sabe, las lecturas para las Misas de los Domingos se repiten cada tres años. Ahora tomaremos las lecturas dominicales del año “C”. La mayoría de los Domingos, el Evangelio se tomará del Evangelio según San Lucas. Lucas enfoca el rol de la mujer en la vida y el ministerio de Jesús. Por supuesto, es gracias a Lucas que tenemos la historia del ángel Gabriel anunciándose a la Virgen Maria, la cual se convertirá la madre del Hijo del Altísimo (escucharemos esta historia en la Misa el 20 de Diciembre). El último Domingo de Adviento, escucharnos cuando Maria va a visitar a otra mujer, su pariente Elizabeth ñ, esperando el nacimiento de su hijo quien preparará el camino hacia el Señor. Hasta entre los Cristianos no Católicos, se reconoce que no se puede decir la historia de la llegada del Salvador sin hablar sobre el hecho El nació de una mujer. La escena del pesebre que mucha gente arma en sus casas y en las Iglesias se vería muy extraña sin la Madre de Jesús. Este es el único tiempo del año, cuando las estatuas de la Virgen María aparece en las iglesias Protestantes.

Me gustaría hacerles recordar que este Sábado, 8 de Diciembre es la Solemnidad de la Inmaculada Concepción de la Sagrada Virgen María. Ya que este día es la fiesta patronal de los Estados Unidos de America, es un día sagrado de obligación, aunque caiga en Sábado o Lunes. El calendario de Misas para este Viernes y Sabado serán:

Viernes, 7 de Diciembre 8:30am (no es una Misa anticipada por el día sagrado) Adoración Eucarística empezará a las 4:00pm como siempre pero terminará con Bendición a las 6:00pm, seguido por la Misa de Vigilia a las 6:30pm (para este día sagrado).

Sábado, 8 de Diciembre 11:00am (Misa del dia sagrado) 5:00pm Misa de Vigilia por el Segundo Domingo de Adviento.El próximo Domingo será parte de la celebración de la Virgen de Guadalupe, encontrará más información de este hermoso evento dentro de este boletín.

Su hermano en Cristo, Padre Thomas Buffer

CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE 2018St. Mary parishioners will have the opportunity to provide a Christmas gift to a needy nursing home or hospice resident this year through the Christmas Giving Tree project. Trees will be in the church this weekend, December 1st and 2nd. There will also be tags on the

trees for people who would like to bake cookies for the nursing homes. Please return all wrapped gifts and cookies to the

church on the weekend of December 15/16, so they can be delivered that Sunday afternoon. Please do not bring your gifts early. Thank you for your help.

FLOWERS FOR CHRISTMASThose who wish to help with the Christmas flowers for church may do so by making a donation in loving memory of a deceased family member, dear friend, or any special intention.

To donate, please use the special “FLOWER OFFERING” envelope that is available at the doors (or any envelope marked “Christmas Flowers,” and your name and the intention to be remembered) and drop in the collection basket on Sunday or mail to the Parish Office. Thank you.

Deadline for publication in the Bulletin for Christmas is Tuesday, December 11th. Thank you.

St. Mary Parish Marion, Ohio

St. Mary School NewsWednesday, December 5:

8:30 a.m. MassFor more information about enrollment, please call the school at 740-382-1607.

Sundays at 9:15 a.m.Preschool through 7th Grade

at St. Mary Grade School2018 Classes:

December 2, 9, 16 and Christmas

Glenna Celestino CL (740-382-2262)

2018-2019 CONFIRMATION9:15-10:45 a.m., in the Commons

Class Schedule: December 2, 9 and 16

Prior participation in religion classes at St. Mary School or Parish School of Religion (PSR) is required

to enroll in Confirmation Class. Each student’s Religious Education

must have included 7th Grade catechesis.

Mary Dutton (duttonmatter@aol.com

or 740-361-0121); Lucas Bledsoe (740-244-7401);

or Glenna Celestino (glenna@marionstmary.org

or 740-382-2262)

MONDAY – December 3 – St. Francis Xavier, Priest Is 2:1-5; Mt 8:5-11

TUESDAY – December 4 Is 11:1-10; Lk 10:21-24 5:00-6:00 p.m. Holy Hour with Eucharistic Exposition/ Benediction and Confessions 6:30 p.m. Mass Intention: †Irene Filiaggi

WEDNESDAY – December 5 Is 25:6-10a; Mt 15:29-37 8:30 a.m. Mass Intention: †Paul Hoffman 7:00 p.m. RCIA (Commons) 7:30 p.m. Choir

THURSDAY – December 6 – Saint Nicholas, Bishop Is 26:1-6; Mt 7:21, 24-27 8:30 a.m. Mass Intention: Living and Deceased of Anthony J. Maniaci Families

FRIDAY – December 7 – First Friday Saint Ambrose, Bishop & Doctor of the Church Is 29:17-24; Mt 9:27-31 8:30 a.m. Mass Intention: †Robert M. Boltz and Deceased of Family

First Friday Devotions: 4:00 p.m. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 5:00 p.m. Recitation of Vespers from the Liturgy of the Hours 6:00 p.m. Benediction (Please note: The Rosary will not be prayed today, due to the Vigil Mass for the Holy Day.) 6:30 p.m. (Vigil Mass for Holy Day) – Mass Intention: St. Mary Parishioners

SATURDAY – December 8 The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Patronal Feast Day of the United States of America (Holy Day of Obligation) Gn 3:9-15, 20; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38 7:15-9:00 a.m. Men’s Group: Eucharist (meet in Commons) 9:00 a.m. Rosary 11:00 a.m. (Mass for Holy Day) Mass Intention: †Dean Cusick 4:00-4:30 p.m. Confessions 5:00 p.m. Mass Intention: †Margaret “Peggy” Carp

SUNDAY – December 9– Second Sunday of Advent Bar 5:1-9; Phil 1:4-6, 8-11; Lk 3:1-6 8:00 a.m. Mass Intention: St. Mary Parishioners 9:15 a.m. PSR Classes for Preschool-Grade 7 and Confirmation (Grade 8) 11:00 a.m. Mass Intention: †Helen L. Moloney 1:00 p.m. Spanish Mass Intention: †Bert Caserta

THIS WEEK IN ST. MARY PARISH DECEMBER 3-9, 2018

MASS INTENTIONS • DAILY READINGS • EVENTS

First Sunday of Advent December 2, 2018

LITURGICAL MINISTERS – WEEKENDS OF DECEMBER 1/2 AND DECEMBER 8/9

THIS WEEKEND SERVERS LECTORS

5:00 p.m. Nicholas Swartz, Carson DeWitt, Volunteer Needed (I) Anthony Swartz(II) Becky Swartz

8:00 a.m. Nate Slemmons, Sway Sontag, David Tuerck (I) Jeannene James(II) Sharon Baldinger

11:00 a.m. Lindsey Anderson, Michael McLernon, Summer McLernon (I) Kevin Anderson(II) Fred Fosco

1:00 p.m. Andres Alejandre, Jennifer Villalobos, Natalia Salinas (I) Grecia Catalan(II) Gilberto Aguirre

NEXT WEEKEND SERVERS LECTORS

5:00 p.m. Volunteers Needed (I) Joan Shoup(II) Pat Stevens

8:00 a.m. Sam Baer, Ben Wood, Sean Murphy (I) Peter Schuler(II) Suzanne Schuler

11:00 a.m. Michael McLernon, Summer McLernon, Bryce Rollins (I) Dean Jacob(II) Dora Jean Mendoza

1:00 p.m. Ricardo Martinez, Maria Martinez, Miguel Martinez (I) Maximilian Aguirre(II) Alma Mendez

PLEASE NOTE: Liturgical Minister Schedules are posted online at http://www.marionstmary.org/Bulletin & Liturgical Assignments. Paper copies are available in the main vestibule and are also posted on church bulletin boards. If you are unable to keep your assignment, please find a substitute. Thank you.

DECEMBER

2 – Life Teen – 6:00 p.m.9 – Life Teen – 6:00 p.m.16 – Life Teen – 6:00 p.m.

23 – No Life Teen26 – Candlelight Rosary and Hot Chocolate –

At the life-size Nativity in front of the Knights of Columbus – 7:00 p.m.

30 – No Life Teen

Life Teen normally meets three Sundays a month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.,

in the Commons. All high school teens and friends are invited!

Dinner served each meeting.

Questions? Call or text Youth Minister Mark at 740-223-8656.

Healing Blanket Ministry: Healing Blanket Ministry continues its mission to sew blankets. Would you like to join us in this ministry? We will supply the material for you to sew. We ask those who give a blanket to a loved one, to please sign the blue binder with your name and the name of the person receiving it. We need more people to sew the blankets. Please contact Elaine Kelly at 740-389-1018.

SANCTUARY CANDLE will burn this week in loving memory of

Margaret “Peggy” Carp by the Carp Family.

COMMUNION HOSTS for this week are in memory of Dean Cusick by Timothy Wells.

SACRAMENTAL WINE provided by

the Knights of Columbus.

St. Mary Parish Marion, Ohio

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

In order to understand and better appreciate this special sacrament, parents must attend a Pre-Baptismal Class. St. Mary offers this instruction four times a year on the second Sunday of the month from 2:00-4:30 p.m. in the Commons. Preregistration for the class is required.

THE NEXT CLASS: January 13, 2019,

2:00-4:30 p.m. in the Commons.

Please call the Office of Religious Education at 740-382-2262, to register or if you have any questions. Families may schedule Baptisms by calling the Rectory at 740-382-2118.

EL SACRAMENTO DE BAUTISMO

El bautizo es el inicio de nuestra Vida Católica y es el sacramento más importante que recibimos. Si es que su niño es menor de 7 años, y desea bautizarlo, los padres y padrinos deben atender a una clase Pre-Bautismal. Nuestra Iglesia Santa María ofrece estas clases 4 veces al año.

Para más información o si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llamar a la Sra Evelyn (860)997-0627.

Las próximas clases serán el Las próximas clases serán el Domingo, 20 de Enero, 2019 a las 2:30 p.m. en la Casa Blanca (The Commons).

FIRST FRIDAY EUCHARISTIC EXPOSITION Friday, December 7, 2018, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Schedule: 4:00 p.m. – Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 5:00 p.m. – Recitation of Vespers from the Liturgy of the Hours 6:00 p.m. – Benediction

(Please note: The Rosary will not be prayed due to Vigil Mass for the Holy Day beginning at 6:30 p.m.)

THE ANNUAL SENIOR DINNER sponsored by the Knights of Columbus will be held on Sunday, December 9th. Dinner will include salad, Chicken Cordon Bleu, rice pilaf, green beans and ice cream. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and serving will begin at 6:00 p.m. Reservations for this event are required. Please call 740- 382-3671.

CHILDREN’S ROSARY GROUPWhen: Thursday, December 6thTime: 5:00-7:00 p.m.Where: Meet in Moira Hall, (The basement of our Church,

then process into the Church.)Who: All children accompanied

by a parent.What to bring: A Rosary to pray for peace.**Snacks will be provided.**

If you have any questions, please contact Gilberto Aguirre (740-361-0639) or Evelyn Lisiecki (860-997-0627)

“OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE”“NUESTRA SEÑORA DE GUADALUPE”

YOU ARE INVITED TO CELEBRATE, EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!!TE INVITAMOS A LA CELEBRACION, TODOS ESTAN INVITADOS!!!

Sunday, December 9, 2018 Domingo, 9 de Diciembre, 201811:00 a.m. – Every welcome 11:00am Todos invitados a la Processión for a procession. (Begins from Crescent Heights Road (empieza de Crescent Heights Rd to St. Mary Church.) Transportation hasta la Iglesia Santa María) provided from Church Habra movilidad to Crescent Heights Road de la Iglesia a Crescent Heights Rd.12:30 p.m. – Traditional Dance 12:30pm Danza Tradicional in Moira Hall. en el sótano de la Iglesia Santa María1:00 p.m. – Mass to Honor Our 1:00pm Misa en honor a Nuestra Lady of Guadalupe Virgen de Guadalupe2:30 p.m. – Dinner after Mass 2:30pm Cena después de la Misa, with Mariachis. convivencia con mariachis.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018 Miercoles, 12 de Diciembre, 20185:30 a.m. – Serenade and Rosary – 5:30 a.m. Mañanitas y Rosario Welcome to coffee and donuts. Convivencia con atole, café y pan dulce.7:00 p.m. – Spanish Mass in honor 7:00pm Misa en Español en Honor a to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.8:30 p.m. – Play of the Virgin 8:30pm Representacion de las Apariciones Appearances in Moira Hall e Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en el sotano.

First Sunday of Advent December 2, 2018

MASS INTENTIONS

We are now scheduling Mass Intentions for 2019.Masses may be scheduled for deceased relatives and friends

or for a special intention (i.e., health, anniversary)Intentions for Mass are noted in the Sunday Bulletin.

The normal stipend is $10.00.

You can also schedule the Sanctuary Candle ($10.00) to burn in memory of loved ones or for special intentions/occasions.

Communion Hosts ($25.00) for the week can be offered, as well.

Please contact Dolores at the Parish Office at 740-382-2118 or by e-mail at dolores@marionstmary.org

to schedule.

Thank you.

ADOPT A TREEPlant a tree in memory or honor – a fitting tribute for present and future generations. We have 10 beautiful Princeton Sentry Ginkgo trees for $500.00 per tree with an engraved plaque at the base of the tree in memory or honor of. Please call Mike Nicolosi at 740-382-2118 for more information.

YOUR SPOUSE WILL THANK YOU!Give thanks and plan now to attend a

Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend!

The next weekend is February 15-17, 2019 in Central Ohio.

Marriage Encounter is where married couples can get away from jobs, kids, chores, and phones

and focus on each other.

For more information or to apply, contact Paul and Marilou Clouse at 614-834-6880, or visit our website at www.wwmecolumbus.org.

JUST A QUICK REMINDER

We greatly appreciate the many parishioners who have pledged their support for the St. Mary Beautification Project with a monthly donation. Because we are not mailing out monthly statements, it is easy to forget to send in your payments. If you cannot remember the amount of your monthly pledge, please call the Parish Office at 740-382-2118. Thank you.Please Note: When making payment on your pledge to the “St. Mary Church Beautification Project,” please place in separate envelope and note on it “Beautification Project” to ensure it is properly allocated. You can either mail your payment to the Parish Office (251 N. Main Street), or place it in the Sunday Collection.Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Vicki Moser, Financial Secretary