Historic St. James at Sag Bridge Church 10600 S. Archer Avenue | Lemont, Illinois 60439-9344 | (Ph) 630.257.7000 | (Fx) 630.257.7912

Email: stjames1833@att.net | Website: www.historicstjames.org Facebook: https://Facebook.com/Saint James At Sag Bridge

Altar & Rosary Society PARISH CHRISTMAS DINNER, Sunday, December 16th

The ALTAR & ROSARY SOCIETY is hosting our annual Christmas Dinner on Sunday, December 16th. To register please fill out the bottom-half of the enclosed flyer or call Mary Bartik at 708.839.8834. We are in need of “Holiday Gift Baskets” for our Christ-mas Dinner. Please drop-off at the rectory. All donations are greatly appreciated!

Pres: Barbara (708.257.9129) V.P: Irene (773.366.2185) Sec: Judi (630.243.9414) Treas: Linda (630.257.8252)

December 9, 2018

Second Sunday in Mass Schedule WEEKENDS: Saturdays: 5:00pm Sundays: 8:30, 10:00 & 11:30am HOLY DAYS: 7:00am & 7:00pm WEEKDAYS: Mon, Tue, Thu 8:15am & Fri 6:00pm WEDNESDAY: Adoration at 5:00pm & Mass 7:00pm CONFESSION SCHEDULE: Wednesdays 6:00-7:00pm & Saturdays 9:30-10:15am otherwise by appointment. BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS & FUNERALS: Contact the rectory office. SICK & HOMEBOUND PASTORAL CARE: Please notify rectory. RECTORY OFFICE HOURS: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu & Fri: 9:30am to 1:00pm.

CLERGY: Fr. Tom Koys, M.A.,S.T.L., Pastor, Fr. Edward Gleeson, Pastor Emeritus Fr. Robert Coleman, Resident Deacon John Wilkinson, C.K.M. Deacon Doug Szarzynski

Page Two December 9, 2018

FROM THE DESK OF, FR. THOMAS KOYS, M.A.,S.T.L., PASTOR

Fascinating, interesting, amazing. This is what I’ll call a document that stands out as the most important reason why it is important to rescue the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe in our times. You may ask, “Why rescue?” Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe needs rescuing because it has been “high-jacked”. Don’t get me wrong, there is beauty in almost every aspect of the story, the songs and the traditions asso-ciated with OLG, but as with so many things, there is a problem that rides along with it, sort of like those nasty spurs I get every time I take walk through the forest preserves. Let’s call the problem: “insufficient nationalism”.

In order to appreciate the importance of this “rescue” we might consider two contemporary manifestations of “nationalism”. First, there is the na-tional pride that Mexicans have as they sing and pray to Our Lady. Such love of the Blessed Mother combined with a love of Mexico has served the nation of Mexico well for many years. That faith in Mary has helped save Mexico from almost complete atheism as the document below illustrates. Then there is the na-tional pride many Americans feel when President Trump declares “America first”. Now of course na-tional pride in the hearts of Mexicans in Mexico is a good thing, just as national pride in the hearts of Americans in America (I use the term “America” in the ordinary meaning of the United States of Ameri-ca) is a good thing. Or at least these prides should be seen as good. However, we face a very unique prob-lem here in America these days. When there are two national prides in competition with one another, we create what Jesus alluded to when he said, “You can-not serve two masters.” Jesus pointed us to God and it is to God that we must look to still. One reason I do not fear the President’s moto “America first” is the same reason I do not fear true devotion to OLG. Both Trump and true devotion to Our Lady consistently partner national pride with a devotion to God. So, the Trump form of nationalism is NOT insufficient na-tionalism, since he points to God and true devotion to Mary points to a respect for the laws of the nation

(unless those laws directly contradict a law of God). We need a nationalism that points to God and we need a God who points us to love our nation. This is right minded nationalism. Now, if we consider the national pride that Our Lady of Guadalupe often fos-ters, usually only Mexican pride, and if that pride is lacking in loyalty to God we get what Jesus warned us about. A man with two masters, will either hate the

one and love the other, or love the one and hate the other. Some folks fear Our Lady of Guadalupe because it is often seen as only an occasion of showing national Mexican pride without the es-sential ingredient of devotion to God. Unfortunately, as someone who has much experience in this regard, I can say, that this problem can be a real one. Now, here’s the Achille’s heel. Evi-dence of insufficient nationalism is found when nationalism is found to be in contradiction to the laws of God, in our time, that means almost complete disregard to the damage being done by civil laws that make abortion a human right instead of a transgression of God’s laws. So, the celebration of Our Lady

of Guadalupe at St. James will be a rescuing of this devotion is two ways: we will focus on OLG as the patroness of the unborn, and we will sing America the Beautiful in English to honor her roll in our nation.

Now for that document that should not be ignored. It was a pledge that the “Socialist Masonic” Mexican government under the leadership of the PRI party re-quired all its school teachers to take. This is how it begins…

I, ______ before the Department of Federal Educa-tion, do solemnly declare that I accept without any reservation whatever, the program of socialist educa-tion and that I am a propagandist and defender of this program.

I declare that I am an atheist, irreconcilable enemy of the Roman Catholic religion, and that I will use my efforts to destroy said religion and to do away with all religious profession, and that I am ready to oppose the clergy whenever and wherever it may be neces-sary.

Second Sunday of Advent Page Three

A SPECIAL SEASON

by Deacon Bill Dunn

It is early December, which means we have entered a spe-cial and festive and joyful season. We are once again in the season of … Advent.

Advent?! Who pays any attention to Advent anymore? Our entire American culture has been going bonkers for the Christmas season since about 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving after-noon. (This doesn’t include the retail industry, of course, which started focusing on Christmas the minute the Back-to-School sales ended on Labor Day weekend.)

Well, if we’re Catholic, we should pay attention to Advent. Advent is an entire season of its own. It’s the season before the season. And just like Christmas, Jesus is the reason for the season. (Actually, Jesus is the reason for ALL seasons.)

The word Advent means “coming.” We await the coming of the Lord, both His first coming, which we celebrate on Christmas Day, and His future Second Coming, which is the theme of the Gospel readings at Sunday Masses during Advent.

If you’re like me, when you attend Sunday Mass during De-cember, you expect the gospel reading to touch on those famous biblical Christmas themes: such as Jesus’ birth in the stable, Santa Claus and Rudolph, the Red Ryder BB gun, Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past, etc. (Hmm, maybe my cultural Christmas themes have been getting mixed up with the real biblical Christmas themes. Might be time for me to crack open a Bible again.) Anyway, our culture has it all wrong. Nowadays, the Christ-mas season begins in earnest during halftime of the Chica-go Bears/ Detroit Lions football game on Thanksgiving after-noon. Then it continues at a feverish, frantic, and over-indulgent pace right up until the morning of December 25th. And in many people’s minds Christmas is over as soon as the last gift is opened—which in some households occurs at

about 5:45 a.m. (The season of “How am I going to pay these bills?” begins in mid-January when the credit card statements arrive in the mail. This is followed in early Febru-ary by the season of “Did I really spend twelve-hundred bucks on a treadmill for a Christmas gift that’s been used exactly twice and now has served as an expensive coat rack since December 28th?!”)

However, according to the Church calendar, the season of Christmas BEGINS with the Christmas Eve vigil Mass, and then the Twelve Days of Christmas continue until the Feast of Epiphany on or about January 6th. The four-week period leading up to Christmas Day is the season of Advent.

It might be a good idea if we embrace the concept of Advent once again. Let’s be honest: even those of us who love Christmas often find the month of December to be very fran-tic and frustrating, expensive and exhausting. Wouldn’t it be nice to lead up to December 25th with a sense of calm and serenity, rather than the usual throbbing headache, frazzled nerves, and volcanic heartburn?

Here are some good things about the season of Advent: Number one, candles. An Advent wreath with candles is such a quaint and cozy change of pace compared to those gaudy, blinking-light mechanical reindeer. Also, Advent cal-endars are pretty cool (especially the ones with chocolate).

Next, there is the music of Advent. OK, you’re right, there aren’t a lot of Advent hymns. But “O Come Divine Messiah” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” are so lovely, and much nicer than hearing for the zillionth time “Grandma got run over by a reindeer.”

Finally, during Advent we can invoke the Christmas Procras-tination Rule, which states: If you observe the season of Advent during December, you have a legitimate excuse for putting off much of the typical holiday season stressful fool-ishness.

So, enjoy the true season. Ho, ho, ho, and Merry Advent.

Our current weekly Offertory collection from Decem-ber 2, is $4,024.00. The number of envelopes collected is 109. Maintenance collection is $2,785.00.

OUR MANY THANKS TO OUR REGISTERED FAMILIES USING ENVELOPES &

THE CASH-AND-CARRY FOLKS.

Our CHURCH CLEANERS FOR FRI – 12/14/18 Are Bronislawa & volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the rectory office

at 630.257.7000.

VOTIVE OFFERINGS FOR THE WEEK OF 12/9/18 St. James Altar & Rosary Society Health & Healing for Bob Garufel Special int. of the Helms Family

Special int. of Kitty Mroz Health & Healing for Bill Neville

In Memory of Lillian Simanavicius In Memory of Zig Simanavicius

Our beautiful bouquets of flowers surrounding our

altar were made available in Loving Memory of

FLORENCE H. STACK & RUSSEL WENZEL SR.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10TH 8:15 AM Birthday Blessings for Kelly Pienkos In Loving Memory of Bob Czaja

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH – ST. DAMASUS I 8:15 AM John & Antonet Gradisher

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12TH – OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE 7:00 PM Russell Wenzel Sr.

THUSDAY, DECEMBER 13TH – ST. LUCY 8:15 AM Fred & Irma Knitter FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14TH – ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS 6:00 PM Jozef Dziaba Third Advent********** SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15TH 5:00 PM All the Poor Souls in Purgatory

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16TH 8:30 AM Virginia Krzus 10:00 AM Joseph Curry 11:30 AM Maria Refujio Solis

THIRD ADVENT

12/15-12/16/18

Celebrant

Altar Servers

Lectors

5:00 PM 12/15/18

Fr. Tom Koys

Ramirez Ramirez Ramirez

L. Pieprzyca

Third Sunday of Advent - - - - - - - 8:30 AM 12/16/18

Fr. Tom Koys

J. Beecher J. Beecher S. Carver

T. Gorski

10:00 AM 12/16/18

Fr. Tom Koys

M. Lawler T. Lawler A. Pawlikowski

R. Augustyn

11:30 AM 12/16/18

Fr. Edward Gleeson

D. Estrada E. Estrada S. Imbarrato

S. Hagen