THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – December 15, 2024 – Gaudete Sunday

Please, check out the Hungarian section (link at the bottom) as well, as some Hungarian related news or information may be found only there.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTIONS:

9:00 AM: Parishioners of St. Emeric Parish

11:00 AM: István Gráber, by the Gráber, Horváth Families

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: This is the Sunday of Advent joy (Gaudete in Domino, cf. Phil 4: 4-6). On this day, Mass may be said in rose color and the organ may sound more joyfully. The Church, as our good Mother, thus softens the strictness of this holy time and fosters hope in us. For the source of joy is none other than this: “the Lord is near us!” The joy of the Lord’s nearness conveys a calm, unworried confidence, peace of heart and serenity. This is what preserves the Christian in the midst of the many troubles and dangers of this world, in the great Advent of life, until the day of Christ’s coming. The one we wait for, the one we are calling for: is the infinite Majesty above all things, “who is enthroned above the cherubim.” Only when we come to realize that God, the Lord of the whole universe, has come to save us, can we truly begin to understand God’s love. In anticipation of the approaching Christmas, let us watch with prayerful expectation. O come, O come, Sunrise, for we walk in the night without you!

CONFESSIONS: to prepare ourselves well for Christmas, beside the usual confession times, I will hear confessions also on Thursday, December 19. First opportunity will be after the 9AM morning Mass and then in the evening from 6-7PM. For the evening session, Fr. Peter Boksay will be available as well. Whether here or at another church, let us take advantage of the great Sacrament of Confession. Let us unburden ourselves and remove any hindrances to the coming of Jesus Christ to us in the Eucharist.

THE BLESSING OF THE BAMBINELLI was first instituted by St. John Paul II. On an Advent Sunday the children of Rome are encouraged to bring the baby Jesus (Bambinelli) from each of their Nativity sets to St. Peter’s Square. Following the Sunday Angelus address, the Pope blesses the figurines. This custom has spread throughout the world. We will celebrate this blessing in next week, on the final Sunday of Advent (December 22) after the Mass. All (not only children) are encouraged to bring baby Jesus from their home Nativity sets to the church for this special blessing.

SHRINE OF ST. ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY: As you may be aware, a story was recently published in the local media regarding a secular priest ministering at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth of Hungary and raising questions about his past and suitability for ministry.  The story was reported in such a way that could create the impression that the Hungarian Catholic community was somehow involved in this matter or in this priest’s ministry.  I just want to clarify that we are not connected to this situation in any way.  While the property of the Shrine of St. Elizabeth is part of our new combined parish, it has been leased out to the Institute of Christ the King the Sovereign Priest, who are solely responsible for all its operations, staffing, and ministry.

DECORATING CHURCH: after the Sunday Mass next week (12/22). If some of you are able to help carry some Christmas decorations into the church, that would be greatly appreciated.

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: Sunday Collection: $2,655; Immaculate Conception: $595; renovation fund: $151; Christmas Flowers: $50; in loving memory of Árpád Dobolyi: $100. May God reward your generosity in supporting the church. Thank you for sending in your donations by mail or using our website https://stemeric.com/donations/.

MASS SCHEDULE FOR CHRISTMAS – NEW YEAR

December 24:   5:00 PM Mass – English

December 24:   10:30 PM Christmas Carrols – Hungarian

December 24:   11:00 PM Mass – Hungarian

December 25:   9:00 AM Mass – English

December 25:   11:00 AM Mass – Hungarian

December 31:    5:00 PM – English

January 1:          9:00 AM – English

January 1:          11:00 AM – Hungarian

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK, especially for Bev Kimar, Teréz Kalász, Lajos Boday, Márta Takács, Kathy Szabó, Dorothy Fromhercz, Alex Szaday, Virginia Kachmar, Margaret Falk, Mária Hokky, Stephen Palko, Mary Spisak and Balázs Bedy.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DECEASED: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen

THIS SUNDAY the 11:00 AM Mass from St. Emeric church will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/saintemeric/ and https://stemeric.com/

LET US PRAY THREE HAIL MARYS FOR OUR PARISH EVERY DAY!

Ez a bejegyzés olvasható Hungarian nyelven is.