December 17-18
Anamehawikamek Welcome
PARISH MISSION STATEMENT
We are a Christian community called together to grow in faith and to celebrate God’s love for us in the Mass and Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Through the gospel message and our common worship we are challenged to give Christian witness by our lives and service to others.
ST MICHAEL’S
P.O. Box 610
Keshena, WI 54135
www.stmichaelkeshena.org
Parish Administrator, Fr. Joel Jores - 715-799-3811 - pastor@livingwaterslivingfaith.org
Associate Priest: Fr. Francis Zurbano-715-799-3811 - pastor@livingwaterslivingfaith.org
Deacon Mark Fuller - 715-201-2961 deaconmark@livingwaterslivingfaith.org
Parish Secretary, Vicki Hermsen - 715-799-3811 - vicki@livingwaterslivingfaith.org
Religious Education Lois Maczuzak - 715-851-2947 - maczuzak@frontiernet.net
SATURDAY MASS: 4:00 pm SUNDAY MASS: 8:30 am
CONFESSION: Saturday 3:30 - 3:45pm
CONFESSION: Sunday 8:00-8:15
ROSARY: Saturday 3:30 pm Sunday 8:30 am
DAILY MASS: Chapel Southside of Church
Tuesday/Thursday 8:00 am and Wednesday/Friday 10:00 am
KATERI PRAYER CIRCLE: After 8 am mass on Thursday morning
ADORATION: 1st Thursday of the Month from 6-7 pm
ANNOINTING OF THE SICK: Individual arrangements can be made through the Parish Office
BAPTISM: Preparation program required. Please contact the Parish Office.
MARRIAGE: Make arrangements with the pastor six months prior to desired date.
CONFIRMATION: Next class 2018.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: Third Tuesday of the month – 7 pm,
Grand Knight Paul Marroquin 715-799-3765
Fr. Francis
My brothers and sisters in Christ…
Another celebration of the church that must be given great importance is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Its origin can be traced in the 7th century known as the feast of the “Conception of Mary by St. Anne”. In his Bull (or like a declaration) Commissi Nobis, Pope Clement XI established this Solemnity for the entire Church in 1708; patroness of the United States of America, Spain, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.ORDO Until now some are still confuse; who was really the one Immaculately conceived? It is the conception of the Blessed Virgin in the womb of her mother St. Ann, and not Mary’s conception of Jesus. It is also different from the birth itself of the Blessed Virgin. Using our calendar, we can clearly trace our fact about this event; so if the Blessed Virgin was conceived December 8, then we count nine months (the normal period of a woman’s pregnancy until giving birth) so we have September 8 which is the celebration of Mary’s Nativity. Still to make it definite that it isn’t the conception of Jesus by Mary; because if the Emmanuel (Jesus Christ) was born December 25, we count back nine months and that’s March 25, that’s when the Angel Gabriel “announced the Good News” to Mary, “and she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit”. Somehow we figured out some distinctions so that we may be enlightened. When somebody asked us about Immaculate Conception, then we have something basic to say.
Why is Immaculate Conception a Holy Day of Obligation, even if it doesn’t fall usually on Sundays? Honestly I don’t have an exact answer, but we may learn about the very nature of it and perhaps we can find out why. Immaculate Conception is the dawn of our Salvation, even from the very beginning it has been implied with God’s plan of salvation and had it occurred masterfully. God prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the Mother of the Son of Man. An analogy may perhaps let us understand this nature more; a flu shot for example is obliged or asked to prevent us from virus, so the Immaculate Conception is like the flu shot that prevented the Blessed Virgin from the “virus” of the Original sin, she was “graced”- kecharitomene in Greek according to the Angel 28, St. Paul used the Greek term echaritasen, to denote that grace transforms us 6-7, and that same grace transforms Mary so much so that sin did not enter in her and that grace will continuously prevent her from sins.in the prayer “Hail Mary” the greeting is “Hail, full of grace”; the tense used is in the progressive form Moreover, in our doctrine, it was declared firmly in the document Ineffabilis Deus by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854 that Mary wasn’t stained of the original sin. The Immaculate Conception was a great privilege entrusted by God to the Virgin Mary (she is the only person who received this “gift”) but at the same time is of great effect for us humanity too, we can also be graced, and after all its main purpose is for our salvation.
May it come into our senses now, even if it’s not declared as an “obligation” we have to take into consideration its high importance, and as believers, we should be grateful to the Lord at the Celebration of the Holy Mass which will make a lucid manifestation of our thanksgiving to Him, which also defines our connection to the Blessed Mary ever Virgin and identifies us to her Son our Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of Mankind.
Fr. Francis m.f.
FAITH FORMATION UPDATE
We had a great time this past Wednesday. The children watched a video about the TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS. Each family receivea packet about the Jesse Tree and how ithelps to explain our Catholic origin. Also our young thespians tried on their costumes for the Christmas Eve Nativity skit. Wednesday, Dec. 21st the children will practice the skit and then enjoy a wonderful time with a Christmas surprise deliciously fun activity!
Calendar for Faith Formation
Wednesday, December 21—Skit practice and CHRISTMAS FUN!
Saturday, December 24—Religious Education at St. Michael’s - arrive at 3:30 to Barrett Hall - Mass 4:00.
No Classes Wednesday, December 28th or January 4th. Classes Resumes Wednesday, January 11
As the New Year approaches, the last call for any of our young children to come and receive their instructions for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion. Attendance is imperative in order to participate in these sacraments this session. Continuous attendance is essential! If you have any questions about our program, please call me at 715-799-4826. (Please note that phone number has been changed!)
God bless,
Lois
Religious Education Calendar of Upcoming Events
December
Wednesday December 21st Rehearsal-and Small Birthday Party
Wednesday December 28th No Class
Wednesday January 4th No Class
Wednesday, January 11 Classes resume
God bless,
Lois
12/19……………....………………..……….…No Mass
12/20…….…Fr. Theodore Hendricks, Fr. Robert Kabat,
Fr. John Hephner
12/21 .............……......…........………Victims of abortion
12/22...............................................Kateri Prayer Circle 12/23..........................................................For the sick
12/24 ………….................Joleen Kaquatosh & Kinsey
12/25.................Barbara Waupochick-Wilber & Virginia
Financial Blessings
December 10 & 11
Envelopes $1073.00
Loose $ 479.19
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATION
Liturgical Ministers:
Saturday, December 24-4:00
Lector: Paula Wilber Servers: Ella & Claire Eucharistic Minister: Deacon Mark
Sunday, December 25 – 8:30 am
Lector: Jim & Ellie Servers: Sasanehseah Shawanokasic Eucharistic Minister:
Andre Kakwitch
Saturday, December 31-4:00
Lector: Lisa Peters Servers: Isabella Waupochick Eucharistic Minister: Pat Gwidt
SUNDAY, JANUARY 1-8:30
Lector: Gryphon Braun Severs: Mylee Sanapaw Eucharistic Minister: Barb Neubauer
Andre Kakwitch
CHURCH DECORATING:
The Worship Committee would like to invite parish members to help decorate the church for Christmas after 8:30am mass (today) Sunday, Dec 18th. We will take a break to enjoy a pot luck brunch, so please being a dish to share
FLOWERS FOR CHRISTMAS:
Envelopes will be in the pews starting his weekend to collect money for Poinsettia plants for Christmas decorating. They will be purchased in honor of a loved one. Envelopes need to be returned to church or parish office by Dec 18th. Thank you
Ordination Anniversary Celebration
Father Joel’s 22nd (12/22/16) &
Father Francis’10th (12/14/16)
Thursday, December 22, 2016
12pm-1pm
St. Francis Parish Hall
All are welcome to attend.
POTLUCK – Please bring a dish to pass
2017 CALENDARS
St. Michael’s 2017 Calendars are available at the entrances to the church. Please take one per family.
FUTURE EVENTS
The following Mass schedule has been updated
Christmas Eve Mass Schedule:
South Branch – 11 am (Community Center)
St. Michael Keshena - 4:00 pm
St. Mary Leopolis - 4:00 pm
St. Anthony Neopit - 6:00 pm
St. Francis Gresham – 8:00 pm
Christmas Day Mass Schedule:
St. Michael Keshena - 8:30 am
St. Francis Gresham – 8:30 am
New Years Eve Mass Schedule:
St. Michael Keshena - 4:00 pm
St. Mary Leopolis - 4:00 pm
New Years Day Mass Schedule:
St. Michael Keshena - 8:30 am
St. Francis Gresham – 8:30 am
St. Anthony Gresham – 10:30
PARISH OFFICE HOLIDAY HOURS
December 23rd 8 am. - 11 am
December 26th CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY
December 30th 8 am – 3 pm
January 2nd CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY
FOOD PANTRY:
Food Pantry distribution will be on Tuesday, Dec. 20th from 1 pm to 3 pm, and Jan. 3rd from 1 pm to 3 pm. We are in need of shampoo, bar soap & toothpaste.
THRIFT & GIFT:
Open Tuesday, December 20th from noon until 3 p.m. and January 3rd from noon until 3 pm. Contact Cookie Vigue if you have any questions ☎920-216-9240. If you would like to drop off a donation, please bring it to the Parish Office if no one is at Thrift & Gift. Office is open 9 am to 2 pm Monday – Friday.
ThedaCare At Home seeks volunteers for the Hospice & Therapy Dog Program in Shawano and surrounding areas
ThedaCare At Home is seeking hospice volunteers in the Shawano, and surrounding areas to assist in caring for terminally ill patients and their families. Our volunteers visit patients in their homes and at nursing homes. Volunteers provide support and companionship for both patients and their families. Our next volunteer training session will early May 2017. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Angie Krueger at (715) 460-128
0 or angela.krueger@thedacare.org as soon as possible.
ThedaCare At Home is currently seeking volunteers for the pet therapy program in the Shawano, and surrounding areas. The pet therapy program provides visits by registered therapy dogs and their handlers to Hospice patients for the purpose of love, support, comfort, and animal companionship. Interested volunteers should have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with many different people. Dogs must be a minimum of one year of age and be calm, gentle, polite, and comfortable interacting with unfamiliar people in unfamiliar settings. Comprehensive therapy dog training and registration is provided at no cost to the handler by Molly Johnson, Owner & Consultant with Canine Comfort, LLC. To learn more about this unique and rewarding volunteer opportunity, please contact Molly Johnson as soon as possible at 920-716-1890 or via email – mjohnson@caninecomfort.us
Thank you for your consideration. If you have any questions, please contact Angie Krueger at (715) 460-1280.
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