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Our readings today focus on love. They indicate

that love is more than a feeling. It is an act of will

or choice. Saint Thomas Aquinas said it is to will

the good of another. The actions of love are de-
scribed in Scripture. Jesus is our model of love

and he tells us he is here to teach the good

news, to heal the broken hearted, and to free

those who are oppressed.

Saint Paul talks about love as bearing all things,

believing all things, hoping all things. He says it is

wanting only good for others. He describes it as

patience, kindness, truth. He says it is not insist-
ing on our own will when it would hurt another.

Nowhere does the Bible say this love is easy.

After all Jesus went to the cross out of love for us

and his Father. But we are assured that this love

is the only way to true joy and peace. Love un-
derstands that people are more valuable than

money or things or power or social recognition.

These things may have a place in life but they

are not the most important and must take a back

seat to valuing and acting out our love for others.

We all long for the kind of love proclaimed in the

Bible and God longs to give it to us. Our limita-
tions and sins make it hard for us to recognize or

receive it. The sacraments of the church cleanse

us and open our hearts. The more open we are

to faith, hope, and love the better we can give

them to others which is God’s commandment to

us.

Peace.

Mary

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Faith:

Our children are the future of our Church. Because of that fact it behooves us to do all we can to bring

them up in the faith we share. Mary Moomey, the catechists/teachers, and the Faith Formation Commis-
sion, with the cooperation of the parents of the children of our parish, work hard to convey the basic prin-
ciples of the Roman Catholic faith to those children. There is, however, more to being a practical, practic-
ing Catholic than just knowing the basic principles. Among the “more” is participation in the liturgy of the

Mass. [Liturgy is a word that has, in its most basic understanding, a meaning that is often overlooked; it is

literally the “work of the people”.] Knowing this, a recruitment campaign is underway to get more of our

children involved in the liturgical activity of our parish.

Those youngsters who wish to ring bells with the choir during the Gloria are always welcome to do so.

Children who have received Holy Eucharist are urged to consider becoming altar servers. We have sever-
al who are very good at this duty, but more are needed. Just last week on Saturday there was no one to serve at Mass.

Youngsters who would like to help at Mass as ushers are also asked to step forward to help in this im-
portant ministry. They could greet people as they enter church, offer a hymnal, and be a welcoming pres-
ence. They could also help in the collection of offerings. Coming up in February and March are the days

when the Scouts will be helping out at Mass; be sure to encourage them when you see them.

The young pre-teens and teens (7th grade and above) who feel a call to proclaim Scripture at Mass are

encouraged to let their wishes be known.

If you are such a person or are the parent of such a person, please contact Mr. Steve Catrell (828-6729)

or Mrs. Laurie Wiltse (567-0176) to let them know of your interest.

 

 

The time is now here for Joanne and me to take our annual missionary journey to the wilds of Walt Disney

World in Orlando, Florida. We shall be flying out on Monday and returning on Thursday, February 4th.

While there we shall be thinking of all of you and praying for you between the times we are not otherwise

preoccupied with all the very serious activities offered at Walt Disney World.

I hope you have a Christ-filled time between now and the weekend of February 6 & 7!

St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us!

May the Holy Spirit always be with you.

Deacon Mike

Katy and I want to thank everyone who helped make

our recent Advent Children’s program such a special

event!

Thank you to Joshua and the Choir for helping with

the music. The extra time and effort you made for us

played a huge part in making this a wonderful experi-
ence for everyone.

Thank you to Joyce Feltman and her kitchen crew.

The hall was beautiful and everything in the kitchen

ran so smoothly. The luncheon was such fun.

Thank you to the Faith Weavers for the table center-
pieces. They added just the right touch.

Thank you to everyone who provided the wonderful

food in such generous amounts.

Thank you to our Faith Formation teachers who

worked with the children to learn their songs and who

encouraged and supported them every step of the

way.

Thank you to the parents who encouraged your chil-
dren. Practiced with them and worked on the day of

the event passing out programs, taping cords to the

floor, taking down tables and chairs in the hall, and

we’re sure other things we didn’t see.

Thank you to Joanne and Marcia for the clever and

creative props they made for us.

Thank you to Steve for setting things up so nicely in

the hall.

And of course, thank you to our children. You are all

so beautiful and so special! It was a joy to do this with

you. It was a wonderful experience!

Mary & Katy

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Faith:

Today we stand on the threshold between the two

great seasons of the Church year. Advent/Christmas,

and Lent/Easter. We conclude our Christmas season

celebration today, but this also marks the beginning of

Ordinary Time—the time between Advent/Christmas

and Lent/Easter. Perhaps this symbolism is meant to

remind us that we are called to look outward—that

because of our Baptism it is not enough to just bask in

the glow of Christmas. We must bring Christ to the

rest of the world.

How are we to do this? I believe it is as much through

the way we live out our Baptismal Promises as any-
thing else. Ask yourself, when people meet me in pub-
lic, do they come to believe that I am a Christian?

When people listen to me speak, whether it is to them

or someone else nearby, do they get the feeling I am

a Christian? When people observe me relating to my

family members, friends, co-workers, do they come to

the conclusion that I am a Christian?

During this Christmas season we have been hearing

the First letter of John proclaimed at Mass. Over and

over John has urged us to love one another as Christ

has loved us. If we are living out our Baptismal Prom-
ises as we should, the answers to those questions

posed above should always be, “Yes!”

Today’s readings at Mass take us on a mini-excursion

through Advent/Christmas and deposit us at the onset

of Ordinary Time. The reading from the Book of the

Prophet Isaiah recalls the Advent message of comfort

and hope. Saint Paul’s Letter to Titus proclaims that

the grace of God has indeed appeared on earth. And

Luke tells us of the adult Jesus being baptized by

John, now ready for his mission and affirmed by the

very voice of God. As we read or listen to these words

from scripture, we can recall our own Baptismal Prom-
ises and prepare for whatever God will ask us to do

next.

I hope you have a Christ-filled week!

St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us!

May the Holy Spirit always be with you.

Deacon Mike

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I wish to express to each of you my sincere and warmest

greetings for a merry and blessed Christmas. I pray that

you and your loved ones will experience the Father’s

mercy and love, gifts which are ours unconditionally

through Jesus, the Christ.

The celebration of Christmas carries special meaning

within the Catholic Church in this Jubilee Year of

Mercy. In his letter announcing the Year of Mercy,

Our Holy Father Pope Francis – speaking of that first

Christmas Day – reminds us that: “…in the fullness of

time, when everything had been arranged according to

His plan of salvation, (God the Father) sent His Son into

the world, born of the Virgin Mary, to reveal His love

for us in a definitive way (so that) whoever sees Jesus

sees the Father.”

All too often, it appears that our world is quickly losing

sight of Jesus and the love of the Father reflected

through Him. We become blind to God’s presence,

blind to His love, mercy, and compassionate care. It is

not enough for us to commemorate Christmas as though

it were simply an historical event. We must live Christ-
mas daily, bringing to light in our own lives the power

and grace of the Lord Jesus. As our Holy Father pro-
claimed, this Year of Mercy must be: “a time when the

witness of believers might grow stronger and more ef-
fective… Mercy is not only an action of the Father, it

becomes a criterion for ascertaining who His true chil-
dren are. In short, we are called to show mercy because

mercy has first been shown to us.”

In this Christmas season, I invite you to open your hearts

to the mercy and love of Jesus Christ and, in doing so,

extend to others that same mercy and love which you,

yourself, have received. May Mary, the Mother of Mer-
cy, watch over you always.

Merry Christmas!

Most Reverend Joseph R. Cistone

Bishop of Saginaw

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Faith:

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has been held

in our church on the first Wednesday of each month

ever since I was assigned here in 2013. It begins

right after the conclusion of Word and Communion

Service at about 9am and continues until 3pm. At

3 o’clock hymns are sung, incense is offered to the

Lord, the Divine Praises are recited, and Benediction

takes place. It is a beautiful little ceremony, but it is,

sadly, poorly attended. Usually there is only one

other person beside myself in attendance. Nancy

Scovill has done a lot of work trying to get more

people involved with adoration, but she meets with

little success.

The next first Wednesday is January 6, 2016. It

would be wonderful if at least two people could be in

church with the Blessed Sacrament each hour from

9 until 3. Therefore, I am placing a sign-up sheet on

the table in the narthex for those willing to spend an

hour with the Lord during our adoration time. Please,

if you have the time, sign up for an hour, and come

to enjoy the Divine Presence.

It is at this time of year that we pause to reflect on

all the blessings given us by the Lord each and

every day. In the case of Joanne and me, we are

extremely blessed by all the good wishes of the

parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul Parish and St.

Patrick Church. Words are just not sufficient to

express our gratitude for your expressions of love

and kindness throughout the year.

Please accept our best wishes for the merriest of

Christmases and the happiest of all New Years.

Thank you very much!

I hope you have a Christ-filled week!

St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us!

May the Holy Spirit always be with you.

Deacon Mike

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Faith:

Reflecting on the history of World War II, Holy Cross Father Richard Gribble speaks of Winston Churchill, the famous British statesman who led England during the war years. “He was a man who prepared the people for future joy. Churchill was the man to whom the British people looked to bring solace and comfort during Europe’s darkest hours of the 20th century. His pugnacity and rousing speeches rallied the people to continue the fight in the midst of the almost daily bombing of their county. He urged his compatriots to conduct themselves so that, if the British Empire lasted 1,000 years, men would say, ‘This was their finest hour.’” Churchill knew that the dark hour would pass, and that peace, prosperity, and joy would reign once again. He prepared the people and led them to the light of joy.

On this third Sunday of Advent, traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday, our first reading tells us that the dark night of the world is coming to an end. It is time to rejoice for Jesus is near. The prophet Zephaniah wrote to the Jews before the exile, telling them to be glad and exult with all their hearts. He says there is nothing to fear and that Jerusalem should not be discouraged because God sings joyfully, so the people must be joyful in return.

Saint Paul continues the theme of joyfulness as he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again, rejoice!” Paul urges the people to dismiss all anxiety from their minds, for the Lord is near. He tells the Philippians (and us) to present their needs to God, and then God’s peace will reign in their hearts. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season we need to slow down so that we can experience the Lord. Then we can rejoice with expressions of gladness and thanksgiving. As our Advent journey continues, it is good to be joyful and thankful that God chose us—to be human, to be Christian, to be wife and mother or husband and father, student, engineer, city worker, or whatever. Let us rejoice and be glad (Gaudete), for the Lord is near!

A big thank you to everyone who helped our parish reach its CSA goal for the first time in years. Our contributions and pledges topped our goal during the first week of December.

Thank you very much!

I hope you have a Christ-filled week!

St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us!

May the Holy Spirit always be with you.

Deacon Mike

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Faith:

A couple of weeks ago we heard Jesus saying to his disciples that “. . .the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. . .and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds. . .” In today’s selection from Luke’s gospel Jesus says, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. . .for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

These dire warnings have led people over the centuries to look for signs of the end of time whenever some calamity occurs, be it a drought or heavy rainfall, a frigid winter or a long, hot summer. In former times an eclipse of the sun would worry people to the point of distraction. In our own recent days we have seen tremendous damage to life and property caused by volcanic eruptions and the resulting tsunamis. Then there is the damage we bring on ourselves through wars and senseless acts of terrorism.

One could ask, “When will it all end?” We Christian people already know the answer because our Lord and Savior told us, “. . .of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” It will all end in God’s own time and not one second sooner.

The challenge for you and me is to remain ready at all times for the second coming of the Lord. In the 1st century people like Saint Paul anticipated the return of Jesus within his very lifetime. As time passed, however, Paul began to realize that the return of Jesus and the end of the ages would come on God the Father’s schedule and that might not be for quite a while yet! It was at that point that the message became more like, “We are not sure when he will come back, but we should be ready at all times.”

Therefore, it behooves us to adopt a mode of living that reflects our belief in the Beatitudes as a way of life. We should treat everyone we meet as brother or sister. We should live our lives so that (in the words of that old hymn) “. . .they’ll know we are Christians by our love!”

I hope you have a Christ-filled week!

St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us!

May the Holy Spirit always be with you.

Deacon Mike

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Faith:

The Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, depicts the scene from today’s gospel passage from John with this dialogue

between Jesus and Pilate:

Pilate: “Listen King of the Jews, where is your

kingdom? Look at me, am I a Jew?”

Jesus: “There may be a kingdom for me

somewhere, if I only knew.”

Pilate: “Then you’re a king?”

Jesus: “It’s you that say I am. I look for truth and

find that I get damned.”

Pilate: “But what is truth? Is truth unchanging law?

We both have truths. Are mine the same

as yours?”

The challenge of this dialogue and today’s gospel passage can be stated this way: How do we seek the truth? What is the truth and where will we find it?The search begins within our own hearts and the answer will be different for each individual; such a task involves a lot of self-discovery, but one thing is certain when we find God we will know the truth, and when we know the truth we will have discovered God, for God is truth. Seeking the truth is not easy. It is foolish to think that our society today accepts the presence of God and God’s truth. Therefore we must be persistent and take the necessary risks to seek the truth, and then we must act on what we find. We must all do our own little share of bringing Christ back into our world.

There is indeed a great challenge here, but there is a promise as well. Jesus says in the gospel, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Our sincere efforts and open hearts will be rewarded. In discovering truth we bring the world one step closer to the purpose for which we all live— to welcome Christ when he returns as king. So let us come before our King and let our minds and hearts be filled with his truth!

Yes, there is a promise for tomorrow; it is the goal for which we all strive—eternal life. But there is a promise for today as well. As it says in Scripture, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

I hope you have a Christ-filled week!

St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us.

May the Holy Spirit always be with you.

Deacon Mike

In the Old Testament reading today we hear the directions God gives to his people about destroying the places and objects of pagan worship. God is particular about how and where he is worshiped. He wants no traces or influences of false gods and false worship to lead people astray. This can sound strange to us. We live in a culture where tolerance and respect for differences is considered very important. And the Old Testament itself in other stories and verses points out that God created all humans and cares for all humans, even those who are different.

In the Gospels Jesus is often condemned for extending mercy and compassion to all, even those who are different, minorities, or can’t follow the rules. At the same time Jesus also warns against false prophets who will lead others astray. What then are we to make of us?

Perhaps one point to take from this is that respect and love for those who are not Christian does not mean that one endorses beliefs that are contrary to what we believe God teaches us. I can respect and appreciate Buddhist culture without saying reincarnation is the same as heaven and hell. I can acknowledge common values and history with

Islam without forsaking Christ and the Trinity. This brings us to another difficult place. Not endorsing what is false does not mean we can take the posi-
tion of forcing our beliefs on others. It does not mean that those who have what to us are false beliefs are less valuable or beloved of God. Jesus was very clear that his kingdom is born of love and service to God and to others and that is what we should emulate.

Peace.

Mary