Parish Office…………………………...365-8573 Angie Scott, Secretary/Bookkeeper After hours emergency # .......... 378-4681 Catholic Faith Formation .......... 365-8573 Renae Magana, Coordinator

Formacion de fe para ninos……..365-8573 Rene Magana, Coordinador

Youth Ministry ......................... 365-8573

Grupo de Jovenes ..................... 365-8573 RCIA ......................................... 365-8573 Sandy Downing, Coordinator

RICA ......................................... 365-5303 Yolanda Alvarado, Coordinador

Baptism Preparation Class ........ 365-8573 1st Tuesday of each month Mike Spence, Coordinator

Clase de preparación para el bautismo 2do jueves de cada mes Hector Rubio, Coordinador…..276-4694

Parish Nursing Ministry ............ 524-4092 Sandy Downing, Parish Nurse

Sacred Heart Thrift Store .......... 365-5853 2652 Gateway Drive, Anderson Maria Gonzales, Manager

Parish Gift Shop ........................ 347-1985 Kathy Weiss, Coordinator

Anderson Cottonwood Christian Assistance 2979 East Center St. Anderson, 365-4220 Open Tuesday & Friday, 10am—2pm

Northern Valley Catholic Social Service 2400 Washington Ave. Redding…241-0552 Knights of Columbus………...360-202-2463 Dave Santana, Grand Knight Martha’s Ministry….………………..357-3348 Mona Trafton, Coordinator

ST. ANNE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Sacred Heart Church

3141 St. Stephens Drive, Anderson Saturday Mass: 4:30PM (English) Sunday Mass: 10:00AM (English)

12:00 (Spanish) Weekday: Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri: 8AM

Confessions: Saturday: 3PM

St. Anne Church 3415 Main Street

Cottonwood Sunday Mass: 8:15AM

DECEMBER 1, 2019

SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH

Website: sacredheartparish.com • email: sacredheartanderson@outlook.com

Rev. Eric Flores, Pastor

Deacons: Rich Valles • Jesus Madrigal

Michael Evans (retired) • Anthony Short (retired)

FROM THE PASTOR

Dear Sacred Heart Parishioners, It’s December now and we are all excited for what this month will bring us, because it is the “happiest” month of the year. Christmas is just around the corner so let us not forget that the reason for our celebration is the birth of Jesus. This month will give us a lot of opportunities to love and to be loved. But let me remind you of some helpful tips on how to prepare ourselves spiritually for the coming of our Savior.

First, let us make sure that our hearts are free of any sins of our past and of the present. The Sacrament of Reconciliation offers us this opportunity to entrust our sins to God and God in return will transform those sins into graces that will help us move on from sinful experiences and live our life according to God’s plan. It is in this sacrament that we see the face of God as a merciful

and loving Father. Here in our parish our Advent Penance Service will be held on Monday, December 9 at 6pm. Second, let us make opportunities to repair any broken relationships, especially with members of our family. It is in our conduct with each other that we sometimes hurt each other intentionally and unintentionally. This is the best time to forgive and to move on from any hurtful experiences. Jesus is bringing peace into our hearts and so we also need to bring and offer peace to all. And lastly, let us make opportunities for others to enjoy this celebration through our generosity. We extend to the less fortunate the blessings that we received. Let us look for anybody who does not have the means to celebrate Christmas and give that to them to let them know that they are loved. Let me share with you my yearly commitment of gift giving. Before Christmas I am asking my friend to look for three families who do not have food to eat on Christmas Eve and on that evening, we will surprise these families and give them food to feast on as they wait for midnight to celebrate the joy of the coming of Jesus. Nothing can substitute the quality time of a family spending time with each other celebrating on this very special night; not even poverty. You too can do something for someone. Christmas is for everybody! As we enter this month amidst all of our physical preparations and before we are caught up with a lot of things, let us first and foremost prepare spiritually and internally so that we will have a more meaningful and blessed Christmas season.

—-Fr. Eric

WEEKLY NEWS

MASS INTENTIONS NOV. 30TH—DEC. 1ST

Saturday Nov. 30th 4:30pm

Sunday Sunday Sunday

Dec. 1st Dec. 1st Dec. 1st

8:15am 10:00am 12:00pm

James Brinkman

Tuesday Dec. 3rd 8:00am Jose Antonio Augustine

Wednesday Dec. 4th 8:00am Rayce Altermatt

Thursday Dec. 5th 9:00am Jose Antonio Augustine

Friday Dec. 6th 8:00am Nicolas Naval

Saturday Dec. 7th 4:30pm Carmen Lauderdale

Sunday Sunday Sunday

Dec. 8th Dec. 8th Dec. 8th

8:15am 10:00am 12:00pm

Great Sale Volunteers

PRAYER CONCERNS

Deacon Sam Short, Kathy Weise, Mary West, Helen Corlett, Cassie Breslin, Kenny Schoelen, Francis Schoelen, Mary Beth Burns, Larry Eddy, Dee Long, Ruth Lisea, Pam Ceccato, Ray Simonetti, Pam Rains, Bill and Barbara Faulkner, Dennis Whitmore, Tom Johnson, Buddy Smith, Dave Jacobs, Lisa West, Miranda Weise, Alverta Snider, Carolyn Greenwood, John Williams, Clementine Mills, Jim Weirick, Ilene Duval, Tillie Duval, Carol Andrews, Katie Lewis, Angelo Costanzo, Mary Rowe, Jay Burns.

STEWARDSHIP CORNER

Collection Summary

November 2/3: $7,170 November 9/10: $4,760 November 16/17: $4,345

For fiscal year 2019-2020

Budgeted for Collections: $295,000 Total for 20 weeks: $104,895 weekly Goal: $5,673

Average Weekly Collection: $5,245

Second Collection

Give in thanksgiving. “The nuns left a lasting impression on me,” writes a donor. “I shall always be grateful for my Catholic education.” Please join in thanking the thousands of senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests who worked tirelessly to educate the young and serve those in need. Next week’s special collection is for the Retirement Fund for Religious, which helps hundreds of religious communities care for aging members. Please give generously.

ADVENT REFLECTIONS

We are not meant to journey alone...especially during the holy season as Advent. At FORMED, we have been looking for ways to center ourselves on Christ in the storm of busyness and distractions particularly with this time of year. What helps us? Creating a space for Christ and Christ alone. Join us on this journey by signing up for Advent Reflections powered by FORMED Daily. Receive daily meditation, formation, and motivation to create a space in your day and in your heart for Christ to prepare for His coming. Sign up today at https://formed.org/advent

ST. ANNE 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Everyone is invited to

celebrate the 90th Anniversary

of St. Anne Church on

Saturday, December 14th. Fr.

Eric, former priests from our

parish, and neighboring priests

will celebrate Mass at 10:30am

followed by a reception.

Please join us!

SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE

CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

December 8th is the Second Sunday of Advent. Therefore the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is transferred to Monday, December 9th. It is not a holy day of obligation, but we will celebrate Mass at 9am here at Sacred Heart. The memorial of Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, which falls on December 9, is omitted this year.

PROJECT ANGEL TREE

Project Angel Tree Gifts are due back in the parish office by Monday, December 16th. The Parish Officed is open Monday—Thursday, 8:30am to 2:30pm. Please...do not leave your gifts in the church. If you have any questions, please call Michelle VanErt, 357-3359.

CAMP PENDOLA

Join the most wonderful camp in the world for its 60th season! Camp Pendola is looking for energetic and faith-filled young people (18+ years) to work this summer as counselors with children and youth between the age of 6 to 17 in the great outdoors, and within the Catholic spirit! Paid positions begin June 7th and finish August 16th. Online applications are available now at www.pendola.org/employment or contact Jennifer Campbell at (916)733-0135 for more information.

WEEKLY NEWS

CATHOLICS IN ACTION!

ATTENTION ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!!! Please join us for our next Youth Group meeting on Sunday, December 15th, 5:00pm in the parish center. For more information, please call the parish office, 365-8573 or talk to Fr. Eric.

LIFE TOUCH PORTRAITS

For anyone who was unable to have their portrait taken during October, we have new dates from Life Touch! We are taking reservations for Monday, December 16th, 1pm to 8:30pm and Monday, December 30th, 1pm to 8:30pm. Please stop by the table in the foyer to sign up for your portrait sitting. We need at least 18 appointments on each day in order for Life Touch to send a photographer. Everyone who has their picture taken will receive a free 8x10 portrait.

We perform penance to shake ourselves free of our attachments to sin and the distractions that keep us from recognizing the presence of God in our lives. Reconciliation allows us to put God in the center of our lives. Attending an Advent Penance Service helps us prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child on Christmas Day.

Wednesday, December 4th – 6:00 p.m. Our Lady of Mercy – Red Bluff

Friday, December 6th – 6:30 p.m.

St. Joseph Church - Redding

Monday, December 9th – 6:00 p.m. Sacred Heart Church, Anderson

Monday, December 16th – 7:00 p.m.

Sacred Heart Church – Red Bluff

ADVENT—A SENSE OF THE SEASON

December is the time for expressing the hope and strengthening the dreams that will carry us through the next year. Advent is the way we as church express our hopes. Prophetic visions, prayers and songs calling for the Lord to come do help us to hope profoundly. Advent allows us to do what most others do in December—but to see in the coming Lord the answer to our dreams. In our Catholic tradition, keeping Advent means singing the songs of expectation, of our hopes and longing, before we enter into the full-throated praise of Christmas carols. Here are a few lines from our tradition on what Advent is about. “Advent has a twofold character: as a season to prepare us for Christmas when Christ’s first coming is remembered; as a season when that remembrance directs the mind and the heart to await Christ’s second coming at the end of time. Advent is thus a period for devout and joyful expectation.” (General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, #39) Thomas Merton, in his book Seasons of Celebration, reviewed the ways Saint Bernard of Clairvaux approached these comings of Christ. The first advent was Christ’s birth. The other will be at the end of time. Faith in these two stimulates recognition of a third, the advent of Christ in our church now, today. Viewed from this perspective, the Advent liturgy, with its scriptures, prayers and songs, is neither a romantic return to the Old Testament while we wait for the baby at Bethlehem, nor is it an exercise in expressing hope for an ever-receding end of time. The Advent liturgy is neither nostalgic nor illusory. When we take the tradition and enter it fully, we become Advent, the people in and through whom Christ comes.

ADVENT PENANCE SERVICES

THE GABRIEL PROJECT

PREGNANT? WORRIED? CONFUSED?

We’re here to help you. The Gabriel Project® offers hope and assistance to any woman experiencing a crisis pregnancy. We respect all life and see the birth of each child as a fresh expression of the unfailing love of God. Our concern is not only for the unborn child, but also for each and every mother in need. You are not alone, we can help you. Please call us at 1-800-910-0191. The Gabriel Project is being

organized in this area. We are looking for volunteers to help. We will have an informational meeting in January. Please watch the bulletin for further details.

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Mon. Isaiah 4:2-6; Matthew 8:5-11 Tue. Isaiah 11:1-10; Luke 10:21-24 Wed. Isaiah 25:6-10a; Matthew 15:29-37 Thu. Isaiah 26:1-6; Matthew 7:21, 24-27 Fri. Isaiah 29:17-24; Matthew 9:27-31 Sat. Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26; Matt. 9:35—10:1,5a,6-8 Sun. Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12

EVERYDAY STEWARDSHIP

Wide-Open Eyes: When my first child was born, we had a nursery created for him that featured images from “The Beginner’s Bible” painted on all the walls. (You may have seen this Bible before, where the Biblical figures in the book all had large wide-open eyes.) Images of Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, and Jesus were displayed on all four walls. On the largest wall was a big picture of Noah’s Ark with lots of animals. As our son got older, we would point to images on the wall as we read bedtime stories to him. Our son is now in his 20’s and living several hours from us, so those days are far behind in our rearview mirror of life. We prepared quite a lot for his birth. When our next two children were born, the preparation time had decreased significantly. Most parents know what I am talking about. The newness of your first-born brings with it so much emotion that you are compelled to spend countless hours preparing. When the next children are born, you are certainly excited, but you act differently and with a little more reserve. For most readers, this is not your first Advent. It probably won’t be your last. If you approach these December days simply as a way to prepare for Christmas, you may find yourself just doing the same old thing as last year. However, if you spend this time reflecting on the time when Jesus returns or when you shall see him face-to-face, you might be able to stir up some of that emotion of anticipation within you. Jesus is coming again. When people of all ages understand that reality, it can be a cause for large, wide-open eyes indeed. —-Tracy Earl Welliver

GOSPEL MEDITATION FOR DECEMBER 1ST

“I’m never getting enough rest! How can I possibly be ‘asleep’?” In a world of jam-packed schedules and high anxiety levels, physical rest may be hard to come by. Yet relentless pursuit of our to-do lists and social calendars may keep our minds off of the things that really matter. Jesus knows all too well a pattern of busy, harried ignorance. “In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage … they did not know until the flood came and carried them all away … two men will be out in the field … two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.” When it comes to the spiritual life, we can be at work or at relaxation and still be spiritually asleep. Each year, we are called back to remember the essential things. God comes to save His people. He becomes flesh to dwell among us. Supernatural light pierces the world’s darkness and our own. Advent wakes us up. “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” Every Advent, we prepare to celebrate Christ’s first coming at Christmas, and we anticipate his second coming at the end of time. “At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” There’s another hour, too, both known and unknown. It’s the present moment. Whether it’s a lazy Saturday morning or a major business proposal, whether it’s attending a kindergarten play or an elderly relative’s bedside, at every moment the Lord wants to enter into our hearts. This Advent, let’s pray for the grace to stay alert. Christ is coming soon.

WEEKLY CALENDAR: DECEMBER 1ST—8TH

Sunday, Dec. 1 Monday, Dec. 2 Tuesday, Dec. 3 Wednesday, Dec. 4

8:15 a.m. Mass – St. Anne 10:00 a.m. Mass – Sacred Heart 11:15 a.m. Choir Practice 12:00 p.m. Misa en Español

PARISH OFFICE CLOSED

8:00 a.m. Mass 9:00 a.m. Bible Study 10:30 a.m. Legion of Mary Mtg.

8:00 a.m. Mass 1:00 p.m. Mass at VA Home 6:00 p.m. Children’s Faith Formation Classes 6:00 p.m. Penance Service at Our Lady of Mercy Parish

Thursday, Dec. 5 Friday, Dec. 6 Saturday, Dec. 7 Sunday, Dec. 8

8:00 p.m. Mass

8:00 a.m. Mass 11:00 a.m. Funeral Mass for Martha Hitchcock 6:30 p.m. Penance Service at St. Joseph Pairsh PARISH OFFICE CLOSED

3:00 p.m. Confessions 4:30 p.m. Mass

PARISH OFFICE CLOSED

8:15 a.m. Mass – St. Anne 10:00 a.m. Mass – Sacred Heart 10:00 a.m. Formación de Fe de los Niños 11:15 a.m. Choir Practice 12:00 p.m. Misa en Español PARISH OFFICE CLOSED