Inspired by Luke 4:18 & John 1:29

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0S 233 Church Street. • Winfield, IL 60190 Office 630-668-0918 Fax 630-668-1074

Web www.stjohnwinfield.org E-mail contactus@stjohnwinfield.org

Founded 1867

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~ Our Mission Statement ~ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon us, because the Lord has anointed us

to proclaim: ‘Ecce Agnus Dei’ - Behold the Lamb of God; Behold the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

Welcome - Bienvenido

Parish Directory Pastor/Párroco: ....Fr. Tom Cargo/Padre Tomás Associate Pastor: Fr. Tomy Chellakandathil CMI

Deacon William Nijm - from Our Lady of Lebanon - Lombard

Secretaries:... Jennifer Kurtyka, Rosa Benavides .......................Ex 0 or 600……………… Secretaria Hispana: ................................ .Ex601

Director of Finance & Administration: Deborah Birutis .............. Ex616

Business & Facilities Manager: ............................. Aaron Simpson ...Ex603

Music Ministry: Adrienne Rose ....... 653-1489 Música Español: María Marquez... 520-0665

Religious Education: ................Office: Ex613 Director: Maureen Brennan .............Ex612 RCIA (Convert Preparation) ...........Ex600 Adult Education & Youth Ministry: Chris Strong………………...630-673-3982 Grade School: ...........................Office: Ex618 Principal: Mickey Tovey ................Ex618

Phone: 630-668-2625, Fax: 630-668-7176 0S259 Church Street, Winfield, IL 60190

St Vincent de Paul Society .................Ex692

Mass Schedule Weekend ....... Saturday (Vigil Mass) 5:00 pm;

Sunday 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 am Misa en Español ................ Domingo 1:30 pm Weekday.... Mon.-Fri. 7:30 am & Sat. 8:30 am

Confessions: ........Saturday: 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Deadline for submitting bulletin articles is Noon on Thursday 10 days prior to publication (Holidays earlier) Please submit articles by email to contactus@stjohnwinfield.org

Website: www.stjohnwinfield.org

Season of Spiritual Preparation Second Sunday of Advent - December 8, 2013

Advent has two outstanding figures from the New Testa-ment that are presented to us to witness, as prophets, to proclaim the “Coming of Je-sus Christ”. One is our patron saint, John the Baptist, who calls us to “Prepare the way of the Lord”, to “Repent”, to “Make straight His paths!”

The other prophet who is even more integral in the world’s preparation for the “Coming of the Lord”, for our preparation for the “Coming of the Christ” is His Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary.

The celebration of her Immaculate Conception falls within this spiritual time (this year be-

El Adviento tiene dos figu-ras más destacadas del Nuevo Testamento que se nos presen-tan para ser testigos, como profetas, a proclamar la "Venida de Jesucristo". Nues-tro santo patrón, Juan Bautis-ta, que nos llama a "Preparen el camino del Señor", a "Arrepiéntete", a "enderecen

sus caminos!"

La otra profeta que es aún más inte-gral en la prepara-ción del mundo para la "Venida del Se-ñor", para nuestra preparación para la "Venida de Cristo" es su Santísima Ma-dre, la Virgen María.

La celebración de su Inmaculada Concepción cae de-ntro de este tiempo espiritual (este año

Prepare the Way of the Lord! Second Sunday of Advent - Cycle A, December 8, 2013

PROPHETS OF CHRISTMAS PREPARATION PROFETAS DE PREPARACION DE LA NAVIDAD

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cause the actual feast day falls on a Sunday in Advent, the celebration of the Advent Sunday takes precedence over the feast, so it is moved to Monday and this year is NOT obligatory but is still encouraged to be celebrated). The Annunciation to her by the Angel Gabriel, bidding her to be open to the sacrifice as well as the blessing of being invited to be the Mother of our Divine Redeemer is celebrated as the season reaches its climax in Sacred Scripture and Liturgy. Mary is a prophet not merely in word and in prayer, but in action. Her Visitation to the expec-tant mother of our patron saint, Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, reechoes itself time and time again, to announce the coming of Christ into the world and into the lives and cultures of countless peoples around the world.

During this time of preparing for the “Coming of our Lord” we recognize the resplendent pres-ence of Mary in the history of the world and of the Americas, in her “Coming” to Mesoamerica to announce the “Coming of our Lord”.

In 1831 Christianity was in the womb of God in the New World, not even here 40 years yet. In times gone by, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception was not celebrated on Decem-ber 8th, but as it will be this year, on December 9th. It is this day that the Mother of God was sent by God to bring the life of Christ into the hearts of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, from the time of the apparition and first glimpse of the Miraculous Image on the tilma of Saint Juan Diego. Catholics - Spaniards and Indian, American and European - have al-ways believed there is a relation between Mary Immaculate and Guadalupe.

During the first two hundred years after the apparition, belief in a link between Guadalupe and the Immaculate Conception usually is evident in discussions of the “Woman clothed with the sun” (Apoc. 12:1) plainly recalled by the Miraculous Figure of the Mother of God on the tilma. By 1531 it was commonplace among Catholics to identify the Woman of the Apocalypse the Woman who crushes the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15), with the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary our Heavenly Queen, under the title of Immaculate Conception.

It was Blessed John Duns Scotus, ofm (1266?-1308), who brought deep theological insight into the classic theology of the Immaculate Conception.

Our Lady, when speaking to Juan Diego, (his Indian name being Cuauhtlatoatzin, "the one who speaks like an eagle"), did not speak in Spanish but in his own native language of Nahuatl. The word she used was Coatlaxopeuh, i.e., “I am the one who has crushed the head of the serpent” (the serpent who demands human sacrifice). To Spanish ears that word spoken would have sounded like “Guadalupe” an image of the Virgin as a Shrine in Spain; hence the link with the Mexican shrine. Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico really is the Immaculate, the “Perfect Virgin” of the Nican Mopohua. In bringing about the conversion of nations to Jesus, Mary does in some real sense crush the head of (Satan) the enemy of the Savior and our salvation. She, the Mother of Mercy, because she is the “Immaculate Conception”, intervenes in history to secure the conversion, sanctification and salvation of all peoples. Within ten years, 8 Million Indians were converted because of the Virgin Immaculate.

The Nobel Chemistry Prize recipient Richard Kuhn said in 1936 that the coloring was not from a min-eral, vegetable, or animal source. Studies started in 1956 and continuing to the present by several oph-thalmologists, including Dr. Javier Torroella Bueno (1956) and Dr. José Aste Tonsmann (El Secreto de sus Ojos, 2001), claim to have found images reflected in the eyes of the Virgin after amplifying the photo-graphs to 2500x magnification. The pupils reflect a group of Native Americans-Juan Diego and Fran-ciscans-the bishop. Some experts from the textile industry said they cannot understand how the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been conserved since 1531, exposed to dust, heat, and humidity, with-out wearing down, and without discoloration. On November 14, 1921, a factory worker placed a bomb a few feet away from the image. The explosion demolished the marble steps of the main al-tar, the windows of nearby homes and it bent a brass crucifix, but the fabric suffered no damage.

debido a que el día de la fiesta actual cae en un domingo de Adviento, la celebración del domingo de Adviento tiene prioridad sobre la fiesta, por lo que se trasladó al lunes y este año no es obliga-toria pero aún se anima a celebrar). La Anunciación a ella por el Ángel Gabriel, su oferta para ser abierto al sacrificio, así como la bendición de ser invitado a ser la Madre del Divino Redentor se celebra como la temporada llega a su clímax en la Sagrada Escritura y la Liturgia. María es una pro-feta, no sólo de palabra y de la oración, sino en la acción. Su Visitación a la futura madre nuestro santo patrón, Elizabeth, la madre de Juan Bautista en sí resuena Una y otra vez, para anunciar la venida de Cristo al mundo y en las vidas y culturas de innumerables pueblos de todo el mundo.

Durante este tiempo de preparación para la "Venida de nuestro Señor" reconocemos la presen-cia resplandeciente de María en la historia del mundo y de las Américas, en su "Venida" de Meso-américa para anunciar la "Venida de nuestro Señor".

En 1831 el cristianismo estaba en el vientre de Dios en el Nuevo Mundo, ni siquiera aquí 40 años todavía. En tiempos pasados la Solemnidad de la Inmaculada Concepción, no se celebró el 8 de diciembre, pero ya que será este año, el 9 de diciembre. Este es el día en que la Madre de Dios fue enviado por Dios para traer la vida de Cristo en los corazones de los pueblos indígenas de las Américas. Desde el momento de la aparición y primer vistazo de la Milagrosa Imagen en la til-ma de San Juan Diego. Católicos - los Españoles e Indios, Americanos y Europeos, siempre han creí-do que existe una relación entre María Inmaculada y Guadalupe.

Durante los primeros doscientos años después de la aparición, la creencia en un vínculo en-tre Guadalupe y de la Inmaculada Concepción por lo general se hace evidente en las discusio-nes sobre la "Mujer vestida de sol" (Ap 12:1) claramente recordados por la figura milagrosa de la Madre de Dios en la tilma. Por 1531 era común entre los católicos para identificar la Mujer del Apocalipsis la Mujer que aplasta la cabeza de la serpiente (Gn 3,15), con la Madre de Dios, la Santísima Virgen María, nuestra Reina Celestial, con el título de la Inmaculada Concepción.

Fue el Beato Juan Duns Escoto, ofm (1266? -1308), Quien trajo un profundo conocimiento te-ológico en la teología clásica de la Inmaculada Concepción.

Nuestra Señora, al hablar con Juan Diego, (su nombre indio es Cuauhtlatoatzin, "el que habla como águila"), no habló en español, pero en su propio idioma nativo de náhuatl. La palabra que usó fue Coatlaxopeuh, es decir, "Yo soy el que ha aplastado la cabeza de la serpiente" (la ser-piente que exige sacrificios humanos). Para los oídos españoles que la palabra hablada habría sona-do como "Guadalupe", una imagen de la Virgen como un Santuario en España, de donde el vínculo con el santuario mexicano. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en México es realmente la Inmaculada, la "Perfecta Virgen" del Nican Mopohua. Llevando a efecto la conversión de las naciones a Jesús María no en un sentido real de aplastar la cabeza de (Satanás) el enemigo del Salvador y nuestra salvación. Ella, la Madre de la Misericordia, porque ella es la "Inmaculada Concepción", intervie-ne en la historia para asegurar la conversión, la santificación y la salvación de todos los pueblos. Dentro de diez años 8 millones de indios fueron convertidos por la Virgen Inmaculada.

El Premio Nobel de Química Richard Kuhn, dijo en 1936 que la coloración no era de un mineral, vegetal o de origen animal. Los estudios se iniciaron en 1956 y las imágenes hasta el presente por varios oftalmólogos, entre ellos el Dr. Javier Torroella Bueno (1956) y el Dr. José Aste Tonsmann (El Secreto de Sus Ojos, 2001), afirman haber encontrado reflejadas en los ojos de la Virgen después de amplificar las fotografías para ampliación 2500x. Los alumnos reflejan un grupo de nativos ame-ricanos-Juan Diego y franciscanos-el obispo. Algunos expertos de la industria textil dijeron que no pueden entender cómo la imagen de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe se ha conservado desde 1531, expuesta al polvo, el calor y la humedad, sin desgaste y sin decoloración. El 14 de noviem-bre de 1921, un trabajador de una fábrica puso una bomba a pocos metros de distancia de la plataforma. La explosión demolió las gradas de mármol del altar principal, las ventanas de las casas cercanas y se inclinó un crucifijo de bronce, pero la tela no sufrió daños.

Readings for the Week Monday: Gn 3:9-15, 20 Ps 98:1-4 Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 Lk 1:26-38 Tuesday: Is 40:1-11 Ps 96:1-3, 10-13 Mt 18:12-14 Wednesday: Is 40:25-31 Ps 103:1-4, 8, 10 Mt 11:28-30 Thursday: Zec 2:14-17 (Ps) Jdt 13:18bc, 19 Lk 1:26-38 Friday : Is 48:17-19 Ps 1:1-4, 6 Mt 11:16-19 2 Cor 10:17-11:2 Mt 25:1-13 Saturday: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11 Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 Mt 17:9a, 10-13 Sunday: Is 35:1-6a, 10 Ps 146:6-10 Jas 5:7-10 Mt 11:2-11

Our Sanctuary Lamps

This Week Burn in Memory/Honor of:

Old Chapel – † Fred Kolcz

New Church – † Joseph & Mary Petitto

Mass Intentions for the Week Saturday, December 7 8:30 a.m. † CCW Living & Deceased Members (CCW)

Vigil for the Second Sunday of Advent 5:00 p.m. † Cosgrove & Miller Families (Colette Miller) † John William Brennan & Family (Cathy Johnston) † Joyce Milder (Jayne & Tony Altimari) † Arnold Pins (James Higgins) † John J.Daly, Jr. (Mike & Beth Reedy & Family) † Jolita Birutis (The Staff of St. John’s School)

Sunday, December 8, Second Sunday of Advent 7:30 a.m. † Rose Marecek-Anniversary of Death (Betty Marecek) 9:30 a.m. † Toni Lawrentz (Ron Lawrentz) 11:30 a.m. † John J. & Kathleen Dooley (Mary L’Hotta) 1:30 p.m. † Mass for the Parishioners

Monday, December 9 7:30 a.m. † Frank J. Cernik, Sr. (John & Kathy Novotny)

Tuesday, December 10 7:30 a.m. † Theresa Markl (Rose Marie Lambert)

Wednesday, December 11 7:30 a.m. † Florence Flis (Stanley Flis) 1:40 p.m. School Mass † Joseph M. Voegtle (Ellen L. Voegtle)

Thursday, December 12 7:30 a.m. † Ronnie & William Donaldson (Jack & Dorothy Aylward) 7:00 p.m. † Gregoria Gomez (Margarita Jimenez)

Friday, December 13

7:30 a.m. † Theresa Markl (Betty Marecek)

Saturday, December 14 8:30 a.m. † Mary Peachey (Robert Peachey)

Vigil for the Third Sunday of Advent 5:00 p.m. † Dino Grilli (George & Lita Sarlitto) † Selene Miller (St. John the Baptist Book Club) † Arnold Pins (The Berry Family) † Mary Ellen R. Daly (Mike & Beth Reedy & Family) † Juan Rodriguez, Jr. (The Staden Family) † Marie & Charles Jesukaitis (The Jesukaitis Family)

Sunday, December 15, Third Sunday of Advent 7:30 a.m. † Joseph & Ethel Bialek (Robert & Janet Gens) 9:30 a.m. † Toni Lawrentz (Ron Lawrentz) 11:30 a.m. † Joseph & Joy Henczel (Living) (Joseph Henczel) 1:30 p.m. † Mass for the Parishioners

Confession Schedule Horario de Confesiones

Saturday, December 7, 2013 3:30 p.m., Fr Tom Cargo

Saturday, December 14, 2013 3:30 p.m., Fr Tomy

MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND PRAY THE ROSARY WITH FELLOW PARISHIONERS EVERY SUNDAY

FOLLOWING 7:30 A.M. MASS

Please mark your calendars-Christmas Cantata, Monday, December 9, 7:30 p.m.,

Chapel. All are welcome.

Welcome to our Newly Baptized November 24, 2013

Liam Octavio Jimenez Son of Maria Mendez & Marco Jimenez

This Thursday, December 12,

is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “Mañanitas” - Morning Songs of Love to God’s Mother - will be at

6:00 a.m. in Spanish in the Chapel. At 6:00 p.m.,

there will be Canciones, a Serenade to the Virgin, in

the New Church. Mass for Our Lady of

Guadalupe will be in the New Church at 7:00 p.m. Mass is in Spanish but all

are invited to this wonderful celebration to

honor God’s Mother coming to the Americas to bring

Christ’s Advent of Love.

Stella Barone Fr. John Barrett Harold “Bingo” Besch James Bestler Margaret Birt Brian Burke Josephine Calalbrese Lisa Cicero

Kathy Connor Jewel Ann Curtis Joann Eggebrecht Patrocinia Fernandez Gregory Figiel John Flanigan, Jr. Dolores Gabriel Gregory Garlt Gary Gillmeister Joe Grabowski Dawn Grant Destin Green Jennifer Hammerschmidt Bonnie Hansen Rich Harwood John Heitzler Joy Henczel Elder Hernandez Tom Janczy Bill Johnson Dr. William Johnston Brandon Karimi Ken Kasnicka Carter Kettner Frank Krause Korrin Kupris Kara Ladd Rose Marie Lambert John Lechowicz Dolores Lewandowski Nancy Liden Laurie Linke Sandra Linke

Winnie Lyne Beth Majerczyk Ursula Makowijczuk John Maltese Linda Marczewski Jan Masters Alex McCall Peggy Murphy Becky Neal Johnny Neal Alex Novak Lesley (Tobin) Nygaard Joan Pacer Judy Pakula Josie Pasciak Owen Payton Bane Petrov Cathy Enders Poss Elly Ransum Mary Rauch Alicia Ricciardi Connie Enders Risch Cooper Rojas Katherine Rose Casmir Ruta Lillian Salek Nathan Schram Father John Sebahar Sven Segerlund Bea Serwach Carolyn Sesvold John Shannon Cathy Slipkevych Rosemary Sumang Mary Tarchala Virg Tobin Jim Toman Emily Vanco William White Lexie Youngberg Larry Zengri

Please pray for our sick Mark Your Calendar Mark Your Calendar -- for Upcoming Dates for Upcoming Dates Advent & Christmas & New Year’sAdvent & Christmas & New Year’s

Cantata Service: Monday, Dec 9, 7:30 pm, Chapel Advent Taize: Thursday, Dec 19, 7:30 pm, Chapel Immaculate Conception: This year the Feast of the Immaculate Conception falls on Sunday, December 8. The Second Sunday of Advent takes precedence over the Feast Day, so there is NO Holy Day of Obligation this year, but the feast will be celebrated on Monday, December 9 at 7:30 am

Advent Reconciliation: Confessions during Adoration: Tuesdays, Dec 10 & 17,- 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Sacristy of the Chapel

Parish Advent Penance Service: Wednesday, Dec 18, 7:00 pm, Chapel. We have invited several outside priests to assist us with confessions.

NO CONFESSIONS CHRISTMAS EVE

Grade School Christmas Concert: Tuesday, Dec 17, 6:30 pm

Christmas Eve: NO 7:30 a.m. Morning Mass

Christmas Vigil Masses: 4:00 pm Children’s Mass - Church 4:00 pm Mass - Chapel 6:30 pm 10:00 pm Christmas Mass at Night Christmas Day: 7:30 am 9:30 am 11:30 am 1:30 pm Misa en Español

Parish offices will be closed from Christmas Eve at 2:00 pm, December 24 and will reopen Monday, December 30

Solemnity of the Mother of God Holy Day of Obligation

New Year’s Eve: Tuesday, December 31 5:00 pm - Church, Vigil for New Year’s 5:00 pm- Misa en Español - Chapel New Year’s Day - Wednesday, January 1, 2014 -

7:30 am 9:30 am

Parish offices will be closed on Tuesday, December 31 and on Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Calendario de Servicios en Español Calendario de Servicios en Español del Adviento y la Navidaddel Adviento y la Navidad

La Solemnidad de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe el 12 de diciembre Mañanitas 6:00 AM-Capilla Canciones a la Virgen 6:00 PM - Iglesia Misa de la Virgen de Guadalupe

7:00 PM-Iglesia Fiesta después

Servicio de Penitencia: 7:00 PM el 18 de diciembre - la Capilla Fiesta de la Navidad: el 25 de diciembre 1:30 PM Misa en la Iglesia Solemnidad de la Madre de Dios: Misa de la Vigilia: 5 PM el 31 de diciembre - la Capilla

Christmas Flower Offering Envelopes are in your November/December contribution envelope packet. These envelopes give you

the opportunity to remember your loved ones at Christmas with flowers in the

Church and Chapel. Please limit your intentions to three. The names will be

published in the bulletin, so please print clearly. Please return these flower enve-

lopes as soon as possible; we hope to print the names in the December 22 bulletin.

Attn: Ushers for Christmas Eve &

Christmas Day Masses

If you would like to serve as an usher at any of the Christmas Eve or

Christmas Masses, please sign up on the sheet located on the usher’s room door.

December Music Schedule 5:00 p.m. (Sat.)-Bell Choir , 2nd &

4th Saturdays

7:30 a.m. (Sun.)-Classic Ensem-ble

9:30 a.m. (Sun.)-Contemporary Band

11:30 a.m. (Sun.)-Adult Choir

Christmas Eve Family Mass

Want to add some-thing to your fam-ily’s Christmas Eve traditions?

Looking to put more Christ in Christ-mas for your children? Here is a won-derful opportunity. Participate in our . . .

Annual Christmas Eve Family Mass

Children ages 4 to 10 reenact the Christ-mas Gospel, complete with animals, angels and shepherds. And teens & “tweens” are our lectors. This all hap-pens during the 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass in Church.

Interested? Auditions are on Saturday, December 7th at 10:30 a.m. in the Church. Practices continue on December 14th , and dress rehearsal is on the 21st . All are at 10:30 a.m. in the Church and last one hour. Costumes are required, but there are lots to borrow and simple, no-sew ideas are provided.

Your memories will last a lifetime.

Questions, please call – Jeanne Hess @ 630-926-7864 or sundaymorningpre-school@yahoo.com

St. John the Baptist’s Knights of Columbus

Advent Friday Fish Fry

Friday, December 13*-Sebahar Hall Friday, December 20 - School Hall

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Adults: $8 Kids: $4 Seniors: $7

Fish Fry dinner includes: breaded cod, bread, coleslaw, potato & a drink.

Beer & wine (Cash bar) Salad options for vegetarians.

Pizza or Mac & cheese available for kids

All proceeds to benefit the Knights of Columbus Charities including the new Ronald McDonald Charity House in Winfield

*Pro Life Sponsor

Bulletin Copy Due Dates-If you are submitting an article for the church bulletin, please note the change in due dates due to our publisher’s holiday schedule.

Bulletin Date Copy Due Date December 8 November 27, by noon December 15 December 5, by noon December 22 December 10, by noon December 29 December 16, by noon January 5 December 18, by noon

Market Day - December 21st, 9:00 am. -10:00 a.m. Our pie sale last month was a great success, giving the school a nice bonus check. Thank you! This month we are offering cookie dough. The more boxes purchased, the more our school earns! We are also offering

free pork roast with an online order of $90.

Pick up your order sheets in the kiosk in the rear of the church or in the parish office. Your orders may be left in the parish office entryway by noon on Friday, 12/13 or placed in the collection basket. Online or-dering at www.marketday.com until 12/13.

Everything & a Book Club, Too!

Please join us on December 11 at 7 PM to discuss Heaven’s Keep by Todd

Burns. We will be meeting at the home of Paula Winterhalder. This will be our annual Christmas party, so please bring

a white elephant gift and cookies for the exchanges, as well as a book for the

January book swap. Contact Kara Ladd

at kedrok99@att.net or 630-876-4534 for directions or questions.

Decorating for Christmas

The time is almost here to prepare our CHURCH HOME for Christmas. Again, we will be working on three stages: On Saturday, December 14, scouts and teens will bring up the trees, wreaths, crèche, etc. We could use some help in setting them up from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon.

On Sunday, December 22, from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. or so, we will begin to place the flowers on the altar.

Monday morning, December 23, we will finish with the flowers and make the final touches!

Everyone is welcome. We certainly hope you can find a little time. We have a wonderful time! And, it is always so beautiful!

Please call: Patti Loechl, Arts and Environment Committee: 630-653-1710

POSSIBILITIES

Nothing is impossible for God and his Blessed Mother.

—Don Bosco

Monsignor Vincent Cloos

Tuition Assistance Fund

Our Parish has a Tuition Assis-tance Fund named in honor of our beloved former pastor,

Monsignor Vincent Cloos, who loved dearly our school and all the children who attended. Families who qualify to be recipients of funds for tuition assistance must be parishioners of St. John the Baptist Parish and attend church at St. John’s weekly.

Donations may be given in Honor of, or in Memory of, a loved one, and, from a donor or from “anonymous.” Please indicate your preferences concerning the aforementioned when you make your donation to the Monsi-gnor Vincent Cloos Tuition Assistance fund.

If you’d like to learn more about the schol-arship fund for you or for a needy family, please contact Deborah Birutis, ext. 616, or Father Tom Cargo, ext. 600.

Reflections with Chris Strong

Based on the Advent Booklet, The Joy in the Waiting

by Alice Camille

Tu e s d a y , D e c e m b e r 1 0

7:00 p.m. Sebahar Hall

Light Refreshments served during the Presentation

“People make the holiday what they are! Gathering is the style of the sea-son:

Christmas concerts, school pageants, carol singing, office parties, parish retreats,

relatives visiting. It is time to make new friends while keeping tabs on the old!”

It is also a season of waiting and anticipation! And, at the core of it all, we are about “Coming home to Bethlehem.”

Our Advent Wreath Candles

will burn this year in Memory-Honor of those to whom our

refurbished stations of the Cross have been dedicated to.

The second week’s Advent Candle

burns in Memory of

Mary Anastatia Aylward Mary Mildred

Rolandson

TORNADO RELIEF EFFORTS

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, has set up a Tornado Assistance Fund to Help Those Impacted

in the Recent Storms

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, is assisting those impacted by the violent storms in November with food, housing, counseling, financial support, transportation, minor home repairs, household sup-plies, storage/warehousing, and child care costs. If you want to donate directly to Catholic Charities Tornado fund, the computer address is:

http://www.tinyurl.com/tornadodonations

Financial assistance is needed. To donate, please hit the DONATE button on the top of the page and type “tornado victims” in the “honor of” space or mail your donation to:

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet 203 North Ottawa Street Joliet, Illinois 60432

Please continue to keep all those who are suffering in your prayers.

Cupcake Sale, This Weekend, 12/7 & 12/8, to Benefit WeGrow Dreams My name is Alex McCall, and my family and I have been parish-ioners at St. John the Baptist Church for many years. I am working on my

Eagle Scout project, and I am building planter tables at WeGrow Dreams in West Chicago. I am having a cupcake bake sale after all the masses the weekend of December 7 and 8 to raise money for my project. I am asking for your prayers and support. Thank you!

Sacrificial Giving We are ever grateful for your loving gener-osity and sharing in the Ministries of Serving the Lord here at St. John the Baptist.

Parish Collections November 3……………………..$24,225.11 November 10……………………$17,998.54 November 17……………………$22,901.91 November 24……………………$17,640.30

“If you seek perfection, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you

will then have treasure in heaven.” (Matthew 19:21)

Our church is seeking to reach and help many people. The money you are giving is being invested wisely in people ministries. Please help us support the weekly needs

of $26,312. Thank you for your generosity.

WISH TREES 2013

The Wish Trees are Up!

As in years’ past, there will be a variety of tags on the trees to choose from.

Please look closely at the date on the tags;

each organization has a different deadline. In order that small items do

not get lost, do not place gift cards under the trees. Instead, turn these in at the parish office.

Those groups or individuals who would like to volunteer to bring the gifts after Mass downstairs to the storage room in Sebahar Hall can contact Karen Tsaparis at 630-917-0565

or email. karen.tsaparis@gmail.com.

Also, we welcome any volunteers who are available to help with the delivery of the gifts. Thank you.

St. Vincent de Paul Donation Drive @ St. John the Baptist

Saturday, December 7 & December 8

The St. Vincent de Paul truck will be in our parking lot the weekend of December 7 & 8. Our volunteers will be waiting for you at the truck to help you unload. Please have all your donations bagged or boxed. No hangers, please. We will ac-cept:

Clothing, shoes, linens & books in good or bad condition. Unusable clothing, shoes, linens & even books generate income for the needy because they are sold for rags or in bulk. THERE IS A SPECIAL NEED FOR COATS & OTHER WINTER CLOTHING.

Small housewares (toasters, blenders, mixers, etc.)

Electronics! SVDP Thrift shops are now electronic recy-cling centers! We can take small electronics & computers at clothing drives. For larger item donations, please call for a home pick-up. ONLY FLAT SCREEN TVS AC-CEPTED. No console TVs or large TVs.

Your donations go to the SVDP Thrift Shops where much of our donations are given away free to needy families in the community. Some are sold at reasonable prices at the thrift shops so that needy families can shop with dignity. “Proceeds” from the thrift shops go into a general assistance fund from which St. Vincent de Paul Conferences at the church level help folks with rent, mortgage or utility assistance.

If you have any large items, bicycles or furniture you would like to donate, you can call 630-231-4658 to schedule a pick-up at your home.

Thank you to everyone at St. John’s for helping us help others!

~Society of St. Vincent de Paul

630-231-4658

Help aging sisters, brothers, and religious order priests

“Each year the need to provide for our elderly (members) becomes more pressing, and we are ever more grate-ful for these providential funds,” writes a religious sister about the fi-nancial assistance received from the Retirement Fund for Religious. Your donation helps provide necessities such as prescription medication and nursing care. Please give to those who have given a lifetime.

2013 Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal Pledge Report

Monthly pledge payments for the CMAA pledges should be made in the next few days. It is very important that these pledges be paid so that our parish will reach our goal. Once we have reached our goal in paid pledges, 50% of the ad-ditional funds received will be returned to the parish for our use.

Parish Goal: $93,147 Amount Pledged: $91,449 Amount Paid: $80,058 Remaining Unpaid Balance: $11,391

We are at 98% of our goal. If you haven’t yet contributed, will you please consider donating? Thank you for your generosity.

JUSTICE AND OBEDIENCE

Justice is the insur-ance we have on our

lives, and obedience is the pre-

mium we pay for it.

—William Penn, English Quaker

Gather the Children Ministry is looking for . . .

Men, Women, & Children, at least 11 years old

-Guitarists , -A Coordinator Call RE, 630-682-4400 X 613, or

Kara Ladd, 630-876-4534 (call or text)

CATHOLICS FOR LIFE

"Advent leads the Church to the Silent Night when God Himself is revealed as one of us. This season leads us to the joy of His birth. If God has joined His na-ture to ours, how can we ever allow our nature to be despised? If He has come to bring us Divine Life, and will return to take us to the skies, how can it be all right to throw people in the garbage? May His birth shed protection on all about to be born, and as we work to end abortion, may we 'wait in joyful hope for the coming of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.'" (Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life) Words of Our Lady of Guadalupe in her appearance to Juan Diego “Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear sickness nor any other anguish. Am I not here, who am your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything."

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas and of Life,

Pray for us.

For Sale In Parish

Office $35.00 ea

Great Christmas Gift!

To place an order, please contact Erica Cabrera at

ecabrera0517@sbcglobal.net

Heroin Awareness The deadly drug heroin is affecting our community, our families, and ourselves. Find out how you can be involved by learning the causes and the conse-quences from heroin. A conference will be held to bring awareness and offer resource help. Guest speakers will in-clude: addiction counselors from Ca-dence Health & Alexian Brothers, DG Counseling, Bartlett Countryside Fu-neral Home, DuPage coroners, Bartlett & Carol Stream police depts., reformed heroin addicts, Father Michael Paw-lowicz from St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Conference Locations: -- Corpus Christi in Carol Stream on Sunday, December 8, 3-5 p.m. -- In Spanish at St. Mary's, West Chicago, Sunday, January 18, 2:30-4:30 p.m.

B A C K B Y P O P U L A R D E M A N D

St . J o h n t h e B a p t i s t C h u r c h O r n a m e n t s

People’s Resource Center announces . . .

A Gavin Coyle Christmas

Sunday, December 8 3:00 p.m.

North Central College Pfeiffer Hall

310 E. Benton, Naperville $30/ticket

(To purchase tickets, go to tick-ets.noctrl.edu and click on the Dec 8

calendar, Songs of the Season)

Volunteer Opportunities Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is recruiting volunteers for a once a week shifts: Eucharistic Ministers for daily & Sunday communion, in the gift shop and transporting patients in wheelchairs. For more information, contact the Marianjoy volunteer office, 630-909-7400

OPERATION ANDREW DINNERS - These dinners with Bishop Conlon are open to all men who are high school age or older. The evening begins at 6pm and ends by 8pm. Participants will have the chance to have dinner with Bishop Con-lon and Fr. Burke, hear a vocation story, ask questions and meet other young men interested in knowing more about the priesthood. Please contact your pastor or RSVP to Fr. Burke at voca-tions@dioceseofjoliet.org or (815 834-4004) if you are interested in coming to the next Andrew Dinner:

December 10, 2013, Sts. Peter & Paul, Naperville

LISTENING TO GOD’S CALL – All men and women, ages 18-40, are invited to gather with women and men religious to explore the possibility of religious life and priesthood. This is sponsored by JAVA (Joliet Area Vocation Associa-tion). The topic for December is “Prayer”. The dates are:

December 10, 2013 – 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Loretto Convent in Wheaton, Sr. Claire, 630-868-2904 or clvand@aol.com.

December 11, 2013 - 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. St. Francis Woods in Frankfort, Sr. Maria 815-464-3873 or voca-tions@fssh.net.

MEN’S DISCERNMENT GROUP – All men age 17 and older are welcome to our Men’s Discernment Group. We will be using the book “To Save A Thousand Souls” by Fr. Brett Brannen to discuss relevant topics to discern a priestly voca-tion. Books will be provided for those who do not already have one. December 15, 2013, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Special Assignments for Dioce-san Priests (Chapter 18)

John Paul II, 430 N. Center St., Joliet RSVP to Vocation Office, 815-834-4004

Free Personal Change Class Offered

Do you feel that life is beating you down? Are you always struggling to make ends meet? Do you want to let go of unproductive thoughts, feelings and behaviors and replace them with positive ones that will move you toward a better quality of life?

Catholic Charities is offering a program of personal change called Out of Pov-erty. This program is not just about the lack of money; it’s also about poverty of the spirit. Discussion within a group setting encourages honesty and focuses on the fact that life has not turned out the way you thought it would. Give yourself a second chance and register for Out of Poverty classes today. Classes will be held at Catholic Charities, 26 W. St. Charles Rd., Lombard, on each Mon-day from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. from January 6 - February 24, 2014. A spe-cial graduation ceremony is planned for March 3, 2014. Onsite childcare will be provided as needed. For more informa-tion, or to register, call Yvonne Morron-giello at 630-495-8008, ext. 2122 or Ron Madsen at ext. 2119. Visit our website at catholiccharitiesjoliet.org

Catholic Inquiry Anyone interested in becoming Catho-lic, please call the parish office for in-formation: 630-668-0918, ext. 600.

Help Our School Clip Box Tops!

Please drop off your clipped Box Tops in the entryway to the parish office. There is always a collection box there. All profits are benefitting programs for St. John the Baptist school. Questions, contact Robin Hafertepe at: hafertepes1424@yahoo.com Thank you!

Visit Our Parish Website, www.stjohnwinfield.org for:

Copy of the bulletin Ministries Schedule

Having Surgery? Give one of our priests a call PRIOR to your surgery, so that anointing can be given at a time when you are less stressed. Call the parish office at 630-668-0918, ext. 600, and set a time to come in BEFORE your surgery for anointing.

Hospital Visits Our priests are available to make hospi-tal visits. Because of HIPAA Laws the Hospital does not notify churches when parishioners are there. Please notify the Saint John’s Parish Office when a loved one is there giving us the name and room number. We want to do our best to minister to all the Hospitalized!

Homebound Parishioners who are homebound and wish to receive communion, please call the parish office at 630-668-0918, ext. 600, and we will pass your name to the coordinator for Homebound Ministry.

Lost and Found Please check the Lost and Found box in

the entry way to the parish office.

Parish Calendar Please see the on line calendar at: www.stjohnwinfield.org or on the kiosk of the narthex of the Church.

Bulletin Articles Submissions are due by noon on Thurs., 10 days prior to the Sunday on which you wish the article to appear. (Holidays may change due dates for arti-cles because of publishing demands). Include the name and phone number of the person submitting the article. Please email as an attachment using Microsoft Word or Publisher. Please do not include article in the body of the email.

Email to: jenniferk@stjohnwinfield.org or rosab@stjohnwinfield.org.

Pulpit Announcements Must be submitted with a contact name and phone number, by 9 a.m. on Tues-day prior to the Sunday you wish the announcement made. The parish office has final approval on all bulletin articles and pulpit announcements.

Youth Ministry (High School) For information, contact

Chris Strong at chriss@stjohnwinfield.org

All meetings are 6:30p-8p in the Youth Ministry Center

above the garages at the parish offices. Next meetings:

12/15; 1/5; 1/19

Please Pray for those who defend our Nation, those who serve

in Active Duty

Pvt James Luigi Akin SRA Francis Beifuss

Lt John Berg Sgt Melissa Brooker

Lt Deandra Carbone CMR Nicholas Carbone

Pvt Timothy Conley SA Dakota Enders

AF3C John L. Enders Sgt Andrew Fairbairn

Pv2 Nicholas Gorman Sgt Pamela Gray A1C Seth Kelley LCpl David Lawless

Senior Airman Felicia K. McDonald GSMC (SW/SS) Timothy A. Newell

ABHAA Sean Phillips Lt Col George Pohlmann

A1C Alejandro Luis Sanchez AN Michael Schieve

Captain Jim Smolucha Captain Mike Smolucha SPC Thomas Stanhope

Please keep St. John the Baptist Parish in mind when doing your Estate Planning

Wedding Information Getting married? Give us a ring! Please contact one of the parish priests as soon as you become engaged and at least six months before the wedding date. Catho-

lics need to be attending church every Sunday.

Prayers of the Faithful If you or someone in your family is sick and would like to be mentioned in the Prayers of the Faithful, please call the parish secretary at 630-668-0918, ext. 600, to add your name to the list.

Parish Registration New Parishioner Registrations are held in Sebahar Hall (lower level of the Church) generally following the 7:30 & 9:30 a.m. Masses. Upcoming scheduled dates are as follows:

Sunday, December 15

Area Open Houses

“Meet Montini” Thursday, December 12

8:30 a.m.

Tutors Needed for 1st-8th Grade

Volunteers are needed to help children in First Grade through Eighth Grade who are struggling

in school. Please call Tom Masterson at: 630-653-4818

Volunteer Opportunities! If you would like to volunteer your time and/or talent, you might be inter-ested in looking through our parish Ministries directory, a booklet that lists all the ministries at St. John’s. Please contact Deborah Birutis in the parish office, ext. 616.

Experience the Benedictine Way at Marmion Abbey’s “Come and See”

weekend, Friday, Dec. 13 at 4:30 pm through Sunday, Dec. 15 at 5:30 pm. This is an opportunity for men of all

ages to speak, pray and work with the Benedictine monks of Marmion Abbey (850 Butterfield Road in Aurora). There will also be time for personal prayer and

reflection. Please contact: Abbot Vincent Bataille OSB at:

vbataille@marmion.org<mailto:vbataille@marmion.org> if interested.

Requisitos Sacramentales Confesiones • los Sábados 3:30-4:30 pm Bautizos • Las Platicas Pre-bautismales son requeridas antes de fijar la fecha del Bautismo. Favor de inscribirse con dos a tres meses de anticipo. Bautizos normalmente 4° Domingo del Mes Bodas • Preparación Espiritual empieza por lo menos con SEIS MESES de anticipo. No haga preparaciones para su Celebración antes de reunirse con el párroco. Adoración del Santísimo los Martes 8 am a Miércoles 7:15 am

Sacramento de los Enfermos y Visitas de la Comunión: • Llame a la oficina Quince Años y Presentaciones • Llame a la oficina de la Secretaria Hispana. Quince Añeras necesitan ser miembros de la Parroquia y cumplieron Educación Religiosa de 7 y 8 grados. Secretaria Hispana Para hablar con la secretaria hispana, llame al Rosa Benavides, extensión 601 Lunes, Martes y Jueves 8:00 AM a 2:00 PM, o Mirella Hernández, extensión 601 los Sábados 9:00 AM a 11:00 AM y Domingo 1/2 hora después de la Misa en español.

Parish Office Hours: Parish Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Grade School MassGrade School Mass Wed. 1:40 pm

Holy Days of Obligation, All Souls & Ash Wednesday To be announced with each Special Day

Eucharistic Adoration Eucharistic Adoration ~ ~ Tues. from 8 a.m. - Wed 7:15 a.m. & First Fridays - 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

BaptismsBaptisms 1st Sunday of the Month First Baptism Rituals starting at the 11:30 a.m. Mass. Parents and god-parents are encouraged to attend Baptism Preparation Classes several months before your baby is born. Godparents are to be practicing Catholics!

WeddingsWeddings Spiritual Preparation begins at least SIX MONTHS in advance. Please do not make reservations until you meet with a priest.

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