Church of Ss. Simon and Jude Church of St. Joseph

CHURCH OF SS. SIMON & JUDE Saturday—Aug 17—Franklin Orr Sunday–Aug 18—Msgr. & Victoria Auda Memorial Mass Monday, Aug 19 8:00 a.m. Communion Service 7:00-8:00 p.m. HOLY HOUR (1st & 3rd Mondays) Tuesday, Aug 20 8:00 a.m. Missy Nordsiek Wednesday, Aug 21 8:00 a.m. Attend Mass in Benld Thursday, Aug. 22 8:00 a.m. Communion Service Friday, Aug 23 8:00 a.m. Bessie Katich (Phil & Jolene Kocis) Saturday, Aug 24 4:00 p.m. Mary Halpin (Ron & Joan Bertolino) Sunday, Aug 25 10:30 a.m. Bill Martin (Mary Jane Kalvin) LITURGICAL ROLES Saturday, Aug 24 Lector S. Wilson Sp. Min. J. Ross/Cindy & Randy Olive Servers J. Clark Off. Family Jason & Brenda Lubrant Sunday, Aug 25 Lector K. Jarden Sp. Min. G. Crites/K. Jarden/K. Huddlestun Servers P. Jarden Off. Family S. Ruyle/L. Knocke Greeters Rob & Denise Wirth If you are scheduled at an inconvenient time, please call someone to replace you. Confessions Before 4:00 pm. Mass on Sat.

HOLY HOUR The First & Third Mondays of the Month from 7:00-8:00 p.m. and after 8:00 Mass Wed. at St. Joseph’s. Please join us if only for a few minutes.

CHURCH OF ST. JOSEPH Sunday Aug 18—Eleanor LaDame Monday, Aug 19 8:00 a.m. Communion Service Tuesday, Aug 20 8:00 a.m. Attend Mass in Gillespie Wednesday, Aug 21 8:00 a.m. Hank & Lucille Marcacci (Jeff Marcacci) Thursday, Aug 22 8:00 a.m. Communion Service Friday, Aug 23 8:00 Attend service in Gillespie Saturday, Aug 24 No Mass Sunday, Aug 25 7:45 a.m. Jim Rolando (Jack & Steph Kochinski) LITURGICAL ROLES Saturday Aug 24—No Mass Sunday, Aug 25 Lector J. Bertetto Sp. Min. Wm. Bertetto/David & Donna Dopuch Servers M. Bertetto/E. Gill Off. Fam. M/M Ed Saracco Confessions Before 7:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday

HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

Pastor: Rev. Michael Haag Deacon Denny Baker Karla Huddlestun DRE (gillespiedre@gmail.com) Ss. Simon & Jude Mass Schedule: Daily Mass: 8:00 a.m.—Tuesday (& all lst Fridays) Communion Service Monday, Thursday & Friday Saturday Evening: 4:00 p.m.; Sunday: 10:30 a.m. St. Joseph Mass Schedule: Daily Mass: 8:00 a.m.—Wednesday Communion Service Monday, Thurs. & Friday Sunday: 7:45 a.m. Holy Days Schedule: 4:00 p.m. eve Benld; 7:00 p.m. eve Carlinville; 8:00 a.m. Gillespie; Noon Carlinville; 7:00 p.m. Gillespie Parish office: 304 N. Macoupin Gillespie, IL 62033 Phone (217) 839-3456 simonjude3456@gmail.com Website: www.macoupincatholicchurch.com Visit us on Facebook—Macoupin Catholic Church

Diocese Victim Assistance Coordinator and liaison be-tween the Diocese & anyone with an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor-Ms. Patricia Kornfield (217) 321-1155.

TWENTIETY SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME Aug. 18, 2019

COLLECTIONS: GILLESPIE BENLD $1,977.00 (Env. 80) $741.00 (Env. 36) 226.00 (Loose) 279.00 (Loose) 45.00 (Conf. Sch. 3) 50.00 (Others) $2,248.00 $1,070.00

2019 PRAYERLINE Please pray for hospitalized, sick, military men & women serving our country, residents of nursing homes and homebound including: Matt Orr, Joe Niebrand, Meredith Johnston, Sharon Castiglione, Renee Tilley, Gerri Wright.

Pastor Corner: Shortly after sunrise on June 14, 2015, a Finnish man named Ashprihanal Aalto stood on Eighty-fourth Avenue in Queens. At 6 a.m., he began running around the block. He passed a playground, some houses and a technical high school. After half a mile, he returned to his starting point. Then he kept going — until, 40 days later, he’d run 5,649 laps, for a total of 3,100 miles. Aalto was one of 12 runners attempting the world’s longest certified footrace, the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race. Eight of the runners finished the race within the 52-day time limit. Aalto finished fastest and broke the world record by almost a full day. … Last year, the race organizers fielded 21 applications and accepted 14 — the maximum number of runners they can currently handle. “We make sure runners who apply aren’t self-involved,” Sahishnu Szczesiul, one of the race directors, said. “We need to make sure they can get along with other people, and that they aren’t just driven by personal glory. We’re looking for runners who want to test themselves, and who are seeking to run the race for a sense of harmony and balance.” —Adam Alter, “The spiritual life of the long-distance runner,” The New Yorker, December 14, 2015, newyorker.com. I cannot imagine running almost 60 miles in one day, let alone 52 straight days. I cannot imagine the mental tough-ness and the support people receive to allow them to achieve this feat. Yet some people have. When the letter to the He-brews mentions us running the race before us while keep-ing our eyes fixed on Jesus, it is not a sprint or a mere marathon. It can be an immensely long and grueling run, but with Jesus as leader and perfector of our faith, we will not grow weary or lose heart.

Being on fire. In biblical stories, fire draws us to the pillar of fire during Exodus and the tongues of fire at Pentecost. We also recall the new fire that was blessed last Easter Vig-il. Next to these blazing fires, we do not stand alone. In standing “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”, we share in the faith and belief of all those who keep eyes fixed on Jesus.

What can be purified in my life by the fire of Pentecost, of Confirmation, of the Holy Spirit?

With whom will I stand in faith?

How will I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus this day?

PSR Corner:

Mark Your Calendar! - PSR Begins once again on Sunday September 8th! (9:00 - 10:15 a.m. in the Parish School) PSR Registration: Registration forms are in the back of the church or for your convenience you can register on our Web Site: www.macoupincatholicchurch.com under the Faith Education tab – PSR Registration.

Sacramental Preparation (3rd Grade): Sept. 8th is the first parent/student Session (9:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m. in the Parish School Conference Room) or if you cannot make Gillespie, you may go to Carlinville (Ss Mary & Joseph) on Wed., Sept. 4th (5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.) in the Parish Hall. Parents must attend one or the other. Contact GillespieDRE@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Catechists Needed—Parents please consider staying during PSR and helping in a classroom or being the catechist. We need more volunteers to avoid combining classes and we are currently not offering Kindergarden due to lack of cate-chists and number of students. Contact me at Gillespie DRE@gmail.com or call me at 217-276-3428. Thank you in advance for your help. Karla Huddlestun, DRE

Deacon Denny will be leading "A Biblical Walk Through the Mass" beginning Sept. 16. This is a 6-session program which takes us a scriptural tour through the prayers, hymns and rituals of the Liturgy. It is meant to give us the true meaning and background of the elements of the Mass. Each session is 90 minutes (7-8:30 pm) The cost is $10 to cover the cost of the book of reading material. The parish is paying for the accompanying workbook Please sign up on the sheet in the vestibule/narthex entrance. Schedule: Ss Mary & Joseph (Monday) Sept. 16, 23, 30; Oct. 7, 14. Ss Simon & Jude (Thursday) Sept. 19, 26, Oct. 3, 10, 17.

Attention St. Joseph Ladies! Registration forms and pay-ment for the 91st Annual SDCCW Convention to be held on Wednesday, September 25, must be received by September 6. The cost for registration is $50 and forms are available in the vestibule of the church. Please submit both form and payment by that date. When you arrive at St. Boniface Church in Edwardsville where the Convention is being held, our Altar & Rosary will reimburse you $15 of your registration fee. Since the Convention's location is so close, we hope St. Joseph is well represented. We hope to see you there.

Save the date: the Fall Family Parish Picnic on Sunday, September 8 following the 10:30 Mass. Hot dogs, chips, drinks, games and attendance prizes. Everyone is invited to attend.

Care Center Collection for our parishes is next weekend, August 24-25. Food, personal care items and money are needed. Checks payable to the Care Center.

Are you interested in joining the Catholic Church or know someone who is? Please contact the parish office at 839-3456. RCIA Classes will begin in September.