2747 Pali Highway Honolulu, Hawaii 96817

(808) 595-3105 ssccpali@rcchawaii.org

facebook.com/st.stephenpali

OFFICE HOURS: Tues—Thurs: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm* Mon, Fri & Sat: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

*Closed for lunch from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

PASTOR

Fr. Mario Raquepo

STAFF Deacon Ronald Choo Sister Marykutty Kottuppallil, MSMHC Rosemary Hashimoto, Secretary

FAITH FORMATION

CCD-Children Velma Guieb-Mamuad

Youth & Confirmation Rosemary Hashimoto (interim)

R. C. I. A. Debbie Fujiyama

Parish Scripture Groups Francis Jordan

PARISH MINISTRIES

Homebound & Bereavement Virginia Jordan & Helen Luke

Hospitality David Tom

Altar Server Zachary Choo

Liturgical Music Leka Leaeno (Saturday Vigil) Stanley Wong (Sunday)

Lector Beverly Perry

Holy Communion at Mass Jennifer Tamayo

Sacristy Celine Asato & David Tom

Justice & Peace TBA ——— (Respect Life) TBA ——— (Aloysius Food Pantry) TBA ——— (Family Promise Hawaii)

PARISH ORGANIZATIONS

Pastoral Council Patricia Silva

Stewardship/Discipleship Council

Bernard Ho (interim)

Finance Council James Solidum (interim)

Liturgy Commission TBA

Building/Planning Committee Loretta Chee & Richard Leong

Social Fellowship Sui Kozuma & Kitchen Crew

CATHOLIC PARISH

VISITATION OF THE SICK: Priest and Homebound Ministers are available to visit the infirm or hospitalized. Please contact the Parish. For sacramental emergency, call 595-3105 and press #2 BAPTISM: Sacramental preparation is required. If you are expecting or have a child to be baptized, please call the Parish office for more information MARRIAGE: The Diocese of Honolulu requires couples to marry in the Church to participate in the preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony. Couples should contact the office for Marriage Preparation at least 6 months before the wedding FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS: Kokua! Please contact your Church prior to making arrangements with a funeral home

PARISHIONERS: When changing address/telephone, or moving out of the Parish, please kindly notify the office NEW PARISHIONERS: If you would like to become a parishioner of St. Stephen, please use forms available at the entrance of the Church or contact the office

E KOMO MAI

weekend MASS CONFESSION

SATURDAY (Main Church ) ………... 4:00 pm SATURDAY …..…… 3:00 — 3:30 pm SUNDAY (Chapel) ………...………… 7:15 am or by appointment (Main Church) .……...….… 9:30 am

WEEKDAY mass Devotion & ADORATION Chapel of St. Catherine Eucharistic Adoration ...… WED Mass

MONDAY— SATURDAY ............ 8:00 am Holy Rosary ……………….. before Mass

S t. S Tephen

Donations/Collections

Votive Offering 64.50

Facilities Repair 1,195.00

Monstrance donation 1,250.00

Second Sunday of Advent

Mass Intentions

PLEASE PRAY

For the sick & homebound:

ROLAND ALBARADO, MARGARET ROBELLO, JOE CHANG, DON YEE, CARRIE TALWAR

GOOD NEWS

STEWARDSHIP OF OUR LORD

.“Prepare the way of the Lord. “ ...Mark 1:3

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

ALOYSIUS TOM FOOD PANTRY

Weekly Offerings (November 22 & 23, 2014)

Saturday 4:00 pm Mass 1,060.00

7:15 am Mass 274.00

9:30 am Mass 1,111.00

Total Offering 2,445.00

Isaiah 40:1–5, 9–11 / 2 Peter 3:8–14 / Mark 1:1–8

In the weeks before Christmas, preparations for the holiday seem all-consuming. We cook, we shop, we clean; we buy or make presents for our families and friends. Sometimes we break into song, and often we give more generously than at other times. We’ll probably have guests, and we’ll want to do a little extra to make ready for them.

Today’s readings turn our gaze to a more significant kind of preparation for Christmas and remind us that Jesus Christ, who was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago, waits to come again in the fullness of time. More to the point, he waits for us to open our hearts and our lives to him.

What does that take exactly?

Think about the way we clean house for special guests. Not content with simple wiping and dusting, we get out the polish, clean the top of the refrigerator, and even double check for dust bunnies that have wandered to the corner under the bed. That’s a fine metaphor for what we need to do with our souls.

Advent is the time to check the dark recesses for thoughts and actions that indicate we’re less than ready to meet Christ face to face.

Advent is the time to sweep away the cobwebs and put our inner house in order, knowing that Christ is on his way.

Maybe in the midst of cooking and cleaning the house we live in, we can find the time for prayer and reconciliation so that when he comes, we can stand before him with doors open wide in welcome.

Mary Katharine Deeley sundaybulletin@liguori.org

Mahalo for your generous donations. We will be taking your gifts and offerings to St. John the Baptist soon. Please continue to remember them in your prayers.

Mahalo for your faithful service and continued generosity!

For the recently deceased: MARTIN LUKE, DAVID LIU, BOBBY LOWE, ETHEL LEE, ELLEN SHAM, PATSY TAM, GWENDOLYN JOSEPH, HAZEL ANDRADE, MARIA GUIEB , MERRY CRIS HO, YVONNE PACARRO, LESTER MABERY, FLORENCE HO, ETHEL AU, GINNY STAHL, PAUL WONG, TONY BARON, MABEL LUKE, ELLEN KALAHELE, JOHN COSTA, MARTHA OYADAMORI, CAROLYN AKI, HARRY BENDER

Saturday, December 6:

4:00 p.m. Mass: † Michael Morrow

Sunday, December 7:

7:15 a.m. Mass: All families 9:30 am Mass: Adrian Abcede

Monday, December 8:

8 am Mass: † Patricia Trask

Tuesday, December 9:

8 am Mass: † Martin Luke requested Lake Furukawa

Wednesday, December 10:

8 am Mass: Arlene Spinola healing

Thursday, December 11:

9 am Mass: † Sonny Quon

Friday, December 12:

8 am Mass: Shalimar & Bryant

Saturday, December 13:

8 am Mass: Shalimar & Bryant

12/7 Rupert Hashimoto

12/8 Mary Carvalho Sarah Louis

12/10 Eugene Cacho Dickson Young

12/11 Lawrence Perry Cho Yul Kim

12/12 Merlin White Dilinda Julian

12/13 Eloise Dang

Liturgical Ministries

December 7, 2014

Faith Formation

Next Week: December 13 & 14

Altar server: [Sat] —

[Sun] — Jasmine Labrador, Eiliana Abcede, Mackenzie Martines

Lector: [Sat] - Richard Leong/Duchess Leaeno [Sun] -Monica Hahn/Bev Perry

EMHC: [Sat] — Valerie Low, Olive Houle [Sun] — Toni Farm,

Frank Jordan, Arlette Aki

This week

CCD

December 7 Class

YOUTH

Class

Parish Scripture Groups

Wed. December 10 9:15 a.m. & 6:30 p.m.

R.C.I.A.

December 14 Immaculate Conception

Monday, December 8: IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Blessing of Grotto

Wednesday, December 10: 8:30 a.m.—6:45 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration

Thursday, December 11: 7:00 ADVENT PENANCE

Collection Counting: Team 2

Church Cleaners: Ginny Jordan, Celine

Asato, Barbara Guieb, Anne Yee, Arlette Aki

We only have two Holy Days of Obligation that we observe in our Diocese. Christmas and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of our nation. Masses will be at 8:00 a.m. in the chapel and 6:00 p.m. in the church. Following our 6:00 p.m. Mass we will bless the Marian Grotto. Everyone is invited to join in the reception after in the Hall.

We already have $100.00 for seed money toward the new piano. Sign up for bread is at the front door. There will be pick after each Mass.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION—Monday, DECEMBER 8TH

Bread Sale for PIANO FUND—December 13 & 14

Give thanks for religious. A parishioner writes, “We thank God today and every day for every religious sister who taught us in school, not only our ABCs, but also to love God.” Share your gratitude for the senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests who made a positive difference in so many lives. Please give generously to next week’s collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious.

RETIRED RELIGIOUS FUND

ADVENT WREATH LIGHTING

ADVENT PENANCE—Thursday December 11th at 7:00 p.m.

Mahalo to our families who helped us in the Liturgy this Advent

To help us focus on the real meaning of Christmas, this year we are celebrating a Mass at Dawn (5:30 a.m.) from December 16th to 24th. Please sign up if you are interested in attending so we can accommodate everyone.

DAWN MASS

There will be four priests available on December 11th for our Advent Penance Service. Everyone is reminded to take time to prepare our hearts and souls for Christ coming.

LOVING TREE

Our Parish seeks to reach out to our parishioners who are homebound or without family and friends. We want to remind them of our prayers and good wishes. Please take a name from the tree and have your gift ready by December 21st. Our Outreach volunteers will see that they are delivered by Christmas. Keep them in your prayers this season when it is most difficult to be alone and away from loved ones.

Nov. 29 - Deacon Ron Choo Nov 30 - Debbie Fujiyama & Donna Louis

Dec 6—Lorrie Chee Dec 7—Tim & Marissa Abcede & family

Dec 13—Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Ho & Family

Dec 14 — Daren, Denise & Paige Lin-DeShetler

d e a r P A D R E

Q

A

Why isn’t Jesus’ conception called

“immaculate”?

WEEKLY SCRIPTURAL READINGS

Monday, December 8 IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Genesis 3:9—15, 20

Ephesians 1:3—6, 11—12

Luke 1:26—38

Tuesday, December 9 St. Juan Diego

Isaiah 40:1—11

Matthew 18:12—14

Wednesday, December 10

Isaiah 40:25—31

Matthew 11:28—30

Thursday, December 11

St. John Damascene

Isaiah 41:13—20

Matthew 11:11—15

Friday, December 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe

Zechariah 2:14—17 or

Revelation 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10

Luke 1:26—38

Saturday, December 13

St. Lucy, Virgin & Martyr

Sirach 48:1—4, 9—11

Matthew 17:9a, 10—13

SUNDAY, December 14 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Isaiah 61:1—2a, 10—11

1 Thessalonians 5:16—24

John 1:6—8, 19—28

I know the term “Immaculate Conception” refers to Mary’s conception

because she was born without original sin. But since Jesus was also born

without original sin, wouldn’t that term refer to his conception as well?

The dogma of the Immaculate Conception asserts that

Mary was free of the stain of original sin from the time she

was conceived.

Jesus was also free of the stain of original sin, but his

conception by Mary is referred to as the incarnation of

Christ.

In the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar, Mary’s conception

is celebrated December 8, and her birthday is celebrated

exactly nine months later on September 8. Likewise, Christ’s

conception is celebrated on March 25, and his birthday is

celebrated exactly nine months later on December 25.

Mary’s immaculate conception was celebrated many centuries

before Pope Pius IX defined it as dogma on December 8,

1854, in his apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus: “That the

Most Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved from all stain of

original sin in the first instant of her conception, by a singular

grace and privilege of Almighty God…has been revealed by

God and must, therefore, firmly and constantly be believed

by all the faithful.”

FR. BYRON MILLER, CSsR sundaybulletin@liguori.org

1. The presence of sin can easily lead to depression and anxiety. 2. You shower to show respect for those around you. Cleansing your

soul makes you better to be around, too! 3. Mortal sin, unconfessed, “causes exclusion from Christ’s Kingdom and

the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices forever, with no turning back” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1861).

4. As they leave the confessional, people smile a smile of freedom. 5. Because love means having to say you are sorry to the one you love. 6. You will grow in humility, sincerity and selfknowledge. 7. Blessed Mother Teresa went. Frequently. 8. Hoping to convert on your deathbed? That’s not very likely. Most like-

ly, you will die as you lived. 9. It is itself a serious sin to go to Communion if you have serious sin on

your soul and have not asked for forgiveness in confession. 10. Don’t be scared to death of confession. Be scared of death without

confession.

WHY GO TO CONFESSION? http://www.ncregister.com/images/documents/Advent-Confession.pdf