St. Joseph Parish

December 29, 2019

Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.

He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said

through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called my son.

Parish Staff Rev. Philip J. Bené, J.C.D., Pastor

philipbene@archstl.org Rev. Michael L. Donald, Senior Associate Pastor

mlpdonald1946@gmail.com Deacon Del S. Leonardo, Senior Deacon Debbie Wilmarth, CRE, PSR Principal

dwilmarth@stjosephclayton.org Dr. Adam Thomé, Director of Music

music@stjosephclayton.org Pat Burch, Parish Secretary Karen Bencke, Parish & PSR Secretary Steve Topping , Director of Maintenance

St. Joseph Parish Council Frank Hackmann, Education Commission Sharon Skrivan, Social Concerns Commission Larry Stewart, Anne Shapleigh, Barbara Summers, Fred Yap

St Vincent de Paul Emergency Assistance

For assistance with food, utilities etc., please call 314-289-6101, box 2208. Our St. Vincent de Paul Society will respond promptly.

Mass Schedule Sunday: 7:30 am, 9:00 am, &11:00 am Mon - Fri: 7:15 am, 12:00 noon Saturday: 8:00 am & 5:00 pm (Sun. Vigil) Holidays & Holy Days of Obligation: See Bulletin

Eucharistic Adoration Monday - Thursday: 7:45 am until 12:00 noon

Rosary Weekdays: 11:40 am

Thursday after the 7:15 am Mass

Perpetual Help Devotions Tuesdays after 7:15 am and 12:00 pm Masses

Sacrament of Reconciliation Weekdays: 11:15-11:50 am

Saturday: 4:00-4:45 pm

Baptism The Sacrament of Baptism is administered on Sunday at 12:00 pm. To register for the Baptismal Instruction Program and schedule a Baptism, please call the Parish Office.

Marriage Preparation Couples are asked to contact the Parish Office 6 to 12 months before setting the date.

Keep in Touch Download the MyParish phone app (for both Android and iPhone) to receive push notifications right on your phone about parish events as well as daily readings, Mass and Confession schedules and a copy of the Sunday bulletin.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/saintjosephclayton for information about parish events.

No cash or checks? Out of town? Give online at www.osvonlinegiving.com/1593.

Welcome to Saint Joseph Parish 106 North Meramec Avenue parishoffice@stjosephclayton.org Clayton, Missouri 63105-3788 Parish Office: 314-726-1221

www.stjosephclayton.org School Office: 314-727-9059

Rectory Hours: 8:30-4:00 pm, Mon-Fri

Mass Celebrants & Intentions

Monday, Dec. 30

7:15 am - Fr. Mike Jane Devine Byrne

12:00 pm - Fr. Ruane Adolfo Bernardo Special

Intention

Tuesday, Dec. 31

7:15 am - Fr. Mike Robyn Oates

4:30 pm - Fr. Bené Carla, Vi, & Ed Majka

Wednesday, Jan. 1 Solemnity of Mary,

Mother of God

8:30 am - Fr. Mike Betonio Hazel Baker

10:30 pm - Fr. Bené St. Joseph Parishioners

Thursday, Jan. 3 Sts. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen

7:15 am - Fr. Bené Hélène Schweitzer

12:00 pm - Fr. Mike Bernardo-Reyes Family

Friday, Jan. 3

7:15 am - Fr. Bené Leahy-Wuennenberg

Family

12:00 pm - Fr. Mike Thanksgiving N.P.A.

Saturday, Jan. 4 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

8:00 am - Fr. Mike Respect for All Life

5:00 pm - Fr. Bené Rob Kreager

Sunday, Jan. 5 Epiphany of the Lord

7:30 am - Fr. Mike Poor Souls

9:00 am - Fr. Mike Deacon Del Leonardo

Birthday

11:00 am - Fr. Bené St. Joseph Parishioners

The Holy Family Dec. 29, 2019

Dear friends,

This Sunday, during the Octave of Christmas, we celebrate the Feast Day of the Holy Family and so call to mind the family of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph.

The fact that the Son of God was born into a family affirms in a profound way the exalted status of the family and how much each of us is called to build up the family beginning with our own.

The family, based on the marriage between a man and a woman, is the natural and fundamental group unit of society. As our Holy Father Pope Francis beautifully ex-plained it, “the family is the fundamental cell of society, where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one another; it is also the place where parents pass on the faith to their children” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, 66).

On this day let us pray for the building up of the members of our families in holi-ness of life, and let us also pray for members of families experiencing challenges or difficulties, that the Lord Jesus will be with them in a special way and that they will experience His love.

This coming Wednesday, January 1, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and so call to mind the unique role of Mary in the life of the Church.

Here we recall that she was chosen by God to be the fitting bearer of the Word of God, Jesus Christ. She can rightly be called Mother of God because of the fact that she is the mother of Jesus who is fully God and fully man.

On this day, let us pray that, as we begin this new calendar year, the Lord Jesus will bless us all in a profound way, and that, through the intercession of Our Lady, we will draw closer to her Son.

In Christ,

Father Philip Bené

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton ♦ Does the life of our Jesus animate us? Do we in-deed give him the true service of the heart without which whatever else we give has no Value?

♦ My own troubles will teach me I hope how to comfort others.

♦ Do we serve God in Hope, looking to his promis-es, confiding in his love, seeking his Kingdom, and leaving the rest to Him?

♦ We must pray without ceasing, in every occur-rence and employment of our lives – that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him.

Bulletin Deadline The Deadline to

submit an article for the bulletin is

Monday at 10am.

We Pray For Our

Loved Ones

May God provide health and comfort to:

Roger Drone

Joan Harrison

Eugene Shalhoob

Sr. Eleanor

Adam Selm

Michael Phelps

Tracy Petit

Maria Guehlstorf

Ken & Mary Perotta

LaJuana Hinch

Alan & Laurel Burke

Lori Benson

Anne Shinn

Fran Staub

William Leightner

Rita J. Maret

Roland Hall

Readings for the Week

Monday: 1 Jn 2:12-17; Ps 96:7-10; Lk 2:36-40

Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96:1-2, 11-13; Jn 1:1-18

Wednesday: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21

Thursday: 1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 1:19-28

Friday: 1 Jn 2:29 — 3:6; Ps 98:1, 3cd-6; Jn 1:29-34

Saturday: 1 Jn 3:7-10; Ps 98:1, 7-9; Jn 1:35-42

Sunday: Is 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12

The Week Ahead Friday, January 3

7:00 am St. Thomas More Society, PH 7:30 pm Cursillo, PH

9:30 am PSR Faculty In-Service, SCH Sunday, January 5

Eucharistic Adoration

Looking for a meaningful New Year's resolution? Please consider attending Eucharistic Adoration on a weekly basis or, if that's not possible, attending as an occasional substitute for those scheduled who have a conflict.

In the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, in silence, we receive

innumerable blessings and benefits from a generous and loving Lord.

Call Bebe Kennedy @ 721.5920 if you wish to be a participant.

Mass Schedule for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

December 31 at 4:30 pm

January 1 at 8:30 am and

10:30 am

Office Closed The Parish Office will be closed from noon on December 24th through January 1st. We will reopen at 8:30 on January 2.

“God, to whom angels submit themselves and who principalities and powers obey, was subject to Mary; and not only to Mary but Joseph also for Mary’s sake [….]. God obeyed a human creature; this is humility without precedent. A human creature commands God; it is sublime beyond measure.”

~St Bernard of Clairvaux

Sunday Worship Jan. 4-5 2019

5:00 pm

Altar Servers Volunteer

Lectors Richard Kurz

Ministers of Communion

Liz Rainey Rosemary Hardy

Amy David

7:30 am

Altar Servers Katie de la Paz

Lectors Phil Bolian

Ministers of Communion

Frank Hackmann Sharon Skrivan

9:00 am

Altar Servers Brendan Wilmarth &

Daniel Kuhlman

Lectors Al Toczylowski

Ministers of Communion

John Gillis Roy Blair

Deacon Del

11:00 am

Altar Servers Kateri & Claudia

Gutting

Lectors Anne Pokoski

Ministers of Communion Linda Orso

Larry Stewart Megan Para

Parish School of Religion Update

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

from PSR!

Reminder As you write your end of the year checks, remember that if they are not made out to St. Joseph, we can not deposit them and they will not appear on your yearly statement.

If you would like your donations to the various special collections to appear on your statement from St. Joseph, write them to the parish and write the name of the collec-tion on the memo line or place them in the correct envelope.

Trivia Night Coming Soon Save your table: Join the rush to sign up for our annual trivia night on Saturday, February 8, 2020! We had a wonderful turnout and exciting competition last year, so please sign up early to make sure you get a table. Doors open at 6:30, we start promptly at 7:00, and end around 10:00.

Sign up with a table of 8 or come with a smaller group and we will make a com-plete table for you. Cost is $20 each, $160 for a table of 8 or if you pay for a whole table by January 25, it will only be $150. Make checks payable to St. Joseph Parish and mail to Joe Dickmann, 1707 Del Norte, St. Louis, MO 63117.

To register by phone or for questions, call Joe and Carolyn Dickmann at 314-781-8650 or 314-484-1838.

Forming Men for Christ All men are invited to join Fr. James Mason, President-Rector at Kenrick-Glennon

Seminary, for Mass, coffee, and a talk at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Clayton on the second Thursday of every month. The purpose of this monthly event is to help form men in the faith and moral teachings of the Catholic Church. The next meeting will be on Thurs-day, January 9th, 2020. Mass will be celebrated at 6:30 a.m., and the coffee and talk is offered from 7 a.m. until 7:45 a.m.in the Church basement.

Our Lady’s Inn Trivia Night Saturday, January 18th at Chaminade College Prep School (425 S. Lind-bergh). Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and trivia begins at 7:00 p.m. Cost is $25 per person and $200 for a ta-ble of eight. For more information or to register, visit www.ourladysinn.org or call Katrina at 314-736-1544.

Guided by our Mission, Our Lady’s Inn provides preg-nant women and their children shelter and hope for a new life through humble acts of love.

Catholic Men for Christ Conference

Join us for the Catholic Men for Christ Conference on February 1, 2020 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center! Enjoy speakers, Reconciliation, Adoration, merchant and ministry vendors, daily Mass, and more! Register now at catholicmenforchrist.org. Ticket prices increase as the event gets closer.

Questions? Call the Catholic Men for Christ Parish Captain, Richard Avellone at 314-628-0305, or email at r.avellone@yahoo.com.

St. Vincent de Paul Society Overwhelming Generosity from

Parishioners for the Giving Tree The St. Vincent de Paul Society offers heartfelt thanks to all of the generous parishion-ers who fulfilled a Christmas wish from our Giving Tree this year. We had requested a record number of gifts, because the need in our area was so great, and to our astonish-ment, you answered every request.

The 230 ornaments on the Giving Tree included specific gifts for families and warm clothes for many neighbors within our parish and for those in need at neighboring par-ishes including Christ the King, St. Cronin, Blessed Theresa, St. Matthews, Holy Name of Jesus, Old Cathe-dral and St. Augustine. Ornaments also requested that family baskets be filled with blankets, family games, laundry detergent, personal care items and warm socks, mittens and scarves. Again, every request was an-swered, including buckets of cleaning supplies and grocery gift cards. We were overwhelmed by the in-credible kindness of St. Joseph parishioners, as were the representatives of each parish we assisted. All of the recipients asked us repeatedly to thank you for your generosity and to let you know they love you.

Thank you so much for making this Christmas better for so many and for participating in our most success-ful Giving Tree ever. God bless you.

The Gloria Concert Tonight!

On December 29 at 7:00 p.m., Christ the King Parish will be res-onating with the spirit and sounds of Christmas. The program will

feature horn players Thomas and Tricia Jöstlein of the Saint Louis Symphony, organist Dawn Riske, violinist Twindy Murry, flutist Diane Margherio, the parish choirs and other musicians who are part of the parish. An offering will be received to support the refurbishing of the stained glass windows in church. After the concert, there will be a recep-tion with cookies and sweets of the season.

Annual Roe v. Wade Memorial Mass

Saturday, January 18, 2019 - 10 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis

Mass will be followed by a peaceful and prayerful Rosary Procession to/from Planned Parenthood and fel-lowship at a reception in Boland Hall. For more information contact the Respect Life Apostolate at 314-792-7555, prolife@archstl.org or online at STLRespectLife.org.

Marriage on Tap STL Invites you to enjoy an evening of marriage enrich-ment: Finding Joy in Our Sacraments in Today’s World featuring Father John Vogler.

All married couples are welcome to join us on Tuesday, January 21, 2020, 6:00 p.m. at The Pasta House Company at 8213 Delmar Blvd,

The cost of $25.00 per person/$50.00 per couple includes buffet dinner. RSVP required; please re-spond by 1-17-20 to marriageontap-stl@gmail.com

Visit us on Facebook: Marriage on Tap STL for more information.

Men’s ACTS Retreat Gift yourself or the man in your life some-time away in the New Year with a Men’s ACTS retreat with

Our Lady of Lourdes, Christ the King & St. Roch Parishes February 6 – 9th. Please contact Tom Burke at 314-406-7126 for more information.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter

Great Marriages Don’t Just Happen, Couples Make Them! Give your spouse a particularly LIFE GIVING gift this Christmas by signing up for to attend the next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend in the St. Louis area. The next weekends are Feb. 7-9 or Apr. 24-26, 2020 at

the Courtyard Marriot in St. Peters, MO. https://stl-wwme.org/schedule.php or call or text 314.649.7317.

“400 Years and Beyond” Art Exhibit

Good Shepherd Arts Center presents “400 Years and Beyond” through Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. De’Joneiro Jones is curating the exhibit which honors the 400th anni-versary of Africans arriv-ing to our continent as slaves. This artwork by

local African-American artists invites viewers into reflection, conversation and visioning about creat-ing a world where all are valued, all are welcome, all belong. Please Note: GSAC will be closed Sun-day, December 22 through Friday, January 3.

For more information call (314) 522-1155 or visit www.goodshepherdarts.org.

Pilgrimage to Poland

Celebrate 100th anniversary of the birth of St. John Paull II in the city of his birth!!!!

2020 Pilgrimage to POLAND · June 1 – 12, 2020

10 Cities: Kraków, Wieliczka, Wadowice, Łagiewni-ki, Oświęcim, Zakopane, Częstochowa, Toruń, Gdańsk, Warszawa

$2,600/ person double occupancy (single rooms extra)

Price includes: airfare, accommodations, meals, transportation in Poland, tours and entrance fees according to the program, English speaking tour guides, local guides, folklore show in Zakopane, all taxes

For additional information please contact St. Aga-tha Church at 314.772.1603 or visit the December newsletter on the parish website at www.polishchurchstlouis.org

$200 non-refundable deposit due by January 31.

The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year, but rather that we should have a new soul.

~G. K. Chesterton