Bulletin: Vol. 27 No. 52 December 29th, 2018—January 4th, 2019

Sunday 8:30 A.M. English

11:00 A.M. Bilingual; English/Lebanese

Monday No Mass

Tuesday - Friday 9:00 A.M. English

Saturday 5:30 P.M. English

Reconciliation Saturday - 4:00 - 5:00 P.M.

Eucharistic Adoration Sunday: 2:00 P.M -7:00 P.M.

Rev. Assaad ElBasha, M.L.M., Pastor Mass Schedule

Monday - Friday: 9:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Saturday: 9:00 A.M. - 5:30 P.M.

Altar Boys: Joseph Marincel

817-491-0763 Adoration: Sheila Hughes

817-430-3066

Choir: 8:30 A.M. Helen Marincel

817-491-0763 Library: Sharon Wood

214-497-0783

Choir: 11:00 A.M. Roula Vasquez

972-832-8507 Respect Life: Maribel Harmjanz

940-255-2543

RCIA: Sue Marincel

817-491-0763 Youth Ministry: Sean Widmer

469-323-5865

Lectors: 8:30 AM Mark Caputo

469-230-1533 Religious Ed / SE: Sue Marincel

817-491-0763

Lectors: 11 AM Trevor Rask

503-701-2236 Ushers Robert Kramer

214-488-5635

Parish Council Mouhib Helou

817-845-9953 Legion of Mary Rose Onoh

214-289-4300

New Year’s Prayer

God, thank you for a new year. May everyone in our family be willing to begin anew with a clean slate. We know that you are always ready to forgive us. Help us to be willing to forgive ourselves and to forgive one another.

As we begin a new year, remind us of our truest values and our deepest desires. Help us to live in the goodness that comes from doing what you want us to do. Help us to put aside anxiety about the future and the past, so that we might live in peace with you now, one day at a time.

Daily Scripture Readings Dec 30th-Jan 4th

Sunday, 12/30: Heb 7:11-19 Lk 2:41-52 Monday, 12/31: Col 1:9b-20 Jn 1:1-18 Tuesday, 1/1: Heb 7:1-10 Lk 2:21-24 Wednesday 1/2: Eph 2:11-22 Jn 14:27-31 Thursday, 1/3: Heb 7:20-28 Lk 2:25-35 Friday, 1/4: Heb 6:9-12 Lk 2:36-40

Pope Francis: Devotion To Mary On New Year’s Day Is A Must

At the start of the new year, Pope Francis said that having a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary isn’t just something that is nice or good to do, but is an obligation in the life of a Christian “Devotion to Mary is not spiritual etiquette; it is a requirement of the Christian life,” the Pope said. “The gift of the Mother, the gift of every mother and every woman, is most precious for the Church, for she too is mother and woman.” “If our faith is not to be reduced merely to an idea or a doctrine, all of us need a mother’s heart, one which knows how to keep the tender love of God and to feel the heartbeat of all around us.” Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, reflecting on the line in Luke’s Gospel that says, “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” He pointed out that in the Gospel account of Christmas, Mary does not speak a single word, simply keeping everything in her heart, pondering it. What we learn from her silence, he said, is that in quiet is how we “keep” ourselves, how we “keep” our soul free from being corroded by consumerism, “the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting.” “We need to remain silent as we gaze upon the crib. Pondering the crib, we discover anew that we are loved; we savor the real meaning of life,” he continued. “As we look on in silence, we let Jesus speak to our heart. His lowliness lays low our pride; his poverty challenges our outward display; his tender love touches our hardened hearts.” This is Mary’s “secret,” he said, and we should seek to imitate her in this way. Not closing our hearts out of fear or distress, but handing everything over to God, dwelling on it with Him. Francis noted that as we start a new year, it is a good time for Christians to also start anew, leaving behind past burdens and baggage and starting over from what really matters. And “today,” the Pope said, “we have before us the point of departure: the Mother of God.” “For Mary is exactly what God wants us to be, what he wants his Church to be: A Mother who is tender and lowly, poor in material goods and rich in love, free of sin and united to Jesus, keeping God in our hearts and our neighbor in our lives.” “Today’s feast tells us that if we want to go forward, we need to turn back: to begin anew from the crib, from the Mother who holds God in her arms,” he stated. Following the Mass, Pope Francis led the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square. In his message before the prayer, he explained how Mary performs a very special function, as intercessor between her Son Jesus and anyone who is suffering. “She intercedes, aware that as a mother she can, indeed, must, make present to the Son the needs of men, especially the weakest and most disadvantaged.” Today we also celebrate the World Day of Peace, the Pope said, explaining that this year’s theme of “Migrants and refugees: Men and women seeking peace,” refers precisely to the weakest and most disadvantaged among us. “We do not extinguish hope in their hearts; we do not stifle their expectations of peace!” he said, and “may the Lord grant us to work in this new year with generosity to create a more supportive and welcoming world.” (www.catholicnewsagency.com)

THIS WEEK’S MASS INTENTIONS

Sunday, 12/30: Jamie O’Flaherty

Wednesday, 1/2: Sr. Maria Bernadette, Michael Marincel, +Arthur Bayer, William & Mary Brown, +Kyle Roberts, +Bob Hladd

Thursday, 1/3: +Kyle Roberts, +Marshall J. Love

Friday, 1/4: +Kyle Roberts, Joe & Maryls Marincel, +Lilly Louise Love

+ Repose of the Soul

Feast of the Circumcision of Christ: Tuesday, January 1st

In Luke 2:20-21, we learn of the circumcision of the baby Jesus. The story confirms His humanity, which is essential since we in the Church say Jesus is our Lord, God and Savior! It is God in the flesh who humbly submits to circumcision. God became incarnate in order to humble Him-self. Luke reports the event, quite simply: “At that time, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” The circumcision of Jesus, would be unremarkable, and routinely Jewish, except for the claim that Jesus is God incar-nate. God does not ask His people to do anything that God is not willing to do Himself. The Torah commanded circumcision for male children, even God in the flesh endures the ritual for our salvation. God humbly submits Himself to being human. Written By: Fr. Ted

The Finding of Jesus in the Temple: Sunday, December 30th What is it about this finding in the temple which is of such significance? There are many things. For example, that Jesus was already well aware of His identity and Mission. He was comfortable in His Father's House, the temple, and His teaching was already compelling, even to the teachers in the temple, at twelve years old. However, it is the last line which tells us something of extraordinary implication for those of us who live out the vocation of Christian marriage and family. Jesus left that temple and went home to Nazareth, where he submitted Himself to the authority of Mary and Joseph and established the Holy Family and the holy way of life they lived as a model for the Christian family, a path to holiness, and the first cell of His Church. Source: www.catholic.org

Thank you for all those who hosted Our Lady of Fatima this past year!

Due to the early New Year’s Bulletin Deadline, we are unable to print the collection numbers for

last week.

Community Em_rg_n]y R_spons_ T_[m Cl[ss_s Please prayerfully consider taking these classes with your spouse and children over the age of 15, so that if any kind of emergency occurs, you will be able to take charge, organize and help you family, friends, fellow parishioners and your neighbors in a time of trouble. If you are interested in signing up, please email tim@oflahertyproductions.com.

The CERT Training will be held on three consecutive Saturdays in a row in March 2019. Two Saturdays will be classroom training, and the third Saturday will be a live exercise in Dallas.

Saturday March 16th—Classroom Training - Our Lady of Lebanon Parish Hall - 8am to 5pm Saturday March 23rd—Classroom Training - Our Lady of Lebanon Parish Hall - 8am to 5pm Saturday March 30th—Final Exercise is held at the Dallas Fire & Rescue Academy in Dallas - 9am to 12pm

Join the Youth Group!

Teens ages 13 & up are invited to participate in our Youth Ministry program.

Meetings are held in the Parish Hall on Sundays from 9:45am—10:45am.

Contact the Parish office for more Info! LadyofL719@gmail.com

New Years Day is ALSO the celebration of the Circumcision of Christ,

a Holy Day of Obligation

Our New Years Mass Schedule is as follows:

New Year’s Day: Tuesday, January 1st, 2019

at 5:00 PM

Are You Missing Out?

Have you moved or recently changed your address? If you are not receiving regular mail or email from the Church, kindly complete a Change of Address form located in the lobby of the Church and return to the Parish Office. Don’t forget to provide an email address! These are used only to inform you of par-ish events and for any major events or emergencies.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph in you we contemplate the splendor of true love,

to you we turn with trust. Holy Family of Nazareth,

grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the

Gospel and small domestic Churches.

A Big Thank You to all our ushers, altar servers, lectors, and amazing volunteers who helped make our

Christmas Masses so special.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38

Please consider choosing Our Lady of Lebanon parish for your end of year charitable contribution. We have been working hard all year to reduce expenses and keep up with ongoing maintenance costs. We are able to do this only through you ongoing support.

In observation of the Christmas holidays, there is no Religious Education on:

Sunday, December 30th, 2018

Classes will resume on Sunday, January 6th, 2019

Save the Date! Roe Memorial Events

January 19, 2019 Join Bishop Burns & the Catholic Pro-Life Committee “On the Road to Victory!”

• 8:00 a.m.—Rose Memorial Rosaries • 8:30 a.m.—Youth for Life Rally • 10:00 a.m.—Rose Memorial Mass with Bishop Burns • 12:30 p.m.—North Texas March for Life • 2:30 p.m.—Reception and Exhibits For more information, visit www.prolifedallas.org/roe or

call 972.267-LIFE (5433)

The Church office will close for the New Year holiday on Tuesday, January 1st, 2019

The office will reopen on Wednesday, January 2, 2019.

2018 Contributions Gifts you make to charities, such as Our Lady of Lebanon Church, are tax deductible. One way to lower your income tax bill for this year is to make charitable contributions, which can be deducted from your income if you are planning to itemize your deductions when you file your 2018 income tax. But in order for you to claim the deduction on your tax return for 2018, you must make the gift this year. That is important to keep in mind if you are planning on making a year-end gift. For example, if you are going to give money using a check, be sure the date on the check is on or before December 31st. Also, be sure to give the check to the church on or before that date.

If your gift to our church is $250 or more, and you plan to claim the gift as a deduction on your tax return, the IRS requires that you have a letter or receipt from the church that received the gift. By the end of January 2019 all donors –who donated to the support of Our Lady of Lebanon– will automatically receive a statement from the Church stating their names and the amount of gift received –through checks or weekly offering envelopes– from January 1st, 2018 until December 31st, 2018. It is wise to keep the church statement with your tax records, in case the IRS questions your itemized deductions.

Statements will be mailed from Our Lady of Lebanon before January 31, 2019.

CHURCH NAME AND ADDRESS Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church #989776 719 University Place Lewisville, TX 75067 TELEPHONE 972 436-7617 CONTACT PERSON Mattye Thompson SOFTWARE MSPublisher 2007 Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Windows XP Professional PRINTER HP Laserjet CP1215 TRANSMISSION TIME Tuesday 12:00 SUNDAY DATE OF PUBLICATION January 31, 2010 NUMBER OF PAGES SENT 1 through 4 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS