SAINT KATHARINE DREXEL church 3rd Sunday of Advent

MECHANICSBURG, Pennsylvania December 13, 2015

Saturday, December 12 — OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10ab; Jdt 13:18bcde, 19

Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47 VIGIL, THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Zep 3:14-18a; Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6; Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18 4:30 p.m. � Deceased Ushers (Dan and Brenda Zak)

Sunday, December 13—THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

8:45 a.m. � Martha and Daniel Yezorski (Susan Campbell) 10:45 a.m. People of the Parish

Monday, December 14— SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6, 7bc, 8-9; Mt 21:23-27

** No Mass **

Tuesday, December 15 Zep 3:1-2, 9-13; Ps 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19, and 23; Mt 21:28-32

9:00 a.m. � Frank Prestine (Susan Campbell )

Wednesday, December 16

Is 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25; Ps 85:9ab, and 10, 11-12, 13-14; Lk 7:18b-23

7:00 p.m. � John Andrews (Connie Burket)

Thursday, December 17 Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17; Mt 1:1-17

9:00 a.m. � Omeed Nooreyazdan (Roy Nooreyazdan)

Friday, December 18 Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25

9:00 a.m. First Friday Liturgy (Church) 10:30 a.m. First Friday Mass at the Bridges � William Cole (Wm. and Grace Rarick)

Saturday, December 19 Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25

VIGIL, FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Mi 5:1-4a; Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45

4:30 p.m. � Mark Bonema (Steve and Anne Bonema ) Sunday, December 20—FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

8:45 a.m. � Donald McHale (Jane McHale and Family)

10:45 a.m. People of the Parish

The Second Collection for this weekend will be for THE

RETIREMENT FUND FOR THE

RELIGIOUS. Please give generously.

The Giving Tree is Up! Visit the Narthex this weekend to see our annual Giving Tree. The items will be donated to families in need this holiday season. Gift cards are welcomed. All gifts should be returned by DECEMBER

14TH. Thank you for your generosity!

Brand New Stuffed Animals

for the Penn State Hershey Children’s

Hospital may be donated at the box in the

Narthex or in the box outside the youth

room downstairs. Thank you!

All men 19 years of age and older are invited to attend TMIY on Saturday, December 19. Our topic will be The Cry of the Child. We will take a look at failed male leadership in our society. We begin with a light breakfast at 6:30 A.M. and close 8:00 A.M. Come join us. Have a blessed Advent!

TwäxÇà is a season of

preparation. We are preparing for the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. We are also preparing for Christ to come into our lives through grace in the reception of

the Sacraments. As we prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming, it is fitting to pray and reflect on the many blessings in our lives. As the DRE here at Saint Katharine Drexel, a blessing in itself, I am profoundly grateful for the great team of catechists that we have been blessed with at this parish. The catechists spend countless hours preparing and teaching our parish children. I never cease to be amazed at their energy, creativity, and dedication to our program! I am grateful for our teen volunteers who choose to stay active and involved in parish life here, specifically those who, week after week, help me in countless ways in the Religious Education department. They file paperwork, grade papers, help with crafts, help with Christmas decorations and the list goes on and on! A big shout out to all my teen volunteers: Ruby, Hayley, Samantha, Megan, Grace, Noah, Nick, Josh, and Meaghan! Thank you to Patty Bowman and the whole Bowman family for volunteering to start and organize our first coat drive here at Saint Katharine Drexel Parish. Thank you to all of our parishioners who very generously donated to our coat drive. It was hugely successful! Patty and her family delivered over 300 hundred coats to over 5 different agencies! WOW! And last but not least, I am thankful for the families of Saint Katharine Drexel who by their example and commitment to their faith bring their children to weekly Mass and Religious Education. You are their first teachers of the faith and by your example, the children continue to grow in their faith and their relationship with Christ!

Julie Worhach

The Saint Katharine Drexel Parish Family, guided by the Holy Spirit, commits itself to reaching out and sharing with all people the love and service modeled by our patroness, with the Eucharist as our source of strength. Through prayer and action, we will serve God, our Lord and Savior, and our community, exhibiting a special concern for the poor, oppressed and marginalized of our society, especially those among the African-American & Native-American peoples.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: (names in bold are new this week) Wendy Bechtel, Lou Brown, Frances Bruzga, Kim Cardona, Scott Carmody, Marc Daniel Chacon, Chris Chase, Hadley Cherry, Carol Chetaitis, Paul Collier, Ben Cook, Monica Davis, Mary Elizabeth Davidson, Marcia Del Porto, Lucille Donnelly, Margaret Dubas, Colleen Erickson, Mary Ferrer, Deacon Andrew Fine, Adam Fiorello, Josey Gaffney, Dick Gainor, Teresa Galatro, Alecia Galvin, Helen Gill, John H. Gill, Sr., Ayden Gora, Anne Grasha, Karen Hernandez, Jeffrey Hoffman, Vincent Holland, Debra June, Sam Kacyon, Bob Kearney, Megan Korch, Reinhard Kress, Rita Kress, Jeannine Kuhn, Nicole Kulchar, Henry Langley, Salvatore Magaro, Conall Malone, Maria, Eileen

McCarthy, Eugene McHugh, Kathleen McHugh, Anne Mentzer, Al Michelotti, Donna Miller, Olda Mondragon, Pat Mooney, Madison Morelli, Beth Munsch, Mac Ratke, Donald Ross, Ashton Roup, Elizabeth Schaffhauser, Ruth Schultz, Ryan Scott, Msgr. Vincent Smith, Evan Stotz, Julie Stratchko, Kay Succa, Dawn Swick, Rick Taylor, Lyle & Dorothy Tidd, Marion Tschachler, Anna Weltmer, Clarey Wendt, Sarah Wilt, Mary Wright, Justina Xenakis, Nicole Zomok.

Brian Bacco, Nathaniel Connolly, Kevin Consedine, Jessica Diehl, Derek Eodice, Charlotte Eodice, Paul Harrington, Jack Kearney, Rob Kee, Jr., Corey Masse, Michael Maue, Aerick Paxton, Leah Sweeney, Darren Troche.

Christmas Eve — Thursday — December 24

4:30 p.m.—Holy Mass—Children’s Homily

8:00 p.m.—Holy Mass with Choir

Christmas Day — Friday — December 25

10:00 a.m.—Holy Mass—The True Light

New Year’s Eve — Thursday — December 31

4:30 p.m.—Vigil Mass—Mary, Mother of God

New Year’s Day—Friday—January 1

10:00 a.m.—Holy Mass—Mary, Mother of God

The Epiphany of the Lord

Saturday, January 2—4:30 p.m. Sunday, January 3— 8:45 a.m., 10:45 a.m.

The Baptism of the Lord

Saturday, January 9 — 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 10 — 8:45 a.m., 10:45 a.m.

Advent Parish Confessions

Deanery Family Penance Services

Sat Dec 12 3 p.m.—4 p.m.

Sat Dec 19 3 p.m.—4 p.m.

Mon Dec 21 6 p.m.—7 p.m.

Sun Dec 13 2 p.m. St. Katharine Drexel

Dec 13 7 p.m. St. Theresa, New Cumberland

Mon Dec 14 7 p.m. Our Lady of Lourdes, Enola

Wed Dec 16 7 p.m. Good Shepherd, Camp Hill

Sun Dec 20 2 p.m. St. Joseph, Mechanicsburg

Christopher West will be giving the talk “God, Sex, and the

Meaning of Life” at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Enola. Join best-selling author Christopher West as he explores the ancient but forgotten truth that our deepest desires of body and soul are meant to lead us to the infinite, to God. Sunday December 13th, 2015 from 7 PM to 9 PM at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. 225 Salt Road, Enola, PA 17025. For more information, contact Erica Benning at benning58@gmail.com or 717-979-9941. You can also visit the website at www.ourladyoflourdesenola.org This is a free event open to all.

Men and Women of St. Katharine Drexel

Have you ever thought of joining the Prison Christian Growth Group (PCGG)? If you are interested in bringing the Love of Jesus Christ into the state prisons where thousands of inmates rely on Christian Ministry Volunteers to show them what Christ is all about. The impact of these weekly sessions cannot be overstated. If interested, contact Gene Rebert at 717-957-3120. No experience necessary, only Catholics with a love of God and their fellow Christians.

Bishop Gainer will solemnly open the principal

Diocesan Door � Mercy at Saint Patrick Cathedral on Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 4 PM in

the context of Solemn Vespers for the Third Sunday of Advent. All the faithful of the Diocese are invited to attend. The prescription for the solemn ritual involves gathering at a stational church with a procession to the Door of Mercy: we will gather at Saint Lawrence Chapel, State Street, and process together to the Cathedral where Bishop Gainer will solemnly

open the Door of Mercy and lead us through into this year of grace. Participants able to make the small pilgrimage are asked to gather at St Lawrence Chapel by 3:50 PM. Those unable to walk in process are invited to go immediately to the Cathedral. The South Street Parking Garage is available free of charge to all participants.

Check out Saint Katharine Drexel on Facebook and on My Parish App. To download the app for free please visit www.myparishapp.com. These are two great

ways to keep in touch with the SKD Parish community!

You are invited to join Father Kenneth Smith on a Jubilee of Mercy Pilgrimage to Italy from June 6 -16, 2016. Tour includes: Daily Mass, accommodation in First Class hotels (four nights in Rome, two nights in Assisi, one night in Florence, two nights in Venice-Mestre), breakfast and dinner daily, land

transportation by deluxe motorcoach, roundtrip motorcoach transportation from Mechanicsburg to Philadelphia Airport, roundtrip airfare to Rome/from Venice on nonstop flights with American Airlines, and more, for $4,275 per person/double occupancy. For complete details please contact Karen Hurley at k.m.hurley1@gmail.com or George’s International Tours at (800) 566-7499, sales@georgesintl.com or visit www.georgesintl.com.

Knights of Columbus

Christmas Card Sale In the Narthex after Mass

ART CONTEST! The Harrisburg Diocesan

Council of Catholic Women (HDCCW) invites girls in grades 9 - 12 in the Diocese of Harrisburg to enter an art contest. The task: design the cover for the 91st Annual HDCCW Convention on April

11, 2016. The art work should be an original drawing or painting for a 9 x 12 folder and based on the Convention theme "Sowers of Hope: Opening Our Hearts". The grand prize is $150, second prize is $75 and third prize is $50. The deadline to enter is January 15, 2016. For complete details and Contest Guidelines please refer to the HDCCW website http://hdccw.webs.com/ . Contact HDCCW at 717-860-0700 or hdccw1@gmail.com with

questions.

The KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS welcomes several Knights into our St Katharine Drexel Council 13100.

Paul M Bowers, Thomas J Galatro and Anthony V Milone were awarded the First Degree Exemplification in the

Fraternal Order of the Knights of Columbus. Brother Joseph Gill also was awarded the Second Degree

award as a Knight. Worthy Brother Mark Dye, a recent parishioner,

transferred into St Katherine Drexel Council as a Fourth Degree Knight from Council 5082 in Baldwinsville, NY.

Congratulations on their accomplishments.

The CCW annual Bake Sale was a huge success thanks to all the wonderful bakers in the parish. We were able to raise $801.55 for the seminarians. Thank you to all the wonderful ladies who were able to help sell the baked goods after all Masses the weekend of November 21st and 22nd. A special Thank you goes out to the parishioners who supported us for our bake sale by purchasing items and donations. You generosity was greatly appreciated.

“We are told to walk in His footsteps...I love to think how small the little foot of Our Lord was on that first Christmas. A little foot does not make big strides; it can only take little steps. In imitating the Divine Babe, let us place ours in His footsteps. Then we shall, with God’s grace, grow into

the bigger footsteps and make greater strides. If we are faithful in little, we will obtain grace for the big.” — Saint Katharine Drexel

STEWARDSHIP — OUR GIFT TO GOD

OF TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE

December 6, 2015

Stewardship · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · $ 14,623.38

Average Weekly Expenses · · · · · $ 13,655.00

Weekly surplus / (deficit) · · · · · · $ 968.38

Sunday, December 13

Coffee and Donuts After All Masses—Religious Education

Knights of Columbus Christmas Cards in the Narthex

1:00 p.m. Troop 88 Merit Badge College(2nd Session)/Lower Level 2:00 p.m. Parish Penance Service/Church

6:00 p.m. Youth Group/Youth Room

6:15 p.m. Troop 88 Committee Mtg/Library 6:30 p.m. Troop 88 Mtg/Msgr. Smith CC

7:00 p.m. Deanery Family Penance Service @ St. Theresa, New Cumberland

Monday, December 14

7:00 p.m. Advent Evening of Reflection/Church 7:00 p.m. Deanery Family Penance Service @ Our Lady of Lourdes, Enola

Tuesday, December 15

9:30 a.m. Scripture Study/Faith Sharing /Library 7:00 p.m. Maintenance Mtg/Parish Office Conference Rm. 7:00 p.m. Prayer and Life Workshop/Library

Wednesday, December 16

6:00 p.m. Religious Education Session III

7:00 p.m. Knights of Columbus Fraternal Mtg/Youth Room

7:00 p.m. Deanery Family Penance Service @ Good Shepherd, Camp Hill

Thursday, December 17

9:30 a.m. Adult Faith Enrichment/Library 6:30 p.m. Scripture Study/Faith Sharing / Library 7:00 p.m. Choir Practice/Choir Loft

Saturday, December 19

6:30 a.m. That Man Is You/Msgr Smith CC

8:30 a.m. Prayer and Life Workshop/Church and Library 3:00 p.m. Advent Parish Confessions/Church

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK:

We thank Integrity Hearing Aid Solutions, Inc.

—Devin A. Acito

for sponsoring an advertisement in our weekly bulletin.

PARISH COUNCIL OF

CATHOLIC WOMEN NEWS:

� Advent Evening of Reflection, Monday, December 14, at 7:00 p.m., in the church. Our presenter will be Father Ken Smith, our Pastor. Everyone 16 years of age and older are invited. A social hour will follow. For more information please call Stella at 766-3436.

� Save the Date! January 11th, 2016 — Speaker Series

� Valentine’s Day Dance—Please join us on February 6th, 2016 for the annual Valentine’s Day dinner and social. All parishioners are welcome to attend.

� Lenten Evening of Reflection—February 8th, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.

� Please continue to save Campbell Soup labels and Box Tops for Saint Michael School in Arizona.

BISHOP’S ANNUAL LENTEN APPEAL POTENTIAL FEDERAL TAX DEDUCTION

STATEMENTS To All Parishioners: Please be advised that all gifts for the 2015 Bishop’s Annual Lenten Appeal must be received at the Diocese no later than Wednesday, December 30, 2015 for a potential federal tax deduction on the 2015 federal tax returns.

BISHOP’S ANNUAL LENTEN APPEAL FINAL REMINDER NOTICE (2015)

AND BISHOP’S ANNUAL LENTEN APPEAL TAX STATUS (2015)

Please be advised that the Diocesan Office of Development will be mailing the 2015 Bishop’s Annual Lenten Appeal Final Reminders on or before Thursday, December 10, 2015. The reminders are mailed to donors that have a remaining balance on their 2015 Bishop’s Annual Lenten Appeal pledge. Federal Tax Statements for the 2015 Bishop’s Annual Lenten Appeal will be mailed from the Diocesan Office of Development on or before Wednesday, January 13, 2016. Statements are automatically generated and mailed to constituents who donated $250.00 or more to our Bishop’s Annual Lenten Appeal. If a constituent donated less than $250.00 and wishes to receive a tax statement, please contact the Diocesan Office of Development to request one. Requests can be emailed to LentAppeal@hbgdiocese.org.

Any high school student interested in participating in this year’s Christmas Eve tableau should email the youth group at skdcoreteam@gmail.com

this week. Let us know which Mass or Masses you can attend (4:30pm, 8:00pm, or both). Practice will be

held on Sunday December 20th at noon. Contact Brian at the same email address or 814-241-

1801 with any questions.