Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church 780 Hwy. 44 • P.O. Box 464 Reserve, Louisiana 70084 Rectory: 985-536-2613 Fax: 985-536-1819 Email: [email protected] _______________ Parish Office Hours Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM ________________ PARISH MISSION STATEMENT Our purpose, at Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church, is to provide a place of spiritual worship and growth for our members, our children, and all visitors. We wish to instill a spirit of prayer, integrity and generosity in each other, with a special concern for the poor, sick, elderly, disabled, the unborn and the weak. We especially encourage our parish members and organizations in their practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy with the poor and infirmed. PARISH STAFF Pਁਓਔਏ਒ Rev. Fr. Christopher Chike Amadi, S.S.J. Dਅਁਃਏ਎ Rev. Mr. Larry Oney (985) 652-2714 Pਁ਒ਉਓਈ A਄਍ਉ਎ਉਓਔ਒ਁਔਉਖਅ Aਓਓਉਓਔਁ਎ਔਓ Mrs. Terry Mitchell (985) 536-2613 Mrs. Martha S. Creecy (985) 536-2613 P਒ਉ਎ਃਉਐਁ਌ Mrs. Precious A. Joseph Sਃਈਏਏ਌ Oਆਆਉਃਅ: (985) 536-4291 Sਃਈਏਏ਌ Fਁਘ: (985) 536-4250 Email: [email protected] ****************************************** Pਁ਒ਉਓਈ Pਁਓਔਏ਒ਁ਌ Cਏਕ਎ਃਉ਌ Mrs. Charlotte Hooker (504) 559-4573 Pਁ਒ਉਓਈ Fਉ਎ਁ਎ਃਅ Cਏਕ਎ਃਉ਌ Mr. Todd Keller (985) 359-6996 Dਉ਒ਅਃਔਏ਒ ਏਆ Rਅ਌ਉਇਉਏਕਓ E਄ਕਃਁਔਉਏ਎ Mrs. Myrtle Lucas (985) 536-2028 Eਘਔ਒ਁਏ਒਄ਉ਎ਁ਒ਙ Mਉ਎ਉਓਔਅ਒ਓ ਏਆ Hਏ਌ਙ Cਏ਍਍ਕ਎ਉਏ਎ Mrs. Beverly Harris (985) 651-0344 P਒ਏਃ਌ਁਉ਍ਅ਒ਓ ਏਆ ਔਈਅ Wਏ਒਄ Mrs. Precious A. Joseph (985) 536-3115 RCIA CLASSES Any adult interested in joining the Catholic Faith or knowing more about the Catholic Religion should contact the parish Office to sign up for RCIA faith classes. ****************************************** Announcements for the bulletin can be brought to the parish office, faxed or sent vie email to [email protected] The deadline to submit announcements to be placed in the bulletin is on Monday’s by 12 noon. MASS SCHEDULE 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 21, 2014 Saturday Sunday VIGIL MASSES 4:00 PM 8:00 AM & 11:00 AM WEEKDAY MASSES Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday NO MASS 6:00 PM 5:00 PM Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 6:00 PM Sick of the Parish 8:30 AM Special Intentions 8:30 AM Parish Mass 8:00 AM (1ST SATURDAY ONLY) SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Begins 1 Hour before each Mass and ends 15 minutes before Mass or by appointment. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Parents and god-parents preparation is held on the 3rd Sunday of each month after the 11:00 a.m. Mass. Baptism will take place on the 4th Sunday of each month. Baptismal registration takes place ONLY at the Parish Office prior to baptism preparation class. MARRIAGES Please notify the Priest at least six months prior to planning the wedding. PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK Please call the rectory if someone is sick or hospitalized. FUNERALS Please call the rectory before making arrangements with the Funeral Director. 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 21, 2014 SATURDAY 4:00 PM SUNDAY 8:00 AM 11:00 AM Have you ever been told to “think before you speak”? Nathan seems to have spoken too soon when he told David to do whatever he wanted about building a house for the Lord. He was being respectful to his king, and it sounded like a good idea. But later that night the Lord gave him a message for David: the Lord did not need anyone to build him a house; God would make David’s house (in the sense of family or descendants) last forever. As a prophet Nathan was expected to speak for the Lord. When he finally listened to the Lord, he got the message right. And that can be a lesson to us. Instead of just thinking before we speak, it could be a good idea to pray before we speak. How many times have we said something in anger—or selfishness, fear, any strong feeling—that we wished we could take back? If we just think before we speak, we might just rationalize what we wanted to say in the first place. But if we take a little more time to bring our feelings to God, ask for guidance and listen for what God would have us say, things might turn out a lot better. God can also surprise us if given the chance. The kingdom (“house”) God was promising was not a political one, but a universal one. Jesus fulfills this promise as the Son of God who came to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Jesus himself prayed to the Father often in his life. We can do the same. We pray before meals; why not pray before going to work? We can pray before making decisions about our family, getting engaged, taking a new job, buying a new house/car/HDTV, etc. When a friend or relative needs someone to talk to, we can pray that we listen well and say what God wants our friend to hear. When we are sorry for hurting someone, we can pray for forgiveness and even listen to God to learn what we might do to make it up to them. If we have enough faith to let God guide our lives, let’s take the time in prayer to listen for that guidance. SCRIPTURE VERSE: The child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.—Luke 1:35 DECEMBER 20, 2014 Willi Hall, Cecile O.W. Hall, Joseph Bert Hall, Melvin Charles Hall, Special Intentions, Agnes Hall (L), Clarence Wilson, Gerry Wilson, Edna Wilson DECEMBER 21, 2014 Our Lady of Grace Parishioners & Families Louis Anderson, Jr., Clarence Perrilloux, Jr., Celeste P. Perrilloux TUESDAY DECEMBER 23, 2014 6:00 PM Sick & Shut in Parishioners and Caregivers WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 24 , 2014 4:00 PM VIGIL Our Lady of Grace Parishioners & Families 12:00 AM MIDNIGHT Our Lady of Grace Parishioners & Families THURSDAY DECEMBER 25, 2014 CHRISTMAS DAY 10:00 AM Our Lady of Grace Parishioners & Families FRIDAY DECEMBER 26, 2014 8:00 AM Fr. Christopher Chike Amadi, SSJ WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DECEMBER 21, 2014—DECEMBER 27, 2014) Sunday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Rom 16:25-27; Lk 1:26-38 Monday: 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Tuesday: Mal 3:1-4, 23-34; Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-10, 14; Lk 1:57-66 Wednesday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Lk 1:67-79 Thursday: Vigil: Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22- 25; Mt 1:1-25 [18-25] Night: Is 9:1-6; Ps 96:1-3, 11-13; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:114 Dawn: Is 62:11-12; Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2:15-20 Day: Is 52:710; Ps 98:1-6; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 [1-5, 9-14] Friday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 8ab, 16bc, 17; Mt 10:17-22 Saturday: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Agnes Hall, Joshua J. Morgan, Alan Wheeler, Joseph Dupas, Olga Leblanc, Alethea Bardell, Anita Perrilloux, Carolyn Cole, Kenisha Anderson, Leroy Houston, Joann Gray, Christine Gagnier, Rudy Sylvain, Victoria Dominique, Margie Collins, Lucille Adams, Brianna Nicholas, Joseph Royal Keller, Paul Vampran, Catherine Anderson, Hilton Francois, Michael Lipps, Ernest Morgan Jr., Joseph Torregano, Catherine Twine Simon, Trellious Wilkes, Craig Watson, Michelle Marcadel, Cornel Jones, Montrelle Dennis, Romond Taylor, Shirley Johnson, Devon Walker, Rosalee Sylvas, Rosemary Pidgeon, Donald Lipps, Donna C. Jackson, Sandra Simoneaux, Elizabeth Hebert, Sr. John Mary Jackson, Tierney Smith, Torriel Charde Smith, Yasmin Linton, Mary Ann Parquet, Karen Duhe-Wilson, James Jackson, Travis Thomas, Ceola Gerard, Fr. Joe Calamari, Kantrell Collins, Audrey Gregorie, Albert French, Gary Sylve, Brenda Ursin, Arthur D. Parquet, Felton Parquet, Lorita Savoie, Shelia P. Melancon, Gloria Ferrygood, Lois Clement, Chandra Johnson OUR LADY OF GRACE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH RESERVE, LA TO OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH FAMILY AND FRIENDS “COME LET US ADORE HIM” May Christ bless you with His peace and joy this Christmas and throughout the New Year. As we celebrate the birth of our new Born King and Savior, Christ the Lord, let all the treasures of life be granted to every member of our Church family and friends. For Christ is born, let us all come and have a share of the joy He brings to our world. Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to everyone. — Fr. Christopher Chike Amadi, SSJ RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS Thank you! “We can certainly call you friends because of the way you care for our retired members,” writes a religious brother. Your gift to last week’s collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious benefits some 35,000 senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests. May God bless you for your generosity. PREPARATION FOR CHRISTMAS As we prepare to decorate our church for the birth of Christ, we invite parishioners to come out and assist in the preparation. We will begin decorating the church on Monday, December 22, 2014 and Tuesday, December 23, 2014 at 10:00 AM. Your assistance in this labor of love in preparation for Christmas will be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU On behalf of Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church. I wish to express our gratitude to Robottom Mortuary for their continued support of our Church. Most especially for the gift of sponsoring for our yearly Josephite Calendars. May God continue to bless you. Amen — Fr. Christopher C. Amadi, SSJ on behalf of Our Lady of Grace Church Family CHRISTMAS GIVING BOARD THANK YOU It is through your overwhelming generosity and support that 208 children will be blessed with gifts this Christmas. We extend our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all parishioners who took a name or two from the Christmas giving board. May God continue to bless you to be a blessing to someone else. — Yvonne Perkins CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS MASS SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY—DECEMBER 24, 2014 4:00 PM - VIGIL THURSDAY—DECEMBER 25, 2014 12:00 AM—MIDNIGHT MASS 10:00 AM—CHRISTMAS DAY WEDNESDAY—DECEMBER 31, 2014 4:00 PM - VIGIL MASS THURSDAY—JANUARY 1, 2015 10:00 AM PARISH OFFICE CLOSURE THE PARISH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED FROM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014 TO FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2015. THE OFFICE WILL RE-OPEN ON MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015. PLEASE CALL THE RECTORY AT 985-536-2613 AND LEAVE A MESSAGE IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. 2015 JOSEPHITE CALENDAR The 2015 Josephite Calendars will be available for pickup beginning Wednesday, Christmas Eve, December 24, 2014 in the foyer of the church. Every household is welcome to take one copy to allow even distribution. BIBLE STUDY: Tuesday’s at 7:00 p.m. in the cry room of the church. All are invited and welcome to attend. SANCTUARY LIGHT IN THE CHURCH The Sanctuary Light will be lit for: Requested By: From: SANCTUARY LIGHT IN THE CHAPEL The Sanctuary Light will be lit for: Elizabeth Ann Chambers Requested By: Kendall Chambers From: December 21, 2014 to January 3, 2015