C. Alexander
“Sandy”
McDonald
Pastor
Javier Heredia
Parochial Vicar
Barbara Cole
Principal
SJN School - 788-1367
DIOCESE OF CHARLESTON
St. John Neumann Catholic Church
100 Polo Road Columbia, SC 29223
4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 21, 2014
Silvia Goodman
Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
Parish Office And School
Address
721 Polo Road
Columbia, SC 29223
Office Hours
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Telephone
Church Office: 788-0811
Gillin Hall: 788-1478
MASS SCHEDULE
Saturday - 5:15 p.m.
Sunday
8:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
12:00 noon
5:00 p.m.
Monday - 12:00 noon
Tuesday - 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday - 12:00 noon
Thursday - 12:00 noon,
Friday - 12:00 noon
Spanish
Sunday 2:00 p.m.
Thursday 7:00 p.m.
WELCOME
We welcome all newcomers to our
parish family and request that you
register at the Parish Office.
Parish membership is required to:
 be a sponsor
 be married in the parish
 have a child baptized
 qualify for parishioner tuition
at St. John Neumann School
RECONCILIATION Confessions: Saturday 4:15 –
5:00 p.m. or by appointment (call 788-0811 to make
arrangements).
BAPTISM Call the parish office at 788-3252 ext. 18
for information.
MARRIAGE The Diocese of Charleston requires
preparation for marriage to begin at least six
months prior to the wedding date. Call Fr. Sandy at
788-0811 to make arrangements .
PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN
St. John Neumann Church and the Diocese of Charleston are committed to the
protection of children. Here are important numbers:
Diocesan Victim Assistance Minister - (800) 921-8122
Diocesan Office of Child Protection Services - (843) 853-2130 ext. 209
Safe Environment Coordinator - Cherie Smith 788-3252 ext. 21
Korean
7:00 p.m.
(2nd & 3rd Saturdays)
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday - 4:15-5:00 p.m.
and by appointment
WEBSITE
www.stjohnneumannsc.com
Bulletin deadline: Noon Tuesday
Send print-ready information to
[email protected]
PARISH MISSION STATEMENT
“To strive together to be Christ for each other and our neighbor.”
Dear Faithful of St. John Neumann,
In these last few days before Christmas, best and
heartfelt wishes for a happy and holy celebration
of the great feast of the Incarnation. May your
time with family strengthen your love for each
May God fill your life with love, joy, and peace this Christmas
and throughout the New Year.
other, your time for vacation bring you rejuvenation, and your time in worship bring you joy and
deepened faith.
Christmas Eve 4:00 p.m. Mass Shuttle Service
Father Javier and I would like to thank you for the
support and generosity you have shown us through
the many cards and gifts given to us. We are
blessed to serve the St. John Neumann family.
When the parking lot fills for the Christmas Eve 4:00 p.m.
Children’s Mass, the faithful will be directed to the school
parking lot. A shuttle will be available from the school to
the church before and after Mass. Thank you for your cooperation.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Fr. Sandy McDonald
Classes Have Ended for 2014
Parish Office Closing for Holidays
Wednesday was the last day of CCD and Adult Education
classes for the year. Classes will resume on Wednesday,
January 7, 2015.
The parish office will close from Tuesday, December 23
at noon until Monday, January 5, at 9:00 a.m.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of
Dorothy Profilet
(mother of Kathy Lenti)
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May the souls of
all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
Financial Contributions
In the first reading, God promises King David that his
house and his kingdom will endure forever. It is through
Mary’s “Yes” - “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be
done to me as you say.” - that the promise finds fulfillment.
Offertory - $19,393.62
Children Stewardship - $17.00
Cardinal Newman School
Cardinal Newman School is closed for the Christmas
holiday and will reopen on Monday, January 5,
2015. While the Administration, Faculty and Staff of
Cardinal Newman School all enjoy some time with our
families and friends, we pray that you, and those important to you, find the Joy and Peace that the Christmas
season brings in your hearts and homes.
St. John Neumann Catholic School
Merry Christmas from SJN
This has been a wonderfully exciting season for our students. On December 16, the excitement continued as our
second and fourth graders presented their version of the
birth of the Baby Jesus through their heart-warming play.
Mary, Joseph, Jesus, angels, shepherds, sheep, and Wise
Men all adorned our stage. It is inspiring to watch the
faces of our students as they bring to life this very special
time of the year.
St. Nick came and brought gifts to everyone. We chased
gingerbread men around the school with Mrs. Cole. The
sixth graders “decked the halls,” Santa visited with potential parent and pre-schoolers, and we shared what we
had with the Marines and their Toys for Tots program
The students, faculty, and staff wish you all of the blessings of the season and a happy, healthy 2015. You are
always welcome to come and visit your parish school
and to share the excitement that is evident here.
Parish Calendar December 20-27
Saturday, December 20
9:00 am
Adoration
7:00 pm
Korean Mass
Church
Church
Sunday, December 21
6:30 pm
Youth Ministry
Teen Room
Monday, December 22
4:30 pm
Tai Chi
5:30 pm
Legion of Mary
5:00 pm
Church Decorating
Gillin Hall
Teen Room
Church
Tuesday, December 23
10:30 am
Exercise Class
6:00 pm
Dress Rehearsal
Gillin Hall
Church
Wednesday, December 24
4:00 pm
Mass w/ Children’s Homily
6:30 pm
Mass w/ Children’s Homily
8:30 pm
Mass in Spanish
10:30 pm
Musical Prelude
11:00 pm
Mass
Thursday, December 25
10:00 am
Christmas Day Mass
Church
Friday, December 26
Saturday, December 27
9:00 am
Adoration
Church
Open Heart Prayer Group
The Open Heart Prayer Group will not meet on Tuesday,
December 23.
Altar Server Training
The March for Life
The March for Life in Washington DC will be Thursday,
January 22. This is a gathering of people from all over our
country who march, pray and educate for the Sanctity of
Human Life. There are buses leaving from several locations to attend the march. If you would like to join, please
contact the Office of Family Life at (803) 547-5063, or
email FamilyLife@ catholic-doc.org
Altar Server training is scheduled for January 24, 2015 at
10:15 a.m. in the church. For more information, please
contact Christopher Scott at [email protected]
Jim Braun from Messner Publications is offering opportunities to purchase advertising space in our new bulletin.
The ads will be published in color each week for 52
weeks! If you are a business owner or business professional who would like to advertise in our new bulletin,
call Jim (262) 893-9899.
SJN School Strategic Growth Plan Survey
Beginning September 2014, the Diocese of Charleston entered into a yearlong effort to establish a Strategic Growth
Plan to revitalize and strengthen the Catholic schools in the
Diocese. Envisioned by Bishop Guglielmone, the strategic
planning process is being facilitated by Dr. Regina Haney
of the National Catholic Educational Associate and Dr. Erik
Goldschmidt of the Institute of School & Parish Development (ISPD).
The Strategic Growth Plan will be formulated around four
key planning areas related to Catholic schools: (1) Mission
and Catholic Identity; (2) Academic Excellence; (3) Governance and Leadership; and (4) Operational Vitality.
The facilitators of the Strategic Growth Planning process
are seeking to learn about public perceptions of Catholic
schools in the Diocese of Charleston. I invite you to complete a brief online survey. Your thoughtful input will invaluably enrich and inform the planning process and thus
help to ensure a vital future for the Catholic schools in the
Diocese of Charleston.
Small Christian Communities
Small Christian Community faith sharing groups will
meet again in January. The program Come to the Table
is described as “Catholics and their friends having conversations about faith.”
Many groups are ongoing, and new groups are formed
as the need arises. If you would like to join a group or
gather friends and create your own, all the necessary
materials, leader’s guide, and handouts will be provided. Please contact Catherine Combier-Donovan, Pastoral Associate for Liturgy and Adult Faith Formation at
[email protected] or call 803.788.0811.
The new bulletin submission deadline is
Tuesday at noon. Please send print-ready
information to [email protected]
Please forward this invitation to others so that we can include as many voices as possible. The survey will close at
midnight on January 4, 2015.
The survey can be found at http://sccatholic.org/schoolsurvey
Youth Ministry
All High Schoolers are welcome to join
us for Youth Group this Sunday!
5:00 p.m. - Mass at the Church
6:15 p.m. - Dinner in the Cafeteria
(Bring your own)
6:45-8:15 p.m. - Youth Night
8:15-9:00 p.m. Dodgeball
If you have any questions or concerns,
please contact Chelsea Breeden.
[email protected]
803.575.0081
Confirmation
A Confirmation date has been set January 28th
The mandatory confirmation retreat will be
Saturday, January 24-Sunday, January25
More info to follow soon.
A big thank you to everyone who supported us at
Zaxby's or with Babysitting this past week! We are
well on our way to our goal!
Ushers Needed
Ushers are needed for the Sunday 5:00 p.m. Mass in the
church. Please help by spending a few minutes on any given
weekend as an usher. No formal training is required —just a
willingness to help with this important and rewarding ministry. Ushers are asked to arrive 30 minutes before Mass and
they do not need to serve every week. If interested, or for
questions, please call Sal Iacolino at 788-5462.
SJN School Update
Addition to our school: Fall, 2015, we are adding a 3
year old program to our school. It will be the first year,
so we only having one class. Before we open the enrollment to the public, we want to give parishioners the
opportunity to have your child join us. The child must
be 3 on or before Sept. 1st and must be potty trained.
From the families in our school, the class is over half
filled. If you are interested, please call the school. We
would love to give you a tour of our school and answer
any questions.
January Natural Family Planning Intros
The Parish Nurse will NOT be in Gillin Hall on Sunday from
9:30 a.m. until noon. If you need to contact the Parish Nurse,
please contact her at 413-4797 [email protected]
If you need a CPR or First Aid Class, please contact Wendy Bobadilla at 413-4797.
Looking for ways to decrease stress, maybe you want to change
up your workout routine? Start a workout routine? We offer Tai
Chi class Mondays and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. in Gillin Hall.
Everyone is welcome to attend. The class is free. For questions,
please call Wendy at 413-4797.
NO classes on Thursday, December 25 and
Thursday, January 1
Looking for something fun to do? Want to change up your workout routine? Start a workout routine? The Arthritis Exercise
Class might be just what you are looking for. This class is offered on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. in Gillin Hall. The
class involves a lot of stretching and can be done sitting or standing or a combination of both. The class is free. For
questions, please call Wendy at 413-4797.
NO class on Friday, December 26
The Parish Nurse is a Benefit Bank Counselor. This means that
she can do a “Quick Check” to see if you may be eligible for
extra help, from programs like food stamps (SNAP program),
Medicaid, and other assistance programs. She can also help you
fill out the forms for these programs. Please call Wendy at 4134797 for questions or to make an appointment.
Free Eye Screening & Glasses (if needed).
Where: Richland County Health Department, Midlands
Eye Clinic. When: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month.
Eligibility requirements: 1) Adult 18 yrs and older, 2) Live
in Richland or Fairfield Counties, 3)Under 200%
of the poverty level, 4) Proof of income, 5) Picture ID.
The Midlands Dental Initiative is now accepting uninsured
dental patients. It is their goal to reduce the number of dental patients in the ER, so they have created a network of
local dentists that will perform emergency extractions to
relieve dental pain and discomfort at no charge to the patient. Patients must be a resident of Richland, Lexington or
Fairfield County, meet low income requirements and have
no dental insurance. For more information or to become
a patient, contact Richland Care at 803-296-2220.
PLEASE DO NOT DOUBLE PARK IN THE UPPER
PARKING LOT. IT CAN DELAY LIFESAVING
TREATMENT. When there is an emergency at the church,
the Fire Department & Ambulance come to the Upper
Parking Lot. When people Double Park, or park at the end
of the rows where there are no parking lines emergency
vehicles cannot get in or out in a timely manner. If Emergency Vehicles are at the church, please do not try to
leave until after they are gone.
The new year means new opportunities to learn about
natural family planning. Whether you are engaged to
be married this year, are already married, or even a
single woman with women's health issues, we have a
class for you. Couples can plan and space their children with ease using modern, highly effective methods
of family planning that are 100% natural. NFP
also offers couples who are experiencing infertility the
hope of achieving pregnancy while following the
teachings of the church and real solutions to women's
health issues. NFP instructors are available throughout
all areas of the Diocese, and long distance and Spanish
instruction are available as well. Below are a few introductory sessions for January:
January 8 - Creighton Model - St. Joseph's (Columbia)
- 7:00 p.m., registration required
January 9 - Creighton Model - Our Lady of the Hills
(Columbia) - 10:00 a.m. - childcare available, registration required
January 12 - Creighton Model - St. Mary Magdalene
(Simpsonville) - 7:00 p.m.
January 13 - Creighton Model - St. Anthony of Padua
(Greenville) - 6:00 p.m.
January 14 - Creighton Model - St. Francis hospitaleastside (Greenville) 7:00 p.m.
January 21 - Couple to Couple League - virtual, online
session 1 of 3 - 7:00 p.m., registration required
January 23 - Creighton Model - Catholic Charities
building (Columbia) - 5:30 p.m.
Don't see your parish or location? Want more information or need to register? Please contact Kelli Ball, Diocesan NFP Coordinator,
at [email protected] or 803-807-0158.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter
The search is on. The Fifth Annual Longest Married Couple Project in the U.S as well as each of the 50 states and
territories has started. If you know a couple with a long
marriage, please nominate them for this honor.
This annual search is sponsored by Worldwide Marriage
Encounter. More information can be found at wwme.org.
as well as a Marriage Encounter weekend near you.
Annual Senior Life Luncheon
If you would you like to receive the Bulletin by e-mail, send
an e-mail to [email protected] with Bulletin Sign-up
in the subject line.
Christmas Caroling, Church Decorating
and Christmas Snacks
On Monday, December 22, the Knights of Columbus will
sponsor St. John Neumann parish’s annual visit to Wildewood Downs Senior Center to sing Christmas carols. This
is a very rewarding event and all parishioners are invited to
attend. Please meet in the St. John Neumann upper parking
lot at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 22 and we’ll car
pool to Wildewood Downs. After caroling, sometime between 6:30-7:00 p.m., we’ll return to the church to decorate
for Christmas. Then, we’ll enjoy some Christmas
snacks. All are invited to any or all three of these events!
"Keep Christ in Christmas"
The Knights of Columbus will be selling "Keep Christ in
Christmas" car magnets in Gillin Hall following all
Masses. The cost for each magnet is $3.00. Also, in keeping with the true theme of our upcoming holy days, the
Knights have provided a gigantic, automated "Keep Christ
in Christmas" billboard on Two Notch Road just south of
Brickyard Road on the south side of the street (next to the
small car wash). Drive carefully, but rejoice and remember
the real meaning of Christmas!
RESOLUTION FOR 2015:
Do you want to resolve to strengthen your faith in 2015?
You may want to consider meeting with fellow parishioners
on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in Gillin Hall share insights and questions about Scripture, pray for needs you and/
or your loved ones have, for needs of the parish, and for
needs of the world, and sing songs of praise to God. There is
no membership; come once or come often.
Save the Date!
St. Joseph Church - 3600 Devine Street
Friday, January 16, 2015
Mass 11:30 AM in the Church
Luncheon by Yesterday’s Restaurant
Speaker: Muriel Ward O'Tuel, Ph.D., author and speaker
Cost. $15.00
Dear Friends of the Poor and Homeless,
On Christmas Day, St. Peter’s and St. Vincent DePaul
Society will be hosting our 29th Annual Christmas Dinner for approximately 800 men, women and children
from the streets and shelters of Columbia. The dinner
will be served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in our Parish Life Center, 1529 Assembly Street. Each of our
guests will be provided a new gym bag filled with a
hooded sweatshirt, thermal underwear, wool gloves,
hats, socks, boxer shorts and toiletries provided by Red
Bank Baptist Church, the Five-O-Plus Club and St.
Mark’s Methodist Church. Reading glasses will be provided by Dr. Fulton J. Gasper and his family again this
year, they donated 156 pairs last year.
For the little ones from the shelters, we hope to provide
toys from Toys for Tots, a Target gift card and a stocking full of goodies provided by the St. Peter’s Women’s
Sodality.
If you have not cleaned out your closets lately, our
guests could use a winter coat or a sweater, large and
extra-large sizes only, please
.
If you would like to Adopt-A-Gift Bag for $10.00,
please contact Robert D. Keeder at 796-9802, [email protected] or make checks payable to St. Vincent
dePaul Society, P.O. Box 1896,
Columbia, SC 29202, attention: Robert D. Keeder.
HELP US HELP OTHERS IN JESUS NAME,
Robert D. Keeder, Volunteer Coordinator
St. Vincent dePaul Society
St. Peter’s Catholic Church
May your heart be lifted in praise this Christmas for the wonderful gift of Jesus and the joy he brings to our lives.
Have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year.
St. John Neumann Catholic Church
Christmas Liturgy Schedule
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24
4:00 p.m. – Vigil Mass with Children’s Homily
6:30 p.m. – Vigil Mass with Children’s Homily
8:30 p.m. – Misa de la Vigilia en Español
10:30 p.m. – Musical Prelude
11:00 p.m. – Mass during the Night (Note the change from Midnight!)
Note: There will not be a Noon Mass on December 24.
Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25
10:00 a.m. – Mass of the Day
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Wednesday, December 31 – 7:00 p.m. – Vigil Mass
Thursday, January 1 – 12:00 p.m. – Mass of the Day
Thursday, January 1 – 5:00 p.m. – Misa del Día en Español
Note: There will not be a Noon Mass on December 31.
Parish Office Closure
Tuesday, December 23 at noon, and will re-open at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, January 5.
†
Date
Saturday, December 20
Sunday, December 21
Monday, December 22
Tuesday, December 23
Wednesday, December 24
Thursday, December 25
Friday, December 26
Saturday, December 27
Sunday, December 28
Mass Intentions December 20-28 †
Time
5:15 pm
8:00 am
10:00 am
12:00 noon
5:00 pm
12:00 noon
9:00 am
4:00 pm
6:30 pm
Name
Jim Hay †
Dr. Kenneth Lagina †
David & Charlie Richitelli
Mary Waters †
For the Parish
Fr. Frederick Masad †
Theodulo Abrego †
John Taylor †
Fr. Frederick Masad †
11:00 pm
Mary Katherine Green †
And Francis Smith †
Eugenia Santos †
Robert Kelly †
Darlene Gaebel †
For the Parish
Joe Smerdell †
Tom Schmidt †
Sieglinde Röhrl †
10:00 am
12:00 noon
5:15 pm
8:00 am
10:00 am
12:00 noon
5:00 pm
Requested by
Faye Hay
Suzi Lagina
Betty Richitelli
Rosetta Smerdell
Lisa and Stick Thibodeaux
Collier Family
Kathryn Taylor
De Guzman, Chestnut &
Pineda Families
Michael McDaniel
Linda Brown
SJN Parish
Tuesday Class
Rosetta Smerdell
Jo Ann Schmidt
High School Friends
Daily Readings for the Week
The readings are included each week for parishioners
unable to join us for daily or Sunday Masses.
Please pray for the sick:
Sean Abbott
Brigitte Adams
Barb Alberini
Angelo Anelli
Marianne Anelli
Benjamin Basil
Valentina Bastias
Ken Beck
Eugene Berendsen
Bridgett Boher
Frank Bondeson
Jeri Boysia
Donald Breihan
Steve Brown
Rowan Bustamante
Rose Cabot
Cherese Carlson
Vic Carilli
Gladys Coakley
Georgine Collins
Barbara-Jay Cornelia
Chang Wi Chi
Elaine Coakley
David Cummings
Karen Davies
Millie DeGarcia
Caroline Donovan
Patrick Donovan
Betsy Ehret
Mary Ann Ellison
Josepha Elzarad
Bing Fores
Carmen Flores
Jackie Foley
Dean Gahagen
Melvin Gordon
Crystal Grampus
Ensyha Grampus
Jimmy Green
Lorraine Gullifer
Debbie Gurski
Buenaventura Hassell
Pat Heller
Casey Hicks
Santina Rose Howard
Lorraine Immekus
Faye Johns
Jimmy Keadle
David Kirvan
Karen Kohut
Kerri Kohut
Jun Hee Lee
Craig Luccy
Lino Mandanas
Bernie Maraghy
Theresa Mason
Chad McKay
Patrick McLaughlin
Janice Melvin
Nympha Miguel
Roberto L Molinary,
Sr.
Gloria Neumann
Corrine Nylander
Meighan Parsh
Edward Pelc
Alex Petroff
Faye Price
Vivian Quenga
Helena Richard
Randolph Richard
Zachary Rinzel
Gloria Rosario
Florina Sánchez
Jean Schemel
Eleanor Sotelo
David Sotelo
Dr. Scott Sweazy
Regina Tomic
Bruce Trent
Catherine Trent
Jeffrey Wagner
Robert Watts
Cecelia Whitley
Lillie Wilson
Mary Ann Wilson
Helmut Wirth
Lawrence Wright,
Jr.
Allan Zych
December 21-27
Sunday: 2 sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 ,ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27-29, ps 89:2-3,
4-5, 27-29, Lk 1:38, lk 1:26-38
Monday: 1 sm 1:24-28, 1 sm 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd, lk 1:46-56,
Tuesday: mal 3:1-4, 23-24, ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14, lk 1:57-66
Wednesday: 2 sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16, ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 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 or mt 1:18-25 Christmas Mass is 52:7-10, ps
98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6, heb 1:1-6, jn 1:1-18, or jn 1:1-5, 9-14
Friday: acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59, ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17,
ps 118:26a, 27a, mt 10:17-22
Saturday: 1 jn 1:1-4, ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12, jn 20:1a and 2-8
Hospital and Nursing Home Visits
Due to privacy laws, Father may not know that you (or a family
member) have been hospitalized or moved into a nursing home.
Please call the parish office at 788-0811 to let him know.
Moving?
If you are moving, please notify the parish secretary.
Call 788-0811 or e-mail [email protected]. Thank you!
Devotion Opportunities
Spend One Hour with Me – Adoration: Thursday 2:00–6:50 p.m.
and Saturday 9:00–10:00 a.m.
The Rosary: Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
The Divine Mercy Chaplet: After Monday noon Mass
Prayer List
To have someone included in the Bulletin prayer list,
call the parish office at 788-0811 or e-mail
[email protected].