ADVENT GIVING

Again this year, through the first 3 ½ weeks of Advent, the Jesse trees in the Cathedral will provide you with an opportunity to buy something for the homeless who eat their meals at Grace United Methodist Church, the foster children who go to Sammy’s Window for clothing and toiletry items, and the children whose parents can pick up gifts at Crosslines. Please bring the unwrapped items to the front office before December 18th and I will see that they are delivered to the right place.

S. Elizabeth Ann

WE ARE CALLED

I’m late, I’m late. I should have had this in last weeks Update. I apologize since you may have missed a week of a beautiful program. Every Advent, Dynamic Catholic offers an opportunity to enjoy a few minutes of peace and prayer during the holiday season. It’s free, you don’t have to leave your home, or attend meetings. All you have to do is go to BestAdventEver.com and enter your name and email address. Every day you will receive an email with a short video from Mathew Kelly and the Dynamic Catholic team. We’re all so busy now but this is one of the best ways to prepare our hearts and minds for the Most Blessed Event.

Ginny Smithberg 894-2954

Knights of Columbus:

The Knights’ monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, December 17th at 6:30 PM in the cafeteria. This is our annual Christmas dinner. All Knights and their families are invited. Meat and drinks will be provided. Please bring either a side dish or dessert.

Knights Breakfast

The Knights will be serving breakfast today after the 7:00 & 8:30 Masses. This includes the Breakfast with Santa event. We will be serving pancakes, sausage and eggs. Please come join us.

LADIES OF THE PARISH:

Mark your calendars for Monday, December 9th at 6:30pm in the dining room. Please join us for our PCCW cookie and cupcake decorating party! We will have cookies and cupcakes to decorate! There will be snacks & drinks! Come join us and have some fun with other ladies of the parish. We will provide all supplies. We just ask you to bring 1/2 dozen to a dozen cookies to share with Sister Elizabeth as she prepares the Christmas cookie tins for our homebound parishioners. There is no charge, but we will have a donation basket to help offset expenses. Please spread the word! All ages are welcome! Come share some Christmas joy! Please call the parish office, 831-3565, by Friday, December 6 to sign up so that we will have enough supplies.

From The Pastor’s Desk

Each year I include the following paragraph in my Thanksgiving letter in the bulletin because we need to be reminded of where and why we celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s not about turkeys and native Americans, but to give thanks during a sad time in our history.

In 1941, the “Thanksgiving Day” was officially set by the United States government on the fourth Thursday in November. All of the early Thanksgiving celebrations had one thing in common; the celebrations were always directed toward God. It did not matter how good or bad the times were, the people knew God was their creator and provider and that all good things ultimately came from Him. As the United States celebrates Thanksgiving this week, the secular holiday has nothing to do with our Catholic faith, but at the same time it has everything to do with our faith. Each time we gather around the Eucharistic table we are giving thanks to our God who sent His Son to suffer and die for us, that we might have eternal life.

The Catechism reminds us that “Believing in God, the only One, and loving him with all our being has enormous consequences for our whole life,” and then it adds that this involves, “living in thanksgiving: if God is the only One, everything we are and have comes from Him: “What have you that you did not receive?” “What shall I render to the Lord for all his bounty to me?”

Each family has their own traditions, their own way of celebrating; birthdays, weddings, the different sacraments, the holidays of Fourth of July, Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. I encourage that your family include God in every holiday.

This coming week as we celebrate with family and friends, let us not forget that the whole reason for the day, is to GIVE THANKS TO GOD. If you are here in the Springfield area, come to church Thanksgiving morning at 8:30 for our Thanksgiving Day Mass, and give thanks to God for all that He has given you/us.

This year we have no break between Thanksgiving and the first week of Advent. The first Sunday of Advent and the 4 week count down to the birth of Christ begins immediately. Enjoy and give thanks, first of all to God for all that He has given you/us this year, and then make the time to spiritually as well as physically get ready for the birth of Christ by walking through the Advent Season.

Women of Faith

Invitation for all women of the parish. Women of Faith invites you to join them in prayer and social time! Join us Wednesday, December 4 at Life House for noon Mass followed by lunch at a restaurant. This is a great opportunity to meet others from the parish in a small group setting. For more information please call Katie Williams, 883-5181.

LADIES OF THE PARISH:

Mark your calendars for Monday, December 9th at 6:30pm in the dining room. Please join us for our PCCW cookie and cupcake decorating party! We will have cookies and cupcakes to decorate! There will be snacks & drinks! Come join us and have some fun with other ladies of the parish. We will provide all supplies. We just ask you to bring 1/2 dozen to a dozen cookies to share with Sister Elizabeth as she prepares the Christmas cookie tins for our homebound parishioners. There is no charge, but we will have a donation basket to help offset expenses. Please spread the word! All ages are welcome!

Come share some Christmas joy! Please call the parish office, 831-3565, by Friday, December 6 to sign up so that we will have enough supplies.

SENIORS

will have a holiday meal on Wednesday, December 4 at 11:15am in the St Agnes dining room. Please sign up early at the parish office, 831-3565. Having an accurate count is very important.-Sr. Elizabeth Ann

From The Pastor’s Desk

This past Monday we honored all veterans of our country, but especially the millions of veterans who have fought in the wars of the last 100 years to keep us safe and free. There are approximately 15,764,242 veterans alive today who have in the various wars. The Vietnam veterans are 9.2 million, Gulf War veterans are 5.2 million, Korean veterans are 2.8 million and those who served in WWII are 389,292. The veterans of WWII are dying at an estimated 327per day. That generation who gave so much to keep us free are now returning to the Lord. From 1941 to 1945 the United States fought across the world to stop dictators and their governments from seeking to dominate the world. We owe so much to those men and women. It has been no different for the wars which followed, Korea, Vietnam and the wars in the Middle East. Dictators and ideologies seeking to control people and the world. Let us keep all veterans of our past wars in prayer, as well as those fighting today that we may be free. Each evening mass I celebrate I pray for our military and their safety.

When I mention stewardship, is seems like people only think about, “Father wants more money!” Within marriage, money is a lot of times a touchy subject due to budgets and unexpected emergencies, so it is within “church”. It is not easy to tackle this subject within the parish family. So let’s forget about money, budgets and talk about true stewardship.

It is easy to look at the examples of the Saints before us and throw our arms up in defeat, saying, “Giving up all of my possessions is not realistic—I have a family to take care of. So I guess I cannot do this stewardship thing.” But that thought process is kind of like missing the “spirit” of the law because one is so focused on the “letter” of the law. In the spirit of the great Saints before us, let’s all consider how our lives, our priorities, and our decisions reflect Christ and make some changes where necessary.

Ask yourself: How can I use ten minutes this day, or an hour—whatever is the case, to thank God for all of the blessings he has bestowed on me? I have $5, $50 or $500—how can I use it to help others in need? I have skills in music, computers, listening, carpentry, gardening—whatever talents you’ve been blessed with. How can I use these gifts to show God that I love my brother and sister as I love myself?

Stewardship isn’t a contest of who can give the most money. It isn’t a popularity contest of who is in the most activities. And it certainly isn’t a “Who’s Got Talent” contest of who has the most impressive gifts from God. Stewardship is a very personal commitment to god and to our faith community. And just like jumping back on the diet wagon after you have eaten a dozen donuts, Stewardship is a decision to be made daily—hourly—one act a time. It is never too late to choose Christ as the first priority in your life. And making that choice certainly does not mean that you walk away from your job, your house or your belongings. Stewardship simply means remembering that all we have: in our bank accounts, in our resumes, our hobby rooms and on our Calendars…ALL we have is a gift from God and we should treat it all accordingly. Thank you to Sr. Richard Mary Burke and all those who participated in and organized the Kick off Event to our 5 Year Stewardship Plan Monday, November 4th. It was wonderful to see all who came so energized and inspired for the future of our Parish.

WANTED

If you have any good used flannel shirts that you’re not wearing, would you please bring them to the parish office for the homeless who come to eat at Grace United Methodist. Also, good used socks are always welcome. S. Elizabeth Ann Weiler

LECTOR AND EUCHARISTIC MINISTER TRAINING

Lector and Eucharistic Minister training for those who recently signed up for these ministries will be held in the Cathedral at 7:00pm on Thursday, Nov. 21. Any parishioners currently serving in these ministries who want an update are also welcome to attend.

SENIORS HOLIDAY MEAL

SENIORS will have a holiday meal on Wednesday, December 4 at 11:15am in the St Agnes dining room. Please sign up early at the parish office, 831-3565. Having an accurate count is very important.

S. Elizabeth Ann

From The Pastor’s Desk

For those of us who remember Time Magazine, about 50 years ago the magazine asked in a major headline, “IS GOD DEAD?”  It caught everyone’s attention.  The magazine article wondered whether religion was relevant to modern life in the post-atomic age when communism was spreading and science was explaining more about our natural world than ever before.  For those religions which interpret the Bible literally, it was extremely upsetting.

Today many are asking the same question.  But the response is not limited to a simple answer.  Much of our population born after that article was printed may respond today with another question, “GOD WHO?”  In Western Europe and North America, it is estimated that 11% of Americans born after 1970 were raised in secular homes.

Today it is easy to go on line to the internet and find atheist and agnostic discussion groups.  In many of our larger cities you may find secular Sunday Assembly, or meetings for humanists, atheists, agnostics or skeptics.  Here in the United States many of the major non Catholic as well as Catholic Churches are seeing a drop in Sunday attendance.  It is true here in Springfield.

There were predictions in the 1970s that religion would fade from the societies as the world modernizes, but all the recent surveys are finding that it is happening startlingly fast.  France will have a majority secular population soon, followed by the Netherlands and New Zealand.  The United Kingdom and Australia will soon lose Christian majorities.  Religion is rapidly becoming less important than it has ever been. In comparison, in the Middle East, parts of Africa, areas where communism has collapsed, even in communist China, religion is on the rise.

Here in the United States as the secular millennials grow up and raise their children the only Sunday traditions they may being passing down are where are we going for brunch and what time is your sports practice or what game are we going to watch today.

FAITH FORMATION

Faith Family!

Our PSR classes will be studying saints in the month of November. We are inviting PSR students, families and all parishioners to our "SAINTACULAR" event on Sunday, Nov. 17th held in the dining room of the cafeteria from 10:00-11:00am. Come check out our PSR projects on the saints; play a game of saint bingo, go on a saint scavenger hunt and learn more about the importance of our saints! Remember all are welcome whether you are in preschool or if you are 80, whether you attend public school or Catholic school. Hope to see you on Sunday, Nov. 17th!!!

Confirmation Updates

Our next Confirmation session will be held Sunday, Nov. 10th form 3:00-4:45 in the Cafeteria. If a candidate has not been baptized at St. Agnes Cathedral, we will need a copy of the candidates' Baptismal certificate. Mark your calendar: our Confirmation retreat will be held Nov.23rd & 24th at Carthage. More details will be given at our next session. The retreat is mandatory for all candidates.

HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

Springfield Catholic High School presents their fall musical, Hunchback of Notre Dame on November 14, 15, & 16 at 7:00pm, November 17 at 2:00pm. Tickets are available at Springfield Catholic High School, 887-8817, and St Agnes parish office, 831-3565. Order soon – they’re going fast!

St. Ann's Meeting:

St. Ann's Group is a sub-group of PCCW for moms raising their children in the Catholic faith. The group is open to all St. Agnes parishioners. St. Ann's will have their first meeting of the year on Wednesday, November 13th from 6-7pm in the St. Agnes School Library. We will discuss parenting tips from Franciscan University and then work on planning details for the 2nd Grade Reconciliation Reception and Breakfast With Santa. 

From The Pastor’s Desk

The leaves are changing colors. Autumn is a time of transition. We have gone from the heat of summer to the cool of autumn, and a few snowflakes are possible this Thursday as I write my letter this Monday morning. All nature enters winter’s sleep while the earth prepares for a new birth. This weekend we even changed our clocks back one hour, so that so many of us are not getting up in the dark.

During the month of November our liturgical year draws to a close. During the final weeks of Ordinary Time, the lectionary readings remind us of dying, death, and the earthly limits of life. The Gospels are full of parables calling the listener to justice, mercy and love. All Saints Day will was celebrated on November 1st and November 2nd, All Souls Day being the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.

Let us not forget the celebration of Thanksgiving which fall on November 28th this year. It many times tends to get lost in our rush from Halloween to Christmas. Even though it is not a Church feast day, it is a day set aside to give thanks to God for all the freedoms, for everything we have and are able to do. Whether here in Springfield, or going to visit relatives or friends, take time that day to thank God. Then whether we are ready for it or not, it begins the countdown to Christmas, although the stores have had Christmas trees for sale for months.

The celebration of Jesus Christ King of the Universe, is the last Sunday of the liturgical year and it falls this year on November 24th. The reason for this celebration is to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the “King of all kings” and it was originally intended as a way to bring God back into a secular world. The first Sunday of Advent is December 1st. Where have the fall months gone?

Youth Activities

Mark your calendar: Sunday November 10th from 6-8 pm in the cafeteria.

Youth in grades 8-12 are invited to join us for a night of fun. First on the agenda will be pizza; followed by a Game Show night playing "Faithful Feud" and then we will join together for brief adoration. Bring a friend! No cost. We will also begin taking sign-ups for Steubenville, 2020.

Faith Family!

Our PSR classes will be studying saints in the month of November. We are inviting PSR students, families and all parishioners to our "SAINTACULAR" event on Sunday, Nov. 17th held in the dining room of the cafeteria from 10:00- 11:00am. Come check out our PSR projects on the saints; play a game of saint bingo, go on a saint scavenger hunt and learn more about the importance of our saints! Remember all are welcome whether you are in preschool or if you are 80, whether you attend public school or Catholic school. Hope to see you on Sunday, Nov. 17th!!!

Confirmation Updates

Our next Confirmation session will be held Sunday, Nov. 10th form 3:00-4:45 in the Cafeteria. If a candidate has not been baptized at St. Agnes Cathedral, we will need a copy of the candidates' Baptismal certificate. Mark your calendar: our Confirmation retreat will be held Nov.23rd & 24th at Carthage. More details will be given at our next session. The retreat is mandatory for all candidates.

ST. ANN'S MEETING:

St. Ann's Group is a sub-group of PCCW for moms raising their children in the Catholic faith. The group is open to all St. Agnes parishioners. St. Ann's will have their first meeting of the year on Wednesday, November 13th from 6-7pm in the St. Agnes School Library. We will discuss parenting tips from Franciscan University and then work on planning details for the 2nd Grade Reconciliation Reception and Breakfast With Santa.

ST. AGNES PARISH 5 YEAR PLAN KICK OFF EVENT

We hope you can join us for a night of hospitality and love Monday, November 4th featuring guest speaker Sister Richard Mary Burke. We will meet from 7-8:30pm in the school cafeteria. Dessert & coffee will be provided.