SAINT KATHARINE DREXEL church 2nd Sunday of Advent

MECHANICSBURG, Pennsylvania December 6, 2015

First Saturday, December 5 Is 30:19-21, 23-26; Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6; Mt 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6-8

9:00 a.m. Jennifer Pettersen (Marilyn and Tom Sweeney)

10:00 a.m. First Penance VIGIL, SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT Bar 5:1-9; Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6; Phil 1:4-6, 8-11; Lk 3:1-6

4:30 p.m. The Coonan Family (Mr. and Mrs. David Ringlaben)

Sunday, December 6—SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

8:45 a.m. Greg Calder (Connie Burket)

10:45 a.m. People of the Parish

12:15 a.m. Baptism: Tyler Richard Brumbach

Connor Griffin McCullough

Monday, December 7—SAINT AMBROSE Is 35:1-10; Ps 89:9ab, 10, 11-12, 13-14; Lk 5:17-26 VIGIL, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE

BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

7:00 p.m. Edward and Stella Furtek (The Cram Family)

Tuesday, December 8— THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF

THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12;

Lk 1:26-38 9:00 a.m. People of the Parish

7:00 p.m. John Andrews (Bev O’Neill)

Wednesday, December 9 Is 40:25-31; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10; Mt 11:28-30 7:00 p.m. Bill Andrews (Jan Cassidy)

Thursday, December 10 Is 41:13-20; Ps 145:1, and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab; Mt 11:11-15 9:00 a.m. Special Intentions for the Graduation of

Greg Hempt (Angela Heinick)

Friday, December 11—SAINT DAMASUS I Is 48:17-19; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4, an6; Mt 11:16-19 9:00 a.m. Beatrice Fabas (Bob and Joyce Scott)

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

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!

“Merciful like the Father “

This is the motto for the Extraordinary Jubilee Year

of Mercy which begins Tuesday December 8 on the

Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Pope Francis encourages us to rediscover and practice the

corporal and spiritual works of mercy with loving, prayerful

intention during this special time in the Church. Although the

Jubilee year will close on November 20, 2016, we pray and hope

that our acts or mercy will continue and help make our parish

amazing by being the “Father’s visible life in our

world.”(Amazing Parish Prayer)

You are encouraged to read the parish bulletin and visit the

parish website at www.skdparish.com for opportunities to share

and receive God’s mercy. The following are just a few

opportunities that are currently available to practice the “corporal

works of mercy” within our parish community. This list will

change and grow as the year goes on.

Pray! Prayer will help us see “with the generous

eyes” of our Father. There are many, many ways to

show mercy .Keep in mind God knows your needs,

gifts, and availability. Ask Him to help you “see” those

in your life through His eyes. Remember it is for our

loving Father that we are responding to his invitation to

be merciful to others. Trust in His guidance.

Feed the Hungry-Join the team of dedicated

parish volunteers who help serve lunches at St Francis

soup Kitchen in Harrisburg. We are currently in need of

volunteers! Become a monthly contributor to our parish

food collection for New Hope Ministries

Clothe the Naked- The Advent Giving tree

located in the narthex contains many ornaments which

list needed articles of clothing for people of all ages.

Shelter the Homeless-Our diocese provides

shelters for women in recovery, homeless families, and

pregnant women and their babies at the St Samuel

Center in Harrisburg. Visit their website at

www.cchbg.org. Consider organizing a parish- wide

collection of needed articles to support these essential

ministries.

Visit the Sick- We are in need of Extraordinary

Ministers of Holy Communion to visit homebound

parishioners and Catholic patients at the West Shore

Hospital. If you enjoy cooking, consider preparing and

sharing a meal with a homebound parishioner or

caregivers who are caring for an aging or ill loved one.

Bury the Dead- Consider becoming an

Arimathean. An Arimathean ministry (from St Joseph

of Arimathea) provides the prayerful presence and

support to family and friends at the visitation and

funeral of their deceased loved one.

Please know that your suggestions to add ways to share God’s

mercy are welcome! For additional information please contact

Suzanne Bruzga, Pastoral Associate at 697-8716 or

sbruzga@skdparish.com

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.

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.

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, Ben Cook, Monica Davis, Mary

Elizabeth Davidson, Marcia Del Por to, Lucille Donnelly, Margaret Dubas, Colleen Er ickson, 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, Wayne Willey, 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.

Advent Parish Confessions

Deanery Family Penance Services

Sat Dec 5 3 p.m.—4 p.m.

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.

Thur Dec 10 7 p.m. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

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

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.

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.

Pray for the repose of the soul of our brothers in Christ:

Paul McGee, husband of Carol McGee and Gary Wood,

husband of Donna Wood..

The Second Collection for the weekend of

December 12 and 13th will be for THE

RETIREMENT FUND FOR THE

RELIGIOUS. Please give generously.

With the Universal Church, Bishop Gainer will

celebrate the opening of the Jubilee Year of Mercy on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 on the

Solemnity of the Immaculate

Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

with the celebration of the Most Holy

Eucharist at 6 PM at Saint Patrick

Cathedral, Harrisburg. All faithful of

the Diocese are invited to attend. The

South Street Parking Garage is

available free of charge to all

participants.

Bishop Gainer will solemnly open the principal

Diocesan Door of 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.

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.

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!

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.

Date: Wednesday, December 9th

Time: After 7 p.m. Mass

Place: Outside Church Entrances

Snacks and warm drinks to be served.

Please bring your coat and gloves.

For more information please call Ken at 717-414-6278

Knights of Columbus

Christmas Card Sale In the Narthex after Mass

St. Francis Soup Kitchen

OVERWHELMING is the word!!!

Our sincere thanks to all who donated new and used

blankets to families in need. At least 125 blankets

were collected and were distributed

immediately to very thankful

individuals. Your generosity is deeply

appreciated. Thanks to all and God

bless you!

On the birth of John the Baptist— “There is something triumphantly joyful about His birth. The joy of the mother… the father… the gathered crowd… the child himself— the wonderful hand of God, at times manifest, at other times hidden, but always there.”

— St. Katharine Drexel

STEWARDSHIP — OUR GIFT TO GOD

OF TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE

November 22, 2015

Stewardship ······················ $ 13,739.00

Monthly On-Line Giving……. $ 4,221.56

Average weekly offering ······· $ 13,655.00

Weekly surplus / (deficit) ······ $ 4,305.56

November 29, 2015

Stewardship ····················· $ 10,720.00

Average weekly offering ······ $ 13,655.00

Weekly surplus / (deficit) ······ $ (2,935.00)

2015/16 LENTEN APPEAL ASSESSMENT (As of 12/1/2015)

Parish Goal: ····················· $ 121,900.00

Pledged by Parishioners: ······· $ 133,834.58 (110%)

Amount Paid on Pledges ······· $ 120,542.54 (90%)

Sunday, December 6

Women’s Council/Knights of Columbus

Pancake Breakfast— After Both Masses in Msgr Smith CC

Knights of Columbus Christmas Cards in Narthex

8:30 a.m. Religious Education Session I

10:20 a.m. Religious Education Session II

12:15 p.m. Baptism: Tyler Richard Brumbach

Connor Griffin McCullough

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

Tuesday, December 8—Feast of the Immaculate Conception

9:30 a.m. Scripture Study/Faith Sharing /Library

6:30 p.m. Book Group / Msgr Smith CC

7:00 p.m. Prayer and Life Workshop/Library

Wednesday, December 9 6:00 p.m. Religious Education III

Thursday, December 10 9:30 a.m. Adult Faith Enrichment/Library

10:00 a.m. Women’s Council Basket for Shut-Ins/Msgr Smith CC

6:30 p.m. Scripture Study/Faith Sharing / Library

7:00 p.m. Choir Practice/Church

7:00 p.m. Deanery Family Penance Service @

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Mechanicsburg

Saturday, December 12 10:00 a.m. Mom’s Group St. Nicholas Party /Lower Level

3:00 p.m. Advent Parish Confessions/Church

5:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus Christmas Cards /Narthex

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK:

We thank Advanced Physical Therapy

for sponsoring an advertisement in our weekly bulletin.

6th Annual Saint Katharine Drexel Church

Saint Nicholas Party Sponsored by the SKD Mom’s Group

Come experience Wally Scott’s story,

The Carpenter Who Saved Christmas,

at the church on

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2015,

from 2 – 4 p.m.

Activities include children’s crafts, Christmas

caroling,

an interactive Christmas story, light refreshments,

and a special visitor!!!

Bring your camera to this family event!

We will collect money and canned goods for

New Hope Ministries.

Thank you for your help!

RSVP by December 6 to Stefanie at psu744@aol.com

or 791-9097

PARISH COUNCIL OF

CATHOLIC WOMEN NEWS:

Baskets for Shut Ins— On December

10th, members of the Council of Catholic

Women will be assembling baskets for the

shut-ins in our community.

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.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST! COME & GET IT!

Sunday, December 6th from 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon in the Msgr

Smith Community Center sponsored by our Parish Council of

Catholic Women and our Knights of Columbus Council 13100.

Breakfast includes: Pancakes, Waffles, and other

Assorted Breakfast Treats and Beverages.

Cost: Children 5 & under FREE

Children 1st grade to 8th grade—$3.00

Individual Adults—$5.00 per person

Families — $15.00