PARISH OFFICE, 838-6565 Parish Fax Number, 838-6566

Pastor Msgr. Matthew Mitas, ext 102

Deacon Rev. Mr. Joseph Kroutil

Parish Secretary Linda Brindley, ext 100

Bookkeeper Monique Zykan, ext 109

Music Director Sharon Churchill

St. Vincent De Paul...ext 504

Mary Ann Kauffman, ext 101

NEW PARISHIONERS Register in the parish office, Mon-Fri, 8:00 am- 4:00 pm.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Baptism Instruction is to be scheduled with a parish priest.

SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE To be arranged with the parish priest at least six months prior.

St. Angela Merici Parish

December 31, 2017 3860 N. Hwy 67 saintangelamerici.org Florissant, MO 63034

Mass Schedule Mon - Fri 8:00 am Saturday Fir st Sat. of the month, 8:00 am Saturday 5:00 pm (Vigil) Sunday 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 am Eucharistic Adoration Tuesdays 8:30 am - 7:00 pm 7:00 pm - Perpetual Help & Benediction Reconciliation Saturdays 4:00 - 4:45 pm Or by appointment, call 314-838-6565 Perpetual Help Devotions Tuesdays After 8:00 am Mass & 7:00pm Holy Day of Obligation Masses To Be Announced. BULLETIN NOTICES: Submit to the parish office by Monday at 4:00 pm. Please email no-tices to: brindley@stangelam.org. NEW PARISHIONERS: Please register in the par-ish office, Mon-Fri, 8 am - 4 pm. For more infor-mation, call the Parish Office, 314-838-6565.

Prayer, Liturgy and Sacrifice MINISTERS

FOR NEXT WEEKEND, JAN. 6-7

WEEKEND SERVERS 5:00 pm Matt Adams, Jahnea Gates, Daena Talavera 7:30 am Ben, Jacob & Kevin Burke 9:30 am Anna Lawless, Matthew Neiner, Sebastian Thomas 11:30am Abigail & Gwen Dobbs, Megan Kelley

WEEKEND LECTORS 5:00 pm Crystalyn Talavera, VOLUNTEER NEEDED 7:30 am Don Krause, Thomas Trost 9:30 am Eugene Schott, Stanley Andrisse 11:30 am Julie Ratermann, William E. De Iuliis, Jr

EXTRAORDINARY MIN. OF HOLY COMMUNION 5:00 pm - Claudia & George Bidleman, Tina Clarkin, Karen Dietz, Vitina Galati, Nora Kaikati,Shirley Sweney 7:30 am - Geoffrey Bullock, Margie Heppermann, Donna Krause, Kenneth Schmalbeck, Rick Vietmeier, Theresa & William Watson 9:30 am - Nancy Hesselbach, Donald & JoAnn Holdener, Debbie Keeven, Teena Lawless, John & Sue Scheiding 11:30 am - Charles Danganan, Linda McManus, Denyse Sternberg

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK

Monday, January 1 9:00 am - Dorothy Vogel Tuesday, January 2 8:00 am - Marie Bullock Wednesday, January 3 8:00 am - Albert Rowles Thursday, January 4 8:00 am - Elizabeth Landgraf Friday, January 5 8:00 am - Evelyn M & Jewell G. Collins Saturday, December 30 8:00 am - Christopher Miller 5:00 pm - Ron Bertin Sunday, December 31 7:30 am - Nan Carolyn Faerber 9:30 am - People of the Parish 11:30 am - Mike Dace

WEEKEND GIFT BEARERS - JAN. 6-7

Sat. 5:00 pm - Bob & Lois Adams Sun. 7:30 am - Charles & Birdie Wohldmann Sun. 9:30 am - Debbie & John Keeven Sun. 11:30 am - Dave & Joy Sanfilippo

The Parish office will be closed on Monday, January 1st due to the Holiday.

From The Desk of Msgr. Matthew Mitas: REMEMBER THAT DECEMBER IS THE MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND JANUARY IS THE MONTH OF THE HOLY CHILDHOOD OF JESUS!

THE DIVINE MATERNITY OF MARY

Each year’s very first day is given over to the holy Mother of God, and is such an important feast that, under normal circumstances, it is a holy day of obligation. Because, however, it falls on a Monday this year, the Church attaches no obligation to the faithful to attend Mass. Nonetheless, it is still a magnificent festival, one that is wor-thy of our Mass attendance. We will, of course, offer Mass on Monday, but since it is also a national holiday, we will honor our parish custom of having just the one Mass, and celebrate it at 9:00AM. So come all ye faithful, and begin your New Year right by honoring the Sinless Mother of the Almighty!

THE WHOLE PARISH THANKS YOU!

I’m going to state here in print what I already announced publicly at our Night Mass of Christmas Eve, name-ly, the gratitude of the whole parish to those who decorated our church, making it second only to the Cathedral as the most beautiful Christmas church in the archdiocese (and the Cathedral has the unfair advantage of already being one of the most beautiful buildings on earth!). I’m going to mention maestro Don Krause by name be-cause it was his artistic vision that pulled it all together, but he was ably assisted by an army of helpers who made it all a reality. (That’s just the way it is; Michelangelo gets all the credit for the Sistine Ceiling, and his many assis-tants’ names are lost to history.) Great praise and thanks to them! We also give special thanks to our Choir and Musicians, our Lectors and Ushers, and to our Servers and Eucharistic Ministers. Last of all, we thank you, whose kindness and solicitude made it all possible, all to the greater glory of God at His Nativity!

YOUR OVERWEHLMING KINDESS, MY INADEQUATE GRATITUTDE

Each year, the good people of St. Angela Merici Parish prove once again that not only are you the most thoughtful people in the archdiocese, but you are also the most generous. This is expressed over and over again in the ways that you respond to the monthly food collection for the St. Vincent de Paul Society (not to mention the monetary contributions and the thousands of hours spent in answering the calls for help), the special collec-tions, the volunteerism that finds itself manifested in myriads of wonderful ways (most demonstrably in the beau-ty of our gardens), and the kindness with which you care for one another and welcome the stranger.

I was such a stranger when I came here in 2014, and you took in this weary vagabond, a veteran of many par-ishes all over the archdiocese, and made him feel at home. Your kindness to me this Christmas has been, yes, overwhelming and I deeply appreciate it. I have been loaded down with all kinds of presents and I can’t thank you enough for them, but most of all for the kindness which they represent. I am honored to be your pastor.

I do have one small confession; I try to send ‘thank you’ notes to recognize gifts that I have received and I’m mostly reliable in getting them out in a (relatively) timely manner, but this year my record keeping has failed me and I lost my list of some of you donors. So if you don’t get an acknowledgment from me expressing my grati-tude, it’s not because the gratitude isn’t there, nor because I was too lazy to express it, but rather you should draw the correct inference that I was too boneheaded to keep good records! Thanks, and God bless you!

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 2 & 16: My catechism class resumes, in the parish meeting room after the 7:00PM Devotions. January 19: Catholic Family Movie Night at SAM! Featured are films on two great Dominican saints: Catherine of Siena & Thomas Aquinas (free pop and popcorn!) 7:00PM January 27: Feast of St. Angela Merici. We will have our big Italian Food Night to honor her! -(TBD): Pilgrimage to the EWTN Network complex in Alabama.

Features: This Week In Our Parish: Tuesday, January 2 8:30 am - Eucharistic Adoration 3:00 pm - Legion of Mary, Rectory Basement 7:00 pm - Benediction Wednesday, January 3 9:00 am - Quilters Meet, Rectory Basement 6:30 pm - Ladies Club, Meeting Room Sunday, January 7 7:00 pm - Boy Scouts Troop 940, Lunchroom

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK OF OUR PARISH: MaryAnn Hoven, Elisabeth Cisco, Rachael Lawson, Dorothy Martinelli, Joanne Cipolla, Jeff Gauthier, Barb Lehman, Lila Jones, Jen-nifer Berkbigler, Sue Pitti, Mary Dietz, Rose-mary Licato, Evelyn Finno, Claudette Ka-zakian, Shirley Bertin, Jackie Carrol, Lisa Wil-liford, Roy Wong, Guy Henriksen, Gary & Debbie Corcoran, Augustine & Ray Porter, Margaret Nolte, Billie Lawson, Jim & Eileen McMullen, Bud Kushins, Kristine Lawson, Katie Horn, Debbie Gervich, Melodie & Jim Leonard, Neil MacKenzie, William Brennan, Carolyn Stokes, Jim Walsh, Allison Molner, William Timken, Eugene & Margaret Kluge, Laurie Kauffman, Juluis Lawson, Carl Kling, Sr., Vincent Scognamiglio, Sara Hopf and Art Batson.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF WE NEED TO ADD OR REMOVE ANYONE FROM THEABOVE SO AS TO

Sunday Collection - December 24, 2017

Sunday Offering $ 11,800 Weekly Budget $ 12,857 Weekly Over/Under - $ 1,057 Fiscal Year To Date - $ 48,404

CONTINUED

Easy way to support your parish. Go to www.smile.amazon.com and log in with your usual Amazon.com account. When it asks you which charity you would like to donate to search for and select “St. Angela Merici Catholic Church. Now just shop as you normally would and a portion of your purchase will go towards St. Angela Merici. Just remember to go to www.smile.amazon.com each time you want to make a purchase and Ama-zon will remember your charity selection.

QUIZ-A-CATHOLIC

It’s Christmas break, no class, no quiz (it will resume in the New Year)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“(The Blessed Virgin Mary) defines the faith as nothing else does: Catholics who have an aversion to speaking of her are always on the way out of the Church, because she represent total humility and pu-rity, the very opposites of the modern spirit. You can divide people into those she inspires and those she embarrasses…I don’t understand how any Christian can deny her the special place the faith recognizes as hers. Her image alone is persuasive. What human being could have conceived of such a thing? And how could the Mother of God be any less than this?” – Joseph Sobran

(As we face the New Year, we tend to think about the future. Let’s see what some of the “sages” of the past had to say about our chances of survival:)

“Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years un-less immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.” – Nobel laureate George Wald of Har-vard, 1970

“The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million per year will be starving to death during the next ten years…If I were a gambler, I would take even money that England will not exist in the year 2000…In ten years, all important animal life on earth will be extinct.” – Futurologist guru, Paul Ehrlich, also in 1970

“The threat of a new ice age must now stand alongside nuclear war as a likely source of wholesale death and misery for mankind.” – Nigel Calder, 1975

“Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, secretary of the Smith-sonian, believes that in 25 years, somewhere between 75 and 80cent of all the species of living animals will be extinct.” – Senator Gaylord Nelson, also in 1970.

Features: PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SERVICE MEN & WOMEN Joshua Stremlau, Bradley Stremlau, Corey Rudroff, Steven Bennett, Jerrod Klug, Michael Olwig, Pat Edwards-Parrish, Guthrie Stotser, Jonathan Buss, Brad Sanders, Matthew Meske, Jackie Cotter, J. Timothy Sullivan, Matthew Hawkins, John Reddan, Brandon Gruelle, Dustin Kyle, Jacob Doerle, Max Rose, Craig Richard-son, Jacob and Joshua Graham

CALL THE PARISH OFFICE IF YOU WISH TO ADD A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS IN THE ARMED FORCES.

MARCH FOR LIFE 2018 This January, our parish will have 14 representa-tives participating in the 45th Annual National March for Life in Washington, DC. It is a very somber and yet hopeful event because hundreds of thousands participate every year. This year, because there will be no vigil Mass on New Year’s Eve, we will not be hosting the usual din-ner/party. We will, however, have a breakfast after the Masses on January 14 to support our pilgrims. We truly appreciate all you continue to do for us!

ROSES FOR LIFE WEEKEND The weekend of Jan. 6/7, please find in your pew some small silk Roses for Life. Our Knights of Co-lumbus have generously donated these roses to be used as a means of communicating from us, the parishioners of St. Angela Merici Parish, to Representative Lacy Clay and Senator Claire McCaskill, that we be-lieve every human life deserves legal protection. Please sign a rose and drop it in a basket on your way out of church. If you wish to reach both leg-islators with your message, please sign two roses and then twist the stems together. Some of our parishioners will be in the lobby to collect them and will then carry them in the 45th Annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. Following the March our roses will be delivered to the of-fices of Representative Lacy Clay and Senator Claire McCaskill. May God bless you and please keep our pilgrims in your prayers!

CALLING ALL CATHOLIC WOMEN!

Join us March 10th for the Catholic Women for Christ Conference. Perfect outing for mothers, daughters, sisters and friends. This year’s dynamic and nationally known speakers include something of interest to all. Gloria Purvis is a convert, frequent guest on EWTN, and spokeswoman for Black Catholics for Life. Sr. Virginia Joy is a member of the Sis-ters of Life speaks with humor and honesty about her vocation story and pro-life work. Mary Beth Bonacci is a speaker, blogger, and author on dating and Catholic single life. Conference opens at 9 am and ends with Mass at 4 pm; Confessions available. Cost of $40 in-cludes lunch. Steeply discounted prices for ado-lescent and college-aged women. Conveniently located at UMSL Touhill Center with free park-ing. Get your tickets now at the Touhill on-line or call their ticket office (314) 516-4949.

S.A.M. Seniors Meeting January 8th at 11:30 am

Krause will cater a delicious lunch!

The menu consists of a delicious Soup, Sandwiches, Pasta Salad, Dessert &

Beverage

Entertainment: BINGO

Please call your contact person

Features: ST. ANGELA MERICI 2018

PICTORIAL DIRECTORY! There is still time to get your pic-ture in the Parish directory. We are trying to get them to come

back for one more day, but we must guarantee 18 families sign up for that to happen. We only have four families right now and need 14 more. The date will be Wednesday, Jan. 10th.

ST. ROSE PHILIPPINE DUCHESNE

Knights of Columbus Assembly #2012 is hosting a Black Light Trivia Night Bash. New to the area. Saturday, January 13, 2018. Doors open at 6 pm. St. Rose Philip-pine Duchesne Catholic Church 1210 Paddock Drive, Florissant MO. Tables of 8 $20.00 per person. Come and have a cosmic evening with us. 10 Rounds. After each round the winning team receives $100.00. No waiting till the end of the evening. 50/50 Drawing, Gift Baskets, BYOB and Set ups included. Knights of Colum-bus Assembly support Bibles for Soldiers, the USO and Fisher House to name a few organiza-tions. For tickets or more information call Ed Spence 314-837-9038

NEXT CATHOLIC MOVIE NIGHT

JAN. 19TH AT 7PM

Join us for the next Catholic Movie night. This month we

explore the lives of 2 great saints: St. Catherine of Siena and St. Thomas Aquinas. Both are Do-minicans and Doctors of the Church. Beautifully shot in Europe, Bishop Robert Barron brings their stories alive. He explains how they shaped their world, but how they still im-pact the Church and civilization to-day. Meet us at 7pm in the lunch-room. Free popcorn and soda.

FREE THROW CONTEST Boys and girls ages 8 to 14 are invited to participate in the 2018 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Champion-ship. The local competition will be held Saturday January 20tt, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. at St. Norbert Catholic Church parish gymnasium. Final reg-istration is from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. followed immediately by the beginning of competition, possibly lasting until 2:30 p.m. Winners from all groups will receive an award. Participants are required to furnish proof of age and written parental consent. For additional information contact: Michael Chihak at 314-838-5863.

MARRIAGE ON TAP STL Married couples are invited to an evening out, just call it a date night! Be with other couples who care about strengthening their marriage, and want to enrich themselves.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018, at The Pasta House Company at 8213 Delmar Blvd, University City, 63130 (just East of I-170). 6:00 PM dinner, $20 per person with a new menu for buffet dinner (cash bar available); at 7:00 PM is a dynamic talk by Jerry & Julie Cinco, parishioners at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in St. Charles. Jerry & Julie have been married 47 years and have two grown daughters. They have faced many ups and downs in their marriage adventure, and at-tribute their strong marriage to God's patience, His constant love for them, and their Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. This evening is open to all married couples.

RSVP required: marriageontapstl@gmail.com Visit our Facebook page: Marriage On Tap STL

REMINDER THAT YOUR CHICKEN CASSEROLE IS DUE TO THE CHURCH VESTIBULE BY 10:00am on THURSDAY, JANUARY 4TH

The Sponsors Who Appear On This Bulletin.It Is Through Their Support That This Bulletin Is Made Possible.

Business Owners Interested In Advertising Please Call

J.S. Paluch at 1-855-685-5703

Medical Alert System

$29.95/Mo. billed quarterly

• One Free Month

• No Long-Term Contract

• Price Guarantee

• Easy Self Installation

Call Today! Toll Free 1.877.801.8608

Perceptive Reflections on God’s Beauty

Defining BeautyDanielle Rose

CD $17

Thought-provoking Contemporary Music

800-566-6150World Library Publicationsthe music and liturgy division of J.S. Paluch Co., Inc. www.wlpmusic.com

Standing on the Rock CD by James Wahl

FUN AND FAITH-FILLED MUSICfor little ones, with 10 songs based on Bible

stories and the teachings of Jesus.This is a new music collection for

preschool children and those who are in early grade school.

$17.00 + S&H

800-566-6150 • www.wlp.jspaluch.com/14028.htm

J.S. Paluch CompanyBulletin Advertising Sales Division

• Aggressive Advertising Sales Representative Needed

• Excellent Benefit & Commission Plan

• Earning Potential 60K+ Per Year - Full Time Only

• Must Have Strong Prospecting and Closing Skills

Please Contact Our Recruiter at: 800-621-5197, Ext. 2823www.jspaluch.com EOE

031900 St Angela Merici Church (B) www.jspaluch.com For Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc. 1-855-685-5703

Ave MariaGregorian Chants

conducted byLucien Deiss, CSSp

Available on CD ($17)

800-566-6150World Library Publicationsthe music and liturgy division of J.S. Paluch Co., Inc.www.wlpmusic.com

Lovely piano solos of many favorite songsand hymns for listening pleasure.

Shall We Gatherby Jerry Galipeau

Available on CD ($17)

800-566-6150World Library Publicationsthe music and liturgy division of J.S. Paluch Co., Inc.www.wlpmusic.com

The Most Complete OnlineNational Directory

of Catholic Parishes

CHECK IT OUT TODAY!

WWiitthh HHeeaarrttss aanndd VVooiicceessSSoonnggss aanndd PPrraayyeerrss ooff aa FFaaiitthhffuull PPeeooppllee

More than 80 traditional Catholic songs and prayersfamiliar to our moms and dads.

Large print for older eyes.

Book ($3), Four-CD Music set ($49.95), Spoken Prayers CD ($17.00)

800-566-6150World Library Publicationsthe music and liturgy division of J.S. Paluch Co., Inc.www.wlpmusic.com

Download Our Free App or Visit

MY.ONEPARISH.COM

Grow in your faith,find a Mass, and

connect with yourCatholic Community

with OneParish!

Saint MargaretSunday MissalAn ideal companionfor personal prayer.

In Stock & Ready to Order Today.

CALL OR ORDER ONLINE. $39.95

800-566-6150 • www.wlpmusic.com

400 W. Washington830-2900

Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender

RONSICK’S AUTO CARE314-837-6250

RONSICKS.COM14241 New Halls FerryFlorissant, MO 63033

OIL CHANGEup to$23955 qts

Most cars. Must presentcoupon prior to service. Cannot

be combined with otheroffers. One per family.

ConsiderRememberingYour Parish in

Your Will.For further information,

please call the Parish Office.

PINNACLE TREE SERVICEComplete Tree Work - Free Estimates

Emergency Work

314-566-6712

(314) 895-3433

Bathroom Remodeling

CHUCKLAWLESS

St. Angela MericiParishioner

THANK YOU toSt. Angela Merici’s

parishioner andcommunity for yourcontinuing support!

New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissantwww.cerame.com

314-838-2400VOSS AUTOMOTIVE INC.

1685 N. Hwy. 67M-F 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM

837-3500031900 St Angela Merici Church (A)

If You Live Alone You Need LIFEWatch!24 Hour Protection at HOME and AWAY!

FREE ShippingFREE ActivationNO Long Term Contracts

Solutions as Low as

$19.95a month

✔Ambulance✔Police ✔Fire✔Friends/Family

CALL NOW!800.809.3352No Landline? No Problem!

* Real Time GPS Tracking * Fall Detection

From the WLP Vaultcomes the Bible Story of Christmas

featuring 8 Classic Christmas Carols and a reading of the Gospel of Luke 2: 4-20 by Bing Crosby!

Also available on vinyl.

Visit WLPmusic.com to purchase your copy - CD $10.00

800-566-6150 Photo Courtesy of Bing Crosby Enterprises

New solo piano CDby composer Peter Kolar

Beautiful, classically-inspired arrangements ofCatholic hymns in the style of Beethoven,

Brahms, Mozart, and Bach.

www.wlpmusic.com800-566-6150

www.jspaluch.com For Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc. 1-855-685-5703

Tax & Accounting ServicesBob Gremminger

3633 Afshari CircleFlorissant, MO 63034

314-839-1584

Academy of the Sacred HeartPK3-Grade 5, Co-ed

Grades 6-8, Single Gender

1:1 Laptop Program • Science Labs

International Languages PK-8

Tuition Assistance/Scholarships Available

For more information & to Schedule a Tour:

ash1818.org / 636-946-6127

Individual, Child, Family, and Marriage Counseling

1385 Harkee Drive, Florissant, MO 63031

314-831-1533 / www.cfsstl.org

Personal Counseling and Psychiatry

Serra for Priestly and Religious Vocations

ROOFING, INC.Specialists In Quality Reroofing & Repairs

Member RCGA and NRCAFully Insured For Your Protection

Financing AvailableSince 1978 FREE ESTIMATES

We accept: M/C VISA DISCOVER AMEX

314-837-4671 • 636-949-6821IL: 618-207-4175

www.dawsonroofing.com

Dawson

839-3332Matt Goldkamp

Thank you for advertising inour church bulletin.

I am patronizing your businessbecause of it!

Please Cut Out This “Thank You Ad”and Present It The Next Time YouPatronize One of Our Advertisers

✂

Brian or Sally, coordinators

860.399.1785www.CatholicCruisesAndTours.com

an Official TravelAgency of

Apostleship ofthe Sea-USACST 2117990-70