THE FISH WRAP

The Catholic Parishes of

Saint John Capistran Immaculate Conception Holy Rosary

1st Sunday of Advent

MASS TIMES FOR DECEMBER Elm Creek— Saturday 5:00 PM Overton—Sunday 8:00 AM Amherst—Sunday 10:00 AM

MASS TIMES FOR JANUARY Amherst— Saturday 5:00 PM Elm Creek—Sunday 8:00 AM Overton—Sunday 10:00 AM

HOLY DAYS MASSES Amherst – Anticipatory Mass (night Before) 6:00 PM Elm Creek – Night of 6:00 PM Overton – Night of 7:30 PM OR AS NOTED IN BULLETIN

OFFICE HOURS Please call (308) 856-4375 to make an appointment.

RECONCILIATION Saturday – 4:30 – 4:45 Sunday – 7:30 – 7:45 Sunday – After 10:00 Mass By request Anytime by appointment

MARRIAGES Friday Evenings or 2 PM Satur-days, 4 month minimum prepa-ration, if previously married takes 1 1/2 to 2 years for annul-ment decision.

BAPTISM Call Rectory for class and inter-view.

NEW PARISHIONERS Please introduce yourselves to the Pastor or call the rectory (308) 856-4375 to register.

DEADLINE FOR BULLETIN Wednesday 12 NOON If you miss the deadline sorry no announcements at Mass.

STAFF Rev. Alexander J. Borzych Pastor Rev. Mr. Bill O’Donnell Deacon Helen Glatter Parishes Secretary Angie Kenney Religious Ed High School -Amherst Annette Line Religious Ed Grade School – Amherst Sue Kizer High School Religious Ed - Overton Alicia Luther Grade School Religious Ed—Overton Cheska Hubbard Religious Ed—Elm Creek Denise Ourada Adult Religious Ed—Elm Creek

Website: nebraskacatholic.org Parish e-mail:

Immaculate.holyrosary.stjohn@gmail.com Facebook:

Immaculate Conception Youth Group

Phone: (308) 856-4375 Fax: (308) 856-4017

Mail Address: P.O. Box 530 Elm Creek, NE 68836

TRI - PARISH NEWS Immaculate Conception

St. John Capistran

Holy Rosary

Weekday Masses: Tuesday, Dec. 1, Holy Rosary 9 AM for Aaron Jerobek by Jerry & Carolyn Just Wednesday, Dec. 2, Immaculate Conception 9 AM for Sebastian Flores by Dennis & Connie Broe Thursday, Dec. 3, St. John Capistran 9 AM for Jerry Just by Margaret Stefanowicz

Weekend Masses: Saturday, Dec. 5, Immaculate Conception 5:00 PM for Dan Ourada by the Ourada family Sunday, Dec. 6, Holy Rosary 8:00 AM for Tina Gruntorad by Daniel Gruntorad Sunday, Dec. 6, St. John Capistran 10:00 AM for the People of the Parishes

A tote is under the table in the back of Holy Rosary for any items that can go to the local food pantry. The items will be taken at the end of every month. Thank you for any & all donations!

Knights of Columbus Selling Crosses The Knights of Columbus have small Crucifix's for sale. The Crucifix's are made in Bethlehem from native olive trees. Cost is $10.00 Proceeds go to Christian refugee camps in the mid- east. Contacts, Amherst, Terry Tauben-heim, Overton, Terry Cook, Elm Creek, Brian Kaufman. We have 5 per parish, but can order more if needed.

ADVENT ANGELS will be ready to be chosen

on Sunday, Nov. 22. We are again choosing to be Advent

Angels for our young adults of college age. Pick a young

adult and pray for them and send them a surprise each

of the 4 weeks of Advent!

St. John's will be sponsoring a canned food/paper prod-

uct drive until December 15. At that time, proceeds will

be taken to Crossroads Mission in Kearney. Encourage

youth to participate by bringing a product to put in the

box on CCD night. We have so much to be THANKFUL for

and these contributions will help those less fortunate.

Parish Feast Day Celebration The Immaculate Con-ception Church is having a potluck meal following the Saturday, December 5th, evening mass in honor of the Immaculate Conception Holy Day at the Catholic Education Center. Please bring a meat dish and a side dish (salad, vegetable or dessert). Paper products and drinks will be provided.

Celebrating the Spirit of the Season Sunday December 6 Children's Choir Sings Parish Pot luck after Mass followed by a family movie Let’s celebrate Christmas as a parish

Prince of Peace is offering an Advent Retreat on Dec. 5th. There will be Mass for those who wish to attend at 8:30. Registration is from 9-9:30 with coffee and rolls. John and Rebecca Lillimann will present "When God is Everything - Mary's Fiat." Lunch will be served. There will be presenta-tions, a time for reflection and sharing. The retreat will end around 2PM. All are welcome. Make this your spiritual gift to yourself this Christmas.

BLESSING OF AN ADVENT WREATH All make the sign of the cross as the leader says: Our help is in the name of the Lord. Response (R/.) Who made heaven and earth. Then the Scripture, Isaiah 9: (lines 1-2 and 5-6) or Isaiah 63 (lines 16-17 & 19) orIsaiah 64 (lines 2-7) is read: Reader: The Word of the Lord. R/. Thanks be to God. With hands joined, the leader says: Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ: he is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples, he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us, he is the Savior of every nation. Lord God, let your blessing come upon us as we light the candles of this wreath. May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation. May he come quickly and not delay. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Holy Day of Obligation

Amherst 6:00 pm December 7

Elm Creek 6:00 pm December 8 Overton 7:30 pm December 8

Advent Penance Services Elm Creek and Overton December 9 at 7:00 pm

Amherst December 13 after 10:00 am Mass

Collection Report: November 22, 2015 Immaculate Conception Holy Rosary St. John Capistran Income needed to $1,000.00 $ 500.00 $750.00 meet expenses

Sunday 914.00 664.00 682.00 Children 11.00 10.30 4.00 Diocesan Appeal 40.00 -0- -0- Campaign for Human Development 90.00 65.00 155.00 Christmas Donation 100.00 -0- -0-

Remember the sick in our parishes and Pray for them. Immaculate Conception Parish

Homebound: Robert Harms, Bob Dudek,. Charlie Bryan Ill or Recovering; Hayden Hubbard, Virginia Margitz, Marlene Petzold, Denny Daake, Mike Meier, Michelle Barger, Carol Meier

Holy Rosary Parish Homebound: Katie Bourn, Marge Kearney, Clarice Bamrick, Jean McTygue, Regina Zulkoski, Isabel & Ed Gruntorad Ill or Recovering: Ed Graczyk, , Janice Streit, Paul Streit, , Garrett Scholz, Alan Smith, Mary Cook, Larry Streit, Loyd Hickey,

Saint John Capistran Homebound: Gladys Conroy Ill or Recovering: Vera Lienert, Chase Klingelhoefer, Bernadene Sullivan, Dean Roach, Betty Rodehorst, Patricia Winter, David Smedra,

Diocesan Appeal Update: Goal Collected Balance % Collected #Givers Immaculate Conception $7,985.00 $7,940.00 $ 45.00 99.4% 35 Holy Rosary $5,690.00 $5,386.00 $ 304.00 94.7% 24 St. John Capistran $6,029.00 $6,400.00 $ 0.00 106.2% 23

We are tithing Parishes, meaning we give 10% of what God gave us back (5% parish and 5% other charities). Based off bible (Tobit 1:6-7, Deuteronomy 14:22, Hebrews 7:2-25)

Here are some inter-esting facts about the sea-son of Advent.

Advent always begins four Sundays before Christmas, on the Sunday closest to the feast of St Andrew the Apostle (November 30th).

Advent continue until De-cember 24th.

If Christmas Eve is on a Sunday it is also the fourth Sunday of Advent. Christmas Eve officially begins at sun-down when it falls on a Sun-day.

Advent is the beginning of

the liturgical calendar year. Advent has been the begin-ning of the church year since

the 900’s.

Advent: A Time of Preparation In the Catholic Church, Advent is a period of preparation, extending over four Sundays before Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio, "to come to," and refers to the coming of Christ. This refers, first of all, to our celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas; but second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His Second Coming at the end of time.

First We Fast, Then We Feast That's why Advent has traditionally been known as a "little Lent." As in Lent, Advent should be marked by increased prayer, fasting, and good works. Traditionally, all great feasts have been pre-ceded by a time of fasting, which makes the feast itself more joyful. Sadly, Advent today has sup-planted by "the Christmas shopping season," so that by Christmas Day, many people no longer enjoy the feast.

1st WEEK OF ADVENT DAILY PRAYERS THIS WEEK

Guide for Daily Prayer" on the Creighton University's Online Minis-tries web site: http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.htmlUsed with permission.

Sunday is the beginning of a new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent. The first reading from the Book of Jeremiah offers a comforting promise of safety to beleaguered Israel: “those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell se-cure.” Luke's Gospel offers us a repeat of several of the daily gospels, advising us to be alert and vigilant, watching for signs. “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Monday is the Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle. Wednesday we remember the great Jesuit mission-ary Saint Francis Xavier, Priest.

During the first part of Advent - until December 17 - we focus on the first reading. This week it is from the Prophet Isaiah. These readings are about promises. Isaiah is consoling, building up and pre-paring his people to have hope. “In the days to come,” he says over and over. When the day of promise comes, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” Even though King David's line, and that of his father, Jesse, are almost wiped out, Isaiah proclaims hope: “On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” Who would believe even a peace in nature - lion lying down with the lamb? “There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.” God's unique ways of favor-ing the poor, which Mary comes to know and pro-claims in her Magnificat, are seen when Isaiah says, “He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground, levels it with the dust.” Even Jesus' own statement about his mission is seen in the powerful images Isaiah uses to give us courage and hope: “On that day the deaf shall hear ... the eyes of the blind shall see ... the lowly will ever find joy in the LORD ... ” “On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people.”

The gospels for this first part of Advent are chosen from several gospels. They are meant to match the first readings and to show that the promises are ful-filled in Jesus. Jesus brings healing. He raises up the childlike. And Jesus calls and sends the twelve apos-tles to continue his ministry.

“Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and mis-ery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever.” Those words from Baruch are in the first reading for the Second Sunday of Advent. Luke's Gos-pel offers us a first look at the promise of John the Baptist as he cries out, “Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salva-tion of God.”

Despite all of the distractions at this time of year, we really can focus on Advent during these weeks. We seem to get very busy, and at times have to go to a number of social events or wrestle with budgets and shopping, but the heart of this sea-son is all about expectant hope. So, we begin our Advent jour-ney by giving ourselves some time - just a few minutes each day - to reflect on how much God promises us.

Each morning this week, while we are first coming to con-sciousness, we can name a desire, name an emptiness or feel-ing of anxiety or worry that we can feel. It is into the raw places in our lives such as these, that our Lord came to be with us. So, this week, we can begin to invite our Lord to be Incarnate in our lives, in the places we need him the most.

Our goal this week is to let ourselves feel like those to whom the promises of our God are made. We want to get in touch with ourselves, especially those parts of ourselves that are in need of a Savior. We do this by keeping our focus on the places that feel like a desert, the places that feel like we've been through a war, the places that feel like a lifeless stump. When we have a hard time seeing, we ask for the grace to be able to believe the promise that we shall see. When we seem deaf, we place our trust in the One who assures us that we will hear. And when we feel beaten down and awfully lowly, we turn to the One who promises that we will “find joy in the Lord.” And, who among us doesn't have days on which we are aware of various kinds of wounds? On the day of promise, “the Lord binds up the wounds of his people.”

As we let these deep realities of our daily, busy lives come into focus and interact with the readings, something wonderful happens. We become more and more aware of our need for God. Very naturally and quite spontaneously, a prayer comes forth from deep within us, which we can say in the smallest moments of our busiest days. “Come, Lord.” “Come and save me.” “Come and be with me in all of these messy, empty, dry and disordered places in my life.” “Come, Lord. I feel my longing for you grow. I feel my hope grow. And, as I place my hope in your promises, Advent begins to come alive in me.”

All of this preparation can happen in the simplest way, before

the first Christmas decoration goes up. And, for each moment

of each day that we encounter a place that we desire, that we

long for our Lord's coming, we can express our thanksgiving.

Each night we might pray:

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I

fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be

afraid?” (Ps. 27)