 PCCW - SSPP Meeting 6pm, Thu, Jan. 19 @ SSPP church basement All ladies of the parish are invited. We do small projects to help the parish & will be planning to host La Crosse Deanery dinner & meeting in April. We can use any help that is available.  The Sacred Scriptures recount that the Messiah was seen first by His mother Mary, her husband Joseph, and then by the shepherds. Since the covenant made by God was made with the people of Israel, it was fitting that those to witness with their eyes the fulfillment of that covenant should be of that people, that is, Jewish. But God’s plan was for the salvation of all mankind, Jews and gentiles alike. The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord commemorates the manifestation of the Son of God to the gentile world, represented by the wise men from the east. Though the Gospel does not identify them by name or number, tradition fixes their number at three (to match the number of the gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh), and has given them the names of Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. We have prepared blessed incense and chalk, along with the prayer and a brief history of the tradition of blessing the home for the new year, so that our parishioners may bless their homes on this feast of the Epiphany. You will find these packets in a basket near the crèche in the back of church. The mission of the Church is to continue what was initiated at the Epiphany. We are to spread the good news of the Gospel to the entire world. Typically we think it is the work of missionaries to fulfill that mission. And Catholics in the United States traditionally have been generous in supporting the work of missionaries. But it is becoming increasingly evident that we need to make manifest the message of Christ here. Do you often feel uncomfortable about living or sharing your faith with others? Do you allow the pressure of the secular culture intimidate you into remaining silent in matters in which your faith applies? Maybe one of your “New Year’s Resolutions” should be to more vigorously live your faith, so that your family and others can see that you believe. An additional way is to listen to Catholic radio and encourage others to do so. Relevant Radio can be heard locally at 93.9 FM, on Android or Apple apps, and at www.relevantradio.com on the internet. On behalf of Deacons Jerry Ruesch and Tony Biolo and all the staff, I want to thank you for the many cards and gifts we received at Christmas. Be assured of our prayers for a continued Blessed Christmas Season and a Holy New Year! May God bless you! Fr. Schaller  REMINDER! 2022 Donation Deadline A reminder that all donations that you wish to be accounted in the 2022 tax year must be received by Dec. 31, 2022. Anything received after that date will be accounted in the 2023 tax year.  As we celebrate this great feast of our Faith, the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, I turn over my column to one of the Church’s great saints, Pope Leo the Great (440- 461 A.D.) “To speak of our Lord, the son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as true and perfect man is of no value to us if we do not believe that he is descended from the line of ancestors set out in the Gospel. Matthew’s gospel begins by setting out the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham, and then traces his human descent by bringing his ancestral line down to his mother’s husband, Joseph. On the other hand, Luke traces his parentage backward step by step to the actual father of mankind, to show that both the first and the last Adam share the same nature. “No doubt the Son of God in his omnipotence could have taught and sanctified men by appearing to them in a semblance of human form as he did to the patriarchs and prophets, when for instance he engaged in a wrestling contest or entered into conversation with them, or when he accepted their hospitality and even ate the food they set before him. But these appearances were only types, signs that mysteriously foretold the coming of one who would take a true human nature from the stock of the patriarchs who had gone before him. No mere figure, then, fulfilled the mystery of our reconciliation with God, ordained from all eternity. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon the Virgin nor had the power of the Most High overshadowed her, so that within her spotless womb Wisdom might build itself a house and the Word become flesh. The divine nature and the nature of a servant were to be united in one person so that the Creator of time might be born in time, and he through whom all things were made might be brought forth in their midst. “For unless the new man, by being made in the likeness of sinful flesh, had taken on himself the nature of our first parents, unless he had stooped to be one in substance with his mother while sharing the Father’s substance and, being alone free from sin, united our nature to his, the whole human race would still be held captive under the dominion of Satan. The Conqueror’s victory would have profit- ed us nothing if the battle had been fought outside our human condition. But through this wonderful blending the mystery of new birth shone upon us, so that through the same Spirit by whom Christ was conceived and brought forth we too might be born again in a spiritual birth; and in consequence the evangelist declares the faithful to have been born not of blood, nor of the desire of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” As we draw near the end of the calendar year, please remember that if you wish to claim a finan- cial gift to our parish on your taxes for 2022, we must receive it at the parish by December 31, 2022. By law, donations received after December 31 must be recorded for 2023. On behalf of Deacons Jerry Ruesch and Tony Biolo, and all the staff, I want to thank you for the many cards and gifts we received at Christmas. Be assured of our prayers for a Blessed Christmas Season and a Holy New Year! May God bless you! Fr. Schaller  Amidst the glitter and festivities, I invite you take a moment and think about the action of Christmas, the fact that God, from the very beginning, has loved the world so much that he gave us His Son.  Adorers Needed! Spend an Hour with JESUS! Come adore our Lord at the Mother of America Adoration Chapel at the Marian Center for Peace. Go to adorationpro.org/mother & sign up for one of our open hours or to be a substitute adorer.  Calvary Cemetery Sexton Part-time: 15 hours per week Contact Fr. Schaller or the office for more information or to apply.  The Church has traditionally called the Third Sunday of Advent Gaudete Sunday, or Joyful Sunday. The first reading of today’s Mass, from the prophet Isaiah, expresses the great joy which the arrival of the Messiah will bring. The coming of the Lord will be demonstrated by great signs. “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared...” The reading from the Gospel again focuses on John the Baptist as the precursor to the Lord; that is, he is the one who guides us in our preparation for the Lord’s coming. Are you and your family preparing to celebrate the Lord’s birth at Christmas? Make good use of this Holy Season of Advent.
May I suggest a few ways to help you prepare better for Christmas? One way is to make a good confession. You’ll find in this bulletin the schedule of opportunities for confessions at area Churches, as well as when confessions are heard here at SS Peter & Paul. Another way to help you prepare for Christmas is to spend some time praying before the Lord during a Holy Hour of Adoration the last two Sundays of Advent from 3 - 4pm (with Solemn Vespers beginning at 3:30pm). I hope that the Magnificat Advent Companion and other resources which I made available for you have been helpful as well. (There are still copies available!) Many families make an accounting of their charitable giving before the end of a calendar year for, among other reasons, possible tax implications. I hope you will consider placing your parish at the top of that list. And, of course, I still encourage and welcome pledges to the “Inspired by the Spirit” Capital Campaign. My thanks to all who have contributed to the capital campaign and to SS Peter & Paul Church! May God bless you! Fr. Schaller  Job Opening SS Peter and Paul Parish Secretary/Bookkeeper Part-time: 25 hours per week The secretary and bookkeeping roles may be separated into two positions. Contact Fr. Schaller or the parish office for more information or to apply.  Masses are... Thu, Dec. 8 at 8:00am & 5:15pm No confessions Thursday, Dec. 8. |