Saint Aloysius Catholic Church 751 Academy Drive Bessemer, Alabama 35022-5276 Telephone: 424-2984 Fax: 426-5753 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.staloysiuscc.org Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (lunch, Noon – 12:30 p.m.) December 28, 2008 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST Saturday 4:30 p.m. Sunday 8:30 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m.

PASTOR

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON

Very Rev. Patrick P. Cullen, V.F. Office: 424-2984 (e-mail: [email protected]) Home: 424-1839

Phil Giardina (e-mail: [email protected])

PASTORAL ASSOCIATE

WEEKDAY EUCHARIST

Mrs. Stephanie Gerson (e-mail: [email protected])

424-2984

CHOIR DIRECTOR Mrs. Gloria McDaniel (e-mail: [email protected])

744-3036

Dr. Bette Kersting Bell (e-mail: [email protected])

424-2984 424-2984

Please check Parish Bulletin 3:45 – 4:15 p.m. (or by appointment)

SACRAMENT of ANOINTING of the SICK The Church recommends this sacrament to all who are seriously ill or in danger of death. Please call the office.

SACRAMENT of BAPTISM 9:45 – 10:45 a.m.

Please contact Preparation.

Father

Cullen

for

Baptismal

SACRAMENT of MARRIAGE

CHOIR PRACTICE 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

SUNDAY BULLETIN Deadline for new items

8:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m.

425-0045

FAITH FORMATION

Wednesday

HOLY DAYS Saturday

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Sunday

Monday and Friday Tuesday

SACRAMENT of RECONCILIATION

CHURCH SECRETARIES Mrs. Judy Cacioppo (e-mail: [email protected]) Mrs. Debra Albright

425-8821

Tuesday 4:00 p.m.

Couples planning marriage must meet with Father Cullen at least six months before your proposed date. Weddings will not be performed after 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

VOCATION REFLECTION Yours may not be THE Holy Family but you are still a holy family. Share an expression of gratitude for the gift of your family today. Pray for wholeness and holiness for all members of the family of God. JANUARY MEETINGS The Our Lady of the Rosary Altar Guild will meet on Thursday, January 8 at 1:00 p.m. in the home of Georgene Addison. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION He gave His whole life for us. Can we give one hour a month for Him? The parish's Eucharistic Adoration will be on Saturday, January 3 from 4:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. A sign-up list will be in the sanctuary to keep a record of who is attending Adoration and at what hour. For more information, please call Kathy Tortorice at 426-1797. YOUTH GROUP QUESTIONNAIRE Church youth in grades 6—8 are asked to return the questionnaire that was mailed earlier this month. If you did not receive yours or have misplaced it, please see Stephanie in the Ministries Office for a new one. BEREAVEMENT COMMITTEE Our Church Secretary, Judy Cacioppo, has volunteered to be the Bereavement Committee’s new Chairperson, who coordinates members of the committee to cook food for families after the funeral Mass of a parishioner who is not affiliated with a church-related group. The Saint Aloysius Men’s Society has offered to furnish fried chicken and to make sure the food is delivered to the families in their time of need. SECOND COLLECTIONS—NEXT WEEKEND The second collections next weekend will be for the monthly Building Fund collection and a new annual Initial Offering Envelope collection. The Initial Offering Envelope collection helps to offset our cost of mailing monthly envelopes to parishioners. The suggested donation is $10.00 per family. CHURCH OFFICES CLOSED The Church Offices will close at Noon on New Year’s Eve and be closed on New Year’s Day. HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION The Eucharist will be celebrated for Mary, Mother of God, a Holy Day of Obligation, on Thursday, January 1 at 10:00 a.m. There will not be a Vigil Mass.

MASS INTENTIONS December 27  January 4 Saturday ( 4:30 p.m.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . + Gerlinde Lucas Sunday ( 8:30 a.m.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Georgia Slye Sunday (11:00 a.m.). . . . . . .Saint Aloysius Parishioners Monday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve Wilson Tuesday ( 8:30 a.m.). . . . . . . . . . . . . .+ Frances Scatura Wednesday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Mass Mary, Mother of God Thursday (10:00 a.m.). . . . . Saint Aloysius Parishioners Friday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .No Mass Saturday ( 4:30 p.m.). . . . . . . . . . . . + Joe Tony Portera Sunday ( 8:30 a.m.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . + Mike Calma Sunday (11:00 a.m.). . . . . . .Saint Aloysius Parishioners MEMORIAL MASS The 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, December 27 is offered in memory in Gerlinde Lucas, who passed away recently after a long illness. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. CHANGE IN WEEKDAY MASSES The Eucharist will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 30 instead of 5:30 p.m. There will be no Mass on Friday, January 2. SYMPATHY The Parish Community extends prayerful sympathy to the following families: Jannie Moore, who is survived by several siblings, including her sister, Mary Jones, and other family members; and Margaret Mackinaw, who is survived by several children, including her daughter, Mary Liz Garzarek, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and other family members. Please keep these families in your prayers. FAITH FORMATION Faith Formation Classes will not be held on December 28 and January 4, due to the holidays. The classes will resume on Sunday, January 11. CHILDREN'S LITURGY OF THE WORD The Children's Liturgy of the Word will not be held on December 28 and January 4, due to the holidays. Children’s Liturgy will resume on Sunday, January 11.

NEXT SUNDAY’S READINGS January 4 – Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 PARISH STEWARDSHIP Last Week Offertory $5,448.00 Building Fund $ 260.00

Year-to-Date $376,955.85 $ 45,655.25

SAINT ALOYSIUS CHOIR Do you sing or play an instrument? Come, share your gift and join our ministry. The weekly choir practice is on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. in the church. For more information, please call Gloria McDaniel at 744-3036. CHILDREN’S BULLETINS Saint Aloysius Parish offers children’s bulletins designed for those in kindergarten through first grade. A bulletin made just for them can make Church a more special time. They incorporate the weekly Scriptures into activities to provide children a way to understand the stories of the Bible. The bulletins are located on the cabinet behind the baptismal font. CHILDREN'S OFFERTORY ENVELOPES The parish has boxed children's offertory envelopes for those families who wish them. They are available after the weekend Masses in the Ministries Office or during the week in the Church Office. Please sign the list by the number of the box that you receive so we can properly credit the children who contribute. BOXTOPS FOR EDUCATION Don’t forget that we are still collecting Boxtops for Education coupons as well as Campbell’s UPCs for the school. Place them in the Campbell’s collection bin in the Narthex. Thanks for your help! REMINDER The weekly bulletin, monthly calendar, religious education information, etc. are accessible on our parish website at www.staloysiuscc.org. CATHOLIC FAMILY SERVICES Catholic Family Services has a need for foster families to provide temporary care for infants who are in their care. For families interested in this Pro-Life Ministry, please call Dr. Tom Cook or Barbara Pitts at 324-6561. For more detailed information, visit their website at www.cfsbhm.org.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK AND SHUT-IN Recently Discharged From Hospital Gary Adams Sick and Shut-in This list is intended for homebound members of Saint Aloysius Parish. Those from our parish recently discharged from the hospital will be listed for two weeks. Individuals outside our parish community may be placed on this list for a two-week period only. All the sick are remembered weekly in our General Intercessions. Margaret Blake; Michael Blake; Micah Hill; Fr. Ted Hill; Bobby Lee; Mary Lusco; Sam Plaia; Vic Pocopanni; Anne Renno; Sara Romano; Jeanette Ruffino; Robert & Julia Simpson; George Svetlay; Joe Zito Nursing Homes Clyde Fuller, Marie Provost, Jean Ricketts (Golden Living Center-Meadowood); Richard & Melwyn Pledger, Mary White (Golden Living CenterHueytown); Margaret Briggs, Jackie Russo (Self); Cora Alfano, Bill Bozzelli, Frances Chiarella, Johnnie Coleman, Dorothy Dooley, Gina Ivy, Bette Lamb, Nellie Orton, Claude Petix, Eileen Semrick (Plantation Manor Retirement); Joe Maple, Kathy Whited, Lorene Wofford (Tannehill Haven); Mary Agnes Purdy (Woodlands Assisted Living); Grace Galtelli (The Oaks on Parkwood); Rosemary DiBenedetto (Galleria Oaks); Vita Lorino (Lakeview Estates Assisted Living); May Roberson (Memphis, TN); Jack Roberts (Minnesota) If you are or you know of someone on the shut-in list who’s well enough to be removed from this list, please call the Church Office. SICK, SHUT-IN, AND NURSING HOME RESIDENTS If a lay minister is not visiting you on a regular basis, please call the Church Office so we can make the proper arrangements. NURSING HOME RESIDENTS If any parishioner knows of a nursing home resident who is Catholic and is not on the above list, please call the Church Office. VISITING HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES Father Cullen would be happy to visit the sick in hospitals and nursing homes if the person or family requests a visit.

THE PRINCIPAL’S POSTINGS Dear Parishioners, Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel…Jesus is born! I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas. We all know you not only gave gifts to loved ones, but to the people of Greene County and us. Thank you especially for your end-of-year donations and the generous subsidy collection this month. The Saint Aloysius Men’s Society gave the school a $300.00 donation for Microsoft Packages and the Our Lady of the Rosary Altar Guild gave $100.00 for the same. The combined total of $400.00 allowed a “buy two get one free” deal, and we ended up with six Microsoft Packages for the price of four! Hallelujah! I also want to thank the five parishioners who purchased Star-a-Thon tickets specifically for teachers. There were three other donors outside of the church, making eight tickets. God is good and we are so grateful for all of your goodness!

PRAYER LIST Please pray for those who have been deployed for the service of our country in the current conflict, including: Bobby Dykes Ronnie Ray Scott Rawlins Charles Guyton Chris Davis Sean Rupert Cory Smith Dominick Angeles Leah Raatz David Weathers Mark Littlejohn Jarrad Cofield Eric Doss Michael Chilcote Wesley Mosley Michael Costa Al Hinton Mark Adams Craig Oglesby Scott Holmes Weston Turner Dan Keese Fr. Tim Vakoe Tyler Rice Tom Lami Kevin Kelley Josh Sizemore Chris Lambert Sgt. Brian Reeves Carlos Jackson Timothy Rowell Casey Allen Sam Alfano, Jr. Mark Shawnee Richard Marquez, Jr. Cpl. Courtney Green Please call the Church Office with the names of additional people to be placed on or removed from this prayer list.

Dr. K.B.

CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to the following couples who are celebrating their Wedding Anniversaries: December 28. . . .Walter and Barbara Bridges (60th!!!!) December 29. . . . . . . . . . . .Ronnie and Frances George December 30. . . . . . . . .John and Mary Sandra Virciglio

INTRODUCTION TO CENTERING PRAYER The Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center in Cullman will host a centering prayer retreat on January 16—18. This retreat is designed for those new to centering prayer, a form of Christian prayer rooted in the ancient Christian contemplative tradition. The cost is $195.00 per person, which includes a private room, meals, and the program. To register, please contact [email protected] or call 1-256-734-8302.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS December 28. . . . . . . . . . Leah Kornegay, Irene Tutten, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sunny Richards, Pam Manzella December 29. . . Brandon Danna, Caroline Tamburello, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kay Henson, Cynthia Silvio December 30. . . . . . . . . . Rita Williams, Sandy Jolivette December 31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Galtelli, Jeff Wren, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adam Terrell, Greg Plourde January 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Gunter

COME CELEBRATE LIFE! The Come Celebrate Life United for Life Rally and March will be held on Saturday, January 17 at 10:45 a.m. in Brother Bryan Park (22nd Street South and 10th Avenue South in Birmingham), rain or shine. A pre-march Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Baker at 9:00 a.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Paul. All are encouraged to attend. For more information, visit www.sanctityoflifeministries.org/march or call 2520706 ext. 30.

WIN-A-DAY RAFFLE Raffle winners will be drawn when school resumes on January 6.

God Bless You and Happy New Year!

The Meaning of The Twelve Days of Christmas From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember. The Partridge in a Pear Tree was Jesus Christ. Two Turtledoves were the Old and New Testaments. Three French Hens stood for faith, hope, and love. The Four Calling Birds were the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Five Golden Rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament. The Six Geese A-Laying stood for the six days of creation. Seven Swans A-Swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

Prophecy, Serving, Teaching,

The Eight Maids A-Milking were the eight beatitudes. Nine Ladies Dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. The Ten Lords A-Leaping were the ten commandments. The Eleven Pipers Piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. The Twelve Drummers Drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed.