DECEMBER 20^TH, 2009

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Parish Web Site- www.superiorcathedral.org

Superior Diocese Web Site- www.catholicdos.org

In the event of an Emergency after Business Hours

Call Fr. Andrew at 715-392-8511.

MASS INTENTIONS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2009

8:30 A.M. – Al Kubos-M

- Thaddeus Kosciuszko Society

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2009

8:30 A.M. – Austin & Margaret Grover-M

- Estate

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2009

8:30 A.M. – Chester Olenski-M

- Bernice & Family

SOLEMNITY OF CHRISTMAS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2009

4:30 P.M. – Edmund & Marie Whitacre-M

- Dale & Pat Piggott

Midnight – (begins with music at 11:30 P.M.)

Sylvester Kubalak-M

- Josephine Koenig

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2009

8:30 A.M. – Spiritual & Temporal Welfare of Cathedral Parishioners

10:30 A.M. – Deceased Members of the Depta Family

- The Family

WEEKEND MASS SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2009

4:30 P.M. – Robert Kucharyski-M

- Tillie Kucharyski

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2009

8:30 A.M. – Spiritual & Temporal Welfare of

Cathedral Parishioners

10:30 A.M. – Felix Bouvine-M

- The Family

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SANCTUARY CANDLE for the week of December 20^th:

Will burn in memory of Deceased Members of the Depta Family

By The Family

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VOCATIONS… Mary set out in haste, carrying the good news of God’s great love. Wherever you go today, take God with you. (Luke 1:39-45)

Readings for the Week of December 20^th:

Sunday: Mi 5: 1-4a / Heb 10: 5-10 / Lk 1: 39-45

Monday: Sg 2: 8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a/ Lk 1: 39-45

Tuesday: 1 Sm 1: 24-28 / Lk 1: 46-56

Wednesday: Mal 3: 1-4,23-24 / Lk 1: 57-66

Christmas Vigil: Is 62: 1-5 / Acts 13: 16-17,22-25 / Mt 1: 1-25 or 1: 18-25

Midnight: Is 9: 1-6 / Ti 2: 11-14 / Lk 2: 1-14

Dawn: Is 62: 11-12 / Ti 3: 4-7 / Lk 2: 15-20

Day: Is 52: 7-10 / Heb 1:1-6 / Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5,9-14

Saturday: Acts 6: 8-10; 7:54-59 / Mt 10: 17-22

Next Sunday: Sir 3:2-7,12-14 or 1 Sm 1:20-22,24-28 /

Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 or 1 Jn 3:1-2,21-24 /

Lk 2:41-52

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In Loving Memory of … Elizabeth “Libby” Gordon. May she be granted eternal rest and may the Lord’s peace and comfort be with her family and loved ones.

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CATHEDRAL CHURCH CALENDAR

Sun. Dec. 20 – Coffee & Rolls after 8:30 & 10:30 Masses

– Decorating the Church after the 10:30 Mass

Thurs/Fri. Dec. 24/25 – Parish Office Closed

MINISTRIES

PRAYER MINISTRY- There are people in the parish willing to share your needs and prayers. Please call 392-3083 if you or a loved one is in need.

Notice: ALL MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION, READERS, SERVERS, USHERS & GREETERS…We will be scheduling for the months of February, March and April. If you know of dates you cannot volunteer please call the parish office (392-8511) no later than Monday, December 28^th. Thank you!

LITURGICAL ROLES for CHRISTMAS-Dec. 24/25

MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION:

4:30 Mavis Moran, Pat & Dale Piggott

Midnight Mary Jo Edge, Luz Lao, Louise Pope

8:30 Ro & Phil Birch, Mary Lou Reger

10:30 Theresa Carr, Harry Kubarek, Luz Lao

READERS: CANTORS:

4:30 Elizabeth Kolanczyk Sandy Bailey

Midnight Janette Gil de Lamadrid Terry Chialastri

8:30 Ro Birch Mary & Geneva

10:30 Andrea Dickenson Renee Birman

SERVERS:

4:30 Brandon Gustafson, Paxton Paine, Eric Williams

Midnight Anne, Dan & Jim Tracy

8:30 Jay & Lauren Wojciechowski

10:30 Dominic, John & Jerry Carr

USHERS:

4:30 Joe Mackiewicz (Lead)

Sherry Mackiewicz

Terry Mikel

George Peterson

Midnight Eugene Bayiha

Need 3 Ushers

8:30 Bob Ahlborg (Lead)

Jim Bleskan

Stan Semborski

Tom Tracy

10:30 Bob Bennett (Lead)

Jim Cirilli

Joe Horvat

Jim Ronchak

LITURGICAL ROLES for December 26 & 27

MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION:

4:30 Bob Kresky, Pat Schmolke, Joni Tauzell

8:30 Lenora DePyper, Barb & Greg Guenard

10:30 Shari Bong, Tom & Sandy Henning

READERS: CANTORS:

4:30 Michael Kapalin Marcia, Deb & Dar

8:30 Tom Markee Mary Pearson

10:30 David Dusek Renee Birman

(Liturgical Roles for Dec. 26/27)

SERVERS:

4:30 Brandon Gustafson

8:30 Need One

10:30 Aaron Emmert

USHERS:

4:30 Joe Mackiewicz (Lead)

Sherry Mackiewicz

Terry Mikel

Lenny Rouse

8:30 Bob Ahlborg

Jim Bleskan

Eugene Bayiha

Mary Lou Spicer

10:30 Bob Bennett (Lead)

Emil Osacho

Kent Phillips

Max Phillips

GREETERS:

4:30 Penny Johnson (SW)

Terry Mikel (SE)

(MW)

Shirley O’Hara (MC)

(ME)

8:30 Kenn Raihala (SW)

Irena Raihala (SE)

Ginny Leopold (MW)

Don Baltes (MC)

Janet Baltes (ME)

10:30 Joan Sweeney & Liz Schmidt (SW)

Carla & Bob Welsh (SE)

Doris Shisler (MW)

Ken Smull (MC)

Phyllis Smull (ME)

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE

The Gospel today tells of the Virgin Mary, pregnant herself, hurrying off to help her cousin Elizabeth. The model of good stewardship, she who had given herself to bear the Savior gave her time and love to others as well.

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FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: For December 12 & 13… 272 Envelope Users (249 last week) contributed $9,230.00 in the Regular Collection, $792.10 in the Loose Collection. Thank you!

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Be steadfast in

Faith,

Joyful in

Hope, and

Untiring in

Love

All the days

of your Life!

A Joy – filled Christmas, and A Peace – filled New Years!

Fr. Andrew & the Parish Staff

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A BLESSED AND HOLY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

and MAY YOU HAVE A PEACE-FILLED 2010.

Fr. Lee

2009 CHARITABLE GIVING REMINDERS…

Gifts received by December 31^st or postmarked December 31^st can help reduce your 2009 Federal Income Taxes. The IRS does not allow 2009 tax credit for checks that are received after December 31^st or postmarked after December 31^st, even if checks are dated 2009.

To give securities, contact your investment advisor. He or she can help assure your transfer is completed in a timely manner.

Many people also review their comprehensive estate plans at the end of the year. Remember that your will, life insurance, retirement plans, and other planning vehicles can offer opportunities to assist the present and future needs of CATHEDRAL PARISH, CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, CALVARY CEMETERY while providing significant gift and estate tax savings.

Please contact your tax advisor or contact the Parish Office (392-8511) if you have any questions.

WEEKLY MEDITATION

"Some final thoughts for Advent"
    This weekend we make the final turn in our Advent season and prepare for Christmas this coming week.  Here are some thoughts to consider as we make our final preparations.

    1.  What are my priorities this week?
        - Is it things? (shopping, gifts, etc.)
        - Is it safe travel? 
        - Is it people? (family and friends)
        - Is it prayer? (or even the Lord?)
    I mention this first because there are many things we WANT to be our top priorities, but we often find that situations and events can be forced upon us.  We sometimes find ourselves reacting to expectations and lose our focus and perspective.
    Perhaps a few moments in our own reflection (alone or with others) will help us remember why we are taking the time and effort to celebrate this coming week.  The danger happens when we do not choose our values, but instead let someone else tell us what we are suppose to make important.

    2.  How will I spend my time this holiday?
        - with people
        - with the Lord in prayer
        - at work (I fall in this category!)
    Many of us must respond to events outside our control over the next few days:  work, travel, and sometimes awkward situations with other people (a.k.a. - someone you desperately want to avoid).  Time remains our most precious possession; how are we living the gift God gives to us?

    3.  What will be my attitude?
    In the end there are very few things which remain entirely in our control.  The weather can change in a matter of hours, roads and travel conditions can become treacherous, and situations can become tense, frustrating, and unhappy.
    When we find ourselves less than jolly, how do we express it?  Do we take our stress out on others, or do we take a deep breath and put our faith into practice (you know:  patience, mercy, kindness, forgiveness, love, trust, etc.....)?

    May this holiday be a time of rich blessings to us all! 

Fr. Andrew

Question for Children: How does the Blessed Virgin Mary help you to follow Jesus?

Question for Youth: When have you experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit?

Question for Adults: What role does Mary play in your own spirituality? If you were Elizabeth, how would you greet her at your doorway, if she were to arrive there?

TONS

Many Thanks to our 25 TON youth and 8 chauffeurs (our Mom’s) who brought the face of Jesus to the Phoenix Villa this past Sunday. So many warm smiles, and surprised faces from the residents. They warmed our hearts with so much gratitude.

Watch this Space next week for “tales” from our Game Night.

Next TON Night, January 10^th from 5:00-6:30 PM. Please bring prizes for our Free Senior Bingo (hard candy, tea, instant coffee, peanuts, all occasion cards, lotions, etc.)

~ LOOKING AHEAD ~

January 17^th – Free Senior Bingo following 10:30 Mass

February 27^th-28^th – Ski Blast

Christmas Blessings!

Mary Jo & Diann

TOBIT (Theology of the Body Immersion for Teens)

Presidents’ Day Weekend Saturday, Feb. 13, 1 pm to Monday, February 15, 12 pm. Big Sandy Camp, McGregor, MN, Cost: $80 per person, Teens grades 9-12 Welcome. For more information please go to: www.dioceseduluth.org.

CATHEDRAL NEWS

PARISHIONERS NEED RIDE TO MASS

If you live near:

• Royalton Manor (New York/21^st Street)
• Golden Apts. (Banks/24^th Street)
• Phoenix Villa (Broadway/Clough)

Maybe you could pick someone up so they could celebrate the Eucharist with us. Call Janette @ 392-8511. Your kindness is deeply appreciated.

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

THE WORK OF CHRISTMAS

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and the princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

Then the work of Christmas begins;

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers,

To make music in the heart.

Author Unknown

Join us in the work of Christmas. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, December 22 at 6:30pm at the Catholic Charities Building, 1416 Cumming Ave. 394-6617

RCIA

RCIA for the City of Superior

The preparations for Christmas include buying or making gifts for those whom we love. You can give no better gift than the gift that God has given to us: his Son, Jesus. Invite someone who is not Catholic to attend Mass with you at Christmas.

The RCIA session this Sunday evening at Holy Assumption parish will focus on the sacrament of Eucharist. The session begins at 7:00 p.m. For more information contact the parish office or Dick and Judy Lyons at 1-888-820-8963.

CATHEDRAL SCHOOL NEWS

*Christmas Break will begin on Monday, Dec. 21^st thru Friday, Jan. 1^st.  Class resumes Monday, Jan. 4^th.

*Our new website is up and running! www.superiorcathedralschool.org Please take a moment to check it out. There will be some minor changes in the weeks to come, but we wanted to give access to you as soon as we could.  The Looking Ahead has its own link, so you can always find it there!

* Scrip has been growing and growing! Check out our website to find a list of all the new local vendors we can order from. These make great gifts! Please call the office if you would like to place an order. 392-2976

*We are always collecting Glossy Paper. Start saving all those Christmas Ads, they will add up fast! Over 12,000 lbs. have been collected this past year!

COMMUNITY NEWS

TEMPORARY, PART-TIME OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE 2010 CENSUS

For more details re: testing locations, acceptable identification and to download a Practice Test, please visit: www.2010censusjobs.gov or call our Local Census Office at: 1-715-301-9200 or 1-866-861-2010 FedRelay-1-800-877-8339 TTY