Cromwell Wright St. Mary’s St. Louis $ 35.00 UCA ... is not rooted in the circumstances and strug-gles of our daily lives. Often, ... ship we now have, ...

NOVEMBER 26—DECEMBER 17 CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES OF

Immaculate Conception Cromwell-Wright

St. Mary’s St. Louis Meadowlands Floodwood

A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! - Isaiah 40:3

MASS SCHEDULE and CONFESSIONS

ST. LOUIS

105 E 4th Ave, Floodwood, MN 55736 Sunday: 10:30 AM Tuesday & Wednesday: 8:30 AM Confessions half hour before Mass on Sunday

and Saturday from 10:00-11:00 AM IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

5944 Hwy 210, Cromwell, MN 55726 Saturday: 5:00 PM Thursday: 8:30 AM (Note: On the first Thursdays of each month at Villa Vista Senior Community) Confessions half hour before Mass on Saturday ST. MARY’S

9999 Hwy 133, Meadowlands, MN 55765 Sunday: 8:00 AM Friday: 8:30 AM followed by

Adoration and Benediction Confessions half hour before Mass on Sunday

STAFF

Fr. Pio Atonio………………………..Pastor Melissa Brenna…………………….Secretary / Bookkeeper Jessica Rich…………………………..DRE Office hours Monday– Thursday 9 a.m.--2 p.m. Please direct all mail to: P.O. Box 378, Floodwood, MN 55736 Office Phone: 218-476-2367 Rectory Phone: 218-476-1617 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] See the bulletin online in the parish website (Bulletin deadline is Thursday at 12 pm) Tri-Parish Website: nemncatholic.com

SACRAMENTS Baptism: Before any detailed arrangements are made, parents must attend a pre-baptism class. Funerals: Arrangements are to be made with Fr. Pio before publication in newspapers. Weddings: Arrangements are to be made in person with Fr. Pio at least six months in advance. Sick Calls: Inform the Rectory or Office of the ill and homebound.

MASS SCHEDULE AND INTENTIONS

12/19 8:30 a.m. St. Louis Peter Romanek +

12/20 8:30 a.m. St. Louis Deceased Family & Friends of John Kemper +

12/21 8:30 a.m. Immaculate Conception

12/22 8:30 a.m. St. Mary’s Loretta McKay +

12/23 5:00 p.m. Immaculate Conception Our Parishioners

12/24 8:00 a.m. St. Mary’s Jim Ralidak +

12/24 10:30 a.m. St. Louis Intentions of the tile donors 12/24 4:00 p.m. Immaculate Conception Lee Ramsdell +

12/24 11:00 p.m. St. Marys Josephine Ringhofer +

12/25 10:30 a.m. St. Louis Our Parishioners

LITURGICAL ROLES December 24, 2017 Lectors St. Mary’s Carol Maly St. Louis Sarah Greeters St. Mary’s Mary Ann Baumann & Karen B. St. Louis Phil & Theresa Ushers St. Mary’s Jerry M. & John D. Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion St. Mary’s Craig Norrell St. Louis Sally R. Altar Servers St. Mary’s Molly & Emily Bernard St. Louis Laura Rosary Leader: St. Mary’s Gene (Joyful) Church Cleaning St. Mary’s Mary Maly ( Dec 18– 23)

Christmas Eve ( St. Mary’s) Dan McKay (Lector) Don & Mary Maly ( Greeters) Laura K. (E.M.) Pete R & Gene K. ( Ushers) Neal Norrell ( Altar Server)

December 17, 2017

Third Sunday of Advent Gaudete Sunday derives its name from the open-ing prayer of the Mass for this day, where we pray, "Gaudete in Domino semper" (Rejoice in the Lord always). So in the midst of Advent fasting and devotions, we rejoice because the time we have been preparing for is almost at hand. You may see rose-colored vestments and additions to the church environment due to this special Sun-day. A day like this is always good to remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. The life of a Chris-tian is not always easy, but it is one of joy. If we keep our heads bowed too long, no one will be able to see the smiles on our faces. The New Evangelization calls us to spread the good news with a joy that can be infectious. I re-member being at a Eucharistic Congress one time where there was a booth set up by an order of sisters promoting vocations. I couldn't help but to take notice of how much they laughed and how they smiled. I thought, "Who wouldn't want to see what they are about?" Does our joy in the Lord serve as an invitation for others to seek out Christ? May the joy of the Lord be yours on this Gaudete Sunday! The Lord is coming, soon and very soon! . LPI

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

COLLECTION COUNTERS December 17 St. Mary’s Lisa, Danielle, Craig St. Louis Char, Amanda, Michael December 24 St. Mary’s Jodie, Don, Ann St. Louis Michael, Carrie, Elaine

DECEMBER 17, 2017

Stewardship of treasure 12/03/17

Immaculate Conception ENV $ 20..00 PLATE $ 112.00 UCA $ 20.00 YTD $ 584.57 for 2018 St. Mary’s ENV $ 1,020.00 PLATE $ 35.00 UCA $ 280.00 YTD $ 3,554.21 for 2018 St. Louis ENV $ 685.00 PLATE $ 123.00 UCA $ 350.00 YTD $ 4,054.00 for 2018 Loan Payable $85,851.00 as of 12/01/17

Announcements Access our on-line program that offers a

wealth of information about the Catholic faith: Go to: FORMED.org then enter the parish code GPTWNB in the box where it is

requested.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Decorating for Christmas will take place after

Mass next Saturday, Dec. 23rd. Our Pot Luck and Council meeting will follow decorating.

ST. MARY’S Join us today for coffee Sunday

Thanks to all who helped with our Bake Sale/Quilt Raffle, as well as all who supported us in this fundraiser.

Parish Council meeting Dec 20th at 7:00pm

ST. LOUIS

Welcome to our new Parish Council members, Deb Ruzynski and Tanya Davis.

ALL PARISHES

Mass intentions for 2018 are being accepted.

Remember your local food shelf this time of year.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EDUCATION

Brother Francis: O Holy Night Celebrate the wonder and joy of Christmas with Brother Francis in this heartwarming presentation of the birth of God’s Son! Witness the moving submission of Mary, Joseph, and others as they make way for our Savior. This animated children’s video can be found at www.formed.org. Use this Parish Code, GPTWNB, to register for the first time. Enter Par-ish Code and follow instructions to create your personal account.

Northland Family Programs is offering a free intro-ductory session this December for the fertility care system, a natural and effective family planning meth-od. Call Kathy for location dates and times. 218-786-2378.

Christmas Mass Schedule Christmas Eve 4:00p.m. Immaculate Conception 11:00p.m. St. Mary’s Christmas Day 10:30a.m. St. Louis New Years Eve 5:00p.m. Immaculate Conception New Years 8:00 a.m. St. Mary’s

Christmas Present Idea: for your husband, your son, your father, your brother or your friend. Register him for the 2018 Catholic

Men’s Conference Men of Faith– Men of Spirit. The conference is February 17, 2018 at Mar-shall School in Duluth. Register online at www.duluthcatholicmen.org Only $30 on or before Feb 5,2018.

Living the Liturgy It seems that no matter where you look there is bad news! However, all of the pain, hurt, fear, worry, and that awful killer on the loose in our modern mania, fear and stress, need not dis-tract us from the source of true Joy, Jesus Christ! In times like this I thank God for the great gift of the liturgical year of the Church. The Feasts we celebrate, and our preparation for them, are an invitation to participate, even now, in the life to come. So it is with Gaudete

Sunday, the Sunday of rejoicing. Christian joy is not rooted in the circumstances and strug-gles of our daily lives. Often, they are the bad fruit of the disorder and brokenness caused by sin. Christian Joy finds its root in the relation-ship we now have, in and through Jesus Christ, with the Father, by the power of the Holy Spir-it. We rejoice on Gaudete Sunday, because the Lord is always near, He is always coming to those who have the eyes of living faith.

May our Blessed Mother abundantly bless those of you who have displayed the many acts of charity towards our family, especially the Masses and prayers offered for the repose of Mike’s soul.

The Mike Lisic Family