WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR The new Liturgical year began this weekend at 4 pm Saturday evening. So we have entered the new Church Year: 2000! Fortunately, the liturgical calendar is very Y2K compliant and the event passed with little, if any disruption to our lives.
You will notice however, that the Art & Environment team has been hard at work. All the harvest elements are gone and magenta [purple] has replaced them. The Advent Wreath, a circle of evergreens with purple and pink candles, now graces the worship area as we begin our preparations for the coming of Christ. ADVENT is the "forgotten" season of the Church Year. That is primarily due to the fact that many are already celebrating Christmas. It is also due to the reality that Advent itself has changed its focus and meaning.
When Advent was first taking shape in the fourth and fifth centuries in the south of France, it was known as "St. Martin's Lent". That was because it began on Nov 11, the feast of St. Martin, and as a 40 day preparation time for those who would be Baptized on the Feast of the Epiphany.
When this season spread from France [then known as Gaul] to the rest of the Church, its character was changed. Advent became a preparation for Christmas rather than a preparation for Baptism, In the east, the Church kept the length of Advent at six weeks [as it is still today]. But when Advent finally made its way to Rome a couple of hundred years later, it was shortened to only four Sundays before Christmas.
From the beginning, Advent was a penitential season of fasting and prayer like Lent. Although the practice of penances during Advent had greatly declined over the last century, it was not until the Liturgical reforms of 1969 that the practice of fasting was officially ended.
Now Advent is a season of prayerful preparation for Christmas, a time to open our hearts to Christ and all that His coming promises. PLEASE PRAY for our young people who will be Confirmed next Saturday evening! Bishop Mengeling will be joining us for the 4:30 Liturgy to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation with them, as they become full members of the Church.
At almost the same time, Marilyn Pence and Jim Rhadigan will be exchanging their vows at Sacred Heart Basilica in South Bend. I would invite you to remember them in prayer as well. OUR PARISH CELEBRATION Jim and Marilyn will be returning to Brighton on Sunday, Dec 12. You are invited to come to the rectory between 7 and 10 pm to congratulate them and to celebrate with them.
Just a note: since the new couple has more than they need and almost everything they could
want; notes, cards and your presence are the only gift appropriate for the occasion!
Fr. Dave Howell
Tuesday, November 30; St. Andrew, Apostle. A Brother of Simon Peter and disciple of John the Baptist, he recognized Jesus as the Messiah and introduced him to his brother. Tradition holds that he preached north of the Black Sea and in Greece, and died, bound to an X-shaped cross, at Patras, Greece. He is the patron of Russia and Scotland; as "Protoclete" or "First Called," patron of the Greek Church. Andrew is mentioned in the Roman Canon and is the patron of the fishing industry. Fri., Dec. 3; Francis Xavier, Priest, Missionary. Died in 1552 at the age of 46 on the island of Sancion off the China coast. He is one of the founding Jesuits and preached in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Japan. He is the patron of the foreign missions.
Please pray that the sick will respond to God's healing will, especially: Joanna Bloese, Margo Twork, Cheryl Franks, Mary, Susan, Fr. Dan Wunderlich, Richard Sixbery, Erik, Raynald Raymond, Pete, Al & Ann Polcyn, Miriam Marker, Matt Even, Eileen Auld, Cornelius Smits, Keith Kovach, Ellen Colombo, Emerson Brown, Adeline Smith, Larry Cecil, Anna Cecil, Dottie King, Catherine Schumont, Ken Carson, Norman Moon, Shirley Brake, Karen (Pat Spindler's daughter), Laurie Deirlein, Ron Schaar, Jeannette Wood, Merle, Ed, Zora Kolef, Keith Freel, Tom Cavanaugh, Timothy Richards, Mary Kay Davis, Edith Reagan, Miren Mohrenweiser, Donovan, Mary Swift, Valerie Black, Joanne Fournier, Jerry Bettens, Russ Gardner, Gene Geiger, Gino, Orville Pelfrey, Janice McHeish and Dennis.
WOW!! Our trip to St. Louis for NCYC was absolutely AWESOME! To be with 22,000 plus teens to celebrate God and His love was indescribable. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.
When asked, Theresa Eagle had this to say, "NCYC was awesome - 22,000 plus people praying together. We were always surrounded by people of faith; and to see all of us joining hands praying the Our Father was really something. I am glad that I participated in St. Mary Magdalen's first trip to a national convention. It was a totally amazing experience."
On Thursdays, December 2 and 9, the Sr. high students will offer baby-sitting for those who want to start or finish their Christmas shopping. Donations for our time will be taken. Any time after 7pm you may drop your children off. Pick up time will be 9pm.
If you are interested in participating in our Hunger Awareness Retreat scheduled for December 17 and 18, please let me know as soon as possible because spaces are limited.
Beginning tomorrow evening, Nov. 29, Kathy Rigley will begin a five week series on the Millennium. The reflections will take place at the Callaghan home from 7:30 to 9pm every Monday until December 27. Any Sr. high teen is welcome. Please call Margaret Callaghan for more details.
We will be adopting a family for Christmas again this year; and to help raise money, we will be selling tickets for $5 to our Christmas party scheduled for December 22. The tickets will go on sale in the gathering space December 5 and again the weekend of the 11.
On Monday, December 6, we will be going to an Alzheimer's care facility in Brighton, called Ashley
Court, from 4-5pm. We will help residents create Christmas cards for their families. A sign up sheet
is in the gathering space.
Margaret Callaghan
Please continue to pray for the children who will be receiving the Sacraments of Confirmation,
Penance and Eucharist.
The children receiving Eucharist this year are encouraged to participate in the Rite of
Acceptance on Sunday, December 5, at the 11 o'clock liturgy.
Have you written to your prayer partner lately? Please drop them a note!
Sister Maryetta
In the midst of all the holiday preparations, consider giving yourself three mornings to reflect on the true meaning of the season. The Advent of the Savior is a study of the Infancy Narratives of Jesus. We will be meeting on Thursday mornings beginning December 2 at 10:00. Child care will be provided. Sign up sheets are in the gathering area - consider making this the real beginning of your holiday preparations.
The newly "re-started" Magdalen retirees are hosting a Christmas potluck brunch with Fr. Dave on Monday, Dec. 13, after the 9:00am liturgy. Contact Katie Barazsu 810-227-2748 for more details.
Mark your calendars-for February 5 through 9, 2000. We will be hosting our first parish wide
Mission conducted by Fr. Rudy Papes, a Redemptorist missionary from Grand Rapids. Fr. Rudy was
ordained in 1965 and has had an assortment of assignments since then, including teaching and
coaching high school, working with inner city children and, for the last 15 years, as part of the
Redemptorist Mission Team. Please plan on making this Mission as we enter a new millennium.
Yours on the Journey, Marilyn
The newly "re-started" Magdalen retirees are hosting a Christmas potluck brunch with Fr. Dave on Monday, Dec. 13, after the 9:00am liturgy. Contact Katie Barazsu 810-227-2748 for more details.
The "New Day" grief support group this Sunday evening at 7:30pm will focus on "coping with grief during the Holidays." The meeting is open to anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one. We will be meeting in the lower level of the rectory. Yours on the journey, Marilyn
Many religious, for most of their history, received only modest stipends; they had no insurance or pension plan, and weren't eligible for Social Security. Today, U.S. religious institutes, according to a 1998 report by Arthur Andersen, confront $7 billion in unfunded retirement liability. Your contribution to the Retirement Fund for Religious helps ensure adequate retirement funding for more than 45,000 elderly and infirm religious who dedicated their lives to ministry and prayer. More than 96 percent of contributions has been distributed in grants to religious institutes. Please be generous next week!
10300 Maple Street, Hartland, presents The Black Methodists for Church Renewal in a Christmas Concert, Saturday, Dec. 4, 6:00pm. This choir includes as many as 40 persons representing more than 15 churches. They have performed hundreds of concerts all over Michigan, and have recently returned from a tour of Europe. This is a spirit filled holiday concert you do not want to miss! Free to the community, with only a love offering collected to defray travel expenses. Refreshments follow. For more information, contact 810-632-7476.
We are the servants of God, each with his or her own task. We will be judged good stewards if, at His coming, He finds us ready and conscientiously pursuing the tasks to which we have been called.
A Weekend for Married Couples
Offered by National Marriage Encounter
February 18-20, 2000
For more information or registration, contact:
Larry & Shelley Isaacson 810-230-9216
Kevin & Mary Sturgis msturgis@gfn.org
CHOICE WEEKEND ENCOUNTER Are you interested in making new friends? Revitalizing your inner self? Renewing your relationship with God? Are you between the ages of 21-35 and have never been married? If so, you may want to consider attending a CHOICE weekend encounter. Cost is $70 (includes lodging, meals and materials). For information call 517-342-2494. Financial aid is available.
There is a nationwide ministry available to traveling Catholics providing free information on the location of the nearest church and times of Masses on weekends and holy days. This service is available to all parishes by calling 1-800-627-7846 or checking the internet at www.masstimes.org.
(Athens, Delphi, Meteora, Thessaloniki, and Phillippi) and two weeks in Turkey (Ephesus, Cappadoccia, Antioch, Tarsus, and Istanbul). Biblical and Historical Lectures will be given by Barbara Reid, OP, Professor of New Testament Studies, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. For more information, call Jan (616) 454-1241.
Two tours still have openings and only a limited number of seats are available: June 17-26, 2000 and August 22-31, 2000. Cost for the tour entitled Romantic Road and Oberammergau is $1,850. If interested, call Trawell Team, Christian Eggert, (602) 863-1847.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY would like to thank the Scripture & Stitches group of St. Mary Magdalen for the beautiful quilt they donated for our first dinner auction. It brought $500 in the silent auction!! The hard work and extra effort to finish it on time is very much appreciated. Thank you so much for helping us to work toward eliminating substandard housing. We would also like to thank those who bought Christmas cards and calendars last weekend.
The Christmas Giving Tree is in the Gathering Area for those who would like to help those less fortunate for the Holidays. Take a tag from the tree, purchase and wrap the item indicated, and tape the tag securely to the gift (no bows please). Place the gift under the tree anytime before December 13. Thank you for your continued support!
Ministers of Prayer Schedule
Sunday, Nov. 28 Jack Hornsberger
Monday, Nov. 29 Sue Weir, Mary Ellen Magon
Tuesday, Nov. 30 Sue Monroe, Synthia Bisoski
Wednesday, Dec. 1 Lynn Gentner, Lisa Arthur
Thursday, Dec. 2 Ken Gentner, Josie Doucette
Friday, Dec. 3 Mary Ziel, Jan Altermatt
Saturday, Dec. 4 Beth Monte, Janice Cherry
Fiscal Year runs from July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2000 Total income for the week of November 20/21, 1999:
Approximately 1453 people participated:
Using Stewardship envelopes..............$ 14,507
Loose collection.........................$ 928
Building Fund Pledge payments............$ 2,860
Other....................................$ -0-
Total receipts...........................$ 18,295
Weekly expenses..........................$ 16,682
+/- for week.............................$ +1,613
+/- year-to-date.........................$+15,829
Sacrificial Giving Presently we have 782 families registered in the parish and 425 families have made their stewardship commitment. If you have not returned your commitment card, please pray about the sacrificial giving you will be making weekly/monthly and return the card either by mail or the collection basket on Sunday. The Finance Council
First Care Givers SUPPORT GROUP get together A SUCCESS! November 4 was the first get together for members and non-members of the parish to share experiences and learn from others. We all have something to share if we have been involved with taking care of a loved one. Sometimes we just need to be able to talk about our challenges, joys and fears about those we love and we discover now in need of additional care and attention. There are also those occasions when we look to others for suggestions on what has worked for them to help us in formulating our own decisions.
The discussion in the lower level of the rectory on that Thursday included all of this and more. We laughed at our own funny stories as well as those from others. Most everyone chose to contribute their experiences, while others were content to listen for now. Regardless of the level of participation, everyone agreed they benefited from the discussions and plan to return.
Although sharing our thoughts and experiences is a major portion of the group, we also plan to bring in outside professionals to council the participants on alternate care choices, Medicare issues, along with suggestions on health care assistance. We will exchange names of professional caregivers and other professionals.
We urge anyone who has ever, is currently, or may in the future be responsible for giving care to a loved one, to join us on the first Thursday of each month in the lower level of the rectory. Fr. Dave makes a great cup of coffee to go along with the cookies. The next meeting is Thursday, December 2, at 7:30pm - no reservation necessary. For additional information, please call Arlene Callaghan, 810-220-1693, or Fr. Dave.
You are invited to the 10th Annual "Night of Prayer for Life" at St. John the Baptist in Hartland. Over 800 Catholic Churches nationwide will be participating in this night of prayer and adoration in reparation for the murder of the innocent preborn and helpless ones in our society. In our battle against abortion and for the sanctity of human life, our two best weapons are: THE BLESSED SACRAMENT AND THE ROSARY! Beginning Wednesday, December 8, after the 7:30pm Mass until 1:00am, Thursday, December 9, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in St. John's Parish Center. Throughout the evening there will be a 15 decade rosary, silent prayers and adoration to God. Come join us again this year as we bow down in unison across the Nation in continuous prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
Sunday, November 28 First Sunday of Advent
Is 63:16b-17,19b; 64:2b-7/1 Cor 1:3-9/Mk 13:33-37
Monday, Novenber 29 Cecilia, virgin, martyr
Is 2:1-5/Mt 8:5-11
9:00 a.m. Raymichelle O'Hara
Tuesday, Novenber 30 Andrew, apostle
Rom 10:9-18/Mt 4:18-22
9:00 a.m. Bryan Romanelli
Wednesday, December 1
Is 25:6-10a/Mt 15:29-37
7:00 p.m. Barbara Greilach
Thursday, December 2
Is 26:1-6/Mt 7:21,24-27
9:00 a.m. Briggen Arthur Tesner
Friday, December 3 Francis Xavier, presb., relig, missionary
Is 29:17-24/Mt 9:27-31
9:00 a.m. Barbara J. Peterson
Saturday, December 4
Is 30:19-21,23-26/Mt 9:35 - 10:1,6-8
Sunday, December 5 Second Sunday of Advent
Is 40:1-5,9-11/2 Pt 3:8-14/Mk 1:1-8
4:30 (Vigil) St. Mary Magdalen Parishioners
9:00 a.m. John Greilach
11:00 a.m. Bryan Romanelli
Monday, Novenber 29
7:30 p.m. Millennium Reflections-Sr. High Youth (Callaghans)
Tuesday, Novenber 30
7:00 p.m. Recovery Group (Room 9)
7:00 p.m. BeFriender Training (Rectory LL)
7:30 p.m. Inquiry (Adult Formation)
Wednesday, December 1
9:30 a.m. M.O.M.S. Group (Adult Formation)
6:30 p.m. Religious Education
7:30 p.m. Worship (Conference Room)
Thursday, December 2
10:00 a.m. Infancy Narratives (Adult Formation)
6:30 p.m. Religious Education
6:30 p.m. Scripture Rosary
7:00-9:00 p.m. Sr. High Babysitting
7:30 p.m. Music Ministry
7:30 p.m. Eldercare Group (Rectory)
Friday, December 3
7:00 p.m. Confirmation Practice (Church)
Saturday, December 4
Marriage of Marilyn Pence & Jim Rhadigan (Notre Dame)
4:30 p.m. Confirmation
Sunday, December 5
9:30, 11, 5:45 Religious Education
9:45 New Parishioner Meeting (Adult Formation)
11:00 Rite of Acceptance First Eucharist
7:00 p.m. Youth Group
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