The Third Sunday of Advent December 15, 2013

The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

48 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303 www.catholicshrineatlanta.org 404.521.1866

FREE PARKING FOR SUNDAY MASSES

In Underground Parking Deck at the corner of MLK Jr Dr. and Central Ave.

Bring ticket into church for validation.

SCHEDULE of the eucharISt

Sunday 8:30 & 11:00 AM

Monday-Friday 12:10 PM

Saturday 9:00 AM

PASTORAL AND OFFICE STAFF

Msgr. Henry Gracz Pastor

Rev. Mr. Bill Monahan Deacon

Rev. Mr. Bill Payne Deacon

Outreach Coordinator

Jerry Bryant Finance Administrator

Karen Sullivan Adult Initiation

(drkarensullivan@gmail.com ~ 678.592.6156)

Dónal Noonan Director of Music

Lee DeSandre Discipleship Coordinator

Stacey Jones Religious Education

(404.727.7141)

Susan Kokoszka Pastoral Coordinator

Tricia Austin Webmaster triciaa@catholicshrineatlanta.org

Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation

Call anytime for an appointment.

**************** Baptism Preparation Class

Please call the office.

WELCOME Whether you have traveled from

across the street, across the county, or across the country, we

are honored that you have chosen to spend part of your

weekend with us.

THE SHRINE’S MISSION STATEMENT

The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception strives to live the Gospel of Jesus

Christ as a welcoming community of diverse Christians,

seeking spiritual growth and providing compassionate outreach.

BECOMING CATHOLIC!

We welcome those who want to know more about the Catholic Church. Sessions are TODAY at 9:00AM in the Bethlehem Room. Please call the church for more information.

Thank you to Marian Monahan and all those who planned and participat-ed in our Shrine Advent Day of Re-flection last week. The quiet, reflective time gave us needed pause in the busy-

ness of the season.

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL PRE-K (AGE 4) TO 10TH GRADE. For further information, please contact Stacey Jones at snjones@emory.edu or call her at 404.727.7141.

When children need to use the facilities in

the Church Hall, please escort them.

Our young ones need the loving supervision

of a parent or adult.

TODAY, Pt. II of his Advent Series, F o r m e r P a s t o r , C u r r e n t Contemplat ive, and Shrine Parishioner, David Hicks. This week’s theme is “Bearing Witness: the Wise Men. Next week concludes the series with a session on Joseph.” The Advent Series will be three weeks: today and December 22nd in the Parish Hall from 9:45-10:45AM. Please join us for this annual gift. All are welcome.

Adult ed sessions

“ ”

Join our Music ministry on December 22 at 5 PM for a concert of festive and reflective Christmas Music. The concert will feature The Music Ministry of the

Catholic Shrine and also The Atlanta Homeward Men’s Choir (some of our local homeless). Under the

direction of Dónal Noonan, the choirs will be accompanied by the Pine Lake Brass Quintet and other musical friends. Admission is free and a love offering will be welcomed.

ADVENT PENANCE SERVICES 2013

These Penance Services allow for individual confes-sions with a priest.

Wed., Dec 18 Immaculate Heart of Mary, 7PM, 494.636.1418 Mon Dec 23 Cathedral of Christ the King, 6PM, 404.233.2145

POPE FRANCIS announced plans to convene an Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in 2014 on the theme: The Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization. In preparation, the Holy See asked Bishops to consult with their parishioners, clergy, and religious on aspects of the theme. The Archdiocese of Atlanta has created a survey to accomplish this. To participate, go to http://www.archatl.com/synod/ and complete the survey by TODAY, December 15th.

Thank you to Robin and Lisa South for hosting last Sunday’s : “Off the Record” with Fr. Henry. Please c a l l ( 4 0 2 ) 9 8 4 - 9 9 8 0 o r c o n t a c t cth@catholicshrineatlanta.org if you would like to host or volunteer to help with preparations for a future session.. Bobbie and Ann Sauer coordinate this program.

The Giving Tree is available in the sanctuary. We invite you to take a tag and get a gift for a local charity; which could be a toy for a child, something for a person at St. Francis Table, or something for someone at Rhodes Nursing Home. Enjoy the Season by sharing with others!

Be sure to visit our Shrine Gift Shop for great Christmas gifts & sale!

Nominations for Shrine Woman and Teen of the Year are being accepted today at the Masses. Any registered woman or high school senior may be nomi-nated. The Shrine’s Council invites all women to their upcoming meeting next Sunday, 9:45-10:45AM in the Bethany Room.

SHRINE DECORATING PARTY NEXT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22ND AFTER THE 11AM MASS. Please join us to prepare the Church for Christmas!

Shrine Stewardship & GIVING

If the Shrine has touched your life, pray about remembering us with a gift in your estate or will.

Our Collection for last Sunday was $ 9,853.00 To meet our ministry commitments, we need $ 9,013.43. Thank you for your generosity which keeps us growing.

OUTREACH Ministries

St. Francis Table served 581 guests a hot meal last Saturday.

1084 Morning Sandwiches given to guests during the week.

Food Pantry gave groceries to 38 families last week. We thank those from all over Atlanta and our own Shrine members who helped with these ministries. To help with St. Francis Table, please call the Parish Center at 404.521.1866.

For our December Food Pantry Outreach, please bring COFFEE, COFFEE, AND COFFEE, and “Publix/Kroger” plastic bags. Thank you!

Your Gift of Generosity At Year End

This holiday season, we thank everyone who has sup-ported The Shrine this past year with their time, talent and financial contributions and look forward to support from all of our members in the year ahead. If you need a convenient way to make regular offerings or if you plan to make an additional gift before the end of the year, we encourage you to look into our electronic giv-ing options. As the pace of life speeds up, especially around the holidays, you may find electronic giving a most welcome way to make contributions. Visit your church’s website, catholicshrineatlanta.org, or con-tact the church office 404.521.1866 for information.

Thank you to all of you who sup-ported the Toys for Tots Party at Catherine Perry and Sharon Jones’ home last week. Many wonderful toys were collected for the charity.

Atlanta Catholic Singles (20’s-40’s) will be volunteer-ing to help make snack bag lunches on Friday, Decem-ber 20th for the Night Shelter.. We’ll meet from 5-6PM in the basement kitchen— free parking in church lot. We need lunch meat, bread and juice packets, Lance crackers, cheese slices, fruit cups, apple sauce, Vienna sausages, and bags of chips. If interested in volunteer-ing, please RSVP at acs.nightshelter@gmail.com and call 404.422.0675 to let us know what you’re bringing

DEACON BILL PAYNE

Twenty-five years ago Bill Payne was ordained on December 3, 1988 by Archbishop Eugene A. Marino.

Since his ordination, Bill was blessed to serve the people of The Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Bill always said that his family came first and that has remained true. He is happily married for 44 years to Rose. They have two adult married daughters who have given them four grandchildren. His ordination into the Deaconate has been a real blessing to the family. Bill loves serving the Shrine and hopes that he will be able to do that for many more years to come. Bill, we thank you and your wonderful family for sharing you!

Called and Gifted Workshop How is God Calling You? January 10-11, 2014

St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church and the Catherine of Siena Institute will be offering a Called & Gifted workshop on Friday, January 10 (7PM-9:30PM); Saturday January 11 (9:30AM-4:30PM) The process is designed to help Christians discern the presence of spiritual gifts in their life. Workshop helps you identify your gifts and discern how you can use them. Cost is $40 per person by December 22nd ($50 after that date) & includes all. For nformation, go to www.stjudeatlanta.net/called.

Please remember your donation for the Christmas flowers and decorations.

PRAYERS

Please remember our sick and homebound…Sharon Jones, Jim Peavyhouse, John Evaniak, David Furukawa, Major Wilkerson, Joseph Morgan, Myrtle Hill, Amy Renfrow Widener, Karla Schell, John Thomas Scott, Louis Duda, Dolores Wilder, Ramona Carter, Ruth Jackson, Emily Denham, Ed Gendron.

Please also pray for… Baby Maximilian Jensen, Amy Bending. Peggie Schell, Sally Jorden, Pete Schlosser, Special Intentions, Noah Dobson, Ross Gagliano, Jay Lodisky, A.C. Taylor, Joseph Sheriff, Dorothy Lee, Bennett Eustache, Dorothy Weir, Joan Lucas, Sandra Jones, Virginia Seery, Rob Andrews, Patrick Goss, Diane Murphy. Please let the parish know of any sick, call 404.521.1866.

Betti Knott, one of our

long time members

who is working for St.

Vincent de Paul Society

in Australia, has been

battling cancer. We ask

you to join friends

around the world in

praying for her healing

t h r o u g h t h e

i n t e r c e s s i o n o f

Frederick Ozanam as

one of the miracles

l e a d i n g t o h i s

canonization.

Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Frederic Ozanam

God, our Father, you alone

have the power to bestow those

precious gifts of yours which we

rightly call miracles. If it be your

will, be pleased to grant such a

gift on behalf of Betti Knott.

We humbly ask that you grant

this favor so that Blessed Frederic

Ozanam may be canonized by our

Holy Mother the Church. We make

this prayer through our Lord

Jesus Christ, your Son.

Christmas 2013

and New Year’s 2014

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE

CHRISTMAS EVE ~ Tuesday, December 24th Mass for Families with Children 4:00 PM Mass Christmas Night Mass 10:00 PM Music Program Mass Following

Parish Reception after the Mass Bring your favorite

Christmas breads and cakes CHRISTMAS DAY ~ Wednesday, December 25th 11:00 AM

New Year’s DAY SCHEDULE

January 1st, 2014 at 11:00 AM Saturday, January 4th, 2014

Appreciation Party for Volunteers at the Parish Center 6-8PM

Scripture Readings

Week of December 15th

Mon Nm 24:2-7,15- 17 Mt 21:23-27- Tue Gn 49:2,8-10 Mt 1:1-17 Wed Jer 23:5-8 Mt 1:18-25 Thur Jgs 13:2-25 Lk 1:5-25

Fri Is 7:10-14 Lk 1:26-38 Sat Sg 2:8-14 Lk 1:39-45 Sun Is 7:10-14 Ps 24:1-6 Rom 1:1-7 Mt 1:18-24

PRAYING PACEM IN TERRIS: But what emerges first and foremost from the progress of scientific knowledge and the inventions of technology is the infinite greatness of God Himself, who created both humanity and the universe. Yes; out of nothing God made all things and filled them with the fullness of His own wisdom and goodness. Hence, these are the words the holy psalmist used in praise of God: “O Lord, our Lord: how admirable is they name in the whole earth!” And elsewhere he says: “How great are thy works, O Lord! You have made all things in wisdom.”

Night Shelter (November l thru March 31): It’s the middle of December and our Night Shelter volunteers have completed 11 of our 30 commitment dates. Within this period, we have 10 new overnight volunteers—amazing! May our ministry keep being blessed with amazing volunteers.