October 5, 2008 December 7, 2008

November 17, 2019 Thirty-Third

Sunday in Ordinary Time

SALE! 15% off of ALL Merchandise

in the CCC Bookstore! Effective through

the month of December

SAVE THE DATES

Mass For Life Every Sat.

8:30 am

DIG for TEENS Every Wed.

7:00 pm

NTL Seniors Prayer Group will NOT meet December 10th

Every Tues.

10:00 am

Men’s Meeting - 1st and 3rd Fri.

7:00 pm

Encounter Jesus Christ Dec. 3 7:30 pm

Encuentra A Cristo 3 de Dic. 7:30 pm

Seminario de Vida 7 de Dic. 8:00 am

WOW Christmas Play Dec. 20 Details

p.5

MAILING ADDRESS: 1949 Cullen Blvd., Houston, Texas 77023 P.O. Box 230287, Houston, Texas 77223 Off: (713) 236-9977 Fax: (713) 236-0073

Web Page: www.cccgh.com OFFICE HOURS: Monday ...................... Closed Tuesday ..................... 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Wednesday ................ 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Thursday ................... 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Chapel Opens at 5:30 pm Friday ........................ 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

PASTORAL STAFF: Rev. Jorge Alvarado, Director .................. Ext. 105 Rev. John Paul Bolger, CC Assoc. Dir….... Ext. 120 Rev. Francis A. Frankovich, C.C……………Ext. 106

Director Emeritus: Rev. Richard Paulissen, M.M. r.paulissen@yahoo.com

OFFICE STAFF: Alicia Driscoll, Administrative Assistant………….....… Ext. 102

Aleida Hinojosa, Administrative Assistant to Director….. Ext. 101

Luz Carina Carbajal, Receptionist…………………………Ext. 100 Ann Martinez, English Ministry…………….…..…………... Ext. 103 Joe Lopez, Security/Maintenance……………….…….… Ext. 111 Gloria Morales, Hispanic Ministry Assistant……….…... Ext. 104 Alfonso Ramirez, Security/Maintenance………………….Ext. 111 Margaret Colunga, Data Management………..…...…….. Ext. 110 Mela Gutierrez, Bookstore Assistant…………………….. Ext. 113 Noris Redondo, Hispanic Ministry Coordinator…......… Ext. 109 Skip Davey, Administrator…………..………….……….…. Ext. 108 Bookstore Manager…………………………………………….Ext. 112

MARRIAGE & ANNULMENTS PREPARATION:

Deacon Michael Garcia…...…………………………………….Ext. 114

ENGLISH MINISTRY: Ann Martinez, Coordinator ……………………………... Ext. 103

HISPANIC MINISTRY:

Noris Redondo, Coordinator………………………….…... Ext. 109 Gloria Morales, Assistant….………………………….…... Ext. 104

BOOKSTORE HOURS Tuesday……..10:45 am - 2:00 pm Wednesday….10:45 am - 2:00 pm Thursday…. 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Not open after Mass Friday……….10:45 am - 2:00 pm and 5:30-7:30pm Sunday Mass Only

REGULARLY SCHEDULED MASS AND EVENTS MONDAY: CENTER AND OFFICES CLOSED TUESDAY: 12:00 Noon - English Mass/ Chapel WEDNESDAY: 12:00 Noon Spanish Mass/Main Sanctuary

Prayer Teams are available after ‘Asamblea’

10:00 - 11:00 am First Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration

THURSDAY: 6:00 - 7:00 pm Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel

7:20 - 7:30 pm Praise & Worship Main Sanctuary 7:30 pm - Mass, Main Sanctuary 2nd Thursday of Each Month before Mass Blessing of Salt, Water and Oil FRIDAY: 12:00 Noon - English Mass 7:30 pm Spanish Mass

8:30 - 9:30 pm First Friday Eucharistic Adoration SATURDAY: 8:30 am Mass for Life - Chapel

SUNDAY: 9:00 - 10:00 am Eucharistic Adoration 9:30 - 10:00 am Liturgy of the Hours (Chapel) 10:00 - 10:30 am Praise & Worship Main Sanctuary 10:30 am - Mass Main Sanctuary Nigerian Mass: 2nd Sunday 1:00pm Main Sanctuary Fellowship upstairs in fellowship hall after Mass Vietnamese Mass: 2nd Sunday 3:00 pm room 111

Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick Please call for an appointment SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Sunday……….....9:30 am - 10:20 am Wednesday…….11:00 am - 11:50 am Thursday……….6:30 pm - 7:20 pm Friday…………...6:30 pm - 7:20 pm or by appointment

Prayer Intentions Pedro Lopez, Nathan Olivo, Carmen Garcia, Paul Alaniz, Ramon

Hernandez Angelea Martinez, Teresa & Lola Castillo, Helen Paxtot, George Castillo, Annette Saldana, Chris Ramirez, Kimberly Gonza-

lez, Manuel Saldana, Linda Adornetto, Fr. Mark Goring, John Mar-tinez, Jesse Flores, Fr. George Olsovsky, Al Colunga, Dcn Michael Garcia, Joe Sierra, Diane Smith, Samantha Cruz, Kourtney Ruiz, Michael Trajan, Zachary Colunga, Alisha Rivera, Julieta Hernan-

dez, Teresa Morales, Ector Mata, Phocion & Cheryl Park, Toni Ford, Epifania Denbo, Mary Ann Colunga, Fr. Greg Gregory, There-

sa Valadez, Ivonne Rodriguez, Matilda & Robert Gonzales, Berna-dette Garza, Eunterio Flores, Fr. Francis Frankovich, Conchita Bru-no, Omar E. Pena, Adam Sanchez, Gus Kemp, Nora Elizondo, Ruben Granados, Chris & Marco Lopez, Carmen Velasco, Adrianna Lopez, Victorio Rangel, Sandi & Bobbi Embesi, Humberto Isassi III, Alyssa Martinez, Gloria Castro, Dorita Martinez, Victor Villarreal, Suzanne

Elizondo, Joshua Castro, Monica Garcia, Preston Lewis, Rudy Reyna, Catalina Rivera, Javier Lazo, Elsie Cobb, Mary Hood, Dcn Gerald DuPont, Jesus Lopez, Elijah Mondragon, Barbara Ryan,

Virginia Gonzalez, Sandra Longoria, Alyssa Hernandez, Rita Ochoa, Roger & Martha Sherman

In Memoriam † Carol Bean † Freddy Rios † Margaret Guevara † Marcus Magallon † Joe Bontke † Maria C. Rodriguez † Donila Escobar † Blasa Zepeda † Ismael Martinez † Jovita Ogwuru † Gilbert Sierra † Fidel Gaitan

Readings f or the Week of December 1, 2019 Monday: Is 4:2-6; Ps 122:1-9; Mt 8:5-11 Tuesday: Is 11:1-10; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; Lk 10:21-24 Wednesday: Is 25:6-10a; Ps 23:1-6; Mt 15:29-37 Thursday: Is 26:1-6; Ps 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a; Mt 7:21, 24-27 Friday: Is 29:17-24; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; Mt 9:27-31 Saturday: Is 30:19-21, 23-26; Ps 147:1-6; Mt 9:35 — 10:1 Sunday: Is 11:1-10; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17;

OFFICE, STAFF, MASS, & RECONCILIATION INFORMATION

Saints and Special Observances Sunday: First Sunday of Advent; Tuesday: St. Francis Xavier Wednesday: St. John Damascene Friday: St. Nicholas; First Friday Saturday: St. Ambrose; First Saturday; Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

MASS FOR LIFE Every Saturday 8:30 am Followed by a Rosary at Planned Parenthood located

at 4600 Gulf Freeway

Next Baptism and Baptism Class Date: December 15, 2019 Time: 12:30 - 1:30

Required Documents: Birth certificate & pre-registration form must be brought to class Please call the office & speak with Luz for more

information and to pre-register on or before:

December 6, 2019 713-236-9977

Office hours are Tuesday - Friday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

THIS WEEK AT THE CENTER… THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 1, 2019

Saint Ambrose Saint of the Day for December 7 (337 – April 4, 397)

One of Ambrose’s biographers observed that at the Last Judgment, people would still be divided between those who admired Ambrose and those who heartily disliked him. He emerges as the man of action who cut a furrow through the lives of his contem-poraries. Even royal personages were num-bered among those who were to suffer crushing divine punishments for standing in Ambrose’s way. When the Empress Justina attempted to wrest two basilicas from Ambrose’s Catholics and give them to the Arians, he dared the eunuchs of the court to execute him. His own peo-ple rallied behind him in the face of imperial troops. In the midst of riots, he both spurred and calmed his people with bewitching new hymns set to exciting Eastern melodies. In his disputes with the Emperor Auxentius, he coined the principle: “The emperor is in the Church, not above the Church.” He publicly admonished Emperor Theodosius for the massacre of 7,000 innocent people. The emperor did public penance for his crime. This was Ambrose, the fighter sent to Milan as Roman governor, and chosen while yet a catechumen to be the people’s bishop. There is yet another side of Ambrose—one which influenced Augustine of Hippo, whom Ambrose converted. Ambrose was a passionate little man with a high forehead, a long mel-ancholy face, and great eyes. We can picture him as a frail figure clasping the codex of sacred Scripture. This was the Ambrose of aristocratic heritage and learning. Augustine found the oratory of Ambrose less soothing and entertaining but far more learned than that of other contem-poraries. Ambrose’s sermons were often modeled on Cicero, and his ideas betrayed the influence of contemporary think-ers and philosophers. He had no scruples in borrowing at length from pagan authors. He gloried in the pulpit in his ability to parade his spoils—“gold of the Egyptians”—taken over from the pagan philosophers. His sermons, his writings, and his personal life reveal him as an otherworldly man involved in the great issues of his day. Humanity for Ambrose was, above all, spirit. In order to think rightly of God and the human soul, the closest thing to God, no material reality at all was to be dwelt upon. He was an enthusiastic champion of consecrated virginity. The influence of Ambrose on Augustine will always be open for discussion. The Confessions reveal some manly, brusque encounters between Ambrose and Augustine, but there can be no doubt of Augustine’s profound esteem for the learned bishop. Neither is there any doubt that Saint Monica loved Ambrose as an angel of God who uprooted her son from his former ways and led him to his convictions about Christ. It was Am-brose, after all, who placed his hands on the shoulders of the naked Augustine as he descended into the baptismal fountain to put on Christ. Reflection: Ambrose exemplifies for us the truly catholic character of Christianity. He is a man steeped in the learn-ing, law, and culture of the ancients and of his contemporar-ies. Yet, in the midst of active involvement in this world, this thought runs through Ambrose’s life and preaching: Saint Ambrose is the Patron Saint of: Bee keepers, Beggars, Learning, Milan www.franciscanmedia.com

NTL Prayer Group will NOT Meet December 10th

Don’t Forget All Religious Education

Classes Resume December 7th

at 9:30 am Sharp!

www.cccgh.com ENGLISH MINISTRY, YOUTH AND NEWS www.cccgh.com

Breaking Bread Homeless Ministries

News From The Streets…

A Call To Generous Giving By Mary Martha Primerano Giving is a ministry you know. In 2 Corinthians 8:7 Paul en-courages the believers, “Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us*—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of Giving.” If you look up the word Excel in the dictionary it gives us synonyms such as be excellent, be outstanding, standout, be the best, be unparal-leled, be second to none, be unsurpassed. Would you think about this for a moment, and ask yourself in what ways can I excel in my giving? We have a friend who lost everything he owned just 2 years ago to hurricane Harvey that ripped through Texas. He lost his house, cars, and some DJ equipment that he used for a side job to help supplement his family income. And as a single dad still raising half of his brood that second income would come in handy. You wonder how is he able to keep that smile on his face? Because he knows his Savior lives, and that God is in control of everything. This friend is not a quitter, and better than that - he is a giver. He went out and had a cus-tom BBQ pit made, and one of the first things he wanted to do was honor God by feeding the poor and homeless. Giving is a gift, and if we want to be used by God we should be like Him. God did give us his best by giving us His only Son Jesus. We should give extravagantly with a heart filled with love, and gratitude, because God does love a cheerful giver! This week during our outreach to the poor we did it for Rose, a godly grandmother helping to raise her grandchildren in the inner city. Suffering with an ulcer that has kept her from keep-ing anything down for the past month, she greeted us with tears in her eyes, and insisted on coming outside to have pray-er, and believe with her for God to heal her. Doctors are stumped and she can no longer hold her medicine down. Start-ing at 130 lbs. she is now down to 103 lbs. She fights to con-tinue because she knows her family needs her. And then there is Jeff who rides up to us on his bicycle to greet our team. Always smiling from ear to-ear he tells us he has been battling prostate cancer for the past year. We could see that his steps are now a little slow and methodical. Of course we offer him a plate of BBQ to go, and one for his wife as well, which once again brings a smile to his face. As the Apostle Paul preached to the church in Macedonia he tells them to give extravagantly. 2 Corinthians 8:2“They are being tested by many troubles and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.”

If interested in volunteering please contact:

Walt Primerano 713.661.7167 or breakingbreadhomeless@gmail.com

UPCOMING EVENTS, RETREATS at THE CCC, AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE AND MORE

Luisa Herrera (12/1) Gabrielle Martinez (12/1) Christina Chavez (12/1) Martha Alejandro (12/1) Damian DeLaRosa (12/1) Catalina Mireles (12/1) Joe Diaz (12/1) Lupita Pérez (12/2) Kachina Hackett (12/2) Gloria Salinas (12/2) Charles Schoppa, Jr. (12/3) Alice Guzmán (12/4) Jonah Zavala (12/4/) Anastasia Strauss (12/4) Kenia Salomon (12/4)

Isaiah Ortiz (12/4) Margarita Luna (12/05) Bobby De Ochoa (12/5) Madyson Morales (12/5) Cecilia Carrizales (12/5) Jose A C Leon (12/05) Pedro Bermudez (12/6) Jose A Leon (12/6) Tina L. Thomas (12/6) Ema V. Santos (12/6) Krystal Cooper (12/6) Ann Martinez (12/7) Mary J. Sundholm (12/7) San Juana Castillo (12/7) Jesus Ortega (12/7)

Christian Renewal Center

1515 Hughes Rd. Dickinson, Tx. 77539

MONTHLY HOLY HOUR FOR MEN Hosted by

Annunciation Catholic Church 1618 Texas Ave. 77003 and

KSHJ 1430AM Catholic Radio The second Wednesday of every

month, 5:30 - 6:30 am upcoming date: December 11th

Adoration, Confession, Mass and Breakfast.

Spiritual conference with Fr. Paul Felix Free parking with permit

For more information and for the parking permit email: TIM@GRNonline.com

There’s still time to…. Make Advent 2019 your best ever and start 2020 under the Mantle of our Lady with the 33 Days to Moring Glory Start on November 29, 2019 Consecration-January 1, 2020

Feast of Mary Mother of God and…..

End 2019 with your St. Joseph Novena and Entrustment

Start on December 20, 2019 Entrustment - Feast of the

Holy Family December 29, 2019

Treasures of the Church is a ministry of evangelization of the Catholic Church. Run by Fr. Carlos Martins of the

Companions of the Cross, its purpose is to give people an experience of the living God through an encounter with the relics of his saints in the form of an exposition. Each expo-

sition begins with a multi-media presentation on the Church’s use of relics that is scriptural, catechetical, and devotional, leading to a renewal of the Catholic faith for

many people. After the teaching those in attendance have an opportunity to venerate the relics of some of their

favorite saints.

Sunday - December 15 2:00 pm Mary Queen Church 606 Cedarwood Dr.

Friendswood, Texas 77546 (281) 482-1391

PAGINA 6 I DOMINGO DE ADVIENTO, CICLO A 1 DE DICIEMBRE DEL 2019

ESTAD EN VELA

PARA ESTAR PREPARADOS

San Mateo 24,37-44. Una Visita Inesperada.- El pr imer domingo de Adviento, con el que iniciamos este año litúrgico, tiene un tono muy semejante a los domingos finales del año litúrgico anterior. Hemos terminado el año anterior en el tono expectante del retorno de Cristo, que es como el punto culminante de toda la obra de la redención. Iniciamos el año en la misma clave, es decir, recordando que Cristo viene. Hubo un tiempo en que era bastante común recor-dar el Juicio Final en la predicación católica ordinaria. Quizá inclu-so se hacía demasiado énfasis en las descripciones pormenorizadas de las circunstancias y consecuencias de ese momento en que la Historia humana quedaría sancionada una vez y para siempre ante los ojos de Cristo Juez. Trazas de este estilo de predicación y de ambiente han quedado inmortalizadas en obras de arte como la Ca-pilla Sixtina. Luego, en cambio, nos hemos ido un poco al otro ex-tremo. Se pretende presentas a la Iglesia como una institución que vale sólo en cuanto cumple con una cierta función humanitaria. Se-gún este modelo de "Iglesia - ONG" los predicadores no tendrían autoridad para asegurar nada más allá del hecho desnudo de la muerte. Eso en cuanto a la vida personal. Y en cuanto a la vida de la sociedad, pues… se da por descontado que nadie tiene nada que decir, porque lo presupuesto es que el mundo será completa y sola-mente lo que hagamos de él. Curiosamente, ese modo de pensar que excluye de entrada cualquier ingerencia externa o extramundana sobre la Historia de los hombres estaba ya presupuestado por Cristo, según leemos en el evangelio de este domingo. Cristo no presenta los acontecimientos propios de esos días finales como algo que su-ceda bajo el control o en los límites de la comprensión ordinaria de las personas. Si a alguien le parece que eso no puede suceder su misma incredulidad es parte de lo que Cristo dice que sí va a suce-der. La visita, la visita final, será siempre inesperada. No hay Miedo para el que Vigila.- Una de las razones por las que cayó en desuso la predicación católica sobre el Juicio Final es porque tendía demasiado a evangelizar a base de miedo. Estudios bíblicos juiciosos muestran que la intención fundamental de esta predicación escatológica de Cristo no fue causar miedo sino invitar a la vigilancia. El sentido no es: "¡Preocúpate!" sino: "Mira cómo hay que obrar para que no tengas que preocuparte." Lo fundamental y lo que él repite es: "¡Estén preparados!" Los ejemplos que da, como aquello del tiempo de Noé, aluden a lo que sucede cuando uno no se prepara. Pero los versículos que siguen al pasaje que hemos oído muestran bien que Cristo no estaba haciendo terrorismo psico-lógico o pescando conversiones a base de miedo. En esos versículos siguientes habla de todo lo bueno que sucederá al criado que perma-nece atento y vigilante, mostrando así lo que quiere para nosotros. "De las Espadas Forjarán Arados…".- La primera lectura había acentuado aún más ese tono positivo con el que vamos iniciando este Adviento. Lo más notable tal vez es esa hermosa visión de paz con que Isaías nos invita a lanzarnos con empeño hacia el futuro. Desde la certeza de la fe, el profeta Isaías describe maravillas: "De las espadas forjarán arados y de las lanzas, podadera; ya no alzará la espada pueblo contra pueblo, ya no se adiestrarán para la guerra." ¿Cómo no anhelar esa imagen preciosa en tiempos turbulentos como los que nos ha correspondido vivir? Notemos de inmediato, sin em-bargo, que esa paz no existe como en abstracto; no es un ideal que

se sostenga solo: va unido a la idea de una peregrinación cosmopoli-ta hacia Jerusalén, como lugar de la luz, de la ley y de la Palabra del Señor. Que la paz la anhelamos, está claro; que estemos ya conven-cidos de que queremos recibir esa paz como Dios nos la quiere dar, es lo que no parece tan claro. Isaías habla de paz peor también habla de acercarnos a la luz del Señor, oír su voz, obedecer su ley. Una buena pregunta al inicio del Adviento es: queremos el fin que Dios promete, que es la paz; ¿queremos igualmente los medios que el nos indica para alcanzarla? Vestidos de las Armas de la Luz.- La segunda lectura de hoy, por su parte, nos invita a desechar las tinieblas y vestirnos de las armas de la luz. Por cierto, hay una curiosidad histórica propia de ese texto, tomado de la Carta los Romanos. Cuando san Agustín, iniciado ya su proceso de conversión se resolvió a volver a tomar en sus manos la Sagrada Escritura, guiado en esto por una experiencia sobrenatural que él mismo cuenta en sus Confesiones (XII, 29), el primer pasaje de la Biblia que leyó, abriendo al azar fue el que hemos oído también nosotros hoy. Ese incidente resultó decisivo porque su alma, preparada por la predicación de san Am-brosio sintió como un rayo de luz que le penetraba y de allí en ade-lante siguió con paso firme su conversión hacia el bautismo cris-tiano. También nosotros somos llamados a conversión en todo tiem-po pero singularmente en el Adviento y la Cuaresma. En Cuaresma para celebrar con dignidad y buen fruto el misterio central de nues-tra fe; en Adviento, como ahora, para acoger las gracias propias de la visita de Cristo, mirando tanto a su retorno al final de los tiempos como a su compasión infinita en la Encarnación y Nacimiento. El Adviento, pues, nuestro adviento, sólo puede ser visto como un ca-minar hacia la luz. Para muchos de nosotros puede ser un camino largo, pero será más corto si lo empezamos hoy mismo.

P. Nelson Medina F., O.P

“VA M O S A L E G R E S A L A C A S A D E L S E Ñ O R ”

LECTURAS DE LA SEMANA Lunes: Is 4:2-6; Sal 122 (121):1-9; Mt 8:5-11 Martes: Is 11:1-10; Sal 72 (71):1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; Lc 10:21-24 Miércoles: Is 25:6-10a; Sal 23 (22):1-6; Mt 15:29-37 Jueves: Is 26:1-6; Sal 118 (117):1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a; Mt 7:21, 24-27 Viernes: Is 29:17-24; Sal 27 (26):1, 4, 13-14; Mt 9:27-31 Sábado: Is 30:19-21, 23-26; Sal 147 (146):1-6; Mt 9:35 — 10:1 Domingo: Is 11:1-10; Sal 72 (71):1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; Rom 15:4-9; Mt 3:1-12

PAGINA 7 1 DE DICIEMBRE DEL 2019

Actividades de la Comunidad Hispana