HOLY FAMILYDECEMBER 29, 2019

Can you believe we are just a few days away from the year 2020? It seems like yesterday we were all in a tizzy when we left 1999 to move into 2000. Twenty years have flown by! Now it is time to imagine what the next twenty years will look like. Looking back over this past year, I celebrated my 25th anniversary of priesthood in May, moved to Saint Olaf July first and will be turning 60 on Sunday, December 29. These are major milestones in my life and I can be thankful for everything in my life. My first years at St. Olaf taught me to be who I am today as I journeyed to Our Lady of Peace in South Minneapolis to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Saint Paul and to Divine Mercy in Faribault. As we enter a new year, I am thankful for the blessings received and look forward to the blessings yet to come.

We celebrate Mary, Mother of God on Wednesday. This is a Holy Day of Obligation yet because of New Year’s we have shortened our Mass schedule and will have a Mass on Tuesday the 31 at 5:15 pm and on January 1 at 10:00 am and 12:00 Noon. Please join us as we ask our Mary, our Mother to bless us and watch over us in the New Year.

Our Christmas Season in the Catholic Church lasts until Sunday, January 12, the Baptism of the Lord. You will notice that we will keep our trees up and lit, Christmas Carols sung and the

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Our Christmas season is well underway and you can feel the joy that comes this time of year. The Holy Family is an example to us of God’s faithfulness and our call to follow where God leads. Joseph and Mary had probably planned to have a happy life together after following the prescribed law of committing themselves to one another and then six months to a year later, moving in together. God’s plan was different. After the angel appeared to Mary who said “Yes” to the Lord’s call, and then to Joseph who had planned to quietly divorce Mary, agreed to take her in. Their lives became different because they trusted in what the Lord had in mind for them. When we trust in what the Lord has in mind for us, our lives are no longer our own but belong to God and we live in wonder and awe of what might be next.

What if we as a family trusted that the Lord knew what was best for us? What would that look like? How would we be living? Would it be different from how we are living today? God fills us with the Holy Spirit and waits upon our acknowledgement and openness to trust in the Spirit. Living life in a way that God directs us, frees to be who we are and love and respect one another. May this New Year ahead bring us to an awareness in our lives of what direction God is leading us and may we be open to that direction through the discernment in the Spirit of God.

joy of the season coming forth from each of us. Keep celebrating the twelve days of Christmas; they are filled with wonder and awe.

May God bless you and keep you in the New Year. May God’s love shine upon you and your family. We, the priests and staff at Saint Olaf, are grateful for you and love serving you throughout the year. Keep us in prayer, as we will you and your family. Merry Christmastime and a Blessed New Year!

ST. OLAF CATHOLIC CHURCH • MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA • 612-332-7471 • WWW.SAINTOLAF.ORG

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By Fr. Kevin Kenney

Feast of the Holy Family

READINGS FOR SUNDAY MASSDec.29: Sir 3:2-6; Ps 128; Col 3:12-17; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23 Jan. 5: Is 60:1-6; Ps 72; Eph 3:2-3A, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12

SHHH… A BIRTHDAY PARTY IS BEING PLANNED FOR FR. KEVIN KENNEY’S BIRTHDAYIt’ll take place on Saturday, December 28th starting at 6:00 PM in Fleming Hall. All are invited. Let’s try to keep it a surprise for Fr. Kevin. Mark your calendars.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL GIVING TREE DRIVE THIS YEAR The very generous response and care provided great support for the St. Olaf Holiday Open House, the dinner/party for Exodus residents, and many other needs for Samaritan Ministry guests. Fighting the cold temps with warm coats and other winter gear, the warm hearts that came with the contributions mark this effort as a “living sign of Christ’s saving presence in the heart of the city.”

DISCOVER GREECE: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PAUL THE APOSTLE You are invited to a special travel presentation on January 9th. Join us at Saint Olaf at 6pm to hear more about the 11 day trip. Which includes a 3-night Greek Islands and Turkey cruise. The trip will be November 4-14, 2020 cost is now $3,799.00 double occupancy. If interested brochures will be available. Please contact Fr. Kevin Kenney for more information.

“RISE HEART!” 20TH CENTURY SACRED BRITISH MUSIC FOR CHOIR AND ORGANJoin us on Saturday, January 11th at 7:30pm, to hear music performed by PopUp choir, that celebrates the glorious repertoire for choir and organ produced in the United Kingdom during the 20th century. Its theme is the opening line of “Easter”, the first of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Five Mystical Songs”. $20 for Adults; $5 for Students (with valid ID).

MASSES ADDED FOR THE ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS SEASONS We have decided to enhance the Advent and Christmas Season at our parish community by offering a 5:15pm Mass on Tuesday and Thursday till January 12. The Christmas Season ends with the Baptism of the Lord which will be celebrated January 12. It is our hope that many will take advantage of these Masses to make this a time of reflecting upon God’s graces. We will evaluate these masses at the end of the Christmas Season to determine whether we do this during the Lent and Easter Seasons as well, so your feedback would be appreciated.

FREE PARKING AT SAINT OLAF Saint Olaf surface parking lot on 8th St and 3rd Ave. Minneapolis Club Ramp – across us on8th Street. Saint Olaf has entered into an agreement with the Minneapolis Club for parking on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holy Days during Mass times.10th Street surface lots and 2nd Ave. Saint Olaf has been extended a gift of free parking, but it is ONLY for the 10th St. and 2nd Ave. section of this lot and ONLY for weekend Mass. You must display a “St. Olaf” card on your dashboard. Cards are available at the Forliti Foyer Reception desk or from the ushers.121 Tower Ramp – across 2nd Ave. from church. To exit the ramp without paying, you must have a voucher. Vouchers are available at the Forliti Foyer Reception desk or from the ushers.

CONTRIBUTIONS ACTUAL BUDGET DIFFERENCE

December 9-15 $24,741 $47,000 -$22,259

YTD through Week #24 $491,420 $618.798 -$127,378

Annual Renewal Week 6

$487,552 pledged

252 repondents

23.25% of parish

ANNUAL BUDGET AS OF WEEK #24

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EVENTS AND OTHER INFORMATIONAdditional Information at www.saintolaf.org/events

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULEAdditional Information at www.saintolaf.org

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28 9:00 AM CENTERING PRAYER12:00 PM MASS/CONFESSIONS12:30 PM ROSARY 2:00 PM AFRICAN CHOIR REHEARSAL

4:00 PM MASS 6:00 PM FR. KEVIN’S 60TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

HOLY FAMILY, DECEMBER 29 6:00 AM MASS 8:00 AM MASS10:00 AM MASS12:00 PM MASS 4:00 PM MASSMONDAY, DECEMBER 30 7:00 AM SAMARITAN MINISTRY HOSPITALITY 12:00 PM MASS12:00 PM AA TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31 7:00 AM MASS/CONFESSIONS12:00 PM MASS/CONFESSIONS 5:15 PM HOLY DAY VIGIL MASS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020MARY, MOTHER OF GODHOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION10:00 AM HOLY DAY MASS12:00 PM MASS (NO CONFESSIONS.) BUILDING WILL CLOSE AFTER 12:00 PM MASS.THURSDAY, JANUARY 2 7:00 AM MASS/CONFESSIONS12:00 PM MASS/CONFESSIONS 5:15PM MASS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3OFFICE CLOSED ON FRIDAYS 7:00 AM MASS/CONFESSIONS10:00 AM KNITTING CLUB12:00 PM MASS12:30 PM ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT SATURDAY, JANUARY 4 9:00 AM CENTERING PRAYER12:00 PM MASS/CONFESSIONS12:30 PM ROSARY 2:00 PM AFRICAN CHOIR REHEARSAL 4:00 PM MASS