St. Barnabas Catholic Church December 21, 2014 — Fourth Sunday of Advent

Rev. Fr. Bryan W. Jerabek, J.C.L., Parish Administrator

Sunday Mass

6:00PM Saturday Vigil

10:00AM Sunday

Daily Mass

8:30AM Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri

7:00PM Wed (with novena)

8:30AM First Saturday

Eucharistic Adoration

7-8:00AM Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri

Confession

7-7:45AM Tuesday

12-12:45PM & 5-5:45PM Saturday

and upon request

7921 First Avenue North

Birmingham, Alabama 35206 http://barnabascatholic.com

church@barnabascatholic.com

205-833-0334

Rev. Msgr. Eugene O’Connor, Pastor Emeritus (in residence)

Ms. Alice Carter, Secretary

Mr. David Renda, Pastoral Care

Mr. Steve O’Donnell, Maintenance

Ms. Sandra Hudecz, Housekeeper

Mr. Tim Tipton & Mr. Isaac Johnson, Organists

St. Barnabas Catholic School (K4-8) 205-836-5385 – Mr. John Parker, Principal

Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 21, 2014 – Nothing shall be impossible for God.

Parish Mass Intentions

Saturday 12/20 Sacred Heart of Jesus* Sunday 12/21 People of the Parishes Monday 12/22 Int. of Jesus, Mary & Joseph*

Tuesday 12/23 Betsy Veigl+ Wednesday 12/24 Melissa Johnson+ Thursday 12/25 People of the Parishes Friday 12/26 None scheduled Saturday 12/27 None scheduled

* Mass Intention transferred from Our Lady of Sorrows

Msgr. O’Connor’s Mass Intentions

Saturday 12/20 Mike Gormley+ Sunday 12/21 Frances Ross+ Monday 12/22 Betsy Veigl+ Tuesday 12/23 Amalia Aranda+ Wednesday 12/24 Josephine Chwalek+ Thursday 12/25 Sebastian & Miriam Anderson

Friday 12/26 Aurther Jenkins

Saturday 12/27 Special Intention (A.B.)

Sanctuary Lamp – December 15—28

For Rosemary Gagliano by David Renda.

Offertory Collection – December 13/14, 2014

Regular Offertory $ 2,913.00 Maintenance Fund $ 580.00 Benevolent Fund $ 35.00 Beacons of Hope $ 45.00

Vocation Crucifix Apostolate

The crucifix and prayer will be passed from the Mr. & Mrs. Bill Martin to Msgr. O’Connor on Saturday and from Mike Renda to Mr. & Mrs. John Schaefers on Sunday. Please keep the crucifix and prayer for two weeks.

Pray for the Sick

Please remember in your prayers: Joyce Martin, Sam Pilato, Leslie Walters, seminarian Jim Handerhan, Frances Humphrey, Mary & Audrey Benson (Ireland), Chris Fine, Annie Rumore, Cesarea Villanueva, and all those listed in our Long Term Care Book. You are welcome to add names to this book, which is located by the St. Joseph statue in the church. To add names to this bulletin list, please call the office.

Parish School of Religion & Apologetics Course

Classes are on Sundays, 8:30 – 9:45am. Classes will not meet during the holidays, and will resume on Sunday, January 4, 2015.

RCIA – Instruction in the Catholic Faith

Class will resume after the New Year.

Msgr. O’Connor’s Bible Study

Class will resume after the New Year.

Grant Eternal Rest, O Lord

We extend sympathy and prayers to Cathi Sullivan and Family on the death of her aunt, Laura Poole. We also offer condolences to the family and friends of Father Jeffrie Reynolds. A Memorial Mass for Fr. Reynolds will be announced later.

THANK YOU! Pantry Christmas Gifts

Thank you to those who purchased gifts for the children of our Food Pantry! Over forty families benefited from your generosity. There were enough gifts to meet our entire need.

NEW! Church Cleaning for Christmas

There will be a general cleaning of the church on Monday, December 22 immediately after morning Mass. Volunteers are needed and encouraged to come out and help.

REMINDER! Christmas Confessions

Be sure to take advantage of our new parish Confession schedule in order to prepare yourself for a holy Christmas and New Year. On Tuesdays 7:00-7:45am & Saturdays 12:00-12:45pm Fr. Jerabek is available, and on Saturdays 5:00-5:45pm both Fr. Jerabek and Msgr. O’Connor are available. You are also welcome to make an appointment with either priest – just call, or speak with him after Mass. Examination of Conscience leaflets are on the window sills and in the pamphlet rack near the front doors.

NEW! Operation Warmup

As in years past, we will be collecting sweaters, coats, hats, gloves and other warm, clean, and usable clothing for area shelters. We can also accept blankets and throws. Please leave your items in the church basement or in the garage. We will meet after Mass on Sunday, January 11 to sort and deliver to the shelters.

2015 Offering Envelopes

Several boxes of envelopes remain on the table in the back – please be sure to check for yours!

Christmas Flowers Envelopes/Trio of Masses

Leave your envelope in the collection or in the office by December 22 in order to have the names listed in the bulletin and remembered in the three special Masses. Please write legibly! FOOD PANTRY Pantry closed 12/24 & 12/31 ALTAR/CHURCH M. Hampton & M.J. Romano SACRED LINENS Margo Lemonis

CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR SCHEDULES HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION

Plan ahead so that you can fulfill your religious obligations! Missing Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation is objectively a mortal sin (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2181), requiring sacramental confession to be forgiven.

Wednesday-Thursday, December 24-25 Christmas: The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Masses at St. Barnabas: 5:00pm Xmas Eve Family Mass (4:30pm Carols) 8:30pm Xmas Eve Spanish Mass 10:00am Xmas Day Mass

Mass at Holy Rosary: 8:30am Xmas Day Mass

Wednesday-Thursday, December 31-January 1 Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Masses at St. Barnabas: 6:00pm New Year’s Eve 7:00am & 8:30am New Year’s Day

Mass at Holy Rosary: 8:30am New Year’s Day

Scripture Readings for Next Sunday – 12/28

1st Reading: Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3 Responsorial: Psalm 105:1-9 2nd Reading: Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19 Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

Father Jerabek Time Off

From Christmas Day until New Year’s Day, apart from regularly-scheduled Masses/confessions & emergencies, Fr. Jerabek will be unavailable. Please never hesitate to call for a sacramental emergency.

Church Office Closure

The church office will be closed on December 25 and 26 and on January 1.

Our Wonderful Catholic Faith

The “O Antiphons”

With the arrival of December 17 we enter into what is known as the second part of Advent. We have a different Preface for the daily Masses during this time (the Preface is the prayer before the Eucharistic prayer that begins with the words, “It is truly right and just...”). We also have a special set of Antiphons, recited during the prayer of Vespers in the Liturgy of the Hours, and also used as the Alleluia verse for the Gospel at Masses during this period. These antiphons are traditionally known as the “O Antiphons”, because each verses starts with the vocative “O”.

Here following is an article from Catholic Online (http://www.catholic.org/clife/advent/advent.php?id=7) which explains in greater detail this interesting Advent liturgical feature.

* * *

There are seven short verses sung before the Magnificat during Evening Prayer of the Church on the seven days before the vigil of Christmas. They each begin with the exclamation "O". Each of them ends with a plea for the Messiah to come. As Christmas approaches the cry becomes more urgent.

The antiphons were composed in the seventh or eighth century when monks put together texts from the Old Testament which looked forward to the coming of our salvation. They form a rich mosaic of scriptural images. These seven verses, or antiphons as they are called, appear to be the originals, though from time to time other texts were used. They became very popular in the Middle Ages. While the monastic choirs sang the antiphons the great bells of the church were rung.

A curious feature of these antiphons is that the first letter of each invocation may be taken from the Latin to form an acrostic in reverse. So the first letters of Sapientia, Adonai, Radix, Clavis, Oriens, Rex, and Emmanuel, provide the Latin words: ERO CRAS. The Latin phrase spells out the response of Christ himself to the heartfelt prayer of his people: "Tomorrow I will be there".

Why not join with the prayer of the Church each evening and reflect on these words preparing for Christmas day by day:

December 17 – “O Sapientia” (O Wisdom) O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High. You fill the universe and hold all things together in a strong yet gentle manner. O come to teach us the way of truth.

December 18 – “O Adonai” (O Lord) O Lord and leader of Israel, you appeared to Moses in a burning bush and you gave him the Law on Sinai. O come and save us with your mighty power.

December 19 – “O Radix Jesse” (O Root of Jesse) O Root of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent before you whom the peoples acclaim. O come to deliver us, and do not delay.

December 20 – “O Clavis David” (O Key of David) O Key of David and scepter of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close no one can open. O come to lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

December 21 – “O Oriens” (O Rising Sun) O Rising Sun, you are the splendor of eternal light and the sun of justice. O come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

December 22 – “O Rex Gentium” (O King of the Nations) O King whom all the peoples desire, you are the cornerstone which makes all one. O come and save man whom you made from clay.

December 23 – “O Emmanuel” (O Emmanuel) O Emmanuel, you are our king and judge, the One whom the peoples await and their Savior. O come and save us, Lord, our God.

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Do these verses seem familiar? They should; they make up the strophes, albeit in slightly different translation and order, of the hymn that we’ve sung on each Sunday of Advent this year: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”!

— Father Jerabek

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

from the Priests and Staff of

St. Barnabas Church and School!