24252 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637 (949) 837-1090; FAX (949) 837-9510; www.st-nicholaschurch.org

School of Religious Education: (949) 837-7676

Our Parish Mission Statement St. Nicholas Parish is a Catholic community, celebrating our faith

through the Sacraments, Liturgy, Prayer and Service. We strive to nurture family life and to create one body out of many in the Lord.

We share the Good News with people of all ages, cultures and faith backgrounds.

BAPTISM Fourth Sunday of the month at 2:00PM. Arrangements must be made a month in advance. Parents must attend two preparation sessions.

MARRIAGE Arrangements must begin at least six months in advance with a priest of the parish.

ANOINTING OF THE SICK Call Parish Office in an emergency. Special Service celebrated in fall/spring as announced.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS At the death of a family member, please call the Parish Office at your earliest convenience to plan for the Mass of Christian Burial.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION DAY 24-hour adoration begins the second Wednesday of the month at the 9:00AM Mass.

DEVOTIONS & BENEDICTION Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM; Vietnamese—2nd Wednesday of the month at 8PM. Recitation of the Holy Rosary and Benediction.

CLERGY

Parish Administrator Rev. George P. Blais Parochial Vicar Rev. Raphael Nguyen Parochial Vicar Rev. Quyen Truong Visiting Priest Rev. Msgr. John Campbell Visiting Priest Rev. Gerald Walker Visiting Priest Rev. Brendan Hankins Deacon Wayne Thompson Deacon Chau Tran Deacon Gerardo De Santos

MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil: 4:00PM, 7:00PM in Spanish Sunday: 7:30AM, 9:00AM, 10:45AM, 12:30PM, and 5:00PM in Vietnamese. Monday through Friday: 7:00AM and 9:00AM Saturday: 9AM

Filipino Mass: 5:30PM, First Saturdays, October-June. Holy Days: 4PM Vigil, 7AM, 9AM, 12PM, 6PM and 7:30PM in Vietnamese

RECONCILIATION (Confession) Saturday: 9:45AM to 10:15AM and 3:00PM to 3:45PM or by appointment.

Parish Office Hours: Sunday: 8:30 AM—1:30 PM Monday through Friday: 9 AM—12 Noon; 1 PM — 4:30 PM; 6 PM - 8 PM

Saturday: 9 AM—12 Noon

St. Nicholas Parish

November 20, 2016 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Stewardship of Treasure

2016 2015 52-Weekly Required Budget

November 6th $29,408.28 $26,866.95 $22,987 Estate Donation $10,000.00 Military Services $ 5,579.72 - - - - - - November 13th $20,854.45 $20,722.65

National Needs Collection THIS WEEKEND — November 19-20

The annual National Needs Collection will be taken up in the Diocese this weekend. This collection combines

three national collections into one. Envelopes for the special collection are provided in the pew racks.

Catholic Campaign for Human Development, mandated by the U.S. Bishops to address the root causes of

poverty in America by funding organizations that help individuals help themselves.

Catholic Communication Campaign, the mission of which is to contribute to the process of evangelization by

fostering activities in relation to television, radio and other media, and through special projects of the Catholic press.

Catholic University of America, provides funding for academic scholarships at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, in response to the commitment made by the bishops at its foundation in 1887. Students are enrolled from all 50 states and almost 100 countries in 12 schools.

We appreciate your generosity.

The Unity Group invites all parishioners to begin Advent with the reverent worship of Eucharistic Adoration. The diverse communities and parish ministries will come together to profess their faith in their different languages. Please join us on Wednesday, November 30 at 7PM in the Church. Light refreshments will be served afterwards.

Through the generosity of St. Nicholas’ donations, the St. Vincent de Paul group has been able to help people in our community who are struggling, lost their financial stability, or need a sign of hope. We have provided rental assistance, utility payments, helped fund an emergency medical procedure and delivered furniture from a parish donor. The bulk of our cases involves rent, this being a high rent area. Losing a job, a marriage dissolution, a health issue, or a simple unexpected expense can easily destabilize many individuals and families in precarious situations. Parishioners’ generosity has made a profound effect on so many. If you feel called to be part of this ministry, call Jean Duffy, 949-770-7002.

The Thanksgiving Collection will be donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

KINGSHIP The book of Samuel recounts for us today the anointing of David as king of Israel. It was the elders of Israel who declared David king that day, but it was God who called David to shepherd Israel. Thus mandated by the citizens of his kingdom and by his God, David took his place in a long line of kings. The apostle Paul speaks to us of kingship as well, but on a much higher plane: the kingship of Jesus our Lord. As great as David was, he and all earthly monarchs who came before and after him in their kingdoms around the world are minor kings by comparison to the true King. And lastly, we hear the story of that true King in perhaps his weakest moment: near death, hanging on a cross, taunted by a common criminal and by the world at large. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

The Hispanic Group is having a Tamale Sale in the Parish Center this weekend,

Saturday, November 19th after the 4PM Mass, and

Sunday, November 20th after all Masses.

November 20, 2016 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Monday: 7AM All Souls 9AM Benilda Stalvy (d) Tuesday: 7AM All Souls 9AM Marie Edna Santangelo (d) Wednesday: 7AM All Souls 9AM Mary and Timothy Pointer—50th Anniversary Thursday: Thanksgiving Day 7 AM No 7AM Mass today 9AM All Souls Friday: 7 AM No 7AM Mass today 9AM Thomas Carcel (d) Saturday: 9AM All Souls 4PM Raymond Gorton (d) 7PM Alvaro Rozo (d) Sunday: 7:30AM For the Parish 9:00AM Vincent Boland, Jr. (d) 10:45AM James D. Kellard (d) 12:30PM Jaer Rodriguez (d)

Parish Calendar This Week

MONDAY Sewing Group, Small Hall, 8AM Spanish RCIA, Room C, 6PM Spanish Rosary, Church, 6:30PM Encuentro Matrimonial Mundial, Rooms B&C, 7PM St. Nicholas Choir, Small Hall, 7:15PM TUESDAY Remembering Church-Advent Invitation, Room C, 7PM St. Nicholas Chorale, Small Hall, 7:15PM WEDNESDAY Charismatic Prayer Group, Room A, 9:45AM St. Vincent de Paul, Room A, 7PM Devotions and Benediction, Church, 7PM Hispanic Choir, Room C, 7PM Filipino Choir, Small Hall, 7PM THURSDAY Thanksgiving Mass at 9AM FRIDAY Divine Mercy, St. Faustina Study, Room C, 1:45PM SATURDAY Spanish Choir, Room C, 5PM SUNDAY Library is open

TODAY’S READINGS

First Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3 David is anointed king of Israel.

Psalm 122: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Second Reading: Colossians 1:12-20 The Father delivered us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.

Gospel: Luke 23:35-43 The repentant criminal receives Jesus’ promise of Paradise.

We Remember

Irene Blaine, Leonard Lawicki and Raymond Delfin

who entered their new and eternal life in Christ. Our Parish condolences are extended

to their families.

Grant to all our dearly departed, eternal rest, O Lord, and may your light shine on them forever.

Confused Catholic? Inactive Catholic? Alienated Catholic? An Advent Invitation...

If you’ve been away from the Church—drifting away from the Church—if you’ve been hurt by the Church—if you’re confused or angry because of your Catholic experience, please consider this invitation to come and talk with us. Perhaps this Christmas can be a time of renewal of hope in your faith journey.

We met last Tuesday, November 15th. We invite you to join us this coming

Tuesday, November 22nd at 7PM in Room C.

If interested, call Gloria: 768-7228

PLEASE NOTE: The School of Religious Education and the Parish Offices will be closed on Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The Priests and Staff at St. Nicholas wish all Parishioners a very Happy Thanksgiving!

November 20, 2016 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

School of Religious Education

Check us out on Facebook!

Bible Study—We will not have Bible Study on Tuesday, Nov. 22nd due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Bible Study will meet at 6pm on the following Tuesdays: 11/29, 12/6, 12/13. We will then resume again in January. (NOTE: If you have missed a Confirmation I or II Class, you may attend a Bible Study to make up for your absence.)

Our next Coffee and Donuts is on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 9:30am to 12:45pm.

Go to the Parish Center (kitchen) and check-in with Betty Farrell.

Teen/Family Choir is looking for singers and musicians. For more information, please call the SRE Office, 837-7676. Teen/Family Mass is on Christmas Eve, December 24 at 4pm. We are looking for volunteers to participate in the Christmas Eve Pageant. Your teachers will be asking you to sign-up. There are NO speaking parts!

Christmas Caroling will be on Sunday, December 18th. Please meet in the parking lot at 12:30pm.

Confirmation II CANDIDATES—if you have not already returned your Candidate information sheet, please bring it to class on Tuesday, November 29th!

Our Angel Tree, which will be located in the transept alcove on the small parking lot side of the Church, will be available for all Masses the weekend of November 26/27. We encourage parishioners to take an angel and purchase a gift for the person listed on the back of the angel. Gifts will be donated to South County Outreach, Obria Medical Clinics (formerly Birth Choice), and other charitable organizations. In order that the gifts may be delivered in time for Christmas, please bring them to the parish office during regular office hours no later than Monday, December 12th. We thank you for your cooperation and generosity!

Elementary Classes will resume next week: Monday—Wednesday, Nov. 28, 29, 30, at 4:15pm.

Junior High Classes will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7pm downstairs in the parish center.

Confirmation II Classes will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7pm upstairs in the parish center.

PLEASE NOTE: Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 24,

and therefore, there will be NO CLASSES (Elementary, 7th & 8th grades and Confirmation) during the week of November 21st. Whether you stay at home or go out of

town to visit family and friends, we pray that you and your loved ones will enjoy this time to come together and give thanks and praise to God! Our parish will celebrate one

Mass on Thursday, November 24th at 9am. What a wonderful way to start the day!

COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON Friday, December 2nd at 11:30AM in the Parish Center

Men and women of the parish are invited to join us for a catered luncheon—$12.00 Donation Reservations required by Monday, November 28th—no tickets sold at the door!

Reservations: Lynn—830-2920 or Myriam—455-9549; Checks payable to: St. Nicholas Council of Catholic Women

SAVE THE DATE The St. Nicholas Council of Catholic Women is having a

Tea Party & Fashion Show Fundraiser Saturday, February 11, 2017 —12PM to 3PM

in the Parish Center with Catering by Del Moses.

PARISH OFFICE STAFF

Parish Liturgical Secretary: Cate Wolski Business Manager: Irma Contreras Receptionist/Records: Karen Falagrady Ministry to Sick & Homebound: Barbara Price Director, Youth Ministry: Gwen Wieser Director, Religious Education: Gwen Wieser SRE Secretary/Admin Assistant: Alfonso Lopez Music Ministry: Emett Loera Plant Supervisor: Steve Burton

SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: (949) 837-7676 VIETNAMESE MINISTRIES: (949) 837-1090, Ext. 116 Sr. Maria Loan Tran, LHC: (949) 837-1090, Ext 137

Library Hours: The library will be open every Sunday, 8:45am to 12:45pm and the last Wednesday of the month, 2pm-4pm.

We are located in Room C—behind the Parish Office. Freebie cart with books, DVDs, rosaries, etc.

November 20, 2016 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Check out our NEW St. Nicholas Website!

A major goal of the 2015 Parish Pastoral Plan is to improve communications within our Parish Community.

Last month we launched our new St. Nicholas website at:

http://www.st-nicholaschurch.org

We encourage parishioners to take advantage of the information contained within the site, in particular, links to the Daily Scriptural Reading and Catholic News topics, the

weekly Parish Bulletins (6 months archive), School of Religious Education Handbooks, descriptions of all our

Ministries, and calendar dates for upcoming Parish Events. We hope to expand our site with more features in the

coming months. In the meantime, we welcome parishioners’ feedback, which can be submitted via the website under the

“About/Contact Us” tab.

Sunday Missals Have Arrived!

If you ordered a Sunday Missal for Cycle A, which begins the First Sunday of Advent, November 27th, they have arrived and you can pick them up in the Parish Office.

If you would still like to purchase a missal, the cost is $5.00

(shipping and handling costs included) and can be picked up in the Parish Office while supplies last!

The Knights of Columbus wish to thank all parishioners who faithfully place food items in the barrels near Church entrances at weekend Masses. Please do not forget to donate your non-perishable food items during this time of the year when so many depend upon our charity. Thank you!

Advent Retreat for Adults “This is what Christmas means: the tremendous love of God!

God showing how important you and I are to Him! He has been thinking of you from eternity!” - Servant of God Sister Ida Peterfy

Sunday, December 11th, 10am – 3pm Mass and lunch are included. Freewill offering greatly appreciated.

Please RSVP by December 5th to 714-557-4538 or sdshretreats@sbcglobal.net

2927 S. Greenville St., Santa Ana, CA 92704 www.sacredheartsisters.com

Saturday, December 3rd —6PM to 10:30PM at the UCI Bren Center, 100 Mesa Road, Irvine

Tickets are $39.00 Are you ready to become a better-version-of-yourself?

How about the best-version-of-yourself? Dynamic Catholic presents Matthew Kelly for a not-so typical

church event—join us and start living every day with passion and purpose!

Information/Tickets: call 859-980-7900 or visit DynamicCatholic.com/Irvine

The Knights of Columbus are hosting a pancake and sausage breakfast after the 7:30am, 9am and 10:45am Masses on Sunday, December 4th. This is a major fund raising event for the Knights of Columbus and your patronage is most appreciated. Come and bring your family and friends!

November 20, 2016 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

The Month of All Souls

We are dedicating Masses during the month of November to the remembrance of our beloved deceased.

Envelopes will be provided around the Church for parishioners to list the names of those they wish to have remembered, and you may include an offering in those envelopes for those November Masses.

Please bring All Souls envelopes to the Parish Office or place them in the weekend Collection basket. Please DO NOT put envelopes in the basket on the altar.

Jubilee Year of Mercy Ends

Today, November 20th the Jubilee Year of Mercy concludes.

We hope that our parishioners will continue the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy that

we have celebrated each month. Your service to others makes a difference in the lives of so

many who are in need of God’s love and mercy.

2nd Annual Catholic Hockey Night at the Honda Center, Anaheim—December 11 at 1PM

Come watch the Ducks take on the Ottawa Senators. Enjoy the game, then stay after the Ducks game and cheer on Santa Margarita Catholic High School and Servite High School as they take to the ice!

Get your tickets at: https://www.NHL.com/ducks/tickets/catholic-night.

Temple Judea and Laguna Country Methodist Church

will hold their annual Thanksgiving Friendship Service

TODAY, Sunday, November 20 at 3PM.

This year, Laguna Country Methodist Church will host this prayerful, patriotic event. A reception will follow.

St. Nicholas Chorale (from the 10:45AM Mass) will participate in this event.

Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for donation to the local food bank.

Laguna Country Methodist Church 24442 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Woods

Lutheran Church of the Cross will hold its annual Thanksgiving Ecumenical Prayer Service this Tuesday, November 22nd at 7PM

For the third year in a row, our own St. Nicholas Parish Choir (from the 9AM Mass)

will participate in this event.

All are invited to attend this service of prayer and music. Light refreshments will be served after the service.

Lutheran Church of the Cross

24231 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods

St. Nicholas Parishioners are invited to two exciting Thanksgiving Services!

Our Pine Trees

In front of our Church on El Toro Road, we have 9 Canary Island Pine Trees that were originally planted after the Church construction was completed in 1965. They were probably in a pot for 10 years prior to that which makes them over 60 years old. You may have noticed that two of them have suddenly turned brown either in the crown or from top to bottom. An arborist has identified these two trees as having been infested by and subsequently killed by the Pine Bark Beetle. This insect, which is the size of a half a grain of rice, is ravaging pine tree species throughout California and unfortunately has now killed

two of ours. The remaining seven pines show no signs of infestation at this time and will be treated with a pheromone to dissuade future infestations and hopefully that will protect them for the foreseeable future. The two dead trees will be removed and the stumps ground within the next 2 weeks and it will take 2 days to complete. The pheromone treatment

will take place after the trees are removed and the remaining seven trees will be pruned after the first of the year once the weather cools. It saddens me to see this happen since they have been here longer than I have and they were sprouted around the time I was born. Please remember to stay clear of the work area when the crew is here for the removal.

Steve, Plant Supervisor