SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2016

The Reverend Myles P. Murphy, S.T.L. ,Pastor The Reverend Teodoro Cortezano, Parochial Vicar

The Reverend Roshan Sovis, Parochial Vicar The Reverend Edward Owusu-Ansah, In Residence

Deacon David Ciorciari, Weekday Assistant

OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH OFFICE Monday-Friday: 8:30am-5:00pm

ST. ANDREW’S PARISH OFFICE Monday-Friday: 9:00am-5:00pm

OUR LADY OF VICTORY MASSES

Saturday (Fulfills Sunday Obligation): 5:15pm Sunday: 7:30, 10:00am, 12:15pm Mon. - Fri.: 7:15, 8:00am 12:15, 1:05 (lower Chapel), 5:15pm Saturday & Holidays: 12:15pm Holy Day Vigil: 4:40, 5:15pm Holy Days: 7:10, 7:40, 8:10, 8:40,11:40am 12:10, 12:40, 1:10, 1:40, 4:40, & 5:15pm

CONFESSIONS Mon. - Fri.: 8:00-8:30am, 12:45-1:30pm, 5:00-5:30pm

Sat.: 4:50-5:15pm

DEVOTIONS SERVICES: Each day at 12:45pm Monday: Miraculous Medal Tuesday: St. Anthony Wednesday: St. Jude Thursday: The Holy Spirit Friday: The Rosary Saturday: The Rosary 1st Friday: Sacred Heart Novena Fridays of Lent: Stations of the Cross

ALL DEVOTIONS FOLLOWED BY: Exposition & Benediction of the Most Blessed

Sacrament until 5:00pm.

BAPTISMS Sundays 1:00pm

ST. ANDREW’S MASSES

Sunday: 12:10pm, 5:10pm Monday - Friday: 12:10pm, 1:10pm

CONFESSIONS 15 minutes after each Mass

DEVOTIONS Rosary and Novenas after 12:10 weekday Mass

PARISH ACTIVITIES Monday: 5:45pm – Legion of Mary (Our Lady of Victory) 4th Friday: 5:45pm – Patrician Catholic Discussion Group (Our Lady of Victory) As Announced: FiDi Catholic Young Adults

Church of Our Lady of Victory 60 William Street

PH: 212-422-5535, FAX: 212-785-4457

Church of Saint Andrew 20 Cardinal Hayes Place

PH: 212-962-3972

The Catholic Faith Community of

Our Lady of Victory and the

Church of St. Andrew

Website: www.olvsta.org

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — You will be given this sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Em-manuel (Isaiah 7:10-14). Psalm — Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory (Psalm 24). Second Reading — God has called us to belong to Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1-7). Gospel — The son born of Mary shall be called Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. He shall be Emmanuel, “God is with us” (Matthew 1:18-24).

The English translation of the Psalm Responses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION By now, the first Christmas carols are heard in the home, but usually not yet in church. What is a “carol” anyway? Originally, a carol was any kind of communal song sung at a festival such as a harvest. By the thirteenth century or so, carols were associated with household celebrations. “Carol” comes from the Old French carula, meaning a circular dance. Carols weren’t for church, since the language of liturgy was Latin and the carols were in the common language. Their character-istic sound comes from medieval chord patterns, and they often have strong refrains for everyone to sing. Even in the churches of the Reformation, carols didn’t make it into church services until the 1870s or so, since there was a preference for psalms. Anglicans resisted popular carols; most of our beloved carols came via the Methodists, an offshoot of the Church of England. The Catholic Church generally didn’t admit carols to liturgy either, but we didn’t make laws

against them. We are told that the beloved carol “Silent Night” comes from Catho-lic Austria and a harried parish music director. Joseph Mohr, the priest of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, had written the words in 1816, but offered them to his music director, Franz Gruber, when the church’s organ broke. Mohr asked him to write a melody that could be played on guitar as a prelude to Mass. Gruber

finished the tune just hours before midnight Mass in 1818. The people were shocked to hear a guitar in church, but were charmed by the sweet lullaby. The church was swept away by a flood in the 1990s and the village later relocated, but the townspeople have set up the “Silent Night Memorial Chapel” at the site. Today the carol is in print in some three hundred languages. How wonderful that the pipe organ broke on that night! —Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25 Tuesday: Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-4ab, 5-6; Lk 1:26-38 Wednesday: Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Lk 1:39-45 Thursday: 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Friday: Mal 3:1-4, 23-34; Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-10, 14; Lk 1:57-66 Saturday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Lk 1:67-79 Sunday: Vigil: Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 [18-25] Night: Is 9:1-6; Ps 96:1-3, 11-13; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14 Dawn: Is 62:11-12; Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2:15-20 Day: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1-6; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 [1-5, 9-14]

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT—December 18, 2016, Year A

SUMMONED BY GOD As Christmas draws near, Advent’s scriptures lure us into a world of dreams, signs, won-ders, and the miracle of the virgin birth. Too often we allow the great stories of our faith, the ones that are most familiar, simply to wash over us. Today’s Gospel account of the events leading up to the birth of the Lord reads like a present-day soap opera. Yet Joseph’s courage, even in the midst of what must have been an incredibly confusing time, provides a model for us. Each week, we are summoned by God to embrace the way of goodness and truth through the proclamation of God’s holy word. Like Joseph, we are called to do as the Lord commands us. As we stand at the threshold of Christmas, let us have the courage to be open to whatever it is that the Lord will require of us as we celebrate the miracle of Bethlehem.

Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.

GETTING EVEN The only ones you should try to get even with are those who have helped you. —Anonymous

Rev. Joseph Mohr

The original guitar

SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES

Sunday: Fourth Sunday of Advent Tuesday: St. Peter Canisius; Winter Solstice Thursday: St. John of Kanty Friday: The Vigil of Christmas Saturday: The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Live Advent Well Tuesday Night

Advent Meditations at Our Lady of Victory!

Each Tuesday Night during the Advent Season Coming up: Tues. Dec. 13, and Tues. Dec. 20,

Our Lady of Victory Parish in New York will be hosting Meditations on the Four Great Advent

Figures: St. John the Baptist, the Prophet Isaiah, St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother.

The Meditations will take place from 5:45-6:15 and will be preached by Fr. Roger Landry

of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN. All are invited.

Come make this the best Advent

of your life!

SUNDAY CONFESSIONS DURING ADVENT

For parishioners to more easily access the Sacrament of Confession, the sacrament will be available 15 minutes before the 10 am and 12:15

pm Masses on Sunday. That’s at 9:45 and 12 Noon.

This week’s meditation will be on

The Blessed Virgin Mary!

THE LOOK OF LOVE What does love look like?

It has feet to go to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want.

It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of others.

—St. Augustine

THIS WEEK

Altar Bread and Wine Intentions

at Our Lady of Victory: For The Intentions of Theodore Gregoris

at St. Andrew: In Loving Memory of

Filomena & Valentino Sorrento

NEW DOORS AT OUR LADY OF VICTORY Three sets of new glass doors were installed at en-trance to the church plant and the church itself. Upon my arrival, several people mentioned to me something that I had already become aware of, namely, the Church looked like it was closed most of the day. This was primarily due to what had been the main entrance always being dark and closed. With these new doors, people will hopefully realize that our Church is open as it is from 6:45 am to 6:00 pm. Monday-Friday and visit more often. I hope you like them. And doesn’t the new bell system sound great? — Fr. Murphy

MUSIC AT SAINT ANDREW We are happy to inform you that Miss Cynthia Weinrich will be returning to Saint Andrew to play the organ and sing for the 11:00 am. Mass on Christmas Day, 12/25, and the 12:10 Masses on The Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, 1/1/17, and the Solemnity of the Epiphany, 1/8/17.

Prayer for the Advent Wreath Lord, our God, we praise You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, for He is Emmanuel, the Hope of all people. He is the Wisdom that teaches and guides us. He is the Savior of us all. O Lord, let your blessing come upon us as we light all candles of this wreath. May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ's promise of salvation. May He come quickly and not delay. We ask this in His holy name. Amen.

MASS INTENTIONS

OUR LADY OF VICTORY

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 7:30 am: Jin Zhu Zhang

10:00 am: Jin Zhu Zhang 12:15 pm: Eddie LaMarca

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19 7:15 am: Jin Zhu Zhang 10:00 am: Jin Zhu Zhang 12:15 pm: Jin Zhu Zhang 1:05 pm: Rose D’Amato 5:15 pm: Herbert McAloon

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20 7:15 am: Jin Zhu Zhang 8:00 am: Jin Zhu Zhang 12:15 pm: Kent Knudson 1:05 pm: John Donohue 5:15 pm: Rose D’Amato

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21 7:15 am: Jin Zhu Zhang 8:00 am: Nour Sami 12:15 pm: Deceased Members of the Coglitore Family 1:05 pm: Lawrence Keith Braswell 5:15 pm: Patiricia & Dennis Brannick (L)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22 7:15 am: Florence Jockech 8:00 am: Anthony & Regina D’Alessandro 12:15 pm: Jin Zhu Zhang 1:05 pm: Peter Frattini 5:15 pm: Jin Zhu Zhang

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23 7:15 am: Jin Zhu Zhang 8:00 am: Jin Zhu Zhang 12:15 pm: Jin Zhu Zhang 1:05 pm: Jin Zhu Zhang 5:15 pm: Jin Zhu Zhang

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24 12:15 pm: Adolphe Mussche Jr. 5:15 pm: Russell Francis Lawler (L) 9:15 pm: Thomas R. Moore MERRY CHRISTMAS! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25 10:00 am: Christmas Novena 12:15 pm: Francis Bungart

ST. ANDREW CHURCH 12:10 pm: Pauline Cammorato 5:10 pm: Marianne T. Bogunovich

12:10 pm: Healing for Celese Roa 1: 10 pm: Marianne T. Bogunovich

12:10 pm: Wendy Killen 1:10 pm: Edna Barcene

12:10 pm: Clement McCoy 1:10pm: Rafael & Victoria Suntay 12:10 pm: Marianne T. Bogunovich 1:10pm: Marianne T. Bogunovich 12:10 pm: Marianne T. Bogunovich 1:10pm: Lucia Saraceni D’Angelo No Saturday Mass at St. Andrew’s location

11:00 am: Rocco M. Thompson

‘TIS THE SEASON — TO LAUGH! “Thanks for the electric guitar you gave me for Christmas," little Chris Cody said to his uncle the first time he saw him after the holidays. "It's the best present I ever got." "That's great," said his uncle. "Do you know how to play it?" "Oh, I don't play it," the little fellow said. "My mom gives me a dollar a day not to play it during the day and my dad gives me five dollars a week not to play it at night.”

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE 2016

Christmas Eve , Saturday, December 24th

Saturday Daily Mass: 12:15 PM

Christmas Eve (Masses for the Vigil of Christmas):

5:15 pm with Our Canoni Chorale and . . .

9:15 PM Solemn High Mass of Christmas (with the Schola Cantorum Choir & Horn)

Confessions: 11:45 to 12:15 & 4:45 to 5 PM

Christmas Day –– Sunday, December 25th

10:00 AM Mass with Organ & Cantor

THE CHRISTMAS DAY MASS AT ST ANDREW ( 20 CARDINAL HAYES PLACE) WILL BE AT 11 AM

12 Noon High Mass with Schola Cantorum Choir

No Evening Masses +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, January 1st

New Years Eve , Saturday, December 31

12:15 PM Saturday Daily Mass

Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God:

5:15 PM with our Canoni Chorale

Confessions: 11:45––12:15 PM, 4:45—5:15 PM.

New Years Day: Mary, Mother of God Sunday, January 1st

7:30 AM Mass

10:00 AM Mass with Organist & Cantor

12:15 PM High Mass with Schola Cantorum Choir

Wishing All Our Friends Throughout the Tri-State Area a Wonderful Christmas Season

Father Myles P. Murphy S.T.L., Pastor