OFFICE of RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

28-47 43 Street, Astoria, NY 11103 Phone: (718) 278-1611

E-mail: religious.ed@stjosephastoria.org

First Sunday of Advent

December 2, 2018 I will raise up for David a just shoot; he shall do what is right and just in the land. — Jeremiah 33:15 *********************************************************************** THE PROMISE OF JUSTICE We are in fairly good company when we ask God for justice. Often enough we hear and agree with the lament of the people of Israel asking God why the wicked prosper. However, when we call out for justice, we usually want someone to get his or her comeuppance. God’s justice is something other than this, of course. God’s justice comprises a wonderful rightness between God and humankind. Today, Jeremiah looks ahead to a time when a just one will sprout from the shorn-off stump of Jesse of the house and family of David. Life was not fair in Jeremiah’s time. Israel’s kings held the promise of God’s fidelity, but it was difficult to see how God’s promise could be realized through them. Nevertheless, Jeremiah lifts his voice and announces that the Promised One will come. Luke’s Gospel echoes that announcement, and Paul is filled with sturdy encouragement. And so Advent begins with a promise. *********************************************************************** READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Is 2:1-5; 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: Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98:1-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38 Sunday: Bar 5:1-9; Ps 126:1-6; Phil 1:4-6, 8-11; Lk 3:1-6 ********************************************************************

Sanctuary Lamp for the week of Dec. 3 –7 will burn in memory of Salvatore Pipia as requested by: His Loving Wife

Bread to be consecrated at Masses during the week of December 3-7 in loving memory of Jose Rivera.

********************************************************************* This Friday, December 7th is First Friday. The Most Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration following the12:00Noon Mass and will conclude at 4:00pm with Benediction.

PRAYER INTENTIONS T S H

Suzanne Rush, Wilson Roberto Fattore, Edna Casaccio Those Who Have Entered into Eternal Life

Lilly Milani, Georgette Marie Fiore, Sheryl Binz, Dorothea Ilchert, Rita Pino, Joseph Scianimanico,

Ana Lisica

Saturday, December 1: Vigil Mass 5:00 Kathleen McCormack, Cecilia Libreras & Roberto Bulla, Carlos Andrade Sunday, December 2: First Sunday of Advent 7:45 Giacomina Vallini 9:00 Sixto Henry Vera, Luigi Zeppetelli 10:30 Cecilia Alvarez& Maria Botero Daisy Espinales Molina (Thanksgiving) 12:00 Filomena Fosco & Alba D’Alleva 7:00 p.m. Lapommeray Family Monday, December 3: St. Francis Xavier 8:00 Pasquale & Romilda Greco 12:00 Giacomina & Ralph Florio Tuesday, December 4: St. John Damascene 8:00 Angelina Spensieri 12:00 Antonio & Maria Grazia DeLuca Wednesday, Decemebr 5: 8:00 Domenick & Grace Ottomanelli, Mario Cvecic, Valerio Forovic 12:00 Sr. Virginia Maguire, Phyllis Smith 7:30pm Argentina O’Connor, Bellen O’Campo & Christopher Nambitsis Thursday, December 6: St. Nicholas 8:00 Mirsana Rusin 12:00 Joan McKenna & Margaret Williams Friday, December 7: St. Ambrose; First Friday 8:00 Edelmiro Colon 12:00 Salvatore Pipia 7:30 Immaculate Conception Vigil Mass Saturday, December 8: The Immaculate Concep on of the Blessed Virgin Mary 9:00 People Of the Parish 12:00 People Of the Parisg 5:00 Salvatore Marino Sunday, December 9: Second Sunday of Advent 7:45 Denis Zorzin 9:00 Angelica & Celeste Bagatta, Lidia Sansalone, Antonio Capriole, Albino Pezlzulich, Elsa Bacchioni 10:30 Emilia Jaramillo, Rosita Flores, Belen Ceballos 12:00 Carlo Coretto 7:00 p.m. Maria Stankievick

MASS SCHEDULE

Primer Domingo de Adviento

2 de diciembre de 2018 Yo haré nacer del tronco de David un vástago santo, que ejercerá la justicia y el derecho en la tierra. — Jeremías 33:15

************************************************************************ LA PROMESA DE JUSTICIA Estamos en buena compañía cuando clamamos a Dios por justicia. Con frecuencia escuchamos y estamos de acuerdo con el pueblo de Israel que pregunta a Dios por qué el malo prospera. Sin embargo, cuando clamamos por justicia usualmente queremos que alguien reciba el castigo que se merece. Obviamente la justicia de Dios es más que eso. La justicia de Dios abarca una maravillosa rectitud entre Dios y la humanidad. En la lectura de hoy Jeremías avizora un tiempo en el que un justo brotará del tronco de Jesé, de la casa y la familia de David. La vida no era justa en el tiempo de Jeremías. Los reyes de Israel mantenían viva la promesa de la fidelidad de Dios, pero era difícil ver cómo la promesa de Dios se podía cumplir por medio de ellos. No obstante, Jeremías levanta la voz y anuncia que ya viene el Salvador prometido. El Evangelio de Lucas hace eco de ese anuncio, y Pablo se llena de un gran ánimo. De esta manera el Adviento comienza con una promesa. ************************************************************************

LA ASOCIACION GUADALUPANA

INVITA A LA COMUNIDAD A LA CELEBRACION EN HONOR A NUESTA SEÑORA DE

GUADALUPE. 12 DE DICIEMBRE, 2018

5:00 AM REZO DEL SANTO ROSARIO 6:15 AM MAÑANITAS A NUESTRA SEÑORA DE GUADALUPE 7:30AM DESAYUNO MEXICANO (LOBBY DE LA PARROQUIA) 6:00 PM PROCESION 7:00 PM CELEBRACION DE LA MISA SEGUIDA DE UNA CENA GUADALUPANA. CAFETERIA DE LA ESCUELA) SE LES PIDE A LAS MADRES QUE TRAIGAN SUS NIÑOS VESTIDOS DE JUAN DIEGUITOS PARA ACOMPAÑAR EN LA PROCESION

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Occasionally, someone raises a surprised com-plaint that while Christmas arrives on Santa’s sleigh at the Macy’s parade on Thanksgiving Day, the Church doesn’t catch on too fast. They may even say that Advent is a new‑fangled idea. Not so. To trace its beginnings, we have to go back to the fourth or fifth century in France (then Gaul), when Epiphany was the favored day, next to Easter, for baptism. The old pagan structures of Rome were collapsing then, and many people sought to be bap-tized. Since adults always prepared for baptism by fasting, folks counted back a few weeks for a kind of retreat. Before too long, bishops were advising everyone to attend church frequently beginning on December 17. Soon, artists were imagining ways of expressing the Advent mystery, and in Italy this gave rise to beautiful mosaics of empty thrones awaiting the arrival of the Lord of all creation. Advent as we know it develops on two separate tracks: the first having to do with our spiritual preparation for celebrating the Christmas feast, and the second having to do with the way this is orga-nized and expressed in the liturgical readings and prayers every day of the season. **********************************************************************

FEAST OF THE IMMACUALTE CONCEPTION

Saturday, December 8, 2018 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This is a holy day of

obligation. Masses will be held in the Church at 9:00am and 12:00 noon.

A vigil Mass will be offered on Friday, December 7th, at 7:30pm.

********************************************************************** STITCHES PRAYER SHAWL GROUP

Please join us for our monthly meeting on Friday, De-cember 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Room. We will be crocheting and knitting preemie blankets and caps to be donated to the neonatal unit of a local hospital. All are welcome and instruction is provided.

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY

Monday, December 31, 2018 7:30pm to 1:00am

St. Joseph’s Academy Auditorium

Cocktails ~ 7:30pm Dinner ~ 8:30pm

Complete Buffet Dinner, Cash Bar, Music and Dancing Complimentary Champagne at

Midnight, Party Favors, Noisemakers, and More!!

Watch the Ball Come Down at Midnight!!

Individual Tickets

$50 per adult, $10 per child Special Table Package for 8 Adults

$350 ($43.75 each)

Reserve your tickets before Wednesday, Dec. 26th!!

NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR

Update on Parish Weekly Collection, November 18, 2018

Sunday…………………………………......……..$4,675 Christmas Flowers……………………………......$1,760 Catholic Campaign for Human Development……...$711 Total……………………………………………..$7,146

Update on Parish Weekly Collection, November 25, 2018

Sunday…………..…….………………………….$4,568 Christmas Rem……………………………….…..$1,567 Thanksgiving……………………………………..$1,266 Total………………………………………...........$7,401 ***********************************************************************

The Divine Mercy Prayer Group Please join us for our weekly meeting every Wednesday after the Noon Mass, in the Gathering Space; Length of meeting is approximately one hour. ***********************************************************************

Food Pantry Our Food Pantry is open every Thursday from 8:00 to 9:00am, to assist any parishioner that is need of food. To register please bring a NYC Benefit card. Please Note: The Secure Food deposit Box… Located in the front lobby of our church on the Rectory side. Please deposit all dry food (pasta, rice, beans, cans and bottles) there. This will assist us in securing that your food donations go directly to the needy. ***********************************************************************

Welcome to Our Parish Please mark one:

Please register me and, yes, send me enve-lopes.

Please contact me about becoming a Catholic or completing my initiation as a Catholic through the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation.

Please contact me about Religion Education for my child.

Please contact me about how I can volunteer.

Name:______________________________ Last Name___________________________ Date of Birth : _______________________ Address:____________________________ Apt. #________ City:__________________ State:__________ Zip code______________ Phone:______________________________ E-mail:_____________________________

Please fill out this form, and deposit in the basket collection or in the Parish office, or e-mail rectory@stjosephastoria.org

INFORMATION SHEET CHURCH NAME & ADDRESS: St. Joseph #453100

CONTACT PERSON: Silvia SOFTWARE: WinXP-SP3 MSPub 2002 Adobe Acrobat 9 PRINTER: ???

DATE OF PUBLICATION: (Sunday’s date) NUMBER OF PAGES TRANSMITTED: Cover + 4 text pages + this page = 6 (1 ad page) DAY/TIME of TRANSMISSION: Wednesday by noon SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: