St. Cecilia Parish 1310 Madison Avenue N. Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 | (206) 842-3594 | www.saintcparish.org

PASTOR Fr. Joseph P. Mitchell | email: pastor@saintcparish.org

December 10, 2017 – Second Sunday of Advent

MASS SCHEDULE WEEKEND Saturday Vigil Mass 5 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

WEEKDAYS Monday & Tuesday Word and Communion 9:00 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday Mass 9:00 a.m.

RECONCILIATION First Saturdays 9:30 – 10 a.m. Every Saturday 4:00 – 4:45 p.m. (Also by appointment)

BENEDICTION & EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Benediction Friday 9:30 a.m. Followed by Eucharistic Adoration Friday 10:00 a.m. to Saturday 4:00 p.m.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Closed Lunch 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Office Closed Tuesday Email: parishoffice@saintcparish.org

MISSION STATEMENT: As part of the living Body of Christ, Saint Cecilia parish on Bainbridge Island seeks to conform to the will of God through faith, works, teaching and stewardship of God’s creation as guided by the Holy Spirit, by the teachings of Christ, and the Grace of the Father. We celebrate this mission daily in prayer, liturgy, sacraments and life.

Dear Parishioners, This year’s Advent season is the shortest it can ever be. The last day of Advent is the Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 24th. By the end of the day, we shift our celebration to Christmas with the 5:00 PM Vigil Mass and the 9:00 PM Christmas Mass During the Night. We celebrate Christmas Day with the Christmas Mass During the Day at 9:00 AM. Some people have asked whether the Christmas Masses on Sunday evening can also fulfill the obligation to participate in Sunday Mass. The simple answer is: “No.” The Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas are two distinct celebrations, each of them worthy of our worshipping presence at Mass. Those who are concerned about a little more space between celebrations might consider celebrating the Fourth Sunday of Advent on Saturday evening or celebrating Christmas on Monday, which is actually Christmas Day. It does mean planning ahead so that other practical preparations for Christmas don’t become a last minute temptation to try for what I call a “two-fer,”as in “two for the price of one.” No, one cannot accomplish these two distinct liturgical celebrations in a single presence at Mass. This question also arises when people attend a funeral or a wedding Mass on a Saturday and they want to get a “two-fer.” With a bit of lightness (but nevertheless as a serious challenge) I ask which celebration is not important enough to celebrate independently? Is it the couple who marry? Is it the departed fellow Christian? Or is it the parish community whom God summons to Mass each week (as specifically stated in the Third Eucharistic Prayer)? People sometimes fail to appreciate the significance or reason why we have obligations to participate in Mass on certain occasions, Sundays, and certain holidays. The root of the word obligation is “to tie to.” Funerals and weddings provide worshipful ties to a couple marrying or to a departed loved one. Our celebration of Sunday Mass is our most powerful ongoing tie to the Holy Trinity, as well as to our fellow believers. Christmas Mass is special as it uniquely ties us to the Trinity in the mystery of the Incarnation. Sincerely in Christ,

St. Cecilia Parish – Bainbridge Island, WA

Sunday, December 10th Second Sunday of Advent †Mrs. Cecilia Oh & Mrs. Kap Soon Kim

Monday, December 11th

Tuesday, December 12th Our Lady of Guadalupe

Wednesday, December 13th St. Lucy, Martyr

8:00 AM Mass 9:10 AM Reconciliation 10:00 AM Mass 5:00 PM Youth Group in

Conger

9:00 AM Communion Service 9:30 AM Centering Prayer in St. Monica

Rm 11:00 AM Prayer Warriors in St. Monica

Rm. 1:00 PM Organ Repair in Church 2:00 PM PREP Classes in PREP

Classrooms 2:45 PM Children’s Music Rehearsal in

SCCS Music Rm 5:00 PM Rosary in Church 5:00 PM Legion of Mary in Church

9:00 AM Communion Service 9:45 AM Bible Study in St. Monica

Rm. 12:30 PM Knitting Circle in St. Monica

Rm. 5:00 PM Rosary in Church 6:00 PM St. Vincent de Paul Meeting in

the Library 7:00 PM RCIA in St. Monica Rm. 7:30 PM Contemporary Choir in

Church

9:00 AM Mass 9:45 AM Book Group in St.

Monica Rm. 10:00 AM Pray n’ Play in Chardin

Rm. 4:00 PM School Commission in

Conference Rm. 5:00 PM Rosary in Church 6:30 PM Vigil Choir in Church 7:00 PM Centering Prayer in St.

Monica Rm.

KUDOS AND UPDATE

Liturgy Schedule Update: Terry Murphy, a St. Cecilia parishioner, will be speaking at all the Masses this weekend about Catholic Community Services. Thank you for supporting this important ministry.

Mass at 9 AM on Friday, December 15th is a SCC School Mass. Please join the students in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Simbang Gabi: St. Cecilia Parish is once again participating in the Filipino Advent novena of Simbang Gabi during the 6 PM Mass on Thursday, December

14th. Filipino-Americans brought Simbang Gabi to share their culture and religious traditions with the wider Church in the United States. This Novena is meant to unify us with the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in her company, to joyfully prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. A reception in Conger Hall will follow Mass. Please join is in this colorful and prayerful Advent celebration!

Library News: Pick up a daily Advent

devotional with writings of Henri Nouwen, St. Francis, St Benedict, St Thomas Aquinas, Thomas

Merton, the Saints and others. All daily devotional books may be kept through Christmas. We also have Christmas stories for children and DVD’s for the entire family. Check it out! The Library will be closed on Sunday December 24th and Sunday December 31st. Sonja is taking two weeks off.

The St. Nick Festival was a great success! Thank you to everyone that visited “Whoville” and enjoyed a fun and festive morning. A special thanks to all the volunteers that worked tirelessly to make this event possible.

CONFESSIONS DURING ADVENT

Confession is a great way to prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In addition to the regular confession schedule, the following times have been added during Advent: Sunday, Dec. 10th: 9:10-9:45 AM Saturday, Dec. 16th: 9:30-10:00 AM, 4:00-4:45 PM Sunday, Dec. 17th: 9:10-9:45 AM Wednesday, Dec. 20th: 9:30-10:00 AM, 7:00-8:00 PM Saturday, Dec. 23rd: 9:30-10:00 AM, 4:00-4:45 PM, 6:00-6:30 PM Sunday, Dec. 24th: 9:10-9:45 AM, 11:00-11:30 AM

Our Advent Retreat, “Be Still and Know” included about 25 people that came together to prepare for the season of Advent. The Lord blessed us with wonderful fellowship, good talks, and beautiful music. The guided

meditation was powerful, and we came away with some great ideas for slowing down, entering Advent more consciously and encountering God more fully this Christmas. Thanks to all who came!

St. Cecilia Parish – Bainbridge Island, WA

Thursday, December 14th St. John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Friday, December 15th †Anita Roach

Saturday, December 16th

† Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace. Amen The Sunday Mass Ministry Roster and the Visiting Eucharistic Ministry Roster are available online at the parish website: http://www.saintcparish.orgac

9:00 AM Mass 5:00 PM Rosary in Church 6:00 PM Simbang Gabi Mass

in Church 7:00 PM Simbang Gabi

Festival in Conger. 7:00 PM Bible Study in

Chardin Rm.

9:00 AM Mass (all SCC School Mass)

10:00 AM Adoration 3:00 PM Girl Scouts in

Conger

5:00 AM Adoration in Church 9:00 AM Mass 9:30 AM Reconciliation 4:00 PM Reconciliation 5:00 PM Vigil Mass 6:00 PM Wine & Cheese in

Conger

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIVING OF TIME, TALENT, & TREASURE

The St. Cecilia Parish Christmas giving tree still has many gift requests (and requests for grocery gift cards), from local families, the residents of Manzanita House Adult living, and those who participate at the Stephens House day

facility. The tree will remain in the church until 11 AM on Sunday December 17th. Everyone can participate in this parish-wide project by fulfilling a tag and/or making a monetary donation to St. Cecilia’s Society of Saint Vincent de Paul through the offertory and online collections. Please sign one of the Giving Tree books when you take a tag. When you return the gift, please attach the tag. Gifts should be wrapped; gift cards can be wrapped, or put into an envelope and put into the decorated box under the tree. For more information about the project contact Noel Saunders at 842-5142 or SVDPBI@hotmail.com. Advent angel needed for December! Would someone be able to launder the altar linens for the month of December? Please contact Scooty Kellogg 206 295-8222. Thank you!!

Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe 2017 will be held at St. Olaf Parish, 18943 Caldart Ave. NE, Poulsbo on Tuesday, December 12th. Events include a Mariachi Band at 5:00 AM and again at 5:30 PM, Rosary at 6:30 PM, Mass at 7:00 PM, and a dinner

festival at 8:00 PM. All are welcome!

Father Peter Henriot will return March 2018 by popular demand! He will lead parishioners in The

Lenten Comtemplation: ICONS of CHRIST COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY. The Saint Cecilia Parish CRS Ambassadors are in need of someone with graphic design skills to help with the accompanying comtemplation photo booklet. Please consider supporting the work of CRS in this creative and fulfilling way. Interested? Contact: Mona Lydon-Rochelle, 206-780-2134 or minot@uw.edu.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Let us learn to comfort each other better by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) weekend with our spouse. The next weekend at

the Sheraton Bellevue Hotel is on February 16-18, 2018. Apply at www.wwme.org. More information at 206-772-2344.

St. Cecilia Parish – Bainbridge Island, WA

Prayers, Potatoes, and Pubs: A Pilgrimage to Ireland – Sept 16-29, 2018: Join our two-week immersion into the culture, history, spirituality,

and breath-taking natural scenery of the Emerald Isle. Highlights include the shrine of Our Lady of Knock, sacred sites of St. Patrick and Celtic spirituality, charming Irish towns, such as Killarney, Cork, and Cobh, Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, and other natural wonders, Blarney Castle, the vibrant town of Dublin, and much, much more! The pilgrimage is led and organized by Fr. Kevin Duggan and Zoltan Abraham from Mary, Queen of Peace Parish in Sammamish. The registration brochure, which includes a detailed itinerary, is available at this link: http://www.gocatholictravel.com/brochure/abraham-ireland-2018.

PRINCIPAL’S CORNER

Our 1st/2nd and 5th/6th classrooms along with teachers Emily Cornell and Mary Weeding teamed up a few weeks back to travel to Seattle to visit the Pacific Science Center. From the ferry, to the bus ride, to the Pacific Science Center, to lunch and then to the journey back home, our students thoroughly enjoyed being together. The entire day was an adventure. Students began the day by gathering at the ferry. Once arriving in the city, they walked a few blocks and boarded the city bus. Each 5th/6th grader held the hand of their younger buddy and helped them navigate throughout the field trip. For many students, this was the first time they rode a city bus. The day after the trip, students wrote and drew about their favorite parts of the full day field trip. For several of our 1st/2nd graders, riding the bus topped their list. Students saw bees, stick bugs, tarantulas, a sleeping king cobra, and a tortoise, to name a few. Nico wrote, “I saw the best and coolest bugs ever and they were mealworms. They turned into beetles.” We are blessed with an incredibly beautiful landscape and an amazing collection of museums on Bainbridge Island, in Seattle and all along the Kitsap Peninsula. Extending our students’ learning to the world beyond the walls of our school is a wonderful way for new learning to happen. Pairing up younger and older students provides the opportunity for students to strengthen and celebrate our community.

With joy, Susan Kilbane

St. Cecilia Catholic School is a faith-based community that inspires an inquisitive mind and a lifelong commitment to learning and stewardship.

“Simbang Gabi” Mass 2017 Advent Season

Novena of Masses Schedule Olympic Deanery

Please join us in our Archdiocese and parish-sponsored “Simbang Gabi” Mass celebrations in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary as she prayerfully and joyfully anticipates the birth of Christ. Experience the spirituality of the season and fellowship with faith communities from throughout the Archdiocese. Bring your family and friends. Sunday Dec. 10 @ 9:30 AM

Prince of Peace, 1171 NE Sandhill Rd. Belfair

Monday Dec. 11 @ 6:00 PM

Holy Trinity, 4215 Pine Road NE, Bremerton

Thursday Dec. 14 @ 6:00 PM

St. Cecilia, 1310 Madison Ave. N, Bainbridge Island

Friday Dec. 15 @ 6:00 PM

Our Lady Star of the Sea, 1513 6th St. Bremerton

Saturday Dec. 16 @ 5:00 PM

Queen of Angels, 209 W 11th St., Port Angeles

Saturday Dec. 16 @ 6:30 PM@ 11:00 AM

St. Gabriel, 1150 Mitchell Ave., Port Orchard

Sunday Dec. 17 @ 11:00 AM

St. Mary Star of the Sea, 1335 Blaine St., Pt. Townsend

Wednesday Dec. 20 @ 6:00 PM

St. Olaf, 18943 Caldart Ave., Poulsbo

St. Cecilia Parish – Bainbridge Island, WA

PASTORAL SERVICES

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP Sunday Collection December 2/3 $ 8,716.67

Online Giving $ 2,743.33 Children’s envelopes $ 2.00

Total offertory for the week $ 11,462.00 -------------------------------------------

Average offertory needed to cover budget - $10,534.00 Children’s offerings to God:”being kind to a classmate when they were being annoying”, “vacuuming the house for Mom”

BAPTISM Celebrated on the 2nd Sunday of each month during the 10:00

a.m. Mass or other Sundays after the 10:00 a.m. Mass. Call the Parish Office

to plan for Baptism classes and paperwork needed. We encourage parents

to schedule classes before the birth of their child.

FIRST RECONCILIATION, FIRST COMMUNION, PREP (Parish Religious Education Program) K-12 Please contact Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation Terry Markuly, 842-3594 x102 or email tmarkuly@saintcparish.org.

CONFIRMATION Please contact the office for more information, Parish Office x101.

MARRIAGE GUIDELINES The engaged couple should plan to meet with the pastor at least six months before the wedding. One party should be a registered parishioner.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA) Meets Tuesday nights at 7pm in the St. Monica Rm. Please contact Robert Earhart, MD, PhD, OFS at 206-780-3555 or cell phone 240-447-3173.

FUNERALS Call the parish office for assistance with funeral arrangements.

HOUSE CALLS If you wish to receive the sacraments at home, please call the Parish Office at (206) 842-3594 x101 to schedule.

PRAYER REQUESTS If you wish to add someone to the Parish Prayer Chain, contact Mary Corbin at: marecorb@aol.com.

_________________________________________

GOVERNANCE & OTHER PASTORAL ACTIVITIES

FINANCE COUNCIL Parish financial advisory body made up of parish members, Scott Edwards (chair) School Commission Council The board is made up of parish members, Eoin Dunstan (chair) PARISH MINISTRIES & ACTIVITIES A catalog of parish ministries and activities is listed on our website under the ministries section at: www.saintcparish.org/ministries.html. The parish office can assist you in finding out any additional information you require.

BULLETIN Send announcements via email to secretary@saintcparish.org no later than 9 a.m. on Monday.

_________________________________________

ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC SCHOOL School Website www.saintceciliaschool.org 1310 Madison Ave. N. Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 Phone (206) 842-2017 Principal – Susan Kilbane- skilbane@saintceciliaschool.org