St. Francis of Assisi CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

4300 Meeks Drive, Orange TX 77632 Office: 409-883-9153 Fax: 409-883-9154

Web: www.stfrancisorangetx.orgOffice Email:churchsec@gt.twcbc.com

Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-3pm

Religious Education Office Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-3pm Wednesday 3-7pm during RE

PASTOR: Rev. Sinclair K. Oubre, J.C.L. pastorstfrancis@gt.twcbc.com

Deacon Hector Maldonado hmm19@yahoo.com Deacon Tommy Ewing tewing@tbewingjr.com Deacon Keith Hebert khebert58@twc.com

MASS SCHEDULE Saturday: 5pm 7pm Bilingual Sunday: 8am 10:30am

DAILY MASS Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:30am Wednesday: 6:30pm

RECONCILIATION: Saturday: 3:30-4:30pm

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Please call the Pastor to make arrangements for Infant Baptisms. Baptism class is held the third Thursday of each month at 6:00pm. This can be done at least seven (7) months before the birth in order to make proper sacramental preparations.

SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE Diocesan policy requires a minimum of six (6) months of sacramental preparations for marriage. Engaged couples are invited to call the Pastor for an appointment.

HOLY COMMUNION OR ANOINTING OF THE SICK Please call the Pastor if you or any family members are ill or plan to be hospitalized to arrange the reception of the Sacraments.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS - Catechumenate Those interested in becoming a Catholic or in completing their initiation are invited to contact Myrna Stimac (409-883-5771) to learn more about the Catechumenate Process.

PARISH MEMBERSHIP Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community! Please register by obtaining a census form from the Parish Office or at one of the two front entrances to the Church. Please return the census form to the Parish Office or drop in the collection basket. You may also register online and www.stfrancisorangetx.org. From the home page, click on the registration form. We look forward to the opportunity to know and serve you and it is our prayer that you will bless St. Francis Catholic Community with your time, talent, and treasure.

Facebook.com/St.Francis.Church.Orange

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 3, 2017

Saturday December 2 5:00 p.m. Altar Society 7:00 p.m. Sunday, December 3 8:00 a.m. James Willingham (D) 10:30 a.m. People of the Parish Monday, December 4 No Mass Tuesday, December 5 8:30 a.m. Anita Williams (L) Wednesday, December 6 6:30 p.m. Thursday, December 7 8:30 a.m. Sunny LeBlanc (D) Friday, December 8 8:30 a.m. 6:30 p.m. Saturday December 9 5:00 p.m. Cecil Bates, Tommy Carroll, Chuck McLain (D) 7:00 p.m. Sunday, December 10 8:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. People of the Parish

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: Gn 3:9-15, 20; Ps 98:1-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38 Saturday: Is 30:19-21, 23-26; Ps 147:1-6; Mt 9:35 — 10:1, 5a, 6-8 Sunday: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Ps 85:9-14; 2 Pt 3:8-14; Mk 1:1-8

GOD HAS A DIFFERENT PLAN We begin the season of Advent with a heartfelt call for our own repentance. We remember God’s faithful love for us, and call upon God to help us to turn back. For “behold, you are angry, and we are sinful” (Isaiah 64:4). In the first reading and in the psalm, we recall God’s promises and lament our unfaithfulness and our guilt. We call upon God’s might and power in order to save us. With Isaiah, we ask God to “rend the heavens and come down, / with the mountains quaking before you” (Isaiah 63:19). Yes, God is faithful to us, because we are the work of God’s hands. God is the potter, we are the clay. And yet, our concept of how God will come to save us is rooted in our own expectations of a warrior God who crushes mountains and thunders into our lives with great noise and glory. But God has a different plan: the Incarnation. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Advent calendars appear now in many homes, and newfangled formats are even available on line. Children have fun opening the doors and windows keyed to the days counting down to Christmas. Behind each door is a picture related to the Christmas mystery, perhaps a scripture verse or saying, but more and more these days something totally unconnected to religious life, like a small toy or a chocolate treat, appears instead. The Advent calendar is not very old as traditions go. We can trace it back to German-speaking Christians, both Protestant and Catholic. Lutherans might have originated the custom by placing chalk marks on doors starting December 1, lighting candles every day, or placing a new religious picture on the wall each day during Advent. The oldest known hand-made calendar goes back to 1851, and the first printed ones appeared in 1908 in Germany with Bible verses behind the doors. By far the most interesting calendar is a building, the town hall (Rathaus) of Gengenbach in Germany’s Black Forest. Every year the townspeople invite an illustrator of children’s books to create twenty-four paintings or motifs for each of the twenty-four main windows of the building. Every night the people gather to see a new window opened and illuminated. Very few commercial Advent calendars pay much attention to the core values of our liturgical calendar: the pivotal place of Sunday, the importance of Advent feasts like Saint Lucy and Saint Nicholas, and the clear shift in tone on December 17 from Advent longing and preparation toward imminent hope in Christ’s coming. That kind of creativity is left up to you! —Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES

Sunday: First Sunday of Advent Monday: St. John Damascene Wednesday: St. Nicholas Thursday: St. Ambrose; Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Friday: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Saturday: St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin

Attention: Parents and Students K-8th grade

We are beginning to get our Children’s Christmas Nativity Program going again this year. We need to know first if your child/children are going to be in town for the Christmas Eve Mass. The Children’s Nativity is for students in K-8th grades. Mrs. Cindy Claybar and I will be organizing the Children’s Nativity program again this year. The practices will be held on Wednesdays before the RE classes. Practice will begin at 4:30 pm and end at 5:25. They will be escorted to their classroom after practice. Dates for practices are December 6, 13 and 20. Christmas Eve Mass will be Sunday, December 24 at 5:00 p.m.

Yes, my child/children will be able to participate in the 2017 Children’s Christmas Nativity program.

Child’s Name Child’s grade Phone # ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Please return the bottom portion to Jonnie Broussard in the RE office. Thanks.

DEADLINE!! Purchase poinsettias for the altar this Christmas in memory or in honor of someone you love! Email msrollins@gt.rr.com with your name, phone number, & who you would like to honor or remember. You may also call Mary Rollins at 883-2691 with the information. Your $12 payment per poinsettia must be received by December 8th.

St. Francis Altar Society St. Nick’s Bake and Craft Sale

Will be held

December 9/10 weekend After all the masses

Come help support St. Francis’ Altar Society pur-

chase items for the church altar by buying some home baked goods

(candy, cookies, pies and cakes) Christmas items, etc.

THANKFUL, GRATEFUL AND BLESSEDTHANKFUL, GRATEFUL AND BLESSEDTHANKFUL, GRATEFUL AND BLESSED KEYSIS GIVING THANKS!

Keysis youth ministry had the honor of giving thanks to some of the police officers, firemen, first responders, city offi-cials, emergency management, and ministry directors, who went above and beyond in the wake of hurricane Harvey, at our Annual Family Thanksgiving Dinner. Many being honored were from our own church community! We also had a few representatives of the Cajun Navy out of Lake Charles attend. It was a wonderful evening of thanks and gratitude! Our youth served them dinner, spoke on behalf of these wonderful people, and gave a gift of the Prayer of St. Francis to all the honorees in attendance. Honorees: Shawn Oubre (City Manager) Jay Trahan (Assistant to City Manager) Lori Ardoin (Human Resources Director for Orange County) Joel Ardoin (Director of Environmental Health & Code Compliance/Orange County) David Frenzel (Fire Chief – City of Orange Fire Department) Joe Mires (Battalion Chief/City of Orange Fire Department) Jesse Romero (Assistant Chief of Police @ WEST ORANGE POLICE DEPARTMENT) Jocelyn Trussell (Police Officer for the City of Pinehurst) Scott McDonald (Safety Specialist/Emergency Response Fire Chief) Scott Rollins (Chancellor (Past Grand Knight) St. Francis Knights of Columbus) Mary Jo Winfrey (Director of St. Vincent de Paul Ministry/St. Francis) Cajun Navy (Lake Charles division) In the wake of hurricane Harvey, there are so many to thank because so many contributed in some way. So, on behalf of Keysis youth ministry, thank you to all for being the light of Christ through the dark storm.

Online Giving is an excellent way to fulfill your obligation to support St. Francis parish. Go to: stfrancisorangetx.org and click the Online giving link.

In Our Parish Sunday, December 3 8:00 a.m. Mass 10:30 a.m Mass 7:00 p.m. Rosary for Religious Freedom Monday, December 4 No Mass Tuesday, December 5 8:30 a.m. Mass Wednesday, December 6 9:00 a.m. Adoration 6:30 p.m. Mass Thursday, December 7 8:30 a.m. Mass Friday, December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception 8:30 a.m. Mass 6:30 p.m. Mass Saturday, December 9 3:30-4:30 p.m. Reconciliation 5:00 p.m. Mass 7:00 p.m. Mass Sunday, December 10 8:00 a.m. Mass 10:30 a.m. Mass

St. Francis of Assisi Stewardship of Treasure

November 18/19

$8,463.00 Online Giving

$4,303.00 Catholic Campaign for Human Development

$1,422.00

November 25/26 $8,757.00

Online Giving $2,805.00

Orange Christian Services $2,578.00

Thank you all for your generosity!

Prayer quilts will be given to those who are seriously ill and who are registered members of St. Francis of Assisi parish. Requests will be processed by the Altar Society Prayer Quilt Committee. If interested please call: Marilyn Oldani 882-4685 Angie Vincent 883-8845 Shirley Parker 886-2651

Eucharistic Minister

Lector Altar Servers

5:00 p.m. Louise Claybar Gary & Mary Beth Derouen Frank Lomonte

Troy Johnson Peter Theunissen

Lauren Corrao Ashton Couvillion Cole Puckett

8:00 a.m. Rebecca Daniels James & Debbie Meaux Nancy Winnon

Kent Crow Ruth Erb

Erb 1 & 2 Kiera Howington

10:30 a.m. Joel Ardoin Mary Henson Charles Trahan Linda Wade

Lanston Fall Beth Manuel

Coy Darby Anna Higginbotham Jenna McCorvy

Schedule for December 9/10, 2017

FAITH SHARE

Come join us for an hour of God’s word and good fellowship. We are a very informal group and we always find something to laugh about,

even this early! What a wonderful way to start the day!!

Men’s Faith Share Women’s Faith Share Tuesdays 5:45-6:45 Tuesdays 6:15-7:15 San Damiano Center Youth Room

December Mass Schedule

December 2/3~First Sunday of Advent

**December 8

Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Patroness of the Americas) Mass Schedule-8:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m.

December 9/10~Second Sunday of Advent

December 12~Our Lady of Guadalupe

December 16/17~Third Sunday of Advent

December 23/24~Fourth Sunday of Advent

Regular weekend mass schedule

**December 24/25~Christmas Eve/Day Christmas Eve at 5:00 p.m.

Christmas Day at 10:30 a.m.

December 30/31 The Holy Family-Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Regular weekend mass schedule

**December 31/January 1 The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Mass Schedule– Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

Monday at 10:30 a.m. ** Holy Days of Obligation- The Precepts of the Catholic Church are a description of the absolute minimum actions required of Catholics regarding the Church. The Church uses these precepts to remind us that Christian life requires a commitment to prayer and active participation in the liturgy and sacraments. If we fall below this bare-minimum level, we can’t rightly consider ourselves to be in full communion with the Catholic Church. Each of the precepts of the Catholic Church is a requirement. The first precept is You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation and rest from servile labor.

USHERS NEEDED!

We need men and women from ages 16 to “it’s anyone’s guess” to join us. We will have a signup sheet in the front entry way after mass on Saturday Dec. 2 and Sunday Dec. 3 or please feel free to call Becky Atkins @ 734-7164.

Please come and join us in this Ministry.

We would love to have you.

The Ligh ng Enhancement Project at St. Mary Catholic School is progressing very well. Thanks to all the contributors who have funded this upgrade project. All the classrooms, hallways, offices and bathrooms are complete. We s ll need to convert the library and the gym. If you thought about contribu ng and just didn't get around to it, now is a good me. If you contributed earlier and can contribute again, please do so. All previous contribu ons have gone to procure materials. All labor is volunteer. **Dona ons may be given to Jerry Ehrman or Joe Murphy, or put in an envelope marked 'Ligh ng Enhancement' and put into the collec on basket.. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

St. Mary Catholic School 409-883-8913

WAYS TO HELP ST. MARY SCHOOL

**Remember to save Box Tops for Education **Proof of Purchase squares on the Community coffee bags

You may drop them off at the church office or St. Mary School. **Register your Kroger card to St. Mary’s Church but the school address of 2600 Bob Hall Rd. Thank you for your continued support and prayers for our Catholic School.

St. Mary School is now part of Amazon Smile. When using this St. Mary link on Amazon Smile, the school get a por on of the proceeds. Go to the link below.

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/76-0028816

ORANGE CHRISTIAN SERVICES CHRISTMAS TOYS

HO! HO! HO! It is that time of year again! The gift tags for needy children will be avail-able in the church foyer soon from Orange Christian Services. Many of these children would otherwise receive little or nothing for Christmas. PLEASE DO NOT WRAP GIFTS. Place them in a Christmas shopping bag and SECURELY FASTEN TAG TO THE GIFT. Please return gifts to church by the weekend of December 16/17.