St. Jude & St. Thomas Parishes, Beloit, Wisconsin Pastor: Fr. John Hedrick: St. Jude: 608-364-2820 ext. 27, St. Thomas: 608-362-1034 ext. 11 or jnhdrck@hotmail.com

Deacon: Jim Davis, 608-365-5095 or jdavis@stjudebeloit.org Director of Religious Education & Youth Ministry: Erin Olver, 608-289-7454 or religiouseducation@stjudebeloit.org

Director of Hispanic Ministry: Araceli Montoya, 608-856-0566 or mhbeloit@hotmail.com

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: Please telephone your parish office to make arrangements. A preparation session for parents is required, please check the bulletin for upcoming dates and times. Para las clases de preparacion del Sacramento del Bautizo favor de llamar a Araceli al (608) 856-0566. SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY: Weddings must be scheduled 6 months before the date of the marriage. Contact your parish office. COMMUNION TO THE SICK & HOMEBOUND: If you or someone you know needs Communion brought to them, please call your parish office.

FAMILY PROMISE: DeAnne Gile, 608-751-3495, degile81@gmail.com

Parish email: parishoffice@stjudebeloit.org Secretary/Bulletin Editor: Nancy Graham, 608-364-2820 Bulletin Announcements: nancy@stjudebeloit.org Announcements are due Mon. evening for Sunday’s Bulletin.

WEEKEND MASS SCHEDULES FOR BELOIT AREA CHURCHES

St. Jude Sat. 5:30 PM Sun. 8:45 AM

St. Thomas Sat. 4:00 PM

Sun. 11:00 AM

Our Lady of the Assumption Sat. 5:00 PM

Sun. 8:00 & 10:30 AM

St. Stephen Sat. 5:00 PM Sun. 9:00 AM

SERVICIOS CATÓLICOS EN ESPAÑOL - Parroquia Catolica de san Judas, Beloit, El 3er domingo de cada mes a las 11:00 AM. - Parroquia Catolica de san Pedro, South Beloit

Sabado Confesiones: 3:45-4:45 PM; Misa Sabado: 6:30 PM; Misa Dominical: 12:30 PM

Parish email: parishoffice@stthomasbeloit.org Secretary/Bookkeeper: Bonnie Campbell, 608-362-1034 Announcements are due Mon. evening for Sunday’s Bulletin.

Phone: 608-364-2820 Fax: 608-364-2822 Website: www.stjudebeloit.org

Phone: 608-362-1034 Fax: 608-363-9931 Website: www.stthomasbeloit.org

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: Norm Jacobs, Grand Knight, 608-364-0495; jacobsn1978@gmail.com Website: www.kc605.org

St. Jude Parish 737 Hackett St. St. Thomas Parish 822 E. Grand Ave.

Merry Christmas

Baptism Preparation for New Infants We have a Baptismal Preparation Class every other month in the St. Jude Parish Center. The next class will be on Monday, January 7, 2018 at 7:00 PM. Please call either

parish office between 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, if you wish to register . St. Jude, 608-364-2820 or St. Thomas, 608-362-1034. Platicas Prebautismales en español. Una sola clase en St. Thomas Parish, 822 E. Grand Ave, Beloit. 10 de Febrero as 9:30 am. Comunicarse con Araceli al (608) 856-0566.

WordOnFire.org – This website is produced by Bishop Robert Barron and offer s audio and wr itten commentary on a wide range of topics that are related to faith and Church. www.catholicwomenpreach.org. This site has a reflection on the Scripture readings each Sunday.

For prayer requests, please call, (St. Jude) Mary Schindler , 362-8912 or Irene Popp, 364-4367, (St. Thomas) Fran Clark, 362-2203.

December 23, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Advent

Reading I Mi 5:1-4a Hope of a ruler and shepherd who will “be peace”. Reading II Heb 10:5-10 Jesus offered himself to do God’s will. Gospel Lk 1:39-45 Elizabeth acknowledges Jesus in Mary’s visitation. December 30 Holy Family Reading I 1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28 Hannah offers her only child, Samuel, as a gift to the Lord. Reading II Col 3:12-17 Living as a family and a community. Gospel Lk 2:41-52 Jesus’ parents find him in the Temple among the teachers.

Masses for the week: Sat 12/22 4:00 PM (St. Thomas) Michael & Dolores Fitzgerald. 5:30 PM (St. Jude) Patricia Borzych Sun 12/23 8:45 AM (St. Jude) Demi Fornecker 11:00 AM (St. Thomas) Roger Clark Christmas Eve Mon 12/24 4:00 PM (St. Jude) Oliver & Lillian Davis & Natalie Durben 4:00 PM (St. Thomas) People of the Parishes 5:00 PM (Our Lady of the Assumption) 5:00 PM (St. Stephen) 6:00 PM (St. Jude) en espanol 9:00 PM St. Jude) People of the Parishes 10:00 PM (Our Lady of the Assumpion) Christmas Day Tues 12/25 8:00 AM (Our Lady of the Assumption) 8:45 AM (St. Jude) Gene & Jackie Loucks 9:00 AM (St. Stephen) 10:30 AM (Our Lady of the Assumption) 11:00 AM (St. Thomas) People of the Parishes Wed 12/26 7:00 AM (St. Jude) No Mass Thurs 12/27 7:15 AM (St. Thomas) People of the Parishes Fri 12/28 7:00 AM (St. Jude) Mona & Merlyn Meyers Sat 12/29 4:00 PM (St. Thomas) Carl & Leona Braunreiter 5:30 PM (St. Jude) Kira Morgan & Todd Blum And Joey Hummer Sun 12/30 8:45 AM (St. Jude) Barney Grommes 11:00 AM (St. Thomas) Donald & Frances Olmstead

Sacrament of Reconciliation St. Jude:

Saturday, December 29 - 8:30 - 9:30 AM St. Thomas:

Saturday, January 5 - 2:30 - 3:00 PM

If you wish to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation at another time, please call Fr. John at either parish.

Liturgical Ministers

December 29 & 30, 2018 Holy Family

ST. JUDE 5:30 PM 8:45 AM Servers Frank Hummer Maria Almaraz Carlos Almaraz Lector Sr. Pauline Labrecque Adrian Espinoza Bread Minister Gloria Novy Bev Brown Greeter Group Jeff Klein Duane Bobholz

ST. THOMAS

4:00 PM 11:00 AM Commentator Sherri Kulawinski DeAnne Gile Lector Sherri Kulawinski DeAnne Gile Servers Volunteer Miguel Delgado Bread Minister Joanne Lee Cecilia Ramirez Greeters Tom Braunreiter Evelina Perez Stella Ontiveroz Alice Arellano Benjamin Degenhardt Hector Delgado Donna Degenhardt Maria Delgado

Masses : Mary, Mother of God

December 31 St. Thomas 4:00 PM January 1 St. Jude 8:45 AM St. Stephen 8:00 AM OLA 9:00 AM

We know the story of the birth of Jesus, and we love it. Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room in the inn. This is an amazing way for the life of Jesus to begin. As God becomes human

and begins his life, there are images of homelessness, poverty, helplessness, and exclusion. Mary and Joseph are two peasants who are at the mercy of the demands of the Roman Empire; they do not enjoy the benefits of citizenship. I imagine that most of us would provide different (better?) arrangements for the birth of Jesus. We would have Jesus born in better surroundings and with less difficulty. We would never say that his parents could not find a place to stay for the night. I think that the story of the birth of Jesus reminds us to look for God in all kinds of places, and especially in the places where we would not expect to find God. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary to tell her that she would be the mother of Jesus, Mary was troubled. But as Mary pondered the message of the angel, she came to understand what it meant. As we ponder the Christmas story, we understand more about the ways of God in our world and in our lives. - Fr. John -

Religious Education News Noticias de Educación Religiosa Registration for the 2018-2019 School year has begun. Registration can be done online on either Parish website or by contacting the St. Jude Parish office at 364-2820 or the St. Thomas Parish office at 362-1034. January 6, 13 Classes January 20 Classes and First Communion Parent Meeting January 27 Classes La inscripción para el año escolar 2018-2019 ha comenzado. La inscr ipción puede realizarse en línea en el sitio web. Araceli: 608-856-0566. or mhbeloit@hotmail.com Enero 6, 13 clase Enero 20 clase y Reunion para padres acerca de la primera comunion Enero 27 clase

We welcome Fr. Tom Doheny who will celebrate the 4:00 PM Mass at St. Jude on Christmas Eve.

Please join the Knights of Columbus as we pray the Rosary for Life on the first Monday of each Month. We meet in the chapel at OLA at 4:30 PM.

Update on Fr. Bill‘s address:

Fr. Bill Connell St. Mary’s Care Center 3401 Maple Grove Dr. Madison, WI 53719 Phone: 608-827-3646

Scrip gift cards make wonderful Christmas gifts. If you are interested in purchasing cards that we do not stock please speak to on one of the volunteers or call the St. Jude Parish office at 364-2820. Thank you to all who support Catholic Education and all of our wonderful volunteers!

Helpful Hannah’s House

840 E. Grand Ave.

Is having a 50% - 70% off sale until Christmas! Open Friday, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Every Saturday 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM Through Christmas

Thank you to the ladies who attended and contributed to the Baby Jesus/Domestic Violence Christmas dinner. Your generosity is amazing and deeply appreciated. The Marian Guild Steering Committee

Our Gi s to our Parish and to the Lord (Fiscal Year July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019)

Offertory Contribu ons Actual Budgeted Difference St. Jude Parish: December 15 & 16, 2018 $5,013.37 $5,603.75* -$590.38 Fiscal Year-to-Date (Week 25) $127,695.28 140,093.75 -$12,398.47 St. Thomas Parish December 15 & 16 2018 $3,310.38 $3,586.12* -$180.12 Fiscal Year-to-Date (week 25) $80,831.87 $87,262.50 -$6,430.63 *Weekly average of Annual Budget

Caritas Holiday Baskets

Caritas invites you to donate towards a Holiday Dinner for families in our area who are struggling. Please “Adopt a Neighbor” for this Holiday Season. Caritas suggests a gift of $50, however any amount received is deeply appreciated. Please make checks payable to Caritas and mail them to: 2840 Prairie Ave., Beloit WI 53511 or give online through PayPal on the website www.caritasbeloit.org .

Christmas Schedule

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve: St. Jude 4:00 PM St. Thomas 4:00 PM OLA 5:00 PM St. Stephen 5:00 PM St. Jude 6:00 PM en espanol St. Jude 9:00 PM OLA 10:00 PM Dec. 25 Christmas Day: OLA 8:00 AM St. Jude 8:45 AM St. Stephen 9:00 AM OLA 10:30 AM St. Thomas 11:00 AM

The end of the year is quickly approaching. Please have all contributions for 2018 in by December 31, 2018 pr ior to statements being printed. Thank you for your generosity.