Third

Sunday
of Advent
Gaudete
Rejoice
Sunday

St. Rita of Cascia

A Faith Community Since 1908
December 14, 2014

MASS TIMES
SUNDAYS: Sat. 5:30 pm (Vigil), 7:30 am, 10 am & 12 N
WEEKDAYS: Mon., Tues., Fri, and Sat. 8 am
(Wed. & Thurs. 8 am Communion Service)
HOLY DAYS: (eve of) 5:30 pm; (day of) 8 am & 6:30 pm

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
(Confession) Saturdays 4 - 5 pm or by appointment
DEVOTIONS
Our Lady of Perpetual Help: Saturday 7:50 am
ADORATION
First Friday 8:30 am - 5 pm, Rectory Oratory

Msgr. Richard Krekelberg, V.F.Pastor

Deacon Manuel Valencia Deacon John Hull
318 North Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre
Mailing Address: 50 East Alegria Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 91024
Phone: 626/355-1292 FAX: 626/355-2290 www.st-rita.org

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENTDECEMBER 14, 2014

Parish Ministries and Organizations

How to Contact Us
Msgr. Richard Krekelberg, V. F.Pastor
626.355.1292 x. 228 revkrek@st-rita.org
Dcn. Manuel & Chela Valencia
deaconmanuelvalencia@gmail.com 355.1292
Dcn. John Hulljohnhull65@gmail.com 355.1292
Weekend Presider:
10 am MassFr. Chris Thiel, OFM Capuchin
Parish Office/Mailing Address
50 East Alegria Ave., Sierra Madre, CA 91024
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9am to 6pm; Sat. 9 am to 1 pm.
Office Email: ParishAdmin@st-rita.org
Director of Administration
Mary Lou Butler: mlbutler@st-rita.org 355.1292

Pastoral Council
Parish Office: 355.1292

Finance Council Chair

Bill Sullivan: 355.3707

St. Rita SchoolOffice: 626.355.6114

Principal: Joanne Harabedian jharabedian@st-rita.org

Director of Liturgy & Music

Liturgy & Worship

Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers: David & Jill Muhs
355.9810 em@st-rita.org
Altar Servers, Youth: Kathy Ganino 626.398.9302
katganino@charter.net
Altar Servers, Adult: Bill Cosso 355.5656
Eucharistic Adoration: Kathy Ganino 626.398.9302
katganino@charter.net
Rosary Prayer Group: Susan Day 355-3835
Sacristans: Sat. Vigil: Gary Fidone/Bill & Patti Huber
Sunday Masses: 7:30-Bill Cosso/David Banis;
10:00-David Muhs; 12N-Bernie Grace
Weekdays: John Bigley, Margaret Duran
Porter: (Evening Church Lockup) Sheila Palazzolo
Environment: Denise Villalovos/Gil Lazo gil@st-rita.org 355.1292

Ministries & Organizations

Bereavement Ministry: 355.1292 bereave@st-rita.org
Christian Family: Ana Ptasinski 355.3146
Greeters & Ushers: Erny Henry 626.289.3504 626.446.6715
Mens Club: Dave Loera d.loera@verizon.net
New Members/Welcome: Contact the Parish Office
St. Rita Guild: Patty Sullivan 355.3707 psullivan514@gmail.com
Senior Ministry: Marilyn McKernan marilyn@st-rita.org
Shawl Ministry: Mary Taillac 355.3179 Marilyn Delgatto 355.8717

Paul Puccinelli: mm@st-rita.org

Other Contacts

Director of Religious Education

Cristina Cullen: 355.1292 dre@st-rita.org

Director of Youth Ministry/Confirmation

Theresa Bui Costanzo: 626.590.8828 ym@st-rita.org

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)

Team: Deacon Manuel and Chela Valencia; and
Susan Blakeslee:
rcia@st-rita.org

Archivist: Marilyn McKernan marilyn@st-rita.org

Bulletin Submissions: bulletin@st-rita.org or drop off at Office
Public Relations: ParishAdmin@st-rita.org
Registration Information: rc@st-rita.org 355.1292
Webmaster: Ralph Seymour: seymour@seymourmedia.com

Let Saint Rita Be There For You . . .

Communion for Sick and Homebound Parishioners

St. Rita Eucharistic Ministers provide Communion home visits. Contact the Parish Office 355.1292 or Jill Muhs 355.9810 em@st-rita.org

Anointing of the Sick

Please notify us (355.1292) for the Anointing of the Sick, the sacrament intended for the seriously ill or dying and Our Lords special presence
and companionship in serious time of need. Anointing may take place in the home, at the hospital or elsewhere and as often as once a month.
If someone should die without anointing, remember that the desire to receive is sufficient.

If You Should Experience the Loss of a Loved One Please call us at 355.1292

If you feel you will be in need, or your loved one has passed, we will assist in making arrangements with your chosen funeral director; refer you
to our Bereavement Ministry and Music Ministry; and offer you helpful guidelines that will aid in the selection of readings for a Mass or
Memorial Service. We know this can be a tough time and we want you to know that your parish is there for you. PLEASE UNDERSTAND we
only have one resident priest; sometimes arrangements for another priest may be needed.

For Information about the Sacraments

BaptismPlease contact the Parish Office for further information on the Baptism process and requirements.
Reconciliation and First EucharistPreparation for children who have attained the age of reason (usually during 2nd grade) is
arranged either through the Office of Religious Education or St. Rita Elementary School.

MatrimonyContact the Parish Office upon engagement; at least six months is needed for preparation of this joyous sacrament!
ConfirmationA two-year program for freshman/sophomore age teens. Apply through the Office of Youth Ministry.

SAINT RITA

OF

CASCIA CHURCH

REV. MSGR. RICHARD KREKELBERG

Dear Parishioners,

Rejoicing While Waiting for The Lord

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD
IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME
TO BRING GLAD TIDINGS
TO THE POOR.

The words of todays Alleluia versicle

from Isaiah captures well the joy-filled
spirit of The Third Sunday of Advent,
Gaudete Sunday. Particularly the words
glad tidings signal the joyful anticipation
of CHRISTMAS and its imminent
arrival. The first reading declares that
God sends forth glad tidings and

As the earth brings forth

its plants,
and a garden makes its
growth spring up,
so will the Lord God make
justice and praise
spring up before all nations.
Just so, it is OK, then, to open one
eye to the decorations and parties?
The words of an old Negro
spiritual come to mind:Oh Lord, I
cant sit down. My soul is so happy that I

cant sit down! After all, who wouldnt

be glad if real justice has finally been
delivered.
But wait!
Before we blindfold
ourselves and rush over to take a
whack at the Christmas donkey piata,
lets not lose sight of the gospel today
which reminds us that the Baptizer is
still crying out, Make straight the way
of the Lord! There is still Advent
soul searching to do and we would do
ourselves a disfavor if we were to pass
over St. Pauls challenge to Test
everything: retain what is good.
And though it is already Gaudete
Sunday, we still need to wait on the
Lord. Most of us would wait
forever for something truly worth
our while. Children at home or at
school can learn one of the most
important lessons of their lives by
a caring adult who shows them
how to plant a seed, enjoy
watching it poke through the dirt,
produce a first leaf, and then the
glorious flower. It was worth the

wait. We wait nine months for a

new human being to see first light,
definitely worth the wait. For other
things we can hardly wait, the
end is SO worth the whilethe return
of a loved one, the rendering of true
justice, the end of yet another war
truly worth the wait!
Waiting for Jesus is an art. Monks,
nuns, and mystics have specialized in it.
For those who have developed the art
of waiting on the Lord it is possible to
wait on him and do last minute
shopping at the same time. Different
from walking and chewing gum, an
abiding ability to wait on the Lord and
to do whatever other things at the same
time requires something so simple and
yet so challengingto ponder all
things in your heart. This gift and
talent was predicated of the Blessed
Mother by St. Luke the Evangelist. In
our remaining days of Advent let us go
to her to acquire her expertise in
waiting on the Lord and in giving him,
his hope and promise, his salvation, to
a weary world.

And so, rejoicing with you at the news

that our God is coming with his power,
with you I wait on the Lord at His coming
Msgr. Richard

My soul rejoices in my God!

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENTDECEMBER 14, 2014

MASS INTENTIONS
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13

8:00 AM Daniel Mullen RIP

5:30 PM Kyle Tanis RIP

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14

7:30 AM For All Parishioners

10:00 AM Samantha Perez-Boiles RIP
12 NOON Luis E. Escalante RIP

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15

8:00 AM

Rev. Bernard OConnor RIP

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16

8:00 AM Mary Kay Hollinger RIP

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17
8:00 AM

Communion Service

8:00 AM

Communion Service

8:00

Daniel Mullen RIP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18
FRIDAY, D ECEMBER 19
AM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20

8:00 AM Mary Conlon RIP

5:30 PM Catherine Montreuil RIP

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21

7:30 AM Verdan Fernandes RIP

10:00 AM For All Parishioners
12 NOON Josefa Torres RIP

TODAYS READINGS
First ReadingAs a garden makes its
growth spring up, so will God make
justice spring up before all the nations
(Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11).

PsalmMy soul rejoices in my God

(Luke 1:46-50, 53-54).

Second ReadingDo not quench the

Spirit. Do not despise prophetic
utterances. Test everything; retain what
is good (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24).
GospelI am the voice of one crying
out in the desert, make straight the way
of the Lord (John 1:6-8, 19-28).

PLEASE PRAY FOR

THOSE WHO
HAVE REQUESTED
OUR PRAYERS
Ernest Kopka, Vera Delgatto, JF
Mahoney, Kelly Solomon, Linda Theriault,
Antoinette Serafin, Janeen Wetzel, Heather
Hagan, Mike Wolf, Jean Wood, Jos
Colayco, Mario de la Torre, Barbara
Vanni, Freya Sheasby Bailey, Anna
Schube, Aubrey Randolph, Joseph Malvin,
Madeleine Loera, Randy Graff, Toni
Navarro, Susan Watson, Molly Lynch,
Juanito & Marilou Pe, Willard Bochte,
Joann Ruggles, Margaret Duran, Lori Ann
Little, Guia Canizales, Anne Frealy, Eva
Shammon, Margie Schubert, Mary
Zuckerburg, Emily Young, JoAnn
Douglass, Mary McColl, Evelyn Tres,
Barbara Hester, Phil Huddleston, Gerald
Drean, Charlotte Bollman Fuchs,
Raymond Payne, Peter Delgatto, Jr.,
Montserrat Marti, Jordan Alabart, Linda
Milligan, Susan Skousen, Brooke Manning,
Arthur Contreras, Jr., Robert Quinonez,
Richard Krier, Patsy Starkey, Jean
Mansour, Jacob Bigley, Maria Carmen
Marti, Clare Marquardt, Kathleen Ramsey,
Tonyja Blakeslee, Addie Marshall, Jackie
Bagnuolo, Mary Ellen Isoard, Rose Mary
Taquino, Paul Viger, Hal Finney, Ailey
Gardner-Ybarra, Eva Bernejo, Edith Olah,
Lancelot Loera, Fred Mycroft, Alex
Arranaga, Joseph Moore.

Your Prayers Are Needed

Please continue to pray daily for all
Catholics and Christians who are
suffering for their faith in Iraq, Syria,
and Africa.

Advent Penance Service

This Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7 pm
Assumption of the BVM Church

Understanding Scripture
Most people are bothered by those
passages in Scripture which they cant
understand; butI have noticed that
the passages in Scripture which trouble
me most are those I do understand.
Mark Twain

Take this opportunity to prepare for

Christmas. We will gather as a group
for a short prayer service before
Confessions. There will be about 10
priests on hand to hear individual
confessions. Confessions should be
available until about 9 pm.

Reflection for the

Third Sunday of Advent
More than disciples
Each of todays four scriptural
rolesdisciple, prophet, apostle,
heraldforms a facet of our life in
Christ as we live it day by day.
Isaiah tells us that a prophet is
anointed, as we were anointed at our
baptism in water and the Spirit, to
bring glad tidings and to promote
Gods reign of healing, justice, and
peace.
An apostle, like Paul, is one who is
sent. Each of us, in his or her own
way, is sent by Christ to be a voice
of rejoicing, to encourage prophetic
voices in the world, and to make
sure that the work of the Spirit
thrives.
John the Baptist shows us the job of
the herald, making the Lords way
straight, announcing the coming of
the Light of the world.
Today we also hear from Mary,
model disciple. Her song, the
Magnificat, shows us the world we
must believe in and work for: one
in which God is praised, where
Gods favor is bestowed on the
humble, where the hungry are filled
and the rich are sent away empty, a
world that continues to know and
rejoice in the mercy of God that
lasts for all ages.
J.S. Paluch Co.

SAINT RITA OF CASCIA CHURCH

Youth Ministry
EDGE Middle School Ministry
Family Advent Prayer Service
Monday, Dec. 15, 4-5:30 pm, OMalley
No Classes on December 22 or 29
Year 1 Confirmation
Saturday, Dec. 20, 4-5:30 pm, OMalley

St. Rita School

Looking for Christmas gifts
or stocking stuffers? The
School has a supply of gift cards for
markets, for fast food and restaurants,
gas stations, and other merchants.

Do your shopping the easy way while

Theresa Costanzo ym@st-rita.org helping the school!

Religious Education

School Office 355-6114

Classes for 1st-5th Graders

Family Advent Prayer Service
Monday, Dec. 15, 4-5:30 pm, OMalley
No classes on December 22 or 29

Preschool Sunday School

During the 10 am Mass
Attention families-no Sunday School
on December 21st or December 28th.
All 3-5 year old children are invited to
join us on January 4th as we continue
our year!
Cristina Cullen dre@st-rita.org

Our Christmas
Giving Tree
Please take a tagor
twofrom the Tree in
the Vestibule to help fill
wishes for families who
need our help to
provide a joyful
Christmas for their children.
Please see the flyer in the Vestibule to see
what is requested and please have your

donations turned in by Thursday,

December 18.

Poinsettias
Needed
If you can donate a
poinsettia plantany colorto
be used in our Church Christmas
dcor, please bring your offering
to the St. Rita Shrine area on
Sunday, December 21.

Helpers Needed
We need help to
prepare our
Church for
Christmas. We
especially need
menor strong
women!to
climb ladders and/or help set up
our crche.
December 22 & 23
from 11am until 3 pm
Please call:
Denise Villalovos 626/222-0936

Hospitality after
Sunday Masses
This Sunday the Music Ministry and
the Senior Ministry will sponsor
hospitality. Besides food and drinks,
they will be offering you the
opportunity to learn more about them
and their role in parish life.

Thank you Youth

Altar Servers, led by
the indefatigable
Kathy Ganino, and
Ushers/Greeters for
last weekends
sumptuous spread!
Your offering to help defray
costs for food and beverages is
much appreciated.

Candlelight Walk 7 pm
Sunday, December 21

Meet in front of the Church about

6:15 for a pre-walk concert, led by
Thank you to Denise Villalovos for
Paul Puccinelli. The Christian Family
decorating our Giving Tree and thank
group will be serving hot apple cider
you to the St. Rita Guild for the gift bags and cookies before the walk. Then
and keeping the tags replenished as
Paul and other members of a brass
needed.
group will accompany the
Please no used itemssave those procession while walking to
Kersting Court. Be sure to bring a
for the Youth Ministry Fill the
Goodwill Truck fundraiser in January. candle to carryor any LED light
works especially well!

Retirement Fund for Religious

Special Collection This Weekend
This Annual Archdiocesan Appeal is
for the benefit of the many vowed
memberspriests, brothers, and
sistersof religious orders who served
us as pastors, chaplains, teachers, and
more. Please be generous as you
remember those who served you in the
past.
Special envelopes are in your packet
and also available in the Vestibule.

Knit for Kids

Attention all helpers!

If you have any finished sweaters,

please bring them on December 28
after any of the Masses. Look for me at
an outside table. If you would like to
participate in the procession, on
Sunday, January 4, bringing the
sweaters to the altar to be blessed by
Msgr. Richard, please contact me.
Ana Ptasinksi 355-3146

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENTDECEMBER 14, 2014

This Week at St. Rita

Stop by after Mass to meet members
of the Music Ministry and the Senior
Ministry who are sponsoring our
food and fellowship this Sunday.
This Sunday, December 14
Community Chorus of Redlands
In the Church 4-6 pm
Tuesday, December 16Advent Penance Service
7 pm At Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish
See page 4 for more information.

Wednesday, December 17Brass Concert

of Christmas Songs
In the Church 2:30 - 3 pm

All St. Rita School children will attendyou are welcome too!
Thursday, December 18Liturgy of the Hours
5 pm Meditation 5:30 pm Prayer
Oratory in the Parish Office

St. Rita
Capital Campaign
Q: We have been waiting to see some work begin
on the Capital Campaign projects. When will that
happen?
A. Before any major renovations or new construction
can be done, a Master Plan needs to be submitted to
the City and to the Archdiocese. The St. Rita Design
Commission is hopeful that can be done in the next
few months. In the meantime, we will be starting with
some renovations to the Church, which is the center
of our parish and school. In fact, a roofing company is
prepared to begin installing our new roof as soon as
the weather forecast looks promising!
As this
happens, please join us in prayers of gratitude for the
donors who are making it all possible!
(Details and an explanation about a Master Plan were
highlighted in the November 2 bulletin. Copies of the
article are available by calling the Parish Office.)
Q: Will Mass schedules and other Church services
change or be moved during church renovations?

A: We are working to assure that the church schedule

will not be disrupted, and that is our goal. The new
roof installation work will be completed in a one-totwo week window and will be done in such a way that
the Church is available, especially for weekend Masses.

Save the Date

Next Sunday, December 21Candlelight Walk
From St. Rita to Kersting Court.
See page 5 for more information.

Friday, December 19Parish Office Closed at Noon

See next weeks Bulletin for Holiday Office Schedule.

Christmas Liturgies
Wednesday, December 24Christmas Eve
4 pm Family Mass
10 pm Songs and Carols
10:30 pm Mass During the Night
(Midnight Mass)
Thursday, December 25Christmas Day
8:30 am Mass
Noon
Mass

ST. RITA OF CASCIA CHURCH

Holiday Boutique
The Christian Family and Senior Ministries would like to thank all those who helped make our November
Boutiques a success by: donating their time and talents to make items; volunteering during the sales; and
cleaning up after the sale on November 10th and again at the sale during the Pancake Breakfast on November
24. We would like to list each and every one of you but there is not enough room. Thank you to all the
parishioners who shopped and purchased items. All of the proceeds (in excess of $2200) were donated to the
Capital Campaign.