St.

Philip Neri Parish

The Northwest Paulist Center
for Evangelization & Reconciliation

2408 SE 16th Ave., Portland, OR 97214-5334

PARISH MISSION STATEMENT Committed to the mission of Jesus and dedicated to be welcoming to all, we the community of St. Philip Neri strive to reach out, to reconcile and to promote unity for all of Gods creation through worship, education, and service toward the common good.

4th Sunday of Advent December 18, 2011

PARISH OFFICE & STAFF: Phone 503-231-4955
Website: www.stphilipneripdx.org Fax 503-736-1383

Pictures from the Altar Society Luncheon

This Weeks Calendar & Mass Intentions

Next Sundays Scripture Readings: Christmas (December 25) Isaiah 52:710 Hebrews 1:16 John 1:118 or 1:15, 914

MASS INTENTIONS____________ Monday December 19 8:00 AM Mass ( Catherine Trotters <A>) Chapel Tuesday December 20 8:00 AM Mass ( Le & Tier Familys souls) Chapel Wednesday December 21 8:00 AM Mass (for those traveling) Chapel Thursday December 22 8:00 AM Mass ( Stella & Giulio Donadini <A>) Chapel Friday December 23 OFFICE CLOSED AT 12NOON 12:10 PM Mass ( Charles Navarra) Chapel Saturday December 24 Christmas Eve 8:00 AM Mass (for the homeless) Chapel 5:30 PM Family Mass ( Janice Baccellieri Aichele & Michael Baccellieri) Church 9:00 PM Mass (for peace on earth) Church Sunday December 25 Christmas 8:30 AM Mass (for all people) Church 10:30 AM Mass (for all people) Church 1:30 PM Mass Deaf Community Chapel Church cleaning, December 1925: Siobhan Daly & Dan Summerfeldt

This Weeks Announcements

Two-Week Bulletin Coming: The bulletin for Sunday, Dec. 25th

and Sunday, Jan. 1st will be combined into a two-week bulletin; many parishes do this to alleviate stress during the Christmas season. Please email any announcements for the two-week bulletin to Mercy at mercyb@stphilipneripdx.org by no later than Monday, Dec. 19th. Thank you!

French Toast Breakfast Today (Sunday, Dec. 18th) in Carvlin Hall

after the 8:30 and 10:30 Liturgies. Come and enjoy some delicious French toast, sausage, juice, coffee. Adults - $5 and children 5-12 years - $3. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Parish Christmas Party will be Sunday, Dec. 18th from

12:15-1:30pm. It will follow the Parish French Toast Breakfast that is served for $5.00 from 9:20am12:15pm. Our Christmas party will include Christmas Bingo, Karaoke (for all of you who are 'entertainers'!), a Cookie Exchange (bring your cookies please), Hot chocolate and caroling.

Oregon New Sanctuary Movement: You shall treat the alien who
resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; have the same love for them as for yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt. (Leviticus 19: 33-34) The Oregon New Sanctuary Movement, an interfaith coalition of congregations responding actively and publicly to the plight of our immigrant brothers and sisters, will have a representative in Carvlin Hall TODAY, Dec. 18th, during the French Toast Breakfast following the 10:30 Mass to discuss their work and how we might join them.

Announcements continued

New Memorial Board for Pieta Chapel: The new Memorial

board, a gift from the Holy Name Society, will be blessed and dedicated TODAY (Dec. 18th) at the French Toast Breakfast after the 8:30am Mass.

Spaghetti Sauce: Need a Little Extra Sauce for the Holidays?

Pre-Christmas clearance and last chance to get your hands on frozen quarts of spaghetti sauce. Stock up for those busy days ahead with little time for meal prep. Special clearance price is $5 per quart or five quarts for $20. (Good local gift idea and it wont gather dust in a drawer somewhere.) Final sale is TODAY Sunday, Dec. 18th, Carvlin Hall, from 9:30 AM until the parish Christmas Party wraps up.

Christmas Decorations: It is time for us to start replacing some of

our Christmas decorations. As you sort through your decorations, please think about donating to the parish any almost new items. We will be decorating on Friday, Dec. 23 at 10am. Please contact the parish office if you would like to drop something off.

Christmas Liturgies:
Saturday, Dec. 24 5:30pm Family Mass 9:00pm Vigil Mass (caroling starts at 8:30pm) Sunday, Dec. 25 8:30/10:30 Masses

You are invited to join our "Choir of Parishioners" to support

parish singing at the 9pm Christmas Eve Mass, Saturday, Dec. 24th. Singing in harmony is not required, nor expected. Anyone (4th grade and older) is invited to participate. Any children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. This is a multi-generational project, so singers of all ages are welcome and wanted. We will be leading the carols for 30 minutes before Mass and then supporting the congregation during Mass. The only practice will be at 7pm on Tuesday, Dec. 20th in the Chapel of the Paulist Center. You already know all of these songs!

Help with Christmas Liturgies: People needed to help with the

Christmas Liturgies! If you are interested in serving as a Welcome Minister, Reader, and/or Eucharistic Minister for any of the Christmas weekend Liturgies, please sign up on the bulletin board in the vestibule. We will get back to you.

Announcements continued

Christmas Flowers: Once again we will be collecting monies for the

Christmas flowers in the sanctuary. If you would like to donate monies in memory of someone please put your check/monies in an envelope, put your name on it and the name of the person in memory of. This can go in the Offertory or be taken to the office. Thank you for helping to make the Christmas beautiful at Christmas!

Happy New Year! "Ring in the New Year with Reflection and
Prayer" Saturday, Dec. 31st, Paulist Center Chapel, 11:30pm 12:30am. Light refreshments. Questions: call 503-760-7664 or KaitSkyler@msn.com.

Calendars: Make sure to grab a few 2012 calendars from the

Church lobby. Take one for your home and office or for a friend who would like a calendar or two. We have plenty!

New Parish Committee Forming: The MarthaJoe Committee is a

group of volunteers seeking to serve the parish and spiritually enrich its members by identifying and undertaking small maintenance and repair projects as needed on the church grounds, and under the direction of the Pastor. Many projects can be done at a convenient time for the volunteer, given that many have different and often very busy personal schedules. For members of the MarthaJoes seeking a spiritual and educational component to their volunteer work, a typical Group "Project Day," could begin with an hour's or more gathering for Prayer, Refreshment and a Reflection on a topic of the Group's choosing.

E-Giving Cards: If you give electronically but would still like to

drop something into the Offertory basket as it passes by you, you may pick up an e-giving card from the Church foyer. The e-giving cards are teal-colored and located in a basket on one of the counters. Office Space For Rent: St. Philip Neri Parish's Paulist Center has an office space available for rent. The Paulist Center is located in SE Portland on 16th and Division and features: Short walk to New Seasons, multiple restaurants, and coffee shops Easy access to bus line 4 On-site parking for cars Native planting landscaping and bioswale Kitchen/Lounge

The office space has large windows and measures 252 square feet - $350-425 per month. For more information or to schedule a visit, contact Jeanne at 503- 231-4955 ext. 103.

Pastoral Corner

December 18, 2011

David and Mary - A Contrast of Willfulness and Willingness

When David became King, he set about uniting the different tribes of Hebrews into a unified country with Jerusalem as the capital. Wanting to give thanks to God for the victories in battle that had helped establish the Kingdom, he had the brilliant idea and began making plans to build a glorious House of God, a Temple for God to dwell in among the people. But God had other plans and God would do the building. God Promised to build a House of David - a dynasty in the Kingship and that the House of David would last forever. How like David we are in so many ways, especially in our prayer lives. I am embarrassed to think of how many times, especially in intercessory prayer, I really tell God what I want God to do: heal this person, punish this evil doer, make a miracle happen - and not just happen - but often with detailed instructions from me as to just how God should accomplish my will - in this very time, place and way, etc. Too often our prayers are not so much for our understanding of Gods will, sometimes actually demanding Gods support of our willing - even when the willing is kind and loving and generally about wishing the good for others - just as David was kind, and loving, and grateful to God in his willing to build a House for God. Jerusalem was destroyed in 587 BC and it seemed to most that the promise would not be fulfilled. Still, the hope remained that a Messiah would come from the House of David. The expectation was fulfilled when Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of the Redeemer, who, through Joseph, would be of the line of David. Gabriels words echo the words of Gods promise to David. Compare Marys response to Davids initial desire. Mary has no idea what Gabriel is talking about. She even wonders how what Gabriel is suggesting could possibly come about. But she utters not a word about what she would like, or how she would suggest that God accomplish thing things whatever these things are that Gabriel is talking about. There is no wanting or even asking for Gods help in doing her own thing. Many people today, in our time and in our culture, believe they can only find fulfillment and can only find happiness through doing their own thing. It's what I want that matters. In this Mary gives us a great example. She didn't say to the angel, Sorry, but I have my own plans. I want to do my own thing. She said, Yes! It's not what I want, but what God wants that matters. Let what God wants be done to me and by me!

Fr. Charlie