This document is the weekly bulletin from Saint Stephen of Hungary Roman Catholic Parish in Allentown, Pennsylvania dated January 1st, 2012. It provides the mass schedule and intentions for the week, which includes masses celebrating the Octave Day of Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. It also contains notices about collection amounts, changes to the mass schedule for the first week of the year, and information about booking mass intentions.
This document is the weekly bulletin from Saint Stephen of Hungary Roman Catholic Parish in Allentown, Pennsylvania dated January 1st, 2012. It provides the mass schedule and intentions for the week, which includes masses celebrating the Octave Day of Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. It also contains notices about collection amounts, changes to the mass schedule for the first week of the year, and information about booking mass intentions.
This document is the weekly bulletin from Saint Stephen of Hungary Roman Catholic Parish in Allentown, Pennsylvania dated January 1st, 2012. It provides the mass schedule and intentions for the week, which includes masses celebrating the Octave Day of Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. It also contains notices about collection amounts, changes to the mass schedule for the first week of the year, and information about booking mass intentions.
Sunday, January 1 st , 2012 Weekly Bulletin Volume 5, Issue 1 www.SaintStephenChurch.us 510 West Union Street Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101 phone 610.439.0111 fax 610.439.6048 ststephenofhun@aol.com Parish offices are closed Mondays Rev. William N. Seifert, M.Div., Pastor Coordinator, Diocesan Office of Prison Ministry Julius Kovacs, Organist
|. :\ . :. M\ Ordinary Form (English) Saturday Vigil .......................................................... 4:30pm Sunday ........................................................................... 8am Monday ........................................................ No public mass Tuesday .......................................................................... 8am Wednesday..................................................................... 8am Thursday ........................................................................ 8am Friday ............................................................................. 8am Extraordinary Form (Latin) Sunday .................................................................... 10:15am Monday ........................................................ No public mass Tuesday .................................................................. 12:10pm Wednesday............................................................. 12:10pm Thursday ................................................................ 12:10pm Friday ..............................................................No latin mass Saturday ..........................................................No latin mass :\\v.x: |.x\x. Saturday ...............................................................3:30 - 4pm Sunday ............................................................... 9:30 - 10am (Kindly observe the listed finish times) Confession & spiritual direction is available by appointment | : | \ Ordinary Form .............................................................. 8am Extraordinary Form ....................................................... 7pm | : :\:.\ M\ w/ |\ 8 o.x. : x Extraordinary Form .................................................. 9:15am :.. .x |\x. Tuesday .......................................................................... 6pm OCTAVE DAY OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
he solemnity of the Mother of God, which now coincides with the octave-day of Christmas and the beginning of the new year, was probably assigned this day because of the influence of the Byzantine Church. The octave day of Christmas was celebrated in Rome in honor of the Maternity of Mary. Later, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the feast of the Circumcision was added, although it had been introduced into Spain and France at the end of the sixth century and was later included in the Missal of Pope St. Pius V. The recent liturgical reform has restored the original Roman practice, which replaced the pagan feast of the New Year, dedicated to the god Janus, with this feast honoring the Mother of God. The Opening Prayer of the Mass is addressed to "God, who has given to mankind the blessings of salvation through the fruitful virginity of Mary" and it asks that we may "experience the intercession of her through whom we have received the Author of life." The faith of the Church is already expressed in the Apostles' Creed with the assertion that Christ "was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary." The Council of Ephesus (431) used this statement to defend Mary's title as "Theotokos," not in the sense that the nature of the Word and his divinity had their origin in the Virgin Mary, but that the Word, the second Person of the Trinity, was born of her according to the flesh. What was born of her was the humanity to which the Word is united hypostatically. The mystery of Mary's maternity is expressed in the Entrance Antiphon of the Mass: "Hail, holy Mother! The child to whom you gave birth is the King of heaven and earth for ever." This implies God's choice of her who is "full of grace" (Lk 1:28) as well as her voluntary consent: "Let it be done to me as you say" (Lk 1:38). continued on back page T When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Sai nt Stephen of Hungary www.SaintStephenChurch.us
HAPPY NEW YEAR! ANNO DOMINI Collection Tally A thank you is in order to those who gave so generously to the Christmas collection last week. The funds received totaled $6,507.00. SPECIAL MASS TIMES THIS WEEK No Mass Thursday There will be No Public Mass offered at Saint Stephens on this Thursday, January 5 th . We apologize for any inconvenience. First Friday & First Saturday On Friday, January 6 th there will be an 8am mass in the Ordinary Form. Epiphany Mass A 7pm mass for the Epiphany of the Lord in the Extraordinary Form will also be offered on First Friday, January 6 th . On Saturday, January 7 th there will be a 9:15am mass offered in the Extraordinary Form.
M\ . :. W. . \x | x:. x: x Saturday, December 31 st
Vigil 4:30pm Octave Day of Christmas Mary the Mother of God Thanksgiving for Blessings of 2011 Sunday, January 1 st
8am Octave Day of Christmas Mary the Mother of God John Toth, Jr. r/b Margaret R. Toth 10:15am Octave Day of Christmas Ane Finn r/b James Finn Monday, January 2 nd
NO PUBLIC MASS St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory Nazianzen n/a Tuesday, January 3 rd
8am The Most Holy Name of Jesus James McMullen, Sr. r/b Family 12:10pm Feria of Christmastide Daughters of Charity, USA Wednesday, January 4 th
8am St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Living & Deceased Members of St. Stephen of Hungary Parish 12:10pm St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Fr. Francis J. Schuster r/b Leon Buffington Thursday, January 5 th
NO PUBLIC MASS St. John Neumann n/a Friday, January 6 th
8am St. Andre Bessette Rosvanis & Errico Families r/b Nicholas Rosvanis 7pm Epiphany of the Lord Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Michonski r/b Michonski Family Saturday, January 7 th
9:15am Saturday of Our Lady Jean H. Spence r/b Hess Family Vigil 4:30pm The Epiphany of the Lord Living & Deceased Members of St. Stephen of Hungary Parish Sunday, January 8 th
8am The Epiphany of the Lord Deceased Members of Hagadus Family r/b Margaret R. Toth 10:15am Holy Family Deceased Members of Schnalzer Family THE HI GHEST FORM OF CHRI STI AN PRAYER I S THE MASS. Having a mass offered for loved ones, living or deceased, or for a special intention can be done by filling out the White Mass Intention envelopes, which can be found in the vestibules of the Church, and dropping them in the collection basket. The requested donation is $10 per Mass. We cannot promise a specific date will be available, so booking a few weeks, or even months, ahead of time is a good idea. Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem: quoniam cum probatus fuerit, accipiet coronam vit, quam repromisit Deus diligentibus se. S. Jacobus c. i, v. xii ststephenofhun@aol.com M\ |. : . J: \.. U\ ' :v\ INTROIT Isaias 9:6 child is born to us, and a son is given to us: Whose government is upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called the angel of great counsel. Ps. 97: 1 Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: because He hath done wonderful things.
COLLECT God, who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary, hast bestowed upon mankind the rewards of eternal salvation, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may evermore experience the intercession in our behalf of her through whom we have been found worthy to receive the author of life, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
EPISTLE Titus 2: 11-15 early beloved, The grace of God our Savior hath appeared to all men, instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly and justly and godly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ: Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to Himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works. These things speak and exhort: in Christ Jesus our Lord. GRADUAL Psalms. 97: 3, 4, 2 ll the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God: sing joyfully to God all the earth. V. The Lord hath made known his salvation: He hath revealed His justice in the sight of the gentiles. Alleluia, alleluia. V. Heb. 1: 1-2: God, Who diversely spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all in these days hath spoken to us by His Son. Alleluia
GOSPEL Luke 2: 21 t that time, after eight days were accomplished that the child should be circumcised, His name was called Jesus, which was called by the angel, before He was conceived in the womb.
OFFERTORY Psalm 88: 12, 15 hine are the heavens and Thine is the earth: the world and the fullness thereof Thou hast founded; justice and judgment are the preparation of Thy throne.
SECRET rant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that having accepted our prayers and offerings, Thou wouldst cleanse us by the heavenly mysteries and harken unto us in Thy mercy. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen. PREFACE Preface of the Nativity t it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, for through the Mystery of the Word made flesh, the new light of Thy glory hath shone upon the eyes of our mind, so that while we acknowledge God in visible form, we may through Him be drawn to the love of things invisible. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Throne and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying:
COMMUNION Psalm 97:3 ll the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
POST COMMUNION ay this communion, O Lord, purge away our guilt and, by the intercession of blessed Mary the Mother of God, make us companions of Him, Who is our heavenly healing. A O D A A T G I A M The Sanctuary Lamp, the votive lamps on the Marian Altar and the votive lamps by the Pieta; each can be lit as a memorial for a deceased loved one or for a special intention. Sai nt Stephen of Hungary ststephenofhun@aol.com The Lord said to Moses: Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! continued from front page he word "conceive" applies not only to the body but also to the spirit, as was stated by the Second Vatican Council: "The Virgin Mary, who at the message of the angel received the word of God in her heart and in her body . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the Redeemer.... Rightly, therefore, the Fathers see Mary not merely as passively engaged by God, but as freely cooperating in the work of man's salvation through faith and obedience" (<Lumen Gentium>, nos. 53 and 56). The theme of motherhood should be associated with that of "fruitful virginity," which is preferable today because it is one of the proofs of the divinity of Christ and because it is an example of the way in which God uses lowly and weak means for our salvation. The Prayer over the Gifts reminds us that in this Christmas season we celebrate "the beginning of our salvation." Hence this feast fits in very well with the beginning of the new year. "On this feast of Mary, the Mother of God, we ask that our salvation will be brought to its fulfillment." The Preface of the Mass states the reason for this solemn feast: "Through the power of the Holy Spirit, she became the virgin mother of your only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is for ever the light of the world. "Mary represents, as it were, the maternal aspect of God, not only because her Son is also the Son of the Father, but because the Holy Spirit, through whose power she conceived, took up his dwelling in the Word made flesh. This mysterious relationship between Mary and the Holy Spirit, who made her virginity fruitful, manifests another maternal aspect of the Father, namely, his merciful love. The maternity of Mary is not therefore something purely functional; she is an authentic icon of the mystery of the Trinity. As the Father from all eternity generates the Son in the love of the Holy Spirit, so Mary, in the flesh, generated the same eternal Word by the power of the Holy Spirit. The antiphon for the Canticle of Zechariah beautifully summarizes the dogma of the Incarnation: "Marvelous is the mystery proclaimed today: human nature is made new as God becomes man; he remains what he was and becomes what he was not. Yet each nature stays distinct and for ever undivided." The significance of this feast is found especially in the Prayer after Communion: "We proclaim the Virgin Mary to be the mother of Christ and the mother of the Church." Prayer after Communion: Father, as we proclaim the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of Christ and the Mother of the Church, may our communion with her Son bring us to salvation. Article credit: Saints of the Roman Calendar, by Enzo Lodi PARISH INTERESTS Christmas Decorators The parish extends a warm expression of gratitude to those who contributed to the beautiful outcome of this years Christmas decorations.
Saint Stephen of Hungary Parish needs and appreciates your generosity. We suggest a sacrificial weekly tithe to help us meet our demands.
Membership Drive If you like our church, then make a New Years resolution and join with us in the unique mission of St. Stephen of Hungary Parish. Because of the HIPAA regulations, the area hospitals and nursing homes do not automatically inform us that parishioners have been admitted to their care. Please call the parish office and let us know when a member of your family has been admitted to any health care facility. Please identify them as parishioners of St. Stephen of Hungary Parish (There is St. Stephen Episcopal Church in Whitehall; so one must be clear).