St. James Catholic Church A living cell of the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi

605 S. Alta Vista St. Beeville, Texas 78102

Phone: (361) 358-4825 | email: stjamesbeeville@yahoo.com | www.stjamesbeeville.org

December 1, 2019 – First Sunday of Advent

Holy Mass

WEEKENDS Saturday 5:00 PM

Sunday 7:30 AM - Spanish 10:00 AM - English

WEEKDAYS Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri

7:30 AM

Major Feast Days (Holy Days):

As announced

CONFESSION Half hour before every

Mass or by appointment.

OFFICE HO UR S

Mo n, Tues , Thu, Fr i

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Clo sed Wedne sda y

PAROCHIAL TEAM Pastor

Rev. Jacob

Deacon Juan Vasquez

Parish Secretary

Juanita L. Martinez

Director of Religious Education

Anna Castillo

Bookkeeper Cristina Rea

Parish Council Chairman

Luis Hernandez

Finance Council Chairman Joe L. Gomez

Altar Society

Juanita Martinez

Eucharist Ministry Coordinator

Albert Garces

Altar Servers Coordinator Roxanne Salazar

Lector Coordinator Salvador Andrade

Knights of Columbus Grand Knight #14064

Albert Garces

Guadalupanas Pres. Juanita Cruz

Cursillistas Vocal

Elfida Garcia

Faith Ministry Pres. Yolanda Maldonado

Spanish Choir

Tony De La Rosa

English Choir Margaret Smith

Bulletin and Website R. Anthony Hinojosa

MISSION STATEMENT: The Catholic community of St. James Church is made up of loving and sensitive members seeking to meet their spiritual needs, strengthen their faith, and affirm their continued existence as the church of Jesus Christ today and tomorrow. In their quest to evangelize, it is their mission to assist everyone toward a more abundant experience of the riches of their liturgy and sacraments, and to convince all of Christ’s sheep that the Lord’s Day is indeed for all.

A Hearty Welcome

No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church, No matter what your current family or marital situation,

No matter what your past or present religious situation, No matter your personal history, age, background, race, etc., No matter what

your own self-image or esteem, You are INVITED, WELCOMED, ACCEPTED, LOVED and RESPECTED AT St. James.

Contact the Office for any assistance.

December 1, 2019 First Sunday of Advent

ANNOUNCEMENTS SECOND COLLECTION Today we will have a second collection for the the Building, Repair, and Maintenance Fund (BRM). Your generous contributions are appreciated. Next weekend we will have a second collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious. MOVIE NIGHT The Guadalupanas will be showing the movie of Our Lady of Guadalupe “The Blood and The Rose: This Battle is for Our Souls” on Sunday, December 8 at 2:00 p.m. All parishioners are invited to come see the movie. If any parishioner is interested in joining the Guadalupanas, please speak to one of the members or call the office for more information. MISSION SCHEDULE St. James Parish will host an advent mission for reconciliation and retreat at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10th and Wednesday, December 11th. Priest will be available for sacrament of reconciliation on December 10th. Please make it a point to attend with your family. GUADALUPANA MANANITAS, PROCESSION AND LIVING ROSARY Guadalupana Mananitas will be at Thursday, December 12th at 6:30 a.m. We will have a procession at 5:00 p.m. from St. James Parking Lot followed by the Living Rosary at the Parish Hall. All are cordially invited. PARISH CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION & MUSICAL The Christmas Celebration & Musical will be on Sunday, December 15, 2019 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the St. James Parish Hall. Anyone who is interested to participate in the musical contact Anna Castillo at 542-3562 or Susana Martinez at 318-2337. The Christmas Party will follow after the musical. All of you are cordially invited. CHRISTMAS POSADAS Christmas Posadas will begin on Monday, December 16, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. If you’re interested in being a host or would like to be a guest, please call Martha Cuellar at (361) 318-4974. LECTORS & EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS SCHEDULE The schedule for the Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers is available at the back of the church. SPANISH MISSALS We have new Spanish Missal – Palabra y Eucaristía. If you are interested in sponsoring, they are available at the cost of $20 each. Please write or type the information as you want it to appear on the missal; complete the form available at the back of the church with your telephone number and money in a sealed envelope and hand it to an Usher or put it in the collection basket. Thank you in advance.

ONE IN FAITH Page Number: 954

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - A

WEEKLY OFFERING

November 24, 2019

Envelope Collection $1,499.40

Loose Collection 756.77

Children’s Fund 11.16

Total $2,267.33

Second Collection

Catholic Campaign for H.D. $352.94

May God bless you for your

selfless sacrifice

AUDITORS

Team IV, Sunday, December 1

Teodora Galvan, Virginia Quintanilla

Team V, Sunday, December 8

Elfida Garcia, Juanita Cruz, & Angie Garcia

Team I, Sunday, December 15

Janie Maldonado, Alice Sanchez & Kimberly Cuéllar

Team II, Sunday, December 22

Amy Gonzales & Diana Barrera Team III, Sunday, December 29

Rosalinda Orozco, Maria Servantes,

& Margaret R. Mesquita

MASS INTENTIONS Saturday, November 30

5:00 PM † Londa Trial by Paul Trial

† Eliza G. Vidaurri by Anacleto P. Vidaurri and Family

† Bernardino Espinoza in Memory of 1st Anniversary

By Family and Children

† Trino Cano, Jr. By Salvador Sandoval

Sunday, December 1 7:30 AM † Jesusa Casarez by Venessa Martinez

† Eduardo Silva by Manuel and Mary Ramon

† Virginia Garces Garcia by Rudy and Lupe Alcala

† Delfina Huerta

By daughters Noe Bradt and Rogelia Silvas

10:00 AM † Johnny Ramirez, Sr.

By Nick Cardenas and Mary Arredondo

† Enrique R. Ramirez by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Henry Alaniz

† Henry Garcia by Connie Zamora

Monday, December 2

7:30 AM † Londa Trial by Paul Trial

Wednesday, December 4

7:30 AM † Londa Trial by Paul Trial

Thursday, December 5

7:30 AM † Londa Trial by Paul Trial

Friday, December 6

7:30 PM † Londa Trial by Paul Trial

Fr. Jacob and Deacon Vasquez and the parish community

congratulate the altar servers who were recognized by Bishop

Mulvey at the Altar Server Recognition Ceremony on Sunday,

November 17, 2019.

Purple Sash Red Sash Outstanding Servers

Brandon Guerrero Alizabeth Martinez Daniel Hinojosa

Ryan Martinez Theresa Hernandez

MASS SCHEDULE

Date Time LECTORS EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS ALTAR SERVERS

Saturday, November 30 5:00 PM Lisa Blanton Adam Duran & San Juanita Duran Natalie Rodriguez

Sunday, December 1 7:30 AM Angie Garcia Luis Hernandez & Domingo Castillo Autumn Rodriguez

10:00 AM Albert Garces Janie Maldonado & Martha Cuellar Alizabeth Martinez & Krislynn Cuellar

First Sunday of Advent December 1, 2019

I ADVENT [A] (Nov 27)

Is 2:1-5; Rom 13:11-14; Mt 24:37-44 When did you last sharpen your life? There was this very strong woodcutter who asked for a job with a timber merchant and got it. The wages the timber merchant paid were really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day the woodcutter brought 18 trees. "Congratulations' the boss said "go on that way." Very motivated by the words of the boss, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder but brought only 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. "I must be losing my strength," the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying he could not understand what was going on. "When was the last time you sharpened your axe? The boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees." - We may have been busy with so many things, we may have neglected our spiritual life. Like the axe that needs sharpening, we also need to sharpen our spirit. Let us sharpen our spirit this Advent by becoming more loving, more prayerful, more compassionate, more generous and more faithful. Life is not about finding yourself! Life is about recreating yourself! Advent is God's marvelous gift to all of us. Let this season unfold slowly and nicely Today we begin the season of Advent and with this we begin the new liturgical year. On this day the church invites us to be ready and prepared to receive the Lord. Advent means waiting and we wait eagerly for someone we love, we care and we are ready to invest our time on him. In the liturgical calendar, the season of Advent means a joyful waiting, a waiting for Jesus prayerfully, with affection and love. There is the eagerness within us to receive him and we look forward to this great event when God becomes man. However, it is a special kind of waiting for a God who has come already, who is coming regularly into our life and who will come again at the end of time. We know that Jesus came into the world already two thousand years ago and we remember this event with devotion. We know that he will come again at the end of time as a judge and unite the whole universe to himself. He comes daily in the sacraments and in the Eucharist in a very special way as our food and drink to strengthen us and fill us with his grace. We also prepare ourselves to celebrate the feast of Jesus Christ born among us as a human person in a stable of Bethlehem to be one with us and remind ourselves of the great work of salvation began for us. The readings of today help us to prepare ourselves for this season of Advent. The coming of Jesus and its significance is expressed in the great vision from Isaiah which is our First Reading for today where all nations will come to the Mountain of the Lord. The prophet shows the path of peace. The Gospel reminds us of the second coming of our Lord and the authority with which he will come as a king and a judge. It presents us with the challenge of preparing for the coming of Christ now and at the end of history. But Jesus warns us against complacency in being prepared for the coming of the Lord. In the second reading Paul tells the Romans reminds us that salvation is nearer to us now and we are to be prepared to receive him. They have to emerge from darkness and come to the light.

Continued next column …

Continued …

Today’s Gospel Reading tells us to keep awake because we do not know on what day and at what time the Lord is coming. At the same time the Gospel tells us of the certainty of his coming into the world. The question to which this passage is responding to is: when and at what time this parusia or second coming of the Son of man is to take place. In the early days of the church, Christianity had raised the expectation that the Son of Man would return soon. Matthew in his gospel clearly reaffirms the fact that the Son of man will return. Secondly, he stresses the uncertainty of the exact time of his coming. This leads to the basic stance a Christian should have in the face of such uncertainty. Every Christian must live in a constant state of watchfulness. Several examples are given which stress the unexpectedness of an on-coming crisis. The first is the situation that surrounded Noah’s day before the flood. No one was prepared because no one was aware that a crisis was at hand. He says that in those days leading right up to the Flood, people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands. They suspected absolutely nothing and suddenly they were swept away. Only Noah, his family and the animals they took into the Ark survived. That is how suddenly the Lord will appear and that is why Christians have to be constantly watchful. The passage gives the warning of division, separation and sorrow. Those who are prepared for his coming will be able to enter into his kingdom. Two people might be doing exactly the same thing, but the one who is prepared will be taken up while the other who is not prepared will be left behind.

PRAY FOR THE SICK With care and compassion, we pray for: Jewelia Beth Gonzalez, Christopher Cardenas, Anthony Angel Cardenas, Guadalupe Benavides, Albert Cardenas, Jr., Jim Nelson, Joe Adrian Moya, Catherine McKeowm, Kristina Elena Garcia, Eva Dominguez, Chris Ulmer, Roxann Gleason, Frank Riojas, Jessie Riojas, Joe Anthony Martinez, Armando B. Perez, Lino Garcia, Katy Rendon, Denice Hadwin, Patty Stone, Ascension Carrizales, Lulu Martinez Watson, Tabitha Rendon, Mary Longoria, Jessie Martinez, Jr., Roman Flores, Santos Lopez, Caroline James Ries, Adrian Sampayo, Aurelio Guajardo, Tonya Sciba, Kenneth Sciba, Nieves Moreno, Jr., Jessica Arrisola, Mary Carrizales, Norma Delgado, Juanita Maldonado, Dora Lopez Bernal, Richard Espinosa, Emo Aleman, Robert Hernandez, Nieves Cardenas, Laurie Lawrence, Anselmo Garcia, Jr., Josefa Aleman, Crystal Arciba, Francisco Trevino, Patricia Servantes, Mary Guerrero, Jose Salazar, Genevieve S. Trevino, Viola Rangel, Oralia Aleman, Ricardo Trevino, Sandy Rios, Nieves Moreno, Dawn Bieber, Lori Baldillez, Cristobal Servantes, Jose Nahum Lugo, Timmy Lopez, Juanita Alvarado, Deacon Juan Vasquez, Viola Maldonado, Madison Pena, Ricardo Trevino, Jr., Daniel Loya, Sandra Urquizo, Jesse Contrerras, Nell Jamison, Charles Cartwright, Stella Riojas, Ben Wilson, Mary Kay, Eloy Garcia, Tony Coronado, Sr., Irma Estela Rodriguez, Owen Rodriguez, Adan Martinez, Timothy Gene Lopez, Aurora V. Gomez, Fr. Paul Kottackal, Joshua Brock, Aaliyah Brock, Brendan Brock, Cruz Guerrero, Sr. and to all at Christus Spohn.

PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE TO ADD OR TO

REMOVE NAMES FROM THE PRAYER LIST.

BAPTISM CLASS – December 10, 2019

All applications MUST be submitted to the church office before

that date. Items needed are: Copy of the child’s Birth Certificate

and sponsor’s proof of all Sacraments if single and, if married, a

copy of the marriage license by a Catholic Church. Baptisms will

take place 3rd Sunday of month after the 10:00 a.m. Mass.

Baptism classes for parents and sponsors are held second Tuesday

of every Month at 7:00 p.m. in the CCE Building.