P.O. Box 6310 Fernandina Beach, FL 32035 corner of North Fourth & Broome Streets 904-261-3472

ST. MICHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH

MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD JANUARY 1, 2017

THE BLESSING WE RECEIVE The blessing we experience in Christ Jesus is proclaimed in Numbers as the special blessing for the peo-ple of Israel. They and we are to be blessed by the invocation of God’s loving kindness, the shining glory of God’s face turned toward us in love, not away from us in anger. We are blessed by God’s own peace! Our wish and our hope are fulfilled in this blessing, which is made visible in the coming of Jesus. In Je-sus, the image of the invisible God, God’s face is shown to us and God’s presence is made known to us in faithful and loving kindness.

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace! (Numbers 6:22-27). Psalm — May God bless us in his mercy (Psalm 67). Second Reading — God sent the Spirit of the Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but an heir, through God (Galatians 4:4-7). Gospel — The shepherds glorified and praised God for all they had heard and seen (Luke 2:16-21).

READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: 1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 1:19-28 Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:29 — 3:6; Ps 98:1, 3cd-6; Jn 1:29-34 Wednesday: 1 Jn 3:7-10; Ps 98:1, 7-9; Jn 1:35-42 Thursday: 1 Jn 3:11-21; Ps 100:1b-5; Lk 4:14- 22a Friday: 1 Jn 5:5-13; Ps 147:12-15, 19-20; Mk 1:7-11 or Lk 3:23-28 [23, 31-34, 36, 38] Saturday: 1 Jn 5:14-21; Sal 149:1-6a, 9b; Jn 2:1 -11 Sunday: Is 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION “Octave” comes from the Latin word for “eight,” and since eight is one step beyond seven, the number of days in a week, it has long been seen as a symbol of perfection, completion, and new beginnings. Early Christians called Sunday the “eighth day,” since it was the day after the Sabbath and a day of resurrected life, the Lord’s Day. By the seventh century, people regarded the eight days after Easter Sunday as one great day, an octave, one glorious feast when people were forbidden to fast or kneel. In the seventh cen-tury, Pentecost acquired an Octave, too. Christmas didn’t claim the honor of a continuous feast, but it did get an Octave Day. January 1 is the oldest Marian feast, the Octave of Christmas. It was originally a feast of the motherhood of Mary, although for centu-ries until 1969 it was called the Feast of the Circumci-sion. Our reformed calendar follows the earlier tradi-tion of celebrating Mary as Mother of God.

SACRAMENT MEETI NG FOR PARENTS A parent sacrament meeting will be held in the parish hall on Wednesday, January 11th at 6:30 in the parish hall. Parents of children who will be receiving their First Reconciliation and First Communion this year must attend. Please call the school office 321-2102 or the parish office 261-3472 if you have any questions.

“COFFEE & DONUTS” IS TAKING A BREAK UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Mary, the Holy Mother of God; The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord; World Day of Prayer for Peace; New Year’s Day Monday: Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen Tuesday: The Most Holy Name of Jesus Wednesday: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Thursday: St. John Neumann Friday: St. André Bessette; First Friday Saturday: St. Raymond of Penyafort; First Saturday; Julian Calendar Christmas

PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN CLASS

The Diocese of St. Augustine requires persons 18 years or older to attend a PGC class as part of its Safe Environment program. This class must be completed for clergy, religious, lay employees, educators and covered volunteers. The Protecting God’s Chil-dren program is designed to educate those on how to maintain a safe environment for children, youth and vulnerable adults. A PGC class will be held on Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at 6:00 pm in the par-ish hall. You must register at www.virtus.org to attend. Please contact the parish office if you have any questions.

Please keep our youth Confirmation candidates in your prayers as they study and prepare for Confirma-tion. Bishop Felipe Estevez will confer the sacra-ment on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 10:00 am.

ST. MICHAEL MEN’S CLUB ANNUAL RETREAT

The St. Michael's Men's Club is sponsoring its annual retreat at Marywood Retreat Center, St. Johns, Florida from January 20, 21 and 22, 2017. This retreat is open to all the men of our parish. Our Retreat Master will be Father Jack Rathschmidt, a Capuchin Franciscan Friar from New York. It is a good time to step away from the everyday life and have a spiritual renewal. The cost for a private room and meals is $150.00. The SMMC can discreetly arrange to waive the cost of the retreat for anyone in need of assistance. Please contact Charlie Sciarini at 904 491-4978 or to reserve a place.

THANK YOU The Angel Tree committee thanks all St. Michael's angels whom so generously provided gifts for those less fortunate during the Christmas season. Your thoughtfulness touched and made a difference for over 400 individuals in our community.

Our parish is in need of new communion cups and ciboria. If you or your family

would like to be a sponsor and donate toward them, please call the parish office: 904-261-3472. Thank you.

INFORMATION FOR THE BULLETIN

Please check your calendars for articles which you

wish to have placed in our Bulletin. They should be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the Bulletin date; however the deadline for the last

3 weeks of January and first two weeks in February MUST be emailed no later than

Saturday, January 7th.

Please submit to me via email to: smjdean@bellsouth.net.

Thank you for your cooperation.

GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS OFFERING!

Registered Families 1632 December 25, 2016 Offertory $23,317.84 Debt Reduction 1,223.00 Christmas 37,133.00

"SOUTH PACIFIC CRUISE" ABOARD THE SS ST. MICHAEL

SAVE THE DATE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH,

2017

AMAZING POLYNESIAN FOOD STAR STUDDED DINNER ENTERTAIN-

MENT AFTER DINNER SHOW FEATURING

PRINCE PELE'S POLYNESIAN REVIEW Tickets on Sale 2/1/17 Reservations Required Very Limited Seating Buy a Seat or a Table

Children Welcome Captain's Table Available

Benefitting the St. Michael Religious and Youth Formation Programs

GIFT SHOP We would like to express our gratitude to our parishion-ers and visitors who have supported the gift shop throughout the year, and we

wish you all a Blessed and a Happy New Year. Please Note: The Gift Shop will be closed on Sunday January 1, 2017.

Sat. Dec. 31 (5pm) Alex Diekmann by the Hargreaves famly Sun. Jan. 1 (8am) Fred Fedorko by the Dudiak family Sun. Jan. 1 (10am) Bill Lauerman by Walter & Pat Conti Sun. Jan. 1 (12noon) Parishioners of St. Michael Mon. Jan. 2 (8:30am) James Bailey by Mary Mahoney Tues. Jan. 3 (6:00pm) Frank Kreider by Tom & Marie Dolan Wed. Jan. 4 (8:30am) Fr. Bob Napier by Paul Donovan Thurs. Jan.5(8:30am) Gladys Shripka by Ken & Pat Dalton Fri. Jan. 6 (8:30am) Dolly Buck by Patrick & Suzy Sabadie Sat. Jan. 7 (5pm) Dr. Maurice E. Mahoney by the ` Mahoney family Sun. Jan. 8 (8am) Parishioners of St. Michael Sun. Jan. 8 (10am) Fred Fedorko by Mariam Dudiak Sun. Jan. 8 (12noon) Wilfredo Plasencia by the Janzen family Please pray for all requests in our Prayer Request Book. Please pray for the sick and for those who have died, especially parishioners Elizabeth Mullen and Richard Masters. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

THE PARISH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 2017. FR. JOSE AND

THE ST. MICHAEL STAFF WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR.

YOUTH MINISTRY Walt Edwards: 261-3472

MUSIC DIRECTOR Denise Ziegler: 654-3855

ST. MICHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH Corner of North Fourth & Broome Streets P.O. Box 6310 Fernandina Beach, FL 32035

Parish Office - 505 Broome Street - Phone - 904-261-3472 Fax - 321-1901 Email: smjdean@bellsouth.net ALL EMERGENCIES: 904-277-6566 Website: www.stmichaelscatholic.com

MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 pm Sunday Masses: 8:00 am—10:00 am—12:00 noon Confessions: Saturday: 4:00-4:45 pm or by appointment Daily Masses: 8:30 am Mon., Wed., Thurs., & Fri. 6:00 pm Tues. Holy Days Vigil: 6:00 pm Holy Day 8:30 am & 6:00 pm

MINISTRY TO SICK & HOMEBOUND Weekly visits and monthly Communion Services are held at Sa-vannah Grand, Quality Health Care and Jane Adams House. Visits by Priest or Extraordinary Minister can be arranged by calling 261-3472.

MATRIMONY Marriage preparation for couples who wish to be married in a Catholic ceremony must meet with their parish priest at least eight months prior to the wedding date.

R.C.I.A. For those seeking to learn more about the Catholic faith, call 261-3472.

RELIGIOUS FORMATION Classes are available for grades 1—7. Sacrament preparation is available for Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation on Sun-days from 10:30 am—11:45 am. Call the parish office, 261-3472.

ST. MICHAEL ACADEMY Pre-K—Grade 8 Principal—Dr. Christopher Hampton Call 321-2102 for information Email: smacad@smacad.org Website: www.smacad.org

St. Michael Catholic Church Mission Statement We are the body of Christ at St. Michael’s Parish, called to: Gather for Worship, Celebrate the Paschal

Mysteries, Preach the Gospel, Minister to Others, Be Witnesses to the World.

Rev. Jose Kallukalam, Pastor

Deacon Art Treadwell