THE HILARION

ST. HILARY PARISH

California and Bryn Mawr Avenues – Chicago, Illinois 60659

FOR GOD AND HIS PEOPLE

PARISH MISSION STATEMENT

THE FAITH COMMUNITY OF SAINT HILARY IS A ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO. OUR MISSION IS TO KNOW CHRIST THROUGH PRAYER AND EXPERIENCE AND TO MAKE CHRIST KNOWN TO ALL. Approved 6/22/11 by the Parish Pastoral Council Steering Committee

Fourth Sunday in Advent - December 22, 2019

REGULAR MASS SCHEDULE:

Weekdays: 8:30 AM Monday - Friday Saturdays: 8:30 AM & 5:00 PM Vigil Mass Sundays: 8 AM, 10 AM & 12 Noon Holy Days: 8:30 AM & 7:00 PM

RECONCILIATION (Individual Confessions)

4:00 - 4:45 PM every Saturday

Arrangements for MARRIAGES must be made at least four months in advance. Please call the Parish Office, 9 AM – 5 PM, Monday – Friday for more information.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS:

Mon-Fri 9 AM - 5 PM Saturdays 9 AM - 2 PM Sundays 9 AM - 12 PM

If your organization needs access to any of our parish facilities in the evening or on weekends, please let us know in advance so arrangements can be made.

SPECIAL DEVOTIONS & MASSES

Mass in Spanish - Third Sunday of each month at 1:30 pm

First Friday Services - Confessions 6:30 pm, Mass 7 pm, & Holy Hour following Mass

Rosary, Mass & Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help every Wednesday 6:30-8:30 pm

The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed every Friday in the Adoration Chapel at 3 pm

The Rosary is prayed on Monday - Saturday after the 8:30 am Mass.

The Rosary & Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe is prayed in Spanish every Wednesday at 7 PM in the Adoration Chapel.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Adoration Chapel every Wednesday from after the 8:30 am Mass until the 7 pm Mass & every First Friday 9 am - 3 pm

The Adoration Chapel is also open

Mon, Tues, Thurs 8:30 am - 10:00 am Friday 8:30 am - 3:00 pm Saturday 8:30 am - 10:00 am

BAPTISMS are usually celebrated in English on the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month after the Noon Mass. Instructions for parents and godparents are required. These are held in English on the first Monday of the month at 6:30 pm in the Rectory. Arrangements must be made in advance. Please call the Parish Office, 9 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday. For Baptisms and instructions in Spanish, arrangements must be made in advance with Deacon Ramirez (773) 569-3483.

St. Hilary Church Chicago, IL

PARISH WEBSITE: www.sthilarychicago.org

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WELCOME! If you have been seeking a parish community in which to pray, to learn, to join in social activity and to be of service to others – our doors and hearts are open to you. We are thankful that God has sent you to us. Newcomers are asked to introduce themselves to one of the priests and to come in or call the Parish Office during business hours, 9 AM – 5 PM, Monday – Friday. Registration Forms are in the racks at the doors of the Church, at the Parish Office and online. Please complete one and return it in the collection basket, in the mail slot at the rectory, or by mail. And once again, WELCOME!

TODAY’S READINGS

1st Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14

2nd Reading: Romans 1:1-7

Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24

RMC.WWW

You are probably asking, is this a new way of going into the world wide web right now? Or did I just made a mistake in properly typing this new website. Both are not right. It is something I had been thinking about after the November 8th announcement of the Cardinal’s decision on our Renew My Church activities. Definitely, the task is great and we have to look forward now and see what we can do. The Archdiocese will not just let us on our own to walk in the dark. We belong to the Third Wave of Renew My Church, and the past experiences have opened up for us possibilities learned from the two early experiences. So at the beginning of the year, on January 14th, a Grouping Project Manager will be sent to us who will guide us as we begin our journey. We will start meeting with the leadership of both churches, Transfiguration of our Lord parish and St Hilary who will start explaining to us the direction which we can take until the new pastor will be assigned here and the transition of h0w we will proceed. But what is this RMC.WWW? I was toying with this idea and praying on how we can look at the process in a more simple way. RMC - Walk, Work and Worship, such is the task we will be doing at this early beginnings of Renew my church. Walk - We are journeying as a community to a new community. We will be walking side by side with our sisters and brothers and finding ourselves in a new reality. We will try to listen to the call of Jesus and listen to each other. We will try to discover how we will live together in a new way. Work - There are many tasks ahead of us. We need to give ourselves a new name. We have to reschedule our Masses, finding times for Spanish as well as a Filipino Mass and our English Masses. We will try to find a way for our different ministers and ministries to

become more alive and inspiring for all of us. We need to manage our buildings, our needs, and the many plans that we have. We will open ourselves to the Evangelization that Renew My Church calls us to engage in. Worship - we will continue to gather and celebrate our calling as children of that one Father. For the challenging times ahead we need to call the Spirit of the Lord to inspire us and instill in our hearts how to become closer to our God. Our call to worship will be our strength during those times when we have to say thank you for our blessings but also our aid to those difficult times when we do not know how to proceed or when we will be met by problems and oppositions to our new job. May you join me in thinking of what RMC. WWW will be for us.

Fr. Aloy

Fourth Sunday in Advent December 22, 2019

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Scripture Readings

for

Christmas Masses

Vigil 1st: Isaiah 62:1-5 2nd: Acts 13:16-17,22-25 Gospel: Matthew 1:1-25

Midnight 1st: Isaiah 9:1-6 2nd: Titus 2:11-14 Gospel: Luke 2:1-14

Dawn

1st: Isaiah 62:11-12 2nd: Titus 3:4-7 Gospel: Luke 2:15-20

Christmas Day

1st: Isaiah 52:7-10 2nd: Hebrews 1:1-6 Gospel: John 1:1-18

We warmly welcome all who come here today to celebrate Christmas in this glorious way. We welcome the stranger, the traveler, the guest. We welcome our students at home for a rest. We welcome our friends who have moved far away, but join with us now as we gather to pray. We welcome all those who are “active” no more; we hope you’ll find peace and return to our door. We welcome our faithful, so loyal and true — May the Lord bless you all for all that you do! Welcome to everyone. May our prayer on this day gladden your hearts and form bonds that will stay.

A Christmas Blessing at the Dinner Table:

FOR THE FOOD BEFORE US,

THE FAMILY & FRIENDS BESIDE US,

AND THE LOVE AMONG US,

LORD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS.

A Prayer on Christmas Day

Lord, on this Christmas Day, in the midst of the joy of our celebrations, help us recall what

is truly important about this day. In the midst of opening our presents, help us remember

the love that each gift represents. In the midst of Christmas dinner, help us remember that

You are the Source of all life. In the midst of our family gatherings, help us remember that

You are the Fullness of all joy. And in the midst of Christmas Mass, help us remember the

supreme act of love, sacrifice and humility that we celebrate on this Christmas Day when

Your Son came as a helpless, unknown Baby and grew to be the Life and Light of the

world. Amen.

St. Hilary Church Chicago, IL

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Fourth Sunday in Advent December 22, 2019

Monday, December 23 Athletics (Gym) …………………………...….. 4-10 PM

Tuesday, December 24 Family Christmas Mass & Pageant (Church) 4:00 PM

Wednesday, December 25 Christmas Mass at Midnight (Church) …….. 12-1 AM Christmas Day Masses (Church) 10 AM & 12 Noon

Thursday, December 26 Athletics (Gym) ……………….……….…….. 4-10 PM Boy Scouts (Cafeteria) …………………… 6:30-8 PM

Friday, December 27 Athletics (Gym) ……………………………… 4-10 PM RCIA (Rectory) ………………………… 5:30-6:30 PM

Saturday, December 28 Athletics (Gym) …………………………. 9 AM - 3 PM SLRDM Christmas Party (Rectory) …….…. 12-5 PM

Sunday, December 29 Athletics (Gym) …………………………..…… 1-6 PM

Please remember in your prayers those in the hospital or recovering at

home, those suffering with a terminal

illness, our shut-ins and those in

nursing homes, our relatives and friends

who are ill, especially: Madeline Wellner, Ursula

Schnetzer, Theresa, Katherine & Maria Kim, Linda

Newton, Joan Cowen, Antonio Sarmiento, Rick Omandam,

Patricia Jalove, Fred (Jay) Austin, Dina Nicolini, Belinda

Lacson dela Fuente, Claudia Alvarez, Mary Anne Luby,

Mark Dobrzynski, Paul Littlepage, Dcn. Don Wehling,

Donna Kunicki, Ted Primbas, Tony Wolf, Flora Barros,

William Reynolds, Wilma Baumgartner, Brian Slowinski

Also, Please Remember

Our Troops

In Your Prayers.

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CHRISTMAS MASSES

Tuesday, December 24th Christmas Eve 4:00 pm - Family Mass 12:00 - Midnight Mass

Christmas Day Wednesday, December 25th 10:00 am & 12:00 noon - Christmas Masses

LITURGICAL MINISTERY SCHEDULES

Schedules for Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, and Altar Servers are available on the parish website (www.sthilarychicago.org). Printed copies are available in the sacristy. If you have questions, please contact Carl Chadek, Director of Music & Liturgy, at chadek@sthilarychicago.org or (773) 569-3506.

May the Blessings of Peace and Joy fill your hearts

and the hearts of those you love this Christmastime and always.

Fr. Aloy Funtila Fr. Tom Libera

Dcn. Don Wehling Dcn. Juan Ramirez

and the entire Staff of St. Hilary Parish

The Collection report for the weekend of December 14th & 15th

will appear in a later bulletin.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

Monday, December 23

St. John of Kanty, priest

8:30 AM † Fr. Bill Eddy

by Robert & Mary Mikkelsen

† Teresita Manuel (6th Death Aniv)

by the Rubio Family

† Augustin Tan Go (Death Anniv)

by Daughter

* Vicky Gomez (BR) by Family

Tuesday, December 24

Christmas Eve

8:30 AM † Myrna Labatete (7th Death Anniv)

by the Rubio Family

† Helen Antonio Tiu by Nathalie Tiu

4:00 PM Family Christmas Mass

12:00 Midnight Mass

Wednesday, December 25

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day)

10:00 AM For All Our Parishioners

12:00 Noon For All Our Parishioners

Thursday, December 26

St. Stephen, the first martyr

8:30 AM † Mary Mikkelsen & Peter Mikkelsen

by Mary Lou Wirtz

Friday, December 27

St. John, apostle & evangelist

8:30 AM An openness to serving God in ministry

Saturday, December 28

The Holy Innocents, martyrs

8:30 AM For trusting in God’s care

Vigil: Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary

& Joseph

5:00 PM † Mary Mikkelsen & Peter Mikkelsen

by Bob Mikkelsen

† Agnes Shannon (BR)

by the Mary Lou Miller Family

Sunday, December 29

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS,

MARY & JOSEPH

8:00 AM † Jim Coleman

by John & Mary Lou Wirtz

10:00 AM † Johnny Nicolini (BR) by Sisters,

Dina & Julie

12:00 PM † Cathy O’Connor Sugrue

by Mary Lou Wirtz

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The bread and wine for use at the

Christmas Masses were sponsored

by Roger & Aurora Sotelo in

memory of their parents, Anacleta

& Felipe Sotelo and Magdalena &

Braulio Ramirez, Sr.

Mass Intentions

At the time of the

drawing on Dec. 6th,

the Queen of Hearts

pot rolled over & was

at $ 11,555.

Tickets for the 50/50 raffle may be purchased in

the California vestibule of the church before/after

the weekend Masses. The drawings are held on

Fridays at 9:00 pm at the Claddagh Ring Pub,

2306 W. Foster Avenue.

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RENEW MY CHURCH continued

What does it mean for us to become one parish? Uniting as one parish means bringing all that we are and hope to be together, as one Catholic community. Our gifts, our talents, our hopes, our prayers, our needs … they are all shared to the benefit and vitality of the entire unified parish community led by one pastor. Working together and sharing resources will bring about new ways to make disciples, build communities, and inspire witness. What does it mean to be an active worship site? Worship sites are churches where regular Mass and sacraments will continue to be celebrated as part of the new combined parish. Future adjustments to Mass and/or confession times are a possibility and will be clarified and communicated in advance of any changes taking effect. What will be the name of the new parish? What happens with the current parish names? This is an opportunity to look forward with a new beginning and, as such, step forward together with a new name that reflects the faith, hope and love of the entire community. The new combined parish community may propose possibilities for the new name. Cardinal Cupich will make the final decision on the parish name.

TRADITIONS BROUGHT

TO OUR COUNTRY

BY IMMIGRANTS

Much of what we think of as

American Christmas traditions came

from customs that immigrants

brought with them. An interchange

took place that mixed all of the

traditions together to become what

we now celebrate. Many of our

customs have become a blend of the

ones from England, France, Italy,

Germany, the Netherlands, Poland,

and Mexico; More recently, from

Asia & the Philippines. Here are

some of them —-

holly, ivy, & evergreen boughs to

decorate homes; Christmas lights

decorating stores & towns;

Christmas “crackers” filled with

little gifts for each dinner guest to

pull open; roast turkey and all the

trimmings, cranberry sauce & mince

pies; oplatki; kissing under the

mistletoe; luminaria; threading

popcorn & hanging ornaments to

decorate the Christmas tree;

caroling; the pickle ornament &

spider/web ornaments; gingerbread

houses & cookies; filling shoes with

candy & trinkets (or coal) on St.

Nicholas Day; Advent wreaths,

calendars & Jesse trees; yule logs;

the Nativity crib; Father Christmas /

Santa Claus; Christmas markets;

exchange of gifts; Nativity pageants;

Posadas, Pastorelas, Simbang Gabi,

Mananitas, Mass of the Roses;

Nativity scenes with life-size figures

or living people & animals; Midnight

Mass; fruitcake, Panettone & stollen;

Feast of the Seven Fishes;

poinsettias; candy canes; candles &

bells; the Epiphany / Little

Christmas; Three Kings cake &

Magi bread

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THE LEGEND OF THE CHRISTMAS SPIDER

When Joseph, Mary and Jesus were on their way to Egypt, evening came and they were very weary, so they

sought refuge in a cave along the path. It was a cold night, so cold that the ground was white with frost. A little spider

saw the Baby Jesus and wished that he could do something for Him to keep Him warm. He decided to do the only thing

he knew how to do. He spun his web across the entrance to the cave, making a curtain to help block out the cold.

Later that night, some of the soldiers who had been sent out by King Herod to kill little children came past the

cave. They were about to burst in when the captain noticed the spider’s web. It was covered with frost and stretched all

across the entrance to the cave. “Look,” he said, “the web is quite unbroken. There cannot be anyone in that cave or the

web would be torn.” So the soldiers passed on, leaving the Holy Family in peace.

And that, so they say, is why we put tinsel on our Christmas trees, to represent the spider’s web, and why we

often put a spider / web ornament on our tree

THE LEGEND OF THE CANDY CANE

Many years ago, a candy maker decided to make a special candy at Christmastime that would serve as a sign of his Christian faith. He wanted to have it include symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus. He began with a stick of pure hard white candy which would stand for the Virgin Birth and also of Jesus as the rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of God’s promise. The candy maker then formed the candy stick into a “J” to represent the name of Jesus who came to earth as our savior. He thought its shape would also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd with which Christ could lead, guide and protect the sheep and the lambs put in His care. Thinking that the candy was very plain, the candy maker decided to add red stripes to it, representing the blood Christ shed so that we might have eternal life. Over the years the candy cane became a festive holiday decoration as well a popular treat. For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, it can still remind us of the candy maker’s original purpose - a reminder of our faith and the life Jesus gave up for us.

PARISH STAFF

PASTOR: Rev. Aloysius Funtila fraloy@sthilarychicago.org (773) 569-3480

PASTORS EMERITI: Rev. Robert G. Darow Rev. Roger J. Caplis

RESIDENT: Rev. Thomas Li bera libera@sthilarychicago.org (773) 569-3489

DEACON COUPLES: Dcn. Donald & Mary Wehling wehling@sthilarychicago.org (773) 965-6591

DIRECTOR OF Dcn. Juan & Isidra Ramirez RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: ramirez@sthilarychicago.org (773) 569-3505

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Mr. Carl Chadek & LITURGY

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: Mrs. Kathie Donovan donovan@sthilarychicago.org

SCHOOL BUSINESS MGR: Mrs. Carol Wolf

PARISH SECRETARY Mrs. Mary Lou Wirtz & BULLETIN EDITOR: wirtz@sthilarychicago.org (773) 569-3482

RECTORY / PARISH OFFICES

5600 N. Fairfield Avenue (773) 561-3474

Chicago, Illinois 60659 FAX: (847) 868-9189

ST. HILARY SCHOOL

5614 N. Fairfield Avenue (773) 561-5885

Chicago, IL 60659 FAX: (773) 561-6409

THEY HELP DEFRAY

THE COSTS

OF PRINTING

THIS BULLETIN.

If you would like to view the Bulletin in color, please go to www.sthilarychicago.org, click on

parish, then bulletin, then click on the issue you are seeking.

Special Instructions 268400 (St. Hilary)

Date of Bulletin

Page Number

Instructions

Misc. Information