Daily Readings

Welcome to the Catholic Parishes of: St. Anthony – Niagara Sacred Heart – Aurora St. Margaret – Pembine

December 31st 2016 & January 1st, 2017: Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

St. Anthony Mass Schedule: St. Margaret Mass Schedule: Tuesday 5:00 pm Friday Rosary 8:05 am & Mass 8:30 am Wednesday 6:30 pm Saturday Mass 4:00 pm

Thursday 9:00 am (Maryhill) P.O. Box 235 N18844 Highway 141 & 8

Saturday 6:00 pm Pembine, WI 54156 Sunday 10:00 am *New Mass Time** Phone: 715-324-5849 1432 River St. Niagara, WI 54151 Office Hours: Phone: 715-251-3879 Friday: 8:00am – 12:00pm or by appointment

Office Hours: E-mail: stmargaretpembine@gmail.com Tuesday: 8:30am – 3:00pm

Thursday: 8:30am – 3:00pm Sacred Heart: Last Sunday of the month Mass

Friday: 8:30am – 12:30pm at 5:00 p.m. with potluck to follow Or by appointment Website: www.stanthonyniagara.org Office E-mail: office@stanthonyniagara.org RE E-mail: ReligiousEd@stanthonyniagara.org

Pastor: Fr Matt Settle at: 715-891-1560 or fathernorthwoods@aol.com

Office Manager & Faith Formation: Dawn Johnson, Phone 715-251-1773 Receptionist: Wendy Linsmeyer RE Assistant: Donna Henrichs

Bulletin Announcements: e-mail OR drop it off at the office before Wednesday at 1:00

Mon. Jan. 2nd Tue. Jan. 3rd Wed. Jan. 4th Thurs. Jan. 5th Fri. Jan. 6th Sat. Jan. 7th Sun. Jan. 8th

1 John 2:22-28; Ps 98:1-4; John 1:19-28

1 John 2:29-3:6; Ps 98:1-6; John 1:29-34

1 John 3:7-10; Ps 98:1-9; John 1:35-42

1 John 3:11-21; Ps 100:1-5; John 1:43-51

Isa 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-13; Eph 3:1-6; Matt 2:1-12

1 John 3:22-4:6; Ps 2:7-12; Matt 4:12-25

Isa 42:1-7; Ps 29:1-10; Acts 10:34-38; Matt 3:13-17

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION

Baptism: Please call the office to make arrangements (includes a 1 hr. class) 2 weeks before desired date. Confirmation: Normally received in 12th grade with prep in RE classes 9th -11th. In other cases, please make arrangements with Fr. Matt & Dawn Johnson (RCIA). Eucharist: Celebrated each Mass. (1st Communion usually made in 2nd grade with prep in RE gr. 1 – 2.) Reconciliation/ Confession: Offered weekly on Saturdays from 9 – 10 am at St Anthony, and from 3 – 3:45 pm at St. Margaret; and, any other time as desired by appointment with Fr. Matt. Marriage: Please call Fr. Matt at least 6 months before desired date in order to begin preparation. Anointing of Sick: Call Fr. Matt’s cell phone any time.

Angelus Bell Intention at St. Anthony:

St. Anthony Candle Intentions: Mary Candle: James Schintgen

Sanctuary Candle at St. Margaret A Special Candle Intention, will burn for:

Mass Intentions Available at St Margaret: January 2017– 27 February 2017 – 4, 10 & 17 March 2017 – 10 & 31 April 2017 – 8 & 28

St. Margaret Serving Schedule Mass starts at 4:00pm on Saturdays

Lector: Jan. 7th ~ Marcie Crandall

Sacristan: Jan 7th ~ Steve Firkell

Server(s): Jan. 7th ~ Rylee Gregg & Wendy

Communion: Jan. 7th ~ Gail Wollenberg, Don & Diane Arndt Cross Bearer: Jan. 7th ~ Geralyn Schlais

Hospital Visitation: Jan. 10th ~ Connie Geib Special Ministry: Jan. 13th ~ Fabisiak

Saturday, December 31st (New Year’s Eve)

† 9-10am Confessions at St. Anthony

† 3:00pm Confessions at St. Margaret

† 4:00pm St. Margaret Mass Intention: Betty & Francis Nowland

† 6:00pm St. Anthony Mass Intention: For the people

Sunday, January 1st (Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother)

† 10:00am St Anthony Mass Intention: Choppers Moreau

Monday, January 2nd

† 12:00 Noon – 3pm Karen’s Food Pantry

† 6:30pm Rosary

Tuesday, January 3rd

† 5:00 Mass St. Anthony Intention:

Wednesday, January 4th

† No RE Classes

† 6:30pm St Anthony Mass

Thursday, January 5th

† 7:30am Men’s Prayer breakfast at Grace Lutheran, Pembine

† 9am Maryhill Manor Mass Intention:

† 5:00pm St Anthony - Blessing of the Epiphany Water

Friday, January 6th

† 8:30am St. Margaret Mass Intention: Poor Souls in Purgatory

† 10:00am Maryhill Mass & Adoration

† 1:00pm St. Anthony Faith Formation Holy Hour

Saturday, January 7th

† 9-10am Confessions at St. Anthony

† 3:00pm Confessions at St. Margaret

† 4pm St. Margaret Mass Intention: In Memory: Lila DalSanto

† 6pm Mass St. Anthony Intention: For the people

Sunday, January 8th

† 8:30am RE class for 2nd grade

† 10:00am Mass for St. Anthony Intention: George Hohol

† After Mass: Confirmation parent meeting (11th graders)

† 4pm St. Anthony monthly Holy Hour

St. Anthony Liturgical Ministers for Jan. 7th & Jan. 8th Sacristans: Saturday ~ Frank Sherman

Sunday ~ Dan & Lori Aderman

Lectors: Saturday ~ J. Wall

Sunday ~ TJ McCarthy

Servers: Saturday ~ Ethen Sweig, Austin Tripp

Sunday ~ Alex Rankin, Michael McCarthy

Greeters: Saturday ~ R. & D. Howen

Sunday ~ DePas family

Ushers: Sat ~ N. Pellegrini, C. Pellegrini, B. Moreau & M. Darne

Sun ~ R. Wodenka, Z. Rankin, J. Kososki & R. Kososki

EME: Sat ~ N. Pellegrini, J. Zychowski & J. Zychowski

Sun ~ C. Pilon, L. Rankin & J. Rice Hospital Visitation (Mon. Jan. 9th) ~ Joe & Jean Zychowski

Money Counters (Mon. Jan. 9th) ~ Jackie Tripp, Marie Oja

Staplers (Friday, Jan. 13th) ~ Marge Gunville, Jeannette Rice

Musician Schedule ~ Practice is 1 hour before Mass

Jan. 7th ~ Laura Jan.8th ~ Sharon, Denise, & Kathy

St. Anthony Committees: Pastoral Council: chair - Dan Aderman Finance Council: chair - Craig Garvaglia Buildings & Grounds: chair - Terry Sweig Worship Committee: chair - Denise Sonnenberg Karen’s Food Pantry: Mondays 12- 3 pm (every other in summer) Contact: Teresa DePas St. Anthony Council of Catholic Women (SACCW): president: Jody Wall 715-251-1626 Next Meeting: March 6th, 2017 at 7:00pm St. Vincent de Paul: 715-251-1574 President: Cindy Pilon Meeting: 1st Mon. St. Anthony 5:30-6:30. Friday after 3rd Mon. @St. Margaret 8:30 Mass with mtg after Knights of Columbus Council #2847: Grand Knight: Jeff Champeau (715)251-3892 Meeting: 2nd Monday of each month at St Anthony Church at 7pm.

St. Margaret Committee Trustee: Jerry Neumann Trustee: Jeanne Swanson

Sacred Heart Committee Trustee: Chris Christesen Trustee: Vonnie VanPembrook

HOLY HOUR

St. Anthony’s next

Holy Hour is Sunday,

January 8th &

St. Margaret’s next

Holy Hour will be on:

January 19th at 4 -5pm

With a light dinner to follow.

In our thoughts & prayers: Jase Suther, Boots Mills

Special need for Prayers: Al Tewel & Bruce Darne

Hospital/Surgery:

Asst. Living:

Kate Anderson – Norway

Veronica Venstra – Maryhill

Those at home/Recovering:

Curt Arndt, Tom Keyser,

Mary Stewart, Al Swanson,

Pat Rouse, Julie Turrie &

Jerry Neumann

Please keep our soldiers in your

prayers:

Raymond Benning

Sarah Mills, Adam

Valeski, AJ Sonnenberg

If you are in need of prayers,

please contact the parish office.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SACCW NEWS

NEXT MEETING: March 6, 2017

At 7:00 pm

In A Lowly Stable- A Newborn

King Resides.

The St. Margaret’s Christian

Women, will be having their next

Meeting on Monday, Feb. 6th 9am.

St. Margaret Men’s Prayer

Breakfast on Thurs. Jan. 5th

Place: Grace Lutheran, Pembine

Time: 7:30am all the men, from

our three Parishes are welcome

to come! Hope to see some new

faces.

2017 offertory envelopes are

available to pick up. They are

on the table in the back of St.

Anthony church & in the

entrance at St. Margaret

Church. If you had an envelope

number above 225, then it

needed to be changed. We are

attempting to get the numbers

lowered so we do not need to

order as many boxes of

envelopes. Thank you for your

understanding on this matter.

Garbage Pick-up in Pembine

will be on Friday, January 6th

and January 20th.

DONATIONS: We have

updated the heating system at

St. Anthony for the hall and the

church. If anyone would like to

donate to help offset the cost.

Feel free to use the new

envelopes in the pew and write

“Heating System” in the

comments section.

School Delays & Cancelations May affect our Parish office

hours. If it is unsafe for our

children to be on the roads it is

unsafe for all of us, so please

don’t drive. The office may be

closed when schools are

delayed or closed. Feel free to

call Dawn at home 715-251-

1773. Thank you!

WE NEED YOUR HELP! The

Knights of Columbus are planning

multiple events/ fundraisers over

the next few months. Each event

will need different talents to be

shared from our parishioners. The

first event is the Texas Hold’em

scheduled for Saturday, January

21st. Here’s what we need: 1. Cooks for the BBQ, Porketta,

and Chili (one 5-7 quart slow

cooker full for each). The

Knights will supply the

ingredients! Just bring it to the

hall prior to the event. (We can

even put it in the fridge if you

drop it off on Friday)

2. Volunteers at the event to help

serve food.

3. Dealers for the Texas Hold’em

games.

4. A clean-up crew to come in the

next day.

Call the parish office if you can

help (715) 251-3879.

Religious Education: The High School Religious

Education class on MORALITY

will begin on Wednesday, January

11th. All High School students

may join this class to receive their

mandatory credit in this subject.

January 11th is also when regular

RE classes resume for 3rd – 8th

grade starting 5:30pm.

SUNDAY AM RE CLASSES

will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday,

January 8th for 2nd grade and

Sunday, January 15th for 1st grade.

NOTE – we will start a ½ hour

earlier due to the Mass time

change.

Catechumen Classes still

continue. If you enjoyed the

Neocatechumenal Way, then

please join us every Tuesday

evening at 7pm, to continue this

learning adventure on our own. If

you are interested in participating,

call Shanna at 715-251- 3281.

Prayer Requests: Phone Tree ~ Contact Louise Hohol (715)251-3753 or Rose Bousley (715)251-3249. E-mail Tree: office@stanthonyniagara.org

Blessing of Water on the Vigil of

Epiphany: On this Thursday

evening (January 5), we will

celebrate a special blessing of water,

called Epiphany Water. The blessing

will be celebrated at St. Anthony's at

5 pm that evening. You are welcome

to come and pray with us if you'd

like. This special blessing is done

primarily in Latin and takes about

30-45 minutes to

complete. Afterward, this water will

be distributed to everyone in the

parish to take home. You may bring

your own container(s) or may take

one of the holy water bottles that will

be available.

Blessing of the Home on the Feast

of the Epiphany: The blessing of

the home is often given by pastors,

either individually or if the parish is

so large that this is impossible, from

the church steeple in the four

directions. If you would like Father

Matt to come to your home next

Sunday to bless you home, please

sign up at the back of church this

weekend or next, or in the office

during the week (Please note that

there are only 4 time slots available

on a first-come basis). Alternatively,

the husband/father (or other head of

household) may go through the

various rooms of the home

sprinkling the "water of the three

kings," which was described

immediately above. As the various

rooms are sprinkled, the father reads

the prayer:

Bless, O Lord, almighty God, this

home so that in it there may be

health, chastity, victorious strength,

humility, goodness and mildness,

obedience to God's laws, and acts of

thanks to God the Father, Son, and

the Holy Spirit, and may this

Blessing remain upon this house, and

upon all who dwell in it. Through

Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Progress reports are available

in the back of church for grades

1-8.

Karen’s Food Pantry Open on Mondays only! 12-3p

January – 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30

February – 6, 13, 20 & 27 March – 6, 13, 20 & 27

Needs: Tuna helper, peanut

butter, jelly, pancake mix, and

syrup.

St. Anthony Collection Average Weekly Expenses per

Budget $(2,657.29)

Regular offering (75 env of 296)

$ 4,847.00

Loose Change & Child Env.

(2 env) $ 547.00

Candle Money, Flowers

& Misc. $ 70.00

Heat & Maint $ 379.00

Bulletin ads $ 100.00

Net $ 3,285.71

Funds held for others: Karen’s Pantry $.00

St. Vincent de Paul $.00

St. Margaret Collection

Envelopes: $1,312.00

Visitors: $37.00

Holy Day-Christmas: $20.00

Christian Wm. Candle: $0.00

Coffee Can - Propane: $10.00

Mass Intentions: $0.00

St. Vincent dePaul: $10.00

Karen’s Pantry: $0.00

Total: $1,389.00

Weekly Expenses: $0.00

GIFT FOR YOU! Anyone who

would like more

copies of

Resisting

Happiness

books are

welcome to take extra copies.

Maybe you know someone who

is resisting the happiness, God

wants to give them!

Adult Faith Formation We will

begin our

first week

of AFF

classes the second week in

January (Tues, Jan 10th from 1-3

p.m. OR Fri, Jan 13th from 4-6

p.m.). We will begin with the

series LECTIO: PRAYER. Learn

the art of Lectio Divina in order to

read Scripture more intentionally

and prayerfully. We will have the

same session Tuesday and Friday,

so jump in when you are able!

(Sessions include: Jan 24th & 27th;

Feb 14th & 17th; 21st & 24th; Mar

7th & 10th; and Mar 21st & 24th)

Saint of the Day- Jan. 1st

Mary, the Holy Mother of God A woman is a man’s mother either

if she carried him in her womb or if

she was the woman contributing

half of his genetic matter or both.

Mary was the mother of Jesus in

both of these senses; because she

not only carried Jesus in her womb

but also supplied all of the genetic

matter for his human body, since it

was through her—not Joseph—that

Jesus "was descended from David

according to the flesh". Since Mary

is Jesus’ mother, it must be

concluded that she is also the

Mother of God: If Mary is the

mother of Jesus, and if Jesus is

God, then Mary is the Mother of

God. Although Mary is the holy

Mother of God, she is not his

mother in the sense that she is older

than God or the source of her Son’s

divinity, for she is neither. Rather,

we say that she is the holy Mother

of God in the sense that she carried

in her womb a divine person—

Jesus Christ, God "in the flesh" and

in the sense that she contributed the

genetic matter to the human form

God took in Jesus Christ.

Fr. Matt’s Corner: Theotokos, and our mother,

too

Mary Christmas, everyone!

“Umm, Father Matt, I think you’re about a

week late with that . . .”

Well, actually, it is still Christmas. The

Christmas season began last weekend on December

25, and continues now until next weekend. This

Sunday marks the eighth day of Christmas, so . . .

Mary Christmas! It is also the feast of Theotokos

today.

“Fr. Matt, did you say thayo-tacos? What is

that, some new kind of Tex-Mex food?”

No, no, no. Theotokos – that’s Greek for:

God-Bearer. That’s Mary’s title: the Mother of

God, and today we celebrate the Solemnity of the

Mother of God (Theotokos). As we remember

during this Christmas season that Jesus – the Word

of God – the Son of God – became man, we also

realize that He did this by being born of a mother,

Mary. So, the greatest blessing of all – God’s

dwelling among us (His becoming one of us and

one with us) – came to us through His mother, Mary

– Theotokos.

Just as Jesus grew and lived in a human

family – the Holy Family, so too, may our lives

grow in Our Family the Church – under the loving

care of Mary our Mother. Just as Mary kept all

these things, reflecting on them in her heart, so now

I ask that you prayerfully consider two things.

First, as we have come to the end of one

year, ask God to show you all the ways in which He

has revealed Himself to you during this past year.

Second, ask God to show you how you may invest

yourself more and more into growing our family

here at St. Anthony parish. Like all families, we

have numerous gifts (many of which are still lying

dormant) as we face opportunities and challenges

and needs together.

Most of all, I ask that we all fill our hearts

with the joy and hope that comes with Christmas.

Joy that comes from knowing God is with us, and

hope that comes from God’s promise to renew us –

to grow in us and to make us always more than

what we have been.

As we live out this Christian mission, may

you and your families have the blessing of

Christmas (God-with-us). May 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

with kindness and give you peace!

Peace to all of you this holy day and to all

who love the Lord in simplicity of heart, Fr. Matt

Ask Father: This week’s question: “If someone confesses a

violent crime (murder, rape, etc.) to a priest, are you able to

inform the proper authorities?”

This week’s question – like last week’s – comes on

the heels of our Advent penance service last month. It’s also

one that I’ve heard in several instances, and one that’s

occasionally controversial, so, as always, it will be a pleasure

to give a response here.

The short and absolute answer to your query is: No. A

priest is never – under any circumstances – able to break the

seal of confession. He cannot say nor do anything that might

connect a penitent (that’s a person who confesses) to a sin.

That is true no matter what the circumstances or what his

motivation may be. The Church reserves Her most stringent

‘punishment’ for a priest who violates the seal of confession.

If the laws of the United States of America or of the

Geneva Convention or any other civil authority were to

demand that a priest reveal the perpetrator of some terrible

crime confessed to him (perhaps in order to save millions of

lives), that priest still cannot do so. He may be thrown into

prison for his silence; he may be subjected to tortures or

whatever other means that humans can conceive; still, he

cannot speak. There was a widely-known case some years ago

of a priest who heard the confession of a murderer at a time

when an innocent man – convicted of that particular crime –

was on death row. The priest could not do anything himself to

save the life of the wrongly-convicted man.

Now, if you’re very clever, you might be asking how

we then know about such a circumstance. The answer to that

question is that the penitent is not under any seal with regard to

his or her confession. Often, during the administration of the

Sacrament, the priest confessor will counsel the penitent to

perform certain acts as a remedy (or reparation) for her or his

sin(s). In some cases, a priest may have to strongly counsel the

penitent to turn himself or herself in to the civil authorities –

especially in order to prevent some further miscarriage of

justice. That’s what happened in this particular case. Usually,

in such cases, the priest will offer to go along and face

whatever the consequences may be with the penitent.

As in all the Sacraments, we can rely on both the

goodness and the power of God. As a priest, hearing the

confession of sins like the abuse of minors or spouses (or other

crimes likely to be repeated) could be emotionally devastating

if we could not rely on the power of God to change hearts and

to bring good out of an evil situation. Thanks be to God that

with God, all things are possible – and thanks be to you for

such a good question.

Thanks for another great question; and, as always,

if you have further questions or insights or another way of

looking at this question, please log on to our website

www.stanthonyniagara.org in the “Ask Father” section of the

forums to share your thoughts. Until next week, may God

bless you and your loved ones!

In Loving Memory of

Jim Merritt

In Loving Memory of:

Pat Recla

Deceased Loved Ones of the

Brinkman Family

In Loving Memory of Patrick

“Choppers” & Kathy Moreau

In Loving Memory Of:

Dan, Steve & Kevin

Schultz

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5

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