Sun. December 19 Fourth Sunday in Advent
8:00 William Parsch
by Brian Fagan
11:00 Loraine McLaughlin
by Norm & Rita Cole

Mon. December 20
8:00 Special Intentions for Linda Thusing
by Jenniffer Thusing
Tues. December 21
8:00 All who are sick & their caregivers
Wed December 22
8:00 All those in Need
Thur. December 23
8:00 Sam Insalaco
by Jean Insalaco
Fri. December 24
8:00 People of St. Gerard Majella
10:00 (PM) People of St. Gerard Majella

Sat. December 25
8:00 People of St. Gerard Majella
11:00 People of St. Gerard Majella

Sun. December 26 Feast of the Holy Family
8:00 Rick Rabka
by the Parish Family
11:00 William Parsch
by Mary & George Fagan

THANK YOU
Thank you to all whom contributed to the collection on the weekend of December 11th and December 12th. The amount collected was $1,117.00.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK
Linda Jones
Charlotte Ryan
Rita Schreiber
Lou Grimm
Corine Murphy
Ann Dytrych
Julie Laur
Adeline Deneen
Betty Nemecek
Helen Blaha
Betty Paschal
Ann Mysliwiec
Lottie Fik
Gloria Dompier
Eileen Desidero
Bernadine Smith
Lorraine Jarvis
Joseph Scofield
Eugene Orris
Margaret Lee
Roselee Gacke
Brittany Dubs
Lillian Coughlin
Dorothy Loeffler
Cameron
Campbell
Shaun Deneen
Eleanore
Thielmann
Marge Straub
Ann Knight
Osie Dompier

Anyone who is ill in our parish and would like to receive Holy Communion; call (708) 331-8400. If you can be removed from the sick list at this time, please call the parish office.

DATES TO REMEMBER
December 19 Pancake Breakfast/Bake Sale
December 20 Women's Guild Christmas Party (6 PM)
December 21 Parish Reconciliation Service (7 PM)

THE GIVING TREE
A huge "Thank You" to all for your generosity to others this Christmas Season. We were able to supply gifts to many families. We appreciate your promptness in returning the gifts to church. Now these children will have presents under the tree on Christmas morning.

HOLY NAME PANCAKE BREAKFAST
St. Gerard's Holy Name Society is hosting the annual Pancake Breakfast this Sunday, December 19th. The men will start serving breakfast at 8:00 AM and continue until after the 11:00 AM Mass.
The food is always great and everyone has a good time. Santa will be on hand to talk to the children.

GUILD CHRISTMAS PARTY
The Women's Guild Christmas Party will be hosted at "Carlos", Monday December 20th at 6:00 PM. Please contact Joan Sitniewski (708) 333-0755 or Rita Cole (708) 331-5188 for tickets or further information.

CHRISTMAS CHOIR
The final choir practice for Christmas Eve will be on Wednesday, December 22 at 1:00 PM in the church. We encourage and invite everyone to join us. We carol before the "midnight Mass" on Christmas Eve and sing during the Mass.
Here is an opportunity for you to be an active part of the Mass. Music is an important form of prayer.
See you there!

MASS SCHEDULE
We will have a parish reconciliation service on December 21 at 7:00 PM.
The Christmas Eve service will be at 8:00 AM and 10:00 PM with caroling beginning at 9:00 PM. Christmas Day services will be at 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM. There will be no Mass at 5:30 on December 25th. On December 26th there will be an 8:00 AM and an 11:00 AM Mass.
There will be an 8:00 AM Mass on December 31st. January 1st we will celebrate Mass at 8:00 AM and 5:30 PM. This is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year. On January 2nd there will be an 8:00 AM and an 11:00 AM Mass.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CALENDAR
The children in the program have a Christmas break from classes until January 9th. This allows our students to spend time with their families during this busy time of year. The children are expected to attend Mass each week and are encouraged to participate in the reconciliation service if they have made their First Communion.

SERVING GOD
Do you know someone who could serve God's people as a Deacon in the church?
Staff members of the Diaconate Formation Program of the Archdiocese of Chicago will give a presentation on the Formation Program for Deacons. They will be able answer questions and provide direction to those who may be interested in pursuing this vocation. Wives are required to attend with their husbands. Individuals wishing to make an application must obtain the forms from the pastor. There is a session scheduled on Sunday, January 23, 2005 at St. Christopher (14641 S. Keeler Ave., Midlothian, IL.)
For more information please call, (847) 837-4563 or e-mail: DFP@usml.edu.

THANK YOU
The Catholic Mission office sent the parish a thank you for our donation of $121.00 to the 2004 World Mission Sunday contribution.

CELEBRATION OF GIVING
Catholic Charities is sponsoring a month-long effort to collect Christmas gifts for thousands of children and families they serve called Celebration of Giving (Unwrap the Spirit).
Sponsor-a-family reaches out to families who are most in need, responding to their basic wishes for items such as clothing, household items, books, or school supplies. To sponsor a family, contact Shannon McClowry at (312) 948-7174.
This is a wonderful way for your entire family to understand the true meaning of Christmas and help a family struggling to make ends meet.

THE WOMEN'S CENTER
As we contemplate the baby Jesus in the manger, it is appropriate to also thank God for the more than 1,000 babies who are alive this Christmas because of the prayers and help of so many parishioners.
Plan to attend The Women's Center' 21st Annual Life Banquet on Sunday, February 13th at Crystal Palace in Park Ridge. If you have an item or a service to donate for our silent auction, it would be most appreciated. The keynote speaker will be Jeff Cavins, noted author, bible scholar, and TV and radio personality. For more information, phone (773) 794-1313.

THAT PERFECT GIFT
Are you looking for a Christmas gift for your husband or wife? A gift you can enjoy together? One that will last for years to come? For the cost of a $35.00 registration fee and a donation made on the weekend, you can give him, or her, a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend this Christmas. The next weekend dates are February 18-20, April 8-10 or June 10-12.
For reservations or information, please call Jim or Kris at (800) 442-3554 or contact our website at www.wwmechicago-gary.org.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT
People who are strong in faith are willing to respond when God calls them to do something other than what they had planned.
We may see a person who needs help - and we have to choose between offering help or continuing with what we had planned. We may find ourselves waiting in a long line at the store or in a traffic jam - and we have to choose whether to get angry and frustrated or to turn our thinking to God in a few minutes of prayer. We may get some terribly sad news - and we can choose to think that all is hopeless or believe, like Joseph, that God is with us and will give us the grace we need.
The following is a little prayer that might help you deal with this hectic time of year.
Lord of Life, let us trust in your ways. May we always be willing to let go of what we want to do so that we can hear you call and can respond as people of strong faith. Amen.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Where do children go when home is not the answer? Is your home an option?
Catholic Charities is looking for positive role models willing to provide homes for children of all ages, who have been abused or neglected. Persons of all ethnic, racial, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds are needed.
You are invited to informational meetings on Foster Parenting, December 16, 2004 at 7 PM at St. Ailbe's (9038 S. Stony Island Chicago).
For more information please call: (312) 665-7200.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
"The Lord's are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. For He founded it upon the sea and established it upon the rivers."
Psalm 24:1-2

Psalm 24 reminds us that God created absolutely everything and everyone on the earth. Surely we all have an obligation to return a portion of our good fortune to God, for without God, nothing would be possible.
Prayer is the central component of stewardship. As one fosters his or her relationship with God, the natural response is the recognition that everything in life is a gift. The greatest model we have for generosity is God, granting us life, giving us Jesus, and blessing us with the Holy Spirit to continue His work.

Start each day with gratitude. Gratefulness helps us see the material things for what they are - gifts freely given by God and bathed in holiness, gifts to be cherished and shared.

Christmas gifts are wonderful and a joy to receive, but they are only a small part of Christmas.