W ! P , F V BLESSED SACRAMENT CATHOLIC CHURCH

DIOCESE OF LAREDO 2219 Galveston St., Laredo, TX 78043‐3002 • Phone: (956) 722‐1231 • FAX: (956) 722‐2823

Website: www.blessedsacramentlaredo.org Bulle n announcements e‐mail: bulle n@blessedsacramentlaredo.org 

Reverend Fr. Wojciech Przystasz, Administrator Deacon Roger Mar nez, Jr., Permanent Deacon Reverend Msgr. Stanley A. Sliwiak, Ph.D., Re red Deacon Dennis R. Garza, Permanent Deacon

PARISH OFFICE HOURS Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M to 12:00 N.N.

and 1:00 P.M.- 5:00 P.M.

SUNDAY MASSES

Saturday: 6:00 P.M. Sunday: 8:00 A.M. (Español) 10:00 A.M. 12:00 N.N. 5:00 P.M.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Parents MUST be registered parishioners (considered registered parishioners if have actively been attending Sunday Masses prior to baptism). Baptisms are administered on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Baptismal instruction is offered on the preceding Thursday.

PARISH STAFF Mrs. Josie R. Arellano, Bookkeeper

Ms. Gloria B. Sandoval, Parish Secretary Mrs. Consuelo M. Perez, Bulletin Editor

Mr. Manuel Ponce, Director of Music

DAILY MASS Mon., Tue., Thu. and Fri. 7:00 A.M. Wednesday 7:00 A.M. & 6:00 P.M.

FIRST FRIDAY: 5:30 P.M. FIRST SATURDAY ONLY: 9:00 A.M.

SACRAMENT OF HOLY MATRIMONY Couples should inquire about premarital prepa- ration and available church dates at least six (6) months prior to planned wedding date. Do not make any arrangements before contact- ing the parish office.

BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL Mrs. Selma J. Santos, Principal

1501 North Bartlett Avenue Laredo, TX 78043

Phone: (956) 722-1222 Fax: (956) 712-2002

NOVENA TO

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP Wednesday after the 6:00 P.M. Mass.

ADORATION OFTHE BLESSED SACRAMENT First Friday 5:30 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Third Thursday of each month 7:00 A.M . - 6:00 P.M. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Saturday, 4:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M. Wednesdays, 30 min. before the evening Mass

OR by appointment

(Please call the Parish Office)

ACTS CORE Blas A. Martinez 722-1231 ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Miss Hope Gonzalez 722-1231 ALTAR SERVERS (Training on Saturday mornings at 9:30AM in the church) Miss Suzie Schafer 722-1231 ALTAR SOCIETY (Meet 2nd Monday at 3:30PM in the parish hall) Mrs. Maria Teresa Hinojosa, President 286-2842 ADULT & CHILDREN’S CHOIR Mr. Manuel Ponce 722-1231 BROWNIE TROOP 9150 Mrs. Naomi Arredondo, Troop Leader 236-8672 CUBMASTER FOR PACK 192 Mr. George Valdez 645-0675 COMMUNION FOR HOMEBOUND Call the Parish Office 722-1231 EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION Mr. George P. Kazen, Scheduling 722-5347 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL #10939 (Meet 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month at 7:30 P.M.) G.K. Mr. Blas A. Martinez (956) 744-0867

FOURTH DEGREE K.C. ASSEMBLY (Meet 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:30 P.M. in the parish hall) Mr. Javier Martinez (956) 251-3720 LECTORS Mr. George P. Kazen, Scheduling 722-5347 PARISH COUNCIL Mr. George P. Kazen, President MEN’S FAITH SHARING Meet every Mon. at 7:00PM in the p. h. LADIES’ FAITH SHARING Meet every 1st & 3rd Tue. at 6:30PM in the p. h. QUINCEAÑERA COORDINATOR Mrs. Patsy Salinas 722-1231 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (CCD) Mrs. Maria Teresa Hinojosa, Coordinator 286-2842 ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY Miss Yolanda Valdez 722-1231 YOUTH GROUP “LIFE IN CHRIST” (Meet every Wed. @ 7PM in the P.H.) Mr. & Mrs. Felipe & Lali Martinez 722-1231 YOUTH LECTORS Deacon Dennis R. Garza 722-1231

Saturday, December 2, 2017 - Weekday [34]; Blessed Virgin Mary; First Saturday 9:00AM †Nora E. Garcia (A) By Friends 6:00PM †Charles Bruni (A) By Bruni Family Sunday, December 3, 2017 – FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 8:00AM For Parishioners 10:00AM †Pablo Albidrez (B) By Family 12:00PM †Cordelia “Cordy” Cantu & Lupita Treviño By Tomas Cantu & Family †Jose & Rosaura Villarreal & Daughter Estela V. Roel By Mrs. Alicia V. Sanchez 5:00PM †Blas M. Martinez (B) By Family Monday, December 4, 2017 - Advent Weekday; St. John Damascene, Priest & Doctor of the Church 7:00AM All the Souls in Purgatory By V.R. Kirkpatrick Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - Advent Weekday 7:00AM †Rev. Deacon David Vargas By Joe & Josie Arellano Wednesday, December 6, 2017 - Advent Weekday; St. Nicholas, Bishop 7:00AM For All the Souls in Purgatory By Santos Family 6:00PM †Aurora Martinez & Emilia Dominguez By Sylvia S. Mendoza Thursday, December 7, 2017 – St. Ambrose, Bishop & Doctor of the Church 7:00AM All the Souls in Purgatory By V.R. Kirkpatrick 6:00PM †Laudelina Fierros Martinez By Sylvia Bird Friday, December 8, 2017 - THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY; Holy Day of Obligation 7:00AM For Parishioners 9:00AM All the Souls in Purgatory By Valdez Family 6:00PM †Roberto A. Ramirez By Mine Ramirez & Fam. Saturday, December 9, 2017 - Advent Weekday; St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin 6:00PM In Thanksgiving for Connie Acevedo (B) By Rose M. Garcia & Family Sunday, December 10, 2017 – SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 8:00AM †Guillermo & Santos Perales By Estela Ochoa 10:00AM For Parishioners 12:00PM †Drusilla P. Kazen (A) By George P. Kazen & Family 5:00PM †Fara N. Garcia (B) By Family

Mass Intentions for the Week Dear Parishioners, The commercial and secular world has begun it’s celebration of the “holiday season”. However, the Church does not begin the celebration until Christmas Vigil. This weekend, marking the special period of Advent, we begin to make our arrangements. It is a period of joyful expec- tation waiting and preparing for the coming of Jesus for Christmas. Advent starts on the Sunday after the Feast of Christ the King, between Novem- ber 29th and December 3rd. It lasts from 23 to 28 days, with four Sundays and ends on Christmas Eve which sometimes falls on the fourth Sunday of Advent. The First Sunday of Advent begins a new Liturgical Year in the Church. The word Advent comes from the Latin word "Adventus", which means coming. For the ancient Romans, this word meant the official arri- val of Caesar. For Christians, this is a joyous preparation for the coming of the Lord. Waiting for the coming of Christ brings joy. Therefore, Advent is not a time so much of penance, but rather a joyful expectation, and prepa- ration. Omitting the hymn Gloria is not an expression of penance, as it is in Lent, but a sign of waiting for the new sound of the angelic hymn sung at Christmas Vigil Mass. Advent preparation has three meanings: 1) First, we remember waiting for the first, historical coming of Jesus. We join with all those generations of the people of the Old Testament, who for centuries have waited for the Messiah. Advent Liturgy tells us about those saints who have preceded or foretold the coming of the Savior. Amongst them was John the Baptist whose voice cried out announcing the coming of Christ. We also look at Mary, who in a special way waited for Jesus. Through her “Fiat” "May it be done to me according to your word ", Mary teaches us faith. 2) Our thoughts during Christmas – are those in which we prepare our- selves by prayer, reflection and Advent resolutions. God became man, He came to us, and therefore we should also go to meet the Messiah, the Incarnate Son of God. We can meet Him through prayer, reflection on our lives and meditating God’s Word. 3) At the same time our thoughts also travel in time to the future - re- membering that one day Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead, to remove all evil and reign forever. Waiting for the second coming of Jesus is a source of joy. Advent reminds us that our whole life is a wait- ing. We always wait for someone or for something. A man who has noth- ing to wait for is miserable. Our waiting for someone, waiting for Christ's coming makes our lives beautiful. Advent season is divided into two periods, each period having a different character: * The first period includes the time of Advent from the first Sunday until December 16th. The readings of the Masses at this time prepare us for the second coming of Christ as Judge of the living and the dead. * The second period of Advent, from December 17th to Dec. 24th, is the time of our immediate preparation for Christmas. First we are invited to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). Here at Blessed Sacrament, the Advent Confessions with several priests will be on Thursday, December 14th from 6:00 pm. - 7:00 p.m. From the first day of Advent, let us start our spiritual journey to Christmas by attending daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, spending more time in prayer, reading and meditating the Bible and helping those in need. May the Lord bless us during this beautiful Season!

Fr. Wojciech

First Sunday of Advent ● December 3, 2017

The Sanctuary Lamp will be burning this week in Loving Memory of: Blas M. Martinez (B)

Our Mother of Perpetual Help Cand