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Recent News &
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I invite you to use the insert in this bulletin for daily reflections on the O Antiphons this week, as final preparation for celebrating the first Coming of our Savior. It can also be found on our webpage. The O Antiphons have been used in the liturgy of the Church since at least the eighth century, each day highlighting another name for Christ and asking Him to come and help us. A wonderful reflection aid!
Christmas is the day when more Catholics attend Mass than any other day of the year, on average about three times as many. To be good evangelizers, we need to be welcoming. A smile and a greeting go a long way. A couple other helpful gestures of welcome might be to make room in the pew for others; to sit in the middle of a pew, so visitors don’t need to crawl over you; to remember a name given when we greet those around us at the beginning of Mass and use it at the sign of peace; and to ask someone who looks unsure if help is needed. Please be aware that our welcoming attitude might be just what the Lord uses to bring someone closer to Him. With the third Sunday of Advent, we celebrate Gaudete Sunday, a word which means “rejoice.” The excitement is caught in the first words of our reading from St. Paul’s letter to Philippians: Rejoice in the Lord, always, again I say rejoice. The point is that our Savior has come, He has redeemed us, all will be OK. Paul says, Have no anxiety at all, but in everything…make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Christians who are happy and joyful attract others to Christ, the source of their peace. Dour and sullen Christians are not attractive at all. As we celebrate Gaudete Sunday, rejoicing in Christ’s presence in our lives and the Salvation He brings, let us reflect on the demeanor that we show to others. Is our joyfulness inviting them to discover what we have that brings us such joy? How can we do better? May the joy of the O Antiphons enliven our hearts! And let us support each other in prayer. -- Paul James Portland, SDS I have received confirmation from Safe Water for Life and Dignity in Tanzania that the third and fourth wells have been completed with our 2018 donations. The third well is in Dumila-kichangani, a village of 1,400 people about 40 miles west of Morogoro, where the Salvatorians have a seminary/university. The fourth well is in Dumila-matale, a nearby village of 1,100 people. The villagers send heartfelt thanks for such a drastic improvement to the quality of their lives. The fifth well is being dug in Namiungo, in the south of Tanzania. I have been in Namiungo, because both the Salvatorian men and the Salvatorian sisters have formation houses there. That well is more complicated and expensive because they have to go deep through bedrock, but they hope to have it finished by Christmas. PACT: Pius Parishioners Always Come Through!! The people are very thankful and I thank you, also.
Thank you to all who participated in the reflection last Tuesday evening. I hope it was a good beginning to a reflective Advent for you. Please take advantage of another opportunity to grow spiritually this Tuesday evening in our communal penance service at 7 pm, with three priests available to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I hope you are using the reflection booklets the community provided, as well as the family activities booklet to involve children in the spirit of preparation for the coming of our Savior. Copies can be obtained in the back of church or the parish office. The day after Thanksgiving I was driving from the Chicago suburbs to our community house at 37th and Kilbourn, planning on being there by 5:30ish for prayers, recreation, and supper. I arrived after 9 pm, after sitting 3 hours on I-94 at the Racine/Kenosha county line because of an accident and snaking north to Hy 20 on the lateral road for another 30 minutes. As I was waiting, I reflected on Advent waiting, patience, and what this experience could teach me. Part of the frustration for me of sitting in a stationary car surrounded by other stationary vehicles was that I could do nothing about it. I was helpless, powerless, and that is not my favorite feeling. But then I thought “I can do something” and began to use the time to reflect and write, and suddenly the frustration left and the three hours passed more or less pleasantly (well, maybe a little more accent on the “less”). What I realized is that time passes more quickly (or, I am less frustrated) when I am doing something, when I am active and participating. Advent is a time of reflection and preparation to celebrate the first coming of our Savior as we wait for His second Coming. And the point is that we are not to wait passively but rather to be active, to prepare His way. How do we do that? John the Baptist, quoting the prophet Isaiah, tells us in our Gospel reading: make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight and the rough ways made smooth…What needs to be filled in and what needs to be made low in my way of relating to others, in my personality? What can I do to make the path to Jesus straighter and smoother, both for myself and for others? How can I be a more active participant as I “wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ?” I invite us to reflect on this over the next few days, and then come to our communal penance service Tuesday night to receive the sacramental graces that will help us fill in, make low, make straight, and make smooth. And let us support each other in prayer. -- Paul James Portland, SDS Looking for an extra special gift to give this Christmas season? Why not give the gift of life and donate blood at Dick's 20th Blood Drive, sponsored by Wauwatosa Catholic School. It will be held in the cafeteria at St. Pius on Saturday, December 29 from 8 AM - 1 PM. Please go online to http://bit.ly/dicks20 to make an appointment or call 877-232-4376 or Marty at 414-915-4147. A pancake and sausage breakfast will be served to all and every attempting donor will receive a $10 Amazon gift card. On Thursday our middle school students went to St. Anne’s for their monthly visit. They were working on weaving blankets for a homeless shelter. As I traveled the building on Thursday, I observed our K3 students enjoying the movement around the classroom to the beats of the music. Our 2nd graders were reflecting and reading about our leader Jesus. The 5th graders were working on an inferencing writing piece with the use of one picture from a piece of literature in mind. It is always a joy spending time within the grade level classrooms to see so much knowledge being taught and then utilized in the projects our students create. Lori Suarez, Principal, Wauwatosa Catholic Fr. Diego, who visited us two weeks ago from Guatemala, brought with him a shoulder bag with the words “Agradecimiento a Parróquia del San Pío 2018” (hearty thanks to the parish of St. Pius 2018) from the sector Viucalvitz of our sister parish, where a facility for religious education was built with our assistance. He also brought a handmade piece of material that we will use as an altar cover when we are celebrating the Mass of the Martyrs. I am pleased with our continued support of Santa María Nebaj and thank you for your generosity to them.
Hard to believe it is Advent already. Welcome to the beginning of a new Church year! This past year we have been reading from the Gospel of Mark. We start now the year of Luke. What is Advent? Just for fun, I “googled” it and actually got a clear, concise, and exact definition: Advent is a season observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas as well as the return of Jesus at the second coming. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning "coming". Two important aspects to notice: first, we are waiting AND PREPARING. We are not just waiting for Jesus’ coming (to remember His first coming and to experience His second coming) but we are also doing something. In the past I called it “active waiting.” We are living in such a way as to build up His Kingdom, both in celebrating Christmas and in moving forward in life. And second, as already hinted, it isn’t just about Christmas, it is also about reminding us that Christ will come again to bring about the fullness of His Kingdom, and we have committed ourselves through baptism to live in such a way as to build up that Kingdom. Our community is helping us to enter into Advent in two special ways: First, we have Advent reflection resources for adults and children. An adult booklet (Watch for the Lord: Advent reflections from Pope Francis, Mother Teresa, and Henri Nouwen) and a children’s booklet (Advent Joy: activities for Advent) are available on the table in the vestibule of the church. Second, an Advent Reflection Evening is being offered from 7 to 8 pm this Tuesday, December 4th. Join us for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a short reflection on the parable of the Good Samaritan and Advent, quiet time for reflection, and Benediction. All are invited (and invite family and friends to join you)! The shortening of daylight, the starkness of bare trees, and the covering of everything with snow invite us to a time of quiet reflection, an “Advent” time. Let us take advantage of the resources the community is offering us, and let us support each other in prayer. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, remembering to give thanks to God for ALL the gifts we have received.
Once again we have Advent reflection resources for adults and children. This weekend the adult booklet (Watch for the Lord: Advent reflections from Pope Francis, Mother Teresa, and Henri Nouwen) is being handed out with the bulletins. The children’s booklet (Advent Joy: activities for Advent) is available on the table in the vestibule of the church. Please use these resources to make Advent a spiritually enriching time for you and your family. Our 2019 pledge drive continues. Thank you to those who have pledged. If you have not yet pledged, I ask you to please do so. It is extremely helpful for budgeting. With this Feast of Christ the King, our Church year comes to an end and a new Church year begins next weekend with the first Sunday of Advent. Thanksgiving and Christ King are only three days apart this year and I was reflecting on how they might complement each other. The purpose of Thanksgiving, besides being a time for family and a good meal, is to give thanks to God for our many blessings, especially the blessings of a bountiful harvest. -- Paul James Portland, SDS Tri-Parish Celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Saturday, December 8 at 8:00 am at Christ King Parish Anointing of the Sick December 8/9 All those who wish, are invited to receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick at any of the masses on the weekend of December 8 & 9. If you know of someone who would benefit from this sacrament, please invite them to worship with us that weekend. Communal Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation Tuesday, December 11 at 7:00 pm. There will be several priests available for individual confession. Confessions are also heard from 4:00 to 4:30 pm every Saturday in the Reconciliation Room in the Chapel. Gift Sunday is a long-standing (40+ years) tradition at St. Pius X. It offers the opportunity to give traditional gifts for individuals as well as give 'alternative gifts or items.' Both help meet needs as expressed by the programs below. The organizations as all contacted and the list is updated annually. There were numerous changes this year. The following Gift Guide for individuals provides suggestions for ideas of items most needed including gift cards. Gifts will be distributed this year to: St. Pius X families in need St. Vincent de Paul Unison's Greater Tosa Interfaith Hope Network La Causa Crisis Nursery & Prevention Program Casa Maria Hospitality House Milwaukee Free Clinic PLEASE WRAP AND LABEL THE PACKAGE WITH THE ITEM, SIZE AND AGE GROUP (ex: boy basketball 10 yrs - teen, 4T got blue shirt and pants, woman's medium black gloves) Gift cards may be purchased in the back of church through St. Pius X's Scrip program, placed in an envelope and labeled. There will be a box for gift cards in the front of the altar as well. ALL AGE GROUPS: Mittens, gloves, scarves, hats, age appropriate clothing, back pags, gym bags INFANTS - TODDLERS (birth - 3): warm sleepers, crib tiems, pull toys, sturdy age-appropriate books and infant toys. PRE-SCHOOLERS (3 - 5 years): Fisher Price, Playschool and creative play toys, puzzles, trucks and cars, brown and white dolls, books and beginners games, riding toys CHILDREN (6 - 12 years): Jump ropes, sports equipment, games, art supplies, books, Legos, educational and popular but non-violent toys. Used bikes, ready to ride, in good condition have always found a home! TEENS (13 - 18 years): Items REALLY NEEDED FOR THIS AGE GROUP. Certificates for movies, headsets, teen games, basketballs, makeup, perfune and personal care items, jewelry and gift cards (marked TEEN). ADULTS: Warm nightware, slippers, rodes, cosmetics and personal items, jewelry, household item such as clocks and radios (to get up on time for work) ITEMS REALLY NEEDED FOR MEN ELDERLY: Gift cards to food stores (marked as ELDERLY) Thank you to the presenters and those who attended the all parish meetings last weekend. These meetings are critical for good communication and a strong sense of community.
Thank you, also, to those who have handed in their Pledge for 2019. Pledging helps us to budget. If you still need to pledge, please do so as soon as possible. Pledging can now be done on our website (stpiusparish.org), if that is more convenient for you. Once again we will have Advent reflection resources for adults and children. This coming weekend the adult booklet (Watch for the Lord: Advent reflections from Pope Francis, Mother Teresa, and Henri Nouwen) will be handed out with the bulletins. The children’s booklet (Advent Joy: activities for Advent) will be available on the table in the vestibule of the church. Please use these resources to make Advent a spiritually enriching time for you and your family. And remember to put our Advent reflection/adoration from 7 to 8 on Tuesday evening, December 4th, in your calendar! On November 6, I wired $6,115 to our sister parish in Guatemala. Thank you to all who contributed. May God bless you for your generosity. In these final weeks before the Feast of Christ the King and the end of the Church year, we have a lot of what are called apocalyptic readings. These readings use drastic imagery to speak about the end times. Just as someone who has never studied or been exposed to poetry might have a hard time understanding a complicated poem because of its literary style, apocalyptic literature and imagery can be difficult for us. In our Gospel this weekend, Jesus uses the imagery of a fig tree to try to explain what is going on. In the dead of winter, a tree appears dead, with no life. But when leaves begin to sprout, we know that better weather and summer are on the way. In a nutshell, that is the message for us: when things are bad, trust that the Lord will deliver better times. In fact, in its exaggerated style, apocalyptic literature tells us that when things are absolutely the most horrible, cataclysmic, that is when God’s light and life will break in on us. So, the message is to have hope, do what we are supposed to do, live as Christ has modeled for us, and not be afraid: no matter what happens, we will be at peace with Christ. Chaos might appear to be winning, but Christ is in control!!! What a wonderful gift our faith is! As we celebrate Thanksgiving this Thursday and the Feast of Christ the King on Sunday, let us thank the Lord who always walks with us and promises us that, in the end, we will spend eternity in peace with Him. And let us support each other in prayer. Happy Thanksgiving! -- Paul James Portland, SDS Monday, December 4 - 7:00 pm - in Church
All are invited to enter into the season of Advent with an hour of reflection and adoration. The hour will consist of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, an Advent reflection led by Fr. Paul on the parable of the Good Samaritan, quiet reflection time, and Benediction. Please take advantage of this quiet time with the Lord to help us prepare for celebrating the birth of our Savior. Stewardship is a continuous journey. Like many, we have had our stops, starts and resting places along the way. We started by spending time at fellowship and involving ourselves with school events. We were inspired by the people leading these activities, how they were involved in so many different events, how their dedication seemed to rub off on people helping them with these activities. As we got more involved in the parish, we have spent time in many areas. Reflecting on these experiences, it reminded us what an amazing parish community we have, and the importance of continued investment in that community by sharing our treasure. Our roles in stewardship have evolved over the years. Every year we are reminded to prayerfully reflect upon our commitment for stewardship. We invite you to reflect on how the gifts you and your fellow parishioners share and prayerfully consider what investment you are able to make. As you know, we have begun introducing Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for our religious education program. It will eventually be used through 5th grade. Our director, Samantha El-Azem, shared with me this video which explains the method. While this treats of a Montessori Catholic School, it will help you understand what is happening in our religious education program. You can view the 9 minute video on YouTube.
Our 2019 pledge drive is underway. If you have not received the mailing, please contact the parish office. I trust you will be as generous as you can. Please keep the drive in your prayers. Thank you to all who worked, under the able direction of Jeff Ramsey, so hard to make our school auction a success and to all who attended. It was a very enjoyable evening and we look forward to the report on how much it raise to support our school. The former pastor of our sister parish, Fr. Diego, who has visited us in the past, will be here for the Masses this coming weekend. Please welcome him. Our readings this weekend invite us to be generous with what has been given us, trusting that the Lord will provide for us. In the first reading, the widow trusts Elijah’s promise in the name of God and gives him of her last food, food that she had planned to give to her son. In the Gospel, Jesus praises the widow who quietly gives her last “two cents,” while others make a big show of giving from their abundance. Both of these widows trusted that God would take care of them and so were freed to be remarkably generous. The Lord has blessed all of us with time, talent, and treasure, asking us to trust in Him and be generous in sharing His gifts with others. Let us reflect this week on how we are doing as stewards of the many gifts God has given us. Do we use our time, talent, and treasure mostly for ourselves? Or are we generous in sharing? In what areas can we be more generous? And let us support each other in prayer. -- Paul James Portland, SDS Let me start with a little background on who I am: I am serving my third year as secretary for Pastoral Council, and I am also a Eucharistic Minister and a Lector. I attended St. Pius X grade school, made my first communion and first reconciliation here, prepared for my confirmation through Tosa Trio, and last year, I was married here last year. I have been a member of St. Pius X parish for almost 20 years. St. Pius has been my home for almost my whole life, but I never really considered how much money it might take to help the parish thrive. I took for granted our building and our staff and our many ministries. Our goal is $425,000. I ask you to prayerfully consider how you might help us reach that goal. I am inviting you to join me in making St. Pius X a parish filled with faithful stewards. We are called to give of the “first fruits,” to selflessly give of our time, talent, and treasure, not just to give our leftovers. Let us reflect on all that God has given us and ask ourselves how we have been using those gifts. Is our gift of treasure a measure of the gratitude we have for what we have been given? How do we use our time and talent to serve others in our family, community, workplace, and Church? Let us remember that the God who takes care of the lilies of the field and the birds of the air will likewise take care of each of us. The world of senior services can be confusing. There are so many choices: Senior Apartments, Independent Living, Assisted Living and Nursing Home. Which is the best option? How do I know what would best serve my loved one, or one’s self? Join us here at St. Pius Parish (in the Rectory Living Room) on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, from 6:30 -7:30 PM as Adele Lund, Laureate Group’s Director of Community and Business Relations, helps you understand the maze of senior services. She will help you understand how to find the best match for your needs and just as important, she will discuss when it is time for you or a loved one to consider making a change. A resource table will be available. Light refreshments will be served. Please register by calling the parish office 414-453-3875.
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