ALTAR AND ROSARY SALE
AFTER ALL MASSES THIS WEEKEND!

ADVENT MORNING/EVENING OF REFLECTION:
Faith For All The Ages

MONDAY, DECEMBER 3:
8:30 -10:30 AM OR 6:30 - 8:30 PM

ST. NICHOLAS DAY CELEBRATION
FOR CHILDREN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY, HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION

MASSES: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 4:00 & 5:30 PM; SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 8 AM

PARISH CALENDAR

Saturday, December 1
4:00 -Mass for Thelma Murphy Allen, Dianne Beauregard, Lonis and Ruth Bernard, Verna Mae Carbo, Bruce Dekeyzer, Greg Ellis, Eloise Lacour, Edna Rabalais, Grady Sayes, Ruby Trahan, Dan Tran, J.J. and Una Wilson, Wendell Winegeart 5:30 -Mass for Jack DeKeyzer and Julie DeKeyzer Williams

Sunday, December 2
8:00 -Mass for John E. Price
9:30 -Mass for Steve Tatum
-Children’s Church (5 - 10 yrs old)
11:00 -Mass for the people of the parish
-Children’s Church (5-10 yrs old)
12:30 -Spanish Mass for Francisco Nava
6:00 -Mass for David L. Huffman

Monday, December 3
8:00 -Mass for Dan Tran
8:30-10:30-Morning Reflection (Church)
6:30-8:30-Evening Reflection (Church)

Tuesday, December 4
8:00 -Mass for Bart and Eric Wilmore
10:00 -Mass at Lexington House for Delores Perkins
5:45 -Exercise Class (HFC)
6:00 -RCIA (Convent)

Wednesday, December 5
8:00 -Mass for Catherine and Christine Moras
4:45 -Wednesday Evening Meal (HFC)
6:00 -CCD (Holy Family Center)

Thursday, December 6
8:00 -Mass for Jan Tolito
6:00-8:00-St. Nicholas (Holy Family Center)

Friday, December 7
8:00 -Mass for Sam and Rita Cole, Dena Flynn, Neva Normand, Joe Michiels, Robert Rigby, Sid Rud, Kevin Thiels
4:00 -Mass for Catholic Daughters living and deceased
5:30 -Mass for Steve Tatum

Saturday, December 8
8:00 -Mass for Edwin A. Mathews
4:00 -Mass for Mary Adams, Thelma Murphy Allen, Rhonda Bordelon, Verna Mae Carbo, Charles Fowler, David L. Huffman, Eloise Lacour, C.L. and Vergie Michiels, Edna Rabalais, Ruby Trahan, Dan Tran, Julian Kenneth Turner, Wendall Winegeart
5:30 -Mass for John Reddoch

Sunday, December 9
8:00 -Mass for Sarah Jane Ortego
9:30 -Mass for John and Lena Rini
- Children’s Church (5 - 10 yrs old)
11:00 -Mass for the people of the parish
-Children’s Church (5-10 yrs old)
12:30 -Spanish Mass for Pedro Nava
6:00 -Mass for Bill Erwin

ALTAR FLOWERSare not allowed in the church during the season of Advent.

ALTAR SANCTUARY LAMPS were provided in loving memory of Julie Dekeyzer Williams by her family; Edna Rabalais on her birthday by her family; and Grady Sayes by Van and Jackey Tassin. If you are interested in having a loved one remembered by providing the sanctuary lamps, call the church office at 445-7141 ext 20. $7.50 per candle.

ADORATION CHAPEL: The Blessed Sacrament is reserved for adoration by all the faithful in the St. Pius X Chapel located in the rear of the Church building. Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is strongly encouraged as the Eucharist is the ‘source and summit’ of our spiritual lives. To obtain the combination for the chapel please contact the Church Office at 445-7141 ext 20.

READINGS FOR NEXT WEEKEND: Bar 5, 1-9 Ps 126, 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 Phil 1, 4-6, 8-11 Lk 3, 1-6 Catechism 717-720

WEDNESDAY EVENING MEAL: 4:45 - 6:00 PM in the Holy Family Center, this week’s menu: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Rice, Sweet Potato, Crackers, Dessert, and Tea. Cost is $5.00 for dine in or take out. Workers this week are Sue Douglas, Melba Dutton, Frances Johnson, Ann Masden, Barbara Meaux, Phyllis Vilar. For more information call 445-7141 ext 20. Please join us for delicious food and fellowship!

OUR OFFERTORY GIFTS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

"Be on guard," Jesus warns us in today’s Gospel, "lest your spirits become bloated with indulgence." Let us heed His warning and follow the advice of St. Paul, conducting ourselves in a way pleasing to God, overflowing with love for one another.

PLEASE PRAYfor the repose of the souls of George Ballam, Mary Cole and Patricia Rabalais and for the consolation of their families.

OUR SICK: Jean Belgard, Michael Dwyer, JoAnn Fogelman, Harold Gaspard, Blue Gilchrist, Elaine Morace, Clayton Normand, Cindy Pinkerton, Darrell Vandersypen, Ed Vercher, Mike Willis

RECOVERING, CONVALESCING OR ONGOING TREATMENT: Denise Bankovic, Pat Curcio, Lorraine Doucette, Baby Paul Fenn, Louis Fillette, Theresa Heston, Christine Jahner, Tina LaBorde, John Lavergne, Carson Nardini, Sr., Joan Schneider, Marilyn Thiels

OUR SHUT- INS: Elsie Ducote Allen, Harry Armand, Virgie Armand, Alice Arsenault, Eudore Arsenault, Jacqueline Barthel, Georgiann Barefield, Minnie Basco, Belton Beaubouef, Joseph Belgard, Lizzie Belgard, Maretta Benoit, Calvin Bordelon, Ina Bordelon, Nellie Bordelon, Shirley Bost, Margie Braud, Elaine Brodnax, Daniel Brooks, Frances Bruce, A.J. Bruyninckx, Eschol Bruyninckx, Julia Burden, Eleanor Bynum, Larry Cancienne, Madeline Cancienne, Rita Cormier, Eula Crooks, Rebecca Curcio, Jeanette Couteter, Dorothy Dauzat, Sybil Daw, Aleda DeKeyzer, Frank Dellabitta, Yvonne Dubroc, Michael Dwyer, Thelma Elie, Elsie Farman, Louis Fillette, Mary Fisher, Aline Garon, Lois Gauthier, Oceana Geisel, Blue Gilchrist, Mercier Grant, Doris Greene, Jessie Griffin, Anita Guillory, Gladys Guillory, Claire Hebert, Rosa Hudson, Aileen Humphry, Tess Kirkwood, Elizabeth Kostrunek, Patricia Lamkin, Earline Leavines, Alice LeJeune, Pat Lemoine, Leah Leonard, Josephine Marcotte, Clara Martin, Theresia Martin, Alice Mathews, Marjorie Mathews, Eula Maumphrey, Margaret McDonald, Dorothy McGee, Lydia Menache, Clemmie Michiels, Elaine "Smokie" Michiels, Lettie Michiels, Ann Miller, Ovada Morgan, Hilda Naquin, Jacqueline O’Neal, Patricia O’Neill, Yvonne Perrin, Rose Ponthieux, Kathleen Poole, Phyllis Potts, Dorothy Price, Patricia Rabalais, Jerry B. Rachal, Dorothy Reagan, Lucille Robinette, Peggy Roch, Theresa Rudisill, Ann Saucier, Anita Smith, Ina Steiner, Enola Stewart, Rita Suarez, Marie Swido, Catherine Turner, Michael Turner, Susan Schmitt Turner, Frances Vance, Herman Vandersypen, Cornelia Vanlangendonck, Mary G. Verzwyvelt, Rowena Vidrine, Willie Voorhies, Milton Wallace, Inez Williams, Katherine Wood, Elcho Young

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY: Captain Greg Abide, 1^st Lt. Donald R. Bolton, Jr., SSgt Chad Bordelon, Lt. Luke Borrel, Chaplain Captain John Brocato, SSgt. Mike Carlin, Sgt. Brad Cavrak, 1^st Lt. Brian Clayton, E4 Cruz Cline, USCG-BM1 Todd Crooks, Lieutenant Brian Dendy, PFC Rachael Ducote, Col. Richard Fenoli, Captain Christina Frazier, Captain Mike Frazier, Sgt. Matthew Gallagher, Lance Cpl. Jack Ryan Haller, SSgt. Bryan Lachney, SSgt. Danielle Lachney, SFC Steven C. Looney, HN Christian Perkins, Greg Perkins, CW3 Robert Scioneaux, Cpl. Dustin Socia, AO1 Jacob Spangler, Corporal Kaitlyn Tritle, 2^nd Lt. Francis Jerome Vanderlick, Lt. JG Claire M. Vidrine. If you have members of your family who have been called to active military duty, or are already on active duty, please call 445-7141 ext 20 or e-mail us at dbrown@strita.org. Please remember to keep all our military and their families in your prayers.

STEWARDSHIP & PASTORAL ADMINISTRATION COMMISSION will meet on Wednesday, December 5 at 12 noon in the Blessed Basil Moreau Room.

ADVENT MORNING PRAYER is celebrated Monday-Friday at 7:45 AM during the season of advent. Please come and join us. – Sr. Nell

ADVENT HOMILIES: At weekend Masses in Advent, we will be giving short homilies, followed by a few minutes of reflection. We pray that it will provide an opportunity for us all to take a break from the ‘hustle and bustle’ of the season and help to ‘quiet our spirits’! –Fr. Scott and Fr. Blake
 

Notes from the Pastor......

I am pleased to announce that Fr. Keith Pellerin of the Diocese of Lake Charles will be conducting our Morning and Evening of Reflection THIS Monday, December 3. (Fr. Keith was the presenter at our Annual Brunch Workshop this past August).

The sessions will include prayer, music, Benediction and two presentations by Fr. Keith. His topic will be centered on Advent and the Year of Faith. The Morning Session is from 8:30 - 10:30 AM (please attend the 8 AM Mass if you are able and we will have refreshments before we begin!) The Evening Session is a repeat of the Morning Session, and will be from 6:00 - 8:30 PM. Refreshments will be served during the break. Please join us!

Next Saturday, December 8, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, and it IS a Holy Day of Obligation! Masses will be on Friday December 7 at 4:00 and 5:30 PM and Saturday, December 8 at 8:00 AM. –Fr. Scott

MANY THANKS to all who made donations of food and money to our Thanksgiving Drive for the poor. We collected $778 in monetary donations. We will be able to help many families who were in need. Your generosity is amazing! –Fr. Scott

ATTENTION EUCHARISTIC SERVERS TO THE SHUT-INS: Fr. Scott and Fr. Blake will be visiting this week to give the Anointing of the Sick, but they will NOT be bringing communion! Please bring communion to your shut-ins as usual this week! Thank you for all you do! –Sr. Hannah

ANOINTING OF THE SICK AFTER ALL MASSES NEXT WEEKEND. The law of the Church regarding eligibility is as follows: "The anointing of the sick may be administered to the faithful who have the use of reason (age 7 and above) and begin to fall into danger as a result of illness or old age...among those who may be anointed, the Ritual mentions in particular: those undergoing surgery whenever a serious illness is the reason for the surgery; elderly people who have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present; sick children if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this sacrament." – Fr. Scott

CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL FLOWER FUND:Remember your loved ones by donating to the Christmas flower fund. A list of the donors and the names of those being remembered will be published in the January 13 bulletin. Donations for the decorating fund is $10. Make checks payable to the St. Rita Altar and Rosary Society, and please include the name(s) of those to be remembered. Thank you for your support!

ST. NICHOLAS DAY CELEBRATION for infants through 3^rd grade, Thursday, December 6, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM in the Holy Family Center. Enjoy activities, music and snacks! St. Nick himself will make an appearance, and a photo with him will be available! Please call 445-7141, ext. 20 for more information. Please join us!

POINSETTIA’S FOR OUR SHUT-INS: This year we will be collecting monetary donations to purchase poinsettia’s for our 100 shut-ins. We will NOT be collecting any soft Christmas items. The poinsettia’s will be delivered to the shut-ins on Tuesday, December 18, by Fr. Scott, Fr. Blake and the sisters. If you would like to make a donation, please use a pew envelope, mark it Shut-Ins and drop it in the collection basket. Thanks for your continued support.

PART-TIME POSITION AVAILABLE at our St. Vincent de Paul Store for a store clerk/stock person. 20 hours per week, Tuesday - Friday, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. For more information call, Etta Ohrt at 445-7141 ext 10.

ST. RITA SENIORS CHRISTMAS PARTY will be held on Tuesday, December 11 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the Holy Family Center. Bring your favorite covered dish. All Seniors are invited to attend. To R.S.V.P. call Debbie at 445-7141 ext 20.

ALTAR AND ROSARY CHRISTMAS PARTY on Sunday, December 9, 1:00 PM at the home of Mrs. Maynette Dobard, 5632 Navaho Trail. All members are invited to attend. Everyone is asked to bring their favorite covered dish and a $5 ornament. For more information call Denise Dobard at 449-3510.