Renovations complete all Masses at
St. John the Baptist ~ Piopolis, IL
We the parishioners of St. John the Baptist,
brothers and sisters in Christ, accept as our mission:
to know our faith and share it with others, to continue to grow spiritually with respect for the sacraments, to celebrate the liturgy and the Holy Eucharist as the center of our Christian life, to live by truth and love, to serve those in need, to teach by example, and thereby strengthen and inspire our Parish family in accordance with the Roman Catholic Church.
Funeral Arrangement for Gilbert Rapp at St. John the Baptist on Monday, December 23
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. Visitation with Rosary following
10:00 a.m. Funeral Mass - Interment at St. John Nepomucene Cemetery
CHRISTMAS SEASON MASS SCHEDULE
The Nativity of the Lord 2024
Holy Day of Obligation
Christmas Vigil - Tuesday, December 24 at 4:00 p.m.
All Parish Family
Christmas Day - Wednesday, December 25 at 9:00 a.m.
†Tim Thomas
††Francis & Eileen Hopfinger
†Richard Anselment
The Sunday of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph
Saturday, December 28 at 5:00 p.m.
All Parish Family
Sunday, December 29 at 8:30 a.m.
††Gordon & Lucina Coy
††Robert & Rodney Aydt
††Paul & Kay Lueke
Tuesday, December 31 at 8:00 a.m.
Private Intention
Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God
Holy Day of Obligation
Wednesday, January 1 at 9:00 a.m.
All Parish Family
Wednesday, January 1 at 5:00 p.m.
†Larry Aydt
†William E. Rapp Jr.
Private Intention
First Friday, January 3 ay 8:00 a.m. - Holy Hour Following
††Howard, Gus, Agatha Karcher & Family
Private Intention
The Epiphany of the Lord
Three Kings/Chalk & Gold Blessing
Saturday, January 4 at 5:00 p.m.
††Donald & Viola Grubb
†Norman Rubenacker
Sunday, January 5 at 8:30 a.m.
All Parish Family
Sacrament of Reconciliation before weekend masses.
Office Hours
December 23-27
Office Closed
December 30-January 3
Monday & Wednesday ~ Closed
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday ~ 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Closed Noon - 12:30 p.m. for Lunch
Visit Parish Website For
Bulletins: New & Old
Calendar
Photo Gallery
Monthly Ministry List
Your financial support remains an important part of our Parish life and helps us keep going. Please continue giving your time, talent, and treasure. Please mail, drop-off your offering in collection box or in the mailbox by Parish office front door.
Watch bulletin for more details.
December
22: No PSR or Bible Study
22: Decorate for Christmas after Mass
24: Beginning of Jubilee Year 2025 with Opening of the Holy Door of Saint Peter's Basilica - Pope Francis
26: Opening of Holy Door at Rebibbia Prison - Pope Francis
29: Opening of Holy Door at St. John Lateran's - Pope Francis
29: Opening of the Celebration of the Jubilee Year in our Diocese - Cathedral 10:30 a.m.
29: No PSR or Bible Study
30: Fr. Slawomir Ptak attending Seminarian Christmas Gathering 4:00 p.m. Holy Trinity
January
1: Opening of Holy Door at St. Mary Marjor's - Pope Francis
3: Visit for Sacrament of Penance & Eucharist for sick and homebound. Contact office
for appointment.
5: Opening of Holy Door at St. Paul's outside the Walls - Pope Francis
5: PSR Classes & Bible Study 9:30 a.m.
QUILTING EVERY TUESDAY
Starting at 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the City Hall, 601 E Market Street, McLeansboro, IL. Everyone is welcomed and if you don't know how to quilt, this is a great way to learn. For more information contact Phyllis Wuebbels 618-895-4895 or Sharon Bigley 618-736-2964.
PRAY FOR & REMEMBER THE SICK & HOMEBOUND
James Frey
Bob Wilson
Kent Karcher
Helen Wellen
Mary Karcher
Deacon Alfred Karcher
Clem Aydt
Tillie Kaufman
Greg Karcher
Charlie Lueke
Marion Wellen
Robbilyn Coy
Reminder: Due to federal privacy laws, we are not allowed to list people or visit who are sick or in the nursing home without written authorization from that individual or from their immediate family who has authorization. Form can be requested from the office.
REMINDER
Please contact office for funerals and baptisms. For weddings contact office six months before.
PLASTIC TOTE BY OFFICE DOOR
Weekly bulletins
Living Faith Books & are located at each door in church.
AA & NA MEETING - CITY HALL
Alcohol & Narcotic Anonymous Meeting
Every Thursday Night
7:00 p.m.
601 E Market Street ~ McLeansboro, IL
For more information contact Jim Bell 618-387-1077
RESPECT LIFE CORNER - ASSISTED SUICIDE 6 PART SERIES
Part 6: Doctors Oppose Assisted Suicide
The American Medical Association (AMA), American Psychiatric Association, and dozens of other medical groups oppose assisted suicide. The AMA says “Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer.” Physicians are entrusted with saving lives, not ending them, and assisted suicide violates the Hippocratic Oath. Tell your state legislators to Vote NO on SB 3499 - assisted suicide. Visit www.ilcatholic.org for additional information and resources.
DIOCESAN CHRISTMAS COLLECTION DECEMBER 24-25
The 47th Annual Diocesan Christmas Collection will be at all Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Parishes and agencies throughout the diocese will request monies from this collection during 2025 to assist those who are in need with food, clothing, shelter, utility payments, healthcare and medications, funeral and burial expenses, transportation and emergency assistance of all types. Please consider giving as you are able, thank you so much. An envelope is located in your envelope packets.
PSR CHRISTMAS PROCESSION DECEMBER 24
All PSR children who would like to be in the Christmas procession and dress as an angel or animal, please meet in the server's sacristy at 3:45 p.m. on Christmas Eve mass.
PASTOR'S NOTE:
There are just a few more days until Christmas. People's thoughts focus on the immediate preparations like presents, menu for family gatherings, cleaning house and many other things. As we have gone through the weeks of Advent together, we have prepared our hearts and souls for Christ's coming by listening to the word of God during weekend Masses and also by reading interesting religious books, articles, praying the Rosary, watching Advent podcasts on the internet, and doing charitable works of mercy. This year during Advent our hearts were lifted up additionally because we returned back to our freshly renovated church. We give thanks to God for keeping us safe during this process and for blessing this project and all of the people involved. During this time it is important to remember that there would be no Christmas if Mary had not said “Yes” to the Angel Gabriel. There would be no Christmas if Jesus would not have been born in the simple setting of the first manger in Bethlehem.
We Christians are people of appreciation. We appreciate Mary for answering God's call to be the Mother of the Son of God even if she did not know how much suffering was ahead of her. We appreciate Jesus Christ and His unconditional love for us; that even if we sin He still loves us and we are valuable in His eyes. In our lives, which are not always perfect, our trust is in Jesus Christ and we should constantly run for help to our Mother's heart. She never leaves our side in times of need and always prays for us. As we exchange our gifts this Christmas, let us remember to exchange with each other the most important things: forgiveness, faith, hope, time, patience and love. All those precious gifts come originally from Jesus Christ and He calls us to break them like bread and share with all in need. We are all brothers and sisters under one God. Let us learn to live more united so that when Jesus comes He will find us vigilant, alert, and ready to enter His Kingdom of JOY! May God bless you with His love this Christmas and in the coming Year of the Great Jubilee 2025! Merry Christmas! Fr. Slawomir
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