St. Christopher the Martyr Catholic Church |
| 309 Manson Avenue, Metairie, Louisiana 70001 Phone: 504-837-8214 |
Sunday: 7:30, 9:30, and 11 a.m. (6 p.m. on 2nd Sunday, CYO) Mon., Tues., Thurs., & Fri.: 6:30 and 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. Feast: 6:30 a.m, 9:30 a.m., and 6 p.m. Confession: Saturday, 3:00-3:45 p.m. Contact the rectory to make an appointment for other times. Sacrament of the Sick: Second Saturday of the month following the 4 p.m. Mass Adoration Chapel: Mon.-Fri., 8:00-1:00 Novena: Tues., following the 6:30 a.m. Mass |
| MASS SCHEDULE |
Rev. Raymond Igbogidi, Pastor e-mail: pastor@stchristopherano.com Deacon Charles Duke e-mail: ewduke@msn.com Deacon Phil McManamon e-mail: pmcmanamon@archdiocese-no.org Ms. Janet Schluter, Secretary e-mail: scmrectory@outlook.com |
| CLERGY AND STAFF |
| RECTORY OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 504-837-8214 |
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| May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Our condolences go out to family and loved ones. |
| Save the dates for next year's 12-day Pilgrimages: "Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land of Israel" from May 26 to June 6, 2020, with Fr. Sidney Speaks (8 spots left). You will visit the humble home of Joachim and Anna where the Angel Gabriel visited Mary, the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee, the house of Caiaphas where Jesus was held for trial, the Antonia Fortress where Jesus was tried by Pilot, the site of the Crucifixion, and the tomb where Jesus rose from the dead. Follow the Path of St. Paul in Turkey and Greece, as he formed Christian communities that spread the growth of the Church Jesus founded, from June 21-25, 2020, with Fr. Beau Charbonnet (8 spots left). Starting from Istanbul (Constantinople), we travel south to visit the Seven Cities of the Book of Revelations, then take a cruise across the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, stopping at Patmos, Rhodes, Crete, and Santorini, then tour Athens, Corinth, and Delphi. Enjoy the Beauty and the People of The Emerald Isle with Msgr. Harry Bugler in his homeland of Ireland from July 6-17, 2020. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Deacon Jerry at 559-4495 or pilgrimswayusa@aol.com and provide your name and contact information. |
| Precious in His Sight |
| Adoration Chapel |
| We welcome into the faith community of St. Christopher our newest member, who received the Sacrament of Baptism on September 8, 2019: Olivia Cabral Mendel, daughter of Michael and Wanele Mendel, born August 30, 2018. May God's grace and blessings received through this Sacrament guide her throughout her life! |
| December 10-12, 6:30-7:45 p.m., Advent Retreat with Deacon Phil December 12, 6:15 p.m., Bereavement Support Group Christmas Dinner, Piccadilly December 12, 7 p.m., Home and School Club meeting December 13, 11:30 a.m., Altar Society Christmas Luncheon, Quarter View Restaurant December 14, 4 p.m., Sacrament of the Sick after Mass December 14, 6 p.m., Tree-Lighting Mass and reception December 16, 6 p.m., Legion of Mary meeting December 17, 6:30 p.m., School of Religion December 19, 7 p.m., Knights of Columbus meeting December 19, 7 p.m., Men's Club meeting December 20, 9:30 a.m., Christmas school Mass December 20, 7 p.m., Baptismal seminar December 23, 6 p.m., Legion of Mary meeting December 24, Christmas Eve |
| A “Gift” is offered to all members of St. Christopher Parish. Spending only one hour with OUR LORD in the Blessed Sacrament can be a way to clear your mind and help you live a better life. Come join in adoration of OUR LORD. The hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Information is on the table at the entrance to church, or you may direct any questions to Jerry Cox at 458-3152. Please help us to keep our Adoration Chapel open. Thank you and God bless. |
| Pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Turkey/Greece, and Ireland |
| Mark Your Calendars |
| "Prayer Room" on Our Web Site |
| In the words of Alfred Tennyson, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." There is a new Resources page on our site that is focused on prayer, where we, as St. Christopher parishioners, can learn about and join together in praying for each other's concerns and intentions. You are invited to contribute your intentions (large and small, your thanksgiving or your needs) so that we may all join in lifting them in prayer. Quiet time with God spent thanking Him, seeking His will, listening . . . is a gift that you give yourself! May our relationship with God be strengthened, and may our capacity to love and be loved increase as our hearts reach out to each other. |
| Knights of Columbus Family of the Month |
| Each month, the Knights of Columbus present this award to recognize a deserving family for their outstanding contributions to St. Christopher Parish and School. The Roy and Sharon Dodson Family has been selected as the December Family of the Month. Roy is a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is very generous with his time and talent in handling small projects around the church, church yard, and rectory. He also reviews and advises on larger projects, such as pew repairs, stained-glass-window cleaning, church electrical repairs, and parking lot drainage. His wife, Sharon, is very helpful and supportive. We are so grateful for the Dodsons' tireless commitment to serving God within our parish and thank them for sharing their love and faith. May God richly bless them! |
Friends, in our Gospel today a Roman centurion
comes to Jesus and says, “Lord, my servant is lying at
home paralyzed, suffering
dreadfully. . . . I am not worthy to have you enter
under my roof; only say the word and my servant will
be healed.”
Any objective observer would say, “Well, this is
ridiculous! What this man is asking is impossible.” He
is not only asking that his servant might be cured; he
is asking that he be cured at a distance, with simply a
word. He’s at the limit of what he could possibly know
or control or measure. And yet he trusts; he has faith.
Søren Kierkegaard defined faith as “a passion for the
impossible.” Is God opposed to reason? Absolutely
not; God gave us the gift of reason. Does God want
us to be unrealistic? No; he wants us to use all of our
powers of imagination and analysis. But faith goes
beyond reason; it is a passion for what reason can’t
see.
That centurion had a passion for the impossible. And
that’s why Jesus says to him, in some of the highest
praise you’ll find in the Gospel: “In no one in Israel
have I found such faith.”
Reflect: What would you like Jesus to “only say the
word” for and it will be done? Have you asked him with
the faith of the centurion?
Peace,
Bishop Robert Barron
comes to Jesus and says, “Lord, my servant is lying at
home paralyzed, suffering
dreadfully. . . . I am not worthy to have you enter
under my roof; only say the word and my servant will
be healed.”
Any objective observer would say, “Well, this is
ridiculous! What this man is asking is impossible.” He
is not only asking that his servant might be cured; he
is asking that he be cured at a distance, with simply a
word. He’s at the limit of what he could possibly know
or control or measure. And yet he trusts; he has faith.
Søren Kierkegaard defined faith as “a passion for the
impossible.” Is God opposed to reason? Absolutely
not; God gave us the gift of reason. Does God want
us to be unrealistic? No; he wants us to use all of our
powers of imagination and analysis. But faith goes
beyond reason; it is a passion for what reason can’t
see.
That centurion had a passion for the impossible. And
that’s why Jesus says to him, in some of the highest
praise you’ll find in the Gospel: “In no one in Israel
have I found such faith.”
Reflect: What would you like Jesus to “only say the
word” for and it will be done? Have you asked him with
the faith of the centurion?
Peace,
Bishop Robert Barron
| Gospel Reflection |
| Matthew 8:5-11 |
| We are very thankful for all the support by our parishioners. Without your help, we would not be able to provide the assistance needed. We are beginning preparations for filling baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas for those in need. We are in need of regular size boxes or bags of cereal, beans and rice, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, pasta and rice mixes, grits, oatmeal, ramen noodles, cans of tuna, chicken, Vienna sausages, Spam, fruit, peanut butter and jelly, soups, tomato sauce, gravy in packs or bottles, and drink mixes such as tea bags, Kool-Aid, hot chocolate, and Crystal Light. Please help us by checking “current best-by” dates. If you are in need of assistance, call 831-7692 and leave a message. We will return your call. |
| Earline Dufour Bordelon, October 27, 2019 Marilyn Rebouche' Grice, October 28, 2019 Sandra Jean Schlumbrecht, November 21, 2019 |
| Flowers and Sanctuary Lights |
| Flowers and sanctuary lights for 2019 are available. There are several open weeks for the flowers on the altar and for sanctuary lights. What a beautiful way to remember relatives or someone special (living or deceased)! You could say “Congratulations,” “Happy Birthday,” or “Happy Anniversary.” Please call 837-8214 to reserve a weekend. The cost is $40, made payable to “St. Christopher Altar Society." |
| Advertiser of the Week |
| Executive Tax Service Your tax and business advisors Judith Phillpott, EA Laurie Schmaltz 2901 Houma Blvd. 504-780-0456 https://etsmetairie.com |
| Lost and Found |
| There are many items that have been left in church and are on the shelf on top of the poor box under St. Anthony. The items include rosaries, umbrellas, etc. Please check to see if any of the items belong to you. |
| St. Christopher Parish Census Form |
| St. Christopher Parish is developing enhanced paper and digital communication capabilities. You can help us by providing us with your information. Use this link to set up your personal user name and password for the database. |
| Food Pantry for Outreach |
| Spiritual Retreats |
| A spiritual retreat is an opportunity to withdraw from the routine and pressures of life, and to open our heart and mind to God’s love for us and discern the movement of the Spirit in our life and surrender to God’s will. There are a variety of options available for a retreat in and near the Archdiocese of New Orleans, ranging from one day of reflection to a three-day silent retreat. For people seeking a deeper experience of growth in their relationship with God, there are also options for individual spiritual direction with a companion experienced in the spirituality of the Desert Fathers and saints of the Church. St. Christopher is blessed to have clergy with experience in spiritual direction and companionship. For more information and assistance in determining the spiritual experience that best suits you, please contact Dcn. Phil McManamon at 451-0009 or pmcmanam@yahoo.com. |
| Holy Baptism |
| If you have a child who will be Baptized, the upcoming dates to prepare for are as outlined below. You must attend the Baptismal Seminar in order for your child to be Baptized. |
| Baptism: January 12, 2020 |
| Baptismal Seminar: December 20 |
| Altar Society Appeal |
| Ever wonder what exactly the Altar Society is about? Do you know who prepares the altar each week with the beautiful floral arrangements, cleans the linens, vacuums, dusts, cleans the door and windows, etc.? Well, it’s the Ladies of the Altar Society (and sometimes with a little help from their spouses). The ladies also prepare for the receptions for the St. Louis Awards and the 25th-50th Wedding Anniversaries and also sponsor the Day of Reflection each Spring, among other needs when called upon. The Altar Society is always looking for new members. If you would like to join us, our meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of each month, preceded by the Rosary and Mass in the Church at 9 a.m. We would love to have you! |
| Pro Life |
| "Abortion is the only surgery for which the surgeon is not obligated to inform the patient of the possible risks of the procedure, or even the exact nature of the procedure. Indeed, abortion providers are the only medical personnel who have a 'constitutional right' to withhold information, even when directly questioned by the patient." David Reardon, Aborted Women: Silent No More |
| Bereavement and Support Group Christmas Dinner |
| The St. Christopher Bereavement and Support Group Ministry will meet on Thursday, December 12, at Piccadilly Cafeteria on Clearview Parkway at 6 p.m. for a Christmas Dinner. All are invited to attend. Each person will pay for their own meal. If you wish to play the “Secret Santa” game, please bring a $10 gift card in a Christmas bag. |
| Three-Day Advent Retreat |
| On December 10-12, from 6:30-7:45 p.m., Deacon Phil will lead a three-day retreat with the theme “Our Advent Journey through the Old Testament.” The discussion will be held in two parts, with a break for refreshments, so even if you can only attend part of the evening, you are most welcome. On each of the three days, we will journey through the Old Testament and examine how our Savior's coming was foretold. Please see this flyer for further details and plan to join us to experience this wonderful opportunity to prepare our hearts to receive the Christ Child, "God with Us," and join with the angels who announced His coming, exclaiming "Glory to God! Glory to God!" |
Isaiah 7:14
