Coffee and Donuts - There will not be coffee and donuts after Mass either today.
Benediction Following Mass - Following the 10am Mass this morning there will be Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
Epiphany Water Blessing - Ten gallons of Epiphany water will be blessed the day before the Epiphany, January 5th at 7:00pm. The ceremony will take about forty minutes and includes the regular traditional exorcisms and blessings over holy water, in addition to the litany of the Saints and an additional special exorcism, the Te Deum, numerous psalms and the Magnificat.
Seminary Burse — 2nd Collection - Next Sunday there will be a second collection in support of the FSSP Seminary in Denton, Nebraska.
Rosary for the Unborn - Following the 9am Mass on Saturday, January 21, Fr Eichman will lead the Rosary in front of the Hillcrest abortuary, 2709 N. Front St. We pray there every 3rd Saturday of the month for the protection of the unborn. Please do not let the added sacrifice of the cold weather keep you from coming.
Adult Convert / Confirmation Class - Our next class will be on Tuesday, January 10 at 7:00pm.
Thank You - Thanks to the volunteers who decorated the church for Christmas as well as those who used their Christmas Flowers offering envelope to help defray the cost of the flowers.
Homeschoolers Class Opportunity - The spring semester of Mater Dei's Friday Academic Program will begin on January 20, 2017. Courses include Church History for ages 12-18 and Lives of the Saints for ages 6-11. Any new family seeking information or wanting to join the co-op may contact Dawn Forbeck at forbecks@comcast.net.
Sunday Parking Reminder - We have permission to park behind the buildings located across the street from the church during evenings and weekends. The entrance to these parking spaces is by way of Academy Alley, which is directly behind these houses. It is the first alley immediately after State Street. These parking spaces can only be reached by turning left off Front Street. Please report any incident that might cause the owners concern, as we do not want to jeopardize the parking hospitality given to us from these generous property owners. Also remember, the parking lot along the side of St. Lawrence is not to be used.
St. Tarcisius Meeting - We will not have a St. Tarcisius meeting in January. Our next meeting will be February 4.
Catechism Christmas Break - Our next day of catechism classes will be Sunday, January 15.
Holy Name Society Meeting - The next meeting of the Holy Name Society will be Saturday, January 7, after the 9:00 Mass. The induction of new professed members and the installation of officer’s for 2017 will be held after Mass. Following the ceremonies continental breakfast will be available and Matt Collins will give a talk on the Universal Call to Holiness. Please RSVP to Joseph Yula at 717-817-8651 or jyula2898@gmail.com by January 5.
The Holy Name of Jesus
The name of Jesus consoles us; for when we invoke Jesus, we find relief in all our afflictions. When we have recourse to Jesus, he wishes to console us, because he loves us; and he can do so, because he is not only man, but he is also the Omnipotent God; otherwise he could not properly have this great name of Savior.
The name of Jesus signifies that the bearer of it is of an infinite power, infinite wisdom, and infinite love; so that if Jesus Christ had not united in himself all these perfections, he could not have saved us: “If any one of these,” says St. Bernard, “had been wanting, Thou couldst not call Thyself Savior.”
Thus, when speaking of the circumcision, the saint says: “He was circumcised as being the Son of Abraham, he was called Jesus as being the Son of God.” He is branded as man with the mark of sin, having taken upon himself the burden of atoning for sinners; and from his very infancy he began, to satisfy for their crimes, by suffering and shedding his blood; but he is called Jesus, he is called the Savior, inasmuch as he is the Son of God, because to God alone does the office of salvation belong.
- St. Alphonsus Ligouri