vol 23 no 14
November 30, 2014 - First Sunday of Advent
+ Isaiah 63: 16b-17, 19b; 64: 2-7 + 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9 + Mark 13: 33-37 +
Mass this Sunday at 6:30pm only
December 7, 2014 - Second Sunday of Advent
+ Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11 + 2 Peter 3: 8-14 + Mark 1: 1-8 +
Masses this Sunday at 10:30am and 6:30pm
Mass Intentions:
| Sunday | 11.30 | 6:30pm | For the SAU Community |
| Monday | 12.1 | Noon | +Corinne Schwickerath |
| Tuesday | 12.2 | 4:30pm | +Ann Freeburg |
| Wednesday | 12.3 | 9:15pm | For student intentions |
| Thursday | 12.4 | 4:30pm | +W. O'Maoldomhnaigh |
| Friday | 12.5 | Noon | +MaryJo Heming |
| Sunday | 12.7 | 10:30am 6:30pm | Ambrose Feast Celebration For the SAU Community |
| Monday | 12.8 | Noon 4:30pm | +Matt Hoffmiller, '99 +George Leahy, '50 |
| Tuesday | 12.9 | 9:00pm | Student Candlelight Mass |
| Saturday | 12.13 | 5:00pm | +Rev. William Dawson |
This Week's Activities Include:
Monday: Music Ministry 6pm (Chapel); Late Night Adoration 9pm (Chapel)
Tuesday: Bridge Bible Fellowship 8:40pm (Chapel)
Wednesday: Sacrament of Reconciliation 8:30pm (Chapel); Mass and More 9:15pm (Grotto)
Campus Ministry Offices - Lower Chapel
333-6132 or ministry@sau.edu
Fr. Chuck Adam, Chaplain
Chris Clow, Director of Music and Liturgy
Kaitlin Depuydt, Director of Service and Social Justice
Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, Director of Faith Formation
Tom Prior, Grad Assistant
Advent-Christmas: Learning to Welcome the Light
Thanksgiving leftovers are barely consumed and the last week of classes for the fall semester at SAU is upon us. As students, faculty, and staff return to campus on Monday, Advent will have begun. Advent, a season of peaceful preparation for the “Coming of our God,” is not easy to celebrate amid the flurry of end of the semester activities. But don’t let that keep you from trying. Celebrating Advent well not only help us understand the true meaning of Christmas, it also helps us recognize the comings of Christ that we too easily take for granted each day. And celebrating Advent well can help us learn to be bearers of light to others. A story in Sojourners Magazine recently told of an 11 year old boy who had lost all his hair due to chemotherapy treatments for cancer. Concerned about how his classmates would react to him once he returned to school, his parents tried wigs, bandanas, and finally settled on a baseball cap to hide the boy’s baldness. Mustering up the courage to walk back into his classroom, the boy was overjoyed to see that every student in his class had shaved their own heads in solidarity with him. Christmas is our annual reminder that God became one of us, as vulnerable as a human being can be—an infant, completely dependent upon others and susceptible to all the pains and fears that at times confront each of us. Divine light now shines among us. If in Advent we learn to recognize that as followers of the Light, we are called to be light for others, and if we stand in solidarity with those in need, we will find ourselves ready for Christ’s coming. Whatever darkness may cover our world, whatever gloom may hang in our own lives, it isn't strong enough to suffocate the light. The smallest candle will light up a room. The smallest gesture of kindness, act of compassion, or work of mercy will light up the globe. As we will hear at Christmas from the Gospel of John, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Advent prayers; Congratulations to our winter graduates; and Christmas blessing of peace to all. ---Fr. Chuck
•Advent Season Sunday, November 30 is the first day of Advent. Advent not only is a season of preparation for Christmas, it acknowledges our need to be constantly vigilant for the Lord’s return, “waiting in joyful hope.” Here are ways you can make it a joyful season of hope:
→Pick up a copy of the Daily Meditation Booklets by Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP. They are available in the chapel gathering space and in the window space by the Rogalski Center Post Office.
→Take advantage of opportunities for Daily Mass in Christ the King Chapel. Monday and Fridays at 12:00 pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30pm, and Wednesday at 9:15pm.
→Spend some time in prayer to begin Advent with Late Night Adoration on Monday, December 1 at 9:00pm. A wonderful way to begin this holy season before the Blessed Sacrament.
→Take part in the Advent Communal Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Wednesday December 3 at 8:30pm in Christ the King Chapel. A short service of prayer is followed by the opportunity for individual confession to one of the priests who are present.
→Enjoy an evening of Lessons and Carols Saturday, December 6 at 7:00pm in the Chapel featuring scriptures for the season with music by the University Chorale and Chamber Singers.
→Participate in the Student Candlelight Mass preceding Midnight Breakfast on Tuesday Dec. 9 at 9:00pm. In the chapel, filled with light from candles held by students, we celebrate the joy and the hope Christ’s birth has brought to our world.
•Mass Schedule During Winter Break Mass for the Third Sunday of Advent will be celebrated on Saturday December 13 at 5:00pm. There will be no Sunday masses from December 14 through January 4. 10:30am mass will resume on January 11, while the regular 10:30am/6:30pm schedule will return on January 25. Daily mass concludes for the semester with the candlelight mass on December 9, and resumes on Wednesday January 14 with 9:15pm Mass. A Christmas Eve Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday December 24 at 5:00 pm for Ambrosians who are in the area.
•Music for the Feast of St. Ambrose Mass There are two remaining rehearsals for the Feast of St. Ambrose Mass - Monday, December 1 at 6pm, and right before the mass Sunday, December 7 at 9am, both in the Chapel. All SAU students, faculty, and staff are invited to take part in the music for this mass. If you are interested you are still welcome to join in. Email ministry@sau.edu to find out more.
•Feast of St. Ambrose Mass Celebrate a mass honoring our patron saint, Sunday, December 7 at 10:30am in the Chapel. Presider and homilist will be Most Rev. Martin Amos, Bishop of the Davenport Diocese and music will be led by a combined choir of SAU Chamber Singers and Music Ministry. The McMullen Awards will also be presented to John and Helen Morrissey and Joe and Joyce O'Rourke and a reception will follow in the Gathering Space. All are welcome!
•Service House “Giving Tree” Project The SAU themed house “Make a Difference” is collecting pajamas for the children of Project Renewal. If you took an ornament off the tree, please tape it to the unwrapped gift and place it under the tree in the Gathering Space by Sunday, December 7. Thank you for your generosity!
•Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Masses will be offered on Monday, December 8 at 12 noon and 4:30pm for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a holyday of obligation. All are welcome.
•Sing for the Candlelight Mass! All SAU students are invited to join with Music Ministry in singing carols for the Candlelight mass on Tuesday, December 9. Come join in a joyful celebration of Christmas as a University community. Email ministry@sau.edu for more details!
•Congratulations Graduates! Congratulations to all who complete their studies at St. Ambrose and receive degrees at the graduation ceremony on December 13. May God grant blessings to all your endeavors and plans and in the best of our SAU tradition, may you be a blessing for the world!
•Faculty/Staff Christmas Mass SAU faculty and staff are invited to help lead music for the mass preceding the Christmas party on Saturday, December 13. Rehearsal is at 4pm, mass is at 5. Contact Chris Clow at ministry@sau.edu to help out!
•Thanks to all who Served on Saturdays! Service was completed at the Kahl Home, the NAMI Walk, Cafe on Vine, Humility of Mary Housing, VanderVeer Park, Gilda's Club & Winnie's Wishes! We are appreciative of the time you have given to make a difference in the community. Join us for Service on Saturdays again next semester, beginning Saturday January 24th!
