vol 24 no 14
December 6, 2015 - Second Sunday of Advent
+ Baruch 5:1-9 + Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 + Luke 3:1-6 +
Masses this Sunday at 10:30 am and 6:30 pm
December 13, 2015 - Third Sunday of Advent
+ Zephaniah 3:14-18 + Philippians 4:4-7 + Luke 3:10-18 +
Masses this Sunday at 10:30 am and 6:30 pm
+ Zephaniah 3:14-18 + Philippians 4:4-7 + Luke 3:10-18 +
Masses this Sunday at 10:30 am and 6:30 pm
Mass Intentions:
| Sunday | 12.6 | 10:30 am 6:30 pm | For the SAU Community |
| Monday | 12.7 | Noon | + R. Paul Mathem, '70 |
| Tuesday | 12.8 | Noon 4:30 pm | + Charles Vogel + Richard Moeller, '61 |
| Wednesday | 12.9 | 9:15 pm | For Student Intentions |
| Thursday | 12.10 | 4:30pm | + Robert Tagler, '51 |
| Friday | 12.11 | Noon | + Fr. Bill Dawson |
| Sunday | 12.13 | 10:30 am 6:30 pm | For the SAU Community |
| Friday | 12.14 | Noon | |
| Friday | 12.15 | 9:00 pm | Student Candlelight Mass |
This Week's Activities Include:
Monday: Music Ministry Rehearsal 6 pm (Chapel); Communal Reconciliation 7 pm (Chapel)
Tuesday: Bridge Bible Fellowship 9 pm (Chapel)
Wednesday: Ambrosians for Peace and Justice 8 pm (Lower Chapel); Sacrament of Reconciliation 8:30 pm (Chapel); Mass and More with Blessing of Pencils for Finals 9:15 pm (Chapel)
Thursday: Advent Reflections by the Stable 8 pm (Gathering Space)
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
Prayer Ministry - send intentions to BeesKnees@sau.edu.
Christmas Peace and Joy
It is only appropriate that the last campus ministry bulletin before Christmas should deliver a message of peace and joy. Getting into the spirit of holiday joy, however, might not be so easy for students entering the last week of classes with papers to complete and the frantic preparation for exams and presentations. Our attempt to get into the holiday spirit can also be frustrated by the darkness of the world around us. In fact, even as I write these words, news reports tell of another mass shooting in our country. But true Christmas faith doesn’t leave room for despair. Rather than saying in dismay, “Look what the world has come to,” people who understand Christmas can say with delight, “But look what has come into the world.” Because God has become incarnate in the fullness of human life grace and light fill our world. Even though darkness and sin may often surround us, but now light and grace abound ever so much more. True Christmas people choose to live by that grace and light. If we learn to do so, Christmas is not just one day or even one season of the year. As Blessed Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, "It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you… yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother or sister and offer your hand." May we all embody that spirit of peace and joy. Because of Christmas, we have extraordinary reason for hope. In him who has come to us, we have the means for peace and lasting joy. Blessings to all people of good will. Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas. Happy Kwanzaa. Congratulations to our winter graduates. Peace to all. ----Fr. Chuck
•Mass of Advent Marking St. Ambrose’s Feast
Celebrate a Mass honoring our patron saint on Sunday, December 6 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 Msgr. John Hyland and Jim and Karen Collins. A reception will follow in the Gathering Space. All are welcome!
•Service on Saturday
We have just a couple spots left for the Kids Against Hunger meal packaging on Dec. 5 to feed Syrian refugees in refugee camps in Greece. It will be held at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf; we will be helping in the 2-3pm shift and carpooling from campus at 1:30pm. You can sign up at ministry@sau.edu if you want to join our team!
•Ambrose of Milan Lecture
Fr. David Voprada, Ph.D. of Charles University in Prague, is presenting the annual Saint Ambrose of Milan lecture on Dec. 6th at 4:30 in Christ the King Chapel at St. Ambrose University entitled, "St. Ambrose and Growth in the Christian Life." Fr. Voprada says of his theme that "The bishop of Milan encouraged his Church to go always further, never to stop in our journey of getting to know and love God. Is there in his teaching something that would help even Christians of our time to proceed on their journey to God?”
•Mass Schedule During Winter Break
Daily Mass concludes for the semester with the candlelight Mass on December 15, and returns on Wednesday January 20 with 9:15pm Mass. Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent will be celebrated on Saturday December 19 at 5:00pm. There will be no Sunday Masses December 20 through January 10. The 10:30am Mass returns on January 17th, and the regular 10:30am/6:30pm schedule resumes January 24th. A Christmas Eve Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, December 24th at 5:00 pm for Ambrosians who are in the area.
•Advent Communal Reconciliation
Join us on Monday, December 7 at 7:00pm in the Chapel for a Communal Reconciliation service. A simple prayer service and examination of conscience is followed by a time for individual confession with any of the priests present. Make it a part of your Advent practice this year!
•Immaculate Conception Holy Day on Tuesday
This Tuesday, December 8, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a holy day of obligation. Masses will be offered in the Chapel at 12 noon and 4:30pm. All are welcome.
•Blessing of Pencils Before Final Exams
Are you worried about your finals and feel like you need all the help you can get? Join us for Mass & More, Wednesday, December 9th at 9:15 pm. During Mass we’ll do a special blessing of pencils and students in preparation for final exams. Bring your own pencil or get a new one from campus ministry. Enjoy a cookie and some hot chocolate too!
•Project Renewal Giving Tree
Students from a themed house on campus focused on service to Project Renewal invite you to take an ornament from the Giving tree in the Gathering Space this weekend. Each ornament has the name, age and interests of a child at Project Renewal. We ask you to buy a new backpack for that child, wrap it, and return it by Wednesday, December 9th. The service house guys will deliver them during finals week. Thank you!
•Service Trip Applications are Now Available
Come on our Winter Break service trip January 12-16 to the Port Ministries in Chicago. We’ll help in their free clinic and with the after-school program, serve meals from the bread truck, and witness their restorative justice program. Applications are due Wednesday, December 9. There are also trips over Spring Break to East St. Louis, Cleveland, Northern Mississippi, and Eastern Kentucky. Applications available in the gathering space and lower chapel. Contact Kaitlin at ministry@sau.edu to learn more!
•Advent Reflections at the Stable
Take time out for a quiet evening of Advent reflections led by IlaMae Hanisch, ‘89 on Thursday, December 10 at 8:00pm in the Chapel Gathering Space. Refreshments will be provided by Women & Faith.
•Student Candlelight Mass
Please join us for the Student Candlelight Mass on Tuesday, December 15 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. SAU students are invited to sing with Music Ministry for the mass. Email ministry@sau.edu for more details.
•Congratulations Graduates!
Congratulations to all who will graduate from St. Ambrose December 19th. May God grant blessings on all your endeavors 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 19. Rehearsal is at 4pm, Mass is at 5. Contact Chris Clow at ministry@sau.edu to help out.
•Year of Mercy
Pope Francis has announced an extraordinary jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy, beginning on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8. The Diocese of Davenport will be celebrating this jubilee all year long, beginning on Sunday, December 13 at Sacred Heart Cathedral with the opening of the Holy Year Door at 9:00am, and a Communal Penance Liturgy at 3:00pm. All are welcome at both, and be sure to follow along for events all throughout the Holy Year.
