“Advent is thus a favourable time to pray with greater intensity, to reserve to the spiritual life the important place it deserves.”
-Pope Francis
Sunday readings for December 10, 2023- Second Sunday of Advent
First Reading: Is 40:1-5, 9-11
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 85:9-14
Second Reading: 2 Pt 3:8-14
Gospel: Mk 1:1-8
Announcements
Today’s Feast of Immaculate Conception
This feast is a Holy Day of Obligation and Catholic are expected to attend Mass: Our Holy Redeemer Mass will be tonight at 6 PM and will be in English
4th Annual Andy Chan Block Party
Join us for the 4th Annual Andy Chan Block Party on Friday, December 15th. 2nd street between Market & Chestnut Streets. This year’s event will raise money for our parishioner, Philadelphia Highway Patrolman Andy Chan and the family of Temple University Police Sergeant Christopher Fitzgerald. To Purchase Tickets or T-Shirts, https://www.fbbcf.org/event/AndyChan23 We hope to see you there.
VIP Tickets $150 per ticket
Open Bar at Nick’s Roast Beef Bar & Grille
LIMITED AVAILABILITY – General Admission Tickets $20 per ticket
*Raffle Tickets (1) ticket for $5 (5) tickets for $20
*If you’d like to purchase raffle tickets-please Venmo at @fbbcf65
Prizes include:
- Flyers Tickets
- Sixers Tickets
- Concert Tickets
- Eagles Signed Jerseys and Footballs
- Phillies Memorabilia
- Gift Cards to Philadelphia Bars & Restaurants and More!
*Do not need to be present to win*
T-Shirts $30 each & includes shipping
HR’s Advent Gift Giving Collection
This Christmas Eve, the Holy Redeemer Youth Group will visit Echeclon, a nursing home in Voorhees, NJ to sing Christmas carols and give each resident a Christmas gift. Simple gifts are appreciated: word puzzle books, adult coloring books, decks of cards, stuffed animals, 2024 calendars with pictures, socks, warm scarves or lap blankets. Please consider buying a few gifts for the residents and drop them in the box located in the back of church through this season of Advent. Gifts will be wrapped by HR’s Youth Group. Please do not give food or candy.
Bible Study: Gospel of Mark
Saint John the Evangelist Parishioner, Paul Danove is Professor Emeritus of New Testament Studies at Villanova University. He will offer an in depth study of the Gospel of Mark by Zoom on Wednesday evenings from 7-8:30 PM from December 6-March 27. The class already began this week, but you can view the recording of the first class. If you wish to receive Zoom invitations to the class and the recordings, please email Fr. Tom at frtomcap@yahoo.com.
HR’s Youth Group Ice Skating
Any youth ages 12-17 are invited to go ice skating at City Hall on Sunday December 17th at 2pm. If you would like to sign up, please reply to this email by December 14th so a ticket can be reserved.
Sight and Sound “I Heard the Bells”
Mark your calendars. Get into the Christmas Spirit on Saturday, December 16 at 4 PM with a potluck dinner followed by watching together the Sight and Sound Christmas program at the Teresa Hu Center cafeteria.
Meeting with Councilman Mark Squilla regarding proposed 76ers arena
All are invited to a meeting with Councilman Squilla on December 17 at 2 PM at the Mother Bethel AME Church at 419 South 6th Street to talk dialogue about the proposal to place a basketball arena on Market Street at the border of Chinatown.
Scholarship Opportunities for HS Seniors
The 55th Annual Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program is made possible by the Green Family Foundation and Firstrust Bank. The Scholarship Program was named in loving memory of Firstrust’s Founder, Samuel A. Green, who believed in the power of higher education and the right of all young people to pursue it.
In the spirit of his legacy, we are inspired to carry on his strong commitment to the youth in our communities. This scholarship honors those students who have demonstrated leadership potential and a commitment to making a substantial impact in the community.
Click on this link to learn for more information and to apply.
Holy Redeemer School Spotlight
Welcome to our new teachers who arrived Monday. They will fill the two vacant teacher positions which Ms. Francis Milone and Ms. Beth O’Brien have admirably taught combined grades of 4-5 and 7-8, respectively. Ms. Annie Babagay will teach the 4th grade and Ms. Toni Rose Medina will take over the 6th grade class. Mr. Michael Snyder will turn over the sixth graders to Ms. Medina and get the 7th graders. Please give a warm welcome to our new teachers and pray for their success.
Report cards were handed out Thursday November 7th to parents to discuss their children’s progress with their teachers. No school for the students.
No school November 8th for Immaculate Conception holy day.
Upcoming Christmas parties for Holy Redeemer students:
Dec 9 – Chinese American Women’s Sisterhood Society of Phila Party at Theresa Hu Center 10:30-1:30
Dec 20 – Archdiocese’s Christmas Party at Cathedral 1:00-3:30 (Fr. Tom will provide transportation).
Christmas pageant is set for December 20th at 6:00 PM.
Photo of Holy Redeemer students and their teachers at the Asian American Women’s Coalition (AAWC) Christmas party last Saturday, Dec. 2.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Spotlight
Your voice is needed now to protect lifesaving, international development and humanitarian assistance! The U.S. House introduced an appropriations bill that would reduce foreign aid in the fiscal year 2024 federal budget by $7 billion. At a time when global hunger and poverty are on the rise, these cuts would have devastating consequences for millions of people around the world.
Foreign assistance accounts for less than 1% of the U.S. budget. You can make a difference to ensure this critical aid isn’t reduced further! Please contact your U.S. Representative to oppose the proposed cuts and to support robust funding for hunger-reducing international assistance. By lifting your voice today, you help smallholder farmers diversify and improve their crops so they can feed their families and earn a living, you help children receive the daily nutrition they need to grow and reach developmental milestones, and you help communities access emergency food aid during hunger crises caused by conflict and climate change. Visit www.crs.org to see how you can help!
***If you received this bulletin from a friend, request to be on the listserve by sending an email to holyredeemer1939@gmail.com.
Holy Redeemer Church’s website: https://holyredeemerccc.org/