December 2021
community of St. John & St. James Catholic Women: Generously Sharing Stewardship Gifts with Our Faith Community
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e are blessed to have such an active faith community. All through the year, important events are happening, and it seems there is always a need for extra hands and delicious refreshments. And thanks to the good work of the Catholic Women, refreshments are plentiful at our parish events. Formerly the St. John’s Women’s Association, the group was recently rebranded as Catholic Women to include all women at St. John and St. James. Catholic Women gathered for a recent meeting. In addition to providing refreshments for events, the women supply baked goods for the Knights of Columbus Lenten fish frys and work with the Knights for the Fat Tuesday Spaghetti Dinner. The group also helps with the costs of funeral dinners and operates the St. John’s Gift Store. In June, they host a garage sale fundraiser, and before Christmas, they conduct a bake sale and raffle. The Catholic Women also give financially to many groups and organizations — Madonna House, Birthright, Agape Food For Kids, and March For Life, to name a few. Being a project manager for her career, group president Sangeetha Arun enjoys using her talents to bring structure and organization to the meetings. She’s honored to be part of such a hardworking group of women and is humbled by the members’ generosity in stewardship. While it’s certainly a busy group with lots of work to be done, Sangeetha loves that it’s a way to give back to our Lord and parishioners. “There’s just something about selfless service to others,” she says. “The members show me what that looks like. This is a fantastic group of women.” Each female parishioner at St. James and St. John is automatically a member of Catholic Women. Sangeetha would love to see more women come to meetings, continued on page 2
CatholicWomen which start at noon on the first Thursday of the month. A social begins at 11:30 a.m. The group will likely begin alternating where they meet between both parishes. Sangeetha invites all women of St. James and St. John to get involved. “I have enjoyed getting to know other women of the parish on a deeper level,” she says. “Being involved has been a really good journey.” Current group treasurer Vicky Henderson has been a member for six years, and she has enjoyed getting to know the other members of Catholic Women. This has also been a great way for Vicky to give of her time and learn more about the Catholic faith at the same time. Diane Leroux has been involved in a women’s group at St. James for more than 20 years. She has enjoyed being involved as a way to grow in faith and enjoy fellowship with other women. She is excited to collaborate with the women at St. John’s through Catholic Women. Annette Walker has been in the St. John’s group for more than 20 years. “I enjoy working with like-minded Catholic women and
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Catholic Women gathered for a recent meeting.
the opportunities for service while having fun working together,” Annette says. Pat Netzer enjoys the fellowship with other women. She notes that her mother set a strong example through involvement in a women’s group. “These women’s work ethic, Christian kindness, and sharing attitudes give me hope for the world,” Pat says.
If you would like to learn more about Catholic Women, or to get involved, please contact Sangeetha Arun at 918-815-3017 or sangeetharun03@gmail.com.
Christmas Schedule CHRISTMAS EVE 5 p.m. Children’s Mass at St. John 8:30 p.m. at St. James 10 p.m. at St. John
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CHRISTMAS DAY 9:30 a.m. at St. James 10:30 a.m. at St. John 1:30 p.m. Spanish Mass at St. John
A Letter From Our Pastor
Dear Parishioners,
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Stewardship Possibilities are Endless at Christmas
hen I think of December, the first thing that comes to my mind is Christmas. While that may seem obvious, there are several other possibilities. I could think of Advent, which prepares us for Christmas. I could think of the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation, and the patronal festival of the United States. I could think of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose popularity has spread far beyond the Hispanic community. December also brings the winter solstice. And it brings the end of the secular calendar year, which means getting my financials together for the upcoming income tax season. But instead, I think of Christmas — one of the greatest feasts of the Christian year, along with Easter and Pentecost. The basic truth of Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus the Messiah, God Incarnate, is plenty of reason for us all to rejoice and worship. But we’ve piled so much extra baggage on our Christmas observance, and worship is often almost lost in the shuffle. We send Christmas cards to people we contact at no other time of the year. We put up wreaths, Christmas trees, and lights. We host parties for family and friends. We visit relatives. We plan and prepare Christmas meals. And we have Christmas gifts to buy. No wonder the Christ Mass becomes an afterthought! Maybe, though, we can combine our Christmas activities with our stewardship commitments. Treasure is the simplest. Shouldn’t the most expensive Christmas present we give be the one to Jesus whose birthday we’re celebrating? Risen and glorified, He needs nothing we have. But His Body — the Church — continues Jesus’ mission here on earth and always needs additional resources. Time and Talent may be a little more complicated, but can’t we spend a little more of our time in wor-
ship and prayer? Stop by our Adoration Chapel for a visit with Jesus and offer a prayer of thanks for the gift of God’s Son. Attend Mass each day of the Christmas Octave. Gather your family for prayers together in the morning or at dinner in preparation for Christmas Day and through the Christmas season. And Talent? There are lots of possibilities. Sing in the choir for the Christmas Masses. Help decorate one of our churches. Cook or bake for someone who is homebound. Invite someone who will be alone to share Christmas dinner with your family. Offer to work in a soup kitchen if you will be alone. The possibilities are endless. Yes, December means Christmas. But with some planning, we can make this hectic time a real blessing both for ourselves and others. Pray for me that I can keep Christmas properly, and I’ll pray for you. And by the way, have a Merry Christmas! Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. John O’Neill Pastor
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O U R L A DY O F
Celebrating a Joyous O
n Dec. 12 we celebrate an important day — the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. After a series of apparitions to Juan Diego, an Aztec, in December 1531, Mary appeared for the last time on Dec. 12 to give Juan Diego a sign of her presence. She told him to pick flowers to bring to his bishop. She also wanted a chapel to be built. When Juan Diego let the flowers fall from his cloak, known as a tilma, an image of Our Lady was imprinted. Many venerate this image, to this day, at a shrine in Mexico City. This period was a tumultuous time for the Aztec people. Juan Diego was of a low class, and thus, a perfect messenger for Our Lady. Many believe these apparitions are the reason so many converted to Catholicism. Our Lady appeared in present-day Mexico City. Here in our Catholic Community of Bartlesville, we have an opportunity to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a big way. Everardo Ramirez invites everyone to participate in a procession beginning at noon, with people beginning to gather at 11:30 a.m., on Dec. 12 at the Bartlesville High School parking lot. Several dancing groups (or matachines), around 50 people on horseback, and about 200 others have traditionally gathered for this procession to St. John’s for Mass at 1:30 p.m. Pork, beef, rice, beans, pico de gallo, drinks and desserts will be
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GUADALUPE:
Feast Day on Dec. 12 served in the St. John’s school gym after Mass. Everardo looks forward to celebrating this special day when those of Mexican descent were chosen by God with the privilege of an apparition by Our Lady. He says it’s important for all who are devoted to Our Lady to celebrate this day and to thank her for all her blessings. “Every year, devotees of Our Lady of Guadalupe participate in a pilgrimage, and fulfill their promises to Our Lady,” Everardo says. “Or they simply visit to thank her for her intercession for the miracles obtained from God.” For many Mexican people, Our Lady of Guadalupe is so important that she’s a part of their identity. She was with the people in the 1500s and is still here today. “As an immigrant community, we do not feel orphans because our mother has come with us and constantly repeats in our hearts the same words that she said to St. Juan Diego, ‘Am I not here, I who am your Mother?’” Everardo says.
Please join us on Dec. 12 for the Our Lady of Guadalupe procession beginning at noon at the Bartlesville High School parking lot.
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The Origin and Beauty of the Nativity Scene W
ith all the commercialism surrounding Christmastime, it’s far too easy for us to lose sight of the true reason behind the season. Overwhelmed by our endless to-do lists and the hustle and bustle of last-minute shopping, our focus quickly shifts away from the Christ Child’s birth. And yet, hidden amongst the holly wreaths and garlands, the Christmas Nativity remains a tangible reminder of the Incarnation, pulling us back into time for a moment as we reflect upon the incredible gift of Christ’s birth. Interestingly, it was circumstances much like our own today which first led St. Francis of Assisi to recreate the Nativity scene nearly 800 years ago. Frustrated with the growing materialism and greed that seemed to pervade 13th century Italy, St. Francis wanted a way to visually remind people of Christ’s humble beginnings — to show them that Christmas isn’t about pomp and circumstance or material goods, but rather about unselfish love. Describing the idea to his friend Giovanni, St. Francis wrote, “I want to do something that will recall the memory of that child who was born in Bethlehem, to see with bodily eyes the inconveniences of his infancy, how he lay in the manger...” And so St. Francis’ idea took form on Christmas Eve
in 1223. This original Nativity scene was a living one, even including live animals. Villagers were deeply moved by the silent display of humble beauty, and the Nativity tradition soon spread throughout Italy and surrounding Europe. It is a tradition that remains today in nearly every Christian church and in many homes. In fact, it’s hard to imagine Christmas without a Nativity scene somewhere. Coming in various sizes and styles, each Nativity replica continues to focus our hearts on the true meaning of Christmas — to help us remember that Christmas isn’t about the amount of gifts under the tree or the festive decorations, but rather about celebrating Christ’s birth. Many families have a tradition of hiding the Infant Jesus, only placing Him in the crib on Christmas morning. This helps build anticipation during the Advent season as we anxiously await the Divine’s birth. Others go a step further, actually wrapping up the Christ Child to be opened as the very first gift of Christmas. Yet, whatever your family’s particular traditions, we hope that the Christmas Nativity continues to draw your heart heavenward this Christmas season — to center us all on the greatest gift ever given, our Incarnate Lord.
Coming in various sizes and styles, each Nativity replica continues to focus our hearts on the true meaning of Christmas — to help us remember that Christmas isn’t about the amount of gifts under the tree or the festive decorations, but rather about celebrating Christ’s birth. 6
Support Our Catholic Schools
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Make a Year-End Donation to the Veritas Tax Credit Scholarship
ooking to impact St. John’s Catholic School with end-ofyear giving? Look no further than the opportunity to help fund scholarships for our students through Veritas Tax School Scholarships, Inc. Veritas is the new scholarship granting organization (SGO) in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma and through it, individuals, couples, and businesses can directly support Catholic education while also receiving tax credits. “The beauty of SGOs is the opportunity for everyone in our community to leverage our giving to support scholarships for our school,” says Fr. John O’Neill, our pastor. Fr. John fully supports this offering from the state of Oklahoma and leads by example. He has supported SGOs in Oklahoma since their inception and is looking forward to seeing the impact Veritas will bring to supporting Catholic scholarships.
During the last year, the funds raised through SGOs were the highest source of fundraising at St. John’s Catholic School. In fact, St. John’s leads all preschool through eighth-grade schools of the diocese for the funds collected. “We were the third-highest recipient of funds from SGOs in the diocese during the last year, behind Bishop Kelley High School and Cascia Hall,” says Elizabeth Thrash, our Director of Development and Mission Advancement. The growth of support, particularly among individuals and families filing jointly, has almost quadrupled since the 2018-19 school year. That is an increase from $31,000 to over $147,000 for scholarships at St. John’s in the 2020-21 school year. Additionally, these funds came from less than 100 donors. “Imagine the support we could generate for the school if 500 families simply gave $500 this year?” Fr. John says. “We continued on back cover
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Saint John Before the Latin Gate 715 S. Johnstone Ave. Bartlesville, OK 74003 (918) 336-4353 www.stjohn-bartlesville.org Saint James Catholic Church 5500 Douglas Ln. Bartlesville, OK 74006 (918) 335-0844 www.saintjamescatholicparish.org
Support Our Catholic Schools would have over $250,000 in additional funds to support our students next year.” The possibilities do not end there. The more people who support Veritas at the level they are able the farther our funds will support the children in our school. “It is not impossible for us to see scholarship funds upward of $500,000 to $1 million in the coming years if more families in our community take advantage of Veritas,” Fr. John says. Supporting Veritas to receive these tax credits is not limited to households. Businesses also qualify. “The business owners in our community are at a unique advantage because their funds can have an even greater impact than
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regular households due to their donation caps,” Elizabeth says. The annual cap for qualified business entities is $100,000. Both Elizabeth and Fr. John encourage all parishioners, especially business owners, to discuss the prospect of supporting Veritas with their tax advisor as soon as possible to meet the Dec. 31, 2021, deadline. “St. John’s has benefitted tremendously from SGOs,” Fr. John says. “I am thankful for the support our community has shown to our school and appreciate our legislative leaders for being so forward-thinking to offer this program to Oklahoma taxpayers. Where else can you give a dollar and receive 75 cents back? It sounds too good to be true - but it is absolutely true.”
“St. John’s has benefitted tremendously from SGOs. I am thankful for the support our community has shown to our school and appreciate our legislative leaders for being so forward-thinking to offer this program to Oklahoma taxpayers.” — FR. JOHN O’NEILL MASS & CONFESSION TIMES ST. JOHN: Masses: Saturday: 5 p.m. | Sunday: 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. (en Español) | Tuesday: 7 a.m. | Wednesday: 5:15 p.m. Thursday: 7 a.m., 7 p.m. (en Español) | Friday: 8:15 a.m. (School Mass) Reconciliation: Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m. | Sunday: 12:30-1:15 p.m. ST. JAMES: Masses: Saturday: 5:30 p.m. | Sunday: 9:30 a.m. | Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. | Thursday: 8:30 a.m. | Saturday: 8:30 a.m. Reconciliation: Saturday: 4:30-5:15 p.m.