Faithful can subscribe to the notes by contacting the parish office and providing their e-mail address. Thanks for your support of our border town parishes!!!

Please remember - Fr. Pete does not send out text messages, e-mails or social media posts to solicit

funds for himself or any organizations outside of the parishes he serves. Fr. Pete's emergency phone

number is (815) 685-1359 and his e-mail addresses

are either pjankowski@yahoo.com or pjankowski@stfrancis.edu.

Please do not trust any correspondences that

utilize any other phone number or e-mail address.

Feel free to contact Fr. Pete at email pjankowski@yahoo.com. If you have an emergency, please contact Fr. Pete at (815) 685-1359

Online Mass for Christmas

Celebrated at St. Patrick's Church - Momence, IL

On-Site Masses at the Border Town Parishes

Sunday - December 24, 2023

3:00 p.m. at St. Patrick's Church

(119 N. Market St. - Momence, IL)

5:00 p.m. at St. Anne's Church

(230 N. 6th Ave. - St. Anne, IL)

10:30 p.m. at St. Patrick's

Monday - December 25, 2023

9:00 a.m. at St. Anne's

10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's

Calling himself a "B-Side Catholic" in an "A-Side Secular World," Fr. Pete references those Christmas Albums he fondly remembered in his days of youth (and played despite his family's detriment every July) and how that "B-Side" mentality helped him understand his relationship to God. Special thanks to Josh and Carly Cohn who modeled a type of Christmas grace in 2022 that set the tone for the homily preached at this Mass.

As we gear up for our Christmas Marathon of Liturgies and such, I was working on an Advent & Christmas Website Page for our Parishes (which you can access when you CLICK HERE!!!). The page includes as many of our past missions, activities and online liturgies that I could access for all of you.

On that page, I was including all the Christmas music that I recorded and produced (a side activity I like to do) when I started reminiscing about how I used to spend Christmas as home with my family. I recalled the REALLY OLD Christmas videos from the 1950s that I recalled from my "Ray Raynor" and "Bozo Circus" days of growing up (I suspect that those born after me would look at these videos with disdain) but I really enjoyed them so... because I happen to write this article... I included the videos with this note. Enjoy... if you dare to enter the world of "Old People Christmas!!!"

Hardrock, Coco & Joe

Suzy Snowflake

Frosty the Snowman

Little Drummer Boy

Linus Speech (Charlie Brown Christmas)

A Year without a Santa Claus Movie

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

The Grinch who Stole Christmas

Frosty the Snowman Movie

At the end of my LONG MINISTRY DAY today, I will be picking up another two pallets of chips and dip for the Christmas Celebrations this weekend - let's see how many food pantries we can help this Christmas Season (thank you Nick Skokna)! I also wish to thank Rich Tapella, who completed Ethan Fritz' St. Patrick's Cemetery Project. Rich was able to create an Excel Spreadsheet which plotted the 2100+ grave sites with those buried on each location. After completing this project next week, Rich will begin working on St. Anne's Cemetery, which is about a third the size of St. Patrick's. All of this is really important to our cemetery sextons (currently Roger "Bones" Hess and Jim Sparenberg), who otherwise would have to utilize paper spreadsheets that are beginning to show their age! Much thanks for those who have donated computers to both sextons for the purpose of bringing our cemetery records into the 21st Century!

In this Sunday's bulletin, there is a wonderful set of articles concerning the Clerics of St. Viator who have been helping us with our Spanish Masses, acknowledging how, over the last four years, our ministry has BOOMED!!! Thanks to Fr. Moises Mesh, Deacon John Eustice, Brother Jhobany Orduz (and Fr. John Peeters, among others) for their ministry to our parishes!!! YOU CAN READ THESE ARTICLES IF YOU CLICK HERE!

Have a blessed Christmas and New Year Season, everyone! We are most blessed that you are part of our Christian family. - Fr. Pete

Watch the Las Mañanitas Liturgy at St. Patrick's Church on December 12!

Watch the Christmas Online Mass for 2023 (Let's see if anyone notices I slipped this online early)

Watch the Las Mañanitas Liturgy at St. Patrick's Church on December 12!

Watch the Evening Mass from Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12!

I did not tell Anita Allison from the Momence Progress Reporter newspaper about St. Patrick Church's $10,000 gift to the Momence Police Department for the purchase of a vehicle for our "Knights in Blue," but I guess it got brought up at Monday night's city council meeting and now it's in the paper.

Please note that this gift actually did not come from the Parish budget. I got a very generous outside source to help me with this project as a way to support those in our city who protect us. Thank you Chief Patrick Siemsem and the Momence Police Department for all you do.

Advent Reflection with Fr. Pete. This year, Fr. Pete will offer a one-night bilingual reflection on Wednesday, December 20th at both parishes (5:00 p.m. at St. Anne's with confessions from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.) and at St. Patrick's Church at 7:00 p.m., followed by adoration and confessions. Fr. Pete will repeat this talk on December 21st during the 9:15 a.m. Mass at St. Patrick's, followed by another adoration and confessions.

This year, our Christmas Masses take place on December 24 (the Vigil of Christmas) at St. Patrick's at 3:00 p.m. and at St. Anne's at 5:00 p.m. (I will also offer a 10:30 p.m. Mass on Christmas Eve at St. Patrick's). On December 25th, I will offer a 9:00 a.m. Massat St. Anne's and a 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Patrick's. Because Christmas falls on a Monday this year, we ask you to consider that our collection for December 23-24 might take a hit – please remember that we are doing so well at our parish. We need you to be generous to our parish so we can pay our bills and continue to serve you as well as we can.

We are so blessed that you have been as generous as you have been with your Time, Talent and Financial Giving. Please know I continue to do my part to help and will continue to pray for your intentions this Advent & Christmas Season.

ONLINE VIDEOS THIS WEEK

Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Celebrated at St. Anne's Church - St. Anne, IL

Our secular world often consumes those under its care with those "secular ways of life" that have very little to do with God but have more to do with the secular narrative that will bring momentary sensual joy but not everlasting salvation. God is present to us - is accessible to us - in every tabernacle in every Catholic Church throughout the world. At this Mass, Fr. Pete focuses on our Blessed Mother, whom we are taught served as the first tabernacle of the Christian Era.

For Catholic Daily Reflections (based on the scripture readings of the day),

CLICK HERE!!!

CLICK HERE to Access the Readings for This Sunday's Mass,

From the Website of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops

One of our seniors has taken it upon themself to take courses on writing grants. The US Government offers millions of dollars of grants that are accessible for those who apply for them. Since both parish halls are seen as "Community and Emergency Centers" by our respective cities, we need help in getting generators and internet on our properties to help the cities... and us!!! ... in our efforts to serve the people of our area.

1973 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1981 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1986 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1993 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2004 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2006 St. Patrick's Academy 100th Anniversary Commemorative Booklet

2010 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2016 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2023 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1960s St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1970s St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1989 St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1998-2004 St. Anne’s

Church Photo Directory

2023 St. Anne's Church Photo Directory

For weddings and such, Fr. Pete offers a special blessing on the first Sunday weekend of each month and is willing to purchase an Apostolic Blessing for anyone who asks (and if he can afford it... since he pays out of pocket!!!).

If you are interested in receiving an Apostolic Blessing, you can do so by clicking the link below or by calling the parish offices.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR OWN APOSTOLIC BLESSING!!!

Fr. Pete offers the anointing of the sick at both parishes at the First Friday Masses every month (St. Patrick’s at 9:15 a.m. and St. Anne’s at 5:00 p.m. (English) and 7:00 p.m. (Spanish).

1. Please remember that the Fourth Sunday of Advent still takes place on Sunday, December 24 and is a Holy Day of Obligation. We also will celebrate Christmas Masses later in the day. Please remember that we need to make budget on those days to we ask you to use your envelopes accordingly.
2. Because of the Christmas Holiday, Anne Andrade will work at the St. Patrick Parish Office during Christmas Week. Fr. Pete will be available at St. Anne's for any of your needs as well.

To View St. Patrick's Bulletin for

December 24, 2023



CLICK HERE!

To View St. Anne's Bulletin for

December 24, 2023



CLICK HERE!

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Mary Kay Blankestyn, Ashley & Jesse Childress, Guadalupe Maria De Leon, Austin Fuhrmann, Ron Gall, Joel Hart, Karen Hensa, Joanne McCracken, Marilyn Peterson, Joanne Prather, Evelyn Provost, Ruth Sparenberg, Cynthia Vickery, Gary Witherall... and all those on our sick list.

At St. Anne's... Eva Bell, Paula Bertrand, Lola Billings, Duane Blanchette, Cheryl Boswell, Patrick Burns, Cindy Capriotti, Jesse & Ashley Childress, Abraham Daily, Tom Dandurand, Aria Dionne, Carol Futcher, Raelynn Garrett, Jack Houk, Val Lagacy, Bentley Lottinville, Linda Miramontes and John Wojnowski.

At St. Patrick's... P. Anderson, N. Atkinson, R. Bailey, D. Barth, Beedle Family, D. Brown, W. Bukowski, B & E. Coffman, S. Conner, M & D Cousin, M. Cruz, A. Delaney, D. Demack, M. Dionne, J. Dobbins, E. Duke, D. Dunlap, G. Field, C. Fritz, R. Gall, J. Grill, R. Harper, J. Hibbs, D. Hiller, C. Jones, L. Kane, R. Kazee, A. Kijewski, L. Lee, L. Leranth, E. Lopez, B. Love, J. Marcotte, W. Marten, L. McNulty, L. Mercado, R & V Morse, C. Ortman, D. Petronio, M. Peterson, C. Piec, C. Provost, E. Provost, R. Rehmer, P. Reising, D. Roberts, B. Ryan, A. Schaff, J. Schopf. Schmied, K. Simpson, B. Siwicki, B. Spagnola, M. Tolbert, M. Tolmer, H. Tousignant, M. Velazquez, C. Vickery, M. Williams, M. Witherspoon, S. Young, A. Zimmerman, M & L Zink and G. Zokal.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR BELOVED DECEASED: Irene "Reney" Budz (Memorial Service on December 27 at 5:00 p.m. - St. Anne's Church)

CLICK HERE TO READ

FR. PETE'S HOMILIES

Click Here for the Parish

Registration Form in English

Click Here for the Religious Education Registration Forms FOR BOTH PARISHES

Click Here to Register for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults

Click Here for the Time

& Talent Form in English

Click Here for the Link to All the Parish Forms

Help support our parishes buy purchasing copies of Fr. Pete’s Homiletic Books! You can purchase them at the parishes or online at Amazon.com!

Cycle A Homilies - Cycle B Homilies

Cycle C Homilies