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.

Our Website will experience a Major Upgrade in December 2023!

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

As we get ready for the Advent Season…

Some time back, I was told by the Our Sunday Visitor Company that the website we previously used was going to be “retired” and that we needed to upgrade to what they called a “new and improved” experience. Usually “new and improved” means more headaches and work for the overworked priest but… for your consideration, we have published the new website at www.stpatrickmomence.org. There still is a great deal of work we need to do on the website so please be patient with us. Hopefully you will be able to access a good deal of what we always provide (bulletins, online Masses and the like). Please tell us what you think of this “new and improved” headache for the priest!!!

Yes, we have decorated the churches early this year for Christmas (which we really are not supposed to do. By doing so, we get ourselves ready for a bunch of nice things that we will provide this Advent Season for all of you. This also gives me the opportunity to celebrate all the Christmas Masses in Advance, this time in the places of worship that you all have given so much to provide for our faithful (below is a picture from the “Holy Family” Mass I recorded for the Online Holy Family Mass inside St. Anne's Church (with its new camera system!) for December 31, 2023)…

Because we have put up our decorations in advance, this gives us chance to promote our Pre-Christmas St. Nick Social on December 10th at Both of our Parishes (St. Anne’s after the 9:00 a.m. Mass and St. Patrick’s after the 10:30 a.m. Mass). For the third year in a row, the RA Brass Sextet (they added a member from last year) will offer a concert in our respective churches, St. Nicholas will be passing out candy to the children and our parishes will be offering complementary coffee, juice and pastries for those who attend. We usually need to raise about $2,000 to subsidize the event (hint hint) but in the past, good souls have helped us out – we are trying to help our communities and so many good souls have supported us in these types of causes.

We have been advertising this event on Facebook, the internet and the Momence Progress Reporter. The event is free to the public. Below are the flyers we have inserted in our bulletins at both parishes and we also provide the video highlights from last year’s event (which you can watch at the beginning of our Online Mass for the First Sunday of Advent or below at St. Anne's Church!).

In addition to our Pre-Christmas Celebrations on December 10th, you may wish to participate in the following activities our parish has to offer this Advent Season…

Online Advent & Christmas Masses can be accessed at our "New & Improved Parish Website"

Come Celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe. This year, we make a concerted effort to commemorate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whom Pope Pius XII declared as “The Patroness of the Americas” in 1945. In commemoration of this Feast, we will offer Novena Rosaries at St. Patrick’s from December 4-11. I will hear confessions from 6:30 – 7:00 p.m. on December 10-11 during these nights. We also will celebrate the traditional Las Mañanitas on December 12th, starting with Mass at 6:00 a.m. (Brother Jhovani Orduz preaching), followed by a reception. We will celebrate a bilingual evening Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass at 6:00 p.m. (Fr. Moises Mesh preaching).

Support the Centro Vilaseca. During the first few weeks of December, St. Patrick’s Church will sponsor our annual Christmas Toy Drive to benefit the work of the Sisters of St. Joseph and El Centro Vilaseca. Each year, the sisters ask for our help on behalf of the needy families of Joliet so that the children in these families may encounter the presence of God’s love this time of year. We ask you to bring unwrapped toys (new or slightly used) to church through December 17th (see flyer below).

On December 17th (see flyer below)., we will also take up our annual collection for our Manteno Veterans Home & Angel Tree.

This is the fourth year we celebrate our Posadas Celebration here at the parish, which takes place on December 17th at St./ Patrick’s, starting at 4:00 p.m. in the Church. Silvia Tejada will offer a nine-day Posadas in Spanish from December 16-23.

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 First Sunday of Advent

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

As we start a new liturgical year, the gospel on which we focus was the one written by "Mark," whom many scripture scholars believe was the first gospel to be written (67-70 AD). Mark's gospel focuses on the theme of the "Messianic Secret" and the fact that those who follow Jesus on the inside are less knowledgeable of who Jesus is vs. those on the outside who read the texts (and still then, some "outsiders" still do not believe!). This week's homily reminds us to "Stay Awake" and remain alert to the second coming of Christ on the Last Day, as if we wait for a thief coming at night.

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

CLICK HERE!!!

CLICK HERE for the Readings for This Weekend!

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. Silvia Tejada, has now made herself available for Spanish Adult Education Classes in the church during the children's religious education classes in St. Pat's Church Basement.
2. Christmas Inc. once again will be offering complementary Christmas lunches in the Church's Community Hall for those who RSVP for the event. The lunch will take place on December 25 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at St. Anne Hall. David O'Connell is looking for volunteers to work one hour shifts for the event (11-12 or 12-1). If you can help, please contact the office or him.

To View St. Patrick's Bulletin for

December 3, 2023



CLICK HERE!

To View St. Anne's Bulletin for

December 3, 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.

CLICK HERE TO READ

ALL OF 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