First Sunday of Advent Bulletin ~ November 29-30, 2025

We the parishioners of St. John the Baptist,

brothers and sisters in Christ, accept as our mission:

to know our faith and share it with others, to continue to grow spiritually with respect for the sacraments, to celebrate the liturgy and the Holy Eucharist  as the center of  our Christian life, to live by truth and love, to serve those in need, to teach by example, and thereby strengthen and inspire our Parish family in accordance with the Roman Catholic Church.

Mass Intentions for the First Week of Advent

Tuesday, December 2 at St. Edward at 6:00 p.m.

†Marcielle Oppenheimer

†Don Warkins

†John Robison Jr.

Wednesday, December 3 at St. John at 6:00 p.m.

†Fr. Charles Dziubaczka

†Aurelia Anselment 

Thursday, December 4 at St. Edward at 8:00 a.m. - Holy Hour Following

All Parish Family

Friday, December 5 at St. John at 8:00 a.m. - Holy Hour Following

††Rob, Jolene, & Scott Schuster

†Randy Pullins

†Earl Wellen 

Mass Intentions for the Second Sunday of Advent

Saturday, December 6 at St. John at 5:00 p.m.

††Cletus, Eunice, & Aaron Karcher

††Joe & Lena Rapp

50th Wedding Anniversary Blessings to Bob & Denise Hastings

Sunday, December 7 at St. John at 8:30 a.m.

All Parish Family

Sunday, December 7 at St. Edward at 10:30 a.m.

††Fr. Wilbert Iffert

†Denise Zurliene

†Donna Turner

Sacrament of Reconciliation before weekend masses.

Office Hours ~ December 1-5

Monday ~ Closed

Tuesday - Friday ~ 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Closed for Lunch ~  Noon - 12:30 p.m.

Visit Parish Website For

Bulletins: New & Old

Calendar

Photo Gallery

Monthly Ministry List

https://hamiltoncountycatholic.org/

Your financial support remains an important part of our Parish life and helps us keep going. Please continue giving your time, talent, and treasure. Please mail, drop-off your offering in collection box, in the mailbox by Parish office front door or now online.

Online Giving is Live!

We are excited to offer online giving to make it easier to donate to our church.  It's really easy!  You can set up a one-time gift or recurring gifts.  You get to choose the frequency.  You can debit a checking or savings account.  Unfortunately, the fees for credit cards are not cost effective at this time.  If you have any questions or need help setting up an account, call Rachel at the office.

For regular weekly envelopes, you’ll choose the General Collection.  But you can also choose from any of the other special collections that you normally receive envelopes for.

Got to https://osvhub.com/

stjohnbaptistil/giving/funds or scan the code below

OSV Online Instructions.pdf

Download PDF • 426KB

November

• 30: NO PSR, Bible Study, & OCIA

December

• 2: Ladies Quilting 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. City Hall/Market Street

• 4: AA/NA Meeting 7:00 p.m. City Hall/Market Street

• 5: Visit for Sacrament of Penance & Eucharist for sick and homebound.  Contact office

          for appointment.

• 5: One Strong Youth CSMA Drive-Thru Fish Fry Fundraiser

• 7: PSR, Bible Study, & OCIA 9:30 a.m.

• 7: PSR Christmas Program Practice 10:30 a.m.

• 8: Immaculate Conception Mass 6:00 p.m. - Holy Day of Obligation

• 9: Ladies Quilting 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. City Hall/Market Street

• 11: Happy 90th Birthday Msgr. Joseph Lawler

• 11: AA/NA Meeting 7:00 p.m. City Hall/Market Street

• 14: PSR, Bible Study, & OCIA 9:30 a.m.

• 14: PSR Christmas Program Practice 10:30 a.m.

• 16: Ladies Quilting 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. City Hall/Market Street

• 17: Christmas Penance Service 6:00 p.m. - Second Priest Available

• 18: KC #8745 Meeting at Dahlgren 7:00 p.m.

• 18: KC #7118 Meeting at Enfield 7:00 p.m.

• 18: AA/NA Meeting 7:00 p.m. City Hall/Market Street

• 21: 8:00 a.m. Mass - Time change due to PSR Christmas Program

• 21: PSR Christmas Program after Mass and One Strong Breakfast with Santa after

  Program

• 23: Ladies Quilting 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. City Hall/Market Street

• 25: AA/NA Meeting 7:00 p.m. City Hall/Market Street

• 28: NO PSR, Bible Study, & OCIA

QUILTING EVERY TUESDAY

Starting at 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the City Hall, 601 E Market Street, McLeansboro, IL. Everyone is welcomed and if you don't know how to quilt, this is a great way to learn. For more information contact Phyllis Wuebbels 618-895-4895 or Sharon Bigley 618-736-2964.

PRAY FOR & REMEMBER THE SICK & HOMEBOUND

James Frey

Bob Wilson

Kent Karcher

Mary Karcher

Deacon Alfred Karcher

Charlie Lueke

Marion Wellen

Robbilyn Coy

Sue Rosancki

Brandi Schumm

Sarah Hart

Reminder: Due to federal privacy laws, we are not allowed to list people or visit who are sick or in the nursing home without written authorization from that individual or from their immediate family who has authorization. Form can be requested from the office.

REMINDER

Please contact office for funerals and baptisms. For weddings contact office six months before.

PLASTIC TOTE BY OFFICE DOOR

• Weekly bulletins

• Living Faith Books & are located at each door in church.

  
  

NEW PARISH HALL CONSTRUCTION APPROVAL

We are pleased to share the exciting news that St. John the Baptist has received approval from the Diocese to begin construction on our new Parish Hall.  This is a significant milestone for our parish community, and we look forward to the opportunities this new space will provide.  More details will be shared in the coming weeks.  Please keep this project in your prayers as we move forward.

Total Project Cost      $2,500,000

Cash Available ($1,550,587)

Current Pledges       ($   784,369)

Pledges/Donations   $   165,044

Prayer for Our New Hall

Good and gracious God, builder of all things, we give thanks to you for all of your goodness to us.  We ask for your mercy and assistance.  You have blessed us with a beautiful church and a marvelous parish.  Help us in our desire to build a new parish hall, to promote, educate and sanctify your people.  Bless our efforts and bring them to fruitful completion. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

AA & NA MEETING - CITY HALL

Alcohol & Narcotic Anonymous Meeting

Every Thursday Night

7:00 p.m.

601 E Market Street ~ McLeansboro, IL

For more information contact Jim Bell 618-387-1077

THE 2025 CATHOLIC SERVICE AND MINISTRY APPEAL

Parish Goal $9,846 ~ Pledge to Date $6,350

Your contribution to CSMA enables the Office of Education to impact the lives of over 9,140 students at 23 Catholic grade schools, three Catholic high schools and in PSR classes throughout our Belleville Diocese.   If you haven’t already done so, we prayerfully ask you to consider making a gift to the 2025 Appeal today…no amount is too large or too small!   Thank you. Place you donation in a marked envelope in collection box or you can make an online donation at https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=a06f4d

Click on file below for an order form.

Senate Bill 1950, which would legalize assisted suicide in Illinois, now sits on Governor Pritzker’s desk. We are asking that every parish encourage its parishioners to contact our Governor, asking him to veto the bill and to pray for this outcome. This is our last chance to prevent this terrible bill from becoming law. For more information on this issue and to contact Governor Prizker, please visit https://www.ilcatholic.org/ask-gov-pritzker-to-veto-sb-1950-legalizes-assisted-suicide/.

PASTOR'S NOTE:

This Sunday we begin the new liturgical year of 2026. The Advent wreath has four candles on each of the four Sundays of the Advent.  Sometimes there is a fifth candle in the middle, which symbolizes Jesus Christ.  Advent is a time of prayer, reflection, and joyful waiting for the coming Savior. The Liturgical color of this season is purple. All flowers and extra decorations are removed from the church.  However, there are few exceptions to it, like for example December 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  On this day, we can decorate the altar with flowers and other festive decorations.  I wish all of you a fruitful Advent.

P.S.  Thank you to each one of you who took the time to wish me Happy Birthday and sent cards, messages, and gifts.  May God bless you all! 

Fr. Slawomir Ptak