4th Sunday of Advent

This year the Advent season is as short as it can be. The 4th week of Advent consists of one day - which is December 24th.

Christmas is December 25th and thus many people like to go to church the evening before Christmas (Christmas eve).

We will celebrate the 4th week of Advent on Saturday, December 23rd at 5 p.m. & Sunday, December 24th at 10:30 a.m. This year we will not have an 8 a.m. Mass on December 24th. With only one priest as well as the confusion that this weekend brings, we have decided to reduce the number of Masses on December 24th.

To recap: Your Sunday obligation for the 4th Sunday of Advent can be fulfilled by attending either the 5 p.m. Mass on December 23rd or the 10:30 a.m. Mass on December 24th.

Christmas Day is a Holy Day of Obligation and Masses will be December 24th at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., December 25th at Midnight and 10a.m.

That's a lot of Masses in a short period of time!!

January 1st, Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

Since January 1st falls on a Monday this year, the Holy Day of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, is not a Holy Day of Obligation. We will still celebrate this great Solemnity with Mass at 9:00 a.m. 

Collection for Catholic Charities

Our parish will conduct the annual collection for Catholic Charities of Louisville on December 23-24. Last year, CCL served over 44,000 individuals. Your generosity helps to fund many vital ministries and social services, including:

• The Sister Visitor Center and Fr. Jack Jones food pantries.

• Indigent Burial program. 

• Migration and Refugee Services.

• Bakhita Empowerment Initiative combating human trafficking.

• The Long-Term Care Ombudsman, serving close to 15,000 residents in long-term care homes.

• Community gardeners with Common Earth Gardens. 

Donations can be made online too! Please visit our Online Giving Portal at Special Collection for Catholic Charities

Holiday Office Schedule 

Advent is a busy time, with staff working extra hours to prepare for the celebration of The Nativity of the Lord. The parish office will be closed for the Christmas holiday beginning Monday, December 25th through Monday, January 1st so parish staff can spend time with their families. Call 425-3940 ext. 106 for sacramental emergencies.

St. Albert the Great School and school office will be closed Monday, December 19th through Tuesday, January 2nd.

Baptism

Our next Baptism will be held on Sunday, February 11th after Mass at noon, with the Parent Preparation class on Thursday, February 1st from 6:30-8:00pm in church. If you are interested in having your child baptized, please contact Sr. Sarah Yungwirth at 425-3940 ext. 109 or syungwirth@stalbert.org.

Children's Ministy

PREP will NOT meet for class on Sunday, December 24th and Sunday, December 31st.

 
There will be NO Children's Liturgy on Sunday, December 24th and Sunday, December 31st.

Adult Christian Enrichment

Sessions on ZOOM Thursdays 7:00 - 8:30 pm OR Fridays 10:00 - 11:30 am

CLASS RESUMES JANUARY 2024!  

• Jan 4 -5: The 1963 Constitution on Sacred Liturgy (vision yet to be fully realized)

• Jan 11-12:  Papal Document: “Laudato deum” 

• Jan 18 -19:  Lautato deum response

• Jan 25 -26:  Importance of Papal documents  

Thank You!

The Social Concerns Committee would like to thank everyone who gave so generously to the Christmas Giving Tree! We had over 490 ornaments on the trees representing five organizations from Louisville to Eastern Kentucky. Your generosity allowed us to distribute gifts to the lonely or poor, bringing much joy this Christmas season to those who would otherwise receive little to nothing. 

Many thanks also to everyone who volunteered their time: the Girls Scouts and parishioners who helped sort gifts; drivers Dennis & Mary McCormick, Erin & Nick Carter, and Pat Sysol; Lori Duvall for shopping for unreturned ornaments; 8th Grade students for loading the trucks. We could not do this project without you! Lastly, a shout out to Linda Blackman who leads the Giving Tree committee. Her enthusiasm & joy for helping others is infectious!

The Environmental Concerns Committee 

“We don’t inherit the environment from our parents, we borrow it from our children.”

The authorship of the quote may be in doubt, but its message is loud and clear: the environment is a gift that God has bestowed upon the earth for all living creatures, from the beginning until the final day of judgment. It is not exclusively ours, it belongs to those who come after us as well. As Jesus said, “What father would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread?” What generation would give its descendants a polluted and devastated environment when it asks for a clean and fruitful one? We need to “return” this borrowed environment to our children in a better condition than we received it. Remember: you do make a difference!

We will be collecting old and/or broken Christmas light strings on the weekends of December 16th /17th . We will also collect them on the weekends of January 6th /7th and 13th /14th. No need to remove the bulbs. Just look for the marked boxes in the entry way to church. We’ll take it from there and ensure that those old lights get recycled. Thanks! 

Saint Vincent de Paul

In today’s Gospel John the Baptist says, “I am the voice of one crying in the desert; make straight the way of the Lord.” Let us ask for the grace to help others to know the love of the Lord.

Christmas is a time of love and gift giving… please give to the SVDP so that those who do not have clothes and food can share in the blessings of Christmas.

Hope & Healing Group: Substance Abuse Passing 

St. Albert the Great hosts a monthly support group for those who have lost a loved one from any type of substance use. The next meeting will be held on December 20th from 6:30 to 8:00pm (SHC). Contact Laura Graven at lgraven@stalbert.org or 425-3940 ext. 169 for more information.

NAMI Family Support Group

The group provides a safe space for family and friends of people with mental health conditions to receive knowledge, encouragement and support. The next meeting will be held on Sunday, December 17th at 7:00pm (PLC). Please share with friends and family outside the parish. Contact gllm3112@gmail.com or blair.mcbride.ky@gmail.com.

We thank you for your generous support of the parish­ — through your prayers at Mass, volunteering with a ministry and making a regular contribution to the weekly collection. Keep doing what you’re doing! 

No gift to the Lord is too small. That’s true whether through volunteering your time or monetary giving! 

Online Giving 

Please visit our Online Giving Portal at www.stalbert.org/giving to easily make donations to your St. Albert Community. 

It Makes Giving Easy

eGiving makes it simple for you to give exactly how and when you want. You can make a one-time donation or set up recurring gifts right from your computer, tablet or phone.

It’s Safe and Secure

You never need to worry about your donation making it into our account. Gifts made via eGiving are directly sent to our church’s bank account. Our payment solutions provider ensures your personal information remains secure. 

Cash & Check

Gifts of Treasure are always accepted via cash and check. You can place your gifts into the collection basket at Mass, drop them off at the Parish Office, or mail them to St. Albert the Great at 1395 Girard Drive, Louisville, KY 40222. All checks dated through December 31, 2023 will be applied to your 2023 tax statement.