January 6 - St. Paul the Apostle Church - Diocese of Joliet

Parish NewsSt. Paul’s Youth Ministry(FOLLOW)New members are always welcome.You must be confirmed and/or in high school!Contact Youth Minister Jeremy Hylka at815-730-8599 or stpaulsyouth@sbcglobal.netWebsite: www.stpaulyouth.comFacebook: St. Paul’s Youth Ministry JolietTuesday, Jan. 8—College FOLLOW from 3:30-5:30pm,then regular Youth Ministry night from5:30-9:00pm with Bible Study.Saturday, Jan. 12—Daybreak 9:30am-12:30pm—see Website for permissionslip.TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITIONMonday of this week is Christmas Day in Russia and inmuch of the Orthodox world. This curious difference inschedule has a lot to do with how calendars have been developedand changed over the years. In the year 45 B.C.Julius Ceasar gave the empire his Julian Calendar, with thewinter solstice on January 6. This put an end to a system inwhich officials called "pontiffs" were able to tweak the calendarby adding extra days in as needed. He invented twonew months at that time, December and January; and inorder to correct the mess the pontiffs had made, forced ayear of 445 days on the empire in what he named "The LastYear of Confusion." The new months varied in number ofdays according to a complex schedule, but the calendar wasstill off by nearly twelve minutes a year, and lost a full dayevery 130 years.Pope Gregory XIII reformed the calendar in 1583, but noteveryone appreciated his efforts. England held out for twohundred years. The year 1700 was a leap year in England,but not in France; they were eleven days apart! GeorgeWashington was really born on February 11; when the Gregoriancalendar was finally adopted in the English coloniesshortly before the Revolution, he had to move his birthdayto February 22. Now the calendars are thirteen days apart,which accounts for Russia's Julian calendar Christmas. AndCaesar thought he had brought confusion to an end!--James Field, Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co.R.E.P. NEWSIn need of information aboutOur Religious Education Program?Please call the REP office at 815-725-6927REP classes resume on Monday, January 7, 2013 at 5:45 pm.Report cards will be distributed in the activity center between5:45 and 7 pm. Parents are asked to pick up the report cardsduring this time. Students will not be given the report cardsto take home. Thank you for your cooperation.RAINBOWS For All God’s Children will begin on Wednesday,January 16 at 6 pm in the school. RAINBOWS is aprogram for children in grades K-8 who have experienced aloss due to death, separation or divorce. For more informationor to register for the program, which is free of charge,please call Sr. Karen Marie.You are invited to attend a three-session course on the Creedsponsored by our diocesan Cardinal Newman Institute forLay Formation beginning January 21 (I believe in God theFather) and continuing on February 18 (I believe in God theSon) and ending on March 25 (I believe in God the Holy Spirit).Classes are from 6 until 8 pm in A-4 of the Activity Center.Please call Sr. Karen at 815-725-6927 to register.REPORTING SEXUAL ABUSE:Anyone who has reasonable cause to suspectthe sexual abuse of a minor by a memberof the clergy or other Church personnelis urged to report the matter immediately.To inform the Diocese of Joliet, call Mrs.Judith Speckman (Victim assistance Coordinator)at 815-263-6467 or write the Dioceseof Joliet, 425 Summit Street, Joliet, Illinois60435, or contact DCFS or your local CountyStates Attorney.