ORGANIZATIONS
The St. Serra Club of Louisville, which promotes religious vocations, will hold its next luncheon meeting at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 2 at Golden Corral, 4032 Taylorsville Road.
Father Jeff Shooner, vicar general, will be the speaker. The cost is $12 for members and $15 for others. For more information, call Chuck Lynch at 442-9302.
The Young Catholic Professionals of Louisville, for Catholics in their 20s and 30s, will host a Christmas party Dec. 10 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Upland in Jeffersonville, Ind. For more information and to RSVP, visit youngcatholicprofessionals.org/chapter/louisville.
SERVICES & DEVOTIONS
Catholic Cemeteries will light the Tree of Remembrance on Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony and arrive early for refreshments and to hang ornaments on the tree in memory of deceased loved ones. Ornaments may be brought from home and complimentary ornaments will be provided by Catholic Cemeteries. Ornaments should be retrieved by Jan. 6. Remaining ornaments will be buried in the cemetery grounds.
The cemetery gates will open for entry until 6:25 p.m. and will remain closed for the ceremony. Contact Catholic Cemeteries at 451-7710 or cemeteries@archlou.org for more information.
The Campus Ministry department at Bellarmine University invites the public to “Lessons and Carols,” a selection of biblical lessons paired with Advent and Christmas hymns, Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m. The event will be held at Our Lady of the Woods Chapel on Bellarmine University’s campus. Contact Sarah Barry at sbarry@bellarmine.edu with any questions.
The skull of St. Thomas Aquinas will be venerated at St. Louis Bertrand Church on Dec. 10. A votive Mass will be celebrated at noon, followed by a public veneration of the relic until 6 p.m. The relic will be venerated at St. Rose Priory Church in Springfield, Ky. on Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Ursuline Sisters of Louisville will offer Taizé prayer Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Motherhouse Chapel, 3115 Lexington Road. For more information, call 896-2781 or email lfeldkamp@ursulineslou.org.
The St. Serra Club of Louisville, which promotes religious vocations, will host a Holy Hour for vocations on Dec. 11 at 12:30 p.m. in the chapel behind the altar at St. Margaret Mary Church, 7813 Shelbyville Rd. For more information, call Chuck Lynch at 442-9302.
A Special Disciples of Jesus Mass will be Dec. 15 at 3 p.m at St. Margaret Mary Church, 7813 Shelbyville Road. Special needs families and friends are invited to attend the shortened Mass intended for children. An Advent/Christmas party will follow. For more information or to RSVP for the party, contact Tara Mattingly at 690-2851 or tmattingly@stmm.org.
RETREATS & MISSIONS
Three parishes will host Father Andy Davy, a national eucharistic preacher, for a three-day Advent mission Dec. 2-4.
- On Dec. 2, he will present, “With a child’s eyes … rediscovering eucharistic sight” at St. Edward Church, 9608 Sue Helen Drive.
- On Dec. 3, he will present “Why do I have to go to Mass? Not a spectator sport!” at St. Martha Church, 2825 Klondike Lane.
- On Dec. 4, he will present, “The Forge and the Launch: Exploring the Mass” at St. Gabriel Church, 5505 Bardstown Road.
Each day of the mission will begin with adoration at 1 p.m., concluding with Benediction at 6:15 p.m. Confessions will be heard from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The presentations will begin at 7:15 p.m.
Nazareth Retreat Center in Nazareth, Ky., will host several retreats in December.
- “Holy Expectations: Women in Waiting” on Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The presenter is Sandra Harlieb, an author, storyteller, speaker and retreat leader.
- “An Advent Visit to Merton’s Gethsemani” Dec. 6-8. The presenter is Mark Meade, assistant director of the Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University.
Register at nazarethretreatcenterky.org.
St. Aloysius Church in Shepherdsville, Ky., and the Lay Missionaries of Charity will host an Advent half-day retreat on Dec. 14. The retreat will begin with Mass at 9:30 a.m., followed by adoration, confession and two discussions on “How to Pray” with Father Adam Carrico. The retreat is free and includes lunch. Register by emailing Martha Green at lmcarchlou@gmail.com.
Family Renewal Project will host “Awaken: The Purpose of Christmas, a Day of Reflection for Adults” on Dec. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Peter the Apostle Church, 5431 Johnstontown Road. The retreat is free, and drinks, snacks and lunch will be provided.
This course is approved for catechist credit. Register at tinyurl.com/awaken1214 or call/text 303-1996 for more information.
Ascension Church, 4600 Lynnbrook Dr., will host an Advent day of adoration Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contact pparris@ascension-parish.com for more information.
SUPPORT GROUPS
Nourish for Caregivers — a program for those caring for an aging parent, spouse or loved one — meets in St. Margaret Mary Church’s Spirituality Center, 7813 Shelbyville Road, and via Zoom, every second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. The next meeting is on Dec. 11 and the topic is “More in Music — Where Words Fail, Music Speaks.” To register and to receive the Zoom link, contact Denise Ruiz at druiz@stmm.org or call 690-2834.
A grief support group for those who have lost someone to addiction or substance use disorder — GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing) — meets at Holy Trinity Church, 501 Cherrywood Road, in the multipurpose building on the second Monday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. For additional information, email Lindacicca@yahoo.com.
Ups & Downs, a support group for those dealing with loss, grief, depression and anxiety, meets the first Friday of each month from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Forest Hills Commons Assisted Living Facility, 9107 Taylorsville Road. The group is a ministry of St. Michael Church.
The cost is $5 per session. For more information, contact facilitator Ann C. Holloway, M.Ed., LMFT at ach.29@hotmail.com.
Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) meets weekly on Sundays from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. John Paul II Church, 3525 Goldsmith Lane.
THE ARTS
St. James Church, 1826 Edenside Avenue, will present “Music Under the Dome” on Dec. 7 from 4:15 p.m. to 9:40 p.m. The free event will feature live Christmas music during Bardstown Road Aglow.
Cookies and hot cider will be available all evening. For more information, contact Phil Hines at 451-1420.
The Priest Variety Show will return to the stage on Jan. 10 in St. Xavier High School’s Brown-Forman Cultural Arts Center, 1609 Poplar Level Road. A reception will begin at 6 p.m. and the talent show will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40. Proceeds will benefit the Catholic Services Appeal’s Seminarian Education Fund. To buy tickets, visit cur8.com/projects/archlou.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
The Archdiocese of Louisville is looking for experienced high school and college-aged Mass servers to assist the archbishop as “pontifical servers.” The Office of Worship will host a training on Feb. 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Holy Family Church, 3938 Poplar Level Rd. After the training, these servers will have the opportunity to serve with Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre at special liturgies throughout the year, such as the Chrism Mass, ordinations and the Rite of Election. Servers interested in this opportunity should email Dr. Karen Shadle, director of the Office of Worship, at kshadle@archlou.org.
Catholic Charities is in need of volunteers in the following areas:
- Daytime tutors — Help non-English speakers learn English. No previous experience is required.
- Childcare assistants — Assist daycare teachers when parents are in classes.
Helpers are needed one or multiple days a week Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. at 435 E. Broadway.
For more details and to express interest, visit cclou.org/volunteer or call Debbie Belt at 637-9786, ext. 115.
SINGLES
Catholic Singles of Louisville, a group for those in their 40s and over, meets the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Members participate in monthly prayer services and social gatherings, including dances, concerts, trivia and game nights. For more information and for the location, contact Mike Miller at 472-5240 or mike25k@aol.com.
The Catholic Single Adults Club, for singles 50 and older, will meet for dinner at Metro Diner at 5 p.m. on Dec. 8. For more information and directions, call 553-1476.
HERE & THERE
Mount St. Francis Center for Spirituality will host “Advent Family Adventures” on Dec. 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is for children of all ages and will include crafts and learning about Advent. Admission is $75 per family, and lunch is included. Visit mountsaintfrancis.org call 812-923-8817 to register.
St. Bernadette Church, 6500 St. Bernadette Ave., will host “Advent around the World” after the parish’s Masses on the weekend of Dec. 14-15. At the event, parishioners of various cultural backgrounds will present Advent and Christian customs celebrated throughout the world.
St. Luke Church, 4211 Jim Hawkins Drive, will host its monthly all-you-can-eat chicken dinner on Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $14 for adults and $6 for children ages 5-12. Children under 5 may eat for free. To learn more, contact stlukelouisville@gmail.com.
