FROM THE PASTOR

Today is the FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY and it is a reminder to us that we must use the gifts that God has given to us in order to make Him better known. The three wise men came to the stable and presented their gifts to the newborn King. They had received the grace to recognize in the Baby Jesus the fullness of God's love and they knelt in adoration before Him. As they presented their gifts to the Child, they were also acknowledging their conviction about this Child: HE IS GOD. In a similar way, we present to God each day those gifts that are uniquely ours and we offer back to Him that which He has given to us. Our lives should always be signs of gratitude to God for His immense goodness to us. Our daily living of union with God should proclaim to the world our conviction that Jesus is both Lord and God. By allowing the Lord to use us for His purposes, we resemble the wise men of old who allowed Him to be manifested to the world through them.

One of the most beautiful ways in which to express gratitude to God for His goodness is to offer our lives in His service as a priest. A vocation to the Priesthood is truely a gift from God and it must be nurtured through a variety of means, but most especially, through the prayerful support of the parish community. We are blessed at St. Patrick's to have four men discerning their vocations through theological studies at our seminaries. I want to invite all parishioners to join us this Tuesday evening, January 10th for a HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD. We need to ask the Lord of the harvest to raise up more workers for His vineyard so that the Eucharist may continue to flourish. I am convinced that there are many young men who possess the generosity of spirit and charity of heart to respond to God's call to service as priests but we need to pray that they will be open to hearing God's call. God has promised that whatever we ask in His name, it will be granted and it is with confidence in that assurance that we will gather in the Church to pray for an increase in vocations. The Holy Hour will begin at 7:00 PM and I hope that all will join us for certainly vocations to the priesthood must be the concern of all of us. As someone once said, "Without priests, there can be no Eucharist; without Eucharist, there can be no life."

I want to express my thanks to all of you for your extraordinary generosity to the CHRISTMAS OFFERTORY COLLECTION. As you know, the offerings from the collection are sent directly to the Archdiocese of Boston to help defray the rising cost of health care to our Retired and Infirm Priests. This year we were able to forward $ 27,195.00 to the Archdiocese. Thank you for your kindness and concern.

Mass Intentions This Week

Sun. 1/8    5:30 PM Collective Intentions  Luisa Valenti, Mary Young, Daniel Gutierrez, Joseph Callanan, William Masterson Jr., Antonio, Antoinette & John Leone
Mon. 1/9    8:00 AM Mass for the Sick    
Tues. 1/10    8:00 AM Sr. Mary Paul McLoud    
Wed. 1/11    8:00 AM Chester Lewandowski 7:30 PM   Giovanni Cacciola
Thur. 1/12   8:00 AM Gerard Halpin Jr.     
Fri. 1/13   8:00 AM Meghan Tierney         
Sat. 1/14    8:00 AM Leo Zullo & Maria Cifala;        

PLEASE PRAY FOR Priscilla Maguire, Richard Guerin, Kay I. Zinna, Celia Pasquarosa, Edna Micelotta, Maryann Webster, Helen MacDonald, Julie Branton, Catherine MacLellan, Jim Fitzpatrick, Jim Campbell, Wilma Verge, Marie Murphy, Kathy Murphy, Michael Ruiz, Ricky Webster, Eleonore Santospago, Eileen Dennis, Jordan Pascucci, Elaine Ruda, Ulysse Richard, Dave Markow, Lucy Grupposo, Marie Smith, John Healey, Joel Dennis, Greg Giallonardo, Nancy Brodeur, Erin McKay, Tony Amendola, Thomas Kean, Chuck Plaistek, Jane O'Keefe, Diane Doyle, Amanda Clift, Stephen W. Humphrey, Jr., Muriel Cosentino, Amy Flickenger, James Phillips, James Atherton, Mike Fitzgerald, and all the sick of the parish.

SANCTUARY LAMPS for the week of January 8 will burn in prayer for Edna Lambert.

If you would like a LAMP in our Church or Adoration Chapel burning for one week, in memory of a loved one or for a special intention, please call the rectory (508) 653-1093.

PARISH SUPPORT
January 1, 2006

Budgeted           Actual                      
Offertory                Offertory                Deficit

$15,000.00            $13,054.00            $1,964.00

Stewardship

"The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him." (Psalm 72:10-11)

What gifts do you set before the Lord? Does your list of New Years Resolutions include better ways to give back to God and thank Him for His many blessings to you and your family?

Evening of Prayer Rescheduled

Please note the change in schedule: We are combining our monthly Evening of Prayer with the Holy Hour for Vocations on Tuesday, January 10th, at 7:00 in the Church. There will NOT BE AN EVENING OF PRAYER held on Monday, January 9th. Instead, we ask that you all join with us in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament as we pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. The evening will consist of Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served downstairs following the service.

Pine Street Inn Ministry Members

Our ministry is in need of a new coordinator. It is with regret that I must resign, due to a move out of Natick. Please, the ministry needs your help. The duties are minimal. If interested, please call Josie Shea at 508-653-2435.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

High School Mini-Course Program

Thank you to Mr. Jeff Eckelkamp, Mr. Tom Cutrone and Ms. Lisa Garcia for assisting with our second session of this new program. The next session begins the first week of January, call Tricia Fair 508-653-6281 to verify what you are enrolled in:

Church Structure: Tuesdays 7:00-8:30pm; Jan 3-Feb 14
Ten Commandments: Tuesdays 6:30-8:00pm; Jan 3-Feb 14
Mass & Liturgy: Sundays 6:30-8:00pm; Jan 8 - Feb 20

*** Reminders ***

Next class is TODAY January 8th or Wednesday January 11th 2006
Parents meeting of all students in 2nd grade preparing to receive Reconciliation January 8th 10:15 in Our Lady's Hall.
NO CLASS next Sunday, January 15 due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday weekend.

Supplemental Sacrament Program

A supplemental Sacrament program will be commencing for students in 3rd grade or older who have not yet received the Sacraments of Reconciliation or First Communion. This program is a guided, at-home preparation in addition to regular religious education classes to prepare specifically for reception of the Sacraments. Students must be currently enrolled in the Religious Education Program. Please contact Melisa Melnyk to enroll or for more information, 508-907-6220 or religiouseducation@attglobal.net. An introductory meeting will be scheduled shortly after Martin Luther King Day weekend.

Saint Joseph Elementary School

St. Joseph Elementary School in Needham will be holding an Information Night on Thursday, January 19 at 7:00 pm in the school library (May Street entrance). There will be a short presentation, a question and answer period, and a tour of the campus. St. Joseph's offers full and half day kindergarten through grade 5 education. The school is located at the corner of Highland Avenue and May Street. For a preview, visit www.saintjoes.com,or call 781-444-4459 for additional information.

Peace and Justice
"Responding in Faith to Hurricane Katrina"

St. Patrick's Peace & Justice Ministry invites you to their annual Remembrance of Martin Luther King on Thursday evening, January 12, 7:00 pm in the lower church hall.
The evening's program will be a presentation by Anne Reilly RN, NP, a long time member of St. Patrick's, talking about her experiences as a health aid worker in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Refreshments will be served. ALL ARE WELCOME.

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

Treasures Uncovered:
The Parables of Jesus
(A six-week study)

Sundays: January 22 - March 5
10:15 - 11:15am
Our Lady's Hall, The Montrose School
COME, LET US JOIN TOGETHER
AND GROW IN FAITH!

ALL ARE WELCOME!
For more information, call (508) 655-1017

Society? Church?: It's a Matter of Education

Archbishop Sean O'Malley, Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete, theologian and New York Times columnist, Hendrik Hertzberg, senior editor (The New Yorker), and Fr. Jose Medina, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School teacher, will hold a panel presentation on one of the most serious crises confronting us all today: the capacity of a generation of adults to educate their own children. For years, from the new pulpits - schools and universities, newspapers and television - it has been preached that freedom is the absence of ties and of history. Reality itself has been denied, as has the hope for a positive meaning to life, and we risk raising a whole generation of young people who feel like orphans, without parents or teachers, forced to walk as if on quicksand, bored and led along only by fashions and power. It is possible and necessary to educate, to introduce people to reality and to its meaning. The panel presentation will address this question of education. It will take place on Saturday, January 14th at 4:00 PM in Faneuil Hall in Boston. The event is free and open to the public.

The event is sponsored by Communion and Liberation, a Catholic lay movement. For more information, contact mailto:clnewengland@comcast.net or call Virginio Chiodini at 781-938-1996.

Fellowship of Young Adults (20s & 30s)

Coming Home Program

Have you or someone you know been disconnected from the Church and wish to return? We can help.

Saint Patrick Parish is offering a program designed to assist Catholics in returning to the Church after being away for any reason. Our "Coming Home" program involves no commitment. It is informal, informative, and confidential.

If you have been away from the Church and desire to reconnect with us, please come to our first session on Monday, January 23rd, at 7:30pm in the Lower Church Hall. Six weekly sessions will be held to answer your questions and address your concerns. We look forward to meeting you.

For more information, please call us at 508-653-1093.

Attention
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS

There is an immediate need for Extraordinary Ministers to bring Holy Communion to the patients at Leonard Morse hospital on Sundays. We normally visit after the 9:00 a.m. Sunday liturgy; but if that does not work into your schedule, other arrangements can be made. If you are interested in helping out in this important ministry, please contact Peg Branagan at 508-655-2347.

Bulletin Advertising

Liturgical Publications, Inc., our bulletin publisher, will have a representative come to our parish within the next few weeks. We would like to thank our present advertisers for renewing their ad, and for those interested in placing a new ad, this is your opportunity. To reserve a space for the new publication year, please contact the rectory. Keep in mind; our advertising sponsors make your bulletin possible.

Saint James Women's Guild

The Saint James Women's Guild is having a reunion on January 22, 2006. The Guild members will meet at the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Zepherin's Church in Wayland followed by brunch at J.J. McKay's Restaurant in Wayland. For reservations, call Marie Fandel at 508-653-0159 before January 15. Snow date will be January 29, 2006.

Safety for All

In an effort to make sure our building is a secure place for all during the celebration of Mass, parents please accompany your children when they need to use the rest room. In this way we will all be assured that our youngsters are safe at all times.

top of page