FROM THE PASTOR

There will be a SPECIAL SECOND COLLECTION taken up at all of the Masses this weekend for CHRISTMAS FLOWERS. Many people have expressed a desire to have their loved ones remembered in prayers during the Christmas season and we have decided to decorate the Church in memory of our deceased loved ones. If you wish to make a financial contribution towards this, please write the name of the deceased loved one on the outside of the envelopes that are in the pews and place your offering in this week's second collection. In the event that finances are somewhat problematic for you, please feel free to simply write the name of the person on the outside of the envelope and place it in the basket. We are happy to remember everyone in our prayers at the Altar during this holy season.

This Sunday after the 9:00 AM Mass, we will be having our ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PAGEANT. I am very grateful to Mr. Joseph Mazzone, a third year seminarian from Blessed John XXIII Seminary, for directing this wonderful and exciting program. Our young people from our parish religious education program bring great joy into our lives as they help us remember the birth of our Savior through songs and readings. I hope that all who are able will join us for this truly remarkable and enjoyable moment to help us prepare for the real wonder that is Christmas. Our thanks to all who have worked to make this event possible.

As we are fast approaching Christmas Day, I want to bring the CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE to your attention so that you can make your plans. The Fourth Sunday of Advent is the day before Christmas this year, so we will celebrate Mass as usual on Saturday at 4:00 PM and on Sunday at 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, and 11:30 AM. We will celebrate Mass for Christmas at St. Patrick's on Sunday, December 24th at 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 12:00 MIDNIGHT and on Monday, December 25th at 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM.

I want to express my thanks to all who planned and prepared our Parish Christmas Party last week as well as those who participated in the Caroling on the Common. Both events were well attended and served to remind us of how blessed we are as a parish family to be able to spend time together, praising God and sharing our lives with each other. I hope that these events will allow us to enter into the spirit of this holy season and keep us focused on the many joys that attend the Birth of Our Lord.

Mass Intentions This Week

Sun. 12/17    5:30 PM Collective Intention Mass  Linda Saulnier, Christine Rich, Francis A. Corcell, Daniel Devereaux
Mon. 12/18    8:00 AM Mass for Sick 
Tues. 12/19    8:00 AM Rose Finelli 
Wed. 12/20    8:00 AM  Marion Bigelow  7:30 PM    Monthly Memorial
Thur. 12/21    8:00 AM Hannah Cronin      
Fri. 12/22    8:00 AM Reba Welch   
Sat. 12/23    8:00 AM Chickie Murray

PLEASE PRAY FOR Francis Burke, Patrick Burke, Philip Allen, Felicia Quesada, Charlene Lombardi, Patricia Finnegan, Mary Porter, Rita Marso, Harold Davis, Lucille Belmore, Ralph Vaccari, Leonard White, Harold Kashala, Robert Goldkamp, Ed Saunders, Jr., Richard Guerin, Kay I. Zinna, Maryann Webster, Helen MacDonald, Julie Branton, Catherine MacLellan, Jim Campbell, Wilma Verge, Ricky Webster, Eleonore Santospago, Eileen Dennis, Jordan Pascucci, Elaine Ruda, Ulysse Richard, Dave Markow, Lucy Grupposo, Marie Smith, Joel Dennis, Nancy Brodeur, Erin McKay, Tony Amendola, Thomas Kean, Diane Doyle, Amanda Clift, Stephen W. Humphrey, Jr., Muriel Cosentino, James Phillips, James Atherton, Barbara DiVaio, Barbara Waite, Gregory S. Giallonardo, Angela Marie Cobb, Celia Pasquarosa, Mike Fitzgerald and all the sick of the parish.

SANCTUARY LAMPS LAMPS for the week of December 17 will burn in prayer for Bruno & Santa Ubaldino, Celeste Turner, Reba Welch, Francis A. Corcell, Esther & Joseph Courcy, Francis Mulcahy, Ralph C. DiGiandomenico, Jr.

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
December 10, 2006

Budgeted           Actual                      
Offertory                Offertory                Surplus

$14,000.00            $14,082.75            $82.75

Second Collection

Our St. Patrick Parish family donated $6,522.00 to the special collection for the Retired Religious last weekend. Thank you for your generosity!

Stewardship

"Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God." (Philippians 4:6-7)

St. Paul reminds us that our God is an abundant God, the ultimate giver of gifts. He promises to give us all that we need. When we trust that God will take care of us, it is easier for us to share what we have been given.

Monthly Memorial Mass

Each month Saint Patrick Parish celebrates a special Memorial Mass in memory of those who died the previous month. We remember in a special way our loved ones whose funerals were celebrated in our parish as well as those who were buried in Saint Patrick Cemetery. The next Monthly Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Dominican Laity Chapter of St. Martin de Porres December 17, 2006

Anyone is welcome to come join us for our monthly meeting in the Church Hall after the 11:30 AM Mass next Sunday, December 17 at 1:00PM. We begin our meeting with the Rosary. Afterwards, we will hold a short business meeting. We will show a Nativity video and follow this with a festive Christmas collation. We will go to Vespers at 4PM in the Chapel and adjourn the meeting. May you all have a faith filled Advent and a Blessed Christmas! Inquiries may be made by calling Peg Branagan at (508) 655-2347.

Rest in Peace

Let us pray for those who have died, especially
Lena Chiumento
May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace.

The Parish Office will be closing at noontime on Thursday, December 21 for Christmas. We will reopen on Wednesday, December 27.

We wish all our parishioners a happy, blessed Christmas! Saint Patrick Parish Staff

Religious Education

Today is the last day of classes for 2006. Classes will resume on January 7, 2007. We wish everyone a blessed Christmas!

Respect Life Ministry

We would like to thank everyone who participated in our annual Jesse Tree. The response was overwhelming and we were able to touch many children and adults with your generosity. Again the Jesse Tree symbolizes the roots of kindness and love that branch our hearts and unify us as a family in Christ.

Parish Christmas Dinner

What a wonderful event!! More than 200 parishioners gathered at the Montrose School for dinner and to celebrate the Christmas Season. The evening was filled with holiday music, cheer, and fantastic food. The tables were decorated beautifully with centerpieces that were made by the Pre-K through 4th grade Religious Education students. A huge thank you goes out to the numerous volunteers who provided such a great variety of pasta and salad dishes to share with the community and to the 20 High School Confirmation Prep students who volunteered their time and effort to help out in all aspects of the evening. Thank you to everyone who made this evening such a success. We hope those of you who attended enjoyed yourself and had the opportunity to meet someone new.

Merry Christmas!
The Activities Committee

Marriage Encounter

An experience for building communication, creating intimacy, self esteem and enriching the values of marriage, family and faith. This program is for couples who believe they have a good marriage but desire a deeper understanding, a richer communication, a better quality and more spirituality in their marriage. The upcoming dates are January 12th weekend, February 16th weekend. For further details or information contact 1-800-367-0343 or www.mene.org.

Music Ministry

The Music Ministry would like to extend an invitation to all parishioners to participate in the Adult or Children's Choir during the Christmas Season. Singing Christmas Carols is a wonderful way to enjoy the spirit of one of the most precious times of the year. The Adult Choir rehearsals are on Tuesdays evenings at 7:30pm in the Joseph Center. On December 19th, the Adult Choir will be Caroling at the Metro West Hospital. If you would like to join us, we will meet in the Main Lobby at 6:15pm. Christmas Eve during the Midnight Mass the Adult Choir will be joined by the Commonwealth Brass Quartet and Vocal Soloist. Children interested in singing at the 6:00 pm Mass on Christmas Eve should attend rehearsal on Sunday 12/24 at 5:25pm before the 6:00 Mass on Christmas Eve. For further information please contact Martin Kelly, Music Director 617-489-2472.

Annual Christmas Concert

St. John the Evangelist Church, 20 Church Street, Hopkinton, invites all to attend the annual Christmas concert to be held today, Sunday, December 17 at 3:00 p.m. Music provided by the Southeastern Massachusetts Community Concert Band. Admission is free, however donations of either paper goods or laundry detergent to benefit the Hopkinton Food Pantry would be greatly appreciated. For information call 508-533-5532.

National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette

The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, Route 118, Attleboro, MA announces the 2006 Christmas Festival of Lights through January 1, 2007. The illuminations run from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Admission and parking are free. Facilities, including gift shop and cafeteria, are wheelchair accessible. For more information call 508-222-5410 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. or visit our web site at www.lasalette-shrine.org.

Church Decorating

The Arts and Environment Ministry will be decorating the church with poinsettias on Saturday, December 23 at 10:00 a.m. for Christmas. We welcome anyone interested in joining us to help!

CatholicTV of Boston
Christmas Programming

It's that time of year again! CatholicTV of Boston will intersperse Advent and Christmas programming with their regular schedule throughout December and especially from Monday, December 18 until New Year's Eve. Then, all day Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and December 26, Boston CatholicTV will become Boston Christmas TV for 72 hours of non-stop holiday specials.
This Christmas season, new Christmas productions include "Sing We Now of Christmas" with the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School, "Christmas with the Black Catholic Choir", and "The Wonder of Christmas at St. Columbkille's". CatholicTV will also broadcast many Christmas classics which have become favorites over the years.
Join Father Reed, Jay Fadden and the whole CatholicTV staff for the best in Christmas programming. As Christmas approaches, WATCH CatholicTV of Boston, we're all for YOU!

The Nativity Pageant

Twenty-nine years ago, in an effort to show a deaf foster child the true meaning of Christmas, Joan and Richard Downing's family of Sherborn acted out the Nativity. This has become an annual living drama performed in the pasture field next to their home.
The Nativity Pageant will be presented on the evenings of December 22nd and the 23rd. There will be performances each evening at 7:30 and 8:30 PM in the pasture field next to the Downing home at the intersection of Washington Street (Route 16) and Western Avenue in Sherborn.
If you have any questions with respect to the program, please feel free to call the Downing family at 508-653-2193 or Frank Angiulo at 508-655-5264.

Christmas Lights Display

The traditional Christmas Lights display at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine will take place through January 1, from 5:00-9:00 p.m.

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.

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