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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 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 simply place it in the basket. We are happy to remember everyone in our prayers at the Altar during this holy season. On behalf of Father Goodrow, Bishop Boles, Bishop Edyvean and the entire parish family, I want to extend our prayerful best wishes to you as we celebrate the great feast of Christmas. Your presence with us during this holy season enriches us, and we offer thanks to God and to you for the gift that you are to us as we rejoice in Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem. May this Christmas bind you more closely to Him and to all of us as we recall this wonderful mystery of our Catholic belief in God’s love for all people. The shepherds who came to the stable that night long ago were rough and simple men. But maybe only in their simplicity could they hear the message that called them to Bethlehem. They received the words of the angel with joy and without fear. Then they acted on the revelation of God with faith, and that faith led them to Mary and Joseph and to the Child who changed history. When they found Jesus, they worshiped Him, and then they made known to others the message they had been told about this Child. And all who heard them were amazed. Today we need to place ourselves in the footsteps of those shepherds. We need ask God for the grace to be moved and converted this year as we draw close to the manger, because the truth of this Child is beyond anything we could hope for or expect. We need to ask God for the grace to be simple, courageous, and pure of heart; to radiate the excitement of the shepherds’ discovery. Christmas is the birth of our Redeemer, the Messiah of Israel. Let us adore Him. Let us be overcome with joy and then make known to the whole world all that has been revealed to us about this Child: HE IS LOVE and all who abide in love, abide in Him and He in them. So “let us go over to Bethlehem” to see this Child, and in the coming year, let us together as a family of faith proclaim Him to the world. May God grant a merry and blessed Christmas to us all! Mass Intentions This Week
PLEASE PRAY FOR Philip Allen, James Atherton, Harold Barbieri, Bridie Bell, Lucille Belmore, Joanne Bolles, Mary Brewer, Nancy Brodeur, Theresa Brown, Patrick Burke, Lorraine Cadman, Abigail Columbo, Muriel Cosentino, Deacon James Crump, Harold Davis, Eileen Dennis, Joel Dennis, Barbara DiVaio, Francis Dunderdale, Patricia Finnegan, Jean Foley, Florine Gagnon, Sandra Green, Richard Guerin, Thomas Keane, Jim Lawrence-Archer, Francis Livingstone, Charlene Lombardi, Helen MacDonald, Catherine MacLellan, Dave Markow, Stuart McIntosh, Simon Mosgofian, Scott Munger, Marie Murphy, James Nyhen, Daniel O’Callaghan, Jordan Pascucci, Fran Quaranto, Felicia Quesada, Elaine Ruda, Marie Smith, Dennis P. Sullivan, Wilma Verge, Barbara Waite, Maryann Webster, Ricky Webster, Kathryn Williams, and all the sick of the parish. SANCTUARY LAMPS for the week of December 20 will burn in prayer for Agostina & Enrico Zonghi & Family, Pedini & Giorgi Family, Bruno Ubaldino, Robert F. Cashman, Celeste Turner, Reba Welch, Larry & Danny Devereaux. 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 13, 2009
The Silent Collection Jesus tells us: “The poor will always be with you.” (Matthew 26:11) So also are the little wicker baskets at the doorways of the church. These silent beggars are placed there by the St. Vincent DePaul Society and are one of the major sources of funding to help the poor among us. In difficult times as we are all experiencing, the need increases while donations decline. For that reason, we are all the more thankful to those who regularly give. If it is not your habit to occasionally make a donation, please consider dropping in a small gift a couple of times a year. It would be of great help in funding the constant requests that come from your neighbors who are in need. Stewardship 4th Sunday of Advent
We may think that the gifts we have to offer may be too small or too inconsequential to give to God. Today we are reminded that God brought forth His greatest gift to mankind, His own Son, through the humble town of Bethlehem. He can also accomplish great things through us if we generously offer our gifts to Him. Electronic Offertory In an effort to make it more convenient for parishioners to financially support Saint Patrick Parish, we now offer you the ability to make your offertory contributions electronically. Rather than placing cash or checks in the collection basket each week, you now have the option to simply have a predetermined monthly amount withdrawn from your checking or savings account that will be automatically deposited into the Parish Offertory. Transactions will be made on the 15th of each month. If you are interested in signing up for electronic offertory payments, or if you would like additional information, please contact Jean Lorrey in the Parish Office at 508-653-1093. Thank you. Church Decorating The Arts and Environment Ministry will be decorating the church on Wednesday, December 23 starting at 10:00 a.m. for Christmas. We welcome anyone interested in joining us to help!
Christmas Christmas
Day Thank You Sincere
thanks to you who prayed for the 40 pilgrims who traveled to the
Holy Land in Israel. And for those of you who asked for our prayers,
we prayed for your intentions at each of the Masses we celebrated.
We celebrated Mass on Mount Carmel (site of the great contest
between Elijah and the prophets of Baal), the Church of St. Joseph
in Nazareth (the Holy Family’s home), the Church of the Nativity
in Bethlehem, the Church of the Agony (at the Garden on Gethsemane),
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (where Christ was crucified,
died, and rose from the dead), the Church of Our Lady of the Ark
(which held the Ark of the Covenant at one time), and we celebrated
Mass on the Sea of Galilee on a fishing boat modeled after the
fishing boats from Christ’s time. “SEND YOUR SPIRIT TO DWELL IN THEM…” The following persons were recently incorporated into the Body of Christ, the Church: Grant William Bailey With God’s grace and the support of their parents
and godparents, may these newly baptized become mature believers,
reaching to the very height of Christ’s full stature (Eph. 4:13). Welcome It is a joy for us to welcome new members to our parish! If you worship with us regularly, but are not fully registered, use this form to request registration information. Drop it in the basket or mail it to us. We look forward to your active participation in our faith community. Name:__________________________________________ Mailing Address:_________________________________________
St. Martin dePorres Chapter of the
Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic will hold its monthly meeting
this Sunday in the Lower Church Hall. Refreshments will be served. The Nativity Pageant Thirty-two
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. Worldwide Marriage Encounter “But
of that day or hour, no one knows”. This Gospel reading challenges
us to be prepared. None of us knows our last day, so don’t wait
– take time now with you spouse. The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter
Weekend in New England is January 8-10. For more information call
Ralph & Jane Becker at 1-800-710-WWME or visit our webpage
at www.wwmeMA.org. Office Closed PLEASE
NOTE: The Parish Office St. Linus Christian Book Group The next meeting is at 7 pm at the Morse Institute Library in Natick center on January 19. The book for that evening is Anthony DeStafano’s Travel Guide to Heaven. New participants are always welcome! For details, call Karen Mallozzi at 508-651-9788 or KMallozzi@aol.com. CatholicTV® Christmas Programming It’s that time of year again! CatholicTV will intersperse Advent and Christmas programming with their regular schedule throughout December and especially from Monday, December 21 until New Year’s Eve. Then, all day Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and December 26, CatholicTV will become ChristmasTV for 72 hours of non-stop specials. You can always watch all of the fine Catholic TV programming live and on-demand at our easy to navigate website: www.CatholicTV.com. Join Father Reed, Jay Fadden and the whole CatholicTV staff for the best in Christmas programming. As Christmas draws near, WATCH CatholicTV. It’s all for YOU! Come, Lord Jesus. 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 oungsters are safe at all times. |
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