There will be a SECOND COLLECTION taken up at all of the Masses this weekend for the CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops uses the collected funds to support pastoral programs in 23 Latin American countries, as well as related work in the Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development. Over the years, this collection has allowed us to fund seminaries throughout Latin America, catechetical programs in Peru, lay leadership training in the Dominican Republic, and pastoral health initiatives in Central America. Your financial gift enables our fellow Catholics in Latin America and the Caribbean to participate more fully as disciples in the life of the Church and as missionaries to the world.

I want to encourage all high school age parishioners to consider participating in our upcoming YOUTH MINISTRY RETREAT which will be held on February 8th – February 10th. This retreat, “REACHING FOR CHRIST,” has been organized and will be conducted by members of our new youth ministry. These young people, under the direction of Ryan Barba, have been planning for this overnight experience for some time and have designed a weekend that will be both interesting and enjoyable. I hope that all high school youth will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to grow closer to God and to each other and I am confident that the rest of the parish will be as supportive as we can be by our prayers and assistance.

His Eminence, Sean Cardinal O’Malley will ordain MARK D. BARR, along with six others, to the Diaconate at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston on February 2, 2008. Mark has been preparing for this moment for many years and has been supported by his fellow parishioners of St. Patrick’s in his desire to serve the Lord as a priest. I would ask that you keep Mark in your prayers as he approaches this awesome moment on his journey to the Sacred Priesthood. The newly ordained Deacon Barr will assist at the 5:30 PM Sunday Mass on February 3rd.

With Lent just around the corner on February 6th, I wanted to announce the Mass schedule for St. Patrick’s. We will celebrate Mass on Monday through Friday at 6:30 AM and Monday through Saturday at 8:00 AM. Please note that we will NOT be celebrating Masses on Wednesday evenings or First Friday evenings during Lent. The entire Lenten schedule will be in next week’s bulletin.

2007 Tax Statements

For your convenience, tax statements for your 2007 offertory contributions are available by contacting the parish office at 508-653-1093. Your personalized statement will be prepared and mailed to you, or arrangements may be made to pick it up in the office. Please note that the IRS may disallow your charitable deductions if you are unable to provide this acknowledgement to them upon request. Thank you for your continued support of Saint Patrick Parish.

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.

Stewardship

Sacrament of the Sick

The Sacrament of the Sick is offered on the 4th Sunday of each month following the 11:30 Mass. This Sacrament of healing will be administered to those who may be advancing in years, those who are chronically ill, or anyone facing serious surgery. Those wishing to be anointed are asked to remain in the Church following the 11:30 Mass on Sunday, January 27th. Please call the Parish Office if you have any questions.

Don’t sign up for Summer Camps until you have plugged in our
2008’s VBS ADVENTURE
to your calendar!
Save the Dates:
St. Patrick’s V.B.S.
July 14 – 18, 2008
M-F; 8:45AM – 12:15PM
It is sure to be a BIBLE BLAST!!!!
***More Details to follow in coming weeks! Look for them in our Bulletin and online calendar!
***If you are interested in helping out, please call Nancy at (508)655-1017.

Family Bowling Day

St. Patrick's Parish will host a family bowling day at Fairway Bowl, TODAY, Sunday January 27th from 1:00-3:00pm. Cost is $5 per person.

Let us pray for those who have died, especially

Eleonore Santospago & Donald F. Fair

May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace

Natural Family Planning

An Introductory Session on the FertilityCareTM Method (Creighton Method) of Natural Family Planning will be given on Sunday, February 10th, 2008 at 7:00 pm in the Joseph Center. Come to learn about the latest scientific advances in this field and about its benefits. Some of its benefits include: effectiveness to achieve and avoid pregnancy; medical applications; empowerment of husband and wife; knowledge acquisition of the physiology of the menstrual cycle; improved communication, no side effects. Please call 508-439-2220 to register. Spaces are limited.

Attention prayerful single women and men!

Mount St. Mary (for women) in Wrentham, Mass. Feb. 15-17th, St. Mary’s Benedictine Abbey (for men) in Morristown, NJ, March 20-23, The Salesians (for men) in South Orange, NJ. March 14-16th, and the famous Gethsemani Trappist Abbey (for men) in Trappist, Ky. Feb 8-10th and March 3-10th (week long) all will be hosting exciting “Live-in Experience” vocational retreats. Work and pray with the monks and nuns and enjoy the vocational talks. There is no cost but space is limited. These retreats are popular so make your reservation early. Many dates are available. Many other weekend dates available also. Call toll free 1-800-221-1807.

CYO Basketball Games

Come and support the youth of St. Patrick's!!

Varsity, Sunday, January 27th
11:45am against St. Mary's of Franklin
Location: Remington School, Franklin

J/V, Saturday, February 2d
6:00pm against St. Mary's of Wrentham
Location: St. Mary’s School, Wrentham

Respect Life Prayer

Heavenly Father,
the beauty and dignity of human life was the crowning of your creation. You further ennobled that life when your Son became one with us in his incarnation. Help us to realize the sacredness of human life and to respect it from the moment of conception until the last moment at death. Give us courage to speak with truth and love and with conviction in defense of life. Help us to extend the gentle hand of mercy and forgiveness to those who do not reverence your gift of life. To all, grant pardon for the times we have failed to be grateful for your precious gift of life or to respect it in others. We ask this in Jesus' Name.
Amen.

Retrouvaille

REDISCOVER A LOVING MARRIAGE WITH A RETROUVAILLE WEEKEND. If your marriage is tearing the two of you apart, if there is little or no meaningful communication, if you are considering separation or divorce, we believe Retrouvaille can help you. Look us up on the web at www.HelpOurMarriage.com or call 1-800-470-2230. The next New England Retrouvaille weekend will be held February 8-10, 2008.

High School Retreat

St. Patrick’s is holding its first “Reaching for Christ”, a full weekend high school retreat from February 8-10th, 2008. The weekend is run by high school youth and will include meaningful discussion and applicable talks about what it means to be a Catholic teen in today’s society. It will also include a lot of fun activities! Registration forms are now available in the church foyer. All high school youth, including non-parishioners, are invited! Please contact Ryan Barba for more information at 401-330-6148.

Reaching For Christ Retreat Donations

To keep the cost of the high school retreat to a minimum we are requesting donations of various craft materials and food. Please visit the table in the vestibule of the Church next weekend to pick an item from the wish list.
Thank you for your support.

St. Bridget’s Mardi Gras Carnivale

Join us on Saturday, February 2nd at 7:00 pm for the St. Bridget’s Mardi Gras Carnivale at 832 Worcester Road, Framingham. Enjoy New Orleans Jazz! Dinner dress, masks optional! Prizes awarded for best mask. Cajun buffet includes: Jambalaya & Cajun Chicken breast, Dirty rice & rice pilaf, Mardi Gras salad, sweet corn with roasted peppers, Mardi Gras desserts. Tickets are $25.00 per person. Tickets may be purchased at St. Bridget rectory. Call 508-875-5959 for more information.