Could you not watch one hour with Me? Matthew 26:40

Transcription

1 Blessed Sacrament Church "I am the Living Bread come down from Heaven. If any man eats of this Bread, he shall live forever; and the Bread I will give, is My Flesh." John 6:51-52 SCHEDULE OF MASSES LORD'S DAY: Saturday: 4:00 p.m. Sunday: 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. HOLYDAYS: Vigil: 6:00 p.m. Holyday: 7:00 a.m. & 9:00 a.m. WEEKDAYS: 9:00 a.m. SATURDAYS: First Saturdays only: 8:00 a.m. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Saturday 2:45 to 3:30 p.m. and by appointment BAPTISM: As part of the preparation process an interview with the Pastor and two instructional sessions are required. Please contact the rectory to schedule. ENGAGED COUPLES: Arrangements for your marriage must be made at least nine months in advance of the marriage date. NEW PARISHIONERS: We welcome you and ask that you register at the Rectory. We want to know and serve you! We hope that you will favor your parish with your prayers, your presence and your talents. Pastor Rev. Timothy J. Campoli There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:1-2 Church Rectory 221 Federal Street 182 High Street Greenfield, MA Greenfield, MA blessedsacramentgreenfieldma.org (413) Deacon Calvary Cemetery Deacon John J. Leary Wisdom Way (413) (C) Greenfield deaconjohnleary@gmail.com Director of Organist Religious Education Choir Director Laurie Tilton Stephen Glover lltilton2@gmail.com Alternatives Pregnancy Center P. O. Box 344, Greenfield, MA Pregnancy Tests, Counseling and Support Services Post Abortion Support (413) Natural Family Planning Ed & Suzi Cottrill Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place in the side chapel twenty-four hours a day, every day. All are welcome to come and worship and adore our Eucharistic Lord. Could you not watch one hour with Me? Matthew 26:40

2 Blessed Sacrament Church Greenfield, MA SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 ST (Fr. Di Mascola) 4:00 Campbell & Clark Families by Family SUNDAY, DEC. 2 ND First Sunday of Advent (Fr. Campoli) 8:00 Health & Blessings for Vincent S., R. Rita and Vincent M. Kelly 10:30 Kathleen Lancto by Family 4:00 Advent Penance Service at Holy Trinity Church MONDAY, DECEMBER 3 RD St. Francis Xavier (Msgr. Yargeau) 9:00 Theresa Letourneau (13 th Anniversary) by Family TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4 TH St. John Damascene (Clergy who are sick) 9:00 Living Bishops, Priests and Deacons of the Diocese WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5 TH (Deacon Rabbitt) 9:00 Deceased members of the Maley-Conklin Families THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6 TH St. Nicholas (Fr. Roach) 9:00 Marjorie L. Bridges by Family FIRST FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7 TH St. Ambrose (Fr. Aksamit) 9:00 Andrew & Annie Dedinas by Birute Hanley *6:00 Living and departed members of the Fritz and Klepacki Families by Betty Fritz SATURDAY, DEC. 8 TH Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary *Holy Day of Obligation* (Deacon Leary) *9:00 Beverly Small by Helen Shea Murphy 4:00 James J. Costello by Family SUNDAY, DEC. 9 TH Second Sunday of Advent (Vocations) 8:00 Ann LaFleur by Family 10:30 Special intention of the Pavoni Family by Sandra Pavoni ************************************************** REMINDER: Please join with us in praying the Rosary before each daily Mass at 8:15 a.m., before the 4:00 p.m. Saturday Mass and 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass. Confessions after each weekend Mass. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be recited Fridays at 3:00 p.m. in the Adoration Chapel. All are invited to come and pray with us. Blessed Sacrament has a Prayer Chain which is available for anyone. To utilize the Prayer Chain simply contact Annette Canuel at or anet70@comcast.net with your petition. Sponsor Certificates - Many parishes require certificates of sponsorship for Godparents and Confirmation Sponsors. These will be issued only to those who are confirmed adult Catholics, registered in the parish, regular participants at Mass, validly married in the Church (if applicable) and providing for the religious education of their own children (if applicable). Weekend of December 8 & 9 Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Saturday, December 8 4:00 Janet Zilch Cassandra McCarthy Betty Howe Judie McCarthy Janet Penfield Joanne Yestramski Bette Paquin Winston LaBelle Monica McCarthy Sunday, December 9 8:00 David Murphy Liza O Neil Helen Shea Murphy Kevin O Neil, Jr. Robert Earley Ginger Baird Patricia Earley Patricia Schryba Kevin O Neil 10:30 Deacon John Leary Wayne Cottrill Donna Leary Annette Canuel David Stevens Mary Jane Bardwell Marie Boynton Joyce Thibodo Suzanne Hunter Poet s Seat Nursing Home: Sun., December 9 Lectors / Cantors: Sat., December 8 Sun., December 9 Saturday, December 8 Marie Boynton, Joyce Thibodo 4:00 Chinwe Okorie / Jackie Jurewicz 8:00 Raymond Perry / John Lively 10:30 Mary Anne Duda / Brenda Hill 4:00 Siobhan Moore, Susan Unaitis Sunday, December 9 8:00 Stephen Filiault, John Cormican 10:30 Eddie Muenkel, Nathaniel Pierce

3 December 2, 2012 Requiescat In Raymond F. Bryant Christine L. Parody For the Glory of God and in memory of Marion V. Grant a donation was made to Blessed Sacrament Church for the Adoration Chapel from Robert and Marjorie Reid. God Bless you! For the Glory of God and in memory of Gloria Marchegiani the following have made donations to Blessed Sacrament Church: Country-Side Association, Elinor H. Farr, Frank & Dorothy Kelley, Winston & Marie LaBelle, Robert & Pamela Simanski-Page. God Bless you! The Sanctuary Candle will burn this week in memory/honor: Theresa L. Letourneau from the Family The Adoration Chapel Candles will burn this week in memory/honor of: 1.) Blessed Sacrament Rosary Society 2.) Stephen Peck from Betsy Grybko 3.) Stephen Peck from Betsy Grybko 4.) For a special intention from Anonymous Holy Hour for Nonbelievers We will have a Holy Hour on Sunday, December 2 nd from 6:00-7:00 a.m. and again in the evening from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Adoration Chapel to pray for nonbelievers. We encourage and invite everyone to come. First Friday Devotions Friday, December 7 th is the First Friday of the month in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mass will be at 9:00 a.m. Holy Day of Obligation Saturday, December 8 th is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses for the Holy Day are Friday, December 7 th at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 8 th at 9:00 a.m. Seminarian Christmas Gift Cards Our parish is again participating in the Seminarian Christmas Gift Cards Program. The diocese currently has 14 dedicated men preparing for the Holy Priesthood. Our seminarians have little earning power during their theological formation. In this small way, we can give back to these fine men for Christmas. Gift Card envelopes are available on the counter in the Adoration Chapel. Givers returns are to be deposited in the weekly Sunday Collection basket or returned to the parish office by Sunday, December 17 th. Thank you and God Bless you! CCD Schedule Change Please note: A change has been made to the December CCD Schedule -- There will be no class on December 23. St. Nicholas Bazaar A St. Nicholas Bazaar will be held at Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Church, 44 Sugarloaf St., So. Dfld. on Sun., Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come for home-made pyrohy (filled dumplings), babka (sweet yeast bread), kolach (rolled breads filled w/nuts or fuit), Bishop s Sugar plum & banana breads, cheese cake, fudge, cookies and more. Hand-made holiday crafts, jewelry, wreaths, kissing balls, cemetery boxes, etc. are available, plus raffles. December Day of Prayer In celebrating the Diocesan Year of Faith a Day of Prayer, "The Church, The People of God," with Scott Rutan will be held at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield on Tues., Dec. 4 from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. and Wed., Dec. 5 from 10:00 a.m. - noon. All are welcome. There is no charge. First Sunday of Advent Advent Scripture Study and Reflection In line with the Year of Faith, and in preparation for the Christmas Season, please join us for an Advent Scripture Study on the Thursdays in Advent, December 6 th, 13 th and 20 th from 7:00-8:15 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Rectory. Facilitated by Joseph Milano this will include a study of and reflection upon the readings for the Sundays of Advent. All are welcome. Mitten Tree Blessed Sacrament is sponsoring the Mitten Tree during Advent for the needy at Christmas time. Do you knit or crochet? Please start working on hats, scarves and warm socks. If you need yarn, there is a supply available in the sacristy. We will continue to make lap robes and to distribute them to area nursing homes. The robes are 30 x 36 and are knitted, crocheted or sewn. For info. call Annette Canuel at Pilgrimage to Fatima and Spain Join us on a pilgrimage to Fatima and Spain from October 3-14, 2013 with Spiritual Director Fr. Timothy Campoli. We will leave from Boston and land in Madrid, Spain. First we will visit Avila where the Carmelite mystic nun St. Teresa lived. She was the first woman to be named a Doctor of the Church. Avila is a beautifully preserved walled city. We will visit Agreda, where another mystic nun, Venerable Maria of Agreda lived in the 1600s and where her incorrupt body can be seen. Her revelations are found in The Mystical City of God. We continue on to Zaragoza, Garabandal, and then Santiago de Compostela which is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in history. It is the final destination on The Way of St. James and his relics are thought to be buried there. We will spend October 13 (the date of the last apparition of Our Lady to the shepherd children )in Fatima, participating in the candle light procession and other anniversary activities. This is a very special day in Fatima. The cost of $3,495 includes airfare, Four Star Hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, tour guides, bus transportation in Spain and Portugal, taxes and fuel surcharges. Mass will be offered daily. For more info. and a flyer call Helen Shea Murphy at or HelenSheaMurphy@verizon.net or visit Sponsor a Family for Christmas Help our Catholic Charities client families celebrate Christmas. If interested in sponsoring a family, please contact: Laura Saponare, Social Service Coordinator, at (413) Gifts must be received by Dec. 10, 2012 at 65 Elliot St. Springfield, MA Tim Janis Christmas Concert Tim Janis, one of America's leading performing composers, has two number one billboard charting CDs, five national PBS specials, sold millions of CDs, worked with Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Loreena Mckennit, Andrea Coor, Sara McLachlan, Jane Seymour, conducted and worked with the London Symphony and the New York Philharmonic, and performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. He will perform at St. Anne Church, 30 College Street, Chicopee on Tuesday, December 4, at 7 p.m. Tim, his ensemble and vocalist Amy Petty will perform selections from An American Christmas Carol and will include visual meditations. Tickets are now on sale for $10.00 per person and may be obtained at the rectory or send a self-addressed envelope with your ticket requests to: St. Anne Parish, 30 College Street, Chicopee, MA Tickets are limited and will not be sold at the door. If you need more information, please call

4 St. Ambrose (339c-397 A.D.) Ambrose, one of the four great "doctors" of the Western Church, had a life so varied that even a novelist could scarcely have imagined such a scenario. Born in Treves (now Trier, Germany) he was nevertheless a Roman of the Romans, the son of a high imperial official. Sent to Rome as a youth he received a thorough education in letters and law. Around 365 A.D. he entered the civil service of the Roman Empire. Only five years later he was appointed governor of the provinces of Liguria and Aemilia, with the rank of consul. Governor Ambrose, settling in his district capital, Milan, quickly acquired a reputation as an able and just administrator. Now, at the time of Ambrose's arrival in Milan, the bishop of that diocese was Auxentius. Auxentius upheld the Arian heresy; that is, he denied the divinity of Christ. Most of the Milanese Christians were orthodox, however; so when Bishop Auxentius died in 374, there was a strong move to elect an orthodox bishop to succeed him. Despite this wide agreement against heresy, the Arian party was still influential in Milan. Fearing that when the two parties met in the cathedral to choose the new bishop, they might come to blows, Ambrose made a point of attending the election in order to maintain order. As the respected governor moved up and down in the church, a voice suddenly cried out: "Ambrose bishop!" The rest of the congregation took to the suggestion and joined the chorus. Ambrose spoke out in reprimand. He could not possibly become a bishop, he said; he was not a priest, and, although raised in a Christian household, he was (in keeping with the practice of the time), only a catechumen, and not yet baptized. However, the bishops present saw no major obstacle here, and thought the Holy Spirit was speaking. Ambrose therefore appealed to the Emperor, but again to no avail. His Majesty also found the proposal excellent. So, willynilly, Governor Ambrose, then about 35, was speedily baptized, ordained a priest, and consecrated bishop of Milan. The choice was, indeed, providential. The new bishop's administrative experience would help him to deal with people of every rank. Conscientiously, he at once gave his property to the poor. In his episcopal household he set a pattern of strict asceticism. Unlearned in theology, he engaged a scholarly priest as tutor. Devoting every spare moment to study, he eventually became a superior theologian. A fine speaker already, he won a great reputation as a preacher. It was through listening to his sermons that St. Augustine of Hippo opened his heart to Christianity; and in 387 Ambrose baptized this other great saint. So many of the young women who heard him sing the praises of dedicated virginity took the veil, that worldly mothers began to forbid their daughters to listen to him. Some people even accused him of depopulating the Empire! From the many typical episodes of his life, let me mention two. Ambrose was, of course, strongly anti-arian. When the pro Arian Empress Justina was trying to steal some of the Milanese churches for Arian use, the bishop and his flock remained all one Holy Week in the cathedral to thwart its confiscation. During their "sit-in", St. Ambrose kept the people busy by composing hymns for them to sing. Eventually the cathedral was saved, and the bishop emerged as a composer of some of Christianity's finest hymns. Then, in 390 A.D., Emperor Theodosius, although an orthodox Christian, authorized the senseless slaughter of 7000 innocent people at Thessalonica in Greece. St. Ambrose refused to admit him to the cathedral until he had made reparation. Theodosius humbly complied, and performed a public penance. When Bishop Ambrose was nearing death in 387, Count Stilicho, guardian of young Emperor Honorius, declared, "The day that man dies, destruction hangs over Italy." Ambrose dismissed the idea of his own indispensability: he knew God would not neglect His people. But his own position in history was secure. He was one of the glories of the Roman Christian world. --Father Robert F. McNamara

5 ADVENT PENANCE SERVICE For the parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Parish and Holy Trinity Parish 2 December 2012 at 4:00 P.M. May the Grace of the Holy Spirit fill your heart with light, that you may confess your sins with loving trust and come to know that God is merciful! We welcome you to an Advent Penance Service on Sunday, December 2, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church. Many visiting priests will gather with us and be available for confessions. This is a wonderful way to prepare for the beautiful feast of Christmas. Gather with us! Bring a friend! Come with someone who has been away from the Church for a long time. It is a time of grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Prayer for the Sundays of Advent Advent Wreath Prayers for Home The first day the wreath is in the home, the leader may say: Leader: As our nights grow longer and our days grow short, we look on these earthly signs-light and green branches-and remember God s promise to our world: Christ, our Light and our Hope, will come. Listen to the words of Isaiah the prophet: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a land as dark as death a light has dawned. You have increased their joy and given them gladness; They rejoice in your presence as those who rejoice at harvest, as warriors exult when dividing spoil. Is. 9:1-2 Then all pray: O God we rejoice as we remember the promise of your Son. As the light from this candle, may the blessing of Christ come upon us, brightening our way and guiding us by his truth. May Christ our Savior bring light into the darkness of our world, and to us, as we wait for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT: HOPE Leader: Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the Sunday in which we recall the hope we have in Christ. The prophets of Israel all spoke of the coming of Christ, of how a savior would be born, a king in the line of David. They spoke of how He would rule the world wisely and bless all nations. VOICE: As followers of Christ, we await His return. We light this candle to remember that as He came to us as humbly in the manger at Bethlehem and gave light to the world, so He is coming again in power to deliver His people. We light this candle to remind us to be alert and to watch for His return. (Light Advent Candle One - Purple) Leader: Let us pray - Loving God, we thank You for the hope You give us. Help us prepare our hearts for the Lord s coming. Bless our worship. Help us live holy and righteous lives. We ask it in the name of the One born in Bethlehem, Jesus our Lord. Amen.