St. Faustina Church of St. Anthony Parish

Transcription

1 December 25, 2016 The Nativity of the Lord Parish Central Office: 145 Pritham Ave., P.O. Box 457, Greenville, ME (207) Pastor - Rev. Aaron Damboise - Cell - (207) Aaron.Damboise@portlanddiocese.org Deacon Deacon John Guerin - Cell-(207) Admin. Assistant - Bette DiAngelo - bette.diangelo@portlanddiocese.org Bookkeeper - Lorraine Auclair - lorraine.auclair@portlanddiocese.org Weekend Mass Schedule: Holy Family Church - Greenville - 4:00pm Saturday and 8:00am Sunday St. Faustina Church - Jackman - 11:00am on Sunday Each of our parishes have Facebook Pages - Like us on Facebook to keep up with parish events, and other information regarding our Catholic Faith! Spread the word to your family and friends! Holy Family Parish St. Faustina Church of St. Anthony Parish St. Faustina Church of St. Anthony Parish 370 Main St. - Jackman Sunday Mass at 11:00am Confession Sunday at 10:15-10:45am or by appointment Sacraments of Initiation and Healing Sacraments of Vocation Baptism Call the office at least 6 months in advance of the birth of your first child. Confirmation Call the parish office for more information. Eucharist See Mass schedule. For a homebound or sick call, please contact the office or Fr. Aaron. Reconciliation - Saturday from 3:00-3:45pm at Holy Family ; Sunday from 10:15-10:45 at St. Faustina and anytime by appointment call Fr. Aaron at Anointing of the Sick - If you or a loved one would like a visit, call Fr. Aaron at Marriage - Contact Fr. Aaron at least one year prior to intended date of wedding. Holy Orders - December 25, 2016 He gave power to become children of God. If you think you may be called to share the Father s love as a priest, deacon or in the consecrated life, call Father Seamus Griesbach at (207) or write: seamus.griesbach@portlanddiocese.org. or like us on facebook: VocationsME. FMI about consecrated life contact: Sr. Rita Mae Bissonnette at (207) RitaMae.Bissonnette@portlanddiocese.org Holy Family Parish 145 Pritham Ave. - Greenville Saturday Mass at 4pm - Sunday Mass at 8:00am Confession Sat. at 3:00pm or by appointment St. Joseph Mission 4140 Rockwood Rd. - Rockwood

2 Holy Family and St. Anthony Parish Offices will be closed December 26th through the 30th Father will be away visiting family and We wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Fr. Aaron is at St. Anthony Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and Holy Family Thursday, Friday and Saturday. He is also available evenings by appointment. Father may be reached by telephone at or at aron.damboise@portlanddiocese.org. Please feel free to stop by and visit Father anytime. You can reach Deacon John by telephone at or You can reach Bette at or via bette.diangelo@portlanddiocese.org You can reach Lorraine at or via lorraine.auclair@portlanddiocese.org Please note due to the very EARLY bulletin deadlines with the holiday season upon us, if you have something you would like to include in our bulletin, please get the information to the Parish office ASAP. Thank you! Mass Intentions are a wonderful way to remember a loved one. To schedule, use a Mass Intention envelope and please make $10.00 check payable to the parish, in the memo line indicate whom the Mass Intention is being offered for. Please include your name and phone number so if we need to contact you we can. Pending availability, Masses will be offered either on a weekday or a weekend celebration. Readings for the Week of December 25, 2016 Sunday: Vigil: Isaiah 62:1-5/Psalms 89/ Acts 13:16-17, 22-25/ Matthew 1:1-25 Night: Isaiah 9:1-6/Psalms 96/Timothy 2:11-14/ Luke 2:1-14 Dawn: Isaiah 62:11-12/Psalms 97/Timothy 3:4-7/ Luke 2:15-20 Day: Isaiah 52:7-10/Psaiah 98/Hebrews 1:1-6/John 1:1-18 Monday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59/Psalms 31/Matthew 10:17-22 Tuesday: 1 John 1:1-4/Psalms 97/John 20:1a, 2-8 Wednesday: 1 John 1:5--2:2/Psalms 124/Matthew 2:13-18 Thursday: 1 John 2:3-11/Psalms 96/Luke 2:22-35 Friday: Sirachi 3:2-6, /Psalms 128/ Matthew 2:13-15, Saturday: 1 John 2:18-21/Psalms 96/John 1:1-18 Celebrate the New Year with us as we commemorate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God - Holy Day of Obligation New Year s Eve Mass Holy Family Parish in Greenville - 4:00pm New Year s Day Mass Holy Family Parish in Greenville - 8:00am St. Anthony Parish in Jackman 11:00am Christmas on The Presence Radio Network Give yourself and your loved ones the gift of Catholic radio this Christmas! Tune in to your local station, listen online, or download the app today. You can also listen by dialing (605) which doesn t use your cell phone minutes. The Presence Radio Network can be heard on FM in Portland; FM in Springvale/Sanford; 97.5 FM in Fort Kent; 90.3 FM in Bangor; 89.7 FM in Bath/Brunswick; 89.5 FM in Augusta; and 1390 AM in northern Maine. It is also available online at on smartphones by downloading the Presence Radio app, or by calling (605) to listen on your cell phone.

3 ** Due to early publication, weekly offertory for December 17th and 18th will be posted in the January 1st bulletin. ** Thank you for your regular, faithful support! Holy Family Church Building Fund has raised $1,176, in cash and pledges. Please continue to support Beginning a New Century of Faith and to pray for Holy Family Church. If you and your family would like to learn more about this project and how you can help, please call the office at for more information. Thank you for your support! Kindly remember in prayer : Therese Arsenault, Charlie Baker, Ann Douglas, Owen Lebel, Donald Shea, Bonnie D Arcangelo, Isabelle Haggan, Tommy DeLambo, Koel Talpey, Margie Falardeau, Dot Harmon, Kathy Begin, Alberie Caron, Carmen Jennison, Gerard Falardeau, Jennifer Matlack-Bolin, Tibbetts Family, Dottie Gagne, Bernice Mullins, Doug Worster, Ramona Varney, Cathy Mullins, Huguette Morin, Keith & Frances Davis, Sean Melvidas, Christine Havenaar, Jeannine Pinette, Linley Brown, Jr., Rosemarie Paradise, Rena Parent, Jim & Sue Johnston, Omer Servant, Lionel and Theresa Breau, Dorothy Ragan; Richard Falardeau; Christine Fox Frauenheim; France Larochelle McAllister; Jeannette Morrill; Linda Kronholm; Rita Lampinen; Lauren Trigge; Arthur Giroux; Lucy Fay and Alice DeWyze. Greenville Backpack Program - Help Feed Needy Families Food can be dropped off in the box located in the entrance of Holy Family Church. Thank you! This week s food item is: oz. plastic squeezable bottle of jelly FMI, contact Cecile Shields at Weekly Prayer For Priests Dec. 25: Our Holy Father Dec. 26: Rev. Joseph McKenna & Msgr. Richard Sniezyk Dec. 27: Msgr. Rene Mathieu & Rev. Bruce Siket Dec. 28: V.Rev. Claude Gendreau & Rev. Gabriel Baltrusaitis OFM Dec. 29: Rev. Bernard Welch & Rev, Patrick Irwin Dec. 30: Rev. Stan Ukwe OP & Rev. Dominic Savio HGN Dec. 31: Rev. Richard MacDonough SS & Rev. Daniel Baillargeon Please remember Holy Family or St. Anthony in your will. We have a printed wills and bequest brochure, Leave a Lasting Legacy of Love, that is available in the brochure rack at Holy Family. It also includes a simple way to amend your current will through a codicil. The pamphlet offers many suggestions on how to include Holy Family Church while also taking care of your family and other charitable interests. Please pick up a copy. Sanctuary Candles for December 25th to December 24th Holy Family Church All Parishioners St. Faustina Church - In Memory of Ernest Parent by His Family Candles are $7.00 per week and will burn near our church tabernacle for one week. Candles may be offered for one s personal intentions, or in memory of a loved one or friend. FMI, call Bette at Holy Family Parish Eucharistic Adoration & Morning Prayer Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 7:30-8:00am Thursday and Friday 7:00-7:30am Mass Schedule for the week of December 24 to January 1 DAY DATE TIME PLACE MASS INTENTION SAT. Dec. 24 4:00pm Holy Family Church Paul McKeon by Dave and Colleen Taylor SUN. Dec :00am Holy Family Church All Parishioners SUN. Dec :00am St. Faustina Church Clayton Haggan, Sr. by Isabelle Haggan MON. Dec. 26 7:00am St. Faustina Church Stephens Plante by Peg and Ron Rancourt TUES. Dec. 27 NO MASS NO MASS WED. Dec. 28 NO MASS NO MASS THURS. Dec. 29 7:30am Holy Family Church Auguste & Marie A. Boucher by The Boucher Family FRI. Dec. 30 7:30am Holy Family Church Cecile Gagne by Daughters and Sons SAT. Dec. 31 4:00pm Holy Family Church Ovila Maheux by Suzanne and Family SUN. Jan. 1 12:00am Holy Family Church All Parishioners SUN. Jan. 1 11:00am St. Faustina Church Benoit Begin by Flore and Family

4 The Pastor s Corner The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) The actual date of Jesus birth is unknown. The Gospels don t record it, and there is no early record that identifies it. Scholars say that the approximate year was probably sometime between 8-5 BC and the season may have been early spring. The feast was most likely planted where it is to supplant the pagan practice of the winter solstice festival by pointing to Christ as the true light who comes into the world. The Western Church (which includes Latin rite Roman Catholics) emphasizes the celebration of the Nativity or Birth of Jesus on December 25 th, while the Eastern Churches (Maronite Rite, Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Melkite, Ukrainian, Coptic Catholic, and others) emphasize Christ s manifestation to the magi on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6. The word Christmas is derived from the Old English Maesse or Mass of Christmas. Over the centuries, it has become a comprehensive word including both religious and secular traditions. In North America, the early immigrants brought their different Christmas traditions. The Germans brought the Christmas tree, and the Irish contributed lights in the windows of homes. French Canadians brought with them the celebration of la reveillon, which takes place after Midnight mass. The meal includes la tourtiere, soups and stews, many sauces and pastries, as well as the Buche de Noel. Each group had their own Christmas Carols. Origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The Church s celebration of Christmas doesn t end on December 26 th. It continues until the Feast of the Epiphany. Most people are familiar with the Christmas song The Twelve Days of Christmas. As Catholics, we do celebrate the Christmas season for (roughly) twelve days. While the words to this song seem to have very little meaning, the purpose for writing the song was quite serious. Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law-public OR private. IT WAS A CRIME TO BE A CATHOLIC. The Twelve Days of Christmas was written in England as one of the catechism songs to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith. It was written as a memory aid at a time when being caught with anything in writing indicating an adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned; it could also get you hanged, decapitated, or hanged, drawn, and quartereda ghastly punishment not practiced anywhere else. Hanging, drawing, and quartering involved hanging a person by the neck until they had almost, but not quite, suffocated to death. The person was then taken down from the gallows, and disemboweled while still alive. While the entrails were still lying in street the where the executioners stomped all over them, the victim was tied to four large farm horses, and literally torn into parts-one to each limb and the remaining torso. The gifts mentioned in the song are meant to symbolize and teach and the tenets of the Catholic faith The true love mentioned in the song refers to God himself, and the me who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolized by the mother partridge which feigns injury as a decoy to protect her helpless young, reminding the hearer of the expression of Christ s sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: Jerusalem, Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so The other symbols mean the following: 2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments 3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues 4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists 5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace. 6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation 7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments 8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes 9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit 10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments 11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles 12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed As we continue our celebration of the Christmas season, let s take the time to be grateful to God for the gift of our Church, which has worked hard throughout the centuries to preserve and pass on the most hopeful message of all-that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. May we never take the gift of our Catholic faith for granted. Merry Christmas! Fr. Aaron

5 Holy Family Faith Formation Middle School / High School Sunday nights 6-7:30pm Hope you can join us! Holy Family Grades 1-5 Sunday Mornings following Mass from 9 to 10 am. If you would like to have your child or grandchild included, please call the parish office at ******************************************* St. Anthony Faith Formation Grades 1-3 Classes will be held Sunday Mornings from 9:30 to 10:30. Please join us! Call Connie at FMI. Holy Family Ladies Guild next meeting dates are January 9th and 23rd at 1 pm in the Rectory: At each meeting the rosary is said for the conversion of our country, for our church, and for those on our parish prayer list. Tuesdays at 1:00 PM - St. Faustina Ladies Prayer Group: meets to pray the Miraculous Medal Novena, the Liturgy of the Hours and the Rosary, Stations of the Cross or a Chaplet. We offer the prayers for family, friends or anyone who is in need of prayer. Please let us know if there is a special person that you would like us to add to our prayer basket. All ladies of the parish are welcome to join us even if you can't come every week. Knights of Columbus Jackman Council 2392 Monthly meetings are held the first Monday of the month at 6:30pm in the St Faustina Church Hall. The Rene Morin Senior Luncheon will be held the 3rd Wednesday each month at 11:30am in St Faustina Church Hall and the doors will open at 11am. Please join us! Hands Around the Capitol in Augusta on January 14 The Maine Right to Life Committee will hold its annual Hands Around the Capitol Rally and March in Augusta on Saturday, January 14. The event is held to publicly recognize and mourn the Supreme Court s decision of Roe v. Wade. This year marks the 44th anniversary of the decision. Since that fateful day, over 59 million innocent, precious babies have been aborted in the U.S. The day will begin with a Mass, celebrated by Bishop Robert P. Deeley, at 10 a.m. at St. Mary of the Assumption Church on 41 Western Avenue. At 11 a.m., participants will gather in the gym of St. Michael School on 56 Sewall Street for a rally featuring Bishop Deeley and prominent pro-life speakers. The march to the Capitol building will begin at 12:15 p.m. Upon arrival, those gathered will hold hands while the Capitol bell rings 44 times, representing the years since Roe v. Wade was enacted. For more information, contact Teresa McCann-Tumidajski of the Maine Right to Life Committee at (207) or mrlc@mainerighttolife.com. You can also visit