Pastor: Rev. Msgr. Paul Bouchard Deacon: Mr. John Castelot Pastoral Associate: Marie Dancy. Our Lady of Mercy Parish Merrimack, NH

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1 Pastor: Rev. Msgr. Paul Bouchard Deacon: Mr. John Castelot Pastoral Associate: Marie Dancy Our Lady of Mercy Parish Merrimack, NH

2 Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Merrimack NH January 7, 2018 Little Drummer Boy SATURDAY, January 6th Vigil: The Epiphany of the Lord 4:30PM: Deceased members of the Dwyer & Wood family SUNDAY, January 7th The Epiphany of the Lord 8:30AM: Joseph Micali req by Irene Sullivan and for all parishioners 10:30AM: Debbie Bailey req by the Morrill family MONDAY, January 8th The Baptism of the Lord 10:30AM: Gayle Bergin req by her family TUESDAY, January 9th 8:10AM: Morning Prayer 8:30AM: For deceased priests in the Diocese WEDNESDAY, January 10th 8:10AM: Morning Prayer 8:30AM: For the intentions of the celebrant NO MASS THURSDAY, January 11th FRIDAY, January 12th St. John Neumann, Bishop 8:10AM: Morning Prayer 8:30AM: For the deceased parishioners of our parish SATURDAY, January 13th Vigil: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 4:30PM: Donald Rivard req by Ida Rossignoll SUNDAY, January 14th Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:30AM: Agnes McIsaac req by Irene Sullivan and for all parishioners 10:30AM: Dorothy Lavallee req by her family Did you know that the only reason we say that there were three wise men is that they brought three gifts? The Bible never says their number or their names. The gifts tell us about the givers. And these special gifts-- gold, frankincense, and myrrh--tell us much. When one king visited or sent an ambassador to another, he would give a gift of gold to show that he acknowledged the kingship of the other. So the first gift of the wise men tells us they recognized Jesus as King. The second gift is a type of incense, which was used in Jesus time to worship God. So this gift shows the wise men paying homage to Jesus' divinity. The gift of myrrh is oil used to anoint the dying. It reminds us of Jesus suffering and death on the cross. So what gifts do we have for Jesus? Maybe we can take a hint from the wise men. If we acknowledge Jesus as king, maybe a better gift than gold would be to pledge our obedience to him. Each day we can promise to live our vocation as best we can, to love those around us, and forgive those who hurt us. A better way than burning incense to pay homage to Jesus' divinity is to take time to pray throughout the day. Some people are able to attend daily Mass, others spend time in adoration before the Eucharist, or even a few minutes of their lunch break to say the rosary. As for the gift of myrrh, we can give Jesus the crosses we bear each day. When we accept suffering in our lives, especially that caused by our sins, we give ourselves to Jesus as he gave himself for us on the cross. The song "Little Drummer Boy" reminds us that the best gift is not necessarily the most expensive. Instead, it is the simple gift that only we can give. Let Epiphany remind us to offer our lives to Jesus each day. Tom Schmidt, Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co. MORNING MASS SNOW POLICY December 24 $ December 25 $ December 31 $ January 1st $ December online.$ For the safety of our parishioners and also to give our maintenance staff a chance to clear walkways and to make sure the parking lot is plowed, if Merrimack schools are closed or if there is a delayed opening, Mass is cancelled. We will call and reschedule the Mass intention for that day. Thank you for your generosity!!!

3 OUR LADY OF MERCY PARISH BEGINNING TODAY. Please join us for Bible Story Time. Children of all ages are welcome, as well as interested adults. Learn about fascinating individuals and events in our Church s history. These stories will be read after the 10:30 AM Mass downstairs in the Church Hall during the month of January. TODAY we begin with the Story of the Magi. Please join us. FREE ITEMS We have been contacted by a parishioner who knows of someone who has a hospital bed with a new mattress, a wheelchair and a walker that is free to anyone who can use them. If you or someone you know could use one or more of these items, please call the parish office at Monday through Friday from 9am to 4 pm. Moms & Tots This is a group of parents who come together twice a month for social time. Parents stay (with their children) and visit with each other while the children play together (with parents in the same room) in our special children s area located in our parish office building or out in the play area, weather permitting. The children s area has toys, books, games, etc. We welcome all parish parents and their children (ages infant to 6 years). Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 10th from 10am to 12 noon. Please join us!!! MERRIMACK, NH PARISH BREAKFAST Come down to the Church hall after Mass on January 14th and take advantage of the wonderful opportunity we are being given to take a moment out of our busy lives and enjoy the company of our parish friends. A delicious breakfast will be served by our Knights of Columbus. Our Parish Nurses will also be sponsoring a Blood Pressure Clinic during the breakfast. Hope you are able to take advantage of this opportunity. Are You Looking to Start Back on Your Journey of Faith? Are you ready? The road to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation is ahead if you are ready. Do you wish to finish your Catholic Sacraments of Initiation? Maybe you want to get on the road to come to the Catholic Church to be baptized and start on your journey of faith. Did you receive your First Communion and then get side tracked and never receive Confirmation? It is never too late to get back on the road and continue on your faith journey. It is never too late to receive your First Communion or Confirmation and to step right back into the last footsteps of your faith journey and begin again as an adult. This is an exciting process especially designed for adults who want to celebrate the Sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and/or Confirmation called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Don t hesitate if you are ready. Just call the parish office at and speak with Marie Dancy, our Pastoral Associate. She will give you all the details and help you get started. Have you been away from the Church and maybe looking to come back? Has your child not yet started formal Religious Education classes or maybe missed a few years? We welcome you and your child back to the Church. We are here to work with you to find the best way to educate your child in the way of the Catholic faith. Please call the office to set up a time to discuss the specific needs of you and your child. For information on any of our programs or to speak with the Director of Parish Religious Education, Laura Paison, please call the office at or her at lpaison@olmnh.org.

4 January 7, 2018 Rosary Calendar Signups A new year is beginning soon and we all have many reasons to pray. More than ever, we need love, guidance and the intercession of our Heavenly Mother Mary. She is our Queen of Peace! Praying the Rosary is a wonderful way to ask our Blessed Mother to bring peace in our hearts and to offer spiritual support for life at all stages and in all vocations. Through prayer you can make a difference. Each day of January 2018 has been dedicated to a specific intention. To participate, simply sign your name on the day you wish to pray the Rosary. Each day can be chosen by more than one person. Parents, please talk about the daily intention with your children and say a short prayer with them each day. Pray for families, for priests, for the elderly, the unborn and our government leaders. Life is God s gift to all of us. Sign ups begins the weekend of January 6th and 7th after all the masses or anytime throughout the month. More than one person can sign up for any day. OPENING MASS FOR CONFIRMATION PROGRAM AND PARENT/SPONSOR MEETING Immediate Preparation for Confirmation begins with an opening Mass on January 13 at 4:30 PM for all students. Students are asked to bring their baptismal candle to Mass with them or if this is not possible, please bring a white unscented taper candle. A meeting for Parents, Sponsors, and Confirmation Candidates will follow the opening mass, beginning at 5:30pm in the church with a spaghetti dinner following in the church hall. All directives for the program should be fulfilled by the student prior to their entrance into the immediate preparation program. CALLING ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.. Our High School Youth Group is up and running and is having lots of fun. Currently, those students in grades 9 through 12 are welcome to attend. The meetings are every Sunday evening from 4:30 to 6:00 pm in the Parish Meeting Room. Our next two meetings are Sunday, January 7th and January 14, Please join us and have some fun!! For more information or any questions, please contact Mackenzie Murphy at mmurphy@olmnh.org.

5 MASS SCHEDULE Saturday: 4:30 pm Sunday: 8:30 and 10:30 am Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 8:30 am Holy Days: Anticipated Mass (evening before) 7:00 pm Holy Day at 8:30 am Phone Parish Office/Rectory: Religious Education Office: s for Office Staff Pastor: Rev Paul Bouchard Deacon: Mr. John Castelot Pastoral Associate: Marie Dancy Faith Formation Director: Laura Paison Faith Formation Admin Asst: Kathleen Rush Youth Minister: Mackenzie Murphy Office Manager: Cathy Guman Music Director: Nancy King Receptionist/Secretary: Alyce Bolduc The Sanctuary Lamp for January 6th through January 12, 2018 is lit in memory of Carol Hagman. If you would like to have the sanctuary lamp lit in memory of or for the intentions of a loved one, please call the parish office at BAPTISMS We would like to welcome into our parish community: Kirsten Harper Aylesworth, Sophia Nicole Belanger, Jackson Peter Hannigan, Charles Jude Chauvette, Brady Andrew Demirdjian, Rose Beatrice Johnson. May your children bring you joy and happiness in the years ahead. Be assured of our support and prayers as you exercise the responsibility of training your child in the practice of faith.

6 Information Page Acct #: Our Lady of Mercy Parish 16 Baboosic Lake Road Merrimack, NH Contact Person: Kathleen Rush Phone: (603) or (603) Fax: (603) Address: Kathy Bulletin for January 7, 2018