Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative

Transcription

1 Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative Home to St. Mary and St. John the Evangelist Parish Families Parish Offices located at 115 Middlesex Street, North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, (978) (978) fax (978) Just as our Blessed Mother Mary and the Evangelist, called John, came together at the foot of the cross to serve Christ crucified, so also do the parish families bearing their names come together to serve God by serving each other and all who make up the body of The Risen Lord. December 16, 2018

2 Cry out with joy: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel! - Responsorial Psalm (from Isaiah 12) at St. Mary s Faith Formation Events See Faith Formation Page 6 6 pm Music Ministry Team Rehearsal 5:00-5:45 pm Church Advent Confession 7:00-8:00 pm Church Life Line Screening Event 9:00 am - 4:00 pm St. John s Advent Confession 7:00-8:00 pm St. John 11:00 am Music Ministry Rehearsal 7:00 pm Church Music Ministry Rehearsal 6:30 pm Music Room Advent Taizé Prayer Service 7:00 pm St John Boy Scout Troop 77 7:00 pm Parish Hall Adoration 3:00-9:00 pm PC Chapel Rosary Makers 10:30 am - 12:00 pm PC Conf Room 2 Rosary 12:00-1:00 pm PC Chapel RCIA 7:00-8:30 pm PC CR 2 Adoration 7:00 am - 9:00 pm PC Chapel Knitting & Crocheting CANCELLED TODAY Family Christmas Movie Event 7:00 pm St. John s Adoration 9:30 am - 3:00 pm PC Chapel Reconciliation 11:00 am - 12:00 noon Church Music Rehearsals 1:00-4:00 pm Music Room Collaborative Bell Rehearsal 2:30-3:30 pm Loft 4 pm Mass Music Ministry Team 2:45 pm Music Room String Ensemble/Ministry Rehearsal 3:00-4:00 pm Church Anointing of the Sick following 4:00 pm Mass Faith Formation Events See Faith Formation Page 6 6 pm Music Ministry Team Rehearsal 5:00-5:45 pm Church Christmas Decorating 7:00 pm Church upcoming office closures CHRISTMAS The office will close at 12:30 pm on Monday, December 24th and remain closed until Thursday, December 27th. NEW YEAR S The office will close at 12:30 pm on Monday, December 31st and remain closed until Wednesday, January 2nd. Wear your PJ s Bring a Cozy Blanket Enjoy Hot Chocolate and Cookies Have Fun with Family and Friends Visit with St. Nick All Aboard! Christmas Family Movie Night Presents Friday, December 21 from 7-9 pm St. John s Church Hall The St. Mary Table Ministry served in December If you have not had the chance to do so yet, register for a Wellness Package TODAY. It includes 4 vascular tests and osteoporosis screening from $149 ($139 with our member discount). All five screenings take minutes to complete. There are three ways to register for this event and receive a $10 discount off any package priced above $129: 1. call toll-free (888) ; 2. visit communitycircle; 3. text the word circle to

3 page 3 St. John Christmas Decorating Help is needed to decorate the Church for the arrival of the Christ Child on Christmas. If you can lend a helping hand, please RSVP to Maureen Gearin at (508) We are looking for people to help us with the placement of the nativity, poinsettias, wreaths, Christmas trees, etc. We are also looking for a couple of people who are comfortable working on ladders in order to place garlands and fabrics. Decorating Schedule When you RSVP, please indicate what times you are able to help out. Sunday, December 23rd 2:00-5:00 pm and again from 6:00-10:00 pm Monday, December 24th 9:30 am - 2:00 pm December 16, 2018: Third Sunday of Advent at St. John s Faith Formation Events See Faith Formation Page 7 Children s Liturgy of the Word 8:30 am Mass Coffee and Donuts, following 8:30 am Mass Hall Prayer Shawl Ministry, following 8:30 am Mass Hall Auction Finale, following 10:30 am Mass Hall African Liturgy 12:30 pm Church Families w/addiction Support Group 7:00 pm NPC Epiphany Pageant Interest Meeting 4:00 pm Mariotti Advent Confession 7:00-8:00 pm St. Mary Chelmsford Quilters Guild 6:00-9:00 pm Hall ACTS Core Meeting 6:30-8:00 pm Linehan LifeLine Screening Event 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Hall Wine, Women and Word 6:30 pm Mariotti Open Music Rehearsal 6:30-8:00 pm Church Advent Confession 7:00-8:00 pm Church All women of the Chelmsford Collaborative and beyond are welcome to join us for our monthly meeting. Our reflection for the evening will be Mary Journeyed as the Ark of the New Covenant Join us THIS Tuesday, December 18th 6:30-8:00 pm St. John s New Parish Center: Mariotti Room BRING A FRIEND, OR TWO! St. John St. Vincent de Paul Please bring in one or two non-perishable items to church with you THIS weekend, December 15th/16th. You can drop them off to the pantry located in the entrance way to the right of the stage in the church hall. Please remember to pay attention to expiration dates. Thank you for helping us to help others! Advent Taizé Prayer Service 7:00-7:30 pm Church Charismatic Prayer Group 10:00 am OPC BINGO 6:45 pm (doors open at 3:00 pm) Hall Charismatic Prayer Group 7:00 pm Church Family Christmas Movie Event 7:00 pm Hall Children s Christmas Choir Rehearsal 7:00 pm Church NO 9:00 am Mass: Mass at St. Mary s this week Reconciliation 3:00-3:45 pm Church Faith Formation Events See Faith Formation Page 7 Children s Liturgy of the Word 8:30 am Mass Coffee and Donuts, following 8:30 am Mass Hall Epiphany Pageant Rehearsal 10:00 am Hall African Liturgy 12:30 pm Church Turn page for more

4 Winter 2019 Bible Studies at St. Mary s Epic: Early Church A 10-week study beginning February 12, 2019 Tuesday evenings, 7:00-8:30 pm You will be led on a powerful journey through the first 500 years of Church history. You will meet courageous saints, eloquent theologians, ruthless emperors and heroic martyrs. This dynamic program presents the origins of the Faith from a truly Catholic perspective. Registration, with $30 payment, MUST be received January 18, Prophets: Messengers of God s Mercy A 10-week study beginning February 11, 2019 Monday mornings, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon If we consider that God is the Divine Bridegroom and the Church is his Bride, then the prophets can be seen as spiritual marriage counselors. They afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted, calling us to return to our covenant relationship with God. They urge us to repentance, warn us of the dangers of sin, and announce the blessings of faithfulness. Their prophetic words speak to us even today, as they draw us closer to our heavenly Bridegroom, and show us how to share him with others. Registration, with $25 payment, MUST be received by January 18, Have you registered for FORMED yet? Register today to begin your FREE access to talks, entertaining movies, kids programming and much more! Visit and click on register now to create your account. Once created, you can download the mobile app from the AppStore or Google Play. welcome to more A. The Concluding Rite brings the entire celebration to a close. Ite Missa est is the Latin phrase that ends the celebration, and it is from which the word Mass is derived. Mass is a corruption of the word Missa, which means to be sent forth. The dismissal is the moment when Christ commissions us to live out the liturgy in our lives. It reminds us that the Mass is not simply about the reception of communion. It is not intended to ever be a me and Jesus moment. It is never appropriate to receive the Eucharist and then leave the celebration, for in doing so we are focusing the celebration on what I have done. This is why it is so important not to leave Mass before the dismissal. If we miss this great commissioning, then we will miss Christ blessing us and sending us out to be his disciples. Jesus has redeemed us to live the mystery of salvation in which we have just participated, in order to proclaim in our lives what God has proclaimed to us. Leaving early means that we have not truly completed our worship of God in the way Christ or the Church calls us to do. And the real question we must ask ourselves is what is more important in our lives than worshiping God? What cannot wait another five or ten minutes when the Mass is the most important action of our life? The dismissal reminds us, as the liturgy makes Christ visible to us in various ways, that we must acknowledge in our lives the many ways Christ is present and similarly make Christ present to others. We hear in two new lines of dismissal Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord, or Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life. It is our duty then, to live out what we celebrate in order that others may come to know the faith, through the words and actions of those who profess faith in the Risen One. Above all, the liturgy is concerned with the worship of God by which the community and individuals are sanctified. Within the liturgical celebration, we recognize the presence of Christ in multiple ways. But, participation in the liturgy is not simply about what happens on Sunday. As the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy states, the liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church. Before people can come to the liturgy, they must be called to faith and conversion. Thus, as the liturgy makes Christ visible to us in various ways, we must acknowledge in our lives the many ways Christ is present, and similarly make Christ present to others. It is therefore, through this worship of God which sanctifies us, that we are sent forth to live out the mystery that has been celebrated in order to spread the faith of Christ in the world. We are called to preach the Good News of Christ in essence to live apostolic lives by living our faith. In other words, we are sent forth from the celebration to be a people who in their lives give praise and thanksgiving to God, to be a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God s own people (1 Pt 2:9). The celebration strengthens and prepares us to do just that, in order for us to come back and celebrate what we have lived. The Constitution rightly asserts then, that the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the fount from which all the Church s power flows.

5 of what s happeningin our Collaborative! A Projection Into Our Future The generosity of the parishioners here at the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative never ceases to amaze me. One of the projects as of late I have been working on is the installation of a projector at St. Mary s. After many months of researching options and the many uses of a projector for the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative, it was time to move forward with trying to fund a project of this magnitude, on an already stretched budget. After much prayer, a very special lady by the name of Linda Harrington stepped forward and almost knocked me off my feet following a 7:00 am Mass. My Prayers were answered! Linda very kindly offered to make a donation that will cover the entire cost of the projector installation. I can t even begin to thank her for her extreme generosity. Many Churches of today have been bringing this technology to parishes for years, and now it s finally St. Mary s turn to be blessed with this wonderful tool. The possibilities are really quite endless for the uses of a church projector. Possibilities include: ways to bring music to the parish not currently printed in our Breaking Bread hymnals, a better way to view our annual Catholic appeal, communicate information for retreats (like our very well received Advent Retreat), assistance with talks presented by Fr. Brian, and many others. This will also serve as a big help for those who are hearing impaired. While these are just a few of the potential possibilities of a projector, most importantly it will help us promote the word of Christ through both spoken and sung prayer, furthering opportunities of evangelization. The installation process is currently scheduled to begin on December 17, As I sit writing this article, I am filled with great joy and an overall sense of pride, not just to serve as your Director of Music Ministries at St. Mary s, but first and foremost as a lifelong parishioner. Thank You, Linda Harrington! Advent Christmas Final Night! THIS WEDNES- DAY, December 19th Come and spend some quiet reflection time with us throughout Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ. Prayer starts at 7:00 pm, followed by refreshments and fellowship. St. John Church Advent Confession Schedule In additional to regular Saturday schedule St. Mary Church Monday Evening; 7-8 pm December 17th Tuesday Evening; 7-8 pm December 18th Christmas Eve: Monday, December 24 St. Mary St. John 4:00 pm (upstairs and downstairs) 6:00 pm and 12:00 midnight 4:00 pm (upstairs and downstairs) 10:00 pm Christmas Day: Tuesday, December 25 St. Mary St. John 7:00, 9:00 and 11:00 am 8:30 and 10:30 am Solemnity of Mary: Tuesday, January 1 Holy Day of Obligation St. Mary St. John 7:00 am and 7:00 pm 5:00 pm (vigil) and 9:00 am

6 St. Mary Faith Formation Program Heather Hannaway Director of Faith Formation Courtney Callanan Coordinator of Grades 7-10 Elaine Kindler Faith Formation Office Manager class schedule THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16TH Grade 2 9:15-10:45 am Parish Hall Grade 4 9:15-10:45 am Parish Center Grade 6 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Parish Center Grade 7 2:15-3:45 pm Parish Hall Confirmation I 4:00-5:45 pm Parish Hall Due to the Christmas Season coupled with School Vacation, Faith Formation Classes will be on break from December 23rd - December 30th. Classes will resume Sunday, January 6th. Lending a Helping Hand There are several families within our Faith Formation program who are in need of extra help with groceries this December. Would you prayerfully consider donating a grocery store gift card over the next two or three weeks to help them out? Gift cards may be placed in the offertory baskets, or brought to the Parish Office during normal office hours. Either way, please put the cards in an outer envelope marked "SM Faith Formation Gift Cards." The cards will be distributed to our neediest families. Thank you so much for your generosity. We are in DESPERATE need of adult volunteers to help as small group leaders for our Confirmation retreats to lead groups of eight teens. We provide everything you need and are there to support group leaders the whole time. Retreats are held on the following dates: January 12th and February 2nd: 1-9 pm Let Courtney know if you can help out. Advent: The Reason for the Season Ask a typical first grader about the Liturgical year, and you will likely hear about Christmas, Easter and Ordinary (or just the regular ) time. There is usually some confusion about the difference between Advent and Lent. What is very clear to them is that both are periods of intense waiting. Significantly, Advent is a season of Hope, whereas Lent is a season of Repentance. That sounds like a simple difference, but perhaps the confusion of our young friends reveals a deeper truth. The coming of Jesus in Advent is bound up with the reason for His birth to be the Savior of the World. The coming is threefold; we await the coming of Jesus in the Nativity, but we also live in joyful expectation of His Second Coming at the end of time, as well as rejoice in His presence in our midst as the risen Lord. This Advent, allow yourself to live in the reason for the season. PRAY READ Things to Do At Home Invest in an Advent wreath and have the kids take turns lighting candles and leading the prayer. Pray at meal time. The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus by Adam C. English WATCH Busted Halo Two-Minute Advent (You Tube) DO Slow down! Enjoy the Advent season with family and friends by being present to one another, really listening to each other, by baking cookies together or making care packages for the needy. FALL Jesus for Thank you to everyone who made a bid on one or more items in Saint Mary s Fall for Jesus Silent Auction in November and to all those who came to the Grand Finale. Congratulations to Marie Breen, who won the bountiful door prize. A special thank you goes to the wonderful volunteers who helped set-up the auction items, and to those who decorated the Parish Hall and provided refreshments for the Grand Finale. From all activities, and after paying expenses, we raised just over $2,200 for the benefit of the the St. Mary Faith Formation program!

7 St. John Faith Formation Program Fran Anderson Director of Faith Formation Faith Formation Class Schedule Courtney Callanan Confirmation Coordinator THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16TH Grades K-6 9:45-11:00 am Grades 7-8 Saturday House of Hope Trip in lieu of class Confirmation (Grade 9) 11:30 am - 1:00 pm THIS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19TH Grades 1-6 4:15-5:30 pm Grades 7-8 4:00-5:30 pm Due to the Christmas Season coupled with School Vacation, Faith Formation Classes will be on break from December 23rd - January 6th. Classes will resume Sunday, January 6th with attendance at the Epiphany Pageant Parish Auction Finale IT S FINALLY HERE Join us TODAY, Sunday, December 16th following 10:30 am Mass in the Hall for the announcement of the winners of this year s Faith Formation Auction. Last-minute bids can be made up until 10:00 am. Refreshments will be served beginning at 9:30 am. All sales support the St. John Faith Formation Program. Thank you, as always, for your support! I am baptizing with water 2018 Epiphany Pageant Sunday, January 6th following 8:30 am Mass Lynn Anne LaDuke Administrative Assistant lynnanne@chelmsfordcatholic.org INITIAL MEETING: Mariotti Room (for all those interested in being in the play) THIS Monday, December 17th 4:00 pm REHEARSAL SCHEDULE (all scheduled rehearsals will take place in the hall) Saturday, December 22nd 10:00 am - 12 noon Wednesday, December 26th 10:00 am - 12 noon Thursday, December 27th 10:00 am - 12 noon Friday, December 28th 4:30-6:00 pm Wednesday, January 2nd 4:00 pm Saturday, January 5th (dress rehearsal) 9:00-12 noon We are in DESPERATE need of adult volunteers to help as small group leaders for our Confirmation retreats to lead groups of eight teens. We provide everything you need and are there to support group leaders the whole time. We are looking for retreat leaders on the following dates: January 12th and February 2nd. All from 1-9 pm. Please let Courtney know ASAP if you can help out. DINE TO DONATE Fund Raiser Saturday, January 12, 2019 Stop into Wendy s anytime on this date and 30% of qualifying sales will be donated to St. John s Faith Formation Program. The required ticket (either paper or electronic image) is available in the parish office or on our website. PLEASE NOTE THE LOCATION FOR THIS EVENT: 436 Chelmsford Street, Lowell

8 Collaborative Youth Ministry Program Courtney Callanan, Youth Minister ext 227 We will again be offering 2 trips for our young people in the Summer of 2019! Both trips are open to incoming freshmen through graduated seniors! This summer, we gather together to celebrate our call to be radiant followers of Christ. We will love as He loved, serve as He served, and boldly put our faith into action. James 1:22 reminds us that we are to be doers of the word and not merely hearers. By letting our light shine bright and being witnesses for Christ, we recognize that we are designed in His image and, as a result, equipped for greatness. We are called to illuminate our Catholic faith in our lives and the lives of others through our words and deeds. Each of us can be a source of light to a darkened world when we lead with love and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, for He assured us in John 8:12 when He said, I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. With these words, you are invited to join us this year! July 21-26, 2019 in North Haledon, NJ Deadline to sign up: February 2, 2019 $475 ($90 non-refundable deposit due at registration) At the core of our being is a desire for meaningful connection and authentic relationship. We long to love and be loved, but how often do we just feel lonely? As we search for ways to escape these feelings of isolation, there comes a small, quiet whisper that pierces through to the depths of our heart:. This summer, over 50,000 Catholic teens across North America will attend 1 of 24 Steubenville Youth Conferences to encounter the God who calls us His sons and daughters. Come and experience His overwhelming love for you. July 12-14, 2019 at UMass Lowell Deadline to sign up: February 2, 2019 $275 ($50 non-refundable deposit due at registration) THE LAST SCHEDULED DATE OF 2018 IS DECEMBER 20TH HOUSE OF HOPE (LOWELL) is dedicated to homeless families in Massachusetts, helping them to gain stable housing. House of Hope is represented by two distinct sister nonprofit organizations: House of Hope Shelter and House of Hope Housing that share a commitment to transitioning homeless families into a stable community life by providing tandem services that (1) respect and nurture families so they can begin to heal from the trauma of homelessness; and (2) support parents by guiding them through opportunities to build economic sufficiency and embrace a stable home life. They are recognized as a leader in the state of Massachusetts relative to their shelter programming, rate of permanent placements in the community, and their housing partnerships. We are looking for volunteer youth/parent teams to spend 2 hours on Thursday evenings (6:00-8:00 pm) playing with young children whose parent(s) are receiving Life Skills training. Orientation is required, and will be conducted at St. John s. Please contact Laura at lkzatta@gmail.com. Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ~ 1Timothy 4:-12 COR UNUM MEAL CENTER (LAWRENCE) serves breakfast and dinner 7 days a week to those in need. The center is committed to the truth that no man, woman or child should ever go hungry and should be treated with dignity. On the fourth Friday of each month, we look for 5-7 youth and 1 adult who are willing and able to volunteer and represent our collaborative. Please sign up 2 WEEKS PRIOR to your requested date by contacting Barbara at dwsmiths@comcast.net or (978) We meet in St. John s parking lot at 3:15 pm and arrive back to the same location by 7:30 pm. The scheduled dates are December 28 January 25 February 20 March 22 April 26

9 Here to Serve You... Reverend Brian Mahoney ext 215 Reverend Tom Corcoran ext 218 Reverend Arnold Colletti ext 221 Francis X. Burke ext 224 Fran Anderson ext 212 Courtney Callanan ext 227 Paul Firicano ext 220 Donna Gambon ext 248 Jason Gaudette ext 234 Heather Hannaway ext 226 Dan Heider ext 121 Elaine Kindler ext 216 Lynn Anne LaDuke ext 240 Rae Russo ext 236 Tina Sousa ext 219 Christine Trznadel ext 214 John Anthony Volpe ext 222 Bob Webb ext 211 Stephen Webber ext 231 In order to promote communication and transparency throughout the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative, you are encouraged to forward any comments and concerns you may have directly to the Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils. COLLABORATIVE PARISH COUNCIL Parish council matters can be sent to: or / , ext 145. Current Council Members are... St. John Members Angela McMaster (co-chair) Mike Condor Scott Davidson Julie Seitter Ellen St. George Beth Jacavanco Augustine Tweneh Ray Wagner (secretary) St. Mary Members Cliff Mann (co-chair) Laura Conte Rob Donnelly Karen Drake Peter Lando (co-chair) Lori McDonald Alma (Chicki) Rigazio Paul Therrien St Mary Youth: Jessica Hagg, Matt Larson St John Youth: Delaney Schiefen ST. JOHN FINANCE COUNCIL Finance matters concerning St. John s can be sent to: SJFinanceCouncil@chelmsfordcatholic.org or , ext 146. Current Council Members are John Bagni Paul Brzezenski Jeff Brown Celeste Dunn Jerry Wright ST. MARY FINANCE COUNCIL Finance matters concerning St. Mary s can be sent to: SM.FC@chelmsfordcatholic.org or ext147. Current Council Members are... Armand DiLando William Donohue Lauren Desforge Paul Firicano Gerard Jarasitis If you would like to submit a notice for the bulletin, please submit it no later than 12 NOON, TWO Fridays prior to the weekend in which you want it published. Submittals should be forwarded to christine@chelmsfordcatholic.org or via US Mail to the Parish Offices at 115 Middlesex Street, North Chelmsford, MA, 01863, ATTN Christine. We will do our very best to accommodate your request.

10 and now a word from Our Pastor

11 FROM OUR YOUTH MINISTRY AND CONFIRMATION COORDINATOR COURTNEY CALLANAN What do we need to do before we eat? I ask a group of teenagers, who I am sure have been eagerly awaiting pizza time since this retreat started. Wash our hands! they confidently respond. Ah that IS a good idea, but not what I was asking about, I say and am met with less certain looks about what should precede eating. With the help of some leading questions, we do eventually get to the answer I was looking for... pray, and do so before they dig into the Zesty s pizza (some of them also wash their hands). This scene has repeated itself countless times. It always makes me chuckle a bit at just how effectively this particular hygienic practice has been ingrained, while simultaneously lamenting that none of them seem to have developed a habit of grace before meals. However, in the spirit of Romans 9:28, We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. I do not think that these young cries of, Wash our hands! to the question of what we should be doing before a meal is wholly without value as an impulse when pursuing the Christian life. For a couple of hours after they, with germ-free hands, ate that pizza, we headed to Mass. There, at the Banquet of the Lord, we ate the Body of Christ. How happy I would have been if, preceding this Eucharistic Meal, I had asked our teens, What do we need to do before we eat? and received an excited response of, Wash our hearts! They were not wrong that having clean hands is a good idea when eating food, but even more important is having a clean soul when receiving the true food offered to us by God at Mass. We do this through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which we are particularly encouraged to take advantage of during this Season of Advent. We are reminded again and again that the Season of Advent is not just about preparing for Christmas. It is about preparing for Christ. It is about seeking to always be ready for when we meet Him face to face, whether that be at the time of His second coming or at the time of our deaths. Now, we do not know when either of those hours will come, however, we do know that we will be encountering Christ, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, each and every time we receive Communion. Blessedly preparing for that expected encounter will also help to prepare for that unexpected hour, and one of the best ways to do so is, as the teens inadvertently alluded, to remember to Wash up!

12 The Financial Page Fiscal Year 2019 runs from July 1, June 30, 2019 Paul Firicano, Collaborative Business Manager pfiricano@chelmsfordcatholic.org Among the gifts you give this Christmas season, please consider contributing to a special Christmas collection for the health and well-being of 580 active and senior priests in good standing in our Archdiocese. Amid these difficult times for our Church, these priests need your support now more than ever. Please take this opportunity to say thank you to all the priests, including our senior priests, who have devoted their lives to the Church and to all of us. To donate online, please visit clergytrust.org or text the word PRIEST25 to to donate $25. St. Mary as of December 9th, 2018 St. John as of December 9th, 2018 as of Dec 10, 2017 as of Dec 9, END-OF-YEAR DONATIONS as of Dec 10, 2017 as of Dec 9, 2018 If you are planning on a year-end tax deductable gift to either St. Mary s or St. John s, please do so by December 31st. Anything received by this date will be appropriately dated to be included with your 2018 contributions. If you have any questions, contact Paul Firicano. Thank you for your continued generosity. If you are 70½ or older, you may be eligible* to use an Individual Retirement Account to make charitable gifts, and enjoy several tax-advantaged benefits. Gifts transferred directly from your IRA account to a qualified charity, like St. Mary or St. John, may: Count toward your annual Required Minimum Distribution Be excluded from federal and state income taxes This is because your gift would pass directly from your IRA to St. Mary or St. John Allow you to make a gift of pre-tax dollars, rather than an after-tax gift Provide a tax savings to you even if you are unable to use a charitable income tax deduction this year As we need to keep parish finances separate, please be sure to indicate to which parish St. Mary or St. John you would like your gift processed when you are making your gift. Your generosity will help St. Mary and St. John to continue building the programs and ministries for the present and future growth of our faith communities. *Please be sure to consult your tax advisor to determine if your IRA qualifies for QCD treatment.

13 Collaborative News in pictures Thank You To Supporters of the St. John Giving Tree Ministry A warm thank you to all who participated and once again stepped up to make Christmas a little happier for those less fortunate. Also, thanks to those folks who helped sort the over 500 gifts received! It would be impossible without you! Thank You for Another Successful Year! St. Mary Spirit of Christmas Thank you to all Parishioners who donated gifts to the Spirit of Christmas Program. These presents were distributed to our neighbors who needed a little extra help this year. It was an awesome sight to see the over 1,000 presents that were dropped off. We are all blessed in this giving and receiving. Thanks also go out to many people who helped behind the scenes: The volunteers, who helped prepare the tags, set up the trees, set up the hall, and received and packed the gifts as they were being dropped off. The office staff for everything! Dan, our Facilities Manager for all his help. All the tremendous volunteers who sorted and bagged the gifts, then carried them to the pick-up cars. Once again, we were done in record time! It really was a wonderful team effort that made this program possible. Thank you and a very Happy New Year Muffins with St. Nick Sunday, December 9 th St. Mary Parish Hall A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes other will be refreshed -PROV 11:25

14 2 SAT, SAT, DEC 15 SUN, DEC 16 MON, DEC 17 TUE, DEC 18 WED, DEC 19 THUR, DEC 20 FRI, DEC 21 SAT, DEC 22 SUN, DEC 23 If you would like to request that a Mass be celebrated for a specific intention or person, please call the parish office. A donation of $10 per Mass intention is requested to be made at the time that you schedule your intention. St. John 4:00 pm: Carol Ann Sullivan: 4th Anniversary 8:30 am: For the People of the Parish 10:30 am: Ann Lizotte: Memorial 12:30 pm: Alfred Oham: 3rd Anniversary 9:00 am: For the Deceased Priests, Deacons and Religious of the Archdiocese of Boston 9:00 am: William O Connell: Memorial 9:00 am: Johanna O Neill: Memorial 9:00 am: Fred & Agnes Johnson: Memorial 9:00 am: In Thanksgiving to St. Joseph for Favors Received 4:00 pm: Aurore & Armand Cote and Robert Carbonneau: Memorial 8:30 am: Jon Doherty: Memorial 10:30 am: For the People of the Parish 12:30 pm: Alfred Oham: 3rd Anniversary St. Mary DEC 15 4:00 pm: Robin Mullin: 20th Anniversary SUN, DEC 16 7:00 am: Marguerite Farley: Memorial 9:00 am: Francine Ullom: 5th Anniversary 11:00 am: Arthur and Marie Vaccaro: Memorial 6:00 pm: For the People of the Parish MON, DEC 17 7:00 am: For the Deceased Priests, Deacons and Religious of the Archdiocese of Boston THUR, DEC 20 7:00 am: Czeslawa Tessie Kijanka: 14th Anniversary FRI, DEC 21 7:00 am: Richard Gilet: 22nd Anniversary SAT, DEC 22 9:00 am: For Those whose Funerals were celebrated at St Mary s in November, :00 pm: For the People of the Parish SUN, DEC 23 7:00 am: Louise Metheny: 41st Anniversary 9:00 am: Francis O Malley: Memorial 11:00 am: Elizabeth Barbara Greenwood: 6 month anniversary 6:00 pm: Carmen, Stella and Sadie Mahoney: Memorial St. Mary Memorial Altar Flowers Parishioners are invited to donate a floral arrangement, to be displayed on the altar in memory of, or in honor of, a loved one. If you would like to donate altar flowers, please call Tina at ext 219. The requested donation for an arrangement is $40, and includes an acknowledgement in the bulletin. St John Rose for Life Someone special you d like to honor? You can do that by having a rose placed before Our Lady of Fatima s statue for one week. We will publish your intention in the bulletin. To book a Rose for Life, contact the parish office. The suggested offering for a rose is $5.00. Patricia Hall To book a Rose For Life, contact the Parish Offices Rose Donated by Mahoney s Garden Center FUNERALS recently celebrated -Ecclesiastes 3:1 Mary Courtemache: December 12th at St. John George H. Byrne: December 14th at St. Mary Julia Agostino: December 14th at St. Mary

15 ST. JOSEPH CEMETERY OPEN HOUSE EVENTS MIDDLE SCHOOL Jan. 5, 10am Feb. 7, 6pm PROJECT BASED CURRICULUM STUDENT CENTERED INSTRUCTION COLLEGE FOCUSED ACADEMICS HIGH SCHOOL Apply Online: innovationcharter.org/apply Nov. 4, 1pm Jan. 16, 6pm 72 Tyng Rd, Tyngsboro, MA IACS is a public school for students in grades Applications may only be completed by Massachusetts residents. IACS does not discriminate on any basis. Admissions policies adhere to all state and federal regulations including public School Regulation 603CMR 26.00, 603CMR 1.05 and MGL c71/89 which states in part: Charter schools shall be open to all students on a space available basis and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, ages, ancestry, athletic performance, special needs, and proficiency in English language or academic achievement. MONUMENTS MARKERS Paul Brouillette Broker Associate LUZ GRANITE 1208 Gorham St., Lowell, MA Chelmsford St., Chelmsford There s No Place Like Home 96 Riverneck Rd. E. Chelmsford, MA Chelmsford Dental Associates (978) Val Peterson Photography (978) D. Lawrence Fadjo, D.D.S. John P. Pietrasik, D.D.S. Ashim Kapur, D.D.S. Val Peterson 2012 All rights reserved. Katherine R. Tyros, D.M.D. Randal S. Parradee, D.M.D. Himanshu Shah, D.M.D. Mon. - Thurs. 7-9 Fri. 7-8 Sat. 7-4 Val Peterson, CPP Owner/Certified Pro Photographer Specializing in portraits and sports & action photography 18 North Road, Chelmsford, MA valpetersonphoto.com Kitchens Baths Basements Additions Custom Homes 106 Tyngsborough Road North Chelmsford pat@abcpayroll.net Roark Law Office P.C. 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Suite 14 Chelmsford, MA Larry.Eppolito@RaymondJames.com EPPOLITO FINANCIAL STRATEGIES Eppolito Financial Strategies, LLC. is not a registered broker/dealer, and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP(R), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(tm) and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board s initial and ongoing certification requirements. Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative

16 RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL (978) Asphalt Shingles Rubber Slate Copper Cedar Shingles Synthetic Slate Gutters Free Estimates Licensed & Fully Insured Maureen Howe REALTOR, MLS Parishioner 1 Chelmsford St., Chelmsford, MA Cell MaureenHowe@verizon.net J.P. RIVARD Trailer Sales Inc. NEW & USED TRAILERS TRAILER & TRUCK REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE TRAILER, TRUCK & RV WASH INSIDE TRAILER WASH OUTS 1 Ward Way N. Chelmsford New & Used Ground Level Containers for Sale (978) PRAYER FOR MY PARISH Almighty God, my parish is composed of people like me. I help make it what it is. It will be friendly if I am. It will be holy if I am. Its pews will be filled if I help fill them. It will do great work if I work. It will be prayerful if I pray. It will make generous gifts to many causes if I am a generous giver. It will bring other people into its worship if I invite and bring them. It will be a parish family of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, of compassion, charity and mercy if I who make it what it is am filled with these same qualities. Therefore with the help of God, I will dedicate myself to the task of being all the things that I want my parish to be. Bless my journey, Lord God, that I might build the Church through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Ad info Church Support Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative