RECONCILIATION 3pm to 3:30pm or by appointment

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1 Fourth Sunday of Advent December 23, CHURCH & PARISH OFFICES 12 Main St. Pelham, NH (office) (fax number) Website: Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00 Pastor Rev. Volney J. DeRosia - Ext fathervon@comcast.net Priest in Residence Msgr. Richard J. Kelley rkelley4372@gmail.com Deacon Deacon John Ross ualdrmflt@comcast.net Faith Life Director Adam Castor Ext faithlifeformation@comcast.net Business Manager Therese Soucy - Ext therese42852@comcast.net Secretary Kathleen Jean - Ext kathy7421@comcast.net Music Ministry Gary Williams garywendy6@comcast.net Jeanne Dyjak jeanneld34@gmail.com FORMED To help you grow in your faith go to to register, go to pelham.formed.org Help Souls on their way to Heaven When Fr. Von gets called to anoint people who are dying, he calls on a group of people to pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet for them. If you would like to join this ministry or want more information, contact Fr. Von at (603) or fathervon@comcast.net. Saturday Sunday MASS SCHEDULE 4PM 8AM, 10:30AM, 6PM WEEKDAYS MASS SCHEDULE Monday through Thursday 8am Friday No Mass First Friday and First Saturday 8am HOLY DAY MASS SCHEDULE Holy Day 8am, 10am & 7pm Wednesday ADORATION 8:30-9:30am 2:00-8:00pm FIRST FRIDAY ROSARY The Knights and the Women s Guild invite everyone to First Friday Rosary at 6pm in the chapel. The Rosary is followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 6:45 PM. Saturday RECONCILIATION 3pm to 3:30pm or by appointment ANOINTING OF THE SICK & COMMUNION TO THE SICK & HOMEBOUND Please contact the Parish Office for arrangements BAPTISM Please contact the Parish Office to schedule a baptism. Parents are required to meet with the pastor and participate in a baptismal catechetical session prior to the celebration of the sacrament. MARRIAGE Arrangements with the parish must be made at least nine months prior to the wedding. Fulfillment of a Diocesan, pre-marriage program is required. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Care to join the Knights of Columbus? Please contact Erick Wright at or eqwright@comcast.net. More information online:

2 The Bulletin had to be transmitted early due to Christmas. The money will be in next weekend s bulletin. Saturday December 22 4pm The Choquette & Loiselle Families and Rita & Gerry Trottier requested by Al & Shirley Choquette & family Sunday December 23 8am Aldo Larese, 30 th Anniversary, requested by the Raby family Rev. John Sledziona, Birthday Remembrance, requested by Donna Smith 10:30am James Buscema, 18 th Anniversary, requested by his family 6pm Intentions of all our Parishioners SECOND ENVELOPES FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEKS Dec. 30 Teen Ministry This collection helps with expenses for Teen Ministry. Monday December 24 Christmas Eve 8am Teresa Evans requested by her Jan. 6 Capital Improvements mom & family This collection helps with projects around the 4pm Christmas Memorials parish. 7pm Christmas Memorials Tuesday December 25 Christmas Day Jan. 13 Utility Midnight Christmas Memorials This collection helps with the cost of utilities for 9:30am Christmas Memorials the Church, Rectory, Parish Center and School. Wednesday December 26 8am Lorenzina Scalisi requested by Jan. 20 Diocesan Seminarian Fund Joan Berard This collection funds the education and formation Thursday December 27 of men discerning the priesthood for the Diocese 8am Andrea Caggianelli, 2 nd of Manchester. Your contribution helps promote Anniversary, requested by vocations to the priesthood. Our assessment for his family this collection is $2,248. Friday December 28 8am No Mass Your contributions toward the support of the Saturday December 29 parish and its ministries are greatly appreciated. 4pm Connie Edwards, 30 th Anniversary, requested by her sisters Andrea & Georgette Phyllis Dexter requested by the Bereavement Group Sunday December 30 8am Gail Whitehead requested by the Chandonnet family 10:30am Richard Koes requested by the Koes family 6pm Intentions of all our Parishioners This week the Sanctuary Candle is in memory of Roland Langlois, Jr., by Roberta Wilson 2

3 Christmas Eve December 24 th Christmas Eve Mass 4:00 PM Christmas Eve Mass 7:00 PM Sunday, December 23 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal, 12:00-1:30 PM, in the church Men & Women AA, 7:00-8:00 PM, in the school Wednesday, December 26 Adoration, 8:30-9:30 AM and 2:00-8:00 PM Food Pantry, 1:00-4:30 PM Women s AA, 7:00-8:30 PM, in the school Christmas Day December 25 th Midnight Mass 12:00 AM Christmas Day Mass 9:30 AM New Year s Eve December 31 st The Solemnity of Mary 5:30 PM New Year s Day January 1 st The Solemnity of Mary 9:30 AM Thursday, December 27 Men s AA, 7:00 PM, in the K of C Hall Friday, December 28 Men & Women AA, 7:00-8:00 PM, in the school SANCTUARY CANDLE If anyone would like to sign-up for the Sanctuary Candle in memory of a loved one for 2019, please contact the parish office at Acts of Mercy How many Spiritual Instruct the uninformed Counsel the doubtful Admonish sinners Comfort the sorrowful Bear wrongs patiently Forgive offenses Pray for the living and the dead How many Corporal Feed the hungry Clothe the naked Give drink to the thirsty Shelter the homeless Comfort the imprisoned Visit the sick Bury the Dead CHRISTMAS VACATION ST. ANDREW DINNER St. Andrew was the first of the Apostles to hear Jesus call to follow him. We would like to invite college students who are home on vacation and other men in our diocese who are considering a vocation to the priesthood or would simply like some help hearing the Lord s call for their life to an evening of prayer, conversation with the Vocations team, and dinner. This dinner will be held here at St, Patrick Parish on Friday, January 4 th, from 6:00-8:00 PM. Please RSVP to Becky Vinson at rvinson@rcbm.org or if you would like to attend. TRUE REFORMERS Saints of the Catholic Reformation Monday Night Teachings Learn about the saints who brought about the true reform to the Catholic Church: St. Thomas More, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Philip Neri, St. Francis de Sales and St. Teresa of Avila. January 14 th, 21 st and 28 th, February 11 th, 18 th and 25 th 7:00 PM in the Youth Room at the School. For more information, contact Fr. Von: fathervon@comcast.net or

4 My Dear Brothers and Sisters, Christmas is nearly upon us in case you didn t get the memo. This Fourth Sunday in Advent reminds us how close we are to Christmas but more to the point, how close God is to us. The first reading from the prophet Micah speaks to us of the littleness of Bethlehem, yet how the ruler comes forth. In many places in the Old Testament, God reminds Israel that He chose her not because she was the greatest, but the least. Again, he chooses the smallest, this tiny clan of Bethlehem-Ephrathah, to be the place from which the King shall come. It is, of course, hearkening back to David s coming as King (which took place centuries before Micah), but also looking ahead to the new King, the Messiah, the Anointed One, the One who is to come. God does not disdain littleness, but chooses the smallest to show His greatest power. In the Gospel, we hear of Mary s visitation to Elizabeth. There, the smallest John the Baptist in utero is the first to recognize and announce the coming of the Messiah. He leaps in his mother s womb, and she recognizes the presence of God. Isn t it amazing to think about? God doesn t disdain to come to us in little ways, in the tiny, in the seemingly insignificant! And this young girl probably about fourteen years old (that s an eighth or ninth grader!) bears the very Presence of the Godhead, the second person of the Blessed Trinity in her womb. Mary s yes (contrary to the person who recently said she was part of the Me Too movement, Mary gave full consent to God, our God who REFUSES to step on our free will) brought about the closeness of God Emmanuel, God-with-us. She bore God s presence to Elizabeth and John (and countless others in that nine month period). Mary still bears Christ s presence to us. And Christ calls us to be bearers of His presence to others in the world. Think about this: when we receive Holy Communion, Jesus is truly, physically, sacramentally present within us each one of us receives a unique touch of love from God. Are we aware of this presence? If we really understood the incredible presence of God in us, how would that change the way we act? How would it change our conversations in the car on the way home? How would it affect the ways we treat (and think about) the other people around us? Sometimes, we might not hold on to this thought because it seems untenable to us: Why would God choose to be this close to me? How could He possibly be so close? It seems well, just wrong. Yet God demonstrates over and over again that He seeks after the smallest, the least worthy to be the instruments of His presence and designs. He chooses the weakest to show His strength. He longs to be close to us. He doesn t require our goodness. He doesn t require our holiness. He doesn t require our abilities or strength. All He requires is our yes our willingness. With that yes, given, and given again, He will choose closeness and intimacy with us. He will make us good and holy. He will supplement our weakness with supernatural abilities, so that when people see the way God acts through us, they will say, That has to be God, because that person couldn t possibly Do we give God our yes? Do we let Him be close to us? He wants so much to show us His love. But if we continually choose other things over God, He won t force Himself on us. Tuesday is Christmas, the birthday of the God-man. God wants to be close to us. For His birthday, will you give Him your yes? 4

5 PRAYER LINE St. Patrick Parish has an on-going Prayer Line. Many of our friends and family are going through difficulties; the loss of loved ones or personal problems and sickness. Our mission is to pray for them. If you want to pray for others or need prayer, you are welcome to Lillian Murgia at or call Rosemary Dole at Anyone wishing to serve on the Prayer Line, praying for other people, please contact, Lillian Murgia at or at PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY Here at St. Patrick we have a Prayer Shawl Ministry. These shawls are made by many volunteers and are either knitted or crocheted. If you know of someone who is sick or needs comfort, please call the parish office to receive one. We have many shawls of varying colors. The Prayer Shawls are free. On the other hand, if you are interested in making prayer shawls, the parish office has instructions. Just call us at and we will get the instructions to you. MASS ON PARISH WEBSITE You can watch Mass now on our Parish Website. Go to the Parish website and look under the quick links and click on Mass on Pelham Television. Then click on the link ptv.viebit.com CREATE A LEGACY Be a part of ensuring the future of our Church In dealing with the most important questions of where our resources will go after we are not around to manage them, it is important to have a plan. When making these future plans, consider making a legacy gift to St. Patrick Parish and make an impact on our future ministries and the Catholic faith. With a simple bequest in your will or estate plan, you can make a significant difference in the future of our parish for generations to come. For more information about how to include St. Patrick s Catholic Church in your will, please contact Fr. Von or Therese Soucy in the parish office. The Pelham Food Pantry is in need of Toilet Paper and Paper Towels. PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL Please welcome our newest members to the Parish Pastoral Council for 2019: Linda Beauchesne, Obi Okoye, Beth Teague and Cyndee Tourville. Our continuing members are: Chris Condon, Brian Lamoureux, Norm Aubin, Allyson Condon and Jayna Monaco. PARISH OFFICE HOURS The Parish Office is closed on Monday, December 24 th and will reopen on Thursday, December 27 th. We would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! PTV SCHEDULE CHANNEL 22 For St. Patrick Mass Schedule Sunday 8:00 PM Monday 7:00 AM & 4:00 PM Tuesday 9:00 AM & 8:00 PM Wednesday 1:00 PM & 10:00 PM Thursday 9:00 AM & 7:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM & 7:00 PM Saturday 6:00 AM & 2:00 PM 4:00 PM LIVE Subject to change 5 MERRY CHRISTMAS