Bulletin Deadline: Monday at 10:00 a.m. Website News: to: Pastor The Reverend Michael Whyte,

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1 A Parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford Mass/Liturgy Schedule: Saturday Vigil at 5:00 p.m. Sunday Masses at 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, NO 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass) Daily Mass at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Wednesday, and Friday. (Yearly) Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday from 4:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Baptisms and Baptismal Preparation: Please call the parish office at Sacrament of Holy Matrimony: Please call the parish office at at least 6 months in advance Choir Practices: Adult Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Youth Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Music Group Sundays at 4:00 p.m. Bulletin Deadline: Monday at 10:00 a.m. Website News: to: StCatherineWebMaster@Comcast.net 265 Stratton Brook Road, Box 184, West Simsbury, Connecticut Tel: /Fax: stcathy@comcast.net Website: WELCOME! We welcome all visitors who are celebrating with us today. As is our custom at St. Catherine of Siena, please remain in your pew for the singing of the first and last verses of the recessional hymn. Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. The St. Catherine Parish Legacy Fund is committed to ensuring the long-term stability of our parish and its ministries. Please consider a gift in lieu of flowers upon a love one's passing as a way to ensure our community will thrive well into the future. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph 27 December 2015 Pastor The Reverend Michael Whyte, PARISH STAFF Administrative Assistant-Parish Office Mrs. Lisa Cerchia or stcathy@comcast.net Director of Religious Education Mrs. Kathi Bonner or kathidre@aol.com Director of Youth Ministry Mrs. Judy Pluta or judyplutaym@gmail.com Coordinator, Young Adult Group Mrs. Sandi Smith or sandismithyya@gmail.com Music Director Mrs. Susan Zybert or susanzybert@comcast.net Facilities Manager Mr. Michael Grappone, Parish Council President Mr. Jim Peters or jpetersjjr@gmail.com Finance Council Chairman Mr. Scott Muryasz Parish Legacy Fund Chairman Mr. Peter Pabich, Parish Lay Trustees Mrs. Melissa Horbal, (860) Mr. Joseph Capozzoli, (860) Thanks for worshiping with us. If you would like to join our parish family, fill out a yellow membership form found in the vestibule or atrium and mail it to us, drop it in the collection basket or call us at

2 WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS Saturday, December 5:00 pm Mass for Anthony & Lucia Brancato, requested by their family; Sunday, December 8:00 am Mass for Audrey Volpe, requested by Max & Dottie O Meara; Sunday, December 11:00 am Mass for Baby B, requested by family; Sunday, December 5:00 p.m. Mass for Special Intention Monday, December 8:30 a.m. Mass for Gerald Francis; Tuesday, December 8:30 am Mass for Laura Satrape, birthday remembrance; Wednesday, December 8:30 am Mass for Special Intention; Thursday, December 6:00 p.m. Mass Pro Populo; Friday, January 10:00 am Mass for Alcide Tacy; Saturday, January 5:00 pm Mass for Curtiss Hickcox, III; Sunday, January 8:00 am Mass for Emma Ready, requested by the Mortimer Family; Sunday, January 11:00 am Mass for Joan Mary Young, requested by the Jahne Family; and, Sunday, January 5:00 p.m. Mass for Thomas Patrick Whyte. Offertory Collection Weekly Collection: $12, Loose Cash/Checks $1, Envelopes $11, Christmas Flowers (additional) $55.00 Repair & refurbishment (additional) $1, Retired Religious Fund (additional) $70.00 Cathedraticum* -$ School Tax* -$ *Parish taxes (5.5%) paid to the Archdiocese for services to the parish. New Year s Day is a holy day of obligation, the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. We will celebrate the Vigil Mass on December 31st at 6:00 p.m. The Mass on New Year s Day will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Religious Education News REL ED CLASSES, K-10 RESUME on Sunday, Jan 3rd. GRADE 8 CLASS MASS is Sunday, January 10th at 5pm. All 8th graders are expected to attend. Please be at the church no later than 4:30pm. CONFIRMATION I & II Meet on Sunday, January 3rd. The Saint's Essay will be assigned at this class for Confirmation II. Religious Education children have been learning about Pope Francis' "Year of Mercy" each Sunday - opening the "door" to our hearts to show mercy. We will have some special Sundays at Rel Ed to help be merciful. On January 10th, we will have "Pajama Day"! All children (and catechists) can come to class in their PJ's...but must bring a breakfast item such as cereal, pancake mix, syrup, apple juice, etc. for the food bank. Our next Sunday of Mercy will be on Super Bowl Sunday, on Feb. 7th. Gratitude to Grade 5 Religious Education Class! With the leadership of Catechists Lorraine Cosgrove, Ann Hurley, Wendy & Kaitlyn Savarase, the children decorated and filled 55 beautiful Christmas stockings, filled with special snack treats provided by their parents. These gifts of the Christmas Spirit were delivered to St. Elizabeth's House on December 15th. Thank you to all who participated! Joy to the World, the Lord has Come! SENIOR HIGH YOUTH MINISTRY Sunday, January 10th, 6:00 pm Join us for MOVIE NIGHT on the BIG SCREEN in Russell Hall. Pizza will be served promptly at 6:00 pm. Please feel free to bring munchies and crunchies to share while we watch the movie. You are welcome to bring bean bag chairs, sleeping bags, or wear you slippers for your viewing comfort. A friend is always welcome. JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH MINISTRY Monday, January 11th, 7:00 pm, Russell Hall. Join us tonight for ICE CREAM SUNDAES, A TREASURE HUNT and more! Are you new to Junior High Youth Ministry? Come check it out. Bring a friend. All in grades 7 an 8 are welcome.

3 FROM FATHER MICHAEL... End of the Year Reflections & Thanks One can never say Thank You too often. And gratitude is the essence of the Christian faith as expressed in and through the Catholic Church. Gratitude for God s love and gift of life and eternal life, gratitude for the gift of faith, gratitude for family and for friends, gratitude for the blessings God bestows on us and that we are called to share with others. I begin this thankful litany with our Parish staff. St. Catherine of Siena is blessed to have a dedicated and caring, a profoundly faith-filled group of people who desire nothing less than to bring God s love and hope to all through their ministries. Kathi Bonner at religious education, Judy Pluta and Sandi Smith through Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministry, Lisa Cerchia at the front office, Mike Grappone in the presentation and management of our facilities, and Susan Zybert and Nicole Poirier in the beautiful sounds of praise to God through our Music Ministry. Well educated in the role of their ministries in and through the Church, combined with dedication and love makes their work a winning combination that creates and sustains a warm, welcoming and vibrant Catholic parish. I thank them for all that they do for our parish and for you and your families. Our volunteers which are happily too many to name and are the backbone of any Church boast a particularly strong membership here at St. Catherine of Siena, and one that is nothing new to this parish. From the very foundation of St. Catherine in 1974, there have been an army of volunteers who have created a legacy for Christ. From the folks who volunteered to decorate, plant the trees and commit their lives to building a facility and a community, to the dedicated minds who put up the structure, assisted the pastors in guiding the parish as it grew through Finance Councils and Parish Councils, committees galore for numerous events and outreach activities, Men s and Women s Clubs, parish picnics and outreach, Mary Garden-creators, Small Christian Communities who grew the parish one-by-one, to the altar linen societies to catechists teaching future generations of Catholics, Buildings and Grounds members and more. These people and groups not only built this house of worship but today maintain and sustain it welcoming more and more Catholics to the fold. Today our Parish continues the wonderful Catholic traditions of the ongoing mission and ministry of Jesus Christ in our modern world. From Pantry Partners, St. Elizabeth House, Youth Feed the Hungry offering corporal works of mercy, to a new Health & Healing Ministry and the largest single parish contingent of Eucharistic Ministers going to St. Francis Hospital offering care for spiritual works of mercy, to Eucharistic Ministers who serve the residents of McLean Home, to a growing Youth Ministry outreach locally and across New England to more than 64 religious education catechists, to a growing music ministry assisting our liturgies, to hosts of volunteers who care for the parish grounds, decorate the liturgical seasons, and simply are the lifeblood of this local Church. And it does not end here. The people in the pews! This number of faithful has seen an increase in the last few years, which is a testimony of a dual nature: first, it is a testimony to the current members of this parish. Your welcoming community draws more and more Catholics each year as people move into the area or search for more meaning in their life; second, it is a testimony to the people coming they desire something more in life than a good job, a lovely home and community in which to raise their families they seek the meaning of life which is to serve and love God in this life so that we can be with Him forever in the life to come. Knowledge and Truth are the hunger points and you and a parish community are freely willing to offer what you have come to know. That is true Christian fellowship. Some pundits and others love to tell you that faith and the Catholic Church in particular are dead. To that I say: Bah, humbug! Faith is alive and well as is the desire for it. And there is only One reason for that: God is alive and well and His Love will never die. This Christmastime as we celebrate the memorial of His Incarnation and the Babe of Bethlehem and remember what that truly means the love of an infant that came to heal us of our weaknesses and forgive us of our sins offers each and everyone one of us the gift of Eternal Life. No receipt, no exchange necessary. This gift won t be found under the tree or in the stocking, but rather in a manger and then on a Cross. For the gift is Love. So in this Season Believe It. Live It. Share It. right here at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. Welcome and thanks! A Special Christmas Gift I wish to offer a special gift to each and every registered Parish family here at St. Catherine of Siena. From the weekend after Christmas forward there will be in the atrium a table set up with books on it entitled, Rediscover Jesus, by Matthew Kelly. There is one book for each Parish family and I ask you to collect one each (per family) over the next week or two. It is from our Parish to your family and offers an insightful and very practical (non-theological) understanding of how and why Jesus is vitally important in your life family life. And how you can practically bring Him ever more deeply into your lives moms and dads, children and extended family. It is a great and easy read, and one that should have a very powerful benefit for all: Living together in love forever! Happy ever-lasting reading. Enjoy! A Gentle Reminder on the Advent Giving Tree Just a reminder that our Advent Giving Tree program is underway until the end of the month. We are collecting donations for the Neighbors In Need program that supports assistance to local Simsbury-area families and individuals who are in the midst of struggles financial and other. Your support can help buy fuel for the home, food, offer assistance with repairs for automobiles so that people can get to work and continue to care for their families, and other types of everyday assistance. It also supports the Knights of Malta Mobil House of Care by enabling these Catholic Knights and Dames to provide medical care to the poorest of the poor and working poor families in the Archdiocese of Hartford. Medical tests and diagnosis, treatment with free medicines and therapy, to surgery and ongoing treatment through St. Francis Hospital, this outreach program is literally a lifesaver. Through many volunteer doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and lay volunteers, to the assistance of the pharmaceutical companies and the Archbishop s Annual Appeal life is given, offered and sustained. Thanks for your help to these programs. The Parish Legacy Fund is also supported, offering ongoing assistance to the needs of this Catholic community at work. Thank you! A Blessed and Happy Christmas to You and Yours!

4 Get involved: you don t have to do everything... but everyone should do something! Upcoming Meetings/Events DECEMBER -Sun, 27th Children s Liturgy of the Word, RH, 11 a.m. -Mon, 28th Confession, Church, 6 p.m. -Thurs, 31st NEW YEAR S EVE, Mass at 6:00 p.m. January -Fri, 1st NEW YEAR S DAY, Mass at 10 a.m. -Sun, 3rd Children s Liturgy of the Word, RH, 11 a.m. -Sun, 3rd Contemporary Choir, MR, 4 p.m. -Sun, 3rd Confirmation 1 & 2, 6 p.m. -Mon, 4th Confession, Church, 6 p.m. -Mon, 4th Rosary, Church, 7 p.m. -Tues, 5th Children s Choir, MR, 6:30 p.m. -Tues, 5th RCIA, Library, 7 p.m. -Tues, 5th PC Exec, Rectory, 7 p.m. -Tues, 5th Adult Choir, MR, 7:30 p.m. -Sun, 10th Children s Liturgy of the Word, RH, 11 a.m. -Sun, 10th Senior High Youth Ministry, RH, 6 p.m. -Mon, 11th Confession, Church, 6 p.m. -Mon, 11th Junior High Youth Ministry, RH, 7 p.m. -Mon, 11th Parish Council, Library, 7 p.m. -Tues, 12th Children s Choir, MR, 6:30 p.m. -Tues, 12th Men s Club, RH, 7 p.m. -Tues, 12th Adult Choir, MR, 7:30 p.m. -Wed, 13th Virtus Training, RH, 6 p.m. -Mon, 18th Prayer Shawl, Library, 7 p.m. -Tues, 19th Children s Choir, MR, 6:30 p.m. Please join-n and come to a meeting of your choice. Sacred Heart Epiphany Party & Giving Tree: Thank you to all who have selected tags from the White Giving Tree! Before January 1st, please place the wrapped gift with the name tag attached under the tree. We are also looking for volunteers to help at the party on January 9th and preparing for the event. This is a great opportunity for service hours. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Susan Hoffman at suedhoffman@hotmail.com or (cell) or Bonnie Daly at dalyrc@comcast.net. We greatly appreciate your support and generosity. There may be a few Heavenly Hosts Cookbooks left! If you are interested in a copy(ies), please contact Rosemary Clarke, or her at rchad.clarke@gmail.com; $25 for individual copies; quantity discount for 3 or more cookbooks, $20 a piece. -Tues, 19th Social Justice, RH, 7 p.m. -Tues, 19th RCIA, Library, 7 p.m. -Tues, 19h Adult Choir, MR, 7:30 p.m -Wed, 20th Defenders of Faith, Library, 7 p.m. Social Outreach St Ann Social Justice Committee is having their 8th Annual Winter Reading Used Book Sale in Father Bennett Hall, 289 Arch Rd, Avon, CT. Pantry Partners Thank you to all of the volunteers who assisted in the December distribution. We are mindful of the message of this Jubilee Year from Pope Francis encouraging us to engage in corporal acts of Mercy. The mission of St. Catherine Pantry Partners is to address food insecurities among our Simsbury neighbors, and with your generous support we are able to assist many families and individuals every month. Friday, January 8th from 5-8 pm ($5 admission for adults) Saturday, January 9th, 9 am 6 pm (free admission) Sunday, January 10th, 8 am-12:30 pm (free admission) Proceeds will benefit the St Ann Scholarship Program

5 End of Bulletin Information on this page is not printed Church: City: St. Catherine of Siena West Simsbury, Connecticut Account # Run # Routing Code: O Phone: Fax: Contact: Lisa Cerchia