The Church of the Incarnation

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2 The Church of the Incarnation 544 Prospect Street Wethersfield, CT Rev. James M. Moran Pastor Mrs. Noranne Wamester Pastoral Associate Director of Faith Formation Mrs. Audrey Saharek Pastoral Assistant Mass Schedule Confessions on Saturdays from 3:45-4:30p.m. Vigil Mass: Saturday at 5:00p.m. Sunday Masses: 8:30 & 10:30 a.m. Daily Mass: (Mon. - Fri.) 9:00 a.m. Recitation of the Rosary before 9:00 a.m. daily Mass Mrs. Maggie Seaver Coordinator of Middle School Faith Formation Gr Youth Minister Mrs. Filomena Marinelli Coordinator of Elementary Faith Formation Gr. K-6 Sacrament of Baptism By previous appointment by calling the rectory. Sundays at 12:30 p.m. Celebrated in the Baptistry of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Mrs. Teri Aiudi Rectory Office Assistant Faith Formation Secretary Weddings Please contact a priest 6-10 months prior. Mrs. Theodora Niver Director of Music Vanessa Crowley Lorissa Heath Rosanne Sweeney Gowdy Andrew Russo Heather Picard Gianna Bielenda Cantors Marguerite Heinimann Rectory Assistant Toni Munoz Sacristan Rectory (860) Fax (860) Church cincarnation@sbcglobal.net New Parishioners and Faith Formation Registration The Church of the Incarnation welcomes new parishioners. All forms are available at the main entrance of the church. Please mail or place in the collection basket. You may also visit our website for printable forms at: Rectory Hours 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Faith Formation Office (860) gotellit15@gmail.com Website address:

3 Page Three Fourth Sunday of Advent..December 23, 2018 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22ND 5:00pm Deceased members of the Champ, Aiudi & Bailardo Families FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23RD 8:30am Miguel & Mariana Gaspar 10:30am Thomas DiMarco MONDAY, DECEMBER 24TH 9:00am Fred & Joanne Lepore CHRISTMAS EVE VIGIL MASSES MONDAY, DECEMBER 24TH 5:00pm For all our Parishioners 10:00pm For all our Parishioners CHRISTMAS MORNING MASSES: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25TH 8:30am For all our Parishioners 10:30am For all our Parishioners WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26TH 9:00am Sarah Anne Marie Privitera, Myles Connolly Sr., Mark Rioux & Nicholas Damato THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27TH 9:00am John Robinson & Baby Sienna FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28TH 9:00am Maria Alice DaCosta SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29TH 5:00pm Virginia & Julian Nesta SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30TH 8:30am Tommaso & Maria Maccarone & Roger & Gisele Cyr 10:30am Anthony W. Melillo The Sanctuary Candle will burn from 12/24/ /30/2018 in memory of Joseph Salvatore. The Blessed Virgin Mary Candle will burn from 12/24/18 12/30/2018 in memory of Anthony W. Melillo. Our Christmas Environment The Christmas plants which adorn our stained glass windows in the nave of the church are in memory of our deceased parishioners as we observe the 55th Anniversary of the Founding of our Parish. Thank you for your Annual Collection donations! Donations will be gratefully received through We are at $97,400 of $100,000 goal. There is one collection on Christmas and it is for our parish. This collection will be taken up at the Christmas Eve Vigil Masses and Christmas Morning Masses. A huge thank you for the overwhelming response to our Handbell donations. If you would like to see the handbells please see Mrs. Niver in the Choir Loft. We would like to thank all of our generous parishioners who donated to our 20th Advent Giving Program Angel Tree: Thank you for your kindness to those less fortunate during the Season of Christmas! A special thank you to Carolyn Carcia and the Carcia Family who have been organizing this special collection for 20 years!!! God Bless! If you are leaving Wethersfield for the winter, please notify the rectory so that we can place your envelopes on inactive. When you return, kindly call and we will re-activate them. Thank you.

4 Page Four Fourth Sunday of Advent..December 23, 2018 FAITH FORMATION IN ACTION FAITH FORMATION (GRADES 1-6): The Elementary Faith Forma on Program is in recess for the Christmas Holidays. Classes will resume on Saturday, January 5, We wish all our Faith Forma on families a most Merry and Blessed Christmas. May the Baby Jesus fill your hearts with love and joy! May your good deeds light the way during Advent and shine brightly as you welcome the infant Jesus...the true LIGHT OF THE WORLD. CHILDREN S LITURGY OF THE WORD: Sunday, January 6, 2019 at the 10:30 am Mass. FIRST RECONCILIATION MEETING Parents of Grade 2 students are asked to attend a very important meeting Mon., January 7, 2019, 7pm. in Fr. Crawford Hall to discuss the Sacrament of Reconciliation which will take place on Sat., March 23, At least one parent must be in attendance. EVENING OF REFLECTION FOR ADULTS: Finding Peace Amidst the Chaos was rescheduled to Thurs., Jan., 10, 2019 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Fr. Crawford Hall followed by refreshments. Presenter is Kelly Henderschedt, Director of Catechetical Education, Archdiocese of Hartford. Amidst the chaos, gift yourself with time and the opportunity to slow down the speed of life and breathe in the grace of the God who loves us. ST GERARD CENTER FOR LIFE DONATION: We are most proud to announce that the proceeds from the sale of our Holy Family figurines and Advent Calendars allowed us to donate $675 to the St. Gerard Center for Life organization! What a wonderful community outreach from our 3 rd and 4 th Grade Faith Formation students and the Respect Life Committee! Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the sale such a success! SNOW CANCELLATIONS: will be announced on WFSB, WVIT & WTIC and also via our website. Please do not call the rectory regarding class cancellations. If you have reserved a Mass for a loved one, please let the ushers know prior to Mass if you intend to bring up the gifts. Please follow the Cross Bearer down the aisle before communion. Thank you. Confirmation 2019 :The next gathering for our 9th graders will be Sunday, January 6th from 3:00-6:00pm in Fr, Crawford Hall. We are very proud of the response the kids have shown to the call to be of service to others. They are "Lighting the Way", as they reach out in many ways throughout their home, church, & school communities. Attention all parents/guardians: During Mass we request that children would always be accompanied to the restrooms by a parent or adult.

5 Page Five Fourth Sunday of Advent..December 23, 2018 PRAYER CORNER Home Blessing of the Nativity or Crèche All make the sign of the cross. Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord. All: Who made heaven and earth. One of those present or the leader reads Luke 2:6-14, the account of the birth of the Savior Leader/Reader: The Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. Leader: Lord, bless all who look upon this manger; may it remind us of the humble birth of Jesus, and raise our thoughts to him, who is God-with-us and Savior of all, and who lives and reigns forever and ever. All: Amen. Leader: Lord Jesus Christ, you had no place to lay your head, but in the spirit of poverty accepted the hospitality of your friends: grant that through our help the homeless may obtain proper housing. All: Amen. Leader: Let us all pray together: God of every nation and people, from the very beginning of creation you have made manifest your love: when our need for a Savior was great you sent your Son to be born of the Virgin Mary. May we share with others the gifts our Savior has graciously poured out upon us: joy and peace, justice and mercy, love and compassion. From the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Christmas Eve this year is Monday, Dec. 24th. Daily Mass will be held at 9am. Christmas Eve Monday Evening, December 24th we will offer a Christmas Eve Vigil Mass at 5pm and a Mass During The Night at 10pm. Our Incarnation Choirs will sing 45 minutes prior to the 5pm Mass on Christmas Eve. NOTE: There will be NO MIDNIGHT MASS. Tuesday, December 25th, Christmas Morning Masses will be at 8:30 am & 10:30am. Rectory closed at noon on December 24th & all day December 25th. Emergency calls only please. Wishing everyone a Joyous Christmas! New Year s Mass Schedule: TUESDAY, JANUARY 1ST, 2019, THE SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD IS A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION THIS YEAR. WE WILL CELEBRATE A VIGIL MASS ON MON- DAY, DECEMBER 31ST AT 5:30PM AND TUESDAY, JANUARY 1ST, 2019 OUR HO- LY DAY MASSES WILL BE CELEBRAT- ED AT 9AM & 11AM. Rectory closed on Tuesday, January 1, Emergency calls only please.

6 Page Six Fourth Sunday of Advent..December 23, 2018 Mary set out in haste, carrying the good news of God s great love. John s leap in the womb celebrates a change from habitual rhythm. Wherever you go today, go immersed in the grace of a loving God. If you are called to carry the good news of God s love to His people as a priest or religious, call Fr. Michael Casey, Director of Vocations, Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, at phone number (860) , or vocations@aohct.org or visit the web at Please pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, diaconate & religious. Vocations Holy Hour: New Time/Day: Vocations Holy Hour and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will be at Incarnation every Tuesday from 9:30-10:30am in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. All are welcome as we pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, diaconate & religious life. Prayer For Peace held at Incarnation Church 30 minutes prior to 9am Daily Mass. Come, O Holy Spirit, and Renew the Face of the Earth! Legion of Mary mtg. every Monday at 9:45am in Fr. Crawford Hall at Incarnation Church. The object of the Legion of Mary is the Glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer & active cooperation in Mary s and the Church s work. Join Us! We are blessed to have a beautiful outdoor Nativity Scene. We invite parishioners to take pictures with your family in front of our lovely Nativity Scene. It is located outside in front of the main entrance of church. The Polish Christmas wafers (Oplatek) are available at the rectory while supplies last. Any interest in joining our Incarnation Parish Council? Call Audrey at (860) There are 3 mtgs. per year, usually held in the Chapel at 7pm on Sunday eves. We are updating The Church of the Incarnation parish website. Any committee chairpersons that need to update info. on the website, please call Noranne or Audrey at (860) Christmas Flowers: In your packet of December collection envelopes you will find an envelope to provide Christmas flowers in memory of loved ones. Kindly return it before Christmas. PLEASE NOTE: As of January 1, 2019 our Saturday Confession time will change. New time for Saturday Confessions will be 3:30-4:15pm. We will book masses for 2020 on Monday, January 7, Please be mindful that we have a very large parish and we ask that you limit your masses and candles to 2 per family. Thank you! SAVE THE DATE: FEBRUARY 22, 23, & 24, Join us at our parish Men s Retreat at the Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, West Hartford, CT. Theme this year is: NO ORDINARY PATH... Register at: or Call John Ewaski (860) or Bill Carroll (860) Women s Retreats also available on the website. Join The Wethersfield Knights of Columbus for Dinner at Bertucci's restaurant in Newington. Flyer/ coupon at church exits. Enjoy a family meal & help raise money for the Knights charities. Has your marriage become troubled and stressed, unloving or uncaring? Even if you are divorced or separated but want to try again, the Retrouvaille program can help. We provides tools to communicate better, resolve conflicts fairly, & rediscover why you fell in love. Next wkd. is January 18-20, For information call January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month: The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry in collaboration with The Underground CT is offering Gather Together, Saturday January 12, 2019 at St. Bartholomew Church, 45 Ludlow St., Manchester. Expert speakers will present on the reality of trafficking in CT, the work being done, and how churches can help. Equal Exchange will offer a Fair Trade chocolate tasting/presentation on labor trafficking in the cacao industry. Doors open at 8:15am, Presentation begins 9am. theundergroundct@gmail.com.

7 Page Seven Fourth Sunday of Advent..December 23, 2018 MEMORIES AND DREAMS Throughout our lives, we retain the language and habits of our native region and family of origin. Should we return to our home after a long absence, we quickly revert to its familiar speech and practices. Our deep memory is reflected in old stories and words and speech patterns. This familiarity runs like an underground river and accompanies us wherever we go. Not only do we remember, we are incorporated into and made part of a greater memory. In remembering and recollecting, we are in turn gathered up and recollected. Today we remember Mary, a small figure travelling the country roads to visit Elizabeth. All the great pronouncements and dreams of the prophets point to this time when the Lord s words to Mary would be gathered and fulfilled. The memories of her people are alive in her, and memories of her nourish our own living faith. TODAY S READINGS First Reading From Bethlehem-Ephrathah shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel (Micah 5:1-4a). Psalm Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved (Psalm 80). Second Reading We have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:5-10). Gospel Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken by the Lord would be fulfilled (Luke 1:39-45). READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Lk 1:67-79 Tuesday: Vigil: Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 [18-25] Night: Is 9:1-6; Ps 96:1-3, 11-13; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14 Dawn: Is 62:11-12; Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2:15-20 Day: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1-6; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 [1-5, 9-14] Wednesday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 8ab, 16bc, 17; Mt 10:17-22 Thursday: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Friday: 1 Jn 1:5 2:2; Ps 124:2-5, 7b-8; Mt 2:13-18 Saturday: 1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96:1-3, 5b-6; Lk 2:22-35 Sunday: Sir 3:2-6, or 1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28; Ps 128:1-5 or Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10; Col 3:12-21 [12-17] or 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24; Lk 2:41-52 SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Fourth Sunday of Advent Monday: Vigil of Christmas Tuesday: The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Wednesday: St. Stephen; First Day of Kwanzaa Thursday: St. John Friday: The Holy Innocents Saturday: Fifth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord; St. Thomas Becket TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION In ancient pagan Rome, these days in mid- December were a time for general slacking off at work and far too much rejoicing. The period of leisure after the harvest and a whole cluster of pagan festivals were a force for the church to reckon with. The Saturnalia, breaking out on December 17, was a time of high living and loose morals. Christians were advised by their bishops to drop out of the mayhem and do some serious fasting. A famous church council at Saragossa in Spain made a season of fasting mandatory from December 17 to December 23, exactly coinciding with the Saturnalia. The bishops at that time were perhaps less concerned with preparing for Christmas than with resisting the kind of loose living going on. Modern times have restored a bit of the Saturnalia spirit to our culture, so that a general period of partying with a vague connection to religion is now upon us. How does a Christian keep balance? The practice of charity by remembering the poor in our gift giving, of hospitality in finding a place at our holiday tables for the poor and lonely, and of daily prayer in the home and at church are great helps. Although Advent is not a penitential season like Lent, it is a time for making room in our lives for what matters most. Fourth Sunday of Advent December 23, 2018 Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Luke 1:42

8 Page Eight Fourth Sunday of Advent..December 23, 2018 Christmas Blessing May there be harmony in all relationships. May sharp words, envious thoughts and hostile feelings be dissolved. May you give and receive love generously. May this love echo in your heart like the joy of church bells on a clear December day. May each person who comes into your life be greeted as another Christ. May the honor given the Babe of Bethlehem be that which you extend to every guest who enters your presence. May the hope of this sacred season settle in your soul. May it be a foundation of courage for you when times of distress occupy your inner land. May the wonder and awe that fills the eyes of children be awakened within you. May it lead you to renewed awareness and appreciation of whatever you too easily take for granted. May the bonds of love for one another be strengthened as you gather with your family and friends around the table of festivity and nourishment. May you daily open the gift of your life and be grateful for the hidden treasures it contains. May the coming year be one of good health for you. May you have energy and vitality. May you care well for your body, mind and spirit. May you keep your eye on the star within you and trust this luminescent Presence to guide and direct you each day. May you go to the Bethlehem of your heart and visit the One who offers you peace. May you bring this peace to the world. Out of the Ordinary by Joyce Rupp Let love and compassion be our guide. And may we pray to Our Blessed Mother, our Queen of Peace, for the safety of all people. Shalom. Noranne S. Wamester, Pastoral Associate Our Confirmation candidates have been busy helping out in many ways this season! Wednesday, Jan 16, 6-9 p.m. Workshop for Parish Catechists: Supporting Parents in their Ministry as Primary Catechist, with Liza Peters, Lisa Orchen and Kelly Henderschedt Parish catechetical leaders, pastors, liturgy and music directors, Catholic school educators and catechists are welcome. $40, includes dinner. Register at or by calling Holy Family Retreat Center, West Hartford Saturday, Jan 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Our Struggles Have Purpose, with Shawn Elizabeth George Every day we are inundated with what we should look like, sound like, and feel like, and we re told that what is isn't enough. Join us for a day to pause and breathe and learn to begin living from the inside out. $75, includes lunch. Register at. holyfamilyretreat.org or by calling , Holy Family Retreat Center, West Hartford