Website: FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME February 8, 2009

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1 Dear Friends, I am really dating myself, but I still recall when I was in grammer school in Providence, Lincoln s Birthday, February 12th and Washington s Birthday, February 22nd were holidays. Two days out of school in the same month! Many of us know little about most of our Presidents, but everyone seems to be able to conjure up some mental thoughts of Washington and Lincoln, if only that we have visited their monuments in Washington. The Lincoln Memorial has always been my favorite. I have always enjoyed reading the following and I hope that you will, as well, as we celebrate Lincoln s Birthday this Thursday, February 12th. The following continues the theme of last week s Pastor s Corner...Little things (kindness) mean a lot. What President Lincoln did some 144 years ago is still remembered. President Abraham Lincoln often visited hospitals to talk with wounded soldiers during the Civil War. Once, doctors pointed out a young soldier who was near death and Lincoln went over to his bedside. Is there anything I can do for you? asked the President. The soldier obviously didn t recognize Lincoln, and with some effort he was able to whisper, Would you please write a letter to my mother? A pen and paper were provided and the President carefully began to write down what the young man was able to say: My dearest mother, I was badly hurt while doing my duty. I m afraid I m not going to recover. Don t grieve for me too much, please. Kiss Mary and John for me. May God bless you and father. The soldier was too weak to continue, so Lincoln signed the letter for him and added, Written for your son by Abraham Lincoln. The young man asked to see the note and was astonished when he discovered who had written it. Are you really the President? he asked. Yes, I am, Lincoln replied quietly. Then he asked if there was anything else he could do. Would you please hold my hand? the soldier asked. It will help to see me through to the end. In the hushed room, the tall, gaunt President took the boy s hand in his and spoke quiet words of encouragement until death came. (Published June 1, 1902 in The New York Times) Have a good Abraham Lincoln s Birthday, kids.even though you have to go to school!

2 Nuts and Bolts #3 You ve become engaged and suddenly there are a million and one items that come to mind! But before you make any decisions concerning date and reception venue, YOU MUST contact the priest whom you will want to officiate at your ceremony. The calendar of the priest and also the parish calendar MUST be open for the date and time for your wedding. Once your wedding is scheduled with Father and also the church, then you can work on the other items, such as reception venue, photographer availability, wedding attire, flowers etc. etc. etc. The priest will want to meet and talk with you. Generally the priest will meet with a couple several times during the engagement period. This is one of the reasons why the Church requires at least a six month time span from engagement to wedding date. There is paperwork to be done, so be prepared to contact your church of baptism and ask for current copies of your sacramental records. This may involve some family research. For those of our parish who were baptized through the military, you might need additional time for a baptismal document search at the Military Archdiocese. When you meet with your priest, he will provide you with all the information you will need to plan this most special day of your life. And of course the parish staff is always available to answer questions and help you in any way that they can. Mass Intentions Monday, February 9 ESTANISLAO LLAMES... 7:30am - Fr. Martin Tuesday, February 10 HUGH FORDE...7:30am - Fr. Martin Wednesday, February 11 DORA FITZGERALD :30am - Fr. Martin Thursday, February 12 LAVON CORRIGAN :30am - Fr. O Keefe Friday, February 13 CHRIS SARANTIS :30am - Fr. O Keefe Saturday, February 14 CATHERINE TREZZ....9:00am - Fr. O Keefe MR..CORTELYON PAYNE.....5:00pm - Fr. Wilson Sunday, February 15 RAYMOND LOPKA :30am - Fr. Wilson PARISHIONERS :00am - Fr. Martin ELIZABETH LOACH :00am - Fr. Martin GLADYS WILSON :45pm - Fr. O Keefe Life in the Spirit Seminar Nativity s Love is Given Charismatic Prayer Group will present a seven week Life in the Spirit Seminar beginning Thursday, February 12th at 7:15pm in the All-Purpose Room of the Church. Come and learn how to grow in a personal relationship with Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Attendance is limited, and you must pre-register for the Seminar. For more information or to register please visit the sign-up table after the weekend Masses or contact Kathleen McArdle at or Tom Finn at Catechists and Assistants for Confirmation should attend an important information meeting on Sunday, February 8, at 7:30pm in room 2. Presidents Day Holiday classes cancelled Sunday, February 15; Monday February 16; and Tuesday, February 17. The Confirmation Retreat for Group II students will be held in Nativity s Parish Hall Saturday, February 21, from 8:00am 2:30pm. Parents of First Holy Communion students should attend an important information meeting on Wednesday, March 4, at 7:00pm in the church. The Inclement Weather Policy can be viewed at click on Weather Policy. ALTAR FLOWERS In loving memory of Mr. and Mrs. John Martin

3 URGENTLY NEEDED! SCIENCE FAIR JUDGES Nativity Catholic School Science Fair Thursday, March 5, :00pm 2:30pm If you enjoy science and have a few hours to donate to our Nativity Middle School Science Fair, we would love to have you as one of our judges. The students are judged on their ability to follow the scientific method, logical thinking and presentation. You are not required to have a degree in science to be a judge! (Sorry, parents of 7 th & 8 th Grade Nativity students are ineligible.) This is a wonderful opportunity for 30 adults to be role models for our youth. Lunch will be provided for judges and an orientation will be provided prior to lunch. If you would like to provide this worthwhile service to our school community, please notify us as soon as possible by contacting Mrs. Schempp (aschempp@nativityschool.org) or Mrs. Sinclair (msinclair@nativityschool.org) at Thank you for volunteering! PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY The next daytime Prayer Shawl Meeting will be on Monday, February 9th at 9:30am and the next nighttime meeting will be on Wednesday, February 18th at 7:00 pm. Both meetings will be in the All Purpose Room. Come and join us. Bring your project to work on or learn how to make a prayer shawl for the seriously ill of our parish. For more information call Toni Rausch, ; Flo Grike, or Joanne Dezzutti, PRO-LIFE CORNER Our faith is strengthened when it is shared; so too, the Pro-Life message will be strengthened when it is shared in Christian love. Please support the Tepeyac Family Center, Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030, x 107, with your prayers and financial resources. Info on this crisis pregnancy center can be found at Crisis Pregnancy Centers Phone Numbers Catholic Charities National: CARE-002 Catholic Charities Local: A Woman s Choice: Gabriel Project: Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ St. Jerome CAR RAFFLE Car raffle tickets have been mailed to each family. If you have not already, you should receive them soon! We are participating with All Saints; a more generous venture than purchasing a vehicle on our own and each purchaser has a chance to win five cars! This makes selling at work or to family and friends more like an opportunity - just show them the ticket - it will sell itself! Beginning February 21, 2009, you can return your tickets after Mass to the table located outside or one of the Knights of Columbus in the coffee room. Come join the Knights of Columbus who are united in charity The primary focus of the KOC is charity. Nativity Knights donated 11,000 hours of volunteer service and raised $43,470 for charitable causes in According to the Independent Sector, the estimated dollar value of a volunteer hour last year was $19.51 which brings the total value of charity contributions by Nativity Knights to $258,080 last year alone. As a Knight you can choose the projects you wish to join within our community. Knights are dedicated to family life and the many benefits it offers. From insurance to scholarships to service programs and social activities, all are open to the whole family. We are dedicated to making a difference and building a future. Are you the best Catholic man you can be? We want to make you better! We are searching for the next generation of Knights. Interested in having the experience of a lifetime by joining this great fraternal organization that is involved in giving back to our church, our families and our community? Visit the coffee room after Mass to visit with a Brother Knight or call George Getek (703) or Matt Smith (703) KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FRATERNAL BENE- FITS MEETING, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, 7:30pm This meeting is open to ALL: Knights of Columbus, Nativity Parishioners, spouses, et al. The evening will include timely presentations by Knights of Columbus Insurance Agent Paul Hannan and others on Life Insurance, Annuities, Long Term Care, Will and Trusts and Investing. Please contact GK7992@VAKofC.org if you wish to attend.

4 Sunday, February 8 PIZZA SALE AFTER MASSES (OC) 2:00, 4:00 & 6:00 pm CCD Classes (S,PH,GR,CV) 7:30-8:30 pm..cyo Work Camp Mtg. (PH) Monday, February 9 9:30 am Prayer Shawl Ministry (APR) 4:00 & 7:00 pm CCD Classes (S,GR,APR) 6:45 pm JustFaith (TL) 7:00 pm RCIA (GR) 7:00 pm RCIC (CH) 8:00 pm AA Meeting (APR) Tuesday, February 10 9:30 am Bible Study (APR) 4:30 & 7:00 pm CCD Classes (S,GR,APR) 7:15 pm Knights of Columbus (PH) 7:30 pm Legion of Mary (APR) Wednesday, February 11 10:00 am Mom & Me (APR) 7:30 pm Traditional Ch. Practice (CH/MR) 7:00 pm Hispanic Prayer Group (SC) 7:30 pm WON Meeting (APR) 7:30 pm Evening Bible Study (Rm. 9) 7:30 pm...bsa Troop 1100 (PH) 7:30 pm CYO Small Group (TL) Thursday, February 12 9:30 am..craft Group (APR) 9:30 am..spanish Mass/Exposition (SC) 7:00 pm..life in the Spirit Seminar (Rm. 5) 7:15 pm..family Choir (CH) 7:30 pm..prayer Group (APR) 7:30 pm..venture Crew (Rm. 4) 7:30 pm..youth Choir (CH) Friday, February 13 10:00 am..legion of Mary (APR) Saturday, February 14 10:00 am..dog Obedience Class (PL) 10:00 am..esl Classes (Rm. 4, 5, 6, 7) 6:00 pm..cyo Val. Day Babysitting (K) 7:00 pm..spanish Mass (CH) WHAT IS CARBON FAST? More than just reducing our carbon footprint, a Carbon Fast links us to the spiritual renewal of Lent. More details will be in the bulletin of February 22. An idea from the Creation Care Ministry

5 NATIVITY SCHOOL REGISTRATION Nativity School Registration for NEW Families of Pre-School and K-8 will take place on Thursday, February 12, 2009 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. and from 6:00 to 8:00 pm; February 19 from 11am to 1:00pm in the school lobby. Siblings of students already enrolled at Nativity School are given first preference for any available spaces. Registered parishioners, according to years registered in the parish, will be considered next in line. Pre-school ( young 4 year olds) and pre-k is for older 4 and 5 year olds. Those who do not meet the cut-off for Kindergarten.. Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by Sept. 30, st grade students must be 6 years old by Sept. 30, Admission in the Pre-school program does not guarantee admission into Kindergarten. Registration for Kindergarten follows the school admission policy. Documents necessary for registration: ORGINAL certified birth certificate with State embossed seal or birth registration card; COPY of baptismal certificate; COPY of immunization record, social security number, most recent report card and current test scores. There is a $ nonrefundable registration fee for one child and $ for family registration (two or more children). Acceptance of Registration Applications will be delayed if we do not receive all documentation. Registration does not mean automatic acceptance into Nativity School. Acceptance is based on Acceptance Policy criteria and space availability. The Family Fellowship Group is designed to bring our Church families together in monthly fellowship, to share faith and provide service to the local Ronald McDonald House. If you are interested in more information on this group or if your family would like to attend any of the upcoming events, please contact Courtney and Dzul Scherber at nativityfamilyfellowship@yahoo.com Valentine s Day is this Saturday, February 14th. Visit our Gift Shop and find a special card and gift for your loved ones. We have bracelets, necklaces, mugs, plaques, crosses, etc. neatly displayed for your shopping convenience. The 2009 Bishop s Lenten Appeal Be Rich in good Works...Ready to Serve (1 Tim 6:18) This is an opportunity for us to unite with all Catholics in our Diocese to share our blessings and to show concern for one another. Please assist the works of vocations, Catholic Charities, family life and all the other programs carried out by our diocese. Please be generous as God has been to you. Every gift is important. This weekend, all will be asked to complete a BLA pledge form at Mass. If you have already given in the mail or decline to give, there will be places to note that on the form. If you have not yet pledged, please read the tabloid that is being distributed with today s bulletin. Please prayerfully consider Bishop Loverde s request for support and give generously to assist the work of our diocese. The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia are offering a Monastic Discernment Weekend for single, Catholic women on February 20 to 22, For more information contact Sr. Vicki, OSC at or visit our website at vocations@osbva.org Fair Trade principles promote environmental sustainability. That is why coffee from Larry's Beans of Raleigh, NC is organic and shade grown. Larry says, Buy organic. Tastes delicious. Reduces pesticides in our soil, our water, our children. Fair Trade coffee will be available next week, Feb 14/15, after the Masses. For more information, contact or HELP THE HOMELESS A parishioner is seeking new or gently used hats, gloves and scarves for the area homeless shelters. Men s sizes are especially needed. Donations of toiletries ( unused only please) are also needed for the shelters and Veterans Hospital. All sizes of toiletries are accepted, but sample sizes are preferred. Drop off date is February 14/15. Boxes will be available for your donations in the entry of the Church. Thank you for your help in this act of mercy. BOOKKEEPER S CORNER Each month we help ECHO, The Salvation Army and Lamb Center with a small monthly donation. These donations amount to $1,200-$1,300 each month. We also give a monthly donation to S.O.M.E. In addition, we help needy families within our parish with food, gas, water and electric bills. Dankie (Thank you in South Africa)