St. Blaise Parish
Third Sunday of Advent Parish Resources 1158 South Main St. Bellingham, MA 02019 508-966-1258 Fax 508-966-0310 www.saintblaise.org Reverend Albert M. Faretra, Pastor Fatherfaretra@saintblaise.org Rev. Mr. Richard J. Brennan, Permanent Deacon deaconrjb@gmail.com Parish Business Manager Mrs. Paula Nieva, paulanieva@saintblaise.org Faith Formation Director Mrs. Bethany Grenier, bgrenier@saintblaise.org Music Ministry Co-Directors Mrs. Marie Crossland, mycrossland@comcast.net Mr. Charles Grenier, grenierproperties@gmail.com Weekend Masses Saturday, 4:00 pm Sunday, 7:30 & 10:00 am Daily Masses Monday through Wednesday 9:00 am Liturgy of the Word Service- Thursday & Friday 9:00 am Holy Days As announced in the bulletin or on the website Reconciliation Saturdays 3:15-3:45 pm in the Reconciliation Room off the vestibule of the church, or by appointment. Baptisms Parents are requested to call the Rectory as soon as possible to arrange for the Baptismal Catechesis and Baptism. Marriages Contact with the Pastor should be made as far as possible in advance so as to allow time enough for the Pre-Cana Program. Parish Mission Statement The mission of the Catholic communities of St. Blaise and St. Brendan is to be a people united in the Eucharist and dedicated to spreading the Good News of God s saving love to all. We seek to encourage the full and active participation of all God s children and be a place where they can come to know, love, and serve God. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we give witness to the teachings of Jesus Christ by actively living the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, thereby being signs of God s love in the world. Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry 508-966 966-2862 Wednesdays 11:00-1:00 pm Mrs. Susan Durkin, Director sdurkin@saintblaise.org We are always in need and very grateful for donations of dry goods, paper goods, and canned goods. Please call for more information and/or assistance. St. Blaise Bingo Bingo information telephone line 508-966-1258 x5 Every Sunday evening at 6:00 pm In the Church Hall (doors open at 4:00 pm) ~All Are Welcome Here~ Let our overall thought and intention be for all those who feel alienated from our church. For all those who through our thought, word or deed, or our omission of thought, word and deed feel abandoned and unloved. May we be a community of reconciliation and peace. May we accept all people, no matter who they are, no matter where they ve been, no matter what their story is. May we be Christ for others. May all be welcomed here.
Third Sunday of Advent Activities & Events & Meetings Bible Based Faith Sharing Every Tuesday Evening 7:30 p.m. in the Sacristy All Are Welcome! Choir Practice Tuesday evenings 7:00 p.m. In the Church New Members Always Welcome! Knights of Columbus Wednesday Jan. 2nd 7:00 p.m. in the Church Hall Ladies of St. Ann Thursday Jan. 10 7:00 p.m. in the Church Hall St. Vincent de Paul Monday, Dec. 10th 7:00 p.m. in the Sacristy Prayer Shawl Ministry Will begin meeting EVERY Monday 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Sacristy Ministry does not meet on holidays or during inclement weather ~500 Club ~ Next drawing Sunday December 30th after the 10:00 Mass. Parish Council meeting Wednesday, Jan. 9th 7:00 p.m. in the Sacristy A Special Bingo Afternoon! On Sunday December 16th, St. Blaise Bingo will be played at 1:00 p.m., doors will open at 12:00 noon! Leave the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and enjoy an afternoon of fun and a chance to win! Please note this afternoon change is for December 16th only. Mass Intentions Saturday, December 15 4:00 p.m. Pat Procak Sunday, December 16 7:30 a.m. Special Intention 10:00 a.m. Tim Crossland Saturday, December 22 4:00 p.m. Betsy Larkin Sunday, December 23 7:30 a.m. Special Intention 10:00 a.m. Kathleen and James Wood If you need prayers or know someone who needs prayers please use the following e-mail: st.blaiseprayerline@yahoo.com. If you do not have e-mail access, please call the office. Please keep the following in your prayers: Thomas, Gertrude, Mary, Heidi, Nancy, Nicholas, Jody, Jason, Paul, Margie, Allie, Kim, Chelsea, Cooper, Bruce, Patti, David, Robert, Molly Rose, Baby Aurora, Matt, John, Jean, Jennifer, Antoinette, baby Lexi and mom Tina. Christmas Festival of Lights at Fatima Shrine~ This annual Festival of Lights transforms the Fatima Shrine into a wonderland of lights and music. Many have made it a family tradition. There will be a Christmas Concert offered by St. Cecilia s Choir of Ashland on Sunday, December 9th at 3:00 p.m. followed by the procession of the Christ Child to the Manager. Fatima Shrine is located at 101 Summer Street, Holliston. All are Welcome. An Evening of Faiths and Fellowship! As the Town of Bellingham prepares for a year long tri-centennial celebration, join the Bellingham Community for an evening of Faiths and Fellowship. This interfaith evening will be held on December 30th, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the upper room of the Town Meeting House (yellow building). The evening will include offerings from St. Blaise, St. Brendan, Sri Shiva Temple, and New England Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME!
Third Sunday of Advent Journey In Faith ~JOURNEY IN FAITH NEWS~ January 5, 2:00-5:00 p.m. January 6, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. ~Confirmation News~ The next Confirmation class will be held on Sunday, January 13th from 8:30-10:00 a.m. in the Rectory. Journey in Faith Sessions: JIF Sessions: Family Mass: January 5 & 6, 2019 Jan. 27, 2019 February 2 & 3, 2019 Feb. 10, 2019 March 2 & 3, 2019 March 17, 2019 March 30 & 31, 2019 April 7, 2019 April 27 & 28, 2019 No Family Mass Mark your calendar for Sunday, Dec. 23rd! Join us after the 10:00 Mass to help us decorate the church for the Christmas Season. With a good bit of help we could finish the task in a couple of hours. SNOW EMERGENCY CANCELLATION POLICY With winter upon us, we will institute a policy that when the Bellingham Schools are closed ALL weekday parish functions, including morning Mass and the Food Pantry, will be cancelled. Weekend services and Journey in Faith cancellations will be announced on Channel 5, on our phone line, and on our website. Bingo cancellations will be announced on the bingo information line, 508-966-1258 ext. 5 and also on our website. Knights of Columbus Meat Raffle: Saturday evening January 5th at 7:00 p.m. in the church hall. Don t miss all the fun! The St. Blaise Choir Invites you to join them on Christmas Eve, 9:30 p.m. For a Christmas Concert ALL ARE WELCOME Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry The December food pantry request is for small bags of rice, and low sugar cereal. Thank you for your continued support. Christmas Pageant~ Children of the parish are invited to be angels or shepherds in the annual Christmas pageant which is part of the 4:00 pm Mass on Christmas Eve. Those participating should be old enough to walk to a specific place and stand still without a parent. Rehearsal for the pageant will take place on Monday, December 17th at 6:30 p.m. Children taken part in the pageant must attend the rehearsal. If you are interested in participating there is a sign-up sheet at the back of the church. Liturgical Dance: Anyone - men, women, boys and girls - old enough to attend the 10:00 pm Mass on Christmas Eve is invited to take part in liturgical dance, a St. Blaise tradition. Former dance experience is not necessary! Those interested in participating are asked to sign up at the back of the church; you will be notified of the dates and times of the rehearsals. Christmas Flowers and Memorial Booklet: If you would like to remember a special person, Living or deceased, in our Christmas booklet please fill out the form found at the doors of the church and return it no later than December 17th. Donations help defray the cost of our Christmas Flowers. ~Third Sunday of Advent~ Gaudete Sunday Shout for joy. Sing joyfully. Be gad and exult with all your heart. Rejoice, in the Lord always. The message this week is clear, joy must be a sign of our life in Christ. We need to bring the light of Christ to these dark December days and speak a word of hope to our world the Lord is near. With each remaining day in Advent make this your prayer and your intention: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.
Third Sunday of Advent Sunday Offertory Summary of last weekend s Collection: Offertory: $6,436.00 Automatic Bill Pay Offertory: $845.00 Total Offertory: $7,281.00 Thank you for your continued support! Every Christmas, we hold a special 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, our hardworking 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 our church and to all of us. To donate online, please visit clergytrust.org or text the word PRIEST25 to 20222 to donate $25.00 (msg. and data rates may apply); or you may use the envelopes found at the doors of the church. May God bless you for your ongoing prayers and generous support of our priests this Christmas. St. Blaise Bingo will be closed on Sunday December 23rd, and 30th. Help us ring in the New Year And join us on Sunday January 6, 2019! Blood Drive ~ Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus will take place at St. Blaise on Saturday, January 26th from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the church hall. For an appointment please call 1-800-RED CROSS (733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org. Remember the reason For ALL seasons! Scripture for the week of 16 SUN Zep 3:14-18a/Phil 4:4-7/Lk 3:10-18 17 Mon Gn 49:2, 8-10/Mt 1:1-17 18 Tue Jer 23:5-8/Mt 1:18-25 19 Wed Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a/Lk 1:5-25 20 Thu Is 7:10-14/Lk 1:26-38 21 Fri Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a/Lk 1:39-45 22 Sat 1 Sm 1:24-28/Lk 1:46-56 23 SUN Mi 5:1-4a/Heb 10:5-10/Lk 1:39-45
Third Sunday of Advent St. Blaise Christmas Eve Monday, December 24th 4:00 p.m. Mass & Children s Pageant 9:30 p.m. Choir Concert 10:00 p.m. Mass (please note the time change) Christmas Day Tuesday, December 25th 10:00 Mass Soleminity of Mary Tuesday, January 1st 10:00 a.m. Mass St. Brendan Christmas Eve Monday, December 24th 4:00 p.m. Mass 11:30 p.m. Choir Concert 12:00 Midnight Mass Christmas Day Tuesday, December 25th 8:30 a.m. Mass 10:30 a.m. Mass (please note, no 5:30 p.m. Mass) Soleminity of Mary Tuesday, January 1st 9:00 a.m. Mass 12:00 Noon Mass