The Annunciation, early 1600 s by Francesco Albani 2nd Sunday of Advent
Saint John Paul the Great Parish Saturday Vigil, December 9th 2017 4:00pm Peter Chuck Mubarek by Mr. and Mrs. Emil Gianni 5:30pm Francis James and Mary Kucera by family Sunday, December 10th 2017 7:30am Francis Katherine (Curtiss) McCue by Mary and Joe O Brien 8:30am Peter Birthday Remembrance for Rosina Silano & Giovanni Silano & Joseph Paganini by family 10:00am Francis Gene Gisselbrecht by family 11:15am Peter Mary and Peter Murelli by the Paige family 12:30pm Francis Mass in Spanish Keith Perryman Joines by wife Agnes 5:00pm Peter Barbara Ohotnicky by Marlene Carrier and Donna Puzacke Saturday Vigil, December 16th 2017 4:00pm Peter Mr. and Mrs. Tony Cetra by Fred Reichen and daughters Jenna & Tracey 5:30pm Francis Anthony Alexander by Mary & Jack Quinn Sunday, December 17th 2017 7:30am Francis Anthony & Irene Regis, Wanda & Bronislaw Neski and David Gracey Jr. by Jeanne Gracey 8:30am Peter Michael Walsh and Eugene Diorio by Mary Ann 10:00am Francis John F. Woolley, Jr. by Diane Edwards 11:15am Peter Elyse Paige by the Paige family 12:30pm Francis Mass in Spanish In thanksgiving to the Divine Child by a devotee 5:00pm Peter Deceased members of the Torlai family by Joseph Torlai Weekday Masses Monday 12/11 8:00am Francis Mary G. Maciora-Jacobs by Joseph Maciora Tuesday 12/12 7:00am Peter Eugene Purcha by Zendoia Nowakowski family Wednesday 12/13 8:00am Francis Alyce Driscoll by Therese Perron Thursday 12/14 7:00am Peter Clarence Page by the Hotchkiss family Friday 12/15 8:00am Francis Philmena Levicki by husband Saturday 12/16 8:00am Peter Anna & Jacob Sidlosky by children If you would like a ride to Mass, Northwestern CT Transit offers a Dial-A-Ride service. Please call 860-489-2535 for more info. December 10, 2017 2 Second Sunday of Advent Sanctuary Candle is being burned at Francis in memory of Jim O Meara and at Peter in memory of Philomena Levicki Our Worship Sites Francis of Assisi - 160 Main Peter - 107 East Main Sacred Heart - 116 Grove Mary - 85 Pulaski Offices Pope Saint John Paul II Pastoral Center 160 Main Street Torrington, CT 06790 Office Hours Monday thru Friday 9am - 4pm Phone: 860-482-4433 Fax: 860-489-4070 SaintJohnPaulTheGreatParish@gmail.com Bulletin Requests: SaintJohnPaulTheGreatBulletin@gmail.com JohnPaulGreatParish.com
My Dear Friends, I have been meditating on the Gospel of John this past week, specifically on the Last Supper in Chapter 14 and the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in Chapter 17. Jesus invited his Apostles to the Last Supper, and it was here that he washed his Apostles feet; included in that washing was Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus. It was after the washing of the feet that Judas left the dinner. Not only did Judas miss the teachings in Chapters 15-16, but he also missed the final blessing of Jesus upon his Apostles. In other words, he walked out before the ritual was over. In another Gospel passage, it says that they finished the meal by singing a psalm. So Judas missed both the final blessing and the final psalm by leaving early. The final blessing and the dismissal from the meal are important aspects of what Jesus did for his Apostles, although we see that they still did not get it, as only John was the only Apostle present at the actual crucifixion. But this final priestly blessing of Jesus obviously meant something to the Apostles. And when they were dismissed from the Upper Room, they did so by singing the psalm. It has been customary in many parishes throughout the United States, as well as throughout the universal Church in all the countries that people stay for the final blessing of the priest and they join in singing the final hymn of praise to our God. All prayers, psalms and hymns are meant to give glory to our God, to praise and thank him not only for all he has done for us but also to thank him for the gift of his Son that we have just received in Holy Communion. When the priest gives the final blessing it is not his words. He says, May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is blessing you before you return to your car. Let us thank God with one voice as we sing this final hymn of praise for receiving his blessing. May God bless you Fr. John Christmas Eve Sunday, December 24th 4:00pm 4:00pm 10:00pm 12 Midnight Mondays: 5-7pm at Peter Tuesdays: 5-8pm at Francis 5-8pm at Francis Fridays: 5-8pm at Francis (except 1st Friday of the month) In that little Host is the solution to all the problems of the world. - Pope Saint John Paul II 3 Saint John Paul the Great Parish View our bulletin online: JohnPaulGreatParish.com Peter Francis Peter Francis Christmas Day Monday, December 25th Wednesdays: 5-8pm at Francis Thursdays: ( 8:00am 9:30am 11:00am 12 Noon Peter Francis Peter Francis
Contributions to our parish for the week of December 3, 2017 $16,089.83 December 10, 2017 4 Second Sunday of Advent National Collection Dates December 9-10 Help care for the elders. Your generous contribution helps us to care for our retired sisters and enables our younger sisters to continue to serve in active ministry, writes a religious sister. Your gift to today s collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious helps provide medications, nursing care, and more for thousands of senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests. It also helps ensure younger members can continue the good works of their elders! SACRED HEART CANDLES Saint Ann: Agnes Nardine Lipinski Saint Theresa: Lestinsky and Dudley Families Please pray for Donna Banks Christina N. Cetra Josephine DiLorenzio Loretta Milanese recently deceased members of our parish family. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Staff Pastor: Rev. John C. Granato Parochial Vicar: Rev. Carlos Zapata Deacons: Roy Dungan Peter Hyde Richard Hamel Religious Education Grades K-5 860-482-3121 Jen Owens Cell: 860-307-2291 Call/TEXT JohnPaulGreatReligousEd@gmail.com Office of Youth Ministry 860-489-7899 Middle School EDGE/Youth Group Marlene Carrier: Cell 860-309-7855 Call/TEXT JohnPaulGreatYouth@gmail.com High School Confirmation Program Donna Puzacke: Cell 860-309-1900 Call/TEXT JohnPaulGreatConfirmation@gmail.com Pastoral Minister: Peg O Meara 860-309-1707 Music Director: Francine Gryniuk Organist: Bill Mackstutis Office Staff: Anita Ressel Toni Tavano, Rose McMahon Trustees: John Janco Monica Diulio Peter / Francis School Principal Jo-Anne Gauger 860-489-4177 Sacraments Sacrament of Marriage: Arrangements for Marriage are made by calling the Parish Office to schedule an appointment with one of the priests at least six months in advance of desired wedding date. Sacrament of the Sick: Anyone who is seriously ill, advanced in age or preparing for surgery may receive. Please call the Parish Office to arrange. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: For adults who wish to become Catholic or for Catholic Adults who have not yet received the Sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation. Contact the Parish Office for more details. Sacrament of Baptism: Please call the Parish Office to arrange. Preparation class is held on the first Tuesday of the month, at 6:30 pm at the Pope Saint John Paul II Pastoral Center. Homebound or Hospitalized? If you, or someone you know is homebound and would like to receive Holy Communion, or hospitalized and would like a In Need of Prayers? Please call... Cheryl at 860-618-3533 to be added to our Prayer Line.
9th Annual Festival Noveno Festival Celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebrando la Fiesta en Honor a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe For we are certain, that as long as you are Celebration begins La Celebración empieza recognized as Queen and Mother, Mexico Solemn Mass on con la Solemne Santa Misa and America will be safe." Pope Pius XII Sunday, December 10th Domingo 10 de Diciembre 12:30 pm a las 12:30pm Francis Church Iglesia San Francisco Immediately following mass Inmediatamente después de Misa, join the procession to habrá una procesión a la Peter/ Francis School Escuela Peter/ Francis 360 Prospect Torrington 360 Prospect Torrington Followed by a social gathering. Seguido por un compartir y almuerzo. Please bring a dish Les pedimos que nos colaboren con or your favorite dessert un plato tradicional de su pais. for a potluck reception. Únase a nosotros para una variedad As always join us for a variety de actividades, incluyendo of activities, including Rifas, Danzas Culturales, Raffles, Cultural Dances, Artistas en Vivo y Mucho Más! Live Performers and More! Para hacer una donación To make a donation, o para reservar su cupo favor or to RSVP call de comunicarse con Maria Colon. Jen Owens at 860-307-2291 johnpaulgreatreligioused@gmail.com Porque nosotros estamos seguros, de que siempre y cuando se le reconozca como Reina y Madre, México y Estados Unidos estará a salvo. El Papa Pío XII @ Francis Church Gathering beginning at ending with Benediction at 8pm Come and be led into a reflection from the view of a young Virgin Mary, from her cousin Elizabeth and from our Patron Saint John Paul the Great. There will be periods of reflection, silent adoration and Praise and Worship of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Defending Our Religious Liberty In a letter to the U.S. Senate, the United States Conference for Catholic Bishops (USCCB) stated that it stands ready to work with Congress to address problems with the Affordable Care Act in order to protect the most vulnerable among us. They said, The Catholic Church remains committed to ensuring 5 Saint John Paul the Great Parish View our bulletin online: JohnPaulGreatParish.com obligation as a country to provide for this right. Health care debates must not be reduced to only those elements which appear most politically expedient; those without a strong voice in the process must not bear the brunt of attempts to cut costs.
CHRISTMAS GIVING TREES John Paul the Great Parish will have Christmas Giving Trees again this year. The trees will be up Thank you for your continued support of the projects of the John Paul the Great Social Ministry Committee Christmas Book Wrapping We are gratefully accepting donations of Christmas wrapping paper. Donations can be dropped off any time at the Pastoral Center. (If after hours, please leave at the back door.) Would you like to help? It is a great help to have the paper pre-cut. Paper can be cut to 10 x 13 pieces We have 1700 books to wrap! You are welcome to take paper and wrap at home or come wrap with us! If you would like to help with the wrapping or the cutting please email Donna Puzacke at JohnPaulGreatConfirmation@gmail.com or call/text 860-309-1900 Thank you! Quoting Saint John Paul the Great, If in his Providence God had given the earth to humanity, that meant that he had given it to everyone. Therefore the riches of Creation were to be considered as a common good of the whole of humanity. Those who possessed these goods as personal property were really only stewards, ministers charged with working in the name of God, who remains the sole owner in the full sense, since it is God's will that created goods should serve everyone in a just way. You can help area food banks feed the hungry in our community by donating a non-perishable food item to our monthly food collections. Items such as PASTA, PASTA SAUCE, RICE, TUNA, MAC & CHEESE, CANNED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, BEANS, JUICES, PEANUT BUTTER, JELLY and CEREAL may be left at any of the Francis or Peter the weekend of December 30 th -31 st Gift cards to area grocery stores are also greatly appreciated. Many stores donate additional items when food banks make purchases with gift cards. Thank you for your continued support! Come and pray with us! as we pray from 7 8pm at St Francis Church During this hour we reflect and pray for all of those affected by abortion. Solidarity Council #55 December 10, 2017 6 Second Sunday of Advent
John Paul the Great Parish will host The ABC s of ANNULMENT Thursday, January 11th 7-9 pm at Sacred Heart Church basement 116 Grove Street Members of the Annulment Team Br. Larry Lussier CSC, Deacon Robert Macaluso, Deacon George Fredrick and Jim Tottenham will review the changes in the annulment process initiated by Pope Francis as well as those made in the Archdiocese of Hartford. They will help participants in writing their application in the follow-up workshops on John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming the Lord. Who will proclaim him in this generation? If you feel the call to proclaim the word of the Lord as a priest, deacon, brother or sister, Call Fr. Jeffrey Gubbiotti, Director of Vocations, Archdiocesan Center at Thomas Seminary, 860-242-5573 or email vocations@aohct.org or visit the web at www.hartfordpriest.com Thursday, January 18th Thursday, January 25th & Thursday, February 1st from 7-9pm also in the church hall. You are invited to join Fr. John The ABC s of Annulment event is open to all. Praying for priests. A donation is requested to defray the cost of printed materials. No registration is required. For further information call, 1-475-221-8464 Mondays from 12-1pm Sacred Heart for a holy hour Adoration Scriptural rosary Silence Litany to Christ the High Priest followed by Benediction ARE WE AN INVITING PARISH? As a member of the body of Christ, do the people that we encounter at Mass see Christ within us? This requires that we look at ourselves as outsiders do. We need to understand how a deep sense of hospitality is essential to our faith, rooted in Scripture and Tradition. to Mary and Martha s warm reception of Him, Give the Christmas Gift of a Memory Brick in Mary s Memorial Garden Just $75 for a personalized brick paver. How do we move from passive reception of people to proactive engagement? will be held JPII Pastoral Center All are welcome! 7 Saint John Paul the Great Parish View our bulletin online: JohnPaulGreatParish.com Name_ Address City State Zip Phone_
Please join us for the March for Life in Washington, DC, January 18-19, 2018 The pilgrimage includes a bus trip to the Vigil Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday January 18th and March for Life in Washington, D.C. on the 19th. The two-day bus trip and the breakfast with Our guest speaker at the breakfast will be for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, son of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. You are responsible for payment of your hotel stay. A block of rooms is being held for our group at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town, in Alexandria, VA. Call Pro-Life Ministry at 203-213-5079 or 203-639-0833 for guidelines in making hotel reservations. Buses leave from the Franciscan Life Center in Meridan at approximately 6am on Thursday the 18th and return to Meridan at midnight on Friday the 19th Teens will leave from Torrington with Youth ministers at 5am The Total Cost including Bus/Hotel is $100 Office of Youth Ministry... Marlene Carrier Cell 860-309-7855 call/text JohnPaulGreatYouth@gmail.com High School CONFIRMATION Program Donna Puzacke 860-489-7899 Cell 860-309-1900 JohnPaulGreatConfirmation@gmail.com Anyone wishing to SPONSOR A TEEN please contact us. Thank you. 8 Second Sunday of Advent December 10, 2017 Classes are held Sunday evenings Beginning with the Life Teen Mass @ 5pm with Class immediately following 6-7:30pm Calendars can be found at JohnPaulGreatParish.com come to the Upper Room Saturday, January 6th 1st Saturday s Middle School Volleyball/Basketball/Dodgeball Wii Just Dance/Air Hockey/Foosball 6-9pm @ Peter Hall the Upper Room Saturday, December 9th 2nd Saturday s High School Volleyball/Basketball/Dodgeball Wii Just Dance/Air Hockey/Foosball 6-10pm @ Peter Hall the Upper Room MUST RSVP by noon on day of event Marlene Carrier Cell 860-309-7855 call/text $5 Donation Pizza/Soda/Ice cream December 17th XLT 6-7:30pm at Peter Church Sunday, Teens and their parents are invited to a time of Praise/Adoration with a presentation by Catholic Speaker/Apologist Bryan Mercier Wednesday, December 20th Come spread some Christmas cheer as we sing If you have a relative at a certain facility let us know and we will try to make a visit possible. Limited to 10 teens OR more if would like to help with carpooling :) January 18-19 We invite you to join with hundreds of thousands (many of which are teens) who respectfully march for the right to life, praying for an end to abortion. Marching from the National Mall up Capitol Hill to the steps of the Supreme Court as we recall the 45th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. See bulletin for details >>>
COMUNIDAD HISPANA EUCARISTIA DOMINICAL Providing a free community meal on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 4pm Peter Hall, 107 E. Main, Torrington The next meal with be provided on December 10th All donations can be made to our Parish. Please put Kevin s Place in the memo on checks and mail to 160 Main, Torrington, CT 06790 For more info, contact: Christine Delgrande 860-307-2969 email: Christine.delgrande@gmail.com SERVICIOS: POSIBILIDAD DE CONFESIONES, DIRECCION ESPIRITUAL, INSCRIPCION DE INTENCIONES PARA LA EUCARISTIA DOMINICAL, INFORMACION SOBRE LOS SACRAMENTOS DE BAUTISMO, PRIMERA COMUNION, CONFIRMACION, MATRIMONIO, QUINCEAÑERAS Y CATEQUESIS PARA ADULTOS. CHARLAS PREBAUTISMALES Requisitos: Asistir a la clase padres y padrinos. Shrine of Lourdes 50 Montfort Rd., Rte. 118. will be open from (Por favor llamar a la oficina para registrarse o al 860-307-7343 Lourdes también pueden enviar texto.) NOVENA DE NAVIDAD A partir del la comunidad hispana celebrará la Novena en Honor del Niño Jesús a las 7 de la noche en el Salón de San Pedro. Les invitamos a participar activamente y a prepararnos así para la fiesta de la Navidad. El entre las 8:30 a.m. y las 2:00 p.m. la comunidad hispana de San Juan Pablo Magno tendrá su retiro de Adviento en el Salón de San Pedro. Tendremos santa misa a las 10:30 de la mañana, presidida por el P. Héctor Rangel. Les invitamos a participar y a prepararse así para una celebración más consciente de la Natividad de Nuestro Señor. 9 Saint John Paul the Great Parish View our bulletin online: JohnPaulGreatParish.com CHARLA PRE-BAUTISMAL: 3er Viernes de cada mes. Centro de Pastoral Juan Pablo II 6:00 7:00PM CEREMONIA DE BAUTISMO: 4to domingo de cada mes a la 12:30pm Saint John Paul the Great Parish GRUPOS APOSTOLICOS Y COORDINADORES PASTORAL HISPANA Servidores del Altar / Monaguillos: Elvia Orellana 860-459-1837 Legion de Maria: Jose Guambana 860-485-5473 Evangelizacion: Orlando Orellana 860-806-4522 Liturgia/Sacristia: Roberto Castillo 860-491-0200 RICA/Ministerios Musicales/Catequesis: Lourdes Rodriguez 860-307-7343 Pastoral Social: Doris Ramirez 860-459-6658 Ministros Extraordinarios de la Comunion: Carmen Fernandez 860-921- 3408 Monitores y Lectores: Sonia Sanchez 860-307- 8349 Ujieres/Ministros de Acogida: Honorato Nunez 860-459 - 0036 Pastoral Familiar: Yuneris Owens 860-307-2291 Movimiento Juan XXIII: Maria Colon 860-387-8133 Movimiento Juan XXIII 7 PM Martes. En las instalaciones de Sacred Heart Church (ubicada detrás del templo de Sacred Heart) El Movimiento Juan XXIII busca trabajar por aquellos alejados de la Iglesia y marginados de la sociedad, anunciándoles el Evangelio, mediante una espiritualidad de auténtico servicio, enmarcada en el Amor, la Entrega y el Sacrificio y expresada en esta opción de vida: Con Cristo Todo, Sin Cristo Nada.