BLESSED SACRAMENT ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Readings for the Week of 28 December 2014 Sunday: Gn 15:1-6; 21:1-3 or Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19 or Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17/Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22, 39-40 Monday: 1 Jn 2:3-11/Lk 2:22-35 Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:12-17/Lk 2:36-40 Wednesday: 1 Jn 2:18-21/Jn 1:1-18 Thursday: Nm 6:22-27/Gal 4:4-7/Lk 2:16-21 Friday: 1 Jn 2:22-28/Jn 1:19-28 Saturday: 1 Jn 2:29--3:6/Jn 1:29-34 Next Sunday: Is 60:1-6/Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12 NORFOLK, VIRGINIA WEEKLY SCHEDULE Monday, 29 December Fr. Joe s Day Off 8:00 am Church Opens 9:00 am Office Opens Social Hall/Kitchen Closed 29-31 December Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Blessed Christmas! I hope this finds you well and that you had a beautiful Christmas Day. I thank everyone for having made the celebration of our Lord s birth so spectacular: the decorating crew, St. Martha s circle, the lectors, ushers, Eucharistic Ministers, the Altar Servers, and of course the beautiful music of our choir. To everyone, I offer a profound THANK YOU. On behalf of our parish staff, I wish you and your loved ones a joyous and Blessed New Year. Pax, Fr. Joe Ps: Thank you to everyone who sent me cards and gifts. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and kind words. Tuesday, 30 December 9:00 am Mass Office Closed No Peanut Butter & Jesus w/ Sr. Regina No RCIA Wednesday, 31 December 9:00 am Mass Office Closed Thursday, 1 January Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 10:00 am Mass offered for Stephen Thornton (+) Friday, 2 January No Mass, Office Closed Saturday, 3 January 4:00 pm Sacrament of Reconciliation 5:00 pm Vigil Mass offered for The Fagnani & Garrigan Families (+) Sunday, 4 January 8:00 am Mass offered for Robert Romeo (+) NO Religious/Adult Ed., Edge, Life Teen 10:30 am Mass offered for Parishioners (+) Religious/Adult Education, Edge & Life Teen classes will resume Sunday, 11 January 2015. Blessed New Year! BLESSED NEW YEAR 2015 The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Mass: Thursday, 1 January, 10:00 am DO YOU LIKE IT HERE? If you ve been coming here and are being spiritually fed, we welcome you and invite you to register as a member. Registration forms can be found on the table next to the main office. By registering in the parish, we will be able to better serve you. You may drop your completed registration form in the weekend collection, mail it to us, or bring it by the office.
28 December 2014 PRAY FOR PEACE When the Impossible Becomes Possible For nothing will be impossible for God. These are the last words spoken by the angel Gabriel to Mary. They are the first words that we should remember at Christmastime. The birth of Jesus Christ brings the promise of new life. We receive two gifts. The first is that of forgiveness. The Incarnation of the Son of God destroys sin. Many believers find this traditional Christmas message difficult to accept. They see sin around them and recognize within themselves, if they are truthful, sin and its effects. The last words of the angel console the person who asks for the grace of forgiveness: For nothing will be impossible for God. The second gift that Christmas brings is that of friendship. The Incarnation of the Son of God restores us to divine friendship. Many believers do not understand that Christ makes us friends with God. Some have enjoyed the kind of communication that distinguishes good friendship from other relationships, even legitimate ones like business partners. Others have been disappointed by those whom they once considered as friends. Still others have become so accustomed to isolation that they have forgotten that man is made for friendship. God is my friend! What does that mean? The last words of the angel encourage the one who seeks the grace of friendship: For nothing will be impossible for God. Father Roman Cessario, O.P Loving Father, through the maternal meditation of the Blessed Virgin Mary free my life from all doubt and desolation. (taken from Magnificat, Advent Companion) Year End Giving Opportunities: As we draw near to the end of the year, many individuals and families are reviewing their charitable contributions for 2014 in light of future tax returns. Each year, the community of Blessed Sacrament is blessed to receive gifts (stocks, bonds, real estate) from generous parishioners, who want to make an additional gift prior to the end of the calendar year. Your donations must be postmarked or received by Blessed Sacrament no later than Wednesday, 31 December 2014 in order to be acknowledged by Blessed Sacrament as donations in 2014 for income tax purposes. You may also donate securities; however, the transfer must be completed by Wednesday, 31 December 2014 to be acknowledged by Blessed Sacrament as a donation for this year. Donations received in the office or postmarked AFTER Wednesday, 31 December 2014 will be acknowledged as donations in 2015 for tax purposes. Those who wish to donate appreciated stocks or bonds should contact Larry McDonnell at Merrill Lynch, 631-5519. MARCH FOR LIFE The March for Life is swiftly approaching! We will be attending the March with the Diocese and will leave Wednesday, 21 January and return late Thursday, 22 January. This event is open to youths 12 years of age and older for $40 each. If you are a young adult and wish to come, it is $50 per participant. This registration fee covers: admission to the Life is VERY Good evening of prayer, Life is VERY Good rally and Mass, transportation, lodging Wednesday night, pizza snack Wednesday evening, breakfast and lunch on Thursday. Please call or email Chris Colclough, 757-423-8305, OR email CColclough@blessed-sacrament.com with any questions or for the registration forms. Please come and join us as we rally for the right to life for all.
WWW.BLESSED-SACRAMENT.COM ***LifeTeen*** Get ready to kick off another awesome semester here as we start out with Catholic Fight Club! Bring your friends and your A-game! We ll begin again on Sunday, 11 January at 6:00 pm. ***EDGE*** Get pumped and ready to learn about the Creed our Catholic national anthem! We will meet and kick off this new semester on Sunday, 11 January at 9:00 am. ***Confirmation*** We will meet on Sunday, 11 January at noon! BLESSED SACRAMENT ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 6400 NEWPORT AVENUE NORFOLK, VA 23505 Office: (757) 423-8305 Fax: (757) 451-3335 Residence: (757) 489-9636 Email: office@blessed-sacrament.com Website: www.blessed-sacrament.com Daily Mass: Tuesday & Wednesday, 9:00 am Weekend Mass: Saturday, 5:00 pm Sunday, 8:00 am & 10:30 am (Nursery Available at the 10:30 am Mass) CALLING ALL CATHOLICS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN CONFIRMED Our RCIA program has been meeting weekly since September. We have a wonderful mix of people who are 1) Catholic and want to learn more about their faith; 2) Baptized non-catholics who are interested in embracing the Catholic faith; and 3) non-baptized people seeking Baptism in the Catholic faith. And now is the time to invite those practicing Catholics who have not been Confirmed. If you have not been Confirmed but would like to be, now is the time for you to come to the RCIA gatherings. NOTE: The RCIA will resume Tuesday, 6 January at 7:00 pm in the Social Hall. All are welcome!! Prayer for Catechumens Cate-whats? Here is another one of those "churchy" terms that we sometimes throw around, and expect everyone to know what and who we are talking about. So, before we pray for these "catechumens," let us find out who and what they are. The word "catechumens" comes from the Latin word catechumenus, which is "one being instructed." It also has an ancient meaning to repeat to someone that which you have learned: to echo the faith to a new member of the community. So, as we bless these catechumens in our midst, we now understand that it is our responsibility to echo the faith we have received back to them, and welcome these new members into the body of Christ. God of faithfulness and expectation. Bless these children of yours who seek to follow your ways. Help them to see that your Son, Jesus the Christ, came to live among us in the flesh, as he struggled, like we do, with human weakness. Give them strength as they fight against the forces of evil and selfishness, so that they live for you and your church. Give us the strength to journey with them as they walk towards the baptismal font at the next Easter Vigil. We ask all this in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.
28 DECEMBER 2014 FEAST OF THE HO LY FAMILY Please remember our sick and shut-ins with your prayers, calls, cards, and presence: OUR PARISHIONERS: Dan Batkin, Barbara Brady, Richard Collins, Maggie Corbett, Jim Dellaripa, Karen Frederick, Betty Guille, Madeline & Jack Hahn, Theresa Harper, Samantha Jackson, Denise McCue, Arthur & Josie Murtz, Joe Pajuf, Ronald Prescott, Dorothy Sink, Helen Smallwood, Geneva & James Smith, Juanita Taylor, Mary Grace Thompson, and Ron Zoby FRIENDS AND RELATIVES OF PARISHIONERS: Nancy Arnold, Msgr. Tom Caroluzza, Sr. Katherine Durney, John Duffy, Lupe Escolante, Sheila Farr, Margaret Gangewere, Ernest Hardee, Concetta Herbert, Robert & Isabelle Hutchinson, Fr. Dan Klem, Marjorie Mooney, Jeff Schmid, Dorothy Shannon, Estelle Sherman, Bette Spaugh, and Kathleen Stubbs PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN YOU AT MASS; FURTHERMORE, PLEASE INVITE THOSE YOU KNOW WHO LEFT THE CHURCH. THEY ARE WELCOME TO COME HOME! DECEMBER 2014 28 31-SOCIAL HALL/KITCHEN CLOSED 28 NO Life Teen 6:00 pm 29 Church Opens 8:00 am 29 Office Opens 9:00 am 30,31 Daily Mass 9:00 am 30,31 Office Closed JANUARY 2015 1 Feast of the Holy Family 10:00 am 1,2 Office Closed 2 No Daily Mass 11 Religious Ed (Grades K-5) 9:00 am 11 Edge (Grades 6 8) 9:00 am 11 Adult Religious Ed 9:00 am 11 Life Teen 6:00 pm BAPTISMAL INFO The next Baptism class is scheduled for Sunday, 11 January 2015. The next celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism is scheduled for Saturday, 14 February 2015. Active members of Blessed Sacrament Catholic parish who wish to have a child baptized will need to complete a Baptismal form and attend the preparation class. Please call Lisa Diaz, 423-8305, Monday Thursday to register. Baptism Class (Sundays, 11:30 am): 11 January, 1 February, 22 March, 10 May, 7 June, 5 July, 2 August Sacrament of Baptism: 14 February (5pm), 26 April (10:30 am), 23 May (5 pm), 21 June (10:30 am), 22 August (5 pm) 2015 I am 2015, the New Year. Each hour of the three hundred and sixty-five days, I will give you sixty minutes that have never known the use of anyone. I simply present them. It remains for you to fill them with sixty jeweled seconds of love, hope, endeavor, patience and common sense. Do use me wisely. BLESSED NEW YEAR 2015 The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Mass: Thursday, 1 January, 10:00 am