The Parish of St. Agatha Milton ~ Quincy, MA December 16-17, 2017 StAgathaParish.org ST. AGATHA RECTORY Office Hours Monday - Friday 9am-4pm 432 Adams Street Milton, MA 02186 ST. AGATHA SCHOOL 440 Adams Street Milton, MA 02186 SCHEDULE OF MASSES Daily Masses: Monday-Friday: & Saturday& Holidays: 8:00am Reconciliation: 3:45-4:15pm on Saturdays. Any other time by appointment Weekend Masses: Saturday: 4:30 pm Sunday: 7:30 am 9:00 am 10:30 am 12:00 noon 5:00 pm Holy Days: As Announced There are assistive devices for the hearing impaired available in the Sacristy before all Masses. Low gluten hosts are available. Please see priest before Mass if needed. Saint Agatha School Winter Windfall Calendars will be sold before and after the Masses this weekend Dec. 16 th -17 th. See inside for details Sacrament of Reconciliation On Wednesday, December 20 from 6:30-8pm, one of the priests will be hearing confessions in the Reconciliation Room in the Lower Church. MISSION STATEMENT St. Agatha Parish is a Christian Community of Catholics from Milton, Quincy and beyond, whose Mission is to demonstrate Love by: proclaiming and celebrating God s Presence on earth; being open and welcoming to all; reaching out to our sisters and brothers near and far; providing opportunities for prayer, service, education and recreation. In living this Mission, we accept our responsibility for giving witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Eucharistic Adoration Every Friday after the 9am Mass in the Chapel until reposition at 1pm. Legion of Mary meets every Wednesday after the 9am Mass. The rosary is recited every morning before the 9am Mass. Please join us. Third Sunday Of Advent St. Agatha Parish Phone: 617-698-2439 Rectory@StAgathaParish.org Fax: 617-698-1517 Parish Website: www.stagathaparish.org Clergy Rev. William B. Palardy, Pastor Rev. Jason M. Makos, Parochial Vicar Deacon Daniel F. Sullivan Rev. Patrick McLaughlin, Senior Priest in Residence Rev. Thomas Powers, Senior Priest in Residence Deacon Baldemar Garza, Seminarian Intern Parish Administration Mr. Jack Riley, Finance and Operations Manager Ms. Kathy Monahan, Administrative Assistant and Bulletin Editor Music Ministry MusicDirector@StAgathaParish.org Ms. Agata Orzechowska, Director of Music St. Agatha School Phone: 617-696-3548 School@StAgathaParish.org Fax: 617-696-6288 School Website: www.stagathaparish.org/school Mr. David Marion, Principal Mrs. Michelle Tierney, Administrative Assistant Mrs. Joan Brown, Tuition Coordinator ST AGATHA FAITH FORMATION 617-696-1388 Grades 1-8 FaithFormation@StAgathaparish.org Mrs. Ellen Cronin, Director Mrs. Jenn Caputo, Administrative Assistant Grade 9-11 & Young Church Ministry 617-696-8978 YoungChurchMinistry@StAgathaParish.org Mr. Brian T. Pellicano
Third Sunday of Advent December 16-17, 2017 A Note from Our Pastor, Welcome to what amounts to be the last week of Advent this year. As we enter this week we focus on the significant events and people involved in the preparation for the birth of Jesus. And so, during this week we ll encounter St. Joseph and his dilemma, meet the Archangel Gabriel twice, the infant St. John the Baptist and his parents Elizabeth and Zechariah, and of course the Blessed Virgin Mary, because without her Yes to God through Gabriel, what we celebrate on December 25 th would not have occurred. Just a reminder that next weekend Dec. 23, 24, and 25, everyone is expected to participate in 2 Masses: one for the 4 th Sunday of Advent and one for Christmas. If you attend a morning (or noon) Mass on Sunday and then one of the Christmas Eve Masses (4 or 6pm, or Midnight), for example, you re all set. And, yes, you can receive Holy Communion at both Masses. Please note the request for greeters at the Christmas Eve Masses at 4 and 6pm. Contact information is found on this same page in the bulletin. For families with college-aged students and other young adults, stay tuned for information about a gathering some time during Christmas week here at the parish to socialize with other young adults, renew old acquaintances, and form some new friendships. The two young adults on our Parish Pastoral Council are hard at work putting a fun evening together. This week on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 5-6pm there are rehearsals for youngsters in Grades 3-6 who would like to star in our Christmas Pageant at the 6pm Mass on Christmas Eve. Be sure to pick up a 2018 Winter Windfall Calendar for only $5 with great prizes. All the proceeds benefit St. Agatha School. Also, please notice the lovely ornaments decorating the Christmas trees in our Church. These works of art come from the creativity of children in Grades 3-6 in Faith Formation. 6:30-8pm December 20 th will be the final opportunity for Wednesday Confession this Advent in the Reconciliation Room in the Chapel. We invite all teens to come to the 5pm Mass this Sunday and to the Life Night following in the Youth room below the gym to meet a soccer player, surfer, and Catholic priest (one and the same person!). Continue having a blessed Advent! Fr. Palardy Christmas ~ One Collection for the Clergy Health and Retirement Trust Next week there will be a diocese-wide collection to benefit the Clergy Health and Retirement Trust which cares for the needs of our 590 priests. Our priests are always there for us; they share Christ s good news, perform good works, and build communities of good faith. Your support helps care for their health and well-being in retirement. You can learn more about the Clergy Health and Retirement Trust and make a gift online at clergytrust.org. Follow us on Facebook @ClergyTrust. Thank you in advance for your prayers and support. Greeters needed Please join us in giving the warmest of welcomes this Christmas to parishioners and visitors to St Agatha Parish. If you and family members would like to serve as greeters before and after the Christmas Eve 4pm or 6pm Masses, please contact Kathy Keil at jkkeil@comcast.net or Meg Kaster at cmkaster@comcast.net
St. Agatha Parish Milton Quincy FEATURED WEEKLY READING THEME: God is doing great things for us Listen carefully to Paul s word to the Thessalonians. What do you hear Paul saying here? What single word or phrase catches your attention? 2nd Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Brothers and sisters: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil. May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. Pastoral Planning December 17 ~ Third Sunday of Advent ~ Gaudete Sunday The Scripture readings of this third week of Advent are filled with encouragement and joy. What words from Scripture caught your attention today? The Spirit of God is upon me... Rejoice always. In all circumstances give thanks for this is the will of God for you. The one who calls you is faithful. Savor the word of God that you heard today and let it nourish you throughout the coming week. Today is Gaudete Sunday, when we light the rose-colored candle in the Advent Wreath. Gaudete is Latin for Rejoice. As we approach Christmas, our mood lightens and we shift our focus from The Lord is coming to The Lord is near. As we hear in today s first reading from Isaiah 61, I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul. Please call 617-698-2439 and we will arrange for a minister of communion to bring Eucharist to you. THE WEEKLY UPDATE As we approach the end of an abbreviated, yet very busy season of Advent and begin a new Church year, it s a great time to direct your attention to our web site. In addition to timely information about the Parish such as the Christmas Mass schedule, it also contains genuinely important and interesting information for Catholics. But there are fun things on the site as well. For example, as a long-time parishioner as many of you are I thought that I had seen St. Agatha Church from every possible angle. Boy, was I wrong! I somehow managed to forget that we re in the 21 st century and that technology is racing along at a rapid clip. So I was amazed when one of our parishioners Kathy Riordan - put together a video of the parish buildings this past Fall with video from a drone! It is put to music and is beautifully done. To see the majestic steeple from above is really inspirational. In fact the pictures at the end of the video of the steeple and spires against the sunset are of award-winning caliber! So give yourself a treat and check it out. And while you re there, check out the rest of the site. We have plans to upgrade the site and add many enhancements, but it really is worth the visit. Well, we did it! For the second consecutive week we have exceeded our weekly budgeted total. Thank you, thank you, thank you! In addition to the Offertory total $3,039 was contributed on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Finally, the Grand Annual continues to move along towards the budgeted goal. As of this past week, $120,015 had been contributed by 373 households. We have over 2,600 registered families, so if you are one of those we haven t heard from yet, there is still plenty of time before the end of the tax year. Thanks so much for your generosity. Jack Riley Weekly Offertory Report Dec. 9-10 Dec. 9-10 Total Weekly Budget In-Pew Collection Electronic Collection Total Offertory Weekly Difference Difference YTD $13,235 $10,698 $2,698 $13,396 $161 -$31,135
http://www.facebook.com/stagathaparishmiltonquincy December 16-17, 2017 St. Agatha Parish Christmas Mass Schedule Christmas Pageant Are you in Grades 3-6? Come tell the story of Jesus birth by participating in the St. Agatha Parish Christmas Pageant. Rehearsals will be held in the Upper Church on Wednesday, December 20th from 5-6PM and Thursday, December 21st from 5-6PM. You must attend both rehearsals to participate in the Pageant! The Pageant will be performed at the 6:00 PM Mass on December 24th! Questions? Email Maggie Reardon at mbr12345@gmail.com. CHRISTMAS EVE MASS SCHEDULE DECEMBER 24TH 4:00pm (Upper Church) Congregational Singing 4:00pm (Parish Center Gym) Congregational Singing 6:00pm Pageant & Children s Choir 11:45pm Prelude Music/Carols Midnight Music Ensemble & Congregational singing CHRISTMAS DAY MASS SCHEDULE DECEMBER 25TH 7:30am Congregational Singing Congregational Singing 10:30am Traditional Choir 12 Noon Congregational Singing NO 5:00PM MASS 2018 Winter Windfall Calendars Saint Agatha School Winter Windfall Calendars will be sold before and after the Masses this weekend December 16 th and 17 th. * $5 per calendar * 31 chances to win * Perfect for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers * 100% of profits directly benefit Saint Agatha School For more information or additional calendars, please stop by or contact the school office at 617 696-3548. 2017 Giving Tree Project Thank you for the outpouring of support. St. Agatha Parish is second to none in responding to the cry of the poor. The amount of gifts that was delivered to My Brother s Keeper for distribution last weekend demonstrated the on-going commitment that our parishioners have to this worthwhile project. Winter Wonderland at Fontbonne Academy, December 17 Fontbonne Academy is hosting a Winter Wonderland on Sunday, December 17 from 12-2 pm. Join us for some FREE family fun, all are welcome! Activities include: Pictures with Santa, Story Time with Mrs. Claus, Kids Sing- Along, Face Painting, Arts & Crafts, Hot Cocoa and more! Fontbonne's Christmas Concert will follow at 2 pm.
Rectory@StAgathaParish.org December 16-17, 2017 FAITH FORMATION UPDATES Grades 1 & 2 will be making Christmas ornaments during Faith Formation sessions this week, and parents are invited! Children will meet at the regular time of 3:45pm for a short lesson with their classes and then will go the school cafeteria to meet their parents at 4:30pm. Parents cannot assemble in the cafeteria before 4:25 as we will need to set up. Due to space and materials concerns, we are unable to accommodate siblings. Thank you for understanding. Dismissal will be at the regular time of 5pm. Please note the parish Christmas trees, both up and downstairs in the Church. They are decorated with the ornaments made last week by the children in Grades 3-6. Special thanks to Jennifer Caputo for all her creative ideas and to our wonderful corps of volunteers for all their hard work in preparation. There will be no sessions over the Christmas and New Year breaks. Session resume on January 9-10- 11. CONFIRMATION & YOUNG CHURCH MINISTRY FOLLOW THE YOUTH GROUP ON @ staggieslifeteen or Brian s high school YouTube channel at StaggiesLT HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP: Last Youth Group Night of 2017 THIS Sunday, Dec. 17 th 6-8pm in the Life Teen room below the gym. Featuring Former Harvard Soccer Player, Surfer, and now Catholic Priest! Come get some dinner and meet this awesome man! LIFE TEEN MASS: THIS Sunday, December 17 th at 5pm The life teen Mass with Contemporary worship music is Sunday, December 17 th at 5pm. If you enjoy this fresh style or have never heard it before definitely come check it out! If you are a teen interested in singing or playing with our group contact Brian Pellicano at the parish office! Currently looking for: a pianist, a percussionist and vocalists!!! HIGH SCHOOL MISSION TRIP July 21 st 28th, 2018: Register NOW! Registration is now online for our high school mission trip to Kentucky through the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) we have 30 high school spots and 15 adult chaperone spots on a first come, first serve basis. This is an incredible experience where we will work together to repair up to 7 homes for families of great need. The cost is $350 per teen and just $250 per adult chaperone. Every volunteer (teen and adult) will be responsible for helping to raise money for our trip. There are many costs that excluding registration add up to about $14,000. Any additional financial support from our parishioners is greatly appreciated. Please note, once you submit a registration YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO GO. Don t wait the spots are filling fast! I look forward to making the trip with you! MISSION TRIP ADULT LEADERS NEEDED To all adults 21+ years of age. I am counting on you yes you to consider volunteering your time and efforts to be part of our adult leadership team for this year s mission trip. It is truly an amazing experience. If you know of anyone who has gone on ASP, I encourage you to talk to them about their experience as a volunteer. Details again are listed in the previous paragraph, contact Brian for more details via bpellicano@stagathaparish.org or by phone at 617-696- 8978. Thank you and God bless! ASP PARENT INFO NIGHT DATE CHANGE: Tuesday, January 9 th 7-8pm - Gathering Space If you have a teen interested in participating on this trip, I encourage you to attend our parent info night at the above date and location to learn the basics about the trip. You WILL be able to register your teen at this meeting. If you have questions about this meeting, please call Brian our youth minister at 617-696-8978. Confirmation Upcoming classes: 9 th Grade Session 6 THIS Sunday December 17 th 3:30-4:50pm in the Gathering Space EDGE 7 th /8 th Grade Upcoming sessions: Session 6 THIS Thursday, December 21 st 6:30-8pm in the Gathering Space In the joy of Christ, Brian Brian Pellicano Youth Minister, Confirmation Coordinator
Saint Agatha School Milton ~ Quincy Currently accepting applications for the 2018-2019 academic year. Pre-school ages 3 and 4 Kindergarten through Grade 8 For more information or to schedule a visit please call 617 696-3548. Thank you to everyone that attended the St. Agatha School Christmas Shopping Night. We had a very successful evening. What a festive way to kick-off the holiday season! NEED HELP? The Caring Circle dares to care Call 617-337-3225 for short-term nonfinancial help or visit www.mcccaringcircle.org Saturday 8:00am 4:30pm Sunday 7:30am 10:30am 12:00pm 5:00pm Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 8:00am 4:30pm Sunday 7:30am 10:30am 12:00pm 4:00pm 6:00pm Midnight December 16 2nd Anniversary December 17 For the 17th Anniversary 4th Anniversary Anniversary 2nd Anniversary December 18 December 19 10th Anniversary 1st Anniversary December 20 December 21 MASS INTENTIONS December 22 December 23 Birth 27th Anniversary December 24 18th Anniversary For the 9th Anniversary Christmas Day Christmas Day Christmas Day Edward & Nora McDonough Andrew Roche Parishioners of St. Agatha Peggy Higgins Ann Marie Duff Mary & Ray Byron Nancy Spargo Michael Devin Denise Fitzgibbon Margaret Morrissey Edward Duff Robert Rogers Jim MacInnis John P. Linehan John E. Toland Anthony F. Spinelli Anne A. Donahue Parishioners of St. Agatha Claire Carten & Mary Corcoran Michael Curtin Congregational Singing Children s Choir & Pageant Music Ensemble & Congregational Singing SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATIONS Baptism: 2:00pm on the 2nd/4th Sundays of each month. Please call the Rectory to arrange/ask questions regarding other arrangements. Reconciliation: 3:45-4:15pm on Saturdays Any other time by appointment Marriage: Call one of the parish priests or deacon. Arrangements are ordinarily to be made at least 6 months before the proposed marriage. Every Monday Doors Open @ 4:30pm BINGO begins at 6:40pm Come and Play School Parents, your help is needed. Thank You Volunteers!!!