December 20, 2009
4th Sunday of Advent

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, December 19
    6:00 PM For Florence Nault By Theresa Therrien
Sunday,  December 20
    9:30 AM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Thursday: December 24 Christmas Eve
    4:00 PM  For Florence Nault By Richard & Madeleine Bilodeau
    6:00 PM  For Parishioners of St. Paul
Saturday, December 26
    6:00 PM For Florence Nault By Richard & Madeleine Bilodeau
Sunday,  December 27
    9:30 AM PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul

Parish News and Notes

Parish office hours
    Our parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The Pastoral Associate is in most afternoons until 4:00 PM.  If you need to come in the PM please give us a call to make sure someone is here. Messages can always be left on the answering machine. 

Are you registered?
     Are you new to our parish?   If you are, please pick up a registration form in the vestibule of the church. Registration is very important.  Just drop it in the basket or mail it to our office.  Thanks!  We are always happy to receive new parishioners.  We welcome you and pray you will be happy here with us.

Please use church envelopes 
    Envelope users provide the bedrock of our financial support.  Please consider using them.  New packets of envelopes are mailed every three months. If you would like to receive some but you are not yet on the mailing list, please call Jeannine to give her your name and address. Thank you!

Envelope Request Form ____ I want to support our parish on a regular basis. Please add me to the envelope list. Name ______________________________ Address___________________________ Town ________________,NH Zip ________

Christian Formation News

All children from k – 10 must register for Religious Education each year.  The registration does not roll over from one year to the next.  We will be mailing a registration form through e-mail in the near future.  If you have not received a form by mid-August it is because we do not have your e-mail address or perhaps you are not yet registered in the parish so we do not have any pertinent information related to you family.  You can call the office between Monday –Thursday at 483-8481 to update your e-mail info or you can pick up a registration in the entrance of the church. Grades K- 3  The children in grades K – 3 attend classes during the weekend liturgies.  We use a Lectionary Catechesis which is based on the Gospel of the week.  Kindergarten students are not obliged to attend regularly. However beginning with grade 1, students must attend classes on a weekly basis during the Mass, as the program for 1st Communion is a two year program.  The program for the school year 2009-2010 will begin on the weekend of September 19th and 20th.  Classes are held during both weekend Masses. We would need some volunteers to help out as monitors during the classes.  Please contact the office if you can do this. Grades 4 – 10 +, Generation of Faith     This program is designed for both parents and children.  Parents who have children in grades  4 - 10 are asked to attend these monthly sessions. The adult session gives them an opportunity to refresh their memory on important matters of the faith as well as giving them the chance to share with other adults on pertinent issues of faith.  All GoF classes are held on Sundays from 4 – 6 pm.  Our next class will be held on January 10th. Confirmation Program:      The Confirmation students will begin their two year program on Sunday, September 27, 2009.  All students must be registered by September 27th.  Second year students must have completed year one in full, i.e., two classes per month from September through April.  Attendance at Generation of Faith only does not satisfy the requirements for Confirmation.  All students are also asked to attend Mass on a weekly basis.  If students have not yet registered they must now wait for next year’s program as it is too late to complete this year’s requirements.                      Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
4th Sunday of Advent
Theme:  (A Faithful Servant)
Reading: Micah: 5: 1- 4 (A Ruler Shall Come)
Reading II: Hebrews 10: 5-10 (Doing God’s Will)
Gospel: Luke: 1: 39- 45  (Mary & Elizabeth)

Question for Adults:  How has the Holy spirit stirred me to recognize God’s presence? The third Sunday of Advent is the Sunday of Joy.  We celebrate the fact that Christmas is very near.  We have reason to be filled with Joy.  Joy always gives us a feeling of being fully alive.  When was the last time you felt such Joy?  When did you feel like that when you were in the presence of God.  Such a time does not have to be in church during Mass, although that is not a bad time.  You can feel Joy in God’s presence when you are shoveling the newly fallen snow.  You can fell Joy on the ski slopes.  You can experience Joy while working in you garden in the summer time.  Or, you can feel Joy in the presence of someone that reminds you of God’ goodness and love.  When did you last feel this way

Question for Children:  What can I learn from Mary’s visit to Elizabeth?  Children are very tuned in to Santa Claus but they are also tuned in to the birth of Christ if we talk to them about it.  Preparing for the coming of Jesus must be central to us as Catholic Christians.  Perhaps one idea that we can stress with our children this week is that of trying to make room within ourselves for the coming of Jesus.  Wouldn’t our celebration be happier is we could be ready?   
 

Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
   …let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!

    There is nothing wrong with the traditional family joys of Christmas, nor need we be ashamed to find ourselves still looking forward to them.  But the church, in preparing us for the birth of a “great prophet,” a Savior and a King of Peace, has in mind more than seasonal cheer.
    The Advent mystery focuses the light of faith upon the very meaning of life, of history, of humanity, of the world and of our own being.
    In Advent we celebrate the coming and indeed the presence of Christ in our world.  We witness to his presence even in the midst of all the world’s inscrutable problems and tragedies.  Our Advent faith is not an escape from the world to a misty realm of slogans and comforts which declare our problems to be unreal, our tragedies nonexistent.

Community News

Our Food Pantry  If you would like to help our food pantry, we especially need Canned Soup, Tuna, canned fruit, and spaghetti sauce.  We can always use soup and juice.  Thank you so much for your generosity

Reminder:  The flu Season and the Celebration of Mass:   At The recommendation of the NH DHHS, the following precautions will remain in effect through cold and flu season: 
l. If you are ill, please stay home and refrain from attendance at church celebrations.
2. The sign of Pace should be shared without teaching hands or kissing.  This can be done with meaningful eye contact, smiles, and a bow of the head in reverence to one another.
3. Parishioners should receive Holy Communion in their hands, and not on their tongue.  Parishioners who receive Holy Communion on the tongue by necessity (i.e., because of a disability) should receive at the end of the Communion line.
4. The Precious Blook:  Communion is only to be given in the species of the consecrated host.  If you are unable to receive Holy Communion in the species of the consecrated bread because of Celiac Disease, please see the pastor.

A Look at Upcoming Events

Please Give “the Gift of Life” this Christmas Season!  On Wednesday, December 30th, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, St. Lawrence Parish, located at 51 Main Street in Goffstown will host a Blood Drive for the American Red Cross.  Blood donors are encouraged to give as we remember that one in need could be our own loved one!

Winter Events at Cathedral of St. Joseph  the Cathedral is located at 145 Lowell St. on the corner of Pine. 
  l.  Tuesday, December 29 at 7:30 p.m.  There will be the 1st Annual cathedral Christmas Carol sing. Let us fill the Cathedral and raise the roof singing beloved Christmas carols!  Although this is open to the public, the evening is geared towards parish choirs and their music ministry leaders to gather, reflect and raise their voices in sung prayer.  Light refreshments will be served in the lower lever hall.  We will need people to bring baked goods as well.  The diocesan Festival Choir will be singing Christmas anthems.  If you have a copy of Handel’s messiah, pick up for a Hallelujah Chorus group sing.
    2.  Sunday,  January 31, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.  The Cathedral concert Series presents organist Mary Copely as she plays works of J.S. Bach, Messiaen, Franck, Widor and Vierne.  There will be a free will offering

A Trip to the Holy Land   Msgr. John Quinn at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish is hosting a once-in-a-lifetime ‘Journey to the Holy Land’, April 12 – 23, 2010.  this trip which takes place after Easter, includes Mt. Tabor, Mt. of the Beatitudes, Jericho, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and more!  Space is limited.  For more information, please contact the St. Elizabeth Seton Parish office at 660-7444.         

Confessions:  During the Advent season, there will be the opportunity to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday evenings, December 14 and 21 at 6:30 pm at St. Peter Church in Auburn.  This is over and above the regular opportunities at 5:30 pm every Saturday before the 6:00 pm Mass here at St. Paul.  This is a wonderful way to “make room” for the birth of Christ in our hearts.

A Companion Volunteer Training Program.  The Visiting Nurse of Manchester & Southern NH Association is starting a Companion Volunteer Training Program.  The focus of the training will be compassionate listening, concerns of the elderly, cognitive aging and setting boundaries.  Training is scheduled for Friday mornings January 8 through January 29 from 10:00am to 11:30am at VNA 33 So. Commercial St. Manchester, NH.
    The comprehensive training program will equip participants with the necessary skills to provide companionship to our homebound patients through visits and phone contact.
    The training will be led by Elizabeth Sheard, MA, and Professor of Aging.  Please contact Linda Krisch, Coordinator of Volunteer Resources at 663-4008 or lkrisch@elliot-hs.org to pre-register or for more information.

CURRENT PRAYER REQUESTS Please remember the following people and intentions in your daily prayers: Our sick parishioners and friends…    Please pray for the following people:  Josephine Stout, Cecile Gendron, Kimberly Mirolo, Rita Sullivan, Kathy Gauthier, Jean Swindler, Roger Plante, Joseph Gesel, Jacob Desrocher, Cindy Huard, Deborah McGovern, Ethel Thomas, Gordon Gladden and Carol Sheperd. For peace in the world, especially in the Middle East… For those serving in the armed forces... For families experiencing stress due to financial, emotional or relational problems For our sister parish in Haiti... For vocations to full-time ministry, especially the priesthood, the deaconate, religious life lay ministry...     If you would like to add a person or intention, please let us know. If people on the sick list are no longer in need of prayers, please let us know.