Our Lady Of Sorrows Church

Our Lady of Sorrows Church

From the Pastor’s Desk My Dear People: We have just finished the first week of Advent and our world seems to be spinning so fast, we often want someone to stop it for a moment so we can savor the beauty of each day and week of Advent. We need to take time to enter into the spirit of hope, expectancy and the fulfillment of all those promises in the book of Isaiah about peace, joy and happiness in the era of the Messiah. The imagery in those first readings from Isaiah this past week should keep us looking forward to celebrating this coming of the Savior in Bethlehem and His second coming. “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich foods and choice wines….On this mountain He will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, He will destroy death forever….The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all the faces….On that day it will be said: ‘Behold our God to whom we look to save us….Let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us.’ ” (Isaiah 25: 6-10) The daily Mass prayers this week are some of the best Advent prayers we can say: “Lord, our God, help us to prepare for the coming of Christ, your Son. May He find us eager in joyful prayer. “Lord our God, grant that we may be ready to receive Christ when He comes in glory and to share in the banquet of heaven. “God of mercy and consolation, help us in our weakness and free us from sin. Hear our prayers that we may rejoice at the coming of your Son. Teach us to judge wisely

the things of earth and to love the things of heaven. “God, our Father, you loved the world so much you gave your only Son to free us from the power of sin and death. Help us who wait for His coming and lead us to true freedom.” It is not too late to buy or make an Advent wreath for the table at home and light the candles according to the advancement of each week. Offer a prayer with the lighting of the candles. I read recently that we should not use the word “Christmas,” but the phrase, THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, because the word Christmas conjures up so many other things like the tree, decorations, shopping, lights, parties and food. However, the word Christmas has the word Christ in it and it is up to us to see Jesus in every connotation of Christmas. It is up to us to find Jesus in the Christmas carols, to see Jesus in the gifts we give, to think of Jesus at the parties because it is His birthday, and to see Jesus in the decorations in honor of His birth. It should be easy to find Jesus in those nativity scenes. I remember one year a mother had turned her back on a toddler who was viewing all the images in the stable scene in front of the church. When she turned around, the toddler had picked up the baby Jesus and was hugging Him. The mother gently told her daughter she had to put the image of Jesus back into the manger. Oh, the wisdom of little children! The Founding Fathers of our country, in writing the constitution in the context of state religions in England and Spain, intended that no Christian faith would be the official religion of this country. It meant that we would have freedom to worship as we choose. They never intended to prohibit the singing of Christian Christmas carols in public schools, and yet this is how far off base we have come interpreting the constitution. The

present interpretation of the constitution is almost hostile to religion. This was never the mind the founding fathers of this country. It is our job to keep Christ in Christmas in our own lives and in this predominantly Christian country.

Advent Penance Service will be held this Thursday, December 10, at 7:00 p.m. in the Church. _______________________________________

With prayers and blessings, Fr. Muller

MASS INTENTIONS Monday, December 7

Donors to the OLS School Foundation For the Deceased Members of the Apicella Family Rosalie Alesci Tuesday, December 8 Frank La Russa, Sr. Douglas Pierre Kathryn Alfano Wednesday, December 9 Special Intention Dolly Barranco Rosalie Alesci Thursday, December 10 Fr. Clarence Bogetta Charles Anthony Schillaci Mary Lightcap Friday, December 11 Sue Dominick Neil Jefferson Rosalie Alesci Saturday, December 12 James Meehan Roy Tallon William Powell Sunday, December 13 People of the Parish Josephine Sicola Don Smith

PRAY FOR VOCATIONS How are you preparing the way for the Lord? What needs straightening in your life? Call on God in prayer to help you. (Matthew 3:1-12). For our Church, may we encourage those among us who may have a call to priesthood or the consecrated life.

Mass schedule December 7 and December 8, The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is: 6:00 p.m. Vigil Mass (Monday) 6:30 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 12:00 noon 6:00 p.m.

Middle School youth group will meet this Monday night from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in the youth room. Please bring one (inexpensive) wrapped present for a white elephant gift exchange. This will be the final meeting for the year. High School PSR class meets Sunday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Our last two meetings for the year will be December 5 and 13. We will not have class on December 20. Please remember to bring your journal. High School youth group meets Sunday nights in the Parish Hall from 7:00 p.m. until 8:45 p.m. All high school youth are invited to make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday, December 12. Forms are available in the vestibule. _______________________________________

Children’s Liturgy of the Word News Children’s Liturgy of the Word will observe the following schedule during the upcoming holiday season: December 6 and 13–Children’s Liturgy of the Word will meet during the 8:30 a.m. Mass. December 20, 27, and January 3–No Children’s Liturgy due to Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Additionally, Children’s Liturgy will assist with the Birthday Party for Jesus celebration on Sunday, December 20, but I need the children’s help! We will present The Birth of Christ Nativity play and actors, readers and cantors are needed. Therefore, children are encouraged to come to the Parish Hall after Mass on December 6 and 13 to sign up. We will have a practice on Sunday, December 13, after PSR classes end, and will be finished around 12:30 p.m. Snacks will be provided at the practice. Have a Blessed Christmas and the Happiest of New Years!

The Madonna and Child Guild invites you and your family to the annual Birthday Party for Jesus and Her Choice Benefit on Sunday, December 20, after the 8:30 a.m. Mass in the Parish Hall. Come and celebrate the reason for the season– Jesus’ Birthday! We will hear the reading of the Christmas story from scripture with a live nativity presented by Children’s Liturgy. The Knights of Columbus will acknowledge the winners of the Keeping Christ in Christmas Poster Contest. We will sing Happy Birthday and present our “gifts” of baby items to be donated to Her Choice Women’s Center. See you there! _______________________________________ Join us next Sunday, December 13, for Adult Education at 9:45 a.m. in the Parish Hall. Our speaker will be Yolanda Sullivan, associate of the Sisters of Mercy and St. Francis of Assisi Church member. Her topic will be “How to serve God through service to others.” This will be the last Adult Education class for this year. We will resume on Sunday, January 10. ______________________________________ Immaculate Heart of Mary Guild will meet on Tuesday, December 8. Tuesday is a holy day of obligation–Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. We will go to Mass at 6:00 p.m. After Mass we will have our Christmas celebration in the Sodality Room. We are asking each of you to bring a dish that can be shared with everyone. You will also need to bring what you would like to drink. You will be able to drop your food item off in the Sodality Room before Mass. Please let me know what food item you will be providing. Also please bring any finished rosaries and any extra supplies. We are trying to get a total number of rosaries we have at the present time to determine what additional supplies we need to purchase. Any questions please contact Wendy Green at 492-7058. _______________________________________ Please join us for our Madonna and Child Altar Guild meeting on Friday, December 11, in the Assembly Hall of the Family Life Center. We will begin with the rosary at 9:00 a.m. followed by social time. Please bring a dish or drink to share. A nursery will be available. If you need nursery reservations, please contact Lauren Elliott at 989-1800 or [email protected] by noon on Wednesday, December 9. We hope to see you there.

The Sisters at the Catholic Center of Concern have a great need for blankets and coats. We will be holding a drive on Sunday, December 13.

Please bring your blankets and coats to the Parish Hall. ____________________________________ The Folk choir will be going caroling to our shutins on Saturday, December 12. We will meet in front of the Family Life Center at 4:00 p.m. We invite any parishioner of any age to join us. _______________________________________ OLS Singles Ministry–Trip to Silver Star/Golden Moon with Our Lady of Lourdes Singles Ministry will be on Monday, December 14. We will leave at 7:00 a.m. from Our Lady of Lourdes and return at 9:00 p.m. For reservations please call Grace Troncalli at 323-3000 or 475-1237. _______________________________________

Friendly Visitors Needed We give all of our homebound and nursing home residents poinsettias for Christmas. We need help with the deliveries. If you can help please call the office at 871-8121. _______________________________________

First Annual 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. High School Sunday, Dec 13th Youth Group $5.00 admission OLS Parish Hall _______________________________________ Chapel of Our Savior The Chapel needs permanent Committed Adorers for: Monday at 3:00 p.m. (to share hour) Our goal is to have at least two people on each hour. These are the hours needed, but do select an hour that best fits your schedule. Please call Ida Wilker at 879-7040 or Mary Claire Brouillette at 871-2909. “A Holy Hour of Adoration in our modern rat race is necessary for authentic prayer!” (Archbishop Fulton Sheen-1895-1979)