THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

 DECEMBER 13, 2009

On the Way....The Season of Advent is an excellent time to take stock of our spiritual lives and to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, especially if we have not done that for a while. To this end, Fr. Babineau and I will be available to hear confessions and administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation on December 14 and 21, Monday evenings, at 6:30 pm in Church. I also hear confessions every Saturday from 3:00-3:30 pm in the Reconciliation Room.

 

 

PARISH NURSE: Friday, December from 7:30-10:00 am.

 

WEEKLY OFFERTORY: $6,064

 

RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS APPEAL: Data submitted to the National Religious Retirement Office reveals that the average annual cost of care for women and men religious age 70 and over has more than doubled since 1989. Current statistics put this figure at $35,077 per person annually, with skilled care reaching nearly $55,000. Your donation to the Retirement Fund for Religious provides critical support to religious institutes in meeting the escalating costs of elder care. Please pray for all religious and give generously to today’s appeal.

 

SACRIFICIAL GIVING: Today’s Gospel provides a blueprint for good stewardship: "Let the man who has two coats give to him who has none. The man who has food should do the same."

 

WELCOME TO NEWLY-REGISTERED PARISHIONERS Kevin and Danielle Wilkins, and daughter Mia Min.

 

CHRISTIAN FORMATION NEWS

K-3 DISMISSALS at all Masses this weekend.

 

GENERATIONS OF FAITH: Next session for grades 4-10 and parents is this Sunday, December 13, from 4:00-6:00 pm in church.

 

CHOIR REHEARSAL: Last rehearsal for Christmas! Wednesday, December 16 at 7 pm.

 

 

ST. PETER CHURCH WOMEN’S GUILD: Our next meeting is on Tuesday, December 15, at 7:00 pm, in the Parish Conference Room. We will hold our cookie swap (bring 3 doz. cookies and 1 wrapped Christmas ornament). We will accept donations of sugar-free items for the Soup Kitchen, and a toiletry item, ie., shampoo, soap, deodorant, etc.

 

 

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS: If you would like to donate for our Christmas decorations in memory of a loved one, write the name of the deceased on an envelope, your family name (please print names) and "flowers", and enclose your offering ($10. suggested). NOTE: Names of those to be remembered through gifts of our Christmas flowers will be published in the Dec. 27 bulletin, NOT the December 22 bulletin as previously stated.

Next Sunday is the last day to bring your Christmas gifts for the nursing home and Kid’s Cafe.

 

CHRISTMAS MASSES

Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24: 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 10:00 am

 

CALENDARS: Please take home one of the calendars for 2010, found at the entrances to church. (sponsored by Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium). One per family, please.

 

RETROUVAILLE: Rediscover a loving marriage with a Retrouvaille (pronounced re-tro-vy) weekend. If your marriage is tearing the two of you apart, if there is little or no meaningful communication, if you are considering separation or divorce, we believe Retrouvaille can help you. The next New England Retrouvaille marriage renewal weekends will be held January 15-17, 2010, and April 16-18, 2010. To register for the weekend or for more information, visit www.HelpOurMarriage.com  or call 1-800-470-2230.

 

St. Joseph Regional Junior High School Open House: Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at 7:00 pm, 460 Pine Street (corner of Bridge Street) Manchester, NH 03104

 

All 4th, 5th and 6th graders welcome.

For more information or registration packet

please call 624-4811 or e-mail: frstjoe@comcast.net.

 

TITHE REPORT FOR NOVEMBER, 2009

Our November offertory totaled $27,269.17. Our tithe of $2,725, added to our carryover from October of $495, totals $3,220, which was donated as follows:

New Horizons, Sonshine Soup Kitchen, and Kid’s Cafe ($500 each): $1,500.

The Santa Fund, Salvation Army $ 300.

St. Marguerite d’Youville Parish, Groveton, NH (struggling to meet expenses) $1,000.

Ecumenical AIDS Taskforce $ 200.

The balance of $221 will be carried over to our December tithe.

Our young parishioners donated $44, one half of which we sent to NH Catholic Charities for St. Charles Children’s Home, and one half to our offertory.

 

VASH (VA Supported Housing) is a joint venture between HUD and the VA providing VETS with case management from a social worker and a housing voucher for five years. This program enables VETS to obtain permanent, safe housing and get back on their feet. The VA helps provide access to job training programs, college, and volunteer positions. The VETS entering VASH are of all ages and have served in various capacities in the military, including Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Vietnam. Many of the female and male VETS have families who are coming out of a transitional situation and have lost their belongings along the way, usually from not being able to afford storage. The volunteers of VASH need your help with donations of kitchen ware and small appliances. Bureaus, night stands, coffee and end tables, kitchen tables and chairs, television stands, lamps, and bed frames are some of our furniture needs. We accept gently used, clean couches, love seats, chairs, and anything needed to begin a home. We are proud to say that we have helped to outfit 35 apartments so far through donations from the public. There are many other ways you can help as well. We are always looking for moving help; you can adopt a family for a holiday, provide access to recreational opportunities, or provide refreshments for one of our groups. The VASH furniture recycling program has a storage trailer at the VAMC where items can be accepted by appointment, weekends or weekdays. For donations, please contact Voluntary Services, Manchester VA, at 624-4366, X6419 or Tracey Noonan, VASH Program Manager, at 624-4366, X6883 or Tracey.Noonan@va.gov . Store gift cards or gas cards are always a welcome donation. For these, or cash donations, please note VASH on your check and submit to: Manchester VAMC Attn: Voluntary Services, 718 Smyth Rd. ,Manchester, NH 03104

THE VASH VOLUNTEERS THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

 

 

MASS INTENTIONS

Dec. 14, Mon. 7:00 am Odilon Proulx by the family

Dec. 15, Tue. 7:00 am Walter and Jeanne Champagne by Marcel and Deb Champagne

Dec. 16, Wed. 7:00 am Jeanne Guertin by her family

Dec. 19, Sat. 4:00 pm For all parishioners of St. Peter Church

Dec. 20, Sun. 8:00 am Edna Samson (10th Ann.) by her children

Dec. 20, Sun. 11:00 am Dominic DiMartino (Ann. Mass) by the family

 

 

 

REFLECTION OF THE WEEK

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18a

Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7

Gospel: Luke 3:10-18

"Gaudete" Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, is supposed to be a day of joy. It is a good time to ask whether people would describe us as joy-filled people, or would they describe us as anxious, overwhelmed, and frustrated due to our Christmas preparations.

 

DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE WITH HEATING

THIS WINTER? As we begin this heating season, if you are having difficulty making ends meet, please call Fr. Dumont at 623-5429. If you are "skimping" on medical expenses or food to pay your heating bill, please call. If your budget is overtaxed because of limited income in the face of increased expenses, please call. Fr. Dumont will talk it over with you for a few minutes and determine the level of assistance. The matter will be held in the strictest confidence. Please remember in your prayers Jim and Meg Stack, who’s estates set up this fund for parishioners. Please remember your parish in your will.

 

EXPOSITION OF NATIVITY SCENES from around the world, at America’s Credit Union Museum, corner of Amory Street and Notre Dame Ave., entry on Amory St. Handicap accessibility. Free admission. Sundays during Advent through Epiphany from 1 to 3 pm, and on Mon., Wed. & Fri. from 1-4 pm.