St Catherine of Siena

CHRISTMAS FLOWER MEMORIAL DONATIONS

If you would like to remember a loved one this Christmas with a donation toward the Christmas flowers, please use the envelopes on the tables in the atrium or vestibule. Please return the envelope to the parish office by Sunday, December 21st. The memorial lists will be printed and available for Christmas. Please print the names on the envelope. Thanks!

Women's Club News

Join us on Wednesday, December 17th, for a reflection on the holiday season by Judy Pluta titled “Encountering God’s Presence in the Season of Presents.” Our business meeting begins at 7PM, reflection at 7:30PM.

We will conclude the evening with refreshments and a “Regift Teacup Auction.” If you choose to, and in the spirit of making the holidays easier (and recycling!), please bring an old unwrapped gift you’ve never used for "regifting" to church and leave it in the basket below the Women’s Club table in the atrium by Monday, 12/15. Don’t have any old gifts on hand, don’t worry! You don’t need to bring a gift to get a "regift". There is no charge for this event. All women of the parish are welcome. Call Kim Blanchard, Michelle Rice or Pat Walsh with questions.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA UPDATE

Many thanks to everyone who signed up and volunteered to help at the pancake Breakfast With Santa event last weekend. A fun time was had by all and 48 toys were collected for donation to Simsbury Social Services.
 A special thank you goes to Paul, Hilda, Patrick & P.J. Sullivan for helping prepare crafts. Many, many thanks to Santa for taking time from his busy schedule to be with us!

GRADE 7 & 8 YOUTH GROUP IMPORTANT DATES

SUNDAY, DEC. 14TH (2-3:30PM/ Russell Hall)) Make cards in Spanish for the kids and families of Sacred Heart Parish. Please also bring homemade cookies in a tin to include in our food baskets.

TUESDAY, DEC. 16TH (6:30-8:30PM/Russell Hall) - Assemble boxes of food and gifts.

THURSDAY, DEC. 18TH - Deliver boxes to Sacred Heart. Meet at St. Catherine @ 6PM.

If you would like to participate, please contact Bill & Karen Carew at w.carew@comcast.net

“FEED THE HUNGRY”

The next Feed the Hungry Youth Group visit to the shelter is this coming Saturday, December 20th. The sign up sheet is in the atrium or contact Lisa or Peter Sheary @ 658-2899.

High School Youth Group News

Please join us for the YOUTH GROUP CHRISTMAS PARTY on Sunday, December 21st - 5:00PM. This is a potluck dinner so please bring a favorite dish to share. Teens are also invited to bring a $5.00 maximum wrapped grab bag gift and a men’s toiletry item to donate to St. Elizabeth House.

We have much to celebrate this Christmas! Youth Group members had been incredibly generous with their service effort this past Fall with participation in Fr. Russell’s Tag Sale, serving at Java & Jazz, working on parish Leaf Rake, baking 40 apple pies for Hartford shelter Thanksgiving meals, making blankets for our Sacred Heart neighbors, and making Christmas cards for McLean Home residents. Now, it’s time to gather together and celebrate. Hope to see you there.

2009 JANUARY - JUNE YOUTH GROUP SCHEDULES - Schedules are now available for pick up in the atrium, vesti-bule or at a Youth Group meeting. All current youth group members will receive a new schedule e-mailed this week.

REMINDER - Youth Group Mission Trip permission and adult chaperone forms are due Sunday, January 11th.

MAINTENANCE COLLECTION

Next Sunday, December 21st, will be the monthly collection to help maintain our church properties.

Thank you for your continued generosity!

ALTAR PARTICIPANTS

The next eight week schedule was e-mailed on Friday, Dec. 12th. This email also includes a separate schedule for the Christmas and New Year’s Masses.

If you cannot serve when scheduled, it is your responsibility to find a replacement.

UPCOMING PARISH MEETINGS

Sun., 12/14 @ 10:30AM - RCIA - Library
Tuesday, 12/16 @ 7:00PM - Building & Grounds - Library
Wed., 12/17 @ 7:00PM - Women’s Club - Russell Hall

Sound the Horn

Contemporary music group needs a trumpet player for the 6PM Mass on Christmas Eve.

Please contact Erin Smith @ 658-2998 or Bryce McGowan @ 217-0313.

Third Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11;

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24;

Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28.

Focus Question: Recall a time when you were a messenger of joyful news.

REligious Education News

CONFIRMATION I meets today, Sunday, December 14th.

CONFIRMATION II meet Sunday, January 4th.

Today is our last Religious Education class until the new year. May all our children, parents and catechists know the joy of our dear Lord’s birth this Christmas season. Classes resume on Sunday, January 4th - Epiphany Sunday!

Congratulations to our 3rd Grade Religious Education Students on their wonderful and prayerful Christmas Pageant. They helped us remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. A special thank you to their Catechists: Maryanne Doran, Nate Smith, Andrew Richard, Helen Treacy, Karen Willis, Sandi Smith, and Teacher’s Aides: Erin Sullivan, Charlotte Daussan, Meghan Tighe, Meredith Willis and Hope Sconzo.

Attention Religious Education Families: Our Advent Toy Drive has begun. This toy drive benefits the youngsters who receive treatment at The Burgdorf Pediatric Clinic, part of St. Francis Care in Blue Hills, Hartford. Please bring new, unwrapped toys and place them in the Christmas Box in the atrium and at Henry James. If every family donates just one gift by December 14th, we will have over 300 gifts collected for the Clinic to dis-tribute. What a difference we can make to a child this Christ-mas! We have so many blessings...let’s share!

WEDDING BANNS

Bann I - Jennifer Vicevich & Steven Bryant

Mass Intentions

Saturday, December 13th @ 5:00PM, Mass for Victor Bellacosa, requested by Bob & Theresa Bellacosa.
Sunday, December 14th @ 8:00AM, Mass for Jack Carenza, requested by Jack & Noreen Scafuri.
Saturday, December 20th @ 5:00PM, Mass for Andrew Cravero, requested by the Bonner Family.
Tuesday, December 23rd @ 8:30AM, 12th Anniversary Mass for Joseph G. Burke, requested by the Gleason Family.
Sunday, December 28th @ 8:00AM, Mass for Mary Louise Michaud, requested by Bill & Phyllis Dunn.
Sunday, December 28th @ 9:30AM, Mass for Lucia Brancato, requested by the Brancato Family.
Sunday, December 28th @ 11:00AM, Mass for Edward King, requested by the Newman Family.

Please call the office @ 658-1642 for Mass Intentions. If you would like to bring up the gifts in the offertory procession, please let the usher know when you arrive at church.

Comfort…give comfort to my people

Advent Two…a wonderful example of Advent waiting can be found in looking to the Blessed Virgin Mother. Mary is, as the late Pope John Paul II stated, the “apostle of the Apostles.” She believed with all her heart in the promise of God that she would bear the Son of God in the Incarnation and she also had great hope in the promise of eternal life—so much so that she was able to lovingly follow her son to the Cross for the good of salvation for all generations to come. Joy and Hope in what was—and Joy and Hope in what is to be. This Sunday we hear the message of comfort as we hear in the very beginning of the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah. “Comfort…give comfort to my people…” these are wonderful words of love and tenderness from God to His people. His people are the unfaithful people of Israel who have been in exile in Baby-lon (present-day Iraq) for some 40 years and now God is calling to them with comfort and He is coming to save them and bring them home. This should give us comfort too as we hear God offer us the same love and same mercy—magnanimous and never ending—in our own lives and spiritual journeys—some may even say our own exiles. He, the God of all, wants nothing more than for us to accept His love and mercy and to come home to Him. This season of Advent is a great time to recommit ourselves to following Him and to seeking and accepting His mercy and friendship. Both John in today’s Gospel of Mark and the Prophet Isaiah high-light that in order to receive God’s comfort, mercy and salvation, people must first be turned toward God. We turn toward Him by acknowledging our sinfulness, our human weaknesses, ask for His grace to follow Him and then repent—which requires a contrite heart and an attempted change in how we live out our lives. The second reading from Saint Peter illustrates to us that Peter viewed the long-delay in the Second Coming of Christ as an opportunity for repentance. Let us ask the Holy Spirit for that grace to be turned toward God and to have the strength to change our lives.

Year End Support for Your Parish…while the stock market may be seeing its ups-and-downs this past quarter and many a portfolio have taken a beating, the end of the civil year may still offer some folks opportunities to make gifts to charities and non-profits. As we approach the end of the year and if you are considering a charitable gift to benefit the Common Good, I hope you will consider Saint Catherine of Siena Parish to support our parish activities and benevolent actions which helps us to reach out to our youth to form them for a life of following Christ, or to reach out to people in need—even right here in our own community—with financial support, or just in helping to maintain the property and facilities which so many wonderful folks utilize. Some thoughts on end-of-year giving to the Parish for tax advantages and extraordinary support of the Parish include but are not limited to:

Gifts of Securities: the best stocks to donate are those that have appreciated in value, particularly those that don’t pay high dividends. In order to preserve tax advantages, it is important that you transfer the physical securities directly to the Parish rather than selling the stock outright. If you donate stock that has risen in value and that you have held longer than one year, you do not pay capital gains tax on the transaction and are entitled to a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the stock. If you wish to keep a certain stock in your portfolio, you can donate the stock and then use cash to buy the same stock, thus increasing your cost basis to current fair market value.

Memorialize a Loved One: Who has had the single-most influence on your faith life? A parent? A family friend? A priest? A teacher? Why not make a gift to the Parish in her or his name. Memorial gifts are a wonderful opportunity for you to re-member a loved one in a very meaningful way, and help the Parish continue its mission of spreading the Gospel message and Christ’s ministry in our community.

Gifts of Life Insurance: You can contribute a life insurance policy to the parish by naming Saint Catherine of Siena Parish as the owner of the policy or simply as the beneficiary. If you name the Parish as the owner or beneficiary, you are entitled to an income tax deduction limited to the lower of the value of the policy or your cost basis in the contract. Also, if you continue to pay premiums on a policy that the Parish is named as owner you can deduct the premium payments.

Outright Donation: You can simply make a tax deductible donation to the parish or the parish’s maintenance fund and reduce your taxes in an appropriate manner.

Parish Information…a number of resumes for the position of music director have been received and I have created a committee to review resumes, interview candidates and then make a recommendation to me. The committee is comprised of two teachers, one who holds degrees and practical work experience in the discipline of music, a pianist and church music enthusiast, a cantor and member of the choir, a member of the Contemporary Music group, and myself. We are also being assisted by the exceptional expertise of Dr. Ezequiel Menendez, Music Direc-tor of Saint Joseph Cathedral in Hartford, who has been playing the organ for us at the Vigil Mass of late. It is my hope to move on this decision by early-to-mid January.

Facilities management…we are working on the new IVUE System to be able to better control the heating and air conditioning system in the church and parish center. It may seem that it should be simple, but it is not. The computer system is very complicated and the work relationship, from years ago and for many reasons, with the manufacturer is not all that good. Work to get things to square-one is underway. Bill Bitterli, an expert in engineering, has been a God-send in all that he has been doing for the parish and for me since I arrived some 20 months ago. He has saved us multiple headaches and a considerable sum of money with his experience and know-how. Bill is now being joined by Mike Doyle, president of Click Technology, a high tech computer guy. Hopefully we will determine the best direction to move in so that we can optimize our system technology and reduce energy costs to an appropriate level. Peace!

CHRISTMAS FLOWER MEMORIAL DONATIONS

If you would like to remember a loved one this Christmas with a donation toward the Christmas flowers, please use the envelopes on the tables in the atrium or vestibule. Please return the envelope to the parish office by Sunday, December 21st. The memorial lists will be printed and available for Christmas. Please print the names on the envelope. Thanks!

Woman's Club December Meeting

DECEMBER MEETING - Join us on Wednesday, December 17th, for a reflection on the holiday season by Judy Pluta titled “Encountering God’s Presence in the Season of Presents.” Our business meeting begins at 7PM, reflection at 7:30PM.

We will conclude the evening with refreshments and a “Regift Teacup Auction.” If you choose to, and in the spirit of making the holidays easier (and recycling!), please bring an old un-wrapped gift you’ve never used for “regifting” to church and leave it in the basket below the Women’s Club table in the atrium by Monday, 12/15. Don’t have any old gifts on hand, don’t worry! You don’t need to bring a gift to get a “regift”. There is no charge for this event. All women of the parish are welcome. Reminder cards are in the atrium and vestibule. Call Kim Blanchard, Michelle Rice or Pat Walsh with questions.

Woman's Club December Meeting

DECEMBER MEETING - Join us on Wednesday, December 17th, for a reflection on the holiday season by Judy Pluta titled “Encountering God’s Presence in the Season of Presents.” Our business meeting begins at 7PM, reflection at 7:30PM.

We will conclude the evening with refreshments and a “Regift Teacup Auction.” If you choose to, and in the spirit of making the holidays easier (and recycling!), please bring an old un-wrapped gift you’ve never used for “regifting” to church and leave it in the basket below the Women’s Club table in the atrium by Monday, 12/15. Don’t have any old gifts on hand, don’t worry! You don’t need to bring a gift to get a “regift”. There is no charge for this event. All women of the parish are welcome. Reminder cards are in the atrium and vestibule. Call Kim Blanchard, Michelle Rice or Pat Walsh with questions.

ST. ELIZABETH HOUSE DINNER

Donated items should be at the church by 3:45PM on 12/14. We will leave St. Catherine’s by 4PM and return by 6:15PM. Call Bill/Pat Walsh @658-2606.

UPCOMING PARISH MEETINGS

Sun., 12/7 @ 10:30AM - RCIA - Library
Mon., 12/8 @ 7PM - Prayer Shawl Meeting - Library
Wed., 12/10 @ 7PM - Parish Penance Service
Sun., 12/14 @ 10:30AM - RCIA - Library

Thanks from the Men's and Women's Club

We would like to thank the many parishioners who
came to support our joint Wine & Cheese Night on November 19th. A good time was had by all! A very special thank you to Neil Rounseville and Eric Longfritz from M&R Liquors/Avon and Holly Murphy and Jill Weisenberg from Say Cheese/Simsbury for a job well done and for sharing their expertise with us.

SHELTER DONATIONS BOX

The shelter in Hartford needs the following items: Toiletries (single use soap bars, shampoo, toothpaste/toothbrushes, deodorant, feminine hygiene products and diapers); Clothing Items (all sizes for men, women and children) undershirts, underwear, socks, thermal tops, sweaters, hats, winter coats and gloves; Special Requests: sleeping bags (new or gently used) and thermoses.

All items donated will be hand delivered by the “Feed the Hungry” Youth Group during their next visit to the shelter on December 20th. Please place all items in the “Shelter Donations Box” in the vestibule or contact Lisa or Peter Sheary @ 658-2899.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S MASS SCHEDULE

PENANCE SERVICE - Wednesday, December 10th - 7:00PM

CHRISTMAS EVE MASSES - DECEMBER 24TH
4:00PM - Children’s Mass w/Children’s Choir
6:00PM - Mass w/Contemporary Music Group
10:00PM - Mass w/Adult Choir

CHRISTMAS DAY - DECEMBER 25TH
10:00AM Mass

NEW YEAR’S EVE - DECEMBER 31ST
6:00PM - Vigil Mass (Holy Day of Obligation)

NEW YEAR’S DAY - JANUARY 1ST
10:00AM Mass (Holy Day of Obligation)

High School Youth Group

Youth Group meets Sunday, December 7th - 5-6:30PM! We will be making blankets for the needy in Hartford. Your support is greatly needed. Please bring a $5.00 donation to help defray the cost of materials and a pair of sewing scissors. Adult helpers are welcome to join us for this project. While we work on our blankets, we will also discuss plans for the December 21st Youth Group Christmas Party.

Advent Reflection Nights - come take a study break for one hour this Thursday evening, December 11th, from 7-8PM in the Meditation Chapel. A small group of teens will gather for conversation and reflection on the Advent gospels. Check it out!! We will also be meet-ing again next week, but on TUESDAY, December 16th, @ 7PM. Please note that this is a change from the Youth Group calendar that reads Thursday, December 18th.

COMMUNION AT MASS

If you would like communion brought to your pew, please let an usher, an Extraordinary Minister or Father know.