St. Joseph Home | Mass Intentions/Readings | Notices | From the Pastor's Desk | Prior Weeks' Bulletins
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Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father." - Lk 1:30-32 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mass IntentionsSaturday December 17, 20114:30 p.m. Mass (Margaret R. Curwen)
Sunday December 18, 2011
Monday December 19, 2011
Tuesday December 20, 2011
Wednesday December 21, 2011
Thursday December 22, 2011
Friday December 23, 2011
Saturday December 24, 2011 Christmas Eve
Sunday December 25, 2011 Christmas Day CHRISTMAS FLOWERSThe Christmas Flowers envelope is now available at the doors of the church this weekend and can be found in your offertory envelopes packet for this month. Kindly take the time to remember your loved ones with memorial donations which will assist us with the beautiful flowers and decorations that embellish the worship space during the Christmas Season. Your assistance is very much appreciated, as always. |
ALTAR SERVERS, LECTORS AND EUCHARISTIC MINISTERSIt's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Sign-up sheets are posted in the gallery for the upcoming holidays! Please take a few minutes to look over the ministry opportunities and volunteer to be part of our liturgies during the Christmas and New Year's weekends. The next ministry schedule will run from January 22 until May 27, 2012. Please let Suzanne Robotham know if there are any changes to your preferred Mass times and if you know any weekends when you will NOT be available to serve. The new schedule will not include the Triduum or Easter Sunday. Sign-up sheets for Holy Week services will be posted in March. Contact Suzanne at (617) 489-0602 or suzanne.robotham@gmail.com.BELMONT BUSINESSES SUPPORT BELMONT FOOD PANTRYOn Tuesday, December 20th, Savinos Grill will donate 10 percent of the day’s business. This drive will be the fifth time the Cushing Square restaurant with the Mediterranean flair has supported the Food Pantry in this fashion, according to Tom Curtrone, chef and owner of Savinos. All of these events are sponsored by the Belmont Citizen Herald as part of their Gifts of Hope campaign.RITE OF CHRISTIAN BURIALElizabeth Meehan will be buried from our church this Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. Please remember her and her family in your prayers. |
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St. Joseph Home | Mass Intentions/Readings | Notices | From the Pastor's Desk | n Prior Weeks' Bulletins
TO THE PARISHIONERS OF ST. JOSEPH’SDear friendsAfter 34 years of leading you in song at St. Joseph’s, personal reasons have made it necessary to retire 6 months earlier than I had planned. I didn’t mean to just disappear. It could not be helped. I hope that I was able to enrich the experience of the Mass for the long time I was with you. I enjoyed it very much. I miss it and all of you. I want to wish you a wonderful, happy Christmas season. May your lives be filled with happiness and love and your souls with peace.
Suzanne Wilson
A tremendous thank you to our Faith Formation students! The Advent gift of Hope collection was a marvelous success. A special thank you to the 6th graders, their catechists, and parents for creating the “cookie jars” for the Belmont Food Pantry. Merry Christmas to everyone. Please remember to check our website for information, www.stjoseph.belmont.ma.us. There will not be K-6 classes on Sunday, December 18th and Monday, December 19th, we will resume on Sunday, January 8th & Monday January 9th . 7 – Confirmation II classes will resume on Sunday, January 8th . CHRISTMAS COLLECTIONEach year the Christmas collection supports the retirement needs of the priests of the Archdiocese of Boston. Some of those men once served faithfully in our own parish as well. We ask that you give generously to support the priests who have devoted their lives to faithfully serve God and the good work of the Archdiocese. Thank you in advance for your generosity.SPIRITUAL AND CLASSIC BOOKS GROUPThis winter, curl up with these great books our Books Group is reading!
The Books Group meets the first Monday of the Month at 7pm in the
Parish Library. For more info about the Books Group and the books
we're reading and have read, visit the website: ADVENT EVENING PRAYER - MONDAY, 12/19This Advent, join us for Evening Prayer on Monday night from 7:30 -8:00 p.m. in the Church for a moment of quiet and contemplation as we await the joy of Christmas. |
NEW ROMAN MISSAL: CONSUB-WHAT?Among the changes within the New Roman Missal are what we say as we pray the Nicene Creed. The first word of the Creed in Latin—Credo—has been more accurately translated: “I believe” replacing “we believe.” It’s one example of how the translators are following the new rules; the Latin text must be rendered faithfully whenever possible. Read aloud these words of the new translation from the first part of the Creed:I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made..... Perhaps you immediately heard what will cause some folks to stop and wonder: the words consubstantial with the Father. Instead of the simpler, “one in being with the Father,” this phrase comes almost directly from the Latin, where it expresses that ancient statement of faith that the Son of God shares the same divine life equally with the Father, and has for all eternity. The words of all things visible and invisible and born of the Father before all ages likewise more closely translate the Latin text. Later in the creed, the words about Jesus’ birth: and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, restate in more literal and theological terms how the Word became flesh. There are a few other changes as well, also restoring our English version of the Creed to a greater fidelity to the Latin text. That was the driving principle of our new translation. Excerpted from "'I Believe' - the Creed(s)", Fr. Greg Friedman, OFM (catholicupdate.org/RomanMissal) ADULT CONFIRMATIONThe 2012 Adult Confirmation Program is starting in January! A five-week Adult Confirmation program will be offered on Tuesdays, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, and 2/14 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Often times, for a variety of reasons, a person does not receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation is important because it makes one a full member of the church, enabling a person to be a sponsor at Baptism, Confirmation, and Weddings. If you, or someone you know would like to receive the sacrament, contact Christa Lucas for more information or to register for this five-week preparation program (clucas@stjoseph.belmont.ma.us).NATIONAL MARCH FOR LIFEThe Waltham-Watertown-Belmont Chapter of Mass. Citizens for Life is chartering a bus for the 39th annual National March for Life in Washington D.C. Jan. 23, 2012. We depart at 8 p.m. Sun, Jan 22nd and return early Tues morning, Jan 24th . If you would like to make the trip to Washington and witness to the sanctity and dignity of life, please contact Maryanne at 617-489-4298 for information and registration. Cost for adults is $35 and students $25. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Seating is limited, so sign up soon. |
St. Joseph Home | Mass Intentions/Readings | Notices | From the Pastor's Desk| Prior Weeks' Bulletins
FROM YOUR PASTORTo my new parish family,I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the generosity and warmth of your welcome over the past week. It has been a whirlwind of activity, finishing up my ministry at Mass General Hospital where I have been privileged to serve for the past five and a half years, moving to Belmont, and beginning my new assignment here as pastor of this vibrant parish. I am so grateful to Cardinal Seán for appointing me to serve you. A few more words of appreciation are necessary. First, I have to thank my predecessor Fr. Al Faretra for all the work he did as your shepherd for the past ten years. Fr. Al served so ably and generously with a true shepherd’s heart and we all wish him many blessings in his new role as pastor of St. Blaise Parish in Bellingham. I also want to recognize the generosity of the pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Watertown, Fr. Bob Connors for serving as temporary administrator while you and he patiently waited for a new pastor to be named, as well as Fr. Marty Dzengeleski and Fr. Joe D’Onofrio for their assistance. I must also commend and thank the marvelous staff here at St. Joseph Parish, who have continued with such dedication the great work they do day in and day out on our behalf as leaders in the mission of Christ during the stressful time of transition. During this Advent season, as we prepare for the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity, I pray that Christ will come anew into our midst, bringing the radiance of a new dawn of grace to the journey of faith we are now living together.
Peace and blessings, PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRYPrayer shawls are handcrafted gifts, specifically made to offer hope and comfort to those in need of the warmth of God. Shawls are given as a remembrance of God’s blessing and abiding love. Makers of the prayer shawls offer the hope that the receiver may be wrapped in warmth, as a way to experience and remember God’s healing love. With each prayer shawl is a card telling the receiver that while skilled hands were creating the shawl, special prayers for the receiver were being offered. We always need shawls of different shapes, sizes or colors. Your shawl can be knitted, crocheted, knotted, or woven – it’s up to you! All are welcome to join us in this ministry. Join us the first and third Mondays of the month to learn more about this ministry, select a shawl for someone in need, or pick up yarn for knitting or crocheting. Donations are accepted and appreciated. Please contact Christa Lucas for more information or to request a prayer shawl for a loved one. Upcoming Prayer Shawl dates are 12/19, 1/9, and 1/23. Prayer Shawl Ministry meets at 10 am in the Parish Library. Materials and instruction are provided. All are welcome.PARISH OFFICES CLOSEDPlease note that the Parish Business Office, Church and all the Faith Formation Offices, will be closed weekdays, December 26th to January 2nd . The offices will reopen on Tuesday January 3, 2012.BELMONT/WATERTOWN COLLABORATIVE CHRISTMAS SEASON LITURGIESSAINT JOSEPH - BELMONTSaturday, December 24th, Christmas Eve - 4:30 p.m. (Church & Parish Hall) 11:00 p.m. (Church) Christmas Day - 10:00 a.m. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, January 1st – Saturday 4:30 p.m. & Sunday 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. only
SAINT LUKE - BELMONT
SAINT PATRICK - WATERTOWN
SACRED HEART - WATERTOWN |