St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church

Weekly Bulletin for December 7th, 1997

Masses for the Week

Weekday Daily Mass, Monday thru Saturday, will be offered at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church this week.
Saturday
12/13 4:45pm		 "Trees of Love" Lighting Ceremony
Saturday
12/13 5:00pm		 John Magala (Kathryn Magala & Family)
Saturday
12/13 6:00pm		 Dinner "Christmas at St. Joe's"
Sunday
12/14 10:30am		 Knights of Columbus, Christ the King Council
Weekday Daily Mass during the week of Monday, December 15th thru Saturday, December 20th, will be offered at St. Joseph's Church at 9:00am.

Announcements

Monday, December 8th, marks the Solemnity of Mary's Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation and our Nation's patronal feast day. A Vigil Mass will be offered in our Parish Church on this Sunday evening, December 7th, at 7 o'clock. On the Holy Day itself, Masses will be offered in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church at 9:00am and 7:00pm. The obligation of this Marian Holy Day is binding, even though it falls on a Monday this year.

Kindly be reminded that next Saturday, December 13th, the evening Mass will be offered at 5:00pm, instead of 6:30pm, in order to accommodate the special arrangements for our "Christmas at St. Joe's" celebration, featuring a Festive Liturgy and Holiday Dinner. Just before Mass that night, at 4:45pm, our front lawn Nativity display will be blessed and illuminated for the season; plan to join us for this impressive ceremony. "Christmas at St. Joe's" has become an annual tradition. Please tell your friends, neighbors, and relatives about the change in time of the Mass for this Saturday only. "Trees of Love" petitions will be placed on the Altar at this Mass and through the Christmas Holiday.

An ever increasing concern of our Archdiocese is the availability of a sufficient number of priests to serve the needs of our Parishes, in light of fewer young men entering the seminary. In response to this, our Cluster of Parishes is sponsoring a Holy Hour of Prayer for Vocations on Sunday, December 14th, at 3:00pm, in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church. Father Joseph Devlin, Director of the Office for Vocations to the Diocesan Priesthood, will be guest homilist. Please plan to come and lift up to God in prayer a cause which so gravely affects us and the entire Archdiocese.

Do your ears tell of improvements to our Church sound system? We certainly hope you detect a greater quality and clarity when listening in the pews to those speaking from the Sanctuary. If not, please let us know of your difficulty.
A special Christmas mailing will be making its way to your homes soon. For now, however, kindly note that Mass will be offered on Christmas Eve at 9:30pm preceded by a medley of holiday carols at 9:00pm, and also Mass will be offered on Christmas Day at 10:30am. The traditional Christmas Wafers will be blessed and distributed for family use at next weekend's Masses, December 13th/14th.

Congratulations

Our parish recently received notification of the performance of our high school students on the First Quarter Report.

We are particularly proud of those who demonstrated academic excellence. Students who achieved first honors include: Kathryn Catanese '01, and Elizabeth Catanese '99. Among those earning second honors were the following students from our parish: Shannon Hamara '98, and Melissa Rhoades '98. Great Job - Keep up the good work.

A Family Perspective

It is difficult to imagine God's presence in the normal confusion of home life. This is precisely the message of today's Gospel: "God came to John in the wilderness". Even in our busy and hectic home life we are called to "prepare the way of the Lord". Your family life can be a "voice crying out in the wilderness" - an example to other families of God's presence in a broken world.

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

The Annual Retirement Fund for Religious Collection continues to be one of the most successful appeals in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. Now beginning its tenth year, the theme for this year's appeal is "A Lifetime of Service - A Moment of Thanks".

Most of us have experienced the care of women and men religious sometime in our lives. Many of these men and women religious, who have committed themselves to a lifetime of service to the Church, continue to serve us in a variety of apostolates. Those who are unable to serve in an active ministry due to advanced age or infirmity, still offer us their support through a life of prayer and patient endurance of suffering.

In his January 6th, 1997 message announcing the "First World Day for Consecrated Life", Pope John Paul II gave thanks to the Lord on behalf of all of us for this great gift to the Church. Through your contribution to the Retirement Fund for Religious Collection, you are able to offer a Moment Of Thanks to these senior religious who have selflessly given their lives in service to the chaste, poor, and obedient Christ.

The Retirement Fund for Religious Collection is scheduled for December 13th & 14th, 1997. In addition to your faithful, generous response, I also ask for your continued prayers for all our retired religious priests, sisters, and brothers, and for those who care for them.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen, D.D., V.G.
Vicar for Administration

Registration

Registration will be held in the Primary School Office in St. Cecilia's Parish on Monday, January 26th, and Tuesday, January 27th, from 9:00 to 1:00.

To enter Kindergarten, a child must be 5 years old by September 1, 1998.

To enter First Grade, a child must be 6 years old by September 1st, 1998. A birth certificate, Baptismal certificate and Immunization records are NECESSARY at the time of registration. Catholic families MUST present a letter from their pastor verifying membership in the Parish before a child will be registered. There is $40.00 non-refundable registration fee.

All parents with pre-school children are invited to an orientation and social in the Primary Building Cafeteria of Coatesville Area Catholic Elementary School on Monday, January 26th at 9:30am. We will be happy to have you visit our little ones at work in their classrooms and answer any questions you may have about our school. This will be the ONLY Open House for the school year 1998-99.