St. Matthew Parish 19 Dora Lane, Limerick, Maine 04048-3527 Tel. 207-793-2244 website: www.stmatthewlimerick.org Diocese of Portland Diocesan website: www.portlanddiocese.org We welcome you to the Catholic Community of St. Matthew and the celebration of the Eucharist. ST. MATTHEW PARISH STAFF: Very Rev. Philip A. Tracy, V. F. Pastor E-mail address: [email protected]Rev. Jack Dickinson, Parochial Vicar E-mail address: [email protected]Deacon Paul Lissandrello, Pastoral Associate E-mail address: [email protected]Heather Silva, Secretary/Bookkeeper E-mail address: [email protected]Deacon Paul Lissandrello, P.C.L. Deacon Paul Lissandrello Altar Server Coord. Gail Libby, Music Director, 793-8998 FINANCE COMMISSION: Henry McKeown KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: Jon DiCentes, Grand Knight, 247-8875 BIRTHPLACE HELPLINE: Abortion Alternatives/Project Rachel, 1-800-227-3002 WEEKEND MASSES: Saturday at 4:00 p.m. Sunday at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. WEEKDAY MASSES: 9:00 a.m. - Monday, 8:00 a.m. - Tuesday*, Thursday*, Friday* *Check weekly bulletin for possible time changes. BAPTISMS: Parents who want to have their child(ren) baptized are asked to please call the parish office (793-2244). WEDDINGS: Anyone planning to get married must call the parish office at least SIX MONTHS PRIOR to the proposed wedding date. CONFESSIONS: Saturday at 3:00 p.m., AND ANYTIME BY APPOINTMENT. NEW PARISHIONERS: Welcome to St. Matthew Parish. Please fill out the Par- ish Membership Form below and drop it in the collec- tion basket or mail to the parish office. DOMESTIC ABUSE HOTLINE: 324-1802 or 1-800-239-7298 PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN: www.portlanddiocese.org/protecting-gods-children We joyfully welcome back to the Church any of our brothers and sisters who may have been away. PARISH MEMBERSHIP: Name ______________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________ City _______________________________________________ Zip Code ___________________________________________ Phone No.___________________________________________ Email Address________________________________________ Check _____New Registration _____Updating Info. _____Change of Address _____Moving out of Parish
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St. Matthew Parish 19 Dora Lane, Limerick, Maine 04048-3527
Tel. 207-793-2244
website: www.stmatthewlimerick.org
Diocese of Portland Diocesan website: www.portlanddiocese.org
Please include the following priests serving in our diocese in your daily prayers this week:
Dec. 24 Rev. Dominic Tumusiime AJ/Rev. Kevin Martin Dec. 25 Our Holy Father Dec. 26 Rev. Thomas Lequin/Rev. Joel Cyr Dec. 27 Rev. Frank Murray/Rev. Raymond Lagace OFM Dec. 28 Rev. Paul Sullivan SJ/Rev. Vincent Mellone
Dec. 29 Rev. James Brewer/V. Rev. Daniel Greenleaf Dec. 30 Rev. Brad Morin/Rev. Ralph Boisvert
Heavenly Father, may the Immaculate Virgin prepare our priests for the radiant feast of Christmas so that the Divine Emmanuel might find in each of their hearts a little cradle scented by purity of His all beautiful and loving Mother. For that, may they be purified in the waves of the Divine Blood of Jesus.
Ven. Mother Catherine Aurelia, Foundress
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEKEND
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Corbett Snyder By the Snyder & Dow Families
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Intentions of the Parishioners
10:30 a.m. Anita McKeown, Della Welch & Yvonne Coburn by the McKeown Family CHRISTMAS EVE 4:00 p.m. Intentions of the Pastor 6:30 p.m. Intentions of the Pastor
10:00 p.m. Intentions of the Pastor
MASSES FOR THE WEEK Monday CHRISTMAS DAY 9:00 a.m. Wayne Hennessey by the Family
Tuesday 8:00 a.m. St. Joseph by Constance Cote MIRACULOUS MEDAL NOVENA
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. COMMUNION SERVICE
Thursday 8:00 a.m. Carol Carr by her sister Dee Mahoney
Friday 8:00 a.m. All Souls
MASS INTENTIONS NEXT WEEKEND (Dec. 30 & 31)
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Jack McGloin by Patty McGloin
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Barry Smilie
10:30 a.m. Alivia Welch by Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Lamontagne
ST. MATTHEW CHURCH LIMERICK
TODAY IS THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT. THE READ-INGS BEGIN ON PAGE 28 OF THE MISSALETTE.
VOCATION VIEW “Be it done unto me according to your word.” Docile obedience to the Lord’s will is the fruit of humble prayer. If God is inviting you to a deeper consecration as a priest, brother, or sister, contact Father S e a m u s G r i e s b a c h a t 2 0 7 - 7 7 3 - 6 4 7 1 ; o r e m a i l : [email protected]; Website: www.portlanddiocese/vocations; Facebook: VocationsME.
"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is
Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant
wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." - Lk 2:11-12
ADVENT LIGHTING CEREMONY
REFRAIN: “Christmas is coming,” the Church is glad to sing, and let
the advent candles brightly burn in a ring
Readings for the Week of December 24, 2017
Sunday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16/Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27,
29 [2a]/Rom 16:25-27/Lk 1:26-38
Monday:
Vigil: Is 62:1-5/Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29 [2a]/Acts
13:16-17, 22-25/Mt 1:1-25 or 1:18-25
Midnight: Is 9:1-6/Ps 96:1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13 [Lk 2:11]/
Ti 2:11-14/Lk 2:1-14
Dawn: Is 62:11-12/Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12/Ti 3:4-7/Lk
2:15-20
Day: Is 52:7-10/Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6 [3c]/Heb
1:1-6/Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14
Tuesday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59/Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab,
Due to holiday deadlines for the bulletin to go to print, parish finances were not available. Please see next weeks bulletin for updated information. Thank you!
WHAT SHALL I BRING TO THE LORD, THE GOD OF HEAVEN, WHEN I COME TO WORSHIP HIM? - Micah 6:6
IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROGRAM “PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN”
In the interest of children’s safety, we ask that children not be allowed to leave Mass to use the restrooms downstairs, unless they are accompanied by an adult. Because we are a public building, doors are required to be unlocked, allowing entrance to all.
OFFICE CLOSED: The parish office will be close on Dec. 25th
and 26th in observance of the Christmas holiday.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: Third Degree Officers meeting
will be 6:30pm on Thursday, Dec. 28th.
THE MATTHEW 25 COMMITTEE continues to collect aluminum
tabs off soda and other cans to benefit Portland’s Ronald McDonald
House, a “home away from home” for families of children with serious
illnesses, who are undergoing treatment at nearby medical
facilities. Please be mindful of this worthy effort when you have holiday
social gatherings. There is a container for your donated tabs in the
Narthex.
THE BOTTLE RELIEF FUND, sponsored by the
Knights of Columbus, has gotten even easier. While
celebrating with family and friends this season,
please save your bottles and cans. For the
convenience of parishioners, you can drop your
bottles and cans off at JD’s Package Store & Redemption, 13
Sokokis Trail, E. Waterboro (across from Hannaford). Let them
know they are for “St. Matthew Bottle Relief Fund”. Those who
wish to continue dropping off at the Bottle Shed here at church,
may continue to do so. Thank you for all your support.
Pastor’s Pondering Saint Thomas Aquinas once wrote, “ Three things are necessary for
the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe, to know what
he ought to desire, and to know what he ought to do.” Sometimes it is
difficult to distinguish what is necessary and what is simply wanted.
This weekend, our Advent time of waiting transforms immediately
into a Holy time of celebrating. Christ our Light, our Truth, is born
into the world, and we must respond! With beautiful decorations, joy
filled hymns, the gathering of family and friends, the exchange of
gifts, and the bold proclamation of the Christmas story, we do re-
spond, and in responding, discover what we truly need. God’s Light
and Truth takes on our human flesh so that we can participate more
fully in God’s divinity. We need to believe in God’s love for us, to
desire to live fully in that love, and to love as Jesus has taught us.
Love without God is affection, and often self-centered. Our parish is
committed to helping people to become more committed disciples
who understand this need to live in God’s love. We are placing re-
sources in our gathering spaces and on our website so that you ex-
plore the depths of God’s presence personally. We are offering events
so that people can come together to share His love and truth in com-
pany with others. We are committed to excellence in our liturgies.
Our staff is proud of what we are doing, and yet understand that there
is much more to incorporate and explore. Please take the time to tell
us how we are doing, and what other services our community of faith
can be offering. Enjoy the fullness of this Christmas season until the
feast of the Epiphany. Use this time to reflect upon Aquinas’ quote
above, and see if you are happy with your answers. If not, perhaps
there is a New Year’s resolution in the making to help you be ready
for God’s salvation.
Fr. Dickinson and I are most grateful for the many prayers, cards and
gifts that we have received. Your kind words and generosity are im-
portant affirmations of our efforts to shepherd two communities of
faith in addition to our other pastoral responsibilities.
Next Monday is the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God. Because
this falls on a Monday this year, the obligation to attend mass is lifted
in the United States. We will have the usual daily mass.
This week we celebrate three important saints. On the day after
Christmas, we honor St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church. In
the shadow of Christmas joy, we are reminded that living our faith
may come at a cost. Are we willing to pay the price? December 27th
we honor John the Evangelist, the disciple whom Jesus loved. Having
heard the good news of the birth of Jesus, like the shepherds and
John, we are obligated to share the story with others. Will we do so?
Finally, on December 28th we remember the Holy Innocents, the chil-
dren killed by Herod in his search for Jesus. There are many inno-
cents suffering in the world today: children who are aborted, victims
of sexism, racism, religious intolerance, etc. Can the peace of Christ-
mas compel us to oppose these sins against God’s love?
Christmas thought: Some families have a traditional day to take down
decorations, while others just make an impulsive choice when they
are tired of them. Hopefully most families will keep the spirit alive
until the Epiphany! However, instead of just rushing through the
process, take time to mark the end of the season. As ornaments are
taken off the tree, reflect as a family any new memories that were
made this year. As the crèche is dismantled, pray that yours will be a
holy family in the coming year. Look over the Christmas card and
make an intention to keep in better contact with someone this year.
Allow Christmas to resonate throughout the entire year.
MITTEN GIVING TREE: The Food Pantry is asking for mittens and hats to fill their Mitten Giving Tree. If you knit, crochet, or would like to purchase new ones, to help keep hands and heads warm during the winter months, we would be most grateful. Items may be left in the narthex.
Thank you.
During December every Hannaford Fight Hunger Bag sold at the Hannaford store location at 20 Sokokis Trail, East Waterboro ME Will generate a $.25 donation during the month of December to support St. Matthew's Food Pantry! Hannaford
Fight Hunger bags with the message “This bag helped feed someone in need” can be found on the reusable bag rack and at various registers. College Bible Study: Winter Series – Are you home for the holidays and looking for an opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new friends and grow in your relationship with Christ? We are offering a 3-week study from FOCUS called Ignite. The study will meet on Thursday nights at 7pm: Dec 28, Jan 4, and Jan 11. Please contact Catherine Gallerizzo at (207) 847-6890 or (240) 246-4315 (texting ok) to sign up or for more details. You can also email her at [email protected]
The Presence Radio Network Sunday, December 24, 2017
Give Yourself the Gift of Catholic Radio
Faith is the most precious gift. Give yourself and your loved ones the gift of listening to inspiring programs on Maine’s only Catholic radio network.
Whether you are a regular listener or a new listener, tune to the station in your area, download the Presence Radio app, listen on your computer
or dial the numbers listed below on your cell phone.
We wish you and your family a
joyous Christmas season!!
The Presence Radio is your listener-supported Catholic radio.
106.7 FM in Greater Portland, 90.3 FM in Greater Bangor, 89.7 FM Mid-Coast, 89.5 FM Augusta, 97.5 Fort Kent,
1390AM Northern Maine, 105.7 FM in Springvale & Sanford
Listen online www.thepresenceradio.org, Download the free Presence Radio smartphone app or dial 605-475-8037 and listen on your cell phone
