Rectory: 10 Richards Avenue Paxton, MA 01612 · 12/22/2019  · Eamon McDonnell Liam McDonnell Jonathan Parsons Andrew Peck Jillian Reynolds Emily Roy Joseph Sawyer Hailey Whitenett

Fr. David Cotter~ Administrator

Terry Nummelin ~ Director of Religious Education

Rectory: 10 Richards Avenue Paxton, MA 01612 Telephone: 508-755-0408 • Fax: 508-767-0759

Religious Education Office: 508-755-0601 http://www.stcolumbapax.org • email: [email protected]

Pastor’s email: [email protected]

SUNDAY MASSES Saturday Evening 4:00PM, Sunday Morning 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM

WEEKDAY MASSES 8:00AM (Monday—Thursday)

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Confessions are heard on Saturday at 3:15PM Any other time is by appointment.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Please call the office for instructions and a Baptismal date.

SACRAMENT OF MATRIMORY Please call the office when you become engaged

BULLETIN DEADLINE

Friday 12:00 PM

WELCOME TO NEW PARISHIONERS

Please introduce yourselves. We want to know and serve you. We hope you become an active part of our Parish Community.

CHURCH OF ST. COLUMBA PAXTON, MA

WORSHIP SCHEDULE SATURDAY– DECEMBER 21ST 9:00a.m. -Rosary 4:00p.m. -Mass For Margaret Leonard SUNDAY – DECEMBER 22ND 8:00a.m. -Mass 10:00a.m.-Mass For Francis Curran Requested by the Family MONDAY – DECEMBER 23RD

8:00a.m.-Mass __ Tuesday-DECEMBER 24TH

4:00p.m.-Mass Christmas Eve 6:00p.m.-Mass Christmas Eve WEDNESDAY – DECEMBER 25TH

8:00a.m.-Mass Christmas Day 10:00a.m.-Mass Christmas Day THURSDAY – DECEMBER 26TH 8:00a.m.-Mass __ FRIDAY – DECEMBER 27TH No Mass at St. Columba __ SATURDAY – DECEMBER 28TH

9:00a.m. -Rosary 4:00p.m. -Mass __ SUNDAY - DECEMBER 29TH 8:00a.m. -Mass 10:00a.m. -Mass For Rita Mertig 2nd Month Anniversary Requested by the Family

LITURGICAL ROLES

12/21-12/22 4:00p.m. 8:00a.m. M. Power (L) L. LeFave (L) A. Stoica (E) M. Ahearn (E) D. Stoica (E) S. Massarelli (E) G. Blondin (E) 10:00a.m. B. Lang (L) M. Murphy (E) R. Bedard (E) Christmas Schedule 12/24 12/25 Christmas Eve Christmas Day 4:00p.m. 8:00a.m. D. Doyle (L) R. Bedard (L) T. Dawson (E) A. Stoica (E) L. Doyle (E) D. Stoica (E) G. Blondin (E) M. Paladino (E) 6:00p.m. 10:00a.m. B. Zglobicki (L) M. Benoit (L) P. Lock (E) MJ Anderson (E) B. Zglobicki (E) K. Anderson (E) S. Massarelli (E)

ALTAR SERVERS

12/21-12/22 12/28-12/29 4:00p.m. Liam McDonnell Eamon McDonnell Julia Morkunas 8:00a.m. Logan Domineck Logan Domineck 10:00a.m. Luke Putney Aiden Rocha Liam Daly Lucas Rocha Christmas Please serve the Mass you attend.

Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, be-cause he will save his people from their sins.” Mt 1:20-21 Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass ©2001, 1998, 1970 CCD.

Christmas Break There will be no mass at Anna Maria College from December 22nd through January 12, 2020

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL THE SICK

AND IN A SPECIAL WAY FOR

Muriel Walsh, Dan Daignault, Eric Henault Ursula Shea, Doris Metilly, Connie Bernier

Mellissa Angiolillo, Julie Dix, Jackie Cook, Blake George Murawski

Barbara Englander, Ginny Bean, Patrick Remington Aline Riedle, Robert Mertig, Christina Marden

Patricia Jones, Elena & Paul Coffey

A Christmas Message from Our Pastor

My favorite Christmas carol is Cecil Frances Alexan-der’s “Once in Royal David’s City.” Part of the reason is simply the, to me at least, lovely melody. But she wrote the poem for children and I also like the way that the entire Christian Gospel is compressed into some few simple lines. We fear that we are alone in a cold and meaningless universe. The incarnation puts the lie to that. Love is the ultimate reality, love made flesh in this tiny defenseless child. He loved us so much, wanted to share our lives so much, that, for a time and in a way beyond our understanding, he left off being God, to show us what love means. It means that we give all for the sake of those we love, just as He did, whose birth we recall today.

Congratulations to the young men and women who

were confirmed at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday

afternoon. Your church family at St. Columba will

keep you in our prayers as you continue your walk

with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and grow in

your relationship with Him and His Church.

John Barron

Seamus Bisnette

Maggie Gardner

Mairead Kelley

Matthew McDonald

Eamon McDonnell

Liam McDonnell

Jonathan Parsons

Andrew Peck

Jillian Reynolds

Emily Roy

Joseph Sawyer

Hailey Whitenett

CCD is on Christmas Break and will resume

classes on Sunday, January 5, 2020.

Christmas Caroling to our homebound followed by a potluck dinner in the church hall.

Date: Saturday, December 21st after the 4:00p.m. Mass.

Take a Journey back in time to that First Night! The annual Christmas pageant will be held on

Sunday, December 22, 2019 during the 10a.m. Mass. Rehearsal for the pageant is on Thursday, December 19, 2019 from 3:00p.m.-4:30p.m.

Children walking over for rehearsal from

Paxton Center School will need a note sent into the school allowing them to walk over to the

church.

12/22/2019

Delay or School Cancellation When there is delay or no school in the Wachusett District, there will be no morning mass.

A Christmas Message from Bishop McManus My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Christmas brings joy to the world and joy to our hearts as we contemplate and celebrate Christ’s birth at Bethlehem. We can readily appreciate Mary’s joy as she gazed on the beauty, mystery and wonder of her newborn Son. It is a joy all mothers experience and one fathers and families share as they welcome and appreciate the gift of new life. Mary’s joy was deepened by the wondrous knowledge that the Child she bore was also God’s Eternal Son who, through her, took on a human nature to be with us and to save us. That presence brought joy to a cold and drafty cave where Mary and Joseph took shelter with animals. Christ’s presence brings joy to us no matter what our circumstances. We marvel not only that God’s Son took on our human nature, but that we, through the baptism Jesus instituted, also gain a share in God’s divine life. Jesus is God’s Son by nature. Through baptism we become God’s children by adoption. And just as God was truly in Mary’s arms in the Infant Jesus, so too, though in a different way, God is with us in our souls through baptism. Our God is not distant, indifferent or detached from our lives. He is with us. He is Emmanuel. The Christmas Season begins with the birth of Christ and ends with the Feast of His baptism. The Season with all its beautiful liturgies, traditions and customs will quickly pass. However, for those who have become God’s adopted sons and daughters through baptism and who remain in His grace, God does not pass from us. We have His presence, strength and peace with us always. Like Mary and Joseph we will face uncertainties, disappointments and unexpected trials, but we do not face them alone. We are aided by a strength greater than our own. Continued

12/22/2019

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS ADVERTISER OF THE WEEK

HOLDEN HEARING AID CENTER

Hope for Housing Food Card Sale

Food cards to benefit the Hope for Housing Program sponsored by the Interfaith Coalition to Prevent Family Homelessness will be available the weekend of January 4 and 5, 2020. Thanks to all who volunteer and support this charity. At no cost, you can pur-chase and spend food cards at face value while helping this charity. The last sales weekend totaled 2700.00. Thank you.

Advent Retreat

A sort of self-directed “retreat.” Each day of Advent there is a quotation or a reflection on the parish’s Facebook page. Some may speak powerfully to you and others not so much. That’s fine. Just keep reading and think about what you’ve read during the day. Hopefully, it might form a backdrop to your Advent and help you make it less about shopping and more about preparing.

St. Columba Children’s Choir

Any boy or girl in grades 3 through 8 is invited to join our children’s choir. Please come to our rehearsals on Sunday mornings at 9:00a.m. The children will sing at the 10a.m. Sunday Mass whenever possible. For more information, please contact Diane Desautels after any weekend Mass or at 508-764-3244.

May the enduring presence of Christ to you and all the baptized extend the joy of Christmas and the blessings of God throughout the New Year and all of life. With every prayerful best wish, I remain Sincerely yours in Christ, Most Reverend Robert J. McManus Bishop of Worcester

The weekend Collection amount for the weekend of December 14-15 will be in next week’s bulletin.