December 2, 2018

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

DECEMBER 2, 2018

Whenever the weather forecast includes a storm warning, everyone in our neighborhood prepares for it. In summer, porch furniture is secured, small potted plants are brought inside and windows are closed. In winter, people buy up bags of ice melt, groceries and other necessities. Being ready for bad weather helps minimize damage and helps us to be comfortable when the weather is not. When the weather forecasters speak, we all listen and act. Advent forecasts a storm of grace. The warnings are all in place. God has promised it, Scripture has pointed to it, and the prophets have announced it. The only thing left is for the people to be prepared and wait. The storm will come in the birth of a Child, born in a stable, and destined for great things. He is the Word made flesh, a Word that will be heard for all time and by all people. Don’t allow yourself to become complacent or sound the alarm of commercialism. Focus on what needs to be done. Pray more fervently. Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Attend an Advent Vespers service. Learn a new Christmas carol or hymn. Be active in your preparations so that you will be ready to embrace the Christ Child when He comes. James Gaffney

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SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST CHURCH Today’s readings can be found in the Gather Hymnal page 993

Saturday December 1 8:00am Colleen Herz by family 5:00pm Louis Orlando by his family Sunday, December 2 7:30am Diane McManus by her family 9:00am Mary Dean by the Callery family 11:00am Bob McLaughlin by his family 6:30pm Earl Storey by his family Monday, December 3 9:00am Karen Coax by Ed & Diane Gorak Tuesday, December 4 9:00am Diane McManus & Audrey Herz by family Wednesday, December 5 ..9:00am Stephen Rice by his family Thursday, December 6 9:00am Florence Borja by Gloria Friday, December 7 ..9:00am Muriel Downey (10th Anv) by her family 7:30pm VIGIL MASS FOR FEAST OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Saturday December 8

9:00AM IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 5:00pm Herz & Downey family by their family Sunday, December 9 7:30am Mary Dean 9:00am John S. Moore, II 11:00am Paul Kamga Fotso 6:30pm Teresa Hurtado

Hailie McLatchey, Danielle Schiavone, Patricia Amorelli, Jean Hawkesworth, Kim Evans, Ann Martin, Mickie Aylward, Sharon Beaulieu, James Wright, Evelyn Croteau, Beth Lambert, Cheri McGee, Agnes Limberger Joe Gonzales, Zachary Collins, Grace Roche, Elise Renee, Ann Tisbert, Patrick, Christine, Robert Coutinho, Elisa Korb, Mary Mahan, Toby Claufon, William Carr, Becky Rawson, William Carr, George Beecher, Russell Gazzana, Bill Miller, Erin Magrane, Leanne McCann, Ellie Carlson, Epifania Soto, Jane Burke, Hayleigh Scott, Kellan Keough, Dorothy Clinton, Sr. Pamela Philbin, Karen Mooney, Andrea Furtado, Luis Ferreria, Helen Galica, Erik Olsen, Vicki Foley, Rosemary Bartolini, Jack Curtin, Jim Bennett, Neil Kenny, Paul Fallon, Debbie Giroux, Carole & Pam Laino, Gregg Merloni, Tome Valadao, Melvin Boucher, T.J. Bautz, Ronald Cox, Joan Fallon, Joan Antonio, Marie Wilson, David Perry, Lucia Engdahl, John Durnan, Linda Darby, Beverly Taylor, James Bretta, Judy Melfa, Claire Kennedy, Maria Matejko, Peter Rose, Kevin & Donna Brennan, Richard Carey, Emiliano Cuellar, James Thomas, Teresa Putnam, Christina Narensky, Lynn St. Jean, Michael Berthuime, Trisha Suzi, Norman Beland, Margaret Markert, Susan Garry, Barbara Auger, Ann Price, Barbara Barnes, Doris Biedermann, Joan Bunnell, Joan Finnerty, Jeanne Amendola, Jack Walker, Daniel Baker Ruth Davoe, Robert Trant, Michael McAndless, Michael Del Pozzo, Lucy Hamburger, David Carrera, Joel Rivera, Gary Shults, Isla Winnie Bassler, Corine Sciarappa, John Lynch, Kristy Cautello, Joseph Malzone, Lois Kerbel, Carol Guarino, Michael Turpin, Connor Blaney, Debbie Krikler, Sally Gagliardi, Sam Mozley

PARISH PRAYER LINE 508.366.6916 Names of individuals on the Prayer Line are not published in the bulletin

Let us remember to pray for all the men and women and their families who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan We remember those who have died… Colleen Herz

EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT & ADORATION TUESDAY 9:30AM TO 6:30PM DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET AT 3:00PM PRAYER FOR THE SANCTITIY OF LIFE AT 6:00PM ADORATION MUSIC AT 6:10PM BENEDICTION AT 6:30PM SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Celebrated on the 1st Sunday of each month SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Saturday from 4:00 to 4:45PM ~ also by personal request Reconciliation Room is handicapped accessible

Pray the Rosary Monday through Friday after the 9:00 Mass Cenacle Monday at 6:30PM

SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE Please contact a Priest at least six months in advance VISITATION OF THE SICK Our extraordinary ministers are always pleased to bring the Eucharist to parishioners who are unable to join us for weekly worship. If you or a family member would like to receive Communion, please call the Rectory. If you know of someone from the parish who is in the hospital, please let us know.

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SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST CHURCH 2018 CHRISTMAS EVE CHILDREN’S PAGEANT When: Christmas Eve @ the 6 PM Mass, Monday Dec. 24th Who: Children in Grades K-6 (all roles are non-speaking) Sign-up: Sunday Nov. 18th ~ Tuesday Dec. 11th Before signing up PLEASE take note of the Rehearsal times : Sunday, December 16th 12:15-1:15PM in the church Sunday December 23th 12:15-1:45PM Dress Rehearsal starts and ends in the Parish Center To sign up choose one of the following methods; Use the online sign up at http://stlukes-parish.org at the Parish Center, OR contact Kathy Dunbeck at 508479-0585 or email [email protected] no later than December 11th. Thank you. Additional Information........ The Pageant is performed during the Gospel at the 6pm Christmas Eve Liturgy. Children will sit in assigned seats throughout the Mass. Costumes and props are provided. All roles are non‑speaking and are of equal importance to the production. Some of the roles require more movement, such as Mary, Joseph, and the Kings etc. for these parts names will be drawn from the list of participants in grades 3‑6. Participants in grades K - 2 will be assigned roles as either Angels or Shepherds. Everyone who signs up will be assigned a role…there are no try outs. How can you HELP? We need volunteers! Parents are needed to help the children with their movements and cues, someone to read through the Gospel and work the music, and people to check out/ refresh costumes and props. Please indicate your willingness to help

when you sign up. Questions?

Call or email. THANK-YOU. We look forward to working with your children on this special program.

PARISH CALENDARS FOR 2018 Calendars will be available this weekend, in the vestibule of the Church. These beautiful Catholic calendars are donated by David Pickering Funeral Homes and Curry Printing (Peter Gardner) We are very grateful to them for making the calendars available. Please be sure to pick one up.

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Saturday, December 8 MASS SCHEDULE

Friday, December 7 at :7:30pm Saturday, December 8 at 9:00am GIVING TREE As you can see, there are still some tags on the trees. If you haven't yet taken a tag or you could possibly take just one more, it would be greatly appreciated! We thank you for opening your hearts and your wallets for this wonderful endeavor--it's only because of you all that this lovefilled program works! Please FILL IN AND LEAVE THE LEFT HALF FOR US and then have your wrapped gifts, labeled with the right half of the tag, in to us on Sunday, December 9th. THANKSGIVING " THANK YOU" FROM OUTREACH It is with a grateful heart that I thank all of our St Luke's parishioners who contributed to our Interfaith Thanksgiving Program. Thank you to all the Faith Formation classes for bringing in the "fixings". You did an awesome job remembering your donations! I also mentioned that we were in need of $25. grocery cards. Well...as always, when asked, you listened and responded with generous hearts! We received many, many cards as well as cash donations. As we know, God does provide, but He works through us by opening our hearts! We would also like to give a heartfelt thank you to Alex Boyd who coordinated our Thanksgiving Basket Program again this year. Her tireless dedication helped to provide over 120 families with a Thanksgiving meal. Thank you Alex! ADVENT RECONCILIATION SERVICE Wednesday, December 12 at 7:30PM Join with your parish community in the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance.

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SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST CHURCH

ELECTRONIC GIVING CARDS ARE HERE! The Pastoral Council would like to first thank all those who have so generously given of their time to give feedback regard their Electronic giving experience at St. Luke’s. We know that electronic giving is a critical piece to the financial health and future of our church. As a result one of the goals we set was to help facilitate the use of e-giving more broadly at St. Luke's, but before we could do that we needed to make sure we understood how our parish feels about electronic giving. We received a lot of great feedback that we will now start implementing over the next coming months. When you arrive at Mass there will be a basket of egiving cards stationed in the back of the church that you can grab on your way to your pew and place in the collection basket. The cards will be recycled and used at each Mass so please keep them at Church. For St. Luke's parishioners there is a deep sense of community giving and sometimes with electronic giving it's not always easy to show that, so the cards are a way to help include everyone. Keep an eye out for more announcements on Electronic giving in the bulletin and Flock notes where we will continue to respond to your needs For questions or to sign up for e-giving please contact Linda ([email protected]) or Ellen ([email protected]) or visit https://stlukesparish.churchgiving.com

A NEW FESTIVAL CHOIR We have had a long standing need for a Festival Choir to sing at only the 10:30 AM Masses on Christmas and Easter. The music for these Masses will be very easy and familiar, leading the Congregation in well known Christmas and Easter Hymns and Songs. There will only be one or two rehearsals for the Choir, sometime shortly before the Holy Days. Musical literacy will not be needed, as it will all be music that almost everyone knows. It would be a wonderful to support St. Luke’s as they celebrate these glorious days. Please call Ellen Linn (508) 366-5502 to sign up, or for more information. I am looking forward to hearing from anyone who loves to sing.

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is a parish ministry that introduces people to the Catholic faith and provides the path for full membership in God’s pilgrim church, for those who so choose. Inquirers from all backgrounds are welcomed to learn what it means to be a Christian in the Catholic faith tradition without any pressure to become Catholic. For more information, please contact Bob Thompson, RCIA Team Leader, by calling 508-341-7677 or emailing at [email protected]. Or contact any of our team members: Kathy Burbank at 508-468-6682, Josh Dion at 978-807-1631, or Stan Kayser at 508366-2475. We welcome all inquirers. CAN YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ACT AS AN ELF FOR US? We have over 15 opportunities for elf service here at the parish! One of our parishioners connects regularly with some of our parish residents living at Kindred Health Care in Westborough. We would like to offer them a small gift this year and need an “elf” to meet with them to find out what he or she would like us to buy for them – at Walmart. Once you purchase the gift (with a gift card we provide for you), we would ask that you wrap it and deliver it prior to Christmas with a homemade card and cookies. This is a wonderful opportunity for children to participate with you in a meaningful way, and it will make a difference for each of those visited! If you would like to participate please call soon – Julie Basque, pastoral associate at 508-355-8509, ext 4, or email [email protected] Thank you!

CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL SERVICE On the evening of Wednesday, December 19th, St. Luke’s will be holding a Candlelight Christmas Memorial Service in the church sanctuary at 7:30 p.m. to remember our loved ones who have died. During this busy, and often difficult, holiday season we invite family and friends to participate in this evening of thoughtful prayer, reflection and music. You are welcome to bring a photo or other small remembrance of your loved one to display during the service. If you would like the name of the deceased mentioned during the service, please plan on arriving at 7:10 p.m. We look forward to having you join us for this special evening of shared sorrow and joy in the presence of our Lord!

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“St. Luke’s donates 10% of its weekly collection through Sharing First . We donate to others before attending to our own wants. Sharing First is unique not only because there is one collection each week, but that we help the needy first. Please adjust your donation to include both Sharing First and St. Luke’s. Thank you for your generous support. NOVEMBER 25 supports PERNET in the amount $1392 DECEMBER 2 supports (TODAY) — PARISH OUTREACH DECEMBR 9 supports RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS In December the parishes of Worcester conduct the appeal for the Retirement Fund for the Religious, a national collection that benefits more than 32,000 elderly sisters, brothers and religious order priests. Most elderly religious worked for years for small stipends, leaving a substantial gap in retirement savings. With the ever-rising costs of health care and the increase in the number of these needing care, many religious communities now struggle to provide for their senior members. The Retirement Fund for Religious offers vital financial assistance to help meet the day-to-day needs for prescription medications, nursing care and more. The average annual cost of care for senor religious continues to rise each year, including skilled care that can range from 50,000-75,000 per year. Please consider donating what you can do to help those who have given a lifetime .

FOREVER YOUNG — CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON We usher in the holiday season at our annual luncheon, with a hearty meal and some familiar Christmas carols. We’ll have the Tuscan Room at The Chateau all to ourselves on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 12 noon. The cost is only $23 for appetizer through dessert, and a cash bar will be available. Come join us for a pleasant afternoon with friends, both old and new. Flyers are available in the back of the church, and the deadline for reservations is the weekend of Dec. 2. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MONTHLY MEETING - Our next regular monthly business meeting will be held on Monday December 3rd at 7:00 PM at our council hall. We will be discussing our plans for the Free Throw event in January. We look forward to seeing you there. KIOSK OF BOOKLETS of Catholic Religious Materials are in the entrance of the Parish Center. These booklets are produced by Catholic Information Services and they are offered to everyone with the compliments of the Knights of Columbus Council 85. We hope you will find these booklets interesting and useful religious education materials.

CAROLING AT ST. LUKE’S Attention all carolers! Caroling is back by popular demand and you are invited! We will be singing Christmas Carols to some of our homebound parishioners on Wednesday, Dec. 12th starting at 4:00pm and ending no later than 7pm. Join us in the parish center at 4:30 for a slice of pizza and a chance to meet with your fellow carolers! Our repertoire (per house) is not extensive – “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night” and “We Wish you a Merry Christmas.” If you or your family would like to join us, please call Julie Basque at 508-366-8509, ext 4 or email [email protected]. Let me know too if you cannot come on this date (we have a few slots open for Sunday December 9th at 4pm.) Nice voices are a bonus, but love and enthusiasm for visiting others is our only prerequisite! Call Julie too if you want us to sing at your home this year!

1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” (LUKE 21:28) We celebrate Advent each year in preparation of the birth of Jesus, His first coming, as we await his second coming. In this Advent season, use the sacrament of Reconciliation to strengthen your relationship with Jesus. It’s never too late. December 2, 2018 Print to PDF without this message by purchasing novaPDF (http://www.novapdf.com/)

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SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST CHURCH 70 West Main Street, Westborough, MA 01581 Telephone: 508-366-5502 Fax: 508-366-6049 www.stlukes-parish.org PARISH CENTER 1 Ruggles Street 508-366-8509 Office Hours—Monday –Thursday 9:30AM -5:30PM Closed Friday LORD’S DAY MASSES Saturday: 5 PM, in Spanish 7 PM Sunday: 7:30AM, 9:00AM, 11:00AM, 6:30 PM Weekday Masses Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM Saturday 8:00 AM Holy Days 7:00 AM, 12:10PM and 7:30PM PARISH STAFF: Monsignor Michael G. Foley, Pastor e-mail [email protected] Fr. Joseph Rice, Associate Pastor e-mail [email protected] Ellen Linn, Music Ministry e-mail: [email protected] Dianne Patrick, Director of Religious Education e-mail [email protected] Gloria Josephs, Youth Minister e-mail [email protected] Nan Ford, Parish Outreach e-mail [email protected] Julie Basque, Pastoral Associate e-mail [email protected] Maria Gasser, Parish Secretary e-mail [email protected] Pam Vaccari, Parish Ctr. Secretary e-mail [email protected] Linda Underwood, Bookkeeper e-mail [email protected] Beth Salsman, Housekeeper Lawrence Orlando, Building and Grounds Patrick Malone, Building and Grounds BULLETIN DEADLINE: Thursday, 5PM

Coordinator of Lectors: Paula Christensen ([email protected]) Coordr of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Tricia Guest ([email protected] or 508-366-7983) Coordinator of RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults):

Bob Thompson ([email protected] or 508-341-7677) Coordinator of Adult Formation Team: Tony Joseph ([email protected])

LITURGICAL MINISTERS –December 8/9 Saturday, 5:00PM Mass Lector: Todd Goodrich Cantor: Mary Beland Extraordinary Ministers: Carol Belle, Kathleen Gorczyca, Sue & Joe Black, Pat Najarian Servers: Lindsey & Alex Kenny, Timmy & Will Breen Greeters: Paula Sparks & Gloria Sullivan Sunday 7:30 AM Lector: Sam Stucchi Extraordinary Ministers Nancy Virzi, Ed Behn, Tari Shea Servers: Charlie McLarnon, Anna, Joe, Julie Bernat Greeters: Jean Marie Newey 9:00 AM Mass Lector: Eileen Ryan Cantor: Ellen Linn Extraordinary Ministers: Peter Flynn, Carol Aloisi, Kathy Richov, Mary Burke, Tom Regan Servers: Andrew O’Keefe, Fiona, Nicholas, Sophie Boyd 11:00AM Mass Lector: Vic Melfa Cantor: Mary Beland Extraordinary Ministers: Yves Jonassaint, Antony Thomas, Pat Karpacz, dottie & Herman Millet Servers: Esther Antony, Nikki Farmer, Maria Kashala Ava Menezes Greeters: Clare & Stan Tozeski 6:30PM PM Mass: Lector: Kevin Egan Extraordinary Ministers: Gerald Baker, Kathy Dunbeck, Ann Egan Servers: Catherine Szczepankiewicz Abisha Joyce, Sofia & Ava McLaughlin Greeters: Kathy Kivlehan

Pastoral Council Brian McLaughlin, Chair [email protected] Michael Alden, Vice-Chair [email protected] Ellen Gualtieri, Secretary [email protected] Mary Andrade [email protected] Anne Egan [email protected] Deborah Foody [email protected] Brent French [email protected] Kathleen Gorczyca [email protected] John Griffin [email protected] Daniel Joyce [email protected] Bill Kenney [email protected] Pat Najarian [email protected] Irma Torres [email protected] Annie Woodman [email protected] Debbi Ziegler [email protected] Matthew Zogg [email protected]

St. Luke the Evangelist Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the Diocese of Worcester. We strive to learn, teach and joyfully live the fullness of our Faith and serve God and our neighbors in charity and truth. We faithfully celebrate the Sacraments, pray together as a community and give generously of our time, talent and treasure to live and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our daily lives.

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