Lots of events happening this weekend! Let’s get to it:
- Volunteer Dinner tonight at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Center (gym). We will be hosting a “raffle basket” event as well as a 50/50 raffle. $1.00 per ticket.
- Santa’s Workshop is in the Parish Hall (room under the church) Saturday, December 3, from 1:00 pm till 4:00 pm. The Social Events Committee has been working very hard for this event. Make sure to come on down and bring the kiddies!
- Breakfast With Santa is in the Parish Center (gym) on Sunday, December 4, from 9:00 am till 12:30 pm.
- St. Mark School Cookie Sale is in the Parish Center/School Hallway on Sunday, December 4, from 9:00 am till 12:30 pm. (my favorite event of all time….the baked goods are wonderful)
- Christmas at the Mansion is happening at Lauralton Hall on Sunday. Details are in the bulletin. The mansion is always decorated to the hilt and is quite beautiful.
- Christmas at Boothe Memorial Park and Putney Chapel this Friday evening and Saturday. Lots going on at Boothe Park this weekend. Stop by Putney Chapel this Friday evening. The Astronomy Club will have a telescope on hand to look at the stars (please no clouds!), cheese and crackers, hot cider, decorations, music, homemade breads for sale, and a delightful fire pit! Saturday Santa will be on hand to greet the children! These are free events.
FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY - DECEMBER 8, 2022: This is a Holy Day of Obligation in 2022. Our mass schedule is: Wednesday, December 7, at 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, December 8, at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 7:00 p.m.
AND SPEAKING OF THIS FEAST DAY….MY APOLOGIES: I forgot to list the Mass Intentions for the Immaculate Conception Masses in the bulletin! What was I thinking this week…obviously not much to make such a mistake!
- Wednesday, December 7:
- 5:30 p.m. - Edna Pray, RB Proudfoot & Pray Families
- Thursday, December 8:
- 8:00 a.m. – Romauld Czaplinski and Bogdan Czaplinski, RB Sabina Czaplinski
- 12:00 noon – Judy Sciuto, RB Mary Ellen and Nick Bertini
- 7:00 p.m. – Deceased Members of Council #8, St. John Paul II Knights of Columbus, RB Knights of Columbus
MISSAL HELPERS: Thank you to the great team of individuals who showed up last Friday (after eating a big meal on Thanksgiving Day no less) to swap out the pew missals! We were done quickly and efficiently. Thanks for all your help.
ONE COLLECTION: There is only one collection this weekend.
ST. JOSEPH MISSALETTES: The missals are at the office. They are $5.00 each. Come by and pick up a copy.
HOLY MOMENTS: Copies of the book are here and distributed at the entrances of the church this weekend. Please take a copy of the book home and be a part of the spiritual revolution beginning in our very own parish.
DIVINE MERCY PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WORLD: This prayer has been added as an insert to the bulletin this weekend and can be prayed anytime during Advent.
ACCOUNTABILITY SUNDAY: Bishop Caggiano has designed the first weekend of December as Accountability Sunday. Postings for our financial statements will be in the bulletin weekend December 3 and 4. These statements have already been posted to the St. Mark website.
ST. MARK LADIES GUILD CHRSTMAS LUNCHEON: St. Mark Ladies Guild invites all women of the parish and their guests to join them on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 12:30 p.m. for the Guild Christmas Luncheon at the new Lodge Restaurant at the Oronoque Golf Club (former Oronoque Country Club). The Plated Custom Lunch will be served which includes: Cheese and Crackers, House Salad, Roasted Potatoes, Vegetable Medley and choice of Chicken Piccata, Sliced Flank Steak, or Baked Cod (w/bread crumbs) and Brownie a la mode and Coffee or Tea. Cost: $35. RSVP Nancy Lou Maco, (203) 522-6359 or Gerri Szabo at (203) 378-2552 by Dec. 6. Please see the attached pdf file!
BOY SCOUT/CUB SCOUT CHRISTMAS GREENERY SALE: Remember to stop by and purchase a beautiful Christmas wreath, cemetery basket, or table centerpiece! The assortment this year is wonderful! I purchased a table centerpiece and it looks great at home.
CRAYON INITIATIVE: If you have unwanted crayons at home, even if they are broken, the St. Mark School kindergarten class is collecting crayons all year long to recycle and to be recreated for use at pediatric hospital units nationwide. Thank you for supporting our school and the children’s efforts to help the community. The “crayon collection box” is in the vestibule of the church.
ST. MARK GIVING TREE PROGRAM: Please consider taking home a tag or two and make someone else’s Christmas special! The trees will be in the front foyer of the church beginning November 19/20, November 26/27, December 3/4, and December 10/11. All presents MUST be returned by Sunday, December 11.
CHRISTMAS MASSES/RECONCILIATION SCHEDULE: Here is our schedule for Christmas. Please note there is a time change for the Sacrament of Reconciliation for Christmas Eve: Father Birendra asked to change the time to 11:00 a.m. till 12:00 noon.
ST. MARK CATHOLIC CHURCH
CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE 2022
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION SCHEDULE
Individual Confessions in Church
Saturday, December 24, 2019
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
(this is a change from the print copy you received with your giving envelopes)
CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE
Christmas Eve
Saturday, December 24
8:00 a.m. (daily mass – does not fulfill Christmas obligation)
4:00 p.m. – Church
4:00 p.m. – Parish Center
10:00 p.m. – Church
Christmas Day
Sunday, December 25
8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 12:00 noon - Church
Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Friday, December 30
8:00 a.m.
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
(A Holy Day of Obligation)
Saturday, December 31 at 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 1, 2023
7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon
OK, I think I captured everything Father and the team wanted posted. Looking around the desk one last time before I hit the “send” button! See you at dinner tonight.
Best,
Paula (and Joan too)
P.S. Thanksgiving Day was wonderful. The boneless spiral ham was delicious. And so easy to heat and serve. That brownie pecan pie I told you about turned out to be delicious. However, it was very RICH…you could only eat a very small piece. The recipe is attached if you want to print off a copy. (I never got around to making Joan’s recipe for Dolly Madison Gingerbread Cake. Need to get on that!) TV was horrible for Thanksgiving Day movies. Barely a Christmas show on. We wound up watching The Wizard of Oz. You know, those ugly monkey men still freak me out! Didn’t like them as a kid; don’t like them as an adult!
Christmas cards mailed; decorating all done; Thanksgiving Day behind us; Giving Tree presents bought, wrapped, and put back under the tree in church foyer; visited the cemetery to put the wreaths on the graves of all our dearly departed.
Having friends and neighbors in for a little Christmas party this Saturday. Baked all my desserts yesterday. Carrot cake (cream cheese frosting), gingerbread cake, “stump” noel (chocolate cake with ganache frosting in the shape of a tree stump), mushroom meringues, and rice pudding. Chocolate candies in dishes everywhere! Chocolate RULES!
Michael finished all outside garden work; lawn furniture stored for the winter. Things are looking good at the Mollica house. We finished cleaning and organizing the “second” storage room in the basement. Girls, we are DONE !!!!!
BEST news ever….the cats HAVE NOT climbed the little Christmas tree in the foyer or swatted any of the ornaments off it.
