January 15, 2006


SATURDAY-January 14
 9:00 A.M        Charlie Schifilliti by Eileen Lapan

SATURDAY-VIGIL FOR SUNDAY-January 14
 4:00 P.M.        Jolene Ann Atherton by family

SUNDAY-January 15
 8:30 A.M.        For the Parishioners of St. Mark Parish
11:00 A.M.        Lorraine LeClair (3rd Anniversary) by Steven & Janice Fuller

MONDAY-January 16
 9:00 A.M.        Charles Schifilliti by Irene Trayah and Andrea & Christopher Lammy
3:00 P.M.        Starr Farm Nursing Home

TUESDAY-January 17- St. Anthony
 9:00 A.M        Charles & Merina Lacasse and family by Iris

WEDNESDAY-January 18
 5:30 P.M.        Judy Myers by Frank & Camilla and Paul & Ivy Myers

THURSDAY-January 19
 9:00 A.M         Eileen Lapan by Pearl & Larry Pasha

FRIDAY-January 20- St. Fabian & St. Sebastian
 9:00 A.M.        William & Louise Burns by Dick & Carolyn Hammond

SATURDAY-January 21- St. Agnes
 9:00 A.M.        Deceased members of the Ames & Beaudoin Families by Ben & Rita Ames

SATURDAY-VIGIL FOR SUNDAY-January 21
 4:00 P.M.        Father Ronald Benoit by Steven & Janice Fuller

SUNDAY-January 22
 8:30 A.M.        For the Parishioners of St. Mark's Parish
11:00 A.M.        Bernard Ferland by John Bove


January 8 Attendance at Mass 594
January 8 (206 envelopes) $5,564.50
Capital Gains Collection $1,125.55
Weekly Average since July 1st (27 weeks) $5,017.25
Weekly Goal $5,300.00


PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION CHAPEL

“The quiet and solitude of the night make it a favorable time for prayer and most suitable for those who watch. With worldly occupations put aside and the attention undivided, the whole man, at night, stands in the divine presence.” - St. Nicetas of Remesiana.

Committed adorers are needed for Saturday, 3 to 4 p.m. Please call Marge at 658-0228 or Winnie at 862-9598 to sign up to commit to spend one hour with our Lord.



Dear Friends,
Today is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. “Apart from those seasons having their own distinctive character, there remains in the yearly cycle those weeks (33 or 34) that do not celebrate a specific mystery of Christ. Rather, especially on Sundays, they are devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its fullness. This period is known as Ordinary Time” (General Norms, 43). This year Ordinary Time begins on Tuesday, 10 January, and continues through Tuesday, 28 February, the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten Season. It will resume when the Easter Season ends, that is on Monday, 5 June, the day following Pentecost. As Christians we know that all time is a gift from God, and we must treat it and deal with it in an extraordinary manner. Let us do so as we live our lifelong journey of faith. Have a good week.

Father Bill

NEW SACRED VESSELS FOR MASS: A few months ago several parishioners donated funds to purchase new ciboria (the sacred vessels used at Mass containing the bread that becomes the Body of Christ). They are finally here and will be used at all Masses. The noble beauty of these vessels help to remind us that Jesus Christ is truly present in Holy Communion. Again, our sincere word of thanks to those who gave so generously.

GIFT BEARERS FOR WEEKEND MASSES We always need gift bearers for weekend Masses and this is one way that you and your family can participate in the liturgy. If you would like to volunteer to bring up the gifts, we ask that you come early to Mass and speak to one of the ushers. If they have already assigned someone to do this they will keep you in mind for future weekends. If the Mass is being offered for a family member and you would like to bring up the gifts, be sure to come early and volunteer to do so.

BISHOP SALVATORE MATANO will celebrate Mass and the Living Rosary, January 17th at 7 p.m. at Holy Cross Church in Colchester. Plan to attend and pray with Bishop Matano for the unborn and for an END TO ABORTION. It has been 32 years since Roe vs. Wade and the death of over 45,000,000 babies in the United States. Life is God's precious gift. Let us not forget His Angels.

Readings for the Week of January 15, 2006
Sunday 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19/ 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20/ Jn 1:35-42
Monday 1 Sm 15:16-23/ Mk 2:18-22
Tuesday 1 Sm 16:1-13/ Mk 2:23-28
Wednesday 1 Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51/ Mk 3:1-6
Thursday 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7/ Mk 3:7-12
Friday 1 Sm 24:3-21/ Mk 3:13-19
Saturday 2 Sm 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27/ Mk 3:20-21
Sunday Jon 3:1-5, 10/ 1 Cor 7:29-31/ Mk 1:14-20



RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM 2005-2006
SUNDAY MORNING RELIGION CLASSES, today, January 15th, for grades Kindergarten through 5 from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.

MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL RELIGION CLASSES will meet this evening, January 15th, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

TUESDAY RELIGION CLASSES for grades 1 through 5, January 17th from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m.

PARENT MEETINGS will be conducted in January and February. This is an opportunity for the parents to meet their child's teacher and discuss with Sr. Helen spiritual development. All meetings are during your child's class time.

Parents of 2nd Grade students will meet Tuesday, February 7th.
Parents of 3rd Grade students will meet Tuesday January 17th or Sunday January 22nd.
Parents of 4th Grade students will meet Tuesday, January 24th or Sunday, January 29th.
Parents of 5th Grade students will meet Tuesday, January 31st or Sunday February 5th.
Parents of 6th Grade students will meet Sunday, February 12th.

CHILDREN'S CHOIR is looking for another adult to help lead the choir in song. If interested, call Sr. Helen, 864-3584.

CATECHIST MEETING, next Sunday, January 22nd after the 11 a.m. Mass.




YOUNG PEOPLE EASY READER BOOK
Oliver the Mighty Pig by Jean Van Leeuwen

ADULT FICTION
Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
Fannie Flagg – Welcome to the World Baby Girl!

VT. RIGHT TO LIFE: A bus will be leaving Colchester Saturday morning, January 21st to the Annual March for Life in Washington, DC. The cost per person is $181. This includes bus fare, two nights in a hotel and one dinner. The bus will travel though the night on Monday and bring Vermonters home early on Tuesday, January 24th. To reserve a seat call 802-229-4885.

SALVATION ARMY DINNER sign up sheets are posted on the bulletin boards at the entrances to the church. We appreciate all your help in the past and thank you for your continued generosity.

LIBRARY BOARD MEETING will be held Thursday, January 19th at 7 p.m.


SUPER BOWL SUBS: The Youth Group will be selling Super Bowl Subs after all Masses the weekend of February 4 & 5 The subs include ham or turkey, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions and pickles. Please call the rectory, 864-7686, to place your order. The price is $5.00 and all proceeds will go towards their trip to West Virginia. Please place your order by February 3rd so that we may purchase the proper amount of food. Thank you for your continued support of our Youth Group.

CALCUTTA NIGHT: We have planned Calcutta Night for Saturday, February 11, 2006. We are selling 100 numbers with dinner included for $50 each. If you come as a couple the extra meal will cost $10. Once the 100 numbers are sold, no other reservations will be accepted. Call Barb King, 862-8350 or Carole at the rectory, 864-7686 if you plan to attend.

WORLD MARRIAGE DAY Mass will be held at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral on Sunday, February 5, 2006 at 11 a.m. If you will be celebrating a significant milestone anniversary- - 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and above, please call the rectory office by Friday, January 20th. After the Mass, coffee and refreshments will be served.



YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED for the safety of our service men and women and support personnel working as peace-keepers throughout the world and for those who are seriously ill, especially Alma Houmiel, Tiz Mazza, Jean Popecki, Barbara Sanneman, Mikaela Sienkiewicz , and Mary Wheel

To have someone from your family enrolled in this list, please call the Rectory Office at 864-7686. Names will be listed for one month unless the office is notified that the condition continues and prayers are still requested.

The Mass Explained

When Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the 40th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council last month, he encouraged all of the faithful to continue to study the Council documents.
One of the many important documents was entitled Sacrosanctum Concilium (The Dogmatic Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy). Because it is such an important Document, it is all the more important that we understand it well! It describes the Mass as the center and culmination of life - not just as something we are obligated to attend because it is the Second Commandment and a Precept of the Church. In Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Council tries to impart the richness of the Mass. The Council speaks for the Church when it says it: “earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at this Mystery of Faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers, they should take part in the sacred action - conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and collaboration.” (#48)
In our own time, we notice that this “earnest desire” has been largely unfulfilled. Mass attendance has reached an all time low in our country and in our Diocese. Perhaps it is because people find themselves “strangers or silent spectators” rather than “a part in the sacred action.” It should be no surprise then, that people who view themselves as strangers or silent spectators prefer extra sleep or a soccer game on Sunday morning! Conversely, St. Augustine saw the Mass correctly as “a place to live in, and the means to live on.”
I would like to embark on a multi-week series in the upcoming bulletin columns so that each of us can have a greater love, of the Holy Mass and “a good understanding of the rites and prayers.” It is my hope that these columns preached to you, (“the choir”) who attend Mass, will enable you to grow in love of what you do every week. Then I pray that it will remind you of your exalted apostolate as a baptized Catholic to spread the good news to others. Hopefully, parents will be able to better explain to their children the richness of the Mass; friends will better articulate the Faith to co-workers and acquaintances; neighbors can teach neighbors about where they go every Sunday and why it so important.
I recall the words of Jesus as He stood at the well with the Samaritan woman. She asked Him for a drink and He responded, “If you only knew the Gift of God...” (John 4:10) I honestly believe that if we did understand “the gift of God” available to us, we would drop everything and run to Church when we heard the bells announcing that Mass is about to begin. This is my hope in writing a series of columns on the Mass.

- Fr. Dan
(At the conclusion of this series,
the columns will be available in booklet form.)

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Last Update: January 15, 2006