Divine Mercy Parish 312 Davis St., Scranton, PA 18505 / 570-344-1724 / www.divinemercyparish.us

Office Hours 9:00AM - 5:00PM Monday - Thursday

9:00AM - 3:00PM Friday

Religious Education Office 5:00PM - 9:00PM Tuesday & Thursday

9:00AM - 11:00AM Sunday

Fax Number: 570-344-4120

School Information All Saints Academy

570-343-8114

Holy Cross High School 570-346-7541

Office Staff

Rev. Francis L. Pauselli Pastor

fpauselli@divinemercyparish.us

William Drazdowski Parish Consultant

wdrazdowski@divinemercyparish.us

Brittain Banull Director of Religious Education

bbanull@divinemercyparish.us

Nicholas Katchur Director of Music

nkatchur@divinemercyparish.us

Jessica Fazzi Parish and Family Life Coordinator

jfazzi@divinemercyparish.us

Michele Manzo Office Assistant

mmanzo@divinemercyparish.us

The Fourth Sunday of Advent Weekend of December 17 & 18, 2016

Sacristans John Segilia, Edward Fortuna, Tony DeFrancesco,

Patrick Burke, Jeffery Manzo, John Rushefski, Anthony Karpinski

Groundskeepers Brandon Musso, William McGowan,

Michael Boyko, Shaemus Lunney

Cemetery Grounds keeping by Image One

Worship Schedule Saturday……..5:00PM Sunday………….8:00AM, 11:00AM & 5:00PM Monday - Friday…………..12:10PM

Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday 11:00AM - 11:45AM or anytime by appointment

Eucharistic Holy Hour Wednesday 6:00PM

Parish Council Frank Alu

Beth DeFrancesco Germaine Helcoski

Ariel Kavulich Mary Theresa Montoro

Christopher Musso Brian Price

Don Trapper Betty Wheeler

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Religious Education / Life Long Faith Formation (Advent and Lent Bible Study) / Vacation Bible School / RCIA / Children’s Liturgy of the Word

THE WORD IS THE PRESENCE OF OUR LORD THROUGH SCRIPTURE, THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR FAITH.

...Brittain Banull DRE

Merry Christmas! I hope that you and your families are enjoying this wonderful celebration. There will not be any Religious Education Classes the next two weekends because of the Christmas and New Year’s Celebra-tions. Classes will resume on January 8th, 2017. I hope you all have a holy, happy and healthy holiday sea-son.

TELLING THE CHRISTMAS STORY

Any of our young people grades K-5 are invited to participate in the re-telling of Christ’s Birth at the 4:00 PM Mass on December 24, 2016 at Riverside High School. You will need to attend 2 practices. The first practice will take place this Sunday, December 18th at Noon in the Church. Parts and costumes will be assigned dur-ing this afternoon. This practice should only take about an hour. The second practice will take place on Fri-day, December 23rd at Riverside at 5:30 PM. Thank you for all your help and participation in this activity.

Confirmation Service Opportunity

Confirmation students are needed to help with the younger children at the 4:00 PM Christmas Eve Mass. For these service hours you must be able to commit to both practices and also the 4:00 PM Mass on Christmas Eve.

December 18 at Noon in the Church – Practice

December 23 at 5:30 PM at Riverside High School – Practice

December 24 at 3:15 PM at Riverside High School - Mass

From the Desk of Father Pauselli Thank you for your gift of $1,414.00 to the 2016 Retirement Fund for Men and Women Religious last week-end. Many who gave so much throughout their lives for the work of the Church will benefit from your finan-cial gifts. Also, thank you for your support for the 2016 Diocesan Annual Appeal. We are at 95% of our goal as of this writing. If you have not yet made your gift to the 2016 Diocesan Annual Appeal I encourage you to do so. 75% of the monies collected over our parish goal will come back to Divine Mercy. With the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) next weekend may I call your attention to our special schedule for next weekend. Masses on Saturday will be at 4:00 p.m. in the auditorium of Riverside Junior/Senior High School. Mass will be also be celebrated at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Church. Mass on December 25 will be at 11:00 a.m. There will be no Mass on Christmas Day at 8:00 a.m. or 5:00 p.m. In the next few weeks many more people than usual will come to Mass. Many of these people are searching for a place, a community, where they can express their faith. So you have a great opportunity to be warm and wel-coming over the coming weeks and help bring hopefully many back to regular worship of the Lord at Sunday Mass. Have a great week!

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WORSHIP IS THE TANGIBLE EXPRESSION OF OUR LORD’S LOVE FOR US AND OUR RESPONSE TO HIM IN A CONCRETE AND LOVING EXPRESSION OF FAITH.

Liturgy Committee / Art and Environment / Holy Hour Eucharistic Adoration / Evening Prayer / Music Ministry / Eucharistic Minis-ters / Lectors / Altar Servers / Choirs / Cantors / Musicians / Ushers and Sacristans / Hospitality

Monday—12/19/2016 12:10PM

For the people

Tuesday—12/20/2016 12:10PM

Antoinette Mancabelli Requested by Ed and Dolly Pry

Mass Intentions

Wednesday—12/21/2016

12:10PM Al Nelson

Requested by Tom and Erin Burke and sons

Thursday—12/22/2016 12:10PM

Gloria McDonough Requested by Diane Jeffers

Saturday—12/24/2016 9:30PM

Matthew Grendel Requested by his family

Sunday—12/25/2016 11:00AM

For the People

Friday—12/23/2016 12:10PM

Mary Kennedy Requested by Helen and Karen May

Saturday—12/24/2016 4:00PM

(at Riverside Junior/Senior High School Auditorium) Gary Lukasiewicz Requested by his parents

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY will not meet on Monday, December 26, 2016 and

January 2, 2017.

Confession Schedule for Christmas

Sunday, December 18—noon-1:00PM

Saturday, December 24—10:00-11:00AM

Christmas Masses

December 24—4:00PM (Riverside Junior Senior High School), 9:30PM (Church)

December 25—11:00AM (Church)

New Year’s Weekend Schedule

Saturday, December 31—5:00PM

Sunday, January 1—11:00AM, 5:00PM

The University of Scranton is holding their 8th annual Community Christmas Day Breakfast

on Sunday, December 25 from 8:00am-10:30am in the DeNaples Center 3rd Floor 900 Mul-

berry St. Scranton. This is event is free and no reservations are required! Everyone is wel-

come—parking is available in the garage!

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WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD. WE STRIVE TO BE THE FACE OF GOD FOR OTHERS IN OUR PARISH AND THE PEOPLE WE MEET DAILY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

Parish Breakfast / Craft Fair / Calendar Party / Parish Picnic / Movie Night / Doughnut Sunday / First Friday and Lenten Friday Luncheons / Clothes Shed and Coat Drive / Easter Egg Hunt / Breakfast with Santa / Concerts

Coordinating Team Members: Mary Theresa Montoro, Chris Musso, Karen Grzyboski, Jen Roever, Jessica Fazzi, Colleen Musso, and Dina Castaldi

Christmas Mass Schedule Saturday, December 24th

4:00PM - Riverside Jr./Sr. High School

9:30PM - Divine Mercy Parish

Sunday, December 25th

11:00AM - Divine Mercy Parish

Ministry Schedule for Christmas

Parish Office Schedule for Christmas Week Monday, December 19th—9:00AM-5:00PM

Tuesday, December 20th—9:00AM-5:00PM

Wednesday, December 21st—9:00AM-5:00PM

Thursday, December 22nd—9:00AM-5:00PM

Friday, December 23rd—Office Closed

Saturday 4:00PM

Cantor Lexi Manzo

EM Marian Donelan

Carol Trapper

Michelle Price

Michael Abdalla

Peggy Walsh

Kathy Boyle

Lectors Kathy Moceyunas

Joseph Moceyunas

Frank Alu

Servers Robbie Castaldi

Kate Defrancesco

**Please contact the Parish Office if

you are unavailable to attend your

scheduled Mass**

Saturday 9:30PM

Cantors Cassie Semyon

and Michael Kavulich

EM Joseph Donovan

Mary Ellen McDonough

Zita Timlin

Linda Kavulich

Lectors Germaine Helcoski

Gary Moss

Servers Ryan Semyon

Sunday 11:00AM

Cantor Christina Mecca

EM Chris Musso

Barb Poplawski

Pat Quinn

Gerald Phillips

Lectors Edward Zaloga

Dorothy Bouselli

Servers Mia Zaloga

Robert Zaloga

Monday • December 19 Weekday Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Lk 1:5-25 Tuesday • December 20 Weekday Is 7:10-14; Lk 1:26-38 Wednesday • December 21 Weekday Zep 3:14-18a; Lk 1:39-45 Thursday • December 22 Weekday 1 Sm 1:24-28; Lk 1:46-56 Friday • December 23 Weekday Mal 3:1-4, 23-24; Lk 1:57-66 Saturday • December 24 Weekday Is 62:1-5; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 Sunday • December 25 Christmas Is 52:7-10; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18

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THROUGH SCRIPTURE WE KNOW GOD CALLS US TO SERVE OTHERS.

Eucharistic Outreach / Divine Mercy Table / Social Concerns Committee / Food Pantry Support / Blood Drive / Holiday Donations / Souper Bowl of Caring

Coordinating Team Members: Mike Abdalla, Marguerite Coyle, Joanne Corbett, Cathy Genovese, Rose Marie Kloss, Sr. Janet Jeffers, Jessica Fazzi, and Michele Manzo

Lector Workbooks Lector workbooks can be picked up in the Parish Office during normal

business hours.

Gift Bearers If you would like to

bring up the gifts at the weekend Masses, please inform the usher before

Mass begins.

Baby Bottle Program

Pennsylvanians for Human Life is conducting a fundraiser in which our parish

is participating. The donations will be used to promote respect

for life, to educate the public, and to help women choose life

during crisis pregnancies or heal after an abortion. Please take

home a baby bottle, fill it with pocket change, cash, or a check,

and return it by January 8th. Baby bottles are now located in

the center vestibule! Thank you for your help!

We are grateful to all who volunteer their time and talents for the

betterment of our parish community. To show our appreciation,

there will be a dinner at Amadeo’s on Sunday, January 8, 2016 at

6:30PM. Anyone who volunteers their time and talent for the good

of our community are invited to attend. Please make a reservation

by calling the Parish Office (570-344-1724) by January 5, 2017, no

other invitations will be sent!

Thanks again for all the good you do for our Parish community!