The Baptism of the Lord January 12, 2020

Mass intentions THIS WEEK

Saturday 5:00 Bertha & Charles Meads, Blanche & Herb Landwehr Sunday 8:00 Joseph McElroy, Fr. Bob Kemmery, Parish Family 10:00 Charlie Wolff Monday 8:00 Anna Kelly Tuesday 8:00 Don Dolan Wed 8:00 Dolores Callum Friday 8:00 John & Pauline Melone

NEXT WEEKEND Saturday 5:00 Ann Loftus Sunday 8:00 Patricia Manning, Flora Athanas, Fr. Bob Kemmery, Parish Family 10:00 Florence Syslo

PLEASE HELP US KEEP THESE LISTS UP TO DATE

PRAY FOR THE ILL OF THE PARISH Martin Coughlin, Loretta Stephens, Harry Marcoux, John Keane, Tris Windle, David Cousins, Lynne Scalia, Alex Podeszwa, Thomas Stone, Nick Bartick, Pam Hedlund, Len Hedlund, Greg Morongell, Nora Gould, Edan Pearl, Anne Caruso, John M. Pollard, Peter Cruckshank, Bill Hannon, Ivy Davis, Maddy Hayes, Clare Stevenson, Joseph Nosari, Vincent Lencvewski, Jeffrey Wolfgang, Joan Ouellette, Bev Sarazin, Tyler Benscoter, Agnes Wolfgang, Fr. Paul Smith, Marilyn Drewes, John L. Sullivan, Ray Castriotta, Julianne Sullivan, Robert Grudzina, Marge LaGrassa, Jim Lewis, Joyce Loechner, Frank Salomone, Pauline Laberge, Chad Larivee, Dick Wentworth, Nuvia Downs, Karen Mary McNulty, Olivia Hart, Alex Haas, Patrick Devine, Gerry Csaposs, Peggy Carson, Addie Priess, Frank McCarthy, Andree Yager, Loretta Reiter, Paul Kascsak, Patty Camarra, James Manley, Betty Babcock, Thomas Murphy, Chris Frazier, Melissa K., Baby Lillian Thoman, Jessica O., Fran McDonagh, Donna Hibbert, Margaret Royce, Beth Nixon, Anne O’Brien, Ben McMahon, Gerry Moynihan, Martha Moynihan, Richard Paskiewicz, Mary Rodrigues, Emily Sparks, Stephen Moreau, Paula Madeiro, Paul Brandon, Rita Folger, Gerri DiCristina, Kathleen Kilmer, Marguerite Forren, Mary Pickard, Deepthi Moola, Steve Novick, Ernie T.

PRAY FOR OUR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN

Brandy Nelson, Timothy Horigan, Scott Doucette, Michael Wilson, David Lucas, Sean Lucas, Peter Civita Shayne, Peter Cabral, Gregory DeLuca, Joshua Schmitt, Joseph Long, Brad Howard, Thomas Scudder, Jeffrey Stebbins, Phillip McDonough, David Wilcox, John Amick, David McDonald, Lt. Edward J. Maloney, Andrew Kelley, William James Miller, David Orloski, Stephen Tammaro, Michael L. Hamilton, Thomas Crawford, Aaron Charette, Nicholas McGahey, Edward Prufer, Brandon Stubbs, Christian P. Goodman, Trevor Lafontaine, Connor Lafontaine PRAY FOR OUR BELOVED DECEASED

COLLECTION RESULTS—THANK YOU January 1 Holy Day $ 2,220.00 January 5 Regular $ 6,345.00 Annual Appeal to Date $62,365.00 THIS WEEKEND IS HARVEST SUNDAY The second collection this weekend is the Harvest Sunday Collection, which supports the efforts of our St. Vincent de Paul Conference to help those in need with necessities – food, medicine, rent, utilities. FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS THIS SUNDAY BEEF STEW (24 oz), BAKED BEANS (16 oz) JELLY (8-16 oz) CANNED FRUIT (16 oz), CANNED VEGETABLES (14.5 oz) TUNA FISH (6 oz) , SPAGHETTI (1 lb box) MACARONI & CHEESE (6 oz box), PEANUT BUTTER (18 oz) SPAGHETTI SAUCE (28 oz), JELLO (3 oz) and CANNED SOUP (11 oz), HOT CEREAL (10 env. Pack), COLD CEREAL. SVDP ANNUAL REPORT The St. Joan of Arc Conference of St. Vincent de Paul thanks you, the parishioners, for your generous support of our Conference throughout the year. You are invited to pick up a copy of our Annual Report which outlines the services provided to our neighbors in need JANUARY MASS COUNT Parishioners are reminded that during the month of January, the parishes of Cape Cod take a count of the attendance at all weekend Masses. It is a way for the parishes and the diocese to calculate the patterns of Mass attendance, locally and regionally.

Dear Parishioners and Friends, I am profoundly grateful to the St. Joan of Arc Parish Guild for the generous donation they recently made to our parish. This donation was possible because of the success of the Parish Thrift Shop this year. The Thrift Shop, overseen by the Guild, fulfills its mission to the community through the dedication and devotion of the many volunteers and managers. On behalf of the entire community, thank you all. Let us give thanks to God for the blessings He has bestowed upon us throughout this past year. Let us pray for His continued blessings in this new year ahead, 2020. Sincerely yours in Christ, Father William M. Rodrigues

BE STILL All are welcome to join us in the Chapel at 8:45am this Wednesday, January 15, for a period of reflection and stillness facilitated by Judy Burt Walker. LIVING ROSARY

All parishioners are invited to attend the Living Rosary, sponsored by the St. Joan of Arc Guild, on Tuesday, January 14, at 7:00pm in the church, followed by refreshments in the Parish Center. Please join

us as we offer the Rosary for the success of the Respect Life March in Washington, D.C. later in January. RCIA—RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION FOR ADULTS Have you or anyone close to you ever given thought to becoming a Catholic Christian? Perhaps the year 2020 is a good time for inquiry. Please contact Judy Burt Walker in the Faith Formation Office at 508-255-1257, or Fr. Bill in the Rectory at 508-255-0170 for further information. 2020 WALL CALENDARS St. Joan of Arc Parish wall calendars for the New Year are available in the foyers for all who would like one. We are grateful to Chris Luciano, General Manager of Nickerson Funeral Home, for supplying these to the Parish. LOW GLUTEN HOSTS AVAILABLE We have special hosts available for those who are intolerant of wheat/gluten products. Please alert the priest or deacon before Mass if you are in need of this special host to receive communion. BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP The Bereavement Support Group will meet NEXT Sunday, January 19, at 1:30pm in the Parish Center. These year-round monthly group meetings focus on the various aspects of grieving. The presentations and round-table discussions provide information to assist the bereaved as they move forward with their new life. For further information, please call John at 508-240-0904, or Liz at 508-896-4916. SNOW IN THE FORECAST? With the arrival of winter and unpredictable weather and health conditions, keep in mind these guidelines: If you suspect you are ill or weather conditions are hazardous, you are not bound to attend Mass. Remain at home, possibly participating in the Mass on TV, radio or internet. If schools are closed or delayed due to snow, there is no daily Mass. Please observe this policy for your safety, as well as to expedite the snow removal in our parking lots.

THE CHRISTMAS SEASON Over the years, we’ve all heard folks question when the Christmas season begins and ends. This excerpt from an article written by Scott P. Richert, senior content network manager of Our Sunday Visitor, the world's largest English language Catholic publisher, may clarify some of the questions and be an interesting read at this time of year…

Judging by the number of Christmas trees that are put out to the curb on December 26, many people believe that the Christmas season ends the day after Christmas Day. They couldn't be more wrong: Christmas Day is the first day of the traditional Christmas celebration. You've heard of the 12 days of Christmas?

The period of Christmas feasting continues until Epiphany, Jan. 6, and the Christmas season traditionally continued until the feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas)—February 2—a full 40 days after Christmas Day!

Since the revision of the liturgical calendar in 1969, however, the liturgical season of Christmas ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the first Sunday after Epiphany. The liturgical season known as Ordinary Time begins the next day, typically the second Monday or Tuesday of the New Year.

What most people think of as "the Christmas season" is the period between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. That roughly corresponds to Advent, the period of preparation for the Christmas feast. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (the Sunday closest to November 30, the Feast of Saint Andrew) and ends on Christmas Eve.

Advent is meant to be a time of preparation—of prayer, fasting, alms-giving, and repentance. In the early centuries of the church, Advent was observed by a 40-day fast, just like Lent, which was followed by the 40 days of feasting in the Christmas season (from Christmas Day until Candlemas). Indeed, even today, Eastern Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox, still observe 40 days of fasting.

In our world of instant gratification, however, we don't want to wait until Christmas to eat a Christmas cookie—much less fast or abstain from meat on Christmas Eve! Still, the church gives us this season of Advent for a reason—and that reason is Christ.

The better we prepare ourselves for the celebration of Nativity on Christmas Day, the greater our joy will be.

FAITH FORMATION

FAITH FORMATION CALENDAR All Grade 1 through 10 students meet at their regularly scheduled time this Monday, January 13. Please remind your afternoon student to ride the SJA bus to class. JANUARY FAMILY MASS Our first Family Mass of the New Year is this Sunday at 10:00am. Please join Father Bill and the Faith Formation Ministry in celebrating Mass with our young people and their families. Afterwards, all are welcome to join us in the Parish Center for refreshments. CONFIRMATION PARENTS MEETING There is an important Confirmation Parents Meeting scheduled for 6:30pm this Monday, January 13, to review upcoming scheduled events, especially the Sunday, February 9 Retreat. Reminder to Parents: Please bring your Parent Prayer Letters, as well as any additional retreat letters to the meeting.

THE HUNGER FOR BLESSING

‘“This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased’”

are words that God speaks over Jesus – and also over us, every day of our lives,’” writes Father Ronald Rolheiser in his book Against an Infinite Horizon: The Finger of God in Our Everyday Lives. He used this phrase again in a homily at Sunday Mass.

The words touched a young man who had not been to church for some time. He had gone on this particular Sunday because he had recently pleaded guilty to a crime and was awaiting his impending prison sentence. The phrase had struck a painful chord – first; because he had trouble believing that God, or anyone else loved him; second; and even more painful, he believed that nobody had ever been pleased or delighted with him – that no one had ever taken delight in anything he’d ever done. “The man had never been blessed,” writes Fr. Rolheiser, “Small wonder he was about to go to prison.”

Then Fr. Rolheiser recalls how different it was in his family experience. When he was about to leave home as a 17-year-old boy; his mother and father both blessed him. They placed their hands on his head and said a traditional prayer of Christian blessing. It was a simple ritual that said to him: We love you. We trust you. We are proud of you; and we send you off with our full spirit. You are our beloved child and in you we are well pleased. “I suspect,” says Rolheiser, “that if this troubled young man had been similarly blessed by his parents, he would not have been on his way to prison. To be unblessed is to be bleeding in a very deep place.”

So much of our hunger is a hunger for blessing…so much of our sadness comes from the fact that nobody has ever taken delight and pleasure in us. So much of our aching is an aching to be blessed. When has anyone taken delight in…your beauty, your intelligence, your person? When have you last felt that you are someone in whom others, and God, take pleasure and delight?

From the waters of Baptism God sends us forth to be a blessing to others. Through forgiveness, compassion, and peace we reveal to one another the dignity that is ours – all wonderfully blessed – the beloved of a God whose loving vision shaped and formed us in his own likeness. Let us go forth this week knowing that we are loved – that we are sent forth by the fullness of the Holy Spirit to love and serve one another –to bless one another freely and

generously at every possible opportunity!