| |
|  St. Paul Church 485 Alling Street Kensington CT 06037 The Epistle Online: December 22, 2016 |
|
|
|
|
Merry Christmas to All!
|
|
|
 |
| Madonna and Child by Sheila Diemert |
|
The angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid; for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy
which will be for all the people;
for today in the city of David
there has been born for you
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
-Luke 2:10-11
~
Holiday Mass Schedule
~
Christmas Eve
Saturday, December 24: Mass at 4pm, 6pm & 10pm
Christmas Day
Sunday, December 25th: Mass at 9am, 10:30am & 12pm
New Years Eve
Saturday, December 31st: Vigil Mass at 4pm
New Years Day
Sunday, January 1st: Mass at 7:30am 9am, 10:30am and 12pm
|
|
| |
|
|
The Christmas Story
And a few different was to tell it...
|
His generosity and kindness are legendary. Santa Claus is a translation of his name.
When our children are little.... they can ask for anything. All Santa wants in return is goodness. Isn't that exactly how we are supposed to relate to God?
Click on the image to read more about how this saint is very real and very relevant today...
|
|
|
Facebook Nativity Story
|
For a clever and modern take on the Christmas story, click on this video about
The Nativity - The Facebook Way...
Bethlemenian Rhapsody
Okay, this one's not for everyone, but we think some of our readers will find this Christmas video to be very amusing...
|
|
Shining Stars
of Hollywood, Not Bethlehem
|
Faith-based films seem to be flowing out of Hollywood at a rapid pace lately.
Many of these movies that explore the topics of religion, God or
faith
in some way, are high-quality films that can generate some thoughtful conversations.
The trend toward faith-based movies also sheds light on the
surprising stories behind some famous Hollywood stars.
Mark Wahlberg
Click on the headline above to read about Mark Wahlberg and his strong Catholic faith.
(Click on the image to the left for the CNN interview.)
|
|
|
|
Patriot Day
|
|
Wahlberg's latest movie,
Patriot Day
, is scheduled to be released on January 13th
Martin Scorsese
|
|
|
|
Silence
|
|
Martin Scorsese's new movie '
Silence
' revolves around the lives and struggles of Portuguese Jesuit missionaries
in 17th century Japan
.
Click here
for an interview that explains how Scorsese's Catholic background has influenced his life and how he's wanted to make this film about the Jesuit missionaries for over 20 years. 'Silence'
w
ill be released on Dec. 23.
Neal McDonough
|
|
|
|
Greater
|
|
Neal McDonough produced and starred in the movie Greater, the story of the greatest walk-on in the history of college football.
McDonough, a
devoted Catholic and
married father of five, has lost out on movie roles because of his high moral standards; he
won't use God's name in vain or kiss another woman on screen, a
ccording to
this interview with
the Christian Examiner.
Jennifer Garner
Okay, Jennifer Garner isn't Catholic, but her role in the movie Miracles from Heaven did bring about a
resurgence in her faith, and the movie is one of the many released in 2016 that tackle the topic of God and faith.
For movie reviews with a Christian perspective, check out
decentfilms.com
.
|
|
Our Ministries
New Year Opportunities
|
Give the Gift of a Men's Retreat!
Do you feel like you never have time to take a good look at your life? What about your husband, your brother, your father...
?
Click to find out about ACTS Retreats and how they can renew your spirit (or your husband's spirit) and help you (him) deal with the challenges of everyday life.
A retreat is the perfect way to start off the New Year, to renew yourself, to strengthen your faith, and to discover a sense of brotherhood.
The next ACTS Retreat will be February 16-19, 2017.
Click here for the link to our webpage with more information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beginning in 2017, our Evangelization Committee will be holding '
Family of Faith' events to reach out to parishioners who have fallen away from the Church in hopes that they will come back to the Faith and to our parish.
More information on this mission (and how you can help!) will be provided after the new year.
|
Our Youth
The latest happenings...
|
Pictures from the December EDGE event can be found
HERE
!
Thanks again to all who helped make this another successful event!
The gingerbread houses were delivered to the 'We Are the Children' Christmas Party in Hartford much to the delight of the organizers!
Reminder about our College Dinner....
Welcome home college students!
It's that time of the year again! Join us for our annual College Break Holiday Dinner on Thursday, January 5th at 6pm in the Church Hall.
Every year this dinner is an opportunity for us to show how much we care about our college students and other young adults.
Please join us for a free meal and surprises. If someone you know is a college-age parishioner and did not receive an invitation, let them know they are welcome! Please RSVP by Tuesday, January 3rd.
|
|
December 2016/January 2017 Calendar
|
|
| Dec. 22 |
Mass at 7am and 5pm
|
| Dec. 23 |
Mass at 7am and 5pm
Parish Center closed at Noon |
| Dec. 24 |
Mass at 4pm, 6pm and 10pm |
| Dec. 25 |
Merry Christmas!
Mass at 9am, 10:30am and 12pm (No 7:30am Mass) |
| Dec. 26 |
Parish Center Closed
|
| Jan. 2 |
Parish Center Closed
|
| Jan. 3 |
9:00am
School Mass
|
| Jan. 5 |
College Dinner 6pm |
| Jan. 6 |
7:30am First Friday Breakfast - Join us after the 7 am Mass.
|
| Jan. 9 |
Registration Evening for New Parishioners
|
| Jan. 11 |
7:00pm Faith Formation Program
|
| Jan. 13 |
12:00pm 13th of the Month Rosary
|
| Jan 11-16 |
Martin Luther King Jr Basketball Tournament at Saint Paul School |
| Jan. 19 |
6:30pm What to Expect in Middle School - SPS |
| Jan. 22 |
4:00pm Youth Ministry
|
| Jan. 25 |
7:00pm Faith Formation Program
|
| Jan. 29 |
9:00am Catholic Schools Mass, followed by Pancake Breakfast
|
| Jan. 31 |
6:30pm Saint Paul School Open House (Preschool - Gr. 8)
|
| Jan. 31 |
Deadline for Men's ACTS Retreat on February 16 - 19 |
|
Check our web calendar for details on all our events! |
|
|
The Epistle
|
We hope this newsletter will be a helpful resource for you, providing information about what's
going on in our parish and sharing content on both spiritual and practical matters related to our Catholic faith.
The Epistle
is so named as a tribute to our patron, Saint Paul, whose letters to the earliest Christians still guide and inform us today.
As always, w
e value you and your opinions. Feel free to share your thoughts with us.
|
PASS IT ON
Please forward this Newsletter to a family member or friend so they too will have an opportunity to learn something new and to see all the great things that are happening at
Saint Paul Church.
|
|
____________________________________________________________________________
|
"For it is in giving that we receive."
-Saint Francis of Assisi
A Ministry of the Conventual Franciscan Friars,
Our Lady of the Angels Province
|
|
|
| |
|
