The parish office will close on Wednesday, November 26th at noon, and will reopen on Monday, December 1st at 9:00 a.m. | | Stewardship Thought for the Week | | |
November 30: First Sunday of Advent
Advent begins with a call to wake up and walk in the light. As stewards of God’s gifts, we’re invited to live with purpose—sharing peace, hope, and love in a world that longs for Christ’s presence.
Reflection Question: How can I use my time and gifts this Advent to bring light to others?
| | Ministry Spotlight of the Week | | |
Would you like to engage your spiritual gifts* of creativity, craftsmanship, teaching, encouragement or service? Why not consider joining us for Christmas Ornament Making? We are looking for some additional people to help with this project.
Families will gather on Saturday, December 6th at 9:00 am in Fellowship Hall. We will be teaching children how to make ornaments. For every ornament they make, they will make one to donate to Meals on Wheels. If you would like to teach how to make an ornament or would like to help the children, sign up here Immaculate Conception Catholic Church: Volunteers for Ornament Making 2025. Any questions, contact Margie.
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Thank you to those who took tags from the Giving Tree last weekend. Please know that many more tags are coming! Be sure to stop by and take some this weekend.
All gifts should be returned by December 14th. If you have any questions, please contact Margie.
| | | November is Black Catholic History Month! | | |
In honor of Black Catholic History Month this November, Immaculate Conception’s Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Racial Justice Ministry will feature informational displays in the gathering space, celebrating eminent African-American theologians and Black Americans being considered for sainthood. Please visit our displays to learn more about the rich history of Black Catholics in America.
| | Exposition and Benediction – Holy Hour | | |
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Join us for Exposition and Benediction on Monday, December 1st at 7:00 p.m. Our Holy Hour will include 30 minutes of silent adoration, followed by 30 minutes of adoration with music.
We hope you can join us for this time of prayer and reflection.
| | | Youngish Adults (30s-40s) Bible Study | | |
Scripture sharing for adults in their 30s-40s. Selected Mondays through January. 7 pm in San Damiano Trailer.
12/1; 12/15; 1/5; 1/12; 1/26
Contact Fr. Hugh for more information.
| | Biblical Latin for Advent | | |
Matthew Lubin, scholar of Renaissance history, will offer an introductory foray into Latin with passages from the Latin Vulgate for the Advent season. This three-week language-learning adventure requires no previous knowledge of Latin. Participants are recommended to be at least 16 years old, solely because of the mode of the lessons. Come and learn about this historically important language for the Catholic Church through seasonally relevant content. Tuesdays, December 2, 9, and 16 from 7:00 to 8:15 pm in the San Damiano trailer.
Registration is not required but is helpful for the instructor's preparation.
Contact Friar Hugh if you have any questions.
| | Catholic Daughters of the Americas Meeting | | |
Our next Catholic Daughters of the Americas meeting will be on Thursday, December 4th, in the San Damiano Trailer. It will be a combined meeting, book club, and Christmas party beginning at 6:30 PM. We would love to have you join us for our Christmas celebration. We will also have a gift exchange.
For details, please contact Regent Jayne Stephens. Ladies who are 18 or older are eligible to join our organization. For more information on the Catholic Daughters, please visit catholicdaughters.org.
Thank You!
Thank you to all parishioners for participating in our annual bake sale. The proceeds help us support various projects and charities such as the NC Diaper Bank, Victory Junction, Urban Ministries, ICS, and Vets for Vets, to name a few. We hope you enjoyed our goodies, and when you see us, let us know your favorites!
| | Christmas Ornament Making | | |
Families—don’t forget to sign up for this fun Christmas Ornament Making event! On Saturday, December 6th, from 9:00–11:30 a.m., we will gather in Fellowship Hall. The Knights of Columbus will be serving breakfast to begin the morning. Then, children will have the opportunity to make several ornaments. For each ornament the children make, they are asked to create another to donate to Meals on Wheels. The Meals on Wheels clients are always excited to receive these ornaments.
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"... That they may all be one..." (John 17:2122nd
Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair
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The hope and joy of Advent have arrived, accompanied by Immaculate Conception's 22nd Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair to be held in the gathering space after all our masses the weekend of December 6-7th. This special event provides the opportunity to live out your faith as you celebrate the spirit of the season.
This year’s theme, “that they may all be one…” (John 17:21), focuses on the Gospel principle of solidarity, encouraging us to remove the obstacles that separate us so we can promote our common, shared humanity.
Instead of traditional gifts, Christmas “honor cards” will be available inviting parishioners to make financial donations in support of local and global organizations dedicated to social justice and Catholic social teaching in areas such as promoting human dignity, immigration support, poverty relief, and care for creation. 100% of all contributions go directly to these charities. It is a meaningful way to share the joy of giving!
We look forward to seeing you at this year’s gift fair!
22nd Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair Charitable Organizations
- El Futuro
- Eno River Association
- Furniture Project of Durham
- Heifer International
- NC Justice Center
- Peace and Hope International
- Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham
- Urban Ministries of Durham
| | Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mass Schedule | | |
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Holy Day of Obligation
Monday,December 8
- 8:15 AM - School Mass
- Noon - English
- 5:30 PM - English
- 7:30 PM - Spanish
| | | Poinsettias for the Altar | | |
Poinsettias for the Altar can be given in "memory” or “honor” of a loved one. If you would like to contribute toward the purchase of these flowers, please fill out this form, then click submit at the bottom of the page. The names will be featured in our Christmas bulletin.
Please contact Olga Rodriguez if you need further information.
The deadline to submit your form is Thursday, December 11th at 5 pm.
| | Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe | | |
Thursday, December 11
- 7:00 p.m. – Aztec Dancers
- 8:00 p.m. – Representation of the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe
- 8:30 p.m. – Aztec Dancers
- 9:00 p.m. – Rosary
- 10:00 p.m. – Aztec Dancers
- 11:50 p.m. – Mariachi
- 1:00 a.m. – Social
Friday, December 12
The church will be open all day, and volunteers will be at the church to receive flowers.
- 5:30 p.m. - Performances
- 7:00 p.m. - Spanish Mass
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Save the Date for an Advent Family Retreat on Saturday, December 13 from 9:00 -11:00 a.m.
If you would like to volunteer to help with this event, please contact Jeanne Bernacki.
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JPIC Racial Justice Ministry:
We Are One Body in This One Lord
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Immaculate Conception’s JPIC Racial Justice Ministry invites you to meet with us for half an hour after the 7:45 am Mass on December 14th for a short discussion on how this Sunday’s Scriptures inform racial harmony in the body of Christ. You are welcome to share your hopes, concerns, and ideas.
We hope to meet at the same time every second Sunday in the Daily Chapel, to build community, listen to one another and discuss how we can more clearly exemplify the body of Christ across all racial and other earthly divides. Please stay for this conversation.
For more information, please visit our JPIC Racial Justice Ministry webpage or call Barbara Curran at (440) 840-5511.
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The next meeting of the 50 Plus group will be our annual Potluck Christmas Party, held in the social hall at St. Matthew Church on Wednesday, December 3, at 12:30 PM.
Chicken, ham, and drinks will be provided. We ask everyone to bring a side dish or dessert of your choice. After lunch, we’ll enjoy a few games of bingo with prizes awarded!
Membership in 50 Plus is required to attend the party. Annual dues are $20, and it’s easy to join in advance of the event.
For further information, please contact us at 50pluspresident@gmail.com, or reach out to the co-presidents, Bob and Mary Jane Wiethe, at 919-491-6445.
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Calendar
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11/27 at 10:00 AM: Bilingual Thanksgiving Mass
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12/1 at 7 PM: Holy Hour
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12/1 at 7 PM: Youngish Adults Bible Study
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12/4 at 6:30 PM: Catholic Daughters Meeting
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12/6 at 9 AM: Christmas Ornament Making
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