This Week of December 25, 2016
Sun 12:00 am Midnight Mass (12/25)
Sun 8:30 am Christmas Mass (12/25)
Sun 11:00 am Christmas Mass (12/25)
Sun
No Religious Ed or RCIA (12/25)
Fri 10:00 am ICF Board Meeting (12/30)
Next Week of January 1, 2017
New Year’s weekend masses will follow the regular Sunday
schedule for masses.
Sun
No Religious Ed or RCIA (1/1)
Wed 7:00 pm ICF Meeting (1/4)
Mass Intentions - Please contact the office, 822-7696, if you
would like to schedule a Mass intention.
Sat 4:00 pm Janet Torrano + (12/24) St. Joseph, Blue Lake
Sat 4:00 pm For the Children (12/24) St. Mary’s, Arcata
Sun 12:00 am For Christmas Blessings for All and
God’s Peace in the New Year (12/25)
Sun 8:30 am Sherry Grummert + (12/25)
Sun 11:00 am Fr. Mike Kelly + (12/25)
Mon
No Mass
Tues 8:30 am Nani Smith + (12/27)
Wed 8:30 am Flora Barbara Velat + (12/28)
Thu 8:30 am Odilia Rodrigues + (12/29)
Fri 8:30 am
Maria & Joe Andrade + (12/30)
Sat 4:00 pm
Harold Plourde + (12/31)
Sun 8:30 am
For the People + (1/1)
Sun 11:00 am
Elisabeth Dreittinger + (1/1)
The Rosary is prayed before the 8:30 a.m. Mass Tues thru Fri.
Please let the parish office know of your loved one’s illness or
recovery so we are able to keep our prayer list current.
Pray for the Sick, those here and others known to us:
Elsie Naye, Michael Shaker, Emma Filipini, Erica Mills, Paul
Hahn, Maria Silva, Patricia Clarke, Nina DeVilbiss, and Kathleen
Fancher.
Pray for the Souls of the Faithful Departed
Ronald Le Veque, Ramiro Melecio, Manuel Batista, Kenneth
David, Alice Amarant, and Frank Van Duzer.
Thank You for your generous contributions
to our parish collections.
St. Mary’s Regular Collection
$ 1627.32
St. Joseph’s Regular Collection
362.00
Total
$ 1989.32
Sunday, Jan. 1 - 8:30 Mass
Readers: Elizabeth Simovich
Paula Proctor
Eucharistic Ministers:
Justin Alvarez
Larry Ghidinelli
Altar Servers: Jacob & Aiden
Sunday, Jan. 1 - 11:00 Mass
Readers: Sy Talty
Peggy Willis
Eucharistic Ministers:
Robert Willis
Maggie Fleming
Altar Servers: Nora & Dean
Coffee Hour: December Coffee Hour will be hosted by the
Altar Society. January will be hosted by the Knights of Columbus.
Outreach Ministry To arrange for a phone call, visit,
and/or to receive Holy Communion, please call 707-499-3331.
The Parish Office will be closed next week,
December 26-30th. We wish you a
Merry Christmas!
The Nativity of the Lord
Christmas
Feast of the Heart
Through Christmas God gives us an opportunity to show what
we are capable of. Of course, he set the example of Himself.
He began by making us a gift of His most precious possession,
- His only son.
God’s Son could have come in power and wealth. Had he come
in power, we would have bowed down in fear before Him. Thus
He would have made us feel small and weak and insignificant.
If he had come in wealth, He would have made us aware of our
own poverty. Thus He would have evoked a feeling of envy in
us, and done serious damage to our hearts.
But He didn’t come in power and wealth. He came in weakness
and poverty. By coming in weakness, He made us aware of our
own power. By coming in poverty, He made us aware of our
own riches. His poverty evoked in us a feeling of compassion,
thereby bringing our hearts to life.
It was the poverty of the Child Jesus that caused Magi to open
their treasures and lay them before Him. The poverty of Jesus is
a challenge to us, too. It gives us an opportunity to open our
hearts. Jesus no longer needs our gifts, but other people may.
He wants us to share ourselves with one another.
Christmas is a feast of the heart. It reveals to us what the heart
of God is like. At the same time it reveals to us what the human
heart is capable of. Christmas causes us to open our hearts. And
to open our hearts is to begin to live. What makes us human is
not so much our ability to think as our ability to love.
To the extent to which we open our hearts to God and to one
another, we will experience something of the ‘great joy’ the
angels announced to the shepherds. Joy is the fruit of love. Joy
is an overflowing heart. May the great joy be yours today.
WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
~Father Bala.
Let us welcome God’s bright
and shining morning star,
A child born in a manger,
A son sent to redeem the world,
A savior come to renew all things.
May his light shine on you,
May his light shine in you,
May his light shine through you,
The light of God’s Christmas star be
with you,
in this season of new birth.
-Christine Sine
Remember, Oh most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone
who fled to thy protection, implored thy help,
or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, Oh
Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come,
before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
Oh Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my
petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.
Thank you for your donations of
warm coats and jackets for children and
adults in need. The clothing has been
delivered to the Betty Chin Center and your
generosity is much appreciated. Thank you!
Parish Calendars which have been blessed are available in
the Narthex. We thank the Altar Society for providing these
beautiful parish calendars. Please take one per household.
The scrip team gives a BIG “thank you” to all who
support this program which helps finance our parish maintenance.
We hope you all have a great Christmas with blessings galore and
that the new year will be also bring blessings. We will be back
'on the job' January 1st, 2017. Hope to see you at the scrip table!
The December issue of the North Coast Catholic Newspaper has
arrived. Please pick up copies for your family and your friends.
Additional Adoration and Mass Opportunities
Christ the King Church (CTKC) Parish, McKinleyville
Weekdays:
Monday Mass 9:00am
Tuesday Communion Service 9:00am
Wednesday & Thursday Prayer Service 9:00am
Friday Adoration 3:00pm followed by Mass 4:00pm
Weekends:
Saturday Confessions 4:30-4:45pm followed by Mass 5:00pm
Sunday Mass 9:00am
Saturday Mass 6:30pm (1st Sat of month, Sept-May) - Trinidad
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Mission, Hoopa
Sunday Mass 11:30 am
HSU Newman Center, 700 Union St. Arcata
Sunday Mass 5:30pm followed by supper & learning about Catholicism.
St. Vincent de Paul Free Dining Facility
Thank you for your generosity. It is much appreciated and
needed!
These past several months have been challenging times for
the St. Vincent de Paul Free Dining Facility. With the closure of
the Palco Marsh, closure of the Budget Motel, and the shutting
down of the overnight camping area, we have seen our daily
meals go from 220 to 450 served. At Thanksgiving over 500
poor souls including the homeless, people on disability, senior
citizens, fish plant workers, and children enjoyed a hot meal. As
part of Eureka's plan for rapid re-housing the homeless, we are
serving those waiting for housing opportunities with food and
shelter as needed.
For these increased services we receive no support from
the City or County and rely on our generous community to keep
us afloat. Please help us to serve the poorest of the poor by
sending a donation to St Vincent de Paul, PO Box 1386, Eureka,
CA 95502-1386. For more info, contact Russell Shaddix,
Society of St. Vincent de Paul at 707-822-0750.
Natural Family Planning – Local Class Available
Interested in learning about Natural Family Planning? Bernard and
Regina Fosnaugh will be teaching a Natural Family Planning
course on January 29, 2017 at 7:00pm at the Newman Center:
700 Union Street, Arcata. Teenage girls, young women, and
engaged & married couples are especially welcome. You may
register online at ccli.org or call 707-822-6057.
The Pacific Coast Walk for Life is scheduled in San Francisco
on Sat, Jan 21st. If you are interested, please send a check for $25
and your contact information to “Walk for Life” 3485D Airway
Dr, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Payment is due by Dec 27, 2016. For
information call Mike, 579-8982.
Job opening at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa
for Care Partner Position. For additional information, please
visit the website at www.srcharities.org/employment.
2016 Annual Mission Appeal (AMA) Santa Rosa Diocese
2016 Target: $20,500. Pledges to date: $16,963.
Capital Campaign – The Capital Campaign is a 5 year program.
5-year target: $295,000. Pledges to date: $152,309.
The next Baptism prep class will be on Saturday, Jan 14th,
2017 at 3:00 pm in the Fr. Michael Kelly Room. For information,
please call the office at 822-7696.
The basic requirements for Baptism:
-Family must be registered in a parish & be regular Mass attendees.
-One or both parents need to be a practicing Catholic.
-Child must have a reasonable chance to be brought up in the Catholic Faith.
-Parents & Godparents must attend a ‘Baptism Preparation’ class.
-At least one Godparent must be a practicing Catholic.
WELCOME TO ST MARY'S! Whether you are a long time parishioner, a returning Catholic, or a new member, we hope your time with us is a
meaningful and spiritual experience. If you haven't registered, please complete this form and return it to the rectory office or place it in
the offertory basket. Name__________________________________________________________________ New Parishioner yes/no
Address________________________________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________________ New Address
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