St. Mary Of The Assumption Parish

St. Ann Church

The Nativity of the Lord December 25, 2016

208 Samoset Ave., Hull | 781.925.0680

Administrator: Fr. Mark Derrane

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Saturday, December 24: Sunday, December 25: Monday, December 26: No Religious Ed: Gr 6, 7, 8 Tuesday, December 27: No Religious Ed: Gr 3,4 Wednesday, December 28: No Religious Ed: Gr 2,5

Thursday, December 29: No Religious Ed: Gr 1 Friday, December 30: Saturday, December 31: Sunday, January 1:

Sacrament of Baptism

Celebration of Baptism is typically celebrated on the last Sunday of the month at 12:30pm (after the 11:00 am Mass). Please call the office to schedule a Baptism.

Sacrament of Matrimony Arrangements should be made with Fr. Mark or Deacon Jim at least six months prior to wedding date.

Sacrament of the Sick Please notify us if you know of someone who would like to receive this sacrament, or someone who is unable to get to church, but would like to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Saturday, December 24: 9:00 am James, Bridget & Eleanor Daly 4:00 pm Vigil Mass (no intentions) 7:00 pm Christmas Mass (no intentions) Sunday, December 25: 7:00 am Christmas Mass (no intentions) 9:00 am Christmas Mass (no intentions) 11:00 am Christmas Mass (no intentions) Monday, December 26: 9:00 am Eleanor Daley Tuesday, December 27: 9:00 am John & Marion Madigan Wednesday, December 28: Feast of the Holy Innocents 9:00 am Richard Visco Thursday, December 29: 9:00 am Kathleen Hamilton Friday, December 30: 9:00 am Special Intention Saturday, December 31: 9:00 am Barbara & Peter Boretti 4:30 pm For the New Year Sunday, January 1: 7:00 am No Intentions 9:00 am No Intentions 11:00 am No Intentions Next Week: Monthly Repair

MASS INTENTIONS PARISH ACTIVITIES

“View From The Pews” Parish Survey

Please watch for a survey that we

will be sending out in the near future. We would appreciate your time and look forward to hearing

your thoughts!

Surf St. Mary’s!

Find us online at: www.stmaryhull.com

You can find everything from Mass time infor-mation, upcoming events, Mass Intentions,

church bulletins, faith formation information & forms, etc…! A plethora of useful information!

Find us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/stmaryhull

Please like us and feel free to share pictures for us to post!

Mass Intentions Altar Flowers Bread & Wine

If you’d like to schedule a Mass Intention, make a do-nation for bread & wine, or altar flowers, then please either stop by the parish office or give us a call at 781.925.0680. Shirley will be happy to help you out!

Mass Schedule

Daily Mass: 9:00am Monday-Saturday Saturday Vigil: 4:30pm Sunday: 7:00am, 9:00am & 11:00am

Confession: Saturday 3:30pm-4:15pm

Rosary: 8:30 am Monday-Saturday

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PARISH NEWS | PASTORAL CARE | MUSIC

MANY

VOLUNTEER

MINISTRIES AND

OPPORTUNITIES

Music Review

By: Joe Scolastico, Music Directory

2016 was another busy year for our music ministry. Easter came pretty early, just about a month or so after the Christmas Season ended in January with the Feast of the Baptism. Our ministry worked very hard on new music as well as old favorites for the holiest of days. During the sum-mer, we had a special Mass with Bishop Dooher to celebrate our Parish Feast Day, and our music ministry supported that as well. And of course, we had our re-cently Lessons and Carols and Christmas liturgies. Musically, we added much to our reper-toire. We've done various set-tings of the propers -the proper sung texts for each Mass- in a variety of settings; from the

simple chants of Columba Kelly, OSB, to contemporary and hymn settings. In addition, we have now a reprint licence from World Library Publications, one of the foremost publishers of Catholic music. From WLP, we've added contemporary music and music by Steven Warner of the Notre Dame Folk Choir. We look forward to add-ing more titles from them in the coming months. I'd like to thank everyone involved in our Adult Choir, Bell Choir and Chil-dren's Choir for their outstand-ing efforts this year. We always welcome new members! If you have any interest, please see me after any of the Masses or email at music@stmaryhull.com.

Have a happy and Blessed Christmas!

Pastoral Care

By: Claire Theriault

The Pastoral Care Ministry at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish provides a vital link from our parish to the homebound or those confined to a nursing home. Dedicated men and women bring compassion and the presence of Christ through visitation, prayer and the Holy Eucharist.

This ministry was created over twenty years ago by the most compassionate and spiritual woman I know, Sister Jeanne Leahy. I am still humbled and honored by the gift of this ministry, and I pray every day that I keep the spirit of compassion and mercy alive that Sister Jean instilled in this ministry.

As the coordinator, I support our many volunteers through pray-er, workshops and programs offered through the Archdiocese. I also visit all the parishioners that are sick and homebound. I could never accomplish this without the help and encourage-ment of our devoted volunteers, who have always been there to support me and I pray for them every day. I feel so blessed to be a part of this parish community. If you are interested in learning more about this very important ministry call me at Church office 781-925-0680.

Prayerfully Yours, Claire Theriault

By: Denise Comeau/Office Manager

An Account On Our Accounts 2016 has been a year of transition for the Parish, business-wise. For several years prior, we had been operating in a deficit for many reasons – low Mass attendance and property upkeep being just two of those reasons. Each year, we drew on our savings to cover expenses leaving us with a small “rainy day” account. This calendar year, we made some positive changes based on recommendations from Fr. Mark and the Finance Council to help move us out of a deficit and to replenish our savings account:

We requested and received an abatement for the monthly Archdiocesan taxes re-sulting in a $14,000 savings.

A Special Summer Collection was instituted

to meet our ongoing capital improvement needs. This year we received over $20,000 in donations!

We’ve also made organizational changes that should save us $15,000.

We continue to review and renegotiate office expenses, including negotiating a re-bate from our bulletin printing company.

Finally, after long and careful consideration, the Parish has sold the property at 212 Sa-moset Avenue. We are all looking forward to the new owners moving in and making the house their home.

Parish Office News and Previews As mentioned above, we renegotiated our bulletin printing contract a few months ago. Vicki Dromey, our bulletin editor, has been receiving a lot of positive feedback on the new look and feel. If you have news or items

you think our parishioners would be interest-ed in, please feel free to contact Vicki. Our website is getting a facelift! We have been updating the site and adding new fea-tures. It’s a work-in-progress, but please do browse around and come back often to view the changes: www.stmaryhull.com. We have been posting to our Facebook page as well, trying to keep you up to date on parish activities and news items. Please like and share our page with friends and family: www.facebook.com/stmaryhull, “check-in” to St. Ann Church, and post pics of events for all to see!

The Office Staff at St. Mary of the Assump-tion Parish would like to wish all of you and yours a very Merry Christmas. May the peace and joy of our Saviors birth be with you throughout the coming year.

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FAITH FORMATION

Religious Education Program

By: Cathy Bowes/Coordinator of R.E.

The religious education program strives to provide faith building experiences for 180 plus children in grades 1-8 through regular class time and activities. The program runs from September to April, with classes meeting once a week here at the church. A wonderful group of volunteer catechists share their faith and love of Jesus with the children.

Grades 1 and 2 is a two year sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. The children are introduced to God and His Love for us, and God’s Son, Je-sus Christ. This is done in an atmosphere that is both structured and fun. It is wonder-ful to witness the growth of the children’s faith.

Grades 3 through 5 continue on their faith development; with grade 3’s focus on the Creed, grade 4 learning the importance of the Commandments, and grade 5 developing a better appreciation of the Sacraments.

For grades 6 through 8, a lectionary based curriculum is used. The lessons presented

each week tie together the message of the Gospel for that Sunday with the history of our church and the contemporary lives of our children through stories and articles. As we move through the liturgical year; Ordi-nary Time, the beginning of the new church year with Advent, the joy of the Christmas Season, the self-reflection of Lent, and the anticipation of Easter, the children are en-couraged to carry forth the message and purpose of each season into their day to day experiences and interactions with family, friends, and people they encounter.

As part of the parish’s association with The Dufresnay Haiti Foundation, the religious education classes participate in fund raising for this worthy cause during Advent with a craft fair/bake sale; and during Lent with alms giving by younger children doing extra chores at home and the middle school stu-dents participating in a 4 mile Good Friday Walk from the Glastonbury Abbey to Saint Ann Church.

A number of faith based activities are offered during the year for children in the parish. The annual Christmas Pageant tells the story of the very first Christmas with children from grades K-8 narrating and acting out the Gos-

pel of Luke. Children from grades 4-8 lead the Family Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Each summer for a week in July, a bible camp is held here at the church and the A Street beach, for stories, songs, games, and arts and crafts. A group of 50 plus campers, ages 5 to 10 participate while a group of 25 plus middle school and high school student volunteers serve as camp counselors. Adults from the parish work together to plan and over see this wonderful annual event. In the past, the camp themes have taken the children to Jesus’ childhood home of Nazareth, Saint Paul’s travels through Greece, Moses leading the Israelites through the desert, and last summer’s Cave Quest.

High School Ministry By: Lisa Harney

Confirmation Coordinator

We offer two primary activities for our high school students – the Confirmation Program and Summer Service Trip. While the Confir-mation Program primarily serves students in the 9th and 10th grade, we identify them as Year 1 participants and Year 2 participants in order to encourage any student who may have delayed a year or two to still consider joining the program. The Summer Service Trip is open to all high school parishioners and the majority of students participate for multiple years throughout high school.

The Confirmation Program is a two year pro-gram that prepares students to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. For the first eight years of faith formation, the students have learned the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Confirmation Program provides opportunities for the students to experience, share, and deepen their faith while building and strengthening their relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The program is grounded in three primary values – service, worship and faith. And when the

students give themselves in service, actively participate in worship and prayer, and live faith-filled lives, the gifts of the Holy Spirit that will be conferred upon them – wisdom, knowledge, right judgment, courage, rever-ence, understanding and wonder and awe – will become the foundation on which they will confidently build their future with Christ as their guide.

The students attend one Saturday a month from 11:30 – 5:30 concluding with the 4:30pm Mass. This format allows for deep learning and the use of mixed modalities to deliver instruction. The students develop, discuss and explore key concepts through art, music, movies, discussion groups and role-play; they never know what it will be until they arrive on Saturday morning. They also have two Saturdays when they do community service – in places such as the Senior Housing, Fr. Bill’s Shelter, Rose Court at Linden Ponds, Cradles to Crayons and many more.

We have been engaged in this format for four years now and it has been amazing to watch our students respond to it with enthusiasm and interest. By moving away from a tradi-tional class format, we have challenged the

students to own their faith. Every year they willingly meet that challenge, and in our dis-cussions and activities we see and hear those seeds of faith taking root.

The Summer Service Trip is a week of service outside of the parish. The students travel to a different city, often a different state, to stay in a school or retreat center with other students from other parishes to provide whatever service is needed in that area. Upcoming will be a trip to Newark, NJ where the students may work at a summer camp for economically disadvantaged children, or they prepare and serve lunch at soup kitchen, or they may clean, paint or do light carpentry at a social service agency – the needs are always great but the service is mean-ingful. The students return home tired, proud and grateful. It is a life changing experience for most!

Vacation Bible Camp 2016

Cave Quest Theme

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Merry Christmas! Dear friends, what a wonderful sound those words bring to our ears, and what a profound effect they have on our souls. We profess the Child of Bethlehem to be both Savior and Lord, the answer for our lives. Christmas, the Mass of Christ's birth, the mystery of God's free act to raise up our fallen race. What could be more solemn and joyful? Praise Him! The hymns and carols of Christmas often express profound truths of the faith in a beautiful way. One of the great losses in my lifetime has been the removal of this music from much of society. Many young people are unfamiliar with this music. I recently asked a nine year old Catholic what her favorite Christmas song was: Santa Baby! Although Eartha Kitt is a unique talent, I lament the situation. The words of Hark, the Herald Angels Sing fill us with joy and hope, as all good theology should:

Wow! That is good news! Merry Christmas! Fr. Mark

Merry Christmas

By: Deacon Jim

“Merry Christmas.” We offer this greeting freely this time of year, sometimes casually sometimes with great warmth. Either way “Merry Christmas” is a wish and a blessing of real, tangible, incarnate life.

We wrap love in bright paper and place it under a tree. We bake love in our kitchens and serve love on our family tables. We find love with the people who are most important to us. Christmas celebrates our humanity, now more wonderful since God chose to share it with us.

A few weeks ago when we began Advent, a brief period of time that our Church, in her Wisdom, gives us to “get ready” to “prepare’ for the miracle of Christmas, Fr Mark, in a homily, gave us some sugges-tions on how to make the most of this time of preparation and among them was the idea of memorizing Scripture and even rec-ommended one. An early Christian Hymn recorded in Philippians 2. It goes like this:

Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in hu-man likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.

It was a wonderful suggestion and good advice for all times of the year. Something we can do anytime -- any place; while on a long drive, when we are bored in meetings at work or walking the dog on the beach.

Scripture is the Word of God. Notice the capital “W” that is God talking to us person-ally, where we are today. To hear him re-quires that we sit still and let him in - for he talks very quietly very softly. If we do though - his Words will transform us. Sit with these Words and it becomes clear - God is in the world, in the flesh.

God wants to be known as Emmanuel, God-with-us. Not some faceless God up there in the Heavens, but God right here – right now. Not a God who receives our prayers

from faraway and may or may not reply. Rather a God who feels our loneliness, suffers our fears, hopes for what we hope for, and works through us and with us to bring the future into being.

God’s divine love can be discovered in com-ing together with people we love and also with people we don’t love or even know. God is in the word, in the conversation, in the heart of the world and the heart of each one of us.

Merry Christmas

Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King. Peace on earth and mercy mile God and sinner reconciled. Joyful, all ye nations rise Join the triumph of the skies With the angelic host proclaim Chris is born in Bethlehem.

Christ by highest heaven adored. Christ the everlasting Lord. Late in time behold Him come Offspring of the Virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see. Hail the Incarnate deity. Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.

Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace. Hail the Son of Righteousness. Light and life to all he brings Risen with healing in his wings. Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more should die. Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.

The staff at St. Mary’s wishes you a heartfelt and very Blessed Christmas!