ST. GABRIEL CHURCH WINDSOR, CT

Saturday December 17 - The Vigil of the Fourth

Sunday of Advent

4:00 PM Charles and Bernice Alekson by

Family

Sunday December 18 - The Fourth Sunday of

Advent

8:00 AM Birthday Remembrance - Tony

Visone by Family

10:30 AM Special Intention by Parishioner

Monday December 19

7:30 AM Mary Cerutti by Family

Tuesday December 20

7:30 AM Birthday Remembrance - Lucy

Fleishman &

Catherine Rombola by Family

Wednesday December 21 - St. Peter Canisius

7:30 AM Jim Shea by Wife, Peggy

Thursday December 22

7:30 AM 9th Ann. - Judy Pellegrino by Walter

and Patricia Szepanski

Friday December 23 - St. John of Kanty

7:30 AM Edward Behilo by St. Gabriel & Good

Shepard Choirs

Saturday December 24 - The Vigil of the Nativity

of the Lord

4:00 PM Helen and Patrick Fanning, Jr. by

Daughter and Family

5:30 PM Deceased Members of the Legion of

Mary by Members of the Legion of Mary

10:00 PM Special Intention

Sunday December 25 - The Nativity of the Lord

8:00 AM St. Gabriel Catechists by Cyndie Glick

10:30 AM 26th Ann. - Edmund Collins by Family

Weekend of December 10 & 11

Weekly Religious Retirement Fund

$7,321 $1,974

The St. Pauly Shed brought in $72.21 for the month of

November thanks to your many donations!

This Weekend’s Second Collection is for Heating and

Cooling.

Next Weekend’s Second Collection is your Christmas

Offering. Thank you for your generosity throughout this

past year as we celebrate together.

We are blessed with each of you as parishioners!

Saint Gabriel Parish

379 Broad Street, Windsor, CT 06095

(860) 688-4905

Fax (860) 688-2638

E-mail: gabrielchurch@comcast.net

Administrator: Reverend John P. Melnick

Parochial Vicar: Reverend Tuan Anh Dinh Mai

Deacons: Mr. R. Carl Lickwar

Mr. Ronald M. Biamonte

Parish Office hours are Monday through Thursday

8:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Daily 7:30 AM Masses

Monday through Friday

The Rectory Office will be closed on Friday,

December 23rd and Monday, December 26th

for the Christmas Holiday. May you and your

family have a blessed holiday and safe travels!

We are accepting donations for Christmas

flowers. Perhaps you would like to make a

donation in memory of a deceased family

member, friend or in honor of someone. PLEASE

PRINT your intention on the envelope which may

be found at the church exits or use the one included with

your envelopes. The names will be published in January.

Please remember those who have gone before

us marked with the sign of faith especially,

Martha Adams Nolan.

Also, remember the sick of the parish at home, in hospitals

and in convalescent homes, especially, Patricia Chatey,

Madeline Rose McCall, Diane Boggio, Betsy Boggio,

Richard Massa, Michele Joly and Peggy Nolan.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 18, 2016

Thank you and your generous parishioners for

your donation of 75 backpacks to children in need. In addition to the backpacks, each child

received supplies to get them through the school year, Additionally, thanks to some cash donations

smaller children were able to receive lunch boxes and pre-

K students received nap blankets. We appreciate your kind donations, generosity and commitment to serving the

greater community! The world is a better place because of you.

Patricia Berky, LMSW Triple P Positive Parenting Program

PRAYER FOR THE FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT

(All four candles are lit and allowed to burn during the

evening meal, family prayers or another specified time.)

On Christmas Eve, the wreath can be renewed with new

greenery and the candles replaced with white tapers for use

during the Christmas season.

LEADER: Lord Jesus, we approach that holy moment

when your coming as man is renewed in our hearts. Give

us peace and allow us to celebrate your presence with joy,

that we may some day share your glory. We ask this of

you, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy

Spirit, as One God, now and forever. ALL: Amen. THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

(from Christmas Day until the Baptism of the Lord, the

following prayer can be used with the wreath.)

LEADER: Father in Heaven, you so loved us that you sent

Jesus, your son, among us as Savior and Lord. Fill us with

your blessing, that we may grow in love and continue to

live our Christian faith. We ask this through Christ our

Lord. ALL: Amen.

Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared

to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son

of David, do not be afraid to take Mary

your wife into your home. For it is

through the Holy Spirit that this child

has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are

to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from

their sins." - Mt 1:20-21

Christmas 2016 This time of year is always

special; always unique. We are also mindful of the many

gifts that God has given to us throughout our lives. What

better way to thank God than to renew our commitment to

weekly worship? We invite each of you to celebrate with

us.

The St. Gabriel Church

Schedule of Masses for the feast of Christmas follows: Christmas Eve Christmas Day

(Saturday, Dec 24th) (Sunday, Dec 25th)

4:00 PM 8:00 AM

5:30 PM 10:30 AM

10:00 PM

Thank you for your continued support throughout

the year. May the newborn Christ come into your hearts

anew during this holy season.

Father John P. Melnick

Shelter Dinner Many thanks to all who contributed to the shelter dinner last month. Our next dinner is on Monday, December 19, and we will again be serving BBQ Chicken Bubble-up, vegetables, salad and dessert.

Any and all donations are welcome and appreciated. Pick-up will be at 5:45pm in the church parking lot. Any questions call Barbara Tanguay, 860-285-8203.

Tax Saving News

(UPDATED VERSION)

Congress used to wait until late

December to restore some tax-saving provisions

that expired at the end of the previous December. The good

news is that on December 18, 2015, Congress passed a bill that

permanently extends the Qualified Charitable Distribution

Provision. This means that taxpayers, 70 1/2 or older, may

transfer up to $100,000 directly from their IRA’s (Individual

Retirement Account) to qualified charitable organizations. The

transfer counts as your RMD (required minimum distribution)

and isn’t included in your AGI (adjusted gross income).

Reducing your AGI may help you avoid taxes on your

Social Security Benefits and may keep you below the cutoff for

the Medicare high-income surcharge. If you take your RMD

personally and then donate part or all to charity, you must report

the full RMD as income, then, deduct your contributions, if you

itemize deductions.

Consult your IRA administrator and ask about their

procedure for making the transfer directly to the Qualified

Charity, not to you. You may take a partial RMD at any time,

e.g. the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal and the St. Gabriel Annual

Collection, or other qualifies charitable organizations.

“Evening of Spirituality”

The Adult Education Committee of St.

Gabriel’s Parish Council invites you to attend

an “Evening of Spirituality,” on Wednesday,

December 21st. “O Come Let Us Adore Him”

by attending an enlightening evening with friends. Gain a

practical message from the Gospel to apply to our modern

everyday living through discussions with Deacon Carl.

The evening will run from 6pm - 7pm in the Church Hall

and refreshments will be offered. Hope to see you then!

RESPECT LIFE “Help one another: This is what Jesus

teaches us and this is what I am doing, and doing with all

my heart.”— Pope Francis, Homily on Holy Thursday

DECEMBER 18, 2016

As part of the Corporal Works of Mercy the

Youth group will be collecting socks and gloves for the homeless. The collection will run

until the end of January. Bins have been place in the front and back of the church and a

tree has been set up in the Church Hall. Thank you in

advance for those that can donate to this great cause!

The next Youth Group is scheduled for Sunday, January

8th, from 5:30-7:00 pm in the Church Hall.

Annual Christmas Concert at Saint Joseph Church Monday, December 19th, at 7 PM,

Wethersfield High School Choralaires Under the direction of St. Joseph’s Music Director,

Mr. Scott Rioux Reception to follow.

St. Gabriel School Update

There is a lot of excitement in the air as we head into the last week before Christmas

and our winter break. We will hold our last

Advent prayer service on Monday, December 19th at 8:30am and our Blessing Tree prayer

service on Friday, December 23rd at 9am.

This month, our Student Council assisted a local program to collect donations for three specific families in need.

Classes were given a list of needed items to donate and our Student Council members collected and prepared them

for pick-up.

St. Gabriel School is proud to share the list of Middle School students who made our Honor Roll for this past

trimester: (High Honors = all A’s, Honors = A’s and B’s, Honorable Mention = A’s B’s and 1 C+).

Grade 8: High Honors: Jessica Akin, Rachel Delskey, Charlene Lam,

Virginia Machon, Rachel Smith, Aarthi Tippireddy Honors: Justin Asberry, Sean Begley, Jeremy Blackwood,

Jordyn Desrosiers, Garrett Fusco, Om Ghetia, Chaz Hijeck, Jamirah Honaker, Myles John, Jack Owen, Morgan

Rhoades, Bailey Strauch Honorable Mention: Michael Torres

Grade 7: High Honors: Zachary Henderson Honors: Benjamin Buckovitch, Justin Dawkins, Jacob

Dixon, Nolan Heffelfinger, Sarah Nguyen, Avery Overstreet,

Timothy Paradise, Om Patel, Corey Plummer, Daniel Roland, Alexander Triff

Honorable Mention: Thomas Fahey, Ilyssa Rivera

Grade 6: High Honors: Zoe Alford, Jessica Burgeson, Jonathan

Delskey, Katherine Wilkos Honors: Maren Dufour-Eusko, Michael Machon, Alexa

Overstreet, Christian Rivera, Richard Rizzo, Elizabeth Ross,

Michael Sponzo, Bengamin Stengel Honorable Mention: Ty Hutchinson

DECEMBER 18, 2016

Reminder: In the event of inclement

weather, please watch Channel 3 (WFSB) or Channel 30 (WVIT) for the cancellation of Religious Ed

classes; you can also check their cancellation list online. You may also call the Religious Education Office to hear

the status of classes for that day/evening. December 22 Religious Education classes for grades K - 8 at St. Gabriel School 29 No Religious Education classes

January 5 Religious Education classes for grades K - 8 at St. Gabriel School 7 C2 Confirmation Retreat at St. Gabriel Church, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm - all C2 students must attend 12 Religious Education classes for grades K - 8 at St. Gabriel School 19 Religious Education classes for grades K - 8 at St. Gabriel School 26 Religious Education classes for grades K - 8 at St. Gabriel School 31 Practice for 1

st Reconciliation

* * * * * C2 Retreat – all C2 students will attend a

Confirmation Retreat on Saturday, January 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the

Church Hall at St. Gabriel Church. This is a mandatory meeting for all C2 students.

* * * * *

Religious Ed Family Mass – on January 8th,

all children and youth in the Religious Education program will gather downstairs in the lower

church by 10:10 a.m. Children and youth will sit with their Religious Education teacher and

classmates, and families are welcomed to sit with

the classes for Mass.

* * * * *

Practice for First Reconciliation - all children preparing for the Sacrament of

Reconciliation will practice on Tuesday,

January 31st at St. Joseph Church from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. On Thursday,

February 9th, children and at least one parent or guardian should accompany their child to practice at St.

Joseph Church from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Please call

the Religious Education office if you have any questions.

* * * * * * * * * *

ALIVE in Christ - All high school students are invited to exciting one-day Catholic Youth Rally

with engaging worship, music, speakers, and

faith-filled fellowship with Teens from around the Archdiocese! The Rally will be held on Sunday, April

30th from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford. Please contact the Religious Ed office

for Registration forms.