833 Main Street
Agawam, MA 01001
[email protected]
www.stjohnagawam.org
PARISH OFFICE HOURS
Monday — Thursday
9:00 - 3:00
Friday - Closed
Office Phone: 786-8105
Fax: 455-3100
Administrator:
Father Tomasz Parzynski
Priest in Residence:
Father John Lis
Deacon:
Deacon Michael Perkins
Business & Pastoral
Administrator, Director of
Religious Education:
Sal Circosta
455-3215
[email protected]
Pastoral Minister:
Mary Scannell
786-4499
[email protected]
Organist/Music Director,
Director of Youth Ministry:
Joe Dziok
[email protected]
455-3215
Secretaries:
Paula Raiche
[email protected]
Exie Haynes
[email protected]
Child Advocate:
Debbie Whitehead
455-3215
Chairman of Parish Council:
Judith Cross-Donahue, J.D.
Chairman of Finance Council:
Alfred Casella, J.D.
Religious Education Classes:
Grades Pre-K - 6:
Sundays, 9AM-10:15AM
Grades 7 - 11:
Sundays, 7PM-8:15PM
Saint John the
Evangelist Parish
Sunday, December 21st, 2014, Fourth Sunday of Advent
THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS:
EUCHARIST:
Mass on Saturdays 5:00pm
Mass on Sundays 8:00am, 10:30am, 6:00pm
Traditional Latin High Mass on Sundays at 12:30pm
Mass on Weekdays: Monday-Saturday at 8:00am
Traditional Daily Latin Low Mass: 6:45am on Mondays, Fridays, & Saturdays
Mass on Holy Days: To be announced
Eucharistic Adoration: Tuesdays 7:00pm-8:00pm & Wednesdays 8:30am - 3:00pm
CONFESSION:
Reconciliation - Friday from 7:15 am -7:45 am .
Saturdays 7:15-7:45, 4:00 to 4:45 pm, and after the 5:00 pm Mass
Sunday 7:00-7:45 am. Or by Appointment.
BAPTISM:
Baptisms are scheduled on the last Sunday of every month. Please call the office to
schedule with Fr. Tomasz.
MARRIAGE:
To be arranged at least one year in advance. Please call the office.
ANOINTING OF THE SICK:
If you or a loved one needs the anointing of the sick, please call the rectory office for
Father Tomasz, or see Father after Mass.
CONFIRMATION:
If your child needs to be confirmed, please contact the Office of Religious Education to
enroll your child in classes. If you are an adult and need to make your
Confirmation, please contact the same office and ask about the RCIA program.
HOLY ORDERS:
Are you thinking about a vocation to the priesthood or religious life? If so, please call
Father Tomasz at the rectory office, or call Father Gary Daily and the Office of Vocations 413.452.0811.
PARISH MISSION STATEMENT:
We are a Roman Catholic community inspired by the Holy Spirit to follow the example
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by sharing, growing and spreading God the
Father’s love through our parish ministries, and by coming together as a community in
Mass
Intentions
for the Week
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered for the
following intentions by the priest celebrant:
Saturday, December 20th, Sunday Vigil Mass
5:00pm Edna Lavoie
Requested by Daughter, Annette Lavoie
Sunday, December 21st, Fourth Sunday of Advent
8:00am Elaine Smith, 3rd Anniversary
Requested by Husband, Richard
10:30am Bob Gregory
Requested by Wife, Pauline
12:30pm (Latin High Mass) Francis & Claire Gagnon
Requested by Daughter, Linda
6:00pm Charles Moskwa
Requested by Wife & Family
Monday, December 22nd
6:45am (Latin Mass) For All Youth of Parish
8:00am Mom, Dad, Bill & Theresa
Requested by Lucille
Tuesday, December 23rd, St. John of Kanty
8:00am (1st Int.) Leonard & Rita Cross, Maggie
Altomarie & John Donahue
Requested by Family
8:00am (2nd Int.) Charles Alekson, 75th Birthday
Requested by his Wife
Wednesday, December 24th CHRISTMAS EVE VIGIL
4:00pm For All Members of Finance Council
6:00pm For All Members of Parish Council
10:00pm (Latin) For All Homebound Parishioners
12:00am (Midnight) For All Volunteers of Parish
Thursday, December 25th CHRISTMAS DAY
10:30am For All Parishioners
Friday, December 26th, St. Stephen, the First Martyr
6:45am (Latin Mass) Bernice Beck
Requested by Ted Beck & Family
8:00am Rose Madru
Requested by Daughter, Barbara
Saturday, December 27th, ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE &
EVANGELIST, PATRON OF OUR PARISH
6:45am (Latin Mass) For All Deceased Parishioners
8:00am Latour Family
Requested by Morin Family
Saturday, December 27th, Sunday Vigil Mass
5:00pm Stanley, Agnes, Peter, Stanley, Jr. Lipski
Requested by Dave and Paula Raiche
Sunday, December 28th, Feast of the Holy Family
8:00am Joanne Lamothe, 3rd Anniversary
Requested by Family
10:30am Adelino & Maria Rosa
Requested by Daughter, Pauline
12:30pm (Latin High Mass) Orlando Circosta
Requested by Sal Circosta & Family
6:00pm Charles Moskwa
Requested by Wife and Family
Weekly Offerings for
December 13-14, 2014
Regular Funds: $6,832.50
Maintenance: $575.00
Fuel: $89.00
Loose: $857.00
TOTAL: $8,353.50
Thank you!
Please Note:
The Lost & Found in the
Church will be found in
one location: the front
foyer of the church in a
basket labeled
accordingly. This will
help simplify if someone
is looking to find a
lost thing.
SANCTUARY LAMP
December 21st—December 27th
WILL BE LIT IN MEMORY OF:
Tyburski & Potkai Families
By:
Janet
In My Mother’s Arms Prayer Line
If you have a serious intention
that you need prayers for: surgery, sufferings, medical, illness, cancer treatment, a sick
child, or anything like that,
please give Betty or Pat a call
and you will have countless
rosaries and prayers coming
your way!
Betty: 786-3630 or Pat: 786-3023
Please remember in your Prayers:
Please pray for the sick and dying of our parish.
Remember all who are in hospitals, nursing homes and
homebound.
For all those who have died:
Diane Goodreau
Sandra Sudyka
David Donoghue
Helen Solaroli
David Williams
Michael G. Woods
...and members of the parish.
May the Lord welcome them into His Heavenly Kingdom.
Note: If you have a friend or relative who has recently
passed away and would like them included, please email:
[email protected]
AGAWAM, MA
ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH
Eucharist Series for New Eucharistic Ministers
This four week series of classes are for all new Eucharistic
Ministers and anyone thinking about becoming a minister
at St. John's. Please make every effort to attend so that you
will be well trained to serve at Sunday Masses beginning
in January. All current Eucharistic ministers are welcome
to attend the classes as a refresher. The classes are also
opened to any member of the parish All classes will be on
Mondays, in the Church, from 7PM-8PM.
Dec. 8: The Eucharist in Scripture
Dec. 15: The Theology of the Eucharist
Dec. 22: Eucharistic Spirituality
Dec. 29: The Eucharist and Liturgy
“Totos Tuus Tuesdays”
Tuesday Nights Eucharistic Adoration
Join us every Tuesday for evening adoration in the
Church, from 7PM-8PM. This will focus on the
youth and young adults, but the entire parish is welcome to join us adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. There will be some music, silent time, and
community prayers. Please join us this Tuesday, and
every Tuesday! Bring a friend!
Happy 80th Birthday Elvis featuring Jeff Krick, Elvis tribute
artist and vocalist. Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015 (Snow date 1/12/15).
St. John’s Travelers is pleased to bring you this exclusive matinee show at the Hu Ke Lay in Chicopee, MA. Jeff Krick will
amaze you with his talent and Elvis looks. We will sing Happy
Birthday to the one and only King of Rock n Roll, Elvis. $48.00
per person. Package includes: Lovely plated luncheon at the Hu
Ke Lau and reserved seating “Blue Hawaiian Show.” The menu
includes fresh garden sold, rolls & butter, prime rib or baked
scrod, potato & vegetable, dessert, coffee or tea. Event begins at
11:45am. The Hu Ke Lau, 705 Memorial Drive, Chicopee, MA.
Contact: Emile Cote’ 1-413-335-9440
Bible Study & Faith Sharing: All are welcome, whether you’ve
ever read the Bible before or not, you’re welcome to join us
every Tuesday morning from 9:30-10:45am in the Father Joyce
Room in the Parish Center. Please feel free to stop in and see
what we're all about. We have anywhere from 12 to 20 people
(men & women). If you don't think you can come every week
don't worry - come whenever you can! God's Word lives and He
promises that it will not return to Him void. For more information
and questions please contact: Mikie Cook at (413) 786-3773.
Men’s Bible Study: Are you looking to understand the bible
more? Join us weekly on Wednesdays from 6:30 -7:45 pm in
the lower Parish Center. Come feed off the word of God and
discuss its general application and practical use in our lives as
men. We will also study the Catechism teachings on each chapter
we cover. For more information and questions please contact:
John Lemke at (413) 262-4195.
ST. JOHN’S GIVING TREE
Thanks to the generosity of the parish community, the
blessings of Christmas are shared with others in need
through our Giving Tree program. You are invited to participate in the Giving Tree program again this year. The
program has begun and the Giving Tree is decorated with
ornaments representing gifts for individuals in need. The
tree is located next to the candle shrine for our Blessed
Mother Mary. The program will conclude on 12/21 with
the distribution of gifts. Additional information is available by calling Paula at the church rectory. Let us have a
bare tree and a gift laden altar again this year!
Please note– this year the distribution of gifts will occur
in the Parish Center’s Gym at 12pm on Dec. 21st.
Christmas Mass
Schedule:
Wednesday, Dec. 24th, Christmas Eve, Vigil
4:00PM Children’s Mass with Children’s Pageant
6:00PM Mass
10:00PM Traditional High Latin Mass
11:30PM Christmas Carols in Church
12:00AM Midnight Mass
Thursday, Dec. 25th, Christmas Day:
10:30AM Mass with Children’s Pageant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Year’s Mass Schedule
Solemnity Mary, Mother of God:
Wednesday, Dec. 31st, New Year’s
Eve, Vigil
4:00PM Mass
Thursday, Jan. 1st, New Year’s Day:
8:00 AM Mass
10:30AM Mass
6:00 PM Mass
The 1st of January is a Holy Day of
Obligation in the Catholic Church,
celebrating the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Mother of God. Please join us
for this most beautiful
solemnity in the midst of our
Christmas Season.
ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST PARISH NEWS AND EVENTS!
“I Don’t Get Anything Out Of Mass”
By Bill Dunn, www.catholic365.com
Do you know anyone who does not go to Mass anymore?
Oh, what a silly question. Of course you know someone who doesn't
go to Mass anymore; you probably know dozens of people. Maybe you
yourself are a person who doesn't go to Mass anymore.
Up until the early 1960s, a full 75-percent of Catholics in
America went to Mass on a regular basis. ("Regular basis" being defined as every Sunday plus Holy Days of Obligation.) Nowadays, of
those people who identify themselves as Catholic, the figure is more
like 25-percent. And that's not counting the people who have left the
Church completely, those who no longer identify themselves as Catholic. Don't forget, although the church denomination in the U.S. with
the largest membership is the Catholic Church, the second largest religious group in this country are people described as "former Catholics."
If you ask people why they no longer go to Mass, by far the most common answer you will hear is, "Because I don't get anything out of it."
Literally millions of American Catholics stay home each and every
Sunday because they, quote, "Don't get anything out of Mass."
Is going to Mass similar to going to a movie or a ballgame,
or going out to a restaurant, where the whole reason for going is to get
some personal enjoyment or entertainment? No, of course not.
At the risk of being rude, let me ask a question: "Who the hell ever
said you're supposed to GET SOMETHING out of Mass?" (I use the
word hell not profanely, but in the theological sense, as the idea that
the sole purpose of Mass is to get something out of it surely comes
from the Evil One.)
Mass is not a show; it's not a party; it's not entertainment.
Mass is community worship where believers gather to offer praise and
thanksgiving to the God who created them, and to enter into a mystical
communion with the Almighty Lord by receiving the body and blood,
soul and divinity, of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
Many people think of Mass as a show. The priest is the performer; God is the prompter, who whispers to the priest what to say;
and the people in the pews are the audience, who sit back and expect to
be entertained. And if the priest does not entertain the audience, either
with inspirational or humorous comments, then the show is a flop. By
this standard, virtually every Mass is a flop.
But in reality, here are the correct roles: The people in the
pews are the performers; the priest is the prompter who guides the
pace of the performance; and the audience is God. When we go to
Mass, we're not going as audience members to be entertained. We're
going as performers to put on a presentation of prayer and worship and
gratitude for our audience of One: God Himself.
When we ask someone, "Why don't you go to Mass?" and
they reply, "Because I don't get anything out of it," our next question
should be, "What do you put into it?"
In yet another amazing Christian paradox, when we forget
about trying to "get something" out of Mass, and instead focus on putting something into Mass, that's when we discover that we truly do get
something out of it after all. When we go to Mass determined to give
God our best performance of prayer and devotion and thanksgiving,
we are filled with His joy and peace and love. We enter into a personal
relationship with the Eternal Being who knows us and loves us and has
prepared a heavenly dwelling for us. And that is a whole lot better than
any Broadway show or ballgame.
The Clergy Association of Agawam cordially invites you to the
Community Lighting of the Christmas Tree and Christmas Carols Sing-a-long on Sunday, Dec. 21st at 5PM at the Agawam
Veterans’ Greens on Main Street. They will also have hot
chocolate and cookies! All are welcome!
St. John’s Loaves and Fishes: Did you know we have a
large group of volunteers at St. John’s that prepare a meal
for local homeless of Hot Dogs and Baked Beans. They
cook it, deliver it and serve it. They count on contributions from the parish. If you are able to either donate
funds, or donate cans of baked beans or packages of hot
dogs, they will be greatly welcomed. Please bring baked
beans, hotdogs, or monetary contributions to the parish
rectory. If you make a financial contribution write
“Loaves & Fishes” on an envelope and put in collection.
We are particularly low on Hot Dogs and are in need of
them as soon as possible. Thank you so much for your
continued support.
Parish Choirs at St. John’s
Interested in singing in our Choir?
All ages and talents are welcomed
and encouraged to join! We have
Rehearsals every Wednesday
night at 6:30PM in the Church.
Please see Joe Dziok for more
information. 413-455-3215
YOUTH MINISTRY: Are you a teenager looking for something more in life? Do you know a teen who is? If so, consider joining our Youth Ministry here at St. John’s, the Evangelizers! We meet once a week and are in the midst of renovating the lower parish center into a youth center. Email Joe at
[email protected]
St. John’s Retreat Announcement
Our theme this season is Know Greater Joy. Explore how we
can discover deep and enduring joy in God’s presence no matter the situation. Includes home-cooked meals, inspirational
liturgies & workshops, original music, and free time to rest and
enjoy a walk on our 48 wooded acres. Cost is $295, more if
you can; less if you can’t.
Register at: www.holyfamilyretreat.org or call
860-760-9705. Holy Family Retreat Center - 303 Tunxis Rd
West Hartford, CT.
Men’s Retreat Date: February 20-22, 2015
Women’s Retreat Date: March 6-8 & June 12-14
Tuesday Bible Study: The Tuesday Morning Bible Study/
Faith Sharing group will NOT be meeting for the next two
weeks (December 23rd and 30th). We will reconvene January
6th and begin studying the Book of Acts. Please consider joining us from 9:30 to 11 in the Parish Center. If you have any
questions you can call Mikie Cook at: (413) 786-3773.
From our Pastoral Minister,
Mary Scannell:
Pastoral Ministry Hours:
Mary’s hours are Monday-Wednesday from 9am-5pm
and Thursdays from 9am-2pm. Please leave any
messages on her phone at 786-4499
Food Gift Cards:
115 families have received food cards from January
2014 to Thanksgiving. The Women’s Group donated
cards at their meeting– Thanks! 42 families received
food for Thanksgiving, thanks to the parishioner’s
donations, and 12 turkeys were donated.
Giving Tree:
We have 41 families in Agawam for the Giving Tree.
They can pick up their gifts in the Parish Center on
Dec. 21st at noon.
Homebound & Hospitalized
Anyone in the parish who is hospitalized or placed in
any rehab or nursing facility, please notify Mary at
786-4499, including facility and room number.
Bereavement Group
The Bereavement group is on the 5th week. Anyone
who has been going through any kind of loss is welcome, we meet at 10AM on Thursdays. There are 13
sessions listed below:
Sessions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
When your Dreams Fall Apart
Seasons of Grief
Emotions of Grief (1)
Emotions of Grief (2)
When Your Spouse Dies
Your family and Grief
Where is God
Your Greatest Resource
Stuck in Grief or Moving On
Growing Through Grief
Grief Recovery Toolkit
God’s Spirituality Hospitality
Longing for Heaven
The Shawl Ministry/Happy Knitters
Meets on Wednesday at 10AM. This wonderful
group of women have given out 493 prayer shawls to
the sick, along with baby hats to Mercy Hospital. If
anyone has yarn that they can donate to the group it
will be appreciated. Thanks!
Eucharistic Ministers If you are interested in
becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, call Mary.
The Visitation Group meets on the second
Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m. We need more
volunteers for the visitation group. Call Mary.
Nursing Homes:
Anyone interested in giving an hour a month at Heritage Hall, can receive training for the facilities and
homebound. You have to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion before the training. Call
Mary.
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Saint John the Evangelist Parish
Capital Campaign
How to Contribute to Your Pledge:
•
Mailed Contributions: Pledge payments can be
mailed directly to the Parish.
Saint John the Evangelist
Capital Campaign
833 Main Street
Agawam, MA 01001
•
Online @ www.ParishPay.com: Pledge payments can be made completely online through
ParishPay, simply select “Capital Campaign” as
the collection type. You can also save time by
easily establishing recurring payments.
•
Mass Collection Baskets: Pledge payments can
be made during Mass through the collection baskets. Be sure to specify that this donation is for
the Capital Campaign, and not the regular or second collection.
Thank you for your continued support of Saint
John the Evangelist Parish. Your generosity is
allowing us to pave the way to a very bright
future!
Please feel free to contact the Business Office with
any questions or concerns at (413) 505-9962 or
[email protected]
Online Collections Now Available! Donating to St. John the
Evangelist is now easier and more convenient than ever thanks
to a partnership with www.ParishPay.com. Parishioners and
guests can log on, make a one-time or recurring donation, and
never have to worry about envelopes or checks again!
Easy Five-Step Process:
• Log on to www.ParishPay.com
• Search for Saint John’s (Zip Code 01001)
• Create an account, or sign in as a guest
• Select your donation type: Regular Collection, Special Collection (Fuel/Maintenance), or Capital Campaign.
• Make your contribution (one-time or recurring)
Please feel free to contact the Business Office at:
(413) 505-9962 or [email protected] with any
questions. Thank you for your continued support of Saint John
the Evangelist Parish!
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For further information,
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