St. Mary’s Church & Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima 18230 Barnesville Road • P.O. Box 67 • Barnesville, MD 20838 www.stmaryonline.com Rectory: 301.972.8660 • Rel. Ed.: 301.972.8576 • Email: [email protected] Mary of Nazareth School: 301.869.0940 We welcome you to our historic parish family. Since 1741 believers such as yourself have built a spirit -filled, Catholic faith community here in Barnesville. We are privileged to have you join us in our mission to share God’s blessings. December 28, 2014 Feast of the Holy Family Rev. Kevin P. O’Reilly, Pastor David Cahoon, Deacon Elizabeth Smith, Dir. of Rel. Ed. Diane Yendrey, Dir. of Music Kimball Carpentier, Organist Bill Lynch, Pavilion Manager Brenda Evans, Secretary Diane Lynch, Secretary John Phipps, Parish Council Diana Snouffer, Sodality David Lawrence, Holy Name Don Patti, Knights of Columbus Robert Rossi, Parish Historian Daily Mass: Monday - Saturday: 9am Sunday Mass: 8, 9:30, 11am First Friday: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, 9:30am to Noon First Saturday: Rosary & Our Lady of Fatima Devotions, follow 9am Mass Confession: Saturday at 9:30 am and by request Baptism: by appointment Weddings: by appointment at least 6 months after initial contact Rel. Ed.: Wednesdays Fall to Spring: K-5, 3:45-5pm; 6-8, 7:30-8:30pm H. S. Youth Group Wednesdays 7 - 8:30 pm School: Mary of Nazareth in Darnestown, grades PreK-8 Holiday Greetings Welcome to all, especially our visitors. Christmas is a time that brings many people to church to celebrate the birth of Christ, and we’re glad you’re here! We hope you will come back to visit again. St Mary’s is an active, warm parish, dedicated to following the path of Christ and reaching out to those in need and to one another. Check us out on facebook and our website stmaryonline.com. The entire staff extends our happiest and holiest holiday wishes to you and your family for the Christmas Season and throughout the coming year. Thank you for your kind thoughts and gifts this holiday season. We truly appreciate our parishioners for all their dedication and stewardship to our community throughout the year. May God bless you all! WEEK-at-a-GLANCE Sun., 28 12 - 2 pm Rectory Open House Tue., 30 1 - 3 pm - Senior Citizens Luncheon Wed.,31 Office Closed Thu., 1 Happy New Year Fri., 2 9:30 am - Noon - Adoration 2 pm - Wedding Reception Sat., 3 9:30 am - Devotions & Confession Sun., 4 Donuts Parish Offices will be closed December 31 - January 1. Please Pray For… Sue Anderson, Louise Austin, Christopher Barlow, Robert Baumler, Mike Beckham, Herman Belferman, Janet Best, Pattie Bittner, Pauline Brandt, Janet Brown, Reese Burdette, Linda Burke, Billy Camut, Ada Candor, Robert Carhart, Donna Cartwright, Jennine Cornell, Patricia Cremins, Janet Curtis, Br. Edwin Dupre, Bob Dyer, Amanda Endres, Kate Gowans, Marilyn Green, Marie Horton, Doris Jeffers, Michael Kelley, Suzanna Kelly, Kevin Keezer, Sam Kidder, Joseph “Bubby” Knott, Sr. John Kutzi, Pat Langley, Bernice Lewandowski, Fred Lok, Colleen Loss, Joy McIntyre, Gary Mann, Dorothy Masino, Maureen & Timmy McDonnell, John McManus, Katherine Miller, John Mylan, Mary Whelan Porter, Teresa Preffitt, Susan Reid, Andrea Rivas, Salvatore Romano, Rose Salvano, Daniel Santucci, Tom Schaeffer, Teresa Silverman, A. Size, Nancy Slattery, Patsy Smallwood, Angela Smith, Mary Lou Smith, Jerry Stafford, Mike Sutherland, Jode Swamm, Chris Vita, Barbara Ward, Darlene Watson, Donald Williams, Michael Yin, Michael Zahn. Please Pray for Our Military Family & Friends… Michael Breslin, Dennis Davio, Jenny Davis, Paul Dwyer, David Gilliam, Erich Lloyd, John Marion, Joshua & Noah Miller, Andrew Murtha, Brian Nazarian, Elvin Rivera, Chris Watkins, Michael Weigand, Karin Wittig. Dear Parishioners, And you yourself a sword will pierce. (Luke 2:35) Everyone loves a good story. From the time we’re little children, we become fascinated with stories. At first, we want someone to read to us. Then we start creating our own stories with crayons. Finally, we get to the stage where we begin watching TV, falling in love with certain shows and waiting anxiously until the next episode arrives. The love of stories is why we go to movies and read novels and listen to the latest scoop about whomever. Stories are so important to us, in fact, that one writer has even dared to say that “God made humans because God loves stories.” What this writer is suggesting is that each one of us is a story all our own - a story that our God loves to listen to. It’s almost like we can picture God saying about each one of us: “Go on. Tell me more.” Luke, the writer of today’s Gospel, is one of the great storytellers of all time. He seems to understand at a very deep level that we all love stories because we can place ourselves in them, identify with the characters and make them our own. Christmas is arguably one of the most beloved stories ever told. It’s the story of a God who loves each one of us so much that he leaves the heavens and “pitches his tent among us,” as one translation puts it. It’s the story of how this same God enters fully into our world, and, from that moment on, dwells among us, dines with us, rejoices with us, cries with us, bleeds with us, triumphs with us. In today’s Gospel, though, Luke takes the story of the birth of Jesus to another level. He introduces Jesus to the community of faith that his parents are a part of. It now becomes a story that expands the private intimacy of Mary and Joseph into the larger world of the Jewish community, and all of society. Luke’s story ultimately becomes one that tells the tale of the creation of a whole new spiritual family - the one that we all are a part of. But notice that within the beauty of this story, Simeon, the representative of the entire history of Jewish faith, takes the child Jesus into his arms, turns to Mary, and says to her: “You yourself a sword will pierce.” Gone from this scene are the angels singing “Glory to God in the highest.” Gone from this part of the story are the shepherds and their wonder and amazement. Gone is the serenity of the manger. Instead, a note of darkness enters the story. A primary symbol of who Jesus is and what he will bring to the world is now introduced: a sword. The sword represents the decision that each of us has to make in writing the story of our own lives. Jesus’ hope and plea is that we will use this sword in the most positive of ways: as an instrument that will cut through to the very heart of our humanity so that we can be liberated from the slavery of destructive patterns of living. What that sword can do, that sword that is Jesus’ own life of love, is give us the ability to bring into our lives a degree of freedom — the freedom to live out those graces that our second reading today emphasizes: “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Our life is a story, a story that God delights in reading. How will yours read? Peace, Fr. Kevin WORSHIP “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” - Luke 1:30 Mass Intentions Sun., 28 8 am - Eugene Wojciechowski 9:30am - Parishioners 11am - Jacob Jesuitas Mon., 29 9 am - Scholtz Family Tue.,30 9 am - Frank Bestland Wed., 31 9 am - William Carlin 4:30 pm - Parishioners Thu., 1 10 am - A Peaceful New Year Fri., 2 9 am - Walter & Clara Melvin Sat., 3 9 am - Teresa Johnson Scripture Readings for the Week of December 29 Mon 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35 Tue 1 John 2:12-17; Luke 2:36-40 Wed 1 John 2:18-21; John 1:1-18 Thu Num 6:22-27; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God Fri 1 John 2:22-28; John 1:19-28 Sat 1 John 2:29–3:6; John 1:29-34 Stewardship Due to early print deadlines, figures were not available. December 21 & 25 amounts will be published on January 4 & 11, 2015. Senior Citizens All over the age of Open House 55 are invited this Tuesday, December 30th at 1 pm to the Pavilion for an Come see Father Kevin’s House fully decorated! afternoon of fun and food hosted by our high school youth group. If you Today, Sunday, December 30 need transportation or have special Noon—2 pm dietary restrictions, call the parish Enjoy Food, Drink & Fellowship office. High School Youth Group Remember we host our Senior Citizens this Tuesday, Dec. 30 for lunch and bingo. We need your help, make plans to join us at 11 am for preparations. If you have any questions, call Mrs. Miller. Experience “Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea” at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. now through April 12, 2015. This landmark exhibition, organized with the support of the Archdiocese of Washington, brings together more than 60 Renaissance and Baroque era masterworks from the Vatican Museums, Uffizi Gallery, and other museums, churches, and private collections in Europe and the U.S. Visit nmwa.org/exhibitions/ picturing-mary-woman-mother-idea to learn more. Pageant Thank you This bulletin is being written the morning after the beautiful presentation by our Children in Religious Education of their pageant on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 4 pm. It was truly inspirational. The sheep were awesome! To all the Angels, Shepherds, Sheep, Kings, Musicians, Mary, Joseph and the Innkeeper - 2015 Religious Wall Calendars Thank you. Special thanks to their are available today in the entranceteachers, costumers, helpers and Liz way of Church. Smith, Brenda Murtha and Diane Yendrey and to Louise Austin and Celebration of Christine Chalk for all the beautiful costumes we continue to use. New Years Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament What a wonderful way to start the new year. Come and join us in prayer Friday morning between 9:30 am - Noon for the Rosary and Adoration. First Saturday Devotions Come join us on Saturday morning for Mass followed by the monthly devotions to Our Lady of Fatima, the Rosary and Confession. Feast of Mary, Mother of God Holy Day of Obligation Wednesday, December 31 4:30 pm Mass Thursday, January 1 10:00 am Mass