Church will be open, but there will not be Eucharistic Adoration on Friday, January 1, 2010.

PARISH DIRECTORIES, in limited quantities, are available at the rectory during office hours for $5.00 each

CONFESSIONS SCHEDULE

No confessions on Thursday, December 31st.

BABYSITTING FOR THE 9:30AM MASS,

SUNDAY, January 3, 2010

Adult Volunteers: Cindy Reis, Linda DeSantis

Students: Brad H., David H.

Dear Parishioners,

Family matters, both as a noun and as a verb. On this Feast of the Holy Family, it is worth recalling how much our own families mean to us, for good or for ill. For now, I want to recall the good. On Tuesday, December 1, the adoption of my niece, Rosie, was finalized. Her parents, my sister, Amy and her husband Tom, had already adopted a biracial son and now he has a biracial sister. My admiration for their birth mothers is great because both of them resisted the pressure to have an abortion. At the court hearing for my niece's adoption, the magistrate asked Rosie's parents what values they wanted to pass on. My sister answered "faith and love." As I looked around the courtroom, I saw my own family and that of my brother-in-law. Both of our mothers suffer from dementia and my mother is deaf. So neither would remember, nor, in my mom's case, even hear the eloquence of my sister talking about what she and her husband had received from their own parents and hoped to pass on to their children. As Rosie and her brother Lou were squirming about on their parents' laps, I thought even they couldn’t really appreciate what had been done for them. So if your parents are living, hug them tight and say “I love you!” And if they are deceased, pray for the repose of their souls! Family matters.

Fr. Christopher R. Armstrong

PARISH DIRECTORIES, in limited quantities, are available at the rectory during office hours for $5.00 each.

STOCK DONATIONS

If you wish to contribute stock to Saint Antoninus Parish Church, please contact Mrs. Steffany Reid, our business manager, at 922-5400 for instructions.

Nativity Scenes: When we broke up our family home, I inherited the nativity scene. A figurine was purchased at Kresge's each year by my oldest brother when he was a child. The figurines are now chipped and a little faded but they remain a cherished memento. Thus, you can imagine my sadness when I discovered that so many of our parish school children did not display a Nativity Scene at home. It is my hope that this Christmas will be different. I urge parents to see to it that their children understand the true meaning of Christmas. One of our parishioners and a long time usher, Vince Walter, reminded me of the Nativity pageant at the Krohn Conservatory on JANUARY 3, 2010, the Solemnity of the Epiphany, at 2PM, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. It would be a great family activity to take your children to see it and to witness to our faith publicly: KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS!

SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY

Our Conference assists parents in providing the necessities for their families. Contributions toward payment for food, rent and utility bills are the major needs for many today. Your gratefully-received contributions placed in the poor boxes enable us to play a significant role in helping those in need.

For the new year 2010, please take the Traveling Chalice into your home for one week as a reminder to pray for vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life. If you would like the Traveling Chalice for one week, please call Debbie at 922-2414. Thank you to Debbie Rolfes who has taken the chalice for this week.

ST. ANTONINUS PARISH SCHOOL TUITION RAFFLE CHANCES are 1 Chance for $50, 3 chances for $100. A year’s tuition for St. Antoninus Parish School will be raffled off at the Gala on February 13, 2010.

Dear Parishioners,

Merry Christmas! Thank you for all the generous support of the time, talent and treasure you have given to us over the past year. May the birth of Jesus Christ bring us hope and joy throughout the coming year. We hope your families are building good memories and traditions during this Christmas season. Rooting all these experiences in the celebration of the birth of our Savior serves as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.

FROM OUR SEMINARIAN

Merry Christmas! Now that the Christmas season is in full swing, your mind is probably beginning to think about ways in which to celebrate the birth of our King…right? Ok, in reality, most are thinking about what New Year’s resolution to make! If you are anything like me, you have quit fooling yourself into believing that this year you’ll _____ (fill in the blank). After all, you can’t break a resolution you never make! For years I believed this, but as my discernment of the priesthood intensified, I realized how secular the notion of a New Year’s resolution had become, and wanted to focus more on celebrating the birth of Christ. Therefore, the last 4 years I have forgone a New Year’s resolution and have made a simple prayer of petition, “Lord, help me grow into a man of prayer.” The results continue to amaze me as God challenges me to broaden my perspective on what it means to love and serve Him. This year I am devoted to making that same simple little prayer. After all, the greatest gift I can give to our New Born King, is my heart.

HOLY SPIRIT PRAYER GROUP

On Tuesday we will come together joyfully to share in the spirit of peace and love that is Christmas. It will be a night of praise and worship thru the medium of Christmas carols, music and song. After the hustle and bustle of the season it is an opportunity to calmly appreciate the gift to us of the Holy Family and the gift we are to each other. In Chapel, 7:30 PM.

ADULT SOCIAL GROUP

Jan. 8th: Steering Committee meeting @ 1:00 PM in the St Joseph‘s room. Everyone welcome ! Come and give us your ideas to improve our group.

Jan. 11th : Communion Service @ 12:30, followed by Luncheon in the Undercroft. and a presentation on German Beer Steins by Fred Kellerman. Cost; $9 pp for lunch. Please get your reservations in by Jan. 6th.

New Officers:

DOTTIE BROWN - TREASURER

Future trip. We are looking into an overnight in Amish Country for possibly March or April