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(Updated 11/16/2019)

Confessions:
Saturday 4 to 4:45 PM (church)

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Week's Bulletin 

A Few Words From Fr. Steve

Dear Friends,

Late fall can be a melancholy time, bittersweet in many ways. Though the colors of both land and sky are the most glorious of the year, and the smell of wood smoke and the chill in the air can be bracing, fall is still a harbinger of winter. The shortening of days, the lengthening of shadows and the dreary, overcast days and patter of chill rain are reminders of things passing away. For many of us, the question, “Where did the year go?” turns into “Where did my life go?” The spring of childhood, and the summer of youth have given way to the fall and winter of middle and old age. “Where did my life go?”

But, as the passing of seasons also marks the passing of life, each has its own particular joys and pursuits. While spring, summer, and fall are times of busyness and activity, winter can be a time of growth and reflection. A time of settling down and considering “the one thing needful that will never be taken away (Luke 10:42).” Where have our lives gone? They are “hidden with Christ in God.”

For the one in Christ, each passing day brings opportunities to live and grow in the love and mercy of Christ. Each passing day brings us chances to serve God by praying for, and helping others. Each passing day also brings us closer to our eternal home. While we may grieve our loss of youth, we can still rejoice that at that Last Day “our bodies will be made like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subdue all things to Himself (Philippians 3:21).”

A great way to keep all of this in perspective is to connect the passing of the seasons with the passing of the Church Year. Advent and Christmas, which occur in early winter, focuses our attention on God sending His Son into our flesh as our Redeemer. Midwinter sees the Epiphany season, where this Savior, born of the Jews, is the Savior of the gentiles as well. In the darkest time of the year, Epiphany celebrates that “Jesus Christ is the Light of the world; a Light no darkness can extinguish.” Late winter begins the Lenten season, where Christ, out of love for us all, travels to Jerusalem and the cross to accomplish His work of atonement for the sins of all mankind that, in Him, we might have life. Early spring is also the time of Easter. As winter must give way to spring, so death gives way to Christ’s bodily resurrection, which makes possible our resurrection, as well.

Then, in late spring, we celebrate Pentecost, which first commemorates the sending of the Holy Spirit to Christ’s followers, empowering them (and us, too!) in faith and life to live for Him. Summer and fall is the ordinary time season of the Church Year, where we follow Christ’s life, works and words, all for us and for our salvation. And as fall deepens toward winter, we move to the last Sunday of the Church Year, the Sunday of Christ the King. As the seasons pass; as this world passes away, our attention is drawn to the return of Christ, the end of all things in this fallen and sinful universe, and the promise of all things being made new.

So, you see: just as each season of the year has its own glories and challenges; and as each season of our lives do as well, marking the time through the Church Year keeps everything in perspective. Thus, our focus will not be on what we are losing, but on what has been gained for us through our Savior Jesus Christ.

While the changing of the seasons may give us melancholy moments as we see our own lives tick by, we can confidently and joyfully know that as winter must inevitably turn into spring once more, so the winter of our lives, which are already “hidden with Christ in God” will inevitably pass away into the eternal spring of “the
resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” God’s blessings in Christ, whatever season we are in!

Love, Father Steve

ADVENT CANDLES & PRAYER BOOKLETS
Advent Candles and Prayer Booklets will be available for purchase in the foyer of the church after all the Masses next weekend. Candle Sets are $5 each.
Prayer booklets are $1 each.

Lectors: Your new 2020 Workbook is now available in the rectory. Please take one home with you.

Eucharistic Ministers Needed: If any parishioner feels called to become a Eucharistic Minister or would like more information about this ministry, please call Mary Doolan at the rectory at 781-834-6003 x 21.

GRAND ANNUAL COLLECTION 2019 Goal: $100,000  |  Total Received: 74,950 Your Grand Annual envelopes may be placed in the collections baskets or mailed directly to the rectory throughout the year. Funds from this collection help to pay our weekly bills. Each family is asked to contribute $400. However, what one gives is your choice and no one should give beyond their means. If you did not receive an envelope in the mail, you will find envelopes on the ushers’ tables next weekend. Thank you for your generosity and support of our Parish Family. God bless you. Father Steve

All classes will meet as scheduled this week.

>> All Religious Education Tuition Fees are now due. Please remit your payment to the CCD Office as soon as possible.<<

Grade 9 - Confirmation classes will meet on: Sunday, November 24th 4:30 pm hall
A Rock Mass will be celebrated next Sunday at 6:00 pm. All are invited to attend.

Grade 5 - Penance with Father Steve will take place during class time this week.

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, CCD classes will meet as follows:

Grade 1 - 5 No classes Tuesday thru Thursday,

November 26, 27, and 28
Grade 8 will meet on Monday, November 25
Grade 7 will meet on Tuesday, November 26
Grade 6 will not meet on Wednesday, Nov.

Click on the Weekly Bulletin link above to read all CCD Announcements.

REFLECTION: What do you do when you are faced with a steady barrage of tragic news? What gives you hope?

BULLETIN SUPPORTERS: We sincerely thank all of our advertisers who have placed ads in our bulletin. Please support the businesses that advertise in our parish bulletin as their ads help to defray the cost of the bulletin.

Other Religious Activities in our Area

Marriage Annulments
In 2016, Pope Francis created newnorms for the marriage annulment process. If you or someone you know, longs to be reconciled with the Churchthrough an annulment, a workshop facilitated by Fr. Chris Palladino, S.C. L of the Metropolitan Tribunal will explain the process and answer your questions. You are invited to this informational meeting on Wednesday, December 4th at Saint Peter’s in Plymouth (lower level) at 7:00 pm. Light refreshments will be offered. All are welcome!

Saint Christine’s now has a Facebook page. We will use the Face Book page to post parish news, events, CCD cancellations, photos and more but we need your help. Visit www.facebook.com/stchristinesmarshfield and “LIKE” our page to help spread the word. We’re new to Facebook so please bear with us as we get up to speed with social media. You can also link to our Facebook page whereever you see the Facebook logo on our site.

Read the Complete Bulletin for all Parish News

CCD & PARKING LOT REMINDER!!
Please exercise extreme caution in our church parking lot while dropping off and picking up children from classes. Please drive slowly in the parking lot and refrain from using cell phones. Children move quickly and your full attention is needed.

REMINDER: The Marshfield Fire Department has requested that our parishioners refrain from parking in front of the church as it prevents their access in times of emergency.

PAPER RECYCLE BIN - WE ARE NO LONGER RECYCLING PAPER
Please do not deposit any old papers in the recycling bin in the church parking lot. The company that emptied the bin has gone out of business. We will no longer recycle paper.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS, LECTORS, ALTAR SERVERS
Please check your schedules to see if/when you are assigned. If you unable to serve your assigned Mass, it is important that you call a substitute to serve for you.

CCD CANCELLATIONS DUE TO WEATHER
If classes are cancelled due to weather, notification will be available on Channels 5, and 7. Please tune into these stations or log onto their websites. Additionally, cancellations will be announced on WATD radio (95.9). Please note that if Marshfield Schools are closed, Saint Christine’s CCD classes are also cancelled.

All children in Grades 1 through 3 must have a parent or another adult accompany them to and from class each week. Parents must sign children out before they are released from their class.