December 25, 2022 - The Nativity of the Lord

Mass Intentions for:

Saturday, December 24th - Sunday, January 1st For * Requested by

Saturday, December 24 3 PM, 5 PM, 10 PM Church

Living & Deceased Parishioners and Benefactors of our parish

Sunday, December 25—9 AM, 11 AM Church

Living & Deceased Parishioners and Benefactors of our parish

Monday, December 26 – 9 AM Church

Sergio Dos Santos * Dos Santos Family Joyce McHugh * Dot and Tom Tanguay

Tuesday, December 27 – 9 AM Church

Nicholas Cappelleri * Cappelleri Family

Wednesday, December 28 – 9 AM Church Joseph Nogueira * Marie M. Nogueira

Thursday, December 29 – 9 AM Church Special Intention * Robert Amling

Friday, December 30 – 9 AM Chruch Souls in Purgatory * Mary Soyka

Saturday, December 31 – 4 PM Church

Dorothy ‘Deckert * John and Susan Murphy Maria A. Pellicone * Mom and Dad Greg Heh * Connie Weighell and Family

Sunday, January 01 – Church 10:00 Pro Populo Claire Kelly * Daly Family Special Intention * Bob Amling

Please pray for the following members of our parish family who are ill:

KathleenAmatel

MichaelBarker

JaniceBasilice

FrBillBausch

EileenBeckley

BrendaCaronna

ChristenChellis

LynetteColaco-Desouza

BlakeConley

JackCoppola

KaitlinDonahueNagle

SharonEvangellista

JoannFeliciti

CynthiaFiedler

JamesFiedler EmilyGioacchini

TomHudak

ElizabethLindHuseby

BridgetKorn

BobLind

LoriLettieri

DonnaLodi

LudwigMendola

KevinO’Shea

OwenShoemaker

VictoriaSlater

GerardP.Thompson

LaurenVinci

LeonJankowski

ElizabethDeStefano LouSchmitt

Toaddafamilymembertothesicklistfor8weeks, pleasecallor e-mailtheParishOffice.Thank you! 732-780-2666 or parishbulletin@stmaryscoltsneck.org

Almighty and eternal God, those who take refuge in you will be glad and forever will shout for joy. Protect these soldiers as they discharge their duties. Protect them with the shield of your strength and keep them safe from all evil and harm. May the power of your love enable them to return home in safety, that with all who love them, they may ever praise you for your loving care. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

PRAY for Military & First Responders

AMT Colton Boag, USCG

LCpl Devon Francis Chrzan, USMC

Lt. Col. John Anthony Coppola, US Army

Lt. Col. Douglas Coppola, US Army

Lt. Mary Herman, USN SN Christian Houlihan, USN LT. Jason Joseph Howe, USN SPC Michael John Mento, US Army

Ensign Matthew Motola, USN

LCpl Bradley O’Ree, USMC

SPC Nicholas Poskonka, US Army Captain Richard Savo, US Army

1st Lt. Adam Sjoholm, US Army Captain Ryan Tanguay, US Army TSgt Stephen Witherow, USAF LCpl Edward Zarzecki, USMC

Gianna Innucci

Miranda Mason

Dianna Weber

Shawn Woodward

Lifelong

Catechesis - Week of December 25th - December 31st

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

25 Sunday: The Nativity of the Lord

Is 62:1-5 / Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 / Mt 1:1-25

26 Monday: ACTS 6:8-10; 7:54-59 / MT 10:17-22

27 Tuesday: 1 Jn 1:1-4 / Jn 20:1a and 2-8

28 Wednesday: 1 Jn 1:5 2:2 / Mt 2:13-18

29 Thursday: 1 Jn 2:3-11 / Lk 2:22-35

30 Friday: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 / Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

31 Saturday: 1 Jn 2:18-21 / Jn 1:1-18

Grotto

SANCTUARY LAMPS

2023

Consider donating the sanctuary lamp that burns in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the Church or Chapel in honor of a living or deceased loved one.

One intention is accepted per week (Sunday - Saturday) for the Lamp. The suggested donation is $25. Request online HERE.

FOR DEEPER REFLECTION:

Question for Children: What do you want to tell others about the birth of Jesus?

Question for Youth: How can you share the good news of great joy with others?

Question for Adults: Jesus, God’s very own Son, is God’s greatest and most generous gift to us. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise and proof of God’s incredible love for us. How do you return to God your greatest gifts?

The Mass Book for 2023 is now open for intention requests throughout the year. You can download this form, fill it out and submit it to the parish office with your payment or visit online to make your requests online paying by credit card/bank account. The

We continue to alert you about reports of email and text scams that use the name of the pastor to solicit funds in the form of gift cards or cash donations. Such requests are fraudulent. Do not reply and report them immediately as spam. Please note: Official electronic communications from the parish will always come from the @stmaryscoltsneck.org domain.

Worship & Music

Andrew J. Macirowski - Pastoral Coordinator for Worship & Music / Principal Organist

Worship@stmaryscoltsneck.org Music@stmaryscoltsneck.org

As we gather together to celebrate this Christmas liturgies, all are invited to make use of the following worship aids so that all may fully participate at Mass. There are separate links below depending on whether you have a large-screen device (tablet, e-reader, etc) or a small-screen device (smartphone, compact reader, etc). Additionally, QR codes may be scanned in the narthex that will load the mobile-optimized versions.

The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

(12/24 - 3pm, 5pm, 12/25 - 9am, 11am)

Tablet or Print Version

Mobile-Optimized Version

The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Solemn Mass at Night 12/24 - 9:30pm)

Tablet or Print Version

Mobile-Optimized Version

Please also take some time to acknowledge our volunteers who help to make our Christmas celebrations special, memorable, and above all, prayerful. Our altar servers, extraordinary ministers of holy communion, ushers, and choir members have all helped in preparing these liturgies. A special word of thanks to those on our art and environment committee who have spear headed the beautiful decorations this year. May the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts, not only at Christmas,

John and his brother, James, were the sons of Zebedee. Like his father and brother, John was a fisherman on Lake Gennesaret until, with James, he was called by Jesus to follow him. John was the youngest of the apostles. He and James were called "sons of thunder" by Jesus because of their volatile temperaments. Read more HERE

Worship Schedule: The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Saturday, December 31st - Sunday, January 1st

Organ Host - Emily Santangelo

Tabernacle Host - Martha Cowles

Tabernacle Host - Louise Habrack

Alternate - Susan Murphy

Organ Host - Gregory Calderaro

Tabernacle Host - Dawn Reinhardt

Tabernacle Host - Steve Stanley

Alternate - Minister Needed

Baptismal Preparation Session

St Mary Parish is offering our next Baptismal Preparation Session on: TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2023 at 6:00 PM

Pre-registrationisrequired aweekinadvance. ContactUs

Sacrament of Baptism Couples wishing to baptize their children must be registered parishioners of St Mary Parish. Please contact the Parish Office at 732-780-2666 x329 at least 3 months in advance of the desired date for baptism. More information can be read HERE

Liturgy of the Word Dismissal

This is the practice of having the children, ages 4-12, leave the Sunday assembly during the Liturgy of the Word (readings) and gather in a separate environment to engage in the Liturgy of the Word at a level more appropriate to the children’s understanding.

Altar Server Cantor Reader 1 Reader 2 EMHC

Missionary Childhood Association

ADVENTMiteBoxes

The purpose of the Missionary Childhood Association is to encourage all children to be aware of the needs of children living in mission dioceses through the world and support them both spiritually and sacrificially. Today it is in 110 countries and helps make Jesus known to children all over the world.

Please take a mite box home with you and have your child fill it with loose change throughout Advent. Once filled, please count the amount inside, write a check to St Mary Parish with “MCA” in the memo line and we as a parish will forward the full amount to the Mission Office. You can also make an offering online at https://bit.ly/3ETJPyT or scan the code. Please send in your offerings by January 8, 2023.

Thank you in advance for your generosity & commitment.

CALLING ALL CERTIFIED SCHOOL TEACHERS

Do you have a desire to grow and share the faith?

Are you interested in making a difference to a child or teen?

Become a ‘Catechist’ will make all the difference here at the parish. As disciples we are called to share the Good News and create new disciples. Training and Support is Provided! God doesn’t always call the qualified. He qualifies the called! Are you being called?

You are invited to “The Art of Catechesis.” Click here to register This 6-hour course provides the support and encouragement, as well as the skills and tools a Catechist needs to pass on the faith. Join us to learn about this ministry!

Instructor: Mary Mykityshyn, PCL

Location: Saint Gabriel Church, 100 N. Main Street, Marlboro 07746

Sessions: Wednesday evenings; 1/25, 2/1, 2/8 from 6:30-8:30pm

Click here to register Questions: Michelle Angelo, Associate Director of Catechesis mangelo@dioceseoftrenton.org https://dioceseoftrenton.org/art-of-catechesis-1

Many thanks to all who participated in the Blessing of the Infant Jesus at the 10am mass this past Sunday. It was a very special moment in our Advent journey this year.

Christmas Mass Schedules:

Solemnity: The Nativity of the Lord (All Masses will be celebrated in the Church)

Christmas Eve - Saturday, December 24th 3:00 pm Mass , 5:00 pm Mass, 10:00 pm Mass (9:30pm Choral Prelude)

Christmas Day - Sunday, December 25th 9:00 am Mass, 11:00 am Mass

9:00AM Daily Mass will be held in the Church for the Octave of Christmas December 26th - December 30th

Feast Holy Family of Jesus

Mary and Joseph Friday, December 30th

9:00 am Mass

Solemnity: Epiphany of the Lord

Saturday, January 7th 4:00pm Mass Sunday, January 8th 8:00 am Mass 10:00 am Mass 12:00 pm Mass

Solemnity: Mary, Mother of God Saturday, December 31st 4:00 pm Mass Sunday, January 1st 10:00am Mass No 8am or 12 Noon Masses

Feast: Baptism of the Lord

Monday, January 9th 9:00 am Mass (Chapel)

Quo vadis . . .

My Dear Parishioners:

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Incarnation of Christ…Christmas. It is a time when we reflect on God’s Gift of Godself to a waiting world. The Light of Christ penetrating the Darkness of the World. Although God takes on human flesh, we believe that Jesus exists from the beginning of time. The manifestation of God taking on human flesh is the gift we receive in order to restore us to the life of God’s love. We share gifts with others as God has gifted us. This year our liturgical calendar is a bit different since the Solemnity Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on Sundays. The Solemnity of the Epiphany is observed Sunday, 8 January and the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Monday, 9 January.

This year the Feast of the Holy Family is observed Friday, 30 December. This gospel relates the other three of Joseph’s dream recorded in Matthew’s gospel; the first we met on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. These dreams continue the revelation-response motif begun on Christmas Day. This is the interface of our own modern families and the Holy Family: as they did, we too all face challenges in responding to God faithfully and obediently. The holiness of a family is not dependent upon perfection or an easy road. As Mary and Joseph showed us, holiness is dependent upon faithfulness and obedience to God’s messages. Whether we are a traditional family or a singleparent family, whether we have biological or adopted or foster children or no children, whether we live in an expensive home or a subsidized rental unit makes no difference for living as a holy family. What does make a difference is hearing God’s messages and doing God’s will. Revelation-response made the holy Family holy; it makes our families holy, too. This is paschal mystery living: responding to

both hardships (dying) and God’s wonderful gifts of graces (rising) in fidelity and obedience. Trust in God’s ways.

Many thanks to all those who sent greetings, gifts, culinary delights and prayerful wishes to the Parish House for the Christmas Season. Your warmth and generosity are overwhelming. You truly make our Parish a vibrant community where faith is nurtured.

Next weekend is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God which is the Octave (8th) Day of Christmas. This Solemnity is a wonderful opportunity for us to gather in prayer as we begin a new civic calendar year. Please consult the bulletin for special mass times and other particulars.

Many thanks to all those who have served to make our parish community ready for these Advent-Christmas-Epiphany Liturgies. Check out the QR code links for worship aids that can be downloaded to your tablet or phone, so that you can fully participate in our Liturgical celebrations. Our staff is here to guide and support the many parishioners in caring for our parish community and making things happen. Let us be mindful of the many gifts we have been given and the call for us to be a gift to one another especially in sharing our faith. Don’t forget to keep the tree and decorations up for a while. The Season of Christmas (Liturgically) continues until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. If you have not already made your Christmas Gift to our parish on Christmas Day, please do so this week so that we can prepare a report for you to review. Thanks for all that you do! Have a great week. Let us pray for one another. Happy Sunday! Merry Christmas! Peace. Father Jeff

Temporal Admin., Stewardship & Outreach

Sharing Our Treasure

December 18, 2022 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

A. SevillanoTemporalAdmin@stmaryscoltsneck.org

"Therichmanisnotonewhoisinpossessionofmuch,but onewhogivesmuch.”SaintJohnChrysostom

Additionally, thanks to your generosity we were able to send $2,500 to the Support for Religious Retirement fund.

Included in next weekend’s offertory will be the Building & Mortgage Collection $3,458 Our monthly mortgage payment is $7,966.25

THANK YOU for the Sacrificial Stewardship. Offerings as we support the ministries, programs and facilities of our parish. May God Bless you for the sacrifices that you make.

Consider AYear-End Gift to St Mary Parish

As you begin year-end tax planning, take advantage of the charitable tax deduction for gifts made before December 31 and consider making a gift to St Mary Parish. Your gift to our parish can make a great difference to us and help you as well.

Online Giving is a convenient way to make your gift to St Mary Parish. To create or update your St Mary Parish Online Giving account, visit https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/smcn

If you choose to make a cash donation, please prepare your check and mail it so that your envelope is postmarked or received by the Parish Office by December 31 to qualify as a gift in the year 2021. Contributions received on January 1st or after will be treated as 2022 gifts. Thank you! Your generosity has been a blessing to St Mary Parish throughout this past year. Your continued support allows us to continue our ministries and mission to proclaim the Gospel in our time.

2022 Christmas Collection:

Our Christmas mailer has been sent out to our parishioners a few weeks ago. When making your list of Christmas gifts this year, please remember your parish. Kindly use the Christmas offering envelope or make your gift through our online giving system at http://bit.ly/2Ec6vu5.

We will provide you with a report of this collection at the conclusion of the Christmas Season.

Thankyouforyourgenerosity!

2022 End of Year Contribution Statement

Statement of charitable contributions for calendar year 2022 will be available on or about January 17, 2023. Your personal statement can be downloaded from My Own Church portal. Please follow the instructions HERE to sign up for My Own Church and retrieve your statement. If you wish to receive a paper statement of your 2022 contributions, please provide a selfaddressed stamped envelope to the parish office by mail or drop it in the collection basket by January 31, 2023. Requests will be processed & mailed by the end of January. Please do not make your request by phone.

Edwin

Thank you!!

This year (2022) the Parish of St. Mary provided over 300 bags of Thanksgiving groceries and 180 turkeys for those in need. 40 volunteers helped sort, pack and load groceries to be distributed by various charities.

Thankstoallthosewhodonatedfood, funds,orserviceinordertomakethis effortasuccess.

It was a great opportunity for parishioners to work together to providing for the less fortunate in the community at large.

Standing Together for Life - Mass/Speaker Event in Freehold

On Friday Jan. 20, 2023, the faithful of the Diocese of Trenton will come together in prayer and solidarity to proclaim the sanctity of all human life.

All are invited to a Mass for Life celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, 61 Georgia Rd., Freehold, beginning at 11 a.m. Mass will be livestreamed on Youtube.com/trentondiocese

The Mass will be followed by a luncheon and speaker seminar in the Co-Cathedral’s Dentici Hall. Author and speaker Dr. Charles Camosy will be our keynote speaker. His talk and conversations that follow are intended to help us build a Culture of Life in this post-Roe world by working together as one church and stepping out of the politics and divisions that often separate us. Advanced registration to attend the luncheon and seminar is required by Jan. 10, 2023. Registration and information can be found here: dioceseoftrenton.org/ standing-together-for-life

Volunteer Crisis Hotline Training January 2023

The next (12-week) training class for telephone volunteers for CONTACT (24-hour crisis intervention hotline) will begin on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, once a week for 12 weeks, every Wednesday from 6:30 -9:30 P.M. In person training will be held at St. Luke’s Church, 1674 Old Freehold Rd., Toms River. CONTACT, a free and confidential service, has been assisting with the needs of individuals throughout the community since 1975, by providing a safe place for callers to talk about their problems with anonymity. Information and referrals are provided when requested. For additional training information, please call the CONTACT office – 732-240-6104.

Parking head-in on the grass

It is so wonderful that we are blessed with many parishioner families & visitors to our parish during Christmas. Please be reminded that all staff, ministry volunteers & choir members should park head-in on the grass around the parish campus. Visitors are invited to do the same for additional parking especially on:

Christmas EveSaturday, December 24th 3:00 pm Mass , 5:00 pm Mass, 10:00 pm Mass (9:30pm Choral Prelude)

Christmas DaySunday, December 25th

9:00 am Mass, 11:00 am Mass

Are you looking for a safe, loving, educational and nurturing environment

where your child will get the attention and care that they deserve?

Join our family today!

Flexible schedule for children 2 and up. Small class sizes. Research based curriculum. Call 732-780-0135 today for more information

YOUNG ADULT RETREAT

Offerings at Francis House of Prayer

Trenton Diocesan Spiritual Center and Retreat House 84 Walnford Road Allentown, NJ 08501

609-877-0509 or FHOP@verizon.net

Please check www.FHOP.org for registration, directions and for our other offerings!

END OF THE YEAR RETREAT

Saturday, December 31 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Since God gives us life and time and is Lord over all, it seems appropriate to end the year in prayer. Francis House offers time, space and quiet for naming the graces of 2022 and expressing gratitude to God. The day will focus on our goals, hopes and desires for 2023. We reverently say farewell to 2022 and cordially welcome 2023 as a gift from God. Please bring your lunch. Donation: Love Offering

ZOOM ONLY OFF TO A PRAYERFUL START FOCUSING THE NEW YEAR

Tuesday, January 3 7:00 – 8:00 PM Start out 2023 with an evening zoom retreat to set the direction for the year. “Well begun is half done,” they say, and establishing a direction is essential for the journey. Where am I going in 2023? What is the desire of my heart, and God’s as we begin this year together? Led by S. Marcy. Donation: $15, includes materials.

A CONTEMPLATIVE TELLING OF THE STORY OF MARY & HER SON 4 Mondays 9:30 – 11:30 AM

January 16 February 6 March 6 April 3 Enter the heart of Mary through the contemplative words of John Lynch’s spiritual classic, A Woman Wrapped in Silence. We will use the second half of this wonderful narrative to help us to go deeper into the humility and strength of the Blessed Mother and her love for her Son and us all. Donation: $80

THE POWER OF YOUR STORY

5 Mondays 1:00 – 3:00 PM

January 16 February 13 March 13 April 17 May 15 There is an axiom which states God loves us because God knows our story! The question is, do we? Using the wisdom of Ignatian Spirituality, as shared in Eric Clayton’s book, Cannonball Moments, give yourself the gift of delving ever more deeply into the heart of your spiritual story. Donation: $100