December 20, 2022

Join Us For Christmas at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

Christmas

Season Liturgy

Schedule

Christmas Eve

Saturday, December 24

4:00 PM at St. James**

(3:30 PM Concert)**

4:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton

5:30 PM at St. James**

10:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton**

(9:30 PM Concert)**

Christmas Day

Sunday, December 25

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton**

11:00 AM at St. James**

New Year's Eve~Mary, Mother of God

Saturday, December 31

4:00 PM at St. James

Mary, Mother of God

Sunday, January 1

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton**

11:00 AM at St. James**

Epiphany

Saturday, January 7

4:00 PM at St. James

Sunday, January 8

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton**

11:00 AM at St. James**

** denotes Mass will also be livestreamed

The Nativity of our Lord

Christmas breaks into our lives with the hopeful image of light. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light,” we hear in the reading from Isaiah. Sickness, death, and much human frailty have been part of our lives in the recent past. More than a promise of better days to come is needed. Isaiah’s prophecy offers abundant hope as we hear, “Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone.” The light is given to us because “a child is born to us,” a child who will be called “Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.”

This Christmas, as we deal with uncertainty, let us be surprised with Christmas hope! Let us be amazed that God sent his Son to redeem us! Through Jesus, God offers us another path. As St. Athanasius said, “God became human so that humanity might become divine.” How can we be anything but astounded that God has invited us into life with him?

During the Christmas season, seek ways to extend a kindness that is out of the ordinary. After all, God has done that for us, and as St. Paul said in his Letter to Titus, through Christ, God has cleansed us “as a people of his own, eager to do good.” May your kindnesses be a light to others.

Excerpt © 2022 Liturgy Training Publications. 800-933-1800. Text by Patricia J. Hughes, dmin. Scripture quotations are from the New American Bible, revised edition. Permission to publish granted by the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Christmas at Saint Josephine Bakhita at a Glance - Click Here

Christmas Blessings from Faith Formation

Wishing all members of Saint Josephine Bakhita parish a joyful and peaceful Christmas season as you celebrate with your loved ones! We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

Peace,

Monica, Beth, Carol, Linda & Lori

Here is a special prayer that we would love to offer for all of you!

Daily Prayer

Wednesday Morning Prayer w/Music:

Streamed on Facebook Wednesdays at 5:00 AM and available after

Evening Prayer:

Streamed Monday - Friday on Facebook at 5:00 PM and available after

Rosary

Our parish community gathers to pray the rosary at St. James Church on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:30 AM and Saturday afternoons at 3:20 PM.

All are welcome!

Daily Mass Schedule

Monday | 8:30 AM at Seton

Tuesday | 8:00 AM at St. James

Thursday | 8:00 AM at St. James

Friday | 8:30 AM at Seton

Reconciliation Schedule

Mondays | 6:00 PM at Seton

12.20.22 | 6:00 PM at St. James

12.22.22 | 6:00 PM at St. James

12.23.22 | 6:00 PM at Seton

Advent Giving Projects

🍬💌💝HUGE THANKS to our Faith Formation catechists and students in Grades 2-8 who made beautiful holiday cards and candy bags to be donated to the agencies we support, our local nursing homes and our homebound parishioners.

Winter Clothing

Collection

The Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish Winter Clothing Collection continues. We accept Winter Clothing in clean, good to excellent condition. Place donations in the collection bin in the front foyer of St. James Church (behind the divider). Absolutely NO household goods.

Stay tuned for more news on the amazing and generous reach our parish community has had through our Advent Giving Trees!

Other Tidbits

Parish Tree Lighting

🎄🎶🎅🍕We had SO MUCH FUN lighting up our parish holiday tree, singing carols, putting on a nativity pageant, visiting with Mr. & Mrs. Claus, and enjoying a pizza dinner in our parish center last Saturday. Enjoy a whole gallery of pictures taken by Tom Dzimian and a video created by Andrew Laura by clicking the button below.

Enjoy the Tree Lighting Gallery of Pictures

Annual Women's Retreat Weekend

Women of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish and Friends are invited to join us on our annual weekend retreat, January 6-8, 2023. Let us find, together, "A Missing Peace" for which we all long. Through our prayer together, presentations, and shared discussions, we can come closer to understanding how to achieve the peace that Jesus meant for us to have, and equally important, the peace that is meant for us to share in our families and in our world.

The retreat center is located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The weekend begins with a buffet dinner from 6-7:30 PM on Friday evening and concludes Sunday with the celebration of Mass at 10:45 AM followed by a hot brunch at noon.

Offering: $350, more if you can, less if you can't. Please do no allow finances to prevent your decision to attend. Scholarships are available. See Fr. George to inquire.

Registration forms can be found in the foyers of both churches or sign up online: Click Here.

Parish Visitors

Our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are available to bring Holy Communion to our homebound parishioners and those recuperating from surgery or illness. Please contact the parish office to request a visit: 860-529-8655.