PLEASE NOTE—COMMUNION SERVICE ONLY ON WEDNESDAY. PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE FOR MASS ON MONDAY FROM 7 PM TO 9 AM. THERE WILL ALSO BE A MASS ON WEDNESDAY MORNING.

Sunday December 14^th

7:00 PM You are the Light of the World

Monday December 15th

9 AM Sara Jimenez r/o Family

7:00 PM Service with Confessions

Tuesday December 16^th

8:00 AM Murmello & Repetz Families r/o Mimi Repetz

7:00 PM Service with Anointing

Wednesday December 17th

8:00 AM Sara Jimenez r/o Family

Thursday December 18^th

8:00 AM Brian Parenti r/o Nanny & Pap Pap

Friday December 19^th

8:00 AM Murmello & Repetz Families r/o Mimi Repetz

Saturday December 20th

8:00 AM Murmello & Repetz Families r/o Mimi Repetz

SUNDAY MASSES

Saturday December 20^th Vigil: 4^th Sunday in Advent

5:30 PM Fred & Patricia Savaryn r/o Jean Savaryn

Sunday December 21^st Fourth Sunday in Advent

8:00 AM Martha Malone r/o Joseph, Mary Getlik & Family

10:00 AM Jennie & Louis Dzieglewicz

12 NOON Elaine Andruzzi r/o her Family

THE SCHEDULE OF CONFESSIONS IN PREPARATION FOR CHRISTMAS TOGETHER WITH THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CONFESSIONS IS AS FOLLOW:

Thursday, December 18^th 12:15-1:00 PM

Saturday, December 20th 4:00 – 5:00 PM

6:30 – 7:00 PM

CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE:

Wednesday, December 24^th 4:30 PM

12:00 Midnight

Thursday, December 25^th 10:00 AM

12:00 Noon

PLEASE NOTE: The Children will be singing at the 4:30 PM Mass on Dec. 20^th.

December 14th Third Sunday in Advent

Pss III Seasonal prop

Prop Cr Adv Pf I Sol Bl 1

9: Zep 3:14-18a (Ps) Is 12:2-6 Phil 4:4-7 Lk 3:10-18

Rejoice in the Lord always! Great in our midst is the Holy One of Israel, a mighty savior. It is he whom John foretold; it is he who will baptize in the Holy Spirit.

PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR PARISHIONERS who are sick at home, in the hospital or in nursing homes, especially for Mary Pokotello, Terese King, Hudson Savarin, Anthony LoSardo, John & Eileen Foxwell, Margaret Roche, Raffaella Shapiro, Vincent Percianta, Haley Weber, Cole Nesmith, James Murray (uncle of Karen Mathews), Vincent Anatele, Rose Stevenson, Blanche Ferarro, Nancy Santora, Teresa Kunz, Josephine Sarnoski, Maureen Fino, Mary (Mimi) Repetz and Joseph Morendo. Please also pray for the soul of Chester Tymecki (brother of Frank Tymecki), who passed away last week.

Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." -Lk 3:15-16

Today’s Gospel provides a blueprint for good stewardship: “Let the man who has two coats give to him who has none. The man who has food should do the same.

Let us pray…For a greater respect for the elderly and terminally ill, that we may see the value and dignity of each of their lives.

The people asked John the Baptist, “What should we do?” They wanted to know how they should live their lives. John gave answers that led the people to Jesus and the way of faith. People today still ask questions; they still want to know how they should live their lives. Will you lead them to the One who has the answers? Will you lead them to Jesus as a priest, deacon or religious? If so, contact the Office of Vocations at 732-562-1990 ext. 1700 or email us at vocations@diometuchen.org. Or you can visit our website at www.diometuchen.org/vocations.

A perfect game in baseball is one in which the same player pitches the entire game without allowing any player of the opposing team to reach first base -- by any means

At Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Florida, on June 26, 1985, organist Wilbur Snapp played "Three Blind Mice" following a call by umpire Keith O'Connor. The umpire was not amused, and saw to it that Mr. Snapp was ejected from the game

Our Lady of Mercy’s Parish Family wishes to welcome Emma Melissa Araya through the Sacrament of Baptism

Don’t forget to join us for an Advent retreat, which will be conducted by Msgr. Flanagan at 7:00 PM on December 13, 14, 15 & 16. On Monday Confessions will be heard, On Tuesday, there will be an anointing. Please bring a bottle of Vitamins to this mini retreat.

What vegetable do you get when an elephant walks through your garden? Squash

MEMBERS NEEDED for Respect Life Committee. Our Lady of Mercy Parish will be an informed, active participant in the Diocesan Pro-Life movement. Please call for information Mike Albert 732-356-8193, Marge Gaudio 732-356-3975.

THE NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE MARCH, Washington D.C. will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2004. This is an opportunity to peacefully demonstrate against abortion at a national event. St. Joseph’s Church, Bound Brook, will have a bus for those interested in participating. Please call Amy Gilliland @ 732-302-1652 or Isidoro Garcia @ 732-469-3397 by January 16, 2004 for reservations or additional information.

Baseball rules were codified in 1846 by Alexander Cartwright of the Knickerbocker Baseball Club.

How you get down from an elephant?

You don't, you get down from ducks.

Youth Group News: The Youth Group will sponsor their Food Collection after all Masses this weekend and next weekend. Please place all items at the entrance of the church.

The Youth Group is sponsoring its annual Giving Tree. Gifts may be purchased to assist local families, the food bank, or for a pregnancy aid center in Kentucky. Please return tagged gifts by Sunday, December 14th to allow proper delivery.

Youth Group Plant Sale Again the Youth Group is selling poinsettias after all Masses on Saturday, Dec. 13th and Sunday Dec. 14. The plants are always beautiful and they last for a very long time.

St. Bernard will be sponsoring a bus trip to the 31^st Annual Life Rally in Washington, DC on Thursday, January 22^nd. We will be leaving St. Bernard Church parking lot at 7:45 am. Anyone interested, please call Jane Magliulo at 908-369-0167.

Vocations Awareness Week will be celebrated January 11-16, 2004. Remember… It is our responsibility to pray for and encourage vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Holy Name Society News

It is with sadness that we have learned of the passing of Mr. Chester "Chet" Tymecki. Mr. Tymecki passed away in Florida. He was an old time member of our society and was instrumental in this writer joining the Holy Name Society many years ago. Please remember "Chet" in your prayers.

The winners of the Turkey Raffle are; 1st Joe Grigal, 2nd Betty Fritzinger, 3rd Sue Stamile, 4th Dave Boyle, 5th Irene Romano. Congratulations to the winners and our thanks to all who helped to make our raffle a success.

Blessed Be HIS Holy Name

SUNDAY COLLECTION

December 7^th…………………………$2,728.15

Flower Fund………………………….$1,061.00

Sunday December 14th, 2003

Counters Team # 1 Graber/Fasanella

Bingo Team #1

What's as big as an elephant but weighs nothing? His shadow.

Americans eat 20.7 pounds of candy per person annually. The Dutch eat three times as much.

Capsaicin, which makes hot peppers "hot" to the human mouth, is best neutralized by casein, the main protein found in milk.

China's Beijing Duck Restaurant can seat 9,000 people at one time.

Hostess Twinkies were invented in 1931 by James Dewar, manager of Continental Bakeries' Chicago factory. He envisioned the product as a way of using the company's thousands of shortcake pans which were otherwise employed only during the strawberry season. Originally called Little Shortcake Fingers, they were renamed Twinkie Fingers, and finally "Twinkies."

Americans spend approximately $25 billion each year on beer.

Americans spent an estimated $267 billion dining out in 1993.

An etiquette writer of the 1840's advised, "Ladies may wipe their lips on the tablecloth, but not blow their noses on it."

Astronaut John Glenn ate the first meal in space when he ate pureed applesauce squeezed from a tube aboard Friendship 7 in 1962.

Aunt Jemima pancake flour, invented in 1889, was the first ready-mix food to be sold commercially.

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