VIGIL OF CHRISTMAS

EP 1 of Christmas: Seasonal Prop  NP: Sun 1

(celebrated by those who do not participate in the Office of Readings and the Midnight Mass)

Prop Cl Cr (genuflection)  Pf of Christ I-III

Roman Canon inserts  Sol Bl 2

13: Is 62:1-5  Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29

Acts 13:16-17, 22-25  Mt 1:1-25 or 1:18-25

God’s covenant (Ps) gloriously shines forth (1) in the birth of Jesus (3) son of David (2)

Stewardship

The Gospel today tells of the Virgin Mary, pregnant herself, hurrying off to help her cousin Elizabeth. The model of good stewardship, she who had given herself to bear the Savior gave her time and love to others as well.

PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR PARISHIONERS who are sick at home, in the hospital or in nursing homes, especially for John Vanderhoff, Tony Gangitano, David King, Mary Pokotello, John & Peter Foxwell, Haley Weber, Frank Stashak, Blanche Ferarro, Josephine Sarnoski, and Elizabeth Connelly, Kippy Hale, Loretta Girad

Collections

Sunday, December 17^th  $4509.00

December 24^th, 2006

Counters Team #3

NO BINGO Sunday, December 24^th

DIOCESAN NEWS

www.diometuchen.org

** Vocations Awareness Week * January 8-12 **

From the desk of  Rev. Randy J. Vashon, Director of Vocations

I pray that all parishes will be willing to celebrate this week so that all parishioners will be made more aware of their responsibility to pray for and encourage vocations to the priesthood and religious life. It is important that we all work together to promote and encourage vocations.

Jan. 5^th, we invite men who are interested in the possibility of priesthood or have a vocation to the priesthood to an informal dinner with Bishop Bootkoski. This will be held at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Old Bridge at 7:00pm. Please talk to Father Herlihy if you’d like to attend or get more information on vocations within the Church.

Catholic Charites Appeal

11,200 Children in New Jersey this Christmas will be without their families wishing they could be in a loving safe place.  Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen is in need of homes to keep kids feeling safe and loved not only at Christmas but throughout the year. Children of all ages and backgrounds are in need of loving, nurturing homes. Call Today! 1-866-247-HOME (4663) It’s All About Families… Children Grow Best In Families.

Mount Saint Mary Academy

1651 U.S. Highway 22

Watchung, NJ 07069-6587

(908) 753-2091 msmhope@att.net

Please, register for all events

Year-End Day of Prayers

Dec 30, 9:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m - Quiet time of prayerful reflection. Bring bag lunch, (Donation), Opportunity to walk the labyrinth, 1:30-3:00

Gathering for Men

Tues-Jan 9, 7:30-9:30 p.m. (Donation) What is holding you back from experiencing the abundant life Jesus offers you? Gain support and inspiration by focusing on spirituality and integration with daily life. Group discussion, reflection and prayer.

OUR LADY OF MERCY NEWS

From the Pastor

Once again, we are on the threshold of another Christmas celebration. As we look back on 2006, I am sure there have been many happy memories as well as some not so pleasant ones. However, we have much to be thankful for. This Christmas provides another opportunity to thank God as well to wish each other a most blessed and holy season. Though the Christ-child was born over two thousand years ago, He is still with us and as real today as He was in the stable at Bethlehem.

May God bless you and may the joys of Christmas be yours throughout the New Year.  - Father Dan

Did You Wrap Your Gift?

Would you give a gift to a friend and not wrap it? Would you take a present to a party and not put your name on it? Please treat your weekly gift to God with the care and respect you would any gift that you give. Wrap it in an envelope and put your name on it. It will make you feel so much better about that gift. Try it some Sunday and see if it doesn’t make you feel a little prouder of your gift. If you need parish envelopes, please call the parish office or fill out the insert found in today’s bulletin.

You can also find this form online at www.olmsbb.org thanks to our parish web master, Wayne Horvath. Wayne has posted it so you can fill it out online or print it and fill it out by hand.

You can deliver it in person, mail it, email it, put it in the offertory basket, slip it through the rectory mail slot, send it via carrier pigeon… Come and join the parish of your community. (I would like to thank Mrs. Ader for her input & ideas of getting the New Parishioner form out to the people.)

Serve the Lord

All boys and girls in grades 3 through 12 are invited to become Altar Servers. Training will begin on Saturday January 6, 2007 at 10:00 AM in the church and last approximately 3 weeks. We are also interested in any adult that wishes to become a Senior Acolyte to help serve the Mass at funerals. Questions may be referred to Mr. Reid at 732-469-2335.

The Rosary Altar Society

We meet the Last Monday of each month at 7:45 PM. We also celebrate Communion Sundays on the First Sunday of the month at the 10 AM Mass.

Come and sit with us, come talk with us, come be part of a community of women who care about our church and about each other.

Thoughts for the Coming New Year

The Station – Robert J. Hastings

The late Dr. Robert J. Hastings left an impressive legacy. He was a minister, pastor, editor, teacher, author, radio personality, columnist, and denominational leader. His best known writing is presented here

Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision in which we see ourselves on a long journey that spans an entire continent.  We're traveling by train and from the windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row upon row of cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city skylines and village halls.

But uppermost in our minds is our final destination--for at a certain hour and on a given day our train will finally pull into the station with bells ringing, flags waving, and bands playing.  And once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams will come true.  So restlessly we pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, waiting for the station. 

"Yes, when we reach the station, that will be it!"  we promise ourselves.  "When we're eighteen...win that promotion...put the last kid through college...buy that 450 SL Mercedes Benz...pay off the mortgage...have a nest egg for retirement."

From that day on we will all live happily ever after.

Sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no station in this life, no one earthly place to arrive at once and for all.  The journey is the joy.  The station is an illusion--it constantly outdistances us.  Yesterday's a memory, tomorrow's a dream.  Yesterday belongs to history, tomorrow belongs to God.  Yesterday's a fading sunset.  Only today is there light enough to love and live.

So, gently close the door on yesterday and then throw the key away.  It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad, but rather the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow.

"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles.  Instead swim more rivers, climb more mountains, kiss more babies, count more stars.  Laugh more and cry less.  Go barefoot oftener.  Eat more ice cream.  Ride more merry-go-rounds.  Watch more sunsets.  Life must be lived as we go along.