Bulletin
for January 7, 2007
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Epiphany
FROM OUR PASTOR
This coming week has been designated National
Immigration Week. The Epiphany celebrates Christ as the light to
all nations. Let us recognize the call to universal solidarity by developing
attitudes and policies that more adequately welcome the stranger.
Thanks to all our volunteers and staff who made our Christmas celebrations
such a joyous expression of Christ's birth. The crowds at the Christmas
Eve Masses were an extraordinary testament to faith. Our liturgy committee
will assess our experience so that we can continue to cope with the
crowds.
For those who may have been inactive in their faith we have two special
processes that may assist you; Landings
for those who have been away from the Church, and Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults (RCIA), for those wishing to learn more or to
join the Catholic faith. Call Michelle Miller 703-527-5500 x115
for more information.
As we remember the Three Kings who came bearing gifts, I offer thanks
for your generosity to the poor and to St. Charles at Christmas. The
parish also appreciates the $5000 dollars that the Simbang
Gabi Filipino community offered to St. Charles Building Fund.
In my January visit to our sister parishes in Haiti and our Diocesan
Mission in the DR Frontier with Haiti. I bring your prayer, greetings
and monetary support.
Happy New Year,
Gerry Creedon
Highlights at St. Charles: January 7-14
Sun. Jan 7 Feast of the Epiphany
Sun. Jan 7 Inter-Faith Committee
meeting All are welcome 7:00pm Benedict Hall
Mon. Jan 8 Infant Baptismal Preparation-Reg. Req'd. 703-527-5500 7:30pm
Room 103
Tue. Jan 9 School Board of Regents 7:00pm Room 104
Sat. Jan 13 Martin Luther King Observance: St. Joseph's Choir sings
at the 5pm Vigil Mass.
Sat. Jan 13 Cursillo Ultreya - for those who have been or who are interested
in the Cursillo movement. 6pm in Room 103
Mon. Jan 15 Martin Luther King Day - Parish Office and School closed
See the Parish online calendar for more
details and events or a list of
highlighted events
CATHOLIC INQUIRY SESSION
For those looking to learn more about the Catholic faith. Tues. Jan
16 and Jan. 30 at 7:30pm in the Upper Room. All are welcome. adultfaith@stcharleschurch.org.
MARCH FOR LIFE
Join a group from across St. Charles on Mon, Jan 22nd for the largest
pro-life event in America. The Respect
Life Committee will provide breakfast, bag lunches, and information.
Please email respectlife@stcharleschurch.org
or call Meghan at 336-420-7343.
MASSES INTENTIONS OF THE WEEK
(Daily
Readings from US Bishops' website)
SUNDAY, January 7, 2007: The Epiphany of the Lord
7:30am Jim Sibert by Carol & John Shottes
9:00am Bruce Cohen by Kathleen Shears
11:00am Marco Antonio Villamizar by The Hittle Family
1:00pm Juana Fernandez
6:00pm Helen Hamilton Vanness by John Rinaldi
Readings: Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a,5-6; Mt 2:1-12
Monday, January 8, 2007: The Baptism of the Lord
9:00am Abdoerachim Kartadjoemena by Anita Kartadjoemena
7:30pm (Arlington Detention Center for the Inmates)
Readings: Is 40:1-5,9-11; Lk 3:15-16,21-22
Tuesday, January 9, 2007: 1St Week in Ordinary Time
9:00am Mary M. Higley by John Connell
Readings: Heb 2:5-12; Mk 1:21b-28
Wednesday, January 10, 2007:
9:00am Stanley Allison by Kelly Cusick
Readings: Heb 2:14-18; Mk 1:29-39
Thursday, January 11, 2007:
9:00am Kim King by Mary An King
Readings: Heb 3:7-14; Mk 1:40-45
Friday, January 12, 2007:
9:00am John Davis by Moira & Tom Smith
Readings: Heb 4:1-5,11; Mk 2:1-12
Saturday, January 13, 2007: St. Hilary
9:00am Malcom Newton by Margaret M. Steele
Readings: Heb 4:12-16; Mk 2:13-17
Vigil for Sunday: 2nd Sunday In Ordinary Time
5:00pm Elizabeth Dumas by Roger & Patti Dumas
Readings: Is 62:1-5; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Jn 2:1-11
PLEASE PRAY FOR
Pray for those who are sick: Mai Vu, Baby Abigail Prikockis, Janice
Prisco, Eileen Speorl, Edgar Vallejo, Maria Cristina Dixon, Michael
and Mary Catherine Kern Herdoiza, Riz Samora, Ron Kolstad, The Teem
Family, Josefina de la Viña, John Shirley, Didier Chesneau, Margaret
Finocchiaro and Diane Herbst. Let us also pray for those who have died,
especially: George D. Rudy and Kate Fleming.
BAPTISMAL PREPARATION
The next baptismal preparation meeting will be held on January 8, in
room 103 of the Parish Center. Pre-registration is required. Please
call the Parish Office to register or for more information.
WELCOME BACK FOR NEW YEARS!
If you are a Catholic who has been away from the Church, we invite you
to be an active part of us again. "Landings," an 8-week discussion
series, is a safe landing place for returning/inactive Catholics to
ask questions and update your faith as an adult. We begin our spring
session on Feb. 28. Call Anna LaNave 703-455-2951. returning-catholics@stcharleschurch.org.
COUNTING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Our Sunday Counters are looking for a few good people to help on Sunday
after the 9:00am Mass. If you are interested in helping our valued Counters
on Sunday or would like more information, please contact Mary Ann Aker
at maker_59@yahoo.com.
REFLECTIONS FOR THIS WEEK
In the US the Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on Sunday and the Baptism
of the Lord on Monday, January 8th. The Epiphany of the Lord celebrates
the light that has come into the darkness of the world and that our
salvation was made known to the Gentiles. The Baptism of the Lord is
another epiphany. The divine voice from heaven manifests, reveals, points
Jesus out as God's "beloved Son. The end of the Christmas Season
marks the beginning of Ordinary Time in the Church calendar and with
the Baptism of the Lord, we now enter into the First Week in Ordinary
Time. The term Ordinary doesn't mean that the life of the Church is
ordinary but that it is Ordinal or "counted." We will mark
our liturgical year by counting 34 weeks of Ordinary Time, interrupted
only by the Lent/Easter seasons. During the weekdays, we being a four
week cycle of readings from Paul's Letter to the Hebrews. This is Paul's
longest letter to any community.
In this first week of Ordinary Time, we might find ourselves feeling
a little let-down after the Christmas season, especially in parts of
the world where it seems cold and dark most days. This is where we can
ask for the grace to let the stories of the gospels come alive in our
hearts.
The stories from Mark's gospel offer a vivid look into the life of
Jesus and his followers on such a human level. Many are stories of healing
and Saturday brings Levi/Matthew and us an invitation from Jesus to
"Follow me." The invitation to healing we are offered can
be a part of our own reflection as we begin a new year and want to somehow
"fix" what is broken in us. The healing happens if we allow
Jesus into our hearts and lives.
As we look at our lives we may find a loneliness or separation from
people in our family or others. We have parts of our lives that are
dark and embarrassing and seem unchangeable. It is into this very darkness
and discomfort that Jesus is moved with pity for us, stretches out his
healing hand to us and says- "I do will it. Be made clean."
We can hear the call of Levi/Matthew as a clear and personal call
to us from Jesus who already knows us and our failings and yet asks
us to be with him. We can hear this invitation more clearly if we can
be touched with awareness of our own failings and understand more deeply
how much we need a savior in our lives. It is then that our hearts open
to accept this invitation. We can pray to Jesus this week for the strength
to be healed of the patterns and habits of our lives that so often turn
us away from him and ask for the grace to make a new beginning in our
lives. If we can sit with our hands open in humility, we can accept
that we can't do this on our own, but know in our hearts that with the
help of God, nothing is impossible.
(From the office of Collaborative
Ministry Office at Creighton University.
Mark Your Calendars!
Sat. Jan 27 Annual Polka Party!
Dinner and Dancing - See You Then!
OUR FOOD PANTRY IS LOW
The Pantry needs: canned green vegetables, canned chunky soups, canned
fruit, canned tuna, canned pasta such as ravioli, peanut butter, jelly,
pasta, pasta sauce, rice, muffin/pancake mix, breakfast bars, cereal,
small individual size packs of cookies crackers and dried fruit. We
can only use smaller sized packaging, 1-pound cans or 16-ounce boxes.
Thanks for your continued and overwhelming generosity!
SCRIPTURE COURSE OFFERED AT ST. CHARLES
"Contemporary Issues in Old and New Testament Interpretation"
By Dr. Joseph E. Jensen
Catholic Biblical Association of America
MONDAYS, 7:30-9:30pm starting JANUARY 8th
for 8 Weeks (1/8, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/19, 2/26, 3/5, 3/12)
COSTS: $ 290 +10% discounts for Seniors or Spouses
$20 Registration Fee
See the web or flyer for more info or call Bill Tobin
703-941-4329 CCDIofVA@aol.com
MENTAL ILLNESS & FAMILY COURSE OFFERED
"Family-to-Family" is a free 12-week award winning program
for parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins or any family member or
significant other who has someone in their life who is seriously mentally
ill. In Arlington on Saturdays beginning Jan 13 from 9:30am-12:30pm
call 703-516-7991. Will also be held in Springfield on Wed evenings
starting Jan 10 from 7pm-9:30pm call 703-819-4958. National Alliance
on Mental Health. www.nami.org
HOUSE OF MERCY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
The house of Mercy, a free clothing store in Manassas run by the Missionaries
of Our Lady of Divine Mercy, is in desperate need of volunteers. Work
in the store during business hours or sort donations in off hours, contact
us 703-659-1636 or divinemercynow@gmail.com.
DOMINICAN RETREAT HOUSE OFFERINGS
Jan 9-11- Midweek Retreat for Women of A.A.
Jan 12-14 - Weekend for Women of A.A. (FULL)
January 19-21 - Weekend for Men
January 23 St. Thomas Aquinas: The Virtuous Life & Divine Friendship.
The first in our Faith Formation Series.
January 26-28 - Weekend for Women
January 28 - Evening: Taizé Prayer 7:00pm
7103 Old Dominion Dr. McLean, VA 22101-2799 info@dominicanretreat.org
(703) 356-4243
PARISH
SUPPORT
Last Week's Collection (Sunday Dec.31, 2006) was $24,925.50.
Last Week's Tithe of $2,293.15 was for Bravo.
This Week's Tithe is for Project Lazarus.
This Week's 2nd Collection is for our Building Fund/Debt Reduction.
Next Week's Tithe is for our Parish School.
