Bulletin for December 30, 2007, Holy Family Sunday, for St. Charles, 4th Sunday of Advent

This week we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family and the World day of Peace. Pope Benedict has brought these themes together in his annual World Day of Peace message; The Human Family - Community of Peace. “War, with the mourning and destruction it brings, has always been rightly considered a calamity that contrasts with God’s plan. He created everything for existence and, in particular, wants to make a family of the human race” says Benedict.

Let us pray and promote the alternatives to war as proposed by several Popes; dialogue, strengthening of international institutions that protect human rights, sustainable and equitable development, political participation and work for justice. Please consult the website for Peace resources developed by our Diocesan Peace and Justice Commission. May the New Year offer all us a greater measure of Christ's Peace,

HAVE YOU BEEN AWAY FROM THE CATHOLIC FAITH?
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 Wednesday, February 13. Contact Anna at 703-455-2951 or returning-catholics@stcharleschurch.org

BAPTISMAL PREPARATION
Baptismal instruction in English will be offered on Monday, January 7 at 7:30pm in Benedict Hall. To register, please call the Parish Office at 703-527-5500.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Just a reminder that Grade Based, Atrium, On The Way and WAY will not meet on Dec 30. Grade Based, Atrium and WAY will resume on January 6, 2008. On The Way will begin the following Sunday, January 13. Have a Blessed Christmas Season

SUNDAY, December 30, 2007: Feast of The Holy Family
7:30am Howard Roundtree by Mary Donahue
9:00am \Laurie Alexander Williams by Florence Alexander
11:00am \Shirley Hart by Mary English
1:00pm Angela Campbell by Susana Moncayo
6:00pm Parishioners
Readings: Sir 3:2-7,12-14; Col 3:12-21; Mt 2:13-15,19-23

Monday, December 31, 2007: The 7th day of Christmas
9:00am Ralphy Teodoro by Huneyent & Family
Readings 1 Jn 2:18-21; Jn 1:1-18

Tuesday, January 1, 2007: Mary, the Mother of God
World Day of Peace
9:00am Louise Welsh by Patricia & Edwand Lafean
Readings: Nm 6:22-27; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21

Wednesday, January 2, 2007: Sts Basil & Gregory
9:00am The Pohl Family of Maryland (L)
by Lavonia Sweeney
Readings: 1 Jn 2:22-28; Jn 1:19-28

Thursday, January 3, 2007: The Most Holy Name of Jesus
9:00am Naomi Kirwin by David A. Lamdin
Readings: 1 Jn 2:29-3:6; Jn 1:29-34

Friday, January 4, 2007: St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton
9:00am Marjorie & Maurice Rubinger by Rubinger Family
Readings: 1 Jn 3:7-10; Jn 1:35-42

Saturday, January 5, 2007: St. John Neumann
9:00am John Turbo & Elizabeth Dreswick (L)
by KL Dreswick
Readings: 1 Jn 3:11-21; Jn 1:43-51

Vigil for Sunday: The Epiphany of the Lord
5:00pm John Campbell by Bob & Maureen Giusti
Readings: \Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a,5-6; Mt 2:1-12

Pray for those who are sick: Ron Kolstad, Margaret Finocchiaro, Beth Miller, Marie Lane, Nazareno Quaresma, Eva Chung, Lilianna Hamilton, Eddie Mierke, Benjamin Memmott, Temesgen Gamacho, Teresa Zurita, Blanca Bermudez, Mary Jane Simms, Delicia Ruiz, Grace Elizabeth Perkins, Anna Williams, Maria Segarra-Hines, Margie Barba, John Kern, Connor Cozoli, Michael and Mary Catherine Kern-Herdoiza.
For those who have died, especially: Margaret Carroll, Dorothea Lawrence, and Rosalie Munley.

SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
On behalf of HandCrafting Justice, a Fair Trade Initiative of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, we are most grateful to the parishioners of St. Charles Borromeo for their tremendous support Dec. 8/9. Through the fair trade sale we raised over $10,000, which makes a direct impact on the lives of the communities we work with. Special thanks to Rev. Creedon for welcoming us into the Parish, and to Ray Watson for his assistance in making the event a success. We wish each of you a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK: Our Special Thanks to Philip A. Gentry, DDS, FAGD (SMILE).

ST. CHARLES SCHOOL
The St. Charles Preschool has openings in our program for four-year-olds. The program begins at 8:00am and continues until 11:30am. Our preschool Extended Day program then cares for our children, through lunch and nap, until 2:45pm. If you are interested in a developmentally appropriate, enriching early childhood program for your four-year-old please call Joanne McGlinchy at the School Office, 703-527-0608.

WE NEED FOOD FOR THE HOMELESS
Small cans of tuna/pasta, energy bars, small fruit cups, small size crackers/chips, juice boxes for our pantry.

March for Life
Please join your parish Respect Life Committee for the nation's largest annual protest on Tuesday, January 22, where more than 100,000 Americans will stand up for the rights of the defenseless unborn. We will have Mass at 8am followed by breakfast at St. Charles, after which we will proceed to the Mall for the March, with prayer, song, and lunch. Intrepid souls are coming in from all across the country (and beyond) for this event -- please consider joining us for a short trip on the Metro! Contact respectlife@stcharleschurch.org for more information

Daily Prayer This Week

This second week of the Christmas Season can be a great help for our daily connections with our Lord. On Tuesday we have the full and wonderful Solemnity in honor of Mary, in her role as "Mother of God." We can ask her to be our guide all week as we desire to grow closer to her Son. We can read Pope Benedict's words for the World Day of Prayer for Peace (see link below) and ponder them from time to time this week.
A special grace to ask for this week would be the gift of celebrating our Lord's presence with us. We can ask for it every morning, as we get going and we can enter into brief conversations with our Lord, in the background, as we encounter some of the places in our life in which we can see more hope, more of an opportunity for peace. This week, we might hold up each member of our family, close friends and neighbors, and those we might work with, seeing and celebrating how our Lord is manifest in them. For some of us, there may be real epiphany moments, when we see what we haven't been seeing, feel what we haven't been feeling or experience a call we haven't felt before. Being watchful for and open to these special post-Christmas moments of grace is very important. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, these days are short and darkness comes early. Perhaps we can light a candle every evening this week at dinner just to celebrate the Light of Jesus that comes into the darkness of our lives.
Pope Benedict XVI's Message "The Human Family: A Community of Peace" http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace

THANK YOU FOR HELPING WITH THE GIVING TREE
In the spirit of Advent giving, and with help from over 100 volunteers, the St. Charles Parish provided Christmas gifts for over 300 families and several local agencies that serve many more people in need. Over 2,000 gifts were thoughtfully purchased, wrapped and delivered to St. Charles where they were carefully sorted into gift bags for each family. Adults received gifts of store gift cards and each family received grocery store gift cards. Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Giving Tree Project. You may still make a tax-deductible financial contribution to cover the costs of the project (please note “Giving Tree” on your check). God bless you all!

COLLECTION OF ITEMS FOR HOMELESS
During the winter months, the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network opens a Hypothermia Shelter in the Courthouse area. They are in need preferably new or gently used & clean. Socks, Gloves, Hats, Thermal underwear - Sweatshirts & Sweatpants. You may drop your donations off at the Parish Office thru January 19th.

MONEY COUNTERS NEEDED
Our Sunday Collection counters are looking for a few good people to help once a month or so on Sunday after the 9am Mass. Please contact Mary Ann Aker at maker_59@yahoo.com.

ARE YOU TIRED OF TURKEY?
Are you looking for the perfect gift for that special person in your life? Available now in the Parish Office are $20.00 Gift Certificates for Mei’s Asian Bistro-located one block west of St. Charles (3434 Washington Blvd). Twenty percent of the proceeds will benefit St. Charles Church. Cash is always accepted and checks may be made payable to “Asian Bistro-Arlington, Inc.” Thank you!

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Want to make a difference? The Northern VA Regional Public Hearings on the governor’s budget will be on Thursday, January 3, 2008 at 12:00 noon in the Johnson Center at George Mason University Fairfax Campus. These meetings are an opportunity for you to learn more about the proposed budget, and let your legislators know about what issues you are concerned about. For more information about the programs for children, the poor and the mentally disabled that will be discussed in this budget, go the SALT web site, www.S-A-L-T.org

Due to holiday printing deadlines, this bulletin was submitted early. Collection totals for the weekend of December 23 will be in the January 6 bulletin.

This Week’s Tithe is for Miriam’s Kitchen.
Next Week’s Tithe is for Project Lazarus.
Next Week’s Second Collection is for the Building Fund.

Bulletin for December 30, 2007

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Daily Prayer This Week