Dear Members of St. Charles:
The parish neighborhoods welcome you to join our Advent gatherings. As families you are asked to use the Advent handout to enrich your family prayer.
During Advent, I invite you to join me Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM for a "Reflection on the Scriptures" and at 6:00 PM for a "Faith Update" on contemporary questions. The venue is the Chapel.
You are encouraged to participate in the Advent Penance Service on December 14.
The Giving Tree offers the chance to reach out to those in need.
May these activities and the other opportunities the bulletin offers enhance your preparation for the Coming of the Lord.
With Advent Hope,
BAPTISMAL PREPARATION
The baptismal preparation class in English will take place on December 20, 1998 (third Sunday) at 12:00 Noon in the Parish Library, instead of December 27th (fourth Sunday). Pre-registration is REQUIRED.
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
All parishioners are invited to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Saturday, December 12th. Join us for the bilingual Mass at 5:00 PM followed by a FIESTA in the Cafeteria with Latin food, songs and dances. A highlight of the evening will be a Mariachi band that will play during the Mass.
1998 CHRISTMAS NOVENA MASS
The Philippine-American Community in the Ballston area in cooperation with the Liturgy Group of St. Charles, is going to hold a Novena Mass of nine days of sacrifice. Its intention is to prepare oneself to receive Christ on Christmas. This will begin on December 16 and end on December 24. All the Novena Masses will be at 5:00 AM and will be officiated by Rev. Ed Garcia, a Filipino priest. This project is being coordinated by Bob and Kathy Chan. If you have any questions, please call Fr. Ed at 703-276-7126.
THE GIVING TREE
As we make plans for Christmas with our families and friends, let us keep those who are less fortunate in mind. You can help by adding to your shopping list items for those who come to our Parish doors seeking help. Details regarding the gifts will be on each tag. Your generous support of The Giving Tree is greatly appreciated! If you have any questions or would like to help, please feel free to contact Ann or John Breslin at 525-0041, Delia or Matt Troy at 465-0571, Pat Tuccio at 534-6844, or Brigid Doherty in the Parish Office.
SUNDAY, December 6: Second Sunday of Advent
7:30 Michael F. Copeland by his family
9:00 Parishioners
11:00 Rose & Frank D'Ambrosio by Mario D'Ambrosio
1:00 Miguel Angel Salas & Nelly Cervantes by Maria Isabel Salas
Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12
Monday, December 7:
9:00 John & Vina Oczytko (L) by John Oczytko
7:30 Federico Harris by Rosemary Harris
Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10; Luke 5:17-26
Tuesday, December 8: The Immaculate Conception of Mary
9:00 Myra Halda by Christine Kotarski
12:00 Patricia Posey by Anne Miller
7:30 Marco Antonio & Maruja Villamizar (L) by Villamizar family
7:30 (at the Arlington Detention Center) for the Inmates
Readings: Genesis 3:9-15,20; Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12; Luke 1:26-38
Wednesday, December 9:
9:00 Sr. Elizabeth M. Murray by Marcia Rachy & Sandra Utter
Readings: Isaiah 40:25-31; Matthew 11:28-30
Thursday, December 10:
9:00 Kathleen S. McCarthy
Readings: Isaiah 41:13-20; Matthew 11:11-15
Friday, December 11:
9:00 Kathy Lewis by Kathleen Moriarty
Readings: Isaiah 48:17-19; Matthew 11:16-19
Saturday, December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe
9:00 John Maguire by Bertha Maguire
5:00 Oscar Atmosfera (L) by the Atmosfera & Riguera families
Readings: Zechariah 2:14-17; Luke 1:26-38
Please remember to keep in your prayers, the elderly, those in distress, the lonely, and those who are sick, especially: Mennensa Fernandez, Flo Seguin, Waldo and Myrna Ruiz, Lillian Healy Orr, Kathy Burke, Richard Munley, Jack Reynolds, Eileen and Ralph Bruno, Jack Kern, Jimmy Clark, Juanita Whetzel, and the Acosta family. Let us also pray for those who have died, especially: Jose Acosta, James Carnahan, Mary Ellen Chipchak, Edmund Ballesteros, Frances Marie Howe and Jeanne Higgins.
SOCIAL JUSTICE CORNER...
Our next Haiti Committee Meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 8th at 7:30 PM in the Parish Library. Please come and learn more about our sisters and brothers in Cavaillon and Gros Marin and how we share community despite the distance between us. Please join us! For more information, call Linda Hill at 521-7623.
SPONSOR OF THE WEEK: Our special thanks to Alex Johnson, Insurance Agent for supporting our Parish.
Ministry
4th ANNUAL PRAYER VIGIL FOR LIFE
The Respect Life Committee, part of the St. Charles Social Justice Committee, will sponsor an evening of Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesday, December 8, immediately following the 7:30 PM Mass of the Immaculate Conception. We will pray for an end to abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty and other forms of violence. We will pray for women in crisis pregnancy situations, and for those who have experienced the pain of abortion. There will be some community prayer as well as plenty of quiet time. Benediction will be at 11 PM. Eucharistic Adoration is a profoundly peaceful and powerful form of prayer: come experience it! For more information, contact Jen Cole at 525-6925.
TEA WITH THE PASTOR
Seniors, don't forget to come to "Tea With The Pastor" on Ttuesday, December 8th in the Parish Library after the noon mass!
YOUTH NEWS!
Attention all teens! There will be a Youth Mass THIS Sunday, December 6 at 6 PM in the Chapel. Come share this special celebration of the Second Sunday in Advent that has been prepared by On The Way. Following the Mass, On The Way will meet in the Upper Room until 8:30 PM and WAY will meet in the Youth Center until 9 PM.
NEIGHBORHOOD D HOME MASS
Our Advent event will be a Mass celebrated by Fr. Creedon in Summerwalk West's "Party Room." It will start at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, December 16th. The Summerwalk is located at 1029 N. Stuart Street, about a half block north of the Ballston Metro entrance. Afterwards, we will enjoy sharing Neighborhood D's hospitality, so please join us.
CAFE
Planning for the upcoming parish "Living Out Our Faith" Lenten Reflection Booklet will begin with a meeting on December 7th in the Parish Library. Bilingual speakers/writers will be a great addition.
DOOR WAY SYMBOLS FOR YOUR HOME
The Advent season begins our third preparation year for Jubilee 2000. The children of Atrium and a CAFE team of adults (thanks to all!) have made a symbol for you to hang at the door of your home. It reminds us "to open wide the door for Christ" - so that all who come and go from our homes will be as Christ for our world. We encourage you to keep this at your door as you prepare for 2000. In that year in Rome, a special Jubilee door of St. Peter's Basilica is opened for all pilgrims. It is our hearts and homes that this symbol reminds us to open. PLEASE PICK UP YOUR SYMBOL AT THE TWO MAIN DOORS OF THE CHURCH (please, only one per household).
PARISH COUNCIL NEWS
Advent activities continue in the parish neighborhoods. Neighborhood B's Home Mass is scheduled for 7:30 PM on Wednesday, December 9 in the Courtland Towers Community Room (1200 N. Veitch Street). Attendees are invited to bring shoe boxes filled with travel-size toiletries for donation to Arlington's Emergency Winter Shelter. Call Carolyn Gretzinger (243-5653) for more information.
Neighborhood C's Home Mass takes place at 7:30 PM on Thursday, December 10 at the Bender Residence (929 N. Danville Street). Call Regina Trodden (524-1455) for details.
Next Week: Neighborhood D's Home Mass is scheduled for 7:30 PM on December 16 at the Summerwalk West Community Room (1029 N. Stuart Street). Call John Teem (841-1114). Neighborhood E's caroling party is scheduled for 7:30 PM on December 17. Call Monica Craven (841-2566) for information.
Reminder: Parish Neighborhood information is also available on-line. Visit www.stcharleschurch.org today!
COME AND HAVE COFFEE AFTER MASS!
... and donuts too! Every Sunday after the 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM Masses, coffee and donuts are served in the School Cafeteria. So come and meet other parishioners and enjoy coffee and a donut or two.
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS
The Parish Office is now accepting donations for Christmas Flowers. If you wish to have a loved-one remembered, please include his or her name with your donation. For your convenience, there are envelopes available at the Church entrances or you may place your donation and the name of your loved-one in a plain envelope. Both may be dropped in the Sunday collection basket or you can stop by the Parish Office. The list of those remembered will be published on Christmas Day, so please have your donations and names to the Parish Office by Monday, December 21st. Thank you.
- Last Week's Collection: $13,165.00
- Last Week's tithe of $1,316.50 was for AMEN.
- This Week's tithe is for our sister parishes in Cavaillon and Gros Marin, Haiti.
- Next Week's 2nd Collection is for Catholic Charities.
