Mass Intentions ~ Week of Dec. 14th The Third Sunday of Advent

Saturday 4:30pm at SM

Dec. 13 Vigil of the 3rd Sunday of Advent Grace Prizio (1st ann.), by Gary & Linda Lincoln & family

Sunday 8:00am at SH 10:30am at SH 2:00pm at SH

Dec. 14 Third Sunday of Advent Madaline Arn, by M/M Robert Conlon Gloria Oliver, by Fr. Dave First Penance – Grade 2 – with visiting priests to hear confessions – All are welcome.

Monday 8:00am at SH

Dec. 15 Advent Weekday All OLSH Parishioners, living & deceased

Tuesday 8:00am at SH

Dec. 16 Advent Weekday Holy Souls from the November 2nd offering

Wednesday 8:00am at SH

Dec. 17 Late Advent Weekday Cornelius Bohane, by the Vasil family

Thursday 8:00am at SH

Dec. 18 Late Advent Weekday All deceased members of the Quinlan & Donovan families, by Kathy Aldrich Kruzel

Friday Dec. 19 Late Advent Weekday - No Mass today

Saturday 4:30pm at SM

Dec. 20 Vigil of the 4th Sunday of Advent Madaline Arn, by M/M Bernard Kulas

Sunday 8:00am at SH 10:30am at SH

Dec. 21 Fourth Sunday of Advent Terrence Connor, by the family Barbara & Vincenzo Spadea, by M/M Joseph Spadea

Please note: We no longer have Mass on the First Friday and First Saturday of the month.

Please pray for our brothers and sisters who have asked for our prayers: Allie Tonna Beane & Baby Girl, David Booth, Jodi

Brenner, Baby Micah Burt, Billy Chisholm, Roy Couture,

Ginger Duhamel, Joseph & Margaret Fortunato, Bill

Galonek, Ruth Gilman, Mary Margaret Habib, Tom &

Maureen Hannigan, Ann (Nancy) Harrison, John

Lorange, Joseph Lupacchino, Julie Nydam, Reggie

Ostrout, Rita Pare, George Pollet, Joseph Putch, Jeffrey

Rick, Lorraine Rys, Amerigo Simeone, Mildred Skaza, Christine Snyder,

Brian Trudeau, Sue Witaszek, Josephine Zglobicki, and Fr. Dave

We pray for all the deceased members & benefactors of our parish; all

those in Military Service; those suffering from the effects of natural

disaster, Ebola, and political strife.

Bethlehem Christian Families will be selling handcrafted olive wood carvings after all Masses this weekend. They make lovely Christmas gifts!

SENIOR EMPLOYMENT THROUGH CATHOLIC CHARITIES Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Worcester administers a Senior Employment Program that provides training opportunities for unemployed, low-income residents of Worcester and Franklin Counties who are 55 years of age and older. We are currently enrolling new participants at this time. Catholic Charities assigns qualified individuals, known as “senior aides,” to various training sites that are located at non-profit organizations or government organizations. Senior aides are asked to perform a variety of responsibilities including clerical and administrative functions, maintenance work, library support, etc., depending on their interests. Participants are paid $8 an hour for 20 hours a week. For more information call Catholic Charities at the Worcester office at (508) 798-0191.

Your Sacrificial Offering Last Weekend

General $3,699

Monthly Renovation Fund $1,278

Special Collections

12/13 & 14 Retirement Fund for Religious

12/20 & 21 Fuel Offering

Christmas Flower donations may be made at any time during Advent. Please

include clearly printed names of your loved ones.

ALL CHECKS MUST BE PAYABLE TO: “OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART“

~Stewardship~ “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all

circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus

for you” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16 - 18

This scripture reading sums up Stewardship. “Rejoice

always” means place your trust in God; He will provide

all that you need. “Pray constantly” means prayer

should be a running conversation with God throughout

the whole day, every day. “Give thanks in all

circumstances” means even in bad situations, thank

God. Suffering a little bit helps build empathy for others

in similar situations.

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~Word of Life~ “Although we may feel unsure how best to comfort those who mourn, we must stand with them in their time of suffering. Miscarriage touches the lives of many people, yet all too often this tragedy remains unaddressed. … As members of a community of faith ourselves, let us comfort those who mourn as we look forward together to a time when all tears are dried and our families are whole once again.” — “Solace and Strength in the Sorrow of Miscarriage,” 2014-2015 Respect Life Program, USCCB

OLSH PARISH YOUTH ACTIVITIES GROUP Any adult parish members interested in joining the

committee for establishing a Youth Activities Group at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish,

please call Wally Connor at 413-813-8100 or by email at connor122@charter.net

Sunday 12/14 – First Penance – Grade 2 – visiting priests for confessions. All are welcome to attend.

Sunday 12/21 – No Classes – Merry Christmas! Sunday 12/28 – No Classes – Happy New Year!

CONFIRMATION HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR MAY 8, 2015 at 7pm AT MARY, QUEEN OF THE ROSARY IN SPENCER

Gaudete Sunday This is “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin. It comes from the first word of the Entrance antiphon this week. The spirit of joy that begins this week comes from the words of Paul, “The Lord is near.” This joyful spirit is marked by the third candle of our Advent wreath, which is rose colored, and the rose colored vestments often used at the Eucharist.

The second part of Advent begins on December 17th each year - this year, in 2014, it is Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent. For the last eight days before Christmas, the plan of the readings changes. The first readings are still from the prophesies, but now the gospels are from the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke. We read the stories of faithful women and men who prepared the way for our salvation. We enter into the story of how Jesus' life began. These stories are filled with hints of what his life will mean for us. Faith and generosity overcome impossibility. Poverty and persecution reveal glory. "Rejoice: the Lord is nigh." As Christmas draws near, the Church emphasizes the joy which should be in our hearts because of all that our Savior’s birth means for us. The great joy of Christians is to see the day drawing close when the Lord will come again in His glory to lead them into His kingdom. http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/thirdweek.html

Next Regular Meeting – Tuesday Dec. 30th at 7pm If you’ve forgotten to return your Baby Bottle, you may drop

it off at Mass or at the rectory on Monday or Wednesday between 9 & 3.

Thank you to the 27 donors at last month’s Red Cross Blood Drive. Our next Drive will take

place on Thurs. Jan. 8th 1 - 6pm in Dugan Hall.

555555555555 There’s nothing like some good comfort food

on a cold winter’s night! Save the Date: Sat. Jan. 17th

Meatloaf Dinner – 6 PM Take-out 5:30

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas…

Quaboag Chorale Society Christmas

Concerts

Sunday 12/14 – Spencer Congregational Church at 4pm Sunday 12/21 – Sturbridge Federated Church at 4pm

ANGEL TREE GIFTS ARE DUE THIS WEEKEND

BABY SHOWER GIFTS ARE DUE NEXT WEEKEND

Thank you to all those who participated in helping spread the joy of Christmas to those in need.

Christmas & New Year’s Mass Schedule

Christmas Eve Vigil Masses 4pm at SH 6pm at SM

10pm (not midnight) at SH

Christmas Day Masses 8am at SM 10am at SH

New Year’s Eve Solemnity of Mary Vigil Mass

4:30pm at SM

New Year’s Day Solemnity of Mary Masses

8am & 10:30am at SH 10am at SH

Are you a baptized, catechized Roman Catholic adult (18 or older) who has never been confirmed? The Diocese of Worcester will celebrate a diocesan-wide adult Confirmation on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015 at St. Paul’s Cathedral. A retreat to prepare for Confirmation will be offered on Sunday, Jan. 11th at Immaculate Conception Spiritual Renewal Center in Putnam, CT. If interested, please contact the Chancery.