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St. Matthew Parish 19 Dora Lane, Limerick, Maine 04048-3527
Tel. 207-793-2244
website: www.stmatthewlimerick.org
Diocese of Portland Diocesan website:
www.portlanddiocese.org
We welcome you to the Catholic Community of
St. Matthew and the celebration of the Eucharist.
ST. MATTHEW PARISH STAFF:
Very Rev. Philip A. Tracy, V. F. Pastor
E-mail address: [email protected]
Rev. Jack Dickinson, Parochial Vicar
E-mail address: [email protected]
Deacon Paul Lissandrello, Pastoral Associate
E-mail address: [email protected]
Heather Silva, Secretary/Bookkeeper
E-mail address: [email protected]
Deacon Paul Lissandrello, P.C.L.
Deacon Paul Lissandrello Altar Server Coord.
Gail Libby, Music Director, 793-8998
FINANCE COMMISSION:
Henry McKeown
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS:
Jon DiCentes, Grand Knight, 247-8875
BIRTHPLACE HELPLINE:
Abortion Alternatives/Project Rachel, 1-800-227-3002
WEEKEND MASSES:
Saturday at 4:00 p.m. Sunday at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m.
WEEKDAY MASSES:
9:00 a.m. - Monday, 8:00 a.m. - Tuesday*, Thursday*, Friday*
*Check weekly bulletin for possible time changes.
BAPTISMS: Parents who want to have their child(ren) baptized
are
asked to please call the parish office (793-2244). WEDDINGS:
Anyone planning to get married must call the parish
office at least SIX MONTHS PRIOR to the proposed wedding
date.
CONFESSIONS: Saturday at 3:00 p.m., AND ANYTIME BY
APPOINTMENT.
NEW PARISHIONERS: Welcome to St. Matthew Parish. Please fill out
the Par-
ish Membership Form below and drop it in the collec-tion basket
or mail to the parish office.
DOMESTIC ABUSE HOTLINE: 324-1802 or 1-800-239-7298
PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN:
www.portlanddiocese.org/protecting-gods-children
We joyfully welcome back to the Church any of our brothers
and
sisters who may have been away.
PARISH MEMBERSHIP:
Name ______________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________
City _______________________________________________
Zip Code ___________________________________________
Phone No.___________________________________________
Email Address________________________________________
Check
_____New Registration _____Updating Info.
_____Change of Address _____Moving out of Parish
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Please include the following priests serving in our diocese in
your daily prayers this week:
Dec. 03 Bishop Joseph J. Gerry OSB Dec. 04 Rev. James Roy
MM/Rev. David Raymond Dec. 05 Rev. Francis Morin/V. Rev. Louis
Phillips Dec. 06 Rev. Donald Gagne SM/Rev. Roger Chabot Dec. 07
Rev. Philip Cyr/Msgr. Marc Caron Dec. 08 All Priests Dec. 09 Rev.
Robert Gaudreau/Rev. Dominic Azagbor OP
Heavenly Father, may the Immaculate Virgin prepare our priests
for the radiant feast of Christmas...
Ven. Mother Catherine Aurelia, Foundress
Readings for the Week of December 10, 2017
Sunday: Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7/Ps 80:2-3, 15-16,
18-19 [4]/1 Cor 1:3-9/Mk 13:33-37
Monday: Is 2:1-5/Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9/
Mt 8:5-11
Tuesday: Is 11:1-10/Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 [cf. 7]/
Lk 10:21-24
Wednesday: Is 25:6-10a/Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 [6cd]/Mt
15:29-37
Thursday: Is 26:1-6/Ps 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a
[26a]/Mt 7:21, 24-27
Friday: Gn 3:9-15, 20/Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 [1a]/Eph 1:3
-6, 11-12/Lk 1:26-38
Saturday: Is 30:19-21, 23-26/Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 [cf.
Is 30:18d]/Mt 9:35--10:1, 5a, 6-8
Next Sunday: Is 40:1-5, 9-11/Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
[8]/2 Pt 3:8-14/Mk 1:1-8
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEKEND
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Phyllis Leblanc by the Family
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Thomas & Kathleen Hennessey By the
Family
10:30 a.m. Intentions of the Parishioners
MASSES FOR THE WEEK Monday 9:00 a.m. Intentions of Our Holy
Father By Frank & Betty Amoroso
Tuesday 8:00 a.m. St. Joseph by Constance Cote MIRACULOUS MEDAL
NOVENA
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. COMMUNION SERVICE
Thursday 8:00 a.m. Pro Life
Friday 8:00 a.m. Our Lady of the Rosary by Constance Cote 6:30
p.m. Intentions of the Parishioners
MASS INTENTIONS NEXT WEEKEND (Dec. 9 & 10)
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Ruth Lee by Her Family
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Intentions of the Parishioners
10:30 a.m. Intentions of the Mannion & Neyo Family By
Barbara Mannion
ST. MATTHEW CHURCH LIMERICK
TODAY IS THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT. THE READINGS BEGIN ON PAGE
16 OF THE MISSALETTE.
VOCATION VIEW “Father, we are the work of Your hands.” Is God’s
work in you to be of service to Him as a priest or in the
consecrated life? Contact Father Seamus Griesbach at 207 -773-6471,
or write: [email protected]; Website:
www.portlanddiocese/vocations; Facebook: VocationsME.
DECEMBER 3rd & 4th MINISTRY SCHEDULE
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Irene DesVergnes (H-B) Mary Davichick (H-C)
Linda Lanoue (H-O) Pat Wood (B-O)
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Priscilla DeBartolo (H-B) JohnMichael DeBartolo
(H-C) Kim Parello (H-O) Elaine Roberge (B-O)
10:30 a.m. Fred St. Laurent (H-B) Jean St. Laurent (H-C) Cathy
Dube (H-O) Theresa Gilblair (B-O)
LECTORS & ALTAR SERVERS
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Cecile LePage (L) (C) Not available at time
of print (1) Not available at time of print (2) Not available at
time of print
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Karen Miliano (L) (C) Not available at time of
print (1) Not available at time of print (2) Not available at time
of print
10:30 a.m. Faith Formation Students (L) (C) Not available at
time of print (1) Not available at time of print (2) Not available
at time of print
USHERS
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Keith Albert Joanne Bargioni Jack Brown Joe
Estrella
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Larry Hackett Richard Sevigny Bill Heaney
Arthur Roberge
10:30 a.m. Kathy Kalayjian Gail Allegar Thomas Hawley John
Oser
"Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house
is
coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at
cockcrow,
or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you
sleep-
ing." - Mk 13:35-36
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FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
PARISH FINANCES
Amount needed weekly to operate parish $ 3,900.00 Offertory
11/19/17 $ 3,308.00 Offertory 11/26/17 $ 4,344.00
NOVEMBER OFFERTORY AS OF 11/26/17 $ 15,334.00
Campaign for Catholic Development 11/1/17 $ 1,118.00
WHAT SHALL I BRING TO THE LORD, THE GOD OF HEAVEN, WHEN I COME
TO WORSHIP HIM? - Micah 6:6
IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROGRAM “PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN”
In the interest of children’s safety, we ask that children not
be allowed to leave Mass to use the restrooms downstairs, unless
they are accompanied by an adult. Because we are a public building,
doors are required to be unlocked, allowing entrance to all.
SECOND COLLECTION: This week’s second collection is
for Capital Improvements.
COMMUNITY LUNCHEON: Please join us on Tuesday, December 5, for
our Community Luncheon. It will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the parish
hall. Those attending are asked to please bring a salad, casserole
or dessert. Reminder: This is our Christmas
Yankee Swap. Women should purchase a gift for a woman, and the
men should purchase a gift for a man
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: There will be a meeting of the K of C on
December 7th at 7pm in the parish hall.
Friday, December 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate
Conception of Mary and a Holy Day of Obligation.
Masses will be at 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
SACRAMENT OF FIRST PENANCE: The children in the
Confirmation/First Communion (2nd year) class will be
receiving First Penance on Saturday, December 9th, at 10
A.M.
Parishioners are also welcome to come and receive the
sacrament in preparation for Christmas. Both Fr. Jack
and Fr. Phil will be available during this time.
PRAYER CANTON TO OUR LADY'S MESSAGE OF MERCY TO THE WORLD (Our
Lady Queen of the Home) will take place Wednesday, December 13,
2017, at 1 PM, 133 Granny Kent Pond Rd., Shapleigh, ME. For info,
call Ruth at 793-5268 or Barbara at 793-5265. All are welcome.
The Knights of Columbus will sponsor
“BREAKFAST WITH SANTA”
Sunday Dec. 17, from 8:30-10:30 a.m., in the parish hall.
Families are invited to come and enjoy eggs, sausage, ham,
pancakes, doughnut holes, milk, juice and coffee.
Prices: Adults $6.00; Children 5-12 $3.00
Children 4 and under are free.
Bring your cameras to snap a picture of your child with
Santa.
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT: The Christmas pageant is
fast approaching. Any children that are interested in
participating may pick up a form from their teacher this
weekend. Heather will meet with parents on Dec. 10th
after the 8:00am mass and before the start of class. We will be
rehearsing
during breakfast with Santa on December 17th at 10am. For
more
information see Heather Silva (7th & 8th grade teacher) or
call her at the
office 793-2244, you may also email at
[email protected] .
Pastor’s Pondering
Mark Searles, in an article entitled “ The Spirit of Advent”,
writes the
following. Human beings cannot live without hope. Unlike the
ani-
mals, we are blessed, or cursed, with the ability to think about
the
future and to bear our actions to shaping it. So essential is
this to
human life that human beings cannot live without hope,
without
something to live for, without something to look forward to. To
be
without hope, to have nothing to live for, is to surrender to
death in
despair. But we can find all sorts of things to live for and we
can
hope for almost anything: for some measure of success or
security or
the realization of some more or less modest ambition; for our
chil-
dren, that they might be saved from our mistakes and sufferings
and
find a better life than we have known; for a better world,
throwing
ourselves into politics or medicine or technology so that future
gen-
erations might be better off. Not all these forms of hope are
selfish;
indeed, they have given dignity and purpose to the lives of
countless
generations. But one of the reasons why we read the Old
Testament
during Advent is to learn what to hope for. The people of the
Old
Testament had the courage to hope for big things: that the
desert
would be turned into fertile land; that their scattered and
divided
people would eventually be gathered again; that the blind would
see,
the deaf hear, the lame walk; that not only their own people,
but all
the peoples of the earth, would be united in the blessings of
everlast-
ing peace. Clearly, their hopes were no different from ours or
from
any human being’s: lasting peace, tranquil lives, sufficiency of
food,
an end to suffering, pain and misery. Thus we hope for the
same
things as the Old Testament people, for their hopes are not yet
real-
ized. But we differ from them in two ways. First, the coming of
Jesus
in history, as a partial fulfillment of God’s promises,
immeasurably
confirms and strengthens our hope. Secondly, we differ from the
Old
Testament people because Jesus has revealed to us that God is
not
afar off, but is already in our midst. Hence the importance in
the
Advent Liturgy of John the Baptist and Mary; because they
recog-
nized the new situation, they serve as models for the Church in
dis-
cerning the presence of our savior in the world. (Assembly:
Volume
7:1, Notre Dame Center for Liturgy.
What are you hoping for this Advent season for God to reveal to
you
and what are you willing to do to prepare yourself to receive
this
hope?
Beginning the first Sunday of Advent, Fr. Dickinson and I will
begin
to alternate weekends in our two parishes, instead of the
current two
week on, one off model. Of course, this will be subject to
amendment
due to vacations and other responsibilities that the priests may
have.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24
4:00 p.m.—Christmas Eve
6:30 p.m.—Children’s Liturgy
10:00 p.m.—Adult Choir
MONDAY, DECEMBER 25
9:00 a.m.—Christmas Day
CONFESSIONS:
Dec. 18 6-7 pm Notre Dame Church, Springvale Dec. 19 8:30-9:30
am & 4-6 pm St. Matthew, Limerick Dec. 20 5-7 pm Notre Dame
Church, Springvale Dec. 21 8:30-9:30 am & 6-7 pm St. Matthew,
Limerick
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Updated Website is Up and Running!
St. Matthew's website has been given a facelift. The new website
format
first and foremost is compatible with all platforms that
individuals might
view it from: cell phones, tablets, and computers. Next the
website is
easily updated by the parish staff to remain as current as
possible: from
Mass times, the latest bulletin, schedules for the various
ministries to a
calendar of events. A great innovation will be the ability for
online giving
both for your weekly contribution and for special funds.
Excitingly the
website also provides opportunities for education and outreach
to those
who might be considering getting involved at St. Matthew’s.
In
summation- it is both a tool for current parishioners to engage
with the
parish and the parish’s first face to those who are wondering
what St.
Matthew’s Parish is all about. Please visit the website and
share it with
your family, friends and neighbors:
www.stmatthewlimerick.org
NEXT WEEK’S SECOND COLLECTION: Is for 2017 Retirement Fund for
Religious. Elder ly Catholic sisters, brothers, and r eligious
order
priests need your help. Many served for years in Catholic
schools,
hospitals, and parishes—often for little to no pay. Now there is
a shortage
in retirement savings. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for
Religious
provides funding for medications, nursing care, and more. Please
give to
those who have given a lifetime. Help care for elders. “Thanks
to support from the Retirement Fund for Religious, we are now in a
much
better position to care for our elders,” writes a religious
sister. Your
donation helps her religious community and hundreds of others
provide
for aging members and plan for long-term needs. Please give to
next
week’s Retirement Fund for Religious collection.
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS:: Envelopes are now available on the carts in
the narthex if you would like to contribute toward our Christmas
flowers, in memory of a loved one.
The Supper Committee for Hollis, Limington,
Standish, Steep Falls, and Buxton wish to thank
all those who helped with the Bean Supper on
November 18th: Knights of Columbus, callers,
workers, bakers, those who donated, setup/
cleanup, and all who attended. Congratulations
to Walter Bailey - winner of the $30 Gift Card to Limerick
Supermarket (Walter kindly donated this gift card to the
food
pantry), Yvonne Brackett - winner of the Hummel and of
$40.50
in the 50/50 drawing. Thanks to everyone’s efforts, the
supper
netted $1,175.87.
DECEMBER 3, 2017
Grades K - 8 Dec. 03 Class 9:15 - 10:15 a.m.
Children’s Liturgy 10:30 am
Dec. 10 Class 9:15 - 10:15 a.m.
Grade 9-12 Dec. 03 Session 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 10 Session 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
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DECEMBER 3, 2017
PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR FOOD PANTRY
St. Matthew Food Pantry is always need of a few items they have
a hard
time purchasing from Good Shepherd. Would you be willing to
donate
the items below? A collection container can be found in the
Narthex.
Jelly & Jams Spaghetti Sauce
Coffee Soups
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!
MITTEN GIVING TREE: The Food Pantry is asking for mittens and
hats to fill their Mitten Giving Tree. If you knit, crochet, or
would like to purchase new ones, to help keep hands and heads warm
during the winter months, we would be most grateful. Items may be
left in the narthex. Thank you.
THE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH MINISTRY will be helping the Food
Pantry again this year by collecting small items for
Christmas
stockings. We will be putting the box in the Narthex shortly.
So
please, could you think about donating small items for the
kids,
such as crayons, cars or trucks, dolls....whatever you think
little
kids like. Also if you would like to donate a larger toy, that
is
fine, because they let the mothers pick one for their kids. We
are
always so grateful for all your generosity. Looking forward to
a
Very Merry Christmas.
FAITH FORMATION PARENTS: Once again we are using an
Instant Alert type system called REMIND. You may sign up and
receive text alerts and reminders about upcoming events like
Children’s Liturgy Mass or Breakfast with Santa. This system
also allows us to notify you if class is cancelled due to
inclement
weather. If you would like to sign up for these alerts, you
can
text this message: @2b4086 to the number 81010 or go to:
https://www.remind.com/join/2b4086. FMI contact Heather
Silva by calling the office 793-2244.
DECEMBER 9TH & 10TH MINISTRY SCHEDULE
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Danny Bright (H-B) Sandra Snyder (H-C) Henry
McKeown (H-O) Mary Ross (B-O)
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Debbie Francis (H-B) Ed DiBiase (H-C) Claire
DiBiase (H-O) Mark Francis (B-O)
10:30 a.m. Laura May (H-B) Ken Webb (H-C) Carol Webb (H-O)
Heather Silva (B-O)
LECTORS & ALTAR SERVERS
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Frank Amoroso (L) (C) Not available at time
of print (1) Not available at time of print (2) Not available at
time of print
Sunday 8:00 a.m. JohnMichael DeBartolo (L) (C) Not available at
time of print (1) Not available at time of print (2) Not available
at time of print
10:30 a.m. Aidan Thomas (L) (C) Not available at time of print
(1) Not available at time of print (2) Not available at time of
print
USHERS
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Craig Theriault Fred Ross Carmen LePage Janet
Bright
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Gerry Provencher Jack Guzman Paul Cote Walter
Sullivan
10:30 a.m. Holly Gillingham John Gillingham Barbara Britten
Jason Silva
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD LEADER
Sunday 10:30 a.m. Nicole LeProhon
https://www.remind.com/join/2b4086
