and

Fourth Sunday of Advent December 22, 2019

NATIVITY OF OUR LORD PARISH, DURYEA 127 Stephenson Street Tel: 570-457-3502 Fax: 570-451-3341 Office Hours: M-F, 8:30-4:30 unless otherwise noted in bulletin

E-mail: rectory@nativityduryea.org Web: www.nativityduryea.org / Nativity of Our Lord Duryea

Rev. John V. Polednak, V.E., Pastor Deacon André Kabacinski, Parish Deacon

Masses: Daily, M-F – 7:00 am ● Saturday (Vigil)- 4:00 pm ● Sunday- 8:00 am, 11:00 am and 7:00 pm

Confession: Daily, M-F~6:40-6:55 am ● Saturday- 3:15-3:45 pm, and anytime upon request.

Questions for personal reflection based on this Sunday’s readings…

When Joseph awoke,

he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. ~Matthew 1:24

Other than the Hollywood version of Angels as deceased loved ones (they are Saints or holy Souls, not angels) or great winged creatures (Angels do not necessarily have a bodily form) we must remember that the word angel literally means messenger. In this passage, the Angel –God’s Messenger- is

speaking for God himself, in a dream – a most unusual thing to pay attention to sometimes. Consider the ways God speaks to you, and if you take the time to listen, then consider the following:

What is my mission? What is God calling me to do? How can I fulfill my mission?

THANK YOU to all who have in any way helped to make Christmas brighter through the ministries here in our Parish. To those who took a tag and returned a present; to those who organized and delivered; to those who baked

and sold cookies and treats; to those who fluffed trees and hung wreaths; to those who rehearsed for months and went out to visit those in nursing homes; to those who made offerings for flowers, to those who remembered the dead, to those who prayed for others, or did invisible acts of kindness leading up to this great feast of Christmas

before us this week – May God Bless you in every way!

LITURGICAL CALENDAR, DEVOTIONS AND INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 23, 2019

Mo

n

23 7:00am Kimberly Kalina (by the Casella Family)

Tu

e

24 7:00am 4:00pm

Richard Hokien (by Mr. & Mrs. Kevin O’Hop)

For the Christmas Intentions of Our Parishioners

We

d

25

Midnight 9:00am

11:00am

For the Christmas Intentions of Our Parishioners For the Christmas Intentions of Our Parishioners For the Christmas Intentions of Our Parishioners

Th

u

26 7:00am Paulette Dalton (by Andrew and Andrea Lentowski)

Fri

27 7:00am John Smigiel (by Dan Kalina and Family)

Sa

t 28 4:00pm Florence and Thomas Skowronski (by Edward and Joyce Jones)

Sun

29

8:00am 11:00am 7:00pm

Nancy and Greno Fumanti (by Mr. & Mrs. John Rafferty and Family) Mag Balchune, Pat Capitano/Stella & William Balchune (by Marta Balchune) For the Intentions of Our Parishioners

VOTIVE CANDLE OFFERINGS

Sacred Heart of Jesus Michael and Irene Rostkowski (by Children)

Blessed Virgin Mary Dorothy Piorkowski (by Daughter, Denise)

St. Joseph Adam and Helen Zuro (by Daughter, Mary Ann Krenitsky)

2

DECEMBER 22 Sunday -CCD, 9:45 am -Confessions, 5:30-6:30 pm 24 Tuesday – Christmas Eve OFFICE CLOSED 25 Wednesday – Christmas Day OFFICE CLOSED 29 Sunday – NO CCD 31 Tuesday – New Year’s Eve OFFICE CLOSED

JANUARY, 2020 1 Wednesday OFFICE CLOSED 5 Sunday -CCD (gr. K-7), 9:45 am, HRS -CCD (gr. 8), 5:30 pm 12 Sunday -CCD (gr. K-7), 9:45 am, HRS -Confirmation Formation, 5:15 pm

~ FINANCES AND ONGOING STEWARDSHIP ~ for the weekend December 14-15, 2019 TOTAL $9,219.26 Sunday $5,132.50 ($556 Online); Loose $425.50;

Secondary $3,207 ($195 Online); Furnace Fund $100; Cemetery $354.26 ($47 Online)

DIOCESAN ANNUAL APPEAL: Goal-$42,000.00; Current- $29,240.00 TO GO: $12,760.00 Loaves and Fishes: December: Non-Dairy Creamer

Week of December 22, 2019 ~ Fourth Week of Advent

Blessing of Homes Father Polednak and Deacon Kabacinski are continuing the custom of the Blessing of Homes after Christmas. Consider making this custom a part of your January to start the year off right, especially those in new or remodeled homes. If you wish a home visit, please indicate such on the reply form and return it by December 25. The blessing of a home is a blessing for the structure, but more importantly for those who dwell there. Ideally, everyone is home when the blessing takes place, though this is sometimes impossible. Please indicate what is a good time for the visit – this will be taken into account as Father is making the schedule.

20 + K + M + B + 19

2020 Blessing of Homes Fr. John and Deacon André continue this beautiful tradition. If you would like your home blessed, please fill out and return so that a schedule could be made.

Name_________________________________

Address_______________________________

_______________________________

Phone __________________or___________________

Times that might work best

for all or most of the family to be at home:

A Weekday = Morning Afternoon Evening

Saturday Morning

Sunday Afternoon

RELIGIOUS ED NEWS AND NOTES There are no CCD classes this Sunday and next Sunday for students and teachers while they enjoy their Christmas break. Classes will resume on Sunday, January 5, for all grades.

WITH PARISH SYMPATHY Our prayers are requested for: Frank Miletta whose Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday, December 10; for Anna Komar whose Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Wednesday, December 11; for Joseph Long whose Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Friday, December 20; for Helen Marino whose Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Saturday, December 21; and for Robert Sepelyak whose Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 3, 2020. May the Risen Christ embrace them in His eternal love and peace, and give His comfort and consolation to their families and friends. Our parish sympathy is extended to them in their loss.

MEN, SAVE THE DATE! The 6th Annual Diocese of Scranton Men’s Conference will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2020, at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre. Your help to get more men engaged would be greatly appreciated!

A PARISH LETTER with the Christmas/New Year’s Schedules has been mailed. Please read it carefully for the times in which Masses will be celebrated and confessions heard. If you did not receive a letter, your census information may not be up to date. Please call the office to make adjustments.

NEW OFFERTORY ENVELOPES have been mailed to Children and Young Adults.

BLESSED CHRISTMAS WAFERS (Opłatki) for use at your Christmas dinners and celebrations will be available after Masses throughout the Advent Season. We hope you can keep this tradition alive in your homes. A donation of $2 is asked to

cover the cost of the wafers, and shipping and handling.

2020 PARISH CALENDARS are available. Please take one calendar per home; additional calendars may be taken after New Year’s. Thank you very much to the Piontek Funeral Home for their donation of the calendars! Kittens and puppys are cute, mountains and oceans show us the majesty and glory of God, and comics help us find humor in our daily lives, but a Catholic Home Calendar helps us to bring the Faith into our homes in a real and visible way. Please consider taking your calendar today.

HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION - January 1, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. On New Year’s Day the Church celebrates the mystery of Mary’s Divine motherhood under the title of Mother of God. Called the Theotokos in Greek, Mary has been called God-bearer from the earliest days in

the Church. Masses are at 4:00 pm on the 31st, and 9:00 am and 11:00 am on January 1.

Week of December 22, 2019 ~ Fourth Week of Advent

3

Look into the manger scene and imagine the Holy Family on that first Christmas Eve.

Joseph and Mary are at once both fearful and joyful, just as we often find ourselves before a new year.

Imagine picking up the Infant in the crib and be amazed that you can hold God,

just as happens at every Communion.

All is peaceful and calm, not because the world has changed,

but that the Son of God has loved us so much he has come to be with us.

He brings joy and peace in our turbulent world just as he does in that manger scene.

May these few minutes of meditation strengthen in us the same faith of those who first beheld the Infant in the

manger. Through faith we get to know the God who comes to us in peace. To all those here visiting family or

friends, or renewing the practiced of our Faith this Christmas, we say WELCOME!

On behalf of Deacon André and the entire staff, may I wish you and your family near and far God’s blessings of

peace and joy. Kindly remember us in your prayers,

as we will remember all of your family and loved ones at our Christmas Masses.

-Fr. John

CHRISTMAS MASSES:

4:00pm

12:00am - Midnight

9:00am

11:00am

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This Bulletin is printed in Loving Memory of. . .

John A., Theresa and

John Adamiak Jr.

Alfred & Judith Akulonis, Sr. Frank and Helen Amantea Peter and Victoria Biga

Mary Soltysiak Thomas and Stella Blasco Edward and Margaret

Brostoski

Frank Callis

Zielinski and Callis Families

Alan J. Celusniak

John and Mary Celusniak Richard A. Champi, Sr.

Eugene and Maryann

Chromey

Louis Robert Cremard

Catherine and Louis Cremard

Irene DeAngelo

Rev. Andrew J. Marcinko

M/M Andrew Marcinko

Carmen and Idena DeBiasi

Deceased members of the

Louis and Dorothy Doxbeck

Family

Deceased members of the

Dolan and Roche Family Chester Draus Dulny and Kapish Families

Jack Fischer and

Zaladonis Family

Helen S. Mattei Freas John T. Freas

and Mary Matt

Fumanti and Rafferty

Families

Dominick “Beaver” Gigliello

and

Anthony & Mary Naida

Margaret & Leo Glodzik, Sr.

and Lea Glodzik

Gregorczyk and Negvesky

Families

Capt. Francis A. Hantz

U.S.N. Ret.

Mary & Frank Hantz

Robert Hynoski

Martin K. Hastie, Jr. Jasienski, Bozinko &

Lewandowski Families Edward A. Jones Judge and Antal Families Gus and Vera Kulas

Kundrat and Simko Families

John & Helen Lukus

Tom & Mary McAndrew

Paczkowski Family

Eugene Madrak Lottie and George Matrone Victoria, Stella and William

Maziarz

Thomas J. and Cecelia A.

McAndrew

Henry B. McHale John and Mary Mikovitch

Gerald Mikovitch Moskaitis Family

Mary Ann Namatka

Peter & Elizabeth Namatka

William & Josephine Sowa

Sophia & Walter Nestorick

and Peter Pocholonis, Jr.

Deceased members of the

Stanley & Josephine

Nowakowski Family

Bernard Olcheski,

Eileen Macuga and

William & Helen Dalton

Agnes and Peter Olsheski

Olszewski, Grudzinski and

Madrak Families

Zigmont, Lottie &

David Olszewski and

Anna Skowronski

Frank & Florence Orlowski Bernard J. Ostrosky Teresa Ramiza Pace and

Michael T. Haluschak

Charles & Julia Pernot and

Martin & Anna Dunay

and Family

Ruth Pernot Samuel & Genevieve Perrins

Eugene P. Perrins

Edward and Dorothy

Piorkowski

Mrs. Helen Rava

Sharon Rava Imbrogno

Stanley & Stella Rava

and Family

Rincavage, Billick and

Galinas Families

Anthony and Helen Rincavage

and Anthony Singer Michael and Irene Rostkowski Jess L. & Beatrice Rutkoski

Victor L., Anna and

Victor J. Salidas

Thomas & Florence

Skowronski and

Wascavage Family

Joseph and Mary Solarchik Margaret Stanavage and

Son, Ronnie

Carl Joseph Tucker, Butler

and Long Families

Louis L. Vender

Mary T. Vender

Ross A., Anna and Raymond

Vender

Jacob J. Vitek

Pauline M. Vitek

Theresa M. Vitek

Earl & Marion Vrabel and

Michael Larronde

Grant Larronde

Michael and Jean Wasko Vincent & Mary Waszczak

Marion and Cathy Bryk

Margaret Yauk

and Romayne Solarchik

Zujkowski, Pribula, Klink

and Nasiatka Families Helen and Adam Zuro