MASS INTENTIONS SAINT PAUL CHURCH

Saturday, December 20, 2014 4:00 Fabio Birritta (14th Anniversary) by Mom & Dad Maria & Michael Reale by Diana Rosalie & Louis DiValentino by Diana Antonina Camilleri by Granddaughter, Karen Zaiko, Boccuzzi & Cozzalongo Families by Shirley Zaiko Boccuzzi Teresa Soliwoda by Husband & Family Elizabeth Swanson (10th Anniversary) by her Family Nicola & Maria DeIngenis by Daughter Antoinette Dick Colamussi by Wife, Sophie, Luanne & Vinny Joseph Tirinzoni (Birthday Remembrance) by Family

Sunday, December 21, 2014 7:30 Stanley & Rita Waluk, Bernard Pelkey by Clarice & Greg Pelkey Joseph E. Gwara (2nd Anniversary) by Wife Angelina, Daughter Jennifer & Grandchildren 9:00 Antonio & Salvatrise Piccione by Son, Sal Piccione & Family 10:30 Vincent Amato (Birthday Remembrance) by Mother & Sister Stacey Dastoli (2nd Anniversary) by Mom & Dad John Krawciw (28th Anniversary) by Wife Annie, Children & Grandchildren Deceased Members of the Navarro Family by Family Members James A. Perry, Sr. (22nd Anniversary) by Daughter Ellen Gentile & Family Barbara Dastoli by Children 12:00 Deceased Members of Aiudi Family by Lorraine Clark Jimmy McDermott (Birthday Remembrance) by Dad & Maureen Gladys & Stephen Choluj by Daughter Sophia Choluj

Monday, December 22, 2014 7:00 Edwin Szymanoski by Wife, Rita Rupert Gaidimauskas by Al Gaidimauskas 5:00 Marjorie Casner by Jean Casner The Catalano Family by Antoinette

Tuesday, December 23, 2014 7:00 Michael & Sophie Cesanek by Daughter Barbara & Son-in-law Douglas Steponaitis John G. Hubbard (4th Anniversary) by Hubbard Family Ut Nguyen 5:00 Oscar Peterson by Dr. & Mrs. Vincent Ringrose Peggy & Dick Ficks by the Family Adam Betterini (52nd Anniversary) by Adolph Betterini

Wednesday, December 24, 2014 Christmas Eve 4:00, 6:00 and10:00 pm

Thursday, December 25, 2014 Christmas Day 9:00am, 10:30am and Noon

Anthony Farone James L. Tessman

Friday, December 26, 2014 7:00 Steven Gacek by Mom, Dad & Brian 5:00 No Mass

Saturday, December 27, 2014 4:00 Deceased Members of the Shinaly Family by the Family Maria Rosa Rossitto (10 Year Anniversary) by Family Anna DeCarlo (Birthday Remembrance) by Daughter Roz & Granddaughters Maria & Michael Reale by Diana Rosalie & Louis DiValentino by Diana

Sunday, December 28, 2014 7:30 Gracia & Giuseppe Lomonte by Daughter Carmella & Family 9:00 John & Guido DiPierdomenico by Wife & Mom 10:30 Lillian Sampl (30th Anniversary) by Daughter Linda Michael Mangiafico by Ginny, Family & Friends Vito Cannamela & Sarina Motta by the Family 12:00 Vincente Carbonell by the Carbonell Family Evelyn Szczygla by Parents & Brother Anthony Pulcini by Daughter Shirley

The Blessed Mother Candle will burn this week for

Vincent Durante by Wife Roz & Daughters

A Sanctuary Candle will burn this week for

Catherine Kornas by Ed & Kathy Ryan

Ronald Ciezynski, Sr. by Wife & Children

Vito Caruso by Carmela Pandolfi & Nancy Fiducia

Timothy, Edward & Sharon Darigis by the Family

The Gift of Bread will be offered this week for

James Jr., James Sr. & Estelle Perry by Fran & Ellen Gentile

The Gift of Wine will be offered this week for

McLoughlin Family by the Children

MASS CHANGES ARTICLES DUE OFFICE CLOSINGS There is a 7 AM only and NO 5 PM on Friday, Monday & Tuesday, December 26, 29 & 30. The December 28th bulletin is already printed. Please send your articles in by December 23rd for the January 4th bulletin. Our office is closed Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, December 24, 25 & 26, Wednesday, December 31 & Thursday, January 1.

Envelope Users: $ 10,670.50 Non-Users: $ 843.52 Online Giving: $ 2,198.63 Total: $ 13,712.65

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT LAST WEEKEND!

DECEMBER 21, 2014

A Few Simple Words…

Just in case you’re on the road There won’t be a bulletin on Christmas Day and just in case you will be spending Christmas with your family, rest assured of the Friars’ and Deacon Carmen’s best wishes and prayers for a Blessed Christmas and a most happy New Year. If you will be here for Christmas, don’t forget, our schedule will be changed. Masses on Christmas Eve are at 4:00 6:00 and 10:00 pm, and on Christmas Day they are at 9:00 & 10:30 am and 12:00pm.

Fr. Robert

THANK YOU Thank you! "We can certainly call you friends because of the way you care for our retired members," writes a religious brother. Your

gift of $ 6,387.25 to last week's collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious benefits some 35,000 senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests. May God bless you for your generosity!

December Prayer List (Call now for January) Call our office to add or keep a name on the list for Jan-uary. Be sure the person knows their name is here.

DAUGHTERS OF JAIRUS PRAYER LINE If you need extra prayers, call to make a prayer request, (for any-thing) and state your first name and need. You may call Terry (860-828-6667), Jean (860-829-1355) or Gloria (860- 828-1525) with your confidential intentions.

END OF YEAR GIVING A reminder that any End of Year Giving (Offertory/Capital Campaign Payments) must be received in the Parish Center office by Wednesday, December 31st to be credited to your 2014 tax statement.

ENROLLMENT FOR THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR We are accepting applications for all grades including Preschool. We would love to have you come for a tour of the school or to have your child on a shadow visit. For more information, please contact Ellen Bertolami, admissions@stpaulkensington.org. or 860-828-4343, Ext. 136. For the past two years we have had a Wait List for our Preschool program, so if you are interested, we encourage you to contact us soon. Please visit our website at ourschool.stpaulkensington.org.

AT SAINT PAUL SCHOOL, WE ARE LOOKING FOR ENER-GETIC PEOPLE TO WORK PART TIME IN OUR AFTERCARE PROGRAM. HOURS ARE 3:00 – 5:30 ON MONDAY – FRIDAY. This could be a perfect small job for a college student or responsi-ble person who would like to work two to five days a week. Both preschool and elementary groups are available. If you are inter-ested or would like more information, please contact our Aftercare Director at ourschool@stpaulkensington.org.

2015 CALENDARS The 2015 Calendars will be available at the entrances of the church this weekend. Parishioners are invited to take one with you as you leave church today.

CHRISTMAS WAFERS (OPLATEK) Polish Christmas wafers are available in the Church between the old and new wings. A free-will offering will be accepted.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR MASS SCHEDULE We want you to have an insert for your refrigerator. See insert! COLLEGE STUDENTS HOLIDAY DINNER Save the date: Tuesday, January 6th, 2015. Details will follow!

Henry M. Adamcewicz Nancy Adamowicz Giuseppe Amato Hank Andrukiewicz Lynn Baikal Ethel Blake Mae Carabetta Robert H. Cooley Alyssa Dutkiewicz Anne Fields Florence Filkof Richard Fracasso Danielle Freeman Eileen George Jonathan Gionfriddo Maria Gionfriddo Gene Goryl

Joseph Michaud Nate Minor Evelyn Modzelewski Ray Moliino-Myers Emma Pagano John Pandolfo Tania Pandolfo Kimberly Pierce Katherine Romero Joan Schwartz Betty Jo Stevens Gary Tierney Gerry McCourt Washburn Elaine Willis Tristan Cole Yashura Diane Zanelli

Bruce Havelevitch Jeanne Higgins Tom Karanda Dijana Klapatch Rita Kropf John G. Kumitis, Sr. Sheila Labickas Angel Lauria Jennie Laviana Mary Helen Loiselle James F. Lynch Erica McMillian Shana Manafort Carla Mangiafico Lisa Mangiafico Keith Martin Paul Martin

SAINT PAUL SCHOOL NEWS

4TH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

ST. PAUL CHURCH NEWS

ANGEL TREE ~ A HUGE SUCCESS! THANK YOU FROM SOCIAL ACTION Each year we are amazed at the generosity that go into the Ad-vent programs overseen by the Social Action Committee. This year, our Angel Tree had over 800 Angel gift requests that were thoughtfully purchased and beautifully wrapped. They went to 5 Different locations. Through the generosity of several families in our parish who joined together with Social Action members, we were able to participate in the Adopt a Family program for Friendship Center families to relieve the stress and provide joy to many struggling families this Christmas. We should all be proud, truly we have prepared for the coming of the Christ Child by our love for those less fortunate. To all those who cut angels, bought a gift for the Angel Tree or the Adopt a Family, helped bring the gifts downstairs after Mass, and to all the elves who sorted, bagged and delivered the gifts we thank you.

ONE OF SANTA’S LAST STOPS - THIS WEEKEND! Join us Sunday, December 21 from 8:00 am – 12:00 noon for Breakfast with Santa ~ St. Paul’s School Gym. Tickets are available at the door at a cost of $6.00 per adult; and $3 for children ag-es 5-10; no charge for children 4 and younger. Breakfast includes French toast, sausage, coffee and juice. There will also be an appearance by Christmas carol-ers. This event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus with the assistance of many other parishioners; proceeds to benefit charity. CONTEST: K of C YOUTH FREE THROW CHAMPIONSHIP All area boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are invited to participate in the Knights of Columbus Basketball Free Throw Championship Competition. The competition will be held on Sunday January 4, 2015 in the St. Paul School gym in Kensington. Registra-tion is at 1:15 PM and competition begins at 1:30 PM. Advanced registration is not required and there is no fee to participate. The winner of each division will compete on the District level and may contin-ue on to the Regional, and State competition. The performance of the state winners will be compared to determine a national winner. For information please contact Terry Lescoe at 860-828-9285. DO YOU LOVE TO SING? CONSIDER THIS:

In 1 Thessalonians 5:21 St. Paul said, “Test everything. Retain what is good.” If you love to sing, why not test the people of the choir at the Saturday, 4 PM Vigil Mass? If you find they are welcoming, friendly, interesting, fun-loving, … you might join the choir and hold fast to what is good.

ST. PAUL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS

There are NO classes Dec. 21-24 and Dec. 28-31, 2014 as well as Jan. 4, 2015. Classes resume Mon., Jan. 5, 2015.

CONFIRMATION STUDENTS TEAM UP WITH THE RYAN T. LEE FOUNDATION Some students in our 2nd Year Confirmation program teamed up with the Ryan T. Lee Foundation to buy Christmas gifts and pack-age food donations for Berlin families in need. The Lee founda-tion provided the funds while the students lent a helping hand. Pictured with the students in their Ryan Lee Foundation t-shirts are Confirmation teachers: Theresa Lee (2nd row, far left); Krista Hilbie, Nancy Kennure, Michelle Kemmling (back row) and Pat Ksiazkowski (front row, far right).

Students in Saint Paul’s Religious Education program donated 300 Christmas stockings for the children in the Appalachia region of Kentucky. Stockings were stuffed for children from age 3 through high school. The Piarist Fathers’ Appalachia mission provides emergency home repairs, delivers Christmas gifts and offers tuition assistance to impoverished families. Pictured below are the students who helped load the van that Fr. Powers drove from Kentucky to Connecticut and back: Toni Grant, Ashley LaFrance, Gabby Bonfiglio, Emma LaFrance, Jack Mayette and Fr. Powers.

SAINT PAUL CHURCH KENSINGTON, CONNECTICUT

C A L E N D A R F O R T H E W E E K

Sunday, December 21 8:00am K of C Breakfast with Santa til Noon 1:15pm Baptisms 1:45pm JVB Girls Game vs St. Joseph @St.Mary(Ngtn) 4:30pm NO Rel Ed Grades 1-8 (SUN) 5:30pm Middle School Youth Group 6:00pm Varsity Games: St. Paul @ St. Joseph Monday, December 22 8:30am Parish Staff Meeting 2:00pm Ledgecrest 3:45pm Swim Club 4:00pm JVA Boys basketball practice 4:30pm NO Gr 1-5 Rel Ed 5:30pm Varsity: St. Paul vs OLMC - HOME 6:30pm NO Gr 8 Rel Ed 7:30pm High School Youth Group Tuesday, December 23 12:30pm Early Dismissal 7:00pm School Board 4:30pm JVB Boys Basketball Practice 4:30pm NO Gr 1-5 Rel Ed 6:30pm Varsity Girls basketball practice Wednesday, December 24 NO SCHOOL: Christmas Break Parish Office Closed 4:00, 6:00 & 10:00 pm ~ Christmas Vigil Mass Thursday, December 25 NO SCHOOL: Christmas Break Parish Office Closed CHRISTMAS DAY MASSES: 9:00 & 10:30 AM & Noon *No 7:30 am or 5:00 pm Friday, December 26 NO SCHOOL: Christmas Break Parish Center Closed 7:00am Mass 5:00pmNO Mass 7:30pm AA Meeting Saturday, December 27 3:00pm Confessions 4:00pm Mass Sunday, December 28 NO SCHOOL 4:30pm NO Rel Ed Grades 1-8 (SUN) 5:30pm Middle School Youth Group

DEFENDING OUR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY #147 DEC. 21, 2014 The passage of the federal health care mandate was supposed to provide afforda-ble health care to all Americans. By most accounts this is not happening, and in the process our First of Amendment Right, which is supposed to safeguard our religious freedom has been taken away. If you haven’t done so already, please voice your opposition to the mandate by calling President Obama at the White House at 202-456-1111 or U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services Sylvia Burwell at 202-205-5445. Let them know that the mandate is in violation of our First Amendment right to religious freedom.

NEWS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

ABC’S OF ANNULMENT On Friday, January 9th, from 7-9 PM, Brother Larry Lussier, CSC Pastoral Associ-ate of St. Gabriel, Milford will present ”The ABC’s of Annulment” at Holy Infant School Library, 450 Racebrook Rd, Orange, CT. This informational program will provide you with understanding of the process. The “ABCs” will be followed by an Annulment Workshop on six succeeding Fridays (Jan 16, 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 20) also at Holy Infant School Library from 7-9 PM. Participants come with laptops or pens to write their papers under the super-vision of the Annulment Team. Br. Larry offers over 30 years of experience in the annulment application process. Along with an Annulment Team - Deacons Bill Eyles and Bob Macaluso and a layman Jim Tottenham - will provide guidance and the personal consultation that is so essential in submitting a thorough annulment application. The program is open to all. There is no need to register. A small do-nation to help with the cost of materials is expected. In case of inclemency or for further information call 203-937-7040. ELEMENTARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPAL CANDIDATES

The Archdiocese of Hartford is seeking committed, energetic, visionary principal candidates interested in leading Catholic elementary education into the future. Successful candidates will possess at a minimum the following qualifications: Practicing Catholic in good standing with the Roman Catholic Church; Master’s Degree from a regionally accredited college/university; Five years successful teaching and/or administrative experience. Interested candidates should contact Deputy Superintendent Mrs. Maria Maynard via Diane Newell at di-ane.newell@aohct.org, Available openings will be listed at: http://catholicschoolshartford.org.

…...FOR MEALS ON WHEELS The Berlin Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to deliver meals to the homebound elderly one day per week. Delivery lasts approximately two hours from 10:30-12:30. If you are interested please contact Thomas Pavano at (860)-690-9093 or Michael Pavano at (860)-218-3236.

“For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: You will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a man-ger.” Luke 2: 11-12

The St. Paul Parish Family wishes you a Blessed Christmas.

QUESTION & ANSWER - PUZZLE

Why do we give gifts at Christmas? Great events in and of themselves are not tangible. They occur in life but leave no mark behind, nothing that someone could come across and know that something significant occurred. So we mark the event with monuments, holidays, gold watches or plaques, making a meaningful event tangible and memorable. Gifts at Christmas do the same thing. They mark the occasion of the birth of Jesus, communicating a bit of the joy of the day by allowing us to be

both giver and receiver. Gift-giving sets aside the day as special and different. The special foods, customs, decorations and gifts all help focus our attention on the importance and meaning of the day and at the same time allow us to share person-ally in its joy and happiness. In giving gifts, though, we can share in the meaning of Christmas in a significant way. We imitate God in sharing with others. We give a bit of ourselves to others in the gifts we give, just as God gives us the gift of his Son. No wonder we often say that the best gifts are those that come from the heart. Given in love, these presents are wrapped in the best covering of all. ©2009 Liturgical Publications Inc

What Christmas

is Really About By Fr. Larry Rice, CSP

(used with permission)

Over the centuries, the celebration of Christmas has gathered so much extraneous material that it’s difficult for most of us to remember precisely what we’re celebrating. Take away Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus, and the elves. Put aside the Currier and Ives Christmas cards, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, and that little kid who wants the Red Ryder BB Gun. Let go of the gift-giving, the parties, the charities, and a White Christmas. Let’s even forget, for a moment, about our hopes for peace on Earth and good will toward all.

What’s left, and what remains the theological and spiritual core of Christmas, is the Incarna-tion. It’s the reality that God has taken on human flesh, been born as one of us, like us in all things except sin. We Christians believe that in Jesus Christ, the human and the divine are brought together, are simultaneous realities. It was part of God’s plan and purpose that he should experi-ence life as we experience it– being born as a child, living and growing as a human child, know-ing all our wonder and fear and joy.

In the coming of Jesus into the world, our human nature could be redeemed, and his divine nature could be concretely accessible to us. The world was changed by Jesus coming into it, giving birth to our hopes for salvation. Through his birth, his life, his teaching, and his death and resurrection, God Incarnate has made possible the Peace on Earth we long for, and the love and reconciliation we still believe can reign.

RETIREMENT

Does Social Security offer tools for retirement planning?

Yes. Social Security offers several retire-ment planning tools to help you better understand your Social Security protec-tion as you plan for your financial future. Go to www.SocialSecurity.gov/planners

to get started. Then choose a benefit calculator to estimate your monthly benefit amounts.

Account # 03-0062

Saint Paul, Kensington