The Church of St. Christopher

130 Midland Avenue

Staten Island, New York 10306

Parish Office: (718) 351-2452

Fax: (718) 351-1174

Office Hours: Monday - Friday,

9:30am - 4:00pm

Web: www.stcstmmsi.org

The Church of

St. Christopher and

St. Margaret Mary

December 4th 2016 - 2nd Sunday in Advent

The Church of St. Margaret Mary

560 Lincoln Avenue

Staten Island, New York 10306

Church Office: (718) 351-2612

Fax: (718) 987-0446

Office Hours: Monday - Friday,

9:30am - 2:30pm

Web: www.stcstmmsi.org

Rev. Joseph M. McLafferty, Pastor

Rev. John P. DeLora, SIUH Chaplain, in residence

Rev. Edgar Devina, in residence

Rev. John A. Boehning, Weekend Celebrant

Rev. Deogracias Lingao, Weekend Celebrant

Rev. Thomas J. Mullin, Weekend Celebrant

Deacon Patrick Graham

MASSES Monday - Friday: St. Christopher …… 9:00am St. Margaret Mary ... 8:00am

Monday: Island Shores ….….. 10:30am, Residents Mass

Saturday: St. Christopher ….… 9:00am and 4:30pm (Vigil)

Sunday: St. Christopher ….… 9:15am, 12:00pm and 7:00pm St. Margaret Mary ... 8:00am and 10:30am

Holy Days of Obligation ……………… as announced

CONFESSION Saturday: St. Christopher ….... 1:30pm - 2:30pm Otherwise by appointment; call ……… (718) 351-2452

BAPTISMS By appointment. Interviews of parents seeking baptism for their

children are arranged by calling the Parish Office; (718) 351-2452.

MARRIAGES By appointment with one of the priests at least six months in

advance of the wedding date. Please contact the Parish Office for further information; (718) 351-2452.

SICK CALLS Please call the Parish Office; (718) 351-2452.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Monday - Friday: St. Christopher …… 12:00pm - 4:30pm

Coordinators: Barbara Fiore (917) 593-4743 or Terry Warner (718) 979-0258

NEW PARISHIONERS All new parishioners are invited to register at the Parish Office

and to participate in our parish life.

ST. CHRISTOPHER SCHOOL 15 Lisbon Place, 10306 (718) 351-0902

Mrs. Catherine Falabella, Principal

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION and RCIA 560 Lincoln Avenue, 10306 (718) 351-2119

Mrs. Barbara Regan, Coordinator

PARISH CENTER 136 Midland Avenue, 10306

DECEMBER 17DECEMBER 17DECEMBER 17THTHTH, 2016 AT 6:00pm, 2016 AT 6:00pm, 2016 AT 6:00pm

MASS INTENTIONS

Saturday, Dec 3rd 9:00am (C) 4:30pm (C) Sunday, Dec 4th 8:00am (M) 9:15am (C) 10:30am (M) 12:00pm (C) 7:00pm (C) Monday, Dec 5th

8:00am (M) 9:00am (C) Tuesday, Dec 6th 8:00am (M) 9:00am (C)

Wednesday, Dec 7th 8:00am (M)

9:00am (C) 7:00pm(C)

Thursday, Dec 8th 8:00am (M) 9:00am (C) 12:00pm(C) 7:00pm (C)

Friday, Dec 9th 8:00am (M) 9:00am (C)

Saturday, Dec 10th 9:00am (C) 4:30pm (C)

Sunday, Dec 11th 8:00am (M) 9:15am (C) 10:30am (M) 12:00pm (C) 7:00pm (C)

Violet McHale Sr. Kenneth J. Collins Michelina Pontebbi Frank Della Jacono Dec’d members of Friscia Family Antoinette & John Lattuga Lazzaro & Adele Capitelli & Bertoli Fam. Virginia Synkowski Anna Maria & Michael Pietromonaco Summer Semerard Rose D’Amato

Lee Calcagno James Gormley Janice Vadi

In Honor of the Blessed Mother Leonard Bloodgard Immaculate Conception of Blessed Mother Connie DeFeo

Ralph Gonzalez Dolores Callegari

Kathleen Owens Lt. Philip Petti, FDNY & Toni Petti Louis Cretella & Sylvia Scotto Holy Name Society Sally Brady Dec’d Members of Michael Laterza Fam. For the Parishioners

(C) St. Christopher Church (M) St. Margaret Mary Church

PRAY FOR OUR SICK “... touch only the tassel on his cloak,

and as many as touched it were healed.” -Mark 6:56

NOTE: Those in bold were added this week.

Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the sick, we turn to you in this time of illness. O dearest com-forter of the troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with your gentle love, and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, we place our worries in your

hands. We place our sick under your care and humbly ask that you restore your servant to health again. Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge your will and know that whatever you do, you do for the love of us. Amen.

Carol Albunio Daniel Arnone Ann Basso Paul Cigliano Sal Cigliano Terence Crowley Mary Graham Delmar Edwina Dunne Brendan Fitzpatrick Marie Flannery Frank Gillick Kathleen Gillick Cornelius Keane Shannon Klatt

Michael Leone Nicholas Lombardi Jake LoNigro Diego Lopez Baby Milo Maggiore Richard Malanga Delia Mandia Delia Mayott Anne McGovern Timmy Mohin Stephen Murray Frank O’Donnell Matthew Onorato Grace Parker

Judy Paul Franco Poire Thomas Puleo Steven Rivera Robert Sabatino, Sr. Grace Sasanelli Alexis Savattere Phyllis Savattere Eleanor Shields Helen St. John Roe Vasquez Janet Viso Alice Wilson Meredith Wos

REFLECTION DECEMBER 4, 2016 2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT "Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance." John the Baptist does not mince words. He tells it like it is. When the hypocritical Pharisees and Sadducees show up piously for baptism, John calls them out, saying, "You brood of vipers!" Not welcoming words, to say the least. Then he tells them that being part of the religious club (i.e., children of Abraham) isn't enough. No, "every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." It can be easy to join John in pointing fingers at those self-righteous religious leaders. But we're usually not so quick to point fingers at ourselves. On this Second Sunday of Advent, as we seek to prepare for the coming of Christ, we also need to hear John's solemn warn-ing. How are we like these Pharisees? How have we excused ourselves because we are part of the "club," because we are baptized Christians, regular churchgoers, better than others, or whatever justification we use to declare ourselves in good shape? How have we failed to produce good fruit by being satisfied with a comfortable life and a routine practice of the faith? What do we need to change? Where do we need to grow? How do we need to reach out and serve others, to sacrifice sinful behaviors, to delve deeper into our love for the Lord? John preaches today that God will "gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Advent is a gift from the Church--a time to renew our spiritual life by getting rid of the chaff in our souls and producing instead a fruitful harvest. Now is the time to do this work. As John tells us, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

Join us each weekday for Adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Eucharistic adoration is observed from 12:00 Noon to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday in St. Christopher Church. Please try and find some time in your day to visit and pray. We are always in need of more people for a visit because the Blessed Sacrament cannot be left unattended. If you are interested in signing up for a specific time please call the rectory.

MEMBERS IN THE SERVICE

Please remember the following members of our Parish Family currently serving in the US Armed Forces.

ARMY Major Suzanne L. Jones, DDS,ABGD,FAGD NAVY Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Matthew Gardiner Max Davidson, Navy Fighter Pilot Benny Davidson, Submarine Officer AIR FORCE Master Sgt. Elisa Nickolic MARINES Pvt Vincent Gennaro Master Gunnery Sgt. Frederic Zeyer PFC Denis Hugh Corrigan, Jr.

If you have a family member who is an active duty military member please notify Peggy Rybarczyk (718) 351-2452 of their their name, rank and branch so we can add them to our prayer list.

“… A TIME TO MOURN …” - Ecclesiastes 3:4

Pray for the souls of Michael Woltmann, Annette Ortiz and Jane Logan and their families.

“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live” - John 11:25-26

FOR THE WEEK OF November 27th

The Bread and Wine at St. Christopher Church are being offered in memory of

Kathleen Owens.

A PIE FOR A PINT!

BLOOD DRIVE

Sponsored by St. Christopher - St. Margaret Mary’s Holy Name Society

And the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation in Memory of Nicholas Alessi

Please Eat Before Donating & Bring Photo I.D. Any medical questions, contact Maura Timmins-Baeszler of Staten Island University Hospital @ 226-1558.

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE! D O N A T E B L O O D !

Sunday, December 11th , 2016 from 8:00am until 1:00pm in the St. Christopher’s Community Center, 136 Midland Ave.

Jimmy Max Pizzeria will donate a certificate

for a free “Pie for a Pint!”

P LE A SE CA LL M A R K A LE S SI AT

718-980-4894 for a sign-up time.

FOOD PANTRY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

The Knights of Columbus, Manresa Council #2147 (185 Cedar Grove Ave.) and their helpers held a Food Drive for our Food Pantry on Saturday, November 19th and delivered over 100 boxes of food. We thank and pray for these men and their Christian beliefs and Works of Mercy.

We would also like to thank Bob & Mary Puccio, Bill Mikus and all those that assist in the running the Food Pantry.

Anyone interested in joining the Knights of Columbus, the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization or the women's auxiliary (Columbiettes) call (718) 987-4433.

If you would like to help in our Food Pantry, please contact the Parish Office

at (718) 351-2452.

Mary Puccio, Bob Puccio and Bill Mikus of our Food Pantry

CROSS ROAD FOUNDATION

If you’ve never heard of this foundation its purpose is to assist women and families who are facing unplanned pregnancies by providing them with accurate information about their options and by

offering them ongoing support. Our goal is to empower women to

make healthy choices for themselves and their families. On the last Sunday of each month, we have a special collection for the Foundation and we ask that each family donate $1. This past Sunday the collection was $100 even. Thank you for your generosity.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

On Monday, Dec 12th at 11:30am there will be a Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Christopher Church. The Mass will be in Italian/English with an Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Conrad Schweizer Nurseries for the beautiful Advent Wreath in St Christopher Church, donated in memory of:

Frank and Helen Schweizer

OPLATKI WAFERS

The custom of Oplatki Wafers, unblessed Christmas Wafers, comes to us from Eastern Europe. They are served to family, friends and neighbors on Christmas Eve and are a foretaste of the Eucharist that we receive in Holy Communion at Christmas Mass. The wafers can be found in St Christopher Church.

We ask for a donation of $1 per packet.

YOUR ENVELOPE COUNTS

Nov 27, 2016 St. Christopher $6,876 - Joint regular collection $1,916 - Maintenance & Repairs

Thank you for your continuing generosity

OUR LECTOR SCHEDULE

For the weekend of December 10 & 11 the following are asked to Lector at the Mass indicated:

12/10 @ 4:30pm(C) C. Volpicello ; 12/11 @ 8:00am(M) MB Brown; 12/11 @ 9:15am(C) D. Crowley; 12/11 @ 10:30am(M) P. Mooney;

12/11 @ 12:00pm(C) D. Cotayo; 12/11 @ 7:00pm(C) R. Gwasda.

OUR ALTAR SERVERS

For the weekend of December 10 & 11 the following are asked to assist on the altar at the Mass indicated (remember to wear black shoes):

St Christopher

12/10 @ 4:30pm Anthony Todaro, Vincent & Victoria D”Ovidio; 12/11 @ 9:15am Gianna & Sara Macchia, Megan & Ryan Schnur;

12/11 @ 12:00pm Nicholas Varricchio, Tyler DiDonato and Andrew Cranston;

12/11 @ 7:00pm Lindsey Harris.

St Margaret Mary

12/11 @ 8:00am - Michael & Gianna Granucci & Isabella Campave;

12/11 @ 10:30am - Peter & Mary Krawiecz and Walter Traina.

GIRL SCOUT TROOP 5094 Erin Memmesheimer, parishioner of St. Christopher and St. Margaret Mary Parish, and member of Girl

Scout Troop 5094, is kindly asking for donations of unused books and book store gift cards, to be donated to children’s hospitals in our area. There will be a basket for the books in the back of the church, gift cards should be dropped off at the rectory. This drive will end today, December 4. All donations are greatly appreciat-ed. Thanks for your support!

ST.JOSEPH’S SEMINARY SCHOLA CANTORUM

Presents An Advent & Christmas Concert

The Seminary Schola will be on tour in France next summer and in order to support this, tour, the Schola will be holding three (3)

Concerts. Tickets are on sale now! $50 Reserved VIP seats and $25 General Admission. Tickets can be purchased in advance, on the web at “www.DunwoodieMusic.org”, or via phone at (914) 968-6200.

Tickets will also be sold at the door. The last concert date and location is: Dec 4th @ St. Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers at 4:00pm*. *Cardinal Dolan will be attending the St. Joseph Seminary con-cert. At the conclusion of the Dec 4th concert, light refrishments will be served.

GRANT CITY CIVIC Meeting Tues, Dec 6 in the St Christopher’s Community Center.

THE GIVING TREE

Please select an angel from our Giving Tree. There are trees in each of our churches. So if all the angels are gone from one, you may still be able to participate by selecting an angel from the other. The angel will have some hints as to whom it is for (a child, an adult, a boy or a girl), and therefore you’ll know the appropriate store to get a gift card from. Once you’ve purchased the gift card, please put the card and angel, in an envelope, writting the name of the church the angel is from on the outside, and drop in the collection basket. Thank you.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT Mark your calendar for our annual St. Christopher and St. Margaret Mary Christmas Concert on

Saturday, December 17th at 6:00pm in the church of St. Margaret Mary.

Join us for the fabulous Concert, Tree Light-ing and Fellowship Gathering with hot coffee, tea, chocolate and goodies immediately after the Concert in the Olympia Activity Center.

We have an outstanding line up, including:

Triple Threat Theater; under the direction of Diane Zerega with Paul Light, Music Director and Dee Kanevsky, Artistic Director.

Wagner High School Show Choir; Diane Zerega, Director.

Wagner High School Advance Chorus; Keith Waage, Director

and our own Patty Beniquez, St. Christopher and St. Margaret Mary Music Director.

This is a don’t miss event. Spread the word, bring your family and friends. There is no admission fee other than a

“great big Christmas smile”.

HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD! Enrich your faith this Advent and Christmas with special programming throughout the season on EWTN. Attend Mass in Vatican City with Pope Francis, enjoy concerts from Europe and travel to the sacred sites of the Holy Land. Find EWTN in your area by visiting www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.

MSGR FARRELL CHRISTMAS FAIR

Today, Sunday Dec 4th from 10:00am to 5:00pm, Msgr Farrell H.S. will hold ir annual Christmas Fair which will have 80 vendors and include homemade baked goods. Raffle, Door prizes every hour. Admission is $3/person or $5/family.