From the Pastor’s Desk
We are so accustomed to God’s
My Dear People:
The Church reminds us that the Feast of
Christmas is so important that we are to keep
celebrating it until January 4th, the Feast of
the Epiphany, the coming of the Magi. We
will keep the magnificent decorations in the
church and keep singing Christmas music
until then.
Bishop Baker writes in the One Voice about
the Christ candle. He gives us suggested
Christmas prayers to be said eleven days
after Christmas before the family meal, with
the lighted Christ candle to keep reminding
us that the celebration of Christmas is not
over. The suggestion was printed so recently
that we have not had time to speak or write
much about it. Next year, we will have more
time to prepare. However, this can still be
done if you have your copy of the One Voice.
Most importantly, our reflections of Christmas
must continue until the Epiphany.
We need to keep rejoicing in the wonder of
God’s love for us. Generally speaking, God
stays hidden from His people, on occasion
lifting up the veil a little between heaven and
earth through the prophets of the Old
Testament. His greatest breakthrough of this
veil of concealment came when God sent His
own Son (God Himself) to the earth,
mysteriously joining Himself with our human
nature in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.
He was still hidden for nine months in the
womb of Mary. Then, when He became so
visible at His birth, it was the most earth-
shaking event in the history of man. It split
history in two.
We give Jesus so many superlative titles,
and rightfully so, but a most descriptive title
was used by the angel in the field telling the
shepherds about the birth of Jesus:
“Do not be afraid, for behold I bring
you good news of great joy which
shall be to all the people; for today in
the town of David, A SAVIOR has
been born to you Who is Christ, the
Lord.”
indescribable love and overtures of
goodness that we take this for granted. We
just need to just stop and realize it would be
far easier to do without the sun than without
Jesus, who came to save us from our sins.
We are a fallen race, a sinful people with
many moments of pride, selfishness,
impatience, anger, jealousy, unforgiveness
and self-indulgence. There is also the
problem of excessive alcohol and food. As
much as we try, and as good as we are,
there have been weaknesses and sins in the
past where we put God second, or fourth, or
fifth. How does one make it up to the
Supreme Being?
We simply cannot reach through that infinite
distance and merit forgiveness by ourselves.
WE NEED HELP FROM GOD HIMSELF!
This is why the birth of the Savior is so
important that we turn the world upside down
in celebrating His birthday, and we keep that
celebration going for more than an octave.
In the One Voice, with each of the short
prayers for the eleven days of Christmas,
there is added a little box for the day entitled:
ACT OF KINDNESS. It is a suggested act of
kindness reflecting the enormous act of
kindness of Jesus to the human race. One
strong suggestion was to encourage one
another. How greatly Jesus encouraged and
continues to encourage us with His graces!
Every nativity scene is an invitation to stop
and say a heartfelt THANK YOU, JESUS, for
coming to save us. Unforgiven sin has
terrible consequences. We see only a touch
of suffering on this earth. I have seen people
struggling to take the respirator out of their
throats; cancer patients limp from the poison
of chemotherapy and people after surgery
crying for pain medication. What must the
suffering for sins be in the next life for sins if
there were no Savior to make forgiveness
possible?
When God came to us, He came into the
poverty of Mary and Joseph who were out of
town looking for a place to stay. They found a
stable in which Jesus was born. He shared
the poverty of the poor but kings came from
the East and angels hovered above,
wondering with their great intellects about
God doing so much for this human race.
Before Jesus was born, the angel told
Joseph to name Him Jesus, for He would
save His people from their sins. We keep
celebrating the birthday of all birthdays
because our eternity depends on the coming
of this Jesus, our Savior and our God and
because He loves us so much, we must love
Him in return.
Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School
cordially invites you to our OPEN HOUSE for
prospective students and their families to be held
Sunday, January 25, 2009, between 2:00 p.m.
and 4:00 p.m. Join us any time during these
hours, meet our teachers and staff, tour our
school and discover our faith-enriched
community for learning. Applications will be
available in the school foyer and on the school
website at olsschool.com. Applications do not
roll over from year to year. If you were on a
waiting list for 2008, you must re-apply for 2009.
Please call 879-3237 for more information.

With prayers and blessings, CHAPEL OF OUR SAVIOR

Father Muller The Chapel needs permanent Committed
Adorers for: Monday at Midnight - 1:00 AM (To
Share Hour) & Saturday at 8:00 AM
Our goal is to have at least 2 people on each
MASS INTENTIONS hour. Please call Ida Wilker at 933-2281 or Mary
Claire Brouillette at 871-2909.
Monday, December 29th SI of Mrs.Ann Bruno
Dub Perry Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Tuesday, December 30th Donors to the OLS Training
School Foundation St. Luke's will host a new Level 1 training
Special Intention of Nicholas Milan program for CGS. It begins January 26th and will
Wednesday, December 31st Joseph Latsis meet every Monday from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Special Intention of Michael Milan (Jan. - May and Sept. - Dec.)
Thursday, January 1st Rose C. Pilato CGS is a Catholic Montessori approach to the
George Cantwell religious formation of children. Children work in a
Friday, January 2nd Special Intention of specially prepared space called an Atrium. OLS
AllisonRumore has a Level 1(3 yrs - Kindergarten) and Level 2
Charles Woods (First - Third Grade) Atrium serving both the
Saturday, January 3 rd
Elizabeth Saia school and PSR. If you are interested in learning
George Macksoud more about CGS, please call Jeannie Hoffman at
Sunday, January 4th People of the Parish 262-1442 for details on the class and how you
Mary Elizabeth Karg can get involved with this children's ministry.

First Friday Devotions will be on January 2nd at

6:00 a.m.
First Saturday Devotions will be on January 3rd
at 7:15 a.m.
Classes will resume for all PSR
and Growing with God students
next week, January 4th, at 10:00
a.m.
LADIES –The day of sharing and fellowship
called “Tea for Three – Jesus, You and Me”
scheduled for January 24th in the Family Life
Center Assembly Hall, is being postponed. The
rescheduled date will be in the bulletin.
PRAY FOR VOCATIONS
Honor your father and mother, your wife, your
husband, your children, your brother, your sister.
Family ties bind us in love and root us in faith. What
will you do to strengthen your family ties? (Sirach
3:2-6,12-14) This ad is sponsored by the Serra Club
WINNERS OF KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS POSTER CONTEST