Pastor’s Corner . . . “DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?” This question posed to the editor of The New York Sun by the daughter of the New York City assistant coroner, Dr. Philip O’Hanlon, is a classic; so too is the response: “VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong,” the editor Francis Pharcellus Church responded.  “They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible to their little minds. . . Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.  He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.”
The editor was as correct today as he was 109 years ago: There is a Santa Claus!  And parents, you can reassure your children. Just make sure, however, that they understand the true Santa Claus: not the elf created by Thomas Nast in his 1865 cartoon for Harper’s Weekly magazine; or the plump, red-cheeked grandpa created in 1931 by Coca Cola as part of its marketing campaign. No, the real Santa Claus lived in Turkey and died in 350 a.d.  He was a Catholic bishop, and a very good and holy one.  Saint Nicholas was renowned as a miracle worker, a man of impeccable Catholic faith and love for Our Lord, which spurred him on to a life of exceptional charity and courage.  Three incidents have come down to us that tie him to Christmas, gift giving and children.
In the city of Myra, Turkey lived an impoverished pagan nobleman who had three young daughters. Having no money to provide them dowries necessary to make good marriages, he decided to sell them into slavery as prostitutes.  Jolly Saint Nick heard of this, and, one night, threw three sacks of gold into the girls’ window, thus saving them from horrible lives of sin and degradation.  The second story is about Saint Nicholas at an inn where he took a room during one of his frequent visits to parishes around his diocese. The innkeeper was renowned for his delicious meat pies, one of which he placed before the hungry bishop.  Before eating the pie, Saint Nick sensed something was wrong. The saint discovered that the innkeeper had been kidnapping children, killing, pickling and cooking them, and serving them up in his meat pies!  Saint Nicholas immediately entered the inn’s storeroom and discovered the pickling vat, filled with the bodies of small children.  He prayed, and the children were restored to life!   The third event ties his generosity to children with Christmas, for it is the reason why we celebrate the feast day of Saint Nicholas on December 6th, so close to the birthday of Our Lord. Saint Nick was one of the bishops who attended the Council of Nicea in 325 a.d. The council had been called to deal with the Arian heresy, which taught that Jesus was not God; only a man, a very good and talented man, but only a man.  This teaching is wrong because if Jesus was only a man, then he couldn’t save us from sin and death.  Jesus revealed Himself to His Apostles as the true Son of God. The Council of Nicea not only reconfirmed the ancient faith of the Church that Jesus is fully both God and man, but formulated the creed that we still say together at every Sunday Mass.  Saint Nicholas signed this, and, returning to his diocese, suffered because of his faith in the God who became a man, once the Roman emperors began to support the heresy and to persecute bishops and priests who taught the faith of Nicea.
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”  But he is a fourth century saint who was a holy Catholic bishop; who fervently believed that God took on human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, who suffered, died and rose from the grave in that human flesh; a God who became man so that mankind could become more Godlike, and share God’s life forever.  Saint Nicholas believed this, and imitated this Divine charity in his own exceptional charity and self-sacrifice. 
So parents, reassure your children that Saint Nicholas—Santa Claus—does exist, and we can see him in the generosity expressed at Christmas. Let’s make sure that we give gifts for the right reason: not just to have more stuff, but to imitate God’s generosity: He gave us His Son, and the Son gave up His life so we could live forever. Imitate Christ’s generosity daily, and prove that Jesus and Saint Nick do exist. 
Happy Saint Nicholas Day!--Msgr. DiGiovanni

Please pray for the sick…  Kathy Hennesey, Ruth Coyle, Lily Rice, Mildred Fiore, Catherine & Jay Olnek, Ryan Santolo, Michael Mammone, Mary Bozek, Marjorie Just, Jerry Gerardi, Sharon Vagnone, Dianne, Stanley Bozek, Frederick Naphen, Paul Eldridge

Please pray for those who have recently died…Laurie, Vivian E. Torres, Margie Nicholson, Ed “Red” Baker, Katherine Harten, Pauline Weeks, Jennifer Tomasello, Vincent Dangi, Deborah (Brennan) Stowell, Valencia Lancaster

December 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, IS a holy day of obligation; Mass will be offered on Monday, Dec. 8th, at 8:00 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.

Advent Retreat. . . December 8, 9 & 10:  Monsignor James Turro, internationally renowned scripture scholar, will lead three nights of scriptural reflection and prayer, beginning at 7:30 p.m. each evening in church: Spiritual conference, Eucharistic Adoration & Benediction & Confessions.  Msgr. Turro is also a contributor to the Magnificat.  Join us: kids too!!

Religion Classes for Adults. . . Catholics who have not yet received Holy Communion or Confirmation, and for non-Catholics who wish to join the Church, every Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the rectory.  The class is on a 7 week cycle:  If you miss one, we repeat it.  Interested?  Please contact Providencia at (203¬) 324 -1553 ext. 21.

St. John’s Christmas Fair. . . The Fair will be Sunday, December 7th, in the Monsignor Nagle Hall from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Baked goods, books, sacramentals, Christmas decorations, wreaths and a great raffle. To accommodate parishioners who cannot attend the Christmas Fair, a selection of the wreaths will be displayed in the main foyer of the Church on Saturday December 6thafter 4 p.m. Mass. 

20’s / 30’s Young Adults…No December 8th talk for the 20s/30s.  It will resume in January in the Upper Room at Columbus Park Restaurant, in Columbus Park.  Join us.

Parish Women’s Society. . . We would like to begin a parish society for the spiritual growth of women.  Please contact Monsignor if you are interested:  Ext. 11.

The Latin reading group is translating St. Augustine’s Confessions…and meets every Wednesday in the rectory at 6:15 p.m.  High school Latin is all that’s needed.  Just walk in.

New Testament Greek Class . . . meets every Thursday evening in the rectory at 7:30 p.m.  This is an introductory class:  All are welcome.
NOTE:  No Greek on Thursday, December 11th.

St. John’s Bible Study…We are using The Bible Timeline Series every Thursday in the rectory at 7:30 p.m.  Join us.

Sunday, November 30, 2008      $ 10,446.50
Sunday, December 2, 2007        $ 10,095.97

I ask you one thing: do not tire of giving to God, but do not give your leftovers.”---Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Sunday Readings for Dec. 7   Is. 40:1-5, 9-11 * Ps. 85:9-10-11-12, 13-14 * 2 Pt. 3:8-14 * Mk. 1:1-8

Hymns for this weekend . . . (1) 1 (Tune: Stuttgart) (2) 9. The Creed for the Noon Mass may be found in the hymnal at No. 289.

COME AND SEE – COME AND SING – COME AND WORSHIP ... St. John’s new Volunteer Choir invites St. John's parishioners and friends to join us. How about singing for Christmas at the 10:00 A.M. Mass? DISCOVER what a wonderful experience it is to pray by singing. MEET US. We are becoming a very convivial group. REHEARSALS are Thursday night at 7:30 P.M. in the music room in the basement of the church.  For those who want to learn or refresh their knowledge of the basics of music, there is a short optional Music Theory Class at 7:15. P.M. For more information, call Scott Turkington 324-1553, ext. 18.

Choral Music for the 12:00 Noon Mass . . . Mass Ordinary: Kyrie XVII (10th century) – Graduale Romanum; Sanctus & Agnus Dei from Missa brevis – Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, 1525-1594. Offertory motet: Call to Remembrance – Richard Farrant, c. 1530-1580 (Call to remembrance, O Lord, thy tender mercy and thy loving kindness which hath been ever of old. O remember not the sins and offences of my youth: but according to thy mercy think thou on me, O Lord, for thy goodness. [Psalm 25:5,6]). Communion motet: Conditor alme siderum – Guillaume Dufay, 1397-1474 (The text may be found in the hymnal at No. 2.). The Gregorian chants proper to this Sunday are: Introit Populus Sion (O People of Sion, behold, the Lord is nigh at hand to redeem the nations: and in the gladness of your heart. The Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard. Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. [Ps. 80]); Alleluia Lætatus sum (I rejoiced when they said unto me: “Let us go up to the house of the Lord!” [Ps. 122:1]); Offertory Deus tu convertens (You will turn toward us, O God, and restore our life again, and your people will rejoice in you. Show us, Lord, your mercy and grant us your salvation [Ps. 85:7-8]); Communion Ierusalem surge (Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high; and behold the joy that shall come to you from your God. [Baruch 5:5;4:36]).

As part of your Advent preparation for Christmas, you might consider going to Confession, especially if you haven’t been in a while. Confessions are heard daily: Monday—Friday, 7:30-7:50 a.m. and 11:30-12:00 noon; Saturday, 3:00-4:00 p.m.; Sundays, 7:00-7:30 a.m.; 9:30-10:00 a.m.; 11:30-12:00 noon.  Take advantage of God’s generosity.

St. Monica Institute for Patristic Studies . . . Will next meet on January 7th to begin studying St. Gregory the Great’s Four Books of Dialogues.   Join us each Wednesday evening in the rectory at 7:30 p.m.

St. Anne Family Society . . . Meets the first Saturday of each month 5:00 p.m. in the church and parish hall.  Meetings include Eucharistic Adoration in church; a potluck supper and a spiritual conference in the parish hall.  All families—including children—are invited.   Next meeting will be January 3rd.

St. John’s in The  NEWS . . .
  . . . 100 years ago, or so:

Editors note: the following three articles on Fathers James J. Ryle, Andrew J. Plunkett, and Peter H. McClean recount stories of three of many vocations to the Priesthood from St. John the Evangelist Parish, Stamford.

The Connecticut Catholic:
December 13, 1884:  STAMFORD “Father Ryle was in town last week. The Children of Mary will receive Holy Communion in a body next Sunday.”

The Stamford Advocate:
December 9, 1918: FATHER PLUNKETT PROMOTED. Stamford Boy Appointed Pastor of St. Bernard’s Parish, Shelton. “Rev. Andrew J. Plunkett, for the past nine years pastor of St. Bernard’s Roman Catholic Church in Sharon, has been appointed pastor of St. Joseph’s Church, Shelton, by Rt. Rev. John J. Nilan, Bishop of the diocese. The official announcement is contained in this week’s issue of the Catholic Transcript. Father Plunkett will succeed the late Rev. Daniel A. Bailey, who was pastor of the church since the creation of the parish 12 years ago, and who died on Nov. 26. The new pastor will assume charge of the parish on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Father Plunkett is one of the best known priests in the Hartford diocese. He is a native of Stamford, and secured his classical education in Villa Nova University, Alleghany, Pa., from which he received a degree of doctor of laws and letters. Father Plunkett was ordained to the priesthood  by the late Bishop Tierney in St. Joseph Cathedral, Hartford, about twenty-one years ago. He was a prefect in St. Thomas’ Seminary in Hartford for several years and later served curacies in Windsor Locks, South Manchester and Southington, and for the past nine years has been pastor of St. Bernard’s Church, Sharon..”

December 12, 1933:  MSGR. McCLEAN 40 YEARS A PRIEST. Stamford Man, Now Pastor of St. Augustine Church in Bridgeport, Observes Anniversary.  “The Rt. Rev. Monsignor Peter H. McClean, S.T.L.P.R., pastor of St. Augustine’s Church, Bridgeport, since 1924, yesterday celebrated the fortieth anniversary of his ordination. Monsignor McClean is a native of Stamford. He was born in this city in 1862, the son of Hugh and Julia Ryle McClean. His father was a prominent Stamford business man, owner of one of the oldest dairies in the State. Monsignor McClean was graduated from Stamford High School in 1879. Thereafter he worked for his father for a time, later teaching in the Stamford public schools. In 1883 he entered St. Charles College in Elliott City, where he was a classmate of the Rev. William J. Blake, pastor of St. Thomas Church, Fairfield, who has since been his close friend. Father Blake is also celebrating the fortieth anniversary of his ordination today. One of the most important assignments of the native Stamford man was his taking over of the pastorate of St. Mary’s Church, Milford, in 1899. He built five churches and established the girls’ academy at Laurelton Hall in 1905.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Saint Benedict – Our Lady of Montserrat…Pre-Christmas Concert and Volunteer’s Dinner, December 14th.  The concert will feature professional artists who will sing the most beautiful Advent and Christmas music accompanied by Organist Mrs. Marie Lenox.  Concert suggested donation:  $15.00, Dinner Suggested donation: $25.00 or both $40.00.  Reservations at 203-323-7379 ext. 10 or at myparish@optonline.net.

Mass Intentions

Saturday, December 6
4:00 +Vincent J. Freccia, Jr. req. Dolores Freccia - wife
Sunday, December 7
  7:30 People of the Parish
10:00 +Carrie Stuart req. David Lancaster
12:00 Souls in Purgatory req. Fabiola C.
6:00 +Raymond Dolan req. John & Stacy Leydon
Monday, December 8
8:00 Souls in Purgatory req. Fabiola C.
12:10 Souls in Purgatory
5:15 In memory of Birthday Louis Tosches req. son & daughter-in-law Kevin & Alison Tosches
Tuesday, December 9
8:00 Souls in Purgatory req. Fabiola C.
12:10 +Kathleen Mulkerin Jones req. LAOH
Wednesday, December 10
8:00 +Albert & Amila Carriera, parents; Louisa Carriera, sister req. Gerald J. Carriera
12:10 +Mary Windhorst req. LAOH
Thursday, December 11
8:00 +Albert & Amila Carriera, parents; Louisa Carriera, sister req. Gerard J. Carriera
12:10 +Jennie Accurso req. Ann Jo Corcione
Friday, December 12
8:00 For the unborn req. Marion Morris & Family
12:10 Ucero Family req. Cassidy Family
Saturday, December 13
8:00 +Hope & Joseph McAleer req. Family
12:10 +Antoinette DeMott req. Giannitti Family

Miraculous Medal Novena: Mondays, 8:30 a.m.

Pray for an end to abortion every Wednesday, 7:00 - 10:30 a.m., at Planned Parenthood, 1039 East Main St, Stamford. 

Eucharistic Adoration:  Fridays, 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon.

Are you a registered parishioner? … If not, please visit the parish office Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. or call the office for more information [ext 21 or 17].

Sponsor Certificates for Baptism or Confirmation…Are happily given to parishioners of St. John’s, i.e. Those who are registered members; those whose regular Mass attendance is known to the priests, or whose parish membership can be verified by the records of the weekly offertory (envelopes).        

Holy Name Society . . . For all men of the parish: the rectory every Friday morning for coffee, Eucharistic adoration benediction & prayer, from 7:00 - 8:00 a.m.

St. Dominic Savio Society…For the spiritual formation of young men from 8th – 12th grades, we’ll next meet on Sunday,  December 14th in the rectory.  Any questions, please contact Frank Marchetti at (203) 434-4734.

St. Maria Goretti Society . . . For the spiritual formation of young ladies from 8th - 12th grades.  We’ll next meet on Sunday, December 7th, at the rectory at 11 am.  It will be a brunch and talk from Project Rachel for all high school girls.  Questions, please contact Rosa Marchetti at (203) 348-0232.

KYRIE  ELEISON
                                                                                                                                                                                        - Fr. Terry Walsh
     
       Advent evokes many spiritual aspirations. It causes us to stop what we’re doing and turn our gaze heavenward – to simply marvel at the gift of life and the call to love. Advent is about Mercy. It was out of sheer Mercy that God the Father sent His Only Begotten Son into the world to make Salvation possible. For Mercy sake the Veil was pierced so that the Holy Spirit could be poured into the hearts of those who humbly seek to dwell in the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. Kyrie Eleison.
       The Sacrament of Reconciliation, instituted and ministered by our Lord, both heals and sanctifies the penitent. Any attempt to climb the Holy Mountain of God begins at the door of Confession. Our humble plea for mercy and forgiveness are found only through this door. Humility is required. Humility perfects the heart and leads us to a faithful examination of conscience and a willingness to do Penance. We meet Christ Himself in Confession and through that holy encounter, He absolves us and strengthens us with an infusion of grace. Through Sacramental Confession, Jesus prepares our souls to receive Him worthily in the Eucharist, where He forms us into ever more faithful images of Himself.
       I am tremendously edified by the witness this Parish gives for its desire to receive this Sacrament so frequently – everyday before every Mass people come to be reconciled to God. As a priest, I must say that the moment I encounter a sorrowful penitent I am deeply humbled. Even the simplest confession is at the same time a profound experience for me as a priest – simply because of the Presence of Christ in our midst. Every sacramental Confession, of course, is an encounter with God. As a priest, I am well aware that our Lord is pouring out His graces through me. He made that act of mercy possible on the day of my ordination. Isn’t that simply amazing? That through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, God mysteriously configures the soul of a man in such a way that He may continue His Mission of Redemption through His priest and so answer our cries for help – Kyrie Eleison. Kyrie Eleison Kyrie Eleison. When I hear Confessions before the 12 Noon Sunday Mass, often times the confessions run well into the Mass. Then, as if from Heaven, I hear the most beautiful prayer rising up to Heaven from the Choir. They have entered into the Kyrie. It’s as if the angels have surrounded the Confessional and are rejoicing in the Mercy pouring down from Heaven through the hands of the priest into the soul of the penitent. Of course, the Choir is expressing our plea for mercy and while all the Congregation is rejoicing in that mercy during the Penitential Rite in the Mass, there is, at the same time,  sacramental grace flowing in the Confessional – the “Mercy Seat” as my old Confessor use to call it. Lord have Mercy! What sweet words our Lord hears when the penitent kneels down to confess: “Bless me Father, I have sinned…” What sweet words of love the penitent hears in return: “I absolve you…go in peace…” Through our humble cooperation, God Himself removes the debris, the worldly obstacles, the slings and arrows, all the stuff that hinders spiritual growth – He wipes it away and clears the path, as it were, so that we might walk more faithfully with Him. He wants so much to fill us with this grace but he doesn’t force us to receive it. He will not hinder our freedom – no – we have to freely come to him – and humbly ask for it: “Lord, have Mercy….” Kyrie Eleison….

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”                 –Isaiah 1:18