Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time s3

THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD DECEMBER 25, 2016

Dear Parishioners, Many thanks for your generous gifts, cards and prayers, given to all of us this Christmas. May this season find you abounding in love, rejoicing in hope, and secure in God’s peace. I pray that God’s richest blessings continue with you and yours through the coming year. ...Fr. John Mink & Fr. Dan Staniskis

St. Ann’s 2016 Christmas Mass Schedule

December 26-30th 9am Daily Mass (there will not be any 6:30am or 8am mass) December 31 8am Normal Daily Mass December 31st 5pm Vigil January 1st 9am & 11am New Year’s Day Mass (no 7:30am, 9:30am & 11:30am mass)

The Rectory Office will be closed December 26th for the Christmas Holiday and December 30th & January 2nd for New Year’s.

SPONSORS/GODPARENTS To be a godparent for Baptism, a person must be 16 years or older and a practicing and fully initiated Catholic, having completed the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. If married, the union must be recognized by the Catholic Church. One Catholic godparent is required; 2 godparents (one male & one female) is the ordinary and recommended practice. Keep in mind the purpose of a sponsor is to give good example and support in the Catholic faith of the baptized. Documentation of eligibility for all Catholic godparents are required from the Catholic Church where they are registered and attend weekly mass. If you have eligibility questions, please call (302)654-8504 before choosing any godparents. The next required Baptismal Preparation class will be Thursday, January 19th at 7pm in the St. Ann’s School Library. To register, please call the rectory at (302)654- 5519 or [email protected].

Parish Giving - Did you know that St. Ann’s has an Electronic Giving Program? Information about this program and also how to register can be found on our website, stannwilmington.com. Your donations are electronically withdrawn from your account or credit card and deposited directly to St. Ann’s. It’s simple, convenient and secure. There are other ways to contribute to St. Ann’s for example, does your employer have a Matching Gift Program? Matching gifts are a way to double or triple your donations to St. Ann’s Church and School. You can contact your Human Resources Department to see if this is a possibility. Here are some of the companies that have contributed to St. Ann’s: Boeing, Verizon, RBC Wealth Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, NYSE Euronext Foundation and PJM Interconnection. Please contact the Parish Office at 654-5519 for assistance/questions in your donation. Other planned giving opportunities not to be missed are WILLS/LIVING TRUSTS & ANNUITIES, BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS, EQUITY AND BOND FUNDS, REAL ESTATE AND MEMORIAL/TRIBUTE GIFTS. So when you are assessing your charitable contributions for this year-end tax planning please remember St. Ann’s Church/School and your Annual Catholic Appeal commitment. All monies must be received by December 31, 2016 to be credited for this year. Oh behalf of St. Ann’s we want to thank you for your past financial support and we ask that your generosity continue during this Christmas season and throughout the year. Your increased gifts will continue to support the many beneficial programs and ministries that are at the very soul of our parish community. There will be two collections on Christmas Eve/Day. The first one is the Christmas Collection and the second one is for the normal weekly offertory. 302ann1 Election of Trustees – Each parish in the Diocese of Wilmington is incorporated within and by the Saturday December 24 Christmas Eve laws of the State in which it is located. St. Ann is 5:00 P.M. Ida Asta (Church) incorporated in the State of Delaware. The by-laws 5:00 P.M. Pauline Haney (Social Hall) of the Corporation and the statutes of the Diocese 7:00 P.M. Charles H. McKinney of Wilmington provide for five trustees; the Bishop 10:00 P.M. Deceased members of the Keyser of the Diocese, and the Pastor, and a priest so family designated by the Bishop, (these days it is the Sunday December 25 Christmas Day Chancellor of the Diocese) and two (2) lay persons 9:00 A.M. Parishioners are to be elected each January by duly registered 11:00 A.M. Stephen & Anna Smith members of the parish in the meeting called by the Monday December 26 President (the Pastor). That meeting this year is th 9:00 A.M. William McClafferty scheduled for January 8 , following the 11:30am Tuesday December 27 Mass in the Parish Hall. Our current lay trustees 9:00 A.M. Irene Annos are Charles Klous and David O’Connor. Wednesday December 28 9:00 A.M. Mary Cunningham Snow Removal Help – St. Ann’s is looking for Thursday December 29 able bodied individuals to be available on an “on 9:00 A.M. Tom Wertz call” basis to help with the snow removal on our Friday December 30 sidewalks and steps around the Church and 9:00 A.M. Nello Paoli School. Compensation will be on an hourly basis. If Saturday December 31 New Year’s Eve you are interested, please contact Joe Marge at the 8:00 A.M. Lee Wilson Rectory office at 654-5519. Thank you. 5:00 P.M. Robert Hotchkiss Sunday January 1 New Year’s Day 9:00 A.M. Augustine Asta 11:00 A.M. Ellen O’Callaghan MARK THE DATES!!!!! Here’s just a Pray for the sick, shut-ins and elderly of our few things St. Ann’s has coming up in 2017! Parish. January 29 Catholic School Open House February 4/5 Blessing of Throats March 1 Ash Wednesday The Chapel of Divine Mercy is open 6am to March 11 Pasta Night 10pm, 7 days a week with the Blessed Sacrament March 31/April 1 Musical – Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. exposed. Can you offer an hour of your time? Visit April 9 Holy Week www.adorationchapel.org to sign up. You can Check the website (stannwilmington.com) and also call Chris at 584-1422 or Nan at 656-8438. bulletin for details as they become available. ST. ANN’S PRAYER LINE – to place a name or special request on the prayer line email Joe/Shirley Give the Gift of a Malvern Retreat – If you’re Ackerman at [email protected] or 384-7513. looking for a creative and spiritually rewarding gift for someone in your life, please consider a Catholic Radio – Listen to Catholic Radio every weekend retreat at the beautiful Malvern Retreat Sunday morning at 10:05am on WDEL 101.7FM, House. The Malvern Retreat House is known for its 1150AM and www.wdel.com. Next Sunday, time-honored weekend Catholic retreats for men January 1st, tune in to learn about the new book and women starting on Friday evening and ending “Beyond Me Myself and I” when author Teresa on Sunday morning. Private adoration time in Tomeo is the guest. Search “Catholic forum Radio” magnificent oratories, uplifting liturgies, the on iTunes podcasts or listen to the radio by tuning Sacrament of Reconciliation, communal prayer for to catholicforumradio.libsyn.com. the Stations of the Cross, fellowship and group faith-sharing , all comprise this Catholic retreat weekend. Retreat directors vary with each retreat, Attention Lectors – The workbooks are ready so be sure to check the schedule; the 2017 men’s for pickup in the sacristy. Get yours today. retreat for the Diocese of Wilmington will take place from April 28 through April 30. For more info, visit Hospital Visitations – Make sure to call the www.malvernretreat.com or call Dave O’Connor at Rectory at 654-5519 if you are in the hospital and (302)764-7149. would like a priest to visit. 302 ann2 Religious Vocations – At the birth of the Lord, Need to register for St. Ann’s? Visit our angels proclaimed the good tidings of God’s website www.stannwilmington.com and select marvelous work. Every day, religious sisters and the parish registration button. You can either brothers, priests and deacons proclaim God’s good print the form and drop off to the rectory or fill out tidings too. Have you ever wondered what it would online and email it back to us. be like to join in their work? Let’s talk. Contact Fr. Norm Carroll, Diocesan Director of Priestly and Daily Stories on the Dialog’s website…In Religious Vocations at [email protected]. or addition to the newspaper edition of the dialog 573-3113. that’s available in church every two weeks, the On-Line Grave Locator – If anyone has trouble newspaper’s website www.thedialog.org is updated locating a family member buried at our diocesan every weekday with stories from the diocese and cemeteries, search the App Store for “Wilmington round the world, including many that don’t appear Catholic Cemeteries”. A free App will be available in the newspaper due to space considerations Stay for downloading that will enable the user to search on top on national and international issues of our burial date base and find GPS navigation to a concern to Catholics, each Sunday’s scripture particular location. In addition, family members reading commentaries by Dialog columnists and have the option of placing online memories of their the work of the church in the nations and world by deceased loved ones. This service is free of visiting www.thedialog.org. charge. When visiting the cemetery be sure that you are aware of your surroundings. Hide any Worldwide Marriage Encounter – “And the Word valuables out of sight and be sure to lock your car became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” and take your keys. If you have questions, call Merry Christmas! Give your children the best gift of 656-3323. all – the growing love of their parents. Explore more by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter FAITH ENVIRONMENT-SAFE ENVIRONMENT – weekend on March 24-26, 2017 in Rehoboth Did you know that in 2003 in response to the United Beach, De. For more info, visit the website States Conference of Bishops’ Charter for the www.wwme-delmar.org or to register, call Tony & Protection of Children, the Diocese developed a Linda Massino at 302-220-9833. safe environment program entitled For the Sake of Gods’ Children? The Bishop, all priests, deacons, St. Ann School Alumni Program – St. Ann School seminarians, religious brothers and sisters and all has a rich heritage dating back to 1899. We are lay employees and volunteers participate in the fortunate to have such a long history and an program to assure that a comprehensive safe important component of that history in our school’s environment exists in our parishes, schools and alumni. The school is currently developing an institutions. For more info, go to www.cdow.org alumni program. If you or someone in your family and click on For The Sake of God’s Children. is an alumnus of St. Ann School please help us by spreading the word and collecting contact info so St. John-Holy Angels Lottery Fundraiser – we can include you in our plans. You can email Looking for Christmas gifts for neighbors, teachers, your info to [email protected] or drop the info etc.? St. John/Holy Angels Lottery Calendars are off at the school office. Thank you! $20 each with 90 chances to win between $50 and $250. Only 1000 calendars will be sold. Sales run Coming Up: through December 31. Winning numbers are 12/26 Offices closed based on the Delaware State Lottery’s Play 3 night 12/26-12/30 9am Daily Mass only drawing from January 1 to March 31. For info or to 12/31 New Year’s Eve purchase a calendar, call 302-731-2219 or email 8am Normal Daily Mass [email protected]. 5pm Vigil Mass 1/1 New Year’s Day BULLETIN ADVERTISERS – Have you taken a Masses at 9am & 11am look at the patrons listed on the back on the bulletin? It’s because of their support that we can provide this bulletin at no cost to our parish. Please visit these businesses and don’t forget to tell them where you saw their ad!

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