As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’" - Mk 1:2-3

Saturday, Dec. 3

5:00 PM Evelyn O’Brien

by Pauline, Jay & John Fournier

Sunday, Dec. 4

7:30 AM William Tetreault

by St. Luke’s Parish Family

9:00 AM Shirley & Robert

Hassett by their family

10:30 PM Margaret Walsh

by her friends at the Willows

12:00 PM Helen Petrucelli

by The Schoen Family

6:30 PM Cristenna Lawrence

by St. Luke’s Parish Family

Monday, Dec. 5

9:00 AM Edna Brock

by Bob Mazzalupo

Wednesday, Dec. 7

9:00 AM Louise Will

by Maryanne Mihaiu

Thursday, Dec. 8

12:10 PM Adolph Rotondi

by his family

7:30 PM Mary Gemski

St. Luke’s Parish Family

Friday, Dec. 9

9:00 AM Anna Morrison

by Angela Callery

Saturday, Dec. 10

5:00 PM Evelyn O’Brien

by Kathy & Tim Coleman

Next Sunday, Dec. 11

7:30 AM Daniel Harrington

9:00 AM Helen Petrucelli

10:30 AM Christopher Palladini

12:00 PM Gloria Gill

6:30 PM Mary Gemski

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

READINGS WILL BE FOUND ON

PAGE 974 IN RITUAL SONG

WE PRAY FOR THE SICK

Margaret Sobo, Valarie Dillon, Ann Caldwell,

Joan Antonio, Hunter Eccleston, Harold Kashala, Nancy Pond, Kathy Mewhiney, Donna Bushey,

Doug DeHart, James Scannel, Holly Katko,

John Henning, Bill Finnerty, Mitzi McLoughlin,

Diana (Jakstis) Grace, Claire Josephs, Pat Brunelle, Evelyn Keller, Daisy Ramos, Richard Malatesta, John McCoole, Jr.,

Maureen Smith, Christine & Robert Coutinho, John Mitiguy, Bob Hohler,

Shane Coco, Jim Dorsey, Michael Surabian, Rev. John Forbes, Jacqui Davidson, Louis Desmaris, John Morrissey, Ronda Chamoun, Marie Lauria, Luiza Dihel, Lydia Vigneau, Susan Malatesta, Anne Geale Kundrats, Jean Brunell,

Norman Boyer, Maria Matejko, Lorenza Ramos, Finn Reilly, Cindy Defazio

PARISH PRAYER LINE 508.366.6916 or 508.366.1586

WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED:

Helen Mueller (Carolyn Black’s mother)

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

Our parish Christmas pageant will be held on Sunday, December 18 at 3 pm in the Church. We invite the young people of our parish, grades 1 to 6, to be a part of our presentation of the Christmas story. Forms are in the vestibule of the church and in the parish center for any young person who wishes to be a part of the pageant. Grades 1 & 2 will be angels and shepherds. Grades 3 to 6 will do the moving parts. Names will be drawn from the list of participants. Please get your form in as soon as possible. Rehearsals are Dec. 11 and 17. The pageant brings together not only the young people, but some of the music groups in our parish. They will provide a concert of Christmas music.

Information: call Kathy Dunbeck at 508-366-7604

HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION

Thursday, December 8 is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation this year for us. Masses will be at 7am and at 12:10 pm and at 7:30 pm. Mary is the patroness of our country under this title, so we invite you to come and celebrate the Eucharist with us and pray for the welfare of our country.

The Knights of Columbus Council # 85 will have its monthly business meeting on Monday, December 5th at 7:30 PM at our K of C Hall.

RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS

Next weekend is the annual Retirement Fund for Religious Appeal. There are almost 33,000 women religious and 5,500 men religious who are over 70. While many of these continue to work regularly, this appeal helps pay the spiraling cost of health care for them. Last year 528 institutes received grants from this fund. The amount collected nationally came to 30 million dollars and our diocese gave $220,000. All of that money was given out. At least $160,000 of it was returned to the religious orders in our diocese for their health care. Your support of this fund is necessary for the well-being of these men and

women who have given so much to our church.

Please be as generous as you can.

PARISH FNANCES

Collections for November:

Envelopes………………….$32,223

Loose money………………$10,594

Credit cards………………...$ 9,369

Total collected…………….$52,180

(Weekly average - $13,045)

Campaign for Human Development.$2,952

We are grateful to all who support our parish

so generously. Credit card payment applications

are in the vestibule.

Thanksgiving ~ We would like to thank all who were so generous this year: from the students of the religious education program to all parishioners who donated money or gift cards. In addition the Student Council of Westborough High School collected food and put up 15 baskets. We were able to provide 58 families with beautiful baskets.

Giving Tree ~ All gifts are due by Sunday, December 11 @ 2:00pm. If you cannot make this deadline please notify us.

Christmas Party @ Westborough State Hospital ~ Our annual Christmas party is scheduled for Tuesday, December 13 @ 5:30pm. Volunteers are needed to bake, to help serve the food and to join along with the singing and help “Santa” distribute gifts. The party usually last 1 to 1½ hours and is always fun.

Please call Pat, Ann or Pam @ 508-366-8509 for any of the above items. Thank you

FATHER NICHOLAS VISITING:

Father Nicholas Atehortua, will be visiting with us until December 27. Father Nicholas spent Lent with us some five years ago and since then has been working in Ethiopia. We have been supporting his mission financially for the past five years and hopefully we will continue to do so. Father Niko has left Ethiopia and is on his way to his native Columbia for a vacation. He is stopping with us to renew our friendship and to say thank you for your support. We are sure you will find him a delightful visitor.

HELPING THE MISSIONS

At Christmas our thoughts turn to our Mission Friends and how we can best support them. In the budget, once again we have marked $5,000 to send to Fr. Frechette in Haiti, to Father Sylvester in Ghana and now Father Melkisedek Sanchez Villamizar in Lare, Ethiopia. Some few words about each one.

Father Frechette in Haiti is opening a hospital for children soon. Father is a Passionist priest and a medical doctor who is a part of the Little Brothers and Sisters program in Latin America. He runs the orphanage by that name in Haiti and has provided medical care to children and the poor for years.

This hospital is about to open and will serve the poor children of the area.

Father Sylvester was a visitor here when he studied for his degree in Pastoral Ministry in Boston. Now he is back in Ghana and is pastor of Good Shepherd parish in Tuna in Northern Ghana. This is the largest parish in the diocese. It has 26 outstations (or missions) and over 8,000 people scattered over a wide area covered by these stations. Right now there biggest need is a car or truck to allow the priests to travel to the outstations. There is none in the parish except for the truck Father Sylvester uses for his diocesan work of directing catechetical ministers in the parishes. The parish needs it own car, however, to be an ambulance, taxi and conveyor of all kinds of people and things. Father is looking for $8,000. I told him we would help him as much as we could and eventually get him the money.

The Mission in Lare, Ethiopia we will get to know better now that Father Nicholas is visiting. We will support his replacements and see how things go for this first year.

OUR PARISH ARRANGEMENT is that we send $2,500 to each of these places at Christmas and at Easter. Any other donations that come in are added to that amount. As you plan your gifts for Christmas, you may wish to help our Missionaries. Please mark on your gift to which Mission you wish us to send the money.

An American Red Cross blood drive will be held in Westborough on Mon., Dec. 19 at the Senior Center, 4 Rogers Rd. from 2:00-4:00 PM. This drive is open to the public and walk-ins are welcome. Positive ID is required before donating.

ADORATION:

EVERY TUESDAY FROM 9:30AM – 9:00PM

EVENING PRAYER AT 8:30PM.

LITURGICAL MINISTERS

FOR NEXT WEEKEND – Dec. 10/11

Saturday, 5:00 Mass Father George O. Lange

Lector: Jim Basque

Eucharistic Ministers: Pat Najarian, John & Bobby

Cruse, John Hegarty, Diane Migliozzi

Altar Servers:Kate McLaughlin, Anna & Rebecca Britton

Greeters: Tim & Kathy Coleman

Sunday, 7:30 Mass Father George O. Lange

Lector: Terry Bethel

Eucharistic Ministers: Richard Perron, Rosalie Utley

Elaine Halford, Ted Jasiewicz, Joe Gillis

Altar Servers: Syndey & Andrew DeArmond,

Stefan Giegucz

Greeters: Jean Marie Newey, Helen Paul

9:00 AM Mass Father Steven M. LaBaire

Lector: Eileen Ryan

Eucharistic Ministers: Kathy Richov, Phyllis & Don

Morcone, Carol Virzi, Lela Westerberg

Altar Servers: Patricia Fotos, Megan O’Neil,

Lindsey Flood

10:30AM Mass Father George O. Lange

Lector: Nancy Friis-Hansen

Eucharistic Ministers: Ed Behn, Sue McCann,

Tim Gannon, Patty Mongeau, Maureen Sullivan

Altar Servers: Sue Swiderski, Emily Polanowicz,

Robby Doretti

Greeters: Priscilla Federici, Ted Strojny

12:00 noon Mass Father Steven M. LaBaire

Lector: Kathy Cavaretta

Eucharistic Ministers: Dot Mello, Pat & Paul Horrigan

Altar Servers: Shannon Colbath, Anne Laughlin,

Daniella Speziale

6:30 PM Mass Father Steven M. LaBaire

Lector: Brian McLaughlin

Eucharistic Ministers: Sue MacKenzie, Eileen Doyle,

Mary Walters, Jim & Natalie Bruce

Altar Servers: Andrew Dunbeck, Ricky & Kasey Packer

Greeters: Paula Sparks

Spiritual support for the mentally handicapped

Call the parish office 508.366.5502 if interested

SAVE THIS DATE – THURSDAY, JAN. 4, 2006 FROM 6-9pm Ivan Drasgicevic, a visionary from Madugorje will visit our parish.