St. Pius X Church

Rev. Raymond N. Suriani Pastor Emeritus

Alcino G. Almeida, Trustee Adele Laudone, Trustee

Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM

Sunday Masses: 7:00, 8:30, 10:30 AM Weekday Masses: Monday through Friday 7:00 AM,

Saturday 8:00 AM

Holy Days: Please consult the bulletin

Mr. Richard Stockman Director of Music Ministry

Telephone 401-596-2535 Email: rich_stockman@yahoo.com

Rev. Michael J. Najim, Pastor Rev. Mr. Francis J. Valliere, Deacon Assistant

DIRECTOR OF FAITH FORMATION AND EVANGELIZATION RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF CHILDREN

Christine Magowan - 401-596-2535 Ext.105 Email:

chrismagowan@verizon.net

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS Deacon Francis and Mrs. Donna Valliere - 401-596-2232

Email: fjvalliere@cox.net

ST. PIUS X REGIONAL ACADEMY 32 Elm Street, Westerly

Telephone: 401-596-5735 www.westerlystpiusxschool.org

Mrs. Janet C. Rufful, Principal

Email: jrufful@stpiusxonline.org

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Confessions on Saturdays from 3:30 - 4:30 PM and Wednesday evenings from 5:00 - 6:00 PM. At other times by appointment with the Pastor. Sacrament of Baptism: Baptisms are held on the third Sunday of each month. Please call the rectory in advance for details. Pastoral Care of the Sick: The Pastor regularly visits the sick and shut-ins in their homes and in the hospital to administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and to bring them Holy Communion. New Parishioners: Welcome! Please register with the parish by calling the rectory office. Sacrament of Marriage: Couples planning to marry should contact the Pastor at least one year before the wedding.

RECTORY 44 Elm Street

Westerly, Rhode Island 02891

Mrs. Debra M. Carey Parish Secretary/Notary

Telephone 401-596-2535 Fax 401-596-9930

Email: stpiusx@cox.net www.saintpiuswesterly.org

OFFICE HOURS Monday - Thursday 8:30 am - 12 Noon 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm

CLOSED - FRIDAY

St. Pius X Church

Mon - December 25 8:30 am Mass Parish Celebration of Christmas CHRISTMAS DAY

Mon - December 25 10:30 am Mass Parish Celebration of Christmas CHRISTMAS DAY

Tues - December 26 7:00 am Mass Rev. Anthony Kacevicius Saint Stephen, First Martyr Third Pastor of St. Pius X Parish

Wed - December 27 7:00 am Mass Henry Fiore, Sr. St. John, Apostle & Evangelist Second Anniversary

Thurs - December 28 7:00 am Mass Julia Sylvia Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Fri - December 29 7:00 am Mass Mary Alfiero

jxww|Çz Fri - December 29 5:00 pm Alexandra Bianchi and Jacob Bearden

Sat - December 30 8:00 am Mass Joseph Perri, Sr. Blessed Virgin Mary

THURSDAY EVENINGS  CHILDREN OF THE KING YOUTH GROUP ‐ Prayer & share 

group for teens entering high school up to gradua ng  senior 7:00pm ‐ 8:30pm    

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.  Last Wednesday of the Month, at 7:00 pm in the Church to pray the Rosary.  All are welcome! Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are prac cal (that is, prac cing) Catholics in union with the Holy See.  Check out this special website to learn more:   

 www.kofc.org/un/en/membership/join or email kofccouncil21@gmail.com 

MORNING PRAYER  Monday, Wednesday thru Saturday a er morning Mass.  

MONDAY EVENINGS  CCD CLASSES ‐ (grades 1 ‐ 8) 6:00 ‐ 7:15pm during the school 

year. Classes are held at the school Monday Evenings. 

NOVENA TO ST. JUDE ‐ Monday evenings 7pm.  

RCIA CLASS ‐ Monday evenings at 7:30pm. Forma on and  

         instruc on held in the mee ng room in the upper church, under              the direc on of  Deacon Francis & Donna Valliere ‐ 596‐2232            email:  valliere@cox.net 

TUESDAY  ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT ‐          A er 7:00am mass ending with Benedic on at 6:00pm.  

TUESDAY EVENINGS  CHARISMATIC PRAYER MEETING ‐  First Tuesday of each 

month 7:30 ‐ 9:00 pm in the church. Next mee ng: 01/02/2018. 

RESPECT LIFE COMMITTEE ‐ Third Tues of each month; 6:05pm  

         Immediately following Benediction. In the church meeting room             (except July & August).  Next meeting date: TBD.            New members always welcome! 

BOCCE BALL ‐ May—August evenings 6:00pm at the School  

FRIDAY  OUR LADY’S VISITORS PRAYER GROUP ‐  9:00am in the mee ng 

room. This prayer group is for all who seek to prac ce the virtues of joy and humility in imita on for Our Blessed Mother Mary and the Visita on.  We will also be going out in apostleship to the sick and shut‐ins bringing the message of love, hope and God’s mercy through prayer, leading rosary prayers in the nursing homes as well as assis ng during Mass at local nursing homes and assisted living homes. 

 

PRAYER GROUP FOR THE SICK ‐ 3:00pm ‐ 3:30pm before the Blessed Sacrament in par cular for those suffering with cancer and serious illness. 

SATURDAY  ROSARY FOR LIFE ‐  7:30am (before 8:00am Mass) every First 

Saturday. Next Rosary For Life is: 01/06/2017. 

Sat - December 30 5:00 pm Mass Joseph & Theresa Ballato THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH

Sun - December 31 7:00 am Mass People of the Parish THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH

Sun - December 31 8:30 am Mass William & Frances Greene THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH

Sun - December 31 10:30 am Mass Rhana Fleming THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH ____________________________________________

WEEKDAY WEEKEND

PARISH STEWARDSHIP Thank you and God bless you for your continued generosity.

December 17, 2017……………………………….…$8,262 Weekly Contributions

Christmas Collection December 24 & 25

 Find us at:  www.saintpiuswesterly.org  stpiusx@cox.net  @stpiusxri  

Follow us on TWITTER and INSTAGRAM Like us on FACEBOOK 

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in

purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Westerly, Rhode Island

God’s blessings upon the newly Baptized:

Mason Kelliher Almeida

 

Fr. Michael J. Najim December 24, 2017

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Najim’s Notes

St. Pius X Regional Academy 32 Elm Street * Westerly, RI 02891

A personalized, specialized and spiritualized 21st Century Education.

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Highly qualified reading, math, and resource teachers Extended daycare before and after school

After school enrichment clubs

$4950.00 Pre-K $5700.00 K-8 Tuition assistance available! Call us at 596-5735.

www.westerystpiusxschool.org

Dear Friends,  

Today is my last reflec on on the four reasons “Why the Son of God Became Man.”    The fourth reason the Catechism gives us is that God became man to make us partakers of the divine nature.  Before I    elaborate, ponder these two quotes:  

“For the Son of God became man so that we might   become God” (St. Athanasius).  

 “The only‐bego en Son of God, wan ng to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods"  (St. Thomas Aquinas). 

 Now, is the Catechism saying, along with St. Athanasius and St. Thomas Aquinas, that we are actually gods?  That we are divine beings?  No!  The Catechism is saying that God, in his goodness, has willed to make us sharers in his divine nature through grace.  This means that when you and I were               bap zed, God infused his very life within us.    This is all possible because God became man in the person of Jesus.  Even though Jesus lived a human life, he is not a      human person; Jesus is a divine person because he is the         second person of the Holy Trinity.  When God became man in Jesus, he united our humanity to his divinity so that we might be able to share in God’s divine life.  So, while we are all     human beings, God in his goodness has willed to allow us to share in his very own divine life.  This sharing in the life of God is what we call “grace.”    How do we grow in grace?  We do so by remaining united to Jesus; and we are able to remain united to Jesus because he first united himself to us.  We remain united to Jesus in our lives through daily prayer, the sacraments, and living the    virtues (par cularly faith, hope, and charity).  As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we thank the Lord for his infinite love for us.  We thank the Lord for revealing his love for us by becoming one of us, and for allowing us to share in his divine life.    Be assured of my prayers for you, your family, and all of your loved ones during this holy Christmas season.  May you      experience in your heart the peace and joy that only Jesus Christ can bring.    

The Saint Vincent de Paul Society’s food pantry at Immaculate Conception Church thanks you

for your generous donation of gift cards for Thanksgiving and for the food donation this month in support of our ongoing mission t feed the poor.

Servants of Christ for Life has booked a 55-seat charter bus for the March for Life in Washington D.C., the largest pro-life event in the

world. Each year hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers descend upon the nation's capital to witness to the truth concerning the greatest

human rights violation of our time, legalized abortion on demand. This year the March for Life is on Friday, January 19. Here is an outline of

our itinerary. More details to follow in the coming weeks.

Thursday, January 18 6:00AM: A bus will pick us up at St. William's Church, 200 Pettaconsett Rd.,

Warwick (Cars can be left in St. William's parking lot overnight). There will also be a Westerly pick-up at Exit 92. 3:00PM

Arrive at the Knights of Columbus Hall where we will spend the night. Bring a sleeping bag and pillow. 5:00PM: Mass

7:00PM: Speaker and Dinner.

Friday, January 19 8:00AM: Breakfast 9:00AM: Mass 11:00AM: Leave on the bus for the March 3:00PM: Drive back to RI 12:00AM: Arrive home in RI Cost: $100

REPLY TO: t3rowley@gmail.com

to reserve your spot on the bus. Mail your check to:

Servants of Christ for Life PO Box 72652

Providence, RI 02907

Parish Announcements

Christmas Mass     Sunday 4:00pm & 10:00pm Schedule    Monday 8:30am & 10:30am  NOVENA     No Novena ‐ Monday December 25       (Christmas Day)       And Monday January 1 (New Years Day)  Eucharistic Adoration:  Tuesday December 26 (7:30am—6:00pm) 

  

Adoration  Confessions and Rosary:      Wednesday December 27‐ 5:00pm        Confession*Rosary*Divine Mercy Chaplet  

Christmas Collec on:  This week   Christmas Flower:     Can be placed in any collec on basket

Envelopes   Bible Study with:     Begins Wednesday January 10  Fr. Ray (St. Mark)     Church Hall 6:30—8:00pm 

 Pilgrim Icon of Divine Mercy will be bringing grace and mercy to the home of:  

      The Nancy Capalbo Family           

SCHEDULE

Saturday DECEMBER 30 5:00pm Megan MacDonald & Kimberly Ward Sunday DECEMBER 31 7:00am Skylar Massey, Veronica & Felicity Kushner Sunday DECEMBER 31 8:30am Kolbe & Alexi Blier Sunday DECEMBER 31 10:30am John, Michael & Marianna Mancini

Monthly Healing Mass For Addictions

Sunday January 7, 2018 2:00 PM at St James Chapel.

(There is another healing mass on January 14 as well at 2:00 PM. The chapel is located 2079 Matunuck School House Road, Charlestown RI 02813)

GOD'S PROMISE The lengthy passage from Samuel is a wonderful exposition of God's promise to the house of David: that his throne would forever be gloriously occupied by his descendants. Hidden in the mystery of the prophecy is the promise of the Savior, the Messiah, Son of God and Son of David. The prophet Nathan,

speaking in God's name, poetically turns around David's plan to build a house for God, and announces God's plan to build a "house," that is, a dynasty for

David. From this house of David will come the Messiah, the Christ, not in kingly splendor as David ruled, but as a humble man, destined to rule forev-er and over all. When God gives a gift, it's amazing what we are given--so

different from what we ever could have imagined.

TODAY'S READINGS First Reading - I will fix a place for my people. I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance (2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16). Psalm - For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord (Psalm 89). Second Reading - To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever and ever (Romans 16:25-27). Gospel - Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1:26-38).

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Children of the parish are somewhat focused on Santa Claus these days, who is keeping an eye on who's naughty and who's nice. Santa Claus, with his heavenly patron Saint Nicholas, has been more or less in charge of gi ‐giving to American children for a hundred years or so. In other places, per‐haps more a en ve to our Chris an tradi on, there are different gi ‐bearers. In Greece, Saint Basil delivers the presents on his feast day, De‐

cember 31, and makes sure everyone is sprinkled with holy water. The Baby Jesus is in charge elsewhere, called the Christkind in Austria and Belgium, El Niño Jesús in Columbia, and Le Pe t Jesus in France, where he shares his 

du es with Père Noël. In the Czech Republic almost everyone is atheist, but Je í ek, the infant Jesus, brings gi s to one and all. In Poland the "Star Man" is said to bring the gi s, although o en he turns out to be the village priest in disguise. Saint Nicholas, not his Americanized cousin, is the giver in Hol‐land, where he wears a bishop's miter, and in Russia, where he wears a 

bishop's crown. Soviet Russia tried to dethrone Saint Nicholas and promote Grandfather Frost, but no one was much fooled by this a empt to squeeze religion out of Christ's birth. One country has a saintly woman in charge of the gi s, Saint Lucy, honored in Sweden on December 13, when children serve their parents breakfast in bed, and others awake to news that they 

have been nominated for a Nobel Prize. Some children have a second round of gi s on Epiphany, when the magi assume the gi ‐giving du es. In gen‐eral, the gi s of Christmas are simple pleasures, not great heaps of treas‐ures. Once upon a  me, a new pair of socks or an orange was enough for us. No ma er what gi s we receive, all of them are to point us to the true 

gi , and the true giver.  

Have you ever been told to "think before you speak"? Nathan seems to have spoken too soon when he told David to do whatever he wanted about building a house for the LORD. But later that night the God gave him a message for David: the LORD did not need anyone to build him a 

house; God would make David's house (in the sense of family or          descendants) last forever. That can be a lesson to us. Instead of just thinking before we speak, it could be a good idea to pray before we 

speak. How many  mes have we said something in anger (or selfishness, fear, any strong feeling) that we wished we could take back? If we just think before we speak, we might just ra onalize what we wanted to say in the first place. But if you take a li le more  me to bring our feelings to God, ask for guidance and listen for what God would have us say, things might turn out a lot be er. We pray before meals; why not pray before going to work? We can pray before making decisions about our family, ge ng engaged, taking a new job, buying a new house/car/HD‐TV, etc. When a friend or rela ve needs someone to talk to, we can pray that we listen well and say what God wants our friend to hear. If we have enough faith to let God guide our lives, let's take the  me in prayer to listen for 

that guidance.  

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

DECEMBER 24, 2017

NEWS

Religious Education for grades 1-8 on Monday Evenings

6:00 pm to 7:15 pm at St. Pius X Regional Academy

______________________________________________________________________________________

News from the Office of

Faith Formation and Evangelization __________________________________________________________

Did you know that…

Natural methods may be taught to anyone and are easy to use?

Darren & Robin Blier 596-9582 or Pete & Lora Brodeur 596-3443 www.ccli.org

ST. PIUS X PARISH Is offering a ten week

BIBLE STUDY “The Gospel According to MARK”

With

Fr. Ray Suriani

There is NO pre-registration However….. You will need to purchase “The Gospel According to Mark” Study Set

prior to the first Introductory Class. You may order the 2 book study set $15.95 online at:

https://www.littlerockscripture.org/Products Or call: 1-800-858-5434

ALL CLASSES WILL BE HELD IN THE CHURCH

HALL 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Wednesday Evenings

CHRISTMAS PRAYER BY MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA

January 10 (Introductory Class)

January 17 January 31 February 07 February 21 February 28 March 07 March 14 March 21 April 04

(if necessary)

April 11 (if necessary)

For Information ... Call

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