From the desk of Monsignor Bride

We have completed our celebration of the magnificent feast of Christmas and last Tuesday, we returned to Ordinary Time.
Let me say a word about Ordinary Time. This is the special liturgical celebration of the Church from the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord to Ash Wednesday and then from the Feast of Pentecost to the First Sunday of Advent.  What is ORDINARY TIME ?
ORDINARY TIME is a period in the Church when the liturgical celebration of the Church each week, puts a focus on the message of the Gospel, as Jesus proclaimed that Gospel.  The major seasons of the Church year – ADVENT-CHRISTMAS-LENT- AND EASTER- place special focus on the Lord Jesus himself, on his life and on the special, deeply theological deeds which he performed and which celebrate our redemption and salvation.
As supremely important as these are, they are not the whole context of the Lord’s mission. During the three years of his preaching and teaching ministry, a ministry which saw him preaching, performing miracles, ministering to the people of Israel, and teaching the message of God to the people of his time, we have what we now know as the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke and Saint John. These events of the Lord’s life and the summary of his teaching are the foundation of Ordinary Time.
ORDINARY TIME affords us a special opportunity to focus on the Day of the Lord, The Day of Resurrection, and the Day of Sunday. Sunday is the Lord’s Day. Around this day, the full structure of the Church’s celebration of the mystery of Jesus Christ is founded.
The interesting point, the incongruous point is that ORDINARY TIME is not very ordinary at all. The key to Ordinary Time is a special focus on Sunday, the heart and soul of the Christian’s calendar, because Sunday is the Day of the Lord, the day when Christians gather as a community, the day which renews the life of the Resurrected Christ with in us, the day when we as a community of believers IN JESUS CHRIST focus our attention on Him, on His life and Ministry and the mystery which results in our salvation.
It is most interesting that what we do on Sundays is proclaim to the world what we do in life. Now here in western civilization the numbers of Catholic attending Mass is decreasing before our very eyes. Good people, people of Faith, people who believe, have stopped attending Church or attend Church sparingly.  This is a cause of great concern. How can we be a believing people if we fail to come forward – not for the priest - not for the parish, but for God, to hear him and listen to him. Please, let us come to Church.

                        ‘Monsignor Bride

Monsignor Bride’s Vacation
Monsignor Bride is on vacation.   He will return to the Rectory on Sunday evening, January 21, 2007.   Various priests will cover Sunday and weekday Masses. Deacon Ron is in charge of the parish during Monsignor’s absence.

COLLECTIONS
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Offertory $3,824.65
Monthly (Jan) $1,288.20     Energy (Jan) $
Next weekend is the National Combined Collection.

Outside the Parish
Why rent when you can own your own home?  Attend a FREE 8 Hour Homebuyers Education Class and learn all the steps into becoming a homeowner.  The next class begins on January 20th & 27th  9 AM to 1 PM at St. Joseph’s Church in Willimantic.  To register or inquire, call Esmerelda Thornton at Catholic Charities.  889-8346 Ext. 271.
Married Couples Looking for a New Year’s Resolution?  Resolve to have a relationship with your spouse that’s beyond your wildest dreams.  It can happen on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend.  The next weekend will be January 26-28, 2007.  For more information about Worldwide Marriage Encounter  or to register for an upcoming weekend, please contact John & Bev Maley at 203-364-0836 or bikmaley@aol.com or visit www.wwme.org.

January 22, 2007 marks the 34th “birthday” of the Supreme Court’s abortion-approving decision, Roe v. Wade, a ruling that has denied a birthday to millions of American children. 

MARCH FOR LIFE
BUSES TO WASHINGTON:  Those going by bus will board on Sunday evening, January 21st, at NINE (9) PM
at the Norwich Municipal Parking Lot at Exit 80  (West Main Street) off Interstate 395.
Buses will return to the same location at approximately One (1) AM on Tuesday morning. 
Adult fare:  $50   Student fare:   $25
For further information and seat reservation call:  Patti Rossi at 848-1064 or Margaret Becotte at 822-1362.    

                        Announced Masses

Monday, January 15th   Weekday of Ordinary Time                 
7:30 A.M.  Lucy Burke  (Josephine York) 
Tuesday,  January 16th    Weekday of Ordinary Time                 
7:30 A.M.  Philip B. & Frances E. Pasquale  (Estate)   
Wednesday, January 17th    St. Anthony, abbot                             
7:30 A.M.  Sr. Mary Concepta  (Sr. Michelle)
Thursday, January 18th   Weekday of Ordinary Time    
7:30 A.M.   Jack Watson    (Linda Strickland)                  
Friday, January 19th     Weekday of Ordinary Time                    
7:30 A.M. Parishioners of OLPH