O come home this year to Heart of Jesus for Christmas…

Coming home to church for Christmas is a precious Christmas gift to God…
along with worshipping together with some regularity in the coming year.

Your presence is your gift offering for God’s great gift to you of his only Son, his Christ made flesh in the Babe of Bethlehem, Jesus, our Lord.

So – COME HOME THIS SEASON… home where…

• you have fellowship with the crucified and risen Christ
• you are forgiven
• you hear the voice of God
• you grow in the knowledge of the Bible, God’s Word
• you feed your soul
• you are fed and sustained by the Eucharist
• you are loved and encouraged
• you are prayed for
• you love and encourage your fellow Christians
• you help other people
• you worship
• you promote the gospel
• you find the fullness of truth and grace
• you and your children have a faith foundation

Come home to the small parish with a big heart…
Come home to the little church others could be looking for if you show them the way…
Come home to the intimate congregation you won’t feel lost in.

Blessings on you, your family and loved ones this Christmas season and throughout the New Year.

– Fr. Bernie

The beautiful 3 by 5 foot vinyl banner proclaims Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming Messiah and lists the times of the Pasterka – Shepherd’s Mass – for Christmas Eve and the Mass for Christmas Day. From our banner Isaiah proclaims:

…. unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given ….

CHRISTMAS DAY, Sunday, December 25
Nativity of our Lord
10:00 AM Holy Mass of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour

Solemnity of the Circumcision of our Lord, Sunday, January 1
9:30 AM Holy Mass

Solemnity of the Epiphany (Three Kings observed), Sunday, January 8
9:30 AM Holy Mass
The blessing and distribution of charcoal and incense will be done for the Feast of Three Kings – Epiphany

Lamplighter Christmas Greetings: Please begin submitting your holiday greetings to parishioners and readers of our Lamplighter Newsletter. As before, the page size per greeting is quarter-page – $5, half-page – $10, and full page – $20. As before, you can submit a greeting text and illustration if you like.

Christmas Floral Memorials: Poinsettias can be donated for this Christmas season as memorial offerings. Please contact any Parish Committee member with your memorial floral designation; or contact the rectory by mail, telephone at 201-858-4320, or by E-mail; or leave your memorial designation request in the offering plate. The poinsettias are $20 per pot.

For worship that day, our celebration of Mass included opening and closing hymns which were written especially for the first anniversary and this the tenth anniversary of that fateful day. Prayers were offered for the various realties of that day and for this anniversary, and graphics of the twin towers were placed in the sanctuary and in church; and two special photographic renderings of them were displayed in the narthex for our recollection.

Thanks to Tom Grodkiewicz for his contribution to the graphic remembrances which was displayed all day and all night under the spotlight in the narthex before the glass wall to the entrance of our church. Our thanks also to Dr. Justine Pawlukiewicz for loaning the artistic rendering in her possession which was placed along side the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue on her table with candles flickering before it.

As it turned out, the lectionary readings for that particular Sunday, the 11th of September focused on the spiritual work of forgiveness. The sermon preached in church for that day and the texts of the special hymns sung before and after Holy Mass along with the special prayers for the day will be placed on the parish website for everyone’s perusal.

Scranton, Lackawanna County – There is a new leader of the Polish National Church in Scranton. Bishop John Edward Mack was installed Sunday at the Cathedral of the Central Diocese in the Electric City.

Bishop Mack was installed at a mass at St. Stanislaus Cathedral. He has been serving as a pastor for more than 25 years in Pittsburgh, but he is very familiar with Scranton.

“I went to seminary here in Scranton. It’s been about 25 years since I was back here,” said Bishop Mack.

Scranton is also where the Polish National Catholic Church began in 1897. The bishop says don’t let the name fool you, the church has evolved. “We’re and ethnic bearing church we began as strictly church. Now we’re multi-ethnic we reach out to all people.”

Bishop Mack says he looks forward to leading the Central Diocese of the church and its 42 parishes, which reaches as far west as Denver and as far south as Baltimore. “Each individual church has unique talents and gifts they always need to share with the community,” he said. Though it might be hard to get to each church. “We don’t have a diocesan jet so I guess we’ll put a few miles on the car.”

O God, you sent your Son, Jesus, to bring eternal life to
those who believe. I join Him in praying for laborers for
your harvest. May your Holy Spirit inspire men and
women to continue his mission through your priesthood,
diaconate and lay ministry. And may this same Spirit
make known your will for my life. In your Son’s holy
Name I make this prayer. Amen!

Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, revive in your
Church that spirit which you so abundantly bestowed on
the Apostles. Call, we pray you, very many men to your
priesthood in the Polish National Catholic Church. And
may zeal for your glory and for the salvation of souls
inflame those whom You have chosen; may they be
saints in your likeness, and may your Spirit strengthen
them. O Jesus, give us priests after you own Heart. In
your Name I pray. Amen!

The observance begins with Holy Mass and procession for all Seniorate parishioners. All our parishioners are encouraged to attend this afternoon’s Corpus Christi ceremonies. Light refreshments will follow afterwards in the social hall for all in attendance.