ST. JEROME CHURCH

23 Half Mile Road Norwalk, CT 06851 ~ 203-847-5349

THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD DECEMBER 25, 2016

SABBATH MASSES

Saturday 4:00 PM E.S.T. & 4:30 PM D.S.T.

Sunday 8:00 AM

9:15 AM Young Children's Mass

11:00 AM

6:00 PM Teen Mass

DAYS OF OBLIGATION

Vigil 7:00 PM

Holy Day 9:00 AM, 7:00 PM

WEEKDAY MASSES

Mon-Sat 9:00 AM

HOW TO FIND US……

Parish Website:

www.stjeromenorwalk.org

Parish Email: norwalkstjerome@cs.com

REACH email: reachstjerome@optonline.net

Parish Facebook:

St. Jerome Norwalk

REACH & TOTAL Facebook:

REACH St.Jerome

Parish Twitter: @StJeromeNorwalk

REACH & TOTAL Twitter:

@REACHstjerome

Instagram:

reach.total.stjerome

PASTORAL STAFF

203-847-5349

Rev. David Blanchfield, Pastor

Rev. Rojin Zacharias K.M., Parochial Vicar

Rev. Michael Hoag, S.J., Weekend Assistant

Deacon Dean Finch • 203-847-6397

deacon.dean.finch@gmail.com

PARISH OFFICE

203-847-5349

Mrs. Pat Florio, Secretary

Office Hours, Mon-Fri 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (REACH)

203-846-2111

Mrs. Kathy Coyne, DRE

Mrs. Natalie Raduazzo

Mrs. Kathy Rohr

YOUTH MINISTRY (TOTAL)

Joe and Daniela OʼCallaghan

203-847-0321

jocallaghan@optonline.net

danielaoc@optonline.net

MUSIC MINISTRY

203-847-5349

Mr. Donald Nelson

Mrs. Joan McFarland

PARISH COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON

Robert Yap • 203-246-7447

FINANCE COUNCIL

Jerry Holdridge • 203-966-3658

ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC SCHOOL

203-847-3881 Pre K—Grade 8

139 West Rocks Road

Norwalk, CT 06851

Mrs. Linda Dunn, Principal

FAITH DIRECT—ONLINE GIVING

866-507-8757 www.faithdirect.net

Sign up using our church code: CT46, or

by mailing a paper enrollment form available in

the parish office. Also available on our website at

www.stjeromenorwalk.org/Faith-Direct-

enrollment.pdf

MISSION STATEMENT

We the people of St. Jerome Parish, a Ro-

man Catholic community, proclaim our

belief in the message and mission of Jesus

Christ. As disciples of Jesus we are called

to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to

work for its values in the local community

and beyond. We are committed to: wor-

ship, religious education, shared faith and

service. We welcome all people with re-

spect, acceptance and support.

Parish Staff

Altar Flowers

Altar Flowers may be memorialized for a donation

of $50. Please call the Parish Office several

months prior to your desired date.

Adoration & Silent Prayer

Every day between 4:00PM and 5:00PM.

Contemplative Prayer

Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM.

Come spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Widows’ Support Group

Meets at 9:30AM on the second Thursday of the

month in the Kevin Eidt Youth Room.

Perpetual Novena

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal takes place

each Monday following morning Mass

Rosary & Divine Mercy Prayers

Monday through Saturday after daily Mass

Baptisms Please call the parish office to

schedule.

Required Pre-Baptism Please contact

Deacon Dean Finch at 203-847-6397 to arrange.

Class is required for the first child baptized at

St. Jerome.

Reconciliation One hour before vigil on

Saturday. Also anytime by appointment.

Marriages Please contact the Rectory at least

six months in advance.

Anointing of the Sick takes place on the first

Wednesday of each month, immediately following the

9:00 AM Mass, in the sanctuary. Anyone with an

ongoing medical condition or who is seriously ill,

anticipating a medical procedure or operation, is

welcome to come.

Gluten Free Hosts are available at all Masses. If

you require a gluten-free host, please see the

officiating priest before Mass.

The Banns of Marriage are announced for the

third time between Allie Marino and Derek

McCormack.

12/24 9:00 am deceased family members

CHRISTMAS EVE

4:00 pm Angela Ferrone

6:00 pm Chris Groener (10th Ann.)

(family)

10:00 pm Wally Regan

(family)

THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD

12/25 8:00 am Annette Longmuir

(Annette & John Anastasia)

11:00 am Giuseppi Giglio

(wife & family)

12:30 pm Robert Pelletier &

Madeline Hayes

(Mary & family)

12/26 9:00 am Clare Trudel (3rd Ann.)

(husband, Dick)

12/27 9:00 am for the People

2/28 9:00 am Allen Doppke

(Nicole & Jim Tobin)

12/29 9:00 am for our Parish family

12/30 9:00 am for deployed troops

12/31 9:00 am Vincent Ianaccone, Jr.

(family)

VIGIL FOR SUNDAY

4:00 pm Helen & Maureen Jansen

SOLEMNITY OF MARY,

THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

1/1 8:00 am Marianne Pilletere

(O’Melia family)

9:15 am Mariela Silva

(Antunes family)

11:00 am Marian Ainsworth

(Marlene & Vincent DiPanfilis)

6:00 pm Vincenzo Iannone, Jr.

(family)

You will be reading this on Christmas, but I am writing it on Friday, December 16

th

.

Tomorrow, the 17

th

, is a turning point in the preparation for Christmas. Tomorrow, the

Mass is not that of the Saturday of the third week of Advent, it is the Mass of December

17

th

, and so the final countdown begins.

For me, Christmas is a time of mystery and presence. It comes just after the short-

est day of the year when the day light is all too brief. It comes as the days begin to

lengthen, and in the transition from greater darkness to even more light, I see mystery.

The greatest mystery of course is that in the fullness of time, when all was dark and the

world was in trouble, the Father sent His beloved son, the WORD made flesh, to not

only become one of us, but also to enter all that is human and redeem it. One school of

theological thought says that it was enough for Jesus just to be born for us to be saved.

But the dominant position is that Jesus had to suffer and die for us to be saved. My fa-

vorite Christmas carol, I Wonder as I Wander, speaks to this mysterious connection be-

tween life and death.

So when you think of Christmas this year, meditate on this excerpt from the poem

‘The House of Christmas’ by G.K. Chesterton 3.

“To an open house in the evening

Home shall men come,

To an older place than Eden

And a taller town than Rome.

To the end of the way of the wandering star,

To the things that cannot be and that are,

To the place where God was homeless

And all men are at home.”

THIS WEEK AT ST. JEROME…….

Sunday 12/25 Blessings on Christmas!!

8:00 am, 11:00 am, and 12:30 pm Masses today

Monday 12/26

Tuesday 12/27 RCIA 7PM—Resource Room

Wednesday 12/28 Contemplative Prayer 7:00 PM

Thursday 12/29

Friday 12/30

Saturday 12/31 Men’s Ministry 7:00 AM

WEEKLY OFFERTORY SUMMARY

December 18, 2016 $3,317

December total to date $40,774

December offertory budget $59,500

(including Christmas)

As always, thank you for your

generous support of our parish .

Merry Christmas!! Many blessings as we cele-

brate Christ's birth. Why not help our own parish

prepare for the coming new year by signing up

with Faith Direct? By supporting St. Jerome Parish

through Faith Direct, both you and our parish can

save some time and peace of mind this holiday

season.

Already using Faith Direct? Don't forget to add

your Christmas or End-of-Year contributions to

your account.

Visit www.faithdirect.net and use our church code:

CT46

Thank you for your continued support of our par-

ish family!

"Take-A-Look Tuesdays"

All Saints Catholic School

Interested in finding out more about

All Saints Catholic School in Nor-

walk? Stop by our "Take-A-Look Tuesday" Open

House, held every Tuesday from 8:30-10am. Each

week, parents and students are on-hand to give

tours and answer questions about our curriculum,

activities, after-school program and tuition assis-

tance. No appointment necessary.

All Saints Catholic School, PreK—Grade 8

139 West Rocks Road, Norwalk. 203-847-3881

Yankee Candle

Post Christmas

shopping?

If you order through the end of

the year, St. Jerome still gets

credit! Just use this website

“www.yankeecandlefundraising.com” with

our group number 990036160

Mass of Remembrance

A Mass of Remembrance for the loss of a child

will be held on the Feast of the Holy Innocents,

Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at 7 p.m. at St.

Ann Parish in the Black Rock section of Bridge-

port. Father Perter Lynch, pastor, will celebrate

t h e M a s s . F o r m o r e i n f o r m at i o n ,

email OfficeofFaithFormation@diobpt.org

Notre Dame High School (Boy's

and Girls) Class of 1966 is plan-

ning a 50th Reunion for the spring,

2017. If you are interested in work-

ing on the Class of 1966 Reunion

committee or would like to receive

more information, please contact

the Notre Dame Alumni Office

at tmarzik@notredame.org or 203-372-6521 ext.

242.

Prayer for Safety for

All Travelers

Sweet Jesus we pray, Your

heavenly protection upon

all traveling this Blessed

Christmas Season...please guide them to their

destinations and bring them all safe back home.

Protect their travels and their homes and may this

Blessed Christmas bring a deeper love and devo-

tion to Your Most Sacred Heart...Amen.

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

@Pontifex “Our jpy comes from the

confidence we have that the Lord is

close to us with his tenderness,

mercy, forgiveness and love.”

@BishopCaggiano “If you do not warm up,

your workout will not achieve its full potential.

The same is true for our precious time in prayer

with the Lord.”

@JameMartinSJ “Gospel: God revealed to Jo-

seph the plan for Mary, helping him understand.

God often uses dreams to help us see some-

thing new. Pay attention.”

GIVING TREE THANKS!!

Many thanks for the very gen-

erous outpouring of donations

for our giving tree this year—

both for Person to Person

and for Education & Hope.

The Spirit of Christmas is

very much alive here at St. Jerome. May God

bless each of you this Christmas season!!

December 25—Merry Christmas!!

January 1—Happy New Year!!

January 8— Grades K-6 meet at the 9:15

Mass followed by class.

• TOTAL meets next on January 15

th

.

• The TOTAL team would like to wish you all a

peaceful and joyful Christmas and a happy

and healthy New Year.

• TOTAL would like to thank the parish for their

tremendous support with the Night in a Box

project. We collected 14 bins full of toiletries

and bought socks, hats and gloves for the

Open Door Shelter. We also raised $3,800!!

Dianne Turchick and Monica Harrington

dropped off our collections at the Open Door

Shelter earlier this week. Thank you again for

your help in making this a successful event.

• Applications are being accepted for Emmaus

39 taking place on January 6, 7, and 8. This

weekend is open to sophomores, juniors and

seniors. If you are interested in attending,

please contact Joe or Daniela O’Callaghan.

Space is limited so please send in your de-

posit and application as soon as possible.

Crèches of Germany:

Tradition and Faith

The Knights of Columbus Museum,

1 State Street in New Haven, hosts

its annual Christmas exhibit—

Crèches from Germany and more,

including a hand-carved cedar nativ-

ity scene from Mexico and its popu-

lar 120 square-foot Baroque Nea-

politan (Italian) diorama. Open daily

10 AM to 5 PM with free admission & parking. For

more information visit their website at kofcmu-

seum.org or call 203-8658-0400.

HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURES

The Parish and Religious Education offices will

be closed for the holidays from December 23rd

through January 1st. We will reopen on January

2nd.

SAFE ENVIRONMENTS

******IMPORTANT ******

All volunteers 18 years and over must be in

compliance with the diocesan mandate.

P l e a s e s e e t h e V I R T U S w e b s i t e

(www.virtusonline.org) click “first time registra-

tion”, click “view a list of sessions”, search

‘Bridgeport, CT (Diocese)”.

Some upcoming training dates:

Catholic Center (Bridgeport) 1/14—10:00 AM