THANK YOU to all the parishioners who supported our Giving Tree this year. We were able to fulfill exact Christmas gift wishes for 600 children! Your thoughtfulness will allow each child to experience the joy of Christmas through the receipt of these special presents. All gifts will be delivered to St. Anne’s Human Services and Catholic Charities today. A special thanks to Maryanne Damico who coordinates this for our parish every year as part of our Outreach Ministry.

Children and parents share the special meaning of Christmas while participating in the pageant each year. Family involvement is needed as we bring the Christmas story to life during Mass on Christmas Eve. Join us for rehearsal on Monday, December 17 and Thursday, December 20 at 6:30 in the church. Costumes will be provided. Contact Jamie Horvath at 719-322-3532 if you would like to participate. There will be sign-up sheets in the sacristy.

Nearly 200 Saint Mary Parish families, friends and neighbors of all ages gathered in the Parish Hall for a wonderful evening of Christmas carols, storytelling and community. This Saint Mary tradition is a wonderful way for all of us to slow down during Advent and prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus.

Given the continuing questions about sexual abuse of minors by members of the Church and issues which arose before and during the November meeting in Baltimore of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, we sat down with Bishop Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester, to ask what is happening in the Diocese of Worcester. His responses are endorsed by the Diocesan Review Committee, members’ names are listed at the end of this interview.

"Please silence your cellphones" we are often told before the beginning of a concert, play, movie or lecture. We know the reason why - so that we will not disturb people around us. But we also silence these necessary how-did-we-ever-live-without-them devices so that we ourselves will not be disturbed and so we can focus our attention on what is happening before us.