Over the weekend of December 9th, our parish community contributed $6,270 in ordinary support, $1,865 for the Capital Improvement Fund, and $295 for the Retired Religious Fund.

The latter collection now stands at $2,877.

The next collection for our Capital Improvement Fund will be held .

Thank you for your continued support!

You enter this Church... not as a stranger, but as a guest of God. God is your heavenly Father. Come, then, with joy in your heart and thanks on your lips into God's presence, offering God your love and service.

Be grateful to the strong and the loyal ones who, in the name of Jesus Christ, built this place of worship and to all who have beautified it and hallowed it with their prayers and praise.

Ask God's blessing on those who live this house of faith as the inspiration of their labor, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit, and may that blessing rest on you, both on your going out and your coming in.

If there are parishioners who are homebound, in a nursing facility, or in the hospital and who wish pastoral visits and Holy Communion, please contact the Rectory by calling 978-537-7257.

We rely on parishioners to notify us if there are patients to be visited. Please keep the Rectory informed.

Due to the new confidentiality guidelines for Leominster hospital, the hospital will no longer be able to notify us when parishioners are in the hospital. Unless you specifically ask the chaplain to contact us, we will not know of your admission.

Therefore, we ask that you please call us if you would like a visit while in the hospital. If you anticipate a stay in the hospital, please let us know so we can keep you in our prayers.

Grades 1-6 meet on Saturday from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Grades 7-11 meet on Monday nights from 7:00 - 8:15 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Medeiros at 978-537-7257 or 978-537-1194.

If you are new to our parish program, please call the rectory 978-537-7257 to request a registration form or you can download a form.

Religious Education Calendar.

The files above require the Adobe Acrobat Reader®

The weekend of December 16th - 17th we will be collecting canned goods, perishables, turkeys, food and monetary donations for our St. Vincent de Paul Society for distribution at Christmas.

In addition to food, we will be giving out Christmas gifts donated through our Secret Santa program.

Saturday evening, December 15th, we welcomed to our parish community the Most Reverend George E. Rueger, retired auxiliary bishop of the Worcester Diocese, who administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 42 young adults and one adult convert.

We congratulate the candidates who publicly affirm their baptismal promises made by parents and godparents. We pray that they mature as Catholic Christians as they receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and reverence for the Lord.

Those confirmed are the following:

Are you getting married soon? Consider joining us on January 4th - 6th, 2008 at the Marist House, Framingham, MA.

This is a special weekend designed to give couples planning marriage an opportunity to dialogue honestly about their prospective lives together. Through a series of talks you discuss your desires, ambitions, goals and attitudes about money, children, family, as well as your role in the Church and society.

Moreover this weekend would fulfill the instructional requirements of the Diocese for marriage preparation.

Contact Joe or Barbara O’Connor at 978-422-6612 or by e-mail with questions. You may register at the above e-mail or at Catholic Engaged Encounter

Risk is a part of life, an action we can choose to take. Those now living and growing in their mother’s womb inhabit a place that has become more dangerous than any battlefield or terrorist target. Their lives hang in the balance every moment. They did not choose their risk; someone else chose it for them. Are we willing to risk defending unborn children?

(Father Frank Pavone, Priests for Life 2/07)

Cash raffle winners:
$500 – Dawn Malone
$200 – Julie DeForte
$100 – Dene Veilleux
$50 – Phyllis Maillet

Class Basket winners:
Theresa Barre
Cindy Crowley
Pat Daigle
Arthur Farnsworth
Amy Franking
Jackie Gavin
Glana Geary
Jenna McFaul
Sue Rigopoulos

Chinese Auction winners:
Mane Bedard
Michelle Boucher
Dianne Brown
Amy Cochran
Kelly Connors
Arlene Dorego
Julia Hyrniewich
Cara Leger
Jeff McDowell
Melinda Melehov
Tricia Morissette
MP Rivard
Lynn Spencer
Paula Stevens
J. Trembly
Hanna Vicumy
Sharon White

As always we thank everyone who helped make this fair a great success, your hard work, time and monetary spending are very much appreciated!!

Began Sunday, December 2nd at 5:00 p.m. and will be held every Sunday of Advent.

Please join us in ushering in the Advent season with renewed spirituality.

The National Shrine of Our Lady of LaSalette on Rte. 118 in Attleboro, MA, announces the 2007 Christmas Festival of Lights from November 22nd - January 1st, 2008.

The illuminations will be from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. daily, celebrating the religious traditions of the Christmas season.

This year’s Festival of Lights celebrates the Shrine’s 54th Anniversary with the theme: "Love is Born."

There are over 250,000 lights on 17 decorated acres. Gift shop hours are 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. daily.

Call 508-222-5410 for more information or on the web at National Shrine of Our Lady of LaSalette

We are beginning a new training cycle for altar servers at St. Leo’s. Any boy or girl in grade 4 or above is welcome to participate.

Please call Fr. Doran at the rectory 978-537-7257. Classes will begin soon.

The Merrimack Valley Ringers will present a hand bell free concert entitled "Sounds of the Season" on Sunday, December 16th at 7:00 p.m. at Pilgrim Congregational Church.

All are welcome!!

The 2008 schedule book for Mass Intentions is now open. Please come soon in order to assure certain dates and times for next year.

Masses may be scheduled between 8:00 - 3:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

Catholic Charities Family & Community Services, 196 Mechanic St., Leominster

To volunteer call 978-840-0696

We need help with:

• Material Assistance: working with staff in assisting those in need of food, clothing and/or furniture.
• Maintenance: tending to the indoor/outdoor needs of the Catholic Charities office.
• Purchase: materials for agency use and items needed for distribution to clients.
• Clerical /Receptionist: provide coverage for secretarial staff during periods of intense work load and relief to staff during breaks and vacations.
• Friendly Visitation: provide services to elderly persons including letter writing, advocacy and Escort services. Outreach is through home visits and telephone reassurance calls

Executive Director, Kathy McKinnon is transitioning from the Executive Director to serve on the board which creates a need for a new leader for the day to day operations of Care Net. Ministry and management experience are a plus.

Nurses/Client Advocates – LPN’s and RN’s are needed. Do you have a few hours a week free to work with clients at Care Net?

Volunteer position could become a paid staff position. Volunteer Client Advocates are also needed.

For any of these positions please call Kathy at 978-342-4244.

"Embryos are not potential human beings; rather they are human beings with potential. Embryos are potential taxpayers, potential pianists and potential bank robbers, but the only reason they have all that remarkable potential (and so much more besides) is because of what they already are, namely human beings."

   (Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D., The Southern Cross, 5/07

All men who have been serving as parish representatives for the 8th Annual Catholic Men’s Conference, are invited to the Annual Mass & Breakfast Planning Meeting, which is scheduled for Saturday, January 12th, at Christ the King Parish in Worcester.

Mass is at 8:00 a.m. and breakfast follows.

To pre-register for this planning event, which is necessary, please contact Bob Haran in any of the following ways: email: ; fax: 508-852-6156; write: 41 Davidson Road, Worcester, 01605 or phone 508-852-0551.

And please check out their web site for complete conference information, Worcester Catholic Men.

Our St. Leo's Parish Building Fund Campaign continues and we have now reached toward our goal of $1.6 million. THANKS!

At present we have received gifts with many potential donors still being solicited. Please consider the "Tree of Life" memorial.

If 32 donors pledge $2,500 over five years, we will attain our goal.

The Serra Club of Worcester north invites us all to pray that priests and religious persevere in their vocations.

This week we are asked to pray for Fathers Tokarz, Dennis O’Brien, Lettic, Caldarella, and Garlick.

Eternal Word Television Network – channel 238 on Comcast Cable will broadcast the Solemn Midnight Mass by Pope Benedict XVI live in St. Peter’s in Rome on Christmas Eve at 6:00 p.m.

It will be repeated on Christmas Day at 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Choral meditations live from the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington will be Christmas Eve at 10:00 p.m.

The American Red Cross Blood Donor Center opens at the Leominster Elks, 134 North Main Street every Tuesday from 1:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Give the Gift of Life!

A new movie, The Golden Compass, was released on December 7th throughout the U.S. and translated into 32 different languages.

The movie is based on a trilogy, His Dark Materials. The author, Phillip Pullman has said in an interview that this trilogy concentrates upon this theme: "I Want to Kill God in the Minds of children...I want them to decide against God and the Kingdom of heaven" quote from Phillip Pullman.

The Golden Compass, a sanitized version of the book, wants to have children and young people rebel against parents, teachers, the Church, and anyone in authority.

Please avoid going to the movie and call your local theater and ask them not to show the movie.

Please remember in your prayers our parishioners who are on active duty in our military and others commended to our prayers.

• LTC Francis Burns
• SGT Andrew Ciprotti
• MAJ Arthur Elbthal
• 1LT Ryan Hamel
• CPT Matthew James
• M.C.P.O. Jean Paul Lambert
• PV2 Jarred Merriam
• LCDR Shane Sullivan
• LTC Michael Tarsa

If you have other soldiers that you wish parishioners to pray for, please contact the rectory.

The 9th annual Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, celebration will be held on Sunday, January 20, 2008, at the Leominster Unitarian Church.

There will be a mural contest and an essay contest on the topic, "Have We Achieved Dr. Kings Dream? Have we Reached the Promised Land?"

The essay contest is for students in grades 5-8 and the mural contest for elementary, middle and high school students.

Contact Linda Mason at 978-345-3240.

The Bake Sale to benefit Habitat for Humanity raised $147!

Our Monday night Religious Education classes say THANK YOU!!

Are now available at the church doors.

We are grateful to the Wright-Roy Funeral Home who donated the calendars again this year.

New eligibility information about Food Stamps

Did you know that there is no asset limit for families with children under the age of 19 years old who apply and that a family of four can make up to $3,442 per month gross & many legal immigrants are now eligible! (Pending certain criteria)

You can apply for food stamps online or call 866-950-FOOD.

Now that we have our new gymnasium, we will be opening it up during the winter months for open gym for basketball (for starters – maybe others sports as interest develops).

We will have an open gym on Tuesdays for women from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. and Wednesdays for men from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m.

These times are for ages 15 and above.

The weekend of December 1st and 2nd we began to receive gifts for the annual appeal of the Retirement Fund for Religious.

Here at St. Leo’s we were blessed with the ministry of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and they are recipients of this annual appeal.

19,521 religious across our nation have less than 20% of the amount projected for retirement and health care. 5,452 religious need skilled nursing care at $49,850 annually.

Please be generous.

Snowball Calendars are on sale now and are $10 each. Daily cash drawings will be held during the month of January for an opportunity to win the daily cash prizes. All tickets including winning tickets are entered daily for 31 chances to win during January 2008.

Please cut off the St. Leo’s Annual Snowball Raffle ticket and return it along with a check made out to St. Leo’s School (St. Leo’s School, 129 Main Street, Leominster) for $10 per calendar.

Tickets may be returned to the school or put into the collection basket in church. Please make returns before December 31st to be eligible for 31 days in January.

This would make a wonderful Christmas gift for someone special. Additional snowball calendars can be ordered by calling school at 978-537-1007 or 978-537-0142.

Thanks for your continued support!!

There are many tax advantages to making your tax deductible contribution to our parish before December 31st. All gifts made by then are deductible for the 2007 tax year.

If you itemize, your gift will lessen your tax liability and even if you do not itemize, a Christmas gift might be just the right decision to allow you to itemize and lower your tax bill.

Please consider a generous gift to St. Leo’s Parish before year’s end.

Are you a non-Catholic interested in becoming a Catholic? Are you a baptized Catholic who has never received the Sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation and or Confirmation? Do you need Confirmation before marriage?

If so, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is geared especially to you. Beginning in September, it comprises classes and prayer experiences every other Tuesday and culminates with the Sacraments at Easter.

Please consider prayerfully your call to join us and contact Fr. Doran at 978-537-7257.

Our choir is looking for new voices and for people who love liturgy and love to sing. Please come forward and join our choir at rehearsals on Thursday nights at 7:00 p.m. and singing at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sundays.

St. Benedict said, "Whoever sings prays twice." Please lift your voice in praising the Lord.

"Marriage as the union between one man and one woman must be approved on its own merits. Joining this amendment to the issue of civil unions deprives the people an opportunity to express their views on marriage. Citizens have that right. Linking the two coerces people in a way that is unfair. Voting on them respects the will of the public."

On Fridays, beginning after the 7:00 a.m. Mass and concluding with Benediction at 4:00 p.m.

Parishioners are needed to be present with the Eucharist during the day. Please call the rectory to give us a time slot when you can visit with Our Lord.

Parishioners are asked to volunteer to spend an hour or a half-hour in Church because the exposed Blessed Sacrament should never be unattended.

Remember the words of Jesus to His Apostles, "Could you not watch one hour with me?"