4:30 pm Leonard Emrhein (Family)

8:00 am For the Parishioners

10:00 am John and Anna Hrusovsky

(Daughters, Helen and Agnes)

12:00 pm William Ponikvar

(John and Stella Hnanicek)

7:30 am Nello Albreico (Family and Friends)

7:30 am Jospeh Ficzner (Wife)

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7:30 am Butch Adams (Switalski Family)

4:30 pm John Machen, Jr. (Anniv.) (Family)

8:00 am For the Parishioners

10:00 am Raymond W. Pfeiffer (Wife and Children)

12:00 pm Salvatore Troia (Family)

And the recently deceased: Louis Trocchio (Father of Jane Post), Eugene Vercek and Fr. William Gulas, OFM.

On Sunday, December 29 after the 10:00 am Mass, a farewell party will be held in the school for Fr. Matt. Please bake your favorite dessert to share at his going away party. Maybe you have a great cookie, cake or cheesecake recipe. Or, maybe you can make that famous ribbon jello. We need your help; whatever you whip up will surely make this a memorable party for Fr. Matt. Please bring your goodies to the school between 4:00-6:00 pm, Saturday, December 28 or before the 10:00 am Mass, Sunday, December 29. Bring items in disposable containers. Thank you for your generosity.

Beginning on Monday, January 6, St. Martin’s will have new weekday office hours. From Monday through Thursday, the rectory office will be open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm; on Fridays, the office will be open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The office will not be open later than these hours. Therefore, if you need keys to open a building or room for a meeting, you will need to make those arrangements in advance. If you have business or desire an appointment with the pastor, please make the necessary phone call to secure the appointment.

We are still in need of Altar Ministers for Masses on December 24 –Christmas Eve, December 25-Christmas Day and December 31 and January 1. Sign-up sheets are on the door of the Usher’s Room. If you are available to minister at any of these Masses, please sign-up. "Thank You" to all who have already volunteered. Your ministry is truly a gift to our parish.

Dear parishioners,

God is present; his kingdom/reign is here. He has won salvation for us with his mighty arm. The Son of God has dwelt among us and has showered us with the love and Spirit of God through his Incarnation, his Nativity, his life, his Passion, his Death, and his Resurrection. He continues to dwell among his people in the sacramental form of his Church and is vitally present among us in his Word.

In the midst of turmoil, tension, and the business of our daily lives, it is easy to overlook people, events, or places where Christ is really present.

Christ is present in our parish. He was present in the preparation and eating of our parish pasta dinner in November; present in those who worked so hard at our craft fair this past weekend. He was present to us as we participated in the Vibrant Parish Life survey. We pray that Christ has guided our responses in the survey to help us appreciate the good things done in His name by so many parishioners now and in the past. We pray, as well, that Christ reveals to us the areas where we need to focus our attention. Our vibrancy will grow as our faith reflects the presence of Christ in all we are.

Christ is present in the Church. Even at a time when we hear about the tragic murder of the pastor of St. Stanislas Church and the call for the resignation of Cardinal Law in Boston over the cover-up of sexual abuse, Christ will not abandon us. He will lead us to more faithful living to gospel disciplines.

Christ is still present in our world. No matter what happens with the economy, with terrorism, with morality, Christ is still here and in charge. All we need to do is to be more like Mary; let us open up our hearts, and entrust the lives of our loved ones, to the heart of God through our constant desire to be God’s obedient servants.

May God’s Advent Blessings Fill You This Week,

Fr. Jamie

First, a big thank-you to St. Pius X Church and their pastor, Fr. Tom Mahoney, for allowing us to use their facilities for our November pasta dinner. Their hospitality allowed us to serve over five hundred meals to our parishioners, to theirs, and to all who came to dine. We had quite a diligent work crew who planned, cooked and served to make it all happen. With God’s grace, we look forward to next November to do it all over again.

Many thanks to all who volunteer and support our monthly program. Your support of this program for more than thirteen years running is greatly appreciated by St. Augustine staff and especially those who enjoy our meal each month.

This fund supports our monthly dinner at St. Augustine’s Hunger Center as well as our fellow parishioners in need of emergency assistance. Please help us to continue these important ministries by volunteering and through your financial support. Envelopes can be found in the back of the church. Anyone interested in feeding the hungry, please call Bob or Darlene at 216-328-0121.

PSR families, friends and fellow parishioners are invited to participate in an Advent Eucharistic Celebration next Tuesday at 7:00 pm in the Church. Children should first report to their classrooms. We will process over to the church for the Mass.

On Sunday, December 8, 2002, two candidates participated in the "Rite of Acceptance" ceremony at the 10:00 a.m. liturgy. Rachael Surrano Braxton and Diane Nicole Maslowski publicly declared their intent to become fully initiated into the Catholic Church. Rachael will be receiving First Eucharist and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil; Diane will be Confirmed. Please remember them in your prayers as they continue on their faith journey.

Mother and her small daughter were thumbing through a Christmas catalog looking at toys. "I want that red bike," said the child. "When you’re bigger," the mother answered. The little girl then pointed to a toy refrigerator, a pair of in-line skates, and a doll buggy. "When you’re bigger," her mother repeated. Finally, the woman closed the catalog and asked her daughter. "Now, do you know what you want for Christmas?" "Oh, yes, mommy," she replied, " I want to get bigger."

(from JOKES PRIESTS CAN TELL, VOL. 3, by Msgr. Arthur Tonne, 1985)

John the Baptist recognized that he himself was not the Messiah for he came merely with the symbolic baptism of water. John said that he must not get bigger, rather that he must decrease in order that the one-to-come would increase. The one who has come into the world with the baptism of fire and the Holy Spirit is our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Messiah.

"How the Prophets Prepare us for the Coming of Christ" concludes this Wednesday, December 18. All are welcome in the school library from 7 to 8:15 pm. Bibles are provided.

The Christmas and New Year’s ushers’ sign-up schedule has been posted in the usher’s room. With the extra Masses scheduled and the dire shortage of ushers help is really needed. Please help by signing up to usher at the Mass you will attend during the Christmas season. If you have any questions call Denis Osowski at 216-475-9531. Thanks for your help!

6:00 pm Children's Choir

11:30 pm Concert of Carols

12:00 Midnight Sunday Choir

9:00 am Contemporary Ensemble

11:00 am Sunday Choir

4:30 Vigil Mass (December 28)

Mass at 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 (Noon)

4:30 pm Vigil Mass (December 31)

Mass at 10:00 am

The students at the day school are supporting the West Side Catholic Center by bringing in a can of soup and $1.00 to dress down. Tuesdays during the Advent Season have been designated as Mission Days. The soup that is being brought in is Tomato, Chicken Noodle, Vegetable, and Chicken Rice. If you would like to join the day school in their efforts to support the "Soup Kitchen" you may send in your donations to the school office. We will gladly accept soup or monetary donations to support the West Side Catholic Center. All gifts will be taken to the West Side Catholic Center, December 18^th. If you have any questions about the center or how you can help, contact Lois Cellura at the school. Thank you for all the support you have given to our efforts in the past.

Students in first and third grades are involved in the Junior Achievement Program. In first grade, the theme was "Our Families." Students learned about different types of families and how families pay for their wants and needs. The third grade theme was "Our City." They wrote newspaper articles and planned their own restaurant. Community leaders from Garfield Heights and Maple Heights visited the class.

Fourth graders have just finished reading The Whipping Boy, a book about medieval times. Each student created their own castle. The class celebrated with a medieval feast. The students wore costumes and danced to music from that time in history.