MASS INTENTIONS

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Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph:

At age twelve Jesus is on the verge of becoming a man in the Jewish society. He and his parents have traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Jesus remains behind in the Temple after the departure of his parents.  When Jesus' parents discover him missing, they are upset.  After three days of searching Mary and Joseph find him sitting in the temple with teachers who were amazed at his wisdom and intelligence. Jesus was surprised by his parents' concern and commented only that he was doing the work of his Father. He returns to Nazareth with his parents. The beautiful love in the Holy Family shows us how to be selfless and caring in our own families. No matter who lives in our household or how we are related, we are family. Everyone deservers respect, honesty, courtesy, and the best of everything we have to offer.

Prayer Moment:

Jesus, bless our family. Live with us. Teach us how to love and serve God and one another.

A Vocation View:

Jesus grew in wisdom, age, and grace in the midst of his family.  How is your family growing in the midst of these challenging times?  Seek out God’s grace.

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Because of the holidays the collection for Sunday December 20 will be published in the January 3 bulletin.

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Stock Donations: Effective immediately, donations of stocks to St. Martin of Tours Church will be processed through St. Martin of Tours new individual custodial account at Fifth Third Bank.  Please contact Lois Sundrup for specific information and delivery instructions.

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PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK OF OUR PARISH:

Also remember in your prayers those who are in nursing homes, sick at home, and all who have received prayer blankets.

In April, 2003, new national hospital-patient privacy laws were enacted.  Therefore, many hospitals will not notify St. Martin's of your admission.  If you would like someone from St. Martin's to visit you in the hospital, please call the rectory to notify us.

If you know of anyone who can benefit from a PRAYER BLANKET from St. Martin’s, please call the rectory at 661-2000, to remind those who need it that the people of St. Martin’s are praying for their physical, mental and spiritual health.

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St Martin’s PRAYER FOR PEACE is held every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in church.  Please consider coming to pray for our country, peace in the world and for our brave soldiers around the world.  All are invited.

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Facts of Life: 

For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son.

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PASTOR’S DESK

World Day of Peace:  For many years New Year’s Day has been proclaimed as a Day of Prayer for World Peace.  Pope Benedict has continued that tradition once again for 2010.   On the church calendar January 1^st is also observed as the Solemnity of Mary.  What a positive and prayerful way to begin the New Year by asking Mary’s intercession for the gift of world peace!

365 Days:  On the final days of the year I often find myself looking back in my appointment book and reviewing and recalling many of the events and people that were part of the year that is concluding.

            It always reminds me too of our parishioners and staff who “work behind the scenes” week after week to enhance the ministry of our parish.  So many people give so generously of their time, talent and resources to make the Lord’s goodness and love present in our community.  I am thankful to God for each and every one of you.

God our Creator

In Your goodness you have given us the

Gift of life and time

And this new year which lies before us.

Help us to live each day with gratitude.

Strengthen us to make peace in our families,

in our neighborhood

and throughout the world.

May God bless you and your family with peace and all good things in 2010.

                                                            Fr. Terry

Because of New Years Day the Parish Office will close at 12:00 Noon on Thursday December 31st & be closed all day on Friday January 1, 2010.

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Telephone Prayer Chain:  Are you or someone you know in need of prayers?  St. Martin’s Telephone Prayer Chain will take your request for prayers without a lot of questions and call it through to a team of 28 devout people who will be praying for your request.  Give us a call and put your needs in God’s hands.  For prayer requests or to join the prayer group, call Bob or Mary at 662-0178 or call Peg at 922-7575.

St. Martin’s Prayer Chain is easy to join and very gratifying . . . No monthly meetings, no dues, and no running for office.  You must be willing to take a request for prayers and pass it on to the next team member on the list.  Above all, you are asked to take a few minutes each day to pray for the requests you receive.  Call Bob or Mary at 662-0178 or call Peg at 922-7575.

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Our Monday night Bible Study group will begin a new study on Monday night, January 11th and continuing for 7 weeks.  We will study the book: "Food from Heaven: The Eucharist in Scripture."  We meet from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Red School Building.  If you would like to join us as we seek to know Christ better through our study of sacred communion, please contact Marti Barnes at 661-2000 or Ron Hancock at 451-8021.  Study Guide will be used; cost is only $7.00.

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HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY WE DO CERTAIN THINGS AT MASS?  On Monday, January 18, 2010 at 7: 00 pm, Father Terry will conduct a “mock mass” for anyone interested in learning more about our Eucharistic Liturgy.  He will take us step by step through all the prayers and rituals that we take part in every Sunday.  Please join us in the church for this interesting and informative evening!

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ATTENTION ANNIVERSARY COUPLES!  If you are celebrating your 25^th, 50^th, 60^th or above wedding anniversary in 2010, please call the parish office to let us know your anniversary date and number of years. 

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CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO MAKE IT EASIER TO DONATE to St. Martin of Tours Parish by credit card.  Just go to www.saintmartin.org and click the “Online Giving” icon.  You will be in the St. Martin of Tours “E-Giving” page.  Select the type of contribution: Sunday; Second; or Other. Other contribution can be used also for paying tuition online. There are only three steps on the “E-Giving” page: 1) Enter your information; 2) Confirm the information; and 3) Get a receipt.

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Thank You to the following parishioners who have made a donation to St. Martin’s Christmas Flower Fund.

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Play St. Martin’s BINGO on Wednesday evenings in Fr. Mick Hall.  Doors open at 5:00 p.m. games begin at 7:00 p.m.  To volunteer to work please contact Mary Noble at 941-2783 or Email her at mnoble@zoomtown.com.  If you are scheduled to work at bingo, please arrive by 6:00 p.m. 

We need brown paper grocery bags for Bingo.  Please drop bags off at the Parish Office. Thank You!

Bingo provides a substantial amount of financial assistance to the parish.  Without bingo we would have to raise school tuition.  Please call to schedule your night to work.

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FINGERPRINTING: Reminder to anyone who coaches, chaperones, volunteers or has any contact in any capacity with the children at St. Martin’s. BEFORE you can begin coaching, chaperoning, volunteering, etc., you must meet the requirements of the Archdiocesan Child Protection policy.  The requirements are 1: that you attend a Child Protection Workshop, and 2: that you be fingerprinted and your “prints’ are cleared through the Archdiocese.  Please note that the fingerprinting “clearance process” could take up to three weeks, and you will NOT be permitted to participate with the children at this time. If you have lived out of state at any time over the past five years, the “clearance process” could take months.

St. Teresa of Avila will offer fingerprinting Monday thru Friday every afternoon from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.  Friday ONLY - they will offer fingerprinting from 9:00 to 10:00 am.  Also, they will be available every 2nd Thursday of the month from 5:00 pm to 6:45 pm.   Questions please call the parish office at 921-9200. 

St. James, White Oak, will have fingerprinting available Monday’s 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Thursday’s 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Friday’s

1:00 to 3:00 p.m.  Questions, call the parish office at 741-5300. 

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Tired of the same old thing for New Year’s Eve?  Join us at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center for New Year’s Eve with the Lord. Stay overnight here – prayers, movie, Marian talk, midnight candlelight procession to welcome the New Year.    Call 513-351-9800 for details or to make your reservation

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Please mark your calendars for Cub Scout Pack 187’s annual Adults Only Cornhole Tournament  on Saturday, January 16^th at St. Aloysius Gonzaga School Gym Doors Open at 6:30 ~ Tournament Starts at 7:00 $25.00 per Team / 5.00 for Spectators Admission includes soft drinks, coffee, snacks and appetizers.  Top two winners of the tournament will win cash prizes! Make your reservations now only 64 teams, amateurs only. For reservation, contact Lisa Doll at LMertz36@hotmail.com or by phone at 513-290-8978. We thank you for your support!

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Hospice of Cincinnati's "For the Life of Me" Program, which is designed to help us navigate the waters of everyday living is coming to St. Martin’s!!  We have three presenters from Hospice of Cincinnati who will present on three different nights various aspects of dealing with terminal illness, dementia and hospice.  All talks will be held at 7:00 pm in the Red School Building. 

Our first presentation will be on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The title of this presentation is: "How to Talk to Someone With a Terminal Illness", presented by Hospice of Cincinnati, Bereavement Coordinator, Polly Peterson, MSW. Most of us are at a loss as to how to comfort someone we love who has a terminal illness.  Learn what to say, and just as importantly what not to say, to someone who is in the final stages of life's journey. 
Additional dates are: 1/26/10-"I May Have a Family Member Who Needs Hospice care.  What Do I Do?" and, 2/09/10-"How to Care for Your Loved One With Dementia.

The second presentation of Hospice of Cincinnati's "For the Life of Me" Program, is: “I May Have a Family Member Who Needs Hospice care.  What Do I Do?" This will be presented by Hospice of Cincinnati Community Outreach Coordinator, Patricia Gaines, BS on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 7:00 pm in the Red School Building.  A Hospice 101, which includes a description of Hospice of Cincinnati, the services that are provided, who is eligible, the Medicare, Medicaid benefits, and our mission of providing total care...spiritual, emotional, and physical...for our patients and their families. 

The third presentation of Hospice of Cincinnati's "For the Life of Me" Program, is: "How to Care for Your Loved One With Dementia", and will be presented by Hospice of Cincinnati, Professional Education Coordinator, Julie Kruse, RN on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 7:00 pm in the Red School Building.  You barely recognize the person your loved one has become. Dementia has robbed them of the ability to think coherently or to remember.  What can you do to enrich their lives and to be kind to yourself at the same time? 

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ST MARTIN’S WILL BEGIN RECYCLING PAPER AGAIN!  Beginning the second week of January you may bring newspapers, magazines, catalogs, mail, school papers, office papers, envelopes and cardboard (cardboard boxes must be broken down).  No cereal or soda cartons, food wrap, food containers, tissue products, phone books, plastic or glass. The recycling bin will be located on the St. Martin Side of the Red School Building.  This is done at no cost to us and depending on the amount of paper recycled, we will receive some funds. Please begin saving your paper now!! 

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Natural Family Planning and Eco-Breastfeeding: patch-free / shot-free / pill-free / mutilation-free / guilt-free / pollution-free / hassle-free / formula-free.    Register now for the new natural family planning course starting Wednesday, January 13 at St. Lawrence Church in Price Hill.  Call Sheila or John Kippley at 661-7396 for information and registration