The primary purpose of the book is to teach wisdom, not only to the young and inexperienced (1:2–4) but also to the advanced (1:5–6). Wisdom in the ancient Near East was not theoretical knowledge but practical expertise.

Christmas Eve Masses: 3pm, 4pm - Gym, 4.30pm, 6.30pm 10pm and 12midnight. Christmas Day: 7.30am, 10.30am and 12noon

At all Masses Saturday December 17 and Sunday December 18 we bless Jesus Baby Nativity Statues

What is Gaudete Sunday? Four Advent candles with the rose one in front Gaudete Sunday is the name given to the third Sunday of Advent, the roughly four-week season leading up to Christmas. The name "Gaudete Sunday" is taken from the words of the introit, Gaudete in Domino semper, "rejoice in the Lord always." The Scriptural basis for this Sunday comes from Philippians 4:4,5. Similar to Laetare Sunday during Lent, Gaudete Sunday is a minor "break" from the more penitential nature of the Advent season, and signals a shift from a penitential style of waiting to a more joyful tone. In the past, when organs and flowers were forbidden during the Advent Season, they were permitted during Gaudete Sunday. Because of the more joyful tone of Gaudete Sunday, rose colored (pink) vestments may be used instead of the normal violet ones. Also, the rose colored Advent candle is lit.

December 8, Immaculate Conception BVM The Immaculate Conception, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, was the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne, free from original sin by virtue of the foreseen merits of her son Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church teaches that Mary was conceived by normal biological means, but God acted upon her soul (keeping her "immaculate") at the time of her conception. The Immaculate Conception is commonly mistaken to be the conception of the Child Jesus in her own womb and the Virgin Birth of Jesus. These are covered by the Doctrine of Incarnation, while the Immaculate Conception deals with the conception of Mary herself, not that of her son. Although the belief that Mary was sinless and conceived immaculate has been widely held since Late Antiquity, the doctrine was not dogmatically defined until 1854, by Pope Pius IX in his papal bull Ineffabilis Deus. The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8; in many Catholic countries, it is a holy day of obligation or patronal feast, and in some a national public holiday. Masses: 7.30pm (Day before) 7.30am, 9am, 12.10noon, 7.30pm

Scripture gives us so many examples of why we are to be thankful: We are to be thankful for what God has given us : 1. His “unfailing love” (Psalm 107, numerous verses) 2. His grace “given you in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:4) 3. Victory “through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57) 4. His “righteous laws” (Psalm 119:62) 5. The faith of others to sustain and cheer us (Philemon 1:4) We are to be thankful for what God has done : 6. He has “answered me...[and] become my salvation” (Psalm 118:21). 7. He has redeemed us. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). 8. He has qualified us “to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:12). We are to be thankful for who God is : 9. “He is good; His love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34). 10. He is “faithful and just” (1 John 1:9).

MASSES: MONDAY NOV 31 - 7.30PM; TUESDAY NOVEMBER 1: 7.30, 9, 12.10 and 7.30pm. All Saints Day is a special feast day on which Catholics celebrate all the saints, known and unknown. While most saints have a particular feast day on the Catholic calendar (usually, though not always, the date of their death), not all of those feast days are observed. And saints who have not been canonized—those who are in Heaven, but whose sainthood is known only to God—have no particular feast day. In a special way, All Saints Day is their feast.

I am pleased to provide you with our parish financial report for the 12 month period ending June 30, 2016. First and foremost, thank you for your generosity and support of our parish during the past year. You are the backbone of the parish and I am grateful for your support. Fr. Thomas

In Job, we see a man who God allows to be directly attacked by Satan. He is an example of faithfulness as he loses everything important to him yet remains faithful to God. Its purpose is to illustrate God’s sovereignty and faithfulness during a time of great suffering.

CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY TO HOLY FAMILY ! The Mass may seem routine, and it may be the common property of millions of Catholics, but much lies beneath. Mike Aquilina not only answers practical questions about this central act of Catholic wor- ship, but also walks you through the Mass, explaining the meaning behind the prayers and practices. Find answers to such questions as: What is the Real Presence? What are the Jewish roots of the Mass? Why is the Mass a sacrifice? Why do some people receive Communion on the tongue and others in the hand? You may be surprised by how much you've missed in your under- standing of the Mass.

“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” —Matthew 25:40 Many parishioners have received, or will soon receive, a letter from Bishop Serratelli requesting support for the 2016 Bishop’s Annual Appeal. This year, the theme of the Appeal is Be Rich in Good Works. The Bishop’s Annual Appeal supports four very worthy causes: our Catholic Charities agencies; Nazareth Village, our diocesan priests’ retirement residence; our inner-city elementary schools and seminarian education. Last year’s Appeal raised a record amount which meant that even more could be done for the people in our Diocese. You can help make this year’s Appeal an even greater success by making a generous pledge today. Whatever you can do to help will be a great blessing!

September – 1 & 2 Book of Kings (Tuesday, September 6 at 7pm meeting and Tuesday, September 13 Movie) Where are we? First Kings opens describing the final days of King David (around 971 BC) and the conspiracies surrounding his succession. When David died (1 Kings 2:10), Solomon ascended the throne and established himself as a strong and wise leader. In the early years of Solomon’s reign, Israel experienced its “glory days.

With renewed enthusiasm and dedication, we shall resume our Bible Study meetings on Tuesday night, September 6th at 7:00pm. As in the past, each month, we will read through one book of the bible at home, and then come together on a Tuesday night to share our insights on that portion of scripture and discuss how its lessons can help us enrich our lives. Normally, we will meet on the first Tuesday of each month, but in September, we will be having two meetings. On the 6th, we will have a discussion about the 1st & 2nd Books of Kings, and on Tuesday night the 13th, we will see a movie about this passage of scripture. In October, we will begin studying the books of Wisdom. The wisdom books, or “the writings,” consist of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Wisdom, the Song of Songs, and the Psalms. Some wisdom texts contend with the idea of law that is found in the book of Deuteronomy, namely that one who fulfills the law will thrive while the sinner will die. Job and Ecclesiastes argue that the righteous can also suffer by no fault of their own. Proverbs and Sirach give advice for daily life. All the wisdom books recognize the fear of God as the beginning of a wise and virtuous life. They give good ethical instruction with a philosophical tone. The Song of Songs describes a passionate relationship between its young, love-struck protagonists. This relationship has been compared to God’s relationship with Israel, or Christ’s compassion for the Church. The book of Psalms, a compilation of prayers, was gathered over a period of centuries. The prayers include praises and lamentations from individuals, as well as communities. They attempt to grasp at the relationship between God and humanity in the most personal and dramatic way. Calendar Tuesday September 6 7-8pm and 13 7-9.30pm (movie) 1& 2 Kings Tuesday October 4 7-8pm - Job Tuesday November 8 7-8pm – Psalms Tuesday December 6 7-8pm – Proverbs Tuesday January 3 7-8pm - Ecclesiastes Tuesday February 7 7-8pm - Song of Songs Tuesday March 7 7-8pm – Wisdom Tuesday April 4 7-8pm – Ben Sira

MONDAY, AUGUST 15 MASSES: 8.15, 12.10PM, 7.30PM The Catholic Church teaches as dogma that the Virgin Mary "having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory". This doctrine was dogmatically defined by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950, in the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus by exercising papal infallibility. While the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church believe in the Dormition of the Theotokos, which is the same as the Assumption, the alleged physical death of Mary has not been dogmatically defined.

We have contracted with Liberty Home Improvements, Inc. to replace the front steps of the church. From Monday, July 18th to Monday, July 25th, the front entrance of the the church will be closed. This is the final phase of a three-part improvement project to the church and the grounds. To date, we have replaced the access ramp, and repaired the broken sidewalks around the church, school and rectory. This final phase will cost $26,800. If you would like to make a contribution to the cost of the new steps, you can use the emergency envelope from your packet or use a plain envelope and mark "Church Steps" on the front, or donate online. I thank you for your continued generosity to Holy Family Parish. Fr. Thomas

Holy Family School has a long history. Thousands of students have walked through those doors and received an extraordinary education with Christ in their daily lives. I want to continue that tradition, and am committed to having Holy Family Parish and Holy Family School live out their mission as one Church this year, and in the years to come. We want our children to make a contribution to this beautiful parish and we invite you to be part of your school. Dawn