“The sanctuaries at St. John Church in Winslow and Notre Dame Church in Waterville are each graced by at Tree of Hope. Upon the branches are special prayer intentions that are remembered and offered at our weekend Masses during Lent,” said Fr. Dan Baillargeon, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish of which the churches are a part. To read the full Diocesan press release, click here.

The series will run on Wednesday evenings during March, from 7 to 8PM, starting Wednesday, March 3. Each session will feature 2 speakers with plenty of time for discussion and your questions! To join, please send your email address to: psm@ccmaine.org and we will send you a link to our program. What is "Fratelli Tutti"? It is the pope's most recent encyclical and it is based on the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi who invites all men and women to a love that transcends the barriers of geography and distance. It is a social encyclical dedicated to fraternity and social friendship. For more information, including a list of presenters, click here.

Because of the weather, there will be no 12:15PM Mass today.

The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments has asked priests to take special anti-COVID-19 precautions this year when distributing ashes on Ash Wednesday, including sprinkling askes on the top of people’s heads rather than using them to make a cross on people’s foreheads. The priest will say “the prayer for blessing the ashes and then sprinkle the ashes with holy water, without saying anything. Then he addresses all those present and only once says: ‘Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.’ The priest then cleanses his hands, puts on a face mask, takes the ashes and sprinkles them on the head of each one coming to him without saying anything.”

Due to health precautions, the Parish Office will be open from 8AM - 12Noon from Mon., Feb. 8 through Fri., Feb. 12. The office will be closed every afternoon. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

To allow for snow removal and for the safety of all, the Parish Office will be closed and there will be no 12:15PM Mass on Tues., Feb. 2.

Every day we should thank God for the blessings of liberty, freedom, and democracy. These are the characteristics of the American experience on full display today in our nation’s capital with the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. I join with my brother bishops in congratulating him on his election and inauguration. An inauguration is a beginning. That really means that the work of all of us has just begun as together we build our nation. As Catholics and Americans, we are called to follow Jesus by sharing his love and mercy as people of kindness and virtue, treating each other with the respect and dignity promised to us all. With a renewed spirit of patriotism that has made our country a source of hope for others in our world, we need to seek ways to appreciate those around us, particularly people in our lives who hold different views than our own. Listen to their voices and try to understand what unique experiences in their own lives brought them to the place in life they are today. It is our only way forward. We are one nation under God, where we love our brothers and sisters, defend the sanctity of human life, and celebrate the freedom of religion. We are grateful we are able to take part in such an important conversation. Today will be both a historic moment and one of special pride for many. Kamala D. Harris will become our first woman vice president, and Mr. Biden will join the late President John F. Kennedy as the second person to lead our nation who professes the Catholic faith. Sixty years ago this week, Cardinal Richard J. Cushing, at the time the Archbishop of Boston, delivered the invocation at President Kennedy’s inauguration. His words are as fitting for our country today as they were in 1961, and I encourage you to join me in reflecting upon them today. In part, he said: “We ask Thee, Almighty God, to enlighten us. That we may know, as Americans, our political, social, and humanitarian responsibilities, and that we may know, as children of God, our responsibilities to the Father of all mankind. Enlighten us that we may know how to put this principle of responsibility into daily practice, both in ideal and action, in these troubled but hopeful times.”

The “Hands Around the Capitol” event scheduled for the statehouse in Augusta on Saturday, January 23, has been cancelled due to safety concerns. The event has been held annually for 47 years since the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion. Participants rally, march, and encircle the statehouse to pray that all will come to realize the value of human life from conception to natural death. For more information about the Maine Right to Life Committee, which organizes the annual event, visit www.MaineRighttoLife.com or call (207) 782-0101.

9 Days for Life is a novena for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life. for the novena prayers click here

Our newsletter has great information about our faith and our program as well as pictures from our programs and families. Check it out by clicking here.

January has been designated as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. There are more than 40 million people who have been affected by human trafficking worldwide. To learn more about trafficking, visit Justice for Immigrant’s anti-trafficking page by clicking here.

Traditionally, hundreds of people brave frigid temperatures to participate in the “Hands Around the Capitol” rally and march each January in Augusta. The event has been held annually for 47 years since the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion. Participants rally, march, and encircle the statehouse to pray that all will come to realize the value of human life from conception to natural death. This year, due to the pandemic, the event will look different but will be no less meaningful or important. For more information click here.

A light in the window at Christmas is said to be an Irish custom. The candle, placed in the front window of a home, becomes an invitation to the Holy Family passing by seeking a place to stay that this home would welcome them. The candle is a welcome to the Christ who is coming into the world, but it is also a reminder that he who is being welcomed is himself the light of the world. The candle welcomes all, family, friends, and strangers. Christ, the Light, comes for all. This year, there are more lights in our windows and homes. Unable to gather together with families and friends in this time of pandemic, we still want to brighten the lives of those around us. The light disperses the darkness of winter and the burden that the coronavirus has placed on us. The lights of Christmas bring hope as they raise spirits and smiles in a difficult time in modern history. The light raises spirits because it is the light of Christ. At Christmas, we celebrate his coming into the world. For some two thousand years, the lights have been lit, in times both difficult and joyful, to assure all that God is with us. Emmanuel, God-with-us, is the name of Jesus. This year, we find ourselves in a challenging time. Let the lights of Christmas around us remind us that the Light of the world is with us. Yes, at Christmas, we remember that Christ’s light rests in our hearts as comfort and in our hands as mission. Live in the hope the light gives us and carry the light to others. We are called to be bearers of the light. The message of Jesus is one of hope and love. Live, then, in that light for it dispels the darkness of our world. Christmas reminds us of God’s abundant love for us in Jesus. May we also remember to offer help to those in need in our community. That is, after all, the true meaning of Christmas: carrying His light into the world through our care for one another. It is Christmas, a time of joy and celebration at the coming of Christ. Jesus is truly with us, a pure gift, filling our lives with hope and peace, in good times and in bad. May we welcome Christ with lighted candles, with hearts full of joy and generosity. May you and your loved ones have a blessed and bright Christmas.

In recent weeks, the positive developments in the production of COVID-19 vaccines have stirred excitement but also hesitance in some quarters regarding the safety of the vaccines. Many Christians have expressed a range of emotions and opinions regarding the vaccines, and a variety of different questions have reached Bishop Robert Deeley. “Our first response must be to give thanks to God for the scientific advancement and talent that helped to create such lifesaving vaccines,” said the bishop. “I have already been asked several times: should I receive the vaccine when it is available to me? My answer is a resounding ‘yes.’” To read Bishop Deeley's full statement click here.

Check our the latest post on our parish Faith Formation blog - Finding Time For Faith. Access it by clicking here.

Call the parish office to reserve a spot or participate through our live-stream on our parish Facebook page. If you are participating on Facebook and would like to access the prayer booklet, click here.

Don’t forget to return your Jolly Gifts to church this weekend. Bring a new, unwrapped toy or gift to our “Jolly Gifts” display in your church by Dec. 13. Gift suggestions would be simple board games, dolls or action figures, arts and crafts activities for older children, a sports item, etc. Your thoughtful “jolly gift” to a child this Christmas will be collected and distributed by a Catholic Charities Maine staff member. Thank you for your generosity!

All Faith Formation programs, including Middle School and High School Youth Ministry, have been canceled for today due to the weather.

A free, virtual Advent reflection evening for young adults entitled “Advent at the Intersections” will be held on Fri., Dec. 11, from 7 - 8:30PM. Young adults from both the Diocese of Portland and the Diocese of Manchester, NH, are invited to participate in the event, which will be facilitated by Cindy Cheshire, a campus minister at the Newman Center in Keene, New Hampshire. Advent is a season of so many intersections: of the human with the Divine, of anticipation with assurance, of dark with light. This year, we are also experiencing the intersection of the togetherness of the holidays with the isolation of a global pandemic. The reflection evening will serve as a night to explore Advent at all of these intersections and more. During the evening, participants will dive into Scripture, share traditions, and discover how God arrives at the intersections of their own lives. There is no fee to participate, but it is necessary to register at www.eventbrite.com/e/advent-at-the-intersections-tickets-129014751595. If possible, have a candle with you during the reflection evening. For more information, contact Hannah Gonneville in the Office of Lifelong Faith Formation at hannah.gonneville@portlanddiocese.org

The encouragement and formation of vocations in the Church is the task of all of us. We cannot depend on others to meet our needs. Families, communities, and parishes must help our young people to hear the call that God gives to serve the Church. Click here to read the full statement.