The readings today speak of the end of the world and the coming of the Kingdom. The bishop’s pastoral on stewardship says clearly that "that ‘life to come’ is in continuity with this present life through the human goods, the worthy human purposes, which people foster now."May our good stewardship cause us to be numbered among the chosen on the last day!

Our commitment to sharing our blessings this past weekend was $2,552.

Thank you for your generous support of our parish.

Mark your calendar of events for "Illuminate" which is coming to our parish on November 29^th. It is open to all -- young and old and everything in between. The time is from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

"Illuminate" is a program designed to foster a faithful energy in our Catholic Church in the Diocese of Worcester. We are submissive to the Church in every way and seek a greater awareness of Eucharist in our Diocese. The program has upbeat modern praise music, inspirational talks, thought provoking videos and of course, Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

This program has been a great way for young, and old, to make an appointment for prayer and fun. The great news is this is all free. We are sponsoring this program to foster a greater awareness of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and to spread the Hope of Christ.

The main speaker for the program will be Jed Heneberry, from the Boston area. He has been a Youth Minister for a Life Teen parish and now works for the Boston Arch-Diocese. He is a wonderful young man. He was very heavily involved with St. Mary's Life Teen in Dedham and played in the LIFT band. He is a graduate of Amherst College. Yes, the actual Amherst College, for really, really, really smart kids.

SHRINE VISIT:

The St. Bernard’s Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization will be holding it’s Annual Holiday Fair on Saturday, November 21^st from 8:00am - 4:00pm at the school at 254 Summer Street, Fitchburg.

This year’s fair will feature a silent auction, kid’s craft room and games, raffles for a variety of gift baskets, visits with Santa, baked goods and desserts, restaurant gift certificate giveaways and more! In addition, breakfast will be provided from 8:00 – 11:00am and lunch from 11:00 – 4:00pm.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

As I write to you, many American families are struggling to make ends meet.   Some people we know have lost jobs, homes and health insurance, or have watched their retirement funds disappear. When we consider the broader implications of the economic downturn, however, we realize that 37 million of our fellow citizens live in poverty. 13 million of them are children. 

Over a ten-year cycle, about 40% of the United States population experiences poverty at some time. Poverty is caused not simply by the lack of financial resources, but by the lack of quality education, affordable housing, health care, child care, fair wages, and vocational training.

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development helps people rise above the poverty line by funding programs that focus on the root causes of poverty. It creates community-based solutions to the problem of poverty by funding programs that promote self-sufficiency. These compassionate projects in the Diocese of Worcester and throughout the U.S. support low-income people as they work together to improve educational opportunities, create jobs, and improve access to services for the disabled. 

Pope Benedict XVI, in an address to diplomatic leaders this past January, said "Bolstering the economy demands rebuilding confidence. This goal will only be reached by implementing an ethics based on the innate dignity of the human person."   It is clear that the Holy Father’s message goes to the heart of the mission of this vital annual campaign.

I urge you to give generously to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development next weekend, November 21-22. We commit 75% of the donations to the national office to support their projects across the country. We keep 25% here in the Diocese to fund local self-help initiatives to benefit communities in Central Massachusetts and awarded many grants just a few weeks ago.

By joining in solidarity with Catholics in parishes across our country, you lend strength to efforts already underway to end the vicious cycle of poverty. May God bless you for your generosity.