Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

* The second collection this weekend is for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Our diocese retains 25% of the collection to fight poverty right here in the diocese. Please donate prayerfully and generously. More information is available at overtyusa.org.

* Don’t forget we have one, very special Thanksgiving Day Mass at 10am when we all gather and give thanks to God. As a sign of our gratitude we have a Food Collection for the Fredericksburg Food Bank. Bring bags of nonperishable foods, keep them with you in the pews and at the Offertory everyone brings the food forward and it is placed all around the altar as our offering. There will be no 6:30 nor 9am Masses on Thanksgiving.

* The second collection this weekend is for the Parish Building Fund. To explain to newer parishioners, and as a reminder for all of us: this monthly collection is a commitment we made seven years ago when we began the renovation of our church and all buildings on the parish property. Rather than have a capital campaign with a five-year pledge, we decided to pay off the debt with a $48K monthly mortgage payment over the next ten years. So far we have paid about $700K thanks to this monthly collection. An easy way to remember to help with this is by giving electronically through Faith Direct. Thank you for your generosity.

* Saint Mary Preschool Open House is today in the Parish Life Center, 9:30 to Noon. Please stop by and say hello.

* Holy Cross Academy Open House is Tuesday at 9am in the school library.

* We have a long way to go if we are going to have a meaningful Parish Photo Directory. For the rest of November only 8 appointments are made in each 128-ppointment week. Photographers go home for good at the end of November. Please be a part of this historic record of our parish in 2015.

* Don’t forget we have one, very special Thanksgiving Day Mass at 10am when we all gather and give thanks to God. As a sign of our gratitude we have a Food Collection for the Fredericksburg Food Bank. Bring bags of nonperishable foods, keep them with you in the pews and at the Offertory everyone brings the food forward and it is placed all around the altar as our offering. There will be no 6:30 nor 9am Masses on Thanksgiving.

* The second collection this weekend is for the Retirement Fund for Religious. We are asked to “Give to those who have given a lifetime.” Checks should be made payable to Saint Mary Catholic Church. To learn how your gift helps, visit www.retiredreligious.org.

* Fr. Don’s class on Lectio divina will take place first on Tuesday, November 10. Please call and let us know you’re coming. It has always been the Tradition of the Church to pray with the Word of God, not use the Bible as a textbook! Class will be repeated later in February.

* Concerts at Saint Mary begins the 2015-2016 concert season with a free organ concert featuring Mary Beth Bennett this Friday at 8pm in the church. Reception to follow in the Parish Life Center.

* Our annual Seminar on Life Decisions will be held Saturday, November 14 from 9:30-1pm with Fr. Don, David Mathers and Regis Keddie, chair of our finance council. Join us if you have questions about how to prepare plans for your funeral (Church teachings and liturgy planning) and other financial planning you would like to work on, including remembering our parish in your giving.

* There will be two additional Masses at Noon and 6pm on Monday, November 2 for All Souls’ Day.

* We welcome seminarian Daniel Mitchell to our parish this weekend to celebrate National Vocations Awareness Week, November 1-7. Please consider saying a Prayer for Vocations each day this week (see page 7 for the prayer).

* Parish Photo Directory sign-up continues. Please visit our parish website to schedule your portrait appointment.

coming events:

* Fr. Don’s class on Lectio divina will take place first on Tuesday, November 10. Please call and let us know you are coming. It has always been the Tradition of the Church to pray with the Word of God, not use the Bible as a textbook! Class will be repeated later in February.

* Our annual Seminar on Life Decisions will be held Saturday, November 14 from 9:30-1pm with Fr. Don, David Mathers and Regis Keddie, chair of our finance council. Join us if you have questions about how to prepare plans for your funeral (Church teachings and liturgy planning) and other financial planning you would like to work on, including remembering our parish in your giving.