SATURDAY EVENING

Children ages 5 to 13 will enjoy this special celebration of the feast of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, in the church hall Wednesday, December 6 from 5-8 PM. While the kids enjoy pizza, Christmas carols, games, arts & crafts, and a special guest appearance by St. Nicholas himself; parents can use the time to do their Christmas shopping or settle down for a short winter’s nap. The cost is a free-will offering of at least $5 per child-proceeds go to BIRTHRIGHT… helping pregnant mothers and their children. Please register by calling the rectory at 269-8791. This event is co-sponsored by our parish Youth Group and our Christians In Action Committee.

DYNAMIC DISCIPLES meets Sunday, December 10 at 6:30-8 PM at the parish center. All junior high students are welcome to attend.

GIVING TREE BRINGS CHRISTMAS CHEER TO ALL of our needy parish families and community organizations. Please remember to take a tag or two and purchase that item; wrap it and top it with the Giving Tree tag you chose; then place it under the Giving Tree by St. Joseph by Sunday, December 10^th.

If you know of a parish family having financial difficulties and is in need of gifts and/or grocery basket, please call the rectory 269-8791, with information about that individual or family, and we will place them on our list. Deadline is Monday, December 11^th to be included on this list.

TRINITY LADIES CLUB is collecting PULL TABS, CANCELLED STAMPS, and 2007 CALENDARS for area charities. Please deposit these items in the TLC Baskets that can be found at the front entrance of the church or the side entrance to the right of the church. Your help with these worthy collections is much appreciated. Any questions, please contact Linda Houle, TLC Collections Coordinator, at 265-4496.

There will be a finance committee meeting on Monday, December 4^th at 6:00 PM, followed by a school board meeting at 7:00 PM.

Family Fun Night will be held on Tuesday, December 5 in the Church Hall from 6:00-8:00 PM.

Please come pick up your cookie dough orders at school on Thursday, December 7 between 2:30-3:30 PM.

School students will attend the 9:30 AM Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Friday,

HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN for the 2007 -2008 school year. Our kindergarten program runs from 8:10 AM to 2:25 PM. Select openings also exist in Grades 1-7. Holy Trinity School offers children a quality, faith-filled education for a lifetime. For an application or to speak to the principal, kindly contact Sister Kathleen Kelly, RSM at 203-269-4476 or via e-mail at holy.trinity.school@snet.net.

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR MARRIED COUPLES- Couples… want to give each other something really special this Christmas? How about a gift filled with Romance and Excitement? That’s just the beginning of what you will receive on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next weekend will be January 26-28, 2007. For more information about WME or to register for an upcoming weekend, please contact John & Bev Maley at 203-364-0836 or bikmaley@aol.com or visit www.wwme.org.

After completing a special tour of 50 major cities in the United States and Mexico over the course of last year, the relics of 6 Knights of Columbus canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II will be here at Most Holy Trinity from Saturday, December 9 through Tuesday, December 12. These six priests were martyred for their faith during religious persecution in Mexico in the 1920’s and stand as brilliant witnesses to the love of God in the world. If you would like to venerate the relics and ask these new saints for their intercession, you will have the opportunity after all Masses that weekend and at the charismatic prayer meeting on Monday, December 11 from 7:00-8:30 PM. Make plans to take advantage of this special, grace-filled opportunity!

THE HOLY TRINITY HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION BENEFITS FROM 2007 ENTERTAINMENT BOOK SALES-so that’s why we encourage you to give the gift of entertainment this Christmas season. Coupons and specials in the book can be used all year and can save you, your family, and your friends lots of $$$$$. They are especially great for that person on your gift giving list who seems to have everything. Pick up your copy at Holy Trinity School or stop by the rectory during office hours. The New Haven edition is $25 and the Hartford edition is $30. And thank you for your support!!!

FEAST CELEBRATING OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE: THE PATRON SAINT OF THE AMERICAS will take place on Monday, December 11 through Tuesday, December 12.

On Monday, December 11, we will have the traditional Serenade to Our Lady of Guadalupe from 10:00 PM to 12:30 AM in the church. There will be a special re-enactment of the apparition of Our Blessed Mother as witnessed by St. Juan Diego. Light refreshments will be served in the hall following this service.

On Tuesday, December 12 the ceremony begins at 5:00 PM with the recitation of the Rosary,

followed by the Procession of the Flags. Mass begins at 6:00 PM, which will be celebrated by Bishop Peter Rosazza, and will include the Aztec Dancers. Everyone is invited to the reception afterwards in the church hall. NOTE: These services will be mostly in Spanish but they can be enjoyed and appreciated by all. Come & celebrate!

YOUTH RETREAT SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 2007 –The youth of the parish are invited to participate in our annual parish youth trek to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and College in Emmitsburg, Maryland for “Mount 2007-Do Whatever He Tells You”. This inspirational, educational and popular retreat is designed especially for Grades 9 through 12 and up to those who are 33 years of age. The cost is $95 (non-refundable), which includes coach bus transportation to and from Maryland. We’ll be leaving from the Most Holy Trinity Church parking lot on February 2^nd and will return on February 4^th. Registration forms can be picked up at the rectory, and returned there with the $95 fee and signed permission slip. Spaces are filling up fast (spaces are limited because of the popularity of this retreat); there are only 55 passenger spaces available… don’t miss out!!!

YOUTH GROUP CHRISTMAS ROAD TRIP - All high school students (and their families) are welcome to join the parish youth group members for a special Christmas field trip to Massachusetts. The trip will be on Friday, December 29^th from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The bus will depart form the church parking lot for Boston at 7:00 AM. After celebrating the daily Mass together at St. Clement’s Eucharistic Shrine near Fenway Park, you will be able to go out in different groups to enjoy the city of Boston. You can ice skate at Frog Pond in the Commons, shop ‘til you drop on Newberry Street, tour the historic sites on the Freedom Trail, enjoy a nice Italian meal in the North end, see the animals at the New England Aquarium, or any other number of interesting possibilities. At 4:30 PM, after spending the day in the city, we will board the bus to travel to the Shrine of Our Lady of LaSalette in Attleboro, MA where we will enjoy the beautiful lights on display and a Christmas concert. The bus will return to the church parking lot at 11:00 PM. Thanks to a subsidy from the youth group funds, the cost for the bus and Shrine admission is only $10 per person. Please note: this does not include food, admission to destinations in Boston, or entertainment options in the city. If you would like to attend, your permission slip and fee are due by December 18. Space is limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Fr. Jeff for more information at 269-8791.

Elevator tiles replaced – over the past weeks, the broken tiles in the entrance to the elevator as well as the elevator itself were replaced. We are grateful to Marc Gervais who gave his time and talents to replace these tiles and put a new cove base around the entrance way to the elevator.

The Father Gene Room – is currently being prepped for painting. Just as soon as the prep work is completed the painting will resume. Parishioners who may be interested in helping to paint are asked to watch the bulletin for dates and times. Thank you!

CREDO CATHOLIC SINGLES EVENING OF ADVENT REFLECTION AND PRAYER – Saturday, December 9 at 7:00 PM at St. Rita Church, Hamden, Catholic singles are invited to celebrate this season of expectation and joyful anticipations by joining with Credo singles in prayer and song. Following the service there will be a gathering in the hall for conversation and carols. Light snacks and desserts will be served with coffee/tea/punch. Cost is $10 per person. In the spirit of the season the group will be accepting donations for Julie Education Center and Birthright. Any questions, please contact Harriet Hyde at 203-248-3184.

FAMILIES WISHING TO LIGHT THE ADVENT WREATH at a weekend Mass during Advent, are kindly asked to call Rachel at the rectory to schedule their date and Mass time. Please call during office hours Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 269-8791. Thank you.

O LORD, OPEN MY EYES AND INFLAME MY HEART WITH YOUR GRACE. LET YOUR SPIRIT FREE ME TO REJOICE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE WITH AND FOR ME. AMEN.

On this Feast, Friday, December 8, we celebrate our belief that Mary was conceived without original sin. God had chosen this Immaculate Virgin to be the Mother of His Divine Son. The glory of Mary is that she freely accepted the will of God in her life with the words to the Angel:

A NOTE OF THANKS – The parish has been the recipient of two pianos in response to our request in the bulletin. The piano in the Sanctuary has been given by Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wailonis, in memory of their parents Lillian and Edward Trzciensky and Estelle and Francis Wailonis. The piano in the Church Hall had been given by Paul and Karen Burdacki in memory of Julia Gryga. Thank you to both families for their generosity!!!

CANDLELIGHT FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS

will be held on Sunday afternoon, December 17^th at 5:00 PM. This year we will again have as our special guests members of the Branford Cantare under the direction of our Tenor Soloist Kevin Buno, Jr. Last year they were received with much acclaim that we have invited them to join with our Adult Choir to sing again this year in our annual service of Lessons and Carols. Do plan to join us for this moving candlelight festival. The lessons and the music trace the story of God’s redemption from the prophecy of the Messiah to His birth as told in the familiar Gospel reading from John. A festive reception will be held in the church hall following the service, hosted by our Hospitality Committee.

WOMEN OF THE PARISH! COME AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND- Sign up now for our parish retreat at Our Lady of Calvary Retreat in Farmington, Connecticut on the weekend of February 9-11, 2007. “We Walk By Faith” is this year’s theme. Come away to the quiet. For information call parish member, Joan Morico at 269-0517.

CHRISTIANS IN ACTION and parish friends are reminded that the sorting and packaging of the Giving Tree Gifts and the Christmas food baskets will be done on Wednesday, December 13. The gifts will be sorted after the 8:30 AM Mass and the food baskets will be done at 6:30 PM in the church hall. Please contact Rachel at the rectory to sign up for the morning or evening shift, at 269-8791.

MERIDEN COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON will be served at the Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville on Tuesday, December 12, with cocktails at 11:30 AM and a family style lunch at Noon. Connecticut’s Bristol Old Tyme Fiddlers Club will provide entertainment. Their upbeat tunes are often referred to as “Happy Music”, a well as their rendition of holiday classics. Reservations are $21 per person and can be made by calling Mary Byczynski at 235-2771.