Weekly Digest - Solemnity of Mary and First Friday

Welcome everyone!  We wish you a holy and happy Christmas season,

and offer prayers that you may experience a renewed desire to respond to God's ardent love for you.

This week at the parish most events are still CANCELLED for the holiday, including playgroup, Fatima Apostolate, and Bereavement Meeting.

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Wednesday, January 1st - Solemnity of Mary - Holy Day of Obligation
A fantastic feast day to start your New Year off right.  Dedicate your heart this year to Mary, the Mother of God, asking her help in wisdom and faithfulness in the year ahead.  Mary, magnified and sanctified by her divine Son, shows us the great plans that God has for each of us if we open our hearts to say "yes" to Him.  Saint Agnes Mass times are as follows. All Masses are in the LOWER CHURCH.
Tuesday, December 31st - 4:00 pm
Wednesday, January 1st - 7:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 noon, 5:00 pm

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This Friday, January 3rd, is the first Friday of the month.  On Thursday, January 2nd from 4:00-5:00 pm, there will be the opportunity for confession in the lower church.  On Friday, Saint Agnes will be offering all-day Adoration, concluding with Benediction and Mass at 5:00/5:30pm, in the lower church. Also at noon there will be a Holy Hour to pray for priests and victims of clergy sexual abuse. Adoration is a wonderful opportunity to spend some quiet time with the Lord and gain some focus in our lives - especially with all the busy distractions of daily life. For more background on the long tradition of keeping a First Friday devotion, look here or here.

Due to traveling conflicts, First Friday playgroup is cancelled this month. We hope you can join us in February!

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Making Music Praying Twice 
Winter Classes: Thursdays at 10:30 am, beginning January 9th
MMP2 session II begins on January 9 and runs through April. Registration is open for the Thursday morning class. Additional classes depend on enrollment but please contact me if you are interested in a different day and/or time. No payment necessary until the first class. Class size limited to 12 children.

Registration for is ongoing and available online at http://www.stjoseph.belmont.ma.us/faithformation/mmpt.htm or by calling the parish office at 617-484-0279. Pre-registration helps to determine which classes will run and allows us to pre-order CDs and songbooks. No payment is necessary until the first class. Classes appropriate for children birth – age 5 with a caregiver. All classes will be held at St. Joseph Parish, 130 Common Street, Belmont, MA.