On the final Sunday of the liturgical year we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. It’s easy to understand today’s scriptures as events that happened long ago and far away, or predictions that will come true somewhere, some day. But they invite us to claim Christ as our King here and now. Jesus’ words to Pilate in the Gospel remind us that his kingdom transcends time and place. And the prophecies from Daniel and Revelation give us reason to be faithful to Christ our King right here and right now.

            By concluding the year with this feast we are proclaiming our faith that Jesus Christ is the one and only King over all seasons, all peoples, and all of creation. No matter what nation we belong to or what language we speak, he “has made us into a kingdom” (Revelation 1:6)—one people united in love and peace for all eternity.

Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.

.

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

        Who would have thought that St. George Parish would be closed.  The news that we were closing was like a sword piercing our hearts.  It can't be true!  But the reality set in and we were definitely closing.  This event will always be painful.  My home parish, St Joseph's in Springfield, has been closed for three years and is now a branch of Berkshire Bank.  Every time I pass by the location where the church stood, I still experience the sense of loss of the building in which I was Baptized along with the other Sacraments up to the Deaconate. I was on the Parish Council, Altar Server and one of the first Eucharistic Ministers.  Now all of these things are memories.  Despite the upheaval that the closing has caused, we have been a Parish Family.  In 2002, God, through Bishop Dupre. assigned me to be your spiritual father, Pastor.  For me, you have become my "spiritual family". As your spiritual father I taught you how to live your lives in communion with God through His Son, Jesus.  So, it is very difficult to leave St. George and my "family" behind.  But, the memoires of my assignment, the good and bad times we shared together, will be a constant part of my memory.  I will never forget all the parishes I have served. as Pastor.    St. George is the last and most memorable of my experiences.

        As we close the doors for the last time, we all have to make adjustments as we move into the unknown.  Always remember what Jesus has told us: " I am with you until the end of time,"  Wherever we go and whatever we do, God is always with us to help and guide us.

        As for me, The Bishop has commissioned me to be his liaison to invigorate the Knights of Columbus.  It's a very demanding and challenging job.  But, as Bishop Maguire's motto says, "Nothing is impossible with God."  With God's help I will do well. Let us pray for each other and for the help God will give us as we meet the challenges of the future.

Your Pastor, 

Fr. Riel

Sacramental Records:  are permanent records and will always be available to you.  Once we are closed these records will be transferred to another parish.  We will publicize the place once we know it.  Please refrain from obtaining any records not needed immediately as students transferring to other Rel Ed programs must have theirs now. 

Thanksgiving Day Mass at 10 am -please join us for our final time together.

Appeal Happenings:    Volunteers will be outside the church after all remaining weekend masses collecting money toward the hiring of a canon lawyer to present our case to the Vatican.  This is a free will offering and is not affiliated with the parish itself.  Also the group will be selling Bargain Books and candy bars this weekend. 

If you are interested in following the appeal process please give your email or regular address and phone # to one of the appeal people outside the church.  You can also find "Friends of St. George" and St. George School Alumni on Facebook on the web!

Last week's flyer did not have the  mass schedule for St. Mary's Church, East Springfield, because it was published by the deanery from Chicopee- Ludlow.  following is St. Mary's schedule:     St. Mary's Church, 840 Page Blvd., Springfield.  Masses: Sat- 4 pm, Sun- 8 am & 10 am.  Handicapped accessible. www.stmary-springfield.org

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION

            Although our Puritan forebears at Plymouth Rock were almost a hundred years removed from their Catholic roots, the old liturgical calendar still had an unconscious claim on their hearts. We’ve already seen how on Saint Martin’s Day, November 11, medieval continental Europe observed a great harvest day of Thanksgiving, with games, dances, parades, and a festive dinner of roast goose. With the goose went ample draughts of “Saint Martin’s Wine,” the first wine of the new harvest. Martinmas celebrated full barns and larders stocked for the winter. Even after the Reformation, the tradition of eating goose on Saint Martin’s Day was retained in Holland, and it was there that our Pilgrims encountered this tradition. When Governor Bradford sent four hunters out into the Massachusetts wilderness in the autumn of 1621, they did indeed find some geese and ducks, and were persuaded by the indigenous people to try turkey, too.

            Just as the liturgical calendar has been tweaked over the years, President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the third Thursday in November in 1939, probably to extend the Christmas shopping season. The protest was so great that in 1941 the day established by President Lincoln, the last Thursday in November, was restored. If the Pilgrims had known of the Martinmas connection, they might never have celebrated at all!

—Rev. James Field, © Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.

If you are interested in following the appeal process please give your email or regular address and phone # to one of the appeal people outside the church.  You can also find "Friends of St. George" and St. George School Alumni on Facebook on the web!

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.

—Theodore Roosevelt