Our Lady of Hope News

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10 Meaningful Advent Traditions for Catholic Families

The holiday season can be overwhelming.  We need to remember that this is a season of preparation for the coming of our Lord and He does not want us to be stressed out about decking the halls.  Here is a list of meaningful Advent activities that you can do with your family that involves very little prep work.  This list comes from www.catholicicing.com.  Please click here for the list.  

Advent Candlelight Prayer Service

Thursday, December 20th at 6:00 pm, we will be having an Advent candlelight service praying for HOPE. It will be at Immaculate Conception Church. We will light candles in the darkness and pray for the light of Christ to shine powerfully in our community, Church, and world. We will ask the intercession of Our Lady of Hope to increase our hope. May we rejoice that the Lord of our longing, the hope of nations, has conquered the night of sin and sadness.

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Religious Education News Update:

Please  Note:  I will be celebrating Christmas with my family in Michigan 12/19/18-12/30/18. May you rejoice with the loved ones in your life and invite  into your home those who are lonely.  Let’s be Jesus to one another and truly live the Parish Mission of Being a Community of Disciples Building the Kingdom of God on Earth.  God bless you all!  Amy Paquin

• HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE STUDENTS NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY! After the Vigil Mass on New Year’s Eve until 10:00pm at the Social Center!!  All High School Teens AND College students are Encouraged to Attend!  We’ll have hot dogs, hot chocolate, and whatever snack/treats you’d like to bring!  Join us at the Social Center for Games, Music, Food, Fellowship, and our Service Project of Making clay beads for the rosaries we’re making for the kids receiving their First Holy Communion this year!  It’s going to be great!  Even if it’s last minute, just show

• FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT!  Saturday, January 12th after the 5:00pm Vigil Mass!  Come for pizza, snacks, hot chocolate, and a fun movie night!  Sign up by emailing Amy Paquin at Religious.ed@OurLadyofHopeParish or calling the office at 860-806-5347 and voting for your choice of Horton Hears A Who or Ratatouille!  Be sure to let me know how many little kids, older kids, and adults will be coming!  A free will offering is available if you would like to contribute to the cost of the foood.

• If you haven’t yet heard, it is a requirement for all volunteers who might work or volunteer with people under 18 to attend a Safe Environment/Virtus Training just once in their lifetime (ushers, choir members, catechists, youth group volunteers, etc.)  This workshop has incredible information on how to spot kids in danger, how to keep them safe, and how a predator may groom/trick children.   If I were a parent, I would want to know this information even if I didn’t volunteer – so I am offering EVERYONE the chance to attend this (free) workshop on Saturday, Dec. 15th from 10:00am – 1:00pm at IHOM Social Center.  Our facilitator will be Steve DiMotto.  Brunch will be provided (free) so please be sure to register so I can know how many people to buy for.  Even if you don’t volunteer now, this will allow you to volunteer in the future and/or step in if we need help with a particular class or event.  It can be a bit challenging to find one of these workshops nearby, so take advantage of this great opportunity and register now by emailing Amy Paquin at Religious.ed@OurLadyofHopeParish.com.

• Jesus’s Birthday Party! Since there are 12 Days of Christmas (Feast of the Epiphany is the last day) we’re going to have our Birthday Party for Jesus on Saturday, January 5th from 1:pm-3:pm!  We’ll go to Jesus’s house for a tour and have cake and a few games in the Social Center.  Please join us! Email Amy Paquin at Religious.Ed@OurLadyofHopeParish.com to let me know how many will be attending!  See you there!

***CONTEST FOR 1st- 12th GRADE Religious Ed & Catholic School Students!***

• Make a Poster that Shows What the Kingdom of God On Earth Looks Like to You!
• Poster boards will be passed out at the Religious Ed classes or by coming to the Parish Office between Dec 3rd & Dec 17th.. 
• There will be 1 winner from each grade, and every participant will get a holy card of the Patron Saint of Artists – St. Catherine of Bologna!
• Poster Board Entries (12”X14”) are due to Ms. Paquin NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, JANUARY 18th and the Winners Will Be Announced At the Masses on the Weekend of February 3rd. You can turn your contest entry in to your  Religious Ed Teacher at class, putting it in the designated spaces at the back of the churches, or drop it off at the Parish Offices in New Hartford!I’m really looking forward to seeing the great ways that you “picture” the Kingdom of God on Earth!

Call/text Amy Paquin for any questions: 860-806-5347 or email Religious.ed@OurLadyofHopeParish.com.

Our Lady of Hope Social Concerns Food Pantry

The Social Concerns pantry needs a few specific items: tuna, paper towels, paper products, and coffee.

These items can be placed in the red wagon at IHOM or in the Bell Tower at ICC. On behalf of all the members of our ministry we want to thank our parishioners on their love and generosity to make our collections so successful.

Our Lady of Calvary Retreat Center

On the weekend of January 11-13, the women of our parish are invited to Our Lady of Calvary Retreat Center.  Experience a weekend filled with rest, relaxation and spiritual renewal.  At Our Lady of Calvary, the natural beauty of the grounds and the peaceful atmosphere of the retreat house can provide a much needed break from your daily routine.  You’ll have the opportunity to participate in the sacraments, to hear conference talks, to share with other women and to reflect on this year’s theme,  “The World Will Be Saved by Beauty”. 

Come spend time looking for what is beautiful. Intentionally take time to focus on those things that lift you up and help you to feel closer to your God, the One who sends beauty to refresh, nurture, and sustain you, the One who invites you into beauty's Immortal Heart. You may rediscover beautiful things that perhaps you've taken for granted. For information please call the Parish Office at 860.379.5215.

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Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center

Our Lady Of Hope Annual Men's Retreat is scheduled for March 8-10, 2019 at Holy Family Retreat Center in West Hartford, CT.  God has called all of us to holiness and together we will take a journey and reflect on how living an ordinary life can lead to extraordinary happiness and peace.  
Please join your Brothers in Christ for a spirit filled weekend. It begins with a buffet dinner at 6pm on Friday evening. It concludes with a celebration of Sunday Eucharist at 10:45 am followed by a hot brunch at noon. It is open to family of retreatants at no cost .

    If there is financial need scholarships are available from Holy Family. Contact Walt McManus at 860-489-4787 or Ken Copija at 860-309-8380 or HolyFamilyRetreat.org.

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RCIA

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. This faith formation program is available to non-Catholic adults and young adults past the age of reasoning who wish to become members of the Catholic Church, and to Catholic adults and young adults past the age of reasoning who have not yet received the sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation.  Classes meet on a weekly basis, and can be begun at any time.  Contact Father Michael (860-379-5215) if you are interested. Young adults under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18.

Online Giving Message

We are proud to announce that Our Lady of Hope is keeping up with technology, and now has the ability for online giving.  Contributions can be made to the parish online safety via an encrypted website.  Online giving makes it easy when you are unable to attend Mass.  It's real simple to do.  Here are two simple ways:

     1.  Sign up here at the website.  Click on the "online giving" button that is found on the home page.  For the first time user, just click on "create new account".  This is a one-time account set-up.  This allows you to make donations to the church with options as a one-time gift or recurring.

     2.  The second way for accessing online giving is from your phones. Simply download the app for free from Apple or Google stores.  The name of the app is "Online Giving by Our Sunday Visitor".  From there it's the same login process as the website.

IMPORTANT:  All current IHOM online givers please sign up on the Our Lady of Hope Parish portal and cancel your current account on the IHOM portal.

Upcoming Events

Please see Event Calendar for further details