Couples may sign up to receive certificates celebrating their important marriage milestones by contacting Nicole Hamilton at the Diocesan Offices, 1-802-658-6110 x1131, or [email protected]. Please give your husband's and wife's names to be printed on the certificate, year of marriage, and the name of your parish. Diocesan Administrator Monsignor John McDermott will celebrate the World Marriage Day Mass at 10:00 AM Sunday, February 4, in the upstairs church at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Burlington. Couples marking 5, 10, 15, 20 years and more are invited to register for their recognition by January 26.

The 8:30 AM Mass will be celebrated in the St. John basement while the main church upstairs is still covered following the painting. Volunteers are invited to help take down the plastic sheets and clean the church before the Saturday, 4:00 PM Mass. Please pitch in!

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)invites everyone to pray this novena. Use this link to follow the novena: https://www.respectlife.org/9-days-for-life.

This period in the Church’s year begins Tuesday after the Monday feast of the Baptism of the Lord. It’s called “ordinary” because the weeks are numbered in order – 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. The priest’s vestments are green. Usually, at this same time, our church’s Christmas decorations come down and we all have returned to a regular home, work, and school schedule. Ordinary Time, however, is not at all plain and simple. On the contrary, week after week, we see all facets of Christ’s life, a change from celebrating and delving into one aspect, His birth, as we did at Christmas. What could be ordinary about exploring the full sweep of Christ’s works and teachings? The green of Ordinary Time, like the green of nature, also encourages us to grow and mature in our faith, and as the color of hope, to anticipate the gifts of God’s kingdom. We use readings for Year II for daily Masses and hear the Gospel of St. Mark. In a few weeks, Ordinary Time gives way to Lent. We return to Ordinary time after Pentecost.

Packets will be mailed every other month and contain the next two months of envelopes. This change, mailing, fewer envelopes more frequently, costs less than the old four-month supply system.

Painting of the church interior will begin Tuesday, January 2, and continue for two weeks. Daily and weekend Masses will continue at their usual times.

This class will have its first session Sunday, January 7 from 9:30 to 11:00 AM at the Lively Center. Classes run through April every Sunday except Family Mass Sundays. Mariann Sjolander will be our teacher. To register, please call the parish office, 748-8129, or email Deacon Tom Lovett at [email protected].

Religious Education students will perform a Nativity pageant Sunday, January 7 at 11:30 AM at St. John just before the beginning of the 11:30 AM Mass. Students will rehearse during their usual Religious Ed. classes that start at 9:30 AM. This Mass will count as the monthly Family Mass.