We recently formed a Bible study group that explored the four Gospels during Advent. The group will continue to meet and examine the other New Testament books and letters.

We are using the Panorama of the New Testament study guide published by Little Rock Scripture Study, which is recognized as a leader in assisting Catholic parishes encounter the Bible for over 40 years. The materials are written by respected Catholic biblical scholars and include short video lectures to reinforce the lessons. As the title of the study guide, Panorama of the New Testament, suggests, these sessions will provide a broad overview and are perfect for folks whose only experience with the Gospels is hearing them proclaimed at Sunday Mass.

The next meeting of the Bible study group will be on Sunday, January 10 at 5 PM via Zoom.

Fr. Bill is available to hold an online catch-up session this Sunday, January 3 at 5 PM to orient you to what we covered during Advent. Please email him, [email protected], if you are interested in attending the catch-up session.

The Thursday night book club is reading Pope’s recent encyclical Fratelli Tutti, the Pope’s recent social encyclical on important contemporary issues.

This Thursday at 7 PM, we will discuss Chapter 5, “A Better Kind of Politics” (paragraphs 154-197) and be joined by Bill Cavanaugh, theologian and professor at DePaul University, whose review of the encyclical is available here, https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/radical-truths.

The Sunday book club is reading The Moviegoer by Walker Percy. Winner of the National Book Award for fiction in 1962, it is Walker Percy’s first and most acclaimed novel.

We will meet to discuss it on Sunday, January 10 at 12:30 PM via Zoom.

We sponsor opportunities for us to give in different ways this Christmas season. It’s a busy time of year, so below is a brief summary of our Christmas giving appeals. More details about many of the programs are available below on the website.

• Toys for Individual Children
  • If you would like to buy toys for a particular child, we will have the names of individual children and what they really want.
  • Email [email protected] to obtain name of child and his/her wish list.
  • Respond by December 8, 2020.
• Catholic Charities Toy Drive
  • New toys and baby items will be collected will be brought together in a “toy store” for parents to choose which toys they think best for their children. 
  • Bring unwrapped toys in the rear of church (by Wed., Dec. 9), or bring to Custom House on Sat., Dec. 12
  • Respond by December 12, 2020.
• Volunteer Your Time with Catholic Charities
  • Two ways to participate: (1) Collect from churches and Investors Bank locations during the week of Dec 14; and/or
    (2) Help distribute the toys on Dec. 17/18 (Queens) and Dec. 22 (Brooklyn)
  • (1) Email or call rectory to help with toy collection; (2) Sign up online to help with toy distribution
  • Please respond as soon as possible.
• Gift Cards for St. Vincent Scholars
  • Gift cards for young people who are cycling out of foster care and likely not receiving any gifts for Christmas this year, and foster children who do not have access to school supplies and learning tools required for remote schooling.
  • Donate online at https://stcharlesbklyn.weshareonline.org/ws/opportunities/StVincentsGiftCards or place a check in the collection box (see details below).
  • Respond by December 13, 2020.
• Christmas Flower Memorials
  • This Christmas season, we will decorate the church with joyousness and memorialize loved ones with flowers.
  • Donate online at https://stcharlesbklyn.weshareonline.org/ChristmasFlowerMemorials or via envelope enclosed with the pastor’s Christmas letter.
  • Respond by December 19, 2020.
• Christmas Gift to Parish
  • We will ask for your support of our annual Christmas donation that goes to support the activities of St. Charles, and St. Charles only. A particular focus this year will be the increased costs due to the pandemic. The parish has been scrupulous in fulfilling our safety responsibilities during the pandemic, but this has been very costly and will continue longer than anticipated.
  • Donate online at https://stcharlesbklyn.weshareonline.org/ParishChristmasGift or via envelope enclosed with the pastor’s Christmas letter.
  • Respond by December 25, 2020.
• Christmas Gift to Catholic Charities
  • Churches across our diocese take up a collection for Catholic Charities on Christmas Day. Catholic Charities has been vitally important for so many of our neighbors, particularly during the hardships of this year. We encourage you to contribute generously.
  • Donate online at https://stcharlesbklyn.weshareonline.org/CatholicCharitiesChristmasGift or place a check in the collection box.