Dear Parish Family,
Blessings to you this Fourth Sunday of Advent! In our Gospel, Mary travels in haste to visit Elizabeth. We might also be feeling that sense of "haste" as we make our final preparations in our homes and in our hearts for Christ this Christmas. A beautiful part about Mary's haste is Elizabeth's and John's recognition of Jesus in Mary. Mary doesn't make her haste about herself. She doesn't express anxiety or the feeling of being overwhelmed. She simply expresses the presence of Jesus in her in the most natural way possible. We can all enter more richly into this holy season, even in our haste, by simply being and expressing Christ's presence in our thoughts, words, and actions.
 
Welcome to all our families and friends in town visiting our parish and safe travels to all our parish families traveling this Christmas. I look forward to celebrating Christmas Masses with you this week! Please note the Christmas Mass schedule and a few important reminders:

• Tue., Dec 24 - Christmas Eve Masses (4:00 pm at St. Mary's and at St. Patrick's; 6:30 pm and 10:00 pm at St. Mary's)
• Wed., Dec 25 - Christmas Day Masses (8:00 am and 10:00 am at St. Mary's; 9:30 am at St. Patrick's). Note there is NO 12:00 pm Mass at St. Mary's this day
• Thu., Dec 26 - no daily Mass at St. Mary's or St. Patrick's. The Parish Office will be closed this day. 

Angel Scholarship Fund Reminder
Now is the time to make a no net cost investment in the Angel Scholarship Fund (ASF)! ASF is part of a State of Ohio tax credit scholarship program turning tax dollars into tuition assistance.  As a Ohio taxpayer, you can direct the amount you owe in state income taxes, up to $750 per individual (or up to $1,500 for a married couple filing jointly), to St. Mary School or another diocesan school of your choice, and receive that amount as a dollar-for-dollar tax credit reduction in what you owe in state taxes.
 
Sound too good to be true? I assure you it's not! Over 250 parish families at St. Mary's, St. Patrick's, and other parishes have invested in ASF since 2022. Since then, we've directed over $400,000 in ASF funds towards tuition scholarships at St. Mary School. As tuition costs rise to reflect the true cost to educate, these scholarships lower parent out-of-pocket tuition payments, help us further our faith formation opportunities, raise teacher salaries, and lower the parish subsidy at St. Mary Parish. The proof is here. ASF is a win-win for school families, students, teachers, taxpayers, our school and parish!
 
Investing in ASF is incredibly easy. It's not a donation since you get the money back at tax time, and it only takes a few minutes of your time. I've made my investment in ASF this year, and I invite you to do the same! Visit stmarychardon.org/asf to learn more and donate online, or pick up information in the gathering space after Mass today. Thank you for making the difference for the children at St. Mary School and throughout our diocese!
 
Jubilee Year of Hope
Next week our Church embarks on a special Jubilee Year of Hope for 2025. St. Mary's has been selected as one of the Jubilee Host Parishes in the Diocese of Cleveland this year. We will have a special cross on display for the Jubilee Year starting next weekend, and we will celebrate special Jubilee Masses throughout the year. More details to come!
 
Rectory Updates
If you would like to receive regular email updates about the progress of the new St. Mary Rectory, please use the subscribe form found at https://stmarychardon.org/new-rectory-project. I will be sending out email updates a few times a month with photos of the progress to share progress and next steps. I will also share a link to the e-newsletter in my bulletin column if you are not subscribed so you can read about the progress!
 
As we prepare for Christmas, please know how grateful I am to each and every one of you for your support of our parish. We would not be here without your support. Because of you, we make an incredible impact in our community by being and bringing the presence of Jesus, our Incarnate Lord, to those who need Him most. Your continued support of our Church and ministries makes a huge difference! If you are interested in making an end of the year gift to the parish, please visit https://stmarychardon.org/ways-to-give to learn more about regular Sunday offertory, online giving, legacy gifts, and qualified charitable distributions. If you would like to make a gift of appreciated securities, please reach out to me or Linda Ropchock our Business Manager at [email protected] and we would be happy to assist you!
 
Merry Christmas!
Fr. Scott Goodfellow