Join St. Mary's for the annual Dinner, Dancing and Silent Auction to benefit youth attending NCYC in 2019 on Saturday, February 16 (6:30-10pm). Ticket order forms available at doors to the Church or in the Parish Office. The cost is $20 per person with RSVP by January 31 / $25 per person after January 31. If you wish to donate an item for the Silent Auction, please contact Cindy Willoughby (812-736-1734) or the Parish Office (812-952-2853).

As we enter the second semester of the school year, thoughts (and hearts) turn to preparations for First Communion! This year, we have 12 boys and girls preparing to receive the Sacrament on April 28 at 10:30am. Your prayers are greatly appreciated for these students, their families and their catechists!

The tri-state’s largest Catholic Men’s Conference of 2019 is coming soon, featuring Mark Hart, Trent Horn and Justin Fatica! Please join us for the 2019 E6 Catholic Men’s Conference, which will be taking place on Saturday,February 23, 2019, at the East Central High School Performing Arts Center in St. Leon, IN (only 35 minutes northwest of Cincinnati). Last year, over 1200 men attended the conference and this year we want to fill every seat in the building. We cordially invite every man to attend this 4th annual event. Please join us for inspiring talks, confession (available all day), celebration of the Holy Mass and fraternity with fellow men of Christ.  Do not miss this! Tickets are on sale now at www.e6catholicmensconference.com.

It’s that time of year again! Right to Life of Southern Indiana’s ‘Value of Life’ Contest is being held on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. The deadline to submit entries is Tuesday, February 26 via email (rtlsoin@att.net) to have a chance to win $2,000 in prize money! All information and full contest rules are available by contacting Sara Trickle in St. Mary’s Parish Office. The categories for 2019 are as follows: Poster Contest:   Kindergarten - 4th Grade Essay Contest: 5th-10th Grade Oratory Contest (I): 8th-10th Grade Oratory Contest (II): 11th & 12th Grade Scholarship Contest: 12th Grade and College Undergraduate

The next meeting of all parishioners interested in participating in St. Mary’s Pro Life Committee will occur on Wednesday, January 23 at 6:30pm in Room 102 of the Parish Life Center. This will be our first meeting for 2019. We will have a report on the March for Life in Washington DC from those members who attended. Anyone interested in serving or helping with the Pro-Life work is welcome to attend this meeting. ‘The mission of the Pro-Life Committee of St. Mary’s Catholic Church is to educate our Catholic community and build pro-life support and values in order to protect all innocent human life from conception until natural death.’

St. Mary Church is pleased to offer Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays throughout the year. At this time, we offer this opportunity for prayer from 8am until 8pm. It has been noted, in recent months, that day-time participation has declined, leading us to discern if changes need to be made in the future. Would you please consider taking two minutes (or less) to fill out this survey for our parish? The link maybe found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D57JDGZ or at "the button" above on our homepage. Your input is appreciated!

This coming year, 2019, marks the 46th anniversary of the Supreme Court's decisions that legalized abortion on demand for the entire nine months of pregnancy, which has resulted in the deaths of over 61 million plus babies before they were allowed to take their first breath. Full page ads will be published in the Corydon Democrat, the Evening News and the New Albany Tribune with the names of citizens who believe that every unborn child deserves a chance at life. Citizens can express their opposition to the killing of innocent children, by allowing their names to be printed in the ads. A donation will be accepted to cover the cost of publishing signature ad. After each Mass on Sunday January 5 & 6, 2019, slips of paper will be available in your pew to place your name in this ad to show your support for Right To Life. Place your slip of paper with your signature in the baskets held by St. Mary’s Pro-Life volunteers at the doors of the church.

The tri-state’s largest Catholic Men’s Conference of 2019 is coming soon, featuring Mark Hart, Trent Horn and Justin Fatica! Please join us for the 2019 E6 Catholic Men’s Conference, which will be taking place on Saturday, February 23rd 2019, at the East Central High School Performing Arts Center in St. Leon, IN (only 35 minutes northwest of Cincinnati). Last year, over 1200 men attended the conference and this year we want to fill every seat in the building. We cordially invite every man to attend this 4th annual event. Please join us for inspiring talks, confession (available all day), celebration of the Holy Mass and fraternity with fellow men of Christ. We pride ourselves on presenting a quality, substance-driven, inspirational and faith-filled event that will change men’s lives and help equip them to be the men Christ calls them to be. Do not miss this! Tickets are on sale now at www.e6catholicmensconference.com.

This coming year, 2019, marks the 46th anniversary of the Supreme Court's decisions that legalized abortion on demand for the entire nine months of pregnancy, which has resulted in the deaths of over 61 million plus babies before they were allowed to take their first breath. Full page ads will be published in the Corydon Democrat, the Evening News and the New Albany Tribune with the names of citizens who believe that every unborn child deserves a chance at life. Citizens can express their opposition to the killing of innocent children, by allowing their names to be printed in the ads. A donation will be accepted to cover the cost of publishing signature ad. After each Mass on Sunday January 5 & 6, 2019, slips of paper will be available in your pew to place your name in this ad to show your support for Right To Life. Place your slip of paper with your signature in the baskets held by St. Mary’s Pro-Life volunteers at the doors of the church.

On Wednesday, January 16, at 7pm, the Heart of Jesus Prayer Group will be hosting a healing Mass with Eucharistic Adoration and Reconciliation at Holy Family Catholic Church (3926 Poplar Level Rd / Louisville, KY). If you or someone you know needs special prayer for healing of body, soul, mind, or spirit, or if prayer is needed to help you or someone you love in dealing with depression, anxiety, addiction, fear, hopelessness, or the everyday burdens of life, please come and experience the love of God and the healing power of Jesus. All are welcome!  

Another great feature of our newly installed sound system is the ability to amplify the sound for those who need additional assistance. While the system is set for the “average listener,” there are two additional options to boost your ability to hear well. The first option is a receiver and headset, made for those who do not use a hearing aide or whose hearing aide does not connect via blue tooth. The second option is a receiver with a lanyard that connects wirelessly to blue-tooth enabled hearing aides. Both styles are provided with detailed instructions and can be checked out by seeing a Usher at the doors of the church. It is our hope that these devices provide an added layer of sound and allow our parish family and guests to hear and participate in the Mass comfortably.

St. Mary’s Widows, Widowers and Senior Singles group will meet on  Sunday, January 27 at noon for a regular pitch-in luncheon.  The group meets in the lower level (cafeteria) of the Parish Life Center. Joe Dotson will be our special guest, providing afternoon entertainment with guitar and vocals. Bring a friend and your "tapping feet!"

The first Theology on Tap of 2019 is just around the corner! Head out to Wick’s (225 State St. / New Albany, IN) on January 8 from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. to grab a drink, a pizza special and hear straight talk and honest answers to your questions about faith, love, work and other real-life experiences. All are welcome, Catholic or not! Bring your friends and meet other deanery young adults. Hosted by Catholic Youth Ministries, 812-923-8355.

St. Mary Catholic Church is looking for several adults willing to become a part of our “Root” group initiative. Root Groups are small faith communities of 4-8 people, who gather to share, study and grow in their faith.  Training on recruiting, inviting, hosting, and developing your Root group community will be provided in January and February of 2019.  For more information, please contact Michelle Fessel at (812) 952-2853 or faithformation@frontier.com

You are invited to join a study of the Letter of James titled James – Pearls for Wise Living. We will begin the class at 7pm, January 2 in Room 102 of the Parish Life Center. The group will then meet every Monday evening thereafter, finishing just before Lent. Facilitated by Melanie Wermuth, Susan Wohlfarth, and Chuck Lynch, James is one of the most practical books of the bible. Like Proverbs, it is a book of wisdom, a collection of teachings on issues faced by ordinary Christians in everyday life. It speaks loudly to those who feel torn between the competing demands of this world and their faith. Join us for any or all of the ten sessions in this study. All are welcome.

Individuals of all ages and families are invited to ABIDE, an opportunity for Adoration, reflection, confession and praise, at Mt. St. Francis (101 St. Anthony Dr. / Mt. St. Francis, IN) on December 18 from 7pm-9pm in the Chapel. Childcare will be available on site, courtesy of the New Albany Deanery Youth Ministry. If your family would like to take advantage of childcare, please RSVP to chris@nadyouth.org.

The holidays can be stressful for couples who are struggling. Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vī) is a worldwide program that helps hurting couples rediscover a loving marriage relationship. No matter how bad things may seem, Retrouvaille can help. Indianapolis Retrouvaille begins its next program with a weekend on February 22 - 24 at St. Joseph's Retreat Center in Tipton. No one is turned away for lack of funds. Learn more at www.HelpOurMarriage.com or call (317) 489-6811 for confidential registration information.

All St. Mary parishioners are invited to borrow books from the Lending Library located in the hallway of the Parish Life Center. The shelf located nearest the restrooms feature books that are suitable for children, including easy-readers and pray-me-a-story books. Further down the hall, near room 105, is a book shelf that holds reference books, fiction and non-fiction for adults and youth. Please be sure to return your selections once finished so others may enjoy these great reads!

Regroup, refresh and renew during a Advent day-retreat at Mt. St. Francis (101 St. Anthony Dr / Mt. St. Francis, IN) on December 15 from 9am until 1pm. The day will include prayer, activities for children and adults, Mass and lunch. The cost for the day is $25 per person or $50 per couple/ family. To register, go to www.mountsaintfrancis.org.

Join young adults from the New Albany Deanery for Young Adults on Saturday, December 15. The group will gather at 6:00 pm at the Eichhorn’s home. Check out our Facebook page New Albany Catholic Youth Ministry for event information. Want to get alerts or need an address to the Eichorn’s home? Email Philip@nadyouth.org to get connected or call (812) 923-8355.