Sacred Heart Parish
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Monday, February 16
9:00 AM - Parishioners of Sacred Heart
Wednesday, February 18
7:00 AM - Stephanie Caporale
Saturday, February 21
4:00 PM - Parishioners of Sacred Heart
Sunday, February 22
9:00 AM - Suzanne Gan
CELEBRANTS FOR NEXT WEEKEND'S MASSES
Saturday, February 21
4:00 PM - Fr. Imbelli
Sunday, February 22
9:00 AM - Fr. Connelly
10:30 AM - Fr. St. Martin
11:45 AM - Fr. Connelly
CONFESSIONS
Saturday, February 21 – 2:00 to 3:30 PM – Fr. Connelly
READINGS FOR THE SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
First Reading: Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
Gospel Reading: Mark 2:1-12
HOLIDAY MASS SCHEDULE
Monday, February 16 is the day we celebrate Presidents’ Day. Mass will be celebrated at 9:00 AM in the lower church. This is a good opportunity to thank God for our religious freedom.
GUILD OF ST. FRANCIS EVENTS
THANK YOU! The Guild had another successful Book and Bake sale on February 8 and deeply appreciates all those who contributed to the event either by their labors of love or their patronage.
SAVE THE DATE! The next Guild event is Family Night on Saturday, March 14th. In the past, we have had some entertainment following dinner, such as Irish step dancing, native South American or Mexican dancing, piano or violin solos, singing, etc. If you have a talent you would like to share, please contact Olimpia Caceres-Brown at Olimpia@MIT.EDU or call 617-222-0791
OFFERTORY INCOME
Weekend of February 7/8 $5,386
LEVANTATE…. Unámonos en Cristo
Por medio de esta invitamos a todos los feligreses de habla español unirse a este programa patrocinado por nuestra parroquia y por la Archidiócesis de Boston. Por primera vez organizamos un grupo en español para así expresarnos mejor y comprender con más profundidad la palabra de Jesús, el Cristo. La segunda sesión es titulada "Encontrando a Jesús" donde exploraremos el misterio pascual y encontraremos a Jesús en sus diferentes dimensiones: cuaresma, pasión, crucifixión y resurrección. La sesión comienza el lunes 23 de febrero (de 7:30PM a 9:00PM) y continúa cada lunes sucesivo terminando el 30 de Marzo. No tiene que haber atendido la primera sesión para poder participar en esta sesión. Que mejor preparación para esta Pascua que unirse a este grupo… LEVANTATE y unámonos en Cristo. If you are interested, please contact Al Calvo at abcalvo@alum.mit.edu or 617-244-2226.
WOMEN’S DISCUSSION GROUP
The Women’s Group will read Saints for Sinners by Archbishop Alban Goodier (Paperback – Oct. 15, 2007). Meeting dates are 2/22, 3/15, 3/29, 4/26, 5/17. New members are most welcome! Join us in the convent dining room for discussion at 10:30 AM.
Margaret LeBlanc
LT. PAUL J. SULLIVAN SCHOLARSHIP
The Lt. Paul J. Sullivan Scholarship committee is pleased to announce the 41st Annual Lt. Paul J. Sullivan Scholarship. A scholarship award of $3,000 will be awarded to a deserving high school senior to perpetrate Paul’s memory. There will also be awards for other finalists. Last year, a total of $11,000 was awarded to eight young men and women. The Scholarship awards will be presented at a reception on May 17. Paul Sullivan was a prominent student-athlete, successful coach and friend to youth and sports in this area. He was killed in Vietnam on August 9, 1968. This scholarship was established, in his memory, by his family and friends, to be awarded annually to that young person who best exemplifies the kind of person Paul was.
Seniors may qualify for the scholarship if they belong to the following parishes: Sacred Heart – Newton; Sacred Heart – Watertown; St. Mary’s – Waltham; and St. Patrick’s – Watertown, or if they are residents of Watertown who fulfill the following criteria. We are looking for well rounded student-athletes, those actively involved in their school, religion, and community.
Applications may be obtained at the Rectory, area high school Guidance offices, or by calling Eleanor Donato at 617-484-5569. Deadline for receipt of completed applications is April 4, 2009.
CATHOLIC-JEWISH DIALOGUE – II
As we know, the Second Vatican Council gave immeasurable momentum to two related but distinguishable matters. One had to do with the sin of Christian division. The multiplication of Christian groups, for those who think seriously about the Gospel, is not something about which we rejoice but about which we lament. Christian division scandalizes the world and does great harm to the preaching of the Gospel to all the world. The Second Vatican Council responded to this issue by its document on Ecumenism. It was fifty years ago, on the 25th of January, that Pope John XXIII made his dual announcement at the Basilica of St. Paul in Rome: his desire to summon a Synod for the Diocese of Rome and his desire to call together an Ecumenical Council. In the intervening fifty years, the going has been rough at times but has made remarkable progress in so many different directions.
A second and related matter had to do not with ecumenical discussions but with the Church’s dialogue with and esteem for Hinduism, Buddhism, the Moslem faith and Judaism. Anyone who has any knowledge about St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans knows very well the importance of Judaism in what we call the Old Testament or the Jewish Scriptures for the Catholic faith. Recently our Sacred Heart Peace and Justice Commission had its meeting on the question of Catholics and Jews in dialogue. At first glance I was not too sure that an issue of this theological magnitude should be held under the auspices of Peace and Justice. Although I was not present, I was told the two speakers in the dialogue did a very good job. However an extraneous event also took place which overshadowed the discussion, namely, the very awful things that one of the Lefebvrite bishops stated last November in a Swedish television interview but was not released until the day that Pope Benedict remitted the excommunication that had been imposed on the four bishops involved. But what did not gain publicity was that the lifting of the excommunication at the request of the Society of St. Pius X in no way made any change in the status of the Society – that their four Episcopal ordinations were irregular, that the bishops and the priests of the Society have no Church approval for their ministry, that Catholic people are forbidden to attend any Eucharist that they may celebrate. Last week our bulletin published the text of Nostra Aetate. Hopefully, the readers of this column made sure to read it.
Father Connelly
The following is the text which contains a note of the Secretariat of State of the Vatican with reference to Pope Benedict’s action and the awful remarks made by Bishop Williamson with regard to the Jews and Judaism.
"Following the reactions generated by the recent Decree of the Congregation for Bishops, with which the excommunications of four prelates of the Society of St. Pius X were rescinded, and in relation to the declarations denying or minimizing the Shoah on the part of Bishop Williamson of this same society, it is regarded as opportune to clarify certain aspects of this affair.
1. Remission of the Excommunication – As has already been published, the Decree of the Congregation for Bishops, dated January 21, 2009, was an act with which the Holy Father kindly responded to repeated requests on the part of the Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X.
His Holiness wished to remove an impediment that prevented the opening of a door to dialogue. Now he is waiting for equal openness to be expressed by the four bishops, in total adhesion to the doctrine and discipline of the church.
The extremely grave penalty of excommunication latae sententiae, which these bishops incurred on June 30, 1988, which was then formally declared on July 1 of the same year, was a consequence of their ordination by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
The lifting of the excommunication has freed the four bishops from a most grave canonical penalty, but in no way has it changed the juridical situation of the Society of St. Pius X, which, in this moment, does not enjoy any canonical recognition in the Catholic church. Also the four bishops, despite removal of the excommunication, do not have any canonical function in the church and do not licitly exercise any ministry in it.
2. Tradition, doctrine and the Second Vatican Council – For any future recognition of the Society of St. Pius X, a full recognition of the Second Vatican Council and the magisterium of Popes John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI himself is an indispensable condition.
As was already affirmed in the Decree of January 21, 2009, the Holy See will not fail, in ways judged opportune, to purse the questions which are still open with the interested parties, thus to be able to reach a full and satisfying solution to the problems that gave rise to this painful fracture.
3. Declarations on the Shoah – The positions of Bishop Williamson on the Shoah are absolutely unacceptable and firmly rejected by the Holy Father, as he himself remarked this past January 28, when, referring to that brutal genocide, he reconfirmed his full and indisputable solidarity with our brothers who received the First Covenant, and affirmed that the memory of that terrible genocide must lead ‘humanity to reflect on the unpredictable power of evil when it conquers the human heart,’ adding that the Shoah remains ‘a warning for all against hate, against denial or reductionism, because violence against even a single human being is violence against all.’
Bishop Williamson, in order to claim admission to episcopal functions in the church, must distance himself in absolutely unequivocal and public fashion from his positions regarding the Shoah, which were not known by the Holy Father when the excommunication was lifted.
The Holy Father asks accompaniment in prayer from all the faithful, that the Lord may illuminate the path of the church. May the commitment of the pastors and all the faithful grow to sustain the delicate and weighty mission of the Successor of the Apostle Peter, who is the ‘custodian of the unity’ of the church."
From the Vatican, February 4, 2009
SIGNINGS
Parish news, especially of interest to our deaf parishioners
Good People,
In the seminary we were taught that (during ordinary time signaled by the green vestments) the first reading and the Gospel were chosen to compliment each other.
The first reading tells us about the first priesthood that God set up for us. That priesthood had power to protect us. The old priest could judge if a person had a dangerous sickness that could infect others and had authority to have that person live apart for the time that they remained a threat.
Christ is the new high priest. He is the priest with power to judge who is sick and to heal them.
Jesus is with us now ministering through us today. The real "sickness" that threatens us is sin. When a person has sin it is a threat to peace and happiness. When we sin we bring ourselves to a priest and Jesus the new high priest works in that priest by the power of the Holy Spirit to forgive and heal that person. This helps us to forgive each other. When we do that, Jesus the priest works in us by the Spirit’s power.
In the end Jesus will heal our bodies as well of all physical sickness when he comes again in glory on the last day. Then his work will be complete when even our bodies are made perfect. Then we will love God and each other without blunder.
Jesus is the new perfect priest who can protect us by making us new in the sacrament of confession and in the power we each have to forgive those who sin against us.
In Christ,
Fr. St. Martin
SUPERMARKET GIFT CARDS
Many thanks to all those who purchased supermarket gift cards to help our hungry neighbors. This will be an ongoing outreach program and we appreciate your help and concern.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
Please note that CCD classes will not be held today, Sunday, Feb. 15th. However, CCD classes will be held next week, Feb. 22 which is the last Sunday of winter vacation. There will be no Tuesday afternoon and evening CCD classes on Feb. 17th during vacation week.
Our Parent Meeting for 1st Communion has been rescheduled to Thursday, Feb. 26 in the Convent from 7:30- 8:45 pm. At least one parent needs to attend this meeting. Please mark your calendars!
Thank you. Have a restful vacation!
Michelle Solomon, Director of Religious Education
LIFT – CATHOLIC WORSHIP FOR A NEW GENERATION
Join us for LIFT – an exciting monthly worship event which includes vibrant praise and worship music, dynamic, challenging speakers and Eucharistic Adoration. On Tuesday, February 17 we welcome Cardinal Seán O’Malley as speaker. The evening takes place from 7:00–9:00 PM at Fontbonne Academy, 930 Brook Road, Milton. For directions or more information go to www.liftedhgher.com.
WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
Married Couples – Is winter starting to get you down and you find yourself getting a little edgy with your spouse? Perhaps you deserve a get-away to renew your relationship. The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends in New England are March 6-8, March 20-22, and April 17-19. For more information call Ralph & Jane Becker at 1-800-710-WWME or visit our webpage at www.wwmeMA.org.
CALENDAR NOTES
EXTENDED COFFEE HOUR: Sunday, February 15 – 10 AM to 1 PM – Parish Center
LITURGY COMMITTEE MEETING: Tuesday, February 17 – 7:30 PM - Convent
PRAYER GROUP: Wednesday, February 18 – 7:30 PM – Convent (Chapel)
LITURGY, ADORATION AND THE ROSARY: Saturday, February 21 – 9 AM to 12:30 PM – Lower Church
EXTENDED COFFEE HOUR: Sunday, February 22 – 10 AM to 1 PM – Parish Center
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Sunday, February 22 – 9:00 AM (ASL) – Lower Church, Sunday, February 22 – 10:30 AM – Lower Church
WOMEN’S DISCUSSION GROUP: Sunday, February 22 – 10:30 AM – Convent (DR)