Sacred Heart Parish
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Monday, May 4
12:05 PM Jeanne-Marie Myette
Wednesday, May 6
7:00 AM Mary Broderick
Saturday, May 9
4:00 PM Sheila Werbinski
Sunday, May 10
9:00 AM Parishioners of Sacred Heart
10:30 AM Evelyn Keyes, Anna Coffey and Clare Coffey
11:45 AM Julia Groden and Claire Groden Smith
CONFESSIONS
Saturday, May 9 – 2:00 to 3:30 PM – Fr. Connelly
READINGS FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
First Reading: Acts 9:26-31
Second Reading: 1 John 3:18-24
Gospel Reading: John 15:1-8
2009 CATHOLIC APPEAL
Thank you to all supporters of the 2009 Catholic Appeal. As of April 28th, our parish has raised $33,524, reaching 73.7% of our parish goal of $45,500. If you have not yet pledged, please consider a gift today and help us to meet our goal. Remember, our parish will receive 25 percent of all funds we raise above our goal. Please remember to make your pledge now even if you plan on fulfilling that pledge towards the end of the year. You can pick up information packets with pledge forms at the Church entrances to be mailed in, or for more information please call 617-779-3700 or visit www.BostonCatholicAppeal.com. Every gift matters. Thank you.
AN ADDITIONAL OUTREACH OPPORTUNITY
During these difficult economic times, we are seeing an increase in the number of people coming to the rectory door looking for some help with food. Last fall, one of our Arise Groups donated a supply of gift cards at local supermarkets for us to distribute to those in need. Our supply has been exhausted. If some parishioners might be willing to donate a food card ($10) for Shaw/Star Market or Stop and Shop, it would be greatly appreciated by those in need.
MASTER OF ARTS IN MINISTRY PROGRAM
Deepen your knowledge of your faith! Register now for summer courses; apply now for fall admissions to our degree program. Call 617-779-4109 or visit www.sjs.edu.
OFFERTORY INCOME
Weekend of April 25/26 $4,503
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
First Communion is fast approaching. Our students are preparing their minds and hearts to receive Our Lord under the faithful guidance of their teachers: Lucia Collela, Zeba Race, Mary Hoppe, Veronica Hutner and Mr. & Mrs. Bucci from our Deaf Community. Please pray for their hearts to be open and ready to receive the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time on May 17th.
Meanwhile we have reminders going out to all parents of grade 2 preparing to receive 1st Communion:
*Today: 1st Communion Parent meeting for the Sunday CCD program at 10:45 a.m. Please meet in the hallway and Grace Alexander will direct you to the meeting room. The students will make their banners today. A photo of student is required.
*Today: 1st Communion workshop for all grade 2 students in the Tuesday CCD program will meet in the Convent at 10:30 a.m. At least one parent is asked to attend the workshop from 10:30-11a.m. The students may be picked up at 11:45 a.m. Students will make their banners today. A photo of student is required.
*May 10th: 1st Communion workshop for grade 2 Sunday CCD program, will take place in the regular classroom.
*The rehearsal for 1st Communion will take place for all students in the Sunday and Tuesday program on May 16th in the upper church from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Please plan to have at least one parent present for this rehearsal. Mark your calendars!
In the month of May we will honor Mary as the mother of the Savior, the Mother of the Church and the mother who intercedes for us until we are safely home in heaven. The Tuesday CCD program will be processing and presenting Mary with flowers on May 5 and the Sunday CCD program will be presenting her with flowers on May 10th. Anyone who wishes to bring flowers from their own garden are welcome. Flowers will be provided for the rest!
In Christ,
Michelle Solomon, Director of Rel. Ed.
INTENTIONS OF THE HOLY FATHER FOR THE MONTH OF MAY
General Intention: That the laity and Christian communities may embrace their responsibilities for promoting vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Mission Intention: In response to the Lord for the gift of faith, may the younger Catholic communities generously participate in the universal mission of the Church to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
THE PERFECTION OF LOVE
From a treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop
Dear brethren, the Lord has marked out for us the fullness of love that we ought to have for each other. He tells us: No one has greater love than the man who lays down his life for his friends. In these words, the Lord tells us what the perfect love we should have for one another involves. John, the evangelist who recorded them, draws the conclusion in one of his letters: As Christ laid down his life for us, so we too ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. We should indeed love one another as he loved us, he who laid down his life for us.
This is surely what we read in the Proverbs of Solomon: If you sit down to eat at the table of a ruler, observe carefully what is set before you; then stretch out your hand, knowing that you must provide the same kind of meal yourself. What is this ruler’s table if not the one at which we receive the body and blood of him who laid down his life for us? What does it mean to sit at this table if not to approach it with humility? What does it mean to observe carefully what is set before you if not to meditate devoutly on so great a gift? What does it mean to stretch out one’s hand, knowing that one must provide the same kind of meal oneself, if not what I have just said: as Christ laid down his life for us, so we in our turn ought to lay down our lives for our brothers? This is what the apostle Paul said: Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we might follow in his footsteps.
This is what is meant by providing “that same kind of meal.” This is what the blessed martyrs did with such burning love. If we are to give true meaning to our celebration of their memorials, to our approaching the Lord’s table in the very banquet at which they were fed, we must, like them, provide “the same kind of meal.”
At this table of the Lord we do not commemorate the martyrs in the same way as we commemorate others who rest in peace. We do not pray for the martyrs as we pray for those others, rather, they pray for us, that we may follow in their footsteps. They practiced the perfect love of which the Lord said there could be none greater. They provided “the same kind of meal” as they had themselves received at the Lord’s table.
This must not be understood as saying that we can be the Lord’s equals by bearing witness to him to the extent of shedding our blood. He had the power of laying down his life; we by contrast cannot choose the length of our lives, and we die even if it is against our will. He, by dying, destroyed death in himself; we are freed from death only in his death. His body did not see corruption; our body will see corruption and only then be clothed through him in incorruption at the end of the world. He needed no help from us in saving us; without him we can do nothing. He gave himself to us as the vine to the branches; apart from him we cannot have life.
Finally, even if brothers die for brothers, yet no martyr by shedding his blood brings forgiveness for the sins of his brothers, as Christ brought forgiveness to us. In this he gave us, not an example to imitate but a reason for rejoicing. Inasmuch, then, as they shed their blood for their brothers, the martyrs provided “the same kind of meal” as they had received at the Lord’s table. Let us then love one another as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us.
AN ARISE MEMBER IN NEED
Dear parishioners and members of the ARISE community:
A problem arose out of the last session of ARISE impacting a member of ARISE and the parish community. This individual, a single mother of two, is in dire need of a safe, used car in good working condition. She is in danger of losing her government assistance and the financial assistance for her daughter’s school (her daughter, in open competition, has won a full scholarship to Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart) if she does not acquire a car which will allow her to take her children to school and to find a job.
We are appealing to our ARISE brethren and the Sacred Heart community for help. This can be either one of two ways: by either donating or selling a used car in good working condition; or by sending a financial contribution to Sacred Heart parish in care of Father Connelly. If we cannot find a suitable car within our community, then our hope is to raise around $2,500 which should provide sufficient funds to buy a good, safe, used car. Please contact Father Connelly if you would like to help, or Al Calvo or Pablo Coste for more information.
Your generosity will be greatly appreciated and will certainly serve as a testament of the good that the ARISE program brings to our parish community. Without the ARISE program we would not have heard of this person in need.
Blessings,
Alberto Calvo (617) 244-2226
Pablo Coste (617)-527-3808 Pablo.Coste@gmail.com
LIFT – CATHOLIC WORSHIP FOR A NEW GENERATION
Be with us on Tuesday, May 12th, as we welcome Fr. Mike Najim as our speaker. The evening runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at Fontbonne Academy, 930 Brook Road, Milton, MA. Directions and a flyer along with more information about LIFT can be found at www.liftedhigher.com. Come join in worship with hundreds of Catholics from around the Boston area!
“SIGNINGS”
Parish news especially of interest to our deaf community
Good People, Peter is inspired. He is fearless and strong. He witnesses to Christ with energy and determination. It is impressive and beautiful to see how he proclaims Jesus Christ, a man from a small town, who died and rose and now his power is so great his very name can heal.
What is even more striking is Peter's statement that there is no salvation through anyone else. He really believes that!
How do we know Peter is not just saying things? He knows that the people there that day would be so upset that they would want to kill him. He knew that God would not save him from their hatred and cruelty. But Peter himself has become like the Good Shepherd described in the Gospel.
Peter now through faith in Christ has become a man who is no longer afraid of suffering and death. He is only afraid of doing wrong and not doing good. If in fact the doing of good like the witnessing to Christ makes him suffer that is even better! It is a reason for rejoicing for Peter and the apostles. By suffering and witnessing at the same time others became curious about the power and name behind their new freedom and undying love.
Their willingness and eagerness to suffer for Christ is because like Christ they have been given the power to lay down their lives. They lead us like Jesus led them to do the same.
We call others to fall in love with Christ. Some people are upset by this and they will fight us but that is the best way to bring Christ to them. If they try to fight us and insult us we can respond with love. That disarms such people and can convert them.
There are many who don't want to say that Jesus is the "one and only love" for the human heart. People don't want us to say that there is no salvation out side of Christ and his Church. When we do say these true things be ready to respond with love when people hate you. That works very well. It worked for Christ and Peter. It will work. We might even get terribly hurt in the process but that is O.K. because we have the power to lay down our life.
In Christ,
Fr. St. Martin
ST. FRANCIS HOUSE
Thank you for your donations of cold cereal during April. In May we will be collecting sugar. Your continued support is very much appreciated.
16TH SOCIAL JUSTICE FORUM
“Fighting the Global Sex Trafficking of Children”
On Sunday, May 3 at 7:30 PM in the lower church our Peace and Justice Committee forum will feature two speakers from Minga: teens fighting the global sex trade of children. Zeba Race of Sacred Heart parish and Taryn Valley of St. Ignatius parish, both Juniors at Newton South High School, are active members of Minga who have traveled and served the disadvantaged in other countries.
IRISH PASTORAL CENTER ANNUAL BANQUET
Save the date – Friday, May 8 at Florian Hall, 55 Hallet St., Dorchester. Cocktails 6-7 PM, Dinner and Dancing follow. Music by Devri; special performance by Brady Academy of Irish Dance. Tickets $100 – please call 617-479-7404.
BENEFIT DANCE FOR SMA FATHERS
The Spring Fundraiser will be held on May 15th at the Irish Social Club, 119 Park St., West Roxbury at 8:00 PM. Music by Andy Healy Band; Door Prizes and Raffle. Admission is $10 per person. Proceeds go for building schools, clinics and churches in Africa. Contact Frank & Cathy Coppinger at 617-323-2800 or Pat & Josie Casey at 781-329-0530.
CALENDAR NOTES
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:
Sunday, May 3 – 9:00 AM (ASL)– Lower Church
Sunday, May 3 – 10:30 AM – Lower Church
FIRST COMMUNION WORKSHOP:
Sunday, May 3 – 10:30 AM – Convent /p>
EXTENDED COFFEE HOUR:
Sunday, May 3 – 10 AM to 1 PM – Parish Center/p>
PEACE AND JUSTICE FORUM:
Sunday, May 3 – 7:30 PM – Lower Church/p>
SCOUTS:
Monday, May 4 – 7:30 PM – Parish Center/p>
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – GRADES 1-5:
Tuesday, May 5 – 4 to 5:15 PM – Lower Church/p>
GUILD OF ST. FRANCIS BOARD MEETING:
Tuesday, May 5 – 7 PM – Guild Room/p>
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – GRADES 6-10:
Tuesday, May 5 – 7 to 8:30 PM – Lower Church/p>
ARISE TEAM MEETING:
Tuesday, May 5 – 7:30 PM - Convent/p>
PRAYER GROUP:
Wednesday, May 6 – 7:30 PM – Convent/p>
COFFEE HOUR:
Friday, May 8 – 9:45 AM – Parish Center/p>
LITURGY, ADORATION AND THE ROSARY:
Saturday, May 9 – 9 AM to 12:30 PM – Lower Church/p>
EXTENDED COFFEE HOUR:
Sunday, May 10 – 10 AM to 1 PM – Parish Center/p>