Sacred Heart Parish
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Thursday, September 10
7:00 AM Lillian McNulty
Saturday, September 12
4:00 PM Jennie and John DeFelice, Dawn DeFelice Johnson
Sunday, September 13
9:00 AM Josephina Bae
Sunday, September 13
11:45 AM Margarita Perdomo and Paulina Andrade
CELEBRANTS FOR NEXT WEEKEND’S MASSES
Saturday, September 12
4:00 PM Fr. Connelly
Sunday, September 13
9:00 AM Fr. Imbelli
10:30 AM Fr. Carey
11:45 AM Fr. Connelly
CONFESSIONS
Saturday, September 12 – 2:00 to 3:30 PM – Fr. Connelly
READINGS FOR THE TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
First Reading: Isaiah 50:4c-9a
Second Reading : James 2:14-18
Gospel Reading: Mark 8:27-35
LABOR DAY
Monday, September 7, is Labor Day. Mass will be celebrated in the lower church at 9 AM.
COLLECTION FOR CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
The Catholic University of America is the national university of the Catholic Church in the U.S., located in Washington, D.C. It provides an academically rigorous education guided by Catholic intellectual tradition to 6,000 students every year. Next week is the National Collection for the Catholic University of America. Every dollar given directly supports financial aid for students from dioceses across the country, including ours. Please be generous.
GUILD OF ST. FRANCIS TEA
Fr. Connelly and the Guild of St. Francis invite all ladies of the parish to attend the annual Tea at the rectory on Sunday, September 20th from 3:00 to 4:30 PM. Socialize with old friends and meet new ones as you enjoy tea and desserts.
SIGN UP FOR ARISE - SEASON THREE
WILL BE FROM 9/12 TO 9/20
Season Three of the Arise program, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHRIST, will focus on theological explanations of the Catholic understanding of discipleship, the social teachings of the Church, active commitment to charity and justice, and the communal dimension of life in Christ. Watch the mail for letters describing the details of the program.
Season Three begins the week of October 4th. We will offer ninety-minute sessions on:
Sundays 10:15 AM and 7 PM
Mondays 7:30 PM in Spanish
Tuesdays 12:30 PM and 7 PM
Wednesdays 7:30 PM
Thursdays 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM
Previous participation is not necessary. Ask other parishioners about their experience in small faith-sharing groups. Let us all pray to be open to the Spirit and the call to grow deeper in relationship with God and with one another.
ANNUAL LAWN PARTY TO BENEFIT SEMINARIANS
Blessed John XXIII National Seminary is hosting its 28th Annual Lawn Party on Wednesday, September 23rd, at 6:00 P.M, on the grounds of the seminary. This premiere fundraising event is hosted by His Eminence, Seán Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap. The evening will include a reception and dinner with music. Located on Route 30 in Weston, the seminary prepares second-career candidates, men over the age of 30, for priesthood. The proceeds from the Lawn Party help to keep tuition costs affordable. For ticket information, please call the Blessed John XXIII Development Office at 781-899-5500, or visit www.blessedjohnxxiii.edu. You can make a difference and encourage the vocations of these men through your support of the Lawn Party.
PROJECT RACHEL
Project Rachel is the post-abortion ministry of the Catholic Church to help those dealing with the pain of abortion. Project Rachel will offer a “Come to the Waters” post-abortion healing retreat on Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and registration, contact Project Rachel at 508-651-3100 or email: help@projectrachelboston.com. All calls are confidential.
OFFERTORY INCOME
Weekend of August 29/30 $4,245.91
SAINT AUGUSTINE
On August 28, the Western Liturgy celebrates the feast of Augustine of Hippo Regius. It would be a shame to let the feast day pass by without further probing. Like Saint Paul before him and Saint Ignatius of Loyola after him, Augustine experienced one of the most significant conversion stories of Western history. Had Augustine’s conversion not taken place, who in the world would have been able to match him in his amazing role as “school master of the Western world”!
Augustine came from North Africa. He was born in the town of Tagaste in what we now call the country of Tunisia. He never was baptized. His mother Monica was a devout woman who taught her son the truths of the Catechism, but his unbelieving father, Patricius, did not allow his Baptism. Growing up in Tagaste, Augustine didn’t seem to take life very seriously. He did make the decision to move to Carthage to advance his education. His chosen field of study was that of rhetoric. To make a name for himself, he left North Africa and moved to Milano in Italy where he became famous as a teacher of rhetoric. His students were from wealthy families and they needed their “spin doctors” to help them advance in their political ambitions. Moved greatly by the preaching of St. Ambrose in Milano, Augustine, under God’s grace, began his lengthy process of conversion. He returned to Africa, received ordination to the priesthood, did much of the preaching for his bishop and soon was named bishop of the diocese of Hippo. Augustine was a master homilist. He wrote several deep theological treatises which are eagerly read in our day. He was good at what we call “controversial theology” as he wrestled two very serious problems facing the Church at that time – Pelagianism and Donatism. These names may appear puzzling to those who read this little column, but I haven’t the space to deal with them in this column (see me after Mass). He has told the world so much about his conversion and his subsequent life of love for the risen Christ in the mystery of his Church. The following is excerpted from his book of “Confessions”:
“Urged to reflect upon myself, I entered under your guidance into the inmost depth of my soul. I was able to do so because you were my helper. On entering into myself I saw, as it were with the eye of the soul, what was beyond the eye of the soul, beyond my spirit: your immutable light. It was not the ordinary light perceptible to all flesh, nor was it merely something of greater magnitude but still essentially akin, shining more clearly and diffusing itself everywhere by its intensity. No, it was something entirely distinct, something altogether different from all these things, and it did not rest above my mind as oil on the surface of water, nor was it above me as heaven is above earth. This light was above me because it had made me; I was below it because I was created by it. He who has come to know the truth knows this light.
O eternal truth, true love and beloved eternity. You are my God. To you do I sigh day and night. When I first came to know you, you drew me to yourself so that I might see that there were things for me to see, but that I myself was not yet ready to see them. Meanwhile you overcame the weakness of my vision, sending forth most strongly the beams of your light, and I trembled at once with love and dread. I learned that I was in a region unlike yours and far distant from you, and I thought I heard your voice from on high: “I am the food of grown men; grow then, and you will feed on me. Nor will you change me into yourself like bodily food, but you will be changed into me.”
I sought a way to gain the strength which I needed to enjoy you. But I did not find it until I embraced the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who is above all, God blessed for ever. He was calling me and saying: I am the way of truth, I am the life. He was offering the food which I lacked the strength to take, the food he had mingled with our flesh. For the Word became flesh, that your wisdom, by which you created all things, might provide milk for us children.
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.”
Father Connelly
TIME TO REPLENISH SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Don’t forget our collection of school supplies for Mother Caroline Academy. Following are the items needed:
AAA batteries for graphing calculators (4 per calculator)
white board markers (black and other colors)
hand-held calculators (only basic keys)
tri-fold poster boards 3-ring notebook paper rulers
index cards zipper binders glue sticks
Xerox paper highlighters pencils
colored pencils black pens blue pens
markers graph paper scissors
You can drop off donations in the collection baskets near church entrances through the weekend of September 19/20.
Thanks in advance for your generosity!!!!
Margaret LeBlanc Jane McGuire
SIGNINGS
Before people crucified Jesus, what did Jesus do? He traveled in his area of the world healing, casting out devils, and preaching. He was showing and teaching about the beginning of God's Kingdom, his Church. Today's Gospel story shows that one day there was a group of people who wanted Jesus to show his power by healing a man who was Deaf and who had a challenge using his voice.
What did Jesus do? He took the man away from the crowd. That is interesting. Fr. Shawn told me that from his Deaf perspective that is important. A Deaf person who is using eyes and surroundings to understand, can more easily do this one-on-one. In a crowd, it is a challenge for all to understand each other because everyone is talking at once. That Jesus took the Deaf man away from the crowd to be with him one-on-one is really good for the Deaf person.
Jesus' kingdom continues to work in and through His Church on earth. His Church is the beginning of the Kingdom of God here on earth; His Church makes God's presence here on earth a reality. Jesus still works through His Church. How? Jesus helps the Deaf bridge the gap. But now Jesus does it in an even more powerful way than before. In the Gospel He healed the Deaf man. But in our Church here in Boston Jesus heals the hearing.
The Deaf can hear. The Deaf hear with their eyes. They have a voice. The Deaf community can communicate with the use of sign language. The hearing people like me are being healed of the inability to understand this by Jesus the Healer. This helps us see God's power and love here on earth.
Thank God for working through His Church to bring his Glorious Kingdom to us even now here on earth. What a gift to the Church it is to be able to see the Gospel in a new way from the hands of the men and women who are Deaf!
In Christ, Fr. St. Martin
CALENDAR NOTES
COFFEE HOUR AFTER THE ASL MASS:
Sunday, September 6 – 11:30 AM to 1 PM – Parish Center
GUILD OF ST. FRANCIS BOARD MEETING:
Tuesday, September 8 – 7 PM – Guild Room
PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN TRAINING:
Wednesday, September 9 – 6-9PM – Convent (Library)
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS:
Wednesday, September 9 – 8 PM – Convent (DR)
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL:
Thursday, September 10 – 7:30 PM – Convent (Library)
COFFEE HOUR:
Friday, September 11 – Following 9 AM Mass – Parish Ctr.
LITURGY, ADORATION AND THE ROSARY:
Saturday, September 12 – 9 AM to 12:30 PM – Lower Ch.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
REGISTRATION FOR CCD: Please take a moment to pick up a registration form at one of the church exits and register your child for CCD. We have a Sunday program for grades 1-5 from 10:30-11:45 am and a Tuesday program for grades 1-5 from 4:00- 5:15 pm and on Tuesday evening for grades 6-10 from 7-8:30 pm. Please call the Religious Education office if you have any questions. The deadline for registration for Religious Education is Tuesday, September 8th. CCD classes begin on Sunday, September 20th and Tuesday, September 29th.
CCD TEACHERS NEEDED! As our classrooms fill up, we pray for you to respond to Christ’s love by offering your time and gift of faith to the children of our parish. We are looking for teachers for the Sunday and Tuesday afternoon programs. No experience is necessary. A desire for others to know Christ is all that was needed to hand down the faith throughout the centuries before us. Won’t you join these noble predecessors?
ATTENTION ALL CONFIRMATION II STUDENTS AND PARENTS: As part of your preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, Fr. St. Martin will be making a home visit with families of 2nd year Confirmation students before CCD begins . He is available Sundays and Thursdays at 7 PM. Please call immediately: 617-997-8025 and leave several options for this visit.
Calendar of Events for CCD:
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Wednesday, September 9, 6-9 PM in Convent: All new teachers, aides, and adults who regularly come in contact with children at Sacred Heart are required to receive training in Protecting God’s Children Program.
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Sunday, September 13, 10:30-11:30 am: Keeping Children Safe Curriculum being used in grade 1-8 this year will be presented for all CCD parents in MacKenzie Center.
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Sunday, September 20, 10:30-11:45 am: CCD begins!
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Sunday, September 27 at 9 am Mass: Commissioning of Teachers
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Tuesday, September 29th: Tuesday CCD program begins!
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Sunday, October 4, 7-8:30 PM in Convent: Theology of the Body curriculum presented to Confirmation Parents
Michelle Solomon, Director of R.E.
ST FRANCIS HOUSE
Thank you for your contributions during the month of August. In September we are asked to provide dried pasta and spaghetti sauce. Please place your donations in the cart or cartons provided at the Church entrances at any time during the month.