Sacred Heart Parish
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Saturday, October 8
4:00 PM Jennie, John & Dawn DeFelice
Sunday, October 9
9:00 AM Parishioners of Sacred Heart
11:45 AM Donald Ferreri
Saturday, October 15
4:00 PM CONFIRMATION
Sunday, October 16
9:00 AM Fr. Pat Diver
11:45 AM Parishioners of Sacred Heart
CELEBRANTS FOR NEXT WEEKEND’S MASSES
Saturday, October 15
4:00 PM Bishop Edyvean
Sunday, October 16
9:00 AM Fr. Connelly
10:30 AM Fr. St. Martin
11:45 AM Fr. Connelly
CONFESSIONS
Saturday, October 15 – 2:00 to 3:30 PM – Fr. Connelly
READINGS FOR THE TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
First Reading: Isaiah 45:1, 4-6
Second Reading: Thessalonians 1:1-5b
Gospel Reading: Matthew 22: 15-21
HOLIDAY MASS SCHEDULE
On Monday, October 10, we will observe the Columbus Day holiday. Mass will be celebrated in the lower Church at 9:00 AM. Please join us! There will be no 12:05 PM Mass.
OUR LADY’S GROTTO
If you haven’t looked at the pictures posted in the gathering space or walked to the convent backyard to check out the work on Our Lady’s Grotto, please do. The stonework is well underway and we are now waiting for a precast top piece, after which the statue of Our Lady will be put into place. We envision a quiet garden spot where parishioners can go to pray and reflect and where the parish can celebrate Marian feasts.
Those who wish to make a contribution for this project in memory or honor of a family member or friend should send checks to the rectory with a notation that the gift is for the grotto. A plaque with the names of those being remembered will be installed when the project is complete.
OFFERTORY INCOME
Weekend of October 1/2 $ 5,272.75
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
There will be religious education classes today, Oct. 9th, in spite of the Columbus Day weekend. Our teachers look forward to seeing you in the lower church!
We are overjoyed to welcome our final catechist to the Tuesday afternoon program. Mary Troxell will be teaching grade 4. She is a philosophy and theology professor from Boston College. We are so blessed by all those who have responded in love to Christ’s call to pass on the Catholic faith to the next generation. Now that our staff is complete, please keep our teachers, students and their families in your prayers weekly. After all, “this is a supernatural endeavor and we can’t do it with just our human gifts”!
October is the month of the Holy Rosary. We will begin to pray this prayer with the older children guiding the younger ones in how to pray it. We teach the children that the purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. We read a short scripture verse and think on all that God has done for us through Jesus and Mary. They will learn to offer their decade of the rosary for the sake of someone else. What a gift to be learned and practiced throughout their lives! Please join us in praying for peace in our world.
After two long years of preparation, our students will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday, October 15th, 2011 at the 4:00 PM Mass. We ask that you keep them in your prayers as they prepare for full initiation into the Catholic Church. May the candidates use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to help them to respond to the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, to make good choices, and to serve God and others. You are all invited to share this beautiful sacrament with the Candidates, Sponsors and their Families. Daniel Barabasi, Andreas Betancourt, Kristen Cipriano, Ashley Natashia Cruz, Nicholas Donnellan, Catherine Joan Feehily, Timothy Michael Feehily, Sara Goulart, Nicholas Hurney, Natalie Hutner, Joe Joseph, Ashley Patricia Kingston, Megan Pappas, Emma Race, Margaret Whalen, Alexis Wing, Michael Yang.
Michelle Solomon, Director of Religious Education
Roseann Furbush, Confirmation Coordinator
THANKS FROM MOTHER CAROLINE ACADEMY
The students and volunteer teachers of Mother Caroline Academy are very appreciative of your replenishing their school supplies and making monetary donations. If you would like to learn more about the school or make a donation online, the website is: www.mcaec.org. If you prefer to mail in a donation, the address is: Mother Caroline Academy, 515 Blue hill Ave., Dorchester, MA 02121. Thanks again for your generosity and support!!
“MY SACRIFICE AND YOURS”
The Sunday liturgy of the Church is its most important activity. It is at the Sunday liturgy that the Church finds its true meaning and is strengthened for its mission. Ultimately, the Sunday liturgy is not important or successful because of our efforts. The Sunday liturgy always remains the work of the Lord. We, His people, by the power of the Spirit, offer with Jesus to the Father all that Jesus has done for us. Every Sunday it is the assurance that the Lord is in our midst that lifts our spirits. Every Sunday it is the nourishment of the Lord’s body and blood that strengthens us for daily life. Every Sunday it is the celebration of the memorial of the Lord’s death and resurrection that reminds us over and over again of the love of God and thus calls forth our own love. The more we understand and appreciate what the Lord does for us at the Sunday liturgy, the more we can realize why it is the Church’s most important activity.
After the reading of the Gospel, the homily, the creed, and the prayers of the faithful, the altar servers prepare the altar for the liturgy of the Eucharist. We bring bread and wine to the altar so that the Holy Spirit through the ministry of the priest celebrant can change these ordinary gifts into the most extraordinary reality of the body and blood of the risen Christ. The celebrant then purifies his hands and then turns to the congregation and says “my sisters and brothers, let us pray that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.” The new translation of the Missal makes one important change to these words. Starting with the First Sunday of Advent the priest will say: “Pray, sisters and brothers, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father. This is a small change but a most significant change. It tells us, it would seem, that more than one sacrifice is being offered at each Eucharist. Obviously what is being offered to the Father is what Christ offered, namely himself, on the cross on the first Good Friday. At the Last Supper, Jesus anticipated his bloody sacrifice on the cross by giving his disciples, and by giving us, what we celebrate at every Eucharist, the sacrifice of himself for the salvation of the world. This is why the Second Vatican Council has given us this most wonderful definition – “At the Last Supper, on the night when he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his body and blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved spouse the Church a memorial of his death and resurrection, a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity.” In the Eucharist the risen Christ expects us to offer ourselves to the Father through and along with his sacrifice always so pleasing to the Father so the celebrant can say – “this is my sacrifice also” and everyone in the congregation can say – “and also mine as well”.
What does this mean? This means we bring our prayers our works and our sufferings. This means we bring our struggles, our illnesses, our concerns for our families, and all the difficulties we normally experience in the course of every week. Sunday is the day when we bring all of these to God and join them to the one perfect sacrifice which is that of Christ the Lord. All of this reminds us that each one of us participates in the one sacrifice of Christ and this is the meaning of that wonderful text in Chapter 2 of the First Letter of Peter which says to us that we are meant to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Once the priest celebrant has addressed us to urge us to bring our sacrifices to the altar we then say in return – “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.” You may note that the word “holy” is now added to this response because the Church is indeed a holy Church; holy in its head which is the Lord Jesus, holy in the Holy Spirit at the very heart of the Church, holy in the sacraments – although not so holy because of us, the members of the Church, who need the Eucharist, who need the Holy Spirit, who need all the sacraments to keep growing in holiness.
Father Connelly
PRAYING THE LITURGY
Worship aids: Over the past several weeks, we have been presenting some of the new English translations for the Roman Missal, third edition, which comes into use on Nov. 27, 2011, the First Sunday of Advent. We will have new responses and prayers to learn. We will have worship aids (pew cards) that present the revised wording for responses, Penitential Act, Gloria, Creed. This is an opportunity for us to listen deeply to the words that we are praying as we learn anew what may have become rote rattling of words.
Winifred Murphy, Pastoral Associate
“POETRY AND THE CATHOLIC IMAGINATION:
A READING AND TALK”
Come to St. John the Evangelist Parish social hall, in the lower level of the Church at 9 Glen Rd, Wellesley, on Tuesday, October 11, at 7:30 PM to hear Paul Mariani, University Professor of English at Boston College, as he focuses on Deaths & Transformations, a provocative collection of spiritually searching poems that develop themes of personal loss – the deaths we experience – as well as the quest for new life. Copies of the book will be available.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
The Knights of Columbus will be seen at Church exits this weekend, October 8th and 9th. They will be soliciting funds for their work for the mentally challenged. You may accept or refuse the “tootsie roll” but please don’t fail to contribute to this worthy cause
SIGNINGS
Jesus is a man that some people are haunted by. We are not, however. We know the real Christ as members of His body the Church. We know Him through the Sacred Scriptures and the Sacred Tradition we have received.
We do not read the scriptures alone. We listen to them all together in a rhythm at the Sunday Eucharist. Today we heard our fourth Sunday of Mark's account of Christ's Parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord rouses us from our slumber again. The end of the story is a nightmare. It wakes us up.
Do we want heaven? What is the alternative? We know. There are two ultimate states of being: one is eternal life; the other eternal death. The state of purgatory is, of course, there but it is temporary not ultimate. We know that Christ wants us to be there now in Spirit, and forever in Spirit and in flesh. He wants us to be rejoicing in the banquet the Father has prepared.
We want to have the right outfit. This is to say we want to have a white and clean spirit – clean from sin through the sacraments – but we need more than that. Over the whiteness of a forgiven soul we need to add good deeds, like praise of God, and taking good care of our children. With good deeds added to our holy life given as a gift again and again through the sacraments, we will be in the right state for the Kingdom. We will be pleasing to the good Father.
And remember, if you don't find the promise of heaven to be a sufficient motivator, the fear of hell might help get you going. Remember the Lord’s description of that place outside the banquet in the dark. It was not a place where anyone will want to be, never mind to be there eternally.
In Christ, Fr. St. Martin
LEARN ABOUT PARENTING
Free groups for first time parents with babies up to 6 months meet at the Freedman Center in the Cultural Center, 225 Nevada St., Newtonville. Info at freedman.mspp.edu.
OPEN HOUSES AT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Catholic Memorial, Boys, Gr. 7-12, Sunday, Oct. 16, 1-3 PM, 235 Baker Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132, 617-469-8019, www.catholicmemorial.org.
Ursuline Academy, girls, Gr. 7-12, Sunday, Oct. 23, 1-4 PM, 85 Lowder St., Dedham, 781-326-6161, ext. 107, www.ursulineacademy.net.
Xaverian Brothers High School, boys, Gr. 9-12, Sunday, Oct. 30, 10 AM to 1 PM, 800 Clapboardtree St., Westwood, 781-326-6392, www.xbhs.com.
ADULT FAITH FORMATION AT ST SUSANNA
Father Joe Nolan, B.C. Professor, poet, raconteur, and liturgist will present “Updating Theology: What Catholics Believe Now, and Why” about baptism, original sin, the importance of symbol and myth, eschatology, ecumenism, the Mass, the new status of the laity, lay theologians, etc. This two session series will be offered on Mondays, October 17 and 24, from 7-9 PM at St. Susanna Parish Hall, 262 Needham St. Dedham. No pre-registration, no fee.
ANNUAL NEWTON CROP “WALK”
The CWS Crop “Walk for Hunger” fundraiser is scheduled to begin October 16. Funds are needed to continue the response to the devastation caused by hurricane Irene in New England as well as other emergencies throughout the world. Contact Peg Miller at 617-969-2248 or peg.miller@sacredheart.ws.
HOLLY HARVEST FAIR – NOVEMBER 12-13
Workshops for the Holly Harvest Fair continue on Tuesday evenings at 7PM in the Guild Room, 2nd floor of the convent.
We would appreciate donations of dolls and boys items for all ages for the children’s table. We also need help and ideas for the Children’s Activities Table. If you can help with face painting or a special craft, please contact us. Lisa Nahabedian will be organizing the table – she can be contacted at 617-244-7756. We appreciate all your support and anticipate another successful event.
Barbara Hatem: 617-969-2567
Cindy Raymond: 617-527-3722
CALENDAR NOTES
EXTENDED COFFEE HOUR:
Sunday, October 9 – 10 AM – 1 PM – Parish Center
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – Grades 1-5
Sunday, October 9 – 10:30 – 11:45 AM – Lower Church
COLUMBUS DAY MASS SCHEDULE
Monday, October 10 – 9 AM – Lower Church
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – Tuesday, October 11:
Grades 1-5 – 4:00 to 5:15 PM – Lower Church
Grades 6-10 – 7:00 to 8:30 PM – Lower Church
HOLLY HARVEST WORKSHOP:
Tuesday, October 11 – 7:00 PM – Convent Guild Room
PRAYER GROUP:
Wednesday, October 12– 7:30 PM – Convent Chapel
COFFEE HOUR:
Friday, October 14 – Following 9 AM Mass – Parish Center
CONFIRMATION REHEARSAL;
Friday, October 14 – 5:30 PM – Upper Church
LITURGY, ADORATION AND THE ROSARY:
Saturday, October 15 – 9 AM to 12:30 PM – Lower Church
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION:
Saturday, October 15 – 4:00 PM Liturgy – Upper Church