FROM THE PASTOR

I note that this upcoming Friday is February 14th and I want to remind everybody, but especially the men of the parish, that it is VALENTINE'S DAY. This day is a great day to remind those whom we love of how much we value their presence in our lives. This also gives me an opportunity to share some of my observations about the Sacrament of Marriage and the critical role that this sacrament plays in the life of the Church and the world. The union of husband and wife is the result of the vocation of God given to two people in order that they might reach their happiness together. When I, or another priest or deacon, presides at a wedding, it is our conviction that God has brought this couple together and as such, their union is forever. St. Paul speaks of always being grateful and how necessary that gratitude is for the gift of a spouse. The spouse brings to the life of the other person something that he or she can't bring to themselves and completes them. As we cherish the gift of our spouse, we gaze upon each other through the eyes of Christ. You are called to see in your spouse the goodness and presence of God. As you grow in grace, you are called to make God present in our world by the way in which you love each other. When we look at husbands and wives in love, and we see how they love each other, we are privileged to see God for He is Love. The person who marries you is God's gift and when He gives a gift, it is always good. Treasure the gift that your spouse is to your life and acknowledge daily your appreciation for this wonderful manifestation of God's goodness to you.

I am delighted to repeat the announcement that the internationally known lecturer and retreat master, the REVEREND BENEDICT J. GROESCHEL, C.F.R., has accepted my invitation to come to our parish on Tuesday evening, February 18th at 7:30 PM. Fr. Groeschel's talk will be entitled "From Scandal to Hope " and he will provide a forthright examination of the current crisis in the Church and will offer some concrete suggestions of how we as a parish community can respond. Volunteers are needed in several areas so that this evening will be of benefit to all of us. I hope that all of you will offer whatever help you can so that we might welcome this humble priest in order that he might in turn offer us a way to respond to the challenges that this moment presents.

I want to congratulate the new members of the PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL and to thank all of the candidates for their willingness to offer their services to this parish. The new members are DOUG DEMEO, BRIAN KORP, MAUREEN O'BRIEN, JOAN WEBER, DAVID HESSION, and ED FINERTY. It is obvious to me that the Holy Spirit directed our selection and I look forward to relying upon that same Spirit as together we chart our future course for the parish. Let us continue to pray that God's will be done.

Finally, I want to invite all parishioners to join us this Sunday morning after the 9:00 AM Mass as we begin our educational series of parenting issues. Lorraine Horgan will share her thoughts on teaching children "Respect for Others." This will take place in Our Lady's Hall at the school.

Mass Intentions This Week

Sun. 2/9    5:30 PM Collective Intention Mass
   Edna Lambert, Chal & Rory Thayer, Nancy Galvin, Ruth Watson, John Wenzel, Jr.
Mon. 2/10    8:00 AM Mass of the Sick
Tues. 2/11   8:00 AM Gerard Halpin, Jr.
Wed. 2/12   8:00 AM Vincent Teso    7:30 PM Marjorie & Arthur Borghesi & family
Thur. 2/13   8:00 AM Rev. Robert Flynn
Fri. 2/14      8:00 AM Carlo Galvani
Sat. 2/15     8:00 AM Bernadine Roberts

PLEASE PRAY FOR John Baker, David Cote, Richard & Sonia Guerin, Nadia DeMasi, Ralph Disney, Elvira Portyrala, Mike Fitzgerald, John Healey, Robert Conlin, Robert Cox and all the sick of the parish, as well as all the faithful departed especially Emilio Pezza, Donald Bellofato and Marilyn McCarty.

SANCTUARY LAMPS LAMPS for the week of February 9 will burn in prayer for for the Brochu Family, Carlo Galvani, Gerard Halpin, Jr., Grace Tiberio, Eva Parker, Winifred M Coleman, and John "Jack" Donohoe.

If you would like a LAMP in our Church or Adoration Chapel burning for one week, in memory of a loved one or for a special intention, please call the rectory (508) 653-1093.

We are now accepting registration for Baptism for the month of April. The Sacrament of Baptism for the month of March will be on April 13th. Please call Deacon Jim Crump at the rectory at 508-653-1093 to register for Baptism Preparation which will take place on Sunday, April 6th.

OUR PARISH BULLETIN

We will be making changes to our bulletin shortly, including a newly formatted cover, as well as moving from six inside pages to two. When this is implemented, it will be necessary for the bulletin notices to be concise-covering key points (who, what, where and when in 50 words or less). More information will be forthcoming when it is available. This notice is for those who may be already working on special events involving a series of upcoming notices. Note the deadline will remain the same: Monday at noon.

Parish Support January 26, 2003

Budgeted Offerings = $18,000.00 Actual Offerings = $13,031.10 Deficit = -$4,968.90

In order to reach our budgeted expenses, we are asking each parishioner to increase their weekly contribution by a minimum of $3. Thank you for your generous response.

Envelope Users = $8,759.00 + Non-Envelope Users = $4,272.10 Total = $13,031.10

306 envelopes used for an average donation $30.00.

Stewardship

Like St. Paul in the second reading, the good steward can say, "I do all that I do for the sake of the gospel in the hope of having a share in its blessings."

Thank You

The Peace and Justice Ministry is sending $2,000 toward the purchase of pews for the new church in San Jose Las Flores. The funds were raised from the sale of El Salvador Crafts and donations from the Sister Parish Fiesta held last spring. Thank you to everyone who supported these two projects!

A LETTER FROM OUR SISTER PARISH

December 18, 2002
San Jose Las Flores

Saint Patrick's Parish,

We send you a brotherly salute from the team here in our community at San Jose Las Flores. We want to thank you for your solidarity, may God bless you for it. We are getting ready to celebrate the Christmas season, with which comes much joy, hope, communion and reconciliation as we wait for His coming. In this special time, we are preparing as a community. We held a vigil in which our community gathered in order to reflect upon our reality as Salvadorans, in the communal, familial, and the personal sense, and Bible study groups were formed. On December 21st, some couples from our community who are living together, and have begun families together, received the sacrament of marriage. With these marriages, and with the waiting for the coming of Christ, our community is celebrating.

To explain to you a bit about our problems here in El Salvador, we would have to mention the doctors' strike against the privatization of health care. The town has come together to march, to take to the highways, to take to the head of the struggle, with an enormous participation on the part of our communities in order to repudiate what the Government is doing to us, but they do not listen to the people. Thank you for your solidarity with our communities.

We have had three teachers receive their Bachelor's degrees, and are awaiting the results of six more. We have also had a community support for the water treatment plan. The elderly are receiving much attention, food and medicine, and a group of young people have organized themselves into a chorus, in order to accompany our religious ceremonies. We feel very happy as a community to have made these advances. We also wish to equip our church with pews, as we do not have any and we are using the chairs from the Institute. We need 50 pews, and so this is what we are struggling for, to figure out how to get them.

Brothers of St. Patrick, may God bless you always.

San Jose Las Flores

Blood Drive

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22
8:30AM TO 2:30PM

SAVE THE DATE...

HELP SAVE LIVES

GIVE SO MORE WILL LIVE

Your precious gift of life is most needed, so please sign up on the weekend of February 8th & 9th and February 15th & 16th or call John or Rosemary at 508-651-3642 for an appointment.

Religious Education

THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES ON ASH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5.

REMINDER

Please use the Main Door of the Montrose School when coming and leaving religious classes. Thank you.

Volunteers Needed to help with refreshments for Sunday morning Religious Education Classes. Can you pick up a box of Munchkins? Pour orange juice? Make coffee? Set up or clean up? Sign up for one Sunday or one Sunday a Month or every week. Whatever you can manage. Please contact Manni LaCount @ patricknatmanni@aol.com or (508) 653-7542.

3 Hall Monitors are needed for Wednesday evenings. Are you available between 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM on Wednesday evenings, please call Manni at the Religious Ed Office. We need your help!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

There will be Lead Teacher/Coordinator Meeting Tuesday, February 25 at 7:30 PM in the Religious Ed Office.

HIGH SCHOOL LENTEN SERVICE PROJECT
March 8th from 9:00AM to 3:00PM

A group of high school students from the parish are going to St. Matthews in Dorchester to help with various maintenance projects (i.e., cleaning, painting, etc.). Come join us and work with the youth of St. Matthews parish to help improve their parish facilities. Interested? Contact Tricia Fair 508-653-6281 or Barbara Walsh 508-651-9991.

Service opportunity

The RCIA is in need of child care providers on Sunday nights from 6:00 to 8:00. Interested high school students should contact John Brown at 508-655-0860.

The RCIA is in need of child care providers on Sunday nights from 6:00 to 8:00. Interested high school students should contact John Brown at 508-655-0860.

GUEST SPEAKER

On Wednesday night, February 12th, Frank Kelly will present "Witness to the Faith" to all 9th grade religious ed classes in Our Lady's Hall

HOORAY!!!    IT IS COMING...

EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE
NOW FORMING A CHILDREN'S CHOIR.
ONCE FORMED, THE CHOIR WILL SING AT
PRESCHEDULED FAMILY MASSES
(9:00AM - SUNDAYS).
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A PART OF THE CHILDREN'S CHOIR PLEASE CONTACT:
GEORGE BURKE: 508-655-4724
OR
NANCY MAGUIRE: 508-655-1017
CHOIR PARTICIPANTS MAY BE 2ND GRADE AND
OLDER.
OUR FIRST SCHEDULED REHEARSAL IS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST
6:00 - 7:30
ST. PAT'S LOWER CHURCH,

SEE YOU THERE!!!!!!!!!!!

FEBRUARY EVENING OF PRAYER

Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR

Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR, is the Director of the Office of Spiritual Development of the Archdiocese of New York. He obtained his doctorate in psychology from Columbia University and is professor of pastoral psychology at Saint Joseph Seminary in New York. He has published a number of books and tapes on spirituality and pastoral counseling and is familiar to television audiences appearing numerous times on Eternal World Television Network (EWTN). Please watch him on Wednesday, February 5th, at 8:00 p.m. on EWTN Live...then come and listen to him in person here at Saint Patrick Church for our February Evening of Prayer on Tuesday, February 18th at 7:30p.m. Father Groeschel's recent book, "From Scandal to Hope," will be the subject of his talk. Please join us, and bring a friend.

Volunteers will be needed with this special event. Please contact Jean at the Rectory (508-653-1093) if you are willing to help us in any of the following areas: advertising, facilities, logistics, hospitality, book sales and administrative needs.

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
ELECTION RESULTS

Welcome to the new members of the Parish Pastoral Council:

Representing Seniors:  Edward Finerty
Representing Singles:  Maureen O'Brien & Joan Weber
Representing Families:  David Hession
Representing Young Adults:  Doug DeMeo & Brian Korp

Thanks to all the nominees who were so willing to stand for election!

Elections took place at the 4:00, 7:30, and 9:00 Masses. (The Young Adult selection was originally planned to take place at the 11:30 Mass, however, since there were two slots open in this category, and only two people accepted the nomination in this category, there was no need for an "election" to take place. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.)

The new members will join the existing members of the Parish Pastoral Council at the first meeting of the new PPC on Tuesday, February 11th, at 7:15 p.m. in the Joseph Center Dining Room.

VIDEO LIBRARY

Someone borrowed the video Quigley's Village, Spike's Grumpy Grumbly Day . On returning it, they mistakenly returned the video Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, The Secret of the Ooze in the Quigley's Village case. Please check your home videos to help us find the missing one. Call the Rectory at 508-653-1093 if you have information. Thank you!

PEACE & JUSTICE MINISTRY

Fr. Bill Ibach, S.J. will be a guest speaker at the Peace and Justice Ministry meeting on Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Center. His topic will be "Christian Witness Regarding Peace and Forgiveness." He will be talking about current topics in society and the Church, discussing what our role should be as Catholics.

For several years, Father Ibach has been part of our parish family. He assists our parish as a celebrant at Sunday Mass. He is well known for leading retreats throughout the country and we are fortunate to have Fr. Ibach here to talk with us. Everyone in the parish is cordially invited to attend.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner/Dance
All parishioners are invited!

There will be a St. Patrick's Day Dinner/Dance on Saturday, March 15, 2003 at 6:00p.m. at Natick High School, West Street, Natick.

Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $1.00 for children from 3-13, and will go on sale beginning February 9th with a cut off date of March 9th.

Menu: Corned beef and cabbage with all the trimmings. There will be prizes and surprises!

We would like to invite all parishioners to help make this an extraordinary social event for our Patron Saint. This is a great way for new and old parishioners to meet and get to know one another. We invite all of you to be a part of this committee. If you would like to volunteer, we could use your help! We need people to help cook, serve, set up, bake or donate desserts, etc. Serve the Lord and your parish family! Can we count on you?

For more information call: Mary Brown, 508-653-6386
Paul Carew, 508-653-9792 or Eileen Carew 508-655-7173
Thank you all in advance!

VICTORY OVER DEATH!

5-Day Spring Retreat with Fr. Mike McNamara

Marie Joseph Spiritual Center, Biddeford Pool, Maine

Friday Evening, March 28, 2003
To
Tuesday (after lunch), April 1, 2003
$230 (Double Occupancy).

Partial Participation is Possible

For more information call Servants of Christ Ministries

781-545-8336

Retrouvaille of New England, Inc.

Are you experiencing difficulties in your marriage? Is your marriage under stress? Are you contemplating separation and divorce? Have you heard of Retrouvaille? Retrouvaille is a program designed to help heal and renew a troubled marriage.

The next Retrouvaille weekend in Massachusetts will be held April 4-6, 2003. If you would like to participate in a program that offers you a chance to rediscover yourself, your spouse and a renewed and loving relationship in your marriage, call 781-455-6307. Visit the Retrouvaille website at http://www.retrouvaille.org/

Marian ministry

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is God's name." - Luke 1:46-49

The Marian Ministry invites you to join us as we pray the mysteries of the Rosary on Monday, February 17th at 7:30 PM in the lower Church. All are welcome.

For more information please call Sharon Cowles at 508-655-5139.

ALTER SOCIETY

Our parish Altar Society is looking for new members. This group is responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the altar and church linens. Members are divided into teams which are scheduled to help about every six weeks. If interested, call the rectory at 508-653-1093 to give your name and phone number.

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