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FROM THE PASTOR As I begin these brief reflections, I want to share with you the sad news that the REVEREND WILLIAM J. DONLON, the former Pastor of Sacred Heart Church in South Natick, died on Wednesday, February 19, 2003. On behalf of the entire parish, I extend our prayerful sympathies to Rev. Joseph Slyva and the parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish on the death of this wonderful and holy priest. Fr. Donlon was a priest for almost 66 years and humbly served the Lord with great joy. It is our fervent prayer and hope that God will reward Fr. Donlon for his faithful and generous service to the Church and will grant him now a place at the Table in the Heavenly Kingdom. May this gentle servant of God find eternal rest from his labors and experience the peace that is the reward of spending one's life as a disciple of Christ. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the entire parish community for all that you did to make the visit of the REVEREND BENEDICT GROESCHEL, C.F.R. such a special moment of grace. I am so grateful to all who helped with the publicity, clean the Church, greet the many people, and who prepared the hospitality. I received so many positive comments from others about our parishioners and their gracious welcome. I want to publicly thank the civic officials and the public safety personnel for their tremendous cooperation. I am especially grateful to the members of the Spiritual Development Advisory Board for their extraordinary efforts in attending to the many details necessary for such an event to occur. MICHAEL DEL VECCHIO, ANNE MARIE CARNAZZA, MARY COX, RITA MURPHY, CHRIS DOREMUS, PAUL LEON, JOHN SOPHIS, DIANNE STELFOX, DOROTHY MANNING, GEORGE BURKE, CAROL BISHOP, AND JEAN LORREY were responsible for coordinating the various tasks and making certain that everything ran smoothly. Obviously, I am most indebted to the Lord for allowing Fr. Groeschel to arrive safely, and for the countless people who were praying that he would be able to be at St. Patrick's on time. I want to assure all of you that I will carry to the Altar a very special prayer that God will reward you for your many acts of kindness for I know that only God could repay you. I certainly never could. Fr. Groeschel spoke about the necessity of prayer and suggested the establishment of an Oratories of Divine Love that would be patterned on the Oratories that were established by St. Catherine of Genoa. These oratories are simply prayer groups of about 8-10 people who will commit an hour each week to pray, to sing, and to meditate upon the Scriptures as a way of helping the Church emerge from the scandal that has been so harmful to all of us. These small prayer groups will re-focus our attention on the Gospel and allow us to be more faithful in our discipleship by engaging in works of charity to the poor and the needy. If anyone is interested in being a part of an Oratory, please call JEAN LORREY at the Rectory. I want to encourage all of you to consider becoming a member of an oratory because it is only through prayer and faithful adherence to the Truth of Christ will we become in fact that Church that Christ died to bring to birth. Because our future depends upon our ability to remain firmly rooted in Christ, let us make this a priority in our spiritual lives. WELCOME If you are a New Parishioner, please introduce yourself to the priest after Mass or at the Rectory. We want to know you and serve you. We welcome and invite you to become active members of our St. Patrick Parish Community Mass Intentions This Week
Sun. 2/23 5:30 PM Collective Intention Mass PLEASE PRAY FOR Mary Cox, John Baker, David Cote, Richard & Sonia Guerin, Nadia DeMasi, Ralph Disney, Elvira Portyrala, Mike Fitzgerald, John Healey, Robert Conlin, and all the sick of the parish, as well as all the faithful departed, especially A. Peter Maffiola. SANCTUARY LAMPS for the week of February 23 will burn in prayer for the Brochu Family, Grace Tiberio, Alfreda Parker, Edward Brine, John Jordan, Catherine Jeffrey, and Ronald Peterson, Jr. 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. The following children were baptized in the month of January: Joseph Elliott Bent, Sawyer Alan Bosch, Jennifer Lee Damiano, Ryan Anthony Faulkner, Alanna Elizabeth Mariano, Jacob Bradley Morgan, Natalie Alys Reynolds, Cheshire Anya Sullivan, Charlotte Rose Taddeo $80.00 has been donated to the Natick Service Council and the Natick Food Pantry in the name of those children baptized in January in our parish. God bless you all! Parish Support February 16, 2003 Budgeted Offerings = $18,000.00 Actual Offerings = $13,079.10 Deficit = -$4,920.90 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. Stewardship "Forgiveness, too, is a gift from God. Freed from the paralysis of sin, the man in today's Gospel was able to stand and give witness to the power of God. How do I let sin cripple me? Am I a good steward of the gift of God's forgiveness? REMINDER Ash Wednesday this year falls on March 5th, which is only a little over a week away! The parish will offer 6:30AM weekday Masses for Lent, in addition to the regularly scheduled 8:00AM daily Masses. As Lent approaches, consider coming to daily Mass as a way to prepare spiritually for the Easter season. The Ash Wednesday and Lenten Mass schedule will be on the cover of next week's bulletin. SPRING RETREAT Religious Education High school students in the religious education program are taking on the following service projects in the upcoming months as they continue their journey toward confirmation. Sign up today! SAINT MATTHEW Come join us and work with the youth of St. Matthews Parish in Dorchester to help improve their facilities on Saturday, March 8th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Interested? Please call Tricia Fair 508-653-6281 or Barbara Walsh 508-651-9991. PINE STREET INN Help us prepare and serve a meal for the folks at the Pine Street Inn on Saturday, April 5th. Interested? Please call Tricia Fair 508-653-6281 or Barbara Walsh 508-651-9991 ST. PATRICK SERVICE CORPS help us start a service group for students in grades 9-12. Be part of the planning team that decides the course of the St. Pat's Service Corps. Interested? Please call Grace Kelemanik @ 508-651-9065 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! UPCOMING EVENTS There will be Lead Teacher/Coordinator Meeting Tuesday, February 25 at 7:30 PM in the Religious Ed Office. HIGH SCHOOL LENTEN SERVICE PROJECT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Can you desktop publish?? The Religious Ed program is looking for someone to format their monthly newsletter. Please call Grace Kelemanik @ 508-651-9065. THANK YOU The Third Grade Religious Ed teachers and assistants would like to thank all the students and parents who volunteered their time to attend the Mary Ann Morse Nursing Home field trip on February 9th. A special thank you to Mrs. Ronnie Glavin for coordinating the craft supplies. JOIN US IN SERVICE High school students in the religious education program are taking on the following service projects in the upcoming months as they continue their journey toward confirmation. Sign up today! ADULT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Planning for St. Patrick's May Crowning is underway. We are looking for individuals interested in designing and coordinating this most blessed event to join the May Crowning Planning Committee. Our first meeting is Monday, March 7th at 7:00PM in the Lower Church. If you would like to find out more about this event or would like to join the committee, please contact Sharon Cowles (508-655-5139 scowlie@aol.com) or Grace Kelemanik (508-651-9065 Gracekelemanik@brahmacom.com). For Parents We are pleased to announce the first in our 2003 Parenting Seminar Series. On Sunday,March 2nd from 10:15-11:30AM (while your child is at religious ed class), we will be meeting in Our Lady's Hall in the Montrose School. Our first seminar, entitled "Teaching Children Respect", will be presented by Lorraine Horgan. Lorraine's discussion will provide you with actionable ideas to help you in this important parenting subject. Refreshments will be served. ANNOUNCING THE LENTEN OPERATION Why do we participate in Operation Rice Bowl during Lent? Because Christ asks to feed the poor and the hungry. "Whatsoever you do for the least of my people, you do for me." Mt. 25 Do you know that: 75% of your contribution goes to world poverty? 25% of your money goes to fund poverty and hunger in your own diocese? PLEASE TRY TO DO THE FOLLOWING DURING LENT PRAY and offer Mass for the poor and hungry around the world. FAST one day a week in solidarity with those who hunger. LEARN by reading the weekly bulletin concerning world hunger GIVE money each week for the Rice Bowl. PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION RICE BOWL STRENGTHENS OUR SOLIDARITY WITH ALL MEMBERS OF OUR HUMAN FAMILY AND CALLS US TO PUT OUR FAITH INTO ACTION. Containers for the Rice Bowl collection will be found in the pews at Masses March 1 and 2. Please take one per family.
With the box is a Lenten Rice Bowl calendar which is an excellent resource for Lenten prayer and reflection.
Praying for Peace, Relieving the Suffering Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:41 The last two decades in Iraq's history have brought war and international sanctions, all of which have caused extreme hardship to the people of Iraq. Our Parish is responding to an urgent appeal from the American Friends Service Committee, to collect family-size kits of critically needed health items for the people of Iraq. Since last June, AFSC in cooperation with other aid agencies, has delivered three 40-ft. containers filled with health kits, school kits and blankets On the weekends of March 9 and March 16, the Peace & Justice Ministry will collect health items in the vestibule of the church. Please make up a complete kit (in a plastic bag) or bring as many of the following items that you choose. 4 bars soap Continue to pray for peace in the world. St. Patrick's Day Dinner/Dance 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. The Legend of the Leprechaun Oh, the leprechaun, a mysterious fellow, |
