FROM THE PASTOR

As we continue our Lenten journey, I want to encourage all of you to participate more fully in the Paschal mystery by attending daily Mass. In order to allow for more people to participate in the awesome Gift of the Eucharist, we will celebrate Mass at St. Patrick's each day at 8:00 AM, Monday through Saturday. We will also be celebrating Mass on Monday through Friday at 6:30 AM so that those who have to commute to work will be able to begin their day around the Altar. There is also an evening Mass on Wednesdays at 7:30 PM. It is my hope that as many of you as possible will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to deepen your love for God through your participation at daily Mass.

During the season of Lent, we will pray the STATIONS OF THE CROSS each Friday at 7:30 PM in the Church and will conclude this time of prayer with BENEDICTION OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT. I hope that all of you will plan to be with us as we contemplate the passion of Christ and grow in our appreciation of His sacrificial love.

I want to express my thanks to the young men and women who are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation through our Parish Religious Education program. Many of these students traveled to St. Matthew's Church in Dorchester last Saturday to offer their assistance to that parish community by cleaning the church and the surrounding property. I know that Father Sheridan, the Pastor of St. Matthew's, is very grateful for this expression of solidarity and concern. At a time when many in our world are critical of our young people, it is refreshing to witness generous people sacrificing their time to engage in true Christian service. St. Patrick's is very proud of these young people and we look forward with great hope to providing more service opportunities, confident that the response will be as positive as it was last week. I also want to thank Fr. Mark Riley, Grace Kelemanick, Barbara Walsh, and Trisha Fair for their efforts in coordinating this project. May God bless you for your genuine compassion and your goodness to those who are in need.

I want to express my gratitude to the REV. ROBERT G. MC MILLAN, S.J. for his willingness to conduct a workshop for our new Pastoral Council on the role of the Parish Pastoral Council. Fr. McMillan is the Director of the Office of Strategic Planning for the Archdiocese and is keenly aware of the important role of the Pastoral Council in the life of the parish. I am most grateful to Fr. McMillan for helping all of us to deepen our understanding and appreciation of the importance of the Council so that we can discern together our goals to move forward as a parish family.

My brother priests and I are mindful of the pain that many of you are presently experiencing over the recent news concerning the Rev. Daniel Twomey. We want to assure you of our prayerful support and also extend our pledge of our assistance to you during these difficult days. If we can be of any help, please do not hesitate to call upon us. Let us continue to pray for all those involved and to ask for God's healing grace so that we can experience His peace.

Mass Intentions This Week

Sun. 3/16    5:30 PM Collective Intention Mass  Edna Lambert, Patricia Haswell
Mon. 3/17   6:30 AM World Peace   8:00 AM Mass for the Sick
Tues. 3/18   6:30 AM Ignacio Soler   8:00 AM John Kincare
Wed. 3/19   6:30 AM Chal & Rory Thayer   8:00 AM St.Patrick clergy past & present   7:30 PM Souls in Purgatory
Thur. 3/20   6:30 AM St. Patrick Parish   8:00 AM Florence Rita Langton
Fri. 3/21      6:30 AM William & Mary Nichols   8:00 AM Albert Chimeno    
Sat. 3/22     8:00 AM Carmella Priore and Nancy Galvin

PLEASE PRAY FOR Robert Conlin, Jean Orme, John Baker, Mary Cox, Nadia DeMasi, Elvira Portyrala, Mike Fitzgerald, and all the sick of the parish, as well as all the faithful departed, especially Harold Bouret and Howard Gilmore.

SANCTUARY LAMPS for the week of March 16 will burn in prayer for the Brochu family, Giorgi family, Grace Tiberio, Charles McParland, Jr.,Chuck Hammond, Joan Hamel and Bernice McMahon.

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.

PARISH SUPPORT
March 9, 2003

Budgeted               Actual
Offertory                Offertory                Deficit

$18,000.00            $13,422.10           $4,577.90

In order to reach our budgeted expenses, we are asking each parishioner to increase their weekly contribution by a minimum of $3.00. Thank you for your generous response.

Envelope users      $9,399.00
Non-envelope users      $4,023.10
Total Offertory       $13,422.10

353 envelopes were used for an average donation $26.33

We received $2,100. for the special Peter's Pence collection. Thank you for your generosity!

St. Vincent de Paul Society Student Grant Opportunity

Once again the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the Archdiocese will award tuition assistance to needy students (Grades 1 - 8) to enable them to receive a parochial school education. The grant amount is $1,000 per student, based solely on need. The procedure to be followed requires that each parish conference contact the school administration to get names of students who appear to need financial assistance. Following that, members of our conference will visit each family and leave an application. The completed application must be returned to our conference, at the Rectory, no later than Friday March 21, 2003. The deadline for all applications to be received by the Boston office is April 1, 2003. We will contact the following schools:

St. Bridget, Framingham
St. Tarcisius, Framingham
St. Paul, Wellesley
St. John, Wellesley
St. Joseph, Needham

If you have a Student at any other parochial grammar school or have a question, please call the rectory 508-653-1093 and leave your name and telephone number.

PRAYER AND FASTING REFLECTION FOR FRIDAYS

"This is the fast which the Lord chooses: to abstain from all evil, not only in external works, but also interiorly from evil desires."

Cistercian Issac of Stella

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 18      Religious Education Curriculum Review Committee meets at 7:00PM in the Religious Ed office

LENTEN RECONCILIATION SERVICES

Grades 2 - 3 on March 26 from 6:30 - 7:30pm in the Church

Grades 4 - 5 on March 19 from 6:30 - 7:30pm in the Church

Grades 6 - 8 on March 25 from 6:30 - 7:30pm in the Church

Grades 9 - 10 will attend the Parish Lenten Reconciliation Service on April 8th.

Lenten service projects

Are you running the Boston Marathon? Do you know anyone who is? The religious ed program is hosting a Marathon Cheering Station in front of the Church on April 21st. The students will be making signs to cheer on runners. If you are running, we would love to make a sign for you! Students and their families will be cheering. Come join us on April 21st as we cheer. Please contact Grace Kelemanik 508-651-9065, Gracekelemanik@brahmacom.com or Trisha Fair 508-653-6281 with the name of a runner or to let us know you will be joining us on Marathon Day.

Do you know someone in the military? Let us know! Students in the religious ed program will be writing letters to our service men and women overseas. Please contact Grace Kelemanik 508-651-9065 Gracekelemanik@brahmacom.com with the name and address of those protecting our country so that we can write them as well.

FELLOWSHIP of YOUNG ADULTS

Bible Study, Thurs. 3/20, 7:30pm. Learn more about your faith at our weekly Bible Study at the Joseph Center, we're studying Matthew. Contact Jonathan, jms2586@yahoo.com, (508) 655-2410.

HELP WANTED: PARISH CUSTODIAN

Part-time custodian needed for Saturdays and Sundays
Approximate hours 12-16 per weekend
Must be flexible. Year-round commitment.

Basic Description:
Opens and closes buildings as needed
Cleans within and without buildings as necessary
Provides set up and cleaning of rooms for events as needed
Snow shoveling, snow blower operation and salting
Works on grounds as needed
Complements custodial work performed during the week

Requirements:
Ability to perform outlined tasks with minimum of supervision
Self-motivated and takes pride in their work
Ability to deal with climate changes, especially winter conditions
Experience a plus; Do-it-yourself skills a plus

Pick up a job application at the rectory or call 508-653-1093 and ask for Matt Hanley.

Did you know that 50% of India's children between the ages of 16 and 14 years don't attend school because they work as child laborers?

DON'T FORGET YOUR RICE BOWL DONATIONS

Reflecting a Consistent Ethic of Life

Seamless Garment Reflection
"Love Has No Bounds"

"There is probably no more challenging passage in the New Testament than Matthew 5:38-48 -especially to American Catholics in our day.

In a society that is overwhelmingly favorable to capital punishment, the command of Jesus to reject retaliation - even retaliation in equal proportion (an eye for an eye) to the crime committed -calls for radical transformation of thinking about the death penalty. It serves as a summons to all followers of Christ to support nonviolent ways to deal with behavior that is unacceptable to society."

Michael Hovey, coordinator of Peace and Justice Education, Iona College, New Rochelle, NY

ALTAR SOCIETY

There will be a meeting of the Altar Society on Friday, March 21, at 8:45AM in the Lower Church Hall. Call Connie Jordan for more information at 508-653-1962.

RESPECT LIFE MINISTRY

The scheduled meeting for Respect Life for 3/20/03 has been moved to 3/27/03 at 7:30PM in the Joseph Center. We are always seeking new members to get involved with promoting life issues.

A FOUR NIGHT RETREAT
FOR THE PARISH OF SAINT PATRICK

The Church in Crisis - a Four Night Retreat Using the Gospel of Mark

will take place from Sunday, April 6 through Wednesday, April 9, 2003 at 7:30 PM in the Upper Church

Why do we need a Parish Retreat for the Church in Crisis?

In the midst of the crisis generated by the scandal of sexual abuse of some clergy, communities have a great need to be joined together in prayer.

What will happen during this Four Night Retreat?

The community will come together to:
· listen to the Word of God proclaimed and preached,
· spend some time in personal prayer,
· receive some guidance to strengthen our faith.

Will we get the answers we are looking for?

While this Retreat will not offer answers to the questions that plague us, it will help us to focus on the presence of Christ promised to us when he said: "And remember, I will be with you always even until the end of the age." Matthew 28:20 NRSV. This promise is always realized in Prayer, Sacrament, and the Community of the Faithful gathered.

Please mark your calendars so that you can join us for this Parish Retreat

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