FROM THE PASTOR

Wednesday of this week is ASH WEDNESDAY and we begin the season of Lent. Lent is a wonderful time for all of us to become renewed in spirit so that we can serve the Lord in freedom and joy. As we journey together towards the great event of our salvation, the death and resurrection of Christ, we grow in our appreciation of God's love for us and for all of His people. Our knowledge of His unconditional love, as demonstrated by His sacrificial death on Calvary, demands a response from us as we contemplate how best we can express our gratitude for such a gift. The season of Lent provides us with an opportunity of how we can make a return to the Lord for His goodness to us. The ashes that are imposed on our foreheads are outward signs of our desire to turn away from sin and to live faithfully the Gospel message of Love. The Lenten sacrifices that we perform are expressions of our appreciation to the Lord for all that He has done for us. During the forty days of Lent, we grow in grace as we deepen our awareness of the need to serve God with our whole hearts, our whole minds, and our whole selves. With this awareness comes the realization that we demonstrate our love for God by loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.

One of the best ways to show our gratitude to the Lord for His goodness to us is by uniting our prayer with the most perfect prayer of all, the Mass. In order to allow for more people to participate in the awesome Gift of the Eucharist, we will celebrate Mass 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 from which all good gifts flow.

On Wednesday evenings, beginning next week, we will pray the Stations of the Cross at 6:45 PM, followed by the Mass at 7:30 PM upstairs in the Church. 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.

Ashes will be distributed at St. Patrick's during the Masses on Wednesday, March 1st. The Mass schedule for Ash Wednesday is 6:30 and 8:00 AM, 4:00 and 7:30 PM.

The Lenten Guide for Labels are for Jars, the effort to feed the poor through Saint Patrick's Parish of Lawrence, are available at the doors of the Church. "Cor Unum" has released this guide which provides spiritual reflection and meditations for each day of Lent. This is a wonderful way to enhance your spiritual life. Information is also available on their website at www.labelsareforjars.org.

As a reminder, the Boston Catholic Women's Conference is being held on Friday evening, March 3rd, and the Boston Catholic Men's Conference on Saturday, March 4th. Transportation is available from Saint Patrick's Parish for both conferences. Please call to reserve your space on the bus if you have not already done so.

Mass Intentions This Week

Sun. 2/26    5:30 PM Collective Intentions  Ruth E. Pentes, Edna Lambert, Frank Voner, Jr., Joan M. Hamel, Thomas McGowan
Mon. 2/27    8:00 AM Mass for Sick    
Tues. 2/28    8:00 AM Military Personnel and their families    
Wed. 3/1    6:30 AM Ash Wednesday     8:00 AM Ash Wednesday    4:00 PM Ash Wednesday    7:30 PM Ash Wednesday
Thur. 3/2    6:30 AM Passarelli & Murace Families   8:00 AM Rev. Joseph Greer     
Fri. 3/3    7:30 PM Tommy Allosso (ill)
Sat. 3/4    8:00 AM Evelyn & Archie Zicko;        

PLEASE PRAY FOR Rosemarie Zeno, Frank Indelicato, Richard Guerin, Kay I. Zinna, Celia Pasquarosa, Maryann Webster, Helen MacDonald, Julie Branton, Catherine MacLellan, Jim Campbell, Wilma Verge, Marie Murphy, Michael Ruiz, Ricky Webster, Eleonore Santospago, Eileen Dennis, Jordan Pascucci, Elaine Ruda, Ulysse Richard, Dave Markow, Lucy Grupposo, Marie Smith, John Healey, Joel Dennis, Greg Giallonardo, Nancy Brodeur, Erin McKay, Tony Amendola, Thomas Kean, Jane O'Keefe, Diane Doyle, Amanda Clift, Stephen W. Humphrey, Jr., Muriel Cosentino, Amy Flickenger, James Phillips, James Atherton, Mike Fitzgerald, and all the sick of the parish.

SANCTUARY LAMPS for the week of February 26 will burn in prayer for Lawrence Devereaux and Daniel Devereaux.

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
February 19, 2006

Budgeted           Actual                      
Offertory                Offertory                Deficit

$14,000.00            $12,774.00            $1,026.00

Stewardship

"Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather our qualification comes from God, who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant…" (2 Corinthians: 3:5-6)

St. Paul reminds us that we cannot take credit for anything we have. It is only because God has blessed us with many talents and gifts that we have what we do today. So we must ask ourselves: Why did God so bless me and not someone else? What does He want from me in return?

ASH WEDNESDAY

March 1st
Ashes will be distributed at the following
four Masses on Ash Wednesday in the Upper Church:

6:30am, 8:00am, 4:00pm and 7:30pm

ALSO NOTE THAT BEGINNING ON ASH WEDNESDAY,
THERE WILL BE A SECOND DAILY MASS AT 6:30AM FROM MONDAY - FRIDAY AS WELL AS THE USUAL 8:00AM DAILY MASS

Rest in Peace

Let us pray for those who have died, especially
Meghan Cugini, Antonetta "Edna" Micelotta,
Genevieve Duffy and Patricia Troy
May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Thank You

To all of those who made our Family Lenten Event a meaningful and informative time for the students and families of 3rd and 4th grade. Special Thanks to Sr. Batho, Donna Martel, Liz Milch, Lisa Correia and of course Father Rafferty and Father Kiely!

Lenten News and Reminders…
ASH WEDNESDAY - MARCH 1ST

Middle School students attend Mass at 7:30pm in the Upper Church instead of regular class time. Booklets for young children explaining Ash Wednesday are available in the vestibule. Children in 1st grade religious education classes will receive them in class. Please take one home for your children or grandchildren (on purple paper).
Operation Rice Bowl - The yearly Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services to raise funds for food, programs and services for the less fortunate around the world begins on Ash Wednesday. The "Rice Bowls" as well as a Lenten calendar are available for pick up in the vestibule.

CHURCH TOUR - 1ST GRADE STUDENTS

This year's middle school retreat will take the theme of Narnia. A great movie does not only entertain us but also enlightens, teaches and changes us. Through games, activities, discussion and snack, students will experience how this classic story can be used to better understand our faith. Saturday March 11th 12:00 - 5:00 We need parents to assist with the decorating, snack, and supervision of this retreat in order to make it as fun and successful as it can be, please call Lisa in the Religious Education Office at 508-907-6220.

NARNIA… OPEN THE DOOR ON A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON OUR FAITH

This year's middle school retreat will take the theme of Narnia. A great movie does not only entertain us but also enlightens, teaches and changes us. Through games, activities, discussion and snack, students will experience how this classic story can be used to better understand our faith on Saturday March 11th 12:00 - 5:00 .
We need parents to assist with the decorating, snack, and supervision of this retreat in order to make it as fun and successful as it can be, please call Lisa in the Religious Education Office at 508-907-6220.

REGISTRATION

In order to facilitate the registration of returning students. The Religious Education Program will hold live registration in the auditorium of Montrose School during class time on the following dates:

Sunday March 19th
Wednesday March 22nd
Sunday March 26th
Wednesday March 29th
Open registration for all new students will be held following Mass after Easter.

Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross will be prayed every Wednesday during Lent at 6:45pm in the Upper Church. Please join us for this beautiful devotion.

Lenten Regulations

ABSTINENCE from meat is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years old and older on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and on all the other Fridays of Lent.

FASTING is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Those who are bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to one's needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.

ADULT CONFIRMATION PROGRAM

Saint Patrick Parish will be offering an eight week program for Catholic adults who have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Bishop Edyvean will be conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation for adults in the Western Region of the Archdiocese on Wednesday evening, May 3rd here at Saint Patrick's. Classes will begin on March 9th at 7:30 pm in the Joseph Center located at 5 Wilson Street. For further information please contact Jean Lorrey in the Parish Office at 508-653-1093 or Jean Ryan at 781-455-8393.

St. Vincent de Paul Society Student Grant Opportunity

Once again the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the Archsiocese 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 Monday, March 20, 2006. The deadline for all applications to be received by the Boston office is April 1, 2006. We will contact the following schools:

St. Bridget, Framingham
St. Tarcisius, Framingham
St. Paul, Wellesley
St. John, Wellesley
St. Joseph, Needham
Msgr. Joseph J. Haddad Middle School, Needham

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

150th Anniversary

St. Patrick Parish will be opening its 150th Anniversary year celebration with a Silver Tea in the Lower Church Hall. The Tea will be held after the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 19. Sign-up sheets to attend the tea will be available next week (March 4 and 5) after Mass. If you are interested in helping with this event please call either Tess Roberts at 508-647-8287 or Lisa Correia at 508-545-1706.

Saint Patrick Newsletter Volunteers Needed

Do you have writing or publishing skills? Are you a good idea person? We're considering publishing a seasonal parish newsletter, and we're looking for creative people to help with this fun project. Areas needing your help include content development, information gathering, writing, editing, photography, page layout, publishing, administration, etc. If you'd like to help put our newsletter together, and can invest a modest amount of time every few months, please call Jean at the Parish Office at 508-653-1093 to volunteer your services. Thank you!

Boston Catholic Women's Conference

Please join many women from St. Patrick Parish who are attending the 1st Annual Boston Catholic Women's Conference on Friday, March 3, 2006 at the New Boston Convention Exhibition Center in South Boston. Father John Corapi from EWTN will be the keynote speaker. Transportation will be available. For more information, go to www.BostonCatholicWomen.org or contact Cari Tatian at 508-651-2450 or Nancy Maguire at 508-655-1017.

Fellowship of Young Adults (20s & 30s)

Bible Study, Thu 3/2/2006, 7:30pm. Learn more about your faith at our weekly Bible Study at the Joseph Center. Contact Eric, eje@world.std.com, 508-845-5008

Boston Catholic Men's Conference
Last Chance!

What are you doing for lent this year? If you're like us then you're starting to think what you'll "do" for Lent just about now. How about attending the Boston Catholic Men's Conference on March 4th at the Boston Convention Center in South Boston? Speakers will include Father Raniero Cantalamessa (Preacher to the Papal Household), Scott Hahn and Father John Corapi (two of the most popular evangelists in the USA), and Sean Forrest from Movin' with the Spirit. Mass is celebrated by Archbishop Sean O'Malley. Last year, over 2000 men attended and many of them said that the Conference was a spiritual high point in their year. Come see what they mean! St. Patrick's has purchased a block of tickets and we are selling them for $20 which includes transportation to the event (compared to $40 at the door). For more information, please contact Mike DelVecchio at 508-651-3406 or Rich Salvaggio at 508-655-3517 or check out our St. Patrick Men's Group website at www.stpatsnatick.org. We will be selling tickets at the back of the church this weekend after each Mass.

Safety for All

In an effort to make sure our building is a secure place for all during the celebration of Mass, parents please accompany your children when they need to use the rest room. In this way we will all be assured that our youngsters are safe at all times.

top of page