Throughout Jesus’ time in Jerusalem he experiences hostility, conflict and challenge.  In today’s Gospel (Mark 12:28-34) there is a relatively neutral situation, perhaps because his answer would appear inappropriate in a hostile setting.  Jesus answers the sincere question of a scribe.

Jewish law contains over six hundred different regulations and it was common for the priests to try to sum up all of these commands into fewer and more fundamental principles.  One rabbi summed up the regulations into “What you hate for yourself, do not do to your neighbor.”  Jesus sums up the whole law into “The Great Commandment,” “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  This is the second, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Jesus was talking about true religion as having to do with relationships.  God is not an object of worship such as an idol or even the Law.  God is a person and you are in relationship with that person whom you will call “Father”. All the rules are there to guide and protect you in that relationship.  If you stop at the rules, you are an idol worshiper.

Then Jesus goes on to say, in effect, we can do the same with people.  We can turn people into objects.  We can make them idols of worship, objects for our use and pleasure.  We can turn people into enemies.  The Great Commandment instructs us not to objectify people.

In the book The Anatomy of Peace we read: “In the way we regard our children, our spouses, neighbors, colleagues, and strangers, we choose to see others either as people like ourselves or as objects.  They either count like we do or they don’t.  In the former case, since we regard them as we regard ourselves; we say our hearts are at peace toward them.  In the latter case, since we systematically view them as inferior, we say our hearts are at war.”  “When our hearts are at war, we can’t see clearly.  We give ourselves the best opportunity to make clear-minded decisions, only to the extent that our hearts are at peace.”  “When our hearts are at war, we not only invite failure, we invest in it.”  “When we start seeing others as objects, we begin provoking them to make our lives difficult.  We actually start inviting others to make us miserable.  We begin provoking in others the very things we say we hate.”

The Great Commandment then is to be in relationship with God and others as lovers.  Can one command love?  Love can certainly be encouraged, promoted, or rewarded, but to command love as a divine requirement, and be punished for failure, strikes us as unreasonable.  But, Jesus says, this is an absolute requirement of all his disciples.  We have examples of such love in action by the lives of our saints and the lifestyle of many people we know.  We know that Jesus would not give the command if he did not also give us the power to carry it out.  He remains with us in his Body, the Church, in the sacraments and in the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

St. Brigid Church
9:00am	Tuesday November 3rd	Anna & Frank LoConte
9:00am	Thursday November 5th	Elizabeth T. Scannell
9:00am	Saturday November 7th	Jack, Michael and Hannah Quinlan Thomas & Eleanor DiSilva, Sandy Caldarella and Gladys and Vincent DiSilva For the Intentions of Ellie Monaco
Sacred Heart Church
9:00am	Monday November 2nd	Members of the Memorial Fund
9:00am	Wednesday November 4th	Anna Aquino & Margaret Kestler
9:00am	Friday November 6th	William J. Kenney

 

Please pray for all who are in need of our prayers that God’s healing and comforting presence may be with them, especially Father William Smith, Father Thomas Nestor, Jen Bombaca, Marianne Slack, Elaine Murphy, Deacon Bill Wildes, Edward O’Brien, John Harper, Dorothea Russo, Edward Ronayne, William McCarthy, Verner and Marie Dempsey, Pat White, Anita and William Gorham, Mary Whelan, Eleanor Mann, Amy Galehouse Goolkosian, Gerald McCue, Kathleen Brown, Brendan Murphy, Bill Kennedy, Kevin Johnson, Monica Cotter, Jackie Martinetti, Ann LaMantia, Christine Griffin, Josephine Siders, Douglas DiVito, Mary McGuinnes, Jewel Douglass, Marjorie Kearns, Shannon Capriulo, Olivia Moran and Brianna Cimino.  Please also remember in your prayers all of our deceased family members and parishioners especially, Rev. James O’Donohoe, Peter Culman, Catherine Tatro and David DeThomasis, brother of Norma Donato.

Helping Hands

Helping Hands for the month of October is:
Sandy Podgorski
781-862-0386

In Service For Their Country

Lt. John Schiavi, Sgt. Christopher Considine, Timothy Dunbar, Richard Rigley, Chris Cullen, Caitlin R. Battell, Robert McLaughlin, Sean Maddigan, Rev. Paul Passamonti, Airman Jason Cunha, Mark Zarnecki, Elizabeth Leyne, Patrick J. Nordahl, Scott and Michael Donahue, CDR Michael P. MacLellan and Captain Brian Geary.

Lord Jesus, watch over our sons and daughters in the service of their country.  Give them the courage to serve their country with honor and dignity and grant that when their service is finished they may return to us, sound in mind, body and soul.

New Altar Servers Training

Children of the Catholic Community of Lexington, in grades 4 through 12, are invited to become Altar Servers at Saint Brigid's.  This is an important ministry, and a wonderful way for children to become more involved in the liturgy.  Training can be arranged at your convenience.  For questions or to sign up, please contact Jeanne Hobbs at 781-248-9722, or email JeanneHobbs at Verizon dot Net

Thanksgiving Celebration

This Thanksgiving we will have an opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving with members of all the religious communities of Lexington.  Vatican II has encouraged Catholics to foster and take part in ecumenical activity that brings all believers together to worship and thank God and to strengthen our common beliefs.

This year we will have no service on Wednesday at St. Brigid Church.  Over the past couple of years we have been alternating between St. Brigid and Sacred Heart for our Thanksgiving Service.  St. Brigid will have a Mass at 9:00 AM on Thanksgiving morning. 

The Lexington Catholic Community will join the Lexington Interfaith celebration of our only American “Holyday” on Tuesday, November 24, at Temple Emunah at 7:30pm. Please join us.

What Is Ignatian Prayer?

Father John Sassani, pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, Newton, and adjunct staff member of the Office of Worship and Spiritual Life of the Archdiocese, will be our guest speaker at WINGS (Women IN God’s Spirit) this week.  Father will define Ignatian Prayer and give us an opportunity to experience this reflective and personal form of prayer.  Join us Thursday, November 5, at 9:30-11:15am, in the hall in St. Brigid Parish Center for Father’s presentation, Praying the Ignatian Way. 

For transportation, contact Carol Flynn at 781-862-1637. For child care during the session, contact Jane Goubeaux at 781-862-4146.  Membership in WINGS is not required to attend this or any WINGS program.

New Sound System With Hearing Aids

We have purchased 4 hearing aid devices.  They are body packs about the size of your hand, which are programmed to so our sound system feeds through them.  Many individuals have difficulty hearing with or without a hearing aid.  With these hearing devices, we have either an ear plug or if you have a hearing aid a neck loop to use, to assist you in hearing the Mass. 

We will have these for parishioners to use.  For sanitary reasons they will be wiped with Alcohol wipes after each Mass.  If you would prefer, you can purchase your own hearing device or the ear plugs, these can only be used with the sound system in the churches, they do not work at the local cinema.  Let either the ushers or one of the Pastoral Associates know, they will provide you with one to use during Mass or call the office, to find out about the price to purchase your own.

Church Snipits

Don’t put a question mark
where God put a period.

Looking For Support During Your Job Search?

Seasoned Human Resources and Marketing pros to lead the Lexington Job Support Group (LJSG) for the Catholic Community of Lexington and our friends.  Learn and share  job search strategies, resources and networking tips while getting support during your search for that next great opportunity.  Meetings are the first and third Wednesday of the month, 7:30pm - 9:00pm at Sacred Heart Parish Center. The next two meetings are November 4th and November 18th. Informal, no need to sign up, come on the evenings you are free with a cup of coffee or supper, and invite a friend.  If you have any questions, contact Bob Ludwig at 781-861-7231 or Donna Heuchling at dheuchling (3)

Lectio Divina is Up and Running!

This Thursday and for the next three Thursdays (through November 19), a Lectio Divina group will meet at 11:15am for about a half-hour in Room #9 in St. Brigid Parish Center. The group will use this classic form of contemplative prayer to reflect on the gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday. Please join us each week or as your schedule permits.

Holy Humor

A Minister was walking down the street when he came upon a group of about a dozen boys, all of them between 10 and 12 years of age.

The group had surrounded a dog.  Concerned lest the boys were hurting the dog, he went over and asked "What are you doing with that dog?"

One of the boys replied, "This dog is just an old neighborhood stray. We all want him, but only one of us can take him home. So we've decided that whichever one of us can tell the biggest lie will get to keep the dog."

Of course, the reverend was taken aback. "You boys shouldn't be having a contest telling lies!" he exclaimed. He then launched into a ten minute sermon against lying, beginning, "Don't you boys know it's a sin to lie," and ending with, "Why, when I was your age, I never told a lie."

There was dead silence for about a minute.  Just as the reverend was beginning to think he'd gotten through to them, the smallest boy gave a deep sigh and said, "All right, give him the dog."

Reception of Communion During Flu Season

Many people have concerns about the Flu which we are now facing. We are leaving the decisions of how and what people should do up to the individual person.  A person with a compromised immune system needs to take more precautions then someone else.  What we will do is give suggestions to people.

1. Please make sure you wash your hands before and after Mass.
   
   
2.  Receive the Host in your hand (as the Eucharistic Minister gives the Host to each person if they are putting it into your mouth, they are then passing along germs to the next person).
   
   
3. If you choose not to shake hands at the "Sign of Peace", a smile/nod with the words "May the Peace of Christ be with you" is appropriate, keeping your hands at your side will let people know that you are refraining from shaking hands.
   
   
4. The Holy Water will be staying at the doors of the Church; again we ask that people wash their hands before coming and after going to Church.  If you have a compromised immune system you might want to refrain from putting your hands into the Holy Water.
   
   
5. All Eucharistic Ministers wash their hands before Mass and again before giving out Communion, they also wash their hands upon returning to their seat after distributing Communion.

If you have a compromised immune system, you might want to consider refraining from the cup. 

When we receive the Eucharist, Christ is becoming a part of us.  To receive it in our hands and then place the Eucharist into our own mouths is acceptable. It is preferred, because we know that we are worthy to receive Christ, we are worthy to consume Christ, then we are also worthy of accepting Christ into our hands and placing the Host into our mouths.

Sunday, November 1st  

11:15 – RELIGIOUS ED CLASSES
3:00 – 5:30 – SCOUT MEETING – SB - PC
3:00 – 6:00 – YOUTH SPORT MEETING – SB-L
6:00 – AA MEETING – SB - KH

Monday, November 2nd

5:30 – 6:30 REL. ED. GRADES 7 & 8
7:15 – 8:30 CONFIRMATION CLASSES-SB
7:30 – PARTS OF THE LITURGY – SH - PC

Tuesday, November 3rd  

10:00 - HOMEBOUND MINISTRY WKSHP-SH-PC
3:45 – 4:45 – REL. ED. – GRADES 1, 2, 3
7:15 – 8:30 CONFIRMATION CLASSES – SH PC

Wednesday, November 4th

3:45 – 4:45 RE GRADES 4, 5, 6
7:30 – RCIA- RM.21-SB-PC
7:30 – SH CHOIR – SH - CHURCH

Thursday, November 5th

9:30 – 12:00 – WINGS – SB – PC
9:30-11:00 – F.I.S.H. MTG.- SB – L
11:15 - LECTIO DIVINA – SB CLASSROOM 19
7:00 – YOUNG ADULTS – SB – L
7:00 – BOY SCOUTS – SB
7:30 – SB CHOIR – SB - CHURCH

Friday, November 6th

9:30 – 11:30 DROP IN CENTER – SB – PC
6:00 – MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENT – SB – PC

Saturday, November 7th

12:00 – 6:00 – ST. FRANCIS CLOTHING DRIVE – SB IN THE MUD ROOM AND SH AT THE SIDE DOOR OF CHURCH.
10:00 – 11:00 CURIOUS CREATURES – SH-PC

Attention All New Volunteers!

All new volunteers in Sacred Heart and St. Brigid ministries are required to attend the VIRTUS training session, Protecting God’s Children. This program, presented by the parishes’ Child Abuse Prevention or CAP Team, educates and trains adults – clergy, staff, lay ministers, teachers, volunteers and other interested adults in the faith community – about the dangers of child abuse, the warning signs of abuse, ways to prevent abuse, and the methods for properly reporting suspicions of abuse. Four training sessions are scheduled in the upcoming weeks:

Saturday, November 14, 9:00-11:30am
Wednesday, November 18, 7:00-9:30pm
Saturday, November 21, 9:00-11:30am
Monday, November 23, 7:00-9:30pm

All sessions will be held in the Library in St. Brigid Parish Center. Please call the Sacred Heart/St. Brigid Parish Office 781-862-4646 or 0335 or the Religious Education Office 781-862-8724 to register.

Boston College High School

Boston College High School, an all boy’s Jesuit high school of Boston, will be holding their Open House on Sunday, November 1st, from 12pm-3pm.  Come speak with BC High faculty; administrators; parents and students to learn more about BC High’s application process, academic offerings, co-curricular programs and Jesuit identity. BC High is currently accepting applications and information requests for seventh grade entry in our Arrupe Division as well as ninth grade entry in the high school.
For additional Admissions information or to submit an inquiry, visit www.bchigh.edu

Liturgical Celebration

One event of the “Year of the Priests” will be a liturgical celebration, to be held in each Region, to remember and pray for deceased priests who have ministered to the Catholic faithful in our territory.  In the West Region, this will take the form of Evening Prayer from the Divine Office for the Dead on Sunday, November 8th, at St. Bridget Church, Framingham at 3:00pm.  All are welcome to attend this celebration and refreshments will be served after Evening Prayer.

St. Brigid
Offertory for Oct. 24th & 25th	$ 8,727.00
Envelope Offerings	$ 7,619.00
Loose Cash	$ 1,108.00

Out of the 548 envelopes we sent to St. Brigid parishioners, 256 have used their envelopes.

Sacred Heart
Offertory for Oct. 24th & 25th	$   4,989.00
Envelope Offerings	$   4,286.00
Loose Cash	$      703.00
St. Katharine Drexel	$      475.00

Of the 265 envelopes we sent to Sacred Heart parishioners, 129 parishioners have used their envelopes this week.

Thank you to all who so generously contribute to our parishes each week!

—Fr. Colletti

Celebrating Adoption

There will be a Gathering of Catholic Adoptive Families Young & Older from the Lexington Area on Saturday, November 7th, with Pizza Supper and Kids’ Activities.  The cost is approximately $20 per family for Pizza and supplies ($20 for a family of 3+, $15 for a family of 2, and $10 for individual)

The event will take place in Sacred Heart Parish Hall from 5:30 – 9:00pm.  Bring a salad or dessert and age appropriate activities for your children/teens or grandchildren to share. Please RSVP with the number of attendees and salad or dessert.  Call Donna 617-721-0418 or Pat 781-223-5909.  On Sunday, November 8th, there will be a 10:00am Adoption Mass at Sacred Heart Church.

 

Advent Wreath Making Event

Sunday, November 22nd, 11:15am-12:15pm, Sacred Heart Parish Hall

Join the family fun and prepare for the coming season by making an advent wreath for your home.  All materials & instructions will be provided.  The cost is $15.  (Kits to assemble your wreath at home will also be available.)

Sacred Heart Liturgical Planning Committee Presents
What Is Liturgy? Part II

In the first lecture, Fr. Walter Cuenin spoke on Vatican II and Liturgy and its impact on lay involvement.  We learned that when the altar was turned around & the Mass said in the vernacular, the relationship of the congregation to the “celebrant” was altered.  The priest became the “presider” and the congregation became the “celebrants”.  As the people of God, it became our right and our duty to actively participate in the Mass. 

Please join us on Monday, November 2nd at 7:30 pm in Sacred Heart Parish Center to hear Deacon Guy Sciacca and Deacon Sal DiFazio discuss the Parts of the Liturgy.  All are welcome.  Look for future announcements on “Art & Environment and Its Role in Liturgy” and “Music and Its Role in Liturgy”.

Fair Trade Fair

gifts with a difference

An array of handcrafted and fair trade items from various countries will be for sale at our annual Fair Trade Fair.  Linens, greeting cards, knitted caps and mittens, colorful fabric bags, fair trade coffee, olive oil from the Holy Land, and more, including small items suitable as stocking stuffers will be available. The sale will take place after all the masses.  Dates of the sales are: Sacred Heart Parish Center, November 14 and 15; St. Brigid Keilty Hall, November 21 and 22.

He’s Looking Forward to Your Visit!

Experience some special time with the Lord during the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament this Friday and every Friday from 12:00 – 2:45pm at St. Brigid Church.

Cancellation

The Wedding Workshop listed in the bulletin last week has been cancelled.  We will reschedule the workshop in the spring.

All children are invited to join in the Children’s Liturgy of the Word, a special weekly presentation and discussion of the day’s scripture readings. After a blessing and dismissal by the priest before the first reading during St. Brigid’s 9:00am Mass, the children proceed downstairs to Keilty Hall to participate in this program. They rejoin the Mass after the homily.

Clothing Drive On November 7th -8th

You can make your used clothes new again by donating them to the men and women of St. Francis House and The Women’s Lunch Place! Start now to gather your gently used men’s clothing and new underwear for our annual clothing drive for St. Francis House, a center in Boston offering shelter and rehabilitative programs for poor and homeless men. New this year, we will also collect new and used women’s clothing for The Women’s Lunch Place in Boston, a center offering a daytime community and programs for poor and homeless women and their children.
Collection times (lower level of St. Brigid Parish Center):

Saturday, November 7: 10:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday, November 8: 10:00am – 4:00pm

If you would like to help receive donations, please contact Mary Harvell at 781-862-0794 or mharvell at ix dot netcom dot com.

Haley House Requests Men’s Coats

Haley House, a men’s shelter located in South Boston, has requested 10 new or gently used winter coats for their clients.  Please bring your donation for this cause to the lower level of St. Brigid Parish Center on November 7 or 8 during the collection times for the clothing drives for St. Francis House and The Women’s Lunch Place.

We Need You!
Are You Ready To Make A Difference?

Affinity-Hospice of Life is looking for dedicated volunteers to visit with our special patients.  ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)  Whatever your gifting or personality, there is a place for you to serve here.  The Lord can use you in any of these ways to touch people with God’s love in their deepest need:  Writing letters, reading, taking walks, grocery shopping, visiting and many more.  Please contact Stephanie Isabel at Stephanie_isabel at lcca dot com or call 617-780-0237 to get more information.

A Simple Way To Do A World Of Good

The St. Katharine Drexel Food Pantry collection is this Sunday, November 1. This monthly collection is an easy way for you and your family to help our brothers and sisters in Roxbury. Three easy ways to give:

1. Food: Pick up non-perishable food items at your next trip to the grocers and bring them to church with you on Sunday. Drop them in the bins at St. Brigid, or at the altar at Sacred Heart. 
2. Gift Cards: Stop & Shop gift cards are a popular alternative to a bag of groceries--light-weight and versatile! Drop in the envelopes at the entrances to each church.
3. Donations: Checks made payable to "St. Katharine Drexel" and dropped in the offertory or envelopes help with filling the pantry and the daily up-keep of their services.

Thank you for your continued generosity and support!

Knitters Group

Out new Ministry, Knitting and Crocheting Group will be meeting on the last Tuesday of each month., Room 18 of St. Brigid School, at 9:30 - 11:00 AM or for workers another group will meet 7:00 - 8:30 PM.  Please consider joining us to make, premies, caps and blankets, cancer caps or prayer shawls, they are being donated to 2 hopices, MGH and Winchester Hospital.  There are people who will be helping if you are just learning to knit or crochet.

Megan Chenaille, Director of Youth Ministry
E-mail: Megan Chenaille
781-862-8724

Youth Mass

All are welcome to join us for our next Youth Mass!!
Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009
Time: 6pm
Place: Sacred Heart Church

Congratulations

To our Confirmation Candidates who received this most holy Sacrament on Sunday, October 25, 2009.   

Middle School Fridays are back!

6th, 7th and 8th graders of the Catholic community of Lexington are invited to join us for the Nov 6th Middle School Friday event. We will meet in the St Brigid Hall at 6 PM for pizza, then board a bus to Laser Quest in Danvers MA.  Flyers will be available at the rear of the church in the parish office and on-line at the parish website.  Sign ups are due at the parish office by November 4th.  Cost is $23 and scholarships are available. For more information contact Mary Ellen Goodwin @tgoodwin99@msn.com. 
Future events all begin at 6pm with Pizza and include:

Nov 6 - Laser Tag – Danvers
Dec 11 - Nativity Movie - Sacred Heart
Jan 8 - Snow Tubing - Nashoba
Feb 5 - Movie - Sacred Heart
March 19 - Jump On In - Woburn
April 9 - Game night - Sacred Heart
May 14 - Mini Golf

 

Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail with any questions or concerns. 

Welcome to New Parishioners

No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church, no matter what your current family or marital situation, no matter what your current personal history, age, background, race, etc., no matter what your own self-image; you are invited, welcomed, accepted, loved and respected here with the Catholic Community in Lexington. . If you are new to Sacred Heart or St. Brigid Parishes, please introduce yourself to either Father Colletti or one of the Pastoral Associates, Beverly Good or Mary Peterson, after Mass or at your convenience.  Also, please contact the Office to register as a member of the parishes.