This Wednesday we will be marked with ashes and our Lenten journey will begin. We are marked with ashes begging God to give us all we need to be the holy people He desires us to be. Ashes are what is left when the thing itself is gone, and the life is gone and even the lively though destroying fire is gone. In this dust we recognize, once again or for the first time, our desperate need for God to bring us to life. “The Lord God formed the Adam of dust from the Adamah, from the ground, and breathed into the nostrils of the Adam the breath of life, and the Adam became a living being.”
We are dust, we say with honesty. We are in death and the stuff of death is all around us, so we wait for God and so for life. But one waits with us; shares our dust and is made into our ashes: “made to be sin for us,” says Saint Paul, given into death for us.
And so we begin. We enter into Lent with the hope of entering deeper into life. The church traditionally practices the disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving during the season of Lent. Before Ash Wednesday, decide how each of these will be a part of your own life and that of your household. Fasting—from food, from wasting, from many sorts of things—is essential if we are to find how we need the loving kindness of God. The giving of alms is another side to fasting: the practice of charity, the sharing of money and time and energy and self. Be honest and humble in taking on the disciplines of Lent. They are not for ourselves but for the building up of the church.
“Foreheads ash-crossed,
spirits sin-scarred,
behold us, Father, take our place
among the poor of all the ages,
trumpet-called to fast and pray and journey.
“Today…the time acceptable…now,
even now!”
See us, Father, and see at our head the one who dared to mix his dust and tears
and blood with ours.
And by the power flowing from
his resurrection
turn our ashen faces toward dawn,
toward all the reborn joy he offers us
in water and the Spirit.”
Readings for the Week Of Sunday, February 22, 2009
| St. Brigid Church |
| |
| 9:00am | Tuesday February 24th | Elizabeth Carney |
| 9:00am | Thursday February 26th | Giovanni Bonanno |
| 12:10pm | Friday February 27th | Lenten Mass and Exposition |
| 8:00am | Saturday February 28th | Catherine Frances Theriault |
| |
| Sacred Heart Church |
| |
| 9:00am | Monday February 23rd | Michael Ciccarelli |
An Evening In Venice
Dinner/Dance Fundraiser (Adults ONLY)
We are having a dinner/dance to sponsor the YOUTH Scholarship Fund, Work Camp Costs, and other Youth Events (such as guest speakers, like Sean Forrest and community building activities). The date of this event is Saturday, February 28th from 7:00pm to ll:00pm in Keilty Hall. We will enjoy a Chicken Florentine dinner, wine, dancing and great fellowship all to support the Youth of our parishes. Tickets are $25 per person will be available in the Religious Education Office.
Prayer For Vocations
Gracious God, you have blessed me with many gifts and talents. Grant me the wisdom to know how best to use them for the glory of your name. Jesus calls, “Come follow me.” I want to follow Him and to be faithful to my call. Help me to see in myself what you see, and give me the courage to follow wherever you may lead. Bless the Church with generous hearts, eager to serve your people and to spread your Word. Amen.
In Service For Their Country
Lt. John Schiavi, Sgt. Christopher Considine, Timothy Dunbar, Richard Rigley, Timothy Busa, Chris Cullen, Caitlin R. Battell, Robert McLaughlin, Sean Maddigan, Rev. Paul Passamonti, Airman Jason Cunha, Mark Zarnecki, Patrick J. Nordahl, Scott and Michael Donahue, Lt. Brian Casey, and 1st Lt. 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.
Please pray for all who are in need of our prayers that God’s healing and comforting presence may be with them, especially Father Smith, Catherine Morley, Deacon Bill Wildes, Nancy Grossimon, Bill Kenney, Margaret Wright, Joseph O’Brien, John Harper, Donald Marhefka, Tina Durks, Pat White, Marylou Merry, Josephine Siders, Olivia Moran, Matthew Langone, and Brianna Cimino. Please also remember all of our deceased relatives and friends.
Save the Date
Tickets are now on sale after the weekend Masses in Keilty Hall or at the Parish Office during business hours for our annual Irish Night on Saturday, March 14th, at 6:00 PM in Keilty Hall at St. Brigid Church. We will have Corned Beef and Cabbage from Marty’s Caterers, Irish Music and Step Dancers. Alternate menu for kids of Chicken Nuggets & Mac & Cheese.
Tickets: Adults $20; Kids under 12 $5. Tables of 8 available. Tickets will go on sale the weekend of February 14/15 after Mass in Keilty Hall or at Parish Office. For more information contact Marie Hill at 781-862-6456 or to rcn.com, address "mimi716".
Helping Hands
Helping Hands for February is
Dorothy Martin, 781-862-6389
Faith & Environment
“At its core, the environmental crisis is a moral challenge. It calls us to examine how we use and share the goods of the earth, what we pass on to future generations and how we live in harmony with God’s creation.” U.S.Bishops, Renewing the Earth. We connect Lent with self examination and fasting. This Lent let’s consider a permanent change. Currently, 90% of the meat and milk production methods in the U.S. is unsustainable and unhealthy-for us and for the planet. We can reduce this impact by reducing our consumption of meat. A good starting point is to eliminate meat from three of our weekly meals. Widely practiced, this simple change is equivalent to taking all SUV’s off the road.
We have scheduled two more days for Olin Mills to come back to Lexington. We are hoping that those of you who did not have your photos taken during the summer and early fall will be able to make the new dates. Olan Mills will come back to St. Brigid on Friday, March 6th, and Saturday, March 7th. The sign up sheets should be at the doors of the church this weekend. Please take the time to sign up. This will be the last chance to get into the Pictorial Directory!
WINGS Spring Series Begins This Week!
Sharon Reilly, Executive Director of The Women’s Lunch Place in Boston, kicks off WINGS (Women IN God’s Spirit) Spring Speaker Series this week. Ms. Reilly’s presentation, Celebrating Gratitude…I Have Enough, will help us recognize when, in exposure to a world of almost unlimited possibilities, enough is enough. Please join us this Thursday, February 26, at 9:30 – 11:15am, in the hall at St. Brigid Parish Center. For transportation, contact Mary Harvell at 781-862-0794. For child care during the session, contact Janet Fraser at 781-862-6853 or jfraser at alum dot mit dot edu. Membership in WINGS is not required to attend this or any WINGS program.
Habitat For Humanity Volunteers & Sponsors Requested For 2/28/09
On Saturday, February 28th Sacred Heart & St. Brigid parishioners are invited to help support a work day for parishioners to help build two Habitat homes for low income families in West Newton. Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston has built more than 75 homes in the greater Boston Area More than 200 parishioners have worked on Habitat homes over the years and we are grateful to all who have supported this work so generously in the past.. All workers must be 16 years or older. Prayers and donations are particularly requested for anyone wishing to support this effort. We hope to raise $800 to help provide materials for the work on February 28th. Make checks payable to the parish with memo Habitat for Humanity. For information and sign ups call Bob Ludwig (781) 861-7231.
Life Snipits
It’s hard to stumble
When you’re down
On your knees.
Altar Server Training
All children of the Catholic Community of Lexington, grades 4 and above are invited to join the altar servers ministry at St. Brigid. Servers are scheduled by their availability and their family’s preferred Mass times. Parents please encourage your children to volunteer for this ministry.
Training times Are:
Session 1: Saturday, February 28th at 10:00am at St. Brigid
Session 2: Sunday March 1st at 10:00am and 12:00pm at St. Brigid
You need to attend the Saturday and one Sunday Training. Each session will be 1 hour long.
Please contact Mary Peterson by email or call
781-863-0319 ext 30
For scheduling questions contact Jeanne Hobbs at 781-248-9722 or verizon.net, address "jeannehobbs".
If you can not attend these times but would still like to be an altar server we can make other arrangements for your training. Give us a call.
Travel To Greece And Its Islands
A few more seats have opened up for our Greece trip!!! The seats are available on a first come, first serve basis. Please call 781-862-0335/4646 for details. If there is an interest, we will have another presentation by Collette Tours on the trip!
We are planning a trip to Greece and its islands beginning April 23, 2009. This will be a 14 day trip starting in Athens, going to the island of Mykonos for 3 days, then we are off to the island of Santorini for 3 days. We will fly back to Athens to begin exploring classical Greece.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
8:45 – 11:00 – RCIA – St. Brigid Library
11:15 – Religious Education – Sacred Heart-PC
2;30 – Baptisms at St. Brigid
5:30 – Couples for Christ – St. Brigid-KH
7:00 – Jouint Parish Pastoral Council- St. Brigid-PC
Monday, February 23, 2009
7:00-8:00 – Teacher Workshop – St. Brigid – PC
7:15 – C.R.E.A.- St. Brigid-Library
7:30 – Haiti Comm. Mtg. – Sacred Heart PC
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
3:45 - Religious Education – Grades 1-6 - St. Brigid PC
5:30 - Religious Education Grade 7 - St. Brigid PC
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
ASH WEDNESDAY
5:15-6:00 – Children’s Choir - Sacred Heart Church
7:00 – Choir Rehearsal - Sacred Heart Church
Thursday, February 26, 2009
9:00 – WINGS – St./ Brigid - PC
7:00 - Young Adult Meeting – St. Brigid – Library
7:00 – Youth Commission Mtg. – St. Brigid - Rm.21
7:30 – Scouts – St. Brigid - PC
7:30 – Choir St. Brigid Church
Friday, February 27, 2009
6:30am – Road to Resurrection – St. Brigid – Library
7:30pm – Stations of the Cross – St. Brigid-Church
Saturday, February 28, 2009
5:00 – 12:00pm – Dinner Dance Fundraiser-St. Brigid-KH
10:30am-12:30pm – Marriage Prep. Mtg.-St. Brigid-KH
11:00-2:00 – Boy Scout Event – St. Brigid
Lenten Regulations
ABSTINENCE: All Catholics who have reached their 14th birthday are bound to abstain totally from meat on the following days: Ash Wednesday, all Fridays of Lent and Good Friday.
FASTING: All Catholics between their 18th and 60th birthdays are also bound to observe the Law of Fast on the following days: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. This practice involves limiting oneself to a single full meal and avoiding food between meals. Light sustenance may be taken on two other occasions in the course of the day.
EASTER DUTY: After they have been initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, all the faithful are bound by the obligation of receiving Communion at least once a year. This precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season, unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time during the year.
Resurrection Cantata
SAVE THE DATE! RESURRECTON CANTATA, HERE IN LEXINGTON! On Friday, March 27th, at 8 pm at St. Brigid Church
Come and see St. Patrick’s Family Players of Watertown perform this musical drama. “Resurrection” is the inspirational story of Simon Peter and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. The performance leads us on an unforgettable spiritual journey with St. Peter as he faces his martyrdom. Peter recalls his experiences with Christ as well as those he shared with Mary Magdalene and the disciples as they followed Jesus. In moving song, Peter shows the anguish for his denial of Christ and the joy that comes with the Resurrection and His forgiveness.
| St. Brigid |
| Offertory for February 14th & 15th |
$ 9,246.00 |
| Envelope Offerings |
$ 8,025.00 |
| Loose Cash |
$ 1,221.00 |
| Grand Annual Collection to date |
$119,415.00 |
Out of the 548 envelopes we sent to St. Brigid parishioners, 257 have used their envelopes.
| Sacred Heart |
| Offertory for February 14th & 15th |
$ 6,381.00 |
| Envelope Offerings |
$ 5,274.00 |
| Loose Cash |
$ 1,107.00 |
| St. Katharine Drexel |
$ 286.00 |
| Grand Annual Collection to date |
$72,352.00 |
Of the 265 envelopes we sent to Sacred Heart parishioners, 122 parishioners have used their envelopes this week.
Thank you to all who so generously contribute to our parishes each week!
—Fr. Colletti
We are happy to have you celebrating with us today!
Perhaps you have just moved into our parishes. Perhaps you are searching for a new community to worship with. Whatever the reason, we are very happy that you have chosen to celebrate with the Catholic Community in Lexington, Sacred Heart and St. Brigid Parishes. Please complete the following information if you wish to join our community as you continue your faith journey.
NAME:_______________________________________
ADDRESS:____________________________________
CITY/STATE:__________________________________
ZIP:_____________PHONE:______________________
E-MAIL:_______________________________________
Please choose a parish:
SACRED HEART__________ST. BRIGID__________
NEW MEMBER:________
NEW ADDRESS:_______
NEW PHONE:__________
We will be happy to send out a registration form or you may pick one up at the doors of each parish
Liturgy Schedule for Lent 2009
Ash Wednesday, February 25th
Mass with the distribution of Ashes:
Wednesday 7:00am - St. Brigid
Wednesday 9:00am - Sacred Heart
Wednesday 7:30pm - Sacred Heart
Prayer Service with the distribution of Ashes only:
Wednesday 4:00pm - St. Brigid
Holy Week
Thursday April 9th 7:30pm - St. Brigid and Sacred Heart
Friday, April 10th - 3:00pm - St Brigid
Friday, April 10th - 7:30pm - Sacred Heart
Saturday April, 11th 8:00 pm - St. Brigid and Sacred Heart
Easter Sunday, April 12th
Mass 7:00am - Sacred Heart
Mass 9:00am - St. Brigid
Mass 10:00am - Sacred Heart
Mass 11:00am - St. Brigid
Lenten Reconciliation Service
Sunday, March 22nd 7:00pm - Sacred Heart
You are invited to hospitality each week after the 10:00 Mass in the Sacred Heart Parish Center. Come and join us for coffee and conversation!
Mass + Adoration = A Perfect Lenten Combination
This Friday and every Friday during Lent, attend Mass at 12:10pm at St. Brigid Church and then stay for some quiet time with the Lord during the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Adoration closes at 2:45pm following Benediction.
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.
You are invited to hospitality each week after the 11:00 Mass in Keilty Hall at St. Brigid. Come and join us for coffee and conversation!
What’s Happening During Lent
Fridays at St. Brigid:
6:30AM Road to Resurrection
(Reflection time for Youth and Young Adults — an opportunity to meet before
School and Work; Continental Breakfast Supplied)
12:10PM Mass and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 2:45PM
7:30 PM Stations of the Cross every Friday
Except March 27th “The Resurrection Cantata” will be presented
5:00PM Sundays Sung Evening Prayer St. Brigid
Saturdays at Sacred Heart
Movie and Soup @ 6:00PM
February 28th--Shawshank Redemption
March 7th--Bonhoeffer
March 14th-- The Kite Runner
March 21st -- Whale Rider
March 28th--March of the Penguins
April 4th--Walk the Line
After the 10:0 AM Mass on Sundays there will also be a
Series of Speakers throughout Lent @ Sacred Heart
Youth Food Fast March 27th—28th at St. Brigid
(students will be going door to door Saturday collecting food)
“The Resurrection Cantata” Friday, March 27th at 8:00PM St. Brigid
Palm Braiding Monday, March 30th at 6:00PM St. Brigid
“Passio” Tuesday, March 31st at 8:00PM Sacred Heart
“Seven Last Words” Sunday, April 5th at 2:00PM St. Brigid
Children’s Stations of the Cross Good Friday, 2:00 PM at Sacred Heart
Megan Chenaille, Director of Youth Ministry
E-mail: Megan Chenaille
781-862-8724
Food Fast
Mark your calendars:
March 27-28
More information coming soon
Catholic Heart Workcamp
June 28-July 3
Providence, RI
For High School students entering 9th thru 12th grades
Meet other Catholics your age from around the country, help others, and grow in your faith.
A $75 deposit is required to hold your spot. Please sign up soon! Spaces are limited.
Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail with any questions or concerns. 
