In Saint John’s Gospel (12:20-33) we read: “Among those who had come up to worship at the feast of Passover were some Greeks.  They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him: ‘Sir, we should like to see Jesus’.”  As we come to Holy Week and our Passover we should like to see Jesus.  Our Lenten journey was to introduce him to us on a deeper level.

Many on the journey with us over the years have stopped along the way.  Throughout Lent I have been praying for their return to worship with us.  Our society is characterized by a religious diversity unknown in previous eras, but an even more dramatic change is an every-increasing “unreligious diversity.”  Large numbers of people have intentionally opted out of religion for a wide variety of reasons.  Church leaders, parish staffs and parishioners have lamented over the absence of commitment, churches closing, diminishing resources, and the change in our culture.  This is not a time to indulge ourselves in whining and worry.  This is a time for repentance.

Cassandra D. Carkuff Williams, in her book Learning the Way: Reclaiming Wisdom from the Earliest Christian Communities, has written: “Repentance begins when we admit that we’ve lost our bearings, veered off the path.  The church today seems to see itself as a victim of the culture. We complain that the culture doesn’t give the church its proper place and that people have let the church down by not participating in church life.  A victim mentality is crippling. It blinds us both to our role in our plight and to the possibilities that lie before us.  Perhaps we need to ask “Does the culture hold more power than the God who called the church into being?”

“My suspicion is that the church has been so dependent on its privileged place within western culture that it has lost some of its essence, its lifeblood, which flows not from an accommodating society, but from the one who died on Calvary and rose again…We need to consider honestly our role in our current predicament if we are to be freed from the paralysis of a victim mentality and freed to embrace the possibilities that lie before us…to take responsibility by turning from our old ways to embrace the hope that lies in a new beginning.”

As we come to Holy Week, I invite you to come to our services of Holy Thursday, the Last Supper event; Good Friday, the Passion of Christ, and the Easter Vigil - Easter Sunday, the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord.  Two other events will ‘get us in the mood’, the Passio on Tuesday, March 31st at 8:00 PM at Sacred Heart Church and the Seven Last Words of Christ concert Palm Sunday, April 5th at Saint Brigid Church at 2:00 PM.  My prayer is that all of us would say from the heart: “We should like to see Jesus.”

Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” - Jn
12:23-24

 

St. Brigid Church
9:00am	Tuesday March 31st	Arthur Ruge
9:00am	Thursday April 2nd	Mildred, Clarence and James Gordon
12:10pm	Friday April 3rd	Ralph Cassie
8:00am	Saturday April 4th	James Hayes and The Boudreau Family
Sacred Heart Church
9:00am	Monday March 30th	Lillian Servente
9:00am	Wednesday April 1st	Deceased Members of the Shea, Burri & O’Neil Families
9:00am	Friday April 3rd	Jerie DeAngelis
9:00am	Saturday April 4th	Philip J. Tropeano

 

St. Brigid
Offertory for March 21st & 22nd	$    9,166.00
Envelope Offerings	$    7,750.00
Loose Cash	$    1,416.00
Grand Annual Collection to date	$123,614.00

Out of the 548 envelopes we sent to St. Brigid parishioners, 255 have used their envelopes.

Sacred Heart
Offertory for March 21st & 22nd	$  4,936.00
Envelope Offerings	$  4,281.00
Loose Cash	$     684.00
St. Katharine Drexel	$     145.00
Grand Annual Collection to date	$72,902.00

Of the 265 envelopes we sent to Sacred Heart parishioners, 99 parishioners have used their envelopes this week.

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

—Fr. Colletti

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, Elaine Murphy, Deacon Bill Wildes, Nancy Grossimon, Joseph O’Brien, John Harper, Donald Marhefka, Tina Durks, Pat White, Kathleen Brown, Rev. James O’Donohoe, Betty Garrity, Marylou Merry, Josephine Siders, Kathleen Brown, Olivia Moran, Matthew Langone, and Brianna Cimino.  Please also remember all of our deceased relatives and friends especially Jeanne Kalber and William L Sovie.

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.

The Seven Last Words of Christ

On Palm Sunday, April 5th, at 2:00pm the choirs of St. Brigid Parish and Sacred Heart Parish will, along with other parishes in the area, present at St. Brigid Church The Seven Last Words of Christ by Theodore Dubois.  By presenting this work, we are hoping to start somewhat of a musical tradition in our Catholic Community.

Easter Ham Donations For Inner City Parishes Requested

As part of our Easter celebration we are again asking parishioners to help provide Easter hams for families at our sister parishes, St. Katharine Drexel (home of the former Roxbury Food Pantry) and St. Patrick’s in Roxbury.  Hams will also be needed for shut-ins from the former St. John/St. Hugh parish community and for the Family Aids Ministry.  Last year we delivered 142 hams to our sister parish neighbors in Dorchester & Roxbury for Easter.  A generous parishioner has offered to provide fresh hams for below wholesale cost of $10 per ham.  Please support this special collection by providing a check to Sacred Heart or St. Brigid, memo “Easter Hams" in the regular collection baskets or send to the parish office.  All donations will be used to purchase these hams for delivery during Holy Week.  Stop & Shop gift cards are also much appreciated.  We hope you will help support this special celebration through our food pantry ministry.  Thank you for your generosity.  The Christian Service Commission.

LexMedia Opportunity

St. Brigid and Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council Communications Committee is seeking volunteers who would like to help produce a televised Mass from either church for LexMedia.  Those interested should contact Jack Cunha, jackcin1(2) or Jim Baker, jbaker1868(4) or contact Florence Delsanto, Director at LexMedia, 781-862-5388 which would host a free class for TV production volunteers.  The LexMedia is located in the complex, Avalon at Lexington Hills on 1000 Main Campus Drive. 
This would also be a great opportunity for high school students interested in TV to get a chance to work behind the scenes!

2009 Catholic Appeal

Our appreciation goes out to all parishioners in the Catholic Community in Lexington who have made a gift to the 2009 Appeal.  The Appeal is to our Archdiocese what the weekly offertory is to our parish.  If you have not yet made your gift, please consider making a pledge this weekend.  To date, we have received $8,868 from 35 Sacred Heart households reaching 19.5% of the parish goal of $45,500.  To date from St. Brigid we have received $31,667 from 105 households reaching 24.5% of the parish goal of  $129,500.  Remember, our parishes will receive 25 percent of all funds we raise above our goal.  So each gift has the potential to increase parish revenue while still supporting the shared ministries of our Church at the Archdiocesan level.  We ask every Catholic family to participate – every gift matters.  You can pick up information packets with pledge forms at the doors of the Churches.  Please return your completed pledge/gift through the mail in the envelope provided in the information packet.  For more information, please visit www.BostonCatholicAppeal.com or call 617-779-3700.  Every gift matters.  Thank you!

Parish Census

“In those days, it was determined that a census should be taken of the Lexington parishes….and everyone went to his own parish to register.” – Lexington 2:1-2

As part of the Stewardship Commission’s programs, a census will be conducted at both St. Brigid and Sacred Heart.  The census will not only look to obtain and update standard information on parishioners, like name, address, family information, etc., but also seek information, such as special skills and talents, e-mail addresses, interests in ministries, service and education opportunities, etc., that will allow us to better communicate, serve and interact with our parish communities.  In order to provide the census to the most parishioners, census forms will be distributed after the Palm Sunday (April 4-5) and Easter Liturgies (April 11-12) when, as Fr. Colletti likes to observe, “All the family has come home” at both churches.  More details on the census will be provided over the next two weeks and when the census forms are distributed.  Please make it a point to strengthen our parish communities by committing to complete and return your census!

Liturgy Schedule for Lent 2009

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

The women of WINGS (Women IN God’s Spirit) cordially invite all women to the final session of their Spring Speakers Series this Thursday, April 2nd, and to a light luncheon afterward.  The session will feature Sister Therese McDonough, U.S. Area Leader of the Medical Missionaries of Mary.  In her presentation, Women in the Footsteps of Mary, Sister Therese will share with us the lives of some of the remarkable women whom she has met throughout her years as a medical missionary, and ask us to see our connections with them.  The session will begin at 9:30am and close at 11:00am (15 minutes earlier than the usual time) in the hall at St. Brigid Parish Center.  The luncheon – in celebration of another year of growing in our faith and building relationships with one another – will immediately follow, also in the Parish Center hall.  A reservation is not required for the session or the luncheon nor is membership in WINGS.  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.

We want to Congratulate Mr. & Mrs. Montminy who are celebrating their 50th wedding Anniversary at St. Brigid on Saturday, April 4th at the 5:00pm Liturgy

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

Holy Humor

At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings.  Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs. 
Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he was ill, and she said, ‘Johnny, what is the matter?’  Little Johnny responded, ‘I have a pain in my side.  I think I’m going to have a wife.”

Pastoral Associate Office Hours

There is a Pastoral Associate at Sacred Heart Parish Center every Saturday afternoon from 2:30 until the 4:00 Liturgy begins.  Also, either Beverly or Mary is also available after the 10:00 Liturgy on Sundays. 

Sunday, March 29, 2009

8:45 – 11:00 – RCIA – St. Brigid Library
10:00 – Grade 2 Banner Making – St. Brigid KH
11:15 – Religious Education – Sacred Heart-PC
11:00 – Adult Faith Formation – Bob Phelps – SH-PC
5:00 – Sung Evening Prayer – St. Brigid

Monday, March 30, 2009

6:00 – Palm Braiding – St. Brigid - KH
7:15 – Confirmation Classes – St. Brigid - PC

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

3:45 - Religious Education – Grades 1-6 - St. Brigid PC
5:30 - Religious Education Grade 7 - St. Brigid PC
7:15 – Confirmation Class – SH Church and PC
8:00 – PASSIO – Sacred Heart - Church

Wednesday, April 1,, 2009

10:00 – Sodality Board Meeting – St. Brigid - L
3:45 - Religious Education – Grades 1-6 - St. Brigid PC
5:00 – Lexington Basketball Banquet – Sacred Heart PC
5:30 - Religious Education Grade 7 - St. Brigid PC
5:15-6:00 – Children’s Choir - Sacred Heart Church
7:00 – Choir – Sacred Heart Church

Thursda yApril 2, 2009

9:00 – WINGS – St. Brigid - PC
9:30 – F.I.S.H. Mtg. – St. Brigid - L
7:00 - Young Adult Meeting – St. Brigid – Library
7:30 – Scouts – St. Brigid Parish Center
7:30 – Choir St. Brigid Church

Friday April 3, 2009

6:30am – Road to Resurrection – St. Brigid – Library

Saturday, april 4, 2009

5:00 – Refurbishment Presentation – Sacred Heart Church
(After 4:00pm Mass)
6:00 Movie & Soup night - Sacred Heart PC

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 in Lexington and others.  Learn and share job search strategies, resources and networking tips while getting support during your search for that next great opportunity.  Meetings will be held the first and third Wednesday of the month 7:30 - 9:00 pm at Sacred Heart Parish Center starting April 15th.  Informal, no need to sign up, come on the evenings you are free and invite a friend.  If you have any questions, contact Bob Ludwig at 781-861-7231 or Donna Heuchling at dheuchling(3)

Faith & Environment

 

Life Snipits

People are made to be loved and things are made to be used. 
There is much chaos in this world because things are being loved and people are being used.

Helping Hands

Helping Hands the month of March will be
Jeanne Hobbs, 781-862-2892.
For April it will be Carol Basile, 781-861-9086.

 

Refurbishment of Sacred Heart Church

The Refurbishment Committee of Sacred Heart Parish has set a couple of dates that they will be asking parishioners to come for a “show & tell” regarding the refurbishment of the church.  The committee has worked long and hard to anticipate all the needed changes for the church and have, along with the architect, produced a plan for the interior work to be done within the coming months. 

The committee is looking for support and feedback from Sacred Heart Parishioners on the proposed refurbishment.  To that end we have set times for parishioners to come to hear a short presentation of the refurbishment and an explanation of the detailed cost of this project.  Please come and support this group that has put together these presentations.

The Refurbishment Committee will make their presentation after the 4:00pm Mass on March 28th and after the 7:00am Mass on March 29th.  They will make their presentation again after the 10:00am Mass on April 5th.

Meeting Christ In Prayer

Formerly called LIVING WITH CHRIST has been published by Loyola Press and is now called Meeting Christ in Prayer.  This eight week program will take place at the new Pastoral Center in Braintree beginning April 22nd thru June 10th from 7:00 to 8:30pm.  For more information or to register please call, Sr. Anne D”Arcy, CSJ, 617-779-3648 or email sdarcy(9).

Sunday Lenten Series

Adult Education Series
Following the 10 AM Liturgy in the Parish Hall at Sacred Heart

March 29, 2009
we will present
Robert Phelps

God and the Editor

Bob is the widower of long time Sacred Heart member, Betty Phelps.  Bob has just published his newest book, which interweaves his personal and professional experiences with some of the most powerful stories of the era as editor of the New York Times Washington Bureau from 1965-1974. In our current time of moral decay in the workplace, Bob will share insights into the world of the New York Times in the days of Watergate and other major world events and the need to balance moral ideals with personal ambition.

Movie and Soup

We will have movies each Saturday evening through April 4.  The Lenten Soup and Movies Series will be held at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall.  Soup will be served at 6 PM and the movie will start at about 6:30, following which there will be a discussion of religious and moral themes found in the movie.  The discussion will be led by the evening's soup host and/or hostess.  The titles for each evening are listed on bulletin boards at Sacred Heart and St. Brigid.  They are also listed in the Lenten Events section of this bulletin.

Second Grade Mass Today
Followed By A Mini-Brunch And Activities

The second grade children of the Sacred Heart and St. Brigid parishes cordially invite you to their grade-level Mass at 9:00am at St. Brigid Church today (March 29), and to their mini-brunch afterward. Also afterward in Keilty Hall, the Family Fellowship Team will assist the Second Graders in making the altar cloth and the banner for their First Communion Masses, and will provide Lenten crafts for children of all ages and grades.

Archdiocese Young Adult Eucharistic Congress 2009: The Boston Eucharistic Congress for College Students and Young Adults will take place on the evening of Friday, April 3 and all day Saturday, April 4, 2009.This free event will be held in the historic North End of Boston, at St. Stephen and St. Leonard churches. It is run and hosted by the Boston Archdiocese.
This event includes:

• Mass with Cardinal Sean
• Talks on the Eucharist
• Adoration and Confession
• Eucharistic Procession
• Witness Talks
• Service Opportunities
• Food: A Taste of the North End

For more information go to: http://www.eucharisticcongress.org
To register go to: http://www.eucharisticcongress.org/register.php
For more information you can email us back or you can email Lauren Hardegen at: lauren_hardegen(9)

This was a great event last year and will be great this year. This is one of the flagship events that the Archdiocese has for young adults. Young adults from across the Archdiocese all come together. If you could come to one thing this would be it. We are excited! We will have a car pool from St Brigid for both Friday and Saturday.

Father Jim Bertelli, a long time parishioner of St. Brigid, invites all to the celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of his ordination to priesthood. The Mass will take place in Sunday, April 26th at 2:00pm at St. Brigid Church. No gifts, please.

St Brigid Ministers of Communion
Holy Week Triduum

There is a sign up sheet in the sacristy to sign up for the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil. Please put your name on the list for the day or days you wish to serve.

Palm Braiding

A Palm Braiding Workshop will be held on Monday, March 30th at 6:00 p.m.  This long standing tradition requires many palms to be braided then formed into centerpieces that are used to decorate the Church for Palm Sunday.  A light supper (sandwiches, chips, and drinks) will be served.  Please RSVP before Saturday, March 28 to the Parish office or to Marie Hill 781-862-6456 or mimi716@rcn.com.

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.

St. Michael’s Church

St. Michael’s Parish, Bedford will pray the Stations of rht Cross, and walk with Jesus as he journeys from death to New Life.  Please join us on Friday, April 3rd at 7:00pm, Sunday, April 5th at 3:00pm and Friday, April 10th at 3:00pm.

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

Road to Resurrection
Lent continues…
Are you looking for something to help with your prayer life during Lent?  Are you seeking a deeper relationship with Christ and others? It is NOT too late to do something about it!!

Consider joining us on Friday mornings before school (6:30-7:30am) in the St. Brigid Library for breakfast, scripture reading, and sharing.  Breakfast and books are provided!!  We hope you will join us on our journey on the Road to the Resurrection.

Our Friday sessions continue this Friday, April 3rd,
Just bring yourself and a friend!!

Youth Mass

Sunday, April 5, 2009 (Palm Sunday)
6pm at Sacred Heart Church

There is a mandatory program for the Confirmation students (9th and 10th grades) immediately following the Mass.

 

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

Pastoral Associate Office Hours

There is a Pastoral Associate at Sacred Heart Parish Center every Saturday afternoon from 2:30 until the 4:00 Liturgy begins.  Also, either Beverly or Mary is available after the 10:00 Liturgy on Sundays.

We invite all children 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. We will not have CLW today (March 29) because our Second Graders are participating in the 9:00am Mass. CLW will resume next Sunday.

The Veiling of Sacred Images

Beginning today, March 29, when walking into St. Brigid’s, you will notice the mood of the Church’s environment to be one of true austerity.  The sacred images (the cross on the high altar and the paintings of Our Lady and St. Joseph) will be veiled in somber violet.  Why? This practice began in the middle ages when crosses were made of gold and precious jewels.  Lent was all about fasting not only from food, but fasting from the beautiful images adorning our churches.  It helped the faithful to not only “MISS” the sacred images, but “FOCUS” more on the actual events in that first Holy Week.  With the reforms of Vatican II, this practice was suppressed.  The revised 3rd edition of the Missale Romanum(Roman Missal) provides rubrics on the veiling of the crosses and sacred images in the church beginning on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, and continuing until after the liturgy of Good Friday(when the crosses must be unveiled) and just before the Easter Vigil(when other images are unveiled).

“How To Be A Catholic In A Changing Church (And In A Changing World)”

The theologian and popular author, Michael O’Laughlin, Th.D. will present “The Church in the Modern World” on April 2nd at 7:30pm at St. Irene”s Parish Hall, 187 East St., Carlisle.  For additional information, please call Ernest Carabillo, 978-371-2166.