On Palm Sunday afternoon we performed the Seven Last Words of Christ by Theodore Dubois. It was an amazing performance for our Holy Week meditation. It was Dorothy DiDominico who conducted the choirs from Sacred Heart, Saint Brigid, Saint Mary in Winchester, Saint Michael in Bedford and Saint Patrick in Natick. The soloists were Joanne Messier McCandless, Gale Livingston, Martin Kelly and Marc DeMille. The marvelous organ music came from William Grzybowski. The Hospitality Committee and all who made the Seven last Words of Christ such a moving experience. I thank them all!
You all know the seven last words:
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;
today you will be with me in paradise;
woman behold your son;
my God why have you forsaken me;
I thirst;
Father into your hands I commend my spirit and
it is finished.
All these words explain the purpose of the cross and the character of Christ. These words are a message from God to the whole world.
The first seven words of the Risen Christ on the first Easter Sunday is a message from God to the Church—to his people. The first word of Christ is to a woman in a garden: “Woman why are you weeping?” He did not take away her tears but he was there as an answer to her tears. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Rev. 21:4). The second word is simply “Mary”. Jesus called her by name. He had called his disciples by name. He will call us by name to be his disciples and every disciple knows the Lord’s voice. “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:3).
The third word is “Go tell my brothers” (John 20:17). Mary had a message for the disciples and then they had a message for the world. The cross gives a message “God so loved the word” and the resurrection gives us a message and a power to deliver it.
The fourth word is “Peace be to you” (John 20:19). The promise of peace—peace with God and the peace of God is given as the fruit of the resurrection. The old order of sin has passed away. Sin takes away peace but now shalom—God’s peace—is given and righteousness is possible.
The fifth word is “As my Father has sent me so I send you—receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:21-23). Here is the call to service and the power to serve. We have work to do that is why he left us here instead of taking us home with him. He did not leave us orphans or powerless. He put his power inside us through the person of the Holy Spirit.
The sixth word is “Stop doubting and believe” (John 27). Jesus calls Thomas in the midst of the community and says be not faithless but believing. Thomas was missing at Jesus’ first meeting but met him the second time. We too can meet the Lord in the community with faithful people and through our open hearted prayers.
The seventh word is “Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). He is speaking of us today saved by faith in the Son given up for us and raised up for us.
May the blessings of the Risen Lord be with you and your loved ones this Holy Day and throughout the forty days of Easter.
Readings for the Week Of Sunday, April 12, 2009
| St. Brigid Church |
| |
| 9:00am | Tuesday April 14th | Francis & Joseph Daley |
| 9:00am | Thursday April 16th | Lois Ryan |
| 8:00am | Saturday April 18th | Angela McCarthy O’Regan |
| |
| Sacred Heart Church |
| |
| 9:00am | Monday April 13th | Mary Rita Hyde |
| 9:00am | Wednesday April 15th | Paul Mazerall |
| 9:00am | Friday April 17th | William Brady |
| 9:00am | Saturday April 18th | Helen Petrucci & Bridgid Comer |
| St. Brigid |
| Offertory for April 4th & 5th |
$ 11,764.00 |
| Envelope Offerings |
$ 9,848.00 |
| Loose Cash |
$ 1,916.00 |
Out of the 548 envelopes we sent to St. Brigid parishioners, 309 have used their envelopes.
| Sacred Heart |
| Offertory for April 4th & 5th |
$ 5,192.00 |
| Envelope Offerings |
$ 4,370.00 |
| Loose Cash |
$ 822.00 |
| St. Katharine Drexel |
$ 259.00 |
Of the 265 envelopes we sent to Sacred Heart parishioners, 127 parishioners have used their envelopes this week.
Thank you to all who so generously contribute to our parishes each week!
—Fr. Colletti
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.
Helping Hands
Helping Hands for the month of April will be
Carol Basile, 781-861-9086.
Parish Census
Census form distribution at each parish began the weekend of April 4th & 5th, with a follow-up this weekend, April 11th & 12th. Each family/parishioner is encouraged to take a few minutes to complete the census and either drop-off at the entryways to the churches or drop-off/mail to the offices at 2001 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421.
Your completion and return of the census will provide information that will help us to better communicate, serve and interact with members of each parish and to provide information on parishioners’ special skills, talents and interests.
Please contact St. Brigid at 781-862-0335 or Sacred Heart at 781-862-4646 with any questions. Representatives from each parish are also available to answer questions or concerns – Stephen McKenna for St. Brigid, 781-862-6690 and Frank Bellini for Sacred Heart 781-861-7039. Boxes for the completed forms are at the front doors of both churches.
The forms are also on the internet, the address is on the census form.
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).
Youth Ministry & John P. Keilty Scholarship
Application forms are now available in the Religious Education Office
Applications are due by Monday,
May 11, 2009
- Applicant must be a senior in high school
- Applicant must be an active St. Brigid/Sacred Heart Youth Ministry participant
- The award is contingent on acceptance and enrollment at an institution of higher learning
Faith & Environment
“Everywhere is the green of new growth, the amazing sight of the renewal of the earth. We watch the grass once again emerging from the ground………O Lord, may we be touched by grace, fascinated and moved by this your creation, energized by the power of new growth in your world. May we move beyond viewing this life only through a frame, but touch it and be touched by it, know it and be known by it, love it and be loved by it……May we forge a new friendship with the natural world and discover a new affinity with beauty, with life and with the Cosmic Christ in whom all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible or invisible…..for all things were created through him and for him. In His name. Amen.” From the CHINOOK PSALTER Let us take time to let this prayer teach us, the beauty of Spring changes energize us, and the wonderful reality of the Resurrection lead us to know how to nurture and sustain our/His world.
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdala came to the tomb
early in the morning, while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loves,
and told them, “They have taken Jesus
from the tomb, and we don’t know where
they put him.” So Peter and the other
disciple went out and came to the tomb.
The Easter Season
The Triduum ends on Easter Sunday evening. We then begin the seven-week Easter Season which lasts through Pentecost Sunday, May 31st.
It is a season full of life. In the northern hemisphere it is springtime. Rivers and streams come alive. Trees sprout new leaves. Flowers blossom and birds sing.
The calendar is full—First Communions, Mother’s Day, graduations and weekend trips.
The Church says to us, “This is the perfect time of the year to celebrate life—a life that lasts forever. Enjoy! Let there be a 50-day festival. Let the Paschal Candle, lit from the Easter fire, burn brightly throughout these days. Catch the spirit in the air and let it remind you of the Holy Spirit within you.”
Two “resolutions” are in order. The first is not to miss out on the Easter season. Easter doesn’t end when we go to bed on Easter Sunday night. It lasts 50 days. We need to catch the spirit of this season and let the good news sink in: Death has been conquered!
Second, through lent we have been spending more time with the Lord, listening to him speak personally to us through the words of Scripture. We, perhaps, have enjoyed the tradition of daily prayer. We need to keep it going the whole year round.
Prayer is good for our health!
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 $14,083 from 54 Sacred Heart households reaching 31.0% of the parish goal of $45,500. To date from St. Brigid we have received $42,882 from 137 households reaching 33.1% 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!
The Lexington Catholic Young Adult Group invites you to our normal Thursday night meetings consisting of Bible study and then food and drinks at a local restaurant. We also invite you to our next Theology on Tap which will be on Thursday night December 18th. For more information contact Billy Robinson 781-572-8081 or colecrops(4) or talk with Father Colletti. You can also check out our website http://lexcatholicyoungadultgroup.googlepages.com. It's a great group and we have a lot of fun, we hope you can come!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Monday, april 13, 2009
7:15 – Confirmation Classes
Tuesday, april 14, 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
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
3:45 - Religious Education – Grades 1-6 - St. Brigid PC
5:30 - Religious Education Grade 7 - St. Brigid PC
5:15-6:00 – Children’s Choir - Sacred Heart Church
7”30 – Religious Education Commission – St. Brigid
7:30 – Choir – Sacred Heart Church
Thursday April 16, 2009
9:00 – 11:30 How To Pray Workshop – St. Brigid – PC
7:00 – Youth Commission – St. Brigid – Library
7:30 - Choir
Friday April 17, 2009
10:00 – Staff Meeting – St. Brigid – Library
Saturday, april 18, 2009
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
Don’t forget the parade on Monday!
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.
Boston Catholic Television
Daily Mass can be seen LIVE on Catholic TV and Boston’s WBPX, Channel 68, weekdays at 9:30 am, at 7:30 p.m. or midnight (all times Eastern). You can also celebrate it LIVE or "on demand" here at Catholic TV's web site, www.CatholicTV.com.
Patriots Day BBQ
We need YOUR help for the Patriots Day BBQ. This is a fundraiser for the Youth and a fun way to spend the day. We need students to sell the food and parents to cook the food. Please contact Megan if you can lend a hand. Thanks!
The office will be closed on Monday, April 20th in observance of Patriot’s Day!
Women’s Retreat
Come celebrate the Season of Easter as we rejoice in the return of light and warmth and New Life, and explore the gift of the Presence of God in our lives through prayer, song, and sharing of life experience. Glastonbury Abbey, Hingham, MA is hosting a Women’s Retreat the weekend of April 24th to the 26th. For more information and to register please call 781-729-2155 x200
Life Snipits
Democracy is a process by which the people are free
to choose the man who will get the blame
How to Pray Workshops
During their Winter Speaker Series, the women of WINGS (Women IN God’s Spirit) learned about various kinds of prayer. They found themselves wanting to learn more about some of the prayer forms by actually praying them. These workshops are designed to provide opportunities to do exactly that!
Thursday, April 16
The Rosary and Lectio Divina (Praying with Scripture)
Thursday, April 30
Liturgy of the Hours – Morning Prayer and Centering Prayer
Each workshop begins at 9:30 – 11:00am in the hall at St. Brigid Parish Center. ALL are welcome. Registration is not required. For further information, please contact Beverly Good at 781-863-0319 or by email.
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 7:00am and 10:00am Liturgies on Sundays.
The Crab, The Cross And St. Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier was born in April 1506 in the castle of Javier, Navarre, Spain. He was the youngest son of an impoverished nobleman, who had died while Francis was still a child. Francis grew up with the clear determination to repair the damage to his family's fortunes. His plans envisioned dreams of earthly ambition. In the end, instead of becoming a wealthy patron to tenants and soldiers, he became the patron of missionaries. Thus God restored for all ages the family's honor by making him a legend and a saint.
One of the miracle stories attributed to Saint Francis Xavier is how he got his cross back after losing it at sea. It was said that Francis Xavier was caught up in a storm as he was traveling to Malacca in the year 1546. With much faith, he threw his cross into the sea, asking God to make it an instrument to pacify the turbulent sea. God indeed came to his aid. The storm halted and the sea calmed down. But he lost his cross. According to the story, Francis Xavier, upon reaching the shores of Malacca, found a crab crawling towards him holding the missing cross in on of it's claws. This story was so important that it was depicted on the altar at the canonization ceremony and was one of four miracles represented on the banner that decorated St. Peter Church on that occasion.
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!
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.
Hospitality at St. Brigid
We will not have “Hospitality-after-the-9” on the next two Sundays as Keilty Hall will be set up for the Boy Scouts’ Patriots’ Day pancake breakfast, April 19th and for Father Jim Bertelli’s fiftieth anniversary reception April 26th.
Easter Collection
Happy Easter from all the priests of the Archdiocese of Boston. Today’s collection supports the retirement, medical care, and financial needs of the priests of the Archdiocese of Boston. Please be generous to this important collection.
Adoration
Spend some quiet time with the Lord every Friday during the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 12:00 – 2:45pm at St. Brigid Church.
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, Clora Bucci, Tina Dirks, Bonnie Skane, and Suzy Keating, 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 Margaret Morse.
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 Children’s Liturgy next Sunday (April 19) because Boy Scout Troop 160 will be preparing the hall for their annual Patriots’ Day Pancake Breakfast.
Megan Chenaille, Director of Youth Ministry
E-mail: Megan Chenaille
781-862-8724
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. 
Privacy Laws Protecting the Sick
With the implementation of the HPPA Laws, your privacy is protected when you are hospitalized. The downside is many people go into the hospital and we do not know. When you are admitted into the hospital, you are asked your religion and parish, if you identify your parish the Chaplain can let us know you have been hospitalized. We receive notification from Leahy, we are trying to set up this same process with Winchester Hospital, please let the Chaplain, Marybeth Moran, know you are from either Sacred Heart / St. Brigid community. If can also contact us or have a family member call us and let us know, we would be happy to come to visit, pray, or/and bring Eucharist to you during your illness. If you have a neighbor or relative who is homebound, sometimes it might be just temporary, please let us know and we will contact them to see if they would like someone to visit them. WE NEED YOU TO TELL US, that is the only way we will know. We want to minister and support you. Thank you for your help.
Sunday at Sacred Heart: 11:15 – 12:15 – Gr. 1 – 7
Tuesday at St. Brigid: 3:45 - 4:45pm – Gr. 1 - 6
Tuesday at St. Brigid: 5:30 – 6:30pm – Gr. 7
Wednesday at St. Brigid 3:45 - 4:45pm – Gr. 1 – 6
Wednesday at St. Brigid 5:30 – 6:30 – Gr. 8
Holy Humor
A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication. She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car.
She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened. The baby sitter told her that her the fever was getting worse. She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."
The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been thrown down on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time or other had locked their keys in their car. Then she looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this."
So she bowed her head and asked God to send her some help. Within five minutes an old rusty car pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful.
The man got out of his car and asked her if he could help. She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"
He said, "Sure". He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank You So Much! You are a very nice man."
The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."
The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a Professional!"