Next Sunday Saint Brigid and Sacred Heart Parishes will celebrate the Lenten Reconciliation service here at 7:00pm.

Reconciliation is one of the 10 terms Saint Paul uses to describe what Jesus the Christ has done for us by his passion, death and resurrection. The other nine are justification, salvation, expiation, redemption, freedom, sanctification, transformation, new creation and glorification. Reconciliation has several meanings I have found. One meaning is “let’s take a walk together again.”  It recalls the Garden of Eden when God walked with Adam and Eve before their banishment.  Another meaning is “let’s put our eye lashes together.”  Here the sense is coming face to face, not in anger, but in intimacy.  A third is from the Greek and means a process of “making otherwise”.  It means a change in relations between individuals, groups or nations, as in a change from anger, hostility or alienation to love, friendship or intimacy.  Saint Paul, in today’s second reading uses the term reconciliation to speak of sinners being reconciled or “made otherwise” by God in Christ.  God’s grace, through Christ, has restored intimacy and friendship.

When we think of coming to reconciliation we recall that the Church has three grades—as it were—of sins: mortal sins, serious sins and venial sins.  Mortal sins alienate us from God and require three things—serious matter, sufficient reflection and freedom of will.  We have deliberately chosen the forbidden and it is opposed to our intimacy with God.  Serious sins are those areas we might call “red zones”.  If this line of thinking or acting is pursued we would be in deep danger of alienation from God.  This is that area we would talk about in the old days when we asked, “How far can I go before this is a mortal sin?”  Venial sins are common everyday faults.  These are usually forgiven through prayer and especially that penitential piece before Liturgy.

Saint Paul writes further.  Once the sinner acknowledges his sins and receives reconciliation that person becomes an ambassador of reconciliation.  Paul understood that God directly commissioned the reconciled sinner for the ministry of reconciliation.  The reconciled sinner must bring the good news to others.  In this way, the other nine terms Paul uses will come into play.

Offertory for March 13^th & 14^th          $6652.50

Envelope Offerings       $5876.50

Loose Cash                          $  776.00

St. John/St. Hugh                                             $150.00

Many thanks to all who use the parish envelopes each week.  You are the mainstay of our parish support.  This week we received 162 envelopes from the 655 families that are sent envelopes each month. 

Blessings

May the Lord keep you in his hand and never close His fist too tight.

9:00 – Monday, March 22^nd                    Sium Ogbamichael

9:00 – Saturday, March 27^th                         Angus McIver

This week we ask you to pray for those who are ill, including, Brianna Cimino, Rosemary Harvey, Regina Jones, Andrea Hynes, Joyce Amos, James Reilly, Regina Wingard, Erin McMehon, Maria Aguis, George Beck, Dr. Kenneth Spengler, Josephine Murphy, Peter Bugda, Norma Berstein, Camille Michals, Rob Morway, Patricia Hassett, Paul McCann, William Francis, Lillian Davenport, James Fontaini, Henri Fradette, William Blair, Agatha Pals, Richard Gaudet, Kath Rodriegas, Estelle Szalajeski, Nancy Driscoll, Dante DiManna, Margie Levine, Ruth Pike, Doug Phillips, Ralph Tatro, Andrew Day,  Peggy Sue Grow, Mary Serpa, Deborah Miller, Dorothy Lee, William MacKinnon, Mary Jefferson, Elizabeth Conte, Dave Rissmiller, Violet Caldaroni, Frank Cote, James Bresnahan, Ann Mulray, Bea Lingane, Rita Mahan, Connie Perrotta, Gerard Sarno, Dorothy Grant, Gretin Cervantes, Midge Moran, Marisol O’Brien, Matthew Gablor, Paul Pantano, Fran Ressetar, Lori Robbins, Cecelia Hines, Renee Chapman, Al Busa, Peter Bellini, Christine Gainer, Chris Ann Colletti Feener, Katherine Bingham, Helen McLaughlin, Paul Doherty, Jorge Loayza, Joseph Brault, Linda Riley, Lauren Forgette, Bill Attaya, John McCarthy, Don Sabatand, and Pauline Briggs.  Please pray for Richard Rooney, who died this past week.

Vatican II Revisited

Our Vatican II Revisited series will continue this Sunday evening at 7:00 in the church.  Please join with us as we listen to Father Bob McMillan re-visit Vatican II and share with us the changes it brought to the church.

Saturday Reconciliation

Father Colletti will be hearing confessions from 2:30 – 3:30 on the Saturdays during Lent. 

Pennies for the Poor

A big Thank You to all who donated pennies to Jo Murphy last week.  She collected 2500 pennies.  Of course this is   a good start, but keep up the good work, we don’t want the charities that Jo supports to feel neglected. 

Lenten Penance Service

Sacred Heart and St. Brigid’s Parishes will hold their combined penance service at Sacred Heart Church on Sunday, March 28^th at 7:00pm. 

Operation Rice Bowl

25% of contributions to Operation Rice Bowl stay here in our archdiocese for local efforts to help support local hunger and poverty alleviation projects.  This affirms the importance of our global responsibility as Christians and assists those in need around the corner from us.  What will you fast from this week?  Give the money you saved to Operation Rice Bowl…what have you put in your RICE BOWL during Lent?  Please plan on returning your Rice Bowl on Palm Sunday.

Bread for the World

It is one thing for the president to pledge $5 billion per year on the Millennium Challenge Account starting in 2006 and a total of $15 billion on Global HIV/AIDS from 2004 to 2008.  It is another thing to get Congress to vote the money.  This money is allocated yearly so BFW has its work cut out for it.

Vocations

Like the father in the Gospel, God welcomes us home in spite of our sinfulness and calls us to a life of holiness.  Where are you at home?  Are you being called to a life as an ordained or a consecrated person?  If God is calling you, call the Vocation Office at 617-746-5436

At the Foot of the Cross

Join Fr. Andre Patenaude (Fr. Pat) for a concert on Palm Sunday, April 4^th from 2:00 – 5:00pm at the Andover Country Club.  The cost is $15.  Refreshments will be serviced.  For tickets contact Fran at 978-851-2186l

Catholic Charities Plea

Catholic Charities is actively recruiting loving pre-adoptive families for culturally diverse infants, sibling goups and adolescents.  Please contact Pauline Richard at 617-464-8586 for more information.

Visitation to the Sick Workshop

Starting on Tuesday, April 13^th, and extending for six weeks, a workshop on Pastoral Care to the Sick and Homebound will be offered at St. Ann in Wayland from 7:00 to 9:30pm.  The workshop, taught by Kelly Dunn, includes communication skills, basics of a pastoral visit, illness issues, spiritual needs and concerns, grief, loss and dying, and care-giving issues.  Eucharistic ministers, parish nurses and others are encouraged to attend.  Registration information is available in the Parish Office or call 617-779-3689.  Please pre-register by April 9^th.

We have a few copies of the Church Directory in the office.  The cost of the directory is $15. 

Day of Joy For Married Couples

This day of growth and healing will celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony.  The day will focus on (1) Straight talk and deep listening, (2) The Power of Forgiveness, (3) Communication checkup, (4) Mature Love.  There will be Mass, prayer for blessing and a special dinner to celebrate the day.  For more information and registration please call the Espousal Retreat House, Waltham at 781-209-3101.

Coordinator of YM: Maureen McKeown

781-861-8385 X21 - email: nychick1@att.net

BINGO!   Thank you to everyone who helped make last Sunday’s Bingo at Youville Place such a success.  All the gifts were so appreciated as well as the baked goods.  But the best part of all was the smiling teens who called the numbers and assisted the residents with their cards!

BUSES WILL LEAVE AT 6:45PM FROM THE PARISH

CENTER FOR THE ROB SURETTE PROGRAM

PLEASE NOTE:  FRIDAY MORNINGS IN LENT:  There is a scheduling conflict for a few teens on the next 2 Fridays.  Prayer group will meet @ 6:30 AM on THURSDAY, MARCH 25 & THURSDAY, APRIL 1.  We will revert to Friday for the last week (GOOD FRIDAY), April 9^th.  (Time for this day will be announced).  A light breakfast is served and you can get to school (or get a ride if needed) on time.  The group meets in the upper hall of the parish center.  All are welcome!

C.L.I.    Letters will be mailed soon to teens who will be incoming Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors outlining the opportunity to participate in Catholic Leadership Institute at Merrimack College this July.  Several of our teens have participated in this program (as well as the next step:  CLIMB).  Their commitment, enthusiasm and leadership are very evident in the Sacred Heart faith community during this past year.  We need others who will be trained and willing to serve during the years ahead.  This is your parish – if you want an active community for young adults, the ball is in your court.  Dates for C.L.I.(at Merrimack College) are July 19-23 or July 26-30.  Call Maureen or speak to any member of our T.L.C. for more info.

MIDDLE SCHOOL:  An awesome evening is planned for Saturday, March 27 from 5-7 PM in the Parish Center.  The T.L.C. team has all new games planned plus you get to make your own pizza.  Come check out the new Youth Space – it is really super.  Bring a friend.  Permission slips are on line and in this week’s bulletin insert. 

Bulletins	Sacred Heart Parish Bulletin - March 21, 2004	Home