This feast, once called Corpus Christi, asks us to renew our faith in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. It is at the Last Supper that Jesus ritualized the actions he would take the next day. On Holy Thursday, as High Priest, he offered to his apostles and disciples his very self in the form of bread and wine. The next day, Good Friday, he offered himself on the altar of the cross for the sins of all people. It is in the blood of this Lamb of God that we are united in one life with him and the Father. Just as in the Hebrew Scriptures Moses took the Lamb of sacrifice and sprinkled its blood on the altar and on the people that the people were really covenanted to God. In Eucharist the Christian is covenanted to God in Christ and shares one life.
The Eucharist is the un-bloody sacrifice of Christ celebrated so that all may be present at Calvary. “If I be lifted up, I will draw all people to myself.” It is not only the perfect sacrifice, it is the Last Supper meal at which we are now present with the worshipping community.
The Eucharist is a sacrifice and a meal but, as if that were not enough, it is more. It is the real presence of the risen Christ wanting to dwell with us…within us. We are now bearing the life of Christ. As Saint Paul wrote: “I live now, not I but Christ lives in me”!
A Gallup poll was taken on Catholic attitudes toward Eucharist. The poll showed serious confusion among Catholics about one of the most basic beliefs of the church.
Only 30 percent of those surveyed believe they are actually receiving the Body and Blood, soul and divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ under the appearance of bread and wine.
29 percent think they are receiving bread and wine which symbolize the spirit and teachings of Jesus and, in so doing, are expressing their attachment to his person and words.
10 percent understand their action to be receiving bread and wine in which Jesus is present
23 percent hold that they are receiving what has become the Body and Blood of Christ because of their personal belief.
Any well-informed Catholic will recognize that only the first option, chosen by the 30 percent, is true Catholic teaching. The other options represent various forms of Protestant belief. Our Catholic teaching that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus, not bread and wine, is clearly taught in the Bible and throughout the 2,000-year tradition of the Church.
In respect for the Eucharist, be to Mass on time and leave on time. We should bow or genuflect upon entering our seat. We should make visits to the tabernacle or adoration. We should fast one hour before receiving Eucharist. We should be free from serious sin.
We—the whole community—seeks a personal relationship with the Lord. What more personal relationship is there than to be nourished by the Body and Blood of Jesus, than receiving him with love and devotion?
Readings for the Week Of Sunday, June 06, 2010
Summer Quotes
“Summer is the season when a man thinks he can cook better on an outdoor grill than his wife can on an indoor stove.”
This is a great time of year to donate blood!
Every minute of every day, someone needs blood. That blood can only come from a volunteer donor, a person like you who makes the choice to donate. There is no substitute for your donation.
When you make a blood donation, you join a very select group. Currently only 3 out of every 100 people in America donate blood.
From its beginning, the American Red Cross has formed a community of service, of generous, strong and decent people bound by beliefs beyond themselves. The American Red Cross blood donor embodies this principle. Please join them in their mission to maintain a safe and stable blood supply by making your appointment to donate blood today.
To learn more about blood donation opportunities, visit www.givelife.org or call 1-800-448-3543.
Dress
Written by Rev. Paul Turner
Our Sunday best used to represent the finest duds we owned. Time was, church was formal, and folks dressed that way. Of course dinner was formal too. So was theater. So was photography. Now it's different. People come to church wearing everything from tuxedos to cutoffs, from formal gowns to sandals. Society clings to few rules about dress. Restaurants make you wear shoes and shirts. People laugh at your bathrobe, curlers and bunny slippers.
A backless dress may be elegant at a Saturday wedding, but gauche on a Sunday morning. Under the roof of God's house, some dos and don'ts prevail, but there is no telling how the brothers and sisters will dress for the family faith meal. The advance of casual wear has succeeded in many parts of society, not just churches. What constitutes appropriate attire for business and leisure activities continues to fluctuate. Even when invitations specify formal wear, business clothes or casual dress, respondents may remain confused.
Expectations for Sunday dress vary from one worshiper to the next. A young participant's outfit reveals some flesh. Some see no problem; others find it scandalous. Some cannot afford nice clothes; others are coming from work or stop on their way to play.
At its best, the variety of church dress displays the universality of the call to worship. At its worst it shows carelessness and confusion. The harrumph-o-meter generally short circuits when a worshiper, who arrived expecting a place in the pew, serves as a communion minister, reader or song leader for a short-handed celebration. Having communion offered to you from someone dressed in shorts and a grunge rock t-shirt may shake the most fervent worshiper's belief in the Body of Christ.
However, ministers generally prefer to dress right. When duty calls them unprepared, they do their best with hearts of faith, seeking to serve, not to offend. When we prepare for church, charity demands consideration in our dress and moderation in our judgment.
Copyright (c) 1997 Resource Publications, Inc.,. Paul Turner, pastor of St. John Regis Parish in Kansas City, Mo., holds a doctorate in sacramental theology from Sant' Anselmo University in Rome. His e-mail is PaulTu@aol.com.
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, 7:30 - 9:00 pm at Sacred Heart Parish Center. The next two meetings are June 16th and July 7th. 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@comcast.net.
NOTE: Seminar at Carey Library on Using Linked In and other Web-based Tools in Your Job Search, Monday, June 14th, 7:30 - 9:00 pm.
Do Your Vacation Plans Include On-line Giving?
Giving on-line is an easy and safe way to support your parish, even when you’re on vacation. Visit our web site, www.lexingtoncatholic.org, and click “Sacred Heart Parish” or “St. Brigid Parish” to learn about this new way to contribute via a charge to your bank account or credit card. Check it out!
Feast Of The Sacred Heart
On Friday evening, June 11th at 7:30 pm, at Sacred Heart, we will be celebrating the Mass of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is our annual 'Patron's Mass' and it is a great opportunity for us to gather as a community. There will be an ice cream social following Mass at the Parish Center. Please come and celebrate with us!
THEOLOGY ON TAP WITH HIS EMINENCE SEÁN CARDINAL O’MALLEY!
The Lexington Catholic Young Adult Group (hosted by St. Brigid and Sacred Heart Parishes) invites you to join us for a Theology on Tap with His Eminence Seán Cardinal O’Malley!
This will take place on Thursday June 24th 2010. A pre-social time will be held from 7-7:30pm. The Cardinal will begin his talk at 7:30pm, with some time for Q&A after his talk. After this there will be some more social time. People are welcome to stay as long as they want after the event.
The topic of the Cardinal's talk will be "The New Evangelization". There will be free hors d’oeuvres throughout the night, plus a cash bar. For more information about this event, plus some background on what Theology on Tap is, you can go to the young adult section of the St. Brigid Parish website at http://lexingtoncatholic.org/YoungAdults/default.html. Also feel free to email us at youngadults@lexingtoncatholic.org if you have any questions.
This is for young adults in their 20s and 30s, single or married, (college students too), for the people of Lexington, the neighboring towns, and beyond.
See you there!
Helping Hands
Helping Hands for June is Mary Lou Knight
781-862-3634
Life Snipets
If you’re only as old as you feel,
how come I can’t retire yet?
Sunday, June 6th
10:00 – BAPTISM INSTRUCTION – SH
11:00 – FATHER THUMA’S TALK – SH – PC
Monday, June 7th
7:00 – CATHOLIC WORK CAMP MTG. – SB – L
Tuesday, June 8th
4:00 – 6:00 BOY SCOUT MEETING – SB – L
7:00 – RETREAT MEETING – SB – ROOM 10
7:00 – PARISHES FINANCE COMM. MTG. – SB – L
RM.10
Wednesday, June 9th
12:00 – 2:00- FR. COLLETTI AT VICARIAT MTG. HOLY FAMILY PARISH, CONCORD
7:00 – BOY SCOUT DISTRICT MTG. – SB – L/CLASSRM
Thursday, June 10th
7:00-9:30 BOY SCOUTS –SB – PC
7:00 – YOUNG ADULTS – SB - L
Friday, June 11th
STAFF AWAY TO PLAN FOR THE 2010-2011 YEAR
7:30 – FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART - MASS – SH – CHURCH
Saturday, June 12th
8:00 – SB – PC - CONFIRMATION RETREATANTS MEET TO GO ON RETREAT – MARIST HOUSE. FR. COLLETTI WILL CELEBRATE MASS AT THE RETREAT CENTER AT 5:00
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND
Father Clifton Talk About Priesthood
Fr. Clifton Thuma has been in residence and helping out at the parishes for five months now. He will be taking a new assignment in July. He would like to offer some observations about priesthood and his experience since his ordination in 1996.
He has titled his reflection, Towards the Third Collar. He will be speaking today, Sunday June 6th after the hospitality coffee at Sacred Heart. He will welcome questions after his talk. All are welcome.
Northeast Catholic Family Conference
Please mark your calendars and join us for the Northeast Catholic Family Conference on June 27th. The theme of the conference is "Called to Greatness." The Northeast Catholic Family Conference will rekindle the Truth in hearts of all ages - that we are "Called to Greatness." It takes place June 27 from 1pm-8pm at St. Mary's Church in Waltham. The day will feature an event with Cardinal Sean, Mass and Adoration, a Marian Procession, workshops for adults, separate teen and children's programs, a family cookout, and inspiring speakers including Leah Darrow, a former contestant on the Reality Television Show, "America's Next Top Model." You don't want to miss this great event for the Family. For more information and registration please visit www.yHopefamily.org or call Fr. Mike Harrington at 781-956-0548.
Hospitality
Please join us for hospitality and fellowship at our parishes.
Hospitality at St. Brigid Parish will resume in the fall in the newly renovated Keilty Hall.
At Sacred Heart Parish the hospitality is after the 10:00am Mass in the parish center
Sacred Heart Parish
Offertory for May29/30 $ 3959.00
Envelope Offerings $ 3314.66
Loose Cash $ 645.00
St. Katharine Drexel $ 122.00
May 23rd Youth Mass $ 267.00
This week’s On-Line Giving Offertory $ 220.00
Of the 265 envelopes we sent to Sacred Heart parishioners, 67 parishioners have used their envelopes this week. To date 12 parishioners have signed up for on-line giving totaling $920. Thank you to all who so generously contribute to our parishes each week!
Fr. Colletti
2010 Catholic Appeal-Called To Love And Share
Thank you to all supporters of the 2010 Catholic Appeal. Our parish has raised $29,914 from 82 households, reaching 70.4% percent of our parish goal of $42,500. If you have not yet pledged, please consider a gift today and help us meet our goal. Remember, our parish will receive 25 percent of all funds we raise above our goal. Please remember to make your pledge now even if you plan on fulfilling that pledge later in the year. You can pick up information packets with pledge forms in the back of the Church to be mailed in, or for more information please visit www.BostonCatholicAppeal.com or call 617-779-3700. Every gift matters. Thank you!
| St. Brigid Church |
| |
| 9:00am | Tuesday June 8th | John Mazyck |
| 9:00am | Thursday June 10th | Maria & Vincenzo Tassone |
| 9:00am | Saturday June 12th | Jean Maher, Nicholas & John Ruocco, Margart & Robert Mann , and Katherine Firth |
| |
| Sacred Heart Church |
| |
| 9:00am | Monday June 7th | Pasquale & Lucy Catalano |
| 9:00am | Wednesday June 9th | Rev. Bernard Hoy |
| 9:00am | Friday June 11th | Mary Burns |
He's Looking Forward To your Visit
Spend some quiet, one-on-one time with the Lord this Friday and every Friday during the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 12:00 – 2:45pm at St. Brigid Church.
Religious Education
Registrations for the 2010-2011 Religious Education Program will be mailed out in June. For advanced planning, please be aware that classes for grades 1 thru 8 will be available on Sunday mornings at St. Brigid from 10:-11:15 (after the 9:00am Mass) and at Sacred Heart from 11:15 – 12:15 (after the 10:00 Mass). Classes will also be held for grades 1 – 6 on Tuesday afternoon’s at St. Brigid from 3:45 – 4:45. Classes will be available for grades 7 and 8 on Monday’s from 5:30 – 6:30pm.
In Service For Their Country
Lt. John Schiavi, Sgt. Christopher Considine, Timothy Dunbar, Richard Rigley, Chris Cullen, Caitlin R. Battell, Robert McLaughlin, Sean Maddigan, Michelle Leverone, Marissa Leverone, Rev. Paul Passamonti, 1st Lt. Todd Donaldson, Airman Jason Cunha, Pfc. Erik Muskavitch, Mark Zarnecki, 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.
St. Brigid Parish
Offertory for May 29/30 $ 7295.00
Envelope Offerings $ 6433.00
Loose Cash $ 862.00
This week’s On-Line Giving Offertory 175.00
Out of the 548 envelopes we sent to St. Brigid parishioners, 174 have used their envelopes. To date 21 parishioners have signed up for on-line giving totaling $1605. Thank you to all who so generously contribute to our parishes each week!
Fr. Colletti
2010 Catholic Appeal
Thank you to all supporters of the 2010 Catholic Appeal. Our parish has raised $80,317 from 224 households, reaching 62.5% percent of our parish goal of $128,500. If you have not yet pledged, please consider a gift today and help us meet our goal. Remember, our parish will receive 25 percent of all funds we raise above our goal. (As we did last year) Please remember to make your pledge now even if you plan on fulfilling that pledge later in the year. You can pick up information packets with pledge forms in the back of the Church to be mailed in, or for more information call 617-779-3700 or please visit www.BostonCatholicAppeal.com. Every gift matters, Thank you!
REFLECTING ON THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal provides that there be a brief period of silence or a hymn of praise after Communion. Thus, the ritual action itself encourages us to spend some time reflecting on and praising God for the gracious and wondrous gift of the Body and Blood of Christ. Even if we faithfully do this every Mass, we know that we cannot begin to have sufficient time to reflect on the depths of the mystery or to give sufficient thanks for it. For this reason it is always appropriate to spend some other devotional time before the Blessed Sacrament. Our time of adoration and thanksgiving, however, must always flow from the action of the Eucharist itself and lead us to witness more clearly in our lives the self-giving of Jesus. This great Gift always—during Mass and at times of adoration—leads us to identify our lives more closely with Christ. We are reminded, then, that this Gift has its cost: we, too, are to give ourselves for others. Anything less than this is to rob the mystery of its greatest depth—the fact that we can eat and drink Christ’s true Body and Blood and become what we eat so that we can be the self-giving Christ for others.
Taken from Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration, Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities, 2009, by Zimmerman, Harmon and Conlon, ©2008, Order of St. Benedict, Collegeville, Minnesota,
Winchester Voice of The Faithful
The Winchester Voice of the Faithful will host a presentation on Voices in the Wilderness: Women in Church History on Monday, June 7th at 7:30 in Manion Hall, St. Eulalia Church, 50 Ridge Street, Winchester. For more information, please go to our websitewww.votfwinchester.org.
The Bear and The Atheist
An atheist was walking through the woods.
'What majestic trees!'
'What powerful rivers!'
'What beautiful animals!'
He said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.
He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him.
He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground.
He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him,
reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant the Atheist cried out, 'Oh my God!'
Time Stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. 'You deny my existence for all these years,
teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident.' 'Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament?
Am I to count you as a believer?'
The atheist looked directly into the light, 'It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now,
but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian'?
'Very Well,' said the voice.
The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed.
And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:
'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.'
This was a repeat, but popular!
St. Brigid Project Renovation update
The project to add an elevator to the church building and accessible restrooms in the hall; to expand and improve handicapped seating in the church and handicapped parking; and to remodel the kitchen and Keilty Hall is underway.
With removal of the floor tiles and pipe insulation in Keilty Hall and the kitchen complete, preparations for the installation of the elevator and restrooms have begun. As a result, Keilty Hall will remain inaccessible, with the stairway on the east side of the building being the only access to the existing restrooms and the Music Room.
During construction, the west side entrance of the church will be closed and the Reconciliation Room will be relocated to the small room off the church vestibule.
Updates on this project, including building accessibility and safety issues during construction, will be provided weekly in this section of the bulletin.
Helping Hands Ministry
Helping Hands is a group of volunteers who provide assistance to members of the Catholic Community of Lexington who are in need, such as giving rides to doctor’s appointments, or making meals for the sick. Volunteer drivers make no minimum time commitment. They only need to be willing to join an email distribution list for ride requests, and accept only those that fit their schedule. Volunteer meal makers can respond to requests as they are able. For more information, please contact Jeanne Hobbs at 781-248-9722 or jeannehobbs@verizon.net.