Saint Cecilia. Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. 27 December The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

Transcription

1 Saint Cecilia P A R I S H Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph 27 December 2015 The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham

2 SAINT CECILIA PARISH our community news Ministers of the Liturgy Saturday 5:00 p.m. Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrant Virgen Palermo, lector Sunday 8:00 a.m. Rev. George Winchester, SJ Jim Dougherty, lector Special intentions Sunday, December 27 9:30 a.m. Angelo Valente Sr., Memorial Sunday, December 27 11:15 a.m. Paul L'Heureux, Memorial Friday, January 1 10:00 a.m. Michael J. and Stephanie Remo, Memorial Sunday 9:30 a.m. Rev. James Shaughnessy, SJ, celebrant James Paradis, Kevin Dumas, & Jim English, lectors Sunday 11:15 a.m. Very Rev. James Flavin, celebrant Zachary Boutin, Chika Offurum, & Geraldine Creaner, lectors today s readings 1 Samuel 1:20-22, John 3:1-2, Luke 2:41-52 next sunday s Readings Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 FOOD DONATIONS FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES This week's featured donation item is: CEREAL! Next week's featured donation item is: MACARONI & CHEESE! Donations of pasta, sauce, cereal, tuna, & other canned food are always also accepted. Please leave food donations in the narthex baskets. 2

3 SAINT CECILIA PARISH Prayers & Occasions Our Sick Please pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Rudy Kikel, Annette Kulas, Lisa Caputo, Anthony Simboli, Anne Frenette Handly, Roséa Aubrey, Robert Lupis, Owen Kyes, Mildred McLaughlin, Brenna Smith, Pilar Estrada, Michalina Maniscalco, Michael Patrick Kelly, Mark Anderson, Bill Downing, Nimet Yousif, Judy Gallo, Skyler Stevenson, Rob Morrissey, Roberta McMann, Silvana Franco, Silvia Basagni, Brian Donnelly, Karen Thoresen, Theresa Wier, Bill Ahern, Lisa Anzalone, Lena Bryant, Mary Silva, Kenny Borum, Kevin, Joseph Pierre, George Driscoll, Quinn Amsler, Rose Rizzo, Bill Pennington, Jillian Scalfani, Lisa Cox, Mary Curley, Bryan Thomas, Linda Jenkins, Belle Marie Cosgrove, Annie McGovern, Rachel Fitzgerald, Joanne DeMare, Bob Carroll, Meghan, Thomas Pettier, John Morris, Roques Linares, Eric Wirtz, Joseph Montoya, Clive Cosham, Mark Edward McHugh, Edward Pacana, Peter Webster, Dave Geraghty, and Keri Ingemi. Welcome to Saint Cecilia! We are pleased to welcome the following new members of our parish who have recently registered: Jack DiGiovanna of South Boston, Tyler Brown of Boston, Jared Magee of Somerville, Frank and Susan Viano of Boston, and William Kerrigan and Janet Anderson of Boston. If you have not previously registered with the parish, there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you can register online at Richard Clark is Away Richard Clark is away today, spending some welldeserved time with family. We are grateful to have Joe Houley at the console. Six O'Clock Mass Note There will be no six o'clock Sunday Mass tonight. The six o'clock Mass will resume next Sunday, January 3, for the Epiphany of the Lord. Evening Prayer This Wednesday We will pray Evening Prayer this Wednesday, December 30 at six-thirty. All are welcome to attend! January 1 is the Octave Day of Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God On January 1 we celebrate the most ancient Marian feast of the Roman Church. It honors Mary as Theotokos, or "Mother of God," the title accorded her at the Council of Ephesus in 431. This day is observed as a holy day of obligation and Mass will be celebrated at ten o'clock in the morning. For Those Without the Love of Family Pray for all who have no families, for those who are alienated from or rejected by their families that they may experience love and acceptance through this Christian community. World Day of Prayer for Peace January 1 is the World Day of Prayer for Peace. Pray for peace in all the troubled parts of our world. For Those Who Are Grieving Pray for all who are grieving, particularly children who have lost parents and parents who have lost children to violence that they may know that God is with them and draw strength and hope from the Holy Family who experienced great loss and pain. For Parents Celebrating Christmas with a New Child Pray for our parishioners who are celebrating this Christmas with a new child that they may recognize the gift of God that they hold and faithfully nurture the gifts and talents that God has given their child. 3

4 saint cecilia parish 9:30 Mass simulcast Each Sunday, the 9:30 a.m. Mass is simulcast on our large AV screens in the Parish Hall. Join us for Mass in the church or in the Parish Hall. note about the flowers If you have submitted an envelope for the Christmas flowers, yet do not see your loved one's name in the list of those remembered please contact Caroline Gélinas at The Feast of the Holy Family On the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas, we celebrate a feast in honor of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This is a modern feast, instituted by Pope Leo XIII in 1893 and extended to the whole Roman Church by Pope Benedict XV in Strains of family life in those postwar days were enormous. From its inception, this feast was meant to inspire people with an image of family harmony even amidst hardship. At one time this feast was celebrated on the Sunday following Epiphany (now the Baptism of the Lord), but since 1969 the feast is celebrated on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas. The Gospels chosen back in 1969 all depict stressful times in the family of Jesus: the flight into Egypt; the presentation of the Child Jesus in the temple with its warning of future sorrow; and Mary and Joseph's frantic search for their young son in Jerusalem (today's Gospel for Year C). Prison and After Needs Help Every Monday night for the past three and a half years, a dedicated group of parishioners has been providing a support group and dinner from 6:00 until 8:00 for the men who are returning to the community after serving time in prison. In order to sustain this wonderful ministry, the group needs two kinds of help: Financial - The dinner program is funded solely by contributions from parishioners. Each dinner costs approximately $300. Contributions of any amount are appreciated and can be given to Mark or Scott any Sunday or mailed to the parish office. Checks should be made out to Saint Cecilia Parish with Prison and After written in the memo line. Hands On - We have a team of wonderful parishioners who gather every Monday evening from 5:30-9:00. We are looking for an additional two or three parishioners to join our group. Also, we are always delighted when a group, a family or an individual volunteers to cook a meal for the group. If you are interested in joining our group or making a meal, please Peg Newman at peg3newman@gmail.com. 4

5 saint cecilia parish Family and Children s Programs at Saint Cecilia Upcoming Faith Formation Dates December 27: No classes January 3: No classes January 10: Family Liturgy. No classes for K2 and Grade 1. Classes for grades 2 through 6. January 17: MLK Jr. Weekend No morning classes. Grades 7 & 8 meet at 4:00 today. January 24: All classes meet today, including grades 7 & 8. January 30: First teen service project for students in grades 7 through 10. Cradles to Crayons. Please see below for more information. January 31: Classes for grades K2 through 6. Pine Street Women's Inn Dinners for 2016 Thank you to the families in grades 3 and 4 who participated in our first two Faith Formation Pine Street Inn Dinners. Please mark your calendars with the following dates for the rest of the season: January 11: Grade 5 February 8: Grade 6 March 14: Grade 7 April 11: Grade 8 Altar Server training New altar servers are needed! Boys and girls in grades 4 and above are eligible to train for this ministry. Please let Scott MacDonald know if you're interested in scheduling a January training session by ing him at smacdonald@stceciliaboston.org. New Teen Service Program Are you interested in helping your teenager be more involved in community service? Parents in the parish have been working with Scott MacDonald to organize a pilot program for young people in grades 7 through 10 to learn about the importance of community service and participate in four service projects in our community. The goal of this program is to engage the young people in hands-on, active service opportunities that will bring them together in a purposeful, thoughtful, and fun way to help others and to live out the gospel message of service to the poor and less fortunate. The first of the four projects is scheduled for Saturday, January 30, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Cradles to Crayons in Brighton. Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situation, with the essential items they need to thrive at home, at school, and at play. Cradles to Crayons collects new and nearly new children's items through grassroots community drives and corporate donations. Donations are then processed and packaged by volunteers and are distributed to disadvantaged children across the state through a collaborative network of social service agencies and school partners. All young people in the parish in grades 7 through 10 who are interested in learning more about this program are invited, along with their parent(s)/ guardian(s), to a reception on Friday, January 8, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. For more information or to sign-up, please contact Scott MacDonald at smacdonald@stceciliaboston.org. 5

6 SAINT CECILIA PARISH The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph By GREG KANDRA I m struck every year by the timing of this feast, celebrating the Holy Family. It comes on the first Sunday following Christmas, when a lot of us have started to overdose on family. In fact, after the parties and cooking and visiting and obligations and expectations and disappointments, some of us have had about as much family as we can take. Parents are wondering when the kids go back to school. A little togetherness goes a long way for every generation. But then comes this feast. We are challenged to look at what it means to be family. And our eyes turn toward the Christmas crèche, the nativity scene. During this time of year, we tend to sentimentalize the Holy Family they become figures of plaster and paper, not flesh and blood. But we forget: they weren t that different from us. They were holy, yes. But they were also human. The story of the Holy Family is the story of life not always turning out the way you expected. It s the story of a teenage mother, conceiving a child before she was married. It s the story of an anxious father, confronting scandal, planning on divorce. It s the story of a family forced to become refugees, living as immigrants in the land that once held their ancestors as slaves. As we heard in today s gospel, it s the story of a missing child, and days of anxious searching by his parents. But there is even more. Mark s gospel describes an incident in which the relatives of Jesus were so alarmed, they thought he had lost his mind, and set out to seize him. Not long after came his violent death one his mother watched with helplessness and almost unimaginable sorrow. This family was holy. But it was also human. We need these reminders. Especially now. The Church calendar shows us that the Christmas season is one of light but also of shadow. The day after Christmas, we celebrate the feast of the first martyr, St. Stephen. Then a couple days later, we mark the feast of the Holy Innocents, the children slaughtered by Herod. The joy of Christ s birth is suddenly tempered by tragic reminders of what the Incarnation cost. And the Holy Family shared in that. I saw that, vividly, just after Christmas. A parishioner posted on Facebook some images of our Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. They were beautiful. But I was struck by something that hadn t occurred to me. In the pictures, I noticed, the light shines brightly on this nativity scene the Holy Family and baby Jesus. But a few feet away, very close, it shines just as brightly on the crucifix, and the dying Christ. In the stable, the mother Mary looks down at a life beginning; at the foot of the cross, she looks up at a life ending. It is just a few steps here from the wood of the manger to the wood the cross. But in so many ways, the two singular events are inseparable. One led inevitably to the other. Joy and sorrow are almost side by side, linked by sacrifice, by faith, and by love. It is the story of our salvation. And it is the story of the Holy Family. The juxtaposition of those two images in this church, the crèche and the crucifix, serves as a powerful lesson for this feast. We realize that when we speak of the Holy Family, we speak of a family that struggled and suffered, like so many of us. But: this family also knew profound hope. They trusted completely in God. They call all of us to that kind of trust. And they are with us. In our own time, they stand beside all who worry, who struggle, who search, who pray. The Holy Family stands beside parents anxious about their children, worrying for their welfare. They walk with immigrants and refugees separated from those they love. They comfort teenage mothers and single parents. They console the prisoner, the outcast, the bullied, the scorned and the parents who love them. And they offer solace and compassion to any mother or father grieving over the loss of a child. (Article continues on page 7) 6

7 saint cecilia parish (Article continued from page 6) The Holy Family shares our burdens. But they also uplift us by their example. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were never alone. They endured through the grace of God. They prayed. They hoped. They trusted in God s will. We might ask ourselves where we can find that kind of peace and purpose in our own families, in our own lives. One answer is in Paul s beautiful letter to the Colossians. This passage that we hear today is sometimes read at weddings. Like Paul s Letter to the Corinthians, it speaks eloquently of love. But Paul wasn t writing about romantic love. This letter is about how to form a healthy and holy Christian community. And from his words, we can draw lessons about how to form a healthy and holy Christian family. Put on compassion, Paul tells us. Kindness. Lowliness. Meekness. Patience. Forgiveness. And love. It is all that simple and all that difficult. I m sure the Holy Family had moments when living those virtues seemed hard, or even impossible. But they did things most of us don t. They listened to angels. They dreamed. And they gave themselves fully to God. They made of their lives a prayer. When we find ourselves overwhelmed, we need to remember where we look today and remember to look toward the crèche. There is our model for living: Jesus, Mary and Joseph. But we need to see them in full, remembering the closeness of the cross. That was their life and it s ours, too. Yet, through all their hardships, in a time of anxiety and difficulty, persecution and tragedy a time very much like our own they showed us how to be people of faith, people of forgiveness, people of love. They show us, in other words, how to be holy. OFFERTORY COMMITMENT PROGRAM We wish to thank all of you who have enrolled in the Offertory Commitment Program. This program has been very helpful in allowing us to better plan and budget for the needs of the parish. If you are not currently participating in the OCP, but would like to start, please contact Mark Donohoe at (617) or mdonohoe@ stceciliaboston.org. GRIEF HAS ITS SEASONS Begins Tuesday, January 5, 2016 I 10:00-11:30 a.m. The Schrafft s Center, 529 Main St.-Ste.101, Charlestown Come explore ways to cope and heal after loss. Eight Tuesdays ~ January 5, 2016 through February 23, Sponsored by Beacon Hospice. Free Parking: Stop at Guard Gate and request a Visitor Pass. Pre-Registration required: call Nancy Duffy at Deacon Greg Kandra is a Roman Catholic permanent deacon serving the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York. He serves as Multimedia Editor for Catholic Near East Welfare Association. Previously Deacon Greg served as Executive Editor of ONE, and also wrote and produced for the CBS News. He s also a two-time winner of the Catholic Press Association Award. He serves on the editorial advisory board for DEACON DIGEST and is a frequent contributor to the magazine. Deacon Greg grew up in Maryland, and now lives with his wife in the beautiful borough of Queens, New York. 7

8 SAINT CECILIA PARISH CHRISTMAS FLOWERS Jesus Christ is the firstborn of the dead; to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. (Rev. 1:5-6) Abruzzi Family Anthony Andrade Mrs. Mary Dennehy Anzivino Catherine Aylward Guisteno Baiano Gini Baier Shirley K. Bandanza Paul and Elsie Bangiola Maria Barbosa Mr. and Mrs. Vasco Barbosa Cathy Ann Barker Esther Barker Edward and Ersilia Baur Norma and Parker Bennett Ettore Bergamaschi Theresa and EJ Bianchi Graham Birkett Dorothy and Jim Bishop Robert P. Boland Sr. Chuck and Betty Botosh Charles Boudakian George T. Bourque Donald K. Boyd Dorothy Briggs Sharon Brizius Ursula Bruer Mary and Malcolm Bryant Brooks Family Bufalini Family Jocelyn Callahan Nina and Joe Cannistraro Jack Capizzi John A. Cappellano John Alan Cates Maragaret and John Cavanagh Piero Cecconi Charland-Burda Family George C. Chinetti Tom and Rita Cinnamond Anne Coleman John and Dorothy Collins Thomas P. Collins Colman Family Brigid and Michael Conlon Mickey and Joe Contilli Leo Croke Nona Croke Tommy Croke James and Leonora Crosbie Sally Curtin Mr. & Mrs. Saheed W. Dahar Sr. Daniel Robert Emmett Deignan Frank DeMare Richard DeMayo DeMers Family Mr. John Zekas Dennehy Mr. & Mrs. Philip F. Dennehy Sr. Roberto Deodati Edward Desilets Jack DiGiovanna Walter D. Doherty John Dolan Jack and Eleanor Donohoe George Doran Sr. Barbara Doyle George Henry Dunn Arthur Dunnett Aynsley "Lee" Dupré Mariola Dupré Joe Dwyer Richard Eppink John P. Faldetta Denise Fantone Anthony Farinelli John Farinelli Mary Fazio Susan Ferro Kevin Fitzgerald Thomas and Lena Fitzpatrick Ann Flaherty Joseph Flaherty Pat Foley John Forrester Rick Forrester Franchi and Mancini Families Donald Frost Jr. Donald Frost Sr. Ruth M. Frost Rudy Garza Arthur Geen Paul Geen Léo and Agdy Gélinas Marc Léo Gélinas and (Janice) Cristine Bonsor Winifred Gens Hansraj Ghaie Rajkumari Ghaie Frank Gibbons Lillian Gibbons Robert C. Gilmore Sarah Jane Gilmore Robert Glaizer Mr. and Mrs. Charles Goodman Sr. Carla Goossen Alan Grapski John and Mary Greene John Greene Jr. Bob Hagar Marguerite T. Harris Christopher Hayes 8

9 SAINT CECILIA PARISH Maura Hayes-Hendricks Germaine Hedinger Bryce Holton Leah and Thomas Holton Edmond and Agnes Horsley Lula Mae Horton Carol Howland Richard Howland Constance Hussey Fred D. Iannazzi Nathan Ingle George and Rita Kane Marianne Kane Angela and Louis Karpowich Donald and Catherine Keefe Kelly Family Mary J. Kiley Kline Family Jerry and Peggy Kuehler René and Dottie L'Abbé George Lakschewitz Gerardo Landaverde Emilia Marie Landry Anita and Xeno Langos Peter Lanzetti John and Annie Lehan Susan Levinsky Linda Claire and Joseph Lippolt Alice Littleton Alexander, Benjamin, and Kenneth Losordo Barbara and John MacDonald Grace and William Maco Sr. William Maco Jr. Fred Maglero Shakunila Malhotra Sharon Malone Gerry and Bridie Maloney James Mathews Josephine and Alexander Mathurine John Mazzuchi Kenneth Mazzuchi Leo Mazzuchi Phyllis Mazzuchi Mary (Hayes) McCarthy John McLaughlin Jimmy McManus Gladys and Edward McNeill Christine Meagher Fredrick Meagher Robert Menson Peter Joseph Meyer Joe Michalski John Mihaic Jeff Monroe Bob and Martha Morman Francis X. and Margaret Morse Billy Mullin Dorothy and Frank Mullin Bob Murphy Elizabeth and Ed Murphy Ivan Nazario Dr. Susan Neary Marian and Irma Nicolini Grace Nisbet Glenn Noret Mary Noret Chuck Nyhan Katie O'Brien Miriam Owens Rev. Keith Pearlberg Patricia Phelan Eugenie and George Phillips Roy and Gloria Phillips Phil Picard Liz Pino John and Phyllis Pirani Alice Marie Pompeo Americo Francis Pompeo Robert Francis Pompeo Julia Powell Ann Poyner Jim and Sadie Price Vanessa Priest Virginia D. Puig Stephanie and Michael J. Remo Mary Powell Richardson Kathleen Ridini Cecilia Riley Katherine Holly Riley Fernando Rivera Sr. Guadelupe Rodriguez José Rodriguez Joseph Rodriguez Marlene Rodriguez Aurelio Rollo Evelyn Romesburg Angelo D. Roppolo Margaret Roppolo Josephine and Edgar Roy Anthony and Mary Sammartino Santoro Family Evelyn Scott Mary and Jamelie Shaer Susan Shaughnessy Anna and William Sheehan Kathleen Shepard James P. Shine Paul and Mary Siebert Mildred and Colbert Smith Doris Souza Family Jane C. Stadolnik Dorothy Starzyk William Starzyk Jr. Beth Ann Strickler Earl T. Strickler Arthur and Mary Sullivan Kay and Patrick Swaine Susan R. Szum John and Nadine Troppy Frank J. Unni Andrew J. Veneto Sr. Angie and Franky Verderame Maria and Paul Vervoort Anne Volk Francis Walley Jr. Marie Walley Margaret Whelan Scott Witkowski Brian Wynne Rita Wynne May-Soon Gee Yee Walter Yee Robert Yobaccio Mr. & Mrs. John Zekas Sr. 9

10 saint cecilia parish TWEETS FROM THE POPE One goal for each day: to convey the tenderness of Christ to those who are most in need. The time has come for new messengers of Christ, ever more generous, more joyful and more holy. Commonweal Readers Group The next Commonweal Readers Group will meet on January 10 at 1:00 p.m. in Classroom 4. If you read Commonweal, a lively and respected magazine operated by Catholic lay people for over ninety years, and would like to join the discussion about recent articles, please join us. Current issues of the magazine also are available free online at org. For further information, please contact Judy Castaldi at judycastaldi@hotmail.com. Giving Tree Thank You Our Giving Tree was a huge success once again this year! Over 900 gifts were delivered to our agencies last week alone. The program could not possibly work without the help of so many people! Whether you cut tags and attached them, signed greeting cards, decorated the tree, organized the gifts or delivered them, we had another great team again this year. Thank you very much for all your help and Merry Christmas to each of you! Ann Faldetta Giving Tree Coordinator 10

11 saint cecilia parish SAINT C's YOUNG ADULTS! SCYA Ski Trip January 29-31, 2016 Killington, VT Included in the price are a two-day ski pass for Killington Mountain (which alone is $194), lodging (shared rooms), gas money, food, and drinks all for a total price of $310. You can also get free rentals and a free lesson if you want. First come, first served to the first 15 to PayPal $310 to ckc1025@gmail.com after 8:00 a.m. on December 6 and who fill out the registration form ( scyoungadults@gmail.com for access). Preference given to drivers. Retreat Planners Needed We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting a retreat April 15-17, 2016, which will allow members of our community to both grow closer to one another and deepen their faith. The retreat will be held at the Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham. We are looking for a few young adults to help out with the planning for the weekend. We welcome both those with prior experience planning retreats and those for whom this will be their first retreat experience. If you are interested, please Andy (ahyatt88@gmail.com). *** Are you between years old looking for some Catholic community at St. C's? Join the listserv by ing scyoungadults@gmail.com. *** CHILDREN'S BOOKS Generous parishioners have donated a supply of children's books that can be found on a table in the narthex. Given our desire to respect the dignity of the folks we serve through our hunger and homelessness ministries, we would ask that you have your children borrow these books rather than play with the donations of food and toiletries. HEARING ASSISTANCE IN CHURCH The church is equipped with an FM listening device. Small receivers are available for anyone who may have troublehearing the sound system. Simply request a receiver from one of our greeters before Mass. do you have a great smile? Show it off! Are you a warm and friendly person who loves to meet fellow parishioners with a smile? If so, we would love to have you join the Greeters! We are always searching for more parishioners to help with this ministry. Greeters are needed for all of the liturgies, but especially for the Sunday 6:00 p.m. liturgy. One can specify Mass frequency or any other availability concerns, all of which can be accommodated. If interested in helping out, please contact Christina Searby at sc.greeters@gmail.com. OUR PARISH S RESPONSE TO HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY The website for the non-profit Feeding America reports: 48.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, including 32.8 million adults and 15.3 million children. 14 percent of households (17.4 million households) were food insecure. 6 percent of households (6.9 million households) experienced very low food security. Households with children reported food insecurity at a significantly higher rate than those without children, 19 percent compared to 12 percent. Households that had higher rates of food insecurity than the national average included households with children (19%), especially households with children headed by single women (35%) or single men (22%), Black non-hispanic households (26%) and Hispanic households (22%). In 2013, 5.4 million seniors (over age 60), or 9 percent of all seniors were food insecure. We want to express our thanks to the many parishioners who bring food to the narthex each week for the Catholic Charities food pantry in Dorchester. Demand for food has skyrocketed at all Catholic Charities food pantries in the past four years and the Dorchester facility is no exception. While the pantry will accept any shelf-stable food items, the preferred donations are: Cheerios or corn flakes, white flour pasta, tomato sauce, canned tuna fish, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, and canned chicken breast. Our parish also has an extremely dedicated corps of volunteer drivers who deliver our donations and surplus food early every Saturday and Sunday morning to Catholic Charities or the Pine Street Inn. 11

12 SAINT CECILIA PARISH Who Is Jesus? By JAMES MARTIN, SJ Jesus is walking with his friends to Caesarea Philippi, a town roughly 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee. The story comes midway through the Gospel of Mark. Out the blue Jesus asks, "Who do people say that I am?" His friends seem caught off guard. Perhaps they are embarrassed, as when someone mentions a taboo topic. Perhaps they have been discussing that very question furtively, wondering who would be forthright enough to ask Jesus about his identity. Maybe Jesus had even overheard them arguing over who he was. The disciples offer halting responses: "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah," they say, "and still others, one of the prophets." That's probably a fair summary of popular opinion at the time. Herod, the first-century ruler of Galilee, thought that Jesus might be John the Baptist come back to life. And the comparison to a prophet like, say, Jeremiah seemed sensible because of similarities between the prophet and Jesus. But the disciples are careful to avoid saying what they believe. So Jesus asks them directly, "But who do you say that I am?" Who is he? Why another book on this first-century Jewish man? Why have I spent years studying the life of an itinerant preacher from a backward town? Why did I spend two weeks traipsing around Israel under the broiling sun to see places where a former carpenter lived and sites that he may (or may not) have visited? Moreover, why have I committed my life to Jesus? The answers turn on the question of who I believe Jesus is, so it's fair to tell you before we begin our pilgrimage. My starting point is a classic theological statement: Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine. This is one of the first things that Christians learn about their faith. But what does it mean? To begin with, Jesus of Nazareth, the person who walked the landscape of firstcentury Palestine, wasn't God pretending to be human. He was a flesh-and-blood, real-life, honest-to-god man who experienced everything that human beings do. Jesus was born and lived and died, like any human being. The child called Yeshua entered the world as helpless as any newborn, and just as dependent on his parents. He needed to be nursed, held, fed, burped, and changed. As a boy growing up in the minuscule town of Nazareth, Jesus skinned his knees on the rocky ground, bumped his head on doorways, and pricked his fingers on thorns. He watched the sun rise and set over the Galilean countryside, wondered how far away the moon was and asked why the stars twinkled. Jesus had a body like yours and mine, which means that he ate, drank and slept. He experienced sexual longings and urges. The adult Jesus felt joy and sadness, laughing at things that struck him as funny and weeping during times of loss. As a fully human being with fully human emotions, he felt both frustration and enthusiasm. He grew weary at the end of a long day and fell ill from time to time. He pulled muscles, he felt sick to his stomach, and maybe sprained an ankle or two. Like all of us, he sweated and sneezed and scratched. Everything proper to the human being except sin Jesus experienced. Jesus's humanity is a stumbling block for many people, including a few Christians. Incidents in the Gospels that show Jesus displaying intense and even unattractive human emotions can unsettle those who prefer to focus on his divinity. At one point in the Gospel of Mark, he speaks sharply to a woman who asks him to heal her daughter. The woman is not Jewish and, as a result, Jesus seems to dismiss her with a callous comment: "It is not fair to take children's food and throw it to the dogs." That is a stinging rebuke no matter what the context. When the woman responds that even the dogs get crumbs from the table, Jesus softens. And he heals her daughter. Why did Jesus speak so sharply? Was it because he was visiting what Mark calls "the region of Tyre," a non- Jewish area, where he was presumably not expected to perform any miracles? If so, why didn't he respond to the woman more gently, rather than using a term that was seen in his day as highly insulting? Was Jesus testing her faith, challenging her to believe? If so, it's a harsh way of doing so, at odds with the compassionate Jesus that many of us expect to meet in the Gospels. Perhaps, however, Jesus needed to learn something from the woman's persistence: his ministry extended to everyone, not just Jews. Or maybe he was just tired. A few lines earlier in the Gospel, Mark tells us, "He (Article continues on page 13) 12

13 saint cecilia parish (Article continued from page 12) entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there." Perhaps his curt remark indicates physical weariness. Whatever the case (and we'll never know for sure) both possibilities he is learning; he is tired show Jesus's humanity on full display. But there is another part of the story: a healing. Jesus says to the woman, "For saying that, you may go the demon has left your daughter." She returns home, says Mark, and finds her child lying on the bed, "the demon gone." "Fully human and fully divine" means that Jesus of Nazareth wasn't just a great guy, an inspiring teacher and a holy man. Moreover, the charismatic carpenter wasn't merely a clever storyteller, a compassionate healer or a courageous prophet. In response to Jesus's question "Who do you say that I am?" Peter finally answers, "You are the Messiah." But Jesus is divine far more than Peter could comprehend even while identifying him as the Messiah. Jesus performed astonishing deeds, which the Gospel writers called either "works of power" or "signs." Today we call them miracles healing the sick, calming storms, raising people from the dead. Time and again the Gospels report that Jesus's followers, no matter how long they have been with him, are "amazed" and "astonished" by what he does. "We have never seen anything like this!" says the crowd after Jesus heals a paralyzed man in Mark's Gospel. After he stills a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Matthew writes, "They were amazed, saying, 'What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?'" Even his detractors took note of his miracles, as when they castigate him for healing a man on the Sabbath. The miracles are an essential part of the story of Jesus as are the other signs of his divinity. So is the Resurrection. If Jesus's humanity is a stumbling block for many, his divinity is even more so. For a rational, modern mind, talk of the supernatural can be disturbing an embarrassment. Many contemporary men and women admire Jesus, but stop short of believing him to be divine. Despite the proportion of the Gospels that focus on his "works of power," many want to confine his identity to that of a wise teacher. Thomas Jefferson went so far as to create his own Gospel, by focusing on Jesus's ethical teachings and (literally) scissoring out the miracles and other indications of his divinity. Jefferson preferred his own version of Jesus, not the one he found in the Gospels. Like many of us, he felt uncomfortable with certain parts of the man's life. He wanted a Jesus who didn't threaten or discomfort, a Jesus he could tame. After studying Jefferson's edited version of the Gospels, the New Testament scholar E.P. Sanders noted in his book The Historical Figure of Jesus that the Sage of Monticello created a Jesus who was, in the end, "very much like Jefferson." But humanity and divinity are both part of Jesus's story. Omit one or the other, scissor out the uncomfortable parts, and it's not Jesus we're talking about any longer. It's our own creation. Excerpt from "Jesus: A Pilgrimage" (published by HarperOne), a retelling of the life of Christ by James Martin, SJ. Father Martin, a Jesuit priest, is also author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything. 46TH Annual MLK, jr. memorial breakfast Monday, January 18, 2016 I 8:00 a.m. Boston Convention & Exhibition Center The 46th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast to commemorate the noble legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held on Monday, January 18, 2016 at eight o'clock. This event features delicious food, live music and a diverse gathering of over 1,000 people, including business, civic, and religious leaders from across Massachusetts. This year's event will feature a dynamic keynote address from the Dr. Ruth Simmons, 18th President of Brown University, who will be awarded the True Compass Award. We need to reserve tables for this breakfast prior to December 31. Tickets are $50 each. If you would like to join us and sit at one of the Saint Cecilia tables, please call the parish office or e mail Caroline Gélinas at cgelinas@stceciliaboston.org. If you've attended this breakfast before, you know what a moving and hope filled way this is to commemorate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 13

14 SAINT CECILIA PARISH Parish RESOURCES Parish Office & Mailing Address 18 Belvidere Street, Boston, MA Hours Monday Friday, 9:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Phone Fax Website Parish Staff Rev. John J. Unni, Pastor Mark Donohoe, Pastoral Associate for Administration, Scott J. MacDonald, Director of Faith Formation and Leadership Development, Jeanne Bruno, Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach, Richard J. Clark, Director of Music and Organist, Caroline Gélinas, Executive Assistant, Assisting Clergy Rev. Arthur M. Calter Rev. Ryan Duns, SJ Rev. Thomas Gariepy, CSC Rev. Peter Grover, OMV Rev. James Shaughnessy, SJ Rev. George Winchester, SJ Schedule for Liturgy Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 8:00 a.m. Lord s Day Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:00, 9:30, 11:15 a.m., 6:00 p.m. Holy Days 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Hours Evening Prayer and Morning Prayer, as announced. Please check the bulletin for dates and times. Reconciliation Available at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine ( x221), St. Francis Chapel in the Prudential Center ( ), and St. Anthony Shrine ( ). Please call for scheduled times. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the communal process through which non-baptized men and women become members of the Catholic Church. It is also suitable for those baptized in different faith traditions who are interested in becoming Catholic, or, for those who were baptized Catholic, but have yet to receive the sacraments of eucharist and confirmation. For more information, please contact Scott MacDonald. Baptism for Infants Infant baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. For more information, please contact Mark Donohoe. Faith Formation for Children To register your child for our Faith Formation Program, please contact Scott MacDonald. Marriage Couples who wish to prepare for marriage should contact Mark Donohoe in the parish office at least six months in advance. Care of the Sick To arrange for the Sacrament of the Sick, for Holy Communion to be brought to those unable to attend the Sunday celebration, or for Viaticum for the Dying (Holy Communion for those in danger of death), please contact the parish office. It is always possible to anoint the sick during regularly scheduled liturgies. Order of Christian Funerals The parish is prepared to celebrate the Vigil (wake) in the church. Please contact the parish office for more information. Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team The CAP Team is responsible for training all parish staff and volunteers in mandated reporting laws and the Protecting God s Children program (VIRTUS). They also provide consultation and support to anyone in the parish who has concerns about reporting child abuse and neglect. Please contact Lois Flaherty (loisflaherty@gmail.com), Maria Roche (maria.roche15@gmail.com), Letitia Howland (l_howland@hotmail. com), or Erin Young (erin.t.young@gmail.com) if you have any questions or concerns. The Archdiocese of Boston has in place a vigorous program to protect children from harm and to educate its ministers and faithful about the nature of abuse, with a goal of increasing knowledge, creating a safe environment for children, and recognizing and reporting potentially dangerous situations. The full text of the policy is also available in the narthex and parish office, as well as on our website. For Those with Celiac Disease If you have celiac disease, please let us know. We have a supply of low-gluten altar bread available for those who cannot tolerate gluten. Hearing Assistance in Church The church is equipped with an FM listening device. Small receivers are available for anyone who may have trouble hearing the sound system. Simply request a receiver from any one of our greeters before Mass. Access for the Disabled The church is accessible by elevator. Sunday Parking Reduced-rate parking is available on Sundays at the Prudential Center south side garage (Huntington entrance only, $14 up to 4 hrs, $20 up to 5 hrs) and at the Hilton Boston Back Bay ($5). Be sure to have a greeter validate your parking ticket before returning to your car. Saint Cecilia Rainbow Ministry Saint Cecilia Rainbow Ministry is a GLBTQ community at Saint Cecilia. For more information, contact stceciliarainbowministry@gmail.com. Joining Our Community We re happy that you re with us! Our community offers a warm, spiritual home for a diverse group of Catholics. We come from many neighborhoods in and around Boston but also have parishioners from as far afield as Marlborough, Newburyport, and Stow. Please introduce yourself to a staff member, drop in for coffee on Sunday, or fill out a new parishioner form in the gathering space. 14