Saint Cecilia. Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. 125 th Anniversary 3 November 2013

Transcription

1 Saint Cecilia P A R I S H Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time 125 th Anniversary 3 November 2013 Pope Francis General Audience October 9, 2013 Photo taken by Fr. John Unni

2 welcome! Welcome to Saint Cecilia Parish, a Roman Catholic community that gathers day by day, week by week, to know and make known the grace of God. By means of this abundant grace, we enjoy a diverse and close-knit parish family young, old, rich, poor, of various ethnic origins and differing backgrounds. From our extraordinary music program to a growing children s faith formation program; from the various liturgical ministries to the many opportunities for social outreach that the parish provides, Saint Cecilia is a vibrant community of faith, centered on prayer and worship that tries to keep the Gospel close to heart and to live by Jesus teachings. Saint Cecilia Parish was established in At that time the Back Bay section of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street was the residential section of the Yankee aristocracy. The maids ( Irish working out girls ) and coachmen who served these residents had long requested a church of their own. When Archbishop Williams granted their request and carved the parish from the territory of the Cathedral, they built a magnificent church out of their meager earnings. The church was dedicated on April 22, Its architecture is Romanesque, XII Century Norman. The main altar, notable for its massive simplicity, was carved from a single block of white Carrara marble. The painting in the center reredos is a reproduction of da Vinci s The Last Supper, and the dome above is an array of 24K gold rosettes. For the sixtieth anniversary celebration in 1954, a massive renovation project was undertaken. During this renovation, a statue of Pope Saint Pius X (canonized that same year) was imported from Italy and placed on the right side of the sanctuary. Above the statue are paintings from Pius life. On the left side is a statue of Saint Patrick, principal patron of the Archdiocese of Boston, and above it are three scenes from his life. Fourteen circular and sixteen square panels adorn the nave and arches of the church. The square panels are decorated with the symbols of Our Lady taken from the Litany of Loreto and the circular ones with symbols taken from the lives of the apostles. The great window of the Assumption framed by the two oak cases of the organ was installed in 1954 (the Marian Year) in spaces originally designed for windows but not until then used. The original organ of 24 stops was built in 1902 by the Hutchings-Votey Organ Company, Opus 1465, and was rebuilt in 1954 with 32 stops. In 1998, Timothy Smith and Theodore Gilbert began a massive reconstruction of the organ. The current Smith & Gilbert Organ of 4 manuals, 50 ranks, and 2,926 pipes was dedicated on the Feast of Saint Cecilia, November 22, Today we are experiencing something of an awakening within these old walls. We recently completed a major renovation, our numbers are increasing, and we continue to grow in our commitment to issues of peace, justice, and service to our neighbors, both near and far. We ve been right here on Belvidere Street, in the same building for 125 years, but that does not mean that life here is stale, stagnant, or even predictable. We are proud to be entrusted with the legacy of Saint Cecilia Parish, where everything is the same, yet always changing; where we honor tradition while embracing the future; where God s love makes all things new.

3 our community news Ministers of the Liturgy Saturday 5:00 p.m. Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrant Chris Orrell, lector Sunday 8:00 a.m. Rev. George Winchester, SJ, celebrant Daniel Hart, lector Sunday 10:00 a.m. His Eminence Seán P. Cardinal O'Malley, OFM Cap., celebrant Rev. John Unni, concelebrant Rev. Arthur Calter, concelebrant Rev. Msgr. Michael F. Groden, concelebrant Rev. George Winchester, SJ, concelebrant Rev. John Wronski, SJ, concelebrant Natasha Pierre, Pearse Martin, & Letitia Howland, lectors special intentions Sunday, November 3 8:00 a.m. Theresa Wilson O'Keefe, 19 th Anniversary Sunday, November 3 10:00 a.m. George F. Seiferth Jr., Memorial Sunday, November 3 10:00 a.m. Helen S. Carey, 1 st Anniversary Flowers The flowers in the sanctuary, on the gift table, and in the narthex are given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of George F. Seiferth Jr. by his daughter Paula Kremer and in loving memory of Helen S. Carey by her husband Michael Eramo. Sunday 6:00 p.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant today s readings Wisdom 11:22-12:2 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2 Luke 19:1-10 next sunday s Readings 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, Thessalonians 2:16-3:5 Luke 20:

4 Prayers & Occasions Our Sick Please pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Jennifer Serpico, Rudy Kikel, Heather LoRe, Annette Kulas, Steven Whitkens, Patricia Macdonald, Lucie Kelly, Anthony Simboli, Lisa Caputo, Jeanne Tibbs, Bill Croke, Anne Frenette Handly, Jan Igras, Ruth Frost, Roséa Aubrey, Chuck Campion, Brenna Smith, Mildred McLaughlin, Hannah Mai Devery, Susanne Coyne, Ken Bennett, Vincent Fiorda, Domenic Iannaccone, Jim Mootos, James Geller, Steve Matteson, Cameron Robinson, Jaheel Robinson, John Karcher, Robert Lupis, David Walsh, Paul Claveau, Michael Claveau, David Worster, Derek Schall, Max Tubman, Jennifer Murdock, Susan Noll, Julie Downey, Michael Bean, Johanna Repucci, Marilyn Inniss, Lynne Prevost, Mary Broussard, and Richard Kimball. Welcome to Saint Cecilia We are pleased to welcome the following newly registered members of our parish: Josef Mario Alves of Boston, Paula Percoco of Winthrop, and Sarah Offen of Boston. If you have not already registered with the parish, there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you may register on-line at Congrats, Dave & Shalyn! Dave Buerger, bass player extraordinaire in the 6:00 p.m. choir, and Shalyn Misra were married here at Saint Cecilia Parish Sunday, October 27. We wish them both a long & blessed marriage! Special Collection Next Weekend Next week s second collection, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), works to uphold the dignity of human life by breaking the cycle of poverty across the United States through grants to local community-based groups who create jobs, improve education, and strengthen neighborhoods. Twenty-five percent of the CCHD collection stays in the Archdiocese of Boston to fund local anti-poverty projects; seventy-five percent supports national grant and education programs. For more information, please visit Veterans Day Prayers If there are veterans you would like us to remember in prayer on Sunday, November 10 (the Sunday before Veterans Day, please e mail Caroline Gélinas or fill out a card in the back of the church. We need all names by today, Sunday, November 3. November the Month of All Souls November is a traditional time to remember and pray for our dead. During this month you are invited to inscribe the names of your deceased loved ones in The Book of the Names of the Dead. The Book of the Names of the Dead is located near the baptismal font and the lit Paschal candle as a reminder that the deceased have shared in the waters of baptism, dying with Christ and rising to new life. Morning Prayer This Saturday Please join us this Saturday, November 9, for Morning Prayer at nine o'clock in commemoration of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica the cathedral church of Rome. Honored as the episcopal seat of the pope as bishop of Rome, the Basilica of Saint John Lateran is the "mother and head of all churches of Rome and the world." The Lateran Basilica was the residence of the popes from the fourth century until their moving to Avignon in 1309 and the site of five ecumenical councils. All are welcome to join us for prayer on this special feast. Welcome, Cardinal Seán! We are so very happy to welcome Cardinal Seán, who is with us this morning to help us celebrate our 125 th anniversary. Cardinal Seán is the principal celebrant at the ten o'clock liturgy. Parishioners may greet the Cardinal both after Mass and at the brunch following today's liturgy. Welcome to Our Visiting Clergy We are very pleased to welcome Msgr. Michael Groden back to Saint Cecilia this morning! Msgr. Groden was the pastor of Saint Cecilia from 1989 to Also concelebrating this morning's Mass is Father George Winchester, SJ. Fr. Winchester is from the Jesuit community on Newbury Street and is a regular celebrant at Saint Cecilia. We are very happy to have Father John Wronski, SJ with us this morning. Fr. Wronski is a good friend of Saint Cecilia and is the Executive Director of Nativity Preparatory School in Jamaica Plain. And we're thrilled to have Father Art Calter with us this morning. Fr. Calter is a dear friend of Fr. John's and often concelebrates Mass at Saint Cecilia. 4

5 The Pastors of St. Cecilia Parish Boston, Massachusetts Rev. Richard J. Barry Rev. John J. McNulty Rt. Rev. William P. Byrne D.D William Cardinal O Connell Rev. Msgr. John J. McGarry (administrator) Rev. Msgr. David D. Ryan (Administrator) Rev. Msgr. John J. Fletcher (Administrator) Rev. Msgr. Thomas F. Garrity (Administrator) Rev. Richard A. Rogers (Administrator) Rev. Msgr. Francis L. Phelan Richard Cardinal Cushing Rev. Msgr. Vincent J. Mackey Rev. Msgr. Michael F. Groden Rev. John J. Unni Present

6 letter from the pastor Dear Friends, I would like to warmly welcome everyone here today as we celebrate our 125th anniversary. As a place of welcome, in the spirit of Pope Francis, we here at Saint Cecilia are so happy to have Cardinal Seán with us as we gather to celebrate the Eucharist. Msgr. Michael Groden, Fr. Art Calter, Fr. George Winchester, SJ, and Fr. John Wronski, SJ are also with us, not only today, but often throughout the year as part of the Saint Cecilia Parish family. I am so grateful for their participation and for that of Fr. Tom Gariepy, CSC, Fr. Peter Grover, OMV, and Fr. Joe Baggetta who are a valued presence here. We are so blessed, as a community, to be celebrating the legacy started a long time ago by the Irish working girls whose hard-earned dollars built this magnificent place. Saint Cecilia is not just a beautiful church building, it is a beautiful, diverse, welcoming and justice-oriented community trying to follow in the ways of Jesus. It is a privilege to be pastor in this community and I am grateful to God for the blessings of each person in this parish. In light of our recent Ministry Fair, as an expression of and response to our growing and active community, we continue to baptize, initiate, welcome and train so many new folks in light of our baptismal call. It is a vibrant gift of the Spirit! Since our recent renovation, we have begun further expansion in our outdoor courtyard garden and gathering area, and exploration for our future kitchen build out and choir and classroom group spaces in the old sacristies. I want to thank EVERYONE who has helped in any way to create this wonderful 125th anniversary celebration to be so beautiful. I am so grateful for the parish pastoral and administrative team, volunteers, ministers, and all who work behind the scenes in so many ways. I pray that we continue to grow in generosity of spirit and love and that in 125 more years, Saint Cecilia will still be a vibrant, welcoming, Spirit-led and Spirit-filled community of believers. We re blessed to be part of that history and future. Peace and thank you for being Saint Cecilia Parish! Fr. John Locus Iste! Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Today we give thanks for those who came before us, for those among us today, and for the generations to come. Today s music reflects this thanksgiving and praise of God in hymns such as O God Beyond All Praising, Praise the Lord, My Heart and Mozart s glorious setting of Laudate Dominum. Acknowledging those who came before us, the choir will sing Anton Bruckner s setting of Locus Iste, traditionally sung at the dedication of a church: This place is the work of God, a mystery surpassing all comprehension, above all reproach. Acknowledging the work of the community among us, we will sing the Gloria from Richard J. Clark s Mass of the Angels. Sung throughout the English speaking world, this Mass setting bears the dedication on the score: to the Community of Saint Cecilia Parish, Boston, Massachusetts. As we pass our faith onto future generations, we sing God You Make All Things New. Finally, a tribute to the countless working class Irish immigrants who built this church with their sweat and tears, Be Thou My Vision takes its melody from a traditional Irish ballad. This beautiful hymn also prays for wisdom today and for a joyful future always present with God. CONCERTS & MUSICAL EVENTS Sunday, November 3:00 p.m. James David Christie, Organist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra & Cynthia Meyers, Principal flute, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Robert Sheena, Principal English horn, oboe, Boston Symphony Orchestra, & Michael Calmès, tenor Sunday, November 6:00 p.m. Mass Archdiocese of Boston Black Catholic Choir Friday, November 7:00 p.m. Saint Cecilia Day Celebration Saint Cecilia Choir & Saint Cecilia Strings Ciaran Nagle, Irish Tenor & Tara Novak, Violin Tuesday, December 7:30 p.m. The Copley Singers Christmas Concert Brian Jones, Director Parish Life Ministry Fair There is never a better time than the present to get involved. Please contact any of the ministry leaders or Caroline Gélinas to learn of the many diverse ministries and groups alive and well here at the parish. 6

7 commemoration of all the faithful departed Our loved ones who have died since November 1, 2012 Fred Iannazzi Claire M. White Helen S. Carey Joseph Cochrane Bob Bishop Krit YaKham Mary Werstern Edwin Murphy Joseph Boyce Oscar Germes Claire O'Malley Carol Howland Ettore Bergamaschi Bridget M. Spence Victoria McCabe Schmelzer Kathleen B. Russo Martin Richard Krystle Campbell Lingzu Lu Edwin McDaid Elie Prevost Frank DeMare Edward F. Leahy Rita Ann Nuscher Rev. Edward P. Geary Pil-Yun Son Theresa Trial Robert Gregory, Sr. Elizabeth Lyons James E. Amirault Laurette R. Carrier Catherine Carrigg "Blessed are the dead who have died in the Lord, let them rest from their labors, for their good deeds go with them. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them." Order of Christian Funerals

8 Be a saint in your own way By JAMES MARTIN, SJ The most important spiritual insight I ve learned since entering the Jesuits is that God calls each of us to be who we are. For me to be a saint means for me to be myself, said Thomas Merton. As a result, holiness consists of being true to the person God created. In other words, being holy means being your true self. And besides the life of Jesus of Nazareth, the best illustration of that can be found in the lives of the saints. I know many readers might groan (inwardly or outwardly) when they hear that. Because, unfortunately, for many people the lives of the saints are considered overly pious and largely irrelevant legends. It can seem almost impossible to relate to people known primarily as marble statues or stained-glass windows. You look at a statue of, say, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, in her Carmelite habit, holding a bouquet of roses and looking heavenward, and it s not hard to think, What does that have to do with my life? But it s important to remember that the saints were human beings, which means that they sinned (frequently), doubted (sometimes), and wondered whether they were doing the right thing (more often than you would think). As anyone does, the saints struggled with casting off the vestiges of their false selves and becoming who God wanted them to be. As an aside, I m using the term saints in its broadest possible meaning: not simply for those who have been canonized by the church (that is, officially declared saints and worthy of public veneration) but also for those holy men and women who may not yet be officially recognized as such. But the use of the term in that way has a distinguished background. Saint Paul, for example, employed the same word to refer to his early Christian companions. To the saints who are in Ephesus, begins one letter (Eph. 1:1). To the church of God that is in Corinth, he writes in another, including all the saints throughout Achaia.... (2 Cor. 1:1). Live the call to holiness At some point in their lives, each saint realized that God was calling him or her to be faithful in a particular way. Each saint was placed in a different situation and time. Each had a different personality and dealt with life differently. And each related to God a little differently. Just think of the astonishing variety of saints. And I don t mean simply when they lived, what they did, where they were from, or what languages they spoke. I mean something more basic: who they were and how they lived out their call to holiness. Some examples: Though both of their lives were rooted and grounded in God, Thomas Merton s approach to life resembled very little that of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, a young Jesuit who lived in 16th-century Rome. Merton was forever questioning his vow of stability, his place in the monastery, and his vocation as a Trappist, until the end of his life. Aloysius Gonzaga, on the other hand, the scion of a noble family, seemed always to have known precisely what he wanted to do that is, become a Jesuit from childhood. At a young age Aloysius had to battle both his father and his brother to convince them to allow him to enter the Jesuit novitiate. Merton only had to battle himself. Merton s vocation seemed always to waver. Aloysius never did. Or consider Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the French Carmelite, and Dorothy Day, the American apostle of social justice and founder of the Catholic Worker movement. Thérèse realized that God had called her to spend life cloistered behind the walls of the convent, while Dorothy Day understood that her invitation was to spend a life on the outside, working among the poor in big cities. Each grasped that. But both appreciated ways of sanctity that diverged from their own. Thérèse, for instance, admired the Catholic missionaries working in Vietnam. And Dorothy Day admired Thérèse. Blessed Pope John XXIII meditates on this idea in his book Journal of a Soul, the compendium of autobiographical writings that he kept from seminary until almost the time of his death. In January 1907 he wrote that we must incorporate the substance of the saints lives into our own. I am not Saint Aloysius, nor must I seek holiness in his particular way. None of us, he continued, are meant to be a dry, bloodless representation of a model, however perfect. Rather, wrote John, we are meant to follow the examples of the saints and apply them to our own lives. If Saint Aloysius had been as I am, he concluded, he would have been holy in a different way. Holy in a different way Everyone s true self is a unique creation of God s, and the way to sanctity is to become the unique self that God wishes us to be. Why would Jesus call a tax collector and a religious zealot, and, among his wider circle of disciples, 8

9 notorious sinners? One reason may have been that Jesus saw each disciple s ability to contribute something unique to the community. The unity of the church, both then and now, encompasses diversity. As Saint Paul wrote: Now there are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit.... To each is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.... For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ (1 Cor. 12:4, 7, 12). All of us bring something unique to the table, and, through our own gifts, we each manifest a personal way of holiness that enlivens the larger community. We help to build up the Kingdom of God in ways that others may not. Mother Teresa catches this insight in her most famous saying: You can do something I cannot do. I can do something you cannot do. Together let us do something beautiful for God. This diversity is a natural outgrowth of the role of simple human desire, whose place in the spiritual life is often overlooked. Put simply, the saints had different desires, and those desires led them to serve God in different ways. Such desires affected not only what they did but who they became their true selves. These natural inclinations are ways in which God accomplishes his work in various places and in a variety of modes. When I was studying theology, our Jesuit community had a small poster hanging in our living room that offered this little saying about four great founders of religious orders: Benardus valles, Colles Benedictus amavit, Oppida Franciscus, Magnas Ignatius urbes. That is: Bernard loved the valleys, Benedict the hills, Francis the small towns, and Ignatius the great cities. Each of these four saints found his home in a place suited to his likes and desires and so was moved to accomplish his own particular task. Their individual desires shaped their vocations. Ignatius Loyola, for example, the founder of the Jesuits, would probably have felt his ambitious plans stymied in a small town. And Francis of Assisi, the apostle of the poor, would certainly have gone crazy trying to run a large religious order from a busy office in Rome! Desire can lead to God God awakens our vocations primarily through our desires. A man and a woman, for example, come together in love out of desire and so discover their vocation as a married couple. Out of desire a husband and wife create a child and discover their vocation as parents in this way. Desire works in a similar way in the lives of the saints, drawing them to certain types of works, giving rise to special vocations and leading to particular styles of holiness. Henri Nouwen became a priest because he desired it. Thérèse of Lisieux entered the convent because she desired it. Dorothy Day entered the Catholic Church because she desired it. Ultimately, one s deepest desires lead to God and the fulfillment of God s desires for the world. That insight lies behind one of my favorite passages in The Seven Storey Mountain. Shortly after his baptism, Thomas Merton is speaking with his good friend Bob Lax. Merton tells his friend he wants to be a good Catholic. What you should say, says his friend in reply, is that you want to be a saint. Merton tells the rest of the story: A saint? The thought struck me as a little weird. I said: How do you expect me to become a saint? By wanting to, said Lax, simply.... All that is necessary to be a saint is to want to be one. Don t you believe God will make you what He created you to be, if you consent to let Him do it? All you have to do is desire it. Following these individual desires and inclinations led each of the saints to a distinctive type of holiness. As Thomas Aquinas, the great 13th-century theologian, said, grace builds on nature. Ignatius Loyola ended a military career in 16th-century Spain to follow God, while Joan of Arc began one in 15th-century France. Dorothy Day founded a newspaper to spread the gospel, while Bernadette Soubirous, the famous visionary of Lourdes, shrank in horror from the idea of her story being publicized in the press. Thomas Aquinas spent his life surrounded by books, while Francis of Assisi told his friars not to own even one lest they become too proud. The multiplicity of desires leads to a multiplicity of paths to God. Father James Martin, S.J. is a Jesuit priest and culture editor of America magazine. He is the author of several books, including Becoming Who You Are and My Life with the Saints, which won a 2007 Christopher Award. 9

10 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY Our ability to build community is helped by having an up to date database of registered parishioners. If this is one of your first times worshipping with us, welcome! If you have been participating in liturgies here for a few months or even a few years and have never registered, please consider doing so. It takes just a few moments to fill out a parish registration form. Once you complete your form, simply drop it in the collection basket, hand it to any staff person, or mail it to the parish office. Registration forms can be found on a table in the narthex. You can also register on line at www. stceciliaboston.org/register.html. Thank you for being an active member of our community! HELP US CARE FOR THE POOR At least a few times each week, homeless men and women come to the parish office or approach a staff member after Mass looking for something to eat or a donation. While we do sometimes give out small amounts of money, we prefer to offer people a gift card to a local supermarket or restaurant. You have always responded generously to our appeal for gift cards, but once again, we are in need of having our supply replenished. If you are interested in helping out in this way, simply purchase a gift card and drop it in the collection basket at Mass or give the card to a staff person. We are very appreciative of your assistance as we attempt to offer aid to the less fortunate in our midst. CATHOLIC CHARITIES' FOOD PANTRY Saint Cecilia has committed to providing these items to the Catholic Charities' food pantry at its Yawkey Center in Dorchester: Cheerios or cornflakes, peanut butter, white flour pasta and spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, canned tuna fish, canned chicken breast, and tomato sauce. While any canned or shelf-stable items are appreciated, it is particularly helpful when parishioners can help with the staples listed above. Because food is delivered only twice a month to the Catholic Charities' food pantry, we cannot accept donations of baked items or produce in the narthex. FOOD DONATIONS FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES This week's featured donation item is: Peanut Butter! Next week's featured donation item is: Tuna! FLOWERS If you would like to contribute flowers for our gathering space on a particular Sunday in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving to God, all you need to do is contact Scott MacDonald at smacdonald@stceciliaboston.org in advance of the weekend. OUR BULLETIN: IT'S BLACK & WHITE (& COLOR) & READ ALL OVER We appreciate the financial support of the firms and companies who advertise weekly in our bulletin. Their ads have enabled us to expand and enhance the bulletin in the past year with no additional cost to the parish and we hope that you will continue to patronize our advertisers. If you know of a local business, attorney, accountant or store that would like information about becoming an advertiser in the Saint Cecilia bulletin, please contact Scott MacDonald. Donations of pasta, sauce, cereal, tuna, & other canned food are always also accepted. Please leave food donations in the narthex baskets. DONE TIME? Men and women who have been incarcerated are invited to join the Prison & After group which is designed to provide participants with a sense of welcome and support. The meetings are held on Monday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Parish Pastoral Center. We will begin with a group session followed by a simple meal. 10

11 Celebration of priesthood The Celebration of Priesthood dinner held last month included a lovely tribute to the priests honored, among them, our dear friend, Fr. Art Calter. A video of this tribute has been shared and can be viewed at WHOLE BODY PRAYER AN INVITATION TO PRAY WITH HEART, MIND, AND BODY THROUGH BREATH AND MOVEMENT You are invited to join us for a gentle yoga practice inspired by the readings of the week and share an embodied experience of the Word. Over the course of one hour, we will practice a sequence of standing yoga poses in a slow, rhythmic flow, moving with attention to breath; and finish with seated, restorative postures that offer a meditative space for prayer and reflection. No previous yoga experience is necessary. Please wear comfortable clothing, & bring your own mat & water bottle. The current cycle of weekly Saturday classes will continue November 9, 16, and 23 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. in classroom CL5. Please fellow parishioner and yoga teacher, Lara Gómez, at wbprayer.sc@gmail.com to sign up and reserve your spot, as space is limited. Drop-ins will be welcome on a first-come, first-served basis. A donation of $5 per class will be collected, and it is requested that participants sign up for the 4-week session, where possible. COLD AND FLU SEASON During the cold and flu season, we encourage parishioners to use their best judgment when exchanging the sign of peace or receiving Communion from the cup. A healthy parish is a happy parish! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT BOSTON CHILDREN S HOSPITAL The Catholic chaplains at Boston Children s have openings for Eucharistic Ministers to bring Communion to patients and families and to record the visits in the computer system. Current and future Catholic volunteers will be gathering for a supper and training session on Wednesday, November 13. If you wish to know more about this opportunity to help, please contact Chaplain Shannon Fanning or Fr. Bob Nee at and by at robert.nee@childrens.harvard.edu. Children's Faith Formation As a reminder, children should not visit the restrooms alone. Please remember that the parish is open and has multiple entrances. For the safety of our children, please do not allow them to wander unsupervised and please do not allow them to go to the restroom unaccompanied by a parent. Please bring children to the restroom before class. CHARISMatic prayer group The Paulist Center extends an open invitation to join their Charismatic Prayer Group. The current session will continue November 5 & 12, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Please contact Nora Bolcon for more information at ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR The Little Sisters of the Poor invite you to their Annual Christmas Bazaar being held Saturday, November 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 186 Highland Ave., Somerville. Gift Items ~ Stocking Stuffers Bakery ~ Raffles ~ Games (and serving their famous Beef Stew!) Saint Charles Borromeo Feast Day: November 4 11

12 Saint Cecilia Parish, 1894 Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

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14 Social Justice and Saint Cecilia Youth: Faith Formation Dinners at Pine Street s Women Inn By E. JANE SMITH A Beacon of Hope The Saint Cecilia Tradition of Service Pine Street Inn is a beacon of hope for the homeless, the hungry, the poor, those fleeing domestic violence, suffering from addiction or battling depression. For over four decades, the Inn has provided a safe environment for those who have lost their way and are in need of a warm meal and a clean bed. Back in 1971, Kay Whelan O Halloran, a current Saint Cecilia parishioner and Pine Street Inn board member, then a resident of Ashland, went with her pastor to visit the original Inn, then in its infancy. Housed in the old Chinese church in Chinatown, on the border of the South End, its primary goal was to get the homeless men off the streets and into a safe environment. Feeding them was secondary. So Whelan O Halloran took it upon herself to raise money from friends and fellow parishioners to start the original PSI food group. Many more church groups soon followed her lead. The Inn, now headquartered in the South End, currently feeds some 1600 men and women daily, not only at its South End headquarters, but also at three other shelters as well as at its transitional housing. But the Inn s food groups provide more than food and shelter. They also nourish the souls of the Inn s guests. The Inn s first director, the late Paul Sullivan, felt it was extremely important for those living on the fringes of society to have contact with someone who had a job, a family and a home. Meeting and talking to someone with a normal lifestyle, noted Sullivan, gave hope to those who were struggling to get off the streets and begin a new life. Members of the 2013 First Communion class, their siblings, and parents visisted the Inn last March to learn about the causes of homlessness and the Inn's supportive programs. They alsodecorated cookies which they served to the women guests after their program. Today, Saint Cecilia Parish cherishes a tradition of service to those in need, and it begins with our children in the Faith Formation Program. For over ten years, on the second Monday of the month from October to April, families volunteer to cook and serve a meal at the Pine Street Women s Inn, beginning with our third graders and ending with grade nine. It is so difficult in today s fast-paced, over-scheduled society to find a way to connect our children to the real issues in today s world. These Faith Formation Program dinners gives families the opportunity to live out the Gospel message of hope and compassion. Growing up in the city, our kids see homeless people daily on our walk through Copley Square on their way to school, says Claire Corcoran, a South Ender and mother of three school-age children. We love serving at the Pine Street Women's Inn because it gives us a chance as a whole family to participate from shopping to preparing to serving to offering a smile to each guest. And, she adds, her children have learned from the experience. Serving at Pine Street really brings my attention to how many people out there need help, says 11-yearold Sylvia Corcoran. It makes me feel good to be able to serve them. Sylvia s brother, Richard, 9, agrees with her, saying, It feels good to give the people food. The Roche family of Brookline are regular participants in the Faith Formation dinners. It feels great to know that we are doing something to help other people, says eighth grader Jack Roche, who reflects a family philisophy of social responsibility. Jack s younger brother, 14

15 (Continued from previous page) Owen, a fifth grader, made a personal connection with a women guest while serving a dinner last year. She asked my brother Jack about me, says Owen, and she told me she liked the way I looked. It made me feel good that I made someone happy. While serving the meal, children have the opportunity to interact with the women guests, many of whom have lost contact with their children and families and who enjoy talking with the young people who respond to them in anonjudgmental way. Faith Formation families participating in the March 2013 dinner at Pine Street Women s Inn include (left to-right): Alicia Cooney, Moira Macdonald and daughter Lily, Jack Roche, his mother, Maria, and in the front row, brother Owen. Looking on at the right, E. Jane Smith, dinner coordinator. A loyal supporter of the Women s Inn dinners, Marie Roche feels really strongly that her children feel a personal responsibility to help those who have dealt with hardships that her family has not experienced. That Saint Cecilia provides opportunities like the Faith Formation dinners to reinforce the importance of social justice, says Jack s and Owen s mother whose younger son, Conor, can t wait to serve, is just one of the many things that our family loves about the parish. Other families like the Rollos from Back Bay get great satisfaction from helping others. Twelve-year-old Federico says that "it s nice to see a smile on the women s faces when they know someone cares about them." His brother, Ludovico, 10, and sister, Allegra, 14, also have fed the women s spiritual needs through their musical talents. It was so joyous playing some Beethoven on the piano and hearing the clapping at the Inn, says Ludovico, while Allegra enjoys sharing both her passion for cooking and music. I am so happy when I can serve mac'-n'-cheese and also play the piano! Living the Gospel Saint Cecilia s Faith Formation program introduces children and families to the Pine Street experience during First Communion preparation. Each March, catechist Mark Lippolt takes his class to Pine Street Inn to learn about the causes of homelessness. Saint Cecilia Parish children sing Christmas carols with the women guests following a festive Faith Formation family dinner last December at Pine Street Women s Inn. Scottie Wait, director of volunteer services, introduces families to a formerly-homeless woman who, with the help of the Inn, has moved beyond the streets to a job in the community and a room in the Inn s transitional housing. The children also decorate cookies and distribute them to the ladies in the dining room. "I loved decorating cookies, says 8-year-old Riccardo, the youngest Rollo sibling, I also was able to eat some with them!" Scottie Wait is very impressed with the Saint Cecilia youth who serve at the Inn. Our women guests struggle with isolation, addition, mental illness and loneliness, continues Wait. They aren t treated well outside the shelter. These families bring joy to the women guests. It is a joy to see the transformation on the guests faces. Their interactions with the youths help to bring out smiles and laughter that is a very special thing to observe. It is through these interaction where they treat the women with respect and dignity that these Saint Cecilia youth become responsible and caring young adults. The Inn s Faith Formation program dinners give families the opportunity to fed the hungry with hot, nourishing meals and nurture the homeless guests through warm conversations. They truly understand the value of these connections within the shelter experience. E. Jane Smith is the coordinator of the Saint Cecilia Food Group which serves the women of Pine Street Inn and a former Pine Street Inn board member. She is an original member of the South End Food Group, and her children, John and Sarah Trial, served regularly at the Women s Inn. In addition to Kay Whelan O Halloran, other Pine Street board members include Saint Cecilia pastor, Father John Unni, and parishioners David Manzo and Robert Walsh. 15

16 new choir members needed! We are in need of new choir members to sing with us. If you have a musical talent to share with the community, we would love to have you join us. Please stop by and see Richard Clark after Mass or him at rclark@stceciliaboston.org. We look forward to hearing from you! 3 rd Annual Pine Street Inn THANKSGIVING DAY MEAL On Thanksgiving Day, Saint Cecilia Parish is proud to host the third annual Thanksgiving Day meal for nearly 100 Pine Street Inn scattered-site housing tenants. Please consider volunteering and sharing in the spirit of Thanksgiving with individuals who often feel isolated from society. In the coming weeks, we will be looking for parishioners who can help make this meal a success and meaningful by serving and sharing in the meal, playing games, helping with set-up or clean-up or donating items towards the meal. More details to follow. drivers needed! Each month parishioners have the opportunity to pick up donated meat, dairy products, and produce from a South Shore supermarket and baked goods from two Whole Foods' locations and deliver it to Catholic Charities' Haitian Multi-Service Center in Dorchester along with the packaged food items donated at Saint Cecilia. This vital ministry takes place at 7:30 a.m. on Sundays and can be completed in time to attend the 9:30 a.m. parish liturgy. We need five cars each time we deliver to Catholic Charities. If you can help with this important parish ministry, please Mark Lippolt at mlippolt@hammondre.com. Our upcoming dates are November 3 and 17. MOUNT ALVERNIA H.S. open house Sunday, November 3, 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. 790 Centre Street, Newton, MA Mount Alvernia High School is an all-girls, college preparatory high school for girls in grades "Best Private School Value" by Boston Magazine. Mount Alvernia s mission is to provide a strong academic education within the Franciscan tradition that will prepare our students for higher education and provide them with the tools to make good choices throughout their lives. We foster a community that promotes compassion and confidence in young women and instills in them the responsibility of service. Pie IN THE SKY Saint Cecilia volunteer pie sellers will be available after this weekend's Masses to take your orders for Thanksgiving pies to benefit one of our non-profit partner agencies, Community Servings. Pie in the Sky fosters community spirit and engages the public in the mission of Community Servings Massachusetts' free, homedelivered meals and nutrition program for the critically ill. Each November, Boston's best restaurants, bakeries, caterers and hotels donate thousands of pies that over 600 volunteers then sell to family, friends and colleagues. Each pie costs $25, providing a week's worth of nutritious, home-delivered meals to a Community Servings' client. Even if you will be out of town for Thanksgiving, you can help by purchasing a pie and donating it to a Community Servings' client or you can buy a pie that will be served by parishioners on Thanksgiving Day at Morville House in the Fenway or in our parish center for guests of the Pine Street Inn. You can also buy pies on www. pieinthesky. org. Please be sure to specify that your seller is a member of the St. Cecilia team. For more information, please contact Mark Lippolt at mlippolt@hammondre.com. ST. Cecilia Music on Sounds from the Spires Podcast AVAILABLE! Boston Pops trumpet player, Richard Kelley, and Saint Cecilia Music Director, Richard J. Clark, were recently featured on Sounds from the Spires on SIRIUS XM 129 Radio, The Catholic Channel. The program was hosted by Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Director of Music for Saint Patrick s Cathedral in New York City. The podcast is now available on the Music Ministry page of our website ( and on The hour-long interview features Richard Clark s composition for trumpet and organ, Requiem pour une américaine à Paris. Based on the Gregorian Chants of the Requiem Mass, this piece was priemeired by Richard Kelley and Richard Clark on All Souls Day in The CD of this work, recorded at Saint Cecilia Church, is available at itunes, and 16

17 Sunday, November 10 3:00 p.m. Sunday, November 10 6:00 p.m. Mass Archdiocese of Boston Black Catholic Choir Meyer Chambers, Director

18 BUILDING PROJECT FINAL ACCOUNTING As we are now paying the last of our bills for the building renovation (Phase I), we want to give the Parish a final accounting of this significant project. We are reporting to you in this week s bulletin our final construction costs as well as how this project was funded. The final construction costs were $17.35 million which exceeded our original budget of $12.1 million. As discussed in the past, this overrun was due almost entirely to the building and the physical plant being in significantly worse shape than originally anticipated and due to the higher than expected costs to bringing the building up to current code. Although this project cost more than originally planned, we hope you agree that the results of the renovation are magnificent and put the parish on solid ground (literally) to continue our mission well into the future. We were able to fund this massive project mostly through the sale of the empty lot behind the church in 2008 resulting in net proceeds of approximately $13.5 million. Prior to these funds being spent on the renovation, we were able to earn interest income on the proceeds of approximately $1.2 million. In addition, we had a very successful capital campaign that raised an additional $2.6 million from the broad and deep support of many generous parishioners. Finally, the Archdiocese loaned the parish the remaining funds necessary to complete the project of which we have an outstanding loan balance of $574,000 as of June 30, Once all of the capital campaign pledges have been paid, which is expected to be done over the next 28 months, we will repay our remaining loan balance with the Archdiocese so that the Parish will be debt-free. In addition, we will be able to replenish the Parish savings accounts with approximately $331,000. (Of course, as we have mentioned before, there are remaining construction projects we still plan to undertake in the near future, including the parish center garden, the parish kitchen and the old sacristies, but those are not included in the scope of Phase I.) As a parish community, we should be proud of the fact that we were able to preserve and improve this beautiful building without incurring any debt in the long-term as well as leaving the Parish on solid financial ground. Please let us know if you have any additional questions. Saint Cecilia Finance Council Father John Unni, Pastor Matt Maguire, Vice Chair David Castaldi Alicia Cooney Mark Duggan Jason Kelly Mark Lippolt

19 St. Cecilia's Parish Building Project Final Accounting As of June 30, 2013 Inflows Land Sale Gross Sales Price $ 13,850,000 Broker Commission (250,000) Archdiocesan real estate management fee (100,000) Net Proceeds 13,500,000 Interest income earned on building proceeds 1,160,408 Funding from Parish Savings Account 425,410 Capital Campaign, payments made through June 30, ,658,399 Construction invoices paid after June 30, ,340 Loan from Archdiocese as of June 30, ,000 Total Inflows $ 17,351,557 Outflows Final Construction Costs 17,351,557 Total Outflows $ 17,351,557 Loan Balance from Construction Project as of June 30, 2013 $ 574,000 Capital Campaign total pledges 2,564,086 Less: Paid to date through June 30, 2013 (1,658,399) Remaining Pledges 905,687 Replenishment of Parish Savings Account $ 331,687

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21 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, Maureen Sullivan, Special Projects Manager, Assisting Clergy 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 & 6:00 p.m. Holy Days 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Reconciliation By appointment at any time. 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 Mark Donohoe. 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 in the parish office. 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) or Letitia Howland (l_howland@hotmail. 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 parking garage and at the Hilton Boston Back Bay; Sunday parking is also available at LAZ Parking (53 Belvidere Street maximum of three hours). Be sure to have one of our greeters 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. No matter what your background, please know that you are always welcome at Saint Cecilia. 21