Saint Cecilia. Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. 5 August Manna from Heaven from a medieval manuscript

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1 Saint Cecilia P A R I S H Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 5 August 2012 Manna from Heaven from a medieval manuscript He rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread. Psalm 78:24

2 Help Bring Art to Kids RFK Children s Action Corps is excited to partner with PeaceLove to bring Paint4Peace workshops to the boys and girls at RFK Children s Action Corps. For every $20 Art Tee purchased one child at RFK Children s Action Corps has the opportunity to experience Paint4Peace creative art workshops. To purchase your Art Tee visit and consider purchasing one as a gift for a friend or family member knowing that your gift will impact the life of a child. 1 tee shirt = 1 workshop. It s that easy. HURRY! SALES CLOSE AUGUST 10. For questions contact April Schrenker at aschrenker@rfkchildren.org or call For more information on RFK Children s Action Corps visit For more information on Peace Love visit

3 our community news Ministers of the Liturgy Saturday 5:00 p.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Laura Tomczik, lector Sunday 8:00 a.m. Rev. James Shaughnessy, SJ, celebrant Tom Nicolini, lector Sunday 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Victoria Maria Klyce, Bridget Spence, & Michele Maniscalco, lectors Sunday 11:15 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Joe Castellano, Erin Young, & Cole Young, lectors special intentions Sunday, August 5 9:30 a.m. Mark Charles Romney, Second Anniversary Sunday, August 5 11:15 a.m. Tommy Croke, Memorial today s flowers The flowers at the altar are given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Mark Charles Romney by Marilyn Innis, Brenda Jackman, and Arlene and Mark Richburg. today s readings Exodus 16:2 4, Ephesians 4:17, John 6:24 35 next sunday s Readings I Kings 19:4 8 Ephesians 4:30 5:2 John 6:

4 Prayers & Occasions Our Sick Please pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Josephine Parker, John Saulenas, K. Champoux, Patricia Hoggard, Jennifer Serpico, Christine St. Pierre, Harold Williamson, Jessica Rivieccio, Earl Chilcote, Colonel Robert C. Tashjian, Kim Murray, Heather LoRe, Rudy Kikel, Herbert Simmons, Peggy Furey, Janice Mascia, Pamela D Ambra, Sue Lucas, Suki Coughlin, Roberta Keenan, Bridget Spence, Annette Kulas, Sam Gowan, Rhea Richard, Pil-Yun Son, Mary Yanez, Larry Buckley, M. Frances Driscoll, Ed Langlais, Bob McLaughlin, Steven Whitkens, Diana Slaton, Leo Garcia, Joe Ford, Danny Cotter, Natalia Chilcote, Amy Sweetland, Jim Keyes, Michael Zawikowski, Cheryl Proctor, Patricia Macdonald, Elvera Dowsky, Frank Ackley, Fred Haslee, Lorraine Haslee, Robert Menson, Paul Flaherty, William Louttit, Lucie Kelly, Bro. Adam Zielonka, O.C.S.O., Amy Duarte, Karen & Rick, Phyllis Porras, Jim Linderman, Mark Amerault, Sr. Nuala Cotter, R.A., Kristen DeFranco Martinez, Michele Crowley Tippens, Sara Lima Santos, Joseph Driscoll, Pete Huttlinger, Anthony Simboli, Lisa Caputo, Edward Gill, Darlene McLendon, Jeanne Tibbs, Debbie Pace, Deidre Sullivan, Roosevelt Brown, Mary O Donnell, Ginny L Abbe, Steve Chamberlain, Matt Penchuk, Carrie Penchuk, Christy Cosgrove, Jacques Romberger, John Scaife, Maureen Sullivan, Alyce Haley, Joe Capizzi, David Walsh, Joe Huenke, Kaylin Marcotte, Avito Pacifici, Charlotte Egan, James Noone, Keith Plaster, Frederick Flather, David & Paula Fillion, Fred Maglero, Sarah Sweeney, Susan Shea, Bill Croke, Ettore Bergamaschi, Ryan Delaney, Manuela Almeida, Ilda Almeida, Joe Farrell, Ethan D Amato, Sophie Gagnon, Earl Meyers, Kathleen A. Meehan, Anne Frenette Handly, Jan Igras, Cheryl Sabin, Trish Mullen, Thomas Corrigan, Fernando Luis Riganti, Frank DeMare, Carmela Franchi, Little Tommy Sullivan, Kathy K., Julie Zaino, & Roy Curry. Baptisms We celebrate baptism at this morning s nine-thirty liturgy for Clara Florence Kostick, daughter of Mark and Cori Kostick and Adam Daniel Cox, son of Russell Cox and Margaret Schroeder. At the eleven-fifteen liturgy we celebrate baptism for Rhett Hamilton Bevis, son of Tate and Andrea Bevis and Naomi Casiello, daughter of John Paul and Mary Casiello. The Christian community welcomes you with great joy, Clara, Adam, Rhett, and Naomi! Today s Special Collection This week s special collection for Catholic Relief Services supports emergency relief, human development, and peace initiatives in 99 countries around the world, where nearly half the population lives on less than $2.00 a day. The collection funds the ministries of five Catholic Church organizations: Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Migration and Refugee Services (MRS), Social Development and World Peace (SDWP), and The Holy Father s Relief Fund. For more information, please visit www. usccb.org/crscollection. Pray for Sailors, Fishermen & FIsherwomen Pray for all who sail or who make their living on the sea that the Lord will protect and guide them each day. Sixty Seventh Anniversary of the Atomic Attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki This Monday and Thursday mark the tragic anniversaries of the atomic explosions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In sorrow we beg God s forgiveness and pray for an end to the violence that breeds nuclear weapons. Pray also that the Lord will enlighten the world s leaders and guide them into the way of peace. For the Hungry Pray that business and government leaders who have responsibility for food will strive with new effort to alleviate the hunger and needs of the poor, of refugees, and of the victims of war. 4

5 One parish s welcome For Good Weather Pray for relief from drought and for an end to flooding rains: that God will send seasonable weather and relief for all who are suffering from the power of nature. Happy Birthday, Martin! Happy Birthday to our dear friend, Martin Pino. May this new year be filled with the choicest blessings. Ad multos annos! Evening Prayer Tomorrow Tomorrow (August 6) is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord and we will celebrate Vespers at six-thirty. This feast recalls Jesus leading Peter, James, and John up a high mountain where he was transfigured in glory before them. The bulletin of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Daytona Beach, Florida has generated a lot of buzz for their inclusive, welcoming message: We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, yo no habla Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying newborns, skinny as a rail or could afford to lose a few pounds. We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or like our pastor who can t carry a note in a bucket. You re welcome here if you re just browsing, just woke up or just got out of jail. We don t care if you re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven t been in church since little Joey s Baptism. We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, lattesippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you re having problems or you re down in the dumps or if you don t like organized religion, we ve been there too. If you blew all your offering money at the dog track, you re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don t work, can t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church. We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts and you! The Transfiguration of Christ, Gerard David, 1520 Weekday Mass Mass is celebrated each week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings at eight o clock. Our welcome here at Saint Cecilia may not be as colorful, but the sentiment is as real. Everyone is invited, welcomed, accepted, loved, and respected at Saint Cecilia Parish. Tell a friend! 5

6 poverty at home THESE STATISTICS MAY SURPRISE YOU If you were at either the nine-thirty or eleven-fifteen liturgy last Sunday, you heard Father John speak about the week that our Young Neighbors in Action spent working at Lincoln Heights, a public housing community operated by the D.C. Housing Authority. Father John spoke about the stunning contrast between life for the powerful in our nation s capital versus the lives of those living in the shadow of our national monuments while struggling to meet the basic necessities of life. He also talked about our obligation to minister to those in need in our own city. It is very easy too easy for us to forget that one in five Bostonians lives in poverty. The following appeared on backbay.patch.com last week and draws on U.S. Census data: Boston s poverty rate is higher than the national average, by a notable margin. In the United States, the poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent, according to the U.S. Census. That number was up from 14.3 percent in 2009 and 12.5 percent in CATHOLIC CHARITIES FOOD PANTRY AT THE HAITIAN MULTI- SERVICE CENTER THE MONTH DURING WHICH FOOD PANTRIES HAVE THE GREATEST DEMAND FOR FOOD? AUGUST. Did you know that August is the month when most food pantries and groups that feed the homeless experience the greatest demand for their services? It isn t around the Christmas holidays, it s August. Most summer school meals programs end in early August and families can suddenly find themselves with three or four additional mouths to feed at breakfast and lunch. Also, August is the month when family budgets are stretched to purchase back-to-school supplies and clothes. Given the current state of the economy, our friends at Catholic Charities in Dorchester are expecting to see many more hungry families looking for assistance at their food pantry this month. We at Saint Cecilia Parish would like to help them meet this increase in demand. Please consider bringing the following items to the food baskets in the narthex: peanut butter, tuna fish, canned chicken breast, Cheerios or corn flakes, white flour spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, and tomato sauce. But at 21.2 percent, the percentage of people living in poverty in Boston is more than double the statewide average of 10.5 percent. Those numbers jump higher under strained circumstances. Nearly half of the city s single mothers living with children younger than five-years-old suffer in poverty. On the other side of the coin, less than 6 percent of Boston s married couples without children live in poverty. The U.S. Census uses a number of thresholds to measure poverty. In the example given by the U.S. Census, using 2010 numbers, a family of five, with a mother, father, great aunt and two children living in the household, would be considered living in poverty if the family income were $26,675 or less. help care for the poor At least a few times each week, homeless men and women come to the parish office or approach a staff person 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. 6

7 project bread s foodsource hotline Project Bread s toll-free FoodSource Hotline is the only information and referral service in Massachusetts for people facing hunger. Call The FoodSource- Hotline: between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. FoodSource Hotline counselors refer calls to food resources in their communities as well as to information about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly called food stamps) and other nutrition programs. The FoodSource Hotline can help hungry families in 160 languages from Arabic to Cambodian, Russian to Vietnamese. This special service links callers with a translator, usually within 30 seconds. The FoodSourceHotline is also able to serve deaf callers through it s TTY line, Request for ministers of the eucharist SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL NEEDS MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston is in need of Ministers of the Eucharist to bring Holy Communion to their Catholic patients. The schedule is very flexible. Any hours contributed will be a great gift to their patients. Training and on going support will be provided. For more information, please call Chaplain Joan Horgan at (617) or e mail her at jhorgan1@partners.org. Thank you for your consideration. free night at the gardner On Thursday evening, August 9 from five to nine o clock, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum at 280 The Fenway is offering a free evening of art, music, and fun. Families welcome. Explore art from Egypt, China, Japan and Spain, and imagine your own journeys. Join in a scavenger hunt to discover fascinating stories and art from around the world. Create your own artwork, and be enlivened by the spontaneous creativity of the Impulse Dance Company. For more information, call the Box Office at Living arrangement wanted The Lonergan Institute, a philosophy research institute at Boston College, is hosting a Ugandan masters degree fellow who is seeking a living arrangement close to the Boston College campus. He is a single male, 26 years old, non-smoking, and not allergic to pets. He came here with very little and is willing to exchange elder care or elder companion responsibilities, yard work, or lessons in the Lugandan language for a room or apartment. He has a U.S. drivers license, but no car. Excellent references from a BC administrator and faculty members are available. If you are interested in helping this man, please call Susan or Kerry at (617) on-line interview with richard J. clark Adam Wood, creator of the blog, Music for Sunday interviewed our Director of Music Richard Clark about his background and love of sacred music. Wood writes, His music is incredibly well-crafted and suited at all times to the venue, the performers, and (most importantly) the text. He is inspired (as you will read) by the great classical composers, by traditional American music, by the great body of Gregorian Chant, and by texts ranging from Sacred Scripture to Romantic Poetry. He approaches his work, both as a composer and a church musician, in a spirit of service. Take a few minutes to read this edifying interview at ot/artcb1.htm. done time? Please join us for our Monday Night Gatherings. Men and women who have been incarcerated are invited to join this group which is designed to provide participants with a sense of welcome and support. The meetings are held from six to eight o clock in the Parish Pastoral Center (Saint Cecilia Street entrance) and begin with a group that provides an opportunity for individuals to talk about their personal experiences, insights, and issues in a safe environment. A simple meal is shared after the group. If you would like additional information, please contact Peg Newman (peg_newman@msn.com; ) or Tom Ash (whatevertp@gmail.com; ). 7

8 my wound is deep, but clean When people are open to a different kind of healing, amazing things can and do happen when we least expect them when a loved one is dying. By REV. DR. MARTHA R. JACOBS The late William Sloane Coffin, former Senior Minister at The Riverside Church in the City of New York, preached a sermon entitled, Alex s Death the Sunday after his son, Alex, died in a car accident. Dr. Coffin described the wound he felt as deep but clean. I thought I knew what he was referring to, but it was not until my mother s death two weeks ago that I truly came to understand his words. As I had written in my last blog posting, I had signed a Do Not Resuscitate Order for my mother knowing it was the right thing to do since that was her wish (even though I hated signing not to do something). So, when her heart stopped, they did not try to resuscitate her. I am very much at peace with that decision. That has not made my grief any less, but, it is a deep but clean wound. I cannot imagine what it might be like for someone who has outstanding issues with their loved one who dies. I was lucky to be able to spend a lot of time with my mother prior to her death when she was both awake and alert and when she was comatose. I encouraged my dad to talk about their life together and to make sure that he said everything to her that he wanted her to know each time he left her bedside. He did so, so when the call came that the love of his life for the past 68 years had died during the night, the wound was deep but he has no regrets. He had visited her every day for five weeks at the rehab. He sat with her, talked with her, helped her to eat and, when she was not conscious, held her hand and talked to her. The staff at the rehab commented on how deep their love was because of his steadfast daily visits with her. I am not romanticizing his grief. It is deep and it is ever-present for him. But he has no regrets. Nor have I. My mother and I said I love you whenever we talked on the phone or saw each other, so I know that she knew that I loved her dearly and I know that she loved me dearly as well. As the youngest daughter, we had our own special bond. In the last year, as her health has failed, we had talked about many things in my life that had been questions for me as I was growing up, so there are no left undone conversations that needed to be handled before she died. While my dad did not want me to talk to my mother about her dying he was afraid that she would give up hope, and so I honored his wish I think that my mother knew that her time was coming to an end. She was a retired nurse and was aware of the organs in her body that were not functioning so well any more and I believe she knew that it was only a matter of time before they failed. So, I did what I would have done as a chaplain with any family member I was present with: I encouraged her to talk about her life and her disappointments as well as those things that brought her the greatest satisfaction. We laughed together, cried together and at times, just sat holding hands. One time she asked if I was 8

9 praying for her, because I had my head down. I said, No, but if I was going to pray for you, what would you want me to pray for? She said that she wanted me to pray that she would get out of here (the hospital) and get home, so that I could come down to Florida and spend time with her when she was not in the hospital. I said that I would pray for that, and did. She moved to a rehab and never left there, but I was able to spend time with her there. My wound is deep, but it is clean. I am writing about this because I have been present with family members when there have been unresolved issues with a loved one who is dying. The pain of that lack of resolution is palpable. I have learned from my years of being present with other families, the importance of dealing with those issues before the person dies, if at all possible. Whether or not the person is conscious, I believe that the person dying can hear what we are saying, and so I encourage people to let their loved one know what is on their heart. Whether it is to seek forgiveness or to say I love you or thank you or whatever is on their heart, I try to help family members have those conversations. Of course, it is easier if things are said and dealt with when people are healthy and can have two-way healing around issues, but often, we are not willing to do that, which is unfortunate, because it makes that final conversation, when one is possible, much, much harder. Healing can happen at the bedside of someone who is dying the definition of healing is different, though. There can be healing of relationships, forgiveness sought and forgiveness given, healing of old wounds and hurts, and spiritual healing. Physical healing is no longer possible but that doesn t mean that significant healing can t happen. When people are open to a different kind of healing, amazing things can and do happen when we least expect them when a loved one is dying. Then, as Dr. Coffin pointed out in his sermon in 1983, it will be possible for the wound to be deep, but clean. BECOMING PROVIDERS By Gerald Darring The Israelites were out in the desert, and they began to suffer from hunger. So great was their hunger that they longed for the good old days of slavery in Egypt, when at least they had their fill of bread. What they did not know was that soon they would be eating the bread of the mighty. All of us are in a desert, so to speak, suffering from spiritual hunger. So great is this hunger that we long for the good old days of innocence, when life seemed simple and all our needs were satisfied. Jesus comes to us in this desert and gives us the bread of life so that we shall never be hungry again. The readings from Exodus and John are about justice and holiness: providing all the people with our daily bread, and satisfying our spiritual hunger with the food that remains unto life eternal. The Church puts these readings together in this Mass to suggest to us that there is a connection between the justice issue of hunger and the holiness issue of the Eucharist. The work of God is to feed, and if we want to join in that work, we must become providers, doing all we can to see that no one goes hungry and to bring people to the Eucharistic table of the Lord. Many persons today are physically hungry. Certainly the solution to starvation and malnutrition requires increased production and improved distribution of food. But it also requires a concerted act of solidarity by the nations and peoples of the world. Our sharing in the Eucharist inspires us to such solidarity, as well as to actions which express it; for sincere celebration of the Eucharist must lead to various works of charity and mutual help. (U.S. Bishops, The Eucharist and the Hungers of the Human Family, 1975, 11) Rev. Martha R. Jacobs, BCC is the author of A Clergy Guide to End of Life Issues, a new book that has received excellent reviews and is being widely used by seminarians, clinical pastoral education supervisors, local clergy and laypeople. She works as a chaplain at NY Presbyterian Hospital and is an adjunct professor at New York Theological Seminary and coordinates the Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care for Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisors & Directors of Pastoral Care. 9

10 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, Richard J. Clark, Director of Music and Organist, Maureen Sullivan, Administrative Assistant to the Pastor, Genevieve Fiorente, Office Administrative Assistant Assisting Clergy Rev. Thomas Gariepy, CSC Rev. Peter Grover, OMV Rev. James Shaughnessy, SJ Rev. George Winchester, SJ Schedule for Liturgy Wednesdays During Lent 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 8:00 a.m. Lord s Day Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:00, 9:30, and 11:15. Holy Days 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Reconciliation By appointment at any time and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 8:00 during Lent. 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), Ginny DiSanto (gin250boston@gmail.com) or Peg Quilty (nursempeg@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. Parking Reduced-rate parking (maximum of three hours) is available Sundays at the Prudential Center parking garage, LAZ Parking (53 Belvidere Street), and at the Hilton Boston Back Bay. Please bring your parking ticket to church for validation before returning to the garage. 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. 10