Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative

Transcription

1 Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative Home to St. Mary and St. John the Evangelist Parish Families Parish Offices located at 115 Middlesex Street, North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, (978) (978) fax (978) Just as our Blessed Mother Mary and the Evangelist, called John, came together at the foot of the cross to serve Christ crucified, so also do the parish families bearing their names come together to serve God by serving each other and all who make up the body of The Risen Lord. Sunday, October 22nd, 2017 He said to them, Whose image is this and whose inscription? They replied, Caesar s. At that he said to them, Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. -Matt 22:20-21

2 Give the Lord glory and honor -Responsorial Psalm 96 at St. Mary s Faith Formation Classes see Faith Formation Page Altar Server Training following 11:00 am Mass Church Bible Study: Timeline 10:00 am Parish Hall CYO Basketball Informational Mtg 7:00 pm Parish Hall Our Father presented by Fr. Brian 7:00 pm Church Rosary 7:00 pm Grotto Bible Study: Follow Me 7:00-8:30 pm PC Conf Room 1 Youth Living Rosary 6:30 pm Church followed by hospitality in the hall Rosary 7:00 pm Grotto Social Justice Committee Mtg 7:00 pm PC Mtg Room 2 Adult Choir Rehearsal 6:30 Church Boy Scout Troop 77 7:00-9:00 pm Parish Hall Life in the Spirit 6:30 pm St. John OPC Rosary 7:00 pm Grotto 11am & 6pm Vocal & Instrumental Rehearsal 7:30 Church Rosary Makers 10:30 am Hall Rosary 12:00 noon Church Adoration 3:00-9:00 pm Family Prayer Room YM House of Hope 6:00 pm Off-Site RCIA 7:00 pm PC Mtg Room 1 Rosary 7:00 pm Grotto Adoration 7:30 am - 9:00 pm Family Prayer Room Knitting & Crocheting 3:00-5:00 pm PC Room 2 Catechist Formation 7:00 pm PC Conf Room 1 Rosary 7:00 pm Grotto Adoration 9:30 am - 3:00 pm Family Prayer Room Reconciliation 11:00 am - 12:00 noon Church Bell Choir Rehearsal 2:30-3:30 pm Hall Anointing of the Sick following 4:00 pm Mass Church Faith Formation Classes see Faith Formation Page Children s Liturgy of the Word 11:00 am Mass Altar Server Training following 11:00 am Mass Church St. Mary Church Wedding BANNS II Shauna DeCecca & Paul Dellaia St. John s Old Parish Center NEXT Saturday, October 28th 10:30 am -12:00 noon When a brother or sister dies, everything changes in your family, in your life and in your dreams. Know YOU ARE NOT ALONE in your grief and loneliness. A Surviving Sibling Support Group is now being offered on the last Saturday of each month for surviving adult siblings of all ages and for any reason. Join us in a safe place to share your story, find comfort, hope and encouragement as you continue a new path in life. Saturday, November 11th 5:00-7:00 PM St. Mary Parish Hall Come and enjoy all the deliciousness and fellowship of a Thanksgiving Dinner, or volunteer to serve. If you would be willing and able to donate a raffle basket please contact Courtney today!! All proceeds from this event will benefit our Collaborative Youth Ministry Program. Information on how to obtain tickets will follow soon... THE MONTH OF OCTOBER DEDICATED TO THE HOLY ROSARY! Join us at the St. Mary Grotto every weekday night (in October) at 7 pm where we will gather and pray this most powerful prayer together. Don t know how? Don t let that keep you away! ST. MARY ALTAR SERVER TRAINING Open to boys and girls in grade 4 and up If interested, please join us for a training session on either October 22nd or 29th. We will meet in the church after the 11:00 am Mass.

3 page 3 will be taking up a collection of new and used blankets and sleeping bags for the homeless in preparation of the cold weather that will soon be upon us. All items collected will be forwarded to Living Waters Center of Hope, a Christian faith-based outreach center in downtown Lowell, who will distribute these items to the homeless who live among us. The mission of Living Waters is s i m p l e t o provide people from local and regional churches and the community a place and opportunity to serve together. They are a center for people to utilize their time, skills, gifts, talents and resources to help those less fortunate. To learn more about who they are and what they do, please visit them at The collection will be taken up after all Masses THIS weekend, October 21st/ 22nd, and all but the 5:00 Mass NEXT weekend of 28th/29th. CHELMSFORD CATHOLIC COLLABORATIVE CYO Basketball Program is expanding this year to include a 5th/6th grade boys team, 7th/8th grade boys team, and a 5th-8th grade coed cheer team. If interested in playing basketball, join us for a meeting THIS Monday, October 23rd at 7:00 pm in the St. Mary Parish Hall. If interested in the cheer team, please contact Ted Powers at (978) October 22nd, 2017: Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. John s Coffee & Donuts following 8:30 am Mass Prayer Shawl Meeting 9:00 am Hall Adult Confirmation 11:30 am Linehan African Liturgy 12:30 pm Church Grade 10 FF Parent Meeting 1:00 pm Hall Chelmsford Quilting Guild 6:00 pm Hall Families w/addiction Support Group 7:00 pm Mary Gill Tuesday Morning Coffee Group following 9:00 am Mass Hall Charismatic Prayer Group 10:00 am OPC Life in the Spirit 6:30 pm OPC BINGO 6:45 pm (doors open at 3:00 pm) Hall YM House of Hope 6:00 pm Off-Site RCIA 7:00 pm St. Mary PC Mtg Room 1 African Rosary 6:30 pm OPC Surviving Sibling Support Group 10:30 am - 12:00 pm OPC Confirmation Retreat 9:00 am - 3:30 pm Hall Reconciliation 3:00-3:45 pm Church Coffee & Donuts following 8:30 am Mass Adult Confirmation 11:30 am Linehan African Liturgy Committee Mtg 11:30 am OPC Are you using your gifts in service of the Lord and your fellow parishioners? St. John s is in need of new Lectors for all Mass times, but there is great need for the 5:00 pm Mass on Sundays. All that is required is a clear speaking voice and the willingness to Proclaim the Word. We will train you in the rest, even if you are terrified by the idea of standing at the ambo and doing the readings! Interested in finding out more? Contact Fran at fran@chelmsfordcatholic.org. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life." (Lumen gentium, no. 11; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church) Can you help bring this Life to those around you during Mass? St. John s needs additional Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist to serve at all Mass times, but there is great need for the 5:00 pm Mass on Sundays. We will train you in everything you need to know and do in this crucial ministry. Won t you consider offering your service as part of your role in our parish life? If you would like to learn more, contact Fran at fran@chelmsfordcatholic.org. Turn page for more

4 Presented by Fr. Brian St. Mary s Church 7:00-8:30 pm THIS Monday, October 23rd and NEXT Monday, October 30th The Lord s Prayer is the perfect prayer, as defined by Jesus Himself when it was the answer to the request of his disciples Lord, teach us to pray. How much attention do we pay to this simple, yet bountiful prayer? How aware are we of the directives that Jesus has given us? Fr. Brian will dissect each line of this all-inclusive prayer, found in scripture (Luke 11:2-4), so that we may truly appreciate what we are saying to, and asking of, God the Father.!! ATTENTION!! St. John 5:00 pm MASS GOERS Next Sunday, October 29th, the 5:00 pm Mass will be dedicated to our young people who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. Celebrate with them as 2 years of formation culminates in their reception of the last of the Sacraments of Initiation. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Hennessey. PART-TIME CUSTODIAN This position is responsible for the regular cleaning and maintenance of both St. Mary and St. John s buildings and grounds, and requires the ability and willingness to travel on short notice between the two churches. This is an 18-hour-per-week employment opportunity that includes weekday evening and Saturday hours. If interested in applying, please submit your resume via US Mail, or in person, to the parish offices located at 115 Middlesex Street, No. Chelmsford, MA, 01863, ATTN: DAN HEIDER; or you can submit via to churches@chelmsfordcatholic.org. Please note ATTN: DAN HEIDER in the subject line. The deadline to submit is TOMORROW, Monday, October 23rd. PART-TIME Administrative Assistant This position is responsible for handling the reception and administrative duties, including the greeting of guests, the answering of phones and the handling of basic parish inquiries. Some of the important qualifications are: strong computer proficiency on Microsoft Office, Excel, electronic calendars, and other office leading software programs, excellent people skills, self-motivation and ability to multitask. This15-hour-per-week position will be worked on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. A complete Job Summary is available on both St. John s and St. Mary s websites. Please submit a resume to attn. Rae Russo at churches@chelmsfordcatholic.org by November 3rd. welcome to more Q: We know that two of the four Gospels were written by apostles. Where did the other two get their versions from? A: Actually, a close analysis of the Gospels would reveal that all Elisabeth Elliot ( ): Christian Author & Speaker four most likely were written by disciples of And the Answer is... the apostles. This is less controversial in dealing with Mark and Luke, who obviously were not among the Twelve. Mark is thought to have been the disciple identified in Acts, chapter 12 as John Mark: a companion of Paul and Barnabas on their third missionary journey, who later parted ways with them and apparently hitched his wagon to Peter s star. So Mark s Gospel is often called by Bible scholars as the Gospel According to Peter. Luke, similarly, was a close companion of Paul s, who seems to have gotten his information under Paul s tutelage. The question gets a bit murkier when dealing with Matthew and John s Gospels. Matthew s name isn t attached to that Gospel until around the second century or so. Most Biblical scholars believe that a second-generation Christian wrote this Gospel, drawing largely from Mark s Gospel which was already in circulation, and adding material that he d picked up himself through the oral teaching. It s entirely possible that the author was a disciple of Matthew s and was brought into the faith by that apostle s evangelizing work. In the same vein, John s Gospel was probably written by a protégé of the disciple whom Jesus loved. It seems to have been written much later than Mark, Matthew, and Luke. The fourth Gospel probably was written around 90 AD; the author most likely took material he d learned from the beloved disciple (the apostle John?) and put it down on paper. There may even have been a second author from the same community who added more material to the existing text. Ultimately, the Gospels all came into existence in basically the same way: first, the actual life and ministry of Jesus; second, the memories of Jesus life and ministry as preached by word-of-mouth by the apostles and other companions of the Lord; third, the collection and arrangement of these memories into distinct written narratives by second-generation Christians. Each local group of Christians faced its own challenges in living out the Gospel in its particular locale Christians in Rome faced much different circumstances than did Christians in Ephesus or Palestine. So each Gospel deals with events from Jesus s life that would resonate more powerfully with the members of the community for which the particular evangelist is writing. In the end, it s the Church built on fidelity to the teaching of the apostles that gives authority to the Gospels, which were written in order to preserve the remembrances of the apostles for future generations of believers. Great question thanks for askin!

5 of what s happeningin our Collaborative! St. Mary BUILD- We continue to proceed with all previously outlined tasks. As soon as there is something new to report for either of the parish projects we will update you. Stay tuned! St. John BUILD- Inspired by this week s Gospel (MATT 22: 15-21), how do you react to others who try to challenge or trick you for your beliefs? You are hereby cordially invited to the 2017 Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative Ministry Fair! Not just some ho-hum everyday run-of-the -mill affair, but a showcase of what stewardship in our parish looks like. Nestled among ministry tables, there will be activity tables and game stations of differing sorts; milling about the floor will be town criers, servers and maybe even a jester or two; in a very prominent place will be a Castle in the Clouds, which we will build brick by brick as we add people to our number (Acts 2:47b). Saint Mary Saturday, November 4th following 4:00 pm Mass Sunday, November 5th following 9:00 and 11:00 am Masses Saint John Saturday, November 4th following 4:00 pm Mass Sunday, November 5th following 8:30 and 10:30 am Masses Mark your calendar and don t miss this event! Revitalizing the Kingdom of God through Service St. Mary This Mass, where we remember and pray for all our Monday, November 6th at 7:00 pm deceased loved ones, will be followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. If you would like the name of a deceased loved one included in the evening s program, please cut out/complete this form, place in an envelope marked Rae Russo, and drop it into the offertory basket, or to the Parish Office, NO LATER THAN October 29. **Please note that names written on the Mass of Remembrance offertory envelope that some of you have returned, will NOT be automatically included in this evening s event. If you would like those names to appear in the program, you will need to complete this form. Thank you. Contact Christine at ext 214 with any questions. Remembering our loved ones... St. John the Evangelist This Mass, where we remember and pray for all our Monday, November 13th at 7:00 pm deceased loved ones, will be followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. If you would like the name of a deceased loved one included in the evening s program, please cut out/complete this form, place in an envelope marked Rae Russo, and drop it into the offertory basket, or to the Parish Office, NO LATER THAN November 1. Contact Christine at ext 214 with any questions.

6 Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Matt 22:21 St. Mary Faith Formation Program Heather Hannaway, Director of Faith Formation ext 226 Elaine Kindler, Faith Formation Office Manager ext 216 class schedule SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29TH There are no Faith Formation classes this weekend. Grade 2: Family Gathering Session Saturday, November 4th All grade 2 students, with a parent, are required to attend. Group A: 9:30-10:30 am session Non-Chelmsford Public Schools, Center, South Row Group B: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm session Byam, Harrington, Home schooled Grade 2 Parent...originally scheduled for Monday, November 6 will be re-scheduled. We will keep you posted. What is Children s Liturgy of the Word 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Sundays of the Month The general age of children who attend is 3 to 10 years. No registration is required. Children will be dismissed from the Sunday 11:00 am Mass for the LITURGY OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN. The children will be called forward following the Collect Prayer at the beginning of the Mass. They will then be led to the parish hall, where they will celebrate the Liturgy of the Word including: First Reading, Psalm, Second Reading, Alleluia, Gospel, and Prayer of the Faithful. They return to the church at the Preparation of the Gifts. The children read the readings and offer their prayer intentions. If you would like to volunteer as a leader or want more information, please contact Heather. YOUTH LIVING ROSARY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24th 6:30-8:00 pm St. Mary Church The Rosary, a prayer treasured by Catholics around the world, will be brought to life at St. Mary s! The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary will be celebrated through prayer, music and candlelight. A meditation will be read at the start of each mystery and youth readers, representing the beads of the rosary, will recite the prayers of the rosary with the community joining in. A very special Thank You! Following The Rosary, refreshments will be served in the Parish Hall. There will be cards with the prayers for everyone participating. No Rosary prayer experience necessary! Please sign up to participate as a reader or bead using Sign-up Genius link: We want to express our deep gratitude for all those who have volunteered for the 2017/18 Faith Formation year. We have 145+ dedicated men, women and teens who are committed to ministering and teaching the Catholic faith to our children. Our community is truly blessed to have so many willing adults and teens give of their time to share the love that they have for their Catholic faith and the Lord. Thank you and God bless you all for your gifts of time and talent and the many sacrifices you have made to do this great work for the Lord. Please consider being a Tuition Angel for the 2017/18 school year. We have a number of families seeking financial aid with Faith Formation Fees (registration for one child is $135). A donation of any amount to Saint Mary s Faith Formation Scholarship Fund goes directly to aid a family in need. Donations may be dropped off or mailed to the Parish Offices. Please make checks payable to Saint Mary Parish ( FF Scholarship in memo line). You may also give through Online Giving on the Parish website:

7 page 7 October 22nd, 2017: Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time St. John Faith Formation Program Fran Anderson, Director of Faith Formation ext 212 Lynn Anne LaDuke, Administrative Assistant ext 240 Faith Formation Class Schedule WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH Grades K-6 4:15-5:30 pm NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29TH Grades K-6 9:45-11:00 am GRADE 7 & 8 FALL SESSION Classes begin Wednesday, November 8th and Sunday, November 12th Confirmation Retreat & Rehearsal for Candidates and Sponsors If a sponsor cannot attend, a parent can attend in his/her place. NEXT Saturday, October 28 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Confirmation Mass Bishop Robert Francis Hennessey Students to arrive at 4:15 pm NEXT Sunday, October 29th 5:00 pm Mass If the coin belongs to Caesar, then give it to him. Paying taxes is often unpleasant, but requires little self-investment. We know that a portion of our income must go back to the government, but what then, exactly, belongs to God? God does not seek our financial resources. What belongs to God is something that we sometimes want to keep to ourselves or divide in different places. What belongs to God is our hearts. We owe everything to God, even our very being. Without God we are nothing. God patiently continues to tell the world: "I am the LORD and there is no other, there is no God besides me." How do we unite the varied allegiances of our hearts into one under God? Bishop Ruocco Council to Sponsor Youth Essay Contest All Catholic students in public, private and parochial schools grades 8-12 are invited to participate in the 2017/18 Knights of Columbus Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest. Students are encouraged to write a word essay on the theme of The Importance of Religious Freedom. The contest will be open to students in the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative, St. Anne/ St. Catherine Collaborative, Notre Dame Academy, and children and grandchildren of council members. Essays will be judged in November. First place winners at each grade level will receive a monetary award, and their essays will be submitted to the K of C State Council for judging and awards from the State Council. Participants are required to furnish a written parental consent form. For entry forms and additional information, visit either the St. John or St. Mary websites. Contestants must attach their essay to the entry form and mail to (postmarked by November 6, 2017): Bishop Ruocco Council/ PO Box 65 / Chelmsford, MA that the tabernacle, in which we keep the Eucharist, is an adaptation of the tabernacle God commanded Moses to construct along with the Arc of the Covenant? that the tabernacle is required to be double-locked for security? that the veil we sometimes see over the tabernacle is based on the ten curtains God commanded Moses to cloak the tabernacles with in Exodus 26? that there can only be one tabernacle in an oratory, chapel or church? Well, now you do!

8 Collaborative Youth Ministry Program Courtney Callanan, Youth Minister & Confirmation Coordinator ext 227 OCTOBER CALENDAR YOUTH LIVING ROSARY 6:30 PM THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH AT ST. MARY A beautiful individual devotion that comes to life in this presentation of a youth led living rosary. A meditation will be read at the start of each mystery and youth readers, representing the beads of the rosary, will recite the prayers of the rosary with the community joining in. Please sign-up to participate as a reader or bead... HOUSE OF HOPE 6:00-8:00 PM THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26TH We are looking for volunteer youth/parent teams to spend 2 hours on Thursday evenings playing with young children whose parent(s) are receiving Life Skills training. Orientation is required, and will be conducted at St. John s. Please contact Laura Zatta at lkzatta@gmail.com. If you have NOT been receiving CCC Youth Ministry Flock notes, then chances are that you ARE missing something! SO, please contact Courtney TODAY! DINE TO DONATE Youth Ministry Fundraiser Order in or take out from Rufina s Italian Restaurant, at 170 Concord Road, Chelmsford, TODAY, October 22nd between the hours of 4:00-9:00 pm and 20% of your bill will be donated to Chelmsford Collaborative Youth Ministry! A ticket will need to be presented in order for us to receive the donation credit. Get yours today by stopping by the parish office or visiting NOVEMBER CALENDAR FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION & ICE CREAM 7:00-8:30 PM NOVEMBER 3 ST. JOHN S Both middle- and high-schoolers are invited to attend this monthly event. Join us for a teen-focused form of this traditional devotion, featuring a Holy Hour with a speaker, reflective music, prayer and quality time with Jesus. Followed by ice cream and fellowship! YOUTH MASS AND HS YOUTH GROUP 6:00-9:00 PM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5 AT ST. MARY Come to a Mass dedicated to you! Teens will serve as liturgical and music ministers, and the preaching will be geared with you in mind! Following Mass, join us downstairs for fellowship centered around a meal where we can get to know God and each other a little better. HARVEST DINNER 5:00-7:00 PM SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH AT ST. MARY A popular annual fundraiser, featuring a delicious Thanksgiving meal. Come with your family or volunteer to serve or maybe even volunteer as a family to serve! FALL Leaf rake November 18th... 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Looking for lawns to clean, and volunteers to help. If you are elderly, disabled or otherwise unable to prepare your lawn for the upcoming winter months, contact Jodi O Neill at (978) or oneilljodi@verizon.net to get your name on the list. Clean-up requests will be scheduled on a first-come/first-served basis, so call TODAY! The number of lawns we will be able to accommodate will depend on the number of volunteers we have available, so contact Jodi today to sign up! CAP and CORIed adult chaperones are also needed.

9 Clergy/Staff Listing Reverend Brian Mahoney ext 215 Reverend Tom Corcoran ext 218 Reverend Laurence Ren Tocci ext 225 Reverend Arnold Colletti ext 221 Francis X. Burke ext 224 Fran Anderson ext 212 Courtney Callanan ext 227 Paul Firicano ext 220 Heather Hannaway ext 226 Dan Heider ext 121 Elaine Kindler ext 216 Lynn Anne LaDuke ext 240 Liliana Lucas ext 213 Rae Russo ext 236 Tina Sousa ext 219 Christine Trznadel ext 214 John Volpe ext 222 Stephen Webber ext 231 IN ORDER to promote communication and transparency throughout the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative, you are encouraged to forward any comments and concerns you may have directly to the Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils. COLLABORATIVE PARISH COUNCIL Parish council matters can be sent to: or / , ext 145. Council Members are... St. John Members Angela McMaster (co-chair) Ross Drew Scott Davidson Mike Mahoney Juliana Magbondzi Julie Seitter (secretary) Ray Wagner Laura Zatta St. Mary Members Cliff Mann (co-chair) Laura Conte Karen Drake Peter Lando Lori McDonald Alma (Chickie) Rigazio Paul Sidari Paul Therrien Youth: Rachael Beechin & Matthew Pontbriant ST. JOHN FINANCE COUNCIL Finance matters concerning St. John s can be sent to: SJFinanceCouncil@chelmsfordcatholic.org or , ext 146. St. John Council Members are Jeff Brown Ann Cottle Frank Peabody Paul Brzezenski Celeste Dunn Jerry Wright ST. MARY FINANCE COUNCIL Finance matters concerning St. Mary s can be sent to: SM.FC@chelmsfordcatholic.org or ext147. St. Mary Council Members are... Armand DiLando William Donohue Lauren Desforge Paul Firicano Gerard Jarasitis If you would like to submit a notice for the bulletin, please submit it no later than 12 NOON, 2 Fridays prior to the weekend in which you want it published. Submittals should be forwarded to christine@chelmsfordcatholic.org or via US Mail to the Parish Offices at 115 Middlesex Street, North Chelmsford, MA, 01863, ATTN Christine. We will do our very best to accommodate your request.

10 and now a word from Our Pastor

11 page 11 FROM OUR ST. MARY DIRECTOR OF MUSIC, JOHN VOLPE BACH or BOO? Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist born in Eisenach, Germany on March 21, Much of his busy life was spent as a family man, a father to thirteen children. He was a church cantor, and Director of Music for many churches in Germany. He was considered to be the main composer of Baroque music, specializing in sacred and secular works. The Baroque period of the Roman Catholic Church began in Rome, Italy. It dominated church music from 1600 to The word Baroque is derived from the Portuguese word, barroco, meaning misshapen pearl. A misshapen pearl with all of its discoloration, indentations, and ornate appearance symbolized the music of the period that was filled with drama and tension. Bach and his music disappeared after his death on July 28, Disappeared? Let me explain. Bach was buried in an unmarked grave, unnoticed and undiscovered until 1894, nearly 150 years after his death! As for Bach s compositions, well. they went unnoticed until the latter half of the 19th century! Johann Sebastian Bach s world-renowned organ works have been gracing concert halls, chapels, churches and cathedrals for over 300 years. While I am a huge fan of Bach s compositions, there is one out of his 1,000 compositions in particular that resonates in my mind, especially around this spooky time of year, Bach s Toccata and Fugue in D minor! Although it wasn t until the 1980s that the Toccata and Fugue in D minor was repurposed, setting the stage for countless ghostly sound tracks. It now can also be heard in pop media, such as Walt Disney s movie Fantasia, video games, and rock music. This is quite comical being that Bach originally wrote this piece to be used as a sacred work for the Mass. Through some further investigation, I also found that Toccata comes from the Italian word, toccare, which when translated means, to touch. It is considered to be a virtuoso piece of music meant for fast moving fingers and plucked multiple instruments. Personally speaking, I know this to be true being that this Toccata is one I practice for fun and it frequently leaves my fingers in knots! Many of you may still be asking, What is this piece John is rambling on about? Well folks, question no longer! Margie Pearse will be playing the Toccata and Fugue in D minor as a prelude before the 4:00 pm Mass on October 28 th and the 11:00 am and 6:00 pm Masses on October 29th! All are welcome to come, listen and let this piece touch the spooky side of your hearts. October 22nd, 2017: Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time From the Desk of our Senior Priest, Fr. Colletti

12 TheFinancial Page Fiscal Year 2018 runs from July 1, June 30, 2018 St. Mary: Paul Firicano, Parish Finance Manager St. John: Liliana Lucas, Business Manager as of October 15, 2017 as of October 15, 2017 FY 2018 Campaign FY 2018 Campaign IT S NEVER TOO LATE to pledge your support to our Increased Offertory Campaign. Your completed pledge card can be dropped in the offertory basket, or you can mail it in the envelope provided. If you need a pledge form, they can be found at the church entrances. We are grateful for your generosity! THIS week s second collection supports Catholic World Missions. By baptism, all Catholics are called to participate in the mission of the Church and share their faith as missionaries. World Mission Sunday gathers support for the pastoral and evangelization programs and needs of more than 1,140 mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and remote regions of Latin America. The funds gathered on World Mission Sunday are distributed in the pope s name by the Society of the Propagation of the Faith a pontifical Mission Society. For more information, please visit Thank you for your generosity! Most of our parishioners are blessed with consistent and dependable paychecks. Yet, have you ever thought about how you would manage your bills and schedule your payments if you were never sure how much money you were going to have in your bank account? This is a problem that our parish faces every month. Weekly giving can fluctuate from $10 to $300. While we are most grateful for any gift that any parishioner can give at any time, we have established an online giving program in order to help us maintain a more consistent cash flow. Parishioners who are currently utilizing this method of giving program tell us it is a great help to them, too. It allows them to clearly budget the amount that they want to give back to God, and helps them feel assured that their parish is receiving their gift even when they are out-oftown, too busy to remember an envelope, or attending Mass at another parish. If you would like to learn more about this easy, safe and secure way of giving, please contact Liliana Lucas at ext. 213, visit St. John s on-line giving program at or scan QR code above to enroll. Thank you for your financial support of St. John s.

13 Community Considerations PROTECTING GOD S CHILDREN WORKSHOP OFFERING: If you are an active volunteer at either St. John s or St. Mary s and are still in need of this REQUIRED certification. St. Catherine of Alexandria in Westford is offering a workshop on Saturday, November 4th at 9:00 am. Please pre-register with Peg at PegH@LWCatholic.org or (978) Local Young Adult Event October 27th at St. Patrick s Church in Lowell 7:30 pm 11:00 pm Join JESUS across the Border, the umbrella organization which unites over 17 different young adult Catholic groups, for our monthly event! Our evening begins at 7:30 pm with Eucharistic Adoration and Praise & Worship, lead by Mike McDuffee, as well as Angelique Bolduc of LIFT Ministries. Fr. Richard Clancy joins us again as the main Mass celebrant at 9:00 pm. Following Mass, we will have a pizza social. This is a fantastic opportunity for young adults to find a community of like-minded people and be introduced to the many local Catholic young adult groups from the area Holiday Pops Sunday, December 17 Lowell Memorial Auditorium Join the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and Conductor Keith Lockhart for their sparkling and beloved Holiday Pops concert. They will be joined by the Metropolitan Chorale, known as one of Metro Boston s premier choral ensembles. Santa Claus himself will make a guest appearance during the concert s finale, followed by the traditional Boston Pops Holiday Sing-A-Long to bring this special performance to a close. $74 per ticket: Parquet C: Row C: Seats 1-12 Parquet C: Row D: Seats 1-12 Parquet G: Row D: Seats 1-11 First Come, First Served! Contact Lynne Shattuck at (978) Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation Monday, October 30th at 7:00 pm The Collegiate Church of Christ the Teacher Merrimack College Campus Conflict and Communication 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation Bishop Robert Hennessey of the Merrimack Region of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and Bishop James Hazelwood, New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will co-preside at the special hour-long service. Music will be led by a festival choir of Merrimack College singers and singers from area parishes. A reception will follow. RSVP to jcm@merrimack.edu (today s gospel) Discern how to give thanks to God for our spouses by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend, being offered on the following weekends: January 19-21, 2018: South Kingston, RI March 9-11, 2018: Duxbury, MA Treat yourself to a weekend especially for married Christian couples who value their relationship and desire a richer, fuller life together. The emphasis is on communication between husband and wife, who spend a weekend together away from the distractions and the tensions of everyday life, to concentrate on each other. It's not a retreat, nor a marriage clinic, nor group sensitivity. It's a unique approach aimed at revitalizing Christian Marriage. It is a time for you and your spouse to be alone together, to rediscover each other and together focus on your relationship for an entire weekend. Every marriage deserves that kind of attention! Attend a Marriage Encounter weekend and learn the tools needed to keep your marriage strong. For more information, contact Stephen & Michelle O Leary at (800) or visit

14 If you would like to request that a Mass be celebrated for a specific intention or person, please call the parish office and speak with Rae at ext 236. A donation of $10 per Mass Intention is requested to be made at the time that you request your intention. SAT, OCT 21 SUN, OCT 22 FRI, OCT 27 SAT, OCT 28 SUN, OCT 29 St. John 4:00 pm: Timothy Fahey: Memorial 8:30 am: LIVING INTENTION: For Spiritual Inspiration and Growth for Michael Ricciardi 10:30 am: John Scolastico: Memorial 5:00 pm: For the People of the Parish 9:00 am: For departed family and friends and for an end to addictions 9:00 am: For those whose funerals were celebrated this month 4:00 pm: Emile R. Trahan: Memorial 8:30 am: Hannah & John Harrington: Memorial 10:30 am: Robert Roy, Sr.: Memorial 5:00 pm: For our Confirmandi St. Mary SAT, OCT 21 4:00 pm: David Gorham: 17th Anniversary v SUN, OCT 22 7:00 am: Gerald P. Cole, Sr.: 11th Anniversary 9:00 am: For the People of the Parish 11:00 am: David W. Burke: 24th Anniversary 6:00 pm: Joseph & Lillian Higgins: Memorial MON, OCT 23 7:00 am: Gail Salwa: Memorial THU, OCT 26 7:00 am: Elizabeth & William Krzewick: Memorial SAT, OCT 28 9:00 am: For those whose funerals were celebrated this month 4:00 pm: Kathleen Cooper Levine: 10th Anniversary v SUN, OCT 29 7:00 am: John Donigan, Sr.: 1st Anniversary 9:00 am: Norah & Christopher Gambon and Michael Mokrzycki: Memorial 11:00 am: For the People of the Parish St John Rose for Life Someone special you d like to honor? Perhaps for a birthday, an anniversary, a graduation, a new baby or any other special occasion? Or maybe you d like to just simply give thanks for a favor received? You can do that by having a rose placed before Our Lady of Fatima s statue for one week. We will publish your intention in the bulletin. To book a Rose for Life, contact Rae at ext 236. The suggested offering for a rose is $5.00. Rose Donated by Mahoney Garden Center St. Mary Memorial Altar Flowers Parishioners are invited to donate a floral arrangement, to be displayed on the altar in memory of, or in honor of, a loved one. If you would like to donate altar flowers, please call Tina at ext 219. The requested donation for an arrangement is $40, and includes an acknowledgement in the bulletin. This Week s Readings FUNERALS recently celebrated Frederick H. Whitton, Jr.: October 13th at St. Mary Marie LeBon: October 16th at St. Mary Barbara Ann Annis: October 17th at St. John Donna Luebbers: October 17th at St. Mary

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