Saint Cecilia. Fifth Sunday of Easter. 29 April Christ the True Vine Icon Athens, 16th Century

Transcription

1 Saint Cecilia P A R I S H Fifth Sunday of Easter 29 April 2018 Christ the True Vine Icon Athens, 16th Century

2 Happy Easter! 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`vextraordinary 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 Saint Cecilia Parish, Boston Friday, May 4, :00 p.m. Jeremy Bruns, Organ Assistant Music Director St. Paul s, Harvard Square International Prize Winner and Performer Heard on BBC, at Westminster Abbey, Caterbury Cathedral, Washington National Cathedral Admission is FREE Donations gratefully accepted Performing works by J. S. Bach, Ad Wammes, and Marcel Dupré

4 our community news Ministers of the Liturgy Saturday, April 28 5:00 p.m. Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrant Chris Orrell, lector Sunday, April 29 8:00 a.m. Rev. Peter Gyves, SJ, celebrant Louvere Walker, lector Sunday, April 29 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Louisa Essmann, Christie Hedges, and Karen Vachon, lectors Sunday, April 29 11:15 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Mark Richburg, Zachary Boutin, and Virgen Palermo, lectors Sunday, April 29 6:00 p.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Laura Melle and Lauren Miner, lectors Special intentions Sunday, April 29 9:30 a.m. James Skeffington Sr, Third Anniversary Sunday, April 29 11:15 a.m. Michael Stockman, First Anniversary Sunday, April 29 11:15 a.m. Joseph James Bennett, Memorial Sunday, April 29 11:15 a.m. Maria Olivieri Hakansson, Memorial Sunday, April 29 6:00 p.m. Christopher Spellman, Memorial TODAY'S FLOWERS The flowers in front of the altar are given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Maria Olivieri Hakansson by her family. today s readings Acts 9: John 3:18-24 John 15:1-8 next sunday s readings Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, John 4:7-10 John 15: Christ the Vine Tanja Butler

5 Prayers & Occasions Our Deceased Nancy Bloom died on April 20. Pray for the eternal repose of Nancy as well as for the consolation of her family. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Our Sick Please pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Annette Kulas, Rosea Aubrey, Pilar Estrada, Mildred McLaughlin, Brenna Smith, Mark Anderson, Bill Downing, Skyler Stevenson, Silvana Franco, Brian Donnelly, Theresa Wier, Bill Ahern, Lena Bryant, Kenny Borum, George Driscoll, Mary Curley, Bill Pennington, Bryan Thomas, Rachel Fitzgerald, Bob Carroll, John Morris, Mark Edward McHugh, Laura Bellias, Angelo Valente, Eugenia Valente, Betty Sellers, Jack Kacewicz, Daniel Grapski, Nancy Wolterman, Callie Boyce, Mary Chisholm, Brian Burdette, John Pelletier, Stephanie Brown, Bob Butler, Hilary Dillon, Paul Lakschewitz, Pam Phillips, Tom O Keefe, Pamela Massey, Mary Sullivan, Mimi Hart, Mei Day, Edris Kelley, Grady Richards, Bill Doran, Claire Smith, Karen Boutin, Sal Mateus, Kathryn Schuler, Tony Perretta, Irene Faldetta, Peter Webster, Linda Burke, Kerri D'Arrigo, Gerard Franchi, Timothy Kelliher, Sophia Giorgianni, Vicki Basinger, Mitchell Cheverie, John Edward Doyle, Nancy Donovan, Kerri McDonald, Cecilia Hill, Barbara Simmons, Sally Boutin, Justine Carr, James Smith, Theresa Sykes, Beth Shelburne, Myrtha Charles, Bob Marino, Brian Himes, Maureen Corcoran, Chen Cheung, and Charlie Holmes. Welcome to Saint Cecilia Parish We are pleased to welcome the following new members of our parish who have recently registered: Ned debary and Katrina Chapman of Jamaica Plain, Stephen and Patricia Randall of Hingham, Elizabeth Randall of Hingham, Martin Ward of Boston, Midge Durgin of Hingham, the Anziani- McCombs Family of Woburn, Marco and Ashley-Kay Basile of Arlington, the Seiger Family of Natick, and the Reinhart- Boyle Family of Belmont. If you have not previously registered with the parish, there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you can register online at org. Parish Pastoral Council Election Five Candidates for the Parish Pastoral Council have submitted their statements. Please read them on pages and consider carefully who you will vote for next week. Attention Graduates We want to acknowledge and celebrate all our graduates this spring. Please the names of the parishoners who are graduating from high school or college to Leah Bennett at lbennett@stceciliaboston.org. Please use the word 'graduate' in the subject line. Feel free to include the name of the school and the degree awarded. We are also happy to announce recitals. Evening Prayer We will celebrate the Feasts of Saint Philip and Saint James this Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome. Saint Cecilia Annual Ministry Appreciation Event We will hold our annual Ministry Appreciation Event- Wednesday, May 23 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall and (weather permitting) Saint Francis Garden. Most parish ministers will be receiving an invitation from your ministry leader. If you have volunteered in the parish in any way this past year, please know that you are welcome to attend. Please be sure to let your ministry leader know if you plan to come or, in the absence of a ministry leader, please Lisa Pickering at lpickering@stceciliaboston. org or call the Parish Office by Friday May 18. This will be a fun evening with plenty of food, drink, music, and fellowship. Faith and Film April 28 This Saturday at 6:00 p.m. a showing of the film Stronger will take place in the Parish Hall after Mass. We will serve pizza. This week at Saint Cecilia Wednesday, May 2 Marriage Ministry Planning Session 8:00 in Classroom 5 Wednesday, May 2 Bible Study: Women in the Bible 6:30-8:00 in Classroom 4 Thursday, May 3 New Parishoner Party 6:00-7:30 in the Parish Hall Thursday, May 3 Evening Prayer for the Feasts of Saints Philip and James 6:30 Baptism Class Today Have you been asked to be a godparent? Saint Cecilia hosts a baptism class on the last Sunday of every month at 1:00 p.m. in Classroom 5. To enroll please contact Mark Donodoe at mdonohoe@stceciliaboston.org. Friday, May 4 Jeremy Bruns Organ Concert 8:00 Saturday, May 6 Commonweal Reader's Meeting 1:00 in Classroom 4 5

6 Upcoming Concert MIT WOMEN S CHORALE Kevin Galiè, Director Wednesday, May 9, :00 p.m. Admission is free Donations gratefully accepted Charles-René: Second Mass in A-flat major (1905) César Franck: Alleluia (originally Dextera Domini) Gabriel Fauré: Maria, Mater gratiae Organ, Erica Johnson Organ works of Gabriel Pierné, Kevin Galiè, organ Wisdom and Mature Spirituality Group Sunday, May 20th 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Meet outside the Conference Room in the Parish Pastoral Center. PASTRIES WITH THE PASTOR Saturday, May 12, 10:00 11:00 a.m. The next Pastries with the Pastor event is upon us! Sign up to join Father John and the Parish Pastoral Council for breakfast with light conversation. Father John will speak on a topic of general interest and leave time for discussion. All are welcome to register, however, only twelve may attend. Participants will be selected at random. If you are interested, either fill out the paper form located in the narthex or follow this link: Child Care Helpers Needed! The children of those who participate in the Young Families Ministy, are cared for during each monthly meeting by the Child Care Ministry at Saint Cecilia Parish. After the 9:30 Mass, they engage in about an hour of play, movement, reading books or singing along to music in a fun and safe atmosphere. If you enjoy spending time with babies and toddlers, this would be a great way to lend your gifts! Their next dates for spring are set for May 20, and June 10. Those interested may contact Valerie at valerie.diment@gmail. com. A Shout Out Thank You It s not what you do for God; it s what God has done for you. You switch from trying to love God to just letting God love you. This is a quote from Richard Rohr about the second half of life. To those of you who are in the second half of life, we invite you to join our group. We welcome new members even those who can t make a commitment to come on a regular basis to our meetings. Confidentiality within the group is based on mutual trust and respect. We are currently reading the book, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr. At our next meeting, we will discuss the second chapter. Please think about a comment, question or observation about Chapter Two for our discussion. At our future meetings, we will continue to discuss one chapter of this book each month. The book is available at some libraries or you may purchase the book at Amazon, store.cac.org or Barnes and Noble bookstore. Many thanks to our friends at Whole Foods near Symphony Hall and to Chuck Olivieri, Saint Cecilia parishioner, choir member, and Whole Foods Marketing Manager. Their generosity has enabled us to give donated produce and day-old baked goods to our non-profit partners at the Pine Street Inn and Catholic Charities weekly for eight years now. Bread is not something that can be purchased from the Greater Boston Food Bank so the Whole Foods donations represent one of the few sources that Catholic Charities has for providing their clients with this staple item. In addition, Chuck has connected us with Whole Foods Beacon Hill, Charlestown, and South End/INK Block stores and they are now matching the Symphony store's donations on Saturdays and Sundays. Thanks, Chuck! 9:30 and 11:15 Masses Simulcast Each Sunday, the 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Masses are simulcast on our large screens in the Parish Hall. Join us for Mass in the church or in the Parish Hall. 6

7 Denim & Diamonds Annual Auction Fundraiser SAINT CECILIA PARISH Friday, May 11, :00 10:00 p.m. Battery Wharf Hotel Waterfront Ballroom Support St. John School in the North End for their fundraiser to benefit the Education Fund. Events include: Silent & Live Auction, Buy It Now Raffle, Food Stations, Complimentary Prosecco & Wine. To purchase tickets ($125 per person) and for more information go to: SPEAKER SERIES Wednesday, May 9 7:00 p.m. Reception, 7:30 p.m. Presentation Saint Cecilia Parish Hall The speaker for the next event in our Speaker Series, sponsored by the Rainbow Ministry, will be Peter W. Gyves, SJ, MD. Father Gyves is no stranger to the Saint Cecilia community; he often presides at our weekday and weekend Masses. A physician in addition to being a Jesuit priest, Father Gyves' impressive resume includes degrees from Boston College (B.S., 1973, M.A.-Theology, 1994), Georgetown University (M.D., 1978), Johns Hopkins University (M.P.H., 2005), and Weston School of Theology (STL, 2008). Father Gyves is the founder and director of A Faith That Does Justice, a nonprofit ecumenical program that seeks to raise consciousness about social issues that affect the most vulnerable among us, while offering opportunities to walk in solidarity with the least among us. It welcomes people of all races, religions, cultures and sexual orientations. It is respectful of these differences and seeks to overcome the social, political and economic barriers that separate people from each other. A board-certified pediatrician and pediatric endocrinologist, Father Gyves' medical career also included scientific research at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD ( ). He entered the Society of Jesus in 2003 and was ordained a priest in He has lived and worked in several countries, both as a physician and a priest, including El Salvador and Guatemala during their civil wars of the 1980s and early 1990s, and in several English and French-speaking African countries. HELP THE WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE One of the major fundraisers for our friends at the shelter is their Mother's Day card sale. The Women's Lunch Place currently provides services to more than 200 women and their children each day. Some guests use the shelter's services on a daily basis, while there are others who we see less frequently. They are an ethnically diverse community, serving both American-born and immigrant women of all ages. Some of the women that WLP serves only know life on the streets, while others are victims of episodic poverty due to changes in their social and/or employment status. Mother's Day cards will be sold after weekend liturgies. For each $25 donation to WLP which will provide a guest with breakfast and lunch for a week you will receive a card designed by one of the shelter's guests as a thank you. For more information, please contact mark.lippolt@gmail. com. Catholic Relief Services' Rice Bowls It is not too late to donate towards our parish's support of Catholic Relief Services' Rice Bowls. If you have a rice bowl you can give it to a greeter at our Sunday morning liturgies or put it in the offertory basket. Even if you have not used the actual cardboard rice bowl to collect funds, you can still donate by making a check payable to Catholic Relief Services. Our support of rice bowls is particularly important because 25% of the donations are returned to our friends at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston. Thank you for your customary generosity! His topic will be: "Contemplatives in Action: The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola." The event is free and all are welcome. 7

8 The Walk to End Elder Isolation DO YOU LOVE YOUR SPOUSE? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR RESPONSE THERE'S SOMETHING HERE FOR YOU! Marriage Ministry Planning Session Wednesday, May 2 8:00 p.m. Classroom 5 The Parish Pastoral Council is working on the implementation of some new initiatives, one of which is a new ministry to couples engaged to be married, as well as to couples who are already married. If you feel called to participate in this ministry, we would love to hear from you. Here are some ideas we are exploring: Social Activities happy hours, date nights, and fellowship Spiritual Activities workshops, guest speakers, book groups, and retreats Opportunities for Service A Parishioner-led Marriage Preparation Program If you are interested in participating, please come to our last planning session: Wednesday, May 2 in CL5 at 8:00 p.m. For more information please Carly Caminiti at ckc1025@gmail.com. CHILDREN'S BOOKS Sunday, May 20 10:00 a.m. Jamaica Pond Please join parishioner Pat Maguire in a walk around Jamaica Pond in support of FriendshipWorks. Children and dogs welcome! To register, or make a contribution, go to MOTHER'S CARE MINISTRY: SAINT TERESA OF CALCUTTA, DORCHESTER Boston is home to a number of extraordinary non-profit agencies dedicated to transitioning our less fortunate neighbors from homelessness to housing. One of the many challenges faced by these folks is that they often have nothing when they are given the keys to their new home. To help address this issue, our parish will be collaborating with Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish of Dorchester and Father Richard ("Doc") Conway on their Mother s Care Ministry: Helping Others, Changing Lives. These items (preferably new, but gently used is acceptable, too) can be left in the narthex. Please feel free to direct any questions to: Mark Lippolt at mark.lippolt@gmail.com. The items currently most needed are: Coffee Maker Teapot/Tea Kettle Microwave Oven Toaster/Toaster Oven Food Processor Floor Lamps Table Lamps Bathroom Rugs Clock Trash Bin Mop and Bucket Broom and Dustpan Toilet Bowl Brush and Plunger Small Vacuum Generous parishioners have donated a supply of children's books that can be found in the narthex. Given our desire to respect the dignity of the folks we serve through our hunger and homelessness ministries, we would ask that you have your children borrow these books rather than play with the donations of food and toiletries. 8

9 Social and Racial Justice Ministry Raise Up Congress Rally Tuesday, May 8 1:00 p.m. Massachusetts State House Grand Staircase This event will represent the escalation of our hard work over the past year on the phones, at community briefings, and lobbying legislators for Paid Family and Medical Leave and a $15 Minimum Wage. As you know, Saint Cecilia collected signatures of support for this measure a few months ago (and will soon be doing so again). RSVP to sc.socialracialjustice@gmail.com. Mother's Day Walk for Peace Sunday, May 13 8:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. The Mother's Day Walk for Peace started in 1996 so mothers of murdered children could receive support and love from their neighbors. The Walk is organized by the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, and you can learn more at: www. mothersdaywalk4peace.org/about-hayden. To join Saint Cecilia parishioners for this powerful annual event, which advocates against gun violence, please RSVP to sc.socialracialjustice@gmail.com. The walk goes from Town Field Park, Fields Corner to City Hall, via Madison Park High School; we'll coordinate a meet-up point with everyone who RSVPs. Monthly Planning Committee Meeting Sunday, May 20 I 1 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Phone Banking for Minimum Wage Increase and Paid Family Medical Leave Any Tuesday or Thurs in May 11 a.m. 2 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. From any location you'd like All you need is a computer and a phone, and with the click of a simple website we'll provide you, you'll be connected on the phone to registered MA voters. You will go through a few points about why we need this legislation to be passed, and then click a button to transfer them to talk with their legislators about it. If you are interested, please sc.socialracialjustice@gmail.com and we will get you set up. The Immigrant as the Evangelizer: Christian Faith, The Border, and the Option for the Poor Tuesday, May 8 6:30 p.m. 7:45 p.m. Saint Cecilia Parish Hall "A Faith That Does Justice" is pleased to present a workshop directed by Roberto S. Goizueta, PhD, Margaret O'Brian Flatley Professor Emeritus of Catholic at Boston College. Please Register for admission at org/events/upcoming-events. If you plan to attend, please also notify the Social and Racial Justice Ministry at sc.socialracialjustice@gmail.com, so you can sit together, and have a debrief meeting afterwards. The Social & Racial Justice Ministry is looking for Planning Committee members who will commit to meet monthly, from May through December 2018, in order to coordinate the ministry's activities. us at sc.socialracialjustice@ gmail.com if you'd like to join the committee and attend our next monthly meeting on May 20th! There are many other ways to get involved in the ministry as well; you can us to learn more about the subcommittees, and we'll be sharing new ways to get in touch soon! Members of the Social and Racial Justice Ministry brainstorming during the first annual planning retreat. 9

10 Meet the Candidates for Parish Pastoral Council Carly Caminiti I absolutely love being on the Parish Council because it gives me a place to be more proactive about my dedication to this parish and to God. The most fulfilling initiative that I have helped move in the last three years on the council is the Social and Racial Justice Ministry. Through that, I have asked the council and other parishioners to assess the need for racial equity both within and outside of the church, as it is so tied to Catholic social teaching principles. With the renovation at our fingertips, I feel called to continue helping implement a new vision for our parish, one in which we open our doors to the most vulnerable in our midst. I hope to continue working with this incredible group of people who are so interested in what becomes of Saint Cecilia. Nancy Nee Hanifin My name is Nancy Nee Hanifin. I ve been a parishioner of Saint Cecilia for several years now. I arrived here after St. Lawrence in Brookline (where I taught CCD for 6 years,) was closed. When this happened I saw my opportunity to suss out the buzz that surrounded Saint Cecilia. I was not disappointed. The people, the music, the ministries, the joy: it is a very special place. I love the open, accepting and warm welcome that each individual entering the NAHthex receives. I d love to help, in whatever way I can, to continue that tradition as a member of the parish council. I am a graduate of Boston College. I am a mother of three Jesuit-educated kids (all at Fordham!) I am a wife of the most fabulous cabana boy (College of the Holy Cross) who has pulled me through my recent travails (hit by a car in November). I am a pilgrim who cherishes the roads to Santiago and Manresa and loves to share the joy found on these Ways by mentoring pilgrims from all over New England. I am an avid a cyclist who rides the PanMass Challenge every year to contribute to the amazing research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I am a daughter who was a witness to her mum s 20 year struggle with Alzheimer's and her father s slow death from prostate cancer. I am a niece who most recently tended to the last years of my uncle s life. But most of all I am grateful; grateful for all the gifts that I have received from my parents, my family and from many of you, and now, grateful for the opportunity to give back. 10

11 Mark Horan The first time I walked into Saint Cecilia, I knew something was different. At the time, I had been bouncing from parish to parish, never quite finding a home. My wife, who grew up in Kansas and is Presbyterian, also could not find a Boston church that felt right. But here at Saint Cecilia, we both felt the vibe, posted prominently at the church entrance: All are welcome. Today, our two-year-old daughter, who was baptized here, also feels the spirit. I am running for the Parish Council to give back to the place that welcomed me and my family and gave us a pastoral home. As a public affairs professional, I want to use my communications, strategic planning, and fundraising skills to help the parish realize it s ambitious goals to building an ever more vibrant community, to serve more people, and to spread the word that, indeed, all who seek God are welcome here. Linda Jenkins I am running for a seat on the Parish Council because I believe that my skills, education and experience will be useful in the work of bringing the current parish vision even more to life. Serving on the Adult Faith Formation Commission, helping to create and energize the Social and Racial Justice Ministry, I also love helping to provide childcare for our Young Families. These activities give me a sense of who we are now. I would like to help identify ways each and every current member can deepen our relationships with each other, in the Holy Spirit. And by doing that I believe we will simultaneously deepen and broaden the presence of the Triune One, attracting more to join us. I have practiced law, created and run both a solo law practice and a non-profit that implemented two restorative justice programs. I joined Saint Cecilia in Amy Paulin Hello fellow parishioners. I have been a parishioner since 2010, and like so many of you, I quickly felt a sense of homecoming at Saint Cecilia. With great enthusiasm, I have served our parish, from greeting to Open Doors to food rescue for Catholic Charities. It is the time I spend with our young people, however, that truly fills my spirit. As a confirmation class teacher and a chaperone on the YNIA trips, I have the opportunity to spend sacred time with our youth. Playing a role in their spiritual development, no matter how small, is humbling. Saint Cecilia is a sanctuary where I have felt welcomed, and want to be sure that everyone reading this also feels that welcome. For three years, I served on the PPC, joyfully and gratefully representing our thriving parish. The past two years I acted as the PPC vice chair, helping to organize the council so that we could respond thoughtfully to many of our parish s most promising initiatives. It has truly been an honor to serve you all, and I am hopeful to continue my service on the PPC. 11

12 Camp COASA Join us for a week of learning, healing and fun! COASA (Children of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) at Robert F. Kennedy Children s Action Corps and the Laboure Center in South Boston are co-hosting a week-long summer program for children living with the stress of alcohol and/or other substance use disorders at home or within the family. July 16 - July 20, 2018 Laboure Center 275 West Broadway, South Boston, MA Children, ages 8-16 Morning session includes meditation and reflection and educational support groups teaching children about addiction, how to express and deal with their feelings, and how to develop coping skills. Afternoons will be spent on fun surprise adventures. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. * There is a required Family Night registration on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at 6:00 pm, at the Laboure Center for all those who wish to participate in the program. Pizza will be served. For more information or to sign up for the program, please contact Maureen McGlame at (617) or mmcglame@rfkchildren.org ASAP. There is no cost to attend this program.

13 SAINT CECILIA YOUNG ADULTS Upcoming events calendar Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup! Saturday, April 28 I 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Back Bay Fens (meet at 125 The Fenway) Join over 3,000 volunteers in picking up trash at sites along the Charles River while enjoying a spring morning in this amazing event organized by the Charles River Watershed Association. T-shirts for the first 10 volunteers from SCYA! Followed by a picnic lunch. Dinner & Breakfast Service: New England Center and Home for Veterans Breakfast Service Sunday, April 29th 7:45 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Dinner Service Saturday, May 5th 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Help serve a meal to those who served you at the New England Center and Home for Veterans. Volunteers will be utilized both behind the line serving a prepared meal to the Veteran residents, assisting mobility-disabled Veterans with their trays and providing wait-staff support in the dining hall. English with Friends Friday Evenings 5:30 p.m. 6:45 p.m. Mission Grammar School (94 St. Alphonsus Street) The Community of Sant'Egidio, an international Catholic lay movement which is dedicated to peace, solidarity with the marginalized, prayer, and friendship, has recently started teaching free English classes to anyone interested. No prior experience teaching English required, just a friendly and flexible attitude and willingness to jump in! If committing every Friday is problematic, we welcome volunteers willing to help out from time to time. Please contact Dave directly at djsulewski@gmail.com ( ) for more details. Saint Cecilia Young Adults (SCYA) is for parishioners between the ages of 20 and 40 who are looking to explore their faith while meeting new people and building community. Group events fall into three categories: service, spirituality, and social fellowship. Event RSVPs and inquiries can be sent to scyoungadults@gmail. com. Event newsletters are distrbuted to all who sign-up at www. eepurl.com/b8bblr. The newsletters also offer young adults the chance to connect about housing vacancies, volunteer opportunities, job announcements, racial and social justice alerts, and suggestions for future events. Register today to not miss out on important SCYA information! Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Saturdays May 12 I 12:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m. The Barbara McInnis House 780 Albany Street One of BHCHP s services is providing medical respite care, short-term medical and recuperative services for homeless people who are far too sick for life in shelters but not sick enough to occupy a costly acute care hospital bed. Join us to do artsy things with the residents that truly enjoy the experience. RSVP for this is absolutely required. 13

14 ADULT FAITH FORMATION EVENTS CALENDAR Saint Cecilia Parish Bible Study: Women in the Bible Every Wednesday 6:30 8:00 p.m. Saint Cecilia Classroom 4 Join us Wednesday evenings for lively and prayerful discussions on the many women featured in the Bible. We will read passages about classic favorites such as Eve and Mary the Mother of God, but also lesser known, significant women of the Bible, such as Hagar, mother of Ishmael; Deborah and Judith, female judges of the Old Testament; and Miriam, Moses s faithful sister. We will touch on various themes and their connection to these Biblical women as well as to our own lives. Feel free to bring your Bibles and journals. No pre-registration required. Simply come as you are. The study is open to all men and women of the parish. The Immigrant as Evangelizer: Christian Faith, the Border, and the Option for the Poor May 8, :30 7:45 Saint Cecilia Parish Hall "A Faith That Does Justice" is pleased to present a workshop, The Immigrant as Evangelizer: Christian Faith, the Border, and the Option for the Poor. The workshop will be directed by Roberto S. Goizueta, PhD, and Margaret O Brien Flatley Professor Emeritus of Catholic Theology at Boston College. Admission is free and open to all. Registration requested at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry For further details or to register for an online course, please check their website: crossroads/courses/schedule.html The Spirituals: An African American Music Idiom and Its Relevance to Our Lives Today May 3, :00-8:30 p.m. Cadigan Alumni Center Atrium, Brighton Campus Registration Required Free of charge Presenters: Meyer Chambers and Rev. Oscar Pratt PAULIST CENTER BOSTON For further details on these events, please check their website: Prayer of Heart & Body Series: Yoga & Meditation in Christian Context Tuesdays (May 1, 8, 15 and 22) 5:30-7:15 p.m. $12 per session - $6 for students Registration forms available in the rack at the back of Paulist Center Chapel, or at reception office ( ). Instructor: Fr. Tom Ryan, CSP SAINT SUSANNA PARISH DEDHAM For further details on these presentations, please check their website: Attachments/aff_upcoming_programs_standard.pdf The Myths of Grief April 30, :00 9:00 p.m. Saint Susanna Parish Hall Professor Melissa Kelly Father Steve s Book Group May 7, 14 and 21, :00 9:00 p.m. Saint Susanna Parish Hall Father Steve Josoma, Pastor of Saint Susanna Parish will host a discussion of Father Gregory Boyle s Book, Barking to the Choir SACRED THREADS For further details on this event, please check their website: So Who Do You Think You Are? A Conversation with Maureen Walker, PHD May 6, :00 3:30 p.m. Sisters of Saint Joseph Motherhouse Chapel, 637 Cambridge Street, Brighton, MA Registration Required $40.00 (opens at 1:30 p.m.) Exploring the many voices about who matters, who deserves to be heard, and how to cultivate hope from increased awareness, respect, and compassion. 14

15 Household Names Junia, Phoebe, & Prisca in Early Christian Rome By MICHAEL PEPPARD Paul s letter to the Romans is arguably the most significant theological text in Christian history. The longest and most fully developed exposition of Paul s thought, it examines among other things the nature of God, the origin of sin, the means of salvation, the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, and matters of ethics and ritual. Many Christians have read it, in one form or another. But few readers focus on the end of the letter, where Paul greets almost thirty people in the nascent assemblies of Roman Christians. After all, it seems mostly like an ordinary exchange of pleasantries and commendations. But pay closer attention to whom Paul addresses and a surprise emerges: the status of women in the early church in Rome. Specifically, three women: Junia, Phoebe, and Prisca. They are not household names. They are not mentioned from pulpits on Sunday morning. But they were undeniably important to Paul and to the Christian assemblies in Rome and Corinth, where they were authoritative leaders. If you ve never heard of Junia, you can be forgiven; very little is known about her. Yet what we do know is remarkable. Paul greets Andronicus and Junia in Rome as my relatives and fellow prisoners, who are prominent among the apostles and were in Christ before me (Rom 16:7). The plain sense of the text suggests that this pair is probably a couple, biologically related to Paul in some way, converts to discipleship in Christ prior to Paul making them exceedingly early Christians indeed and also distinguished or outstanding among the apostles. In its etymological and everyday use, the Greek word apostolos meant one sent out or dispatched for a purpose. It was even used in such a way by Paul, about the messenger Epaphroditus (Phil 2:25). But outside the context of travel and delivery, the term usually denoted a person who had been sent out by Christ himself. This is why Mary Magdalene in Christian tradition came to be called the apostola apostolorum, the apostle to the apostles. As the first witness to the resurrected Jesus, she was dispatched by him with a message to the rest of his apostles. The very reason that Paul struggled to defend his own authority as an apostle was that he had not met or been commissioned by Jesus on earth, but only through a visionary experience of him as resurrected (e.g., 2 Cor 12:1-12). Why would so few of us know of a woman called apostle in first-century Rome? Junia was a victim of the Bible s manuscript tradition, in which she was erased from existence by her transition to a man named Junias. That saga of textual transmission has been expertly charted by Eldon Jay Epp in his book, Junia: The First Woman Apostle. Epp is among the leading scholars of textual criticism, which is the practice of discerning the when, how, and why of manuscript transmissions and edits. The Pontifical Biblical Commission defines it in positive terms as the first step of historical-critical method: Basing itself on the testimony of the oldest and best manuscripts, as well as of papyri, certain ancient versions and patristic texts, textual-criticism seeks to establish, according to fixed rules, a biblical text as close as possible to the original (The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church). Epp s arguments require knowledge of ancient Greek, but in short, his book persuasively demonstrates that the best reading of the oldest manuscript tradition is the feminine name Junia. The masculine Junias was introduced at a later date by copyists, if not intentionally then perhaps unintentionally due to a subconscious bias that someone called apostle would also be a man. To rediscover a prominent, distinguished, or outstanding woman apostle in early Christian Rome would on its own be a notable find. But there is much more to mine from Paul s greetings to Rome. Paul describes Phoebe at the beginning of his greetings, but she was not a native of the community in Rome. Rather, he commends her as a minister (diakonos) of the church at Cenchreae, the eastern harbor city of Corinth in Greece. She had been a benefactor (prostatis) to many, and to Paul as well. He urges the Romans to receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the holy ones (Romans 16:1-2). As in the case of Junia, interpreters of these facts about Phoebe have often downplayed their significance. One could minimize her status as deacon/minister by noting that these were incipient church offices, not the fully developed deacons of later centuries (see also Will the Church Get Women Deacons?, Commonweal, July 8, 2016). One could minimize the term prostatis by restricting it to only monetary support, as in the translation benefactor. And one might minimize Paul s letter of recommendation for her by assuming that he would say this about any Christian sister traveling on dangerous Roman roads. 15

16 But concerning all three of her attributes, a fuller reading of the evidence is warranted. Though it is probably true that she was not a deacon in the sense of later church offices, that is not a strike against her authoritative leadership. None of the church offices, including those ascribed to men, were clearly established and defined by the mid-first century. (In any case, the most important term of authority at that time was not bishop, presbyter, or deacon, but apostle, the title for which Paul fought so hard and the one which he presumed everyone in Rome knew Junia already had.) Archaeological evidence shows that some Christians of later centuries certainly viewed Phoebe as a forerunner of women deacons, in the official sense of the term. In their admirable Ordained Women in the Early Church, Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ, and Kevin Madigan catalog sixty-five ancient inscriptions about women deacons. The vast majority come from eastern Christian communities (Greece, Asia Minor, the Holy Land, Syria), while only a few come from Rome, Gaul, or North Africa. Yet the geographical breadth of the find spots (from modern-day France all the way to Syria) suggests that the diaconate of women was, while concentrated in the Christian East, not merely a regional peculiarity. Persuasive evidence is a stone found by workers at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem on December 8, 1903 (see also Women Deacons, Set in Stone, posted online at Commonweal, September 8, 2016). Probably dating from the fourth century, the Greek inscription translates as Here lies the slave and bride of Christ, Sophia, the deacon, the second Phoebe, who fell asleep in peace on March 21 during the eleventh indiction. The inscription s subsequent lines are broken or missing, which is unfortunate because one of them likely contains the name of a presbyter, which may have helped to date and situate the artifact. Inscriptions can be ambiguous in their meaning, just like texts transmitted through tradition can be. But we should not ignore that inscriptions were the primary public texts of the ancient Mediterranean world. They communicated values and priorities of communities. The prevalence of these inscriptions demonstrates that women s ordained leadership was not secretive or embarrassing. To the contrary and this may be the most important point many of the inscriptions display reverence for the female deacon named therein; after all, giving honor was the primary function of inscriptions. This particular example tells us that in the Holy Land of the fourth century certainly a significant time and place for the Christian tradition a real deacon named Sophia was acclaimed precisely by connection to her predecessor Phoebe. For the Christians who commissioned this public monument, the honorable status of women as deacons was set in stone. Back to the first-century Phoebe: a more powerful translation than benefactor for prostatis would also be more faithful to the Greek term in its social context. When used in the masculine form prostatês, its semantic range covers leader, ruler, presiding officer, administrator, protector, guardian, or patron. Certainly the possession of wealth and the concomitant powers of benefaction could be related to one s role as a leader, presider, or protector. But generosity alone does not capture the meaning of the term that Paul uses for Phoebe. What will be most revealing to casual readers of Romans is the historical meaning of Phoebe s third attribute: that Paul commends the Romans to receive her. There are only two interpretive options for this commendation, which is, lest we forget, the very reason that Paul mentions Phoebe in the first place. Either Phoebe has already left for Rome and Paul expects his letter to arrive before she does, or Phoebe herself is carrying the letter as its courier. As a historian of Christianity in the Roman Empire and a papyrologist of Greek letters, I think it is virtually certain that the second scenario is correct. Since no one but Roman military officials and other political administrators had access to the Roman mail system, regular folks like Paul had to rely on personal couriers. When ancient writers followed the conclusion of a letter with a commendation for a person, that person in this case, Phoebe was the courier. Paul trusted her, presumably accompanied by an entourage, to carry his most weighty theological letter from Greece to Rome. And since she was not yet known to the Roman Christian assemblies, Paul offers this note of commendation to vouch for her status. I am not alone in this assessment. In his 2005 essay, Phoebe, a Letter Courier, New Testament scholar Antti Marjanen refers to Phoebe s role as a scholarly consensus, summarizing the argument persuasively and spinning out some of its impact as well. To his treatment I would add one further piece of evidence from biblical manuscripts. In ancient writings, the title usually appeared at the end of a manuscript, not the beginning. Thus early manuscripts of the Gospel of Matthew conclude with according to Matthew, and early manuscripts of Romans end with simply to the Romans. These short texts (each of which we call a subscriptio) are rarely printed in our modern Bibles and even omitted from many scholarly versions of the Greek New Testament. For the letters of the New Testament, we can observe a scribal tendency to fill in more details over time, with later manuscripts expanding beyond the letter s destination to include also the letter s origin, scribe, or 16

17 courier. In the case of Romans, some manuscripts note that the letter was sent from Corinth and through Phoebe the deacon, while others say it was written through Tertius (the scribe, Romans 16:22) and sent through Phoebe. Now imagine Phoebe arriving in Rome, tracking down one of the nascent Christian assemblies, opening her satchel of scrolls, and producing Paul s letter. To whom did she give it? Tradition says that Peter was there, though he is not mentioned in Paul s greetings. But from scripture, we know for certain the names of the leaders of only one house-church in Rome at this time. In fact, Paul greets them in the very next line: Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the church that meets in their house (Romans 16:3). Prisca, also called Priscilla in the book of Acts, was the most important early Christian who is not a household name. Even taking the minimal interpretation of her significance, she and her evangelistic partner Aquila (probably her husband) were leaders at three of the main centers of early Christianity: playing host to Paul in Corinth (Acts 18), then later leading house-churches in Ephesus (1 Cor 16:19) and Rome (Rom 16:3-5). What s more, of the six times the pair is mentioned, Prisca s name is mentioned first four times. Recall, by contrast, the pair Andronicus and Junia, presumably also a couple, in which the man s name was listed first. In his 1992 article Prisca and Aquila: Traveling Tentmakers and Church Builders, Jerome Murphy-O Connor, O.P., argues that if we evaluate her prior position by secular standards, this would mean that she outranked Aquila in terms of social status or independent wealth; if by Christian criteria, this would mean she had been converted first or was more prominent in the life of the Church. The choice is not easy, but the balance of probability favors the second alternative. As a manual laborer (according to Acts), Prisca would almost certainly not have held wealth or high status. Moreover, Paul shows no signs of favoring such social status in his patterns of greeting. Murphy-O Connor realistically depicts Prisca and Aquila as a kind of advance evangelism team, whom Paul had met through trade in Corinth and with whom he developed a life-long kinship. The textual evidence and social context suggest that Prisca was among the top few leaders in Paul s orbit. Consider what else he says about her: Prisca is a co-worker in Christ Jesus, she risked her neck for Paul s life, and all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to her. Her aforementioned leadership at three early Christian centers explains the gratitude of all the churches, and her risking her neck likely suggests the dangers of ancient travel, combined with the ostracization occasioned by different religious attitudes (for example, refusal to participate in local temple activity at Corinth, Ephesus, or Rome). Even the term co-worker should not be overlooked: for Paul, the term worker or co-worker typically means evangelistic activity, such as the description of Prisca s teaching a certain man named Apollos about Christianity in Corinth (Acts 18:12). In Paul s greetings to Rome, five of the seven people described as workers are women. For those keeping score, that s five evangelistic workers and one apostle among the women Paul greets at Rome not counting the minister carrying the letter itself. In the modern sense, these women are not household names. But in the ancient sense of the household, a woman such as Prisca probably first found her leadership role in the early Christian movement through its deep roots in household metaphors and management. Margaret Y. MacDonald puts it well in her 1999 article Reading Real Women Through the Undisputed Letters of Paul : The fact that the group [of early Christians] functioned practically in much the same way as an extended household (the domain traditionally associated with women) has led to a good deal of speculation about how this facilitated the involvement of women in Pauline Christianity. The household base of the movement may have enabled women to turn community leadership into an extension of their roles as household managers. In other words, women were usually in charge of domestic space, which was the very space where Christians met in the first century. And the first household name we have for a house-church in Rome is the name of a woman, Prisca. Thus when Phoebe arrived in Rome with Paul s letter, it was into Prisca s hand she most likely placed the scroll. Prisca had known Paul for years, and she was one of his most trusted partners, just as Phoebe was a trusted courier. So when we envision the very first discussion of the letter to the Romans, both scriptural and historical evidence suggest the same thing: it was women who were doing the talking. ~ Michael Peppard is associate professor of theology at Fordham University and on the staff of its Curran Center for American Catholic Studies. He dedicates this article to Elizabeth Johnson on the occasion of her retirement. Research was funded by a grant to the Theology department from Mrs. Rita L. Houlihan. 17

18 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 Mary Kaye, Pastoral Director of Operations, Mark Donohoe, Pastoral Associate for Administration, Scott J. MacDonald, Director of Faith Formation and Parish Visibility, Jeanne Bruno, Chaplain, Pastoral Associate, Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach, Richard J. Clark, Director of Music and Organist, Lisa Pickering, Events and Facilities Manager, Leah Bennett, Administrative Coordinator, Assisting Clergy Rev. Erick Berrelleza, SJ Rev. Peter Grover, OMV Rev. Peter Gyves, SJ Rev. James Shaughnessy, SJ Schedule for Liturgy Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 8:00 a.m. Lord s Day Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:00, 9:30, 11:15 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. Holy Days 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Reconciliation The sacrament of reconciliation is available by appointment. Please call the Parish Office. 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. Baptism for Infants Infant baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. For more information, please contact Mark Donohoe in the Parish Office. 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), Letitia Howland (l_howland@hotmail. com), or Erin Young (erin.t.young@gmail.com) if you have any questions or concerns. The Archdiocese of Boston has in place a vigorous program to protect children from harm and to educate its ministers and faithful about the nature of abuse, with a goal of increasing knowledge, creating a safe environment for children, and recognizing and reporting potentially dangerous situations. The full text of the policy is also available in the narthex and Parish Office, as well as on our website. For Those with Celiac Disease If you have celiac disease, please let us know. We have a supply of low-gluten altar bread available for those who cannot tolerate gluten. Hearing Assistance in Church The church is equipped with an FM listening device. Small receivers are available for anyone who may have trouble hearing the sound system. Simply request a receiver from any one of our greeters before Mass. Access for the Disabled Both the church and Parish Pastoral Center are accessible by elevator. Parking There is reduced rate parking for $11.00 at the Hynes Auditorium Garage located on Dalton Street on Sundays until 3:00 p.m. and every evening after 4:00 p.m. Please be sure to ask one of our greeters for a parking validation ticket before leaving the church. There is also reduced rate parking on Sundays only at the Prudential Center South Garage (enter at Huntington Avenue or Dalton Street); up to 4 hours: $14.00, up to 5 hours: $ 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 narthex.. No matter what your background, please know that you are always welcome at Saint Cecilia. 18