Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. 16 October Les Iris (detail) Van Gogh (1889)

Transcription

1 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time 16 October 2016 Les Iris (detail) Van Gogh (1889)

2 welcome! Welcome to Saint Cecilia Parish, a Roman Catholic community that gathers day by day, week by week, to know and make known the grace of God. By means of this abundant grace, we enjoy a diverse and close-knit parish family young, old, rich, poor, of various ethnic origins and differing backgrounds. From our extraordinary music program to a growing children s faith formation program; from the various liturgical ministries to the many opportunities for social outreach that the parish provides, Saint Cecilia is a vibrant community of faith, centered on prayer and worship that tries to keep the Gospel close to heart and to live by Jesus teachings. Saint Cecilia Parish was established in At that time the Back Bay section of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street was the residential section of the Yankee aristocracy. The maids ( Irish working out girls ) and coachmen who served these residents had long requested a church of their own. When Archbishop Williams granted their request and carved the parish from the territory of the Cathedral, they built a magnificent church out of their meager earnings. The church was dedicated on April 22, Its architecture is Romanesque, XII Century Norman. The main altar, notable for its massive simplicity, was carved from a single block of white Carrara marble. The painting in the center reredos is a reproduction of da Vinci s The Last Supper, and the dome above is an array of 24K gold rosettes. For the sixtieth anniversary celebration in 1954, a massive renovation project was undertaken. During this renovation, a statue of Pope Saint Pius X (canonized that same year) was imported from Italy and placed on the right side of the sanctuary. Above the statue are paintings from Pius life. On the left side is a statue of Saint Patrick, principal patron of the Archdiocese of Boston, and above it are three scenes from his life. Fourteen circular and sixteen square panels adorn the nave and arches of the church. The square panels are decorated with the symbols of Our Lady taken from the Litany of Loreto and the circular ones with symbols taken from the lives of the apostles. The great window of the Assumption framed by the two oak cases of the organ was installed in 1954 (the Marian Year) in spaces originally designed for windows but not until then used. The original organ of 24 stops was built in 1902 by the Hutchings-Votey Organ Company, Opus 1465, and was rebuilt in 1954 with 32 stops. In 1998, Timothy Smith and Theodore Gilbert began a massive reconstruction of the organ. The current Smith & Gilbert Organ of 4 manuals, 50 ranks, and 2,926 pipes was dedicated on the Feast of Saint Cecilia, November 22, Today we are experiencing something of an awakening within these old walls. We recently completed a major renovation, our numbers are increasing, and we continue to grow in our commitment to issues of peace, justice, and service to our neighbors, both near and far. We ve been right here on Belvidere Street, in the same building for 127 years, but that does not mean that life here is stale, stagnant, or even predictable. We are proud to be entrusted with the legacy of Saint Cecilia Parish, where everything is the same, yet always changing; where we honor tradition while embracing the future; where God s love makes all things new.

3 our community news Ministers of the Liturgy Saturday 5:00 p.m. Rev. Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrant Laura Andromalos, lector Sunday 8:00 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Bob Mann, lector Sunday 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Will Kelly, Michele Maniscalco, & Mary Kane, lectors Sunday 11:15 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Chika Offururm, Cathy Anderson, & Rosemary Walker, lectors special intention Saturday, October 15 5:00 p.m. Catherine Aylward, Memorial Sunday, October 16 9:30 a.m. Mary Magdalen O'Connor Murphy, 20th Anniversary Sunday, October 16 9:30 a.m. Angelo Valente, Memorial Sunday, October 2 6:00 p.m. Sunday, October 16 11:15 a.m. TJ Baudanza, 1st Anniversaryy Sunday, September 25 9:30 a.m. John S. Drabik, Eighth Anniversary Sun- day, Sep- weekly FOOD DONATIONS tember First featured donation item is: 25 CEREAL! Sunday 6:00 p.m. Rev. Erick Berrelleza, SJ, celebrant Laura Melle and Nikko Mendoza, lectors today s readings Exodus 17: Timothy 3:14-4:2 Luke 18:1-8 Second featured donation item is: PASTA SAUCE! next sunday s Readings Sirach 35:12-14, Timothy 4:6-8, Luke 18:9-14 Donations of featured items are preferred as these are more popular among Catholic Charities clients. Please leave food donations in the narthex baskets. 11:15 a.m. 3

4 Prayers & Occasions Our Sick Please pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Annette Kulas, Anthony Simboli, Anne Frenette Handly, Roséa Aubrey, Owen Kyes, Pilar Estrada, Mildred McLaughlin, Pam Phillips, Brenna Smith, Michalina Maniscalco, Michael Patrick Kelly, Mark Anderson, Bill Downing, Skyler Stevenson, Silvana Franco, Silvia Basagni, Brian Donnelly, Theresa Wier, Bill Ahern, Lena Bryant, Kenny Borum, Kevin, George Driscoll, Mary Curley, Bill Pennington, Bryan Thomas, Joanne DeMare, Rachel Fitzgerald, Bob Carroll, John Morris, Mark Edward McHugh, Jean Hughes, Laura Bellias, Angelo Valente, Eugenia Valente, Betty Sellers, Jack Kacewicz, Daniel Grapski, Nancy Wolterman, Callie Boyce, Bill Croke, Mary Chisholm, Brian Burdette, Chuck Christian, John Pelletier, Tim Postma, Mary Jane Duggan, Maureen Kelly, Mary Maciora, Stephanie Brown, Scott Costigan, Bob Butler, Mary Dupont, Mary Jacobs, Mary Goodrow, Francesca Stanizzi, Hilary Dillon, Paul Lakschewitz, John Crozier, Pam Phillips and Meredith Deignan. Welcome to Saint Cecilia! We are pleased to welcome the following new members of our parish who have recently registered: Nicole Montalvo and Troy Crichlow of South Boston, Matthew Brady of Salem, Bob Price of Wellesley, the Wong Family of Chestnut Hill, Kathleen Ligget of Boston, and Kathleen Crozier of Quincy. If you have not previously registered with the parish, there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you can register online at Parish Ministry Fair Our annual Parish Ministry Fair will take place next Sunday, October 23. All of our parish ministries will be represented and there will be an opportunity to sign-up to participate in or learn more about our many parish ministries. To learn more beforehand, please visit our parish website. Special Collection This Weekend Cardinal Seán has authorized a special collection this weekend to support the relief effort in Haiti in the wake of the utter devastation wreaked by Hurricane Matthew last week. Your generosity is very much appreciated. Second Collection Next Weekend Next Sunday is World Mission Sunday. The second collection supports Catholic 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 1,150 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 for the Propagation of the Faith a Pontifical Mission Society. Please visit org for more information. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:

5 Pie Sellers Needed! As part of our on-going relationship with Community Servings, we are looking for parishioners willing to assist with their annual Pie in the Sky fundraiser. Every Thanksgiving pie sold for $30 feeds a Community Servings client in Eastern Massachusetts suffering with a life-threatening illness for one week. The delicious pies apple, pecan, pumpkin, and sweet potato are baked by some of the best local restaurant chefs and caterers and are the perfect dessert for your Thanksgiving table. If you are willing to help sell pies at Saint Cecilia liturgies as well as to your friends and colleagues, please Mark Lippolt at mlippolt@hammondre.com. OUR BULLETIN: IT'S BLACK AND WHITE (AND COLOR) AND READ ALL OVER We appreciate the financial support of the individuals and companies who advertise weekly in our bulletin. Their ads have enabled us to expand and enhance the bulletin in the past year with no additional cost to the parish and we hope that you will continue to patronize our advertisers. If you know of a local business, attorney, accountant or store that would like information about becoming an advertiser in the Saint Cecilia bulletin, please contact Scott MacDonald at or smacdonald@stceciliaboston.org DRIVERS NEEDED Each month parishioners have the opportunity to pick up donated meat, dairy products, and produce from three local supermarkets and deliver it to either Catholic Charities' Haitian Multi-Service Center in Dorchester or the Pine Street Inn in the South End. This vital ministry takes place at 7:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday morning and on Sundays can be completed in time to attend the 9:30 parish Mass. We need drivers for all the Saturdays and Sundays in October. COMMONWEAL READERS GROUP "What is a Fair Price for Life Saving Medicine?" That is the topic that will be discussed at the next Commonweal Readers Group Meeting, which will take place next Sunday afternoon, October 16 in CL4 at 1:00. The discussion will be based on the article, "Patients Before Profits" from the July 8 issue of Commonweal, the prestigious Catholic periodical staffed entirely by lay Catholics. This discussion is open to all members of the parish, but we ask that you please read the article prior to the meeting. The article can be found at Worldwide Marriage Encounter The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens. Let us serve God willingly by strengthening, renewing and rekindling our marriages by participating in a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next WWME Weekends are Dec 2-4, 2016 in Duxbury, MA and Jan 20-22, 2017 in Duxbury, MA. For more information, call Stephen & Michelle O'Leary at or visit us at 5 A CONVERSATION As transgender issues surface in our communities, many people have questions and/or concerns. How can we as Church navigate the complex questions of gender and sexuality as Christian people of reconciliation? Join the Paulist Center for a conversation about the lived realities of transgender people and how individuals and the Church can respond to them with love and support in the Year of Mercy and beyond. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and insights to this space of dialogue. This conversation will occur next Saturday, October 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Paulist Center. A pizza lunch will be provided and participants are invited to make a free will donation. In order that the Paulist Center will know how much food to have, please rsvp by ing fiveparkst@aol.com. This invitation is extended only to parishioners of Saint Cecilia and Saint Anthony's Shrine.

6 Sponsor a Member of the Orchestra! SAINT CECILIA DAY OF CELEBRATION Since our parish is under the patronage of Saint Cecilia, it is our joyful task to celebrate her feast each year in a special way. Last year, the choir, accompanied by a chamber orchestra, performed Gabriel Fauré's Requiem. It was presented free of charge and open to all. This year's celebration will be on Friday, November 18 when the choir will perform the Requiem by John Rutter, a work both modern and prayerfully transcendent. The happy success of the endeavor was due in no small part to the attendance of so many of all ages. It is the hope of the Music Ministry that this will be the hallmark of this special work and that it will continue as an annual event. You can listen to last year's performance at We intend to keep this annual event FREE for all. Last year we were blessed by a large donation made by a parishioner whose contribution helped realize the fuller performance. This year, we invite your support by donating any amount, great or small. Here are some ways you can help: $1-$199 helps us to hear beautiful music and pay for scores for the choir $200-$300 helps sponsor a member of the orchestra $400 helps rent the orchestral music $1,000 helps sponsor the woodwind section $2,000 helps sponsor the string section Write a check made out to Saint Cecilia Parish with the word RUTTER in the memo. You can also mail it to Saint Cecilia Parish, c/o Richard Clark, Director of Music. But most important of all, please come to the concert! Bring friends. Bring your family! If you cannot come or are unable to make a donation, we ask above all that you pray for our music ministry, so that we may continue to serve God and the community. 6 Archdiocesan Justice convocation Join parishes from around the Archdiocese of Boston to learn more about Catholic Social Teaching in relation to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and celebrate the work for justice going on. One of the keynote addresses will be given by Dr. James O'Connell, Founder and President of Boston Health Care for the Homeless. The convocation will be on Saturday, November 5 from 8:00 a. m. to 1:30 p. m. and will be held at Boston College High School on Morrissey Boulevard. Registration is $20 and you can register online at com/hbq6u9w. New Choir Members Needed We are in need of new choir members for our morning choirs, as well as for our 6pm choir. If you have a musical talent to share with the community, we would love to have you join us. We look forward to hearing from you! Please stop by and see Richard Clark after mass, call him at or RClark@stceciliaboston. org. You can also find more information about our music ministry at Lecture: The Catholic Voter and the Signs of the Times BOSTON COLLEGE OCTOBER 19 Corcoran Commons, Heights Room Chestnut Hill Campus Vatican II's "Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World" encouraged believers to read the "signs of the times" in order to discern where God is to be found in the world and how we are to respond. This electoral season can be read as revealing a number of significant social issues that ought to be considered as Catholic citizens go to the voting booths. The lecture will feature Kenneth Himes, OFM, on Wednesday, October 19, 5:30 p.m. in the Heights Room at Corcoran Commons at Boston College, Chestnut Hill.

7 NEWS FOR YOUNG FAMILIES PRESENT & EXPECTING AND THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HELP THEM If you are a parent of a child younger than four years of age, please consider joining our growing Young Families group! We currently meet monthly between the 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. liturgies for fellowship and mutual support as we navigate the ups and downs of life with young children. The best way to stay in touch is to join our listserv if you're not on it already, Erin at erin.ramsey.1@gmail.com. If you are expecting a child in the coming months and would be interested in connecting with other expecting parents, we want to hear from you. Please Sarah Donohue (sarahelliottgoodale@gmail.com) for more information and details on an upcoming social for expecting parents. WISDOM AND MATURE SPIRITUALITY GROUP Who are we? We are a group of men and women in the second half of life who interested in growing spiritually as we reflect on our interior life. We are always happy to welcome new members to our meetings. Please join us today, Sunday, October 16, at 9:30 in the Parish Pastoral Center where we will discuss and pray about simplicity. We will also have centering prayer led by our group. THE WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER The annual Spaghetti Dinner gala to benefit the day shelter on Newbury Street will be held this Friday, October 21 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and a live auction at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to join the Saint Cecilia table at the event, please Mark Lippolt at mlippolt@hammondre. com. Tickets are $250 each. The WLP is also looking for folks who would like to purchase full tables or serve as a table captain. Calling all Cooks! Do you enjoy cooking? Might you occasionally be able to contribute a meal to a family who would truly benefit from it? Our growing Young Families group is looking for parishioners who would be willing to prepare and deliver meals to parents welcoming a new child into their families. This is a flexible commitment that allows you to participate as much or as little as your schedule allows. If you are interested, please Aubrey Hartnett (aubreymarie.cc@gmail.com) for more information. Childcare Helpers Needed Do you enjoy spending time with babies and toddlers? The newly-formed Saint Cecilia Young Families group is looking to form a team of parishioners to help with childcare during their monthly parent meetings. Ideally, the slots would be staffed on a rotating basis, with each team member only needing to help once every 2-3 months. The parent meetings take place one Sunday per month following the 9:30 Mass. If interested, please contact Valerie at Valerie.diment@gmail.com. 7 Music for food From Bach to Berio Next Sunday, October 23, Music for Food is hosting a concert at 7:30 p.m. in Brown Hall at the New England Conservatory. The popular works of J.S. Bach, J. Brahms, L. Berio, and W.A. Mozart will be featured. Come and enjoy a musical evening with great food and good friends. All proceeds benefit The Women's Lunch Place. Visit for more details.

8 saint cecilia parish SAINT JOSEPH PREP OPEN HOUSE Saint Joseph Prep in Boston, a co-ed Catholic, independent school for 270 young people in grades 9-12, will hold an Open House on Sunday, October 23 between 1-4 pm. Sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston, the school features an excellent academic program, small class size and personal attention, individualized college counseling and SAT/ACT Prep, Chapel Speaking and Advisor Programs, extensive athletic opportunities, and newly renovated Science Labs and Learning Commons. Transportation, scholarships and financial aid are available. Visit for more information. PRISON AND AFTER Every Monday night the Prison and After Committee hosts an evening of discussion and dinner for men who have recently been released from a prison or jail. If you have served time, please join us. All you need to do is come to the Parish Pastoral Center entrance on St. Cecilia Street between 5:45 and 6:00. For more information, please scprisonandafter@gmail.com or call welcoming the stranger Many of us were moved on hearing that Pope Francis, while visiting a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, brought twelve Syrian Muslims back to the Vatican with him on the papal plane. The Pope addressed the refugees and said, "As people of faith, we wish to join our voices to speak out on your behalf. We hope that the world will heed these scenes of tragic and indeed desperate need, and respond in a way worthy of our common humanity." Inspired by the Pope's words and actions, Saint Cecilia parish is working with Catholic Charities to assist two Muslim Syrian families who have relocated to the Greater Boston area. With no friends or relatives in the United States, they have a great many needs. At this point in time, the parish has offered to provide them with supermarket gift cards so that they will have food while their applications for political asylum are processed. If you would like to purchase gift cards to Market Basket specifically and no more than $25 per card please feel free to drop them in the offertory basket. If you do not live near a Market Basket and cannot purchase a gift card, you can also help by making a check for $25 payable to Saint Cecilia Parish and putting it in the offertory. Please write Syrian Refugees in the memo line. weekly drop-in meditations Every Tuesday I 7:00 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) Parish Hall, Classroom 1 Join our ever-growing group of people new and old to meditate. We'll explain how it's done, meditate for 20 minutes, read a scriptural reading, and then have a 20 minute discussion. Come on by! Boston Healthcare for the Homeless October 29 I 12-4 p.m. The Barbara McInnis House 780 Albany St 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. We go and do artsy things with the residents and they totally love it. RSVP for this is absolutely required. Send an to scyoungadults@gmail.com. Prison and After Ministry October 17 I 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. A team of six volunteers is needed to bring large quantities of food to feed men who are getting on their feet after prison. Haley House Volunteers Needed Various dates and times in October 12 Dade Street, Roxbury and 23 Dartmouth St, Boston Haley House is in need of volunteers throughout the month of October, with 30 meal shifts to be filled with 4-5 volunteer slots each. If you are interested and have a flexible schedule for various shifts between 5:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. to serve at the Soup Kitchen, Elder Lunch, or Community Tables this month, please contact Eric Martin at emartin@haleyhouse.org. SAINT CECILIA YOUNG ADULTS Saint Cecilia Young Adults ministry welcomes parishioners ages RSVP and more when you type URL: eepurl.com/bbbblr 8

9 saint cecilia parish ST. BONIFACE HAITI FOUNDATION ANNUAL GALA The St. Boniface Haiti Foundation is hosting their Annual Gala on October 25 at the Newton Marriott, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Co-chaired by Barrie Landry, Beth Floor, and Father John Unni, this event honors the hard work and dedication of both our staff in Haiti, as well as our kind and generous supporters across the country. The evening will feature co-speakers Drs. Miliane Clermont, Luther Ward, and Lynn Black. Please visit haitihealth.org/ gala for more details or to purchase tickets. SPIRITUAL LIFE YOGA One definition of yoga is "to join together." Join us for a yoga class to join together your breath and movement, grounding yourself in the present moment. Use this practice to honor your mind, body, and spirit. We will move through an all levels yoga class, with specific attention to breath and alignment. No previous yoga experience is necessary. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and should bring a water bottle and a yoga mat. Other props will be provided. Classes will be take place from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be held in CL5 on the following Sundays: October 16 November 13 December 4 If you have any questions or would like to reserve a spot, please fellow parishioner and yoga instructor Amy Aubrecht at aubrecht.amy@gmail.com. Drop-ins are welcome provided that space is available. There is no fee for this class, but donations will be gratefully accepted. catholic memorial open house Catholic Memorial School is hosting its annual Open House today from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for the Middle School Program and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the High School Program. There will be student-led tours and the opportunity to meet faculty, staff, coaches, students, and parents who will be available to discuss programs and to respond to questions. Visit Catholic Memorial School on-line at or call the Admissions Office at JRS Lampedusa Concert Tour BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC OCTOBER 16 Grammy award winning artists Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Steve Earle, and Buddy Miller lead a roster of musicians for the Lampedusa Concert Tour, benefitting Jesuit Refuge Services in support of the organization s Global Education Initiative launched in 2015 and endorsed by Pope Francis. JRS/USA is on the frontline helping the most vulnerable among the more than 60 million people who have been forced from their homes due to war, conflict, or natural disaster. JRS works in more than 45 countries worldwide to meet the educational, health and social needs of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. Everyone s journey starts someplace, and for too many it s landing ashore the small Italian island of Lampedusa off the coast of Sicily. The concert is tonight at 8:00 p.m. an easy segue from our 6:00 Mass! Tickets can be purchased at the Berklee Box Office 136 Mass Ave, or from edu/events. You can find more info about JRS at www. jrusa.org/lampedusa. To meet up with a Saint Cecilia s contingent of concert goers, susan_donnelly@harvard.edu. ARCHDIOCESAN JUSTICE CONVOCATION Join parishes from around the Archdiocese of Boston to learn more about Catholic Social Teaching in relation to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and celebrate the work for justice going on. One of the keynote addresses will be given by Dr. James O'Connell, Founder and President of Boston Health Care for the Homeless. The convocation will be on Saturday, November 5 from 8:00 a. m. to 1:30 p. m. and will be held at Boston College High School on Morrissey Boulevard. Registration is $20 and you can register online at hbq6u9w. 9

10 The Power of Kindness By SUSANA MCCOLLOM It is important to say what hope is not: it is not the belief that everything was, is or will be fine. The evidence is all around us of tremendous suffering and destruction. The hope I am interested in is about broad perspectives with specific possibilities, ones that invite or demand that we act. So wrote Rebecca Solnit in July 2016, in an essay titled, Hope is an embrace of the unknown. I return to Solnit s writing again and again, and to particular this column, because for me it articulates the inseparable relationship between contemplation and hope. In the piece, Solnit quotes Belgium essayist Maria Popova: Critical thinking without hope is cynicism, but hope without critical thinking is naivety. I d like to take Popova s thinking further. Without contemplation hope is stagnant, but hope that partners with contemplation activates transformation. The key to living with hope is not maintaining a hapless optimism that denies painful realities. Rather, it is a willingness to face the unknown. This may involve turning toward our own ugly histories, both individual and collective, in order to change the story moving forward. And that may be painful. But despair that we cannot possibly move beyond the shame of our wrongdoing, or fear and oppression is a lie. Contemplative practice and spiritual direction ministry create safe places for individuals to turn toward painful stories to activate transformation. The writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, whose memoir Between The World and Me won the National Book Award in 2015, writes in The Atlantic that something that went very wrong, long ago, with law enforcement, something that we are scared to see straight. That something has very little to do with the officer on the beat and everything to do with ourselves. In his column, Coates calls for American communities to look closely at policies created through a democratic process that ultimately lead to systemic violence and oppression for people of color and those in poverty. By doing so, he compels readers to take the microscope off of police officers and instead look at themselves. The message is one of mutual accountability, acknowledging that violence in policing is a symptom of a broader sickness, not its cause. While writing this essay on practicing hope amidst despair, on spiritual direction s role in a seemingly destructive and violent world, a friend called my attention to the Dakota Access Pipeline protesters. A sign she photographed read: We Are Protectors, We Are Prayerful and Peaceful, Isms have no place here, We Are Non-violent, Respect Locals, We Are Proud to Stand No Mask, No Weapons. The sign, to me, was a hopeful one literally and figuratively. It illustrates a daring to stand in the face of fear and violence, and hope for a better conclusion than history demonstrates. Instances of violence erupting against the #NoDAPL demonstrators should give all Americans pause. This situation demands a more complicated and accurate telling of our nation s history, a retelling that acknowledges the legacy of destruction systematically enacted on indigenous peoples while maintaining a stubborn gladness that our future can, and will, be better than our past. Because hope points to something greater, and yet unknown, it can transform pain from what could be opposing places into an opportunity for mutual connection. In her essay, Solnit quotes theologian Walter Brueggemann: Memory produces hope in the same way that amnesia produces despair. Hope is necessary for action. Yet a transformed future demands contemplation, as well. (Article continues on page 11) 10

11 (Article continues from page 10) She goes on to say, We can tell a more complicated and accurate story, one that has room for the best and worst, for atrocities and liberations, for grief and jubilation. Rebecca Solnit, Maria Popova, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Walter Brueggemann represent cultural figures who model broad perspectives with specific possibilities, ones that invite or demand that we act. Hope is necessary for action. Yet a transformed future demands contemplation, as well. The collective turmoil people experience during political uncertainty, systemic oppression, and natural disasters have potential to unlock deep places of human connection. When collectively we are at our worst, let us look back at what we ve overcome and remember our deep connection to one another into the future. Contemplative practice is the figurative room in which we experience the freedom to remember and courage to respond. It is what it means to have hope as a spiritual practice. A Prayer for Haiti Most Holy Creator God, Lord of heaven and earth, we bring before you today your people of Haiti. It is You who set in motion the stars and seas, You who raised up the mountains of the Massif de la Hotte and Pic La Selle. It is You who made her people in your very image: Their gregarious hearts and generous spirits, their hunger and thirst for righteousness and liberty. It is you, O Lord, who planted the rhythms of konpa, Twoubadou, and zouk in the streets of Cite-Soleil; You who walk the paths outside of Jacmel and Hinche. Your people, O Lord, cry out to you. Haiti, O Haiti: The world s oldest black republic, the second-oldest republic in the Western world. God, You are the One who answers the cries of the suffering. You are a God who sees, frees, and redeems your people. I too have heard the moaning of my people, you spoke to Moses. Now, Lord, speak again to Chanté, Agwe, Nadege, and Jean Joseph. Speak now, O Lord, and comfort Antoine, Jean-Baptiste, Toto, and Djakout. Raise up your people from the ash heap of destruction and give them strong hearts and hands, shore up their minds and spirits. Help them to bear this new burden. As for us, Lord, we who are far away from the rubble and the flood, from the sobbing and moans, but who hold them close in our hearts, imbue us with the strength of Simon the Cyrene. Help us to carry the Haitian cross. Show us how to lighten their yoke with our prayers, our aid, our resources. Teach us to work harder for justice in our own country and dignity in Haiti, so that we may stand with integrity when we hold our Haitian families in our arms once again. We ask this in the name of Jezikri, Jesus Christ. Amen. 11

12 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 Leadership Development, Jeanne Bruno, Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach, Richard J. Clark, Director of Music and Organist, Lisa Pickering, Events and Facilities Manager, Megan Riggle, Business and Marketing Coordinator, Assisting Clergy Rev. Erick Berrelleza, SJ Rev. Arthur M. Calter Rev. Peter Grover, OMV 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. Liturgy of the Hours Evening Prayer and Morning Prayer, as announced. Please check the bulletin for dates and times. Reconciliation Available at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine ( x221), St. Francis Chapel in the Prudential Center ( ), and St. Anthony Shrine ( ). Please call for scheduled times. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the communal process through which non-baptized men and women become members of the Catholic Church. It is also suitable for those baptized in different faith traditions who are interested in becoming Catholic, or, for those who were baptized Catholic, but have yet to receive the sacraments of eucharist and confirmation. For more information, please contact Scott MacDonald. Faith Formation for Children To register your child for our Faith Formation Program, please contact Scott MacDonald. 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. Baptism for Infants Infant baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. For more information, please contact Mark Donohoe. Marriage Couples who wish to prepare for marriage should contact Mark Donohoe in the parish office at least six months in advance. Order of Christian Funerals The parish is prepared to celebrate the Vigil (wake) in the church. Please contact the parish office for more information. Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team The CAP Team is responsible for training all parish staff and volunteers in mandated reporting laws and the Protecting God s Children program (VIRTUS). They also provide consultation and support to anyone in the parish who has concerns about reporting child abuse and neglect. Please contact Lois Flaherty (loisflaherty@gmail.com), Maria Roche (maria.roche15@gmail.com), Letitia Howland (l_howland@hotmail. com), or Erin Young (erin.t.young@gmail.com) if you have any questions or concerns. The Archdiocese of Boston has in place a vigorous program to protect children from harm and to educate its ministers and faithful about the nature of abuse, with a goal of increasing knowledge, creating a safe environment for children, and recognizing and reporting potentially dangerous situations. The full text of the policy is also available in the narthex and parish office, as well as on our website. For Those with Celiac Disease If you have celiac disease, please let us know. We have a supply of low-gluten altar bread available for those who cannot tolerate gluten. Hearing Assistance in Church The church is equipped with an FM listening device. Small receivers are available for anyone who may have trouble hearing the sound system. Simply request a receiver from any one of our greeters before Mass. Access for the Disabled The church is accessible by elevator. Sunday Parking There is reduced rate parking for $11.00 at the Hynes Auditorium Garage located on Dalton Street (next to Summer Shack/Kings) 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 Mass. Discounted parking is no longer available at the Hilton Boston Back Bay, but reduced-rate parking continues to be available 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: $ Saint Cecilia Rainbow Ministry Saint Cecilia Rainbow Ministry is a GLBTQ community at Saint Cecilia. For more information, contact stceciliarainbowministry@gmail.com. Joining Our Community We re happy that you re with us! Our community offers a warm, spiritual home for a diverse group of Catholics. We come from many neighborhoods in and around Boston but also have parishioners from as far afield as Marlborough, Newburyport, and Stow. Please introduce yourself to a staff member, drop in for coffee on Sunday, or fill out a new parishioner form in the narthex. 12

13 welcome! Welcome to Saint Cecilia Parish, a Roman Catholic community that gathers day by day, week by week, to know and make known the grace of God. By means of this abundant grace, we enjoy a diverse and close-knit parish family young, old, rich, poor, of various ethnic origins and differing backgrounds. From our extraordinary music program to a growing children s faith formation program; from the various liturgical ministries to the many opportunities for social outreach that the parish provides, Saint Cecilia is a vibrant community of faith, centered on prayer and worship that tries to keep the Gospel close to heart and to live by Jesus teachings. Saint Cecilia Parish was established in At that time the Back Bay section of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street was the residential section of the Yankee aristocracy. The maids ( Irish working out girls ) and coachmen who served these residents had long requested a church of their own. When Archbishop Williams granted their request and carved the parish from the territory of the Cathedral, they built a magnificent church out of their meager earnings. The church was dedicated on April 22, Its architecture is Romanesque, XII Century Norman. The main altar, notable for its massive simplicity, was carved from a single block of white Carrara marble. The painting in the center reredos is a reproduction of da Vinci s The Last Supper, and the dome above is an array of 24K gold rosettes. For the sixtieth anniversary celebration in 1954, a massive renovation project was undertaken. During this renovation, a statue of Pope Saint Pius X (canonized that same year) was imported from Italy and placed on the right side of the sanctuary. Above the statue are paintings from Pius life. On the left side is a statue of Saint Patrick, principal patron of the Archdiocese of Boston, and above it are three scenes from his life. Fourteen circular and sixteen square panels adorn the nave and arches of the church. The square panels are decorated with the symbols of Our Lady taken from the Litany of Loreto and the circular ones with symbols taken from the lives of the apostles. The great window of the Assumption framed by the two oak cases of the organ was installed in 1954 (the Marian Year) in spaces originally designed for windows but not until then used. The original organ of 24 stops was built in 1902 by the Hutchings-Votey Organ Company, Opus 1465, and was rebuilt in 1954 with 32 stops. In 1998, Timothy Smith and Theodore Gilbert began a massive reconstruction of the organ. The current Smith & Gilbert Organ of 4 manuals, 50 ranks, and 2,926 pipes was dedicated on the Feast of Saint Cecilia, November 22, Today we are experiencing something of an awakening within these old walls. We recently completed a major renovation, our numbers are increasing, and we continue to grow in our commitment to issues of peace, justice, and service to our neighbors, both near and far. We ve been right here on Belvidere Street, in the same building for 127 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.

14 our community news Ministers of the Liturgy Saturday 5:00 p.m. Rev. Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrant Laura Andromalos, lector Sunday 8:00 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Bob Mann, lector Sunday 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Will Kelly, Michele Maniscalco, & Mary Kane, lectors Sunday 11:15 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Chika Offururm, Cathy Anderson, & Rosemary Walker, lectors special intention Saturday, October 15 5:00 p.m. Catherine Aylward, Memorial Sunday, October 16 9:30 a.m. Mary Magdalen O'Connor Murphy, 20th Anniversary Sunday, October 16 9:30 a.m. Angelo Valente, Memorial Sunday, October 2 6:00 p.m. Sunday, October 16 11:15 a.m. TJ Baudanza, 1st Anniversaryy Sunday, September 25 9:30 a.m. John S. Drabik, Eighth Anniversary Sun- day, Sep- weekly FOOD DONATIONS tember First featured donation item is: 25 CEREAL! Sunday 6:00 p.m. Rev. Erick Berrelleza, SJ, celebrant Laura Melle and Nikko Mendoza, lectors today s readings Exodus 17: Timothy 3:14-4:2 Luke 18:1-8 Second featured donation item is: PASTA SAUCE! next sunday s Readings Sirach 35:12-14, Timothy 4:6-8, Luke 18:9-14 Donations of featured items are preferred as these are more popular among Catholic Charities clients. Please leave food donations in the narthex baskets. 11:15 a.m. 3

15 Prayers & Occasions Our Sick Please pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Annette Kulas, Anthony Simboli, Anne Frenette Handly, Roséa Aubrey, Owen Kyes, Pilar Estrada, Mildred McLaughlin, Pam Phillips, Brenna Smith, Michalina Maniscalco, Michael Patrick Kelly, Mark Anderson, Bill Downing, Skyler Stevenson, Silvana Franco, Silvia Basagni, Brian Donnelly, Theresa Wier, Bill Ahern, Lena Bryant, Kenny Borum, Kevin, George Driscoll, Mary Curley, Bill Pennington, Bryan Thomas, Joanne DeMare, Rachel Fitzgerald, Bob Carroll, John Morris, Mark Edward McHugh, Jean Hughes, Laura Bellias, Angelo Valente, Eugenia Valente, Betty Sellers, Jack Kacewicz, Daniel Grapski, Nancy Wolterman, Callie Boyce, Bill Croke, Mary Chisholm, Brian Burdette, Chuck Christian, John Pelletier, Tim Postma, Mary Jane Duggan, Maureen Kelly, Mary Maciora, Stephanie Brown, Scott Costigan, Bob Butler, Mary Dupont, Mary Jacobs, Mary Goodrow, Francesca Stanizzi, Hilary Dillon, Paul Lakschewitz, John Crozier, Pam Phillips and Meredith Deignan. Welcome to Saint Cecilia! We are pleased to welcome the following new members of our parish who have recently registered: Nicole Montalvo and Troy Crichlow of South Boston, Matthew Brady of Salem, Bob Price of Wellesley, the Wong Family of Chestnut Hill, Kathleen Ligget of Boston, and Kathleen Crozier of Quincy. If you have not previously registered with the parish, there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you can register online at Parish Ministry Fair Our annual Parish Ministry Fair will take place next Sunday, October 23. All of our parish ministries will be represented and there will be an opportunity to sign-up to participate in or learn more about our many parish ministries. To learn more beforehand, please visit our parish website. Special Collection This Weekend Cardinal Seán has authorized a special collection this weekend to support the relief effort in Haiti in the wake of the utter devastation wreaked by Hurricane Matthew last week. Your generosity is very much appreciated. Second Collection Next Weekend Next Sunday is World Mission Sunday. The second collection supports Catholic 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 1,150 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 for the Propagation of the Faith a Pontifical Mission Society. Please visit org for more information. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:

16 Pie Sellers Needed! As part of our on-going relationship with Community Servings, we are looking for parishioners willing to assist with their annual Pie in the Sky fundraiser. Every Thanksgiving pie sold for $30 feeds a Community Servings client in Eastern Massachusetts suffering with a life-threatening illness for one week. The delicious pies apple, pecan, pumpkin, and sweet potato are baked by some of the best local restaurant chefs and caterers and are the perfect dessert for your Thanksgiving table. If you are willing to help sell pies at Saint Cecilia liturgies as well as to your friends and colleagues, please Mark Lippolt at mlippolt@hammondre.com. OUR BULLETIN: IT'S BLACK AND WHITE (AND COLOR) AND READ ALL OVER We appreciate the financial support of the individuals and companies who advertise weekly in our bulletin. Their ads have enabled us to expand and enhance the bulletin in the past year with no additional cost to the parish and we hope that you will continue to patronize our advertisers. If you know of a local business, attorney, accountant or store that would like information about becoming an advertiser in the Saint Cecilia bulletin, please contact Scott MacDonald at or smacdonald@stceciliaboston.org DRIVERS NEEDED Each month parishioners have the opportunity to pick up donated meat, dairy products, and produce from three local supermarkets and deliver it to either Catholic Charities' Haitian Multi-Service Center in Dorchester or the Pine Street Inn in the South End. This vital ministry takes place at 7:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday morning and on Sundays can be completed in time to attend the 9:30 parish Mass. We need drivers for all the Saturdays and Sundays in October. COMMONWEAL READERS GROUP "What is a Fair Price for Life Saving Medicine?" That is the topic that will be discussed at the next Commonweal Readers Group Meeting, which will take place next Sunday afternoon, October 16 in CL4 at 1:00. The discussion will be based on the article, "Patients Before Profits" from the July 8 issue of Commonweal, the prestigious Catholic periodical staffed entirely by lay Catholics. This discussion is open to all members of the parish, but we ask that you please read the article prior to the meeting. The article can be found at Worldwide Marriage Encounter The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens. Let us serve God willingly by strengthening, renewing and rekindling our marriages by participating in a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next WWME Weekends are Dec 2-4, 2016 in Duxbury, MA and Jan 20-22, 2017 in Duxbury, MA. For more information, call Stephen & Michelle O'Leary at or visit us at 5 A CONVERSATION As transgender issues surface in our communities, many people have questions and/or concerns. How can we as Church navigate the complex questions of gender and sexuality as Christian people of reconciliation? Join the Paulist Center for a conversation about the lived realities of transgender people and how individuals and the Church can respond to them with love and support in the Year of Mercy and beyond. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and insights to this space of dialogue. This conversation will occur next Saturday, October 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Paulist Center. A pizza lunch will be provided and participants are invited to make a free will donation. In order that the Paulist Center will know how much food to have, please rsvp by ing fiveparkst@aol.com. This invitation is extended only to parishioners of Saint Cecilia and Saint Anthony's Shrine.

17 Sponsor a Member of the Orchestra! SAINT CECILIA DAY OF CELEBRATION Since our parish is under the patronage of Saint Cecilia, it is our joyful task to celebrate her feast each year in a special way. Last year, the choir, accompanied by a chamber orchestra, performed Gabriel Fauré's Requiem. It was presented free of charge and open to all. This year's celebration will be on Friday, November 18 when the choir will perform the Requiem by John Rutter, a work both modern and prayerfully transcendent. The happy success of the endeavor was due in no small part to the attendance of so many of all ages. It is the hope of the Music Ministry that this will be the hallmark of this special work and that it will continue as an annual event. You can listen to last year's performance at We intend to keep this annual event FREE for all. Last year we were blessed by a large donation made by a parishioner whose contribution helped realize the fuller performance. This year, we invite your support by donating any amount, great or small. Here are some ways you can help: $1-$199 helps us to hear beautiful music and pay for scores for the choir $200-$300 helps sponsor a member of the orchestra $400 helps rent the orchestral music $1,000 helps sponsor the woodwind section $2,000 helps sponsor the string section Write a check made out to Saint Cecilia Parish with the word RUTTER in the memo. You can also mail it to Saint Cecilia Parish, c/o Richard Clark, Director of Music. But most important of all, please come to the concert! Bring friends. Bring your family! If you cannot come or are unable to make a donation, we ask above all that you pray for our music ministry, so that we may continue to serve God and the community. 6 Archdiocesan Justice convocation Join parishes from around the Archdiocese of Boston to learn more about Catholic Social Teaching in relation to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and celebrate the work for justice going on. One of the keynote addresses will be given by Dr. James O'Connell, Founder and President of Boston Health Care for the Homeless. The convocation will be on Saturday, November 5 from 8:00 a. m. to 1:30 p. m. and will be held at Boston College High School on Morrissey Boulevard. Registration is $20 and you can register online at com/hbq6u9w. New Choir Members Needed We are in need of new choir members for our morning choirs, as well as for our 6pm choir. If you have a musical talent to share with the community, we would love to have you join us. We look forward to hearing from you! Please stop by and see Richard Clark after mass, call him at or RClark@stceciliaboston. org. You can also find more information about our music ministry at Lecture: The Catholic Voter and the Signs of the Times BOSTON COLLEGE OCTOBER 19 Corcoran Commons, Heights Room Chestnut Hill Campus Vatican II's "Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World" encouraged believers to read the "signs of the times" in order to discern where God is to be found in the world and how we are to respond. This electoral season can be read as revealing a number of significant social issues that ought to be considered as Catholic citizens go to the voting booths. The lecture will feature Kenneth Himes, OFM, on Wednesday, October 19, 5:30 p.m. in the Heights Room at Corcoran Commons at Boston College, Chestnut Hill.

18 NEWS FOR YOUNG FAMILIES PRESENT & EXPECTING AND THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HELP THEM If you are a parent of a child younger than four years of age, please consider joining our growing Young Families group! We currently meet monthly between the 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. liturgies for fellowship and mutual support as we navigate the ups and downs of life with young children. The best way to stay in touch is to join our listserv if you're not on it already, Erin at erin.ramsey.1@gmail.com. If you are expecting a child in the coming months and would be interested in connecting with other expecting parents, we want to hear from you. Please Sarah Donohue (sarahelliottgoodale@gmail.com) for more information and details on an upcoming social for expecting parents. WISDOM AND MATURE SPIRITUALITY GROUP Who are we? We are a group of men and women in the second half of life who interested in growing spiritually as we reflect on our interior life. We are always happy to welcome new members to our meetings. Please join us today, Sunday, October 16, at 9:30 in the Parish Pastoral Center where we will discuss and pray about simplicity. We will also have centering prayer led by our group. THE WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER The annual Spaghetti Dinner gala to benefit the day shelter on Newbury Street will be held this Friday, October 21 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and a live auction at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to join the Saint Cecilia table at the event, please Mark Lippolt at mlippolt@hammondre. com. Tickets are $250 each. The WLP is also looking for folks who would like to purchase full tables or serve as a table captain. Calling all Cooks! Do you enjoy cooking? Might you occasionally be able to contribute a meal to a family who would truly benefit from it? Our growing Young Families group is looking for parishioners who would be willing to prepare and deliver meals to parents welcoming a new child into their families. This is a flexible commitment that allows you to participate as much or as little as your schedule allows. If you are interested, please Aubrey Hartnett (aubreymarie.cc@gmail.com) for more information. Childcare Helpers Needed Do you enjoy spending time with babies and toddlers? The newly-formed Saint Cecilia Young Families group is looking to form a team of parishioners to help with childcare during their monthly parent meetings. Ideally, the slots would be staffed on a rotating basis, with each team member only needing to help once every 2-3 months. The parent meetings take place one Sunday per month following the 9:30 Mass. If interested, please contact Valerie at Valerie.diment@gmail.com. 7 Music for food From Bach to Berio Next Sunday, October 23, Music for Food is hosting a concert at 7:30 p.m. in Brown Hall at the New England Conservatory. The popular works of J.S. Bach, J. Brahms, L. Berio, and W.A. Mozart will be featured. Come and enjoy a musical evening with great food and good friends. All proceeds benefit The Women's Lunch Place. Visit for more details.

19 saint cecilia parish SAINT JOSEPH PREP OPEN HOUSE Saint Joseph Prep in Boston, a co-ed Catholic, independent school for 270 young people in grades 9-12, will hold an Open House on Sunday, October 23 between 1-4 pm. Sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston, the school features an excellent academic program, small class size and personal attention, individualized college counseling and SAT/ACT Prep, Chapel Speaking and Advisor Programs, extensive athletic opportunities, and newly renovated Science Labs and Learning Commons. Transportation, scholarships and financial aid are available. Visit for more information. PRISON AND AFTER Every Monday night the Prison and After Committee hosts an evening of discussion and dinner for men who have recently been released from a prison or jail. If you have served time, please join us. All you need to do is come to the Parish Pastoral Center entrance on St. Cecilia Street between 5:45 and 6:00. For more information, please scprisonandafter@gmail.com or call welcoming the stranger Many of us were moved on hearing that Pope Francis, while visiting a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, brought twelve Syrian Muslims back to the Vatican with him on the papal plane. The Pope addressed the refugees and said, "As people of faith, we wish to join our voices to speak out on your behalf. We hope that the world will heed these scenes of tragic and indeed desperate need, and respond in a way worthy of our common humanity." Inspired by the Pope's words and actions, Saint Cecilia parish is working with Catholic Charities to assist two Muslim Syrian families who have relocated to the Greater Boston area. With no friends or relatives in the United States, they have a great many needs. At this point in time, the parish has offered to provide them with supermarket gift cards so that they will have food while their applications for political asylum are processed. If you would like to purchase gift cards to Market Basket specifically and no more than $25 per card please feel free to drop them in the offertory basket. If you do not live near a Market Basket and cannot purchase a gift card, you can also help by making a check for $25 payable to Saint Cecilia Parish and putting it in the offertory. Please write Syrian Refugees in the memo line. weekly drop-in meditations Every Tuesday I 7:00 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) Parish Hall, Classroom 1 Join our ever-growing group of people new and old to meditate. We'll explain how it's done, meditate for 20 minutes, read a scriptural reading, and then have a 20 minute discussion. Come on by! Boston Healthcare for the Homeless October 29 I 12-4 p.m. The Barbara McInnis House 780 Albany St 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. We go and do artsy things with the residents and they totally love it. RSVP for this is absolutely required. Send an to scyoungadults@gmail.com. Prison and After Ministry October 17 I 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. A team of six volunteers is needed to bring large quantities of food to feed men who are getting on their feet after prison. Haley House Volunteers Needed Various dates and times in October 12 Dade Street, Roxbury and 23 Dartmouth St, Boston Haley House is in need of volunteers throughout the month of October, with 30 meal shifts to be filled with 4-5 volunteer slots each. If you are interested and have a flexible schedule for various shifts between 5:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. to serve at the Soup Kitchen, Elder Lunch, or Community Tables this month, please contact Eric Martin at emartin@haleyhouse.org. SAINT CECILIA YOUNG ADULTS Saint Cecilia Young Adults ministry welcomes parishioners ages RSVP and more when you type URL: eepurl.com/bbbblr 8

20 saint cecilia parish ST. BONIFACE HAITI FOUNDATION ANNUAL GALA The St. Boniface Haiti Foundation is hosting their Annual Gala on October 25 at the Newton Marriott, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Co-chaired by Barrie Landry, Beth Floor, and Father John Unni, this event honors the hard work and dedication of both our staff in Haiti, as well as our kind and generous supporters across the country. The evening will feature co-speakers Drs. Miliane Clermont, Luther Ward, and Lynn Black. Please visit haitihealth.org/ gala for more details or to purchase tickets. SPIRITUAL LIFE YOGA One definition of yoga is "to join together." Join us for a yoga class to join together your breath and movement, grounding yourself in the present moment. Use this practice to honor your mind, body, and spirit. We will move through an all levels yoga class, with specific attention to breath and alignment. No previous yoga experience is necessary. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and should bring a water bottle and a yoga mat. Other props will be provided. Classes will be take place from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be held in CL5 on the following Sundays: October 16 November 13 December 4 If you have any questions or would like to reserve a spot, please fellow parishioner and yoga instructor Amy Aubrecht at aubrecht.amy@gmail.com. Drop-ins are welcome provided that space is available. There is no fee for this class, but donations will be gratefully accepted. catholic memorial open house Catholic Memorial School is hosting its annual Open House today from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for the Middle School Program and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the High School Program. There will be student-led tours and the opportunity to meet faculty, staff, coaches, students, and parents who will be available to discuss programs and to respond to questions. Visit Catholic Memorial School on-line at or call the Admissions Office at JRS Lampedusa Concert Tour BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC OCTOBER 16 Grammy award winning artists Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Steve Earle, and Buddy Miller lead a roster of musicians for the Lampedusa Concert Tour, benefitting Jesuit Refuge Services in support of the organization s Global Education Initiative launched in 2015 and endorsed by Pope Francis. JRS/USA is on the frontline helping the most vulnerable among the more than 60 million people who have been forced from their homes due to war, conflict, or natural disaster. JRS works in more than 45 countries worldwide to meet the educational, health and social needs of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. Everyone s journey starts someplace, and for too many it s landing ashore the small Italian island of Lampedusa off the coast of Sicily. The concert is tonight at 8:00 p.m. an easy segue from our 6:00 Mass! Tickets can be purchased at the Berklee Box Office 136 Mass Ave, or from edu/events. You can find more info about JRS at www. jrusa.org/lampedusa. To meet up with a Saint Cecilia s contingent of concert goers, susan_donnelly@harvard.edu. ARCHDIOCESAN JUSTICE CONVOCATION Join parishes from around the Archdiocese of Boston to learn more about Catholic Social Teaching in relation to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and celebrate the work for justice going on. One of the keynote addresses will be given by Dr. James O'Connell, Founder and President of Boston Health Care for the Homeless. The convocation will be on Saturday, November 5 from 8:00 a. m. to 1:30 p. m. and will be held at Boston College High School on Morrissey Boulevard. Registration is $20 and you can register online at hbq6u9w. 9

21 The Power of Kindness By SUSANA MCCOLLOM It is important to say what hope is not: it is not the belief that everything was, is or will be fine. The evidence is all around us of tremendous suffering and destruction. The hope I am interested in is about broad perspectives with specific possibilities, ones that invite or demand that we act. So wrote Rebecca Solnit in July 2016, in an essay titled, Hope is an embrace of the unknown. I return to Solnit s writing again and again, and to particular this column, because for me it articulates the inseparable relationship between contemplation and hope. In the piece, Solnit quotes Belgium essayist Maria Popova: Critical thinking without hope is cynicism, but hope without critical thinking is naivety. I d like to take Popova s thinking further. Without contemplation hope is stagnant, but hope that partners with contemplation activates transformation. The key to living with hope is not maintaining a hapless optimism that denies painful realities. Rather, it is a willingness to face the unknown. This may involve turning toward our own ugly histories, both individual and collective, in order to change the story moving forward. And that may be painful. But despair that we cannot possibly move beyond the shame of our wrongdoing, or fear and oppression is a lie. Contemplative practice and spiritual direction ministry create safe places for individuals to turn toward painful stories to activate transformation. The writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, whose memoir Between The World and Me won the National Book Award in 2015, writes in The Atlantic that something that went very wrong, long ago, with law enforcement, something that we are scared to see straight. That something has very little to do with the officer on the beat and everything to do with ourselves. In his column, Coates calls for American communities to look closely at policies created through a democratic process that ultimately lead to systemic violence and oppression for people of color and those in poverty. By doing so, he compels readers to take the microscope off of police officers and instead look at themselves. The message is one of mutual accountability, acknowledging that violence in policing is a symptom of a broader sickness, not its cause. While writing this essay on practicing hope amidst despair, on spiritual direction s role in a seemingly destructive and violent world, a friend called my attention to the Dakota Access Pipeline protesters. A sign she photographed read: We Are Protectors, We Are Prayerful and Peaceful, Isms have no place here, We Are Non-violent, Respect Locals, We Are Proud to Stand No Mask, No Weapons. The sign, to me, was a hopeful one literally and figuratively. It illustrates a daring to stand in the face of fear and violence, and hope for a better conclusion than history demonstrates. Instances of violence erupting against the #NoDAPL demonstrators should give all Americans pause. This situation demands a more complicated and accurate telling of our nation s history, a retelling that acknowledges the legacy of destruction systematically enacted on indigenous peoples while maintaining a stubborn gladness that our future can, and will, be better than our past. Because hope points to something greater, and yet unknown, it can transform pain from what could be opposing places into an opportunity for mutual connection. In her essay, Solnit quotes theologian Walter Brueggemann: Memory produces hope in the same way that amnesia produces despair. Hope is necessary for action. Yet a transformed future demands contemplation, as well. (Article continues on page 11) 10