Saint Cecilia. Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. 25 December Song of the Angels William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1881)

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1 Saint Cecilia P A R I S H Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord 25 December 2012 Song of the Angels William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1881)

2 merry christmas 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 have just 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 over 120 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 Ministers of the Liturgy The Vigil of Christmas 4:00 p.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Pearse Martin, lector The Vigil of Christmas 6:30 p.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Rev. Arthur Calter, concelebrant Fred Bachofner, Jim Kennedy, & Natasha M. Pierre, lectors Christmas Day 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Catherine Horsley, Bob Mann, & Tom Nicolini, lectors VIGIL MAss Isaiah 9:1-6 Acts 13:16-17, Matthew 1:1-25 mass during the day Isaiah 52:7-10 Hebrews 1:1-6 John 1:1-18 Giotto, The Nativity (detail), c O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant, we pray, that we may share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Roman Missal, Christmas, Collect for the Mass During the Day 3

4 Prayers & Occasions Our Sick Please pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Josephine Parker, John Saulenas, K. Champoux, Patricia Hoggard, Jennifer Serpico, Christine St. Pierre, Harold Williamson, Jessica Rivieccio, Earl Chilcote, Colonel Robert C. Tashjian, Kim Murray, Heather LoRe, Rudy Kikel, Herbert Simmons, Peggy Furey, Janice Mascia, Pamela D Ambra, Sue Lucas, Suki Coughlin, Roberta Keenan, Bridget Spence, Annette Kulas, Sam Gowan, Rhea Richard, Pil-Yun Son, Mary Yanez, Ed Langlais, Bob McLaughlin, Steven Whitkens, Diana Slaton, Leo Garcia, Joe Ford, Danny Cotter, Natalia Chilcote, Amy Sweetland, Jim Keyes, Michael Zawikowski, Patricia Macdonald, Elvera Dowsky, Frank Ackley, Fred Haslee, Lorraine Haslee, Paul Flaherty, William Louttit, Lucie Kelly, Bro. Adam Zielonka, O.C.S.O., Amy Duarte, Karen & Rick, Phyllis Porras, Jim Linderman, Mark Amerault, Sr. Nuala Cotter, R.A., Kristen DeFranco Martinez, Michele Crowley Tippens, Pete Huttlinger, Anthony Simboli, Lisa Caputo, Edward Gill, Darlene McLendon, Jeanne Tibbs, Deidre Sullivan, Roosevelt Brown, Mary O Donnell, Ginny L Abbe, Steve Chamberlain, Matt Penchuk, Carrie Penchuk, Christy Cosgrove, Jacques Romberger, John Scaife, Maureen Sullivan, Alyce Haley, Joe Capizzi, David Walsh, Joe Huenke, Kaylin Marcotte, Avito Pacifici, Charlotte Egan, James Noone, Keith Plaster, David & Paula Fillion, Sarah Sweeney, Susan Shea, Bill Croke, Ettore Bergamaschi, Ryan Delaney, Manuela Almeida, Ilda Almeida, Joe Farrell, Ethan D Amato, Sophie Gagnon, Earl Meyers, Kathleen A. Meehan, Anne Frenette Handly, Jan Igras, Cheryl Sabin, Trish Mullen, Thomas Corrigan, Fernando Luis Riganti, Frank DeMare, Carmela Franchi, Little Tommy Sullivan, Kathy K., Julie Zaino, Ruth Frost, Benedicto Lopes, Elie Prevost, Roséa Aubrey, Patricia Dunham, & Bella Cashman. Christmas Prayers In your prayer remember those who are alone and will spend Christmas without family or friends. Consider ways that you can be a welcoming presence to those who are lonely. Pray also for those who will spend Christmas on the street or in a shelter. For Those in the Military Many families are separated by war and military service; pray for our soldiers on active duty who will be far from their loved ones this Christmas. Pray that God will guide their movements, preserve them in love, and bring them safely home. For Our Priests Each year, the diocesan-wide Christmas collection is for our priests. Remember the priests who have made a meaningful impact in your life, and consider honoring them with a donation that shows them you care. Everything collected in the offertory collection on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day goes to the support of our priests. If you are enrolled in our parish electronic giving program, you may contribute to this collection by going to as usual and choosing the fund marked Clergy Funds Christmas Collection for your one-time gift. If you prefer to make the donation directly to the Clergy Funds, please visit www. clergyfunds.org. For Ongoing Incarnation Pray for the grace to bring God into our world that we may allow the Word to dwell in our hearts, become enfleshed through our lives, and revealed in our words and deeds Our Organ Console As of Sunday, December 16th, we have raised $23,088, nearly double our goal of $12,000 The outpouring of generosity has made it possible for the organ console to be up and running for our Christmas Eve liturgies. Even though we have surpassed our goal, all donors of $500 or more will be honored on a plaque on the organ. Welcome to Our Visitors If you are not a regular parishioner at Saint Cecilia, we hope that you find a warm welcome and a vibrancy in worship here. If you are looking for a faith community to call home, please give us a try. Come and be a part of our life as we journey in God and toward God. You are always welcome here. 4

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6 Christmas flowers Jesus Christ is the firstborn of the dead; to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. (Rev. 1:5 6) Guerino and Olga Abruzzi Elsie Bangiola Wayne Beauchamp Charles and Helen Bennett Christine Bennett Janet Blevins Richard Blevins Robert Blevins Robert P. Boland Sr. Mr. Mario Bonson Richard H. Bourdeau Donald K. Boyd John Brait Richard J. Brennan Virginia Brostowski Sergio Bru Ursula Bruer Malcolm Bryant Mary Bryant Eric Burgoyne Thomas Byron Deb Carey Paolo Carnevali Ralph Carrozza Vincent Catalozzi Rita and Tom Cinnamond Claire Theresa (Gauthier) Coffey John Coghlan James Colligan Lori Collegian Michael and Delia Conlon Mickey and Joe Contilli Richard Corcoran John Corriveau Denis Côté Anne Coyne Thomas Coyne Leo Croke Nona Croke Tommy Croke Dammann Family Mrs. Rosa De Bonson Robert Emmett Deignan Mrs. Gilda De Samaniego Kathy Devin Deceased Members of the Diggins and Duggan Families Edmond Donlan Rosella Donlan Mr. and Mrs. Donald Doty Barbara Doyle Ed Duffy Edward Duffy (Ed) Arthur Dunnett Amitya Dwihapsari James and Snookie Elliott Stephen Ellis Noe Escobedo Reyes Escobedo Rudy Escobedo Anthony Farinelli John Farinelli Michael Fischer Fenwick and Alma Fitzpatrick Michael and Delia Flynn Judy Flynn Franchi and Mancini Families Henry L. Gabriel Margaret Gabriel Mark E. Gabriel Frank Gibbons Lillian Gibbons James Griffin James J. Griffin Lucy Griffin Lucy Ann Griffin Lucy B. Griffin Mary Griffin Michele Griffin Guadalupe Gusman Mary Gutierrez Mr. and Mrs. Hagedish Maria Olivieri Hakansson The Harig Family Joan Hayes Luis Hernandez Martin Hernandez Vicente Herrera George Holman Bryce Holton Leah and Thomas Holton Fred D. Iannazzi Dorothy Igras Ann Johnson Deceased Members of the Family of M. Joseph Kane Marianne Kane Paul Kane Rita and George Kane Andrew Kennedy Katherine Kennedy Robert Kiernan J. Paul Kiley John Kiley Leo Kiley Nadezda Kiley M. Caroline Kinne Viola A. Kinne The Kline Family Sergeie Koronenko Dottie L'Abbe 6

7 Rene L'Abbe George and Margaret Lakschewitz Peter Lanzetti LaPiana Family Thomas Largey Sr. Thomas Largey Jr. Mark Legere Kenneth Liebling Andris Liepa Lillian Samuel Lindra Joseph A. Lippolt Barbara and John MacDonald Mary MacEvoy John S. Machado Ilda S. Maguire Paul Maguire Peter Maguire Martin Manaday Natasha Marsono Dianne Matteson Christopher McCarthy John McLaughlin Ann Mendelsohn Joe Michalski Huguette L. Michaud Bill Mitchell Michael and Elsie Montemurro Barbara Morgan Bob and Martha Morman Francis X. and Margaret Morse William, Tom, and Jack Moynihan Bill Mullin Dorothy and Frank Mullin Deceased Members of the Murphy and Westover Families Ed Murphy Elizabeth Murphy Frank Murphy Martha Myer My Beloved Nelda Marian and Irma Nicolini Grace Nisbet Ginia Oborostova Katie O Brien Sarah Olander C. Anthony Olivieri Ernesto Palermo Bob Patterson "Boo Boo" Gloria Phillips Roy and Virginia Pille Liz Pino Phyllis and John Pirani Aurora Plata Virginia D. Puig Louis Ramos James J. Richard Eunice T. Roddy Ben Rosen Sergeie Salikov Patrick Sanders Lewis Sawin Regis Shanahan Elizabeth Shatswell John Shatswell Peter Shatswell Anna and Bill Sheehan Vladimir Shklyarov Nicolas Solovieff Dorothy Starzyk William Starzyk Jr. Earl Strickler Anastasya Subiantoro Mary Sullivan Lewis Swain Doris Souza Lynda Talbot Lorraine Tegan Suzanne Côté Trombley Valerie Trombley John and Nadine Troppy Eliseo Umipeg Fred Ussery Brian Van Nostrand Gregg Van Nostrand Norman and Katherine Welch Judy Williams Gregg J. Wilson May Soon Gee Yee Walter Yee Robert Yobaccio And all the children who lost their young lives in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14,

8 A Thank You to Parishioners & Ministers of Music Saint Cecilia, the titular saint of our parish, is the patroness of sacred music and as such holds a special place in the hearts of musicians. "He who sings prays twice" is a saying often attributed to Saint Augustine. There is reason to believe that Augustine may not have written those exact words, but he did write, Singing belongs to the one who loves. Music has a unique way of lifting our spirits and making us happy. It can also give expression to our fears, our desires, our longings, and even our sufferings. Singing has the power to unite and to create harmony out of division and diversity. And song is a gift from God an expression of his love for us. How do we acknowledge such a gift? By singing. We sing praise to God as a way of expressing our gratitude and love. However, in the wake of unfathomable tragedy and loss, it can be difficult for us to lift our voices in praise to God. In the most challenging times we might experience God as distant, elusive, or perhaps even absent. Yet, when faced with unspeakable evil, believers instinctively turn towards God and ask "why?" or "how?" Some of us may even express anger with God or begin to doubt God's presence. For many, the joy both real and manufactured that surrounds us at Christmas can have a way of amplifying our personal pain. We might feel like foreigners, alone and unable to connect with all that is happening around us. During these times, we do well to remember that Jesus was no stranger to suffering. Through the mystery of the Incarnation, our God willingly took on our human condition and experienced fully both the joys and the sorrows that come with being human. In the aftermath of the tragedy that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut, we think of the grief-stricken parents who have lost their children and we remember that Mary, too, suffered the loss of her child. distracted, or burdened, or overcome with grief the community carries us along; the community buoys our spirit and sustains us; the community prays on our behalf. Our voices raised in prayer each week can provide comfort and solace to our brothers and sisters in need. Our very presence at liturgy, along with our spoken and sung prayer, have untold effects on others and can act as a lifeline in ways which we will never know. As Director of Music at Saint Cecilia, I am humbled by the passion and commitment of our volunteer musicians. It is an honor and a privilege to work with the dozens of singers and instrumentalists who volunteer each week at three sung liturgies, in addition to regular celebrations of Evening Prayer and various special events. For those in the pews, thank you for lifting your voices in prayer week after week after week. In the face of suffering, music in prayer transcends; music in prayer has the potential to heal. In the wake of John F. Kennedy s assassination, Leonard Bernstein wrote, "This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before. And the psalmist prays, In the sight of the angels, I will sing your praises, Lord. (Psalm 138:1) Richard J. Clark Director of Music, Organist When we enter the doors of Saint Cecilia Church, one never knows what pain, suffering, grief or burdens those among us carry. This is the beauty and the gift of community. When we are unable to pray when we are 8

9 A God Who Unites It is unity with the Father and with one another that Jesus desires By THE EDITORS OF "AMERICA" MAGAZINE Christmas celebrates God s overwhelming longing to be united with us. So much did God desire this that he became one of us, pitching his tent among us, as the Gospel of John puts it (1:14). Yet unity seems a far-off goal not only in our country, but in our church. Some could even argue that disunity is what God wants. Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? asked Jesus. No, I tell you, but division (Lk 12:51). That provocative line seems to indicate that Jesus message was not one of uniting but dividing. It could be used as an excuse for manifold divisions evident today. Jesus intended divisions, so is it worth working for unity? If our answer to that last question is no, then we have misunderstood Christ s heartfelt desire for unity, which is expressed several times in the New Testament. In a fine new book, Jesus of Nazareth: What He Wanted, Who He Was, the German Scripture scholar Gerhard Lohfink unpacks that complicated utterance. Jesus has come to unite the people under God s rule, and he has indeed brought many people together in this new condition, writes Father Lohfink. He has bridged chasms. He has assembled tax collectors and Zealots, sinners and saints, poor and rich at one table. His colorfully mixed band of disciples is a sign of this gathering movement. The inevitable division, the author points out, comes only from opposition to Jesus message, an opposition that may even break families apart. The time for decision, says Jesus, is now; and he expects division only inasmuch as some will fail to make the decision to join him in his mission. But in the end, it is unity with the Father and with one another that Jesus desires. Heady stuff for Christmas time. But the theme of unity runs like a bright thread through the Advent and Christmas readings. John the Baptist sets aside his personal goals to unite himself with the one whose coming he has foretold. He must increase and I must decrease (Jn 3:30) is not only an expression of the Baptist s humility, but a call for his followers to join together and follow the Messiah. At the annunciation, God unites in the most intimate way possible with humanity, divinizing our nature and humanizing his divinity. In the wake of the annunciation, Joseph, facing his initial doubts and what must have been fierce social pressure, cleaves to Mary, with whom he has been united by their betrothal. God does not desire Mary and Joseph to separate, but to cling together as one. The infant Jesus himself is a physical sign of the union of human and the divine. At his birth, revelation is united with the revealer; the Word is united with the flesh; and a divine desire the indwelling of God is united with a most earthly occurrence a woman giving birth. During his years of public ministry, Jesus will gather people together. His work with the disciples is as a group. We are so familiar with the call of the first disciples that we forget that Jesus could just as easily have called only one person, say Peter, to help him with his ministry. But he does not. Jesus calls a group, for a variety of reasons. (Article continues on next page) 9

10 First, he might have understood the unique talents that each person brought to the table. The tax collector Matthew brought a different set of gifts than the fisherman Peter or Mary, the woman of Magdala. Then, as now, the church needs everyone s skills, man and woman alike. Second, Jesus most likely grasped the need for human beings to be with one another; faith is not a solitary proposition. Third, Jesus may have recognized that he himself needed people; he craved friendship. And in what would have been an obvious sign, he selects 12 apostles. What Jesus says now is that he is gathering Israel, writes Father Lohfink, he is claiming to do precisely what God will do at the end of time: gather, sanctify and unite Israel. The one whose birth is celebrated at Christmas makes specific pleas for unity during his lifetime, seeking to gather together people as, in one of the Bible s tenderest images, a hen gathers her chicks (Mt 23:37). That they all may be one, Jesus says in John s Gospel (17:21), expressing the wishes of his Father, with whom he is united as one. God the Father desires all to be drawn to him. The Prince of Peace desires an end to discord and violence. And the Spirit desires unity so ardently that at Pentecost he enlivens the disciples with the gift of tongues so that the Gospel will be heard not simply by one group of people but by all. At the first Christmas, God became radically one with humanity. God continues to inflame the human heart with a deep desire for unity. Who does not wish for this? In our desires we hear echoes of God s longing for the world. The Christmas spirit, then, is more than the giving of gifts or being kind. It is a desire to do the hard work of reconciliation, a willingness to strive for concord, a readiness to cease partisanship and a fervent hope for union with one another, in the name of the one who united his life with our own. This article is reprinted from the December 24 issue of "America" Magazine. Christmas calls a community back to its origins by remembering Jesus' own beginnings as a human child, a prophet of God's reign, a judgment on the world and its projects. What the parish celebrates during this season is not primarily a birthday, but the beginning of a decisive new phase in the tempestuous history of God's hunger for human companions. The social concerns of the season are thus rooted in Jesus' proclamation of God's reign: the renunciation of patterns that oppress others (holding, climbing, commanding) and the formation of a new human community that voluntarily embraces those renunciations. It is an adult Christ that the community encounters during the Advent and Christmas cycles of Sundays and feasts: a Risen Lord who invites sinful people to become church. Christmas does not ask us to pretend we were back in Bethlehem, kneeling before a crib; it asks us to recognize that the wood of the crib became the wood of the cross. Nathan Mitchell 10

11 Parish RESOURCES Parish Office & Mailing Address 18 Belvidere Street, Boston, MA Hours Monday Friday, 9:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Phone Fax Website Parish Staff Rev. John J. Unni, Pastor, Mark Donohoe, Pastoral Associate for Administration, Scott J. MacDonald, Director of Faith Formation and Leadership Development, Richard J. Clark, Director of Music and Organist, Maureen Sullivan, Administrative Assistant to the Pastor, Genevieve Fiorente, Office Administrative Assistant Assisting Clergy Rev. Thomas Gariepy, CSC Rev. Peter Grover, OMV Rev. James Shaughnessy, SJ Rev. George Winchester, SJ Schedule for Liturgy Wednesdays During Lent 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 8:00 a.m. Lord s Day Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:00, 9:30, 11:15, & 6:00 p.m. Holy Days 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Reconciliation By appointment at any time and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 8:00 during Lent. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the communal process through which non-baptized men and women become members of the Catholic Church. It is also suitable for those baptized in different faith traditions who are interested in becoming Catholic, or, for those who were baptized Catholic, but have yet to receive the sacraments of eucharist and confirmation. For more information, please contact Mark Donohoe. Baptism for Infants Infant baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. For more information, please contact Mark Donohoe. Faith Formation for Children To register your child for our Faith Formation Program, please contact Scott MacDonald in the parish office. Marriage Couples who wish to prepare for marriage should contact Mark Donohoe in the parish office at least six months in advance. Care of the Sick To arrange for the Sacrament of the Sick, for Holy Communion to be brought to those unable to attend the Sunday celebration, or for Viaticum for the Dying (Holy Communion for those in danger of death), please contact the parish office. It is always possible to anoint the sick during regularly scheduled liturgies. Order of Christian Funerals The parish is prepared to celebrate the Vigil (wake) in the church. Please contact the parish office for more information. Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team The CAP Team is responsible for training all parish staff and volunteers in mandated reporting laws and the Protecting God s Children program (VIRTUS). They also provide consultation and support to anyone in the parish who has concerns about reporting child abuse and neglect. Please contact Lois Flaherty (loisflaherty@gmail.com), Maria Roche (maria.roche15@gmail.com) or Letitia Howland (l_howland@hotmail. com) if you have any questions or concerns. The Archdiocese of Boston has in place a vigorous program to protect children from harm and to educate its ministers and faithful about the nature of abuse, with a goal of increasing knowledge, creating a safe environment for children, and recognizing and reporting potentially dangerous situations. The full text of the policy is also available in the narthex and parish office, as well as on our website. For Those with Celiac Disease If you have celiac disease, please let us know. We have a supply of low-gluten altar bread available for those who cannot tolerate gluten. Hearing Assistance in Church The church is equipped with an FM listening device. Small receivers are available for anyone who may have trouble hearing the sound system. Simply request a receiver from any one of our greeters before Mass. Access for the Disabled The church is accessible by elevator. Parking Reduced-rate parking (maximum of three hours) is available Sundays at the Prudential Center parking garage, LAZ Parking (53 Belvidere Street), and at the Hilton Boston Back Bay. Please bring your parking ticket to church for validation before returning to the garage. Joining Our Community We re happy that you re with us Our community offers a warm, spiritual home for a diverse group of Catholics. We come from many neighborhoods in and around Boston but also have parishioners from as far afield as Marlborough, Newburyport, and Stow. Please introduce yourself to a staff member, drop in for coffee on Sunday, or fill out a new parishioner form in the gathering space. No matter what your background, please know that you are always welcome at Saint Cecilia. 11