Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Parish

Transcription

1 Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted 880 Trapelo Road Waltham, MA Newly Upgraded Blessed Mother Garden Parish Committees Collaborative Report on Four Years of Pastoral Ministry at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Parish

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3 A Message from your Pastor, Fr. James DiPerri As we have journeyed together in Faith these past four years, I am grateful to Almighty God for the many blessings bestowed on our parish. Building on the good works of the past, we have worked hard to surmount significant difficulties, reversing a period of crisis and decline. Looking ahead, we will continue our efforts to progress as a vibrant Catholic parish while strengthening our commitment to the teachings of Christ as revealed in our ancient Catholic Faith. It is in this spirit that I thank the One True God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for the dedicated support of laity and staff here at Our Lady s. I also offer daily thanks to our parish namesake, Mary, the mother of God, whose intercessions on behalf of her children have so greatly assisted our efforts. Goal of this Report This document supplements my state of the parish annual report issued each fall. I wanted to give you a picture of how well Our Lady s has been attempting to fulfill Cardinal Séan O Malley s request that each parish renew itself in pastoral zeal, based on the call of Christ to greater individual conversion. The Cardinal has asked each church community to strengthen their outreach to Catholics who worship at Mass less frequently. This report is an attempt to summarize our progress in moving to meet Diocesan goals on multiple levels community outreach, parish growth, academics, parish enrichment and fiscal responsibility as we work together with the wider church. Community Outreach Our advancement of the Cardinals evangelical goals has been to focus on becoming a more welcoming community by relying on the personal warmth of parishioners and intensified spiritual life inside and outside parish walls. Examples of specific outreach activities at Our Lady s include: A strong, active chapter of Knights of Columbus dedicated to spiritual growth and to raising funds for programs designed to help those in need throughout the year. Formation of a new Prayer Shawl Ministry whose members donate their time to serve as homebound ministers, providing to the ill in their homes or health care facilities. The quiet, yet effective work of Our Lady s St. Vincent depaul Committee, serving those in need through Our Lady s food pantry and other outreach programs.

4 Parish Growth I am pleased to report that Our Lady s weekend Mass attendance has increased 21% over the past four years, as we work to fulfill the Church s call to make New Evangelization a strong parish priority. Included in this growth is a 41% increase in registered families, who now encompasses people of varying backgrounds, talents, interests, age groups, ethnic and racial groups each contributing to our parish mission in numerous ways. Academics I am also pleased to write that Our Lady s Academy has enjoyed a 49% increase in enrollment since The school is now better linked to the overall parish community, through its faith formation program. It has been a great joy for me to regularly offer religious instructions, monthly Friday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration and availability of twice yearly confession to each student. I congratulate Chandra Minor for her capable service as school principal, ably assisted by school office manager, Mary Gotgart and expert teaching faculty. Chandra has enthusiastically championed the expansion of school curriculum, introducing state of the art teaching technology and unique, innovative day and after school programs. Because of these efforts, our school has continued to flourish, generating a 28% increase in revenue over the past four years, much needed to address deferred maintenance issues. The Religious Education program offered to our public school children has also grown, as attested by a 4% increase in enrollment. Religious Education program coordinator John Barry has recruited and trained a solid group of dedicated volunteer catechism teachers from our parish. I have made similar efforts to make available weekly conferences, confessions and Eucharistic Adoration for our public school students in order to put them on a spiritual par with our Academy students. Our Lady s Academy growth, enhanced Catholic Identity, and a reinvigorated Religious Education program stand as testament to how we are working to answer the call of Cardinal O Malley and the broader church to strengthen the faith of our youth. I would like to note that our efforts will not stop, despite the significant progress we have already made. Adult Education Efforts have also been made in the area of adult education, including explanation and dialogue to help smooth the transition to the newly revised translation of the Mass. A focus of my prayers has been to help us recognize the need for continued faith formation of all our parishioners as more resources become available. Liturgical Ministries The vitality of our liturgical ministries including Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, sacristans, altar servers, greeters, ushers and pastoral ministries, pastoral councils and sub committees, has energized our pastoral leadership.

5 I am very grateful also for all the energy and commitment of the Pastoral Council, Finance Council, School Board, PTO, Web and Bingo Committees. A committed, faithful laity, strongly rooted in Christ s teachings is crucial to the continued growth of our parish. It helps to build a strong foundation for encouraging priestly vocations and renewing our dedication to the Gospel of Christ. Resolution of Long Standing Parish Debt We should all be grateful to the Archdiocese of Boston for providing various loans for emergency repairs that were necessary prior to my appointment as pastor. Through personal sacrifice and increased giving, the parish has repaid $220,329 to the Archdiocese and reached agreement with the Archdiocese to successfully settle $244,141 owed by the school in unpaid pension and health bills. As a result, our parish is now debt free for the first time in many years. During this same period, our weekend collection increased 28% and the Grand Annual increased 29%. Despite the additional income, budget allocations for Our Lady s Church and School have increased 31% since fiscal year 2008 to cover deferred maintenance expenses which has meant the need to solicit even greater giving by parishioners. However, thanks to the generous in kind contributions of volunteer tradesmen and women from our parish, we have been able to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in needed repairs and make significant improvements not possible otherwise at normal funding levels. Strong Parish Staff I am grateful to the priestly presence of Fr. James Hawker as he assists our parish whenever he is available, together with the ministry of Deacon Bob Johnson, the dedicated parish staff of Sharon Micco, Parish Office Manager, Denise Moroney, our Business Manager and Rick Bouchard and June Arnold who work to support the overall upkeep of parish properties. Special thanks also go to Kevin Galiè, our Music Director who diligently leads our adult choir and helps Alissa Coates build the skills of our Youth Choir. In Closing: Personal Gratitude, Personal Appeal Thank you for your past efforts and we look to each of you to help us continue to be instruments of God s work at Our Lady s. Your continued pastoral involvement and financial support will be needed to further develop the mission of Christ at Our Lady s Parish. Sincerely yours in Christ, Fr. James M. DiPerri Pastor

6 OUR PARISH STAFF From Left to Right Rick Bouchard Parish Custodian, Denise Moroney Business Manager, John Barry Religious Education Coordinator, Deacon Bob Johnson, Fr. James M. DiPerri Pastor, Chandra Minor Our Lady s Academy Principal, June Arnold Rectory Assistant, Sharon Micco Parish Office Manager Parish Office/Religious Education, 920 R Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA Phone: Fax: Parish parish@olca.org Website: Office Hours Monday Friday 8am 4pm Mass Schedule M,W,F 8am First Friday Mass 9am Saturday (Vigil) 4pm Sunday 9am and 11am Holy Day As announced Baptisms once a month at 12:15 on selected Sunday or during a Mass. Contact parish office. Confessions are heard every Saturday from 3:15 3:45pm in the Reconciliation Room which is located just inside the front of the church at the handicap entrance, baptismal font side of the church. Other scheduled opportunities are held throughout the year as well as by appointment. Marriages should be arranged one year in advance by appointment. Contact the parish office. The Sacrament of the Sick is administered on the last weekend of each month after the 4pm and 11am Masses. Who can receive this sacrament? Those who are aged, chronically ill, are having treatments or will be having surgery. We invite you to come receive this Sacrament of the Sick, a source of strength, healing and grace.

7 OUR LADY S ACADEMY A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL MRS. MINOR I arrived almost six years ago to assume the principalship of Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted School. As I reflect on my time here, flashbacks of where the school was and where it is now race through my head. My, Our Lady s has come a long way! The saying, A School on the Move is one that we adopted to send the message that we had a lot to do to become a true 21 st century Catholic academy. Now six years later and under a new name that reflects the school s Catholic and academic foci, Our Lady s Academy is flourishing. During the past six years, the academy has done a complete turnaround. With the addition of Father DiPerri, the Catholicity of the school is alive and well. With his help and guidance, the students are developing a true understanding of their faith. Conferences, adorations, Mass on all Holy Days and on each First Friday along with Father s casual visits to classrooms have deepened the students understanding of their church. New religion books that are more appropriate for this age and understanding were given to the Pre Kindergarten classes. The liturgical life activities that focus on giving to those less fortunate are hands on activities that require the students to live their faith. Besides the religious growth of the students, I am also pleased with the academy s academic growth. Textbooks for specific disciplines were updated each year and now we are looking at starting this cycle again on an as needed basis. Pre Kindergarten classes were started, first a Pre Kindergarten four class only to be followed by an additional four and three year old class. Realizing that our three and four year old students are capable of being successful in an academic program, students in these grades learn all the disciplines associated with an elementary school. The difference is the methods that the teachers use to help each pre school child to be successful. Our Lady s Academy s pre school is not a daycare. A choice of a second language, Italian or Spanish, was made part of the curriculum for the early childhood, primary and elementary levels and the continuation of Spanish in the middle school. Coaching support was provided and will continue to be made available to the faculty to help our teachers to develop their craft. Realizing the importance of developing good writers, we recognized the need to ratchet up our writing instruction. As a result, a new writing curriculum was developed. This curriculum requires the faculty to teach and the students to study a specific genre in each grade level with the personal narrative being a constant for all grades. The instructional Leadership and Student Support Teams were established to address the curriculum and learning needs of the students. These committees also support and provide the forum of shared leadership in the school. The input from our fully state certified faculty is welcomed and considered whenever a new curriculum initiative is being explored and ultimately adopted. Our formative assessment program assesses our students reading, writing and math achievement three times each year and provides us with a piece of the data to differentiate instruction in the areas assessed. Our reading program is structured so that each student is placed at his or her instructional reading level. This data along with other assessments is used to determine which students would be better served by being placed in our advanced math program. Technology has taken a major role in our School on the Move and has contributed to the placement of our academy in the 21 st century. SMART Boards are now located in all classrooms from grade two through grade eight and in the science and computer labs and the language room. This technology is designed to make learning come alive in full color and sound. The middle school utilizes SMART Response clickers. These devices individualize student responses to teachers questions either during class or on tests and quizzes.

8 Parents can now log into the grade book of their child s teacher to check on how their child did on a test or a quiz or if they are missing a homework assignments etc... This technology clearly draws parents and students into a partnership with the classroom teacher. We are constantly looking for better ways to assess and to deliver more targeted instruction that is based on data. Our Lady s Academy has agreed to pilot the Symphony Benchmark Math, an on line math curriculum that is designed to assess every student in math from kindergarten through grade eight. Depending on their performance, the students are placed in an on line intervention program that is tailored to address each student's learning needs. Although we have this updated technology, we continually remind ourselves that these are just tools and do not take the place of excellent classroom instruction. Our Lady s Academy is dedicated to educating the whole child. We provide a number of leadership opportunities to students. Students very often hold fundraisers either for disaster victims or for class projects. In some instances the students are required to have a business plan that helps them to focus and to organize their efforts...girls in Engineering Day is held each year at a different college or university. The middle school girls are encouraged to attend. The eighth grade students can also take advantage of an Independent Study that encourages them to explore an area of interest for up to three days during the school year. Students who attend either of these programs are not marked absent from school. Students are elected to student government positions and are given leadership roles within the position to which they are elected. Additionally, the after hour activities also contribute to developing other dimensions of the Our Lady s student. Violin, piano, voice, karate, Latin, girl scouts, drama and robotics are just a few of the activities that students have available to them. Athletic activities such as, basketball, flag football and lacrosse take center stage during the fall, winter and spring seasons. The true flavor of Our Lady s Academy would not be complete without articulating our involvement in an international program. Our Lady s Academy is certified to issue I 20 s; documents that are necessary in order for international students to receive visas to attend school in the United States. Our Lady s Academy has become well known in the countries of South Korea, China and Africa. Many boys and girls from these countries have a desire to attend a school in the United States and to experience the American culture and mingle with American children. Our international students have given our American students a true perspective of life beyond our borders. The interaction and conversations between the American and foreign students provides a global perspective in a way that we could not achieve if we did not have international students. The facility upgrades are many with the replacement of floor tiles, upgrading the heating system in the school and air conditioning system in the hall, and the addition of a new bathroom facility. We are beginning to re freshen the environment of the school beginning with the painting of the hallways that will eventually lead to painting the classrooms. The students enter the building via a pathway that was recently adorned with shrubbery and ornamental trees. These are just a very quick snapshot of the upgrades that the facility has undergone. We want the students environment to be pleasing, comfortable and one that will support a pleasant learning atmosphere. The success of Our Lady s Academy is driven by the passion of its community for quality Catholic education that is unique in many ways. Our Lady s Academy is a testament to the parish, school families, faculty and to those in leadership positions that believe that Christ has a place in the day to day academic lives of the students and in the lives of all that minister here. The initiatives mentioned are just some of the changes that are part of Our Lady s Academy and its metamorphosis to becoming a 21 st century Catholic Academy. However, hold on to your hats. There are more upgrades to come! Chandra Minor Principal

9 Our Lady s Academy Staff Our Lady s Academy, 920 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA Office Hours Monday Friday 7:45am 2:45pm

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11 LITURGICAL LIFE At Our Lady s Academy throughout the school year we participate in activities helping different agencies. We want the children to realize that they do not have to bring in large amounts of money or items. By everyone participating either bringing in small amounts of food i.e. bag of carrots or a monetary donation, every little bit helps. At Thanksgiving time, the children in grades K 3 bring in a food item and the older grades bring in $1.00 to help defray the cost of Turkey, Ham, Pies and other food items. The younger grades could bring in a bag of carrots or a bunch of grapes. We ask the agency, Genesis House, to let us know what food the residents want to cook for themselves at Thanksgiving. They are very happy to go home with an abundance of fixings and be able to cook their own meal. At Christmas we work with two agencies, Protestant Guild and Riverside Community Care. Protestant Guild provides us with small items for us to fill a bag the children have colored with Christmas themes. At Christmas time our Student Council and Safety Patrol deliver the Christmas Bags to local nursing homes. Staff and children make a monetary donation for us to fulfill a wish for the Riverside Community Care residents. Near Christmas a spokesperson from the agency comes and receives the gifts at an assembly. This Lenten Season we helped Our Lady s Food Pantry and the Holy Childhood Association. We held an assembly where we presented different foods items given from each class. An example of this is K1 brought in Macaroni and Cheese, K2 brought in Rice a Roni, etc. A representative came from Holy Childhood Association and spoke to us during Catholic Schools Week. Her presentation taught us about children from other countries. She also left mite boxes for us that we used during Lent. During Holy Week, the representative came back and we presented her with the monies collected which totaled $1, OUR LADY S GIRL SCOUTS TROOPS Most of the younger grades have troops run by volunteer trained leaders. With this being the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts the town is active in doing various events throughout the year. There was also a Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross to celebrate the 100th Anniversary. Also through Girl Scouts there is a program where Catholic Girl Scouts can earn awards learning more about their faith. It starts in second grade and all the way through grade 12. These awards are named: Family of God, I Live My Faith, Marian Award and Spirit Alive.

12 FAITH FORMATION RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Religious Education The Religious Education program in enrolled 292 students in Grades There were two classes of every grade except grade seven which only had one. Religious Education met for twenty two weeks with each session lasting 90 minutes. In addition to monthly conferences with Fr. DiPerri, each grade level had the opportunity to attend confession during class time in the church. Student lectors read the first or second reading at each 9 am Mass when Religious Education classes were in session. The Religious Education program worked in a partnership with the students of Our Lady s Academy to support the missions. A representative of the Holy Childhood Association presented an introductory lesson to Religious Education students as well as Our Lady Academy students. Both groups raised money in small mite boxes to support the missions during the Lenten season. This money was raised by doing charitable chores around their house and neighborhood. This is the first year in many that our parish was active in youth missionary work and education. Service projects in grade 7 10 involved service to assisted living facilities, disabled veterans, and homeless shelters. Students also assisted at the Turkey Rama and Ham a Rama fundraisers. The retreat for ninth and tenth graders at the Espousal center was a day long success. We thank the many volunteers who dedicate their time and talents to preparing youth at Our Lady s. The number of volunteers from our parish who teach students over those twenty two weeks is a huge commitment. Without them sharing their faith, the program would not be successful. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) tion. Meeting times are made according to the needs of the candidates. Generally, RCIA or adult confirmation is a year long program. Candidates for baptism receive the sacraments at the Easter Vigil, those for Communion and Confirmation on Easter Sunday, and those for adult Confirmation only at a regional Confirmation. Also, several young students are Bap For over twenty one years Our Lady s has had an active RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program for those people with a desire to become Catholic.. Three volunteer Catechists as well as guest speakers work with adults and, on some occasions, teenagers exploring the faith or preparing for the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion and/or Confirmatized and Confirmed during the year. Those who wish to be catechists or presenters or those who wish to take part in the program should contact the parish office. For more information on the Catholic Faith visit

13 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CATECHISTS AND AIDES GRADES 1 10 Susan France, Elizabeth Pettine, Dave Pettine, Paul Maillet, Eileen Carr, Julie Toole, Jackie Ashba, Heather Fabiano, Liz Cunningham, Tammy Graham, Mary Causland, April Slattery, Laura Massa, Joanne Murphy, Lisa DiMatteo, Iona Pasqual, Cammie Terrasi, Stephanie Flynn, John Barry. Not in picture: Karen Fairbrother, June Arnold, Tara Senarian, Kara Kunkler Peck, Linda Young, Susan Cononi, Jackie Zuppe, Joanne St. Cyr, Eveline Jelloe, Warren Withrow and our Confirmation Catechists, Sandra Vecchio, Carol Kelly, Anna Sabatino and Toni Berit.

14 DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED MOTHER Over the past four years under the leadership of Fr. DiPerri, our parish has established a dedication to the Blessed Mother with Marian Rosary Services being held each year in May and October. The Blessed Mother Statue which had been removed from the Sanctuary several years ago was returned and restored. The Blessed Mother garden area was revitalized and expanded on the parish grounds. All of these improvements were done as a result of parishioners donations of time, talent and treasure. MONTHLY ROSARY The wonderful tradition of recitation of the rosary to Our Lady of Fatima every First Saturday began at our church when Fr. Burke was the pastor. Two senior citizens, Paul and Jennie Garavanta, who belonged to the Legion of Mary, formed a group of people to recite the rosary every First Saturday. We have kept this custom going for these many years. In fact, right from the beginning, the rosary group purchased a 27 inch statue of Our Lady of Fatima which was used in the church monthly. This statue is still in use today. Jennie was the seamstress who made beautiful capes for the statue. Please join us on the first Saturday of each month at 3:15 pm in the church.

15 OUR LADY OF FATIMA VISITATION Our Lady s hosted the Pilgrimage of Prayer visitation of Our Lady of Fatima Statue in October, 2011.

16 ALTAR SERVERS Here at Our Lady s Church, we are blessed to have a loyal group of altar servers, ranging from age 9 to adult. The group has been growing over the past four years, going from a handful of servers to 32 serving today. They have been loyal and add to the beauty of the Mass through their dignified and thoughtful service. Not only do the servers participate in other parish events such as adoration and prayer services, weddings and school Masses, but also reach out beyond the parish serving at the Catholic TV Mass and participating in the Archdiocesan services at the Cathedral. Training takes place at least twice a year and also when necessary to train interested children between the formal training sessions. Our veteran servers mentor the younger ones and are involved as instructors in the training program. The parents of the servers have been very supportive. Responding to requests, driving the children to church, attending the training sessions and being available as needs arise. Over the past four years, parents have joined their children as altar servers for Sunday and Holy Week Masses. This effort will continue to be a focus as the year progresses. Fr. DiPerri goes out of his way in his support of the altar servers and their families. As a way of thanks, he has hosted the altar servers, their parents and siblings to a barbeque, several parties, trips to Canobie Lake and Kimball Farm in Westford. The parent chaperones who attend all activities have a good time as well. If anyone would like to join this ministry, please contact the parish office by phone or parish@olca.org or Paul Loscocco, Coordinator of Altar Server Ministry at or pfal@rcn.com. Photo: Sarah Smith serving the Girl Scout Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

17 Remember those you have lost through a memorial donation through our Annual Memorial Candle Stands, one runs from Memorial Day to Memorial Day and the other from All Souls Day to All Souls Day. These stands raise over $14,000 annually for the church. The candles are $250 for the year and there still are a few left. If you would like more information, please contact Sharon Micco in the parish office at x2 or parish@olca.org MEMORIAL CANDLE STAND TREE OF LIFE Our Tree of Life which is a beautiful perpetual way to remember a loved one. It is $1,000 per leaf. If you would like more information please contact Sharon Micco in the parish office, or parish@olca.org 1000 CLUB TURKEY RAMA AND HAM A RAMA Our Lady s Turkey Rama and Ham a Rama fundraisers are held every year the week before Thanksgiving and Easter. 60 turkeys and hams, 40 baskets of vegetables and lots of goodies are raffled off. These two fundraisers together raise $31,700 annually for the church. Great raffle prizes are donated and also raffled that evening. A fun time is had by all who attend. Our Lady s 1000 Club meets on selected Sundays once a month. A chance to win one of 12 cash prizes drawn: (8) $50, (1) $100, (1) $200 (1) $300 and (1) $1,000. Cost is $55 per year or $5 per month. If you would like to join, please contact Sharon Micco in the parish office at or parish@olca.org. This fundraiser raises $11,000 annually for our church. Our remaining 2012 drawings are May 13, June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 11 and December 9.

18 ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT Each year on Easter morning after the 9am Mass, Our Lady s has it s annual Easter egg hunt. Over 2000 eggs are placed on the lawn of the church and the children run to fill their baskets. What a sight!

19 A FOCUS ON COMFORTING THE AFFLICTED ANOINTING OF THE SICK (NEW MINISTRY) HOMEBOUND MINISTRY Upon his arrival, Fr. DiPerri initiated and encouraged activities to comfort the afflicted. He initiated a monthly Anointing of the Sick the last weekend of each month after the 4pm and 11am Masses. Individuals come from various parishes well beyond Our Lady s boundaries to receive this most important Sacrament. HEALING SERVICE In August of 2010, Our Lady s hosted a Healing Service conducted by Brother Henry Wampamba of Uganda. A service that was only supposed to last a couple hours lasted at least six. Individuals from all over came to experience the healing touch of our Lord. PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY (NEW MINISTRY) Our Lady s has a very active Prayer Shawl Ministry under the guidance of Terry Stepp. Volunteers meet on a regular basis to create beautiful shawls with a prayer attached from the parishioners of Our Lady s. These shawls/afghans are delivered to the homebound as well as residents of assisted living facilities in the area of Our Lady s with a prayer of hope and faith. On December 4, 2011, 100 prayer shawls were presented to the residents of Waltham Crossings at the weekly Eucharistic service. They were very well received. Many thanks to the volunteers who lend their talents to this important ministry. They are: Joan Parker, Ginny Wheeler, Mary Causland, Maureen Corey, Dot Doherty, Janet Donahue, Fran McLaughlin, Angie Mullaney, Cathy Cannon, Barbara Salamone, Kay Currier and Terry Stepp. If you would like to join Our Lady s Prayer Shawl Ministry, please contact the parish office. Thirteen parishioners from Our Lady s are dedicated to the Homebound Ministry. These Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring Communion and prayer, and hope, to those unable to attend Mass. Visits are at the discretion of the homebound parishioner but are usually once per week. The program is strengthened by the work of the Prayer Shawl Ministry who make and provide beautiful shawls along with a prayer card from the parish. It is most important that those who are housebound not be separated from the faith community. Those who are homebound may also receive the Sacrament of the Sick within six month periods. If you know of someone in need of this service or if you would like more information, please contact the parish office or parish@olca.org ASSISTED LIVING SERVICES Each Sunday morning, twelve dedicated Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion conduct Communion prayer services at Meadow Green Rehab Center as well as Waltham Crossings. All residents are welcome to attend, but if they are not able to attend the Ministers of Communion who conduct the services will bring Communion to their rooms. These services are also held on Ash Wednesday, Christmas and Easter. Twice during the year, either Fr. DiPerri or Fr. Hawker bring the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to each facility. During Christmastime, students from the Religious Education Program donate service hours by singing carols, delivering holy water bottles and assisting with prayer readings at the services. Anyone interested in learning more about these services or volunteering should contact the parish office.

20 GET INVOLVED!! HOLY WATER BOTTLES FOR EASTER Every year for our Easter celebrations, the children in our Religious Education Program grades 6 10 come and help fill over 2,000 bottles to be distributed with Holy Water. They label the bottles with our parish name and tie a colorful piece of ribbon around the bottle. The finished product is absolutely beautiful and all who receive a bottle of holy water at Easter time feel truly blessed. ACTIVITIES CLUB Our Lady s Activities Club has been very busy. For the parish we ve hosted : Several Pot Luck Dinners Indoor Yard Sales Organized a Mystery Ride For the greater community Assisted Waltham Soup Kitchen Organized letters to the active duty soldiers Collected socks for the local VA hospital Hosted the November Veterans Mass for Our Lady s Went caroling at the Waltham Crossings As a club we went out for dinners, went bowling at King s in Dedham, went to dinner in the North End attending one of the summer feasts, went to Stoneham Theater and more. Weather challenged many of our outdoor activities but we continue to find ways of bringing our parish community together. We meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm in the parish center (conference room across from the parish office). All are welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing some new faces. HOSPITALITY Thank you to Ruby Leeber and her crew for continuing to provide warm hospitality including baking delectable goodies for all our parish events. MONEY COUNTERS Each week we have several parish volunteers who give of their time to sort through offertory envelopes and assist us in organizing the weekly bank deposit. We are grateful for their dependability and commitment to Our Lady s.

21 LECTORS AND EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS GET INVOLVED!! At each weekend Mass, there are at least seven Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion and two Lectors assigned. Our Lady s has over 70 volunteers who serve our parish in these two ministries. All Eucharistic Ministers are trained and Lectors well rehearsed for the weekend Masses. If you would be interested in joining either of these ministries, please call the parish office and someone will get back to you. Proclaiming the Word and distributing the Body and Blood of Christ are two very rewarding ministries. Our Lector Coordinator invites guest Lectors and former Religious Education students to come back and read. Thank you to all our present Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers. Thank you Fr. James Hawker for your dedication and commitment in sharing your faith with Our Lady s Community when available from his retirement residence in Quincy. USHERS Thank you to the dedication of our current ushers. If you would be interested in joining our ministry of ushers, please contact the parish office and we will have the head usher Charlie Newfell contact you. MASS PREPARATION Thank you to those who dedicate their time and efforts in preparing daily and weekend Masses. Much work is done behind the scenes to help make our Liturgies run smoothly. FOOD PANTRY Collection of non perishable food the 3 rd weekend of every month to help the needy families of our parish community. GARDENING ANGELS Thank you to Joyce Gianfelice and her gardening angels for continuing to beautify our grounds with flower beds and arrangements. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, contact Joyce Gianfelice at resolute107@verizon.net or call the parish office.

22 ST. VINCENT DEPAUL St. Vincent depaul Society is a volunteer charitable organization founded by Frederic Ozanam to assist the poor. We provide assistance primarily for food, but have also been able to assist with utilities and heating oil on occasion. In the last year we have been able to provide over $6,700 in aid to families in our parish, as well as given over 160 orders of food from Dick Casey s food closet to which parishioners have so generously donated every month. Our primary source of income is from the boxes at the entrance of the Church. We also have done the Christmas Giving Tree each year which provides over 400 gifts to families in our parish and to Catholic Charities. Our other program has been the baby shower on Mother s Day to collect baby/children items for local shelters. Our Lady s conference has been in existence since 1989 and we are in need of new members. Anyone interested in becoming an active member, please call the parish office and someone will get in touch with you. MUSIC MINISTRY ADULT CHOIR Our Lady s Adult Choir sings for the 11 am Mass and occasional special Masses, plus Holy Week and Christmas Eve with String Orchestra. We are a four part STAB polyphonic choir as is asked of us by the church in the new Roman Missal and we sing a variety of repertoire from Latin to Gospel. We are an experienced and friendly group and are always looking for new members and members who can also occasionally cantor at the Saturday, 4 pm Mass. We rehearse Wednesday evenings from 7 8:15pm October December and February Easter, in other words, the Wednesday night commitment is very manageable and only runs for portions of the year. Attendance at all Sunday mornings and rehearsals is not required. We have members that come when they are able and they are always gratefully welcomed by our regular and faithful choir members. The adult choir has a long and distinguished music history and is waiting for your important participation. We also welcome and encourage spouses and children to come up and be with the choir during services! CHILDREN S CHOIR The children of Our Lady s Parish have served at the 9 am Mass for over six years. For the last two years, many more children have volunteered their time and talents. The dedicated students have sung a remarkable range of church music, selected to emphasize the readings and teachings of the Mass. They have taken up leadership positions by leading the responsorial psalm, learning solos in their spare time, and recently accomplishing two part harmony. The Children s Choir members range from kindergarten to high school, though most students are from first to fifth grade. These students come from both Our Lady s Academy as well as through our Religious Education Program. The children attend often and sing every Sunday with enthusiasm. We are extremely grateful for their service.

23 CENACLE OF THE DIVINE MERCY The Cenacle of Divine Mercy meets monthly in St. Joseph Chapel in the school using the CENACLE FORMATION MANUAL for Eucharistic Apostles of the Divine Mercy aggregated to the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, who have been entrusted with spreading the message of Divine Mercy as revealed to St. Faustina. In using this study guide, we are led through the DIARY OF ST. FAUSTINA, scripture and the Catholic Catechism of the Church to better understand the role of trust, forgiveness and mercy in our daily lives. Through this faith sharing it is hoped that there will be an increase in works of mercy, sacramental participation and increase of stewardship of time, talent and treasure. We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 1:30 pm in St. Joseph Chapel of the school. Please enter the building through the parish center. All are welcome. HOLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATION (NEW MINISTRY) Our Lady s Religious Education program as well as Our Lady s Academy supported the efforts of the Holy Childhood Association for the first of what we plan to be an annual participation in supporting missionary work. The Holy Childhood Association is a Pontifical Mission Society an approved missionary society of the Archdiocese. The goal of the Holy Childhood is that of children helping children. In the school year Religious Education students grades 1 8 collected money by doing good deeds at home during Lent such as chores and helping their neighbor. As a reward, children received coins which were collected in mite boxes and sent to the missions. Our Lady s Academy students also collected change for mite boxes but also had a food drive for the needy of Our Lady s parish. THE WEB TEAM The web team uses web technologies to represent the parish and the school to the community at large. The school s website has become a source of information for parents and prospective families. The parish website demonstrates to the community how active and vibrant this parish is. PARISH WEBSITE The parish website has grown tremendously over the past four years. In addition to announcing upcoming events on our homepage, the website also includes pages for the many ministries at Our Lady s Parish. Parishioners who are already part of a ministry use the website for posting schedules for Masses, meetings or rehearsals and parishioners who are interested in joining one of our growing ministries can look to the website for more information on what we are all about and who to contact to get involved. Our weekly bulletins are posted online along with any important updates from the pastor. We also have a resource page with many links to the wealth of information about our Catholic faith that is available online.

24 OUR LADY S BASKETBALL PROGRAM Congratulations to all the parents and children in Grades 1/2 and 3/4 who participated in OLA s Basketball Program this year. A special thank you goes out to the coaches. Grade 1/2: Coach Chris S, Coach Mike, Coach Ernie and Roberta R. our General Manager. Grades 3/ 4: Coaches Peter and Joe. Each year we have three goals: 1)To have fun 2)To improve our skills and 3)To learn how to be part of a team. Once again we succeeded in all three areas. We had great participation and enthusiasm at all levels. Over the past nine years the extracurricular basketball program has grown and flourished. We are now participating in two leagues: an introductory league for the younger children, and a competitive league for the upper grades. It s a great thing to see our Wildcats grow and progress through the grades. Go Wildcats! Incredible, Exhilarating, Fun is what the edition of the OLA Wildcat Basketball program provided their faithful following in what can only be described as a breakout season! In only their second full season in the competitive Middlesex Catholic School League, the Wildcats of OLA simply made some noise with their own version of March Madness. The 7/8 grade team finished the regular season at 11 5 and tied for fourth place with arch rival Austin Prep. This was a quantum leap from last year s inaugural season in which the Varsity Cats finished at 8/8. This set up a much anticipated rematch of last year s playoff matchup with OLA squaring off against Prep, a team we had lost to three times straight. The game was a classic back and forth battle with the Wildcats grabbing a slim 3 point lead at the half. The second half was a coach s dream. The boys put it all together and simply played their best basketball of the season when it counted the most!! We ran, we shot, we played defense and we made Free Throws!! Michael The Moon Medina (where he resides) led the way and was unconscious pouring in 17 2 nd half points and controlling the boards at both ends. Aaron the little engine that could Jammal, who just never stops working chipped in another 6 for the Cats in route to a victory. While the next two rounds of the playoffs left our boys a bit bloodied and bruised as we matched up against the class of the league in St. Agnes (eventual champs) and the always tough Cheverus. It takes none of the luster off a great season and tremendous playoff showing. Coaches Pratt and Cercone couldn t be prouder of the guys!

25 As for the 5/6 grade Cats, what can you say about coach Mort Sullivan and his band of Merry Men. This team was a basketball version of Ocean s Eleven; with a cast of wise guys, characters and criminals!! (They Stole Our Hearts!) They were like a bunch of Pistachios in that you couldn t get enough of them and boy where they tough to crack! The JV Cats had a great regular season going 14 2 and finishing second in the regular season standings, handling most opponents they matched up with, and several with relative ease. With their exciting run and gun style and the relentless, swarming, trapping defense, that defensive mastermind Frank Devito drilled into them game after game, this team was flat out a blast to watch. However, it was the fairy tale run in the playoffs that captured the attention of the legions of Blue and Gold that will be talked about for years to come. With the twin towers Devito and Edouard handling business in the paint and Mario the Magic Man doing his backcourt thing the Junior Wildcats breezed through the first three playoff rounds and headed straight on into a championship match up against old nemesis St Rafael s. The two teams had split the regular season match up and our boys had faced them only a couple weeks prior to the title game in a meeting that they won going away. The boys played their hearts out but as is the case with many fairy tale stories the clock struck midnight and the magic faded away, gone but not to be forgotten anytime soon. The team continued on into the Greater New England tournament and posted a couple more victories against bigger and more established programs before losing a nail biter in the end. I tell you it was great stuff. I look forward to watching this team stay together and grow stronger as they enter the 7/8 grade division and will no doubt make us proud as a team to be reckoned with. Last but not least the 5 6 grade girls team got off the ground this season. Led by coaches Marc DeLuca and Mary Mills these newbie s made giant strides through out the season. The league was a big step up for most of the players who had never experienced playing competitive basketball with certified referees before. However, they put the time in at practice, battled in their games which led to a play off berth. More importantly each player improved throughout the year and they truly played as a team. The coaches are eagerly anticipating next season bringing back the majority of the team with many lessons learned in their pockets. We re really hoping this team will only be the spring board for the girls. It would be great if we could get enough players to start a 7 8 grade team next season as well!! On behalf of commissioner Mort Sullivan and all the coaches and staff we want to extend a sincere thanks to all the parents and fans that made this season such a great success. In only our second year in the league the OLA WILDCATS s program has quickly been recognized as a truly solid program with an emphasis on high morals and standards. Good stuff! Year End Wrap Up 1.) The annual Hoop Mass and Breakfast was a huge hit once again. Thanks to all who pitched in to make it happen. 2.) The annual Wildcat banquet was held on April 28 th. 3.) As the program continues to build and grow stronger it needs good help and support. Please consider taking an active role in program and contact any of the coaches for more information.

26 OUR LADY S PASTORAL COUNCIL Throughout the year the Pastoral Council provides leadership for Archdiocese efforts such as Catholics Come Home and more recently, Pastoral Planning Members are also active in other special Masses and events such as our Marian Rosary Services, Holy Week Services and support of other ministries such as Catholic Radio. This January the Pastoral Council attended the TV Mass said by Fr. DiPerri for Catholic TV/Channel 7. Our Pastoral Council meets with Father DiPerri on the second Monday of each month from September through June. The Council is actively engaged in most matters that impact the parish. Between meetings, Fr. DiPerri consults with the Vice Chair of the Council and other members as needed on various topics and listens to other issues raised. The Council is briefed by the Pastor at each meeting and also regularly briefed by the Parish Business Manager, School Principal and Ministry Leaders. The Vice Chair of the School Consultative Board and the Vice Chair of the Finance Council attend all meetings to ensure open communication amongst the parish leadership bodies. Pastoral Council members serve a three year term. PASTORAL COUNCIL Diane LeBlanc, Vice Chair Paul Loscocco, Secretary Jeanne Burley Elaine Cianci Suzanne Cercone Deirdre Curtin Al Fusco Jean Foster Iona Pasqual Joe Nixon Mort Sullivan Sherwood Vandewater Millie Zayas Sharon Micco John Barry Chase Withrow, Youth Member OUR LADY S PARISH FINANCE COUNCIL FINANCE COUNCIL Fr. James M. DiPerri Chandra Minor Denise Moroney Jean Foster Vice Chair Cynthia Deysher Steve Doneski Dave Pettine Mort Sullivan Vin Failla Tim Pratt Millie Zayas The Finance Council s purpose is to advise the Pastor on financial matters. We meet several times a year and review the parish financial statements and also compare the results of operation to the budget and previous year s reports. The school budget, because of it s size, is reviewed separately. We receive verbal reports at all the meetings from the Business Manager, Denise Moroney and the School Principal, Chandra Minor as well as an update from our Pastor, Fr. DiPerri on current activities. One of our most important functions is to review and recommend the budgets for the school and parish. In order to set and approve tuition rates for the school, we attempt to complete the review of the school budget for the upcoming fiscal year by the end of January. The parish budget is generally prepared in the spring of each year for the follow fiscal year. We also review and recommend significant financial decisions. The Council membership includes two school parents as well as a banker, two certified public accountants and several businessmen and women. The members of the Council are appointed by the pastor and membership is reviewed by him yearly.

27 STATIONS OF THE CROSS Years ago, Stations of the Cross had very low attendance. As little as twelve people were present. It was realized then that some changes needed to be made. The first change was the addition of the Station s biggest supporter, our pastor Fr. DiPerri. He often said from the pulpit the importance of Stations in our church life. We then had the readings by the Lectors, which at first were too long, it was then made so that the readings were meaningful. Music was then added by our Music Director, Kevin Galie, along with our cantor, Louise d Entremont, which proved to be inspirational. Originally Stations of the Cross were held on Friday evenings, we then changed that to Wednesday evenings. It was not well received initially but proved to be in the best interest of all. While Stations are being said, confessions are heard from 6:30 7:30pm, which was well received. We even had a condensed version of the Stations with our Religious Education classes grades three through ten. Our last Stations of the Cross the past few years has been dedicated to Deacon Bill MacKenzie who passed away a few years ago. Bill started our Stations many years ago and we continue to grow on the spiritual ministry that he began. Special thanks to all who take part in our Stations of the Cross ministry. Thank you Peter Bourque for your coordination on Wednesday nights, Art Webster, Rick Bouchard, Knights of Columbus, Lectors, Candle Holders and Sharon Micco. Without everyone working together, we cannot do what we do.

28 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS The Knights of Columbus has taken an active role in parish life at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted. With the support of Fr. DiPerri who is a Knight, a group of 34 men led by our founding Grand Knight, Sherwood Vandewater, established the council in February In the three years since then, our membership has more than doubled and now numbers 71. The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization open to Catholic men 18 years old and older and was established in 1882 by Fr. Michael J. McGivney at St. Mary s Church in New Haven, Connecticut. The guiding principles of the Knights of Columbus are Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. As Knights of Columbus we seek to exemplify these principals in our actions and support our parish priests. Our council conducts activities that benefit Church, Community, and Family life at Our Lady s as well as some traditional K of C activities. Among the Church activities the Council performs are a monthly lay led Eucharistic Adoration and Rosary, greeting at Masses, assisting with the Confirmation Retreat, providing scholarships for seminarians, and assisting with the activities for the Easter Season. In addition, this year we provided security and support for the visitation of the Our Lady of Fatima Statue and the Parish Mission conducted by Fr. Alfred McBride. The community activities we undertake include: baby showers for women in need, collecting items for the troops overseas, Rosaries On The Common, partnering with the St. Vincent DePaul Society to provide Christmas dinners to the needy, and six Red Cross blood drives per year. We also hold two pasta dinners and a meat raffle each year. These events are a great chance to share a meal as a parish and have been very well received and supported. These are also opportunities for us to raise funds for the parish. The Knights of Columbus hold activities to support family life at Our Lady s. One of our most well received activities is the distribution of roses on Mother s Day. We also remember the fathers at our parish with spiritual gifts on Father s Day. Another activity we look forward to is the cook out with Fr. DiPerri. Many of the members of our Council are also members of the 4 th Degree, the Patriotic Degree. The Fourth includes the Honor Guard, one of the most visible parts of the Knights of Columbus, with their colorful chapeau s, capes, and swords. The Honor Guard often escorts priests. Two members of our Council have passed away; last year Frank Gillen and this year Joe Cunningham. Please remember them in your prayers. On behalf of the Knights of Columbus, I would like to thank Fr. DiPerri and all of the members of our parish for welcoming and supporting us. If you would like more information on the Knights of Columbus, please see one of us after Mass or us at olkofc@olca.org.

29 Knights of Columbus The late Frank Gillen, a Charter Member of the Council and long time usher received the 3 rd Degree while convalescing at Meadow Green The Knights exemplify Unity welcoming parishioners The statue s caretaker, a brother Knight, provided an interesting history of the Fatima Statue s origin In an example of charity, one of our main principals, Knights distribute Christmas dinners to the needy One of our fraternal and delicious activities a cookout with Fr. DiPerri The Honor Guard escorting Knight Joe Devane s twin grand children at their Baptism

30 PARISH MISSION WITH FR. ALFRED MCBRIDE In September 2011, Our Lady s hosted a three evening Parish Mission with Fr. Alfred McBride. Among his focus was the importance of the Mass in our lives. Fr. McBride is a nationally acclaimed author of forty five well written books explaining the Catholic Faith. Both in his writings and in speech Fr. McBride is blessed with the ability to effectively use the gift of story telling, as a way of relating it to fundamental Catholic teaching.