Saint Cecilia. Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time. 26 August Christ Preaching Rembrandt van Rijn (1657)

Transcription

1 Saint Cecilia P A R I S H Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time 26 August 2018 Christ Preaching Rembrandt van Rijn (1657)

2 OUR COMMUNITY NEWS MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY Saturday, August 18 5:00 p.m. Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrant Erin Young, lector Sunday, August 19 8:00 a.m. Rev. Peter Gyves, SJ, celebrant Julie Bogandanski, lector Sunday, August 19 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Jillian Ryan, Cathy Anderson, and Elyse Portillo, lectors SPECIAL INTENTIONS Saturday, August 25 5:00 p.m. Bridie Maloney, Memorial Sunday, August 26 9:30 a.m. Elizabeth Macauley and Sergio Bru, Memorial Sunday, August 26 11:15 a.m. Mary E. Donovan, First Anniversary Sunday, August 26 11:15 a.m. Donna Kanapesky, First Anniversary Sunday, August 19 11:15 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrant Laura Melle, Karen McMenamy, and Christina Gebel, lectors TODAY'S READINGS Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b Ephesians 5:21-32 John 6:60-69 NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 James 1:17-18, 21B-22, 27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, Parish Sharing & Listening Session Please join us on Wednesday, September 12 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall for a listening/reflection forum regarding the Pennsylvania grand jury report on the sexual abuse of children and systematic cover-up by Church officials. This will be a time to come together as a community to share our thoughts and feelings and to think about a way of moving forward as Catholics. 2

3 Prayers & Occasions Our Sick Please pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Gerard Franchi, Stephanie Brown, Charles Robinson, Angelo Valente, Eugenia Valente, Jim Mootos, and Mary Pickering. Evening Prayer This Week Tuesday, August 28 is the memorial of Saint Augustine of Hippo. We will celebrate Vespers at 6:30. All are welcome. Save the Date! Farewell to Richard Richard Clark's final Sunday liturgy at Saint Cecilia is just two weeks away September 9. On that day we will have a reception in Richard's honor following the 11:15 liturgy. Please join us to celebrate Richard's time with us. Archdiocese of Boston Office of Pastoral Support & Child Protection To survivors in the Archdiocese of Boston who struggle to process their pain and whose wounds are opened especially wide with the reports from Pennsylvania, please know that Vivian Soper, Director of the Archdiocese's Office of Pastoral Support and Child Protection and her colleagues stand ready to provide assistance. We encourage you to contact Vivian at To the survivors and their loved ones, we must again apologize and ask forgiveness. While much has been accomplished in the protection of children with the participation of the laity, there remains much more to be done. We are committed to the fulfillment of this responsibility as a continuing priority for the work of the Church. Flood Update Lisa Pickering our facilities and operations manager, has been working around the clock to rectify any flood damage on our first floor. While she is making quick work of it, there will be no hospitality after Masses this week. SAINT CECILIA PARISH 3 A note from our Pastoral Director of Operations Dear friends, Every day, we are taking steps toward bringing our parish vision to life. Here are some words from our vision: On Sundays, it is obvious that there are more teens, college age kids, and young adults filling the seats. We ve found a way to reach them through our new Campus Ministry which draws from the many schools in the Fenway/ Back Bay/South End neighborhood The sense of belonging and recognition reveals itself through the liturgy, the music, hospitality, ministry and fellowship For every parishioner, it seems there are retreats, social offerings, service programs, support and opportunities to deepen our relationship with God. In order to support this important life stage, I m happy to announce that we have hired a director of college and youth ministry, John Glynn. John comes to us from Boston College, where he spent the last seven years serving as a Campus Minister. At BC, John ran the highly successful Kairos retreat program, and also led annual service immersion trips to Kingston, Jamaica. John has a rich history with Catholic higher education, having attended the University of Notre Dame for undergrad and Boston College School of Theology & Ministry for his Masters in Pastoral Ministry, which focused on Youth & Young Adult Faith. After graduating from Notre Dame and before coming to Boston, he worked for several years in Youth Ministry for a parish near Orlando as you can tell, he s always felt a strong calling to serve young people in exploring faith. John is originally from the suburbs of Washington, DC and now lives in South Boston. In his free time you can often find him riding his bike, hiking or going to the Cape with his fiancé Ali (who won t be happy that she s cropped out of this photo), or binge-watching the Office again on Netflix. Please join me in a warm welcome to John. I m looking forward to the great work he will be doing and we re so pleased to have him on the parish staff team! Peace, Mary

4 Prison and After Needs Help Every Monday night for the past six years, a dedicated group of parishioners has been providing a support group and dinner for men who are returning to the community after serving time in prison. This ministry has been supported by the generous donations of Saint Cecilia parishioners. Contributions of any amount are appreciated and can be given to Mark or Scott any Sunday, placed in the collection basket clearly labeled "Prison and After" or mailed to: Saint Cecilia Parish, 18 Belvidere St., Boston, MA Any checks should be made out to Saint Cecilia Parish with Prison and After written in the memo line. THE WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER The annual Spaghetti Dinner gala to benefit the day shelter on Newbury Street will be held on Friday, October 19th 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 mark.lippolt@gmail.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. HUNGER & HOMELESSNESS MINISTRY: DRIVERS NEEDED Keep our Doors Open! The Open Doors ministry began several years ago in the hopes that we could offer a peaceful sanctuary to the passer-by to enjoy quiet time with the Lord. We have found that while many enter with prayer in mind, others come to take in the beauty of Saint Cecilia, find out more about our history, or to learn about our vibrant community. As Open Door ministers, we have a unique opportunity to meet and interact with neighbors, visitors, and fellow parishioners. We are responsive to the needs of those that walk through our doors, whether it be answering questions or providing a silent, welcoming nod as they enter in to pray. In order to keep our front doors open, we need parishioner help. At this time, we are looking for anyone who is able to commit to a couple hours a month to this ministry. If this opportunity is of interest to you, please contact Amy Paulin at amy.paulin1@gmail.com. Thank you for helping to keep the beauty and peace of Saint Cecilia open. Each weekend parishioners have the opportunity to pick up donated meat, dairy products, and produce from four 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 Mass. We need drivers for all the Saturdays and Sundays in September. Please Mark.Lippolt@gmail.com if you can help out. Join the Saint Cecilia Team We've got a small but growing team planning to run/walk the Boston 10K for Women on October 8. The cost for Registration is $50 per person. If you'd like to run, please lbennett@stceciliaboston.org for instructions on how to officially join the team. For more information about the race or for suggested training materials, you can visit boston10kforwomen.com/. 4

5 Editorial: The Body of Christ Must Reclaim Our Church Editor's note: The following editorial was written and will appear in the Aug print issue of NCR, which went to press the day before Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the U.S. bishops' conference, revealed that the bishops were inviting the Vatican to conduct an apostolic visitation to the country to lead a "full investigation" into questions surrounding Cardinal Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, that the bishops will take steps to create channels for easier reporting of abuse and misconduct by bishops, and that the bishops will push for better procedures under canon law to resolve complaints made against bishops. We welcome yesterday's announcement as a good first step in resolving the crisis that has enveloped the Catholic Church. Particularly encouraging is that the bishops have listed "substantial leadership by laity" as one of the criteria for meeting their goals. That, too, is a step along the way. Cardinal DiNardo's statement is addressed to "Brothers and Sisters in Christ" and ends this request: "Let me ask you to hold us to all of these resolutions." The bishops should know that we will be watching. With what we have learned about the abuse of minors and seminarians perpetuated by Theodore McCarrick and his parallel rise through the ranks of the church, coupled with the scathing grand jury report out of Pennsylvania that chronicles in vivid detail the rape of children and the culture of secrecy that enabled the abuse to continue for decades, what are Catholics feeling? Anger and disgust don't seem strong enough words. Revulsion? Horror? Betrayal? The revelations of the last two months make undeniably clear that it is time for the laity to reclaim our ownership of this church. We are the body of Christ, we are the church. It is time that we demand that bishops claim their true vocations as servants to the people of God. And they must live that way. At this time, it seems laity can do very little to effect the changes needed to bring about the solutions to the large issues that plague the church now careerism, abuse of power, lack of transparency, no accountability. The fact is laypeople in our church today have little power. That said, as any community organizer would tell you, we have the power of the collective. Now more than ever, we the laity need to speak with a united voice. We must turn our anger into resolve. It is shocking that after decades of revelations of sexual abuse of children, there is still no clear accountability for bishops. We must demand change. First, tell our bishops that we no longer trust them, individually or collectively. The trust we may have had is now shattered. Second, tell our bishops that regaining our trust requires reform in how the church as an institution operates. In the next weeks and months, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will be studying the issues that arise from the McCarrick case. The conference will appoint committees, authorize studies and make plans. We must demand and be given full lay participation in all the committees and study groups, and we must have full transparency of all that these committees and groups see and do. Furthermore, we must demand and receive full lay participation in whatever tribunals, councils or visitation teams result from these efforts. We won't settle for tokenism or mere "advisory roles." If canon law doesn't allow the lay involvement we would seek, we respond: Change the law. Furthermore, women should be as equally represented as men in these study groups, commissions, tribunals and councils. We would especially recommend reserving places in these groups for women religious. There are many leaders of women's congregations who are more than qualified to serve on any of these bodies, particularly those in the U.S. who endured years of Vatican scrutiny under the apostolic visitation and the doctrinal assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Indeed, if the effort the Vatican had expended on such baseless examinations had instead been focused on cleaning house of abusive or complicit bishops and priests, how much further along might we be in healing from the cancer of sexual abuse that weakens the church among its followers and erodes its moral standing in the world? What plagues the church today as the Pennsylvania 5

6 continued from page 5 grand jury demonstrates resulted from the lack of accountability of bishops and religious superiors. Any Catholic has the right to petition their bishop, a major superior, the apostolic nuncio, the appropriate dicasteries in Rome, even the pope. But from the local level all the way to Rome, there is no accountable, transparent process to ensure that grievances are received, let alone acted upon. We know, for example, that staff at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith refused to send acknowledgements that they had received letters from victims of clergy sex abuse. Such an attitude perpetuates a culture of impunity that must change. The next time you go to Mass and as you kneel in that silence that envelops the church just before liturgy begins, utter a prayer for this battered and wounded body we call the church. Pray for a renewal and inspiration from the Holy Spirit, and pray for a reform of our broken system. Then glance to your left and your right. Kneeling beside you are likely the strongest allies you have in rebuilding a church so badly in need of reform. This affects all of us the people of God. It's more than past time that we the laity demand more of our church leaders. STAYING IN TOUCH If you are moving, or have changed your phone or address, please be sure to update your contact information with the parish office. You can simply Mark Donohoe at mdonohoe@stceciliaparish.org with the new information. Thank you. CHILDREN'S BOOKS The Women s Table Welcomes You! The Women s Table of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, offers hospitality, welcome and compassion to women from all walks of life. Programs range from monthly circles of support for mothers of children with special needs, to retreats and enrichment series that encourage women to explore the meaning and wisdom of their lives. Check out our website at: All programs are free, though goodwill donations are always welcome. This fall The Women s Table will host monthly circles of support for mothers on the third Monday of each month, beginning on September 17th. Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. A four-week series entitled, Crossroads and Thresholds: Embracing the Second Half of Life, will begin on October 17th and meet for four consecutive Wednesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Six-week writing workshops provide a balance of thought-provoking writing prompts and opportunities for participants to share their writing, as they wish. This series begins on Thursday, October 11th, and runs for six consecutive Thursdays, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. All programs are held at the Sisters of St. Joseph residence at 637 Cambridge St., Brighton (beside St. Joseph Preparatory High School). For more information, please call Mary Rita at or maryrita.weschler@ csjboston.org. Join the BOSTON HOLY LAND CHRISTIAN FORUM Sundays Sept. 9, Oct.14, and Nov. 4 4:00 p.m. Saint Ignatius of Loyola Church in Chestnut Hill The Boston Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is sponsoring a discussion series using Catholic Social Teaching and Ignatian Priciples of Discernment to examine the challenges and opportunities concering the future of the Holy Land. For more information, please contact Jeanne Bruno (jbruno@stceciliaboston.org). Generous parishioners have donated a supply of children's books that can be found in the narthex. Given our desire to respect the dignity of the folks we serve through our hunger and homelessness ministries, we would ask that you have your children borrow these books rather than play with the donations of food and toiletries. 6

7 Adult Faith Formation Events BOSTON COLLEGE EVENTS For further details or to register for these events, please check the School of Theology and Ministry website: The First Annual Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., Lecture Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the School of Theology and Ministry Presenter: James Martin, S.J. Thursday, September 20, :30 8:30 p.m. Robsham Theater, Chestnut Hill Campus Registration confirmation required for admission to the lecture Free of charge The Brien O'Brien and Mary Hasten Lecture in Interreligious Dialogue Signs of Hope in Muslim-Christian Relations Panel Discussion Presenters: Daniel A. Madigan, S.J., Klaus Von Stosch and Joshua Ralston Thursday, September27, :00 p.m. Robsham Theater, Chestnut Hill Campus No Registration ONLINE COURSES For further details or to register for these events, please check the STM Online: Crossroads website: html The Best of James Martin, S.J. in "America" September 5-25, Weeks Registration Required $25.00 Catholic Social Teaching: Living Faith in Our Social Context September 19 - October 24, Week Online Course Registration Required $50.00 Liturgy Committee September 19 - October 17, Week Online Course Registration Required $25.00 FILM CREW VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Saint Cecilia is looking for three more volunteers to join the film crew that is working on filming, editing, and posting the homilies each week. If you have an interest in learning more about the filming and editing process, please contact Mary at mkaye@stceciliaboston.org. Walk to end alzheimer's The Alzheimer's Association of Greater Boston Walk to End Alzheimer's will take place on Sunday, September 23 at 10:00 a.m. in North Point Park, Cambridge (near the MBTA's Green Line Science Park station). There are short 1.5-mile and longer 3.5-mile scenic flat ground routes. If you would like to join parishioner Kathleen Brolly's walk team, The Memorables, please visit kathleenbrolly to register. If you have any questions, you can Kathleen directly at kbrolly@loyola.edu. Kathleen is also looking for volunteer musicians willing to donate their time and talent to sing/play for walkers along the route. Thank you for your support. Together we will #ENDALZ! WELCOMING THE STRANGER For the past two years, our parish has provided ongoing support to Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services, heeding Pope Francis words, With regard to migrants, displaced persons and refugees, a common commitment is needed, one focused on offering them a dignified welcome. At this point in time, the parish has offered to provide refugee families 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. You can also contribute by check, noting Refugee Families in the memo line of your check made payable to Saint Cecilia Parish. 7

8 DEAR CATHOLIC BISHOPS: THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO PLAY DEFENSE By KATIE PREJEAN MCGRADY It has been a weird week to be a faithful Catholic. Perhaps it is just weird to still be a faithful Catholic at all, especially after news of a serial abuser like former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick breaks and the new details of the abuse and rape of over 1,000 children by priests in Pennsylvania come to light. It seems like every day brings another piece of information about cover-ups, consistent and repeated abuse, and cultures of dishonesty and manipulation. We who consider ourselves faithful, committed, card-carrying members of the Catholic Church watch as the rock upon which the church was built seems to sink further and further into the mud. This is the church I love. The church I was raised in. The church in which I had my child baptized. The church I want to raise her in. The church I look to for guidance. The church I turn to for comfort. The church I ve worked for. The church I ve lived for. The church, I hope, I d have the strength to die for. But I ve found myself not only becoming frustrated, disgruntled and angry but also sad, heartbroken and remarkably let down by this church. There is a deep, bleeding wound within this church a wound caused by cover-ups and lies, rampant dishonesty, sickening selfishness and pride, sexual abuse and impropriety and perhaps worst of all, an attitude of let s quickly dismiss it as something that happened long ago as many seem to be going on the defensive to prevent further bleeding. The church is not a corporation and she should not be run like one. When there is corruption in a business, the people associated tend to circle the wagons and defend themselves to preserve the company. Justifications are given. Timelines are explained. A strong defense is made because without it, the business will cease to exist. Circling the wagons is the only way to survive. But the church does not exist because of us or anything we do. The church, the very body of Christ, is made up of us but is guided by the Holy Spirit. If at this critical moment, the church specifically the hierarchy and those in power simply circle the wagons when there are very serious questions that need to be answered, the Holy Spirit will not be in control, and we will be no different than any other failing corporation that tries to justify and explain wrongdoing. We do not need a church run or guarded like a business. We do not need church leaders who read boilerplate statements drafted by lawyers or mumble half-hearted apologies to placate the masses. This is a moment of reckoning. This is far bigger than just who knew what when in regards to McCarrick or seminary formation or failures of celibacy or abuse of all types. This is about the hearts, minds and souls of people who will question the very legitimacy of the church because of this type of dishonesty and corruption, who will look at every priest and bishop they see and ask, What did you know, and when did you know it, and what didn t you do about it? and who will never cross the threshold of a church again because they are so disgusted by what has happened and been hidden. I ve been blessed to know many good and faithful bishops and priests in my lifetime. There were seven priests and a bishop at my wedding, all good men I ve known for years. I have called on them in times of joy and sorrow. I love them dearly, and I know they love me, too. And in this critical moment of our church s history, I look at each one of them with a broken heart, praying for them to be able to stand in the light themselves, remain steadfast in their vocation, knowing that they too ache with the revelations that some among their ranks have hurt the body of Christ and that others have lied to hide those horrors. For the sake of the faithful who are hurting from these revelations, we need our bishops to speak. Much needs to be done to heal the gaping wound and statements are merely band-aids but enough band-aids can begin to slow the gushing blood. I want to see every single bishop in the United States, whether his diocese is implicated in any sort of abuse scandals or not, make a public statement about his desire to root out corruption, stop cover-ups, prevent abuse of 8

9 all types and weed out the horror of sexual sins happening at varying levels of the church. Yes, we teach this as a church already and accept this as a body of believers. Yes, the U.S.C.C.B. has made statements on behalf of all the bishops. But a personal statement is a pastoral action, and in my opinion, a necessity for each bishop in the United States, at this moment. In this moment of crisis and doubt and confusion, the shepherd of each diocese speaking directly to his sheep could begin to heal this wound and comfort the afflicted. Now is not the time to hide. Now is not the time to avoid further scandal. The scandal is here. The hiding already happened. Now is the time to be honest, to be seen, to be forthright and to lead us into the light. We, the faithful, can only begin to trust again when our bishops say confidently and transparently that they will unearth whatever horrors remain secret and do everything in their power to prevent this from ever happening again. We can only begin to heal when we are confident that they can lead us far from sin and closer to Jesus because they are avoiding sin and seeking Jesus themselves. At this moment, we need our shepherds to stand with us, their flock, and not merely flock together. This is the moment to walk confidently through the valley of the shadow of death knowing we are defended by the victory of Jesus Christ and led by shepherds who preach and teach him to us. ~ Katie Prejean McGrady was a U.S. delegate sent by the U.S.C.C.B. to the Vatican s pre-synod gathering of young people. She is a Catholic speaker and the author of Follow: Your Lifelong Adventure with Jesus. She lives in Lake Charles, La., with her husband and daughter. The Protection of Children at Saint Cecilia 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. Child Abuse Prevention At Saint Cecilia we have a Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team. The CAP Team is responsible for educating all parish clergy, employees, and volunteers in mandated reporting laws and for facilitating the VIRTUS Protecting God s Children training required of all clergy, employees, and volunteers who minister directly to or have potential for interaction with children, youth, or senior parishioners. The CAP Team members have been trained by the Archdiocese and are available to provide consultation and support to anyone in the parish who may suspect, observe, or be the recipient of a disclosure of child abuse or neglect. Our current CAP team members are Lois T. Flaherty, Letitia Howland, Maria R. Roche, and Erin Young, and their names and contacts appear every week in the resources section at the end of our bulletin. Parishioners should always feel free to contact any member of the CAP Team with any questions or concerns. For more information about CAP Team members and the protections Saint Cecilia has in place, please visit stceciliaboston.org/life-at-st-cecilias/the-protectionof-children/. 9

10 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, Colleen Melaugh, Finance Director, Mark Donohoe, Pastoral Associate for Administration, Scott J. MacDonald, Director of Faith Formation and Parish Visibility, John Glynn, Director of College and Youth Ministry, Jeanne Bruno, Chaplain, Pastoral Associate, Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach, Richard J. Clark, Director of Music and Organist, Lisa Pickering, Events and Facilities Manager, Leah Bennett,Communications and Operations Coordinator, Assisting Clergy Rev. Erick Berrelleza, SJ Rev. Peter Grover, OMV Rev. Peter Gyves, SJ Rev. James Shaughnessy, SJ Schedule for Liturgy Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 8:00 a.m. Lord s Day Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:00, 9:30, and 11:15 a.m. Holy Days 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Reconciliation The sacrament of reconciliation is available by appointment. Please call the Parish Office. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the communal process through which non-baptized men and women become members of the Catholic Church. It is also suitable for those baptized in different faith traditions who are interested in becoming Catholic, or, for those who were baptized Catholic, but have yet to receive the sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation. Baptism for Infants Infant baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. For more information, please contact Mark Donohoe in the Parish Office. Faith Formation for Children To register your child for our Faith Formation Program, please contact Scott MacDonald in the Parish Office. Marriage Couples who wish to prepare for marriage should contact Mark Donohoe in the Parish Office at least six months in advance. Care of the Sick To arrange for the Sacrament of the Sick, for Holy Communion to be brought to those unable to attend the Sunday celebration, or for Viaticum for the Dying (Holy Communion for those in danger of death), please contact the Parish Office. It is always possible to anoint the sick during regularly scheduled liturgies. Order of Christian Funerals The parish is prepared to celebrate the Vigil (wake) in the church. Please contact the Parish Office for more information. Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team The CAP Team is responsible for training all parish staff and volunteers in mandated reporting laws and the Protecting God s Children program (VIRTUS). They also provide consultation and support to anyone in the parish who has concerns about reporting child abuse and neglect. Please contact Lois Flaherty (loisflaherty@gmail.com), Maria Roche (maria.roche15@gmail.com), Letitia Howland (l_howland@hotmail. com), or Erin Young (erin.t.young@gmail.com) if you have any questions or concerns. The Archdiocese of Boston has in place a vigorous program to protect children from harm and to educate its ministers and faithful about the nature of abuse, with a goal of increasing knowledge, creating a safe environment for children, and recognizing and reporting potentially dangerous situations. The full text of the policy is also available in the narthex and Parish Office, as well as on our website. For Those with Celiac Disease If you have celiac disease, please let us know. We have a supply of low-gluten altar bread available for those who cannot tolerate gluten. Hearing Assistance in Church The church is equipped with an FM listening device. Small receivers are available for anyone who may have trouble hearing the sound system. Simply request a receiver from any one of our greeters before Mass. Access for the Disabled Both the church and Parish Pastoral Center are accessible by elevator. Parking There is reduced rate parking for $11.00 at the Hynes Auditorium Garage located on Dalton Street on Sundays until 3:00 p.m. and every evening after 4:00 p.m. Please be sure to ask one of our greeters for a parking validation ticket before leaving the church. There is also reduced rate parking on Sundays only at the Prudential Center South Garage (enter at Huntington Avenue or Dalton Street); up to 4 hours: $14.00, up to 5 hours: $ Joining Our Community We re happy that you re with us! Our community offers a warm, spiritual home for a diverse group of Catholics. We come from many neighborhoods in and around Boston but also have parishioners from as far afield as Marlborough, Newburyport, and Stow. Please introduce yourself to a staff member, drop in for coffee on Sunday, or fill out a new parishioner form in the narthex.. No matter what your background, please know that you are always welcome at Saint Cecilia. 10