The Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport

Transcription

1 The Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport HOLY FAMILY PARISH & OUR LADY OF GOOD VOYAGE PARISH A Community United in Prayer, Fellowship, and Service Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time October 23, 2016 CALLING ADULT DISCIPLES OUR PASTOR S MESSAGE PAGE 3 The Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport Please Join Us! All Are Welcome! 74 Pleasant Street Gloucester, Massachusetts Phone: Fax: office@ccgronline.com Website: ccgronline.com Office Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00am-4:00pm Cover Image: Come to Me by Yongsung Kim

2 THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF GLOUCESTER & ROCKPORT ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION Tuesday, November 1st Since late antiquity, the People of God have honored the holy men and women who have been canonized by saints in the Roman Catholic Church. The Solemnity of All Saints honors all saints, known and unknown, who have gone before us in faith and pray for the salvation of souls. In commemoration of this Holy Day of Obligation on Tuesday, November 1st, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport will celebrate Masses according to the following schedule: Monday, October 31st Vigil Mass Our Lady of Good Voyage Church 4:00pm Tuesday, November 1st Holy Day Masses Saint Joachim Church 8:00am Saint Ann Church 12:00pm Our Lady of Good Voyage Church 7:00pm For more information about the Solemnity of All Saints in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport, please contact Father Jim at frjim@ccgronline.com or ; or see a member of our pastoral team. Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome! MONTH OF ALL SOULS Masses of Remembrance During November, which is also known as the Month of All Souls, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport will celebrate three Masses of Remembrance for those from our parishes who have journeyed home to the Lord during the past year and whose funerals were celebrated in our churches. These Masses will be celebrated according to the following schedule: Mass of Remembrance I Saturday, October 29th at 4:00pm Saint Ann Church Mass of Remembrance II Sunday, November 13th at 10:00am Saint Joachim Church Mass of Remembrance III Sunday, November 20th at 11:45am Our Lady of Good Voyage Church At each Mass of Remembrance, the names of our dearly departed loved ones, friends, and fellow parishioners will be read aloud. During this upcoming Month of All Souls, let us unite our hearts and voices in prayer for those we have lost. For more information about the Month of All Souls, please contact Father Jim at frjim@ccgronline.com or ; or see a member of our pastoral team. Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome! 2 THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME ADULT FAITH FORMATION YEAR OF MERCY SPECIAL EVENT THE JESUS PRAYER: A REPRISE Two Night Mini-Retreat October 27th-28th In early August, sixty-five parishioners joined Father Jim and Cliff for our Third Annual Summer Retreat: The Jesus Prayer. Since then, many parishioners have asked for more information about desert spirituality and the ancient practice of calling on the name of Jesus. In response to this profound spiritual hunger, all are invited to join us for The Jesus Prayer: A Reprise, a two-night miniretreat on Thursday, October 27th and Friday, October 28th from 6:30pm until 8:00pm in Saint Anthony Chapel. Each evening of the retreat will begin with Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. After praying together, we will watch and discuss the highly acclaimed film, The Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer ; learn about how to pray with the Jesus Prayer; explore how praying this timeless prayer can bring you closer to our Risen Lord; and conclude with Night Prayer. You need not have participated in the Summer Retreat to join us for this special program! This program is free! All parishioners, friends, and guests of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport are invited to join us! For more information about our two-night mini-retreat, please contact Cliff Garvey at cgarvey@ccgronline.com or Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome! ADULT FAITH FORMATION RCIA & ADULT CONFIRMATION PROGRAM Calling Adult Disciples! If you are an adult (age 18 and over) and have not received the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance & Reconciliation (Confession), Holy Eucharist, or Confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church, then please prayerfully consider joining our adult faith formation program which will meet on Sunday mornings after the 8:15am Mass in Saint Ann Parish House. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is a program that prepares adults to be received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. Our group will meet approximately twice each month to learn about the basic beliefs, teachings, and traditions of the Church. As part of this same process, our Adult Confirmation Program prepares adults for the Sacrament of Confirmation and focuses on the challenges of living a life of faith in an increasingly busy and secular world. If you (or someone you know and love) would like to join us for this journey of faith and become part of a unique fellowship in preparation for receiving the sacraments of God s Holy Church, then please see Father Jim or contact Cliff Garvey at or cgarvey@ccgronline.com. Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome!

3 THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF GLOUCESTER & ROCKPORT OCTOBER 23, 2016 OUR PASTOR S MESSAGE Calling Adult Disciples! Let the Risen Jesus enter your life! Welcome him as a friend with trust: He is life! If you have kept him at a distance, step forward! He will receive you with open arms. If you have been indifferent, take a risk! You won t be disappointed. Trust him; be confident that he is close to you, he is with you, and he will give you the peace that you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do. Pope Francis CALLING ADULT DISCIPLES! During the past ten years, Cliff Garvey and I have worked together seven times to prepare adults for the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. Each year that we have been blessed to participate in this important ministry, the Lord has given us a diverse group of adults who prepare for the sacraments for different reasons. Some come simply because they have not received the sacraments and are preparing for marriage or hoping to serve as godparents to a newborn niece or nephew. Others come because they are not Catholic but are married to a Catholic spouse, are attending Mass regularly, but are unable to participate fully in the Eucharistic life of the Church. Still others come with a real hunger for prayer and instruction in the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church. They long to become part of the Church for Christ s sake and for their own. Whatever the reason, the work of preparing adults for the sacraments can be both challenging and deeply rewarding. Last year, Cliff and I were joined by two fellow parishioners, Patricia Natti and Paul Makowski, who assisted us in preparing six adults for the sacraments. Patty and Paul offered their guidance, prayers, and support; and also shared their own spiritual journeys. Over the course of seven months, our group spent many hours getting to know each other, sharing our faith experiences, learning about Christ and his Church, and praying together as a fellowship of Christian disciples. Last spring s Easter Vigil Mass was the joyous culmination of our journey when these adults were fully received into the Catholic Church through the blessed waters of baptism, the spiritual nourishment of the Lord s Body and Blood, and the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit. I had hoped that this year would be no different. I prayed that a group of adults would step forward (for whatever reason) to prepare for and receive the sacraments. And I longed to experience again the miracle of new life that comes with watching someone receive the sacraments for the first time. Much to my disappointment, however, not a single aspiring adult disciple has registered for our program! But here s the thing: I know that they re out there! I know (in my heart and in fact) that there are men and women in our parish communities who worship with us but who are unable to fully participate in our shared liturgical and spiritual life because they have not received one or all of the Sacraments of Initiation. Here s where you come in! If I know that these aspiring adult disciples are out there, then you do, too! Do you have an adult son or daughter who has not been baptized? Do you have an adult grandchild or godchild who has not received First Penance or First Eucharist? Do you have an adult niece or nephew who has not received the Sacrament of Confirmation? Do you have a friend or neighbor who is seeking to grow closer to Jesus but doesn t know the way? Ask them to contact us! Invite them to join us! No guilt! No lectures! No pressure! Just remind them gently that the Lord is calling them and is ready to welcome them with open arms! Most of all, please pray that these adults will step forward, take a risk, and trust that our Heavenly Father is calling them by name to join his Church. Please pray that they will accept the offer of peace and strength that comes with knowing and loving the Risen Jesus who loves them beyond words. And please pray they will let Jesus more fully enter their lives...and ours, too! Peace and blessings to all, Father Jim 3

4 THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF GLOUCESTER & ROCKPORT PRAYER, FELLOWSHIP, AND SERVICE HOLY FAMILY WOMEN S GUILD CHRISTMAS FAIR PLANNING MEETING Monday, October 24th Begins at 6:30pm If you are reading this announcement, then Holy Family Parish needs your help! Volunteers are still needed for this year s Christmas Fair (Saturday, November 19th) to set up, work the fair, and/or clean up! All parishioners (men and women) are invited to our next planning meeting on Monday, October 24th at 6:30pm in Saint Ann Church Hall. For more information, please contact Lydia Bertolino at or bertolino4@msn.com. Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome! AN EVENING AT STUDIO CREPE with HOLY FAMILY WOMEN S GUILD Wednesday, October 26th Begins at 5:30pm All are invited to join the Holy Family Women s Guild on Wednesday, October 26th for an evening of great food and good company at Studio Crepe (located at 17 Railroad Avenue in Rockport). For every meal purchased between 5:30pm and 8:00pm, Studio Crepe will donate 15% of the proceeds to support Holy Family Parish. So, please join us for a night out with family, friends, and fellow parishioners and help support our parish! For more information, please contact Lydia Bertolino at or bertolino4@msn.com. All are invited! All are welcome! HOLY FAMILY WOMEN S GUILD CHRISTMAS FAIR BASKET WHEEL Now Accepting Donations! The Basket Wheel is the biggest money maker at our Christmas Fair (which is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Holy Family Parish). The great success of the Basket Wheel depends on donations from our parishioners and friends! So, all are encouraged to create and donate a $25 theme basket for kids, crafts, family nights, movie nights, snow days, wine & cheese, holiday gift wrapping, and summer barbecue! Creating a basket can be both fun and inexpensive when families, friends, and neighbors work together to support our parish! Donations for this year s Basket Wheel are now being accepted! Last year, we gave away more than 120 baskets as prizes for those who played the wheel. Please help us to keep the Basket Wheel spinning and to make this year s Christmas Fair a record-breaking success! For more information about the Basket Wheel or the Christmas Fair, please contact Lydia Bertolino at bertolino4@msn.com or Please join us! All are welcome! MORE NEWS & INFORMATION ONLINE Join us: ccgronline.com! Follow us on THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME DAILY PRAYER & SPIRITUALITY ONLINE RESOURCES FOR PRAYER Join us: ccgronline.com/prayer! Each day, all are invited to join us for a few moments of prayer and reflection at ccgronline.com/prayer. Our website features links to the Saint of the Day, Sharing the Word, and Sunday Soundbites, which are 90 second reflections based on the daily Mass readings and the lives of the saints. Our website also features an easy-to-use link for praying the Liturgy of the Hours online. In addition, please join us every week for a new edition of Bringing Home the Word, a lectionary-based newsletter for individuals and families that offers suggestions for prayer and reflection based on the Sunday Mass readings. Each issue includes words of wisdom from Pope Francis, along with prayerful reflections about the scriptures, prayer and spirituality, and the lives of saints. Every Saturday, a new edition of Bringing Home the Word is posted on our website: ccgronline.com/news! Please join us! THE HOLY ROSARY Monday Through Saturday After Daily Mass! All are invited to join the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport as we pray the Holy Rosary every morning immediately after our 8:00am Daily Mass. By praying the Rosary, we grow closer to our Risen Lord by meditating on the mysteries of his life, death, and resurrection; and we grow closer to our Blessed Mother by asking for her powerful intercession for ourselves, our parishes, and our troubled world. Daily Mass is celebrated in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 8:00am; in Saint Joachim Church on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:00am; and in Saint Ann Church on Saturday mornings at 8:00am. For more information, please contact Father Jim at frjim@ccgronline.com or Please join us! All are welcome! EUCHARISTIC ADORATION The Holy Father s Favorite Way to Pray! Pope Francis was asked in an interview about his favorite way of praying. In response, the Holy Father said: What I truly prefer is Eucharistic Adoration...In the evening between seven and eight o clock, I pray in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Eucharistic Adoration is an ancient and prayerful devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Each week, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport offers four opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration: Mondays at Saint Joachim Church (6:30pm-8:00pm); Thursdays at Saint Ann Church (6:30pm-7:30pm); and Tuesdays and Thursdays at Saint Joachim Church (8:30am-10:00am). For more information, please contact Jane Russo at

5 THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF GLOUCESTER & ROCKPORT OCTOBER 23, 2016 JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY THE MEANING OF MERCY WORDS OF WISDOM FROM POPE FRANCIS This is truly the most wonderful experience we can have: to belong to a community walking, journeying through history together with our Lord, who walks among us! We are not alone! We do not walk alone! We are part of the one flock of Christ that walks together! Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation: The Church of Mercy THE MEANING OF MERCY IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH In the Old Testament, the gift of mercy is dependent on God (Deuteronomy 7:9); and God s message to the repentant sinner is mercy rather than punishment. Likewise, God calls upon his people to show the same mercy to others that He shows to them. Mercy is an attitude which calls us to help those in distress. In the New Testament, through Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, mercy is always present in the world (Hebrews 2:17). The sinner should not presume that God automatically or mechanically offers divine mercy. It is only granted by God if and when the sinner acknowledges that mercy is incalculable and beyond human understanding. Mercy does not override justice; it transcends justice and it converts the sinner into a just person by bringing about repentance and openness to the Holy Spirit. Human mercy is an expression of divine mercy. Mercy sees the distress of others, identifies with it, and seeks to overcome it as one seeks to have one s own suffering, guilt, and burdens overcome with the aid and assistance of others. Human mercy manifests divine mercy because of Christ s identification with our plight through His passion, death, and resurrection. The Christian must forgive seven times seventy times, and Christian mercy is an expression of the double commandment to love both God and neighbor. Mercy united with love fulfills the command of perfection (Colossians 3:14), showing the same hospitality to others that is shown to Christ (Source: Our Sunday Visitor s Revised Catholic Encyclopedia, ). JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY ONLINE! For more about the Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport, including information about upcoming events and our easy-to-use guides to the Sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation (Confession) and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, please visit our website: ccgronline.com/mercy. Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome! PRAYER, FELLOWSHIP, AND SERVICE THE LEGION OF MARY Living the Corporal Works of Mercy Each week, members of the Legion of Mary from both Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish reach out to our aged, disabled, homebound, and sick fellow parishioners. They visit people in their homes and apartments, hospitals, and nursing homes. They pray together, offer companionship, and share God s love and mercy with those who are so often lonely and forgotten. Last week, the Legion of Mary visited 71 parishioners! Every Wednesday afternoon at 4:00pm, the Legion of Mary meets in our parish center (located beside Saint Ann Church) to pray the Rosary, share their faith experience, and participate in a period of formation under the guidance of their spiritual director. For more information about the Legion of Mary and its good work in our parishes, please contact Joan Foster at ajay7@verizon.net; Sue Demetri at sdemetri2000@yahoo.com; or leave a message at New members are always welcome! All are invited! Please join us! SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY Help Us Help Others! New Members Welcome! The Saint Vincent de Paul Society is an international organization dedicated to responding to any request from any person or family in need. Here on Cape Ann, we work from Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish to serve the poor and needy. Our Clothes Closet is open on Saturdays from 10:00am until 1:00pm. And our Food Pantry is stocked with non-perishable foods. Donation baskets are located at the entrances of our churches. The Food Pantry needs the following items: Canned Chicken, Ham, Stew, or Tuna Crackers Canned Juice Chicken or Tuna Helper Mayonnaise Instant Potatoes Hot & Cold Cereals Pancake Mix & Maple Syrup Chef Boyardee Peanut Butter & Jelly Jarred Pasta Sauce Donation envelopes are located at the entrances of our churches and can be placed in the offertory basket or mailed to the parish center. Checks should be made payable to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm. New members and volunteers are needed and always welcome! For more information, please contact Annette Kennedy at or Harry Miller at For assistance, please contact the Saint Vincent de Paul Society Hotline at Thank you! MORE NEWS & INFORMATION ONLINE! Join us: ccgronline.com Follow us on 5

6 THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF GLOUCESTER & ROCKPORT OUR MASS INTENTIONS _ OCTOBER 22 OCTOBER 30, 2016 Saturday, October 22 4:00pm Saint Ann 6:00pm OLGV Sunday, October 23 7:00am OLGV 8:15am Saint Ann 10:00am Saint Joachim 11:45am OLGV 5:00pm Saint Ann Vigil 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Giuseppe & Francesca Palazzolo Andrew & Teresa Murphy 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mary & Joseph Orlando and Family Angie & Anthony Parisi Charles LaRosa Giuseppe Sanfilippo Mass for the People THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OUR WEEKLY OFFERINGS _ HOLY FAMILY PARISH Weekend of October 15th October 16th Weekly Offerings $7, Electronic Donations $ Total Offerings $8, Second Collection (Missions) $1, Saint Ann Church Restoration $148, Thank you for your generous support of Holy Family Parish! OUR LADY OF GOOD VOYAGE PARISH Weekend of October 15th October 16th Weekly Offerings $3, Second Collection (Missions) $ Grand Annual Collection $16, Thank you for your generous support of Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish! Monday, October 24 8:00am OLGV Tuesday, October 25 8:00am Saint Joachim Wednesday, October 26 8:00am OLGV Thursday, October 27 8:00am Saint Joachim Friday, October 28 8:00am OLGV Saturday, October 29 8:00am Saint Ann Saturday, October 29 4:00pm Saint Ann 6:00pm OLGV Sunday, October 30 7:00am OLGV 8:15am Saint Ann 10:00am Saint Joachim 11:45am OLGV 5:00pm Saint Ann 30th Week in Ordinary Time Fitz Lufkin Carmelo Mastropolo Muriel Stack Sally Killey Elizabeth C. Murphy Barbara Robinson Vigil 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass of Remembrance Francis, Elizabeth, and Peter Bruni 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Dolores Kenney Giovanna Frisella William & Paula Sydlowski John & Phyllis Curcuru and John B. Curcuru, Jr. Mass for the People SANCTUARY GIFTS At each of the churches in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport, sanctuary flowers, sanctuary candle, and altar gifts (hosts & wine) can be donated for a special intention or in memory of a departed loved one. The requested donation for flowers is $250. The requested donation for altar gifts is $175. And the requested donation for a sanctuary candle is $25. This week, donations were offered for the following intentions: In Memory of Maureen Sullivan Powers Sanctuary Candle Saint Joachim Church In Memory of Corey McCollum Sanctuary Candle Our Lady of Good Voyage Church In Memory of Helen Korpi Sanctuary Flowers Our Lady of Good Voyage Church For more information about donating sanctuary gifts in memory of a deceased friend or loved one, please contact Melissa Unis at office@ccgronline.com or Thank you for your generous support of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport at Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish! THE ASSISI PROJECT Need Prayers? Founded by Father Jim and Cliff Garvey in 2007, the Assisi Project is an international fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit with friends and followers on four continents. Members of the Assisi Project around the world pray for those who ask for prayers. If you would like us to pray for you or your special intention, please contact Cliff at or cgarvey@ccgronline.com. Pax et bonum!