Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Swansea, MA Parish Mission Statement: In the spirit of our patron, St. Francis of Assisi, we dedicate ourselves as living stones to building our parish family with Christ as our foundation. Enlivened by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves by sharing God s transforming love with our families, our community and our world. Parish Staff Pastor: Rev. Michael A. Ciryak Maintenance: Tony Roderigues Faith Formation: Christine Patota (Grades 1-9) Finance/Office: Barbara Wenc Music Director: Ada Simpson Cantors: Allison Messier, Christine Patota, and Mike Moniz Youth Ministry: Justin & Amanda La Croix and Melanie Boyer Parish Council President: Wayne Gray Parish Address: Church: Office/Rectory Office hours: 530 Gardner s Neck Road 270 Ocean Grove Avenue Swansea, MA 02777 9:30 a.m. 4 p.m. or by appointment Contact: Parish Office: 508-673-2808 Parish fax: 508-672-6241 Email: stfrancisswansea@comcast.net Website: www.stfrancisswansea.com Religious Education: 508-673-2808 or 508-674-0024 religiouseducation@stfrancisswansea.com St. Vincent de Paul: 508-673-2808 Youth Ministry: 508-673-2808 50 Week Club: Jim & Alice Lanczycki 508-674-5202 Join our Parish Family Please introduce yourself to our clergy after Mass. Call the Parish Office to register. Bulletin notices may be submitted to the Parish Office in writing by Friday a week prior to the Sunday bulletin when it will be posted. Church is handicapped accessible. Saturday Vigil: Sundays: Monday Thursday: Civic Holidays: Liturgical Celebrations 4 p.m. 8, 9:30 & 11 a.m. 9 a.m. 9 a.m. only Sacraments: Baptism: Arrangements must be made in advance. Please call the Parish Office to arrange a date and supply pertinent information. Individual Baptismal preparation is required. Sponsors: must receive from their respective Catholic pastors a sponsor certificate, which is the signed word of one priest to another that the proposed godparent is a Confirmed, fully-practicing Catholic who is qualified to be a godparent by living in harmony with our faith. Reconciliation: Saturday from 3:15PM to 3:40PM or call the rectory for an appointment. First Eucharist & Confirmation: Preparation two years prior to receiving each Sacrament is mandatory as a registered student in the Faith Formation Program. Matrimony: Couples are asked to consult with our priest at least six months in advance of the intended date to allow time for marriage preparation, including the Diocesan Program. Ministry to the Sick: Please notify us if someone you know is homebound and would like to be added to our Communion call list, or would like to receive the Sacrament of the Sick. Low gluten hosts available: Please let us know before Mass if you have a need to receive this type of host.
Palm Sunday Sat. 4/8 4:00 p.m. Antone Avilla by Wayne Gray Sun. 4/9 8:00 a.m. Deceased Priests & Religious Harold Higgins (1st Anniv) by son Jeff 9:30 a.m. Joey Gonsalves, III (8th Anniv) by his parents 11:00 a.m. Frank Crook by Kathy & Bill Sullivan Bernadette Sousa (1st Anniv) by son & family Mon. 4/10 9:00 a.m. John & Rosalina Aguiar by granddaughter Tues. 4/11 9:00 a.m. For Our Parish Family Wed. 4/12 9:00 a.m. Henry Guay by family Thurs. 4/13 (NO 9:00 a.m. Mass on Holy Thursday) - THE TRIDUUM Thurs. 4/13 7:00 p.m. Mass of the Lord s Supper Fri. 4/14 3:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross 7:00 p.m. Passion of the Lord Sat. 4/15 8:00 p.m. Easter Vigil Sun. 4/16 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Offertory Collections April 1-2, 2017 Budget donations: $ 3,592.25 Building Fund $ 1,835.00 Easter Flowers: $ 1,019.00 Thank you for your faithful support. Easter Flowers: We are truly grateful to all who use their envelope for the Easter Flowers donation. Please remember to print the names of your loved ones on the outside of the envelope. If need be, you may also use the back of the envelope to list the names of those you would like remembered in prayer during the Easter Season. "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest." And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee." Mt 21:9 11 April Candles Sanctuary Lamp: Alice Kret by Beatrice Souza Altar Candles: Joseph Fonseca by wife & son Tabernacle Candles: Pat Guerriero by his wife & family Crucifix Candles: Souls in Purgatory by Faithful Parishioners Please pray for the soul of Mary Eileen Pomprowicz, whose Funeral Mass was celebrated here this past week. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen. St. Vincent de Paul Society Do you need assistance? If you or anyone you know are facing utility shut-off, or high food bills, we are here to help. Information will be kept confidential. Please call 508-673-2808. Diocesan Collections: On Good Friday the collection is for the Church in East and Central Europe and the Holy Land. Your donation helps to restore the Church and build the future in 20 countries, many of which still struggle to recover in the aftermath of Soviet rule. Funds from this collection help support reconstruction, education, formation, and poverty outreach. Thank you for your generosity. On Easter Sunday, the collection will be for Retired and Infirm Prests. Thank you for your faithful contributions and support.
Swansea, MA LENTEN PENANCE SERVICE Registration for the 2017-2018 classes will be held in the church hall after all Masses this Sunday, April 9th. Grades 8 Confirmation I last class begins at 8:00 am, immediately followed by attendance at 9:30 am Mass. Grades 6 & 7 students gather at the 9:30 am Mass, followed immediately by the last class of the season. Lucky 50 Week Club Winner for April 9th: REMINDERS: No Preschool Faith Formation April 16th, nor April 23rd. Pre-school meetings resume April 30th Confirmation Rehearsal will be held immediately following the 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 23rd. Sponsors need not attend. Grade 2 will meet for First Communion rehearsal on Thursday, April 27th from 4:30 to 6:00 pm. First Communion will take place at the 11:00 am Mass on Sunday, April 30, 2017. Children will gather in the church hall at 10:30 a.m. Diane Tremblay Congratulations, Diane! 50 WEEK CLUB BANQUET Anyone who has not yet done so, please bring your club up to date. The banquet is Saturday, April 29, 2017 at Venus de Milo Restaurant. The meal choices are Prime Rib or Baked Stuffed Shrimp. Members will be called for your meal choice. Guest tickets are $40 and available if you would like to bring someone who is not a club member. Music will be by Mike Moran and his band. For more information in regard to the 50 Week Club please contact Jim and Alice Lanczycki at 508-674-5202. All are Welcome! Sponsored by the Parishes of Swansea & Somerset Monday, April 10, 2017 at 7:00 pm St. Thomas More 386 Luther Avenue Somerset, MA 02726 Don t miss this opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to Easter. Several priests will be available to hear confessions. Service of Shadows: Tenebrae, a special prayer service which has its roots in monastic tradition, is held each year on the Wednesday evening of Holy Week. Please mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 12th at 7:30 PM to experience this annual tradition at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Fall River. This service of readings, psalms and hymns at which the bishop presides, begins in the light which eventually fades into darkness as the candles in the sanctuary are gradually extinguished. Christians of all denominations and their ministers are also invited to participate as a means of sharing in worship during these holy days when we are encouraged to forget our differences and focus together on the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend: The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced. Enjoy the help of God in making your good marriage better by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next WWME Weekend will be Apr. 22-23 in Brewster, MA and June 10-11, 2017 in Medway, MA. For more information, call Stephen & Michelle O Leary at 800-710-9963 or visit www.wwmema.org.
April 9, 2017 OUR LENTEN JOURNEY is drawing to an end. We marked the beginning of our journey with the sign of the Cross with ashes on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday. PALM SUNDAY: Today we enter into the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. On Palm Sunday, we commemorate the day when Jesus entered into Jerusalem and was greeted with palms waving. We participate in the readings as part of the crowd who called for the crucifixion of Jesus. April 11th Chrism Mass 4:00 p.m. (St. Mary s Cathedral, Fall River) During this service, the Bishop blesses the Holy Oils that will be used during the coming year for the celebration of the Sacraments. The priests of the Diocese renew their commitment to the priesthood. All are welcome. April 12th Service of Shadows (Tenebrae) 7:30 p.m. (St. Mary s Cathedral, Fall River) ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH SCHEDULE THE TRIDUUM April 13th April 14th April 15th April 16th Holy Thursday 7:00 p.m. Mass of the Lord s Supper with the Service of the Washing of Feet Good Friday (Day of Fast and Abstinence) 3:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross 7:00 p.m. Passion of Christ Liturgy with Veneration of the Cross. Easter Vigil 8:00 p.m. Easter Sunday 8:00, 9:30, & 11:00 a.m.