Download - Saint Cecilia · SAINT CECILIA PARISH 4 Prayers & Occasions Our Deceased Ron Cieciuch died on November 25. Pray for the repose of his soul as well as for the consolation of Mary Ann

Third Sunday of Advent

Gaudete13 December 2015

Pink Angel of The Annunciation (detail)Sano di Pietro (1406-1481)

Saint Cecilia

P A R I S H

Meet Fr Vin minusThe Gift of Family As the pastor of three parishes in Dorchester and Mattapan Fr Vinrsquos responsibilities are extraordinary While his daily work is a source of great joy itrsquos the love and devotion of a special sister named Connie that restores his spirit

When Fr Vinrsquos parents passed away he and his sister Eileen became the sole guardians of their disabled sister For Fr Vin being a brother and a priest for Connie is an immense blessing The unconditional love that he receives from Conniemdashespecially at the end of a busy daymdash continues to fill his heart with gratitude

Fr Vin selflessly dedicates his life in service to others This Christmas show your gratitude with a gift that cares for Fr Vin and the health and well-being of all the priests who faithfully serve our Archdiocese of Boston

Text the word PRIEST to 56512 or make a gift through your parish collection at Christmas Mass

Thank you for your generous support of the Clergy Health and Retirement Trust

ldquoA priest whoever he may be is always another Christrdquo

-Saint Josemariacutea Escrivaacute

To submit your special intentions to be remembered by our senior priests during the celebration of Holy Mass at Regina Cleri each week please visit clergyfundsorgintentions

To watch a short video on Fr Vin and Connievisit clergyfundsorg

Clergy Health and Retirement Trust Caring for the Well-Being of our Boston Priests

Ministers of the Liturgy

Saturday | 500 pmRev Peter Grover OMV celebrantLaura Andromalos lector

Sunday | 800 amRev George Winchester SJ celebrantJim Dougherty lector

Sunday | 930 amRev John Unni celebrantWill Kelly Tim Pratt amp Rosaria Salerno lectors Sunday | 1115 am Rev John Unni celebrantZachary Boutin Erin Young amp Cole Young lectors Sunday | 600 pmRev John Unni celebrantGeraldine Creaner Cathy Anderson lectors

todayrsquos readingsZephaniah 314-18aPhilippians 44-7Luke 310-18

next sundayrsquos ReadingsMicah 51-4aHebrews 105-10Luke 139-45

Special intentions

Saturday December 12 | 500 pm Bridget Coyne Sylvester Roach 75th Anniversary

Sunday December 13 | 930 am Richard Smith Memorial

Sunday December 13 | 930 am Nadia Kiley Memorial

Sunday December 13 | 930 am Joseph Turner Memorial

SAINT CECILIA PARISH

3

our community news

FOOD DONATIONS FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIESThis weeks featured donation item is

MACARONI amp CHEESE

Next weeks featured donation item isCANNED CHICKEN

Donations of pasta sauce cereal tuna amp other canned food are always also accepted Please leave food donations in the narthex baskets


4

Prayers amp Occasions Our DeceasedRon Cieciuch died on November 25 Pray for the repose of his soul as well as for the consolation of Mary Ann and their family Robert Richards died on November 25 Pray for the eternal repose of his soul as well as for the consolation of his family Fred Bachofner Jr died on December 7 Pray for the eternal repose of his soul as well as for the consolation of Fred and his family May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace

Our SickPlease pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer especially Rudy Kikel Annette Kulas Lisa Caputo Anthony Simboli Anne Frenette Handly Roseacutea Aubrey Robert Lupis Owen Kyes Mildred McLaughlin Brenna Smith Pilar Estrada Michalina Maniscalco Michael Patrick Kelly Mark Anderson Bill Downing Nimet Yousif Judy Gallo Skyler Stevenson Rob Morrissey Roberta McMann Silvana Franco Silvia Basagni Brian Donnelly Karen Thoresen Theresa Wier Bill Ahern Lisa Anzalone Lena Bryant Mary Silva Kenny Borum Kevin Joseph Pierre George Driscoll Quinn Amsler Rose Rizzo Bill Pennington Jillian Scalfani Lisa Cox Mary Curley Bryan Thomas Linda Jenkins Belle Marie Cosgrove Annie McGovern Rachel Fitzgerald Joanne DeMare Bob Carroll Ilene Katz Meghan Thomas Pettier John Morris Roques Linares Eric Wirtz Joseph Montoya Clive Cosham Mark Edward McHugh Eugenia Valente and Edward Pacana

Welcome to Saint Cecilia We are pleased to welcome the following new members of our parish who have recently registered Sarah Costello of Boston Elizabeth Warwick of Boston Robin Roccapriore of Boston Natalie McManus of Charlestown the Santos family of Boston and Mary McShane of Brookline If you have not previously registered with the parish there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you can register online at wwwstceciliabostonorg

Evening PrayerWe will pray Evening Prayer this Monday December 14 for the Memorial of Saint John of the Cross at six-thirty All are welcome to attend

Last 600 pm Evening Mass of 2015This Sunday is the last six oclock Sunday liturgy before Christmas The six oclock liturgy will resume on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (January 3)

Happy Birthday Papa FrancescoPope Francis will celebrate his 79th birthday thisThursday December 17 Pray for the intentions of theHoly Father and ask God to continue to bless him withgood health and length of days

For Our StudentsPray that all of our students may successfully completethe semester and have safe travels as they head hometo celebrate Christmas with family and friends

RCIAmdashRite of Acceptance Into The Order of Catechumens TodayAt this morningrsquos eleven-fifteen liturgy we celebrate the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens This ritual acknowledges the next part of the catechumensrsquo spiritual journey with us

For the unbaptized the Rite of Acceptance indicatesa stage of growth on their journey of faith They nowenter the Order of Catechumens (from the Greekmeaning ldquoone in whom word echoesrdquo) and continuetheir preparation for the Easter sacraments of baptismconfirmation and Eucharist The Rite points to theirongoing experience of conversion and is an invitationto all of us to be consciously growing in faith

Please keep these new members of our communityin your prayer Greet them and help them feel athome here

christmas liturgiesChristmas Eve I 400 amp 630 pm

Christmas Day I 930 amNew Years Day I 1000 am

5

saint cecilia parish

This weeks prayer for your advent wreathTHIRD WEEKLight two of the violet candles and the rose candleDuring the rest of the week these candles are relitat the evening meal or whenever you choose to do so

Jesus we gather here as a family to dedicateour lives to you as John the Baptist did Help us to know love and serve you As we light this candle we remember that you bring the light of joy into our lives May your Word be always in our minds on our lips and in our hearts

Amen

advent giving tree gifts due todayHundreds of gift tags have been hung from the AdventGiving Tree Your generosity will truly make a differencein the lives of so many people this Christmas Gifts forthe Advent Giving Tree are due back today by 700 pm If you have any questions or concerns please contact Ann Faldetta at anntenfouryahoocom

Copley Singers Christmas Concert - ThanksThank you to all of the parishioners who contributed to the reception held after this yearrsquos concert Many thanks to the many parishioners who prepared food and helped with the set-up and clean-up

GAUDETE SUNDAY

Gaudete in Domino semperiterum dico gaudete

Dominus enim prope est

Rejoice in the Lord alwaysagain I say rejoice

The Lord is near

We are now midway through Advent and today isa day of rejoicing traditionally called ldquoGaudeteSundayrdquo (gowndashDAYndashtay) ldquoGaudeterdquo is Latin forldquorejoicerdquo and antiphon for the Third Sunday ofAdvent Before we started singing hymns inEnglish the Introit was normally chanted in Latinas the priest approached the altar It helped to set the mood and theme of the Mass of the day The Introit for the Third Sunday of Advent comes from Philippians 4 Paulrsquos warm and loving letter to the community at Philippi The optional use of rosendashcolored vestments underscores the joyful character of todayrsquos liturgy

Gaudete Sunday dates back to the Middle Ageswhen the season of Advent bore a peniten-tial character similar to that of Lent At that time Advent was a fortyndashday period of fasting and penance in preparation for Christmas It commenced on the day after Saint Martinrsquos Day (November 12) and was thus often referred to as ldquoSt Martinrsquos Lentrdquo In the midst of a dark and serious Advent Gaudete Sunday helped to brighten the mood In the ninth century Ad-vent was reduced to four weeks and its aus-tere character gave way to a new understand-ing of Advent as a time of longing hoping andwaiting for the Lord

6


CHRISTMAS FLOWERSYou are invited to remember your loved ones by donating towards the Christmas flowers that will grace our sanctuary In the back of the church youll find envelopes that you can use for this purpose Please drop the envelope in the collection basket or hand it to any staff person The names of those remembered will be published in the Christmas bulletin Please be sure to PRINT clearly

Christmas Eve Choir InvitationWe asking for a one-time commitment of parishioners to sing in the choir for the Christmas Eve Liturgies at 400 pm amp 630 pm Rehearsals for Christmas Eve will be

Thursday December 17 700 pmTuesday December 22 700 pm

Christmas Eve December 24 230 pm

Please stop by and see Richard Clark after Mass or email him at RClarkstceciliabostonorg We look forward to hearing from you

pINE STREET INN ITEMS FOR SALEThis Sunday and until Christmas we will once again be selling Christmas cards to support the Pine Street Inn where Father John and several parishioners serve on the Board of Directors This is a wonderful way of supporting Pine Street Inns mission of finding permanent solutions to homelessness while sharing some wonderful Bostonndashthemed Christmas cards with family and friends The cards are priced at $18 for a pack of 10 We will also be selling cutting boards made by people partici-pating in Pine Streets job training and social enterprise program Boston Handyworks Representatives of Pine Streets Boston Handyworks program will be at our morning liturgies

OUR PARISHrsquoS RESPONSE TO HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITYThe website for the non-profit Feeding America reports

bull 481 million Americans lived in food insecure households including 328 million adults and 153 million childrenbull 14 percent of households (174 million households) were food insecurebull 6 percent of households (69 million households) experienced very low food securitybull Households with children reported food insecurity at a significantly higher rate than those without children 19 percent compared to 12 percentbull Households that had higher rates of food insecurity than the national average included households with children (19) especially households with children headed by single women (35) or single men (22) Black non-Hispanic households (26) and Hispanic households (22)bull In 2013 54 million seniors (over age 60) or 9 percent of all seniors were food insecure

We want to express our thanks to the many parishioners who bring food to the narthex each week for the Catholic Charitiesrsquo food pantry in Dorchester Demand for food has skyrocketed at all Catholic Charitiesrsquo food pantries in the past four years and the Dorchester facility is no exception While the pantry will accept any shelf-stable food items the preferred donations are Cheerios or corn flakes white flour pasta tomato sauce canned tuna fish macaroni and cheese peanut butter and canned chicken breast Our parish also has an extremely dedicated corps of volunteer drivers who deliver our donations and surplus food early every Saturday and Sunday morning to Catholic Charities or the Pine Street Inn

7


Commonweal Readers Discussion GroupThe movie Spotlight will be discussed at this monthrsquos Commonweal Readers Group The second part of the meeting will be a brief sharing by participants of favorite topics covered in recent issues The meeting will take place today December 13 at 100 pm in Classroom 4 If you are interested in the Commonweal Readers Group please contact Judy Castaldi at judycastaldihotmailcom

Christmas in Prison Help neededBridgewater State Hospital is a psychiatric prison hospital where 325 men with very serious mental illnesses live some for a short period of evaluation and some for a lifetime Though it is a hospital it is also very much a prison complete with barbed wire correction officers and prison food It can be one of the saddest and dreariest places on earth during the holiday season You can help to change that The Catholic chaplain Peg Newman a parishioner here at Saint Cecilia is collecting the following items to give to the men at Christmas

Pads of Lined Paper (85 x 11 NO WIRE) Long Envelopes Stick Deodorant Shampoo

Any of these items will be very much appreciated A bag with these items will be the only gift these men will receive They will put the items to good use but more important they will know that they are being thought of and cared about Your gift will be an expression of Gods love There is a bin in the back of the church where these items can be dropped off Please contact Peg with any questions or if you would like to make a cash donation (617 943-6511 peg3newmangmailcom)

In truth I tell you in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine you did it to me Matthew 2540

piLGRIMAGE ON THE CAMINO de sANTIAGO de COMPOSTELA pilgrimageverb the journey to a distant sacred goal

A pilgrimage is a journey both outwards to hallowedplaces and inwards to spiritual growth Join Nancy NeeHanifin for a series of presentations on the Camino deSantiago de Compostela In 2010 she walked the 500miles across Spain to the tomb of Saint James On herreturn she founded the Boston Chapter of the AmericanPilgrims on the Camino mentoring aspiring pilgrims from across New England She also walked to Santiago in 2014 and 2015 The meeting will cover the history of the Camino traditions and practical planning for a possible facilitated pilgrimage in spring or fall of 2016 The Camino can be seen as an extended moving retreat offering tremendous opportunities for meditative walking reflection and introspection A pilgrimage journey is the most graphic reminder we can have that our life as a whole is a pilgrimage Each of us is on a journey with God and a journey to God The next meeting will be held on Wednesday December 16 at 700-800 pm in the Parish Hall The topic of this meeting will be Camino Primitivo For those who have already walked the Camino Frances and are anxious to try another route The Primitivo starts in Oviedo the capital of ancient Asturias It is known as The OriginalWay to Santiago because it is from Oviedo that King Alfonso II left to verify the discovery of the remains of St James Nancy walked this most ancient route this past September For more details and to rsvp please e-mail Nancy at nancyneehanifingmailcom

8


What is the Year of Mercy

Seeing the great need for mercy and healing in the world Pope Francis called for the Year of Mercymdasha special period also known as a Holy Year or Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church It is a time for the Church across the world to take approximately a year to focus on forgiveness and healing in a special way Pope Francis has asked us as individuals and as a Church ldquoto be a witness of mercyrdquo by reflecting on and practicing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy This Holy Year of Mercy began on 8 December to commemorate both the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council which called the Church to proclaim the Gospel to the world in new ways bringing Godrsquos mercy to everyone The Year will conclude on 20 November 2016 To read more visit the Vaticanrsquos official website for the Year of Mercy

What is a Jubilee Year

A Jubliee Year is when the Catholic Church across the world takes approximately a year to focus on forgiveness and healing in a special way Catholics are encouraged to join together in prayer go to confession and share the gift of Catholicism with others The purpose of a Jubilee Year is to help people grow spiritually strengthen their faith encourage works of service and to promote unity within the Catholic Church and society in general The last Jubilee Year was in 2000 called for by Pope Saint John Paul II

The Motto The motto of the Year of Mercy Merciful Like the Father serves as an invitation to follow the merciful example of the Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to forgive and to be people of love and forgiveness without measure The image created by Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik shows one of Jesus eyes merged with the mans to show how Christ sees with the eyes of Adam and Adam with the eyes of Christ

Pope Francisrsquo Prayer for the Holy Year of Mercy

In a specially written prayer for the Year of Mercy the Holy Father entreats the Lord to make the Jubilee of Mercy a year of grace so that the Church ldquowith renewed enthusiasm may bring good news to the poor proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed and restore sight to the blind The text of the prayer follows

Lord Jesus Christyou have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Fatherand have told us that whoever sees you sees HimShow us your face and we will be savedYour loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew frombeing enslaved by moneythe adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happinessonly in created thingsmade Peter weep after his betrayaland assured Paradise to the repentant thiefLet us hear as if addressed to each one of us thewords that you spoke to the Samaritan womanIf you knew the gift of GodYou are the visible face of the invisible Father of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercylet the Church be your visible face in the world its Lord risen and glorifiedYou willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weaknessin order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and errorlet everyone who approaches them feel sought afterloved and forgiven by GodSend your Spirit and consecrate every one of us withits anointingso that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of gracefrom the Lordand your Church with renewed enthusiasm may bringgood news to the poorproclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed and restore sight to the blindWe ask this through the intercession of Mary Mother of Mercyyou who live and reign with the Father and the HolySpirit for ever and everAmen

AH MERCY THIS IS THE NAME OF GOD- Pope Francis

9


46TH Annual MLK jrmemorial breakfastMonday January 18 2016 I 800 amBoston Convention amp Exhibition Center

The 46th Annual Martin Luther King Jr MemorialBreakfast to commemorate the noble legacy of theRev Dr Martin Luther King Jr will be held on MondayJanuary 18 2016 at eight oclock This event features delicious food live music and a diverse gathering of over 1000 people including business civic and religious leaders from across Massachusetts This years event will feature a dynamic keynote address from the Dr Ruth Simmons 18th President of Brown University who will be awarded the True Compass Award We need to reserve tables for this breakfast prior to December 31 Tickets are $50 each If you would like to join us and sit at one of the Saint Cecilia tables please call the parish office or endashmail Caroline Geacutelinas at cgelinasstceciliabostonorg If youve attended this breakfast before you know what a moving and hopendashfilled way this is to commemorate the life of the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr

GRIEF HAS ITS SEASONSBegins Tuesday January 5 2016 I 1000-1130 amThe Schrafftrsquos Center 529 Main St-Ste101 Charlestown

Come explore ways to cope and heal after loss Eight Tuesdays ~ January 5 2016 through February 23 2016Sponsored by Beacon Hospice Free Parking Stop at Guard Gate and request a Visitor Pass Pre-Registration required call Nancy Duffy at 617-242-8370

FLOWERSIf you would like to contribute flowers in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving to God all you need to do is contact Scott MacDonald at smacdonaldstceciliabostonorg in advance of the weekend Flowers can be donated for our sanctuary or for the gifts table at the rear of the church

Advent Giving Tree ---- GIFT RETURN INSTRUCTIONS Reminder ndash gifts are due back TODAY by 700 pm

All gifts should be wrapped EXCEPT for Project Hope The gifts tags should be securely attached to the package

Gifts received after TODAY (Dec 13th) may not be delivered in time for Christmas Lost the tag Canrsquot find the gift on the tag Other questions

Contact Ann at anntenfouryahoocom

TWEETS FROM THE POPEChristians and Muslims are brothers and

sisters and we must act as such

The time has come for new messengers of Christ ever more generous

more joyful and more holy

10


Itrsquos easy to think that ISIS is some sort of evil medieval cancer that somehow has resurfaced in the modern world The rest of us are pursuing happiness and here comes this fundamentalist anachronism spreading death

But in his book Not in Godrsquos Name Confronting Religious Violence the brilliant Rabbi Jonathan Sacks argues that ISIS is in fact typical of what we will see in the decades ahead

The 21st century will not be a century of secularism he writes It will be an age of desecularization and religious conflicts

Part of this is simply demographic Religious communities produce lots of babies and swell their ranks while secular communities do not The researcher Michael Blume looked back as far as ancient India and Greece and concluded that every nonreligious population in history has experienced demographic decline

Humans also are meaning-seeking animals We live as Sacks writes in a century that ldquohas left us with a maximum of choice and a minimum of meaningrdquo The secular substitutes for religion mdash nationalism racism and political ideology mdash have all led to disaster So many flock to religion sometimes mdash especially within Islam mdash to extremist forms

This is already leading to religious violence In November 2014 just to take one month there were 664 jihadist attacks in 14 countries killing a total of 5042 people Since 1984 an estimated 15 million Christians have been killed by Islamist militias in Sudan

Sacks emphasizes that it is not religion itself that causes violence In their book Encyclopedia of Wars Charles Phillips and Alan Axelrod surveyed 1800 conflicts and found that less than 10 percent had any religious component at all

Rather religion fosters groupishness and the downside of groupishness is conflict with people outside the group Religion can lead to thick moral

communities but in extreme forms it can also lead to what Sacks calls pathological dualism a mentality that divides the world between those who are unimpeach-ably good and those who are irredeemably bad

The pathological dualist canrsquot reconcile his humiliated place in the world with his own moral superiority He embraces a politicized religion mdash restoring the caliphate mdash and seeks to destroy those outside his group by apocalyptic force This leads to acts of what Sacks calls altruistic evil or acts of terror in which the self-sacrifice involved somehow is thought to confer the right to be merciless and unfathomably cruel

Thatrsquos what we saw in Paris last week Sacks correctly argues that we need military weapons to win the war against fanatics like ISIS but we need ideas to establish a lasting peace Secular thought or moral relativism are unlikely to offer any effective rebuttal Among religious people mental shifts will be found by reinterpreting the holy texts themselves There has to be a Theology of the Other a complex biblical understanding of how to see Godrsquos face in strangers Thatrsquos what Sacks sets out to do

The great religions are based on love and they satisfy the human need for community But love is problematic Love is preferential and particular Love excludes and can create rivalries Love of one scripture can make it hard to enter sympathetically into the minds of those who embrace another

The Bible is filled with sibling rivalries Ishmael and Isaac Esau and Jacob Joseph and his brothers The Bible crystallizes the truth that people sometimes find themselves competing for parental love and even competing for Godrsquos love

Read simplistically the Biblersquos sibling rivalries seem merely like stories of victory or defeat mdash Isaac over Ishmael But all three Abrahamic religions have sophisticated multilayered interpretive traditions that undercut fundamentalist readings

Finding Peace Within the Holy Texts

By DAVID BROOKS

(Article continues on page 11)

11


Alongside the ethic of love there is a command to embrace an ethic of justice Love is particular but justice is universal Love is passionate justice is dispassionate

Justice demands respect of the other It plays on the collective memory of people who are in covenantal communities Your people too were once vulnerable strangers in a strange land The command is not just to be empathetic toward strangers which is fragile The command is to pursue sanctification which involves struggle and sometimes conquering your selfish instincts Moreover God frequently appears where he is least expected mdash in the voice of the stranger mdash reminding us that God transcends the particulars of our attachments

The reconciliation between love and justice is not simple but for believers the texts read properly point the way Sacksrsquos great contribution is to point out that the answer to religious violence is probably going to be found within religion itself among those who understand that religion gains influence when it renounces power

It may seem strange that in this century of technology peace will be found within these ancient texts But as Sacks points out Abraham had no empire no miracles and no army mdash just a different example of how to believe think and live

David Brooks is an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times He is currently a commentator on PBS NewsHour NPRrsquos All Things Considered and NBCrsquos Meet the Press He is the author of multiple books teaches at Yale University and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences A version of this op-ed appears in print on November 17 2015 on page A23 of the New York Times with the headline Peace Within the Texts

Advent Soul CleansingTuesday December 15 I 700-900 pm

We had rave reviews from this event last month so wersquore bringing it back quickly by demand We will pray the Rosary and the sacrament of confession will be available with Fr Ryan Duns throughout Wersquoll sing a few songs and have time to reflect on readings and meditations Community Servings Friday December 18 I 500-700 pm 10 Marbury Terrace Jamaica Plain

Help pack up meals that are given to the homebound with an acute life-threatening illness in the Boston area They serve over 9600 meals each week and rely on volunteers to make that happen

Volunteer with My Brotherrsquos Keeper Saturday December 19 I 1000 am-300 pm

Black Friday Mob got you down Come join us as we wrap (or deliver) Christmas gifts for families in need It will be a refreshing experience and great chance to give back for Jesusrsquo birthday We will travel from St Crsquos to My Brotherrsquos Keeper in Easton Drivers needed and 15 volunteer spots available Please email Ssullivangranitenetcom for more details and to RSVP

Holy Hour Happy Hour Sunday December 20Taize Prayer - 600 pm I Happy Hour ndash 715 pm

Wersquore pumped to be able to participate in Taize prayer this month as therersquos no 600 pm Mass that day Then wersquoll head to test out a new spot for happy hour ndash at the Back Bay Social Club (867 Boylston St) Dressy Christmas attire encouraged

Are you between 21-40 years old looking for some Catholic community at St Cs Join the listserv by

emailing scyoungadultsgmailcom

SAINT Cs YOUNG ADULTS

(Article continued from page 10)

12


Prison and After Needs HelpEvery Monday night for the past three and a half years a dedicated group of parishioners has been providing a support group and dinner from 600 until 800 for the men who are returning to the community after serving time in prison In order to sustain this wonderful ministry the group needs two kinds of help

Financial - The dinner program is funded solely by contributions from parishioners Each dinner costs approximately $300 Contributions of any amount are appreciated and can be given to Mark or Scott any Sunday or mailed to the parish office Checks should be made out to Saint Cecilia Parish with Prison and After written in the memo line

Hands On - We have a team of wonderful parishioners who gather every Monday evening from 530-900 We are looking for an additional two or three parishioners to join our group Also we are always delighted when a group a family or an individual volunteers to cook a meal for the group If you are interested in joining our group or making a meal please email Peg Newman at peg3newmangmailcom

are you friendly amp smiley Are you a warm and friendly person who loves to meet fellow parishioners with a smile If so we would love to have you join the Greeters We are always searching for more parishioners to help with this ministry Greeters are needed for all of the liturgies but especially for the Sunday 600 pm liturgy One can specify Mass frequency or any other availability concerns all of which can be accommodated If interested in helping out please contact Christina Searby at scgreetersgmailcom

DONE TIMEMen who have been incarcerated are invited to join the Prison amp After group which is designed to provide participants with a sense of welcome and support The meetings are held on Monday evenings from 600 to 800 pm in the Parish Hall We will begin with a group session followed by a simple meal For info contact Peg Newman at scprisonandaftergmailcom

Making the House Ready for the Lord

Dear Lord I have swept and I have washed butstill nothing is as shining as it should befor you Under the sink for example is anuproar of miceit is the season of theirmany children What shall I do And under

the eavesand through the walls the squirrelshave gnawed their ragged entrancesbut it is

the season when they need shelter so what shall I do Andthe raccoon limps into the kitchen and opens

the cupboardwhile the dog snores the cat hugs the pillowwhat shall I do Beautiful is the new snow fallingin the yard and the fox who is staring boldlyup the path to the door And still I believe

you willcome Lord you will when I speak to the foxthe sparrow the lost dog the shivering

sea-goose knowthat really I am speaking to you whenever I sayas I do all morning and afternoon

Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

13


Parish RESOURCESParish Office amp Mailing Address18 Belvidere Street Boston MA 02115Hours | MondayndashFriday 900 amndash600 pmPhone | 617 536 4548Fax | 617 536 1781E-mail | infostceciliabostonorgWebsite | wwwstceciliabostonorg

Parish StaffRev John J Unni PastorMark Donohoe Pastoral Associate for Administration mdonohoestceciliabostonorgScott J MacDonald Director of Faith Formation and Leadership Development smacdonaldstceciliabostonorgJeanne Bruno Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach jbrunostceciliabostonorgRichard J Clark Director of Music and Organist rclarkstceciliabostonorgCaroline Geacutelinas Executive AssistantcgelinasstceciliabostonorgMaureen Sullivan Special Projects Managermsullivanstceciliabostonorg

Assisting ClergyRev Arthur M CalterRev Ryan Duns SJRev Thomas Gariepy CSCRev Peter Grover OMVRev James Shaughnessy SJRev George Winchester SJ

Schedule for LiturgyWednesday Thursday amp Friday | 800 amLordrsquos Day | Sat 500 pm Sun 800 930 1115 am 600 pmHoly Days | 800 am and 630 pm

Liturgy of the HoursEvening Prayer and Morning Prayer as announced Please check the bulletin for dates and times

ReconciliationAvailable at St Clement Eucharistic Shrine (617-266-5999 x221) St Francis Chapel in the Prudential Center (617-437-7117) and St Anthony Shrine (617-542-6440) Please call for scheduled times

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the communal process through which non-baptized men and women become members of the Catholic Church It is also suitable for those baptized in different faith traditions who are interested in becoming Catholic or for those who were baptized Catholic but have yet to receive the sacraments of eucharist and confirmation For more information please contact Scott MacDonald

Baptism for InfantsInfant baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month For more information please contact Mark Donohoe

Faith Formation for ChildrenTo register your child for our Faith Formation Program please contact Scott MacDonald

MarriageCouples who wish to prepare for marriage should contact Mark Donohoe in the parish office at least six months in advance

Care of the SickTo 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 FuneralsThe parish is prepared to celebrate the Vigil (wake) in the church Please contact the parish office for more information

Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) TeamThe CAP Team is responsible for training all parish staff and volunteers in mandated reporting laws and the Protecting Godrsquos 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 (loisflahertygmailcom) Maria Roche (mariaroche15gmailcom) Letitia Howland (l_howlandhotmailcom) or Erin Young (erintyounggmailcom) if you have any questions or concernsThe 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 DiseaseIf 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 ChurchThe 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 DisabledThe church is accessible by elevator

Sunday ParkingReduced-rate parking is available on Sundays at the Prudential Center south side garage (Huntington entrance only $14 up to 4 hrs $20 up to 5 hrs) and at the Hilton Boston Back Bay ($5) Be sure to have a greeter validate your parking ticket before returning to your car

Saint Cecilia Rainbow MinistrySaint Cecilia Rainbow Ministry is a GLBTQ community at Saint Cecilia For more information contact stceciliarainbowministrygmailcom

Joining Our CommunityWersquore happy that yoursquore with us Our community offers a warm spiritual home for a diverse group of Catholics We come from many neighborhoods in and around Boston but also have parishioners from as far afield as Marlborough Newburyport and Stow Please introduce yourself to a staff member drop in for coffee on Sunday or fill out a new parishioner form in the gathering space

Meet Fr Vin minusThe Gift of Family As the pastor of three parishes in Dorchester and Mattapan Fr Vinrsquos responsibilities are extraordinary While his daily work is a source of great joy itrsquos the love and devotion of a special sister named Connie that restores his spirit

When Fr Vinrsquos parents passed away he and his sister Eileen became the sole guardians of their disabled sister For Fr Vin being a brother and a priest for Connie is an immense blessing The unconditional love that he receives from Conniemdashespecially at the end of a busy daymdash continues to fill his heart with gratitude

Fr Vin selflessly dedicates his life in service to others This Christmas show your gratitude with a gift that cares for Fr Vin and the health and well-being of all the priests who faithfully serve our Archdiocese of Boston

Text the word PRIEST to 56512 or make a gift through your parish collection at Christmas Mass

Thank you for your generous support of the Clergy Health and Retirement Trust

ldquoA priest whoever he may be is always another Christrdquo

-Saint Josemariacutea Escrivaacute

To submit your special intentions to be remembered by our senior priests during the celebration of Holy Mass at Regina Cleri each week please visit clergyfundsorgintentions

To watch a short video on Fr Vin and Connievisit clergyfundsorg

Clergy Health and Retirement Trust Caring for the Well-Being of our Boston Priests







Special intentions






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our community news


MACARONI amp CHEESE




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Amen



GAUDETE SUNDAY




The Lord is near



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By DAVID BROOKS


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Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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Special intentions






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our community news


MACARONI amp CHEESE




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5




Amen



GAUDETE SUNDAY




The Lord is near



6











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9















10

















By DAVID BROOKS


11


















12














Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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Amen



GAUDETE SUNDAY




The Lord is near



6











7









8











9















10

















By DAVID BROOKS


11


















12














Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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5




Amen



GAUDETE SUNDAY




The Lord is near



6











7









8











9















10

















By DAVID BROOKS


11


















12














Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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By DAVID BROOKS


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Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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By DAVID BROOKS


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Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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By DAVID BROOKS


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Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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By DAVID BROOKS


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Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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By DAVID BROOKS


11


















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Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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Come in Come in

- Mary Oliver

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