Naturally after the meetings, hosted and directed by our PPC, many parishioners have asked, “What is going to happen now?” First of all, we are engaged in a period of consultation. There is no final plan at this time. There are many more phases that will need to unfold before a specific action plan will be presented to us. Secondly I am certain we will again be asked to participate in the shaping of any final proposal that would best serve the Catholic community in Charlestown.

— Fr. Ronan

* * * * * *

Many thanks to all who attended our recent town hall meetings to discuss potential parish collaboratives. There was a large turnout at both meetings and the presentation by Mike Rowsey and Janice Roden prompted lots of great questions and an animated discussion. Feedback from our meetings has been sent off to the Archdiocese and will be reviewed as part of a lengthy process of discovering the best future path for the parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston.

Results of the survey and discussion showed an understanding [...]]]> Following the Archdiocesan plan for holding consultations at all levels of parish life about proposed new models for the delivery of pastoral services in our parishes, our PPC hosted two consultations. At the meeting of the PPC on May 8, members discussed the results of the consultation and prepared a final report that has been sent to the Office of Pastoral Planning of the Archdiocese of Boston. What follows is a brief report from the PPC regarding the consultations.

Naturally after the meetings, hosted and directed by our PPC, many parishioners have asked, “What is going to happen now?” First of all, we are engaged in a period of consultation. There is no final plan at this time. There are many more phases that will need to unfold before a specific action plan will be presented to us. Secondly I am certain we will again be asked to participate in the shaping of any final proposal that would best serve the Catholic community in Charlestown.

— Fr. Ronan

* * * * * *

Many thanks to all who attended our recent town hall meetings to discuss potential parish collaboratives. There was a large turnout at both meetings and the presentation by Mike Rowsey and Janice Roden prompted lots of great questions and an animated discussion. Feedback from our meetings has been sent off to the Archdiocese and will be reviewed as part of a lengthy process of discovering the best future path for the parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston.

Results of the survey and discussion showed an understanding that decreased Mass attendance, decreasing numbers of priests and the insolvency of many parishes requires that changes be made. The idea of a parish collaborative that includes St Francis de Sales and St Mary-St Catherine of Sienna makes sense as we are part of the same neighborhood, though it was acknowledged that there would be foreseeable obstacles to accomplishing this. Questions regarding how much savings would be realized from forming the collaborative were raised. Although it is understood that the goal of this effort is to avoid future church closures, those present still worry that this will result.

A deep affection for our wonderful parish pervaded the meetings. Many creative ideas for evangelization were suggested, including more social events, more CYO sports, and learning from other parishes. Parishioners expressed willingness and eagerness to help. The PPC will be developing specific plans to invite an increased number of parishioners into the spiritual, social, and service activities of our Parish. We welcome all who wish to participate to help our parish grow and more will be forthcoming on these topics!

We again thank all who participated and we thank the Holy Spirit who was surely with us in these important and fruitful discussions.

— For the members of the Parish Pastoral Council

Kathy Devaney

Vice Chair Elect

Years ago when folks were far less mobile, it was common for one to be born in a community, live in a town and parish for their entire life–and be buried from the church at which they were baptized. While that still happens in Charlestown, it is less frequent than in earlier times.

Now, all of us realize we are in a different time—society, culture and everything around us has changed, for better or for worse. The parish church has to change as well. Demographics have shifted, people are far less active in the practice of the faith, once elegant structures are in need of repairs and maintenance costing millions of dollars, and there are fewer priests to respond to the changing church. This should not surprise us. Whatever the institution—in our city, health care, the Post Office, the bank or libraries—the delivery of all services has changed.

By now everyone in our Parish knows that the Archdiocese has been actively developing plans for how to respond to all of these many variables and to do so in a way that builds strong parishes equipped to meet the needs of diverse communities. The Cardinal emphasizes his desire that our parishes be alive with a spirit of evangelization. I take that to mean, [...]]]> Registering as a member of our Parish is a choice all (or most) of you have made. As a parishioner, you have the right to be an active member of the parish community, to receive the sacraments and expect that the parish be your spiritual home.

Years ago when folks were far less mobile, it was common for one to be born in a community, live in a town and parish for their entire life–and be buried from the church at which they were baptized. While that still happens in Charlestown, it is less frequent than in earlier times.

Now, all of us realize we are in a different time—society, culture and everything around us has changed, for better or for worse. The parish church has to change as well. Demographics have shifted, people are far less active in the practice of the faith, once elegant structures are in need of repairs and maintenance costing millions of dollars, and there are fewer priests to respond to the changing church. This should not surprise us. Whatever the institution—in our city, health care, the Post Office, the bank or libraries—the delivery of all services has changed.

By now everyone in our Parish knows that the Archdiocese has been actively developing plans for how to respond to all of these many variables and to do so in a way that builds strong parishes equipped to meet the needs of diverse communities. The Cardinal emphasizes his desire that our parishes be alive with a spirit of evangelization. I take that to mean, alive in being welcoming, holy places where all can witness and be attracted to a community living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I truly believe that my brother parish priests want the exact same thing! So we have work to do to.

One of the resources that is most important to me as a pastor is the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC). This is a body of 12 -15 men and women who serve for a three year term, meeting monthly to consider all of the pastoral realities of our Parish and advise me on appropriate plans and actions. During my 7 ½ years in Charlestown the PPC has guided us through huge changes and significant growth. I believe you would say all that has happened with the merging of St. Mary and St Catherine of Siena Parishes and the formation of our new Parish, renovations in our buildings, Good Shepherd School and more has been for the benefit of the Catholic Community in Charlestown. You need to know that parishioners in the form of the PPC have been an invaluable part of these processes and results.

Every year we invite registered members of the Parish to nominate persons to serve on the PPC for the coming year. Once we receive the nominations, a nominee is contacted and asked if he/she wishes to accept the nomination. The names of those accepting are placed in a “hat” and on Pentecost Sunday at the 10:00 Family Mass after praying to the Holy Spirit for guidance, we select the names of new members.

I urge every member of the Parish to participate in this exercise—it is your right and, in fact, it is your responsibility. We need to continue to have an excellent PPC, for the challenges of the future years will equal and surpass those of the past.

In all of this I am more confident than ever. When men and women of faith sincerely and prayerfully gather to seek the way of going forward, building welcoming communities of lively faith—their efforts will be blessed and fruitful beyond measure.

— Fr. Ronan

St. Catherine's pews installed in the new St. Mary Magdalen Church.

New churches rarely spring out of the ground today, but the new Saint Mary Magdalen in Tyngsboro was a response to a parish that had outgrown a small country church. Under the supervision of Reverend Ronald St. Pierre, the church features a larger parish center and a beautiful church interior. The design also includes a part of Charlestown history:  pews and stained glass from Saint Catherine of Siena Church.

The Tyngsboro church was dedicated by Cardinal Seán O’Malley only two months ago. Benches from St. Catherine’s upper church were refinished and installed here along with many stained-glass windows. A beautiful section depicting Mary Magdalen—originally from St. Catherine’s convent—also went to Tyngsboro.

The items have “enhanced our liturgical space immensely,” wrote Pastor Ronald St. Pierre in a recent letter to Father Ronan. Fr. St. Pierre has also invited members of St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena to come to Tyngsboro and see how these sacred objects were incorporated into the new church.

Some images of the pews and windows can be viewed in the Cardinal’s blog at cardinalseansblog.org. To learn more about St. Mary Magdalen Church, please visit stmarymagdalenparish.com.

We are blessed that many are responding to the call to serve. Please be generous to support these seminarians on their journey toward their ordination to the priesthood. For more information, visit VocationBoston.org.

Friends, this Thursday, May 17th is the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven.  It is a precept of the Catholic Church that members attend Mass in honor of this holy feast. Our Parish will celebrate Mass for the Feast of the Ascension at 8AM and 6PM in the St. Catherine of Siena Chapel on this day. You may enter the Chapel through the Winthrop Street door and the Soley Street door.

The Ascension of Our Lord, which occurred 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead on Easter, is accounted in the Gospels of Luke (24:51), Mark (16:19) and the Acts of the Apostles (1:9-11).  This event is essential to our faith and is a basic statement of belief in the Apostles’ Creed: “He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence she shall come to judge the living and the dead.”  The Ascension of Christ foreshadows our own entrance into heaven.

Before Christ’s Ascension, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to His apostles.  After His Ascension, the apostles gathered in the Upper Room and prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit, which occurred ten days later with the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.

Many Catholics today begin a Novena to the Holy Spirit on Ascension Thursday (nine days of prayer between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost). A sample novena may be found at www.scborromeo.org/prayers/novenahs.pdf.

]]> Ascension Thursday, May 17^th -  Holy Day of Obligation

Friends, this Thursday, May 17^th is the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven.  It is a precept of the Catholic Church that members attend Mass in honor of this holy feast. Our Parish will celebrate Mass for the Feast of the Ascension at 8AM and 6PM in the St. Catherine of Siena Chapel on this day. You may enter the Chapel through the Winthrop Street door and the Soley Street door.

The Ascension of Our Lord, which occurred 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead on Easter, is accounted in the Gospels of Luke (24:51), Mark (16:19) and the Acts of the Apostles (1:9-11).  This event is essential to our faith and is a basic statement of belief in the Apostles’ Creed: “He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence she shall come to judge the living and the dead.”  The Ascension of Christ foreshadows our own entrance into heaven.

Before Christ’s Ascension, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to His apostles.  After His Ascension, the apostles gathered in the Upper Room and prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit, which occurred ten days later with the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.

Many Catholics today begin a Novena to the Holy Spirit on Ascension Thursday (nine days of prayer between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost). A sample novena may be found at www.scborromeo.org/prayers/novenahs.pdf.

]]> http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/17/ascension-thursday-2/feed/ 0 http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/15/funeral-maureen-brassil/ http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/15/funeral-maureen-brassil/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 13:25:14 +0000 Jeff http://stmarystcatherine.org/?p=3669 An obituary can be viewed here.

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)

One of my most favorite films is Shadowlands, a superb enactment of the autobiography of C.S. Lewis. Anthony Hopkins is cast as the unmarried Oxford university professor fully engaged in the life of the mind. An active mentor to his students, he led a quiet life with friends, living with his brother in the quaint village of Oxford, England and in the shadow of the great university. The film is captivating on many levels:  the beautiful countryside, the stunning halls of Oxford, the cast of wonderful actors and above all, it is Hopkins, the protagonist, who holds one’s attention.

The serene life of “Jack” (C.S. Lewis) is unsettled when the noted American poet, Joy Gresham (played by Deborah Winger) enters his small world with her child. Joy penetrates Jack’s cerebral armor and turns his world upside down—he falls in love with Joy. The story is powerful as one watches this unlikely couple discover the absolute, undefinable and authentic gift of love. For the first time in Jack’s life, another becomes his center and he is surprised by joy.

In his earlier life, Lewis was a professed atheist and wrote about the reasonableness of atheism. His conversion to Catholicism was a notable event among the literary elite of England. Lewis had seen combat in World War I and was no stranger to suffering. Perhaps he retreated to a solitary life of academe as a result of his war experience. Nevertheless his emotional self was brought forth and blossomed as [...]]]>

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)

One of my most favorite films is Shadowlands, a superb enactment of the autobiography of C.S. Lewis. Anthony Hopkins is cast as the unmarried Oxford university professor fully engaged in the life of the mind. An active mentor to his students, he led a quiet life with friends, living with his brother in the quaint village of Oxford, England and in the shadow of the great university. The film is captivating on many levels:  the beautiful countryside, the stunning halls of Oxford, the cast of wonderful actors and above all, it is Hopkins, the protagonist, who holds one’s attention.

The serene life of “Jack” (C.S. Lewis) is unsettled when the noted American poet, Joy Gresham (played by Deborah Winger) enters his small world with her child. Joy penetrates Jack’s cerebral armor and turns his world upside down—he falls in love with Joy. The story is powerful as one watches this unlikely couple discover the absolute, undefinable and authentic gift of love. For the first time in Jack’s life, another becomes his center and he is surprised by joy.

In his earlier life, Lewis was a professed atheist and wrote about the reasonableness of atheism. His conversion to Catholicism was a notable event among the literary elite of England. Lewis had seen combat in World War I and was no stranger to suffering. Perhaps he retreated to a solitary life of academe as a result of his war experience. Nevertheless his emotional self was brought forth and blossomed as he found love.

I recall this film as I wonder about the Gospel we proclaim this Sunday (John 15:9-17). In this passage Jesus speaks of the Love in which you are held and without qualification explains that it is the identical love the Father has for Him. This is an exquisite statement!  And for each of us to remain in this Love, Jesus explains, we need to keep His commandments. This is consistent with much we have learned through the years and yet it is ever new.

Also in this passage Jesus offers us an explanation of His motive, the Why He chose to teach and model this truth for us:  “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.” Imagine that! The reason behind all of this plan of God the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit is so that you would truly have and know “complete joy”.

I have grown increasingly fond of this passage—I believe it holds the key to actually understanding the very nature of Who our God is and how it is that God has created us. Of course, it is all about love. And is it not impossible to have love for someone and not want for them—joy? In fact, the only way joy can ever be experienced, known at any level at all, is through love.

Anthony Hopkins is a truly great actor and never more so than when we find him wrestling out of his academic shell to embrace the unfamiliar experience of love, and the fruit of that love, joy. Every one of us goes through that wrestling in different ways and times—and I believe it is God who is seeking our escape, a release from whatever holds us back. For it is the Son of the Living God who has come among us so that we too, could be surprised by Joy.

— Fr. Ronan

]]> http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/11/the-search-for-joy/feed/ 0 http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/11/nominations-to-the-parish-pastoral-council/ http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/11/nominations-to-the-parish-pastoral-council/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 21:00:38 +0000 Jeff http://stmarystcatherine.org/?p=3630 As is our custom, on Pentecost Sunday, May 27, at the 10AM Family Mass, we will select names of persons who have been nominated and have accepted nomination to be members of our Parish Pastoral Council. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, four (4) names will be selected by lot. The nomination process begins on the weekend of May 11-13. Only registered parishioners may nominate or be nominated.

Nominees must also participate in the sacramental life of the Church and be 18 years of age or older. PPC members must serve a full term of three (3) years and attend monthly meetings from September to June. As a consultative body, the Parish Pastoral Council is responsible to the pastor, assisting and supporting him in his leadership role. It recognizes the varied gifts of the parish members and invites them to an active leadership role in the parish.

The council should be an important means by which the pastor will hear the voice of the parish. In deliberations and consultation with the pastor, the council helps to unite the pastor and parishioners.  Together they discern the pastoral needs of the parish and ways in which those needs can be addressed.

Once the nominations are in, the nominees will be contacted to see if they accept the nomination. If they do, their names will go into a “pot” for selection on Pentecost Sunday.  Regardless of how many times people are nominated, their names are placed into the pot only once.

Please prayerfully consider possible [...]]]> As is our custom, on Pentecost Sunday, May 27, at the 10AM Family Mass, we will select names of persons who have been nominated and have accepted nomination to be members of our Parish Pastoral Council. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, four (4) names will be selected by lot. The nomination process begins on the weekend of May 11-13. Only registered parishioners may nominate or be nominated.

Nominees must also participate in the sacramental life of the Church and be 18 years of age or older. PPC members must serve a full term of three (3) years and attend monthly meetings from September to June. As a consultative body, the Parish Pastoral Council is responsible to the pastor, assisting and supporting him in his leadership role. It recognizes the varied gifts of the parish members and invites them to an active leadership role in the parish.

The council should be an important means by which the pastor will hear the voice of the parish. In deliberations and consultation with the pastor, the council helps to unite the pastor and parishioners.  Together they discern the pastoral needs of the parish and ways in which those needs can be addressed.

Once the nominations are in, the nominees will be contacted to see if they accept the nomination. If they do, their names will go into a “pot” for selection on Pentecost
Sunday.  Regardless of how many times people are nominated, their names are placed into the pot only once.

Please prayerfully consider possible candidates for the Council and submit their names no later than Tuesday, May 22, to give us adequate time to contact the nominees prior to selection on Pentecost Sunday.

You may nominate by filling out the 2012 Parish Council Nomination Form below and dropping it off at the Parish Office. (A version can also be found at stmarystcatherine.org/forms)

Current PPC members are Dennis Matulewicz, Deirdre Cardy, Ramon Alcantara, Jim Coviello, Kathy Devaney, David Higginbottom, Shawn Jenkins, Janice Roden, Kevin Staley, Darrell Villaruz, Carol Waller, Farrell Dolan, Michael Rowsey, and Anne Regan, Rev. James Ronan and Sr. Nancy Citro.

We thank departing members of the council for their insight on serious issues and dedication to Parish initiatives. Our community is not complete without the guidance and support of such wonderful people.

]]> http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/11/nominations-to-the-parish-pastoral-council/feed/ 0 http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/11/catholic-appeal-as-a-testament-of-faith/ http://stmarystcatherine.org/2012/05/11/catholic-appeal-as-a-testament-of-faith/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 21:00:16 +0000 Jeff http://stmarystcatherine.org/?p=3638 In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus gives us the great commandment to love one another as he loves us and reminds us that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend. In this spirit, please prayerfully consider a sacrificial gift to the 2012 Catholic Appeal, which supports the 50 ministries in the Archdiocese of Boston. Your gift to the Appeal is an expression of love and a testament to your faith in Jesus Christ. If you would like to join with St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena in our commitment to supporting the greater ministries of our universal Church, please complete a pledge form available in the back of the church or visit BostonCatholicAppeal.org.

Please pledge your support for our goal to raise $53,244. To date, 94 parishioners have contributed $28,021. Thank you for your prayers and contributions in support of this important effort.