|
|
 A special plaque can be seen in a corridor in what was once Saint Mary’s lower church. This large memorial honors more than 1,000 Charlestown residents who fought on the battlefields of World War I. The United States joined Allied forces against the Central Powers after 1917. At the end of the war in 1918, some nine million soldiers had been lost and 21 million were wounded.
“. . . from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.”
- Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address
 Most Loving and Faithful God,
You loved humankind into being and you bless us now with each precious moment of life. Our hearts are grateful for your loving faithfulness. Grateful, too, are we for the millions of loving acts that blossom from human hearts around us every day.
On this Memorial Day Weekend, we remember those we love who are now enjoying the fullness of Your promise.
We especially remember with deepest gratitude and awe the extraordinary men and women who, out of love, followed in the footsteps of your son, Jesus, and made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy every day. Keep these fallen heroes in the light of your loving care.
Help us to be mindful of the wounded heroes in our midst who, with valorous hearts, risked their lives that we might prosper and that our children’s futures might be secured.
Shower your love and care on the families of our troops. We ask for your unique blessings to fill their homes, and we pray your peace, provision, and strength will fill their lives.
May the members of our armed forces be supplied with courage to face each day. May they feel our love and support, and may they trust in You who are with them always. We ask you this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Join us for Memorial Day Mass on Monday, May 27 at 9:00 a.m. in St. Catherine of Siena Chapel
Five parishioners were selected on Pentecost Sunday for service in the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC). Sue McCready, Matthew Healy, Joseph Morey, Marne Esselman, and Kevin Roden will be welcomed into the consultative body in a June gathering with existing members.
The Pastoral Council advises the Pastor on the growth and development of the parish. The council meets once a month from September to June. Each member is a registered parishioner and serves for a period of three years. The newly selected PPC members were nominated by parishioners and drawn by lot.
Current PPC members are: Deirdre Cardy, Elisa Corra, Kathy Devaney, Farrell Dolan, Leonard Dorrian, Shirley Foley, David Higginbottom, Peter Lecam, Kathy Manganelli, Kim Martone, Patrick Murphy, Anne Regan, Robert Rooney, Mike Rowsey, Kevin Staley, Darrell Villaruz, Carol Waller, Rev. James Ronan and Sr. Nancy Citro.
Outgoing members of the Parish Pastoral Council are Kathy Devaney, David Higginbottom, Kevin Staley, Darrell Villaruz, and Carol Waller.
 The last meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) included a detailed analysis of the data from the survey of parishioners about the times of the weekend Masses. More than 200 people responded and there are some very clear preferences about the times of the Masses. This is not a surprise; most everyone is attached to “their” Mass time and is reluctant to see any change.
After a very robust discussion of options and the nature of our community, the PPC recommended the following as an EXPERIMENT for the summer months:
? Saturday 4:00 PM
? Sunday 8:00 AM
? 10:30 AM for both the English and Spanish parishioners
? 6:00 PM
Therefore the only change–and it is significant–is for the Family Mass to be held a half-hour later and for that Mass to include the Spanish community as well. The effort will be made for both communities to be very comfortable at the Mass with music, readings and homily.
In the end, the PPC felt a plan of inclusion is the best way forward. Indeed our experience has been that the children in both communities enjoy the music and languages of both traditions. It is our hope that the entire parish will be strengthened and enriched by adapting to a model that accommodates both communities.
At the same time, everyone realizes that any changes are difficult and for this reason I ask everyone to make a specific effort to participate in this plan which we believe is for the good of the Parish and the Church in Charlestown. And also for everyone to work together on this–it will take some time for us to live into this experiment. Patience and everyone participating actively and finding the best way forward is the goal.
It is our hope that this schedule will prove successful and it will allow us to plan some excellent changes in the religious education program in the fall. For example, we would hope to begin classes for the children at 9:00 AM Sunday and conclude at 10:15 in time for the Family Mass at 10:30. This will end the morning at 11:30, 45 minutes earlier than the program in the past years.
Our new schedule will begin on FATHERS’ DAY, JUNE 16. So, let’s keep talking about this, and working together we will find the best ways to celebrate as a parish.
Fr. Ronan
Every June, the Parish makes a concerted effort to invite parishioners to consider their annual support and make a firm commitment of what that will be. By combining these commitments, we can develop a budget for the new fiscal year. In this way, how much our Parish grows and celebrates our faith life is determined by each of us.
A brochure and Commitment envelope will be mailed to all registered parishioners. Members of the Parish Finance Committee (PFC) will speak at all masses next weekend and provide further details.
Members of the PFC include Mike Frawley, Dennis Hanson, Nancy Higgins, Maureen Moore, Fr. Ronan, Bob Rooney, James Santosuosso, and Kevin Walsh.
 Fr. William Mesinger Save the date!
As part of our Year of Faith lecture series, we have invited Fr. William Meninger, OSCO to speak with us about forgiveness. Fr. Meninger has authored a book on this important issue entitled The Process of Forgiveness. Fr. Meninger will join us on Sunday, June 9 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in St. Catherine of Siena Chapel. Don’t miss out on this important opportunity!
Fr. William Meninger of St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado is co-founder of the Centering Prayer movement (along with Thomas Keating and Basil Pennington) dedicated to bringing the power of prayer to the very heart of daily experience. He is the author of several books including The Loving Search for God (based on the 14th-Century classic The Cloud of Unknowing). He gives retreats, lectures and workshops on centering prayer, forgiveness, and the Enneagram in the U.S. and abroad.
To learn more about Fr. Meninger’s work, please visit him at contemplativeprayer.net.
We invite you to our next Senior Luncheon on Tuesday, June 4 at 11:30am in St Mary’s Church Hall
Come enjoy entertainment and lively conversation!
Please call in by Friday, May 31 at 617-242-4664 if you wish to join us!
 - A massive tornado ravaged parts of Oklahoma on May 20. (Photo: Wikipedia)
I was 20 years old when I first drove across Oklahoma: a kid from Boston gawking out across the prairies and farmland that stretched as far as the eye could see. There is a beauty to the great state of Oklahoma that makes it easy to see why so many residents live both close to the earth and close to God. In fact it seems it would be impossible to be close to one and not the other! Everywhere we cast our gaze, even in Boston, a genuine look at creation lifts one outside of oneself. In fact, just yesterday morning in the park I met a woman with her dog who exclaimed of the beauty of the morning and how wonderful God is to create and offer us such beauty. I agreed.
Continue reading Oklahoma
Malden Catholic High School is offering 7th Grade shadow days on May 22 and May 23 from 8-10 a.m. Events include introduction, tour, parent coffee and classroom observation for students. Please contact oneilm@maldencatholic.org or 781-475-5308 before May 16.
 It has been thirty three years since I first traveled from Boston to south of the equator. I was a seminarian at the time and went to Peru to spend the three months of summer with the priests of the Missionary Society of St. James the Apostle. I was assigned to Andahuaylas in the Sierra region, very high in the Andes Mountains. I learned very quickly that it was winter on that side of the equator, and further that at 10,000 feet above sea level the nights were cold and the sunshine wonderfully warming. The experience changed my life, and ever since that first immersion I have been returning to South America.
Continue reading Back over the Equator
|
"Friend" us on Facebook. "Follow" His Holiness Pope Francis on Twitter.
 
|
A special plaque can be seen in a corridor in what was once Saint Mary’s lower church. This large memorial honors more than 1,000 Charlestown residents who fought on the battlefields of World War I. The United States joined Allied forces against the Central Powers after 1917. At the end of the war in 1918, some nine million soldiers had been lost and 21 million were wounded.
