From the Pastor

EXCERPT FROM THE MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER
FOR THE 5th WORLD DAY FOR
GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY 2025
[27 July 2025]

The elderly as signs of hope

“In the Bible, God repeatedly demonstrates his providential care by turning to people in their later years. This was the case not only with Abraham, Sarah, Zechariah and Elizabeth, but also with Moses, who was called to set his people free when he was already eighty years old (cf. Ex 7:7). God thus teaches us that, in his eyes, old age is a time of blessing and grace, and that the
elderly are, for him, the first witnesses of hope. Augustine asks, “What do we mean by old age?” He tells us that God himself answers the question: “Let your strength fail, so that my strength may abide within you, and you can say with the Apostle,
‘When I am weak, then I am strong’” (Super Ps. 70,11). The increasing number of elderly people is a sign of the times that we are called to discern, in order to interpret properly this moment of history.”
From the Vatican, 26 June 2025

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Kids naturally want to do things for themselves and so will often ask mom or dad to “show me how” to do things, from tying
their shoes to driving a car. We teach kids how to play games, how to read, how to ride a bike and how to clean their room.
But the best teaching does not come by way of explanation, but by example. Kids mimic what they see and hear their parents
do. And they learn those lessons so well. Ever hear a three-year-old use some interesting language? Some lessons are taught, and others are caught!

There are many ways that we teach. We mentor, instruct, direct, demonstrate, explain and assist. But when it comes to faith,
the most important of all is witness. The best lessons we teach are the ones that we practice as we preach! Good example is the
most powerful tool. If I want my children to be truthful, I cannot lie, even little ‘white lies.’ If I want them to be honest, I cannot cheat. If I want them to be holy, I must have my own relationship with the Lord and be genuine in my beliefs. I have to pray, receive the sacraments and participate in my parish. We teach kids to do so many things so well; let’s include our faith.
Make your life the best answer to the unspoken request: Show me!

~James Gaffney © Karides Lic. to Pilot Bulletins

Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope

How can I be the “sign of hope?”
Hope comes from knowing Jesus Christ’s mercy and love for you personally. Before we can share hope, we must know the hope
that is in Jesus. Here are a few ways you can share the hope you have:
When another Christian is discouraged or despairing, remind them that our hope is in Jesus, who offers us the opportunity
to go to heaven.
Perform spiritual and corporeal works of mercy.
Share with others who may not have a relationship with Our Lord the reason for your hope in him (cf. 1 Peter 3:15).
You learn more about the Jubilee and being signs of hope here: bit.ly/JubileeOfHope.

A Special Guest

Next weekend, Fr. John Olenick will be visiting St. Mary- St. Catherine to offer Mass and speak about the Unbound community, a Catholic organization dedicated to ministering to the poor in 19 countries.

Conversations!

On Thursdays this summer at 6:30 pm at 46 Winthrop St, we will have a series of discussions in person and via Zoom on the sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.
Join the conversation and be careful, you might learn something!
Please let Fr. John know if you can join him!

Natural Family Planning Awareness Week

Natural Family Planning Awareness Week is a national educational campaign. The dates of Natural Family Planning Awareness Week highlight the anniversary of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae (July 25). The dates also mark the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Mother.
See USCCB web site for more info.

Religious Education, also known as Rel Ed or Faith Formation, gives students the information and the tools that
they need to realize and respond to God’s love for them.
Our program at St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena and St. Francis de Sales Parishes guides students into a closer
relationship with God and our Catholic community by providing them with a solid Catholic education from grades
K-10, and preparing them for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation.
We want to teach the children of this worshiping community to come to know God, learn to love God, and to
live a life in response to God’s love!
Parents’ participation in all aspects of our program is essential to its purpose and success. Children learn best by
example. We ask that you give your children’s religious educationthe importance the childrendeserve. By working
together, parish and family, our faith will fill the hearts of our children!

Registration has begun!
Classes begin on Tuesday, Sept. 23rd at 4 pm
Visit our web page stmarystcatherine.org/education
or drop by or call the Parish Office at 617.242.4664

Religious Education, also known as RelEd or Faith Formation, gives students the information and the tools that they need to realize and respond to God’s love for them.
Our program at St. Mary- St. Catherine of Siena and St. Francis de Sales Parishes guides students into a closer relationship with God and our Catholic community by providing them with a solid Catholic education from grades K-10, and preparing them for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation.

We want to teach the children of this worshiping community to come to know God, learn to love God, and to live a life in response to God’s love!

Parents’ participation in all aspects of our program is essential to its purpose and success. Children learn best by example. We ask that you give your children’s religious education the importance the children deserve. By working together, parish and family, our faith will fill the hearts of our children!

Registration begins on Monday, July 14
Visit our web site to register—charlestowncatholic.org
Or drop by or call the Parish Office at 617.242.4664

Calling all catechists in the Archdiocese of Boston! That means you – parents, faith formation leaders, teachers, volunteers, OCIA and youth ministry teams, etc.
Join us for a celebration to include Mass and a Catechist Commissioning with Archbishop Henning, lunch and fellowship, a trivia competition hosted by Fr. Denis Nakkeeran, and free access to Franciscan at Home!
Go to bit.ly/JubileeCatechists to learn more and sign up!

Thank you!

Thanks so much to our good friend Fr. Bill Joy, who spent this past weekend with us so I could spend a few days in Ireland with family.

Keep in mind

Fr. John will be out of state July 27- Aug. 3

A new resident at 49 Vine St.

Fr. Patrick Mpete will be moving into our rectory in early August as he continues his studies at BC in the fall.

A Special Guest

On the weekend of July 26-27, Fr. John Olenick will be visiting St. Mary- St. Catherine to offer Mass and speak about the Unbound community, a Catholic organization dedicated to ministering to the poor in 19 countries.

Summer calls!

In this summer season, please don’t forget to donate to our parishes-
this time of year can be challenging, as Mass attendance drops with bills to pay all year long.
Please give online or mail in your envelopes so we can keep on planning and building for what’s
ahead. Call James Santosuosso at the offices and learn how you can give generously and easily.
Thank you in advance!

Conversations!

Starting this week, on Thursday evenings
at 6:30 pm at 46 Winthrop St, we will have discussions for adults in person
and via zoom for the sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation,
and for those who just want to learn more about their faith. Join the conversation
and be careful, you might learn something!
Please let Fr. John know if you can join him!

Symbolon returns

Symbolon will begin again every other Monday starting Sept. 15 at 7 pm at St. Catherine’s Chapel.
Join us for an hour of learning and discussion!

Faith Formation
It’s not too early to plan ahead, and we are plan
ning for 2025-26! Registration begins July 14th-
just call the Offices at 617-242-4664
or go to charlestowncatholic.org!
We’ll begin on Tuesday, Sept. 23rd at 4 pm
with a party at 46 Winthrop Street!

Conversations!

Starting this week, on Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm
at 46 Winthrop St, we will have discussions
for adults for the sacraments of Initiation:
Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation,
and for those who just want to learn more about their
faith. Join the conversation and be careful,
you might learn something!
Please let Fr. John know if you can join him!

Symbolon returns

Symbolon will begin again every other Monday
starting Sept. 15 at 7 pm at St. Catherine’s Chapel.
Join us for an hour of learning and discussion!

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

In 1955, a husband and wife songwriting team attended a youth retreat in California. They put together a song that captured their hopes for a better, more peaceful world. The song quickly spread around the world and has been sung by many famous singers and entertainers. It’s been sung in church, at rallies and in bathroom showers all over the country! The song was “Let There Be Peace on Earth, And Let it Begin With Me.”
Jesus gives His disciples a mission and directions how to achieve it. They go to all the towns He will visit and prepare the people to hear His message. There is urgency to the work: they are not to carry anything that will delay them, nor should they fuss about what they eat or where they stay. Announce the reign of God and move on. The conversion of each town started with the work and example of the disciples.
We each have our own personal mission, given in baptism and that unfolds over time. Some are called to religious life, others to marriage, some to parenthood, others to social service or teaching or caring for the sick. Whatever our mission, the Lord calls us to it with a sense of urgency and importance. Your good work and example will announce the reign of God is at hand. Let it begin with you!
~James Gaffney, © 2010 Karides Lic. to St. Pilot Bulletins

Choosing Love

by Henri Nouwen
How can someone ever trust in the existence of an unconditional divine love when most, if not all, of what he or she has experienced is the opposite of love – fear, hatred, violence, and abuse?
They are not condemned to be victims! There remains within them, hidden as it may seem, the possibility to choose love. Many people who have suffered the most horrendous rejections and been subject to the most cruel torture are able to choose love. By choosing love they become witnesses not only to enormous human resiliency but also to the divine love that transcends all human loves. Those who choose, even on a small scale, to love in the midst of hatred and fear are the people who offer true hope to our world.

The 2025 Catholic Appeal
Moving Forward in Faith… Together

One of the most meaningful ways that we deepen the
impact of our Archdiocese’s schools, parishes, and min
tries is by supporting the Catholic Appeal.
Where we stand now:
St. Francis de Sales
Goal: $21,200
Assessment: $13,693
Amount Raised: $11,310
We’re at 83% of our assessment!

I am the son of an immigrant. My father came to the States from Ireland, married my mother, worked a number of difficult labor jobs, became a citizen, and brought up nine children. He was proud of his Catholic faith, his family, and his citizenship, and taught us to appreciate our heritage and to be thankful for the blessings that are ours as Americans. At the center of what he taught, by example, was to respect all people, regardless of their situations, created in God’s holy image.

At the core of our Catholic teachings beats the heart of the inherent dignity of every human life and our responsibility to see that presence, to defend it and to protect it. The Word of God expects nothing less from each of us- Scripture says that we will be judged on how we treated the immigrant, the vulnerable in our midst in this life. The parable of the Good Samaritan alone cuts to the core- the priest who shunned the vulnerable one was more concerned with how his actions appeared to others, while the Samaritan was more concerned about the one in need. We seem to be at a crossroads in our country- vitriol seems to be everywhere. We need to speak soberly and intentionally.

Is there abuse in this immigration system? Yes. There is, as is everywhere, evil in the midst of good, and we must be vigilant to protect the vulnerable, in a nation with a system broken and in need of correction, in a nation with the highest population of imprisoned people on earth.  Painting an entire wave of people fleeing from countries beset by violence we cannot begin to understand as criminals, so many who only wish to live in peace and dignity- like each of us- this represents the worst in us, like those who persecuted generations of immigrants before them, including those of our various nationalities. We have always been a nation of immigrants- we will always be, and we need to remember that this diversity that makes us strong- it has for nearly 250 years of breathtaking change. When we forget this, we lose our character, our mission, our identity.

We are a country born of diversity- with words etched on the Statue of Liberty to receive those who our world dismisses, calling out to us to show compassion and respect to the stranger in our midst as one of us, representing the best of us. Former Vice President Hubert Humphrey in 1972 challenged our nation in the midst of doubt and paranoia to act not on its fears but its hopes. We cannot and will not bow to the cries for retribution out of fear, we will not give in to the voice of the angry mob, but we will speak courageously and stand resolutely with Christ to promote the dignity of every person on this earth.

As members of the Body of Christ, we are expected by our Savior to be the first to reach out, to be the ones who welcome the family in need, the children in crises, the people dreaming of what we far too often take for granted. Simply put, every human being deserves the blessings of freedom that we receive every day. As Catholics, may we be the ones who find the hope, seek justice, and act in hope for a better and more just society, nation and world. In this period of harsh tones on every side, threats and acts of violence and doubt, may our words and actions of mercy, compassion and justice shine brightly to others.

It is very fair to say that my father lived the American Dream. Devoted to his God, wife, family, and his country, he made this world a better place by his acts of gratitude for the blessings he received. May we appreciate the blessings that we’ve received by our generosity in sharing them and helping others make this truly a nation dedicated to the belief that all men and women are created equally. If we achieve this, not only will we make our lives and country stronger and better, so will our world be better, to the glory of God.

Fr. John Sheridan

Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration and the Movement of Peoples

Biblical Vision of Love for Strangers:

Both the Old and New Testaments tell compelling stories of refugees forced to flee because of oppression. Exodus tells the story of the Chosen People, Israel, who were victims of bitter slavery in Egypt. They were utterly helpless by themselves, but with God’s powerful intervention they were able to escape and take refuge in the desert. For forty years they lived as wanderers with no homeland of their own. Finally, God fulfilled his ancient promise and settled them on the land that they could finally call home.

The Israelites’ experience of living as homeless aliens was so painful and frightening that God ordered his people for all time to have special care for the alien: “You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; have the same love for him as for yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt” (Lv 19:33-34).

The New Testament begins with Matthew’s story of Joseph and Mary’s escape to Egypt with their newborn son, Jesus, because the paranoid and jealous King Herod wanted to kill the infant. Our Savior himself lived as a refugee because his own land was not safe.  Jesus reiterates the Old Testament command to love and care for the stranger, a criterion by which we shall be judged: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35). 

The Apostle Paul asserts the absolute equality of all people before God: “There is neither Jew nor Greek . . . for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). In Christ, the human race is one before God, equal in dignity and rights. 

Three Basic Principles of Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration

Although Catholic theology has always promoted human rights rooted in natural law and God’s revelation, it was the encyclical Rerum Novarum (On the Condition of Labor) in 1891 that developed a systematic presentation of principles of the rights and responsibilities of people. Rerum Novarum commented on the situation of immigrants; in later documents, popes and bishops’ conferences have synthesized the Catholic theological tradition to articulate three basic principles on immigration.

First Principle: People have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families.

At the end of World War II, with the fall of the Nazi empire and the subsequent creation of the Soviet “Iron Curtain,” Europe faced an unprecedented migration of millions of people seeking safety, food, and freedom. At that time, Pope Pius XII wrote Exsul Familia (The Emigre Family), placing the Church squarely on the side of those seeking a better life by fleeing their homes. 

When there is a massive movement of people such as during a war, natural disaster, or famine, the lands that receive these displaced people may be threatened. The influx may make it impossible for the native population to live securely, as the land may not have enough resources to support both. Even in more orderly migrations, such as in the United States, citizens and residents of the land may fear that newcomers will take jobs, land, and resources, impoverishing the people already present. 

Because of the belief that newcomers compete for scarce resources, immigrants and refugees are at times driven away, resented, or despised. Nevertheless, the first principle of Catholic social teaching regarding immigrants is that people have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families. This is based on biblical and ancient Christian teaching that the goods of the earth belong to all people. While the right to private property is defended in Catholic social teaching, individuals do not have the right to use private property without regard for the common good. 

Every person has an equal right to receive from the earth what is necessary for life—food, clothing, shelter. Moreover, every person has the right to education, medical care, religion, and the expression of one’s culture. In many places people live in fear, danger, or dehumanizing poverty. Clearly, it is not God’s will that some of his children live in luxury while others have nothing. In Luke’s Gospel, the rich man was condemned for living well while the poor man starved at his doorstep (Lk 16:19-31). The native does not have superior rights over the immigrant. Before God all are equal; the earth was given by God to all. When a person cannot achieve a meaningful life in his or her own land, that person has the right to move. 

Second Principle: A country has the right to regulate its borders and to control immigration. 

The overriding principle of all Catholic social teaching is that individuals must make economic, political, and social decisions not out of shortsighted self-interest, but with regard for the common good. That means that a moral person cannot consider only what is good for his or her own self and family but must act with the good of all people as his or her guiding principle. 

While individuals have the right to move in search of a safe and humane life, no country is bound to accept all those who wish to resettle there. By this principle the Church recognizes that most immigration is ultimately not something to celebrate. Ordinarily, people do not leave the security of their own land and culture just to seek adventure in a new place or merely to enhance their standard of living. Instead, they migrate because they are desperate and the opportunity for a safe and secure life does not exist in their own land. Immigrants and refugees endure many hardships and often long for the homes they left behind. As Americans we should cherish and celebrate the contributions of immigrants and their cultures; however, we should work to make it unnecessary for people to leave their own land. 

Because there seems to be no end to poverty, war, and misery in the world, developed nations will continue to experience pressure from many peoples who desire to resettle in their lands. Catholic social teaching is realistic: While people have the right to move, no country has the duty to receive so many immigrants that its social and economic life are jeopardized. 

For this reason, Catholics should not view the work of the federal government and its immigration control as negative or evil. Those who work to enforce our nation’s immigration laws often do so out of a sense of loyalty to the common good and compassion for poor people seeking a better life. In an ideal world, there would be no need for immigration control. The Church recognizes that this ideal world has not yet been achieved. 

Third Principle: A country must regulate its borders with justice and mercy. 

The second principle of Catholic social teaching may seem to negate the first principle. However, principles one and two must be understood in the context of principle three. And all Catholic social teaching must be understood in light of the absolute equality of all people and the commitment to the common good. A country’s regulation of borders and control of immigration must be governed by concern for all people and by mercy and justice. A nation may not simply decide that it wants to provide for its own people and no others. A sincere commitment to the needs of all must prevail. 

In our modern world where communication and travel are much easier, the burden of emergencies cannot be placed solely on nations immediately adjacent to the crises. Justice dictates that the world community contribute resources toward shelter, food, medical services, and basic welfare. 

Even in the case of less urgent migrations, a developed nation’s right to limit immigration must be based on justice, mercy, and the common good, not on self-interest. Moreover, immigration policy ought to take into account other important values such as the right of families to live together. A merciful immigration policy will not force married couples or children to live separated from their families for long periods. 

Undocumented immigrants present a special concern. Often their presence is considered criminal since they arrive without legal permission. Under the harshest view, undocumented people may be regarded as undeserving of rights or services. This is not the view of Catholic social teaching. The Catholic Church teaches that every person has basic human rights and is entitled to have basic human needs met—food, shelter, clothing, education, and health care. Undocumented persons are particularly vulnerable to exploitation by employers, and they are not able to complain because of the fear of discovery and deportation. Current immigration policy that criminalizes the mere attempt to immigrate and imprisons immigrants who have committed no crime or who have already served a just sentence for a crime is immoral. In the Bible, God promises that our judgment will be based on our treatment of the most vulnerable. Before God we cannot excuse inhumane treatment of certain persons by claiming that their lack of legal status deprives them of rights given by the Creator. 

Finally, immigration policy that allows people to live here and contribute to society for years but refuses to offer them the opportunity to achieve legal status does not serve the common good. The presence of millions of people living without easy access to basic human rights and necessities is a great injustice. 

It is the position of the Catholic Church that pastoral, educational, medical, and social services provided by the Church are never conditioned on legal status. All persons are invited to participate in our parishes, attend our schools, and receive other services offered by our institutions and programs. 

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

THE EUCHARIST

From the New Testament

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my
blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I
have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me (John 6:54-57).
I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so
that one may eat it and not die (John 6:48-50).
But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. (Luke 24: 21-31)
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:26)

Some Saint Quotes through the centuries

Justin Martyr First Apology 66 (A.D. 151). “We call this food Eucharist, and no one else is permitted to partake of it, except one
who believes our teaching to be true and who has been washed in the washing which is for the remission of sins and for regeneration
[i.e., has received baptism] and is thereby living as Christ enjoined. For not as common bread nor common drink do we receive
these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so
too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, and by the
change of which our blood and flesh is nurtured, is both the flesh and the blood of that incarnated Jesus”
St Augustine: (354 – 430) “I promised you [new Christians], who have now been baptized, a sermon in which I would explain the
sacrament of the Lord’s Table. . . That bread which you see on the altar, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the body of
Christ. That chalice, or rather, what is in that chalice, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the blood of Christ” (Sermons
227 [A.D. 411]).

St Thomas Aquinas: (1224/6 – 1274) “The Eucharist is the sacrament of love: it signifies love, it produces love. The Eucharist is
the consummation of the whole spiritual life.”

St Francis de Sales: (1567 – 1622) “When the bee has gathered the dew of heaven and the earth’s sweetest nectar from the flow
ers, it turns it into honey, then hastens to its hive. In the same way, the priest, having taken from the altar the Son of God (who is as
the dew from heaven, and true son of Mary, flower of our humanity), gives him to you as delicious food.”

St Maximilian Kolbe: (1894 – 1941) “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.”

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901– 1925) “With all the strength of my soul I urge you young people to approach the Commun
ion table as often as you can. Feed on this bread of angels whence you will draw all the energy you need to fight inner battles. Be
cause true happiness, dear friends, does not consist in the pleasures of the world or in earthly things, but in peace of conscience,
which we have only if we are pure in heart and mind.”

Eucharistic Saints:

Tarcisius was a twelve-year-old acolyte during one of the fierce Roman persecutions in the third century and was martyred while
bringing the Eucharist to condemned Christians in prison. He preferred death at the hands of a mob rather than deliver to them the
Blessed Sacrament which he was carrying.

St Catherine of Siena (1347—1380) was canonized in 1461, made a doctor of the Church, and is one of a small group of saints
known as Eucharistic saints who dedicated themselves to the consumption and spiritual nourishment of the Eucharist.

Blessed Carlo Acutis (3 May 1991– 12 October 2006) was a British-born teenager, primarily of Italian ancestry, known for his devotion to the Eucharist… with him creating a website documenting Eucharistic miracles prior to his death from leukemia at the age of fifteen. His canonization is set to take place on 7 September 2025.

Our newly reconstituted Collaborative Pastoral Council – June 8, 2025

St. Mary St. Catherine of Siena Parish

Richard Gould
Matt Rita
Ari Senerchia
Marian Tse
Maryann Broderick
Michael Rush

St. Francis de Sales Parish

Steve Brophy
Pat Locke
Pauline O’Brien
Joan Rae
Sandy Taylor
Kelli Forbes
Peggy Walukevich

Thank you for your support and participation!

The Gallagher Scholarship
Rev. Henry Gallagher was born in Charlestown in 1910 and ordained in 1941.
He served as spiritual director of St. Mary’s conference of St. Vincent de Paul Society
and arranged scholarships for local high school students. Upon his death,
Fr. Gallagher left a generous bequest to St. Vincent de Paul Society, which has
helped students for more than a decade.
Applicants must be registered members of St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena
or St. Francis de Sales parishes and provide the name of the school they will attend.
Applications are available for pick up at the Parish Office located at
46 Winthrop Street and via the link here.
The deadline for applications is July 31st.

World Apostolate of Fatima Annual Meeting in Honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (6/28)

The World Apostolate of Fatima of the Archdiocese of Boston will host its annual meeting in honor of The Immaculate Heart of Mary on June 28th from 9 AM – 3 PM at the Pastoral Center, Braintree. Fr. Elias Mary Mills, F.I. will present a talk on “The Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary – the messages of Our Lady at Fatima and Akita.” For more information, please contact Lorrain Allen or visit the website.

Into the Deep – Corpus Christi Procession by Sea (6/21-6/22)

Join Archbishop Richard Henning on June 21-22 as he brings Jesus in the Eucharist to the shores of the Archdiocese of Boston from Gloucester to South Boston over Corpus Christi weekend. For more information on the schedule of stops and masses for this historic procession, visit https://bit.ly/IntoTheDeep2025

It Takes A Village…

It is important to know how grateful the Pastoral Staff is to those who volunteer their time and talent in the various ministries that help our parishes run smoothly.

And to those who have been thinking ..”how can I become more involved”
Please feel free to call the office at 617.242.4664 or talk to Fr. John
after a Mass!

And if you have been attending the Masses at either St. Francis de Sales or St. Mary-St.- Catherine of
Siena but have not yet registered as a parishioner, just visit the web-site and register on-line.
stfrancischarlestown.org stmarystcatherine.org

Are you looking for a deeper, more meaningful way of experiencing your faith?

The Sisters of St. Joseph (CSJs) of Boston welcome men and women of all ages and faiths as Associates who share the mission and values of the CSJs. Whether you’ve known sisters as teachers, administrators or simply as friends, you know their “Charism” of unifying love, or the unique way they accept and embrace the “Dear Neighbor.” Inclusivity, hospitality, and love in action are their core values. If you’re interested in learning more about this Associate relationship, please contact Mary Rita Weschler, CSJA or Juanita Campos-Rivera, CSJA at maryrita.weschler@csjboston or Juanita.campos@csjboston.org. In addition, there is an opportunity to meet with us at the Motherhouse at 637 Cambridge St., Brighton, Ma. (June 4, 2025 at 1:00 PM or June 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM.) If you plan to attend, please call Mary MacGillivray at 617-746-1670. We’d love to have you “come and see” and experience this unique relationship first-hand!

Starting in September, Mondays are for learning!

Classes for those who are interested in joining the Catholic Church or return home will begin every other Monday starting Sept. 8 at 6:30 pm at 46 Winthrop St. Symbolon will begin again on every other Monday starting Sept. 15 at 7 pm at St. Catherine’s chapel. Join us for an hour of learning and discussion!

Collaborative Pastoral Council Nominations close next Sunday.

This weekend and next: Nomination process takes place. Ballots will be available at the church. Ballot boxes will be located at the back of the church. Please drop your ballot there. Dianne Ludy is available to provide & receive ballots at 46 Winthrop during the week. Parish members are eligible to nominate those who are likewise parish members.
June 9, Pentecost: Fr. Sheridan announces the results. Please spend some time thinking and praying about members from our parishes who would represent their own parish and work to build our unity and strength as one family.

Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope Go to bit.ly/JubileeOfHope to learn more.
Why should I go to the Jubilee Pilgrimage Sites?

Hope comes from knowing Jesus Christ. The jubilee pilgrimage sites are hosting extra Masses, confessions, and Eucharistic adoration to give you an opportunity to walk away from the stresses of daily life and to just sit down with Jesus.

You can have a relationship with him.
The pilgrimage sites in the Archdiocese are:
Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston
Most Holy Redeemer, Boston
St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine, Boston
Holy Rosary Shrine, Lawrence
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine, Lowell
Divine Mercy Shrine, Salem
Blessed Andrew Phu Yen, Medford
Missionary Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Holliston
Immaculate Conception Parish, Marlborough
St. Paul Parish, Hingham
St. Patrick Parish, Brockton

One for us-all of us

These are extraordinary days for us- a new Archbishop, and now a new Pope- an American like us, (a Peruvian, too) yet, no longer. Pope Leo is a missionary Augustinian; he belonged to the Church and to Christ long before that electrifying day when we were shocked and delighted with his election.
The world gasped in surprise and rejoiced with us, and though we give thanks these days, we also understand that the Pontiff’s extraordinary concerns transcend borders, to the core of the faith we share with over a billion people who speak every language, embrace every tradition and way of life, and the way we affect our world calls us all to sober reflection and earnest dedication to live out our baptisms and confirmations as committed Christians and Catholics, as members of the Body of Christ.
This past weekend in Charlestown, we celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation of 25 young people, fed hundreds of families at Harvest on Vine, celebrated Masses as we rejoiced in the Resurrection of our Lord and awaited the glorious days of Ascension and Pentecost, honored our Blessed Mother in rosary and song, and brought 5 new babies into the loving embrace of the Church through baptism. Our missionary work goes on.
There is much work ahead- for our new Holy Father peace and justice issues to address, prayers to offer, teach ings to share and so much more, all in that missionary spirit that he has shown throughout his life, but it’s our call, too. Inspired by the example of Francis, may our prayers support him, our work give honor to God, and our actions honor Christ, to Him be the glory always. Please
pray for Pope Leo-one of our own, and now one for the world, for the Church.

Sacramental Season

Thank you to Cynthia, Ari & Nick, Emily and John. Congratulations to the Confirmandi and thanks so much to Cynthia, Ari, Nick, Emily, John, and Abigail for their hard work and dedication throughout the year!
Bishop Cristiano was very pleased last Saturday!

Family Day in Charlestown

On Sunday, June 1st, we’ll have a CCC Family Day!
Following the 9:30 am Mass at St. Francis and the 6 pm Mass at St. Mary’s, we’ll have goodies and surprises- bring all the kids we’ll officially start it up monthly in September, but let’s get it going now!

World Apostolate of Fatima Annual Meeting
in Honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (6/28)

The World Apostolate of Fatima of the Archdiocese of Boston will host its annual meeting in honor of The Immaculate Heart of Mary on June 28th from 9 AM -3 PM at the Pastoral Center, Braintree. Fr. Elias Mary Mills, F.I. will present a talk on “The Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary – the messages of Our Lady at Fatima and Akita.”
For more information, please contact Lorrain Allen or visit the website.

Into the Deep -Corpus Christi
Procession by the Sea (6/21-6/22)

Join Archbishop Richard Henning on June 21-22 as he brings Jesus in the Eucharist to the shores of the Archdiocese of Boston from Gloucester to South Boston over Corpus Christi weekend. For more information on the schedule of stops and masses for this historic procession, visit https://bit.ly/IntoTheDeep2025

The Gallagher Scholarship

Rev. Henry Gallagher was born in Charlestown in 1910 and ordained in 1941. He served as spiritual director of St. Mary’s conference of St. Vincent de Paul Society and arranged scholarships for Boston College High School students and seminarians. Upon his death, Fr. Gallagher left a generous bequest to St. Vincent de Paul Society, which has helped students in a scholarship program for more than a decade.
Applicants must be registered members of St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena or St. Francis de Sales parishes and provide the name of the school they will attend.
Applications are available for pick up at the Parish Office located at 46 Winthrop Street and HERE.
The deadline for applications is July 31st.

National Day of Prayer and Remembrance
for Mariners and People of the Sea on May 22

The men and women who make their living working on the seas include merchants, sailors, seafarers, fishermen, port personnel and many others in the maritime industry whose work is vital to global commerce. The work of seafarers ensures that raw materials, food, medicines and countless other products are transported to keep the global economy moving.

Sacramental Season

Thank you to Brittany & Susan, all our teachers, Tim & John, Dianne & James and everyone who made our First Communions and this Faith Formation year so very special. It’s been quite a challenge this year, but we held strong and taught well! Confirmation is Saturday, May 10 at 11 am!

What is a Collaborative Pastoral Council?

A Pastoral Council fosters full participation of the entire parish – clergy, religious, laity – in the pastoral life and mission of the parishes, the collaborative and the Church. It is a consultative body which advises and assists the Pastor in areas of pastoral concern. The council meets monthly from October to June.

It develops and recommends pastoral plans and directions through a consensus process and prayerful reflection. Every Council in its membership should be representative of the collaborative, recognizing and reflecting its rich diversity.
It cooperates with committees which address such areas as worship, spirituality, community, evangelization, education, and service.

Function of the Pastoral Council

The general function of the Pastoral Council is to advise the Pastor in those pastoral matters presented to it by the Pastor. It carries out its function by:
Informing the Pastor of the needs and concerns, gifts and resources of the collaborative and its members.
Developing a pastoral plan.
Participating in ongoing pastoral planning.
Reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of existing programs.
Reflecting on Archdiocesan pastoral priorities and recommending how they can be implemented in the collaborative.

Council Membership and the Nominating Process

The council to start will be comprised of twelve members– six from each of the parishes. Four of the six from each parish will be so-called hold-overs, i.e. currently serving members. New members will serve a term of three years. Holdovers will serve a term of one or two years. Father Sheridan may add other members to the Council and designate their term of service.
May 18, May 25, & June 1: Nomination process takes place. Ballots will be available at the church. Ballot boxes
will be located at the back of the church. Please drop your ballot there. You can also submit a nomination via our online form here.
Dianne Ludy is available to provide & receive ballots at 46 Winthrop during the week.
Parish members are eligible to nominate those who are likewise parish members.
June 9, Pentecost: Fr. Sheridan announces the results.

Please spend some time thinking and praying about members from our parishes who would represent their own parish and work to build our unity and strength as one family.

Conclave date set

The conclave to elect the 267th Pope will begin on Wednesday, May 7th, following the conclusion of the Novemdiales Masses (9 days of mourning) to pray for the eternal repose of the late Pope Francis. Tens of thousands of teenagers full of joy participated on Sunday (the 27th of April) in the second “Novemdiales” Mass in honor of Pope Francis. They were at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Teenagers and for the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, which was one of their scheduled events that has been postponed, The canonization will be rescheduled by the new Pope. Of note, the movie for Blessed Carlo Acutis is now in selected theatres.

Project Rachel Post-Abortion Healing Retreats (5/10)

Are you – or someone you know – seeking peace after an abortion? The Project Rachel ministry of the Archdiocese of Boston extends a special invitation to women experiencing regret from a past abortion to attend a Come to the Waters of Healing one-day retreat. Spring dates are Saturday, March 15 and Saturday, May 10. Locations are confidential. For more information on the retreats or other services, contact Project Rachel at 508.651.3100 or help@projectrachelboston.com.

Salve, Regina!

May is the month of our Lady!
Join us after weekend Masses throughout this month
as we ask our Blessed Mother to help
our families, our parishes, our collaborative, our Town,
our Archdiocese and our world in this time of change.

Family Day in Charlestown

On Sunday, June 1st, we’ll have a CCC Family Day!
Following the 9:30 am Mass at St. Francis and the 6 pm Mass at St. Mary’s, we’ll have goodies and surprises bring all the kids- we’ll officially start it up monthly in September, but let’s get it going now!

Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope

What do Christians hope for?
Jesus has promised that those who follow him will have eternal life (cf. Jn 10:27-28). His death and resurrection defeated evil and sin forever. But we have to accept his salvation. We accept it by believing in him and following his ways. As Christians, that is followers of Jesus Christ, we believe his promise of eternal life even after our physical death. We know God is with us and supporting us through the trials of life and that the happiness of communion with God in heaven awaits us!

Thank you to the many people who decorated the Churchs for Easter this year, for the people who cleaned the
churches, for the musicians, singers and for the lay ministers who assisted at each of the liturgies. Your time and
effort was greatly appreciated and needed as well. Because of you, the liturgies were made special and both
Churches looked beautiful

Adult Confirmation Classes

On every other Saturday at 1 pm beginning April 26th we will have Adult Confirmation prep classes at 46 Winthrop St. If you’re interested in learning more about the Catholic faith, if you haven’t been baptized or were baptized in another Christian Church, if you’re looking to join a group to share your faith, please see Fr. John and join us!

Family Day in Charlestown

On Sunday, June 1st, we’ll have a CCC Family Day! Following the 9:30 am Mass at St. Francis and the 6 pm Mass at St. Mary’s, we’ll have goodies and surprises – bring all the kids – we’ll officially start it up monthly in September, but let’s get it going now!

Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope

Why do we as Christians hope?

“God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1). We rejoice that God has made us his adopted children. Our hope lies in his infinite love and mercy and promise of eternal life.
“This hope, which transcends life’s fleeting pleasures and the achievement of our immediate goals, makes us rise above our trials and difficulties, and inspires us to keep pressing forward, never losing sight of the grandeur of the heavenly goal to which we have been called” (Spes Non Confundit, 25).