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Third Sunday of Advent
Gaudete!14 December 2014
The Visitation (detail)Pontormo (1528-1529)
Saint CeciliaP A R I S H
SAINT CECILIA PARISH
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our community news
Ministers of the Liturgy
Saturday | 5:00 p.m.Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrantChris Orrell, lector
Sunday | 8:00 a.m.Rev. George WInchester, SJ, celebrantLouvere Walker, lector
Sunday | 9:30 a.m.Rev. John Unni, celebrantMary Ann Hinsdale, Karen Vachon, & Tim Pratt, lectors Sunday | 11:15 a.m.Rev. John Unni, celebrantMaggie Dolan, Mary McGrath, & Nick Coccoma, lectors Sunday | 6:00 p.m.Rev. John Unni, celebrantJennifer Polley & Pearse Martin, lectors
today’s readingsIsaiah 61:1-2a, 10-111 Thessalonians 5:16-24John 1:6-8, 19-28
next sunday’s Readings2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 (11B)Romans 16:25-27Luke 1:26-38
Special intentions
Sunday, December 14 | 8:00 a.m.M. Eleanor Donohoe, Memorial
Sunday, December 14 | 9:30 a.m.John Launie, First Anniversary
Sunday, December 14 | 11:15 a.m.Jaconda and Sam Coluccio, Memorial
Sunday, December 14 | 6:00 p.m.Patricia M. Darcy, Memorial
Christmas LiturgiesChristmas Eve | 4:00 & 6:30
Christmas Day | 9:30New Year's Day | 10:00
PRAYErs & Occasions
Our DeceasedRobert J. Malloy died on Friday, December 5. Pray for the repose of his soul as well as for the consolation of Rita and their family. Mark Donohoe's mother died last Saturday, December 6. Pray for the eternal repose of M. Eleanor Donohoe as well as for the consolation of Mark and his entire 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 inneed of our prayer, especially Jennifer Serpico, JanIgras, Rudy Kikel, Annette Kulas, Steven Whitkens,Anthony Simboli, Jeanne Tibbs, Lisa Caputo, AnneFrenette Handly, Ruth Frost, Roséa Aubrey, BrennaSmith, Mildred McLaughlin, Susanne Coyne, DomenicIannaccone, Ken Bennett, Cameron Robinson, PaulClaveau, Jaheel Robinson, Robert Lupis, MichaelClaveau, Max Tubman, David Worster, Derek Schall,Susan Noll, Jennifer Murdock, Julie Downey, MaryBroussard, Ivy Fray, Donna Thagard, Penny Maynard,Robert Kimball, Owen Kyes, Mark Schatzl, HugoCollamati, Chris Novosielski, Gayle Haley, MichalinaManiscalco, Niall O'Shaughnessy, Javier A. Sattler,Annie Flaherty, Pattie Geier, Bronis Morton, Patrick Trani, Colin Landry, Jake Mercier, Michael Patrick Kelly, Pilar Estrada, Ursula Seibert, Mark Anderson, Matty Goddard, Stephanie Merenda, Carlo Pagani, Shea Hammond, Bill Downing, Skyler Stevenson, Rob Morrissey, Nimet Yousif, Rev. Robert Quinn, CSP, Boris Chermak, Dennis Heaphy, Mary Yanez, Roberta Memann, Silvia Basagni, Brian Donnelly, Peter Webster, Liam Doyle, John Farris, Karen Thoresen, Jane Faust, Theresa Wier, and Yousef Jeribian.
Little Blue Books for AdventThe Little Blue Books for the seasons of Advent andChristmastide are now available. Consider spending six minutes daily with these reflections based on the Gospels for Cycle B. These books are in baskets in therear of the church. Please take one home and spendjust six minutes per day in reflection. This is a great wayto keep Advent and prepare for the coming of the Lordat Christmas.
Last 6:00 Evening Mass of 2014Tonight is the last six o'clock Sunday liturgy before Christmas. The six o'clock liturgy will resume on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (January 4).
Happy Birthday, Papa Francesco!Pope Francis will celebrate his 78th birthday this Wednesday, December 17. Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father and ask God to continue to bless him with good health and length of days.
For Our StudentsPray that all of our students may successfully complete the semester and have safe travels as they head home to celebrate Christmas with family and friends.
Taizé Prayer & Evening PrayerWe will gather for Taizé prayer this Wednesday evening, December 17 at 6:30 and sung Vespers on Thursday, December 18 at 6:15. All are welcome!
Copley Singers Christmas Concert Thank you to all parishioners who contributed to the two receptions held before and after this year’s con-cert. Despite inclement weather and snarled traffic, the CARES ministry escorted guests to gathering before the performance in addition to the large post-concert re-ception. Much appreciation to the many individuals who prepared food and support for these gatherings.
RCIA—RITE OF ACCEPTANCE INTO THE ORDER OF CATECHUMENS TODAY
At this morning’s eleven-fifteen liturgy, we celebrate the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens. This ritual acknowledges the next part of the catechumens’ spiritual journey with us.
For the unbaptized, the Rite of Acceptance indicates a stage of growth on their journey of faith. They now enter the Order of Catechumens (from the Greek, meaning “one in whom word echoes”) and continue their preparation for the Easter sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and eucharist. The Rite points to their ongoing experience of conversion, and is an invita-tion to all of us to be consciously growing in faith.
Please keep these new members of our community in your prayer. Greet them and help them feel at home here.
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The advent wreath
Advent wreaths were originally part of folk traditions ofNorthern Europe. Wreaths of evergreens were decoratedwith candles to symbolize life and light during the darkmonths of winter. The circle of the wreath, which hasno beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God. Evergreens stay green all year and so signify continuouslife. Each of the four candles represent one of the Sundays of Advent. We needn't worry about the colors of the candles; traditionally, three violet candles and one rose candle are used, but you may prefer to use all royal blue candles, four violet candles or four white candles. The symbol is the flame, not the color. EachSunday, the light of the wreath glows brighter as a reminder that Christ comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life, and hope.
Tonight, light the third candle, sing a verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, re–read part of today's Gospel, and say a brief concluding prayer. If you prefer, here is a prayer that you can use.
THIRD WEEKLight two of the violet candles and the rose candle. During the rest of the week, these candles are relit at the evening meal or whenever you choose to do so.
Jesus, we gather here as a family to dedicate our 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.
GAUDETE SUNDAY
Gaudete in Domino semper:iterum dico, gaudete.
Dominus enim prope est.
Rejoice in the Lord always;again I say, rejoice!The Lord is near.
We are now midway through Advent and today is a day of rejoicing, traditionally called “Gaudete Sunday” (gow–DAY–tay). “Gaudete” is Latin for “rejoice” and antiphon for the Third Sunday of Advent. Before we started singing hymns in English, the Introit was normally chanted in Latin as 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, Paul’s warm and loving letter to the community at Philippi. The optional use of rose–colored vestments underscores the joyful character of today’s liturgy.
Gaudete Sunday dates back to the Middle Ages, when the season of Advent bore a penitential char-acter similar to that of Lent. At that time, Advent was a forty–day period of fasting and penance in preparation for Christmas. It commenced on the day after Saint Martin’s Day (November 12) and was thus often referred to as “St. Martin’s Lent.” In the midst of a dark and serious Advent, Gaudete Sunday helped to brighten the mood. In the ninth century, Advent was reduced to four weeks and its austere character gave way to a new understand-ing of Advent as a time of longing, hoping, and waiting for the Lord.
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advent giving tree gifts due today
Hundreds of gift tags have been hung from the AdventGiving Tree! Your generosity will truly make a difference in the lives of so many people this Christmas. Gifts for the Advent Giving Tree are due back today by 7 p.m. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ann Faldetta at [email protected]. christmas eve choir
We are looking for people to join our Saint Cecilia Christmas Eve choir. This is a one–time open commit-ment. Once again, we will have two Christmas Eve liturgies at four o'clock and six-thirty. Please come and sing at either or both Masses, whatever your schedule allows. Rehearsals will be held in the church at seven o'clock on Thursday evening, December 18. If you are interested, please see music director Richard Clark or e–mail him at [email protected].
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS
You are invited to remember your loved ones by donating towards the Christmas flowers that will grace our sanctu-ary. In the back of the church you'll 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.
SAINT Cecilia Day Concert REcording available A recording of the Saint Cecilia Day Celebration concert from November 21st is now available. You can listen to it in its entirety online by going to the “Music Ministry” page of our website. There is a link near the top of the page. You can also download the concert program as well. However, if you would like a CD of the program, please email Richard Clark at [email protected]. The program features wonderful members of our music ministry performing the Pergolesi Stabat Mater and works by Rachmaninoff, Bruckner, Palestrina, Clark, Pitoni, Duruflé, and others.
45TH Annual MLK, jr. memorial breakfast
MONDAY, JANUARY 19 — 8:00 AMBOSTON CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTER
The 45th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. MemorialBreakfast to commemorate the noble legacy of theRev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held on Monday, January 19 at eight o'clock. This event features delicious food, live music and a diverse gathering of over 1,000 people, including business, civic, and religious leaders from across Massachusetts. This year's event will feature a dynamic keynote address from the Honorable Charles Richard Stith, United States Ambassador to Tanzania (1998-2001), and Director of the African Presidential Archives and Research Center and Adjunct Professor of In-ternational Relations at Boston University. We need to re-serve 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 e–mail Scott MacDonald at [email protected]. If you've attended this breakfast before, you know what a moving and hope–filled way this is to commemorate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
PINE STREET INN HOLIDAY SALE
This Sunday, 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 Inn's mission of finding permanent solutions to homelessness while sharing some wonderful Boston–themed 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 participating in Pine Street's job training and social enterprise program, "Boston Handyworks."
POSITION AVAILABLE
Little Sisters of the Poor in Somerville is seeking a Director of Nursing for a Licensed 86 bed facility. If interested, please contact Wess Travers at (617) 776-4420 or email [email protected].
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Interested to learn more about upcoming events and fellowships? Join our e-mail list at [email protected] for more leadership opportunities? The SCYA Planning Committee meets the first week of every month.
E-mail Carly Caminiti to learn how to become more involved at [email protected].
Volunteer at Saturday's Bread Saturdays: Dec. 20, Jan. 3 12:30—4:30 p.m. The Church of St. John the Evangelist 35 Bowdoin Street in Downtown Boston
We still are in need of volunteers to help set up, prepare a meal, greet guests, and clean up for Saturday's Bread—a program that serves free hot meals to people in need every weekend day for over 28 years. Sign up for one or for both. To volunteer to help, e-mail [email protected].
Happy Hour at Mass Ave TavernTuesday, December 16 I 6:30 p.m.
Share in the holiday cheer by joining fellow young adults for drinks and fellowship. E-mail your RSVP to [email protected]
Save the Date: SCYA Winter Dance Formal Saturday, February 28 I 8:00—11:00 p.m. Westin Hotel Back Bay
Time to start making your plans to dress to impress...
SAINT CECILIA YOUNG ADULTSMark your calendar with these upcoming Young Adult events
Over 30 Young Adults enjoyed a Paint Night afternoon class on December 7 at The Urban Art Bar.
2015 Upcoming Events...Prepare your calendar for these upcoming SCYA events• Ice Skating• Board Game Night• Valentine's Day Service Project• Theology on Tapas• Movie Night
and in spring/summer, warm weather brings even more fun:• Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate Night • City Adventure Outings• Recreational Sports Fun• Faith Retreat• Picnic in the Park
EVENING PRAYER The church gathers in the evening to give thanks for the day that is ending and to lift up to God the needs and sorrows, the joys and hopes, of the world. Evening Prayer lasts half an hour.
World AIDS Day — Monday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m. Advent Thursdays — December 4, 11, 18 at 6:15 p.m. Immaculate Conception — Monday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. Fourth Sunday of Advent — December 21 at 6:00 p.m.
TAIZÉ PRAYER A meditative hour of song, scripture and silence using chants and prayers from the Taizé community. Wednesday, December 17 at 6:30 p.m.
My Soul in Stillness Waits: ADVENT PRAYER
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By JAMES CARROLL
Here is the question, finally: Why do Christians need to believe in the Incarnation? "The point of incarnation language," the Catho-lic theologian Roger Haight writes, "is that Jesus is one of us, that what occurred in Jesus is the destiny of human existence it-self: et homo factus est. Jesus is a state-ment, God's state-ment, about humanity as such." Humanity is the presence of God. The presence of God, therefore, lies in what is ordinary. Not in supernatural marvels. Not in a superman with whom we have noth-ing actual in common. Not in saints. Not in a once-only age of miracles long ago. Not first in doctrine, scholar-ship, or theology—but in life. Doctrine, scholarship, and theology are essential as modes of opening up that life and its meanings, and there is no separating the life of Jesus from interpretations of it. The interpretations must always be examined, and criticized. And we endlessly conjure interpretations of our own, as here in this book.
But the life is our object. The life of Jesus must always weigh more than his death. And, to repeat, the revela-tion is in the ordinariness of that life. His teaching —his permanent Jewishness, his preference for service over power, his ever-respectful attitude toward women and others on the social margin—is available to us because his followers passed the teaching along, which contin-ues. His encounters with beloved friends, disciples, outcasts, antagonists, and Romans, all arranged in a story that is more invention than memory, are valued as occasions of his encounter with the Holy One—but they are typical encounters, not supernatural ones. Again and again he turned to God, and, as the tradition says, he turned into God—but that, too, occurred in the most ordinary of ways. Day by day. Act by act. Choice by choice. Word by word. Ultimately "lifted up," as John says, on the cross which was the Resurrection. And the cross is central to this meaning not because God willed
suffering but because, in Jesus, God joined in it. "The quality of the suffering," in Eliot's phrase, is changed.
And that includes the extreme suffering of war.
Leaving us with? A simple Jesus. An ordinary Christ. One whom the simplest person can imitate, the most ordinary person bringing Christ once more to life—day by day, word by word, bread by bread, cup by cup. In all of that we see divinity, which, para-
doxically, is what makes Jesus one of us. Whatever sort of God Jesus is understood to be, it must be the God who is like humans, not different. If that seems impos-sible, then what we think of God—and of humans—must change. This is essential to the New Testament and "the very logic of Christian faith." And, finally, the truest argument—not proof—for the divinity of Jesus is in the one undenied fact of this history: that billions upon bil-lions of ordinary human beings have found in this faith an immediate and saving experience of the real pres-ence of God, "partaking" of God—becoming God. Even unto here, with these words written and read. We come to Jesus, in the end as in the beginning, only through the Jesus people.
If Christ is undiscovered now, a figure lost to many, that is in part because of scandals done in his name, by those who call out his name most loudly. In part, he remains undiscovered because of the abstractions and secrets of scholars who do not trust ordinary people with the very ordinariness of Jesus—as if the mass of be-lievers can embrace only superstition and magic. And in part, he remains undiscovered because so much about our age has shaken us to the core, leaving us stripped of the intellectual horizon within which faith, for most of these thousands of years since Abraham, has had its resonance. Even while understanding that loss, still the conclusion of this long inquiry includes a frank criticism
Why Do Christians Need to Believe in the Incarnation?
SAINT CECILIA PARISH
of contemporary culture for its ignorance of, and indif-ference to, the language of transcendence. The divinity of Jesus is problematic, but the blatant repudiation of the faith that constructs itself around that divinity is blind to a constellation of intellectual subtleties that have enhanced human life for two millennia. Likewise, the word "God" is problematic, but its abandonment is problematic, too.
Human life is more than material. To be rendered mute in the face of that mystery is to be less than human. And being less than human now carries dangers that simply did not exist before. Auschwitz and Hiroshima amount to the twin interruptions of history that have made this inquiry not only necessary but urgent. Aus-chwitz and Hiroshima, which warned not just of a ca-pacity but of an inclination, lay bare the new actuality that confronts men and women: the dread prospect that the human species—which is the very cosmos aware of itself—will bring about its own extinction.
Even for those of us who still find a home among people who can- not let go of their affection for Jesus, belief is not what it was, and there is an unknowing for us as much as for any agnostic or atheist. Unbelief is now built into belief, since intelligent belief includes a self- critical and necessarily skeptical element. No Chris-tendom, no hierarchy, no church—no Catholic Worker community, even—buttresses belief or replaces it. So each person makes the choice alone, even if the choice is for the solidarity of faith.
Not faith in Jesus Christ, precisely, but faith, at the invitation of Jesus, in God. Now we know, though, the limits of our language about God. We do not know "God" not because we are ignorant, but because "God" refers to one who, when it comes to certitude, is beyond categories of knowledge. The God to whom Jesus points is the God beyond "God." We recognize in Jesus all that we need to know about the God who otherwise remains incomprehensible. And this recognition, because it is well rooted in the past, is powerful enough to carry us into the open-ended future, even extending beyond what can be imagined.
This article is an excerpt from CHRIST ACTUALLY by James Carroll; published by Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © James Carroll, 2014. James Carroll is a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Suffolk University and a columnist for The Boston Globe.
Shifting Sands and Immovable Mountains
By Mary DeTurris Poust
The majestic Adirondack Mountains and the vast Atlan-tic Ocean are both easily reachable from my home, so this line from the Gospel and the fuller Gospel story (Matthew 7:21-29) elicit some powerful imagery for me. In an instant I am on the beach, where the shoreline constantly changes because of gentle winds or power-ful storms. With the crash of even the smallest wave, sand gives way beneath your feet and you can lose your balance.
What are the shifting sands in your life, the things that throw you off balance? Too much work? Too much social media? Not enough silence? Our world moves so fast and is so focused on “flash,” it’s easy to think we’re build-ing fabulous lives on immovable mountains. Then along comes illness, financial strain, a child in trouble, and we realize we’ve built sandcastles, beautiful on the outside but with no support underneath. Where do we get the right building materials?
Jesus gives us the blueprint. It’s not enough to hear his words; we have to act. That can be difficult, but in the end it’s the only thing that will keep our house standing when the tides turn and we are faced with an unfamil-iar shoreline. And action begins in silence and stillness, where we find the strength and direction we need. Guided by the Spirit, we can become like shoreline and mountain all at once—moldable but unshakable.
This reflection was originally published in the June 2014 edition of Give Us This Day (Liturgical Press) and Poust is one of the regular contributors to Give Us This Day.
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Reflection
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christmas day lunch with THE community OF Saint'Egidio
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25TH 11:00—2:00 P.M.BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP1545 TREMONT STREET, BOSTON
The Community of Sant'Egidio will host a Christmas Lunch to share the joy of the Gospel with the poor and any-one who may be alone on Christmas Day. Volunteers are needed to help with setup, serving, and cleanup. Please see Teresa or Lorenzo in the Parish Hall after 9:30 and 11:15 morning liturgies today to sign-up to help. Addi-tionally, support can be given through donations where $10 will provide for an individual meal and gift for a guest. Donations are welcome after mass in the Parish Hall or online at www.santegidiousa.org. For more infor-mation, contact Teresa Davoli at [email protected].
children's books in narthex
Generous parishioners have donated a supply of children's books that can be found on a table in the narthex. Given our desire to respect the dignity of the folks we serve through our hunger and homelessness ministries, we would ask that you have your children borrow these books rather than play with the donations of food and toiletries.
HEARING ASSISTANCE IN CHURCH The 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 one of our greeters before Mass.
OFFERTORY COMMITMENT PROGRAM We wish to thank all of you who have enrolled in the Offertory Commitment Program. This program has been very helpful in allowing us to better plan and budget for the needs of the parish. If you are not currently participat-ing in the OCP, but would like to start, please contact Mark Donohoe at (617) 536-4548 or [email protected].
STAYING IN TOUCH
If you are moving, or have changed your phone or email address, please be sure to update your contact informa-tion with the parish office. You can simply email Mark Donohoe at [email protected] with the new information. Thank you.
Bridgewater State Hospital —Holiday Help Needed
Bridgewater State Hospital is a psychiatric prison hos-pital 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, dreariest places on earth during the holiday season. You can help change that. The Catholic chaplain, Peg Newman, a parishioner at Saint Cecilia, is collecting the following items to give to the men at Christmas time:
• 2015 Pocket Calendars – roughly 3x6, often with a plastic cover (usually stapled - please, NO WIRE)
• Plain white envelopes (both long & short)• Pads of lined paper (NO WIRE allowed, 8.5x11" best)• Toothpaste• Stick deodorant• Shampoo
Any of these items will be very much appreciated! These are the only items the Department of Corrections will allow each man to receive but the men will be very pleased to receive a gift. They will put the items to good use, but more impor-tantly, they will know that they are being thought of and cared about. Your gift will be an expression of God’s love.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP Evidence shows that a bereavement group can help facilitate the process of healing. The "Stepping Stones" support group meets from 10:00—11:30 a.m. on January 13 and 27; February 10 and 24; and March 10 and 24. All meetings are free of charge and will be held at the Beacon Hospice Care Center found within The Schrafft's Center- Beacon Hospice (529 Main Street, Suite 101, Charlestown, MA 02129). However, pre-registration is required. Contact Nancy Duffy for more information at 617-242-8370 or [email protected].
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TWEETS FROM THE POPE
The family is a community of love where each of us learns to relate to others and to the world around us.
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ADVENT GIVING TREE VOLUNTEERS
A few more volunteers are needed for the following:
~ Load cars with gifts and deliver gifts to Project Hope in Dorchester ~ Help organize incoming gifts (Dec. 7 and 14) (Starting Sunday afternoon Dec. 14 at 1 pm)
~ Assist with other deliveries during the week Dec. 15 - 21
If you’d like to help contact Ann at: a n n t e n f o u r @ y a h o o . c o m
ADVENT GIVING TREE GIFT RETURN
Gifts are due back by 7:00 p.m. TODAY, December 14.(All gifts should be wrapped EXCEPT for Project Hope and securely tagged)
Please provide gifts no later than Dec. 18th to ensure for Christmas delivery.
Please direct questions to Ann Faldetta at [email protected]
Join The Brothers of Pharmacy Fraternity For Our Brown Bag Medication Check-up Event December 14th, 2014 the 3rd Sunday of advent
You Should Bring: In a brown paper bag:
1. All Prescription Medications or a list of medications 2. All Over the Counter Medications or a list of OTC’s 3. All Herbal or Alternative Medications or a list 4. Any organizational Medication Boxes, Pill Counters etc.
that you use 5. A list of Doctors and phone Numbers 6. A list of all Allergies (Food and Medication) 7. A list of Medication Questions/ Concerns
A Spouse or Caregiver Anyone you think may be interested in this service! We may also be providing blood pressure monitoring
Saint Cecilia Parish Advent Giving Tree Our annual Advent Giving Tree is here! Your gift purchase or donation will bring tidings of comfort and joy this Christmas to many children, parents and seniors who live in our neighborhood. The organizations we are supporting this year are:
PROJECT HOPE works in partnership with families so they can move up and out of poverty. They do this by being a catalyst for change in the lives of families
and in the systems that keep them poor; developing and providing family support solutions for homelessness and poverty; and advocating for just public policies that strengthen families.
The FAMILIES IN TRANSITION program works to help families become stabilized, to secure adequate and affordable
housing and to develop the skills and ability to maintain their homes in their respective communities. Families waiting housing live in one of 22 apartments at the Huntington Avenue YMCA.
WALTHAM HOUSE is a group home program, run by the Home for Little Wanderers, designed to
provide a supportive living environment for GLBT youth ages 14-18. Residents are offered a safe and nurturing environment, while they prepare for family reunification, independent living and future self-sufficiency.
Since 1984, Pine Street Inn has developed permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals. Tenants are connected with community services to help
maintain stability and avoid a return to homelessness. More than 850 people are housed at 37 sites in Boston and Brookline. By 2015, Pine Street will expand its housing for homeless adults and reduce the demand for emergency shelter beds. Pine Street also supports 300 units of scattered site housing throughout Boston neighborhoods. Tenants in these apartments receive intensive support to help them develop life skills leading to greater independence. Case managers provide assistance with activities of daily living; healthcare referrals; community integration; goal setting and job training.
The Nazareth Child Care Center serves infants and toddlers
from 4 weeks-2.9 years for full day, full year and Pre-School from 2.9-6 years old for full day, full-year. Nazareth serves families throughout Boston neighborhoods.
Recently, Father John was invited to sit on the board of ST. BONIFACE HAITI FOUNDATION
haitihealth.org, which works side-by-side with the people of Haiti to break the cycle of poverty and alleviate suffering through health care, education and community development. They work to improve health and quality of life for all members of the community at every stage of their lives such as prenatal care, safe delivery of babies in a clean operating room, vaccinations against polio and diphtheria and tracking development of children to make sure they are getting enough food and the essential vitamins. Your donation will be used carefully and wisely; for every dollar SBHF receives, a full 89 cents is used for direct program expenses, earning SBHF a coveted 4-star rating by charity watchdog Charity Navigator. To help support the essential work of St. Boniface Hospital and the women and children they serve, please take an ornament marked "St. Boniface" from our Advent Giving Tree. The ELDERS LIVING AT HOME PROGRAM is managed by Boston Medical Center that supports elders in making the transition from homelessness to housing. Their mission provides supportive services to help elders overcome barriers to permanent housing. They provide a range of services to a diverse group of older adults who are homeless, who have been homeless and who may be at risk of becoming homeless with the goal of helping them maintain their independence in safe, affordable permanent housing for as long as possible. The individuals served by ELAHP are very low-income, and many are socially isolated. Most would not be remembered at Christmas at all and our gifts help meet their significant material needs, but also offer them the much needed human touch and the feeling of being remembered and recognized as the unique, blessed individuals they are.
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Parish RESOURCESParish Office & Mailing Address18 Belvidere Street, Boston, MA 02115Hours | Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.Phone | 617 536 4548Fax | 617 536 1781E-mail | [email protected] | www.stceciliaboston.org
Parish StaffRev. John J. Unni, PastorMark Donohoe, Pastoral Associate for Administration, [email protected] J. MacDonald, Director of Faith Formation and Leadership Development, [email protected] Bruno, Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach, [email protected] J. Clark, Director of Music and Organist, [email protected] Gélinas, Executive AssistantMaureen Sullivan, Special Projects Manager,[email protected] Tomlinson, Parish Intern,[email protected]
Assisting ClergyRev. Mr. Ryan Duns, SJRev. Thomas Gariepy, CSCRev. Peter Grover, OMVRev. James Shaughnessy, SJRev. George Winchester, SJ
Schedule for LiturgyWednesday, Thursday, & Friday | 8:00 a.m.Lord’s Day | Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:00, 9:30, 11:15 a.m., & 6:00 p.m.Holy Days | 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
ReconciliationBy appointment at any time.
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.
Small Group Adult Faith FormationDrop in for an hour of reflection/discussion on the week's scripture readings. Sundays at 11:00 a.m. in the Parish Pastoral Center Café, and at 1:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. in classroom CL3. For more information, please contact [email protected].
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 in the parish office.
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 God’s 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 ([email protected]), Maria Roche ([email protected]) or Letitia Howland ([email protected]) if you have any questions or concerns.
The 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 Centerparking garage and at the Hilton Boston Back Bay. Be sure to have one of our greeters 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 [email protected].
Joining Our CommunityWe’re happy that you’re 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 narthex. No matter what your background, please know that you are always welcome at Saint Cecilia.
