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Holy Cross Parish Community |
Weekly Bulletin, February 5, 2012 |
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Dear Friends,
Last Saturday afternoon I was in the reconciliation room reading the diocesan newspaper The Anchor (not enough business that afternoon!), when a parishioner stuck his head into the room and said, “Great paper. I read it every week.” I agree, and I do as well.
The Anchor is an important means by which we stay informed of news that ordinarily doesn’t make it into the mainstream press. It can be an important counterbalance to the secular press that at times distorts or ignores important news items concerning religion, faith, and the Catholic Church.
It is the primary means by which we learn what is happening in the Diocese of Fall River. The paper gives us a glimpse of the pastoral ministry of Bishop Coleman as our diocesan shepherd. For example, the past few issues included articles on his ordination of a new transitional deacon for the diocese, his visit to a soup kitchen at one of the New Bedford parishes, and his Christmas message to the diocese. The Anchor likewise covers activities occurring with the diocese, such as an article on the first six months of the new diocesan superintendant of schools, the Come Follow Me retreat for young adults, and improvements to the weekly diocesan TV mass. There are a number of columns written by members of the diocese, both laypersons and clergy, focusing on a variety of subject matter: editorials, weekly homilies, catechesis, spirituality, and general musings.
The paper also has important news stories on the national and international levels concerning the Catholic Church and related topics of interest. Recent articles have included the federal mandate that all heath plans include coverage for contraceptives and sterilizations, recent occurrences affecting the church in the Mideast, Supreme Court rulings impacting religious liberty, the pope’s naming of 22 new cardinals, the new “ordinariate” for former Anglican priests and laity joining the Catholic Church, and the Congregation of Holy Cross’ Year of the Brother in celebration of the canonization of Brother André Bessette, C.S.C.
The paper is a rich source of coverage of teachings and pronouncements from Pope Benedict as our supreme shepherd and from the Vatican. Recent articles have covered his statements on the Eucharist as a source of strength for the tired and lost, the importance of praise, thanks, and trust in prayer, the threat of “radical secularism” to the core values of American culture, and the upcoming Year of Faith as an opportunity for catechesis in the church.
At times there is even coverage of Holy Cross Parish in The Anchor, such as the two issues this past month that featured Claire Smith and Rob Tarallo as persons of the week, with wonderful full-page articles on their involvement in our parish.
I strongly urge all parishioners to subscribe to The Anchor, and to make the time in your busy schedules to read it in order to stay informed.
Yours in Holy Cross,
Father Jim
Question of the Month for February
When have I witnessed the healing works of God in my own life? You are invited to use this question for personal and/or family reflection during the month. Parish groups are reminded to begin one meeting this month with a five to ten minute shared reflection on this question.
At times the families of Holy Cross parishioners who have passed away request that gifts in their memories be made to Holy Cross Parish. These gifts are then used for special projects in the parish. This is a wonderful way to honor someone active in our parish at their passing. We invite you to consider remembering Holy Cross Parish in this way in your funeral arrangements or at the death of a loved one who is a parishioner of Holy Cross. Your thoughtfulness and generosity will help us continue to minister to the needs of our parishioners and the wider community.
We need your assistance in order to offer the Father-Daughter Dance, scheduled for this March. Please attend the next meeting of the Church Family Life Commission on Monday, February 13th at 7:00 p.m. We need the involvement of several more parishioners to sponsor this dance.
Gluten Free Hosts are available at all Sunday masses for those severely allergic to gluten. If a deacon is distributing communion, he will have a pix inside his communion plate with the glutton free hosts. If there is no deacon, the priest presiding at the mass will have them. When you approach for communion, point to the pix or ask for a glutton free host, and the deacon/priest will open the pix for you to take the host yourself so that it is not cross contaminated by his fingers distributing the regular hosts.
Monday, February 6 6:15-7 p.m.: Confirmation Program Brown Bag Lunches 7 p.m.: Pastoral Council meeting Tuesday, February 7 7 p.m.: Youth Ministry Life Night 7 p.m.: Bible Study Wednesday, February 8 6 p.m.: Children’s Choir Rehearsal 7 p.m.: Friends on a Journey 7-8:30 p.m.: Teen Choir Rehearsal Thursday, February 9 9 a.m.: Mass and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 7-8:30 p.m.: Adult Choir Rehearsal Friday, February 10 9:30 a.m.: Bible Study Saturday, February 11 8:30 a.m. Saturday Morning Rosary 10 a.m.: Baptism Prep 10 a.m.: Worship & Spirituality Commission meeting Sunday, February 12 9:30 a.m.: Faith Formation, Section 2 12-2 p.m.: GOLF Family Lenten Mini-Retreat, Section 1 4-5:30 p.m.: Teen Choir Rehearsal 4:30 p.m.: Grades 7 & 8 Faith Formation 5:30 p.m.: Confirmation Preparation Looking Ahead February 27-30: Lenten Mission Friday, March 23: Father-Daughter Dance, 7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 19: Family Games Night, 7 p.m. Sunday, April 29: Sacrament of Confirmation, 5:30 p.m.
"Let's make this year's Lenten season really matter!" Family Lenten Mini-Retreat (GOLF) Section 1: February 12th, 12-2 p.m. Section 2: February 26th, 12-2 p.m. All are welcome!!
Thank you to Claire McGuire, Tim Meyers, and Claire Smith, members of God Squad #1, for the care they take in keeping our church clean and neat. We appreciate your hard work very much!
MainSpring Homeless Shelter Tuesday, February 14thPlease bring your donation to the church kitchen between 1 and 3 p.m. on February 14th. This month’s dinner will be Potluck.
Why: To provide a dinner for the homeless What: Chicken pieces, meatloaf, ham, pork, casseroles, ie. macaroni and cheese, chili, spaghetti and meatballs, sausage pepper and onion, chicken and broccoli, etc., baked potatoes, tossed salad, fresh fruit, canned vegetables and dessert. Specifics can be found on the sign up sheet in the vestibule. Concerns: Please call Jeannine Donovan 508.238.4509 or Claire Smith 508.238.1899. Thank you in advance for your contribution.
Youth Ministry News Youth Minister: John Barata jbarata@holycrosseaston.org, www.holycrosseaston.org February 7: Life Night: We will look to Christ to be our example on how we can live our lives in today’s society. We will take scripture and apply it to our everyday life. Some topics will include humility, temptation, depression, chastity, and the mass. Great discussion and fun with great friends. February 14: Pizza and Prayer
Mario’s Trattoria and Porticello’s will donate 10% of net sales from receipts generated by our parishioners. Just drop the receipts in the collection basket. Thank you!
The Health Ministry will be performing blood pressure screenings after the 4 p.m., 8:30 a.m., and 10 a.m. masses next weekend.
Widows and Widowers
Tuesday, February 21st, 1 p.m. Great Room – Parish Center Kindly bring one of the following: Salad, main course, casserole, or dessert. Please R.S.V.P. by February 20th to Julie Smith at (508) 238-2984 or the parish office at (508) 238-2235. Come have a pleasant meal with us – no speakers or lectures, just good food and great company.
February 11th & 12th Lectors Altar Servers Communion Ministers 4 p.m.: Kara Lawrence Lily Williams Brenda Sullivan Carl Lacivita Nick Williams Chino Angeles Michele Azevedo Julie Smith Mary Cleary 8:30 a.m.: Brian Sheehan Liam McMorrow Bill VanLaarhoven Virginia Polanski Veronica Connly Maura Carney R. Durgin-King Kevin Eaton Margaret Eaton 10 a.m.:: Tom Murray Kylee Gleason Paul Giorgio Dick Piecewicz Alexa Smith Joanne Hatfield Frank Long Hugh McLaughlin Frank Paul Denise Urquhart Bill Urquhart 5:30 p.m.: Brendan Clifford Tatianna Hunter John Barata Alaina Chmielinski Brandon Hamel Alicia Coleman
St. Mary’s Education Fund The Diocese of Fall River is once again, through the St. Mary’s Education Fund, making “need-based” scholarships available for the 2012-2013 school year. Students presently enrolled, or who are registered for the 2012-2013 school year in one of the 21 Diocesan elementary or middle schools, are eligible to apply. Any parent interested in having their child attend one of the Catholic elementary or middle schools in the Diocese of Fall River should contact the principal of the school in which they have interest. Once accepted and registered they may apply for this “need-based” scholarship aid. Applications may be obtained at any of the schools.
Sacred Hearts Retreat/Spirituality Center and the Office of Faith Formation will be offering two retreats, one for men and one for women. The retreats entitled “Walking on Water – with Feet of Clay!” will be guided by Fr. Stan Kolasa, SSCC and Deacon Bruce Bonneau at the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham. The men’s retreat will be held February 10th – 12th. The women’s retreat will be held February 17th – 19th. For more info call 508-295-0100 or visit www.fallriverfaithformation.org.
Confirmation candidates, who wish to make lunches for the MainSpring House residents, will meet in the church basement kitchen from 6:15-7 p.m. on Monday evenings.
Be sure to visit our Health Ministry Resource Center located in the vestibule of the church side entrance leading to the parish center. You will find literature on health care issues, and can also pick up a prayer shawl for yourself or someone in need. Care Notes are also available in the magazine rack in the church vestibule.
The next CORI training session here at Holy Cross is February 13th at 7 p.m.
Friends in Faith Friends in Faith will meet on Sunday, February 19 at 11 a.m., in the parish center library to plan events for the next several months. If you are a widow, divorced, single, and over 40 years old, please consider joining our ministry to meet friends and for Christian fellowship. For further information please call Janis Gilson at 508-238-1774.
February is Heart Disease Awareness Month. More women die of cardiovascular disease than from the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. But 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their heart involving diet, exercise, and avoidance of smoking.
Heart Attack occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot. If the clot cuts off the blood flow completely, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery begins to die.
Signs of a Heart Attack: 1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. 2. Pain of discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. 3. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. 4. Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
If you are having any of these signs, don't wait for more than five minutes before calling for help. Call 911. Get to a hospital right away.
Thanks to the American Heart Association’s website www.goredforwomen.org
If you are anticipating choosing godparents for a child’s baptism, please be aware of the following qualifications for a Catholic to serve as a godparent: Ø Be a baptized and confirmed Catholic at least 16 years of age Ø Be currently living a sacramental life, i.e. faithfully attending mass Ø Lead a life of faith in harmony with the role that the godparent has the intention of undertaking Ø If married, be married in or with the permission of the Catholic Church Ø Not be a parent of the individual to be baptized Please seriously consider these qualities to be sought in a godparent who should be a true role model of Christian faith for your child.
The next baptism dates April 15, May 20, and June 3. All are at 11:15 a.m. There are none in March, due to Lent.
The next monthly baptism preparation dates are February 11, none in March due to Lent, April 14, May 12, and June 9. All are at 10. a.m. Please call the parish office at (508) 238-2235 to register.
Coyle & Cassidy, in Taunton, is having a winter Open House on February 13th, from 6-8 p.m. For more info call (508) 823-6164 or visit www.coylecassidy.com.
St. Mary’s Catholic School, Mansfield: Applications for enrollment are available in our parish office and at www.stmarymansschool.org. Financial assistance is available for the 2012-2013 academic year. For additional enrollment information, kindly contact the school at (508) 339-4800.
Daughters of Isabella The Daughters of Isabella Easton Circle #564 will meet on February 8th at 7 p.m. in the ICC Hall, Main St., in Easton. The program will be a Valentine party, and members are asked to bring Valentine cards to be signed and sent to Nursing Homes. Also, please bring your annual dues, if not already paid.
The Youth Ministry is hosting a Super Bowl viewing party for the 1st half, after the 5:30 p.m. mass. Come watch the game on the big video screen in the great room! The Super Bowl Party is open to middle school and high school students
ϯ Saturday, February 4 4:00 p.m.: Connie & Joe Ricci & Peter Giammalvo requested by Joe Ricci ϯ Sunday, February 5 8:30 a.m.: Manny Fernandes requested by the Kellogg family 10:00 a.m.: Manny Fernandes requested by Marilyn Henderson 5:30 p.m.: ϯ Monday, February 6 9:00 a.m.: For the People of the Parish ϯ Tuesday, February 7 9:00 a.m.: Helen Altieri requested by Marge Simolari & Carol Spina ϯ Friday, February 10 9:00 a.m.: Rita Packard, 7th Anniversary requested by her family ϯ Saturday, February 11 4:00 p.m.: Claire Buckley, 2nd Anniversary requested by her family ϯ Sunday, February 12 8:30 a.m.: Brian Perry requested by the Angeles family 10:00 a.m.: John Francis Reardon, Sr. requested by Brian Reardon & family 5:30 p.m.:
Worship & Spirituality Commission The Worship & Spirituality Commission meeting has been rescheduled for Saturday, February 11, at 10 a.m.
The next meeting of the Spiritual Book Club will be on Monday, February 13th, from 7-8:30 p.m. We are reading “The Return of the Prodigal Son”, by Henri Nouwen. Please join us.
The Gospel of Matthew is the focus of our study and discussion. Bible Study is held on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and on Fridays, at 9:30 a.m., following the 9 a.m. mass. Both groups meet in the parish center. Everyone is welcome. Please come and join either group. For info, call Fran Long at (508) 238-2255.
Friends on a Journey Friends on a Journey, with Deacon George, is held on Wednesday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. All are encouraged and welcomed to join, when you can, to discuss how God works in the modern world. You can come and listen or bring a subject that we can all discuss.
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