May Christ Come Quickly and Not Delay

Dear Parishioners:I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day with your family and friends.  It’s hard to believe its come and gone already.  Now we prepare to enter in the holy season of Advent.  Unfortunately, the media and much of the commercial world push Christmas far too soon.  Non-stop Christmas music playing on the radio in October, Christmas decorations and  displays in November and  Christmas sales on Thanksgiving Day! Yes, even Thanksgiving Day is being pushed as a “Christmas Shopping Day” rather than a day to gather with family and friends and give thanks to God for our blessings.  Opening stores early on Thanksgiving Day and spending the day shopping for even more unnecessary things really is undermining the purpose of the holiday. So as Catholics what are we to do to keep from being over-secularized in our own lives?? Well, first we can  try to keep the spirit of the season of Advent.   It is a season of joyful preparation and prayerful anticipation of the coming of Christ at Christmas.  Also, it is a season “when minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time.” Perhaps we might take some time away from the all the  shopping, parties, and all the rest of the routine  during this time of year.  Why not consider spending some extra time in prayer before you leave for work or stopping by Church on the way home for a visit with Jesus. Would you consider joining us on the Mondays of Advent to learn more about the scriptures of the season?  On Mondays in December we gather together in Church at 7:00PM to adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and learn more about his Sacred Word. Of course, preparing for Christmas during Advent means preparing spiritually as we call out “Come, Lord Jesus!”  One of the best ways to prepare ourselves for Christmas is going to  Confession.  Each Monday night in December guest priests join us for  Confessions at 6:00PM  and on Monday, December 23rd we’ve  added an extra hour.  Did you know that Pope Francis said he goes to confession every two weeks.  He says  knowing that God never tires of forgiving those who repent and knowing that having a priest say "I absolve you" reinforces  belief in God's mercy. Pope Francis said he knows some people are embarrassed to confess their sins to a priest, but it is the best path to spiritual healing and health. Advent is truly a beautiful, somber and  prayerfully solemn season. However, far too many  Christians skip it and join the mad rush to Christmas.  Too many people including many Catholics do not take the time to truly prayerfully prepare and focus  upon the real meaning of the season, Jesus Christ! We bless the Advent Wreath in Church this weekend and are reminded by the lighting of  its candles of the four weeks of prayer and preparation leading to Christmas.  Maybe you might add an Advent Wreath to the many decorations in your home to remind you of the season.  As the Advent Wreath Blessing reminds us:  “Lord God, your Church joyfully awaits the coming of its Savior, who enlightens our hearts and dispels the darkness of ignorance and sin.  May Christ come quickly and not delay .”  Let’s not let Advent begin or end without joyfully and prayerfully preparing for the coming of Christ in our hearts and in our homes. I hope you like the new landscaping in front of Church.  The design was planned by Kyle Alfred, a landscape designer, who  very generously provided his  expertise with the project.  We also wish to thank OLM  Parishioner John Pontarelli and his crew from ProScape  Landscaping  who helped complete the work.   I am grateful for their hard work in making the parish grounds more beautiful and inviting. I hope you enjoy Fr. Connors new bulletin column, “Fr. Connors’ Q & A”.  If you have a question for him be sure to send it his way. Remember Advent has arrived so “Prepare the way, the Lord is coming!! “ God Bless. Have a great week. Go Pats!!

Celebrating Christ the King and Giving Thanks!!

Dear Parishioners:This week we look forward to the national celebration of Thanksgiving Day.  A day of family gatherings and good food but most importantly a day to stop and give thanks to Almighty God for the many blessings in our lives and in our nation.  I invite you to start your day this coming Thursday with the best possible way to give thanks to God, praying at Mass.  Bishop Evans is our celebrant and Father Connors and I join him for the Thanksgiving Day Mass at 9:00AM on Thursday.  Our Choir is singing and we are to be joined by some little Pilgrims and Indians from our Parish School and RE Program. What a great way to celebrate the day of thanks!  President George Washington in his first Thanksgiving Day proclamation stated:  “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.”

Giving thanks to God is the purpose of Thanksgiving Day.  In a world in which many live in  poverty and want, we give thanks for abundance.  In a world where many live in fear and terror, we give thanks for security and safety. In a world where people still live on the edge of starvation, we give thanks that we will not only have enough to eat but most likely overindulge.  Recall the words of a pilgrim writing in his journal about the First Thanksgiving: "By the goodness of God, we are so far from want." Yes, Thanksgiving Day  truly calls us to be thankful and grateful for all we have and calls us to be humble before the richness of God’s love manifested in the bounty of our lives and for the gift of our nation.  God is good and we give thanks for His goodness!

As we give thanks for the abundant blessings in our lives, we continue to remember those in need.  I am happy to report that Bishop Tobin has initiated a special second collection to assist in the relief and rebuilding efforts in the Philippines.  Millions continue to suffer due to the devastation and destruction of the typhoon.  Bishop Tobin stated: “that he is aware of the many requests that are directed at our generous parishioners over the next six to seven weeks for both local and national causes.  However, those affected by the typhoon in the Philippines are also our sisters and brothers who no longer have the basic necessities. I ask all to be as generous as their circumstances allow.”

We will take up this special second collection on the weekend of December 7/8 at all Masses.  If you wish to donate in advance of the collection, please write a check payable to OLM and write Typhoon Relief  on the memo line.  All proceeds from this collection are to be sent to the Diocesan Fiscal Office and then sent directly to the relief agencies. Any support you can give to these relief efforts is greatly appreciated.  The effects of the typhoon are staggering and the relief efforts will undoubtedly continue for many years to come.  If you are unable to contribute financially, please pray for our brothers and sisters in the Philippines.

As we celebrate the great solemnity of Christ the King this weekend, we mark the end of the Church’s liturgical year.  The green vestments of Ordinary Time are to be put away as we soon don the solemn purple of Advent. It’s hard to believe but next week we begin the holy season of Advent as we joyfully prepare the way for Christ’s coming.  In the bulletin this week there is a complete schedule of Advent Activities.  These include an educational series on the Gospels of the season, Eucharistic Adoration and opportunities for Confession with guest priests.  It is a great way for us to truly prepare a place for Christ in our own lives during Advent. If you are traveling for the holiday, we offer you our prayers for safe travel and arrival.  I too hit the trail after Thanksgiving Day Mass to make the annual trek to my sister’s home in Saratoga, New York for Thanksgiving Dinner.  Father Connors and I wish  you a  Happy Thanksgiving Day, may God continue to bless our parish and your families.

Aiding Those Who Suffer and Helping the Poor, the Good Work of the Church

Dear Parishioners: The images of the death and destruction of Typhoon Haiyan in the  devastated parts of the Philippines are shocking.  The news media have provided  countless scenes of those still suffering with limited shelter, food and water.  Certainly our thoughts and prayers continue for the victims of the Super Typhoon. Last Sunday, during his weekly Angelus message, Pope Francis expressed his solidarity and pledged his support to the victims.  He also led prayers for people hit by the deadly typhoon in the Philippines and surrounding region, and asked that concrete aid be sent soon.  Pope Francis said: "I wish to express my closeness to the people of the Philippines and that region that has been hit by a terrible typhoon. Unfortunately the victims are many and the damage is enormous.” He asked the tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s square to join him in a moment of silent prayer "for these brothers and sisters and let's try also to make our concrete help reach them." In response to the tragedy, Pope Francis made an initial donation of $150,000 for the relief efforts through the Pontifical Council Cor Unum. Let us continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in the Philippines.  If you would also like to help the relief effort, I encourage you to donate directly to the Catholic Relief Services in support of their relief work.  This week’s bulletin contains the address, phone number and website to which you can directly donate to help the victims.   Catholic Relief Services has for seventy years faithfully provided relief efforts for the poor, vulnerable and suffering for the U.S. Bishops and American Catholic Church.  They do great work in the name of Christ for the suffering across the globe.  Keep praying for those suffering from the typhoon. Of course there are also needs in our own area for those who suffer in poverty and want.  Any donations you make to the Monthly Outreach Collection at OLM during November and December will help purchase food for the hungry at Thanksgiving and  simple gifts like warm hats and gloves for the needy at Christmas.  Your support of the Outreach Collection is a great sign  of your love of the poor and needy.  Over the last months we have continue to support the good works of McAuley House, Emmanuel House, and Whitmarsh House with donations of $1,000. Also, your donations to Outreach continue to support our efforts to help the economically struggling in our own area pay utility bills, purchase food and afford costly prescriptions. The food items donated weekly in the large food bin in the vestibule is in urgent need as more and more seem to be struggling to make ends meet in this tough economy.  Be assured your donations are put to good use and are in great need.  In the name of the poor and needy you so generously and lovingly support, I offer my thanks and deep gratitude.   The tremendous amount of good work by the Catholic Church for the poor and needy is really an untold story in the news media.  From parishes like ours to the homeless shelters and food pantries across the globe  as well as the work of the major aid agencies like Catholic Relief Services and Cor Unum, we as Catholics can take great pride in our commitment to help serve the poor regardless of their race, nationality or religion.  It reminds me of the wonderful words of Pope Benedict XVI: “Within the community of believers there can never be room for a poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life."  While it is usually during the upcoming “holiday” season that many in our society become more aware of those in need,  the  charity offered year-round by  the parishioners of OLM is truly a great witness to the Gospel.  It is something we can all be proud of as “the community of believers” at OLM.   Next week we celebrate the great solemnity of Christ the King as the Church Year ends and we prepare for Advent.  Thanksgiving Day is coming soon too. Let us give all thanks and praise to Christ our King, long may He reign in our parish, in our homes and in our hearts!!

Cleanliness is next to Godliness!

Dear Parishioners: The strong winds of All Saints Day were so powerful they blew down our parish sign!  The posts snapped and the sign just toppled over last Friday during a period of high winds.  The wood sign has deteriorated over the years since it was first donated and so we are looking to see if it can be properly repaired or has to be replaced.      In any case it will have to be updated to reflect the new Mass times at OLM. I’ve received lots of compliments about our newly renovated Church bathrooms.  If you have not yet had a chance to see them, please take peek as I think you will be pleased. I am grateful to OLM Parishioner Peter Walsh of Professional Remodeling who did the work on this project and has provided us with two modern bathrooms. These are just a few of the projects that we’ve undertaken in the last few months.  We  are tidying up the vestibule, cry room and hope to reorganize the sacristy in the coming weeks.  Our maintenance staff have been working very hard to keep the Church clean and neat. However, we all need to do our part to keep God’s house clean.  Every Sunday I walk through Church after each Mass and routinely have to pick up dirty tissues, bulletins, and other assorted trash people leave callously in the pews or on the floor.  It boggles my mind that anyone would treat their Parish Church, God’s House, in such a way. I’m sure it is the result of bad habits left unchecked but it’s time for all of us to do our part. Our maintenance staff strive to keep the pews clean, the floors neat, and the hymnals in order.  So I ask you to please dispose of your  dirty tissues and other trash in the  trash can.  Also put the kneeler back up for the next person to use the pew and  return the hymnals properly in their racks.  The hymnals cost $10,000 and we need them to last for some time! I thank you for your consideration and concern in keeping the House of God as clean and neat as it should be.  If you are not responsible for the trash, kneelers down or hymnals strewn about the pew, please clean it up anyway!  If we all do our part  and more then our beautiful Parish Church will continue to maintain her dignity and beauty! Now that Daylight Saving Time has begun we are attempting to regulate the timing of our lights and also determine where we might need additional lighting.  If you notice a light out or the need for extra lightening in or around the Church area please let us know.  Our Church is beautiful and we can take pride in her. Let’s keep her well lit so all of our neighbors can see her beauty too! Speaking of beauty it has come to my attention that the flag has not been flying over our school!  Sister Jeanne tells me this is due in large part because of the lack of trained students to raise the flag each morning.  We hope to remedy this by training some of our middle school students  and soon Old Glory can fly high again!  We hope to obtain some new flags but if you would like to donate a flag to the school in memory of a loved one, please let us know. Veterans’ Day is Monday and we remember all those men and women who have defended our flag through their service in the military.  It is  a day to pause, pray and give thanks for the many veterans both living and deceased who fought to defend our freedom and liberty.  On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War, then known as "the Great War." Commemorated as Armistice Day beginning the following year, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938 and would become known as Veterans Day. Let us pray for all veterans and for all those who serve in our military services. I am away this weekend at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Annual Winter Meeting in Baltimore where I serve on the Defense of Marriage Committee. Please continue to pray for the beloved dead of this parish during this All Souls Month.  Happy Veterans Day!  God Bless.  Go Pats!! Have a great week!

Viva Il Papa! But It's Good to Be Home at OLM!!

Dear Parishioners: It’s good to be home!  My pilgrimage to Rome was truly an enjoyable and inspirational time.  I was able to offer Mass for you and your intentions at St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome during the week.  Also last Saturday I had the great privilege to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi and on Sunday morning at the Catacombs of St. Callixtus. These were truly prayerful and faithful moments on this time of pilgrimage.   The celebrant of the Mass at St. Peter’s was Cardinal William Levada  who is the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.  His Eminence gave a truly inspirational homily to our group of State Catholic Conference Directors.  It helped he served as the California Catholic Conference Director in the 1980s.

Our group was to granted special tickets to Pope Francis’ Wednesday Audience.  We were seated very near the Holy Father in St. Peter’s Square.  The Wednesday Audience was an incredible event.  A Vatican Official informed us that they had given out 92,000 tickets for the audience that day and another 25,000 came without tickets!  St. Peter’s Square was packed and we had to make our way there through the crowd.  We left at 8:00AM in order to make it to the 10:00AM audience!  Pilgrims from across the globe  gathered to listen to Pope Francis warm welcome and inspirational message and to pray with our spiritual leader.  The energy and enthusiasm of the crowd was truly contagious! Pope Francis spoke of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the model of faith.  As I listened to his profound message it certainly seemed a very providential theme for the Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy, a parish under Mary’s spiritual patronage.

The Holy Father went on to say: “How did Mary live this faith? She lived it out in the simplicity of the thousand daily tasks and worries of every mother, such as providing food, clothing, caring for the house.  It was precisely Our Lady’s normal life which served as the basis for the unique relationship and profound dialogue which unfolded between her and God, between her and her Son. Mary’s “yes”, already perfect from the start, grew until the hour of the Cross.”

It was very apparent that Pope Francis was delighted by the crowd and at times responded with joy to the shouts of “Viva Il Papa!”  After delivering his message, he greeted some of the assembled guests personally and then began to wade through the crowd to the handicapped pilgrims in the front row and then spent a considerable time greeting many of thousands of school children who were assembled throughout the crowd.  It was a beautiful sunny day and was actually quite hot but it did not deter the crowd of over 100,000 pilgrims from singing, praying and shouting out.  It made a Red Sox World Series Game look like a small pep rally!!!

While in Rome our group of State Catholic Conference Directors  also met with various Vatican Officials to discuss Church-State Relations under Pope Francis.  We met with Archbishop Muller, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization and Monsignor Peter Wells,  the Assessor for General Affairs of the Vatican Secretariat of State. Monsignor Wells is a priest from Oklahoma and serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Pope Francis.  His insights into the Holy Father were  very interesting.  He told us that Rome has not seen such large, usually 100,000 or more, and sustained crowds for the Papal Audience.  He also noted that the lines for Confessions in St. Peter’s Basilica have dramatically increased due largely to Pope Francis’ message of mercy.

It was jam packed week on Pilgrimage but I am happy to be home.  I thank Fr. Connors for his very capable leadership of the parish during my absence.  I urge you to please pray for the dead during this All Souls Month.  By the time you read this column the Red Sox will be World Champions!  God Bless. Have a great week!!

Annual Reports, Financial and Sacramental...

In this week’s bulletin you will find a copy of the Annual Parish Financial Report.  This is an abbreviated version of the much longer report that has been sent to Bishop Tobin.  The report was reviewed and approved by our Parish Trustees, Finance Council and Auditors.  The report indicates that our ordinary revenue has increased and our expenses flattened out a bit.   The report is for the Fiscal Year ending on June 30, 2013.  This year there was an extra weekend in the fiscal year which accounts for some of the increase in collection income.  But the addition of the Annual Collection and the Outreach Collection have also helped to increase the ordinary income of the parish. I hope you find the report helpful in reviewing the financial situation of our parish.Over all we are in good fiscal and financial shape and the trends all seem to be in the positive direction.  We have overcome the deficits of the last few years and I hope that this continues in the years to come. Of course, none of this is possible without your generous financial support of the parish by giving to the weekly collection, the Outreach, the Building and Grounds collections, and the Annual Collection.  Thank you! Most of this support comes from about 600 of the 2,200 registered families at OLM who regularly use their budget envelopes. And also it comes from the 70 or so families who now take advantage of the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) system.  This  is an online way of giving directly to the parish and can be accessed by a link located on the parish web page.   Check it out and sign up.  Fr. Connors and I  did and now our contributions to OLM are directly debited out of our own bank account to OLM.  It’s a safe and secure way of giving to the parish that I highly recommend. The Annual Parish Report has been sent to Bishop Tobin for his review as required by Canon Law.  We are also required to send to the Bishop the Status Animarium. This is a report that give the status of the “souls” of the parish and the sacramental statistics. This is done annually by every parish in the Diocese. The OLM Status Animarum  indicates that we have  at total of 2,256 registered families with 7,478 individual parishioners.  The report is for the year beginning September 1, 2012 through August 31, 2013. In that time period we baptized 40 infants into the Catholic Church, with 109 young children receiving First Holy Communion, and 196 young adults receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.  The 196 is for two classes and two Confirmation celebrations.  Just twelve couples were married at Our Lady of Mercy which is consistent with the national trend of a steep decline in the number of young couples getting married in general and  even more drastic decline in couples getting married in Churches and Synagogues.    Sadly, we commended forty-nine souls to God at Masses of Christian Burials.  We will remember all the OLM parishioners who died over the last year at a special All Souls Mass on Saturday, November 2nd at Noon.  There is more information about that Mass in the bulletin. Overall the statistical condition of OLM Parish is pretty good.  Let’s pray that we continue to attract more people to our parish and to receive the Sacraments of the Church.  Our Lady of Mercy is a large, diverse and dynamic parish community and I hope and pray we continue the positive path set by all those who have gone before us. There is good news about our parish Deacon, John Dowd.  His double knee replacement surgery was a success and he has returned home.  Keep him in your prayers as he continues to  strengthen his ability to walk with two new knees! We hope to have him back in time for Christmas. I am off to Rome this Sunday night for a meeting of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors.  While there I will offer Mass for your intentions at the tomb of St. Peter this Tuesday and hope to see the Holy Father!  See you in a week. God Bless! Go Pats! Go Sox!!