10-28-07

FROM FATHER RICK

GENERATIONS OF FAITH

Our second Event for Generations of Faith is the Solemnity of All Saints, which will be celebrated with Masses on Thursday, November 1, at 12:10 and 5:30 PM. The 5:30 PM Mass will be followed by our usual Holyday Supper in Driscoll Hall. Please contact Irene in the Parish Office at ibonner@comcast.net or 978-683-8922 if you plan to attend the supper, so that we can plan accordingly.

HALLOWEEN AND ALL SAINTS

Here is a piece from Liturgy Training Publications:

Halloween is the eve of Hallowmass, better known to modern Christians as All Saints’ Day. Hallowmass celebrates God’s harvesting into heaven the faithful of every age, culture and walk of life. It is a day of glorious rejoicing.

Saints are people who, by their joyful service, have extended the love of God to others. The Roman martyrology—the list of the saints officially recognized as such by the church—contains over ten thousand names. And those are only the saints whose names we remember! All Saints’ Day also remembers those holy people whom no one but God any longer knows. The reading for the day from the Book of Revelation describes “a great multitude that no one could count.”

The abundance of the harvest of souls is perfectly suited to observance in the northern hemisphere in late autumn. That’s why in North America All Saints’ Day and Halloween are brightened with corn shocks, pumpkins, apples, nuts and other signs of nature’s bounty.

The American tradition of Halloween ghost‑and‑goblin madness comes from Celtic lands, where the spirits of the dead were thought to roam the earth for one night before winter began. To ward off their fear of the supernatural, people sat around huge bonfires, telling stories and sharing the fruits of the harvest. Children were sent round to beg for fuel for the fire. Although the practice of “trick‑or‑treating” has its roots in pre‑Christian Celtic tradition, it would be a mistake to write off the practice as devil worship. In Christ, all things have been made new. And so we dress as ghosts and goblins to laugh at the devil, who has lost ultimate power over God’s beloved children.

In Mexico, especially in the southern state of Oaxaca, families go and tend the graves of their loved ones at this time of year. In the middle of Halloween night, they have a fiesta with masks, food, sweets (like miniature skulls made of candy) and bunches upon bunches of marigolds—all by the light of candles in the cemetery! Those who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith, are still members of the family!

Copyright © 2001 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago IL 60622‑1101; 1‑800‑933‑1800; www.ltp.org. Text by Mary Ellen Hynes and David Philippart. Art by Steve Erspamer, sm. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

ALL SOULS’ DAY MEMORIAL MASS

On Friday evening of this week we will join with the church throughout the world to Commemorate all the Faithful Departed as we celebrate our annual Memorial Mass, with a special focus on those who have died during the past year. Please join us for the celebration of life and hope on November 2 at 7:00 PM. There will be refreshments served after the Mass in the Gathering Space.

Have a great week,

If you want peace – work for justice (Pope Paul VI),

Fr. Rick

Imagine being part of an organization that fills your heart and your mind with the joy of giving to others and the feeling that comes with making a difference. Knights are Catholic men, 18 years of age and older, who are committed to making their community a better place, while supporting their Church. Being a Knight is more than camaraderie; it is being involved with your community; it is supporting your local Catholic Church, while enhancing your own faith and setting a good faith example; it is about protecting and enhancing your family life. You can volunteer as much as you like or as little and on your own schedule. If you want to find out more, contact Jim McKain at 978-475-7931 or visit the website at www.kofc.org.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 7, 7:30 PM in Driscoll Hall.

Stewardship Reflection

“The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches heaven.” Sirach 35:16

Throughout sacred scripture we are reminded that it is not enough to just love the Lord. We also must serve Him. Yet, scripture also promises that those who serve the Lord will be rewarded. God will hear the prayer of the good steward.

Outreach Group Kickoff Meeting

The Outreach Group will be holding a kickoff meeting this Sunday, October 28th, in the Bellarmine Room, after the 11:00 AM Mass. The group will be preparing for upcoming events, which include the annual Thanksgiving Drive and the Advent Giving Tree. In addition to collections, participants also physically reach out with activities such as Habitat for Humanity. We only require an hour or two every other month. It is not a big time commitment but you can make a difference. For more information, please contact Paul Monticciolo at 978-689-9667 or monticciolo1@comcast.net.

Fair trade coffee and cocoa will be available for purchase in the Gathering Space after all Masses next weekend, November 3 & 4. Buying fair trade products is a tangible way we can put the values of our faith into action. It reminds us that there are people behind all the things we consume. To learn more about our fair trade coffee program, see the article in the Fall 2007 Parish Newsletter, which was recently mailed to parishioners and is also available on our website at www.saintroberts.net.

Protecting God’s Children

This course is a one time only awareness training program that is a requirement for all volunteers working with children within any parish in the Archdiocese of Boston. There is a session upcoming here at St. Robert’s on Wednesday, November 14, from 7:00-9:30 PM. To register, please contact the Parish Office at 978-683-8922.

Needs Assessment Committee Update

The Needs Assessment Committee has been continuing its work to identify the current and future facility needs for the parish. At this point a list of improvements has been identified and prioritized, and the committee is working on developing several options to meet as many of the critical needs as possible. One of the important findings has been that many of us are not aware of the vast amount of activity that goes on in the St. Robert’s facilities each week, because we each only participate in a few of the activities. In a typical week over 2,000 people will use the parish facilities for Mass, Generations of Faith, sacramental preparation, Country Day School, scouts, choir practices, Knights of Columbus, Outreach ministries and all the other activities of the parish. The result is that the current facilities often don’t meet all the requirements of each of the activities. To fulfill our parish mission we must be able to have adequate facilities to worship, teach the faith, come together as a community and serve the needs of others.

If you have any comments or ideas on the facility needs or ideas for improvements please share them with any of the Committee members: Kevin Conley, Dave Dlesk, Chris Durkee, Joe Galluzzo, Heather Lauten, Mary Sudol, Bill Sullivan or Bob Sullivan. You can also address your thoughts to the committee by sending a letter to the Parish Office.

Catholic High School Information

Entrance Exam: The placement test for all Catholic High Schools in the Archdiocese of Boston will be administered on Saturday, November 17, and again on Saturday, December 8, 2007. The test is for eighth-grade students only. For registration forms and information on test locations, contact your local Catholic High School, or the Catholic School Office at 617-298-6555.

Open Houses

Academy of Notre Dame, Tyngsboro, MA

Sunday, November 4, 12:00-3:00 PM; last tour begins at 2:00 PM

Austin Preparatory School is a s a school for young women. For more information, contact the Barbara Aldrich-Clougherty, Director of Admissions, at 978-649-7611, ext. 327, or visit them online at www.ndatyngsboro.org. Please note that you may also register for the upcoming High School Placement Test during the open house. Cost for the placement test is $25. The Academy of Notre Dame is one of the testing sites for the Archdiocese of Boston.

Austin Preparatory School, Reading MA

Sunday, November 4: starting times at 1 & 2 PM

Wednesday, November 14: starting times at 7 & 8 PM

Austin Preparatory School is a co-educational institution for young men and women in grades 6-12. For more information, contact the Admission Office at 781-944-4900, ext. 17, or kdriscoll@austinprepschool.org, or visit them online at www.austinprepschool.org.

Our Lady of Nazareth Academy, Wakefield, MA

Wednesday, November 7, 3:30-5:30 PM

Nazareth Academy is a school for young women. For more information or directions, please call the Admissions Office at 781-245-0214 or visit them online at www.nazareth-academy.org.

Bishop Fenwick High School, Peabody, MA

Thursday, November 15, 6:30-8:30 PM

Bishop Fenwick is a co-educational school. For more information, please contact the Admissions Office at 978-587-8360 or admission@fenwick.org, or visit them online at www.fenwick.org.

Mass Schedule and Intentions

Saturday, October 27, Vigil, 30th Ordinary Sunday

4:00 pm: Fred J. Furnari

Sunday, October 28, 30th Ordinary Sunday

7:30 am: Henry Chemaly

9:00 am: Richard Dlesk

11:00 am: Larry Salvucci; **Baptism of Olivia Mae Horvath

Tuesday, October 30, Weekday Mass

12:10 pm

Thursday, November 1, Solemnity of All Saints

12:10 pm: People of the Parish

5:30 pm

Friday, November 2, All Souls’ Day

7:00 pm: All Souls’ Day Memorial Mass

Saturday, November 3, Vigil, 31st Ordinary Sunday

4:00 pm: Francis & Anne McInerney

Sunday, November 4, 31st Ordinary Sunday

7:30 am

9:00 am: All Named in the Parish Book of Remembrance

11:00 am: All Named in the Parish Book of Remembrance

Readings for the Week of October 28, 2007

Sunday: Sir 35:12-14, 16-18/2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18/Lk 18:9-14

Monday: Rom 8:12-17/Lk 13:10-17

Tuesday: Rom 8:18-25/Lk 13:18-21

Wednesday: Rom 8:26-30/Lk 13:22-30

Thursday: Rv 7:2-4, 9-14/1 Jn 3:1-3/Mt 5:1-12a

Friday: Wis 3:1-9/Rom 5:5-11 or 6:3-9/Jn 6:37-40

Saturday: Rom 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29/Lk 14:1, 7-11

Next Sunday: Wis 11:22-12:2/2 Thes 1:11-2:2/Lk 19:1-10

In Service

Maj. Kurt O’Rourke Mark DuPont, USCC, Kevin Grace, USA, Lyle Shackelford, Jaime Ray Seluk, USN, Pvt. Alexander Sabu, USA, Lt. Col. Paul Severance, USAF, Gen’l. R. Steve Whitcomb, USA, Lt. Col. Brian P. Bedell, USA, Capt. Lauren Whitcomb, USA, Col. Patrick J. Donahue, USA, Col. Brian P. Donahue, USA, Cpt. Michael McGaffigan, USA, Beth Carriere, Nurse, USA, Steve Comstock, Pilot, USN, Lt. Jesse Salisbury, USAF, Sgt. Maureen Galvin, USA,SpOps, Lt.J.G. Kevin B. O’Brien, USN, Miko Belonia, Maj. Tony Hoffman, USA, Maj. Ross Coffman, USA, Maj. Garth Howe, USA, USA, Chief Warrant Officer II, Michael Morris, Captain Matthew Mancini, USA, Sgt. Ellen Barnes O’Connor, USA, Pvt. Adam James Mazza, USA, Pvt. Joseph D. Gagnon, USM, Col. Joseph Albanese, USA, Cpt. Eric Eckberg, USA

Question of the Week–Thirtieth Ordinary Sunday

Question for Adults: This Gospel reading suggests that we approach God and each other with humility. What does this mean, in practical terms? How do we "humble" ourselves? What does that mean?

Question for Youth: God knows when we are doing things just for show, and when they come from the goodness of our heart. When have you caught yourself doing something just to be more popular or liked? How does it feel to do something that you know is good and just?

Question for Children: Jesus teaches us to be humble but what does that mean? How do you show you are humble?

This Week in Our Parish

Monday, October 29

7:00 PM Needs Assessment Committee, Bellarmine Room

Tuesday, October 30

12:10 PM Weekday Mass, Church

Thursday, November 1

12:10 PM All Saints’ Mass, Church

5:30 PM All Saints Mass, Church, followed by Supper in Driscoll Hall

Friday, November 2

10:45 AM Adult Enrichment, Bellarmine Room

There will be no 12:10 PM Weekday Mass Today

7:00 PM All Souls' Day Memorial Mass, Church, followed by Refreshments in the Gathering Space

Saturday, November 3

Fair Trade Coffee & Cocoa Available for Purchase in the Gathering Space after 4:00 PM Mass

Sunday, November 4

Fair Trade Coffee & Cocoa Available for Purchase in the Gathering Space After All Masses

10:00-11:00 AM Reconciliation Prep, Driscoll Hall

Reminder: Liturgical Ministry Exceptions Requested

Please submit your liturgical ministry schedule exceptions by November 2 to Irene at ibonner@comcast.net or 978-683-8922. The current schedule runs through the weekend of November 25th. The next cycle will run from December 1/2 through the weekend of February 2/3. A separate schedule will be issued for the Christmas Masses.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS

A reading from the Book of Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

A reading from the first Letter of Saint John 3:1-3

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely

because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

Copyright 1970, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2001 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc. Washington D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK–THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

A reading from the Book of Wisdom 11:22-12:2

Before the LORD the whole universe is as a grain from a balance or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!

A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians 1:11-2:2

Brothers and sisters: We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.

+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”