FROM FATHER RICK
GENERATIONS OF FAITH
This weekend we will
hold our third Faith Festival. The focus for the
sessions will be the social teachings of the church.
The Catholic Church has a long and notable history
in the area of teaching about social justice as a
way to build the reign of God. We hope you will
participate in one of the sessions. There are
openings for:
Friday evening 5:30
to 8:30 & Monday evening 5:00 to 8:00
Please remember the
sessions begin with supper as part of the entire
experience.
CATHOLIC TV
This weekend there are
postcards and letters available in the vestibule in
support of an effort being made by Catholic TV
(formerly Boston Catholic Television). Our
Archdiocesan Television network is launching a
letter and card campaign in an attempt to expand
their time on the Comcast, Verizon, and Direct TV
systems. Please consider picking up a copy of each
and sending it to the appropriate person in support
of this effort during the coming week.
VICARIATE
BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
A celebration of the
Archdiocesan Bicentennial will take place for our
vicariate at Saint Michael’s in North Andover on
Sunday, September 7, 2008. The day will include Mass
and a picnic and activities on the parish grounds.
There is a planning committee being formed to put
this event together. We are asked to send two
representatives to this committee. If you are
interested please call the Parish Office on Monday
to indicate your interest. The first meeting will
held be at Saint Michael’s on Monday, November 19,
at 7:00 pm.
PARISH COUNCIL
DISCERNMENT
We are currently
planning a Discernment Day for new parish council
members. There are three openings coming up on the
current council. Please consider nominating someone
for this important position in parish life, or
offering your own name. All those names received
will be invited to a Discernment Day in early
December. Below is a “Job Description” for a member
of the Parish Pastoral Council.
The Parish Pastoral
Council is a consultative body whose primary duty is
to advise the pastor on the implementation of the
Parish Vision and the future growth and development
of the parish community.
The schedule for the
Parish Pastoral Council consists of 4–6 meetings a
year. These meetings are held on Saturdays and are
either all morning long or on occasion 10–3,
including lunch. There is an optional
Formation/Discernment Day each year and there are 2
leadership days (Fall & Spring) at which attendance
is expected. Parish Council members are also
expected to be present at all major functions of the
parish, making themselves available to the
parishioners as a conduit for information to the
council and the pastor.
THANKSGIVING DAY
Mass will be celebrated
on Thanksgiving Day at 10:00 am. Please consider
joining us at Eucharist—the perfect way to give
thanks to God for all our blessings.
PARISH OFFICE
The Parish Office will
be closed on Thursday and Friday of this coming week
in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday.
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 21, 7:30 PM in Driscoll Hall.
Remember to order
your Advent Wreaths. Starting this weekend,
there will be a wreath signup sheet in the back of
the church, or you can contact Jim McKain at
978-475-7931 to place an order. Wreath payment and
pickup will be after Masses on Dec. 1/2.
Money Matters
On the weekend of
November 10/11
Weekly
donations $ 3,131.00
Monthly
donations $ 1,909.00
Stewardship
Reflection
“All that you see
here–the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another
stone that will not be thrown down.” Luke 21:6
Thanks to the effort of
a billion dollar advertising industry, our material
expectations continue to rise year after year. Yet,
today, speaking about the end of time, Jesus reminds
us that all the material possessions we spend our
time and energy to accumulate will become nothing
but rubble in the end. What will really matter will
be the time we spend on improving our relationship
with our God.
Annual Thanksgiving
Collection
As we have done for the
past several years, we will be taking up a
collection to provide Thanksgiving meals for needy
families in Lowell. We are hoping that you can make
a cash donation for this worthy cause. Donations
will be used to purchase gift cards for food, which
will be distributed to the families by Catholic
Charities of Lowell. Outreach Group members will be
stationed at the back of the Church after all Masses
this weekend, November 17 & 18, to collect
donations. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Special Collection
This Weekend–Catholic Campaign for Human Development
Imagine life below the
poverty line, where one in eight Americans struggles
every day to hang on. The Catholic Campaign for
Human Development helps people to create permanent
solutions to the problem of poverty in their
communities. Be part of the numbers that care; give
generously to the CCHD Appeal this weekend, November
17 & 18. To learn more, visit
www.povertyusa.org.
Continuing Support
for Neighbors in Need
You can support
Neighbors in Need anytime during the year by
dropping your non-perishable food donation into the
bin in the vestibule of the church.
With Thanksgiving
approaching, non-perishable items like stuffing mix,
gravy, cranberry sauce, pie filling, cake mix,
coffee, nuts, candy, raisins, candles, and napkins
are especially welcome for the dinner boxes they
prepare for individual families.
They also welcome anyone
who can volunteer a few hours on Tuesday morning,
November 20th, to help give out the dinners. For
more information, please call Fran at Neighbors In
Need at 978-685-8321, anytime Monday through Friday
between 8:30 am and 12 noon.
Catholic High School
Entrance Exam
The second and final
date for the placement test for all Catholic High
Schools in the Archdiocese of Boston is Saturday,
December 8, 2007. For registration forms and
information on test locations, contact your local
Catholic High School, or the Catholic School Office
at 617-298-6555.
Mass Schedule and
Intentions
Saturday, November
17, Vigil, 33rd Ordinary Sunday
4:00 pm: All Named in
the Parish Book of Remembrance
Sunday, November 18,
33rd Ordinary Sunday
7:30 am: All Named in
the Parish Book of Remembrance
9:00 am: Audrey, Jim,
Jaimie, & Nikki Shaughnessy
11:00 am: All Named in
the Parish Book of Remembrance
Tuesday, November 20,
Weekday Mass
12:10 pm
Thursday, November
22, Cecilia, virgin martyr; Thanksgiving Day
10:00 am: Deceased
Members of the Dube Family
Friday, November 23,
Weekday Mass
12:10 pm
Saturday, November
24, Vigil, Solemnity of Christ the King
4:00 pm: All Named in
the Parish Book of Remembrance
Sunday, November 25,
Solemnity of Christ the King
7:30 am: All Named in
the Parish Book of Remembrance
9:00 am: All Named in
the Parish Book of Remembrance
11:00 am: Deceased
Members of the Conway, Tansey, & Moran Families
Readings for the Week
of November 18, 2007
Sunday: Mal
3:19-20a/2 Thes 3:7-12/Lk 21:5-19
Monday: 1 Mc
1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63/Lk 18:35-43
Tuesday: 2 Mc
6:18-31/Lk 19:1-10
Wednesday: 2 Mc
7:1, 20-31/Lk 19:11-28
Thursday: 1 Mc
2:15-29/Lk 19:41-44
Friday: 1
Mc 4:36-37, 52-59/Lk 19:45-48
Saturday: 1 Mc
6:1-13/Lk 20:27-40
Next Sunday: 2 Sm
5:1-3/Col 1:12-20/Lk 23:35-43
Evening for Separated
or Divorced Catholics: Saturday, December 1, at
St. Theresa Parish, North Reading. For more
information, please contact Joanne Curry at
617-746-5820 or
Joanne_Curry@rcab.org.
Question of the
Week–Thirty-Third Ordinary Sunday
Question for Adults:
Paul's words to the Thessalonians are tough: if you
want to eat, you must work! How does this translate
into our society today? How do you reconcile this
with Jesus' command to love and feed the poor?
Question for Youth:
Learning to work, and working to live are realities
of life as you grow up. What role does work play in
your life? Do you want to work merely for the money,
or do you want to also make a contribution to the
human community?
Question for
Children: Jesus teaches us that work is good for
us. What kind of work do you do during the week? How
does it help you?
Worship Guide Cover
Swap
As the new liturgical
year begins, the protective jackets on the Word &
Song worship books will need to be moved to the new
books. Drop in the Bellarmine Room Monday through
Friday, November 26 to 30, to lend a hand moving the
covers from the old books to the new ones. Thanks
for your help!
The Youth Choir Needs
You!
The Youth Choir, ranging
in age from second grade through high school, is
looking for new members to join in singing and
celebrating at the 9:00 am Mass on Sundays. For more
information, contact Kathy Schardin at 978-475-0228
or Yvonne Gobis at 978-452-0831.
In Service
Maj. Kurt O’Rourke,
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, 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, Chief
Warrant Officer II Michael Morris, USA, 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, SFC John B. Nicholas, USA, LTCD Chris
Stopyra, USN
This Week in Our
Parish
Monday, November 19
5:00-8:00 PM
Generations of Faith Festival, Driscoll Hall
Tuesday, November 20
12:10 PM Weekday
Mass, Church
Wednesday, November
21
7:30 PM Knights of
Columbus, Driscoll Hall
Thursday, November 22
Parish Office Closed
No Scouts & No Choir
Practice
10:00 AM
Thanksgiving Day Mass, Church
Friday, November 23
Parish Office Closed
No Adult Enrichment
12:10 PM Weekday
Mass, Church
17th Annual Catholic
Charities Labouré Center Christmas House Tour
Saturday, December 1,
Twilight Tour of homes in South Boston followed by a
cocktail reception at the Winter Garden in the World
Trade Center East (tickets $75); Sunday, December 2,
Day Tour of homes, as well as afternoon tea and
holiday shopping boutique (tickets $25 purchased
ahead and $30 day of tour). For more information,
call 617-268-9670 or go online to
www.ccab.org.
Boston Boy Choir
Christmas Concert
The Boston Boy Choir of
the Archdiocesan Choir School will perform its 45th
Annual Christmas Concert on the Sundays of December
9 and 16 at 3:00 pm and on Friday evening, December
21, at 8:00 pm in St. Paul Church, Harvard Square,
Cambridge, MA. A Carol Festival will include carols
for choir, organ, handbells, and orchestra. Reserve
tickets can be purchased in advance by phone, online
at
www.bostonboychoir.org, or at the door for $15,
$20, and $25. For more information, call
617-868-8658.
The Music of
Christmas Guided Retreat
The Campion Renewal
Center in Weston, Ma welcomes you to “The Music of
Christmas,” a guided weekend retreat on December
7-9, directed by Robert Doherty, S.J. This retreat
will use the music of this beautiful season to help
us experience more deeply the mystery and holiness
of this sacred time of the year. The retreat begins
with dinner at 5:45 pm on Friday and ends with Mass
and lunch on Sunday. Please note that reservations
must be made at least one week before the start of
the retreat. For more information, contact the
center at 781-419-1337 or visit them online at
www.campioncenter.org.
Christmas Outreach
Traditions Continue at St. Robert’s
Advent Giving Tree
As we move into Advent,
St. Robert's has traditionally marked the beginning
of this special season with the annual Advent Giving
Tree event. This year the Outreach Group will be
coordinating with the following charity
organizations: Catholic Charities of Lowell, Bread
and Roses, Si Se Puede, Tewksbury State Hospital,
Birthright, and St. Mary Parish. The Advent Giving
Tree will be up starting on Saturday, November 24.
Please take one or more tags and return the wrapped
gift with the tag by Sunday, December 9. We will be
making dropoffs after the 11:00 AM Mass, so please
remember to bring your gifts before then. Your
generosity is greatly appreciated.
Hat & Mitten Tree
Starting next weekend
you'll see the Hat and Mitten tree up in the back of
the church. For the past 11 years, the parishioners
here at St. Robert's have enthusiastically supported
the need for these items for the more than 100
children who reside at St. Ann's Home in Methuen.
This year, please help us out by "decorating" our
tree with hats, mittens, and scarves for children
ages 2 to 16. St. Ann's would also love to have
donations of good children's literature for their
library. Please remember that most of the children
residing there are between the ages of 8 and 14, and
most are boys. There are three ways that you can
donate: 1) new books, 2) "gently" used books, or 3)
a donation so that we can select books, if you'd
like to donate but don't know what literature to
pick. We will be collecting these items until
Sunday, December 9th. Don't forget to take your
candy canes when you hang your items or leave your
books, and thank you once again for your wonderful
generosity and support. Have a happy and peaceful
holiday season!
Hospice of the North
Shore Tree of Lights
For those who have lost
a loved one, their absence is felt even more
profoundly during the holiday season. Each year,
Hospice of the North Shore illuminates a Tree of
Lights in Danvers, Swampscott, and Cape Ann,
honoring the lives of those lost. The trees remain
lit throughout the holiday season and the names of
the honorees are inscribed into the Tree of Lights
Honor Roll Book for viewing at a special reception
following each tree lighting ceremony. The Center
for Grief and Healing also offers free “Coping with
the Holidays” workshops. For more information, to
add a loved one to the tree, or for workshop RSVP,
call 978-223-9787.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
FOR NEXT WEEK–SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING
A reading from the
second Book of Samuel 5:1-3
In those days, all the
tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
“Here we are, your bone and your flesh. In days
past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the
Israelites out and brought them back. And the LORD
said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.’” When all the
elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, King David
made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.
A reading from the
Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians 1:12-20
Brothers and sisters:
Let us give thanks to the Father, who has made you
fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in
light. He delivered us from the power of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved
Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of
sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation. For in him were created
all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and
the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers; all things were created
through him and for him. He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together. He is the head
of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead, that in all things he
himself might be preeminent. For in him all the
fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to
reconcile all things for him, making peace by the
blood of his cross through him, whether those on
earth or those in heaven.
+ A reading from the
holy Gospel according to Luke 23:35-43
The rulers sneered at
Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save
himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached
to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King
of the Jews, save yourself.” Above him there was an
inscription that read, “This is the King of the
Jews.”
Now one of the criminals
hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not
the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the
same condemnation? And indeed, we have been
condemned justly, for the sentence we received
corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done
nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in
Paradise.”
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