FROM FATHER RICK
DEAR FRIENDS,
Now that the myriad of
celebrations are over we get down to the business of
Lent.
A few thoughts which are
in sync with my Ash Wednesday homily:
Lent
means spring. This is a season for a new awakening.
It means cleaning out the dust and grime of a long,
dark winter. It means the melting of ice and snow
and the first, cautious appearance of things
sprouting. So it is also in our hearts during this
season. Our spirit is invited to a thorough spring
house‑cleaning. We are given the rags and dust mops
and brooms of that spiritual refreshment in the
tools called prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We
pray for the good of our souls. We fast for the good
of our bodies. We give alms for the good of our
sisters and brothers. Notice that these tools are
always “for the good
of” something.
Sloppy habits in our prayer life leave us feeling
out of kilter with God in our deepest
selves—disconnected and at odds. Get yourself a
different translation of the Book of Psalms and wake
up your inner ear to a bright, sparkling sound that
rattles out a dull language of habit and routine.
Memorize your favorite psalm in this new translation
and allow it to take root in your soul. (To order a
copy, call 1‑800‑933‑1800.)
Fast for the good of
your body. That may mean eating with awareness and
appreciation rather than nibbling and grazing all
day long. It may mean eating meals as a shared
experience with family and/or friends. It may mean
changing your unhealthy eating habits by changing
your diet. It may mean doing without some compulsion
you harbor or without a food you take for granted,
so that your body feels a difference and appreciates
again, in the days of Easter, that which it missed
during Lent. And all the cuts of meat you did
without, the deserts, the beers, the movies, the
sweets, the cigarettes—these can be graphically
translated into alms for those who are hungry and
would love a bowl of rice, a thick soup, a needed
medicine. Fasting wakes up the mind and sharpens our
awareness of others and more readily fixes our
attention beyond what is merely selfish.
Copyright © 2001
Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training
Publications, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago
IL 60622‑1101; 1‑800‑933‑1800;
www.ltp.org. Text and art by Gertrud Mueller
Nelson. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Lenten Weekday Mass
Weekday Mass is
celebrated during Lent on Monday through Friday
at 12:10 pm.
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. For more information about the parish
council or upcoming events, contact Jim McKain at
978-475-7931 or
Jim_McKain@NLTek.com, or go online to
www.saintroberts.net/kofc.htm.
Next Meeting:
Wed., March 5, 7:30 pm, Driscoll Hall
UPCOMING EVENTS–MARK
YOUR CALENDAR!
Sunday, February 24
Family Breakfast,
8:15-11:00 am, Driscoll Hall
Thursday, March 6
Community Blood Drive,
2:00-8:00 pm, Driscoll Hall
Saturday, March 8
St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
Dance, Driscoll Hall
Cocktails at 6:30,
Corned Beef Dinner at 7:30
Money Matters
On the weekend of February 2/3
Stewardship
Reflection
“It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you
worship and him alone shall you serve.” Matthew 4:10
Tempted between the
riches and power of this world and service to God,
Jesus chose service to His Father. If we wish to
truly follow Jesus, we, too, must decide to turn
away from power and riches and put God at the center
of our lives.
LENTEN GOSPEL
GIVING
for February
16/17—Second Sunday of Lent
"His face
became as dazzling as the sun,
His clothes
radiant as light." (Matthew 17)
Dazzling and
radiant signify cleanliness–please bring BAR SOAP
for Tewksbury State Hospital.
Bread and Roses
On Sunday, February
17th, we will prepare the meal for the Bread and
Roses hospitality house in Lawrence to be served on
Monday, February 18th.
We plan to prepare BEEF
TACOS with a tossed salad and dessert. Food items
needed are: cooked ground beef, soft tacos (large
size please), packages of shredded cheese, packages
of taco seasoning, jars of salsa, lettuce, tomato,
cucumbers, large cans of fruit salad, cookies or
brownies. Please use the sign up sheet on the
clipboard in the church lobby.
Kitchen helpers meet on
Sunday at 10:00 AM. All food donations should be
received by 10:50 AM. Call Betty Bufano at
978-851-5682 or Lisa Lattari at 978-749-3736 for
further information.
Fair trade coffee and
cocoa will be available for purchase
in the Gathering Space
after all Masses this weekend, February 9 and 10.
Operation Rice Bowl
Reflection
First Week of
Lent–Care for God’s Creation
Most of us have clean
water whenever we want it. Ciro didn’t have this
experience. He and his neighbors in rural Guatemala
had to carry water for miles to meet their village’s
needs. With the help of Catholic Relief Services,
they were able to construct a water supply system.
Disease abated as new sanitation made their village
a healthier place to live. God formed Ciro, his
neighbors and all of us and infused us with the
breath of life. Your involvement in Operation Rice
Bowl will help sustain that life, in ways as simple
as making clean water accessible.
Mass Schedule and
Intentions
Saturday, February 9,
Vigil, 1st Sunday of Lent
4:00 pm: Joseph Tollo &
Anna Puccia
Sunday, February 10,
1st Sunday of Lent
9:00 am: John Sudol
11:00 am: Rev. John V.
Sutton
Monday, February 11,
Lenten Weekday Mass
12:10 pm
Tuesday, February 12,
Lenten Weekday Mass
12:10 pm
Wednesday, February
13, Lenten Weekday Mass
12:10 pm
Thursday, February
14, Lenten Weekday Mass
12:10 pm
Friday, February 15,
Lenten Weekday Mass
12:10 pm
Saturday, February
16, Vigil, 2nd Sunday of Lent
4:00 pm: Steve Harris &
Henry Ebner
Sunday, February 17,
2nd Sunday of Lent
9:00 am: Rosemary Bernal
11:00 am: Bruce Campbell
Prayers requested for
Neil Corbett, uncle
of Dave Corbett
Readings for the Week
of February 10, 2008
Sunday: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7/Rom 5:12-19 or
5:12, 17-19/Mt 4:1-11
Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18/Mt 25:31-46
Tuesday: Is 55:10-11/Mt 6:7-15
Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10/Lk 11:29-32
Thursday: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25/Mt 7:7-12
Friday: Ez 18:21-28/Mt 5:20-26
Saturday: Dt 26:16-19/Mt 5:43-48
Next
Sunday: Gn 12:1-4a/2 Tm 1:8b-10/Mt 17:1-9
In Service
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, Cpt. Eric Eckberg,
USA, SFC John B. Nicholas, USA, LTCD Chris Stopyra,
USN
Question of the
Week–First Sunday of Lent
Question for Adults:
When you yourself pause to be alone with God,
what distracts and prevents you from dwelling in
that? Busyness? The demands of life? TV? The
internet?
Question for Youth:
Jesus was tempted by the devil. How are you tempted?
What helps you resist these temptations?
Question for Children:
What do you plan to do during Lent this year
as a way of showing you want to grow closer to
Jesus?
Update on Jeff Ake
and Family
Thank you for your
continuing prayers for Jeff Ake and his family. As
you are probably aware, Jeff, a good friend of the
Dlesk family, was abducted by Iraqi terrorists in
April of 2005. Unfortunately, there is no
information about his status. Dave and Judy and a
number of Jeff’s friends have established a fund to
provide Jeff’s family with financial assistance.
They are holding a fundraiser in the Chicago area on
February 23rd to benefit Jeff’s wife, Lilly, and
their four children, ages 18 to 5. If you would like
to send a donation, you can send a check made out
to: The Jeff Ake Family Trust, c/o Dave and Judy
Dlesk, 22 Fossen Way, Andover, MA 01810. Thank you
for your generosity.
Special Collection
This Weekend
This weekend is the 2008
Peter’s Pence Collection for the Works of the Holy
Father. This collection helps the Holy Father
provide immediate disaster relief and emergency aid
to those suffering the effects of war, natural
disaster, or oppression throughout the world. In
supporting this effort, we join one billion Catholic
brothers and sisters in acting to share God’s love
in the world. Thank you. For more information,
please visit
www.usccb.org/ppc.
Thank You from the
Pregnancy Care Center…
“Your gifts enabled
us to serve more than 1,600 people in 2007 with free
services like a toll-free help line, pregnancy
options education and counseling, mother/child food
& clothing program, post abortion counseling,
referral network for social services, sexual
integrity education, pregnancy workshops, and baby
care classes. Thank you for your generosity!”
This Week in Our
Parish
Monday, February 11
12:10 PM Lenten Weekday
Mass, Church
Tuesday, February 12
12:10 PM Lenten Weekday
Mass, Church
7:00-8:30 PM
Confirmation Prep, Driscoll Hall
Wednesday, February
13
12:10 PM Lenten Weekday
Mass, Church
7:00 PM GOF Design Team
Meeting, Bellarmine Room
Thursday, February 14
12:10 PM Lenten Weekday
Mass, Church
5:00 PM Youth Cantor
Practice, Church
5:30 PM Youth Choir
Practice, Church
6:30 PM Scouts,
Driscoll Hall
7:30 PM Adult Choir
Practice, Church
Friday, February 15
10:45 AM Adult
Enrichment, Bellarmine Room
12:10 PM Lenten Weekday
Mass, Church
Sunday, February 17
10:00-11:00 AM Bread &
Roses Prep, Driscoll Hall
25th and 50th Wedding
Anniversary Mass
Seán Cardinal O’Malley
invites all couples of the Archdiocese of Boston who
are marking their 25th and 50th wedding
anniversaries in 2008 to join him for the annual
celebration at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross,
Sunday, April 13, for Mass at 11:30 am. Mass will
include a renewal of marriage vows by all
participating couples. Family members, as well as
the general public, are welcome to attend. Please
register with the Parish Office by March 28, 2008
if you are celebrating your 25th or 50th wedding
anniversary and would like to attend this
celebration. A formal invitation will then be sent
from the Archdiocese to the celebrating couples.
A Day of Adoration
and Healing
Sunday, February 24,
1:00-7:00 PM
Led by presenter Fr.
James Dressman, SJ, the day will focus on the gift
of “Living Water” and its promise to quench our
thirst for love and truth and its promise of eternal
life. The day will include teachings, reflection
time, prayer for healing, dinner, and Mass.
A Day of Growth
and Healing for Married Couples
Sunday, March 9
The day will be a
celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony and will
focus on the ingredients for a stronger and healthy
relationship. There will be a time for dialogue and
blessing. Some of the topics will be communication,
conflict resolution, commitment, and encouragement.
For more information or
to reserve a spot for either retreat, contact the
Espousal Retreat Center in Waltham, MA, at
781-209-3120 or
admin@espousal.org.
ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON
BICENTENNIAL
‘Vicariate III Merrimack
Region Celebration of Archdiocesan Bicentennial”
Representatives from the
eleven parishes of Vicariate III of the Merrimack
Region have joined together in planning a local
celebration of the Bicentennial of the Archdiocese
of Boston. With a theme of “Journey Together in
Christ,” young and old, native-born and immigrant,
active and alienated, everyone is invited to a Mass
and family gathering on Sunday, September 7, 2008,
the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, at Saint
Michael Parish in North Andover.
Merrimack Regional Bishop
Emilio Allué will preside at a noon Mass to be
concelebrated by priests of the vicariate. A family
picnic celebration will immediately follow with
activities for all ages.
The Bicentennial Mass and
picnic will offer an opportunity to look back with a
sense of profound gratitude and to look forward with
hope; an opportunity to join together and recommit
to witness to Christ's Gospel, to pass on the faith,
and to build on a civilization of love.
Further details will be
provided as the date nears. In the meantime, mark
your calendars and reserve Sunday, September 7, 2008
for what promises to be a joyful renewal of our
“Journey Together in Christ.”
Archdiocesan
Bicentennial Pilgrimage
Plan to mark the
Bicentennial of the Archdiocese of Boston by coming
together in prayer and fellowship with pilgrims from
across the Archdiocese and throughout the world at
the 49th International Eucharistic Congress in June
2008 in Quebec City, Canada. Pope Benedict XVI has
personally approved a most appropriate theme for
this Congress: “The Eucharist, God’s gift for the
life of the world” and he invites Catholics to
converge on Quebec City to deepen their spiritual
lives through our Eucharistic Lord. The Boston
Archdiocesan Pilgrimage is providing a comprehensive
travel package for adults (21 years & older) for
June 18-24, starting at $1,275 double occupancy, as
well as a special package with hostel accommodations
tailored to young adults (ages 21-40) for June
18-22, starting at $875 triple occupancy. For more
information or to pre-reserve your seat, please
contact Fr. Michael Drea, Coordinator for
Archdiocesan Pilgrimages, at 617-479-5400 x 12.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
FOR NEXT WEEK–SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
A reading from the
Book of Genesis 12:1-4a
The LORD said to Abram:
“Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from
your father’s house to a land that I will show you.
“I will make of you a
great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name
great, so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who
bless you and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of
the earth shall find blessing in you.”
Abram went as the LORD
directed him.
A reading from the
second Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy 1:8b-10
Beloved: Bear your share
of hardship for the gospel with the strength that
comes from God.
He saved us and called
us to a holy life, not according to our works but
according to his own design and the grace bestowed
on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now
made manifest through the appearance of our savior
Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life
and immortality to light through the gospel.
+ A reading from the
holy Gospel according to Matthew 17:1-9
Jesus took Peter, James,
and John his brother, and led them up a high
mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured
before them; his face shone like the sun and his
clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and
Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then
Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that
we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents
here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for
Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a
bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the
cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved
Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and
touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw
no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down
from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell
the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been
raised from the dead.”
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