3-16-08

FROM FATHER RICK

DEAR FRIENDS,

Lent ends at Sundown this Thursday. But that isn’t the end of our Fasting and praying and almsgiving. As we move into the Sacred Triduum: we pray intensely for these three days, give alms to the poor with the Rice Bowl Collection on Holy Thursday evening, and enter into the Paschal Fast. The following is a description of this unique fast from Liturgy Training Programs.

The Paschal Fast

Let the paschal fast be kept sacred. Let it be observed everywhere on Good Friday and, when where possible, prolonged through Holy Saturday, as a way of coming to the joys of the Sunday of the resurrection with uplifted and welcoming heart. (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #110)

What is the paschal fast? What makes it different from any other fast? What does it mean to keep such a fast “sacred”? What sort of fasting is called for? What kind of fasting over two days is capable of creating an “uplifted and welcoming heart”? Why do so many think of Good Friday as a day of fasting and abstinence, exactly like Ash Wednesday?

Perhaps for many of us the answer is the culture, the times. We do not imagine deeds that need the kind of preparation that the Three Days require if we are to enter into them deeply and receive from them fully. It may occur to us to skip some meals as a penitential or intercessory gesture, but we don’t intuitively feel that one cannot rise from the table after a grand meal and go to the Easter Vigil. We have not yet come, as a church, to such excitement and awe for what takes place in the darkness between Saturday and Sunday that we have no appetite anyway. Yet, if we believe the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, it works the other way around. That is, it is the fasting itself that will bring us to the Vigil with a heart and mind that can know awe and excitement.

The fasting of Lent is penitential, an act of repenting of our sin. It begins on Ash Wednesday and it ends during the afternoon of Holy Thursday. There is a turning as we enter the Triduum on Thursday, when we let ourselves focus fully on what means to be at the Vigil. With that, the fasting of Friday and Saturday is not penitential, but anticipatory. It is a fasting that comes from the same part of us that has us fast before momentous events in our lives. Few are hungry on the morning of their wedding day. This is that sort of fast.

Such fasting is not only from food. Even more important may be the fasting from our normal work, the fasting from seeking ways to be entertained, the fasting from chatter, the stilling of our cultural hunger for diversion. Catholics are called to live these days unlike any other of the year — and this is so whatever economic condition we are in, whatever our work, whatever our family situation, whatever our educational background. It is a great leveler, like the Eucharist itself, this paschal fast.

Copyright © 2002 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago IL 60622-1101; 1-800-933-1800; www.ltp.org. Text by Gabe Huck. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

EASTER TRIDUUM

Holy Thursday, March 20

7:30 pm—Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Good Friday, March 21

3:00 pm—Celebration of the Lord’s Passion and Death

Holy Saturday, March 22

7:30 pm—Solemn Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday, March 23

Masses celebrated at 7:00—9:00—11:00 am

LENTEN WEEKDAY MASS

Weekday Mass is celebrated during Lent on Monday through Friday at 12:10 pm.

CHANGE IN THE EARLY HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE: There will be no 12:10 pm Mass on Tuesday of Holy Week (March 18) so that I may attend the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral. The confessions scheduled for after that Mass will take place after the 12:10 pm Mass on Wednesday, March 19.

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: Wednesday, April 2, 7:30 pm, Driscoll Hall

Stewardship Reflection

“What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”

Mathew 26:15

We look upon Judas Iscariot as a traitor. Yet how many times do we ask the world, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” Do we trade Jesus for money, for possessions, for power? Or do we make serving Him and working with Him our top priority? Judas traded away his position as a disciple of Christ. Don’t make the same mistake.

LENTEN GOSPEL GIVING

THIS WEEK

March 15/16: Passion Sunday

"The huge crowd spread their cloaks on the road..." (Matthew 21)

"Finally, when they had finished making a fool of him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucifixion."

(Matthew 26)

Clothes–please bring a MEN’S SHIRT OR SWEATER for Lazarus House.

To all GOF Volunteers…

On Friday, March 28, starting at 7:00 PM in Driscoll Hall we will be having our annual Volunteer Appreciation evening. It is the work of over 140 volunteers and their families willing to contribute their time and effort to putting together the home kits, preparing material, setting up and cleaning up, serving the meals, staffing the registration table, and facilitating the age group activities that makes this faith formation enterprise flow as smoothly as it does for the enrichment of all those who participate. We hope that you will be able to take a little bit of time to kick back and join us in raising a glass in your honor!

Mass Schedule and Intentions

Saturday, March 15, Mass in Honor of St. Joseph

10:00 am

Saturday, March 15, Vigil, Palm Sunday

4:00 pm: Frank Pierro

Sunday, March 16, Palm Sunday

9:00 am: Henry Chemaly

11:00 am: Gerard & Mary Conway

Monday, March 17, Monday of Holy Week Mass

12:10 pm

Tuesday, March 18, Tuesday of Holy Week

NO MASS TODAY

Wednesday, March 19, Wednesday of Holy Week Mass

12:10 pm: Mary Conway

Confessions immediately following Mass

Thursday, March 20, Holy Thursday

7:30 pm: Mass of the Lord’s Supper

10:00 pm: Compline, Driscoll Hall

Friday, March 21, Good Friday

9:00 am: Morning Prayer

3:00 pm: Celebration of the Lord’s Supper

7:30 pm: Tenebrae

Saturday, March 22, Vigil, Easter Sunday

9:00 am: Morning Prayer; Blessing of Easter Foods

7:30 pm: Solemn Easter Vigil

Sunday, March 23, Easter Sunday

7:00 am

9:00 am: Antonio Firelli

11:00 am: Heather Geldart

Readings for the Week of March 16, 2008

Sunday: Mt 21:1-11/Is 50:4-7/Phil 2:6-11/Mt 26:14--27:66 or 27:11-54

Monday: Is 42:1-7/Jn 12:1-11

Tuesday: Is 49:1-6/Jn 13:21-33, 36-38

Wednesday: Is 50:4-9a/Mt 26:14-25

Thursday: Chrism Mass: Is 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9/Rv 1:5-8/Lk 4:16-21

Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14/1Cor 11:23-26/Jn 13:1-15

Friday: Is 52:13-53:12/Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9/Jn18:1-19:42

Saturday: Vigil: Gn 1:1-2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a/Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18/Ex 14:15-15:1/

Is 54:5-14/Is 55:1-11/Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4/Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28/Rom 6:3-11/Mt 28:1-10

Next Sunday: Acts 10:34a, 37-43/Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8/Jn 20:1-9 or Mt 28:1-10

Question of the Week–Palm Sunday

Question for Adults: Name one specific way that you live your baptismal call to enter into the death of the Lord by forgiveness, generosity, hospitality, or other ways.

Question for Youth: Today begins the holiest week of the year. It is a once-a-year opportunity to really reflect on Jesus life, death, and resurrection. How will you enter into this experience? How will you be open to how you might be changed?

Question for Children: Share how you sometimes make sacrifices for the good of others.

Holy Week Collections

Holy Thursday

Our parish community is participating in Catholic Relief Services’ Lenten program, Operation Rice Bowl. Please bring your Rice Bowls for offering during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

Good Friday

The Collection for the Holy Places is the traditional way the whole Church supports the works of the Franciscan Friars as well as the local communities in the Holy Land who need our help. The annual collection for the Shrines and people of the Holy Land is taken up at this sacred time of year.

Easter Sunday

The Easter collection is for the Health and Pension funds of the priests of the archdiocese. Please be as generous as you can.

Holy Week

Saturday, March 15

4:00 pm: Vigil, Palm Sunday, Mass with Procession

Sunday, March 16

9:00 & 11:00 am: Palm Sunday Masses

Monday, March 17

12:10 pm: Weekday Mass

Tuesday, March 18

Please note that there is no Mass today

Wednesday, March 19

12:10 pm: Weekday Mass followed by confessions

Sacred Triduum

Holy Thursday, March 20

(Please note: no 12:10 pm Mass)

7:30 pm: Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Church

10:00 pm: Compline, Driscoll Hall

Good Friday, March 21

9:00 am: Morning Prayer, Church

3:00 pm: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion with Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Church

7:30 pm: Tenebrae, Church

Holy Saturday, March 22

9:00 am: Morning Prayer, Blessing of Easter Foods, Church

7:30 pm: Solemn Easter Vigil, Church; followed by reception in Driscoll Hall

Easter Sunday, March 23

7:00, 9:00, & 11:00 am: Easter Morning Masses, Church

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

Catholic Appeal

God calls us to share what we have to help others. Christ has set the example as the perfect Steward: “For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” The Catholic Appeal is one way all of us can support the mission of Christ’s Church in the 144 cities and towns of our Archdiocese. Please be thankful, intentional, and prayerful as you make a pledge to this year’s Appeal. You can pick up information packets with pledge forms in the back of the church. For more information, please visit www.BostonCatholicAppeal.com or call 617-779-3700. Every gift matters. Thank you!

Rice Bowl Reflection

Palm Sunday-Rights and Responsibilities

You know Catholic Relief Services helps people around the world—and some of them may be your own neighbors! Your diocese keeps one quarter of the funds raised through Operation Rice Bowl to assist the needy in your own community. For example, the Diocese of Venice, Florida, sends money to the social outreach center at St. Peter Claver Catholic Mission to help struggling families in Fort Myers. Latronia Latson’s family faces its own challenges, but that hasn’t kept her from volunteering at the center for over four years. She insists “if I give up, there will only be more trouble in the world. By taking care of my family I help take care of my community.” We are called, like Latronia, to see the face of the suffering Christ—spit upon, bruised, bleeding—in the faces of our suffering neighbors. Giving with Operation Rice Bowl helps good people like Latronia alleviate suffering and strengthen communities. Please remember to bring your Rice Bowls for offering during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

“Thank you so much for all you've done

and for blessing us through all these years!”

Lazarus House Ministries is celebrating 25 years of service to the community and welcomes all to come share in the event. The celebration begins with a Mass of Thanksgiving, with Bishop Emilio Allué presiding, on Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 6:30 pm, at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 205 Hampshire Street, Lawrence, MA. A simple supper will follow at St. Joseph’s Plains Community Center, 245 Hampshire Street, Lawrence, MA. Please RSVP your attendance to Lana Schofield at 978-269-5206 or Lana@LazarusHouse.org.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK–EASTER SUNDAY

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 10:34a, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 5:6b-8

Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 20:1-9

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 28:1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.” Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

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