Posted on Apr 29th, 2011

Sharing Scripture

It has been said that one of the best ways to learn is to teach.  I have found this to be very true indeed.  For the better part of four years Fr. Greg and I (along with Fr. Karl and Fr. Jay during their time here) have developed a method, taught, and reflected on the Sunday Scriptures with adults who have a hunger to learn about God’s revelation through Scripture.  I will admit I was more than a bit...

Posted on Apr 17th, 2011

Awaken your Easter Faith!

Happy Easter to all!  Easter is the most important celebration of the year for Catholics.  Can you feel the joy surrounding you?   Death has been defeated!  God is victorious!  Alleluia indeed!  Alleluia!  The Mass on this great day of celebration is the source of celebration for every Mass that follows throughout the year.  Each time we celebrate Mass we are celebrating the mysteries of Easter, Christ...

Posted on Apr 13th, 2011

Daily Reflection for the Triduum

The waving of palms at Mass this weekend signals that Holy Week is about to begin.  You have heard about the meaning, significance and importance of this three day season the church calls Triduum through the weekly catechesis before Mass.  It is our hope that understanding the meaning behind the “smells and bells” of what we could call the “high season” of the liturgical year serves to enhance your...

Posted on Apr 7th, 2011

Praying the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer

As the season of Lent nears completion adults around the world who are preparing to receive the Easter Sacraments will turn their attention to two very key and important prayers, the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. (Recall that the Lenten Journey of catechumens and candidates reflects our own Lenten journey.) Within these prayers are the essentials of our faith.  In essence these prayers contain that which we are...

Posted on Apr 4th, 2011

Memories of Baptism

Many, if not most of us, were baptized as infants or young children.  If that is the case we had little to say about whether or not we were baptized.  The promises made at our baptism were made for us by our godparents and our parents.   As we grew older we were told the story of the day of our baptism, shown pictures or maybe even a video.  Those stories created in us and for us a “memory” of a day that we...

Posted on Mar 22nd, 2011

Halfway through Lent

Recently I read an article written by Fr. Michael Himes of Boston College.  Himes submitted this particular article, the first in a series written for Lent, on Ash Wednesday.  Looking ahead to Easter Himes considered the goals he hoped to attain by the time Easter arrived.  He conveyed in his article that the season of Lent lived well should, among other things, prepare us to renew our Baptismal promises on...

Posted on Mar 16th, 2011

The Penitential Rite and the Season of Lent

This weekend at the 9 o’clock Mass our RCIA candidate Brittany Medeiros, will participate in a Penitential Rite, also referred to as a Scrutiny. Just like last week’s Rite of Sending the Penitential Rite will begin after the homily.  At that time Brittany will be called forward, along with her sponsor and invited to kneel at the steps of the sanctuary.  As a community of faith we will be invited to pray for...

Posted on Mar 8th, 2011

Continuing Conversion

This weekend at the 11 o’clock Mass our parish will celebrate the RCIA Rite of Sending. At this time we will send forth to Bishop Coleman, with our prayers, our candidate Brittany Medeiros who is preparing to receive the Easter sacraments.  Later in the afternoon she will participate in a rite named, “the Call to Continuing Conversion” with other RCIA candidates from throughout our diocese. This rite is...

Posted on Mar 2nd, 2011

Welcoming Lent

There are two seasons which seem to have taken a long time to arrive this year…Lent and Spring.  Would you agree that we are ready for both?  Even though with all the sanding, shoveling and scrapping of the past months one might make the case that we who live in the Northeast have already engaged in a period of significant sacrifice it is almost time to welcome the season of Lent, with its ashes, purple...

Posted on Feb 15th, 2011

Forgive (and Forget?)

Forgiveness.  What comes to mind when you hear that word?  Is forgiveness something that comes easily for you? Is it something that resides on your “to do list”?  Or is forgiveness something you aimed for … but you at times wonder if you have really attained…because you still remember?  There is an old adage that goes, “forgive and forget.”  The first part, forgive, is certainly support in many...