Saint CeciliaLaetare Sunday! Today is traditionally known as Laetare Sunday. The word Laetare is the...

Saint CeciliaP A R I S H

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Laetare!31 March 2019

The Prodigal Son(Artist Unknown)

THE SAINT CECILIA 2019

SPONSORED BY THE RAINBOW MINISTRY

WEDNESDAY

March 13Al Green from the Hawden Park Congregational Church in Worcester will speak to us about their ministry to gay and transgender immigrants, both men and women. Hawden Park is known globally as a haven for persecuted immigrants, offering them the tools to create a foundation for a better life. They use no federal or state money. Many of these men and women are professionals with legal visas seeking asylum. A few men and women who are recipients of this ministry will accompany Mr. Green to this event.

WEDNESDAY

March 20Dr. Jason Steidl, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Theology from Fordham University is a member of the ministry team for Out at St. Paul, the LGBTQ ministry of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Manhattan. Professor Steidl is the author of blog post “The Courage to Be Me” and will speak about his journey to accepting who God made him to be.

WEDNESDAY

April 10Dr. Lisa Sowle Cahill is a renowned theological ethicist and the J. Donald Monan Professor of Theology at Boston College. Professor Cahill is known for her studies on gender and sexual ethics and now has extended her work to social and global ethics. Among Professor Cahill’s books are Sex, Gender, and Christian Ethics; Family: A Christian Social Perspective; and Sexuality and the US Catholic Church: Crisis and Renewal.

THIS LENTEN SPEAKER SERIES IS

Open to All.All of these events take place in the Saint Cecilia Parish Hall with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the presentation at 7:00 p.m.

Free will offerings will be accepted.

We hope you will join us as we learn more and discuss our ever-evolving Church filled with the love of Christ.

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SAINT CECILIA PARISH

MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY

Saturday, March 30 | 5:00 p.m.Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrantErin Young, lector

Sunday, March 31 | 8:00 a.m.Rev. Peter Gyves, SJ, celebrantJim Dougherty, lector

Sunday, March 31 | 9:30 a.m.Rev. John Unni, celebrantJillian Ryan, Michele Maniscalco, and Karen Vachon, lectors

Sunday, March 31 | 11:15 a.m.Rev. John Unni, celebrantLena Denis, Larissa Purnell, and Clarissa Hadge, lectors

Sunday, March 31 | 6:00 p.m.Rev. John Unni, celebrantZachary Boutin and Nikko Mendoza, lectors

OUR COMMUNITY NEWS

This week at Saint Cecilia

• Sunday, March 31 | LGBTQ Catholics Unite at 1:00 in CL1 (p.6)

• Monday, April 1 | Small Group Bible Reflection at 6:30 in the sanctuary (p.8)

• Wednesday, April 3 | Reconciliation from 6:30 to 8:00 in the church (p. 8)

• Thursday, April 4 | Evening Prayer at 6:30 in the sanctuary (p.3)

• Saturday, April 6 | Faith & Film showing of Of Gods and Men at 6:30 in the Parish Hall (p.7)

SPECIAL INTENTIONS

Sunday, March 31 | 11:15 a.m.Susan Beckley, Memorial

Wednesday, April 3 | 8:00 a.m.Mary Ann Sullivan, Memorial

TODAY'S READINGS

Joshua 5:9A, 10-122 Corinthians 5:17-21Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS

Isaiah 43:16-21Philippians 3:8-14John 8:1-11

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Our SickPlease pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Mary Pickering, Caeden Boyce, Stephanie Brown, Margo Bromfield, Mary Sue Capozza, Robert Moll, Little Fallon Papoy, Patricia Finn, Christine Vernon, Michael Bean, Michael Meads, Jonathan Phillips, Jason Ballou, Quinn Waters, Sean Sullivan, Kim Villanueva, JoAnn Fitzpatrick, Francisco, Valentin Castro Goudovitch, Cameron Adams, Bill Croke, and Helene Schabes.

Welcome to Saint Cecilia ParishWe are pleased to welcome the following new members of our parish who have recently registered: Anastasia Rekso Sosrodjojo of Brighton, Adam Provost of Boston, and the LaRose Family of Boston. If you have not previously regis-tered with the parish, there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you can register online at www.stceciliaboston.org.

Happy Anniversary!This week we celebrate the baptismal anniversary of Linda Jenkins, baptized on April 4. May the Lord continue to bless her with the grace to live out his baptismal call. Happy Feast Day, Linda!

Wednesday Evening Mass During LentOn all the Wednesday evenings of Lent we will celebrate Mass at 6:00. Following Mass confessions will be heard until 8:00 for anyone who wishes to celebrate the sacrament.

Stations of the CrossPraying the Stations of the Cross is a wonderful Lenten tra-dition in the Church. We will pray them as a community on Good Friday at 3:00, but you can pray the Stations online by visiting www.stjames-cathedral.org/Prayer/jkblstations/stations.htm

The Second ScrutinyAt the eleven-fifteen liturgy we celebrate the second scru-tiny of our Elect. We pray that, like the man born blind, the-eyes of our five Elect are opened to the salvation offered by Christ. Keep them in your prayers as they continue this period of Purifcation and Enlightenment in preparation forthe celebration of the Easter sacraments.

Easter FlowersYou are invited to remember your loved ones by donating towards our Easter flowers. In the narthex there is a basket with envelopes that you can use for this purpose. Please be sure to PRINT clearly and either drop the envelope in the collection basket or hand it to a member of the parish staff. The names of those remembered will be printed in the Easter bulletin.

Our Elect and CandidatesPlease keep our Elect and Candidates in your prayer during this period of "Purification and Enlightenment," as they intensify their preparations to receive the Easter sacraments.

Lectionary NoteYou might notice that the readings for this and next Sunday are different at the 11:15 liturgy. This year, the Church's lectionary cycle follows Year C for Masses on the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent, but, it is part of the Church's ancient tradition that at liturgies during which the Scrutinies of the Elect take place, the readings assigned for Year A are used.

Prayers & Occasions

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Laetare Sunday!

Today is traditionally known as Laetare Sunday. The word Laetare is the first word of the Introit (also known as the entrance antiphon) for the Fourth Sunday of Lent and is theLatin word for "rejoice." Before we started singing hymns tobegin Mass, the Introit was normally chanted in Latin as thepriest approached the altar. Certain Sundays throughout the liturgical year have taken their names from the first word ofthe Introit. Laetare Sunday is one of these.

We are much closer to the renewal of our baptismal prom-ises and to celebrating the Easter sacraments with our nine Elect and four Candidates. The optional use of rose–colored vestments today and the beautiful flowers in front of the altar symbolize our joy at the nearness of Easter.

LGBTQ Catholics Unite Monthly MeetingTODAY —Sunday, March 31 | 1:00 p.m. | Classroom 1

The topic of this month's meeting will be Primacy of Con-science, the vital, sacred role conscience plays in moral decision-making. Julia Novotny, a graduate student of the-ology at Boston College, will be our facilitator. LGBTQ Cath-olics Unite provides an opportunity for us to gather and dis-cuss openly relevant topics, scripture, and current events. LGBTQ Catholics need a forum in which to share faith ex-periences, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. Our hope is that people will feel supported, heard, and spiritually nourished. All are welcome!

A REMINDER TO PARENTS

While at Saint Cecilia, children should never go to the rest-room alone. We are happy that you feel so safe here, but please remember that we are in a building that is wide open and has multiple entrances. For the safety of our children, please do not allow them to wander around unsupervised and please do not ever allow them to go to the restroom unaccompanied by a parent.

An Update From Our

Events and Facilities Manager

SAVE THE DATE — MAY 5

The train is boarding — make sure you have your tick-et! We will kick-off our parish renovation with the final weekly Parish Hall Coffee Hour on Sunday, May 5. Be-ginning in June, the 9:30 & 11:15 Coffee Hours will oc-cur on a monthly basis.

Our Spring Calendar:

• The Mass schedule will remain unchanged.

• Beginning May 1, there will be no new events scheduled for any parts of the Parish Pastoral Center (Parish Hall and classrooms). This in-cludes canceling the last two films scheduled for the Faith & Film Series. May 5 will be our last Parish Hall Coffee Hour and final children's faith formation class as scheduled.

• Our annual Ministry Appreciation event will be held on Friday night, May 17. Keep an eye on the bulletin for further details.

• Summerfest will not take place this summer but will be back on the calendar in June of 2020.

We hope to build off this strong start and keep the train moving. Stay tuned for more information, and please don't hesitate to reach out to me at any time with your questions or concerns.

Peace,

Lisa PickeringEvents and Facilities [email protected]

Rainbow Ministry

Upcoming Events

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Help Care For those in need

Occasionally we give gift cards to our sisters and brothers in need. We need to replenish our supply of gift cards to Shaw's, Stop & Shop, and Star Market. If you would like to help out in this way, simply purchase a gift card and place it in the collection basket at Mass, give it to a member of the staff, or mail it to the Parish Office. We are very apprecia-tive of your help as we attempt to offer some assistance to those who struggle.

Commonweal Readers Meeting

Sunday, April 7 | 1:00 p.m. | Classroom 4

Moving beyond clericalism is the broad theme of the next Commonweal Readers Meeting. This important topic will be considered through the lens of two recent resources. We will be discussing “Beyond Personal Piety: The Laity’s Role in the Church’s Mission,” in the March 8, 2019 issue of Commonweal, in tandem with the recent BC presentation entitled “The Ordained Priesthood: Opening a New Conver-sation.” Please come to listen to the conversation on this timely topic. If you are interested in reading the articles, the Commonweal article may be found at https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/beyond-personal-piety,and the report of the BC conference at “To Serve the People of God: Renewing the Conversation on Priesthood and Minis-try: available at bc.edu/priesthood.

SAVE THE DATE

On Tuesday, April 30 from 11:30 a. m. to 1:30 p. m. our friends at Women's Lunch Place will be holding their Eat Lunch Give fundraiser. It takes place at the Park Plaza Hotel in Back Bay. This year's event will help ensure that healthy meals and advocacy services are available to all women who come through their doors for help. This year's hon-oree at the event will be the renowned entrepreneur, phi-lanthropist, and James Beard Award-winning chef, Jody Adams, who will be recognized for her work in support the mission of Women's Lunch Place. If you would like to join the Saint Cecilia table at the event, please contact Mark Lippolt, [email protected]. Tickets for the luncheon are $195 each.

Faith And Film: "Of Gods and Men"

Saturday, April 6 | 6:30 p.m. | Parish Hall

Please join us for the AFFC's final film of the season, Of Gods and Men—the true story of the seven Trappist monks of Tibhirine, Algeria who were martyred in 1996 for remain-ing in their monastery and with the villagers during the Al-gerian Civil War. These monks were beatified on December 8, 2018. The movie will be preceded by pizza and followed by a short discussion. Please RSVP to Judy Castaldi at [email protected].

Support Refugees

For the past two years, our parish has provided ongoing support to Catholic Charities’ Refugee and Immigration Services. We have offered to provide refugee families with supermarket gift cards so that they will have food while their applications for political asylum are processed. If you would like to purchase gift cards to Market Basket specifi-cally—and no more than $25 per card—please feel free to drop them in the offertory basket. You can also contribute by check, in any amount up to $100, noting “Refugee Fami-lies” in the memo line of your check made payable to “Saint Cecilia Parish.”

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On all the Wednesdays of Lent, from six–thirty to eight o'clock in the evening, Saint Cecilia and all the parishes and chapels of the Archdiocese of Boston will be open for indi-vidual confessions. Inviting Catholics to experience Christ’s healing love through the Sacrament of Reconciliation con-tinues to be one of the major initiatives of Cardinal Seán and the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese has set up a website,www.TheLightIsOnForYou.org, to help you prepare. This website has videos on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, information on how to make a good confession, answers to frequently asked questions, and more. Please consider coming on Lenten Wednesdays (April 3, 10, 17) and help us spread the word about this special outreach of mercy. If you've been away from the sacrament for a long time, rest assured, the clergy will guide you through the sacrament and there's no need to be nervous about the structure of the rite. Come celebrate the sacrament of God's mercy and healing love this Lent.

Lent Small Group Bible

Reflection

Lent is a season of reflection. How have we responded to God’s grace or missed the mark, and how can we grow clos-er to God? One gentle method to ponder these questions is by participating in the Small Group Bible Reflection se-ries offered by the Adult Faith Formation Commission. Each Monday we will read the Gospel section for the upcoming Sunday in a contemplative manner, and share our insights and inspirations.

If you want to experience how contemplative reading of Scripture may help you deepen your faith during Lent, please join us. We will meet in the sanctuary of the church at 6:30 p.m. on the following Mondays—April 1 and 8.

THE WORK SUPPORTED BY

THE RICE BOWLS

For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in respond-ing to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia's most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS' disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS' humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provideds livelihood support to farmers and entrepre-neurs, promotes gender equality, mobilizes for immuniza-tion, and mitigates the impact of HIV.

CRS' workers in Ethiopia remain in mourning for their four colleagues who were among the 157 passengers and crew killed on board Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10. All four individuals were Ethiopian nationals who were traveling from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Kenya to attend a CRS training.

THE SAINT CECILIA 2019

SPONSORED BY THE RAINBOW MINISTRY

THIS LENTEN SPEAKER SERIES IS

Open to All.Saint Cecilia Parish Hall

Reception: 6:30 p.m. | Presentation: 7:00 p.m.

Free will offerings will be accepted.

WEDNESDAY

April 10Dr. Lisa Sowle Cahill, renowned theological ethicist, is the J. Donald Monan Professor of Theology at Boston College. Professor Cahill is known for her studies on gender and sexual ethics and now has extended her work to social and global ethics.

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Social & Racial

Justice Ministry Updates

WEEKLY LENTEN REFLECTION: The Social and Racial Justice Ministry would like to invite you to use this weekly Lenten reflection to more deeply ex-plore what justice means in your life today:

Take a look around, in church or outside, and imagine what those around you are praying about. What does your homeless neighbor pray about? What does a single parent pray about? What does a child pray about?

Vigil at the ICE Detention CenterSunday, March 31 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. |South Bay House of Corrections, 20 Bradston Street, Boston

First Parish of Watertown will lead the next of the monthly vigils at the Suffolk County House of Corrections. They are part of the Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN) whose purpose is to accompany and show support for detained immigrants held in the House of Corrections awaiting immigration hearings. If you would like to par-ticipate along with our Social and Racial Justice Ministry, please let us know so we can arrange to meet beforehand. For questions concerning the vigil, contact Susan Kuder from First Parish of Watertown at [email protected]

You can sign up to receive updates from the SRJM ministry at http://eepurl.com/dKw-gw. Follow us on Facebook (search for St. Cecilia’s Social and Racial Justice Ministry) to get news about up-coming events. Are you interested in getting more involved with planning actions? Whether you want to join our Steering Commit-tee or have a particular action you want to collaborate with us on, please email [email protected].

Kraig’s Krew Needs You!

Walk MS Boston will take place on Sunday, April 7. Parish-ioners Mark Brown and Lena Denis are walking once again with Kraig’s Krew and they invite you to join the team! Fundraising drives groundbreaking research, provides life-changing services and guarantees a supportive community for those who need it most. Your participation is a powerful step in creating a world free of multiple sclerosis.

To learn more, to join the team, or to make a donation, please visit: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MarkSBrown711

Marriage Ministry

Upcoming events

Join us for the Marriage Ministry Social on 4/13The Marriage Ministry is hosting a social for all couples in the parish on Saturday 4/13 from 5:00 – 7:00p.m. in the Parish Hall. Please join us as we celebrate with our engaged couples who just completed their Pre Cana! Refreshments will be provided. Please register at http://bit.ly/April_Social or by emailing [email protected].

Mother's Day Card

Sellers Needed!

As part of our ongoing relationship with Women's Lunch Place, we are looking for parishioners willing to assist with their annual Mother's Day card fundraiser. Each card (de-signed by a guest at the shelter) supports the mission of the agency to provide a safe, welcoming day community for all self-identified women who are experiencing homelessness or poverty.

If you are willing to help sell cards at Saint Cecilia liturgies as well as to your friends and colleagues, please email Mark Lippolt at [email protected].

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I wonder if the younger son was surprised when his father gave him his inheritance. This is not like asking for an advance on allowance. The son’s request has real significance. The son is saying to his father, “You are dead to me. I don’t need you. I just want your stuff.” The son has separated himself from his father. Their relationship is now different.

The son has rejected and dishonored not only his father but the entire village. He has hurt, shamed, and disowned them. Every resident of the village now stands as a reason the son cannot return. If he did return he would be met with anger. He would be in danger. Everyone – the son, his brother, the slaves and hired-hands, and all the villagers – thought the son was on a one-way trip. Everyone, that is, except the father.

Throughout all this the father is silent. He does not ask ques-tions and why the son is leaving or where he is going. He does not argue or get angry. He does not ground his son or put him on restriction. He simply divided his property between the two sons.

Many years ago I decided I had to get away. I had done some-thing wrong. I had been bad and I needed to leave. There was no other way. So with pen and paper in hand I went to my dad and asked, “How do you spell running?” “R,u,n,n,i,n,g.” “Ok, thanks. How do spell away?” “A,w,a,y.” I finished my note and I was off to the distant country. After all that is what the bad sons do – or so we have come to believe.

For so long we have heard and understood this story as one about sin. We hold the two sons up as examples. The younger son, the bad son, runs away and does even worse things. The older son, the good son, was always at home. He never dis-obeyed. The implication is obvious. Be the obedient slave-like child to your heavenly father. The difficulty is that the whole good and bad dichotomy rarely transforms lives. Love, how-ever, can and does transform lives.

Be a good obedient child. Is that really all this story says? Is this story really even about the sons? Maybe this story is more about the father than it is about the sons. Maybe this story is about love and grace more than it is about sin. Luke introduces the story by saying, “There was a man.” From the beginning

the focus is on the father. Although we do hear about the son’s journey, it is always in relation to the father. The father is the one who even made it possible for the son to leave. To the extent that this is about the sons it is primarily about the sons as recipients of the father’s love.

The father’s love is so strong and so big that it does not pos-sess the other; but is willing to let go. His love is so strong and so big that it makes no demands but is willing to wait pa-tiently. It is a love that forgives and welcomes home. His love will not rescue us out of or stop us from going to the distant country. Instead it redeems the time spent and the life lived in that place. That is good news for those of us who travel to the distant country; and we all go there at some point.

Some write notes and run away from home, some ask for and squander their inheritance, and some, like the older son, fume in silent resentment. Sorrow, grief, and loss take some to the distant country while fear, shame, embarrassment take others there. Some will travel to the distant country by way of addic-tions and self-destructive behavior. For others the journey of guilt, self-condemnation or even self-hated ends in the distant country.

How ever we get there, the distant country is that place in which we are lost, dead, and hungry. In the distant country we are lost to ourselves, empty of meaning, and starving for life, love, and hope. We are just not ourselves in the distant county, at least not our true selves. Life stinks in the distant country. That is the grace of the distant country. While we may go there we eventually come to ourselves and discover that it is not a place we want to stay.

Regardless of why we go there, the things we have done there, or the amount of time spent in the distant country we can always go home. If we go home we will have to face the vil-lagers. We will meet all those many voices that live within us. “You don’t really think you could go home do you? After what

The Prodigal Son: A Story More About

Love and Grace Than Sin By MICHAEL K. MARSH

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Adult Faith

Formation Events

FAITH FORMATION EVENTS AT SAINT CECILIA OFTEN APPEAR ON PAGES 4 -7

BC—SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND

MINISTRY CAMPUS EVENTS

For further details or to register for these events, please check the School of Theology and Ministry website: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/stm/continuing-education/campus-events.html

Annual Lecture in Honor of Richard J. Clifford, S.J.

“That They May All Be One”: New Testament Images of Christian UnityPresenter: Michael J. Gorman, Raymond E. Brown Pro-fessor of Biblical Studies and Theology, St. Mary’s Semi-nary & University, BaltimoreWednesday, April 3, 2019 | 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Corco-ran Commons, Heights Room, Chestnut Hill Campus Free of charge |Registration Required

Theological Education: The Next Ten YearsModerator: Jane E. Regan, STM associate professor of theology and religious education; chair, Department of Religious Education and Pastoral MinistryWednesday, April 3, 2019 | 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Corco-ran Commons, Heights Room, Chestnut Hill Campus | Free of charge |Registration Required

BC: BOISI CENTER FOR RELIGION

AND AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE

For further details or to register for these events, please check this website: https://www.bc.edu/centers/boisi

Politics and Evangelical ChristiansPanel Discussion: Co-sponsored with Gordon-Cornwell Theological Seminary in South Hampton, MassachusettsPanelists: Randall Balmer, Dartmouth College, and John Fea, Messiah CollegeMonday, April 8, 2019 | 7:00 p.m. | Gordon-Conwell Alumni Hall, Kerr Building

Religion and the Whole Human ExperienceLuncheon ColloquiumPresenter: Nancy T. Ammerman, Boston UniversityWednesday, April 10, 2019 | 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. | Boston College, Boisi Center, 24 Quincy Road, Chestnut Hill, MA RSVP Required

(Continued from pg.10)

you have done? They don’t want you there. You are covered in pig stink. They won’t take you back. You aren’t worthy. You never were.” The only way home, it seems, is to deny that we are our father’s children.

"I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Fa-ther, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”

The father, however, knows that love is the real way home. That is why the father runs to meet his son. He is there to protect him from the villagers, to see him safely home. The

father stands between his son and the villagers. The best robe. Sandals. A ring. The banquet. Over and over the father recom-mits himself to this runaway-come-home.

Where are you? Leaving home? The father offers freedom and you are loved. In the pig pens of life? The father waits patient-ly and you are loved. Coming home? The father will protect you and you are loved. Finally home? The father has prepared you a banquet and you are loved. It matters not where we are in this journey. The father always trusts his love for his chil-dren more than he does the words, decisions, and actions of his children. How can we do anything less?

~ The Reverend Michael K. Marsh is a priest of the Episcopal Church who serves in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas.

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Each year, on the last Sunday of the Christmas season, the Church cele-brates the Baptism of Jesus. This feast of the Baptism of the Lord is meant not only to remember and celebrate Jesus' baptism, but also to awaken us to our own baptism. On the day we were baptized, we became part of a great family, our family of faith, the Church. And every day since, God has been breathing into us the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love and joy and peace, the same Spirit that lives in Jesus and makes us children of God. And every day since, the Father has been looking upon each of us fondly and speaking words like those that he spoke at the bap-tism of Jesus: "You are my beloved son, my beloved daughter, in you I am well pleased!" And God says this even when we do things that aren't so pleasing. God never stops loving us, never stops calling us beloved sons and daughters.

Do you know when YOU were baptized? Have you ever even wondered about it? If you are like most people, the answers to those questions are "I don't know" and "No." Over the years, we have collectively downsized our understanding of baptism, in particular, our own baptism.

Like all sacraments, there is a proper ritual for baptism involving specific words, symbols, and actions. But make no mistake, baptism is no mere formality. Bap-tism is the means in which we become the daughters and sons of God. This should stop us in our tracks—through baptism we become People of God. Baptism is also the great equalizer as it is administered to all—gender, ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status are of no consequence. Everyone is baptized in the very same manner and all of the baptized are equal mem-bers of God's family of faith. Unfortunately, distinc-tions and classifications have been established within the Church which have unintentionally diminished our appreciation of what baptism makes us to be and calls us to do.

The parish Adult Faith Formation Commission thinks it would be wonderful if our parish community commit-ted to deepening our understanding and appreciation

of our own baptism. One way to do a little "baptism consciousnessraising" would be to celebrate the anniversary of our baptisms, much the same way we mark our birthday each year. To that end we are inviting everyone in the parish to investigate when they were baptized. If you know where you were baptized, it's as easy as calling that par-

ish and asking them for either a copy of your baptismal certificate or simply for the date. If you don't know the name of the church, you can also contact the dio-cese in which you were baptized and they should be able to help.

This might seem silly or irrelevant, but in fact it is a first, small step at beginning to reflect on the signifi-cance of baptism in our lives. When we remember and celebrate our baptism, we remember our future! Bap-tism sends us into the world, to live as God's sons and daughters, even as we live among our family, friends, and colleagues.

Lest you think that the Adult Faith Formation Commis-sion is getting carried away about this, we are in very good company. In his 2015 book, Walking with Jesus: A Way Forward for the Church, Pope Francis says,

"The danger of not knowing [the date of our baptism] is that we can lose awareness of what the Lord has done in us, the memory of the gift we have received. … Let us, then, ask the Lord, from our hearts … to experi-ence ever more, in everyday life, this grace that we have received in baptism. And do not forget your homework today: find out the date of your baptism. As I know my birth-day, I should know my baptism day, because it is a feast day."

If you forward your baptismal information (just the month and day) to Rosaria Salerno at [email protected], we will include the names and days of baptismal anniversaries in the bulletin each week so the entire parish family can pray for and celebrate with you. And, Pope Francis will be very pleased!

WHEN WERE YOU BAPTIZED?

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Parish Office & Mailing Address18 Belvidere Street, Boston, MA 02115Hours | Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.Phone | 617 536 4548Fax | 617 536 1781E-mail | [email protected] | www.stceciliaboston.org

Parish StaffRev. John J. Unni, PastorMary Kaye, Pastoral Director of Operations,[email protected] Melaugh, Finance Director,[email protected] Donohoe, Pastoral Associate,[email protected] J. MacDonald, Director of Faith Formation and Parish Visibility, [email protected] Glynn, Director of College and Youth Ministry, [email protected],Jeanne Bruno, Chaplain, Pastoral Associate, Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach,[email protected] Duff, Director of Music, [email protected] Pickering, Events and Facilities Manager, [email protected] Bennett, Communications and Operations Coordinator,[email protected]

Assisting ClergyRev. Peter Grover, OMVRev. Peter Gyves, SJRev. James Shaughnessy, SJ

Schedule for LiturgyWednesday, Thursday, & Friday | 8:00 a.m.Lord’s Day | Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:00, 9:30, 11:15, and 6:00 p.m.Holy Days | 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

ReconciliationThe sacrament of reconciliation is available by appointment. Please call the Parish Office.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the communal process through which non-baptized men and women become members of the Catholic Church. It is also suitable for those baptized in different faith traditions who are interested in becoming Catholic, or, for those who were baptized Catholic, but have yet to receive the sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation.

Baptism for InfantsInfant baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. For more information, please contact Mark Donohoe in the Parish Office.

Faith Formation for ChildrenTo register your child for our Faith Formation Program, please contact Scott MacDonald in the Parish Office.

MarriageCouples who wish to prepare for marriage should contact Mark Donohoe in the Parish Office at least six months in advance.

Care of the SickTo arrange for the Sacrament of the Sick, for Holy Communion to be brought to those unable to attend the Sunday celebration, or for Viaticum for the Dying (Holy Communion for those in danger of death), please contact the Parish Office. It is always possible to anoint the sick during regularly scheduled liturgies.

Order of Christian FuneralsThe parish is prepared to celebrate the Vigil (wake) in the church. Please contact the Parish Office for more information.

Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) TeamThe CAP Team is responsible for training all parish staff and volunteers in mandated reporting laws and the Protecting God’s Children program (VIRTUS). They also provide consultation and support to anyone in the parish who has concerns about reporting child abuse and neglect. Please contact Lois Flaherty ([email protected]), Maria Roche ([email protected]), Letitia Howland ([email protected]), or Erin Young ([email protected]) if you have any questions or concerns.

The Archdiocese of Boston has in place a vigorous program to protect children from harm and to educate its ministers and faithful about the nature of abuse, with a goal of increasing knowledge, creating a safe environment for children, and recognizing and reporting potentially dangerous situations. The full text of the policy is also available in the narthex and Parish Office, as well as on our website.

For Those with Celiac DiseaseIf you have celiac disease, please let us know. We have a supply of low-gluten altar bread available for those who cannot tolerate gluten.

Hearing Assistance in ChurchThe church is equipped with an FM listening device. Small receivers are available for anyone who may have trouble hearing the sound system. Simply request a receiver from any one of our greeters before Mass.

Access for the DisabledBoth the church and Parish Pastoral Center are accessible by elevator.

ParkingThere is reduced rate parking for $11.00 at the Hynes Auditorium Garage located on Dalton Street on Sundays until 3:00 p.m. and every evening after 4:00 p.m. Please be sure to ask one of our greeters for a parking validation ticket before leaving the church. There is also reduced rate parking on Sundays only at the Prudential Center South Garage (enter at Huntington Avenue or Dalton Street); up to 4 hours: $14.00, up to 5 hours: $20.00.

Joining Our CommunityWe’re happy that you’re with us! Our community offers a warm, spiritu-al home for a diverse group of Catholics. We come from many neighbor-hoods in and around Boston but also have parishioners from as far afield as Marlborough, Newburyport, and Stow. Please introduce yourself to a staff member, drop in for coffee on Sunday, or fill out a new parishioner form in the narthex.. No matter what your background, please know that you are always welcome at Saint Cecilia.

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