Fourth Sunday of Advent

18 December 2016

Icon of the Holy Prophet Isaiah

Saint Cecilia

P A R I S H

welcome!Welcome to Saint Cecilia Parish, a Roman Catholic community that gathers day by day, week by week, to know and make known the grace of God. By means of this abundant grace, we enjoy a diverse and close-knit parish family—young, old, rich, poor, of various ethnic origins and differing backgrounds. From our extraordinary music program to a growing children’s faith formation program; from the various liturgical ministries to the many opportunities for social outreach that the parish provides, Saint Cecilia is a vibrant community of faith, centered on prayer and worship that tries to keep the Gospel close to heart and to live by Jesus’ teachings.

Saint Cecilia Parish was established in 1888. At that time the Back Bay section of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street was the residential section of the Yankee aristocracy. The maids (“Irish working out girls”) and coachmen who served these residents had long requested a church of their own. When Archbishop Williams granted their request and carved the parish from the territory of the Cathedral, they built a magnificent church out of their meager earnings.

The church was dedicated on April 22, 1894. Its architecture is Romanesque, XII Century Norman. The main altar, notable for its massive simplicity, was carved from a single block of white Carrara marble. The painting in the center reredos is a reproduction of da Vinci’s The Last Supper, and the dome above is an array of 24K gold rosettes.

For the sixtieth anniversary celebration in 1954, a massive renovation project was under-taken. During this renovation, a statue of Pope Saint Pius X (canonized that same year) was imported from Italy and placed on the right side of the sanctuary. Above the statue are paintings from Pius’ life. On the left side is a statue of Saint Patrick, principal patron of the Archdiocese of Boston, and above it are three scenes from his life.

Fourteen circular and sixteen square panels adorn the nave and arches of the church. The square panels are decorated with the symbols of Our Lady taken from the Litany of Loreto and the circular ones with symbols taken from the lives of the apostles. The great window of the Assumption—framed by the two oak cases of the organ—was installed in 1954 (the Marian Year) in spaces originally designed for windows but not until then used.

The original organ of 24 stops was built in 1902 by the Hutchings-Votey Organ Company, Opus 1465, and was rebuilt in 1954 with 32 stops. In 1998, Timothy Smith and Theodore Gilbert began a massive reconstruction of the organ. The current Smith & Gilbert Organ of 4 manuals, 50 ranks, and 2,926 pipes was dedicated on the Feast of Saint Cecilia, November 22, 1999.

Today we are experiencing something of an awakening within these old walls. We recently completed a major renovation, our numbers are increasing, and we continue to grow in our commitment to issues of peace, justice, and service to our neighbors, both near and far.

We’ve been right here on Belvidere Street, in the same building for 127 years, but that does not mean that life here is stale, stagnant, or even predictable. We are proud to be entrusted with the legacy of Saint Cecilia Parish, where everything is the same, yet always changing; where we honor tradition while embracing the future; where God’s love makes all things new.

Ministers of the Liturgy

Saturday | 5:00 p.m.Rev. Peter Grover, celebrantChris Orrell, lector

Sunday | 8:00 a.m.Rev. Erick Berrelleza, SJ, celebrant Louvere Walker, lector

Sunday | 9:30 a.m.Rev. John Unni, celebrant Ludovico Rollo, Karen McMenamy, &Moira Macdonald, lectors Sunday | 11:15 a.m. Rev. John Unni, celebrantMary Ann Hinsdale, IHM, Chika Offurum, &Joe Castellano, lectors

today’s readingsIsaiah 7: 10-14Romans 1: 1-7Matthew 1: 18-24

next sunday’s ReadingsIsaiah 52: 7-10Hebrews 1: 1-6John 1: 1-18

special intentions

Sunday, December 18 | 8:00 a.m.Nadia Kiley, Memorial

Sunday, December 18 | 9:30 a.m.Maggie Ryan, Memorial

Sunday, December 18 | 11:15 a.m.Judy Gallo, 1st Anniversary

Sunday, December 18 | 11:15 a.m.Margaret Dunnett, Month's Mind

Friday, December 23 | 8:00 a.m.John S. Drabik, Memorial

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our community news

weekly FOOD DONATIONS

First featured donation item is:COOKING OIL!

Second featured donation item is:CEREAL!

Donations of featured items are preferred as these are more popular among Catholic Charities clients. Please leave food donations in the narthex baskets.

Prayers & Occasions

Our SickPlease pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Annette Kulas, Anthony Simboli, Anne Frenette Handly, Roséa Aubrey, Owen Kyes, Pilar Estrada, Mildred McLaughlin, Pam Phillips, Brenna Smith, Michalina Maniscalco, Michael Patrick Kelly, Mark Anderson, Bill Downing, Skyler Stevenson, Silvana Franco, Silvia Basagni, Brian Donnelly, Theresa Wier, Bill Ahern, Lena Bryant, Kenny Borum, Kevin, George Driscoll, Mary Curley, Bill Pennington, Bryan Thomas, Joanne DeMare, Rachel Fitzgerald, Bob Carroll, John Morris, Mark Edward McHugh, Jean Hughes, Laura Bellias, Angelo Valente, Eugenia Valente, Betty Sellers, Jack Kacewicz, Daniel Grapski, Nancy Wolterman, Callie Boyce, Bill Croke, Mary Chisholm, Brian Burdette, Chuck Christian, John Pelletier, Tim Postma, Maureen Kelly, Mary Maciora, Stephanie Brown, Scott Costigan, Bob Butler, Mary Du-pont, Mary Jacobs, Mary Goodrow, Francesca Stanizzi, Hilary Dillon, Paul Lakschewitz, Pam Phillips, Mer-edith Deignan, Louise Reohr, Jacy-Lyn Poland, Tom O'Keefe, Claire Smith, Gerard Franchi, and Wayne Lamie.

Welcome to Saint Cecilia! We are pleased to welcome the following new members of our parish who have recently registered: Thomas Greene of Boston, Douglas and Heather Halchak of Charlestown, Isabella Soto Rivera of Boston, the Far-rell Family of Milton, Patrick Coleman and Elizabeth Mooney of Boston, Nicola Bashall of Boston, Joanna Cavitch of Boston, and Meghan Conley of Beacon Hill. If you have not previously registered with the parish, there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you can register online at www.stceciliaboston.org.

Happy Anniversary, Dave!This week we celebrate the baptismal anniversary ofDave Sullivan who was baptized on December 17. Maythe Lord continue to bless Dave with the grace to liveout her baptismal call. Happy Feast Day, Dave!

For Those Who Are TravelingPray for all who are traveling over the next several days, that they may arrive at their destinations safely and share the love and warmth of family and friends. If you will not be with us on Saturday or Sunday, when you come home Christmas will still be unfolding. We will be celebrating until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on January 9. Please travel safely and we wish you a happy and holy Christmas.

Christmas FlowersYou are invited to remember your loved ones by donating towards the Christmas flowers that will grace our sanctuary. In the narthex you'll find envelopes that you can use for this purpose. Please drop the envelope in the col-lection basket or hand it to any staff person. The names of those remembered will be published in the Christmas and Epiphany bulletins. Please be sure to PRINT clearly.

Evening Prayer—TonightPlease join us as we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent at Evening Prayer tonight, Sunday, December 18 at 6:00.

For Our PriestsAt all of our Christmas Masses next weekend, our offertory collections will be to support the retirement, medical, and fnancial needs of priests of the Archdio-cese of Boston. On behalf of all of our priests, thank you in advance for your generosity. If you are enrolled in our electronic giving program, you may contribute by going to www.myowngiving.com as usual and choosing the fund marked "Clergy Funds—Christmas Collection" for your gift. You may also make a donation directly to the Clergy Funds, please visit www.careforseniorpriests.org.

For Those Who Struggle with the WeatherPray for all who struggle with winter weather, particu-larly the homeless and the homebound—that God will provide warmth, friendship, and protection from the elements.

Happy Birthday, Papa Francesco!On Saturday, December 17, Pope Francis celebrated his 80th birthday. As part of this year's papal birthday festivities, the Vatican has invited faithful from around the world to send the Pope their well-wishes and birth-day greetings. If you would like to send Pope Francis a note, you can write to him at: PopeFrancis80@vatican.va. Pray for the Pope's continued good health. May his wisdom continue to imbue the Church with the spirit of mercy, compassion, and accompaniment.

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The Advent Wreath

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Tonight, light all four candles, sing a verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, re–read part of today's Gospel, and say a brief concluding prayer. If you prefer, here is a prayer that you can use.

FOURTH WEEKLight all four of the candles. During the rest of the week, these candles are relit at the evening meal or whenever you choose to do so.

Jesus, your mother Mary is "blessed among women." We are happy that she said "Yes!" to being your mother. As we light this candle, we remember that you bring the light of love into our lives. May your Word be always in our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts.Amen.

PINE STREET INN CARDS FOR SALE

We are once again be selling Christmas cards to support Pine Street Inn, where Father John and several parishio-ners serve on the board of directors. This is a wonderful way of supporting Pine Street Inn's mission of finding permanent solutions to homelessness while sharing some wonderful Boston–themed Christmas cards with family and friends. The cards are priced at $18 for a pack of 10.

Young Families' Retreat

Our Advent Young Families' Retreat was a success and we are particularly grateful to those who volunteered to provide child care last Saturday. What a wonderful gift our volunteers are to the parish!

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UpcomingMass Schedule

Please note the following changes to theparish liturgical schedule:

Christmas Eve: 4:00 & 6:30 p.m.

Christmas Day: 9:30 a.m.

Saturday, December 31: 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, January 1: 8:00, 9:30, & 11:15 a.m.

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New Choir Members Needed

We are in need of new choir members for our morning choirs, as well as for our 6:00 p.m. choir. If you have a musical talent to share with the community, we would love to have you join us. We look forward to hearing from you! Please stop by and see Richard Clark after Mass, call him at 617-536-4548 or e-mail: RClark@stceciliaboston.org. You can also find more information about our music ministry at www.stceciliaboston.org/music-ministry/

RECORDING OF JOHN RUTTER REQUIEM AVAILABLE ONLINE

We are deeply grateful for the talent and generosity of so many individuals who helped make our Saint Cecilia Day Celebration possible. If you would like to listen to the live recording of the parish concert featuring John Rutter's Requiem, you can find it on our parish website: www.stceciliaboston.org/music-ministry/music-program-media. Under "Music Ministry" go to "Recordings • Media" and you will be able to listen to the entire Requiem. You will also see several other recordings of the Saint Cecilia Parish Choir including last year's performance of the Fauré Requiem. Additionally, you can hear a podcast of Richard J. Clark's recent interview. with Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Director of Music at St. Patrick's Cathedral. This radio program features some of Richard's sacred music for the Christmas season including "Light Upon the World."

47th ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFASTMonday, January 16 — 8:00Boston Convention and Exhibition Center 415 Summer Street

The 47th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast to commemorate the noble legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held on Monday, January 16 at eight o'clock. The breakfast features engaging speeches, delicious food, live music, and a diverse gathering of over 1,000 people, including business, civic, and religious leaders from across Massachusetts. This year's event will feature a dynamic keynote address from commentator and TV/radio host Callie Crossley. Ms. Crossley was a producer for Blackside Inc.'s Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Right Years, which earned her an Academy Award nomination, a National Emmy, and the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award. A former producer for ABC News 20/20, Ms. Crossley is a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow, guest-lecturing at col- leges and universities about media literacy, media and politics, and the intersection of race, gender, and media. Ms. Crossley's commitment to truth-telling, justice, and civil discourse will provide the basis for a truly inspiration- al address. Other invited speakers include Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, US Senator Elizabeth Warren, US Senator Edward Markey, and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.

Tickets are $50 each and we need to reserve tables prior to December 31. If you would like to join us and sit at one of the Saint Cecilia tables, please call the parish of ceor e-mail Megan Riggle at mriggle@stceciliaboston.org.If you've attended this breakfast in the past, you know what a moving and hope- lled way this is to commemo- rate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Child Care Help

If you enjoy spending time with babies and toddlers, then this volunteer opportunity is for you! The Young Families group is looking to form a team of parishioners to help with childcare during their monthly parent meet-ings. The group typically meets on the 2nd Sunday of the month between the 9:30 and 11:15 Mass. If you are in-terested or would like to be added to our listserv, please contact Valerie at valerie.diment@gmail.com.

JOIN US AT COMMUNITY SERVINGS

Join us from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, De-cember 31 when we volunteer in the kitchens of Com-munity Servings. We are looking for volunteers to assist in preparing and packaging nutritious meals for those who are home-bound with life-threatening illnesses through-out Eastern Massachusetts. No culinary skills are required, but volunteers need to be at least thirteen years of age. Please feel free to join us even if you can't be there until a bit later than 9:00 a.m. Community Servings is conve-niently located next to the Stony Brook T Station in Ja-maica Plain. To volunteer or for more information, please contact Mark Lippolt at: mlippolt@hammondre.com.

Wisdom and Mature Spirituality Group If you think you might like to become involved with the Wisdom and Mature Spirituality Group, please come to our next meeting today, Sunday, December 18 in the Parish Pastoral Center's Conference Room from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. We are a group of women and men in the sec-ond half of life who are interested in growing spiritually as we reflect on our interior life. At our November meet-ing, we discussed the spirituality of struggle by reflecting on the book Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope by Joan Chittister, OSB. Our December meeting topic is "Showing Up and Speaking Out—Taking Action on Issues of Importance." We will share experiences of walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, witnessing the struggle at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline, and other peaceful and prayerful activities. Please join us!

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saint cecilia parish

Holy Hour Happy Hour

Sunday, December 18 I 6:00 p.m.—Prayer 6:45 p.m.—Happy HourSaint Cecilia and Back Bay Social Club 867 Boylston Street

It's time to get FANCY. Dress in your Christmas best for this time around. Let's get our minds in the right place with a night prayer at Saint Cecilia (no 6:00 p.m. Mass) and then head over to get a drink at Back Bay Social Club.

Smeetups: RebootedGroup Sign-Ups I December 18 through January 6

Looking for a group of young adults with whom to practice Lectio Divina? Itching to read and share some thoughts on Jim Martin's most recent book? Or maybe you just want to meet up with some folks after Mass to discuss Fr. John's homily questions? We are seeking young adults to serve as Smeetup leaders for a topic of their choice, to start peri-odic meetings in the new year. Once groups are formed, it will be up to you to decide when and how often you meet! The tentative commitment period is January through May (roughly the spring semester), but this can be flexible for your group. This new format for Smeetups is open to all young adults, though existing Smeetups will continue meet-

ing according to their plan.

Prison and After Ministry

Monday, December 19 I 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.Saint Cecilia Church

A team of six volunteers is needed to bring large quanti-ties of food to feed men who are getting on their feet after prison.

SAVE THE DATES

• Thursday, January 12: Selma Film Viewing

• Saturday, February 25: Corsages and Cummerbunds Winter Formal

To RSVP for any of these activities, please email scyoungadults@gmail.com.

SAINTCECILIAYOUNGADULTS

Saint Cecilia Young Adults ministry welcomes parishioners ages 20-40.

RSVP and more when you type URL: eepurl.com/bBbbLr

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NEWS FOR YOUNG FAMILIES—PRESENT & EXPECTING—AND THOSE WHO WOULD

LIKE TO HELP THEM• If you are a parent of a child younger than four years of age, please consider joining our growing Young Families group! We currently meet monthly between the 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. lit-urgies for fellowship and mutual support as we navigate the ups and downs of life with young children. The best way to stay in touch is to join our listserv—if you're not on it already, e-mail Erin at erin.ramsey.1@gmail.com.

• If you are expecting a child in the coming months and would be interested in connecting with other expecting parents, we want to hear from you. Please e-mail Sarah Donohue (sara-helliottgoodale@gmail.com) for more information and details on an upcoming social for expecting parents.

WELCOMING THE STRANGER

While visiting a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos Pope Francis decided to bring twelve Syrian Mus-lims back to the Vatican with him on the papal plane. The Pope addressed the refugees and said, "As people of faith, we wish to join our voices to speak out on your behalf. We hope that the world will heed these scenes of tragic and indeed desperate need, and respond in a way worthy of our common humanity."

Inspired by the Pope's words and actions, Saint Ceci-lia parish is working with Catholic Charities to assist two Muslim Syrian families who have relocated to the Greater Boston area. With no friends or relatives in the United States, they have a great many needs. At this point in time, the parish has offered to provide them 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 specifically--and no more than $25 per card—please feel free to drop them in the offertory basket. If you do not live near a Market Basket and can-not purchase a gift card, you can also help by making a check for $25 or $50 payable to “Saint Cecilia Parish” and putting it in the offertory. Please write “Syrian Refugees” in the memo line.

Calling all Cooks!

Do you enjoy cooking? Might you occasionally be able to contribute a meal to a family who would truly benefit from it? Our growing Young Families group is looking for parishioners who would be willing to prepare and de-liver meals to parents welcoming a new child into their families. This is a flexible commitment that allows you to participate as much or as little as your schedule al-lows. If you are interested, please e-mail Aubrey Hartnett (aubreymarie.cc@gmail.com) for more information.

PRISON AND AFTER

Every Monday night the Prison and After Committee hosts an evening of discussion and dinner for men who have recently been released from a prison or jail. If you have served time, please join us. All you need to do is come to the Parish Pastoral Center entrance on St. Cecilia Street between 5:45 and 6:00. For more informa-tion, please e-mail scprisonandafter@gmail.com or call 617-752-2885.

Meet Msgr. McDonough— A Priest and a GeneralAs a native of Boston, Msgr. John P. McDonough never dreamed he would travel the world, bringing the presence of Christ to our military serving abroad. But for thirty years, that’s exactly what he did. As a two-star general, Msgr. McDonough’s call as a military chaplain was to ensure that men and women were able to practice their faith—Catholic or otherwise—as they served their country.

Now at 88 years of age, Msgr. McDonough reflects on a priesthood well-lived and well-served. He resides at Regina Cleri, a retirement home for senior priests in Boston, where he ministers to his brother priests, celebrates Mass with them daily, and continues traveling to parishes around the Archdiocese to assist with services.

To help ensure priests like Msgr. McDonough are cared for as they age, please support the Christmas collection this year.

To see Msgr. McDonough’s full video story, visit clergytrust.org.

Good news.Good works.Good faith.

Boston Priests. There for us.

Give online at clergytrust.org or text PRIEST to 56512. Msg. & data rates may apply.

Clergy Health and Retirement Trust Caring for the Well-being of our Priests

Celebrate during the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord!

Please join us for sung Evening Prayer:

Monday, December 26, 6:30 p.m. St. Stephen

Tuesday, December 27, 6:30 p.m. St. John the Evangelist

Wednesday, December 28, 6:30 p.m. The Holy Innocents

Thursday, December 29, 6:30 p.m. St. Thomas Becket

Friday, December 30, 6:30 p.m. The Holy Family

Liturgy lasts approximately half an hour. All are welcome!

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“Advent is all about desire,” an elderly Jesuit in our community used to say every year as November drew to a close. And whenever he said it, I would say, “Huh?” But gradually it dawned on me. Christians desire the com-ing of Christ into their lives in new ways, a desire that is heightened during Advent. The beautiful readings from the Book of Isaiah, which we hear during Advent, describe how even the earth longs for the presence of God. The wonderful “O antiphons,” sung at evening prayer and during the Gospel acclama-tions towards the end of Ad-vent, speak of Christ at the “King of Nations and their Desire.” The Gospel read-ings in the coming weeks tell of John the Baptist express-ing Israel’s hope for a Mes-siah. Mary and Joseph look forward to the upcoming birth of a son. My friend was right. It’s all about desire.

But there’s a problem: desire has a bad rep in some reli-gious circles. When some of us hear the term they think of two things: sexual desire or material wants, both of which are condemned outright by some shortsighted re-ligious leaders. The first is one of the greatest gifts from God to humanity; without it the human race would cease to exist. The second is part of our natural desire for a healthy life--for food, shelter and clothing.

Desire may also be difficult for some people to accept in their spiritual lives. One of my favorite books on Ignatian spirituality is The Spiritual Exercises Reclaimed, writ-ten by Katherine Dyckman, Mary Garvin and Elizabeth Liebert, three women religious. In his classic text, The Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius Loyola repeatedly recom-mends praying for what “I want and desire.” For exam-ple, a closer relationship with God. Or a particular grace during a meditation period. The three authors astutely note that this dynamic may present obstacles for some

women. "Women may often feel that paying attention to their desires is somehow selfish and that they should not honor their desires if they are being truly generous with God." The authors strongly encourage women to resist that tendency and to "notice" and "name" their desires. To claim them as their own.

Why all this emphasis on desire? Because desire is a key way that God speaks to us, whether in Advent or the rest of the year. Our holy desires are gifts from God.

Holy desires are different than surface wants, like "I want a new smartphone” or “I want a bigger office.” Instead I'm talking about our deepest longings, those that shape our lives: desires that help us know who we are to become and what we are to do. Our deep longings help know God’s desires for

us, and how much God desire to be with us. And God, I believe, encourages us to "notice" and "name" these de-sires, in the same way that Jesus encouraged Bartimaeus, the blind beggar in the Gospels, to articulate his desire. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked the blind man sitting by the roadside. “Lord, I want to see,” says Bartimaeus.

Why does Jesus ask Bartimaeus a seemingly idiotic question? After all, Jesus knew that the man was blind! For one thing, Jesus may have wanted to offer him the freedom to ask, to give the man the dignity of choice, rather than simply healing him straightaway. For an-other, Jesus knew that recognizing our desires means recognizing God's desires for us. Jesus may have asked Bartimaeus what he wanted because our longings help us learn something about who we are. It's so freeing to say, "This is what I desire in life." Naming our desires may also make us more grateful when we receive the fulfillment of our hopes.

Advent is About Desire

By JAMES MARTIN, SJ

(Article continue on page 12)

Expressing our desires brings us into a closer relationship with God. Not naming them sets up a barrier. It would be like never telling your best friend your innermost thoughts. Your friend would remain distant. When we tell God our desires, our relationship with God deepens.

Desire is also a primary way people are led to discover who they are and what they are meant to do. On the most obvious level, two people feel sexual, emotional and spiritual desire for one another, and in this way discover their vocations to love. A person feels an attrac-tion to becoming a doctor, or a lawyer, or a teacher, and so discovers his or her vocation. Desire helps us find our way. But we first have to know them.

The deepest-held longings of our hearts are our holy de-sires. Not only desires for physical healing, as Bartimaeus asked for (and as many ask for today) but also the hope for change, for growth, for a fuller life. And our deepest desires, those that lead us to become who we are, are God's desires for us. They are ways that God speaks to you directly, one way that, as St. Ignatius Loyola says, the “Creator deals directly with the creature.” They are also one way that God fulfills God's own dreams for the world, by calling people to certain tasks.

Desire plays an enormous role in the life of a Jesuit. As novices, we were taught that our deep longings are im-portant to notice. A young Jesuit who dreams of working with the poor and marginalized, for example, or studying Scripture, or working as a retreat director, will be en-couraged to pay attention to his desires. Likewise, Jesuit superiors reverence these desires when making decisions about where to assign a particular Jesuit.

Sometimes in life, you might find yourself lacking the de-sire for something that you want to desire. Let's say you are living in a comfortable world with scant contact with the poor. You may say, "I know I'm supposed to want to live simply and work with the poor, but I have no desire to do this." Perhaps you know that you should want to be more generous, more loving, more forgiving, but don't desire it. How can you pray for that with honesty?

In reply, Ignatius would ask, "Do you at least have the desire for this desire?" Even if you don't want it, do you want to want it? Do you wish that you were the kind of person that wanted this? Even this can be seen as an invitation from God. It is a way of glimpsing God's invita-tion even in the faintest traces of desire.

Desire is a key part of Christian spirituality because desire is a key way that God's voice is heard in our lives. And our deepest desire, planted within us, is our Advent desire for Christ, the Desire of the Nations.

The Rev. James Martin, SJ is a Jesuit priest, author, and editor-at-large at America, The National Catholic Review.

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(Article continues from page 11)

Gift of Wonder"Each year, God asks us to shed one more coat of awareness, one more dream state and come alive to the vi-sion of God’s plan for each of us and the world-at-large.

"The older we get, the harder this is to do. As children we had a sense of wonder. Our eyes were wide open and drinking in the fascinating gifts we be-held…Our thirsty souls could not have enough of the wonders of creation.

"Then, somehow, we grew too old to dream. We tired of the abundance of the world, or at least grew weary of keep-ing up with the feast of life, and stepped away from the banquet of life.

"The natural gift of wonder God gave us as children was meant to be kept alive.…Instead we let wonder go to sleep. We entered the typical dream state of most humans.

"Why else does Jesus tell us today, ‘Stay awake!’…Advent says, ‘Wake up and re-alize the gifts of love you have received.’

"…Psychology says, ‘Let go.’ Spirituality says, ‘Wake up.’ In both cases there is a withdrawal from the busyness of daily life (our dream state) and a waking up to the subconscious and spiritual depths of ourselves."

Rev. Alfred McBride, O. Praem.THE PRIEST, Oct. ‘87, p.26

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Parish RESOURCES

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 | info@stceciliaboston.orgWebsite | www.stceciliaboston.org

Parish StaffRev. John J. Unni, PastorMary Kaye, Pastoral Director of Operations, mkaye@stceciliaboston.orgMark Donohoe, Pastoral Associate for Administration, mdonohoe@stceciliaboston.orgScott J. MacDonald, Director of Faith Formation and Leadership Development, smacdonald@stceciliaboston.orgJeanne Bruno, Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach, jbruno@stceciliaboston.orgRichard J. Clark, Director of Music and Organist, rclark@stceciliaboston.orgLisa Pickering, Events and Facilities Manager,lpickering@stceciliaboston.orgMegan Riggle, Business and Marketing Coordinator,mriggle@stceciliaboston.org

Assisting ClergyRev. Erick Berrelleza, SJRev. Arthur M. CalterRev. 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 a.m., and 6:00 p.m.Holy Days | 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Liturgy of the HoursEvening Prayer and Morning Prayer, as announced. Please check the bulletin for dates and times.

ReconciliationThe sacrament of reconciliation is available at Saint Cecilia by ap-pointment, or at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine (617-266-5999 x221), St. Francis Chapel in the Prudential Center (617-437-7117), and St. Anthony Shrine (617-542-6440). Please call for scheduled times.

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. For more information, please contact Scott MacDonald.

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.

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

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

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 (loisflaherty@gmail.com), Maria Roche (maria.roche15@gmail.com), Letitia Howland (l_howland@hotmail.com), or Erin Young (erin.t.young@gmail.com) 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 DisabledThe church is accessible by elevator.

Sunday ParkingThere is reduced rate parking for $11.00 at the Hynes Auditorium Garage located on Dalton Street (next to Summer Shack/Kings) 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 Mass. Discounted parking is no longer available at the Hilton Boston Back Bay, but reduced-rate parking continues to be available 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.

Saint Cecilia Rainbow MinistrySaint Cecilia Rainbow Ministry is a GLBTQ community at Saint Cecilia. For more information, contact stceciliarainbowministry@gmail.com.

Joining Our CommunityWe’re happy that you’re with us! Our community offers a warm, spiritual home for a diverse group of Catholics. We come from many neighborhoods 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.