Every morning we arise afresh in Christ our light. Ancient Christian writers warn against “morning demons”: yesterday’s worries and grievances returning to poison the new day.  One of the ‘demons’ people face today is stress.  I thought that after 9-11 people would opt for a simpler life-style by prioritizing their needs and wants.  It has not happened.  People are pushed and pulled in so many directions because of careers, work, children, social and community activities that they have no time for quiet, no time to simply do nothing.  More Americans have high blood pressure, heart attacks, ulcers, alcoholism, and tranquilizers.  All of us have stress in our lives but more are saying they feel a strong need to reduce stress in their daily lives.  Doctor Keith Sehnert, in his book, Stress/Un-stress: How You Can Control Stress At Home And On The Job, writes: “We’ve learned to get angry and hostile with ourselves, our family, friends, fellow workers, and our bosses.  Sometimes this produces what people call “stress.”  It is more accurate to call the reaction “distress.”  Others will term it disillusionment, disappointment, frustration, anxiety, or just plain “being upset.”  What one calls it is not as important as what one does about it.”  He goes on to say that we first must understand stress well enough to prevent it in the first place; to learn to identify and handle stress early when it occurs and to learn un-stress remedies.

Certainly, God can be found in difficult times especially when we recognize we are in trouble.  But, God is found in times of quiet, in experiences of awe, in good relationships, in prayer.  If we are running frantically from one thing to another, never having enough time, we don’t even know what day it is.  We have to get off the treadmill.  “Lifelong habits are often difficult to change, but God gave us minds to understand and the power and perseverance to grow and change.  God also gave us the responsibility to be good stewards of all our resources, and this includes our health.  In order to maintain good health and achieve the related sense of well-being, one must have a good balance with productive work, adequate recreation, and harmony with the ones you live, work and play with,” writes Dr. Sehnert.

As summer vacations draw near I hope you will take some time to un-stress.  Take some time to enter more deeply into meditation and prayer.  Our life-style is killing us.  As one bumper sticker reads: “Let go and let God!”

A New Music Director

I want to thank Martin Kelley for the two years he has been our Music Director leading the choir and the congregation in praising God through song.  We wish him well in his new assignment at Saint Patrick’s Parish in Natick.  Todd Thereault, who is our present organist and pianist will take over the duties of Music Director.  We congratulate him on his new position and seek your continued support of the choir and the music program.

This week we ask you to pray for those who are ill, including, Brianna Cimino, Melissa Champagne, Rosemary Harvey, Regina Jones, Andrea Hynes, Joyce Amos, James Reilly, Regina Wingard, Elaine Ring, Erin McMehon, Maria Aguis, George Beck, Dr. Kenneth Spengler, Josephine Murphy, Peter Bugda, Norma Berstein, Camille Michals, Rob Morway, Patricia Hassett, Paul McCann, William Francis, Lillian Davenport, James Fontaini, Henri Fradette, William Blair, Agatha Pals, Richard Gaudet, Kath Rodriegas, Estelle Szalajeski, Nancy Driscoll, Dante DiManna, Margie Levine, Ruth Pike, Doug Phillips, Ralph Tatro, Andrew Day,  Peggy Sue Grow, Mary Serpa, Deborah Miller, Audrey Finn, Dorothy Lee, William MacKinnon, Mary Jefferson, Elizabeth Conte, Dave Rissmiller, Violet Calderoni, Alice Hinkle, Ruth McAleer, John McAleer, Monica Cotter, Frank Cote, Kathy Smith, Harold Johnson, James Bresnahan, Ann Mulray, Chrysostom Blanchard, Bea Lingane, Rita Mahan, Paul Bentley, Connie Perrotta, Gerard Sarno, Dorothy Grant, Marisol O’Brien, Caryl Dundorf, Peter Bellini, and Rita Laffey.  Please also pray for Joe DeLisle, father of Rita Ross who died this past week.

Virtus Training Dates

If you currently serve as a volunteer in our parish or will be serving in the future, you are required to  participate in the program PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN.  The upcoming dates are Saturday, June 28^th 9-12:30, Saturday, July 26^th, 9-12:30 at Sacred Heart Parish.  Please call Claire, 781-862-4646 to sign up for these programs.  On Tuesday, August 26^th from 9-12:30 or 7:00-10:30 the program will be held at St. Bridget Parish. St. Julia’s, Weston is offering June 22, 6-9:30 and September 28, 6-9:30.

Offertory for June 14/15^th                  $5201.00

Envelope Offerings       $4462.00

Loose Cash                          $ 539.00

St. John/St. Hugh               $  173.00

Many thanks to all who use the parish envelopes each week.  You are the mainstay of our parish support.  This week we received 129 envelopes from the 639 families that are sent envelopes each month.

Broken Dreams

As children bring their broken toys

With tears for us to mend,

I brought my broken dreams to God

Because He was my friend.

But instead of leaving Him in peace to work alone

I hung around and tried to help

With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,

“How can You be so slow?”

“My child,” He said,

“What could I do?  You never did let go.”

Our Lady of Nazareth Academy

Still thinking about which high school is best for you?  Think about Our Lady of Nazareth Academy!  At the Academy, you will find a college preparatory high school staffed by educators who value girls and the women they will become.  You will participate in a learning environment where each girl discovers her own voice and where every voice is valued.  You will stroll a wooded 20-acre campus where friendship and community are fostered.  You will experience small, supportive classes, award-winning performing arts, competitive athletics, and opportunities for creativity, leadership, and service. Nazareth Academy proudly offers a Catholic perspective that nurtures the sacred in each girl.  Both incoming freshwomen and students transferring from other schools are welcome!  For more information or to request an application, call Cheryle Bartolo, Director of Academy Advancement, at (781) 245-0214.  E-mail: cbartolo@nazacad.org.  The Academy is located at 14 Winship Drive, Wakefield, MA 01880.

The Annual Catholic Appeal Update

Our appreciation goes out to all parishioners who have made a gift to the 2003 Appeal.  To date we have received $26,180 from 71 donors.  We are at 25% of our parish target of $77,661.  If you have not yet given to the Appeal, please consider making a gift and supporting the more than 8 agencies, ministries, and programs that serve two million people in the Archdiocese.  Pledge forms can be found at the doors of the church.

Communion From The Cup

Jesus’ command to us at the Last Supper is clear: “Take this, all of you, and drink from it.”  In the three decades since the Second Vatican Council, communion from a common cup for all the faithful was gradually re-introduced as a sign of obedience to the Lord’s command. But centuries before that, sharing both the body and the blood was so much the norm that to refuse the cup raised suspicions about one’s beliefs.

For a number of reasons, the practice of sharing the cup became the exception rather than the rule.  Popular piety placed an increased emphasis on seeing the sacred elements.  Because of the difficulty of seeing the wine in the chalice, the wine became secondary.  A change in the posture for communion from standing to kneeling made reception from the cup more awkward.  Fears of spillage and disease also played a role.  Complicated theological disputes eventually resulted in a decision at the Council of Trent in 1562 to avoid further misunderstandings and to withhold the cup from the laity.

Good liturgy demands that our actions be consistent with our words.  At the preparation of the gifts, we bring forward the gifts of bread and wine. We pray that “the fruit of the vine and work of human hands” become “our spiritual food and drink.”  These gifts are offered to the Father, who changes them into the body and blood of the Lord and gives them back to us.  The fullness of the mystery is lost when we do not accept the gifts in return. Good liturgy also demands respect for the power of our symbols.  Wine calls to mind not only the joys of the heavenly banquet table, but also the price of the covenant which led to Jesus’ suffering and death.  We neglect the power of such images when we ignore the cup.

Prudence, of course, dictates that education and common sense be used so that sharing in the one cup is not a cause of fear or discomfort.  The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta have not found it necessary to recommend that the church abandon its ancient practice; however, out of courtesy, a communicant with a contagious illness, whether a mild cold or something more serious, may wish to refrain from drinking from the cup.

“When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.”  May our actions be consistent with the words we sing.  May we eat and drink in obedience to the Lord’s command.

Copyright © 1997 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago IL 60622-1101; 1-800-933-1800. Text by Kathy Luty. Art by Luba Lukova.

Coordinator of YM: Maureen McKeown

781/861-8385 X21 - email: nychick1@att.net

SCRIPTURE STUDY: A small group of teens have been meeting regularly for several weeks in a relaxed atmosphere to read Scripture (God’s word), reflect on the meaning of the passage in their lives and share a simple meal.  The Gospel of John is their focus.

Now that summer is finally here, they plan to continue their journey on Sunday morning at 11 AM (following the 10 o’clock Mass).  If you have ever thought about why the stories from scripture are still around, or how you might begin to look more closely at those passages you remember from your childhood – or if there is a message here for you – a teen in a community of faith in Lexington in 2003 – then perhaps this is the summer to set aside that time.  Come and see what it’s all about – no obligation, as they say! 

GOSPEL ROAD:  We would still hope to have some participants for Gospel Road in August.  8^th grade or older is eligible.

LION KING is finally coming to Boston (Summer of 2004)!  Tickets are already being reserved by other groups – is there an interest in doing this from Sacred Heart?  We have 13 reservations to date.  As soon as we get to 30 – 35, a date will be set.  I know it is difficult to plan this far ahead, but it is the only way we will get a block of tickets.  Please contact me about details and I will look into this further.  A great evening was had by all who went to Superstar!!

CLIMB:  This year Bridgette Trometer and Tori Cimino are returning for another week of leadership training at the CLIMB program at Merrimack College.  This Sunday morning at the 10 o’clock Mass we will send them forth with a special blessing from our community.  Please remember them in your prayers this week.

CATHOLIC LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: Sarah Andryauskas and Ryan Bell will participate in the July 21 session of C.L.I. for one week.  We applaud their commitment and would welcome a few more teens for C.L.I.  Next year we will be assured of a leadership team of teens from this group.

PERMISSION SLIPS FOR THE FOLLOWING EVENTS/PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN MAILED.  EXTRAS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE BOX AT THE PARISH CENTER.

HARBOR CRUISES:  HIGH SCHOOL

CLI  (CATHOLIC LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE)

GOSPEL ROAD

These programs fill up quickly.  Please return your forms ASAP so you don’t miss out.

“CUT THIS COLUMN OUT AND POST IN ON YOUR BULLETIN BOARD”

Bulletins	Sacred Heart Parish Bulletin -June 22, 2003	Home