Today’s gospel gives us an example of repentance and redemption.  Peter has betrayed Jesus by denying him three times and now Jesus asks him three times if Peter loves him.  With affirming Jesus in his life he is now able to move on.  Now that Jesus feeds Peter’s emptiness Jesus gives him a commission to feed his sheep.

As Easter people we must allow Jesus to feed us so that we might feed others. I am sure that each of us, at some time or other—perhaps in Lent, have made a resolution to follow Christ more closely and allow him to work through us. Studies have shown that even when people are determined to alter their lives, they usually fail to make lasting changes.

We need three things to make our resolutions productive. First, we need to change from “should” to “must”. Second, we need to find a role model to imitate. In the old days we used to read the lives of saints. Some of their piety was good for their day but not fitting for today—at least not in the way their lives were written. We need to find models closer to our time. One such model might be Grandma Moses. As a youth Anna Mary Robertson worked on a farm where she met and married a hired hand, Tom Moses. They raised ten children together. At the age of eighty Anna could no longer do her beloved needlework because of her arthritic fingers. She decided to try painting. Her paintings of farms were displayed in the local drugstore. One day an art collector was taken by the simple, childlike paintings. Grandma Moses became one of America’s classic folk-painters gaining an international following. She finished over 1,500 paintings, one-fourth of them after she was over 100 years old. You may have plenty of models surrounding you in your every-day life.

Besides determination and the presence of a good role model we need the courage to risk making failures. Someone has written that success is the result of good judgment, which is the result of experience. Experience, however, is often gained at the expense of bad judgment and mistakes.

As each of us strives to follow the Lord more closely we look to Peter. He probably thought of himself as much of a failure as Judas yet he did not destroy himself but turned to the Lord to receive his forgiveness. He heard Jesus say to him: “Let’s begin again. This time let us together do it better.” 

We have rescheduled the date for “Celebrating Our Parish”.  The celebration will take place after all of the Masses on the weekend of June 12^th & 13^th.  Please plan to join us after Mass in the Parish Center.

Offertory for April 10^th & 11^th                $4804.50

Envelope Offerings       $4180.50

Loose Cash                          $624.00

St. John/St. Hugh                                             $130.00

9:00am – Friday, April 30^th          Memorial Fund Members

9:00am – Saturday, May 1^st                 Bette Catania Bosco

This week we ask you to pray for those who are ill, including, Brianna Cimino, Rosemary Harvey, Regina Jones, Andrea Hynes, Joyce Amos, James Reilly, Regina Wingard, 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, Dorothy Lee, William MacKinnon, Mary Jefferson, Elizabeth Conte, Dave Rissmiller, Violet Caldaroni, Frank Cote, James Bresnahan, Ann Mulray, Rita Mahan, Connie Perrotta, Gerard Sarno, Dorothy Grant, Gretin Cervantes, Marisol O’Brien, Matthew Gablor, Paul Pantano, Fran Ressetar, Lori Robbins, Cecelia Hines, Renee Chapman, Peter Bellini, Christine Gainer, Chris Ann Colletti Feener, Katherine Bingham, Helen McLaughlin, Paul Doherty, Jorge Loayza, Joseph Brault, Linda Riley, Lauren Forgette, Jim Galehouse, Bill Attaya, John McCarthy, Don Sabatand, and Pauline Briggs. 

Food Pantry

Next weekend, May 1^st & 2^nd, we will have our monthly food pantry collection.  This month the food collected will be donated to the Lexington Food Pantry.

Catholic Appeal 2004

Next weekend, May 1^st & 2^nd, marks the beginning of the Catholic Appeal for the year 2004.  The theme this year is “Together In Faith”.  This appeal supports many charities and ministries in the Archdiocese.  We ask that you be as generous as possible.

Prayer for Vocations

Generous God,

You show us the way that leads to everlasting life. Through baptism you have called us

to proclaim the Good News.

Bless and strengthen those

who have made a commitment

to service in the Church.

Guide and give wisdom

to those discerning their vocation.

Enrich our Church

with dedicated married and single people,

with deacons, priests and religious.

Filled with joy and your Holy Spirit

may we follow Jesus, our Good Shepherd

now and always.

Amen.

Boston Archdiocesan Choir School

The Boston Boy Choir of the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School will perform its 41^st Annual Spring Benefit Concert, at St. Paul Church, Cambridge, on Friday, May 7^th at 8:00pm.  Reserved seat tickets are $10, $15, $20 7 $25.  Please call 617-868-8658 x314 to order your tickets or visit them online at www.bostonboychoir.org.

Marriage Encounter

This program is for couples that believe they have a good marriage, but desire a deeper understanding, a richer communication and more spirituality in their marriage.  The next scheduled weekends are: April 30^th, June 18^th & August 13^th.  For further information, please call 1-800-367-0343.

TEACHER APPRECIATION LITURGY

On Sunday, April 25 at the 9:00 Mass, we will acknowledge and thank all those who helped in the Religious Education program this year—teachers, aides, Retreat Team, office helpers—all of you have made our program a success and we want to thank you.

LAST CLASSES

Sunday, April 25 and Tuesday, April 27 are the last classes for the year.  Registration forms for next year will be sent out in early June—with the request that they be returned by June 30  if you wish your choice of day for next year. 

FIRST COMMUNION

Our 53 candidates for First Communion are pictured in the Follen Road entrance to the church.  Please sign up to be prayer partners for them—and they will pray especially for you on their special day.

On Sunday, May 2 at the 11:30 Mass and on Sunday, May 9 at the 9:00 Mass, we will welcome these children to the Lord’s Table for the first time.  All are welcome to attend these Masses and the reception that follows, but we will need to reserve some seats for the children and their families.

Winchester Voice of the Faithful

On Monday, April 26^th at 7:30pm the Winchester Voice of the Faithful will welcome Sister Mary Johnson, SND, Associate Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at Emmanuel College.  The topic for discussion will be “They Call Them Pastors: A Discussion of Two Studies of Women & Men Who Run Priest-less Parishes in the United States”.

Coordinator of YM: Maureen McKeown

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

C.L.I.    Letters will be mailed soon to teens who will be incoming Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors outlining the opportunity to participate in Catholic Leadership Institute at Merrimack College this July.  Several of our teens have participated in this program (as well as the next step:  CLIMB).  Their commitment, enthusiasm and leadership are very evident in the Sacred Heart faith community during this past year.  We need others who will be trained and willing to serve during the years ahead.  This is your parish – if you want an active community for young adults, the ball is in your court.  Date for C.L.I.(at Merrimack College) are July 19-23.  Call Maureen or speak to any member of our T.L.C. for more info.

GOSPEL ROAD Finally we have some dates for Gospel Road.  It will be the Week of August 9 - 13 at Oakhurst Retreat House in Whitinsville, MA.  More info will be on www.OYMBoston.org shortly!  This is a wonderful week of service, fun and growing

PATRIOTS’ DAY FOOD STAND:  Many of our youth (and several hard-working adults) contributed to the great success of our 2^nd Annual fund-raiser for Youth Ministry.  Without your enthusiastic support and generous donations of time and service, we could not have pulled it off.   THANK YOU – we actually made a profit of over $200!

Bulletins	Sacred Heart Parish Bulletin - April 25, 2004	Home