Pope Francis has again made history as the first Pope to launch a worldwide App which is intended for use of news, catechesis and evangelization. The app was available for download before the official launch, but remained locked. When the pope activated the app on May 17 by pushing a button marked “evangelizantur” (Latin for “they have been evangelized”) on an iPad, users around the world were notified. Continue reading
Pope Francis Launches Missio App
Comments Off on Pope Francis Launches Missio App
Posted in Important Announcements, Pope Francis
Reflections from the Central Republic of Africa
On previous occasions, we have shared with you the reflections of Bishop Nestor Nongo, who assisted at St. John’s a few summers ago. In his most recent e-mail, he indicated the Central Republic of Africa “has become a ghost country where ethical values were replaced by the gain of power, injustice, the law of the jungle, the settling of scores and the witch hunt. Henceforth Central African citizens have been considered like beasts to be tracked down and killed with impunity.”
He also shared a letter the Bishops have sent to the new President and we share with you a portion of this letter that highlights the suffering that the Church in the Central Republic is experiencing. Continue reading
Comments Off on Reflections from the Central Republic of Africa
Posted in Important Announcements
Welcome to Fr. John Connelly!
This past week, Fr. John Connelly retired as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Newton Center where he has been Pastor for 30 years. Prior to that, he was Professor of Systematic Theology at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton. It was there that he assumed responsibility for the education and formation of the two priests who presently serve St. Johns. We will let you decide whether he was successful in that effort! We extend to Fr. Connelly our warmest greetings, and we are sure that he will benefit greatly from the hospitality of St. John Parish.
Comments Off on Welcome to Fr. John Connelly!
Posted in Important Announcements
Inter Parish Collaborative Team
In preparation for the integration of St. John and St. Paul into a new parish collaborative, the inter parish team will be presenting information, on a regular basis, that will help keep you well informed. With that objective in mind we are publishing the following article that was written by Rev. Paul Soper on Feb. 10, 2013. This is a brief, accurate and concise explanation of the Archdiocese Pastoral Plan for the formation of parish collaboratives.
Disciples in Mission: Pastoral Planning
by Rev. Paul Soper, Director
February 10, 2013
I don’t think anyone would disagree that the Archdiocese of Boston and the Universal Church have had a pretty tough decade. Reeling from the effects of the abuse crisis, declining Mass attendance, a bleak financial picture, and an ever-dwindling number of clergy to carry forth the mission of the Church, we easily could have decided to shrink and turn inwards. Instead of choosing the easier, yet more painful route of closing churches, we have decided to form an innovative, and dynamic plan to treat the cause and not the symptom of such disheartening changes, seeking a way to reverse global trends and get people back in the pews, increase donations, and see vocations on the rise, so that not only would we want to keep churches open, but we would need to keep them open to serve our burgeoning population? That is exactly what this plan strives to do.
In order to do this, we needed to address some structural components first. As our priest population is aging, we find it more and more challenging to serve all the parishes in the Archdiocese. It is difficult for pastors to serve their parishes because they are expected to wear many hats—as both spiritual shepherd and business manager. To address these issues, we have created collaboratives of parishes where we can not only pool resources, but also where a priest or priests can serve the spiritual needs of a parish, while a strong, well-trained support staff can handle the day-to-day tasks of running an organization. This way, priests can better focus on what they were ordained to do: serve the people of God.
This is not intended to be a top-down restructuring of every minute detail in a parish—certainly the people on the ground know best the dynamics of their own parish. That is why each collaborative will write their own local pastoral plan to hash out the details of how Pastoral Planning will take shape in their collaborative. While there will, of course, be many practical issues to work out, it is important to remember that the focus and goal will be bringing people back to Christ.
In the coming weeks, we will discuss exactly how we plan to do that—how we came to choose the collaboratives in Phase One, what will the trainings (undertaken by both parishes and the central staff of the Archdiocese) involve, what is the “New Evangelization” and how does it work. All of that and more to come. Until then, you can always get more details about Pastoral Planning on the website, Disciples in Mission.
Comments Off on Inter Parish Collaborative Team
Posted in Disciples in Mission, Important Announcements, Pastoral Planning Group
Capital Campaign Update – Parish-Wide Questionnaire and Focus Groups Begin!
As you know, Fr. Powers and our Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils have decided to move forward with a parish-wide Planning Study to formulate a plan to address some on-going maintenance needs at our parish. Your opinions and suggestions will enable us to formulate a final plan that will help meet the needs of our entire parish. During the next several weeks, every family on our mailing list will be contacted and asked to take part in a study process conducted by Cornerstone Fundraising, a professional Catholic fundraising firm. Members of the Cornerstone team will be conducting one-on-one personal interviews and focus groups. Please consider attending one of the Focus Groups, which are open to all parishioners, to discuss this possible project.
The Cornerstone staff will be conducting these meetings in the Social Hall:
Thursday, June 13th at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and Monday, June 17th at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
In addition, every registered household will be mailed a study questionnaire. The survey form is strictly confidential and no names will be attributed to any direct or indirect quotes. Please complete and return the questionnaire within 10 days. You may mail it, place it in the collection at Mass or drop it off at the Parish Office. The questionnaire is also available on-line. Please make every effort to participate in the process so that we may complete this study with your open and honest input.
Comments Off on Capital Campaign Update – Parish-Wide Questionnaire and Focus Groups Begin!
Posted in Capital Campaign, Important Announcements
St. Paul Pilgrimage to Divine Mercy Shrine June 22
Please Join the St. Paul Pilgrimage on 6/22/2013!
Cost: $40.00 (includes lunch and transportation)
Departure: 7:00am Return: 7:00pm
Contact: Kay Kociuba stpaulassociate@verizon.net
Comments Off on St. Paul Pilgrimage to Divine Mercy Shrine June 22
Posted in Important Announcements
Thank You from the Religious Education Team
A profound thank you to all the teachers who so generously volunteer their time and talent to the Religious Education Program. Their commitment is extraordinary as they graciously share their Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings or Wednesday afternoons to teach our children about our shared Catholic faith.
Grades 1 – 6 Teachers: Joan Ankrom, Niki Bramley, Jackson Bramley, Lisa Calderone, Daniel Calderone, Johanne Campbell, Marla Capozzi, Izzy Caruso, Joanne Clark, Gina Cohen, Mary Conway, Joyce Farah, Lisa Fico, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Renee Glorioso, Virginia (Vicki) Gockelman, Jo Gourdeau, Tracie Groeling, Suzanne Higgins, Conley Jacobs, Kelly Jacobs, Kyle Jacobs, Cathi Jones, Joe Jose, Ryan Kelley, Camille Kelly, Sara Kinney, Meredith Lepper, Maryellen Maggiacomo, Christina Messore, Dierdre O’Kelley-Lynch, Joe Restino, Stephen Scherrer, Corinne Spinale, Leslie Tellalian, Heidi Tobin, Maria Trachy, MaryAnne Ulian, Ben Wardwell and Julie Wilde
Grades 7 – 10 Teachers: Christina Brooks, Anne Connors, Peg Creonte, Amy Cuzzupoli, Kerry Dario, Peter DeNatale, Barbara Donovan, Beth Dugan, Lucy Kapples, Rick Kinney, Linda Messore, Jim Miller, Mary Mullen, Mary Elizabeth Patti, Lee Phillips, Kathy Skelly, Jacquie Sullivan-Noel, Jeanne Turley and Andy Wrobel
Additionally, we extend special thanks to the teaching assistants and support staff whose Sunday morning support is vital to the success of the program: Martha Betancourt, Katie Kester, Patrick Rahill, Peter Santo, Andrew Scherrer and Matthew Scherrer
Peer Ministers: Thank you to all the peer ministers who are such an integral part of the religious education program for grades 7 – 10. Their faith, commitment, and service to their classmates are praiseworthy. Ryan Buzzell, Aidan Cort, Luisa Escallon, Maria Fantozzi, Kathy Fortin, Emily Griffin, Jack Griffin, Caroline Hurley, Mack Jones, Ally Kelliher, Caroline Kelliher, Katie Kester, Alex Mitchell, Sam Phillipps, Chris Picher, Brian Rolincik, Monica Skelly, Emily Stabnick, Emily Wilson and Elizabeth Young
Comments Off on Thank You from the Religious Education Team
Posted in Religious Education Program
Capital Campaign Update
Fr. Powers and our Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils have decided to move forward with a parish-wide Planning Study to formulate a plan to address some on-going maintenance needs at our parish. For the past year and a half, our Building and Grounds Committee has been evaluating our parish facilities and assessing deferred maintenance. We are in the process of prioritizing these needs and estimating the total cost for the work. During the next several weeks, every parish family on our mailing list will be contacted and asked to take part in a study process to be conducted by Cornerstone Fundraising, a professional Catholic fundraising firm. Members of the Cornerstone team will be conducting one-on-one personal interviews and focus groups with randomly selected families and individuals of the parish. A direct mail study questionnaire will be mailed to every home as well.
Focus Group meetings are open to all parishioners. The Cornerstone staff will be conducting these meetings in the Social Hall: Thursday, June 13th 1:00pm and 7:00pm and Monday, June 17th 1:00pm and 7:00pm. Please make every effort to participate in the survey process so that we may complete this study with your open and honest input.
Comments Off on Capital Campaign Update
Posted in Capital Campaign, Finance Council, Important Announcements, Parish Pastoral Council
June 9: My Faith Map
As we know, during this Year of Faith, there is a great emphasis on Evangelization, the act of spreading the Good News, sharing the message and life of Jesus Christ. At a recent meeting of our Parish Adult Faith Formation Commission, the group explored the idea of inviting parishioners to witness and share their experience and journey in faith. These stories, personal and different, identified or anonymous, will appear in the Sunday Bulletin, under the heading, My Faith Map. Please email your Faith Map story to Frank McConville, or snail mail: 59 Thackeray Road, Wellesley, 02481.
Comments Off on June 9: My Faith Map
Posted in Adult Faith Formation
Summer 2013: News from Religious Education
Registration
Religious Education registration packets for the 2013/2014 school year were mailed to all families. If you have not received a packet in the mail, it is available for download on the Religious Education page on the Parish website.
Confirmation
The Parish’s Confirmation preparation is a two year program beginning in grade 9. Except for those enrolled in Catholic schools, all students must complete the two year program prior to being confirmed. All 10th grade Catholic school students planning to be Confirmed in May 2014 must fully participate in the second year of the Parish Religious Education Program. If you have any questions, please email Jane Leonard or call 781.237.0141.
Teachers
We are always looking for teachers who are willing to teach any of the grades 1 – 10. If you are interested, please contact the Religious Education Office at 781.235.5337 (Grades 1– 6) or 781.237.0141 (Grades 7 – 10).
Comments Off on Summer 2013: News from Religious Education
Posted in Important Announcements, Religious Education Program