This Monday, August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since the feast falls on a Monday in 2016, the holy day of obligation is abrogated and is therefore not a holy day of obligation.
Mass will be celebrated on Monday, August 15 at St. John’s at 7:00 a.m. and St. Paul’s at 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
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Posted in Holy Days, Important Announcements
Pope Francis: Life and Revolution: A Biography of Jorge Bergoglio
Since Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis in 2013, countless books have been written to help the world understand this deeply complex yet simple servant of God. What sets Pope Francis: Life and Revolution apart from all other biographies of Pope Francis is the careful research and original investigation behind it, along with the fact that it is written by an internationally respected journalist—Elisabetta Piqué—who has remained close to the Pope since first meeting him back in 2001.
Over 75 individuals were interviewed for Pope Francis: Life and Revolution, including lay people, priests, bishops, and cardinals who have known or worked with Francis at various times in his life. Insights from these people, as well as from friends and family members, allow us to see a profoundly personal side of the Pope. His humility and humanity, courage and conviction, and warmth and wisdom are revealed as Piqué shares little-known episodes from Francis’s life.
With a foreword by Cardinal Seán O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Pope Francis: Life and Revolution is the definitive resource and narrative of a man personally known by few and revered and respected by many.
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Posted in Adult Faith Formation, Important Announcements, Year of Mercy
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Posted in Important Announcements, Special Collections
Be sure to check out our World Youth Day blog for updates and photos from Poland!
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Posted in Important Announcements, World Youth Day
The 39 pilgrims from our collaborative are leaving for World Youth Day on July 21st and returning on August 3rd. We would like to invite you to a send-off Mass on Thursday, July 21 at 12:00 noon at St Paul Church. We will have Mass together and then the pilgrims will board the bus and wave goodbye!
Also we invite you to follow our pilgrimage blog at www.sjspwellesley.org/wyd2016. We hope that we will be able to update you and share photos daily. The blog will also be available from both parish websites.
Please pray for all of us, for safe travels, health and mostly that through this pilgrimage God will pour down His blessings on our young people, setting their hearts on fire and filling them with a deeper love for Him. We will be praying for our sponsors and for the intentions of everyone in our collaborative while we are in Poland and especially at Mass with Pope Francis. We are so grateful for all your support.
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Posted in Important Announcements, Special Liturgies, World Youth Day
The Jubilee Year of Mercy will come to a close this November 20, 2016. This summer, why not dive into some books that are spiritually-enriching and rediscover God’s incredible mercy. Please feel free to send in your own summer reading recommendations to stjohnwellesley@stjohnwellesley.org and we will be sure to share them in the bulletin this summer.
Beautiful Mercy – featuring content from Matthew Kelly and twenty-six other incredible authors.
The perfect companion for the Year of Mercy called for by Pope Francis, Beautiful Mercy provides an encounter with the heart of God. By focusing on the seven spiritual and seven corporal works of mercy, it inspires readers to realize that extraordinary acts of love are possible for us all—no matter where we are in life. Once again bringing to light the genius of Catholicism, bestselling author Matthew Kelly has enlisted the help of twenty-six other incredible authors who witness to the power of God’s mercy, provide simple, practical tips on how to be an instrument of that mercy, and bring hope to anyone searching for deeper meaning in life.
Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job, by Kerry Weber
When Jesus asked us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and visit the imprisoned, he didn’t mean it literally, right? Kerry Weber, a modern, young, single woman in New York City sets out to see if she can practice the Corporal Works of Mercy in an authentic, personal, meaningful manner while maintaining a full, robust, regular life. Weber, a lay Catholic, explores the Works of Mercy in the real world, with a gut-level honesty and transparency that people of urban, country, and suburban locales alike can relate to. Mercy in the City is for anyone who is struggling to live in a meaningful, merciful way amid the pressures of “real life.” For those who feel they are already overscheduled and too busy, for those who assume that they are not “religious enough” to practice the Works of Mercy, for those who worry that they are alone in their efforts to live an authentic life, Mercy in the City proves that by living as people for others, we learn to connect as people of faith.
The Mercy Prayer: The One Prayer Jesus Always Answers, by Robert Gelinas
Lord, have mercy. A raw plea for intervention. The most frequent prayer in the Bible. And- -most remarkably–a request that God has never failed to grant . . . often in surprising ways that have radically transformed individual lives and the trajectory of history itself. In The Mercy Prayer, Robert Gelinas explores the richness of God’s unfailing compassion by blending biblical insights with penetrating personal encounters and keen insight into familiar stories. The result is a practical guide for receiving the mercy we all desperately need and letting it flow from us into the lives of others.
And for kids…
Say Sorry And Mean It: Apologizing From The Heart , by Trudy Lubwig
Jack’s friend, Charlie, knows how to get away with just about everything: “If you get caught, just say you’re sorry.” But does an apology count if you don’t really mean it? And what happens when the person you’ve hurt knows you don’t mean it? Jack’s about to find out there’s a whole lot more to a real apology than a simple “sorry!” Trudy Ludwig’s book captures the importance of making a sincere apology and models for children how to take ownership of hurtful behavior and make amends.
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Posted in Adult Faith Formation, Children, Important Announcements, Service Commission, Year of Mercy
Dear Everyone:Comments Off on A Message from Sr. Evelyn Ronan to the St. John Parish Community
Posted in Important Announcements, Special Events, Special Liturgies
Fr. Jim will leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land this fall.
November 10-22, 2016
$3,150.00 per person includes flights, taxes and surcharges. Travel on modern coach with Catholic guide, 4 star hotel accommodations, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily trips. For more information please contact Marian Pilgrimages, Mary Henry, 781-331-2444 or mary@marianusa.com
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Posted in Important Announcements
As you know, on July 1, 2016, Fr. Jim Laughlin became the pastor of our St. John-St. Paul Collaborative.
We warmly welcome Fr. Jim to Wellesley!
Father Jim Laughlin was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston in 1991. He served as a parochial vicar at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Braintree and St. Eulalia Parish in Winchester before becoming pastor of St. Ann Parish in Wayland in 2006. He is a canon lawyer and served as a judge of the Metropolitan Tribunal before his arrival in Wayland. In 2008, he became pastor of St. Zepherin Parish, serving Wayland and Natick, in addition to his role as pastor of St. Ann’s. On January 1, 2011, the two parishes merged to form Good Shepherd Parish and Fr. Jim was appointed as its first pastor. He is an adjunct faculty member at the Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John Seminary. He has been active in prison ministry at MCI-Framingham since 1989. Fr. Jim has an A.B. degree from Dartmouth College (1985), where he majored in Russian Language and Literature. He also studied at Leningrad State University. He earned an M.Div. from St. John Seminary in Boston and a J.C.L. from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
–photo and text courtesy of the Good Shepherd Parish website
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Posted in Important Announcements, SJSP Collaborative
This weekend is our spring Men’s Clothing Drive for St. Francis House. Each year the drive is a huge success because of your generosity and grace. St. Francis House is the largest day shelter in New England, serving over 800 men and women on a daily basis; on average, St. Francis House distributes 250 sets of clothing to their guests each week. To help meet this ongoing need, we are collecting men’s gently-used everyday clothing.
Right now, the highest needed items include:
NEW THIS YEAR, we are accepting professional clothing (suits) in support of St. Francis House’s Moving Ahead Program. It is a job-skills training program that supports students with self-sufficiency and well-being to lead fulfilling lives. Professional clothing will help students with the interview process.
We hope you will take the time for a quick spring cleaning, and remember to drop off the items to our church garage on the weekend of June 11-12 from 9AM to 5PM.
Please Note: They DO NOT accept children’s clothing, used socks, or any discolored items. If you can put your items in boxes or secured bags, and label it with the general contents, it would be a great help with sorting. Thank you for your generosity!
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Posted in Important Announcements, Seasonal Initiatives, Service Commission
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