Each year in November, St. John’s participates in the Coats for Kids drive by Anton’s Cleaners, a Boston-wide coat collection campaign for children, teens, adults and babies. Anton’s cleans all the donated coats and coordinates their distribution to those in need. Please bring gently used, warm, winter coats to the Rectory garage after Mass on the weekends of November 5-6 and 12-13.
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Posted in Important Announcements, Seasonal Initiatives, Service Commission
Pope Francis’ Year of Mercy calls us to know mercy and show mercy in a very intentional way. Take time each week to be mindful of ways you show mercy to others… through forgiveness or through acts of kindness to others in need. Write down your act of mercy on a heart and then place it in the Mercy Basket next to the offertory table at the back of the Church.
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Posted in Adult Faith Formation, Service Commission, Year of Mercy
T
he date for the next Refugee Relief orientation is set for Thursday, October 20th at 6:00pm and will last for an hour. It will take place on the second floor of the Laboure Center, which is the branch of Catholic Charities located at 275 W Broadway in South Boston, about four blocks down from Broadway station on the Red Line. There is a parking lot in the back, and be sure to park in the white spaces. At the meeting CC leaders will review information about the refugee situation in general and how it relates to the services provided by CC, as well as look at some upcoming opportunities for volunteers. Please bring a government-issued form of ID, like your driver’s license or passport. If you have any questions, please contact the Rectory.
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Posted in Homeless/Feed the Hungry, Service Commission
A belated, though heartfelt thanks to Parishioners for contributing $17,789 to Catholic Charities Refugee Relief Services, St. John’s Lenten Gift. As you may be aware, refugee relief continues to be a pressing problem worldwide. Catholic Charities Boston welcomes volunteers to help with airport arrivals, apartment set ups and donation drives (for things like toiletries and household goods). If you are interested in getting involved, please contact the Service Commission.
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Posted in 2016 Lenten Gift, Christmas & Lent, Service Commission
Celebrating Who We Are
and How We Care
Have you been hearing Christ’s call to serve, but not sure how? We can help! The specific work of the Service Commission is to be a catalyst for Christ’s call to serve, that it be continually heard and responded to in all aspects of parish life. Join us after all the Masses during Welcome Weekend (September 24-25) for information on the many ways you can participate. Sponsored by Parish Service Commission.
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Posted in Service Commission
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
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
We all know what it feels like to be sick and at home or in a hospital. It is isolating and often very painful. The presence of visitors can often lift-up the heart of a patient and remind them that they are not alone. “Visiting the sick” in our world can mean reaching out to those who are “sick at heart” from being lonely and forgotten and who are regularly deprived of the basic human need called “friendship.”
Jim O’Connor’s students thought they knew him — until last November, when senior Pat McGoldrick learned they didn’t know the half of him. (CBS photo)
A heartwarming news story that lent itself to “Visiting the Sick” that was featured on CBS’ “On the Road” in which Steve Hartman meets students of St. Francis High School who thought they knew everything about their math teacher, Jim O’Connor. But what they found out at a local hospital taught them a life lesson.
What Can I do?
Homebound Ministry: This ministry reaches out to our parishioners who are homebound, and provides opportunities for volunteers to visit and for Eucharistic Ministers to bring the Eucharist.
Hospital Visitation: This corporal work of mercy is relatively easy to do. And our service and outreach programs at St John’s have several ways to help: The Chaplain’s Office at Newton-Wellesley Hospital welcomes volunteers to visit the sick and Eucharistic Ministers to bring communion on a weekly basis.
Nursing Home Visitation: This ministry reaches out to nursing home residents in three area facilities: Newton Health Care, The Falls at Cordingly Dam, and Elizabeth Seton Residence.
Visit our Service and Outreach page on the web for more information about these and other service opportunities.
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Posted in Adult Faith Formation, Service Commission, Year of Mercy
The St. John Service Commission would like to thank everyone who has supported our parish-wide effort to join Catholic Charities Boston in Welcoming the Stranger. Our Lenten Gift will allow CCB to restart the resettlement of refugee families in the Boston area, and will also present us with opportunities to develop long-term relationships with these families, by providing volunteer help with English language conversation, life skills and financial literacy assistance, and employment coaching as they acculturate.
If you have not yet had an opportunity to participate in the Lenten Gift but would like to do so, donations are still welcomed through this weekend. The Service Commission will be meeting with Catholic Charities Boston next week to present our Gift and discuss our ongoing involvement.
Online via ParishPay: Click this link and choose 2016 Lenten Gift under Secondary Collections. (Please Note: you do not need to be a regular ParishPay user to donate online – anyone can make a secure, one-time donation with a credit card. No need to set up an account – just click Start Giving!)
At the Office: Donations can be dropped off weekdays during regular business hours. (Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 4:00pm. Checks should be made payable to “St. John Parish”, noting “Lenten Gift 2016” in the memo. We will total all funds received and present one check to Catholic Charities Boston.)
For more information please visit our 2016 Parish Lenten Gift page.
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Posted in 2016 Lenten Gift, Christmas & Lent, Important Announcements, Service Commission, Volunteers Needed
This year, we join Catholic Charities Boston to Welcome the Stranger. Our Lenten Gift will allow Catholic Charities Boston to restart the resettlement of refugee families in the Boston area. It also provides us with the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with these families, by providing volunteer help with English language conversation, life skills and financial literacy assistance, and employment coaching as they acculturate. We at St. John’s have this opportunity to Welcome the Stranger and bring Pope Francis’ words alive-
“At the heart of the Gospel of mercy the encounter and acceptance by others are intertwined with the encounter and acceptance of God himself. Welcoming others means welcoming God in person! Do not let yourselves be robbed of the hope and joy of life born of your experience of God’s mercy, as manifested in the people you meet on your journey!” (Pope Francis, January 17, 2016)
Please give as generously as you can.
By Mail or at the Office: Donations can be mailed to the Office or dropped off weekdays during regular business hours (9 Glen Rd., Wellesley, MA 02481 Checks should be made payable to “St. John Parish”, noting “Lenten Gift 2016” in the memo. We will total all funds and present one check to Catholic Charities Boston.)
Online via ParishPay: Click this link and choose 2016 Lenten Gift under Secondary Collections. (Please Note: you do not need to be a regular ParishPay user to donate online – anyone can make a secure, one-time donation with a credit card. No need to set up an account – just click Start Giving!)
For more information please visit our 2016 Parish Lenten Gift page.
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Posted in 2016 Lenten Gift, Christmas & Lent, Lent, Service Commission
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
FAITH DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNITY
