This week is the holiest week of the Church year because it commemorates the “hour” of Jesus.  This is the hour he had been moving toward all his life.  It was for this hour he came from the Father.  He will become sin for us and nail it to a tree.  He returns to the Father and promises, “I go to prepare a place for you so that where I am you also may be.”  Come join with us in liturgical celebration of these great events of Holy Week.

On Holy Thursday we enter into the mystery of being master and servant.  To do what Jesus did we need to look at our neighbors and pick up the towel. With authority grounded in humility, kneel before them and wash off the dirt of daily living.  If you are a neighbor in need of washing, lay aside your pride and, like Peter, accept the service of the one kneeling before you—then go, and do likewise.  Be blessed as you wash the feet of others and reveal the face of the master through the towel in your hands.

On Good Friday we must see the cross as God’s solidarity with men and women in the condition of human suffering—not to eternalize it but to suppress it.  The manner in which God seeks to suppress it is not by domination, but by love.  Christ lived and preached this new dimension.  The cross is the symbol of human power—and the symbol of Jesus’ love and fidelity.  Love is stronger than death, and power collapses before it.  The loyalty of the cross, then, the love on the cross, has triumphed.  The name for this is resurrection.

Easter is the grand celebration of some really good news. The really good news is that first the women and then Peter came to the tomb of Jesus’ burial and did not find Jesus.  Though filled with fear the women then become the confident proclaimers of Jesus’ resurrection.  Peter is soon filled with “amazement at what has occurred.”  At the empty tomb amazement is the only reaction but it will be followed by faith, understanding and carrying out the mission.  As we renew our baptismal promises we can do no better than to have that followed by faith, understanding and working with the risen Jesus in the work the Father has given us to accomplish.

9:00am – Wednesday, April 7^th                         Nora Zelck

7:30pm – HOLY THURSDAY

7:30pm – GOOD FRIDAY

8:00pm – EASTER VIGIL

Saturday, April 10^th at 10:00am the Art and Environment Committee will be meeting to decorate the church for Easter and would welcome your help.  “Many hands make light work.”  There are lots of “Jobs” you can do, even if you only have a limited amount of time to give.  Thank you!

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, Bea Lingane, Rita Mahan, Connie Perrotta, Gerard Sarno, Dorothy Grant, Gretin Cervantes, Midge Moran, Marisol O’Brien, Matthew Gablor, Paul Pantano, Fran Ressetar, Lori Robbins, Cecelia Hines, Renee Chapman, Al Busa, Peter Bellini, Christine Gainer, Chris Ann Colletti Feener, Katherine Bingham, Helen McLaughlin, Paul Doherty, Jorge Loayza, Joseph Brault, Linda Riley, Lauren Forgette, Bill Attaya, John McCarthy, Don Sabatand, Patrick Montouri and Pauline Briggs.  Please also remember in your prayers James Enterkin, Albert Busa, James Burke, Rita Behnke and Concetta Salipante who died this past week.

PATRIOTS’ DAY

Help:  Please see Youth News!  Thanks.

Offertory for March 27^th & 28^th               $5832.50

Envelope Offerings       $5107.50

Loose Cash                          $  725.00

St. John/St. Hugh                                             $59.00

Food Pantry

This weekend, April 3^rd & 4^th we will have our monthly food pantry collection.  This month the food collected will be donated to Warwick House, in Roxbury. 

Holy Thursday Collection

On Holy Thursday we remember in a special way the teachings and model of Jesus to love and serve one another as we love and serve the Lord.  Acting on this message, it is the tradition at Sacred Heart Parish to donate the Holy Thursday Collection to our sisters and brothers in need.  This year’s collection will benefit our sister parish in Haiti.  The good news from St. Francois Parish is that they are safe.  Unfortunately, the turmoil which the country is experiencing has caused food and medical supplies to be limited and very costly.  It is our hope that we can support our Haitian sisters and brothers through financial generosity and our prayers.  They are richly blessed with faith, it is their gift to us.

Save the Date

Please put Sunday, May 16^th in your calendar and save the day for a Celebration of our Sacred Heart Community!  More details to follow.

Youth Space

Have you checked out the newly-decorated youth space?  It is a “work in progress”!  Any help or suggestions would be welcome!

Good Friday Living Stations

On Good Friday, April 9 at 2:00, the Third Grade will dramatize the Stations of the Cross in a prayer service suitable for young children—and their families, older siblings, grandparents.  The service lasts about an hour, and is a wonderful way to help children celebrate this most holy day in an age-appropriate way.

Easter Egg Hunt

Sacred Heart will be holding its annual Easter Egg Hunt for children up to 8 outside the Parish Rectory immediately following the 9:00 Mass.  Each child participating is asked to bring 1 or 2 dozen items (eggs, candy, baked goods) that can be distributed during the hunt.  (Please be sure all items are wrapped since they will be hidden on the ground).  Please drop these items off on the Rectory porch on Easter Sunday, prior to the 9:00 Mass.  If you would like to help, please call or leave a message for Mary Lyman (781-861-8385), or show up at the Rectory after the Mass.  Also, don’t forget an Easter basket or bag to hold the goodies!

Religious Education Classes

Sunday classes:  No classes April 11 (Easter) or 18 (spring break). 

There will be class on Sunday, April 25, the last class for this school year. 

Tuesday classes:  There will be class on Tuesday, April 6, no classes April 13 (Easter week) or 20 (spring break).  Last class will be Tuesday April 27.

N.E.T. (National Evangelization Team)

Sacred Heart Middle School teens who attended the N.E.T. retreat this past Tuesday had an outstanding experience of fun, fellowship and quiet reflection.  We were fortunate to have booked this national team  of dynamic young adults last June.  Thank you to all the adults who helped shop, prepare and serve the dinner.  And a very special thanks to those families who were so hospitable and opened their homes to the 9 young men and women for an overnight stay!  We were truly blessed to have this event in our parish!

Coordinator of YM: Maureen McKeown

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

PLEASE NOTE:  Prayer group will meet on Friday for the last week (GOOD FRIDAY), April 9^th please call Maureen for time.  All are welcome

MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS:  Thank you to the T.L.C. team and the adults who helped with last Saturday’s Middle School event.  And thank you to BERTUCCI’S in Lexington who so generously provided  all the dough for our pizza making activity.  We appreciate and support the businesses that respond to our requests for donations.

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.  Dates for C.L.I.(at Merrimack College) are July 19-23 or July 26-30.  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

PATRIOT’S DAY, MONDAY, APRIL 19^TH.  Once again, Sacred Heart Youth Group and families are sponsoring a Patriots’ Day Food stand in the church parking lot from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM.  This is a fund raiser and a great  community builder.  If you would like to help (set-up, cook, clean up, bake) in any way, we would welcome an email or a call to the numbers above. There will also be a sign-up sheet in the parish center.  If everyone contributes a little time or effort, it will make the event a lot more festive and fun.  Thank you!

Bulletins	Sacred Heart Parish Bulletin - April 4, 2004	Home