I have heard some people say we need to evangelize and get more people to our liturgies.  If we, the thinking goes, filled the church then the diocese could not close us down because we would be too big to fit into Saint Brigid Church.  The ultimate goal of our efforts here at Sacred Heart is not to have more people at weekend liturgy and more workers in our ministries—as good as those things are—but to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ by making disciples of Jesus.

In his book, Power Surge, the Rev. Michael W. Foss presents six marks of discipleship, which he defines as “practices of faith that will help bridge the gap between beliefs and behaviors.”  The marks are methods of strengthening faith and bringing one’s faith into daily life, as Foss writes “a real faith for a real life.”

Daily Prayer

The ability to speak to and listen to God in prayer is a powerful gift.  To have a truly strong faith, one that is active in shaping our lives, we must use this gift.  A disciple uses prayer to grow closer to God and to find God’s will for his or her life.  For a disciple, prayer is a way of asking for help, giving thanks for blessings received and seeking guidance in all situations.

Weekly Worship

Most of us are pretty accomplished at feeding our bodies when they are hungry.  We need very little prompting to drink when we are thirsty.  But our spiritual hunger and thirst must also be satisfied.  Gathering for public worship reaffirms the disciple’s faith and prepares the disciple for service to God in the coming week.  Disciples worship because their relationship with God drives them to want to be together with other disciples.

Spiritual Reading

Saint Jerome said that ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.  The Bible is the Word of God, given to teach us and guide our lives.  Spiritual books and magazines give us reflections on the Bible and our tradition.  A disciple has to continue to grow in knowledge and understanding of the faith.

Service

Service is a discipline that grows out of faith in the perfect love of God.  A disciple who feels God’s love is unable to keep from expressing gratitude for that love through service to others.  Service, both in our community and outside the church, is not so much something we do to become a disciple as something we do as a result of being a disciple.

Spiritual Friendship

Encouragement, commitment, accountability, and support—these are some of the words Foss uses when writing about spiritual friendships.  As Foss writes, “It is in interpersonal, caring relationships between committed disciples that real growth takes place.”  These friendships and relationships are easily developed in small faith communities and social gatherings.

Giving

Generous giving, or tithing, is the final mark of discipleship.  Tithing speaks about percentage giving. Tithing is a way of keeping our focus on the fact that all that we have comes from God.  It also serves to remind us that we must keep things in perspective and understand what is truly important.

If these are the six marks of a disciple then these are also signs of a discipleship church.  In discipleship churches we find:

1)       a church where conversation with God is as natural and expected as conversation among families, friends, and acquaintances;

2)      a church led by disciples that also feel the need to worship God enthusiastically each week;

3)      a church which makes teaching, learning and deep understanding of the faith it’s top priority;

4)      a church which gives people opportunities to get involved in service and by training them to serve;

5)     a church which provides opportunities for parishioners to get together in social, learning, praying relationships;

6)     a church where tithing is done with joy and thanksgiving. 

This week we ask you to pray for those who are ill, including, Brianna Cimino, Marisol O’Brien, Peter Bellini, Rosemary Harvey, Regina Jones, Andrea Hynes, Joyce Amos, 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, Kath Rodriegas, Nancy Driscoll, Dante DiManna, Margie Levine, Doug Phillips, Andrew Day, Peggy Sue Grow, Mary Serpa, Deborah Miller, Dorothy Lee, William MacKinnon, Mary Jefferson, Elizabeth Conte, Shane McCarthy, Mildred Wood, Violet Caldaroni, Frank Cote, James Bresnahan, Ann Mulray, Rita Mahan, Jackie Sullivan, Jean Babbin, Gerard Sarno, Dorothy Grant, Gretin Cervantes, Paul Pantano, Fran Ressetar, Cecelia Hines, Margaret Wright, Renee Chapman, , Edward Borden, Christine Gainer, Chris Ann Colletti, Helen McLaughlin, Paul Doherty, Jorge Loayza, Lauren Forgette, Chuck Kiernan, Margaret Coughlin, John McCarthy, Don Sabatand, Willy Smith, Claire McDonough, Julia Gillis, Laura Mac Aulay, Alyssa Frazer, Bill Graham, Bob Remeika, Edward Semanko, Matthew Gablor, Mary Hosford, Morgan Brady, Willie Smith, Jane Eastham, Joseph Coppola, Betty White, Barbara DeVitte, Bernis Whalen, Nicholas Sorrentino, Linda Whitcomb, Virgil Kehs, Michael Calderoni and Dorothy Barton. 

Offertory for 4/23 & 4/24      $4406.00

Envelope Offerings                     $3767.00

Loose Cash                                   $ 639.00

St. John/St. Hugh                       $ 320.00

Flowers this weekend were donated in memory of Helen Spiers & John J. Nolan by Helen Nolan.

9:00 – Tuesday, May 3^rd                             Thomas Keegan

9:00 - Wednesday, May 4^th                             Betty Phelps

9:00 – Saturday, May 7^th                               Walter Ward

A Thought For The Week

Most people I know are terribly harsh on themselves and would benefit from spending at least one minute each day in the Ignatian practice of looking at God, looking at you.  Rather than assuming that God knows only what you know, stop to ask God what God actually sees.

C.R.E.A.

Sr. Ruth will be meeting with us on Monday, May 9^th at 7:00pm.  If you are interested in discussing Social Justice issues, please join us in the Rectory Conference Room at Sacred Heart.

Holy Humor

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5 and Ryan 3.  The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake.  Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson.  “If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.’”  Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, “Ryan, you be Jesus!”

St. Brigid Parish 8^th Annual Golf Classic will be held on Monday, June 13, 2005 at the Windham Country Club in Windham, N. H. beginning at 1:30PM.  The purpose of the Tournament is to raise funds to help graduating High School Seniors.  Because of the merger this year of the Youth Ministries of Sacred Heart and St. Brigid Parishes, seniors of both parishes will be eligible to apply for scholarship consideration.  Golf Flyers are available at all the exits of the Church for those who would like to participate as a player or as a sponsor. 

YOUTH MINISTRY SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF ST. BRIGID AND SACRED HEART PARISH ARE AVAILABLE AT ST. BRIGID'S. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND PARISH OFFICES

Small Faith Groups

We will need to find a new date for the meeting about training facilitators for Small Faith Groups.  We will put the new date into the bulletin as soon as it is determined.  Father Eugene Curtin will be celebrating his retirement on May 22^nd which was the original date for this meeting.  We wish Fr. Curtin well as he begins this new journey.

Bread for the World

Come over to the Parish Center today after the 10:00 Mass to write letters in support of Bread For The World’s 2005 Goal to Make Hunger History.

VIRTUS Program

All volunteers in the Church are required to attend the Virtus Program, "Protecting God's Children." This program is being offered on Tuesday, May 3, 9:00-11:30a.m., in St. Brigid's Parish Center Library for all new volunteers in St. Brigid and Sacred Heart Parishes. Pre-registration is not required. Religious Education teachers who have not yet attended this program or who will be new to teaching next Fall may fulfill this requirement by attending this session. Additional sessions will be offered in the Fall.

St. Brigid’s Sodality Annual Luncheon Banquet

On Wednesday, June 1, 2005, St. Brigid’s will have it’s Annual Luncheon Banquet at Danversport Yacht Club.  The bus leaves St Brigid’s parking lot at 11:15 am, we will return at 2:30 p.m.  Luncheon is a choice of:  Boneless Chicken or Baked Schrod.  Featured entertainment will be   CBS4’s Morning News Anchor, and star of Reagle Players Summer Theatre, Scott Wahle and his singing partner Suzanne McCarthy Lobel.  Tickets are $25 per person, which includes bus transportation.  This event is open to the entire Parish Community.  To purchase tickets contact Marie Hill 781-862-6456, mimi716@rcn.com or Suzie Barry 781-862-5853, mrbarry@rcn.com.  TheDeadline for tickets is May 18, 2005. 

Catholic Appeal

This is the Annual Catholic Appeal Weekend.  We would like to thank those of you who have sent in pledges.  If you have brought the pledge with you today, please put it in an envelope and place it in the collection basket.

Your contribution does make a difference.  Through the Annual Catholic Appeal, you help children and young people live a life of faith through religious education, youth programs and campus ministry.  You bring comfort to hospital patients about to undergo surgery through the Health Care Ministry.  Through marriage ministries you provide guidance to couples preparing for marriage and enrichment for couples married for many years.

We encourage you to mail in your pledge and support the Catholic Appeal as generously as you can.  If at all possible, please consider pledging throughout the year.

We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of our Catholic Appeal last year.  We raised $33,460 from 81 donors during a challenging time.  This year our goal is $58,250.  Under the new Catholic Appeal Parish Share Component, if we exceed our goal, we will receive 25% of all funds raised above goal for use here at our parish.  If the Archdiocese exceeds its total goal, 25% of the funds raised over goal will be returned to the parishes that exceeded their goals.

Bulletins	Sacred Heart Parish Bulletin - May 1, 2005	Home