St. Irene Parish Bulletin

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 18 , 2010

Our Priests
and Staff

Rwanda Project

Parish Events

Baptism 

Confession

Confirmation

First Communion

Questions about the Catholic Faith

Religious Education

Weddings

Gifts

Contact Us

Knights of Columbus

External Links

The Vatican

The Archdiocese of Boston

Catholic Colleges

Summer Bulletin Schedule

The last weekly bulletin before the summer schedule begins is June 20th. We will publish the bulletin three times during the summer. Publication dates are July 18th, August 15th and September 12th.

Liturgical Events  

Mass Intentions

Anna and Karl Zisch, Memorial Mass
Saturday, July 17 at 5:00 pm

Pasaquale Tranfaglia, Memorial Mass
Sunday, July 18 at 11:00 am

The Hardiman Family, Memorial Mass
Saturday, July 24 at 9:00 am

Armand Antolini, 9th Anniversary Mass and
Frances Pontano, 8th Anniversary Mass
Saturday, July 24 at 5:00 pm

Maybeth Sonn, 1st Anniversary Mass
Sunday, August 1 at 11:00 am

Sunday Mass Schedule

The last 5:00 pm Mass on Sunday will be celebrated on June 20th. Effective the weekend of June 26/27 the Mass schedule will be Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sunday at 8:00 am and 11:00 am. The Sunday 5:00 pm Mass will resume on September 12th.

Congratulations

Maura Catherine Quirk, Benjamin Connor Wiggins, Alyssa Ruth Johnston, Darshan Joseph Khandavalli, Dheeraj Sebastian Khandavalli, Luke Xavier Gettings and Elise Kathleen Penny were baptized recently at St. Irene Church. Congratulations to Maura, Benjamin, Alyssa, Darshan, Dheeraj, Luke and Elise and their families. Welcome to St. Irene's.

Sacrament of Baptism

We are now scheduling Baptisms on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at 1:00 pm. The Baptism Catechesis is required for all parents for the first child in the family. The class takes place on the last Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall.

Please call the Rectory to register for the class as well as to schedule a Baptism.

Prayer of Petition

As we pray for the men and women in our armed forces, let us remember also the families of those brave people who risk their lives for our protection. We all know the power of prayer. Here are a few words to remember and to pray:

Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for all of us in our time of need. Grant the reward of eternal life to those who have given their lives for their country. I ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Religious Education News

Registration for 2010-2011

Registration Forms are available for St Irene's 2010-2011 school year Religious Education classes (in Microsoft Word 2003 format and Adobe Acrobat PDF format). In order to save on postage the forms will not be mailed this year. Please print your registration form from the parish website (click on above links for Word or PDF format) or pick one up at the back of the Church. Please mail it to the rectory by August 1st. Thank you!

Confirmation Registration

The St. Irene Confirmation program will begin in September for all students in Level I (9th grade) and Level II (10th Grade). Registration forms have been mailed to all students who were in grades 8 and 9 last year. There are forms in the rear of the church. They can be downloaded from our website (PFD format).

Level 1 Overview
Level 1 Registration

Level 2 Overview
Level 2 Registration

First Holy Communion Banners

Thank you to all of our second grade students for the beautiful
banners that decorated our Church this spring. They are ready to be taken home. Please pick up your banner in the basket at the back of the Church.

Parish Happenings

Parish Pastoral Council

The Parish Pastoral Council meets periodically in the Rectory to discuss and plan parish business. If you would like to serve on the Council, or information about the Council, please contact Fr. Tom.

Summer Bulletin Schedule

The last weekly bulletin before the summer schedule begins is June 20th. We will publish the bulletin three times during the summer. Publication dates are July 18th, August 15th and September 12th.

Garden Volunteers

Love to putter in the garden, or want to learn? Would you commit an hour or two of your time on a weekly or monthly basis to St. Irene’s garden? Or be “on-call” to drop in when we need help with weeding or removing spent flowers? We can arrange your garden time to suit your schedule. No experience necessary; will train! If this sounds like ‘heaven’ to you, please call Jean Butler to volunteer at (978) 692-7122, or email at JeanButler@alumni.tufts.edu.

Pastoral Care to the Sick and Homebound

A workshop on visiting the sick is being sponsored by St. Irene and St. Anne Parishes. Starting on Wednesday, October 13th and running for six Wednesdays this workshop on Pastoral Care to the Sick and the Homebound will be offered at St. Anne’s Parish in Littleton from 7:00-9:00 pm. Kelly Dunn, a Certified Chaplain and former Director of Health Care Ministry for the Archdiocese, presently serving as Coordinator of Nursing Home Ministry at Holy Family Parish in Concord, will teach the workshop.

The Workshop will include a review of communication skills, the basics of pastoral visitation, key illness issues, spiritual needs and concerns, grief, loss and dying, and caregiving issues. Eucharistic ministers, pastoral visitors, parish nurses and others are encouraged to attend. Fee: $40. Registration information is available by email.

Please call or email Mary Ellen Bakken at (978) 692-3315 or
mehbakken@msn.com or Deacon Charlie at (978) 371-0510 or
cafcma@comcast.net. Pre-registration is required. Please register by October 6th.

On the Top Shelf

Our Parish Library, located in Room 6 of the Parish Hall, offers many books for reading and reflection. Some can be found displayed on the top of bookcases.

You can register and take out books any time the Church is open. Our library is self-service, and directions are available on the shelf.

Looking for summer reading books? Our Parish Library has fiction, humor, young adult, and children’s books. There is a sampling on the top shelf. Fiction, young adult, and children’s have their own sections on the shelves. Other books may be found through the subject, author, and title cards.

Questions? Contact Sandi Cotroneo 978-250-9887, san2mum@yahoo.com.

Come, visit and check out a book.

Our parishioners and friends have generously donated hundreds of Catholic-theme books to our parish library, and continue to do so. We are still accepting book donations that are of a Catholic theme. There is a wish list of desired books in the library. Thank you!

Upcoming Theatre Trips

There are a number of great shows coming to our area in the next year. Are your interested in seeing any of the following shows?

• Wicked, in September or October at the Boston Opera House
  
• Jersey Boys, in December or January at Boston’s Colonial Theatre
  
• Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes, in December at the Wang Theatre
  
• A Christmas Carol, in December at the North Shore Music Theatre
  
• Mary Poppins, (It’s not just for kids) in February or March at the Boston Opera House
  
• West Side Story, in June or July 2011 at Boston’s Colonial Theatre

If interested, please call Judy Andrews at (978) 369-1461 or email judygucci@hotmail.com and we can get a count and decide on what shows to book.

Foxwoods Trip in the Planning

We are in the planning stages for a trip to Foxwoods. Are you
interested? Please call Judy Andrews at (978) 369-1461 or email
judygucci@hotmail.com.

Boston Catholic Peer Leadership Ministry

St. Irene Parish announces the formation of the Peer Leadership
Ministry (PLM). PLM is made up of post confirmation young adults that are interested in developing their leadership skills by mentoring Catholic values and skills to confirmation, middle school and younger parish children. PLM is also a focus point for developing fun events for young Catholic adults of the parish. Two events are already in the planning stages. If you would like to join PLM contact Emily at 978-467-1292 or blgmemily@yahoo.com

Hour of Prayer and Adoration

All are invited to join the St Irene Prayer Group on the first Tuesday of every month from 7:30 - 9:00 pm for a time of prayer and adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

The format will be the Rosary, silent prayer, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and will end with silent prayer. If you feel God calling you, but you only have a few minutes to spare in your hectic life, please feel free to join us even for a few minutes. You will be most welcome and blessed.

For more information, contact Mary Ellen Bakken at 692-3315 or via email at mehbakken@msn.com

Evening Prayer and Benediction

You are invited to join with us for evening prayer and Benediction every Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm. All are welcome to join us for this traditional Liturgy of the Hours.

Catholic Appeal

Stewardship reminds us to count our blessings, acknowledge God’s gifts to us, and express thanks to Him. We do this by a proportionate giving of our time, talent and treasure. We sincerely thank the 53 households in our parish who, as good stewards, have made a gift to the 2010 Catholic Appeal. You are helping many people with many needs. God calls us to share what we have to help others. If you have not yet made your pledge, envelopes are available at the back of the Church.
For more information visit www.BostonCatholicAppeal.com, or call 617-779-3700.

Every gift matters. Thank you!

Lost and Found

Are you missing a set of keys or a bracelet? The keys were left at Mass last weekend and the bracelet was found in the garden. Please call the rectory for more information.

Spread the Word

Do you like to talk? Would you be interested in being a Lector? The time commitment is about one hour a month, and you can be scheduled at the Mass of your choice. All reading material is included, and a brief introduction is given to help you on your way.

For high school students, we offer community service hours. We would love to hear from you! Pleas call Debbie Coscia at 978-369-4156 or Lisa Mariano at 978-369-3940.

Rwanda Seminary Update

The construction of the biogas production plant to support the Rwanda Jr Seminary is underway. Photographs are at our parish website.

Parish E-mails

We would like to confirm that you have been receiving regular parish e-mails on events and activities that are happening here at St Irene Church. If you have not received any e-mails from us in the past two months, please e-mail us at stirene@comcast.net and we will be sure to get you on our list. Additionally if you use a spam filter, you may need to white-list stirene@comcast.net.

Caring Friends

If you need help or know of someone who could use a friend, we would be happy to assist with meals-on-wheels, cards sent, visits to shut ins, etc. Let us know if a family or friend or relative is ill or in the hospital. Please contact Fr. Tom.

Home Schooling Families

In an effort to support families in the Archdiocese of Boston that home school their children, Cardinal Sean has established a position of Spiritual Director / Liaison for Home School Families within the Pastoral Center of the Archdiocese. If you would like to contact the office for more information, or be connected to other Catholic home school families, please call 617-746-5875.

Music Ministry

Music is such a powerful tool that can be used to evangelize, lift our spirits, and draw people closer to God and His church. We all know how inspiring it is to hear our beautiful choir during Mass and our children and teens sign with such spirit. Be part of the ministry of music.

If you love to sing and especially to God, then we have a place for you! Please consider joining one of the groups. Please pick up a flyer at the main church entrance, or call Denise Glennon, Director of Music and Liturgy, at 692-9566 for further information.

The Children's choir rehearses on Thursdays from 6:15 - 7:00 p.m. This choir sings at the 8 a.m. Mass.

The Adult choir rehearses on Thursdays 7:15 - 8:30 p.m. This choir sings at the 11 a.m. Mass each week from September through June, and at the Christmas and Easter Masses.

The Youth Oriented choir rehearses Sundays from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

All voices and types are needed to prayerfully sing to our Lord Jesus Christ.

St. Irene's Knights of Columbus

In the late 1800's, when the family breadwinner died, the widow and children struggled to keep the family together. A New Haven, Connecticut parish priest, Fr. Michael J. McGivney, asked his predominantly Irish immigrant parishioners to help solve this problem.

They created an organization that would financially help the widow of members who died. Today, Fr. McGivney is under consideration for sainthood, and his organization is still growing.

The Knights support the annual Parish Picnic, the 40-hours devotion, the Tootsie-roll drive to raise funds for Special Needs children, the Christmas Party, the "Keep Christ in Christmas" religious cards, Scout Sunday, distribution of Rosary Beads to Confirmation Candidates, First Communion, the canonization work on behalf of Fr. Michael J. McGivney (the Connecticut priest who founded the Knights), and other parish and spiritual activities.

The Knights are active in several countries, financially support seminarians, have establish several charitable organizations, and pay for the world-wide satellite transmission of the Papal Midnight Mass on Christmas and Easter.

Membership in the Knights is open to Practicing Catholic men age 18 and older. All men, regardless of their parish, are invited to join St Irene's Knights.

St Irene's Council of Knights hold a business meeting on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month in the Parish Hall beginning at 8 pm.

Lost and Found

Please take a look in the lost and found areas in the closets in the front vestibule of the Church. All lost and found items, including those left during Religious Education class, will be placed in this one location.

If you or your child has misplaced an item, please check the closet. The items will be cleaned out periodically, and donated to charity.

Parish Fire Alarm Policy

It is important that all parishioners be informed about our parish policy concerning fire alarms at St. Irene.

In the event that a fire alarm goes off during Mass or any parish gathering, the Religious Education faculty and/or the Celebrant, even if in the middle of the Liturgy, will pause to allow attendees to quickly and carefully leave the church premises and gather at the far sides of the parking lots until given the all clear by the ushers or the Celebrant. In the case of the Religious Education faculty, they are to ensure that all students in their charge are accounted for and kept assembled in their class groups outside the church to await instruction.

Boy Scouts

St. Irene’s Council of the Knight of Columbus encourage Cub and Boy Scouts to earn scouting's Catholic Religious awards: Light of Christ and Parvuli Dei for Cub Scouts and Ad Altare Dei for Boy Scouts. Activity books for the awards are available at your local scout store or online at www.scoutstuff.org (type in the award name as a keyword search).  If you have questions or need help please contact Steve Dardinski (692-5717) for Cub Scouts or Regis Richard (667-2165) for Boy Scouts.

Presentation of the Gifts - An Invitation

We would like to invite families to bring the gifts up to the altar at the Offertory of the Mass. Those who bring the gifts at Mass represent all of us.

If your family would like to bring up the gifts, please let the ushers know before the Mass.

Crying Room - A Quiet Spot

Occasionally during Mass, young children become noisy or fidgety, or may need a change of scenery.  At those times, feel free to bring them into our Reconciliation Room in the rear of the church where Mass can be seen and heard.  We are a family parish and welcome families and children at our Sunday Liturgies.

Deadline for Bulletin

The deadline for submission of information you would like included in the weekly bulletin is Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the Rectory. The bulletin is published weekly from September to June. The bulletin is published three times during the summer months.

Catholic College Information

If you and your family have started your College search, please check St. Irene's website for a list of Catholic colleges in the US.

List of Catholic Schools

St. Irene's maintains a list of area Catholic schools (K-12) at our website.

The Pilot

The official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston is available on-line at thebostonpilot.com. The Pilot, America's oldest Catholic newspaper, was established in 1829.

Collection Envelopes

If you would like to receive collection envelopes, please call the Rectory.

Area Events

Social Justice Committee, St. John the Evangelist Church

The Social Justice Committee of St. John the Evangelist Church has created a free monthly email newsletter detailing issues of social justice from local to national and international. If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter please go to the St. John’s Website www.saintjohnchelmsford.org and click on the subscribe button. If you have any problems please email socialjustice@charter.net directly and we will help you. The committee meets at St. John’s on the first Tuesday of the month in the old parish center. All are welcome.

Special Needs & Family Fair

Children of special needs and their families are invited to this
annual Fair sponsored by the Knights of Columbus (Westford Chelmsford Council) on Sunday, August 8th at the Paul Center, Chelmsford, MA from 9:30-11:30 am. The fair is run rain or shine and the grounds are wheelchair accessible. This free event includes 16 fun games, crafts, parachute activity, and prizes. Please call Ken Desilets at (978) 692-6866 to register prior to August 1st.

Lowell Catholic Summer Camp

Lowell Catholic High School will offer students in grades 5-8 the
opportunity to attend summer enrichment camps in a safe, small and caring environment for a very reasonable price.

• Art Workshop - July 19-23
• Myth Makers - July 26-30
• Web Show Production - August 2-6

For more detailed information please visit www.lowellcatholic.org, call Peter Cavanaugh at (978) 452-1794, or email pcavanaugh@lowellcatholic.org

Swinging on the Green

Come join the fun on the Carlisle “Village Green” on Sunday, August 29th from 3-5 pm for an old fashion Summertime Concert. We’re calling it “Swinging on the Green” and the Indian Hill Big Band will be playing your favorite big band numbers. Second Wind will also serenade us. Dance and/or sing along, or just lie back and enjoy with friends and neighbors. Bring a blanket and a picnic snack; we’ll provide the cookies and lemonade. This wonderful afternoon is brought to us by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Friends of the
Carlisle Council on Aging. Can you think of a better way to reconnect with friends after a busy summer? Tell all your friends and join us . . . we know you’ll have a great time!

Walk to Cure Cancer

Please join us for the 12th Annual Walk to Cure Cancer on September 26, 2010. For more information or to RSVP to the breakfast, call (508) 856-2589 or visit www.walktocurecancer.org. We can make a difference . . . together.

Academy of Notre Dame

The Academy of Notre Dame is a Catholic, private school comprised of a co-educational K1-8 elementary school and a college preparatory high school for young women. The school is sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and is based on the educational philosophy of their foundress, St. Julie Billiart.

The Academy of Notre Dame is also a private, Catholic, all-girls college preparatory high school sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, located at 180 Middlesex Road in Tyngsboro, MA.

Please call Barbara Aldrich-Clougherty, Director of Admissions at 978-649-7611 x 327 for more information.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is seeking volunteers over the age of 16 to help Habitat build houses in Bedford. Please call George Bishop at 978-369-5080 for more information or to volunteer.

Volunteers Needed at Food Pantry

Catholic Charities Food Pantry is in need of volunteers in their Lowell location. They need people 18 and older to stuff bags, give out food, and help with intake. Please call Delis at 454-9946 for more information. or 617-884-1360.

Knitting in Service Society

Know how to knit? Knitting in Service Society (KISS) is a group of girls and women who have been knitting since 2006 to benefit those in need. New members are always welcome. We work on hats and scarves from easy to advanced. They are knit for Boston’s homeless through Common Cathedral and given as Christmas presents. For info on Common Cathedral, their needs and a pattern see www.ecclesia-ministries.org/howto.html.

KISS meets monthly, excluding summers, and can provide knitting instructions for those who would like to learn.

Donations of goods, yarn and needles can be dropped off at the KISS poster/display basket in the entryway of First Religious Society, 27 School St., Carlisle.

For questions, call FRS at (978) 369-5180 or the Carlisle Council on Aging at (978) 371-2895. To be added to the monthly email reminder, email lindatm@comcast.net. Kiss meets monthly
on Tuesday nights 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Please call for the location (often a knitter’s home).

Caregiver Homes

What do you do when a parent or other elderly relative can no longer live alone? Call Caregiver Homes - we pay you to care. Caregiver Homes is a MA state Licensed, Adult Foster Care provider, a community based alternative to nursing home placement. We pay family members (not spouses) to care for frail elders or disabled (16+) at home. Please let us help you by calling Sister Maureen Kane at 781-223-6291.

Birthright of Lowell

The work they do goes beyond providing material goods. They offer love, friendship, and a safe place to talk. Birthright is looking for a few good women and men. They are a pregnancy help organization that provides love and support to all women and children that come in. They are looking for board members and office volunteers.

Please call Kath at 978-394-1231 or visit www.birthright.org for more information.

My Father's House

My Father's House, located in North Chelmsford, is a Christian ministry in operation for the past twelve years as a residential program for pregnant and parenting teenaged girls. Although it is fully licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, no state or federal funds are used in its operation, and therefore it is funded entirely by private donations. In addition to financial support from our donors, My Father's House is seeking donations of much-needed supplies and food items from local churches and church committees. If you or your group would prayerfully consider making a regular monthly donation from our list, it would be much appreciated. Please contact Nancy Long with questions or to arrange a donation at 978-251-8191.

Drivers Needed

If you can volunteer to drive a senior to essential medical appointments, or deliver hot/cold lunchtime meals to seniors during the week, please phone the Minuteman Senior Services at 781-221-7023. Travel reimbursement is available. A neighbor's independence may depend upon you.

Carlisle Council on Aging Volunteers Needed

The COA needs volunteers to help with driving senior to appointments and on errands, Meals on Wheels delivery, mailings, program/events coordination, home chores for the elderly, including yard work, repairs, meal preparation, one-on-one computer instruction and more.

For additional information pick up a volunteer application at the COA office at Town Hall or call Angela Smith at 371-2895. Any time or support would be greatly appreciated.

Cardinal Sean's E-Mail List

We encourage all parishioners to subscribe to a new "Weekly E-mail from Cardinal Sean." The e-mail includes special messages from the Cardinal, content from Cardinal Sean's blog, official press releases from the Archdiocese, links to current stories from the Pilot (the Archdiocese Newspaper), and other helpful information to deepen Catholic life.

The Cardinal hopes that every Catholic in the Archdiocese with an e-mail account will consider signing up for this weekly e-mail. To sign-up, or for more information, visit the Archdiocese website rcab.org

The Archdiocese of Boston

For information about our archdiocese, visit the Archdiocese of Boston website, www.BostonCatholic.org

Catholic Television

Catholic TV is available on the Internet, on COMCAST Cable channel 268 EWTN, Verizon FiOS channel 271, SkyAngel IPTV channel 142, and RCN channel 85. Visit www.catholictv.com to view current offerings.

Project Bread

Project Bread helps to feed the hungry. With the current economic state, many people are in need.

Your pledges will support 400 food pantries, soup kitchens, food banks, and food salvage programs in 132 communities across the state. For more information, go to www.projectbread.org

Marriage Encounter

Marriage Encounter Massachusetts offers a program for couples who believe they have a good marriage but desire a deeper understanding, a richer communication, a better quality and more spirituality in their marriage.

For information, call 800-710-WWME or visit their website. www.wwmeMA.org

Choose Life License Plates

Cardinal Sean has endorsed the efforts of Choose Life, Inc., to make available a "vanity plate" in Massachusetts which promotes the pro-life message. For more information, go to the Mass Choose Life website.

Unemployed? Acton Networkers Group

Unemployed individuals in St. Irene's Parish are invited to join the Acton Networkers to share ideas on job-hunting techniques, leads and strategies. The group meets at 10 a.m. on Friday mornings at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 435 Central Street, Acton. The meetings, as well as membership in the unemployed support group, are free.

For more information, or if your company has job openings you would like to fill with local talent, contact John Walsh or visit their website ActonNetworkers.org.

Birthright

Birthright is a pregnancy help service that has over 500 local offices across the US and Canada. They provide nonjudgmental, loving assistance to women and families experiencing unexpected or difficult pregnancy and are interdenominational.

The local office is in Maynard. They can be reached at 978-897-6825 or on the web at www.birthright.org. New volunteers are always welcome.

Retreat Opportunities:

Franciscan Center Retreat

The Franciscan Center in Andover offers retreats throughout the year.

Please call 978-851-3391 for more information.

Espousal Retreat Center

The Espousal Retreat Center in Waltham offers retreats during the year. Visit their website, espousal.org, for information about the Center and their work.

Questions, call 781-209-3120.

Office of Spiritual Development

The Office of Spiritual Development offers retreats throughout the year. Each retreater will receive personal guidance in prayer from a spiritual director.

A list of area retreat houses is maintained on the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston web site.

For more information, please call 617-779-3640.

Campion Renewal Center

The Campion Renewal Center offers retreats during the year.

Please call 781-788-6810 for information, and to register.

Traveling?

Get Church information and Mass schedules for Catholic parishes around the United States for directions and Mass times before you leave and pack the information in your suitcase!

Call 1-800-627-8463 or get the information on-line at www.masstimes.org

Catholic College Listing

Catholic Singles Club

The Catholic Alumni Club (CAC) of Boston is a social organization of over 500 single Catholic professionals ages 21 - 65. CAC sponsors a wide variety of social and religious activities, including dances, fine dining, sports, cultural events, liturgies and travel. For more info call Allen (978) 454-0206, Philip (508) 996-0901 or Marleen (781) 828-2370

Financial Report 

The Collection for The Black and Native American Missions amounted to $803. Thank you!

This weekend the Monthly Collection will be the second collection.

The Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe will be the second collection on July 24/25th.

Catholic Relief Services will be the second collection on August 7/8th.

Thank you for your generous support.