St. Irene Parish Bulletin

Second Sunday of Easter

March 30 , 2008

Current Bulletin

Our Priests
and Staff

Parish Information

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

Liturgical Events  

Mass Intentions

Paul Cox, Sr., 8th Anniversary Mass
Saturday, March 29, 5 pm

Francesca Tranfaglia, Memorial Mass
Sunday, March 30, 11 am

Jane Buchaniec, 4th Anniversary Mass
Joseph Buchaniec, 39th Anniversary Mass
Sunday, April 6, 8 am

First Friday

Friday, April 4, is the First Friday of April. Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart will be celebrated at 9 am. First Friday devotions will follow and conclude with Benediction.

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 p.m. 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.

Information about praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet is available at the Marians of the Immaculate Conception website

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.

Stations of the Cross

If you would like to say the stations, there is an online version at: On-line stations of the cross.

Religious Education News

Classes for grades 1-5 meet on Sundays: Session 1 meets from 9:00 to 9:50 am, and Session 2 meets from 10:00 to 10:50 am.

Grades 6-8 meet on Mondays: Grade 6 meets from 6 - 7 pm, and grades 7-8 meet from 7 - 8 pm.

Adult Education

Our next session will be held April 3 at 7:30 pm in the Parish Hall. This month's session will feature Rev. Robert Imbelli, Associate Professor of Theology at Boston College, who will lead a discussion on the Second Vatican Council. Fr. Imbelli will discuss the issues leading up to the Council, the important issues addressed, and the current discussions surrounding some of the Council's teachings. For more information, please contact Ernest Carabillo at 371-2166.

Program Questions

If you have any questions about our Religious Education program, please call our Director, Georgia Winfrey at 263-8077.

Youth Ministry
"It Takes a Parish to Confirm"

Sacrament of Confirmation

The Sacrament of Confirmation is a two-year program at St. Irene's. The Confirmation ceremony is generally held in May.

Sunday, March 30, Level 1 candidates will meet in the Parish Hall from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. The topic is "Is my love life any of the Church's business?"

Parish Happenings

Conversation with Fr. Romain

Please join us on Tuesday, April 15, at 7:30 pm as we remember the 14th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Fr. Romain, a survivor of the violence, will speak about his experience with suffering, forgiveness, and reconciliation. All are welcome.

First Communion Outfits Needed

We have a request from St. Mary Parish in Lynn for First Communion dresses, veils, suits, jackets, and shoes. They will be distributed to families who would not otherwise be able to outfit their children for the occasion.

We will collect your donations in the rectory, and deliver them to St. Mary. The date for the First Communion is May 1 so we would like to have your donation by April 18. Please search your closets and help local parents in need. Questions? Call Chris at the Rectory at 369-3940.

Parish Pastoral Council

The Parish Pastoral Council will meet in the Rectory on Sunday, April 6, at 7 pm.

Parish Ushers

We are looking for a volunteer to coordinate the ushers for our SUnday Masses. If you are interested, please see Fr. Tom.

Murder Mystery Dinner

Our annual Murder Mystery Dinner will be presented on Saturday, April 5, at 6:15 pm in the Parish Hall. The latest production of the St. Irene's Players is entitled "Death Takes a Roman Holiday, or What Happens in Rome, Stays in Rome."

Tickets are sold out, but we have a waiting list for those who would like to join us. Tickets include a five course meal catered by Mary's of Hudson. Come and see what Fr. Tom is up to now!

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 or Kate Burke at 371-0925.

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 p.m. for an hour 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.

Information about praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet is available at the Marians of the Immaculate Conception website

Catholic Appeal

We ask every household to participate by making a pledge. Please know that your participation matters and will make a difference.

God calls each of us to share our gifts with others for the building up of His kingdom. The Appeal is a once-a-year fundraiser to benefit the many programs and services of the Archdiocese o Boston. The Appeal is to our Archdiocese what the weekly offertory is to our parish. Your participation is critical. Please see the information packets in the pews to learn more and to obtain a pledge form if you didn't receive one last week.

Cardinal Sean thanks everyone who has participated in the 2008 Catholic Appeal. We are pleased to have a number of new contributors this year. Thank you for joining with parishioners throughout our Archdiocese's 294 parishes to carry on the broader work of our Church. For more information, visit www.BostonCatholicAppeal.org.

Thunga Mission Clinic of the Immaculate Conception

Thanks to you, we raised enough money to help the Thunga Mission Clinic of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Limbe, Malawi stay open for another six months. And, we raised enough additional money to help furnish the clinic with a sterilizer for medical instruments, a refrigerator for drugs, and medical furnishings! The grand total was $6,542.

Fr. George Njoroge sends his heartfelt thanks to everyone at St. Irene's. In further conversations with Fr. George, we have learned that the extra money will fulfill his dreams for expanding the maternity aspect of the clinic in order to fight the high infant mortality rate. He writes, "We are challenged by epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, and other common diseases. ... We have a group of 82 orphans whom we are trying to assist ... especially on giving food, medical attention, and for those who are in secondary school, we try to pay their school fees."

So the bottom line is the contribution from the people of St. Irene's is going to make a direct and immediate impact on the lives of people who have acute need.

Thanks to Fr. Tom for giving his support, to the Level II Confirmation candidates for their encouragement and collecting, especially Margaret Conway for making the bookmarks, and to all of you for being the generous people you are! The Samaritan saw the need and responded - so did you.

Adult Education / Discussion

This program is open to all who wish to explore and discuss current issues and solutions. Refreshments will be served.

For information, call Ernie Carabillo at 371-2166.

Theatre Trip

Several times during the year, St Irene's parishioners enjoy a play, concert, or similar evening of entertainment.

Please call Judy Andrews at 369-1461 for information concerning upcoming events. Leave your phone number and e-mail address to be notified about upcoming events.

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.

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 an application and more information, go to the Mass Choose Life website. They need 1,000 more applications to succeed in having the plate produced.

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. To learn more about St. Irene's Council of the Knights of Columbus, please visit our website, www.StIrenes.org/kofc More information about Fr. McGivney's canonization is also available at our website.

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.

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 call Denise Glennon, Director of Music and Liturgy, at 692-9566 for further information.

The Youth 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.

Teens rehearse Sunday at 4 p.m. and sing at the youth Mass on Sunday at 5 p.m.

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

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.

Collection Envelopes

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

Area Events

Catholic Women's Conference

The Boston Catholic Women's Conference will be held from 4 - 9:30 pm on Friday, April 18, at Boston College's Conte Forum.

Tickets are $20 in advance with an option to purchase a boxed dinner for an additional $10. Parking will be available at BC, and there is a bus from St. Andrew in Billerica at the cost of $5. For more information, contact Carol Eckelkamp at 256-0644.

For information on the Boston Catholic Men's Conference, contact Andreas Widmer at 617-331-3071.

Wedding Anniversary Mass

Cardinal sean invites all couples of the Archdiocese who are marking their 25th and 50th wedding anniversaries in 2008 to join him for the annual celebration at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Sunday, April 13 at 11:30 am.

Mass will include a renewal of marriage vows. Friends and families are invited to attend. Please call the Rectory at 369-3940 to register before March 29. A formal invitation will be sent by the Archdiocese.

Day of Community

Please join fellow Carlisle residents in the Carlisle School cafeteria on April 5 from 9 an to noon for a discussion of our community.

Our goals are to assist the Board of Selectmen and Community Preservation Committee in establishing priorities for the town, help develop questions for a Council on Aging survey, and determine next steps for community input.

Annulment Information

If you are interested in learning about Catholic teachings on annulment, or would be interested in beginning the process, you may attend either of two upcoming meetings hosted by the Metropolitan Tribunal and Office of Life and Family Ministries. Meetings will be held on Wednesday, April 9, at St. Bernard Church, 1529 Washington St, West Newton, and on Tuesday, April 22 at 7 pm at St. Julia Parish, 374 Boston Post Road, Weston. For further information, contact Joanne Curry at 617-746-5820.

Mass Citizens for Life

The Mass Citizens for Life convention will be held on Saturday, April 12 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge. Feature will be Phil Kline who has indicted Planned Parenthood in Kansas, and Eileen Smith whose daughter died during an abortion in Hyannis. Also, experts in the law, stem cell research, legislation, etc. For information and registration call 617-242-4199 or visit www.MassCitizensForLife.org

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

Carlisle Council on Aging

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.

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

Deployed Military Support Group

A support group for those with loved ones in the military who are deployed and will be deployed meets Tuesday evenings at St. Theresa in Billerica in the Parish Center.

Contact Deacon Tom Mullins at 663-8816, extension 14, for more information.

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.

The Archdiocese of Boston

For information about our archdiocese, visit the Archdiocese of Boston website, www.rcab.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:

Glastonbury Abbey

Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham will offer a women's retreat April 11-13. "I know the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord; plans for peace." (Jer. 29:11) How can these plans of God be fulfilled? This retreat will bring women together to pray about this question and to explore how attentive listening and the practice of mindfulness can foster the inner peace that is the first step towards becoming agents of peach in our troubled world. DOnation is $160. Call 781-749-2155, ext. 200.

Franciscan Center Retreat

The Franciscan Center in Andover offers retreats throughout the year.

Please call 978-851-3391 for more information.

Live-In Retreat

The Little Brothers of St. Francis in Boston, Portsmouth Abbey in Rhode Island, and the famous Gethsemani Abbey in Trappist, Kentucky are offering a line-in experience vocational retreat. Pray and work with the monks and enjoy vocational talks. Their retreats are very popular, so make your reservations soon. Call 1-800-221-1807 for more information.

Espousal Retreat Center

The Espousal Retreat Center 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 Easter Collection, used to address the retirement, medical and financial needs of the priests of the Archdiocese of Boston, amounted to $9,697. Thank you for your generosity.