St. Mary's Parish Alternate Website

Welcome to St. Mary of the Assumption Website.

Intro

If you're new to St Mary's Parish, we are happy to welcome you to our parish community and invite you to introduce yourself and your family to a member of the Pastoral Staff. The church is located at 420 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026. For directions, please go to the directions page.

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02-07-2010

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday
February l7, 2010
Ashes will be distributed at Mass and at an afternoon service
Masses: 7:00am. 12:10pm and 7:00pm
Service only: 3:00pm

Notice

Please note the Lifeteen Mass on Sunday, February 7, Super Bowl Sunday, will be celebrated at 4:30pm instead of 6:00pm to accommodate the game!

Reconciliation

The Light is On For You
On all the Wednesday's of Lent, beginning the week after Ash Wednesday, from 6:30-8:OOpm, our parish and all the parishes and chapels of the Archdiocese of Boston will be open for individual confessions. Inviting Catholics to experience Christ's healing love through the Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the major initiatives of Cardinal Sean and the Archdiocese this year. The Archdiocese has set up a website, www.TheLightIsOnForYou.org , to help you prepare. It has videos on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, sheets on how to make a good confession, answers to frequently-asked questions and more. Please make plans to come on Lenten Wednesdays and spread the word of this special outreach of mercy to those you know.
In our parish, confessions will be heard in the chapel. The screen will be set up so that a person may sit in front of the priest or kneel behind the screen.

Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) Starting next Saturday, confessions will be heard in the chapel from 3:00 to 3:45. Part of our construction project is the building of a reconciliation room in the main church. Until that is built, the sacrament of reconciliation on Saturday afternoons and on Wednesday nights during Lent will be held in the chapel in the parish center.

Parish & Community

PARISH and COMMUNITY NEWS

From Fr. Bill Lohan
We are in need of youth servers for our weekend Masses. Any child 10 years or older is welcome to serve. This is a great way to participate more fully in the Masses and to learn too! There will be six one hour practices for new servers held in the church on the following dates from 3:3Opm-4:3Opm.: Feb. 22 and 24, March l,3, 8 and 10.
Current youth servers must attend a practice on Monday, March 15 from 3:30pm-5:00pm in the church. If this date is a problem please contact Ms. Kathy Kent or Fr. Bill Lohan at the Parish Center (781-326-0550) as soon as possible for alternative arrangements.
Thank you for your important service to our community!

Progress on downstairs church:
We are going out to bid vary shortly, and the downstairs church is being cleaned out this week. Just to remind you: we are going to create a new Life House for our Life Teen program in half the downstairs church, and a parish hail in the other half of the space. We are aggressively marketing the school in order to pay off our million plus dollar debt and tens of thousands of dollars in heating costs out of our budget.

A Senior Gathering
Please join Sr. Barbara Lavin for a luncheon on Tuesday, February 16 at 11:30 in the parish center dining room. Come and join in the fun, friendship and conversation. All are welcome! Bring a valentine card signed by you to be put in a basket and then everyone will choose a card at random to take home.
Don't forget to wear RED!!!!
Exercise classes on Tuesday and Friday from 10:15- 11:15 on the second floor of the parish center.

Parish Trivia Night
Join us Saturday, February 20^th for a fun night to fight winter doldrums. Doors open at 7:00pm. Games start at 8:00pm. There will be cash prizes. Coffee and desserts will be served. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Feel free to bring along nibbles for your table. If you have a team of 8 be sure to call the parish office, 781-326-0550, to reserve a table. Tickets are $5.00 a person. Come and join the fun!

The Boston Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society is offerihg up to one hundred, $1000.00 scholarships for the 2010-2011 school year. The funds must be used at a Parochial Grammar (Grades 1 - 8) school of your choice. Applications are available at the Parish Center and must be completed by March 20, 2010.

Religious Education

From the Director of Religious Education

Religious Education News
This week grades 1 - 5 will follow the regular class schedule.
ROC families please note: Due to a clerical error, the distributed schedule indicates that there is no ROC gathering on Thursday, Feb. ll^th. So as not to disrupt the schedule for the remainder of the school year, we will leave the ROC schedule as it stands - NO ROC THIS WEEK. Sorry for the confusion. Group A will meet again on February 25^th and Group B on March 4^th.

As I include the above information regarding the scheduling error for the Confirmation classes, I chastise myself for the oversight - what calendar was I looking at when I made the original schedule? Yes, everyone makes mistakes, but still, putting together a schedule is not rocket science. When (relatively) minor errors crop up, it is often a good time to take a deep breath and step back. As a busy working mother myself, I feel for all the families who are on never ending schedules...school, work, sports, volunteer commitments, family commitments...it never seems to end. At least in my line of work I have the advantage and blessing of spending time reading, thinking and talking about God. Most parents don't have this "benefit" - but paying attention to God in our daily lives does somehow bring other commitments into better focus. We can better recognize the necessary from the frivolous, the life giving from the draining, the true friends from the false ones. From one harried parent to another, I urge you not to scrimp on the restorative power of God and His Church in your family's life. In the long run you and your children will be blessed with a calmer, more hope filled and more fulfilling vision of what Life's journey is all about.

Wishing you peace.. .and a little rest,
Elizabeth D. Healy

Sanctuary Candle

This week's Sanctuary Candle will burn in memory of
R.J. Reed, Jr.

Reflections

Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."

Lk 5:10

Daily Readings

Readings for the Week

For everyday readings you can visit the Readings and Psalm section of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website through this link:

Daily Mass Readings

Edge/LifeTeen

Middle School Youth Ministry

NOTE TO PARENTS
Last week, we continued our "Back to Basics" theme and uncovered the topic of the Church being "One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic." The kids heard from different people on this topic, watched a video called "Epic" from www.CatholicsComeHome.org , and created a craft to take home. We look forward to this coming Wednesday as we break open our upcoming Lenten season with the kids.

EDGE RETREAT THIS WEEKEND!
We ask our parishioners to keep in prayer our middle schoolers who are taking part in their annual Edge retreat led by our Edge Core Team of parents and upperclassmen in high school. We look forward to sharing with you the photos that are taken.

Check out the latest pictures
@
www.stmarysedge.com

Go there...

LifeTeen Section

THIS WEEK @ LIFE TEEN

Monday	Homework Days 2:30-5pm Pizza & Prayer @ 6pm Nicaragua Meeting @ 7:45pm
Wednesday	Homework Days 2:30-5pm
Thursday	Homework Days 2:30-5pm
Friday	Parents needed to help set-up Stag Semi
Saturday	Valentine's Stag Semi 6:30-11pm
Sunday	Life Teen Mass @ 6pm followed by Life Night until 9:30pm

UPCOMING EVENTS
Passion Play Rehearsal - Open to Any Senior -
Monday, February 15^th after Prayer
Sunday River Ski Trip - February 16-18
CIA Service Retreat - February 19-21
Babysitting Night - Saturday, February 27^th 6-10pm

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR HOMELESS!
CATHOLICS IN ACTION SERVICE RETREAT
On the weekend of February 19-21, thirty of our high school teens will be on our annual 3 day service retreat in the Dedham and greater Boston area. As in years past, we will be going to the Boston Common on Sunday to distribute food, clothing, toiletries, and other supplies to the homeless. Your donations to this in the past have been overwhelming and we hope you can assist again!

Winter Jackets Toiletries Gloves & Hats

Socks. Underwear. T-Shirts, Pants, Sweaters, Shirts

Cookies or Desserts Sliced Bread Bags of Chips

Cold Cuts Fruit Juices/Bottled Beverages

Money to go towards supplies

Please note that the winter clothing does not have to be new, but should be in good condition. Also, we are usually in need of larger sized underwear and t-shirts.
All supplies may be dropped off at the Parish Center by Friday. February 19^th

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE'S RESPONSE TO HAITI
Over the past couple of weeks, both Edge and Life Teen have presented issue nights called "Unshakeable Faith: A Response to the earthquake in Haiti." At Life Teen, the teens heard from a woman in our parish who lost her brother. It was a touching story that left a mark on all gathered there. The Edge kids held a similar night 2 weeks ago. We brainstormed some things to do as a community, and if any in our parishioner would like to join us, you are more than welcomed to:

FASTING - Teens have fasted from pizza during Pizza & Prayer on January 25^th and as a community on Wednesday, January 27^th Money was collected and will be donated to an organization. Teens are on their own fasting and giving money to www.FastforHaiti.com.

PENNY WARS - beginning Sunday, February 7^th each class will have a large container to be filled. (The Edge will have their own container that they will use). This will be a competition between classes while they raise funds and awareness for Haiti.

Our solidarity unites us with the people in Haiti. Please continue to pray for the people in Haiti and stay tuned for further info regarding ways to help.

PHOTOS NOW UPLOADED!
Check out all new photos @
www.stmaryslifeteen.com!

March for Life in D.C. * All-Nighter Events

Year of the Priests Lifenight * NYC Trip

Lift @ Cathedral * The Office Olympics

FOR ALL OUR UPCOMING INFORMATION, PHOTOS, & TRIPS,
PLEASE VISIT:
www.stmaryslifeteen.com

Go there...

STEWARDSHIP

SHARING TIME, TALENT, TREASURE

TREASURE	1/30-1/31 2010	YTD FY 2010
Offertory (includes EFT & mail ins)	$9,577.31	$316,339.10
Budgeted Offertory	$12,500.00	$387,500.00
Amount (under) Budget for the week	$(2,922.69)	$(71,160.90)
Fuel Collection	_	$16,825.00
Insurance Collection	_	$19,140.00
Amount over (under) Budget after Special Collections	$(2,922.69)	$(35,195.90)
Total Grand Annual	$86,271.92	_
Mail Ins January	$4,319.57	_
Haiti - total to date	$6,857.48	_

This week's second collection, The Peter's Pence, enables the Holy Father to respond with emergency financial assistance to requests for aid to needy throughout the world as a result of war, oppression and natural disasters.
Please visit www.usccb.org/ppc for more information.

Parish Clergy

Pastor:
Rev. William G. Williams

Parochial Vicar:
Rev. William P. Lohan

Permanent Deacon:
Rev. Mr. Louis W. Sheedy

In Residence:
Rev. Joseph F. Mozer