March 7th through March 13th

Saturday, March 6

4:00 P.M.        The Souls in Purgatory

Sunday, March 7

  9:00 A.M.             For Our Living and Deceased Parishioners

11:00 A.M.        Jeovanni Lopez, Memorial

                        Leticia Ofelia Funes, 1st Anniversary

                        Rosalba Marin de Castrillon, Memorial

                        Timotea Alvarado, 1^st Anniversary

Monday, March 8

  8:00 A.M.       Jack and Rita King, 60th Wedding Anniversary

12:10 P.M.         Dolores Marti, Memorial

Tuesday, March 9

  8:00 A.M.         For Living Members of the Angelini Family

  12:10 P.M.       Special Intention

Wednesday, March 10

  8:00 A.M.         Everardo Villamil, Memorial

  7:00 P.M.         Victims of Chile's earthquake.

Thursday, March 11

  8:00 A.M.                     Charles Reilly, Memorial

Friday, March 12

  8:00 A.M.         Manuel Tercero, Memorial

12:10 P.M.         Thanksgiving to Jesus for favors received

Saturday, March 13

  8:00 A.M.         Emidio and Virginia Gentile, Memorial

 

A ROSE FOR LIFE IN OUR SANCTUARY

The roses this week are sponsored in memory of the Unborn by Laury Henry, in memory of Fred King by his grandsons Matthew and Ryan, in memory of

Clara O. Stapleton by Clara and Norma, in memory of Louis E. Ferri by Kathryn Ferri, and in memory of Phil Robinson by Patricia Robinson.

 

Adult Formation Class ‑ Fr. Paco will speak on "Family Values" at the Adult Education class in the St. Paul Room today (Sunday) at 10:15 a.m. This class is for the parents of the children in our Religious Education Program, and attendance is strongly recommended.

 

As part of our faith community's Lenten observance, we will participate in the Catholic Relief Services' Lenten program known as Operation Rice Bowl. Since 1975, Operation Rice Bowl has inspired Catholics in the United States to pray, fast, and give as we increase our understanding of our global community. We encourage you to participate in Operation Rice Bowl by taking a rice bowl home with you and collecting donations along with your family and loved ones.

 

The stations of thE cross - are prayed each Friday during Lent after the 12:10 PM Mass in the rectory Chapel. Please join us for this beautiful Catholic tradition as we accompany Jesus in his suffering Passion for our sins.

Also, we recite the Holy Rosary each morning before Mass, doors are open at 7:30 a.m., feel free to join us.

 

Lenten Penance Service ‑ As has been our custom in recent years, we will host a Penance Service on Monday, March 15th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Church. There will be a number of priests available to hear your Confession that night, so please take advantage of this opportunity to prepare your soul for the Passion of Christ on Good Friday.

This night will also mark the beginning of our Lenten Retreat that will follow the penance service for the next three evenings. Can you think of a better way to prepare ourselves to receive God's graces?

 

St Stephen and all the Catholic parishes, and chapels of the Archdiocese will be open on Lenten Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m. for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. These confessions will take place in the Church, enter thru the main door on Concord street. Please take advantage of this opportunity to make a good Lenten confession.

 

Request from St. Vincent de Paul Society

The Saint Vincent de Paul Society recommends during Lent: Don't give up something: give something! We ask for your assistance each weekend with donations of food for our pantry. Our supplies are low. We do have plenty of beans, soups, vegetables, and tuna. We are in need of jello, puddings, cake or brownie mixes, pie fillings, tea, hot chocolate, coffee, peanut butter, jams or jellies, canned fruit, pasta, rice, microwave popcorn, cookies, nuts, and candies; or a grocery store gift-card or cash to the Society to assist the needy. Saint Stephen's parishioners have always been very generous and supportive. Thank you as always for your generosity!

 

 

Jesus said to them in reply, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!"                                                                     - Lk 13:2-3

 

 

Dominican Sisters Bake Sale ‑ The Dominican Sisters will offer their usual selection of delicious baked goods for sale next weekend, Marzo 13th and 14th, after all the Masses. Please plan to stop by and help support their work.

 

Three-Night Lenten Retreat ‑

 Following the Penance Service on Monday, March 15th, we will host a three-night retreat on March 16, 17, and 18 in the Church. Each night's program will be from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. and will feature talks by Fr. Walter Gaudreau of the Marist House.

A Retreat is a wonderful opportunity to set aside some time in our busy schedules and find a moment to enter deep into our hearts where we need to renew and refresh the faith that sustains us as disciples of the Lord.

Just like Jesus was led to the desert before he began his public ministry, each Catholic is called to find a desert where we can listen to the voice of God. Saint Stephen's parish will be our "desert" here in Framingham for those three evenings. We do hope to see you! Please set aside these nights as part of your Lenten practices.

 

Evangelization Project ‑ In the foyer of the church near the front door, you will notice a stand with literature and compact disks. These materials are there to help you know your Catholic Faith better so that you can spread it to others. We invite you to take advantage of these materials and to leave a donation of 50 cents for each pamphlet and $3 for each CD. When you are through with the pamphlet or CD, do not copy it, but please pass it on to someone else. As the supply decreases, we will order more.

 

“FOR THE LOVE OF OUR SPIRITUAL HOME.”

The second collection next weekend, March 13th and 14th, will be “For the Love of Our Spiritual Home, St. Stephen Parish.” Please be generous since it is required to help pay our current expenses.

 

THE FOLLOWING CHILD WAS BAPTIZED in our Parish during the month of February: Diego Monroy Jimenez.

     We wish to welcome him to our parish and to thank his parents for bringing him to us. We renew our commitment to create a truly Christian community in which he and other children will grow in the knowledge and love of God. We offer our spiritual support to his parents!

 

2010 CATHOLIC APPEAL : Archdiocese of Boston

This is Catholic Appeal Weekend here at St. Stephen Parish. We, like all parishes throughout the Archdiocese, will be listening to a tape message from Cardinal Seán at all Masses and asking every Catholic household to participate by making a pledge. The Appeal is a once a year pledge drive to benefit the many central ministries and services of the Archdiocese of Boston. The Appeal is to the Archdiocese what the weekly offertory is to our parish. Because of the economic downturn, support of the Catholic Appeal is more urgent this year. Thank you in advance for joining with parishioners throughout our Archdiocese's 291 parishes to carry on the broader work of our Church. Every gift matters!  For more information , please visit: www.BostonCatholicAppeal.org

 

Donations for Easter Flowers and Decorations – You may remember your loved ones in the season of Easter by placing their names in one of the envelopes that you will find at the entrance of each door in the Church, marked “Easter Flowers,” along with your monetary donation.

Your donations will help us with the cost of flowers for Easter. We want our Church to look beautiful for this occasion. Please PRINT CLEARLY the names of your loved ones. We will publish their names in a future bulletin.