March 14th through March 20th

Saturday, March 13

4:00 P.M.        Edward Frieburger, 20th Anniversary

Sunday, March 14

  7:00 A.M.         Jozef Ba'ba, Health        

  9:00 A.M.             For our living and deceased parishioners.

11:00 A.M.         Jeovanni Lopez and Angel Valdivia Sr.,                              Memorial

                        Cayetana Rivera, 14th Anniversary

                        Octaviano Romero, Memorial

                        Abraham Colon Burgos, Memorial

Monday, March 15

  8:00 A.M.         Stuart B. Mead, Memorial

Tuesday, March 16

  8:00 A.M.         Special Thanksgiving

12:10 P.M.         Tom Callahan, Memorial

Wednesday, March 17

  8:00 A.M.         In Thanksgiving for Favors Received

  12:10 P.M.       Mary Newman, Memorial

   7:00 P.M.       Cleiser Ortiz. Memorial

Thursday, March 18

  8:00 A.M.                     Tony Knowlton, Memorial

12:10 P.M.         Charles Reilly, Memorial

Friday, March 19

  8:00 A.M.        Ignatius J. Stapleton, 18th Anniversary

12:10 P.M.         Terry Shine, Memorial

Saturday, March 20

  8:00 A.M.         Leo and Anna Leveille, Memorial

 

A ROSE FOR LIFE IN OUR SANCTUARY

The roses this week are sponsored in memory of Ignatius J. Stapleton by Clara and Norma, in memory of Claire Blaney by Clara and Norma, in memory of Ed and Lauretta by Terry Murphy, and in memory of the Goguen and Convery families by the Convery family.

 

The stations of thE cross are prayed each Friday during Lent after the 12:10 p.m. Mass in the Rectory Chapel. Please join us for this beautiful Catholic tradition as we accompany Jesus in His suffering 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 this 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.

     Confessions will also be available on Wednesdays during Lent from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Church.

 

Three-Night Lenten Retreat ‑

 Following the Penance Service on Monday night, 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. He will speak on "Giving" the first night, "Forgiving" the second night, and "Living" the third night.

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 as Jesus was led into 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 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.

 

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

 

 

 

"His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.' But his father ordered his servants, 'let us celebrate with a feast because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again.'"

                                                Lk 15:21-22a, 23b-24a

 

 

The Holy Catholic Triduum:

The Highest Feast Days of the Year

            The greatest mysteries of the redemption are celebrated yearly by the Church beginning with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday and ending with Vespers of Easter Sunday. This time is called "the triduum of the crucified, buried and risen"; it is also called the "Easter Triduum" because during it is celebrated the paschal mystery, that is, the passing of the Lord from this world to his Father. The Church, by the celebration of this mystery through liturgical signs and sacramentals, is united to Christ, her spouse, in intimate communion.

            With the celebration of Mass on the evening of Holy Thursday, "the Church begins the Easter Triduum and recalls the Last Supper in which the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, showing his love for those who were his own in the world, he gave his body and blood under the species of bread and wine offering to his Father and giving them to the Apostles so that they might partake of them, and he commanded them and their successors in the priesthood to perpetuate this offering."

            On Good Friday, when "Christ our passover was sacrificed," the Church mediates on the passion of her Lord and Spouse, adores the cross, commemorates her origin from the side of Christ asleep on the cross, and intercedes for the salvation of the whole world.

            And on Holy Saturday, the Church is, as it were, at the Lord's tomb, meditating on his passion and death and on his descent into hell, awaiting his resurrection with prayer and fasting. This is the "vigil of all vigils", loaded with symbolism and inspiring in all its parts.

            If you have never participated in the Easter Triduum, maybe this will be a good occasion to join us for the celebration. The schedule will appear in next week's bulletin. We assure you that your faith as a Catholic will be renewed and your gratitude to God will grow stronger in your heart. Make plans to be with us here at Saint Stephen as we celebrate the greatest of all liturgies!

 

“FOR THE LOVE OF OUR SPIRITUAL HOME.”

The second collection this weekend will be “For the Love of Our Spiritual Home, St. Stephen Parish.” Please be as generous as you can.

 

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 during Lent.

 

Request from St. Vincent de Paul Society

The Saint Vincent de Paul Society asks 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. A grocery store gift-card or cash would also help the needy.

 

2010 CATHOLIC APPEAL: Archdiocese of Boston

"The gifts we have, we are given to share". Success in the eyes of God is not about the quantity or quality of our material goods. Instead, it's about how we use those goods: do they move us closer to God, or are they an obstacle? God call us to share what we have to help others. By providing support for many ministries of the Church, the Catholic Appeal offers everyone a chance to practice Christian stewardship.

Cardinal Seán sends his thanks to everyone who pledged to the 2010 Catholic Appeal during last weekend. If you have not yet made your gift, please consider make a pledge this weekend.

For more information, please pick up a pledge packet at the exits of the church today and prayerfully consider how you are going to participate in the Catholic Appeal this year.

 

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. This will help to beautify our Church for Easter. Please PRINT CLEARLY the names of your loved ones. We will publish their names in a future bulletin.