Saint Stephen Parish

 

May 9th through May 15th

Saturday, May 8

4:00 P.M.       Frank, Nora, and Fran Flynn, Rita Almeda,                  and Nancy Sweeney, Memorial

Sunday, May 9

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

Monday, May 10

8:00 A.M.       Margaret Chiudioni, Memorial

Tuesday, May 11

8:00 A.M.       Martha E. Anzoategui, Memorial

Wednesday, May 12

8:00 A.M.       Special Intention

7:00 P.M.       Roselia de la Rosa, Memorial

Thursday, May 13

8:00 A.M.       Thanksgiving to Our Lady of Fatima for                                   favors received

Friday, May 14

8:00 A.M.       Paul Lydon, Memorial

Saturday, May 15

  8:00 A.M.       Bennie and Marie Potenza, Memorial

 

 

Bruce Howe    Genevieve Twomey

Anne T. Carney            Kathleen Hill

 

A ROSE FOR LIFE IN OUR SANCTUARY

The roses this week are sponsored in memory of Fred King by his son Michael, in memory of Clara O. Stapleton by Clara and Norma, in memory of Mary V. Mead by Cynthia Angelini, in memory of Joe and Helen Conlin by Patricia Robinson, in memory of Margaret Chiudioni by her husband and children, and in memory of Edward McKinney by Angie Hayes.

 

Birthright Carnations ‑ After all the Masses this weekend, the Mother's Day Carnation Project will take place to raise money for Birthright of Framingham so that they may help women facing problem pregnancies. The Birthright Center is staffed by volunteers who offer friendship, emotional support, and practical assistance to these women. The Center does not charge for its services and relies on donations from generous supporters to continue helping pregnant women in need. Checks can be made out to Birthright of Framingham and mailed to 79A Main Street, Framingham, MA 01701.

 

 

Celebrating the Month of Mary in May

Since the month of May has traditionally been devoted to Our Blessed Lady, we will sponsor several things this month to show our devotion to the Mother of God.

Saturday and Sunday, May 8th and 9th: Crowning of the Blessed Mother at the 4:00, 9:00, and 11:00 Masses.

Thursday, May 13 ‑ Praying the Rosary as requested by Our Lady during her first visit to the three children in Fatima on May 13, 1917.

 

Ascension Thursday, May 13th, is a holy day of obligation when Catholics are expected to make an extra effort to attend Mass either on the Vigil of the Ascension or on the holy day itself. Masses in English will be celebrated at 8:00 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. on the holy day. There will be a Spanish Vigil Mass at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12th, and a bilingual Mass at 7:00 p.m. on Ascension Thursday.

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit ‑ The oldest devotion in the Church is the Novena to the Holy Spirit. It is designed to prepare us for the glorious Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down on the Apostles in tongues of fire and gave them His seven special gifts: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel or right judgment, fortitude or courage, piety or reverence, and fear of the Lord or wonder and awe in God's presence.

Special prayers will be available so that you can make this nine-day novena to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity to invoke His help in your life and to get yourself ready to mark His first coming on Pentecost.

 

 

Jesus said to his disciples: "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

                                                             Jn14:26-27a

 

 

OUR BLESSED LADY AT FATIMA

 

     Ninety-three years ago this coming Thursday, our Blessed Lady appeared for the first of six times to three young children in the Portuguese village of Fatima. Her message was simple: pray the rosary for peace, do penance, and make reparation for sins. If her requests were not heeded, Our Lady warned in 1917, another world war would take place, Communism would spread its errors throughout the world, and the Church and the Holy Father would be persecuted.

     All the evils that the Blessed Mother predicted came true.

     In the course of her appearances, the Virgin Mary revealed three secrets to the children. The oldest visionary, Lucia, made two of the secrets known in her accounts of the apparitions, but communicated the third secret by letter to the Holy Father in Rome. The letter was not to be opened until 1960.

    The first secret was the terrifying vision of Hell given to the children on July 13, 1917. It was then that Mary gave them the prayer to be said after each decade of the rosary: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy."

     The second secret was a call for observing the first Saturdays of five consecutive months by going to Confession, receiving Holy Communion, and praying the rosary in reparation for sins.

     The third secret was not revealed until 2000, when Pope John Paul II said that it was fulfilled in the attempt to kill him on May 13, 1981, the anniversary of the first Fatima appearance. He credited the Blessed Mother with saving his life.

     We need more than ever today to heed our Lady's requests for praying the rosary, doing penance, and making up for our own sins and the sins of the world. The Blessed Mother will keep her promises, but only when her children throughout the world keep their part of the bargain.

 

Catholic Communications Campaign ‑ The second collection next weekend, May 15th and 16th, will be to support the communications apostolate of the Church. Your continued generosity would be appreciated.

 

THE FOLLOWING CHILDREN WERE BAPTIZED

in our Parish during the month of April: Rachel Guadalupe Avelar Carcamo, Genesis Bautista Camacho, Moises Bautista Camacho, Michael F. Justiniano, and Nicholas Hernandez Familia.

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

 

Fatima Day in Holliston ‑ The Xaverian Missionaries at the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Holliston will resume their traditional Fatima Day celebrations next Thursday, May 13th. This first of six celebrations on the 13th of each month from May until October will begin with a sing-a-long at 6:30 p.m. and Mass at 7:00. The celebrant and homilist at the Mass will be Fr. Lawrence J. Esposito, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Linwood, MA. A rosary and candlelight procession will take place at 8:00 p.m., followed by refreshments in the Shrine Hall. Parking is free and all are welcome.

 

25th and 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebrations Sean Cardinal O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap. invites all couples in the Archdiocese who are marking their 25th and 50th wedding anniversaries in 2010 to join him for the annual celebration at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 13th. Mass will include a renewal of marriage vows by all participating couples, and family members, as well as the general public, are welcome to attend. If you are celebration a silver or golden wedding anniversary, and would like to join with Cardinal Sean, please call the Rectory and register your name no later than May 10th. A formal invitation will be sent to you from the Archdiocese.

 

Lost and Found Items: We have found several items left in Church, including six sets of car keys, video-camera, photo camera, cell phones, hats, and glasses. If you think you may have misplaced and of these items, please, call the Rectory between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. during the week.