Respect Life at Saint Agnes: 40 Days for Life in Lent

40 Days for Life

Our community will join hundreds of other cities on February 22-March 29 to participate in a life-saving campaign made up of prayer and fasting, community outreach and peaceful vigils.  You are invited to stand and pray during the 40-day vigil in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood in Boston, and to spread the word about this important ministry.

Saint Agnes has committed to prayer outside of Planned Parenthood on Sundays from 2:00-3:00 pm, beginning February 22nd.  We will leave Saint Agnes parking lot at 1:30 pm each Sunday.  We invite you to join us at least once during the campaign.  For more information, visit www.40DaysforLife.com/boston, or email Eileen Cahill at SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com

How can we be PRO-life every day?

By maintaining a positive attitude towards others,

appreciating the unique person that God has created in each individual,

reaching out in kindness and compassion,

praying for the unborn, disabled and elderly,

and giving alms to the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable in our society.

“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me.”Matthew 25:40

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Do you like to Run (or walk?)

Calling all runners and walkers… have you heard of the national organization LIFE Runners? It is the world’s largest Pro-Life Running/Walking Team with chapters in all 50 states and 17 countries! LIFE Runners pray and run (or walk) to defend Life from conception to natural death… All in Christ for Pro-Life! There are two chapters in Massachusetts (Springfield and Still River), but no Boston area chapter yet. Would you be interested in starting a Boston area chapter of LIFE Runners? E-mail SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com or call Eileen Cahill at 781-643-5915. This would be a great way for all ages in our parish and our community to work and pray together to support God’s gift of life.

“All life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”

-Pope Francis

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

LOCAL Natural Family Planning

Attention Married Couples!  Would you like…

• a natural, hormone-free way to postpone pregnancy?
• to start a family or have another child?
• to improve communication with your spouse?
• to learn more about church teaching on "the Theology of the Body?"
• to understand why the Bishops were so unsettled by the HHS mandate?

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is an organic, chemical-free method that is just as effective as the Pill at postponing pregnancy and nearly twice as effective as IVF for achieving pregnancy. The divorce rate among couples that practice NFP is less than 2%.

Want to learn more? Josh and Meredith Phelps are certified teachers of a 3-class NFP series, offered in our locale!  For sign-ups, details, or questions about dates, please email Meredith.Phelps [at] gmail.com.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Project Rachel
Project Rachel is a confidential Catholic outreach ministry offering healing, compassion and hope to women and men hurting from an abortion experience. People are available to listen, to answer questions, to pray for you, and to help in any way. Project Rachel can help begin the experience of forgiveness, freedom and peace waiting for you in the tender embrace of God’s love and mercy. The phone number for Project Rachel is 508-651-3100, email is help [at] ProjectRachelBoston.com, and the website is www.ProjectRachelBoston.com.  All inquiries are confidential.

Wednesday Confessions & Meatless Friday Recipe!

Do you need a new start?  The Light is On for You!

Go to confession TONIGHT, or any Wednesday this Lent from 6:30-8:00 pm in our own church,

or any parish or chapel in the Boston Diocese.

All people are welcome to come to the Heavenly Feast, so start with a good confession to our Lord.

An introduction on how to make a good confession can be found here.  

What to do in Lent? How can we make this a holy season, growing spiritually and in our relationship with our Lord? Here's are five quick thoughts:

1. Sacrifice something - give something up as an offering to the Lord. Put this thing out of your life for a time, and allow God to fill that void with His grace.
   
2. Give alms - give from your need, not just your excess. Give money saved by making sacrifices to the poor, lonely, forgotten, and mistreated.  Unite yourself to those who suffer, and give with a sincere and generous heart.
   
3. Give time - start a habit of caring for someone that God has put in your life. This may mean beginning a commitment to volunteer, visiting a neighbor in need, or giving more dedicated time to your family.
   
4. Go to Confession - recognize your sins, faults, failings, and struggles. Confess them to the Lord sincerely, and ask for His help. God is faithful! Then go out and make amends with those whom you have hurt. Generously forgive those who have hurt you. Offer others the same new beginning which Christ has offered to each of us.
   
5. Make a habit of Prayer - start spending time with God, habitually. For some this means going to Daily Mass. For others, it means praying the Rosary, the Daily Readings, or other set devotions. For others this means cracking open the Scriptures. For others it means sitting quietly and listening to God. Whatever way you pray, just do it.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
What are you cooking on Friday night?  Catholics abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent, but for most Americans, this change in diet can sometimes be tricky!

Do you need a recipe idea?  Below is a meatless recipe submitted by one of our own parish families, and kindly compiled into a cookbook by Rachel Horsting.  Perhaps you could set aside family time this Friday to cook with your kids, invite a friend for dinner, or offer a meatless meal to someone in need!

For the rest of the cookbook, please click here.

Weekly Digest

Welcome everyone!
This week at the parish:

• Tuesday - Playgroup is CANCELLED due to the weather.  Choir Practice and Fatima Apostolate (7 pm), Women's Bible Study (7:30 pm)
• Wednesday - Confessions  (6:30-8:00 pm), Adult Education and Bereavement Meeting (7 pm)
• Thursday - Saint Dymphna Society (6:30 pm)
• Saturday  - Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - Children's Choir at 9:00 am Mass (rehearsal at 8:15 am), Coffee and Donuts (after 9:00 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass), 40 Days for Life Prayer Hour (depart from church at 1:30 pm), Infant Baptisms (2 pm), Lenten Vespers (4 pm at Saint Camillus)
• Monday - Anointing of the Sick Mass (9 am at Saint Eulalia, Winchester)

Daily Masses at Saint Agnes are 7:00 am everyday, and in LENT ONLY 5:30 pm Monday-Fridays.

Confessions are offered Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 pm,and Saturdays at 3:00 pm.

40 Days for Life
Saint Agnes will be participating in the upcoming Lenten 40 Days for Life campaign in Boston!  40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evils of abortion through the use of prayer and fasting, prayer vigil, and community outreach.  40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families.  The 40-day campaign parallels Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities… and the entire world. From Noah in the flood to Moses on the mountain to the disciples after Christ’s resurrection, it is clear that God sees the transformative value of His people accepting and meeting a 40-day challenge.

Please join Saint Agnes Parishioners for Life as we participate in 40 Days for Life this Lent!  Saint Agnes will be leading a rosary hour each Sunday afternoon from 2:00-3:00 pm at Planned Parenthood in Boston during the campaign starting Sunday, February 22nd. For carpooling, we will meet at 1:30 pm in the public parking lot adjacent to Saint Agnes church. If you have any questions, please e-mail Eileen Cahill (SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com).

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Saint Agnes $10,000 Raffle

Save the date! The North End comes to Saint Agnes School for its Annual $10,000 Raffle Dinner, Saturday, April 11th.  Flyers will be distributed in the weeks to come and you will have the opportunity to reserve your ticket/ raffle numbers early. We look forward to the success of one of the biggest fundraisers of the year to help support the children of Saint Agnes School. It is a great time, and a wonderful way to both have a night out, and support important Catholic causes.  Email SaintAgnes10K [at] gmail.com with any questions.

FALL 2015 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR OUR WONDERFUL PARISH SCHOOLS!

FIDELITY HOUSE - Preschool and Pre-K

SAINT AGNES GRAMMAR SCHOOL - Pre-K through Grade 8

ARLINGTON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Links to these websites are located at the top right-hand of the blog page.

When you invest and involve your family here, you can participate

in the evangelical mission and service of these community resources,

which are offered by - and in the long tradition of - our very own Catholic Church.

Financial Aid is available.  WOW!

Ash Wednesday and Lenten Programs

Ash Wednesday is February 18th, 2015

Mass times are as follows: 7:00 am, 12 noon, 3:00 pm SERVICE, 5:30 pm, 7:00 pm

Join as we begin the penitential season of Lent together, preparing our hearts for the joy of Easter.  Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence.

Daily Masses at Saint Agnes are 7:00 am everyday, and in LENT ONLY 5:30 pm Monday-Fridays.

Confessions are offered Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 pm,and Saturdays at 3:00 pm.

What to do in Lent? How can we make this a holy season, growing spiritually and in our relationship with our Lord? Here are five quick thoughts:

1. Sacrifice something - give something up as an offering to the Lord. Put this thing out of your life for a time, and allow God to fill that void with His grace.
2. Give alms - give from your need, not just your excess. Give money saved by making sacrifices to the poor, lonely, forgotten, and mistreated.  Unite yourself to those who suffer, and give with a sincere and generous heart.
3. Give time - start a habit of caring for someone that God has put in your life. This may mean beginning a commitment to volunteer, visiting a neighbor in need, or giving more dedicated time to your family.
4. Go to Confession - recognize your sins, faults, failings, and struggles. Confess them to the Lord sincerely, and ask for His help. God is faithful! Then go out and make amends with those whom you have hurt. Generously forgive those who have hurt you. Offer others the same new beginning which Christ has offered to each of us.
5. Make a habit of Prayer - start spending time with God, habitually. For some this means going to Daily Mass. For others, it means praying the Rosary, the Daily Readings, or other set devotions. For others this means cracking open the Scriptures. For others it means sitting quietly and listening to God. Whatever way you pray, just do it.

CONFESSION - “The Light is On for You”

Do you need a new start? You can go to confession any Wednesday night during Lent from 6:30-8:00 pm Saint Agnes, or any parish or chapel in the Boston Diocese.  All people are welcome to come to the Heavenly Feast, so start with a good confession to our Lord.

To replace our sins with virtues may seem like a daunting task, but fortunately we can follow the example of the saints who have successfully defeated these sins in their lifetimes. They provide us with a way forward so that we, too, can live holy, virtuous lives.
(from: Seven Saints for Seven Virtues)

40 Days for Life

Our community will join hundreds of other cities on February 22-March 29 to participate in a life-saving campaign made up of prayer and fasting, community outreach and peaceful vigils.  Saint Agnes has committed to prayer outside of Planned Parenthood on Sundays from 2:00-3:00 pm, beginning February 22nd.  We will leave Saint Agnes parking lot at 1:30 pm each Sunday.  We invite you to join us at least once during the campaign.  For more information, email Eileen Cahill (SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com).

Making Music Praying Twice

This children’s program incorporates learning about music with the liturgical seasons of the year.  Classes are small and appropriate for children birth-5 years.  Session II, encompassing the seasons of Ordinary Time (Winter) and Lent began on January 16^th, with classes offered on Fridays at 9:15 and 10:30 am. The 10:30 class has 3 openings and the 9:15 class has 7 openings.  Email Dot Bowe (DBowe@ssjl.org) for more information or to inquire about joining the class for Lent, or on a trial basis.  All classes will be held at Saint Joseph Parish, 130 Common Street, Belmont.

Jesus in the North End – www.one4boston.org

This wonderful diocesan event is targeted for Catholic Young Adults, although everyone is welcome to join in this evening of Adoration, Confession, and Evangelization.  Throw in a meatless Italian dinner beforehand, and it makes a great date to share with someone, and time spent together with our Lord.

February 20^th AND March 20^th at Saint Leonard’s Parish in Boston’s North End

7:30 pm - Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration

9:00 pm - Mass

10:00 pm - Social Time

**Confession and Evangelization are held throughout the event.**

Catholic Men’s Conference – Offered by the Diocese of Worcester (www.firstmensconf.org)

Saturday, March 21^st at the DCU Center, Worcester

Doors open at 7:30 am for registration, followed by speakers, lunch, confession and Mass

$30 for students, $45 for adults before March 2^nd, $60 for adults after March 2^nd – Purchase online at www.firstmensconf.org

**Hear and meet great national Catholic speakers, rediscover and renew your faith, offer your confession to the Lord, and celebrate the Eucharist with other men!

FIAT! for Discerning Women

Fiat is a discernment group for single women considering a vocation to religious life in the Catholic Church. February 25th at March 25th at 7:00 pm - Our Lady Help of Christians Church, 573 Washington Street, Newton

February Topic – “The Religious Vocation of Missionaries”

For more information please contact Sister Marian Batho at 617-746-5637 (Sr_Marian_Batho [at] rcab.org).

Adult Education for the New Evangelization

Adult Education will resume with a new seminar topic on February 25th at 7:00 pm!  This spring and summer, we will continue in Father Robert Barron's Catholicism series, using his study course specifically on the New Evangelization and the call of the Church in the modern world.  This topic will consist of SIX meetings, on the fourth Wednesdays of the month at 7:00 pm in the Saint Agnes Parish Center, finishing in July.  You need not come to every meeting to reap the benefits of fruitful discussion and friendly faces.  Join us when you can!  Light discussion and refreshments will follow the 90 minute program.  For more information, please email Tom Harvey (THarveyEsq [at] aol.com).

Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies

• Men’s Bible Study – Every other Thursday at 8:00 pm in the Saint Agnes Parish Center
  Next Meeting is February 19^th at 8:00 pm
  Currently studying First Corinthians, for information contact Charlie Bailey (CBailey2 [at] gmail.com)
  
  
• Women’s Bible Study – Every other Tuesday at 7:30 pm in the Saint Agnes Parish Center
  Next Meeting is February 24^th at 7:30 pm
  Currently studying a Bible Overview, for information contact Muriel Fudala (Muriel.Fudala [at] gmail.com)

Weekly Digest

Welcome everyone!
This week at the parish:

• Tuesday - Playgroup is CANCELLED due to the weather.  Please call the Parish Center for updates on Fatima Apostolate and Choir Practice (781-648-0220)
• ASH WEDNESDAY, Beginning of Lent, Fasting & Abstinence - Mass Times are 7:00 am, 12 noon, 3:00 pm SERVICE, 5:30 pm, 7:00 pm, Bereavement Meeting (7 pm)
• Thursday - Men's Bible Study (8:pm)
• Friday  - Jesus in the North End (7:30 pm at Saint Leonard's in the North End of Boston)
• Saturday  - Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - Coffee and Donuts (after 9:00 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass), 40 Days for Life Prayer Hour (depart from church at 1:30 pm), Lenten Vespers (4 pm at Saint Agnes)

Ash Wednesday is February 18th, 2015

Mass times are as follows: 7:00 am, 12 noon, 3:00 pm SERVICE, 5:30 pm, 7:00 pm

Join as we begin the penitential season of Lent together, preparing our hearts for the joy of Easter.  Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence.

Daily Masses at Saint Agnes are 7:00 am everyday, and in LENT ONLY 5:30 pm Monday-Fridays.

Confessions are offered Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 pm,and Saturdays at 3:00 pm.

40 Days for Life
Saint Agnes will be participating in the upcoming Lenten 40 Days for Life campaign in Boston!  40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evils of abortion through the use of prayer and fasting, prayer vigil, and community outreach.  40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families.  The 40-day campaign parallels Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities… and the entire world. From Noah in the flood to Moses on the mountain to the disciples after Christ’s resurrection, it is clear that God sees the transformative value of His people accepting and meeting a 40-day challenge.

Please join Saint Agnes Parishioners for Life as we participate in 40 Days for Life this Lent. The kick-off prayer vigil will be Wednesday, February 18th at 3:00 pm outside Planned Parenthood, 1055 Commonwealth Ave., Boston.  Saint Agnes will be leading a rosary hour each Sunday afternoon from 2:00-3:00 pm at Planned Parenthood in Boston during the campaign starting Sunday, February 22nd. For carpooling, we will meet at 1:30 pm in the public parking lot adjacent to Saint Agnes church. If you have any questions, please e-mail Eileen Cahill (SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com).

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Saint Agnes $10,000 Raffle

Save the date! The North End comes to Saint Agnes School for its Annual $10,000 Raffle Dinner, Saturday, April 11th.  Flyers will be distributed in the weeks to come and you will have the opportunity to reserve your ticket/ raffle numbers early. We look forward to the success of one of the biggest fundraisers of the year to help support the children of Saint Agnes School. It is a great time, and a wonderful way to both have a night out, and support important Catholic causes.  Email SaintAgnes10K [at] gmail.com with any questions.

FALL 2015 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR OUR WONDERFUL PARISH SCHOOLS!

FIDELITY HOUSE - Preschool and Pre-K

SAINT AGNES GRAMMAR SCHOOL - Pre-K through Grade 8

ARLINGTON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Links to these websites are located at the top right-hand of the blog page.

When you invest and involve your family here, you can participate

in the evangelical mission and service of these community resources,

which are offered by - and in the long tradition of - our very own Catholic Church.

Financial Aid is available.  WOW!

Sunday at Saint Agnes: Coffee Hour Cancelled, but Renew your Vows at NOON!

**Please note that due to the predicted snow, Sunday morning Coffee Hour is
CANCELLED for Sunday, February 15th.**

If you plan to go to a later Mass after digging out from the snow,
join in at NOON Mass, celebrating World Marriage Day!
All married couples are cordially invited to attend, renew their marriage vows
and celebrate their commitment to married life and each other.

How can we be PRO-life every day?

By maintaining a positive attitude towards others,

appreciating the unique person that God has created in each individual,

reaching out in kindness and compassion,

praying for the unborn, disabled and elderly,

and giving alms to the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable in our society.

“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me.”Matthew 25:40

40 Days for Life

Our community will join hundreds of other cities on February 22-March 29 to participate in a life-saving campaign made up of prayer and fasting, community outreach and peaceful vigils.  You are invited to stand and pray during the 40-day vigil in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood in Boston, and to spread the word about this important ministry.

Saint Agnes has committed to prayer outside of Planned Parenthood on Sundays from 2:00-3:00 pm, beginning February 22nd.  We will leave Saint Agnes parking lot at 1:30 pm each Sunday.  We invite you to join us at least once during the campaign.  For more information, visit www.40DaysforLife.com/boston, or email Eileen Cahill at SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Do you like to Run (or walk?)

Calling all runners and walkers… have you heard of the national organization LIFE Runners? It is the world’s largest Pro-Life Running/Walking Team with chapters in all 50 states and 17 countries! LIFE Runners pray and run (or walk) to defend Life from conception to natural death… All in Christ for Pro-Life! There are two chapters in Massachusetts (Springfield and Still River), but no Boston area chapter yet. Would you be interested in starting a Boston area chapter of LIFE Runners? E-mail SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com or call Eileen Cahill at 781-643-5915. This would be a great way for all ages in our parish and our community to work and pray together to support God’s gift of life.

“All life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”

-Pope Francis

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

LOCAL Natural Family Planning

Attention Married Couples!  Would you like…

• a natural, hormone-free way to postpone pregnancy?
• to start a family or have another child?
• to improve communication with your spouse?
• to learn more about church teaching on "the Theology of the Body?"
• to understand why the Bishops were so unsettled by the HHS mandate?

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is an organic, chemical-free method that is just as effective as the Pill at postponing pregnancy and nearly twice as effective as IVF for achieving pregnancy. The divorce rate among couples that practice NFP is less than 2%.

Want to learn more? Josh and Meredith Phelps are certified teachers of a 3-class NFP series, offered in our locale!  For sign-ups, details, or questions about dates, please email Meredith.Phelps [at] gmail.com.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Project Rachel
Project Rachel is a confidential Catholic outreach ministry offering healing, compassion and hope to women and men hurting from an abortion experience. People are available to listen, to answer questions, to pray for you, and to help in any way. Project Rachel can help begin the experience of forgiveness, freedom and peace waiting for you in the tender embrace of God’s love and mercy. The phone number for Project Rachel is 508-651-3100, email is help [at] ProjectRachelBoston.com, and the website is www.ProjectRachelBoston.com.  All inquiries are confidential.

Boston Sock Exchange THIS WEEKEND

"The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread." Mother Teresa

How did you feel about the weather this week?
How do you think the homeless felt about the weather?
Come serve the homeless in Boston.
Put your faith in action!

Volunteers are especially needed to help distribute supplies this Saturday. Details Below.
Can you help? Please email Sheila Obrien (obriensmo [at] hotmail.com) right away!

This Saturday, February 14th is the Boston Sock Exchange at 11:00 am! This ministry helps the homeless men and women of Boston, by distributing gifts of sandwiches and clothes near the Park Street T-Stop on the second Saturday of the month.

Prep and packaging for the day will be held TOMORROW -- Friday night, February 13th at 7:00 pm in the parish center. Help and/or donations is a wonderful way to put our faith in action!  For more information, see the calendar to the right, or email Natasha Buckley (NQBuck [at] aol.com).  Participants need to be at least 7 years old, and those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

The Boston Sock Exchange is currently in need of small 8 oz. bottled water, SOCKS, sweatshirts, long sleeved-shirts, fleece jackets, coats, gloves, hats, and scarves.  We also need rain gear: ponchos and umbrellas.  Thank you!

Join us at CARNIVAL on Thursday!

Do you have the wintertime blues?  Tired of being stuck inside on dark, snowy nights?

Despite the weather, we happily announce a Parish Carnival, before we begin the season of Lent.together.  Join us and invite a new friend!

Parish Carnival Party

Thursday, February 12th

6:00-8:00 pm

Saint Agnes School Hall (enter on Compton Street)

Don a costume, bring a snack, and prepare to enjoy the games and fun! Featuring kid’s activities, locally fried Brazilian dumplings, costume competition, and old-fashioned party games. Come with friends, or come meet new ones. Put it in your calendar, as we prepare for the start of Lent. If you would like more information, or can volunteer at this event, please email Rachel Horsting (Rachel.Horsting [at] gmail.com).

In addition, you can help to make this Carnival the best it can be, a true event from and for our whole Catholic community.  How can you help?

• Sign up as a volunteer to make the event run smoothly using the link here.

Weekly Digest

Welcome everyone!
This week at the parish:

• Tuesday - ALL ACTIVITIES CANCELLED, due to the weather.
• Wednesday - Bereavement Meeting (7 pm)
• Thursday - Parish Carnival Celebration!  (6-8 pm, Saint Agnes School Hall)
• Friday  - Prep for Boston Sock Exchange (7 pm)
• Saturday  - Boston Sock Exchange (11 am at Park Street T-stop), Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - Coffee and Donuts (after 9:00 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass), World Marriage Day Renewal of Vows (12 noon Mass), Infant Baptisms (2 pm)

Do you have the wintertime blues?  Tired of being stuck inside on dark, snowy nights?

Despite the weather, we happily announce a Parish Carnival, before we begin the season of Lent.together.  Join us and invite a new friend!

Parish Carnival Party

Thursday, February 12th

6:00-8:00 pm

Saint Agnes School Hall (enter on Compton Street)

Don a costume, bring a snack, and prepare to enjoy the games and fun! Featuring kid’s activities, locally fried Brazilian dumplings, costume competition, and old-fashioned party games. Come with friends, or come meet new ones. Put it in your calendar, as we prepare for the start of Lent. If you would like more information, or can volunteer at this event, please email Rachel Horsting (Rachel.Horsting [at] gmail.com).

In addition, you can help to make this Carnival the best it can be, a true event from and for our whole Catholic community.  How can you help?

• Sign up as a volunteer to make the event run smoothly using the link here.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Boston Sock Exchange

This Saturday, February 14th is the Boston Sock Exchange at 11:00 am at the Park Street T-Stop.  This ministry helps the homeless men and women of Boston, by distributing gifts of sandwiches and clothes near the Park Street T-Stop on the second Saturday of the month. Prep and packaging for the day is held in the parish center on Friday night, February 13th at 7:00 pm. Help and/or donations is a wonderful way to put your faith in action!  For more information, see the calendar to the right, or email Natasha Buckley (NQBuck [at] aol.com).

The Boston Sock Exchange is currently in need of small 8 oz. bottled water, SOCKS, sweatshirts, long sleeved-shirts, fleece jackets, coats, winter hats, scarves and gloves.  We also need rain gear: ponchos and umbrellas.  Thank you!

"Here is what we seek: a compassion that can stand in awe of what the poor have

to carry, rather than stand in judgement of how they carry it." Fr. Gregory Boyle, SJ

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Saint Agnes $10,000 Raffle

Save the date! The North End comes to Saint Agnes School for its Annual $10,000 Raffle Dinner, Saturday, April 11th.  Flyers will be distributed in the weeks to come and you will have the opportunity to reserve your ticket/ raffle numbers early. We look forward to the success of one of the biggest fundraisers of the year to help support the children of Saint Agnes School. It is a great time, and a wonderful way to both have a night out, and support important Catholic causes.  Email SaintAgnes10K [at] gmail.com with any questions.

FALL 2015 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR OUR WONDERFUL PARISH SCHOOLS!

FIDELITY HOUSE - Preschool and Pre-K

SAINT AGNES GRAMMAR SCHOOL - Pre-K through Grade 8

ARLINGTON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Links to these websites are located at the top right-hand of the blog page.

When you invest and involve your family here, you can participate

in the evangelical mission and service of these community resources,

which are offered by - and in the long tradition of - our very own Catholic Church.

Financial Aid is available.  WOW!

Respect Life at Saint Agnes: 40 Days for Life in Lent

**Please note that due to the predicted snow, CCD classes and Sunday morning Coffee Hour are CANCELLED for Sunday, February 8th.
We hope to see you next week!**

The next Saint Agnes Parishioners for Life Meeting will be on

Monday, February 9th at 7:00 pm in the Parish Center.
Come learn about 40 Days for Life, and our parish's commitment to prayer during this campaign!

How can we be PRO-life every day?

By maintaining a positive attitude towards others,

appreciating the unique person that God has created in each individual,

reaching out in kindness and compassion,

praying for the unborn, disabled and elderly,

and giving alms to the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable in our society.

“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me.”Matthew 25:40

40 Days for Life

Our community will join hundreds of other cities on February 22-March 29 to participate in a life-saving campaign made up of prayer and fasting, community outreach and peaceful vigils.  You are invited to stand and pray during the 40-day vigil in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood in Boston, and to spread the word about this important ministry.

Saint Agnes has committed to prayer outside of Planned Parenthood on Sundays from 2:00-3:00 pm, beginning February 22nd.  We will leave Saint Agnes parking lot at 1:30 pm each Sunday.  We invite you to join us at least once during the campaign.  For more information, visit www.40DaysforLife.com/boston, or email Eileen Cahill at SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Do you like to Run (or walk?)

Calling all runners and walkers… have you heard of the national organization LIFE Runners? It is the world’s largest Pro-Life Running/Walking Team with chapters in all 50 states and 17 countries! LIFE Runners pray and run (or walk) to defend Life from conception to natural death… All in Christ for Pro-Life! There are two chapters in Massachusetts (Springfield and Still River), but no Boston area chapter yet. Would you be interested in starting a Boston area chapter of LIFE Runners? E-mail SAParishforLife [at] gmail.com or call Eileen Cahill at 781-643-5915. This would be a great way for all ages in our parish and our community to work and pray together to support God’s gift of life.

“All life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”

-Pope Francis

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

LOCAL Natural Family Planning

Attention Married Couples!  Would you like…

• a natural, hormone-free way to postpone pregnancy?
• to start a family or have another child?
• to improve communication with your spouse?
• to learn more about church teaching on "the Theology of the Body?"
• to understand why the Bishops were so unsettled by the HHS mandate?

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is an organic, chemical-free method that is just as effective as the Pill at postponing pregnancy and nearly twice as effective as IVF for achieving pregnancy. The divorce rate among couples that practice NFP is less than 2%.

Want to learn more? Josh and Meredith Phelps are certified teachers of a 3-class NFP series, offered in our locale!  For sign-ups, details, or questions about dates, please email Meredith.Phelps [at] gmail.com.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Project Rachel
Project Rachel is a confidential Catholic outreach ministry offering healing, compassion and hope to women and men hurting from an abortion experience. People are available to listen, to answer questions, to pray for you, and to help in any way. Project Rachel can help begin the experience of forgiveness, freedom and peace waiting for you in the tender embrace of God’s love and mercy. The phone number for Project Rachel is 508-651-3100, email is help [at] ProjectRachelBoston.com, and the website is www.ProjectRachelBoston.com.  All inquiries are confidential.

Weekly Digest

Welcome everyone!
This week at the parish:

• Tuesday - Playgroup is CANCELLED due to the weather.  Please call the Parish Center for updates on Baptism Catechesis, Fatima Apostolate, and Choir Practice (781-648-0220)
• Wednesday - Bereavement Meeting (7 pm)
• Thursday - First Friday Confessions (4-5 pm), Men's Bible Study is CANCELLED due to an unexpected business trip.  Thank you for understanding.  The next meeting will be February 19th at 8:00 pm.
• Friday  - First Friday Adoration (all day, Benediction at 5:00, Mass at 5:30)
• Saturday  - Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - Children's Choir Practice (8:15 am), Coffee and Donuts (after 9:00 am Mass), First Eucharist Parents' Meeting (10 am), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass)
• Monday  - Respect Life Meeting (7 pm)

This Friday, February 6th, is the first Friday of the month.  On Thursday, February 5th, from 4:00-5:00 pm, there will be the opportunity for confession in the lower church.  On Friday, Saint Agnes will be offering all-day Adoration, concluding with Benediction and Mass at 5:00/5:30pm, in the lower church. Also at noon there will be a Holy Hour to pray for priests and victims of clergy sexual abuse. Adoration is a wonderful opportunity to spend some quiet time with the Lord and gain some focus in our lives - especially with all the busy distractions of daily life. For more background on the long tradition of keeping a First Friday devotion, look here or here.

The next Saint Agnes Parishioners for Life Meeting will be on

Monday, February 9th at 7:00 pm in the Parish Center.
Come learn about 40 Days for Life, and our parish's commitment to prayer during this campaign!

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

We happily announce a Parish Carnival, before we begin the season of Lent.together.  Join us and invite a new friend!

Parish Carnival Party

Thursday, February 12th

6:00-8:00 pm

Saint Agnes School Hall (enter on Compton Street)

Don a costume, bring a snack, and prepare to enjoy the games and fun! Featuring kid’s activities, locally fried Brazilian dumplings, costume competition, and old-fashioned party games. Come with friends, or come meet new ones. Put it in your calendar, as we prepare for the start of Lent. If you would like more information, or can volunteer at this event, please email Rachel Horsting (Rachel.Horsting [at] gmail.com).

In addition, you can help to make this Carnival the best it can be, a true event from and for our whole Catholic community.  How can you help?

• Email meatless recipes to Rachel Horsting (Rachel.Horsting [at] gmail.com) for compilation into a book of Lenten cooking ideas!
• Offer to bring a dish to share with others at the Carnival.
  
• Sign up as a volunteer to make the event run smoothly using the link here.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Saint Agnes $10,000 Raffle

Save the date! The North End comes to Saint Agnes School for its Annual $10,000 Raffle Dinner, Saturday, April 11th.  Flyers will be distributed in the weeks to come and you will have the opportunity to reserve your ticket/ raffle numbers early. We look forward to the success of one of the biggest fundraisers of the year to help support the children of Saint Agnes School. It is a great time, and a wonderful way to both have a night out, and support important Catholic causes.  Email SaintAgnes10K [at] gmail.com with any questions.

FALL 2015 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR OUR WONDERFUL PARISH SCHOOLS!

FIDELITY HOUSE - Preschool and Pre-K

SAINT AGNES GRAMMAR SCHOOL - Pre-K through Grade 8

ARLINGTON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Links to these websites are located at the top right-hand of the blog page.

When you invest and involve your family here, you can participate

in the evangelical mission and service of these community resources,

which are offered by - and in the long tradition of - our very own Catholic Church.

Financial Aid is available.  WOW!