Catholic Reading Wednesday

With many thanks to our awesome curator, Karen Celano, you can delve into a faith-related news article each Wednesday! Karen writes:

This week there were and are a number of exciting holidays and holy days in the Christian Church!  Last Sunday, October 27, was "Reformation Sunday," usually seen by Protestants as a celebratory and triumphal moment.  But Methodist theologian Stanley Hauerwas (a theology professor at Duke University who retired this summer) takes a different view, writing that even from a Protestant perspective Reformation Sunday commemorates a tragic event for the Christian Church.  God calls us the Church to unity - to catholicism and universality; the disunity of the Church that resulted from the Reformation, is, therefore, a sin.  Remarkably for a Protestant thinker, Hauerwas takes Protestants to task for not recognizing their own complicity in the sin of Christian disunity and looks favorably on the Catholic attitude towards faith and unity:  "It is extraordinary that Catholicism is able to keep the Irish and the Italians in the same church.  What an achievement!"  His article is a remarkable reflection as well as a reminder and challenge to all Christians (Catholics included) to work for Christian reconciliation throughout the world.

Thursday is, of course, Halloween, and in this article Dominican priest Augustine Thompson explains the Catholic origins of the holiday: its modern form developed out of a conglomeration of Irish Catholic practices of seeking to "frighten" damned souls in hell on "All Hallows' Eve" (the night before All Saints' Day) and French Catholic practices of dressing up as skeletons and ghosts on All Souls' Day to remind people of their mortality.  As European Catholics immigrated to the United States, these practices were merged, and other practices were added on over the years (he argues, for instance, that Trick-or-Treating emerged from Guy Fawkes Day celebrations).  All of these traditions were combined to create the distinctly American holiday of Halloween!  So if anyone tries to tell you that Halloween is a pagan custom, you can explain how the holiday actually emerged from Catholic countries for Catholic reasons!

Friday is All Saints' Day, and New Testament professor Greg Carey invites us here to reflect on what makes a saint.  Taking his starting point from Luke's Beatitudes, Carey argues that if a saint is a person blessed by God, then we must count as saints "not only those spiritual superstars who attain exceptional virtue" but also "people who are vulnerable, those society routinely forgets about - or worse, takes advantage of."  He concludes: "Where we may see poverty, infirmity or loneliness, Jesus pronounces God's blessing and presence."  Carey reminds us that All Saints' Day is not only a day to reflect on saints who have come before us, but also a day that challenges us to become saints ourselves by living out the call of the Beatitudes.

Saturday is All Souls' Day, and Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich writes of her connection to the holiday, which she sees as an opportunity for her to reflect "on death and the relationships we retain with people who are gone."  (Personal aside: Her article touched me particularly, because like the author when I am in moments of crisis I still call upon the aid of two beloved teachers in my youth who have passed on - and I feel their presences keenly.)  On a lighter note, if you're looking for a way to celebrate All Souls' Day, you might try this traditional Pan de Muertos recipe from the Poughkeepsie Journal.  

Enjoy your holidays and holy days this week!

Weekly Digest, Feast of All Saints, and End of Daylight Savings

Welcome everyone!
This week at the parish:

• Tuesday - Saint Agnes Playgroup (10:30 am), Choir Practice and Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Wednesday - Bereavement Meeting (7 pm)
• Thursday - Happy Hallows Eve!
• Friday - Feast of All Saints - Holy Day (see schedule, below)
• Saturday - Feast of All Souls
• Sunday - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS!!  Be sure to change your clocks, or you'll get up too early for church!  So change your clocks on Saturday evening for extra R&R :)

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This Tuesday is the LAST of our outdoor playgroups for the summer (pending some unusually sunny and warm weather).  To print a written schedule of our summer playgroup locations, please click here. To see a map of our summer park schedule, please click here.

This Tuesday, October 29th, we will meet at Crosby Park (81 Oxford St., Arlington) at 10:30 am.  This park has a play structure and pavement area that is good for bikes and scooters.  Bring a lunch and join us!

**Unless otherwise noted due to warm weather, future winter playgroups will take place at Fidelity House, 25 Medford St., Arlington.  In case of unusually warm and sunny weather, please check your email or the blog page before you leave for playgroup.  We may take advantage of the nice day and meet at a park.**

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Friday, November 1st - All Saints Day - Holy Day of Obligation
A great day to contemplate the multitude of Saints, their lives lived in service to the Lord, and the wonderful everlasting life they now enjoy!  Saint Agnes Mass times are as follows. All Masses are in the UPPER CHURCH.
Thursday, October 31st - 4:00 pm
Friday, November 1st - 7 am, 12 noon, 5:30 pm
**Please note that due to the Holy Day, there will not be the usual First Friday confessions or Adoration.**

Saturday, November 2nd - All Souls Day
Although this is not a Holy Day, this feast commemorates all of the faithful departed, our beloved dead, and especially the poor souls in Purgatory who have no one to pray for them.  Masses on All Souls Day at 7:00 A.M.  Even if you aren't able to make it to Mass, take a minute to say a prayer for your loved ones who have died, and for the poor souls in Purgatory.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and while searching for an image for this blog post, I found so many pictures which called to mind the glorious victory of Christ and the beatific joy of the saints, for which we all strive each day.  I hope one of these images conjures up new inspiration for you as well! 

Clothing Drive - Saint Vincent dePaul

Are you cleaning out your closets for winter?

Do you have clothes which your children have outgrown, or which you no longer wear?

Would you like to see them be used for something meaningful and helpful?

Save them and bring them to the Fall Clothing Drive AT CHURCH, on the weekend of October 26-27th.

Representatives will be in the front of the Church to receive donations. Warm clothes, new socks, new underwear and toiletries are needed.
Thank you for your generosity. May our tender God bless you, keep you and fill you with His abundant love. 

Jesus told His disciples, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have only done what we were obliged to do”. Please help the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul to bring the love and mercy of Jesus to those who feel left out and abandoned, for indeed we are only doing “what we are obliged to do".

Catholic Reading Wednesday and Catechesis Tonight!

With many thanks to our awesome curator, Karen Celano, you can delve into a faith-related news article each Wednesday! Karen writes:

On October 17, Mother Antonia Brenner, a Catholic sister and prison minister, passed away at age 86. Mother Brenner was a twice-divorced mother of eight who felt a vocation towards the religious life. The communities that she served encouraged her endeavors, but, because of her age and status as a divorcee, no existing religious order would accept her - so she founded her own order, the Servants of the Eleventh Hour, and had it approved by the local bishop. For decades she worked among prisoners in Tijuana, Mexico, and her life became the subject of Pulitzer Prize-winning biography.

Her remarkable story shows it's never too late to find your vocation. The path to sanctity may be winding, but it is always open, if we remain open to following it.

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Don't forget to join us tonight at 7:00 pm

for our second installment of the Father Barron Catholicism Series!

Weekly Digest

Welcome everyone!
This week at the parish:

• Tuesday - Saint Agnes Playgroup (10:30 am), Ladies' Sodality Banquet (5 pm), Choir Practice and Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Wednesday - Bereavement Meeting and Community Catechesis (7 pm)
• Thursday - Arlington Catholic Women's Club Fundraiser (7:30 pm)
• Saturday - Saint Agnes and Saint Camillus Sacrament of Confirmation (10:30 am)
• Sunday - Saint Vincent DePaul Fall Clothing Drive

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Now that we are in summer mode, we will be holding Tuesday playgroups outdoors at nearby parks. To print a written schedule of our summer playgroup locations, please click here. To see a map of our summer park schedule, please click here.

This Tuesday, October 22nd, we will meet at the Teel Street Playground (71 Teel St., Arlington) at 10:30 am.  This park has a play structure and a basketball court.  It is next to Saint Paul's Cemetery, so please respect the cemetery as a holy place and play in the park area.  Bring a lunch and join us!

**NOTE THAT our outdoor summer schedule is highly dependent on good weather. If the weather seems questionable, please check your email or the blog page before you leave for playgroup. In case of rain, our usual rain location will be at Fidelity House, 25 Medford St., Arlington. Thanks!**

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Fall Clothing Drive - Saint Vincent DePaul Society
Do you have clothes which your children have outgrown, or which you no longer wear?  Would you like to see them be used for something meaningful and helpful?  Save them and bring them to the Fall Clothing Drive AT CHURCH, on the weekend of October 26-27th.

Representatives will be in the front of the Church to receive donations. Warm clothes, new socks, new underwear and toiletries are needed. Thank you for your generosity. May our tender God bless you, keep you and fill you with His abundant love. 

Jesus told His disciples, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have only done what we were obliged to do”. Please help the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul to bring the love and mercy of Jesus to those who feel left out and abandoned, for indeed we are only doing “what we are obliged to do".

Catholic Reading Wednesday

With many thanks to our awesome curator, Karen Celano, you can delve into a faith-related news article each Wednesday! Karen writes:

On October 13, Pope Francis, following the tradition of his predecessors, consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. During the ceremony, he remarked that, "just as Mary gave flesh to the child Jesus, all Christians today are called to 'give Him our flesh'. . . . 'It means giving him our hands. . . our feet. . . . our minds. . . .and especially to offer our hearts.'"

The Holy Father's words echoed those of yesterday's Saint Teresa of Avila, a 16th-century Carmelite nun and Doctor of the Church, who wrote: "Christ has no body now but yours; no hands, no feet on earth but yours; yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world."

In his reflection on Mary, Pope Francis emphasized the Blessed Mother's astonishment when God's plan is revealed to her, and the depths of her intimacy with her Son.  Saint Teresa shares these qualities with Mary, as she too was stunned by a revelation from God and dedicated her life to cultivating intimate communion with Jesus. Her writings remind us that we don't have to search far and wide to find God: He dwells within our hearts in intimate friendship. We have only to strip away the layers of sin and self-deception that keep us from finding Him there.

Though Teresa lived a contemplative lifestyle, she understood that prayer must bear fruit in good works. For Teresa, prayer was not meant solely to achieve self-fulfillment or self-actualization; prayer transformed the soul so that the soul could do God's will in the world. In fact, for Teresa, prayer that focused only on oneself was the cheapest kind of prayer. Teresa understood that good works have no firm foundation unless they are built on the friendship we cultivate with God through prayer. In prayer, we open ourselves up to God's astonishing revelation and to establishing an ever-deepening closeness with Him. As this relationship develops, we discover the ability to say "yes" to God and to perform His Will in the world: to be His hands and feet, His eyes and ears, for everyone we meet. In short, it is through prayer that we find the strength to emulate both Saint Teresa and Mary our Mother.

Upon her death, this bookmark was found in Teresa's breviary. The Taize community of prayer has adapted Teresa's prayer into a beautiful meditative song. I hope you find it inspiring in your own prayer lives. If you need some help finding time to pray or motivating yourself to make prayer a regular habit in your life, check out this helpful article from Peter Kreeft.

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Weekly Digest

Welcome everyone!
This week at the parish:

• Tuesday - Saint Agnes Playgroup (10:30 am), Ladies' Sodality Banquet (5 pm), Choir Practice and Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Wednesday - Bereavement Meeting, Pro-Life Meeting, and Arlington Catholic Women's Club (7 pm)
• Thursday - Mom's Night In (7 pm)
• Friday - Jesus in the North End (7 pm)
• Sunday - Saint Agnes School Alumni Breakfast (10:30 am), St. John's Seminary Come & See (5:30 pm)

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Now that we are in summer mode, we will be holding Tuesday playgroups outdoors at nearby parks. To print a written schedule of our summer playgroup locations, please click here. To see a map of our summer park schedule, please click here.

This Tuesday, October 8th, we will meet at Robbins Farm Park (56 Eastern Ave., Arlington) at 10:30 am.  This park has a some play structures, sand to dig in, and a GREAT big hill for kite-flying!  Bring a lunch and join us!

**NOTE THAT our outdoor summer schedule is highly dependent on good weather. If the weather seems questionable, please check your email or the blog page before you leave for playgroup. In case of rain, our usual rain location will be at Fidelity House, 25 Medford St., Arlington. Thanks!**

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Mom's Night - THURSDAY, October 17th - We will get together for a stress-free evening, and play some get-to-know-you games (think: Apples to Apples) . I would rather not publish the hostesses address, so please email me at saintagnesfamilies [at] gmail.com if you plan to come. Please bring a snack or drink to share!  We will kick it off at 7:00 pm.

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Fall Clothing Drive - Saint Vincent DePaul Society
Do you have clothes which your children have outgrown, or which you no longer wear?  Would you like to see them be used for something meaningful and helpful?  Save them and bring them to the Fall Clothing Drive AT CHURCH, on the weekend of October 26-27th.

Representatives will be in the front of the Church to receive donations. Warm clothes, new socks, new underwear and toiletries are needed. Thank you for your generosity. May our tender God bless you, keep you and fill you with His abundant love. 

Jesus told His disciples, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have only done what we were obliged to do”. Please help the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul to bring the love and mercy of Jesus to those who feel left out and abandoned, for indeed we are only doing “what we are obliged to do".

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Need a date with your spouse that honors God as the foundation of your marriage?
Why not hire a sitter, hop on the T, and head down to the North End for a romantic evening of Italian food, Adoring the Lord, confession, and re-commitment together?  Technically, "Jesus in the North End" is not a marriage ministry, but what a great way to renew your marriage and get time away from the kids!!  Jesus in the North End is a wonderful ministry designed for young adult Catholics in Boston.  Come and spend time with the Lord!

Christian Community

Happy Sunday, and Feast of Saint Edward!  Here’s a pre-blog-post challenge: try reading Romans 12 right now….  it's pretty short, you can do it!

Coffee hour was a wonderful time of fellowship this morning, and thanks to Father Graham for joining us, too! A number of people commented to me on (1) both their gratefulness for coffee hour (I reply: thanks TO YOU!), and (2) how well our protestant friends have mastered the concept of Christian fellowship… something that Catholics are still working on.

This is true! And who doesn’t need Christian fellowship? In our fast-paced lives which zip in and out of the secular world, it can be easy to lose focus on our Christian vocations, unless we have faithful friends to call us back to a prayer life with God.

In this respect, Christian fellowship can serve two great purposes:

1. Evangelizing via community and security: Much like a family who supports, forgives, and patiently allows for mistakes, discernment, and growth – a sincere Christian community can provide this necessity within our faith lives. A Christian fellowship should have an element of security which recognizes the sinful nature of man, yet welcomes each new member with grace and dignity. Knowing that we are loved regardless of our mistakes is important in coming to love the Lord. In line with Pope Francis’ recent challenges to Catholics, our Christian communities should be more concerned with recognizing each person as a sinner coming to Christ, and not concerned with just exactly which sins each individual struggles. The strength and security of a good Christian fellowship can provide this loving direction without the innate insecurities of a “Pharisee.”  It is in offering others this type of love that the Holy Spirit can call people to a higher dignity, true self-sacrifice, and sincere moral choices.

2. Challenge via example and prayer: In a healthy and diverse Christian community, we may also see many different examples of ways in which one can find Christ, draw closer to Him, create various devotions of prayer and study, and embody Christian life in daily life. We each see different models that speak to our hearts. We each need different challenges at different times our lives of faith.  A secure Christian community can recognize and provide these different models for Christian life within the various gifts of its members. Faith is both an act and a journey: and we can each find encouragement on our individual journeys via others in a Christian community.

“May the Lord always be with you, and may you always be with Him.”

-from the Blessing of Saint Clare-

Need more inspiration? See the great article on pages 13-17 of Franciscan Way Magazine, about 11 ways to build Christian community.

Catholic Reading Wednesday

With many thanks to our awesome curator, Karen Celano, you can delve into a faith-related news article each Wednesday! Karen writes:

Eighty percent of religious violence throughout the world is directed at Christians, making Christians the most persecuted religious group on earth, but you'll never hear those statistics from American secular media.  There are probably many reasons for the media's neglect of this issue, but what's more striking is that most American Christians are unaware of these facts as well.

I find this news humbling and challenging.  It's humbling to realize that the challenges we Christians in the U.S. face are absolutely nothing compared to what Christians endure in places like Syria or Pakistan.  It is also challenging to understand that we, as privileged American Christians, have an obligation to consider how our our country's foreign policy is affecting our Christian brothers and sisters in other nations.  I think we also need to ask ourselves if our self-centered political squabbling is blinding us to the suffering of our Christian family throughout the world.  How can we as Christians bring attention to this issue when we see our fellow members of Christ's Body in such desperate need?

Of course, one way to defend the principle of religious freedom throughout the world is to fight for its protection here in the United States.  But the recent government shutdown has thrown light on how shaky the ideal of religious freedom can be when a country is in political turmoil, as during the shutdown Catholic military chaplains risked arrest for saying Mass on military bases.  Such a threat is a blatant violation both of the rights of priests to fulfill their religious obligation to say Mass, and the rights of Catholic servicemen and women to worship freely.  This episode reveals that the U.S. is not immune to the political dynamics that occur in the rest of the world: where there is economic tension and political disarray, religious freedom is rapidly threatened.  Let us then pray for wisdom in our nation and peace in the world, for the sake of our Christian family both at home and abroad.

Weekly Digest

Welcome everyone!
This week at the parish:

• Tuesday - Saint Agnes Playgroup (10:30 am), Choir Practice and Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Wednesday - Bereavement Meeting (7 pm)
• Friday - Prep for Boston Sock Exchange (7 pm)
• Saturday - Virtus Training (9:30 am), Boston Sock Exchange (11 am), Arlington Rosary for America (noon)
• Sunday - Knights of Columbus to collect donations for children with disabilities at all Masses.  Support their tootsie roll drive by bringing your donation along!

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Now that we are in summer mode, we will be holding Tuesday playgroups outdoors at nearby parks. To print a written schedule of our summer playgroup locations, please click here. To see a map of our summer park schedule, please click here.

This Tuesday, October 8th, we will meet at Magnolia Playground (36 Herbert Rd., Arlington) at 10:30 am.  This park has a some play structures, sand to dig in, a sidewalk for bikes, as well as a large field good for kites or soccer balls.  It is located RIGHT ON the bikepath, too!  Bring a lunch and join us!

**NOTE THAT our outdoor summer schedule is highly dependent on good weather. If the weather seems questionable, please check your email or the blog page before you leave for playgroup. In case of rain, our usual rain location will be at Fidelity House, 25 Medford St., Arlington. Thanks!**

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This Saturday, October 12th 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 is held in the parish center on Friday night, October 11th 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 Jennifer Hermanski at jennifer.hermanski [at] gmail.com.  The Boston Sock Exchange is currently in need of lots of SOCKS, baseball caps, tote bags, long sleeve shirts, jackets, umbrellas, and ponchos.  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

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Virtus Training
Do you volunteer in the parish? Volunteers are required to attend a training program as part of our efforts to protect our children. The Parish Child Abuse Prevention Team has scheduled a training session this Saturday, October 12th from 9:30-11:30 am.  Please register by calling the Religious Education Office at 781-646-5579.

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Arlington Rosary for America

Join us in a public outdoor Rosary for the conversion of America and world peace through the 

intercessions of Our Lady of Fatima on Saturday, October 12 at 12:00 Noon in front of Arlington Town Hall. Last year over 9,000 rallies took place across America for this intention. This year marks the 96th anniversary of the miracle of the sun, which was witnessed by an estimated 70,000 people at noon in Fatima, Portugal on October 13, 1917. Folding chairs encouraged; some on-street parking available. For more information, contact Ginny Giurleo at 781-646-3958.

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Fall Clothing Drive - Saint Vincent DePaul Society
Do you have clothes which your children have outgrown, or which you no longer wear?  Would you like to see them be used for something meaningful and helpful?  Save them and bring them to the Fall Clothing Drive AT CHURCH, on the weekend of October 26-27th.

Representatives will be in the front of the Church to receive donations. Warm clothes, new socks, new underwear and toiletries are needed. Thank you for your generosity. May our tender God bless you, keep you and fill you with His abundant love. 

Jesus told His disciples, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have only done what we were obliged to do”. Please help the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul to bring the love and mercy of Jesus to those who feel left out and abandoned, for indeed we are only doing “what we are obliged to do".

Catholic Reading Wednesday

With many thanks to our awesome curator, Karen Celano, you can delve into a faith-related news article each Wednesday! Karen writes:

Therese's Little Way and the Little Sisters of the Poor

After joining the convent at age 15, she lived an obscure, uneventful life as a cloistered Carmelite nun.  Nine years later, she died of tuberculosis.  Yet Pope Pius X, himself a great saint, called her the "greatest saint of modern times." Mother Teresa chose her religious name after her, and Pope John Paul II, who himself will be canonized in April, declared her a Doctor of the Church alongside St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Catherine of Siena.  On October 1, the worldwide Church celebrated her feast day.  

She was, of course, St. Therese of Lisieux, one of the Church's most beloved saints.  Her simple spirituality was built on the idea of approaching Jesus like a child - full of hope, love, and faithful trust.  Her writing is devoid of erudition, but full of wisdom.  And she teaches us that acts of heroic and saintly courage can be performed in the midst of everyday life.

In our own community, the Little Sisters of the Poor are living out such saintly heroism in their small acts of caring for the impoverished elderly.  Yet their ministry is being threatened by the demand that they comply with the HHS mandate to provide insurance coverage for contraception and abortion for their employees.  Currently, despite their order's poverty, they are engaged in a class-action lawsuit hoping to earn an exemption from the mandate.  When Catholic sisters are forced to choose between either violating the moral teachings of the Church or sacrificing their holy calling to serve the poor and needy, it's difficult to see how their religious freedom is being protected.  

Please pray to St. Therese on behalf of the Little Sisters of the Poor who are living out her "little way," and please consider how you can help support the Little Sisters' ministries and vocation.

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Parish Social this Saturday

Don't forget: this Saturday is the Saint Agnes Parish Social!  We will have games for the kids, cards for the adults, trivia with Fr. Graham, ministry information, and ice cream!  Come to enjoy a fun time and reach out to others in our parish.  If you plan to attend, or you are able to volunteer any type of help, please use the form on the right.  Marianne Hudelson, the Outreach Coordinator will contact you shortly.  Thank you!