Saturday for Teens: Music & Adoration!

Friday, February 26, 2016

Speaking personally, modern Christian music changed my life of faith forever. While the Holy Spirit did all the hard work on my heart, for me, music was the vehicle of conversion that helped me to fall in love with Christ, and launched me into an adult life in which I wanted to live boldly as a Catholic Christian! My husband chuckles, but music continues to be a way into my heart today.

So, I humbly share with you a piece of my heart!  For the teens at Saint Agnes, maybe you will find a new artist who inspires you, a song that is relevant, or a hymn that reminds you to pray during a difficult moment.  Only the Holy Spirit can know what difference it might make to you!

Next Friday is the First Friday of March, and that means there will be Adoration all day at Saint Agnes, concluding in Benediction and Mass at 5:00 and 5:30 pm, respectively.  Try to take a moment to stop in and visit our Lord. It is such a great privilege and blessing to spend time with the Living God! For someone who has never been to Adoration, the idea of sitting silently with a visible slice of bread sounds crazy.  But Christ is present -- Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  Don't believe me?  Go sit with the Eucharist yourself and ask your hard questions!  You will find Him there waiting for you.

Tantum Ergo is the traditional Latin hymn which is sung during Benediction (blessing with the Eucharist), but my heart came on fire when I first understood the English translation.  Below are both versions, and two songs which remind me of the warm discussion with Christ that can happen when you sit and stay a while. Come to Adoration next Friday, March 4th, at any time until 5:00 pm!


Tantum Ergo
Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.

Come Adore
Come adore this wondrous presence,
Bow to Christ the source of grace.
Here is kept the ancient promise
Of God's earthly dwelling place.
Sight is blind before God's glory,
Faith alone may see His face.


THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Dad's Night, Stations & Supper

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Dad's Night Out - TONIGHT
Once a month from 8:00 - 9:30 pm, Saint Agnes welcomes parish dads to gather at Fusion Taste Restaurant, around the corner from the church (303 Broadway, Arlington). In February, the Dad's Group will meet on Thursday, February 25th. We will discuss relevant topics of careers, family, or just to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. For the first half hour we'll formally discuss short readings of interest, then catch up over beverages and dinner for the remaining time. The topic for January's discussion will be Contexts #3 and Question #1 through "Ecce Homo" of the Into the Breach document by Bishop Thomas Olmsted.  The link for the reading material is here. If you have questions, please email Justin Quattrini (Justin.Quattrini@gmail.com)  Join us!

Are you looking for a way to connect with your community and start a habit of prayer?
Join us this Friday night, February 26th,
for our parish Stations of the Cross & Pasta Supper.
Invite a friend, or offer to help!  Every person can be a part of this beautiful tradition, growing in faith together.

Wednesday: Explore Laudato Si!

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Hello everyone!  Sorry for the absence of blog posts lately, but we were traveling, and I did my best to take a REAL vacation! It was refreshing, which is something we all need sometimes. God can renew and refresh all of His creation, making "all things new" (Revelations, chapter 21).  Pope Francis is reminding us that as Christians, there's no time like the present to cast off our old selves and begin anew.  Continuing with our weekly excerpts of the pope's most recent encyclical, "Laudato Si" is posted here - so that we can all learn, digest, pray and discern one snippet at a time.  Come Holy Spirit, teach us and guide us, and may Your Will be done!

68. This responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings, endowed with intelligence, must respect the laws of nature and the delicate equilibria existing between the creatures of this world, for “he commanded and they were created; and he established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds and he set a law which cannot pass away” (Ps 148:5b-6). The laws found in the Bible dwell on relationships, not only among individuals but also with other living beings. “You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and withhold your help… If you chance to come upon a bird’s nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting upon the young or upon the eggs; you shall not take the mother with the young” (Dt22:4, 6). Along these same lines, rest on the seventh day is meant not only for human beings, but also so “that your ox and your donkey may have rest” (Ex 23:12). Clearly, the Bible has no place for a tyrannical anthropocentrism unconcerned for other creatures.

69. Together with our obligation to use the earth’s goods responsibly, we are called to recognize that other living beings have a value of their own in God’s eyes: “by their mere existence they bless him and give him glory”,[41] and indeed, “the Lord rejoices in all his works” (Ps 104:31). By virtue of our unique dignity and our gift of intelligence, we are called to respect creation and its inherent laws, for “the Lord by wisdom founded the earth” (Prov 3:19). In our time, the Church does not simply state that other creatures are completely subordinated to the good of human beings, as if they have no worth in themselves and can be treated as we wish. The German bishops have taught that, where other creatures are concerned, “we can speak of the priority of being over that of being useful”.[42] The Catechism clearly and forcefully criticizes a distorted anthropocentrism: “Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection… Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things”.[43]

70. In the story of Cain and Abel, we see how envy led Cain to commit the ultimate injustice against his brother, which in turn ruptured the relationship between Cain and God, and between Cain and the earth from which he was banished. This is seen clearly in the dramatic exchange between God and Cain. God asks: “Where is Abel your brother?” Cain answers that he does not know, and God persists: “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground” (Gen 4:9-11). Disregard for the duty to cultivate and maintain a proper relationship with my neighbour, for whose care and custody I am responsible, ruins my relationship with my own self, with others, with God and with the earth. When all these relationships are neglected, when justice no longer dwells in the land, the Bible tells us that life itself is endangered. We see this in the story of Noah, where God threatens to do away with humanity because of its constant failure to fulfil the requirements of justice and peace: “I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for the earth is filled with violence through them” (Gen 6:13). These ancient stories, full of symbolism, bear witness to a conviction which we today share, that everything is interconnected, and that genuine care for our own lives and our relationships with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others.
71. Although “the wickedness of man was great in the earth” (Gen 6:5) and the Lord “was sorry that he had made man on the earth” (Gen 6:6), nonetheless, through Noah, who remained innocent and just, God decided to open a path of salvation. In this way he gave humanity the chance of a new beginning. All it takes is one good person to restore hope! The biblical tradition clearly shows that this renewal entails recovering and respecting the rhythms inscribed in nature by the hand of the Creator. We see this, for example, in the law of the Sabbath. On the seventh day, God rested from all his work. He commanded Israel to set aside each seventh day as a day of rest, a Sabbath, (cf. Gen 2:2-3; Ex 16:23; 20:10). Similarly, every seven years, a sabbatical year was set aside for Israel, a complete rest for the land (cf. Lev 25:1-4), when sowing was forbidden and one reaped only what was necessary to live on and to feed one’s household (cf. Lev 25:4-6). Finally, after seven weeks of years, which is to say forty-nine years, the Jubilee was celebrated as a year of general forgiveness and “liberty throughout the land for all its inhabitants” (cf. Lev25:10). This law came about as an attempt to ensure balance and fairness in their relationships with others and with the land on which they lived and worked. At the same time, it was an acknowledgment that the gift of the earth with its fruits belongs to everyone. Those who tilled and kept the land were obliged to share its fruits, especially with the poor, with widows, orphans and foreigners in their midst: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, neither shall you gather the gleanings after the harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner” (Lev 19:9-10).

72. The Psalms frequently exhort us to praise God the Creator, “who spread out the earth on the waters, for his steadfast love endures for ever” (Ps 136:6). They also invite other creatures to join us in this praise: “Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created” (Ps 148:3-5). We do not only exist by God’s mighty power; we also live with him and beside him. This is why we adore him.

73. The writings of the prophets invite us to find renewed strength in times of trial by contemplating the all-powerful God who created the universe. Yet God’s infinite power does not lead us to flee his fatherly tenderness, because in him affection and strength are joined. Indeed, all sound spirituality entails both welcoming divine love and adoration, confident in the Lord because of his infinite power. In the Bible, the God who liberates and saves is the same God who created the universe, and these two divine ways of acting are intimately and inseparably connected: “Ah Lord God! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you… You brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders” (Jer 32:17, 21). “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless” (Is 40:28b-29).

74. The experience of the Babylonian captivity provoked a spiritual crisis which led to deeper faith in God. Now his creative omnipotence was given pride of place in order to exhort the people to regain their hope in the midst of their wretched predicament. Centuries later, in another age of trial and persecution, when the Roman Empire was seeking to impose absolute dominion, the faithful would once again find consolation and hope in a growing trust in the all-powerful God: “Great and wonderful are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways!” (Rev 15:3). The God who created the universe out of nothing can also intervene in this world and overcome every form of evil. Injustice is not invincible.

75. A spirituality which forgets God as all-powerful and Creator is not acceptable. That is how we end up worshipping earthly powers, or ourselves usurping the place of God, even to the point of claiming an unlimited right to trample his creation underfoot. The best way to restore men
and women to their rightful place, putting an end to their claim to absolute dominion over the earth, is to speak once more of the figure of a Father who creates and who alone owns the world. Otherwise, human beings will always try to impose their own laws and interests on reality.

Saturday for Teens: Music!

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Welcome all!  Our family has been away traveling this week, so sorry for the lapse in updates.  However, LIFT is coming this Tuesday, so it's time for a Christian music blog post!

Speaking personally, modern Christian music changed my life of faith forever. While the Holy Spirit did all the hard work on my heart, for me, music was the vehicle of conversion that helped me to fall in love with Christ, and launched me into an adult life in which I wanted to live boldly as a Catholic Christian! My husband chuckles, but music continues to be a way into my heart today.

So, I humbly share with you a piece of my heart!  For the teens at Saint Agnes, maybe you will find a new artist who inspires you, a song that is relevant, or a hymn that reminds you to pray during a difficult moment.  Only the Holy Spirit can know what difference it might make to you!

This coming week, LIFT Music Ministry will visit Saint Camillus Church in Arlington on Tuesday, February 23rd. I encourage you to go with an open mind and heart! Like the rosary and other Catholic prayers, many praise and worship songs are repetitive and meditative in their style. This type of prayer might put some people out of their comfort zone, but adoring the Lord and singing His praises can be an encounter completely different from singing Christmas carols in front of your grandma! Let God lead the way in prayer, and He will give you the words to speak and the ears to hear.

Details on the event are below. You can invite a friend, or just go to sit in the back and quietly let the Holy Spirit be with you!

With thanks to our Confirmation Director, Nancy Feeman,
LIFT Ministries is coming to Saint Camillus in Arlington
on February 23rd from 7-9 pm!
See the poster below for details, or email Confirmation@SaintAgnes.net.

Saturday for Teens: Music!

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Speaking personally, modern Christian music changed my life of faith forever. While the Holy Spirit did all the hard work on my heart, for me, music was the vehicle of conversion that helped me to fall in love with Christ, and launched me into an adult life in which I wanted to live boldly as a Catholic Christian! My husband chuckles, but music continues to be a way into my heart today.

So, I humbly share with you a piece of my heart!  For the teens at Saint Agnes, maybe you will find a new artist who inspires you, a song that is relevant, or a hymn that reminds you to pray during a difficult moment.  Only the Holy Spirit can know what difference it might make to you!

This week is the beginning of Lent.  We are called to repent of our sins, to recognize our place in the Body of Christ, to share the sufferings of the whole community, and to prepare for the Lord a holy and pleasing sacrifice, in expectation of a joyful Easter.

I have the privilege to know a number of Christian musicians personally. Often these people are more than willing to admit their sins and struggles. Despite the lack of a facade, many view such musicians with skepticism -- probably because of their very apparent failures! But I believe it is precisely that which makes Christian music both genuine and compelling. What is the Christian message but one of recognition of ourselves as the worst of sinners, followers of Christ, and people willing to begin again while accepting His generous, unwarranted, and unending forgiveness!

So as we begin Lent, I want to share some songs of prayer, in communion with all the Saints and Christians everywhere, that we will share in each others' struggles, each others' triumphs, each others' rocky race to God our Father.

Here is some more reading containing perspective on what it means to live as "Saints and Sinners" in the Catholic Community -- especially in this Year of Mercy, and this season of personal examination.



If you are interested in meeting other people who share an interest in Christian music and have a Catholic focus on Praise and Worship, your chance is coming in February!

With thanks to our Confirmation Director, Nancy Feeman,
LIFT Ministries is coming to Saint Camillus in Arlington
on February 23rd from 7-9 pm!
See the poster below for details, or email Confirmation@SaintAgnes.net.

Saint Agnes School Elimination Raffle & Dinner

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Our parish's Saint Agnes School is holding their upcoming
$10K ELIMINIATION RAFFLE AND DINNER!
Would you like to join in the fun night with another couple? 
Click below to print the form for tickets.



FALL 2016 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!

Weekly Digest

Monday, February 8, 2016

Welcome, EVERYONE!
Here's the lineup for the week at the Parish:
  • Monday - Respect Life Meeting (cancelled)
  • Tuesday - Family Playgroup (cancelled), Fatima Apostolate (7 pm), Choir Practice (7 pm)
  • Ash Wednesday - Beginning of Lent, a day of fasting and abstinence, Mass Times are 7:00 am, 12 noon, 3:00 pm SERVICE, 5:30 pm, 7:00 pm
  • Thursday - Mom's Night (cancelled)
  • Friday - Prep for Boston Sock Exchange (7 pm)
  • Saturday Boston Sock Exchange (11 am at Park Street T-stop), Confessions (3 pm)
  • Sunday - WORLD MARRIAGE SUNDAY - No Coffee and Donuts, Renewal of Vows & Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass)
Ash Wednesday is February 10th, 2016
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.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Saint Agnes Family Playgroup - Playgroup will be cancelled for Tuesday, February 9th in anticipation of poor weather.  It is also cancelled the following Tuesday, February 16th due to winter vacation.  On the following Tuesday, February 23rd, Marianne Hudelson will be away, but the location for playgroup is Mullen Playground in Winchester. Invite a friend and meet there! We hope to see you again at the end of the month!

The Saint Agnes Family group holds weekly Tuesday playgroups outdoors at nearby parks. We start at 10:30 am (but sometimes moms run late). You are welcome to join us! You can find the winter playgroup schedule here, or by clicking the link at the upper left of the blog home page.


**NOTE THAT our outdoor winter 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 or weather below 30 degrees, playgroup will be cancelled for the day. Thanks!**

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Boston Sock Exchange
This Saturday, February 13th 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 12th 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 Sheila O'Brien (ObriensMo [at] hotmail.com).

The Boston Sock Exchange is currently in need of small 8 oz. bottled water, SOCKS, and men's and women's winter clothes.  We also need rain gear: ponchos and umbrellas.  Thank you!

"One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anyone." -Mother Teresa-


FALL 2016 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!

Saturday for Teens: Music!

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Speaking personally, modern Christian music changed my life of faith forever. While the Holy Spirit did all the hard work on my heart, for me, music was the vehicle. Praise and Worship, verses of Scripture popping up in songs, English translations of beautiful Latin hymns, and music with messages of conviction carried me through the difficulties of American teen life, psychological and spiritual battles, exploration into religious learning, and launched me into an adult life in which I wanted to live boldly as a Catholic Christian! My husband chuckles, but music continues to be a way into my heart today.

So, I humbly share with you a piece of my heart!  For the teens at Saint Agnes, maybe you will find a new artist who inspires you, a song that is relevant, or a hymn that reminds you to pray during a difficult moment.  Only the Holy Spirit can know what difference it might make to you!

This week, I would like to share a song from the rap artist Lecrae, whose experience of forgiveness after an abortion led to his conversion and a new message in his music. I admire the clarity with which Lecrae now seems to understand himself and others.  His message of brokenness and mercy makes me want to crack open my Bible, visit the confessional, go to Adoration, make amends and fresh beginnings, and soak up some of that good stuff myself!



If you are interested in meeting other people who share an interest in Christian music and have a Catholic focus on Praise and Worship, your chance is coming in February!

With thanks to our Confirmation Director, Nancy Feeman,
LIFT Ministries is coming to Saint Camillus in Arlington
on February 23rd from 7-9 pm!
See the poster below for details, or email Confirmation@SaintAgnes.net.

Catholic Conference 4 Moms

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Calling all Moms!

In accordance with this Year of Mercy, Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Sudbury, MA
will be hosting the
Faces of Mercy 2016 Catholic Conference 4 Moms
on Saturday, February 20th
from 9:00 - 3:30 pm in St. Joseph Hall.

All mothers are invited to attend! Together we will watch and discuss videos presented by several popular Catholic speakers, pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, & have a fun day meeting one another. Nursing babies are welcome! A $10 registration fee includes lunch. For more information or to register,
visit www.facebook.com/groups/CatholicMetroWestMoms/
or email catholicmetrowestmoms@gmail.com.


The format is as follows:
9:00-9:30 - Registration 
9:30 - Welcome 
9:40 - First Presentation and Discussion, 
10:30-11:30 - Talk by Jennifer Fulwiler's, streamed live
11:45 - Second Presentation and Discussion
12:30 - Lunch
1:20 - Third Presentation and Discussion
2:00 - Fourth Presentation and Break
2:45 - Intro to Divine Mercy Chaplet
3:00 - Pray live streamed Divine Mercy Chaplet
3:15 - Quiet Time of Prayer
3:30 - Closing and Farewell

Wednesday: Explore Laudato Si!

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

It's a New Year!  What is new for you?  God can renew and refresh all of His creation, making "all things new" (Revelations, chapter 5).  Pope Francis is reminding us that as Christians, there's no time like the present to cast off our old selves and begin anew.  Continuing with our weekly excerpts of the pope's most recent encyclical, "Laudato Si" is posted here - so that we can all learn, digest, pray and discern one snippet at a time.  Come Holy Spirit, teach us and guide us, and may Your Will be done!


CHAPTER TWO
THE GOSPEL OF CREATION

62. Why should this document, addressed to all people of good will, include a chapter dealing with the convictions of believers? I am well aware that in the areas of politics and philosophy there are those who firmly reject the idea of a Creator, or consider it irrelevant, and consequently dismiss as irrational the rich contribution which religions can make towards an integral ecology and the full development of humanity. Others view religions simply as a subculture to be tolerated. Nonetheless, science and religion, with their distinctive approaches to understanding reality, can enter into an intense dialogue fruitful for both.

I. THE LIGHT OFFERED BY FAITH

63. Given the complexity of the ecological crisis and its multiple causes, we need to realize that the solutions will not emerge from just one way of interpreting and transforming reality. Respect must also be shown for the various cultural riches of different peoples, their art and poetry, their interior life and spirituality. If we are truly concerned to develop an ecology capable of remedying the damage we have done, no branch of the sciences and no form of wisdom can be left out, and that includes religion and the language particular to it. The Catholic Church is open to dialogue with philosophical thought; this has enabled her to produce various syntheses between faith and reason. The development of the Church’s social teaching represents such a synthesis with regard to social issues; this teaching is called to be enriched by taking up new challenges.

64. Furthermore, although this Encyclical welcomes dialogue with everyone so that together we can seek paths of liberation, I would like from the outset to show how faith convictions can offer Christians, and some other believers as well, ample motivation to care for nature and for the most vulnerable of their brothers and sisters. If the simple fact of being human moves people to care for the environment of which they are a part, Christians in their turn “realize that their responsibility within creation, and their duty towards nature and the Creator, are an essential part of their faith”.[36] It is good for humanity and the world at large when we believers better recognize the ecological commitments which stem from our convictions.

II. THE WISDOM OF THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS

65. Without repeating the entire theology of creation, we can ask what the great biblical narratives say about the relationship of human beings with the world. In the first creation account in the Book of Genesis, God’s plan includes creating humanity. After the creation of man and woman, “God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good” (Gen 1:31). The Bible teaches that every man and woman is created out of love and made in God’s image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26). This shows us the immense dignity of each person, “who is not just something, but someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons”.[37] Saint John Paul II stated that the special love of the Creator for each human being “confers upon him or her an infinite dignity”.[38] Those who are committed to defending human dignity can find in the Christian faith the deepest reasons for this commitment. How wonderful is the certainty that each human life is not adrift in the midst of hopeless chaos, in a world ruled by pure chance or endlessly recurring cycles! The Creator can say to each one of us: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jer 1:5). We were conceived in the heart of God, and for this reason “each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary”.[39]

66. The creation accounts in the book of Genesis contain, in their own symbolic and narrative language, profound teachings about human existence and its historical reality. They suggest that human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbour and with the earth itself. According to the Bible, these three vital relationships have been broken, both outwardly and within us. This rupture is sin. The harmony between the Creator, humanity and creation as a whole was disrupted by our presuming to take the place of God and refusing to acknowledge our creaturely limitations. This in turn distorted our mandate to “have dominion” over the earth (cf. Gen 1:28), to “till it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). As a result, the originally harmonious relationship between human beings and nature became conflictual (cf. Gen 3:17-19). It is significant that the harmony which Saint Francis of Assisi experienced with all creatures was seen as a healing of that rupture. Saint Bonaventure held that, through universal reconciliation with every creature, Saint Francis in some way returned to the state of original innocence.[40] This is a far cry from our situation today, where sin is manifest in all its destructive power in wars, the various forms of violence and abuse, the abandonment of the most vulnerable, and attacks on nature.

67. We are not God. The earth was here before us and it has been given to us. This allows us to respond to the charge that Judaeo-Christian thinking, on the basis of the Genesis account which grants man “dominion” over the earth (cf. Gen 1:28), has encouraged the unbridled exploitation of nature by painting him as domineering and destructive by nature. This is not a correct interpretation of the Bible as understood by the Church. Although it is true that we Christians have at times incorrectly interpreted the Scriptures, nowadays we must forcefully reject the notion that our being created in God’s image and given dominion over the earth justifies absolute domination over other creatures. The biblical texts are to be read in their context, with an appropriate hermeneutic, recognizing that they tell us to “till and keep” the garden of the world (cf. Gen 2:15). “Tilling” refers to cultivating, ploughing or working, while “keeping” means caring, protecting, overseeing and preserving. This implies a relationship of mutual responsibility between human beings and nature. Each community can take from the bounty of the earth whatever it needs for subsistence, but it also has the duty to protect the earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations. “The earth is the Lord’s” (Ps 24:1); to him belongs “the earth with all that is within it” (Dt 10:14). Thus God rejects every claim to absolute ownership: “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with me” (Lev25:23).

Weekly Digest

Monday, February 1, 2016

Welcome, EVERYONE!
Here's the lineup for the week at the Parish:
  • Tuesday - Family Playgroup (10:30 am), Baptism Catechesis (7 pm), Fatima Apostolate (7 pm), Choir Practice (7 pm)
  • Thursday - First Friday Confessions (4 pm), Pilgrimage of Mercy Meeting (6:30 pm)
  • Friday - First Friday Adoration (all day, Benediction at 5:00, Mass at 5:30 pm)
  • Saturday - Confessions (3 pm)
  • Sunday - Coffee and Donuts (after 9 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass), Infant Baptisms (2 pm)
  • Monday - Respect Life Meeting (7 pm)
Catholic Schools Week is a celebration of  the Church's gift of a faith-filled education.  Come celebrate this mission with us!

FALL 2016 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!

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Saint Agnes Family Playgroup
The Saint Agnes Family group holds weekly Tuesday playgroups outdoors at nearby parks. We start at 10:30 am (but sometimes moms run late). You are welcome to join us! You can find the winter playgroup schedule here, or by clicking the link at the upper left of the blog home page.

This Tuesday, February 2, we will meet at Poet's Corner Park (4 Shelley Rd.) in Arlington. This park is very sunny, and we are supposed to have sun and 40 degrees tomorrow!   There is also a basketball court perfect for scooters or bikes.  Put on your sunglasses, bring your own lunch or snack and join us!

**NOTE THAT our outdoor winter 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 or weather below 30 degrees, playgroup will be cancelled for the day. Thanks!**

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

Have you had a new baby? We wish you many heartfelt congratulations!

Don't forget that baptisms for babies at Saint Agnes are held on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at 2:00 pm. You must attend Baptismal Catechesis prior to having your child baptized.

Baptism Catechesis occurs on the first Tuesday of the month (February 2). The briefing session begins at 7:00 pm in the Saint Agnes Parish Center at 51 Medford St., Arlington. The meeting usually lasts under an hour.

If you would like to learn a little more about Christian baptism and why the Catholic Church encourages infants to be baptized, you can read about it here.

Baptism is the sacrament of faith. But faith needs the community of believers. It is only within the faith of the Church that each of the faithful can believe. The faith required for Baptism is not a perfect and mature faith, but a beginning that is called to develop. The catechumen or the Godparent is asked: “What do you ask of God’s Church?” The response is: “Faith!” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1253)


Parenting is certainly not an easy task: it is filled with difficult decisions, personal setbacks and growth, expanding relationships, disagreements, love, AND forgiveness. We offer you our support and encouragement along this journey, and we invite you warmly into our parish and Christian life!

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Pilgrimage of Mercy
During this "Year of Mercy," we are all encouraged to take a pilgrimage as a way to reflect on our own need for God's mercy, and pray for the poor souls in purgatory (a spiritual work of mercy!).  Our parish is working to coordinate a type of pilgrimage to the Cathedral in downtown Boston.  If you would like to help in the planning of this event, come to the meeting on Thursday, February 4th at 6:30 pm in the Saint Agnes Parish Center.  Ideas, plans and assignments will be laid out.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
First Friday Adoration
This Friday, February 5th, is the first Friday of the month. On Thursday, February 4th, 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.