Saturday for Teens: Music & Adoration!

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 May, 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. Adoration can be a difficult thing for some people to understand - why do it? I once heard an analogy about adoration, perhaps it will help you too:

What happens for a long time when you sit in front of the sun? You are not touching the sun, and it seems a long way off. You might be bored, you might fall asleep, you might not even notice its presence above you. But later, you will be changed by the sun in a very tangible way -- you will have a sunburn, and you will notice!

Spending time in Adoration is not all that unlike sunbathing. You may not feel different, you may not seem to be doing much of anything, you might even fall asleep! But real the presence of Christ's body, blood, soul, and divinity WILL change you. God alone has the power to "irradiate" your soul, and change your heart. You might be surprised sitting there, feeling bored, what thoughts come to your mind, what thoughts you bring forward, what insights are given by the Holy Spirit, or what questions you have to ask. Things are changing, and someday, you will notice!

Even if you have nothing to do, try spending some time in front of the Son. Every relationship starts with time invested.

Come to Adoration next Friday, May 6th, at any time until 5:00 pm!

Wednesday: Explore Laudato Si!

Hello everyone!  The joy of Jesus' resurrection at Easter is here!  Through His own plan of Salvation History, God has made 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!

VII. THE GAZE OF JESUS
96. Jesus took up the biblical faith in God the Creator, emphasizing a fundamental truth: God is Father (cf. Mt 11:25). In talking with his disciples, Jesus would invite them to recognize the paternal relationship God has with all his creatures. With moving tenderness he would remind them that each one of them is important in God’s eyes: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God” (Lk 12:6). “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them” (Mt 6:26).

97. The Lord was able to invite others to be attentive to the beauty that there is in the world because he himself was in constant touch with nature, lending it an attention full of fondness and wonder. As he made his way throughout the land, he often stopped to contemplate the beauty sown by his Father, and invited his disciples to perceive a divine message in things: “Lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest” (Jn 4:35). “The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but once it has grown, it is the greatest of plants” (Mt 13:31-32).

98. Jesus lived in full harmony with creation, and others were amazed: “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Mt 8:27). His appearance was not that of an ascetic set apart from the world, nor of an enemy to the pleasant things of life. Of himself he said: “The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard!’” (Mt 11:19). He was far removed from philosophies which despised the body, matter and the things of the world. Such unhealthy dualisms, nonetheless, left a mark on certain Christian thinkers in the course of history and disfigured the Gospel. Jesus worked with his hands, in daily contact with the matter created by God, to which he gave form by his craftsmanship. It is striking that most of his life was dedicated to this task in a simple life which awakened no admiration at all: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?” (Mk6:3). In this way he sanctified human labour and endowed it with a special significance for our development. As Saint John Paul II taught, “by enduring the toil of work in union with Christ crucified for us, man in a way collaborates with the Son of God for the redemption of humanity”.[79]

99. In the Christian understanding of the world, the destiny of all creation is bound up with the mystery of Christ, present from the beginning: “All things have been created though him and for him” (Col 1:16).[80] The prologue of the Gospel of John (1:1-18) reveals Christ’s creative work as the Divine Word (Logos). But then, unexpectedly, the prologue goes on to say that this same Word “became flesh” (Jn 1:14). One Person of the Trinity entered into the created cosmos, throwing in his lot with it, even to the cross. From the beginning of the world, but particularly through the incarnation, the mystery of Christ is at work in a hidden manner in the natural world as a whole, without thereby impinging on its autonomy.

100. The New Testament does not only tell us of the earthly Jesus and his tangible and loving relationship with the world. It also shows him risen and glorious, present throughout creation by his universal Lordship: “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col 1:19-20). This leads us to direct our gaze to the end of time, when the Son will deliver all things to the Father, so that “God may be everything to every one” (1 Cor 15:28). Thus, the creatures of this world no longer appear to us under merely natural guise because the risen One is mysteriously holding them to himself and directing them towards fullness as their end. The very flowers of the field and the birds which his human eyes contemplated and admired are now imbued with his radiant presence.

Weekly Digest

Welcome, EVERYONE!

Here's the lineup for the week at the Parish:

• Tuesday - Family Playgroup (10:30 am), Choir Practice (7 pm), Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Wednesday - Rediscover Jesus Session (7:30 pm)
• Thursday - Arlington Catholic Women's Club Spring Luncheon (11 am), Saint Dymphna Society (6:30 pm), Dad's Night Out (8 pm @ Fusion Taste)
• Friday - Saint Agnes School Trivia Night (7:30 pm)
• Saturday - Prayer at Planned Parenthood (7 am, meet in parking lot at 6:30 am to carpool), Fidelity House Fun Fair & BBQ (10 am - 1 pm), Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - Coffee and Donuts (after 9 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass), Infant Baptisms (2 pm)

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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 spring playgroup schedule here, or by clicking the link at the upper left of the blog home page.

This Tuesday, April 26th, we will meet at Cummings Park (19 Lyman Ave, Medford) at 10:30 am. PLAYGROUP IS STILL ON FOR TODAY, SINCE THE RAIN IS HOLDING OFF :)  Hope to see you there!

**NOTE THAT our outdoor play 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 32 degrees, playgroup will be cancelled for the day. Thanks!**

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Rediscover Jesus Discussion Sessions
Please join us for a six-part discussion series on our Easter Book, Rediscover Jesus. Learn more about the ideas and insights shared in the book and from the reflections of neighbors who come from many different stages of faith and walks of life. These sessions will take place on Wednesday evenings, 7:30-8:45, in the Parish Center on April 20, April 27, May 4, May 11 and May 18. For more information and for the list of chapters to be discussed each week, please visit www.saintagnes.net and click on “Rediscover Jesus.”

Dad's Night Out

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, April 28th. 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 April's discussion will continue the Into the Breach document by Bishop Thomas Olmsted. We will focus specifically on the "Beloved and Free Sons, Called to the Battle Within" section. The link for the brief reading material is here. Please come and join us, whether or not you have been able to read ahead. We look forward to meeting you! If you have questions, please email Justin Quattrini (justin.quattrini [at] gmail.com).

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Saturday Morning Prayer at Planned Parenthood

Saint Agnes Parish is continuing its hour of prayer in front of Planned Parenthood on Saturday mornings from 7:00-8:00 am.  If you would like to carpool, meet at 6:30 am in the Saint Agnes School parking lot.  We return to Arlington by 8:30 a.m.  If you have questions, please e-mail Eileen Cahill at SAParishforLife@gmail.com.  We have been told by the devoted sidewalk counselors how much they appreciate having us there praying when they arrive.  They need help and support.  Please join this effort.  Once you go and pray with others, you gain more confidence and it gets easier.  Join us; prayer is the faithful's most powerful tool!

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Saint Agnes School - Trivia Night!
Are you looking for a fun night out with other parents from our parish?  Join Saint Agnes School for their annual Trivia Night.  It is a fundraiser for our wonderful parish school, but it is much more than that!  It is a night of laughs, getting to know other parents,  socializing with teachers and staff, and overall a whole lot of fun.  If you are not familiar with how Trivia Night works, here's a quick lesson!  Groups of up to 8 sit together at a table.  Your table brings food to share, there is a cash bar, and "trivia" questions are asked to the group.  Each table has a certain amount of time to "discuss" the answer, decide on the final answer and bring it up to the TRIVIA HOST.  At the end of the night, the table that has the most points for answering questions correctly wins a CASH prize!!!  Click and print the form below, then send it in.  Join us!

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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

Welcome, EVERYONE!

Here's the lineup for the week at the Parish:

• Tuesday - Sodality of our Lady Day of Recollection (9:45 am), Family Playgroup (10:30 am), Choir Practice (7 pm), Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Wednesday - Arlington Catholic Women's Club Mass & Breakfast (9 am), Rediscover Jesus Session (7:30 pm)
• Friday - National Respect Life T-shirt Day!
• Saturday - Prayer at Planned Parenthood (7 am, meet in parking lot at 6:30 am to carpool), Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - Coffee and Donuts (after 9 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass)

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

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 spring playgroup schedule here, or by clicking the link at the upper left of the blog home page.

This Tuesday, April 19th, we will meet at McClennen Park (680 Summer St., Arlington).  This park has a large field, a playground, and a skateboard area for bikes and scooters. Bring a picnic lunch, enjoy spring vacation week, and join us!

**NOTE THAT our outdoor play 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 32 degrees, playgroup will be cancelled for the day. Thanks!**

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Rediscover Jesus Discussion Sessions
Please join us for a six-part discussion series on our Easter Book, Rediscover Jesus. Learn more about the ideas and insights shared in the book and from the reflections of neighbors who come from many different stages of faith and walks of life. These sessions will take place on Wednesday evenings, 7:30-8:45, in the Parish Center on April 20, April 27, May 4, May 11 and May 18. For more information and for the list of chapters to be discussed each week, please visit www.saintagnes.net and click on “Rediscover Jesus.”

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Saturday Morning Prayer at Planned Parenthood

Saint Agnes Parish is continuing its hour of prayer in front of Planned Parenthood on Saturday mornings from 7:00-8:00 am.  If you would like to carpool, meet at 6:30 am in the Saint Agnes School parking lot.  We return to Arlington by 8:30 a.m.  If you have questions, please e-mail Eileen Cahill at SAParishforLife@gmail.com.  We have been told by the devoted sidewalk counselors how much they appreciate having us there praying when they arrive.  They need help and support.  Please join this effort.  Once you go and pray with others, you gain more confidence and it gets easier.  Join us; prayer is the faithful's most powerful tool!

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Saint Agnes School - Trivia Night!
Are you looking for a fun night out with other parents from our parish?  Join Saint Agnes School for their annual Trivia Night.  It is a fundraiser for our wonderful parish school, but it is much more than that!  It is a night of laughs, getting to know other parents,  socializing with teachers and staff, and overall a whole lot of fun.  If you are not familiar with how Trivia Night works, here's a quick lesson!  Groups of up to 8 sit together at a table.  Your table brings food to share, there is a cash bar, and "trivia" questions are asked to the group.  Each table has a certain amount of time to "discuss" the answer, decide on the final answer and bring it up to the TRIVIA HOST.  At the end of the night, the table that has the most points for answering questions correctly wins a CASH prize!!!  Click and print the form below, then send it in.  Join 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!

Saturday for Teens: Music!

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 April Vacation - what a free and amazing week... that has such a mixed set of stereotypes to go with it! MTV's Spring Break show set the a new idea for teens that spring break is not a week of refreshment and rest, but one of crazy partying and self-centeredness.

So what are you doing in the coming week? Let's turn the concept of spring break on its head!

1. Spend a bit of your free time in prayer, asking God your hard questions, or joining in the parish discussion on the book "Rediscover Jesus," which is still available in the back of church for free.
2. Spend some time recognizing your part in evangelizing the world around us, giving service or a caring hand. Being the "salt of the earth" means immersing ourselves into our culture, but bringing the joy and hope of the Gospel along with us! Too many people struggle with the idea of a God who loves them deeply, because they have not experienced the idea of a human who loves them deeply. Be the "salt of the earth" for someone in need of love.
3. Earn a few bucks by helping out your parents or grandparents, tithe 10% to your favorite cause, save 10% for your future, then get yourself some SWAG for upcoming Respect Life T-shirt Day on April 22, 2016!! 
4. Don't forget to rest, of course :) 

Remember, YOU can make a difference. YOU matter. YOU are a powerful witness for good. Now go out there and have a great spring break!!

Here is a flyer containing information about

more events for youth in the Boston Archdiocese.

Wednesday: Explore Laudato Si!

Hello everyone!  The joy of Jesus' resurrection at Easter is here!  Through His own plan of Salvation History, God has made 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!

VI. THE COMMON DESTINATION OF GOODS
93. Whether believers or not, we are agreed today that the earth is essentially a shared inheritance, whose fruits are meant to benefit everyone. For believers, this becomes a question of fidelity to the Creator, since God created the world for everyone. Hence every ecological approach needs to incorporate a social perspective which takes into account the fundamental rights of the poor and the underprivileged. The principle of the subordination of private property to the universal destination of goods, and thus the right of everyone to their use, is a golden rule of social conduct and “the first principle of the whole ethical and social order”.[71]The Christian tradition has never recognized the right to private property as absolute or inviolable, and has stressed the social purpose of all forms of private property. Saint John Paul II forcefully reaffirmed this teaching, stating that “God gave the earth to the whole human race for the sustenance of all its members, without excluding or favouring anyone”.[72] These are strong words. He noted that “a type of development which did not respect and promote human rights – personal and social, economic and political, including the rights of nations and of peoples – would not be really worthy of man”.[73] He clearly explained that “the Church does indeed defend the legitimate right to private property, but she also teaches no less clearly that there is always a social mortgage on all private property, in order that goods may serve the general purpose that God gave them”.[74] Consequently, he maintained, “it is not in accord with God’s plan that this gift be used in such a way that its benefits favour only a few”.[75] This calls into serious question the unjust habits of a part of humanity.[76]

94. The rich and the poor have equal dignity, for “the Lord is the maker of them all” (Prov 22:2). “He himself made both small and great” (Wis 6:7), and “he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good” (Mt 5:45). This has practical consequences, such as those pointed out by the bishops of Paraguay: “Every campesino has a natural right to possess a reasonable allotment of land where he can establish his home, work for subsistence of his family and a secure life. This right must be guaranteed so that its exercise is not illusory but real. That means that apart from the ownership of property, rural people must have access to means of technical education, credit, insurance, and markets”.[77]

95. The natural environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone. If we make something our own, it is only to administer it for the good of all. If we do not, we burden our consciences with the weight of having denied the existence of others. That is why the New Zealand bishops asked what the commandment “Thou shall not kill” means when “twenty percent of the world’s population consumes resources at a rate that robs the poor nations and future generations of what they need to survive”.[78]

Weekly Digest

Welcome, EVERYONE!

Here's the lineup for the week at the Parish:

• Tuesday - Family Playgroup (10:30 am), Choir Practice (7 pm), Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Wednesday - Rediscover Jesus Session (7:30 pm)
• Thursday - Mom's Night In (8 pm)
• Saturday - Prayer at Planned Parenthood (7 am, meet in parking lot at 6:30 am to carpool), Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - Coffee and Donuts (after 9 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass), Infant Baptisms (2 pm)

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

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 spring playgroup schedule here, or by clicking the link at the upper left of the blog home page.

This Tuesday, April 12th, we will meet at Magnolia Playground (36 Herbert Rd., Arlington).  This park has a large field, a playground, and a black top area for bikes and scooters. If the rain holds out, bring a picnic lunch and join us!

**NOTE THAT our outdoor play 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 32 degrees, playgroup will be cancelled for the day. Thanks!**

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Rediscover Jesus Discussion Sessions
Please join us for a six-part discussion series on our Easter Book, Rediscover Jesus. Learn more about the ideas and insights shared in the book and from the reflections of neighbors who come from many different stages of faith and walks of life. These sessions will take place on Wednesday evenings, 7:30-8:45, in the Parish Center on April 13, April 20, April 27, May 4, May 11 and May 18. For more information and for the list of chapters to be discussed each week, please visit www.saintagnes.net and click on “Rediscover Jesus.” 

Here's a friendly reminder that Mom's-Night-In
is THURSDAY, April 14th

We will get together for a stress-free evening, pray a devotion together, and enjoy some social feminine fellowship!

I will not publish the hostesses address online, 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 8:00 pm.

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Saturday Morning Prayer at Planned Parenthood

Saint Agnes Parish is continuing its hour of prayer in front of Planned Parenthood on Saturday mornings from 7:00-8:00 am.  If you would like to carpool, meet at 6:30 am in the Saint Agnes School parking lot.  We return to Arlington by 8:30 a.m.  If you have questions, please e-mail Eileen Cahill at SAParishforLife@gmail.com.  We have been told by the devoted sidewalk counselors how much they appreciate having us there praying when they arrive.  They need help and support.  Please join this effort.  Once you go and pray with others, you gain more confidence and it gets easier.  Join us; prayer is the faithful's most powerful tool!

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

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 Kids: Music!

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!

The children's choir at our parish sings this Sunday, April 10th at the 9:00 am Mass.  What can children's music add to our lives as Christians?  For one, it gives children that opportunity for which Jesus longed, "Let the children come to Me" (Mark 10:14).  Second, it gives children a chance to learn about God's love via the song that's about to get stuck in their heads! There are definitely a lot better lyrics to be stuck in a kid's head than some things on mainstream radio today. Your child carries these messages with them throughout the day. Finally, as parents, we also benefit by teaching and singing songs with our children, and remembering God's love in the middle of our busy, often poorly-prioritized days. Let's not be too proud to sing a good song with our kids (hey, you might even like it)!

The videos to these songs are sometimes hokey, but the music is great!  If you find the hokey-ness distracting, just turn off the monitor and enjoy hearing about God's enormous love!

Saint Agnes Children's Choir

Are you children interested in singing in the Children's Choir at Saint Agnes?  The children sing about once per month, and the printable schedule is posted here.  Encouraging your kids to be involved in the Mass is a wonderful way to foster their joy!  It also (helps) them to pay attention and to make new friends at church.  Join us!

More information and schedules can be found at the Music Ministry Website, www.AgnesMusic.net, or by emailing Michael Vaughan (mrv2022 [at] gmail.com).

Prayer at PP & Respect Life at Saint Agnes

Saturday Morning Prayer at Planned Parenthood

Saint Agnes Parish is continuing its hour of prayer in front of Planned Parenthood on Saturday mornings from 7:00-8:00 am.  If you would like to carpool, meet at 6:30 am in the Saint Agnes School parking lot.  We return to Arlington by 8:30 a.m.  If you have questions, please e-mail Eileen Cahill at SAParishforLife@gmail.com.  We have been told by the devoted sidewalk counselors how much they appreciate having us there praying when they arrive.  They need help and support.  Please join this effort.  Once you go and pray with others, you gain more confidence and it gets easier.  Join us; prayer is the faithful's most powerful tool!

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Saint Agnes Parishioners for Life Meeting

The next Parishioners for Life Meeting will be Monday, April 11th at 7:00 pm in the Saint Agnes Parish Center. All in the community are welcome to join. If you are interested in helping with our work, but can’t make the meeting, please e-mail SAParishforLife@gmail.com so we can keep you informed of local prolife activity.

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Pro Life Legal Defense Fund (PLLDF) Fundraiser
The Pro Life Legal Defense Fund (PLLDF) invites you to celebrate with other supporters of life at its annual Century Dinner. This year, PLLDF founder and Massachusetts pro-life icon Roy R. Scarpato will be presented with the Thomas More Award for his outstanding pro-life contributions for 40-plus years.


The dinner is on Friday evening, April 22nd, at the Boston Marriott in Newton, MA. For more information, please contact PLLDF at 617-969-8383 or info@plldf.org. Visit PLLDF’s website at http://PLLDF.org. The ticket cost is $125. Sponsorships for pro-life law students are available.

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National Respect Life T-shirt Day: April 22, 2016
Your chance to bear witness to life in solidarity with others is coming on April 22! Do you have a respectful t-shirt that promotes life? If not, there are many places to get one, here is just one shopping site. A small handful of respect life t-shirts will be available at Sunday coffee hour for sale, $10 each until they are gone.

Things to remember on Respect Life T-shirt Day:

• Wear a smile, not a scowl.
• Carry a joyful message, not one of condemnation.
• Remember that this is not about you, and it’s not about “winning.” You can only bear witness; God alone can change hearts.
• Don’t descend into politics. Respect for life transcends politics. You can recommend Laudato Si and not just Humanae Vitae!
• Carry a big dose of humility – you do not know another person’s experience.
• Respect Life T-shirt Day is about sharing a message of mercy (Year of Mercy), hope, respect for all creation – especially in this case – human life, and support for those who are in need.  It is not about arguing over your t-shirt.
• Pray, and don’t forget to mention Project Rachel.

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

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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.

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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.

“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-

Wednesday: Explore Laudato Si!

Hello everyone!  The joy of Jesus' resurrection at Easter is here!  Through His own plan of Salvation History, God has made 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!

V. A UNIVERSAL COMMUNION
89. The created things of this world are not free of ownership: “For they are yours, O Lord, who love the living” (Wis 11:26). This is the basis of our conviction that, as part of the universe, called into being by one Father, all of us are linked by unseen bonds and together form a kind of universal family, a sublime communion which fills us with a sacred, affectionate and humble respect. Here I would reiterate that “God has joined us so closely to the world around us that we can feel the desertification of the soil almost as a physical ailment, and the extinction of a species as a painful disfigurement”.[67]

90. This is not to put all living beings on the same level nor to deprive human beings of their unique worth and the tremendous responsibility it entails. Nor does it imply a divinization of the earth which would prevent us from working on it and protecting it in its fragility. Such notions would end up creating new imbalances which would deflect us from the reality which challenges us.[68] At times we see an obsession with denying any pre-eminence to the human person; more zeal is shown in protecting other species than in defending the dignity which all human beings share in equal measure. Certainly, we should be concerned lest other living beings be treated irresponsibly. But we should be particularly indignant at the enormous inequalities in our midst, whereby we continue to tolerate some considering themselves more worthy than others. We fail to see that some are mired in desperate and degrading poverty, with no way out, while others have not the faintest idea of what to do with their possessions, vainly showing off their supposed superiority and leaving behind them so much waste which, if it were the case everywhere, would destroy the planet. In practice, we continue to tolerate that some consider themselves more human than others, as if they had been born with greater rights.

91. A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment. It is no coincidence that, in the canticle in which Saint Francis praises God for his creatures, he goes on to say: “Praised be you my Lord, through those who give pardon for your love”. Everything is connected. Concern for the environment thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow human beings and an unwavering commitment to resolving the problems of society.

92. Moreover, when our hearts are authentically open to universal communion, this sense of fraternity excludes nothing and no one. It follows that our indifference or cruelty towards fellow creatures of this world sooner or later affects the treatment we mete out to other human beings. We have only one heart, and the same wretchedness which leads us to mistreat an animal will not be long in showing itself in our relationships with other people. Every act of cruelty towards any creature is “contrary to human dignity”.[69] We can hardly consider ourselves to be fully loving if we disregard any aspect of reality: “Peace, justice and the preservation of creation are three absolutely interconnected themes, which cannot be separated and treated individually without once again falling into reductionism”.[70] Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth.

Weekly Digest

Welcome, EVERYONE!

Here's the lineup for the week at the Parish:

• Tuesday - Family Playgroup (10:30 am), Choir Practice (7 pm), Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Thursday - ACHS Blood Drive (8 am - 1 pm)
• Friday - Prep for the Boston Sock Exchange (7 pm)
• Saturday - Prayer at Planned Parenthood (7 am, meet in parking lot at 6:30 am to carpool), FiHo Electronic Recycling (9 am), Boston Sock Exchange (11 am at Park Street T-stop), Altar Server Training (1 pm), Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - "Starting Point" Discussion (8 am & 9:15 am), Children's Choir Practice and Mass (arrive 8:15 am), Alter Server Installation (9 am Mass), Coffee and Donuts (after 9 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass)

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Saint Agnes Family Playgroup
Please note that playgroup is cancelled today because it is still in the 20s outside! I had hoped it would warm up to the upper 30s or 40s, but it is still frigid, windy, and snowy on the playground.  We hope to see you next week!

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 spring playgroup schedule here, or by clicking the link at the upper left of the blog home page.

**NOTE THAT our outdoor play 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 32 degrees, playgroup will be cancelled for the day. Thanks!**

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Boston Sock Exchange
Thank you to everyone who generously brought in a care package of toiletries for the BSE this weekend! This Saturday, April 9th 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, April 8th 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-

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Altar Servers
All parish youth currently in Grades 4+ are invited to join the Parish Altar Server Program. Assignments are for approximately two Masses per month. Instruction sessions, lasting one hour each, are at 1:00 pm in the Lower Church on Saturdays: March 19, March 26, April 2, and April 9. The Server Installation Mass will be on Sunday, April 10 at the 9:00 am Family Mass. If you have any questions, please call Michael Keiselbach at 781-646-0475.

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Saint Agnes Children's Choir

Are you children interested in singing in the Children's Choir at Saint Agnes?  The children sing about once per month, and the printable schedule is posted here.  Encouraging your kids to be involved in the Mass is a wonderful way to foster their joy!  It also (helps) them to pay attention and to make new friends at church.  Join us!

More information and schedules can be found at the Music Ministry Website, www.AgnesMusic.net, or by emailing Michael Vaughan (mrv2022 [at] gmail.com).

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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!