Weekly Digest

Welcome, EVERYONE!

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

• Tuesday - Family Playgroup (10:30 am), Baptism Catechesis (7 pm), Choir Practice (7 pm), Fatima Apostolate (7 pm)
• Wednesday - Ascension Vigil Mass (4 pm), Rediscover Jesus Session (7:30 pm)
• ASCENSION THURSDAY - Masses at 7 am, 12 noon, and 5:30 pm in the Lower Church
• Friday - First Friday Adoration (all day, Benediction at 5:00, Mass at 5:30 pm)
• Saturday - FIRST EUCHARIST MASSES AT 11 am & 1 pm, Prayer at Planned Parenthood (7 am, meet in parking lot at 6:30 am to carpool), Confessions (3 pm)
• Sunday - HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY! Children's Choir Practice and Mass (arrive 8:15 am), May Procession, Coffee and Donuts (after 9 am Mass), Adult Choir (10:30 am Mass)
• Monday - Respect Life Meeting (7 pm)

This Thursday, May 5th is the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord.

This is a Holy Day of Obligation.

Masses at Saint Agnes will be held in the Lower Chapel as follows:

Wednesday, May 4 - 4:00 pm

Thursday, May 5 - 7:00 am, 12:00 noon, 5:30 pm

Saint Agnes School Mass will be held at 8:30 am on Thursday in the Upper Church.

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Father Flatley's 50th Anniversary
Father Brian Flatley is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on Sunday, May 29, 2016. Mass will be celebrated at Saint Agnes Church at 2:00 pm, with a reception to follow on the Parish grounds. Father Flatley would love to have parishioners of Saint Agnes Parish join him for this happy occasion. If you are able to be with us, please RSVP by Friday, May 20, with a number, at frflatley50@saintagnes.net. If you cannot be with him, Father Flatley asks that you remember him in prayer.

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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, May 3rd, please note that playgroup is cancelled due to the rain.  We hope to meet you next week!

**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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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 (May 3). 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!

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Registration for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd OPENS May 9th!
Our parish is very blessed to offer this montessori-based preschool Religious Education Program. This program serves children ages 3 to 5 years, and children age 6 years, if they will not be entering the 1st Grade. The children must be potty-trained and able to go to the restroom on their own. There are a limited number of seats, to be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by the date the registration form is received. Registration is open from May 9-27th. Registration forms available at the Parish Center and should be returned to the Religious Education Office. You may contact the Religious Education Office at 781-646-5579 if you wish to have the form mailed to you. For information about the program, call Jean Keiselbach (781-646-0475).

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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 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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First Friday Adoration

This Friday, May 6th, is the first Friday of the month. There are no confessions on Thursday, May 5, due to the Holy Day. 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.

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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!

THE NEXT MEETING OF SAINT AGNES PARISHIONERS FOR LIFE

IS MONDAY, MAY 9TH AT 7:00 PM IN THE PARISH CENTER

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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!