The Sunday of the Word of God

01-26-2020Pastor's CornerRev. Robert J. Deehan, V.F.

With the promulgation of his Apostolic Letter (Motu Proprio), Aperuit Illis, on September 30, 2019, Pope Francis has announced that, going forward, the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (this Sunday) is to be celebrated as The Sunday of the Word of God as a way to reflect on the importance of the Word of God for everyday living. The Holy Father cites how various local Churches have sought to "make Sacred Scripture (Bible) more accessible to believers, to increase their gratitude for so great a gift, and to help them strive daily to embody and bear witness to its teachings." He encourages people to read the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum of the Second Vatican Council, which expounds the nature of Sacred Scripture, its transmission from generation to generation, its divine inspiration embracing the Old and New Testaments, and the importance of Scripture for the life of the Church. We believe that even though the Bible speaks about times gone by, we believe it is the Living Word of God, which contains truths, which we are to live by.

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The 47th Anniversary of Roe v Wade

01-19-2020Pastor's CornerRev. Robert J. Deehan, V.F.

There have been over 56 million abortions in our country since the January 22, 1973 Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion. One of the core beliefs of the Catholic Church is that human life is sacred and must be preserved from the moment of conception to natural death. In the anniversary month of the Roe v. Wade decision, the Catholic Church in the U.S. prays in a special way for the protection of unborn children. This coming Wednesday, January 22 is a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion. As individuals, we are called to observe this day through the penitential practices of prayer, fasting and/or giving alms. Trusting that our prayers are powerful and are heard by God, Holy Family parish will offer a special period of Eucharistic Adoration in Our Lady's Chapel this Wednesday, January 22 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. I encourage you to join with other parishioners in the chapel that day to pray before the Blessed Sacrament for these intentions. Our Blessed Mother, Mary, who bore the child Jesus in her womb is a powerful advocate for the preservation of life in the womb. And so, I share with you the following prayer to invoke Mary's intercession for this important intention.

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75th Anniversary Opening Mass

01-12-2020Pastor's CornerRev. Robert J. Deehan, V.F.

We had a wonderful opening celebration for our 75th Anniversary as a parish last Saturday. The two photos on the cover of this bulletin gives you a glimpse of the evening's activities. The Episcopal Vicar of the South Region of the Archdiocese of Boston, Father Bob Connors presided at our Opening Mass. He provided a thoughtful homily linking the feast of the Epiphany and the great heritage of our parish, which is a product of the many gifts, talents and sacrifices offered over the years by clergy and laity alike. Some people seemed to be confused by the use of the word - Episcopal in Father Connor's title, thinking he came from another denomination! However, that's not the case. The word refers to the position he holds in place of the ordinary regional vicar who is usually a bishop (Episkopos in Greek), most recently held by now-retired Bishop John Dooher.

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Faith Feeds Articles

01-05-2020Pastor's CornerRev. Robert J. Deehan, V.F.

There are three brief and very thought provoking articles that will be discussed at our Faith Feeds adult faith formation evening taking place in our parish center this Wednesday, January 8 at 7:00 pm, which includes dinner (chili, cornbread and salad) and great conversation about these articles. They are taken from the Summer 2019 issue of Boston College's C21 Resources magazine focusing on the topic, Revitalizing Our Church. To obtain the articles, download them here or you can pick up a packet at one of the entrances to the church.

The first article entitled, Home: Where Jesus Lives by Katie Prejean McGrady, offers a reflection on the importance of what her parents did to pass along to her valued faith practices and traditions, which she in turn hopes to pass along to her children. She argues that thinking of the Church as one's home can help believers recognize Jesus there, even in the midst of human imperfection.

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