Around the Parish – May 4, 2025
Published on May 3, 2025
Extra Omnes
This Wednesday, the Cardinals of the Church will gather in Rome to elect the next pope. Let us pray in a particular way for those electors and our next Holy Father. May the Holy Spirit guide their hearts and minds as they choose a worthy shepherd for the Church.
Heart to Heart: Sacred Saturday
Next Saturday we will gather for our first Sacred Saturday at 9:00 AM for Mass, followed by a talk in Gallagher Hall. All RSVPs need to be submitted by this Sunday so we can prepare breakfast! Everyone is welcome, no matter what parish you might belong to. Don’t miss this opportunity for spiritual enrichment and community.
Congratulations Graduates!
It’s that time of year as we come to the end of another academic year. A special congratulations to all our graduates—from preschool through college. Your parish family is proud of you! Our prayers go with you as you step into the next chapter of your journey.
Ave Maria!
May is the month of Mary. I invite you to spend time this month drawing closer to Our Blessed Mother through the Rosary, Marian devotions, or simply reflecting on her faith and love. Mary always leads us to her Son.
Summer Mass Schedule
A quick thank you to all who have helped with religious education, sacraments, liturgical ministries, and spring events around the parish. Your generosity, seen and unseen, keeps our parish vibrant and growing.
40 Hours Adoration
Mark your calendars: our annual Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion will take place June 8–10. We are honored to welcome Fr. Ian McElrath, a native son of St. Joseph Parish in Sharon and my seminary classmate, as our guest homilist. It will be a beautiful time of prayer, reflection, and grace centered on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Here are a few thoughts for the week ahead:
The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you. Every action you take is a vote for the person you wish to become. For your life to be great, your faith must be bigger than your fears.
Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy
The Power and Tradition of Mass Intentions
The Mass is considered the greatest prayer of intercession in the Church. This is because it is the perfect offering of Christ to the Father, making present the Paschal Mystery of His death and resurrection. Traditionally, a Priest may be requested to offer a Mass for a specific intention, even if the requester cannot be physically present.
Offering Masses for the Deceased:
Having a Mass offered for a deceased person is an ancient and commendable practice. A Mass is offered to pray for the departed, that they may find peace in heaven. Since each Mass holds infinite value, requesting one or several Masses is of tremendous benefit to the person prayed for, as well as their family, who can take comfort in knowing that their intention is united with the prayers of the Church.
The Mass: Center of Christian Life:
Every Mass is a precious gift from God. It is the center of the Church’s life, known as “the source and summit of the Christian life,” because in the celebration of the Mass, we are brought back to Jesus’ Last Supper, the first Mass. We consciously recall the love of God poured out for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ. At each Mass, all the intentions of God’s people, both living and deceased, are included. As Pope Paul VI noted in his motu proprio “Firma in Traditione,” the faithful, moved by an ecclesial and religious sense, join their own sacrifices to the Eucharistic sacrifice, participating more intensely and supporting the Church’s needs, especially its ministers.
Requesting a Mass Intention:
Anyone may request a Mass Intention for a living person, a deceased person, members of a family, or a special intention appropriate to the celebration of the Eucharist, such as World Peace, Vocations, or Respect for Life. The Church allows only one intention per Mass.
Offering a Mass Stipend:
The normal stipend offering for a Mass is $10. However, a Mass Offering can be more or less than the suggested amount, depending on the financial position of the person requesting the Mass. Envelopes for Mass intention requests are available at the entrances of the church. These envelopes can be placed in the collection basket or returned to the parish office. The requester may also ask for a card to be sent to notify someone that a Mass Intention has been requested (one card per intention). Please note that the name of the person(s) requesting the Mass is not announced.
