Memorial Masses

 

Tuesday, May 13, 9:00 AM: Baby Jesus

Sunday, May 18, 9:00 AM: Edwin and Catherine Marston

 

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." - Jn 20:21-23

 

 

“Jesus said to them again….As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Adult: How do you share the Easter message of Christ’s resurrection with others? Child: How does Jesus want you to treat your family?

Question of the Week !

 

 

TRANSITION TEAM MEMBERS: From St. Ann’s: Fr. Jim Laughlin, Sr. Roberta Rzeznik, Nancy Carapezza, Mike Falvey, Rita Gylys, and Amy Hanania. From St. Zepherin’s Fr. Ron, Joyce Pinney or Marge O’Day, Pat Hughes, Len Andrews, Tom Alber, Anita Ouellette, and Chris Weithman. Feel free to discuss your thoughts, ideas, and concerns with any one of them.

TRANSITION PERIOD QUESTION BOX: Located near the main entrance of the church as you first enter. Put your questions, ideas, concerns in that box.

TRANSITION PERIOD OPEN FORUM: Saturday, May 10th, after the 4 p.m. Mass. We will discuss what we know so far about the transition. Another forum will be held after the 9 a.m. Mass on June 1^st.

TRANSITION TEAM MEETINGS: The meetings have gone well with everyone present looking for solutions for both parishes rather than just thinking of themselves. The difficult part is coming up with a schedule of Masses that meets everyone’s needs.

CONGRATULATIONS to our High School Seniors, especially those who received recognition and scholarships this past Sunday. I also congratulate our First Communicants. The last First Eucharist celebration will be held on Saturday, May 10^th at 4 p.m.

 

For anyone who has watched the news or read the newspaper the last few months, the cost of living has stretched our income to the breaking point. Not only has this affected seniors and low income people, but the middle class in our neighborhoods are now finding it difficult to make ends meet each month. Food pantries can’t keep up with the demand and are having to turn those in need away. If you could donate just a few nonperishable items every chance you can to a local food pantry, we can help carry these families through each month. Please remember that pet food is also a need for some of these families with animals.

 

Financial Update

The offertory collection for the first 10 months of Fiscal Year 2008 (July 2007-April 2008) amounted to $344,278.00. The offertory collection for the same 44 week time period last year amount to $341,900.00. As can be seen, offertory contributions in 2008 are similar to the previous year. However, the budget for the current fiscal year is 4% higher than last year. Please review the status of your offertory gifts to insure that you are fulfilling your commitment to the parish.

 

The offertory collection for the weekend of May 3/4 was $8563.50. Thank you for your gifts.

 

Charitable Gift Giving

A former parishioner recently donated a significant gift to the parish in the distribution of his estate. The charitable gift enabled the parish to build on reserve funds in anticipation of unplanned future needs. The Finance Council is grateful to those who have included gifts to the parish in their wills and trusts.

 

Please help to plan for the future of St. Zepherin Parish by pledging a small percentage of your total assets to the Parish. The gift would be distributed to the Parish at the time of

 

death and would have no impact on one’s current financial security. It would not reduce current assets upon which a parishioner may be dependent to live. At the same time, it would allow the vast majority of remaining assets to be distributed to loved ones at the time of death.

 

 

   Last weekend was another exciting weekend for our parish – more First Communions, the celebration for Sr. Teresa and members of her community, and the graduation Mass! It’s so fascinating seeing the circle of life unfold in front of you…growth and change, young and old, different stages of faith developments and life experience, and more. I remember in my previous parish seeing my choir children grow up, going off to college, getting married, having children…playing for weddings and funerals…experiencing life and being there when life is happy, sad, and everything in between. I’m fortunate to have such a unique vantage point from which to watch life; you may not think of the piano bench or organ bench as being exciting, but it is!

   I spoke with some people after one Mass this weekend about our musical language. We started talking about why the congregation doesn’t seem to sing as strongly at First Communion Masses, and the discussion grew and went in other directions about music, congregational singing, and how important music is in our faith life. I brought up one idea for the summer – that of a summer choir, a pickup choir as it were, a choir that would meet to rehearse for half an hour before Mass and help leading singing at the Mass. No experience required, young, old, families, kids…anybody who wants to try singing in a choir. I’m going to think about it and how to best make it happen. Stay tuned! And let me know your thoughts.

   Thanks to the adult choir for singing this weekend. We’re winding down for the year, but there will be more singing opportunities and always room for more singers! Singing is an exciting way to become more involved in the parish, meet people, have fun, and help lead music at Mass. See you in church! Kirk Hartung, Director of Music Ministry

 

 

Registration forms for next year’s family religious education program should have all been returned. Please get yours in ASAP if you have not done so.

     If you did not receive a registration form, or you have a child who would be new to our program, you may pick one up at the parish center or call Marcia at the rectory to get one. All children must attend a Grade one program before they can enter their First Eucharist year

 

All First Communion children are asked to attend next week’s May 18^th 9am Mass in their first communion attire. Gold books will be returned and a group photo of all the children together will be taken following the Mass.

 

Anyone who would be interested in volunteering in our Family Religious Education program may also get a form at the parish center or rectory. It would only be a once a month hour commitment from September through April. All lesson plans and materials are provided for your instruction. It is rewarding and enriching.

 

Any family who might like to donate their child’s first communion dress or white suit so others may wear it in the future, please contact Mrs. O’Day at the rectory.

 

 

     Arise Together In Christ, a parish-centered process of spiritual renewal, will take place in this parish beginning in the Fall of 2008.

     The spiritual path laid out by the Arise process guides participants, who meet in small faith groups, through five distinct Seasons each of which lasts six weeks. Each Season engages the entire parish in a basic Gospel theme.

     A core implementation team has been formed in our parish. The present members are Ann and Tom Lally, Sally DeGeorge, Marge O’Day, Brenda Whitenett, Paul Connolly, Joanne Berry, and Monica Leonard. They have already attended several workshops in preparation to implement Arise at St. Zepherin’s. Please watch upcoming bulletins, newsletters and our parish website for the particulars as our starting date draws near. For more information about the Arise Process, please contact any of the core team members.

 

 

You are invited to a party celebrating Fr. Ronald Bourgault on his retirement. The dinner will be held at St. Julia’s Parish in Weston on June 21 from 6:00 – 10:00 pm. The room is handicap accessible. The cost of the dinner and celebration is $40. There is a limited amount of space available so please send in your check to St. Zepherin’s Parish, attention Marjory O’Day, by June 1^st.

 

There will also be receptions held for Fr. Ron for all parishioners to attend in our Parish Center following all of the Masses during the last weekend of June.

 

Aluminum Tab Collection to Benefit Shriners Hospital: Thanks to all those who have contributed so far. We just sent a full water bottle of tabs in! Help us continue to raise money for Shriners Hospital by saving your aluminum tabs from sodas and other cans. Bring them to church or the parish center with you to drop off in the large containers you will find marked for Shriners.

 

Parishioners of the Year 2008

For the next four weeks, those individuals who have been awarded the Parishioner of the Year will be highlighted.

 

 

Michael Monte: Michael has been a part of the Music Ministry Program since he was in middle school! He is a most faithful participant, playing and singing with his guitar at the 9 a.m. and special seasonal Masses. He has participated in music ministry with almost weekly dedication for more than 30 years.

 

Pheme Perkins: Pheme is a professor at Boston College and has generously shared her expertise with our parish by writing a weekly column in the Bulletin for many years. She has always had a thoughtful and educational insight to the gospel and current world events. For the past 16 years she has taught a wonderful bible study class on Tuesday mornings (She welcomes new students always!). Our religious education programs have benefited by her lectures over many diverse topics. She is always willing to share her intelligence and faith with the parishioners at St. Zepherin’s.

 

Elinor Robinson: Elinor has been the Chairperson of the Art & Environment Committee for the past 10 years and has been a member of that committee for 15 years. This committee is responsible for the church flowers each week, and all the decorations at Christmas and Easter both inside and outside the church. Elinor has been responsible with her committee to make St. Zepherin’s a wonderful place to worship. She is excited to train others who wish to help. She is also a former Pastoral Council member, helped with the Church Renovation Committee, helps count the weekly collections, volunteers monthly to say the rosary and distribute communion at Whitney Place, volunteers to serve dinners at the Salvation Army, is a lector, a member of the choir, and one of the founders of the new music ministry committee to help support Kirk Hartung, our Director of Music Ministry.

 

Justice and Peace

The May gathering for Justice and Peace will take place next Sunday, May 18^th at noon, immediately following the 11 am Mass. The topic will be “Following Jesus on the Path of Non-Violence”. All are welcome.

 

 

We need ADULTS for Mississippi!!! Please call Joyce if you are interested!

 

Curriculum Committee

We are putting together a curriculum committee to review the curriculums we chose last year as well as choose a new curriculum for 8^th grade, which was not changed with the rest of the curriculums last year. We will be meeting during the month of June. Please call Joyce if you are interested in participating.

 

 

 

 

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1POLLS ON THE AFTERLIFE

 

What did it mean to a first century C.E. audience when Jesus’ disciples began preaching resurrection from the dead? Acts 17:32 imagines an audience of Greek philosophers finding it laughable. A brief book by a distinguished Jewish scholar, Geza Vermes (The Resurrection. Doubleday, 2008) points out that while familiar texts from the 2^nd century B.C. show that some Jews believed in either resurrection or immortality of the soul (e.g. Dan 12:1-3; Wisd 2:23-3:4; 2 Macc 7:1-41 – all part of Catholic liturgy), we still need to ask how widespread were those beliefs? 

 

The conservative aristocracy which controlled the Temple, the Sadducees, explicitly rejected the ideas of an immortal soul, rewards and punishments after death, and bodily resurrection as not contained in Scripture. Hence their challenge to Jesus (Mark 12:18-27). The Essene sect (responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls) appear to have believed in some form of immortality, but not resurrection of the body. That leaves the Pharisees as advocates of resurrection – the souls of the righteous would be re-embodied; the wicked would suffer eternal torment.

 

Where does that leave us for statistics? Though some Jewish priests belonged to the Pharisaic party, most of the ca.20,000 priests and Levites along with other Temple staff probably sided with the Sadducees, “no resurrection, no afterlife”. Ancient sources suggest that there were about 4,000 Essenes. The Jewish historian Josephus, who was a priest and a Pharisee reports that over 6,000 Pharisees refused to swear allegiance to Herod the Great (Antiquities 17:42). The Jewish population of Palestine appears to have been between 500,000 and 600,000. How many of them would have been influenced by the Pharisees? The Pharisees had little influence in Galilean villages. Most of their adherents were moderately well-off artisans from towns in Judea.

 

So we cannot know whether the rural agricultural working population believed in resurrection or any form of afterlife. It does not show up at all among Greek-speaking Jews. Therefore Vermes concludes that the notion of resurrection was unfamiliar to most Palestinians. That makes the Christian gospel even more surprising!

Pheme Perkins

 

 

 

Pax Christi Metrowest

     The next meeting of Pax Christi Metrowest will be held May 19^th at 7:15 PM in 1A at the Morse Institute Library, East Central Street, Natick. Our study of the changing face of immigration and related incarceration in America continues as we follow the stories of two local immigrants.

 

The parish will celebrate Fr. Ron’s retirement following each Mass on the weekend of June 28 & 29. We are looking for volunteers to help with setup, cleanup, and baking. Please call Susi Leeming, 508-879-3034, sjones_leeming@hotmail.com, or signup in the entrance of the church.

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St. Zepherin Church Parish Directory

Fr. Ron Bourgault, Pastor

   fatherronatstz@comcast.net

 

Fr. John Mandile, SJ

   Assisting Priest (mid-week)

 

Marjory R. O’Day

   Religious Education (Grades K-5)

   Pastoral Associate

   marge_oday@comcast.net

 

Joyce Pinney

   Youth Ministry (Grades 6-10)

   joyceatstz@comcast.net

 

Kirk Hartung

   Director of Music Ministry

   kirkatstzmusic@comcast.net

 

Gloria McCarthy

   Parish Manager

   stzepherin@comcast.net

 

Sacrament of Forgiveness/Reconciliation

   Saturdays, 3:15-3:45 PM, and by appointment

 

Sacrament of Baptism

   3^rd Sunday of each month. Please call the Pastor

 

Sacrament of Marriage

   By appointment. Please call the Pastor

 

Sacrament of Sick/Communion Calls

   Please call the Rectory Office

 

Food Collection

   2^nd & 4^th Sundays of each month

 

St. Zepherin Cemetery, Bent Avenue, Wayland,

   Please call the Rectory Office

 

Persons physically unable to access Communion are invited to tell the Presider or the Liturgy Coordinator before Mass. Arrangements can be made to bring Communion to you in your pew.

 

PLEASE REMEMBER: ITEMS FOR THE WEEKLY BULLETIN ARE DUE IN THE RECTORY OFFICE NO LATER THAN NOON EACH MONDAY.