St. John the Baptist - April 12, 2015 - Divine Mercy Sunday€¦ · St. John the Baptist - April...

St John the Baptist Parish ~ Haverhill, MA Divine Mercy Sunday ~ April 12, 2015

St. John the Baptist - April 12, 2015 - Divine Mercy Sunday


Father of all, we pray to You for those whom we love, but see no longer. Grant them Your peace; let light perpetually shine upon them; and in Your loving

wisdom and almighty power work in them the good purpose of Your perfect will through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mass Intentions

Saturday, April 11th 4:00PM Yvonne Comeau ~ 10th Anniversary ~ by her family

Sunday, April 12th 10:00AM In thanksgiving for Mary Crowley’s successful surgery

Monday, April 13th 9:00 AM Richard T. Opie ~ by his family

Tuesday, April 14th 9:00 AM

Wednesday, April 15th 9:00 AM John Costa ~ Birthday Remembrance ~ by his family

Thursday, April 16th 9:00 AM

Friday, April 17th 9:00AM

Saturday, April 18th 9:00 AM at St. James

Saturday, April 18th 4:00PM Yvonne Arakalien ~ 2nd Anniversary ~ by her family

Sunday, April 19th 10:00AM Lorie Murphy ~ Anniversary by family

Mass Schedule

Saturday ~ 4 PM Sunday ~ 10:00 AM Monday to Friday ~ 9 AM Holy Days ~ As announced

Sacraments

Reconciliation ~ Saturday 3 to 3:45 PM; or by Appointment Marriage ~ Couples are asked to call the parish office at 978-372-8537 at least 6 months prior to

the planned wedding date Baptism ~ 2nd Sunday of each month @ 2PM Contact the parish office at 978-372-8537.

Parish Contact Information Address: 110 Lincoln Ave, Haverhill, Phone: 978-372-8537 Fax: 978-373-1505 Pastor: Father Robert Murray Parochial Vicar: Father Peter DeFazio St. James Rectory: 978-372-8537 Rectory Address: 6 Cottage Street Haverhill MA 01830

Religious Education Grades K ~ 9 Classes meet every other week Sunday 8:30 to 9:55AM in the lower Church Phone: 978-521-4557 Administrator: Reneé Barrick [email protected]

BULLETIN DEADLINE Our Sunday Bulletin goes to the printer every Tuesday at Noon. Please email bulletin notices to [email protected] no later than 8AM on Tuesday. Thank you.

Saint John the Baptist Mission Statement: We celebrate the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ centered in the Eucharist, Sacraments and prayer.

We teach the Gospel in order to strengthen the faith of each individual in their knowledge of and in their relationship with God. We live the Gospel by loving each other, granting forgiveness, and doing works

of service and charity. www.stjamesandjohnhaverhill.org


Welcome to St. John the Baptist. We’re glad you are here to celebrate Mass with us today. If you are new to our parish or haven’t been

here in awhile, WELCOME. If you would like to register as a parish family, registration forms can be

found at the back of the Church. You can either mail it to the Rectory or drop it in the collection basket.

Whenever I write thanking people for their participation I am inevitably reminded

afterwards of people who have worked in anonymity to prepare the Church and the community for the celebration of the great events of our faith lives. Thanks again to all those who had a part in all these this great celebrations, from the publicly involved ministers to the anonymous ones who clean, decorate and organize. Thanks to all those who stay after Mass each week to gather bulletins, replace song books and put up the kneelers. All of these actions together are what makes this time such a great and grand celebration. I hope that because of these actions, great and small more people sense the presence of God among us and return more frequently. Congratulations to all those who have completed the journey to full initiation in the Church. It is a great blessing to the Church to have all of you with us. This week we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. It was instituted by St. John Paul II in April of 2000 on the same day that he canonized St. Faustina the foundress of the movement. The Mercy of God is found in the life, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus the Christ. His Mercy pours out through his heart. We are challenged in this Easter Season to do the same. As we recall the great events of the resurrection, we are challenged to show the mercy of Christ to one another. I hope you can’ t wait to start practicing it. I want to again thank all those who participated in the Palm Sunday Food Drive. It was a huge success. We collected a lot of food of course, but also collected some health care products like toothpaste and toothbrushes, shampoos and soaps. We also had a few students come down and do some shelving work while we were in operation, which gave them a chance to see the pantry, but also ways in which they could help. We hope to see them when school is out or during vacations. We are also renaming the Pantry to Liz Murphy's Open Hand Pantry. We hope to honor one of the founding women and a very important person in the beginning of the pantry.

We will be having an open house soon when we will officially dedicate the pantry with her name, install a plaque and posthumously award her an Open Hand Award. The other recipient this year is Bob Gardella, whom we all know as a person who has helped St. James Parish to have an open hand to the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. It is a fitting honor for both. Speaking of the food pantry, we will also be

looking for volunteer gardeners now that the snow

is gone (mostly) from the garden area. Looking

around outside, it is clear that we have a little

work to do to repair some of the damage done

during the winter.

A special thanks goes to Patrick Connolly for his

work on that beautiful tree in front of the rectory.

Pat has cut back some branches and carefully

trimmed others so that the tree won’t choke on its

on growth. Thanks to a budding arborist, we will

have healthier budding trees.

Finally, after waiting a good period for the snow

to melt and the ground to dry we will have a new

flag pole rope and flag. Peace, Fr. Murray

Do you ever wonder if God is calling you to a deeper encounter with himself? Wonder what it is

like to be completely given to God as a nun? COME AND SEE!

St. Scholastica Priory invites you to a Monastic Experience Weekend

June 19-21, October 9-11, 2015

Single women aged 18-40 years are invited to experience life in a house of contemplative Benedictine nuns. Pray, eat and work with them. Listen to conferences on monastic life and prayer, learn discernment tools. Hear the nuns' stories of their own journey into the monastery.

For more information please contact: Sr. Mary Frances: [email protected]

271 N. Main Street Petersham, MA 01366 www.stscholasticapriory.org (978) 724-3213


The 2015 Catholic Appeal is

well underway. I would like to

thank all of you who have

given so generously to support

our parish. If you yet to make

a pledge to the Catholic

Appeal, please take a pledge form from the back of

the church. You also can make a gift or pledge online

at www.bostoncatholicappeal.org. Thank you for

your support and for helping us reach our goal.

Annual Divine Mercy Sunday Prayer Service

The annual Divine Mercy Service will be held

today on Divine Mercy Sunday at St. James

Parish from 1:30 to 3:30 at the St. James Parish,

Lower Church. This year's program will

include exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, both

private and public prayer, recitation of the rosary,

and will culminate with the chaplet of Divine

Mercy at 3:00 pm. Priests will be available to

hear Confessions. All are invited to attend.

Readings for today’s Mass begins on page 153

of the Breaking Bread Missal 2015. Proper

parts of the Mass begin on page 3.

COFFEE HOUR Please join us

today, Sunday, April 12th

immediately following the 10AM

Mass for our monthly coffee hour,

book sale and blood pressure

clinic. All are welcome!

Clergy Schedule

April 11th ~ 12th

4:00 PM St. James Fr. Leo

4:00 PM St. John’s Fr. Murray

7:00 PM St. James (Vietnamese)

8:30 AM St. James Fr. Leo

10:00 AM St. John’s Fr. Murray/Deacon Leo

11:30 AM St. James Fr. Peter/Deacon Nelson

5:00 PM St. James Fr. Murray

April 18th ~ 19th

4:00 PM St. James Fr. Peter

4:00 PM St. John’s Fr. Leo

7:00 PM St. James (Vietnamese)

8:30 AM St. James Fr. Murray/Deacon Leo

10:00 AM St. John’s Fr. Peter

11:30 AM St. James Fr. Murray/Deacon Nelson

5:00 PM St. James Fr. Peter

Schedule subject to change without notice!

Palm Sunday Food Drive Thank You!

We hit the jackpot with parishioners like you. We

can’t thank you enough for your enormous

generosity. We thank you for filling the Open

Hand Pantry with the much needed food and

personal items. Our shelves were overflowing with

wonderful items. The dignity bags, jellies, personal

items, tea, coffee, milk, etc., were flying off the

shelves.

“Lord, the resurrection of Your Son has given us new life and renewed hope.

Help us to live as new people in pursuit of the Christian ideal.

Grant us wisdom to know what we must do, the will to want to do it,

the courage to undertake it, the perseverance to continue to do it,

and the strength to complete it.”

St. Vincent DePaul Society

On Saturday, March 28th the St. Vincent

DePaul Society of St. James Parish distributed

60 Easter Dinners to needy families who live in

the St. James and St. John the Baptist areas.

Special thanks to the parishioners of both

Parishes for their help in the distribution of

these meals.

Would you like to pray for a priest each day? Pick up

one of the light blue prayer sheets at the entrances.

http://www.bostoncatholicappeal.org


Please continue to keep all our Men

and Women of the Armed Services

and their families in your prayers.

WEEKLY COLLECTION

Easter Collection: $4,170.16

This weekend we have two collections, our

regular Sunday Offering and our Monthly

Offering. Thank you for the support of your

parish! Next weekend we have one collection,

our regular weekly offertory.

The flowers that adorn our altar have

been donated in memory of the

following: Sidney M. Corthell, Carolyn

J. Prescott, Mr. & Mrs. Gesmoundo

Montibello, Mr. & Mrs. Patrick McGravey, Mr. &

Mrs. Joseph Dennis, Mr. & Mrs. William Davison,

Mr. & Mrs. Wilfred Cormier, Mrs. Jeannette

Lynch, Peggy Lynch, Mark Parris, Diamond

Tincher, Clifford Cormier, Lawrence Montibello,

Agnes & Ralph Bourneauf, Melnott & Corinne

Connor, John & Helen Riley, Mary Petell, Mary

Elizabeth Bostwick, Jack Amodio, Marguerite

Gallant, Joan M. Lucey, Dennis P. Lucey, All

deceased AA Members, Wesley Burrill, Sean

Girard, Yolanda, Dominic & Vincenza DiFruscio,

William & Evelyn Bibeau, Henry & Cecelia

Lavoie, The Dubois Family, Mr. & Mrs. C. Ethier,

John Costa, The Farley Family, William Poole,

Marjorie & Henry Charron, Pauline Flanagan,

Harold C. Stultz, Myrtle E. Stultz, Daniel Helps,

Josephine Beninati, Frederick D. Cooney, The

Morin & Sanville Families, Bud Kelley, Gloria

Kelley, Genevieve Canty, Dennis Ray, The

Raymond & Fuber Families, Muriel Bernier,

Marilyn Cailler, Walter Hedwig, Leo & Anne

Secorsky, Concetta Fischella & Family, Joshua

Bonnell, Michael & Mary Kaznosky, Mary

Pechnik, Tina (Pechnik) Kelly, Lillian (Pechnik)

Daniels, D’Arcangelo & DiFruscio Families, Our

Lord Jesus Christ, Carlene & John Rogers,

Josephine DiLando, Catherine Sestito, Joseph

Sestito, James H. Connors, Olympia LoConte,

Nellie Janowski, Joan Proctor, Connie Brown,

Deceased members of the Calvi & Grieco families,

The McGrath Family, William & Mary Mahoney,

The Camille Family, the Hall & Duchemin

Families, The McCusker Family, The Bernier

Family, The Bastarache Family, deceased family

and friends of the Murray Family, The Favaloro

Family, Pat Mather, The Clarke Family, Marie &

Joseph Yuele, Louise & William Walsh, Joseph

H., Emma L. & Richard Rousseau, Albert &

Gilbert Madore, DiPirro, Fitzpatrick and Petrosino

Families.

Background on the Gospel Reading Today's reading from the Gospel of John is proclaimed on

the Second Sunday of Easter in each of the lectionary cy-

cles. This fact alone should alert us to the significance of

the encounters with the resurrected Jesus that are described

in this reading. This Gospel combines two scenes: Jesus'

appearance to his disciples after his Resurrection and Je-

sus' dialogue with Thomas, the disciple who doubted.

Part of the mystery of Jesus' Resurrection is that he ap-

peared to his disciples not as a spirit, but in bodily form.

We do not know, however, exactly what this form looked

like. Earlier in John's Gospel, when Mary of Magdala first

encountered the risen Jesus, she did not recognize him

until he spoke to her. In Luke's Gospel, the disciples walk-

ing along the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus until

he broke bread with them. We know from readings such as

today's that in his resurrected form, Jesus was not bound

by matter; he appeared to the disciples inside a home even

though the door was locked. Yet the disciples could still

touch the marks of his Crucifixion.

In today's Gospel, Jesus greets his disciples with the gift of

peace. Jesus then commissions his disciples to continue

the work that he has begun; as Jesus was sent by God, so

Jesus sends his disciples. He gives his disciples the gift of

the Holy Spirit so that they will be able to accomplish this

task. Jesus' words to his disciples also highlight the inte-

gral connection between the forgiveness of sins and the

gift of the Holy Spirit. With the grace of the Holy Spirit,

we can share forgiveness and reconciliation with others.

Thomas, the doubting disciple in today's reading, repre-

sents the reality of the Church that comes after this first

community of witnesses to Jesus. All but the first disciples

of Jesus must believe without seeing. Like Thomas, we

may doubt the news that Jesus, who was crucified and bur-

ied, appeared to his disciples. Our human nature seeks

hard evidence that the Jesus who appeared to his disciples

after his death is indeed the same Jesus who was crucified.

Thomas is given the opportunity to be our representative

in obtaining this evidence. He gives witness to us that the

Jesus who was raised is the same Jesus who died. Through

the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are among those who are

blessed, for we have not seen and yet believe.


The Marian Society devoted to Our Lady

of Fatima will pray the Rosary at St.

John the Baptist Church on Wednesday

mornings at 8:30 AM. Please join us in

praying this beautiful devotion to the Blessed

Virgin Mary. Everyone is welcome. Rosary

beads and pamphlets are provided.

Please continue to pray for all those who are sick or in need and especially for: The Yell Family, Zoe L., Bob O., Sheila, Pat L., Linda G., Mariah C., Lynda C., Shirley W., Eleanor H., Maria S., Christine H., Daniel R., Bill V., Kevin, Frank D., Barbara O., Eleanor

A., Jimmy L., Crystal, Bob C., Dan D., Arnold W., Steve W., Taylor B., Shelley, Ron & Rita S., Rosemarie D., Bill B., Chirag P., Janice, Sue K., Mary M., Janine C, Lottie, Rebecca H., Rita H., Francesca M., Justin S., Patrick, Ray B., Fr. Conole, Fr. Gino, Fr. Keith, Fr. Sweeney, Diane P., Diane F., Cathy S., Cristina O., Mary L., Ronnie Ann H.

2014-2015 School Year

March 2015

April 2015

April 12th ~ 8:30AM ~ 9:55AM

Class meeting Gr 1, 2/FHC, 3, 4, 9.

April 19th ~ School Vacation ~ no classes

April 26th ~ 8:30AM ~ 9:55AM

First Holy Communion ~ Practice #1

May 2015

May 3rd ~ 8:30AM ~ 9:55AM

First Holy Communion ~ Practice #2

May 9th ~ 10:00AM

First Communion Mass

A full schedule can be found on our website:

www.stjamesandjohnhaverhill.org

REQUESTED USE OF PARISH HALL

and TABLES & CHAIRS

ALL requests for the use of any of the parish facilities

must be made by calling the Parish Office and booked on

to our facilities calendar. Please do not ask the priests after

Mass as the schedule changes on a daily basis and they aren’t always aware of all scheduled events in all of the

venues. Help us to help you by complying with this

simple request. You can check the calendar on our

website!

SUMMER RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Registration Packets for Returning

Families for the 2015 Summer Religious

Ed Program are located outside the RE

Office. Returning Families are those who did attend

and successfully completed the 2014 Summer RE

Program. Packets include details and related forms

and ALL paperwork and fees are due returned no

later than May 1, 2015. Please stop in before or

after any weekend Mass to pick up your family

packet. Packets will be available throughout Lent

and the Easter Season!

New inquiries are asked to call Renee in the RE

Office at 978-521-4557 or to Email her

at [email protected]

Would you like to know about our future

Youth Group events? Email us at [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

“Support your priests with your love and prayers, that they may always be shepherds after Christ’s heart.” - Pope Francis

To submit your special intentions to be remembered by our senior priests during the celebration of Holy Mass at Regina Cleri each week, visit www.clergyfunds.org/intentions.

To watch a short video of Fr. Joe Mazzone, please visit www.clergyfunds.org.

Clergy Health and Retirement TrustCaring for the Well-Being of our Boston Priests

Meet Fr. Joe− Answering the call with compassionFor Gary and Susan Pickering, Fr. Joe Mazzone is more than a pastor—he is family.

Like so many priests in our Archdiocese, Fr. Joe has been a source of strength and support, helping others find Christ’s presence in times of joy and sorrow. When Gary and Susan’s daughter Marcy passed away unexpectedly during surgery, Fr. Joe was the first person they called. Marcy had been a close friend of Fr. Joe’s, and her faith life had blossomed with his help through challenging times in her life. Fr. Joe was there for the Pickerings as they said goodbye to their beloved Marcy then, and he remains by their side today. Together, they continue to grow in faith and friendship, confident that they will be reunited with Marcy again, and grateful for the hope they receive through each other in Christ Jesus.

Our priests are there for us and our families without question or hesitation. Please consider showing your gratitude by supporting your parish collection this Easter.

Thank you for helping to ensure a continuum of care and quality of life for all our active and senior priests.

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For stories of our priests, visit www.clergyfunds.org

Clergy Health and Retirement Trust Caring for the Well-Being of our Boston Priests

The Catholic Cemetery Association

Our ministry includes assisting families before a death occurs. Call today for your free pre-planning

kit including: our free booklet, money saving certificate, information on payment plans and specific information on our Haverhill Catholic cemeteries. Shouldn’t your family be protected?

Call Today . 339-226-1271

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25 Kenoza Ave., Haverhill, MA 01830Phone: (978) 374-5898

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