The new email for faith formation is faithformmqom@gmail.com. Please add this address to your contact list to make sure emails are sent to your inbox and not your spam folder.
Empowering God's Children
This year we will be focused on Lessons 3 and 4 covering Boundaries and Surprises, Secrets, and Promises.
Lesson 3: Boundaries - You Have Rights! Children must understand they have a right to be safe, and they are allowed to create boundaries to protect themselves in situations where they feel uncomfortable, or where they could be harmed.
Lesson 4: Secrets, Surprises and Promises - Children must learn how to respect their own health and safety, and that of others, by understanding the safety rules about secrets. They have a right to be safe, and they are allowed to create boundaries to protect themselves in situations that cause discomfort or violate the safety rules.
Lesson 5: Being a Safe Friend (Grades 6-12) - Children must know that being a friend means that we “do the right thing” when it comes to healthy friendships with their peers: meaning we recognize unsafe situations, intervene (when possible) and get the information to a safe adult.
The following sessions are being offered this year:
January 14th - 10:00am-11:00am
Grades K-2
St Peter Lower Church Hospitality Area
January 16th - 3:00pm-4:00pm
Grades 3-5
Our Lady of Lourdes Function Room
January 22nd - 6:00pm-7:30pm
Grades 9-12
St Peter Parish Hall in the Gym
January 23rd - 6:00pm-7:30pm
Grades 6-8
Our Lady of Lourdes Function Room
UPCOMING CLASSES
January 7th - 1:00pm-4:00pm OLOL
First Reconciliation Retreat
January 8th - 8:15amSt Peter
Grades 1-5, No Grade 2
5:00pm OLOL Youth Mass
January 9th - 4:45pm OLOL
Grades 1-5, No Grade 2
6:00pm OLOL Edge Middle School
January 10th- 4:45pm St Peter
Grades 1-5, No Grade 2
January 17th -5:30pm St Kateri Tekakwitha
Teaching Mass
January 18th- 5:00pm St Kateri Tekakwitha
Review for First Reconciliation
January 21st- 11:00am St Kateri Tekakwitha
First Reconciliation
Patsy Gillespie
Director of Faith Formation
Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish
(508) 746 - 0663 ext. 206
" For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me" (Jeremiah 29:11-14).
Today the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will take place in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. To honor the late Pope, a man whose last words were, “Lord, I love you!” below are some of his most inspiring and meaningful quotes.
May they encourage you, as they have encouraged us, to seek a deep and eternal friendship with Jesus Christ.
Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley released the following statement on the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Dec. 31.
Today a loving God called Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI home to his eternal reward for a lifetime of dedicated service to the Church. That service included 71 years as a priest, 28 years as a Cardinal, and nearly eight years leading the Catholic Church as the Bishop of Rome and Successor to St. Peter. His life and his pontificate were based in a deep and abiding faith and an extraordinary record of theological scholarship.
Epaphroditus is one of those biblical Christians from Philippi who seemed to be full of joy and brought cheer to St. Paul. Actually, the words joy and rejoice(s) appear 15 times in this short letter! Epaphroditus brought joy by bringing Paul a gift from the Christian community of Philippi—likely something to help him endure his imprisonment at the time. He brought this great evangelist hope, relief . . . and joy!
Pray
Epaphroditus, please pray that I too, may keep a holy joy in my heart and that I too, may be generous to those in difficult situations.
Amen.
Act
Read Epaphroditus’ short narrative in Philippians 2:25–30. Imagine yourself in a prison cell with Epaphroditus and Paul. Ask each of them whatever questions you have of them. Ask Epaphroditus again to pray for you to have joy in your heart.
Father Joe's Homily from the Teaching Mass on January 1, 2023;
Mary, the Holy Mother of God as our role model:
Spotlight on Medjugorje Trip
Day 6:
We had Mass at the Shrine of St Anthony in the morning and then we headed to the waterfalls for a very relaxing afternoon. We took a group photo from Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish in front of our hotel.
Day 7:
We visited Divine Mercy Church in the morning for Mass where we were blessed with relics of Pope John Paul II and St Faustina. We visited Mother's Village, a community started by Father Slavko for children who had lost their parents during the war. It is now a place for children from dysfunctional or broken families. In the evening we visited Resurrection Cross.
Day8:
Our last day in Medjugorje, bus ride to the airport after saying our goodbyes to our hosts.
Ultreya Invitation
Come to Mary Queen of Martyrs Ultreya at Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church,
126 So. Meadow Road, W Plymouth
on January 8, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.
Cursillistas & ALL interested in learning about Cursillo are welcome!
Mass celebrant: Fr Joe Raeke & Fr Michael Rora
Witness: Maureen Strong
Music provided by our amazing Cursillistas Kerry & Tim Campbell,
Laura Grant, Tim Grant & Mark Carey
Mass, small group sharing & refreshments/fellowship.
Snacks to share if the Spirit moves you!
Any questions call Patti & John DeAngelo (617) 678-4306
Service Opportunity:
Donations appreciated of new underwear or sweatpants
for the Closet for the Homeless and Needy
at BID Hospital in Plymouth
Our Ultreya Schedule at St Kateri Church is:
2023: Jan. 8, Feb. 12, March 12, April 16, May 21 (Sundays at 5:00 p.m.)
Looking to the margins is often where we’ll be surprised by a glimpse of God. We become too familiar with the main players in the Gospels. We expect Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to be exemplary role models. But for the Christian message to take root, there must have been hundreds, even thousands, among the early followers of Jesus to live the life he exemplified, to witness to his words with their deeds. Sometimes seeing someone else offering their service to another person in need is all we need to spark our own mercy and generosity. We think, “That doesn’t seem so hard. I could do that.” We are called to be generous to others because God has been so very generous to us. We are merciful toward others because we know God has been merciful to us. We forgive as we have been forgiven or even as we hope to be forgiven. And in turn we become role models for someone else. The phrase “pay it forward” came into vogue several years ago with a book by that name. The concept is as old as the Gospels, perhaps as old as the human race. It’s the bedrock of the values that govern the lives of all religions and most civilizations. We know it as the Golden Rule, the greatest commandment, but really it all comes down to love. Find a way to surprise someone with a helping hand today. It could be a friend, a family member, a stranger. You might already know what you’re going to do. If you don’t, pray that God will give you a nudge at the right time. And then keep your eyes open for the opportunity. Chances are you’ll find it so rewarding that you’ll do it again—and again.
Gentle Blessings is a small, acappella group of singers who sing at the bedside of folks in need of comfort and a gentle presence through song.
We come to the bedside at the invitation of the family and the nursing facility. We are all parishioners of Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish (St. Peter, St. Kateri, Our Lady of Lourdes) in Plymouth/Carver.
Our songs are repetitive and soothing with harmony. We prepare music that is both religious and non-religious. Families request which music is preferred. We come into the room for a 10-minute visit and quietly exit after our songs.
Our group is not entertainment. We offer a gentle presence at the bedside of the sick and the dying.
How Does It Work?
·We visit in groups of 3 or 4 singers at a pre-arranged time.
·We typically sing for 10 minutes.
·We offer our singing as gentle blessing, not as entertainment.
·You do not need to clean for us or feed us and we ask nothing in return.
·We invite families and caregivers to join us in song or to participate by listening.
Contact:
Ann Cussen
781-291-1318
Our service is our gift. There is no charge.
We are looking for more singers to join our group!
Please consider joining this ministry to the sick!
The group gathers to SING (practice) on the 3rd Saturday of the month in St. Peter lower Church from
10am to 11am.
The Weekly Gospel
Matthew 2:1-12
Seek Out the Message of God
Every time you pick up the Bible, God has a message just for you. And just for this season of your life.
But with so many messages of wisdom on each page, how can you know which one is meant for you?
Watch today’s reflection to find out—you’ll see the power of God’s Word work in your life!
We are people of faith, called to live the Gospel!
DIAPER PANTRY
Happy New Year from the Diaper Pantry! Thanks to your support, our parish Diaper Pantry continues to keep area babies in need, clean and dry. Babies average about 7 changes per day; in her first year, a baby will require approximately 2,500 diapers, and many families have more than one child in diapers at once. The need is great, and we thank you for your generous response!
Diaper donations can be dropped off at the entrances of our three churches before or after Mass, during regular Diaper Pantry hours at St. Kateri, or at the church offices during open hours (St. Kateri: Monday and Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; Our Lady of Lourdes: Tuesday and Friday 8:30 – 12:30 p.m.; St. Peter: Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
Diaper Pantry Hours
The 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the Month
9:30–11:00 am at the
Saint Kateri Parish Office
Diapers needed this week:
SIZE 2T/3T/4T/5T
We also need baby wipes.
DID YOU KNOW…
The World Health Organization reports 844 million people don't have access to safe water. About 2.3 billion people are living without access to improved sanitation. That means 1 in 9 people on the planet don't have clean water close to home. One in 3 don't have a decent toilet. As Pope Francis noted at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in February 2018, “The right to water is essential for the survival of persons and decisive for the future of humanity.”
PLEASE JOIN US: JUST FAITH’S SACRED WATER: OCEANS AND ECOSYSTEMS
An eight-week program held on Zoom from 6:30-8:00 p.m. on Monday evenings in February and March, beginning on Monday, February 6.
How can we protect our oceans and waterways? Sacred Water: Oceans & Ecosystems is a small group program that explores the impact of the climate crisis on God’s creation and God’s people. Topics include watershed discipleship, natural disasters and the climate crisis, ocean health, clean water access, pollution, plastics, and environmental racism.
You’re invited to join your fellow parishioners in volunteering at End Hunger New England in Pembroke on Monday, January 16, 2023 - it’s a great way to give back on the day celebrating the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Volunteers assemble pre-packaged meals for Massachusetts neighbors in need - the ‘work’ is easy, fun, and rewarding. One-hour time slots are available: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. or 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. …feel free to sign up for one session or both!
For more information and to register to join us, email Colleen Preston at prestocran@gmail.com.
THIS WEEK’S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.” – Blaise Pascal, French philosopher and Catholic theologian
HOLY HOUR
Please join us at a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration on
Sunday, January 15th, from 3pm to 4pm at St. Peter’s Church.
Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish Prays For Life January 15, 2023
A Holy Hour for Life, Forgiveness and Healing will be held on Sunday January 15, 2023 at 3:00 PM in St. Peter Church as part of the Archdiocesan observance of the National Day of Prayer and Penance. We will pray together for respect for the dignity of human life from conception to natural death; for those who have been wounded by abortion; for those facing death; and for increased holiness in the Church. The Holy Hour for Life, Forgiveness and Healing is organized by Boston Deacons for Life in collaboration with the Office of Diaconal Life and Ministry & the Pro Life Office of the Archdiocese of Boston. Please join us, all are welcome.
As St. Josemaria Escriva tells us, “Each time you approach the Blessed Sacrament remember that Jesus has been waiting for you for twenty centuries for this personal visit from you.”
There is NOW a link on our Mary, Queen of Martyrs website available for prayer requests. Please click on the link and you may write out your request.
There is also a Book of Intentions available at each of our churches. You may write your prayer intention directly in the book.
There are prayer angels in our parish community praying for all the intentions and ALL intentions are remembered at all the Masses in our parish community!
Tuesdays 9:00AM-11AM and *the second and 4th Fridays of the month 5PM-6PM
Help Needed every third Tuesday to help unload a large shipment of food from Boston at 8:30AM
St. Peter Parish
Now EVERY FRIDAY
3:PM-4:30PM
Protecting God's Children
Coming up in January we will be offering two sessions of Safe Environment Training for Adults, called Virtus or Protecting God's Children. The training is required for all parish volunteers. You do not need to retake the class if you have taken it before. I would recommend that any parents or grandparents who may want to volunteer in the future (Nativity Play, VBS, ushers, catechists, Youth Masses, etc) plan to attend one of the sessions.
Parents, grandparents, and guardians may also find the information presented very helpful in spotting behaviors that may be concerning and ways to talk with your own children to help them create safe boundaries. This session is 3 hours and you must participate in the entire meeting to get credit for attending, so please choose a session that does not conflict with your schedule.
Our Lady of Lourdes-January 16th - 6pm-9pm
St. Peter - January 28th - 9:30am - 12:30pm
To register for the training please follow the steps below:
Click on the green button along the left side labeled “FIRST-TIME REGISTRANT”
a. If you already have an account, log in and skip to step 12.
3. Click on “Begin the registration process”
4. Use the drop down menu to choose “Boston, MA (Archdiocese)”
5. Click “NO”
6. Create a Username and Password
7. You will then be asked to fill in personal information
8. Choose the Church you most frequently
attend in our Parish
a. They have not updated the list with our parish name, so you need to choose St. Peter, St. Kateri, or Our Lady of Lourdes
9. Click on “volunteer” and
a. then further down “volunteer - Religious Education”
b. Your title or position is CATECHIST or SMALL GROUP LEADER
c. Click continue
10. Are you associated with any other locations
a. Easy answer is NO
b. You can register under all three churches in the parish if you prefer
11. Answer the questions presented
a. Parent - choose which is appropriate for you
b. Interact with minors - YES
c. Interact with vulnerable - YES
d. Manage volunteers - NO
e. Click continue
12. Click on “Register for training” in the
“Current Training” box
a. Scroll down to choose which date and location you would like to attend
i. Our Lady of Lourdes - January 16th from 6-9 PM
ii. St. Peter - January 28th from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
iii. You can choose another location which works better for you
13. If you have trouble registering online, please call Kathy Benton at 508-866-4000 ext. 401 and she will take down all of the necessary info so that we can get you registered.Please let me know if you have any trouble. You can also email child_advocacy@RCAB.org for information, especially if you think you may have taken this class a long time ago.
Pope St. John XXIII launches podcast for men discerning priesthood
WESTON -- Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is trying a new way to reach their demographic. Capitalizing on the popularity of podcasts, the seminary has launched its own podcast to discuss different aspects of discernment and priestly formation for men who discover their vocation to the priesthood later in life.
Most years parishes have Grand Annual Collections for various projects that need attention and funding. Since we have become one parish, it seems most equitable that our drive this year will help pay for the plowing and sanding expenses at all three of our churches. I have hoped that we could buy our own vehicle for this year but that is not possible at this time. If someone working could donate $100.00 that would be so helpful. Those on fixed incomes, please give whatever you can. I will be grateful to whatever is given. I want to wish you a Blessed Advent.
