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THE CHURCH OF BONIFACE

P.O. BOX 195, 199 MASS. AVENUE, RTE. 2A, LUNENBURG, MA 01462-0195 (978) 345-0621 • (800) 395-5800 • FAX (978) 345-9482 Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C www.chaptruck.com

SERVING ST. BONIFACE FAMILIES WITH THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS (978) 342-9716 September 29, 2019

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Dan Thomas DIRECTORS: Brian T. Anderson D. Masciarelli 681 Mass Ave., Lunenburg, MA 01462 www.andersonfuneral.com 800.562.2692

Timothy W. Murphy Attorney At Law

81 Merriam Avenue Leominster, MA 01453 DRIVE-IN SEAFOOD & Michelle Hills - Branch Mgr. FISH MARKET 947 Mass. Ave, Lunenburg, MA Tel: (978) 537-5500 (978) 582-0713 (508)481-8300 Fax: (978) 534-9778 Seafood at its best since 1946. BankMainStreet.com E-Mail: [email protected] 835 Mass Ave. Route 2A, Lunenburg, MA Member FDIC Member DIF | EHL 978-582-6115

Robert C. Alario Certified Public Accountants, PC

75 North Main St., Leominster, MA 01453 292 Park Ave., Worcester, MA 01609 (L) 978-534-1999 (W) 508-755-7575 Fax: (L) 978-534-0499 (W) 508-755-7599 www.robertalario.com “Woe to the complacent in Zion…They drink wine [email protected] from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; YWCA-Battered Women’s Resources Helping area women, to survive, emerge from, yet they are not made ill by the collapse of !” A ‘Note of Thanks’ to these fine or heal from abusive relationships *Counseling *Court Advocacy *Emergency Shelter ( 6, 1: 6) sponsors; without their support our *Community Education *24-hour hotline (978-537-8601) bulletin would not be possible. Please For more information call 978-537-2306, Ext. 19

thank them with your patronage. ST. BONIFACE For ad information call the parish PRE-SCHOOL & CHILDCARE 817 Massachusetts Ave. office 978-582-4008 Lunenburg, MA 01462 978-582-7110 Children Ages: Open 2.9 through 7 years 7:30AM-5:30 PM

From the Desk of the Pastor Saint Boniface Church

817 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, MA 01462 Make room for God and the service of others. Parish Office: 978-582-4008 email: [email protected]

An indolent man is like an unoccupied dwelling; scoundrels sometimes burrow in it; thieves and evil Discover St. Boniface ~ Visit our website: www.StBoniface-lunenburg.org characters make it their haunt, or, if they do not, it is full of vermin. Henry Ward Beecher, “Proverbs from Plymouth pulpit” (1887) Parish Office Hours Monday / Wednesday / Thursday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (closed 12:00 – 1:00 PM) Last weekend Fr. Stephen (Mission Appeal) told us ‘his story’ and I thanked him for this. When one is brave enough to tell us his or her story and we are open to listen with our hearts, it will put our lives into perspective (how grateful we must The Celebration of the Eucharist be!). Do any of us even know what a pit latrine is? He asked. Are there people who still live this way in this 21st century? Sunday: 8:00 AM & 10:30 AM Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM Such stories of complete poverty (which can sometimes hit home hard…) provoke questions in my mind. Why is it that in this very rich world, some people are reduced to be ‘beggars,’ in fact ‘perpetual beggars,’ constantly malnourished Summer Sunday Mass schedule: 9:00 AM and diseased? Their children have no dreams and no future. Are they just lazy or inept, waiting to be spoon-fed? Where (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend) have lots and lots of money and aid given over generations gone? Can’t somebody put this house in order? Weekday Masses: 8:00 AM, Wednesday/Thursday/Friday The maladies of poverty are deep. They are often rooted in social and economic injustice and the Prophet Amos even in his time, powerfully and providentially addresses this. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (Confession) Saturday 3:00 - 3:30 p.m. or by appointment. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Adults are baptized at the Easter Vigil as part of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). In Amos’ time there was great economic prosperity but only a few profited from this. These few ‘bathed’ in good life Infant and child Baptisms are by arrangement. and luxurious living: “lying in beds of ivory, stretching comfortably on their couches…they drink wine from bowls and FIRST EUCHARIST Preparation begins in grade one and includes classes, retreats, and home instruction. Children receive First anoint themselves with the best oils” (Amos 6, 6) and this is their sin (fatal wound); they are not made ill by the collapse Eucharist in grade two. of Joseph. They have become so indolent, blindly indifferent and insensitive to the falling apart of ‘the other.’ Amos is th th furious and he will speak his mind. This is totally unacceptable and against every Old Testament covenant promise. CONFIRMATION Our Confirmation program begins in the 9 grade; students are confirmed in the spring of the 10 grade. For young adults who have been baptized but not yet confirmed, contact the parish office. Steeped in Mosaic tradition, Amos reminds the rich that the Covenant with Yahweh allowed no class distinction (only a concept of brotherhood). Amos finally notes that the root cause of all this is a 'Religious decay.' The people, therefore, SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY It is the policy of the Diocese of Worcester that a couple should contact the parish at least one must 'return to God' and obey his Word and Will in order to avoid the Day of Judgment and doom. year prior to the anticipated date of their wedding to allow sufficient time to carry out the various steps of the marriage preparation process. It is important that arrangements be made with the church before plans are made with reception halls, caterers, etc. What is the rich man’s sin in the ? It is not so much that he is well off, but that he was blinded by his catering to ANNOINTING OF THE SICK Please call the parish office 978-582-4008 or email Fr. Anthony at [email protected] self, to Lazarus. Lazarus was more or less like his dogs and this did not bother him at all. This attitude even carries into or Nancy Cieri 978-582-6983 [email protected] to arrange these visits. the judgment moment: “ask (that) Lazarus to come down here.” Unknown to the rich man is that when God’s time PRAYER LINE MINISTRY If you or someone you know needs prayers or if you would like to be a part of this ministry of those appears there will be a total reversal of things. Lazarus is now up! who pray for the needs of neighbors, please contact Sue Cote 978-582-0404 [email protected] What then is our challenge or the point of the readings? Put God back at the center of our lives. Make room for God and KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL #16480 In Service to One. In Service to all. The members meet in the Parish Hall on the the service of others. Listen and live by the Word of God ( and the prophets). With God, we then see others as an first Wednesday of each month at 7 PM. Any Catholic men over 18 who are interested in joining image of God. We see their stories as ours, too. We learn that ‘the other’ is my responsibility. We are each other’s the Knights should contact Grand Knight James Dijak (978) 534-7956 or Deputy Grand Knight Brian Cusick keeper. We refuse to put down or look down on the other. (978) 534-2326, or you can email the Council at [email protected]. The Christian must make an effort to inform themselves of the root causes of economic and social injustice. Work to promote fairness and lift up the poor. And lastly, in our words, actions and attitude to others, be people of righteousness (faith, patience, gentleness). Compete well for the faith. Lift others up. Do all that gives God’s name honor. PARISH STAFF: Rev. Anthony Mpagi, Pastor 978-582-4008 [email protected] This is difficult stuff! We must be ready to carry the cross. Jo-Anne Poirier, Administrative Assistant 978-582-4008 [email protected] A Blessed week in the Lord! Lucy Marcil, Religious Education Coordinator 978-502-7993 [email protected] Claire Garrity Neas, Music Ministry 617-823-4237 Fr. Anthony Louise Nadeau, Sacristan

Jacquie Cronin, Ministry Schedule 978-582-7040 Nina Charpentier, Dir. Early Childhood/PreK 978-582-7110 Sunday, October 13, 10:30 a.m. We will celebrate a Multi-cultural Mass. Newcomers to St. Boniface are invited and encouraged to formally register as members of the parish so that so that we can stay in touch with you via email with faith formation news, notice of special events, volunteer The Eucharistic celebration will be led by opportunities, and more. Registration forms are available at the doors of the church or on our website. “The Karolines,” a Ugandan Youth and Young Adult Group from Saint Mary's Parish in Waltham, MA Please note that you must be registered for at least six months before we can issue any verification of your status as a parishioner for godparent or sponsor letters. Mujje tumusinze (Come Let us Celebrate!)

MASS INTENTIONS Collection Report True Discipleship Requires Sacrifice for the Needs of Others

Sat Sep 28 4:00 pm Our Parish Family Weekend of September 22, 2019 “Remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was Sunday Ordinary: $1481 .00 bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.” Luke often returns to this theme of “great Sun Sep 29 8:00 am Anne Rivard, by Michael Rivard Maintenance: 1 .00 reversal.” One of the signs of the kingdom was the rise of the lowly and the fall of the mighty. Mary’s Magnificat Religious Ed: 20 .00 (Lk 1:46-55) includes this insight, as do the blessings and woes in Luke’s version of the beatitudes (Lk 6:20-26). 10:30 am Our Parish Family Catholic Schools: 5 .00 For Luke, the arrival of God’s kingdom turns the world upside down.

Total This idea has deep roots in Israel. In this Sunday’s first reading, the prophet Amos foretells a historical reversal. Contributions: $1507 .00 Writing during a time of invasion and famine, he chastises Jerusalem’s wealthy for their personal indulgences Thank you for your continued during a national emergency. As punishment, they will be among the first conquered Israelites to face exile. support! By Jesus’ time, these prophecies had given rise to apocalyptic speculation. These writings claimed that God was acting in unseen ways to undo the evil that humans had introduced into creation. The result would be a world with no hunger, illness, war or poverty. God’s intervention would cause the toppling of kings and the plundering of the conquerors. The coming reversal would transform all humanity. THANKS to all who planned, The parable in today’s Gospel reading makes that cosmic reversal personal. The person who in life enjoyed extravagant pleasure after death experiences torment, while the homeless leper enjoys comfort in the volunteered, donated and attended companionship of his ancestors. In this parable, Jesus emphasizes a point he makes many times: Riches draw one’s attention away from God. The teachings of Moses and the writings of the prophets insist that Israelites our 3rd Annual Saint Boniface use their gifts from God to care for each other. Jews followed these laws with enthusiasm. One ancient Gentile Oktoberfest Celebration. writer notes with awe that he had never seen a Jewish beggar among Rome’s teeming poor. The rich man suffers torment because his attention to pleasure not only violated God’s law but led in part to the death of the starving, sick man at the very door of his house. Like the Jerusalemites in Amos’s prophecy who feasted while

their nation collapsed, the rich man’s indifference condemned him to exile in the next life. Such a punishment was not inevitable. If the rich man had attended to God’s instruction, he would have spared himself torment. Likewise, if he had followed the teachings of the covenant, Lazarus would not have had to wait until death for comfort. Luke thus finds in this parable a deeper teaching on discipleship. We disciples need to Have You Heard the One About… A Mini-Retreat for Women live out the great reversal in our daily lives. Through repentance and the power of the Spirit, we must sacrifice …the skunk who went to church every Sunday? The Commission for Women of the Diocese of luxuries to provide for others’ necessities. We must share our and even accept times of hunger in order to Worcester invites you to join us for a Mini-Retreat for ensure the hungry are fed. We must leave behind achievements and status and even risk persecution in order He even had his own pew! Women on Saturday, October 19 at St. Mary’s Parish to lift up the lowly. In this way, every act of mercy proclaims our faith in Christ and reveals God still at work, Hall, Main Street, Shrewsbury, MA. The topic will be making all things new. …the novice cook who bought a cured ham? “Re-entering the Paradise of the Heart: A Spiritual Path She spent all afternoon trying to find out what it had. for Healing” and will be facilitated by Sr. Kathryn ~ Michael Simone, S.J. Hermes, a Daughter of St. Paul. Through quiet prayer, This article also appeared in print, under the headline "The World Upside Down" in the September 16, 2019 issue of America Magazine. …the tomcat who lost his tail? guided inner exploration, and Scripture meditation, this That’s what brought him to the re-tail store. retreat will help you take back your self-ownership __ when you learn how to stand at the door of your heart, ______…the man who fell into an upholstery machine? when you re-enter the paradise of the heart. You will leave the retreat with prayer guides and life tools. But don’t worry — he’s fully recovered. PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER The day will begin with Mass at 8:30 a.m., followed by OF NORTH CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS, INC. • • • • • registration and coffee/pastries. Lunch will be included 515 Main Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420 What do you get when you divide the with the $15 offering, and the program will conclude by You are cordially invited to our 17th Annual Fundraising Banquet 1:30 p.m. circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter? To be held on Thursday, October 24, 2019 – 6 p.m. Visit www.worcesterdiocese.org/commission-for-women at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 99 Erdman Way, Leominster Pumpkin Pi for more information and the registration form. Register at www.friendsofcarenetfitchburg.org - Or call us at 978-342-4244, or email us at [email protected]. From Hey! Christians Have a Sense of Humor, Too! For questions or to have a form mailed to you call Written and compiled by Patricia Mitchell Jacqueline at 508-841-5621 or email Our mission is a rescue mission. By educating those facing an unplanned pregnancy to the sanctity of life, and by in association with Product Concept Mfg., Inc. [email protected]. offering life-affirming alternatives to abortion we rescue babies from death. Please pray for our mission and for our banquet. Pray for sponsors to support our fundraiser and mission. Pray for guests to come and hear our stories.

Discussion Questions OF THE DAY

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time Saint September 29, 2019 September 30. Known mostly for his of the Scriptures into , Saint Jerome Anne Osdieck was also an inspiring writer of letters and commentaries. He was known to have had a bad temper, yet he was a man of prayer and penance. A combination of conflicting qualities, Reading I: Amos 6:1a,4-7 Saint Jerome stands out as one of the four great Doctors of the . Responsorial Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 One side of a double-sided panel. Three saints in full figure – Saint Sylvester, Saint Jerome, and Saint Martin | anonymous Reading II: 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

First Reading Amos 6:1a,4-7 Saint Thérèse of Lisieux 1. Do self-indulgence and wealth necessarily go together? Are indulgences and related complacency related to October 1. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux is perhaps one of the most known and best loved your ability to hear the cry of the poor? saints in the Catholic calendar. A young Carmelite nun who wanted to go to the missions, 2. Would you choose the people in this reading to be your best friends? Why? What’s missing in a person’s life she remained within the cloister yet became the patron of the missions. Therese entered the if all possible time and effort is consumed with caring for his or her needs and desires? Put the people in this convent at 15 and died at 24 having lived a full life, including serving her community as reading at one end of a self-indulgence spectrum and at the other. Where do you fall? novice director. Her parents were canonized in 2015. Second Reading Saint Thérèse of Lisieux as a novice at age 16. | Carmelite Archives of Lisieux 1 Timothy 6:11-16 1. Jesus said to Pilate, “the reason I have come into the world is to bear witness to the truth.” What do you do that bears witness to the truth? Do you think, “Lay hold of eternal life” means that you should try to grab Feast of the Guardian Angels eternal life or that you should let God grab you? October 2. Angels play an important role in Sacred Scripture as messengers of God. The 2. How do patience, gentleness, and love relate to your bearing witness to the truth? How is your gentleness? belief that each person has a guardian angel watching over him or her is an extension of that Your patience? Your love? role, and a reminder of God's never-failing providence.

Gospel Detail | The Guardian Angel || Marcantonio Franceschini Luke 16:19-31 1. Where would you find the poor person today? What would he or she look like? Do you recognize and care for him or her as God’s beloved child, or do you want to roll up your window or shut your door when you see him/her coming? Are you somewhere in between these alternatives? Saint Theodora Guérin 2. Francis says that “vast wealth and resources are in the hands of few.” If it’s not in your capability to change that unjust situation, what smaller things can you do to answer the “cry of the poor”? This scene reminds us of October 3. Saint Theodora was born in France but came to Vincennes, Indiana, at the the harsh words of the Son of man during the final last judgment: “I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was invitation of the . Eventually she established a new foundation of her community in thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was [...] naked and you did not clothe me” (Mt 25: 42). Lazarus represents the States, but not after suffering many hardships. Saint Theodora is buried at Saint Mary- the silent cry of the poor of all times and the contradictions of a world where vast wealth and resources are in of-the-Woods, Indiana, the headquarters of the Sisters of Providence. the hands of few. … ( concluded saying that) the Word of God can revive a withered heart and Saint Theodora Guerin | Image courtesy and © Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods heal it of blindness, and that God’s saving message overturns the situations of this world by the triumph of

His justice and mercy. May 18, 2016 General Audience Saint Poverty and Mercy October 4. Saint Francis of Assisi: founder of the Franciscan family, of ecology, inspiration to thousands, claimed by people of all faiths as well as by those with no particular faith, a truly “catholic and apostolic man.” Though born in the 13th century, he Saint Boniface Environmental Stewardship: In 2015, Pope Francis said “As stewards of God’s belongs to all ages. creation, we are called to make the earth a beautiful garden for the human family. When we destroy our

forests, ravage our soil and pollute our seas, we betray that noble calling.” Scenes from the Life of Saint Francis (Scene 7) | Benozzo Gozzoli As a start Saint Boniface has added recycling bins for use during church events — one bin is for deposit items and the other is for curbside recycling items. Please use them!