December 6, 2019 Vol. 123 No. 49
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VOL. 123 - NO. 49 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, DECEMBER 6, 2019 $.35 A COPY Letter from THE PASTOR EMEMBER NDERSTAND ONOR Dear Friends: count Father Claude, my asso- R • U • H s we approach and ciate. He has worked hard prepare for the celebra- during these years despite his tion of Christ’s birth increasing age. He is a good during the grace-fi lled season priest, a kind individual, and a of Advent, I wish to send you joyful brother with whom to live. my prayerful greetings and best I can never thank him enough. wishes. May the birth of Jesus I have also enjoyed the pas- Christ be a time of rebirth for toral support of many young the Church and each one of us. Jesuits from Boston College, The quick passing of seasons who have distinguished them- and years urges us to search selves especially through the for the true meaning of life. We ministry of their preaching. Christians strongly believe that The cooperation of my brother only the one who said, “I am priests of the Saint James the Way and the Truth and the Society based at Saint Stephen’s DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO Life” can lead us to a deeper rectory, and the support of the understanding of what life is friars of Saint Christopher MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE all about. Let us welcome the Friary have also been a com- Incarnate Lord in the sacred 2020 will be an exceptional fort and joy. I think of, with temple of our soul, following the time of new beginnings for both immense joy, the major feasts DECEMBER 7, 1941 examples of Mary and Joseph, myself and the parish. After of the Church year, such as the shepherds and wisemen, several years of petitioning Holy Week when seven or eight Elizabeth and John the Baptist, my provincial minister, he has priests gathered together at the WE WILL NEVER FORGET and Simeon and Anne. It is fi nally granted my request to be altar to concelebrate the Sacred through this personal encoun- relieved of my offi ce as pastor. Mysteries. ter with God who humbled Saint Leonard’s has been the As I refl ect on some of the Himself to share in our human- longest uninterrupted assign- activities within the Church, ity, that we allow His great Love ment I have ever had. I arrived the introduction of the weekly to transform our lives. at the parish on September 8, devotion of the Divine Mercy, May the Holy Spirit rekindle 2004, amid the tensions gener- preceded by Eucharistic adora- News Briefs our desire to eagerly receive our ated by the fresh reconfi gura- tion, has proved to be a fount of by Sal Giarratani Lord who comes to us daily in tion of the North End parishes. mercy and peace for a growing the Word and Sacrament, to To say that the fi rst years were number of souls. I wish to note take fl esh in His Church and challenging would be an under- the progress made by our paro- in every baptized person as he statement, yet this is not to say chial school, both in enrollment Obama Making Common Sense did in the womb of the Blessed that the subsequent years of my and academic excellence, under As someone who was never a big fan of former Virgin Mary. The mystery of tenure have been any less of a the leadership of Sister Irene President Barack Obama, I was pleasantly surprised Christmas is about our open- challenge. But the last fi fteen and Mrs. Karen McLaughlin, to hear him caution the Democrat Party about lurching ness to the One who is called years of my life and ministry who remained in office until too far to the left. He knows, as most politicians know, Emmanuel, God with us. May have also held many blessings. September of the current year. that elections are never won by extremist of either He fi nd a warm dwelling place Primary among the many the right or left. Middle ground is the political ground in each of our hearts. blessings I have received, I (Continued on Page 2) most of us live in. I thought his analysis was correct. However, I was not surprised by the Boston Globe’s progressive columnist Renee Graham calling Obama timid. She wonders why Obama is afraid of chasing The Consulate General of Italy, the political middle away from the Democrat nominee. in collaboration with Com.It.Es. Graham has a right to her opinions but not to the facts. The Democrat Party was never the Party of the and the Patrons of the Italian Language Civil Rights or Voting Rights acts. The Democrats had to be forced on board by President Lyndon Johnson Are pleased to invite you to kicking and screaming to do the right thing. Up until 1964–65, the Democrats were on the wrong side of THE 8th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT civil and voting rights. But I digress. Getting back to Graham’s piece, how insulting is it for her to say this is all about Obama supporting Deval Patrick who just entered the presidential race. I am mostly a centrist on a number of issues. That doesn’t make me timid it makes me think about always doing the right thing for all of us in America, right or left. Bill Barr Best A.G. For These Troubling Time As I read excerpts from Attorney General William Barr’s speech to the Federal Society, I fi nd an attor- ney general who fi nally understands the meaning of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the separation of powers. Too bad he wasn’t President Trump’s fi rst pick for the job. Things, I believe, would have turned out much better. The House Democrats since Day 1 of this Administration have been out to (Continued on Page 8) Santa Cecilia Church - 18 Belvidere Street - Boston, MA POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE 343 CHELSEA ST., DAY SQ., EAST BOSTON Friday, December 13, 2019 Tues. 10:00 AM-3:00 PM; Thurs. 11:00 AM-2:00 PM at 6:30 pm Call 617-227-8929 for more information PAGE 2 POST-GAZETTE, DECEMBER 6, 2019 • Letter from the Pastor (Continued from Page 1) A special blessing has also Stirpe by Prof. Edmund Turiello been the support and encour- agement of my Franciscan Nostra superiors, and my diocesan shepherds, such as The Very A weekly column highlighting some of the more interesting aspects of our Reverend Robert Campagna, ancestry...our lineage...our roots. OFM; His Eminence, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap; His Excellency, Bishop Hennessey; HEMERA, AETHER, AND CHARON and the Reverend James Flavin, to name a few. I must also remark on the appreciation and admiration of thousands of visitors who enter our church every year to fi nd its doors open late into the night. So many people, Catholics that the Saint Joseph Society heart, I must thank you Landy. and non-Catholics alike, have is the society for which Saint As I leave the parish after 15 expressed what a great grace Leonard Church has done the years and 4 months of ministry, it is to fi nd a place of peace least in the past. As we approach I am grateful for the opportunity in the middle of the bustling a new chapter in the history of that was given me during my North End. The messages of Saint Leonard Church, may this time as pastor, yet I am happy appreciation, both verbal and spirit of support and cooperation to leave now. I have served written, as well as the gener- between the parish and society longer than any other pastor in osity of our many benefactors continue for many years to come. the history of the parish. No one spread throughout the country There are two individuals that who comes to a parish intends A 19th-century interpretation of Charon’s crossing. and beyond, have been greatly deserve the utmost gratitude to stay forever. I am happy By Alexander Litovchenko appreciated. on behalf of myself and the to now welcome a new ener- We are blessed by the more Saint Leonard parish commu- getic pastor equipped with the Last week, we discussed two Charon was also a god of the than thirty couples who request nity. First, the late Mr. Peter qualities and knowledge to well of the most famous poets in lower world, but he ruled in a to be married in one of our par- Palermo, who bequeathed in his serve this community. He will ancient Greece, Homer, and much different capacity than ish churches each year. Most will $779,181.24 to our parish certainly have new challenges Hesiod. They were responsible Erebus. Charon conducted of these requests come from in 2007. This generous gift was to face. I wish him to receive for giving us more information the souls of the dead across a outside the parish. So too, we the first substantial amount the same encouragement and on the folklore of mythical gods river called “Styx” (or Acheron) count among our blessings the set aside for the restoration of blessings I have received during and legendary heroes than all by boat to the infernal regions growing number of Baptisms Saint Leonard Church. May these past fi fteen years. I will other writers combined. We that we imagine to be Hell or occurring in the parish and Peter’s soul rest in peace and gladly leave meditating on the identifi ed Chaos, the yawning Purgatory.