Aug-Sept 2016
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The Goodnewsletter A Newsletter for Members of St. Ann, St. Vincent de Paul & St. Patrick Parishes Stannlenox.org/[email protected] 134 Main St., Lenox, MA 01240 (413) 637-0157 Volume 4 - Issue 2 September 2016 A NOTE FROM OUR PASTOR . On June 20th, our first parish meeting was held in the Family Center. There were some 55 people in attendance. To prepare for the parish meeting a survey was posted on the parish website and available for parishioners to answer. Some submitted an available paper survey. The results are posted on the parish web site and will remain available for anyone to consult throughout the year. Some 58 persons answered the survey. The results ran to some 50+ pages. A synthesis of the material will be posted on the website soon. However, I urge everyone to read the survey responses. All of the responses were well thought out and cogently expressed. There seems to be a remark- able consensus on many mattes and a thoughtful disagreement on others. At the parish meeting, fortunately, it turns out; I was not able to present a synthesis of the survey because I could not hook up my laptop to the projector. As a happy consequence the conversation among the participants begins right away, based upon what they wanted to express and not as a response to my presentation. The conversation was spirited and fruitful. Participants focused on three overriding issues: faith formation, stabilizing our financial situation, and outreach in general but particularly to youth and young adults. A variety of views were expressed and differences were very respectfully express and received. Several members of our parish and finance councils were present and took part in the conversation and both groups are in the process of selecting which of the various suggestions—from the meeting and the survey—to focus on during the year. There was an extended conversation—reflected also in the survey—about religious education of our youth. It quickly was pointed out that we would be better served to speak in terms of faith formation as this implies a life- long deepening of our understanding of our faith for all ages and involves not only book learning but experiential opportunities as well. For example, it was noted that a great deal of learning about the faith occurs by participation in the youth choir, and during Mass as lectors and altar servers. The parish council, meeting after the parish meeting, strongly endorsed this approach. As a result, a meeting was planned for the end of August to which anyone in the parish was invited to begin designing a faith formation pro- gram for all ages and interests. These efforts will of course be ongoing and anyone is free to “jump in” at any time. The finance council, in their subsequent meeting, also discussed the parish meeting and the survey results and is planning ways to respond. There were several suggestions from both the survey and the meeting that can be acted on without a great deal of effort. Others will require time to craft appropriate responses. Overall, the general feeling expressed was that the survey and the open meeting were both good attempts at in- volving parishioners in the ongoing development of the parish by providing an opportunity for fresh ideas, con- structive criticism, widespread participation and transparency. ~Msgr. John Editor’s Note Table of Contents by Deb Kuni 1. A Note from Our Pastor Well our summer months are dwindling away. The Summer Festival 2. Editor’s Note is behind us. Most of us are looking forward to the fun fall events in the 2. St. Patrick Cemetery Project Berkshires and surrounding states. Fairs, festivals, comfort food!! Okay, 2. Thank You! from Fr. Richard that’s not really an event, but I bet a lot of us still look forward to it. 3. “Hats”, Spiritual Life Comm. In this issue of our tri-parish Goodnewsletter we have updates from 4. Circle of Friends update our Circle of Friends, Religious Education (now called Faith Forma- 4. St. Ann Faith Formation News tion), the Summer Festival and more. Deacon Dan has provided us with 5. The New Genesis Group some great articles to increase our faith awareness. 6. Sacramental Series by Deacon Lorry Decorie has written a fun article on the various hats among our Dan religious history. Be sure to check it out starting on page 3. 7. Year of Divine Mercy & Gop- I hear from Fr. Richard every few weeks and he assures me that he is pel of Luke by Deacon Dan missing Lenox and all the great people he has met here and wants you 9. Summer Festival Update all to know that he appreciates how welcome you made him feel in the 10. Interesting Facts about Pope short 4 months he was here. When his 8 months stint is up around Feb- Francis ruary, who knows, he may get assigned here again! 11. News from Our Parish Nurse So enjoy this issue and keep us in mind when you need to get the 12. St. Ann Cemetery Project word out or have something to share! 13. Cemetery form 14. Our Advertisers 15. Our Advertisers 16. Our Changing Communities To the people of St. Ann, St. Vincent dePaul, and St. Patrick parishes: THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU As I leave the Berkshires after only four months here, I go with a deep and profound gratitude for the love, kindness, and support that all of St Patrick Cemetery Project you have shown to me. I will be forever grateful for the welcome that you also offered to my Golden Retriever, Angel. I now ask for your prayers Thank you to all who have com- that God will bless both me and the people I am called to serve in Ware. pleted and returned the Burial Re- Be assured of my prayers for all of you. My new address is: cord Form. From those forms we St. Mary Church were able to 60 South Street update our permanent records. If Ware, MA 01082-1619 you have not filled in and returned 413-967-5913 the form, there are copies in the God bless you! back of the Church or you can re- With my love, quest them by calling the rectory -Fr. Richard at 413 232-4427. Any information you can supply regarding relatives and/or friends buried in St Patrick’s Cemetery, is good information. Thank you. 14th in a series of articles from the Spiritual Life Commission regarding the traditions of our faith. CLERICAL HATS “IF THE HAT FITS…” For those born in the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, the memory of seeing their parish priest walking from the rectory to the church to say Mass dressed in a long black cassock with a three cornered biretta on his head, was a common sight. The black hat with a fuzzy pompom on top is a rare sight today in the USA but the red version is still worn by cardinals in conclave. The biretta may have had its origins as a hood atop a rough cloak worn by the privileged few. In 1268 the wearing of hats by clergy was forbidden unless they were on a journey. Their heads were to be uncovered in church and in the presence of their superiors. Higher graduates of universities were exempted. The biretta, as we know it, began as a soft skull cap with a small tuft which evolved into three peaked ridges due to the manner it was picked up with the fingers. Fifteenth century drawings depict university dignitaries, cardinals in conclave and preachers addressing as- semblies in such caps. By the 16th century, the privilege of wearing caps was extended to lower grades of the clergy; gradually the color became the distinguishing characteristic, cardinals wore red and bishops wore violet. Birettas are worn in procession, when seated and when the priest is performing any act of jurisdiction as reconciling a convert and in the past when giving absolution. Modern birettas vary in shape depending on the local styles, E.G. German, French and Spanish birettas have four peaks. Roman custom proscribes tassels. American priests are rarely seen in a biretta or even the long black cassock. The small round skull cap or zucchetto is more familiar to modern Americans as it is the hat of bishops, cardinals and popes. It is worn in its own right or under a biretta. Red designates a cardinal, even if they are members of an order, e.g. Franciscan. Violet is for bishops and of course white is the papal designation. Bishops and cardinals wear their zucchetto at Mass but remove them during the Canon. A bishop will remove it when giving benedic- tion. Zucchettos don’t appear before the 13th century. The camauro is the papal zucchetto first found in 15th century art and sculpture but it was red velvet and bordered with ermine, and it may be large enough to cover the back of the head and ears. Popes may bestow the privilege of the zucchetto to abbots or other dignitaries but is normally restricted to white linen. The mitre, another hat of bishops, cardinals and popes and has many styles, e.g. when bishops attend a general council or a solemn pontifical act, they wear a plain linen mitre while cardinals may wear a simple damask silk. The three types of mitres are: Mitra Simplex, Mitra Pretiosa and Mitra Auriphyrygiata. The simplex is white silk or linen and entirely without ornamentation. The fringe on the lappets is red.