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Mission Statement
We are St Joseph Parish, a Roman Catholic Christian community of faith in the Belmont area.
We share a common relationship with Jesus Christ centered in our celebration of the Eucharist
We are disciples of the Lord, committed to sharing the Good News of Christ through worship, education and acts of charity.
We strengthen and encourage each other through prayer, presence, and the sacraments.
We strive by example to express our faith and to witness the message of Christ by loving God and neighbor.
"Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"—he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." - Mk 2:9-11

Mass Intentions

Saturday February 18, 2012
4:30 p.m. Mass (Arlene O’Brien)

Sunday February 19, 2012
8:00 a.m. Mass
10:00 a.m. Mass

Monday February 20, 2012
9:00 a.m. Mass

Tuesday February 21, 2012
9:00 a.m. Mass

Ash Wednesday February 22, 2012
9:00 a.m. Mass
3:00 p.m. Liturgy
7:00 p.m. Mass

Thursday February 23, 2012
NO MASS

Friday February 24, 2012
9:00 a.m. Mass

Saturday February 25, 2012
4:30 p.m. Mass (Leo F. Kennedy)

Sunday February 26, 2012
8:00 a.m. Mass
10:00 a.m. Mass (Sam J. Fortuna)

RITE OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL

Sylvia Mannix was buried from our church last week. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

PRAYER SHAWL

The Prayer Shawl Ministry will not be meeting on February 19th due to the Presidents' Day holiday. Prayer Shawl Ministry meets on the 1st & 3rd Monday of the month at 10 a.m. in the Parish Library. The next meetings will be March 5th & 19th and April 2nd . All are welcome.
Readings for the Week of February 18, 2012:
Sunday: Is 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25/2 Cor 1:18-22/Mk 2:1-12
Monday: Jas 3:13-18/Mk 9:14-29
Tuesday: Jas 4:1-10/Mk 9:30-37
Wednesday: Jl 2:12-18/2 Cor 5:20--6:2/Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Thursday: Dt 30:15-20/Lk 9:22-25
Friday: Is 58:1-9a/Mt 9:14-15
Saturday: Is 58:9b-14/Lk 5:27-32
Next Sunday: Gn 9:8-15/1 Pt 3:18-22/Mk 1:12-15

 

Please be courteous when you come into church and respect the sanctity of our worship space by turning off your cell phones, beepers and pagers. Thank you.

SPECIAL COLLECTION FEBRUARY 18TH & 19TH

Saint Joseph Parish – Saint Vincent de Paul Conference asks once a year for you to consider an offering to the many charitable needs we encounter. Your generosity, as always, is very much appreciated. AND, most importantly, if you know of anyone who needs a bit of extra help right now, please contact Fr. Thom directly as every request is addressed in strictest confidence.

FAITH FORMATION PROGRAM

 Reminder: please note that due to February vacation there will be no K-6 classes on Sundays, February 19th & 26th and Monday, February 19th . K-6 classes will resume Monday, February 27th . There will be no 7-Conf. II class on Sunday February 19th, classes will resume on Sunday, February 26th

PRAY 'N PLAY

Pray 'n Play will be closed the week of February 19-25 for Belmont Schools Vacation Week. For more information about Pray 'n Play, contact Christa Lucas

BOOKS GROUP, MONDAY, MARCH 5TH 7 P.M.

THE LIFE OF THE BELOVED - Fred Bratman asked friend and renowned author, Henri Nouwen, to write a book explaining the spiritual life in terms that he and his friends could understand, avoiding theology and technical language. This sincere testimony of the power and invitation of Christ is indeed a great guide to a truly uplifting spiritual life in today’s world.
 

St. Joseph Home | Mass Intentions/Readings | Notices | From the Pastor's Desk | n Prior Weeks' Bulletins

PLANNING2012.COM

For the past ten months, the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Commission (APPC) has been working on a proposal that creates a new structure called a Pastoral Service Team (PST), comprised of both laity and clergy (priests, deacons, pastoral associates, lay ecclesial ministers, parish pastoral and finance councils) who will provide pastoral services to multiple parishes, which partner with one another to exercise the mission of evangelization. This plan hopes to provide pastoral services to parishes without altering the parishes themselves.

How many PSTs will there be? How many will serve 2 parishes, 3 parishes, 4 parishes? The APPC proposes that there will be approximately 125 PSTs serving the 290 parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston. Most will serve two or three parishes; a few will serve a single parish or four parishes. Each parish will be served by one PST, and each PST will serve more than one parish. Consistent with the ongoing tradition of the Watertown-Belmont Collaborative, the parishes of Sacred Heart and St. Patrick in Watertown and St. Joseph and St. Luke in Belmont were formally identified as "collaboratives" by the APPC.

Will each parish in a pastoral collaborative have its own priest or deacon or layperson to oversee and/or coordinate the activity of that parish? No. Ordinarily, the oversight and/or coordination of each parish in a pastoral collaborative will be provided by the PST and not by an individual member of a PST. Local circumstances, however, may dictate a different arrangement for a pastoral collaborative, which can be recommended to Cardinal Seán in the local pastoral plan.

Will each parish maintain and be responsible for its own assets? Yes. Each parish will maintain and be responsible for its own assets. The PST serves the distinct needs of each of the parishes in the pastoral collaborative and will work to ensure each parish’s integrity and heritage. At the same time, the PST has a responsibility to challenge the parishes in its pastoral collaborative to move towards a more prudent use of resources by working together to avoid redundancy and duplication of efforts. The costs for these shared services will be allocated among parishes on a pro-rated basis.

Will each parish continue to have its own pastoral council and finance council? In the PST model, each pastor will be advised by one pastoral council and one finance council, each of which will be made up of members from every parish in the pastoral collaborative. The Cardinal will give new Guidelines for these councils, which will address issues like avoiding conflicts of interest when decisions are made. The new structure will enable the integrity of each parish to be maintained, while taking advantage of opportunities to collaborate. Council members will be trained on the nature and mission of the council to which they belong and on ways to encourage and strengthen collaboration among parishes, while continuing to safeguard the integrity and rights of each individual parish. (Adapted from the APPC’s “Frequently Asked Questions” document on www.planning2012.com)

Our Parish Staff and Collaborative Strategic Planning Committee will continue to provide information and answer parishioner questions as this planning process continues and more information becomes available. Please be sure to visit the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Commission’s website for materials, videos, press releases, and more: www.planning2012.com.

This link and more can be found on the St. Joseph Parish website: www.stjoseph.belmont.ma.us.

LENTEN BIBLE STUDIES

The New Mass
Do you want to know why we have new words in the Mass and why we say what we say and do what we do during the Liturgy? This Bible study is for you! Join us as we delve into the Scriptural roots of the Mass. Each session includes placing the parts of the Mass in context, identifying the Scriptural foundations of the words and prayers we use at every Mass, and concludes with a practical reflection on how we can apply what we do at each Mass to our own lives. Join us for any of the three five-week studies:

  • Sundays, 6:30 - 8 pm (2/26, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25);
  • Thursdays, Noon - 1:30 pm (3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, and 3/29)
  • Thursdays, 7:30 - 9 pm (3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, and 3/29)

Letting Scripture Speak to Us Today
 On Wednesday evenings during Lent a six week course giving an overview of the Bible will be offered at St. Luke’s from 7-8:15 p.m. Sessions will be held February 29th to April 4th . Rachel Keeler, M.Div. will be the presenter. This course will be helpful as an introduction to Bible Study or a good review for those who have been exposed to scripture study in the past. Pre-registration is requested; please call Carol at 617-484-1996.

ST. JOSEPH LENTEN SPIRITUALITY NIGHTS, 7:30 P.M.

Spirituality nights will include reflection, discussion, and presentations led by Anne Marie Mahoney. Anne Marie Mahoney, former Director of Religious Education for St. Joseph Parish, is the Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation for Saint Julia Parish in Weston. Anne Marie completed her master in Pastoral Ministry degree at Boston College and is currently pursuing a certificate in Spiritual Formation.

  • Monday, February 27th - What Are You Carrying?
  • Monday, March 12th - Have You Bothered to Love, Today?

MONDAY MORNING MOVIES

3/5 -God's Doorkeeper: Brother Andre of Montreal 9:45 a.m.
On January 6, 1937, the death of a humble doorkeeper for a boys college drew over a million people to Montreal for his funeral. For 40 years, Brother Andre Bessette of the Congregation of Holy Cross welcomed people at the door and became known as a miraculous healer. God s Doorkeeper looks at his heart and legacy as a man of prayer, of hospitality, and of compassion.
 

St. Joseph Home | Mass Intentions/Readings | Notices | From the Pastor's Desk| Prior Weeks' Bulletins

BELMONT-WATERTOWN COLLABORATIVE 2012 LENTEN SEASON LITURGIES
COLLABORATIVE LENTEN RETREAT

The Call of Lent: A Season of Discernment
7 pm with Fr. Terrence Devino, SJ

Sunday, March 11th at Sacred Heart * Monday, March 12th at St. Luke * Tuesday, March 13th at St. Patrick

Once again we are invited to pray Lent, so that we might grow prayerfully, personally and powerfully in our relationship with God. But to do this we need to know what God is calling us to-Lent is a time of discernment, what is that God wants for us? How is God acting in our lives? Fr. Devino is the Director of Manresa House and serves as Special Assistant to the President at Boston College. The opportunity for the sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered each evening from 6:15-6:45 p.m.

SACRED HEART – WATERTOWN
Ash Wednesday Masses – 8:00 a.m. & Noon

SAINT JOSEPH – BELMONT
Ash Wednesday Masses – 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Liturgy of the Word and Distribution of Ashes: 3:00 p.m.

New Roman Missal Bible Study
Sundays, 6:30-8:00 p.m. – February 26; March 4, 11, 18, & 25
Thursdays, Noon – 1:30 p.m. & 7:30 – 9 p.m. – March 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29

Mondays – Lenten Spirituality Series led by Anne Marie Mahoney
2/27 “What Are You Carrying? – 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall
3/12 – “Have You Bothered to Love, Today?” – 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall

Friday, March 2nd – 8:00 p.m. St. Patrick’s “The Resurrection” performance

Monday Movies after the 9:00 a.m. Mass
March 5th – God’s Doorkeeper: St. Andre of Montreal; April 2nd – The Grace Card

Spiritual Classics and Books Group – 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Library
March 5th – “Life of the Beloved” by Henri Nouwen
April 2nd – “Ascent of Mount Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

SAINT LUKE – BELMONT
Ash Wednesday Masses – 6:45 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Sacred Scripture course – Wednesdays, 7 – 8:15 p.m., February 29th, March 7, 14, 21, 28, and April 4

Thursdays during Lent, Midday Prayer with short reflection at 12:15 p.m.

Fridays during Lent, Stations of the Cross at 7:30 p.m.

And the church will remain open until after the Stations of the Cross.

SAINT PATRICK – WATERTOWN
Ash Wednesday Masses – 7:30 a.m., 12:05 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday an additional daily Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m.

Learning & Lunch with Fr. Bob: Robert Barron’s Catholicism – Tuesdays, 11 – 12:30 p.m.

Thursdays during Lent – 7 – 8:30 p.m. – Robert Barron’s Catholicism with Fr. Marty

Fridays during Lent - Stations of the Cross every at 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 1st at 7:00 p.m. – Resurrection performance

“THE LIGHT IS ON FOR YOU” – At the request of the Cardinal, Churches in the Archdiocese will offer The Sacrament of Reconciliation EVERY Wednesday evening in Lent at Sacred Heart & St. Patrick’s Watertown and St. Luke’s Belmont – February 29th, March 7th, 14th, 21st, & 28th, and April 4th from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m.

St. Joseph Parish, Belmont will be offering the Sacrament of Reconciliation on TUESDAY evenings in the church.
February 28th, March 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th, and April 3rd from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.