St. Sebastian - 913

Church of Saint Sebastian March 3, 2019 - Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From Father Jordan, O.P.

My Dear Ones,

May the grace of Our Lord remain always with us!

The visit of Deacon Patrick

It was wonderful to have Deacon Patrick Moynihan,

his wife Christina, and members of the Haitian Project

Staff visit this past weekend. The unparalleled

generosity of our Parish to this great work as well as

many others, is a testimony to our desire to put the

Gospel words into action: Whatever you did to these

the least of my people, you did unto Me!

What intrigued me most about what I learned from

Deacon Patrick is his desire build nine more schools in

Haiti. There would be one school centrally located in

every Diocese of the country. These free schools would

offer the great freedom of education to more students

who would be given the stepping stones out of the

vicious circle of poverty: what a wonderful dream!

As Patrick spoke, I began to think about how a new

generation of Saint Sebastian Parishioners could

participate in Patrick’s mission? Of course, there is the

constant need for money, but isn’t there more? Do we

have eco-friendly architects in our congregation; newly

minted teachers, or teachers who have been at it for a

while; accountants; doctors and nurses; people looking

to give a year of service? I know the answer to my

thoughts and questions is “yes”; but how do we begin

to plan for this kind of participation? If this strikes a

chord in your heart, please give me a call, and let’s talk

more.

WINE, Women, and Lent

As I mentioned in my announcements last weekend,

and as mentioned in the bulletin and on the website,

stsebastianri.org, WINE is an opportunity for the

women of our Parish to have some time for fellowship,

spiritual reading, discussion, and perhaps…. a little

wine ☺! During Advent there were two such groups.

The women who participated told me that they found

both the sharing with the other participants, as well as

the book, very enriching. Organized by Sarah Heaton,

there could be many WINE groups: two or three

women who visit during CCD classes; meeting for

coffee and discussing the Lenten Book, Come Walk in

Her Sandals, enjoying the quiet of the Father Randall

Room or even the Rectory – stop, breathe, relax, be

undistracted for one hour: do any of the women of our

Parish need a hour like this during each week of Lent

this year? I’ll supply the wine and disappear! Give this

some thought and reach out to Sarah:

smarieheaton@gmail.com.

Preparing for Lent

In the incredibly distracting times in which we live,

events like Advent, Lent, birthdays and anniversaries

can catch us by surprise.

If you are over 50 you may remember Septuagesima

(70), Sexagesima (60), and Quinquagesima (50)

Sundays. These Sundays served as reminders that

Easter was approaching, and if Easter, also Lent. Our

Protestant brothers and sisters still continue this

liturgical tradition. This coming Sunday is

Quinquagesima Sunday: 50 days until Easter, which

also means 3 days until Ash Wednesday.

What are thinking about for Lent? Are you going to

rely on your tried and true practices? They can be very

good. I invite all of us, myself at the head of the list, to

Take Five each day of Lent.

Choose one or more of these each day of Lent:

Read Scripture, you could use the daily Mass

readings, for 5 minutes

Name 5 things for which you are grateful

Smile at 5 people

Take 5 minutes for silence

Take a brisk walk for 5 minutes

Pray for 5 people.

Don’t let the 40 Days catch you by surprise!

Until we meet at the altar… O Mary, conceived with-

out sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!

In the Lord,

Fr. Jordan O.P.

Church of Saint Sebastian March 3, 2019 - Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. Sebastian - 913

Having the Best Lent Ever Is Next Weekend!

When: Saturday and Sunday, March 9 & 10: Attend any of the weekend Masses as Father Matthew unveils the plan for the Best Lent Ever!

What else? Following the 11:00 am Mass there will be Eucharistic Adoration; plan to spend some time with the Blessed Sacrament in quiet adoration.

At 3:00 pm there will be a special session for children, while Father Matthew addresses adults.

4:00 pm: Closing Vespers and Benediction with preaching that ties the day together.

5:00 pm: Pasta with Padres – enjoy a homemade spaghetti dinner prepared and served by the Padres! $5 per person; $10 per family. (Sign Up Sheets can be found in the vestibule of the Church)

Getting Ready for Lent

It is hard to believe that in less than one week we will begin the Season of Lent: the Church’s annual retreat, and the time to prepare for Easter through the great works of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Many of our hallmark practices will be present this Lent:

Daily Mass at 7:00 am and 5:30 pm Stations of the Cross following the 5:30 pm

Mass on Friday A special dramatic presentation of the Stations

followed by a fish – fry – dinner Sandwiches for Emmanuel House Toiletries for the Diocesan Refugee and

Immigration Project

There are two things I would like to suggest as a parish wide Lenten practice; one offering a time for some extra prayer; the other, a wee bit of penance:

The conclusion of the 11:00 am Mass each Sunday would begin a time for Eucharistic Adoration; and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament would be held at 4:30 pm each Sunday.

During Lent, I would like to suggest that the bulletins not be given out until the end of Mass. Why? Good as we are, the temptation is just too great not to read them during Mass: let’s give the Lord our complete attention for an hour. Please let me know what you think.

SAVE THE DATE: March 30, 2019:

Sacramental Family Retreat

This retreat day, for families as well as the

candidate for the Sacrament is a very important part of the formation process for First Confession, First Communion, and Confirmation. Please be

sure this date is marked in your calendar.

The rules for fast and abstinence are:

Every person between 14 and 59 years of age is to abstain from meat (and items made with meat) on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence: i.e.: two small meals, with noth-ing solid in between meals, and one main meal. Those over the age of 59 or with serious health conditions are not obliged to the law of fast and abstinence.

Church of Saint Sebastian Founded October 15, 1915

St. Sebastian - 913

Won’t You Join Us?

Sunday 3/3 Religious Education 10:00 am Classrooms

Monday 3/4 Religious Education 4:00 pm Classrooms

3/4 CGS 4:15 pm Atrium

Tuesday 3/5 Prayer Shawl Ministry 7:00 pm Fr. Randall Room

Ash Wednesday 3/6 Mass and Distribution of Ashes 7:00 am & 5:30 pm

Church

Saturday 3/9 Confession 4:00 pm Church

Movie Night “Bella” Following 5 pm Mass Church Hall

Sunday 3/10 Lenten Mission Noon to 4 pm Church

Vespers 4:00 pm

Pasta with the Padres After 4 pm Vespers

Church Hall

Our hands and hearts are instruments through

which God shows his love. Help us wrap each of

our lonely homebound or seriously ill relatives

and friends with a shawl made by our PRAYER

SHAWL MINISTRY of our Parish. Everyone is

invited to join in at the next meeting of the

Prayer Shawl Ministry Tuesday, March 5th

at 7:00 pm in the Fr. Randall Room. Join us!

Welcome to the World and the Parish

Congratulations and a long and happy family life to the families of St. Sebastian’s recently baptized children: Lucas Tom, Maisie Dennen, and Liam Roche.

Welcome to newly registered parishioners

Steven and Elizabeth Kay, Dominic Bate and Daniel Rietze, Brian Roberts and Bridget Zwack, Kevin Sheehan and Chelsey Ciambella, Michael Rose, Jordan Lumpkins and Adrienne Lorange, Madeleine Cook and David Glidden, Bob and Samantha Short, and Melissa Brandon!

Sympathy and prayers to our parishioners Christopher Chitko upon the recent death of his mother Jadwiga, and to Mikalai Zhukavets upon the death of his mother Lily. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace!

The next meeting of the Parish Book Club will be held at 7:00 pm on Wednesday March 13th at the home of Denny Roberts 132 Everett Avenue to discuss 1984 by George Orwell. New members are always welcome! Correction

In the February 17 edition of the bulletin we announced the book, Looking West, by our

parishioner Al Badre. In the description it stated that Al is a convert from Islam: this is incorrect. Al is a convert from Protestantism. My sincere

apologies to Al, and for any confusion this

created. Fr. Jordan, OP

To sing is to pray twice. Saint Augustine

A thought to ponder:

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the story

of God’s love that never turns us away.

Pope Francis

St. Sebastian - 913

Welcome In my own name and on behalf of the People of

Saint Sebastian’s, welcome to our Parish! If you

are visiting, coming back to the Church and

Mass after some time away, or looking for a

Parish, you are most welcome here at Saint

Sebastian’s.

Parish Finances: 2/24/2019

Mass Contributions $ 3,527.00 Online Parish Giving $ 631.00 Total Donations $ 4,158.00

Total Parish Expenses $ 16,536.00

Shortfall of Funds $ 12,378.00

We sincerely thank you for your continued support!

Mass Intentions

Saturday, March 2, Vigil: Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

5:00 pm PRO POPULO

Sunday, March 3, Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

9:00 am JOHN BIANCHERI, requested by Arlene Corrigan

11:00 am JADWIGA CHITKO

Monday, March 4, Ferial Day

7:00 am THE INTENTIONS OF THE SISTERS OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

Tuesday, March 5, Ferial Day

7:00 am LARRY LEINBACH

7:30 am Novena Prayers - Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Wednesday, March 6, ASH WEDNESDAY

7:00 am FOR THE GRACE OF A FRUITFUL LENT

5:30 pm FOR THE INTENTIONS OF POPE FRANCIS

Thursday, March 7, Thursday after Ash Wednesday

7:00 am EDNA McLAUGHLIN & FAMILY, BEQUEST

5:30 pm FOR THE INTENTIONS OF THOSE PREPARING FOR FIRST PENANCE, FIRST COMMUNION, and CONFIRMATION

Friday, March 8, Friday after Ash Wednesday

7:00 am Mass

5:30 pm FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY 6:00 pm STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Saturday, March 9, Saturday after Ash Wednesday

9:00 am THE HEALING OF VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE Saturday, March 9, Vigil: First Sunday of Lent

Lenten Mission at all Masses

5:00 pm PRO POPULO

Sunday, March 10, First Sunday of Lent

9:00 am JOSEPH DUFFY

11:00 am FOR ALL EXPECTANT MOTHERS AND FATHERS

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the conclusion of Mass 3:00 pm Why Should I Care About Lent? Sessions for Adults in Church Sessions for Children in the Parish Hall Babysitting is also provided 4:00 pm Closing of the Parish Mission Vespers & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament 5:00 pm Pasta with the Padres

Let us pray for the repose of the souls of Edna McLaughlin and family

whose love for our parish was shown in a bequest to St. Sebastian Church.

We remember them in gratitude and offer Thursday’s 7:00 am Mass for them this week..

May they rest in the peace of the Lord.

The Church of Saint Sebastian

Rev. Jordan Kelly, O. P., Pastor Trustees: Charles Rogers, Catherine Taylor

Finance Committee: Charles Brusso, Ann Carnevale, Grace Dugan

Parish Council: Sarah Garcia-Mata, Mary Hill, Jamie Hill,

Janice Opalenski, Patricia Recupero, Ellen Reinhardt, Fred Reinhardt,

Rob Whelan

Church of Saint Sebastian Founded October 15, 1915

Making sure you get the date you want and a concern

There are pages upon pages in the Mass Intention Book that have no intentions. There is so much for which we need to pray, and there is no better prayer than the Mass! I urge you to call the Rectory with your list of Masses for the year. We all know the dates that are milestones in our lives as they repeat each year.

Call now and secure the dates you want well in advance! The requested stipend is $25 per intention.

Church of Saint Sebastian Founded October 15, 1915

Prayers for the Sick: Prayers are asked for our friends, family, fellow parishioners, and especially for Robert Davis, Bee B., Ray Graham, Frank Dumont, and Elie Saroufim. If you would like someone included in the Prayers for the Sick, please call the Church Rectory.

Liturgy Tool Box

Our Bodies and the Liturgy

At first this may seem like a strange topic, but we are

not angels: we are beings that have a body, or as Saint

Thomas would say, “we are corporeal beings”. It is this

body that we bring to worship, and it is through the

combination of our bodies and our souls that we

experience worship.

The postures that our bodies assume during the

Lenten Season help us live and know our Lenten

journey. We recall our baptism as we enter the Church

and make the sign of the cross with holy water. As we

genuflect or bow profoundly before entering the pew,

we acknowledge that we are in the presence of

almighty God. And perhaps most significant during the

Lenten Season, we kneel and pray to celebrate the

Mass.

The entire community assuming the same posture is a

very powerful sign: it shows our unity and our common

purpose. The Liturgy is always replete with these signs,

but during Lent we do this in a particular way as we

kneel for the Penitential Rite and Lord, have mercy.

This small outward act of penance shows the desire for

the renewal of our hearts during our Lenten

Pilgrimage.

This is the last Liturgy Tool Box I will write to you for a

while. I would like to conclude this series with this

beautiful distinction about religious and liturgical

music by Bishop Thomas Olmsted:

"The distinction between religious music

and liturgical music, as we have seen,

embodies this double movement: religious

music is, we might say, the earthly

expression of a given culture’s faith in

Christ; liturgical music is the sacramental

expression of Christ and the true nature of

the Church. The former tends to be

particular, individual, temporal, and

profane; the latter tends to be universal,

communal, eternal, and sacred. Religious

music comes from human hearts yearning

for God; liturgical music comes from

Christ’s heart, the heart of the Church,

longing for us."

MAGNIFICAT® Breakfast "Our Lady of Divine Providence"

An International Women's Ministry, will hold its next breakfast, Saturday, March 30, 2019 from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon, Providence Marriot, One Orms Street in

Providence, RI

Guest Speaker: Monsignor John J. Darcy, JC.L.

Monsignor Darcy has served in many capacities throughout the Diocese of Providence. He was

appointed Chancellor and then Vicar General in 2004 by the late Bishop Mulvee. He is presently pastor of

St. Margaret’s in Rumford, RI.

We are privileged to have this special guest share with us his call to priesthood and personal journey the last

four decades.

Join us for a spirit-filled morning. Please bring along a friend. Cost: $30 per person

For further information and reservation contact Linda Gatta (401) 864-7731

Help Wanted Father Jordan is looking for a housekeeper/cook for the rectory. If you know of anyone who would be interested in this position please email Father Jordan at jordan.kelly@opeast.org or call him at 751-0196.

St. Sebastian - 913

St. Sebastian - 913