saint cecilia - the pilotthe 6 p.m. mass will resume next sunday, september 15. children's...

Saint CeciliaP A R I S H

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

8 September 2019

Ancient depiction of Paul Writing to PhilemonArtist unknown

Welcome to Saint Cecilia Parish, a Roman Catholic community that gathers day by day, week by week, to know and make known the grace of God. By means of this abundant grace, we enjoy a diverse and close-knit parish family—young, old, rich, poor, of various ethnic origins and differing backgrounds. From our extraordinary music program to a growing children’s faith formation program; from the various liturgical ministries to the many opportunities for social outreach that the parish provides, Saint Cecilia is a vibrant community of faith, centered on prayer and worship that tries to keep the Gospel close to heart and to live by Jesus’ teachings.

Saint Cecilia Parish was established in 1888. At that time the Back Bay section of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street was the residential section of the Yankee aristocracy. The maids (“Irish working out girls”) and coachmen who served these residents had long requested a church of their own. When Archbishop Williams granted their request and carved the parish from the territory of the Cathedral, they built a magnificent church out of their meager earnings.

The church was dedicated on April 22, 1894. Its architecture is Romanesque, XII Century Norman. The main altar, notable for its massive simplicity, was carved from a single block of white Carrara marble. The painting in the center reredos is a reproduction of da Vinci’s The Last Supper, and the dome above is an array of 24K gold rosettes.

For the sixtieth anniversary celebration in 1954, a massive renovation project was undertaken. During this renovation, a statue of Pope Saint Pius X (canonized that same year) was imported from Italy and placed on the right side of the sanctuary. Above the statue are paintings from Pius’ life. On the left side is a statue of Saint Patrick, principal patron of the Archdiocese of Boston, and above it are three scenes from his life.

Fourteen circular and sixteen square panels adorn the nave and arches of the church. The square panels are decorated with the symbols of Our Lady taken from the Litany of Loreto and the circular ones with symbols taken from the lives of the apostles. The great window of the Assumption—framed by the two oak cases of the organ—was installed in 1954 (the Marian Year) in spaces originally designed for windows but not until then used.

The original organ of 24 stops was built in 1902 by the Hutchings-Votey Organ Company, Opus 1465, and was rebuilt in 1954 with 32 stops. In 1998, Timothy Smith and Theodore Gilbert began a massive reconstruction of the organ. The current Smith & Gilbert Organ of 4 manuals, 54 ranks, and 3,084 pipes was dedicated on the Feast of Saint Cecilia, November 22, 1999.

Today we are experiencing something of an awakening within these old walls. Our numbers are increasing by 350 new households each year, and we continue to grow in our commitment to issues of peace, justice, and service to our neighbors, both near and far.

We’ve been right here on Belvidere Street, in the same building for 125 years, but that does not mean that life here is stale, stagnant, or even predictable. We are proud to be entrusted with the legacy of Saint Cecilia Parish, where everything is the same, yet always changing; where we honor tradition while embracing the future; where God’s love makes all things new.

Welcome!

Service Opportunities

S H O W U P T H I S S C H O O L Y E A R T O P U T F A I T HI N T O A C T I O N B Y S E R V I N G O T H E R S !

Look, everyone needs service hours today, we get it.But serving others is more than just a line on acollege app - it's encountering something beautiful,unique, and maybe even sacred in another human.Mark your calendars, and plan to show up!

9.14: CRADLES TO CRAYONSS E P T E M B E R

for High School Students

FALL 2019:

9.28: ST. FRANCIS HOUSE

10.5: JUSTICE CONVOCATIONO C T O B E R

10.19: CRADLES TO CRAYONS

11.2: ST. FRANCIS HOUSEN O V E M B E R

11.23: COMMUNITY SERVINGS

12.14: COMMUNITY SERVINGSD E C E M B E R :

To register for a date, contact John Glynn [email protected].

ADULTSNEEDED

We need enthusiastic, responsible adults whocan help accompany, mentor, and support ourstudents at Saint Cecilia - if that's you, pleaseget in touch with John Glynn!

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SAINT CECILIA PARISH

MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY

Saturday, September 7 | 5:00 p.m.Rev. Peter Grover, OMV, celebrantErin Young, lector

Sunday, September 8 | 8:00 a.m.Rev. Peter Gyves, SJ, celebrantJulie Bogdanski, lector

Sunday, September 8 | 9:30 a.m.Rev. Peter Gyves, SJ, celebrantLouisa Essman, Nikko Mendoza, and Christie Hedges, lectors

Sunday, September 8 | 11:15 a.m.Rev. Peter Gyves, SJ, celebrantKaren Vachon, Ben DeWinter,and Mark Richburg, lectors

OUR COMMUNITY NEWS

SPECIAL INTENTIONS

Saturday, September 7 | 5:00 p.m.Betty Botosh, Memorial

Sunday, September 8 | 8:00 a.m.John & Angelina Machado, Memorial

Sunday, September 8 | 9:30 a.m.Ethel McMahon, Memorial

Sunday, September 8 | 9:30 a.m.Daniel Souza, 5th Anniversary

Sunday, September 8 | 11:15 a.m.Dean Mualim, 1st Anniversary

Wednesday, September 11 | 8:00 a.m.Perez-Garcia Family, Special Intention

TODAY'S READINGS

Wisdom 9:13-18bPhilemon 9-19, 12-17Luke 14:25-33

NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS

Exodus 32:7-11, 13-141 Timothy 1:12-17Luke 15:1-32

This week at Saint Cecilia

• Thursday, September 12 | Evening Prayer at 6:30 in Sanctuary (p.5)

• Saturday, September 14 | Evening Prayer at 6:30 in Sanctuary (p.5)

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Prayers & Occasions

Our DeceasedBob Boland's mother died on September 2. Pray for the eternal repose of Margaret Boland as well as for the consolation of Bob, Kate, Libby, and the rest of their family. Marie Deignan died on September 4. Pray for the consolation of her family and for her dear friend Maryann Curtin. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Our SickPlease pray for all our sick and for those who are in need of our prayer, especially Mary Pickering, Stephanie Brown, Kim Villanueva, Bill Croke, Helene Schabes, Mary Jane Kinne, Steven Clark, Patricia Finn, Mary Sue Cappoza, Marc Pelletier, Ashlyn Couture, Diego Cruz, Matt Dwyer, Jim Burke, Samuel Lockwald, Scott Schaeffer-Duffy, and Margo Bromley.

Welcome to Saint Cecilia ParishWe are pleased to welcome the following new members of our parish who have recently registered: Katherine McCar-rick and Keegan Mehlhorn of Boston, Nancy and Michael McCartin of Boston, Melissa Couturier and John Bubanas of Boston, and Leigha Gardner of Boston If you have not previously registered with the parish, there are forms in the narthex for this purpose or you can register online at www.stceciliaboston.org.

Weddings at Saint CeciliaCongratulations to Hillary Laggis and Ted Ribaudo (pictured left) married here on July 26. Congratu-lations also to Colleen Reed and Jim Turk who were married here on August 31. May God bless the happy couple as they start this

next phase of their lives together.

Six O’Clock Mass Resumes Next SundayThe 6 p.m. Mass will resume next Sunday, September 15.

Children's Faith FormationOur Children's Faith Formation program will begin a bit later this year due to our renovation. The first day of classes for children in grades K2 to 8 will be Sunday, October 27. You may register now on our website or you will be able to register on October 27. Our registration fee this year has increased to $200 per child.

Thank you, Daniel!Daniel Lamoureux has graciously served as our interim organist while the parish conducted a search for a perma-nent keyboardist to accompany weekend liturgies. Daniel generously shared his gifts, playing not only for our week-end Masses but also for numerous weddings and funerals over the past several months. Today we celebrate Daniel for his service, and are so happy that he will remain an active member of the choir and the parish.

Second Collection Next WeekNext week’s second collection supports the retirement, medical, and financial needs of the priests of the Archdiocese of Boston. On behalf of all of our priests, thank you in advance for your generosity. For more information, please visit www.clergytrust.org

Liturgy of the Hours November

Saturday, 11/2 @ 9:00 a.m. – Commemoration of All Faithful Departed Monday, 11/4 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Charles Saturday, 11/9 @ 9:00 a.m. – Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Wednesday, 11/13 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Thursday, 11/21 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Cecilia Saturday, 11/30 @9:00 a.m. – St. Andrew

September Thursday, 9/5 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Teresa of Kolkata Thursday, 9/12 @ 6:30 p.m. – Holy Name of Mary Saturday, 9/14 @ 9:00 a.m. – Exaltation of the Cross Tuesday, 9/17 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Hildegard von Bingen Saturday, 9/21 @ 9:00 a.m. – St. Matthew Friday, 9/27 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Vincent de Paul

October Tuesday, 10/1 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Thérèse of Lisieux Friday, 10/4 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Francis of Assisi Friday, 10/11 – @ 6:30 p.m. – Pope St. John XXIII Thursday, 10/17 @ 6:30 p.m. – St. Ignatius of Antioch Saturday, 10/19 @ 9:00 a.m. – N. American Jesuit Martyrs Monday, 10/28 @ 6:30 p.m. – SS. Simon & Jude

Please join us for Evening Prayer &

Morning Prayer this Fall

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The Wisdom and Mature

Spirituality Group

Sunday, September 15 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine (1105 Boylston St.)

The Wisdom and Mature Spirituality group is a community of men and women in the second half of life who are looking to build a deeper relationship with our faith through fellowship, trust, sharing, and prayer. This

month we will discuss Cynthia Bourgeault's 2008 masterful work, The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind—A New Perspective on Christ and His Message. The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault is a modern day mystic, Episcopal priest, writer, and internationally known retreat leader. We can't wait to dig into this book and would be delighted to wel-come new members to our group. Please note that reading the book is not a requirement for participation.

Saint Cecilia CARES Pastoral

Training Program

Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.Mt 28:20

In October, St. Cecilia’s will offer the opportunity for training sessions for the CARES pastoral visiting team. The upcoming workshop, “Pastoral Care to the Sick and Homebound,” is the first step toward expanding skills to become a member of St. Cecilia’s pastoral outreach. CARES ministers responds to the growing need for support to the most vulnerable members by visiting the sick, homebound, and isolated so as to offer them a pastoral presence and support. The six-week training program, beginning on October 9th at 6:30 pm, seeks to provide foundational skills to accompany indi-viduals through the emotional/spiritual challenges of loss, grief, and suffering. Matthew Jacobson, chaplain and newest member of our pastoral team, will again teach the course. Billy Biegler, SJ will serve as CARES team support person as St. Cecilia’s new deacon. If you feel called to this form of discipleship and wish to discuss the program further, please contact Billy Biegler, SJ at [email protected].

Rainbow Ministry

Upcoming Events

LGBTQ Catholics Unite Monthly MeetingSunday, September 23 | 1:00 p.m. | Rear Upper Room at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine at the corner of Boylston and Ipswich Streets

This month Sr. Mary Ann Hinsdale IHM will facilitate a dis-cussion on "Women and the Church." Sr. Mary Ann is a pro-fessor of theology at Boston College and one of her special-izations is in feminist theology. She has written books on women and theology. Please join us in discussing Catholic women and how they have and are shaping the Church. LGBTQ Catholics need a forum in which to share faith ex-periences, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. Our hope is that people will feel supported, heard, and spiritually nourished. Coffee and donuts will be served. All are welcome!

A note from Father JOhn

Dear Friends,

In a few weeks the annual Celebration of the Priest-hood dinner will be held at the Seaport World Trade Center in order to raise funds for the Clergy Health and Retirement Trust.

This is a special year as they are honoring chaplains current and past in the Archdiocese of Boston. As you know, I currently serve as the Assistant Fire Chaplain for the City of Boston, but it is those who, through their ministry, have served before me that have paved the way for so many of us in times of need, comfort, direction or advice. As this year’s celebration comes close, I would love to have you be part of the evening by attending and supporting the clergy medical and re-tirement fund. It is a “feel good event” in these chal-lenging times so please join us!

Should you be interested in attending this year's cele-bration, to support all the priests who have supported us in our lives, please contact Leah Bennett in the of-fice at [email protected]. And do so quick-ly, as the event is September 19, at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $350 to sit at one of the Saint Cecilia tables and support this worthwhile cause. I am so greatful, and I hope you'll join me!

Peace,

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Social and Racial Justice

Ministry Announcement

We are in the Season of Creation, which continues through the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4). Each week our ministry will share sections of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ encyclical from June 2015, which sends a powerful message on our moral responsibility to care for creation. To learn more, visit https://catholicclimatemovement.global/lau-datosi/. Sign the Laudato Si’ pledge at http://livelaudatosi.org/ and answer Pope Francis’ urgent call to (1) pray for and with creation, (2) live more simply, and (3) advocate to pro-tect our common home.

90. “...But we should be particularly indignant at the enormous inequalities in our midst, whereby we con-tinue to tolerate some considering themselves more worthy than others. We fail to see that some are mired in desperate and degrading poverty, with no way out, while others have not the faintest idea of what to do with their possessions, vainly showing off their sup-posed superiority and leaving behind them so much waste which, if it were the case everywhere, would de-stroy the planet...”

222. “Christian spirituality...encourages a prophetic and contemplative lifestyle, one capable of deep enjoyment free of the obsession with consumption. We need to take up an ancient lesson, found in different religious traditions and also in the Bible. It is the conviction that “less is more”...Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and the capacity to be happy with little. It is a return to that simplicity which allows us to stop and appreciate the small things, to be grateful for the opportunities which life affords us, to be spiritu-ally detached from what we possess…”

Boston Climate Strike, hosted by Massachusetts Climate Strike Friday, September 20, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Boston (loca-tion TBA). More info at bit.ly/boston-climate-strike. Contact [email protected] with questions about the ministry and follow us on Facebook!

The Saint Cecilia Social and Racial Justice Ministry meets once a month following the 11:15 mass. Join us next Sun-day, September 15, location TBA. Contact [email protected] with questions.

You can sign up to receive updates from the SRJM ministry at http://eepurl.com/dKw-gw. Follow us on Facebook (search for St. Cecilia’s Social and Racial Justice Ministry) to get news about up-coming events.

Community Service Knitting

Group Starting at Saint Cecilia

The Community Service Knitting Group is a new group that will knit or crochet for programs like the Caps for Kids Pro-gram, blankets, booties, and buntings for the newborns at Boston Medical Center, or whatever other members would like. This first meeting will be pre-planning meeting with the option to begin knitting, and take place in the Parish Con-ference Room on Monday September 9, at 3:30. If you are interested please contact Ann Marie Turo at [email protected]. Bring your good ideas and favorite knitting needles!

SAVE THE DATE: Pine Street Inn

Thursday, September 26 | 6:00 p.m. | The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street

As part of their 50th anniversary, Pine Street Inn is hosting a special event with their friends and supporters to cele-brate the accomplishments of their community and rededi-cate the agency to a future without homelessness. Tickets, which are $500 each, can be purchased at https://www.pin-estreetinn.org/keymomentsevent or contact Mark Lippolt at [email protected]

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THE WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE ANNUAL

FUNDRAISER

The annual Spaghetti Dinner gala to benefit the day shelter on Newbury Street will be held on Friday, October 18th at the Fairmont Copley Plaza with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p. m., followed by dinner at 7:00 p. m. This year's honoree is Linda Dorcena Forry, former Massachusetts State Sena-tor and currently Vice President of Diversity at Suffolk Con-struction. If you would like to join the Saint Cecilia table at the event, please email Mark Lippolt at [email protected]. Tickets are $300 each. WLP is also looking for folks who would like to purchase full tables or serve as a table captain.

Were you Born to Run?

REGISTER NOW TO JOIN THE SAINT CECILIA TEAM!

Even if you were born to walk, we welcome anyone inter-ested in joining the Saint Cecilia team for this October's Ree-bok Boston 10K for Women. Registration ($50) is open, and the race will take place on October 14. If you're interested, please email [email protected] for instructions on how to officially join the team. For more information about the race or for suggested training materials, you can visit https://boston10kforwomen.com/.

Pie Sellers Needed!

As part of our on going relationship with Community Serv-ings, we are looking for parishioners willing to assist with their annual Pie in the Sky fundraiser. Every Thanksgiving pie sold for $30 feeds a Community Servings client in East-ern Massachusetts suffering with a life-threatening illness for one week. The delicious pies—apple, pecan, pumpkin, and sweet potato—are baked by some of the best local res-taurant chefs and caterers and are the perfect dessert for your Thanksgiving table. If you are willing to help sell pies at Saint Cecilia liturgies as well as to your friends and col-leagues, please email Mark Lippolt at [email protected].

The economy may be improving since the Great Recession, but the recovery is still leaving many of Americans who were hit the hardest behind. Millions of people are still struggling to get by because of underemployment, stagnant wages and rising costs of living. It’s a simple fact: A child’s chance for a bright tomorrow starts with getting enough healthy food to eat today. 40 million people face hunger in the U. S. today -- including more than 12 million children and nearly 5 million seniors. Saint Cecilia's response to this crisis includes our support of Catholic Charities' food pantry in Dorchester. Please consider a donation of one of the following items, which you can leave in baskets in the narthex: corn flakes or Cheerios, tomato sauce, canned tuna fish, macaroni and cheese, white flour pasta, peanut butter, cooking oil, or canned chicken breast.

The Spiritual Direction Training

Program at St. Anthony Shrine

St. Anthony Shrine is accepting applications for the 2019-2021 program beginning in September in Downtown Cross-ing, Boston. Have you become increasingly interested in developing your own spiritual life, and/or called to the min-istry of spiritual companionship to others? Classes meet on Saturdays, eight times a year for two years. For more infor-mation, please contact Carol Mitchell at 727-492-8315 or [email protected], or visit stanthonyshrine.org/Franciscan Spiritual Companionship page for further in-formation.

NEEDED:

HELP WITH BACK TO SCHOOL ITEMS

Several of our nonprofit partner agencies are having diffi-culty obtaining items for back-to-school and have requested our assistance. If you would like to receive a "wish list" for these items, please email Mark Lippolt at [email protected]. Thanks, in advance, for your customary generos-ity.

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Drum roll, please! INTRODUCING OUR REBRANDED RECURRING GIVING PROGRAM: iGive

Formerly known as the Offertory Commitment Program (OCP), the Saint Cecilia Development Committee decided to shorten the name for clarity and ease of use.

During the month of October, the Development Committee will host our first annual recurring giving campaign to launch iGive and to reinvigorate our recurring giving program. During the month you will be hearing about iGive from Father John, enrolled parishioners, and in the bulletin.

For those of you who are not familiar with recurring giving, here's a little preview:

Traditionally, Catholics have supported their parish through the offertory basket or the envelope system—how-ever, in today's increasingly cashless society people are looking for more convenient ways to give. iGive makes it easy to support the parish online on a recurring basis—annually, semi-annually, quarterly, monthly, or weekly.

In addition to the convenience iGive offers parishioners, it also assists our Finance Council in the planning and budgeting process, allowing us to rely on a sustained and predictable level of offertory support. As you saw from the last Finance Council report, some of the growth pains that our parish is experiencing include an increased gap between operating income and operating expenses. The parish relies on the offertory to not only keep the lights on, but to bring our Parish Vision 2022 to life through our ministries, new staff, hospitality, and programming. iGive will help bring Saint Cecilia to the next level.

Keep an eye out during the month of October for more information. To sign-up for iGive visit www.stceciliaboston.org/igive.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Peace,

Colleen Melaugh

Calling All Volunteers!

The parish office is looking for a few dedicated, detail-ori-ented, and computer savvy volunteers to assist with some administrative office work. This might be a good fit for a student looking to fulfill volunteer hours or anyone else with some time to share. If you are interested in hearing more, please e-mail Leah Bennett at [email protected]

Gift Cards needed

Occasionally we give gift cards to our neighbors in need. We need to replenish our supply of gift cards to Stop & Shop, Star Market, and CVS. If you would like to help out in this

way, simply purchase a gift card in denominations of $15- $25 and place it in the collection basket at Mass, give it to a member of the staff, or mail it to the Parish Office. We are very appreciative of your help as we attempt to offer some assistance to those who struggle.

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Adult Faith

Formation Events

FAITH FORMATION EVENTS AT SAINT CECILIA OFTEN APPEAR ON PAGES 4—7

BOSTON COLLEGE, BOISI CENTER

FOR RELIGION AND AMERICAN

PUBLIC LIFE

For further details or to register for these events, please check this website: https://www.bc.edu/centers/boisi

How Would You Reform the Catholic Church?Panel Discussion: Richard Gaillardetz, Boston College; Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Manhattan College; The Rever-end Mark O’Connell, Archdiocese of Boston; Phyllis Za-gano, Hofstra University; Mark Massa, S.J., Boston Col-lege (Moderator)Tuesday, September 24 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Boston Col-lege, Devlin 101 | RSVP Required

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST PARISH

In WELLESLEY

A presentation of the St. John – St. Paul Collaborative Contemporary Catholic Issues Series

What about Women Deacons?

Presenter: Dr. Phyllis Zagano, an internationally ac-claimed Catholic scholar and lecturer on contemporary spirituality and women's issues in the church. She is a member of the Papal Commission for the study of the diaconate of women. Monday, September 23 | 7:00 p.m. | 9 Glen Road, Wellesley, MA | Free Will Offering

SACRED THREADS

For further details on this event, please check their website:http://www.sacredthreadscenter.org/events/

The Time Is Now: A Call to Uncommon CourageA Conversation with Joan ChittisterSaturday, September 21 | 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Fontbonne Academy, 930 Brook Road, Milton, MA Registration Required | $25.00 per ticket

BOSTON COLLEGE SCHOOL OF

THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY

For further details or to register for these events, please check the School of Theology and Ministry website: https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/schools/stm/con-tinuing-education/campus-events.html

The Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and the God of IsraelPresenter: Mark S. Smith, Helena Professor of Old Tes-tament Literature and Exegesis, Princeton Theological SeminarySunday, September 22 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Corcoran Commons, Heights Room, Chestnut Hill Campus Regis-tration Required | Free of charge

ONLINE COURSES

For further details or to register for these events, please check the STM Online: Crossroads website: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/stm/sites/crossroads.html

Finding a Moral CompassSeptember 25 - October 22 | 4-Week Online Course Registration Required| $25.00

New Testament Visions of FaithSeptember 25 – November 5 | 6-Week Online Course Registration Required| $50.00

Spirituality MattersSeptember 25 - October 29 | 5-Week Online Course Registration Required| $50.00

The Liturgy CommitteeSeptember 25 - October 29 | 5-Week Online Course Registration Required| $50.00

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Pope Francis’ revolutionary new encyclical calls for a “broad cultural revolution” to confront the environmental crisis. “Laudato Si” is also quite lengthy. Can it be summarized? In other words, what are the main messages, or “takeaways” of this encyclical?

1) The spiritual perspective is now part of the discussion on the environment.

The greatest contribution of “Laudato Si” to the environmen-tal dialogue is, to my mind, its systematic overview of the crisis from a religious point of view. Until now, the environmental dialogue has been framed mainly with political, scientific and economic language. With this new encyclical, the language of faith enters the discussion—clearly, decisively and systemati-cally. This does not mean that Pope Francis is imposing his be-liefs on those concerned about the environment. “I am well aware,” he says, that not all are believers (No. 62). Nonethe-less, the encyclical firmly grounds the discussion in a spiritual perspective and invites others to listen to a religious point of view, particularly its understanding of creation as a holy and precious gift from God to be reverenced by all men and wom-en. But the pope also hopes to offer “ample motivation” to Christians and other believers “to care for nature” (No. 64). This does also not mean that other popes (and other parts of the church) have not spoken about the crisis—Francis high-lights the teachings of his predecessors, particularly St. John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. But in its systematic spiritual approach, this is a groundbreaking document that ex-pands the conversation by inviting believers into the dialogue and providing fresh insights for those already involved.

2) The poor are disproportionately affected by climate change.

The disproportionate effect of environmental change on the poor and on the developing world is highlighted in almost ev-ery section of the encyclical. Indeed, near the beginning of “Laudato Si,” the pope states that focus on the poor is one the central themes of the encyclical, and he provides many bane-ful examples of the effects of climate change, whose “worse impacts” are felt by those living in the developing countries. This is not simply the result of the power of the rich to make decisions that do not take the poor into account, but because the poor themselves have fewer financial resources that en-

able them to adapt to climate change. Additionally, the natural resources of those poorer countries “fuel” the development of the richer countries “at the cost of their own present and future” (No. 52). Throughout the encyclical, the pope appeals to the Gospels, to Catholic social teaching and to the state-ments of recent popes to critique the exclusion of anyone from benefits of the goods of creation. Overall, in decisions regarding the environment and the use of the earth’s common resources, he repeatedly calls for an appreciation of the “im-mense dignity of the poor” (No. 158).

3) Less is more.

Pope Francis takes aim at what he calls the “technocratic” mindset, in which technology is seen as the “principal key” to human existence (No. 110). He critiques an unthinking reli-ance on market forces, in which every technological, scien-tific or industrial advancement is embraced before consider-ing how it will affect the environment and “without concern for its potential negative impact on human beings” (No. 109). This is not the view of a Luddite—in fact, Francis goes out of his way to praise technological advances—but of a believer who resists the idea that every increase in technology is good for the earth and for humanity. “Laudato Si” also diagnoses a society of “extreme consumerism” in which people are un-able to resist what the market places before them, the earth is despoiled and billions are left impoverished (No. 203). That is why it is the time, he says, to accept “decreased growth in some part of the world, in order to provide recourse for other places to experience healthy growth” (No. 193). In contrast with the consumerist mindset, Christian spirituality offers a growth marked by “moderation and the capacity to be happy with little” (No. 222). It is a matter of nothing less than a re-definition of our notion of progress.

Top Ten Takeaways from ‘Laudato Si’

By JAMES MARTIN, S.J.

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4) Catholic social teaching now includes teaching on the environment.

Against those who argue that a papal encyclical on the environ-ment has no real authority, Pope Francis explicitly states that “Laudato Si” "is now added to the body of the Church’s social teaching" (No. 15). By the way, an encyclical is a type of teach-ing that enjoys the highest level of authority in the church, second only to the Gospels and church councils like Vatican II. As such, it continues the kind of reflection on modern-day problems that began with Leo XIII’s “Rerum Novarum,” on capital and labor, in 1891. Pope Francis uses some of the traditional foundations of Catholic Social Teaching, particu-larly the idea of the “common good,” to frame his discussion. In keeping with the practices of Catholic social teaching, the pope combines the riches of the church’s theology with the findings of experts in a variety of fields, to reflect on modern-day problems. To that end, he explicitly links St. John XXIII’s “Pacem in Terris,” which addressed the crisis of nuclear war, with “Laudato Si,” which addresses this newer crisis.

5) Discussions about ecology can be grounded in the Bible and church tradition.

Wisely, Pope Francis begins the encyclical not with a reflec-tion on Scripture and tradition (the two pillars of Catholic teaching), which might tempt nonbelievers to set aside the let-ter, but with an overview of the crisis—including issues of water, biodiversity and so on. Only in Chapter Two does he turn towards “The Gospel of Creation,” in which he leads readers, step by step, through the call to care for creation that extends as far back as the Book of Genesis, when hu-mankind was called to “till and keep” the earth. But we have done, to summarize his approach, too much tilling and not enough keeping. In a masterful overview, Pope Francis traces the theme of love for creation through both the Old and New Testaments. He reminds us, for example, that God, in Jesus Christ, became not only human, but part of the natural world. Moreover, Jesus himself appreciated the natural world, as is evident in the Gospel passages in which he praises creation. The insights of the saints are also recalled, most especially St. Francis of Assisi, the spiritual lodestar of the document. In addition to helping nonbelievers understand the Scripture and the church’s traditions, he explicitly tries to inspire believers to care for nature and the environment.

6) Everything is connected—including the economy.

One of the greatest contributions of “Laudato Si” is that it offers what theologians call a “systematic” approach to an is-sue. First, he links all of us to creation: “We are part of nature, included in it, and thus in constant interaction with it” (No. 139). But our decisions, particularly about production and con-sumption, have an inevitable effect on the environment. Pope Francis links a “magical conception of the market,” which privileges profit over the impact on the poor, with the abuse of the environment (No. 190). Needless to say, a heedless pur-suit of money that sets aside the interests of the marginalized and leads to the ruination of the planet are connected. Early on, he points to St. Francis of Assisi, who shows how “insepa-rable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and interior peace” (No. 10). Far from offering a naïve condemnation of capitalism, Pope Fran-cis provides an intelligent critique of the limits of the market, especially where it fails to provide for the poor. “Profit,” he says, “cannot be the sole criterion” of our decisions (No. 187).

7) Scientific research on the environment is to be praised and used.

Pope Francis does not try to “prove” anything about climate change in this document. He frankly admits that the church does not “presume to settle scientific questions” (No. 188). And while he clearly states that there are disputes over cur-rent science, his encyclical accepts the “best scientific research available today” and builds on it, rather than entering into a specialist’s debate (No. 15). Speaking of the great forests of the Amazon and Congo, and of glaciers and aquifers, for ex-ample, he simply says, “We know how important these are for the earth…” (No. 38: my italics.) As the other great Catholic social encyclicals analyzed such questions as capitalism, unions and fair wages, “Laudato Si” draws upon both church teaching and contemporary findings from other fields—particularly sci-ence, in this case—to help modern-day people reflect on these questions.

8) Widespread indifference and selfishness worsen envi-ronmental problems.

Pope Francis reserves his strongest criticism for the wealthy who ignore the problem of climate change, and especially its effect on the poor. “Many of those who possess more resourc-es seem mostly to be concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms…" (No. 26). Why, he asks, are so many of the wealthy turning away from the poor? Not only be-cause “some view themselves as more worthy than others,” but

13


because frequently decisions makers are “far removed from the poor,” physically, with no real contact to their brothers and sisters (No. 90, 49). Selfishness also leads to the evaporation of the notion of the common good. This affects not simply those in the developing world, but also in the inner cities of our more developed countries, where he calls for what might be termed an “urban ecology.” In the world of “Laudato Si” there is no room for selfishness or indifference. One cannot care for the rest of nature “if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings” (No. 91).

9) Global dialogue and solidarity are needed.

Perhaps more than any encyclical, Pope Francis draws from the experiences of people around the world, using the insights of bishops’ conferences from Brazil, New Zealand, Southern Africa, Bolivia, Portugal, Germany, Argentina, the Domini-can Republic, the Philippines, Australia and the United States, among other places. (In this way, he also embodies the Catho-lic principle of subsidiarity, which, in part, looks to local ex-perience and local solutions.) Moreover, the “new dialogue” and “honest debate” he calls for is not simply one within the Catholic Church (No. 14, 16). Patriarch Bartholomew, the lead-er of the Eastern Orthodox Church, enters into the encyclical, as does a Sufi poet. In fact, the pope calls into dialogue and

debate “all people” about our “common home” (No. 62, 155). A global dialogue is also needed because there are “no uniform recipes.” What works in one region may not in another (No. 180). The encyclical’s worldwide scope (as opposed to a more Eurocentric cast) makes it an easier invitation for a worldwide community.

10) A change of heart is required

At heart, this document, addressed to “every person on the plan-et” is a call for a new way of looking at things, a “bold cultural revolution” (No. 3, 114). We face an urgent crisis, when, thanks to our actions, the earth has begun to look more and more like, in Francis’ vivid language, “an immense pile of filth” (No. 21). Still, the document is hopeful, reminding us that because God is with us, we can strive both individually and corporately to change course. We can awaken our hearts and move towards an “ecological conversion” in which we see the intimate connection between God and all beings, and more readily listen to the “cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” (No. 49).

To use religious language, what the pope is calling for is conver-sion.

~James Martin, S.J., is editor at large of America.

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Parish Office & Mailing Address18 Belvidere Street, Boston, MA 02115Hours | Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.Phone | 617 536 4548Fax | 617 536 1781E-mail | [email protected] | www.stceciliaboston.org

Parish StaffRev. John J. Unni, PastorMary Kaye, Pastoral Director of Operations,[email protected] Melaugh, Director of Finance,[email protected] Donohoe, Pastoral Associate,[email protected] J. MacDonald, Director of Faith Formation and Parish Visibility, [email protected] Glynn, Director of College and Youth Ministry, [email protected],Jeanne Bruno, Chaplain, Pastoral Associate, Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach,[email protected] Biegler, SJ [email protected] Duff, Director of Music, [email protected] Pickering, Director of Facilities and Events, [email protected] Bennett, Communications and Operations Coordinator,[email protected]

Assisting ClergyRev. Peter Grover, OMVRev. Peter Gyves, SJRev. James Shaughnessy, SJ

Schedule for LiturgyWednesday, Thursday, & Friday | 8:00 a.m.Lord’s Day | Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 8:00, 9:30, and 11:15 a.m.Holy Days | 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

ReconciliationThe sacrament of reconciliation is available by appointment. Please call the Parish Office.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the communal process through which non-baptized men and women become members of the Catholic Church. It is also suitable for those baptized in different faith traditions who are interested in becoming Catholic, or, for those who were baptized Catholic, but have yet to receive the sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation.

Baptism for InfantsInfant baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. For more information, please contact Mark Donohoe in the Parish Office.

Faith Formation for ChildrenTo register your child for our Faith Formation Program, please contact Scott MacDonald in the Parish Office.

MarriageCouples who wish to prepare for marriage should contact Mark Donohoe in the Parish Office at least six months in advance.

Care of the SickTo arrange for the Sacrament of the Sick, for Holy Communion to be brought to those unable to attend the Sunday celebration, or for Viaticum for the Dying (Holy Communion for those in danger of death), please contact the Parish Office. It is always possible to anoint the sick during regularly scheduled liturgies.

Order of Christian FuneralsThe parish is prepared to celebrate the Vigil (wake) in the church. Please contact the Parish Office for more information.

Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) TeamThe CAP Team is responsible for training all parish staff and volunteers in mandated reporting laws and the Protecting God’s Children program (VIRTUS). They also provide consultation and support to anyone in the parish who has concerns about reporting child abuse and neglect. Please contact Lois Flaherty ([email protected]), Maria Roche ([email protected]), Letitia Howland ([email protected]), or Erin Young ([email protected]) if you have any questions or concerns.

The Archdiocese of Boston has in place a vigorous program to protect children from harm and to educate its ministers and faithful about the nature of abuse, with a goal of increasing knowledge, creating a safe environment for children, and recognizing and reporting potentially dangerous situations. The full text of the policy is also available in the narthex and Parish Office, as well as on our website.

For Those with Celiac DiseaseIf you have celiac disease, please let us know. We have a supply of low-gluten altar bread available for those who cannot tolerate gluten.

Hearing Assistance in ChurchThe church is equipped with an FM listening device. Small receivers are available for anyone who may have trouble hearing the sound system. Simply request a receiver from any one of our greeters before Mass.

Access for the DisabledBoth the church and Parish Pastoral Center are accessible by elevator.

ParkingThere is reduced rate parking for $11.00 at the Hynes Auditorium Garage located on Dalton Street on Sundays until 3:00 p.m. and every evening after 4:00 p.m. Please be sure to ask one of our greeters for a parking validation ticket before leaving the church. There is also reduced rate parking on Sundays only at the Prudential Center South Garage (enter at Huntington Avenue or Dalton Street); up to 4 hours: $14.00, up to 5 hours: $20.00.

Joining Our CommunityWe’re happy that you’re with us! Our community offers a warm, spiritu-al home for a diverse group of Catholics. We come from many neighbor-hoods in and around Boston but also have parishioners from as far afield as Marlborough, Newburyport, and Stow. Please introduce yourself to a staff member, drop in for coffee on Sunday, or fill out a new parishioner form in the narthex.. No matter what your background, please know that you are always welcome at Saint Cecilia.

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