As Jesus was called to do all these things so too are we!  He gives us example and through our baptism we are encouraged to follow that example.  What can each of us do to become better disciples this winter?   Maybe we can connect with Jesus’ experience of prayer and action.  His deep relationship with God the Father came through his ability to put all the demands of life aside and focus on the power and energy of God running through his being. From that point of renewed strength he went back out into the world with a goal and a focus, to bring God’s love and healing into the world. 

      Thank you to all who made Deacon Bob Hoaglund’s last weekend at our parish such a memorable event.  Our receptions were wonderfully coordinated by Miriam and Pat Gowaski, Millie and Matthew Koulopoulos and Elizabeth Levesque. Key preparers were Nathalie and Gerry Dolan, Betty Montgomery, Kitty Danzillio, Ann Marie Ebert, Patty Murphy, Mary Ann Mauro and Carol Bloem. Thanks also to all who contributed wonderful baked goods, breakfast foods and hors d’oeuvres.  The beautiful wall hanging on which parishioners wrote their best wishes to Bob was created by Judy McCabe.  Thanks also to Don Whelan who graciously agreed to let us gift Bob and Pauline with the portrait of Bob which he painted a number of years ago. 
       Our church is stunningly decked out for the Christmas season due in part to your generosity to this year’s flower donation memorials and to the handiwork of our Environment and Art team.  Alan and Regina Slattery, Kathy Ireland and Marie Smith along with their assistants have given so much of their time and talent to create a warm and festive environment for worship.  Alan once again created the beautiful vestments and altar cloth for the season.  Thanks to you all for magnificent work!

Grand Annual Collection

       Our Grand Annual Collection continues until the end of January.  As this is our most important fund raiser of the year I ask that you prayerfully consider a donation as your contribution to the stewardship of our parish.  Our goal of sixty thousand dollars is a challenging one. Your generosity is key in keeping St. Matthias a healthy and vibrant sign of Christ’s presence in our community. 

      Our Grand Annual Collection continues until the end of January.  As this is our most important fund raiser of the year I ask that you prayerfully consider a donation as your contribution to the stewardship of our parish.  Our goal of sixty thousand dollars is a challenging one. Your generosity is key in keeping St. Matthias a healthy and vibrant sign of Christ’s presence in our community.

Christmas Wars?

       There’s much talk this year about the “war for Christmas” which the media tells us is raging out there.  Christmas Trees have become “holiday trees” and “Happy Holidays” is the politically correct way of wishing friends what once was a “Merry Christmas”. 
       Many argue that the reason for the season, the child in the manger, is getting overlooked and even shut out of the Christmas festivals.  Others contend that limiting the winter holiday to a Christian celebration is ignoring the millions of people who celebrate winter with festivals such as Hanukkah, Kwanza and other winter rituals.  No matter what side of the fence you come down on, one thing is clear:  in the middle of winter, in this hemisphere, when the dark and the cold have us in a bear hug, we need light and warmth and hope.
       For Christians this comes to us in the form of a newborn baby. He is the miracle of God dancing through the heavens, wearing our skin, sleeping in a cradle, dying on a cross and rising to new life.  This is our Christmas story.  It isn’t lived out through shopping mall sales, bigger and better gifts, perfect dinner settings and decorations that would make Martha Stewart envious.  It is lived out in the way we live out our lives.  It’s called the paschal mystery and it’s the heart of what Christmas is all about. 
       The greatest gift we will ever receive is the gift of God’s love for us. This gift was given in the form of a son, Jesus Christ.  He took on our humanity so that we could take on his divinity.  United with him we embrace the joys and sorrows of life together.

       So, call this time of year whatever you like, and I suggest you don’t get in a big huff about what is politically or religiously “correct”.  What really matters is that we bear within us the true meaning of Christmas, namely, that God became one of us out of love and that we will be like God and live with God forever in our heavenly home because the child in the manger became the savior on the cross.

      There’s much talk this year about the “war for Christmas” which the media tells us is raging out there.  Christmas Trees have become “holiday trees” and “Happy Holidays” is the politically correct way of wishing friends what once was a “Merry Christmas”.         Many argue that the reason for the season, the child in the manger, is getting overlooked and even shut out of the Christmas festivals.  Others contend that limiting the winter holiday to a Christian celebration is ignoring the millions of people who celebrate winter with festivals such as Hanukkah, Kwanza and other winter rituals.  No matter what side of the fence you come down on, one thing is clear:  in the middle of winter, in this hemisphere, when the dark and the cold have us in a bear hug, we light and warmth and hope.        For Christians this comes to us in the form of a newborn baby. He is the miracle of God dancing through the heavens, wearing our skin, sleeping in a cradle, dying on a cross and rising to new life.  This is our Christmas story.  It isn’t lived out through shopping mall sales, bigger and better gifts, perfect dinner settings and decorations that would make Martha Stewart envious.  It is lived out in the way live out our lives.  It’s called the paschal mystery and it’s the heart of what Christmas is all about.         The greatest gift we will ever receive is the gift of God’s love for us. This gift was given in the form of a son, Jesus Christ.  He took on our humanity so that we could take on his divinity.  United with him we embrace the joys and sorrows of life together.       So, call this time of year whatever you like, and I suggest you don’t get in a big huff about what is politically or religiously “correct”.  What matters is that we bear within us the true meaning of Christmas, namely, that God became one of us out of love and that we will be like God and live with God forever in our heavenly home because the child in the manger became the savior on the cross.

In restoring the Order of Permanent Deacon to the church, the Vatican II documents state that: “Dedicated to the works of charity and functions of administration, deacons should recall the admonition of St. Polycarp: ‘Let them be merciful and zealous, and let them walk according to the truth of the Lord who became servant of all.’ (Lumen Gentium, #29)”
In twenty two years of ministry as deacon at St. Matthias Parish, Bob Hoaglund has faithfully served out this call of Vatican II.  His ministry has been immersed in the three most important aspects of diaconal ministry: charity, word and sacrament.
As minister of charity Bob has been an advocate for the poor, counseled untold numbers of people searching for a deeper relationship to God and the church in their lives, comforted the sick, prayed with the dying and walked with those in grief.
As minister of the Word he has proclaimed the gospel and preached the good news in season and out.  As deacon his life has reflected the compassion of Christ for all people.  As a member of the Marlborough Interfaith association he has shared the Word and Catholic tradition with colleagues in ministry from many denominations.
Bob’s sacramental ministry has led him from the table of the Eucharist to the tables of God’s people throughout the parish.  Bob has welcomed many babies into the Catholic Christian family through baptism.  He has nurtured the faith of the young members of the parish through sacramental programs and Generations of Faith Sessions.  He has walked engaged couples through the process of marriage preparation, helped married couples come to a deeper understanding of their sacramental covenant and supported those whose marriages ended in widowhood, divorce and annulment. 
A married deacon’s ministry is always enriched by the presence of his spouse as they work together in ministry.  Pauline has shared her gifts and talents throughout the years and brought her joy for ministry to our parish.  The enthusiasm, energy and love for the church that she exudes has enriched our parish in so many ways.
As Bob stated in his letter to the parish earlier in Advent, a deacon usually is assigned to a parish for 10 years or so and then moves onto another assignment.  Because of the needs of the parish at the time, Bob chose to remain at St. Matthias and expanded his role to include administrative and increased pastoral work.  Bob was instrumental in keeping St. Matthias Parish a vital place of worship and support for all parishioners.  It has been a great gift to us that Bob chose to minister in our parish for these twenty two years.
And now, as Bob and Pauline come to end one chapter in their lives and begin a new one, we must say goodbye and thank them for all they have been and done for St. Matthias Parish.  We are all richer for your presence among us.  We will keep you in our hearts and prayers as we ask you to always keep the people of St. Matthias in yours.  May God bless you both with all good gifts and set the Word in your hearts, filling you with lasting joy.

In restoring the Order of Permanent Deacon to the church, the Vatican II documents state that: “Dedicated to the works of charity and functions of administration, deacons should recall the admonition of St. Polycarp: ‘Let them be merciful and zealous, and let them walk according to the truth of the Lord who became servant of all.’ (Lumen Gentium, #29)” In twenty two years of ministry as deacon at St. Matthias Parish, Bob Hoaglund has faithfully served out this call of Vatican II.  His ministry has been immersed in the three most important aspects of diaconal ministry: charity, word and sacrament.As minister of charity Bob has been an advocate for the poor, counseled untold numbers of people searching for a deeper relationship to God and the church in their lives, comforted the sick, prayed with the dying and walked with those in grief.As minister of the Word he has proclaimed the gospel and preached the good news in season and out.  As deacon his life has reflected the compassion of Christ for all people.  As a member of the Marlborough Interfaith association he has shared the Word and Catholic tradition with colleagues in ministry from many denominations.Bob’s sacramental ministry has led him from the table of the Eucharist to the tables of God’s people throughout the parish.  Bob has welcomed many babies into the Catholic Christian family through baptism.  He has nurtured the faith of the young members of the parish through sacramental programs and Generations of Faith Sessions.  He has walked engaged couples through the process of marriage preparation, helped married couples come to a deeper understanding of their sacramental covenant and supported those whose marriages ended in widowhood, divorce and annulment.  A married deacon’s ministry is always enriched by the presence of his spouse as they work together in ministry.  Pauline has shared her gifts and talents throughout the years and brought her joy for ministry to our parish.  The enthusiasm, energy and love for the church that she exudes has enriched our parish in so many ways.As Bob stated in his letter to the parish earlier in Advent, a deacon usually is assigned to a parish for 10 years or so and then moves onto another assignment.  Because of the needs of the parish at the time, Bob chose to remain at St. Matthias and expanded his role to include administrative and increased pastoral work.  Bob was instrumental in keeping St. Matthias Parish a vital place of worship and support for all parishioners.  It has been a great gift to us that Bob chose to minister in our parish for these twenty two years.And now, as Bob and Pauline come to end one chapter in their lives and begin a new one, we must say goodbye and thank them for all they have been and done for St. Matthias Parish.  We are all richer for your presence among us.  We will keep you in our hearts and prayers as we ask you to always keep the people of St. Matthias in yours.  May God bless you both with all good gifts and set the Word in your hearts, filling you with lasting joy.

Our Christmas Crafts Bazaar was a stunning success this year.  Folks were lined up out the door waiting for the 9 AM start of the Bazaar which saw a steady stream of people all day long.  Our St. Matthias crafts, baking and greens tables were definite hits with the shoppers.   When all is totaled this will be the best year in the over 20 year history of the Bazaar!  I speak for the entire parish in thanking Peggy Dowling for coordinating such a spectacular event.  Thanks also to all the people who worked so hard on the many committees. Without you our Bazaar would never have been such a success for our community.

Please join us next Saturday and Sunday at all the masses as we express our thanks, love and best wishes to Bob and Pauline Hoaglund as they bring to a close 22 years of exceptional ministry at St. Matthias Parish.  Bob will preach at all the masses and be guest of honor along with Pauline at a reception to follow each mass.

Our Grand Annual Collection is in high gear.  Thanks to all who have contributed so far.  This is our major fundraising event and this year all proceeds will go to the daily operations of the parish.  If you did not receive a mailing and would like to contribute you will find envelopes at al the doors of the church today.  It is only with your generosity that our parish will continue to be a vibrant place of faith and service.

      A word of thanks to all who coordinated and supported this year’s Christmas Crafts Bazaar. The spirit of our community is reflected in the spirit of so many parishioners getting together to share time, treasure and talent all in support of the ministries of our parish community.

      There has been much talk in recent weeks over the newly released Instruction from Rome concerning the admitting of homosexuals into seminaries and the priesthood. The Instruction is written for bishops and seminary leaders to aid them. It sets out a framework from within which a bishop or seminary rector will make decisions concerning a candidate’s readiness for ordained ministry. While its intentions may be to insure healthy and integrated candidates for the priesthood, what the document seems to be saying however is that men of homosexual orientation are less worthy than heterosexuals to be priests. What is also striking about the document is that it fails to take into account any of the findings of a century of research and study on the causes of homosexuality. Although this document is only addressing a small fraction of the population – those seeking ordination – the attitudes expressed within the document are bound to perplex, hurt, and alienate many Catholics of homosexual orientation who strive to be good disciples. 

      On a much more pastoral and compassionate note, Bishop Sean O’Malley has recently released a statement that at its heart seems to have the 1997 statement from the American Bishops “Always Our Children” as its guide. O’Malley’s statement calls all Catholics to “strive to eradicate prejudices against people with a homosexual orientation.” The American Bishops’ statement is directed at parents and pastoral ministers who walk with those who are coming to understand their homosexual orientation. It is a document that calls us to lift each person up as holy, loving and worthy. It also takes into consideration all the research on homosexuality that the Vatican Instruction ignores. It is well worth the reading. You can find it on the internet at: http://www.usao.edu/~facshaferi/catholic/always.htm. Next weekend’s bulletin will include a copy of Archbishop O’Malley’s letter as well as a reflection upon how we can embrace, with the love of Christ, our homosexual brothers and sisters who, along with each one of us, are striving to find their place in the world as children of a gracious God.

      It is with much gratitude and much sadness that we will be saying goodbye to Deacon Bob Hoaglund this month as he retires from ministry at St. Matthias Parish. Please make sure to read his beautiful and heartfelt letter in today’s bulletin. 

      After 22 years of unparalleled service to our parish community Bob will be taking some sabbatical time to spend with his family and then move on to another diaconal assignment. We will have a chance to thank Bob and say goodbye to him on the weekend of 17, 18 December when Bob will preach at all the masses and be guest of honor at a reception after each mass. I know I speak for each and every parishioner when I say thank you to Bob and Pauline for all you have given and all you have been to St Matthias Parish. You will be missed and yet you will be ever present in the lives of those you have touched by your words, support and Christian witness.

      If you would like to have a part in planning Bob’s receptions please give a call to Steven in our parish office.

      Our Grand Annual Collection continues this week with an invitation to place your pledges and donations into the
collection basket as it is passed at mass today. If you are not on our mailing list you will find pledge cards and envelopes for your use at the doors of the church for today. The health of our parish community depends upon your continued generosity.

Last Tuesday night St. Matthias Parish held a parish wide open meeting. Over 70 parishioners participated in a wide ranging discussion led by facilitator Bernie Swain.

We gathered in the church where the meeting began in prayer.  We heard the words of St. Paul tell us that there are many gifts but one Spirit and that these gifts are given for the common good.  I then reflected upon the richness and diversity of gifts, opinions likes and dislikes that make up community life.    Our greatest asset and our greatest challenge is the common life we share.  We get our direction and sustenance from our gathering at the altar each week.  The table of Christ is a table of reconciliation and healing. We walk towards unity, not uniformity, in sharing our diversity.  We always walk in charity as well.

After we prayed, Bernie Swain took over, and with the aid of newsprint, recorded the answers to three initial questions:  what do you like about St. Matthias Parish, what do you dislike, and what do you want to know more about – what questions do you have?

Many issues surfaced rather quickly in all categories.  Some questions were informational and were answered by Pastoral Council or staff members all of whom were seated in the sanctuary facing the assembled group. 

It was during this dialogue that major issues began to surface, such as Generations of Faith, fresh bread at the Eucharist, parish finances and adoration to name a few. Bernie Swain took a show of hands to determine how many in attendance thought each issue was important enough to pursue in depth.  Once that was determined an open question and answer and dialogue ensued.

Each parish leader seated in the sanctuary had the opportunity to answer questions as they came from the floor. I am very grateful to all those in parish leadership who participated in this dialogue.  Your care, understanding and conviction for the direction of parish life was so evident and so much appreciated by all participants.

This part of the session ended with all participants invited to the parish hall for refreshments and for gathering at tables upon which was placed a piece of paper with the name of a primary issue that had surfaced during the first part of the meeting. Each participant had the opportunity to sit down at a particular table and further discuss the topic of their choosing such as: gossip  in parish life, Generations of Faith, Adoration, fresh bread, and finances to name a few.  At each table there was a member of the Parish Pastoral Council. After lively discussion, some groups decided to meet again to continue their conversation.  The deliberations of all these groups will be passed onto the parish leadership and organizations which oversee particular items. For example, the results of the conversation on fresh bread at the Eucharist will be turned over to the Liturgy Commision.  This commission made the decisions leading up to our introduction of fresh bread and they will reflect on how the results of the evening’s discussion will shape their response to those who have a problem with our using parishioner baked bread. 

After a wrap us by Bernie Swain, Deacon Bob closed the meeting by adapting the prayer before meals. We all prayed together: “Bless us O Lord and these your gifts which we are about to share….” We had come full circle.

At St. Matthias parish there are many gifts given to us and God is calling us to share them with one another.  We may not always agree on the particulars but that has been a part of church life since day one!  One of the important things Bernie Swain highlighted during the evening was that in a Eucharistic community, personal preference always takes a back seat to the life of the community centered in Chirst.  This is where patience, understanding and most of all, charity comes into play.

Our parish wide meeting was an important moment in our community’s life.  It has given us substantive feedback on many issues of importance.  In the weeks to come I will use the parish bulletin to address many of the issues discussed at the meeting.  Watch for items to be posted on the parish web site as well.

To all those who took the time to participate in the meeting, thank you so much.  Your concern for, dedication to, and love of our parish community was so evident.  To those who could not make the meeting, please speak with any of the Pastoral Council members or staff members for more information.  To those who have yet to voice their issues to parish staff or Parish Council members I encourage you to do so.  As more than one Pastoral Council member has said in recent weeks, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem!”  We can only be what Christ calls us to be, his body and blood, if we work together as a community of compassion, charity and hope.