Returning from the Holy Land

I returned last night from my pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  It will take some time to absorb it all.  Surprisingly, it is not the individual shrines I remember as much as the landscape. Maybe it is because the shrines were built centuries after the life of Jesus on earth, maybe it is because contemporary archeology gives us vague answers like, “This may have been the site, or, if not, somewhere in this vicinity;” the shrines themselves didn’t move me as much as the land.  I was particularly moved in the Judean Desert, where St. John the Baptist preached and where Jesus was tempted, where He was baptized, where He went for solitude.  It is not a sandy desert.  It’s hardpan soil with mounds of rocks. It is a harsh and brooding place, with an endless horizon, unmerciful sun, and no shade. Also, I was deeply moved sailing on the Sea of Galilee in a replica of the type of boat the fishermen of the first century used. We got to the middle of the lake (it’s not that big – maybe the size of the Wachusett Reservoir), and the sailors cut the engines and with the silence of the sea broken only by the lapping of the waves against the boat and the gentle rippling effect of the wind in the sails, we prayed.

 

It’s good to be home and it was very good indeed to be blessed by this pilgrimage.  I’m sure I will be referring to it one way or another for years to come in my homilies.

 

Father Bob

Meeting of all Priests in Fitchburg

We had a very successful and positive meeting of all of the priests in Fitchburg on Wednesday, July 28. We consolidated our Mass schedule which is at the end of this blog. We developed a schedule for hospital and nursing home coverage.  We have discussed working to consolidate Confirmation preparation as a potential first step in consolidating religious education in the four parishes.  We would like to inaugurate a Fitchburg All Parish Council, which would consist of four lay representatives and one priest from each of the parishes in the city to communicate more effectively and to develop multi-parish evangelization efforts. It was a very busy meeting.

On Thursday, August 5, the Parish Finance Committee met to develop a proposed budget for FY10-11, which begins for us on September 1.  When you realize that our operating budget is a quarter of a million dollars, not including the much larger school budget, you realize that the days of the pastor keeping petty cash and receipts in a cigar box have passed! How grateful we are to have financial professionals to guide and direct our budget in a prudent manner, so that we have the resources necessary to minister effectively to our parish community and to the entire City of Fitchburg.

Mass Schedule in Fitchburg (by time)

Saturday Vigil:

            4:00 PM            St. Anthony, St. Francis, St. Joseph

            4:15 PM            St. Camillus

            6:00 PM            St. Anthony

Sunday:

            7:00 AM            St. Joseph

            8:00 AM            St. Anthony, St. Camillus

            9:00 AM            St. Francis, St. Joseph

            10:00 AM          St. Camillus

            10:30 AM          St. Anthony

            11:00 AM          St. Francis (Spanish), St. Joseph

            11:15 AM          Fitchburg State College (during the academic year)

            12:30 PM          St. Joseph (Extraordinary Form/Latin)

            5:00 PM            St. Joseph

            6:00 PM            St. Camillus

Mass Schedule (by place)

St. Anthony:      Saturday 4 & 6 PM; Sunday 8 & 10:30 AM

St. Bernard @ St. Camillus:        Saturday 4:15 PM; Sunday 8 & 10 AM, 6 PM

Fitchburg State College:             Sunday 11:15 AM (during academic year)

St. Francis:       Saturday 4 PM; Sunday 9 & 11 AM (Spanish)

St. Joseph:        Saturday 4 PM; Sunday 7, 9 & 11 AM, 12:30 PM (Latin), 5 PM

Weekday Mass Schedule (by day)

Monday:

7:00 AM            St. Anthony, St. Camillus

8:00 AM            St. Camillus, St. Francis, St. Joseph

12:30 PM          Fitchburg State College

Tuesday:

7:00 AM            St. Camillus

8:00 AM            St. Camillus, St. Francis, St. Joseph

12:30 PM          Fitchburg State College

6:00 PM            St. Francis (Spanish)

Wednesday:

7:00 AM            St. Camillus

8:00 AM            St. Camillus, St. Francis, St. Joseph

12:30 PM          Fitchburg State College

5:30 PM            St. Anthony

Thursday:

7:00 AM            St. Anthony, St. Camillus

8:00 AM            St. Camillus, St. Francis, St. Joseph

Friday:

7:00 AM            St. Anthony, St. Camillus

8:00 AM            St. Camillus, St. Joseph

6:00 PM            St. Francis

Saturday:

8:00 AM            St. Camillus, St. Joseph

THE LAZY BLOGGER RETURNS!

Yes, it’s been a few months since my last posting, but it has been an eventful few months. We have seen, on July 1, the closing of four church buildings, filled with artistic and historical significance, and more importantly, the profound and deepest spiritual treasures of so many faithful Catholics of greater Fitchburg. Now comes the daunting task of developing a new model of parish life in Fitchburg.  The plan of the reconfiguration of parishes in Fitchburg does not end with the merging of eight parishes into four. That is just the beginning.

If we cannot make the transition to a broader understanding of church with a more cooperative and “team” oriented sense of ministry then the painful sacrifices that have been made will have been made in vain.

To further this work, the priests of the City of Fitchburg will be meeting on Wednesday, July 28 to discuss a full agenda of items to begin planning in a variety of areas: hospital and nursing home coverage, Mass schedules, religious education, programs for Lent and other times of the year, and other topics.  It is my hope that soon we will have lay faithful from all of the parishes involved in an ongoing manner in all of these discussions.  I’ll keep you posted (I promise!) on what happened at this meeting.

Other notable scheduled events:

Annual Parish Finance Committee budget meeting for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 at the rectory on Thursday, August 5 at 6:30. Now is the time to make known any concerns you may have for items which need more or less funding.

Madonna della Cava celebration Sunday, August 15 at the 10:30 Mass and after. All are welcome to be a part of this devotion to the Blessed Mother on the Feast of her Assumption. 

Confirmation Celebrated on April 19th

Monday, April 19 was Confirmation Day for young men and women of the parish. Our bishop, Bishop Robert J. McManus, confirmed candidates from St. Anthony Parish as well as candidates from Immaculate Conception, St. Francis, St. Joseph and Madonna of the Holy Rosary Parishes.  It was a joy-filled and beautiful liturgy, celebrating both the individual candidates who have chosen to take this step forward in their faith, but also the increased unity among the parishes of Fitchburg.  We are One Church.  We are One Body of Christ. We are called to give a unified witness to Jesus Christ and to His Church to our city and beyond.

As you know, St. Bernard and St. Camillus DeLellis Parishes will merge into one, new St. Bernard’s Parish, worshipping on Mechanic Street.  Immaculate Conception, Madonna of the Holy Rosary and Sacred Heart of Jesus Parishes are in the process of determining with whom they wish to merge. Soon after that the Bishop will be announcing pastors for the four new parishes. It is an exciting time for all of us.

With the excitement comes anxiety and also a well-founded sorrow over what has been lost.  One cannot drive through the streets of Fitchburg and look upon these magnificent edifices built for the glory of God without sadness thinking some of these church buildings will be closed. Some will be put to other uses, some may be torn down. We do not know what the future holds.

Like the Confirmation candidates who walked forward confidently to the Bishop to be confirmed, we, too, can be filled with confidence and hope. We don’t need to know everything that the future holds. We only need to trust in God and walk together.

Easter, Resurrection and New Birth

Another rainy day today (Monday), and the branches on the trees are pretty bare, but Easter is upon us and spring is in the air. All of this annoying rain is softening the soil and getting us ready for a burst of green – on our lawns, on our trees, in our gardens. We don’t see it yet, but we know it’s coming.

This has been a traumatic year for the entire Catholic community in Fitchburg. Changes, long anticipated, have finally been announced. For many, this will be the last Holy Week celebrated in a beloved church building. It is impossible not to grieve over such a loss. All of us have to acknowledge the pain our brothers and sisters are experiencing. Now is the time to be supportive and understanding.

The closing of a building does not mean the end of a church any more than moving from one house to another means the end of the family.

The sorrow of Good Friday is not the end of the story. With the early disciples, we have to push on to Easter. Our journey of faith does not end with the limp and lifeless body of Jesus suspended from the cross. Our journey takes us to the empty tomb and beyond. It takes time and patience, the willingness to listen and the willingness to change. It will probably be a year or so before everything is sorted out, but the longest journey begins with a single step.

This Easter, as we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord, let us recommit ourselves to be partners with one another, believers of the promise and doers of the Word of New Birth and New Life.

Fr. Bob Bruso

Centennial Plaque Dedicated

On Sunday September 27, 2009, St. Anthony of Padua in Fitchburg dedicated a Centennial Plaque to donors on the Centennial Capital campaign. Fr. Robert Bruso, assisted by Deacon Sal Tantillo, said a blessing to the crowd of parishioners. The names on the plaque represent donors that contributed to a capital campaign in honor of the 100 year anniversary of the church. The campaign raised over $200,000. Following the ceremony a reception was held in the church hall.
More photos on the website

Pastoral Planning for Fitchburg Continues

Representatives of all eight parishes in Fitchburg met again on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at St. Bernard’s CC High School to discuss our individual plans to reconfigure and consolidate parishes in Fitchburg. The goal is to take all of the eight plans and find one plan that everyone can agree on. It seems easier said than done, but we have made a great deal of progress and there is a high level of agreement.

Indeed, there is almost unanimous agreement on six of the eight parishes. For two of the parishes, there has yet to be a consensus. Our task for this month is to reflect on all of the plans presented and see how we can come to agreement on all eight parishes.

Our next meeting is Wednesday, October 21 at 7:00 PM.

Keep this important work for the future of the Church in Fitchburg in your daily prayers.

Thanks, Fr. Bob

PARISH HISTORY/PHOTO BOOK HAS ARRIVED!

The Centennial Parish History/Photo Book arrived several days earlier than anticipated! All parishioners who had their picture taken or submitted one to us can pick up their copy of the book at the office this week, August 31st – September 4th during the regular work days of Monday – Friday (NO TUESDAY) from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM as well as after all Masses next weekend, September 5th & 6th in the church hall. Those of you that ordered a book or additional copies may also pick yours up at these times. We need to make sure that everyone receives their books so please help us by only coming at the specified times. Your names have to be checked off a master list of all those who should receive a copy of the book and this can only be done at the times noted above. We will add more distribution dates if needed and keep you informed.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

St. Anthony Parish to be a recipient in the United Way 14th Annual Day of Caring Event

For the first time, St. Anthony Parish will be the recipient of community volunteers during the United Way 14^th Annual Day of Caring Event which takes place on Thursday, September 10^th from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. We have two projects listed under the descriptions of: Brush Clean-Up on Sloping Land & General Indoor Fall Clean Up.

Do you have four hours to help us OR the more than thirty non-profit organizations that need your help? Please click Community Builders to be directed to the United Way website which contains full listings and descriptions of all help needed for their Annual Day of Caring (listed under the EVENT box) or the many ongoing volunteer opportunities listed under the CALENDAR box. You will notice many familiar names of organizations that are in need of help. Any questions you many have are answered on this site as well as sign-up information and contact information for the United Way if clarification is needed. You must sign-up through this site only. The Day of Caring is a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community for those of you that can’t make an ongoing commitment. Most businesses allow one day off for community service. Check with your company and consider joining with the thousands of volunteers around the country as they try to make a difference one day at a time.

Second year of Madonna Della Cava feast a success

The St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Fitchburg celebrated the Feast of the Madonna Della Cava on Sunday, August 16, 2009. This annual event, traditionally celebrated by Sicilians living in Fitchburg and Boston's North End, includes a procession through the streets with a banner featuring the embroidered image of the Virgin Mary. Led by two boys dressed as angels, the banner is processed to the church where parishioners pin money on the streamers in honor of the Madonna Della Cava. In Fitchburg, the processions of the banner stopped in the mid-1970's. In 2008, a faithful group of St. Anthony parishioners restored the original banner and revived the procession with a full marching band. In its second year, the procession was followed by a Mass and a lunch served in the church hall. Additional photos on the website.

2nd Annual Cookout draws 140 parishioners

The Second Annual Parish Cookout was held Saturday July 25th at the church hall and grounds. Over 140 attended the event held by the hospitality committee. The event followed the 4pm Mass and was free to all. Many parishioners contributed by bringing side dishes and deserts. The hospitality committee works hard to create an atmosphere of community and inclusion for all of the parish, and this event was another example of their good work. See photos of the event on the church web site http://www.stanthonyfitchburg.net/Photos/PhotoMain.cfm .

Pastoral Planning Update

The Pastoral Planning Group for the Fitchburg parishes met on Wednesday, July 15, at St. Bernard’s Central Catholic High School library. Five priests as well as two lay representatives from each parish met with members of the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Committee.

We continued to discuss what our goals are for the Church in the entire City of Fitchburg, not just each parish. Although at times it might have seemed tedious, at the end of the second meeting we began to see the direction we were heading in and how well thought out the process has been.

Over the past six months or so, several proposals have been submitted with suggestions for the reconfiguration of the parishes. Of course, every parish’s plan includes themselves as a future parish center. How to get beyond our natural instinct of self-preservation?

Our assignment for this month is for each parish’s Focus Group to meet and develop a plan for Fitchburg as if our own parish never existed! In other words, we focus on everyone else’s good points, and let others look for ours. This removes the Focus Group’s concern for our own parishes and focus on the larger picture.

Our Focus Group will meet on Wednesday, August 5, at 7:00 PM in the Church Hall. That gives us two weeks to think about plans before the meeting and another two weeks to refine our plan until the next citywide meeting, which is August 19.

Our Focus Group members are: Jim Adams, Linda Allaire, Kevin & Kristine Caravella, John & Kathy Cullinan, Ellen DePatie, Debbie & Tony Mercadante, Cyndi & Pete Merrill, Rosalyn Piro and John & Vicky Zarrella, with Father Bob and Deacon Sal.

Summer Cookout Scheduled for Saturday July 25th!

Our 2nd Annual SUMMER CELEBRATION COOKOUT, hosted by the Hospitality Committee will be held on Saturday July 25th from 5 - 7 pm in the Church Hall and grounds. The last day to sign up is Tuesday July 20th by signing up in the back of the church or calling Amy Walsh at 978-502-5540. If you are bringing a dish and/or utensil you would like back please write your name on it. All items you are contributing to the event should be dropped off between 3 and 4 pm on Saturday July 25th. We had a lot of fun last year and hope you will join us for this year's event. If you are signed up and have to cancel for any reason, please let Amy know.

Praying for sun, but either way we will make our own fun!

Parade float wins Mayor's Award!

The St. Anthony School float "Discover St. Anthony's" was awarded the Mayor's Award yesterday at the Civic Day's Parade. A well represented group of students accompanied the float as it cruised through the parade route. The float based on Columbus discovering America was adorned with Italian flags as well as the traditional American flags. Students tossed candy and fired the onboard water cannons to the delight of the crowd that gathered. See the photo section for the website http://www.stanthonyfitchburg.net/Photos/PhotoMain.cfm for more pictures of the day.

School float will participate in Civic Days Parade

The 50th Annual Civic Days Parade will again have an entry from St.
Anthony School. This will be the 5th year the school has shown its
community spirit. This years entry is titled "Discover St. Anthony's"
and is a nautical theme reminiscent of Christopher Columbus
discovering the new world. Many school families have been working and
planning for months to create this years float. Be sure to head down
to the parade to check it out!

First St. Anthony Golf Outing huge success

Over 80 Church parishioners, school families and friends participated in the First "Annual" St. Anthony Golf Outing. The event yesterday held at Townsend Ridge Country Club went off without a hitch. The rain even took a day off to provide a great day of golf. As part of the outing several golf foursomes won prizes for there skills, while many others won great prizes from the raffle that took place. The lunch provided at the event received rave reviews from the participants. Based on the excellent turnout and positive response, the committee is considering making this an annual event.

Volunteers needed for Habitat for Humanity

Below is a message from the website for Habitat for Humanity

http://www.ncmhabitat.org/index.asp

Summer is Here - Volunteer!

Our volunteer construction schedule is full of opportunities to pitch in.

You can sign up to help us complete our Habitat for Humanity house on Pine Street in Gardner alongside our newest family, the Arndts. We have Gardner volunteer work days posted for Tuesdays & Saturdays.

Or you can help us make a home handicapped accessible inside and out alongside a family in need in Westminster. We have Westminster volunteer work days posted for Thursdays & Saturdays.

PASTORAL PLANNING PROCESS

Two lay representatives and one priest from each of the eight Catholic parishes in Fitchburg met on Wednesday, June 17 to begin the process of making recommendations for the future of the Catholic Church in Fitchburg.

The meeting was facilitated by Liz Marcil, Director of the Diocesan Office for Religious Education and chair of the Pastoral Planning Committee, assisted by Msgr. Michael Foley of St. Luke's Parish in Westboro, Ray Delisle, Director of the Communications Office for the Diocese, and Jim Frazier of the Pastoral Planning Committee.

The two hour session was a "gap exercise," establishing what is the "gap" between what the Catholic presence in Fitchburg is today and what it will be in the future.

Currently, there are 8 parishes, 2 elementary schools, 2 pre-schools, 2 cemeteries, 1 high school, 1 day care center and 1 Newman Apostolate (at Fitchburg State College).

In the future, there will be (approximately) 4 parishes. How can we maintain and enhance our ministries with fewer parishes? That is the "gap" we are dealing with.

We will meet again on July 15 to continue our discussions. Your input is always appreciated. Contact either of our parish representatives (Rosalyn Piro and John Zarrella) or Father Bob.

Partners in Charity EXCEEDED Goal!!

Our goal was $36,000 and as of June 19th we have collected $41,834. That is 116% of our target goal!

Thank you does not seem appropriate to express to all parishioners who contributed just how grateful and blessed our parish is. Your generosity will continue to help the many worthy causes this annual campaign supports each year. May God bless you abundantly in all you do.

See the full listing
http://www.partners-charity.net/allparishreport.htm

St. Anthony School Festa UPDATE

Through the combined efforts of so many parents, parishioners and supporters of St. Anthony School, our Festa was a huge success! The school realized a profit of $16,004, that’s $2,000 more than last year. Thank you to all!