PONDERING
Last week’s
Visitor (I know it is now called the Rhode Island Catholic, but I also know
that everyone I know now says, “I saw in the Visitor or whatever they want us
to call it now.”) had two items that caught my attention. One was a letter to the
editor written by Tony Lopresti, a member of our parish, concerning the need
for a more nuanced understanding of conjugal love. The letter was a well
written and I congratulate Tony for taking the time to invite the readership to
consider a different point of view.
The other item
was the editorial, “Attn: Joe Biden! Some crimes are unspeakable.” I realize we
are in an election year and I know that where one stands on the matter of
abortion is an important issue. I just wish that when the issue is discussed it
could be discussed in a way that sheds light more than heat. Although
editorials in our diocesan newspaper are unsigned I nevertheless sent an email
to the person I think wrote it. I recommended to him that he reread a speech
that Mario Cuomo had given at Notre Dame a few years back. I had vague
recollections of that speech stored deep in the recesses of my memory. I
decided that I would like to refresh my memory of that speech, so I googled
“Mario Cuomo at Notre Dame” and there it was. The first thing I realized was
that 1984 was not a few years ago.
I then sat down
and read his speech, “Religious Belief and Public Morality.” It is excellent.
He wrestles with all the right issues. Mr. Cuomo was respectful of the teaching
authority of his Church. He walks carefully through the minefield that is
created when the morality of one faith tries to be heard in a democracy of a
pluralistic culture. “But it is possible that this one effort will provoke
other efforts – both in support and contradiction of my position – that will
help all of us to understand our differences and perhaps even discover some
basic agreement. In the end, I am absolutely convinced that we will all benefit
if suspicion is replaced by discussion, innuendo by dialogue, if the emphasis in
our debate turns from a search for talismanic criteria
and neat but simplistic answers to an honest, more intelligent attempt at
describing the role that religion has in our public affairs, and the limits
placed on that role.”
I would recommend to all who are searching for guidance as Election Day approaches, that you read “Faithful Citizenship” by the American Bishops and the Mario Cuomo speech.
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday, October 4
5:00 p.m. Julia Dalton
Anna McKee
Bertha McKee
Sunday, October 5
8:00 a.m. Catherine Bray
Monsignor Edmund Brock
William B. McCarthy
9:15 a.m. Gerard DiSchino
Jerry
Whitney
Elaine
Whitney
Monday, October 6
12:00 p.m. Adela Medrano
Wednesday, October
8
12:00 p.m. John and Julia Fressie
Sunday, October 12
9:15 a.m. Helen Pilkington Tarbell
Liz
Pilkington Nayman
11:35 a.m. Frederick James
Randall
James
Emily Doran
BANNS OF MARRIAGE
Karen
Saenko and Benjamino Texeira
SACRAMENT
OF BAPTISM
The sacrament of
Baptism will be celebrated during the 9:15
a.m. liturgy on Sunday, October 12. One new member will be
welcomed into our community of faith. We joyfully announce this child and her
parents:
Rachel
Fitzgerald Mara,
daughter
of Andrew and Stephanie Mara
STEPHEN MINISTRY MESSAGE
Is
there a family member, neighbor, co-worker with whom you are not speaking? Do
you remember why? If you do not remember why, or even if you do, would you like
to make peace with that person but don’t know how? Anger and resentment grow in
the dark of our inner minds. The opportunity to talk about it can bring new
light and understanding. Once the underlying cause(s) is/are brought to light,
a plan to deal with it/them can be mapped out and tried. A Stephen Minister
will be glad to help you sort out the situation and work with you to find a
solution that can work for you. Call Carol
Hartley at 783-4036 (email carolhartley@cox.net), Larry Bartley at 965-7276 (email LJBJR@cox.net),
or call the rectory.
RELIGIOUS FORMATION
Classes
today, October 5 as scheduled for grades PRE-K to 8.
NO
classes NEXT week, October 12 for Columbus Day holiday.
INFORMATIONAL MEETING TODAY,
October 5th, 10:40 to 11:15 a.m. in Swan Hall Room 215.
Grade
1 parents or any parents new to CTK Religious Formation are invited to attend a
program overview, which will include information about Sacramental programs,
class formats and more.
GROWING IN FAITH
Did
you notice the banner hanging in the Parish Hall? Each leaf has the name and
photo of a child preparing to receive First Communion this year. This weekend they
celebrate the joy of belonging to our family of faith. Along with their
parents, they make a commitment to do their best to prepare to receive Jesus.
Please keep these children and their families in your prayers.
SAFE ENVIRONMENT
TRAINING
Safe
Environment Training is Wednesday, October 15 at 7 p.m. in the Hall for all new RF teachers, aides, crossing guards
and hall monitors and those who need to renew their certification
(recertification is required every 3 years). If you are required to attend you
should have received a letter. If you have any questions, contact the office at
783-7459.
CONFIRMATION
SCHEDULE
Class tonight, Sunday,
October 5 for:
PHASE I: Washburn
Hall 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
PHASE II: the Parish Hall 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
CONGRATULATIONS
On
October 1, Bishop
Tobin and the Diocesan Office of Religious Education honored Mimi Keefe as “an
exemplary catechist from our parish who demonstrates a living faith,
dedication, and commitment to the ministry of catechesis.” If you see her, be
sure to congratulate her and thank her for her stewardship!
EUCHARISTIC
MINISTERS AND LECTORS
Please return your application forms as soon as possible to
me. We need to prepare the new ministry schedule.
Nancy Drennan
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Please join us
for our next workshop on Thursday, October 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the parish hall. For the past 7 years, Christ the King
parishioners have donated 1517 hand sewn blankets to the
Emergency Room at
SILENT WITNESS
Surely you have
wondered about the meaning of the large, red, wooden figurines on the Church
property last weekend. These are the mute representations of nine local victims
of domestic violence whose stories will be given a voice as part of the Social
Action Committee’s Silent Witness program.
The
We should all
know that violence breeds violence: 81% of men who batter people had fathers
who abused their mothers; children who grow up in violent homes have a 74%
higher likelihood of committing criminal assaults.
Please
come to the Silent Witness program at Christ the King on Friday, October 17 at 7 p.m. The vigil will last about a
half-hour followed by the distribution of informational handouts and
refreshments. Please note that this program may be inappropriate for young
children.
Social Action
Committee
VIEW FROM THE PEW
One Sunday morning, 11:35 rolled around and the entrance
song began. Then we gave Glory to God in
the Highest, and the first reading began.
Somewhere in there, Father Joe noticed the candles at the altar weren’t
lit. Sometime or other, someone had
forgotten to light the candles. He got
up and lit the candles and so the Mass continued. I though “I’m glad I’m not the only one who
forgets things.”
But later my own pondering went another step further. We asked, “May the Lord accept the
sacrifice…the work that human hands have made…” God takes our flawed and flakey
attempts to offer good, fraught as they are with imperfections, and transfigures
them into perfection Himself. The Mass
didn’t go off without a hitch, but still it was exactly what we needed.
You have no idea how much this gives me hope! My poor wife has to deal with my constantly
forgetting things. I do try to get done
what I should, and sometimes fail. It’s
a pretty common human problem. What I
(and my wife) have to hope is that God takes our best attempts to do well and
uses them to reveal Himself to us. (Of
course, we do have to actually try our best, and not just let things go,
through inattention.) I do feel closer
to others who have made a valiant though flawed attempt to help out – we have a
lot in common!
Now I hope that God takes my own attempt to organize my
thoughts about this experience and help others make sense of it. And I trust that together, as the Body of
Christ, we’ll all be finding our clumsy way toward God – the only true
Perfection there is.
David Cormier
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
The Knights of
Columbus will have a breakfast on Sunday,
October 12 from 7:45
– 10:45 a.m. at the Council
Hall,
WORLD WIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
Keep on
doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God
of peace will be with you.” What has God said to you about enriching your
marriage? The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends in New
England are October 17 – 19, November 7 – 9 and December
5 – 7.
For more information call Ralph and Jane Becker at 1-800-710-WWME or visit our webpage at www.wwmeMA.org.
CALENDAR
FOR OCTOBER 5 – 13
Sunday, October 5
10:30 a.m. Grade 1 and New Parent Meeting/
Swan Hall – Room 215
5:30 p.m. PH I/Washburn
5:30 p.m. PH II/Hall
Monday, October 6
6:00 p.m. RCIC/Library
7:00 p.m. Religious
Formation Committee/Library
Tuesday, October 7
8:30 a.m. Staff Meeting/Library
7:30 p.m. Choir
Wednesday, October
8
7:00 p.m. RCIA/Catholic Center
7:30 p.m. Social Action/Hall
Thursday, October
9
7:00 p.m. Bible Study/Hall
Saturday, October
11
4:00 p.m. Confession
Sunday, October 12
No Religious
Formation Classes
9:15 a.m. Baptism