St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet – Diocese of Fall River

Mass Intentions

Income: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time …...…………..…$4,964.48 Communication Collection ……………………..$1,630.00 Some Recent Parish Expenses: December Gas ……………….……………...…….$872.84 December Electric ………………………...…...….$171.47 Rectory Door Repair …………...…………………$150.00

Financial Report

Please remember to pray for all the sick of our parish especially for those who are homebound, in the hospital

and in nursing facilities.

Prayers Please

If you are interested in this weekly memorial, please contact the parish office. During Eucharistic Adoration please pray for the following person/s for whose intention the Sanctuary Candle burns: Pete Lapalme

Sanctuary Lamp

Monday: 5:30 to 6:30pm Saturday: 9:30 to 10:30am Saturday: 3:00 to 3:45pm

CONFESSIONS

THANK YOU – to all who covered for me while I was away on retreat. I would especially like to thank all the covering priests including Father Dave Pignato who celebrated the weekend Masses with you. It is reassuring for a pastor to know that he can be away on retreat, or ministering to his parishioners at an event such as the March for Life, and not have to worry that the liturgy or parish operations will suffer in his brief absence. 2015 REPORT OF OFFERINGS: Please call the parish office if you would like a printed report of your parish contributions for your 2015 tax filing. ADULT ED SESSION – Our next Adult Education session is presented by Steven Guillotte, parish Director of Pastoral Services. Steve will present, Evangelization: The Meaning and Methods. This instruction will occur on Sunday, January 24th at 9:15am and again on Tuesday, January 26th at 7pm. Both sessions are in the parish center. SFX SCHOOL – Do you have school-age children and are you considering providing them a Catholic Education? I encourage you to consider our parish school. We have an excellent school which is not only academically rigorous but has a beautiful Christian family atmosphere. We are proud to be a Catholic institution and I cannot say enough about the importance of a Catholic education for our children. The open house is on Sunday 31 January from Noon until 2:00pm. Please come along and see what we have to offer. Practicing parishioners can apply for a parish subsidy. FIRST FRIDAY – Please be reminded that February 5th, 2016 is a First Friday and as usual we will celebrate two Masses that day: 9:00am and 6:00pm. Please come and offer your hearts to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. SAVE THE DATE – Our men’s group, the Men of St. Joseph is hosting their annual Day of Recollection on Saturday 27 February. It starts with Mass at 9:00am followed by talks in our school. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Anthony Esolen. Dr. Esolen is a professor at Providence College and an author of many books on various Catholic topics. He is a great speaker and one of his signature themes is the need for a “new emangelization” or the need to engage the men of our communities in a deeper practice of their faith and in religious leadership. I invite all the men of parish to attend.

PASTOR’S COLUMN

msgr@sfxparish.com

(Jan 23— Jan 31)

Sat. Jan 23 3nd Sunday (Vigil) (Gr) 4:00pm Pro Populo Sun. Jan 24 3nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Gr) 8:00am Domingos Vaz 10:30am Paulino & Ana Vieira Mon. Jan 25 The Conversion of St. Paul (Wh) 9:00am Antonio Resendes & Antonio Raposo Tues. Jan 26 Ss. Timothy & Titus; Bishops (Wh) 9:00am Jennifer Lawrence Wed. Jan 27 Sister Angela Merici; Virgin (Wh) 9:00am Sister Mary Angela Thurs. Jan 28 St. Peter Nolasco; Confessor (Wh) 5:30pm LATIN MASS Fri. Jan 29 Feria (Gr) 9:00am Antonio Resendes & Antonio Raposo Sat. Jan 30 Blessed Virgin Mary (Wh) 9:00am Leonel & Lourdes Vieira Sat. Jan 30 4th Sunday (Vigil) (Gr) 4:00pm Wilfred Martin Sun. Jan 31 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Gr) 8:00am Roger Caplette 10:30am Dorothy Lima

Continued from St. Francis’ letter to his brother Jesuits:

… This being so, it necessarily follows that before any laws were made by men the divine law existed innate in the hearts of all men. The converts were so satisfied with this reasoning, as to see no further dif-ficulty; so that this net having been broken, they re-ceived from us with a glad heart the sweet yoke of our Lord. . . . The university of Bandou, situated in an island of Japan, which has given its name to its country, is the most famous of all; and a great num-ber of bonzes are constantly going thither to study their own laws. These precepts are derived from Chi-na and are written in Chinese characters, which are different from the Japanese. There are two kinds of writing in Japan, one used by men and the other by women; and for the most part both men and women, especially of the nobility and the commercial class, have a literary education. The bonzes, or bonzesses, in their monasteries teach letters to the girls and boys, though rich and noble persons entrust the education of their children to private tutors. The bonzes are per-sons of acute mind, and are very fond of studying, especially what relates to the future; they are fond of considering what will happen to them, what will be their end, and all questions of this nature. There were some of the bonzes who, in the course of their medi-tations, had come to believe that there was no way of saving souls in their system. They argued in this way: It is necessary above all things that there should exist a single origin of all things; now, in their books there is not a word on the subject, for there is a wonderful silence in them all as to the creation of the universe; and therefore if any of their predecessors were ac-quainted with this principle—a thing not confirmed by any authority, written or traditional—they must have kept the knowledge to themselves and hidden it from their descendants. Now, men of this sort were wonderfully delighted with the divine law. One of them embraced the faith of Jesus Christ at Amangu-chi, after being many years in the university of Ban-dou, where he had a flourishing reputation for learn-ing. Before we came to Japan he had thought of be-coming a bonze; afterwards he changed his mind and married. The reason for this change was that he had seen the falsehood and emptiness of the Japanese re-ligions. Our Christians were overjoyed at his acces-sion, for he was thought to be the most learned man of the city... (to be continued)…

FROM THE LETTERS OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

ACCESSIBILITY

▪ Open for Prayer Every Day ▪ Wheelchair Lift ▪ Cry-room

HELPFUL CONTACTS

Religious Education: 508-998-7445 School: 508-995-4313 School Fax: 508-995-0456 School Ext Care: 508-998-9284

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

Mon-Fri: 9:30am – 4:00pm Please make an appointment to meet with

Msgr. O’Connor to schedule a Baptism or Wedding.

PARISH INFORMATION

Evening Prayer & Benediction Mon, Tues & Wed at 6:30pm

OUR MASS INTENTION BOOK:    is open for intentions for the period of July 1st to December 31st, 2016. If you are interested in having Masses celebrated in prayer for the soul of one who is deceased or living, please visit or tele-phone the parish center.

*Women of Grace 2016* Next meeting

Thursday 28th January 6:30-8:30pm in the parish center

Through the month of January please pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe for the protection of all life. Consider lighting a candle in the Pro-Life room (near elevator) in front of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe for your intentions. Women of Grace Holy Hour every first Tuesday of the month 7:30-8:30pm in front of Blessed Sacra-ment. All women of the parish are welcome to join in this hour of prayer and reflection.

Shoeboxes for Shelters!

The SFX Religious Education Program is holding its winter drive to supply local shelters with items needed by those who are homeless or transitioning from homeless-ness. We ask parents of Religious Ed students and any parishioner interested to supply the following items. Our Religious Ed students will fill the shoe boxes with travel size toiletries, water, and blankets:

Soap Wash cloth Breakfast Bars Deodorant Comb/Brush Other wrapped snacks Toothbrush Tube Socks Lip Balm Toothpaste Hats/Gloves Disposable Razors Mouthwash Hand Lotion $5 D&D gift cards

**All items should be packaged and/or new and can be dropped off in boxes in the church entrance and the parish center. Thank you for your generosity.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time—January 24, 2016 EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: All Monday evenings 7:30-8:30pm. Every grade level has a reserved hour of Adoration from October-May. January is Level 5. All Level 5 students should join us for this hour.

Confirmation Level 9 Retreat is on Saturday February 6th from 8:30-3pm in the parish center. All Level 9 students are required to attend. Level 9 Service: On Wed. Feb. 11 at 7pm in the Parish Center we will fill our Shoe Boxes for Shelters in hopes to deliver them for Valentine’s Day! In the Year of Mercy this is one way we can show compassion and recall that God loves each human life from conception until natural death. This month please remember to pray for all human life. WE HAVE THE DATE: The Sacrament of Confirmation will take place at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River on Wednesday May 11, 2016 at 7pm. Candidates please inform your sponsors of this date. We have no rehearsal date at this time. I will inform you of this date as soon as we obtain it from the cathedral.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CATHOLIC SCHOOL: We are gearing up for Catholic Schools Week 2016! This week-long event celebrates Catholic education and more locally.... St. Francis Xavier School!! We kick off the week Sunday, January 31st in

our parish at the 10:30 am Mass. Our students will proudly wear their school uniforms in solidarity with Catholic schools everywhere. CSW 2016 will also be highlighted with other faith celebrations, special assemblies, non-uniform days, visits from special guests, and a Basketball Showdown  ‐ where our CYO players face off against our faculty for a CSW finale! It is sure to be an amazing week, as we focus on what makes our school unique! Please continue to pray for our school, as well as for the growth of Catholic education. Thank you and God bless.

Michelle Russo/Principal

READINGS FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 24, 2016

Mary Magdalene with the Jar of Ointment

Guido Reni (1640)

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor? and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." (Lk 4:18a, 19)

Sunday January 24 Adult Rel. Ed 9:15-10:15am Parish Ctr. Rel. Ed Levels 1-6 9:15-10:15am Rel. Ed Levels 7-9 11:30am-12:30pm Parish Ctr. Monday January 25 EP & Benediction 6:30-7:00pm Church Eucharistic Adoration: Rel. Ed Level 5 7:30-8:30pm Church Tuesday January 26 EP & Benediction 6:30-7:00pm Church Adult Rel. Ed 7:00-8:15pm Parish Ctr. Wednesday January 27 EP & Benediction 6:30-7:00pm Church Thursday January 28 Women of Grace 6:30-8:30pm Parish Ctr.

UPCOMING SECOND/SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Sunday: Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10/Ps 19:8-10, 15/1 Cor 12:12-30 or 12:12-14, 27/Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21 Monday: Acts 22:3-16 or 9:1-22/Ps 117:1-2/Mk 16:15-18 Tuesday: 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5/Ps 96:1-3, 7-8, 10/Mk 3:31-35 Wednesday: 2 Sm 7:4-17/Ps 89:4-5, 27-30/Mk 4:1-20 Thursday: 2 Sm 7:18-19, 24-29/Ps 132:1-5, 11-14/Mk 4:21-25 Friday: 2 Sm 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17/Ps 51:3-7, 10-11/Mk 4:26-34 Saturday: 2 Sm 12:1-7a, 10-17/Ps 51:12-17/Mk 4:35-41

SFX PARISH CALENDAR

20 - Week Club20-Week Club

Week: 6 - Club 45 $25.00 #346 Manny Lima $20.00 #212 Roger Deschamps $15.00 #192 Anne Wynne $10.00 #003 Jan Silvani

Jan 24th - Diocesan Assessment Feb 7th - Home Missions Feb 10th - Ash Wednesday (Evangelization)

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time—January 24, 2016

Idolatry is committed not merely by setting up false gods, but also… false devils, by making men afraid of war or alcohol or economic law when they should be afraid of spiritual corruption and cowardice.

ON IDOLATRY: When the priest elevates the host at Holy Mass, I say to myself (as is tradition): Dominus Meus et Deus Meus. This is the Latin expression for the words spoken by the doubting Apostle who in his amazement at seeing the risen Lord was moved to say: My Lord and My God (Jn 20:28). My Lord and My God is also an apt opening for Eucharistic Adoration. I begin my weekly middle-of-the-night Holy Hour with this petite prayer of acknowledgement and praise - in English or in Latin (depending on just how drowsy I am that evening). Once I have spoken this on my knees before the Blessed Sacrament, I move swiftly on to other prayer, but not last week. Last week in Adoration, the Spirit demanded that I spend time meditating on this short exultation. My Lord and My God: When I say this, I do so with an air of exclusivity, as if to say - my only God and my only Lord. My Lord and My God, emphasizes not only the Christian’s possession of God, but his specific possession of God as his one-and-only God. This is, of course, proper and in keeping with the first of the Ten Commandments which instructs us to love the Lord in such an exclusive way so as to have no other gods before Him? Yet, when I said My Lord and My God as I began my Holy Hour last week, a question entered my mind: “Am I your only God?” “Am I your only Lord?” So I began to ask myself if the Lord God is my only God. I do not believe in Zeus or Athena or Ra or Thor, etc. so I must not have any other gods besides God. Yet on deeper reflection on the 1st Commandment I began to surmise that not only should I not put other gods before God; but that which I do put before God actually becomes another god. I began to see that having no other gods before God is proved not just by my belief, but by my behavior. When I put other beliefs, or other things, or other thoughts, or other actions before God I create other gods to have before him. I find it necessary in my life of grace to examine what, if anything (anything at all), I put before God. I must always be alert to being overconfident that I have only one God. This is because one of the spiritual dangers I face in being a firm monotheist is the tendency to feel secure that I have no other gods. I risk falling into disgrace when I neglect the necessary and regular investigation of those other gods that have snuck stealthily into my soul for the purpose of setting up and asserting a competing pantheon of interests, habits, and vices which strive to gain priority over the Lord. I will no longer say so proudly at Eucharistic Adoration, My Lord and My God, until I have first done an examination of conscience; until I have made an act of contrition for all those times I have put something else before the Lord and crafted another god.

STEVE’S COLUMN

sngsfx@gmail.com

DAILY MASS WATCH: On Wed., January 27th we cele-brate the memorial of St. Angela Merici. St. Angela orga-nized a group of single laywomen which eventually be-came the Ursuline's, a Catholic teaching order. Join us for Holy Mass on Wednesday at 9:00am.

CHESTERTON CORNER

Accordingly, we do not have to work our way into God's presence when we pray. It is rather a question of attending to a presence which is already there. Other operations are stilled, other interests subordinated: we advert to the significant reality. It is more a matter of waiting upon grace than of working up a mood. Mood has very little to do with it. Moods are connected with the emotions with physical conditions with outward sur-roundings. Prayer should be able to act independently of mood. But when we talk about waiting upon grace we must steer clear of illuminism. To spend our prayer time awaiting a sign from God would be to invite deception. False mysticism thrives on the desire for personal reve-lations and supernatural favors. It would be a mistake even to look too much for devotional awareness of God's presence. Devotional awareness may or may not accompany prayer; it should not be sought either as an end in itself or as a necessary proof that the prayer is going well. In prayer the soul waits upon God and not upon the sensation of his presence. The soul should be content to do without the sense of God's presence and this is what he wants. The disposition to a map is that of attending upon God in simplicity and trust regardless of how it feels. Attention here means trying to keep alive to his presence. It does not mean being able to taste the joy of it when it has been recognized. If the joy is necessary to us God will give it. We should not in praying depend upon joy.

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