Palm Sunday

News and Notes:  Congratulations to Kyle Prouty for winning our Collaborative logo contest!  Kyle is a sophomore at Lynnfield High School and was recently confirmed at St. Maria’s.  I’m sure you see his winning logo on our various publications and electronic media in the near future.   Speaking of the Sacrament of Confirmation, our thanks go to Collin McBride for his leadership in helping to make this year’s Confirmation liturgies in both parishes so beautiful and memorable.  Collin not only organized and prepared our tenth graders for their Confirmation Mass, he played the guitar and led song at all three of the liturgies.  Collin was ably assisted in the leadership of this year’s Confirmation program at OLA by Andrea Gagnon and Joe Gill.  Don’t forget to register your child(ren)  for religious education classes next Fall.  You can do so in either Church Hall this weekend.  As announced last weekend, we are taking up a special second collection at all Masses in both parishes this Palm Sunday weekend; it is called the Winter Relief collection and will help us defray the costs associated with heating our buildings and clearing snow from our property during this past brutal winter season.  Thank you for your generosity and stewardship of our parishes!  Here is the latest update on our performance in the 2014 Catholic Appeal:  as of April 2, one month into the annual campaign, OLA parishioners had pledged $39, 115, which is 73% of their goal; SMG parishioners had pledged $14,270 or 48% of their goal.  Another reminder, if a parish reaches its fair share assessment in the Catholic appeal this year, it will receive 60% of the funds donated over and above that base figure….a good motivation to make a pledge to the Catholic Appeal  (if you have not already done so ) to support the many vital ministries of our local Church.  A Blessed Holy Week to all of you!