Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

News and Notes:

The Solemnity of All Saints... This Friday, November 1 is the Solemnity of All Saints, a Holyday of Obligation.  This is a day to celebrate the men and women in every age, canonized or not, who have excelled in holiness; and to pray that we would all strive to be holy disciples of Jesus Christ.  Masses will be celebrated as follows:
Thursday, October 31: 4PM at OLA
Friday, November 1:    7AM at SMG, 9AM at OLA, 7PM at SMG
A collection for the support of our parishes will be taken up at all these Masses.

Remembrance Masses Next Weekend... November is a month in which we remember our departed brothers and sisters in a special way, and prayerfully commend them to our and loving God.  Next Sunday, November 3, we will celebrate our annual Remembrance Masses during which we will announce the names those whose funerals were celebrated in our parishes last year and offer Mass for them.  SMG will celebrate their Remembrance Mass at 10AM and OLA will celebrate theirs at 11AM.  Relatives and friends of those who have gone home to God since last November are particularly encouraged to join us for one of these moving liturgies.

Inspiring Hope Campaign... As the public announcement of our hugely important Inspiring Hope Campaign approaches, I ask all SMG and OLA parishioners and members of the OLA School Community to prayerfully consider a “stretch” donation to help us build a solid financial future for our parishes and school.  We are asking all of you to consider making a sacrificial pledge that is manageable for you and your family, a pledge that be paid over a 5 year span.  75% of the money collected in this Campaign will be deposited in an Endowment Fund and a Maintenance Fund in your respective parish; 25% of the funds donated at OLA will go to support the mission of OLA School, while at SMG 25% of the funds will be split between OLA School and Catholic Charities.  I continue to make my visits with parishioners in the “quiet phase” of this Campaign and recently have been assisted by Fr. Tony and others in this initial outreach to seek support and build momentum for this forward looking Campaign.  Having spent 20 of the 38 years of my priesthood in Lynnfield serving in one position or another, it was a pleasure and honor for me to make my pledge.  Please join me in the coming weeks.

Blessings to all of you in the week ahead!