ST. MARY’S PARISH FAMILY

343 Tarkiln Hill Rd., New Bedford, MA 02745

PARISH OFFICE & MAILING ADDRESS 106 Illinois Street, New Bedford, MA 02745

Telephone 508-995-3593 Fax 508-995-2453

Email stmarysnb@stmarysnb.com

OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 9:00AM-3:30PM

Closed on Holidays

FAITH FORMATION

Phone ……………………...…..…….…..508-995-3593 Email……..davidbeaulieu@stmarysnb.com

LITURGY & WORSHIP Monday-Friday………………………..…………........NOON

Saturday Vigil……………………….………….……….….…...4:00 PM Sunday…………….…………………….…...8:30,10:30 & 7:00PM

Confession: Saturday…………..……...3:00-3:45 PM

Adoration: First Friday of the Month September-

May after the 8:00AM Mass and ending with

benediction at 1:00PM

PARISH STAFF Very Rev. Daniel W. Lacroix, V.F. Pastor Mrs. Peggy Lenihan Parish Secretary Mr. David Beaulieu Director of Faith Formation Mrs. Barbara Bonville Director of Parish Ministries Mr. Thomas Leman Catechetical Assistant Mrs. Suzanne Beaulieu RCIA Coordinator Mrs. Patricia Ferreira Music Director Mr. Martin Flinn Groundskeeper Mr. Tobey Burke Facilities Manager

The Church is Handicap accessible.

ST. VINCENT De PAUL SOCIETY

Phone .…….508-995-3593 Ext 6

Web Site stmarysnb.com

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

Your prayers are requested for the repose of the souls in this week’s Mass intention; for the souls

in Purgatory; and for the deceased of our parish.

Weekend Mass Intentions Saturday Mar 30 4:00 PM Eugene A. Boisvert by family (25th anniversary) Sunday Mar 31 8:30 AM David Britton by Mike & Nancy Leblanc 10:30 AM Community Mass: Wilfred & Yvonne Hebert, Janet Loranger 7:00 PM For parishioners of St. Mary

Weekday Mass Intentions Monday Apr 1 12:00 PM For parishioners of St. Mary Tuesday Apr 2 12:00 PM Sr. Rita Pelletier Wednesday Apr 3 12:00 PM Omer Bergeron

Thursday Apr 4 12:00 PM Roseanne Mandeville by brother, Frank (11th anniversary) Friday Apr 5 12:00 PM Cote & Ross families

Next Weekend Saturday Apr 6 4:00 PM David Knowles by mother & family (6th anniversary) Sunday Apr 7 8:30 AM Alice M. Couture by daughter, Rona Mingola 10:30 AM Community Mass: James Fonseca, Gerald & Kathleen Hughes, Maureen Hughes Ganninger, James Bardley, Ronald Lamarre, John & Leotilda Machado 7:00 PM For parishioners of St. Mary

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: Congratulations on the birth of your child! The church celebrates with you and is ready to prepare you if this is your FIRST child being baptized at our Parish. A welcoming instruction for parents and god-parents is usually held the second Sunday of the Month after the 10:30AM Mass. Baptisms are usually celebrated the fourth Sunday of the month at the 10:30AM Mass. Please call the Parish office to schedule this sacrament.

INITIATION OF ADULTS: Adults expressing an interest in becoming Catholic are invited to search through our RCIA formation process. For more information, please call the Parish Office.

FAITH FORMATION: Grades 1-9. First Eucharist is a two year program, grades 1 and 2. Confirmation is a two year program, grades 8 & 9.

SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE: Congratulations on your engagement! Please speak to Fr. Dan at least one year in advance of the intended date to allow adequate time for Parish and Diocesan Marriage preparation.

FOR OUR HOME-BOUND: Contact the Parish Office to receive Holy Communion at home if you are confined. THE SACRAMENT OF THE SICK: May be received after any weekday Mass or by appointment.

Saint Mary's Parish Family, is a Roman Catholic faith-filled community composed of those who

have accepted the invitation to follow our Lord, Jesus Christ.

The faithful members of this Eucharistic Community, in union with the Universal Church, admit to a genuine responsibility to

welcome, evangelize, witness and serve others in Christ's name.

We place ourselves under the protection of

our Blessed Mother as we seek to imitate her son.

Parish Financial

THANK YOU to all who share their talent, time, presence, and support with our

Parish

March 24th Collection $5238.

Next weekend’s second collection is for EASTER COMMUNITY MASSES

Annual Appeal to date $34,825.

Thank you for your faithful stewardship!!

REMEMBRANCE BOOK

Is located near the doors closest to the Taber-nacle. This prayer book has been compiled to provide people with the opportunity to entrust their loved ones to God’s all embracing love. Bulletin Deadline Monday, 12:00 Noon

March 31, 2019

STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT Fourth Sunday in Lent The stewardship message in the parable of

the prodigal son is that it is never too late

to become a good steward. Blessed is the

elder brother who had been a good steward

all along, but blessed, too, is the prodigal

son, who had to lose all he had in order to

understand the value of what he’d been giv-

en (Our Sunday Visitor, ibid., page 25).

14-day Memorial Candles:

In Memory of Hazel Correia by husband & sons (7th anniversary)

In Memory of Manuel Barbosa & Jovita

Pimentel by Luisa Barbosa

Icon Candle:

In Memory of Robert Wilkinson by wife, Maria

If you are alienated or upset, we welcome you lov-ingly.

If you are in need of forgiveness, Jesus forgives and loves you unconditionally, and so do we.

If you have been hurt by the church, we are truly sorry.

If you are angry, Jesus offers you peace.

If life is becomes burdensome, we are happy to sup-port you.

We are happy you are here and want you to stay.

Come visit us each week and worship God with us!

ST. MARY’S APP St. Mary’s has an APP for

smartphones and tablets! It has access to

ministry schedules, mass times, contact

information, notifications, online giving

and soon, our bulletins. It is a way to stay

connected to our parish when mobile. Text:

SMNB1 to 555888 for Apple devices or

text SMNB2 to 55588 for Android devices. VOCATION CHALICE Pray today for those

whom God calls and sends as ministers of Good News. (Amos 7:12-15) Will YOU promote vocations by hosting a “Vocations Chalice” in a dif-ferent home each week. If you are interested in hosting and praying for vocations for one week, please sign up on the bulletin board on the left as you enter the church. The

chalice case will be presented at Mass after Communion. The hosting family would be invited forward, and receive the chalice along with a blessing. The chalice must be returned by Satur-day 3PM to the church in order for the next family to participate.

MASS CANCELLATION POLICY When the New Bedford school department can-

cels classes due to storm conditions, daily

Mass will also be canceled along with any and

all parish events . If school is on a delay, daily

Mass is cancelled and the campus opens when

schools open. This will permit time to address

the campus conditions and reduce any hazards

incurred on the roads. Saturday Vigil and Sun-

day Masses are never canceled as they are

Masses of obligation.

There are a number of Memorial and Icon candles still available for 2019. There are also 7PM Masses available. If interested please call

the parish office.

www.usccb.org/catholic-relief.

Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors

schedules for April, May & June and the Ascension of the Lord are available in the sacristy, on-line on our parish website and on the parish APP.

PLEASE PRAY FOR all of our parishioners who may be ill and for all of our family members or friends who are ill.

Diocese of Fall River Youth and Youth Education

RCIA “I have called you by name" Isaiah 43:1.

“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do. You may not have time or resources to get a MBA, but you can make time and you have the resources to find God in your daily life”. ( Kelley)

Take the time you need to explore the possibility of becoming fully initiated into the Catholic Faith by enrolling in our RCIA Program. Information regarding the program is available at the entrances to the church and by calling the Parish Office.

“Let the children come to me…” Luke 18:16

Yesterday, our Confirmation II Candi-dates held their retreat in the Unsworth Hospitality Center as they continue to develop a more personal and deeper relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirma-tion. We ask your continued prayers for our candidates who will be Con-

firmed by Bishop da Cunha on Sunday, June 2nd at the 10:30 Mass. The candidates are as follows: Lucas Arribada Noah Carreiro Drew Furtado Abigail Borges Abby Claudina Samantha Gonsalves Adam Boudreau Alexis Cole Sadie Hubert Alee Braga Emily DeSouza Lily McKenna Jacob Branco Benjamin Farland Ayden Silva Jaida Cabral Kara Ferreira Jose Silva Jr. Joshua Frias

REMINDERS: April 7th - Last Class for Confirmation Candidates Saturday, April 27th - First Communion Retreat/Rehearsal Sunday, May 5th - First Communion Celebration

Safe, Nurturing, Technology Rich, Catholic Environment Solid Curriculum - Focus on 21st Century Skills & Gos-

pel Values - Strong Parent-School Communication Affordable & Accessible

Extended Care available 6:30AM—5:30PM Full Day Preschool for 3 & 4 year olds

Come & see the opportunities available for your child to grow & succeed in an active, faith-filled community of

learners!

Contact Principal Sue Massoud at smassoud@ascs.dfrcs.org or

508-995-3696 for more information or to schedule a tour. www.ascsnb.org

We invite you to visit All Saints Catholic School and experience our intimate environment where stu-

dents feel safe, welcomed and loved — and form friendships that last a lifetime.

All Saints Ca†holic School

Preschool—Grade 8

WHY EMBRACE STEWARDSHIP?

In embracing a Stewardship Way of Living Life,

parishioners find many rewards. Here are a few:

God cannot be outdone in generosity. Steward-

ship is not a bargaining tool to get something,

many give testimonies to the fact that when they

give they receive more than they have given.

Medically people who give generously live long-

er than those who don’t. Psychologists research

indicate that giving people have Peace of Mind.

Though not easy, but knowing and trusting God

would take care of us, keeps us from unneces-

sarily worrying about the future. Less attach-

ment to money. We know everything we have is

God’s, we are only his managers. This makes us

easier to give back what is His. Joy of Giving

Give until it becomes a joy to give. We experi-

ence that at Christmas. How many give and en-

joy just giving not expecting anything in return.

Resources are available to God’s work. Think

of all we could do collectively to make the world

a better place if all parishes were to practice

stewardship as a way of life. While we probably

couldn’t ‘wipe out’ poverty, we certainly could

make a dent.

Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we recently

welcomed into our parish family Hunter Bennet Cass child of Alex and Ashley (Nye) Cass; Emma Rose Correia child of Stephen and Jillian (Carvalho)

Correia; Anthony Rodriguez Perry child of Antone

and Marianella (Rodriguez) Perry; and Benjamin Flavio Viveiros child of William and Julianne

(Duarte) Viveiros. Please keep these young families in your prayers that they may continue on their journey of

faith.

If you notice some of your fel-

low parishioners are not put-

ting their envelopes in the col-

lection basket it could be that

they are using ONLINE GIV-

INGS. The ONLINE GIVING setup is lo-

cated on our parish website. This is a very

simple and easy way to keep track of your

donations.

+LENT + CHOWDAH & CHAT Friday's after noon Mass 12:30-1:30 in the Fr. Unsworth Hospitality Center.

LENTEN CATHOLICISM SERIES FROM BISHOP BOB BARRON on Monday, April 1 at 7PM in the Fr. Un-sworth Hospitality Center.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Fridays of Lent, April 5 & 12 at 7PM, led by a member of the Parish Spiritual Life Team.

AGAPE DINNER AND LENTEN PRODUCTION Satur-day, April 13 at 5:30pm St. Mary’s Pastoral Center Gym.

TENEBRAE Wednesday April 17 at 7PM. One of the oldest traditions in the Catholic Church. Focusing on the Seven Last Words of Christ in a Service of Light and Shadows.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Saturday’s 3:00-3:45PM.

LENTEN ALMS GIVING We will be in partnership with the St. Vincent de Paul Society's New Bedford Conferences that alms giving during Lent be dedicated to rental assistance for our Deanery. At the end of Lent, the monies will be collected on Holy Thursday, during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, will

be given to the New Bedford SVDP Conference.

*Altar Servers, EMs and Lectors* Needed for HOLY THURSDAY, GOOD

FRIDAY AND EASTER VIGIL

The sign up sheets are located in the

priest’s sacristy. Please sign up as soon as possible. Thank you.

CREMATION

Some parishioners have asked about a new report they read/saw from the Pope regarding Cremation. The document comes from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and ap-proved by Pope Francis. In summary, it states:

“The Church continues to prefer the practice of burying the bod-ies of the deceased, because this shows a greater esteem to-wards the deceased. By burying the bodies of the faithful, the Church confirms her faith in the resurrection of the body, and intends to show the great dignity of the human body as an inte-gral part of the human person whose body forms part of their identity.

Nevertheless, cremation is not prohibited, “unless it was chosen for reasons contrary to Christian doctrine.” When, for legitimate motives, cremation of the body has been chosen, the ashes of the faithful must be laid to rest in a sacred place, that is, in a cemetery or, in certain cases, in a church or an area, which has been set aside for this purpose. For the reasons given above, the conservation of the ashes of the departed in a domestic resi-dence is not permitted. It is not permitted to scatter the ashes of the faithful departed in the air, on land, at sea or in some other

way, nor may they be preserved in mementos, pieces of jewelry or other objects.”

Dealing with the death of a loved one is the most heart wrench-ing things we all have to deal with at some point in our life. Grief and quick decisions, guilt or sentimentality, sometimes sways folks in the wrong direction and ultimately, the wrong decision. Please realize the importance of burying our beloved dead, whole body or cremains. Placing them on the mantel or around the neck, while maybe not maliciously done, is not our Catholic belief and never allowed. Fr. Dan

PARISH ASSEMBLY—- THIS SUNDAY 2-4PM IN THE MAIN CHURCH The Listening Assembly is an opportunity

to inform the entire parish about the pasto-

ral planning process, listen to yur thoughts

and to invite participation on one of the six

planning committees.

It has been reported for over two years that in

five years there will only be 50 priests at best to

minister to 80 parishes. That is unsustainable.

We are in the process of working with St. Jo-

seph-St. Therese and Our La-

dy of Fatima as our collabora-

tive to see how the Catholic

Community of the North End

will unfold in the next five

years.