Mary, Queen of
Martyrs Parish News

Biweekly Date: July 7, 2024 / Issue 131

"When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished."

Please see the tentative schedule for next year below.


Please be aware that the schedule may be modified before September 1, 2024. If you are aware of any major conflicts, please let the office know ASAP.

Patsy Gillespie

Director of Faith Formation

Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish

(508) 746 - 0663 ext. 206


faithform@maryqueenofmartyrs.org

 

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me" (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

Spotlight on Activities
101 Things to Do With Your Kids This Summer

Serving God in Small Ways


June 30, 2024

Melanie Rigney



Reflect

One Carmelite sister delighted in splashing dirty laundry water in Thérèse of Lisieux’s face. Another criticized her for being young and impatient. Through these and other aggravations, Thérèse developed what we know as the Little Way—serving God in the small things.


Pray

St. Thérèse of Lisieux,

the way you offered up

life’s annoyances

inspires me.

I ask your help in doing the same

with the people and situations

where I find it difficult to see God.



Act

Return thoughtlessness, rudeness, and disrespect with love.

A 12-Step Program Based in the Upcoming Sunday Scriptures
 
All Are Welcome
 
Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church
126 South Meadow Road
Plymouth, MA 02360
 
Weekly meetings on
Wednesdays
6:30 PM—7:30 PM
 
Please contact Deacon Jim Greer for more information at 617-645-7915
 
Catholic in Recovery is a nonprofit organization that seeks to serve those suffering from addictions and unhealthy attachments (including alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography addiction, sex and relationship addiction, compulsive overeating and food addiction, gambling addiction, codependency and the impact on family, and general fear,
control, and anxiety).

The Little Way to Pray All Day, Even if You Have No Time to Spare!

Elizabeth Scalia

FRIDAY 28TH OF JUNE 2024


There is a saying, dubiously attributed to St. Francis de Sales but it sounds more like Venerable Fulton Sheen to me: "Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer every day, except when we are busy -- then we need an hour."


It's a clever phrase -- and true, too. When parenthood and career kept me at my busiest, I was somehow managing to spend more time in prayer at my little oratory than ever before or since. I cannot explain how -- perhaps there is some strange metaphysical phenomenon of time touching timelessness and becoming more flexible, shrinking or expanding as needed, as we commingle our hearts, minds and spirits with the Triune reality that is eternal.


All I know is that at a point when life seemed to leave me without a spare minute, prayer was happening and nothing was left undone.


For many the idea of "finding time for real prayer" seems daunting as they imagine adding an hour to their already crammed schedules and then begin to consider all the things they will "need" to really get going: a prayer corner, with icons and statues and Bibles and breviaries. They close their eyes and imagine such a space, with candles lit and rosary at the ready. Then a kid screams, a phone rings or the dog starts trying to eat the Amazon delivery guy through the door, and the image shatters and fades away -- another good intention deemed unworkable.


Nice as an oratory is to have, it's not necessary. All we need is a mind and spirit willing to be opened to the slightest prompting to prayer (which is an invitation from heaven) and a heart ready to give itself over to the moment. Those little God-ward nudges go on all day long, and if we are attentive to them -- responding with prayer as soon as they are perceived -- we very soon find ourselves praying quite a lot as we fashion ourselves into channels through which God's purposes may travel.


When I see my clock flashing repeated numbers, I stop what I am doing and make prayers of thanksgiving, until the time changes.


So, if the clock reads 10:10 or 11:11 (you get the idea) I take it as a prompt to give thanks for little things: At 12:12, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, thank you for my life; thank you that we are healthy; thank you that we are employed." At 1:11, "St. Michael, thank you that the house did not flood last night." And 3:33, of course, has me offering thanks to the Holy Trinity for being such an instructive mystery in my life.


Hey, don't knock it till you've tried it. It's all prayer and little prayers of thanksgiving have a way of making you grateful. And gratitude, after all, is the seed of joy.


Prayer need not be lengthy to be efficacious; it needs only to be worked -- the lines left open, so to speak, so the Holy Spirit can move. The first prayer of the day can be a simple line or two: "I thank you, Lord, for by your cross and resurrection, you have set me free. Through you may I be a blessing to others this day!"


My favorite prayer on rising comes from the opening to St. Patrick's Breastplate: "I arise today through a mighty strength: an invocation of the Trinity, through a belief in the Threeness, a confession of the Oneness of the Creator of Creation." Lately, I find myself repeating those words at odd or anxious moments, and they are powerfully grounding.


Throughout the day, prayer comes and goes, flowing through the conduits we become once we have learned to recognize when we are being nudged into prayer and respond.


Almost anything can be a prompting to prayer: A siren in the distance can invite a sign of the cross and a quick, "Lord, the ones you love need your help!" The pinch of a new shoe can bring a prayer for those who cannot walk. A windchime can draw us into the Angelus.


In this Year of Prayer, it is good to discover all the ways God invites us to work with him as we go about our day, "continuing instant in prayer" (Rom 12:12).


- Elizabeth Scalia is culture editor for OSV News.

Let us pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick grant the Lord’s strength to those who receive it and to their loved ones, and that it may become for everyone an ever more visible sign of compassion and hope.

Click Here for the Pope's Message on the Pastoral Care of the Sick

St Vincent de Paul Poor Boxes are located near the doors of all three churches. Through your generosity we will be able to continue to help the residents of Plymouth and Carver with their heat, electric and rent. Thank you for your support!

Spotlight on Food Pantries

St. Vincent de Paul at St. Peter’s

 

The SVdP Food Pantry is held every Friday from 2:30-4:00 PM at the St. Peter Parish Center, 10 Memorial Drive. Thank you to our friends and parishioners who have so kindly remembered the Society, and those we serve, through your generous private gifts, and donations left in the church donation boxes, located at each door of the church. Your kindness helps many.

We are currently in need of: Instant Potatoes, Frosted Flakes, Cheerios, Pancake Mix, Canned Chicken, Cream of Mushroom or Chicken Soup. Donations may be dropped off at the Parish Center or at the church.

If you are in need, please call the office at 508-746-0663 Ext. 307 and leave a message. We can help with resources and aid. You may also call us at this number if you are interested in volunteering for SVdP. 

The Saint Kateri Food Pantry
 

Tuesdays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
 
The Food Pantry is always in need of any non perishable food items such as canned soups, pasta and sauce products, baking goods, cereals, canned tuna or chicken, boxed meals such as Hamburger & Tuna Helpers, canned vegetables and canned fruit and fruit juice. Liquid dish detergent, Kleenex, paper towels, toilet paper and cleaning products are very much needed. Personal hygiene products, such as deodorant, body wash/soap and shampoos are staples in every household and always appreciated!!

Thank you for your continued support of the food pantry!
 
Saint Kateri Parishioners, we need your help! On the 3rd Tuesday of each month, we receive a large order of food delivered from the Boston Food Bank. This delivery is generally about 3,000 lbs. Our staff is older and unloading this amount of products is difficult for the small group of people who usually help.
 
PLEASE consider taking an hour of your time to come by the church around 8:30 AM that day to help unload. We meet every third Tuesday of the month!

We now have a food donation box at Saint Kateri in the function hall by the office doorway. You may put your food donations in this box during office hours or after the weekend Masses.

“THE THRIFTY LILY” News
 
We welcome your donations of new or gently used goods to sell, but can only take them during the hours we are open!

Please, do not leave any items at the door outside of our business hours.
 
Every Monday 2PM to 5PM
Every Wednesday 10AM to 2PM
Every Thursday 10AM to 2PM
First Saturday of every month
from 10 AM to 2PM
 
If you like to bake, please consider baking some of your delicious recipes for our bake sale. 

Mary Queen of Martyrs SVdP

will be holding our annual raffle after Masses at all three churches:

on July 6th-7th at St Peters; on July 13th-14th at St Kateri and on July 20th-21st at Our Lady of Lourdes. We will be raffling off 11 themed baskets: 2 golf baskets, an Italian dinner, beach Games and White Wine basket to name a few. Tickets will be $5 for 1, $10 for 3 and $20 for 7. This is for us to raise funds to help all the families in need in our Parish and community so please consider helping us out by buying raffle tickets. All baskets to be raffled will be on displayed at each Church each weekend. Thank you!! 

On Friday, June 21st the flag at Saint Kateri was raised in memory of Len Quaranto. The flag was donated by Maureen Quaranto.

 

If you would like to purchase a 5x9.5 cotton Government Issue Flag ($100) to be flown at Saint Joseph’s Cemetery or Our Lady of Lourdes; or a 4 x 6 Government Issue Flag to fly at Saint Kateri in honor of a loved one, please call Kathy at the parish office, 508-746-0663 ext 401. We will announce the loved ones name when raising the flag (which usually remains up for 3 months) and when we retire the flag. 

Radiating Christ

By Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman

February 21, 1801-August 11, 1890


Dear Jesus,

Help me to spread Your fragrance wherever I go.

Flood my soul with Your Spirit and Life.

Penetrate and possess my being so utterly

That my life may only be a radiance of Yours.

Shine through me, and be so in me

That every soul I come in contact with

May feel Your Presence in my soul.

Let them look up, and see no longer me but only Jesus.

Stay with me,

And then I will begin to shine as You shine,

So to shine as to be a light to others.

The light, O Jesus, will be all from You.

None of it will be mine.

It will be You, shining on others through me.

Let me thus praise You

In the way in which You love best:

By shining on those around me.

Let me preach You without preaching,

Not by words but by example, By the catching force,

The sympathetic influence of what I do,

The evident fullness of the love

My heart bears for You. Amen


This prayer was a favorite of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997). She said it made a great difference in the lives of the Missionaries of Charity 

The Weekly Gospel


Mark 6:1-6



"Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him."

Click Here for a Reflection on Mark 6:1-6 by Allen Hunt of Dynamic Catholic
Spotlight on Mass
Mass Streaming

streaming St Peter Sunday 11:30AM

streaming Our Lady of Lourdes Sunday 10AM
Mary, Queen of Martyrs Facebook Page
9:00 am Weekday Mass Schedule is as Follows:

Mondays & Thursdays at
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
 
Tuesdays & Fridays at
Our Lady of Lourdes

Wednesdays & Saturdays at
Saint Peter’s

Mary, Queen of Martyrs Bulletin


Our bulletin is now available on the new website at



Weekly Eucharistic Adoration
and Confessions
 Please join Fr. Paul for a Holy Hour with Confessions every Tuesday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM at St. Peter's Church (upstairs church and sacristy).
Fr Paul will also lead the Holy Rosary
(15 decades) after the Holy Hour from
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the upstairs church. All are welcomed to attend.

 

Email adoration@maryqueenofmartyrs.org to receive occasional updates about this Holy Hour, in event of cancellation, etc.

Children's Liturgy of the Word will be taking a break for the summer. We will resume when school begins in September. Enjoy a restful, relaxing and safe summer!

Blessings from the Children’s LiturgyTeam 

Parishioners and Friends of Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish can now make a one-time or recurring gifts directly on our parish website. Stop worrying about weekly envelopes or mailing in special donations or ministry program fees. Instead, give a gift at any time (from any device that connects to the internet) using a current email and checking account/credit card. It’s simple and secure. You can even turn your tithe into an automatic gift that gives when and how often you’d like with your own online donor account.

Visit maryqueenofmartyrs.org/give
to see how easy it is!
SOCIAL JUSTICE MINISTRY CORNER

We are people of faith, called to live the Gospel!

DIAPER PANTRY


News from the Diaper Pantry...



FACTS ABOUT THE

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS DIAPER PANTRY 

Our mission is to provide supplemental support to families in need of baby diapers. Diapers are a basic need of all babies, essential to their health and wellbeing. Keeping infants and toddlers clean, dry, and healthy helps build the strong foundation all children require to reach their full potential. However, 1 in 2 U.S. families with young children struggles to afford clean diapers for their baby, according to The NDBN Diaper Check 2023 Report.  Your generous contributions help fill this need. Thank you!

 

 Diaper size needed this week:

Size 2T/3T/5

  

For questions contact Jeanne at 508 – 591- 3510 or PCCDiaperPantry@yahoo.com



Diaper donations can be dropped off at the entrances of our three churches before or after Mass, or at the church offices during open hours (Our Lady of Lourdes: Tuesday and Friday 8:30am–12:30pm; St. Peter: Monday through Friday 9:00am–3:30pm)


Thank you for your generosity!


Note: Our latest Diaper Pantry Update and Report to Parishioners is now available! To view the report, please click below, visit our parish website, see the parish newsletter, or pick up a hard copy at our church entrances.

                                                                                              Diaper Pantry Hours

                                                                               

 The 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the Month (held on the same day as the food pantry, so our clients can have easy access to both vital services)

9:30am–11:00 am at

Saint Kateri Parish Office

Click Here for the Diaper Pantry Update and Report

Please join us at a

 Holy Hour of

Eucharistic Adoration

on Sunday, July 21, 2024

from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

at St. Peter’s Church

Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish

Bags of Love and Hope Project

 Heartfelt thanks to all who made in-kind donations (personal items, toiletries, etc.) and offered financial assistance for the welfare of those rescued from human trafficking. We received small and large donations. The total donated was almost $4,000 from the three churches. Your generosity is humbling! Each item and each dollar will go directly to supporting those who are struggling to start again after what is sometimes years enslaved in various ways. We have used the donated funds to purchase summer clothing (light jackets, sweatshirts, T-shirts, pajamas, underwear and pants). The accompanying picture shows a small sample of the toiletries and clothing. The summer backpacks will go out in the next weeks. We will then begin to purchase winter clothing.


Thank you and God Bless You!

THE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT IS COMING
…. to Pembroke this summer!
 
You are a leader! Whether you are called to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, single or married life…. are a parent, or are an employee of a parish, a business or beyond, you are a missionary disciple who uses your influence to lead people into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
 
Pastors, pastoral teams, councils, and parishioners too, can improve their leadership skills to bring about a Catholic community that strengthens the Central Ministries of the Archdiocese of Boston and strengthens and invigorates all of parish life!
 
Invest in your leadership this summer!
 
Join the Global Leadership Summit on August 8-9, 2024!

• Discover and discern your mission as a disciple.
• Overcome barriers and challenges in leadership.
• Strategize and create vision for your ministry or business.
• Receive inspiration to lead within your area of influence.
• Engage your curiosity, creativity, and persistence in evangelization.
Visit the page for Catholic Parishes here: https://newenglandgls.org/NEcatholic/

  Prayer Requests

 There is a link on our Mary, Queen of Martyrs website available for prayer requests. Please click on the link and you may write out your request.

 

There is also a Book of Intentions available at each of our churches. You may write your prayer intention directly in the book.

 

There are prayer angels in our parish community praying for all the intentions and ALL intentions are remembered at all the Masses in our parish community!


The Prayer Life Team

Click Here to Request Prayers
As a Parish We Pray for:
Click To Read the Names of All Who We Pray for Today
Prayer Line
Please call Mary Harmon at 508-746-4989 with your prayer need and it will be passed on from friend to friend.
Spotlight on Vocations
Click Here for Vocations Boston
Sign Up for the Hallow App
Join Dynamic Catholic
This Week on FORMED
Join Taylor and Ben each week as they walk you through amazing content on FORMED! You'll discover all kinds of videos and audio to accompany you during the weekly liturgical calendar, Saint feast days and world events taking place.
This Week on Formed

If anyone would like to send a card or note to Fr Jim Rafferty, who resides at the Regina Cleri Residence for retired priests,you may send it to:

  

Fr. Jim Rafferty

C/O Regina Cleri Residence

60 William Cardinal Oconnell Way

Boston, MA 02114

 

I am sure he would love to hear from everyone. 

ALL ARE WELCOME MASS – “AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!”


Many thanks to those who attended our All Are Welcome Mass and luncheon on June 23, 2024 at St. Kateri. It was a beautiful gathering of fellow parishioners and members, families, and friends of the LGBTQ+ community, and we were blessed to be joined by those from neighboring parishes, too. Some of the comments from those attending:


“It was an amazing experience ... the Spirit was truly in this place ... homily was so moving ...love was all around.”


“I feel honored to be a little part of it...”


“There are no words to describe the service yesterday! I was awestruck by the loving community!”


“Father Joe had me crying by his loving humility and embracing ALL of us. The luncheon was a great success!”


Dates for our next gathering and Mass will be announced soon – we invite all to join us! 

Click Here for Summer Retreat Information at Glastonbury Abbey

Fall Adult Confirmation

Monday, October 21, 2024

 

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be offered for adult Baptized Catholics at St. Mary’s in Randolph, MA this fall in an evening ceremony with our Episcopal Vicar for the South Region of the Archdiocese, Fr. Bob Connors. Candidates should reach out to Mary, Queen of Martyrs office by phone or email to register and plan out an appropriate preparation plan with Fr. Paul. Please let your interested friends and family members known as well! 

Women’s Retreat

Lasalette Retreat Center, Attleboro

August 15-18, 2024!

Want to grow in your relationship with Jesus while sharing your faith with other women of the parish? During this beautiful weekend you will spend time getting closer to our Lord when you attend Mass, pray the rosary, and adoration. You will also get to spend some time sharing your faith with other women who will soon become your sisters in Christ. If interested, please email Cindy Baptiste at: cabap123456@gmail.com or call/text: 508-510-0512.

Our Catholic faith is a faith of renewal whereby God works to awaken us to new life and perspective. It is in this spirit that we can be instruments of restoration
and support for others. 
Want to get a jump start on giving a gift?
Every donation makes a difference!
All Are Welcome!
Do you know you are loved by God?
 
You belong to Jesus Christ and
you belong with us.
 
Regardless of:
Your present status in the Catholic Church,
Your current family or marital situation, or personal history, Your age, ability, income, or background,
Your gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity or spirituality, Your own self-image of holiness or virtue.
You are invited, accepted, and respected here at Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish. We want to share our Roman Catholic way of faith and life in Christ with you.