Now We Begin 10/3

“One Body and One Spirit:”  

Now We Begin

This weekend is our last weekend following our current Sunday Mass schedule. Beginning next weekend, October 10 -11, we will begin our new Collaborative Mass Schedule.

I know that this change brings some sadness. It does for me, too. All of our Sunday Mass times are changing, with the former Sunday schedule being combined into two new Mass times: 9:00am at St. Martha and 11:00am at St. Mary. For some of you, a particular Sunday Mass has been part of your weekly rhythm for many years. You have worshipped with familiar faces, served as a minister, brought your children, and shared important moments of your life with that particular community. I understand that it can be difficult to say goodbye to something that has become such a familiar part of our lives.

But I also believe this is an important moment for us to renew our commitment to what it means to be a collaborative of parishes.

St. Paul reminds us: “Striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph. 4:3-6) These are more than beautiful words. They describe who we are. We belong to Christ before we belong to any particular Mass time or even to one particular church building.

That is why I am asking all of us to make a conscious effort to think of the entire Collaborative Mass Schedule as our schedule. If the Mass time that works best for you is now at the other church, I hope you will be willing to go there. And when you do, I hope you will recognize that you are not visiting someone else’s parish. You are worshipping with your brothers and sisters in the same collaborative Church family - many of whom you will probably recognize already!

I also ask you to help us spread the word this week. Please check the new schedule yourself, remind family members and friends, and specially make sure that anyone who may not regularly receive our electronic communications knows that the schedule changes next weekend.

We have been through many changes together over these past twelve years together - this is another one. There will be an adjustment period, and perhaps some grieving for what we are leaving behind. But St. Paul gives us good words for this moment: “Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13b-14)

There are silver linings in this new Collaborative Mass Schedule. Our churches will feel less empty, and we can feel more supported by other nearby Catholics. Personally, I look forward to seeing each of you more often, since the new schedule allows me to be at each Mass time more frequently! I am confident that, if we continue to pray, remain flexible, and look beyond our individual preferences toward the good of the whole, we can make this another opportunity to grow closer to Jesus and one another as a people of faith.

So let us move forward together, trusting that the same Holy Spirit who has guided us this far will continue to guide us as one body and one Spirit.

The Saturday 9:00am Mass…. 

…. will be celebrated at St. Martha only on the first Saturday of each month, as part of the “First Saturday” devotion and Adoration of Christ in the Eucharist.  Nearby parishes with weekly Saturday 9:00am Masses include St. Mary in Foxborough and

Blessed Sacrament in Walpole.