Smiles at GOF

What are these people looking at??And what on earth are these people trying to do??


Find out at Generations of Faith Sunday, Feb. 28 at 12:00PM in the hall!

Soup and Stations at Generations of Faith tonight!

Join your parish family for Soup (or macaroni and cheese!), the Stations of the Cross, and Generations of Faith tonight, starting at 6:00 PM. Our G.O.F. theme this evening is "The Tools for the Mission" - All are welcome!

Lent- it's a Catholic Thing!

Here's a great little video about Lent, it's history and what it means for Catholics today. It's a quick chance to brush up on your Catholicism!

The Light is On For You... tonight!

Tonight we begin, with all the churches and chapels of the Archdiocese of Boston, the Lenten "Light is On for You" program. For the duration of the Lenten season, you can go to any location to take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation any Wednesday night from 6:30-8:00PM.
Don't remember how to go to Confession? Don't worry! The priest will walk you through it. But if you want to brush up on the rite before you go, check out this handy link from the Archdiocese of Boston. And here is a collection of videos to get you started, too!

Lenten Mission, week 1

Our Collaborative Lenten Mission began last night, with each parish meeting in our own church. Fr. Mehm led us in prayer and with Judy and Rosalind leading us in singing, and a great crowd of IC people were in attendance. AND we didn't even set off the smoke detectors with the incense!
Afterward, we gathered for fellowship in the hall with delicious snacks (thanks to our donors!) and coffee.
Next week we gather at Sacred Hearts in Malden for A=Amen! 7:00PM. Hope to see you there!



-MM

Lenten Mission begins tonight!

Join your neighbors and friends tonight at 7:00PM for the first night of our Lenten mission! Our theme this year is FAITH and together with St. Joseph Parish in Medford, St. Francis in Medford, Sacred Hearts in Malden, we will host gatherings each Monday evening over the next four weeks.

F=Family, our first gathering (tonight) at IC

A= Amen! at Sacred Hearts in Malden

I= Incarnation, back at IC

T= Trust, at St. Joseph in Medford

H= Healing, at St. Francis in Medford. This gathering includes a reconciliation service.

Bring your friends, meet new friends, and grow in your faith this Lent!

-MM

KofC Breakfast

The Knights of Columbus have done it again! Today's Family Breakfast was a success, and by all accounts the food was delicious! Thank you, Knights!

Lent Action Plans for Families

Still getting into the Lenten groove? Here's a great resource for families to start planning your Lenten devotions:
Get Started During Lent: 3 Action Steps for Parents - Loyola Press

Family Breakfast Sunday, February 21st

All are invited to this great breakfast in the Hall following the 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM Masses. $5 per person, under 11 are free. We look forward to seeing you today!

Soup and Stations tonight at 6:00 PM

Join us tonight in the Hall for a yummy (vegetarian) Soup Supper, followed by the Stations of the Cross in our Chapel. We'll be having Soup and Stations every Friday during Lent, sponsored and served by parish groups. Tonight's delicious efforts are provided by the I.C. Staff. 6:00 PM - soup, 6:40 PM - stations. Make it a great way to kick off your observance of Lent!

40 Days

Great Lenten Resourse

Still looking for the prayer part of your Prayer-Fasting-Almsgiving Lenten devotion? Here's an intriguing option:
40 Days of Praise
"This lent, I have taken a leave of absence from my job at South Side Youth Ministry to tour for the “forty days of praise.” My goal is to play live in 40 different locations (churches, colleges, youth groups, coffee shops, etc.) in order to share the Gospel with as many people as possible. Excitement is overflowing as more and more of the dates are getting booked and lent approaches. My intention is to use this website as a complement to the tour, sharing the preparation and blessings along the journey. Thanks for you interest and may God bless your work! Peace, Michael James Mette"
Check out this page where you can join a web-based group and follow Michael on his journey.
h/t: My Catholic Voice newsletter
-MM

Lent 2010

Lent begins today with Ash Wednesday! Come to I.C. for ashes at 3:00 PM (a short service) or 7:00 PM (a Mass), and kick off this holy and spiritual season of repentance, returning to the Gospel, dedication and deeper love of God. Lent can help us get grounded, feel refocused, and fall deeper in love with the God who loves us so much. Let I.C. be your guide through this wonderful season through the great activities we have planned, as well as wonderful resources here, on our Facebook and Twitter pages, and more!
-MM

Another great Lent resource

From one of our own Boston-Archdiocese priests, Austin Fleming in Concord, who has a great blog that you should check every day! He tackles Fasting and Abstinence, and the finer points thereof. Check it out!
-MM

Eucharistic Minister Meeting Canceled

Eucharistic Ministers, stay home tonight! The meeting is canceled due to snow. But be sure to check your email or check in with Elaine Connelly to be added to the schedule for upcoming Masses, including Holy Week!

Ash Wednesday

Here comes Ash Wednesday! It's this week, and we've got the ashes all ready for you- all you need to do is show up (and repent, and turn toward the Gospel...)! Join us for Mass at 6:30 AM, 9:00 AM, and 7:00 PM, or come for ashes and a service at 3:00 PM. We have a seat saved for you!

Wondering what the deal is with wearing ashes on your head? Check out this great page!

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

From AmericanCatholic.org:

The Catholic Church no longer officially honors St. Valentine, but the holiday has both Roman and Catholic roots.

The Origins of St. Valentine’s Day

A quick quiz: St. Valentine was:

a) a priest in the Roman Empire who helped persecuted Christians during the reign of Claudius II, was thrown in jail and later beheaded on Feb. 14.

b) a Catholic bishop of Terni who was beheaded, also during the reign of Claudius II.

c) someone who secretly married couples when marriage was forbidden, or suffered in Africa, or wrote letters to his jailer's daughter, and was probably beheaded.

d) all, some, or possibly none of the above.

If you guessed d), give yourself a box of chocolates. Although the mid-February holiday celebrating love and lovers remains wildly popular, the confusion over its origins led the Catholic Church, in 1969, to drop St. Valentine's Day from the Roman calendar of official, worldwide Catholic feasts. (Those highly sought-after days are reserved for saints with more clear historical record. After all, the saints are real individuals for us to imitate.) Some parishes, however, observe the feast of St. Valentine.

There's more! Read all about it here: http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/ValentinesDay/origins.asp

-MM

Lent 2010

Looking for ways to live Lent this year? Check out this site from the University of Creighton. There, you'll find daily prayers, great readings to help you prepare and focus, an audio retreat, and more!

Lent at Immaculate Conception

Our Lent and Easter brochures are at each entrance of the church, alongside our favorite "little black books." Be sure to take one (or more!) of each when you visit this weekend! The Lent brochure has information about our Friday Soup Suppers, the Called and Gifted Small Group Discernment process, all the Holy Week information, as well as the Collaborative Mission... and more! There are so many great things going on here at IC to help you live Lent prayerfully and arrive at Easter refreshed, re-focused on your faith, and ready for new life!
Of course, watch here for more information on all of this. Join us for as much as you can, you'll be welcomed with open arms!
-MM

THE W Lives!

Yes, despite the "nor-easter," the W (youth group) will go on tonight at 7:03-8:33. Come on down to the Son Room!
-MM

Knit-along cancelled, more to come?

Knit-Along is cancelled tonight due to the impending storm. Stay home and cozy but keep on knitting! We'll meet again soon.

So far, THE W (youth group) has not been cancelled, officially... but the way the forecast looks, I wouldn't get yer hopes up! Have a safe, warm day and remember, lift with your legs, not your back!

-MM

Set Your DVR!

Check out the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist tomorrow on Oprah!
"We will be appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show on Tuesday, February 9, which also happens to be the 13th anniversary of the founding of our Community. Oprah was interested in doing a show on religious life as a hidden way of life which many people never experience, and so her producers asked us if we would be willing to welcome them. We accepted this invitation as an opportunity to share our life, and by extension, the Gospel, with an audience that we might not ever reach otherwise."

A camera crew came to the Motherhouse in Ann Arbor at the beginning of this week [pictures here], and then on Thursday, Sr. Mary Samuel, Sr. John Dominic, Sr. Mary Judith, and Sr. Francis Mary were flown to Chicago for the taping. Some of our Novices and Postulants also participated in the taping from the Motherhouse via "Skype."
via the "Mary's Aggies" blog, and the DSOM,MOTE website!
-MM

Lent 2010 - FOOD FAST

When is the FOOD FAST? We will begin the fast on Good Friday, April 2nd at 11:00 AM in the Lower Church.

Who can participate? Everyone! Middle school students will fast for 12 hours and High School students will fast for 24 hours, both beginning at 11:00 AM on April 2nd. All others can join us (see more below).

How do I register? Bring to the Youth Ministry Center: Parental Permission Form along with $20 Registration Fee

What is fasting? Fasting is the act of abstaining from food. There are various types of ways to fast, but the most popular and the one that is part of the FOOD FAST is a juice fast.

Why is fasting part of the FOOD FAST? It's an opportunity for participants to focus their thoughts, prayers and efforts on things most important to God. It's a way to draw near to God. It also allows participants to feel what real hunger feels like -- a hunger that is felt by many of the boys, girls, men and women who are being helped by the funds raised during the FOOD FAST.

What are some alternatives to fasting? If you cannot participate in the FOOD FAST, you can be in solidarity with us... try fasting from these:

- skipping a meal (or two)

- abstaining from something (i.e. chocolate, soda, etc.) for a period of time

- fasting from talking for a period time

- fasting from media (no internet, TV, movies, videos, radio, music, etc.) for a period of time.

Who does my donation help? All your donations are given to Catholic Relief Services. Learn about them here.

Called and Gifted - Part 2

You can't see our faces, but believe me we are having a great time! Sherry Weddell and Fr. Mike Fones, O.P. are leading us through a very inspiring, enlightening, and fun process! We're learning about the Holy Spirit, about our specific callings and our specific charisms! I watched last night as people all around the room nodded in agreement or pointed at each other as Sherry and Fr. Mike described people with particular charisms. It was so exciting to hear them described and to know that we all are gifted differently- what a beautiful body of Christ we make up!

We finish our three night process this evening, and the Catherine of Siena Institute heads up to Westford to present the workshop at St. Catherine parish there. We hope they'll be back in the Boston area again soon, and for our part, we'll start digging into the small group discernment process here at I.C. as soon as possible!
-MM

Called and Gifted

Called and Gifted is off to a great start! Thanks to our wonderful participants and the lovely presenters from the Catherine of Siena Institute, we are looking forward to tonight's and tomorrow's presentations. Here's a peek at our group, hard at work!

Thank you to all who brought delicious snacks and generous donations offered by our participants this week, too!