Monatsbote

September 2003
Volume 115 Issue 7

The Newsletter from Holy Trinity, "the German Church", published since 1899.

 

Father's Letter

My dear Monatsbote Readers,

When I prepared for Sunday, August 17^th, I studied the first reading - Proverbs 9: 1-6 and the following thoughts came to mind.

Wisdom is a grace sent by God to draw us into appreciation of our own rational nature and its opportunity to cooperate with the Mind of God, to achieve an intellectual approach to Eternal Life.  We are made to the image and likeness of God and this is found most appropriately in our intellect and will, our ability to think and to decide.  Of course, He gave us these powers within our animal nature.  In addition to our God-like qualifications our body has the senses, instincts and appetites of the other sentient creatures of earth.

Wisdom highlights the opportunities that our intellect and will have to appreciate and to control the way our body functions and relates to other bodies.  Eternal Life is not simply a dull retirement from earthly adventure, challenge and struggle.  It is a graduation from a good life to a better one, from dealing with other humans and things to the truly challenging life with our Creator.

We begin Eternal Life during our temporal existence seeking and enjoying what is beyond time, so that the supernatural becomes more natural to us.  In other words, God made us to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him in this life so that we can be happy with Him forever in heaven.

know – to use the intellect

love – to exercise our will to decide for God

serve – to obey and to live with Him

You cannot reach a greater life if you are constantly dwelling on the problems of this current life.

Reach out to the One you know.

Enjoy the One you love.

Be happy with the One you serve.

                                                                                                                                 Father O’Regan

Commentary

INCHING THROUGH LIFE

Not only are we seeing people's lives being extended into the century zone, but also the stories of their lives are being told in many more words than formerly.  We had become accustomed to considering the notice of the death of an individual as a factual statement of the time of his wake, the funeral and names of his survivors.   Now, however, we may find much more, including biographical glimpses and maybe a list of major accomplishments of the individual.

Whereas, we are accustomed to seeing a notice of approximately two inches in length in the daily paper, recently a notice of 13½ inches was brought to our attention.  This was not a worldly person whose demise would be covered by the news section, but a humble Jesuit priest with a medical degree and a long interest in psychiatry, who had provided a lifetime of service to others:  Rev. James J. Gill, S.J., M.D. who died on July 29.

Jim, as he was referred to in the notice, was born in Tacoma, Washington, and died in Scottsdale, Arizona after serving for many years here at Harvard Medical School as a Psychiatrist.  During his college years at the University of San Francisco he served as a Naval Aviation Navigator from 1943 to 1945.  His being a member of the Jesuit order and his wartime service as an aerial navigator helped to arouse  memories of this writer's past.

Jim's many interests included work in the area of religious formation and clerical celibacy, work with heart attack victims to change their behavior, and writing and lecturing  and extensive traveling required of these pursuits.  Although the lengthy  death notice referred to herein appeared in the Boston Globe on August 8, arousing this one's interest, his obituary did not appear in the news columns until August 14.

                                                           C. N. Faulstich

Special Notices

Oktoberfest

This year’s annual parish fundraiser will be held on Sunday, October 12 from 11:30 to 2:30.  As usual, we will have German luncheon, musical entertainment, crafts and baked goods for sale and the parish raffle.  Donations for the Crafts Table and for the Baked Goods Table are most welcome.  Please contact either Joe LoPicoolo, Lauretta Cloherty, or Charles Brusard for more information.

Auriesville Pilgrimage

The Holy Name Society will be leading a group on the Pilgrimage for Restoration to the Shrine of Our Lady of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York, September 27.  All members of the parish are invited to attend.  Information and a sign-up sheet is available at the Holy Trinity ushers' table.

The Pilgrimage for Restoration is an annual event sponsored by the National Coalition of Clergy and Laity.  Their website (www.national-coalition.org) describes the pilgrimage, now in its eighth year, as "a spiritual journey of the faithful to the place where Saints René Goupil, Fr. Isaac Jogues and John LaLande were martyred over 360 years ago. It is conducted for the greater glory of God, public recognition of Christ Our King, the restoration of new Christendom, and in reparation for sins against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

Although the event is scheduled for September 24-27, our group participation will be limited to the last leg of the journey:  a seven-mile walk on Saturday, September 27, from the National Shrine of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha in Fonda, New York, to the Shrine of Our Lady of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York.  The day begins with common prayers in Fonda at 9:00 A.M., and ends with Holy Mass in the Coliseum Church in Auriesville at 1:00 P.M.

The approximately three-hour walk requires pilgrims to be in reasonably good physical condition.  Pilgrims should wear sturdy walking shoes, as well as appropriate and modest clothing for outdoor walking (keeping in mind that Holy Mass follows, so no shorts, etc.)  Pilgrims should bring a canteen of water, make provisions for inclement weather, and are encouraged to carry holy images, banners, and flags (but no signs).

The Holy Name Society will take care of making transportation available to all who need it.  If interested, please contact Emmett Wells or one of the ushers.

Walk for Life

The 15^th annual Walk for Life will take place on Sunday October 5.  It consists of a 3 mile walk beginning at the Beacon & Charles Streets corner of Boston Common.  Registration starts at 1 PM, the walk starts at 2 PM. 

September 2003 Calendar

Etwas Neues & Quid Nova

Ø      Hundert tausend Willkommengruße and our special prayers for our new Archbishop, “Bishop Sean”!  May he find his oft-straying flock to be appreciative of his ability to seek out the long-suffering souls.  Also, may our sandal-shod-shepherd and neighbor - with his landlord, Msgr. Frederick Murphy - perhaps stroll down the road apiece and visit Father Fred’s former domain.  A pop-in at our Oktoberfest on 10/12 would be a real treat for the old faithfuls who, in a semi-Franciscan way, labor in His Vineyard!  Our welcome mat is ever spread and there’ll always be an extra tater or two in the pot!

Ø      Happy Retirement to Pat Cloherty, our ever genial kaffeeklatch host, whose Librarian career spanned almost half a century.  He served many cities and towns but decided to close the “last book” on year 33 as Director of Libraries for his home city, Salem. Our felicitations to Pat and his lovely Lauretta for pleasant leisure, safe traveling and health to enjoy their well-deserved future!

Ø      Congratulations to Father Joseph Baggetta, Chaplain for the Metropolitan Youth Service Center in Dorchester who desired a separate entity from the building and, with the help of K of C labor, renovated an old construction trailer.  It is now called the “Chapel of Hope” and offers a spiritual outlet for over 1,500 adolescents (troubled boys and girls, aged 13-21) who pass through the facility each year.  (Of these, 60-70% are Catholic.)  Father, who has worked at the Center for 24 years, stressed importance of reaching them:  “To be exposed to the Church – because now when they go back to the community…they know that the Church is there to give them hope.”  (Excerpted from THE PILOT – 7/18/03.)  We, who have been privileged to hear Father’s pertinent homilies, are very grateful and wish him and his young charges much success.  Our prayers are with all in this most necessary endeavor.

Ø      The patriarch of the large Familie Faulstich, (and our editorial contributor), was duly surprised with a multi-generational reunion honoring his 58^th (or is it 85^th?) birthday.  Clam Island off Connecticut’s coast – home of daughter Ginny and hubby Bob – was the destination for the kinder and theirs who traveled from Costa Rica, California, Washington, Illinois and Massachusetts to pay tribute to der Kapitän, whose skill at the helm sailed all through life’s rough and becalmed seas.  The gifts of their presence plus a ship’s wheel evoked memories and merriment.  Belated Herzliche Glückwünsche zum Geburtstag, liebe Charles!

Ø      Our very faithful, quiet and generous parishioner from India, Vimala Perumal, is off to Georgia and a visit with her daughter.  The humidity and heat of our Boston summer will make Atlanta seem cool!  We’ll miss your lovely smile and dear self.  We look forward to your return.

Ø      Happy Birthday to our September celebrants! 

(8) Our blessed Lady, Virgin, Mother, Queen, Mediatrix and Listener “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners.”  Heilige Maria, Mutter Gottes, bitte für uns Sünder…. and…

(1) Richard Remmes; (3) Mary Geiger; (6) Sr. Frances Will, OSF; (7) Jasmine Robinson; (9) Jonathan Cooper & Michael Roberson; (10) Pauline Smith; (29) Catherine Warren.

Ø      Martha Rettman, President of the Catholic Women’s Guild, thanks all participants in its annual raffle.  The lucky winners were as follows:

Mary Lucas ($200); Barbara Bridge ($100); Francis Gilleo ($50); Nancy White ($25); Lorraine Dubose ($25).  Rose Sullivan and Berthe Pflanz won the two attendance prizes of $25.  The real winners are Holy Trinity and the various local charities which share in the totally dispersed profits.

Ø      Since our last publication, we sadly report the death of Mrs. Bienvenida Raymundo, mother of Latin Schola member, Lita UiLaoghaire.  We were honored to have Mrs. Raymundo’s Requiem Mass celebrated here at Holy Trinity. Also, we remember former old-family-parishioners: Frances (Tisei) Ricci (our next door Shawmut Ave. neighbor); Robert Schlicte (from West Roxbury to West Boylston); and, Martin Lohrer (teacher and photo-historian of special parish events.)   We offer prayerful sympathy to their families.  Requiescant in pace. 

Ø      We are happy to report that “banned in Boston” does not refer to a trio of couples whose “Banns of Marriage” were printed in our weekly church bulletins in August. As the wedding bells ring, we offer our best wishes for long, happy, health-filled, fruitful and successful years to Theresa M. Steinkrauss & Henry C. Benoit, Jr.; to Patrick Yum and Michelle Leung; and to Otto Pokorny and Elizabeth McAuliffe.

Ø      The Boylston Schul-Verein (Route 109 near the Westwood/Walpole line) is holding its famed Oktoberfest on September 6 and 7.  It features live German Band music and luscious traditional food, Kuchen, and beverages.  Enjoy a day in the country mit Familie and Freunde!

Ø      From a Boston Carmel Newsletter: Sr. Anne Marie, a recent visitor from the Carmel in Tübigen – founded 20 years ago and named after a Carmelite Sister, Edith Stein, a.k.a. Sr. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross – reminds us “to pray for our brothers and sisters in Germany.  Only 3% of the country is Catholic, 17% is Protestant and 80% have no faith tradition!”  Prayers for the return of our Brudern und Schwestern in die Heimat to the faith of their/our fathers are much needed.  Gelobt sei Jesus Christus!

Liturgy Corner

What do we mean by the terms “Low Mass” and “High  Mass”?  These terms are generally used to distinguish between two different forms of Mass found in the 1962 Missal.  However, they do not strictly correspond with the Missal's Latin text.  Rather than referring to “low” and “high”, the Missal uses the terms Missa Lecta, Missa Cantata and Missa Solemnis.

A Missa Lecta is literally a "read Mass", that is a Mass where the audible parts are read aloud by the celebrant.  A Missa Cantata is a "sung Mass" where all the audible parts are sung by either the celebrant or the choir. A Missa Solemnis is a “solemn Mass”; that is, a sung Mass which utilizes greater solemnity (e.g.. deacon, subdeacon, torch-bearers and the like).

These Latin terms were transformed in the English speaking world to signify whether the form of a Mass was simple (low) or more solemn (high) or with all possible solemnity (solemn high).  Or put another way, these terms indicate whether the Mass text is merely read or it is sung.

In the Roman Rite, the principal or primary Sunday Mass was meant to be at the very least sung and,  if at all possible, solemn. The other Sunday Masses were of necessity lacking solemnity.  In fact, Low Mass was merely a later development to accommodate the large numbers of the faithful who attended Sunday Masses.  A High Mass has all the elements of a Solemn High Mass but without the participation of a deacon and a subdeacon.

Submitted by Frank Doyle, Jr.
 

CCD Announcements

The following information comes form Patti Strom, Holy Trinity’s Director of Religious Education.  CCD classes for the 2003 – 2004 school year will begin on Sunday, September 21 following the Noon Mass.  Parents should contact Patti for registration forms.  We are looking forward to another very successful year.

Patti would also be happy to speak with anyone who is interested in teaching CCD or helping with the program.  Any instructors who still have books or supplies from last year, should turn them in as soon as possible.