DID YOU KNOW 

....about our diocesan website?   Check it out for information regarding the New Evangelization Plan and for other diocesan information:

www.portlanddiocese.net

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members of the St. Jude Choir participated in the Christmas Party which is held for the prisoners at the Cumberland County Jail? In 2004 we were extended an invitation to participate. To participate means that you have to get security clearance, dress simply and warmly and present yourself at the CCJ at approximately 5 p.m. on the night of the party. Then you are given some instructions and, along with a volunteer, you go into the pods at the jail and spend about 15 minutes in 3 or 4 of the cell blocks, singing to and for and with the prisoners. In 2004, 5 of us went. When we shared our experience with choir members, many were impressed and sorry they hadn't participated. This year we were again invited and 10 of us went; even more want to participate next year.

Those of you who have volunteered in a prison system may understand when I say that it is a very strange feeling to hear the doors close and lock behind you and KNOW that you can't just turn around and walk out. You take a deep breath, trust and go do it. I don't want to put words or thoughts down for anyone else, however, I believe I can say with great certainty that everyone who has participated (the "original" five were all there again this year) felt that it was a significant part of their Christmas. It certainly makes you very grateful for your freedom. The prison personnel and the prisoners have been so grateful. We sing Christmas music and the "popular" songs elicit participation; the carols often produce tears and silent mouthing of the music. If invited again, there is no doubt in my mind that we will be there.

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Our Pastoral Council meets the 2nd Tuesday of every  month and they are interested in your input on the direction of our mission as a parish.  

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A catechist is a person who helps others discover and develop their faith by reaching out and welcoming us, sharing their own faith and teaching us about worship and the sacraments.  Catechists do more than religious instruction -- they help us to form our relationship with God and our faith lives.  They teach by example -- by involving themselves in the mission of the church, outreach, parish social life, and the greater faith community.

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Last year Canada celebrated its national Thanksgiving Day on October 11th.  The United States celebrated Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, November 25th.  As Catholics, we celebrate Thanksgiving whenever we celebrate Mass!  The word Eucharist means thanksgiving and we give our thanks to God for all we have been given, most especially for the gift of our salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus our Lord.

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Advent begins the liturgical year of the Church.   The violet color of Advent accents a season to remember the first coming of Christ at Christmas.  Through this remembrance of Christ's first coming, we prepare our minds and our hearts for his second coming at the end of time.

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In 1847, there were few Catholics in the Yarmouth area.  The McKearneys and the Dorans were the first Irish Catholic families to settle in the area.  They were in Yarmouth to construct the roadbed in North Yarmouth.  The earlier settlers considered them hardly human, but their fear was not as much about their race as it was about their Catholic faith.  They persevered through much bigotry and ignorance.  The church that they traveled to by foot was in Portland -- six priests covered all of Maine and New Hampshire.  Catholics had to work hard at their faith and, in spite of adversity, their number grew.  The first Mass in Yarmouth was said in the home of Patrick Doran on November 12th, 1856, and Father Thomas Kenney was the celebrant.

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After the first Mass was held at Patrick Doran's home, the population of Yarmouth was on the rise.  Yarmouth became a mission of the Cathedral and was served primarily by two priests:  Father Barry and Father Derose.  They celebrated Mass and listened to confessions during the week at two temporary chapels that were set up in the homes of Patrick Doran and James Kenney.  The missioner assigned would come to Yarmouth once every three months;  in time the visits increased to once a month.  This routine spanned a six year period and the history tells us that "Miles they walked in sunshine and storm, in rain and snow, over frozen,, dangerous paths and roads, that they might give our Lord greeting and wish Him the ancient Gaelic 'hundred thousand welcomes'."

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The first Mass in Freeport was celebrated in 1916.  St. Joseph Church was dedicated in 1933.  It was a small, metal building that was damaged and unfit for use when a heating stove malfunctioned and covered the interior of the building with soot.  While waiting for St Jude to be constructed, the community worshipped in the nearby Nordica Movie Theater.  The ticket booth doubled as the confessional and parishioners were seen leaving Mass with bits of popcorn, candy and gum clinging to their clothing.

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There have been four worship sites in Yarmouth since the first Mass was celebrated in 1856.  The sites include the homes of the early parishioners, the first church built on Cumberland Street, a converted barn that stood behind the rectory, and the stone edifice that exists today.  The unprecedented growth of the Catholic Community in Yarmouth was the primary reason for the change in worship sites.

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Yarmouth was first a mission of Portland, and then of Lisbon.  With the unprecedented growth of the Catholic population in this area, Father Quinn, in collaboration with the parish in Norway, was able to create many outposts or missions throughout an extended area of Maine.  Bethel, Falmouth, Freeport, Greenwood, Gilead, Bridgton, Mechanic Falls and Poland Spring were all among the missions established by Father Quinn

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Since the early 1900's, Sacred Heart Parish has been served by ten pastors.  Father Joseph Quinn, who served longer than any other pastor, was here for 27 years.  Msgr. Paul Stefanko served for five years -- the shortest term as pastor.  

Just as a number of different pastors have served the parish over the years, those same pastors have had a number of different assignments.  For instance, before coming to Sacred Heart, Msgr. Paul had served as a deacon in Presque Isle, as an associate pastor in Millinocket, as the Director of the Christian Life Center in Aroostook County, and as the Judicial Vicar of the Diocesan Tribunal and the Bishop's Delegate for Clergy.

As Msgr. Paul moves on to serve as Rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sacred Heart Parish looks forward to welcoming our new administrator, Father Raymond Picard.

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Sacred Heart Church was dedicated in 1928 -- even though the interior of the church was not complete.  Father Walsh, who succeeded Father Quinn in 1937, was faced with dwindling resources.  He decided to finish the interior by installing wallboard and a false ceiling.  He even had a choir loft built which covered the rose window.  It was not until Msgr. Murphy and the centennial celebration in 1973 that the wooden beams of the vaulted ceiling and the beautiful rose window were uncovered.

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The difference between a volunteer and a steward is simply how we look at giving of ourselves.  A volunteer gives to a need that they are made aware of, usually after being asked to help in some way.   This is good, generous and important.  A steward gives of themselves because they feel that they need to give in order to show gratitude of God for all the blessings He has given them.  In this way, our sharing of ourselves is motivated not simply by "helping out" but by "giving back" some of the gifts God has given each of us to use as His disciples.

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On February 5, 1915, Michael McCormick of Bath gave (sold) for $1 a piece of property along the Royal River to Sacred Heart Parish.  The property contained the ruins of an old stockade that was used by the English to repel attacks from the French and from natives.  This property was dedicated on September 17, 1916 as the Cemetery of the Holy Cross.

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The Pope has declared this year (2005) as The Year of The Eucharist.  Our Pastoral Council retreat was centered on the Eucharist with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a Benediction.  Bishop Joseph Gerry, O.S.B. will give a parish retreat focused on the Eucharist which will conclude with an Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament throughout the final day and a Benediction at the closing talk.  As the Pastoral Council experienced in their retreat, taking time from our busy and noisy schedules and focusing on what is central to our faith allows us to have direction.  As the Catholic Youth Ministry of Maine states in their annual convention slogan:  Fuel Up On The Living Bread.

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Homeless teens between the ages of 12 and 21 who are faced with serious issues of poverty, physical abuse, drug abuse, mental illness, illiteracy, and low self esteem do have a place to go. Since 1996, teens that face these issues have been able to turn to the Preble Street Teen Center and the Preble Street Lighthouse Shelter. Preble Street is a low-barrier agency — which means that anyone can ask for and receive services. Preble Street concentrates first on providing basic survival services such as a place where they can find warmth, safety, meals, and healthcare. Preble Street programs meet the immediate needs of these young people while thinking long term by enhancing self esteem, building life skills, promoting responsibility and independence — skills that will move these young people ahead to a positive future. Statistics show that annually Preble Street has provided 11,760 meals, distributed 3,150 clothing and hygiene items and provided 102 youth with 972 bed nights (at the Lighthouse Shelter). Sacred Heart Parish’s youth ministry has already provided some assistance, and in the upcoming weeks our Jr. High Youth Ministry will ask for your help in supporting Preble Street programs.

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An estimated 10 million people in over 14,000 parishes, schools, and faith communities participate in Operation Rice Bowl. Operation Rice Bowl started in Allentown, PA in 1975. It was started by an inter-religious group consisting of a Catholic Priest, a Jewish Rabbi, and Protestant Ministers in response to a drought in Africa. The US Catholic Bishops in 1976 adopted the operation as a national program for the 41st International Eucharistic Congress. In 1977, the operation became Catholic Relief Services Official Lenten Program. International projects receive 75% of the contributions and 25% remain to assist local communities. For more information on Operation Rice Bowl, go to www.catholicrelief.org. *

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Lent is 40 days "because forty days is a traditional number of discipline, devotion, and preparation in the Bible. Thus Moses stayed on the Mountain of God forty days (Exodus 24: 18 and 34: 28), the spies were in the land for forty days (Numbers 13:25), Elijah traveled forty days before he reached the cave where he  had his vision (1 Kings 19: 8), Nineveh was given forty days to repent (Jonah 3: 4), and most importantly, prior to undertaking his ministry, Jesus spent forty days in wilderness praying and fasting (Matthew 4:2)."   -- All About Lent by James Akin.  For more information, go to www.cin.org.

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The Catholic Foundation of Maine was created to assist Catholics of all ages by offering a variety of ways to help them support other Catholics through endowments, trusts, and a number of other planned giving vehicles -- all to benefit your parish, school, Catholic Charities, or any other Catholic entity.  For more information on the Catholic Foundation of Maine, call Deacon Frank Semancik at 773-6471 x 142.

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Sacred Heart Parish contributed $687 to Operation Rice Bowl which will be used to help the poor locally and internationally.  On Sunday, April 10th, Dave Mullin and Katie Campbell came to the parish in an extended cargo van. The Junior High Youth Ministry proceeded to fill the van with all the wonderful donations and gave Dave and Katie a check for $297.  These donations will help the teens who use the Preble Street Teen Center.  The energy and joy that came from these two projects was overwhelming.  Our Junior High Youth Ministry experienced the wonderful gift of seeing their faith in action.  Thank you, Sacred Heart Parish, and all those involved with Junior High Youth Ministry!

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The New Evangelization Plan will restructure the 135 parishes in the Diocese of Maine into 27 clusters.  This is an exciting new beginning for our parish and for the Diocese of Maine.  This new beginning will require a commitment from all of us.  Bishop Malone says it best in Telling Anew the Story of Jesus:

Today the Holy Spirit may very well be leading the Diocese to hearken back to the collaborative spirit of ministry embedded in the Church's foundational missionary days.  I believe that a commitment to collaborative ministry at multiple levels will be key to the renewal of the Church's life in Maine.  This will be practiced among parishes within clusters and among clusters themselves; among clergy and laity; among diocesan clergy and religious clergy; among the parishes and the chaplaincies; among the various chancery offices themselves; and among the chancery offices and the chaplaincies, parishes, and clusters.

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Over the next year, the word parish will be looked at closely.  Bishop Malone, in his Telling Anew the Story of Jesus, helps us understand the meaning of parish:

Theologically speaking, parishes are envisioned differently today than in the past.  For many people, the word "parish" conjures up a mental picture of a church building.  The revised Code of Canon Law, reflecting the Church's renewed theology of parishes, describes a parish as 'a definite community of the Christian faithful established on a stable basis within a particular church' (i.e. a Diocese) (Canon 515.1).

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Bishop Malone expands on what a parish is in his Telling Anew the Story of Jesus:

A parish is where there is a sufficient number of members available to carry on the parish's various ministries:  faith formation at all levels, but particularly at the adult level; evangelization outreach to its inactive members and to the unchurched of its area, helping them find a way to come home or belong to the parish; justice and charity ministries to serve those for whom God has a special love; and other ministries, among them a ministry of foster vocations to serve the church in leadership positions.

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Bishop Malone, in Telling Anew the Story of Jesus, answers the question, "Who is commissioned to do this evangelization?" In a word, all of us!  In Vatican II's Constitution on the Church (#17), the Church declares: "All disciples of Christ are obliged to spread the faith to the best of their ability."  The specific role of lay people is emphasized in Vatican II's Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People (#2):" In the concrete, (the laity's) apostolate is exercised when they work to evangelize people and make them holy; it is exercised, too, when they endeavor to have the Gospel spirit permeate and improve the temporal order, going about it in a way that bears clear witness to Christ and helps move forward the salvation of humanity."

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Bishop Malone, in Telling Anew the Story of Jesus, expands on the words of Pope Paul VI to answer the question, How is this evangelization done?

This proclamation must be made above all else by witness.  We envisage, therefore, a Christian or a group of Christians as people who, in the midst of the community in which they live, will show that they are capable of understanding and accepting others and of cooperative with all those who are seeking to protect what is noble and good.  We envisage them radiating simply and spontaneously their faith in values which transcend common values and their hope in things which are not seen and of which even the boldest mind cannot form an image.  By bearing such silent witness, these Christians will inevitably arouse a spirit of enquiry in those who see their way of life.

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Welcome Father Raymond Picard!

Fr. Raymond Picard took over as Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Yarmouth and its mission of St. Jude in Freeport, moving from St. Patrick in Newcastle and Our Lady of Peace in Boothbay Harbor.

Fr. Picard was born on September 8, 1940 in Biddeford. After clerical studies at St. Paul’s seminary in Ottawa, he was ordained by Bishop Daniel J. Feeney on May 22, 1965 in Portland. He served as assistant at Sacred Heart in Portland, St. John’s in Rumford, St. Francis de Sales in Waterville, St. Joseph’s in Old Town, and St. Ignatius in Sanford. On January 4, 1977 he became Pastor of St. Anne’s Mission at Peter Dana Point, Princeton. He was named Pastor of St. Joseph in Sinclair and Holy Family in Daigle January 13, 1978. He became pastor of SS Athanasius and John in Rumford on January 8, 1986 and was named Pastor of St. Patrick’s in Newcastle in June of 1995. On October 9, 2000 he was appointed Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Boothbay Harbor, in addition to his duties as Pastor of St. Patrick’s.

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Sacred Heart Parish has approximately 1200 families registered, which translates into approximately 3600 people.  

Pope John Paul II has repeatedly called for a "new evangelization" which will renew not only the church but also the world.  *

The Long Range Planning Committee found that, on average, there are 900 people attending Masses on the weekend at both worship sites.  

How is this evangelization done?  Let us turn to the words of Paul VI:  "This proclamation must be made above all else by witness.  Witness of this kind constitutes in itself a proclamation of the good news, silent, but strong and effective (Evangelii nuntiandi #21).*

*From Bishop Malone's Telling Anew the Story of Jesus.

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The 2005 Official Catholic Directory shows that, at the start of 2005, there were 67,820,833 Catholics -- an increase of about 560,000 over the previous year.  While the general population has increased, since 1970 the number of Catholic marriages has declined by 50%.  Other sacramental declines have been noted with infant baptisms (from 985,141 in 2003 to 977,578 in 2004), first communions (from 896,670 to 872,132) and confirmations (from 645,426 to 645,379).  Bishop Malone, in Telling Anew the Story of Jesus, emphasizes that a parish needs to reach out to inactive members and to educate parishioners at all age levels.