The
strength of our parish lies in the fact that liturgical celebration
of the Sacraments is a central priority. This is done by
careful preparation and a sensitivity of the fact that people
come to the Church at various stages and places in their
lives. The Sacraments offer a bridge for people to discover
Jesus in their lives and in the life of the parish.
The
sacraments are a visible sign instituted by Christ to give
grace.
Sacraments
of Initiation
Baptism
For
infants
Baptisms
are now usually held on the 2nd Sunday of the month at 1PM.
Please contact the Parish office @ (978)-454-5143 to schedule
an appointment for parents and godparents. The occasion of
the Baptism of a child is a celebration for our entire parish,
and gives us an opportunity to witness our presence to the
family gathered for Baptism
Instruction
classes are given to the parents in three parts on the last
Sunday of the month before the baptism at which time the
Nicene and Apostle’s Creed are discussed and the basic
beliefs of the Catholic Church are highlighted. The importance
of having practicing Catholics as godparents is impressed
upon the parents, and the role of godparents is impressed
upon the godparents. It is more then an honor; it is a grave
responsibility and a sharing in the Christian rearing of
the child.
The
basics of the Sacrament of Baptism are defined and explained,
emphasizing the wonderful effects that take place in the
soul of the child. The symbols of water, oil, white garment,
and lighted candle are made clear and the parents and godparents
are "walked" through the ceremony of Baptism.
Finally,
the necessity of being a faith-filled family is impressed.
Children from infancy should be familiar with God and the
Blessed Mother's place in the home. Simple prayers should
be taught and religious pictures, crucifix, etc. should be
evident in a home. The Eucharist is the center of our faith
and children should be brought to church form an early age
and taught the proper conduct at Mass.
Parents
are encouraged to be seen at Mass, especially at the Family
Mass and it is encouraging to greet these families, as they
become a part of the worshipping community!
Are
you a parent interested in your infant being baptized, call
the Parish office @ (978)-454-5143 to schedule an appointment.
For
adults - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
Often,
adults will meet with Priests or Deacon desiring to receive
missed sacraments. Due to the evangelization efforts of our
parish and the diocese, non-baptized individuals will also
approach us desiring to become Roman Catholic.
After
initial meetings and discussions, these individuals are placed
in an appropriate program to assist them in their journey
of faith.
Adults
who are non-baptized are welcome with open arms to the Church.
For
individuals who
have
been baptized and have not been catechized,
have
been baptized in another Christian Community, or
have
been baptized, received First Holy Communion but not Confirmation,
an
individual program is planned for them.
Currently we have individuals preparing for various Sacraments. If
you are interested in the RCIA program, call the Parish office @ (978)-454-5143
to schedule an appointment.
Saturday
(Vigil) 4:00 pm
Sunday: 7:30 am, 9:00 am and 11:00 am
Daily
Mass:
Weekdays
8:30 am Monday through Saturday in
Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel
(lower church)
Exposition
of the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration:
October
through May: Every Thursday from 9:00am to
3:00pm.
How
enjoyable to sit and talk with a friend... Sit and talk with
your friend Jesus.
Take time just to BE WITH Jesus.
First Holy Communion
First
Holy Communion is customarily received in May after a two-year
preparation program from first grade through second grade.
Great
effort is made to impress in their minds the Real Presence
of Jesus in the Eucharist. Parents are again called forth
to meet with the priest and teachers to remind them of their
obligation to continue to encourage and take the children
to the Family Liturgy and discuss the homilies with them
after Mass.
Special
meetings are scheduled for students and parents. The students
meet with the Pastor to discuss the Sacrament in a simple
way while a guest speaker updates the parents regarding the
Sacrament and answers their questions.
Parents
are encouraged to support their children by good example,
especially attendance at the Family Liturgy where the homilies
are directed to the child's understanding.
Are
you a parent interested in your child receiving First Holy
Communion, call Religious Education Office @ (978) 454-5143
to schedule an appointment
Confirmation
is a two-year program in the parish beginning in Grade 9 of
high school and continuing through Grade 11.
Preparation
includes the basic doctrines of the faith, the sacraments and
Church's teachings on moral issues. The Archdiocesan guidelines
for preparation for Confirmation are fully followed and implemented.
We
meet on Sunday Evenings during the year.
The
Sacrament is administered during a regularly scheduled weekend
Mass, giving the Parish community an opportunity to participate
and support our young adults.
Are
you a parent interested in your child receiving Confirmation,
call the Religious Education Office @ (978) 454-5143 to schedule
an appointment.
For Adult confirmation, call the Religious Education Office at the same
number to schedule an appointment.
The
above schedule has worked out very well for our parishioners.
Our priests are available any time. A person may also call
the parish office to receive the Sacrament, and if a person
wishes to make an appointment to come at a special time, our
priests are always available.
Our confessionals are set up in such a way that face-to-face confession or private
confession with use of the confessional screen is available.
Father Ray has worked out a schedule whereby the children of St. Margaret School
have the opportunity to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation twice a year. Students
in our Religious Education Program are also offered a set time during the year.
Our second grade students receive first Penance in December. The children are prepared
in the religion classes of Saint Margaret School and our Religious Education Program.
Special meetings are scheduled for students and parents. The students meet with the
Pastor to discuss the Sacrament in a simple way while a guest speaker updates the
parents regarding the sacrament and answers their questions. Parents are encouraged
to support their children by good example, especially attendance at the Family Liturgy
where the homilies are directed to the child's understanding.
The priests at the parish have found these occasions fruitful and grace-filled for
themselves, as well as those preparing for and receiving the Sacrament.
Are you a parent interested in your child receiving First Penance, call the Religious
Education Office @ (978) 454-5143 to schedule an appointment.
The
sacrament is available at any time requested and Fr. Ray
will go to the homes or administer the Sacrament after any
of the parish Masses. We encourage parishioners entering
the hospital to receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the
Sick at the Sunday Mass prior to their entry into the hospital. Often
parishioners facing surgery will ask for the strength and
blessing of the Sacrament prior to these operations. If
any person wants to receive during our monthly Mass, it would
be available if we know ahead of time.
Interested
in receiving this sacrament, call the Parish office @ (978)-454-5143
to schedule an appointment.
Couples
planning to be married within St. Margaret Parish are encouraged
to meet with the Administrator at least six months prior
to their planned wedding to begin the Marriage Preparation
Process. You should call the parish office @ (978)-454-5143
to schedule an appointment.
As
a parish, we are committed to the idea that:
"A
Wedding is for a day, a marriage is for a lifetime."
Our
engaged couples are well prepared for marriage. The Archdiocesan
and Parish guidelines are fully followed.
After
an initial meeting, the couples are advised as to the procedures
for the next six months. We participate in the collaborative
Archdiocesan marriage preparation programs and the couples
are instructed on a regular basis until the time of their marriage.
Fr.
Ray even takes a picture of the couple on their arrival to
arrange their marriage, and directs them in the planning of
their own wedding. The
number of engaged couples seeking marriage at St. Margaret
Church has steadily increased.
When
they arrive for an initial appointment, they are given a specific
packet regarding the Marriage Preparation Process. This includes
detailed information for the photographer/videographer, the
Florist, the Planning of the Wedding, Rehearsal, Music for
the Wedding planned through the Director of Music and
the various suggested offerings and stipends.
Every
baptized Christian shares in the priesthood of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Some men are called more fully in this priesthood through
Holy Orders. The priesthood is open to mature men single or
widowed. All Catholics are asked to pray for and promote vocations
to the priesthood.
Holy
Orders is the sacrament of Apostolic ministry and is the sacrament
through which the mission entrusted by Jesus to his Apostles
continues to be exercised in the Church to the end of time.
Thomas Aquinas makes the important point that only Christ is
the true priest, the others serving as his ministers [Hebrews
8:4]. Men are ordained to the priesthood in the Catholic and
Orthodox Churches, as the sacrament confers upon the priest
the character to act in the person of Christ [in persona
Christi].
The
rite consists of the Bishop's imposition of hands on the head
of the priest-candidate with the consecrating prayer asking
God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the gifts of
the ministry. There are three dimensions to this ministry,
that of Bishop, Priesthood, and the Diaconate.
Bishops
- Bishops are the chief teachers of the faith.
Priesthood
- Diocesan priests serve as pastors of parishes, educators
and counselors while priests who belong to religious communities
may be assigned to duties within a particular ministry.
Diaconate
- Deacon assist pastors by leading celebrations of Baptism
and Marriage, preaching at Mass and helping with other parish
duties.
Vowed
Religious: Although not a part of Holy Orders, often, Catholics
follow a calling to join religious communities, such as sisters
or brothers, and take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience
to help them become completely devoted to God and their ministries.
Do
you think the Lord is calling you to a religious vocation?
Men who feel they may have a special call to serve the church
either as a Priest, Deacon or brother may contact
Fr. Ray for further information.
Interested
in becoming a woman religious, may also contact
Fr. Ray.
Public
Witness of Vocations to the Priesthood - St. Margaret
Parish has been a field placement parish for transitional
Deacons from Pope John XXIII National Seminary in Weston,
Massachusetts. Training second-career Men, our parishioners
witness the growth and development of these men as they prepare
for the priesthood for various dioceses in the United States
During the past three years, the first year seminarians have
participated in a special parish seminar, where the Parish
Pastoral Council, Parish Staff and Parish community have
an opportunity to meet with them an insight into parish life.
These men provide a positive witness to the priesthood in
the Church.
From
33AD to the time the Sacred Scriptures were canonized in 397AD,
we see biblical evidence from the time of Christ that this
sacrament was his desire.
Luke
22:19-20:
Then
he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave
it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be
given for you; do this in memory of me.” And
likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This
cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for
you.
1
Corinthians 11:23-27:
For
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that
the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread,
and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This
is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of
me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper,
saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do
this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For
as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim
the death of the Lord until he comes. Therefore whoever eats
the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthy will have
to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.
1
Peter 2:4-5:
"Come
to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's
sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves
built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to
offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ."
2
Timothy 1:6:
I
remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you
through the laying on of my hands.
Hebrews
5:1-6:
For
every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act
on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices
for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward,
since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this
he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as
for those of the people. And one does not take the honor
upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was.
So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest,
but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art
my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also
in another place,
"Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."
1
Peter 2:4-5:
Come
to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's
sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves
built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to
offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ."
Baptism
Every
baptized Christian shares in the priesthood of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Some men are called more fully in this priesthood through
Holy Orders. The priesthood is open to mature men single or
widowed. All Catholics are asked to pray for and promote vocations
to the priesthood.