HOSPITABLE OPEN PRAYERFUL EUCHARISTIC FAITHFUL UNIVERSAL LOVING

The past four years at St. James were years of implementing the parish self study that was completed in September 1996. The four newly established committees (Health Care, Liturgical. Educational, and Hospitality) began to meet and plan activities.

Our outreach to the larger community was truly experienced by our parish when St. James sponsored the first ACTION meeting of United Interfaith Action in October of 1997. Eight hundred people attended the first meeting. Bishop Sean O’Malley , the mayors, and chiefs of police of Fall River and New Bedford were present.

In this period of time our parishioners had an opportunity to learn and experience the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Fr. John Sweeney, P.O. celebrated his first Mass at St. James with family, friends and Bishop O’Malley. Fr. Nick celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary of ordination to the priesthood in December of 2000.

Fr. Thomas Washburn, O.F.M. shared with the parish his journey in the life of a Franciscan and in his preparation for ordination to the priesthood. In November of 1997 Brother Tom renewed his final vows at St. James. He had made his final vows in New Hampshire in August of the same year. Brother Tom was ordained to the diaconate. A bus of parishioners went to that celebration at Sacred Heart Church in Waltham. In September of the Holy Year Fr. Thomas Washburn celebrated his First Mass at St. James.

During these years Fr. Tom was very present to our parish by preaching, teaching the young people about vocations; and using his talent of singing to embellish our liturgical celebrations. We have been very enriched by his journey.

In February of 2000 Deacon Lawrence St. Onge was assigned to our parish as its permanent deacon. We welcome Larry and Jackie to our parish.

Jackie in these last four years has directed our "Giving Tree" during the season of Advent. It has become one of the very exciting times of our year.

In August 1996 the Parish Festival began. It is held on the second weekend of the month of August.

Bishop O’Malley made a pastoral visit to our parish in the Holy Year. Members of the Parish Pastoral Council and Financial Council met with the Bishop.

Our Parish participated in the first Lenten Parish Mission sponsored by the parishes in the greater New Bedford area. The Mission was held in the church of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The parishioners entrusted our parish to Mary in this new millennium. This celebration took place in October of the Holy Year.

In June of 2000 our parish secretary, Helen Alves, died. She had worked in the parish for twenty years. This was a great sorrow for our parish. May she rest in peace.

We thank God for these last four years. We continue to be hopeful.

In the past four years this committee has sponsored:

o The praying of the rosary in the month of October and May. A teaching has also been given. The crowning of the statue of Mary was part of the May devotions.

o Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was held on the first Sunday of every month with the praying of the rosary at the conclusion of the day.

o The committee also invited Marian Desrosiers of the Pro-Life Office of the Diocese to come and speak each year to our young people of grades 7, 8, and 9 on the topics of pro-life issues and chastity. Parents were invited to attend this presentation so that they would be able to discuss these topics at home as a family.

o Fr. John Sweeney, F.P.O. was invited to a parish open house when parishioners could come and ask any questions about the Faith. Although the attendance at these meetings was very small, the people who came benefited a great deal.

o A parents’ meeting of children in our First Communion and Confirmation classes was held. A family of parents and children shared the importance of the Mass in their family life.

o A meeting was held for parents whose children were being confirmed in the Holy Year 2000. A special video on the Eucharist and a presentation by Janice Lord on the meaning of the Jubilee Year was given.

o A panel discussion was held for our young people of grades 7, 8, and 9. Young people of high school and college age spoke about the value of the Mass in their lives.

o Fr. John Sweeney spoke on the Passion of the Lord.

o A bus brought about twenty people to Stockbridge for Divine Mercy Sunday.

o The Education Committee also provided a reception after Fr. John Sweeney’s First Mass at St. James.

The Committee would like to continue:

v The monthly adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

v The devotion of the rosary in the months of October and May.

v To sponsor the annual presentation by Marian Desrosiers.

 

They have also accepted the invitation to serve as the Vocations Committee for the parish. In that capacity they would like to:

v Sponsor a holy hour for vocations as part of the monthly day of adoration.

v Sponsor a "31 club" which is asking people to pray for vocations one day in the months of May and October. Displays will be part of this club.

v Distribute vocation prayer cards will also be part of their future plans.

 

In this period of time:

o An emergency phone was installed in the church.

o A first aid kit was put in the sacristy.

o A blood bank was sponsored by St. John the Baptist and St. James Churches.

o CPR training was given.

o Blood pressure is taken after all Masses on the second weekend of the month.

o Worked on the celebration of the Sacrament of the Sick.

o Deb Osuch gave information on the Health Care Proxy.

o A walking club was offered.

o Cards were sent to shut ins for their birthday.

o A caregivers training course was offered.

o A monthly newsletter is put in the bulletin.

o There is material on health concerns in our library in the gathering area of the church.

o The film on physician assisted suicide was shown at all the Masses and at a parish meeting.

The committee would like to continue:

v With the blood pressure clinic once a month.

v They would like to sponsor the Blood Bank once a year with St. John the Baptist Church.

v They would like to have a box where parishioners could donate their old glasses.

v They would like to update the library with information about Medicare and Medicaid.

 

In this four year period:

o Material was given to the parishioners during the seasons of Advent and Lent so that they could observe these seasons at home.

o Planned Penance Services for the Advent and Lenten Seasons.

o They encouraged the use of leaders of song at Mass to have better participation.

o They encouraged Communion under both kinds to be given more often.

o They care for the decorating of the church for all the liturgical seasons.

o Crosses were given on one Ash Wednesday.

o They sponsored Bible Study during Advent and Lent.

o They continued to work on the celebration of Holy Week.

o They selected the music for each liturgical season.

o Transportation was provided for the events for the Jubilee Year and for the Parish Mission at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.

o An Alleluia banner was made.

o A large cross was put in the sanctuary during Lent and Easter time.

o Medals of St. James were given to parishioners on the Feast of Epiphany of the closing of the Holy Year.

o Parishioners were invited to bring rocks to the Ash Wednesday celebrations.

The Committee would like to continue:

v To work on Holy Week.

v With the decorations for the liturgical seasons.

v They will plan the music for each season.

v They will continue to provide handouts for Advent and Lent.

v They are planning a Day of Recollection for the parish on November 18, 2001.

 

In this period of time this committee:

o Hosted refreshments after the Masses on the weekend.

o Hosted refreshments for the Anointing of the Sick Mass, for Holy Saturday Vigil Mass and for the Mass for all the deceased parishioners who were buried from St. James.

o They also provided refreshments for the Feast of St. James.

o Hosted a reception for Fr. Nick on his twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of ordination.

o Sent welcome packets to new families who registered in the parish.

o Sent invitations to those parents who had a child baptized during the year to attend a special Mass to receive a special blessing, medal and certificate.

o Served as greeters at Mass.

o Sponsored a Jubilee trip to La Salette Shrine in Attleboro during Advent.

o Sponsored Christmas caroling for the shut ins during the Jubilee Year.

o Made a special banner for the Jubilee Year.

o Made medals and prayer cards of St. James to be given to all parishioners on the Feast of the Epiphany at the close of the Jubilee Year.

They would like to continue:

v To work on the Mass for the Sick, the Mass for the deceased and for Holy Saturday.

v To sponsor the special Mass for the newly baptized babies.

v To send the welcome packets to new parishioners.

 

q Eucharistic Ministers go to the Jewish and the Taber Nursing Home each week.

q Mass is celebrated once a month in the Jewish Nursing Home, Taber Nursing Home and Brandon Woods Nursing Home.

q Eucharistic Ministers go at least once a month (in some cases, every week) to the shut-ins to bring Holy Communion.

q The church bulletin is sent to the shut ins once a week.

q The rosary is prayed by a parishioner at the Taber Nursing Home once a week.

q We need more Eucharistic ministers who could go to the homes of the shut-ins, so that they all could receive Communion once a week.

 

Ø A youth group was formed.

Ø A drop in center was available once a week.

Ø Certain trips were made with the group, including La Salette Shrine, and certain amusement parks.

Ø Nursing homes were visited.

Ø A Day of Prayer was also given to the group.

As these first members got older, the numbers of the youth group began to decline until there were very few left. Much effort was made to recruit new members. No one responded.

It was the decision of the Parish Pastoral Council that we suspend efforts to create a new group until there is some interest shown by the young people of the parish.

We, nevertheless, want to affirm the many ways that the young people are involved presently in the parish. We affirm the young people who participate in the music at Mass by either singing in the choir or by playing instruments. There are many young people who are altar servers and lectors. Young people have served on our Parish Pastoral Council.

We thank the young people who have worked on our Parish Festival.

We are hopeful that someday we will be able to do more for the young people of the parish to make them feel that they are part of the Church.

In these four years many of the policies of the past were continued:

Ø 24 sessions of class

Ø Two years of preparation for First Communion (Those who go to Catholic Schools come to class for a half of year in the second grade.)

Ø Three years of preparation for Confirmation.

Ø Grades 7,8, and 9 come to Mass each Sunday before their classes.

Ø All the grades of children come to Mass once a month.

Ø Marian Desrosiers from the Pro-Life Office of the Diocese comes each year to give a presentation on Pro-Life questions or on chastity. Parents of these young people come to the presentation.

Ø A day of retreat is required for confirmation.

We have about two hundred children in our present program.

The Council reports the collections each month. Each month the parishioners are advised that the parish needs to collect $3,000 each week in the offertory collection to pay all the bills.

The activities that raise money for the parish are: the Booster Club, the Penny Sale, the supper before Lent, and the Parish Festival. Special recognition needs to be given to the workers of Bingo. For the last thirty years this has been a major source of income for the maintenance of our merged parish school and parish.

The major projects during this period of time were:

o the repairing of the stained glass windows in the church.

o the painting of the church, chapel, sacristy, and church hall.

o the resurfacing of the side parking lot.

o a new boiler for the church.

o replacement of the ventilator windows in the stained glass windows.

o the installation of a new door at the side entrance of the church hall.

Each year the members of the Financial Council give a report of the revenues and expenses of that fiscal year. The following is a summary of the finances for this period of time.

                                  REVENUES             EXPENSES                 BINGO

1996                          $343,733.65             $333,152.13               $ 53,500.00

1997                          $232,199.37             $255,257.13               $ 20,000.00

1998                          $414,508.46             $412,057.50               $189,925.21 (included Campaign)

1999                          $361,468.56              $383,177.39              $ 58,900.00

2000                          $283,609.55              $292,567.72              $ 28,400.00

In the last four years members of our conference have worked in the food pantry, which was located in our parish center. Also a food pantry for the parish was built in our church hall. Each week parishioners have contributed food at the weekend Masses. A special collection of certain items was conducted during the Lenten Season. All of this collected food has gone to feed the poor families of our parish.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society also gives a small present to the shut-ins at Christmas and Easter.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society works with the Health Care and Hospitality Committees to sponsor a Mass for the Anointing of the Sick.

The Society would like to continue to do the same work in the future.

Forty parishioners have participated in the annual ACTION meetings in the last four years. A few parishioners attend the monthly meetings and have been involved in the meetings with city and school officials. House meetings have been held in the rectory to speak about peoples’ concerns.

In the last four years St. James has joined the other churches of UIA in establishing after school programs in the junior high and elementary schools in New Bedford and Fall River. Trouble spots in both cities have been addressed to the police chiefs of both cities.

We as a parish commit ourselves to working with UIA in bringing about better conditions for our cities and putting our faith into action.

First Weekly

                             Baptisms   Communions   Confirmations   Marriages   Deaths   Mass Attendance

1996                           41                 42                      35                     15             51                720

1997                           36                 33                      32                     14             35                720

1998                           38                 30                      31                     13             48                700

1999                           33                 30                      29                     15             59                700

2000                           24                 32                      36                     25             80                600