Christ-Mass

The Catholic Church has had a long tradition that traces its roots back to the foundation stones of the Apostles. For over two thousand years it has preserved the Gospel of Jesus Christ and has based its teachings on Scripture, Tradition and Natural Law. The Catholic Faith is expressed in the Nicene Creed and lived out in the daily lives of its members, sustained and graced by its sacraments. Nourished by the Holy Eucharist, Catholics believe that the fullness of the Christian faith is made manifest and preserved in our Church.

There are many reasons, many personal, why people no longer are active in their faith and attend church on a regular basis. In some respects it is a question only you can answer. Nevertheless, Jesus founded a church, a group of people charged with living by and preaching His Gospel. He gave us one another to support and sustain us in this journey of Faith. Perhaps the most important reason to attend church is that it is only there that we can be fed, nourished and sustained by the Holy Eucharist.

There are many who feel that the Church is not open to them; that they just don't belong. Some people think that the Church is only for "holy" people. God created all of us and we are all special and unique to Him. Jesus founded His Church to be a reflection of His compassion, caring and understanding, a place where we can experience the love of God. Since you belong to God you belong in the Church!

Catholics can always come home and this can be done by simply walking through the doors of any Catholic Church. You are always welcome. In doing so you will find the presence of the Lord expressed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to heal and remind you of the Lord's great love expressed in His mercy and the Holy Eucharist to nourish you with His presence. If you feel you need to review Catholic customs, practices, or discuss a personal matter ask the parish priest or a staff member for help and assistance.

If you are interested in the Catholic Faith, call or stop by the local church and they will invite you to "come and see" what we are all about. Most parishes have The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) which is a journey of discovery, as you are invited to come to know the Lord and His Church. Following several ceremonial steps you will be called to the Easter Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist which will be celebrated at the Easter Vigil and thereby become a full member of the Catholic Church.

Faced with the reality of a dwindling population here in western Massachusetts, as well as reduced church attendance and rising costs, together with only some 90 priests to serve the people of our Diocese, Pastoral Planning was necessary to provide equal access to the sacraments for all the people. Following careful study and the review of vital statistics, the Pastoral Planning Commission recommended that certain parishes be closed. This recommendation was reviewed by the Presbyteral Council and confirmed by Bishop McDonnell. The Church is the body of Christ. When buildings are closed it is to enable the Church to become stronger and more vibrant

None of us can predict the future, but given the fact that your present parish has remained open and viable is a good indication that it is expected to remain so.

A divorce is the civil declaration that a legal marriage is ended, which has no bearing on the Sacrament of Marriage. Unless a marriage is "Annulled" the Church considers the parties to be married to one another and hence able to receive the Sacraments. If one of the parties enters a new civil marriage without the first marriage being "Annulled" then that party is no longer able to receive the Sacraments since their Sacramental Marriage still stands. However, this does not exclude their being welcome in the faith community. (for more on annulments see http://www.diospringfield.org/administration/tribunalgeninfo.html

So we know who you are and can minister to you in times of need. Similar to every institution, a parish needs to know who belongs so that when members need to verify that they are indeed active members to act as sponsors for Baptism/Confirmation, or request these sacraments or Marriage in the Church, etc. the pastoral staff can respond to these requests, maintain and provide parish records with the jurisdiction to do so. Similarly, if you request financial sponsorship for Catholic Education or a statement of verification of contributions for the IRS, membership and the use of envelopes is necessary.

At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us the gift of the Holy Eucharist as our daily Bread of Life. He reminded his disciples of the importance of eating this Bread when he said: "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you shall not have life within you." When we come to Sunday Mass we are nourished by the Word of God and the Bread of Life. If we are not nourished in this way we "starve"! In a similar way, we need to come together as a community to support and to sustain one another in this journey of faith and to publicly give thanks to the Lord for all the blessings we have received.

As Catholics we believe that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of the Lord and as such that Jesus is truly present to us. With the words of consecration at Mass the bread and wine are totally changed into the living Christ. As such, when we receive communion we are receiving the Lord. In a similar way, when we come before the Blessed Sacrament we are coming before the Lord for He is present to us in this most special way. Baptized Catholics reconciled with the Lord and properly prepared are welcomed to receive.

The Church is human and divine, founded by the Lord on the rock of St. Peter. It is human and as such is subject to the weaknesses of this world, but it is also divine and the powers of Hell shall not prevail over it. We are all indeed saddened by the abuse that has taken place within the church and much has been done to assure that our children will grow in a much safer church environment. Since we are the Church, the Body of Christ, each one of us needs to take personal responsibility for our Church and in doing so rebuild our sense of trust.

How does the Church protect our Children?

Over the past several years, the Church in the United States has made great efforts to secure the safety of our children. This has required that everyone who works with our children submits to a background check and sign a code of conduct. Similarly, classes have been conducted to educate our children in ways to protect themselves and to understand what is and what is not good conduct on the part of adults towards them.

God is the author of all life. As Catholics we believe in the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Pro-life means that we hold this belief and are opposed to anything that would threaten life such as abortion, euthanasia, unjust war, capital punishment, etc.

Catholics are encouraged to read and meditate on Sacred Scripture for it is the Word of God. The first part of each Mass is called the "Liturgy of the Word" in which parts of the Bible are read. The homily, given by the bishop, priest or deacon is the "breaking of the Word" for the spiritual nourishment of the people. As Catholics we believe that God's Word is a living word in which God still speaks to all people and calls them to respond. Many Catholic parishes offer bible study or similar enrichment programs.