What's Happening

What's Happening

The 2025 Catholic Appeal


One of the most meaningful ways that we witness the presence of Christ and deepen the impact of our Church’s ministries is by supporting the Catholic Appeal. As your pastor, I invite you to prayerfully consider extending your generosity to this year’s appeal. When our parish reaches its goal of $82,890., a portion of the additional funds received will be returned to us for use in our parish.


If paying by check please write #360 in the memo line so our Parish gets credit for your donation.


To make a gift online, please be sure to select our Parish’s name and Town under “Choose Parish”


Visit—https://bostoncatholicappeal.org/donate25-01/


Saint Patrick Parish Event: A Lenten Series on Prayer

A Lenten Series on Prayer


Do you desire to learn how to pray, deepen your prayer, or expand your prayer life? Join the priests of St. Patrick Parish for a crash course in prayer!


Each person’s relationship with the Lord is unique, but we can all learn from the vast treasury of the Church’s saints on how to pray with greater fruitfulness.

  • Tuesday March 18th: Learning to Pray According to St. Francis DeSales (Fr. David Barnes)
  • Tuesday March 25th: Learning to Pray According to St. Teresa of Avila (Fr. Sijo Jacob)
  • Tuesday April 1st: Learning to Pray According to St. Augustine (Fr. Patrick Fiorillo)

Each session will begin at 6:40 pm (after the 6:00 pm Mass) in the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel (Lower Church) and will conclude by 7:10 pm.

Men's Lenten Bible Study series ~ Men of the Old Testament called from obscurity to greatness.


For five Saturdays we will discuss the Old Testament readings for the Sunday Mass and how the journeys of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and Isaiah relate to our observance of Lent. Each session stands on its own, so come whenever you can!


Saturdays, March 8, 15, 29, April 5, 12 in Our Lady of Providence Hall from 7:00 am - 8:15am.


EVENING MASS DURING LENT


We are pleased to offer a 6:00 pm daily Mass (Monday - Friday) for the season of Lent, starting Thursday, March 6. Attending daily Mass is in fact one of the most ancient Lenten prayer traditions! And so we hope this evening Mass time will give those who are otherwise unable to come at noon a unique opportunity to grow closer to Christ through the Eucharist this Lent.

Easter Flower Memorials

Once again we would like to give you the opportunity to share in the decoration of our Church and Altar this Easter.


Contributions in memory of loved ones will be accepted until April 1st.


Donations can be mailed, brought to the Parish Office or placed in the collection baskets with the names of those who you wish to be listed in the Easter Bulletin.


Learn the Latest

  • The Best Shrines of France Pilgrimage

    Spiritual Director: Fr. Bobby LeBlanc

    Spiritual Director: Fr. David Barnes

    September 15 – 26, 2025


    For more info: https://www.206tours.com/cms/frleblanc/france/

  • Important Note Regarding Scheduling Memorial Masses

    Memorial Masses may be scheduled for your loved ones by calling the parish office. You may choose a weekday or weekend Mass. Additionally, we offer a Communal Memorial Mass Saturday at noon, where several people will be prayed for together.


    We recommend that you call the office well in advance of the particular date you would like to schedule.


    Our large parish size means that dates fill up quickly. The Mass calendar for next year is available.

  • Altar Flower Memorials for 2025 Masses

    Each weekend you have the opportunity to donate the weekend arrangement on the altar in memory of loved ones. The flower arrangement will be the one piece placed in front of the main altar. The name of your loved one will be placed in the bulletin for that weekend. The parish makes arrangements for the flowers. The donation is $75. Please call the parish office @ 781-438-0960 if you are interested in donating flowers for a particular weekend.

  • Interested in getting more involved in St. Patrick Parish?

    We have so many wonderful ministries here at St. Patrick Parish. Maybe you feel called to look into one of them ~ Altar Society, Bereavement Mailing Assistance, Food Group, Prayer Shawl, Lector at weekend or daily Masses, Eucharistic Minister, Adult Choir, Pastoral Visitor, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Sacristan, just to name a few. Please contact the Parish Office at 781-438-0960 for more information.


    Also, for those who are unable to attend Mass, each weekend one Mass is recorded and then broadcast on Stoneham TV during the following week. Mass is aired on the Public Channel. (Public Access Channels: Comcast Ch. 9, RCN Ch. 3, Verizon Ch. 34) at the following times:


    Wednesday at 2:00 pm, Sunday at 9:00 am,

    Monday at 5:00 pm, Tuesday at 9:00 am.


    Each new cycle begins on Wednesday so the past Sunday's Mass will air for the first time on Wednesday.

  • Sanctuary Lamp and Bread and Wine Donations

    If you would like to sponsor the Sanctuary Lamp ($25) and or the Bread and Wine ($25) in honor of a loved one, please contact the office at 781-438-0960. The name of your loved one will be published in the bulletin.

  • Ushers Needed

    Ever considered getting more involved in the parish? We are in dire need of Ushers at the 12:00 PM Mass on Sundays.


    If you think you may be interested, please contact Diane McCarthy at 781-438-0200.


    Thank you for you consideration!

  • Becoming Catholic / Adult Sacramental Prep

    Classes begin October 6, 2024


    OCIA, Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, (formerly known as RCIA) is a process by which adults come into our Roman Catholic Community. OCIA draws its model from the Acts of the Apostles whereby the early Church welcomed new members. What is more, OCIA is also open to persons already Catholic, but who may be interested in learning more about the richness of our faith.


    Is God inviting you or someone you know to take the next step in the journey of faith? All are welcome – those who are unbaptized, baptized in another faith tradition or baptized Catholic but haven’t yet received First Communion or Confirmation or just want to deepen their knowledge of the teachings of the Church. For further information, contact Diane McCarthy, 781-438-0200 or dianemccarthy@stpatrickstoneham.org.

  • Women's Evening Bible Study

    Come and study the Gospel of John with other women using the Walking With Purpose Book, “Touching the Divine”. This is the same study as the morning group, and will meet on Wednesday Evenings from 6:30 ~ 7:45 pm in the Youth Room from 2/5/25 until 6/11/25 (excluding Ash Wednesday). Advance Registration is required. The cost is $50 to pay for the book and shipping.


    Please contact Sherri Caouette at sherriann.caouette@gmail.com to sign up or if you have any questions.

  • Women's Bible Study

    Announcing a small group Bible study for women on Thursday mornings from 8:15-9:45. Space is limited and advance registration is required. We will be studying the Gospel of John using the Walking With Purpose book, "Touching the Divine". The group will meet for 18 weeks from 1/9/25 until 5/22/25 (excluding the February and April vacation weeks). The cost is $50 to pay for the book + shipping.


    Please contact Meg.Rowan@gmail.com to sign up or if you have any questions.

  • Thursdays with Jesus

    New Testament Bible Study Group


    6:00 PM: Healing Mass

    6:30 PM: Bible Study

    7:15 PM: Adoration


    We are excited for our New Testament Bible Study lead by Fr.Sijo. This is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to come together and deepen our understanding of God’s Word. Whether you are new to Bible study or have been reading Scripture for years, all are welcome to join. In this study, we will explore the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the early Church, and the writings of the apostles, discovering how the New Testament shapes our faith and daily lives.


    This group will gather every Thursday at 6:00 pm for the Holy Eucharist followed by the Bible study. There will be a conducted healing adoration as part of this evening service which will include the exorcism of water and salt and the deliverance prayers. Please feel free to invite friends, family, and anyone else who may be interested. We look forward to growing in faith together. God bless.


  • Separated and Divorced Support Group

    A group for people experiencing separation or divorce meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The group focuses on the emotional, spiritual and practical aspects of separation and divorce. We will look at these topics through a Christian lens, taking note of the special considerations for Catholics, including the annulment process.


    The group meets from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in the Youth Room/Library on the lower level of the Parish Center. Please contact Diane McCarthy, Pastoral Associate and group facilitator, at 781-438-0200 or dianemccarthy@stpatrickstoneham.org for more information.


Bulletins


Pastor's Notes

By Fr. David Barnes March 26, 2025
Recently I have heard from several young married couples how much they love our parish and how they wish they could stay here, but that they cannot afford to purchase a home in Stoneham. Their comments made me both sad and grateful. Sad because I do not want to lose the presence of these beautiful families from our parish. Grateful because all of you, by God’s grace, have made this parish into a place where young families want to come and stay. If you are looking to add something to your prayer list, perhaps pray that more faithful Catholic families might be able to find homes in our community. The presence of faithful Catholic families enriches our parish and is a sign of life. Who knows, maybe a way will be opened up that will allow these families to live here and be a blessing to us? Frs. Patrick, Sijo, and I heard all of our St. Patrick School students’ confessions during the past couple of weeks. I am grateful that their administrators and teachers provide them with excellent formation beforehand which allows the students to be truly prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Learning to trust the Lord with our sins at a young age is an excellent formation for the future. By learning how to make a good confession, a person learns that God’s Mercy is reliable. We can trust God with anything and he will forgive us. It makes me so happy to know that our students are learning this. As Lent draws quickly towards Holy Week, I want to encourage you to go to Confession before Easter. Since November, I’ve lost some weight. Before that, I knew I had gained weight. I knew I needed to do something about it. Every time I saw the scale in my room, I avoided stepping on it because I knew it would be bad news. So, I knew I weighed too much, but stepping on the scale seemed like something to avoid. If I didn’t actually see the bad news, I could pretend like everything was fine. That’s what sometimes happens with Confession. Every Catholic knows that they should go to Confession. Every Catholic knows that they NEED Confession. But, oftentimes they are afraid to step on the scale. So, they pretend like they’re fine. And what happens? The longer they wait to go, the more they carry all this weight around. It gets heavier and heavier. It becomes ridiculous. Now, unlike the real scale that can only tell you the bad news but not fix it, Confession is so much better! When we go to Confession and acknowledge all of our sins, the Lord takes the weight of our guilt away immediately. Sure, we have to commit to doing some future spiritual training and commit to avoiding sin, but the weight of guilt disappears immediately. (Oh, if only the bathroom scale were so powerful!) Now, the longer you put it off, the more difficult it gets. And you play mental games with yourself, but deep down, you know you need to do it. And it is often the case that you carry around all of this anxiety and guilt for so many years, and the longer you put it off, the more you feel guilty about putting it off which makes you put it off even more. And then, a person like that comes to confession and says, “It’s been fifty years since I’ve been to confession” and lists all of these sins that they’ve been carrying around with them forever. They’re embarrassed by some sins. They’re ashamed of some sins. They are terribly guilt-ridden by some sins. Some sins were so long ago and they want the priest to know that they’ve changed since then. And having carried all this weight around forever and been afraid to step on the spiritual scale, they do it. And a lifetime of guilt is wiped away. Gone. There is nothing–absolutely nothing–that you can confess that the priest hasn’t heard before. Don’t let sin and embarrassment hold that kind of power over your life. Just confess it and be set free. I’ve run out of space, but maybe I will write or speak more about confession in the weeks ahead. Either way, chances are, you could afford to lose a few pounds (or maybe a lot of pounds) of guilt weight. I pray that all of us have the courage, the Faith, and the Hope to go to Confession soon. Your Brother in Christ, Fr. David Barnes
By Fr. David Barnes March 19, 2025
Usually when I write in the bulletin, in my mind, I am not writing to an anonymous group of persons who may or may not read these letters. I am thinking of the faces that I see each week sitting in the pews or in the rush at the end of Mass as you pass by. I am thinking about particular faces. Christianity is not vague or ambiguous. It is about particular persons. Firstly, it is about the persons of the Blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is about particular brothers and sisters who sit near us at Mass. We do not love vaguely. We love particularly. This past week, I visited some homebound parishioners. Some I knew from when they were able to come to Mass regularly, but others I have never met. It struck me that there are faces I do not see who are also our parishioners. Today, in a particular way, I want to write to them. Maybe, in God’s Providence, their eyes might fall upon these words. Either way, I trust that there is no harm in writing to the faces that I do not see. Among the faces that I do not see are those previously mentioned. You are those who were long an active presence in our pews. You were the people who “did things.” You served on parish committees, volunteered in various capacities, and were well-known by everyone. You were the people who built this parish. Now, whether by age or by infirmity, you are no longer able to be here with us on Sundays. Your faces–though hidden from us–are nonetheless still a part of our parish. Even though you may be aged or infirm now, you are not off the hook. I ask you to continue your service to St. Patrick Parish by offering your sufferings for St. Patrick Parish and by praying for us. I have no doubt that your prayers and offerings continue to build up St Patrick Parish. There are also those who live within our parish boundaries who perhaps never participated in the life of the parish. You may also now be aged and infirm. Since you were never or rarely here, maybe you feel as though you do not belong. Do you know what the Church says? It says that you are our parishioner. It says that I am your pastor and the priests here are your priests. If you spent almost all of your life far away from the Church and the Sacraments, the good news is that word, “almost.” There is still time to be reconciled and to begin anew. You are included among the faces that belong here. There are those who maybe come on Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday, First Communions, Confirmations, or who send their children to St. Patrick School or to our parish religious education program, but who are otherwise not involved in the life of the community. There are those who simply drifted away from the practice of the Faith or who made a decision not to participate. Maybe along the way I upset you or someone else upset you. Maybe you drifted away because of some sin in your life. Maybe you have this nagging feeling on Sunday mornings or you say to yourself, “Someday I will go back.” I hope that “someday” comes sooner rather than later. Depriving yourself (and your children) of the Divine Life given in the Sacraments is spiritually harmful. As I write these words, I think of particular faces that I have seen here and there along the way who I wish were here every week. Your presence is missed and you could add so much to the life of others by being here. Please come back. There are as many reasons for not being here as there are faces. Each person absent from our midst is an individual, not a category. I hope in my generalizations I was able to capture, at least, some portion of those whose faces we do not see. Maybe ninety-nine out of one hundred people who read this do not need to see it. My hope is that maybe one person will see it and seek to return. Jesus came to seek out the one lost sheep. Whether you are not in our pews because of circumstances beyond your control or from willfulness, you are still a parishioner here. We want to attend to your spiritual needs. If you are ill or homebound, contact us and we will visit you. If you are healthy but not ready to come to Mass, you can still call and we will visit you. Whatever it takes. We want you here. You belong here. Your Brother in Christ, Fr. David Barnes
By Fr. David Barnes March 12, 2025
The taking on of various lenten disciplines can be revelatory. Firstly, we might discover how attached we are to certain creature comforts. For most of us, we do not take on gigantic penances. Perhaps we give some small thing up for Lent, but in our minds, it becomes something huge. All of a sudden that dessert, that glass of wine, that extra five minutes of sleep, or whatever it is that we’ve given up seems to us like it is the greatest of all sacrifices. This revelation is good for us! It reveals to us that perhaps we’ve become rather soft in our life. Another thing we may notice is that our Lenten penances reveal to us other weaknesses in our life. That is because the penances are making us more sensitive to spiritual realities. We become more sensitive to faults that perhaps we didn’t realize we had. Or, faults we know we have but have chosen to ignore, make themselves more apparent to us. This can be uncomfortable for us. Perhaps, in the past, we relied on those particular creaturely pleasures to help us to escape from dealing with our faults. For instance, if you give up some form of entertainment for Lent, all of a sudden you are left with . . . actual quiet. In the quiet, things begin to rise to the surface. You are confronted with things about yourself that you’ve safely avoided by filling every waking moment with mindless entertainment. And, of course, the temptation now is to resort back to those entertainments so that you can avoid this uncomfortable feeling. Rising to the surface can be all manner of ugly things. We discover that in our hearts are perhaps impurity, anger, resentments, pride, envies, or spiritual laziness. We may be suddenly confronted by the fact that we nag, complain, gossip, lie, presume the faults of others, or detract from the good reputation of others. So, we try to escape from them by finding refuge in creature comforts. If these things are happening to you during Lent, great! That is what is supposed to happen. We who may have previously felt self-sufficient in our spiritual life, are coming to recognize our absolute need for grace. Lent is not about us making ourselves good. It is about allowing grace to perfect us. One of the perks of being a priest is that often if I’m meeting a priest friend for dinner or whatever, it is not unusual to ask him to hear my confession first. Even so, I still like getting in line for confession with all the other penitents. There’s something so Catholic about waiting in line together to go to confession. It says, “We are all in this together.” That is also true of Lent. We are in it together. Each of us is striving to grow in holiness. We may have all taken on different disciplines, but we are each trying to grow in holiness. For some, they are trying to get back into the swing of things. Maybe they’ve been away for a while, but Lent has awakened a desire within themselves to return. Blessed Be God. It’s so nice to see you here. Others are participating in the Saturday morning Men’s Group, Women’s Bible Studies, the Lenten Formation Program on Monday nights. Young families are meeting together for prayer, meals, and for mutual encouragement. A good number of folks are coming to daily Mass at Noon or at 6 pm. The confession lines are full. We make some small offering to the Lord–some sacrifice, some sign of our desire to grow in holiness–and, in turn, He gives us a hundredfold of grace. He takes our meager offering, blesses it, and multiplies it. As I look around at all of you this Lent as you strive to grow in holiness, I am convinced that the Lord is pouring out His graces upon this parish and upon each of us. Let us pray that the Lord may bring to completion the good work He has begun among us. Your Brother in Christ, Fr. David Barnes
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Sunday Mass Videos

Celebrate Sunday Mass on the Stoneham Public-TV channel (Comcast 9, RCN 3, Verizon 34) four times a week:

Sun: 9:00 AM ~ Mon: 5:00 PM ~ Tue: 9:00 AM ~ Wed: 2:00 PM
(Note: the televised Mass will be for the previous weekend)

 

Mass will be Recorded each weekend and available for viewing the following Wednesday. You can also stream the Mass from the St. Patrick's Parish Playlist. As new masses become available, they will be listed from newest to oldest. Daily Masses are also available on Catholic-TV.


Calendar of Events at Saint Patrick Parish

Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

23

24

25

7pm Separated and Divorced Support Group

26

6:30pm Women's Evening Bible Study

27

8:15am Women's Bible Study

6pm Thursday Evening with Jesus

28

1

7am Men's Group: Consecration to St. Joseph

2

3

7pm 2025 Lenten Study

4

5

6

8:15am Women's Bible Study

6pm Thursday Evening with Jesus

7

8

7am Men's Lenten Bible Study series

9

10

11

12

6:30pm Women's Evening Bible Study

13

8:15am Women's Bible Study

6pm Thursday Evening with Jesus

14

15

7am Men's Lenten Bible Study series

6pm Saint Patrick School Social

16

17

18

6:40pm Saint Patrick Parish Event: A Lenten Series on Prayer

19

6pm Solemnity of St. Joseph Mass & Reception

6:30pm Women's Evening Bible Study

20

8:15am Women's Bible Study

6pm Thursday Evening with Jesus

21

22

9am Lenten Retreat

5pm Dublin' the Fun

23

24

7pm 2025 Lenten Study

25

6:40pm Saint Patrick Parish Event: A Lenten Series on Prayer

7pm Separated and Divorced Support Group

26

6:30pm Women's Evening Bible Study

27

8:15am Women's Bible Study

6pm Thursday Evening with Jesus

28

29

7am Men's Lenten Bible Study series

30

31

7pm 2025 Lenten Study

1

6:40pm Saint Patrick Parish Event: A Lenten Series on Prayer

2

6:30pm Women's Evening Bible Study

3

8:15am Women's Bible Study

6pm Thursday Evening with Jesus

4

5

7am Men's Lenten Bible Study series


How to Install and Configure the Parish App

Parish App
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