BillericaCatholic.org is the main way that we deliver news that would otherwise be printed in a bulletin. We will also continue to use Email and Facebook. Please patronize our Bulletin Sponsors – CLICK HERE for their ads.
Phishing Emails received – DO NOT be fooled.
Call the Parish Office to verify!
Unfortunately, here in Billerica we continue to have trouble with email scams using fraudulent emails that appear to come from Fr. Aveni. The most recent event occurred this past week, and was NOT from Fr. Aveni – a fake email address was created to look like it came from him. CLICK HERE for more information.
Parish Restart News
CLICK HERE to signup for Masses for the weekend of July 11 & 12. Please CLICK HERE for the latest summary of what to expect at Masses.
- Our Weekend Masses are Saturday 4pm at St. Mary, Sunday 8am at St. Andrew, and Sunday 10am at St. Theresa. Our Weekday Masses will continue to be Tuesdays and Fridays at 12:05pm at St. Andrew. Confessions are available at 2pm each Saturday at St. Theresa Church. Please observe all safe distancing guidelines.
- Our Parish Office has been reopened at 1 Grace Ave (only), on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 10am-1pm.
- Baptisms have been restarted. Due to COVID restrictions, we can only offer one Baptism per session. Baptisms will offered at each of our Churches, each Sunday, at 12:30pm, until the backlog is reduced. Please call the office to register, and remember to keep safe distancing.
- Dates for our youth Confirmation celebrations have yet to be finalized.
- Our First Holy Communion celebrations have been deferred to the Fall. In the meantime, we are also offering limited First Communion slots to families on the weekends. Mrs. Gozzo has contacted families with details and options.
- Our Homebound Ministry is not yet able to restart face-to-face, but we are encouraging phone calls with the homebound.
- Recorded Masses will continue to be published on YouTube and at BATV. We are heartened by the number of people coming back to their faith through our online Masses. See below for more details.
Thank you to our Mass Assistants!!
We are blessed to be able to celebrate the Mass with you in person! We especially thank the Mass Attendants who have been at each Mass to assist with greeting, setting up, and communicating the guidelines for social distancing. Many have also helped to sanitize the church after Mass. THANK YOU! A big shout out to Dino Bastianelli, our Facilities Coordinator, who has worked diligently to devise a way to sanitize a church in a short amount of time with the help of our Mass Assistants and Parishioners. Thank you to all!
Announcing the “Ministry of Hope”
This new ministry will assist with a warm welcoming and directing funeral parishioners into our churches; maintaining 6’ social distancing, masks to be worn, hand sanitizers and assistance with Holy Communion. Sacristans duties, lectoring and eventually assisting with CCB funeral planning/meeting with Funeral Families to plan the Mass will be developed depending on each person’s comfort level. Contact paul.ciotti@billericacatholic.org for further information.
Billerica Catholic Religious Education
Registration for 2020-2021 is now open! CLICK HERE to sign up your children for the Fall (full or partial payments accepted). For the most up-to-date information about our Youth Faith Formation and Youth Ministry, please visit the BCRE website, at reled.billericacatholic.org.
Announcing Volume II of “Praying with Today’s Christian Music”
Based on the exceptionally positive response from our first series attendees, Deacon Phil will be leading a followup discussion of the Christian music available today, their sources, and the best ways to incorporate them into your prayer. Sessions will be on Tuesdays, starting July 14 at 7:30pm.
You are encouraged you to attend, even if you did not attend the first series!
Here are some testimonials from recent attendees:
“I laughed, I cried, it moved me.” – Francesco F. (Padre P.)
“That Deacon Phil guy is onto something!” – Jorge B. (Francis)
“I never imagined prayer could be like this.” – Ignatius L.
“Even the birds of the air could appreciate it!” – Francis A.
“Maybe I should cover some of these songs.” – Reginald D. (E. J.)
“There’s no superstition here, just God.” – Steveland M.
Deacon Phil is already putting together awesome music for the 4 sessions.
Email deacon.phil.dibello@gmail.com to register.
New Lectors Needed!
With the Pandemic, we have been struggling to find enough Parishioners who are willing and able to proclaim the Word of God at our Sunday (and recorded) Liturgies. If you are willing and able to proclaim God’s Holy Word, please contact Dr. Paul Ciotti, our Director of Worship, at paul.ciotti.ccb@gmail.com for more details and training. Training will begin soon, via Zoom.
CLICK HERE for more important information and details.
Funerals In the Collaborative
It is one of the 7 Corporal Works of Mercy to bury our deceased parishioners – attending a Funeral Mass is a corporal work of Mercy. If you are free and available, we are seeking volunteers to represent the community and assist with the Mass responses. Please consider adding this important Work of Mercy to how you live out your faith.
Weekly Offertory and Expenses
(through June 28, 2020)
During this time, as always, we are grateful for your continued support. For the last year, we had published a monthly finance report for the preceding month. In order to provide more timely information, we are now reporting contributions and expenses for the preceding three weeks, with giving including both online giving and parish envelopes.
St. Vincent de Paul seeks contributions
SVDP is open and helping the needy in Billerica. We ask for your continued prayers and monetary support. Please place your donation in a clearly marked envelope, and either send to our Parish Offices at 1 Grace Ave, Billerica, Mass 01821, or place in the collection basket at our Churches. Make checks payable to St. Vincent de Paul Society. Thank you for your support.
Teen Leadership Community
#4 – Trust-Based Leadership
Many teens in our parishes would make great leaders – but we need to come together, prepare, and create a vision. Our cleared schedules have created a new availability. Let’s do something new together!
TLC is a series of leadership gatherings – practical applications of our faith to prepare our teens for service to our church as teen leaders! We meet over Zoom to train youth leaders, using Prayer and Scripture, to provide topics for discussion.
TLC High School (Gr. 9-12) is on Sundays at NEW Time: 3:30pm
Click here for the NEW Sunday Zoom
Meeting ID: 813 7506 1495
Password: LeadOn
TLC Navigators (Gr. 7-8) is on Mondays at NEW Time: 7:30pm
Click here for the NEW Monday Zoom
Meeting ID: 755 7990 6715
Password: LeadOn
CLICK HERE to sign up.
CLICK HERE for more information.
Sunday Mass on BATV!
If you know someone who would like to worship with our prerecorded Billerica Masses, but is uncomfortable with YouTube, please encourage them to pray the Mass with our Clergy, Lectors and Music Ministers on Saturday at 7pm, or Sunday at 9am, on Xfinity (channel 8) or Verizon (channel 31).
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Father Paul and Father Hal continue to offer appointments to those who seek Confession, in addition to the 2pm Saturday time. Call 978.663.8816 to schedule a visit.
Sacrament of the Sick
Father Hal and Father Paul are available to come to your home for the Sacrament of Anointing, with face masks and gloves, where COVID is not an issue. For cases where COVID is involved, we will direct you to a team of “COVID Priests” who can visit families and hospitals / nursing homes.
Graveside Funeral Services and Funerals
Funeral Masses have restarted, with strict safety guidelines. Father Paul and Father Hal also continue to meet families for Graveside services, as needed. We will begin to coordinate Funeral Masses for your loved ones as restrictions are relaxed.
Your Continued Financial Support
We are grateful for your continued support of our Parishes. We rely on your donations to continue to provide Pastoral Services, especially during this time of uncertainty. If you are able, please continue to donate to your Parish so that we can continue to serve your Faith needs.
You can bring your envelopes to our Parish office at 1 Grace Ave, send them by mail, or donate online.
CLICK HERE for St. Andrew
CLICK HERE for St. Mary
CLICK HERE for St. Theresa
We sincerely appreciate your commitment and generosity to your Parish.
Call Chris at 978.663.8816 with questions.