NOVEMBER 16, 2017 PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
ST. MARY’S CHURCH, DEDHAM, MA.02026
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In attendance: Bill Rosa, Kathy Reda, Nancy McCormick, Deacon Kelley McCormick, Ann Stano,
Rose Favret, Maria Brown, Elizabeth Healy, Amy Delaney, Kevin Rosa, Bill Killion, Fr. Wayne Belschner
Fr. Wayne opened meeting at 7:05pm with a prayer.
Review of October 2017 Parish Council Minutes
Several items from the October minutes were brought forward for review.
- Question regarding if a parishioner would be setting up a Santa’s Village at the Bazaar—per Fr. Wayne—yes.
- Question regarding asking for donations from local shops for our Donut Sundays—Per Fr. Wayne—do not feel it is necessary to ask for donations. (Regarding December’s Donut Sunday, any donuts left over will be used at the bazaar.)
- New council members to be added at the 12/21/17 council meeting.
- Question regarding to have the bulletins distributed after Mass. This was withdrawn by the council because the bulletins are now being taken home, where as in the past we had a lot being left over.
- Fr. Wayne to review that announcements do not have to be made after the Masses.
- Question regarding Eagle Scout Projects—per Fr. Wayne—The Rosary Garden will be a spring project and after the Christmas season we will work on pricing/supplies that will be needed. Also, it was discussed that the other Eagle Scout Project would be a new statue of Mary in the little grotto, but the St. Vincent de Paul Soc. has made the generous offer to buy an outdoor statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the grotto.
October 2017 Parish Council Meeting Minutes accepted.
Christmas Bazaar Review
The Christmas Bazaar will be on December 2, 2017 from 10:00am to 6:00pm in the Church Hall.
- All baskets for raffle are being worked on.
- Volunteers will be needed for all the tables. Bake table, raffle table, knitted goods table, Christmas table (religious items and holiday Christmas item), penny sale table, and baskets table. Dolores Johnson, parish ad.min. to coordinate all table volunteers.
- Mary Hall will be set up on Thursday and at 3pm.Friday all items will be priced.
- The Social Comm. to be in charge of the food table, hot dogs, pizza, meat balls will be offered for a suggested donation, and Santa will be at the pancake breakfast.
The penny raffle tickets will be 200 tickets for $2.00. There are approximately 7 large raffle items such as, Dedham Pottery, hand-made tree skirts, hand-made quilts, and a hand-made afghan and these raffle tickets to be 3 tickets for $5.00.
It was noted that there has been a lot of breads already made and frozen so anyone that wants to bake for the bazaar to ask them to make cookies, fudge, pies, cakes.
The religious Christmas items will be Nativity figures/sets, and St. Mary Christmas cards, and other religious items. The Christmas table will have ornaments etc. There will also be some jewelry and hand-painted roof tiles (St. Mary’s roof tiles)
Dolores to manage the printed advertisements. Several local churches have been asked to mention the bazaar in their Sunday bulletins and an ad to be placed in the Pilot. Deacon Kelley had banners made up, and flyers for the town businesses to put on their bulletin boards. Ad to be placed in the local newspapers. Any left-over items not sold at the bazaar will be stored for next year.
Advent Programming
Some thoughts for Advent are:
- To have a St. Andrew Novena printed on cards and distributed.
- To have the Bambinelli Blessing at the children’s Mass.
- Copies of St. Luke’s gospel printed and encourage families to read it together.
- Possibly have the Childrens choir at Christmas.
- Run the movie, The Nativity, the first 3 Tuesdays in December.
- On Friday nights, do the Stations of the Cross (Advent).
- Possibly have the Dedham theater run Christmas movies
- Have the children do up little stockings and every time they are helpful, respectful, thoughtful etc. a piece of paper is put in the stocking complementing what they have done.
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Christmas Mass Schedule
Saturday 12/23,4PM.
Sunday 12/24 7AM, 9AM, 11AM.
Sunday Christmas Eve 4PM Upstairs and down, 6:30PM and Midnight.
Christmas Day 9am and 11am both upstairs only
Ongoing Ministries
Pastoral Associate, Elizabeth Healy stated that all ministries are moving forward and are well attended. Donut Sunday book club and gospel study are to continue. RCIA has 7 people attending. The Mid-day rosary is well received, and there has been great participation with people baking for the bazaar. A trip to Elm Bank’s Festival of Trees is planned and a trip to the Regale Theater to see The Christmas Show. There has been such a good turnout for the Soup Ministry that we have broken it up into 2 groups. There is a new ministry called Mary’s Garden Club. This ministry will help with the flowers in the outside planters and help with the altar flowers, and the flowers at Christmas, Easter, First Communion, and Confirmation. There will be a palliative care seminar at Blessed Sacrament in Walpole. We are encouraged to attend this seminar because the death with dignity issue will be on the ballot again.
Lifeteen
Kevin Rosa, Youth Minister and ROC Coordinator, said that there are 35 kids attending the fall retreat. The Fall/Winter schedule is under way with life night, Christmas Party and Yankee Swap, and a trip to LaSalette Shrine. There are events planned for Christmas week such as a ski trip and a mall trip and other activities. There are currently 65 kids in the Edge Program and 70 kids in the confirmation class. The Cookie Walk brought in $1800.00 and 26 kids helped at their Thanksgiving dinner. Fr. Wayne would like to entrust St. Rafael as the patron saint of St. Mary’s Life Teen Program
Pastoral Care
Nancy McCormick, Pastoral Care Coordinator, said that the December senior lunch will be a lasagna bake off.
Next Pastoral Council meeting will be on 12/21. On 12/4 The Pastoral Council members will meet at 6:30pm to decorate the Rectory.
Fr. Wayne closed the November meeting at 8:30PM with a prayer.
Meeting adjourned.
Minutes respectfully submitted by,
Rose M. Favret