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prophetic, Franciscan, Catholic community welcoming all people through prayer and outreach.

We extend a special welcome to everyone visiting the Shrine for the first time.

Saturday, August 10 – Friday, August 16, 2019

Telephone: 617-542-6440
Prayer Request Line: 617-553-4100
The Good Word: 617-542-0502
Text-to-Give text “DONATE” to: 617-712-2233

August 11, 2019
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Greetings of Peace.

It’s certainly disheartening what is happening on the national level. We have blatantly racist commentary
coming from some of our leaders. A larger group of leaders seems to lack the imagination to solve the national
issues troublesome to an informed Catholic conscience: those around mass shootings, civil rights, abortion, and
capital punishment. The value of welcoming the stranger, familiar to Jesus and anyone else with a sense of
decency, is regularly devalued in conversations in Washington.

Locally, and specifically at the Shrine, we are happier to report brighter news. We continue to attract a diverse
group of people at the Shrine, and people regularly report to me how happy they are to see and participate in
events here with a broad range of people. Sometimes people tell me that they like to sit in the back of the church
because they want to see everyone: they so delight in the many different kinds of people at Mass. From my own
unique perspective from the front of the church, I can report that there are often times when I see an
extraordinarily wealthy person sitting, by coincidence, next to a person who I know to be completely homeless
or sleeping in his car. It is inspiring at the sign of peace to see these people warmly greeting one another. Where
else in our society does this happen, except in church?

On a related note, we continue to be very happy with our strong relationship with St. Francis House, the
provider of services to the homeless on Boylston Street. The friars at Arch Street, led by Fr. Lou Canino, OFM,
started this nonprofit years ago, and it continues to thrive under lay leadership. It is nice to see the value of
welcoming the stranger being carried out in a setting outside of church.

In this issue of the bulletin, please see our list of followers on Facebook. Newcomers to the Shrine are often
surprised at the reach of this church on Arch Street. We have lots of friends around the country and around the
world.

We are having a serious shortage of liturgical ministers (Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers) willing and able to
serve at the 7am Mass, Monday through Friday. Please contact Mr. Fred Brown at fbrown@stanthonyshrine.org
if you are periodically willing to serve at this time, or if you would be interested in becoming a liturgical
minister at another Mass. Thank you for considering this request.

We so enjoyed Fr. Michael Kerper’s recent bulletin letter for his parish (St. Patrick) in Nashua, NH, that we
asked his permission to reprint it in this issue of the Shrine bulletin. Thank you, Fr. Michael, for all of the kind
words about the Shrine and its legacy in Boston.

Fr. Thomas Conway, OFM
Executive Director

Feast of the Assumption of Mary

Holy Day of Obligation

Vigil Mass on Wednesday, August 14th at 5:15pm
Feast Day Masses on Thursday, August 15th at 6am, 7am, 11:45am, 12:30pm & 5:15pm
 The Franciscan Friars of St. Anthony Shrine invite you to

S av e the D at e
Annual Franciscan
Dinner and Pope
Honoring

Francis Award
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel — 6 p.m.
Cocktails, Dinner,
Award Program, Regina M. Pisa
Live Auction and Fund-A-Need Chairman Emeritus Goodwin

For more information and sponsorship opportunities,

please contact Maryanne Rooney-Hegan at 617-778-1645 or mrooneyhegan@stanthonyshrine.org.

Formal invitation to follow

NEW CD from THE ARCH STREET BAND
“New Psalms and Old Blues”
Available NOW at the Info Booth and online ($15)
Proceeds benefit the Shrine - Original music from Arch Street

 Where do the Shrine's Facebook followers live?

Here is the list!
Boston, MA 2,769
New York, NY 601
Quincy, MA 314
Revere, MA 199
Weymouth, MA 172
Medford, MA 168
Lynn, MA 159
Brockton, MA 150
Philippines 143
Braintree, MA 140
Philadelphia, PA 131
Somerville, MA 130
Lowell, MA 129
Worcester, MA 127
Los Angeles, CA 116
Malden, MA 114
Peabody, MA 113
Plymouth, MA 113
DEVOTION TO ST. ANTHONY Cambridge, MA 112
San Antonio, TX 109
AUGUST 2019
Chicago, IL 107
Everett, MA 96
Providence, RI 95
Houston, TX 94
India 90
Milton, MA 89
Waltham, MA 86
Winthrop, MA 86
Fall River, MA 84
Saugus, MA 82
Salem, MA 78
Taunton, MA 77
Ireland 76
Melrose, MA 75
Norwood, MA 74
Billerica, MA 73
Methuen, MA 73
New Bedford, MA 73
Arlington, MA 71
Cranston, RI 71
Dedham, MA 70
Woburn, MA 69
Haverhill, MA 68
Wakefield, MA 65
Stoneham, MA 64
United Kingdom 64
Tewksbury, MA 63
Framingham, MA 62
Miami, FL 61

Total of this list 8,245
Followers in other places 11,938
Total Shrine FB followers 20,183

 2019 St. Anthony Shrine
labor day RAFFLE

Drawing on

4VOEBZ
4FQUFNCFS
TU
1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize 4th Prize
$10,000 $4,000 $3,000 $1,000

Raffle books are available at the kiosks in the lobby.

 Seeing/Thinking/Changing

In 1982, I visited the Shrine of St. Anthony in Boston for the first time. Since late 1996, I
have gone to that church almost every Monday. These frequent visits over 37 years have provided a
panoramic view of how large urban churches can either change or collapse. The Franciscans at Arch
Street have avoided disaster because they bravely, wisely and prayerfully changed with the times.
For sure, the Shrine is not what it was in 1982, nor in the 1950’s and 1960’s when the friars heard
almost 1,000 confessions per day! Even in the 1982 I used to see hundreds of people at the Shrine’s
daily Masses. Now I may see about 70 or 80.
At it’s birth in 1954, the Shrine had one essential purpose: to provide round-the-clock Masses
and Confessions for hundreds of devout Catholics who worked in downtown Boston. The Shrine
fulfilled its grand mission faithfully and efficiently. But much has changed: Shop-ping in Downtown
Crossing has slipped massively because of suburban malls and on-line sales; the many devout
Catholics who once worked the area have now been replaced by young high tech professionals who
are not very religious; and practicing Catholics in the Boston area have become rather scarce. All of
these changes, of course, worked against the survival of the Shrine. Indeed, persistent rumors about
the Shrine’s demolition circulated for years.
If the friars had resisted creative change, their Shrine would surely have gone under. Two key
decisions prevented disaster.
First, they adjusted the Mass schedule to accommodate the actual worshippers who go to
Mass regularly. They now offer five daily Masses as opposed to twenty or more in the “old days.”
They also have daily Confessions for 4 ½ hours. Rather than struggling to sustain a schedule created
50 years ago, they asked: How many Masses are really needed today? Note the focus on real need
rather than capability. With about 25 friars still on hand they probably could easily provide, say, 15
Masses every day. But the multiplication of Masses never really increases total attendance. Rather it
shuffles an already small number of worshippers into smaller Masses that frequently lack music,
ushers, servers, lectors, and so forth.
Second, the friars have expanded the Shrine’s mission to include active assistance to
homeless people who wander about downtown Boston. In 1981, the Shrine’s Eucharistic wor-ship
began to radiate into the streets when the friars launched a daily breadline. Less than three years
later, the Franciscans dedicated St. Francis House, an eleven-story homeless shelter nearby, now the
largest such facility in Massachusetts. The Shrine, originally dedicated to the Spiritual Works of
Mercy, now also performs the Corporal Works of Mercy.
In many respects, St. Patrick Parish resembles the Shrine on Arch Street: we operate in
downtown Nashua, which has changed enormously since 1909; our formerly large congregation has
steadily declined over the years as burials far surpass baptisms; and many non-parishioners still
come here for confession, which we offer very frequently. And, like Arch Street, we have embarked
on a project to help needy people with decent housing.
Now seems to be a good time to imitate the friars by taking a hard look at our own weekend
Mass schedule. No decisions have been made, but we want to look at the numbers, hear suggestions,
and discuss some problems we currently face. We will meet after the 9:30 AM Mass on Sunday,
August 11. Please pray that we have a fruitful discussion.
Fr. Michael Kerper


Seniors at Arch Street Emmaus Ministry: Serving the Spiritual
Needs of Grieving Parents
On Summer Break in August
Monthly One-Hour Retreat
We’ll resume meeting on Wednesday,
1st Sunday of Every Month
September 4th
after the 10:30am Mass.
Questions: Please contact Julie Woodall,
Senior Program Director at 617-438-0264. For more information, call Diane at
617-542-8057 or visit www.emfgp.org

The St. Anthony Shrine counseling service is now taking new clients for counseling. If you're looking for
individual, couples, or family counseling in English, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese, please call
Br. Paul O'Keeffe at 617-542-5147 to make an appointment.


MASS SCHEDULE
Saturday Mass: 12PM
Saturday Vigil: 4PM , 5:30PM
Sunday Mass: 6AM, 7:30AM, 9AM , 10:30AM ,
12PM (Spanish Mass 1st Fl. Church)
12PM , 4PM , 5:30PM , 7PM
Weekday Mass: 6AM, 7AM, 11:45AM, 12:30PM, 5:15PM
3rd Wednesday of every month: Anointing Mass 10AM

CONFESSION SCHEDULE
1st Floor Church
Saturday: 10AM - 4PM
Sunday: 1:30PM - 3PM
Weekday: 10:30AM - 1:30PM, 4PM - 5:30PM
*Please note: Additional Wednesday Confession: 6:30AM - 8AM
Upcoming 2nd Collections
The 2nd collection on August 10 & 11 will support our Franciscan Food Center.
The 2nd collection on August 24 & 25 will support our Medical Clinic for Homeless Women. Thank you for your generosity!

REGULAR EVENTS
Monday Thursday
OA Meeting (Open), 2 Floor Classroom
nd 12:15pm St. Augustine Group (S.L.A.A.) (Closed) 12:00pm
A.A. 12 Step/12 Traditions Meeting (Closed) 5:45 pm Rosary Prayer Group, 1 Floor Chapel 12:30pm
st

Men’s Spirituality Group (2 nd and 4th Thurs) 5:00pm

Tuesday Lectura y reflexión del evangelio 5:30pm

A.A. Discussion Meeting (Open), Auditorium Foyer 12:00pm A.A Big Book Meeting (Closed) 5:45pm

Charismatic Prayer, Mezzanine Group Room 12:00pm
Friday
Wednesday S.A.12 Step Meeting (Open), Auditorium Foyer 7:00am
Remembrance Day for Deceased (3 Wed.) All Masses O.A. Meeting (Open), 2 Floor Classroom 12:15pm
rd nd

Anointing of the Sick - Mass (3rd Wed.) 10:00am

S.A. Meeting (Open), Auditorium Foyer 7:00am Saturday
10:30am Centering Prayer Group (1 & 4 Sat.) 12:00pm
st th
Seniors Program, Auditorium
Women’s Spiritual Refl. Group (2 & 4 Wed) 12:30pm
nd th
LGBTQ Spirituality (3rd Wed) 5:30 pm Sunday
A.A. Discussion Meeting (Open), Auditorium Foyer 5:45pm Emmaus Ministry Prayer/Discussion (1 Sun.) 11:30am
st

Healing Service (2 nd Sun.) 1:00pm

Latino Ministry Social, Auditorium 1:00pm

Rosary, Vespers, Benediction 2:55pm
Hispanic Secular Franciscans (1st Sun.) 3:00pm

100 Arch Street, Boston, MA 02110

www.stanthonyshrine.org
Telephone: 617-542-6440 Prayer Request Line: 617-553-4100 The Good Word: 617-542-0502 Text GIVE to: 617-712-2233