Capital Improvements Update
Fundraising Letter from our Pastor
Our 3 Summer Fundraising Events took in $44,913 (after all expenses)
Anonymous Donor $25,000
Anonymous Donor $30,000
Donation $ 3,900
Total collected so far = $103,813
In our Lobster Roll Donation Letter sent out in June (above) we requested a need in funds amounting to $129,000 for two projects: St. Augustine’s Church – Three New Flat Roofs, and St. Elizabeth’s Church – Replacement of the Flooring with Asbestos Removal. For Good Shepherd Parish to meet this goal, we are still in need of roughly $25,000. These projects are scheduled to begin this fall. If you can help us to meet this goal it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Financial Support for the Hospitaller Sisters of Mercy & the O’Connell House
The Freedom Gala 2024 Fundraiser will be December 4th, 2024 from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Cocktail Reception, Dinner, Guest speaker, Awards and Harry returns as auctioneer! All proceeds benefit our safe house. Location: Boston Newton Marriott, 2345 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA 02466. They have reserved a block of rooms for attendees, please contact the Boston Newton Marriott and mention The O’Connell House event!
This is the first 13-room residence in MA which provides comprehensive services to women who have been sex trafficked. These women may be pregnant and/or have a small child. It is a place where dignity will be restored and healing can occur. The unique 24/7 “Sister Care Model” delivers trauma-informed care which supports their complex needs with compassion, while being the loving nurturing presence the women so desperately need. Visit their website: http://theoconnellhouse.org or follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOConnellHouseMA
Checks can be made out to The O’Connell House, Inc. and mail to: The O’Connell House, P.O. Box 9568, Lowell, MA. 01853.
Please keep them and all victims of human trafficking in your daily prayers!
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We have entered the final Year Three of the USCCB’s National Eucharistic Revival, and parishes throughout our diocese are offering Eucharistic formations. Good Shepherd Parish is still offering the suggested Jesus and the Eucharist, a seven-part series available for free on FORMED.
https://watch.formed.org/jesus-and-the-eucharist-a-small… [Go to formed.org to create an account. First search out the parish by name. We are listed as Good Shepherd Church, it gives a dropdown menu to choose from, we of course are 56 Franklin St., Vineyard Haven MA. There is no parish code to enter. Once the Church is selected correctly, enter your name and email. That’s it!]
Bishop da Cunha tells us, “The Eucharist needs to be at the center of all our lives. We are living in a world that is facing so many challenges and troubles. Only through Jesus’ help, especially through the grace of the Eucharist, can we find the guidance, assistance, and strength to navigate ourselves and our families through the ups and downs of life.”
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THANK YOU! August 24/25 at all Masses, our second collection raised over $10,000 for the Missionary Cooperative Plan, to support the diocese of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Most Reverend Jerome Feudjio, Bishop, and Rev. Andrea Filippucci met and spoke with us regarding their needs, and expressed their gratitude for our financial support and our prayers. https://catholicvi.com/
(photo: Bishop Feudjio with Cardinal O’Malley at his installation in 2021)
Prayer for Priests – St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Join us every Thursday in praying for priests.
Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
for your unfaithful and tepid priests;
for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields;
for your tempted priests;
for your lonely and desolate priests;
for your young priests;
for your dying priests;
for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
the priest who baptized me;
the priests who’ve absolved me from my sins;
the priests at whose Masses I’ve assisted and who’ve given me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
the priests who’ve taught and instructed me;
all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way, especially our pastor Fr. Paul, Fr. Edivar, & all priests who have served on Martha’s Vineyard.
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.
Amen.
Mission Statement
Knowing that all things in this world are gifts of God, presented to us so that we can know God more easily and make a return of love more readily; recognizing God as the Origin of Life, the giver of freedom and the source of all that we have and are and will be; knowing ourselves to be recipients and caretakers of God’s many gifts; grateful for all that we have received; eager to cultivate our gifts out of love for God and one another. The Mission of the Good Shepherd Parish is to give witness and to celebrate the Risen Christ’s Presence in the life of each person.
Parish Prayer
God, our Father, bless our Parish of the Good Shepherd. Help us to welcome all who come to worship, adore and praise You, the One true God and Father of us all.
Jesus, be with us, as we celebrate your life, death and resurrection in Word and Sacrament. Holy Spirit, fill our parish family with your love. Help us to love one another in our parish and in our family. Guide us in your holy will for the present and the future of our Parish of the Good Shepherd. AMEN.
Vision Statement
We have a fruitful past, a challenging present and a hopeful future.
We invite all our island parishioners, year round and summer, to recommit themselves to being disciples of Jesus Christ.
We see our future as offering a stronger community presence, closer unity, and greater strength and dynamic growth in a living faith.
Our Presence will be in vibrant lay participation joining with the service of our pastor and support staff.
Our Unity will be celebrated in our communal gatherings in settings appropriate to our diverse liturgical, educational and social needs.
Our Strength will come from the sharing of time, talent and treasure of parishioners of varied age, residence and background.
Our Growth will come through embracing change and through participation in our challenging ministries.
As a Parish, we will prayerfully and joyously serve our island community, following the example and command of Jesus, The Good Shepherd.
