A 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, June 29 - Friday, July 5, 2019

Franciscan Friars with The Arch Street Band. Photo by: Derek Kouyoumjian 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
Sunday, June 30, 2019
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

As always, we welcome the LGBTQ community to this Church. We are grateful for your presence here! We
rejoice in the diversity of people who are regularly in the congregation.

The Order of Friars Minor is a world-wide religious order founded by St. Francis of Assisi. The friars at Arch
St. belong to Holy Name Province (HNP), one of seven provinces which constitute the Order of Friars Minor
in the United States. In 2018, the friars of six of the seven provinces voted to become one new (yet-to-be-
named) Province, leaving one new large province and one small province in the United States. From Monday,
July 29, to Friday, August 2, there will be a gathering of 400 friars of this new entity in Denver CO. About
half of the friars from Arch Street will attend this initial, historic, week-long gathering of this soon-to-be
formed entity. Because of the week-long absence of a number of priests, we had to make some decisions about
what to omit and what to leave on the liturgical schedule. Fr. Frank and I decided to retain the entire weekly
Mass schedule and eliminate all of the confession times for that five-day period. We hope that you understand
that this change is necessary due to a historic, one-time event far away from Boston. The last day of the
regular confession schedule is Sunday, July 28, and that schedule resumes in full on Saturday, August 3, at
10am. Again, the Mass schedule during that week is as always. Thank you for your patience and
understanding. Please pray for us during our meeting, as we will for you.

One of the recent changes at the Shrine is the complete overhaul of the four donation kiosks in the first and
second floor lobbies. The new kiosks are much easier to use and the screens have a completely different look.
My thanks to Nicole White and John Kendall, both on the staff at the Shrine, for their successful work on this
project. Our website, https://stanthonyshrine.org/giving/, also receives donations. Thank you for your
generosity.

This weekend’s (June 29-30) second collection is for expenses related to the Arch Street Band. We are very
grateful for their talent, their professionalism, and for their promotion of the mission of the Shrine.

We had advertised The Arch Street Band’s new CD as being available on July 1. Unfortunately, we’ve had
some production glitches, and it now seems that its availability will be at the end of the week, on or around
Friday, July 5. Our apologies for the delay. We will give updates on our social media channels.

The Counseling Center is receiving new clients. Please call 617-542-6440. There are a number of counselors
in the Center, and Br. Paul O’Keeffe does a great job of managing that operation.

Lois Diamond regularly meets with parents who have lost children to death, for any reason, and any age. The
meeting time is after the 10:30am Mass on the first Sunday of the month. The meeting place is the classroom
off of the basement auditorium. Thanks, Lois, for your work on this ministry, which we call the Emmaus
Ministry. Diane Monaghan is the Director of that ministry.

We have a special schedule on Thursday, July 4. The Shrine opens at 7am and closes at 11am. Masses are at
8am and 10am. Confessions from 8:30am to 10am.

Fr. Thomas Conway, OFM

Executive Director
I get some inspiring mail! At the beginning of June, Stephen Cunniff, a regular Shrine worshiper, sent me
this exceptional piece. It is reprinted with his permission. Thank you, Steven, for your participation in the
faith community here!
Fr. Thomas Conway, OFM

Tuesday, June 4

Dear Fr. Tom -

Four years ago tonight, June 4th, I witnessed something truly spectacular, that I thought initially to be a
laser light show. It was a Friday night, and I was traveling with a friend from Fairhaven, MA through New
Bedford. I was traveling in my car over the Coggeshall Street Bridge when to my right, I saw an illuminous
white light, set high on a hill, far in the distance. It appeared to look like lasers, but in the form of a
structure. I wondered what was going on in New Bedford that night, then headed out on the highway on
Rte. 195. I could still see this illumination to my right on the highway, and asked my friend what he thought
it was. He didn’t know and didn’t make much of it. Perhaps he didn’t see what I saw.

The next day, curious to know if there was some special event happening in New Bedford, I drove back to
where I had seen the light. In the daytime sun, I could clearly see that the structure I saw was in the form
of a church. For some reason I was drawn to it.

I drove in the direction of the church, parked my car on a side street beside it and went in. As soon as I
stepped over the threshold, I was rapt in awe by the sight of such a magnificent church. I’d never seen
quite an architectural marvel as this one here in New England. While it caught my eye, it also captured my
spirit.

The church that I had entered into that day is St. Anthony of Padua Church on Acushnet Avenue in New
Bedford. As I walked the aisles of the church and viewed the sanctuary, a small, yet very gentle reminder
came to me as how I had always loved the church, yet for a period of time in my adult years, abstained
from active participation. Though I never formally left the church, I just didn’t go in as frequently. This day
was different, and the call was strong here.

With confessionals opened in the churches on Saturday, I decided to offer my confession and receive
reconciliation for my abstinence in distancing myself from the church for a while. Completing the
penitential rite through confession, received absolution and then walked to a rear pew near the back of the
church to say my prayers of penance. When I was through, I opened up the browser on my phone, to read
a daily prayer from a meditative course that I had been studying for two years prior.

Although I had already read my daily prayer in the morning, as I was in church, I sensed that it was an
appropriate moment for another practice. As I looked into the browser on my phone, the prayer for the day
had been replaced by a different prayer. Somehow, unbeknownst to me, the calendar day of lessons
advanced several months into December and the simple words I read were as follows;

“What is a miracle? A miracle is a correction.”

I paused and looked toward the altar, and as I did, heard an internal voice say to me:

“Welcome Home. You belong here.”

Well, that was the most amazing prodigal son experience that I’ve ever had. Certainly I felt somewhat
chagrined in receiving the correction, but the message was clear to me, I belong in God.

My life began to shift quite dramatically from that point forward. Did I receive a miracle? Perhaps so.
Aside from just a few friends, two of them copied here as witnesses, I’ve never told many people about the
night that I saw the light, and where it led me back to; my Christian roots, the church, and God.
After all, how can one really convey in truth a personal moment of interior grace and have it be meaningfully
received? Unless of course others have had similar experiences and they “know just what you mean,” they
may just look at you with blank eyes. So for the most part, I kept it to myself, but now feel that after 4 years,
it might be best to share with others who may have had similar experiences and can relate.

Yet, I wonder how many others in the church who may have strayed awhile could have encountered
mysterious ways in which they were led back, like I did.

Since returning to the church, I have remained in active practice and worship with the whole community.
Now, more so than at any other point in my life, the liturgy has become far more meaningful to me than
before, when I set out on my journey to forget, I was led back to grace through forgiveness.

Like the prodigal son that Jesus spoke of in one of his many parables, I too had that similar experience of
leaving my father’s house, squandering and then returning, wiser, yet chagrined. My foolish journey ended
there that day and now I have given myself over to God’s True Authority, and also feel so much closer to
Jesus with Christ than I ever did before.

Sometimes, coincidences are too much of a coincidence not to have a deep and significant meaning in our
lives, and synchronicities do occur to ordinary men like me, as I’ve stated here in this testimony. So, for
what it’s worth, I’ve agreed to share it here with you tonight. Perhaps it might encourage others or inspire
them in some way to share their own miracle stories.

As a boy, my grandmother taught me this short form of a prayer to St. Anthony, somewhat whimsical.

“Tony, tony, look around, something’s lost and must be found.” In my case that “something” was my
sensibilities and through the church I have found that grace and mercy can always be found there and it
truly has made a world of difference to me that it finally found me and I accepted, salvation.

As an epilogue to this strange mystery of the luminous white light that I witnessed that night, I drove back to
the same spot that I witnessed it around the same time of night. Instead of seeing the bright white light
illuminating the church, the spotlights instead were amber. I immediately recognized that it was not as I saw
it originally.

A few weeks later, upon yet another visit to the church, where I took a friend to show him, I happened to
meet the building’s maintenance engineer who happened to be onsite that day, and I asked him if there was
any special occurrence on the night of June 4th, where the church might have been illuminated with bright
white spotlights. He answered no, the same amber colored lights that illuminate the church each night had
not changed.

Yet, I know that I was not hallucinating, nor was I dreaming, for I was driving a car at the time and fully had
my wits about me. While it was an illuminous white light that initially attracted me to the church, what
occurred afterward, upon my re-entrance, drew me into a closer personal relationship with the church than
anything I’ve ever experienced before. It has been truly remarkable for me and indeed has revolutionized
my life.

The best way that I could describe it would be to say that my faith so magnified during this “homecoming
experience” that I shifted from a belief in God to an absolute knowing.

As God is my witness, this is not something that I would make up. Nor is it anything to brag about. Just the
opposite, it was a humbling experience of receiving true interior grace and mercy to have been led back in
this way.

Lastly, may I just say in conclusion, that my weekly meetings with God, since that time, through participation
in the Mass, now at St. Anthony Shrine, has become far more meaningful, and sacred, than it ever has
before. Not infrequently, especially with the enhanced music ministry that the shrine employs, I feel myself
rapt in awe, moved to tears, with goosebumps in my arms, and a tingling sensation that comes like waves
through my body while I’m at Mass. This occurs with some regularity now, and only during the time when
I’m participating at Mass. I liken it to a hug from God, as an acknowledgement of His Presence, which I now
truly feel.

So I thank you and the entire Shrine community for all that you do in advancing the Gospel. I feel very
blessed to worship now in such a sacred space that you provide and I remain very grateful. Thanks for
hearing me out and taking the time to read my testimony.

Respectfully yours,

Stephen Cunniff

To the St. Anthony Shrine Community,

Your warm welcome for me, when I came to preach about the Franciscan Challenge, was truly an
example of the wonderful Franciscan hospitality for which your community is known.

Your care and support of the Franciscan Friars who serve you now, and those to come in the future, is
evidence of the love you have for those who have served you in the past.

Thank you for your participation in our annual Provincial fundraising event. Your gift ensures that the
Franciscan spirit will endure in our world and in our church.
Thank you for supporting the Friars and
the people that we serve. You make our
Love at Work possible for so many in
need!

A special thank you to Fr. Tom and all the friars, who faithfully serve this community, for welcoming
me in such a wonderful, fraternal way.

Many blessings,

Fr. David Convertino, OFM

Executive Director
Office of Development
The Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province

Please visit our website for more information or to donate to the Franciscan Challenge at:
www.TheFranciscanChallenge.org
 St. Anthony Shrine
YTD Comparative Statement of Ordinary Income and Expense
July 1 to May 31, 2019 and 2018

Jul 1, 2018 to Jul 1, 2017 to Variance to % Change

May 31, 2019 May 31, 2018 LY to LY
OPERATING INCOME
First Collections 1,034,596 1,129,640 -95,044 -8%
Second Collections 167,227 166,995 232 0%
Fundraising Income 3,192,652 3,207,477 -14,825 0%
Program Income 87,122 77,112 10,010 13%
Other Income 24,897 23,767 1,131 5%
Interest earned 39,260 38,573 687 2%
Wills and Bequests 225,940 91,821 134,119 146%
Donated Services 28,332 - 28,332
Total Operating Income 4,800,026 4,735,386 64,640 1%

OPERATING EXPENSES
Support for Holy Name Province 79,897 81,036 1,138 1%
Second Collections Disbursed 7,232 32,541 25,309 78%
Friary 357,011 310,820 -46,191 -15%
Development Expenses 610,313 619,097 8,784 1%
Facilities Expenses 525,902 562,925 37,023 7%
General & Administrative 409,955 367,818 -42,137 -11%
Professional Expenses 404,170 145,964 -258,206 -177%
Direct Program Expenses 451,806 476,605 24,799 5%
Salaries and Related 1,895,173 1,751,140 -144,034 -8%
Depreciation and Amortization 293,866 283,464 -10,402 -4%
Total Operating Expenses 5,035,325 4,631,410 -403,916 -9%

Surplus/(Deficit) of Revenue over Expenses (235,299) 103,976 -339,276 -326%

The Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents

Serving the Spiritual Needs of Grieving Parents To ensure your place, please register
Whose Children of Any Age Have Died By Any Cause by August 1 at www.emfgp.org.
No Matter How Long Ago
Space is limited to 15 parents!
One-Day Spiritual Retreat: August 10, 2019
Registration often closes early.
St. Anthony Shrine Friary
Give yourself the gift of getting away from everyday life to Or call Diane, Paul’s Mother, at
focus on where God is in your life right now—and your child. 617-542-8057.

Thursday, July 4th Legal Holiday Schedule 2nd Collection June 29th and 30th
Shrine open 7am – 11am The 2nd collection June 29/30 will go towards
Mass 8am and 10am the Music Ministry: The Arch Street Band at
Confessions 8:30am to 10am St. Anthony Shrine. Thank you!

St. Anthony Shrine - Schedule of Second Collections

Second Collection Church Calendar Secular Holiday
July 7 14th week of Ordinary Time July 4 Weekend
July 14 Food Center 15th week of Ordinary Time
July 21 16th week of Ordinary Time
July 28 Medical Clinic for Homeless Women 17th week of Ordinary Time
August 4 18th week of Ordinary Time
August 11 Food Center 19th week of Ordinary Time
August 15 Assumption of Mary (Thursday)
August 18 20th week of Ordinary Time
August 25 Medical Clinic for Homeless Women 21th week of Ordinary Time
September 1 22th week of Ordinary Time Labor Day Weekend
September 8 Food Center 23th week of Ordinary Time
September 15 24th week of Ordinary Time
September 22 LGBTQ 25th week of Ordinary Time
September 29 Arch Street Band 26th week of Ordinary Time
October 6 27th week of Ordinary Time
Columbus Day
October 13 Lazarus Program 28th week of Ordinary Time Weekend
October 20 29th week of Ordinary Time
October 27 Medical Clinic for Homeless Women 30th week of Ordinary Time
November 1 All Saints Day (Friday)
November 3 31th week of Ordinary Time
November 10 Veterans 32th week of Ordinary Time Veterans Day Weekend
November 17 33th week of Ordinary Time
November 24 Medical Clinic for Homeless Women Christ the King
December 1 1st Sunday of Advent Thanksgiving Weekend
December 8 Food Center 2nd Sunday of Advent
December 15 3rd Sunday of Advent
December 22 4th Sunday of Advent
December 25 Medical Clinic for Homeless Women Christmas (Wednesday)
December 29 Arch Street Band Holy Family
January 1 Solemnity of Mary (Wednesday) New Year's Day
January 5 Epiphany
January 12 Food Center Baptism
January 19 2nd week of Ordinary Time MLK Weekend
January 26 Franciscan Missionary Union 3rd week of Ordinary Time
February 2 4th week of Ordinary Time Super Bowl
February 9 Lazarus Program 5th week of Ordinary Time
February 16 6th week of Ordinary Time Presidents Weekend
February 23 Medical Clinic for Homeless Women 7th week of Ordinary Time
February 26 Ash Wednesday (Wednesday)
March 1 1st Sunday of Lent
March 8 Food Center 2nd Sunday of Lent
March 15 3rd Sunday of Lent
March 22 Medical Clinic for Homeless Women 4th Sunday of Lent
March 29 5th Sunday of Lent
April 5 Arch Street Band Palm Sunday
April 12 Lazarus Program Easter
April 19 2nd Sunday of Easter Marathon Weekend
April 26 Medical Clinic for Homeless Women 3rd Sunday of Easter
May 3 4th Sunday of Easter
May 10 Kids Program 5th Sunday of Easter Mother's Day
May 17 6th Sunday of Easter
May 21 Ascension of the Lord (Thursday)
May 24 LGBTQ 7th Sunday of Easter Memorial Day Weekend
May 31 Arch Street Band Pentecost
June 7 Trinity Sunday
June 14 Food Center Corpus Christi
June 21 12th week of Ordinary Time Father's Day
June 28 Lazarus Program 13th week of Ordinary time
 MASS SCHEDULE Seniors at Arch Street
Wednesdays in July
Begins with refreshments at 10:30am
Saturday Mass: 12PM
July 3: 10:45am Exercise with Betsy Quinn
Saturday Vigil: 4PM , 5:30PM
July 10: 11am Movie
Sunday Mass: 6AM, 7:30AM, 9AM , 10:30AM ,
July 17: 10am Mass with Anointing of the Sick
12PM (Spanish Mass 1st Fl. Church) 11am BINGO
12PM , 4PM , 5:30PM , 7PM July 24: 11am Presentation by Br. Daniel Murray
Weekday Mass: 6AM, 7AM, 11:45AM, 12:30PM, 5:15PM The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

3rd Wednesday of every month: Anointing Mass 10AM July 31: Foxwoods Outing $30 per person
*Depart Shrine at 8:30am
Depart Foxwoods at 4:30pm (estimated return 6pm)
CONFESSION SCHEDULE Questions: Please contact Julie Woodall,
Senior Program Director at 617-438-0264.
1st Floor Church Emmaus Ministry: Serving the
Saturday: 10AM - 4PM Spiritual Needs of Grieving Parents
Monthly One-Hour Retreat
Sunday: 1:30PM - 3PM at St. Anthony Shrine
Weekday: 10:30AM - 1:30PM, 4PM - 5:30PM 1st Sunday of Every Month
after the 10:30am Mass.
*Please note: Additional Wednesday Confession: 6:30AM - 8AM For more information, call Diane at
617-542-8057 or visit www.emfgp.org

REGULAR EVENTS
Monday Thursday
OA Meeting (Open), 2nd Floor Classroom 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, 1st Floor Chapel 12:30pm
Men’s Spirituality Group (2nd 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 (3rd Wed.) All Masses O.A. Meeting (Open), 2nd Floor Classroom 12:15pm
Anointing of the Sick - Mass (3rd Wed.) 10:00am
S.A. Meeting (Open), Auditorium Foyer 7:00am Saturday
Seniors Program, Auditorium 10:30am Secular Franciscans Formation (2nd Sat.) 10:30am
Women’s Spiritual Refl. Group (2nd & 4th Wed) 12:30pm Centering Prayer Group (1st & 4th Sat.) 12:00pm
LGBTQ Spirituality (3rd Wed) 5:30 pm Vietnamese Secular Franciscans (2nd Sat.) 1:00pm
A.A. Discussion Meeting (Open), Auditorium Foyer 5:45pm Secular Franciscans Fraternity Meeting (2nd Sat.) 1:00pm

Sunday
Please be advised: There will be NO confessions the Emmaus Ministry Prayer/Discussion (1st Sun.) 11:30 am
week of July 29 – August 2. Healing Service (2nd Sun.) 1:00pm
The regular confession schedule will resume on Latino Ministry Social, Auditorium 1:00pm
Saturday, August 3rd. Thank you. 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