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09-12-04 St. Peter Lithuanian Parish Centennial Jubilee Mass HOMILY By MSGR. ALBERT J. CONTONS, PASTOR EMERITUS
What an extraordinary joy we feel today in celebrating the first 100 years in the life of St. Peter Lithuanian Parish. We honor the founding fathers of the parish. They were strong in faith and fidelity to Christ and His Church. Determined to worship God in the Lithuanian language that was closest to their heart, according to the religious customs of their parents and ancestors, they raised funds and built a church. No priest or bishop was involved. It was lay Catholic action of the highest kind. We honor the thousands who grew up and received their religious
and spiritual training in the parish from dedicated priests,
religious sisters and lay teachers, and later in St. Peter School
which reached a peak enrollment of 523 children in 1954. We
honor the untold numbers of Lithuanian Displaced Persons who
came as refugees after World War II. We honor young Lithuanian
immigrants who now come to Greater Boston in search of opportunity
for a new life. We honor each of you who today support our beloved
parish and participate in guiding it into a new century of parish
life. For a century parishioners have lived in fidelity to Christ.
When Jesus was asked by a Pharisee, which is the greatest commandment?
he replied, Love God, love your neighbor as yourself. “On
these two commandments the whole law is based and the prophets
as well.” (Mt 22, 32-40) This is the divine law of Christ.
Parishioners have lived this Law of Christ. Archbishop O’Malley was kind enough to come to St. Peter Church to say Mass on the feast of the Birthday of Mary. A beautiful liturgy and reception were prepared. Some 400 parishioners came, feeling like the one lost sheep of the Gospel, abandoned by their shepherd, marked for suppression. They came wearing buttons, “Save St. Peter Lithuanian Parish.” This was the big issue on their minds. The Archbishop chose to address this issue with a ---“Great Silence.” Did the Archbishop come like Jesus, the Good Shepherd in search of the lost sheep, radiating God’s love, anxious to know his sheep? Is he going to carry the lost sheep back to the flock on his shoulders like the Good Shepherd? We don’t know. Time will tell. The Archbishop encouraged parishioners to imitate Mary’s
response to the archangel who announced she would be the mother
of God. Mary responded with a generous Yes! At the beginning
of the last century it was lay people establishing St. Peter
Parish who spoke a resounding “Yes” to God’s
call. At the beginning of this new century of Parish life it
is lay people, leaders and supporters, who come forward as “Friends
of St. Peter Lithuanian Parish.” They too speak a resounding
“Yes” to God’s call to save the parish. This is the Church of Christ for which Lithuania’s martyrs
suffered and died. This is the Church for which St. Peter Lithuanian
Parishioners have lived and sacrificed. This is the Church of
Christ to which we pledge our faith and love as we cross the
threshold into the second century of St. Peter Lithuanian Parish
life. 09-12-04 Sv. Petro Parapija Simta Metu Jubiliejiaus Misios PRELATAS. ALBERT J. CONTONS, PASTOR EMERITUS Šiandien džaugiames švesdami 100 metu šv.
Petro Lietuviu Parapijos gyvavimo Jubilieju. Bažnycios
prieangyje yra prisiminimo kampelis, kur kabo trys lenteles.
Viena gerbia ta Jubilieju. Išvardina visus klebonus, vikarus,
ir mokyklos direktores. Antra gerbia visus kunigo Abracinsko
bažnycios remontui aukotojus prieš penkiasdešimt
metus. Trecia gerbia aukotojus paskutiniam remontui prelato
Kontauto laikais. Ypatingai dekojame kunigui Steponui Žiukui
už jo pasišventusi klebonavima šiuo skaudu parapijos
istorijos laiku. |
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