On Friday (12/2), I attended the Cushing-Gavin Awards Dinner hosted by the Labor Guild of the Archdiocese of Boston. I was asked to give the invocation at this 50th anniversary celebration... Each year, the Guild offers education, networking, and collaboration opportunities for members of the labor-management community, and also each year it recognizes individuals for excellent service in labor-management affairs at the annual Cushing-Gavin Awards Dinner. This year's awardees were Francis C. Boudrow, Michael D. Felsen, Susan F. Horwitz, Esq., and Glenn W. Kingsbury, Esq.

LIFT Worship

Returning back to the Cathedral that night, I greeted the over 1,000 young people participating in the LIFT Advent Worship Night there. It was truly inspiring to see so many of our young people taking part in this special event. We are grateful to Father Matt Williams and his team for organizing these wonderful gatherings.

St. Paul's anniversary

... I went to St. Paul's Parish in Wellesley for the Mass to mark their centennial anniversary. I was touched by the plaque that they have in the vestibule of the church with the names of all those parishioners who gave their lives in World War I and World War II. It was just another reminder of the long history of this parish. It was a beautiful celebration. They had a very large choir and fabulous musicians.

Father Jim Laughlin is doing just a wonderful job there; I saw a wonderful spirit in the parish. I was very happy to join this very beautiful celebration for the parish. Afterwards there was a reception, and I had an opportunity to greet many of the parishioners.

Appeal Mass

Sunday morning (12/4) I celebrated our annual Appeal Thank You Mass at the Pastoral Center. Singing for us at the Mass was the children's choir of the Immaculate Conception Church in Marlborough. They did just a fantastic job.

Following the Mass we had a luncheon, which included a dialogue and a question and answer period with the guests.

APC meeting

Tuesday evening (12/6), we had one of our regular meetings of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council.

We heard a presentation by the committee that has conducted the study looking at the implementation of our pastoral plan, Disciples in Mission. The committee is comprised of a number of laypeople and one priest who interviewed staffs in the parishes that have begun to implement the pastoral plan. They looked at parishes in the different phases, the successes and challenges of the pastoral plan, the process of writing local pastoral plans and their implementation.

It was a very fruitful evening with a very good dialogue. We are very grateful to the committee for their hard work over the last few years studying the implementation of Disciples in Mission.

Immaculate Conception with the Spanish community

Yesterday (12/8) was, of course, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. I was very happy to celebrate the Mass with the Spanish community at the Cathedral the Holy Cross. With us was Father Paul Dressler, the guardian of Capuchin College who is here visiting me. It was a beautiful celebration, and I was happy to be able to celebrate this wonderful feast day with them.