Podcast appearances and mentions of beverly farms

Send us a textAn unsolved double homicide from idyllic Rockport, Massachusetts in 1932 rocked eastern Massachusetts. Boston Confidential interviews Robert Fitzgibbon, author of Murder In Rockport, Terror in a small town. The depression struck hard on Cape Ann, the quarry business dissipated and double digit unemployment was the norm. On May 21, 1932 town tailor Arthur Oker was found murdered in his shop, the following Halloween a fellow congregant Augusta Johnson had threatened in church that she knew who was responsible, and if they didn't turn themselves in she would go to the police. She was found murdered the next morning. Who was the culprit? There are several suspects, but the mystery has never been solved. Towns people say they know who committed the horrific murders, are they right?Make sure you purchase a copy of Murder In Rockport, Massachusetts, Terror in a small town! Link belowAmazon-Murder in Rockport, terror in a small townhttps://amzn.to/4iP9v16Book signings4/3/25 | 7-8PM | TOHP Burnham Library, Essex MA4/9/25 | 5:45PM | Bookshop of Beverly Farms, Beverly, MA4/12/25 | 3-4:30PM | Rockport Library, Rockport, MA4/24/25 | 6:30PM | Manchester by the Sea Museum, Manchester MA5/8/26 | 6:30PM | Paper & String Books, South Hamilton, MA5/18/25 | 2:30-3:30 | Lanesville Community Center, GloucesteX-bcpbeantown Email-barry@bostonconfidential.net

Beverly Hills was named after Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. But wait, that's not all! Source: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/30258/how-5-super-rich-places-got-such-fancy-names

It's summer for real now, and we're hyped for our upcoming event at Hastings House in Beverly Farms, featuring four summer-read authors. This is a legit literary genre at this point, folks. So we fire things up with Elin Hilderbrand's final (maybe) summer novel, fittingly titled "Swan Song." What makes this new literary tradition so attractive? Sam and Hannah both have thoughts, comparing her to Edith Wharton and Jane Austen. She's incredibly efficient in setting a scene and establishing character, and even created a collective first person that's incredibly effective. It leads to a discussion on voice, especially in "Fire Exit," Morgan Talty's new gritty and real novel about identity and family. It's a special novel, for sure, and you should expect it to be on all the awards lists at the end of the year. How intimately linked are our identities to our DNA? "Becoming Little Shell" has some non-fiction thoughts on this as well. We go on and on about this, kinda. It's really good.  Hannah is less enthused by "The Return of Ellie Black," by Emiko Jean, which she listened to and felt a little bit like masochism. But she did get hooked and wanted to figure out what happpens. It's a lot different from her "Tokyo Ever After," a very sweet YA book. Definitely not sweet is "The Book of Elsewhere," a book co-written by none other than Keanu Reeves and China Mieville, which is really violent, but also super interesting and thoughtful. After powering through the beginning, Sam kinda loved it. Finally, Hannah has just finished "A Good Life," a bestseller from France now in translation about two sisters in the French countryside who teamed up to survive their mom. 

Hannah and Sam are at Clearwater Pond on Memorial Day Weekend and they are ready to rock and roll for summer's many hours of lazy water-side reading. First up is Ann Hood, pride of Rhode Island, and her "The Stolen Child," which features travels to France and Italy with a pair of mis-matched travelers who develop a deep and abiding friendship and is quite charming. This leads to the really-quite-feminist 1939 novel "The Damned Don't Cry," by Harry Hervey, which you can only really get in Savannah. Sorry. But it's awesome. Sam loves it. Like a pre-WW2 Kristin Hannah. In a good way. And totally the opposite from "The Search Party," the new thriller from Hannah Richell, where college friends get together and someone's dead and they've been cut off from the outside world. It's entertaining! It keeps you guessing!  That's less true of Monica Wood's new "How To Read a Book," which is very Maine, and that might make it more your flavor than it is Sam's, since it's a little too familiar to seem real if you live there. It's like watching a Disney version of your actual life. Finally, Hannah's got "Pink Whales," a classic summer read by Sara Shukla, who's written a novel about a summer in a spot much like Beverly Farms. It's fun. Lots of juicy gossip! 

Is March Fourth a "declarative sentence"? No, Sam, it's an imperative sentence. But it's Hannah's birthday and at least he remembered that, if not his grammar lessons. Not to worry, though, this episode is chock full of weighty discussion, starting with "Women and Children First," the biography of the pioneering Dr. Susan Dimock (with a side bar on the enshittification of Google), and the subject of our first Sunday Salon on March 10 in Beverly Farms. From there, we head into discussion of a cool little collection of Jonathan Lethem essays, interviews, and short stories from PM Press, which got Sam buzzing, and not just because Lethem is living in Maine right now. This leads to a solid discussion of what makes for a good interview (or a bad one) — and that dovetails perfectly into Hannah's read of "Supercommunicators," by Charles Duhigg, which leads into a discussion of ski instructors who could really use the book and communication techniques that may seem obvious, but also work.  Someone who doesn't need much advice about communication is Philip Pullman, whose "The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ" is a triumph and has Sam very excited, despite the fact it was released 13 years ago. He's not sure how he missed it. If you're interested in mythmaking and Christianity's core stories, you have to read it. And, speaking of mythmaking, Hannah has read the new Katherine Arden, "The Warm Hands of Ghosts," and it does seem to deliver on all of her promise from the "Bear and the Nightingale" trilogy, which makes Sam hyperbolic. It's dark and makes clear that war is, indeed, very bad. The new Stephen King, though? Yeah, it's also pretty bad. Sam's going to finish "Holly," but he's not sure why. The phrase "social commentary for three-year-olds" may have been uttered. However, it does trigger a pretty good discussion about whether you can write a good book that's only for a certain subset of people or if truly good books are "for everyone." Like Paul Lynch's "Prophet Song," which everyone really needs to read. As a reminder. 

Hannah is back from Winter Institute and she has all sorts of thoughts on the state of the bookselling industry (900 booksellers in the same place is NOT illegal, it turns out). She's not sure she's a hero, exactly, but not every bookseller is in tony Beverly Farms. Also, it turns out she didn't learn all that much about what's coming down the pipeline, but she did get a little jazzed about "Our Hidden Conversations," by Michele Norris, and she's really jazzed about "The Other Valley," the debut novel from Scott Alexander Howard (it's "speculative," which is apparently "all the genres that depart from realism"), who studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Depending on your view of the current state of the world, you might find Paul Lynch's "Prophet Song" either speculative or all-too-realistic — Sam loves it. A look at the domestic side of fascism's rise that forces you to consider what happens when it comes to your front door.  Even more dystopian is "Earth Abides," George R. Stewart's classic from 1949, which is back in print and in development for an Amazon series. You may feel like you've read it before, but that's because it spawned a ton of imitators. Thanks to Cincinnati's Downbound Books for the find! Finally, Sam can't figure out why Colson Whitehead's "Crook Manifesto" didn't hit the way "Harlem Shuffle" did. It's great, a continuation of Whitehead's exploration of the mid-century Harlem underground with his trademark sentence-level excellence and expert ability to show, not tell. 

A popular horribles parade on the North Shore isn't so horrible anymore. Organizers have decided to change the name of the parade. WBZ's Kim Tunnicliffe got some reaction from folks in downtown Beverly.

Hannah is in Paris and the bookstore owners are just going right ahead and asking her to take over their shops. Not happening! But she did buy three books from the Red Wheelbarrow, with a train theme of sorts that she didn't plan, a couple of which aren't available yet here in the States. We then chat briefly about "Saxophone Colossus" (don't miss the special episode Sam recorded, EP35), and a book Hannah probably won't finish even though she sorta likes it (yes, Elizabeth Hardwick and Robert Lowell were married in Beverly Farms), but then we move into a long discusion of the neurological underpinnings of why we like the music and books that we like. Oh, plus "Zig Zag," a good book about doing drugs, and "Demon Copperhead," which is making Hannah sad even though it might win the Pulitzer. 

On this episode, Matt talks with Hannah Harlow and Sam Pfeifle – siblings, avid readers, and co-owners of the Book Shop of Beverly Farms – about taking over a well-established indie shop and hosting their own book podcast.

This week The Book Shop of Beverly Farms owner Hannah Harlow talks with The Cricket's Oli Turner about finally getting COVID and using the time to catch up on that big list of books of hers.

Today I'm chatting with sister and brother, Hannah Harlow and Sam Pfeifle, co-owners of The Book Shop of Beverly Farms about how publishers can better support indie bookshop owners, writing, the perils of driving in Massachusetts, and of course, books!The Book Shop of Beverly Farms Small Things Like These, Claire Keegan What Strange Paradise, Omar El Akkad Powder Days, Heather Hansman The Last White Man, Mohsin Hamid A Lie someone Told You About Yourself, Peter Ho Davies Firekeeper's Daughter, Angeline Boulley Poet Warrior: A Memoir, Joy Harjo The Little French Bridal Shop, Jennifer Dupee Swimming to the Top of the Tide, Patricia Hanlon Ever Heard of Her, Lisa Savage, Ruby Pfeifle Seaside Towns of the North Shore of Mass, Ingrid Moller Potenza Beer & Weed Magazine Grief is the Thing With Feathers, Max Porter  Support the show (https://paypal.me/TheBookshopPodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Much of the focus of Beverly Farms is on the community's charm and beauty, and its pockets of Gilded Age summer residents connected to greats in American history.  But, of course, the history of “The Farms,” is deeper and richer.  Nancy Coffey, a local historian, began researching the immigrant stories of families who came to Beverly Farms in the 19th Century for better opportunities and made big contributions to the neighborhood's story.  Nancy's stories go beyond the better-known tales of a summer playground for wealthy Bostonians and explores a much more expansive community story. 

Sam and Hannah kick things of with an extensive discussion of why John Updike is the patron saint of the Book Shop of Beverly Farms, then move into thoughts about intimidating big books, Christmas books, authors you discover way after they were popular, and just which kind of weird is appreciated.  Note: Hannah and Sam for sure know the book is called "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell," but Hannah was apparently having a stroke and Sam was stoned.  Also: Sam doesn't really hate "A Peculiar Peril" as much as it sounds. He DID read the whole thing, after all. 

Cricket features editor Kris McGinn sits down with The Book Shop's Hannah Harlow to talk blind dates.  No, not those kind.  Harlow started wrapping books in blank craft paper, and scribbled just a gestural teaser on the outside.  She talks about how her book match making idea is working out with the folks of Beverly Farms.

The Cricket's lifestyle editor visits Hannah Harlow at The Bookshop of Beverly Farms to talk about her new Young Adult book club hosted by the shop, a local YA author, and the great challenge of figuring out how to best categorize Young Adult books.  Produced by Christy King and edited by Alexis Brown. 

Jennifer Dupee grew up on the North Shore of Boston near the seaside communities of Manchester-by-the-Sea and Beverly Farms. She is a graduate of Brown University, where she studied under published authors Meredith Steinbach and Carole Maso, and received her honors in Creative Writing. She is an active member of the Grub Street writing community in Boston and has published in The Feminist Press. She was a semi-finalist for the 2016 James Jones First Novel Competition and a semi-finalist for the 2016 Faulkner-Wisdom competition. Jennifer lives just outside of Boston with her family. Her first published novel is The Little French Bridal Shop, and she is currently at work on her next novel. You can find out more at her website: https://www.jenniferdupee.com/ And for more about our host Lisa Kessler visit http://Lisa-Kessler.com Book Lights - shining a light on good books!

Our Associate Caller of the Day was Kristina from Store 1932 in Ellsworth, Maine, with a shoutout for her teammate, “Jif,” because he has the energy of peanut butter. Well, Kristina, you had peanut butter energy today, too, and it gave us life this morning. Our Social Media Highlight of The Day goes to the team at Store 4529 in New Lenox, Illinois, as they show us a witchy way to do the Dougie. They can teach me how to Dougie, teach, teach me how to Dougie. On Did You Know? we learned that Beverly Hills was named after Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, which was named after Beverly in Yorkshire, England. And that town was named for a colony of beavers. We wonder if the Beverly Hillbillies ever thought about that while swimming the concrete pond. What in tarnation? Today was Beth’s last day in the studio for a while, and we’ll miss hearing her on the air. We had News, Who Sung It?, Associate Shoutouts and a whole lot more on a No Format Friday.

Don't be afraid to embarrass yourself or try something new, and fail because the good part of it is: the experience. -Whitney Savignano This is a story that starts with an early loss and then, moves to finding love, the joy of being part of a family on two continents, adventure, entrepreneurship, fulfillment and the kind of hard won success that fills your heart with gratitude. In 2008, Whitney and her Italian-born husband teamed up with his brother Giuseppe to purchase an old property in Pienza, Tuscany that included a rundown structure originally built in the 13th century. Once a monastery, the property included a vineyard and an overgrown olive grove. When she first saw the place, Whitney admits it looked like the opening scene of the old TV show Sanford & Son, but she could see that this was a diamond in the rough, worthy of years of renovations that would bring it back to life. Today, Tenuta Santo Pietro is a gorgeous 14 bedroom luxury inn, with a working vineyard and an olive oil grove. tenutasantopietro.com. With the creation of PSP Imports, the family business imports and distributes 200 wines, many from little, boutique vineyards that the world had never heard of before. Using her well-honed writing and marketing skills, Whitney oversees all olive oil sales from their home in Beverly Farms, MA. while also raising the couple's two children. For this exceptional woman, success means feeling fulfilled and living a life where she can also do good things for others. Reflecting on the loss of her mother to ovarian cancer at only 19, Whitney says: “Losing your mom at a young age is something that changes you for your whole life. I just feel very, very fortunate everyday that I am past 46 and that to me, is a gift. Everyday that I have with my kids and my husband, I'm grateful for.” This story takes a page out of the movie Under The Tuscan Sun and includes a fairy tale ending. #tuscany #wine #pienzaoliveoil #inspiringstories

Nancy Coffey is a Beverly Farms resident and she documented the stories of immigrant workers that worked at Beverly Farms back in the late 1800 and early 1900. In her effort to document these stories Nancy learned why Beverly Farms, a neighborhood in Beverly, remained as an isolated community overtime. Also, in this episode, we’ll learn some of Nancy’s adventures around the world before she married and settled in Beverly Farms.Music Credits:1. Intro song: "VIntage Electro Pop Loop" - by Frankumhttps://freesound.org/people/frankum/sounds/384468/2. "Solo duet"- By Myakumithishttps://freesound.org/people/myakumithis/sounds/218863/3. "New York Jazz loop"- by FoolBoyMediahttps://freesound.org/people/FoolBoyMedia/sounds/347848/4. "Jazz Loop 01 50" - by Carlos Cartyhttps://freesound.org/people/CarlosCarty/sounds/427705/5. "Wholesome" - By Kevin Mcleodhttps://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome/6. "Hard boiled" - By Kevin Mcleodhttps://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1700076

Welcome to the Wardrobe Muse with Lisa Ann Schraffa Santin. In this podcast, Lisa enjoys the company of Lisa Nichols, the owner of 12 Oak Growth and Renewal Center in Beverly Farms, MA. See what the healing work of reiki and yoga have to do with your dressing style and finding your authentic self. For more info on the next Discover Your Goddess & Find Your Inner Style Workshop (11/16) check out LASS at http://lasswardrobe.com or  https://www.facebook.com/12OAKGROWTHANDRENEWALCENTER/. Shout out and thanks to https://www.synphaera.com/echo-season  

Before 90210 was even a town, Beverly Farms (its original name) opened in 1912, catering to Hollywood stars like, Rudolph Valentino and Mary Pickford. Known today as the "Pink Palace", numerous power lunches have taken place at the Polo Lounge and many of Hollywood's most famous affairs within its 23 bungalows. 

Creator of HotCore Yoga in Beverly Farms, MA & Teacher of 12000 yoga classes, Peter Sklivas lived in ashrams in U.S. (Kripalu) & India. His lifelong dream to write a novel of spiritual truth was realized on his 50th b-day along the banks of the holy river Ganga when he completed The Secret of Enduring Love. At age 15 Peter Sklivas began his practice of meditation. His 30+ years experience includes TM, Dzochen Tibetan Buddhism, 6 years on Kripalu Staff, Bikram Choudhury’s 500-Hr Yoga Teacher Training (Spring 2000), Bikram’s 1992 Kripalu staff-only training, ashram pilgrimages to Rishikesh, India + extensive practice with Baron Baptiste, Barbara Benagh, Patricia Walden & other Boston yoga teachers. In 2006 Peter moved the studio to Beverly Farms and created a new yoga style called HotCore Yoga combining his ecumenical approach of Hot Yoga with core body mechanics, ujaya breath, bandhas, energy lines & psycho-spiritual awareness. Each class with Peter is an exciting adventure into the Higher Self. In 2011 Peter won 1st prize for U.S. Northeast Region in Cable Access Fitness Programs for the TV show called Yoga Passion. During this year Peter changed the name of studio from Yoga Passion to HotCore Yoga. In 2013 Peter completed and published the novel: The Secret of Enduring Love: Yoga Romance of Damayanti & Nala As always thank you so much for listening!

Peter Sklivas has practiced yoga and meditation formore than 30 years. In 2006, he created HotCore Yoga,combining hot yoga with body mechanics, ujaya breath, and spiritual awareness. He completed his first novel during a pilgrimage to the sacred river Ganga in Rishikesh, India. He teaches at his studio in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts.

Today's topics: 30 Places to Visit in the Archdiocese of Boston Summary of today's show: There are a multitude wonderful churches, chapels, and places in the Archdiocese of Boston and Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli list 30 of them that they believe Catholics in the area shouldn't miss, covering north, south, west of Boston and Boston itself. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Domenico Bettinelli Today's guest(s): Chris Kelley, Station Manager of WQOM Links from today's show: Places for Catholics to visit in the Archdiocese of Boston Merrimack 1. Lawrence: Cor Unum Meal Center and St. Patrick Parish 2. North Andover: St. Michael's 3. Newburyport: Immaculate Conception 4. Lowell: St. Joseph Shrine North and North Shore 5. North Shore: The drive along Route 127 from Salem to Gloucester which takes you by St. Mary star of the Sea Beverly; St. Margaret, Beverly Farms; Sacred Heart in Manchester by the Sea; Our Lady of Good Voyage and Holy Family in Gloucester [Also Marblehead/Swampscott right by the ocean] 6. Melrose: St. Mary's 7. Salem: Immaculate Conception 8. Malden: Immaculate Conception and Sacred Hearts 9. Peabody/North Shore Mall: St. Theresa's Chapel South and South Shore 10. Plymouth: St. Bonaventure 11. Weymouth Landing: Sacred Heart 12. Braintree: Archdiocesan Pastoral Center and Bethany Chapel 13. South Shore: Shore parishes in Hull, Marshfield 14. Hanover: Portiuncula Chapel 15. Hingham: Glastonbury Abbey West 16. Hopkinton: St. John's 17. Holliston: Fatima Shrine 18. Wrentham: Mt. St. Mary's Abbey and Gift Shop Boston 19. South End: Cathedral Crypt and Blessed Sacrament Chapel 20. Mission Hill: Basilica / OL Perpetual Help 21. South Boston: St. Augustine Chapel and Cemetery 22. South Boston: Gate of Heaven Church 23. West Roxbury: St. Theresa, Holy Name, Cemeteries 24. Cambridge: St. Paul's in Harvard Square when Choir School is singing at 11am 25. Charlestown: St. Catherine of Siena Church 26. Somerville: St. Catherine of Genoa Upper Church 27. Brighton: Grounds of St. John's Seminary and Seminary Chapel 28. Boston: Back Bay – St. Francis Chapel and the renovated St. Cecilia's Church 29. Boston: Back Bay –St. Clement's Eucharistic Shrine (24-hour adoration) 30. Boston: Financial District: St. Anthony Shrine

Hugh Halter lives in Denver with his wife Cheryl on a small ranch, with two horses, two chickens, two yellow labs, one cat, and one bunny. Hugh has three children, two daughers Alli and McKenna who both attend college in Iowa. After 25 years of living at home, their son Ryan who has struggled with epilepsy since birth, now lives in Beverly Farms, an assisted living center in Illinois for adults with disabilities. Ryan now enjoys making key chains, taking college courses, riding horses and according to Hugh, checking out the ladies.Hugh is an author, the founder of . He speaks extensively across the country encouraging and equipping pastors in incarnational ministry and missional leadership.

Summary of today's show: In January 2012, Pope Benedict XVI created an ordinariate for North America as a way to welcome former Anglicans, their priests, and their parishes into communion with the Catholic Church. On the North Shore of Massachusetts, a group of former Episcopalians is preparing to do just that with their priest, Fr. Jurgen Liias. Scot Landry talks with Fr. Liias and Fr. David Barnes, pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Beverly, about Fr. Liias' spiritual journey and what the new ordinariate means for resolving the rift in Christianity caused by the Protestant Reformation and Henry VIII. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Fr. Jurgen Liias and Fr. David Barnes Links from today's show: Today's topics: Fr. Jurgen Liias and the Anglican Ordinariate 1st segment: Scot said in the future the year 2012 will be remembered as the creation of an ordinariate for Anglicans becoming Catholic. Fr. David Barnes, pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Beverly joins us to discuss this news. Also joining us is Fr. Jurgen Liias, currently an Episcopalian priest seeking to become a Catholic priest in the ordinariate. Scot said Fr. Jurgen was born in Europe and moved with his family to the US. He said he was born in Germany. His mother was a refugee from East Germany and his father was a refugee from Estonia. He was born in 1948 and they later came to the United States as displaced persons. They originally lived in a displaced persons camp in Baldwinville, Massachusetts. He was four years old and his brother was two. His father found a place for them to live in an Episcopalian church rectory in Charlestown at St. John's in Monument Square. They lived there for most of his childhood. His father became caretaker of the church. Fr. Jurgen said from the time when they moved in he would say he wanted to be a minister like their host who took them in. He never changed his mind from that. He'd been baptized Lutheran, but they became Episcopalian. Fr. Jurgen said the two are very much alike. He said Charlestown in those days was a pretty rough Irish Catholic ghetto and he got beat up regularly for being a Protestant and a “Nazi”. The church was a refuge and the one place they were accepted, a safe haven. He went to Boston Latin school and to Amherst College in Western Mass. He met his wife who was at Smith College. They met the first day as the Amherst men went to Smith to help the young ladies move into their dorms. In college, he was very involved in the peace movement and Students for a Democratic Society. As a Christian he always said he was there because Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. Most of his Christianity in those days was expressed in the social gospel. Scot asked if the Sixties was a turbulent for Episcopalians as it was for Catholics. Fr. Jurgen said it was a shift, but not as much as for Catholics. He said while he was involved in the social gospel, it was all externalized and he hadn't internalized or taken a good look at himself. As the charismatic movement began to rise, he started to have his heart opened to a more person exposure to the Holy Spirit. Meanwhile, his church's pastor wasn't very interested in this spirituality. He became more convinced what he was experiencing was something the Church needed. Out of that came a call within a call to work for the renewal of the Episcopal Church. It had become stale and spiritually tepid. Most of his ministry over the last 30 years has been working to this end. Fr. Jurgen said he began to delve into deeper questions of what is the faith and what is the Church. He found a confessor, which is unusual for a Protestant, in order to confess his sins. His first confessor was an Episcopalian monk, but after 5 years he told him he'd left his order and became a Dominican in the Catholic Church. This was a seed planted in Fr. Jurgen's psyche. Another seed planted for his journey to Rome was the pro-life movement. He found in the pro-life movement in the early 1970s. Most of his Episcopalian friends, other clergy, abandoned him as he took a stand against abortion. Feminism had taken strong root in the Episcopal Church. He started the National Organization of Episcopalians for Life. He saw in the Catholic Church a consistency in standing for the Church and that's where he began thinking about maybe he'd be better off in the Catholic Church. 2nd segment: Scot asked Fr. Jurgen to define Anglican, Episcopalian, and ordinariate. Fr. Jurgen said the Anglican Church encompasses Christianity in England going back to the times of the Holy Roman Empire. It flowered when St. Augustine of Canterbury was sent by Pope St. Gregory in the fourth or fifth century to bring Christianity there. At the time of Henry VIII in the 1500s, the king broke away from the Pope and created the Church of England. During the heyday of the British Empire, the Anglican church went wherever the empire went and created the Anglican Communion, all the branches throughout the world. In the United States, the Anglicans called themselves the Episcopal Church. In the worldwide Christianity, the Catholic Church is the largest, the Orthodox is the second-largest, and the Anglicans are the third-largest. Pope Paul VI started the Anglican-Catholic dialogue during the 1960s. Scot said the Anglican Ordinariate was founded in January 2012. Why now? Fr. Jurgen said Pope Benedict said it was a response to the requests of Anglicans over many, many years. Bl. John Henry Newman was an Anglican priest in the early 1800s who started the Oxford Movement to bring the Anglicans back to Rome, but he eventually concluded that he had to do it himself. In the 1980s, Pope John Paul set up the Anglican provision, which let individual Anglican priests convert to Catholicism and to become Catholic priests. Then there was permission given to certain Catholic parishes to use a different liturgical form, closer to the Anglican form. Now, the ordinariate allows Episcopalian congregations to come into full communion with Rome with their priests, but to continue to hold to their traditions. the ordinariate is the structure under which they serve. Scot said it's kind of parallel to a diocese, except dioceses are territorial, while the ordinariate in the US covers all of North America. Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson, a former Anglican bishop, has been put in charge of the ordinariate by Pope Benedict XVI and serves the function of a bishop. Scot said there are a few ordinariate parishes in the US so far. Fr. Jurgen said there are close to 60 or 70 men like him who are seeking Holy Orders through the ordinariate, some of them with significant parishes with them, others who are like Fr. Jurgen have a small group of people looking to come into the Church with him. Scot asked Fr. David Barnes why this is significant, not just in the world, but more locally in the Archdiocese of Boston. Fr. David said it's part of the New Evangelization. Pope Benedict is open to all the movements in the life of the Church and interested in opening up new ways for people to become Catholic. The Pope has gone around all the problems to open up this new way. Scot said it's his opinion that because Pope Benedict grew up in Germany among Protestants that he views the role of the papacy to further this work. Fr. David said the witness of the Catholic faith of the new converts is a good example. Fr. Jurgen and those like him bear witness to a relationship with Jesus Christ, how we come to faith and it changes our life. Scot asked what it means to him to see an Episcopal priest to share the priesthood with him. Fr. David said it's great to share faith with him, apart from ordination. Through him, he's met other people and occasionally sees another Episcopalian priest coming to Mass at St. Mary's. 3rd segment: Scot asked Fr. Jurgen what are the steps to becoming a Catholic priest in his position. Fr. Jurgen said the ordinariate has sped up the process. Under the pastoral provision it took one or two years. Fr. Jurgen started his process in February and hopes to be ordained this fall. He's taken part in theological formation, every Saturday for months, via computer distance learning. He's also had a mentor, a Catholic priest to help him, and Fr. Barnes has filled that role. He's also just came from psychological testing. There's a background check as well. These are all things that a seminarian has to go through. This is all gathered together and sent to Rome for approval by the Vatican. Fr. Jurgen said at a certain pint within the next few weeks, he will be expected to formally renounce his orders in the Anglican church. He will become a layman and await a decision by the Vatican. Scot asked him if he receives other sacraments first. Fr. Jurgen said he will be received at St. Margaret's in Beverly Farms on August 15. He will make his first Catholic confession and his first Communion. He will also receive confirmation at the same Mass. He said he's been going to Mass and it's difficult not receiving Communion so far. Scot asked Fr. David how he will prepare parishioners. Fr. David said people have been very receptive. Msgr. Steenson came to the parish a few months ago to give a substantial lecture on the ordinariate. They had a Mass on which several people were received into the Church. On August 15, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, who also serves as vicar general of the ordinariate, will fly up for the confirmation. If he will be ordained in the Church, Cardinal Seán will do that. Fr. Jurgen said there's also about 15–20 people who have also chosen to make this journey with him. He started almost two years ago with a little group that met on Saturdays in 8am. They discussed the papal document setting up the process for the ordinariates. They also studied many ecumenical documents. Dr. Tom Howard, a former Anglican who became Catholic nd who later taught at St. John's Seminary, helped catechize the group. They were meeting every week and now meet twice per month. They continue to meet regularly and tonight, for example, they will be studying the rosary. Fr. Jurgen said there is a wing of the Anglicans that does all the Catholic devotional life, call the Anglo-Catholics. He said he is more of an Evangelical. There are Anglican traditions that aren't part of Catholic devotional life. He said familiarity with the Bible will be something they can bring. There are some spiritual traditions as well. One is called choral evensong. It's a form of Vespers with Anglican chant. Pope Benedict had just had the Westminster choir in the Vatican to sing evensong. Fr. David said Msgr. Steenson predicts that the Anglican traditions will be saved by the Catholic Church. Fr. Jurgen said the group will be forming a parish of the ordinariate within the Archdiocese of Boston. They intend to have a positive relationship with the local diocese. While they could form a parish without approval of local bishop, Msgr. Steenson said they want a cordial partnership. Fr. David said the priests on the North Shore will love to have Fr. Jurgen's help in the area. He hopes to have faculties to function within the Archdiocese. But in the meantime, he will help found a parish of the Diocese of North America. One of the visions of Pope BEnedict is the beginning of the end of the divisions of the Reformation. They want an organic reunion. Fr. David said he's very hopeful that Fr. Jurgen will be ordained and he's been a very wonderful priest who shown many gifts in his previous parishes. He hears that he's a wonderful preacher and has a great love for the Church already. Fr. Jurgen said he feels like he's falling in love with the Catholic Church and is enormously blessed with the gift of the Church and the riches it will give him. Fr. Jurgen said he published his spiritual autobiography as part of his application and had so many requests for it that he put it on a new bog.

Summary of today's show: There are several living legends among the priests of the Archdiocese of Boston and Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell welcome one of them today. Fr. Walter Waldron has been a priest for 48 years and pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Roxbury for 29 years. Fr. Walter tells our listeners about seeing the Second Vatican Council firsthand, putting the lessons of the Council into practice in the inner-city in the 1970s, and then serving a parish that's like three parishes in one for nearly three decades in a neighborhood many have written off. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell Today's guest(s): Fr. Walter Waldron, Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Roxbury Today's topics: Pastor Profile: Fr. Walter Waldron 1st segment: Scot welcomed everyone to the show and started with the startling news that Fr. Mark was taken by ambulance to the hospital from his rectory yesterday. He fell down a few steps and was taken to the hospital as a precaution.Fr. Mark said the neck brace they put on had four settings: tall, medium, short, and no neck. He was highly insulted that they had it on no neck. Last night, Fr. Mark was able to go to a special Mass at Regina Cleri, where Fr. Bob Oliver is also recovering from an accident and a broken hip. Scot said it's been a busy week preparing for the live, interactive town hall meeting on CatholicTV Monday night with Cardinal Seán. He said it's never been done before over all the different media: TV, radio, and the Internet. He encourages everyone to tune in via WQOM or CatholicTV. On Monday's The Good Catholic Life we will have one of the panelists, Kim Daniels, to talk about how we got to this point. The town hall meeting begins at 8pm. Scot said today's guest is one of the legends of the priesthood in Boston and he's been looking forward to this conversation. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Mark welcomed Fr. Walter Waldron. Fr. Walter said he grew up in Milton and went to school there. He had two brothers and two sisters. One of the gifts in his life has been his family and extended family. He realizes how much all those cousins mean to him and made him what he is today. His vocation came from his family and the community was very Catholic. He went to St. Agatha School. He wanted to be a lawyer, teacher or priest. He went to BC High and considered being a Jesuit. When Fr. Walter's father was at BC High in the 1920s and he considered becoming a Jesuit. His grandfather had a work accident that prevented him from working and so his father was counseled he should stay to support his family. So it comes full circle to him. Fr. Walter said Fr. Riley, who was a younger priest in charge of the altar servers at St. Agatha's, was an influence on his vocation too. He said there were no priests in his family. Fr. Walter said he ended up deciding he would end up encountering more people in the diocesan priesthood than if he joined the Jesuits, who at the time specialized in education. He went to Cardinal O'Connell Seminary for two years out of high school. He went to St. John's Seminary for two years and then went to the North American College and was ordained in St. Peter's. He was there in the early Sixties and was there during the death of Pope John XXIII and election of Pope Paul VI. Scot asked what it was like being in Rome during the Second Vatican Council? Fr. Walter said it was very exciting, partly because some of the US bishops stayed in the North American College and had interaction with the seminarians. Some seminarians were even able to sneak into the sessions in St. Peter's. He and his classmates were on the side of those who were most forward-looking. During his time in Rome, he wasn't able to come back from Rome, but his family did come visit once before ordination. He took a ship over with the other seminarians. He recalled how the seminarians were all seasick at first, but he loved it so much that he came back by boat rather than fly. Scot asked Fr. Walter is he learned the old and the new liturgies. He said he was trained in the older missal. There was no transition while he was there. Fr. Walter was ordained in 1964 and has had only three assignments in those 48 years. He was first assigned to St. Margaret in Beverly Farms. He remembers saying to the people that first Sunday, “I'm so glad to be here in Beverly Hills.” He was there for two years. Then he was a parochial vicar at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross for 18 years. He had asked Cardinal Cushing to be assigned to work in the city and to live in an apartment among the people. Cardinal Cushing said no, but offered him a position at the cathedral. He made many friendships and is still involved with some of the groups from them. He loved living in the city and came to learn the movement of the city. He has remained in the city, going to St. Patrick's parish in Roxbury in 1984. Fr. Walter wanted to live in the city because of the priests he knew in Roxbury at the time. He liked the life they lived and how they had freedom to interact with people. He talked about how he was mentored and affirmed by Msgr. Russ Collins. Fr. Mark said the monsignor was a real innovator in our archdiocese. He helped form a group called the Boston Urban Association of Priests. They were very vocal about public policy and even endorsed a candidate. They thought they were reading the signs of the times. Scot said it was a tumultuous time in Boston with the busing crisis. Fr. Walter said it gave him an identity with the people that were there. He came to understand their difficulties and pain and how far they felt from the mainstream of Boston. It was an eye-opener for him. Scot noted that the Boston Urban Priests helped the Pine Street Inn form itself. Fr. Walter said there was a place called the Dawes Hotel that was pulling out of the business of serving the poor, and no one wanted to take over the ministry. They took over the place and re-named it the Pine Street Inn. They didn't know they were supposed to ask the cardinal first. They had some advisors on how to help people who were addicted to alcohol. They had only one employee and each priest would take a night to be there. Scot perceives that time as a time for the Church asking herself what she was to be in this town and in this world. What do the condiments of Vatican II mean in practical matters? There was a lot of adjustment. Fr. Walter said there wasn't a model to follow. Fr. Walter at the time took on a foster kid and moved out of the rectory into an apartment. He was then called in by Cardinal Medeiros. He told Fr. Walter that he knows what he did and only wanted to know that he was taking good care of him. He had the foster kid for four years. Scot asked what it was like to move to St. Patrick's in 1984. He didn't want to move out of the cathedral after being there so long. In fact, he'd just been asked to be the chaplain at Walpole State Prison and he said no because it would be the same population day after day. So when St. Patrick came up, he took it. He's attracted to variety in his priestly ministry. Scot said you couldn't get more variety in St. Patrick's. Fr. Walter said they just celebrated their 175th anniversary. They had three languages: English, Spanish, and Portuguese Creole. He feels like he's already in charge of three parishes. In 1989, the Boston Globe did a big three-page article on him in the newspaper. It showed how he had a presence on the streets, a consistent presence over a period of time. After a while he wasn't a stranger there and people came to know he was interested in all communities. He showed how they could come together as one parish with three communities. Fr. Walter said for a long time they had three parish councils. He didn't think it made sense o he established a supercouncil. After a while they formed one parish pastoral councils for the last 5 to 10 years. It's helped him to learn better the other language groups, to know them on a personal and a professional Catholic level. Scot said half of the parish are newcomers to the country. 85% of all parishioners are from Cape Verde. He said much of the ministry must be helping people adjust. Fr. Walter said the question has been whether to focus on people's background and culture or do you try to acculturate them? They've found a balance. They've been able to do a lot of outreach in the native languages, mainly through a lot of sisters who spoke the language. There's a commonality between the pastoral staff and the people who came here. Cape Verde is traditionally Catholic and so there's no difficulty in attracting them to the Church. Like in the past, so much of their lives focus on the Church. Fr. Mark asked if the Church is sanctuary. Fr. Walter said “sanctuary” is a loaded word, but Fr. Mark said he didn't intend it that way. Fr. Walter said they've always had good relationships with civil authorities. He's never been faced with a person asking for sanctuary from immigration issues. Scot said growing up, Roxbury was never portrayed in a positive light in the news. He asked Fr. Walter to describe it. He said it is home for people. He tells priests that they have to come in recognizing that they are people just like you. People are sometimes afraid to come to Roxbury, but he encourages them to come. He said the safest part of the city on a Sunday morning is Roxbury because everybody's in church. It's hard to drive the image of the shootings in the street from people's minds. But it's not an everyday occurrence. There are people who are interested in raising their kids, keeping their homes neat, and living their lives. Fr. Mark said he regularly says Mass with the Carmelite Sisters in Dudley Square. Fr. Walter calls them the spiritual powerhouse. He'd never before met cloistered sisters, but he found them to be just like the rest of us. He said a number of religious orders work with St. Patrick's so they make a big deal in February for World Consecrated Life Day. Now they have the Franciscans of the Primitive Observance in the parish. Fr. Walter said their desire is to live a life as close as possible to St. Francis' life 800 years ago. They wear a rough habit, they sleep on the floor, they eat only what they've begged that day. They are very good at reaching out to others. They've only been there two year,s but everyone knows them. Fr. Walter said they are living in one of their buildings, but have a broader vision than the parish. Several of them have learned Creole in order to say Mass and do confessions in the language of the people. When they first came they came over the parish to offer to help. They've established a monthly holy hour for vocations to the priesthood. One of the brothers of the FPO is being ordained to the priesthood tomorrow. Br. Michael Sheehan will be ordained by Cardinal Seán at the Cathedral. After the Mass, they will have a reception at St. Patrick's. He will continue doing the work of the order in the community. Fr. Walter said they are like worker-priests whose work is for the advancement of the Church, being out where the people are and making sure there's a normal interaction with them. They are concerned the people are not only Catholic in name, but in practice too.They want the folks to see the Church as an essential part of their lives. Scot asked what is one of his biggest joys as a priest. Fr. Walter said being a priest and being fortunate to be in a life he just loves. He loves it as much today as he did the day he was ordained in St. Peter's. He said he's heard stories of priests burdened by the stress of their priesthood. He doesn't recall a moment he felt that way. He said it's the joy of being with the people and being astounded at how they take him into their homes and family. He remembers a couple of years ago after some surgery and seeing how concerned the people were for him. 3rd segment: Now as we do every week at this time, we will consider the Mass readings for this Sunday, specifically the Gospel reading. When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel. Scot said we tend to think of John the Baptist as preparing for way of the Lord during Advent, but we should think of him at all times because he's always pointing us to Jesus. Fr. Walter said he was an evangelizer and it's believed to have belonged to a spiritual sect of Judaism that was looking to reinvigorate the faith for the coming of the Messiah. Fr. Walter said it is traditional in Judaism for a boy to be named after the father or an ancestor. But we don't know why Zecharaiah wanted to name him John. It shows the importance of names in Scripture. Jesus renamed Peter, Saul was renamed Paul. Fr. Walter said this is true today. It's common for recovering addicts to give up the name they used while they active, they went back to their real name or a nickname they had as a kid. Scot said Popes take on a new name. Cardinal Seán grew up as Patrick O'Malley, but took on the name Seán when he became a religious. Fr. Mark said he was struck that John is about humility and his birth, which references much of the Old Testament, has lots of triumphant images. In the Gospel, John says that he must decrease while Christ increases. He was humble and our Lord was heralded through humility. Scot related that Zechariah couldn't speak because he doubted the news from the angel Gabriel that he and his wife would have a son in their old age. Scot said the entirety of John's life pointed to Christ.

Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Bishop Robert F. Hennessey, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston for the Central Region and Fr. David Barnes, Pastor of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Parish in Beverly, MA Links from today's show: Today's topics: Confession and Preparing for Christmas Summary of today's show: Bishop Robert F. Henneseey and Fr. David Barnes discuss with Scot Landry the importance of Confession as a spiritual preparation for Christmas and on this Wednesday, the Archdiocese's The Light Is On For You program makes every church and chapel available for Confessions that evening. Many of the myths and misconceptions of Confession are debunked and the wonderful spiritual benefits are revealed. Also, other ways to use this last week of Advent to make the best preparation for Christmas and the Incarnation of Christ. 1st segment: Scot said we hear a lot in Advent to prepare the way of the Lord. One good way to do that is to make a good holy confession between now and christmas. This Wednesday, every church and chapel in the Archdiocese will be open from 6:30pm to 8pm as part of . The recalled the anniversary of Bishop Hennessey's ordination to the episcopate on last Monday, December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He's been a bishop for five years. Scot said he meets many people as a bishop, but only sees them once. Bishop Hennessey said as a bishop you don't have the same relationship with people as you did when you were a pastor. He loves going out to the parishes and doing confirmations, but he does miss life in a parish. Fr. David was the youngest pastor in the Archdiocese when he became pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea and he was parochial vicar before that and has been there 12 years. Bishop Hennessy said when he was pastor at Most Holy Redeemer in East Boston, he did more than 400 baptism a year and he still has people come up to him and say he baptized them. He said East Boston has been a gateway for newly arriving immigrants. Fr. David said he does about 75 in his own very large parish. Scot said Cardinal Seán launched The Light Is On For You during Lent 2010. It is occurring just one Wednesday this Advent on Wednesday, December 21. Bishop Hennessey said a lot of priests said during Advent that they would spend a lot of time preparing people for the new missal and wouldn't have as much time preaching on confession, plus one of the Wednesday's would be the vigil of the Immaculate Conception. Scot encouraged listeners to go to for resources on preparing for confession. He asked how Fr. David was encouraging people to come to confession. He said he preaches about confession quite a bit and blogs on it and writes in the parish bulletin. The kids at the parish school have also gone to confession and hopefully they're encouraging their parents. He said the more you talk about it and offer it, the more people will come to it. He notices that most of the people who come to confession to him now are under 40. The more you offer it and the more people know you're waiting, the more they will come. He said for a long time people thought you didn't need to come anymore. Bishop Hennessey said he remembers in the second grade, Sr. Marie Patrick asking them why Jesus came as a little baby. She said he did so because nobody is afraid of a baby. During Advent, people who say they are afraid to go to confession, that God won't forgive them, it's important to remember that God doesn't want us to fear him. Scot said we often picture God as a strong judgmental father, but Scot likes to remember the father of the prodigal son who races out to embrace his son and has a celebration to welcome the son home. It's the priest's role to be that loving father. Fr. David said in the parables Jesus said there is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over 99 who don't need to repentant. Bishop hennessey said when we stand before God, it's natural to be afraid, like Mary before Gabriel and the shepherds before the choir of angels, but Jesus came into the world to save us, not condemn us. Scot said sometimes people forget the prayers and feel like they don't know how to go to confession, but all priests are willing to help someone through the process. Fr. David said that it's music to their ears because that's the person who needs to go the most. Scot said some people might be embarrassed by their sins and voicing their sins is intimidating. Bishop Hennessey said the success of The Light Is On For You is that people can go anywhere and not be recognized. Scot said he also likes the anonymity of the confessional box. He likes that he doesn't have to look someone in the eye so he can pray with his eyes closed. Fr. David said it's nice for people to see others also going to confession at the same time of all sorts and walks of life. Bishop Hennessey said a priest doesn't want to yell at someone and drive them away. Regarding sins that people think are too big, Bishop Hennessey said it is impossible for us to commit a sin God can't forgive. For people who think they will confess something that will shock the priest, Fr. David said anyone who's been a priest more than a week can't be shocked. The confessional is not a place of punishment; it's a place to receive the peace and love of Christ. Bishop Hennessey said when someone says it's been a long time, the priest thinks that's music to his ears. It's a great thing to experience. Bishop Hennessey said when they started the program a couple of priests were reluctant to do it, but after Lent they called him and said it was worth it because they had heard confessions of people who had been away for a long time. Scot said having heard many thousands of confessions in his life for Bishop Hennessy to be a witness to the grace must be one of the joys of the priesthood. Fr. David said it's a privilege. He said the best thing is a long line of confessions. It's exhausting, but this is what being a priest is all about. Bishop Hennessey said when he gives a penance and they say “Is that all?”, he explains no penance can pay back the debt of the sin, we can't make up for our sins. But it is an act that says we are willing to try to make some reparation and to start off on the right path. 2nd segment: Scot said Fr. David wrote about the Sacrament of Confession on his blog last Wednesday and one passage struck him: If you are particularly embarrassed about some sin or another, just say it. Usually, sins of the flesh are the ones that are most embarrassing. What is so amazing is how these sins appear to exercise such power over a person and then, the moment a person confesses them, they realize that the power of these sins evaporates. Sexual sins embarrass people into not confessing. But confessing these sins deprives the sins of all of their imaginary power. To this end, let me say that the priest hearing confessions has heard the words, “adultery, fornication, homosexual activity, pornography, and masturbation” before. Unless you happen to be the first person ever to go to confession to that priest, you are not going to tell him anything he hasn't already heard many times. What struck Scot about this is the power that some sins have over because we feel shame and guilt and we're not willing to ask forgiveness, even if it's a sin that keeps rearing its ugly head with us. Fr. David said he thinks it's St. John Vianney who said first the Devil comes and whispers in one ear that this sin isn't the biggest deal in the world so don't worry, then whispers in the other ear, now yo've done and God will never forgive you. Scot said Fr. Larry Richards often says to men that they should just say “I've been impure with…” and every priest will know what you mean. But the grace you will feel and forgiveness will be multiples of grace over the embarrassment. Bishop Hennessey said a lot of healing comes when you can just voice the sins. That's when people feel that great sense of relief. Scot quoted Fr. David's blog: “Remember, priests go to confession too. We know what it is like to be on the other side of the screen.” Fr. David said the priest is the first to need God's mercy and to be a good minister of mercy he must go to confession too. He says people are often surprised to hear that priests need to go to confession. Bishop Hennessey suggests people go to confession at least once per month. He recalls a retired priest kneeling down next to a young priest going to confession and it was a beautiful image. Scot said his friend Andreas Widmer tells the story of a priest who had fallen on hard times in Rome and became homeless. A priest going into an audience with Pope John Paul II noticed the homeless priest on the streets outside the Vatican and so he told the Holy Father about it. After the audience the Holy Father sought out the homeless priest and had him brought to dinner and at the end of dinner, the Holy Father knelt before the homeless priest and asked him to hear his confession. Bishop Hennessey said a former cardinal of New York would mention going to confession the previous week in almost every homily. When priests remind the people in the pew that priests go to confession, it's good for them. Fr. David said the present archbishop of New York says he slips into a pew at a random church in New York for confession. Scot said every time he goes to confession at St. Anthony Shrine in downtown Boston, he sees a priest waiting already. Scot tends to go at 6:30am at St. Anthony's. It's moving to him that Archbishop Dolan might show up at any church in New York to ask a priest to hear his confession. Bishop Hennessey said there used to be a chapel just for priests to go to confession. Fr. David also wrote: “After you've confessed all of your sins, let the priest know that you are done. A lot of people say something like, “For these and for all of my sins, I am truly sorry.” This helps the priest to know that you have finished confessing.” Scot said he never realized how important this is. Fr. David said often people are holding the hardest sin until the end and he doesn't want to cut them off. Scot said he likes to get the big one out of the way first. Fr. David said people who have been involved with an abortion carry that burden with them for decades. Sometimes they go on living a Catholic on appearances only because they're so ashamed and bothered by the sin. He wants them to know that they should never be afraid. He said you almost always know immediately when someone is coming to confess that sin. Bishop Hennessey said the father of the prodigal son was waiting for his son and Jesus is waiting for people to give them that forgiveness. Scot emphasized that to find a parish in the Archdiocese, go to . 3rd segment: Scot said Bishop Hennessey said he came to the show today in order to tell his Christmas story. He was told a story of girl going home to tell her grandmother that she was in the Christmas pageant. She said she was going to be the star, she would have the most important role. So the grandma told her friends to come see her granddaughter be Mary. But during the pageant, the granddaughter was nowhere to be seen until the star came in wordlessly to lead the shepherds to the manger and then came back to bring in the magi. It turns out she was literally the star of the pageant. The little girl told her grandmother that it was the most important role because she brought everyone to the baby Jesus. Scot said this week is the easiest week to invite people to come back to the Church. Be one of the people that rejoices at the the full pews and that you can't get your regular pew because so many people are there. Bishop Hennessey said he was just a meeting that told him that in the Central Region Mass attendance is going up. Scot about other ways to prepare for Christmas in the last few days of Advent. Bishop Hennessey said it aggravates him to see new stories of people shopping on Christmas Eve as if they didn't know Christmas was coming. If we're not ready when we know the day and time, how will we be ready when we don't know the day and time, either of our own death or the second coming of Christ. He said we tend to wait until the last minute. We can make last preparations this week, but to take a real look at ourselves and not kid ourselves. We need to make ourselves ready. Fr. David said they just set up the rather large nativity set in his parish and you inevitably hear the question of where is Jesus. He said he reflects that without Christ the manger is empty. Now matter how much stuff we have in our life, no matter how many relationships, if Christ isn't there, it is a great emptiness. Bishop Hennessey said in all that preparation, on Christmas God wants to give us a gift, His Son. He pictures the Blessed Mother herself saying, “I have him right here in my arms for you.” He's seen so much charity over the past few weeks, but with all the gifts we want to give to others, and God wants to give us his son. Fr. David said we are born with a great desire for happiness. God tells us his son is the answer to that desire, but everything is competing for that. Stores spend months telling us if we buy these as gifts, we'll be happy, but the lie is exposed when on the day after Christmas the sales start because we're still not happy. Scot asked people to create a list this week of things that will help us to grow closer to Christ this Christmas. He advised people to reflect on the Gospels of the nativity narratives this week before Mass. Christmas isn't just about gifts and isn't just about family or even about the birth of a baby. That baby is God himself. Bishop Hennessey said on the top of that list is to go to Confession this Wednesday at any parish or chapel. Scot asked Fr. David if they always do confessions at the school before Christmas. He said they do it before Christmas and Easter. He said it's so important because he wants the kids to remember the rest of their lives that they can go to confession when they commit sin. They will also remember that the priests didn't yell at them, but offered only forgiveness. Bishop Hennessey will be at St. Peter's in South Boston at the vigil on Christmas. He will be at the cloistered convent at Midnight Mass. Fr. David said he will have Masses at St. Mary's and St. Margaret's in Beverly Farms.