Funeral Mass of Dianne Foster

 

THE FUNERAL MASS

of

Dianne Foster

June 15, 1950 – July 4, 2017



Sacred Heart Church

Newton Centre, Massachusetts

July 19, 2017 10:30 AM


THE ORDER OF THE MASS

Page numbers marked for hymns refer to "Gather" Comprehensive hymnal.

INTRODUCTORY RITES

  1. Greeting

  2. Sprinkling with Holy Water

  3. Processional Hymn: “All Things Bright and Beautiful”

  4. Refrain:
    All things bright and beautiful,
    All creatures great and small,
    All things wise and wonderful.
    The Lord God made them all.

  5. Opening Prayer

LITURGY OF THE WORD

  1. First Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, Lisa Szolovits

  2. A reading from the book of Ecclesiastes

  3. There is an appointed time for everything,
    and a time for every affair under the heavens.
    A time to be born, and a time to die;
    a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
    A time to kill, and a time to heal;
    a time to tear down, and a time to build.
    A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
    a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
    A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
    a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
    A time to seek, and a time to lose;
    a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
    A time to rend, and a time to sew;
    a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
    A time to love, and a time to hate;
    a time of war, and a time of peace.
    What advantage has the worker from his toil?
    I have considered the task
    which God has appointed for men to be busied about.
    He has made everything appropriate to its time,
    and has put the timeless into their hearts,
    without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end,
    the work which God has done.

  4. Responsorial Psalm: “Shepherd Me, O Lord” #23

  5. Second Reading James 1: 22-25, Daniel Szolovits

  6. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.

  7. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.

  8. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like.

  9. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does.

  10. Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 14:13-21

  11. When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.

  12. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.

  13. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

  14. [Jesus] said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”

  15. But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”

  16. Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”

  17. and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.

  18. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over—twelve wicker baskets full.

  19. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

  20. Gospel: Fr. Adrian Milik

  21. Homily: Fr. Adrian Milik


  22. General Intercessions... Members of the Foster Family

  23. Christopher Foster:

  24. For Dianne, that she live on in the love of the friends and family whose lives she touched, we pray to the Lord.

  25. Andrew Foster:

  26. For Dianne’s father, John, and her infant brother Gerard, for her brother-in-law Richard Willson and Edwin Boltich, the father of her niece, and for all those departed whose histories reverberate through us in the present, may they rest in peace, we pray to the Lord.

  27. Deborah Foster:

  28. For Dianne’s ailing mother, Mary, and all guardians, teachers, and nurturers of children, for their hard work and their steadfast love, that they be supported and celebrated in our families and in society, we pray to the Lord.

  29. Dana Foster:

  30. For the caregivers and scientists who work to aid those afflicted with disease, that they will know the thanks of grateful families, and that they will meet success in their quest to comfort and cure the sick, we pray to the Lord.

  31. Robert Foster:

  32. For women and all people oppressed by inequality and violence, that they find liberation through their fortitude and our help, we pray to the Lord.

  33. Carolyn Foster:

  34. For all who mourn Dianne today and wish to honor her memory, that we find strength to cultivate justice, peace, and beauty in the world, we pray to the Lord.

  35. Response: “Lord, hear our prayer.”

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

  1. Hynm: “Ave Maria” Schubert #713

  2. Presentation of the Gifts

  3. The gifts of bread and wine will be presented by Holly Johnson and Adam Foster.

  4. Prayer Over the Gifts

  5. Eucharistic Prayer

  6. Introductory Dialogue 146

  7. Sanctus 147

  8. The Consecration

  9. Memorial Acclamation 148

  10. Amen 149

  11. The Lord's Prayer

  12. The Sign of Peace

  13. Agnus Dei 152

  14. Communion

  15. If you are receiving communion, please approach by the center aisle and return by the side aisles.

  16. If you are not receiving communion you are invited to approach with arms crossed over your chest to receive a blessing or you may simply remain in your pew.

  17. Communion Hymns:

  18. “Panis Angelicus” Franck

  19. “Laudate Dominum” Mozart

  20. Prayer After Communion

  21. Remembrance Peter Szolovits

  22. Dearest Dianne,

  23. Since we fell in love in 1973, you have been my best friend, constant companion, lover, and the mother of our wonderful children, Lisa and Daniel. When I first met you, your sparkling intelligence and beauty made me giddy. I gave you love, kindness and stability. Together, we were able to leave the hardships of the past and looked to the future, building a new life in Boston. We built a home, careers and a harmonious and loving family over the years. We have led a life full of meaning, and sailed successfully over its rough patches.  We had fun traveling to Europe and Japan together on many occasions, introducing our kids to the varied joys of the world. We spent sabbaticals at Stanford, reconnecting with our California roots, and enjoying its dynamism and good weather.

  24. You were naturally a scholar.  With your degree in English Literature and your law degree, you had acquired not only knowledge, but also the insight and wisdom that comes from it, and a thirst for constant learning. I have loved your wide reading and your embrace of online classes and lectures on everything from Roman architecture to medieval philosophy, modern design and planetary astronomy.  You always cared for the weak and downtrodden in our society and around the world.  Our national politics, favoring inequality and war, often angered you, and you used your talents and energy to try to overcome these trends.  You engaged to help individuals while you tried to change policies to help groups. Your breadth of interests greatly enriched our lives, as you shared your enthusiasm and deep understanding with me and our families and friends.

  25. Although you worked as a family lawyer—”getting people out of messes”, as you put it—your real passion was in writing short stories, historical fiction and political commentary.  Your hobbies of genealogy, gardening, dressmaking and decorating beautified and expanded our lives. You were joyful in good fortune, but brave and resilient in adversity. And kindness suffused your spirit, as you helped everyone around you to achieve a better life.

  26. You taught me to love deeply and eternally, to value not only reason and logic but also insight and intuition. And to this only child, you opened the door to learning about a large, complex, accomplished and loving family. You showed me how to respect and cultivate our children’s intelligence and spirit, to raise them to become wonderful and creative adults.

  27. Your illness has robbed you of a graceful old age, and me of a life-long companion.  I already miss you beyond all measure, but am so grateful for the seemingly brief moment of over four decades that we had with each other.

  28. Thank you, my love, and may you rest in peace.

FINAL COMMENDATION

  1. Invitation to Prayer

  2. Incensation

  3. Hymn: “Song of Farewell”

  4. May the choirs of angels come to greet you,
    May they speed you to paradise.
    May the Lord enfold you in his mercy,
    May you find eternal life.

  5. Prayer of Commendation

  6. Recessional Hymn: “Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above” # 702

******************************

Presider: Reverend Adrian Milik

Pastoral Associate: Marie Buckley

Cantor: Bonnie Gleason

Accompanist: Erica Johnson