January 22, 2006
3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday,  January 21
   4:00 PM  Intention of the Celebrant
Sunday,  January 22
   8:00 AM  Intention of the Celebrant
   9:30 AM  For the parishioners of St.Paul
Saturday,  January 28
    4:00 PM  Intention of the Celebrant
Sunday,  January  29
   8:00 AM  Intention of the Celebrant
   9:30 AM  For the parishioners of St.Paul

Parish News and Notes

Parish office hours
    Our parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The Pastoral Associate is in most afternoons until 4:00 PM.  If you need to come in the PM please give us a call to make sure someone is here. Messages can always be left on the answering machine. 

Are you registered?
     Are you new to our parish?   If you are, please pick up a registration form in the vestibule of the church. Registration is very important.  Just drop it in the basket or mail it to our office.  Thanks!  We are always happy to receive new parishioners.  We welcome you and pray you will be happy here with us.

Please use church envelopes 
    Envelope users provide the bedrock of our financial support.  Please consider using them.  New packets of envelopes are mailed every three months. If you would like to receive some but you are not yet on the mailing list, please call Jeannine to give her your name and address. Thank you!

Envelope Request Form ____ I want to support our parish on a regular basis. Please add me to the envelope list. Name ______________________________ Address___________________________ Town ________________,NH Zip ________

First Reconciliation Meeting
    If your child is in grade two, he/she will be making their first Reconciliation this year.  If your child is in Grade 3 or higher and has not yet received this sacrament you are invited to join the other parents for a session on the Sacrament.  This meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2006 at 6:30 pm here in the Church.  There will be only one meeting for this sacrament.  Please mark your calendars for the 26th.  The meeting is for parents. At least one parent from each household should attend. The children need not attend. 

Pastoral Council Meeting:
    The meeting for the Pastoral Council has been rescheduled for Monday, January 23, 2006 at 7:00 PM.  Please inform us if you are unable to attend.  Thank you.

Jesus Quest Retreat
    The Awesome Power of Faith in Jesus:  see what it did for a paralytic; see what it does for you every day!
    Jesus Quest is a retreat for young women seeking to deepen their relationship with Christ.  The retreat will be held Friday, Feb. 17th at 7pm to Sunday Feb. 19th at 1pm at Our Lady of Hope House of Prayer in New Ipswich, NH.  To register, please contact Sr. Lorraine Aucoin,  Sisters of the Presentation of Mary at 647-4083 or srlorrainea@yahoo.com.

Christian Formation News

Grades K – 3     The children entering grades K- 3 this fall will be attending Lectionary Catechesis as they have been in the past.  The program began on the weekend of September 24/25th.  We hope to be able to offer the program at all Masses but we will have to have a sufficient number of teachers and monitors to staff the three Masses.  If we do not have enough volunteers we will have to limit the classes to two Masses.   Grades 4 – 10+     All children in grades 4 – 10 will be attending the new program that is being initiated in the parish this year.  This means that they will attend classes once a month with their parents and the rest of the parish.  This class will be complimented by work at home which will enable the children to deepen their understanding of the theme of the month as well as to process the information on a day to day basis.  .    Since there will be only one class per month, parents will be asked to commit this weekend time as a priority to Christian Formation. The class may be made up by attending the class at St. Peter Parish the following weekend.  The classes will begin in October.  A  schedule for the year  has been mailed out to parents who have children previously enrolled in Religious Formation. Our first class is Sunday, October 16, 2005 from 11am - 1pm. The January and February Classes are scheduled as follows.  January 15, 2006 and February 12, 2006.  Both classes will be held from 11:00 – 1:00 pm.    If you are new to the parish or if you child is just beginning his/her formation, please call the parish office for a registration blank.     Confirmation students will also meet one extra time per month.  The dates for the year 2005 are November 6 and December 4.  The time for class is at 12:30PM immediately following the 11:30 Mass in Auburn.  All students from both parishes will meet together in Auburn for this extra meeting.

Holy Family Academy
    Holy Family Academy, a private school located in Manchester, NH, provides a classical education in the Roman Catholic tradition for students in grades 7-12.  The Academy will hold an OPEN HOUSE for prospective students on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006 at 2:00 PM with a snow date of Feb. 12, 2006 at 2:00 PM.  Come and hear about the Academy’s program of excellence in classical education and solid formation in the Catholic Faith.  Holy Family Academy is currently accepting qualified students in grades 7-12 for the 2006-07 academic year.

Question of the Week
3rd  Sunday of Ordinary Time
Theme: (The Kingdom is at Hand)
Reading I: Jonah 3:1-5 (Jonah’s Journey to Nineveh)
Reading II: 1 Cor. 7:29-31 (Time is Running Out)
Gospel:  Mark 1: 14-20 (Repent and Believe)

Question for Adults: What does it mean to believe that the kingdom of God is at hand?
    This question challenges us to take a look at our present mindset about heaven and its relation to humanity.  It we believe that we must wait until we die to experience God’s goodness and happiness, then we will have considerable difficulty understanding what this question means. If we have come to understand and believe that God’s kingdom is meant to begin here on earth then it forces us to shift our thinking about heaven and experiencing God’s kingdom only in the future.
    When Jesus was on earth, he taught us that the Kingdom was at hand.  This was a statement that often goes unheeded.  Perhaps we think that Jesus began the coming by teaching us what the kingdom would be like for us after death if we followed the rules.
    What Jesus was actually saying however, was that the Kingdom begins when we are ready to live a life that corresponds to his teachings.  We do not have to wait until we die to experience the Kingdom
    This week’s question challenges us to look at our lives and to see if we are living a life that reflects God’s ways.  If we believe that God’s Reign or Kingdom is here, we will live a life comparable to his teachings.  If we don’t believe we will live our life in our own way. . .
    How serious are we about this Kingdom?  Do we believe that it is possible for human beings to live a Godly life?  Do we have the courage to take the challenge or have we become too callous or too jaded to take the challenge seriously? ? ?

Question for Children? How will I live as a follower of Jesus this week?
      Again we face the challenge of helping our children to see the life of Jesus as an example that is truly possible for us to follow.  Perhaps you could brainstorm some ideas on how they can better follow Jesus on a day to day basis.  Use some concrete examples for the home, the school, the community, the church.  Challenge your children to take only one example that they can practice which would imitate Jesus.  For example, accepting others without judging.

Community News

Candia Loaf & Ladle supper
    Candia Community Woman’s Club is sponsoring a Loaf’n Ladle Supper!  It will be held on Friday, February 3rd from 5pm-7pm at the Masonic Hall.  The meal includes; homemade soups and stews, salad, bread, dessert and drink.  Cost are adults $6, children 6-12 $3, children 5 & under are free or family price of $20.  Partial proceeds will benefit Candia families in need.

News from the CYA(Catholic Young Adults)
    Are you between the ages of 20-39 and want to get more involved in your Church? Come join us on Tuesday, Jan. 17th, from 6:30-8:00pm. here at St. Paul’s.  For more information email Christy at christye@cyanh.org.
     This month the CYA Group is looking for food staples such as: Tuna, Soup, and Ready to heat meals in a can such as Ravioli, Dinty Moore etc.. Thank you for your kindness and generosity during the month of Nov.   
  The CYA Core Group