St. Paul's Church, Candia, NH

September 23, 2007
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, September 22
   6:00 PM Intention of Celebrant
Sunday, September 23
    9:30 AM For John & Rita Lefebvre by Barry & Mary Stevens
Saturday, September 29
   6:00 PM Intention of Celebrant
Sunday, September 30
    9:30 AM For Louis Ciarfella by Hon Fionda

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 ________

The family of Charlie Doucette are looking for help preparing the farm for the winter on the weekend of Sept. 28th - 30th. Please contact contact Priscilla Wheeler pwheel@comcast.net or Keith Doucette KDoucette@cns.gov if you can help. Original message follows:
"You are cordially invited to Northway Farm Sept. 28-30 for a weekend of farm work, fall foliage, friendship, and fun to help prepare the house for the winter.
Possiblework projects will include:

Cutting, splitting fire wood
Basement cleaning and firewood stacking
Installing insulation in the addition
Winterizing plants and planting beds
Repair broken windows
Sorting and organizing items for estate auction to happen in spring
possible exterior painting of barn and other parts of house
sheetrock, mud, paint ceilings in bdrms (3), TV room
run new cable line to bdrm
build new bulkhead doors

Keith Doucette"

Update on Parish Income

Weekend of September 9, 2007
St. Paul, Candia
Envelopes   $ 2889
Loose           327
Credit    90
Total    3306

Weekend of September 16, 2007
St. Paul, Candia
Envelopes   $ 1885
Loose           538
Credit    90
Total    2413

Last weekend envelope users contributed 82% of our income.
(Amount tithed for the poor and needy: $144.76)

Thank You so much for your Generosity.

Religious Education teachers needed
Our parish is in great need of men and women who would like to give some of their time to the ministry of Christian Formation. We are in need of teachers for the younger children as well as the middle school aged program. If you think you could assist us in this important ministry but you have questions or reservations, please call Lorette at 483-8481 or feel free to send us an e-mail at stpaulcandia@comcast.net
Lorette will be away the week of Sept. 9-14.

Meeting for Parents of Confirmation Students . . . If you have a son or daughter in High School who has not yet been confirmed and you wish to begin the process leading to Confirmation, you are asked to attend a meeting on Sunday, September 23, 2007 at 6:30 pm. At least one parent must attend this meeting. If you are unable to attend on Sept. 23rd, please call Lorette in order to re-schedule a meeting.

Electronic Offering:
Our Parish is now able to take your offertory donations through Credit or Debit card. If you wish to make you contribution in this manner, simply fill in the following and return to our office.
*****************************************
Name on Card___________________________________
Address________________________________________
Please Check: ______MasterCard ______Visa
______Debit MasterCard _____Debit Visa
Card Number:____________________________________
Expiration:_________________Amount:_______________
How often do you want this transaction to occur?
____One time _____Weekly_____Bi-Weekly ______Monthly

Signature:________________________________________
Email___________________________________________

Christian Formation News

2006-2007 Schedule (click here)

Grades K – High School
All children from grade K – the end of Confirmation must register. The registration does not roll over from one year to the next. You can pick up a form in the back of the church or you can visit the parish office Monday – Thursday during office hours or give us a call at 483-8481 and ask us to mail you a form. We would be happy to do this

Grades K- 3 The children in grades K – 3 attend classes during the weekend liturgies. We use a Lectionary Catechesis which is based on the Gospel of the week. Kindergarten students are not obliged to attend regularly. However, beginning with grade l, students must attend classes on a weekly basis as the program for 1st Communion is a two year program. It is vital that students continue with their Christian Formation even after their 1st Communion. This year’s program will begin on September 15, 2007

Grades 4 – 10 + The classes are held once a month and the program is geared to the entire family. Parents are strongly urged to attend the sessions as there is an adult component to the program which helps them to deepen their knowledge of the faith as well as making it possible for them to compliment the practice of the faith in the home. We will resume classes on October 7th.

Question of the Week
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Theme: (Using Our Gifts Well)
Reading 1: Amos 8: 4-7(Woe to the Complacent)
Reading 2: 1Timothy 2:1-8 (Prayers for Everyone)
Gospel: Luke 16: 1-13 (The Dishonest Steward)

Question for Adults: When I look at poverty in my city or town, what decisive action can I take to share the gifts I have?
    When we have a busy schedule, trying to juggle all the activities of our children over and above our own we can easily become overwhelmed. Superimposing the needs of the poor on this picture can sometimes cause us become discourage and simply throwing up our arms. Or, we can take the route of dismissing the problems by blaming them for their own plight. It does not need to be one or the other however. This week, try to think of something positive you can do for the needy that will not lead you over the edge.

Question for the Teens:    Opening our eyes to the needy in our cities and towns can turn on some very strong feelings. What do you think about and what do you feel when you see people who are less fortunate than yourself? Do you try to wipe it away by simply pushing the problem back on them and telling yourself that it is their own fault? Or do you try to think of something you can do to help the situation? Opening our eyes and hearts to the needs of the poor is not always an easy thing. We need to admit that there is a problem. Then we need to think of a possible remedy for the problem. Finally, we need to place ourselves in the picture. What, if anything, are we willing to do to improve the lot of the less fortunate.

Question for Children? What do I have that can be shared with those who are less fortunate than me?
    Because young children think in the concrete, this would be a very good time to teach them that sometimes we have things we can share that are not material. Some examples you could use are time and energy. Suggesting that a child could help an elderly neighbor (who is not so well off) without expecting to be paid in return is a wonderful example of sharing and helping the less fortunate.

Community News

Hospice Volunteer Training Fall Session
A terminal diagnosis can be a lonely experience. At a time when understanding is needed most, many Hospice patients find themselves isolated even from family and friends. You can help end that isolation by becoming a Hospice volunteer. We will teach you how to provide compassionate support to those patients at the end of life and their families.
Ten week Hospice volunteer training begins September 14 and continues each Friday from 9am to noon through November 16, 2007 at the offices of Rockingham VNA & Hospice at 137 Epping Road Exeter, NH. For more info: call Martha Chandler, Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, at 772-2981 or 800-540-2981.x140

A Look at Upcoming Events

Discerning Your Life’s Vocation?
Crossroads. . .On Friday, Oct. 5, 2007 at 6:30 p.m., join local men at The Joseph House on 279 Cartier St. Manchester, for a monthly gathering called Crossroads, Rev. Paul Boudreau, ordained on June 2, 2007, will be our guest. If you are a single, young man who is searching to know God’s will in your life, come to Crossroads. Contact Vocation Director at jjalbert@rcbm.org or call 669-3100 ext 132. To register, call Jude at ext. 153 or jchristopher@rcbm.org.

Naomi Meal. . .The Religious Vocation Commission of the Diocese of Manchester is offering evenings of camaraderie and discernment for women, ages 16-45, who are considering religious life. These evenings, called Naomi Meals are opportunities for women to come together for prayer, a meal, and discussion with women religious on topics that will help them discern their future direction. Our first gathering will be held at Joseph House, 279 Cartier St. Manchester, NH, on Friday, Oct. 12 at 6:00 p.m. Sr. Mary Rose of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Healing Love, will present the topic, “The Theology of the Body”. Please register at least 5 days before the meal. Register with Jude Christopher, office of Vocations 669-3100 x 153 or e-mail jchristopher@rcbm.org

Upcoming Prolife Events
    Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007, there will be a Pro Life Rosary following the 8 am Mass, then in the St. Thomas Aquinas Center a special guest speaker, Julie Laughner, from NH Right to Life. Her topic: “Confronting the culture of Death with prayer & action”. St. Thomas is located on 26 Chrystal Ave. in Derry, NH.

Independence & Aging . . . A Statewide Resource Fair
    This Fair is a great opportunity to explore and experience the full range of resources and services supporting the independence of older adults in NH. Please take advantage of this opportunity. Visit the vendors. Enjoy some refreshments. Gather valuable information. To learn more about this exciting event visit our website at www.independenceandaging.com or call 800-244-8119, if you have questions. Whether you are visitor or vendor we hope to see you there. The fair will be held on October 1, 2007 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH.
Who should Attend? If you are an adult, a service provider, a caregiver, a family member, a volunteer, a healthcare provider or if you belong to a senior group or are a state agency or government official, you are encouraged to attend. All are welcome.

Attention all Women Parishioners
    The Ladies Guild of St. Peter Parish in Auburn are extending an invitation to all the women of St. Paul Parish to join them in their monthly gatherings. The meetings are held once a month on the last Tuesday of every month from September through April. Meetings begin at 7:00 pm and generally last about 1 ½ hours. Meetings often have speakers on topics of interest to the group. Activities include Christmas Parties and other social events. The group is also involved in community support.
If you are interested, please join us at our first meeting of the new new on September 25th. Hope to see many of you there.

The RCIA Process (the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. . . is a process through which adults or older children become more familiar with the truths and theological teachings of the Catholic Church. The program was developed for persons seeking full initiation in the church whether or not they may have been baptized in another Christian denomination. If you of someone you know thinks or feels that it is the time to take this step, or is you would simply want more information before committing yourself, please contact Lorette at 483-8481 or see her after Sunday Mass.

CURRENT PRAYER REQUESTS

Please remember the following people and intentions in your daily prayers:

Our sick parishioners and friends…

Please pray for the following people: Marie Keenan, Betty Lintz, Cecile Gendron, Lori Aguilera, Kimberly Mirolo, Rita Sullivan, Kathy Gauthier, Jean Swindler, Roger Plante, Joseph Gesel, Jacob Desrocher, Cindy Huard, Deborah McGovern, Ethel Thomas, Gordon Gladden and Carol Sheperd.

For peace in the world, especially in the Middle East…
For those serving in the armed forces...
For families experiencing stress due to financial, emotional or relational problems
For our sister parish in Haiti...
For vocations to full-time ministry, especially the priesthood, the deaconate, religious life lay ministry...

If you would like to add a person or intention, please let us know. If people on the sick list are no longer in need of prayers, please let us know.