January 20 2008
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Weekend Mass Intentions

Saturday, January 19
     6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  January 20
    9:30 AM  For a Special Intention by Normand & Jeannine Fraser
Saturday, January 26
   6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  January 27
    9:30 AM  AM  For Leon Langille by John & Joanne Fraser

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 ________

Christian Formation News

Grades K – High School       All children from grade K – 10 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 +   This year’s program for the Generations of Faith begins on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at 4:00 pm.  This program is designed for both parents and children.  Parents are asked to attend the sessions as they have the opportunity to refresh their memory on important matters of the faith .  Please join us on one Sunday per month. Next Month's session is on Feb. 10.  All Confirmation candidates are expected to attend all sessions.                      Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time   
Theme: (The Lamb of God)
Reading 1: Isaiah 49:3-6 (Seeing a Great Ligh )
Reading 2: Corinthians 1:1-3 (Called to Be Holy)
Gospel: John 1:20-34, (John the Baptist Testifies) 

Question for Adults:  What can I do to become more comfortable and even bold in sharing my faith with others?  This is a very sensitive issue for many people.  Before attempting to share our faith we must first get over the hurdle of believing that people are not interested in matters of faith. Naturally we have to be sensitive to people who are not.  We cannot force ourselves on others.  However, that being said, sharing our faith can be beneficial to others as well as to ourselves.
    A second matter that often  inhibits us is a feeling that we are not well prepared to share.  We do not feel knowledgeable enough to share what we believe because often times we are not quite sure what it is we believe.  This is an area that is much simpler to fix than we may believe.  There are many ways to enrich our store of knowledge.  Reading is one such way.  Joining a discussion group of a class on any given topic is another way.
    Another way to build our confidence in sharing our faith would be to begin with someone we trust and know.  In doing this we can feel confident that we will not be laughed at or ridiculed.  If we make some sort of mistake we won’t need to feel as though the end of the world is coming.  The important thing is to realize that we do have something to offer simply by being people of faith.  We a good dose of common sense and sensitivity to others we can go a long way.  

Question for Children? What have I learned about Jesus that I can share with a friend or a member of my family?
-   This should be a rather simple task for children.  However, when faced with the situation they often seem to become blank.  The only thing they can remember is that Jesus died on the Cross for them.  Although this is very true and indeed very striking, there are many other fact that they know and could be beneficial for them to share.  Take some time to discuss these things.  Make a list and suggest that they choose a couple that they could begin to feel comfortable with.  Remembering one fact a day would build their store of knowledge and help build their confidence.
        

Community News

Food Pantry for January
  This month our parish food pantry shelves are in great need of Pasta, Evaporated Milk, canned Fruit of any kind as well as Macaroni and Cheese and soups both canned and packaged.  
The winter months will be difficult for many people so your generosity will be very much appreciated.  Thank you very much for all you do for those less fortunate

St. Anthony Open House . . . Faith formation, values and morals incorporated in the educational experience.  St. Anthony School, located on 148 Belmont St. in Manchester will be holding an Open House on Sunday, January 27th from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.   You will have an opportunity to tour the school and visit with our faculty, staff, students and parents from our PSO Group.  St. Anthony is a Pre-kindergarten through 6th Grade totally handicapped accessible Elementary School.  We offer a Before and After School Program and have a Federally Approved School Lunch Program.  City school bus transportation is available for those who qualify.  For more information visit us on the web at www.stanthonyschool-nh.com

St. Thomas Aquinas School  in Derry announces its registration for the school year 2008-2009 for Grades Pre K-8.  In addition to our pre K program for four year-olds (three days a week on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday) we will be starting a Pre K program for three year-olds (two days/week on Tuesday & Thursday.)  Registration will be held during the month of January.  If you would like a tour of the school, you may come I any Tuesday or Thursday in January between 9am and 1PM.  We will also have an Open House on Sunday, January 27th from 12-2 PM.  Tours will be given and teachers and staff will be available to answer questions.  Registration fee for all grades is $50.00 per child non-refundable.  For further information please call the school office at 432-2712 (Grades 1-8) or the Kindergarten at 437-6651 or visit our website at www.staderry.com. 

Our Spiritual Adoption Program
    After some discussion and much prayer, we, at St. Paul parish, have decided to participate in a Spiritual adoption program.  Many parishes in the diocese are already familiar with this program and have successfully participated in this program over the past few years.  This year we will join their ranks.   Here is a little information on the program.
l. What is the Spiritual Adoption Program?
  It is quite simple.  Participants in the Spiritual Adoption Program pledge to pray daily for nine months for a baby in danger of abortion.  While this child will remain unknown to his  or her “spiritual parents’ many people have found that naming ‘their child’ helps to keep them focused on the reality that their prayers are helping to save the baby (and the mother) from the harm of abortion.
2. Who can participate?  All parishioners including adults, students, prayer groups and anyone who is concerned about abortion, who is willing to pray for babies in danger of abortion, for their mothers, fathers and other family members
3.  Who benefits from this Program?  Everyone.  We all benefit especially from a spiritual and educational perspective.