March 9, 2008
5th Sunday of Lent
Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, March 8
   6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  March 9
    9:30 AM  For a Special Intention By Normand & Jeannine Fraser
Saturday, March 15
    6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  March 16
    9:30 AM  For Leon Langille By Normand & Jeannine 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 Mar. 9th.  All Confirmation candidates are expected to attend all sessions.                      Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
5th Sunday of Lent  
Theme: (New Life)
Reading1: Ezekiel 37: 12-14 (The Spirit of the Lord)
Reading 2: Romans: 8-11 (You Are in the Spirit)
Gospel: John 11: 1-45 (Raising Lazarus)

Question for Adults:  When is a time I found life, even in the presence of death?  What life do I need to claim today?  In this question, death can be taken literally or figuratively.  We all have “death” experiences in our daily lives. Take some time to think of your recent experiences.  Have you felt as if you could not go one much longer?  Were you able to find new life at the end of that tunnel?  How do you suppose that happened? 
    Of course, the question could also refer to actual death.  If you have had the unfortunate experience of having a death in your immediate family, you may have been able to find the experience of life in some way.  If not, you might want to pray for this gift of New Life.  It is a precious gift and well worth praying for.

Question for Children?  How often do I stop to remember that God loves me in each moment?
    Children who are loved at home have not problem imaging and believing that others love them.  This includes God.  The issue, however, is that we do not always remember this fact as much as we could.  Remembering that Someone loves us can fill our lives with great joy and excitement. On the other hand, taking it for granted leads us down the road of apathy and boredom.  Perhaps you might want to help you child to devise a plan on how to remember the great gift of God’s life on a daily basis.
       

What are Easter Duties?  There was a time in Church history when people did not receive Communion often although they went to Mass each week.  However, it was a church law that Catholics had to receive communion at least once a year during the Easter Season which begins on the Vigil of Easter during the Easter Vigil celebration, and last until Pentecost Sunday.  This became known as the Easter duties.  This law is still inexistence but it is nearly moot since people now receive Communion each time they attend Mass.  The law only exists for people who are not faithful church goers.  Hence the importance of going to church at Easter time.     This practice was always preceded by going to Confession, also part of the Easter duties.

Important Notice:     There are presently many parishioners who have taken the habit of backing into their parking spaces on Sunday morning.  Although we understand the reason for this practice,  i.e., it is much easier and faster to leave after the Mass, we must ask you to refrain from such as practice from now on.  After some deliberation we must ask you to understand that there are several important factors involved.       1. It is clearly only a matter of time before there is an accident.  Attempting to back up when the parking lot is filling up is dangerous.         2.  Not only does our backing up affect the cars in the parking lot but it causes a pile up or bottle neck out in the street because the cars are being held up while someone if desperately trying to back up without hitting another car. This is also a very dangerous situation.     We ask your understanding and consideration in this matter.  Please understand that we are simply concerned with everyone’s safety.  We realize that it may take you a few more moments to get out of the parking lot but in the long run everyone will be the safer for it.         Fr. Dumont

Community News

Connie L. Lofgren Continuing Education Scholarship. . .is given annually to a Candia woman who has returned to a post-secondary school after a three-year or more absence from an educational institution.  This scholarship in the amount of $500.00 (paid directly to the college or school) is given in memory of Connie L. Lofgren, a long time member of the GFWC Candia Community Woman’s Club.  Continuing with the process of learning, changing, and growing had bee an important part of Ms. Lofgren’s life as well as on and growing had been an important part of Ms. Lofgren’s life as well as ongoing commitment of the GFWC Candia Community Woman’s Club
Deadline for applicants is March 31, 2008.

News for Care Givers. . . St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Plaistow, NH will be hosting a talk on end of life issues such as living wills, nutrition and hydration, ordinary vs. extraordinary care at the end of life and much more, in light of the teaching of the Catholic Church.  The speaker will be Father Tad Pacholczyk from the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.  The discussion will take place at the parish on 8 Atkinson, Depot Rd. in Plaistow from 7 pm – 9 pm on April 2, 2008.  Please mail in a registration form to the parish with a check of $15.00 per person. For more info please contact the parish office at 382-8324.

Food Pantry for March
This month our pantry shelves are in  need of  Tuna, Vegetables such as carrots, spinach and mixed veg. (please not peas or green beans.)  We can also use Instant Dry Milk and Crackers of any kind.   Thank you very much for all you do for those less fortunate.