St. Paul's Church, Candia, NH

September 14, 2008
Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, September 13
   6:00 PM For Julien Marion By Normand & Jeannine Fraser
Sunday, September 14
    9:30 AM For Dora Hastings by the Robert family
Saturday, September 20
   6:00 PM For the Intention of the Celebrant
Sunday, September 21
    9:30 AM For the Intention of the Celebrant

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 ________

Update on Parish Income

Weekend of Sept. 7, 2008
St. Paul, Candia
Envelopes   $
Loose
Credit
Total

Last week’s financial contributions were not available at the time of printing.
Last weekend envelope users contributed % of our income.

(Amount tithed for the poor and needy: $)
Thank You so much for your Generosity.

Please Note: The Saturday evening Mass at 6:00 PM, which has been suspended for the summer months, will resume on Saturday, September 13, 2008. Please notify your friends and family members who usually attend this Mass.

Welcome to Father Von: Father Volney DeRosia is the newly appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Epping, replacing Fr. Michael Taylor who has been asked to serve the people of Somersworth.. Therefore, Fr. Von will be assisting Fr. Dumont every other Saturday evening at the 6:00 PM Mass. Father Volney who is better known as Fr. Von, was ordained 5 years ago. He has been an Associate pastor at St. Michael Parish in Exeter and St. Bernard Parish in Keene. We are very happy to have Fr. Von with us even if it is only every other week. Welcome Father! The parishioners of St. Paul welcome you wholeheartedly.

Holy Apostle Paul, help me at the beginning of this new day to offer my body and the whole of my life as a living sacrifice to God. Do not permit me to conform myself to this age but rather, by your intercession, may I be transformed by the renewal of my mind. Through this renewal help me to judge what is God’s will, what is good, pleasing, and perfect. For the one whom I seek and serve is Jesus Christ who is the Lord, now and forever. Amen.

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

2007-2008 Schedule (click here)

All children from k – 10 must register for Religious Education each year. The registration does not roll over from one year to the next. We will be mailing a registration form through e-mail in the near future. If you have not received a form by mid-August it is because we do not have your e-mail address or perhaps you are not yet registered in the parish so we do not have any pertinent information related to you family. You can call the office between Monday –Thursday at 483-8481 to update your e-mail info or you can pick up a registration in the entrance of the church.

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 1, students must attend classes on a weekly basis during the Mass, as the program for 1st Communion is a two year program. The program for the school year 2008-2009 will begin on the weekend of September 20th and 21st. Classes are held during both weekend Masses.

Grades 4 – 10 +, Generation of Faith This program is designed for both parents and children. Parents who have children in grades 4 - 10 are asked to attend these monthly sessions. The adult session gives them an opportunity to refresh their memory on important matters of the faith as well as giving them the chance to share with other adults on pertinent issues of faith. The first class for parents and children in this program will be October 12, 2008. All GoF classes are held on Sundays from 4 – 6 pm.

Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
Theme: (Redeemed by the Cross of Christ)
Reading I: Numbers 21: 4-9 (Complaining Against the Lord)
Reading II: Philippians 2: 6-11 (The Exalted Christ)
Gospel: John 3:13-17 (Saved Through The Son )

Question for Adults: To what extent do I try to join the trials and sufferings of my life to those of Jesus? Taking up our cross and accepting our trials and sufferings is not a popular concept. If anything, we do everything we can to avoid pain and suffering. And, if it comes we have varied negative reactions. At times we are trying so hard to avoid these trials that we completely obscure the likelihood of God’s work through Jesus. Not only do we not join the trials to Jesus, we run in the opposite direction. The fact remains that we are human and pain and suffering do not tempt us. How do you deal with the trials in your life?

Question for Children? When I see a crucifix or picture of Jesus on the cross, do I say a prayer of thanks to him for loving me that much? Many children know the story of Jesus’ death on the cross. However, many of them are probably not able to make the connection between his death and his love for us, i.e. as it is relevant to their everyday lives. This is something that must be experienced with maturity. Perhaps this week would be a good time to begin the journey with your child.

What is the meaning behind tracing the sign of the cross on our foreheads etc. just before the Gospel? It is obvious that most Catholics know they are supposed to trace the sign of the cross on their foreheads, their lips and their heart following the invocation Glory to you O Lord! However, some do not know why they are doing this. It is a simple gesture that is meant to be done in tandem with the prayer: “May your words be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart.” Because the gesture is performed almost simultaneously with the words, Glory to you, O Lord, it is often misconstrued that the gesture is simply that, a gesture, just one more symbol added to the lot of them. However, if we try to focus on the words of the prayer, “May your words. . .” we see that it is very appropriate just before listening to the Gospel

Community News

Food Pantry for September   This month our pantry shelves are in need of Canned fruit, Jello and pudding mixes, Beef Stew, and Chicken Noodle Soup. We are also always in need of juices and instant milk. Thank you very much for all you do for those less fortunate.

Chairs for Sale
    Now that we have removed the chairs and installed the pews we have approximately 140 chairs on sale. There are flyers on the back and outside bulletin boards giving more detail. If you are interested in purchasing any of the chairs please call the office.

The RCIA Process is scheduled to begin in late September. If you or someone close to you is interested in beginning the process of becoming a fully initiated catholic, please call the office for more information. This process involves catechesis for people who are not yet baptized or for those who are baptized but are not fully catechized (not instructed in the faith.) The entire process culminates at the Easter Vigil when candidates are received into the church.   There is a similar but separate process for children aged 7 -17.

A Look at Upcoming Events

Birthright’s Fall Auction Dinner/Dance
    Birthright of Southern NH (a non-profit organization helping women and their children) will be holding their 22nd Anniversary Auction Dinner/Dance on Saturday November 1st at the Executive Court in Manchester (behind the Yard Restaurant). The evening will include a Silent Auction, Catered Dinner, Dancing and a Live Auction. Anyone wishing to donate new items or purchase tickets, please call 965-6617 or 434-3000. Any donation will be greatly appreciated.

The Life and Letters of St. Paul is a workshop being co-sponsored by the Diocese of Manchester and St. Anselm College on September 27, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The workshop, which will be held at the Dana Center, will help participants to relate to St. Paul the person, his companions, and the journeys they took. It will help you gain insights into how to read the letters of Paul and to understand the message of Paul to the various communities he addressed. A NT scholar, Professor Sweetland will conduct the workshop. He is a full time professor at St. Anselm College and holds a doctorate in Theology from the Universtiy of Notre Dame. Please register by Sept. 18, 2008. You can register online at www.catholicnh.org/stpaul

The Hospice of Visiting Nurse Association of Manchester. . . & So. NH Inc. in partnership with Villa Crest Nursing and Retirement Center will start a free Hospice Volunteer Training Course on Saturday, September 20, from 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m., and continue every Thursday evening 6:00p.m. to 8:30p.m. through June 21 at Villa Crest, 1276 Hanover St., Manchester, NH.
    This comprehensive training program will equip participants with the necessary skills to provide non-medical aid and support to terminally ill individuals and their caregivers. Trained volunteers will work with the hospice team of health care professionals to provide emotional support, respite care, as well as grief and bereavement support to family members
    Any interested member of the community including homemakers, retirees, college students, professionals and couples who have the desire to provide such an important service are invited to explore Hospice Volunteering.   Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Please call Linda Krisch, Volunteer Coordinator at 663-4008.

Crafters Wanted
    St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Bedford, NH will be hosting a “Quality” Craft Fair on November 1, 2008 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. This fair featuring high quality, hand crafted items is held in a fantastic location that has easy access to the highway, free parking and is handicapped accessible. For inquires and application form, call Sharon at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish at 669-7444. Application deadline is October 15 or when space sells out.

NH CursilloMass. . . Please join the NH Cursillo 4th Day community in celebrating 44 years of Cursillo in NH with a NH statewide Cursillo Mass, Friday, Sept 26 at 7 pm at St. Catherine of Siena Parish on Hemlock St. Manchester, NH
Please feel free to contact Therese Finegan at 232-3583 for questions.

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: Frank Huard, 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.