March 22, 2009
4th Sunday of Lent

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, March  21
   6:00 PM  For Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  March 22
    9:30 AM For William Donavan By Marcel & Joyce Lebel
Saturday, March 28
   6:00 PM  For Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  March 29
    9:30 AM  Carol Avellino by Tom & Angel Bart

A Time for Reconciliation: There will be an opportunity to go to confession on Monday evening, March 23rd and 30th at St. Peter’s church at 6:30 PM.  There will be two priests in attendance. Confessions are also heard at 5:30 pm on Saturdays.

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

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 next class for parents and children in this program will be April 5, 2009 at St. Peter Parish in Auburn.  All GoF classes are held on Sundays from 4 – 6 pm. Confirmation Program:      The Confirmation students will begin their two year program on Sunday, October 5, 2008.  Classes are held from 11:00 am to 12 noon. Students must be registered in the program and must be registered members of the parish.  If you have not yet registered your child for classes please call the office to speak to Lorette.                      Schedule of Classes

4th Sunday of Lent 
Theme: (The Light of the World)
Reading I:  2 Chronicles 36: 14-17, 19-23 (Polluting The Lord’s Temple)
Reading II: Ephesians 2: 4-10 (By Grace You Have Been Saved)
Gospel: John 3: 14-21 (God So Loved the World)

Question for Adults:  How has my faith journey resemble the journey of Nicodemus? Nicodemus was a religious man but his faith was shaky.  He believed that Jesus was from God but he was afraid of what others might say if they saw him speaking to him so, he came to Jesus at night under cover of darkness.  He had great difficulty understanding the words Jesus spoke to him.  His mind and heart were not completely open to the work of the Spirit. Do we resemble him sometime?

Question for Children:  Have I kept the Lenten promises I made? This Sunday marks the half way point in our Lenten observance.  It is a good time to look back on the past three weeks and check how we have been doing.  No doubt you have encouraged your child to think of something special they could do during Lent.  This is a good time to see how faithful they have been to this decision.  If they have forgotten, gently remind them that Lent is still in progress and that being faithful will “pay off” in the long run.

Community News

Food Pantry for March:  As you probably have assumed, our pantry shelves are in need of replenishment.  Perhaps this Lent you could help us in this capacity.  Your generosity is always greatly appreciated. This month our pantry shelves continue to be in need of Cereal,  Tuna, Instant Potatoes,  Canned Pastas, and Evaporated Milk . We are always in need of juices.   Thank you very much for all you do for God’s people.

Can’t Afford College?  Have Faith!
    For many years college tuition rates have been rising, and students are saddled with long-term debt.  Cost-conscious students must often turn to public colleges but now even public tuition rates will increase due to state budget cutbacks.
    Fortunately, affordable options remain for families seeking a quality education that forms students intellectually, spiritually and socially.  Catholic colleges have always had a special concern for helping students, and they provide financial aid packages with a larger portion of grant assistance, allowing students to graduate with fewer loans.
    Magdalen and Thomas More, which are featured in The Newman guide to Choosing a Catholic College for their strong Catholic identity, have been named a “best buy’ for Catholic families by The Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education, a division of the Cardinal Newman Society.
    These students can expect to save more than $9,000 versus the costs of the average private college in NH.  Beyond the cost savings, there is obviously much more to the value of a strong Catholic education, such as preparing students intellectually, spiritually and socially.

A Look at Upcoming Events

Bishop Brady High School 
    Having trouble finding a high school program that truly prepares your child for a successful future?  Bishop Brady offers today’s students a rigorous college-preparatory education at 1/3 the cost of other area private day schools.  We are having a Spring Open House on Saturday, April 4th at 10:00 am.  Visit our website at www.bishopbrady.edu and come to our open house at 25 Columbus Ave., Concord, NH.

Healing the Wounds of Abortion The NH Catholic Charities Project Rachel program offers counseling, reconciliation, and support services for individuals and their families who have experienced the pain of abortion.  This program provides a means for people to begin the healing process and experience reconciliation with the Church.  It presents a caring, hopeful approach towards peace with the parents, the unborn child, the family, the church, and God.  Call us today. . .603-669-3030.

Lenten Prayer Breakfast
    The NH Diocesan council of Catholic women invite all women to an annual Lenten prayer breakfast.  This years speaker is Sr. Priscilla Lemire, RJM. Topic is “The Spirituality of Women”.  The breakfast will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m.  at Alan’s Restaurant, 133 No. Main St. in Boscowen, NH (near Concord).  The cost is $12.00 which includes a full breakfast.  Make checks payable to Deb Blais, 66 Birchwood Way, Laconia, NH 03246.  For more info and car pooling contact Marilyn Audet, 332-5485. . .Dorothy Powers, 622-1621 or Deb Blaise 524-2909.

Connie L. Lofgren Continuing Education Scholarship sponsored by the GFWC Candia community woman’s Club 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  (paid directly to the college or school) is given in memory of Connie L. Lofgren, a long time member of the GFWC.  Continuing with the process of learning, changing, and growing had been an important part of Ms. Lofgren’s life as well as on ongoing commitment of the GFWC Candia Community Woman’s Club.  Applications are available at the Library, Town Hall or at www.candiawomansgroup.org.   Applications must be postmarked on or before March 28, 2009. Mail to GFWC Candia Community woman’s Club
PO Box 152, Candia, NH 03034

Pilgrimage to Conclude the Year of St. Paul the Apostle  Join Fr. Michael Monette and parishioners of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish on pilgrimage to celebrate the conclusion of the Holy Year of St. Paul the Apostle as we travel down the northeast corridor to visit and pray at many of the holy shrines of fifteen men and women who are in the process of being added to the Church’s list of publicly declared and canonized Saints.  Learn about their lives, their struggles and their tremendous faith.  How do ordinary men and women become saints?  Come away to relax and enjoy some of the cities where we will be stopping.  Our trip will lead us to the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia to conclude the Holy Year of the Apostle Paul on his feast day June 29th.  Take home with you new friends and memories of a lifetime.  For more information or to register, please call Colette at 603-382-6566 or e-mail at csampson@choiceonemail.com

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: Josephine Stout,  Frank Huard, Cecile Gendron,  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.