September 6, 2009
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, September 5
   No Mass during the Summer
Sunday,  September 6
    9:30 AM PM  For Francis Huard  By Richard & Madeleine Bilodeau
Saturday, September 12
    No Mass during the Summer
Sunday,  September 13
    9:30 AM  For Florence Nault By the Pastoral Council

Saturday Evening Mass  at 6:00 PM will resume on September 19, 2009.

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 2009-2010 will begin on the weekend of September 19th and 20th.  Classes are held during both weekend Masses. We would need some volunteers to help out as monitors during the classes.  Please contact the office if you can do this. 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.  All GoF classes are held on Sundays from 4 – 6 pm.  Our 1st class is October 18, 2009. Confirmation Program:      The Confirmation students will begin their two year program on Sunday, September 27, 2009.  All students must be registered by September 27th.  Second year students must have completed year one in full, i.e., two classes per month from September through April.  Attendance at Generation of Faith only does not satisfy the requirements for Confirmation.  All students are also asked to attend Mass on a weekly basis.  There are registration forms in the entrance of the church.                      Schedule of Classes

23rd  Sunday in Ordinary Time 
Theme: (Strengthened by Faith)
Reading I: Isaiah 35: 4-7 (Be Strong)
Reading II: James 2: 1-5 (Show No Partiality)
Gospel: Mark 7: 31-37 (He Makes the Deaf Hear)

Question for Adults:  As I listen to today’s Gospel, what thought patterns or prejudices cry out within me to be opened by the touch of Jesus? This week’s question is a very deep one. To come to grips with our prejudices demands that we take the time to reflect on this matter in prayer.  We all have thought patterns that need God’s help.  Sometimes they are so deeply imbedded within us that we are not aware of their impact on our lives.  Ask God to heal this part of you this week.

Question for Children:  What does it mean when we say that “actions speak louder than words”?  This is a very important saying for children to understand especially with respect to their practice of the Faith.  Perhaps you may want to sit with them and brainstorm on examples that would help them better understand the concept. 

Community News

Adult Confirmation: If you are 18 years of age or older and have never made you Confirmation, please read this important notice.  The Diocese of Manchester has two Adult Confirmation sessions each year, one in the Spring and one in the Fall.  This Fall the ceremony will be held on November 9, 2009 at St. John the Evangelist Church in Concord, NH.  In order to prepare for the sacrament of confirmation all adults who are interested in becoming fully initiated members of the church are asked to attend a series of six classes prior to their Confirmation.  If you would like more information about these classes please contact the Christian Formation office  at 483-8481.  Classes begin in September and are held in several towns and deaneries.

Do You Like to Sing?     Our choir is in need of a few people, both men and women,  who are willing to join us for Sunday morning Mass.  We usually practice before the Mass.  If you have a little extra time on Sunday mornings we would love to have you join us.  As long as you can carry a tune you are qualified.  If you love to sing you are even better.  You don’t need to worry about singing solo or any other embarrassing situation.  We enjoy what we do and we enjoy our time together.  Just see Becky after Mass or come early and join in the rehearsal.

Food Pantry for September:  . Please help our pantry if you can.   This month our pantry shelves continue to be in need of Canned Pastas,  and canned vegetables .  We always need juices. Thank you very much for all you do for God’s people

RCIA–Rite of Christian Initiation for Adult
    The Rite of Christian Initiation takes place yearly at the Easter Vigil – Holy Saturday evening.  This is the time when adults who have never been baptized in the Christian faith are baptized.  It is also the time when baptized Christians of other denominations are welcomed into the Catholic Church as they make a public profession of faith.  This rite is also offered to baptized Catholics who were not fully initiated into the church(never made their First Communion or Confirmation).  As a general rule, this rite is not for adults who have received their 1st Communion, but have never been confirmed.  If Confirmation is the only sacrament they have not received, there will be a special course given for them during the year and an adult Confirmation will be held at the Cathedral on a later time in the year.  If you or someone you know is a candidate for the Rite of Initiation or if your are interested in finding out more of what it entails please call the parish office and speak to Lorette.  The program begins in the Fall.

A Look at Upcoming Events

Stepping Stones – A Bereavement Program for Children & Teens
works with children and teens ages 5 – 18 years in age appropriate groups, meeting once a week for six weeks.  Each group is facilitated by VNA Hospice Staff and trained Hospice volunteers.
    Recreational activities and various art forms are used to facilitate the grieving/coping process.  The subject is serious but the kids have fun and develop supportive friendships.  For information and to register for our next session, visit our web site:  www.manchestervna.org.  Click on services, then ‘spiritual care/bereavement groups”.
There is no fee for attending, but preregistration is required.  Dates are Wednesdays, Sept 30 through Nov. 4, 2009.  Time of sessions is 6 – 7:30 PM
Place is Brookside Congregational Church at
  2013 Elm Street, Manchester, NH

“Theology of the Body for Adults and Teens”  All are invited to join in an 8 week study of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body beginning Monday, September 21, from 7:00 to 9:00pm. We are offering two separate courses:  Into the Heart for all adults and Theology of the Body for Teens for grades 9 – 12.  Both courses will be held at St. Mark the Evangelist, One South Road in Londonderry.  Cost for the adult course is $15/person or $25/couple.  Cost for the teen course is $20.  For more information and to register call Bill Donroe at 432-6066 or Diane Swinarski at 425-1795 or visit www.stejude.com.

Message from Hospice of VNA of Manchester & Southern NH.  We will start a free Hospice Volunteer Training Course on Saturday, October 10, from 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m., and continue every Tuesday morning 9:30 to 12:00 noon through December 1st at VNA 33 South Commercial Street, 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 contact Linda Krisch, Volunteer Coordinator at 663-4008 or e-mail lkrisch@elliot-hs.org

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, 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.