December 13, 2009
3rd Sunday of Advent

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, December 12
    6:00 PM For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  December 13
    9:30 AM PM  For Florence Nault  By Gerard & Michelle Baron
Saturday, December 19
    6:00 PM For Florence Nault By Theresa Therrien
Sunday,  December 20
    9:30 AM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul

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 next class will be held on December 13th. 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.  If students have not yet registered they must now wait for next year’s program as it is too late to complete this year’s requirements.                      Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
3rd Sunday of Advent
Theme:  (Waiting with Hope)
Reading: Zephaniah: 3: 14- 18 (The Lord Will rejoice)
Reading II: Philippians 4: 4-7 (The Lord Is Near)
Gospel: Luke: 3: 10- 18  (Filled with Expectation)

Question for Adults:  When have I felt most alive in the presence of God? The third Sunday of Advent is the Sunday of Joy.  We celebrate the fact that Christmas is very near.  We have reason to be filled with Joy.  Joy always gives us a feeling of being fully alive.  When was the last time you felt such Joy?  When did you feel like that when you were in the presence of God.  Such a time does not have to be in church during Mass, although that is not a bad time.  You can feel Joy in God’s presence when you are shoveling the newly fallen snow.  You can fell Joy on the ski slopes.  You can experience Joy while working in you garden in the summer time.  Or, you can feel Joy in the presence of someone that reminds you of God’ goodness and love.  When did you last feel this way

Question for Children:  When are some times that I felt God was near me? Was I happy?  Children are very tuned in to Santa Claus but they are also tuned in to the birth of Christ if we talk to them about it.  Preparing for the coming of Jesus must be central to us as Catholic Christians.  Perhaps one idea that we can stress with our children this week is that of trying to make room within ourselves for the coming of Jesus.  Wouldn’t our celebration be happier is we could be ready?
 

Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
   …let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!

    There is nothing wrong with the traditional family joys of Christmas, nor need we be ashamed to find ourselves still looking forward to them.  But the church, in preparing us for the birth of a “great prophet,” a Savior and a King of Peace, has in mind more than seasonal cheer.
    The Advent mystery focuses the light of faith upon the very meaning of life, of history, of humanity, of the world and of our own being.
    In Advent we celebrate the coming and indeed the presence of Christ in our world.  We witness to his presence even in the midst of all the world’s inscrutable problems and tragedies.  Our Advent faith is not an escape from the world to a misty realm of slogans and comforts which declare our problems to be unreal, our tragedies nonexistent.

Community News

Offering In Memory of. . . Christmas is quickly approaching and our flowers will soon be adorning the altar.  If you would like to make an offering in memory of a loved one who is deceased, please give us the name of this person or people along with your own name.  These names will appear in the bulletin around Christmas time.

Our Food Pantry  If you would like to help our food pantry, we especially need instant Rice, Tuna, vegetables, canned fruit, and spaghetti sauce.  We can always use soup and juice.  Thank you so much for your generosity

Our Giving Tree  The Advent Season has begun and once again we embark on our journey of waiting for the birth of Christ in our heart.  What better way to prepare for his coming than to share our gifts with others less fortunate.  This year, perhaps more than ever, there are many people who need our help in making the celebration of Love a bit more joyful. 
    As always, we have names of the elderly from our nursing homes in Raymond and Deerfield. You can distinguish those tags by the fact that they have a specific name on them such as Joe or Mary.  We also have many children who would benefit from your generous hearts. Those tags have a gender and an age.  Simply take a tag or two off our tree and return them along with the gifts no later than Dec. 15th.  Thank you all so very much for your continued generosity.  Happy Advent!

Reminder:  The flu Season and the Celebration of Mass:   At The recommendation of the NH DHHS, the following precautions will remain in effect through cold and flu season: 
l. If you are ill, please stay home and refrain from attendance at church celebrations.
2. The sign of Pace should be shared without teaching hands or kissing.  This can be done with meaningful eye contact, smiles, and a bow of the head in reverence to one another.
3. Parishioners should receive Holy Communion in their hands, and not on their tongue.  Parishioners who receive Holy Communion on the tongue by necessity (i.e., because of a disability) should receive at the end of the Communion line.
4. The Precious Blook:  Communion is only to be given in the species of the consecrated host.  If you are unable to receive Holy Communion in the species of the consecrated bread because of Celiac Disease, please see the pastor.

A Look at Upcoming Events

Confessions:  During the Advent season, there will be the opportunity to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday evenings, December 14 and 21 at 6:30 pm at St. Peter Church in Auburn.  This is over and above the regular opportunities at 5:30 pm every Saturday before the 6:00 pm Mass here at St. Paul.  This is a wonderful way to “make room” for the birth of Christ in our hearts.

Mass of Healing and Hope: St. Luke the Evangelist Parish has scheduled a Mass of Healing and Hope for Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 7 pm at Mary Mother of the Church in Newton, NH.  The celebrant will be Fr. Michael Monette.
    Please consider joining us to celebrate Our Lord’s love and compassion.  Each of us is broken and all of us are intercessors.  Let us pray for one another as we are anointed with Holy Oil from St. Joseph’s Oratory.  Prayer teams are also available

A Companion Volunteer Training Program.  The Visiting Nurse of Manchester & Southern NH Association is starting a Companion Volunteer Training Program.  The focus of the training will be compassionate listening, concerns of the elderly, cognitive aging and setting boundaries.  Training is scheduled for Friday mornings January 8 through January 29 from 10:00am to 11:30am at VNA 33 So. Commercial St. Manchester, NH.
    The comprehensive training program will equip participants with the necessary skills to provide companionship to our homebound patients through visits and phone contact.
    The training will be led by Elizabeth Sheard, MA, and Professor of Aging.  Please contact Linda Krisch, Coordinator of Volunteer Resources at 663-4008 or lkrisch@elliot-hs.org to pre-register or for more information.

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.