January 10, 2010
Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, January 9
    6:00 PM For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  January 10
    9:30 AM PM  Francis Huard By Therese Therrien
Saturday, January 16
    6:00 PM For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  January 17
    9:30 AM  Francis Huard 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

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 January 10th. 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
Feast of the Baptism of our Lord
Theme:  (the Beloved)
Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11(Prepare theWay of the Lord)
Reading II: Titus  2: 11- 14, 3:4-7(The Bath of Rebirth)
Gospel: Luke: 3: 15-16- 21-22 (Jesus’ Baptism)

Question for Adults:  Am I aware that I am God’s beloved child? How do I experience my belovedness?  This is a truth that we are all taught as children but so many of us forget as we get  older.  Sadly, for many of us, the depth of the true meaning of be loved by God never really sinks in.  One way to get a deeper understanding of God’s love for us is to reflect on the love someone has for us.  If we focus on the love of the person who loves us the most, we can at least begin to understand God’s love.  We will probably never understand completely but we would be so much happier if we had a small inkling. 

Question for Children:  When do I feel God’s love for me?  Do I know how special I am?  Try to spend some time with your child talking about God’s love for them.  Sometimes children measure love by hugs and kisses or by the expensive gifts they get on special occasions.  Since these don’t exist with God, children are left to measure God’s love in ways that are unfamiliar to them.  Try to come up with ways that your child could recognize God’s love in their lives

Community News

Our Food Pantry  If you would like to help our food pantry, we especially need Canned Soup, Tuna, Instant Rice and Potatoes and Spaghetti sauce.  We can always use soup and juice.  Thank you so much for your generosity.

A Look at Upcoming Events

Group Work Camp News:   Just a reminder to everyone concerned.   If you have not yet made up your mind about joining the group for this upcoming year, the deadline is Feb. 1st.   The $150.00 deposit will be due by February 1st to hold your spot.  You can send your deposit to the church rectory or you can put it in the collection basket during Mass.  If you have any last minute questions before making up your mind please e-mail  Laura Lambert at  laurajeannh@comcast.net  or call her at 483-5125.

NH Annual March For Life  will take place on Saturday, January 16, 2010.  The march will begin with a Memorial Service for the babies dumped at the Concord Landfill on Old turnpike Rd. at 9:00 am.  There will be a Catholic Mass at St. John the Evangelist at 10:00 am at St. John the Evangelist Church at 72 So. Main St. Concord.  This will be followed by a rally at the Gold Domed State House Steps at 11:15 am.  Beginning at 11:45 am the March for Life will proceed from the State House past Concord Feminist “health” Center then to St. John the Evangelist to warm up and have some carry-in, by donation lunch and to hear Juda Myers.  The luncheon will be followed by a program including singer/songwriter, artist & published author Juda Myers.
    Juda, conceived in rape, inspires great joy through forgiveness.  A ministry of hope, life and forgiveness.  Forgiveness in any case is attainable!  Destiny, filled with purpose and potential waits for each of us through the one who created us. 
    Please join us for all or part of the March for Life as we remember the Decision that led to the legal killing of tens of millions of babies, wounded as many moms and degraded the right to life for all Americans.  Bring your own signs or use ours.

Divorce Care video Seminars  and support Group meeting for separated/divorced persons will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Chuch Hall, Main St., Belmont on:
****Mondays at 6:30 – 8:30 pm****
The cost is $15.00 for the entire series.  This includes a guidebook also.  Scholarships are available.  Persons are welcome at any point in the series.  The topics are as follows:
Jan. 4th “What’s Happening to Me?”
Jan. 11th “The road to Healing:  Finding Hope”
Jan. 25 “Facing My Depression”
Feb. 1st “Facing My Loneliness”
Feb. 8th “What does the Owner’s Manual (Bible) say
Feb. 15th “New Relationships”
Feb 22nd “Financial Survival”
Mar. 1st “Kidcare”
Mar. 8th  “Single Sexuality”
Mar. 15th “Forgiveness”
Mar. 22nd “Reconciliation”
Mar. 29th  “Growing Closer to God”

Retrouvaille. . . a Lifeline  Rediscover a loving marriage with a retrouvaille (pronounced re-tru-vi) weekend.  If your marriage is tearing the two of you apart, if there is little or no meaningful communication, if you are considering separation or divorce, we believe Retrouvaille can help you.  The next New England Retrouvaille marriage weekends will be held January 15-17, 2010, and April 16-18, 2010.  To register for the weekend or for more information, visit www.HelpOurMarriage.com or call 1-800-470-2230.

Winter Events at Cathedral of St. Joseph  the Cathedral is located at 145 Lowell St. on the corner of Pine. 
  Sunday,  January 31, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.  The Cathedral concert Series presents organist Mary Copely as she plays works of J.S. Bach, Messiaen, Franck, Widor and Vierne.  There will be a free will offering

A Trip to the Holy Land   Msgr. John Quinn at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish is hosting a once-in-a-lifetime ‘Journey to the Holy Land’, April 12 – 23, 2010.  this trip which takes place after Easter, includes Mt. Tabor, Mt. of the Beatitudes, Jericho, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and more!  Space is limited.  For more information, please contact the St. Elizabeth Seton Parish office at 660-7444.         

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.