April 11, 2010
2nd Sunday of Easter
Christ is Risen, Alleluia!
He is Truly Risen, Alleluia!

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, April 10
    6:00 PM For Yvette Lamontagne By Madeleine Heon
Sunday,  April 11
    9:30 AM  For Parishioners of St. Paul
Saturday, April 17
    6:00 PM For Yvette Lamontagne By Madeleine Heon
Sunday,  April 18
    9:30 AM For Parishioners of St. Paul
 

Sunday: April 11, 2010 2:30 PM Confirmation Mass at St. Peter Parish

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 April 18th. Confirmation Program:      The Confirmation students will begin their two year program on Sunday, September 27, 2009.   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.                        Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
2nd Sunday of Easter
Theme:  (The Appearance of the Risen Lord)
Reading:  Acts 5:12-16 (The Ministry of the  Apostles)
Reading II: Revelation 1: 9-13, 17-19(Do Not Be Afraid)
Gospel: John  20: 19- 31 (Peace Be With You)

Question for Adults:  What do I believe about God and the world around me?  How do my beliefs shape how I think and act? This is a beautiful time of the year to take time to reflect on what we actually do believe about God and the world. The Easter Season is filled with signs of New Life and the possibility of New Beginnings.  How does that all fit in our personal lives?

Question for Children: How does my belief in God affect how I act with my family and friends?  Sometimes, as children, we do not always make the connection between what we believe and how it should affect our “real” life.  This part of their lives needs help from an adult to help the maturity process to take place.  In order to be happy we must eventually become integrated and not remain compartmentalized. Take some time to help your child to experience this reality.

Diocesan News:     Over the past few months some parishioners have asked to learn a little more about the process that makes the diocese function.  They feel it would help them to better understand the decision making that goes on.  In this light we will be writing a short column over the next few weeks that will attempt to give more detail as to the workings of the diocese over all and how it affects our parish in particular.     First of all, we must understand that we are part of a diocese which means we do not and cannot work independently.  From a practical aspect this means that we must work in tandem with the other parishes.  This is why the diocese began a process of parish clustering about four years ago.  We could not simply close a parish here and there without first planning for the good of the entire diocese as a whole.  The bishop, along with the priest council, the diocesan Pastoral Council and Finance Councils,  is responsible for the welfare of all, whether they live in Colebrook, Woodsville, Charlestown, Salem, Portsmouth or Manchester, etc.      Secondly, it is important to remember that, despite our best efforts to plan, life takes over and decisions must be made that offset the best made plans.  One example of such a situation happened just lately.  About six weeks ago a priest had to retire due to illness.  He was a pastor of two churches, one in Greenville and one in Wilton.  The parishes were temporarily given to the pastor of Jaffrey who definitely could not maintain three places by himself.  Since there are only two priests working at the diocese who can assist in various parishes throughout the state, a regular assistant could not be had.  Consequently, the church in Wilton was told three weeks ago that it would be closing.  Their last Mass is this weekend.  Please pray for the people of Wilton as they certainly are going through shock.  (to be cont.)

Community News

Group Work Camp Meeting
    There will be a meeting for all participants of this year’s Group Work Camp on Friday April 16th at 7 pm, at St. Peter’s Church Hall in Auburn.  Please bring your camper information forms with you.  The final payment will be due by the meeting date.  See you then.

Our Food Pantry If you would like to help our food pantry during this Lenten season, we especially need Canned Soup, Tuna,  Instant Potatoes, canned Pastas and Spaghetti sauce.  We can always use cereal.  Thank you so much for your generosity.  You have no idea how appreciative people are when they come and we have something to offer. 

A Look at Upcoming Events

Bishop Brady Spring Open House
Bishop Brady High School is a Roman Catholic, college prep, co-educational high school, founded upon the values of faith, learning and service.  In partnership with families and the greater community, Bishop Brady instills a desire in students to engage in service to others and challenges them to rise above the expected in the pursuit of excellence.  We will be having an Open House on Saturday, April 17th at 10:00 AM.  We are located at 25 Columbus Ave. in Concord, NH
For more info you can call the office at 228-6664 or email at labbott@bishopbrady.edu. 

Trinity High School  The annual Trinity High School Yard Sale will be held on Saturday, April 17 from 7:00am – 12:00pm. Donations of items to be sold will be accepted on Friday, April 16 from 7:00 am – 5:30 pm.  Baby clothing and baby furniture, DVDs, CD, household goods, small pieces of furniture, books and all kinds of odds and ends are welcome donations.  We do ask that no adult clothes be brought in as space for clothing is limited.  Students will be available to help carry in heavy items.  The school is located at 583 Bridge Street in Manchester, NH.  (Exit 8 off of I-93)

Pilgrimage to Canada.   August 3 – 6, 2010 (4 days, 3 nights) for just $369.  Visit the Shrines of Montreal and Quebec which includes St. Anne-de-Beaupre, St. Joseph Oratory and more.  Cost includes two meals a day, coach bus transportation and accommodations. Departing from Holy Angels Parish, Plaistow, Manchester, and St. Mary Parish, Claremont.  For a flyer or more information, contact Juanita Sweet at 603-826-4486 or email: juanitajoy@comcast.net

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Rome  Bishop McCormack is inviting NH Catholics to join him on a pilgrimage to Rome and other Italian holy sites from October 15-25 in celebration of the canonization of Blessed Brother Andre Bessette.  Pope Benedict XVI recently announced that Blessed Brother Andre will be formally declared a saint at a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 17, 2010.  The pilgrimage will be organized by Canterbury Tours of Bedford, NH.  It will include visits to sites in Rome, Assisi, and Siena. 
    Rooted in his devotion to St. Joseph, and motivated by his compassion, Brother Andre Bessette dedicated his life to comforting those in greatest need.  During his lifetime he became popularly known for encouraging the sick and infirm to pray to St. Joseph to intervene on their behalf.  Many claimed they were cured thanks to these prayers.  Brother Andre died in 1937, at the age of 91.  Many NH Catholics have taken pilgrimages to St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, a shrine built under the guidance of Brother Andre beginning in 1904 and continuing after his death until its completion in 1967.  Today, it is the most popular shrine to St. Joseph in the world. 
    Those interested in attending the pilgrimage may contact Canterbury Tours at 800-653-0017 or Fr. Jason Jalbert at 603-669-31—or jjalbert@rcbm.org

Spring Hospice Volunteer Program
    VNA of Manchester will start a free Hospice Volunteer Training Program on Saturday, April 17, 2010, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and then continuing every Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. through June 10, 2010.  Some of the topics to be covered are hospice philosophy, compassion through active listening, medical aspects, grief and bereavement.  Trained volunteers will work with the hospice team of health care professionals to provide services that help patients stay at home with dignity during a terminal illness.  Any interested member of the community including homemakers, retirees, college students, businessmen and women are encouraged to explore hospice volunteering.  Pre-registration is required and class size is limited.  Please contact Linda Krisch, Volunteer Coordinator, at 603-663-4008 or e-mail lkrisch@elliot-hs.org

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land  Take this wonderful journey from Nov. 8 – 17, 2010 that will immerse you into the sights and sounds of the Holy Land with Father Michael Gendron from All Saints Parish in Charlestown, NH. The cost is $2775 excluding taxes & tips.   For a flyer or more information, contact Rita and Lew Goody at 800-332-4659 or randlgoody@unitours.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, Cecile Gendron, Kimberly Mirolo, Rita Sullivan, Kathy Gauthier, Ethel Thomas, Jean Swindler, Roger Plante, Joseph Gesel, Jacob Desrocher, Cindy Huard, Deborah McGovern, 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.