May 2, 2010
5th Sunday of Easter
Christ is Risen, Alleluia!
He is Truly Risen, Alleluia!

Weekend Mass Intentions
Sunday,  May 2
    9:30 AM For Yvette Lamontagne By Madeliene Heon

Sunday,  May 9
    9:30 AM  For Bro. Gerard Despathy By Kristin & Craig Boudreau

Please Note:  Our last Saturday evening Mass was on April 24th at 4:00 PM.  Due to a very low attendance at the 6 pm we will terminate this Mass as of the 24th.  There is always a 4:00 pm Mass in Auburn.

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. 

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!

Christian Formation News

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.   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. Generations 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 – 6PM.  Our last class was held on April 18th.                      Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
5th Sunday of Easter
Theme:  (Disciples of Love)
Reading:  Acts 14:21,- 27 (They Called the Church Together)
Reading II: Revelation 21:1- 5 (A New Heaven and a New Earth)
Gospel: John 13: 31- 33 (Love One Another)

Question for Adults:  What are the obstacles in my life that hinder or impede me from freely loving as Jesus did- - universally, completely, and without reserve? Loving as Jesus did is not an easy matter.  We often dismiss the whole affair by telling ourselves that Jesus was God so there is no way we can compare.  This is not the entire story however.  Jesus was a man and very human.  He suffered all the pain and hardships we suffer.  He had to make a concerted effort to be faithful to his commitment.  His mission was not to be God, his mission was to lead the way by teaching us what God expected of us.  The “way” was the way of Love.  There are certainly many obstacles in our lives.  Our ability to love like Jesus did will always fall short but we cannot use this as an excuse.  How can we change?

Question for Children: When did I see Jesus’ love in the actions or words of someone? This question is a beautiful example of Jesus’ love.  Try to spend a little time discussing how some people show Jesus’ love in real concrete ways.  Your children may have been able to notice this on their own but very often the help of parents is necessary.

Diocesan News:          This week we will address the factor of the aging priesthood and its  relevance to the matter of closing or merging parishes.  We already know that the diocese has a total of 92 active priests and 98 parishes. At least 15 of them are religious priests. The others are diocesan priests which means they owe their obedience only to the bishop of the diocese. Not all priests are of age or have the experience to be a pastor so this means that there are several priests that have two parishes    .    Of the 78 diocesan priests, half of them are 58 years old or older.  If you look at it this way and project ahead, in ten years there will be more than half that are 58 and possibly half that are 68 and older.  This is because there are very few being ordained so the larger number of priests will always be on the older side.  Unfortunately priests are merely human beings and we, who are older, understand full well what that means.      Yes we could ask them to take on more and more simply because we think they are men who have given themselves to the ministry of Christ’s church but this will get us nowhere because even the most committed will break down, burn out, or get sick sooner than would be necessary when given more and more to do.     In an effort to consider the well being and mental health of the priests presently serving,  the diocese decided to pursue an extensive clustering some four years ago.  It took the full four years to complete the process.      Besides the cities and towns we have discussed already the city of Laconia is also in the process of merging several parishes.  Once all these parishes have been merged or unified there will be a calm for a while.  How long we will have to wait before the next round of merges if unknown but we sincerely hope and pray that it will take a long while. Please keep the parishes that are closing or merging in your prayers.  They are all experiencing the same pain as all of us.

A Catholic Charities Client says “Thank You”
Thanks to your support, NH Catholic Charities is here to help people in need.  This letter recently came in from a client:  “When we became aware we did not have fuel, my brother and I asked our Lord Jesus to provide the oil / our need as His word declares ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ Philippians 4:19.  We were given your phone number and my brother called.  You were the channel from which our need was met.  Thank you!” 
   Doesn’t this say it all. . .it is not our work but Christ’ accomplished through us!

Community News

Please Note:  The surprise celebration that was being planned for Fr. Michael Kerper on May 23, 2010 has been cancelled.  He found out about it and made it very clear that he did not want any party.  If any of you know others who were planning on attending please relay this message.  There is no other way of communicating the information.  Fr. Mike’s anniversary is on May 18th.  If you wish to send him a card I am sure he would love to hear from you.  He residence is at
    Fr. Michael Kerper
         98 Summer St.
    Portsmouth, NH 03801

Our Food Pantry If you would like to help our food pantry during Easter 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

Notice:  The parish has a substantial amount of oak wood left over from the work on the pews.  The pieces are mostly backs and seats of pews.  If anyone is interested in having some for burning or carpentry work you are welcome to come and get it .  Please do so before the middle of June because we will have to get rid of it soon thereafter. Thank You.

A Look at Upcoming Events

Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends  When was the last weekend you did something special alone together?  Most couples are busy with work and family.  It seems that every moment of the day is planned and there’s never enough time to get everything done.  When was the last time you had a weekend alone?  Consider planning a weekend away just the two of you, to renew our marriage relationship.  A Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend is a positive, renewing experience for couples that have a good marriage but want to make it even better!
    Join us on May 21-23, 2010 at the upcoming weekend retreat at St. Methodios Retreat House in Contoocook, NH.  It is a very special place for a weekend experience.  For more info call: 1-800-710-WWME, or visit www.wwmeMARI.org

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

    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

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.