March 16, 2008
Palm Sunday
Weekend Mass Intentions

Saturday, March 15
    6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  March 16
    9:30 AM  For Leon Langille By Normand & Jeannine Fraser
Saturday, March 22  Easter Vigil
   6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  March 23
    8:00 AM Intention of the Celebrant
    9:30 AM  Intention of the Celebrant

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

Grades K – High School       All children from grade K – 10 must register.  The registration does not roll over from one year to the next.  You can pick up a form in the back of the church or you can visit the parish office Monday – Thursday during office hours or give us a call at 483-8481 and ask us to mail you a form.  We would be happy to do this 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 l, students must attend classes on a weekly basis as the program for 1st Communion is a two year program.  It is vital that students continue with their Christian Formation even after their 1st Communion. This year’s program will begin on September 15, 2007 Grades 4 – 10 +   This year’s program for the Generations of Faith begins on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at 4:00 pm.  This program is designed for both parents and children.  Parents are asked to attend the sessions as they have the opportunity to refresh their memory on important matters of the faith .  Please join us on one Sunday per month. Next Month's session is on April 13th.  All Confirmation candidates are expected to attend all sessions.                      Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
Palm Sunday   
Theme: (The Lord’s Passion)
Reading1: Isaiah 50:4-7 (The Lord God is My Help)
Reading 2: Philippians: 2:6-11 (Christ Humbled  Himself)
Gospel: Matthew 26: 14-27:66 (The Passion)

Question for Adults:  How have I experienced God’s goodness in a way I did not expect or deserve?  This is perhaps the easiest question we can have.  We have all had this experience.  Perhaps we do not remember the instance on the spot but if we try even a wee bit we will remember one, two or even twenty times when this has happened to us.  This week is an excellent time for us to thank God for his goodness in so many ways.

Question for Children?  How do I ask for forgiveness when I have done something wrong? 
    Asking pardon or forgiveness is always so difficult for many of us.  If we can learn at a young age that this practice does not have to be painful, it could be the most important lesson we learn.  Take some time to talk about this with your child and help him/her to find ways to ask for forgiveness while meaning it with all their heart.

Is Mass Celebrated on Good Friday?     For centuries Christians have taken Good Friday as one of the most important days on the liturgical calendar.  Until recently Good Friday was thought of to be a sacred and holy day when all Christians were expected to take the time to pray and to make some special sacrifice in solidarity with Christ.  One of the ways this was done was to attend the praying of the Stations of the Cross.  In many countries the stations are walked in procession.     A second way of being one with the sufferings of Christ was to attend a special service which included the reading of the Passion, the Veneration of the Cross and praying for all who need redemption.  These prayers were followed by the reception of Holy Communion.  This service is still celebrated in every Catholic Parish to date.   However, it is not a Mass.  The celebration of the Mass is the celebration of the Resurrection and we cannot do both on the same day.  Good Friday is set aside to remember Christ’s love for us and to join in his suffering as a sign of our love for him.

Important Notice:     There are presently many parishioners who have taken the habit of backing into their parking spaces on Sunday morning.  Although we understand the reason for this practice,  i.e., it is much easier and faster to leave after the Mass, we must ask you to refrain from such as practice from now on.  After some deliberation we must ask you to understand that there are several important factors involved.       1. It is clearly only a matter of time before there is an accident.  Attempting to back up when the parking lot is filling up is dangerous.         2.  Not only does our backing up affect the cars in the parking lot but it causes a pile up or bottle neck out in the street because the cars are being held up while someone if desperately trying to back up without hitting another car. This is also a very dangerous situation.     We ask your understanding and consideration in this matter.  Please understand that we are simply concerned with everyone’s safety.  We realize that it may take you a few more moments to get out of the parking lot but in the long run everyone will be the safer for it.         Fr. Dumont

The 49th International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City June 19-22, 2008.
    Come join the diocesan Pilgrimage to Quebec City.  The weekend includes a three night stay at the 5 star Loews Le Concorde Quebec Hotel as well as a tour at Saint Anne de Beaupre Shrine and or course, bus transportation to and from Quebec and the Congress events.
    Double Room $575.00 per person.
    Triple Room  $475.00 per person. 
Space is on a first come first serve basis.  A $300.00 non-refundable deposit with registration form is required by no later than April 2, 2008.  For registration forms and more information, contact Karen Poza 606-7824 or khpoza@comcast.net. The Rev. Marc Montminy and Rev. Jason Jalbert are the diocesan Eucharistic Congress coordinators.

Community News

Connie L. Lofgren Continuing Education Scholarship. . .is given annually to a Candia woman who has returned to a post-secondary school after a three-year or more absence from an educational institution.  This scholarship in the amount of $500.00 (paid directly to the college or school) is given in memory of Connie L. Lofgren, a long time member of the GFWC Candia Community Woman’s Club.  Continuing with the process of learning, changing, and growing had bee an important part of Ms. Lofgren’s life as well as on and growing had been an important part of Ms. Lofgren’s life as well as ongoing commitment of the GFWC Candia Community Woman’s Club
Deadline for applicants is March 31, 2008.

News for Care Givers. . . St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Plaistow, NH will be hosting a talk on end of life issues such as living wills, nutrition and hydration, ordinary vs. extraordinary care at the end of life and much more, in light of the teaching of the Catholic Church.  The speaker will be Father Tad Pacholczyk from the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.  The discussion will take place at the parish on 8 Atkinson, Depot Rd. in Plaistow from 7 pm – 9 pm on April 2, 2008.  Please mail in a registration form to the parish with a check of $15.00 per person. For more info please contact the parish office at 382-8324.

Food Pantry for March
This month our pantry shelves are in  need of  Tuna, Vegetables such as carrots, spinach and mixed veg. (please not peas or green beans.)  We can also use Instant Dry Milk and Crackers of any kind.   Thank you very much for all you do for those less fortunate.