April 25, 2010
4th Sunday of Easter
Christ is Risen, Alleluia!
He is Truly Risen, Alleluia!

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, April 24
    4:00 PM For Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  April 25
    9:30 AM  For Maurice Roy By Kevin & Michelle Fraser

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

Please Note:  Our last Saturday evening Mass will be on April 24th at 4:00 PM.  There will be no 6 pm Mass on that day. Due to a very low attendance at the 6 pm we will terminate this Mass as of the 24th.  The 24th is a First Communion Mass for many of our young children.

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.   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
4th  Sunday of Easter
Theme:  (The Good Shepherd)
Reading:  Acts 13:14, 43-52 (Paul & Barnabas)
Reading II: Revelation 7: 9, 14-17 (The Lamb Will Shepherd Them)
Gospel: John  10: 27- 30 (I Know My Sheep)

Question for Adults:  Do I get distracted by the voices of false shepherds?  What helps me focus more on the voice of the Good Shepherd? Assuming that we do not allow ourselves to be frustrated with the symbolism of Jesus as Shepherd because sheep and shepherds are not a major factor in our present day life, how do we react to false voices addressing us in our lives?  Do we recognize Jesus’ voice or do all the voices sound alike after a while?  Because we live such a fast paced life we do not always take the time to check ourselves on this matter.  All too often a voice is a voice.  Unfortunately we act on false ones just as easily as the true voice.  What can we do about this?

Question for Children: How do I know that Jesus, the Good shepherd, is protecting and guiding me? When do I feel his love and care the most?  Your child may need a little help with this concept for the same reason we, as adults, need help.  The real question is whether or not they know that Jesus is protecting and guiding them.  If they have difficulty with the concept of shepherd, do not waste too much time trying to bring it home to them.  If you can lead them through the main question you will have done very well.

Diocesan News:          This week we continue our study of the diocesan situation with respect to the declining numbers of priests.  Last week we addressed the problem related to retired priests and religious priests.  This week we address the priest that work at the diocesan office.  About seven or eight years ago there were some six or seven priests working full or part time at the Diocesan office.  Fr. Michael Kerper was one such priest.  He was the only one that had a parish, (ours), at the time.  The other priests were relatively free to be available to help out in various parishes on the weekend.     Over the past six years the number of priests working at the Diocesan Office has diminished to two.  All other priests have been given a full time parish thus are no longer available to help out in an emergency or for vacations etc.  This includes Bishop Christien who was given the responsibility of a parish in Nashua some three or four years ago.     As if this were not bad enough, there is one retired priest who has been asked to step in to replace a full timer at the tribunal.  He accepted to do so on a part time basis until other accommodations could be made.  This may or may not be soon in coming since we have no one being ordained this year and only one ordination next year.  There will certainly be priests retiring, getting sick unexpectedly or perhaps even a sudden death.     One town that is being affected by the decline in retired priests and lack of priests at the diocese is Salem.  The two parishes in Salem are presently being served by the Jesuit priests.  There are three of them living in Salem.  Sadly, one of them has reached the age of 80 and is not feeling well enough to help out much longer.  The two parishes in Salem will be unified in the near future.  Although two priests could possibly hold on to two parishes for a little while they have no one to back them up should one of them get sick or, a worse case scenario, if one of them if transferred out of state.  This would cause a sudden change that would be even worse than the present plan.

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

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

Rice Bowls:  If you participated in the Rice Bowl program this Lent, it is time to bring in the results.  Please place a check for the amount collected and drop it in the basket, labeling it CRS – Rice Bowl.  Please write out the check payable to St. Paul Parish.  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 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.