The Pastor s Page. The Week at a Glance

Transcription

1 Week of October 12, 2014 Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time The Pastor s Page The Week at a Glance Dear Family in the Lord, I think we all have favorite quotes. Often, these are words of wisdom that we ve come across, sometimes from famous people, other times from ordinary folks we have been blest to encounter. In a few words, these quotes really seem to pull it together, inspire us, keep us in focus, or lead us into deeper understanding of life s reality. One of my favorites is from St. Teresa of Avila. The now-famous quote is referred to as Lines Written in Her Breviary. She wrote: Let nothing disturb thee, nothing affright thee. All things change. Only God remains. For me, these words not only keep me focused on the big picture, seeking all passing things in light of eternity, but have helped me at various transition points in my life when I ve been challenged to look back with gratitude and then move forward in hope and holy curiosity at what God has in store. I quoted them when, after eighteen years, I said goodbye in my former parish and prepared to come here to share the joys and challenges, the opportunities and adventures, of parish life with you, the united community of Corpus Christi. These words once again become a focus as we move forward in our efforts to become all we need to be as the Church in this area, in these times, reaching out to the challenges and needs that surround us. Many of you look back with gratitude to what you shared as part of three distinct parishes in this city prior to the 2006 merger. Many of those who are now part of our community have only known Corpus Christi are were led here after the merger. Over the past few years, we have been able to resurrect aspects of parish life from the diversity of the parish, and it has enriched our blended community. We ve also been richly blest with new ministries, new programs, and good things that were not part of prior history, but are now enjoyed and enriching, inspiring and challenging us to greater efforts at being contagious Catholics. We can rejoice in the reality that many who formerly were not actively living their faith are now doing so. They felt welcomed! They experienced inspiration and healing! They are now part of the Body of Christ here and are enriching us with their gifts. This weekend, I will be speaking about our parish vision and our efforts to more effectively meet the challenges and opportunities that are before us, to be good stewards of material resources, and to step out in faith, embracing a future full of hope. But, certainly, we need those words of St. Teresa to ring in our hearts as we move forward, embrace change, and discern the best way to move forward. Our focus can be summed up simply: we are seeking to move more deliberately from maintenance to mission. We are seeking to invest our time, talent, and treasure in the most effective way possible as we live out our Mission as a Catholic Community today, grateful for the past, and trusting and enthusiastic for the future. I am grateful to our Parish staff, Building Committee, Finance Committee, and Parish Council for their involvement in the process that brings us to this point. On Tuesday, October 23 rd, I invite you to join us for Evening Prayer and Benediction at 7:00 PM at St. Catherine Church. Afterward, we will gather to answer any questions and listen to observations as to how we can continue to move from maintenance to mission. Let s be united in prayer as we move forward together, embracing the opportunities and the challenges that come with change. With you on the Journey, Monday, October 13 Columbus Day parish offices closed today Tuesday, October 14 New Beginnings 1:30 PM (SJ H) Bible Study (in Spanish) 5:00 PM (EDPC LL) Bible Timeline 6:30 PM (SJ H) Televised Parish Mass 7 PM, Channel 98 Wednesday, October 15 Prayer Cenacle 2:00 PM (SC C) Unwrapping the Mass 6:30 PM (IC C) Thursday, October 16 Exposition/Adoration 8:30 AM-7 PM (SC) Evening Prayer & Benediction 7 PM (SC C) Pastoral Council Mtg 7:00 PM (SC) Televised Parish Mass 7 PM, Channel 98 Friday, October 17 Breakfast Group 8:30 AM (SC H) STA High School Day of Service at SJ, SC Wedding Rehearsal 4:00 PM (SC C) Italian Class 7:00 PM (EDPC LL) Haas/True Concert 7:30 PM (SJ C) Saturday, October 18 Men s Spirituality Grp 7:00 AM (SC) Ministry Retreat Day 9AM-2:30PM (SJ H) Wedding Liturgy 3:00 PM (SC C) Rosary 3:30 PM (IC C) Harvest Supper 5:00 PM (SC H) Sunday, October 19 Children K-5 Class Group B 9:50 AM (SPS) Televised Parish Mass 10 AM, Channel 98 Children s Choir Practice Noon (IC C) Choir Practice Spanish Mass 1:30 PM (SC) Spanish Mass 2:00 PM (SC C) MSYM Parent Meeting 4:30 PM (IC C) MSYM EDGE Night 5:30 PM (YR SPS) HSYM C1 5:30 PM (YR SPS) Parish Pastoral Council Members are reminded that we will gather in prayer at 7:00 PM this Thursday in our St. Catherine Church for Evening Prayer and Benediction, to be followed by our meeting. All are asked to keep our Council in prayer as we vision and plan for our parish!

2 Intentions For Holy Mass Special Events This Week! Monday OCT 13 Feria (weekday) 8:00AM SC Charles (Buddy) Gallagher, by Kathleen A. Morrissey Tuesday OCT 14 St. Callistus I 8:00AM SC Carol McCabe, by Don & Sonya Desjardins Wednesday OCT 15 St. Teresa of Jesus 8:00AM SC Kathleen M. Morrissey, by Kathleen A. Morrissey & the Kazenas Family 6:30PM IC Celebrant s Intention Thursday OCT 16 St. Margaret Mary 8:00AM SC Robert Ornellas, by Peter & Sofie Scontras Friday OCT 17 St. Ignatius of Antioch 8:00AM SC Mary Mento, by Frank & Kate Giordano Saturday OCT 18 St. Luke 8:00AM SC Vincenzo Sacramone, by Arthur & Helen Sacramone Vigil 29 th Sunday of Ordinary Time 4:00PM IC Geno Marconi, by his Wife & Family Sunday OCT th Sunday of Ordinary Time 8:30AM IC Claire Doyle (3 rd anniversary), by her daughter Maureen 10:30AM SJ Pro Populo (For our Parish Family) 2:00PM SC in Spanish Celebrant s Intention 4:00PM SJ Louise McGee, by Sue Ford Our Reflection Of God s Generosity To Us! Weekend of October 4/5, 2014 Envelopes/EFT $ 12, Loose $ 1, Total $ 14, Last weekend 316 envelope/23 EFT users contributed 87 % of our income. Poor Box Donations $ /20 WINNER$ $25 Winners ~ Week 7 # 189 Bill Niland # 31 Rick Wojnar Traveling Vocation Icon This week, Mike & Ela Wyka & Family will receive the Icon of Christ the Eternal High Priest into their home and intercede in a special way for our seminarians, for those discerning, and for many vocations to rise up from our community. We are looking forward to welcoming nationallyknown composers/musicians David Haas and Lori True to our parish this coming Friday and Saturday! Don t miss this wonderful opportunity! Concert of Prayer & Praise is at 7:30 PM on Friday, October 17 th, in our St. James Church. Retreat Day is from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM on Saturday, October 18 th, at St James. Tickets are on sale after Masses this weekend and in the office this week. Concert ticket is $15 in advance ($20 at the door). Retreat Day is $20 and includes continental breakfast and lunch. The Retreat day is highly recommended for all involved in any way in parish ministry, or those who would like to be as well. Looking forward to some wonderful reflective, joyful, and enriching days! Join us! ADULT ENRICHMENT SPECIAL! MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3 rd St Catherine Church Holy Mass at 6:30 PM, followed by Presentation More than ever, the power of the Evil One and the destruction it causes is rampant in our world. Most are not even aware of this real battle between good and evil. We are pleased to be offering what we hope will be an eye-opening evening! SPIRITUAL WARFARE Fr. John Baceviciius, OFM, has had extensive experience in this area and will be our guest presenter. His talk will explore: What is the Occult? Levels and grades, grey or unknown areas Why people get involved: seeking knowledge, power, pleasure, curiosity Why it is forbidden: exploring Scripture, Church Teaching, Harm done to the person How to undo/get out of the influences of the Occult. Sometimes, totally unaware, our youth, and many adults, are dabbling in things that could have severe consequences and are opening themselves to the destructive power of the Evil One. Join us! Invite friends!

3 Parish News NEW! All Souls Novena We invite you to enroll your deceased loved ones in our All Souls Novena of Masses which will begin on All Soul s Day, November 2nd. Envelopes are in your packets or at the entrances of the churches. All names submitted will be placed at the altar and remembered in these nine Holy Masses. As we are reminded in the texts of the Funeral Liturgy, All the cords that unite us with one another in life do not unravel with death We invite you to include the souls of your departed in the treasury of graces offered in the greatest of all prayers we can offer, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Return envelopes via the collection or to the office before October 30 so the names can be included. NEW! Parade of Saints Hey kids, don't miss our special children's Mass coming up on Sunday, October 26 th, at 8:30 AM. Our Children's Choir will lead us in song, and we hope LOTS of you will come, dressed as your favorite saint, to be part of the Parade of Saints! Kids are asked to be in the basement hall of IC church (entrance on side near bell tower steps) by 8:10 AM. NEW! Wedding Bells! Next weekend, Chelsea Downing & Ben Lyons will pledge life and love in the sacrament of Marriage in our Immaculate Conception Church. We extend our congratulations and prayerful best wishes to them! May He who brought you together bless you in abundance in the years ahead as you live out this wonderful vocation. NEW! Recently Baptized We warmly welcome Jack Spaulding, who was given new life through water and the Holy Spirit in our Parish Community! To his parents and godparents we extend our congratulations and prayerful support as they live out the commitment they made to be the first teachers of these children in the ways of faith. In the words of the Rite, may they be the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith in what they say and do. NEW! Called Home to the Lord We remember in prayer the repose of the souls of David Lonergan and H. John Yopp, whose Funeral Masses were recently celebrated in our parish. To their families we extend our heartfelt sympathy and prayerful support as well. NEW! Parent Enrichment Session In response to the many adults who have expressed a desire to have a better understanding of our faith, we will be offering Parent Enrichment Sessions periodically during the year. These sessions will provide you with a foundational knowledge of our faith and will include time for questions and discussion. Sessions will coincide with children s class time. The first session (for Group B parents) will be next Sunday, October 19 th, in the St. Patrick School cafeteria, from 10:00 to 11:20 AM. The sessions begin after our Sunday Morning Fellowship, and are open to ALL who want to stay! Unwrapping the Mass Series Continues This Week Plan to join us to deepen your appreciation and celebration of the greatest of all prayers, the Holy Mass. We will explore various aspects in a four week series. We start this week! WEDNESDAYS October 15, 22, 29 in Immaculate Conception Church Holy Mass will be offered at 6:30 PM, followed by the presentation by Fr. Gary at 7:00 PM. This Week: Historical Development of the Holy Mass from Last Supper to current Roman Missal Next Week: Mass as Sacrifice and "foretaste of Heaven Final Night: Instructional Mass. We will begin at 6:30 and offer reflections and commentary throughout the entire actual celebration of Holy Mass to create deeper awareness of each part. You won't go to Mass the same way ever again after this enrichment series. NEW! Training for New Altar Servers There will be a training session for new altar servers at 9:00 AM on Saturday, October 25, at Immaculate Conception Church. NEW! Thanks to NE Printing & Copying! Many thanks to parishioner Alan Higginbotham, owner of New England Printing & Copying, at 599 Lafayette Rd. in Portsmouth, for his donation of the tickets for our Christmas Festival Cash Raffle. If you ever need printing/copying work done, please give Alan a call at and let him know you heard of him here. NEW! Casino Trip Corpus Christi Parish will be sponsoring a bus trip to Foxwood Casino in Connecticut on Friday, October 24th. To sign up, call Marilyn Chavez at The cost is just $35.00 per person and includes a surprise package when you arrive. Call soon to reserve a spot for this parish FUNdraiser! NEW! New Beginnings New Beginnings is an informal group to come and share with other widows and widowers about how to go forward in life after your spouse has died. Come share your ideas about how to handle the difficult or awkward social situations you experience as a widow or widower. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 14 th, 1:30 to 3:30 PM. NEW! Preschool Playgroup at SPS On Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30-11:00, St. Patrick School hosts a free playgroup for 2 and 3 year-olds. Children are welcome, with an adult, on a drop-in basis. This is a wonderful opportunity for children and their families to make new friends and explore everything that St. Patrick School has to offer them. Please call or mgould@stpatsportsmouth.org to find out more information.

4 Harvest Supper Saturday, October 18 th 5:00 6:30 PM St. Catherine Hall The first in a series of four parish fellowship dinners, our Harvest Supper, is coming up soon! We ll be serving roast pork tenderloin with root vegetables and mini desserts. (Children s menu available as well.) Doors will open at 5 PM, and dinner will be served between 5:30 and 6PM. Tickets are on sale after Masses this weekend, or from the parish office during the week. NO tickets will be sold at the door. Don t delay! Bring the whole family; bring friends! Tickets are $ 7.00 for adults, $ 6.00 for seniors, $5.00 for children aged 5-12, free for under 5, and a family price cap (immediate family only) of $25. Join us at our Parish Supper for good company and good food! Contact the parish office, , if you have any questions. WEEKLY ADORATION DAY The more we understand WHO the Eucharist is, the more we will find our desire growing to spend time with Jesus, present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in the Most Blessed Sacrament. In addition to our churches being open for your visits to Him every day, we are given a great opportunity to come for some oneon-one time in personal prayer and quiet adoration as Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place on the altar of our St. Catherine Church every Thursday from 8:30 AM until 7:00 PM. What a great way to recall, and give thanks, each week for this great gift on the day Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper on that Thursday night before he died! Vespers (Evening Prayer) and Benediction at 7:00 PM bring the day to a close. This brief, communal prayer can be a great mid-week refresher! If you re not free during the day, why not drop in after work and stay to join in the closing at 7:00 PM. And if you are free why not make a weekly appointment with Jesus? FEAST OF ST. JOHN PAUL II Wednesday, October 22 nd, is the Feast day of Pope Saint John Paul II, the first celebration since his canonization last April! We invite you to join us in celebration here in our parish! A School Mass will be offered at 9:30 AM in our IC Church, followed by a procession to our school to dedicate the chapel as St. John Paul II Chapel. The usual parish morning Mass will be offered at 8:00 AM at St. Catherine Church. In the evening, we will offer Holy Mass at 6:30 PM in our IC Church. During that Mass, an image of Saint JP II that Fr. Gary obtained in Poland will be blest and given a place of honor at our Lady s altar. Plan to join us for one of these opportunities to celebrate this great witness of faith and powerful heavenly helper! Support Our School! Save the Date! St. Patrick School invites you to its 9 th annual Shoot for the Stars Auction for Education Friday, November 7 6 PM at Portsmouth Country Club Support Catholic Education and our school! Buy a ticket for the "Shoot for the Stars" Auction $50/person Three course, sit down dinner, cash bar, and Lucky Chance opportunities for all levels of giving. Even if you can't make it, purchasing a ticket is a great show of support! Give it to a friend. Get ready for the holidays by purchasing a $20 raffle ticket for the "100 bottles" of Wine Raffle. Only 250 tickets will be sold. spsfallauction@gmail.com or call Amanda at the school at for details! Update on Shannon As you know, on September 29 th our former Youth Minister, Shannon Marshall, entered the Daughters of Mary of Nazareth, a newly-forming Community of Sisters. She was overwhelmed by your kindness and prayerful support. If you d like to drop her a note from time to time to let her know she continues to be supported by her parish family, her address is: Shannon Marshall Daughters of Mary of Nazareth 509 Hammond St. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

5 Community Postings Christmas Festival Packets The white packets are out at the entrances of all three churches again this weekend. Inside you ll find details and ways you can plug in to help make our oncea-year parish-wide effort Christmas Festival 2014 a successful FUN and FUND raiser! Can you solicit prizes? Donate a gift? Create a theme basket? Help out the weekend of November 21 & 22 or the week before? Read through and let us know soon! For now please make every effort to sell the raffle tickets enclosed in the packet! Last year, over $10, came in before the Festival weekend even happened, thanks to pre-event raffle sales. You will note there are GREAT cash prizes in this gigantic raffle, thanks to some wonderful benefactors. This means great prizes for the lucky winners, and, because the tickets themselves were donated by New England Printing & Copying, every dollar of every ticket you sell is profit! It s time to approach those who have tagged you with their opportunities to support some of their efforts. Simply drop an envelope with the $ and stubs in the collection. Mark the envelope: Raffle. If you could sell more than the $25 enclosed, extra tickets will be out at the doors soon! Save The Weekend To Be With Us! Friday, November 21, from 3 to 8 PM Saturday, November 22, from 8 AM to 2 PM St. James Hall A time of fellowship, food, and fun for all ages! Youth Ministry NEW! Middle School YM Upcoming Dates! Sunday, October 5 4:30 PM, Immaculate Conception MSYM PARENT MEETING! Sunday, October 19 5:30-7:30 PM, YR SPS Middle School YM EDGE Night Sunday, October 26 5:30-7:30 PM, YR SPS Holy-Ween, teaching & social. Dress as your favorite saint! NEW! Confirmation Schedule Sunday, October 12 Sunday, October 19 5:30 PM, YR SPS T3 Bible Timeline 5:30-7:30 PM, YR SPS C1 DecisionPoint Life is Choices Trip to LaSalette Shrine Members of Corpus Christi Parish are organizing a trip to the LaSalette Shrine in Attleboro, MA. The trip will include a viewing of the famous Festival of Lights, Fr. Pat s Christmas Concert, and an opportunity for Reconciliation and to attend Mass. The cost is just $59 per person, which covers the cost of transportation by motor coach. Dinner is available at additional cost. The coach will leave from 508 Post Road in Greenland at 11 AM on Sunday, November 30th, and will return by 9 PM. For more information, please contact Egizia Brown at or egiziabrown@comcast.net. Bereavement Support Group Catholic Charities New Hampshire, in conjunction with St. Theresa Parish in Rye Beach, will host a Bereavement Support Group. The group will meet for six Tuesday evenings, 6:30 to 8:30, October 21 to November 25. The meetings will be held at St. Theresa Church Hall, 820 Central Road, Rye Beach. There is no fee for participating in this group. Please pre-register by calling Sr. Helene at NH Catholic Charities, Oremus Prayer Study Want to deepen your prayer life to prepare for Christmas? The Catholic Prayer Study, Oremus, will run for 8 weeks starting October 17th. This study teaches you the essentials of an effecttive and fruitful prayer life. In Scripture we read of profound interactions people have with God. We hear of Saints who seemed to have a direct line to Him their entire lives. But most of the time we feel like this is far beyond our reach. After all, we re not prophets, and certainly not (yet) Saints! In our busy lives, prayer is seen as a luxury, when in reality it is at the foundation of a healthy spiritual life. The good news is you can overcome your difficulties with prayer, and it is easier than you might think. Oremus will be offered at St. Michael Parish in Exeter, costs $20, and will provide the beautiful workbook. To register, please contact Corpus Christi parishioner Julia Hoenig at or JulieMayHoenig@gmail.com. Worldwide Marriage Encounter Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. Let your Sacrament of Marriage or Holy Orders be the rock for your vocation. The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend is October For more information, call Jim and Elaine Richard at WWME or visit Attention Veterans: A terminal diagnosis can be a lonely experience for anyone, but for a veteran, that diagnosis can present unique issues. At a time when understanding is needed most, many veterans find themselves isolated, even from family and friends. You can help end that isolation by becoming a Veteran to Veteran hospice volunteer. Who better to support those patients at the end of life than another veteran? Hospice Volunteer Training Sessions will be offered beginning October 20 and continuing each Monday evening from 5:30 to 7:30, through November 24. Must have minimum of five people for training to be held. Classes will be held at Rockingham VNA & Hospice, 137 Epping Road in Exeter. To register or for more information, call Martha Carlson at , X 140.