OUR LADY OF HOPE and ST. BRIGID SCHOOL A Jesuit Ministry May 26 / 27, 2018 www.ladyofhopemaine.org Pastoral Staff Rev. Paul Sullivan, S.J.- Pastor Rev. John d Anjou, S.J.- Parochial Vicar Rev. Vincent Curtin, S.J. Senior Priest Rev. Mr. John McAuliffe, Deacon Parish Musicians Lori Arsenault Joan Dube Tom Luna Richard Pitre Christina Siravo Nancy Curran Office Staff Mary Cafazzo Linda McCormack Melodye Deberadinis Jean Ingalls Andrew Litcher Parish Business Administrator Parish Administrative Assistant School Bookkeeper Office Assistant IT and Maintenance Maintenance Faith Formation ourlady.religioused@gmail.com Sandra Litcher-Director of Religious Education -Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Coordinator Finance Council Barbara Galardo, Bill Green, Jon Melanson, Charlie Noyes, Barbara Willey Pastoral Council Kristen Connelly, Andy Litcher, Sr. Claire Pouliot, David Reese, Sue & John Mullen, Elizabeth Tarasevich pastoral.council@ladyofhopemaine.org Sacrament of Baptism Please call the Pastoral Office at 207-797-7026 to register for pre-baptism class. Sacrament of Marriage Couples should contact the Pastoral Office at least six months in advance. Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday - St. Joseph Church 2:30 to 3:00 PM Saturday - St. Pius X Church 3:30 to 4:00 PM Saturday - St. Peter Church 2:30 to 3:30 PM Or By Appointment Pastoral Office, 673 Stevens Avenue, Portland, ME 04103-2540 207-797-7026 email: Linda.McCormack@portlanddiocese.org Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM The office is closed on Fridays except by appointment (including phone calls). Phone messages left at any time are returned as soon as possible on the next regular work day. Upcoming Events June 23 - Summer Fun Raffle / Parish Picnic - St. Pius X Hall Additional Weekly Masses with our Jesuit Community: Monastery - 7AM Monday thru Friday 8AM Saturday St. Brigid School - 8AM - Monday (School Days) Cheverus - 7:15AM Monday thru Friday (School Days) St. Joseph s Chapel at Mercy State St. 11:30 AM Monday thru Thursday Our Lady of Mercy Chapel at Mercy Fore River - 11:30 AM Friday Readings for the Week of May 27, 2018 Sunday: Dt 4:32-34, 39-40/Ps 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22 [12b]/Rom 8:14-17/Mt 28:16-20 Monday: 1 Pt 1:3-9/Ps 111:1-2, 5-6, 9 and 10c [5]/Mk 10:17-27 Tuesday: 1 Pt 1:10-16/Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 [2a]/Mk 10:28-31 Wednesday: 1 Pt 1:18-25/Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 [12a]/Mk 10:32-45 Thursday: Zep 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16/Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 [6]/Lk 1:39-56 Friday: 1 Pt 4:7-13/Ps 96:10, 11-12, 13 [13b]/Mk 11:11-26 Saturday: Jude 17, 20b-25/Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6 [2b]/Mk 11:27-33 Next Sunday: Ex 24:3-8/Ps 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18 [13]/Heb 9:1115/Mk 14:12-16, 22-26 Observances for the Week of May 27, 2018 Sunday: The Most Holy Trinity Monday: Memorial Day Tuesday: - - Wednesday: - - Thursday: The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Friday: St. Justin, Martyr Saturday: Sts. Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs Next Sunday: The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
II SATURDAY: May 26, 2018 - The Most Holy Trinity 4:00 PM St. Joseph Frances Gall by Steve Morris (Fr Vince) 4:30 PM St. Pius X Katherine Bostook (Fr Paul) SUNDAY: May 27, 2018 - The Most Holy Trinity 7:00 AM St. Pius X For the People of the Parish (Fr Bob P) 8:00 AM St. Joseph Eileen Josephs by Richard Josephs (Fr Bob L) 9:00 AM St. Pius X Elaine Gray by Uncle Jimmy (Fr Jack d ) 10:00 AM St. Joseph Philip B. Hatch, Jr. by Nancy & Gino Mancini (Fr Bob P) 5:00 PM St. Joseph Gloria C. Gallant by Judy Lee (Fr Vince) MONDAY May 28, 2018 - Memorial Day 8:00 AM - St. Joseph (No School Mass) 9:00 AM St. Pius X The Arthur Richard Family* by Dick & Marie Coyne TUESDAY: May 29, 2018 8:00 AM - St. Joseph (School Mass) Philip B. Hatch, Jr. by Paula Murphy 9:00 AM St. Pius X Margarete Reisch by Barbara & Terry Goodwin WEDNESDAY: May 30, 2018 9:;00 AM - St. Pius X Petronilla Walsh by Buddy & Jeanne Capozza THURSDAY: May 31, 2018 9:00 AM St. Pius X Robert Marlowe by Dick & Marie Coyne FRIDAY: June 1, 2018 9:00 AM St. Pius X Regina McBride by Dick & Marie Coyne SATURDAY: June 2, 2018 - The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ 4:00 PM St. Joseph Donald Farr by Marcia Farr (Fr. Paul) 4:30 PM St. Pius X Eugene D. Banks by the Banks Family (Fr. Vince) SUNDAY: June 3, 2018 - The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ 7:00 AM St. Pius X All Souls by Lillian Cremo (Fr. Paul) 8:00 AM St. Joseph For the People of the Parish (Fr. Jack d ) 9:00 AM St. Pius X Kathleen Bostock by the Family (Fr. Vince) 10:00 AM St. Joseph Philip B. Hatch, Jr. Helen Malone (Fr. Paul) 12:00 PM - St. Joseph Cheverus Baccalaureate Mass (Fr. Bob P) 5:00 PM St. Joseph Joanne M. Lounsbury by Margaret Brown (Fr. Paul) In The Memory Sanctuary of Gilles Candle burns this week at: St. Joseph Church Bill McMahon IV St. Pius X Church Wendy Malcolm & Family 05/27 to 06/02 Property and Grounds Gutter replacement work at St. Joseph Church has begun. We ve been waiting for this company for two years. They tell us the project will take 6 weeks and will not interfere with our use of the building. The cost for this work is $50,000. Right now we expect to take this amount out of parish savings. We do thank you for your support of this work which is necessary to prevent further serious damage to the building. Thank you again for your support of the parking lot work. To date we have raised about $37,000 of the $108,000 needed for that work. Memorial Day Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was made official by the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, General John Logan, on May 5, 1868. It was initially declared as a day of remembrance for the U.S. soldiers who died during the Civil War, but it eventually became a day of remembrance for American soldiers who died fighting any war. On the first Decoration Day, while General James Garfield made a speech, 5,000 people decorated the graves of 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery. By 1890, the day was recognized by the northern states, but the South rejected the holiday until after World War I, when Memorial Day no longer was a day declared to commemorate Civil War soldiers, but all American soldiers who died in war. Though more than 24 cities and towns have claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York the official birthplace in May 1966. The holiday became an official holiday in 1971, but was not recognized until 1973, when New York became the first state to acknowledge the holiday. Memorial Day is typically observed by visiting cemeteries or memorials, attending family gatherings or participating in parades. Let us remember those who have given their lives in service of our country. Let is honor their sacrifice by taking seriously our duty as citizens to participate in the civic life of our communities, State, and Nation. Congratulations to our 8 th graders - Awards Night This week marks an important step for our eighth grade students as they approach graduation from St. Brigid s on June 5 th. On Friday Evening June 1 the Class, their teachers and guests will gather for an Awards Dinner. The awards portion will be held in church and therefore available on our live-stream feed. We give thanks for these young men and women and their teachers. We are grateful to the parents who have entrusted their children to our school and to all the parishioners, benefactors and friends who make the life of St. Brigid possible. Fr. Paul SJ
Weekly Offertory Report Your Gifts of Stewardship for the Weekend of May 12/13, 2018 Our Lady of Hope Parish 1st Collection was $ 9,532.51 envelopes were used 291 Weshare: (1st Collection) $ 1,521.99 Weshare Transactions 74 TOTAL Parish Offertory was $ 11,054.50 (In order to meet our budget for this year, our First collection needs to average $13,500.00 per week. Thank you for your generosity God Bless April Parish Poor Box Collection $335.71 Sacred Heart/St. Dominic Food Pantry Poor Box for May is Wayside Soup Kitchen Candles : The Sanctuary candle at St. Pius and St. Joseph which burn for a whole week, may be sponsored in memory of loved ones or in honor of those living. The requested donation is $20. To arrange for this, either contact the Parish Office or place your gift and a note in an envelope and but it in the collection basket. We also have vigil candles at St. Joseph Church which can be lit. Pastoral Council Selections We have received the names of candidates for our Parish Pastoral Council. These names have been placed on the altar in each of our churches and we will pray over this selection for the next several weeks. On Pentecost we will choose the names of the three people joining the Council. Finance and Administration "Paving Our Way to the Future" In the past week seven more contribution have arrived for the Paving Project ($332.69 total). Thanks to all donors. We now stand at $37,451.69 collected toward an expected cost of $108,000. That means we have $70,548.31 to raise. Every contribution helps and is appreciated. Gratefully, Fr. Paul SJ Giving History Of the nearly 2000 registered families in our parish, we have received gifts from 68 families or groups who have identified themselves. In several cases these individuals or families have made more than one gift. We also have 60 gifts made anonymously. Some of these anonymous benefactors are also making multiple gifts, in some cases, weekly gifts. We extend our great thanks and prayers to you who have brought us this far. If you or your family have not yet added your support to this important and necessary project, please consider doing so. We need your help, and every gift counts. We have raised over $37,000 but still have about $70,000 to go. Once the work is completed (likely by the time you read this) we have to make payment. Since we do not have the whole $108,000 on hand, this means we will draw on a loan for this purpose. It is in everyone s interest to save interest payments by paying down the loan as quickly as possible. SUMMER FUN RAFFLE/PARISH PICNIC JUNE 23, 2018 The Parish Events Committee would like to thank those of you who have provided wonderful donations toward the parish Summer Fun Raffle. They are very grateful and continue to pray for a larger response to ensure a fun and successful raffle. Would you please take a moment look at the raffle prize Wish List (available on the parish website) and see what you can contribute? Our hope is to have several big bundles of prizes to choose from with lots of fun gifts and activities to make this raffle enjoyable and exciting. Thank you for your support to Our Lady of Hope Parish. Summer Fun Raffle Prize Wish List: Summer theater tickets, Sea Dog tickets/merchandise, State Park Passes, Portland Foodie tour, Maine Beer Tour, L.L. Bean gift certificate, summer/sports camp spot, Walmart gift card, Casco Bay Ferry cruise, Whale Watching Cruise, area restaurants/bakeries gift cards, music venues admission, bike/boating shops gift cards, Desert of Maine tickets, Gray Wildlife Park tickets, beach blankets, cooler, lawn games, picnic basket/supplies, movie/drive-in theater gift card, Back Bay Bowling, Easy Day Bowling (SoPo), kite, Duck Tour, Funtown/Splash Town passes, Aquaboggan passes, The Escape Room gift card, beach towels, sand toys, and more. Think summer and be creative. Southern Maine has so much to offer for summer fun! Tickets for the Summer Fun Raffle will be on sale beginning in May! Drawing for the raffle will take place at the annual parish family cookout on June 23rd so mark your calendars! More details about the parish family cookout will be in future bulletins. Annulment Talk in Saco on June 7 Shannon Fossett, a canonist in the Diocese of Portland s Office of the Tribunal, will lead a discussion on the annulment process on Thursday, June 7, at 6:30 p.m. The special gathering will be held at Most Holy Trinity Church, located on 271 Main Street in Saco. The talk will cover the annulment process in place in the diocese, particularly the changes implemented by Pope Francis in 2015. There will be a question and answer period and an opportunity to speak privately to a canonist. All are welcome. For more information, contact the Diocese of Portland s Office of the Tribunal at (207) 773-6471. III
IV Faith Formation Religious Education 207-358-7678 Classes Pre-K - 5 RCIA - Right of Christian Initiation of Adults Our Lady of Hope Sebastian Rasle, SJ Prayer Circle June Intentions Members and friends of our parish are invited to join our Prayer Circle - no meetings or dues! Just a commitment to pray for the monthly intentions. 1. For the spiritual health, vitality, and financial support of Our Lady of Hope Parish and St. Brigid School. 2. For our young people, those graduating from St. Brigid School, Cheverus, and other area primary and secondary schools and universities, that their journeys ahead be blessed, that they seek God in their lives and seek to be people for others. 3. For those for whom summer brings extra work: migrant farm workers, those staffing restaurants, hotels, parks and other attractions, for lifeguards and safety personnel. We pray for their well-being. Universal Prayer The Catholic Appeal * As disciples who are called to make a difference in our world, may our offering bring new opportunities for the Church to reach out to those in need through the Catholic Appeal. * As stewards who are grateful for the many gifts with which God has entrusted us, may we respond generously to the Catholic Appeal. * As disciples who are dedicated to supporting our brothers and sisters in need, may we prayerfully discern how we can help others through the Catholic Appeal. * As Catholics who live our convictions, may we be channels of Christ's presence in our world by participating in the Catholic Appeal in a spirit of unconditional love. * As Christians who are committed to the ministries of our diocesan church, may our support of the Catholic Appeal be a meaningful and practical expression of our faith. * As a people blessed by the Lord, may others come to know the caring and compassionate Christ as we share from our bounty through the Catholic Appeal. * As a people who have been saved by the Lord, may our commitment to the Catholic Appeal reflect God's gracious generosity to us. * As a people whom the Lord has called by name, may we say "Yes" to his invitation to sacrificial service and charity. * As disciples who are alive in the Risen Lord, may our actions reflect our desire to grow in the love and light of Christ. Upcoming 2nd Collections 05-26/27-2018 Catholic school Support 06-02/03-2018 Seminary and Ecclesiastical Students 06-09/10-2018 Snow Removal and Grounds Care 06-16/17-2018 Catholic Communications 06-23/24-2018 Fuel and Energy If you have any questions regarding your envelopes, please contact Linda at 207-797-7026 Thank you for your continued support and generous donations. Anointing of the Sick We have had a number of calls for anointings in recent weeks. Please be aware of these two points: 1. The Sacrament of Anointing is not a sacrament of the dying. The anointing is best done when the person is alert and able to participate in this beautiful blessing. There are other, special prayers, that can be offered at the time of a person's death. Also, waiting until the situation becomes an emergency may mean no priest is available to come in time. 2. If the ill person is in one of the health care facilities in the Portland area (for ex. The Barron Center, St. Joseph's Residence) then either have the staff at that facility contact the parish for the anointing or be sure the staff knows that you are calling. Our priests regularly visit these facilities. And if Hospice is involved, either have them call the parish or tell them that you are making that call. Otherwise the parish can get 2 or even 3 calls for the same person. This has happened several times recently. Please direct your call to the Parish Office 797-7026, not the number at St. Pius X Church. We have an endowment for the parish! The Our Lady of Hope Parish Endowment is for anyone who wishes to make a gift that can benefit our parish and its mission for years to come. Anyone can make a gift to the endowment, in any amount, at any time. Gifts can be of cash, a bequest in a will, stock, insurance, or property. Your gift will make a difference, and assist the parish needs in perpetuity. The Foundation makes distributions annually, to the parish for use as designated. Income from this endowment can be used in ways determined by the parish. Checks should be made out to The Catholic Foundation of Maine for the Our Lady of Hope Parish Endowment. For more information about how you can leave a legacy through a gift to our parish endowment, contact Elizabeth Badger, Executive Director, at the Catholic Foundation of Maine, 207-321-7820 MEMORIAL DAY MASS The annual outdoor Mass for deceased Veterans and family members will be held at 9:00 a.m. Monday, May 28 th at its usual location in the St. Dominic/ Armed Forces section of New Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. Msgr. Paul F. Stefanko will be the principal celebrant. In the event of rain, the Mass will be held at St. John and Holy Cross Parish, 124 Cottage Road, South Portland at the same time. Limited chairs are available so feel free to bring your own lawn chairs! This event is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Communities of Cluster 22 in cooperation with Adam and Caitlin Walker and the Staff of Conroy- Tully Walker Funeral Homes and Cremation Services. Note there is a regular parish 9:00 AM Mass at St. Pius X Church on Memorial Day. School Mass this week will be on Tuesday May 29 at 8:00 AM at St. Joseph Church. Coffee, Donuts and Funerals Making funeral arrangements can be awkward and confusing. Leaving it to your loved ones may be placing a burden on them and may also mean your desires are not followed. Please join us in the St. Pius X Parish Hall on Sunday, June 3 after the 9AM Mass to discuss Catholic Funerals, Pre-Arrangements and the church's position on Cremation. This program is an opportunity to discuss these difficult topics in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. Coffee, Donuts and Funerals is being offered by Adam Walker of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Homes.
V Adorations Tuesday Evenings 7:00 to 8:00 PM St. Joseph Church Fridays 9:30 AM to 12 Noon St. Pius X Church Rosary Devotion Monday through Thursday following 9:00 AM Mass St. Pius X Church Important June Meeting for the Our Lady of Hope Event Planning Committee and All Parish Organizations If you re a member of the Event Committee, or your job is to ensure that your organization s events are put on the church calendar, please plan to attend the meeting that s being held at St. Pius on Thursday, June 14, 2018, at 7 PM. At this meeting, the group will be reviewing and discussing all parish events that are scheduled to take place between September 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. Please come prepared to share the details of your group s events. If you are unable to attend, please ask another member to go in your place, or email your organization s event details to Mary Cafazzo at mary.cafazzo@portlanddiocese.org. Please email Candi Ingalls at cingalls7@gmail.com with any questions. Bulletin Items for the bulletin are due 10 days prior to publication. Please submit information to andrew.litcher@gmail.com.thank You Help Wanted Custodian (Full- Time) to provide cleaning services, basic maintenance for the parish buildings and properties, set-up/ break- down of hall/center for church and school events. Responsible for arranging inspections of fire systems, heating systems, elevators, kitchen, etc. in order to meet state and city requirements for parish buildings. The successful candidate should have 2-3 years experience, ability to take direction and work with minimal supervision, familiarity with janitorial equipment and supplies, an understanding and application of recording chemical logs (MSDS's). Candidate must have a valid driver s license and their own vehicle. Interested parties are asked to send their resume to mary.cafazzo@portlanddiocese.org. Come learn more about the real superheroes of our faith along with friends, music, art, snacks and games! When: June 25 th - 29 th, 2018 9:00am to 12noon Where: St. Peter s Church hall Federal St. Who: Students age K-5 with Middle/High school volunteers Only $25 per student! Register by June 1 st by calling Melissa Maurais 773-7746 or email: Melissa.maurais@portlanddiocese.org or online at www.portlandcatholic.org A Prayer for the Beatification of Father Rale Eternal Father, grant that Sebastian Rale, martyr of the faith among the Abenakis of Maine, will be raised to the altar of the blessed. Through his intercession, we pray that your divine favor will be manifest among us so that we may return praise to your eternal glory. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, world without end. Amen. Desire and the Church During this week of Pentecost I have been thinking about the Church as an institution, a community launched by Christ and gifted with the Holy Spirit. Our beginning, we profess, is through God s own activity, and our continuing life is through grace. This was certainly Ignatius understanding. For Ignatius, an election a choice to respond to Christ with one s whole life and work was necessarily embedded within the mission of the Church. Our contemporary understandings of institutions have fallen on hard times. (Groucho Marx: Marriage is a great institution. But who wants to live in an institution? ) Today that is even more true. For many Catholics, certainly, trust in the institution of the Church seems downright backward, when its sins are regularly exposed to the light of day. And other communions are not exempt from the criticisms that cascade so easily in our age of information. Yet in considering the Church as an institution which is in constant struggle, one can ask a critical question: How else can one assess, for example, that secularization of human existence which extinguishes faith and makes impossible that charity which is the destiny offered to human beings, destructive economic and political structures that dehumanize millions, massive movements for the killing of the unborn in what the present pope has called a culture of death, the sophisticated acceptance of religious despair as intrinsic to a realistic grasp of human life, and so forth. It is not enough to consider the spiritual life as a God and me endeavor. There is a necessary dimension of what Ignatius calls quite explicitly the hierarchical Church (in his Spanish, la Yglesia hierárchica). The problems our world faces today will not be solved only by individuals, but also by institutions. And a great challenge for all people is to make the Church into a great institution. Our blueprint is still valid: preach the gospel, heal the sick, comfort the lonely, instruct the ignorant, feed the poor, and so on. I don t think any of us doubt this. What we lack, I think, is desire. And here is where Ignatian spirituality speaks volumes. As Ignatius suggests, we ought to bring into prayer what we want and desire in this case, the grace of a new Pentecost, the graces of unity and shared mission and ability to preach in all languages a message of great hope. What I find dispiriting is the sense that sometimes we don t have that desire, or even want to have it. But again Ignatius reminds us that any true election any true desire to build a world that is rightly called the Reign of God must be part of the Church s mission. To say it differently: if it s not part of the Church s mission, then it s not good. To say it differently again: if it s good, it s part of the Church s mission. And here we are talking about discernment. My prayer during this week of Pentecost, then, is for discernment: my own, my parish s (going through a merger with a sister parish), my diocese s, my church s, and those of my fellow Christians and fellow children of God, all of us. My prayer is that God will elicit grand desires for great institutions, where great follows Jesus model of service. www.ignatianspirituality.com (slightly adapated)
Dear Parishioners, The academic year concludes on June 15 for the students at St. Brigid School. This year, like other years, has been one of spiritual, academic, and personal growth for the entire school community. This week the students led a prayer service that included the rosary, student performances of songs, and personal witness statements shared by the students from Cheverus who are sending the month of May volunteering at the school. The students in their weekly computer class learned about computer coding. In science the students conducted more STEM experiments than in any of my first three years as principal. The poetry and other writing assignments written by the sixth grade students continue to amaze me with their insight and thoughtfulness. In the area of extracurricular activities the school expanded its offerings to students. This expansion could not have taken place without the support of parent volunteers who gave many hours of their time and talent to make these new programs possible. One of our senior LEGO Robotics team called the Cybermen recently finished first in the state meet by creating and programming a robot that knocked empty cans from a table. Approximately 30 girls participated in the Girls on the Run program and 25 additional girls and boys from grades 1-5 participated in the Coastal Maine Running League. Several third grade girls made an appointment to see me early in the winter and requested that they be able to form a club called the Sisterhood. These students were prepared with a plan that was well thought out and contained achievable objectives centered on the theme of service. These students met regularly and served the school community well. They even wrote happy messages to be distributed to people in local hospitals. The events of this year are an indication of the power and potential of a loving community and I look forward to the beginning of the next academic year with great hope and anticipation. Sincerely, Bill Burke Principal Please Take the Time to Remember in Prayer Our children baptized in April Ryan Anthony Johnson, Axel Bragdon Shaw, Aubrey Jeanne Guinard School News St. Brigid School 297-797-7073 www.sbrigid.com 675 Stevens Avenue Portland, Maine 04103-2640 William Burke - Principal Mary-Ann Russo - Director of Institutional Advancement For the repose of the souls of those whose funerals we celebrated in March and April Elizabeth Gomes, David d'anjou, Jon Stokes, Doris Ledue, Mary Lunt, Theresa Amadei, John (Jack) O'Brien, Peter Scala, Margaret Ladd,Barbara Ann Gore,and Melda Downs Value for your dollar Someone recently raised the question of "are we getting our money's worth" in terms of contracted services (example: the parking lot). Let me share that there is a careful process for awarding contracts. 1. Any expense over $2500 has to be approved by the Buildings and Grounds office at chancery. 2. We are required to solicit at least three bids which include all the specifications for the work being proposed. 3. We then check the contractors with the diocese in terms of job performance, quality of work, etc on any previous jobs. Some contractors have poor "track records" and we want to know that and avoid doing business with them. 4. We review all bids, looking carefully at the details of what is covered or not covered in the contract. 5. We then make our choice and receive approval from the diocese to "go ahead." In terms of the parking lot and the extent of the work being done, we are getting a very good price and dealing with a very reputable company that has done a great deal of work with other churches in the diocese. Sometimes, as you know from home, "cheapest is not best." That is the case with the gutter repair at St. Joseph's. When that work was done some 12 years ago, a lower bid was accepted, but the work was not done according to the best specifications for that kind of job. The result is that we have to re-do it today. We are making every effort to get the best value for money and the best quality job. As projects are discussed in the parish, we welcome the advice and shared expertise of parishioners as part of this decision-making process. Fr Paul SJ Global Day of Parents is a United Nations observance held on June 1. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 and has been celebrated annually ever since. Most countries observe Mother's Day and Father's Day to celebrate all parents, and some countries have a combined Parents' Day. In order to support this tradition and honor parents throughout the world, the UN General Assembly proclaimed Global Day of Parents to appreciate all parents for their selfless commitment to children. In every culture and society, parents are primary caregivers of children responsible for the nurturing and protection of their offspring. Development of a child's personality heavily depends on his or her parents' ability to create a safe and at the same time challenging environment. Global Day of Parents focuses on raising awareness of the important role parents play in bringing up children and therefore in the development of local communities and societies in general. In our Catholic tradition, when we baptize infants or young children, the baptismal prayers affirm that parents are the first and best teachers of their children in the life of faith and membership in the church. We pray for the parents of our parish and school children that by their example of healthy and active Catholic life they are the best of teachers. We pray for all those who may be assisting or standing in for parents in the care of children: grandparents, relatives, friends, those working in social service agencies, teachers. May you be blessed with the wisdom and strength to be excellent role models for the children entrusted to your care. VIII