TENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME + JUNE 8, 2008

ALERT!!! PARENTS OF CHILDREN IN GRADES K-10 (2007-2008)

Due to an oversight on the part of St. Peter Parish, your child(ren) did not participate in safe environment training last year. As you know, the Diocese of Manchester must be assured that children and young people of the Diocese be informed with the program called Circles of Care. Because of this oversight, it is imperative that you receive these materials and use them to train your children at home. Personally addressed packets are available on the table set up at the rear of the church. Please pick your packet up today. If you would like more information regarding Circles of Care, you may view the classroom lessons online at www.catholicnh.org  under Child Safety: Training: Circles of Care. In addition, the website contains articles, parent guides and other reference materials on child safety topics.

On the Way....

This week I leave for my annual vacation. I have been looking forward to the vacation since 1976!!! Let me explain. During the American bi-centennial, the International Eucharistic Congress was held in Philadelphia. At the time some parishioners I knew attended and brought me a souvenir, a pewter plate, with the Congress logo. Several years later, while in Berlin, parishioners attended the International Eucharistic Congress in Nairobi, Kenya, and brought me a souvenir, a red/green stole, with the Congress logo. I wondered if I would ever be able to go to such a congress. Two years ago the City of Quebec was designated as the site for this year’s 49th International Eucharistic Congress, coinciding with the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city. Here was my chance! I spoke to my cousin who lives just a few kilometers outside the Capitol City of the Province, reserving his guest room. I asked Shirley to block out these two weeks, but she told me the new books would not be printed for a year! I got to work looking for a replacement. And now, passport in hand, I am going to the 49th International Eucharistic Congress. See you later!

Even though the word adore is associated with awe, respect and reverence, the original meaning is quite simple: from the Latin ad (towards) + orare (to speak with). So when we adore, we are fundamentally speaking with Jesus Christ. Some people close their eyes to keep away distractions, so they can concentrate on their conversation with Jesus. Others seem to gaze on the crucifix or tabernacle, or a statue. Many people need to be alone and silent. In each of these cases there is a presumption that the person believes that Jesus Christ is really present in the Eucharist. Lord Jesus, help me believe you are truly present in the Eucharist and in me, especially when I receive your Body and Blood.

PARISH NURSE: Friday from 7:30-10:00 am.

Weekly Offertory: $5,839

NEXT WEEKEND is the annual appeal for the Works of the Holy Father (Peter’s Pence). This collection enables the Holy Father to respond with emergency financial assistance to requests to aid the most needy throughout the world - those who suffer as a result of war, oppression, and natural disasters. We are assessed $686 for this collection, so we ask that you be generous to this worthwhile appeal.

MY SACRIFICIAL GIVING: Matthew was sitting at his customs post when Jesus said to him: "Follow me." Matthew got up and followed Him immediately, seeing a greater value in Jesus than the finances that surrounded him. If I see Jesus as a greater value than my finances, it will become much easier for me to follow Him in my sacrificial giving.

PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS those who died last week, and especially Ann Priester, sister of Helene Belanger of this parish.

WELCOME TO NEWLY-REGISTERED PARISHIONERS: Jeff and Amy Gilbert, and son Jacob; Ashley Ferland.

Is your marriage tearing you apart? Call Retrouvaille at 1-800-470-2230 or go to www.retrouvaille.org 

CHRISTIAN FORMATION NEWS

The registration does not roll over from year to year. Please re-register by picking up a registration form for 2008-09 found at the entryways to church, and return to us a.s.a.p.

ALTAR SERVERS, SPECIAL MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST, AND LECTORS: This weekend there will be a sign-up sheet in the sacristy, for the July -Labor Day schedule. Please sign up two or three times if you can. You may also call Shirley at 623-5429 or e-mail Shirley at stpeteraub@comcast.net  to give specific dates that you are available.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: Meeting June 19, at 7:30 pm, Parish Hall.

Completion of Cara Report - to see full report, go to our website www.stpeteraub.org 

Other findings of the survey included:

Respondents with children are most likely to say it is "somewhat" or "very" important that their children celebrate First Communion (81 percent), followed by Confirmation (78 percent), and finally First Reconciliation (77 percent). Nearly all parents who attend Mass at least once a month say it is at least "somewhat" important that their children celebrate all three sacraments.

Nine in ten or more Mass-attending Catholics (attending at least a "few times a year") say the following aspects of Mass are at least "somewhat" important to them: feeling the presence of God (94 percent), prayer and reflection (93 percent), and receiving Eucharist (92 percent). Aspects of less importance include the music (71 percent) and the Church environment and decorations (66 percent).

Twenty-six percent of adult Catholics say they participate in the sacrament of reconciliation once a year or more often (this is equivalent to 13.3 million adults). Only 2 percent of Catholics do so once a month or more often. Thirty percent say they go to confession less than once a year and 45 percent say they never do so.

More than three in four respondents (77 percent) agree at least "somewhat" with the statement, "I am proud to be Catholic" (56 percent agree "strongly"). More than eight in ten (81 percent) consider their Catholic faith to be important in their daily life (41 percent say that this is either "among the most important parts" of their life or "the most important part" of their life).

Eighty-three percent of respondents say that helping those in need is either "somewhat" or "very" important to their "sense of what it means to be a Catholic." Eight in ten say receiving the Eucharist is equally important (79 percent), followed by receiving Confirmation (74 percent), living a life consistent with Church teaching (73 percent), having devotion to Mary (68 percent), attending Mass (66 percent), having devotion to the saints (63 percent), and going to Confession (56 percent).

Those who have attended Catholic educational institutions are among the most likely to say that "living my life consistent with Church teaching" is "very" important to their sense of what it means to be Catholic. Fifty-four percent of those who attended a Catholic college or university responded as such, as did 49 percent of those who attended Catholic high schools and 46 percent of those who attended Catholic elementary and middle schools.

The full poll can be found at http://cara.georgetown.edu/sacraments.html 

The Gospel continues the theme found in the First Reading that God does not desire external observance, but rather God calls for the conversion of the heart. This account tells of the call of Matthew (Levi), the tax collector. This was considered to be an unclean profession, and tax collectors were shunned. Jesus, on the other hand, reached out to them and to other sinners and offered them His love and forgiveness. The righteous (most often self-righteous) felt that they were self-sufficient. They thought that they didn't need Jesus. Sinners and tax collectors knew that they were broken and needed Jesus' intervention, and they were ready to respond to His call with all their heart.

MASS INTENTIONS

June 9, Mon. 7:00 am Denise Barbeau by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bergeron

June 10, Tue. 7:00 am Intention of the celebrant

June 11, Wed. 7:00 am Intention of the celebrant

June 14, Sat. 4:00 pm For all parishioners of St. Peter Church

June 15, Sun. 8:00 am Katie Carignan by Bob and Rita Booker

June 15, Sun. 11:00 am Lucien and Anna Gagnon by their son, Elude