ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME + JUNE 15, 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. (It would help us if you would also deliver your neighbors’ packets as well!) 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.

Father Roger Bilodeau, a good friend and fine priest, is covering while I am on vacation. Though he is retired, he is very helpful to parishes and priests around the diocese. He has assisted here previously. Some call him "Father Roger", others call him "Father Bill", I call him for his meals and he is always there! Kidding, of course. Father Bilodeau and I have spent a couple of 5-day retreats together since we share May 15 as the date of our ordination to the priesthood, he in 1965, and I, 6 years later.

Happy Father’s Day to all our fathers. The observance of Father’s Day has an important place in American life. We pray for our dads because they have given us life and love. We pray for those fathers who have lost a child through death. We pray for those fathers who have lost the respect, support and love of their children. We pray for fathers who are ill and who suffer from addictions. We pray for fathers who have died.

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

Weekly Offertory: $5,353

THIS 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: In today’s Gospel, Jesus sends out the disciples to meet the needs of others. His admonition to them is the same challenge He makes to us: "The gift you have received, give as a gift." As I consider all that God has given me, my gratitude is made concrete in the gift I give others.

CONGRATULATIONS to all our parishioners who are graduating this month. We offer this prayer:

GROUP WORK CAMP: We will be holding our final fundraiser before we leave for Group Work Camp. Our bake sale is June 21/22, following all Masses. If you would like to donate baked goods, please leave on the back porch on Saturday, June 21, by 2:00 pm, or bring to Mass and drop off at the bake sale table. Again, we thank you for all your prayers and support.

REGISTRATION FORMS FOR 2008-09 CHRISTIAN FORMATION are available at the entryways to church. Please fill in the Family information section completely. If you child was not registered in our program this year, please submit a Baptism record, unless the Baptism took place at St. Peter Church. Call Jake at 669-5134, or e-mail to stpetercf@comcast.net  if you have any questions.

TEACHERS NEEDED: Many thanks to those who have volunteered to share their faith with our young parishioners in the 2008-09 year. If you would be interested in helping with weekly dismissals of K-3 during Mass, or at our once-a-month Generations of Faith sessions, please call Jake at 669-5134, or e-mail to stpetercf@comcast.net , and Jake will be in touch with you.

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

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

CRAFTERS WANTED: St. Anthony School is accepting reservations for a Craft Fair to be held on Saturday, November 22nd. Table rentals are $50.00 for an 8 ft. table. If you have your own table, we have a limited amount of 8 x 8 spaces available. Reservations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Deadline for reservations is September 1st. For more information please call St. Anthony School at 622-0414 or visit our website at www.stanthonyschool-nh.com  to download an application.

RESPECT LIFE........Abortion is a procedure important to the process of in vitro fertilization, since "fetal reduction" is routinely used. Moreover, embryos are often destroyed in order to choose the most viable embryo for implantation into the woman’s womb. Further, "left-over" embryos are often looked upon as resources for scientific research, rather than as human beings at the beginning of their life who should never be objects of research done not for their benefit but for someone else’s. Richard Doerflinger, Associate Director of the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Pro-Life Secretariat, commented that "one would have to call the IVF procedure a fairly efficient method of abortion, with a 95-96% success rate."

RCIA - Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults

The Rite of Christian Initiation takes place yearly at the Easter Vigil - Holy Saturday. This is the time when adults who have never been baptized in the Christian faith are baptized. It is also the time when baptized Christians of other Christian denominations are welcomed into the Catholic Church as they make a public profession of faith. This rite is also offered to baptized Catholics who were not fully initiated into the Church (never made their First Communion or Confirmation). As a general rule, this rite is not for adults who have received their First Communion, but never been confirmed. If Confirmation is the only sacrament they have not received, there will be a special course given for them during the year and an adult Confirmation will be held at the Cathedral in the Spring. If you or someone you know is a candidate for the Rite of Initiation or if someone is interested in finding out more about what is entailed in the preparation or for adult confirmation, please call Jake Linxweiler at 483-5571. The program will begin in the Fall.

MASS INTENTIONS

June 16, Mon. 7:00 am Denise Barbeau by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bergeron

June 17, Tue. 7:00 am Intention of the celebrant

June 18, Wed. 7:00 am Intention of the celebrant

June 21, Sat. 4:00 pm William Dollard by Don and Ann Dollard

June 22, Sun. 8:00 am For all parishioners of St. Peter Church

June 22, Sun. 11:00 am Camden Bickford (3rd Ann.) by the family

Matthew speaks of the kingdom of heaven being at hand. In other Gospels, it is called the kingdom of God. Matthew is so Jewish and so influenced by Pharisaic spirituality that he not only doesn't use God's name (Yahweh), he doesn't even use the title (God). He calls it the kingdom of heaven.

The kingdom of God (heaven) is not a time or a place. It is that situation in which God's law of love is fully lived. This is an era of peace (Shalom) which is more than just an absence of war. It is a peace so profound that it even heals the brokenness of our bodies and spirit.

Questions for all to ponder

Can I see the Kingdom of God within me?

Can I see the Kingdom of God in those who are close to me?

Can I see the Kingdom of God outside of me?

Can I find the Peace of Christ in my life?

Do I make efforts to bring the Peace of Christ into the lives of my spouse, children, siblings?