On the Way....

On July 29, 2008, I sent the following letter to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization:

Board of Directors, Susan G. Komen for the Cure

5005 LBJ Fwy., Ste. 250, Dallas, TX 75244

Members of the Board:

At the request of a parishioner we contributed $300 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the past two years.

It has come to our attention that you have funded grants to Planned Parenthood in several states in the South. We cannot support any organization that cooperates with Planned Parenthood, an abortion provider, and a group that is most dangerous especially to young women. I am sure your research informs you of the direct link between oral contraceptives and breast cancer. So it is puzzling to us to see this inconsistency.

If our information is incorrect and you do not contribute to Planned Parenthood, please send us the facts and we will correct any misinformation we print in our weekly parish bulletin.

Sincerely yours, Rev. C. Peter Dumont, Pastor, St. Peter Church

In last weekend’s bulletin, the Finance Council reported the annual financial statement to the parish. If you did not receive a copy of this report, there are extras on the table at the entryway to church.

CORRECTION FROM SHIRLEY: The total expenses on the Budget Report should read $278,317.56. The Net amount is correct. When I did the report from the spreadsheet, I "froze" the titles so it would be on both pages, and when it added up, it included the date as an amount! The bottom line remains the same - and the Finance Council thanks the most generous parishioners of St. Peter Church for a net gain of $46,649.22 for the fiscal year July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008. Sorry for the mistake - there are some amended copies on the table at the entryway to church.

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

Weekly Offertory: $4,572

This weekend is the annual appeal for N. H. Missionaries Abroad & Migrant and Hispanic Ministry in NH. Catholics from NH currently serve as missionaries in Cartago, Columbia and in Juticalpa, Honduras. This collection supports their work and the ministry to migrants and refugees who have come to NH. Please be generous.

MY SACRIFICIAL GIVING: In today’s readings, St. Paul reminds the Romans - and us - that all things come from God: "For from Him and through Him and for Him all things are." Good stewards understand that all is gift and share generously the gifts of time, talent and treasure with which they’ve been blessed.

BANNS OF MARRIAGE:

I P. Alan Lachapelle - Kate Arvanitis

FINANCE COUNCIL MEETING:

August 26, Tuesday, at 6:30 pm, Rectory Conference Room.

PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS long time parishioner Eugenia (Jennie) Belanger, who died last week.

Like to sing? Enjoy being with friends who like music? Then please consider joining us for our first choir rehearsal Wed., Sept. 10, 7-8:30 pm. We meet in the church, and enter through the back door of the church. Not sure if you can come to every rehearsal (we meet every other Wed.)? Come anyway and we can talk about it. We welcome all parishioners, age 16 and older. For more information, please feel free to contact Kathy at 483-8467

PARISH DIRECTORY: We hope that all parishioners will participate in our Parish Picture Directory, in celebration of our 60th year as a parish. You may sign up at the back of church, or online - www.stpeteraub.org,  and click on the link to Olan Mills. The scheduled dates are September 18, 19 and 20. You will receive an 8 x 10 free, and also a Parish Directory.

ST. PETER CHURCH BOWLING LEAGUE: On Monday, September 8, at 9:00 pm, we will start another fun-filled bowling season at Lakeside Lanes. We are made up of fellow parishioners and friends who are out to have some fun, and would welcome any new members to join us. If you are interested, please call Anne Vargas at 483-2664 or John Zube at 434-7921.

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 Manchester both this Fall and next 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.

TEACHERS NEEDED: 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.

REGISTRATION FORMS FOR 2008-09 CHRISTIAN FORMATION are available at the entryways to church. Please fill in the Family information section completely. If your 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 stpetercf@comcast.net  if you have any questions.

NH Catholic Charities offers an 8-week workshop to help caregivers to elderly parents or friends. The series will be held on the following Mondays: Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29, Oct. 6, 20, 27 and Nov. 3, at the Mount Carmel Healthcare Center, 235 Myrtle St., Manchester, from 4:30-6:30 pm. Cost is $65/individual or $75/couple - fee negotiable. Call 624-4717 to register or for more information.

MASS INTENTIONS:

Aug. 25, Mon. 7:00 am Gilberte Plouffe by Mr. and Mrs. Philip Ferland

Aug. 26, Tue. 7:00 am Geoffrey Flibotte by Mr. and Mrs. Philip Ferland

Aug. 27, Wed. 7:00 am Intention of the celebrant

Aug. 30, Sat. 4:00 pm Stanley and Sarah Cann by their son, Karl

Aug. 31, Sun. 8:00 am For all parishioners of St. Peter Church

Aug. 31, Sun. 11:00 am Matthew Sartorelli by his parents

When Peter says Jesus is "the Christ", he is saying that Jesus is the Messiah. Peter also says that Jesus is the only-begotten Son of the Father. Peter means rock in Greek. Peter is the rock or foundation of the Church. The "gates of the netherworld" probably refers to a cave that overlooked the site where all of this occurred. For centuries there had been pagan worship there and it was called the "gates to hell." Jesus tells Peter that the forces of evil will not prevail over him and his Church. The keys to the kingdom refer to the authority given him. In the Old Testament only God had keys: to life, death, and rain. Jesus has God’s authority and He passes it on to Peter. The power to loose and bind was the power that rabbis possessed to make decisions over what was binding in the law. In a sense, Jesus is making Peter the chief rabbi of the Church. Though the other gospels do not speak of keys, they show Peter receiving authority over the Church.

People who go fishing may have the experience. There is time to think, to wonder (where the fish are!), to plumb the depths hoping to find something, to know there is a lot going on "down there" even though it cannot be seen, how deep is the sea, how small is the boat, etc. The mystery of God is infinite and beautiful to be exposed to. Any time we take to contemplate the mystery of God is not wasted time; it can anchor us and help us live somewhat securely in very turbulent times.

BULLETIN ADS: We are now accepting ads for our bulletin cover which will run from Oct. 5 through the last weekend of March. The cost for a six-month ad is $115, and the reduced rate for a one-year commitment is $207. Call Shirley at 623-5429 or submit a business card/ad info by September 14.

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