TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME + AUGUST 31, 2008

On the Way....

This week marks the beginning of my 6th year as pastor at St. Peter, Auburn. I was mentioning to members of the staff just last week that I was quite happy here, just fine and dandy. I truly do not know how to thank the staff for they make my task mighty easy; they relieve me from many administrative tasks that free me up for pastoral "priestly" duties. Obviously the same compliments extend to Miss Lorette Nault, Pastoral Associate at St. Paul Parish and the staff there. In conversations with my brother priests, I have come to realize that I do not share in many of the difficulties they have in their parishes. . In both parishes, I deem, we have most thoughtful and very competent Pastoral and Finance Councils. I love to pray with you in our respective churches. Keep me in your prayers as I do you in mine every single day!

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

Weekly Offertory: $4,712

Holy Day: $801

NH Missionaries Abroad & Migrant and Hispanic Ministry in NH: $534

MY SACRIFICIAL GIVING: In today’s second reading, St. Paul exhorts the Romans to total stewardship. Brothers and sisters, he urges, "...offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God."

BANNS OF MARRIAGE:

II P. Alan Lachapelle - Kate Arvanitis

OUR FOOD DRIVE NEXT WEEKEND is for St. Paul Food Pantry. Items most needed are: tuna, Ramen soup, instant rice, instant potatoes, boxed macaroni and cheese.

DISMISSALS FOR GRADES K-3 begin the weekend of September 27 and 28, at all Masses. (Note change of date)

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.

WELCOME TO NEWLY-REGISTERED PARISHIONERS: Tina Labbe and daughter Emma; John and Elaine Frisella.

PARISH DIRECTORY

We hope that all parishioners will participate in our Parish Picture Directory, which celebrates our 60th year as a parish. You may sign up at the back of church. You may sign up online until September 3, go to www.stpeteraub.org,  and click on the link to Olan Mills. After Sept. 3, you may sign up in church, or by calling Shirley at 623-5429. 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.

PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS those who died last week, and especially Carl Smith, father of Dan Smith of this parish.

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.

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

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.

WOMEN OF FAITH EVENT: Women of Faith is a Manchester area group of women of many faiths who gather to share our religious beliefs, cultures and traditions and to develop understanding and friendship among us. We are pleased to invite all women to our next event, Celebrating Birth: Religious and Cultural Traditions. Join us at the Manchester City Library Auditorium (side entrance on Amherst St.) on Monday evening, September 8th, at 6:00 p.m. Meet women of other faiths and learn about rituals and traditions from Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Protestant faiths. Please RSVP by September 1st to Barbara Lantiegne at 668-5366 or blantiegne@verizon.net  (include WOF in the subject line).

MASS INTENTIONS

Sept. 2, Tues. 7:00 am Intention of the celebrant

Sept. 3, Wed. 7:00 am Intention of the celebrant

Sept. 5, Fri. 7:00 am To end abortions, from parishioners

Sept. 6, Sat. 4:00 pm Mary Hanna by Karl Cann

Sept. 7, Sun. 8:00 am Andy and Leona Senechal by Roland and Lorraine Senechal

Sept. 7, Sun. 11:00 am Phylis DiMartino (Anniversary Mass) by the family

In the passage that immediately precedes today’s Gospel, Saint Peter is given the keys of the kingdom and is proclaimed as the rock upon which the Church would be built. Today’s Gospel has almost the exactly opposite sentiment. Jesus speaks about the necessity for Him to suffer and die. This is one of the many predictions about the passion that Jesus made during his ministry. Peter’s response to this proclamation is abhorrence. Peter wanted Jesus to be a Messiah who was a conquering hero. He wanted Jesus to be a king so that he could share in Jesus’ glory. He told Jesus "God forbid". Jesus responded to this protest with the rebuke "Get behind Me, Satan!" While Peter’s profession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, was from God, - this sentiment was not. It was from Satan. Peter did not understand that Jesus would be king upon the cross and that would be His hour of glory. Although he did not yet know it, Peter would share in this glory by the manner of his own death.

TITHE: We’d like to share with you some of the comments of the recipients of our monthly tithe.

New Horizons Soup Kitchen: "As the economy struggles, our clients are faced with the harsh realities of rising gas and food costs. Most are finding it difficult to make ends meet, while also providing food for their families. In the month of June, we saw a 16% increase in the total number of children being served here. A young family utilizing the Pantry told our Pantry Manager ‘We don’t know how we would feed the kids without the help of New Horizons’ ".

Sonshine Soup Kitchen in Derry: "I want to thank you for sharing what God has blessed you with. Your generous donation of $500 will help us to ensure His blessings will be passed on to those in need."

The Missionary Servants of Pope John Paul I: "We thank you so much for your recent incredible gift of $300, which will be so helpful in the shipping of our supplies to the Sisters in Haiti. God is so good. Our shipping went up $500 for each container, due to high gas prices, and your gift is so appreciated."

Webster House : "Your support is gratefully acknowledged and your contribution to the work of helping the young people here is deeply appreciated. Every cloud has a silver lining. Thanks for being that for us."