Some of you have raised questions and expressed some concern over the recent announcement of the affiliation of CMC Healthcare System and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, especially as to the issues surrounding ethical questions and the maintenance of Catholic identity. Copies of the complete announcement have been posted on the bulletin board in the vestibule of the church (where the weekly bulletin is posted). Please feel free to take one home.

Also On the Way.... August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is usually a Holy Day of Obligation, when the Church asks us to participate in the Celebration of the Eucharist. However, when this feast falls on a Saturday, such as this year, or on a Monday, the obligation is lifted. We nevertheless pause a moment to consider the great favors God gave the mother of His Son, that she might be transported to heaven and live there forever as a sign of hope for each of us that one day we will join her in the Eternal Presence of the Infinite God.

WEEKLY OFFERTORY: $5,050.

SACRIFICIAL GIVING: The gifts of God that the angel brought to Elijah - food, water, rest, and encouragement - were given, not for his own good alone, but to strengthen him for service. How am I using my gifts to serve others?

PARISH NURSE: Friday, August 21, from 7:30-10:00 am. Welcome back, Kathy!

LECTOR NEEDED: We are in need of a Lector to join our 8:00 am "team" beginning in September. This ministry requires a once a month commitment. Training is provided. If you are interested and would like more information, call Shirley at 623-5429 or e-mail to stpeteraub@comcast.net

WELCOME TO NEWLY-REGISTERED PARISHIONERS Tony and Mary Chodor.

RETROUVAILLE…..a Lifeline: Rediscover a loving marriage with a Retrouvaille (pronounced re-tro-vy) weekend. If your marriage is tearing the two of you apart, if there is little or no meaningful communication, if you are considering separation or divorce, we believe Retrouvaille can help you. Look us up on the web at www.HelpOurMarriage.com  or call 1-800-470-2230. The next New England Retrouvaille marriage renewal weekends will be held Sept. 11-13, 2009, January 15-17, 2010, and April 16-18, 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: Bishop McCormack has lifted liturgical restrictions surrounding the H1N1 virus. If the threat does not resume, Eucharistic Ministers of the Cup will be assigned beginning with the September schedule. People who cough, sneeze or have a fever are still encouraged to refrain from physically sharing the sign of peace and from receiving Communion from the Cup.

PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS those who died last week, and especially Bernard Garrity, Sr., father of Bernard Garrity, Jr. of this parish, and Rita Matten, sister of Gerry Gregoire of this parish.

Last chance to submit names of couples who are celebrating their 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 50th - or beyond - Wedding Anniversary, anytime during the current year 2009. The Special Anniversary Mass will be held on October 11, 2009 at 2:00 pm, at Saint Anselm Abbey Church, Manchester. If you are celebrating your 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, or 50th anniversary, as well as any couple beyond their 50th, or if you know of anyone who is, please submit name and address (and year of the anniversary) of the anniversary couple to Shirley at the rectory at 623-5429, or mail to St. Peter Church, 567 Manchester Rd., Auburn, NH 03032, or e-mail stpeteraub@comcast.net , no later than August 14.

Registration forms for the 2009-10 year for grades K-10 can be found at the entrances to church, on the back porch of the rectory, or on our website ( www.stpeteraub.org  ).

Teachers needed: If you would like to help with the K-3 dismissals at the weekend Masses, or with Generations of Faith held once a month on 7 Sundays from 4-6 pm, for grades 4-10 and parents, please call Jake Linxweiler at 669-5134 or e-mail stpetercf@comcast.net .

Our total offertory for July was $20,749.60. Our tithe of $2075 was donated as follows:

New Horizons Soup Kitchen: $500.

Sonshine Soup Kitchen: $500.

Kid’s Cafe, Salvation Army $500.

The balance of $575. will be carried over to our August tithe. Our young parishioner’s donations totaled $56., one half of which was sent to NH Catholic Charities for St. Charles Children’s Home, and one-half to our own offertory.

St. Paul Church in Candia First Annual Church Bazaar on Sat., Sept. 12th, from 9 to 3, with a rain date of Sat., Sept. 19th. The Social Committee is looking for people who would like to rent a space to sell crafts or yard sale goods. The spaces are $10, and with a table provided are $15. Donations of gently used items are also welcome. Volunteers are needed to help with the Bazaar. For additional info or to reserve space, call Peggy at 483-0827, e-mail mun@comcast.net  or call Judy at 483-2369, or e-mail at JudyJS3@myfairpoint.net

29th Annual Scout Retreat! All Girl Scouts & Boy Scouts in grades 5-12, and adult leaders, are invited to the 29th Annual High Adventure Scout Retreat Fri. Sept. 18 – Sun. Sept. 20, 2009 at Camp Fatima in Gilmanton Iron Works, NH. The cost is $8 per scout and $5 per adult. This Retreat is very active, like a camporee, involving the scouts in a number of fun, interesting, challenging, thought provoking and faith filled activities. It includes a climbing wall, high ropes, capture the flag, and dance. For more information or to register, go to: www.catholicnh.org /scout or call 669-3100, Ext. 173 or e-mail: FrRay3@gmail.com  Sponsored by the Diocesan Catholic Scouting Committee & Fr. Ray Ball, Diocesan Director/Chaplain.

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 on a later time in the year. 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.

Aug. 10, Mon. 7:00 am Marie-Rose Mongeau by Aline, Real, Leonard and Steve

Aug. 11, Tue. 7:00 am Walter and Jeanne Champagne by Marcel and Deb Champagne

Aug. 12, Wed. 7:00 am Intention of the celebrant

Aug. 15, Sat. 4:00 pm For all parishioners of St. Peter Church

Aug. 16, Sun. 8:00 am Elizabeth Bartholomew by Don and Ann Dollard

Aug. 16, Sun. 11:00 am Matthew Sartorelli by Mom, Dad and Andrew

Today's Gospel comes from the latter part of the first half of the Bread of Life Discourse. Jesus identifies Himself as the bread of life that has descended from the heavens. In this part of the discourse, the symbolism is primarily sapiential and secondarily Eucharistic. Sapiential literature (wisdom literature) spoke of Lady Wisdom who would nourish the foolish with her bread and wine and instruct them in the ways of the Lord. Jesus is saying that He is the fulfillment of that promise. He has come into the world to instruct us as to who God is and what He wants of us. If we allow ourselves to be nourished by His instruction, then we will have eternal life. Only in the last verse of this section does the symbolism become primarily Eucharistic, for Jesus says that the bread that He will give us is his flesh for the life of the world. The Jews who heard this discourse were confused, for they thought they knew who Jesus was, i.e., the son of Joseph. They did not know His true identity, that He is the only-begotten Son of God.