TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME + SEPTEMBER 6, 2009
On the Way....
Michael C. Roy died in Afghanistan this past July. He leaves a young widow and three children who live in the Southern part of our country. On January 15, 2007, he sent this e-mail to his relatives and friends. His father and mother have given me permission to edit it and publicize it. Some of the thoughts are incomplete and unpolished and I have edited them heavily, but I wanted the "pathos" and reality of the experience to come through. If at times he seems confused, aren’t we all! Life and death, war and peace, sacrifice and love.
"I had really never known the meaning of sacrifice until this past year. I had never really known what it meant to give up something for a greater cause. I have been in the military for almost 6 years, but only now do I realize what sacrifice means.
I was on deployment to Iraq, not the first deployment in my career, actually my third. However, I think it was the first time I had to sacrifice; it was the one, so far, that has impacted me the most. Up until that time I had always looked at other people around me and wondered why things seemed so hard for them. I was married at the time, but there was nothing I wouldn’t miss if I were dead; I was of nothing. For people in my situation death is not welcome, nor is it feared. Now no one wants to die, but if you are willing, if it is for a greater cause, and you feel as if you have made an impact, you have become part of something that will change the world. So it was not so much being separated from my family or friends, but dying for something greater. But I was wrong: it is the separation from family and friends that has hurt me the most.
If I die I will be in a better place; furthermore, I will not feel the effects of my own death! That may seem selfish to say, but it is the truth. However if I die, my family and friends will have made a sacrifice and they will have felt it the most.
Now as a husband and father I have learned my lesson. This is the meaning of sacrifice I had not previously known but know fully well now. I do not wish this upon anybody; but that can’t be changed. It is a part of what we do and part of what we give. Knowing it will not last forever doesn’t help the time to go any faster. What sustains me now is that my life has been better by being with the ones I love."
On the Way.... I will be on retreat this coming week. Once again I will join several other priests from our diocese at St. Joseph Abbey in Spencer, MA. I will remember you at morning Mass and Father Babineau will celebrate the Mass at 7 am on Tuesday and Wednesday. I will return Friday afternoon.
PARISH NURSE: Friday from 7:30-10:00 am.
WEEKLY OFFERTORY: $5,603.29
MEDICAL MISSIONARIES OF MARY APPEAL: $400 to date.
THE ANNUAL CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY APPEAL is next weekend. The Catholic University of America is the national university of the Catholic Church in the United States, located in Washington, D.C. It provides an academically rigorous education guided by Catholic intellectual tradition to 6,000 students every year. Every dollar given directly supports financial aid for students from dioceses across the country, including ours. Thank you in advance for your generosity. (We are assessed $1,084 for this collection, so any donation you make will be helpful.)
SACRIFICIAL GIVING: The good steward must not show favoritism. The rich may have many material gifts to share, but St. James reminds us in the second reading that God has chosen the world’s poor to be rich in faith and inheritors of God’s kingdom.
RETROUVAILLE…..a Lifeline: Rediscover a loving marriage with a Retrouvaille weekend. Call Retrouvaille at 1-800-470-2230 or go to www.retrouvaille.org
MONTHLY FOOD DRIVE this weekend is for St. Paul Church’s Food Pantry: Most needed are: canned pastas - chicken noodle soup - canned vegetables - any other canned or boxed foods.
BANNS OF MARRIAGE: III Robert Cushion - Melissa Gosselin
CHRISTIAN FORMATION NEWS:
K-3 Dismissals begin the weekend of September 26 & 27. The first Generations of Faith session for Grades 4-10 and parents is Sunday, October 18, from 4-6 pm in church.
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 .
K-3 TEACHER MEETING: Monday, September 21, at 7:00 pm in the Church Hall.
PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING: Tuesday, September 15, at 6:30 pm, Parish Conference Room.
STEWARDSHIP REPORT FOR AUGUST, 2009
Our offertory for the month of August totaled $26,522.29. When added to the carryover of $575. from July, our tithe totals $3,227., which was donated as follows:
New Horizons, Sonshine Soup Kitchen, Kid’s Cafe ($500 each) $1,500.
New Hampshire Food Bank: 1,000.
Medical Missionaries of Mary (Guest Mission) 727.
Our young parishioners donations totaled $42., one-half of which was sent to NH Catholic Charities for St. Charles Children’s Home, and one-half to our offertory.
ST. PETER CHURCH BOWLING LEAGUE: On Monday, September 14, 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.
BULLETIN ADS: We are now accepting ads for our bulletin cover which will run from October through March. The cost of a six-month ad is $115. The cost of a one-year ad is a reduced rate of $207. Call Shirley at 623-5429 or submit a business card/ad info by September 14.
BAPTISMS: Last Sunday, we welcomed the following into the parish community of St. Peter Church, through the Sacrament of Baptism: Victoria Marie Velez, daughter of Obilio and Elizabeth; Cooper Louis Navarro, son of Jaime and Michelle; Anna Katherine Martin, daughter of Joseph and Corinne.
ST. PETER CHURCH WOMEN’S GUILD: Our first meeting of the 2009-10 year is on Tuesday, September 22, at 7 pm in the Parish Hall Conference Room. All women of the parish 18 and older are cordially invited to come and enjoy a few pleasant hours with other Guild members of the church and become part of us. Please come and bring a friend. You may contact Dot Zube at 434-7921 if you have any questions. See you there!
Annual Duck Race: Sponsored by the Auburn Historical Association, to be held on Saturday, September 19, at the Griffin Dam. Duck tickets can be purchased at Griffin Free Public Library, Myles Travel Center, Village Store, and from any member of the Auburn Historical Association, and also on the day of the event. Festivities begin at 12 noon, and ducks are to be launched at 2:30 pm. First Prize $1,000; 2nd prize $500; 3rd prize $250, and so on. A fun day for the family!
MASS INTENTIONS
Sept. 7, Mon. 7:00 am Souls in Purgatory by S.M.
Sept. 8, Tue. 7:00 am Walter and Jeanne Champagne by Marcel & Deb Champagne
Sept. 9, Wed. 7:00 am John Hornyak (month’s mind) by the family
Sept. 12, Sat. 4:00 pm For all parishioners of St. Peter Church
Sept. 13, Sun. 8:00 am Carol Poulin (4th Anniversary) by Kathryn Rogers
Sept. 13, Sun. 11:00 am Steve Robie by Katrina Robie
REFLECTION OF THE WEEK
First Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7a
Second Reading: James 2:1-5
Gospel: Mark 7:31-37
The Gospel passage in which Jesus heals the man who was deaf and mute is in stark contrast to the Gospel that we heard last week. That Gospel spoke of the Pharisees who could physically hear and speak, but they chose to make themselves spiritually blind and deaf and mute. This man, however, was physically deaf and mute, and Jesus gives him the freedom to hear and speak freely. Typical of Mark’s Gospel, after Jesus heals the man, He tells him not to spread word of what had happened (lest people misinterpret His mission in terms of power). Yet the people are filled with awe and spread the news everywhere. In our Baptism ceremonies, we still use this idea of opening ears to hear God’s words and mouths to speak them.
ST. PAUL CHURCH IN CANDIA will be holding its First Annual Church Bazaar on Sat., Sept. 12th, from 9 to 3, with a rain date of Sat., Sept. 19th. There are still 5 tables available to rent for selling crafts or yard sale items. The spaces are $10, and with a table provided are $15. Donations of gently used items are also welcome. There will also be baked goods & mums for sale, along with items to be raffled. Breakfast & lunch will be available to purchase. For additional info or to reserve a space, call Peggy at 483-0827, e-mail a.mun@comcast.net or call Judy at 483-2369, or e-mail at JudyJS3@myfairpoint.net .
WELCOME TO NEWLY-REGISTERED PARISHIONERS: Katherine Serratore; Ben and Samantha Belcourt.