Happy Easter!

Today we celebrate the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

Today we continue our celebrations of Christian Initiation with First Holy Communions at the 4:00 pm Mass.

This weekend is Appeal weekend for us at Saint Robert’s. You should have received the information packet from the Archdiocese in the mail. If you did not receive a packet, please take one from the vestibule. I would ask that is you did not make a pledge today during Mass that you prayerfully examine the material and to make a pledge during the coming week. You can either mail it directly to the appeal office or drop it off at the Parish Office. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Mass on Tuesday Thursday and Friday at 12:10.

The Parish office will be closed on Monday May 28 for the Memorial Day Holiday.

Please don’t forget to spend some time discussing and praying about the "Question of the Week". This question is a way we as a community can together engage the Sunday Scripture Readings.

I wish you a happy and holy Easter Season

We continue to pray for Christ’s first resurrection gift of Peace,

Fr. Rick

Imagine being part of an organization that fills your heart and your mind with the joy of giving to others and the feeling that comes with making a difference. Knights are Catholic men, 18 years of age and older, who are committed to making their community a better place, while supporting their Church. Being a Knight is more than camaraderie; it is being involved with your community; it is supporting your local Catholic Church, while enhancing your own faith and setting a good faith example; it is about protecting and enhancing your family life.  You can volunteer as much as you like or as little and on your own schedule. If you want to find out more, contact John Perigaut (978-975-8015) or Mike Carman (617-240-0005) or visit the website at <www.kofc.org>

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On Sunday, May 20, we will be serving breakfast in the Driscoll Hall Café from 8 – 11 am. Please join us and share a cup of coffee, plus with other parishioners.

On the weekend of May 12/13

Special Collection, Next Week

Seminaries Collection

The Seminary Collection has always provided a good occasion to encourage vocations for the priesthood and for religious life. More immediately, this collection is essential to help meet the annual operating budget of our seminaries. The seminaries depend upon the continued generosity of all of our parishioners to carry on the important work of priestly formation. This work is very important in the life of the church, as the church continues to prepare men for the priesthood to serve the sacramental and teaching needs of all our people. Please be as generous as you are able to this essential Archdiocesan work.

Stewardship Reflection

These words from the very last chapter of the Bible are a final reminder for us to put God first in our lives. Putting God first doesn’t mean giving until it hurts. Putting God first means giving at a level that fills you with joy and contentment. That is often a level that is way beyond what you once might have thought would have hurt.

Monday, May 28^th – 10:30 am at

St. Mary Immaculate Conception Cemetery,

29 Barker Street – Lawrence, MA 01841- 978-682-8181

If it rains, Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish – The Parish offices will be closed

Did you know that there is a scientifically-based, totally safe, healthy, easy-to-use and inexpensive way to control your fertility?  And it is over 99% effective when used to avoid a pregnancy!  Natural Family Planning (NFP) is often called the Church’s "best kept secret".  If you would like to learn more about it, there will be a 2-hour introductory class on the Billings Method on Wednesday, May 30th at 7:00 p.m. in the rectory of St. William’s Parish in Tewksbury.  NFP is also effective for those who are breastfeeding or pre-menopausal.  And couples with infertility can be greatly helped in their efforts toward achieving a pregnancy using only morally licit means.  For more information or to reserve a seat, please contact Eileen Wood at woodfire@compuserve.com  or 978-640-4916.

Jump-start your Spirituality this Summer! Is summer your time to catch up on all those things you’ve been wanting to do? If enriching your spirituality is on your "list" here is a perfect opportunity! Boston College’s C21 online is offering the online course: Spirituality Matters, featuring video with Fr. Michael Himes of the BC faculty. Explore the topics of spirituality, prayer, suffering and community in a guided online discussion group. Participants do not need to be online at the same time; log on at your convenience. 4 weeks, beginning June 4, 2007 and ending June 29. Register and find out more at www.bc.edu/c21online

If you did not fill out your address on the envelope at the time of your family photo appointment, your personal photo order was delivered to the parish office.

These packages are available for pick up in the Church vestibule this weekend. If you had your appointment in the first sittings in March, and have not received your package or free portrait, please look in the carton for your photos.

If you had your appointment in the April sittings, those pictures have not been delivered to the parish as yet.

Sunday: Ascension of the Lord: Acts 1:1-11/Eph 1:17-23 or Eph 4:1-13 or 4:1-7, 11-13/Mk 16:15-20

Monday: Acts 19:1-8/Jn 16:29-33

Tuesday: Acts 20:17-27/Jn 17:1-11a

Wednesday: Acts 20:28-38/Jn 17:11b-19

Thursday: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11/Jn 17:20-26

Friday: Acts 25:13b-21/Jn 21:15-19

Saturday: Mass in the morning: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31/Jn 21:20-25

Next Sunday: Vigil: Gn 11:1-9 or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ez 37:1-14 or Jl 3:1-5/Rom 8:22-27/Jn 7:37-39

Day: Acts 2:1-11/1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Rom 8:8-17/Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 14:15-16, 23b-26

Please keep in mind: - last call

Question for Adults:

Jesus invites us to be one with God. Name a moment when you were one with God this past week

Question for Youth:
Jesus prayed for his disciples, that others might believe in him through their words. How are you spreading your belief in Jesus through your words and actions? Do others know who Jesus is by knowing you?

Question for Children:
Jesus tells us He is always with us. Name a time this past week when you knew that God was with you in a special way.

Please do not take for granted that you are registered just because you attend Mass here. To register, please call the parish office at 978-683-8922 to fill out a registration form. The office is open daily from 9:30 to 4. Online registration is also available at our parish website www.saintroberts.net

If you use offertory envelopes and have had a change of address, whether you are staying in the parish or moving out of town or state, please notify Irene at the rectory of any changes for our records.

Thank you.

On Sunday, May, 20th we will prepare the meal for the Bread and Roses hospitality house in Lawrence to be served on Monday, May 21st.

We plan to prepare BEEF TACOS with a tossed salad and dessert. Food items needed are: cooked ground beef, soft tacos (large size please), packages of shredded cheese, packages of taco seasoning, jars of salsa, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, large cans of fruit salad, cookies or brownies. Please use the sign up sheet on the clipboard in the church lobby.

Kitchen helpers meet on Sunday at 10:00 AM. Call Betty Bufano 978/851-5682 or Lisa Lattari 978/749-3736 for further information.

The Academy of Notre Dame, 180 Middlesex Rd., Tyngsboro, MA is currently accepting applications for the newly formed K1 program that will open this Fall. The full-day co-ed K1 program will accept children who will be five by January 31, 2008. Enrollment will be limited to no more than 20 students.

The Academy also has some limited openings at other grade levels, K2-12, and is still accepting applications for the 2007-08 school year. Contact Mrs. Barbara Clougherty, Director of Admissions for additional information online at www.ndatyngsboro.org  or at 978-649-7611, Ext 327.

The Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of Notre dame de Namur, and based on the educational philosophy of their foundress, St. Julie Billiart, is a member school of the National Catholic Education Association and is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR PENTECOST SUNDAY

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God."

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

Brothers and sisters: No one can say, "Jesus is Lord, " except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,

for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."