FROM FATHER RICK
Dear Friends,
Today we culminate our
Easter celebration with the Solemnity of Pentecost.
If you are visiting us today for our One
Community–One Eucharist we welcome you and hope that
you find our celebration Spirit filled. A special
welcome to all the Mothers who join us today to
celebrate with our parish family and their own
families.
Father Frank is still
physically with us as I write this. We have no idea
when he will depart this life. But as I was thinking
of this wonderful feast which we celebrate so well
as a parish community, I was reminded that it is one
of Fr Frank’s favorites (and not just because
Ordinary Time starts tomorrow!). It was the mystery
of the breath of God in humans and in the church
which so captivated him. Of late I think one of his
favorite theologians was Sr. Elizabeth Johnson, who
wrote extensively on the gift of the Holy Spirit in
the world.
As I was looking around
once again I found the following piece from LTP. I
invite us all to heed the recommendations of David
Phillipart in this piece. Life is way to short not
to!!!!
Fullness of Easter
Easter reaches its
fullness today, the 50th day, the Spirit’s day,
birthday of the church, great Pentecost! What began
in cold ashes, what was washed with water and oiled
with gladness and nourished with bread and wine now
is filled with breath and stirred aflame. Breathe
deeply today; let every breath be a prayer. Play the
flute or the kazoo. Hang wind chimes to catch God’s
breath. Fly a kite. Be on fire today; live
passionately. Read a love poem. Challenge someone to
act on behalf of the common good. Take a stand
against a grave injustice. Light seven candles on
the dinner table. Wear red. Eat strawberries (if
you’re not allergic). Sing “Come, Holy Ghost.” (And
if you don’t know it, find someone to teach it to
you.) Fifty days of Easter have been given for our
delight and for our salvation. Rejoice and be glad!
Copyright ©2002 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy
Training Publications, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue,
Chicago IL 60622-1101; 1-800-933-1800; www.ltp.org.
Text by David Philippart. Art by Steve Erspamer, sm.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.
CATHOLIC APPEAL
Thanks to the 135
households who have contributed to the Catholic
Appeal thus far. Our participant goal is 210
households. As of this writing (Wednesday noon) we
are at $41,650 toward our goal of 44,500, which is
93.6% of our assessment. Great work so far! To
reach our goal, we only need $2,850. Please
contribute this week so we can conclude the Appeal
in the coming week.
UPCOMING EVENTS
BACCALAUREATE MASS
Next Sunday at the 11:00
am Mass we will hold our annual Baccalaureate Mass
honoring the parish’s high school seniors and
awarding our parish scholarships. There will be a
collation in Driscoll Hall immediately following the
Mass.
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. For more information about the parish
council or upcoming events, contact Jim McKain at
978-475-7931 or
Jim_McKain@NLTek.com, or go online to
www.saintroberts.net/kofc.htm.
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, May 21, 7:30 pm, Driscoll Hall
Money Matters
On the weekend of May 3/4
Stewardship
Reflection
“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.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
The Spirit gives each of
us different gifts. The reason we are given those
gifts is so that we may perform different forms of
service for the Lord. If you don’t use your gifts
for the Lord, who will do the special work that God
had in mind for you alone?
Food supplies at
Emmaus House are critically low! They especially
need non-perishable foods like canned vegetables and
fruit, pasta, rice, tuna, juices and powdered drink
mixes. Items can be dropped off anytime at the
Family Shelter, 150 How Street, Haverhill.
Bread and Roses
On Sunday, May 18th,
we will prepare the meal for the Bread and Roses
hospitality house in Lawrence to be served on
Monday, May 19th.
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. All food donations should be
received by 10:50 AM. Call Betty Bufano at
978-851-5682 or Lisa Lattari at 978-749-3736 for
further information.
Special Collection
for the Seminaries
This Weekend
On Pentecost Sunday,
May 11, the annual Collection for the Seminaries
will be taken up. Your support is needed for this
essential collection as the seminaries depend upon
the generosity of all the parishioners in the
archdiocese to continue the important work of
priestly formation, and to help meet their annual
operating budgets. The monies collected will ensure
that those committed to the formation of our priests
and religious have the best available resources as
the Church continues to prepare men for the
priesthood and to serve the sacramental and teaching
needs of all our people. Please be generous to this
essential Archdiocesan work.
Special Collection
for Communications
Next Weekend
The annual
Communications Collection has been designated for
the weekend of May 17/18. The campaign allows
the Church to continue the mission of bringing the
word of God to a world in desperate need of His
saving love. Half of this collection is sent to the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to
support many activities in the field of
communications carried on by the national
conference. The other half remains in the
archdiocese to support efforts to communicate the
message of the Gospel locally.
Mass Schedule and
Intentions
Saturday, May 10
ONE MASS WEEKEND--NO
MASS TODAY!!
Sunday, May 11,
Pentecost Sunday/Mother’s Day
10:00 am: All Mothers
Tuesday, May 13
3:00 pm: Reception of
Father Frank’s Body into the Church
7:00 pm: Memorial Mass
for Father Frank
Wednesday, May 14
11:00 am: Funeral Mass
for Father Frank
Friday, May 15,
Weekday Mass
12:10 pm
Saturday, May 16,
Vigil, Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
4:00 pm: Deceased
Members of the Marcoux Family
Sunday, May 17,
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
9:00 am: Denis & Alice
McCarthy
11:00 am:
Graduates;**Baccalaureate Mass
Readings for the Week
of May 11, 2008
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/Jn
20:19-23
Monday: Jas 1:1-11/Mk 8:11-13
Tuesday: Jas 1:12-18/Mk 8:14-21
Wednesday: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26/Jn 15:9-17
Thursday: Jas 2:1-9/Mk 8:27-33
Friday: Jas 2:14-24, 26/Mk 8:34-9:1
Saturday: Jas 3:1-10/Mk 9:2-13
Next
Sunday: Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9/2 Cor 13:11-13/Jn 3:16-18
Question of the
Week–Pentecost Sunday
Question for Adults:
Share about times when you felt the power of
the Spirit, giving you the right words, giving you
insight into a dilemma, or in other ways.
Question for Youth:
On Pentecost, the apostles were able to speak in a
language that everyone could understand. As a young
person, you have your own way of communicating
Jesus’ importance in your life. How will you make
Jesus more known to others in your own way this
week?
Question for Children:
When have you heard your inner voice or
conscience guiding you to do what is right?
Family volunteer
opportunity…
If you’re looking for a
short volunteer project you can do with your
children, we have just the thing for you. We’re
looking for someone (or someones) willing to go
through the name badges upstairs in the church,
replacing broken plastic holders. If you’re
interested, please contact Irene at
ibonner@comcast.net or Amanda at
amroberts@comcast.net or call the parish office.
“Just to be is a
Blessing—Just to be is Holy”
An Evening of Prayer
Notre Dame Education
Center in Lawrence is sponsoring an evening of
prayer on May 28 from 6:00-8:00 pm with Sr.
Maureen Casey, SND. The evening is a way for those
who give of themselves in service to others to be
refreshed. Come and gift God, co-workers, and
yourself with a few hours to rest, relax and BE in
God’s presence…the God who longs to nourish you with
new energy and passion as you care and nourish for
so many on the sacred journey of life. NDEC is
located at the Riverwalk in Lawrence (near Sal’s
Restaurant) at 354 Merrimack Street, Building 1,
Entrance C. A free will offering would be
appreciated.
Please note that
the Parish Office
will be closed on
Monday, May 12.
This Week in Our
Parish
Monday, May 12
Parish Office Closed
Tuesday, May 13
3:00 PM Reception of
Father Frank’s Body into the Church
3:00-7:00 PM Father’s
family will be present for visitation, Church
7:00 PM Memorial Mass,
Church
8:30 PM until 10:30 AM
on Wednesday morning, Father will lie in state in
the Church
Wednesday, May 14
Father Frank’s body will
lie in state in the Church until 10:30 AM
11:00 AM Concelebrated
Funeral Mass, Church, followed by interment at
Holyhood Cemetery, West Roxbury
Thursday, May 15
5:00 PM Youth Cantor
Practice, Church
5:30 PM Youth Choir
Practice, Church
6:30 PM Scouts,
Driscoll Hall
7:30 PM Adult Choir
Practice, Church
Friday, May 16
12:10 PM Weekday Mass,
Church
Saturday, May 17
4:00 PM Vigil Mass,
Church
Sunday, May 18
9:00 AM Sunday Mass,
Church
11:00 AM Baccalaureate
Mass, followed by collation in Driscoll Hall
Please check with
Scouts and Choir leaders to confirm meetings this
week.
Read With Your Kids!
Amanda has put together
a really helpful Listmania list on Amazon with faith
books for parents with young children. It is titled
“Books for Catholic Parents with Young Children.”
The URL is too long to put in print, but you can
access the link
here or on the Faith Formation page under
“Educational Resources.” Or go to this week’s
bulletin online and click on the hyperlink there.
Bereavement Support
Groups
Beacon Hospice is
offering two local bereavement support groups. “A
Journey of Hope and Healing” will meet for six weeks
on Thursday evenings, May 26 to June 26, from
6:00-7:30 pm, at Merrimack Valley Hospital in
Haverhill. “Coping with the Loss of a Parent” will
meet on Tuesday evenings for eight weeks, May 6 to
June 24, from 6:00-7:30 pm, at St. Lucy’s Parish in
Methuen. For more information or to register for
either group, please contact Lucille Bonanno at
978-372-4211 or
lbonanno@beaconhospice.com.
In Service
Kevin Grace, USA, Lyle
Shackelford, Jaime Ray Seluk, USN, Pvt. Alexander
Sabu, USA, Lt. Col. Paul Severance, USAF, Gen’l. R.
Steve Whitcomb, USA, Lt. Col. Brian P. Bedell, USA,
Capt. Lauren Whitcomb, USA, Col. Patrick J. Donahue,
USA, Col. Brian P. Donahue, USA, Cpt. Michael
McGaffigan, USA, Steve Comstock, Pilot, USN, Lt.
Jesse Salisbury, USAF, Sgt. Maureen Galvin, USA,
SpOps, Lt.J.G. Kevin B. O’Brien, USN, Miko Belonia,
Maj. Tony Hoffman, USA, Maj. Ross Coffman, USA, Maj.
Garth Howe, USA, Chief Warrant Officer II Michael
Morris, USA, Captain Matthew Mancini, USA, Sgt.
Ellen Barnes O’Connor, USA, Pvt. Adam James Mazza,
USA, Pvt. Joseph D. Gagnon, USM, Cpt. Eric Eckberg,
USA, SFC John B. Nicholas, USA, LTCD Chris Stopyra,
USN
A Blessing for
Mothers
We bless you and we
praise you, God of our mothers! You are the God of
Eve, mother of all the living. You are the God of
Sarah, who laughed at childbearing in old age. You
are the God of Rebekah who favored her second-born,
Jacob. You are the God of Leah, mother of tribes,
and of Rachel, who mourned and wrestled and won. You
are the God of Hannah, who strongly sang your praise
for Samson, and of Naomi who faithfully walked with
Ruth. You are the God of Elizabeth, who bore the
Baptist and of Ann, the grandmother of Jesus. You
are the God of Mary, Spirit’s spouse and mother of
our Savior, given by Christ on the cross to be the
mother of us all.
We thank you, God, for
the gift of our mothers, for grandmothers and
godmothers and mothers-in-law, too. Send your Holy
Spirit upon our mothers, at whose breasts we were
fed, by whose hands we were cleaned and clothed, at
times corrected, in whose laps we learned to sing
and speak and play and pray, at whose side we hear
your word and celebrate your mysteries.
Heal their pains and
disappointments. Forgive all that needs to be
forgiven. Give to them the good that they have given
others. Welcome to your bosom those who have died.
Fill this world, O God,
with a mother’s love! We ask this through your Son
Jesus Christ, who desires to gather us together as a
hen gathers her brood under her wings. He lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever
and ever. Amen.
Copyright © 2002
Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training
Publications, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago
IL 60622-1101; 1-800-933-1800; www.ltp.org. Text by
David Philippart. All rights reserved. Used with
permission.
Employment
Opportunity in Elder Care
Part-Time Flexible
Hours
Home Instead Senior Care
is a non-medical company providing assistance to the
elderly in their private homes. Their Chelmsford
office is looking for caring, compassionate, and
committed individuals who would be interested in
helping their clients with their everyday needs so
they are able to continue to live independently.
Caregivers help with meal preparation, medication
reminders, light housekeeping, laundry, escorts for
shopping and/or errands, as well as companionship.
Call 978-256-5950 for more information.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
FOR NEXT WEEK–SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
A reading from the
Book of Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
Early in the morning
Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded
him, taking along the two stone tablets.
Having come down in a
cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there and
proclaimed his name, ‘LORD.” Thus the LORD passed
before him and cried out, “The LORD, the LORD, a
merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in
kindness and fidelity.” Moses at once bowed down to
the ground in worship. Then he said, “If I find
favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our
company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet
pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as
your own.”
A reading from second
Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 13:11-13
Brothers and sisters,
rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace, and the God
of love and peace will be with you. Greet one
another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet
you.
The grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
+ A reading from the
holy Gospel according to John 3:16-18
God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him might not perish but might have
eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world might
be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will
not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has
already been condemned, because he has not believed
in the name of the only Son of God.
Copyright 1970, 1986,
1992, 1998, 2001 Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine, Inc. Washington D.C. All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or
by an information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the copyright
owner.
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."- Jn 20:21-23
