FROM FATHER RICK
Dear Friends,
Today we celebrate the
Feast of the Holy Trinity.
Today at the 11:00 am
Mass we honor our High School graduates and award
the Parish Scholarships. There will be a reception
for them following the Mass in Driscoll Hall. Please
plan to join us.
Weekday Mass this week
will be celebrated at 12:10 pm on Wednesday Thursday
and Friday.
As the bulletin goes to
press mid week, I have not yet had the time to put
together any coherent thoughts to express to you how
I feel about what has happened during the past month
and especially the past week. If I get it done there
will be an insert in this bulletin; if not, please
look for it next week.
Just two dates to keep
in mind:
On Saturday, June 7,
at the 4:00 pm Mass we will celebrate that Mass
for the intentions of all the nurses and doctors who
ministered to Father Frank, with a reception for
those who are able to join us in the Gathering Space
after Mass.
On Sunday, June 15,
we will conclude a month of mourning for Fr. Frank
with a month’s mind Mass at the 10:30 am Mass on
Father’s Day—how appropriate.
I wish you Peace,
Fr. Rick
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.
–2 Corinthians
13:11-13
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:
Wed., May 21, 7:30 pm, Driscoll Hall
Stewardship
Reflection
“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.” John
3:16
How do you say “thank
you” to the God who has given His only Son to us?
What can you give back in return? A life of
stewardship is the only way to truly show your love
and appreciation to God. A life of stewardship is a
life of giving back time, talent, and treasure to
God.
Did You Miss the
Stamp Out Hunger Drive?
If you were away or
forgot to put out your donation for the annual Post
Office Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive last week, you
can still help! Just drop off your donations for
Neighbors in Need anytime in the box in the
vestibule of the church.
They are especially in
need of the following items: Shelf Stable 1% Milk
(e.g. Parmalat); Canned Beans, especially Goya Pink
Beans and Green Pigeon Peas (Gandules); Canned
Vegetables or Fruit; Peanut Butter; Tuna, Canned
Ham, and Canned Chicken; Spaghetti Sauce with Meat;
Soups; Cereal; Rice; Pasta; Infant Formula; Baby
Food; Diapers.
What are You Doing
This Summer?
Host Families
Needed!!
The chance of a lifetime
to change someone’s life! The Chernobyl Children
Project USA is looking for host families for the
children from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to
provide love, support, and strength for these young
victims of the world’s worst nuclear disaster. The
project will be holding several informational
meetings on how to get involved either by
volunteering, hosting, translating, or supporting a
host family. If you would like to participate in
this summer program, providing respite and fun for
four weeks, we would love to provide you all the
necessary information. The children, ages 8–13, will
arrive on Tuesday, June 24, and return home four
weeks later, Thursday, July 24. Host families are
asked to take two children. The project will help to
provide support and assistance to the host families.
If you are interested and would like more
information, please call Patty Doyle, President, at
781-251-0137 or visit
www.ccpusa.org.
Special Collection
for Communications This 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.
Special Collection
for Cyclone Victims Next Weekend
Cardinal O'Malley has
requested a special second collection in all
parishes the weekend of May 24/25 to assist
with the Catholic Relief Services emergency response
to the people of Myanmar following the recent
cyclone and flooding. Current estimates of the
devastation caused by the storm are 60,000 dead and
1 million homeless. Significant funds are needed to
ensure that critical life-saving assistance reaches
the most vulnerable people quickly. Catholic Relief
Services will coordinate with the Caritas network
and local and international agencies to determine
how best to provide help where it is most needed.
Please be as generous as you can to help support
relief efforts in this time of crisis.
Mass Schedule and
Intentions
Saturday, May 16,
Vigil, Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
4:00 pm: Deceased
Members of the Viscosi Family
Sunday, May 17,
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
9:00 am: Denis & Alice
McCarthy
11:00 am:
Graduates;**Baccalaureate Mass
Wednesday, May 21,
Weekday Mass
12:10 pm: Angela & John
Sudol
Thursday, May 22,
Weekday Mass
11:00 am: Funeral Mass
for Father Frank
Friday, May 23,
Weekday Mass
12:10 pm: People of the
Parish
Saturday, May 24,
Vigil, Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of
Christ
4:00 pm: Roger LeFrenier
Sunday, May 25,
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
9:00 am: John Francis
Latta
11:00 am: Bob & Mary
Bertagna; **Baptism of Gavin Duane Vail
Readings for the Week
of May 18, 2008
Sunday: Ex
34:4b-6, 8-9/2 Cor 13:11-13/Jn 3:16-18
Monday: Jas
3:13-18/Mk 9:14-29
Tuesday: Jas
4:1-10/Mk 9:30-37
Wednesday: Jas
4:13-17/Mk 9:38-40
Thursday: Jas
5:1-6/Mk 9:41-50
Friday: Jas
5:9-12/Mk 10:1-12
Saturday: Jas
5:13-20/Mk 10:13-16
Next Sunday: Dt
8:2-3, 14b-16a/1 Cor 10:16-17/Jn 6:51-58
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
Question of the
Week–Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Question for Adults:
If you were to encourage the members of your
own parish to live as a “community of love,” which
is how we define the Trinity, how would you advise
them to live? Use St. Paul’s list of exhortations as
your starting point (see p.2 underneath Fr. Rick’s
column).
Question for Youth:
The Trinity is celebrated today. How would you
describe your relationship with God the Father? With
Jesus? With the Spirit?
Question for Children:
When people love each other, how do they
treat each other?
“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.
Annual Memorial Day
Weekend Masses
St. Mary Cemetery—River
Road, North Tewksbury
Saturday, May 24, at 12
Noon
St. Patrick
Cemetery—Gorham Street, Lowell
Monday, May 26, at 10:00
am
Families and friends are
cordially invited.
Summer Mass Schedule
Starts Soon!!
Starting June 14/15,
weekend Masses will be:
Saturday at 4:00 pm
Sunday at 8:00 &
10:30 am
This Week in Our
Parish
Wednesday, May 21
12:10 PM Weekday Mass,
Church
7:30 PM Knights of
Columbus, Driscoll Hall
Thursday, May 22
12:10 PM Weekday Mass,
Church
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
7:30 PM Scout Leaders,
Bellarmine Room
Friday, May 23
12:10 PM Weekday Mass,
Church
Saturday & Sunday,
May 24/25
There will be a
reception after each Mass this weekend to celebrate
and
thank each of the choir
groups for sharing their talents with us every week.
Summer Good News
Fiesta
The Summer Good News
Fiesta for children ages 6 to 11 will be held June
23 to June 27 at St. Patrick Church Hall on Suffolk
Street in Lowell. The day begins at 8:30 am with
free breakfast provided by CTI Summer Feeding
Program and ends at 12:30 pm after free lunch.
Campers participate in arts and crafts, singing,
acting, planting, games, and teachings. Registration
is $5 for the week and $1 for each additional family
member. Theme is “Power Lab: Discovering Jesus’
Miraculous Power.” Sponsored by the Oblate Associate
Community and St. Patrick’s Parish. For more
information or to register, call 978-458-6346, ext.
215.
More to Read with
Your Kids!
Last week we announced
that Amanda had put together a Listmania list on
Amazon of books for Catholic parents with young
children. This week we add another list, this one
for parents with school-aged children. You can
access the links on the
Faith Formation page under “Educational
Resources.”
Bereavement Support
Group
Beacon Hospice is
offering a local bereavement support group, “A
Journey of Hope and Healing,” which will meet for
six weeks on Thursday evenings, May 22 to June 26,
from 6:00-7:30 pm, at Merrimack Valley Hospital in
Haverhill. For more information or to register,
please contact Lucille Bonanno at 978-372-4211 or
lbonanno@beaconhospice.com.
Golf Season is in
Full Swing!! Have Fun and Help Support Your
Community…
Golf Fore Life
The Pregnancy Care
Center of the Merrimack Valley and Southern New
Hampshire is looking for golfers to join them for
their 9th annual golf tournament on Monday, June
16, 2008. Are you a golfer with a love for
Christ and a stirring to help this incredible
ministry? Then please join them for a fun day of
golf, prizes, and silent auction at Far Corner golf
course in West Boxford. To sign up, or for more
information, contact: Marge Squire, PCC Events
Coordinator, at 978-373-5718, ext. 53 or
margesquire@pccnortheast.org.
NDA 16th Annual Golf
Classic
Grab your clubs, pull
together a foursome and get ready to head to the
Vesper Country Club, Tyngsboro, MA for the Academy
of Notre Dame’s (NDA) Sixteenth Annual Golf Classic
which will be held on Monday, June 23, 2008.
Golfers will gather at 11:30 am for lunch before
heading out for a 1:00 pm tee time, bramble format.
The entry fee of $200/person includes lunch, fees,
cart rental, and dinner. Sponsorship opportunities
are also available. For more information or to
register, call 978-649-7611, ext. 321, or visit
http://www.ndatyngsboro.org/page.cfm?p=5 and
scroll to the bottom of the page for registration
forms and sponsorship information. Those
interested should register early as space is
limited.
Attention Catholic
School Educators!
Regis College in Weston,
in a commitment to Catholic education, is offering
two graduate education courses at Sacred Heart
Elementary School in Quincy this summer, at a
special price for Catholic school educators only!
Courses are offered the following dates: SS I on
June 19, 20, 23 & 24 & SSII on July 14, 15, 16 & 17.
Registration deadline is June 1. For information
email
extendedlearning@regiscollege.edu or call
781-768-7058.
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. - Jn 3:16-17
SCRIPTURE READINGS
FOR NEXT WEEK
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST
HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
A reading from the
Book of Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a
Moses said to the
people: “Remember how for forty years now the LORD,
your God, has directed all your journeying in the
desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out
whether or not it was your intention to keep his
commandments. He therefore let you be afflicted with
hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown
to you and your fathers, in order to show you that
not by bread alone does one live, but by every word
that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.
"Do not forget the LORD,
your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
that place of slavery; who guided you through the
vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents
and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground; who
brought forth water for you from the flinty rock and
fed you in the desert with manna, a food unknown to
your fathers."
A reading from the
first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
10:16-17
Brothers and sisters:
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a
participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that
we break, is it not a participation in the body of
Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though
many, are one body, for we all partake of the one
loaf.
+ A reading from the
holy Gospel according to John 6:51-58
Jesus said to the Jewish
crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from
heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the
life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among
themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his
flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I
say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of
Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within
you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has
eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true
drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him. Just as the living
Father sent me and I have life because of the
Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have
life because of me. This is the bread that came down
from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still
died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.
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
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without permission in writing from the copyright
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