FROM FATHER RICK
DEAR FRIENDS,
GARDENING AND
WEEDING, ETC.
TREE
REMOVAL–I want to offer a word of thanks to
Gerry Levesque whose company removed the three
dead pine trees between the Rectory and the
Church this past week.
A WEEKLY EVENT–It
was suggested that for the next few weeks until
everything is in good shape the weeding be a
weekly event. So, if you’re free on Tuesday
morning at 9:30 stop by and offer a helping
hand.
ADOPT A BED–There
are a number of beds around the property which a
family or neighborhood could adopt and tend. If
you are interested please contact Irene at the
parish office.
ARISE
Please begin to reflect and pray about your
involvement in the ARISE Program, which begins
in October. There will be a mailing to the whole
parish in early September with essential
information (times and days for small group
meetings). Sign Ups will take place on the
weekend of September 13/14. There will also be
ARISE Team members available at the Generations
of Faith Registration dates as well. These dates
are listed elsewhere in the bulletin.
As I mentioned at
the Masses last weekend we need a number of
Small Group Leaders. This ministry requires one
training session sponsored by the archdiocese,
and for each of the sessions materials are
provided. Please consider this ministry. If you
have any questions you can ask any of the ARISE
Team members who are wearing their ARISE badges
on their St Robert’s name tag. There were about
5 parishioners who volunteered after the 10:30
Mass on Sunday. We are still looking at having
at least 20 small communities formed for this
first semester.
ARCHDIOCESAN
BICENTENNIAL VICARIATE CELEBRATION
On Sunday, September 7, there will be a family
picnic and Bicentennial Celebration at Saint
Michael’s in North Andover. The celebration
begins with a Noon Mass in the church and then a
family picnic from 1:00–4:00. Tickets for the
picnic are on sale after all our weekend Masses.
I wish you 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, contact Jim
McKain at 978-475-7931 or
Jim_McKain@NLTek.com,
or go online to
www.saintroberts.net/kofc.htm.
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, August 20, 7:30 pm, Driscoll Hall
Money Matters
On the weekend of
August 9/10
Stewardship
Reflection
“…their burnt
offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on
my altar,
for my house
shall be a called a house of prayer for all
people.” Isaiah 56:7
Although God no
longer expects burnt offerings, each of us is
called to bring a sacrifice to the altar, to
make a contribution to the building up of God’s
Church. What is your contribution?
Ministry
Exceptions Requested
The current liturgical
ministry schedule expires on the weekend of
August 30/31. The new schedule will go into effect on the weekend of September 6/7 (the
first weekend we return to the Winter Schedule)
and run through the weekend of November 22/23.
Please provide exceptions to
Irene at
ibonner@comcast.net or 978-683-8922 as soon
as possible so that the new schedule can be
issued in a timely manner.
Be Rejuvenated.
Bringing the daily
worries, cares and frustrations into an
atmosphere of prayer, reflection, and faith
sharing can bring new life to the mundane.
Please join us this Fall in ARISE:
Together in Christ. For more
information, visit us online at
www.saintroberts.net/Arise.htm.
Special
Collection This Weekend
Catholic Home
Missions Appeal
The second
collection this weekend, August 16/17, is for
the Catholic Home Missions Appeal, which
supports missions here in the United States.
This appeal offers Catholics across our country
a wonderful opportunity to help fellow Catholics
practice their faith in such areas as Alaska,
Appalachia, the Deep South, the Southwest, the
Rocky Mountain States, Puerto Rico, and island
dioceses in the Pacific and Carribean. Over 95
cents of every dollar donated goes directly to
the missions to keep church doors open, to
support pastors in their priestly ministry, and
to provide basic pastoral services like
religious education for children. Please give
generously to help your fellow Catholics here in
America.
The Catholic Home
Missions Appeal also provides funding to the
Global Archdiocese for the Military Services,
which sends approximately 300 active duty
chaplains to offer Mass, sacraments, counseling,
and the comforts of faith to American Catholic
soldiers and their families on 220 military
bases around the world. The Appeal helps build
community within the Church in the United States
and works for the common good of Catholics. For
more information, please visit
www.usccb.org/hm.
Summer Mass
Schedule Ends Soon!!
On the weekend of
September 6/7, we will resume our regular
weekend Mass schedule:
Saturday at 4:00
pm
Sunday at 9:00 &
11:00 am
Saturday, August
16, Vigil, 20th Ordinary Sunday
4:00 pm: Anthony
Colucci
Sunday, August
17, 20th Ordinary Sunday
8:00 am: Cecile
Henthorn
10:30 am: Fred J.
Furnari
Saturday, August
23, Vigil, 21st Ordinary Sunday
4:00 pm: Louis
Peront
Sunday, August
24, 21st Ordinary Sunday
8:00 am: People of
the Parish
10:30 am: Roger
LaFitte
Readings for the
Week of August 17, 2008
Sunday:
Is 56:1, 6-7/Rom 11:13-15, 29-32/Mt 15:21-28
Monday:
Ez 24:15-24/Mt 19:16-22
Tuesday:
Ez 28:1-10/Mt 19:23-30
Wednesday: Ez
34:1-11/Mt 20:1-16
Thursday:
Ez 36:23-28/Mt 22:1-14
Friday:
Ez 37:1-14/Mt 22:34-40
Saturday:
Ez 43:1-7ab/Mt 23:1-12
Next Sunday: Is
22:19-23/Rom 11:33-36/Mt 16:13-20
Readings are also
available online for print or audio download at
www.usccb.org/nab/.
And if you forget
that link, remember that it is always on our
homepage!
Registration
Starts This Month!
Thursday, August
28, 4:00-7:00 pm
Wednesday,
September 3, 4:00-7:00 pm
Saturday,
September 6, after 4:00 pm Mass
Sunday, September
7, after 9:00 & 11:00 am Masses
And watch your
mailboxes—a Faith Formation Newsletter with the
festival dates and topics for the year, as well
as other information, will be going out in
August.
What is
Generations of Faith? If you are new to the
parish or just new to GOF and have questions,
check out the
FAQ on our website (bottom of the homepage
or under Faith Formation) or contact Amanda at
amroberts@comcast.net or 978-683-8922 for
more information.
Question of the
Week
Twentieth
Ordinary Sunday
Reading I:
Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (Do What Is Just)
Reading II:
Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 (Gifts and Call of
God)
Gospel:
Matthew 15:21-28 (The Canaanite Woman)
Question for Adults:
When you pray, how do you know that Jesus
will really respond?
Question for Youth:
Do you trust that God hears your prayers?
Do you believe that your prayer makes a
difference?
Question for Children:
What is your favorite way to talk with
Jesus? What words do you use?
Please remember
in your prayers those newly baptized into
our community:
Keira Grace
Anastasi
Julia Christina
Ehrgott
Sophia Elizabeth
Evans
Faith Ann
Henderson
Ella Marie
Levesque
Tyler Drew
Mondejar
Gavin Duane Vail
Claire Grace
Woodring
Calling all
Eucharistic Ministers…
or anyone interested
in becoming a Eucharistic Minister for hospital
ministry. Volunteers are needed as Eucharistic
Ministers at Lawrence General Hospital.
Volunteer for one hour per week, one hour every
other week, or one hour per month, weekdays,
Saturdays, or Sundays—whatever your schedule
allows. Orientation and training will be
provided. For additional information or to sign
up please call Chaplain Arlene Larsen,
Coordinator of Catholic Pastoral Care, at
978-683-4000, ext. 2344 (please leave a
message).
Attention
Teachers and Career Changers!
Regis College, a
Catholic College in Weston, is hosting a
Graduate Programs Information Session on
Wednesday, August 20, at 6:00 pm. Come learn
about earning initial teaching licensure in only
five courses, or (for licensed educators)
receiving professional licensure. Students can
take two courses without applying to a program.
For information or to register for a class of
the information session, please email
extendedlearning@regiscollege.edu or call
781-768-7058.
Project Rachel
Do you know someone
who is carrying grief and sorrow over past
abortions? Project Rachel is the post-abortion
ministry of the Catholic Church to help those
dealing with the pain of abortion. Project
Rachel will offer three “Come to the Waters”
post abortion healing retreats this fall:
Saturday, September 6, October 18, or November
15, 2008. For more information and
registration for the date of your choice,
contact Project Rachel at 508-651-3100 or
help@projectrachelboston.com.
Job Openings
Our Lady of Good
Counsel School in Lawrence has two positions
open for next year: Middle School Social Studies
teacher and a K-8 School Counselor position.
Applicants must be certified in their fields.
Please send resumes to Ms. Maureen Cocchiaro
M.Ed. at 526 Lowell Street, Lawrence, MA 01841.
Got Produce?
If you can’t keep up
with your garden harvest, consider sharing some
of your bounty with those in need! Donations of
fresh produce are always welcome at Neighbors
in Need. Produce donations can be dropped
off at the Neighbors in Need warehouse in
Andover, M-F, 7:00-11:00 am. For directions,
call 978-685-8321 or go to
www.neighborsinneed.net. If you cannot make
it during warehouse hours, contact Karen Bailey
at
kbailey07@comcast.net or 978-475-1049 for
delivery help.
Save the Date!
Presentation and
discussion
of the U.S.
Catholic Bishops’ Faithful Citizenship Statement
Tuesday, Sept.
16, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, Sept.
17, 12:45 pm
Bellarmine Room
During these
sessions, Dr. Bernard F. Swain will be here to
present the current Faithful Citizenship
document for your consideration prior to the
national election in November. Both sessions are
essentially the same, one in the evening and one
in the daytime for your convenience. Please join
us for either session.
For more
information, including an excerpt of Dr. Swain’s
Cross Currents article on the topic, see
the article in the most recent issue of the
Parish Newsletter. If you did not receive the
newsletter in the mail, check with the parish
office to make sure that your contact
information is up to date. The newsletter is
also available on our website under the Parish
Newsletter link. Full text of the Faithful
Citizenship Statement is online at
http://www.usccb.org/bishops/FCStatement.pdf.
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, Retrouvaille may be able to help.
Find more information on the web at
www.helpourmarriage.com or call
1-800-470-2230. The next Retrouvaille marriage
renewal weekends will be held September 12-14,
2008 and in January 2009.
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, LTCD Chris Stopyra, USN
SCRIPTURE
READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK–TWENTY FIRST SUNDAY IN
ORDINARY TIME
A reading from
the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 22:19-23
Thus says the Lord
to Shebna, master of the palace: “I will thrust
you from your office and pull you down from your
station. On that day I will summon my servant
Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with
your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give
over to him your authority. He shall be a father
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the
house of Judah. I will place the key of the
House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he
opens, no one shall shut when he shuts, no one
shall open. I will fix him like a peg in a sure
spot, to be a place of honor for his family.”
A reading from
the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the
riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How
inscrutable are his judgments and how
unsearchable his ways! For who has known the
mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?
Or who has given the Lord anything that he may
be repaid? For from him and through him and for
him are all things. To him be glory forever.
Amen.
+ A reading from
the holy Gospel according to Matthew 16:13-20
Jesus went into the
region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his
disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of
Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the
Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or
one of the prophets.” He said to them, “Who do
you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you,
Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church, and the gates
of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of
heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly
ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was
the Christ.
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.
