St. Christopher Parish January 25, 2015 St. Christopher Church Fr. Richard Kelley, Pastor 62 Manchester St. Nashua, New Hampshire 03064 (603) 882-0632 (603)881-8728 fax parish.office@stchrisparishnh.org www.stchrisparishnh.org St. Christopher School Mrs. Cindy Clarke, Principal Grades PreK - 6 20 Cushing Ave. Nashua, New Hampshire 03064 (603) 882-7442 (603)594-9253 fax www.stchrisschoolnh.org Worship Schedule Morning Prayer Daily Mass Saturday Vigil Sunday Mass Vietnamese Mass 7:00 AM Weekdays 7:15 AM Weekdays 4:00 PM 8:00 & 10:00 AM 1:00 PM Sunday Confessions 3:00-3:30 PM Saturday Rosary 7:00 PM Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration 1:00-4:00 PM 1st Friday of the Month September - June Third Sunday in Ordinary Time In the reading from Jonah, God told him to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. When the whole city repented the very first day, they showed it by wearing sackcloth and fasting from food. Sometimes we might think that way: That repenting means punishing ourselves or feeling sorry. Jesus sees things differently. He preached repentance that was a change of heart, a new way of looking at things, a new way of acting. In the gospel today, we see an example. The first people he calls to be disciples were fisherman. They would have considered their family, their partners, and their boat as the most important things in their lives. You need all of them to be a successful fisherman. One man sitting on a dock with a pole could barely keep himself fed, much less support a family. Yet the disciples don’t even hesitate when called by Jesus. They leave behind their boats, their nets, even their father, to follow Jesus. They don’t worry about what they will do, or look back at what they are leaving behind. Now they are fishers of men. Their “repentance” was more than just giving up sins. They were beginning a new life and a new way of looking at the world. Saint Paul refers to this as a new world. By following Jesus, we put the values of the present world behind us and look forward to a new one. His examples could apply today as much as in his time. Marriages, joy, sadness, buying property are still considered important to worldly people. Paul doesn’t expect everyone to stop doing those things. When he talks about not using the world fully, he means not fully engaged in the world, but looking to a better one, where God is more important than any passing pleasure or pain. Is your marriage an example of God’s love for your friends and relatives? When you are rejoicing, do you give thanks to God? When weeping, do you ask for his help? When you are shopping, do you buy what you really need, or what you think will make you happy? Jesus calls us all to this new way of living. With Jesus, we can make a new world. Our Parish Prayer Heavenly Father, we pray for all of the people and programs of St. Christopher Parish. Unite us as a community of believers and grant us the wisdom, grace, and strength to do your will. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. AMEN. Our Mission We are a Roman Catholic parish whose members live and proclaim the saving message of Jesus Christ. Our Vision Welcome New Parishioners! If you would like to register or you have changed your address, please fill out the form on page 5. Those moving from the parish are also asked to contact the rectory. Thank you! St. Christopher Church serves as a spiritual home where all are welcome to share in its ongoing commitment to providing opportunities for • Worship through the celebration of the Sacraments, • Service through active and compassionate participation in the community, • Education in God’s Word and the Catholic faith, and • Fellowship through parish events that nurture and support family life. January 25, 2015 2 Mass Intentions Saturday, January 24 4:00 PM Robert Farina, 1st Annivsary by His Wife & Family Sunday, January 25 8:00 AM For Parish Intentions 10:00 AM Stanley Koperniak by Shari, Bob, Grace, Joe & Trabucchi 1:00 PM Vietnamese Mass Monday, January 26 7:15 AM For Parish Intentions Tuesday, January 27 7:15 AM For Parish Intentions Wednesday, January 28 7:15 AM For Parish Intentions Thursday, January 29 7:15 AM For Parish Intentions Friday, January 30 7:15 AM For Parish Intentions Saturday, January 31 4:00 PM Paul Currier by Doris Houls Sunday, February 1 8:00 AM Carrol Theriault by Andrew & Deanna Lavoie 10:00 AM Rita Mercurio by The Trabucchi Family 1:00 PM Vietnamese Mass The Sanctuary Lamp Burns This Week: Fo Parish Intentions Altar Bread and Wine: The Altar Bread and Wine, which will become the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ at all Masses celebrated during the month of January 2015, is offered for deceased members of the Cadwell and Carroll families by Peter and Jane Cadwell. Christmas Flower Donations Thank you to the following families for donating to the Christmas Flower fund: David St. Onge; Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Nguyen; and Margaret Lavoie. In memory of Albert R. Bertrand and Deborah B. McNally by Mrs. Lucille Bertrand; In memory of Toohig and Zollo Families by Dr. and Mrs. Warren Toohig; In Memory of Ashley Rose Xiggores by Mr. and Mrs. David Taylor. WELCOME - We welcome Fr. Gerry Dion and Fr. Jack Finnegan who are here to celebrate our weekend Masses. I will be away from the parish, officiating at the marriage of a relative. POPE FRANCIS – As we know, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, was recently on a pastoral visit to Asia. It was estimated that 6 million people came to his closing Mass in the Philippines. This was the largest papal gathering of people in history. It surpassed the crowds that greeted Saint John Paul II in 1995 in the same place. Pope Francis will be coming to the United States this coming September in order to be at the world conference on families which will take place in Philadelphia. It has also been announced that he will visit both Washington, DC and New York. The Diocese of Manchester is planning to organize a pilgrimage to one of these places. More information about it will be given in time. CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK – This week here at Saint Christopher’s and throughout the country, we celebrate Catholic Schools Week. This year’s theme is “Catholic Schools – Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service”. We are very fortunate to have a school here at Saint Christopher Parish. It adds life to the parish and it does a fabulous job in evangelizing our young people and families. We need to continue to promote our school, plus other Catholic schools. During the week, there will be a number of school activities to which all of our parishioners are welcome to attend. For your interest, I publish these statistics. They are from the NCEA’s document of United States Catholic Schools (2013-2014) and the statistics of the Diocese of Manchester (2014-2015) US Catholic Schools NH Catholic Schools Total Catholic school enrollment 1,974,578 6,104 Elementary school enrollment 1,391,793 3,949 Secondary School enrollment 582,785 2,155 Minority students 19.8% 22% Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity 15% 3% Non-Catholic students 16.4% 23% Total number of schools 6,594 28 Elementary schools 5,399 22 Secondary schools 1,195 6 ( 1 PreK-12) 1 (1 Gr.7-12) New Schools 28 0 Schools with waiting lists for admission 1,986 10 Full-time professional staff 151,351 496 Laity 96.8% 99.8% Religious/Clergy 3.2% .02% High School Graduation Rate 99% 100% SEMINARIAN COLLECTION – Last weekend, at all of the parishes throughout the Diocese of Manchester, there was a second collection for the education of our seminarians. These men (God-willing) will be our future priests. This is an investment since we will be relying on these men to serve in our parishes in the future. From the Pastor, continued on page 4 January 25, 2015 K of C Free Throw Contest The St. Patrick’ Knights of Columbus Council #11907 will hold its annual Free Throw Contest on Sunday, Jan. 25 at St. Patrick’s Gymnasium (29 Spring St., Nashua) at 1:30 PM. Boys and girls who were ages 9-14 as of Jan. 1, 2015 are eligible to participate. If you have any questions, please contact Grand Knight Jim Lockwood at jamestlockwood@ comcast.net. Corpus Christi Corner Thank you to all the generous parishioners who donated to Corpus Christi Food Pantry during the month of December. Special thanks to the CYO Basketball teams who gave the Pantry 65 pounds of food. The donations in the Church baskets came to 404.5 pounds, bringing the total to 469.5 pounds of food. Blessings to you all! Weather forecasts are predicting very cold temperatures for the month of January. This time of year we need hearty meals and hot drinks to keep warm. Please consider donating canned stews, soups, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. There are baskets located at each of the Church entrances for your donations. Yoga for Seniors If you are you looking to be more active and improve your overall health and well being in 2015, consider joining the St. Christopher Yoga for Seniors class weekly on Wednesday mornings at 8:00 AM in the Church Hall. Yoga for Seniors is a class that moves the whole body through a series of seated and standing yoga poses to increase flexibility and range of motion, improve balance and core strength, and help promote stress reduction and mental clarity. Classes are provided free of charge to St. Christopher’s seniors. All are welcome to stop by and give it a try. Please take note of our upcoming class schedule: January 28 -- Regular Class @ 8:00 AM February 4 -- NO CLASS February 11-- Regular Class @ 8:00 AM February 18 -- Regular Class @ 8:00 AM February 25 -- Regular Class @ 8:00 AM Nashua Catholic Jr. High Open House We’re Here for YOU at St. Christopher Parish! Rectory Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00-3:00 Rectory Phone:882-0632 Parish Email: office@stchrisparishnh.org Vietnamese Ministry: Rev. Thien Nguyen Parish Life Coordinator Linda Sanborn lsanborn@stchrisparishnh.org Religious Education Alana Kocsis alana@stchrisparishnh.org Confirmation Deacon Jim Daly deaconjim@stchrisparishnh.org Bookkeeper This Week’s Parish Activities Jean Dickson bookkeeper@stchrisparishnh.org Saturday, January 24, 2015 Music Director Confessions @3:00pm Carol Ann Skabo Vigil Mass @4:00pm music@stchrisparishnh.org Sunday, January 25, 2015 Parish Council Chair Sunday Mass @8:00am Re.Ed. Pre-K to 6 @8:30am Elizabeth Cote Sunday Mass and Youth Choir @10:00am ecote@stchrisparishnh.org Knights of Columbus Coffee Hour after the Right to Life Coordinator 10 am Mass @11:00am Youth Choir Rehearsal @11:10am Dan Hogan Sacrament of Baptism @2:30pm 880-8157 Confirmation Class @7:00pm Bulletin Monday, January 26, 2015 Marta Nissen 7:15 am Morning Mass Rel. Ed. Grades 7 & 8 @6:30pm bulletin@stchrisparishnh.org Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High School will hold an Open House Tuesday, February 3, 2015 from 6:30 - 8:00 P.M. Nashua Catholic is a vibrant Christ-centered 7th and 8th grade junior high school, challenging students to raise their personal expectations from classroom to playing field each day. Interscholastic athletics provide a wide variety of opportunity for our student athletes. A broad spectrum of extra-curricular activities includes rounds out each student’s education. Nashua busing is available. NC is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Call NC Admissions at 882-7011 for more information. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) @7:00pm Tuesday, January 27, 2015 7:15 am Morning Mass Rosary @7:00pm Wednesday, January 28, 2015 7:15 am Morning Mass Senior Yoga @8:00am Adult Choir Rehearsal @7:00pm Thursday, January 29, 2015 7:15 am Morning Mass Boy Scout #773 @7:00pm Friday, January 30, 2015 7:15 am Morning Mass Saturday, January 31, 2015 Confessions @3:00pm Vigil Mass @4:00pm Sunday, February 1, 2015 Sunday Mass @8:00am Re.Ed. Pre-K to 6 @8:30am Sunday Mass @10:00am Youth Choir Rehearsal @11:10am Confirmation Class @7:00pm Bulletin submissions are due one week before publication. Thanks! Visitation of the Sick Please call the Rectory, 882-0632, if a loved one is hospitalized, in the care of a nursing facility, or confined at home, and would like to receive the Sacraments. Overwhelmed by life, by care? May we help with our prayer? St. Christopher’s Prayer Line -24/7 from us to Heaven! Call the Prayer Line (Coordinator Maureen Brown) at 882-8634 Go online to www.stchrisparishnh.org Send email to prayerhotline@stchrisparishnh.org 4 January 25, 2015 End of Year Tax Statements cont’d. January 18, 2015 Offertory Envelopes$4,175.50 Loose$481.53 Children’s Envelopes $5.00 Faith Direct $1,016.00 Total$5,678.03 Under Budget $421.97 Christmas$40.00 (total to date $27,380.79) Fuel$120.00 (total to date $3,553.00) Seminarians$1,489.42 (total to date $1,669.42) Christmas Flowers $30.00 (total to date $2,062.00) Finance Year to Date as of Jan. 2014 Income $204,686.57 Expense$189,743.55 $14,943.02 Nashua’s Diocesan Catholic Schools www. NashuaDiocesanSchools.org St. Christopher School Grades Pre-Kindergarten - 6 882-7442 www.stchrisschoolnh.org • Infant Jesus School Grades Pre-Kindergarten - 6 889-2649 www.ijschool.org • Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High School Grades 7 & 8 882-7011 www.ncrjhs.org I also ask that you take home the brochure that was inserted into the bulletin. You can read about our seminarians and I also ask that you faithfully pray the Prayer for Vocations which is enclosed in the insert. You will notice that there is an envelope as well. Please use this envelope for your contribution. If you are unable to contribute this weekend, you can do so in the following weeks. I ask that you be as generous as possible and please continue to pray for more vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. They are needed. PARISH RETREAT – Fr. Richard McAlear, an Oblate priest, will be giving a parish retreat here beginning on the weekend of March 7-8. It will continue for the next three days (March 9, 10, 11). Fr. McAlear gave a retreat here several years ago and I am looking forward to his return to the parish. Although the retreat is a few months away, it is good to put it on your calendar, now. More information will be given in due time. End of year tax statements for 2014 will be automatically sent to anyone that received a statement from the parish for tax year 2013. If you did not receive a statement for 2013 and would like to receive a 2014 statement from the parish, please contact the rectory at 882-0632. To save the parish the cost of postage and paper, you may opt to receive your 2014 statement via email. If you received your last year’s statement via email, you will automatically receive your 2014 statement via email. If you have not received your statement via email in the past, or if your email address has changed, please contact the rectory with an up to date email address. The statements will be mailed/emailed by the end of January. If there are any discrepancies between your personal records and the year end statement sent by the parish, please contact the rectory at 882-0632. Discerning a Vocation? “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Are you considering a vocation as to the priesthood or consecrated life? Call Father Jason Jalbert (603) 663-0132, or write: jjalbert@rcbm.org. Knights of Columbus Coffee Hour January 25 following 10:00 AM Mass Have you bought your commemorative brick yet? Now is the chance to have your special message engraved on a paver brick that becomes a permanent part of St. Christopher Parish! Each brick costs $50 and is a great way to honor loved ones and celebrate special occasions like anniversaries, First Communion or Confimation. Bricks will be placed around the statue of St. Francis in the spring. Order forms are available in the alcove at the front of the church. All bricks must be ordered by March 1. For more information, contact Helen Blais at 603-889-1059 5 January 25, 2015 Faith Formation News Classes for Faith Formation are underway. Register now for Sunday morning, Junior High or Home Study Program. Forms are available on our parish website, on the bulletin board in the church hall and by calling the parish office. Sunday Morning classes meet in the school. Parents and children are to gather in the parish hall at 8:30 AM January 25– Regular Class February 1– Regular Class Junior High meets on Monday evening for Grades 7 and 8 at 6:30 PM in the church hall. January 26 – Regular Class February 2– Regular Class First Communion Classes Preparation classes for the children making First Communion this spring begin on Sunday, February 8 at 5:30 PM in the church hall. Pre-registration is required. Home Study Program Our parish offers a Home Study Program for families who wish to teach our Catholic Faith to their children. This option is open to children in Grades Pre-K to 8. Registration is required. Parish Nurse Notes Obesity in both adults and children in the United States has been recognized as a significant health/unhealthy issue and continues to be a challenge to overcome. Various factors have been identified as contributors to this problem, including too much fat, too many sweets, inactivity, super-sized food portions, and eating on the run. The food industry is making some inroads into modifying the ingredients in their products and health care workers are reinforcing the importance of healthy eating and exercise. But, the ingrained habit of between meal snacks is difficult to overcome. Offering healthy snacks in between meals can be a good starting point to a healthier generation. Parish Nurse has office hours at the Pennell Center the FIRST and THIRD Tuesday of each month between 8 and 10:00 AM. Please note that if school is cancelled on that day due to weather issues, the nurse will opt for safety and will not be available. St. Chris Book Club The Book Club will resume on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 7:00 PM at Panera Bread on Amherst Street. For the January meeting we will read two books. “Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night” by Barbara J. Taylor is a novel set in a coal mining town in 1913 that depicts how an unexpected event can alter lives. “Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Under City” by Katherine Boo is the dramatic story of families striving toward a better life in Annawadi. Both novels are sure to provide for fascinating conversation. All are welcome to join us! Families of Nazareth Repent and Believe in the Gospel “The way of contrition begins with short acts of contrition and gratitude. For example, when you realize some unfaithfulness, something that you discover as pain inflicted upon Jesus, you may try, perhaps clumsily, to tell Him that you are sorry. You can thank Him for forgiving you, even though you constantly forget about Him.” S.C. Biela, The Two Pillars, p. 55. FOR ABOUT 12 YRS, NOW, A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE HAS BEEN MEETING WEEKLY IN OUR PARISH TO REFLECT ON THE JOURNEY OF FAITH UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER … WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE IT A TRY? Come to 27 Biscayne Pkwy in Nashua this coming THURSDAY, January 29th. Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary begin at 7:15. Meeting concludes approximately 8:30 PM. Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families, For the selfless acts they perform, For us in our time of need. And give us peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior. Amen. Please pray for the following service people from our parish: Children of William and Yvette Berthelotte: Maj. Joseph Berthelotte (Army); Maj. Brian Berthelotte (Army); Maj. Mark Berthelotte (Air Force); Lt. Brad Berthelotte (Navy) Son of John and Alana Kocsis: Pfc. John Kocsis III, (Army) Son of Joseph and Sue Strob: Maj. Rob Strob Husband/Father of Lynn, Thomas and Jack: Sgt. Francis Hyland (Army) Grandson of Pat and Kaye Heffernan: Eamonn Garber, Corporal (USMC) Son of David and Patricia Taylor: SFC James Taylor (Army) To add names to our weekly military prayer list, please call Linda at the rectory at 882-0632. Welcome! St. Christopher Parish welcomes all visitors to our Spiritual Home! If you are interested in joining the parish, please complete the form below and either drop it in the Offertory Basket or mail it to the Rectory. One of our Parish staff members will be in touch. Registration forms are also available online at www.StChrisParishNH.org. Name ____________________________ Phone _________________ Address __________________________ Email __________________ _________________________________ January 25, 2015 6 Prayer to Saint Michael With so many challenges confronting us these days, we need help and strength to meet them head on. Please join us in praying daily that through the intercession of Saint Michael, we will remain faithful and strong in the Lord’s service and in defending the Truth which resides in the Church! St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl around the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. January 27 St. Angela Merici (1470 - 1540) Angela has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of women in the Church and what is now called a “secular institute” of religious women. As a young woman she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis (now known as the Secular Franciscan Order), and lived a life of great austerity, wishing, like St. Francis, to own nothing, not even a bed. Early in life she was appalled at the ignorance among poorer children, whose parents could not or would not teach them the elements of religion. Angela’s charming manner and good looks complemented her natural qualities of leadership. Others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood. She was invited to live with a family in Brescia (where, she had been told in a vision, she would one day found a religious community). Her work continued and became well known. She became the center of a group of people with similar ideals. She eagerly took the opportunity for a trip to the Holy Land. When they had gotten as far as Crete, she was struck with blindness. Her friends wanted to return home, but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage, and visited the sacred shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix, her sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost. At 57, she organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work. Four years later the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of St. Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. The members continued to live at home, had no special habit and took no formal vows, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of virginity, poverty and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a “secular institute” until some years after Angela’s death. Corpus Christi Adoration Chapel Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 12:00 —8:00 PM 43 Franklin Street Nashua , NH Volunteers are needed to commit to one hour of adoration each week. Adoration provides a wonderful time of grace-filled peace in the presence of our Lord. Please contact Sr. Elizabeth Castro, H.M.S.P. at 8820893 or 882-2262 to sign up. Readings for the Week Monday: 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5; Ps 96:1-3, 7-8a, 10; Mk 3:22-30 Tuesday: Heb 10:1-10; Ps 40:2, 4ab, 7-8a, 10, 11; Mk 3:31-35 Wednesday: Heb 10:11-18; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 4:1-20 Thursday: Heb 10:19-25; Ps 24:1-6; Mk 4:21-25 Friday: Heb 10:32-39; Ps 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40; Mk 4:26-34 Saturday: Heb 11:1-2, 8-19; Lk 1:69-75; Mk 4:35-41 Sunday: Dt 18:15-20; Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; 1 Cor 7:32-35; Mk1:21-28 “How often we forget to dedicate ourselves to that which truly matters! We forget that we are children of God.” Pope Francis I @ Pontifex January 18, 2015 7 January 25, 2015 Family Connection to this Week’s Gospel Gospel Reading: Mark 1:14-20 Jesus calls the fishermen, Simon and Andrew, James and John, to be his disciples. Today’s Gospel describes how Jesus called his first disciples and the immediacy with which these men dropped everything to follow him. We can only begin to imagine what Jesus’ presence must have been like to invoke such a response in these first disciples. While a few of us might relate to such a radical conversion, many of us would find such a sudden change in ourselves or in another person unsettling. There are few things for which we would willingly drop everything. And yet this is the immediacy with which these first disciples responded to Jesus. These first disciples were willing to drop everything in order to make Jesus and the Kingdom of God the most important things in their lives. Gather as a family and talk about circumstances in which you have had to “drop everything.” (the call to pick up a sick child from school, the cry of a hurt or angry child) How did you feel about having to change your plans in each of these situations? How do we feel when someone asks us to drop everything to help him or her? For many of us, it is not easy to drop everything to respond to the needs of another. Read today’s Gospel, Mark 1:14–20. Invite your family to imagine what Jesus’ presence and invitation to these first followers must have been like that they responded by leaving their livelihood to become his disciples. How might our life change if we understood the Kingdom of God to be as important and immediate in our lives? Ask God to help you experience the Kingdom of Reprinted from http://www.loyolapress.com/ God with such immediacy. Pray together the Lord’s Prayer.
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