tel (603) 882
TRANSCRIPT
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4 Dracut Road, Hudson, NH 03051 • Tel (603) 882-7793 • Fax (603) 595-1465
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FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
13 September 2020
God Alone!
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the head of the Pontifical Academy for Life, spoke at the end of August to a group of Latin American Bishops. In his talk, he reflected on St. John Paul II’s encyclical, The Gospel of Life, which was promulgated back in 1995. Among the points that he made, he spoke very clearly: “The Church has a great responsibility so that its members, first of all, convert to the Gospel of life, to the beauty of life. It is important that we avoid the dirty work of death and carry out the beautiful work of life.” Further, he called upon politicians to “stop promoting laws against life…politicians, both Christians and other politicians, have to hear the validity of supporting and aiding the lives of all, and especially of the most fragile.” The archbishop’s comments were spoken at the Pan-American Network for Life and the Right to Life of the Latin American Bishops ’ Confer-ence. Continuing our reflection from last week, as we look out at the world with all of its encroaching darkness and chaos…at the heart of the storm, we see a fierce battle centered around the dignity of human life, in particular re-garding the most vulnerable. At the heart of creation, what was the pinna-cle of God’s work? Man, created in His image and likeness. What does the darkness and the chaos we witness today seek to consume and destroy? Man, created in God’s image and likeness! As St. Irenaeus said in the sec-ond century, “life in man is the glory of God; the life of man is the vision of God. If the revelation of God through creation gives life to all who live upon the earth, much more does the manifestation of the Father through the Word give life to those who see God.”
That quote from St. Irenaeus is key to understanding what is happening in today’s world from the pandemic and the rise of lawlessness to all the turmoil we see in between. The very dignity and life of the human person is the vision of God. If the dignity and life of human beings is not valued by the culture or by the world, what is being rejected? The vi-sion of God, or more precisely, God’s vision for creation.
God brought man into being in order to be a reflection of Himself. This is why all the crimes and sins against the dignity of the human person have severe consequences. The devaluing of human life in the womb through abortion and artificial contraception, the taking of one’s own life through assisted suicide, the redefining of euthanasia as death with dignity, the redefining and self-determination of gender, the redefinition of the sacred union of husband and wife which is marriage: all these sins against the dignity of the human person, all these ways in which the human person is rejected is a rejection of God Himself. Can there be any wonder then, why there is such unrest and strife in society? The only way to peace is for society to once again cherish and value the human person from conception to natural death.
We must understand that this is not just a fight for the soul of our own nation, but this is a global struggle that must be undertaken by all peoples of good will. If we look at the wisdom of our founding fathers, we will see more clear-ly just how far we have come from that vision of God. In the words of Noah Webster, the editor of the first dictionary, "The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. . . All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, pro-ceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible." Original Chief Justice, John Jay, spoke say-ing, "The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the Word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts." Robert Winthrop, Speaker of the U.S. House, makes it clear that “men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or by a power without them; either by the Word of God or by the strong arm of man.” Last but not least, the first President of the United States of America, George Washington, so wisely observed: "Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society.” May we once again be able to see what they saw!
In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Michael
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MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Vigil (The Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time) 4:00PM—+Clement and Rita Brissette, by Claudette and Paul Roy
Sunday, September 13 (The Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time) 8:30AM—+Gisele Desrosiers, by Jocelyn and Nick Dupuis 10:30AM—For the People of the Parish 6:30PM—+Karen Poza, by the Murguia Family
Monday, September 14 (The Exaltation of the Holy Cross) 8:30AM—+Nancy Boucher, by Rosa Bucchio
Wednesday, September 16 (Saint Cornelius; Saint Cyprian) 8:30AM—+Phillip Prever, by the Phillips Family
Thursday, September 17 (Saint Robert Bellarmine) 6:30PM—+Joseph Tru Do, by his family
Friday, September 18 (Weekday) 8:30AM—+Pantaleon Yuds, by his family
Saturday, September 19 (Saint Januarius) 8:30AM—+Dennis Brickley, by Janet Coughlin Vigil (The Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time) 4:00PM—+Raymond and Paul Mousseau, by Claudette and Paul Roy
Sunday, September 20 (The Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time) 8:30AM—+Norah Mills, by her family 10:30AM—For the People of the Parish 6:30PM—+Joseph Tru Do, by his family and +Peter O’Keeffe, by Kim McCarthy
CONFIRMATION AND FIRST COMMUNION
MASSES ON SEPTEMBER 17TH
AND SEPTEMBER
19TH
Masses celebrated this Thursday, September
17th at 6:30 p.m and on Saturday, September 19th at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. are open only to those on the Confirmation and First Communion RSVP list, as we are limited in the number of families and family members who may attend these Masses due to social distancing needs. Thank you for your understanding. Let us continue to pray for our young men and women as they complete their Sacraments of Initiation!
SEPTEMBER 13, 2020
THIS WEEK AT CHURCH
Sunday, September 13th
Scholarship Presentation to Jack Gasdia/Church (at 8:30 a.m. Mass) Sacraments of Initiation for Alfonso Garcia and Sonya Trapp/Church (during 10:30A Mass)
Monday, September 14th
Rehearsal for Confirmation and First Communion for September 19th/Church (10:30A)
Tuesday, September 15th
Rehearsal for Confirmation for September 19th/ Church (4:00P)
Wednesday, September 16th
Adoration/Church (5:30-8:15A and 9:15A-7:00P) Staff Prayer/Emmaus Chapel (9:45-10:30A) Finance Council Meeting/Parish Office (6:30P) K of C Planning Meeting/RM 3 (7:00-10:00P)
Thursday, September 17th Sacrament of Reconciliation/Church (5:30-6:15P) Confirmation/Church (6:30P) Consecration to Saint Joseph Meeting/Hall B
(7:00P)
Saturday, September 19th
Rosary/Church (8:00A) Sacrament of Reconciliation/Church (9:15-10:00A and 3:00-3:45P) Confirmation and First Communion/Church (10:30A) Confirmation/Church (12:30P)
PRAYER FOR OUR COUNTRY
O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, at this most critical time we entrust our country to your loving care. Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim this land for the glory of your Son. Overwhelmed with the burden of the sins of our nation, we cry to you from the depths of our hearts and seek refuge in your motherly protection. Look down with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people. Open our minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Free us from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion and the breakdown of family life. Grant us the wisdom to know and proclaim that this nation was founded on God's law and that He alone is the True Source of our cherished rights and freedoms. Guide and protect this land from every evil and from the attacks of the powers of darkness. O Merciful Mother, give us the courage to reject the culture of death, and the strength to build a new culture of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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THE TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
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CATHOLIC CHARITIES For 75 years, Catholic
Charities NH has provided programs and services for individuals and families facing unplanned obsta-cles, unprecedented life challenges and chronic hardship. Your gift to Catholic Charities helps decrease the burden for those in need of guidance and support. We encour-age you to give online at the Catholic Chari-ties website (https://www.cc-nh.org/ ) and ask that you enter our Parish name in the comment section. Your support of Catholic Charities NH has provided healing and hope during this difficult time. Since the crisis began:
• 1,549 New Hampshire residents have received assistance around food, transportation, housing and other essential needs.
• 950 teletherapy sessions have been conducted by their Mental Health Counseling Services pro-gram for individuals facing increased stress, anx-iety and difficulties adjusting to the pandemic or everyday life. Overall inquiries for these services are up nearly 40%.
• 42,685 pounds of food have been distributed to homebound seniors across Greater Manchester and Greater Nashua through The CareGivers program, ensuring they maintain adequate ac-cess to food and nourishment during these try-ing times.
• 1,040 reassurance and check-in calls have been made through the CareGivers program, helping homebound seniors avoid feelings of isolation and maintain valuable connections to others.
• $43,130 in critical emergency assistance funds has been distributed to New Hampshire resi-dents facing intense hardship through their Community Services programs. This assistance benefited 518 household members. Requests for emergency assistance are up 50% since the crisis began.
Thank you for your continued prayers and dona-tions for the work of Catholic Charities.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2020
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Religious education
classes start on September 27th for grades 1-6. We usually begin the year with a Mass (which was scheduled for September 20th), but this year we will forgo the scheduled Mass. Our Religious Education program has several options: 1. At Home Program: Any student registered in the program may pick up a book, schedule, and be taught at home. The date for book pick-up will be posted later. 2. Classroom: Any student registered in the pro gram may attend classes on Sunday morning (protocols in place) from 10-12pm. Dates are attached to the registration form. This will depend on whether there are catechists for each grade level. As of now, we need cate chists for grade 2 and grade 5. 3. We are hopefully going to be able to offer Zoom or Go-To meeting classes also. If you have any questions or need more information, please call the Religious Education office at 603.882.7793 or email Sister Janice [email protected] or Tina Decoeur [email protected].
ORDER OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION Are you
thinking about becoming Catholic? Responding to God’s Call No matter when you begin to consider Catholicism, rest assured that God is present from the first moment of your spiritu-al journey. There are many reasons you may yearn to deepen your relationship with God. The Search for Meaning We live in a secular cul-ture that constantly bombards us with subtle mes-sages that tell us we aren’t good enough, we don’t have enough, and we need something new to make us happy. The Search for God The search for God almost al-ways involves a struggle with the image of God that was instilled in us as children. The Search for Belonging We live in a technologi-cal world, but despite our capacity for instant com-munication, we often feel alone. The Search for Truth The quest for truth solely through history, philosophy, literature, or theology often brings to light misconceptions about Catholic beliefs that have no basis of reality. The Search for Family Unity Many find that as they discover more about the Catholic faith, their initial desire based on family unity becomes a deep, per-sonal desire to enter into the community as a disci-ple of Jesus. Deciding to find out more? Contact Deacon Ray
Marcotte at [email protected].
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THE TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR GRAND RAFFLE While we will not be able to hold our Christmas Bazaar and Penny Sale this year due to the current pandemic, our Annual Grand Raffle will go on! Be sure to take an envelope or two
of raffle tickets from the windowsills and tables in church this weekend and sell them to friends and family over the next several weeks—or purchase them yourself!—to raise funds for future Buildings and Grounds repairs and upgrades (see Father Michael’s letter in the envelope). Please return ticket stubs and sale money to the offertory basket in the provided self-sealing Grand Raffle envelope. Tickets are only $1.00 each or $5.00 for a book of six. The drawing will take place on November 16th. First prize is $1,000; second prize is $750; third prize is $500. Try your luck! The parish receives a donation, and you have chances to win big! Each envelope contains $35.00 in sales, and if we sell them all, we can raise over $20,000!
SPECIAL COLLECTION Thank you to all who
donated last weekend to the collection for the Catholic University of America and U.S. This collection provides funding for academic scholarships at the Catholic University of America and supports the work of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
VETERANS COUNT BIKE RIDE The St. Kathryn
Parish Veterans Committee is sponsoring a bicycle racing team in this year's Veterans Count Bike Ride on September 12th starting at 9AM from Holman Stadium, Nashua. The event raises money for veterans services through the Easter Seals Military and Veterans Services. Anyone wishing to ride with our team, the "Holy Rollers," should contact Kelly Fraser at [email protected]. Last year's event raised over $110,000 for veterans. Anyone wishing to donate should go to veteranscount.org/nh/events/veterans-count-ride. Select the donate button and donate to any member of the Holy Rollers team. Thank you for supporting our veterans.
2020 SAINT KATHRYN SCHOLARSHIP
AWARDEE Congratulations to Jack Gasdia, who
was awarded this year’s Saint Kathryn Scholarship by our parish Tithing Council. Jack begins his first year of college at Georgetown University. We are very proud of Jack and pray God’s constant blessings upon him as he begins this new stage in his life.
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
Each Wednesday, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place in the church from 5:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.—7:00 p.m. On First Fridays of the month, adoration takes place from 9:00 a.m.—midnight. All are welcome and encouraged to stop in any time to adore the Lord. However, for safety and to ensure the Lord is always attended, the office must also maintain a schedule listing at least two adorers committed to each hour. Are you able to commit to a time slot? If so, please contact Charlene at 603.882.7793, ext. 10. We have an open weekly slot on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m.—noon and an open monthly slot on First Fridays from noon—1:00 p.m. All other hours have at least two adorers, but we are always happy to add more names to each hour in case a scheduled adorer cannot attend a particular week. For more information, please visit https://www.stkathryns.org/adoration-and-benediction.
CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER DAY OF
ENRICHMENT Retreat Director Fr. Bill Sheehan
OMI will give a Day of Enrichment, "Transforming the Heart of the World Through Contemplative Prayer," on Saturday, September 19th, 9am-3pm at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 180 Loudon Rd., Concord 03301. Cost: $10. Mail a check made out to "IHM" or pay at the door. It will be outdoors or inside the Church depending on weather. Wear a mask and bring a lunch. Info: (603) 224-4393 ext. 1 or [email protected].
REFLECTING GOD’S GENEROSITY TO US Due to an early publishing deadline, the offertory for September 5-6 will be published in the next bulletin. Our weekly parish budget is $11,900.00.
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SAINT KATHRYN PARISH
4 Dracut Road, Hudson, New Hampshire 03051-5006
Telephone: 603.882.7793 Fax: 603.595.1465
Website: www.stkathryns.org Facebook: Saint Kathryn’s Church Store: 603.595.4463
PARISH STAFF Rev. Michael R. Monette, Pastor [email protected]
Deacon Raymond V. Marcotte, Permanent Deacon [email protected]
Sister Janice Rooney, SNDdeN, Director of Religious Education [email protected]
Charlene Maniotis, Parish Secretary [email protected]
Tina Decoeur, Religious Education Secretary [email protected]
Peter Krauss, Bookkeeper [email protected]
Larry Franchitto, Music Director [email protected]
Rick Balboni, Grounds Manager/Religious Goods Store Manager [email protected]
Greg Chagnon, Facilities Manager [email protected]
Pat Grenier, Custodial Assistant [email protected]
Christopher Maynard, AFNCollM, Staff Organist [email protected]
Jeanette Cassidy, Safe Environment Coordinator [email protected]
PARISH OFFICE Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00-4:00 p.m. Closed Friday/Weekends
SAINT KATHRYN RELIGIOUS GOODS 603.595.4463
Our religious goods store is located in the back of the parish office building and has its own parking.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 9:00 a.m.—Noon
Friday and Sunday Closed
SCHEDULE OF MASSES Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 p.m. Sunday Masses: 8:30 a.m.; 10:30 a.m. (also livestreamed on our website); 6:30 p.m.
SACRAMENT OF PENANCE Thursday: 5:30-6:15 p.m.
Saturday: 9:15-10:00 a.m. and 3:00-3:45 p.m.
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Catechesis takes place with the parents prior to scheduling a date for the baptism. For more information, please contact Deacon Ray in the
parish office.
SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE Engaged couples should contact the parish office at least six months in advance of the proposed date of the wedding. Please refer to the
marriage policy as found on the parish website.
SACRAMENT OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK/COMMUNION TO THE HOMEBOUND Arrangements may be made for Communion to the Homebound or for the Sacrament of the Sick by calling the parish office. The
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick should be celebrated at the outset of an illness or when there is a change in the person’s condition.
The Sacrament should also be received prior to surgery.
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES The diocesan policies are available by calling the parish office or by consulting the diocesan website at www.catholicnh.org.
OPEN FOR YOU! We invite you to use our church, the transept chapel, or the Emmaus Chapel (in the office building) for personal prayer. Our sacred
spaces are open daily from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (closed Saturday after the 4:00 p.m. Mass).
Welcome! If you are new to our community, we hope you have felt welcome! If you are a visitor - occasional or frequent - we’re
glad you joined us! If you’re considering parish membership introduce yourself to the pastor after Holy Mass to get the process underway!
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ST. KATHRYN PARISH HUDSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03-0779 September 13, 2020 – Week 42