Bulletin

This week, the Sanctuary Candle burns for Matthew Trombly.
 
SATURDAY, APRIL 10
 
5:00pm  
Ray St. Pierre (Birthday Memorial)
Stella Chmielecki (5 Year Anniversary)
Bob McGinness
 
SUNDAY, APRIL 11 ~ Divine Mercy Sunday
9:00am   
Robert Beaulieu
John Deschenes
Al Ouellette
11:00am  
Maurice Dube
Mary Thibault
James Brackett
 
MONDAY,  APRIL 12
8:30am John Deschenes
Ken Bibeau
Joyce Stallings
 
TUESDAY, APRIL 13
St. Martin I, Pope and Martyr
8:30am Sarah Shand Duzan
Mary Heinle
Serra Sullivan
 
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14
8:30am Nancy Brown
Cheryl Bastardi
Matias Gonzales
 
THURSDAY, APRIL 15
8:30am
Sr. Lily D’Souza
Fr. Roger P. Bilodeau
 
FRIDAY, APRIL 16
No Daily Mass

SATURDAY, APRIL 17
This week, the Sanctuary Candle burns for James E. Ryder
 
5:00pm Joan Aroska
Susan Lowney
Florence Goodspeed
Dc. Alfred A. Labonte, Jr.
(1 Year Anniversary)
 
SUNDAY, APRIL 18 ~ 3rd Sunday of Easter
9:00am
John Ghiorzi
Father Felix
Alfred & Lauretta Arsenault
11:00am
Sejour Family
Don Bernier (1 Year Anniversary)
Phil Pinnell
 
We remember those who have passed recently, especially: Arlene Fondini. May they be rewarded with eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

SATURDAY, APRIL 10
7:00am-9:00am - Men of St. Joseph
3:00pm - Divine Mercy Novena
4:00pm-4:30pm - Confessions
5:00pm - Sunday Vigil Mass
 
SUNDAY, APRIL 11 ~ Divine Mercy
9am & 11am - Masses
3pm -  Divine Mercy Holy Hour of Prayer & Adoration
 
MONDAY,  APRIL 12
7:45am - Rosary
8:30am - Daily Mass
3:00pm - Divine Mercy Chaplet & Rosary
 
TUESDAY,  APRIL 13
7:45am - Rosary
8:30am - Daily Mass
3:00pm - Divine Mercy Chaplet & Rosary
  
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14
7:45am - Rosary
8:30am - Mass
9:00am - Exposition
3:00pm - Reposition
3:00pm - Divine Mercy Chaplet & Rosary
 
THURSDAY, APRIL 15
7:45am - Rosary
8:30am - Daily Mass
3:00pm - Divine Mercy Chaplet & Rosary
 
FRIDAY, APRIL 16
3:00pm - Divine Mercy Chaplet & Rosary
 
SATURDAY, APRIL 17
4:00pm-4:30pm - Confessions
5:00pm - Sunday Vigil Mass
 
SUNDAY,  APRIL 18
9am & 11am - Masses
 
 

- GOSPEL COMMENTARY

April 11, 2021 - Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)

What a wonderful joy fills us today as we ponder the inexhaustible mercy of God. “Mercy is the heart of God,” Pope Francis tells us. The image of a heart has been used to point to the very life source of a person as it is the organ that allows life to flow through our veins and sustain us. Mercy is the heart of God. Imagine this, powerful, compassionate, and loving presence of God flowing into the very depth of our souls. It is God’s mercy that allows blood to flow through our veins. It is God’s mercy that forms every atom of our being and leads us to what is true. God’s mercy reveals all superficiality and falsehood and lays bare all distortions, empty promises, weakness, and sin.

“Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope,” Pope Francis continues. God’s all-forgiving, compassionate love is with us.

When we finally believe and accept that Christ is resurrected transfigured presence resides with us, we then find within us a strong confidence to accept life’s imperfections and disappointments and move on. Every day is a new adventure in new life. God leaves the past behind and opens doors to the future. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes we made yesterday. All that matters is what we do tomorrow and what we learn along the way. It is so easy to remain tethered and mired in the past, but there is no need to do so. God is all about tomorrow and the work God has yet to do in our lives.

©LPi

Question:

Where did the feast of Divine Mercy come from?

Answer:
If you were born well before the year 2000, you know the feast of Divine Mercy has not always been celebrated in the Church. In the early 1900s, a young Polish nun began receiving private revelations. Jesus appeared to her during her times of prayer, speaking a message of mercy and love for the world. She received a set of prayers — the Divine Mercy Chaplet — and the request to have a feast day established to remind the Church of the mercy of God. St. Faustina died in 1938, on the cusp of war and in the midst of one of the most violent centuries in the history of the world.

Her story and her diaries began circulating in Poland and beyond. It quickly became apparent that this was a holy young woman, and the cause for her canonization opened. In the year 2000, she was canonized by the first-ever Polish pope, St. John Paul II. On her canonization day, he established the second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday, “a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties, and trials that mankind with experience in the years to come.”

~ Source: ©LPi

- Attention families of those due to receive Confirmation/First Eucharist (in Grades 3-5) in May or September of 2021
We will have a Retreat on Saturday, April 24 at 9:30am in the Church.
 
-  In-person Middle School SEEK and High School ALPHA
Ongoing programs
SEEK – Thursdays in May 6:30-7:45pm.
HS ALPHA – Sundays, 6:00-8:00pm.
For more information, please visit the Faith Formation Page.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (VBS) 2021
Save the date August 2-6 for our Rocky Railway coming this summer!

Thrive - Immaculate Conception Young Adult Ministry

- KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

An Invitation to Learn More About the Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus was established in 1882 to bring financial aid and assistance to the sick, disabled, and needy Catholics and their families, and has since grown into the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization, with more than 1.9 million members. The ICC Knights are actively looking for new members and new ways to serve in Christ’s name.  Please join us as we strive to live our Faith in Action by supporting our priests, our parish families, our community, and by building a Culture of Life. If you wish to join or learn more about the Knights of Columbus, please visit the Knights of Columbus page.

- THE MEN OF SAINT JOSEPH
Year of Saint Joseph
December 8, 2020 - December 8, 2021 - Resources

- Wedding Anniversaries Celebration
Bishop Libasci invites couples celebrating any significant wedding anniversaries during the year 2021 to pray with the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass via livestream on Sunday, April 18 at 2 pm. All registering couples will receive a certificate from the bishop recognizing their anniversaries and a link to an at-home date night kit. Registering couples may opt to attend a virtual couple’s trivia night for a small fee ($10/couple). Please register by April 11 at  form.jotform.com/RCBM/anniversary

- White Mass
The annual White Mass is a special opportunity to ask God’s blessings for healthcare professionals and to affirm the profound service they give to the sick according to the model of Jesus Christ. The White Mass will be held at St. Joseph Cathedral in Manchester on Wednesday, April 14, at 5pm, and will also be livestreamed at stjosephcathedralnh.org. At that time the New Hampshire Guild of Catholic Healthcare Professionals will also recognize the recipient of the 2020 St. Martin de Porres Award since no White Mass was held last year.

- If you missed Jason Evert's event "What's so Great About Being Catholic?", the video is available on our Media Library.

- Slice of the Pie Winners for March.

- STEWARDSHIP 

- MORTGAGE DEBT ON CHURCH BUILDING
April Mortgage Payment: $5,519.00
Remaining Balance: $894,395.02
As always, we thank you for your generosity.
 
- GIFT SHOP
The Parish Gift Shop has wonderful gifts, Bibles, and children’s items for birthdays and sacraments. 
Gift Shop Hours
The Gift Shop is located in the Parish Center and is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00am until 11:30am.
The store will continue to be closed on weekends until further notice. For more information, visit the Gift Shop page, or call 603-888-0321, Ex. 231.

- HAVE YOU CONSIDERED ONLINE GIVING?
Online giving can be a convenient option to support your parish.

ONLINE GIVING 

- Finance Letter 2020
- Financial Report 2020

- Saint Chris Academy Teacher Fair
Due to increased enrollment, Saint Christopher Academy will hold a drop-in Spring Teacher Fair on Wednesday, April 14 from 5:00pm to 7:30pm at their upper campus, located at 6 Bartlett Ave, Nashua, NH.  Teachers with certification from grades prekindergarten through grade 8 looking for full-time teaching positions in a joy-filled Catholic school are encouraged to attend. Saint Chris is also looking for daily and long-term substitutes, as well as After Care teachers. During the Teacher Fair, candidates will be able to do an informal mini-interview with the principal. Candidates are encouraged to download and complete the Diocesan Teacher Application prior to the Teacher Fair and also bring along supporting credentials such as teaching accreditation, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. For more information, please visit saintchrisacademy.org/apps/news/article/1410622

- Ending Homelessness, One Family at a Time
Family Promise of Southern New Hampshire’s mission is to end homelessness, one family at a time because every child deserves a home.  Through safe housing and education, Family Promise guides families as they break the cycle, and rise from homelessness to sustainable independence.
Below is a full list of our current needs:
Pantry: Dry Goods - resh Fruits and Veggies - Milk and Juices - Cleaning supplies - Toiletries - Diapers of all sizes!
All other in-kind donations are on hold as we rebuild our storage area.
Volunteers: 
- Evening meals (delivered or cooked onsite) Monday thru Thursday
- Babysitters – Monday evenings, 7pm-9pm (mainly for toddlers and older children)
- Onsite volunteers for flexible evening hours between 6 and 9pm and weekend hours between 6:30 AM and 9 PM.  Evening volunteers are needed to help transition the building from daytime to evening.  These volunteers would be available during mealtime, and after to help families with whatever needs they may realize before bedtime. Weekend volunteers accept donations on our behalf and are a presence in the house in case of emergency.
- Event volunteers - we are beginning to plan several outdoor fundraising events for this spring/summer. We will need volunteers and event committee members in various capacities.
We rely on volunteers to help us complete our mission. If you are interested in helping our families succeed by joining us for a few hours a week, please reach out to Matt Hodgkiss, matthew.hodgkiss@familypromisesnh.org / 603-883-7338 ext. 3, familypromisesnh.org.
 
- New Online Support Group from Catholic Charities NH
Divorce can be an uncomfortable – and often misunderstood – topic for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Catholic Charities NH will be hosting its next online support group, “Divorce/Separation: Why me? What can I do?” for those navigating the divorce process or trying to find their way afterward. Participants will learn more about the dynamics of divorce, better understand their options, learn helpful coping strategies, and support others on the same journey. The program will be held via Zoom for six consecutive Wednesdays (at noon) starting April 21. To register, visit www.cc-nh.org/supportgroup or call 603-752-1325.

- St. Patrick‘s Women’s Guild Penny Sale
Saturday, April 24, 9am to 3pm.  Pick-up of items will be Sunday, April 25, from 9am to 1pm.  St. Patrick’s Parish Center, 12 Main Street – Pelham, NH. For more information, please visit www.stpatricks-pelham.com
   
- Worldwide Marriage Encounter
To support married couples during this time of social distancing, Worldwide Marriage Encounter is sponsoring virtual marriage experiences. Some are on weekends and some span multiple weeks on a given weekday.  Couples will explore their individual personality styles, improve listening and communication skills, understand God’s plan for their marriage, and learn how to keep their relationship a priority.  Registration is limited and a $100 application fee is required. For more information or to apply, please visit wwmema.org.

- Reminder: If you are experiencing any cold or flu-like symptoms, we politely ask you not to attend Mass in person. Thank you for your understanding.

- Face covering is required inside the church.

- Weekend Masses:  Saturday 5pm and Sunday 9am and 11am. Open to the public. Distribution of Holy Communion will take place on Saturday, after the 5PM Mass until 6:30pm, and on Sunday after the 9am Mass until 10:30 AM, and after the 11am Mass until 12:30pm. Those wishing to receive Holy Communion in this manner are asked to remain in their cars until those attending Mass have exited the church. 

- Adoration:  9am to 3pm on Wednesdays.

- Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturdays, from 4pm to 4:30pm. Confessions will be heard in the altar server changing room, at the top of the inside stairs.

- Private Prayer: The church is open for private prayer daily from 7am until 9pm (excluding Masses and Funerals).  

- Daily Mass and Rosary: Holy Rosary begins at 7:45am, followed by Mass at 8:30am, Monday through Thursday.

- The obligation to participate in Sunday Mass is still lifted by Bishop Libasci: While the Church may be reopening for public worship, it is important to remember that just because public worship is permitted does not mean that participation is now risk-free. Rather, the obligation to participate in Sunday Mass is still lifted by Bishop Libasci, whose utmost concern, along with that of all the priests of the Diocese, is the health and wellbeing of our parishioners. Therefore, Sunday Mass will continue to be live-streamed, and those who are at greater risk of serious illness are encouraged to continue participating from home.

- Parish Office
The Parish Office is open for walk-ins (for transactions such as Mass requests etc.). Meetings with staff can be set by appointment only. For any questions or to set an appointment, please call the parish office at 603-888-0321, or use the Contact Form. The office hours are 9am to 3pm Monday through Thursday. 
Please read the reopening guidelines below. 
Although the office is open for walk-ins, you can still mail in documents, payments, and donations. You may also have a mass offered or the Sanctuary Candle burning in memory of a deceased loved one by visiting the Mass Intentions Page.

- Gift Shop  
The Gift Shop is open. Please visit the Gift Shop page for more information. 

GUIDELINES FOR MASS, EUCHARISTIC ADORATION, AND PRIVATE PRAYER
PARISH OFFICE REOPENING GUIDELINES

- Join Our Email List

- Contact Us

- Online Giving

- Please be aware of Phishing Scams
Remember that Father Ray will never ask for money, donations, gift cards, etc., via email or texting. Contact the Parish Office if you ever receive a suspicious email or text message claiming to be from the parish or one of our priests asking for financial help. Emails may include images of the church and/or staff, address you by name, and come from what seems to be a valid gmail address. Always contact the parish office if there is money involved.

- YEAR OF SAINT JOSEPH
December 8, 2020 - December 8, 2021 - Resources

PRAYERS
- Special Prayers for this Time

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
- Pope's homily on confessions during this time
- USCCB Examination of Conscience 
- An Act of Contrition

FAITH FORMATION RESOURCES 
Please visit our Resources page. 

- Catholic Charities NH

- Corpus Christi Food Pantry

- Nashua Area Assistance

For the bulletin archives or a printable copy of the bulletin with Ads, please visit ParishesOnline.com.
You will also be able to subscribe to a weekly electronic copy of the bulletin sent to you via email.