Week of May 8, 2016 Seventh Sunday of Easter ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Pastor’s Musings

Dear Family in the Lord,

A striking feature of the early church was the bond of unity that existed between the various local churches which differed in language and culture. This unity was based on a common faithfulness to the teaching of Peter and the apostles, and it was a distinguishing mark in a pagan world of being a disciple of Christ.

In this Sunday's Gospel (John 17:20-26), we hear Jesus praying the innermost concerns of his heart to his Father. With great intimacy and confidence he pours out his deepest feelings about the future mission of the disciples in the church which he is forming. He appeals to the Father to carry out his plan for the world, which will draw all people together in a common bond of love. The unity in love of these apostles is to be the pattern in his community for all ages. The main point of his prayer for unity emphasizes that we will find this unity not simply in association with one another, but with Christ. Only by conformity to Christ, by strong unity of one generation of believers to the next, and of one part of the church with the other can this unity really be achieved.

We are called to be builders of bridges that unite, never walls that divide, in ways great or small. We are living stones in the building in which there is only one foundation, Jesus Christ, as Paul reminds us. Each of us is sent forth into the world each day, in the uniqueness of our vocation, to be, in the words of Vatican II, “life giving leaven” that has an effect all through the dough, even when it is a small amount in comparison to the mass of dough. Each of us has the responsibility of promoting unity in a world that is largely indifferent to the church. People will not know that Christ is present unless we bear witness and they see his face in our face. If Christ's prayer is to be realized, our oneness in the Lord must be visible. People should be able to see it. It does no good for believers to proclaim that they are God's children, baptized into eternal life, when the image they present to the world is one of division and factions. Remember the great wisdom found in the simple words of Pope St. John XXIII: “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, diversity. In all things, charity.”

Yours in His Love,

The Week at a Glance

Monday, May 9 CERS Group Meeting – 7:00 PM (NH LL)

Tuesday, May 10 Marie Rivier Associates Mtg – 6:30 PM (NH) DVD & Dessert, Convinced – 6:30 PM (SJ H) Televised Parish Mass – 7 PM, Channel 98

Wednesday, May 11 Contemplative Prayer – 9:00 AM (EDPC) Marie Rivier Associates Mtg – 6:00 PM (NH) Prayer Cenacle – 2:00 PM (SC C) K of C Ladies’ Aux Meeting – 6:00 PM (SJ H) St. Patrick School Presentation – 6 PM (IC C) K of C Mtg – 7:00 PM (IC H)

Thursday, May 12 Exposition/Adoration – 8:30AM-7:00PM (SC) St. Patrick School Mass – 9:30 AM (IC C) Prayer Shawl Ministry Mtg – 2 PM (SJ H) Contemp Choir Rehearsal – 7:00 PM (IC LL) Televised Parish Mass – 7 PM, Channel 98 May Devotion/Crowning – 7:00 PM (SC C)

Friday, May 13 Breakfast Group – 8:30 AM (SC H) Italian Class – 7:00 PM (EDPC LL)

Saturday, May 14 Rosary – 3:30 PM (IC C) YM Dinner/Prayer Night – 5:30 PM (SPS) Men’s Ministry Dinner – 6:00 PM (EDPC)

Sunday, May 15 Televised Parish Mass – 10 AM, Channel 98 Music Ministry Rehearsal – 11:45AM (IC C) RCIA – Noon (IC LL) Baptism – Noon (IC C) Choir Practice Spanish Mass – 1:30 PM (SC) Spanish Mass – 2:00 PM (SC C) Dominican Laity Mtg – 2:30 PM (SJ H) Mary Bradley Dramatization – 3:30 PM (SJH)

Sanctuary Lamps At Immaculate Conception Church, the

sanctuary lamp will burn this week for the

intentions of Joanne McGrath, in gratitude.

Traveling Vocation Icon This week, the Reardon Family will receive the Icon of Jesus Knocking at the Door into their home and intercede in a special way for Sr. Jacinta Pio, Joe, and all in formation, for those discerning, and for many vocations to rise up from our community.

May 8, 2016 Corpus Christi Parish Portsmouth, NH

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Intentions For Holy Mass

Monday MAY 9 Easter Feria (weekday)

8:00AM SC Irene Leonard, by Robert & Sherry Hogan

Tuesday MAY 10 St. Damien de Veuster

8:00AM SC Sr. Bernadette Whitney, by the Maloney Family

Wednesday MAY 11 Easter Feria

8:00AM SC Eric L’Ecuyer, by his Family

Thursday MAY 12 Easter Feria

8:00AM SC Robert & Justine Strader, by their Son and Daughter

9:30AM IC St. Patrick School Mass – open to all

Friday MAY 13 Our Lady of Fatima

8:00AM SC Carol Keefe, by Rosemary Plaisted

Saturday MAY 14 St. Matthias

8:00AM SC Phyllis Giglio, by Dawn Moylan

Vigil Pentecost Sunday

4:00PM IC Henry Dorley (50th anniversary), by his Family

Sunday MAY 15 Pentecost Sunday

8:30AM IC Peter Braseth, by the Harris Family

10:30AM IC Marion Drozdowski, by Mary & John Schaefer

2:00PM SC in Spanish Celebrant’s Intention

4:30PM IC Pro Populo (For Our Parish Family)

To schedule Mass intentions, please call Marilyn

Chavez at the St. Catherine office, 436-0344.

Morning Prayer All are invited to join the community gathered before the daily Mass, Monday through Saturday, as they pray Lauds (Morning Prayer) from the Liturgy of the Hours at 7:40 AM at our St. Catherine Church.

Our reflection of God’s generosity to us!

Weekend of April 30/May 1, 2016 Envelopes/EFT $ 8,787.50 Loose $ 1,885.00 Total $ 10,672.50

Last weekend 285 envelope/10 Online Giving users

contributed 82 % of our income.

Poor Box Donations $ 1,171.65

St. Patrick School is raffling off a brand new Toyota Rav4! A huge thank you to Jim Boyle of Toyota of Portsmouth for partnering with us for our second car raffle. Tickets are $100 each and we are only selling 500!! Buy tickets at St. Patrick School front office (125 Austin Street, 603-436-0739), or at Toyota of Portsmouth. Don't miss your chance to win a new car! Winner will be drawn on the last day of school, June 14th.

Pope Quote

Excerpts from Pope Francis’

Apostolic Exhortation,

“Amoris Laetitia”

“Let us not fall into the sin of trying to replace the Creator. We are creatures, and not omnipotent.

Creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift. At the same time, we are called to protect our humanity, and this means, in the first place, accepting it and respecting it as it was created.”

CONVINCED!

Are you? Why would anyone become Catholic? Why stay Catholic even when you have to deal with stuff?

Why would anyone drift... and return?

“Why would intelligent, successful people give up their careers, alienate some of their friends, and even cause havoc in their families, to become Catholic?” Donald Johnson traveled around the country to get the story – to get these answers – for himself.

This recently-released documentary has received rave re-views and features great insights and compelling witnesses -- agnostics, atheists, Catholics who drifted away, and people from Christian traditions. This movie stirs the mind, heart, and soul of the viewer!

Save the date and plan now to join us for one or the

other! Bring friends! (Great for teens, too!)

DVD & DESSERT This Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 PM

St. James Church Hall Enjoy some popcorn and viewing of “Convinced” (70 minutes), followed by dessert and an opportunity to discuss the movie.

Or... if you can't make it then... how about

DVD & DESSERT Sunday, June 12 at 5:30 PM

St. Catherine Church We’ll have a cookout at 5:30 and view the movie at 6:30, followed by dessert and an opportunity for discussion. RSVP for cookout by Wednesday, June 8. No fixed charge – free will offering. To RSVP or for more infor-mation, contact Roxanne Raeside Wilton, Office of Evan-gelization, 436-4555 or evangelize.ccnh@gmail.com

Not to be missed! Who can you invite? Discover the answer to the questions, unwrap a bit about what “having a personal relationship with Jesus” is all about, and prepare to be inspired!

SO... MAY 10 or JUNE 12?

PLEASE, DON'T SAY NEITHER!

May 8, 2016 Corpus Christi Parish Portsmouth, NH

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Parish News

NEW! Happy Mother's Day To all our moms, we extend best wishes for a wonderful

day as we celebrate all you do and all you mean to your family! At each Mass this weekend we lift up all our moms, living and deceased, in our prayers, with the names of all enrolled in the Mother's Day Spiritual Bouquet presented at the altar in the Offertory Procession.

NEW! Poor Box Challenge Next Sunday is the last day to collect poor box offerings

that will then be matched to up to $12,000.00! Thanks to all who have done a little extra to support the poor box during this Easter Season! As it wraps up next Sunday, Pentecost, the final day of the Easter Season, anything you can do will be added to the final tally for matching funds. Thanks to all contributors and to our generous benefactor. Donations help us continue the outreach of Portsmouth Catholic SHARE here in our local community.

NEW! Catholic Charities Appeal Thanks to all who've taken an envelope and brochure

from baskets at the church doors and have already turned in their pledge or one-time gift to support the many works of charity and mercy which count on this annual appeal for their continuance. If you've yet to, please give prayerful consider-ation, and if you are able, return the envelope via the collection by the end of this month.

NEW! Fr. Kelley's Anniversary On Sunday, May 29, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, we

will welcome Fr. Edward Kelley, former pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, before the merger, as celebrant of a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving in honor of his Golden Jubilee of Ordination. His 50 years of priestly ministry included parish ministry in both the Archdiocese of Boston and the Diocese of Manchester, and, in addition, he gave 25 years of service as chaplain in the US Navy. All are invited to come together to give thanks and celebrate the gift of the priesthood with Fr. Kelley at the 10:30 AM Mass that morning.

NEW! Weekly Adoration Day The Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration each

Thursday from after 8 AM Mass until 7 PM. We invite you to drop in for some one-on-one time with the Lord! This Thursday we will conclude adoration day with May Devotions at 7:00 PM, as noted elsewhere in this bulletin. For the summer (beginning Thursday, June 2, and continuing to after Labor Day), adoration will extend from after the Mass until 12:00 Noon (at St. Catherine Church).

NEW! Birthright Flowers for Mother’s Day Seacoast Birthright friends and volunteers will have car-

nations available at the church exits after the Masses this weekend. A $1.00 donation is suggested to help keep BIRTH-RIGHT’S free confidential services available to women facing an unplanned pregnancy. We offer a gentle, loving alternative to abortion. To make an additional donation, please make checks payable to Seacoast Birthright. Thank you.

NEW! Ordinations Coming Please keep three men in our Diocese in your prayers as

they prepare for the Sacrament of Holy Orders. David Harris and Matthew Schultz will be ordained transitional deacons on May 28th, and Michael Sartori will be ordained to the Priesthood on June 4th. Both celebrations begin at 10:00 AM in our St. Joseph Cathedral in Manchester and all are invited. (Fr. Gary will be vesting the new priest and concelebrating his first Mass. Soon to be “Father” Mike Sartori discerned his vocation in Fr. Gary's former parish, served at the altar there, and was involved in parish life since his freshman year of high school.) Pray the Lord's abundant graces and blessings for them and for those they will be sent to serve!

NEW! Seminary Year Wrap Up Please keep our seminarian Joe and his brothers in prayer

as they have their finals this week. We look forward to welcoming Joe home for a bit before he heads out for an eight-week summer parish internship at Sacred Heart Parish in Lebanon, NH for June and July. This has been a very joyful and enriching year for Joe, as he has shared with us recently; please join him in giving thanks as well. Also, let's lift up those in application and those seriously discerning. These

include: Aaron, Dan, Kyle, and Mike. Vocation prayer cards are at the church entry rack at Immaculate Conception and in the St. John Vianney Shrine at St. Catherine. The Lord is calling... hearts are open and responding!

NEW! Baby Shower Thank you to all who have dropped off items or returned

baby bottles filled with change as part of our “Baby Shower” in support of the work of New Generations and Birthright here in our Seacoast Community. If you've yet to bring in a bottle or item, and wish to do so, please place them in the crib in the back of IC or SC churches no later than tonight!

NEW! May Devotion This Thursday, May 12

th, the week after Mother's Day and the eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, we invite you to join us for May Devotions at 7:00 PM in our St. Catherine Church. We will pray reflective scriptural Rosary, have Bene-diction of the Blessed Sacrament, and crown the statue of our Blessed Mother. As a parish that has been solemnly conse-crated to her, we have much to be thankful for! Let’s join to-gether that night to manifest our love for our Heavenly Mother and express our gratitude for her powerful intercession!

NEW! Children's Liturgy of the Word After today, our Children’s Liturgy of the Word Dis-

missal will be on summer break. Thank you for sharing your children with us, and many thanks to our dedicated volunteers! Please prayerfully consider becoming a part of this ministry when we begin again in the fall.

20/20 WINNER$

$25 Winners ~ Week

# 76 Regina Schladenhauffen # 51 Irene Laverdiere

May 8, 2016 Corpus Christi Parish Portsmouth, NH

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NEW! Ramp Removal/New Shrine Now that the restrooms are relocated, and, from all we are

hearing, very much appreciated, we have no need for the ramp that once provided access to the former restroom. It was having some structural issues and, rather than wait for it to give way, it was removed last week. That area will now be able to house the Shrine of Divine Mercy, making it more accessible to all, and providing additional votive candles in this new shrine. The image of the Merciful Savior, painted in Poland and brought to our parish by Fr. Gary when he became pastor here in 2011, is now hung in this area, flanked by statues of two great saints of mercy: St. Faustina and St. Padre Pio. In the future, if there is a benefactor, we will enhance the shrine with some woodwork, as we did recently with the vo-tive shrine of the Black Madonna, Our Lady of Czestochowa. (If you’re interested in this project, see Fr. Gary for details). We are happy to be able to set up this Shrine in this Jubilee Year of Mercy!

NEW! Men’s Fellowship Dinner

WHO: Corpus Christi Parish Men's Ministry WHAT: Monthly Fellowship Dinner Gathering WHEN: Saturday, May 14th; 6:00 – 8:30 PM WHERE: Eileen Daly Pastoral Center (at St. James) FMI: David Gutierrez at daveg6777@gmail.com or 603-494-6777; or Skip Skrabal at 603-247-3626 or nhskrabal@comcast.net.

NEW! Bingo Nite!!! All women of the parish are invited to come and play

Bingo on Wednesday, May 11th, at 6:00 PM in St. James Church Hall, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Women's Auxiliary. Refreshments will be served. Winning cards will be available beginning at 6PM. Assistance will be provided for transportation of winnings if needed ;)

NEW! “Harm Not the Alien Among You” Leviticus 19:34, Exodus 22:21

Diocesan Archivist Barbara Miles portrays Mary Bradley, mother of Bishop Denis Bradley, in a one person dramatiza-tion that is a poignant experience of untold measure, not to be missed. While this free of charge event is open to the public, it’s not recommended for children under age 18. Sponsored by our Dominican Laity group, the presentation will be at St. James Church Hall, on Sunday, May 15, at 3:30PM, sharp. Refreshments will be served. FMI: Helen at 603-431-4425.

Dedicated to immigrants and refugees all over the world, this is a presentation of one woman immigrant, mother of ten, who endured tremendous hardship and heartbreak, and whose youngest son became the first Bishop of New Hampshire. Bishop Bradley was appointed Bishop by Bishop Healy, of Portland, ME, who was himself the son of an African slave.

Parish Scholarships Each year, Corpus Christi parish offers a number of par-

tial scholarships to students who will be/are attending college for undergraduate studies. Father David Alexander Sullivan Scholarships are available to parish members who’ve attended area high schools. Applications are available from the parish office or at: www.corpuschristinh.org. Deadline is May 13.

Memorial Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery

Looking ahead, we remind you to save the date/time (Monday, May 30, at 10:00 AM) to join us in our parish Calvary Cemetery for the annual Mass offered for all those who are interred there and in the older St. Mary Cemetery. A beautiful way to start your day, lift up our departed to the mercy of God, and remember those who gave their lives in the cause of freedom and peace. Plan to bring your own lawn chair and join us in the area in front of the little chapel there for this outdoor Mass (moved inside to Immaculate Conception Church if inclement weather). Note: No 8:00AM Mass at St. Catherine that day.

Our prayerful best wishes and heartfelt congratulations are

extended to a large group of our children, listed below,

who received Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion

this weekend. We pray this will be the beginning of many

wonderful encounters of grace for them and their families

as they approach the Eucharistic table together! Special

thanks to all who assist with catechesis and preparation all

year and with details of preparation and celebration of the

beautiful Liturgy that just took place!

Luke Bailey Samantha Hueber

Maggie Callahan Alexander Logan

Kara Carlson Margaret Lynch

Addison Carroll Ali McNaughton

Charlotte DeTolla Alexander Molda

Nevaan Dias Matias Navarro-Manchego

Brendan Dowling Corey Nelson

Christopher Edwards Ava O’Brien-Jeyarajan

Chloe Fernald Ruby Patrick

Noelle Gagnon Andre Ronaldson

Maya Gallant Andre Sauvageau

Samuel Gauvin Samuel Scott

Emily Hester Marielle Soriano

Logan Hoffman Caden Tapscott

Delyla Huber Aiden Vetter

May 8, 2016 Corpus Christi Parish Portsmouth, NH

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Welcome to Online Giving!

Corpus Christi Parish now offers Online Giving (OLG), a convenient way to contribute “automatically” to our parish. OLG is easy to use and requires no special knowledge other than how to access the Internet. As with our former EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) system, OLG provides an easy way to donate to the Offertory with the option of using credit or debit cards, not just bank accounts. In addition, you also have the opportunity to donate to other funds such as Poor Box/SHARE, St. Patrick School, Repairs & Maintenance, and even seasonal funds like Holy Days, Fuel, or Flowers. Even if you typically use your offering envelopes every week, you may wish to contribute online to a particular collection. It’s easy and it’s convenient!

OLG helps you maintain your giving even if you cannot be here at Mass. This helps the parish streamline its cash flow, especially during bad weather or vacation times. It’s convenient for you because you can make changes at any time, see reports on your contribution history, and generate tax statements at year end.

Parishioners who use the service are pleased with how easy it is to set up and manage, and the service is safe and secure.

If you are interested in Online Giving, but do not want to manage your own account, the parish staff can set it up and manage it for you.

We encourage you to check out OLG! Start at the homepage on our parish website: www.corpuschristinh.org, scroll down to “REGISTRATION & ONLINE GIVING,” and follow the instructions for “FIRST TIME USER.” If you have any questions, please contact Norm Houle at 436-4555, x16 or aa2.ccnh@gmail.com.

Corpus Christi Parish