Back in June, the CBS Sunday Morning show presented a feature about a hobby spawned by the Covid 19 lock down, one with devotees famous and non. It’s making and baking bread in your home kitchen.  Housebound as we were in those early bouts with the virus, people had the time, if not the talent, but learned by doing of the fun involved in creating wonderful varieties of bread. This not to omit mention of those enticing aromas emanating from their ovens just shy of that first taste.  This offset the imbalance generated by a paranoia over carbohydrates.  After all, who can imagine a delectable sandwich without the bread?

With this weekend’s Readings in mind, especially Isaiah’s talk of a banquet and Our Lord’s miracle of feeding the crowd, it was natural for me to think about a link with this current fad.  We human folk love our bread, as the supermarket aisle testifies to so many commercially made varieties of it. When it isn’t handy, some respond by making their own. Apply those thoughts to the special Bread, that of the Eucharist.  While most of our parishes and other institutions delegate the chore of making and baking the unleavened bread to others, still we know the Holy Eucharist as bread par excellence after the Consecration at Mass.
Among the many lessons to be gleaned from the pandemic shutdown is the fact that our Christian life is weakened and left hungry without this Gift of His Divine Son. That Jesus chose this humble method of
identifying Himself with a host of bread and a cup of wine is remarkable, imaginative, and loving. In fact, it’s divine.  No wonder that the Eucharist is called “the true treasure of our Church.”  Hardly a hobby and never a fad.
God love you and give you His peace!

The Scripture passages we hear today offer both a linear and a circular dimension that teach us about our own lives and our service to Almighty God.  Solomon, although he is next in the lineage of kings, confesses “not knowing how to act” in the role he is about to assume.  The parables of the buried treasure and the pearl of great price induce self-reflection and ask us look at where we stand now in our faith development in light of the future.

As I pray over these readings, I realize that my own ministry is coming full circle as I assume pastoral leadership at St. Joseph’s.  After ordination in 1990, I served for three years as associate pastor of a small, rural parish in the southern tier of the Diocese and envisioned at that time continuing in parish ministry.  God had other plans.  Over the past twenty-seven years, I have been involved in academic pursuits at Catholic University of America and at Boston College, serving thereafter, respectively, in specialized ministries as a canon lawyer in the Diocesan Tribunal, and as psychotherapist and Director of Clinical Services at Catholic Charities New Hampshire.  Solomon was a “mere youth … not knowing how to act,” but God gave him “a heart so wise and understanding.” At almost seventy years of age, I pray for the same blessing for however long my journey of praise and worship with you at St. Joseph’s Parish might last. 

As a parish community, you are known throughout New Hampshire and beyond for your welcoming spirit and your prayerful generosity.  Working and worshiping together, then, let us pray for the ability to see God in those we love and serve, and pray that our search for the Gospel pearl and treasure will, in turn, be guided by the light of God’s wisdom and grace so that we may become fully what we seek.

Hi Everyone

The past few months started out as a challenge to all of us.   The covid-19 virus caused major disruptions which affected all of our lives adversely.  But then also, this whole time helped us to look at ourselves and see how we all reacted changes to which were necessarily brought about through no fault of our own.  All of us continued to live our normal lives to the best of ability and learned to cope with all the curves which were thrown our way.
Covid-19 caused the loss of our being able to worship together and avail ourselves of the Sacraments which Our Lord has given to us for the strength to live our commitment to Him.  As Church and as parish, we are trying to return to the practice of the Sacramental life of the Church.  I think we all know that it will be some time before we attain some level of normalcy.  We don’t know if we will return to the well-known, but as we rebuild our lives, our parish, and our Faith, we have the assurance of Our Lord that He will walk the Journey with us until the end of time, as He promised.
It was an honor to walk the journey with you over the past few months and I do wish to thank you for your patience and understanding.  I do wish to thank especially all those who offered the support needed to keep the parish running smoothly: Pastoral and Finance Councils, and all who volunteered in whatever capacity “to make things happen.”  You are a Godsend.

I would be remiss if I did not thank those who made a special effort to beautify the altar and tabernacle when we had the distribution of Communion at Pentecost and the first Mass a week later, and who continue to furnish flowers at the tabernacle on Sundays.
May God bless you as you turn to Him for support in the rebuilding our Faith Community.
Fr. Eddy

Announcement:

CHANGES IN WEEKDAY MASS SCHEDULE BEGINNING JULY 29TH

We were asked to announce that there will be a change in the daily Mass schedule.   There will be No Mass on Mondays and Tuesdays.  Mass on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be celebrated at 8:00 AM.