Category: From the Pastor’s Desk

Greetings,

This weekend is Memorial Day, honoring those who died while serving in the armed services for our Country. They made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may continue to enjoy our freedom. May God bless them!

Memorial Day weekend also marks the beginning of vacation season. Mmm…doesn’t that sound nice after this long winter!

Liturgically, we are ending our Easter Season this weekend with Pentecost Sunday. Next week is Trinity Sunday followed by Corpus Christi Sunday. Once we celebrate these heavy Holy Feast Days, we return to Ordinary Time in the Liturgical calendar.

The Bishop sent a letter to every parish in the Diocese concerning the devastation caused by the earthquake in Nepal. “It was a 7.8 earthquake with the epicenter just 50 miles from the capital city of Kathmandu. There are over 8,400 confirmed deaths and many more have been injured. Tens of thousands of families are sleeping outside and require shelter. Our brothers and sisters in Nepal need immediate aid and assistance.” The Bishop asks us to take up a Free Will offering on the weekend of May 30th and 31st.

Some exciting news, I will be offering a Mass once a month at the Lincoln Green housing for our senior parishioners who may find it difficult to leave their home at times. The Mass will be offered every 1st Wednesday of the month at 2:00 pm in the main gathering space of the building. Thanks to Gillie Bossie for making it all come together.

Our parishioner, Gemma Perry, turned 99 years young this past Thursday! She is the most “senior” of the senior citizens who live in town. Gemma’s brother, Dr. Ray Cormier was my Chiropractor growing up and is a good friend of my family in Windham, NH as well. So it is wonderful to have gotten to know Gemma too! Happy Birthday!

Found in the parish suggestion/comment box, a note from visiting parishioners, Gary and Francie who hail from Halifax, New Jersey; they write: “…we were delighted to find this gem of a church!…” Thought  I’d pass that along to you…so, please, pat yourself on the back!

Have a wonderful and safe weekend!

God Bless,
Fr. Kneeland

Greetings,

A big “thank you” to Gloria Morin and her helper, Lorraine Logiudice for preparing a delicious Mercy Meal after each funeral of Gilles Dumont and Bernie Fox. It means a lot to the family members when the parish can provide a space to meet and share memories. Thank you on behalf of the parish!

If you would like to be a helper and volunteer in the bereavement committee, please call the office and let Danielle know. The commitment entails being able to help Gloria set up the hall, display the food, and perhaps wash a few dishes at a moment’s notice. Obviously we cannot plan when your services will be needed, however, usually you would be notified a few days in advance.

We are in need of Altar Servers for all three Masses. Please, please, please consider your youngster (4th grade and older) to serve as an Altar Server for one of the weekend Masses of your choice, once or twice a month. Please ask them for me, if they would be willing to join the ranks of Altar servers. They will be fully trained and would serve with another Altar Server. Please call the office!

We are in need (see the pattern here?!) of adult Altar Servers to serve at funerals. If you are retired (preferably), own a Sunday best outfit, and can be available to serve with only a few days notice, please, please, please consider joining the rank of Altar Server. No past Altar Serving experience necessary. You would be fully trained and serve with another adult Altar Server. The pay is heavenly. Pray about it and please consider it…then, call the office!

At the beginning of the month of May, we gathered at Mass to crown our statue of Mary in the church. Rebecca Peterson a student in our parish Religious Ed. program had the honors to crown Mary surrounded by the First Holy Communion class. Afterwards we welcomed new parishioners, “thanked” Jim and Barbara Collier for their years of service to the parish and shared some laughs. Thank you to all who participated and supplied food/treats toward the potluck dinner.

In this month of May for our Blessed Mother, be sure to pray to Our Lady for peace in the world, in our homes and for Her to pour out Her abundant graces on the parish!

Pray for one another.
Peace,
Fr. Kneeland

Greetings,

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. A special day out of the year to honor our moms and say “thanks” for all they’ve done and continue to do. Mothers’ prayers for their children are so powerful! It’s one of the best things a mother can do for their kids, no matter what age! We see the perfect example in our Blessed Mother, who prays for us, her adopted children constantly. And it’s through Her prayers, that we remain ever close to our Lord. So this month of May, and especially today, we give our mothers “thanks” for all the prayers, and for all the love.

Our newly crowned, Lady of Fatima statue in the church is beautiful. The feast day of our Lady of Fatima is this Wednesday, May 13th. Perhaps you may stop by and say a special prayer to Our Lady of Fatima during Adoration this Wednesday.

Also, come Thursday of this week to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to celebrate Ascension Thursday (it’s a Holy Day of Obligation). Not that you would come to Mass out of “obligation” but out of Love for the Risen Lord, ascending to Heaven, “to prepare a place for us.” The schedule on Thursday is 8:30 am and 6:00 pm.

The suggestion/comment box has been empty lately. It is located in the church next to the poor box. So, I assume, “no news, is good news” and will continue onward! Of course, if you do put a suggestion/ comment in the box, if you are looking for an answer to a question, you will need to put your name and address/e-mail address on the message, however, you may remain anonymous.

May we continue to pray for each other and the parish!

Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day to all moms!

Peace,
Fr. Kneeland

Greetings!

This week, I will be attending the annual Presbyterate Convocation in North Conway, NH. It is a gathering of all the priests and bishops from the Diocese for conferences and discussions concerning the Priesthood. The guest presenter for the main sessions is Rev. James F. Keenan, S.J. with the topic, “Virtue in the Work of Priesthood.” It should be interesting (well, “interesting” if you are a priest, I suppose…). During the downtime, I hope to be outside playing Bocce Ball and whipping Fr. Jeff Statz in several rounds of Air Hockey! Usually he’s the reigning champ, but I can dream!

We will celebrate Mass each day and pray the Liturgy of the Hours as a group and have ample time to adore the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel each day. So know you will be in my prayers and I ask that you please pray for all of us assembled at this convention.

Join us this Thursday, May 7th for our annual May Crowning during the 5:00 p.m. Mass. Immediately following, we will meet downstairs in the church hall to celebrate the end of the religious school year, welcome new parishioners to the parish from this past year, and give thanks to Jim and Barbara Collier, our guests of honor, for their generous service to the parish all these years in the music ministry as they retire from serving here at St. Joseph’s. Hope to see you there!

Please remember to pray for each other and the parish!

God Bless,
Fr. Kneeland