St Joseph's Church

by one of our parishioners, Kathleen McDermott…

I recently returned from my 11th medical mission to Cevicos, Dominican Republic in a dual role of nurse and pharmacist. I traveled with the Holy Family Mission from Cape Ann, MA. For the past 22 years, the Holy Family Mission has worked in partnership with a congregation of Catholic Missionary sisters, The Dominican Sisters of the Rosary of Fatima, who dedicate their lives   to serving Christ by loving the poor. The Sisters arrange for  the U.S. missionary team to collaborate with local medical professionals to staff four medical clinics during the week. Two in Cevicos and the other two, traveling as a “mash unit” to rural villages, setting up in the local school. Often, the entire population of these villages: newborn babies, schoolchildren, their families, workers from the fields and elderly men and women take this rare opportunity to consult with health care professionals and obtain medicines and supplies they have little or no access to otherwise. Also, missionary teams spend a day visiting homes to provide medical care for the homebound. During last month’s mission, we served a total of 650+ local Dominicans and  immigrant Haitians. Answering Jesus’ call to serve, the Holy Family Mission with Dominican Sisters of the Rosary of Fatima strive to enrich the physical and spiritual well-being of our    extended family in Cevicos. In so doing, we all experience God’s love.

Kathleen McDermott

Please remember in your prayers the repose of the soul of John “Jack” McDonald, a former No. Woodstock      resident and a parishioner at St. Joseph’s Church, who died in Dover, NH on November 6, 2023.  His Mass of Christian Burial will be on November 22 at St. Mary’s Church in Dover, NH.  May he rest in peace.

If the readings at Mass sound better these days, it’s because we have a new            Lectionary! When Paula Strickon spotted the broken binder and crumbled pages of our old Lectionary, she donated a brand new one. It makes a difference!          Thank you, Paula!