“The Virgin in Prayer,” painted by  Italian artist Sassoferrato, shows the Madonna in meditation.  It grew in popularity as the sixteenth-century reformers of the    Roman Catholic Church advocated a more personal approach to worship, placing greater emphasis on individual devotion and contemplation.  It hangs in the National Gallery in London.

Happy Mother’s Day

Wishing God’s blessing on all mothers, living and deceased, on this Mother’s Day.

We thank all who made their gift to the New Hampshire Catholic Appeal: Future of our Faith II this weekend. Your gift will enable the Catholic Church in New Hampshire to meet the increasing needs of parishes, Catholic schools, retired clergy, seminarians, and much more. If you were not able to make your gift yet, please visit the website at www.catholicnh.org/nhca or bring your gift and drop it in the collection basket at Mass next weekend. We thank you on behalf of all who will come to know the loving hand of Christ and our Church through your generosity

This weekend we kickoff the New Hampshire Catholic Appeal: Future of our Faith II, Many Parts, One Body, an initiative for our Diocese to grow and expand ministries in the Church in New Hampshire. It will also consolidate six of our annual collections under one Appeal along with the Catholic Charities NH parish appeal and the Parable magazine drive. Your continued generosity to our parish and to these vital ministries is greatly appreciated.

The New Hampshire Catholic Appeal will help fund essential services and ministries like the care for our retired priests, education and formation of seminarians, Catholic education, Parable magazine, Catholic Charities N.H., and more. Everyone in our parish will receive a copy of the Appeal materials so that you can learn more about the NHCA and how you can participate. As you consider making your gift, please consider what you have given to these individual collections (Seminarian Fund, Retired Priest Fund, Parish to Parish Support Fund, Catholic University of America and USCCB, Catholic Education/Schools, N.H. Missionaries Abroad and Migrant & Refugee Ministry in N.H.) plus to Parable Magazine and the Catholic Charities N.H. special collection appeal. Our parish goal this year is $15,490 and any money raised over that goal will be rebated to our parish to use for our parish needs.

Together, we are many parts of the Church in New Hampshire, but one body of Christ and we can make a difference in the lives of many people. To make your gift, please return the gift envelope that you will receive in the mail, visit the Appeal’s website:

www.catholicnh.org/nhca to give online, or call the Appeal Office at   603-663-0170.