Bulletin for the Week of January 27, 2013

LOOKING AHEAD Jan 26-27: Special Respect Life Collection Jan 27-Feb 2: Catholic Schools Week Feb 3; Mar 10; Apr 7; May 5: Classes in Preparation for Confirmation 6:30, St. James Parish Center Feb 13: Ash Wednesday, Special Collection for Church in Central and Eastern Europe Masses: 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM Feb 16-17: Food Shelf Weekend Mar 16-17: Food Shelf Weekend Apr 20-21: Food Shelf Weekend May 12: First Communion May 25: Priest Ordination of Rev. Mr. Scott Belina, St. Mary’s Cathedral, 11:00 AM TOP NOTCH LINKS www.catholic.org (Catholic information) www.marylinks (Links on Mary) Mission Intention for January That the riches of the created world may be preserved, valued, and made available as God’s precious gift to all. HEALING MASS AND WORKSHOP: Internationally known healer & speaker, Fr. Richard McAlear, OMI will be at St. Peter’s Church for a special healing Mass on Friday, Feb. 8th @ 6:30 pm and Sat., Feb 9th from 1-2:30 pm for a Healing & Forgiveness Workshop/Holy Hour. All are welcome. Contact person for the events is Eve McGill: evemcgill@charter.net or 563-0001. RESPECT LIFE COLLECTION: This Monday marks the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, which legalised abortion on demand in our nation. Forty years later, society continues to ignore the dignity and sanctity of all human life. As Catholics we are proud to be a people of life and for life in all of its stages. Bishop LaValley has authorised a Respect Life Collection, which will take place in all the parishes of the diocese this weekend. Money collected will be disbursed in the form of grants to local organisations active in pro-life ministry. Bible Study Program, Our Lady of the Adirondacks House of Prayer, Ellenburg Center, Saturday, Feb. 9 & 16, March 9 & 16, and April 6, 10:30-noon. Rita Breen will make a presentation on themes of Lent. Drawing heavily from Scripture, through the discussions in these sessions, participants will discover the depth of their capacity to care for others and, in doing so, fully realize the depth of God's care and love. Please RSVP to olaprayerhouse@gmail.com or 518-594-3253. Light lunch provided. MARRIAGE TIP :Perhaps your children are grown and it’s just the two of you again. Great, but maybe not. Has your attention to each other grown stale or routine? Take up a new hobby, sport, or volunteer effort together. Find more Marriage Rx at www.foryourmarriage.org COMMUNION TO THE SICK: The Second Vatican Council,in its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, speaks of the Holy Eucharist as the source and summit of our spiritual life. This means the Holy Eucharist is the source from which all other blessings flow. Please advise Father Deno of homebound persons who would like to have Holy Communion brought to them at their LETTER FROM BISHOP LAVALLEY: Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Every year at this time, parishes in the Diocese of Ogdensburg hold a special second collection to help support diocesan pro-life efforts. Due to the generous response to last year’s Respect Life appeal, grants totaling $68,367 were awarded to twenty four entities within our diocese. Among them, your donations supported: Gabriel Projects in Gouverneur, Potsdam, Brasher Falls, Massena and Plattsburgh; Birthright in Plattsburgh and in Lewis County; Liferight of Watertown; Alexandria Bay Thrift Shop Building Project; Plattsburgh Newman Center Project 4 Life; Natural Family Planning and Pre-Cana materials; and a Theology of the Body workshop. Grant monies helped women with unplanned pregnancies and provided counseling services for teen mothers. It also made affordable an educational pilgrimage with five busloads of people from our North Country who participated in the annual March for Life in Washington, DC last January. If you are planning a Respect Life project and find yourself in need of assistance, please consider applying for a grant. An application form is available from your pastor, at the diocesan website or by contacting the Respect Life Office I am truly grateful for your support of our pro-life efforts in the Diocese of Ogdensburg. Your continual prayers and generous response to this year’s collection held next weekend will continue to benefit greatly our work in realizing a true Culture of Life. Gratefully yours in Christ, Most Reverend Terry R. LaValley