May 20,
2007
St. Christopher Church
North
585-594-1400
Office:
Emergency
Pastoral Care
350-8603
e-mail: nstchris@dor.org
http://www.stchris.rochester.ny.us/
PARISH STAFF
Administrative
Assistant Marilyn
Weinert 594-1400
Deacon John
Cunningham 594-1400/293-3337
Faith Formation
Coordinator Judith
Leone 594-1441
Faith Formation
Secretary Karen
Curtis 594-1441
Interim
Music Director Laurie
Schulmerich
Pastor Rev.
Robert Gaudio 594-1400
Pastoral Minister Chris
McCabe 594-1400
Youth Minister Patricia
Borkowski 594-1091
PASTORAL COUNCIL
Pastoral Council
Chairperson Larry
Maslanka 594-4063
5 Saints West Rep. Tom
Staccone 889-3784
SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATIONS:
Sunday Eucharist Saturday
5:00 PM
Sunday 9:00 AM
11:00
AM
Weekday Eucharist Monday
through Friday 9:00 AM
Reconciliation Saturday
4:30 - 4:45 PM or by appt.
Baptism Preparation sessions are required.
Please
call the Rectory.
Marriage Please
contact Rectory
at
least 6 months
before
wedding.
Anointing of the Sick Last
weekend of the month
Anytime:
Please call.
Parish Office Hours: Monday
- Thursday
9:00
AM - 3:30 PM
Closed
on Fridays
Faith Formation
Office Hours: Monday – Wednesday
9:00 AM
- 5:00 PM
New families are welcome in our parish and
we invite you to become more actively involved in our parish activities and
ministries. Registration forms and
information booklets are found at each of the church entrances.
Parishioners are asked to use their
contribution envelopes. We invite you to
consider 10% of your daily wage as a starting point in making your contribution
to our Church
GLORY BE TO GOD !
Each year when we come to the Fifth Sunday
of Easter, each week end before Pentecost, we always focus on what scripture
scholars call Jesus ”Priestly Prayer”, a title which highlight
Jesus’
role as an intercessor. In spite of the
horrible suffering he is about to undergo, Jesus is filled with deep affection
for his disciples and prays that the intimate love and union he shares with his
Father may take root in the hearts of his followers. He pleads that the extraordinary sense of
love that binds them will also bind us to one another. In a way this love is a
call not only to personal holiness but also a call to community where one’s
relationships form a deeper bond of community..
In today's gospel Jesus sets
before us three important parameters. First, He says to his disciples, "Anyone
who loves me will be true to my word." Then Jesus goes on to
say that “He and the Father will come and make their dwelling place with us
always”. Finally, this dwelling, in the power of God's Spirit will bring
"Peace".
Let's begin with the line
"true to my word". What comes to your mind when you hear that
phrase. When I hear that phrase what pops into my mind is a sense of
hospitality, a welcoming. I welcome Jesus teaching and example not as burden
and/or extra obligation that I have to do in my life. I welcome it because it
is a way that I can identify or be like someone who is very important in my
life. I hear that same language from people who are in love. They tell me how
that individual has made such a loving impression on them that they want to
take on/cherish that person’s behavior. So "true to my word" means
that I not embarrassed or argumentative or critical of how a person acts towards
me. I receive it . I enjoy it. I allow that person to enrich and stretch me
to discover more and more about our relationship. So do I welcome gospel
opportunities into life or do I shun them away as something not relevant to my
social interactions with another ?
The next phrase in Jesus teaching
speaks of dwelling.
"We will come and make our dwelling place with him always."
I think we have a lot of idioms in our language that captures this image.
People say, " You look just
like him." Your the spitting image of...." "You remind me so
much of..." etc.. What we are
really saying is that we relive a memory, an experience, a cherished event and
we can't help but delight in sharing that situation with another. So when
people experience you, what kind of an impression do you leave with them. In
anyway do they have a sense of God's presence in you ?
Finally in this week’s Gospel Jesus speaks of giving a gift to us, the
gift of Peace. As I mentioned last weekend, this is difficult concept for us
because we attribute peace as a state of tranquillity or of not being in
conflict. Heaven knows that each day we seem to be moving in and out of a
variety unpleasant situations. In fact if anything we often find ourselves
praying for peace. The biblical word for peace is "Shalom" which is
very difficult to translate into our cultural setting. It means
"well-being" or "unshakable confidence". It reflects a
wonderful sense of trust that what ever happens, nothing can ever take away this
state of shalom.
Many of us have met people who have had to
endure great trials in their lives. In these situations they seem to grow in
confidence and we are touched by the inner strength that they are able to draw
upon. Do you know of such a person? What
role does that person play in your life?
I
realize this is a quick summery of today's gospel. But it’s a beginning point
for us as we prepare ourselves for Pentecost.
As you take time for simple moments of prayer this week before
Pentecost, I HOPE that this tine will help you articulate in your own heart
your understanding of your love for Jesus. And the Holy Spirit when you draw
upon him will help you live it out. Oh, by the way foir those who may be
interested in something more formal
There are at the entrances of the church “Novenas” or prayer devotions to the Holy
Spirit.
For those who have more time on their
hands, you may find this helpful as you prepare yourself for Pentecost.
Please remember that next weekend is Pentecost and we invite you all to
wear red in celebration.
Golden Agers
Golden Agers mini-retreat with Judy Leone on May 22nd at 9:30 AM with
pizza to follow. Please call
Chris if you wish to attend.
Boy Scout Troop #53 is having a
Pancake Dinner/Breakfast on May 19th from 5:00-7:00pm and Sunday May 20th from
8:00am to 1:00pm in St. Christopher's Church Hall,
The St. Christopher's
Youth/Young Adult Music Ministry Program
is putting on a summer production called "At the Corner of Broadway II." If you are 16 or over and
are interested in being apart of the
show, please contact Eric Traugott: etraugo6@naz.edu or Patricia
Borkowski: (585) 594-1091 by May
31. There are no auditions required. We will begin rehearsing in June, with a performance
tentatively scheduled for early
August.
...is scheduled for July 23-27, 2007.
Sign up sheets are located at the entrances. There are also volunteer forms for the
parents. Please contact the office to
let us know if you are interested in helping out this year
WEEK YEAR TO DATE
Last Week $ 7,658.90 $ 286,567.65
Attendance 975
#of Envelopes 259
Keep Your Envelopes Handy …
it’s just a
good habit of GIVING.
Spring is finally here!! As you
begin your Spring cleaning, Don’t forget to set aside your unwanted items for
Grandma’s Attic. Grandma’s Attic will be
held the weekend of St. Christopher’s Festival, June 8th and
9th. If you would like to help set up
the week of the festival (afternoons and evenings), please call Kathy Ziegler @
594-4464. Sign up sheets have also been
posted at both entrances of the church.
Donations will be accepted after
all Masses on May, 26 & 27 and June 2 & 3 and from 6:00 – 8:00 on June
4-7.
Please note: We are not
taking donations of clothing, accessories (hats, shoes, belts), stuffed
animals, TV’s, computers & monitors, bowling balls, and small plastic toys.
We also cannot accept any type of paint, chemicals, or other hazardous
materials.
The Festival is just around the corner,
June 8th & 9th. The Silent Auction was a lot of fun last year, and it did
well on raising money for the church. To all those who helped make it possible,
we would like to thank you again! We are continuing with the Silent Auction
this year, and we are looking for some donations. If you would like to
contribute to the Silent Auction, please contact Brian & Joanne Johnson at
889-8511 or fill out a Silent Auction form that can be found at each entrance
of the church. We are looking forward to another fun Festival!
Thank you!
2007 Festival Committee
In today's First Reading from the Acts of
the Apostles, there was a new problem arising in these early church
communities. Many non-Jews were becoming Christians but some of the Jewish
Christians wanted the non-Jews to observe the laws of Moses. After a long
discussion, the leaders of the Church agreed that non-Jewish converts did not
have to observe Jewish laws.
As in the early Church, our leaders today
are urged to listen to each other and to listen to the whole community of
faith. As cited in the Decree
on the Lay Apostolate,
par. 10, of tthe Second Vatican Council, which says: The laity should
"develop the habit of bringing before the ecclesial community their own
problems, world problems, and questions regarding salvation, to examine them together and to solve them by
general discussion".
How do we speak to each other in a manner
that fosters discussion versus division, especially when considering the common
good? Human Services Committee
Saturday
5:00PM
For the people of St. Christophers
Sunday
9:00AM Robert Smithgall by Ken & Dee Milner
11:00AM Evelyn DePascale by Toni Kraus
Monday
9:00AM Karen Fitzsimmons by Marilyn & Pete Bailey
Tuesday
9:00AM Mothers living and deceased
Wednesday
6:00PM
Rosemary Harrison by Henry & Dolores Korytkowski
Thursday
9:00AM For the people of St.
Christophers
Friday
9:00AM
For the intentions of Rev. Robert Gaudio
Saturday
5:00PM
Betty Marsico by Mr. & Mrs. Dave Turner
Sunday—Pentecost
9:00AM Dave Lockridge by Joseph L. Kircher
11:00AM Elizabeth Meagher by Mike 7 Winnie Carletta
NEXT WEEKS ACTIVITIES
Saturday
10:00AM Eucharia Ministry
First Eucharist celebrations at Mass
Boy Scout Pancake
Supper
Sunday
First Eucharist celebrations at Mass
9:00AM Welcoming Sunday
12:15 PM Baptism of Gabriel Conrad
Wittman
Wednesday
7:30 PM Folk Group
Thursday
7:00PM Choir Practice
Friday
Saturday
Anointing at all Masses
5:00PM First Eucharist
Celebrations
Sunday—Pentecost
Anointing at all
Masses
9:00AM First Eucharist
Celebrations
11:00AM First Eucharist
Celebrations