12th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - JUNE 20, 2004

MASS INTENTIONS

Saturday, June 19

4 p.m. – Walter & Ora Lewis

Sunday, June 20

8:30 – George Ferreira

10 a.m. – Gail Carol Medeiros Martin

Monday, June 21 – 9 a.m. Raymond Furtado

Tuesday, June 22 – 9 a.m. Dorothy Santos

Wednesday, June 23 – 9 a.m. Carol Sylvia

Thursday, June 24 – 9 a.m. Souls in Purgatory

Friday, June 25 – 9 a.m. Dorothy Santos

Saturday, June 26

10 a.m. Antone Santos (1st Anniversary)

4 p.m. Hilda & Joseph Mello

Sunday, June 27

8:30 a.m. - Worden Family

10 a.m. – Manuel & Rose Lima

VISIT ST. JAMES’ WEB SITE

http://www.saintjames-nb.org

PRAYER LINE

Call Alice Lester 508- 997-8040

BUY A DOZEN DOUGHNUTS TO HELP THE YOUTH GROUP Today (Saturday & Sunday) the youth group are selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts by the dozen (for $6, which is 50 cents/doughtnut) (sorry, we will not be selling individual doughnuts, so as to not make a mess) after all the Masses. Please consider buying some so as to help defray the youth group’s expenses.

coming together

st. James Parish

St. anne parish

Nuestra seÑora de Guadalupe parish

St. hedwig parish

WELCOME ST. ANNE’S NEXT WEEKEND: The first stage of our merger will occur next weekend when St. Anne’s Parish joins with ours. The formal merger Mass will occur on Saturday, June 26 at the 4 p.m. Mass. Father Buote, Deacon Morency and the parishioners will arrive in the Fair St. parking lot, accompanied by the Blessed Sacrament from their tabernacle. St. Anne’s will provide their festive vestments for the Mass. The Mass will begin with the placing of the Sacred Hosts from St. Anne’s with ours in the tabernacle. Fr. Buote & Deacon Morency will begin their retirements by entrusting their flock to us. May we all be good shepherds, each in our own way. Please join in the reception after Mass organized by the Hospitality Committee and welcome your new fellow parishioners.

The second stage will be the merging of St. Hedwig & Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe parishes with ours. That will occur on Saturday, July 24 at the 4 p.m. Mass. This year the Feast of St. James falls on a Sunday. This divine coincidence allows us to welcome everyone on the vigil of our feast day. Thus the readings of the Mass will be the special ones of St. James’ feast. The Hospitality Committee will also organize the reception after this Mass. If you would like to help at either reception, please contact Carol Sylvia (see below).

UPCOMING VOTE: Last Sunday the Joint Committee working on the merger met at St. Anne’s and it was decided that a vote should be held regarding the name of the parish. The committee members from St. James and the other parishes have heard many opinions expressed regarding the name of the parish, from keeping "St. James Parish" to many other options. They all reported that some people (from all 4 parishes) feel angry about the situation, others sad, others excited, others just accepting of whatever will happen.

The joint committee unanimously felt that a vote should be conducted of the registered parishioners of the 4 parishes who are 18 or older. So as to have the vote in time to have a name before the merger day, it was decided that people could vote before or after Mass on the weekend of July 3 & 4. Since many would be away that weekend, people could also go to the parish offices to vote during the week before 4th (St. James & St. Anne’s people going to St. James rectory, St. Hedwig & Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe parishioners going to the office in the basement there). If you have been attending Mass here & not registered, please do so before the end of June so as to be eligible to vote. Your registration will be checked before voting, as in a city election.

The joint committee decided that these should be the choices on the ballot:

"Our Lady of Guadalupe parish at St. James Church," (with St. Anne’s Chapel & the hall "St. Hedwig’s Hospitality Center")

OR

"Our Lady, Queen of All America" (which is the title the Pope gave Mary in his recent document, Ecclesia in America).

Please pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit during these next few weeks before voting.

Regardless of the name, St. James will continue to be honored here, with his statues on the lawn and on the baptismal font, in the painting in the vestibule of the chapel, and in the stained glass window over the organ (as well as in the windows of the Agony in the Garden, the Ascension, Pentecost and the Assumption).

Please feel free to contact the representatives from Saint James on the joint committee to express your opinions, concerns, hopes, etc.:

Al Lima 991-8439 or Alvaro.Lima@verizon.net

Kathy Murphy 992-1069

Carol Sylvia 995-2917 or 992-9408 (afternoons)

Deacon Larry St. Onge 992-9408

lastonge@comcast.net

Fr. Richard Wilson 992-9408 or RDWilson1@comcast.net

COMPLAINT/COMMENTS RE: MASS SCHEDULE, Etc: Please feel free to contact me (Fr. Richard) or any members of the joint committee or the parish pastoral or finance councils regarding the Mass schedule. We do not want to be constantly changing it, but we would like to hear whether it is okay as is or you think some changes should be made. I also received a call complaining about how Communion under Both Species was administered at the 8:30 Mass last weekend, particularly that Communion was not offered at the halfway point. Please offer your opinions pro & con.

MAY FINANCIAL REPORT: Collections during the Month of May: May 2 = $1,990; May 9 = $2,160; May 16 = $2,084; May 23 = $1,898. Ascension Thursday Collection for St. Vincent de Paul = $720.

YOUTH GROUP: The joint youth group of our combined parishes announces its upcoming activities: This Saturday & Sunday – Sales of Krispy Kreme doughnuts after Masses at our churches as a fundraiser for the youth group. We need the assistance of kids & adults for this. Sunday, June 20 – 12 Noon – raffle of a CD/DVD player at St.Hedwig/Nuestra Señora de Gaudalupe’s basement hall. Thursday, June 24 – 7:30 p.m. Meeting @ St. Hedwig/Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Middle School & High School youth welcome. Saturday, June 26: Car Wash @ Sullivan Tire, Plymouth Ave, Fall River. We will leave St. Hedwig/Nuestra Señora de Gaudalupe at 9:30 and return before 3:30. Sullivan Tire will provide a pizza lunch. Again, permission slips are required. For more info, contact Fr. Wilson.

EDUCATION COMMITTEE: will meet on Wednesday, July 7 at 7 p.m. in the rectory to discuss what we need in terms of adult education. Old members are welcome and new ones are, too, especially people from the 3 merging parishes.

LITURGICAL COMMITTEE: will meet on Monday, July 12 at 7:30 in the rectory to plan for upcoming liturgical events, such as the Feast of St. James, the Feast of St. Anne, the pastor installation Mass, etc. Old members are welcome and new ones are, too, especially people from the 3 merging parishes.

ALTAR SERVERS: We will be traveling to WaterWizz in Wareham on Wednesday, July 7. The trip is free for servers & their parents. Additional siblings can go for $25 each. Permission slips will be required. We will leave St. Hedwig/NS de Guadalupe at 9, leave St. James at 9:30 and return home c. 5 pm.

VISIT OUR NEIGHBORS BEFORE THEIR CHURCHES CLOSE: This is the last week of St. Anne’s Church, with Masses daily at 9 (the very last Mass will be Saturday at 9). At St. Hedwig/Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe the schedule is: Saturday 4 p.m. (English); Sunday 9:30 (English) & 11 a.m. (Spanish); Monday & Thursday 7 p.m. (Spanish); Tuesday & Friday 9 a.m. (English).

Eucharistic Adoration at our neighbors this week: Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Anne’s (in English with Fr. Racine), during which the Rosary is prayed around 7:20, Night Prayer is prayed at 8:45 and Confessions are available during the evening. This will be the last week of adoration at St. Anne’s; it will continue at St. James.

SECOND COLLECTION: Next weekend the 2nd collection will be to aid the church in Latin America.

 

PARISH FESTIVAL, AUGUST 6,7,8 2004

We are in need of a licensed master electrician during the festival. If you are one or know one, please contact the rectory.

Next planning meeting: This Monday, June 21 at 7 p.m. in the Rectory.

CENTENNIAL OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

HISTORY BOOK OF THE DIOCESE

"Bearing Fruit by Streams of Waters," the newly published history of the Diocese of Fall River, is on sale in the rectory for $20. This limited addition book begins with the work of the church in our area before the 1904 founding of the diocese and traces the various developments over the past century. St. James is featured as is the history of the ministry of the church in our neighborhood. Please speak to Fr. Wilson, Deacon Larry (after Masses) or Carol Sylvia (afternoons @ the rectory) about buying a copy. It might make a good gift or a keepsake to hand on to later generations.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES APPEAL 2004

Thanks to all who have already submitted their donations or pledges for the 2004 Catholic Charities Appeal. The diocese has decided to extend the appeal until June 22, so as to give us more time to make our donations. Please remember the faces of the many people served by the appeal, the poor, the sick, the immigrant, the abused, and be as generous as you can. Thank you for your generosity to God’s people.

–Father Rich

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST: Our neighbors to the north invite us to their feast this weekend. Saturday: Activities 5-9 p.m., with music by Sergio Roial and his band. Sunday: 2:30 – Procession. Activities 5-10 p.m., with music by Universe, featuring Michelle.

ADOPTION INFORMATION: Catholic Social Services will sponsor an info session on Tuesday, June 29 from 7 to 9 pm at their office, 1600 Bay St., Fall River. This session will be for all persons interested in adopting a domestic newborn or a child born in a foreign country. For info & directions call 508-674-4681. Handouts & refreshments will be available. No charge.

ROMANCE FOR MARRIED COUPLES: Saturday, June 26 from 6:30 to 8 pm the Diocesan Office of Family Ministry will present a program at Bishop Stang H.S. (Slocum Rd., N. Dartmouth) dealing with topics such as, the stages of relationships, early romance, taking each other for granted, things that pull us apart, etc. The cost is $25 per couple. For more info call 508-999-6420.