106 N. Western Ave. Girard, KS 66743 Tel.

(620)724-8717

Weekly Bulletin

of

Saint Michael Church, Girard

www.stmichaelgirard.com

MASS SCHEDULE
GIRARD Sat. 5:30pm Sun. 10:00 am ARMA 4:00pm 8:00 am

CONFESSION Sat. 2:00-2:45pm 3:15-3:45pm Weekdays before Mass; anytime by appointment.

STAFF Fr. Roger Lumbre Pastor Janel Scales Bookkeeper/Bulletin Editor Faith Paoni Secretary Rectory Office Hours Tues-Fri 9AM-Noon Closed on Mondays Tel. (620) 724-8717

Notes From the Pastor: Have you experienced being betrayed? Being abandoned by people you relied upon especially during the time when you needed them most? How would you feel if you experience that situation? It would certainly be very painful and forgiveness would certainly be very hard to give. Our Lord was betrayed by his disciples. Peter, denied him three times and except for John the Evangelizer, all of them ran away. On this second Sunday of Easter our Lord uttered the words upon meeting his disciples: Peace, be with you! Certainly, they are words of forgiveness and an offer of reconciliation! We hear and exchange these words at mass. I hope you realize how we are given a chance to experience the peace of Christ every time we come to mass, that God has offered us forgiveness and reconciliation. Being forgiven and reconciled is always a joy! May this Easter Season be really a cause for REJOICING for all of us. On the other hand, Thomas doubted about the resurrection and followed the principle to see is to believe. Yet the words of our Lord to him is an inspiration to all of us who believe though we havent seen him physically: Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe! The second Sunday of Easter is also Divine Mercy Sunday. On April 30, 2000 Blessed Pope John Paul II instituted this feast at the canonization of St. Maria Faustina. Divine Mercy Sunday can be seen as the convergence of all the mysteries and graces of Holy Week and Easter Week. The purpose of the feast is to lead the faithful through their faith, hope and love to share more deeply in the whole mystery of Christ as it unfolds throughout the year. The feast focuses the light of the Risen Christ into a radiant beam of merciful love and grace for the whole world. In his revelations to St. Faustina Jesus expressed His desire to celebrate this special feast. He says that the Feast of Mercy emerged from his very depths of tenderness and mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of his Mercy. Jesus says that the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened and let no soul fear to draw near to him. Even though his sins are as scarlet they would be forgiven because of the Mercy that emerges from the very depths of his tenderness. This Feast is a summation of the event of his mercy active in our lives now. Because we dont have a communal schedule of praying together the chaplet of the Divine Mercy I encourage all of you to say the chaplet of the Divine Mercy the afternoon of this Sunday at 3PM and every Friday at 3PM. Next Sunday(4/22/2012) 10:00 AM L. Gorentz, J. & J. Duling, C. & C. Puckett, C. Sevart, M.K. Smith, I. Muia *** Eileen Bland Beth Wilson Mary Lepoglow & Marilyn Bradshaw
Arma Girard Arma Girard Girard Arma Girard Girard Arma Arma Girard Arma Girard Arma Girard

Next Saturday(4/21/2012) Altar Servers: 5:30 PM R. Ziegler & L. Martin

Ushers E. M. H. C. Lectors: Gift Bearers:

*** Jerry Hanson Diane Hanson Steve & Deanne VanLeeuwen Family
Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 4:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM 7:00 AM 5:30 PM 6:30 PM 8AM-6:30PM 8:00 AM 8:30AM-4PM 7:00 AM 4:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM

Mass Schedules & Intentions for April 14th-22nd:

April 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Roy, Pauline, David Harman Verl Diskin Ruth Wingebach Pro Populo Thomas Cussimanio Frank & Mary Meyer Thomas Cussimanio Eucharistic Adoration Frank Doue Eucharistic Adoration Thomas Cussimanio Randy Peak & Beverly Jenkins Verdan Davied Pro Populo Frank Doue

I am sure that this would be another opportunity of grace and to grow in our love for God and one another. Finally, how would you like to see our parishes at Saint Michael and Saint Joseph grow strong and vibrant? Neither you or I could make it happen! God could make it happen, touching peoples hearts and empowering them to build the body of Christ! So, we can do something to let this happen. We have to ask God. And the best way to ask Him is through our prayers. Our Eucharistic adoration every Wednesday from 8:00AM to 6:30 PM for Girard and every Thursday from 8:30AM to 4:00PM in Arma is a very powerful prayer moment to ask the Lord something especially for the good of the community. We are inviting all of you to spend at least an hour with the Lord at our Eucharistic adoration. Call the parish office to let us know of your time preference. God bless you all! Fr. Roger Altar Society Announcement If you are interested in running for an officers position for next years Rosary Altar Society, please call Nominating Committee Coordinator, Teresa Davenport at 362-3042. Nominations will be announced at the April 30th meeting. Election will also be at the meeting immediately following nominations.

COLLECTIONS Last Week Contributions Children's Offering Expenses Over/ (Under)

Saint Michaels Upcoming Events Finance Council Tony Stonerock-Chair Next Meeting, TBA Rosary Altar Society Next meeting, April 30th At 7pm in the Hall. Helping Hands Need help or want to volunteer, Call Carrie Smith, 724-6684 Parish Council Dale Coomes-Chair April 22 at 11AM Knights of Columbus 1st Tuesday of Month, 7pm St. Michael Parish Hall Daughters of Isabella Call Marilyn Bradshaw, 724-7133 That Man in You Friday mornings at 6am

July 2011 to date $120,662.94 $1,264.87 $104,250.07 $17,677.74

$3,628.00 $98.30

Lenten Rice Bowls CCD students, please remember to bring your Lenten Rice Bowls to CCD class this Wednesday. Second Graders All Second Grade CCD students are asked to attend the 10:00 Mass on Sunday, April 22nd. Father will be inviting them up onto the Altar for Set the Table, to help prepare them for their First Communion, which is scheduled for the following Sunday, April 29th. National Volunteer Week Breakfast In honor of National Volunteer Week, we would like to invite you to be our guests for a light continental breakfast at Girard Medical Center. This will give you the opportunity to see our new hospital, meet some of our Volunteers, hear about the volunteer opportunities currently available and learn more about what volunteering can do for you! The breakfast will be on Wednesday, April 18th at 9:00am, in the Girard Medical Center Classroom. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Karen Wenzelberger @ 620-724-5165 or send an email to kwenz@girardmedicalcenter.com.

God Exists: Its No Accident Last weekend, Fr. Roger reminded us that our faith is real. If Jesus had not been resurrected, we wouldnt have been in Church. But, He WAS resurrected and many believers through the years have been willing to lay down their lives for this truth. Few would sacrifice life to defend a lie. We, as Christians, KNOW that God exists and well name a few ways that we show it. First, in our daily lives, we accept the fact that human reason is trustworthy. If a number of people looking for the answer to a problem all come to the same conclusion, wed be inclined to agree with that answer whether it be the search for a vaccine or plotting a trip in space. IT IS A FACT that people of all times and in all countries have believed in the existence of God from the dawn of civilization along the Nile, as well as the Greeks, the Romans, and to our day. A belief so universal cant be due to chance. If human reason is trustworthy, we recognize the fact of Gods existence. Secondly, we can verify Gods existence by following the principle that there must be a CAUSE for everything which exists. When we see an egg, this is a sign that a chicken exists. When we look at how the computer works, we know that a person of intelligence designed it. NOTHING in the world is the cause of itself. Everything was caused by something. Books come from paper that came from wood, trees, sunlight, and the soil of the earth. But the line of causes ends, and we come to the conclusion that, at the beginning, there is an UNCAUSED CAUSE, or God. And lastly, well mention another way we can prove Gods existence. Look at your wristwatch. If we think deeply about it, it presupposes a watchmaker. Its an intricate mechanism--the minute hand traveling precisely 60 times faster than the hour hand and the second hand 60 times faster than the minute hand. We KNOW that such a working machine didnt happen by chance. It required a person of intelligence who had a plan in mind. Our modern aircraft are not accidentally formed by a tornado that passes through a junkyard. Theyre crafted by engineers who take the necessary time and equipment to make the perfect machine. The same is true of you and me. The human body is made up of many cells that are far too small for the naked eye to see. Microbiologists now tell us of remarkably complex structures within these cells. Once again, this description cries out designer! Who is this designer? We call him God! The Humility of Saints Thomas More, as he was to be beheaded, kneeled and asked the people to pray for him. He then recited Psalm 51, the Miserere, prayer of repentance. Saints, unlike sinners, dont think much of themselves before God. Theyre more aware of having failed to serve Him in small ways. Saints dont look on Heaven as cheap. More had intense faith, but still didnt feel he deserved heaven. He hoped for it ONLY with Gods mercy and forgiveness. Most of us think that nearly everyone deserves Heaven. The saints knew that NOBODY DOES. It can only be won by faith and repentance, and then ONLY by Gods grace. Articles by Marcel Normand

ST. MICHAEL, DEFEND US IN ALL OUR BATTLES!

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