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: Last Wednesday, June 20, the official first day of summer and the longest day of 2012, I marked my first year here in Girard. Wow! It is really hard to tell, time runs really fast! At my mass that day I thank God for giving me the honor and privilege to serve as His priest here in this part of SEK. I am blessed with two parishes (Girard and Arma), with around 250 families here in Girard. There were of course lots of positive things that happened this year. I would not claim credit for them. It is because those things happened because of your support and of course in Gods grace! When I first came here, I have only a general idea about the place and the parish. My year of stay has given me an opportunity not just to deepen my knowledge and understanding but to be immersed in the culture of this area. I would like to summarize my grasp of the parish in these categories: Physical/material, liturgical/spiritual, educational, and parishioners involvement/ response. On the positive light: membership wise, our parish has gained five. Eight registered this year minus 3 who passed away, thats how I got five. Financially, minus our expenses we may be able to have a surplus of about Twenty Three thousand dollars at the end of this year, which is the end of this month. Liturgically, we have continued our schedule of masses, confession, and adoration. Although it is hard to monitor how much percentage of our registered parishioners come to mass. Some of you have told me that attendance has been better than last year. I am still thinking of a way to validate it. The past year we have at least three baptisms, but we didnt have any wedding. Although there are two coming before the end of this year but these would be counted for the next fiscal year. Our Bible study have been attended by about 8 individuals, while about 10 men were consistent in their attendance of That Man Is You. We had about 80 kids in our CCD classes from grades 1-12. I could not congratulate myself for these but I would like to congratulate you, especially our volunteers. It is your generous donation of your time, talent, and treasure that makes all these happen. But in spite of all these positive things, there are still lots of challenges that are facing us: while I could not judge you about your monetary contribution (on the other hand I am most grateful of your generosity), it is worth noting that 70 percent of our annual receipts come from only Next Sunday(7/01/2012) 10:00 AM B. Coomes, Cooper Puckett, B. Leritz, R. Ziegler, J. Hey, P. Amershek *** Nancy Hofer Ruth Duling Rick & Eileen Bland Family about 25 percent of total number of parishioners, which means 75 percent of our parishioners (combined) have contributed only 30 percent of our total receipts. As I said, we could not judge and only you our parishioners could answer this question. I am not even complaining. This is not for me but this is for your reflection why is this so? Only you and God knows. Also, if we look at the number of volunteers in our parish too, from the Parish and Finance Councils and the different committees, I am certain that we have around 100 volunteers in our parish. Since we have around 250 families, multiply that at least by 3, which counted the spouses and maybe one child at least. That would be around 750 individuals. Which means 100 volunteers is only about 14 per cent of all our parishioners. If you have been observant, you can also notice that several of our volunteers have been repeatedly serving in different ministries and committees. Their actions are laudable and certainly meritorious, but it is a challenge especially to those who have not volunteered yet. I will continue to write more about this next weekend. Reminder that during this summer, our Wednesday Adoration will be up to 6PM and our Wednesday masses will be at 6PM. Also, July 4, Independence Day is Wednesday, many of our adorers are not around. So we are forced to cancel our adoration and the mass on Independence Day will be at 7AM. Thank you and God bless you! Fr.

Next Saturday(6/30/2012) Altar Servers: 5:30 PM L. Martin & M. McDonald

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

*** Deanne VanLeeuwen Teresa Davenport Blaise & Nancy Bauer Family
4:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM 7:00 AM 5:30 PM 6:00 PM 8AM-6:00PM 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 June 23rd-July 1st:

June 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 July 01 Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Helen & Marcel Normand 50th Ann. Verdan Davied John Varsolona Sr. Verl Diskin Mary Davied Marcel & Mary Normand Mary Davied Eucharistic Adoration Beverly Talarico Jenkins Eucharistic Adoration Mary Davied Francis Buche Mary Davied Pro Populo Mary Davied Arma Girard Arma Girard Girard Arma Girard Girard Arma Arma Girard Arma Girard Arma Girard

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

Saint Michaels Upcoming Events Finance Council Tony Stonerock-Chair 2nd Thursday of Month, 5pm Rosary Altar Society Next meeting, Aug. 27th At 6pm in the Hall. Helping Hands Need help or want to volunteer, Call Carrie Smith, 724-6684 Parish Council Dale Coomes-Chair Next Meeting, TBA 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 $148,492.44 $1,522.62 $118,893.84 $31,121.22 $7.00

$2,107.00

Senior Scholarship-Senior Scholarship recipients remember to call Parish Office to make an appointment to meet with Father and receive your scholarship. Choose Life-What have we done to our children by legalizing abortion and championing it? The daily abortion stories, polls, editorials, and stories showing how the abortion rights movement is faring - all this has drummed into our childrens heads the idea that human life is not special, is not sanctified, is not a life formed by God but a fertilized ovum that makes demands and can be removed. Peggy Noonan, Abortions Children, New York Times, 1/22/98 Totus Tuus-Our Summer Totus Tuus program has been scheduled for the week of July 22-27. Please put it on your calendars! We will need families to feed the team. If youre interested, please call Nancy Bauer at 724-8533. Registration forms will be in the back of Church the two weeks before we begin, but as always you are welcome to register on the first day of Totus Tuus. We look forward to another great week of learning, worship, and fun with your children! A Meal in His Name-The Knights of Columbus have volunteered to help clean up every fourth Thursday of the month. Any Knights who are available to help are asked to show up from 68pm.

Two Great Saints Remembered This coming Friday, Just 29, the Church will commemorate the lives of two mighty saints who gave their lives for their beliefs: Saints Peter and Paul, both martyred in the summer of the year 67 A.D. Saul was a Jew who hated Christians. He was on his way to Damascus, Syria, to arrest some of them when a light from heaven suddenly shone around him. He fell to the ground as he heard a voice saying, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? When he asked who it was, the voice answered I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Saul asked, Lord, what do you want me to do? The voice said, Go into the city, you will be told what to do. Saul had to be led into the city, as he had been struck blind. Upon entering, a man named Ananias came to him saying, Brother Saul, Ive been sent by the Lord to help you recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. At once, Saul could see. He was baptized and called Paul. He began to preach the word of Jesus to the pagan world and wrote many letters (epistles) to the Christians. After his conversion, he went on several journeys throughout Asia Minor, (Turkey), Syria, and Arabia, all the way to Jerusalem before reaching Europe, Greece and Rome. He traveled mostly in the 50s A.D. according to Pope Benedict XVI. After much suffering, Paul was taken to Rome as a prisoner and beheaded in the year 67 A.D. (anno domini) in the year of Our Lord. As to Peter, whose name was Simon and changed by Jesus, Himself, his name appears in the Gospels twice as many times as all the others combined in the Old Testament, a name change indicated that a great spiritual power was to be conferred. God changed Abrams name to Abraham and Jacobs name to Israel. Peter is not a traditional Hebrew name for no one in Old Testament history had the name Peter. Peter means rock. Were all familiar with the words petrified forest and we know it means rock. At Caesarea Philippi, when Our Lord posed the question to the Apostles, Who do you say that I am?, it was Peter who stepped forward and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said to him Thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. Jesus continued, I will give to thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. It was here that Jesus also gave Peter the power of binding and loosing, which later He conferred on all of the apostles. It was Peter who presided at the Council at the Council of Jerusalem where Matthias was selected to replace Judas. It was Peter who preached to the multitudes on Pentecost. Peter suffered martyrdom during the reign of the Emperor Nero in 67 A.D. His successors continued to govern the early Church--Linus, Cletus, Clement, in the first century, down to the present successor of St. Peter, Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. Benedict alone possesses the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven and its well to keep in mind these days when the Vicar of Christ is being tossed about and trivialized by the secular world. I always recall St. Ambroses words, Where Peter is, there is the Church. Try to attend Mass this Friday to show your gratitude to these two men. Without them, the Church might not enjoy the worldwide presence it has now.
Article by Marcel Normand

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