FROM THE PASTOR

I want to invite all parishioners to join us for a special Mass at St. Patrick's Cemetery on Monday, May 29th. We will observe MEMORIAL DAY by commending the souls of our departed loved ones at an outdoor Mass that will begin at 11:00 AM. In case of rain, the Mass will be held at St. Patrick's Church.

This year, some 360 men are expected to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders and serve as priests in our nation. Locally, in Boston, His Eminence, Sean Cardinal O'Malley ordained five men to the Sacred Priesthood on Saturday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. We congratulate our newly ordained priests, especially the REVEREND WILLIAM N. VENTURA, JR, who will celebrate a MASS OF THANKSGIVING this Sunday at 3:00 PM at St. Patrick's Church. All are most welcome to join him for this wonderful and grace-filled moment for our parish and the Church. There will be a reception in the school after the Mass during which Fr. Ventura will impart his first priestly blessing upon those who wish to receive it.

In light of this awesome event, I would like to share the following PRAYER FOR PRIESTS:

"O Almighty, Eternal God, look upon the face of Your Son Jesus Christ and for love of Him, Who is the Eternal High Priest, have pity on all of Your priests. Remember, O most compassionate God, that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of the vocation which is in them by the imposition of the bishop's hands. Keep them close to You, so that the enemy cannot prevail against them and that they may never do anything in the slightest degree that is unworthy of their sublime vocation.

O Jesus, I pray to You for Your faithful and fervent priests; for Your unfaithful and tepid priests; for Your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for Your tempted priests; for Your lonely and desolate priests; for Your young priests; for Your aged priests; for Your sick priests; for Your dying priests; for the souls of Your priests in Purgatory.

But, above all, I commend to You the priests dearest to me, especially those priests who have brought Your Divine Love to me in the Sacraments of Your Church. Dear Lord, keep them all close to Your Sacred Heart and bless them abundantly in time and eternity.

Mary, Queen of the Clergy, Pray for us; obtain for us many and holy priests. AMEN."

Mass Intentions This Week

Sun. 5/28    5:30 PM Collective Intentions  Edna Lambert
Mon. 5/29    8:00 AM Mass for Sick 11:AM   Memorial Day Mass - AT St. Patrick Cemetery
Tues. 5/30    8:00 AM Souls in Purgatory    
Wed. 5/31    8:00 AM Molly Zwick      7:30 PM Santa & Bruno Ubaldino
Thur. 6/1    6:30 AM Douglas Kingsley II (living)       
Fri. 6/2    8:00 AM Eleanor Murphy 7:30 PM    Diane Polagruto
Sat. 6/3    8:00 AM John Trabucco

PLEASE PRAY FOR Ralph Vaccari, William White, Leonard White, Harold Kashala, Robert Goldkamp, Kathleen Tokarsky, Ed Saunders, Jr., Rosemarie Zeno, Richard Guerin, Kay I. Zinna, Celia Pasquarosa, Maryann Webster, Helen MacDonald, Julie Branton, Catherine MacLellan, Jim Campbell, Wilma Verge, Ricky Webster, Eleonore Santospago, Eileen Dennis, Jordan Pascucci, Elaine Ruda, Ulysse Richard, Dave Markow, Lucy Grupposo, Marie Smith, Joel Dennis, Greg Giallonardo, Nancy Brodeur, Erin McKay, Tony Amendola , Thomas Kean, Jane O'Keefe, Diane Doyle, Amanda Clift, Stephen W. Humphrey, Jr., Muriel Cosentino, James Phillips, James Atherton, and all the sick of the parish.

SANCTUARY LAMPS for the week of May 28 will burn in prayer for Molly Zwick.

If you would like a LAMP in our Church or Adoration Chapel burning for one week, in memory of a loved one or for a special intention, please call the rectory (508) 653-1093.

Office Closed

The Parish Office will be closed
Monday, May 29, 2006
In honor of Memorial Day

We will reopen Tuesday, May 30, 2006

PARISH SUPPORT
May 21, 2006

Budgeted           Actual                      
Offertory                Offertory                Decifit

$14,000.00            $13,922.00            $78.00

Stewardship

"They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world…As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world." (John 17:16,18)

As Jesus' disciples we, too, have been sent into the world. We do not belong to the world and the world certainly does not belong to us. We were not sent to accumulate possessions and worldly goods but rather to do the work of the Lord who sent us.

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS
Tuesday, May 23rd, 2006

In honor of the upcoming ordination of five new priests in the Archdiocese of Boston, and especially for our own Deacon William N. Ventura who will be ordained on Saturday, May 27th, a Holy Hour for Vocations will take place in the Church on Tuesday evening, May 23rd, at 7:30 p.m. to pray for these men as they prepare to begin their priestly ministry.

Respect Life Ministry

Baby Shower

This is the last weekend for baby gifts for needy women and their babies. Please put your unwrapped gift in any of the bassinets located at the exits of the church. Thanks so much for your support.

FIRST SOLEMN MASS
Of Thanksgiving
Sunday, May 28th, 3:00 PM

After his ordination scheduled for May 27th, Father William N. Ventura plans to celebrate his FIRST SOLEMN MASS OF THANKSGIVING here at Saint Patrick Church on Sunday, May 28th, at 3:00 p.m. All parishioners are invited to attend.

A reception in his honor will take place following the Mass, and we need your help in coordinating this event. Sign up sheets will be available following all Masses this weekend. We are looking for people willing to donate sandwiches, salads, and desserts, as well as help with setting up and cleaning up the hall at the Montrose School, and to assist in serving food and drinks at the reception. Your willingness to help with the reception is greatly appreciated.

Fellowship of Young Adults (20s & 30s)

Bible Study, Thu 6/1/2006, 7:30pm. Learn more about your faith at our weekly Bible Study at the Joseph Center. Contact Eric,eje@world.std.com, 508-845-5008

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Registration

We are currently preparing our classes and ordering materials for the next school year. If you have not yet registered your child/ren for Religious Education 2006/2007 please contact the Religious Ed. office during the hours of 9am-1:00pm Mon-Fri. If you have not paid the fee please mail a check to: St. Patrick Parish, Attn: Religious Ed., 44 East Central St., Natick, MA 01760. The fee is $50/per child with $100 cap per family. If your child is entering 2d or 11th grade, an additional $25 fee is required. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa in the Religious Ed. Office at 508-907-6220.

Teaching Aides

Catechists/Family Clusters, if you have any teacher manuals that you have not turned in, please drop them off at the rectory this week. Thank you.

Vacation Bible School

This is one of the most exciting weeks for children in our parish. This will be St. Patrick's 5th year running the program and it has grown to over 150 children. You won't want to miss out on it!! If your child is interested in attending the Vacation Bible School this summer and you have not received a registration packet, you may contact the Religious Education office and one can be mailed to you or stop by the rectory to pick one up. As with many things in life, this ministry cannot be ran without the many volunteers that step forward. We can use your help in many areas. Please contact Nancy Maquire at (508) 655-1017 to find out where you can help the most. This promises to be another exciting year!!

First Holy Communion Photographs

If you have not as yet picked up your child's photograph order from his/her First Holy Communion, please come by the rectory. We are open 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. (closed Memorial Day).

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Living Rosary Monday, June 12th

Please join us on Monday, June 12th, at 7:30 PM for our monthly Evening of Prayer where we will pray together the LIVING ROSARY. A "Living Rosary" is formed inside the Church, with each bead of the Rosary represented by a parishioner holding a candle. We need people to help us form this rosary and to pray either one Hail Mary or one Our Father. Please call the Rectory to sign up if you are able to participate in this memorable prayerful experience. All are welcome and encouraged to attend this special Evening of Prayer.

All Parish Volunteers
2006 CORI CHECK

If you have not as yet returned your CORI form (which was sent to all volunteers by mail), please bring your form and a picture ID to the rectory this week.

This is an annual process that must be followed by all parishes within the Archdiocese of Boston, and we at Saint Patrick Parish have been asked to conduct our CORI checks during the month of May each year.

Thank you for your prompt attention! We appreciate all that you do for the St. Patrick Parish family.

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration

This weekend people will be invited to sign up to become Perpetual Eucharistic Adorers. St. Patrick Parish is very blessed to have 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration going on for over 10 years. Adorers who have signed on for this beautiful commitment stress what a joy, blessing and privilege it is to have this one-hour a week with Jesus.

"Could you not sit one hour with me?" "Do not be afraid."

Call Anne Reilly 508-655-8516 if you have questions or wish to do an hour.

Respect Life Ministry
Thank You

Thank you for your usual charity and generosity for the Birthright Carnations fundraiser on Mother's Day. Over $850.00 was raised to assist Birthright in its mission and good works at its center in Framingham and to continue its assistance to pregnant women. Our sincere thanks!

St. Linus Christian Book Group

Please join us at the Norton Center, St. Linus Parish, Natick on Thursday, June 8 at 7 p.m. as we discuss the book The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. For information please call Karen Mallozzi at 508-651-9788 or email to KMallozzi@aol.com.

Saint Patrick Cemetery
Memorial Day Mass and Open House

The annual Memorial Day Mass will be held at Saint Patrick Cemetery on Monday, May 29th, at 11:00 a.m. weather permitting. In case of rain, the Mass will be held at Saint Patrick Church.

We also invite you to our OPEN HOUSE being held the weekend of May 27-29th (Memorial Day) and June 3-4th. The cemetery main gates will be opened for anyone wishing to drive through and visit these beautiful grounds in a quiet and prayerful setting.

Please note that we now allow the planting of flowers on graves, and we ask that you stop by and pick up a copy of the new regulations including additional information on plantings.

With our prayerful best wishes for a safe Memorial Day weekend

Prayer for Vocations

Thank you, Lord, for all your great and wonderful gifts. Help us to live each day with joy and humility. Keep us totally dedicated to serving you. Teach us to recognize the many ways you make your Spirit known. Then help each of us to accept your gift, then grace to answer your call to form, strengthen and expand the Body of Christ. Amen.

Nursing Home Ministry

Thank you to all who visited the residents of Riverbend on April 26 and May 10. A great time was had by all!

We need someone to lead the rosary at Riverbend once a month on a weekday morning or afternoon. If you would like to do this, please contact Jane Teepe at 508-653-2098 or jteep@rcn.com. If we have a few people, we will assign each person just a few months a year.

Flea Market & Yard Sale

The Xaverian League has planned a Flea Market and Yard Sale for Saturday, June 10th from 9 a.m. til 3 p.m., at the Fatima Shrine, Rte 126, Holliston. Spaces are available on paved parking area, $20 each. Please contact Claire at 508-435-3874. ALL proceeds go to support the Fatima Shrine, Holliston and the Xaverian Missions around the world. Thank you for your support!

Annual Giant Rummage Sale

St. John's Parish in Hopkinton invites all to "bargain-land" June 22, 23 & 24 in our Parish Center at 20 Church Street. Hours are Thursday 9:30 am - 8 pm, Friday 9:30 am - 7 pm, Saturday 9:30 am - 12 noon. Clothing, furniture, linens, drapes, towels, books, toys and white elephant at mini-prices will be offered. Proceeds will be used to benefit families in need. Special Feature: Friday, June 23 from 5:00 pm - 7 pm is "Bag Night" Stuff it Full!! Trash Bag - $10, Grocery Bag - $2.

Memorial Day Prayer

Dear Lord, on this Memorial Day,
Help us to be mindful
Of the sacrifices made in our names.
Help us to be thankful
For the men and women
Who died to protect our freedoms.
Help us to appreciate
All we've been given
Because they gave their lives.
Please give our men and women in the armed forces
The courage to do what is right.
Please shield them from harm,
Be their light even in their darkest hours,
And their hope in the face of all difficulties.
Amen.

Safety for All

In an effort to make sure our building is a secure place for all during the celebration of Mass, parents please accompany your children when they need to use the rest room. In this way we will all be assured that our youngsters are safe at all times.

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