SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

In the war waged against weight, I have taken up the defense of the low-carb diet. No bread for the deacon. So, when I opened this week’s gospel with all of its talk about bread, I became a little anxious. How could a low-carb guy speak sincerely about bread? But, of course, carbs and the bread served with them are neither good nor bad in themselves. It’s what we do with the carbs. Store them and do nothing, they turn to fat. Store them and use them, they become energy.

Today’s gospel is a slice of St. John’s 6^th chapter, which is all about the Eucharist—the Bread of Life. The Eucharist—we preach about it, sing about it, pray about it. All incredibly important. But, it’s what we do about it that makes all the difference in the world.

REGISTRATION FOR NEXT YEAR

Registration will continue to be on-line. We are currently tweeking our on-line form. The new form will be posted shortly after the July 4^th holiday. Watch for announcements here, in the BLOG and on the Religious Education Page of the Parish Website.

NEW TO KIDSRELIG???

If you will be registering a First Grader for 2011-12 or you have recently moved into the parish and will be registering older kids for the first time, please send me an email as a heads-up. This is NOT registration. It’s only a way to alert us to newcomers so that we can pay them the special attention they deserve. It will also get you in our Email Address Book and put you on our Notification List for KidsRelig Blasts. Email at:

kidsrelig@optimum.net

Love,

Deacon Charlie

TRINITY SUNDAY

Graduation, Father’s Day and Trinity Sunday—amazing how these three celebrations meet today! Each is unique in its reason and purpose. And yet, all are the same in their source and existence. It’s all about family. Our God, our Dad and our Grad are who they are because of the family of persons in whom they live and love. It’s a mystery, both human and divine, into which we have all been initiated. An awesome and precious mystery given to us for safekeeping! And so, with lots of humility, a touch of anxiety and plenty of love, we meet today to celebrate Graduation, Father’s Day and Trinity Sunday.

Congrats to Our Grads

KidsRelig congratulates all of our graduates today. And the only advice we have is what our good friend Dr. Seuss once said about the art of eating popovers. Quoting his Uncle Terwilliger, he observed that to eat these things you must exercise great care and “swallow down what’s solid . . .But . . . you must spit out the air!” So, concluded Seuss,

“And as you partake of the world’s bill of fare,

That’s damned good advice to follow.

Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.

And be careful what you swallow.”

REGISTRATION FOR NEXT YEAR

Registration will continue to be on-line. We are currently tweeking our on-line form. The new form will be posted shortly after the July 4^th holiday. Watch for announcements here, in the BLOG and on the Religious Education Page of the Parish Website.

NEW TO KIDSRELIG???

If you will be registering a First Grader for 2011-12 or you have recently moved into the parish and will be registering older kids for the first time, please send me an email as a heads-up. This is NOT registration. It’s only a way to alert us to newcomers so that we can pay them the special attention they deserve. It will also get you in our Email Address Book and put you on our Notification List for KidsRelig Blasts. Email at:

kidsrelig@optimum.net

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

Love,

Deacon Charlie

PENTECOST

People who seem to know about these things tell me that we have two versions of the First Pentecost in this Sunday’s readings. The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles is Luke’s, and the gospel is John’s. In Acts, there’s thunder, a driving wind and fire; in John, peace. In Acts, a large crowd from all over the world; in John, a small band of locals. In Acts, confident talk; in John, fear. In both, the Spirit of God breathed into a brand new Church.

Pentecost 2011 and KidsRelig—in many ways, still a brand new church filled with all of the same stuff: energy and peace, confidence and fear, kids from here, there and everywhere and the Spirit of God. Like the disciples, our challenge is to speak of the mighty acts of God in a language that is understood by those who hear us. And like the disciples, we only have the courage to take up this challenge because we have been gifted by the Holy Spirit. A giftedness that quiets our fears (Peace!) and gives us a confidence not in ourselves, but in the Spirit.

REGISTRATION FOR NEXT YEAR

Registration will continue to be on-line. We are currently tweeking our on-line form. The new form will be posted shortly after the July 4^th holiday. Watch for announcements here, in the Bulletin and on the Religious Education Page of the Parish Website.

NEW TO KIDSRELIG???

If you will be registering a First Grader for 2011-12 or you have recently moved into the parish and will be registering older kids for the first time, please send me an email as a heads-up. This is NOT registration. It’s only a way to alert us to newcomers so that we can pay them the special attention they deserve. It will also get you in our Email Address Book and put you on our Notification List for KidsRelig Blasts. Email at:

kidsrelig@optimum.net

Love,

Deacon Charlie

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

I once saw an oil lamp inscribed with these words:

One day

I would like to teach

just a few people

many and beautiful things

that will help them when they will

one day teach--

a few people …

And at the end, it read, “A Teacher’s Prayer.”

Every week throughout our KidsRelig year, almost forty women and men teach our kids many and beautiful things. These teachers are themselves a living prayer—passing on the Gospel to make sure that our kids have the Gospel to pass on. For their time, their energy, their creativity and their faith and love, we are so grateful.

Janine Anastos Judy Houlihan

Fortune Aurora Deirdre Kucharik

Sal Aurora Jeanette Levitz

Letty Batjiaka Coleen MacGreevey

Annie Casey Chris Madden

John Casey Linda McGetrick

Rebecca Damon Lina Meyler

Rosanne DeMicco Becky Mildenhall

Steve DeMicco Maureen Mirabile

Marianne Dorner Lillie Nikc

Fran Dwyer Katie Rauch

Shahnaz Farha Rita Santelia

Joan Ferroni Cathy Shaw

Kathie Galvin Meyi Sobon

Stephanie Garbuio Colleen Soule

Sarah Girardi Nora Tung

Margaret Goodnough MaryJo Vessecchia

Mary Grant Maura Walsh

Lori Guillaro Peggy Zeller

As Jesus speaks to the Father in today’s gospel, he speaks of these women and men, “They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.”

Special mention must be made of some very special high schoolers. They too have come here to teach every week during KidsRelig. But they do far more than teach. They give our kids the best example possible of Jesus’ commandment, “What I have done, you also must do.” And they did it with such grace and good humor. Again, we are so very grateful.

Carol Farha Anita Selvaraj

Sophie Manetta Jonathan Renzulli

There were also many middlers who assisted in the classrooms of our elementary grades. They were such a big help and did such a good job that we are looking forward to their high school years when they can take over for those who have gone before them.

Hope for Japan

Catch the story about our parish youth and their fundraiser for the children of Japan in NewCastleNOW:

www.newcastlenow.org

Love,

Deacon Charlie

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you.”

The words of Jesus in today’s gospel—spoken to his disciples. These very same words could have been spoken last week right here in our parish of St. John and St. Mary. Spoken to all of the kids from the High School and Middle School Youth Groups, the Confirmation Class and our KidsRelig 8^th Grade—the kids who made Hope for Japan so successful.

And it was successful. The kids raised $2400 to support the work of Catholic Relief Services in aid of the children of Japan. And all of this in an afternoon of family fun—face painting, Japanese name painting, ice cream, hot dogs, pizza and The Jumpy Castle.

But the money raised and the fun had by all is only one measure of success. Today’s gospel would measure another kind of success—to know Jesus because his Spirit is within and to see him in the people we become. There are two parts to this measurement:

· Part One: a community in which the Spirit can live;

· Part Two: the Spirit lived inside out. so that the face of Jesus can be seen in the faces of the community.

And, again, Hope for Japan was a success. Middlers and high schoolers worked together, parents with elementaries and younger played together and even a few grandparents noshed together—the first step to community—hang out together and you’ll learn to hang on together. And where was the face of Jesus? On all those faces doing good together!

Thanks to all the kids who worked so hard and to all the parents who helped so much. Thanks to everyone who came and had a good time and who were so very generous in their contributions and support.

Memorial Day

Throughout the year, the kids of KidsRelig have prayed for the men and women of our armed services, sent cards and letters, cookies and care packages and coffee cards. And our kids have received many “thank you” notes. As we stop to remember on Memorial Day all of the uniformed men and women who have served and sacrificed, we pray that we may never stop remembering.

Love,

Deacon Charlie

Fifth Sunday of Easter

“‘Amen, amen, I say to you,

whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,

and will do greater ones than these,

because I am going to the Father.’”

The words of Jesus in today’s gospel couldn’t be a better description of what’s been happening around here at St. John and St. Mary in these past few weeks.

First Communion

Last week, our Second Graders received First Holy Communion on Saturday, May 14, and celebrated with the entire parish at the 10:30 Mass on the following day.

Much work went into the preparation of our kids for First Holy Communion—their own work, the work of their parents and families and the very special work of their teachers. Our celebration was filled with prayer and music, flowers and banners, the finest suits and gowns, and Eucharist—the Thanksgiving Meal for our belief in Him whose work we do.

Hope for Japan

Hope for Japan—a fundraiser for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami—will happen this Sunday, May 22^nd, from 1 to 3 PM, at the Upper Church. But it doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of a lot of hard work by our High School and 7^th/8^th Grade Youth Groups, Confirmation Class and 8^th Grade of KidsRelig.

Come, see our young people do the works of Jesus

and even “greater than these.”

And Have Some Family Fun!!!

Sushi, Pizza, Bagels, Donuts, Drinks,

Bake Sale, 50/50 Raffle, Handmade Prayer cards,

Face Painting, Oragami

&

The Jumpy Castle

Everything’s a Dollar!!!

All proceeds will go to Catholic Relief Services

Love,

Deacon Charlie

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Jesus may not have gotten a very good grade on his parable of the shepherd and the sheep in today’s gospel. Because he does what every English teacher rails against—mixes metaphors. At one and the same time, he is the shepherd, the gatekeeper and the gate.

Whatever metaphor you choose, Jesus is telling about a fence and a gate. The Good Shepherd doesn’t hop the fence, but goes through the gate, opened by the gatekeeper and made wide in its welcome to the sheep. And the distinction he draws is this—fence-hoppers can get in and out of the sheepfold, but they miss the welcome of the gatekeeper and the wideness of the gate. And most of all, fence-hoppers remain strangers and miss the chance to be shepherds—good friends to their sheep. Fence-hoppers get over, but they don’t look in the eyes of the gatekeeper and hear his greeting; they don’t help to push the heavy gate open, and they don’t get to watch the sheep ready to go through whatever the shepherd goes through as long as they are following him.

Shepherd, gatekeeper or gate—whatever the metaphor, the message is the same. Jesus says, “Come, meet me.”

First Holy Communion

On Saturday, that’s exactly what happened in this very church. Our Second Graders heard Jesus call to each of them, “Come, meet me.” And, indeed, that’s what they did in their First Holy Communion.

Next week, we will publish the names of all our First Communion Kids so that the entire parish can rejoice and pray for them—each by name.

Hope for Japan

Next Sunday, May 22^nd, from 1 to 3 PM, at the Upper Church, our High School and 7^th & 8^th Grade Youth Groups, the Confirmation Class and the 8^th Grades of KidsdRelig will hold a fundraiser for relief efforts in Japan. All proceeds will go to Catholic Relief Services.

Fun for families will help raise funds for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami. Come and enjoy:

Sushi, Pizza, Bagels, Donuts, Drinks

Bake Sale, 50/50 Raffle, Handmade Prayer Cards

Face Painting, Oragami

&

The Jumpy Castle

EVERYTHING’S A DOLLAR

Love,

Deacon Charlie