Parish Bulletin

There was a surprise visit here recently. Msgr. Art was driven out to visit the staff here at St. John. Of course he has lost a lot of weight and has no hair anymore, as can be imagined. Everybody was glad to see him. Unfortunately, Fr. John and I were not here when he came by. “Ain’t that the limit.” We had chosen to sacrifice our time by going to Hershey Park with the eighth grade that day. We were sorry that we missed him. Msgr. has since had another blood transfusion and received platelets. His recovery is a slow process. We need to be patient and continue to pray as we have been.

The Hershey trip was great. Fr. John rode the most torturous of roller coasters and I was able to handle the train, which maxed out at about 5 mph. I’m not wild about spinning or going upside down on rides. This has kept me off the rides at our carnival too. I hope that everybody that attended had fun. It looks like they did from what I saw.

Now that June is here, I must start preparing for my next assignment in Hagerstown. Please pray for me and for the people of St. Mary’s parish. (They don’t know what they are getting and will need prayer.) God bless,

PERPETUAL ADORATION UPDATE! The following hours have one scheduled adorer, but we would like to have at least two for each hour: Sundays – 4, 6, 7 & 8 a.m.; and 12,1,3,4,5 & 8 p.m.; Mondays – 1 & 2 a.m.; Tuesdays – 3, 6 & 8 a.m.; and 2, 4 & 11 p.m.; Wednesdays – 1, 2 & 7 a.m.; and 2 p.m.; Thursdays – 12, 1 & 2a.m.; and 12, 4 & 11 p.m.; Fridays – 2, 3, 5 & 9 a.m.; and 2, 6

& 9 p.m.; Saturdays – 12, 2, 3 & 10 a.m.; and 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 p.m. Please call the parish office.

Effective July 10^th, the weekday Mass schedule will change. The new schedule will be as follows:

The schedule is changing for the following reasons: (1) to permit our priests to attend funerals in other parishes for brother priests, (2) to reduce scheduling problems for funerals in our parish and (3) to allow health care ministers to attend Mass before visiting the sick and (4) reduce scheduling problems for the school.

The Ladies Sodality prays the Rosary on the 2^nd Sunday of each month after the 9:15 a.m. Mass, at the statue of the Blessed Mother in the church. Everyone is welcome.

Immediately following the 9:30 a.m. Mass and Rosary in the church. All are invited to participate.

At 3:00 p.m. in the church before the Blessed Sacrament and ending with Benediction. All are welcome to attend.

BAPTISMS: Congratulations and welcome to Aiden Jack Borkowski, son of Dawn and John Borkowski, III; Quinlan James Casey, son of Jenel and Brandon Casey; Lillian Grace Dessecker, daughter of Michele and Kevin Dessecker, Sr.; and Sophia Gabriella Launchi, daughter of Ann and Stephen Launchi .

WE PRAY for the REPOSE of Richard S. Bixler, Martin J. Mahon, Sr., John Mijka and George Snyder and for their families and friends.

FLOWERS on the ALTAR this WEEKEND are in memory of Jerry Ziegler and were donated by his loving wife and family.

MASS INTENTIONS are of such high volume that it occasionally becomes necessary to send them to missions who can respond to them in a timely fashion. The following intentions have been sent: Ethel McLean (6), Agnes Yesnick (3), Evelyn Meise, Sam Mersch, William G. Conner, Sr., (9), Michael Kenny, Solange Aversa, Sandra Rosso, Rose Lusco, Marie V. Gerlovich, Gladys Iwansky (4), Int. of the Nazelrod family (2), Int. of Msgr. Arthur F. Valenzano (8), Nancy Nazelrod (10), Jack Curran (5), Frederick Anthony Pelloni (2), Anthony Swetz (2), Wanda Parks (2), Rick Raus, Int. of Doris Williams, Marie Gerlovich, Int. of Mary Piefer, Phil O’Donoghue, Mary Marie Goldie, Int. of Barbara Maranto, Int. of Chris & Cindy Howe, Rosina Spell, Dorothy Ohler, Susanne Peery and Michael Missian.

This year’s budget is based on a weekly offering of $30,700.00. Our current weekly average is $29,653.01. Thank you.

THANK YOU to all parishioners who have made a pledge. Memorial opportunities are still available. Please call the parish office to make, renew or extend your pledge.

LENT MAY BE OVER…but the LENTEN APPEAL is NOT!!

There is STILL time for your donation to count toward our goal! We are $22,000 from our goal - your gift can help us get there! Checks may be made out to the "Cardinal's Lenten Appeal" indicating "St John Church-Westminster" in the memo line so our parish can get credit for your donation. The address is: Cardinal's Lenten Appeal, 320 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-4421. Thank for your help and support! Your gift makes a difference for those in need!

There will be a second collection this weekend for the Black and Indian Missions. Thank you for your generosity.

School Calendar

May 29- June 3 – Carnival

June 1 – 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony – 7 p.m. in the Church

June 2 – First Friday – Whole school Liturgy – 9:30 a.m.

June 4 - 8^th Grade Graduation at 1:00 p.m. in the Church

June 6 - Last Day of Kindergarten

June 7 – 1 p.m. dismissal

June 8 – Whole school Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. Last day of school!

School Board Meeting – 7:30 p.m. Parish Center

GROCERY CERTIFICATES PROGRAM: Please support the school by purchasing gift cards for Kohl’s, Boscov’s, and local grocery stores. There is no additional cost involved, but the school makes 5% from all sales. Cards are available in the school office.

INNISBROOK ON-GOING FUNDRAISER: Check out the website for gift giving ideas. The school receives 50% of all sales. Shop at www.innisbrook.com. Our school ID is # 122169.

why catholic? You have probably seen articles in The Catholic Review about an exciting adult faith formation program entitled “Why Catholic?” Using the four parts of the Catechism, small groups will meet regularly in 6-week sessions to draw on this rich resource. Cardinal Keeler has asked every parish in the Archdiocese to implement the program, and our parish plans to begin the first session in January of 2007. Watch for future bulletin updates with more specifics about the program.

FACILITATORS NEEDED: We are still looking for Facilitators for the upcoming Why Catholic Program. If you are interested contact Paul Gallagher. Training will be provided.

PLEASE NOTE: The summer schedule for the Religious Ed. Office will be Monday-Friday from 8:30-4:30. Our office is located in the Parish Center.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL registration forms are at the doors of the Church. We are still IN NEED of two teachers.

REMINDER TO PARENTS: For those parents who still wish to register their child(ren) for the human sexuality classes you may choose which week will work best for your family (June 19-23 OR July 17-21). The sessions will run from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon.

— LIFE TEEN (Grades 9 -12) —

NEW YOUTH MINISTER: We would like to welcome Kenn de Moll as our new Coordinator of High School Youth Ministry and Confirmation. Kenn just graduated from Dickinson College and has been a core member for Life Teen since graduating high school. Kenn’s first day will be June 1^st, and his email is kdemoll@sjwest.org.

STEUBENVILLE: PAYMENTS: Everyone attending the Steubenville Conference on July 7-9 must attend one of our teen/parent meetings, which will be held after the 6:00 p.m. Mass on June 11^th and June 25^th in the cafeteria. You only need to attend one of these meetings. New this year--You will not get a Steubenville CD if you don’t attend one of the sessions.

Sun., June 4: Life Night WATER OLYMPICS! That’s right, it’s time to have some outdoor fun, and this is our annual summer kickoff! We’re asking everyone to dress appropriately for Mass and bring a change of clothes for the Life Night activities.

TRIP TO ITALY in 2007 – Anyone planning to join us on the Italy trip next summer should get their initial deposit and registration to Paul Gallagher by June 4^th.

LECTORS/USHERS: As some of our seniors get ready to graduate, we are looking for any teen who has been confirmed to help at the 6:00 p.m. Mass as a Lector or Usher. Training will be provided. If you are interested, please email Paul Gallagher.

— THE EDGE (Grades 7 & 8) —

We meet every 2^ndSunday and 4^th Friday from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria. This ministry is open to all 7^th & 8^th graders.

FYI: The EDGE and Youth Alive WILL meet all summer, so don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to get together with your friends.

Sun., June 11 – Summer Kick Off Celebration: This one you don’t want to miss. At this EDGE night, we will be congratulating and sending off our 8^th graders who will be moving on to Life Teen and welcoming in the new EDGErs that are joining us this year (that’s YOU 6^th graders!!!). There will be raffles and prizes, games and great food, fun, and all your friends are welcome. Food donations and parent volunteers are greatly appreciated. Please call Kate if you can help in any way –like grilling hot dogs, umpiring sports, set-up, clean-up and serving food. Join us for this night!

Fri., June 23 – White Water Rafting Day Trip: The EDGE is going rafting! Registration packets are available in the Youth Ministry Office at the Parish Center. Prices are discounted for the first people to register—so act fast! We have at least 10 spots left so hurry and sign up! Call Kate for more details. Parents will be needed to help and provide transportation, so please consider spending the day with your middle schooler and going rafting with us! DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS JUNE 9^TH!

Sun., July 9 – Family Dinner and Mass (4-7 p.m.) 6^th, 7^th and 8^th graders are invited to bring their families to the cafeteria at 4 pm for a dinner full of family favorites hosted by The EDGE. After dinner, we will join Life Teen at the 6 p.m. Mass. Parents, this is a great opportunity to spend time together without having to stress about anything! The EDGE will take care of everything. Just bring the family! See you there.

The EDGE welcomes everyone! The more friends you bring , the bigger and better we can make The EDGE.

We meet in the Cafeteria from 7-8:30 p.m. every 1^st and 3^rd Friday. Bring your friends and join the fun! Contact Kate for details.

Fri., June 16 – End of School Year Party – Bring all your friends to the Youth Alive night. We will congratulate our 6^th graders who will be moving on to The EDGE in September and welcoming in our new Youth Alivers (that’s YOU 4^th graders!!). This summer, all 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th graders are welcome to attend ALL EVENTS! Let’s make the summer fantastic!

Fri., July 7 – PLAYERS Night – That’s right, as promised! Youth Alive is going to Players Family Amusement Center. Cost is $15 per person and includes unlimited use of bumper cars, arcade, batting cages, one game of laser tag and ten tokens for the arcade. Liability forms are due by June 30^th and are available in the Parish Center outside of the Youth Ministry office. Call Kate for more information.

ATTENTION 5^th and 6^th GRADERS: Please feel free to bring your friends to any Youth Alive nights. The more people we have, the more fun stuff we can do. We welcome everyone!

Activities in Our Parish

Couples needing to complete marriage preparation may attend the June Pre-Cana sessions at St. John in The Portico. For more details or registration, contact Rosalie Seeley at 410-848-2884.

From 8:00 to 11:30 a.m., in The Portico. The KofC Council 1393 will hold their parish breakfast. Bring your family and join us for a great breakfast of french toast, pancakes, eggs, sausage and more!

If you are a member of an ecclesiastical movement or community (e.g., Cursillo, Charismatic Renewal, Focolare, Legion of Mary, 3^rd Order Carmelites, Dominicans, Franciscans), or are interested in lay movements, come meet members of other movements in our parish at 7:30 p.m. in the St. Therese Room of the Parish Center. For information contact Dennis or Rebecca Cali at 410-848-3324 or Fr. Leo at the Parish Center.

Training sessions for new and current altar servers will begin on Tuesday, June 6^th and June 7^th from 3:30-5:30 p.m. and on Saturday, June 10 from 8:30-10 a.m. in the Church. Sign up and renewal information sheets are available at the Parish Center. All new servers are required to attend two days of training sessions. Current servers who wish to continue to serve must also complete the form and attend only one day of training. Contact Fr. Leo if you have any questions. 410-848-4744 x241.

Sodality will meet for their regular monthly meeting in the Parish Center following the 9:15 a.m. Mass. All ladies of the parish are invited. For information, call Mary Jo Judge at 410-857-5655.

Fr. Joe returns to The Portico to discuss “Forgiveness. How can we live with it; How can we live without it; How can we use it.” Doors open 6:30 p.m. for book signings and refreshments. Lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at The Portico Book Store, the parish office or call Teresa Richardson at 410-848-4744 x 227.

A light reception for Fr. Kevin will be held after the 11:15 a.m. Mass in The Portico to wish him well in his new assignment in Hagerstown.

Mark the date on your calendar and join us and Fr. Kevin as we tour some of the historic churches of Baltimore City. Watch future bulletins for more information. Call Irene at 410-848-0489 for questions and to sign up.

MEMORIAL BRICKS are available for purchase on a continual basis. Delivery will be approximately 4 weeks after order. Forms are available at the Parish Center or call Kathy Duex at 410-848-4469. Cost: $75 for a 4x8 brick and $150 for a 8x8 brick.

Becky Martin will be holding her annual evening camp for girls attending grades 5-9 at St. John’s on July 10, 11, 13, 17, 18 and 20^th. Becky will also run a separate one day shooting clinic for girls attending grades 6-12^th at McDaniel College on Saturday, July 29^th from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. For more information call Becky at 410-857-2577 or contact the Parish Center.

There will be no meeting in June. We will meet again in September. Enjoy the summer!

Behind The Scenes Committees- meeting at 7 p.m. Wanted- Set Construction, Tech, Advertising, Costume, Program & Ticket Sales, Props, Clerical/Office. Many needed, all are welcome. Call for directions- Jeanne Link (443-324-8487) JLLMickey@aol.com or Kelly Hollenbaugh (410-917-0450)

If you are considering adoption, Catholic Charities of Baltimore has both domestic and international adoption programs. The next informational meeting to explain the various options and discuss our programs will be held on Saturday, June 10 from 8:45 a.m.– 2:00 p.m. For more information, call 410-659-4050 or visit our website at cc-md.org/adoptions/adoptions.html.

Fr. Benedict Groeschel will celebrate Mass and conduct a spiritual conference entitled “Living Spiritually in the Modern World” at the Grotto of Lourdes in Emmitsburg at 7 pm. Fr. Groeschel founded and is on the staff of Trinity Retreat. He has authored many books and tapes on spirituality and pastor counseling. For more information, call 301-447-5318.

SUMMERTIME WITH THE SSND: The School Sisters of Notre Dame area in Baltimore, invite Catholic women, ages 18-35, to spend some time living and volunteering with them this summer during any of the dates of: June 19-24, July 5-11 and July 19-26. Stay for a few days or the entire week. Contact Sister Kathy Jager, at 410-377-5179.

TRAVELERS LOOKING for MASS TIMES: To look for Mass times and church locations in the USA, call 1-410-676-6000 or go to www.MassTimes.org

The National Association of Catholic Homes and Educators will hold an expo at the Baltimore Convention Center. This is an opportunity for people to learn more about the Catholic Church and what they can do to strengthen themselves, their friends and families in faith. More than 50 speakers and 100 exhibitors will be on hand. Visit www.nache,org for more information.

GROTTO AT LOURDES EVENTS: The National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes at St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg has a full calendar of events for the coming months. For information call 301-447-5318 or email grotto@msmary.edu.

BULLETIN DEADLINE: The deadline for submitting notices is 12:00 noon on each Monday prior to the weekend of distribution. Please send articles via email to bulletin@sjwest.org or you may fax articles to 410-857-1519.

APPROPRIATE ATTIRE at MASS: During the warm summer months, shorts, tank-tops, bare-midriff tops or other revealing articles of clothing, and beach-style attire are not appropriate dress for celebrations of the Liturgy. Please observe these guidelines out of respect or the Lord’s presence and out of consideration for fellow worshipers.

SUNDAY NURSERY for 1-5 year olds will be held in Classroom 2A of the school during the 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. Masses. For information, contact Peggy Rager at 410-848-0790.

HOLY COMMUNION will be brought to you during Mass, if you are unable to come to the altar. Please inform an usher.

TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS ILL REMEMBERED during the Prayer of the Faithful at Masses, please call the parish office.

PORTICO BOOKS + GIFTS: New inventory arriving weekly. All Holy Bears on SALE!

Monday, June 5

Wednesday, June 7

Thursday, June 8

Friday, June 9

Saturday, June 10

From the Pastor

LENT MAY BE OVER…but the LENTEN APPEAL is NOT!!

Activities in Our Parish