Parish Bulletin

This 4^th Sunday of Easter has traditionally been called Good Shepherd Sunday. As we heard the words of John’s Gospel last weekend about (Feed my Sheep, Tend my Sheep) and we saw and heard of so much violence at Virginia Tech we can only hope and pray that those who are vulnerable in society and those who are victims of violence find peace. Our role is to be those Good Shepherds tending to those who need comfort and feeding those you feel are under-nourished spiritually, emotionally and psychologically.

Elsewhere in the bulletin is a list of resources to help parents, guardians, teachers, leaders of youth to talk to those who may not know how to address the feelings they have when they see violence like we saw last week and the violence we see everyday in our cities and in nations.

PERPETUAL ADORATION UPDATE… At the end of May we will need someone for the following hours of Adoration: Wednesday from 2:00-3:00 p.m. hour, and Thursday from 12-1:00 p.m. Anyone willing to come for Adoration at these times please call the parish office.

FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTION . . . May 5

Following the 8:00 a.m. Mass and Rosary. Please pick up a folder with the prayers and come to the front pews. Everyone interested in the devotion is welcome to join in prayer.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY. . . Sunday, May 6

The Sodality invites ALL PARISHIONERS to the Annual May procession and Benediction at 1:00 p.m.

MOTHER’S DAY SPIRITUAL BOUQUETS are available at the doors of the church and at the parish center.

WE PRAY FOR THE REPOSE of Pat Ensor, Evelyn Tippitt, Francis Joseph Orner, Jr. and Jessie Gill and for their families and friends.

BAPTISMS: Congratulations and welcome to Madison Nicole Broussard, daughter of Jodie and Michael Broussard; Cody Nicholas Gnau, son of Wendy and William Gnau,; Liam Nelson Inglis, son of Caryn and Richard Inglis; Robert Frederick Jones, II, son of Kara and Robert Jones; Christopher Norman Trottman, son of Joy and John Trottman; and Cooper Anthony Whitcomb, son of Barbara and Anthony Whitcomb.

A MESSAGE FROM MSGR. ART

For the past several weeks, I have enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate a Mass with you each weekend. Thank you for your warm and supportive welcome. Thank God, things continue to go well and my physical health is improving. I have been invited to participate in the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes sponsored by the Knights and Dames of Malta, (May 2 through May 9). The pilgrimage to Lourdes has been a central mission of the Order of Malta for a number of years and several families from our parish have made the journey including the Puleo's and the Kavanagh's. Seeking Our Lady's powerful intercession at this holy shrine is not so much about a physical healing, although there have been more than sixty documented miracles. The central focus of the pilgrimage is to enable the participants to learn from the witness of the Blessed Mother who leads us to Christ and to a complete acceptance of God's will in our lives. Please know that you and all the families of our parish are in my prayers and especially during the pilgrimage.

Stewardship

SECOND COLLECTION next weekend (May 5-6). There will be a second collection to help support the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Thank you for your generous support of vocations.

CARDINAL’S LENTEN APPEAL-THERE'S STILL TIME!!! Don't panic! You still have time to make your donation to the Cardinal's Lenten Appeal! Just write out your check made payable to "Lenten Appeal" and put it in an envelope marked "Lenten Appeal" and place in the collection basket. Thank you!

April 30 – May 4 - Standardized Testing Make- up week

May 4 – All School Liturgy at 9:30 - Church

May 6 – May Procession – 1:00 p.m.

May 10 – Family Fun Day – Grades 6-8

May 11 – Family Fun Day - Grades K-5

CONGRATULATIONS to EVIE HOFF of St. John School for winning 1st Place in the Vocation Prayer Card Contest for 5th graders throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Evie’s Prayer for Vocations is as follows:

We pray that parents will guide their children through the sacraments, and raise them as good Catholics. Help parents

supportive if their children are interested in the priesthood or consecrated life.

As the news about Virginia Tech continues to unfold in the media, listed below are a few of the web sites you may wish to reference in the event your child/children have questions:

Helping Children after a Disaster

Talking with Kids about the News

Can School Shootings be prevented?

St. John will host an Archdiocesan Evening of Reflection for all those who participated in our first session of Why Catholic. The theme is "Discovering God in Ordinary Life" and will take place in the Portico from 7:00-9:30 pm. Please RSVP to Paul Gallagher.

CONGRATULATIONS to our students who made their First Holy Communion this weekend. We pray these students and their families will always receive the Risen Lord and spread His love among all people.

— LIFE TEEN (Grades 9 - 12) —

Life Teen is a High School Youth Ministry that meets every 1st, 2nd and 4th Sunday at 7:15 p.m. in the Cafeteria. On the 3rd Sunday of each month we meet in the Portico at 7:15. Newcomers are welcome!

Sun., May 4 – MASSive – Is this you at Mass? You may think Mass is boring, but that’s because you don’t realize the MASSIVE things that go on at the Mass. If Mass bores you, this is one night you should not miss. Let’s just say it’s going to be a totally sweet night with some MASSIVELY AWESOMENESS (is that really a word?) that’s going to take place in the form of some “larger than life” activities! You don’t want to miss it!

— 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 6^th, 7^th & 8^th graders.

Fri., May 25 – Twin Kiss Night – We will meet at the cafeteria at 7:30 p.m. and walk down the hill to Twin Kiss for ice cream! Start Memorial Day weekend off right by relaxing with your friends and laughing over a sundae, snowball, or even a milkshake! Join us!

— YOUTH ALIVE (Grades 5 - 6) —

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., May 4 – Cinco de Mayo Party – Bring your friends and join us for tacos, and lots of games. You don’t want to miss this night!

Fri., May 18^th- Mystery Fun Night- Come and see what Youth Alive is all about… HAVING FUN!

There will be an informational meeting at 4:00 p.m. and another meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the parish center for any boy or girl who is in the 4^th grade or above and who may be interested in becoming an altar server. Parents are invited to attend. It is only necessary to attend one of the meetings. Call Jim Diggs at 410-302-3312 or 410-346-6576.

Boy Scout Troop 420 will hold their annual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction from 4-8 p.m. at The Portico. Tickets are $7 for adults and children under 7 eat FREE. Spaghetti and meatballs prepared by chef Bill Schroeder, owner of Giulianova Italian Groceria. For tickets or information call Andy Keefer at 410-876-2885 or Junella Spencer at 410-876-3298.

parish APPRECIATION breakfast…sunday, May 6

The Knights of Columbus appreciate all of the support given by the parish throughout the year. As a token of our appreciation this month’s parish breakfast will be FREE. Join us in the Portico for a great breakfast from 8:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Please continue to join us for our parish breakfasts the 1^st Sunday of each month.

The Sodality invites ALL PARISHIONERS to the Annual May procession and Benediction at 1:00 p.m. Children are invited to take part in the procession honoring our Blessed Mother. First Communicants are asked to wear their First Communion attire and to meet in The Portico at 12:45 p.m. Refreshments following ceremony at the Portico. Call Carolyn Keiner at 410-848-4563.

Join us for our regular meeting at 1:00 p.m. in the St. Therese Room at the Parish Center.

With the recent violence at Virginia Tech and throughout the world, Fr. Joe will talk about “Where God is Today in our Society” and why bad things happen to good people. The talk begins at 7:00 p.m. at The Portico. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door or in advance. Light refreshments will be served. For tickets or more information, call Teresa @ 410-848-4744 x227.

2007 PARISH CARNIVAL NEEDS YOUR HELP: (May 28-June 2)…Have you been looking for just the right volunteer opportunity to support the parish, share your talent AND meet lots of fun people? Then the Carnival Committee is for you! We need parishioners to volunteer to help out at our booths. Learn skills, meet great people, and have fun while helping our parish! Call Bob Detrow at 410-840-0307 for more details.

Join St. John Roses for a leisurely afternoon of tea, scones, and more at the Portico. A certified plant designer will discuss how to design and plant a perennial garden. Cost: $15 per person. Time: 2-4 p.m. Tickets are limited. For reservations call Cathy Hoffman 410-840-3659 or Linda Nester 410-751-5258. Proceeds to benefit Head Start. Come “Bloom and Grow” with us.

Join the Wisdom Club for a trip to Charlestown Slots for a fun day! Cost is $36 and includes the bus and buffet. Deadline for payment is May 24^th. The bus leaves St. John parking lot (across from the church) at 9 a.m., returning at approximately 5 p.m. For more info contact Maureen Fugate at 410-840-4676.

Mark your calendar now for St. John’s Annual Golf Tournament to be held at the much-improved Bear Creek Golf Club in Westminster. Cost per golfer is $80.00 ($100 after July 22) and includes all fees, food, beverages and trophies. Shot gun start at 1:00 p.m. Hole sponsors and door prizes are needed. For details call John Stephens 410-848-3722 or Dean Ditman 410-875-4221.

SPRING CLEANING TIME: It’s not too early to start thinking about items for our Christmas Bazaar. Check your closets, drawers, attics, basements for any new or used religious pictures, statues, medals, bibles, etc. for our 2007 Christmas Bazaar. Call Nina at 410-635-6422 for more information.

Thanks to all who participated! Please remember to pray for religious vocations. 2007 MIB poster is available at the Portico Book Store.

The next meeting of the St. Vincent de Paul Society will be held on Wednesday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. If you are interested in learning more about our work, please join us at this meeting or call Patty Terrano at 410-857-1473.

BLESSINGS CLOSET … During the month of May, St. Vincent de Paul is asking for your help to assist us in supporting the Shepherd’s Staff Blessing Closet for the needy in our area. The following items are needed and can be dropped in the baskets at the doors of the church: bath tissue, shampoo, deodorant, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, paper towels, napkins, tissues, all purpose cleaners, trash bags, feminine supplies, baby care items, light bulbs and liquid food supplements. Thank you for caring.

Enjoy tea the Irish way - with friends and ambiance at St. Bartholomew’s Parish Center, Manchester, MD from 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. A variety of hot teas, delicious pastries, soda breads, cakes, lunch fare, Irish music and songs. Cost: $5.00 (adult) $3.00 (child), $20.00 (family). Call Barbara Bray at 410-374-1197.

There will be a series of seminars and expositions from 5:30 until 10:00 p.m. sponsored by the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce at The Portico dealing with topics on Elder Law, Senior Living Options, and Long Term Care Planning. Pre-registration is required – deadline to register is April 30^th. Call the Chamber at 410-848-9050 for more details and to register.

If your relationship has grown cold and distant, if you are separated or thinking about separation or divorce, Retrouvaille can help. Retrouvaille is a Catholic program designed to help hurting couples mend and heal their brokenness. Call 410-647-0350 or visit our web site: www.retrouvaille.org. All calls are confidential.

The CAC is holding their annual Memorial Day picnic at Centennial Park in the Overlook Pavilion in Columbia from 10:00- 8:00 p.m. The cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. The CAC, is a social organization for single adult Catholics who are professionals and free to marry in the church. For information, contact Paul at pmka729@yahoo.com or the CAC info line at 410-580-1250.

Interested in Classes in Scripture, Theology, or Church Ministries? Deadline May 15

The summer term at the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary and University begins June 4th, where accredited master’s-level theological education (courses, degrees, certificates) is offered to qualified women and men of all denominations. Auditors are welcome. Pastors should consider our post-master’s Certificate of Advanced Studies. May 15 is the application deadline. For details call Patty Rath at 410-864-4200 or prath@stmarys.edu, or visit the website at www.stmarys.edu/ei.

The Sisters of Bon Secours are having a “Come and See Vocation Hospitality Weekend” at their Provincial House in Marriottsville. During that weekend, women are invited to explore the possibility of religious life by spending time with the sisters and other interested women in group discussions, share prayer and community. An optional tour is also available on Friday, June 22 from 1-4 pm. Register online at www.bonsecoursvocations.org

The annual EXPO at the Baltimore Convention Center is an exciting event for ALL Catholics combining fun, fellowship, information, and spiritual renewal. Over 50 speakers and 100 exhibitors. Mass and keynote by Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, DC. Thursday exclusive home schooling day, Friday evening Marriage Renewal Retreat, Mass and confessions everyday. Visit www.catholicfamilyexpo.org .

May 6 – Parish Appreciation Breakfast – The Portico

May 6 - May Procession at 1:00 p.m. - Church

May 28- June 3 – Parish Carnival

June 10 - Garden Tea Party – 2-4 p.m. – Portico

HOW TO REGISTER at this PARISH: All new parishioners who wish to register at the parish are invited to receive a welcoming packet from either the Parish Office, Ushers, School, Religious Education, or Baptism Preparation Class. The welcoming packet will invite you to a “Welcoming and Registration Sunday” which is held the last Sunday of the each month, from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. at The Portico.

THE PORTICO BOOKS + GIFTS: MOTHER ANGELICA'S LITTLE BOOK of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality just released and in stock. Raymond Arroyo presents an inspiring collection of Mother's powerful spiritual insights and no-nonsense advice. We can also order any of your favorite shows filmed by EWTN and any books you see advertised on their network. Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) Global Catholic Network airs family and religious programming from a Catholic point of view in English and Spanish.