100 South 8th Street Arma, KS 66712 Tel.

(620)347-4525
Mailing Address: PO Box 948 Arma, KS 66712

Weekly Bulletin

of

Saint Joseph Church, Arma

www.stjosepharma.com

Notes from the Pastor:

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/Marcel Normand Bookkeeper/Bulletin Editor Judy Smerchek Secretary Rectory Office Hours Wednesdays 9AM-Noon Tel. (620) 347-4525

What a wonderful celebration we have last Sunday in Girard with the first communion of our children. What made it a touching event is the meeting and merging of the human and the divine: the divine body of our Lord Jesus in the sacred host and the human life of our first communicants. What this also highlights is the indwelling of God in our lives being His temple and the thought that the life we live is a life of God. Please continue to pray for all who receive their first communion this and last month that they will continue to grow in the life of God. We look forward to our only first communion this May 19th here in Arma with Max Weatherly. Hopefully we can have more kids receiving their first communion next year! So parents, if you have second graders, now is the time to come forward. Let us plan it ahead. Approach me or give me a call. Our Gospel this weekend strengthens that truth. Jesus said I am the vine you are the branches, reminds us of our being connected with God and with the other branches, our fellow human beings, one another. Being connected with God we are being nourished by Him. How blessed we are catholic with the sacraments, the visible signs that gives us the invisible grace. Our communion and confession continue to sustain and nourish us spiritually. It is also on this consideration that we are reminded that without God we can do nothingapart from Him we cannot bear fruit. (John 15:5) It is really only through remaining in God that we can do Gods ministry feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and those in prison, clothing the naked and all other works of charity. They all start with the life of God in us which can only be nourished with the sacraments provided by God through the Church especially His body and blood in the Eucharist. Our spaghetti feed scheduled this weekend is also providential. It highlights our connectedness and oneness as the body of Christ. Congratulations to Betty Rons who chair this event and to all the organizers and different committee members. God bless you all for all that you do! We are also connected to the Saints and especially to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our mother in heaven. May is also set aside as the month of Mary. In other countries, especially those with Hispanic influences, this month is called Flores de Mayo, or Flowers of May. Next Sunday(5/13/2012) 8:00 AM Joseph Polhlopek Joe Broyles & Bill Harman Joan Black Linda Broyles Scott & Susie Aldrighetti

Next Saturday (5/12/2012) Altar Servers: Ushers E. M. E. Lectors: Gift Bearers 4:00 PM Noah Popejoy Pat Westhoff & Dave Petrey Linda Carpino Renee Popejoy Margaret Setina & Gay Kranker
4:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 AM Sunday 10:00 AM 7:00 AM Monday 5:30 PM Tuesday 6:30 PM Wednesday 8AM-6:30PM 8:00 AM Thursday 8:30AM-4PM 7:00 AM Friday 4:00 PM Saturday 5:30 PM 8:00 AM Sunday 10:00 AM Saturday

Mass Schedules & Intentions for May 5th-13th:

May 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 Shayne Miller Ben Bradshaw Pro Populo Tony Kavcich Tony Kavcich Della Busse Tony Kavcich Eucharistic Adoration Geno Marchetti Eucharistic Adoration Tony Kavcich Ruth Wingebach Verdan Davied Alberta Westhoff Pro Populo Arma Girard Arma Girard Girard Arma Girard Girard Arma Arma Girard Arma Girard Arma Girard

Children offer flowers to the Blessed Virgin Mary every day during this month. Here in the US, our tradition is a single event where we crown the Blessed Virgin Mother and offer her flowers. This again highlights our connection with the Saints and especially with our Blessed Mother in heaven. Think about it, if our earthly mother cannot abandon us in our needs, how much more is our heavenly mother? Jesus said that in the Gospel, If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13, Matthew 7:11) The Blessed Virgin Mary is our mother in heaven, do you thinks she will abandon us? Are her apparitions not enough to convince you? It is just right and appropriate that we recognize our queen and mother in heaven with this May crowning gesture, honoring her and asking for her intercession! God bless you all! Fr. Roger

DONT FORGET SPAGHETTI FEED THIS SUNDAY, MAY 6! St. Joseph Church Hall from 11:00-2:00.

COLLECTIONS Last Week Contributions Expenses Over/ (Under)

Saint Josephs Upcoming Events Finance Council Next Meeting, May 8th St. Ann Altar Society Next meeting, May 16th 6:00PM in the Church Hall Parish Council Next Meeting, May 15th Knights of Columbus 1st Tuesday of Month, 7pm St. Michael Parish Hall

July 2011 to date $53,805.72 $50,039.28 $3,766.44

$855.05

Why Does God Allow Pain/Suffering? This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain/ suffering: A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber worked, they talked. They eventually touched on the subject of God, and the barber said, I dont believe that God exists! Why do you say that? asked the customer. Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesnt exist, said the barber, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be Parish Finance Council: neither suffering nor pain. I cant imagine a loving God who would Chair Fred Bogina Members Bill Harman, Judy Wingebach, Linda Broyles allow all of these things. The customer listened, but didnt respond, for he didnt want to start an argument. The barber finished and the customer left the shop. Just after leaving the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair, looking very unkept. The customer turned Flowers back and entered the barbershop and said to the barber, You know The Arts and Environment Committee is working to beautify the what? Barbers do not exist! How can you say that? asked the Church. If you would like to make a donation to help defray the cost surprised barber, Im here and Im a barber. And I just worked on of this project you will find envelopes at the back of the church marked Flowers, or you may use your own envelope indicating the you! The customer responded, No! barbers dont exist because if contribution is for flowers. If any one has garden flowers they would they did, there would be no people with dirty, long hair and beards, like to donate or if you have any questions, call Joan Barbieri at 347- like that man outside. Ah, but barbers DO exist! said the barber, Thats what happens when people do not come to me. Exactly my 8664. point! said the customer. Thats it! God, too, DOES exist! Thats what happens when people dont go to Him and dont look to Him Souls of Unborn Babies? for help. Thats why theres so much pain and suffering in the Not long ago, I was asked this question, Where do the souls of world! unborn or aborted babies go? This is a difficult question, even for Articles by Marcel Normand the Church to answer because we really dont know much from our faiths teaching. What we do know is that grace is required to get into +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thoughts: Each time you pass a Catholic Church, stop in to make a heaven. The term means sharing in Gods life. The only way we know to receive first grace for those who havent reached the use of visit, so when youre carried in someday, Our Lord wont say, Who reason is baptism. For those who are unaware of Christ or of baptism, is it. they can come to this grace through an act of faith or love when they would choose to do good and avoid evil. Continued at top of next column

Parish Pastoral Council Officers: Chair Pat Westhoff Members at Large Emil Pronier, Betty Rons & Dustin Ashmore Secretary Karen Pryer Worship Committee: Chair Karen Pryer Lectors Marcel Normand E.M.Es Joann Black Music Jan Harman Ushers/Greeters Bill Harman Sacristan Larry Pronier Altar Society: Judy Smerchek

Because infants cant make such a conscious act, medieval theologians devised the term, Limbo, where such infants would not be sent to Hell, since theyd never committed sin. Yet, because they didnt have grace, they could not enter Heaven. They described Limbo as a place of perfect natural happiness where the souls of unbaptized infants would go. But, we could ask, what about Gods loving kindness and mercy? There was one instance where unbaptized infants went to Heaven--remember the Holy Innocents who were slaughtered by Herod at the birth of Jesus? We honor them as saints even though they were not baptized. This case could be of great consolation to parents who have had a miscarriage. It might also be applied to aborted infants. We can hold to the teaching of Limbo, but were also free to somehow hold that God gave first grace to the innocent unborn who die without baptism. Usually, in a miscarriage, parents should administer conditional baptism immediately. After all, we know that baptism is the only certain way for first grace.

ST. JOSEPH, PRAY FOR US!

We Thank our advertisers whose support makes this publication possible:

Please support our Parish Bulletin! Advertise Here!

Please support our Parish Bulletin! Advertise Here!

Hickory Bend, LLC