Administrator: Fr. Driscoll ~ Pastoral Assistant: Deacon Howard
Office Manager: Nancy Boudreau ~ Finance Manager: Maria Kirkpatrick
Weekday Mass: Wed. & Fri. 9:30 am ~ Funeral Mass on Monday at 11 am
April 12th, 2015
Second Sunday of Easter
We Are Still Rejoicing Because….
Special Invitation to Guests
The celebrations of Holy Week, through the generosity of so
many people, were truly a blessing for all who were present
and for the whole parish. In spite of a particularly long and
continuing winter, our services were well attended and respectfully celebrated.
Of particular note, we must mention the Good Friday morning
Family Service. A different approach was made under the
direction of Glenna O’Quinn with a major part taken by Mackenzie. Those who were in attendance were truly blessed.
In our assemblies each weekend, there are several spouses
or friends of parishioners present with us who are not members of church. By their presence and support of their spouse
of family it is obvious they are well disposed to prayer and
church. We invite them to consider becoming full members,
will continue to pray for them and hope that they always feel
welcomed in our assemblies and parish functions.
But We Must Move On…
We Are Called to be a “Mission People”
What does that mean? At the Easter Vigil, we baptized three
women and received, into full membership in the church, one
man. These people have been following the RCIA program
since early last fall and have been present with us for the last
several Sunday morning Eucharists. Each Sunday morning,
they were prayerfully dismissed after the homily and led by
different parishioners in a further reflection of the Scripture
passages proclaimed that morning.
Because Deacon Howard has been ill, Sister Teresa has
been the faithful leader in this process and we are grateful for
her ministry. They met normally every Monday evening in
Sister Teresa’s apartment, joined other parishioners in our
Lenten Video Series and are now full members of church.
What is our Mission?
All of these people were brought to the Lord and to the
church by relatives or friends. Archbishop Mancini has reminded us over and over again that, after we are liturgically
dismissed on Sunday, our role is to go out and spread the
“Good News”. We are encouraged to speak to our friends,
neighbors and fellow workers about the Lord. Invite them to
come along with you to our celebration of Eucharist on Sunday, introduce them to other parishioners, priest and staff,
encourage them to be open to the Spirit and pray for them.
CWL Diocesan Convention
Here At Holy Family Friday to Sunday, May 1st, 2nd and
3rd.
1st- This is a “big event” for our women
and will be held completely in our Parish
facility. It is expected that there will be one
hundred forty delegates in attendance,
with some preliminary executive meetings,
Friday evening and the official opening
Saturday morning and the closing on Sunday after the 9:30
celebration of Eucharist.
2nd- The members of our own Council of the Catholic Women’s League have been working very hard preparing to host
this Convention. Lunches are going to be provided in our Parish Hall and a special banquet held Saturday evening.
3rd- What does it mean for other parishioners? Well, the Parish is very proud of our own Council that they have offered to
host the Convention knowing full well that it entails a great
amount of effort. And, also, very proud to show our visitors
our beautiful and practical church facility here in Amherst.
To that end, we are announcing now:
If you normally attend the 9:30 celebration of Eucharist on
Sunday morning, you might consider moving to Saturday’s
4:30 celebration that weekend. Note, there are 140 delegates
at this Convention – and they are all Catholic- and they are
planning to attend in a body the 9:30 Sunday celebration of
Eucharist. Our seating capacity is 265, so judge for yourself!!!
Finally, let us pray in support of the women of the Parish who
Miss the Lenten Series Videos?
The videos are posted on the diocesan site at are involved in the preparations and the running of the Conwww.halifaxyarmouth.org. You may also view them on the vention. We have experienced their competence many times
and know that they will do well.
Halifax-Yarmouth page on Facebook.
Religious Education News
1st- No Gatherings on Sunday May 3rd!!!
In light of the matters written of previously
about the Diocesan CWL Convention taking
place in our church facility that weekend, the
What is Encounter?
gatherings of our children for Religious de- We've been hard at work planning an amazing conference
velopment will be canceled for that Sunday.
that will feature powerful speakers, opportunities to deepen
First Eucharist Celebration
your Catholic faith, and grow in community. The conferences
On Sunday, April 19th, a week from this Sunday, at the 9:30 will be called Encounter: Awakening a Generation.
celebration of the Eucharist, we will be You may have been on a Steubenville Youth Conference as
celebrating the First Eucharist of several a teenager and asked yourself - "what is there for me now?"
of our children. Always an important occa- The answer is Encounter..
sion for the little ones and their families, Join us at Encounter Atlantic, a Steubenville Young Adult
but also a special time for the Parish as conference for ages 19-29. Meet other young people who are
trying to live as Catholics in the world, and find out how to
these little ones are our hope for the future.
After the celebration, all will be invited to a reception in the include God in your life... wherever you are. Encounter will
feature dynamic speakers, great music, interactive breakouts,
hall provide by the CWL and the Knights of Columbus.
socials and entertainment, and, of course, opportunities to
Confirmation
come together as a community of prayer.
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in this Par- This conference is specifically for you as a Catholic young
ish on Sunday, May 24th.
adult and will be different from the high school conferences –
Stained Glass Windows
but it will be every bit as powerful! Whether you're new to the
Not surprisingly, there has been universal approval of the faith or you've been here all your life, come take the next step
recent installation of the stained glass windows as, everyone with us. You won't regret it.
will agree, they have brought a particular beauty to our place This year's Encounter Atlantic Conference is July 3-5, 2015.
of worship. We can’t see the trees anymore, but, if you look Check-in opens at 3:00 pm on Friday, July 3 and the conferclosely, you can occasionally see birds fly by.
ence ends at 1:00 pm on Sunday, July 5.
What about the names of the saints portrayed and where will The conference is held at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS.
the plaques be placed displaying the names of the donors? Main sessions are in the Sir James Dunn Theatre in the DalThe plan is that a replica of the windows will be erected in the housie Arts Centre. Workshops, small groups, and meals are
outside corner of the gathering area where the plaques and held in various spaces on the campus.
names will be easily viewed and read. Vince Byrne is working
Steubenville Atlantic
on this.
Steubenville Atlantic is our annual high school youth conferTuesday Luncheons
ence that happens on the campus of Dalhousie University
Again this year, our people have faithfully provid- from July 3-5. It’s part of a series of 20 conferences across
ed luncheons for as many as one hundred forty North America that bring thousands of teens closer to Christ
every Tuesday (if there was not a snowstorm) every year. This is our ninth year running Steubenville Atlanand they are scheduled to serve their last lunch- tic, and we’re one of only two conferences in Canada!
eon of this ‘season’ on Tuesday, April 28th.
All conference registration is done online and in groups. If
As has been mentioned previously, this has there is no group in your parish or community please contact
been a wonderful success and a very much us so we can help organize one! Registration is $225
needed outreach both for the Parish development and for the
larger community. Under the strong leadership of Betty Nelson and Pat Robinson, there has been developed a solid,
faithful team of workers who have provided a first class luncheon and wholesome spirit every Tuesday.
Important Message:
Parish Office Telephone
Holy Family Parish Office has three phone lines. Our first line
is our main office number of 902-667-2523. When we are in
the office, incoming calls will “hunt” for the next available line
if our main line is free. We recently had voice mail added to
our phone system on our second line. This means that when
a call comes in and we are not available to answer, the call
coming from our main line will ring 4 times and on the 5th
ring, the call will be moved to line 2. Line 2 will then ring 4
times. We are having a few callers who would not realize this
(as it is many rings) and think there is an issue with the phone
line/voice mail service. We ask for your patients in this matter.
Note: After office hours, the phone lines are always forwarded to Fr. Driscoll’s home.
Celebrating 50 Years!
James Hayes celebrated his 50th Anniversary of being a bishop. A mass celebrating
this milestone and honoring our retired archbishop was celebrated last Tuesday at Saint
Mary’s Cathedral Basilica at 12:15pm. We
thank God for Archbishop Hayes and the
many gifts that he shared with the local church of Halifax as
our archbishop from 1967 to 1991. Congratulations Archbishop Hayes!
Legacy of Life
There will be a talk held by renowned Transplant Surgeon,
Dr. Jean Legare from the QE2 Health Sciences Center, at
Holy Family on April 13th from 6 - 8 pm. This event is hosted
by Campbell’s Funeral Home and the Nova Scotia Legacy of
Life Program. This talk is open to the public and will include
information booths from the Kidney Foundation, One Match,
Cumberland Hospice & Palliative Care Society, Legacy of
Life Program, QC (End of Life Planning) and Morris Haugg.
There will also be a presentation by the Canadian Blood Services (One Match). Light refreshments will be provided. For
more information, please contact the organizers at [email protected] or 902-667-9906 or 902-667-5400,
ext. 6377.
Happy Easter! Christ is Risen Alleluia!
Vacation Bible Camp - Everest!
This year’s Vacation Bible camp will run
from July 6th - 11th , 8 am until 12 noon.
There is no charge for the camp, though
a free will offering is accepted, (average
cost per child is $30). The theme for this
year is ‘Everest - Conquering Challenges with God’s Mighty Power!’ Registration begins April 1st!
Watch our Parish website or Facebook and register online.
Not online? You may also check with Nancy, in the Parish
Office to register your child.
Discipleship: Diocesan News
In January, the Diocese ceased to write their bulletin. This
meant there had to be a new way of communicating to the
Parishes. Since then, they have launched a news service
called, “Discipleship.” It is available through the diocesan
website at halifaxyarmouth.org.
A message from the Archdiocese of
Halifax/Yarmouth:
In John’s Gospel we Mary Magdalene
say, “I have seen the Lord!” She exclaims this to the Apostles after she
runs from the tomb having encountered the Risen Christ outside the tomb. May we feel that same joy and excitement in
encountering Jesus and knowing through him the Father’s
great love for us. Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by
that love and may we share it will all we meet! Easter blessings to one and all!
Welcome to Holy Family! ~ New Parishioner Registration
We extend a warm welcome to all newcomers to our Parish. It is our hope that you will be happy in our midst. To help us
keep our records up to date and serve you better, please complete this form, cut it out and place it in the collection or drop it
off to our Parish Office. Office hours are Monday - Friday, 9 am - Noon. The Parish Office number is 902-667-2523.
Name (s): ________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________ Email Address: _________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Would you like church envelopes?: ____________
Holy Family is a Parish that is alive with many Ministries. Please take a moment to discover how we can best suit you in your
journey through faith. For a list of Ministries, pleas contact the Parish Office or view the Parish website at
www.holyfamilyamherst.ca. Thank you!
Christmas Cheer Coordinator Needed!
This entails approximately a total of 40 hours of work, during
the months of November and December. Basic computer
skills are required. A car is also helpful. An honorarium is
paid. You will be working with the Churches in Amherst who
assist with this program. If you are interested and would like
further information, please contact you own clergy or contact
Father Vernon Driscoll at 902-667-2523, who is the chairperson of the Amherst and Area Ministerial Association.
Attention: CWL Members
A reminder that if you are planning to attend the Convention
Free Income Tax Preparation
in May, please have your registration in soon. Also, if you are
Are you a senior or low income person or family? Maria Kirkon the Convention Planning Committee, please be reminded
patrick is a volunteer with the Community Volunteer Income
of the meeting at 10 am on Tuesday, April 14th at Holy FamiTax Program and will prepare your Income Tax return free of
ly.
charge. Please contact Maria at the Parish Office (Monday to
Nickels for Notes
Wednesday 12 noon to 3:00pm) to set up an appointment. All
The ARHS and EBC Band and Parents Association is holding information will be kept confidential.
their annual “Nickels for Notes” on April 25th from 10 am - 12
Booking Meeting Times
pm. The band students will be going door to door for donaPlease be advised that when planning a time for a meeting or
tions.
gathering, we ask that you first check with Nancy, in the ofLenten Folders
fice. Often, there are times when the hall and boardroom are
Lenten Folders may be picked up on the table, outside the already in use and we have no meetings scheduled. Please
Office window in our Gathering Area. Please pick up a folder. check in with the office when rescheduling meetings as well.
Some parishioners have filled theirs and returned them in the Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
collection. Thank you!
APRIL 2015
Sunday
Monday
29
Tuesday
30
Wednesday
31
Palm Sunday
Thursday
1:30 pm
7
9:30 am Mass
12
8
CWL General
Meeting
7 pm
Easter Sunday
13
14
20
3
9
15
8 pm
11
Breakfast
16
17
1:30 pm
22
Easter Vigil
Knight’s
Stewardship
Meeting
21
4
10
Liturgy
Committee
1:30 pm
Community
Booking Hall
& Kitchen
Booked
19
Saturday
No K of C 4th Good Friday
Degree
11 am & 3 pm
Meeting
Executive
6
2
1
CWL
5
Friday
23
18
Large
Classroom &
Kitchen
Booked
24
25
1st Eucharist
Knight’s of
9:30 am
Columbus
Food Drive
Reception to
Follow
26
27
28
29
Priest's Retreat Priest's Retreat Priest's Retreat Priest's Retreat
30
Priest's Retreat
May 1
Priest's
Retreat
Financial Corner
April 5th, 2015
117 Envelopes - $3125.00
Loose - $177.80
Pre-authorized (66) - $1,507.67
Budget Amount - $4,625.00
Surplus - $185.47
SSVP - $297.00 Children’s - $15.50
Lenten Folders - $1822.25
Good Friday Alms - $1222.00
Easter Offering - $4230.50
Thank you for your continued generosity!
May 2
CWL Conference