Pastoral Staff
Tel: 503-266-9411 Fax:503-263-2293
Pastor: Fr. John Waldrom email: stpatricks@canby.com
Pastor Associate: Sara Creel
Deacon: Rev. Mr. Jerry Giger
Director of Rel. Educ: Sue Unger
email: stpatrickreligiouseducation@yahoo.com
Aministrative Assistant: Debbie Newbury
email: dnewbury@canby.com
Maintenance: Heriberto Aguilar
email: haguilar@canby.com

Rectory Office Hours
Monday thru Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
We are closed for lunch between 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Bulletin Policy
Items for the bulletin are due in the Parish Office no later than Wednesday of each week. Email your items to dnewbury@canby.com

Prayer Needs
If you have prayer needs, please call St. Patrick prayer chain. Contact Kathy Usher, 503-266-2485

Social Service Ministries
St. Vincent dePaul Food Bank:
Bill & Delores Piller: 503-701-9135

Sacrament
Infant Baptisms:
Registered parishioners are expected to complete a Baptismal Preparation program prior to scheduling a baptism. Baptismal preparation programs are offered 3 times a year. For information and /or registration, contact Sara 503-266-9411.
Next Baptismal Prep Class: September 28, 2006

Adult Baptisms:
Adults seeking baptism are expected to participate in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.) RCIA begins in the fall with the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation in the Spring (Easter). For information and/or registration contact Sara at 503-266-9411.

Marriage Policy:
Our parish is a signator of the Clackamas County "community marriage policy", that is a multi denominational agreement for common standards for marriage preparation. Please contact the Pastor at least six months prior to the wedding to ensure adequate time for these preparations.

Ascension Sunday of Easter
May 4, 2008

CATHOLIC HOME MISSIONS APPEAL
Next Sunday, our parish will be taking up a collection for the Catholic Home Missions Appeal. This Appeal supports missions here in the United States. The Catholic Home Missions Appeal offers Catholics across our country a wonderful opportunity to help fellow Catholics practice their faith in such rugged areas as Alaska, Appalachia, the Deep South, the Rocky Mountain states, the Southwest, Puerto Rico, and island dioceses in the Pacific and Caribbean. This Appeal is a practical way for our parish to share its faith and resources with the mission Church here at home. Over 95 cents of every dollar donated to the Appeal goes directly to the missions to keep church doors open, to support pastors in their priestly ministry, and to provide basic pastoral services like religious education for children. Please give generously by using the attached envelope.

MOTHER’S DAY BREAKFAST
Families, come treat your moms to a FREE breakfast and gift from the St. Patrick Knights of Columbus on Sunday, May 11, from 9:30-12:30pm. Mom deserves the FREE day! Prices for others are: Adults $4.50, children 6-12 $3.00, and under 6 are free. Menu will include ham, eggs, pancakes and french toast. Come treat your mom and family to a great breakfast. Proceeds from the breakfast will go towards Knights parish projects.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!
Saturday, May 10 is the Annual Post Office Food Drive. The Canby area is always very generous. We will be in the gym between 11:00am to 5:00pm and need help sorting 10,000 lbs of food. This is a great family project to help feed the hungry. Please come any time you can make it. All help is greatly appreciated.

Six-year old Jason loved his grandparents very much, partly because he saw them almost every day. His grandparent picked him up after school, helped him with homework, and played with him until his parents got home from work. Then Grandpa died. This was very hard for Jason; he missed that third hand at “Go, Fish,” and Grandpa’s reading to him when Grandma began supper, and the wonderful hug good-bye each day. After a few weeks, one day when Grandma picked him up, Jason hopped into the car, buckled up his seat belt, then blurted out, “Ok, Grandma, God has had Grandpa long enough; please ask God to send him back.” Children (and adults!) struggle with the finality of human death. It is no wonder, then (and very human, indeed!), that the disciples after the resurrection were still struggling with the reality of Jesus’ risen presence: “. . . they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.” Yes, they doubted. This is a mystery to which we turn our attention today, clearly related to Jesus being raised from the dead. Jesus’ ascension into heaven is not a reward for what he did on earth, but a return to his rightful place at the right hand of the Father. The ascension, like the resurrection, manifests the divinity and lordship of Christ. That is, the resurrection and ascension are manifestations of God’s “great might,” which culminates when Jesus is enthroned “over all things” in heaven and on earth and exercises his role ahead of the church. And here is another mystery we celebrate: when we acknowledge Christ as Lord, we are led to worship him and continue his work on earth. Thus, Jesus is “sent back” to us similar to Jason’ wish. But the twist of the gospel is this new presence of Jesus is, through the power of the Spirit, within us and is manifested when we continue Jesus’ saving work as his disciples. Jesus knew that his saving mission was not to be continued by mere humans; on our own authority and power we could not give true witness to Jesus’ continued presence. Jesus knew that his mission could be entrusted to his disciples because they “will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon” them. It is the Spirit who allays doubt, clears up misunderstanding about the mission, and gives wisdom, revelation, and knowledge. Thus, being disciples of Jesus is not something we do alone. And this is why, with the Spirit, we can witness, baptize, and teach all nations. It is not we, but the Spirit within us.

OUR PRIVILEGE, OUR RIGHT, AND OUR DUTY
As it is written ‘Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you.’ (Is 49:15):

We in the Catholic Church in the Community of St. Patrick remember, hold in our memory, and pray for the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces especially Ryan Thomas Blackwood, Ryan Bridges, Lonnie Brown, Nathan Brown, Douglas Bower Jr., Carlos Bustamante, Adamm Creel, Isaiah Creel, Brad Dunn, Brian Dykeman, Bill Ellis, Adam Ferrell, Rob Gamble, Andrew Gibby, David Hannon, April Kennedy, Mike Krzmarzick, Jessica Krzmarzick (wife of Michael Krzmarzick) Johnny Lugo, Alex Martin, Ryan McInnis, John Molamphy, John Nguyen, Tarl Spencer, Leah Sundquist, Kenneth Thorpe, CJ Trillo, Jonathan Tuner, William Walsh, Erik Wiesehan and Ivan Wilson, may they be servants of Christ through service to those in need, and may they be kept safe from all harm.

PARISH SUPPORT
Parishioners of St. Patrick through the Sacrificial giving program gave to God the gift: April 27, 2008

Building Fund $505.00
Cemetery $
Envelopes $7438.25
Loose $536.75
Children $2.00
Poor $505.00
Catholic Charities $779.34

Total $9,561.34

MASS SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, May 6, 2008
+Helen Morgan by Karen & Stuart Hunt
WEDNESDAY, May 7, 2008
+Joe Joseph Carrier by Frank Carriera
Thursday, May 8, 2008
+Joanne Battilega by Mike Cereghino & family
Friday, May 9, 2008
+Bob Cruse by Bob & Sue Sheveland

EVENTS AROUND THE AREA

MAY FOCUS
Presence

Most of us have experienced times when we find it hard to focus on what we are doing. Our minds are filled with troubles and concerns usually about things that have not happened and may never happen. It creates a spirit of anxiety within us and often makes us short tempered with those around us. While such distractions are common they need not rule our lives. We need to develop a sense of presence. Simply put, it is a matter of being present to the moment we are in now. It helps us leave the regrets over things that have happened in the past-they are done and cannot be changed. The only value they have is the lessons we have learned through those experiences that can help us handle situations we are facing now. Being in the present also keeps us from worries about the future. It has not happened yet and probably will not happen in the way we expect. If we tend to the things that are before us now the future we dread may never happen or if it does we will find ourselves better prepared to face it. Being present in the moment also means we become more attentive to the people we are interacting with. We can really give them our attention and listen to what they are saying. It is amazing how such attentiveness can improve our relationships when others feel that they really have our attention. It says we care about them and what they have to say and that they have value. Tending to the moment we are in is not easy and it requires constant discipline. We have to begin by controlling our thoughts. As we find ourselves drifting off to other things, we need to bring ourselves back to the moment. It can help to say a little prayer, “Lord help me to be present in this moment and leave the past and future to you.” As you become more attentive to the now, you will discover so many things you were missing and you find you can even hear the promptings of the spirit better too.

FEAST OF THE ASCENSION
Ephesians 1:17-23

Jonathan Swift

Seating Him above Every Principality, Authority, Power, and Dominion. .
He put all Things beneath His Feet

We’re all familiar with Gulliver’s sojourn among the Lilliputians, a people who stood only six inches tall. We’re not so familiar, perhaps, with the reverse experience he had when he found himself among the Brobdingnagians, who averaged 70 feet tall! There he stood in a field of wheat 40 feet high, while a line of Brobdingnagian reapers approached wielding seven-foot sickles. Realizing he could be squashed under foot or cut in two, Gulliver screamed as loud as he could, whereupon one of the reapers stopped short. He looked at Gulliver as we might view a mouse and then bent over, picked him up, and held him within three yards of his eyes.
The Brobdingnagians treated Gulliver gently as a curiosity. Eventually he was able to converse with their king and boast about England’s empire and political institutions. He failed, however, to realize that this gigantic king could evaluate all Gulliver said from a much higher vantage point. And so, far from being impressed by Gulliver’s account of English history, the king was appalled. To him it appeared to be nothing but a petty “heap of conspiracies, rebellions, murders, massacres, revolutions, banishments, the very worst effects that avarice, faction, hypocrisy, perfidiousness, cruelty, rage, madness, hatred, envy, lust, malice and ambition could produce.” He could only conclude Gulliver’s countrymen “to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.”
Embarrassed by this assessment, Gullliver tried to impress him with the achievements of European science and technology, inventions such as gunpowder and cannonballs (and we might add hydrogen bombs). This too left the king amazed at “how so impotent and groveling an insect. . . could entertain such inhuman ideas.” He then ordered Gulliver, if he valued his life, never to mention these things again while in his kingdom. Gulliver privately ridiculed the king’s reactions as shortsighted, forgetting that it was he who was short and therefore shortsighted in this land of benign giants.
This brings us to this matter of Christ’s ascension. In our creed we say of Jesus: “For us and our salvation he came down from heaven.” We believe that Jesus came into our world possessing a much higher vantage point from which he could well perceive how small we are and how small we often behave-our human pettiness and its often vicious consequences.

He came to unmask these limitations, to lift us up out of all this lethal pettiness and myopia, to share with us his higher and therefore more profound vision of reality, his bigness of mind and heart.
“And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself,” he says in John’s Gospel (12:32). And Saint Paul plays upon this same theme in his letter to the Ephesians, where he prays that we may all “comprehend what is the breadth and length and height and depth” (3:18) of Christ’s way of loving, where he speaks of our attaining a maturity measured by nothing less than “the full stature of Christ” (4:13).
And have you ever noticed how often Jesus takes his disciples up to a mountain top-to pray, to deliver his Sermon on the Mount, to be transfigured before them, to be elevated on his cross (which becomes for us our ladder to heaven), and finally to carry our gaze even higher as he ascends into the heavens themselves? He does this all in an effort to entice us toward a taller, wider, all encompassing, compassionate view of things-to make of us a race of spiritual giants similar to those Gulliver met in Brobdingnag.
From: Living the Lectionary: Links to Life and Literature

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR GRADE SCHOOL
Our classes are nearing the end for the year. Our final session is today, May 4th. Children will meet in their classes at 9:45 am. We will have a crowning of Mary with a litany at 10 am in the Church. All are welcome to join us and honor our Spiritual Mother Mary. Following the 11am Mass there will be a party for all parishioners. There will be food, fun, and games. Come and help us celebrate the end of the Religious Education year. We ask all families to bring veggie trays, or fruit trays, or finger desserts. Drinks and Hot Dogs will be provided.

NEEDS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Running a program needs lots of different kinds of things. For our final fun Friday we need door prizes we could store or restaurant gift certificates, tickets for movies, tickets for sporting events, games, balls, sporting equipment, MP3 players, Christian Rock CD’s, or anything that youth from 11-18 would enjoy. For youth ministry we are still hoping for a Wii system. Also we need someone who could repair our ping pong table. It has had a lot of use in the last two years and it is becoming almost impossible to use. We also would like to get a tool to help us with bulletin Boards. The Camera we have been using for the last 2 ½ years is beginning to show it’s age. We could use a new digital camera. The one we would like is a Nikon that has add on features. If you would like to help with any of these wishes please contact Sue Unger.

SUMMER NURSERY
Nursery will be open during the summer. We will put out a Nursery schedule in the next week for the summer. We always need volunteers to help with Nursery for youth and adults. Youth must be at least 13 yrs. old. We do have an active Nursery during the 11 am mass. We could always use more volunteers to make this happen. This ministry is a real gift for young families wanting to be able to fully participate in the Mass. For more information contact Angela Baker, Sara Dietz, or Sue Unger.

FAITH IN ACTION (9TH-12TH GRADES) meets on Sunday evening from 5:30 pm -7 pm in the Parish Center. All High School teens are welcome to join us. Watch the bulletin or contact Molly or Liz or Sue Unger for more information. On May 16th Johannin Christian Rock Band will be here for a concert. We will start with dinner at 6 pm invite friends for a night of music, fun, door prizes and food. $10.00 per person.

YOUTH MINISTRY AND JR HIGH MINISTRY
The Journey in Faith (6th- 8th grade) group meets on Wednesday night at 7 pm. Our last class for the year will be May 14th . I hope you have enjoyed the year and we look forward to seeing you back at class next year. Our next Fun Friday is May 16th (change of date) at 6 pm please come and join us to celebrate and play. We will have dinner to start at 6pm. We have invited the Christian Rock Group Johannin to entertain that night for our last fun Friday of the year. This night will be for all Jr High and Sr High Parishioners and friends. The cost will be $10.00 per person. If you are not signed up in classes please bring a parent to sign a permission slip for you to participate.

YOUTH MINISTRY FUND RAISERS
One way to support Youth Ministry is by supporting the Knights of Columbus fundraisers. They are very supportive to our Religious Education programs. We also have a new opportunity through Safeway to get a percentage of their profit to support our Religious Education programs. If you shop at Safeway and have a Safeway card, St Patrick Religious Education can get a percentage of what you spend. You need to register your card through the company. You can call at 1-800-400-7878 or email at sbucher@escrip.com. They will guide you through the registration. This can help support the many programs without the extra work of a fundraiser. Contact Sue Unger with any questions about the program. St Patrick Safeway group ID # is 163944105.

Youth Ministry is collecting cans to support the ministry. If you have cans please bring them to the Parish Hall side entrance next to the gym. If locked they can be left Sunday through Thursday outside the doors between the gym door and the hall door. If open please leave them just inside the gym by the door. Every little bit helps. Thanks for your generosity.

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BACCALAUREATE MASS FOR 2008
Baccalaureate Mass for graduating Seniors of 2008 will be Saturday, May 31st at the 5:30 pm Mass. All seniors are invited to the special blessing. Please bring your cap and gown and meet in the vestibule at 5:15 PM to line up to process into church. A cake and coffee reception will follow in the Parish Hall following Mass. Contact Sue Unger to let her know that you will be present for the ceremony.

Religious Education News

SPRING CLEANING IS COMING
The Youth Ministry and Religious Education programs will be sponsoring a garage sale in late spring to help with buying bibles and sending the youth to Spokane for a Youth Conference. Also it will support Vacation Bible School. We will need volunteers and a co-coordinator to make this happen. Please call Sue Unger at the office. I generally am available by phone on Monday –Thursday. Sundays I am in the office but generally do not take messages.

SACRAMENT PREPARATION CLASSES
Our next gathering for Eucharist will be Saturday, April 26th at 10am for rehearsal. We will go through the different parts of the Mass to know what to do for first Communion. Contact Sue Unger

Our next Confirmation gathering will be May 4 at 4pm. Be sure you have your Saint paper and Social Justice paper and your Service hours completed and ready to hand in. Be prepared to make your interview appointment with a member of the team. This will need to be completed by May 15th. For those that missed the Holy Spirit retreat you will need to write a paper for that event. There has been a change for the Confirmation Ceremony. The Archbishop has requested for us to have our ceremony here at St Patrick. St James in Molalla will be with us. The ceremony will be on May 21st and rehearsal will be 7 pm on Tuesday May 20th. Bishop Steiner will be celebrant. We will meet in the parish hall to line up for rehearsal. You and your sponsor will need to attend. If you or your sponsor cannot attend please contact me right away for instructions on how to work this out. Contact Sue Unger for more information.

ADULT SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
We welcome all adults or young adults who would like to reflect on scripture to join our Wednesday night group at 7 pm. This is an opportunity to think about scripture in my life and how I can follow God’s lead in my life. No scripture knowledge is required just willingness to learn and share. Jerry Giger is the leader of the group. For questions contact Sue Unger.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL TEAM
All parishioners interested in working on Vacation Bible Study are welcome to our meeting on Sunday, May 18th at 10 am. We will meet in room 7. Contact Sue Unger for more questions. In the next few months we will be painting murals to decorate the rooms and halls for our theme for a Rain Forest. If you can help with any of the decoration or able to volunteer the week of VBS contact Sue Unger.

THINGS NEEDED FOR VBS
Swim noodles
Stuffed puppets about 18” tall Toucan, Macaw, Frog, Monkey, Birds, Jungle Animals
Blow up animals or stuffed animals same as above
Pringle cans
Quart plastic containers size of Pringle cans
Stickers of Tropical plants and animals
Plastic Baby food containers with snap on lids
Feathers
Golf ball size foam (not Styrofoam) balls
Butterfly Net
Empty coffee cans 3 lb size
Dowels ¼ - 1/8 size
Shoe boxes small women’s and children’s
Plastic toy rainforest animals and plants
Artificial tropical flowers large
15 med to large youth jersey’s green for games
Spanish/craft moss
Tacky glue
Craft glue 6000 (brand name only)
Tiny plastic plants (real tiny)
Plain white sheets and green sheets
These donations help us keep the cost of the program manageable. Contact Sue Unger if you have ideas or time to help. Vacation Bible School is scheduled for July 14- 18th .

CONFIRMATION CEREMONY
The Confirmation ceremony for St Patrick group will be here at St Patrick Church on May 21st at 7 pm. Bishop Steiner will be presiding. St James Church of Molalla will be here to celebrate with us. For questions or concerns contact Sue Unger.

SPECIAL THANKS
Thank you to all the parishioners who contributed to Catholic Charities last week in the second collection. Your wonderful donation of $779.24 will create hope for the poor and disadvantaged people. Thank you!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPONSOR A CLASSROOM PRAYER TABLE?
Prayer is part of the fabric of our Catholic faith. Fostering a sense of prayer is an important part of the Religious Education programing of St. Patrick. An important aspect for our life of prayer is the establishment of “holy places,” in our homes and in our classrooms. We are in the process of creating such places of prayer for each classroom in our parish center. We are now ready to purchase the individual standing icons for each room. The cost for each 11" x 14" icon, which includes matching stand and shipping charges is $60.00. We have 14 classrooms and meeting rooms we are preparing prayer tables for. If you would like to sponsor an icon for a classroom contact Sue Unger or Sara Creel at the parish office. The icons still available are; St. Patrick, Sts. Peter & Paul, St. Mark, St. Luke, St. John, St. Vincent dePaul, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Blessed Juan Diego, The Good Shepherd, and the Twelve Apostles at Table.

APPLICATIONS STILL AVAILABLE FOR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Knights of Columbus and Men’s Club Scholarship Program will provide joint scholarships to current high school graduates who are members of St. Patrick Church in Canby. The Scholarship is for post secondary education and may be used at any accredited college or university. The Scholarship application is available at the Parish Office. The application needs to be filled out and returned to the Parish Office no later than May 12. The scholarship will be awarded at the Baccalaureate Mass scheduled for Saturday, May 31st at the 5:30pm Mass.

SIGN UP TO WALK OR PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR PR0-LIFE
Come walk and/or pledge monetary support for our local Pregnancy Care Centers’ Annual “Steps for Life”. The walk will take place on Saturday afternoon, May 10th in Molalla only. Registration is between 1:130pm. This easy 2-mile stroll is sponsored by Pregnancy Care Centers of Canby, Molalla, and Woodburn, in order to raise funds to support its ministry. It’s easy to raise pledges so plan to get involved. Pledge forms are available. Help the Pregnancy Care Centers of the North Willamette Valley provide alternatives to abortion and share the love of Christ with women and teens who are unprepared for pregnancy. Call Jerry Hunt at 503-266-4180 or Janet Ritchey at Canby PCC 503-266-8591) for more information. Come join us and support pro-life.

CONGRATULATIONS
The week of April 28-May 4th is National Volunteer Week at Meridian Park Hospital. This year Meridian Park will honor a member of our own Parish Community: Bob Sheveland. Bob will receive his 1000 hour pin. His service at Meridian Park Hospital extends the ministry of St. Patrick into the community and beyond. The many blessings Bob provides to the patients, families, staff and volunteers at Legacy Meridian Park Hospital is a wonderful gift. Congratulations and thank you Bob.