In today’s second reading, St. Paul provides a wonderful one sentence summary of Christian stewardship: "Out of love, place yourselves at one another’s service."

Our commitment to sharing our blessings this past weekend was $2,458.

Thank you for your generous support of our parish.

As of this printing the largest of our parking lots has been re-sealed and new lines have been painted. The smaller parking lot has been sealed and should have the lines painted on this afternoon. For the most part there are no longer individual spaces, but lanes where cars will be parked bumper to bumper to allow more cars to be parked. If you are the first in line please drive up to the solid line. Everyone else get as close to the car in front without touching. Please do not leave open spaces, and please be patient when exiting after Mass (and the final blessing).

We also have changed all the spots from the Mechanic St. Side entrance to the front stairs to be handicap parking.

Except for the North end of the church building all cars should be facing in a northerly direction for a better flow when cars are leaving the lots.

One important change on the parking is that the lanes have been shifted towards the sidewalk, to help eliminate any parking on the sidewalk. While we have permission to park on the road for services (Saturday and Sunday) parking on a sidewalk is an offense both ticket-able and tow-able by the local gendarmes. (No special collections will be taken for bail money.)

A couple of signs should be sprouting up, one facing North up Mechanic Street, and one facing South down Mechanic Street, acknowledging that this is St. Bernard Parish. The Saint Camillus Church sign will remain in place, hopefully a little more plumb than it is today.

A statue of St. Bernard will be located in the church in the opposite corner from the Statue of St. Camillus.

Parishioners who will be away from home may call 1-800-Mass-Times (1-800-627-7846) for the location and schedule of Masses in Catholic churches throughout the United States.

LAST MASS AT ST. BERNARD CHURCH

SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2010

12:00 P.M.

On Sunday, June 27^th, the last Mass will be at 12:00pm. (Noon)

A reception will follow the Mass at St. Bernard Elementary School. All are welcome to join us!

Our sincere condolences go out to the relatives and friends of William Courtemanche who returned to his heavenly Father this past week. May God grant him a peaceful rest and bring comfort and strength of faith to his family and friends.

The next BBQ committee meeting will be Wednesday, July 7^th at 6:00pm. Anyone interested in joining the committee is welcome to come. For more information call Kathy Jordan at 978-874-5472 or email at mrskaj@msn.com

Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed,

"What a privilege it would be to have a

share in the Kingdom of God!" NLT

Dandelions are everywhere --- seems the more I try to remove them from the lawn the more that pop up! But Dandelions have another side --- a practical Christian application that stands beyond my need to have a weed less green lawn.

No matter how carefully I try to pull one out, I never get the whole thing. The root stays deep in the ground, threatening to grow and blossom again. But despite their bad reputation, dandelions are pretty little flowers with their yellow strands all tucked neatly into the center. And truly when clutched in a bunch --- in a child's hand presented as a gift to mom --- they are the most beautiful of flowers. And this stalwart of growth in the lawn when picked never receives a harsh word for the picking. Perhaps they grow only to be used and enjoyed by children.

Dandelions are ignored or attacked, never nurtured or cared for, and yet they always bloom profusely. They demand no pampering or special attention to yield their bright blossoms; they pop up in fields, in lawns, and between cracks in the sidewalk --- even in the best neighborhoods.

Can you imagine trying to grow them in a garden? They'd sneak through the boundaries and pop their sunny yellow faces up in the surrounding lawn. They would never stay put.

Christians should be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. Our vast number would show the world that even though we are not fancy or pampered, we are evident everywhere --- even in the best neighborhoods.

I should be as easily accessible and scatter-able as a dandelion --- To jump across boundaries that keep me where people expect to find me --- To show my sunny yellow face in all the spots that need brightening --- the crack in the sidewalk, on the lawn or throughout the neighborhood.