It’s time again for this great resale event. We are accepting household, garage, attic, and outdoor items, as well as toys and Christmas decorations.  Items must be in good and properly-working condition.  Nobody wants to buy something that is broken.  That’s what makes this resale event so successful for the parish. Please, no clothes, no textbooks, no encyclopedias, no televisions, and no computers or computer equipment.  Donations for this resale can be dropped off at the entrance of the martin Center next to the Gathering Space until July 17 (absolute deadline). The goal is to sell items from our "inventory" and not to continue to restock. Questions—contact Irene Ganc 892-5708.

This resale event will run Monday and Tuesday of Festival Week.  Parishioners will have the advantage of shopping after the Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses on July 19 and 20.  The Martin Center will be used for other festival activities the balance of the week.

Do you receive rosaries, prayer cards or religious medals in your mail as a "free gift" from organizations soliciting donations?  Do you ever wonder what to do with all of them?  Our religious education teachers would love to use items like these as prizes in the classroom, so bring them to the Christian Formation Office! Thank you for your generosity.

RETREAT The Diocese of Wilmington will sponsor a "Priesthood Discernment Vocation Retreat" weekend August 22-24 at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville PA. This retreat is open to single men, ages 18-40, who believe God might be calling them to the priesthood. The cost is $100; some need-based assistance is available. For more info contact Fr. Joe Cocucci at 573-3113 or jcocucci@cdow.org.

The Catholic Family EXPO is a weekend conference for the whole family, filled with renowned speakers, numerous exhibits of Catholic ministries, schools and religious orders, and the opportunity to grow in your faith along with other Catholics from all over the country.  This year the EXPO will be on July 25-26 at the Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City MD.  Friday night there will also be a night of prayer, live music and fun for ages 13 up at the Youth Rally.  To conclude the weekend Bishop Malooly will celebrate the Saturday night vigil Mass. Speakers include im Stenson, Dr. Peter Kreeft, and Barbara Nicolosi who will provide inspiration and practical help for families and individuals seeking to strengthen their faith and family relationships.  Check website for full schedule:

  www.catholicfamilyexpo.org

During the year of Paul, we will have two 5-week series of talks on Paul: one on Paul’s total story, October/November, and one focusing on his letters to the Corinthians, during Lent in February and March.  These will be aimed at a more conscious living of the Christian life. Stay tuned.

Bishop Francis Lysinge of the Diocese of Mamfe, Cameroon, Africa, is in great need of used First Holy Communion outfits for both boys and girls of ages 7, 8, 9 and 10.  If you can help please call Veronica at 302-994-6703.

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EAGLE SCOUTS

The Eagle Scout rank was conferred last Sunday upon three members of St. Catherine’s Troop 919: Will Brown, Andrew Fitzgerald, and Anothony McGuire.  We congratulate each of them on this striking achievement and wish Will and Andrew well as they enter the US Naval Academy.

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Persons drawn to apostolic work and Marian devotion are invited to the Legion of Mary at St. John the Beloved Parish. We are a worldwide apostolate of active and auxiliary men, women and children striving for holiness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Active members devote approximately 2 hrs/wk on assignments of visiting residents at nursing homes, praying the Rosary with and consoling residents at self-care facilities and/or cheering the homebound. A weekly meeting on Tuesdays from 4:10-5:30 is also required. Call Winnie at 998-5211 for info.

Dearest Staff & Parishioners of St. Catherine’s Parish,

Please accept the heartfelt gratitude of my entire family for the outpouring of love, support, prayers and Mass cards that you sent to us, not only on the occasion of my Mom’s death, but throughout her illness and my deployment & return from Iraq!  Time and emotions prevent me from writing to each of you since your response was so generously massive!  In each and every Mass that I celebrated with Mom these past four months, we always prayed for you.  I will continue to do so until I too return home to God!

Our Church roof has had its problems over its 17-year history.  Thanks to a very generous benefactor, who wishes to remain anonymous, we will replace it this week with a new one, and a slightly altered design to reduce the chances of leaks. I cannot describe my gratitude—and ours—except to say "You have done this for the Lord; He will repay you, and we too will try to be more generous in turn with our resources for the good of the church and our fellow human beings."

During this week daily Mass (9AM) will be offered in the Chapel of the Pastoral Center.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process by which adults are invited to explore the possibility of becoming members of the Roman Catholic Church. It is also the process by which adult baptized Catholics complete their initiation by preparing for the reception of the sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation. The process allows for a time of inquiring and deciding. A similar program, RCIC, adapted for children is also offered. If you or someone you know is thinking about joining the Church, contact the Parish Office, 633-4900.

Service to the community by teenagers is worth $34.3 billion to the US economy?  This week, twenty-four teenagers from the Diocese of Wilmington will be doing their part (including our very own David and Mallory Freebery) by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Dorchester and Talbot Counties, Maryland.  Please pray for the success of this program, appropriately named "Pitcher and Basin" as these teens, and the adults called to lead them, participate in "washing the feet" of those around us to help make life a little better for others.

Beginning in the 2008-09 school year, our school will open a Pre-K Program for children who will be four-years-old by August 31, 2008.  The Pre-K will be a full day, five days a week.  Tuition will be charged at the same rate as current tuition rates.  If you are interested in the program or know someone who is, please contact the School Office at 633-4901 for an application.

The fiftieth anniversary of St. Catherine's parish  is on October 14, 2010 the day Bishop Michael Hyle established us as a parish. The first Mass was on October 30, 1960, the feast of Christ the King.

We are forming a Committee for the Fiftieth Anniversary to plan a year of observances for this, beginning in October 2009 or April 2010 (April 29 is the feast of St. Catherine). Persons interested in participating or with suggestions may call Michele Mowbray 999-7920, or Irene Ganc 633-0805, or Joan Smits 994-2191, or Lori Cintron 998-6298. 

Meeting of the 50th Anniversary Committee will be held Wednesday, June 11, at 7:30PM in the Pastoral Center.  Interested persons are welcome to attend

Parishioners preparing Shepherd Pie casseroles may pick up pans which are located in the Gathering Space.  These are to be returned to the same area, UNFROZEN, on the morning of the 28th by 9:30AM.  Many thanks to those parishioners who prepared a casserole and those who helped serve the meal.  Jim Grieco will be the coordinator this month.  If you have any questions, contact Jim at 998-2009

Fall Sports registration forms will be in the Gathering Space. The deadline to register for Soccer and Volleyball is June 6, 2008.   As the cost of the CYM league has gone up, so has the registration fee by $5.   After June 6 your son or daughter may not be guaranteed a spot, so please turn in the forms to the Christian Formation Office ASAP.

For the third year we are growing a community vegetable garden to provide fresh vegetables for Emmanuel Dining Room.  Tilling and planting are done; soon our two crops will appear: beets and chard.  These two will provide a good nutritious supplement for the Emmanuel menu.  But we need help with (1) weeding and (2) picking.  Weeding and hoeing will be needed by mid-May, picking by mid-June.  If you can help, call Louanne Thompson 998-2522.

For the past 32 years, your support of pastoral, charitable, and educational programs and ministries through the Annual Catholic Appeal has given hope to thousands of our sisters and brothers.  Your generous support has enabled the diocese to provide those in need with not only life’s material essentials, but also with spiritual and emotional assistance.

This weekend at all Masses, Bishop Saltarelli will invite you to participate in the Annual Catholic Appeal.  Please respond to Our Lord’s call and manifest your love by accepting this invitation to make a difference in the lives of many of our sisters and brothers who have not been blessed in the same abundance as we have been blessed.

The "55 and Over Club" is planning a trip to Atlantic City for the Blessing of the Water on Friday, August 15. We will be leaving St. Catherine’s parking lot at 8AM and arriving at Trump Plaza Casino around 10AM. The Mass in the Convention Hall starts at Noon. We will be leaving Atlantic City at 4PM, stopping at Pegasus Restaurant for dinner, on your own. We will be arriving home around 7:30 or 8PM. The cost of this trip will be $22 per person. For reservations, contact Fran Casarino at 998-4976.

The "55 and Over Club" is planning a trip to Indian Head Resort in New Hampshire on October 6-10, 2008. The cost of this trip is $669.00 per person, double occupancy, which includes transportation, all meals with choice of the menu, tours and entertainment. For further information, please contact Fran Casarino at 998-4976.

Every Wednesday afternoon our parish provides a communion service for the residents of Brandywine Nursing Home.  Once a month, it is a Mass celebrated by Fr. Hynes.  Help is needed to bring the wheelchair-bound residents to the dining room.  If you have about 2 hours available on Wednesday afternoons, please call Audrey O’Shaughnessy at 999-0077 or Mary Beth Wroten at 998-5820.  We promise you a rewarding experience.