ARE YOU NEW TO OUR PARISH? WELCOME!
Welcome to those who want to make our parish their faith home. You may have come from other places. You may have been “away for a while”. Be assured that we love to have you among us. We would appreciate it very much if you identified yourself at Mass. It would also help if you would take the time to fill out a registration form. The next time you are with us, you may leave it in the collection basket or give it to one of the ushers or to the priest. Thank you and welcome.

BAPTISM - AN INVITATION
Our Christian communities welcome the following children today. May the Lord of love bless and keep you. The parents are extending this invitation to you, their Faith community, to celebrate with them the Baptism of their children at 2:00 p.m. today, May 4th & June 8th, at OLV. Everyone is welcome.

FATHER GYAN
- will be at the rectory at OLV on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. You may contact him at 986-3763. In case of emergency you may contact him at St. Aloysius Parish at 663-5244.

BLESSING OF YOUR HOMES
As is the tradition in India, the water that is blessed at Easter, is taken by their parish priest to bless the homes of his parishioners during the Easter Season. For any families that are interested in having their homes blessed, please call the office at 819-986-3763, and leave your name, address and phone number and we will be in contact with you as to the day that Fr. Gyan will be in your area.

SICK & SHUT-INS
If you have family members, friends or know of someone who is sick in hospital or at home, please call the office and father Gyan would be pleased to visit them. The number is 819-986-3763.

...IN OUR CONTINUING QUEST TO DISCOVER MORE AND MORE THAT PATH TO FREEDOM WE KNOW AS JESUS CHRIST
The minutes from our Spring 2008 Zone workshop are now available either at our website or from any of your PPC members. We hope they may prove useful in our continuing struggle to discern and heed Christ's call to live and testify to the Good News in today's world, and to offer this Good News "in a language that is understood" today. That is what the document Jesus Christ the Path to Freedom points us to and what we have been working with these past 4 years since the document was released from our Diocese -- not as a step-by-step plan but rather as a guide or vision.

Reflecting on today's feast of Jesus’ Ascension, we see this call and this challenge quite clearly. Here is a reflection from 2005:

Today, Jesus challenges his disciples -- he challenges us -- to come down the mountain, to be his witnesses in Jerusalem , throughout Judea and Samaria and even to the ends of the earth (1st reading). Today’s feast of the Ascension has everything to do with Jesus transferring his agenda to us as his followers, to us as his Church, to us as his Body, to continue his mission now through us.

What is that agenda? It is characterized by mercy, compassion, forgiveness and caring. That is the kind of authority and power that the crucified and risen Jesus has and shares with us.

It is quite obvious that executing the platform or agenda of Jesus is way beyond our abilities. That is why the crucified and risen Jesus, when he gives his Church his agenda, also shares the power of his Spirit with his Church. Twice, in today’s first reading, the gift of the Spirit is announced as a power that will infuse the Church, fire its energies and help in realizing the agenda Jesus gives us.

By virtue of our union with him and in him we are quite literally the hands that do Christ’s work, the feet that serve his purposes, the voice that speaks his words, and the heart that lives, gives, forgives as he loves, gives, forgives. We are called to do this and we can do this. As the last line of today’s Gospel reminds us: “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” That is to say, the risen Jesus gives us the courage, the tenacity, the strength for the task at hand.

So let's keep at it!

FUND-RAISER - OLV PARISH SUPPER MAY 30TH
OLV will be holding a Ham & Beans Supper with salads and desserts, There will also be a silent auction. There will be Cocktails starting at 4:30 p.m. and supper will be served at 6:00 p.m. Admission is Adults $12:00, Children 6-12: $6:00 and children under 6: free. There will be a limited number of tickets available.

PRAYERS & SYMPATHY
- to the Butler family following the accidental death of their nephew Christopher Dunlop, son of Andy Dunlop & Betty Butler. Please remember Christoher and his family in your prayers.

OLV WARDENS
The next OLV Warden’s meeting will be on Thursday May 8th, 7:00 p.m.

FAMILY PORTRAITS
If you are interested in having a family portrait taken, a photographer will come to the church and meet with those interested after a mass. No date has been decided. This will depend on the numbers interested. Please call the office, at 986-3763, before May 8th, if you are interested.

BIRTHDAY WISHES
- to Norah Renwick who will celebrate her 83rd birthday on May 14th Congratulations from everyone at OLV & St. Malachy.

USED STAMPS
One cancelled stamp can help feed a child for a day. If you would like to Support the Redemptorist Mission Stamp Collection, there will be a box at the entrance of the church to collect your stamps, and they will be forwarded to the Missions.