On Friday, June 29th, I drove to Bridgeport, checked in at the hotel around noon and caught the 1:18 Metro North into Grand Central Station. The prime purpose of my trip was to participate in the ordination of a young man to the diaconate on Saturday morning. I took advantage of the opportunity to hook up with some friends in New York City. I hadn't seen them for a few months. It's always a pleasure to be with them and to immerse myself in Spanish again. We went directly to the Whitney Museum of Art to see an extensive exhibition on Psychedelic Art. It was a trip to the years of my youth and for them a look at a piece of history they had heard of but not lived to participate in. The show is well organized and very thorough.

How did we survive those years?! Society has never been the same. It is a reminder that for all the excesses and flaws we see in retrospect we never really can go back to things the way they were before. There was also another exhibition that was really interesting as well. It is the work of Rudolf Stingel who was an unknown to me. He is a part of that wonderful school of modern art that surprises us with new ways of seeing things when they are juxtaposed in new relationships. After dinner we took in the film "La Vie en Rose" about Edith Piaf. I then headed back to Bridgeport to get some rest before the activities of the next day.

I know the young man who was being ordained from my years in Pawtucket. He was in high school when I arrived. He really wanted to be a priest but his academic performance was not up to required standards. He was finally conditionally accepted to Steubenville University. He did poorly until a Spanish language professor told him to drop out of her course because he was going to fail. She arranged to have him tested and it was discovered that he had certain learning disabilities. The college provided someone to accompany him to classes and take notes for him and also help him study. His grades improved and he was able to begin his philosophy studies. He found a great willingness to be flexible with his education in the vocation director from Bridgeport.

That was the beginning of the path that led to last week's ordination. He is completing his theological studies this year and will, God willing, be ordained a priest next year. But Saturday's ordination was the celebration of a dream come true and the validation of his conviction that God was calling him to priesthood. I wouldn't have missed it for anything. He'll be a great priest. I'll always think him too conservative and too caught up in clerical finery. He'll always be convinced that all that psychedelic art and life in the 60's warped my mind. But we'll remain good friends and proud brothers in ministry. The cathedral liturgy was followed by a reception and dinner that ended in just enough time for us to get to his summer-assignment parish for his first Mass as a deacon. He gave a great homily. Another reception followed in the parish center. I arrived back at the hotel ready for a good night's sleep and thoroughly content to have shared in his Big Day with his family and friends.

• Parish Center Summer Hours
  During the months of July and August the Parish Office hours are as follows:
  Mon. through Wed. 8:30 am--5:00 pm
  Thursday and Friday: Closed
• Missionary Cooperative Plan
  This co-op plan provides us with an opportunity each year to share, in a very concrete way, in the liberating mission of Jesus. This year, Sister Christiana Fefegula, SJC, will be with us next weekend. She is a native of Sierra Leone, West Africa, and a missionary Sister of St. Joseph of Cluny who is currently ministering as a pre-school teacher in Gambia, West Africa. She will speak to us about the Cluny Sisters' missions in West Africa. Please be generous to Sister Christiana's Missionary Cooperative Plan appeal.
• The Haitian Project
  St. Bernard's is planning its second mission trip to Haiti from October 7 through October 12. Anyone interested in participating in this trip is invited to attend an informational session this Tuesday, July 10th at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Center.
• Save-the-date
  The theme of this year's Stewardship Fair is "Breaking New Ground." It will be held Sunday, Sept. 23, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. More details to follow.
• Congratulations to the newly elected Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Paul Galitskie and to all the officers elected for the 2007-2008 year.
• Parish Family Day in Jamestown
  Remember, Sunday, August 19, will be the second annual Parish feast of family and friends. You do not want to miss it. Everyone had a fabulous time last year. All are welcomed and encouraged to come. Volunteers are needed. Contact Deacon Ron 884-1687.
• FREE CONCERT
  THE FRENCH BOYS CHOIR Maitrise des Hauts de France will perform at Sacred Heart Church, 415 Olo Street, Woonsocket on Tuesday, July 10th at 7:00 p.m. as part of their U. S. Tour 2007. For free tickets and more informaiton, contact Sacred Heart Church at 766-3150.
• Our Lady of Czenstochowa Polish Festival will be held Friday, July 13th through Sunday July 15th on the school grounds at 222 a MacArthur Blvd. Coventry. Call 821-7991 for more information.
• 1st Annual Steve Hernandez Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at Quidnessett Country Club on Monday, July 23rd. Proceeds will benefit Monsignor Clarke School. To receive an application for golf and tee sponsorship, please call the parish center at 295-0387 For more information please call Tami Gwaltney 294-9784 or 521-4000 ex. 111.
• The Rejoice In Hope Youth Center in Cranston is sponsoring a Search for Maturity weekend during July 13-15. Any high school youth (grade 10+) or college age young adult is welcome to attend. Please contact the Rejoice in Hope Youth Center at 942-6571 for any additional information or to register.
• The Chur d'Enfants et Jeune Chur d'Ile de France, a 120 member children's choir and youth orchestra, will be in concert on Friday, July 20 at 8:00 pm at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence, RI. The ensemble comprised of 37 children, 30 persons and a 50 person orchestra will be under the direction of Mr. Francis Bardot. Under his direction, the children's choir has performed throughout the leading concert halls of Europe and North America with stars in music and opera including Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti. This year's tour will include an all-French program featuring the recently discovered Charles Gounod Requiem. The concert is open to the public with a good will offering taken in lieu of purchasing tickets.

Do you have a child entering 1st Grade this fall?
Or are you and your children new to the Parish?
Please contact the Parish Center at 295-0387 to register for the Religious Education program and make sure that you receive all the mailings.

Attention Confirmation Candidates! Do you need service hours? Are you creative? We are looking for someone to design Posters for the upcoming Generations of Faith Program. Are you good with computers? Call the Parish Center at 295-0387.

Generations of Faith - We are in the process of scheduling a Focus Group. If you didn't get a chance to sign up, please consider joining us. Call the Parish Center.

Generations of Faith Registration Forms are being sent out this week to those who registered for the program last year. Watch for it in your mail!

A very special thank you to the Fierro family for requesting that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Bernard's Capital Campaign in Dan's memory.

Please keep the Fierro family in your prayers.

If you have any ideas which could benefit the Capital Campaign, please call the Parish Center at 295-0387.

The Youth Ministry camp Team is getting ready!!! We are THREE weeks away from our trip. The vans are reserved, the bill is paid, our paperwork is complete, and we are going over our last minute details with our annual Camp Team Picnic / Appreciation Celebration. All YOUTHS and CAMPERS AND Families are invited to our potluck picnic on Tuesday evening, July 10th at Dawn's parents house. We will be celebrating the Class of 2007 and our eventful year from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. Our 2007 Camp Team will be staying for another hour, till 8:30pm, so we can go over the final details of our trip. You are asked to bring some kind of picnic food to share. Please contact Dawn at 461-3048 or by email birondawn@yahoo.com to confirm your attendance and what you are bringing.

Self service only during July. Call Deborah at 885-6405 or use the "Bill Me" instructions.

Is this you? Or somebody you know? For any number of reasons baptized Catholics do not always complete their initiation into the Church. This is done through the Sacrament of Confirmation and receiving Holy Communion. This is a simple process of preparation that results in the satisfaction of participating fully in the sacramental life that Christ has given us for our joy and support. For more information call Father Reardon.

Do you wonder? Do you regret? Healing the Wounded Heart is a support group for women and men who have been involved in an abortion experience. The group meets twice a month in a confidential setting. Come meet Jesus and be made whole again. Call Kris at 421-7833x119.

Those who would like to bring the bread and wine to the altar, please call the Parish Center at 295-0387 to arrange.

Click Here for Today's Reading

For prayerful preparation during the week before Sunday Mass, please visit http://liturgy.slu.edu. Reflecting on the spirituality of the scriptures before Mass can have a great impact on hearing the Word proclaimed on Sunday.

Please submit bulletin materials directly to the Parish Office, or via e-mail to parishcenter@sbcwickford.org, attention to Jane Allen. The deadline for the submission is Tuesday by 5:00 pm. Please take into consideration the cutoff time and the space limit. Thank you.

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."

St. Bernard's now offers parishioners the opportunity to make their budget contributions by Direct Debit. Call the Parish Center, 295-0387 for further information.

June 30 / July 1	Actual $6,903,39	Budget
Through 06/30/07	Actual $390,614.00	Budget $366,245.00

ACH $494.70

From "Madame Secretary":
Reminder - If your address or phone number have changed please call the Parish Center so we can update our records!

E-BUZZ. See the Buzz in full color! Call us with you e-mail address to receive the next issue via e-mail.

Matching Contributions: Many companies offer matching funds for donations to non-profit organizations. If you donate weekly to St. Bernard's your company might match it! Please take time to find out if your company has this policy.

Thank you for your continuous support and generosity.