The parish fest at Fort Getty last Sunday was a great time. The food, the music, and, most of all the company were all excellent. I want to thank Deacon Ron and his wife Sandy for once again organizing this event. It both celebrates our patron Saint Bernard as his feast drew near and celebrates our life together as a parish community.

I have a guest resident in the rectory. On Tuesday past Brother Jeremy arrived to take up his post as a religion teacher at The Prout High School. He came from Wisconsin by bus. I offered our hospitality as he looks for a permanent living arrangement. You will know him when you see him. He wears a black clerical shirt with a white collar on the outside (in contrast to a priest's collar which is inside and reveals only a small tab of white in the center -- rank has its privileges, I guess).

I mentioned before a public radio program "Speaking of Faith". Krista Tippet is the host. A few weeks back she devoted her interview to L'Arche which she described as "a community formed around people with mental disabilities, and others who share life with them. At the heart of the L'Arche movement is a countercultural idea of difference as normal and imperfection as a source of strength." I was familiar with the movement.

Krista says this about its origins: "Jean Vanier founded L'Arche in 1964. He had been a British naval officer and then a professor of philosophy in Canada. At Christmastime in 1963, he visited a friend, a Dominican monk working as a chaplain in a small French institution for men with mental handicaps. The world of the handicapped, he says, was new to him, and yet he found himself deeply moved by the friendship and the quality of spiritual openness in these men who were shut away from society. Jean Vanier began to visit other institutions. At a vast asylum south of Paris, he encountered a concrete prison in which, all day, 80 adult men did nothing but walk around in circles and take a two-hour compulsory nap. "There I was struck by the screams and the atmosphere of sadness," he would later write, "but also by a mysterious presence of God." Jean Vanier bought a small house nearby and invited two men from that asylum to come share life with him. Philippe and Raphael were the founding members of a movement which now has 133 communities around the world, including men and women from many backgrounds, religions, and cultures."

What struck me as I listened to the program was the language used in reference to the communities of L'Arche. I think we would be inclined to talk about clients and caregivers but L'Arche talks about "core residents" and "assistants". What a difference language can make. Think about how parish life might change if "parishioners" became "core members" and the "pastor" became their "assistant". I think this might be closer to what Christ had in mind. Think about the implications of life in such a community of faith. I have been. It makes me chuckle.

• Parish Center Summer Hours
  During the month of August the Parish Office hours are Monday through Wednesday, 8:30 am--5:00 pm. Thursday and Friday: Closed.
• Sabbath Place
  The current leadership team at Sabbath Place has decided to end their ministry here and to make use of the house as a residence for the Sisters of the Cross and Passion. Sr. Joanne Fahey would like to thank everyone for the support and encouragement over the past five years.. Sr. Joanne will be moving on in the fall to continue her ministry at Calvary Retreat Center in Shrewsbury while continuing her Spiritual Direction ministry here in Wickford. Please pray all at Sabbath Place and Sister Joanne.
• SMILE!!! The Parish Center needs your family photo!
  We are updating our data base on the new parish software. Please email your family photo to parishcenter@sbcwickford.org. Be sure to include your name!
• Haitian Project
  The parish mission trip to Haiti scheduled for October 7-12 still has room for anyone interested in this remarkable and rewarding venture! Contact Pat Newell, 295-5160 for further information.
• Save-the-date
  The theme of this year's Stewardship Fair is "Breaking New Ground." It will be held Sunday, September 23, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. More details to follow.
• Our Lady of Mercy School has some openings for placement in various grades for September. Call 884-118 for more information.
• The Buzz
  Deadline for the fall issue of the Buzz is Wednesday, August 22. Please send news and photos to Carol Sarro at oceanus58@cox.net or Jane Allen at janeallen6@verizon.net or leave in pick up box at the Parish Center.
• Odyssey Health Care needs caring and compassionate volunteers to enhance the quality of care delivered to patients and families during the end of one's life. Your presence and companionship will provide a smile, a gentle touch, a soothing voice and a helping hand to an individual as their life's journey meets its final stage. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and complete an orientation and training period. Contact Makayla Cunningham at 827-0011 or email mcunningham@odsyhealth.com.
• MARRIED COUPLES
  Getting ready for school means lots of time spent on your children. After school begins, why not give yourselves some time together? Make a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend! For more information call Ray & Beth Ginepro at 1-800-710-WWME or visit our webpage at www.wwmeMA.org.

Are you in the 10th Grade and preparing for Confirmation? Remember that you need to register for Generations of Faith too! Call the Parish Center for more information.

Classes for Sacramental Preparation (grades 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9) will be starting in late October. Your Generations of Faith Registration registers you for Sacramental Preparation Classes. Not sure if your child is registered? Call the Parish Center at 295-0387.

8th and 9th Graders - Letters went out this week regarding classes for Confirmation Preparation. Remember, you must also register for Generations of Faith!

We need you! Come and share your faith as a catechist. For more information, contact the Parish Center at 295-0387.

The Youth Ministry is gearing up to go back to school and that means we are going to meet soon for a new year's worth of great events. Young people, like Drew, Caleb, Haley, Kelley, Erin, and entire rest of the group (25 or so . . ) enjoy helping others, being creative, socializing, and having FUN!!! They like to be part of our parish community and it is actually COOL to be part of the Youth Ministry. Any youth in grades 6 thru 12 or adult are welcome to participate on a volunteer bases. THERE WILL BE A PLANNING MEETING MONDAY, 9/10 FROM 7-8:30 pm - to discuss this years activities.

St. Bernard's Church is hosting WORKCAMP 2008 at Davisville Middle School from June 29 - July 5, 2008. Please stay tuned for details of an awesome opportunity for YOU to get involved with WORKCAMP. If you have read about the team's experience for the past 6 years and thought. "Boy, that is something I think that I would love to do," but never did. This is your time, this is it!!! We will be fundraising money, collecting ladders, searching for job sites, baking cookies, and volunteering our time to show our appreciation to 400 youth and adults from across the country, who will be improving our local town (50-60 needy homes). There is something for everyone to do. This is your time, God is calling you!! Check us out at the Stewardship Fair, as well as the church website.

FULL SERVICE HOURS TODAY at the Parish Center from 9 AM to Noon. Self-service purchases can be made when the parish center is open. For more information call Deborah at 885-6504.

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.

RI Right to Life Annual Walk For Life Walk-A-Thon

DATE: Saturday, September 22, 2007
TIME: 9:00 am Registration
10:00 am Walk-A-Thon Begins (Rain or Shine!)
LOCATION: RI Right to Life Headquarters
266 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908

For More Information: 401-521-1860

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.

Today's reading from Isaiah describes the Israelites brining their offering to the Lord "in clean vessels." The gift of myself"- my patient endurance and fidelity to the will of God--is as important as the monetary gift I offer.

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.

August 19 / 20	Actual $6785.35	Budget
Assumption	$923.00
ACH	$508.00
Through 06/30/07	Actual $390,614.00	Budget $366,245.00

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.