Our Community

In 2008, our pilgrims collected the prayer requests of our community so that they could be carried with them during their pilgrimage and presented to Pope Benedict at the WYD Vigil Mass.  Our pilgrims expressed the great desire to do this again.  They understand the great honor and privilege it will be to carry your prayers and lift them to the Father in some of the holiest places in the world.  In the next few weeks, beginning May 21st and ending on June 5th, we will be collecting prayer requests at all the masses.  A prayer form will be placed on each seat, we invite you to fill one out and place it in one of the baskets at the entrances of the church.

The Camino de Rosario

The Camino de Rosario is a Rosary Walk-a-Thon.  ”Camino” in Spanish means “The Way:”  The Way of the Rosary.  We know that through the intercession of our blessed Mother, our prayers will be brought to our Lord and we will be protected during this time of pilgrimage by her motherly care.  Our Rosary Walk-a-thon will be held on June 5th at St. Bernadette from 11am to 2pm.  All are welcome to join us in walking and praying.  There will be sign up sheets at the masses to participate.  Before June 5th we will be collecting prayer requests and pledges to help our pilgrims attend this wonderful event.

Donations

Our pilgrims have been preparing and raising funds for this pilgrimage for over a year.  We are approximately $5000.00 short of our goal for fundraising.  There will be pledge sheets at each of the Masses in the following weeks before our Rosary Walk-a-Thon.  You may pledge our pilgrims after any mass or you may also donate a one time monetary amount to the parish office.  We will accept cash or check.  You will also receive a receipt for tax purposes.  Thank you for your generous support.

May Blessed Pope John II, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. James, and St. Bernadette pray for us.

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this  to you.  As some of you may have heard, I have announced that this will be my last semester at St. Bernadette as it’s youth minister.  After many months of prayer and discernment I have informed Fr. Pete, the parish staff and now our loving and wonderful community that after June 5th I will no longer be the youth minster of our beloved parish. 
I have been so blessed and honored to be able to be a part of and serve this community.  Thank you for entrusting me with this incredible mission.  I have never once taken for granted the opportunity to share Jesus with you and more often than not you taught me more than I ever taught you.  Thank you for supporting me and the program.  Thank you for loving me and letting me love you.  Thank you for the many hours, prayers, and financial support you offered to this work. 

I am so grateful to Fr. Pete for giving me this opportunity and for supporting me and our young people throughout the years.  I completely trust his discernment in choosing a new youth minister and know that he will make the best decision.  He and the parish staff have been incredible in the time that I have been at St. Bernadette and I will dearly miss working with them all.  But I know that they love the youth of our parish very much and will make the best decisions concerning our youth programs. 

This has not been an easy decision and it has been one that I’ve wrestled with for a long time.  Still, I know it is the right decision for both my family and for you, young people in our community.  Our plan for the semester is as follows:   I will finish the spring semester, my last day will be June 5th.  We will still have the EDGE Retreat and will continue follow our semester schedules for the EDGE, LIFE TEEN, and Confirmation.  At the beginning of April we will list a posting for the youth minister position, hopefully during that month we will hire our new youth minister and work to transition me out of the ministry.  I completely trust that the Holy Spirit will guide our process smoothly and peacefully.  I am excited for what the Lord has prepared for us.

I have not accepted another position, nor do I plan or expect to apply for a different youth ministry position.  I’m not sure yet what I will be doing, but I feel the Lord is calling me in a different direction at this time. Thank you in advance for your prayers for my family and I as we move into a new season of our lives.

Thank you again for your love and support.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. 

In Him,
Audra Le

We’re all on a desperate search for the one True Father.

Click on the link below to watch the video or on our media tab under videos

Father Safari_web

Sign up for the LIFE TEEN Spring Retreat by February 6, 2011 and save $50!

The Lord’s Prayer is one of the greatest gifts we were given by Christ. It is the perfect prayer.  You’ll encounter Christ’s prayer in new ways. Pray the Lord’s Prayer differently by Sunday, and probably never pray it the same way again. When we pause long enough to focus on the “Our Father,” we allow God to radically change our relationship with Him and one another.

Get away from your busy life and head up to the mountains.  Games, time with friends, good food!

Fill out a permission slip and turn it in on or before February 6th and pay special early bird pricing of $100.  After February 6th the price goes up to $150.

Not a fan of the Super Bowl?  Come to Life Teen this Sunday!

• Mass at 5pm
• Dinner after Mass (Yum!)
• Kick off begins at 7pm in our NEW GYM!
• Night ends at 8:30pm
• Kick Ball, Food, Music, Friends (Woo Hoo!)

Progressive Fast Food Dinner

HERE’S HOW IS WORKS:
AFTER MASS WE MEET IN THE COURTYARD AT ST. BERNADETTE.  AT 6:30PM WE WILL DEPART ST. BERNADETTE AND WALK TO LOCAL FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS.  EVERYONE NEEDS TO BRING $5.00 (YOU CAN BRING MORE IF YOU’D LIKE).  WE WILL VISIT 4 FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS, AT EACH RESTAURANT WE WILL BUY 1 ITEM OFF THE VALUE MENU STARTING WITH A DRINK AT THE 1ST, “APPETIZER” AT THE 2ND, DINNER AT THE 3RD, AND DESSERT AT THE 4TH.  AFTER OUR DINNER WE’LL WALK BACK TO ST. B.  ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST HAVE A PERMISSION SLIP (PERMISSION SLIPS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT YM.SAINTBERNADETTE.COM UNDER FORMS OR THE PARISH OFFICE)

FOR QUESTIONS CONTACT AUDRA LE @ AUDRAM@SAINTBERNADETTE.COM OR 480.905.0221

Get yo’ jump on at Jump Street!  Arizona’s best indoor trampoline park.

Help! I’m stuck in a Locker . Freshmen Retreat . August 6 – 7

The transition from middle school to high school can be daunting.  This retreat is tailored to address any fears and anxieties there may be about entering high school and the LIFE TEEN program.  This is a great chance to get to know other new freshman and the CORE before the semester begins!  To Register fill out a Registration form, turn it in to the parish office by August 5 to receive the early bird price and show up on August 6th at 5:00pm.  We’ll have a pizza dinner Friday night!  And a pot-luck dinner for the whole family after the 5:00pm Mass on Saturday.  For more information contact, Audra Motiejunas, Coordinator of Youth Ministry at audram@saintbernadette.com or (480)905-0221 xt. 209

Getting Involved:  Faith & Works

OBJECTIVE:

To learn about our call to action and ways that we can get involved in helping others.

OVERVIEW:

Faith and works are an important part of our Catholic life.  Some faiths argue that we are saved by our faith alone.  The truth is, we are saved by grace (Ephesians 2: 8).  However, Jesus said, “Not every one who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).  In the words of Christ, we hear how important our works are.  Having faith is not only about saying prayers and acknowledging God with our lips, but also with our hands and feet.  Jesus also makes this clear in Matthew 23: 31 – 46.  The measure by which Jesus judged the righteous is not by faith alone – rather, we will be judged on how we cared for others (feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving water to the thirsty, give shelter to the homeless, visiting those in prison, visiting the ill and burying the dead).

Due to the amazing love of Jesus, we cannot simply say, “I love you!” and then not act.  Love compels us into action.  This love that we feel calls us to take care of those who need our help.  If we have a relationship with Christ, we are called to be His hands and feet to those in need.  St. Theresa of Avila prayed, “Christ has no hands but yours…”

When we get involved with those in need, we help to build the Kingdom of God here on earth.  Fulfilling our duty to care for the poor and vulnerable helps the love of God to spread.  St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gopsel at all times; when necessary use words.”  Doing good works also helps to deepen our faith.  We come to rely more upon God and His providence and recognize the need for Him to uphold and sustain us.  Doing good works can also help to prevent us from falling in to sin.  When we help others, we take the focus from ourselves and our needs and desires.

It can be difficult to get a middle school youth interested in helping others.  Middle schoolers are primarily focused on themselves and their own needs.  When approaching “works of mercy,” many are disinterested because their hearts have not yet been shaped to help others.  Charity is a virtue that takes time to develop.  The Catechism affirms this:  “by charity, we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for love of God.  Charity, the form of all the virtues, ‘binds everything together in perfect harmony’ (Colossians 3: 14)” (1844).

As Catholics, we are not trying to work or earn our way in to heaven.  We are simply answering the call of Christ to serve others.  The more we participate in the sacramental life of the Church, the better we can understand the grace that sends us out to serve those in need.

Summary Challenge (Points to Remember):

1. There are many ways that middle schoolers can be involved in the community.
2. Remember it is not someone else’s responsibility to take care of the poor and vulnerable – it is our responsibility – your responsibility.
3. It might be hard to get started serving others, but start by serving in little ways those around you – in your family, your school, etc.
4. We are the hands and feet of Christ.  When we help to serve others, we share God’s love with them and help to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.  St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”

James 2: 14 – 17

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?  So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.