Archbishop Edwin O’Brien has requested that Catholics ask the governor to veto bills that undermine marriage --Please contact Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley immediately and ask him to veto two bills that undermine the institution of marriage by granting marriage-equivalency status to unmarried couples in parts of the laws of Maryland. Senate Bills 566 and 597 establish domestic partnerships between same-sex and unmarried opposite-sex couples.  They will become law if the Governor signs them.  He could do so as early as May 13th.  You can urge him to veto the bills by sending an e-mail, or phoning his office.  To contact the Governor by e-mail, go to www.mdcathcon.org.  His office's phone numbers are 410/974-3901 and 1-800-811-8336 (toll free).  Ask him to support marriages that involve only one man and one woman, and to veto Senate Bills 566 and 597.

Dear Parishioners,

Next weekend (May 10 and 11) we will have one of our Baltimore seminarians, Dan Taylor, with us to speak on behalf of the annual collection for the education of seminarians. Dan is one of many seminarians who are responding to God’s call to serve as a priest in our own parishes here in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. This annual collection helps to support them by covering the cost of seminary tuition, books and healthcare. Thank you for generously supporting our seminarians through this special collection!

Over the last few weeks our parish has been blessed to learn that six of our young people have been selected as recipients of a Knott Scholarship for the 2008-2009 school year. The Knott Scholarship funds were established to encourage academically talented Catholic students to continue their education in a Catholic school within the Archdiocese of Baltimore and are awarded at the elementary, secondary and college levels. Please join me in congratulating Rebecca Dean, Adam Gracia, Molly Henderson, Emily Horton, Daniel Muldoon and Kevin Roche on this great honor!

As I mentioned to you last week, this Saturday we had a beautiful celebration of the First Communion Masses for our second graders. Please continue to pray for them that this gift of Jesus’ Body and Blood will draw them and their families into a deeper and more living relationship with Him. Pray also that the excitement and enthusiasm we see in our children will stir up in us a renewed love and appreciation for this great gift!

Have a wonderful and very blessed week!

          Fr. Arnold

The OLPH Welcome Committee is looking for individuals to serve as sponsors to our new members.  Each sponsor will be assigned a new parishioner whom they will call and welcome to OLPH and offer answers to current and future questions.  To learn more about becoming a sponsor, contact Barb Smith at 410-799-8511 or Lisa Sliker at 410-379-6603.

The weekend of Nov. 10-11, Fr. Arnold shared with the parish an honest assessment of the life, ministries and finances of our parish. This was an important step in establishing a pattern of open and honest communication that will encourage parishioners to take a more active part in the life of the parish, to share with you what’s going on in the parish so that we can work together to strengthen our parish family.

As a follow-up to the Annual Report and presentation, parishioners are now asked to offer some of their own reflections.  These reflections are aimed at helping to get a better sense of the life of the parish, how God has blessed us, and what we might do to make our parish even more vibrant.  Please click on the following link to launch the online reflection form.  The Parish Pastoral Council will assist in gathering the reflections and following-up with a “Town Hall” meeting in January or early February so that we can talk about them together.                                                         

Welcome to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church!  If you come as a visitor today, we hope you leave as a friend.  If you are looking for a Faith Community Home, we invite you to join us regularly.

Are you homebound?  Would you like to have a communion visit?  We would like to hear from you!  Please contact Sister Lorraine @ 410-788-7105.

Our parish has begun a very important campaign in our Parish history.  It is our responsibility as good stewards to care for our buildings and property.  We must ensure that our facilities adequately serve the needs of our parish today, while preserving them for future generations of parishioners.

In the upcoming weeks, Parish Campaign Advocates will continue to call upon parishioners to support the parish campaign.  Please welcome them and prayerfully consider sacrificially giving to our campaign.

$1.8 Million Campaign Goal

Campus Improvements & Maintenance
- Improvements may involve the Ministry Center, Rectory, School, Harrison Hall & Religious Education Facilities

Church & Sanctuary Improvements
- Improvements may include sanctuary renovations, wheel chair access closer to Sanctuary, choir space, stations of the Cross & Sanctuary

OLPH Parish Center
- Building mortgage & interest

Campaign Status  - Aug. 26, 2007
Number Donors:               <200
Pledges Raised:      $1,271,223 
Payments:                 $429,000