Saint Philip Parish March 15, 2015 Fourth Sunday of Lent

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1 Mass Schedule Saturday Evening: 4:00 P.M. Sunday:7:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M.-12:00Noon Daily Mass: 8:30 A.M. Holy Days: Anticipated Mass 4:00 P.M. 8:30 A.M. 12:00 Noon 7:00 P.M. (except Christmas and New Year s Day) Devotions Sunday: 3:00 P.M. Rosary & Devotions Daily: 9:00 A.M. Rosary, Prayers and Chaplet Tuesday: 8:25 A.M. Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Novena Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday between 12:30-1:00 P.M. and after the Saturday evening anticipated Mass. Appointments can be made for private reconciliation by calling the Parish Office. Saint Philip Parish March 15, 2015 Fourth Sunday of Lent 50 West Crafton Avenue Pittsburgh PA th Anniversary Year STAFF Rev. Walter W. Dworak, Pastor School Principal Geri Marr, S.C ext.# 4 gmarr@spsangelway.org; Coordinator of Religious Education Walter Schulte ext. #6 stphilipreled@gmail.com Director of Music Tim Ignatz ext.#7 Pastoral Council sppastoralcouncil@gmail.com ( will be responded to on a monthly basis) Parish Office PHONE: FAX: parishoffice@saintphilipchurch.org Church Website: School Website: St. Vincent de Paul Society ext. #2 Mission Statement Both as a community of the Body of Christ and as individuals who are attempting to follow and obey Him, we do so by reflecting the Light of Christ through the prism and life of our beloved Apostle Saint Philip. Like him, we, too, are working to bring others to Christ as did he, saying, come and see Jesus of Nazareth along with us (John 1:43 ff). We also are present and at work in our community ministering as did Saint Philip who helped to feed the hungry multitudes (John 6:5ff). And most important of all, we gather for worship, prayer, and celebration of the Eucharist as did Saint Philip when he met with the risen Christ and his disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem (Acts 1:13ff).

2 St. Philip Parish St. Philip School: Under the guidance of the Sisters of Charity and includes Pre-school through 8 th Grade. Students experience a superior education along with Fine Arts, technology integration and broad curriculum activities. Students learn traditional Catholic prayer, worship, doctrine and how to follow Jesus the Angelway. Instructions in the Faith: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and the Initiation of Children (CIC) is offered for those interested in the Catholic faith. For information, please contact the Religious Education Office. Ministry to the Sick & Shut-ins: Arrangements for home visitation for the Sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick may be made by contacting the Parish Office. Eucharistic Ministers are available on Sundays for distribution of the Eucharist. Prayer Ministry: If you would like to request prayers for a special intention, family concern or illness, please write your request in the books, which are located at the end of the communion rail or call Rosemary Mulkerrin at We will remember your request in our daily prayers. Religious Education: For Public school students in Kindergarten through grade 8 takes place on Sunday mornings from 8:15 to 9:30 A.M.. mid-september through April of the following year. Contact the Religious Education Office. Children s Liturgy of the Word: Children, Kindergarten through 5th Grade, are invited to attend the Children s Liturgy of the Word which is held most Sundays at the 10:00 a.m. Mass. Sacrament of Marriage: Weddings: Saturdays 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Diocesan guidelines require participation in a Marriage Preparation program. Engaged couples are to contact the Parish Office at least six months prior to the anticipated wedding. Church Envelopes: All members of the parish community should be registered as parishioners. If you are new to the area, or if you do not receive envelopes, please call the Parish Office. Music Ministry - St. Philip Music Ministry consists of Adult Choir, Cantors, Seasonal Children's Choir, Instrumentalists and Youth Handbell Choir. Adult choir rehearsals are Thursdays, 7-9:00 p.m., and the other choirs are as scheduled. All are welcome! Please contact the Music Director for more details. Sacrament of Baptism: Baptism is celebrated on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month. Parents who are expecting their first child are required by the Diocese of Pittsburgh to attend a Baptismal Preparation class prior to the baptism of the child. Session are held in the Hope House at 1:15 P.M. by appointment on the fourth Sunday of month most months of the year. Please contact the Parish Office to schedule an appointment at , ext. 5. For baptism of children who are not infants and adults, contact the Religious Education Office for more information. Sat./Sun., March 14/15: Fourth Sunday of Lent 4:00 P.M. Robert & Mary Phillips (Al & Pat Bannon) 7:00 A.M. Michael Surma (wife Josie) 10:00 A.M. Richard A. Kraemer Sr. (Gerlowski family) 12:00 Noon Frank Markovitch (Tom & Marirose Grayson) Monday, March 16: Lenten Weekday 8:30 A.M. Clair Holveck Griffin (Ed & Jane Doschbach) Tuesday, March 17: Lenten Weekday 8:30 A.M. Regis J. Kormick Sr. (Cynthia, Dave, Chelsea, Lynn) Wednesday, March 18: Lenten Weekday 8:30 A.M. Kevin Carroll (family) 6:00 P.M. 8:00 P.M. Confessions Thursday, March 19: St. Joseph 8:30 A.M John Rogers Jr. (sister, Pat) Friday, March 20: Lenten Weekday 8:30 A.M Alfred Midgley (Jim & Lorraine McMullen) 12:20 P.M. Stations of the Cross (Children) 7:00 P.M Stations of the Cross Saturday, March 21: Lenten Weekday 8:30 A.M. Dolores Mayer (family ) 12:30 P.M. 1:00 P.M. Confessions Sat./Sun., March 21/22: Fifth Sunday of Lent 4:00 P.M. Claire Derringer (Donna Studeny) 7:00 A.M. Al Plouy (Joan & Ed Goyke) 10:00 A.M. Dr. Charles P. Bowen (Schumovich family) 12:00 Noon Ralph Krobot (Andrea Moslen & family) Sanctuary Light Burns this week for: Michael Surma Requested by: wife, Josie

3 Many years ago I led a Day of Recollection for teachers. It was Advent, and we were spiritually preparing to celebrate the Birth of Our Lord. At one point we began to reflect on the Infancy Narrative in Luke s Gospel. When we came to the story of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, we read that Simon prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary s heart. The words startled one of the teachers. She blurted out that she never knew that Mary had been killed by a sword. Everyone else in the room immediately chimed in and assured her that Mary had not been murdered. The sword is not to be taken literally. It is a figure of speech. It refers to her sorrow, a sorrow that would reach its climax when she stood beneath the cross and witnessed Her Son s suffering and death. Not everything in the Bible is to be taken literally. The Scriptures contain idioms, figures of speech, symbols, metaphors and similes. There are historical narratives. But there are also edifying stories, like the parables of Jesus. Another figure of speech that we find in the Gospels is the cup that Jesus asked the Father to take from Him during His Agony in the Garden. Archaeologists would be wasting their time if they tried looking for an actual chalice. Jesus was referring to the chalice of suffering of which He was to drink. We understand exactly what Jesus was talking about because sometimes we too drink from the chalice of suffering. And there are times when, like Mary, we also experience a sword of sorrow piercing our hearts during difficult moments in life. There is one particular Scripture passage that we should never take literally. It is Jesus call to cut off our hand if it is the cause of temptation. He even tells us to pluck out our eye if it leads us to sin. Can you imagine what would happen if we were to take Jesus warning literally? Every one of us, once we reach the age of reason and are capable of sin, would be walking around without at least one hand and one eye. We might even end up losing both hands and eyes. We know better, of course. Jesus is using hyperbole to get across the importance of guarding our bodies from temptation. Our hands can reach out to give food to the hungry. They can also be used to steal. Our eyes help us to identify people in need. They can also be used to view pornography. Because our salvation depends on how we use our bodies, it is important that we avoid whatever leads us to sin. There are many such images in the Bible. Some of them capture the essence of God s mercy and His eagerness to forgive sins. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and we are the sheep that go astray. We are not real sheep, of course. We are human. And Jesus is not literally a Shepherd. Yet in a way He is, because He watches over us and leads us to eternal life. Christ is our King. But the title is not to be taken literally. Jesus does not wear a crown. And his throne is not made of precious metals. It is the cross. Yet Jesus is still a king, just not in the way we might expect. He rules by serving us in love. There is much in the Bible that invites us to look more deeply into the spiritual meaning of the written words. But there is even more that must be taken literally. Jesus came to call sinners. He died for our sakes. And He rose again on the first Easter Sunday. In the end, His love is real and not just a figure of speech. It is sometimes expressed in images. But Christ s love is something that He never ceases to offer us. And what about His mercy? It may be expressed in parables like that of the Prodigal Son. But God s mercy is not just wishful thinking on our part. It is to be taken literally. Like God s love, His mercy is real. That is why we should never hesitate to turn back to the Lord when we sin. NEW EVANGELIZATION The second and last session on the New Evangelization will take place on Monday, March 16 from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the school library. We will continue to reflect on Bishop Zubik s Pastoral Letter on Evangelization. Please join us and help spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Our parish school is in need of a janitor/maintenance person. If you are interested, please drop off your resume and references at the parish office or call ext. 5 for more information. All candidates must be compliant with our Diocesan policies for Protecting God s Children.

4 GREAT BEGINNINGS LAST A LIFETIME Forensics Finals and All Stars 1st Place Win!! Our Forensics team took FIRST Place out of 16 schools that competed at the Finals/All Stars tournament at Bishop Canevin High School. Congratulations to the following students whose great scores earned that win: Poetry: Sam Chickini - 2nd, Carmen Worrall - 1st Prose: Nevan Crossey - 1st Declamation: Lauren Clutter - 1st, Naomi Caparelli 2nd Drama: Nyla Betts -1st, Andalushia Reilly - 1st, Janneselle Umalin - 1st, Ana Bergstedt -1st Multiple Reading: Corinne Mc Devitt, Maddie Hoff, Nicole Snyder - 1st. These girls also earned the Mary Fahey Award for earning perfect scores in every tournament this year AND took 1st place in the All Stars round in Multiple Reading. Nevan Crossey and Nyla Betts were also selected to perform in the All Stars round as were Janneselle Umalin and Ana Bergstedt who placed 3rd and 4th respectively in the VERY tough category of Drama. The speakers weren't the only SPS stars yesterday. Alternates Zoe Koutavas and Annie Kubiak did a fantastic job running the Impromtu/Extemp Prep room. The board said to tell them they did an exceptional job which was very important as there were not enough judges. We are also very proud of our SPS alums - Mark Shorthouse, Kara Schaffnit, Daisha Reed and Aidan Crossey who judged and supervised at the tournament. Aidan has judged every tournament this year with many compliments on his work.

5 GRACE Program: The April GRACE program will be held on April 27, 2015 at 12:20 P.M. in Church. Deadline for enrollment is April 15, The service will highlight the Virtue of Responsibility. Open House St Philip School will hold an Open House, Sunday, March 22, 2015 from 2:00-4:00 P.M. Tour the school, meet our students, teachers, and parents, learn about our curriculum and programs, and enjoy refreshments and activities. Come see why St. Philip School is the ideal environment for your child to grow in friendship, faith, and knowledge. Centennial Quilt Raffle Tickets for the beautiful Centennial Quilt will be available after all the Masses TODAY in the vestibule of the church. The quilt will be on display. Stations of the Cross Our children attend Stations of the Cross each Friday at 12:20 P.M. All are welcome. GRACE Program and Stations March 13. Shadow Stations on March 27. Pre-order your copy of the Centennial Documentary! We are in the final stages of filming our documentary. The project is a labor of love for both the filmmakers and the dozens of current and former students, teachers, clergy, parents and families we have interviewed. Many have been moved to tears recalling some of their fondest memories of the school. Here are just a few highlights to expect in the documentary: Stories of the old days when Father Kelty played handball with the students and the one communal water fountain was located in the courtyard! Rarely seen archival interview with Mr. Schoeneman who designed the addition to the school, and Father Kelty Hall. Interview with Mr. Dick Hanley from the Class of 1939, recalling the days when all teachers but one were Sisters of Charity and the honor roll was read off at Sunday morning Mass. Rarely seen footage of an interview with the beloved Sister Annina, SPS alumna and former principal and teacher Interviews with legendary former lay teachers including Mrs. Wrabley, Mrs. Shipley and Mr. Titus. Stories of Sister Mary Jane Catherine, including her stint as a school cheerleader Interviews with families on their 4 th generation at the school Photos from as far back as the 1920s. Footage of the vast array of activities and events at the modern-day school and so much more!! The cost of the documentary is only $15 per DVD and can be preordered by completing the form below or by visiting our online store at sps100years.com. The documentary will also be on sale at the Gala! If you are not a school family, please add $1 additional donation in case we need to mail your copy to you. The completed product will be available this spring no later than graduation day! The pre-orders will allow us to determine how many copies to produce. Thanks so much for your advance purchase and we are confident you will totally enjoy the film! It also makes a great gift idea! Name Address Phone # # of DVDs requested at $15 each (plus $1 for shipping): Total amount enclosed Include your check made out to SPS and mail to SPS, 52 W. Crafton Ave., Crafton, PA,

6 Please remember in your prayers Dolores Mayer and Dolores Counihan, who entered eternal life recently. May they rest in peace. We are in need of donations of candy to fill the Easter Eggs for our Parish Easter Egg Hunt. If you would like to donate candy, small toys or money, please drop it off at the parish office by Friday, March 27th. Thank you!!. Are you looking for another way to fulfill your Lenten obligation? The Altar Society is planning to clean the church in preparation for Easter between March 23 and April 1. There will be opportunities to clean morning, afternoons, and evenings, depending on the church s availability. Please call Patrick at if you are interested. THE LIGHT IS STILL ON The Light is Still On for You! is an initiative of the Diocese of Pittsburgh to encourage Catholics to avail themselves of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Confession is the best way to participate in the Lord s Passion and Resurrection. Confessions will be available at each Catholic parish in our Diocese on Wednesday, March 18. Here at Saint Philip Church confessions will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Don t forget: when you get that new laptop, digital camera or cell phone the old ones can be donated to St. Philip Parish. Just drop off at the parish office or give to any usher at Mass. Thank you! Sunday Collection March 8 $ 8,549 Parish Share $ 8,961 Thank you for your generous donation. PARISH EVENTS THIS WEEK Tuesday, March 17: 6:45 P.M. St. Vincent de Paul Society (Kelty Hall) Wednesday, March 18 : 7:00 P.M Men s Fellowship (Parish Center) Thursday, March 19: 7:00 P.M. Grief Support Meeting (Parish Center) 7:30 P.M Choir Practice (Church) Saturday, March 21: 9:30 A.M Legion of Mary (Rectory) ST. PHILIP LITURGICAL MINISTRY SCHEDULE Sat. March 21 /Sun. March 22 Altar Servers 4:00 P.M Zachary Balobeck, Miles & Bella Tirone 7:00 A.M. Adult Server 10:00 A.M. Audrey Robb, Hope Grefenstette, Liam Allen 12:00 Noon Michael & Evan Seitz, Anastasia Bergstedt Lectors 4:00 P.M. Harold Murock 7:00 A.M. Walter Schulte 10:00 A.M Sr. Mary Ann Corr 12:00 Noon Sylvia Bergstedt Eucharistic Ministers 4:00 P.M. Art Bannon, Sam Tirone, Bob Chamberlin, Anita Stotlemyer, Adrianne Hipkiss 7:00 A.M. Leon & Cheryl Bonds, Beth Ayres 10:00 A.M Joe Allen, Tom & Terry Stacy, Mary Gerlowski, Mary Lou McNamee 12:00 Noon Nicole Seitz, Mary Jane Roth, Paula Kelly, Tom & Dorothy Koger,

7 Religious Education News by Walter Schulte Gospel Reflection One of the many contrasts that runs throughout the Gospel of John is the contrast between light and darkness. Light is equated with God and love while darkness is equated with Satan and evil. There is an interesting line in today s Gospel: And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. (John 3:19) The RSV translation of this verse phrases the latter portion of this with the following translation: Men loved darkness rather than light. Now I do not think that we love sin, and that is part of the reason why we try to make sacrifices in Lent as a token to God that we are trying to work with His grace and overcome our sinfulness. However, sometimes walking towards to the light of God can be frightening because we see that we have vices that we need to continually work to overcome. The closer we draw to God, the more we realize that we have faults that need to be addressed. This is why Lent is a great opportunity for us as His disciples: we can invite the light of Christ into our hearts and ask Jesus to help us become aware of areas that we need to work on. What vices do you need to work on this week? ( Marriage Moment The following comes from For Better...Forever!: A Catholic Guide to Lifelong Marriage by Gregory K. Popcak, Ph.D., 2008: Vulnerability is an important part of any healthy marriage. As Gregory Popcak states, The word does mean capable of being wounded...every healthy marriage must above all be a safe haven from such offenses to human dignity. [Examples include indignity, humiliation, physical injury and emotional wounding.] But there is a kind of pain that is a necessary part from which no human should be exempt: the pain that is a necessary part of our growth as human beings. [Sometimes a parents does this with their children.] Even if we have a good sense of what our Christian dignities are, we don t always live up to them. (150) This week, take some time to consider how well you respond when your spouse points out that you are falling short in your walk as a Christian, and how you can use their critiques to grow as a disciple of Christ. Baptismal Preparation Class The next Baptismal preparation class is on Sunday, March 22, 2015 at 1:15 P.M. in the Hope House. First Penance Most likely you will have noticed the lambs on the table by the ambo (the spot in the sanctuary where the Word of God is proclaimed). These lambs were made by the second grade students who made their First Penance on the Saturdays of February 28 and March 7. May their experience of the mercy of Jesus in the sacrament be a reminder to us all that Jesus is always waiting for us to return to Him. Save the Date: Vacation Bible School St. Philip s in collaboration with Church of the Ascension, Guardian Angels, and Holy Innocents will be holding Vacation Bible School on Monday, June 22 through June 25, 2015 at Church of the Ascension. More information will be forthcoming. If you are interested in helping with this very important summer event in which we help our young people encounter God in the Bible, please contact the Religious Education Office at , ext. 6, or via at stphilipreled@gmail.com. Jesus the Way: The Path of Christian Discipleship Thank you to everyone who attended this series. We had a great time talking about Jesus and discipleship. This series will be offered again at a future time in case you did not have a chance to participate this time.