FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2018

Transcription

1 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, Rev. Thomas J. Whitman, Pastor Director of Religious Ed: Sr. Sandy Pedone, H.M. Parish Secretary: Lori Vasconi Financial Secretary: Carol Koch Maintenance: Brad Goodall Music Director: Mary Messina Office Hours Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (closed 12:30-1:30 PM) Schedule Saturday Vigil - 5:15 PM Sunday - 8:30 & 11:00 AM Weekday: M, T, Th, Fri - 8:00 AM Wed. - 12:10 PM (Check weekly bulletin for changes.) Confessions Saturday: 4:00-4:30 PM or by request. Religious Education Program Sundays, 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM CCD Grades K-10 at Case Avenue Elem. School, Grade 11 in the church annex. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Every Wednesday after the 12:10 PM in the Mother s Chapel. Shenango Valley Catholic School System Mr. William Lyon, Principal, Kennedy Catholic Middle and High Schools: Mr. Joshua Testa, Principal St. John Paul II: PARISHIONER PRE-REGISTRATION FORM NAME STREET CITY & ZIP PHONE Place completed form in today s collection basket or drop it off in the church office. New Member Address Change Update Info Baptism: Please contact the parish office to schedule a time and date. A pre-baptism class is required. No baptisms during Advent and Lent. Matrimony: By appointment six months in advance. Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA): Please call the church office at Prayer Line: For intentions, please call

2 PASTOR S COLUMN CHURCH CALENDARS: The church calendars for the year 2019 are available at all the exits. We are grateful to McGonigle Funeral Home for sponsoring these calendars again this year. BUSTED HALO: One recommendation I might make for those who are into the internet and videos, is the site This site has some great updates on the sacraments and other things about our catholic faith. Maybe visiting the videos on this site can provide some answers to questions you may have, and particularly the one on the sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation or Confession) as a way to prepare to celebrate that sacrament, or Advent in two minutes is a two minute video on the meaning of Advent. DIOCESAN NEWSLETTER: Have you subscribed to the Diocese of EriE-news? It s easy to do and it s free. To receive your edition each week, simply visit nwpacatholic.com, click on the subscribe button, and provide a few lines of basic information. Every Monday morning, you ll receive headlines and photos with links to diocesan, national and Vatican news. You ll also see a tweet sent out from Bishop Lawrence Persico or from the diocese. Sign up today and stay in the know! ADVENT BEGINS THIS WEEKEND: Now might be the time to think about what you will do to prepare spiritually for Christmas. Sometimes people attend daily, or at least a few more times during the week, others might read a spiritual book or spend a few more minutes in prayer, others might make sure they spend more time with their families by making time to eat together at least one more time each week, others might donate their time to help a charity at this time of year. Or you might check out the website as a way to learn some things about your faith or just refresh your memory. (See the article above). We might reflect on the fact that Advent is the beginning of the church year and thus the time for a new beginning in each of us. What might that new beginning look like? There are times where we think we can t change our lives because we have become so set in our ways or because of the hurts that others have caused in our past. Advent is a time to realize that God has planted something new in us, and this new thing is the presence of Christ in us. Somehow we need to bring this presence to birth in our own individual way. Maybe the words of Fr. Anselm Grun can inspire us to strive to bring this Christ to birth in our lives this Advent. You are not determined by your past. You can begin again today, because you already carry something entirely new within you; the divine child is present in your life and can bring you in touch with what is new and neither spoiled nor depleted in your soul. Trust the new life that is within you! God invites us in this Advent season to take hold of the goodness that is at the heart of who we are and to bring that goodness out of the darkness and into the light. When our goodness shines forth for all to see there will be great joy for us and for others. HOLY DAY: DECEMBER 8: Saturday is the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and a holy day. es will be Friday at 7:00pm and Saturday at 8:00am. Because evening at 5:15 on Saturday is for the Second Sunday of Advent, it does not fulfill your obligation to attend for the holy day. The Vigil on Friday at 7:00pm does fulfill your obligation for the holy day. ADVENT RECONCILIATION SERVICES: Advent and Lent are two important times of preparation in our church year. The sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the traditional ways we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ at Christmas and at Easter. Visit the website to refresh your memory about this sacrament. Or you might refer to the MyParishApp for St. Joseph Parish that gives you a how-to guide, an examination of conscience, and the Act of Contrition right on your phone. To get MyParishApp - All you need to do is text APP to the phone number Then follow the instructions for St. Joseph Parish, Sharon, PA. It is free. Local Penance Services will be held at: St. Michael in Greenville at 1:00pm and Immaculate Heart in Mercer at 4:00pm-both on Sunday, December 9 Good Shepherd in West Middlesex on Friday, December 14, at 6:30pm Beloved Disciple Church in Grove City, Sunday, December 16, at 2:00pm St. Joseph Church, Tuesday, December 18, at 7:00pm Notre Dame Church in Hermitage, Thursday, December 20, at 6:30pm CHRISTMAS MASSES: es for Christmas Eve are at 4:30pm, 7:00pm, and Midnight. on Christmas Day will be at 9:30am. I remember last year the 4:30pm was so full people were standing out in the Case Avenue entrance way and could not even see the. I know there are a number of people who just show up at Christmas time for this, but maybe consider one of the other three es which have plenty of room and maybe a more spiritual experience of Christmas.

3 Pastor s Column continued CHRISTMAS COLLECTION: As we have done in the past, we will tithe (10%) of the Christmas Collection to the Prince of Peace Center. Your generosity to this collection will help to support the great work of the Prince of Peace Center. In the past we have people who have come forward anonymously to match what we give to Prince of Peace. So far I have one person who will match what the parish gives to Prince of Peace from this collection. PARISH COMEDY NIGHT: Mark Friday, January 18, 2019 on your calendar! We will be holding another parish comedy night consisting of dinner and professional comedians with clean humor. These have been wonderful evenings and we hope you will consider joining us for this year s event. Invite family, friends and neighbors. Tickets will be on sale soon consider them as stocking stuffers for Christmas. TICKETS ON SALE AFTER MASSES THIS WEEK- END AND NEXT WEEKEND GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS! REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS: See the bulletin inserts each week of Advent. FEATURED FOOD PANTRY ITEM Toilet Tissue Next week s featured item - paper towels. Please place your donation in the shopping cart located in the Gathering Space. UPCOMING FEATURED ITEMS Jelly - Bar Soap - Toothpaste If you d like to volunteer, please report to the church s lower level at 8:00am on our next distribution day, Friday, December 7. FOOD PANTRY CHRISTMAS SCROLLS As a reminder, if you picked up a Food Pantry Christmas Scroll Wish List to purchase gifts for our Food Pantry children, please have your wrapped gifts with the corresponding ID number taped to the outside of each package and returned to the church altar by Sunday, December 9. PLEASE PRAY FOR: Alice Fabrey, Tony Perry, Darlene Lenhart, Mary Lou Brandon, Lorraine Penhos, Fran Ray, Ed Thomas, Joe Simko and Bill Lasche. FESTIVAL OF PRAISE Sunday, December 9, 7:00 p. m. 8:15 p.m. Church of Notre Dame 2325 Highland Rd., Hermitage Come and nourish your relationship with Jesus Christ by filling your heart and soul with praise music. HELP SUPPORT ST. JOSEPH CHURCH! ~~ TO ALL WEEKEND MASS ~~ UPCOMING st QUARTER SCHEDULE Altar Servers - Lectors - Eucharistic Ministers - Greeters We will begin in December the process of preparing for the 1st quarter schedule of The st quarter schedule will run from January 5 March 31, If you are unavailable to serve during any of the 1st quarter weekends, please remember to log on your profile at: secure.rotundasoftware.com/l/web-terminal/login/ stjosephchurchsharon?use_userename and block off the dates you will not be available to serve by FRIDAY, December 14,. If you do not have access to your profile online, please call the church office at for assistance, and/or if you have any questions. WOMEN S GUILD CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON The Women s Guild Christmas luncheon is being held at the Corinthian in Sharon on Tuesday, December 11 at 1:00pm. For reservations, contact JoAnne White at Cost is $18. Payment can be dropped off at the church office during the week or placed in the Sunday collection basket, marked Women s Guild. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support St. Joseph Church every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that AMAZON WILL DONATE 0.2% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE TO ST. JOSEPH CHURCH. Simply log onto to sign up and to support St. Joseph Church! WEEKEND COLLECTION-November 25, Number of Adult envelopes sent Number of Adult envelopes used Number of unused envelopes Sunday Offertory $ 7,067 Budgeted Offertory... $10,650 Deficit $(3,583) Other Collections: Human Development... $ 40

4 Intentions +Indicates Time Monday, December 3 Is 2: 1-5 / Mt 8: :00 Frank Magestro (Ruth Lakatos) *6:00 Liturgy Meeting-Choir Room Tuesday, December 4 Is 11: 1-10 / Lk 10: :00 Deceased Members of the Whitman Family (Veronica Whitman) Wednesday, December 5-Is 25: 6-10a / Mt 15: :10 M/M Bill Voyten (Gene & Barbara Wareham) *2:30 West Hill Ministries Thursday, December 6-Is 26: 1-6 / Mt 7: 21, :00 Deceased Members of the Parish *2:30 West Hill Ministries *6:00 RCIA-Choir Room Friday, December 7-Is 29: / Mt 9: :00 Joseph Fragle (Joey, Kristie and Mary Beth) Vigil-Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary +7:00 Rocky Ranelli (Ranelli Family) Saturday, December 8-Gn 3: 9-15, 20 / Eph 1: 3-6, / Lk 1: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary +8:00 Christine Radkowski (Family) SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT-Bar 5: 1-9 / Phil 1: 4-6, 8-11 / Lk 3: :15 Julia Sarchet (Jim & Sherry Perrine) Sunday, December 9 Bar 5: 1-9 / Phil 1: 4-6, 8-11 / Lk 3: 1-6 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT +8:30 Ann Tarkanick (Lucille Marnejon) +11:00 Deceased Members of the Parish *1:00 Penance Service-St. Michael, Greenville *4:00 Penance Service-Immaculate Heart-Mercer Saturday, 8, Vigil 5:15 PM Ministry Schedule for December 8/9 J. Bonomo E. Anderson, T. H. Cole, F. Smeraglia S. Messina, Volunteer X 3 N. Alexander, D. Eller, M. Jordan GS: B. Charles, D. Cole Fr: G. Beshero Sunday, 9, 8:30 AM K. Anglin C. Necastro, S. Missory, J. McLaughlin, M. Orchard, J. Mausser, J. Walsh, S. Cleary S. Pass, N. Schupp, S. Schupp GS: S. Paul Sunday, 9, 11:00 AM D. U Halie D. Ranelli, G. Smith, J. Kaibas, U. Goda, G. Pacsi, M. B. Jones, P. Piccirilli, V. Mulligan, S. Feeney, J. Sherbine, L. Dach A. Anzevino, I. Bianco, B. Dach, C. McKnight GS: R. & T. Rookey Fr: B. Anzevino, O. Pacsi CL M. A. Smith WEEKDAY-HOSPITAL December F. Giroski SRHS - P. Dach 5 - P. Emery Nugent - P. Emery 6 - P. Heldorfer Clepper - D. Ranelli

5 Christmas Tree Memorials We are again offering you the opportunity to remember a loved one by contributing $100 towards one of the eight Christmas Trees we will be placing throughout the church. Please place your donation in an envelope, include your name, phone number and the name(s) of those you wish to remember, and return it to the church office by Monday, December 17,. We will take the first eight donors. Donors and those to be remembered will be listed under a special heading in the Christmas Flower Memorial included with the December 23 bulletin. DECORATING THE CHURCH FOR CHRISTMAS We will be decorating the church altar and other areas of the church Sunday, December 16. We invite everyone to stay after the 11:00 or return back to the church at noon if you attended another to help us string lights and decorate. This is an opportunity for high school students to earn service hours! Lunch and fellowship to follow once the decorating is complete! Many hands make light work. WOMEN S GUILD CHRISTM@S B@KE S@LE The Women s Guild will be holding a Christmas Bake Sale the weekend of December 15/16. The goodies being offered are: plain bread, raisin bread, nut, apricot and poppy seed rolls as well as cinnamon breakfast rolls.