16 MARCH 2014 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

Transcription

1 ADMINISTRATION CENTER 1125 Romine Avenue McKeesport, Pennsylvania Telephone: MARK (6275) Fax: Father Rowan Hall: Parish Nurse: x102 Religious Education & Youth Ministry: x105 Mon Yough Catholic School: Victim Assistance Hotline: MARCH 2014 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT PASTOR Reverend Daniel T. Straughn, S.T.L. Accept God s LOVE, and LIVE! Share God s LOVE, and THRIVE! LIBERTY SITE (LB) 3210 Liberty Way McKeesport, PA MASS SCHEDULE Mon., Wed. & Fri.... 8:30am Sat. Vigil... 6:00pm PORT VUE SITE (PV) 1125 Romine Avenue McKeesport, PA MASS SCHEDULE Tues., Thurs. & Sat.... 8:30am Sunday... 8:00am Sunday... 11:00am SAINT MARK PARISH MISSION STATEMENT (Promulgated January 2014 by the People of Saint Mark Parish) We are Saint Mark Parish, a family of brothers and sisters alive in Christ. Protected by Saint Mark the Evangelist, we continue to thrive with Strength, Vibrancy, Humility and Sacrifice. The Grace of the Holy Spirit guides us; the Eucharist nurtures us; and we embrace our mission to spread the Gospel message to all. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION 5:15pm Saturdays at our Liberty site and anytime upon request. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM Classes are held at our Port Vue site for Grades K-8 on Sundays from 9:30am 10:45am, September thru May. SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE Engaged couples are to participate in a Marriage Preparation Class. Please contact our Administration Center six months prior to the anticipated wedding date. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Baptisms are the 1 st Sunday and 3 rd Sunday of the month after the 11:00am Mass. Pre-Baptism Class is required. Please contact our Administration Center three months prior to the anticipated birth. OFFICE HOURS: Monday thru Friday 9:00am to 12:30pm 1:00pm to 4:00pm BULLETIN DEADLINE: Friday 12:00 Noon

2 SAINT MARK PARISH Rosary prior to daily morning Mass MONDAY, 17 March 2014 COMMUNION SERVICE (Intention Fulfilled Privately) 8:30am Private Intention... LB TUESDAY, 18 March :30am Agnes Potocsnak...PV (Elizabeth Gantner, daughter) WEDNESDAY, 19 March :30am Valecko and Milligan families... LB (Jim and Mary Lou Valecko) THURSDAY, 20 March 2014 COMMUNION SERVICE (Intention Fulfilled Privately) 8:30am Ted DeGregorio......PV (Friends and family) FRIDAY, 21 March :30am Jack M. Hopkins... LB (Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Lynch) SATURDAY, 22 March :30am Billie Bagshaw... PV (Wife) 6:00pm Parents, William & Mary Gradich and Edward & Alice Kopczynski... LB (Fran and Nell Gradich) SUNDAY, 23 March :00am People of Saint Mark Parish...PV 11:00am SECONDSUNDAY OF LENT 16 MARCH 2014 Stephen G. Lesko, George and Mildred Tkacs (parents)...pv (Stephen and Geraldine Lesko) Baptism Instruction Class The next Baptism class for parents: Monday, 5 May at Saint Robert Bellarmine Monday 7 July at Saint Patrick Parish SNOW CANCELATIONS For everyone s safety, a delay or cancelation at South Allegheny is our notice of the cancelation of morning Mass (or Communion Service). Please listen to the radio or watch TV for delays or cancelations. Deepen your relationship with Christ by reading the Scriptures. Readings for the Week of 16 March 2014 Sunday: Gn 12:1-4a/2 Tm 1:8b-10/Mt 17:1-9 Monday: Dn 9:4b-10/Lk 6:36-38 Tuesday: Is 1:10, 16-20/Mt 23:1-12 Wednesday: 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16/Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22/Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Lk 2:41-51a Thursday: Jer 17:5-10/Lk 16:19-31 Friday: Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a/Mt 21:33-43, Saturday: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20/Lk 15:1-3, Next Sunday: Ex 17:3-7/Rom 5:1-2, 5-8/Jn 4:5-42 or 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, MCKEESPORT, PA Repent and believe in the Gospel. Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return. Stations of the Cross Friday, 21 March, 7:00pm Liberty site Welcome to Join our Parish We welcome all visitors and those who have not yet registered as members of our Saint Mark Parish family. As a Catholic faith family, we encourage all participants at our Sunday Masses to officially join us as registered members. All are welcome! Please call the office to register. Thank you! Sanctuary Lamp/Altar Bread & Wine This week the Sanctuary Lamp at our Liberty site burns for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. This week the Sanctuary Lamp at our Port Vue site burns In Thanksgiving from Betty Runtich. Activity Schedule Monday, 17 March :30-7:30pm, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, LB Wednesday, 19 March am, Miraculous Medal Novena, LB 6pm-9pm, Choir practice, PV Thursday, 20 March pm, Bible Study, PV Friday, 21 March pm, Liturgy meeting, PV 3pm-7pm, Fish Fry, LB 7pm, Stations of the Cross, LB God Loves you. Yes, you. It is hard to believe. But yes, He loves you. Try to accept His love and forgiveness, and you may become a happier person. Saint Mark Common Grounds The Coffee House at the Port Vue site is open following the 8:00am Mass. Join us for coffee and fellowship!

3 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT 16 MARCH 2014 Crown of Thorns During our holy season of Lent, there is a Crown of Thorns on display at both worship sites. The Thorns are labeled with the names and addresses of our homebound parishioners. You are kindly asked to take a Thorn or two, and mail an Easter card to any of them. We wish our homebound family members a Blessed Lenten journey and a Happy Easter. Saint Patrick's Day Prayer May the Strength of God pilot us. May the Power of God preserve us. May the Wisdom of God instruct us. May the Hand of God protect us. May the Shield of God defend us. May the Host of God Guard us. Against the snares of the evil ones. Against temptations of the world. May Christ be with us! May Christ be before us! May Christ be in us, Christ be over all! May Thy Salvation, Lord, Always be ours, This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen. Hosanna! The diocesan celebration of Hosanna is Palm Sunday, 13 April, at Stage AE on the North Shore for Catholic youth grades Enjoy music and entertainment; Mass is celebrated with Bishop Zubik. For more information, visit Pierogies for Easter (Pick-up) Pickup is after Mass, Saturday, 15 March (LB). After both Masses, Sunday, 16 March (PV). Saint Mark Parish 5 for 5 Tickets! Saint Mark Parish "5 for 5" tickets replaced the $1, Monthly Tickets. There are 5 chances to win $500.00; the ticket plays on the 7pm first number drawn PA Daily Number on May 6, 13, 20, 26 and 27, Please support this important fundraiser by buying and/or selling these tickets. Thank you! Congratulations to our February winners: John Palscey, B & D McCormick, Ray Johnson, Steven Davenport and Ann Bagshaw. Saint Mark Parish Festival Flea Market We are in need of gently used, but loved items that you may be discarding in your Spring cleaning for our parish festival flea market. All donated items must be in WORKING CONDITION. The following items will not be accepted: clothing, draperies, tires, computers or broken electronics or dirty/unclean items. Donation drop off in July; dates to be announced. Thank you for your generosity! Saint Mark Parish 50/50 In your offertory packet, there is a tan colored envelope marked 50/50 Drawing--Donation $5.00. At the end of each month, all envelopes are placed in a drum and one lucky winner is drawn to win half of the take. Saint Mark Parish FESTIVAL 31 July, 1 & 2 August 2014 Please mark your calendars now! We Need Your Help! If interested in volunteering, please call Cathy Esack: or Thank you!! Benefits our entire parish family! Donations requested for Specialty Baskets As March begins, we are that much closer to our Saint Mark Parish Festival; 31 July, 1 and 2 August. We would love to have our beautiful specialty baskets and craft tables filled to impress all who come to our festival. That will only be possible with your generous donations! You can help by donating a craft item for Valentine s Day, Saint Patrick s Day, Easter and/or spring gardening items. We are in need of many new unused items for all types of baskets. Donations can be dropped in the baskets at the doors of both worship sites. CRAFTERS: Please hold your items, they will be taken in July. Thank you! For a list of specific items needed, please visit our website: Fish Fry VOLUNTEERS Requested! Our Parish Lenten Fish Fry is fast approaching. Please consider sacrificing a Friday--or more than one!--to assist in successful operation of this year's activity. Help is needed in the kitchen, both afternoon prep and during the event, greeters and cashiers, kitchen window help (keep things organized), table servers, dish washer and clean up (clear and reset tables) during event, evening cleanup, and bakers and attendants for the dessert table. Please fill out the volunteer form and drop it in the offertory, or at the administration center; saintmarkfishfry2014@gmail.com, or phone Adam Carlson at or Your help is needed, and greatly appreciated! Baked Good Donations for our Fish Fry Donations needed!! Please drop off your baked goods in Father Rowan Hall before 3pm each Friday during Lent. Your help and generosity is most appreciated.

4 SECOND SUNDAY JUNE OF LENT 2, MARCH 2014 Supporting Parish Life Lenten Presentations by our Parishioners At each of our Masses during the Season of Lent, a member of our Saint Mark Parish will reflect on the importance of Supporting Parish Life. 15/16 March: Keeping Up or Letting Go Given by Judy Zajicek. 22/23 March: A Journey Toward Faith Given by Zac Allan. Please open your minds and hearts to prayerfully listen and receive the message being offered to you. When we work together, giving of ourselves for the sake of others, it makes it easier and better for everyone. And we all benefit! Lenten Nullity Presentations The Diocese of Pittsburgh Marriage Tribunal Office is offering brief (45 mins.) presentations on the annulment process for those seeking information and initial paperwork. If interested in attending, contact the Tribunal Office: tribunal@diopitt.org or call Admission is free. Presentations begin at 7:00pm: 18 March, Saint Camillus, New Castle 25 March, Ascension, Ingram 31 March, Saint Fidelis, Meridian 2 April, Saint Thomas More, Bethel Park 3 April, Saint Athanasius, West View 8 April, North American Martyrs, Monroeville 10 April, Ave Maria, Bentleyville Lenten Penance Services 8 April 2014, 6:30 PM Saint Michael Parish 14 April 2014, 6:30 PM Saint Robert Bellarmine Parish Sacrament of Reconciliation Confessions offered each Saturday at 5:15 PM at our Liberty site and anytime upon request. God loves you experience His love through the forgiveness of sin. Accept the freedom offered to you through His healing love and rejoice! ACT of CONTRITION O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because of Thy just punishment, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who are allgood and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. AMEN. Mirror Image Would that I might be a mirror for my God. Be still my soul - silent and reflective. You have no need to speak or feel or see. Your only good is but to BE that HE WHO IS might see within your mortal frame the pure and radiant image of the Godhead. CS Lenten Books Little Black Lenten books are available at the back of each worship site. They are free for anyone to take. Gathering of Catholic Men, 12 April 2014 AJ Palumbo Center at Duquesne University Please join us for the 9th Annual Gathering of Catholic Men "Come and See." For more information visit the Catholic Men s Fellowship website at Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight. A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. SAINT MARK PARISH LENTEN FAITH FORMATION SERIES Prayer and Prophets Come and participate in a unique and different Catholic Prayer Experience each week, followed by a Bible Study on that Sunday s Readings. Meetings are every Thursday beginning 13 March - 10 April at our Port Vue site. Sessions begin at 7pm and end at approximately 8:30pm. Prayer experiences include the following: Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours Taize service. Lectio Divino (meditation on a passage from scripture) Learn to widen and deepen your Prayer Life! In the Bible Study portion, we review that Sunday s readings and dig deeper in the various levels of meaning in each passage. To register for this series, please call Tom Ponchak: or tompanchak@yahoo.com or Cheryl Hopkins: or hopscheryl@gmail.com.

5 SAINT MARK PARISH MCKEESPORT, PA To live our Faith, we need to know our Faith! " They called the Church together and reported what GOD had done with them and how He had opened the door of faith..." (Acts of the Apostles 14:27) They Saw No One Else, But Jesus Alone It is not by accident that the Church proclaims the Transfiguration on the Second Sunday of Lent. The Church knows of the struggle to maintain our Lenten observances, both as a community and as individuals. The temptations that we encounter never let up. It is imperative that we remember who we are, and who it is who walks with us on the Lenten pilgrimage to the Cross. Surely the disciples are overwhelmed by the vision of Jesus with Moses, the Great Teacher of the Law, and Elijah, the Great Prophet. However, the power of the vision seems to dissipate when Peter offers to make tents, his attempt to stay there, not to move on to the struggles that lie ahead. As the dark cloud of God s mystery overshadows the brilliance, it is out of this darkness of the unknown that God the Father speaks: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him. In this moment Jesus receives confirmation, not only of his identity, but of his mission. Listen to him is the challenge for the disciples, because immediately Jesus predicts that he will be raised from the dead. What consolation do we have here? Perhaps the deepest we can imagine. We too are confirmed by the overshadowing of God s Spirit that WE ARE God s beloved daughters and sons. As his disciples we must face the struggles of life: suffering, letting go of what we would hold on to, the temptation of freezing a moment, as if that experience, place or person were all there is. Instead, we are to look, to raise our eyes, and see no one else but Jesus alone. Jesus, the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, summed up so clearly by Jesus, by Moses, by the Prophets in this manner: Love God with your whole heart, your whole mind, and your whole soul, and your neighbor as yourself. The challenge of Lent: to love God and to love others so purely that we see in them no one else but Jesus alone. (Maureen Crossen, Ph.D.) Lord, during this Lenten Season, nourish me with Your Word of life and make me one with You in love and prayer. Fill my heart with Your love and keep me faithful to the Gospel of Christ. Give me the grace to rise above my human weakness. Give me new life by Your Sacraments, especially the Mass. Amen.