8 NOVEMBER 2015 THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

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1 ADMINISTRATION CENTER 1125 Romine Avenue McKeesport, Pennsylvania Telephone: MARK (6275) Fax: Father Rowan Hall: Parish Nurse: x102 Religious Education & Youth Ministry: x105 Mary of Nazareth Catholic School: Victim Assistance Hotline: NOVEMBER 2015 THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME PASTOR Reverend Daniel T. Straughn, S.T.L. Accept God s Love, and Live! Share God s Love, and Thrive! LIBERTY SITE (LB) - Saint Eugene Church 3210 Liberty Way McKeesport, PA MASS SCHEDULE Mon., Wed. & Fri... 8:30am Sat. Vigil... 6:00pm PORT VUE SITE (PV) - Saint Joseph Church 1125 Romine Avenue McKeesport, PA MASS SCHEDULE Tues., Thurs. & Sat.... 8:30am Sunday... 8:00am Sunday... 11:00am SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION 5:15pm Saturdays at our Liberty site and anytime upon request. 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 SAINT MARK PARISH MISSION STATEMENT (Promulgated January 2014 by the People of Saint Mark Parish) Baptisms are the 1st Sunday and 3rd 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. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM 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 We welcome new members at Saint Mark Parish. Those wishing to join are invited to introduce themselves to Father Daniel and contact our Administration Center. MINISTRY TO THE SICK AND SHUT-INS OFFICE HOURS: 9:00am to 1:00pm Our Parish Nurse and Ladies of Charity are available for home visits and distribution of Holy Communion. Please call if you want a visit or need assistance. Classes are held at our Port Vue site for Grades K-8 on Sundays from 9:30am 12 Noon, September thru April. NEW PARISHIONERS Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday BULLETIN DEADLINE: Thursday 12:00 Noon Submit written requests to stmarkparish1101@comcast.net

2 SAINT MARK PARISH THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 8 November 2015 MCKEESPORT, PA Sanctuary Lamp/ Altar Bread and Wine Rosary prior to daily morning Mass MONDAY, 9 November 2015 COMMUNION SERVICE (Intention Fulfilled Privately) 8:30am Private Intention... LB TUESDAY, 10 November :30am The Deceased Members of the Crossen Family.... PV (Dolores Crossen) WEDNESDAY, 11 November :30am JoAnne Belan... LB (Tom Belan) THURSDAY, 12 November 2015 COMMUNION SERVICE (Intention Fulfilled Privately) 8:30am Howard Rish.... PV (Brother, Joe) FRIDAY, 13 November :30am Sharon Finney... LB (Gene) SATURDAY, 14 November :30am Edward D. Rarick... PV (Diane and Andrea Petrillo) 4:00pm 6:00pm Private Intention... LB Joseph B. Cmar, Dad... LB (Joanne and Dave Jordan) SUNDAY, 15 November :00am Deceased Members of Council #955 Knights of Columbus.... PV (Knights of Columbus) 11:00am The People of Saint Mark Parish... PV Low Gluten Hosts available - please see Priest before Mass Read the Bible! Pray over Sacred Scripture! You can keep whatever you find! This week the Sanctuary Lamp at our Liberty site Saint Eugene church burns in memory of Marge Simko from Rita Popovich. This week the Sanctuary Lamp at our Port Vue site Saint Joseph church burns for the health and wellbeing of Father Al Norcavage from Betty Runtich. This week the Altar Bread and Wine is offered in memory of Caroline Wasil from Pew Buddies. Activity Schedule Monday, 9 November :30-7:30pm, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, LB Tuesday, 10 November :30am, Liturgy Team Meeting, PV Red Room Wednesday, 11 November am, Miraculous Medal Novena, LB 6:30-9pm, Youth Group, Youth House 7pm, Traditional Choir Rehearsal, PV Friday, 13 November pm, Youth Group Holiday Bingo, LB (doors open 5:30pm, Early Bird Games 6:30pm) Saturday, 14 November pm, Night at the Races, Father Rowan Hall, LB Sunday, 15 November :15am, Handbell Choir Rehearsal, PV 9:30am-12pm, Religious Education Program, PV Baptism Preparation Classes 9 November 2015, 7pm Saint Mary Romanian 4 January 2016, 7pm Saint Mark Parish Saint Mark Parish would appreciate the donation of office supplies (copier paper, binder clips, etc.) and candy for kids (check out post-halloween sales!) Commissioning of Lay Ecclesial Ministers Celebrate lay ecclesial ministry with Bishop Zubik on Sunday, 8 November, 2:30 p.m. at Saint Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh. Help support all who serve your parish family. Readings for the Week of 8 November 2015 Sunday: 1 Kgs 17:10-16/Heb 9:24-28/Mk 12:38-44 or 12:41-44 Monday: Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12/1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17/ Jn 2:13-22 Tuesday: Wis 2:23--3:9/Lk 17:7-10 Wednesday: Wis 6:1-11/Lk 17:11-19 Thursday: Wis 7:22b--8:1/Lk 17:20-25 Friday: Wis 13:1-9/Lk 17:26-37 Saturday: Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9/Lk 18:1-8 Next Sunday: Dn 12:1-3/Heb 10:11-14, 18/Mk 13:24-32 THANKSGIVING OFFERING A Gift for our Food Bank and Charitable Activities Thanksgiving Envelopes are in the pews of each church for donations for our Saint Mark Parish Food Bank and Charitable Activities. You may offer your donation on any Sunday or at our Thanksgiving Day Mass.

3 THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 8 NOVEMBER 2015 GOD loves you! Yes, even you! Act like it. And maybe you ll start to feel it too. Caregivers A caregiver is an unpaid/paid person who helps another with an impairment or disability with his/her activities of daily living. Caregivers can help a family member, friend, or neighbor with such things as: getting dressed, cooking, housework, taking & keeping track of medicine, and transporting/talking to doctors. About 1 in 4 Americans is a caregiver and most have other jobs but spend at least 20 hours a week caring for a loved one. When caring for a loved one, the emotional and physical stress can affect your health. It has been found that caregivers are at more risk for colds and the flu. They also have more long term health problems, like diabetes, depression, and arthritis. When taking care of a loved one, you must make time to care for yourself. Remember to take care of your body by eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and taking steps to prevent back pain/ injury. Do something for yourself, and do not be afraid to ask for help. Ask other family members, friends, neighbors, and community based services to share care giving tasks. If you take care of yourself, this will give you the extra energy and strength needed to handle all the demands of being a caregiver. Caregivers Prayer ~ Dorothy B. Sweet God, please grant me an AWARENESS For the needs of these in my care, COURAGE To tirelessly give of myself, and DISCERNMENT To know when to focus on my needs Youth Group TOY DRIVE Our Youth Group is collecting new toys for our Parish Food Bank toy drive. There is a tree with Special Leaves by the doors of each church. Each leaf has the age and gender of a child. Please pick a leaf off the tree, return with an age appropriate toy, and place the unwrapped toy with the leaf attached under the tree at either church by the end of November. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Any questions, please call Lori DiMarco at Parish Share 2015 To enable us to continue and thrive, we need the support of every parishioner. Please be generous! Total Assessment: $63,391 Total Paid: $51,348 Donations to Parish Share are not assessed as income for the parish. Also, once we meet our assessment, anything above that amount is ours to keep (again, non-assessed income). Please be generous! As stewards of God s many gifts, let us rejoice and share our gifts with others. Why aren t we buying new hymnals (Breaking Bread) for the upcoming Liturgical Year? We purchased hymnals for both Saint Eugene and Saint Joseph churches last year. This was a large expense for our Parish, even with the generous donations that were received for this purchase. This upcoming year starting with Advent, we will be using a Missal that provides the Sunday Readings, Responsorial Psalms, and Gospel Acclamations. There also is a section with Daily Readings, and special prayers. These Missals will be placed at the entrance to the churches for your use during Mass or in silent meditation. We ask that you return them after Mass to the entrances. There will be 50 copies at each church. Enjoy! Christmas Seals Christmas Seals are distributed throughout the church and at the main entrances from now until Christmas. Grief Recovery Support Group Meets the third Wednesday of the month 7-9pm, Father Scanlon Lounge. Next meeting 18 November 2015, Saint Robert Bellarmine Church, 1313 Fifth Avenue, East McKeesport, PA Dr. Barbara Coyne, professional Grief Counselor, facilitates the meeting. Anyone who has experienced a loss is invited and welcome! For information GOD loves YOU, and calls YOU to be a SAINT Go home and truly love your family, and that will make you a Saint. Do the simple, ordinary, everyday tasks of life, with great love, and that will make you a Saint. Allow GOD to love you. And allow that experience of His love to strengthen you, forgive you, heal you, give you the courage and patience to endure, persevere and even overcome the brokenness of this world, and that will make you a Saint! Offertory Envelopes for Students Envelopes for Students not in REP Attention all Catholic School students and those in grades 9-12!! Please pick up your offertory envelopes at the doors of each of our churches. Please contact the office if you have questions. Extra Rosary Beads? Our Religious Education Program is asking for donations of gently-used rosary beads. Donations can be offered in the speciallymarked baskets at each of our churches.

4 THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 8 NOVEMBER 2015 Offertory 1 November 2015 Offertory Collection...$4, Maintenance/ Buildings & Grounds...$4, "Let not your hand be open to receive and clenched when it is time to give." (Sirach 4:31) Thanksgiving Grocery Bags HELP our FOOD BANK The REP students have decorated grocery bags for Thanksgiving. We ask you to take a bag and fill it with food for our Food Bank. The bags are located at the doors of each church. You can drop off your Thanksgiving offering of food (nonperishable only) in the boxes at the back of each site now through Thanksgiving. Calling All 4-Year Olds RELIGIOUS EDUCATION is OPEN Our Religious Education Program (REP) is inviting ALL four-year olds to join our REP!! If you want to register your fouryear old for REP, please contact Lori DiMarco at or loriadimarco@gmail.com. REP is from 9:30AM-12:00PM the first three Sunday's of each month which includes 11AM Mass!! We are so excited to be able to include our four-year old parishioners in this exciting opportunity for faith sharing. Since this is a new endeavor for us, there is NO registration fee for four-year olds this year. It's never too early to learn more about Jesus' mighty and tender love for each and every one of us. Night at the Races! Saturday, 14 November 2015, at Father Rowan Hall, Liberty site. Doors open at 7:00pm, 21 & over. Food, beer & mixers are FREE with admission. Two (2) admission tickets & one (1) horse for $25. Individual admission tickets for $10. Extra horses (or horses without admission) are $15/each. Deadline for horse sales is 7 November Walk-in admissions will be accepted. Volunteers and baked goods are still needed! Baked goods can be dropped off on 14 November 2015 after 5pm. Contact Zac Allan ( ) or Brian Phillips ( ) for more details or to volunteer. Live horses running the races! Good times!!! Youth Group Holiday BINGO Our Youth Group is hosting a Holiday BINGO on Friday, 13 November 2015, in Father Rowan Hall, Liberty site. Doors open at 5:30pm. Early bird games begin at 6:30 and regular games start at 7:00pm. All paper format. Cost is $ Chinese Auction, 50/50, Instant Bingo, Food and Door Prizes. For tickets or for special needs seating, call Lori DiMarco at O GOD, come to my assistance! O LORD, make haste to help me! Happy Birthday Father Daniel! Thursday, 12 November May GOD Bless you mightily! Pray. Love. Forgive. Help. Saint Mark Parish 50/50 In your offertory packet, there is a special envelope marked 50/50 Drawing--Donation $5.00. At the end of each month, one lucky winner is drawn to win half of the take. $20 Ticket for December Win $1,000 Only 100 tickets sold. $20 donation. Winning number is determined by the last 2 digits of the first 7pm Daily Pick Three drawing on Friday, 25 December Tickets will be available before and after all Masses. SAFE ENVIRONMENT Policy ALL volunteers involved in ministry and/or fundraising are REQUIRED to 1) complete a Diocesan application and child abuse clearance form, 2) read and sign the Code of Conduct and Child Protective Services Law forms, 3) attend a Virtus Workshop, 4) have FBI fingerprint clearances or sign a waiver (volunteers only). For more information, please contact Emily Carlson: (x 106) or saintmarksec@gmail.com. Reminder: It is now a STATE LAW requiring all volunteers to comply. If you are currently active in ministry, and you know that you have not completed the steps above, please contact our office. We will work with you to get you up to date and compliant with the State of Pennsylvania Law and the Pittsburgh Diocese. Your ministry is important to us but without complying to these steps, you are NOT permitted to serve in ministry. You may start the application process by going to Thank you for your cooperation and most importantly thank you for your service!

5 SAINT MARK PARISH 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) MCKEESPORT, PA On Mission for The Church Alive! Everybody wants to belong to something much bigger than ourselves. Catholics belong to a parish. We are part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. And we are members of the Church universal the Church everywhere in the world. But Saint Paul tells us that we are infinitely and intimately more than that. Through baptism we are part of the Body of Christ. And our job On Mission for The Church Alive! is to invite others into the Body of Christ. What s one way to do that in your life? To read more, check out On Mission for The Church Alive! on page 5 of this week s Pittsburgh Catholic and visit 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time We all know the maxim, "Actions speak louder than words." It is part of our cultural heritage. It is one of those truisms that we accept. We all know that there are plenty of words that lead to action. Words themselves have their own power. If they didn't, people wouldn't be writing essays, blogs, diatribes, commentaries, or advertisements. Very often, we use words to get people to take action. How many times have we seen a splashy ad with the words "Buy now!" prominently displayed in an overlay. Advertisers look to include a call to action to seal the deal. So in some ways words are just as important as the actions themselves. Actions by the British government and inflammatory words by pamphleteers push the Continental Congress to write the Declaration of Independence, words that became a call to action on the part of the populace. This weekend's Gospel is a combination of words and actions. In the first half Jesus is teaching about the dangers of religious hypocrisy. He warns his followers to make sure that their daily actions conform to their religious beliefs. In the second half of the Gospel, Jesus praises the widow who makes a donation to the Temple treasury. Her simple act of kindness spoke volumes about her own devotion and religious convictions. To quote another proverb, she "gave until it hurt." The life of a Christian is always a balance between words and actions. The words of faith-the doctrine, the preaching, the Bible study, the prayers-give the foundation to who we are as Christians. Without those words, our identity gets muddied. It's one reason we proclaim one of the creeds each Sunday. However, our actions in the world give firm expression to our faith. Without them no one would ever see what Christianity really is: the love of Christ made visible in the world by his followers today Liturgical Publications Inc