SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018

Transcription

1 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 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. 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 today, 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. 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.

3 Pastor s Column continued DECORATING THE CHURCH: We will be decorating the church on Sunday, December 16 after the 11:00. All are welcome to come and help us decorate. 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. Consider them as stocking stuffers for Christmas. TICKETS ON SALE AFTER MASSES THIS WEEKEND!!! Also available in the parish office during the weekday MAKES A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT! REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS: See the bulletin inserts each week of Advent. FEATURED FOOD PANTRY ITEM Next week s featured item - JELLY. Please place your donation in the shopping cart located in the Gathering Space and thanks for checking the expiration date! UPCOMING FEATURED ITEMS Bar Soap - Toothpaste - Canned Fruit If you d like to volunteer, please report to the church s lower level at 8:00am on our next distribution day, Friday, December 21. PLEASE PRAY FOR: Alice Fabrey, Tony Perry, Darlene Lenhart, Mary Lou Brandon, Lorraine Penhos, Fran Ray, Ed Thomas, Joe Simko, Ann Jofery, Ed Benedict and Bill Lasche. 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. ~~ 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. TUESDAY, December 18, 6:30pm Notre Dame Church Hermitage, PA Children and adults will be delighted as all the parts of the Christmas Sory are tied together for the first time: From the light of Creation to the manger in Bethlehem, from the origin of Saint Nicholas to the secret of the Christmas Angel himself, staring Frank Runyeon! Show begins at 6:30pm at Notre Dame in Hermitage with a Free Will Offering to help defray expenses. If you would like more information, please contact Notre Dame Office of Religious Education at Family Christmas Choir! We re adding a new layer to the St. Joseph Music Ministry this year by starting a FAMILY Christmas Choir to sing with our regular choir for the 4:30pm on Christmas Eve. Kids, parents and grandparents can come sit together and join in singing praises to God. All traditional Christmas music will be used as well as a familiar setting. The only musical requirement is your desire to sing and to use your voice to praise God on this glorious day! The Family Choir will practice for two weeks December 9 and 16 after the 11:00 and will rehearse until 1:30. If interested, please call Mary Messina at W_l]om_! St. Jos_ph Chur]h w_l]om_s [ll n_w p[rishion_rs [n^ visitors! WEEKEND COLLECTION-December 3, Number of Adult envelopes sent Number of Adult envelopes used. 296 Number of unused envelopes Sunday Offertory......$11,790 Budgeted Offertory....$10,650 Surplus $ 1,140 Other Collections: Human Development... $ 35 Religious Retirement...$ 30

4 Intentions +Indicates Time Monday, December 10 Is 35: 1-10 / Lk 5: :00 Helen Caszatt (Ruth Bubba) Tuesday, December 11 Is 40: 1-11 / Mt 18: :00 George Giroski (Giroski Family) Wednesday, December 12-Zec 2: or Rev 11: 19a; 12: 1-6a, 10ab / Lk 1: or Lk 1: :10 Carmine Trenga, Sr. (Linda Delcostello) *2:30 West Hill Ministries Thursday, December 13-Is 41: / Mt 11: :00 Tom McKernan (Lil Grabiec and Family) +1:30 Ridgewood-John R. Schneider (Bill Schneider) *2:30 West Hill Ministries *6:00 RCIA-Choir Room Friday, December 14-Is 48: / Mt 11: :00 Special Intention (Richard Donovan) *6:30 Penance Service-Good Shepherd, W. Middlesex Saturday, December 15-Zep 3: 14-18a / Phil 4: 4-7 / Lk 3: THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT +5:15 Julia Sarchet (Jim & Sherry Perrine) Sunday, December 16 Zep 3: 14-18a / Phil 4: 4-7 / Lk 3: THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT +8:30 Betsy Szymanski (Betty Ealy) +11:00 Steve Geletka (Bill & Cathy) *2:00 Penance Service-Beloved Disciple, Grove City Saturday, 15, Vigil 5:15 PM Ministry Schedule for December 15/16 M. Norman K. Bonomo, M. Goodwin, D. Dach, P. Dach, S. Messina, Volunteer x2 A. Jordan, M. Jordan, N. Jordan GS: R. Axtell, Volunteer Fr: S. McLaughlin Sunday, 16, 8:30 AM R. Vukovich P. Young, P. Emery, J. McLaughlin, J. Walsh, L. Vasconi, J. Vukovich, S. Swogger P. Haroldson, V. Haroldson, S. Pass GS: C. Dunn Sunday, 16, 11:00 AM G. Beshero D. Yao, J. Grandy, V. Mulligan, J. Sherbine, D. Ranelli, P. Piccirilli, U. Goda, G. Smith, S. Feeney, Dr. D Amore, D. D Amore A. Anzevino, M. Bundrant, H. Busi, R. Busi GS: M. Smith, Volunteer Fr: T. McCallen, A. Ward CL D. U Halie WEEKDAY-HOSPITAL December P. Radasevich SRHS - G. Smith 12 - K. Mueller Nugent - D. Ranelli 13 - F. Giroski Clepper - G. Pacsi

5 TICKETS ARE ON SALE THIS WEEKEND AFTER ALL MASSES OR THROUGH THE WEEK IN THE CHURCH OFFICE DURING OFFICE HOURS. Advent /Christmas Wreath Memorial The Church has obtained a new LED Advent/ Christmas Wreath for over the State Street entrance. This wreath will be used for many years to come. We are offering five parishioners the opportunity to memorialize a loved one by contributing $100 each to offset its purchase. If interested, please call the church office by Monday, December 17,. We will take the first five 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. (Due to the State Street construction project, the wreath is located outside the Case Avenue entrance this year.) WOMEN S GUILD CHRISTM@S B@KE S@LE The Women s Guild will be holding a Christmas Bake Sale NEXT weekend. December 15/16. The goodies being offered are: plain bread, raisin bread, nut, apricot and poppy seed rolls as well as cinnamon breakfast rolls.