St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish February 17, 2019 6th Sunday IN ORDINARY TIME MISSION STATEMENT We Worship ~ We Teach ~ We Care 5112 Pocono Crest Road PO Box O Pocono Pines, PA 18350 570-646-6424 Mass Schedule: Saturday 4:00 pm Sunday 8:00 am & 10:30 am Saturday Confessions 3:00 pm
February 17, 2019 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Blessed are you who are now hungry, For you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, For you will laugh. ~Lk 6:21 St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish Staff Reverend Sean G. Carpenter ~ Pastor Deacon Frank Gisoldi Deacon Tom Amoroso Melissa Laverty Pastoral Associate ~ St.MaxMelissa@outlook.com Coordinator of Religious Education Marion Colvin Office Manager ~ mcol@ptd.net John Marcinkowski, Jr. Coordinator of Music ~ jjm1105@ptd.net Visit us on the web @ www.stmaxkolbepoconos.org G O S P E L M E D I T A T I O N What an audience Jesus has in today's Gospel! "A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of people from all over Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon." Disciples, pagans, and devout Jews gathered together to hear Jesus speak in the Sermon on the Mount. All of these people had something in common. God was someone to be bargained with, and if God liked you, you were rewarded with good fortune. This Sunday, Jesus tells us a different story. "Woe to you who are rich; who are filled now; who laugh now; when all speak well of you. Blessed are you who are poor; you who are now hungry; when people hate you and when they exclude you and insult you." Jesus completely flips the script on what it means to be blessed by God. What he proclaims as "woe" are states of life we often strive for, and "blessed" are the states we work hard to avoid! Jesus is concerned with the kingdom of God and the world to come, not the typical structures of power and privilege. The word "now" appears often in these statements. Why? If you are well "now," that's beside the point. To be rich in this life has no direct bearing on your immortal soul. If you're struggling "now," that's not an indication that God has forgotten you or that - in light of eternity - you're worse off than someone else. In fact, it could be an indicator that you're enduring something that will bring you to a place of greater, eternal joy in the future. This Sunday, consider your priorities. Who do we reject as not blessed, and thereby inflict woe upon ourselves? When we encounter difficult situations in our own lives, do we see them as opportunities to remember God and lean on His mercy and grace? Thursday, February 21st is the Feast Day of St. Peter Damian, Bishop & Doctor of the Church Saint Peter Damian, born 1007, Ravenna, Italy- died February 22, 1072, Faenza; Cardinal and Doctor of the Church, an original leader and a forceful figure in the Gregorian Reform movement, whose personal example and many writings exercised great influence on religious life in the 11th and 12th centuries.
February 16th through February 24th Saturday 4:00 pm Donald K. Campbell Sr. by Phyllis and Paul Messina Sunday 8:00 am For The Parishioners 10:30 am Lillian Cortese by Bill and Fran Lauff Monday 9:15 am Joan Serviss by Robin Spiker and Rusty Gravatt Tuesday 9:15 am Karen Noones by James and Margie Carpenter Wednesday 9:15 am John Cuscani by Pat Baker The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, February 18th in commemoration of Presidents' Day Parishioners & Visitors, Please note that all correspondence should be sent to the Parish s P.O. Box O, Pocono Pines, and NOT TO THE PHYSICAL ADDRESS. Mail that is addressed to the Parish s physical address will be returned to sender by the Post Office. Thursday 9:15 am Thomas Dalton by Michael and Mary Ann Dalton Friday 9:15 am Communion Service Saturday 4:00 pm Joseph Malchitsky by The Devereux Family Sunday 8:00 am For The Parishioners 10:30 am Carmine Giganti by Wife - Mady 9:15 am mass will still be celebrated when we have a funeral mass that day. Saturday: Gn 3:9-24: Mk 8:1-10 Sunday: Jer 17:5-8; 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20; Lk 6:17, 20-26 Monday: Gn 4:1-15, 25; Mk 8:11-13 Tuesday: Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10; Mk 8:14-21 Wednesday: Gn 8:6-13, 20-22; Mk 8:22-26 Thursday: Gn 9:1-13; Mk 8:27-33 Friday: 1 Pt 5:1-4; Mt 16:13-19 Saturday: Heb 11:1-7; Mk 9:2-13 Sunday: 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23; 1 Cor 15:45-49; Lk 6:27-38 Confessions -Saturday 3 pm First Friday Adoration held after 9:15 am Communion Service each month. Weekly Donations 2/03/19.. $ 5,623. Capital.. 325. Thank You for Your Generosity.
FAITH FORMATION NEWS Sunday, Feb. 17 No Class Saturday, March 30: First Communion Retreat, 10 a.m. Monday, March 11 Lenten Penance Service, 7 p.m. at St. Max Sunday, April 28: Celebration of the Sacrament of First Communion, 10:30 a.m. Mass Sunday, June 9: Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation at 10:30 a.m. Mass RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CANCELLATION PROCEDURES Parents, in the event of inclement weather, you will receive an email from Melissa, Coordinator of Religious Education, if classes are cancelled. If you do not receive regular emails from the parish, kindly contact the parish office to ensure we have your most recent email address. You may also call the parish office on Sunday morning to check if classes are cancelled for the day. LITTLE ROCK SCRIPTURE STUDY..resumes Tuesday, March 5, 2019. During Lent, we will be studying The Passion and Resurrection Narratives of Jesus. Using both videos and written materials, this program is designed to help bring Catholics to a greater understanding of the Bible and an awareness of God s living presence in the Scriptures, as well as an appreciation of how the Bible can be applied to daily life. For more information, call or stop by the parish office or simply join us on March 5 in the parish hall. JEFF CAVINS BIBLE STUDY CONTINUES If you are interested in taking part in or hosting a home bible study featuring the DVD series Bible Timeline by Jeff Cavins, contact June Schott at 570-646-0379 or by email: jschott@ptd.net. All materials are provided for the study. DAILY MEDITATION FOR CATHOLICS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE If you would like to receive the monthly publication The Word Among Us, annual subscriptions are available for $20 per year, beginning in Lent. The Word Among Us includes daily meditations based on the Mass readings and inspirational essays and stories of the saints and other heroes of faith that encourage you to go out and live the Word. To purchase a yearly subscription, contact Melissa in the parish office. GIFTS OF BREAD AND WINE During any future Masses, our parish welcomes anyone who would like to bring forward the gifts of Bread and Wine to ask one of the ushers before Mass. UPCOMING PRE-JORDAN SESSION In order to understand and appreciate the Sacrament of Baptism, expectant parents are required to attend Baptism preparation. A Pre-Jordan session will be held for all parents preparing for their baby s baptism on Sunday, February 24, at 12 p.m. in the parish hall. Since parents are seen as their child s primary teachers, the Pre-Jordan preparation session seeks to offer parents both the support of the community and an opportunity for reassessing their own faith and responsibilities. For more information, contact Melissa Laverty in the parish office. PARISH 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 2019 marks 10 years since the creation of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, when Christ the King Parish in Blakeslee merged with Our Lady of the Lake Parish right here at our present worship location. To celebrate this wonderful decade, the parish will be offering several activities and events throughout the year. Stay tuned for more information!
CANTOR PROGRAM In conjunction with the 10th Anniversary of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish and the Pastoral Council goals for Worship, in a spirit of gratitude for past accomplishments and servant leadership for the future, we will offer a training and internship program for young adult singers who would like to explore the ministry of cantor. Parishioners as well as individuals from the greater community who would be available to sing at St. Max liturgies are invited to participate free of charge. After completing individual training, there is also potential for compensation for services rendered, commensurate with ability and experience. Please contact John Marcinkowski, Coordinator of Music (jjm1105@ptd.net) for more information or to apply, or call the parish office at 570-646-6424. Following the directive of the Diocese of Scranton, we have suspended the use of the Chalice to help protect us from the flu and other illness. We will resume sharing in the Precious Blood when the Diocese suggests. Anyone who needs to receive communion from the chalice alone out of medical necessity is asked to speak to Father Sean prior to the start of mass. Please call the Parish office at 570-646-6424 if you are in need of a year-end statement of your 2018 donations. Jay Crandall ~ Daniella Maldanado Betty Colburn ~ Bill Gleason ~ Sr. Marietta Darrin Rockefeller ~ Kyle Brennan Lou Larson ~ Robyn Mappa ~ Joseph McKenna Louis Siroco ~ Bob Ruezinsky ~ Fr. Urban Margaret Broderick ~ Cecilia McIlvenny Richard Snell ~ Kim Maria Giganti Michael F. Romano ~ Vivian Kanopp ~ Fr. Ed Kearns Violet Sloat ~ Marin Stober ~ Kathleen Hanratty Jennifer Royall ~ David Mancuso ~ Paul Fulton Deacon Frank ~ John Schriever ~ Maya Rose Newton Lisa Champney ~ Rosa Santos ~ Leslie Fox Crystal Martinez ~ Penny Staph ~ Carolyn Donahue Sharon Jones ~ Terry Howe ~ Gunner Gonzalez Grace Bush ~ Irene Halupa ~ Alice & Eileen O Neill Jim McLaine ~ Samson Colborn ~ Darlene Delaney Joan Harrigan ~ Jamie Nderitu ~ Maurice Berger Tom Schoettle ~ Sal Rullis ~ Msgr. Fitzpatrick Sandra Carroll ~ Tom Flannery ~ Peter Veritas Hospital Visits - Fr. Sean is more than willing to visit those who are hospitalized and homebound. Please call the office at 570-646-6424 and let Father or the office staff know who is in the hospital and which hospital they are in. Meetings are the 1st & 3rd Mondays of the month @ 7 pm in the parish hall. ~ http://knights13752.webs.com/ ~Facebook: Knights of Columbus Pocono Pines If at first you don t succeed - don t worry, a lot of people are willing to tell you why. For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face. ~PSALM 69:7 Footprints by Margaret Fishback Powers Bulletin submissions can be emailed to mcol@ptd.net or brought into the parish office. Please submit two weeks prior to publication date otherwise we cannot promise publication date desired. ~ Thank You
Prayers for Military and Government Service HA Valerie Novak ~ Sr. Airman Charlie Maldanado Alston Smart, Jr.~ Eugene Maslar, Jr ~Sgt. Matthew Price 1st Lt. Mark Gaido ~ Lt. JG Michael Huf Airman Patrick Alminde ~TECH Sgt. William D. Olsen Seaman Nicole Beckman ~ Cpl. John P. Bramley Lt. Joseph V. Yuskaitis, Jr. - Major Thomas M. Smith 2nd Class Petty Officer DC2, Jeffrey Royall Sgt. Amber Keppol ~ Sgt. Andrew Malave Sgt. Matthew Ponce ~ MK1 Katie Stodnick INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK.. Getting ahead in the world is something many see as important. Success, a comfortable life, and worldly securities are seen as what is needed to achieve happiness. Whether or not we like to admit it, these pursuits are operative in many of our lives. As much as we want to believe in the Gospel, we also find it hard not to cling to these other things. Unconditional trust in God must be first if we are going to perceive the kingdom of God. And while God does not want us to go out of our way to be miserable, Jesus clearly gives preference to those who are poor, hungry, weeping, marginalized, vulnerable, and despised. When people encounter these things, they touch God. It teaches us not to get too comfortable with our riches and that there is much more to true life than the stuff we find so important. PARISH COOKBOOK can still be Purchased As part of our 2019 Year of Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, our original cookbook is available for purchase. If you have enjoyed some of the delicious dishes served at our Parish Family events, you no doubt have often heard, It s in the cookbook! Did you miss the opportunity to get your copy? Is your copy so well-used that you need a new one? Would you like to give friends and family a gift that is truly in good taste? Purchase a copy in the Parish Office; see a minister after Masses, or go to our Parish website at Stmaxkolbepoconos.org and click on events for an order form that you can drop in the collection basket or mail back to us. Questions? Call Mary at 570-234-6646 or Lynnette at 570-242-6165. at St. Max Tues., Feb. 19 - Prayer Shawl Meets 6:30 pm - Women s Cornerstone meets 7 pm Sun., Feb. 24th - Pre-Jordan session 12 pm February 17th is Random Act of Kindness Day! Here are some ideas to surprise those around you. - Going through a drive-thru? Pay for the order of the person behind you. - Send a handwritten note to a family member or old friend. - Invite your neighbors over for appetizers, or bring them a sweet treat. - Complete a task your spouse has been bugging you about for months. - Offer a loved one a foot or back massage. - Bring your family's furry friend to visit a local nursing home. - Buy $5 coffee shop gift cards for your children's teachers. - Invite your parish priest over for dinner. - Bring a bag of groceries to a family in need. Week of February 17th Sanctuary Light In Memory of Mario and Grace Nocelli by Richard and Rae Triscuizzi Bread and Wine In Memory of Richard Lake by Diane Lake Altar Flowers In Memory of Mario Nocelli by Rich and Rae Trisciuzzi
Around The Diocese RECOGNIZE GOD IN YOUR ORDINARY MOMENTS When I was a child, I often thought of the Church as something mystical and supernatural. I wasn't wrong in my understanding of the Body of Christ, for surely the Church has these characteristics. However, even though we speak about the foundation of all we are as Church being the "mystery of Christ," Jesus became a man so that supernatural element could break into the natural world in a profound way. What we once could not see, we now see. What we saw as a God in a distant place now dwelt among us. It is one of the aspects of Catholicism that I have grown to appreciate the most as I have matured: for a Catholic, the supernatural is natural. The communion of saints is heavenly and earthly at the same time. The Beatitudes instruct us about this reality. Pope Francis reminds us that holiness is "not about swooning in mystic rapture." Holiness is about living in the real world and doing extraordinary things with our ordinary lives. Our stewardship way of life consists of actions in the natural world that have extraordinary repercussions. Do not ever take your simple actions of generosity and love for granted. As disciples called to a life of stewardship, we participate in something more profound than what we can see. We are blessed to be called to follow Jesus, and we bring blessing to all those with whom we choose to share ourselves. -Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS LIHEAP - Helps low-income families pay their heating bills. To apply, you will need the names of people in your household; their dates of birth; social security numbers for all and a recent heating bill. Apply online at: www.compass.state.pa.us or request one by calling the LIHEAP Hotline @ 1-866-857-7095. After your application is processed, you will receive a written notice that will tell you if you qualify and the amount of your grant. St. Maximilian Kolbe is A Welcoming Roman Catholic Parish If you would like to join our parish, registration forms may be found in our church narthex and in the parish office or if you prefer, register online at www.stmaxkolbepoconos.org. You may also call the parish office (570-646-6424) and we would be happy to send you a registration form. Around The Diocese Saturday, March 2nd Monsignor McHugh School, Route 390, Cresco The Great Basket Raffle 11 am - 3:00 pm Free Entry and Raffle Tickets for Purchase Including Pocono Rocks Passes, Golf Passes, Food Gift Certs, Theater Tickets, and more For more info or to donate a basket Call 570-595-7463 Also: Chili Cook-Off & Salsa Competition 12-4:00 pm Donation : $5.00 per person Children under 10 - free Live Music - Magician - Face Paints 50/50 Beer cups, Hot Dogs, Desserts, Sodas for Purchase Wanted: Chili & Salsa Chefs - Wins Cash Prizes To enter & sponsor call 570-595-3100 / 570-242-2431 Clymer Library Distribution in March Elaine Madere is accepting essential household items - dishes, glasses in sets, eating utensils, pots and pans, cooking utensils, microwaves, small kitchen appliances, knives, can openers, corning ware dishes, containers with tops, towels, shower curtains, throw rugs, bed pillows, comforters, sheets, blankets, lamps and window curtains. She no longer takes clothing, baby items, furniture. She will begin distribution at the Clymer library in March. If you have donations or know someone in need: contact Elaine at 732-995-3370 or email: elaine-madere@yahoo.com FOOD PANTRY NEWS : Five Loaf House 133 Fire House Rd., Pocono Pines Distributions are to qualified persons and families only. Distributions are the Second Monday of each month and the Tuesday following that Monday. Monday Hours 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. by appointment after these hours & Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Food Donations are accepted on Mon/Tues only, from 9 a.m. -11 a.m. or call 570-646-7456. A Volunteer meeting will be held at 8 am on the Monday of distribution. This will update all as to what is going on at the pantry. We salute the flag and Chuck prays for the volunteers & clients before we get the day started. MORE VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED. St. Maximilian Parish greatly appreciates the support of the advertisers allowing our congregation to receive this bulletin at no cost to the church. While we appreciate their support, we are not liable for any of their actions, fees, or services.