Saint Gertrude Parish A Pennsylvania Charitable Trust 303 Franklin Ave Vandergrift, Pennsylvania 15690 September 23, 2018 Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Fr. James Loew, O.S.B. Pastor, (724) 568-2331 Fax: (724) 568-2030 Fr. Arnel Estrella, Parochial Vicar Sr. Mercy Francis, S.M.I., Pastoral Minister Katie Tylinski (724) 212-6740 Regional Director of Faith Formation ktylinski@dioceseofgreensburg.org Mr. James Peterman Assistant to the Regional Director of Faith Formation (724) 568-2331 or (724) 845-8191. Cardinal Maida Academy Mrs. Patricia Visnick, Principal School Phone (724) 568-3304 School Fax (724) 567-1900 Baptisms By appointment. Baptismal preparation is necessary. Call for classes Marriage Arrangements must be made at least 8 months in advance. No marriage dates will be given until meeting with the priest and all preparation is ready. Sunday Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil 4:00 p.m. Sunday 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. Weekday Mass Schedule Monday, through Friday 8:30 a.m. Wednesday 9:15 a.m. School Mass Holy Day Mass Schedule Holy Day ~ 9:00 am, 6:00 pm Office Hours Monday-Thursday 9:00 am - 4:00 Friday Closed Confessions Saturday ~ 3:15-3:45 pm or by appointment Pastoral Council Mission Statement We, the partnered parish communities of St. Gertrude and Christ the King, are faith-filled Catholics who have been called by our Baptism and empowered by the Good News of Jesus Christ to be Church for all. Although made up of multicultural faith communities we are ever united by our common faith. We are committed to building up the Body of Christ through Word, Worship, Evangelization, Leadership, Service, Stewardship, and Fellowship. Dedicated to deepening our love of Christ and one another, together we strive to become a living reflection of Christ for our region. We willingly accept our obligation to be the Light of the World for others and in that spirit we promise to use our resources to practice gospel justice, to heal divisive wounds among God s People and to join with all people of good will in addressing the spiritual and physical needs of all.
ST. GERTRUDE PARISH Memorial Candle Victor DeSantis By His Wife & Son Sanctuary Lamp Nunzio & Maria Dettore By Family Treasures from Our Tradition How long have there been parochial schools in the United States? Longer than you may imagine. The Jesuit fathers opened Saint Mary School in Philadelphia in 1782 in the first light of independence. Catholic and Protestant squabbles about the nature of education forced the Fathers to make this risky and innovative venture in the heart of the city. The school was closed by a devastating fire in 1902, but reopened in 1968 as St. Mary Interparochial School, the first example of a shared parochial school. It is also the only Catholic school within the confines of a national park. This is the "Mother School" of this uniquely American institution. Many parochial schools, especially in "national parishes," were established to preserve the culture and language of the "old country," and also to protect young people from prejudice. In other countries, Ireland for one, the Church is authorized to run national schools, sometimes under the sponsorship of a parish. In still other places, such as Quebec, publiclyfunded "separate schools" were administered by the Church. Wherever the state funds Catholic schools, normally enrollment is guaranteed to all applicants. The Quebec system was dismantled in 1998 when the state decided to reorganize schools along linguistic lines rather than religious affiliation. Parochial schools require considerable sacrifice, but they endure as a distinctive treasure of the Church in the United States. Readings for the Week Monday: Prv 3:27-34; Ps 15:2-5; Lk 8:16-18 Tuesday: Prv 21:1-6, 10-13; Ps 119:1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44; Lk 8:19-21 Wednesday: Prv 30:5-9; Ps 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163; Lk 9:1-6 Thursday: Eccl 1:2-11; Ps 90:3-6, 12-14, 17bc; Lk 9:7-9 Friday: Eccl 3:1-11; Ps 144:1b, 2abc, 3-4; Lk 9:18-22 Saturday: Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 or Rv 12:7-12a;Ps 138:1-5; Jn 1:47-51 Sunday: Nm 11:25-19; Ps 19:8, 10, 12-14; Jas 5:1-6; Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 Today s Readings First Reading -- The wicked say: With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test (Wisdom 2:12, 17-20). Psalm -- The Lord upholds my life (Psalm 54). Second Reading -- The wisdom from above is full of mercy and good fruits (James 3:16 -- 4:3). Gospel -- Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me (Mark 9:30-37). Men s Club Pasta Dinner Raffle Saturday, October 20. Doors open at 5:30 pm. $25.00 a ticket, price includes Dinner and beverages. Please call the rectory for tickets. Dinner includes Lasagna, Salad, bread, dessert. Last ticket drawn could be worth $500. Catholic Daughters of America Catholic daughters of America court #1008 will hold their monthly meeting on October 2, at 7:00 pm in the church hall. All members are urged to attend. Spaghetti Dinner FINALLY spaghetti Dinners will resume!!!! September 27. Ministries asked to provide dessert and/or work at this dinner: Men s Club and Pastoral Council. Save the Date Blessing of pets on October 6, at 11:00am at St. Gertrude Parking lot all pets are welcome. If you have any suspicion about the sexual abuse (or any other type of abuse) of a minor child by anyone please contact PA Childline immediately at 1-800- 932-0313. If the alleged abuser is functioning in a parish, school or diocesan position as clergy, religious, paid staff or volunteer you are also requested to contact the Bishop s Delegate for Matters of Sexual Misconduct after you have called the Childline number and made the report. The Bishop s Delegate may be reached at 724-837- 0901, Ext. 1221.
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time September 23, 2018 September 29th & 30th 4:00p.m. ~ Ashley & Brianna Scanga 8:00a.m. ~ Joey & Nicholas DiFilippio 10:30a.m. ~ Maria Safranyos Cara Walker Collection September 15th & 16th Envelopes ~ $3,407.10 Loose ~ $205.00 Utilities ~ $83.00 Church Restoration $33.00 Utilities ~ $83.00 Mission Co-Operative Envelopes ~ $240.00 Loose ~ $1,319.52 Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Are you searching? For God, for community, for peace? St. Augustine stated that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. Could it be that you are searching for a place to belong? The RCIA consists of: Meeting with other inquirers to pray and share questions and concerns of faith. Sharing and reflecting on our life experiences with others. Learning about the tradition and history of the Catholic Church, while experiencing our beliefs and worship. Being connected to a community that worships together, seeks to serve others and joins in fellowship. We welcome the opportunity to talk to you about your situation and your needs. Please call the parish office at 724-845-8191 The Unprotected Fifty years after Pope Paul VI issued Humanae Vitae, the landmark encyclical reaffirming Church teaching against contraception, many Catholics still don t really understand the document and what it teaches. "The Unprotected," a documentary about this document, is planned to be shown at the Delmont A.M/C., 401 Vine St., Delmont on Oct. 4, 2018 from 7:30 to 9:20 PM. @ $10.00 per person. In order for the movie to be shown at least 59 people need to commit to this by Sept. 27. If you are interested in supporting this effort to bring this documentary to a local theater please go to www.unprotectedmovie.com, click on "now playing" to reserve your seat. Greensburg Central Catholic Greensburg Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School will host an open house, Make a Centurion Connection, Oct. 21 at the school, 911 Armory Drive, Greensburg. Doors open at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m. Register at www.gcchs.org or call 724-834-0310, ext. 214, or contact Melissa Hughes at mhughes@gcchs.org DCCW Annual Interfaith Prolife Prayer Breakfast Saturday, 10 AM to noon, October 20, 2018, Christ Our Shepherd Center, Greensburg. To register by October 8 th call 724-537-2064 or write rsvpf@hotmail.com. Theology on Tap Calling ALL young adults (single, married, parents, etc.)! Join us for Theology on Tap in the A-K Valley on Thursday, September 27, at 7:00 p.m. at Mogie s Irish Pub/Magill s Grill (3210 Leechburg Road, Lower Burrell, PA 15068). The topic of the evening is Celebrating the Eucharist: The glue that keeps the Church together presented by Fr. Ken Zaccagnini. Dinner will be provided, and babies in carriers are welcome! Invite a friend! Theology on Tap is a program for Catholic Young Adults and their friends to meet together at local bars, cafes, and restaurants to listen to a speaker, share conversation, and gain new insights into the faith. For further information, please contact Ariel Schroeder at ASchroeder@dioceseofgreensburg.org or Katie Tylinski at KTylinski@dioceseofgreensburg.org or find us on Facebook at Theology on Tap in the A-K Valley (@akvalleytot). No need to RSVP, just show up!
People of all ages are welcome to a end our Youth Mass on Sunday, September 23 rd at 5:00 PM at St. James. There is an A er Mass Party (AMP) immediately following Mass in the church hall. Families with a last name beginning with (A-P) are asked to bring a side dish and last name beginning with (Q-Z) are asked to bring a dessert. We are looking for readers, altar servers, ushers and greeters in 6 th -12 th grades for the Youth Masses. We need volunteers for the AMP in order for it to con nue. Please sign up ASAP. Region 2 Faith Forma on Calendar of Sessions for Fall 2018 (6:00-7:30 PM at the former St. James School) for grades K-5 September: 16 th --First session October: 7th & 21 st November: 4 th & 18 th December: 2nd & 16 th FUSED 4 ~ September LIFETEEN/EDGE CALENDAR (EDGE: Grades 6 th -8 th /LIFETEEN: grades 9 th 12 th ~ St. James Parish Underground/Upper Rooms ~ 6:00-7:30 PM) 9 th Confirmation Retreat for 8 th graders/sponsors ~ 16 th First EDGE/LIFETEEN session ~23 rd Youth Mass at St. James at 5:00 PM with After Mass Party (AMP) to follow in the hall ~ 28 th 6 th -8 th graders: NET Retreat at St. John the Baptist, Delmont 4:15 PM-10:45 PM ~ 30 th Catechist Retreat at St. James/NO EDGE/NO LIFETEEN Looking for ways to help pay for activities/conferences/ retreats? We are excited about an upcoming year-round fundraising opportunity! We are looking for parents to volunteer to help with BINGO roughly once a month at Our Lady Queen of Peace for a few hours on a Sunday. Please contact the Faith Formation Office if you are interested in being put on the schedule. This is a great way to earn money towards youth events. Please sign up ASAP. Volunteers are needed soon! 6 th -8 th graders: You won t want to miss the NET Retreat at St. John the Baptist de la Salle in Delmont on Friday, September 28, 2018. Cost: only $5. We will leave St. James at 4:15 and return around 10:45 PM. Meet youth from all over our Diocese, have fun and hear what some amazing young adult speakers have to say! Confirmation students are strongly encouraged to attend! Please RSVP by Monday, September 17 th.
Saturday, September 22, Vigil Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 4:00p.m. Helen & James Loew Sunday, September 23, Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00a.m. Living and Deceased of our Parish 10:30a.m. James, Barbara & Henry Elefante Monday, September 24, Weekday Lawrence Micolis Tuesday, September 25, Weekday Louis Cocco Wednesday, September 26, Weekday 9:00a.m. Patrick Caugherty Thursday, September 27, St. Vincent de Paul Victor Desantis Friday, September 28, Weekday Marlene Dawkins Saturday, September 29, St. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, Archangels 1.00p.m. Mass at Christ The King Wedding of Devalyn Rollinger & Skyler Staley Saturday, September 29, Vigil, Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 4:00p.m. Bruno R. & Josephine Marsili Sunday, September 30, Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00a.m. Living and Deceased of Our Parish 10:30a.m. Marlene Dawkins