Reverend Daniel T. Straughn, S.T.L., Pastor 1101 Romine Avenue, McKeesport, Pennsylvania 15133 (412)678-6275 8 January 2012
MONDAY, January 9, The Baptism of the Lord COMMUNION SERVICE (Intention Fulfilled Privately) 8:30am MARY LOU KUMF... LB (Terri, Bruce & Matt Gazdag) TUESDAY, January 10, Weekday 8:30am MARY BARAN... PV (Elvira & Stearl) WEDNESDAY, January 11, Weekday 8:30am JAMES T. REILLY... LB (Lisa DiAntonio & Rose Mikel) THURSDAY, January 12, Weekday COMMUNION SERVICE (Intention Fulfilled Privately) 8:30am DECEASED FAMILY MEMBERS... PV (Melvin & Elena Plan) FRIDAY, January 13, Weekday 8:30am DOLORES BARCHIE... LB (Ann & Joe Falsone) SATURDAY, January 14, Weekday 8:30am DENNIS MINKUS... PV (Mom & family) 6:00pm FOR THE PEOPLE OF SAINT MARK... LB SUNDAY, January 15, Second Sunday of Ordinary Time 8:00am LAURI BURI... PV (Phyllis, Cathy & Jeff) 11:00am The Epiphany of The Lord January 8, 2012 We have been called out of the darkness! MARY, DEMETER & JOE BARAN... PV (Baran family) Deepen your relationship with Christ by reading the scriptures. Scripture Readings for the Week of January 8, 2012 Sunday: Is 60:1-6/Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12 Monday: Is 42:1-4, 6-7 or Is 55:1-11 or Acts 10:34-38 or or 1 Jn 5:1-9/Mk 1:7-11 Tuesday: 1 Sm 1:9-20/Mk 1:21-28 or 1 Sm 1:1-8 and 1:9-20/Mk 1:14-20 and 1:21-28 Wednesday: 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20/Mk 1:29-39 Thursday: 1 Sm 4:1-11/Mk 1:40-45 Friday: 1 Sm 8:4-7, 10-22a/Mk 2:1-12 Saturday: 1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1/Mk 2:13-17 Next Sunday: 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19/1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20/Jn 1:35-42 LIBERTY/PORTVUE BOROUGHS, PA Stewardship: Offertory for December 25, 2011... $9,534.51 Christmas Collection... $9,656.65 Christmas Charities... $2,039.00 Thank you for your continued support! Additional Donations for Christmas Flowers In Memory of: Donated By: Roberta, Edith & Andrew.....Robert Obusek Peter E. Petrulli.....M/M Lawrence Moisey Charles B. Tedrick, Jr.....M/M Stephen Tedrick Helen & George Marnell...M/M Jaime DeCarlo John M. Simko (Husband)....Mrs. Margaret Simko M/M Stephen Maleski (in-laws) Deacon Steve Pikula Hoak, Schultz, Reynolds, Jamnicky Families. M/M Clifford Hoak Arthur & Jayne Glaser and Annette Glaser...Mrs. Annette Glaser Living & Deceased of Buono & Pomycala Families..M/M Richard Pomycala Help is Needed Help is needed for UNDECORATING on Sunday, January 8 at 10:00am at the Liberty site and on Monday, January 9 at 7:00pm at the Port Vue site. The church environment is an integral part of Saint Mark Parish please plan to support this parish endeavor. You are needed & appreciated! Youth Group Bingo Saint Mark Youth Group will hold its annual fall/holiday bingo on January 13, 2012. Tickets are available by calling Lori DiMarco at 412-583-2293. Hope to see you there! Parish Share Update PSP Assessment $62,315.00 Paid to date: 57,088.00 Amount Owed: $ 5,227.00 Amount owed will be paid from operating funds unless donations are received. If you have not made a donation to the 2011 Parish Share Campaign, please do so as soon as possible. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Monday/ 6:30-7:30pm with Rosary at 7:15pm/Liberty Boro Rosary recited before daily morning Mass. Miraculous Medal Novena on Wednesday after Mass.
THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD JANUARY 8, 2011 National Choir Appreciation Sunday For the first time ever, a national campaign has been launched for church choirs and music ministers across America to celebrate their musical members who volunteer their time and talents. Sunday, January 8, 2012 has been designated as National Choir Appreciation Sunday. There are more than 32.5 million choir members in churches around the country, and collectively, they volunteer 8.5 billion hours every year. We are most grateful for our music ministers who serve in our Adult Choir, Handbell Choir, Contemporary Ensemble, Children's Choir, and Youth and Adult Instrumentalists. These ministers of Saint Mark, who number over fifty volunteers, serve our parish faithfully and help us to lift our voices and hearts in sounds of joy filled praise to God. Here's how you can show your appreciation: We have a chance to win $5,000.00 to support our Music Ministry program. If you have access to a computer, please log on to www.choirappreciationsunday.com/sweepstakes.php and vote for. Be sure to enter zip code 15133. It is a secure site operated by Ministry Resources and they will not share your information. The winner is not determined by number of votes, but rather, by luck of the draw. The more online votes we have for our parish, the more we increase our chances of winning. It's free money and it won't cost you anything to vote except for literally one minute of your time. Please spread the word and ask your family and friends to help us. We are truly grateful for your continued support!
LIBERTY/PORTVUE BOROUGHS, PA A Spiritual Exercise for the New Year (by Doctor Maureen Crossen) As we enter into another year, it is a good time to review the ways in which God works in our lives. One way to do this is through an ancient Jewish song called or that would have been enough for us. Start with your earliest memory of how God has worked in your life, and see how God has increased His blessings, even in terms of courage through difficult times. The reflection might go like this: If God had given me life, and not placed me in my family, that would have been enough. Try to list all that God has done in your life, where just one thing would have been enough, but that, through change, God has increased in you love and the virtues you needed to move you through difficult times. As the Jewish people celebrate: If God had created us and not given us the Sabbath, If God had given us the Sabbath and not given us the Patriarchs, If God had brought us out of Egypt and not given us the Torah, If God had given us the Torah, and led us to the Promised Land, A Christian version: If Jesus had been born in the flesh, and not taught us through the parables, If Jesus had taught us through the parables and not worked great signs through miracles, If Jesus had risen and not ascended into heaven, What is for you personally? As a family? As a parish? THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Today, we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, in which we remember the adoration of the newborn Christ by three wise men from the East. This should leave no doubt in anyone's mind just how far and wide the promise of a Savior had spread. These representatives of pagan religions from other lands were determined to pay their respects; it was as if they were born to do this-to acknowledge in some way the beginning of the greatest reign of the greatest king of all. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that the Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and savior of the world (CCC 528). In the three wise men from different lands and different religions, we understand that in Jesus Christ, all are welcome. The Epiphany is the third manifestation of the mystery of the Incarnation, following the Annunciation and the birth of Christ. Today is truly the beginning of the paschal mystery. 2008 Liturgical Publications Inc
THE EPIPHANY OF JUNE THE LORD 2, 2002 JANUARY 8, 2012 Stewardship Team Meeting Tuesday, January 24 / 7:00pm / Father Rowan Hall / The Stewardship Team will be meeting to discuss fundraising ideas for 2012. Everyone is welcome to attend, and express your concerns and ideas for the future of Saint Mark Parish. Please come and be a part of keeping our Church Alive in 2012!. Eucharistic Ministers Needed An Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion is urgently needed to bring the Eucharist (Holy Communion) to patients at UPMC McKeesport Hospital. If you are interested, please contact Deacon Dale DiSanto at 412-664- 2057 or Joe Stipanovic at 412-678-1213. Joe is helping Deacon Dale, the Director of the Pastoral Care Office at UPMC to fulfill this need. THANK YOU! Baptism Instruction Class The next Baptism Class for parents will be held on Tuesday, January 10, 7:00pm at Saint Mark Parish in the Library at the Port Vue site. Please call 412-678- 6275 to register. This class is required prior to Baptism. $1,300 January Lottery Raffle Winner The winner of the Lottery Raffle that played on Monday, January 2 will be announced in next week s bulletin. $1,300 February Lottery Raffle Tickets for February s $1,300 Lottery Raffle will be sold after all Masses this weekend. Your support of this important parish fundraiser is appreciated! - Saint Mark Parish 50/50 Winner Congratulations to Janet Thomas, our 50/50 winner for December. The winning envelope number was 222 and the CASH prize was $555.00. You could be the winner for the January drawing. Just enter your 50/50 envelope in the collection basket with a $5.00 donation. The next drawing will take place on Monday, January 30, 2012. SAINT JOSEPH REGIONAL SCHOOL After a wonderful Christmas break, school is once again filled with learning, laughter and enthusiasm. We continue to keep you in our prayers as we journey in TRUST together in 2012! Looking forward: Tues. Jan. 10 School Board Meeting, 7:00pm, School Library Wed. Jan. 11 PTG Meeting, 7:00pm, Cafeteria Reminder: Keep those Box tops and Campbell Soup labels coming [include UPC code with labels]!!! Have a blessed and peaceful New Year, Dianne Tima, Principal The Story Behind the New Roman Missal Benedictine Father Anthony Ruff will speak about the recent changes to the Roman Missal and the process by which those changes were adopted on Thursday, January 12, 2012 from 7-9pm at the Father Ryan Arts Center, 420 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks 15136. Father Ruff is a prominent liturgical scholar and professor of liturgy at Saint John s University in Collegeville, Minnesota and was an early participant in the official discussions leading to the changes. For more information please contact Sister Barbara Finch at 412-716-9750 or b.a.finch@att.net. Anniversary or Marriage Announcement for Pittsburgh Catholic Planning to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage or a 50th Anniversary in the next six months? Celebrated the Sacrament of Marriage or a 50th Anniversary in the past six months? Share your joyful announcement with the rest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in the Pittsburgh Catholic s full-color Wedding Guide to be released in February 2012! Send your color photograph and 110 words postmarked on or before Friday, January 13 to: Wedding Guide, Pittsburgh Catholic, 135 First Avenue, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15222; or e-mail carendash@pittsburghcatholic.org. Hard-copy photos will be returned to those providing a self-addressed stamped envelope. Saint Mark Parish Membership Form NAME ADDRESS CITY PHONE (home) other E-MAIL CHECK ONE: New Registration Change of Address Moving out of Parish Want Envelopes Please drop Membership Form into the offertory basket or mail to Administration Center.