TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 SAINT JOHN OF GOD Office Telephones Parish Office/Residence...412-771-5646 Parish Fax...412-331-0678 Deacon Leonard Thomas...724-206-3210 Music Minister...412-812-4549 Catholic Parish Cemeteries Association... 412-256-9370 Social Hall (Bingo and Pizza Kitchen)... 412-331-8530 Mass Schedule Celebration of the Sacraments Infant Baptism: Call office to schedule. Adult Baptism: The R.C.I.A. program sees to the needs of adults who wish to become Catholic. Reconciliation (Confession): 3:30 PM to 4:15 (Church) and following the 4:30 PM Mass (Church) and by appointment. Holy Eucharist: Available for those who are sick and confined to home. Call the Parish Office and we will bring the Eucharist to you. Anointing of the Sick: Available for those who are seriously ill or anticipating surgery after Mass every Sunday at the Church. Marriage: Anyone who wishes to marry should contact the Office at least six months prior to the desired date. Inactive Catholics: Are lovingly welcome back to the faith. New Parishioners are joyfully invited to join our community. Please call the Parish Office. ~ Low Gluten Hosts Available For Communion ~ ~ See Priest Before Mass ~ Saturday Vigil...4:30 PM Church Sunday...9:45 AM Church Weekday Schedule Monday Friday...9:30 AM Church Confessions: Saturday 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM and 5:30 PM Rev. Louis F. Vallone Rev. Robert J. Zajdel Parish Clergy Rev. Regis J. Ryan Deacon Leonard Thomas Staff Ms. Elna Johnson, Director of Music Mrs. Mary Ann Jones, Director of Finances Mrs. Janice Lipa, Parish Secretary, parish@sjogparish.com Mr. Wayne Summers, Maintenance Supervisor Safe Environment Coordinator Mrs. Karen Vinci-Stack, 412-303-7745 Scheduler of Ministries Jeri Stotlemyer, sjogscat@gmail.com www.news.va/en (Vatican News) Bulletin Deadline: Tuesday Noon CHURCH: 1011 Church Ave. McKees Rocks, PA 15136 www.sjogparish.com
TWENTY- SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME MASS INTENTIONS Saturday, Sept. 1 to Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018 Saturday Vigil, Sept. 1: Anniv - Aurora Pachasa Short (Family) 4:30 PM Church Sunday, Sept. 2: 9:45 AM Church Lucio & Marie DiClemente (Son, Mike) WEEKDAYS 9:30 AM CHURCH Monday, Sept. 3, Labor Day: For All Workers Tuesday, Sept. 4: Eleanor Hermanowicz (Eleanor Jack) Tuesday, Sept. 4: St. Anthony Novena Prayers recited following the 9:30 AM Mass in St. Mary s Wednesday, Sept. 5: Thomasina Cosentino (A.Garofalo) Thursday, Sept. 6: Ed & Helen Hoolahan (M.Sullivan) Friday, Sept. 7: Parish Family of Saint John of God Friday, Sept. 7: Mother of Sorrows Novena Prayers recited following the 9:30 AM Mass in St. Mary s Church Saturday Vigil, Sept. 8: 4:30 PM Church Andrew, Ernest & Mary Litterini (Family) Sunday, Sept. 9: Tom Wagner (Drea & Family) 9:45 AM Church Readings for the Week of September 2, 2018 Sunday: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8/Ps 15:2-5 [1a]/Jas 1:17-18,21b-22, 27/Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Monday: 1 Cor 2:1-5/Ps 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102 [97]/Lk 4:16-30 Tuesday: 1 Cor 2:10b-16/Ps 145:8-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14 [17]/Lk 4:31-37 Wednesday: 1 Cor 3:1-9/Ps 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21 [12]/Lk 4:38-44 Thursday: 1 Cor 3:18-23/Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 [1]/Lk 5:1-11 Friday: 1 Cor 4:1-5/Ps 37:3-4, 5-6, 27-28, 39-40 [39a]/Lk 5:33-39 Saturday: Next Sunday: Mi 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30/Ps 13:6ab, 6c [Is 61:10]/Mt 1:1-16, 18-23 or 1:18-23 Is 35:4-7a/Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 [1b]/ Jas 2:1-5/Mk 7:31-37 AN OPEN INVITATION OF WELCOME Non-Catholics and non-parishioners are always welcomed guests. Inactive, unsure or irregular Catholics are lovingly encouraged to reconnect with the Faith. New parishioners are joyfully received in our community. Please call the parish office. Our hearts are large and there is plenty good room for all. holiday! PARISH OFFICE CLOSED In observance of the Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 3, the parish office will be closed. Please hold all calls until Tuesday, September 4, unless it is an emergency. Have a happy and safe BAPTISMAL PROGRAM FOR NEW AND EXPECTING PARENTS The class will be held next Sunday, September 9, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM in the Gathering Place at St. Mary s. To register or for more information, please call Tom Adams at 412-999-2985. MISSION APPEAL THIS WEEK This weekend, Sept. 1/2, we welcome Rev. Jose Antonio Gonzalez, Roman Catholic priest from the Institute of the Incarnate Word who will be speaking at all Masses about his missionary work. Please be as generous as your means allow. Note: All envelopes for St. John of God Parish should be put in the first collection. All monies donated in the second collection will be for the mission. Checks payable to St. John of God Parish. Thank you. HOW DOES A PERSON BECOME A CATHOLIC? The R.C.I.A. Program (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is a process within the Church for welcoming and initiating new members into the Catholic Faith. The program is for those who want to become Catholic or for a Catholic adult who has not received First Communion or Confirmation. If you or someone you know are interested, please call Tom Adams at 412-999-2985 or the parish office at 412-771-5646. Sessions will begin in September. More info to follow.
YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS High School teens are invited to the Faith Afloat boat cruise on Sunday, October 14, from 3 pm - 6 pm. This year s theme is: Perfect love casts out fear. The talks and the worship will equip teens to realize that God s love for them is greater than their biggest fears. The cruise will include dinner; a talk by Father Adam Potter; a witness by Sister Mary Gianna, DLJC; praise and worship led by the Holy Apostles Praise Band; and a dance party. Tickets are only $20 each. To sign up contact Mr. Swank at 412-771- 7480 or swankymca@gmail.com. PARISH WEEKEND ATTENDANCE August 25 / 26 Saturday... 426 Sunday... 337 Total Weekend Attendance... 763 PARISH FINANCIAL TOTALS For the Weekend of August 25 / 26 Regular Offertory Collection...$ 3,703.00 (This is ordinary income from contributions for the general running of the parish. It is subject to a 17.6% tax to the Diocese of Pittsburgh.) PARISH SHARE PROGRAM PSP Assessment for 2018... $ 78,384.00 PSP Collected since 12/1/17..(Thank You!)... $ 66,587.00 Remaining on 2018 Goal...$ 11,797.00 (This is the tax paid to the Diocese. We must remit this entire amount to the Diocese by Dec. 31. Any surplus then remains in the parish, tax free.) HOSPITAL Please pray for all parishioners who are in the hospital. Also for all those ill at home, in nursing homes, and shut-ins; that they may continue to receive the Lord s Blessings. SYMPATHY We wish to extend our sympathy to the Family of Anna Compomizzi Treemarchi whom God has called home. Please remember her and all our dearly departed and their families in your prayers. May the Angels lead them into paradise, may the martyrs receive them at their coming and take them to Jerusalem, the holy city. PARISH OFFICE HOURS: 9:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. (MONDAY THRU FRIDAY) QUOTE FROM THE POPE Prayer is never in vain: it always brings forth something new that, sooner or later, bears fruit. Pope Francis The Rosary is prayed at 9:00 AM before the 9:30 AM Mass Monday through Friday in St. Mary s Church. THE WEEK AHEAD Sept. 4 (Tues.) - St. Anthony Novena Prayers recited following the 9:30 AM Mass in St. Mary s Church Sept. 5 - WEDNESDAY NIGHT BINGO in MOS Social Hall - Doors open at 5 PM Early Birds, 7 PM and Regular Games begin at 7:15 PM. Sept. 7 (Fri.) - Mother of Sorrows Novena Prayers recited following 9:30 AM Mass, St. Mary s Church. PIZZA KITCHEN BACK SEPT. 7 And it will be FALAGONE FRIDAY! The Pizza Kitchen will be back from their summer hiatus this Friday, Sept. 7 with our famous menu of Pizzas, White Pizza, Pasta & Beans, Fried Cakes, Sandwich Buns, J.R. s Famous Pepperoni & Sausage Rolls, we also make Spinach Rolls and it will be Falagone Friday! To order please call 412-331-8530 between 8 AM and 1 PM on Friday, Sept. 7 and after. All orders must be picked up between 11 AM and 3:30 PM. We are happy to be coming back and look forward to seeing our customers! We have the best pizza in town! If you would be interested in helping at the Pizza Kitchen, there are a variety of jobs that you could do. Any amount of time you could spare on Thursday mornings for prep work or Fridays would be most appreciated. For more information, please call Eleanor Vith at 412-331-3832. PATRIOTIC ROSARY Join us for a Patriotic Rosary next Monday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 PM in the Church at St. Mary s. During the Rosary we will offer brief reflections written by our founding fathers and patriotic hymns. Please plan on taking 45 minutes from your week to pray the Rosary together for the consecration of our country, for our president, Congress, each of our 50 states, and for all municipal leaders.
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS Religious Education (CCD) classes at Saint Malachy Parish will begin next Sunday, Sept. 9 and Monday, Sept. 10. Please consult the posted rosters for your child s room assignment. Rosters for all sessions will be posted in the entrance way of the cafeteria. RE families are reminded to use the red cafeteria doors in the rear of the building to enter and exit. SAINT JOHN OF GOD ADULT CHOIR The Adult Choir of SJOG will hold rehearsals each Tuesday evening in St. Mary s Church from 7:00 to 9:00 pm beginning September 11. The Choir sings on a rotating Obligation Mass schedule (between the 4:30 pm and 9:45 am Masses) from September through May. The Choir is also scheduled for Christmas, Easter and other major occasions. Anyone interested in joining the Choir should contact the Music Director by phone 412-812-4549 or before or after any Mass with music. Light audition requirements will apply. WEDDING BANNS I - Brian Slonchka and Kimberly Ebert SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 Ask the Master of the Harvest to Send Out Laborers for His Harvest - As a nation, we pause this weekend to celebrate Labor Day and as Christians we are invited to give thanks and praise to God for the gift of human labor that enriches us. In our daily lives, our work is that which we do to make a living, to provide for our families and to share the gifts that God has given us. Our labor involves our hands and minds and hearts and truly becomes a reflection of the work of God in creating and sustaining the world. Yet, our labor does not end when the work day is over. The Lord also invites us, as people of faith, to labor in his vineyard. Our life of faith cannot be a passive endeavor. To sit back and simply let God do good for us does nothing when it comes to sharing faith and truth and making new disciples. Instead, our faith, like our work, is an active sharing of the gifts of will, intellect, strength and love that we have been given. On Mission for The Church Alive! invites us to labor in on behalf of the Church so that the seeds of faith can be planted in the hearts of others through word and deed. And as we invite others to follow God and enter into caring relationships with them, God can reap a bountiful harvest of the fruits of his love. Visit onmissionchurchalive.org to learn more and to stay informed. LADIES OF CHARITY NEWS BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP Have you suffered the loss of a loved one, are struggling with your feelings and wondering why people don t always understand? Meeting and sharing with others who also have experienced the death of a loved one can be a source of healing for you. Holy Trinity Parish is offering a Bereavement Support Group that is open to anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one. The group will offer an opportunity to meet with others who have a common experience of grief. It will provide a safe and healing environment where grieving individuals can listen, share and learn together. The group will meet on Monday evenings in the Holy Trinity Parish Ministry Center. The meetings will start each Monday at 6:30 pm and end at 8:00 pm. The first meeting will be on Monday, September 24, 2018 and the group will continue to meet for six consecutive Mondays, ending on November 5, 2018. Participants are strongly encouraged to register in advance. For more information or to register for the Bereavement Group, please contact Mary Stevens at 412-874-0604. We have been invited to join the Holy Trinity Ladies of Charity for their meeting on Thursday, Sept. 13. They initially meet at church for a Mass at 6:30 pm followed by their meeting. Some of us plan to go and all are invited. Then on Thursday, Sept. 20 we will host our meeting at 7 pm in the Gathering Place. The Holy Trinity group plans to attend. Please make time to attend both meetings, this is a great time for us to get to know each other and make plans to become one group. All women 18 years and older are welcome to attend and we welcome visitors. If you have any questions, please contact Alice Kilonsky at 412-331-6986. SAINT PADRE PIO A Mass in honor Saint Padre Pio will be celebrated on Monday, Sept. 24, 7 pm, at St. Augustine Church (Our Lady of Angels Parish) located at 225 37th St. in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh. As in past years, the public is welcome and relics of Padre Pio will be on display. The Sacrament of Confession will be offered from 6:00-6:50 pm.
BISHOP S EDUCATION FUND The annual Bishop s Education Fund collection will be taken up at all Masses next weekend, Sept. 8-9. Since the fund was established in 1995, more than 23.5 million has been raised. In the past 23 years, over $14 million is assistance has been given to over 44,000 children from nearly every parish in the Diocese. Many students in our Diocese want a Catholic school education, but a number of those students can only do so with financial assistance. The Bishop s Education Fund makes such assistance available. Please be as generous as possible in the second collection next weekend. LIFE CHAIN All SJOG parishioners are invited and encouraged to participate in Life Chain on Respect Life Sunday, October 7, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm at the St. Malachy upper parking lot. Life Chain is a peaceful and prayerful public witness of pro-life individuals standing for sixty minutes praying for our nation and for an end to abortion. It is a visual statement of solidarity by the Christian community that abortion kills children and that the Church supports the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Please join us! BAND FESTIVAL The Montour High School Band Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Montour High School Stadium on Clever Road and will feature Marching Bands from surrounding school areas including Sto-Rox High School. Concessions * 50/50 * Chinese Auction * Candy Grams will be available for purchase. Doors open at 5:45 pm Festival starts at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $5.00 and are available at the door or by any Montour Marching Band Member. A FAMILY PERSPECTIVE by Bud Ozar In today s Gospel Jesus warns what comes from within can defile a person. Families need to worry about outside influences but also about inside influences. The values our children carry for a life time are learned at home. Habits of the Hearth are the most powerful influences on a child. That s the good news! That can also be the bad news! SANCTUARY CANDLE - WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 2 ST. MARY S - IN MEMORY OF TAMMY ADAMS BY FAMILY STEEPLE CHASE FOOTBALL POOL We filled 3 football pools!! The pools are being distributed after the Masses at SJOG this weekend. Those not picked up are mailed to the addresses supplied. If you DO NOT receive yours either in church or the mail, please call Terry 412-331-3443. A big THANK YOU to everyone who purchased squares, to those who helped to prepare the grids and stuffed envelopes and to Jan Lipa (SJOG) and Jen Persuitte (SCAT) who played a major role in the communication and collection of entries. Every one of you is so kind and generous. Again, thanks to everyone. God Bless, enjoy rooting for your square and GO STEELERS!!!! LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR Saturday, September 15, the Little Sisters of the Poor Home at 1028 Benton Avenue, Pgh 15212 will be hosting a Spaghetti Dinner from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Tickets will be sold at the door and take out is available and credit cards accepted. $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for senior citizens and $5.00 for children. Meals include salad, bread, beverage and dessert. There will also be a separate bake sale, Gift Basket auction, 50/50 and fresh produce for sale. For more information please call the home at 412-307-1100. TRINITY TRAIL TREKKERS The Trinity Trail Trekkers are a group of cycling enthusiasts of all ages who come together a couple times a month to ride different bicycle trails in the area. They ve put together a calendar and welcome anyone to join them. It is suggested that your bicycle be in good shape and that your fitness level be on par with the mileage for any given ride (but feel free to challenge yourself!). Next Ride: Tuesday, September 11 Mill Creek Bikeway - Canfield, OH 30 miles - dinner on trip home if interested Meet at Holy Trinity Church at NOON Call Deacon Tim Killmeyer at 412-787-1472 if you have any questions or need more information. Please keep our Priests, Seminarians, Deacons and all Religious in your prayers. Saint John of God, Pray for us.
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 COME AND SEE High School men: come to encounter the Lord through a day of prayer, fun, and brotherhood on Saturday, September 29, from 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Saint Paul Seminary. The day will include Mass, adoration, games, a cookout, a bonfire, and dynamic talks with Father Mike Ackerman, Father Tom Sparacino and diocesan seminarians. No cost. To register, please email Theresa Sullivan at tsullivan@diopitt.org by Friday, September 21. SAM PRAYER MINISTRY (Substance Addiction Ministry) LIVE THE LITURGY In response to how the Pharisees and scribes lived their faith, Jesus said, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Both good and evil impulses come from our hearts. Which one has the upper hand depends on how well a person has taken in the mind and heart of God. How well we live our faith is determined by the same. As Pope Francis tells us, Jesus is present in all of our brothers and sisters, especially those who endure suffering like his own. Our world is full of tragedy, conflict, and suffering: slave labor, diseases, war, terrorism, exploitation, famine, human trafficking. We cannot simply pay lip service to the evils of the world... we must act! Drug and alcohol dependence and abuse causes great distress for both the afflicted and affected loved ones. The magnitude of the pain and suffering is so enormous it is impossible to calculate. But there is hope and there is help. The Substance Addiction Ministry (SAM) is a ministry of prayer, presentations and personal presence. On Thursday, September 6, 2018, the community SAM Team will gather in the Parish Family Room in the back of the church at St. Margaret Mary in Moon Township at 6:30 P.M., to pray a Rosary for Recovery for all those who are afflicted or affected, or have lost loved ones to addiction. Following the Rosary, there will be an opportunity to gather in fellowship. SAM is a supportive ministry for families and individuals and is NOT intended to replace counseling, therapy, treatment, or participation in 12-2tep programs. In a Troubled Marriage? Please call Retrouvaille at 412-277-3434 or email 3041@retrouvaille.org. More information is available at www.helpourmarriage.com. DO IT RIGHT CALL PAVE-RITE MOBILE 412-758-9217 FAX 412-264-8505 JACKAND@PAVERITE.NET JACK ANDERSON, PRESIDENT 1423 Fifth Ave., Coraopolis, PA 15108 FALL OPEN HOUSE Duquesne University s Fall Open House will be held on Sunday, September 16, with check in beginning at 8:30 am. Duquesne s Fall Open House is an opportunity for current high school seniors from all religious denominations and their families to speak with representatives from admissions, financial aid, academic departments and administration. During the day, there will be many opportunities to learn about college admissions procedures, classes, majors and career possibilities. Register with Duquesne s Office of Admission online at www.duq.edu/fallopenhouse. DIVORCED and SEPARATED SUPPORT GROUP The Divorced and Separated support group sponsored by Sts. John & Paul Parish will begin its next 13 week cycle of meetings on Monday, Sept. 10. This peer led group provides caring support to anyone who is experiencing the pain of separation or divorce. Topics covered include anger, loneliness, annulment, forgiveness, financial survival and more. Meetings are on Monday evenings from 7-9 pm and will be held at Sts. John & Paul Church in Rooms 8 & 9 in the lower Cardinal DiNardo Center. Anyone who has questions or would like more information should contact Ralph Joy, 412-741-5456 or ralph.r. joy@gmail.com. Sts. John & Paul s address is: 2586 Wexford Bayne Rd., Sewickley, PA. The church is located approximately 1/2 mile west of the I-79 Wexford exit. For directions please contact Ralph Joy or visit the Sts. John & Paul website http://stsjohnandpaul.org/. Diocesan Victim Assistance Hotline 1-888-808-1235
PASTOR'S CORNER Fr. Lou Vallone "When elephants do battle, it is the grass that gets crushed." African proverb In our Catholic Church, the elephants have been battling for several months, if not decades, now. Internationally, we have the "testimony" of a former Apostolic Nuncio filled with accusations of unimaginable corruption and a call for Pope Francis to resign. Nationally, we have the horrific revelations of a prince of the Church, Theodore McCarrick, exploiting priests and seminarians for his own lust as well as "credible and substantiated" accusations of abuse of minors. In our commonwealth, we have been assaulted by revelations of abuse accusations and charges of cover-ups, including names of those who we might have had interactions with as our priests in our respective parishes. And in our diocese we are on the precipice of a reorganization that will totally reconfigure our parish alignments and subject us to new clergy teams that are to lead and guide us into the unknown. I certainly feel like a blade of grass that is being crushed and crushed again. I imagine many of you have the same reaction. Although I have been trying to stay responsive and current with all these overloads in my homilies, group meetings, private responses, e-mails, phone calls, etc., I feel like I have been playing Whack-a-Mole - as soon as one head pops out of the hole and I swing at it, another pops up in another place. I know that I have responsibility as your Pastor to try to accompany you through these tough times, but I am afraid that I am as overwhelmed as you as to how to get a handle on it all. I have even more questions than you and perhaps even fewer answers. But I cannot avoid trying. Therefore, I am scheduling two evenings of prayer and dialogue on these issues, one for each of the parishes that I will so soon be leaving as Pastor. Each evening will begin with a short Service of Contrition and Reparation for the sins of the Church, and an open mike for about an hour to allow questions and discussion about how the grass is reacting and how it might spring up again. Each evening will take place in the Church building in front of our only True Shepherd and High Priest, Jesus Christ in the reserved Eucharist. I will be there in front and conduct the sessions exactly as I have done these many years in our Town Hall Meetings. If I know the answers, I will honestly give them. If I don't, I will admit that and try to find out what I can. The first will be at 6:30 PM in St. Catherine of Siena Church on Monday, September 10, 2018. The second will be at 6:30 PM in St. Mary Church of St. John of God Parish on Wednesday, September 12, 2018. No matter which Parish you belong to, you can feel free to attend either or both sessions. The issues are not merely parochial, but affect us all. Canon 518 and others in the code assign to the Pastor the spiritual welfare of ALL who are within the territorial boundaries of the parish, Catholic and non-catholic. Therefore, any one who wishes to attend either of these sessions - the bishop, the papal nuncio, any cardinals, vicars, atheists, Christians of other denominations, those of other or no religions, whomever - will for those couple of hours acquire the right of my responsibility to minister to your spiritual needs, no matter how limited my personal capacity may be to fulfill them. "Hope has two lovely daughters: anger and courage. Anger at the way things are: courage to try to change them." St. Augustine. You are invited to gather in faith, love and hope that the grass will flourish when the elephants are done. St. John of God Parish Membership Form Name Address City Zip Phone CHECK ONE: New Registration Change of Address Moving out of Parish Want Envelopes Please drop Membership Form into the offertory basket or mail to Rectory.