TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 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: 724-346-5531 Mr. Joshua Testa, Principal St. John Paul II: 724-342-2205 PARISHIONER PRE-REGISTRATION FORM NAME STREET CITY & ZIP PHONE E-Mail 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 rectory office at 724-981-3232. Prayer Line: For intentions, please call 724-342-3456. * Stop by the church office * See Fr. Tom after es * Fill out a reservation form located at each exit.
PASTOR S COLUMN GIFT CARD SCAM: Scam artists posing as parish priests are sending email requests to parishioners and parish volunteers to purchase gift cards. Should you receive an unsolicited request to purchase gift cards or other items, exercise extreme caution. Contact the person or entity by using official contact information only. Do not use contact information in the potential fraudulent request. In this age when personal data can be misused by scam artists, please be aware that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, clergy, and entities such as parishes and schools will never solicit your personal or business information by any method unless initiated by you. In one version of this imposter fraud scheme, con artists send out emails purporting to be from the Pastor of the church asking for emergency donations to help someone in need. The email, which uses the Pastor s name but a phony email address, instructs the recipient to provide the money by purchasing an itunes gift card and mailing it to a different address. FALL RAFFLE SPLIT TICKET SALE: After all the es this weekend we will be selling Split Tickets for the Fall Raffle. You can purchase $20, $25, or $50 of a Fall Raffle Ticket. We will find other people to purchase the remainder of the ticket. The winnings are split according to the percent you purchased. FALL RAFFLE: We will again be holding a Fall Raffle with top prize being $10,000. There are also additional prizes of $2,000 and $1,000. Tickets are on sale now. Tickets again are $100 each and the purchase of a ticket admits one person to a dinner to be held in the Guild Hall on Saturday, October 13, at 6:45pm and the drawing will take place at the dinner. This is the major fund raiser for our parish and we are asking all parishioners to help in selling, or buying tickets. As in the past, there will be opportunities to split tickets with others. If you can help with selling tickets, please contact Fr. Tom or the parish office. To purchase a ticket: 1. Weekdays, stop in the church office during regular office hours. 2. See Fr. Tom after all weekend es. 3. Fill out a reservation form, which are located at each entrance and return the form along with your payment in the Sunday collection or by mail and your ticket stub will be mailed to you. CEMETERY LAWN CARE: We are in the process of taking bids for cutting grass at both St. Mary Cemetery and St. Rose Cemetery. If you are interested in bidding this job please contact the Cemetery at 724-346-3711. PARISH COUNCIL NOMINATIONS: In December a few members of Parish Council will be completing their terms and we are looking for people who may be interested in serving in their place. If there is someone you would like to nominate, or if you wish to nominate yourself, please write their/your name on a piece of paper, place it in an envelope and drop it the collection basket or at the parish office by November 4. To be eligible to serve on council: You need to be a registered member of St. Joseph Parish for at least one year, You must be at least 18 years of age and have been confirmed, You cannot be a parent, child, or cohabitant of any other member of Council. REFLECTION ON THE READINGS: The first reading and the gospel have the common theme that God does not always work in the expected ways, sometimes even God works outside the box. In the first reading 72 men were put on a list to be given a share of the spirit of Moses, but only 70 of them come to the tent of meeting to receive that spirit. But somehow the two who didn t show up are found prophesying in the camp. This causes Joshua to complain to Moses that this shouldn t be happening. Moses replies that it would be great if all God s people were prophets. In the gospel a similar situation happens when the disciple John sees a man exorcising demons in Jesus name even though he is not one of the disciples of Jesus. John attempts to stop him by complaining to Jesus who says Whoever is not against us is with us. We need to remember this theme of the readings in those times when we think we have God figured out and we think this is how God should act. Or in those times when we put down other religions or people even though they are doing good works as disciples of Jesus. God has a plan that doesn t always work according to the way we think it should. We need to be open to the surprises God works in our lives and in our world because they are always good surprises.
Reflections on the Readings continued In the second reading James continues to scrutinize what is happening in his community. We need to be careful with today s reading. James is not saying that wealth is evil. We all know people who have been blessed with worldly wealth who are extremely generous to those in need. We also know those who have been very unjust in obtaining their wealth and then very selfish with it. James is speaking about the latter group. All of us are called to use our gifts and wealth in service of those in need. The gospel also presents us with some very graphic language, which we need to interpret figuratively and not literally. We don t see a lot of people who have cut off an arm or a leg, or plucked out their eyes in order to be followers of Jesus. The language is exaggerated to make a point. What is it that we need to cut out of our lives to be more faithful to the love of Jesus? The gospel also gives us some language about hell, or Gehenna, as it is often called. Historically, this referred to a valley just outside the city of Jerusalem and once the site of Canaanite human sacrifice. The Israelites had converted this into a garbage dump where the stench of burning refuse became a constant reminder of corruption and a symbol of punishment. FEATURED FOOD PANTRY ITEM Toothpaste Next week s featured item - toothpaste. Please place your donation in the shopping cart located in the Gathering Space! UPCOMING FEATURED ITEMS Canned Fruit - Cereal - Crackers If you d like to volunteer, please report to the church s lower level at 8:00am on our next distribution day, Friday, October 5. Child protection and creating safe environments diocesan child protection policies: The Diocese of Erie, along with all dioceses of the United States, has policies and procedures in place to address the national problem of child abuse and to aid in creating safe environments. The diocese is committed to ongoing screening and training of paid or volunteer persons who have regular contact with our children and youth under the age of 18. It is also committed to the yearly in-service and training of our children, youth and parents regarding touching-safety and safe environments. To see what the Diocese of Erie is doing to help create safe environments, go to https:// www.eriercd.org/childprotection/. PARISH APP Download our parish app to your phone by texting APP to 88202. WEEKEND COLLECTION September 24, Number of Adult envelopes sent.. 889 Number of Adult envelopes used. 237 Number of unused envelopes... 652 Sunday Offertory......$ 8,410 Budgeted Offertory....$10,650 Deficit.......($ 2,240) Other Collections: Catholic Education...$ 95 Latin America..$ 25 PLEASE PRAY FOR: Tony Perry, Margie B., Darlene Lenhart, Chris Pass, Mary Lou Brandon, Joyce Reardon, Lorraine Penhos and Bill Lasche. WELCOME Baptized this weekend is Kayson Joseph Kovac, son of George and Cassie Kovac. MINISTRY SCHEDULES Eucharistic Minister * Lector * Altar Server * Greeter The 4th quarter Ministry Schedule for weekend es, October 7 through December 30 is now LIVE and available online via the Web Terminal. Please log on to https:// www.rotundasoftware.com/ministry/stjosephchurchsharon to view and/or print your schedule. For those who do not have internet access you will receive your schedule in the mail. ST. JOSEPH QUILTERS invites anyone that would be interested or is considering joining the St. Joseph Quilters. The quilter s group meets at 9:30am the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month in the choir room and no experience is needed! Most of our finished quilted items are donated to local nursing homes, to children and new this year, to our shut-ins. If you have any further questions, please call Joann at 330-448-8733. ST. ANTHONY CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE Wed., 3 2:00pm to 6:00pm Thurs. & Fri., 4 & 5 8:30am to 3:00pm Rummage Sale will be held in the Antonium which is located on Sherman Ave. Handicap Accessible. Altar flowers are donated in thanksgiving to God and in memory of Deceased Members of the Lasche & Weiner Families by Dr. & Mrs. Robert Weiner
Intentions +Indicates Time Monday, October 1 Jb 1: 6-22 / Lk 9: 46-50 +8:00 Rita Bateman (Les and Darlene Lenhart) *7:00 Liturgy Meeting Tuesday, October 2 Jb 3: 1-3, 11-17, 20-23 / Mt 18: 1-5, 10 +8:00 Mickey Rossi (Laurie and Joe Rossi) Wednesday, October 3-Jb 9: 1-12, 14-16 / Lk 9: 57-62 +12:10 Living and Deceased *2:30 West Hill Ministries Thursday, October 4-Jb 19: 21-27 / Lk 10: 1-12 +8:00 Joe Perrine (Paula and Robert Harenchar) *2:30 West Hill Ministries *6:00 RCIA-Choir Room Friday, October 5-Jb 38: 1, 12-21; 40:3-5 / Lk 10: 13-16 +8:00 Bob Wiesen (Family) Saturday, October 6-Gn 2: 18-24 / Heb 2: 9-11 / Mk 10: 2-16 or 10:2-12 Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time +5:15 Deceased Members of the Koch Family (Carol) Sunday, October 7 Gn 2: 18-24 / Heb 2: 9-11 / Mk 10: 2-16 or 10:2-12 Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time +8:30 James Whitman (Family) +11:00 Nick Mariotti (Marge and Family) Saturday, 6, Vigil 5:15 PM Ministry Schedule for October 6/7 J. Bonomo A. Djakovich, B. Lepore, P. Dach, N. Alexander, S. Messina, D. Dach, K. Bonomo M. Jordan, N Jordan, D. Eller GS: B. Charles, F. Giroski Fr: L. Volansky Sunday, 7, 8:30 AM Sunday, 7, 11:00 AM S. Cleary S. Delp, M. Christman, L. Vasconi, P. Miller, K. Anglin, M. Orchard, J. Mausser A. Schupp, S. Schupp, N. Schupp GS: C. Dunn M. Joseph M. Weiner, P. Piccirilli, D. Ranelli, J. Grandy, M. Goodwin, S. Feeney, M. Smith, L. Dach, J. Kaibas, A. U Halie, M. B. Jones I. Bianco, M. Bundrant, B. Dach, C. Joseph GS: B. Shelley, A. Ward Fr: C. Krochka, T. McCallen CL O. Pacsi WEEKDAY-HOSPITAL SUNDAY, Oct 7 2 - P. Heldorfer SRHS - P. Dach 3 - K. Muller Nugent - P. Emery 4 - F. Giroski Clepper - D. Ranelli
Anointing of the Sick A Sacrament of Healing COMMUNAL ANOINTING OF THE SICK We will celebrate the anointing of the sick at all the es on the weekend of October 13 and 14. We ask those taking part in this sacrament to stop at the table as you enter, have a name tag made, and sit toward the end of the pew. Now Available -Split Ticket Sales- More details on how to purchase a ticket inside today s bulletin! jxävéåx St. Joseph Parish Welcomes All New Parishioners We hope you find warmth and hospitality at our parish as well as St. Joseph Church being nurturing and spiritually enriching. If you are considering or would like to join our parish community, we invite you to please take a Welcome Packet located at each exit or fill out the Pre- Registration form on the front cover of the bulletin and drop in today s collection basket and a census form will be mailed to you.