Saint Maria Goretti Church Reverend James J. Walsh, J.C.L. - Pastor Reverend Dr. Michael Imbrogno - Deacon 42 Redwood Drive, Laflin, PA 18702 Telephone # 570-655-8956 Fax # 570-655-1746 email: 42redwood@comcast.nett www.stmariagoretti-laflin.org
October 14, 2018-28th Sunday of Ordinary Time PASTOR S NOTES 1. TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY: FIRST READING: The author prefers prudence and the spirit of wisdom to riches. Wisdom s value surpasses that of health. With wisdom comes a different kind of goodness and incomparable riches unequaled by monetary or material gains. SECOND READING: The Word of God gets into the marrow of our bones and finds its way in between our soul and spirit. So alive is God s Word that it knows our self-reflection and musings of our heart. We might try, but we can hide nothing from the Word. GOSPEL: Living God s commandments puts us on the path to eternal life. However, as the man with many possessions finds out, he also must sell everything he has, give to the poor, and then follow Jesus. Surely, the man thought this a lot to ask. But in his sadness, what he does not yet recognize is salvation is impossible for human beings, but not for God. There is a longer and short form of today s readings. 2. ALL SOULS DAY: This annual day of remembrance for all our beloved dead will once again be celebrated Friday, November 2 nd. The liturgy will be celebrated in the church at 8:00 a.m. At 5:30 p.m. it will be celebrated again, prefaced with the entrance luminarium procession. As part of the entrance procession candles, in memory of all those parishoners who have passed away since last year s November 2 nd, 2017, to the present, will be carried to the sanctuary, where their name will be read, as the candle is placed in a special place near the special stand containing the memorial envelopes for the November month of all souls. Letters of invitation have been mailed to the families of those who have passed. And, October 28 s bulletin will contain an insert with these names of our deceased. Special All Souls Envelopes can be found in your packets (EXTRA are available in the racks between the two sets of wooden entrance doors). Those returned will be placed in the special memorial pillar which will rest near the tabernacle, for the month of November; and the names on them will be remembered at the 9 novena masses celebrated for their intention. 3. CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES/FUND RAISERS FOR 2018: f A. PASTA DINNER: Sunday, November 11 th, at the usual times. B. CRAFT SHOW: Saturday, November 17 th : 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Sunday, November 18 th : 9:00 a.m. to3:00 p.m. C. ADVENT/CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE : Week-end of November 24/25. The tree with tags-for-gifts will again be placed in the vestibule for parishioners to take & return with gifts for local children in need. 4. ADVENT CANDLES MEMORIALIZATION: In the past, parishioners have been interested in memorializing loved ones by underwriting the cost of these four (4) candles which circle our Advent wreath. I cannot recall who they have been. I am offering the same this year: either to the previous person(s), or any parishioner on a first come basis. Candles can be memorialized individually, or any number that anyone may have an interest in doing so. Please contact the office for price & details. Advent begins Sunday, December 02. 5. PARISH FINANCE COUNCIL: This council will meet Tuesday, October 18 th, in the rectory, at 6:00 p.m. 6. CLOSING CELEBRATION OF THE 150 th ANNIVERSARY YEAR FOR THE DIOCESE OF SCRANTON: Recognizing that a most fitting way to conclude the anniversary will be with a view to the future, the closing event will be the #leavemark18 fathering planned for November 4th, 2018. This is the third year for this lively gathering of the young church with Bishop Bambera, at the Cathedral of St. Peter, 5:00pm Mass and reception --and for this year it will also provide the opportunity for the young adults who gather to accept the invitation to shape the future of the Church of Scranton for generations to come. 7. 2019 YOUTH RALLY AND MASS FOR LIFE: This event is scheduled for Friday, January 18, 2019 in Washington, DC at the Capital One Arena (formerly the Verizon Center) which is the morning of the National March for Life. In order to ensure that more groups are able to attend the rally and celebrate as a diocese in one location, tickets must be reserved through the diocese. We must respond with the requested number of tickets for youth (and adult chaperones) from our parish by October 31, 2018 so that the request can be submitted to the sponsoring agency at the Archdiocese of Washington. To find out more about the Youth Rally and Mass for Life, you may visit youthrallyandmassforlife.org or www.facebook.com/youthrallyandmassforlive. Our young adults (18-35 year olds) are invited and encouraged to attend this celebration. If you are interested in going, please contact the parish office at 570-655-8956 during regular office hours.
October 14, 2018-28th Sunday of Ordinary Time Weekend of October 6-7, 2018 Sacrificial Offering $5,977.75 Care & Education of Priests $60.00 Hurricane Florence Collection $1,124.06 Hughestown Parks & Recreation Holiday Gift & Craft Fair When: Sunday, Nov. 4th from 10am - 3pm Where: Pittston Area Primary Center 210 Rock Street, Hughestown, PA 18640 Altar & Rosary Society Bingo When: Sunday, Oct. 21st from 1pm - 4pm Where: St. Aloysius Church 143 W. Division St., Wilkes-Barre Padden Hall (Cafeteria, rear of the school) Doors open at noon. Tickets are $10. Prizes range from gift cards, large theme baskets, seasonal/holiday items, cash and many specialty items. Alexandrian Folkloric Dance Ensemble When: Friday, Oct. 19 at 8:00pm Where: Kirby Center for the Creative Arts at the Wyoming Seminary Upper School 260 N. Sprague Ave., Kingston A free will offering will be greatly appreciated. Help is needed with various aspects of this event. Anyone interested in helping in any way please call Raphael Micca (570-301-9253), Mike Stretanski (570-817-3430), or Betty Habler (570-288-0747). CRAFT SHOW & SPECIALTY BASKETS We will once again feature the Specialty Basket Raffle which will be chanced off at the end of our Craft Show which is being held on November 17th & 18th. We are soliciting area businesses, along with parishioners, for donations of Gift Cards/Certificates to area restaurants, supermarkets, movie theaters, or stores like hardware stores, toy stores, car washes, bath & beauty stores, holiday items, etc. We need donations of NEW ITEMS which can be included in the baskets. Each basket will have a value of at least $150 so we do need a lot of donations. Tickets for the Specialty Baskets will be sold during our Pasta Dinner on November 11th, after all our Masses on that day and during the Craft Show the following weekend. Toy Bingo When: Sunday, Nov. 4th Where: St. Mary s Byzantine Social Hall 522 Madison St., Wilkes-Barre Doors open at noon and games begin at 1:00pm. Admission is $10 which includes three regular bingo cards. Food, Special Bingo Games, Basket Raffle, and other games of chance will also be available for purchase. Seating is limited and this event sold out the last two years. Purchasing of tickets as soon as possible is strongly recommended. For tickets or additional information, call Mary at the Parish Office at 570-823-4988. University of Scranton Open House The University of Scranton will host two open houses for prospective students and their families on Sunday, Oct. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 4. For additional information contact the Admissions Office at 1-888-SCRANTON or visit www.scranton.edu/admissions. Notice Regarding Reporting Sexual Abuse of a Minor It is the policy of the Diocese of Scranton to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse committed by a priest, deacon, religious or lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton, you are encouraged to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania s Child Protective Services Laws, reports of suspected child abuse should also be made immediately by phone to the 24-Hour Child Abuse hotline (ChildLine) at 1-800-932-0313 or electronically at www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis It is also the policy of the Diocese to adhere to all civil and state regulations. To this end, the Diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of the Code of Canon Law and to upholding the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such, information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator Mary Beth Pacuska at (570-862-7551) or to Diocesan officials, including the Vicar General, Monsignor Thomas M. Muldowney, V.G., at (570-207-2269).
C.C.D. SCHEDULE Classes are held in the learning center (lower level of the church) from 9:30am to 10:45am. OCTOBER: 14th (Protecting God s Children Lesson) 21st Regular classes 6pm Young Adult Workshop (grades 7-12) 28th 11am liturgy involving 6th grade students LAFLIN HALLOWEEN PARTY Where: St. Maria Goretti Church Hall When: October 28 from 1-3pm Our annual Halloween party will occur on 10/28 from 1-3p.m. at St. Maria Goretti church hall. Party is open to children and grandchildren of Laflin residents. Children up to the age of 12 are welcome. Please come in costume. There will be a live animal program. Hope to see you there. In Loving Memory John Baran Eileen Hoban Clancy Anthony N. Colonna Elizabeth Colonna James L. Conlon, Jr. James A. Dougherty Robert Faber Mary & Martin Gallagher Family Walter & Celestine Gottlieb James J. Giamas Stanley Harenza Helen Marykwas Leonard & Gen McHale Mario Malvizzi Chester & Mary Pietras Mr. & Mrs. William Shea Michael P. Yazurlo LITURGICAL SCHEDULE Saturday, October 20 4:30pm Altar Servers Jacob Aftewicz Ethan Aftewicz Andrew Phillips Ann Marie Durako Darlene Augustine Nicole Aftewicz Bianca Mazzarella Joyce Williams JoAnne Stella Paul Shovlin Sunday, October 21 8:30am Altar Servers Marin Purcell Meredeth Purcell Nick Sebastian Sandy Hopkins Mark Smith Carol Smith Holly Daveski Deacon Mike Mark Smith Noelle Imbrogno 11:00am Altar Server Ariana Sopkie Caleb Sopkie Liliana Sopkie Joe Sharkey Ray Borkowski Michele Bullington Maddie Lewis Ray Borkowski Celine Capriotti Louis Guarnieri ST. MARIA GORETTI & ST. MARK PRAY FOR US!
Monday, October 15, 2018 Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church 8:00am Leonard McHale by daughter Nancy Rowlands Tuesday, October 16, 2018 Saint Hedwig, Religious, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin 8:00am John J. Elias by Pat & Mary Patte Wednesday, October 17, 2018 Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr 8:00am Thomas Gubbiotti by Wife & Children Thursday, October 18, 2018 Saint Luke, Evangelist 8:00am Samuel Denisco by Paul & Sue Shovlin Friday, October 19, 2018 Saints John de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues, Prietss and Companions, Martyrs Mass followed by the Rosary 8:00am Richard Osenkowski by Nancy Rowlands Saturday, October 20, 2018 4:30pm Helen & Andy Tutko by Pat & Joe Sklarosky Sunday, October 21, 2018 8:30am Mrs. Mary Lou McNulty by Dennis, Carol & Brandon McNulty 11:00am People of the Parish THE UNIVERSAL CALL On Monday, October 15 th, the Office for Parish Life will be hosting an event to celebrate and reflect on the canonization of Archbishop Oscar Romero. The event, titled The Universal Call, will take place in the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 330 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton from 7:00-9:00 PM. We will watch the film, Romero, and reflect upon social justice, sainthood, and Romero s legacy. We hope that you will join us. All are welcome!