Partner Parishes of Historic Church of St. Peter & St. Cecilia
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time February 19, 2017 Take no revenge and cherish no grudge; love your neighbor as yourself. —Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
Parish Staff Pastor: Email: Parochial Vicar: Email: Business Manager: Email: Music Ministry: Religious Education: Youth Ministry: RCIA: Custodial Services:
Rev. Timothy Kruthaupt tkruthaupt@dioceseofgreensburg.org
Rev. Alvin Cabungcal
acabungcal@dioceseofgreensburg.org
Mrs. Shannon Sealy
ssealy@dioceseofgreensburg.org
Ms. Annette Buffer Mrs. Patty Craig Mr. Michael Bogden Dr. Melvin Sally Mrs. Tina Konter
Mass Schedule: Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m. (EST); 5:00 p.m. (DST) (St. Peter) Sunday Morning: 8:00 a.m. (St. Peter); 9:30 a.m. (St. Cecilia); 11:00 a.m. (St. Peter) Reconciliation: St. Peter: 3:00-3:45 p.m. every Saturday St. Cecilia: 8:30-10:00 a.m. every Saturday Sacrament of Baptism: Contact the parish as soon as you know that you are expecting a child. Baptismal prep is required. Sacrament of Matrimony: Those entering into Marriage must contact the pastor at least one full year in advance of the wedding. Sponsor Certificates: You must be registered and active in the parish at least 4 months to receive a certificate. Please don’t come at the last minute!
Historic Church of St. Peter 300 Shaffner Avenue Brownsville, Pennsylvania
Sexual Child Abuse 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.
Mailing Address: Partner Parishes of St. Peter & St. Cecilia 118 Church Street Brownsville, PA 15417 Phone: 724-785-7781/Fax: 724-785-0844 Websites: www.stpeterstcecilia.org and www.historicchurchofstpeter.org
Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m.
Mission Statement United as the parish family, The Historic Church of St. Peter and St. Cecilia Catholic Church of the Diocese of Greensburg come together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to promote the mission of Jesus Christ and to live out our faith as Christians. Centered in the Eucharist, we are a welcoming community that exists to love, serve, and grow in our relationship with our Lord through prayer, worship and ministry. We strive to strengthen and inspire our parish family by understanding and passing on our faith.
St. Cecilia Church 1571 Grindstone Road Grindstone, Pennsylvania
Ministry Schedule February 25/26
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Rich, Roxann Zidek & family)
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Daughters)
EM: Server: Lector:
C-Bill Johns C-Toni Shwallon H-Joanie Pagac Carmella & Gina DiFlippo Crystal Bogorae Cantor: Rita Koffler 9:30 a.m. St. Cecilia
9:30 a.m. C James Richards (Richards family) 11:00 a.m. P Rosalie Barli (Diane & Jack Shefcheck) Monday February 20, 2017 7:30 a.m. P Month’s Mind Linda Brand (Parish family) Tuesday February 21, 2017 7:30 a.m. P Danny Chew (Joe & Patty Pecosh) Wednesday February 22, 2017 8:00 a.m. C Jimmy Angelilli (Dad Frank & Karen Angelilli) Thursday February 23, 2017 7:30 a.m. P Gloria Mancinelli (Marie Mancini) Friday February 24, 2017 7:30 a.m. P Anthony “Larry” Peccon (Pam & Denny Lowe) Saturday, February 25, 2017 8:00 a.m. C Anna Marie Evans (Stanley & Annette Augustine)
9:30 a.m. C Month’s Mind Bernard DeSimone (Parish family) 11:00 a.m. P Pro Populo
4:00 p.m. St. Peter C-Patty Galway C-Mark Galway H-Gloria Wheeler Jolena Quarzo Brionna Staggers Roxann Zidek Cantor: Volunteer 8:00 a.m. St. Peter
Saturday Vigil, February 18, 2017 4:00 p.m. P Pro Populo Sunday, February 19, 2017 8:00 a.m. P Daniel Chew
Saturday Vigil, February 25, 2017 4:00 p.m. P Alex McCune (Barb & Ted Gera) Sunday, February 26, 2017 8:00 a.m. P Regina Francis
EM: Server: Lector:
EM: Server: Lector:
Carl DellaPenna Jr. Carl DellaPenna Annette Augustine Caleb DellaPenna Anthony DellaPenna Clara Medlock
EM: Server: Lector:
C-Gary Ritz C-Nancy Ritz H-Kathy Miller Dylan & Madison Stowe Ron Barry Cantor: Samantha Ziglear
11:00 a.m. St. Peter
Attention Altar Servers and Eucharistic Ministers A meeting will be held for all altar servers after the 11:00 a.m. Mass on Feb. 19 at The Historic Church of St. Peter. All existing altar servers must attend. All Eucharistic Ministers should see Fr. Tim after any Mass this weekend for a brief meeting. Thank you! Collection Report St. Peter Church 2/12/17 ADULT ENVELOPES (237) ......................... . ...$4479.00 STUDENT ENVELOPES (22) ...............................$48.00 MONTHLY (29)…………………………… ...........$470.00 LOOSE…………………………………….. ...........$349.00 CANDLES……………………………… ................$146.50 SVDP ..................................................................$871.00 CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE .......................$42.00 INITIAL OFFERING ..............................................$15.00 CHRISTMAS .........................................................$55.00
St. Cecilia Church 2/12/17 ADULT ENVELOPES (78) ................................$2069.00 STUDENT ENVELOPES (4) ...................................$5.00 LOOSE..................................................................$23.25 CANDLES .............................................................$36.00 UTILITY...................................................................$5.00 SVDP ......................................................................$7.00 CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE .........................$3.00 ACCENT .................................................................$1.00
Welcome New Parishioners
The Partner Parishes of The Historic Church of St. Peter and St. Cecilia are pleased to welcome several new families who have joined our faith community over the past few months, and we look forward to many more new members in the coming year. Be sure to offer a friendly smile as you greet them! Also, if you’re new to our Partner Parishes and you have a child aged pre-K through high school, please note that you can still enroll him or her in the Faith Formation classes going on NOW. Just call the church office, 724-785-7781. We’re happy to have you with us!
Our readings this week highlight the transformative nature of our faith. If we want to be disciples, a lukewarm approach to living the Catholic faith won’t suffice. Jesus was so radical in his requirement that we live out the Law of Love that he defined it in The Beatitudes, gave us the approach to living out the law by becoming salt and light for the world, and provided many direct applications for living the law such as in this week’s Gospel passage from Matthew. No longer shall we live by: “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”. According to Jesus we are to offer no resistance to one who is evil. The requirement of the law of love, of “offering no resistance,” when considered from the human perspective by one who has been unjustly injured, damaged or offended, seems not to be a viable option. However, when we hear the admonition from Jesus in the same passage that we are to “be perfect, just as the heavenly Father is perfect,” we realize he intends to challenge us. We must expend time and effort in order for us to understand what seem to be impractical standards for our relations with one another. Bishop Robert Barron makes a good presentation concerning the admonition that we should offer no resistance to one who is evil. He states that, in the face of oppression or injustice, two responses classically present themselves: “fight or flight”. The Bishop proposes that Jesus said a third option was better. To be struck on the right cheek was a reference to how masters punished slaves during Jesus’ time. However, if you offer the other cheek, you in effect stand your ground against the aggressor. You challenge the one who struck you to understand that what he did was wrong and to repent. Such a response would perhaps further infuriate an aggressor. However, Jesus demonstrated through his acceptance of his passion, cross and death that he valued the law of love over what in human terms would be considered victory. Another anecdote concerning Jesus’ teaching might be helpful to illustrate the point. According to Roman Law under which the Jews lived, a Roman soldier could require an individual to help him carry his gear for up to a mile. Jesus says if you are pressed into service for one mile, go for two. Thus you demonstrate that you do so willingly and not because you were forced to do so by the Roman Law. In other words, whether by speaking the truth in a Christ-like way or through your actions, you accomplish the purpose of the law of love instead of throwing gas on an already raging fire. Now let us consider how we attain the perfection to which Jesus calls us. I often think of my own repetitive sins but I probably shouldn’t share them. I’ll illustrate instead by using one of the most common experiences of a confessor. The penitent who says, “Father, for the last several months I confessed to being a gossip. Each time I make a commitment that I won't do it again; but the next day and the day after that, I gossip.” It's a habitual sin. It's something that happens without even thinking. You get into a conversation with a friend and he says something negative about another; you want to be his friend. You try to be part of the conversation; you make a response, and suddenly, you realize: "I've done it again, I’ve gossiped!" We probably won't attain perfection on this side of heaven, but that doesn't mean that we don't continue to try. We persevere. Humanity is such that our motivation is often at cross-purposes. We intend to do the good; we want to do the good, but then we see our own self-interest and often have mixed motivation. That's true in all of our relationships; it's true in how we speak—whether we speak the whole truth or maybe we leave out a fact that doesn't truly convey the total story, but it puts us in the best light of that story. We experience a goodly number of similar circumstances. We're all human, each on a separate journey to the Lord. So we strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. Our scriptural passages this week help illustrate God’s purpose in revealing through the prophets, and ultimately Jesus, his plan for our salvation. In the reading from Leviticus, Moses is directed to teach the people Israel. His task is to form them into “a chosen people” prepared to receive God’s Son the Messiah. The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the whole Israelite community. Tell them: Lev.19:1-2,17-18 During his ministry they asked Jesus, "What is the most important commandment?" The first portion he referenced was from Deuteronomy: "You are to love God above all things," Dt. 6:4-9, "the Shema," and the second portion of Jesus’ response was: "to love your neighbor as yourself" referenced in the quote above. These two elements represent the “spirit” of the Jewish people’s law that Jesus continually accused the leadership of not following. It is our great Christian commandment, and it applies to us in all of our relationships, not just the ones that give us comfort-family members who are close to us, those who are of one mind, or kindred spirits. It applies to even those who cause us discomfort, who can't seem to agree with us about anything. The Lord teaches us to be reconciled to that person. You should always speak the truth to one another but you do so in a Christ-like fashion. One of the most effective means of accomplishing this is when there is an argument beginning, we should pause before responding. When we pause, the Lord has an opportunity to whisper in our ear or prompt us to the heart. Following the Lord’s prompting, the words that come out will be truly Christ-like. You’ll wonder: where did that wisdom come from? Was that really me speaking? Your words will speak the truth which must be spoken, but they'll also be words that rebuild the relationship, strengthen unity and allow reconciliation to occur. Not all of our relationships will be perfect; sometimes the other will not respond positively. At such times we walk away. We keep them in our prayers so that over time, reconciliation can be accomplished. As a result of our prayerful requests, the Lord will continue to prompt the other to respond. His grace will ultimately enable them to say "yes" to the Lord and his will.
Allison Sallade Ann Baker Ann Bill Barbara Batovsky Barbara McNeeley Beverly Berish Bill Snodgrass Bob Clark Bob Magdic Bonnie Tarte Brandon Tomecsko Bryan Tomecsko Carl Butler Charlotte Katko Christine Rose Christopher Liebietreu Chuck Smith Cody Tylka Darla Stump David Ballant David Black Donald Maglietta Donna Cross Donna Fletcher Eleanor Dando Emma Null Francis Lemansky Fred Gnus George Babko Gerald Boggess Harold Seto Sr.
Helen Mendish Jackson Hodge James Illar Janet Booker Jerry Zalek Jill Wible Joe Angell Joe Borsody Joe Shashura Joel Shumar John Hlatky John L. Hankins, Jr. John E. Jenkins John Zulkowsky Johnny Little Joseph Jagoda Joseph Nehela Joyce Smith Kathleen Miller Laura Garee Liliana Orris Lisa Chancey Luella Scholl M. V. Margie Linzmeier
Maria Coate MaryAnn Marshall Maryann Olenik Michael Climes Sr. Nancy Gordon Nancy Heinbaugh Patricia Knight Patricia McCann Patricia Urick Sawyer Patty Sluk Paul Cech, Sr. Rhonda Liggett Richard McHugh Robert Franks Robert Stringert Robert Sunny Ronald Sabo Jr. Rose Marie Cross Ryan Barry Sammy Basile III Serena Snodgrass Shirley Mae Mislo Susan Nesti Sylvia Walinski Teresa Black Terry Thomas Tisa Lach V. V. Veronica Stringert Virginia Conaway
Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return. — Gn. 3:19
Ash Wednesday, March 1, marks the beginning of Lent. It is a day of Abstinence and Fasting. We all have heard these terms over the years, but do we recall the particulars of them? Abstinence from meat is observed on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent by all Catholics 14 years and older. Fasting is observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Those bound by this rule may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted as necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted. During Lent, the Church encourages attendance at daily Mass, self-imposed times of fasting, and generosity to local, national, and worldwide programs of sharing.
Partner Parishes Ash Wednesday Services — March 1, 2017 8:00 a.m.
Mass
St. Cecilia
9:00 a.m
Mass
St. Peter
12:00 noon
Ashes only
St. Peter
7:00 p.m.
Mass
St. Peter
Lenten Series Scheduled: RENEW and “Live Lent!”
On March 1, we will begin our Lenten celebration with Ash Wednesday. As we approach the Lenten season, let us consider how this year we could journey with the Lord through his public ministry to his passion, cross and death. Our Partner Parishes will conduct a “RENEW” Lenten Series called “Live Lent!” which will consist of small faith-sharing groups that will meet once a week to focus on studying the Sunday Gospel and Old Testament readings. Groups will meet at the church office Mondays at 6:00 p.m. and Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. If you’re interested in participating in either of these groups, please call the office now to reserve your spot, 724-785-7781!
The Historic Church of St. Peter Sanctuary Lamp In Memory of
Daniel Chew by Rich, Roxann Zidek & family Brownsville Area Ministerial Association Lenten Worship Series 2017
Thursday night Lenten worship services automatically will be cancelled if the Brownsville Area School District is closed or closes early that day due to inclement weather.
March 2 – Week one
The Histor ic Chur ch of St. Peter 300 Shaffner Avenue, Brownsville Preacher: Rev. Frank Lewis of State Correctional Institute – Fayette March 9 – Week two Fir st Chr istian Disciples of Chr ist 512 Second Street, Brownsville Preacher: Mr. Mark Kovscek of Christ Church Anglican, Brownsville March 16 – Week three Chr ist Chur ch Anglican 319 Church Street, Brownsville Preacher: Father Tim Kruthaupt of The Historic Church of St. Peter, Brownsville March 23 – Week four Allison Chur ch of the Nazar ene 416 Vernon Street, Allison Preacher: Pastor Andrew Dent of Canaan Baptist Church, Hiller March 30 – Week five Calvin United Pr esbyter ian Chur ch 307 Spring Street, Brownsville Preacher: Minister Sandra McCain of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Grindstone April 6 – Week six Allison Chr istian Disciples of Chr ist East Avenue, Allison (400’ off curve) Preacher: Rev. Louise Corbett of Hopewell Presbyterian, Brownsville April 13 – Maundy Thursday wor ship ser vices ar e held in many churches throughout Brownsville; watch for postings. April 14 – Good Friday Tenebrae Service will be held for the public on April 14 at 8:00 p.m. at The Historic Church of St. Peter (300 Shaffner Ave.).
Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday, March 12, 2017 Soon it will be time to “Spring Forward” at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 12, 2017, when Daylight Saving Time begins. Perhaps you’ll want to set your clocks one hour ahead before going to bed on Saturday night. Remember that with Daylight Saving Time also comes the change of time in our Saturday Vigil Mass, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, this change takes place on the Saturday following the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, which is March 18 this year.
Bishop Extends Invitation to All to Italy Pilgrimage All are invited to join Bishop Malesic on a soul-stirring pilgrimage to Italy from Oct. 19 through Oct. 30, 2017. Sites include Rome and Vatican City, Assisi, Loreto, Lanciano, San Giovanni Rotondo, and much more! For more information, please call Fr. William Lechnar, Director for Pilgrimages, at 724-552-2645, or email him at wlechnar@dioceseofgreensburg. Call early as space is limited.
Christian Mothers’ Calendar Party Set for April 2
The Confraternity of Christian Mothers of St Cecilia Church will be holding a meeting on Monday, March 6, 2017, at 6:00 p.m., in the church social hall to plan their Calendar Party for Sunday, April 2, 2017. They are asking people to consider participating by hosting or co-hosting a table, helping in the kitchen, donating a Chinese Auction basket, etc. New and old members, and anyone interested in learning more, are encouraged to attend.
Wondering Where Your Money Goes When You Donate to SVdP? Your donations to the St. Vincent de Paul collection last week help us to help our friends and neighbors in need. Thanks to your generosity in the past, we were able to assist people in crisis in our community with a total of $4,236.70 from April through December 2016. The types of assistance vary greatly, but some examples are payments to utilities to stop the shutoff of heat or power sources, payment of rent to stop an eviction for someone who has suffered illness or the unexpected loss of a job, education fees, school supplies, etc. This dollar figure does not include the food, clothing, toiletries, or any in-kind donations (such as furniture from the SVdP stores) that we provided through our monthly food pantry or in response to individual requests.
Partner Parishes Lector Crystal Bogorae Featured in Catholic Accent A similar version of this article, written by Catholic Accent staff writer Maria Guzzo, appeared in the Feb. 9, 2017, issue.
After more than 20 years as a lector for her parish, Crystal Bogorae recently considered that dance performances in her childhood may have prepared her to take the leap into proclaiming Scripture at the ambo. Bogorae, a lector for The Historic Church of St. Peter, began her service at Mass as a teenager at the former St. Mary Parish, Brownsville, at the suggestion of her parents. “I’ve been lectoring since high school, and I’m 40 now,” she said. “I started through the encouragement of my parents. I had to go to Mass. They were strict about that. I think they just sort of told me to try it.” She had taken years of dance lessons and performed in recitals in front of audiences, making the lector experience less daunting, Bogorae said. When she began, there were specific steps she’d take to ensure she would do a good job as lector. Also at the time, she was working at The Barre Room, a dancewear store in Uniontown. Today, she holds the position of manager there. A coworker was a lector at the former All Saints Parish, Masontown, Bogorae said. “She’s a very spiritual lady, and I admired her for her spiritual knowledge. So I looked to her for guidance,” Bogorae said. Like dance, preparation and practice are key, she said. “She gave me the advice that when you know you’re doing a reading, say the reading aloud every day that week,” Bogorae said. Additionally, Bogorae said she relies on a workbook lectors receive, which contains the year’s readings, plus supplemental material including pronunciations and meanings. And after 20 years, Bogorae said she is not just going through the motions as a lector. “When I first started, it definitely took longer to prepare. Now I’m more familiar with things,” she said, though she still takes time to warm up at home in Brownsville, where she lives with her husband, Michael. She also is involved with other ministries at The Historic Church of St. Peter, including helping with the gift basket raffle at the Bonanza Dinner fundraiser and heading the decorating committee. The ministry of lector has increased her faith, she said, by helping her become more well-versed with the Scriptures. “It really helped me get to know God’s word. When I started, some passages meant one thing to me. Now I have a fuller, deeper understanding of the readings. I look at it as a privilege being able to proclaim God’s word and as a chance to teach others.”
The Historic Church of St. Peter was highlighted in the
2016 Thanks for Giving — Gratitude Report
recently released by the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Greensburg. Please see below and the following page.
Power of Mercy — Clothe the Naked When Toni Shwallon of The Historic Church of St. Peter in Brownsville was first approached by a fellow parishioner and asked to help feed the homeless, she was reluctant. For years, Father Tim Kruthaupt, pastor, has encouraged his parishioners to participate in Meals on the Boulevard. As he put it, “We converge on the Boulevard of the Allies in Pittsburgh and we feed the homeless. We have a 15-person van that we fill with people and another van from Indiana that picks up people in the Latrobe area.” The groups go twice a month. Along with providing meals, they also offer clothing and toiletries to those in need. Ultimately, Toni decided to go one time and see what it was like. Her experience that first visit changed everything. After the meals had been served, a little boy, Billy, ran up and wrapped his arms around her legs. As she described it, “I looked down and his eyes were so blue, all I could see was my great grandson, Joey. His hair was exactly like my great grandson’s and it just touched me. I couldn’t get over that.” There was no turning back. Toni felt she had to be part of this ministry. She said, “I never saw that little boy again. I think meeting him and being so moved was the Lord’s way of telling me, ‘You have to keep doing this. I’m calling you to do this for me.’” Toni has answered. Since July of 2015, she has only failed to make the trip twice, both times due to her husband’s illness. And she is now in charge of gathering clothing and distributing it to those who come for meals. Through this experience, Toni has witnessed firsthand the impact of generosity. “Being involved in this, I know how much it means to be able to give food and the clothing to the people that need it. You see what the money does. I encourage everyone to try to get involved so they see what their money is doing.”
THE DIOCESE OF GREENSBURG
BY THE NUMBERS 78 Parishes
426 Confirmations
141,091 Catholics
338 Weddings
54,218 Households
11 Elementary Schools
4 Counties:
2 High Schools
Armstrong Fayette Indiana Westmoreland
3,334 Square Miles 60 Active Diocesan Priests 12 International Priests 6 Deacons 4 Seminarians 11 Religious Order Priests 200 Catechumens 1,083 Baptisms 1,046 First Holy Communions
2,346 Catholic School Students
10,000 Youth Families and individuals helped through the services provided at Catholic Charities: Information and Referral: 16,784 Families Adoption: 40 Children and 20 Families Counseling: 1,942 Individuals Material Assistance: 970 Families
Partner Parishes of Historic Church of Saint Peter 300 Shaffner Avenue St. Peter Brownsville, Pennsylvania 118 Church Street & Brownsville, PA 15417 Saint Cecilia Church 1571 Grindstone Road O: 724-785-7781 Grindstone, Pennsylvania
#770350
H: 724-785-7604 Parishes in the Diocese of Greensburg C: 724-984-6983*** “Pennsylvania Charitable Trusts”
Contact: Shannon Sealy MESSAGES:
Mailing Address: Partner Parishes of St. Peter & St. Cecilia 118 Church Street Brownsville, PA 15417 Phone: 724-785-7781 Fax: 724-785-0844
Pastor: Rev. Micah E. Kozoil; Sr. Priest Active: Rev. James Petrovsky Office Manager: Mrs. Virginia Galway: Music Ministry: St. Peter: Daniel Kovacic; St. Cecilia: Eric Blanda Religious Education Coordinator: Mrs. Anita LaMendola: Youth Ministry: Patty Columbia Mass Schedule: Saturday Vigil 4:00 P.M. (EST); 5:00 P.M. (DST) (St. Peter) Sunday Morning 8:00 A.M. (St. Peter); 9:30 A.M. (St. Cecilia); 11:30 A.M. (St. Peter) Reconciliation: Noon to 12:30 p.m. St. Peter: 1st & 3rd Saturday St. Cecilia: 2nd & 4th Saturday Sacrament of Baptism Contact the parish as soon as you know that you are expecting a child. Sacrament of Matrimony Those entering into Marriage must contact the pastor at least one full year in advance of the wedding Sponsor Certificates You must be registered and active in the parish at least 4 months to receive a certificate. Please don’t come at the last minute! Sexual Child Abuse If you have a concern about sexual abuse of a child or young person by anyone in a parish or diocesan position — clergy, volunteer or paid staff — please contact Bishop Brandt’s delegate for matters of sexual misconduct. He may be reached at 724-837-0901 Ext. 221