2020 April 12

St. Cecilia Church 1571 Grindstone Road Grindstone, Pennsylvania

Partner Parishes of The Historic Church of St. Peter and St. Cecilia

Fr. Tim and Fr. Thumma will celebrate the intention of each Mass privately.

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord Saturday , April 11, 2020 9:00 p.m. P Mass for the People Live Streamed Sunday, April 12, 2020 9:30 a.m. C Mass for the People 11:00 a.m. P Mass for the People Live streamed Monday, April 13, 2020 Live streamed 9:00 a.m. P Bud & Theresa Porter (Renee, John & Family) Tuesday, April 14, 2020 Live streamed 9:00 a.m. P Harry Sheehan (Elaine Sheehan & Family Wednesday, April 15, 2020 8:00 a.m. C Christina Ross (Ross Family) Thursday, April 16, 2020 Live streamed 9:00 a.m. P James Harvey Anniversary of Death (Rich & Tracy Eadie & Family) Friday, April 17, 2020 Live streamed 9:00 a.m. P In Memory of Sheehan & Hart Family Members Saturday, April 18, 2020 8:00 a.m. C Michael Liptak (Daughter Karen & Frank Angelilli)

Second Sunday of Easter

Saturday, April 18, 2020 4:00 p.m. P Jim Belice Birthday Remembrance (Wife) Sunday, April 19, 2020 8:00 a.m. P Stella Orbash (Rich & Roxanne Zidek & Family) 9:30 a.m. C Mass for the People 11:00 a.m. P Live streamed 73rd Wedding Anniversary Remembrance John & Dorothy Ferenci (Jack & Debbie)

All live streamed Masses can be viewed on our Facebook page The Historic Church of St. Peter during their designated times. *Daily Mass will be live streamed at 9:00am with Fr. Tim in his private Chapel. (Unless otherwise stated)

Fridays - 5:00 pm - JOURNEY THROUGH SCRIPTURE: GENESIS TO JESUS (New) - How well do you know the Bible? Dr. Scott Hahn and Matthew Leonard explain basic Catholic principles for reading scripture, and answer questions about the Bible’s role in our salvation.

Saturdays - 6:00 pm - LENT: A SEASON OF GRACE - Join Fr. Cedric Pisegna as he leads Catholics in a Lenten pilgrimage of change, growth, and revolutionary transformation.

Sundays - 4:00 pm - LENTEN REFLECTIONS - In this time of reflection, our expert panel of scholarly priests share their thoughts and meditations on those sacred scriptures carrying a special meaning for them during Lent.

March 6 - April 10 - THIRST FOR TRUTH: BATTLE FOR SOULS - In their six-day retreat, Fathers Bill Casey and Wade Menezes prepare Catholics for the ongoing battle for souls by teaching them how to face doubt and temptation in the world.

Fridays - 6:30 pm - SETTING CAPTIVES FREE: A DEEPER LOOK AT IGNATIAN DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS - Fr. Timothy Gallagher explains how concepts of prayer, meditation, examination of conscience, and penance strengthen our faith. These principles of St. Ignatius can bring faith, hope, and charity into our lives.

April 12 - 7:00 pm - SOLEMN MASS OF EASTER SUNDAY EWTN presents one of the most beautiful and inspirational ceremonies you’ll ever see - the Solemn Mass of Easter Sunday, celebrated by Pope Francis, live from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

April 12 - 9:00 pm - URBI ET ORBI: MESSAGE AND BLESSING - Each year, millions eagerly await the Easter blessing given by the Pope of the city of Rome. Be there as the Holy Father shares his important message with the world.

April 13-17 - 5:30 pm - THE GOD OF MERCY - One of the Church’s foremost authorities on Divine Mercy, Fr. Bala Udamala offers his unique insights into the important messages Our Lord revealed in his appearances to St. Faustina Kowalska.

April 17 - 8:00 pm - THE FACE OF MERCY - In celebration of Divine Mercy, a moving documentary reveals the origins of this feast and the personal impact God’s mercy has had on the lives of so many Catholics.

April 18 - 8:00 pm - ORIGINAL IMAGE OF DIVINE MERCY THE UNTOLD STORY OF AN UNKNOWN MASTERPIECE - The inside story of the events surrounding the creation of the original painting directed by St. Faustina Kowalska, based on her firsthand account of her visions of God’s Divine Mercy.

Channels: *Armstrong (California) -043/HD-159*Atantic BB-021 *DIRECTV-370 *DISH-261

Our Deepest Sympathy Our parish family mourns the loss of our parishioner Donald Pavlovsky. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.

We joyfully celebrate the Risen Lord throughout the upcoming Easter Season. We recognize that Jesus is the first born of the dead raised up; restored to his heavenly realm. All his brothers and sisters gather (in the Spirit) this Sunday to acknowledge and give thanks because we know that the resurrected life in Christ is available to the faithful; those who believe in Jesus and follow his commandments.

It is difficult to pick a Gospel from our celebrations (Easter Vigil, Mass at Dawn or the Mass Easter day) on which to focus. However, since the majority of our parishioners will view the livestream Mass Easter Morning we chose John 20:1-9. It is the post resurrection account of Peter and John running to the tomb and finding it empty after Mary Magdalen had informed them Jesus’ body was gone from where they had laid him.

This is a wonderful passage from John's Gospel. It includes a powerful description of what occurred on that first Easter day. Think about the description from the passage. St. John makes sure we understand that they ran to the tomb, and that John, the beloved disciple, arrived there first.

This passage, in addition to the fact that it states the Lord has risen, is about the relationship between Peter, the Head, and John, the beloved Apostle.

Throughout John’s Gospel there are very clear indications that Peter is the leader of the Apostles. However, there are at least six references to the “Beloved disciple” who is John. The reason I would like to focus on this issue is the different role each played as intimates of Jesus, their leadership in the establishment of our Catholic Church, and what that means to us as members who also have personal and unique spiritual makeups.

Some of us are very pious, we know all the devotional prayers, attend all the special liturgies and are “prayer warriors”. Others attend Mass each Sunday, spend some time every day in prayer and support their parish through participation in ministries. Others are not what one would consider “regular” participants in the life of the parish, but they maintain a deep belief and trust in Jesus as their Savior. My objective is to briefly show how each of us plays our important role in the life of the church regardless

of our personal spiritual life and approach to faith. Perhaps some of us will even change our approach to living our faith as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The differences between the roles of Peter and John can help illustrate this truth that all have unique relations with Jesus.

Roles and titles, Peter the “Leader”, John the “Beloved” are not just limited to their individual positions within the Twelve, but also have relevance to the broader Church itself. We all know that Peter was the Head of the Apostles. He became our first Pope, and John in his writings wants us to have that understanding.

We also know other facets of Peter. He was always so willing to assert himself by speaking up when those who had a little more discretion might have been quiet. Often, his foot ended up in his mouth, so to speak, and the Lord would correct him. One time Jesus said to him, "Get behind me, Satan". Painful, but part of the formation of Peter.

Indeed, he would learn and be formed, including through his denial of the Lord three times. Peter had said that very night at the Last Supper, "Lord, even if I must go to my death, I will never deny you." So what did Peter do? He denied the Lord. Each of us at one time or another has done so by consciously sinning.

Yet John, in his Gospel, wants us to understand that Peter is the Head, and more than just that, it's about the fact that the Head represents the institution, the Church. It represents the teachings, the rituals, the guidelines, the Community.

These represent our great strengths and two millennia of tradition as well as the human failures that have plagued us during that time.

John, the beloved disciple, on the other hand through his actions and words, reflects love, in that - not only was he younger, but he ran faster. A simple example but isn’t that the way love is? True love penetrates every barrier; it breaks down every door in order to accomplish its purpose. John on a number of occasions was shown to have that special relationship with the Lord.

At the Last Supper when Jesus said, "Someone will betray me," Peter, the Head, nodded to John who was leaning against the Lord's chest, and said, "Find out who it is." And John did. The Lord indicated to him it would be Judas.

There are at least four other similar indications or references to John as the Beloved Disciple.

This relationship that John, the Evangelist, the beloved disciple reflects in his

Gospel differentiates between Peter, the institutional Church, and John, the beloved disciple, representing the love that exists in a faith community among each of us individually, in our family, in our church, and in the broader world.

That love which is not restrained by the institution, by the formal Church that Peter represents, is so important for us to understand. John goes to great lengths on several occasions to show this distinction between Peter and himself.

But there's so much more here.

When they arrive at the tomb, they find that the massive stone had been moved; it's gone. The darkness that was the interior of the tomb, has been overcome by the power of Jesus Christ raised from the dead. Matthew's Gospel records that there was an earthquake, and an angel came and moved the stone aside.

If only we could do that in our own lives! For as we celebrate this glorious occasion of the Resurrection of Our Lord and the new life in him, we must recognize the stone that is often holding us down, keeping us in the dark.

We know that the Lord has risen.

Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, testifies: "We were with him; we ate with him after his Resurrection. He chose many of us to witness to his Resurrection." We are the beneficiaries of this wonderful truth. We will share the Resurrected Life in Christ. No longer must we allow uncertainty or fear to limit our acceptance of the eternal truths of the Father’s plan for our salvation that the pascal mysteries proclaim. We who gather at the Eucharistic Table to share in the very life of Christ, who believe in him and follow his commandments, are saved and will be with him forever. We know that currently it must be a Spiritual Communion but none the less we are united to one another and Jesus as members of his body.

As we pray together in our Spiritual Communion the Easter Mass, we accept the truths of our faith, the Scriptures, church doctrines, traditions, etc.

We also celebrate our diversity. Each of us, whether the “prayer warrior” who knows every devotion and particular of church life, the Sunday Mass regular who engages in ministry, or the member who is finding his way back to participation in the parish, is loved beyond our imagining by Jesus. We each express our faith in different ways. All have unique relationships with Jesus but all are important parts of the Body of Christ which Easter definitively proclaims as the Way, the Truth and the Life!

St. Peter and St. Cecilia Churches will be open for private prayer from 12:00 Noon until 6:00 p.m. each day of the week. Confessions will be heard at either church on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m.

Catholic Charities is offering telephonic counseling for those who need it during this stressful time.

Please call 724-837-1840 for assistance.

WMBS BROADCASTING

If you are unable to watch the livestreaming on Facebook, please listen on the radio station 590AM or 101.1FM Holy Thursday-Lord’s Supper Good Friday-Lord’s Passion Stations of the Cross Saturday, Easter Vigil Easter Sunday

7:00p.m.

6:00p.m.

7:00p.m.

9:00p.m.

1:00p.m.

The Diocesan Lenten Appeal Continues...

St. Cecilia has exceeded the Diocesan Goal for the parish! It is the earliest date for such an achievement. Congratulations! Now every dollar contributed to DLA will return 100% to St. Cecilia. St. Peter is 30% to its Diocesan Goal.

During this time of no public Masses, please mail your DLA contribution and envelopes to the office.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY’S GRACES We’ve attached a copy of the nine day novena for Divine Mercy Sunday. Please begin the daily prayers on Good Friday. We seek all of the graces the Lord promises particularly during this difficult time of the coronavirus. Although we will not be able to receive physically Holy Communion we will share in a Spiritual Communion. Confessions will be heard on Saturday April 18 and Sunday April 19 in our Partner Parishes at 1:00 p.m. The Churches are open everyday from 12 noon until 6:00 p.m. Please sit throughout the church to assure good social distancing.

How to Get a Plenary Indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday Through private revelation to St. Faustina, Jesus revealed, I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My Mercy (1109). The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (699). And we must trust in Divine Mercy.

According to Robert Stackpole, the director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy, an apostolate of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, “The most special grace promised by our Lord for Mercy Sunday is nothing less than the equivalent of a complete renewal of baptismal grace in the soul: “complete forgiveness (remission) of sins and punishment.”

St. John Paul II not only declared Divine Mercy Sunday a universal feast of the Church, but in 2002 he attached a plenary indulgence to it. This made private revelation’s promise “official” as “the Holy See institutionalized the Promise in the form of an Indulgence.”

First there are the usual or standard three conditions of sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff.

Next, the specific conditions or “work” required: “On Divine Mercy Sunday... in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy or, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”).”

Partner Parishes of Historic Church of Saint Peter PLEASE PRINT 250 COPIES 300 Shaffner Avenue St. Peter Brownsville, Pennsylvania 118 Church Street & Brownsville, PA 15417 Saint Cecilia Church 1571 Grindstone Road Grindstone, Pennsylvania O: 724-785-7781

#770350

C: 724-984-6983***

Parishes in the Diocese of Greensburg “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