Ministry Schedule December 24/25
Fourth Sunday of Advent Saturday Vigil December 17, 2016 4:00 p.m. P Robert Bohna (Louise, Dennis, Roberta, Brian) Sunday December 18, 2016 8:00 a.m. P Harry Adams (Daughter Colleen & son-in-law Frank) 9:30 a.m. C Lucille & Frank (Angelo) Angelilli (Son Frank & Karen Angelilli) 11:00 a.m. P Pro Populo 12:30-2:00 C Faith Formation Party at St. Cecilia Social Hall Monday December 19, 2016 7:30 a.m. P Birthday Remembrance Gloria Mancinelli (Ron & Helene Dellarose) Tuesday December 20, 2016 7:30 a.m. P Justin Jon Brezovsky (Maria Litman) Wednesday December 21, 2016 8:00 a.m. C Mickey Liptak (Daughter Karen & Frank Angelilli) Thursday December 22, 2016 7:30 a.m. P Mary Barber (Rita Verry) Friday December 23, 2016 7:30 a.m. P Deceased Members of Franceschini Family (Galway Family)
The Nativity of the Lord Saturday Vigil December 24, 2016—Christmas Eve 4:00 p.m. P Special Intentions 6:30 p.m. C Special Intentions Midnight P Special Intentions Sunday December 25, 2016—Christmas Day 9:00 a.m. C Special Intentions 11:00 a.m. P Special Intentions
Due to Christmas Mass schedule, please see the sign-up sheets in the back of each church. Thank you!
Collection Report St. Peter Church 12/11/16 ADULT ENVELOPES (229) ..................... . .. $3744.00 STUDENT ENVELOPES (10) .......................... $23.00 MONTHLY (35)……………………………....... $823.00 LOOSE…………………………………….. ...... $175.00 CANDLES……………………………… ........... $129.00 SVDP ............................................................... $10.00 ACCENT .......................................................... $90.00 CHRISTMAS FLOWERS ............................... $262.00 IMMACULATE CONCEPTION .................... $1328.00
St. Cecilia Church 12/11/16
ADULT ENVELOPES (102) ......................... $1696.00 STUDENT ENVELOPES (7) .............................. $8.00 LOOSE............................................................... $6.00 CANDLES ........................................................ $47.00 CHRISTMAS FLOWERS ............................... $327.00 SVDP ................................................................. $9.00 UTILITY............................................................ $34.00 ACCENT .......................................................... $45.00 CHILDREN & FAMILY APPEAL ........................ $1.00 IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ...................... $317.00
Christmas & New Year Mass Schedules Christmas Eve:
4:00 p.m. St. Peter 6:30 p.m. St. Cecilia Midnight St. Peter
Christmas Day:
9:00 a.m. St. Cecilia 11:00 a.m. St. Peter
New Year’s Eve:
4:00 p.m. St. Peter 7:00 p.m. St. Cecilia
New Year’s Day:
8:00 a.m. St. Peter 9:30 a.m. St. Cecilia 11:00 a.m. St. Peter
St. Cecilia Sanctuary Lamp Special Intention
Bread and Wine
Francis & Beverly Ryan Family
It's important that we reflect on this week’s Scripture Readings to remind ourselves of the prophetic utterances that were fulfilled through the birth of Jesus. The action of the Holy Spirit ensuring the accomplishment of the Father’s plan must be acknowledged. However, an array of human beings, just like us, played an important role in God's plan of salvation for mankind. Isaiah, the prophet, is directed by God to go before the king, Ahaz, of Judah. Jerusalem is about to be attacked by surrounding countries and Ahaz is fearful of the outcome. Isaiah tells him: God himself will protect his people and, to prove it, Ahaz is told to ask for a sign from God. Ahaz was not a man of faith; he didn't believe. He had been leading the people away from the Covenant. He wasn't interested in Isaiah’s help nor did he have confidence that God would assist. He refused to ask for a sign from God. Isaiah the Prophet says to the king: "Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God?" Isaiah said, "Therefore, the Lord himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and shall name him ‘Emmanuel.’" That was 730 years before the birth of Jesus. Joseph is betrothed to Mary who was with child. He didn’t know who was the father. So, his responsibility, as a righteous Jewish man, was to report Mary to the authorities, and she could have been stoned to death, according to the requirements of the Mosaic Code. However, he was unwilling to expose her. Joseph decided to divorce her quietly so she wouldn’t be subjected to punishment. Informed in a dream by the angel that it was by the power of the Holy Spirit that Mary was with child, he does what he's directed to do and takes her into his home. Joseph and Mary were part of the Father's plan from the very beginning for the salvation of humanity. In Chapter 3 of Genesis (the first book of the Old Testament) after the account of the fall of Adam and Eve, is contained the first Gospel (the proto evangelicum) through which the Father expresses his plan for our salvation. God addresses the serpent, Satan, the Evil One, saying: "And the woman (Mary, the new Eve), and her heir (Jesus, the new Adam), will crush your head." We know that Jesus was sent to us in order to reveal the Father’s plan. This plan which existed from the beginning will be fulfilled through Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zechariah and a whole cast of other characters, human beings just like us who say their "yes" to the will of God. As we reflect on 2,700 years ago when Isaiah prophesied about the “Virgin will be with child,” and on the 2,000 years since the Nativity, we wonder, "What relevance does this have in my life?" In response we must recognize that the Providential hand of God is moving powerfully through not only these events but also in our lives. God's accomplishing his purpose of the salvation of mankind and miracle continue to occur until today. Recently I read an amazing story that I want to share with you. It's about a young man, a 19-year-old soldier from Britain who was sent to Afghanistan as part of his unit. Before he left, he said to his mother, "Mom, do you have a rosary I can take with me?" She gave him a rosary. The members of his unit were out on patrol. As he walked along, he became aware that his rosary that he wore around his neck had broken and fallen to the ground. He saw that his rosary lay at his feet on the ground. So he reached down to pick it up and, as he did so, he realized, "I'm standing on a land mine! And if I move off this land mine, I and my compatriots will be blown sky high." So, he stood there for 45 minutes while the members of his unit dug around the IED, very carefully, and disarmed the land mine. Later as he related this miraculous event to his family, they said, "Don't you remember? The same thing happened to your grandfather during World War II. He was also saved in a miraculous way by his rosary." Now that's strange. You might say, "It's a coincidence." I don't believe it was a coincidence; I call it "a God instance." The Father has a plan for that young man. It wasn't his time to go. Each of us is also in our Father's plan. Somewhere in that vast array of his plans for accomplishing the salvation of mankind, you and I, in our particular vocations, have roles to play. As we approach this Christmas and the Lord's birth, hopefully our hearts are enlivened. Inspired, we attempt to bring Christ to life within us. It will not be in a physical sense as Mary did, but in a spiritual sense. We must seek to know what the Lord's will is for our life. How can we be an instrument of his love in this world, accomplishing his purpose in our vocation, limited as our role may be, in the salvation of mankind? It begins with our family-—by doing as Jesus did, giving himself away sacrificially on the altar of the cross, so that others might have life. Jesus asks us to do likewise; that's what this journey of a lifetime is about. We slowly begin to mature into that realization: that to the extent that I'm able to give myself away for my family members, responding to their needs, nurturing them, affirming them, as well as those at work, here in my faith community and in the broader world, I'm accomplishing the Lord's purpose. Now, Joseph didn't fulfill the old law. He refused to report Mary to the authorities. He fulfilled the new law that Jesus established from the altar of the cross: that new Covenant of love: love of God above all things, and our neighbor as ourselves. So, let us be transformed this Christmas; let us truly fulfill that new Covenant by committing anew to a depth of relationship with the Lord that will give us the graces necessary to live out this life, fulfilling our purpose individually and, in the broader context of a faith community, accomplishing the works the Lord intended for us.
Brownsville Catholic Padres Win Opening Game Against Geibel! Congratulations to the members of the 2016-2017 Brownsville Catholic Padres
and their coaches, Greg Fike and Michael Bogden, on winning their opening game of the season against Geibel Catholic, 29-28! All of us at the Partner Parishes wish them continued success this season. Please plan to support the varsity and junior varsity teams at their home games, which will be held at the new Brownsville Elementary School gym. Call the church of ice for information, 724-785-7781.
Upcoming Local Game Schedule Date
Time
Opponent
Location of Gym
12/17/16
11:30 a.m. — JV 12:30 p.m. — Varsity 11:30 a.m. — JV
Christ the Divine Teacher — Blue Mother of Sorrows 7 — White St. Sebastian Regional School
11:30 a.m. — JV 12:30 p.m. — Varsity 11:30 a.m. — Varsity 12:30 p.m. — JV 1:30 p.m. — Varsity 2:00 p.m. — Varsity
Aquinas Academy Queen of Angels Mother of Sorrows School Mother of Sorrows 8 — Blue St. John the Evangelist Geibel Catholic
Brownsville Elementary School Home Gym Brownsville Elementary School Home Gym Brownsville Elementary School Home Gym Brownsville Elementary School Home Gym
10:00 a.m. — JV 11:00 a.m. — Varsity
St. John the Evangelist
1/14/17 1/21/17 1/28/17 2/12/17 2/18/17
Geibel Catholic (611 Crawford Ave., Connellsville) St. John the Evangelist (52 Jefferson St., Uniontown)
Below, members of the varsity and junior varsity Brownsville Catholic Padres and the Geibel Catholic teams, along with their coaches, take a knee to pray the Lord’s Prayer prior to their first game of the season recently. Pre-game prayer is a ritual observed by teams participating in CYO before every game they play.
Allison Sallade Ann Baker Ann Bill Babs DiGiovine Barbara Batovsky Barbara McNeeley Beverly Berish Bill Snodgrass Bob Clark Bob Craft 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 Fletcher Eleanor Dando Emma Null Fred Gnus George Babko
Margie Linzmeier Maria Coate MaryAnn Marshall Gerald Boggess Maryann Olenik Harold Seto Sr. Melvin Wence Helen Mendish Michael Climes Sr. Jackson Hodge Nancy Heinbaugh Patricia Knight James Illar Jeff Melhorn Patricia Urick Sawyer Jerry Zalek Patty Sluk Jill Wible Paul Cech, Sr. JoAnn Kwasny Kovach Rhonda Liggett Joel Shumar Robert Franks John Hlatky Robert Stringert John L. Hankins, Jr. Robert Sunny Ronald Sabo Jr. John E. Jenkins John Zulkowsky Rose Marie Cross Johnny Little Ryan Barry Joseph Jagoda Sammy Basile III Joseph Nehela Scott Casterwiller Joyce Smith Serena Snodgrass Kathleen Miller Shirley Mae Mislo Laura Garee Susan Nesti Lenny Zielinski Sylvia Walinski Liliana Orris Teresa Black Linda Brand Terry Thomas Lisa Chancey Tisa Lach Luella Scholl V. V. M. V. Veronica Stringert
Christmas on Sunday Creates Unique Collections Circumstance
Christmas falling on Sunday this year creates a unique collection circumstance. Therefore, please feel free to use the provided envelopes dated December 25 for contributions to our many ministries at any time . We appreciate your generosity throughout the year and especially at the Christmas Season. If you have questions, call the church office at 724-785-7781. Thank you! Please Note Error in Ministry Schedule
Please note that there is an error in the Ministry Schedule. Kindly refer to today’s bulletin for the correct Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Mass schedule. Sign-up sheets for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses will be in the back of each church this weekend. We appreciate your participation in our celebration of Christ’s birth!
Attention All Partner Parishes Ministry Volunteers!
There is no way to show adequate compensation for your generosity in the giving of your time, talent and dedication to the various ministries which provide services to our parishes and to our community. The Partner Parishes of The Historic Church of St. Peter and St. Cecilia have a small token of appreciation for each of you. Please know that if you provide any ministry for or on behalf of our churches, this thank-you gift is for you, so be sure to pick up your gift at any of the Masses on Christmas weekend. And, again, thanks for everything you do all year!
Parishioner Featured in Most Recent Catholic Accent Issue Our own Lauren Friedman, parishioner at The Historic Church of St. Peter, is featured in the “2016 Year in Review” article in the Dec. 15, 2016, issue of the Catholic A ccent. To view a wonderful photo of Lauren taken in the church and to read the article, here’s the online link: http://issues.catholicaccent.org/ publication/?m=27941&l=1&p=&pn=#{%22issue_id%22:368469,%22page%22:16}.
Bereavement Session Begins January 18 The next six-week session of the Partner Parishes Bereavement Group will begin Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. at the church office. The group offers support for those individuals who are experiencing the loss of a loved one. If you would like to par cipate in the group, or if you have ques ons, please call the church office, 724-785-7781.
Children and Family Services Appeal Second Collection at Christmas Masses
Bishop Malesic’s message to us as Catholics in the Diocese of Greensburg this Christmas is to put the needs of the poor ahead of our own. When we take care of the poor among us, we serve Jesus himself in a most personal way. This Christmas, please give generously to the “Children and Family Services Appeal” second collection at all the Christmas Masses. Your contribution goes toward changing the future of an individual, family or child through the good work of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Greensburg.
Christmas Spirit Alive and Well At Our Partner Parishes
Our parishioners exhibited the true spirit of Christmas in sharing the blessings our gracious God has showered on them by purchasing gifts for children in our community through the Angel Tree program. On Sunday, Dec. 11, the final day for gifts to be returned, Angel Tree donations overwhelmed the vestibules of both The Historic Church of St. Peter and St. Cecilia. As evidenced by the photo below, the amazing generosity of our Partner Parishes almost filled our offices. Gifts ranging from three bicycles to every imaginable game and toy will bless the recipients with the spirit of Christmas giving. Don’t forget to place your “Acknowledgement” card in the manger!
On Sunday, Dec. 11, the Bentworth Ministerium Community Choir performed a Christmas Cantata at The Historic Church of St. Peter. More than 100 people attended. The 40+ ensemble of voices and instruments inspired the crowd with a powerful musical presentation of Christmas selections beautifully arranged by our Music Director, Annette Buffer. The following St. Peter’s parishioners participated as part of the choir: SueAnne Antonucci, Roseann Buffer, Nicole Dainty, Samantha Dainty, Lauren Friedman, Barbara Hixenbaugh, Gigi Patrignani, Polly Simmons, Patty Sluk, and Patty Volek.
Fr. Tim lights the Advent Wreath final candle as our anticipation of Christ’s return will be fulfilled this week as once again we joyfully celebrate His nativity.
Twenty-one Children Make Sacrament of First Reconciliation
Congratulations to the 21 children from our Partner Parishes of The Historic Church of St. Peter and St. Cecilia who made their Sacrament of First Reconciliation last Saturday, Dec. 10, at The Historic Church of St. Peter. Fr. Tim heard each child’s first Confession individually at that time. This is their first step on their faith journey to making their First Holy Communion in May 2017. Our religious education program continues to grow! In 2015, we had eight children who celebrated their First Reconciliation at our Advent Reconciliation Service.
Front row, l. to r.: Leonard Pasquale, Hayden Statzula, Laurel Lindey, Blair Long, Dio Broadwater, Grace Polkabla, Brooke Walters, Lexus Novotny, and Tristen King. Back row, l. to r.: Zaydee Downer, Holden Kelly, Sammy McVicker, Madison Chambers, Giavanna Polacek, Samuel Vollstedt, Braydon Radacy, Eli T. Zahuranic, Madison Ritter, Zeke Downer, and Aiden Lent. Not pictured: Tatiana Mathianas. Ministry Schedules Mailed—3rd Server at Masses Welcomed! The new Ministry Schedule has been mailed to participants’ homes. Extras also may be picked up in the back of each Partner Parish church. Although only two servers for each Mass appear on the schedule, Fr. Tim welcomes a third server to volunteer. If you are a trained altar server who attends a Mass and you would like to serve, please feel free to go to the Sacristy prior to Mass and offer to participate. If you have any questions, please call the church office at 724-785-7781.
Still Time to Make Tax-Deductible Donation!
There is still one month left in 2016 to make a tax-deductible donation to this year’s Diocesan Lenten Appeal. Remember that all money donated to the DLA now is returned to our respective churches. (Please note “DLA on your donation.) Thank you for your generosity!
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