ST. FRANCIS XAVIER
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~Mass Intentions~ Monday 7:30 AM
January 11 Sue Buzanowski (Members of St. Francis Xavier) Tuesday January 12 7:30 AM Bryan Banister (The Allen Family) Wednesday January 13 7:30 AM Dunbar & Connelly Families (Estate) Thursday January 14 7:30 AM Monsignor Donald Scully (Estate) Friday January 15 7:30AM Enrico & Riamondi Families (Estate) Saturday January 16 5:00 PM Sylvia Szymanowski Kesselhon (Dan & Dee Renick) Sunday January 17 8:00 AM Members of St. Francis Xavier Parish 10:30AM Doris Chojnacki (Family)
Please remember in your prayers . . . . Robert Conroe, Lynn Ratkowski, Cory Emty, Alice DeLuca, Tammy Mang, Jim Smart, Janice Hull, Scott James, Donald Vogt, Lois Vosmus, Jennifer Park, Jim Ryan, Nancy Hogan, Cindy Lair, Mason McKenrick, Neil Williams, Clifford (Bud) Post, Adam, Jason and Jake Walmer, Ray Romba, Bernie Fiscus II, John Buckel, Michelle Hetrick, Jodie Schember, Harriet Rimbzius, Donna Daugherty, Vicky Barcio, Tony Mancuso, Karen Osborne, Tom DuCharme, Charles Flynn, Michael Potter, Sandra Pollard, Roberta Laird, Trevor James, Leslie Purchase, Barbara Therasse, Holly, Peggy Corsale, Pam Maleski, Shelly Buffalari, Fred Kindland, Nathan Hansen, Theresa Steadman, Danielle Vorberger, Danielle Dorderder, Lynn Valentyn, Dee Hoyt, Tina Holmes, Margaret Gratton, Alice Ruth Balinski, Janelle Guriel, V. Gray, Barb Walker, Tricia Burkett, Margaret Szymanowski, Patricia Barron, Ritchie, Barb Danylko, Ted Tecza, Rose Donahue, Carrie Hart, Rhiannon Neubert, Ann Tokrywiecki, Kathy Krise, Don Kloss, Carol Winschel, Randy Brutcher, Sam Burns, Robin Macial, Sally Gradler, Emma Bilinski, Fr. Tom, Bill Muenz, Patty Brown, George & Marge Walker, Jeanne Silverthorn, Patrick K., Kathryn Buckel, Loretta Olscewski, Janet Lombardo, Mary Povath, Marcy Blackmond, Doug Chernicky, James Mantsch, Alan Rodgers, Ron and Lynn Nash, Nancy Brigaman, Laura Davies, Marge Austin, Robin Snyder, Gregory Thomas, Carol Matheis, Margaret Wasser, Mark & Anne Coursey, Josh Kriebel, Jim, Kathy Piotroski, Rose McLaughlin, Thomas Kowalczyk, Anthony Cosentino, John P, Addison McSorley, Luke Johnson, John Lewis, Dave McLaughlin, Patty Bennett, Ann Wills, Buddy O’Leary, Kathy Vincent, Jerry Odom, Eleanor Baron, Joey McLaughlin, Dennis Hodges, Sr., Daniel Weber, Max Barron, AJ White, Sherry Steale, Katherine Denning, Larry Weaver, Kathy Murr, Carol Fullom, Vern Peasley, Paul Amann,
January 10, 2010
The men and women in the military: Private 1st Class Jacob McKenrick, Chief Petty Officer AurelioVelazquez, Jr., Lance Corporal Gregory Kaliszewski, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Trapp, Staff Sgt. Jason Trapp, Private Jeff Kinnear, Sgt. Seth Danylko,Lance Corporal Michael Smith, LCPL James Gdanetz, Senior Chief David Dombkowski, Sgt. First Class Kevin Ferrick, Second Lieutenant Jenny Stewart . Prayer Requests: Please call the prayer line at 476-7486. Please call the same number when you would like the persons name removed from the list.
Angel Food Ministries If you have any questions concerning the Ministry please call Kathy Orlando at 814-450-2411. Distribution: January 23: 9-10 AM Cookbooks are still available and can be purchased anytime through the Religious Education Office. Contact Cindy Zemcik at 476-1622 or see her on Sunday mornings. Cookbooks are a great bargain -$10.00 each. Thank You To let you know...15 families (29 total children) received food baskets for Christmas. We would like to thank everyone for their donations of money, nonperishable food, fruit baskets, hams, turkeys and “Angel Food Ministries” units of food. 102 children in our community received presents this year. PLEASE keep up your giving. We continually help families year round, especially on an emergency basis. I hope that you all experienced a blessed Christmas Season. As we continue to reflect on the occurrences of these days, it is important for me to reflect on how God has worked through all of the dedicated and generous people I have witnessed. Thank you to all who have sent greetings and gifts my way. They have made this time one of particular joy and thanksgiving. A special thanks to all who planned for the celebrations of these past days: the people who planned the liturgies, set the environment, and practiced and provided the music. Thank you to all who participated in the liturgical ministries of these celebrations: the Altar Servers, Proclaimers of the Word, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Musicians, Song Leaders, Cantors, and Ministers of Hospitality. Thank you to all who participated in these liturgies as with song and voice we together gave praise and thanks to our God for this greatest of gifts, Emmanuel, God with us. `Father Mark New Years Resolution: Restore the communication and rekindle the romance. Every married couple deserves a richer, fuller life together. Worldwide Marriage Encounter: February 19-21 at the Quality Inn, Exit 18, I-90. Information (814) 823-4600. PRO-LIFE PRAYER BREAKFAST People for Life's annual Pro-Life Prayer Breakfast will be held on Saturday, January 16 at the Ambassador Banquet & Conference Center. The main speaker will be Serrin Foster, president of Feminists for Life of America. Reservations are $12.50, $6.50 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for children under 3. Purchase by January 12. For more information call (814) 8821333 or visit www.peopleforlife.org.
The Baptism of the Lord MANIFESTING THE SPIRIT The Christmas season closes this Sunday with the Baptism of the Lord. This feast is a sister to last week’s feast of the Epiphany. Each of them celebrates an “epiphany,” or a manifestation of the Spirit of God in Jesus—first in his birth, and now at his baptism. The divine Spirit is manifested in all of the scriptures for this feast. Psalm 104 highlights the Spirit of God creating and renewing the earth, while the reading from Isaiah describes God restoring Israel. In Luke’s account of the baptism of the Lord the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus. And the letter from Titus reminds us that the Holy Spirit was “richly poured out” on us also, through the “bath of rebirth” (Titus 3:5, 6). © Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.
Question of the Week: God was pleased with Jesus. Name a time when you felt God was pleased with you. TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — Isaiah speaks of the Servant whom the Lord upholds; he shall bring forth justice to the nations (Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7) or Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11. Psalm — The Lord will bless his people with peace (Psalm 29) or Psalm 104. Second Reading — Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit; he went out healing and doing good (Acts 10:34-38) or Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7. Gospel — A voice comes from heaven proclaiming Jesus as the beloved Son, with whom God is well pleased (Luke 3:15-16, 21 -22). READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: 1 Sm 1:1-8; Mk 1:14-20 Tuesday: 1 Sm 1:9-20; Mk 1:21-28 Wednesday: 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20; Mk 1:29-39 Thursday: 1 Sm 4:1-11; Mk 1:40-45 Friday: 1 Sm 8:4-7; 10-22a; Mk 2:1-12 Saturday: 1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1a; Mk 2:13-17 Sunday: Is 62:1-5; Ps 96; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Jn 2:1-11 HURTFUL SIN Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is hurtful. —Benjamin Franklin
January 10, 2010 WEEKLY COLLECTIONS Weekend of 12/20/2009 Envelopes sent to households—562 Weekly expenses $5,215.38 Collection 3,906.29 $1,309.09
Envelopes used— 199
CSA 2009 Assessment—$27,835.00 Total commitments as of 7/9/09— $38,955.00 # of families responding– 135 Total amount paid—$33,805.00
Utility Bills for December. . . National Fuel— $609.89 Penelec—$445.60 Penelec (Parish Center) - 212.75
Liturgical Ministry Schedule January 16 & 17 5 PM
8 AM
10:30 AM
Ushers
K.Flak J.Neubert B.Petak
M.Vincent B.Harvey D.Whitcomb B.Kuffer
R.Damore T.Hoover H.Taylor G.Michalchik
Eucharistic Ministers
N.Bachman S.Bleil
D.Nelson G.Soltys
N.Kraus T.Makowski
Altar Servers
K.Frick J.Schmidt
S.Whalen LScouten
Grade 7
Lectors
L.Herman
M.Curtze
Grade 7
Cantors
C.Moran
R.Banister
Guitar
SAINT HILARY (c. 315-367) January 13 Born in Poitiers, France, whose populace would later elect him bishop, Hilary, married and a father, was converted from paganism to Christianity through his reading of scripture. The focus of his prayerful study was the Prologue to the Gospel according to John, which portrays Jesus as the divine Logos, eternally begotten of the Father. As a result, Hilary became in the words of the biblical scholar Jerome, “the Latin Trumpet against the Arians,” heretics who believed Jesus to be merely human, not divine. In defense of Christ’s divinity, Hilary was not only eloquent in debate but utterly fearless in the face of relentless persecution and even exile. Thus by the witness of his own discipleship, Hilary taught that faith in Jesus as the divine Son of God has consequences. Reflecting on Jesus’ challenge to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13), Hilary notes that, as salt both preserves from corruption and adds savor to food, so must the faithful disciple bear a witness that, by word and example, leads others to immortality and virtuous living. —Peter Scagnelli, © Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.
SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Baptism of the Lord; National Vocation Awareness Week Wednesday: St. Hilary Saturday: Blessed Virgin Mary
The Work of the People I have spoken at Mass a few times about the process we, as a parish, have begun. One of the names for this process is Lifelong Faith Formation. It is also known as Whole Parish Catechesis or Full Parish Catechesis. There is a core group for this process that has been formed and that has been meeting monthly since October 2009. The group is going through the education stage of the process so that we can ultimately form a plan for the parish as a whole. The group is using a text called Dreams and Visions: Pastoral Planning for Lifelong Faith Formation and, in order to keep the entire parish informed about the work of this group and this process, I will be using this column for the next few weeks to provide some summaries for all who care to read. What is the purpose of engaging in this process at this time in the history of our parish? We are called by God through Baptism to be, like John the Baptist, heralds of Christ. It is as if we are a voice “crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord.” In order to do that, we need to come more and more to know and love God. It is the “know and love” part of this call that requires Lifelong Faith Formation. We cannot think that our religious education stops with the Sacrament of Confirmation. We continue to grow and develop as human persons. Why would we not continue to grow and develop as spiritual persons? Bill Huebsch, who authored the book Dreams and Visions, as well as others put it this way. “The human heart is filled with hunger. No matter who we are or where we live, no matter how rich or poor we’ve become, no matter to whom we’re married, or not married at all, no matter what, we hunger. And for what is it that we humans hunger? When we pause to consider this, in all it’s magnitude and power, we realize that we hunger for the One who made us. We hunger for the divine heart. We hunger for God. This desire for God is written into our very hearts, because we are created by God and for God and God never ceases to draw us to himself. Only in God will we ever find the truth and happiness for which we never stop searching. Our dignity as humans rests above all on the fact that we are called to this ‘communion’ with God. This invitation to be near to God, to talk with God, to hear God’s voice echo in our own souls, is addressed to us from the first moment of being. The truth is that we believe something very profound about human life. We believe that we exist because God has created us. And God’s creation, above and beyond everything else, is an expression of God’s love for us and the world. Likewise, only through God’s love do we continue in being. For us humans, we believe, it is necessary that we acknowledge God, acknowledge God’s love and give our very hearts over to God, in order for us to achieve happiness and fullness of life. But how does this desire to be near God play out in everyday life? How do we know that it is, in fact, a desire for God and not for something or someone else? In many ways, throughout history down to the present day, people have expressed their innermost desires in words and actions. We have continually sought quiet moments of prayer. We have engaged in various forms of sacrifice. We have developed rituals and liturgies. We have found, in short, ways to express our inner being by reaching beyond ourselves to ‘another being.’ We give that ‘other being’ a name and that name is Holy One, Spirit Counselor, Wonder of Wonders, Father of All or, in a word, God. Looking even casually at history and how we humans behaved it is easy to see that we are ‘religious beings.’ Even though we have searched continually for God down through the centuries and even in our present day, God, it turns out, is really quite near to us.” This process of Lifelong Faith Formation leads us closer to that God for whom we long and helps us to become better witnesses in the world of the presence and action of our God.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Confirmation Retreat Our Confirmation class will join All Saint’s Confirmation class for a retreat on January 16, 2010 in our Parish Center from 10 am to 6 pm. All Confirmation Candidates are reminded that this retreat is a mandatory requirement for Confirmation. 7th Grade Mass The 7th Grade will host the 10:30 am liturgy on January 17, 2010. We are all called to active participation in the liturgy. This is an important part of our program and we ask the parents to please make sure your child can attend this Mass. Angel Food Volunteers The 11th grade will be Angel Food Ministry volunteers for the January 23rd distribution date. All 11th graders should arrive at the Parish Center by 8:30 am. 10th Grade Retreat The 10th grade retreat will be held on Sunday, January 24th from 1:30-5:30 in the Gathering Space. There will be no morning class for the 10th grade on January 24th. Do you find it uncomfortable to talk to your son or daughter about love, chastity, dating, marriage or human sexuality? Would you like the opportunity to connect with your son or daughter and open the line of communication? Then experience the Family Honor Real Love & Real Life program with your 7th and 8th grade child: Holy Cross Church, 7100 West Ridge Road, Fairview, PA 16415– Friday, January 29 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Saturday, January 30 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pleaser contact Sylvia Smith 814-474-2605. Cost is $45 per family (includes lunch on Saturday.)Registrations are due today. A Family Perspective: There is nothing better to a child than to hear his or her parent say that they are “well pleased”. Give freely the gift of affirmation to your child; it is more precious than silver or gold. Ecumenical Christian Taize prayer Around the Cross Ecumenical Christian Taize Prayer Around the Cross is planned for 7 PM on Friday , 1-15 and Friday, 1-19 at the Sisters of Mercy Mother House, 444 E. Grandview Blvd. The gatherings include chanting, Scripture reading and silence. For more information contact Sister Rita Panciera at the House of Prayer in Erie, 814-456-1802.
PASTORAL COUNCIL Kim Seth 474-1245 Cindy Zemcik 476-7629 Kevin Campbell 734-9115 Ron Bole 476-7554 Chris Matheis 866-2218
Kathy Orlando Sharon Sabella Cindy Gray Dick Roth Rob Damore
476-3067 476-1672 734-5128 796-0133 882-6651
Andrea Campbell L.Skladanowski Colleen DeVore
734-9115 796-3032 476-1202
FINANCE COUNCIL Rick Dylewski Ron Fronzaglia Mike Murnock
476-7788 864-6772 474-4501