SAINT MARK PARISH MISSION STATEMENT

(Ratified January 11, 2009 by the People of Saint Mark Parish)

We, the people of Saint Mark Parish, are a welcoming community, cherishing

the traditions of our Catholic faith. Unified by our rich heritage in the Mon

Yough Valley, we are committed to the call of our Baptism by listening to and

putting God’s Word into action. Nurtured by the Eucharist and empowered by

the Holy Spirit, we walk with Christ celebrating and spreading the good news of

the gospel through prayer and humble service to all.

PASTOR

Reverend Daniel T. Straughn, S.T.L.

�

Accept God’s LOVE, and LIVE!

Share God’s LOVE, and THRIVE!

LIBERTY SITE (LB)

3210 Liberty Way • McKeesport, PA 15133

MASS SCHEDULE

Mon., Wed. & Fri. ................................ 8:30am

Sat. Vigil ............................................... 6:00pm

PORT VUE SITE (PV)

1125 Romine Avenue • McKeesport, PA 15133

MASS SCHEDULE

Tues., Thurs. & Sat. .............................. 8:30am

Sunday .................................................. 8:00am

Sunday ................................................ 11:00am

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

5:15pm Saturdays at our Liberty site

and anytime upon request.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM

Classes are held at our Port Vue site

for Grades K-8 on Sundays from

9:30am−10:45am, September thru May.

SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE

Engaged couples are to participate in a Marriage

Preparation Class. Please contact our Administration

Center six months prior to the anticipated wedding date.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Baptisms are the 1

st

Sunday and 3

rd

Sunday of the

month after the 11:00am Mass. Pre-Baptism

Class is required. Please contact our Administration

Center three months prior to the anticipated birth.

OFFICE HOURS: Monday thru Friday

9:00am to 12:30pm—1:00pm to 4:00pm

BULLETIN DEADLINE: Friday 12:00 Noon

ADMINISTRATION CENTER

1125 Romine Avenue • McKeesport, Pennsylvania 15133

Email: stmarkparish1101@comcast.net • www.saintmarkdiopitt.org

Telephone: 412-678-MARK (6275) • Fax: 412-673-1393

Father Rowan Hall: 412-678-3443

Parish Nurse: 412-678-6275 x102

Religious Education & Youth Ministry: 412-678-6275 x105

Mon Yough Catholic School: 412-672-2360

Victim Assistance Hotline: 1-888-808-1235

10 November 2013 ● THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINT MARK PARISH MCKEESPORT, PA

Rosary prior to daily morning Mass

MONDAY, 11 November 2013

COMMUNION SERVICE (Intention Fulfilled Privately)

8:30am John and Pauline Youhouse......................... LB

(Bob Youhouse)

TUESDAY, 12 November 2013

8:30am Vietnam Veterans Living and Deceased .....PV

(Betty Busch)

WEDNESDAY, 13 November 2013

8:30am Howard Kish ............................................... LB

(Brother, Joe)

THURSDAY, 14 November 2013

COMMUNION SERVICE (Intention Fulfilled Privately)

8:30am Patricia Ruzich McCarthy…….…….. ..... ...PV

(John and Mary Jane Gracon and Mother)

FRIDAY, 15 November 2013

8:30 am George Pavlic .............................................. LB

(Irene Pavlic)

SATURDAY, 16 November 2013

8:30am Parents ................................................... PV

(Fran and Nell Gradich)

6:00p.m People of Saint Mark Parish AND

Deceased Members of Christian Mothers

& Ladies Guild ............................................ LB

(Christian Mothers and Ladies Guild)

SUNDAY, 17 November 2013

8:00am George T. Legin, Jr......................................PV

(Tom and Cathy Esack)

11:00am Andrew Osika. .............................................PV

(Wife and son, Robert, Grandchildren,

Alena and Steven Osika)

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

10 NOVEMBER 2013

Sanctuary Lamp/Altar Bread & Wine

This week the Sanctuary Lamp at our Liberty site burns for

Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life.

This week the Sanctuary Lamp at our Port Vue site burn for

Marge Rhodes.

This week the Altar Bread and Wine is offered for our

Veterans and those serving in our military.

Activity Schedule

Monday, 11 November 2013

6:30-7:30 pm, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, LB

6:30pm, Pastoral Council meeting, PV

7:00pm, Ladies of Charity meeting, LB

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

6:30-7:30 pm, Zumba Fitness class, LB

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

9:00am, Miraculous Medal Novena, LB

6:30-9:00pm, Youth Group meeting, PV

7:00pm, Bible Study meeting, PV

Thursday,14 November 2013

6:30-7:30pm, Zumba Fitness class, LB

Saturday, 16 November 2013

9:00am, Pierogie making, LB

10:00-11:00am & 7:00pm, Pie pick-up, LB

Saint Mark “Common Grounds”

The Coffee House at the Port Vue site is

open today following the 8:00am Mass.

Join us for coffee and fellowship!

Stewardship

3 November 2013

Offertory Collection ................................. $6,431.95

Maintenance & Buildings/Grounds ........ $1,259.10

Thank you for your continued generosity.

Baptism Instruction Class

The next Baptism class for parents:

Monday, 6 January at Saint Mark Parish

Monday, 3 March at Corpus Christi

Monday, 5 May Saint Robert Bellermine

Readings for the Week of 10 November 2013

Sunday: 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14/2 Thes 2:16--3:5/Lk 20:27-38 or 20:27, 34-38

Monday: Wis 1:1-7/Lk 17:1-6

Tuesday: Wis 2:23--3:9/Lk 17:7-10

Wednesday: Wis 6:1-11/Lk 17:11-19

Thursday: Wis 7:22b--8:1/Lk 17:20-25

Friday: Wis 13:1-9/Lk 17:26-37

Saturday: Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9/Lk 18:1-8

Next Sunday: Mal 3:19-20a/2 Thes 3:7-12/Lk 21:5-19

Donations

Food Bank:

On behalf of Thomas Kearns:

Dennis and Donna Ruddy…………………………………$200.00

Van Upkeep:

Anonymous…………………………………………………...$25.00

Collection for Archdiocese Military Services

A second collection is taken THIS weekend to help support priests

who provide pastoral services to members of our military, their

families and patients in our VA Hospitals. In addition, funds help

support religious education in remote locations and wherever US

Military support is present. Please give generously.

Your donation is greatly appreciated!

Next Weekend: Second Collection

A second collection is taken next weekend for the

Retirement Fund for Religious. Please contribute for the care

of our elderly Catholic sisters and brothers and priests. Please

give generously.

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 10 NOVEMBER 2013

$1,300 December Lottery Raffle Ticket

The next monthly raffle tickets will play the 7:00pm PA Lottery on

Monday, 2 December 2013. Tickets are sold before and after

all Masses.

Saint Mark Parish 50/50

In your offertory packet, there is a tan colored envelope marked

50/50 Drawing--Donation $5.00. At the end of each month, all

envelopes are placed in a drum and one lucky winner is drawn to

win half of the take. Congratulations to Jo Ann Esack, our

October winner!

THANKSGIVING OFFERING

A Gift for our Food Bank and Charitable Activities

In the pews at both of our worship sites are

Thanksgiving Envelopes for donations toward our

Saint Mark Parish Food and Charitable Activities.

You can return your donation on any Sunday or at

our Thanksgiving Day Mass. Thank you!

Your kind generosity is greatly appreciated!

PIEROGIES for the HOLIDAY

Our Saint Mark Parish family is making homemade

pierogies on Saturday, 16 November 2013.

Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the day

with laughter and fellowship. Please meet in Father

Rowan Hall at 9:00am; lunch is served. Come and

learn our loving and joy-filled traditions!

To order, please complete the form below and place it

in the offertory with your payment. Potato/Cheese is

$8.00/dozen and Lekvar is $9.00/dozen. Pickup is

Saturday, 23 November, 7:00-8:00pm in Father

Rowan Hall. Orders due by 11 November.

Ladies of Charity

Meeting: 7:00pm, Monday , 11 November, LB.

Reminder: Ladies of Charity Association dues must be

paid by Monday, 16 December. Dues for active

members is $16.00 and $4.00 for inactive members.

Pies for Thanksgiving

Thank you to all who ordered pies. Pie pick-up is

Saturday, 16 November, 10:00am-11:00am and

after the 6:00pm Mass in Father Rowan Hall. If

you did not get a chance to order pies or would like to

pick up extras, pies are available (while supplies last)

after Masses 16-17 November.

Thank you for your generous support!

Pierogies for the Holiday

Name: _______________________________

Telephone:_______________________

______ Dozen Potato Cheese @ $8.00 $ _______

______ Dozen Lekvar @ $9.00 $________

Please place order form in Offertory basket.

Orders due by Monday, 11 November.

Thank you for your support!

FALL into the SEASON of GIVING!!

Our Saint Mark Youth Group is collecting donations of

NEW TOYS for our Saint Mark Parish Food Bank.

9/10 November – 30 November/1 December

there will be a "Giving Tree" at the rear of both

worship sites. Fall leaves, with the ages and genders of

the children that will be receiving toys this Christmas

season, will be hanging on the trees for anyone who

wants to donate toys. Please take a leaf from the tree

and purchase a "New Toy" for that child and place the

unwrapped toy, with the leaf attached, in the

receptacles marked Saint Mark Food Bank Toy Drive at

either worship site. Our Youth group will collect the

toys and distribute them to the members of our food

bank. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! All

children receiving toys are from our local community.

Give Thanks and Share!

For what are you grateful? For what are you thankful?

We all have an opportunity to share our blessings and

thanksgiving at our Thanksgiving Day Mass,

celebrated 21 November. Anyone wanting to share

something publically will be given the opportunity. So

come prepared to share with our family so we all can

offer praise and thanksgiving to God for all of our

many blessings! Praise GOD! Thank GOD!

Donation to Pink Tie Affair

Thank you to all those who donated to the Pink Tie

Affair Organization at our Tuesday, 29 October, Zumba

Fitness class. Donations totaled $300! The Pink Tie

Affair assists local men and women in the Pittsburgh

area who are challenged with breast cancer.

Thank you for your generosity!

�

Congratulations Father Daniel!

In honor of Clergy Appreciation Month, Father

Daniel received an Appreciation Award from K-

Love Radio on Thursday, 31 October. He was one

of three clergy in the Pittsburgh area to receive the

honor. Father Daniel was chosen for the award

from a letter written by Barb Pastore of our Saint

Mark Parish nominating him for all the good he

does for our Parish and for her personally. K-Love

Radio chose to recognize Father Daniel by present-

ing him with a K-LOVE package and plaque at our

Parish Administration Center.

Thank you and God Bless you Father Daniel!

JUNE 2, 2002 THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 10 NOVEMBER 2013

Welcome into the Faith

With great joy, our Saint Mark Parish family

welcomes Lilyana Kathryn Reitz, Kendall

Deborah McClelland and Gino Frank Lombardo

into the Faith. We pray their family and friends may

always be their best example of Faith. Praise God!

Eternal Rest

For the repose of the soul of Thomas Kearns

of our Saint Mark Parish. We extend our

deepest sympathy and prayers to our family and

friends.

PARISH SHARE Update:

Assessment of $70,489

As of 12 October 2013, we received $41,697.50

toward our assessment of $70,489. If you have

not already done so, PLEASE offer a Parish

Share contribution (not assessed by diopitt)

within the next month.

The total assessment is due in December. If we

do not achieve our assessment by Parish Share

contributions, we are required to pay the

remainder from our savings or operating funds.

We are trying to maintain and enhance our parish

through lively liturgies, service, continuing

education and infrastructure improvements.

These all cost money. If we have to pay our

Parish Share from operating funds, we will not be

able to afford other enhancements or

programming. Thank you for your support!

Youth Group BINGO

Mark your calendars! Our Saint Mark Parish Youth

Group’s annual fall Bingo is Friday, 22 November in

Father Rowan Hall. Doors open at 5:30pm, Early Bird

Games begin at 6:30pm. Tickets are $20.00 and

available after all Masses or by contacting Lori

DiMarco: 412-583-2293. Hope to see you there!

Be Thoughtful and Reverent

- for this is the house of the Lord. Before Mass, speak to the Lord;

during Mass, let the Lord speak to you; after Mass,

speak to one-another.

� The Feast of Christ the King �

All of our Liturgies for the Feast of Christ the King are

to focus on the presence of Christ in the Eucharist with

Eucharistic Adoration/Exposition prior to Mass.

Please make every effort to join us as we rededicate

ourselves to Christ the King on:

Saturday, 23 November 2013

5:15pm, Liberty site

Sunday, 24 November 2013

7:15am and 10:15am, Port Vue site

�

What is Eucharistic Adoration/Exposition?

Understood simply, Eucharistic Adoration is adoring

or honoring the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus Christ,

our Lord, Savior and King. In a deeper sense, it

involves “the contemplation of the Mystery of Christ

truly present with us and for us.” During Eucharistic

Adoration, we “watch and wait”, we pray, we adore, we

enjoy His Presence, and we open ourselves to His

Grace and His Love…which flow from the Eucharist –

His Real Presence.

By worshiping the Eucharistic Jesus, we become what

God wants us to be! Like a magnet, the Lord draws us

to Himself and gently transforms us. In its fullest

essence, Eucharistic Adoration is “God and Humanity

reaching out for each other, at the same time!”

Come, let us adore Him.

Christ the Lord, Christ the King!

Happy Birthday Father Daniel!

(Tuesday, 12 November)

'The LORD bless you, and keep you.

The LORD make his face to shine on you, and be

gracious to you. The LORD lift up his face toward you, and give

you peace.' (Numbers 6:24-26)

Premier Designs Jewelry Fundraiser

You're invited to get your holiday shopping done early

with Premier Designs Jewelry! Fundraisers held after

all Masses Saturday, 23 November, in Father Rowan

hall and Sunday, 24 November in the meeting room

(old library). Select jewelry pieces will be on display;

Saint Mark Parish will receive 50% of profits!!!

Thank you for your support!

Presented by Deb Urda and Melanie Ponist.

Saint Mark Parish Apparel & Merchandise

Saint Mark Parish apparel and merchandise has

returned with an expanded lineup, including

embroidered dress shirts, throw blankets and even a

doggie t-shirt. Sample items are on display at each

worship site, along with order forms. Please submit

orders through the offertory or drop-off at the Parish

Administration Center, by Sunday, 17 November.

Delivery in time for Christmas!

Any questions, contact Adam Carlson:

adamfcarls0n@gmail.com or 412-478-0064.

Liturgical Calendars

Liturgical Calendars are available 16/17 November.

Donations will be given to charity.

Our thanks and gratitude to

Willig Funeral Home for providing the calendars.

SAINT MARK PARISH MCKEESPORT, PA

To live our Faith, we need to know our Faith!

Year of Faith:

11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013

"…They called the Church together and reported what GOD had

done with them and how He had opened the door of faith..."

(Acts of the Apostles 14:27).

Characteristics of Christian Prayer

Christian prayer is in the attitude of faith, hope and charity. It is persevering and resigns itself to the

will of God. When we pray as Christians, we step out of ourselves and enter into an attitude of trusting

faith in God; and at the same time place all hope that He will hear, understand, accept and perfect

us. Saint John Bosco once said, "To know the will of God, three things are required: prayer, waiting,

taking counsel." (Matthew Warner, 2013)

Christian prayer is always an expression of love, which comes from Christ's love and seeks the love of

the Divine. (Youth Catechism 493)

What is Interior or "Contemplative" Prayer?

Contemplative prayer is love, silence, listening and being in the presence of God. For interior

prayer one needs time, resolve and above all a pure heart. It is the humble, poor devotion of a

creature that drops all masks, believes in love, and seeks God from the heart. Interior prayer is

often called the prayer of the heart and contemplation. (Youth Catechism 503)

Why does it help to turn to the Saints when we pray?

Saints are people who are aflame with the Holy Spirit; they keep God's fire burning in the Church. Even

during their earthly life, the saints prayed ardently, in a way that was contagious. When we are close

to them, it is easy to pray. Of course, we never worship saints; we are allowed, though, to call on them

in heaven, so that they may present petitions for us at the throne of God. (Matthew Warner, 2013)

Do you know how to pray? All you need to do is talk to God. His is your loving Father. Tell him how you would like to make him happy. Ask him to give you the

things you really need. Ask him to help you to forgive other people, just like he forgives you. God loves you, so talk to him often and listen to him all of the time.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

To show gratitude for our prayerful and financial support, the students in Grade 3

at Mon Yough Catholic School have chosen Saint Mark Parish as their

extended family and will include us in their daily prayers throughout the school year.

Please keep our teachers, students and parents of Mon Yough Catholic School in your

daily prayers as well.

Why go to Confession?

Oftentimes reconciliation with God in sacramental confession is seen only from its externals, which can

intimidate. Why must I go say my sins to another person? What do I say? How often do I have to go?

If, however, this sacrament takes on its true significance as a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, then the

perspective changes. I desire to meet him and he comes out to find me in my need. I speak to my Lord, who

already knows my heart but hopes that I will freely open it up to him. He forgets my falls, assuring me that

he believes me to be capable of holiness and of fulfilling a transcendent mission. He offers me the chance to

begin again my life of grace and friendship with him.

God loves you. Hear him tell you so with his healing forgiveness.