Today’s Readings: 1st Reading - Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18 | 2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 | Gospel - Matthew 5:38-48

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 23, 2014 | 0132

Sacred Heart Parish

But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you...

Matthew 5:44

Stewardship Corner ~

Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy. Lv 19:2

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Mt 5:48

In the readings this weekend, God gives us the formula for how we can strive to achieve this holiness and perfection. So often today we think we should merely be excellent, but excellence will never reach perfection. God’s calling to us is to go beyond excellence by loving our enemies and our neighbors the same way we love ourselves.

The second reading tells us that our bodies are temples in which the Spirit of God dwells. If we remain

mindful of this, and we treat ourselves in the way God intended us to, we glorify Him. When we extend

this same love to others around us, including family, friends, strangers, and enemies, we demonstrate

our love for Him as well. It is not always easy to show this love even to those who are close to us, but I

encourage you to take some time this week to evaluate one relationship- put yourself in the other’s

shoes and ask how you might like to be loved if you were that person, this allows you to show that

person you love them just as you love yourself. I know you will experience great peace and happiness

with this exercise, and I hope it prompts you to continue doing the same in other relationships as well!

Peace,

Kaitlyn Wiant, Parish Services Director

0132 Sacred Heart Parish Sunday, February 23, 2014

Tuesday Evenings, immediately following the 7 pm Mass.

March 4th - A Proposal for Catholic Courtship derived from Scripture and Papal Teaching March 18th - Guiding Your Child Through the Courtship Process April 1st - The Impact of Financial Indebtedness upon Future Marriage April 15th - Purifying Marriage of the Vestiges of a Less Than Perfect Courtship

Fr. Hamill recommends purchasing the book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris

(available as a Kindle download).

Excerpt from Amazon.com: Joshua Harris's first book, written when he was only 21, turned the Christian singles scene upside down...and people are still talking. More than 800,000 copies later, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, with its inspiring call to sincere love, real purity, and purposeful singleness, remains the benchmark for books on Christian dating. Now, for the first time since its release, the national #1 bestseller has been expanded with new content and updated for new readers. Honest and practical, it challenges cultural assumptions about relationships and provides solid, biblical alternatives to society's norm. To register, go to www.sacredheart.us or look for an email from Sacred Heart Parish!

In the King’s Court

Lenten Program on Courtship

presented by Father Hamill

LENTEN SERVICES

Sacred Heart Giving February 16, 2014

Regular Collection: $ 8, 944.75 [Poor Box Collection will be reported next week.]

Thank you!

Lead Me to the Cross ...where Your Love poured out.

The groundhog may have called for 6 more weeks of winter, but I, for one, am looking forward to spring!

However, before we enjoy the beautiful Easter lilies, we will all find ways to prepare ourselves for the holiest week of the liturgical year - ways to “lead us to the cross.” Some will give something up, and some will add a new layer to their faith commitment by trying to add more prayer time to their busy lives or to make a more conscious effort to serve others . Young and old will experience the feeling of sacrifice evolving into spiritual re-birth.

One great way for middle and high-schoolers to prepare themselves for the Easter season is to become involved with the Living Stations Program produced here at Sacred Heart on Good Friday evening. This year’s program will take place on Friday, April 18, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the church. Preparations begin on Thursday, March 6th, and continue through the Thursdays in Lent - excluding Holy Thursday. Meet-ings are held in the church from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. We are in need of pantomime actors, lectors and singers. Spring time schedules can often be a challenge, but we try to work around them as much as possible. Please consider joining us in producing a beautiful, reverent program depicting Our Lord’s journey to the cross.

If you have any questions, please contact Amy Murphy at 610-345-0428 or murphydna@verizon.net.

How can you share Christ’s love in the Oxford community?

Aid for Friends, a program bringing food and compan-ionship to local home-bound persons, is in need of volunteer visitors. Currently, we have four clients in need of visitors for one hour, once a week. We can promise you one of the most rewarding experi-ences of your life. Our volunteer visitors see the same client every week. They really get to know each other; forming a true and caring relationship. Some of our friends say it is one of the best friendships they’ve ever had – some volunteer visitors say the same thing. If you think you can spare an hour a week to make a tremendous difference in the life of a friend near you, please contact Dana Felder at 484.459.3433 or email aff@sacredheart.us.

“He became my best friend.” -Sacred Heart volunteer about her experience visiting

with Aid for Friends

Our Mass Book for 2015 is now open. If you would like to have a Mass intention reserved, please stop by the information desk in the Narthex or contact our Parish Office during office hours, Monday- Thursday, 8:30-4:30.

Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Mariana Engle to our parish staff. Mariana will be assisting with the development of our parish organization and formally began this past Monday, February 10th.

Mariana has her Bachelor's Degree in Letters from Penn State University and her Master's Degree in Human Resources from Villanova University.

She has a passion for organizational development and has several years of professional experience. Please keep her in your prayers as she makes the transition into her role here at Sacred Heart!

Ash Wednesday Service March 5th: 12pm and 5pm

Confessions during Lent Wednesdays: 6:30- 7:30

Saturdays: 4:00pm Stations of the Cross

Fridays: 2:15pm

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK, especially: Pat Ryan, George Cleary, Gina Caldwell,

Joseph Beird, Mary & Jean Basilio, Anne Marie Oshman, Diana Wills, Michael Cooke, Kimberly Jester, Diane Joyce,

and all parishioners with special needs. Please contact the parish office if you would like to add someone to our prayer list. You may resubmit a person’s name anytime through

our website, www.sacredheart.us or call 610-932-5040. Any new additions to the sick or military list will be in the

bulletin for one month, then continued on the website for our prayers.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

5:00 PM

Extraordinary Minister: D. Alesi, J. Tiriro, G. Campbell

Lector: J. Kelly

Altar Server: Teddy C., Catharine V., Bailey S.

Music: Jamie Shover and Cathy Grebner

Ushers: Beau Jones

Sunday, March 2, 2014

7:45 AM

Extraordinary Minister: R. Oram, C. Quigley

Lector: J. Norris

Altar Server: Joseph M., John M.

Music: Amy Murphy

Ushers:

9:00 AM Both Species

Extraordinary Minister: M. Hampshire, H. Staszesky, R. Kepler,

P. Schmaltz

Lector: P. Long

Altar Server: Kieran S., Nathan S., Mark P.

Music: Amy M., Fran M., Bob B.

Ushers: Mark Bradford, Frank Sipala,

Brandon & Lauren Kim, and Samuel Hamilton

LOWwC: Jeri Roma-Santine, Gwen O’Brien

10:30 AM

Extraordinary Minister: J. Watkins, J. Yesilonis, B. Leach

Lector: J. Fazio

Altar Server: Zachary C., Brandon S.

Music: Beth V., and Karen Evangelista

Ushers: Catherine L., Jerome Lacek, John Peluchette

12:00 PM

Extraordinary Minister: D. Murphy, M. Styer, E. Biancanello

Lector: M. Oronzio

Altar Server: Erin M., Dennis M., Patrick M.

Music: Sacred Heart Parish Adult Choir

Ushers: Jack Morrison, Jon Anderson

M i n i s t r i e s a t M a s s

Saturday February 22, 2014

5:00 pm Gloria Jean Campbell,

req. by Claire & Warren Shortell

Sunday February 23, 2014

7:45 am Kristy Jo Kelleher

req. by the Kelleher Family

9:00 am Mary Russell,

req. by Mary Whiteside

10:30 am Anthony Manetta,

req. by his mother and sister

12:00 pm The People of Sacred Heart

Monday February 24, 2014

8:00 am Robert and Dolores Quinn,

req. by Carol Marzano

Tuesday February 25, 2014

7:00 pm Frank Capasso

req. by As the Spirit Leads

Wednesday February 26, 2014

8:00 am Sean Quinn,

req. by Carol Marzano

Thursday February 27, 2014

8:00 am Henry and Edith Ciarrochi

Friday February 28, 2014

8:30 am Joseph McGrogan, Sr.

req. by the McGrogan Family

Saturday March 1, 2014

5:00 pm The Purgatorial Society

Sunday March 2, 2014

7:45 am Kristy Jo Kelleher

req. by the Kelleher Family

9:00 am The People of Sacred Heart

10:30 am Marie Porter,

req. by Patti Williams

12:00 pm Rose Sauer

M a s s I n t e n t i o n s

0132 Sacred Heart Parish Sunday, February 23, 2014

Children’s Liturgy of the

Word is offered during the

9:00 am Mass.

For more information, please contact

Phoung Besancon at 302-766-1153 or

children@sacredheart.us

Would you like to deepen

your relationship with Our

Lord, Jesus Christ? Why not

consider a commitment to

spend some extra time with

Him. He is always present

and waiting for you in the

silence.

Eucharistic Adoration is open to all and is

held every Tuesday from 8 am until 7 pm.

Nothing is needed to do this but an open

heart to Our Lord, Jesus Christ. You can

stop in anytime on Tuesday for any length

of time and just enjoy the quiet and peace

that can only be found with the Lord.

If you are interested in making a commit-

ment to one hour, once a week, contact

Joann Di Liberto at 610-932-8962.

CYO News...

Registration is now open for basketball intramurals and track. For basketball intramurals, there is a

1st-3rd grade league and a 4th-5th grade league. The basketball league started on February 15th.

Cost for intramural basketball is $50. Cost for track is $65. Please register at www.wagdogs.com.

If you would like to receive a 2013 Contribution Tax Statement from Sacred Heart

Church, please contact the Parish Office at info@sacredheart.us or 610-932-5040.

Statements can be e-mailed or mailed to you.

S a c r e d H e a r t S c h o o l Charismatic Prayer Group News

Life in the Spirit Seminar

This is an open invitation to all who are interested in learning more about the Holy Spirit and His gifts. Come refresh, renew and deepen your spiritual life, and experience how the Holy Spirit can help you in your daily walk. Where: Sacred Heart Church 203 Church Road, Oxford, PA Date: Saturday, March 15, 2014 Time: 8:30 am (Registration) to 3:00 pm (Growth and Transformation - Wednesday, March 19th, 7:30pm) Call or email questions to: Rita Marra - ritam@zoominternet.net, Jean Gottel - gotbean77@yahoo.com or call after 6 pm, 610-255-4655

Are you considering a Catholic education for your child?

See what Sacred Heart students say about

Catholic Education:

“School is like my family.”

“Teachers care about us.”

“I get to feel special.”

“ I can talk about God anytime.”

“My school friends will keep me from doing wrong because

of the values we are taught, and I will do the same for

them.”

“I am friends with everybody,

and everybody is friends with me”

“When somebody gets hurt, everybody is sad.”

“I like that we pray everyday in the morning for people who

are special to us.”

“I get to go to church and receive the Body of Christ.”

“In a Catholic school, I don’t have to worry that my hair

isn’t perfect, because I know that no one will make fun of

me.”

“In a Catholic school, I can be myself. Nobody will make

me feel ashamed about who I really am,

because God made me that way.”

Please visit to learn more about our school and see firsthand what

makes it so special.

To schedule a visit, please contact the school at

developmentshs@gmail.com or 610-932-3633.

Retreat Day for Widows and Widowers

The loss of a loved one is difficult and painful. The loss of a spouse is a particular kind of suffering that raises questions of faith - and can, at the same time, be an opportunity for profound intimacy with Christ, and with our departed loved one. Retreat director, Ann Koshute, MTS, is a graduate of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and adjunct theology professor at Immaculata University. Ann possesses keen sensitivity and insight into living life with all its challenges. When: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 from 9 am to 3 pm Where: Hosted in St. Joseph's Hall at Malvern Retreat House. Cost: $35 per person (includes coffee, Danish, and sit-down lunch) To register for this event, call the main office at 610-644 0400 or visit www.malvernretreat.com/retreats/register/.

0132 Sacred Heart Parish Sunday, February 23, 2014

PASTOR

Rev. Gregory J. Hamill

frhamill@sacredheart.us

484-758-0099

WEEKEND ASSISTANTS

Rev. Joseph Shenosky & Rev. John Franey

MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil at 5:00 pm

Sunday 7:45 am, 9:00 am, 10:30 am & 12:00 noon

DAILY Monday, Wednesday & Thursday at 8:00 am Tuesday Evening 7:00 pm & Friday 8:30 am

Holy Days as announced in the bulletin

Reconciliation Saturday at 4:00 pm & Wednesday at 6:30 pm

Adoration Tuesday 8:00 am-7:00 pm

Rosary Monday, Wednesday & Thursday at 7:30 am

Friday - 8:00 am

Miraculous Medal Novena Monday following 8:00 am Mass

Chaplet of Divine Mercy Wednesday following 8:00 am Mass

Sacred Heart Parish Office 610-932-5040

203 Church Road, Oxford, PA 19363 Website:

www.sacredheart.us

Sacred Heart Parish School 610-932-3633

205 Church Road, Oxford, PA 19363 Website:

www.shsoxford.us

REGISTRATION FOR NEW PARISHIONERS

If you are new to the parish, we welcome you. You may come as a stranger to us, yet you are known to Our Lord, Jesus Christ—there are no strangers in grace—in His name we pray you will find peace, hospitality and friendship with us. You are invited to register at Sacred Heart after any Mass on the weekend, just stop by the Welcome Desk in the Lobby.

SACRAMENTS: Visit our website, www.sacredheart.us for the sacrament page and information about becoming Catholic, Baptisms, Marriage, and PREP. If you would prefer, you may call the parish office at 610-932-5040 for details.

THE SACRAMENT OF THE SICK - If a loved one is dealing with a serious illness, it is wise to notify the parish office as soon as possible. This sacrament is intended by the Church to be a comfort and strength to people during their illness, not to be held out as “Last Rites”.

Lily’s Gift is a network of concerned parents and

professionals who have experienced or worked closely with issues surrounding poor prenatal diagno-sis. Modeled and trained by Be Not Afraid

SM, volun-

teers from Lily’s Gift offer a free service of practical

guidance and compassionate care focusing on meet-ing the needs of expectant parents as they seek to honor the life of their baby no matter how frail or how brief.

For local support

email: LilysGiftLuke12.27@gmail.com

For more information and other resources,

visit www.benotafraid.net

Lenten Fish Fries Remember to bring the kids and join the Knights of Columbus for the first of two Lenten Fish Fries on Friday, March 14th, in the parish hall. You will have your choice of Fried Fish or Mac & Cheese platters. Fish platters ($8 per platter) will include a 4 oz. of fish, fries, cole slaw, roll, applesauce and a brownie. Mac & Cheese platters ($5 per platter) will include all the same special fixings. The second Lenten Fish Fry will be held Friday, April 11th in the parish hall. Come join the Knights and your fellow parish-

ioners for a wonderful feast.

Due to the unavailability of a

celebrant, Mass will not be celebrated

at Sacred Heart on Tuesday, April 29

and Thursday, May 1, 2014.