St. Clare of Assisi Parish

MISSION STATEMENT We are a Family,

United in the Eucharist, Guided by the Holy Spirit,

Called by Jesus Christ to Grow in Faith, Love and Prayer

in Harmony with the Universal Catholic Church

We will achieve our parish mission by worshipping together and working to evangelize, educate and

serve each other and the entire community.

PASTOR: Rev. Charles J. Baptiste STUDENT RESIDENT PRIEST: Rev. Fortunatus Mugisha BUSINESS MANAGER: Kathleen Ulmer SECRETARY: Marie Perticone MUSIC MINISTRY: Sean Thornton BUILDINGS & GROUNDS: Amy Ference HOMEBOUND MINISTRY: Beverly Mazza SAFE ENVIRONMENT COORDINATOR: Lorraine Carter ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-932-0313 VICTIM ASSISTANCE HOTLINE: 1-888-808-1235 MASSES: Saturday 4:30PM (Sunday Vigil) Sunday 9:30AM Weekdays 7:00PM (Monday) 8:00AM (Tuesday thru Friday) RECONCILIATION: After Mass on Monday Evenings & 12:30PM Saturdays BAPTISMS: Call the Parish Office to schedule a class; then a day and time. WEDDINGS: Call the Parish Office at least six months in advance. The Diocese requires each couple to attend a pre-marriage course. ST. CLARE CEMETERY: Worthington Ave. For Information call the Parish Office.

A Pennsylvania Charitable Trust

WEEKLY MASS SCHEDULE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT - December 17/18 4:30PM For the Parishioners

9:30AM Helen Maksin (Richard & Janice White & Pickering Girls) MONDAY, December 19 - Weekday 7:00 PM Joan Luksick (Barb Pavlack) TUESDAY, December 20 - Weekday 8:00AM John Julian (Son, Paul) WEDNESDAY, December 21 - Weekday 8:00AM George Kacmarik, Jr. (Marlene, Claudia & Daniel Popelas, Sisters & Brother-in-Law) THURSDAY, December 22 - Weekday 8:00AM For the Benefactors of St. Clare of Assisi & Their Intentions FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23 - Weekday 8:00AM Special Intentions (Mary Piroch) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24 12:30 PM Reconciliation CHRISTMAS EVE/DAY - December 24/25 4:30PM For the Parishioners 10:00PM For the Parishioners

WEEKEND MINISTERS - December 24/25

4:30PM - Eucharistic Ministers Rebecca Farabaugh, Ed Razorsek, Nancy Razorsek Lector - Kristen Dotterway Altar Servers - Elizabeth Boal, Colton Boring

Head Ushers - Mike DiCarlo

10:00PM - Eucharistic Ministers Tom Caldwell, Judi Valvo Lector - Elizabeth Marsh Altar Servers - Joe Chasko, Kevin Stretavski

Head Ushers - Ray York, Vince Gori 9:30AM - Eucharistic Ministers Bernadette Baznik, Susan Finnegan, Br. Raymond Reitmeyer Lector - John Baltrus Altar Servers - Lydia Bernardo, Laura Cronkhite

Head Ushers - Ray York, Vince Gori

Parish Office: 460 Reed Street Clairton PA 15025 Phone: 412-233-7870 Fax: 412-233-0742

Office Hours: Mondays - Thursdays 8AM-2PM CLOSED Fridays Email: stclareparish2@comcast.net

Web Site: www.stclareofassisiparish.com

December 18, 2016 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 10:45AM - Counting Team #2

9:15-10:45AM - CCD Grades K-4 - Holy Spirit

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19 Steeler Ticket Winner from 7 PM PA Lottery

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20

2PM - Liturgy - Arden Court 7-8:15PM - CCD - Grades 5-8 - Holy Spirit Church

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21

6:30PM - Choir Practice

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22 Last Day to Purchase Oplatky

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24

Christmas Eve 12:30PM - Reconciliation Liturgies: 4:30 & 10PM

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25

Christmas Day Liturgy: 9:30AM

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Reflection: Is Faith Divorced from Life? We are so close to celebrating that great feast of Christmas! The readings today, as in any reading from scripture, take place in time and space; they are never far from the reality of life we experience today. The scriptures remind us of the difficulties of Joseph and what he is asked to do as the earthly father of the Son of God. The question is, ‘How far have we gotten out of touch with the reality of our faith’? At mom and dad’s last Monday, the Hallmark channel was on with its mushy Christmas movies. Oh well, mushy is OK, but when the ‘reality’ of truth and being divorced from life became so evident in these lame Christmas shows, it really got my dander up! A question was asked by one of Santa’s elves to a person who was to be a ‘department store Santa’. The question was, ‘What is the real meaning of Christmas’? If the wanna-be Santa couldn’t answer the question, he would not be allowed to be a storefront Santa. The answer was………, go ahead and guess. ….. The real meaning of Christmas is Giving! Yes, the real meaning of Christmas is giving! Wow, I didn’t know that, but it was on TV and on a beautifully sentimental Christmas movie. I was wrong after all these years thinking it had something to do with our Lord taking on human flesh as a poor and homeless child so that at the appropriate time He could give to His created the gift of salvation. The king of Kings and Lord of Lords would save us from the senselessness of a life lived for oneself and lead us to a life united with the Trinity. Some people do get it though and as a child had to be born two thousand years ago into the lives of real people to teach us about God, sometimes it is through the openness of a child to the Holy Spirit that our eyes are opened today. An eight-year old boy from our parish recently saw a homeless man, living under a bridge. The boy could not stop thinking of him and demanded that his family do something to help this man in his situation. He told his mom that they have to find him a blanket and he emptied out his own piggy bank and asked the rest of the family to do the same for this cold and hungry man. He had his mom drive all over the place to find him and give him the gift. Even in his letter to Santa there was nothing asked for himself, but instead asked for help for the homeless man. Could this little boy see in this man the face of Christ? Could he see and have compassion for someone the world could hardly recognize 2000 years ago and is having a more difficult time recognizing today? Yes, the boy does realize the power of ‘giving’ but more than that, recognizes in the face of the poorest of the

poor, the face of Christ. Thank you young man! So why do I say ‘Divorced from Life’? How many put into practice the faith in its selflessness, its self-giving ways to those who would seem least likely to give back in this world today? How many would vote for politicians who would live christian values rather than massage our fears to make us fear the stranger, born and unborn? How many would have us live only for ourselves so that they might become rich in the values of this world? Thank God for this one little boy who sees the face of Jesus in someone totally unexpected. That has made all the difference! Do we need to recognize Christ in a family member or loved one? Thank you young man, for helping to reconcile the divorce between God and man. God bless you for bringing real hope back to Christmas!

Peace, Fr. Chuck

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS - Dec. 17/18 Pages 42-44

NEXT SUNDAY’S READINGS – Dec. 24/25

Isaiah 62:1-5 – Page 44 Acts of the Apostles 13:16 – 17, 22-25 – Page 45

Matthew 1:1-25 – Page 45

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FISCAL YEAR JULY 2016 - JUNE 2017

Budgeted Weekly Offering Required …….. $ 5,561.00 Actual Weekly Offering Dec. 10/11 ………. $ 3,629.00 Weekly Deficit ………………………………. - 1,932.00 Parish Share 2016 YTD.. ………………….. $ 27,679.00 Cemetery Envelopes 2016 YTD..…….…… $ 9,598.00

Please remember St. Clare of Assisi Parish in your Will or Estate Plan.

Next Drawing: Friday, December 30 Entered to Date: 90

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CONCERNING OUR PARISH

Our Recently Departed … Steven E. Farabaugh (Brother of Rebecca Farabaugh),

Josephine (Marino) Kulman (Childhood Friend of Mary Welton), Freda Moorhouse

Our Sick and Shut-ins ... Barbara Antrom, Pete Azzari, Fr. Chuck Baptiste, June Bendik,

Eleanor Berggren, Caden Boring, Cullen Boring, Maria Campano, Gloria Cerasoli, Fran Colonna, Mildred Demchak, Sheila Eddy, Rebecca Farabaugh, Irene Fera, Meryl Ferrare, Kathleen Geletko, Rudy (Blu Jay) Gori,

Genevieve Hartman, Marie Hodge, Mary Julian, Sophie Jupin, John Karnack, Off. James Kuzak Jr., Edward Lis, Linda Massaro, Audrey Mihalko, Sandra Milas, Mary Ann Mitko, Diane Moran, Barbara Pavlack, Lou Pavlack Jr., Martha Petras, Sylvia Pittman,

Nancy Rasorsek, Betty Rothbauer, Fr. Angelus Shaughnessy, Sophie Slavick, John Sorrentino, Fr. Bonaventure Stefun, Kathy Tachoir, Carol Thornton, Rayne Tortorice, Ruth Ulmer, Willie Valvo, Catherine Vukovich,

Rose Marie (Popchak) Wilkerson, Rita York, Mary Zwack

~ and all Names and Intentions listed in our Prayer Request Book

For family members of our parishioners serving in the military:

Dante Capane, Richard Cronkhite, Tara Felker, Gregory Lentz,

Jason Middleton, Garrett Santoline, Michael Santoline, Anthony Svetz, Luke Thornton, Zachary Thornton,

Andrew West, Jeffery West

Prayers for Our Seminarians This week, please pray for

John F. Ferguson from St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen Parish

OFFERTORY COLLECTION

CONCERNING OUR FUNDRAISERS

PARKING REMINDER: With our three Christmas Liturgies coming up, please utilize all the spaces in the Parking Lot and on the Street by pulling up as close as possible to the car in front of you. Once the rows are filled in the Lot, the Exit Aisles can be used for the overflow. Fifty to sixty cars can park safely in our Lot.

Christmas Wafers can be purchased Mondays through Thursdays during regular office hours at the Parish Office (8AM-2PM) until Thursday, December 22. They are $2.00 (4 wafers) per envelope.

A winner will be determined on the 7PM Daily Lottery this Monday, December 19 for two lucky people to see the Pittsburgh STEELERS beat the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day, share $100 Cash and take home a Fan Gift Basket!! Check your tickets to see if you are our Winner. If you were a Seller, please check with your “customers”. We hope we can announce who the Winner and Seller was in next week’s bulletin. All Tickets were sold! This Fundraiser Profit was $1,000!

The SECOND COLLECTION at all Christmas Masses NEXT weekend will be for the Diocesan Christmas Charities for the Support of Children and Youth. The donations from this Collection are credited towards our PSP assessment goal of $40,000. As this is the last weekend of the month, it is also for the ongoing Repairs and Maintenance of our Parish Properties. Feel free to place your envelopes for both of these collections in the Second Collection Basket next

If you have requested any weekend Mass Intention and your family wishes to take up the offertory gifts, please let an Usher know before Mass. Someone from the congregation should always take up the gifts.

Thank You to everyone who picked an Envelope

from our Angel Tree this year. A number of families and children from our parish received gifts, along with the 32 families from Sisters Place. Please know that you have made Christmas a little brighter by helping those who are experiencing some form of hardship at this time of year.

Attention Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors and Adult Altar Servers: There is a small Thank You Gift in the Sacristy for those serving the Lord at St. Clare of Assisi Parish in a ministerial way. All gifts have individual names on them. Please pick yours up before the end of the year.

We Thank the Family of

Freda Moorhouse for designating donations to

St. Clare of Assisi Parish in her Memory

Congratulations to two former students from

St. Clare of Assisi School who participated in a Runway Show at the Hollywood Lanes in Dormont … Robert Cronkhite was one of the featured Swing Dancers and Malcolm Williams was noted as one of the best dressed Clothes Designers for this affair. More than 250 partygoers helped to raise funds for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation!

PARISH MEMBERSHIP FORM

Registering at our Parish is a declaration of your desire to be part of a Catholic community. We extend a warm welcome and hope you will find our Parish Community a place where your faith will be nourished. If you are moving into, or out of the Parish, please let us know. Fill out this Form and return it to the Parish Office.

NAME______________________________________________ADDRESS__________________________________________ TELEPHONE________________________________________ __________________________________________ Check One: New________ Change of Address________ Moving out of Parish________ Want Envelopes________

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BILLBOARD SIGNS FROM GOD “Don’t let your worries get the best of you, Give them to me.” - God

CONCERNING OUR COMMUNITY CONCERNING OUR DIOCESE

Many of you have asked where Christmas cards may be sent to our Priest friends who were formerly associated with St. Clare of Assisi Parish. The address for …. ● Fr. Angelus Shaughnessy (who had kidney surgery in March & is dealing with an on-going battle with Shingles), ● Fr. Bonaventure Stefun, ● Fr. Gregory Brown (Guardian at St. Aug’s) and ● Fr. Rich Zelik (Former Pastor) is:

St. Augustine Friary 221 36th Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15201 Wouldn’t it be nice for them to receive a Christmas wish from you to them? “Dropping anyone a card at Christmas is a joy that YOU give to others that comes back to YOU.”

Marriage MOMENTS “In the beginning was the Word.” (John1:1) And the Word was made flesh. Words count. They structure our relationship with each other. They are a promise, a sign of love. What is the first (or best) word you will say to your beloved today? Parenting POINTERS “Thus the total number of generations was … (Mtt:1:17) Christmas is almost here. How many generations of your family will be present during your holidays? Listen to each other’s stories. Learn about the past and future. Family PERSPECTIVE Mary was excited about her first pregnancy and rushed to tell her cousin. Sadly, children are often seen as a liability, “another mouth to feed” or an “obstacle to my career.” It is said that “Christmas is for children.” It is more accurate to say “Christmas is for adults to appreciate the gift of children!”

Some parents feel imprisoned by their

routines, a cycle of busyness and boredom that

won’t let up. For others time is heavy on their

hands and all they can think of are lost

opportunities and times past when they had

dreams of a different life. Some are locked in

depression, anxiety or addictions, others in a

pattern of bad habits or negative thinking. If

someone handed you the key to the cell door,

would you take it? On this last Sunday before Christmas,

folks with family responsibilities are probably

pretty busy. There are presents to wrap,

cookies to bake, cards to write and other last

minute details. If we’re not careful, we can turn

our blessings into burdens, forgetting that all

life is a gift, that all these tasks are expressions

of affection for those we love so dearly. If you’re more conscious of your burdens

that your blessings, try saying “thank you” for

everything: tasks, errands, even things that go

wrong. Then, instead of turning your blessings

into burdens, you may find your burdens

turning into blessings. Gratitude is the

“key” to a fulfilling life without regret.

We Thank Our Bulletin Sponsor This Week

TACHOIR AUTO BODY

Kathy & Roger Tachoir

412-233-3196