ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH

MOTHER CHURCH OF THE BERKSHIRES

ESTABLISHED 1849

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Liturgical Celebrations

Saturday 4:00 PM

Sunday 9:00 AM

11:30 AM

Daily Mass 12:10 PM

RCIA Tuesdays, 6:30 PM

Holy Hour Monday-Friday, 11:00 AM

Daily Rosary Monday-Friday, 11:30 AM

Prayer Group 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 6:45 PM

The Staff

Msgr. Michael Shershanovich, Pastor

Rev. Geoffrey Deeker, CSS, Priest in Residence

Rev. Mr. Pasqual Baldasaro, Deacon

John Arasimowicz,

Coordinator of Youth Religious Education

e-Mail: stjosephccd@berkshire.rr.com

Michele Madden, Secretary

e-Mail: Michelemadden@berkshire.rr.com

Mrs. Patricia Momnie, Pastoral Minister

St. Joseph’s Parish Office

414 North Street. Pittsfield, MA 01201

Tel: (413) 445-5789

Fax: (413) 443-5466

Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 9:00 AM-1:00 PM

e-Mail: msgrmike@berkshire.rr.com

Web site: www.stjoepittsfield.com St. Joseph’s Cemetery

Mr. Paul Guillou, Superintendent

Nancy Nolan, Secretary

Tel: (413) 499-1317

Sacrament of Baptism:

All new parents are expected to complete a course of instruction.

Please consult the parish office for classes.

Sacrament of Reconciliation:

Saturdays, 3:00-3:45PM

Sacrament of Matrimony:

Couples should contact the parish office at least one year prior to the wedding.

New Parishioners should register at the parish office. We look forward to welcoming you to the

parish family and hope you will become involved with your time, talent and treasure.

Ministry to the Sick and Parishioners confined to home have visitations that are scheduled on a

regular basis. Please notify the parish office to make arrangements.

Religious Education Classes are held at St. Joseph’s High School following the 9:00 AM Mass

for all public school students, grades K-11, and parochial students preparing for Sacraments.

LECTORS & EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

Saturday 4 PM EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: Joe Bourquard, Andy Canata, Pat Momnie, Sr. Jean Bostley,

May 24th Barbara Dalso, Paula Dodds

LECTORS: Jim Armstrong & Cheryl Furtek

Sunday, 9 AM EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: Betty Kirby, Jack Laviolette, MaryKay McClintock,

May 25th Nancy Nolan, Pat Keegan & Joe Ryan

LECTORS: Donna Quallen & JohnQuallen

Sunday, 11:30 AM EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: P. McDonough & Joe Dahrouge

May 25th LECTORS: Robert Bouquet & Anne Dunham

S T. J O S E P H ’ S CH U R CH — P I T T S F I E L D , M A S SACH US E T T S

J esus tells us not to be troubled. Therefore, pray that the Lord will how you the way in your life. Just ask Him.

If you think God is calling you to a Church vocation, call Fr. Gary Dailey at (413) 452-0811 or email

g.dailey@diospringfield.org Website: www.myvocation.org

T he Polish Picnic will he held again this year on Sunday, July 20, from 12 Noon to 6 PM. For over 48 years the Polish Picnic has been a huge success with a large attendance. The plan for this

year’s event is to again maintain this success. Admission is free. Polish and American food and drinks may be purchased. Frozen food can be purchased starting at 9 AM that morning. Hot meals will be available at 12Noon. The Polish foods include kielbasa, kapusta, golumbki, and pierogi. Also for pur-chase will be hot dogs, hamburgers, beverages and desserts! Various raffles will be available along with a lottery tree. As in the past, entertainment for your listening and dancing pleasure will be pro-vided by “The Rymanowski Brothers” of Albany, NY. Kiddie Land with games & Mr. Bouncy Bounce

will be set up for the younger members of the family. Please don’t forget to bring your lawn chair!

Memorial Day Mass will be

celebrated at St. Joseph’s

Cemetery on Monday, May 26th

at 11:00 a.m. in the Mausoleum

area. Please bring a chair. In

case of rain Mass will be at

St. Joseph’s Church.

IT’S A VOLUNTEER PICNIC AND YOU ARE INVITED!

Before the weather gets too hot we are taking advantage of the last days of Spring to come together as friends and share a good meal and relax after a long year of work. Please join us for the Volunteer Pic-nic on June 6th at 5:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. Please call the Rectory to let us know if you are attending!

Third Thursdays have become an event the en-

tire community looks forward to; spending time with family, neighbors, and friends to foster relationships and strengthen community bonds. St. Joseph Parish is happy to share in these events. We will be working 3rd Thursdays in June, August and September as well as the 4th of July. Please consider donating bot-tled water and soda for these events. Also, we are always looking for help staffing these events! Please call the Rectory is your able to lend a hand! Thank you!

Did you know...We had to

replace the water main in

the Church. Things wear

out. It cost $16,000.00

M ay 2 5 , 2 014

Knights of Columbus Council #103 Lumberjack Breakfast Fundraiser, Father’s

Day, Sunday, June 15, 2014 from 8 AM—11 AM at St. Joseph Parish Center.

Menu: Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Home Fries, Orange Juice,

Coffee, Tea & Hot Chocolate! Adults: $8; Children 5yr to 12 yr: $5. For tickets–

contact St. Joseph Rectory or Jack Laviolette at 464-6009.

Pregnancy Support Services of Berkshire

Co., Inc. will hold its annual Silk Rose Sale

on Memorial Day weekend. The agency very

much appreciates the support of the local par-

ishes to continue in its service to women with

crisis pregnancies. Silk roses sell for $1 each.

THANK YOU!

MEETING: MAY 29th

Save the date...Mark your calendar...

St. Joseph’s FESTIVAL OF SHAR-

ING ROOTS will be held on Septem-

ber 7th. A PLANNING MEETING is

scheduled for Thursday, May 29th at

6:30 PM in the North Chapel. We will

discuss the highlights of last year’s festival and some new ideas

for this year! We’d like to hear from YOU! What are your ide-

as? Booth chairpersons, volunteers and parishioners are encour-

aged and welcome to attend! PLEASE JOIN US...Hope to see

you there!

Did you know… The copper

rain drains at the Parish

Center have been stolen.

The Pittsfield Police are aware

and are investigating.

Service to the Church can be done in many ways; one such is by donating time to

serve on the Parish Council. As this is a time of transition of leadership, we would

like to send a heart-felt "thank you" to members of the Parish Council who have re-

cently finished their service: Tony Venturini, Ann Dunham, Thomas Arasimowicz,

Gerry Dahrouge and Nancy Prezenik. Your time and commitment to our Parish is

appreciated beyond written words. We would also like to send a warm "welcome" to

the in-coming members of the Council: Pat Keegan, Betty Kirby, Jack Laviolette,

Cheryl Furtek and Joe Ryan--We are most grateful for the input of all our members.

The Food

Pantry of St.

Joseph Par-

ish extends a

HUGE thank you to

the United States Post Office for their over-

whelming contribution to us. The participation

from your patrons is greatly appreciated as our

shelves are replenished with your kind gener-

osity. Thank you from the parish and the mem-

bers of the Food Pantry.

Berkshire County Treasure Hunters un-

earthed a ladies watch on our grounds that

must have been there for quite a few years. If

you think it might be yours please call

John Sheerin at 329-8666.

6 t h S u n d ay o f E a s t e r

Saturday, May 24th

CHARLIE BUNNELL 4 PM

Requested by Paula Ken & Family

Sunday, May 25th

DECEASED MEMBERS VOCI & SPAZIOSO

FAMILIES

Requested by Karen Cowell 9 AM

JOAN BARRETT

Requested by Family 11:30 AM

Sanctuary Candle

STELLA & LOUIS DUDA

Requested by Fred, Pat & Barbara

Monday, May 26th

Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Cemetery 11 AM

Mausoleum area. In case of rain

Mass will be at St. Joseph Church

Tuesday, May 27th

Wednesday, May 28th

LOUIS DUDA 12:10 PM

Requested by Fred, Pat & Barbara

Thursday, May 29th

JOHN REMBISH 12:10 PM

Requested by Family

SALLY MICKOWITZ 5:30 PM

Requested by Family

Friday, May 30th

DICK DOAK 12:10 PM

Requested by Family

Saturday, May 31st

JENNIE HARTE 4 PM

Requested by Family

Sunday, June 1st

PAT COLLINS 9 AM

Requested by Mary & Ray DeMott

The Mierzejewski Family 11:30 AM

Readings for the Week of May 25, 2014 Sunday: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17/1 Pt 3:15-18 or 1 Pt 4:13-16/Jn 14:15-21 or Jn 17:1-11a Monday: Acts 16:11-15/Jn 15:26--16:4a Tuesday: Acts 16:22-34/Jn 16:5-11 Wednesday: Acts 17:15, 22--18:1/Jn 16:12-15 Thursday: Acts 18:1-8/Jn 16:16-20 Friday: Acts 18:9-18/Jn 16:20-23 Saturday: Zep 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16/Lk 1:39-56 Next Sunday: Acts 1:1-11/Eph 1:17-23/Mt 28:16-20

NEICH BED ZIE POCHWALONY JEZUS CHRYSTUS

GLUTEN FREE HOSTS AVAILABLE TO THOSE

WHO CANNOT TOLERATE GLUTEN. PLEASE

NOTIFY PRIEST BEFORE MASS.

Kindly silence all pagers & cell phones. Thank you!

ST. JOSEPH PRAYER LINE 443-1221 Sacrificial Giving Last Week: $4,313.00

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

"If you love me, you will keep my com-mandments." It\'s not uncommon to associ-ate the word "commands" with im-ages of dictatorship. We can tend to think

of commandments as obstacles to real freedom, im-posed by some angry, powerful tyrant who just wants to be in control. Call them directions, or suggestions, or guidelines if you will, but not commands! It almost feels like an insult. But today, Jesus breaks out of these stereotypes. He casts the commandments in the con-text of love. He does not insist on any obligation to follow them. Rather, he says that whoever observes his commandments "is the one who loves me." So just what commandments will we be following if we love the Lord? When Jesus was questioned about this, he said the two greatest commandments are to "love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind," and to "love your neighbor as yourself," (Mt 22:37-39). Even the com-mands he gives us are rooted in love, not legalism. Of course, when we follow these principles we will natu-rally keep the traditional Ten Commandments, which give more specific instructions on how to love God and neighbor. As we know from experience, when we truly love someone, we desire to make them happy. When they are content, we are content. So the more we love Je-sus, the more we will want to please him. Thus, follow-ing his commandments ultimately makes us happy too. Understood in these terms, the commandments don\'t stifle us, they satisfy us! God doesn\'t restrict our free-dom; he respects it. Ultimately, it is our choice whether or not we will live the life of love that Jesus offers us.

Our next bus trip is to Mac-Haydn Theatre, Friday, June 27 to see “FIDDLER ON THE ROOF”. We’ll have dinner at Winding Brook Country Club and then on to the Theatre. Bus leaves at 4:30 p.m. & returns after the show. Cost: $64. Please the call Rectory for reservations!