2

FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

When God Seems Silent by Jon Bloom

www.desiringGod.org

God can be maddeningly hard to get. When God says that his ways are not our ways, he really means it (Isaiah 55:8).

We have these encounters with him where he breaks into

our lives with power and answers our prayers and wins our trust and waters the garden of our faith, making it

lush and green.

And then there are these seasons when chaos careens with apparent carelessness through our lives and the

world, leaving us shattered. Or an unrelenting darkness descends. Or an arid wind we

don’t even understand blows across our spiritual landscape, leaving the crust of our soul cracked and parched. And we cry to God in our confused anguish and he just seems silent. He seems absent.

Singing to the Silence

That’s why tears tend to flow when I listen to Andrew

Peterson’s song “The Silence of God.” I know what Andrew means:

It’s enough to drive a man crazy, it’ll break a man’s faith It’s enough to make him wonder, if he’s ever been sane When he’s bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod

And the Heaven’s only answer is the silence of God

The same thing happens when I listen to Rich Mullins’s

song “Hard to Get”:

Do you remember when you lived down here

where we all scrape To find the faith to ask for daily bread? Did you forget about us after you had flown away? Well I memorized every word you said. Still I’m so scared, I’m holding my breath, While you’re up there just playing hard to

get.

All of God’s saints, if allowed to live long enough, are led

into the lonely, disorienting, weary wilderness. And while there, we lament. And since laments are often better sung than said, it’s always been the poets and songwriters who

help us most.

Job: “I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand, and you only look at me.” (Job 30:20)

King David: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.” (Psalm 22:1–2)

The Flat Earth and the Absent God

Atheists will tell us that the reason God seems silent is

because he’s absent. “No one’s home at that address. Duh.”

In the silent suffering seasons we can be tempted to believe it. Until we step back and take a look and see that existence itself is not silent. It screams God (Romans 1:20). As Parmenides said, and as Maria sang in The Sound of Music, “Nothing comes from nothing; nothing ever could.”

Believing atheism is like moderns believing in a flat earth. “From where I stand, it doesn’t look like God is there.” Right. And if you only trust your perceptions, the world

looks flat. The only reason you know the world is round is because of authoritative scientific revelation and many corroborating testimonies.

What we experience as God’s absence or distance or silence is phenomenological. It’s how we perceive it. It’s how at some point it looks and feels but it isn’t how it is. Just like we can experience the world as flat when we’re walking on a huge spinning ball, we can experience God as absent or distant when “in him we live and move and have our

being” (Acts 17:28).

In reality, God wasn’t absent or silent or indifferent at all

toward Job or King David. It’s just how it felt to them at the time. Nor, in reality, was God silent toward Andrew Peterson or playing hard to get with Rich Mullins. And when

we feel forsaken by God we are not forsaken (Hebrews 13:5). We are simply called to trust the promise more than the perception.

Why the Silence?

But why does it need to feel that way? Why the perceived silence? Why can it seem like God is playing hard to get or

like he’s just standing there looking at us when we cry to him for help?

I don’t claim to understand all the mysteries of this experience. No doubt we underestimate the effects of remaining sin on us and our need for this discipline in order

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

3

FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE Continued

to share God’s holiness (Hebrews 12:10). But I believe there are clues

for another purpose as well. I’ll phrase them as questions.

Why is it that “absence makes the

heart grow fonder” but “familiarity

breeds contempt”?

Why is water so much more

refreshing when we’re really

thirsty?

Why am I almost never satisfied

with what I have, but always

longing for more?

Why can the thought of being

denied a desire for marriage or children or freedom or some other dream create in us a desperation we previously didn’t have?

Why is the pursuit of earthly

achievement often more enjoyable than the achievement itself?

Why do deprivation, adversity,

scarcity, and suffering often produce the best character qualities in us while prosperity, ease, and abundance often produce

the worst?

Do you see it? There is a pattern in the

design of deprivation: Deprivation draws out desire. Absence heightens

desire. And the more heightened the desire, the greater its satisfaction will

be. It is the mourning that will know the joy of comfort (Matthew 5:4). It is the hungry and thirsty that will be satisfied (Matthew 5:6). Longing makes us ask, emptiness makes us seek, silence makes us knock (Luke 11:9).

“God’s silence is how it

feels, it’s not how it is.”

Deprivation is in the design of this age.

We live mainly in the age of anticipation, not gratification. We live in the dim mirror age, not the face-to-face age (1 Corinthians 13:12). The

paradox is that what satisfies us most in this age is not what we receive, but what we are promised. The chase is better than the catch in this age because the Catch we’re designed to be satisfied with is in the age to come.

And so Fredrick William Faber wrote in his poem “The Desire of God”:

Yes, pine for thy God,

fainting soul! ever pine; Oh languish mid all that

life brings thee of mirth; Famished, thirsty, and

restless — let such life be thine —

For what sight is to heaven, desire is to earth.

(Thank God for poets and songwriters!)

So you desire God and ask for more of

him and what do you get? Stuck in a desert feeling deserted. You feel disoriented and desperate. Don’t despair. The silence, the absence is phenomenological. It’s how it feels, it’s not how it is. You are not alone. God is with you (Psalm 23:4). And he is

speaking all the time in the priceless

gift of his objective word so you don’t need to rely on the subjective impressions of your fluctuating emotions.

If desire is to earth what sight is to heaven, then God answers our prayer with more desire. It’s the desert that awakens and sustains desire. It’s the

desert that dries up our infatuation with worldliness. And it’s the desert that draws us to the Well of the world to come

According to St. John of the Cross, God speaks in silence. The challenge for us is to learn how to speak his language.

“It is best to learn to silence the faculties and cause them to be still, so that God may speak,” St. John wrote.

How apt, therefore, that the feast day for the 16th-cenutry mystic and Doctor of the Church falls in the midst of Advent, a time when the noise of canned shopping mall carols, office parties and all the other trappings of the season can seem deafening, an endless distraction from the spiritual preparations for Christmas.

St. John wrote frequently about the indwelling of God. Because the Trinity exists at our core, he stressed, we need to turn inward in prayer, an act that requires silence. Seeking God in externals, he argued, results in distractions and weariness, distancing us from our goal of strengthening our relationship of God. St. John’s words challenge modern thinking. He wrote, for example, that we should remain “silent with our desires as with our tongue,” a bold contrast to today’s rampant

consumerism. Furthermore, silence can seem so elusive in modern society that its unexpected presence can seem unsettling. Learning to embrace silence, however, is invaluable. As St. John reminds us, God “understands only one language, that of silent love.”

St. John of the Cross: Spirituality and Silence in the Modern World www.Novalisseedsoffaith.com

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

4

IN THE PARISH

Helpful Information

Join the Parish

Anyone wishing to register for membership in the parish is asked to fill out a registration form and drop it in the collection basket.

Request Prayers

Our INTERCESSORY PRAYER MINISTRY provides prayer for anyone in need throughout the parish. Contact MARY ANN MAGDA at 570-820-0525 or make your intention known on our parish website at www.standrebessettewb.com

Remember your Parish

Your parish serves you faithfully throughout your life. Please remember your parish with a memorial gift or a Bequest in your will. Make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for you.

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATIONS

Anointing of the Sick

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may take place at any time, but, sadly, too many families wait until the last minute to call the priest to anoint their loved ones. If someone in your family is seriously ill, preparing for surgery, or suffering a prolonged illness, please contact the parish office to arrange a time for Fr. Ken to visit. IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY—or if Fr. Ken is unavailable to visit immediately, we will contact the first available priest to celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing with your loved one.

Funeral Preparations

We collaborate with the local funeral directors in arranging the times of the funerals. Please be

aware that there is an additional fee for funerals on Saturdays imposed by most cemeteries in the area.

Baptismal Preparations

Parents of newly born infants may call the parish office to arrange a time for the Baptism of their child. Baptisms are celebrated, for the most part, on any Sunday, with the exception of the season of Lent.

Wedding Preparations

Couples contemplating Marriage are asked to contact the parish office at least one year prior to the contemplated date of marriage,

0oooOur Annual

Toy Bingoingo!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

1:30 pm Doors open at Noon.

St. Mary’s Social Hall Madison St.

Wilkes-Barre, PA

We are in need of toys which

serve as prizes for our regular

games. Popular toys include board games

and electronic/video games. stuffed animals

are also popular, but please make sure they

are NEW and UNUSED. Leggo sets are always

a big hit, and anything robotic/electronic.

We are in need of Toys to serve as prizes for our SPECIALS We have

several special games throughout the Bingo

afternoon which require bigger ticket prizes:

Tv, video or other gaming systems or other

electronic gizmos are perfect for this type of

prize.

Toy donations can be dropped in the box in

the vestibule of the church.

We are in Need of GIFT CARDS which can be used as consolation prizes when

there is more than one winner in any regular

game or special. We also use them as door

prizes. Gift cards can be to any local store or

restaurant, especially kid-friendly ones.

Please drop them in the collection basket

each weekend.

We are in Need of WORKERS to man

the entry tables, raffle sales, floor walkers to sell

50-50 and Specials, and, to check winners. We need people to work the kitchen, preparing food and selling food. We need baked goods for our dessert table. We need helpers to set up and helpers to take down.

If you are able to help in anyway, contact Pat Baran at 570-823-6280. The Toy Bingo is one of Three Major Fundraisers we run each year to help us meet our Financial goals. As our parish debt is currently at

$600,000.00 and climbing, we need the cooperation and input of everyone to insure that this year’s Bingo will be a great success to ensure our financial future.

Our Lady of Fatima

Devotions in commemoration of the last apparition of Our Lady to the

children of Fatima will be held next Sunday, October 13 immediately following the 11 am Mass. Over the course of six months, from May to October 1917, our Lady appeared to three children in the parish of Fatima, Portugal. She asked them to make sacrifices for sinners, to make reparation for sin and to “offend God no more, for He is already greatly offended.” Parishioners are encouraged to learn about the message of our Lady of Fatima and apply her teachings to their daily living.

Mission Co-Operative

Collection Next weekend, Fr. Bruno Dongo of the Apostles of Jesus will be in our parish to make the mission Co operative appeal on behalf of their work in Botswana, Cuba, Ethiopia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Sudan, South Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. Please consider your gift to our second collection next weekend and be generous to the work of the Apostles of Jesus.

WHITE

CANE DRIVE

THIS

WEEKEND

International White Cane Day gives Lions a chance to bring awareness of the white cane traffic safety laws. Lions Clubs conduct a White

Cane Day to ask for donations to assist with programs for the blind and for awareness of the issues associated with impaired vision. Please be generous in assisting the Lions Club in this ministry.

Your friends at JMJ Catholic Radio, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 98.9FM & 750AM, Hazelton at 1490AM & 100.1FM and Dushore at 91.7FM, invite you to listen to our programming in the month of October. This month will feature pro-life witnesses along with many other inspiring topics. For example, at 7:00AM daily there is a program called “Morning Glory”, from Washington DC. Also, we invite you to listen to Father Paul McDonnell, a local Oblate priest and Addy Rocco featuring local topics.

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

5

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Thursday, October 17

1 pm

CATECHETICAL COUNCIL Sunday, October 6

NOON

FINANCE COUNCIL Thursday November 21

6:00 pm

LITURGICAL COUNCIL Thursday, October 24

6:00 p.m.

PARISH LIFE COUNCIL Thursday, October 17

6:00 pm

PASTORAL COUNCIL Thursday November 7

6:00 p.m.

SOCIAL JUSTICE COUNCIL

Thursday, October 10

6:00 p.m.

TOY BINGO Committee Wednesday, October 23

10 am

Development

Committee Monday, November 18

6:30 pm

FAITH SHARING

ST. ANDRE FAITH SHARERS Monday, October 7

6:00 pm

DISCIPLES of the SPIRIT Saturday, October 19

10:30 am

COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY

Sunday, October 20 2:00 pm

For More Information, please contact Sr. Madonna at 570-823-4988.

Autumn Ordinary Time

Weekend of October 5-6 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

8:00 am Mass 9:30 am Elementary Faith Formation 11:00 am Mass/Anointing TOY BINGO TICKETS on sale COLLECTION of TOYS begins NOON: Catechetical Council

Weekend of October 12-13 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

8:00 am Mass 9:30 am Elementary Faith Formation 11:00 am Mass NOON: Devotion to OL Fatima MISSION CO-OP COLLECTION TOY BINGO TICKETS on sale COLLECTION of TOYS

Monday, October 7

6 pm St. Andre Faith Sharers Monday, October 14

Tuesday, October 8

8 am Mass 5:30 pm Choir

Tuesday, October 15

8 am Mass 5:30 pm Choir

Wednesday October 9

8 am Mass 6-7:30 pm Bereavement Support Group

Wednesday October 16

8 am Mass 6-7:30 pm Bereavement Support Group

Thursday, October 10

8 am Mass

Noon—Adoration begins 1 pm Deanery Meeting

6 pm Vespers/Benediction Social Justice Council

Thursday, October 17

8 am Mass

Noon—Adoration begins 10 am Admin Staff

6 pm Vespers/Benediction Parish Life Council

Friday, October 11

8 am Mass

Friday, October 18

8 am Mass

Saturday, October 12

No Morning Mass 3:00 pm Confessions. VIGIL 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Saturday, October 19

No Morning Mass

3:00 pm Confessions.

VIGIL 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. (Mission Sunday)

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS

PARISH COMMITTEES

Loaves and Fishes Food for October

Hot Chocolate

Check Out Our Website:

www.standrebessettewb.com

MASS OF REMEMBRANCE of those who died in the last year

and all the Faithful Departed will be held on Wednesday, November 6th at 6 pm. A social will follow in Fr. Zolcinski Hall.

Letters to those who have lost loved ones have been sent out to the next of kin. If you or another family member did not

receive a letter, but have lost a loved one, please contact Anna Hudock by

October 21 at 570-822-1926. We do not want to inadvertently miss anyone who should be remembered this year. This is an annual event sponsored by our Parish Social Justice Council.

A Meeting for All Lectors is

scheduled for Saturday, October

12, 2019 at 10:00 am in the

church. All Lectors are asked to

attend. .

A meeting for all Extraordinary

Ministers of Communion will be

held on Saturday, October 26th

at 10 am in the church. All EMOCs

are asked to attend.

(in the event of a funeral the

morning of either meeting, the

meeting will be moved to 1 pm the

same day.)

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

6

Psalm 102: 1-7: Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. Because of my loud groaning I am reduced to skin and bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.

We live in a world where there is constant noise and very little silence. Noise is something that we are accustomed to and when there is silence, we become uncomfortable. When the pastor asks the congregation to pray in silence, before the pastoral prayer, I take notice of people moving around uneasily. Even in the middle of a church service, we are anxious when it comes to silence.

Silence is especially painful when it is the

silence of God in our lives. And it seems that when we are going through a painfully long period of silence from God, there are many people that want to tell us about how God has “spoken” to them. That tends to trouble me, because I begin to wonder why God is speaking to them and not to me. The silence that I am feeling becomes agonizing and then uncertainties begin to settle in my mind, and I pray really hard for some kind of answer, and it seems that all I get from God is silence.

When God is silent we can simply become upset with God, we become confused, we start to doubt. The truth is that we just don’t know what to do with God’s silence. There is some sort of anguish in my life, I am suffering and in pain like the psalmist. And it seems that I have been praying to God for a very long time, to help me with my problems, and all that I am met with, is silence from God. Then I begin to question if God has given up on me or has stopped listening to me and my prayers.

The Old Testament story of Job, is a reminder of crying out to God for answers and receiving silence. Job cried out to God for the first thirty seven chapters of the book of Job and God finally answered him in chapter 38. God said, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?” (Job 38:4-5). That is God’s way of reminding us that God continues to be in charge of this universe.

The psalmist, in our scripture reading today, seems to be asking,

“God, are you even listening to these prayers of mine that I am pouring out to you?” I’m hurting Lord, I’m in deep anguish God, please hear my prayers. The psalmist is reminding us that it’s allright to complain to God. We don’t have to hide our feelings from God because He knows what they are already.

It could be that God is not silent after all; it’s possible that we are not tuned into hearing God. We are surrounded by background noise

and countless distractions. God is trying to communicate with us, but we can’t hear God because we have blocked him out. Our minds are tuned into the internet or the television instead of reading our Bible daily or a few moments of quiet prayer with God. It is in those moments that we can hear that still, small voice of our creator God. And it is in those moments that we can receive answers to our worries or concerns.

1 Kings 19:11-12: The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

This is why it is crucial to have a daily quiet time with God, so that through reading the Bible, or through prayer, God can speak to your heart through the Holy Spirit, in that still, small voice. Don’t allow yourself to be too busy that you don’t take the time to listen.

There is a story that you may have heard about a man who once lost his valuable watch in an ice house. All of his fellow workers diligently searched the ice house looking for the watch. They combed every inch of it, but they couldn’t find it. A little boy, hearing about their

search, slipped into the ice house and quickly emerged with the watch. All of the men were amazed and they said, “How did you find it?” And he said, ” Well I simply went to the ice house, closed the door, laid down quietly on the floor, and then I began to listen. After a while, I could hear the tick, tick, tick of the watch.” Are you training yourself to listen for that still, small voice of God?

What happens when prayers seem to go unanswered or not answered in the way that we wanted them to be? For me, it’s continuing to have faith and trust in God and His plan for my life. I have struggled lately with my calling and why things have not worked out in the time frame that I have wanted them to. I feel that I have been faithful to God and sometimes I just can’t understand why opportunities have passed me by and doors have been closed on me. Someone told

me several weeks ago that God closes one door in order to open up another one. I don’t know about you, but I am getting tired of all those doors slamming shut in my face.

However, I continue to have faith and hope, and I trust in God’s promises. I pray that you will continue to have faith and seek out some quality, quiet time with God. I believe, that it is in those quiet moments, that we have the opportunity to experience God

revealing himself to us and making clear His will for our lives. We must train ourselves to be quiet, and to listen, and then respond, to our creator God.

When God is Silent by Rev. Darryl Mathis

www.walkwithGodtoday.com

OUR LITURGICAL LIFE 6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Patriarch, Job,

in his desolation

7

STEWARDSHIP

Mass Attendance

September 28-29, 2019

# of People

In Pew Collection

4:00 p.m. 105 1,366.00

5:30 p.m. 72 672.00

8:00 a.m. 69 753.00

11:00a.m. 73 1,059.00

Total 319 3,850.00

Votive Offerings

Bread and Wine

Intention Angie Spernoga

Offered by Parishioner

Sanctuary Candle

Intention Joan Skibinski Thiemann

Offered by Mom & Family

Your Gift to God

September 28-29, 2019

Over $100.00 0 $20 42

$100.00 1 $16-19 2

$76-99 1 $15 23

$75 0 $11-14 10

$51-74 3 $10 59

$50 10 $6-9 4

$26-49 16 $5 29

$25 12 under $5 16

$21-24 0 Total Envelopes used

228

Is your gift to the parish each week an honest reflection of God’s goodness to you?

Increase Our Faith www.catholicsteward.com

The Gospel Reading for this 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time from St. Luke, chapter 17, opens with this line:

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith’.” That is sort of a summation of all of today’s readings. In fact, it might be an accurate statement of what many of our prayers entail: “Increase our faith.” That is

what we all most likely strive to achieve.

St. Thomas Aquinas may have described faith most accurately in his famous quote, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one

without faith, no explanation is possible.” It is this faith that is at the nucleus of all of our readings today.

Scholars and theologians have concluded that the theme of the entire Book of Habbakuk, the Old Testament

prophet who gives us our First Reading, is to grow from a faith of doubt to a faith that is fulfilled by an absolute trust in God. Habbakuk points out that each of us may see our

weaknesses and our inability to trust in God in ourselves; however, this is not truly a weakness. It keeps us humble, which is an important element of faith and stewardship, and it makes us value salvation even more.

For the prophet Habbakuk faith is quite clear and obvious. In today’s reading he says, “Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time…and will not disappoint…The rash

one has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.” Faith means life.

Our Second Reading is from one of St. Paul’s letters to Timothy. It is believed that this letter may have been the last

written by St. Paul, which has come to us through Holy Scripture. Paul was in prison and his death was imminent; yet, his advice to Timothy had everything to do with faith. From

Paul’s perspective Timothy was not bold enough in his faith; he did not practice it with the confidence Paul felt he should. Paul says in this reading, “Take as your norm the sound words

that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of

the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.”

As is usually the case, that is advice to all of us. St. Paul’s message to Timothy and to us is that faith is not intended to remove our difficulties; faith is there to see us through the

difficult times. That is the beauty and joy of faith. However, as St. Paul indicates, it is only something we can grasp and hold with the help of the Lord, the “help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.”

Is it any surprise that the Apostles appeal to the Lord to “Increase our faith?” This man, the Son of God, whom they have given up everything to follow, keeps reminding them of what they must do be good followers,

good stewards. He has told them that they have to be forgiving; He has made it clear that they are expected to love everyone, including their enemies. They are fully aware that without Him

they cannot accomplish this. That is so true of us as well.

Jesus speaks of faith the size of a mustard seed. Most of us have become aware how minute a mustard seed is. The Lord’s meaning is that even a little

faith can be quite powerful. He says that faith the size of a mustard seed can uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea. You need to be aware that the roots of a mulberry tree were known to be extraordinarily deep and

strong. Many believed that mulberry trees survived for centuries and could not be uprooted or killed.

That is what Jesus is teaching in this Gospel Reading. We may have unforgiveness and bitterness deeply

rooted within us. However, through faith, even a small amount, the Lord can rip those roots out of us. What is important about our faith is not how much there is, but what kind of faith it

is. A small amount of faith can accomplish great things if that small amount of faith is placed in a great, mighty, and all-powerful God.

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

8

FINANCES

Weekly Income September 28-29, 2019

Funds from these collections go directly into the Parish Operating Account They are used to pay the utilities, the staff salaries, and provide for the day to day running of the parish.

PARISH COLLECTION

In Church Mailed

Loose 180.00 -0-

Sunday Envelopes

3,451.00 432.00

TOTAL WEEKLY COLLECTION

$4,063.00

HOLY DAYS

Assumption -0- 5.00

All Saints 15.00 30.00

Immaculate Conception

-0- -0-

Christmas -0- -0-

Mary, Mother of God

-0- -0-

Easter -0- -0-

Assumption -0- -0-

TOTAL HOLY DAYS

$50.00

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Initial -0- -0-

Dues 164.00 105.00

Debt Reduction

40.00 10.00

Holiday Flowers

-0- -0-

TOTAL SPECIALS

$319.00

TOTAL PARISH COLLECTION

$4,432.00

These funds augment the

weekend offering, go

into the Parish

operating fund and

contribute to the running

of the parish.

OTHER INCOME

Candles 36.00

Rental of Properties

333.33

Perquisites -0-

Transfers 600.00

Miscellaneous -0-

TOTAL OTHER

969.33

Diocesan Collections September 28-29, 2019

These Collections pass through the Parish General Account but do not contribute to the running of the parish. They are sent directly to the Diocese for Distribution

In Church Mailed

Monthly Collection for the Care & Education of the Clergy

1.00 15.00

Mission Sunday (3rd weekend of October)

-0- 10.00

Mission Co-Operative (Funds Specific Mission)

-0- -0-

Human Development (Weekend before Thanksgiving)

-0- -0-

Religious Retirement (Second Weekend of December)

-0- -0-

Church in Eastern Europe (Weekend before Lent)

-0- -0-

Catholic Relief Services (4th Weekend of Lent)

-0- -0-

Operation Rice Bowl (Holy Thursday)

-0- -0

Holy Land Collection (Good Friday)

-0- -0-

Catholic Home Missions (Last weekend of April)

-0- -0-

Catholic Communications (Third weekend of May)

-0- -0-

Peter’s Pence Collection (Weekend closest to June 29th)

-0- -0-

Miscellaneous Diocesan Collection (Whenever a need arises)

-0- -0-

TOTAL DIOCESAN COLLECTION

26.00

WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM??

Transfer of Funds into the General Account From time to time it becomes necessary to withdraw funds from other parish accounts to augment the weekly offering, to fund a ministry, or to pay the assessments or unforeseen expenses.

From Fund Raising

Dance/Raffle -0-

Toy Bingo -0-

Night at the Races -0-

Summer Raffle -0-

Other Parish Fundraising Activities

-0-

FROM Social Justice Acct. 600.00

FROM Memorial Acct/ -0-

FROM Stipend Acct. -0-

FROM Savings Acct. -0-

TOTAL TRANSFERS -0-

Collection + Holy Day + Special + Other Income + Diocesan + Transfers = TOTAL INCOME

4,063.00 50.00 319.00 369.33 26.00 600.00 $5,427.33

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

9

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?? Week of September 26—October 2, 2019

FINANCES

RUNNING the PARISH

ADMINISTRATIVE 1,872.72

A Portion of the Parish Income goes to

fund the Ministries of the Parish,

Pay the Staff, Maintain

the properties, and provide for those in need.

CLERGY RESIDENCE

-0-

LITURGY 636.29

RELIGIOUS FORMATION

-0-

SOCIAL JUSTICE -0-

MAINTENANCE 2,398.04

Diocesan Collections

-0-

TOTAL PARISH EXPENSES

4,907.05

SUPPORTING the Diocese

A Portion of the Parish Income goes to fund the Ministries and Services of the Diocese, Provide Insurance for parish Properties, provide care of the clergy and their retirement, and fund Catholic Schools in the Diocese

Assessment Annual Fee Prior

Balance Payments

Made

Balance due by

June 30, 2020

SCH0OL ASSESSMENT (14.5 % of Income)

62,196.00 148,331.34 3,443.61 207,083.73

CATHEDRATICUM (9.5% of Income)

40,008.00 37,870.89 4,652.29 35,355.71

CLERGY BLUE CROSS

16,727.00 0.00 0.00 16,727.00

INSURANCE 16,148.00 0.00 0.00 16,148.00

CLERGY CARE AND WELLNESS (Not the monthly collection)

9,562.00 0.00 0.00 9,562.00

CLERGY PENSION 7,440.00 0.00 0.00 7,440.00

POST RETIREMENT FUND

5,200.00 0.00 0.00 5,200.00

EMPLOYER 403 (b) 1,393.92 0.00 0.00 1,393.92

PAYROLL PROCESSING FEE

780.00 0.00 0.00 780.00

TOTAL ASSESSMENTS

159,454.92 110,460.45 8,095.90 299,690.36

A Loan was taken from the Diocese to consolidate Inherited debt that occurred when the Parishes

were consolidated to form St. Andre Bessette Parish.

Parish Loan Amount Paid BALANCE

Due

BALANCE 412,000.00 94,999.78 317,000.22

PAYING TOWARD the PARISH DEBT

Calculating Payment of Cathedraticum and School Assessments

Weekend of Envelope Loose Holy Days Special

Collections TAXABLE INCOME

Diocesan x.095

Schools x.145

24% of Total

Income

Other Income

September 01 4,622.00 377.00 25.00 1,363.50 6,387.50 606.82 926.19 1,532.77 -0-

September 08 4,430.20 330.00 25.00 375.00 6,591.53 626.20 955.78 1,581.98 1,431.33

September 15 4,598.50 270.05 10.00 548.00 5,426.55 515.53 786.85 1,302.38 -0-

September 22 4,451.50 302.07 15.00 147.00 4,915.57 466.98 712.67 1,179.65 -0-

September 29 3,883.00 216.00 50.00 319.00 -0- 4,468.00 424.46 647.86 1,074.32

TOTAL 21,985.20 1,496.12 125.00 2,752.50 1,431.22 27,789.15 $2,504.01 $3,821.89 6,671.10

The Monthly expected payment for the Cathedraticum is 3,343.00 The Monthly expected payment for the Schools Assessment is 5,183.00 These are only 2 of the line items expected to be paid by the parish to the diocese. There are 7 other items that are not accounted for in this tally.

Monies must be held in Operating Account until Payment of the Monthly Assessments on the 25th of the month. This limits our ability to pay other bills in a timely fashion.

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

10

FINANCES

PARISH ACCOUNTS

General Operating Account This is the daily operating account of the Parish. The Sunday Collection and Other Income are deposited into this account. All Expenses are paid from this account.

Prior Balance September 24, 2019 $6,233.56

Deposits

(Sunday Collection) 4,432.00

Other Deposits 395.33

Transfers from

Parish Accounts 600.00

Transfers from

Diocesan Accounts -0-

Working Balance $11,660.89

Withdrawals -10,966.13

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward $694.76

Parish Social Justice Fund Monies for this account are accrued through the quarterly collection, Donations specifically earmarked for the Parish Social Justice Fund and grant monies donated to the fund. This fund is used to provide for those in need and to fund programs and ministries of outreach, compassion and mercy in the parish and beyond.

Prior Balance September 24, 2019

9,481.98

Deposits 1,180.00

Withdrawals -0-

Transfer to Parish

General Account -600.00

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 10,061.98

Parish Memorial Account Monies for this account are accumulated from Donations to the parish given in memory of parishioners and bequests. Funds from this account are regularly transferred into the General Operating account to augment the regular income of the parish

Prior Balance September 24, 2019

2,802.87

Deposits -0-

Withdrawals -0-

Transfer to Parish

General Account -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward $2,802.87

Parish Fund Raising Account

This account is used to gather income from all parish fund raising activities and to pay expenses for those activities. When an activity is complete, the proceeds are then transferred into the General Operating Account to augment the regular income of the parish.

Prior Balance September 24, 2019

5,981.56

Deposits 959.00

Withdrawals -0-

Transfer to Parish

General Account -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 6,940.56

Parish Stipend Account

Funds in this account come from donations offered for Masses to be said. Funds are dispersed directly from this account to the Celebrant who offers the Mass once it is said.

Prior Balance September 24, 2019

$5,827.86

Deposits 405.00

Withdrawals -170.00

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward $6,062.86

Sacred Heart Cemetery Acct Funds in this account are accrued from the sale of graves or through the monthly collection. Funds are dispersed for burials and maintenance of the cemetery.

Prior Balance September 24, 2019

29,927.60

Deposits -0-

Withdrawals -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 29,927.60

St. Stanislaus Cemetery Acct.

Funds in this account are accrued from the sale of graves or through the monthly collection. Funds are dispersed for burials and maintenance of the cemetery.

Prior Balance September 24, 2019

14,950.83

Deposits -0-

Withdrawals

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 14,950.83

Parish Saving Account

Funds placed in the Diocesan Bank.

Prior Balance September 24, 2019

58,133.59

Deposits -0-

Interest -0-

Withdrawals -0-

Service Charges -0-

Balance Forward 58,133.59

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

11

FROM THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Christus Vivit! Message of Our Holy Father Francis to Young People and to the World

www.vatican.va

218. Along these lines, our institutions should provide young people with places they can make their own, where they can come and go freely, feel welcome and readily meet other young people, whether at times of difficulty and frustration,

or of joy and celebration. Some of this is already happening in oratories and other youth centres, which in many cases offer a friendly and relaxed setting where friendships can grow, where young men and women can meet one another, where they can share music, games, sports, but also reflection and prayer. In such places, much can be offered, without great expenditure of funds. Then too, the person-to-

person contact indispensable for passing on the message can happen, something whose place cannot be taken by any pastoral resource or strategy.

219. “Friendship and discussion, often within more or less structured groups, offer the opportunity to strengthen social and relational skills in a context in which one is neither analysed nor judged. Group experience is also a great resource for sharing the faith and for mutual help in bearing

witness. The young are able to guide other young people and to exercise a genuine apostolate among their friends”.[115]

220. This is not to say that they should become isolated and

lose all contact with parish communities, movements and other ecclesial institutions. But they will be better integrated

into communities that are open, living their faith, eager to radiate Christ, joyful, free, fraternal and committed. These communities can be settings where they feel that it is possible to cultivate precious relationships.

Youth ministry in educational institutions

221. Schools are unquestionably a platform for drawing close to children and young people. Precisely because they are such privileged places of personal development, the Christian community has always been concerned to train teachers and

administrators, and to found its own schools of various kinds and levels. In this field of educating the young, the Spirit has raised up countless charisms and examples of holiness. Yet schools are in urgent need of self-criticism, if we consider the

results of their pastoral outreach, which in many cases focuses on a kind of religious instruction that proves often

incapable of nurturing lasting experiences of faith. Some Catholic schools seem to be structured only for the sake of self-preservation. Fear of change makes them entrenched and defensive before the dangers, real or imagined, that any change might bring. A school that becomes a “bunker”, protecting its students from errors “from without” is a caricature of this tendency. Yet this image reflects, in a

chilling way, what many young people experience when they graduate from certain educational institutions: an insurmountable disconnect between what they were taught and the world in which they live. The way they were instructed in religious and moral values did not prepare them to uphold those values in a world that holds them up to

ridicule, nor did they learn ways of praying and practicing the

faith that can be easily sustained amid the fast pace of

today’s society. For one of the greatest joys that any educator can have is to see a student turn into a strong, well-integrated person, a leader, someone prepared to give.

222. Catholic schools remain essential places for the evangelization of the young. Account should be taken of a number of guiding principles set forth in Veritatis Gaudium

for the renewal and revival of missionary outreach on the part of schools and universities. These include a fresh experience of the kerygma, wide-ranging dialogue, interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches, the

promotion of a culture of encounter, the urgency of creating networks and an option in favour of those who are least, those whom society discards.[116] Similarly important is the

ability to integrate the knowledge of head, heart and hands.

223. On the other hand, we cannot separate spiritual from cultural formation. The Church has always sought to develop ways of providing the young with the best education possible.

Nor should she stop now, for young people have a right to it. “Today, above all, the right to a good education means protecting wisdom, that is, knowledge that is human and humanizing. All too often we are conditioned by trivial and

fleeting models of life that drive us to pursue success at a low price, discrediting sacrifice and inculcating the idea that education is not necessary unless it immediately provides

concrete results. No, education makes us raise questions, keeps us from being anaesthetized by banality, and impels us to pursue meaning in life. We need to reclaim our right not to be sidetracked by the many sirens that nowadays distract from this pursuit. Ulysses, in order not to give in to the siren song that bewitched his sailors and made them crash against

the rocks, tied himself to the mast of the ship and had his companions plug their ears. Orpheus, on the other hand, did something else to counter the siren song: he intoned an even more beautiful melody, which enchanted the sirens. This, then, is your great challenge: to respond to the crippling refrains of cultural consumerism with thoughtful and firm decisions, with research, knowledge and sharing”.[117]

Bishop Bambera celebrates Mass at Marion Catholic, Tamaqua

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

12

IN THE DIOCESE

Notice Regarding Reporting

Sexual Abuse of a Minor It is the policy of the Diocese of Scranton to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse committed by a priest, deacon, religious or lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton, you are encouraged to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. It is also the policy of the Diocese to adhere to all civil and state regulations. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Laws, reports of suspected child abuse should also be made immediately by phone to the 24-HourChild Abuse hotline (ChildLine) at 1-800-932-0313 or electronically at www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis To this end, the Diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of the Code of Canon Law and to upholding the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such, information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator, Mary Beth Pacuska at (570-862- 7551). Aviso al Respecto de Reportar el Abuso Sexual de Un Menor de Edad Es la norma de la Diócesis de Scranton reportar cualquier alegación de abuso sexual de un menor de edad a las autoridades. Si usted es una víctima de abuso sexual cometido por un sacerdote, diácono, religioso o empleado laico, o voluntario de la Diócesis de Scranton, usted está obligado a reportar el asunto inmediatamente a las autoridades de la ley. Si algún sacerdote, diácono, religioso, empleado laico o voluntario de la Diócesis de Scranton tiene sospecha de que un menor de edad ha sido sujeto a cualquier forma de abuso, incluyendo abuso sexual de menor de edad, el asunto será reportado a las autoridades de la ley. Es la norma de la Diócesis defender todas las regulaciones civiles y del estado. De conformidad con la Comunidad de los Servicios de Protección Infantil de Pennsylvania Leyes, informes de sospecha de abuso de niños también debe hacerse inmediatamente por teléfono las 24 horas maltrato infantil hotline (ChildLine) al 1-800-932-0313 o electrónicamente en www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis Al fi n de que la Diócesis esté comprometida igualmente a defender las normas del Código de Derecho Canónico y defender los principios de la Carta Para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes (Conferencia de los Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos), lo cual incluye apoyar a las víctimas de abuso sexual en pos del bienestar emocional y espiritual. Por eso, información respecto a una alegación del asunto sexual de un menor de edad, debe ser reportada a la Coordinadora Diocesana de Asistencia para Las Víctimas, Mary Beth Pacuska, a (570-862-7551).

Certificate In Ministry Studies

The Certificate program leads to a Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies OR Certificate in Lifelong Faith Formation. Parishes benefit especially by enrolling coordinators of both ministry

areas in the program together.

The Program Schedule for 2019-2020 is as follows:

October 13- November 9, 2019 -- First online course: Visioning for Catholic Youth Ministry/Catholic Faith Formation

February 2020 ---- Second online course: Leading Ministry

March 14, 2020 –In-person course #2—

Practice of Ministry (location TBD by participants)

June 24 & 25, 2020 --- In-person courses #3 Foundations for Ministry

Leadership and #4 Skills for Christian Leadership

Persons interested in more information

and/or to enroll in the Certificate in Ministry Studies should contact Kitty Scanlan at 570-207-2213 or at kitty- scanlan@dioceseofscranton.org

Word Convocation—Save the Date The Office for Parish Life invites

DREs, catechists, RCIA teams, youth ministers, Catholic school teachers, those on parish WORD Commissions and anyone engaged in minis try of the Word to plan on attending the WORD Convocation/Convocation for Catechists on Saturday, October 19, 2019 from 9:00AM to 3:00PM at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, Scranton. The keynote speaker is Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP.

A training for adults in the Protecting God’s Children (PGC) program is scheduled for Monday, October 28, 2019, at

Misericordia University, Dallas, beginning at 4 p.m.

Complete and detailed information can be found on the Diocesan website under: Child Protection-Victim Assistance.

If you are an adult employee or volunteer who has direct contact or routine interaction with children, please make every effort to participate in this training. Your attendance IS

Mandatory.

$ 30,000

$20, 000

$15,000

$10,000

$5,000

$1,000

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

13

CHOMAN’S MOBILE CARE

Cemetery Care

Automobile

Detailing

Power Washing

You can contact Chris

at

(570) 262-3109,

or Book your

appointment online at

ChomanCares.com

or by e-mail at ChomanCares@gmail.co

m.

ECO-FRIENDLY CARE

FOR YOU

AND YOUR

INVESTMENTS

LOCAL EVENTS “Praying the Passion”

- A weekend retreat which will offer a more silent experience

for both men and women

-October 18-20, 2019

-directed by Rev. Curtis Kiddy, CP.

Fall Preached Retreat

$140 per person – Deposit is required.

Comfortable Silence during retreat.

Begins on Friday evening at 7:30 pm (registration 7pm)

and ends after the noon meal on Sunday.

(No meals are served Friday evening.)

******************************

Preached retreats consist of conferences on the spiritual life,

time for personal reflection, prayer, opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Liturgy.

To Register or for more information;

Call: Retreat Office: 570 586-4957

or email: kporter@epix.net

Website: www.passionistnunsclarkssummit.org

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Waterson

The 43rd Annual

Knights of Columbus Rosary Rally

will take place Sunday, October 6th Our Lady of Hope Parish,

40 Park Ave., Wilkes-Barre.

The Rosary Procession will begin outside the

Church at 2 pm. The Glorious Mysteries of the

Rosary will be prayed at 3:00 pm in Church followed by Mass at

3:20 pm.

Refreshments will be served in the Parish

School following the Mass.

All are welcome. FALL BINGO Holy Family Parish

828 Main St., Sugar Notch, PA

Sunday, October 6th Doors open at noon,

Game begins at 1:00 pm

Homemade food and refreshments available

Basket, gifts cards, small appliances, monetary gifts, and door prizes are just a few

of the fabulous prizes you could win!

Admission is $5.00.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 570-822-8933 or will be available at the door.

SCRANTON PREP OPEN HOUSE

Sunday October 20th, 1-4 pm Seventh and eighth grade students and their

families are cordially invited to attend. To register

www.scrantonprep.org/openhouse

SCHOLARSHIP ENTRANCE EXAM Saturday, December 7th

for 8th grade students interested in applying for Fall 2020.

Registration is at 8:30 am Exam begins at 9:00 am

Students may register and apply at www.scrantonprep.org

St. Maria Goretti Parish

Laflin Road Laflin

Homemade

Pasta and Sausage

Dinner

Sunday, November 3rd

Noon—5 pm (Eat in)

Noon—4 pm (Take-Out)

Includes

Salad, Beverage, Dessert

Bread & Butter

(Containers will be provided for

Take-outs)

Donation: $12.00

Children 5 and Under:Free

(Eat In Only)

For more info call

St. Maria Goretti Parish

@570-655-8956

or visit

www.stmariagoretti-laflin.org

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

14

Only the Saints Can Save Us by J. Peter Nixon

www.Patheos.com

FINAL THOUGHTS

Does the Catholic Church have a future? Given the events of the last few

months, the question is not impertinent. As Ross Douthat noted in a recent

essay in the Atlantic, this was the year when the clerical sexual abuse crisis

truly became global, reaching even into the Vatican itself. Douthat observed

that "for millions in Europe and America, Catholicism is probably

permanently associated with sexual scandal, rather than the gospel of Jesus

Christ."

The abuse crisis was a hurricane battering a structure whose foundation had

been eroding for years. The decline of sacramental practice in Europe is so

obvious as to require no further comment. But smug Americans who think

"it can't happen here" should look at the numbers. Rates of Mass attendance

and sacramental marriage among Catholics in their 20s suggest that

Catholics in the West will share a common future.

Most of the solutions offered are unlikely to have

much of an impact. The liberal path of greater

rapprochement between Church and culture has not

proven successful for those denominations that have

tried it. But an embittered and joyless defense of

orthodoxy -- the kind on display in far too many

quarters of the Catholic internet -- repels far more

people than it attracts.

The problem goes deeper than difficult doctrines or

antiquated structures, problematic though these may

sometimes be. Our children and grandchildren are

abandoning the faith because they perceive -- rightly

-- that its demands are at fundamental variance with

the lives we have prepared them to lead. We have

raised them to seek lives characterized by material

comfort, sexual fulfillment, and freedom from any

obligations that they have not personally chosen.

Should it surprise us that they fail to take seriously

our claims to follow one who embraced poverty,

chastity, and obedience to the will of God?

A revival of the Church in our time will require

believers who are willing to take risks on

behalf of the Gospel. I sometimes wonder what

would have happened if Cardinal Law, rather than

retiring to his sinecure in Rome, had instead made a penitential journey to

Haiti and lived out his days in a hospital cleaning toilets and picking maggots

from the wounds of street people. Some might have seen such a penance as

inadequate to the offense, but it could not have been dismissed as an empty

gesture. To renounce everything he had achieved for the sake of the Gospel

would have been an act worthy of a follower of Jesus Christ.

The future of the Church is not in the hands of its leaders, whose exhortations

seem increasingly to fall on deaf ears. It is in the hands of ordinary men and

women who are willing to live lives that make no sense unless Jesus Christ is

who we believe Him to be. In the end, it is only the saints who can save us.

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

15

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time October 7—13, 2019

Day and Date Time Intention Offered by Events

Monday, October 7 Our Lady of the Rosary

No Morning Mass Scheduled

Tuesday, October 8 Weekday

8 am Kathleen Williams Janet Weron 5:30 pm Choir

Wednesday, October 9 St Denis of Paris

St. John Leonardi 8 am Howard & Ann Borel Friends

The Day of Atonement 6 pm Bereavement Support Group

Thursday, October 10 Weekday

8 am God’s Blessings for Irene Seegar on her

91st Birthday Children

Noon—Adoration Begins 1 pm Deanery Meeting 6 pm Vespers/ Benediction Social Justice Council

Friday, October 11 Pope St. John XXIII

8 am Leonard Skibicki Fr. Ken & Mrs. Seegar

Saturday, October 12 Weekday No Morning Mass Scheduled

3:00 pm Confessions

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

VIGIL 4 pm Michael & Helen Flynn Grandchildren 9:30 am Elementary Faith Formation NOON: Devotions to our Lady of Fatima MISSION CO-OP APPEAL Cemetery Envelope TOY COLLECTION

Toy Bingo Tickets will be available.

VIGIL 5:30 pm Joseph Buczynski Wife & Family

SUNDAY 8 am Norman Krulack Fr. Ken & the Parish of

SAB

SUNDAY 11 am Parishioners Pastor

LITURGICAL MINISTRY SCHEDULE

October 12-13, 2019 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

4:00 pm 5:30 pm 8:00 am 11:00 am

Server Manuel Baez Brian Flannery Anna Bozinski Patrice Rembish

Lector Ann Bergold Joe Boris Mary Ann Slavinski Edward Ostopick- Chesek

EMOC John Bergold Brian Flannery Anna Bozinski Robert Dunsmuir Sr.

Cantor Joan Cavanaugh Brian Clark Carol Zukowski Geri Ulichney

Hospitality Mary Ann Amesbury

Jean Koval Pat Baran

Marge Dreier Dolores Yesuvida

Patrice Rembish David Alusick

Are You Having Trouble Finding a Ride to Church? Our Parish Social Justice Council has teamed up with LCTA to provide Bus Transportation to the 4 pm Vigil Mass each Saturday for our Parishioners. All you have to do is 1. Contact Anna Hudock (570-822-1926) and let her know you are interested. She will

instruct you to 2. Call LCTA and enroll in the Shared Ride Program. 3. Our Parish Social Justice Council will pay for the tickets monthly. This service is provided through the generosity of our parishioners in the quarterly Social Justice Collection.

Join Us for Eucharistic Adoration

every Thursday from Noon to 6 pm.

The Day concludes with Vespers and Benediction

at 6 pm.

6 October 2019 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time