Bulletin~December 2, 2007

COMMUNAL PENANCE SERVICES ARE SCHEDULED DURING ADVENT AT:

St. Joseph Church, O'Hara Twp. on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 pm

St. Scholastica Church, Aspinwall, on Monday, Dec. 17 at 7:00 pm

Madonna Church, Sharpsburg, on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 5:00 pm

St. Edward Church, Blawnox, on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 pm

CHRISTMAS GIFT PROJECT

St. Scholastica's Christmas Gift Project to benefit children and families of western PA and West Virginia is underway. Please deliver wrapped gifts to the table in the hallway that leads to the Pastoral Center by noon on Sunday, December 9th. Please securely attach the gift tag you selected so that it is visible on your gift.

If you would like to help sort the gifts come to the Pastoral Center at noon on the December 9th. Any questions please contact Betsy Henry at 412-968-0330 or Paula Wight at 412-968-1029.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION 4 P.M. CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS EVE LITURGY

Christmas Youth Choir: Grades 3-4-5-6 (Note: Grades 7-8 also welcome)

1 Saturday Rehearsal: December 15 – 1-3:30 p.m.

Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24: 3-:15 p.m.

Must be able to be present for both entire times

Angels/Shepherds Grades K-1-2 (In costume)

Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24: 3:45-5:15 p.m.

Co-ordinator: Nancy Pollock (412-968-0305)

Registration Deadline: Tuesday, December 11

Note: Registration forms have been distributed to all CCD and Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy students

Forms can be returned to the CCD or School Office or directly to Sr. Pat Baker

Or you may call Sr. Pat Baker to register at 412-781-0186 (x17)

PLEASE COME TO SANTA'S WORKSHOP

Santa's elves have been very busy once again. For the third year, SANTA'S WORKSHOP will return to St. Scholastica in the Pastoral Center. CDTCA will again open the workshop for all parish families after Masses on the weekend of Dec. 1^st and 2^nd. Come and enhance your holiday shopping with a variety of decorative items, handmade crafts and inexpensive gift items.

This year there will also be 2 items to be raffled. There will be a 6 foot decorated tree with lights AND a handmade quilt. Tickets will be sold after the Masses. Be sure to take a look at these special items and get your raffle tickets.

HANDBELL CONCERT

Start your family's celebration of the Christmas season by attending the handbell concert  today at St. Scholastica Church. Noted handbell soloist Sue Garton will entertain with a selection of Christmas melodies. The concert, sponsored by the Aquinas Guild, will begin at 2 p.m. The event is free and is open to the general public, so please invite your neighbors and friends.

AQUINAS GUILD LUNCHEON

It's not too late to sign up for the Aquinas Guild Christmas luncheon on Tuesday, December 4th, at the Pittsburgh Field Club. The luncheon begins at 12 noon and the cost is $25.Please call in your reservation today, Sunday, December 2nd. You may call either 412-781-9489 or 724-353-3063. If you are attending and wish to participate in the Guild's service project, please bring a wrapped gift of baby clothing marked with size and gender. The gifts will be distributed to the Moms at Rosalia House.

CENTENNIAL CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

We have some Centennial Christmas Ornaments from last year available for sale. The ball ornament is $5 and the pewter ornament is $18. Both ornaments have a picture of St. Scholastica Church and the Centennial year written on it. If you would like an ornament, please call Mary Ellen Maher at 412-767-5863.

NEEDED

Part-time nanny needed in Fox Chapel home. Call Michael or Christine at 412-517-8486.

YOUTH MINISTRY HAPPENINGS:

Christmas Caroling Extravaganza!

This is open to all middle school and high school youth. First we will meet at Amber Woods in Harmar at 10 am, then we will go to lunch before we begin caroling at 1:00 at the Aspinwall VA Hospital. Join us for all or part of the day. Please bring a permission form. (www.stscholasticayouth.org).

INTERSECTION Sunday Dec. 9 and 16 at the ministry center. Confirmed youth only. 10-11 am. Light Breakfast is provided. Don't miss these 2 special advent discussions!

Leadership Team mtg. Dec. 16 after INTERSECTION.

ADVENT FAMILY GATHERING

Come with your family to explore the message of Advent next Sunday, December 9, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. We will gather for a potluck meal, prayer, song, a bit of learning and a service activity. If you would like to attend, please sign up in the back of the church this weekend. All parishioners are welcome at this event—we are, after all, a parish family!

VOICES FROM THE SCRIPTURES

Our Parish Group for Handing on the Faith (PGHFaith) will, from time to time, focus on particular passages from the Scriptures, so that we can understand them better as adults and share them more easily with our children. Our first such topic is "The Creation Stories in Genesis." We will meet on Sunday, Dec. 16, from 10:00 to 10:50 a.m. in Marsico Library in the Pastoral Center. Any interested adult is welcome to join us.

BLOOD DRIVE

We collected 16 units of blood from last Sunday's Blood Drive. Thank you to all the generous people who made this possible. God bless you.

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO

David James Merriman and Nathaniel Redding Merriman, sons of David and Courtney Redding Merriman

Greta Jane Erdner, daughter of Kevin and Helen Skwortz Erdner

Who were initiated into the Church through the holy waters of baptism.

Saturday, Vigil of 1^st Sunday of Advent, Dec. 1

5:00 pm Elizabeth Greb (Lynch Family)

Sunday, 1^st Sunday of Advent, December 2

7:30 am For the Parishioners of St. Scholastica Parish

9:00 am John Kirkwood (Mr & Mrs Frank Wyman)

11:00 am Roman Kurkiewicz (John Share)

Monday, St. Francis Xavier, December 3

8:30 am Birthday, Geneva Gimber (Daughters)

Tuesday, Advent Weekday, December 4

8:30 am Mike Driscoll (Jean & Bill Eckert)

Wednesday, Advent Weekday, December 5

8:30 am Anniv., George Napoli

(Peter & Rose Ann Marsico)

Thursday, Advent Weekday, December 6

8:30 am Tony Leech (Margaret Wynne)

Friday, St. Ambrose, December 7

8:30 am Louis Certo (Family)

Saturday, Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, December 8

9:00 am Birthday, Craig Shondeck

(Mother, Father, Brother)

11:00 am Louis Gray (Richard J. Cook)

Saturday, Vigil of 2^nd Sunday of Advent, Dec. 8

5:00 pm Anniv., William L. Vietmeier (Cousins)

Presider: Fr. Duch

Sunday, 2^nd Sunday of Advent, December 9

7:30 am Anniv., Mary Napoli

(Peter & Rose Ann Marsico)

Presider: Fr. Duch

9:00 am Richard B. Cullinan (Daily Family)

Presider: Fr. Duch

11:00 am Irene Kurkiewicz (Family)

Presider: Fr. Duch

STEWARDSHIP

As Of: November 25, 2007

     YTD

YTD VAR

Weekly Collection 8,433 553,565 (8,211)

Holy Days 1,319 15,407 5,984

Parish Share 105 116,205 (3,635)

Capital Campaign 38 103,468 46,366

2nd Collectn/Other 3,235 41,367 11,660

Total 13,130 830,012 52,164

SACRAMENTS

INFANT BAPTISM is celebrated at noon on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. Please make arrangements with the parish secretary at least 2 weeks prior to the desired date.

ADULT BAPTISM The R.C.I.A. program sees to the needs of adults who wish to become Catholic. Call the pastor for information.

RECONCILIATION (CONFESSION) is celebrated on Saturday, after 9:00 a.m. Mass and after Saturday evening Mass, and also by appointment.

EUCHARISTIC LITURGY SCHEDULE:

Weekday Masses: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m.

Saturday Morning - 9:00 a.m.

Weekend Masses: Saturday Evening 5:00 p.m.

Sunday - 7:30, 9:00, 11:00

HOLY EUCHARIST is available for those who are sick and confined to home. Call the parish office and we will bring the Eucharist to you.

ANOINTING OF THE SICK is available for those who are chronically or seriously ill. Call the parish office. A service for Anointing of the Sick will be conducted annually.

MARRIAGE Anyone who wishes to marry should contact the pastor at least six months prior to the desired date. Anyone who is married in a civil ceremony and wishes to sacramentalize the marriage should contact the pastor. Anyone planning to celebrate their 25th or 50th anniversary should contact the parish office well in advance of the desired date.

HOLY ORDERS Please call the pastor if you feel you might be called to the priesthood or the diaconate.

NEW PARISHIONERS ARE MOST WELCOME! Please call the pastor. He would like to welcome you.

INACTIVE CATHOLICS Baptized Catholics who have not been practicing their faith are most welcome to return to the Church. Please call the pastor at your convenience.

 

PARISH PHONE NUMBER: 412-781-0186

Extension

Business Office 10

Rev. Robert G. Duch, Ph.D. Pastor 14

Sr. Patricia Baker, C.D.P.

Director of Music/Bereavement

Patbakercdp@saintscholastica.com 17

Mr. Andrew Bechman, M.Ed.

Director of Adult Religious Education 18

Sr. Kathleen Kelly, S.S.N.D.

Director of C.C.D. 19

Mrs. Jamie Dillon, M.S., R.R.T.

Director of Catholic Youth Ministry 20

Sr. Marilyn Hoeing, O.S.F.

Parish Outreach

Marilynhoeingosf@saintscholastica.com 22

Website Address: www.saintscholastica.com

E-mail address: parish@saintscholastica.com

Christ The Divine Teacher Catholic Academy 412-781-7927

Mr. John Marino - Principal

To schedule use of pastoral center, call 412-781-0186 x10

To schedule use of school & gym facilities, call

412-781-7927

Hearing Devices Available in the Sacristy