December 30, 2007 bulletin

YOUth news!

January 5 Youth Mass 5pm. Singers and musicians report at 3:30 for practice. All middle school and high school youth are welcome!

Jan. 5th FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT AND POTLUCK DINNER IN THE PASTORAL CENTER after Mass.  Bring a covered dish, salad, or dessert to share.  Since it is the Epiphany we will watch the acclaimed, "Nativity Story" which is rated PG.  Everyone is welcome.

MARCH FOR LIFE

An Anderson Tour Bus has been reserved for St. Scholastica parishioners to attend the annual MARCH FOR LIFE in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, January 22nd. It will be an exciting day. The bus will leave at 12:30am in order to arrive in Washington at 7am in time to attend the Youth Rally at the Verizon Center. There, we will attend Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Donald Wuerl and several hundred priests. Afterwards we will walk the four blocks to the Washington Monument for the MARCH FOR LIFE RALLY followed by the MARCH itself, up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court. There will be time to express our concerns to Senators Casey and Specter before we meet the bus at 5pm for the return trip to Aspinwall. All members of the parish are invited. Please consider joining us. The unborn little ones cannot speak for themselves. For more info., call Mary Catherine Scanlon at 412-781-6550.

THE ST. MONICA SOCIETY OF ST. SCHOLASTICA PARISH INVITES AND WELCOMES ALL CATHOLICS WHO DO NOT ATTEND MASS REGULARLY to join them on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, at 10 am in the Pastoral Center for prayer, a light breakfast, and friendly conversation and inspiration. If you have inactive Catholics in your family, please ask them to join us.

IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW...

Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829 were prohibited by law to practice their faith either in public or private. It was illegal to be Catholic until Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England in 1829.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. In short, it was a coded-message, a memory aid. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, young Catholics could sing the song without fear of imprisonment. The authorities would not know that it was a religious song.

"The 12 Days of Christmas" is in a sense an allegory. Each of the items in the song represents something significant to the teachings of the Catholic faith. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help Catholic children learn their faith. The better acquainted one is with the Bible, the more these interpretations have significance.

The song goes, "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…"

The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, but it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. i.e. the Church.

1st Day: The partridge in a pear tree is Christ Jesus upon the Cross. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge because she would feign injury to decoy a predator away from her nestlings. She was even willing to die for them.
The tree is the symbol of the fall of the human race through the sin of Adam and Eve. It is also the symbol of its redemption by Jesus Christ on the tree of the Cross.

2nd Day: The "two turtle doves" refers to the Old and New Testaments.

3rd Day: The "three French hens" stand for faith, hope and love—the three gifts of the Spirit that abide (1 Corinthians 13).

4th Day: The "four calling birds" refers to the four evangelists who wrote the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.

5th Day: The "five golden rings" represents the first five books of the Bible, also called the Jewish Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

6th Day: The "six geese a-laying" is the six days of creation.

7th Day: The "seven swans a-swimming" refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.

8th Day: The "eight maids a milking " reminded children of the eight beatitudes listed in the Sermon on the Mount.

9th Day: The "nine ladies dancing" were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

10th Day: The "ten lords a-leaping" represents the Ten Commandments

11th Day: The "eleven pipers piping" refers to the eleven faithful apostles.

12th Day: The 'twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostles' Creed: belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, made man, crucified, died and arose on the third day, that he sits at the right hand of the father and will come again, the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting.

Now you know.

WEEKEND TRIP

Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13, 2008. "Shrines, Silos, Sightseeing & Shows". Travel to Akron, Ohio and visit the Shrine of Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted, the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, and the National Shrine of St. Dymphna., overnight stay with breakfast at Quaker Square Inn, Sunday mass at St. Vincent's, tour of Akron, and lunch at Carousel followed by a spectacular show "Viaggio". Watch dazzling performances and unbelievable acrobatics. Deposit of $125.00 due by March 3, 2008 - $219.00 double/$199.00 triple/$269.00 single. For information, call Patricia Graw at 412-521-3183. Sponsored by Catholic Business and Professional Women's Association. Men are always welcome.

Sunday, Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, December 30, 2007

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

9:00 am Barbara Ford (Ford Family)

11:00 am James Goscinski (Handza Family)

Monday, Seventh Day in Octave of Christmas, December 31

8:30 am Patrick Fleming, Sr. (Fleming Family)

Tuesday, Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, January 1, 2008

9:00 am For the Parishioners of St. Scholastica Parish

11:00 am Katherine Ann Cush (Dan Cush)

Wednesday, St. Basil, January 2

8:30 am Anniv., Earl Simanek (Helen)

Thursday, Christmas Weekday, January 3

8:30 am Lilian Bailey (Jean B. Kaufman)

Friday, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, January 4

8:30 am Albert J. Carvelli (Family)

Saturday, St. John Neumann, January 5

9:00 am Stanley Marsico (Tish)

Saturday, Vigil of Epiphany, January 5

5:00 pm Ralph Friday, (Wife)

Presider: Fr. Duch

Sunday, Epiphany, January 6

7:30 am J.R. Friday (Family)

Presider: Fr. Duch

9:00 am Mike Driscol

(Mr & Mr Gerard Werries & Family)

Presider: Fr. Duch

11:00am For the Parishioners of St. Scholastica Parish

Presider: Fr. Duch

STEWARDSHIP

for 12/30/07

will be in next week's bulletin.

Thank you.

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/beta/

E-mail address: parish@saintscholastica.com

Christ The Divine Teacher Catholic Academy 412-781-7927

Mr. John Marino - Principal

E-mail address: CDTCA@nauticom.net

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