Bulletin~January 13, 2008

DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAITH BASED EDUCATION?

Let us show you Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy, the PreK-8 Parish School for St. Scholastica, St. Joseph, St. Edward and the Catholic Community of Sharpsburg. Our rigorous academics, varied curriculum and array of extracurricular activities are offered within a faith-based environment, supported by an exceptional faculty and school community. Most of all, we value the responsibility of realizing each child's potential.

Join us at our Open House, Thursday, January 24, 2008, at 7 pm, 205 Brilliant Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 412-781-7927 www.cdtcatholicacademy.org

Registration for '08-'09 school year is now being accepted!

YOUTH HAPPENINGS

DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION IS COMING TO ST. SCHO'S! Thursday January 17th  Middle school 6:30-7:15  High School 8-9:15.   Pastoral Center. Everyone is welcome.  Come to compete or just watch! Bring your friends!

 

INTERSECTION  For all confirmed teens.  January 12 & 20 10-11 in the Ministry Center. Make a resolution to grow in your faith.  Come explore scripture with us.

 

Donut Sale after all Masses next weekend to benefit Mission Trip to Appalachia.

BULLETIN CONNECTION

Count them: four. There were four Sundays of Advent before Christmas, and there have been four Sundays of Christmas since December 25. Once our local radio stations stop playing Christmas music and our stores put up their Valentine displays, it can be easy to miss the rest of Christmas. In the church, the season of Christmas ends today. We find ourselves back on the banks of the Jordan River where once we heard John the Baptist announce the Messiah's imminent arrival. Today the story comes full circle. A man arrives among the crowd John the Baptist always drew. He was different from the others who wanted John's baptism. John had no warnings for him, no call to repentance. This man had no need of this baptism by water, yet he told John that God demanded it. So John took Jesus into the river and pushed him under the water. With this final action from the old law the curtain was opened to the new. Here is God's Son. Salvation has come.

PGHFaith

Our Parish Group for Handing on the Faith will meet on Sunday January 27 at 10 a.m. in Marsico Library in the Pastoral Center. Our topic will be: "Promoting Life in an Election Year." Pope John Paul II called upon Catholics to promote a "culture of life." Our political choices can be an important part of this effort. This session intends to give us, as adult Catholics, a place to share our thoughts, our struggles, and our experiences as we try to make political choices that support a "culture of life."

PRE-MARRIAGE PROGRAM FOR THE ENGAGED Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008: St. Edward Church, Blawnox, 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 pm (including Mass). This session fulfills diocesan requirements. Cost: $50 per couple (Cost includes speaker, stipends, meals, and snacks)Deadline to register is Feb. 6, 2008. To register, contact the parish office at 412-828-3123.

MINISTRY OF PRAISE

In preparation for a new prayer list, we are inviting all parishioners to place their petitions for prayers in the "Ministry of Praise" boxes in the vestibules of the church. We use no last names. If you would like to pray, please write your name and address on paper and place the paper in the box. We will mail you a prayer list. We pray on our own time in our own homes at our own convenient times. We have no meetings. We just pray!

WE WILL HAVE A

COMMISSIONING SERVICE TODAY

All parishioners who have volunteered to serve our parish in our many ministries will be commissioned at all of the Masses this weekend. Approximately 300 parishioners volunteer their services in a variety of ways in our parish. We will give them a special blessing and commission them to go forward in bringing Christ to others. Some of these ministries are: altar servers, ushers, cantors, choir members, CCD catechists, parish school teachers, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, youth group leaders, parish council members, finance council members, lectors, Aquinas Guild officers, St. Vincent DePaul members, Respect Life Committee, bereavement committee, and many others.

You, the laity are empowered, by your baptism into the Church, the Body of Christ, to participate actively in the saving mission of the Church. This mandate, the authority to be leaders in the Church, is derived not from the hierarchy but from our baptismal anointing. This mandate has not fallen to the laity because there are insufficient numbers of clergy to fulfill these roles and responsibilities. Rather, the witness, service and preaching of the gospel by you, the laity are responsibilities that you inherently possess, and properly belong to you through the grace of baptism.

Therefore, today's feast of the Baptism of the Lord is not merely a remembrance of Jesus' baptism; it is also a reaffirmation of the baptism of every person. It is a reminder that the Holy Spirit is conferred in baptism, and from then onward, the baptized believer becomes a living sacrament – a sign to the world of God's power to create, to consecrate, to transform, to forgive, to save.

With this commissioning, we ask all of our parishioners to pray for our lay volunteers so that they may bring Christ to the people they serve through their specific ministry. And, we pray that every baptized Catholic will become a living sacrament to the people in their lives.

Saturday, Vigil of Baptism of the Lord, January 12

5:00 pm Elizabeth Greb (Lynch Family)

Sunday, Baptism of the Lord, January 13

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

9:00 am Dr. Mary Frances Ricketts

(The Ricketts Family)

11:00 am Lawrence & Madeline Yeasted (Family)

Monday, Weekday, January 14

8:30 am Eugene LeDonne (Turzai Family)

Tuesday, Weekday, January 15

8:30 am Craig Shondeck (Family)

Wednesday, Weekday, January 16

8:30 am Helen Ziegler (Family)

Thursday, St. Anthony, January 17

8:30 am Driscoll/Macino Families (Carl Macino)

Friday, Weekday, January 18

8:30 am Jim & Christine Cush (Dan Cush)

Saturday, Weekday, January 19

9:00 am Margaret L. Keefer (Mom & Dad)

Saturday, Vigil of Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, January 19

5:00 pm Dominick Romanelli (Sandy Romanelli)

Presider: Fr. Duch

Sunday, Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, January 20

7:30 am Anniv., Alex Buccieri (Family)

Presider: Fr. Duch

9:00 am Debbie Kissane (Carl Macino)

Presider: Fr. Duch

11:00 am Rose Lombardi (Family)

Presider: Fr. Sean Hogan

STEWARDSHIP

Jan 6, 2008

     YTD

       YTD    VAR

Weekly Collection 20,593 20,593 5,667

Holy Days 3,940 3,940 3,610

Parish Share 2,519 2,519 (478)

Capital Campaign 10,540 10,540 10,385

2nd Collectn/Other 10 10 (755)

Total 37,602 37,602 18,429

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

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