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Upcoming Events
Day of Recollection
Father Bernard Ezaki
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Saturday, March 11, 2017
St. Bartholomew, Wilmore
Shroud of Turin Talk
Bill Wingard
3:00 PM
Sunday, Marcy 26, 2017
St. Benedict Parish, Johnstown
Chrism Mass
11:00 AM
(
Arrival time 10:00 AM)
Monday, April 10, 2017
Cathedral, Altoona
Parish Mission
Featuring Dr. Edward Sri
April 23 - 24, 2017
7:00 - 9:00 PM
(A daytime presentation will be
wil
held April 24 - time TBA)
St. Benedict Parish, Johnstown
Priest Ordination
10:00 AM
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Cathedral, Altoona
Annual Diaconate Retreat
June 11 - 15, 2017
Antiochian Village, Bolivar
Retreat begins Sunday with registration at 3:30 PM and concludes Thursday following the 10:00 AM closing Mass
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JANUARY
01 Tom Papinchak
05 Lisa Roth
08 Dee Schuette
12 Linda Rys
29 Michael Russo
31 Beth O'Dowd
FEBRUARY
01 Joanna Duman
05 Joe Dalla Valle
07 Dee Zernick
08 Dave Lapinski
09 Karen Underhill
25 Shirley Boldin
26 Mike Ondik
MARCH
02 Rosemary Concannon
04 Phil Gibson
08 Andrea Beavers
09 Colette Orlandi
15 Susan Cronin
18 Laszlo Ivantis
20 Janine Anna
25 Diane Lapinski
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| Frank & Dee Schutte 1/7/1960 Jack & Colette Orlandi 2/8/1997 Jerry & Lori Nevling 2/14/2009 Chip & Connie Young 2/15/1969 Tony & Lisa Wagner 3/8/1986 |
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The Queensboro Shirt Company
has developed a website apparel store for items embroidered with the logo of our Diaconate Community.
Diaconate apparel identifies you as a member of clergy eliminating issues that may
arise when making
hospital or nursing home visits.
Likewise the logo apparel
can be worn when attending seminars,
teaching and attending parish functions.
For more information
visit:
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Now Christ has graciously selected you from His large flock of sheep to be one of His special followers. He brought you to this place of pasture that you may graze on His love. This kingdom of heaven is your heritage, and God asks you to claim it.
Do not hesitate to make that claim. Forget the past and press on to the future. Remember your spiritual needs rather than your spiritual achievements. If you want to progress to the ideal, you must hunger for it. Strong desire must direct your will. It will become yours by the power of God and with your consent.
Look toward God and let Him act beyond your ability. Your job is to keep the windows and doors of your soul open, but screened against insects and vermin. If you will do this, your humble prayer will be attractive to God. Call upon God and notice His warm response. God waits for your cooperation.
-The Cloud of Unknowing
Author Anonymous
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Excerpt from: EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY
HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Each of us is very dear to God, who loves us, chooses us and calls us to serve. To be ready to serve, we need a healthy heart: a heart healed by God, one which knows forgiveness and is neither closed nor hardened. We would do well each day to pray trustingly for this, asking to be healed by Jesus, to grow more like him who "no longer calls us servants but friends." Dear deacons, this is a grace you can implore daily in prayer. You can offer the Lord your work, your little inconveniences, your weariness and your hopes in an authentic prayer that brings your life to the Lord and the Lord to your life. When you serve at the table of the Eucharist, there you will find the presence of Jesus, who gives himself to you so that you can give yourselves to others.
In this way, you will not be afraid to be servants of Christ.
Complete homily can be found:
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"The Eight Hardest Words in the Our Father"
with Father Bernard Ezaki, M. Div, M.A.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
St. Bartholomew, Wilmore
Forgiveness is sometimes regarded as the most difficult of Christian virtues. Yet Our Lord makes it a necessity for those who wish to be forgiven by Him. Father Ezaki will provide some information and amusing tips on the fine art of forgiveness. You
won't
forgive yourself if you miss this Day of Recollection!
Father Bernard J. Ezaki, M. Div, M.A. is currently the Parochial Vicar at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Church in Easton, PA.
After attending Moravian College, Harvard Divinity and St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Father Ezaki was ordained a priest on June 4, 1988. Born legally blind, Father Ezaki acknowledges that the secret of Christian joy is nothing less than gratitude. At age 45 years old, he discovered in a book a sentence that changed his life,
"I'm not grateful because I'm happy; I'm happy because I'm grateful."
Learn more about Father Ezaki and his writings a
t:
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ANNUAL DIACONATE RETREAT
"Exploring the Prophets & Unlocking Revelation"
Thomas Smith, Retreat Master
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Thomas Smith
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Author, retreat director, and parish mission leader Thomas Smith will lead us in exploring the powerful relevance of the Old Testament Prophets today, their connection to the Diaconate, and how to embrace their message in our lives as deacon families in ministry and effectively communicate their message to today's world. Thomas will also explore the keys for unlocking the Book of Revelation and preaching it's message to a modern audience.
"Thomas is in the top 10% of the best Catholic speakers today. He has the rare gift of connecting faith with life, the head with the heart. I cannot recommend him more highly."
-Dr. Tim Gray, President of the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado
Thomas brings a wealth of experience and insight on the Word of God to clergy and laity around the world, and is a repeat guest on EWTN and Catholic radio.
As a convert to the Catholic Church in 1996, Thomas received his
B. Phil. from the Pontifical Lateran University and did his graduate theological studies at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. He later served as the director of the Denver Catholic Biblical School and Catechetical School. He is the co-author of
The Book of Revelation: The Kingdom Yet to Come, The Prophets: Messengers of God's Mercy
and
Ephesians: Discover Your Inheritance.
Thomas lives on his family ranch in southeastern Idaho where he continues to explore the riches of our faith.
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ON-GOING FORMATION OPPORTUNITIES
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SHROUD OF TURIN TALK
Bill Wingard established
"Shroud
Talks"
to present the history and science of the Shroud of Turin and tackle the biggest mystery...
.Is the Shroud the actual burial cloth?
Pe
r
sonal research in conjunction with the knowledge and help of the original photographer,
Barrie Schwortz, for the scientific evaluation in 1978 make for a powerful presentation.
You are invited to hear the talk and see the full size replica of the Shroud of Turin.
This event will be held at St. Benedict Parish, 2310 Bedford Street, Johnstown on Sunday March 26, 2017 at 3:00 PM. Attendees are encouraged to bring their cameras. No tickets are required; a love offering will be collected.
All are welcome!
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PARISH MISSION WITH DR. EDWARD SRI
A two day mission will be held at St. Benedict Parish, Johnstown, April 23-24, 2017 featuring nationally recognized Catholic speaker, Dr. Edward Sri.
A frequent guest on EWTN, Dr. Sri is known for his teaching on Scripture, Apologetics, and Catholicism. He received his doctorate at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas
in Rome. Dr. Sri lives in Denver, with his wife and six children where he currently serves as provost and professor of Theology and Scripture at the Augustine Institute.
The topics that Dr. Sri will cover in the two nights are:
Walking with Mary: A Biblical Journey to the Cross
A Biblical Walk Through the Mass: Understanding What We Say and Do in the Liturgy
Do you ever wish you could get more out of Mass? Discover how all the prayers, symbols, and rituals in the liturgy can come alive for us today once we understand their Biblical roots. From the sign of the Cross and the Gloria to the Eucharistic prayers and Holy Communion, learn the profound meaning of what we are really saying and doing each week as we participate in these sacred mysteries.
Marriage: The Good, the Mess and the Beautiful
It's easy to fall in love. Growing in love isn't always so easy. Discover five keys to love your spouse more than you did yesterday. Learn new paths to building the kind of unity, trust and happiness we long for in our married lives.
Becoming "Missionary Disciples": Pope Francis and the Real Challenge in Pastoral Ministry Today
Pope Francis often makes headline. But few people understand his real vision for Church renewal and his profound insights into the challenges in evangelization, catechesis and pastoral ministry today.
This presentation will help people of all walks of life from the diocesan leaders to the laity, live out the Holy Father's call for us to renew our discipleship with Christ in ways that will transform our parishes, ministries, families and communities.
- Daytime Presentation-
Vibrant Faith in a Secular Culture: Today's Challenges for Catechists, Teachers, and Pastoral Ministers
This presentation engages the challenges our parishes, families and friends constantly face from the secular culture - challenges that, if not addressed, can choke the faith life in the people we love and serve:
- Why do I need a Church? Can't I be spiritual on my own?
- Isn't one religion just as good as another?
- Isn't each person free to make up his own morality?
- Why does the Church talk so much about life issues, sex and marriage? Shouldn't we just be tolerant and get along with everyone?
This engaging and thought-provoking talk, shows how our faith life today cannot be "business as usual." We must live out and pass on the faith in a way that anticipates the cultural influences that affect us every day. And we must give the next generation the tools to thrive as intentional Catholics in a relativistic world. In this talk, Dr. Sri will draw from his newest book,
Love Unveiled: The Catholic Faith Explained.
Sessions begin at 7:00 PM and will be held in the church. This Parish Mission is open to everyone.
There is no cost to attend Dr. Sri's presentation.
A free-will offering will be taken.
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NATIONAL MIGRATION WEEK 2017
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For nearly a half century, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated National Migration Week, which is an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the circumstances confronting migrants, including immigrants, refugees, children, and victims and survivors of human trafficking. The theme for National Migration Week 2017 draws attention to Pope Francis' call to create a culture of encounter, and in doing so to look beyond our own needs and wants to those of others around us. In the homily given at his first Pentecost as pope, he emphasized the importance of encounter in the Christian faith: "For me this word is very important. Encounter with others. Why? Because faith is an encounter with Jesus, and we must do what Jesus does: encounter others."
With respect to migrants, too often in our contemporary culture we fail to encounter them as persons, and instead look at them as others. We do not take the time to engage migrants in a meaningful way, but remain aloof to their presence and suspicious of their intentions. During this National Migration Week, let us all take the opportunity to engage migrants as children of God who are worthy of our attention and support.
For Information and Resources visit:
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