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Saint Francis of Assisi Saint Francis of Assisi ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH 101 West Church Avenue Masontown, Pennsylvania 15461 Phone: 7245837866 • Fax: 7245830373 Website: www.sfoafayette.org email: [email protected] A Parish of the Diocese of Greensburg A Pennsylvania Charitable Trust Rev. Marlon Pates, Pastor June 27, 2021 [email protected] Monday, Wednesday, Friday8:00 am Saturday4:00 pm Sunday8:00 am & 11:30 am Confessions: Saturday 3:003:30 pm Tuesday & Thursday8:00 am Saturday:4:00 pm Sunday 9:30 am Confessions: Saturday 3:003:30 pm Office Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Bulletin Articles: The deadline for placing articles in the bulletin is Monday at Noon. New Parishioners, Welcome! Please register as soon as possible. Communion to the Homebound is provided on a regular basis. Call the Parish Office to be added to our list. Sacrament of Baptism: By appointment. Prior to your baby’s Baptism, you must be a registered, practicing member of this parish. Sacrament of Marriage: Requires parish membership by at least one of the parties for six months prior to making arrangements for marriage. Weddings should be scheduled one year in advance. Prayer Chain: To request prayer, please call Patty 7242459746 or Valeria 7245839460 . Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I would like to thank the many of you who offered prayers for me as I recover from a mini stroke. The power of prayer is wonderful! I would also like to thank those who planned and executed the farewell parties and to all who attended them. It was a great time had by all. I offer you a friendly reminder of my new address: Fr. Bill Berkey 306 Saint John’s Way Latrobe, PA 15650 Also a reminder that my birthday is July 15 and Fr. Marlon’s is July 18 Thank you and may you continue to shine brightly before our Lord!!!! Peace, Father Bill Today is the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time The opening antiphon invites us to clap our hands and shout with joy, for our God is a God of life. God brought life into the world at creation, making us in the divine image. Jesus brought new life to the world, redeeming us and preparing us for eternal life with the Lord. We come together here today, as we do each Sunday, to hear the word of God, to be nourished in the Eucharist, and to give praise and glory to God. May our lives, energized by the Holy Spirit, witness to the wonderful generosity of our God, our God of life. Question of the Week: How does my faith in the Lord give me hope when I might otherwise feel hopeless? Monday is the Feast of Saint Irenaeus A disciple of St. Polycarp, he is an early witness to the recognition of the four accounts of the Gospel, to the unique importance of the Bishop of Rome, and to the apostolic succession the handing on of ecclesial authority from the Apostles themselves. He served as Bishop for 25 years and died in 202. Tuesday is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul These are the two great pillars of our Faith. Peter was called by Christ to lead and care for Christ’s entire flock and Paul, a reformed Pharisee, carried out this missionary mandate. They both ended their ministry in Rome around the year 54. Tradition holds that Peter was crucified upside down and Paul was beheaded by the sword. Wednesday is the Feast of the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church This day we commemorate the martyrs who died between the years 6468 AD, around the same time as Saints Peter and Paul. The emperor Nero was accused of starting the Great Fire of Rome and to divert attention from himself and satisfy his appetite for cruelty, he turned the blame on the Christians in Rome. They were rounded up and killed by various means. Thursday is the Feast of Saint Junipero Serra a Spanish Franciscan Friar, best known for founding the string of twentyone missions that stretch from San Diego to Sonoma, California. The chapel at Mission San Juan Capistrano is believed to be the oldest standing building in California, the only mission left where he celebrated the liturgy. Saturday is the Feast of Saint Thomas, the Apostle. Upon confronting the resurrected Jesus, Thomas breaks through his unbelief with the ultimate confession that Jesus is my Lord and my God, thus addressing faith in the crucified, risen one in the same terms that Israel addressed Yaweh, their Lord and God, the highest honor possible. JESUS’ EXAMPLE OF HELPING OTHERS In today’s second reading, Saint Paul offers a wonderful argument to his converts at Corinth for seek- ing to help those in need. He is dealing with a practical problem, arranging a collection for the poor of the church of Jerusalem; but as he often does, he develops an im- portant teaching about Jesus to make his point. After asking that they show their faith by generous gifts, he reminds them of the “gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” Thank you to the Confirmation Class who chose to tidy In the Incarnation, our Lord assumed our human up the shrines of Saint Francis of Assisi in Masontown nature, certainly becoming poor for one who is God. The & Saint Maximilian Kolbe in Footedale as their Service ultimate gracious act of this poverty was going to the Project. They did a great job! Please keep them in cross with all its terrible sufferings. By this act of pov- prayer as they journey toward their Confirmation Day erty we definitely become rich. Now our sins can be for- on October 4, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. given; we can share in the very life of God through the sacraments; we can attain eternal salvation! The Practice of Stewardship INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK Today’s reading from St. Paul explains the “divine econ- “Do not be afraid, just have faith.” God does not omy” of stewardship “The relief of others ought not to rejoice in our demise or our destruction. Rather, He impoverish you; there should be a certain equality. Your made us in His image and desires that we have life. He plenty at the present time should supply their need so that also desires that we be healed and know His loving touch. their surplus may in turn one day supply your need.” There is great power in an embrace offered in love. The touch of another can heal wounds and restore life. There The Peter’s Pence / Support of the Holy See is also power in faith. Faith can turn us toward the truth Collection will be taken this weekend. and toward God. Both love and faith can lead us to hope The Peter’s Pence Collection helps fund the charitable that no matter what we encounter, God will continue to works of the Holy Father and provides emergency relief sustain us in being. He will not allow us to perish. God assistance for people suffering from war, oppression and can profoundly change how we see Him, ourselves and natural disasters. The Support of the Holy See Collection one another. God desires that we turn toward Him and be is used to meet the Diocese’s obligation arising from healed of all that wounds and binds us so that we can be Canon 1271 to contribute to the support of the free and enjoy the fullness of life. We are asked to arise operational expenses of the Holy See. and walk proudly with this lifegiving faith. Reach out and share this faith with someone this week so that they too can receive God’s life changing embrace and heed Collection of Paper Products His call to wholeness. We will resume the monthly collection of paper products to share with our local food banks on the first weekend PRACTICE OF CHARITY of the month. If you have these items to donate, please The continuing crisis in rising healthcare costs bring them next weekend. Since we haven’t been able to and lack of access can cause great concern to anyone collect these items during the pandemic, the need is even with a serious illness. This is especially true for those greater than before. Your support is greatly appreciated. who are impoverished. Fortunately, the efforts of organi- zations such as Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Doctors without Borders and community health clinics for the poor are examples of God’s healing Spirit alleviating June 20: $4,614; loose 258; monthly $1,385; those who suffer. God is at work in these doctors, nurses online $167; children $16; Father’s Day $1,769; and health care professionals just as God healed the Accent $247 totaling $8,456 daughter of Jarius and the woman afflicted with hemor- 246 envelopes used of 816 issued rhages, as described in today’s Gospel. Prayer is a strong Our Parish is very grateful for your continued tool to help us become more compassionate toward our support especially during this critical time! brothers and sisters who may be seriously ill. Sacred Steps Sacramental Celebrations at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish Parish Sympathy is expressed to the families of † John F. Shaffer, Jr. who was buried Thursday, June 24 The month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood. Devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus unites us to the † Stephanie Balik mystery of faith in His sacrificial love on Calvary which who was buried Friday, June 25.
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