Tajci 'Save the shares Steeple' at spiritual St. Charles journey New Bethlehem Erie, Warren parishioners hold concerts well fundraiser, page 4. received, page 3. www.ErieRCD.org BI-WEEKLY NEWS BULLETIN OF THE DIOCESE OF ERIE October 17, 2010 Church Calendar Events of the local, American and universal church Sisters establish Rural House of Mercy Feast days Based in Reynoldsville, ministry will serve Jefferson County, DuBois Deanery By Jason Koshinskie InIn Pennsylvania,Pennsylvan any area center retired in July. The FaithLife editor thatthat has less thantha 274 people sisters will meet with hospi- perper square milemile is considered tal officials later this month REYNOLDSVILLE – ruralrural by the state. about keeping a Mercy con- Two Sisters of Mercy are So whatwha brought the nection. bringing a permanent pres- sisterssister to Jefferson Sisters of Mercy had also ence of women religious to CountyCo and staffed many schools in the Jefferson County. the diocese’s area and continued to do Sister Margaret Park, DuBois mission work. RSM, and Sister Trish Ty- Deanery? But most recently there ler, RSM, have established a Simply, the were no sisters in Jefferson Sister Margaret Sister Trish Sisters of County. Now there are two. Rural House of Mercy at the Park, RSM Tyler, RSM St. Paul St. John of rectory at St. Mary Parish in MercyM were “Both of us were pray- of the Cross Capistrano Reynoldsville. It is a minis- returningreturning to an area ing,” said Sister Margaret. try of the Sisters of Mercy; counties. wherewhere theythey had minis- “We each felt that God was Oct. 16 St. Hedwig, St. Margaret Mary two other teams of sisters al- In 2007, Sister Clare Ma- teredtered for yyears—a rural leading us, first individually Alacoque ready operate a Catholic Ru- rie Beichner, SSJ, and Sister area with a friendly and before we discovered that Marian Wehler, OSB, began nity of Anawin founded its simple culture. the other one was feeling this Oct. 18 ral Ministry in the Diocese St. Luke of Erie, which is sponsored Catholic Rural Ministry in rural ministry in Clearfield DuBois Hospital was oper- way, that God was leading us Oct. 19 Ss. John de Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues by Catholic Charities. the Oil City Deanery, which County in 1976. ated by the Sisters of Mercy to something but we didn’t and companions In 1999, Sister Phyllis includes Clarion and Venan- The ministry has been since the early 1900s. In 1985, know quite where.” Schleicher, OSB, and Sister go counties. They also cover widely successful in providing it joined with Maple Avenue After meeting with their Oct. 20 St. Paul of the Cross Mary William Hoffman, parts of Crawford and Forest pastoral outreach and spiritu- Hospital to form DuBois religious community, local Oct. 23 St. John of Capistrano OSB, started the first Catho- counties, including Titusville al support as well as respond- Regional Medical Center in priests and diocesan officials, lic Rural Ministry in the dio- and Marienville. ing to the social needs of the 1985. The last remaining Sis- Oct. 28 Ss. Simon and Jude cese in McKean and Potter In addition, the Commu- area. ter of Mercy working at the See RURAL, page 2 Confi rmations St. Mark, Emporium -- Sunday, Oct. 17 at 10:30 a.m. Respecting Our Lady of Mercy, Harborcreek – Sunday, Oct. 24 at 11 a.m. Church marks October Pope canonizes six new saints – life Oct. 17 as Respect Life Month Pope Benedict XVI will canonize six new saints By Jason Koshinskie on Sunday, Oct. 17 at the Vatican. They include: FaithLife Blessed Mary MacKillop, who will become Australia’s first saint, founded the Sisters of St. Jo- October traditionally has been designated as Re- seph of the Sacred Heart. Blessed Andre Bessette spect Life Month in the church, an annual obser- , who founded St. Jo- vance that focuses attention on the sanctity of hu- seph’s Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal. Blessed Camilla Battista Varano man life at every stage and the responsibility that , a mystic Catholics share to protect and defend it. who had to overcome her father’s initial objections In a message marking Respect Life Month in in order to enter the convent of the Poor Clares. Blessed Stanislaw Soltys October, the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Com- , who devoted his mittee on Pro-Life Activities called on U.S. Catho- life to caring for the poor in his native Krakow. Blessed Juana Josefa Cipitria Barriola lics to join Pope Benedict XVI in a worldwide vigil of “for all nascent human life” on the Saturday eve- Spain founded the Daughters of Jesus. Blessed Giulia Salzano ning of Thanksgiving weekend. , who founded the Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Hous- Catechetical Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to ton also encouraged Catholics to demonstrate continue her work, which already had expanded to their commitment to life “through a loving con- offering religious education to children of all ages, cern for the good of others” and to work to ensure to their mothers and to regular laborers at a time that health care reform, in its implementation, “is when religious instruction was limited to sacramen- not misused to promote abortion or to trample on tal preparation or the private education of those rights of conscience.” who could afford it. “With each passing year, the need for personal and public witness grounded in God’s boundless love for each and every human being grows more urgent,” he said. Clergy appointments The cardinal cited three particular risks in to- Father Nicholas Rouch, vicar for education, distributes Communion to students during an all-school day’s society -- abortion, embryonic stem-cell re- pro-life Mass Oct. 6 at DuBois Central Catholic. A sign at DuBois Central Catholic promotes the pro- The Most Rev. Donald search and “a renewed campaign for legalizing life message. W. Trautman, STD, physician-assisted suicide.” “Instead of addressing (seriously ill) patients’ tive ideology, it is just the opposite: a positive vi- the child in the womb, and for the embryonic hu- SSL, Bishop of Erie, real problems by providing love, support and re- sion of the dignity of each and every human being man being at risk of becoming a mere object of announces the following lief of suffering, this agenda urges us to eliminate without exception, each loved equally by God and research, and for the neglected sick and elderly.” clergy appointments: the patient as though he or she is the problem,” so equally deserving of our love and our nation’s “The loss of even one child and the pain expe- Cardinal DiNardo said. “While critics want to respect.” Msgr. Casimir Bogniak, appointed parochial portray the church’s witness as a narrow and nega- He urged every Catholic to become “a voice for See RESPECT LIFE, page 3 administrator of St. Raphael Parish, Eldred, and its mission church of St. Mary, Sartwell, and St. Theresa Parish, Shinglehouse. Effective November 8, 2010. Election Day is Nov. 2 Father Chris Hamlett, appointed pastor of World Mission Sunday St. Michael Parish, Fryburg, for a term of six years. Effective November 8, 2010. Pennsylvania Catholic Conference Sharing the Gospel helps build a better interviews statewide candidates Father David Poulson, appointed pastor of St. world, says Mission Sunday message Anthony Parish, Cambridge Springs, for a term As part of an effort to educate citizens about candi- of six years. Effective November 8, 2010. dates and their positions on issues important to Catholic Christians committed to build- voters, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC) sent ing a world where all people rec- Appointed for membership on the Clergy Con- a questionnaire to candidates for statewide office to give them ognize they are brothers and sisters tinuing Education and Formation Committee the opportunity to make their positions known on key issues. need to share the good news of for a term of four years is Father Ross Miceli; All four statewide candidates (U.S. senator and Pennsylvania governor) also par- salvation in Christ, Pope Benedict Reappointed for terms of four years are Msgr. ticipated in interviews about their views with PCC staff. The transcripts of the inter- XVI said. Richard Siefer as director and Msgr. Andrew views and election resources are available on the PCC Web site and are for informa- “The fundamental law of hu- Karg, Father Mark O’Hern and Father Michael tion purposes only; the PCC does not endorse candidates for political office. man perfection and, consequently, Kesicki as members; Continuing as members Visit www.pacatholic.org and click on 2010 General Election Resources under the transformation of the world, is are Deacon Joe Lucia, Father John Malthaner, “Featured.” the new commandment of love” Father Brian Vossler, Father Tom Whitman The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference is the public affairs arm of Pennsylvania’s taught by Jesus Christ, the pope and Msgr. Max Karg. Catholic bishops and the Catholic dioceses of Pennsylvania. said in his message for World Mis- sion Sunday 2010. Candidates for U.S. Senate Candidates for Pennsylvania Governor The annual observance will be marked Oct. 24 at the Vatican and in most countries. In the Diocese of Erie, World Mission Sunday Join the will be observed Oct. 17. tifical missionary societies fund the A special collection will aid training of priests and catechists Diocese of Erie more than 1,150 young churches and the education of children. on facebook in the developing world through World Mission Sunday is an the Society of the Propagation of opportunity for Catholics of the Currently 487 members, the Faith, Bishop Donald Traut- world to unite at Mass to recommit man said in a letter to parishioners ourselves to our baptismal vocation up 13 in two weeks throughout the diocese.