SAINT TITUS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 513 WEST MAIN STREET • TITUSVILLE, PA 16354 PHONE: 814.827.4636 • FAX: 814.827.3958 OFFICE HOURS: MON.-FRI. 8AM-12PM & 1PM-4PM www.sainttitus.com PARISH STAFF APRIL 19, 2020 Pastor..........................................Reverend Walter E. Packard SECOND SUNDAY Deacon Assistant………………………..Deacon Kevin Harmon OF EASTER Administrative Secretary.......................................Sarah Oviatt Religious Education Coordinator......................Kathleen Puleo MASS SCHEDULE Music Ministers.......Anthony ‘T.J.’ Parks, Margaret Bernecky Tuesday: 6:30 PM Maintenance............................................................Greg Tress Wednesday: 7:30 AM St. Catharine’s Cemetery......................................Bob Beauchat Thursday: 7:30 AM Friday: 7:30 AM SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM By appointment only. Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM* *Children’s Liturgy of the Word is offered SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION from September - May at this Mass. Saturday from 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM or by arrangement. BEREAVEMENT SACRAMENT OF ANOINTING CARE AND CONCERN Please let us know when a family member or friend is ill, either Call Karen Edwards at 827-2658. at home, in the hospital, or at the nursing home. PARISH MEMBERSHIP SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE New parishioners are always welcome! Arrangements should be made six months prior to the ceremony. Census forms are available at the Parish Office. Please contact our Administrative Secretary (ext. 2) in RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION FOR ADULTS the event of an address or phone (R.C.I.A.) number change. If you are interested in R.C.I.A, please contact our pastor. RAYER HAIN P C FAITH FORMATION To add a prayer concern to our list, Religious instruction classes for youth take place at the Faith contact Nancy Madden at 827-9774 (day) or 814-493-3841 (evening), Formation Center on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 PM to Rita Homer at 827-1541, or Darlene 7:45 PM. Contact the Rel. Ed. Coordinator (ext. 4) to register. Aul at 827-7343. BULLETIN DEADLINE Submissions for the bulletin must be dropped off at the Parish Office or sent via e-mail no later than 10:00 AM on Tuesday. SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER APRILI 19, 2020 SOME THOUGHTS FROM FATHER PACKARD… We don’t know the day-to-day occupation of Thomas the apostle. he Happy Easter everyone! I say that with confidence because our asked a lot of questions. He may have been the first-century equivalent of celebration of Easter is a fifty-day event!! During these fifty days the a scientific mind: he’s looking for evidence. He wants to be shown. He is Church anticipates celebrating the great feast of Pentecost – the birthday not content to take the word of the others. He wants to see. he wants to of the Church. understand. I want you all to know – I miss all of you very much! I hope I will be able The beautiful thing about this story is Jesus’ divine mercy. He doesn’t to recognize everyone when the time comes that we will be able to be condemn Thomas’ request. He offers to show him his hands and his side. together! I am sure that the directive issued to all of us to stay at home He respects the intellectual grasping of the “scientist.” Yet commentary has been somewhat of an adjustment. Families have been reunited in a after commentary deprecates Thomas’ questions, even though Jesus did sense but for conflicting reasons. At least we are able to eat together as not. “Just believe on the apostles’ word,” they interpret as today’s families and become reacquainted with each other. We have also been message. They must not live in the same world that I live in! very fortunate that the weather has not been disastrous in the last few weeks. That would only have had a further negative impact on this You can tell your scientifically-minded sixteen-year old, “Just believe that pandemic. God loves you” until you are blue in the face. She is not going to believe it on your word. She wants to see. Yet we have not seen God. With our But there have also been a fair share of disappointments that have limited minds, we cannot comprehend the Trinity; both St. Augustine and occurred. Seniors in both high school and college will be missing out on history’s agnostics agree on that. The difference between a Christian and traditional rituals surrounding these rites of passage. Both teachers and an agnostic, then, is revelation – we believe that by the mercy of God, we students realize more than ever the importance of ongoing education in have been shown. The Lord has breathed on us and because of that, we our life. A snow day once in a while is always a fun thing, but to be denied have seen his glory! being in the classroom is another. My hat is off to our Titusville Area School District’s leaders and educators for their dedication in trying to NOW, WITH EVERYONE GATHERED TOGETHER WITH YOU, PRAY make learning a continuum even in the midst of not being in the THE APOSTLES’ CREED. classroom. It’s been a real challenge to both teachers and students for learning to continue to take place. PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL We are told that God’s mercy endures forever, so we rely on the infinite I also am reminded of plans that have drastically changed for many – mercy of God as we bring our needs and the needs of the world to God: family celebrations, the inability to connect or reconnect face-to-face, Risen Lord, hear our prayer! funeral rites that have been put on hold, weddings that have been For the Church, that we may spread God’s mercy to those most in need of postponed, and the list goes on. But we are resilient people and we try to it: the impoverished, the imprisoned, the lonely, and the forgotten, we make the best of a situation. pray. For victims of persecution and their loved ones, that they may ne It was a challenge to celebrate Holy Week this year without a comforted in the arms of a merciful God, we pray. congregation. The Sacred Triduum was a challenge for me to celebrate For our country and our world who have been devastated by the without your presence. I was most appreciative to have Deacon Kevin coronavirus, that it may soon be over so we can rise above it, we pray. Harmon with me to celebrate Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday For all who help to keep us safe: for all medical personnel and first and Easter Sunday. responders, and all who are in harm’s way, we pray. For all of us, that we may be inspired by the example of the early Let us all continue to pray for one another during these days of this Christians and share what we have with others, we pray. pandemic crisis. May we be particularly mindful of our “first responders” in Add your own personal intentions… our midst – all of our medical professionals, firefighters, police and emergency personnel who are in the front lines protecting and caring for SPIRITUAL COMMUNION PRAYER all of us. May they be kept safe in trying to keep us safe! O my Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you I offer you the following for you and your families so you may continue to into my soul. Since I cannot receive you at this moment Keep Holy the Sabbath. Take a moment on Sunday to be part of this sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you weekend’s Second Sunday of Easter. as if you were already there and I unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen. We reflect on God’s Word to us A week out from Easter Sunday we have the opportunity to listen to three THANK YOU! responses to the Resurrection event. In the Acts of the Apostles we hear Many thanks to all of you who continue to support our parish of St. Titus of the communal practices of the early Church. Peter praises God for the during this pandemic. I am so grateful to all of you who love your Church “living hope” Jesus brought to all who believe. John’s Gospel tells the well and want to support it during these uncertain times! -known story of Thomas, who needed to see the resurrection of Jesus before he would believe, and Jesus’ subsequent blessing of those who BE SAFE! WASH YOUR HANDS! WEAR A MASK IF YOU GO OUT! believe without seeing. Let us listen and believe! PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING! KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE! KEEP IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER! PRAY EACH ACTS 2: 42-47 Those who believed shared all things in common. DAY! PLEASE BE ASSURED OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU EACH DAY! PSALM 118 “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.” In Christ our risen Lord, I PETER 1: 3-9 God has given us new birth. Father Packard JOHN 20: 19-31 “My Lord and my God!” SAINT TITUS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH TITUSVILLE, PA WEEKLY LITURGY SCHEDULE Tues. April 21 Easter Weekday OFFERTORY REPORT Frances Schoppert Envelopes $ Wed. April 22 Easter Weekday Good Shepherd $ Robert Gray Thur. April 23 Easter Weekday Candles $ William & Martha Lynch Easter $ Fri. April 24 Easter Weekday Easter Flowers $ Shirley Packard (Barb & Meredith Cesare) Rice Bowl $ Sat. April 25 Saint Mark, Evangelist Religious Education $ No Mass Sun.