The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like a Landowner Who

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like a Landowner Who

48 SOUTH PEARL STREET • NORTH EAST, PENNSYLVANIA 16428 PARISH OFFICE: 136 W. MAIN ST. • NORTH EAST, PA 16428 Parish Office Phone: 814-725-9691 • Fax: 814-725-1225 Website: www.stgregoryparish.info • Email: [email protected] School Phone: 814-725-4571 • Cemetery Phone: 814-725-9691 OFFICE HOURS: Monday−Thursday: 9AM−3PM; Friday: 9AM−Noon MASS SCHEDULE Summer Saturday.................5:00 PM Sunday....7:30 ,9:00 & 11:00 AM (thru Labor Day) Weekday Mon., Tues. Wed. & Fri.: 8:00 AM at St. Gregory Church Thursday....12:10 PM at St. Gregory Church Our Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion following the 8:00 AM Mass on Wednesday STAFF Pastor, Rev. Thomas Brooks Permanent Deacon, Rev. Mr. Richard Winschel, Pastoral Minister, Cindy Riefstahl Faith Formation Leader, Jennifer Humes Administrative Assistant, Patti Prindle Director of Sacred Music, Corey Spacht School CoPrincipals, Ms. Allissa Bowman, Mrs. Amy Kloss, Ms. Nancy Pierce St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, WonderWorker, inspire us to a more lively faith, hope and charity through prayer, “The kingdom of heaven is like a love for God and generous service landowner who went out at dawn to to God’s people. hire laborers for his vineyard”. Amen! Matthew 20:1 ST. GREGORY THAUMATURGUS CHURCH NORTH EAST, PA A Welcoming Family Of Faith Celebrating Our 145th Anniversary In The Heart Of As A Parish Family And The North East, Pennsylvania 95th Anniversary Of Our Church SACRAMENT INFORMATION PARISHIONER INFORMATION Baptism M A baptism preparation session is required of all parents We are a welcoming Family of Faith who rejoice in God’s many wishing to have their child(ren) baptized. Parents must preregister blessings! All members of the Parish receive envelopes and parish for the session. Baptisms are celebrated during Mass, following the mailings. St. Gregory Parish is a Sacrificial Giving Parish, commit- last Mass on Sunday, or by special arrangement. Please schedule by ted to serving the Lord through use of Godgiven time, talent and calling the Parish Office. treasure. Please use the membership form in the bulletin or visit the Parish Office to register. First Reconciliation/Eucharist – Children entering the 2nd & 3rd grades and who are active in the Faith Formation process (including CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD St. Gregory Parish School children) are eligible to enter the sacra- Children ages 410 are invited to participate in a special Liturgy mental preparation sessions. Sacraments are celebrated in late winter of the Word during the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass. and spring. th BULLETIN INFORMATION Confirmation – High School youth who are entering the 11 grade Groups or individuals wishing to have information published in the and who are active in the Faith Formation process or attend a Catho- bulletin are asked to submit the information in writing, by email or lic High School are eligible to enter the Confirmation preparation by phone call by Monday at 1:00 PM. program. Sessions begin in the fall and Confirmation is celebrated in the spring. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Matrimony M Call the Parish Office at least 6 months prior to the Interested in the Catholic Faith? Desire to receive the Sacraments anticipated wedding date. Church date and arrangements should pre- you missed like Reconciliation, Eucharist or Confirmation? The cede all other wedding plans. R.C.I.A. process is meant for you! Please call the Parish Office for more information. Anointing of the Sick M The Sacrament is available to all those who are seriously ill or advanced in age. Please call the Parish Office to PRAYER LINE request a visit by the priest. Add your request for prayer by calling Rosemary Repko at 814 6026271 Reconciliation M The sacrament is celebrated weekly on Saturday from 4:00 M 4:30 PM, or by request. There are two multiparish cel- THE DIOCESE OF ERIE ebrations during Advent and Lent. Including the office for The Protection Of Children and Youth http://www.eriercd.org/protectyouth.htm Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus Parish At A Glance... St. Gregory Parish Office St. Gregory Church and Our Mother of 48 South Pearl St. 8147259691 St. Gregory Parish School Perpetual Help Chapel 140 W. Main St. Pastor, Rev. Thomas Brooks 136 W. Main St. 8147254571 St. Gregory Cemetery 8147259691 Fax 8147254572 Permanent Deacon, Fax 8147251225 West Main St. & Brickyard Rd [email protected] 8147259691 Rev. Mr. Richard Winschel www.stgregoryparish.info www.stgregs.net [email protected] Dear Members and Friends of the St. Gregory Parish Family, You may have heard the expression that “all good things come in threes.” There’s actually a very popular Latin saying that captures this same thought that goes, “omne trium perfectum.” It literally translates, “everything that comes in threes is perfect.” What first comes to mind, when I read or hear this expression, is our amazing Triune God M Father, Son and Holy Spirit! What could be more perfect than a God who is Crea- tor, Redeemer and Sanctifier?! I also think of St. Paul who reminds us of the “lasting” gifts.” Remember them? “There are but three things that last; faith hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.” (1Corinthians 13,13) Today, friends, our young people who have begun third grade will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconcilia- tion for the first time. They should have shared in the blessing of this Sacrament in the spring, but the celebra- tion had to be postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. Waiting, however, has not diminished their enthusi- asm! They are well prepared and anxious to share in a Sacrament that is a participation in God’s unconditional love and mercy. In fact, the parable that has been selected as God’s Word to them on their happy day is one of a set of three that St. Luke presents to remind the listener that God is so loving and forgiving. If you have a chance, friends, please consider opening up your bible to the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke and reflect on the magnitude of God’s love that is revealed there! The chapter begins with “The Par- able of the Lost Sheep,” continues with “The Parable of the Lost Coin,” and concludes with the well known “Parable of the Lost Son.” These parables all follow a similar pattern: something or someone is lost, something or someone is found, and there is happiness, great rejoicing, because of that discovery. These parables build, one upon the other, and climax in the return of the “prodigal son.” When the lost son returns to his family, he is not chastised for his bad behavior or punished. Rather, there is a celebration to welcome him home! No, this does not mean that he is not held accountable for his behavior. It does mean that God welcomes the sinner back to the family, that God’s de- sire is always reconciliation with Him and our brothers and sisters in Christ! It’s not always easy to take on the mind and heart of God when it comes to forgiveness, is it? In fact, the third of these parables could also be called “The Disgruntled Brother,” because the older son in the same family can’t under- stand how his parents can be so merciful or why they should celebrate. And what does his dad say to him, “We must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found!” Yes, friends, St. Luke offers us testimony that “good things” can “come in threes” as he offers Jesus’ amazing reminder that God’s desire is not distancing and punishment, it is reunion and resolve to lead a better Christian life! This is the message that we hope to convey to our youth celebrating the Sacrament for the first time and to all who continue to take advantage of the healing that Reconciliation offers us. Yes, we are to examine our consciences. Yes, we are to do our best to make a thorough confession. Yes, we are to be humble as we accept our penance and do our best to make amends for our wrongdoing. And, yes, we are to rejoice that we have such a wonderful God who is with us, loves us, forgives us, and wants nothing more than for us to be close to Him and to be generous in sharing His love with others! No doubt we would all be better off if we would open ourselves to the beauty of this Sacrament as Jesus intended! I would invite you, friends, to consider the following passage taken from the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” that affirms the message I’m sharing with you today. It is both powerful and personal! “The whole power of the Sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God’s grace and joining us with Him in an inti- mate friendship. Reconciliation with God is thus the purpose and effect of this Sacrament . Indeed the Sac- rament of Reconciliation with God brings a true ‘spiritual resurrection,’ restoration of the dignity and bless- ings of the life of the children of God, of which the most precious is friendship with God.” I join together with all of you, brothers and sisters of the Parish Family, in congratulating those celebrating First Reconciliation today. I also pray with you that it will be the “first” of many opportunities they have to experience and rejoice in a wonderful friendship with God, a friendship that will last and endure from life unto life! Peace, joy and a very blessed day to all! Fr. Tom Our evenings of reflection scheduled for October 4th through the 7th have been post- poned until a later date due to concerns re- lated to the ongoing pandemic.

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