hat does it mean to be "for" someone? We're So when we hear Saint Paul claim in today's second often "for" a particular sports team (mine reading that "God is for us," we should take pause Whappens to be the St. Louis Cardinals- and recognize the power of this truth. The almighty go Redbirds!), declaring our allegiance by wearing God, Lord of all the universe, isfor us. Us sinners. Us team jerseys, sporting logo-embroidered hats, or even frail, broken humans. God wants to give selflesslyto painting our faces or bodies. We can be "for" a specific us and to unceasingly pour out love to us. God's most political candidate, displaying signs in our yard. Usually profound gift is revealed in today's Gospel through when we're "for" someone or something, we're against Jesus' transfiguration. We, like the disciples, are awed at someone or something else. A competition is occurring. Jesus' glorious nature, and we are given a glimpse of our Yet when a pregnant woman monitors everything she own transfiguration in eternal life. Our God is so "for" eats, drinks, or takes into her body because it will affect us that he has transformed our death and given us the her unborn child, isn't she "for" this baby? When an precious gift of eternal life. after-school tutor spends extra time ensuring a student With this vision of glory always before us, our Lenten understands his math homework, isn't he "for" this journey can be one of deep trust in God. Saint Paul said young man? There's no competition, no it best: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" liguori race to the finish. It's simply someone We truly have nothing to fear. PUBLICATIONS pouring forth and living selflesslyfor JANEL ESKER ~:uo~~~~~~~5u7~~~~~ons. someone else. sundaybulletins@/iguari.arg Most Rev. Mark L. Bartchak, JCD Bishop J~I~ ~ Fr. George D. Koharchik, Pastor [email protected] J S1. Cath'erine Church cell: 814423 1162 203 W Market Street MOUNT UNION, PA 17066 Marriage: Please contact Rectory at least (814) 542-4582 nine months prior to wedding ::~ Ithe;ine,:!1{comc,:~st.net website:www.scosmu.org Confession: 4:30 PM Sat; 8:30 AM Sun Baptism: By appointment +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MARCH 4, 2012 - SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mass intentions for the week March 3, 2012 - March 11, 2012 Sat Mar 3 4:30 pm Reconciliation 5:00 pm Tony Madilia By Jerry & Ann Norris Sun Mar 4 8:30-8:50 am Reconciliation 2"d Sunday Of Lent 9:00 am Living and Deceased Members of St Catherine Parish Mon Mar 5 1:30 pm WRC Special Intention 3:00 pm MMPC Special Intention Tue Mar 6 8:00 am Helen Boyce By M/M William Kupchella Wed Mar 7 6:00 pm Josephine Danish By Mary & Family Thu Mar 8 8:00 am Mary Shucker By Mary Gaisior Fri Mar 9 8:00 am Mary R Magliere By Carmella Lear & Family 7:00 pm Stations of the Cross Sat Mar 10 4:30 pm Reconciliation 5:00 pm Kay Crouse By Family Sun Mar 11 8:30-8:50 am Reconciliation 3'd Sunday Of Lent 9:00 am Living and Deceased Members of St. Catherine Parish PARISH NEWS Nut & Poppy Seed Rolls: Order forms are available in the vestibule; the last day to order is Sunday, March 18. Rolls will be available for pick-up after the Masses on Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25. Return order forms via the collection basket. Cost $9.00 each. The Website for St. Catherine Parish is now on line: www.scosmu.org. I will be posting information about the parish, pictures, previous directories, links to other sites, etc. Any suggestions or materials are welcome. There will be Mass on Monday at Woodland at 1:30 p.m. and at Meadowview at 3:00 p.m. Adult Education Class will meet Monday, March 5, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. in The Holy Family Hall. We are studying the history of the Church; all are welcome to participate. Stations of the Cross with Benediction are prayed on Fridays at 7:00 PM. The next Job Conference is Tuesday, March 13, at 10 AM. Congratulations to Ricky Wilson and Mark Mellott, who celebrated the Rite of Election at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona last Sunday. Keep them in your prayers as they continue their preparation for the Easter celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation. ORGANIZATION NEWS The Knights of Columbus will Nominate Officers for the 2012-2013 year at the March meeting. The Knights are distributing Hoss's Cash Cow Cards for March 11, 2012, as a fundraiser. CCO/YOUTH ceD Grades 8 & 9 CONTINUE COLLECTING FOOD FOR THE Food Bank, as a COMMUNITY SERVICE. The THEME FOR March is: Anything Goes. COMMUNITY NEWS Most Holy Trinity Church in Huntingdon has a Fish Fry on the Fridays of Lent from 4:00-6:30 PM in Trinity Hall. DIOCESAN NEWS Come join us on Wednesday, April 25, 2012, for the Bishop's Night for Vocations at Our Lady of Loretto Community Hall in Loretto. A mixer at 5:30pm will be followed by dinner at 6:30pm. Fr. Joseph Freedy, Vocation Director for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, will be the featured speaker. Tickets are $25.00 each and can be purchased by calling the Vocations Office at 814-472-5441, Thomas Wolff, Cambria County Serra Club, at 814-539-4186, or Linda Turcovski. Altoona Serra Club. at 814-943-3148. ALL Catholics are invited to a Morning Retreat on Saturday, March 10 at DiSepio Institute at St. Francis University in Loretto, 8:30 to 1:00. Bishop Mark will present on "The Church and the Common Good" followed by individual and communal prayer and discussion. An opportunity to renew your spirit while sharing with persons committed to building the kingdom in daily works of respecting life and promoting justice and charity. Those involved in any kind of respect life or justice ministry are especially urged to attend. 4 CEUS. $10 includes lunch. Pre-registration required by March 1. Send check payable to "Commission for Life & Justice" 5379 Portage Street, Lilly, PA 15938; 814-886-5551; [email protected]. Full brochure at www.ajdiocese.org (choose Diocesan Offices, Ministries, then Commission for Life & Justice). The Diocesan Marriage Preparation Schedule is available in the vestibule or at the Rectory. Programs include Engaged Encounter Weekends, Sponsor Couple Sessions, and the Marriage Preparation Series. Contact the Rectory at least 8 months before your wedding. The schedule is also available on-line at www.ajdiocese.org NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING Does your method offamily planning ... strengthen your emotional intimacy with your spouse? ... work with the gift of your fertility? ..nurture a loving relationship with God and the Church? .. .increase your self-respect and growth as a person/couple? The Billings Method ofNFP (www.boma-usa.org or www.familyplanning.net) is the result of decades of scientific research by medical researchers. NFP honors the Church's respect for the unitive and procreative purpose of married love-making. If you haven't checked out NFP, you haven't made an informed choice. Certified diocesan instructors are located throughout our diocese. Introductory presentations to groups also available. Contact our diocesan Family Life Office, 814-886-5551; [email protected]. Post-abortion healing: 814-884-8000. Confidential, compassionate. [email protected] For women, men, relatives, friends hurt by abortion. Many whose child was aborted were uninformed, coerced, pressured, even helpless. The Church wants to walk with you on a path of healing and reconciliation with God, the Church, your child, yourself. Helpful websites: noparh.org; abortionchangesyou.com; menandabortion.info; rachelsvinyard.org. The office for Adult Enrichment and Lay Ecclesial Ministry has the following classes to offer this spring. Adult Religious Education nurtures the lifelong development of the whole person - body, mind, heart, and spirit. Classes are being offered this spring that provide the opportunity for study, exploration, reflection and spiritual development. All are welcome! Christian Prayer and Spirituality St. Catherine of Siena, Duncansville Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 PM, beginning March 7th St. Patrick Church, Johnstown Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 PM, beginning March 6th Church History Sacred Heart Formation Center, Altoona Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 PM, beginning April 3rd St. Michael Parish Hall, St. Michael Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 PM, beginning March 13th For more information regarding registration visit www.ajdiocese.orgilay-eccIesiai-ministry Questions? Office for Lay Ecclesial Ministry (814) 361-2000 [email protected]. Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 By Maribeth Howell, OP Today's first reading, which appears again during the Easter Vigil, is not an easy one to understand. While this passage is often used to demonstrate the difficult decisions with which we are sometimes confronted, what most people conclude from the preaching is that God tested Abraham to learn whether or not Abraham truly loved God (as if God had not already known this). Implied in this understanding is that the taking of a human life, if understood to be the will of God, is perfectly legitimate. What are we to make of this text? How can we understand it? While it is impossible to give this passage the attention it deserves, it may be helpful to read the text in its entirety, verses 1-18. Take note that the only place where Abraham and Isaac converse is in verses 7-8. In verse 7, Isaac points out that they have the fire and the wood for the sacrifice, then asks his father "where is the sheep?" The response to this question appears in verse 8, a verse that Walter Brueggemann suggests be given special attention.