SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST CATHOLIC CHURCH MARCH 29, 2020 MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT Mission Statement: With the help of the Holy Spirit, MASS TIMES, INTENTIONS, AND ACTIVITIES we seek to build a Christ centered community upon the foundation of a joyful liturgy, a welcoming • All Masses and Activities are hospitality, a celebrating people, a learning and suspended until further notice nurturing atmosphere for all members, and a per the Diocese of Wheeling- commitment to serve God and others, while spreading the Good News to those who seek to share Charleston. in the blessings of our Catholic faith. • Please check the website and 19 Jo Glen Dr., Morgantown, WV 26508 Facebook Page for the most Main Telephone: 304-594-2353 Fax: 304-594-2359 current updates. Church Website: http://stlukemorgantown.com • All Mass intentions will be Office Hours: Monday– Friday: 9:00am – 3:00pm (Not Public Office Hours) rescheduled. • The myParish app is a great PASTOR—Rev. Biju T. Devassy [email protected] Phone: 304-780-9096 resource for daily readings, our OFFICE SECRETARY—Angie Turner parish calendar and bulletin, and [email protected] Father Biju and the parish staff FAITH FORMATION COORDINATOR—Lynn Johnson can easily send out messages. [email protected] Phone:304-290-5639 DIRECTOR OF LITURGICAL MUSIC—R.J. Nestor [email protected] PARISH BOOKKEEPER—Ruth Gibson [email protected] SACRISTAN & GROUNDS—Toni Southern Cell Phone: 304-288-9979 SAFE ENVIRONMENT COORDINATOR—Alison Leon [email protected] HOSPITALITY & WELCOME—Christine Robison [email protected] The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is committed to the protection PASTORAL COUNCIL CHAIR-PERSON—Jenny Sizer of its children and young people. The Diocese complies with the [email protected] United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People by maintaining an Office of Safe Environment. To report an incidence of suspected child sexual FINANCE COUNCIL CHAIR-PERSON—Nathan White abuse, please contact your local law enforcement agency, or you [email protected] may confidentially contact the Virginia Bureau for Children and Families/Child Protective Services by calling the Child Abuse Hotline ST. LUKE’S WEBSITE at 800.352.6513. To report suspected cases of sexual abuse by personnel of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston to the Diocese, www.stlukemorgantown.com please contact one of the Bishop’s designees at 888.434.6237 (toll free) or 304.233.0880: Sister Ellen Dunn, ext. 264; Mr. Bryan Minor, ext. 263; Mr. Tim Bishop, ext. 353; Fr. Dennis Schuelkens, ext. 270 or St. Luke Catholic Church call the Office of Safe Environment at 304.230.1504. For more Please LIKE us on Facebook information on the Diocese’s Office of Safe Environment, please go to www.dwc.org, then click the “Diocese” tab, then click “Office of Safe Environment” under the “Offices” menu. To learn more about If a parishioner is ill, hospitalized, or has lost a family the Catholic Church’s efforts in preventing sexual abuse of children member or loved one or if you know of anyone in in the United States, please visit http://www.usccb.org. Under need of prayer, please contact Charmaine Steve, at “Issues and Action,” click “Child and Youth Protection” from the 724-725-5129 or the Parish office 304-594-2353. drop down menu. SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST CATHOLIC CHURCH MARCH 29, 2020 MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT March 29th March 30th March 31st Nicholas Valachovic Annalisa Hintze Patricia Cyphert Toby White Clara Lukomski Nicole Bakos April 1st April 2nd April 3rd April 4th Joe Summers Katherine Sivak Tammie Hewitt Brody Brooks-Hagedorn Tom Teter Emily Gallagher Please donate one can of food for each day of I CAN, YOU CAN, WE CAN LENT as a reminder of the penance we should be doing as we prepare for the passion of our Lord. Please gather your donations of canned goods, cereal, pasta, and other non-perishable food CANS FOR items. The donations will be collected once we can gather as a church family once again. 40 Donations benefit our local food banks (St. Ursula’s & Food for Preston). Goal is 1000lbs! “Atheist, but now returning to God”: testimony of an Italian doctor Thirty-eight-year-old Luliane Urban, a 30-year-old from Italy who was infected with Covid-19, witnessed the extraordinary testimony from a doctor, Lombardy: “I was an atheist, but now I’m returning to God.” “What we have seen and done in our hospital for the past three weeks has been nothing but a nightmare. First a small stream, then growing, like a large river; A dozen, and then hundreds, have flowed. Now we are not doctors but selectmen. It is the selectors who decide who should live and who should be sent home to die. Yes, painfully speaking, all of them are taxpayers for the right to life. But now we decide who should live and who should die. Until two weeks ago, we and many of my colleagues were atheists. One hundred percent believed that science excludes God because we are doctors. I used to look at my parents at church and mock them. A 75-year-old clergyman arrived here nine days ago. A poor man. He was struggling to breathe. But he always had a Bible in his hand. He reads it to the patients who are dying and reads them quickly. He places the Bible in the hands of some and we looked at it intently. Two of my colleagues have passed away. Some are sick. In total despair. We have been mentally and physically whole. We see this at this point. Now we agree. As human beings, we have reached our limits. There is nothing we can do except increase the death toll of the people we care about. We began to notice his work. We begin to feel that God begins where man ends. Slowly we approached the priest; We started talking slowly. Truth be told, we who were atheists until yesterday, now pray to God for peace. Pray for us to help care for the sick. The courage that was supposed to be lost has somehow returned. We are more energetic now. Yesterday, that seventy-five-year-old priest died. That means 120 deaths in three weeks. He helped to give us the peace we never expected in just nine days, when all hope was shattered. Remembering that we were helped by his weakness… ..the good shepherd went to the Lord. If I continue this way, I will follow him for sure. I have not seen my house for the past six days. I don’t even remember when I last ate. Now I realize I am nothing on this earth. But I will live like that priest until my last breath for others. I am happy to have returned to my God when my loved ones were suffering and dying around me. ” Since February 21, the Coronavirus virus has been spreading throughout northern Italy. 4032 people have died so far. It tells us daily how many have died, how many have recovered, and the total number of those who have been infected. Last Wednesday, a sad picture of a row of Italian army trucks carrying dead bodies to Bergamo, where there is no room for burial grounds, landed all over Italy. A similar scenario was repeated this morning, with troops carrying 70 bodies to other provinces. There are 50,724 homeless in Italy. Most are men with an average age of 44 years and low educational qualifications. They live down the street, eating in municipal canteens or a coffee bar. All these services are now closed. The nation now has no time to think about them. Not so; That is impossible now. People who already live on the streets are much more likely to get sick. At the time of this state of emergency, at least they had a number of well-wishers who were trying to make shelters. The clergyman, Oreste Benzi, is one of them. The Pope John XXIII Community, which deals with the homeless throughout Italy, goes beyond describing what the organization called the “House of Bethlehem.” It does not end with how many churches write about how they care for Italy in distress. The sight of Italy to the beloved will surprise us, irritate us and make our eyes wet. Lulian Urban, the doctor, is very right. Let us pray for the people and the countries suffering from this epidemic and pray for doctors, nurses and all other medical personnel involved in breaking the chain of COVID-19. SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST CATHOLIC CHURCH MARCH 29, 2020 MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT Saint of the Day Responding to the Word Out of love, Jesus brings Lazarus back March 29 : Saint Ludovico Of Casoria to life The first part of Saint Ludovico of Casoria’s life was somewhat “ordinary,” but not the second. Having had what he called a • Out of love, how has Jesus been mystical experience, he began establishing institutions for all kinds of people in need. He even founded two religious bringing me to new life this Lent? communities. Jesus, thank you for…. March 30: Saint Peter Regalado Living right on the edge of some unsettling social and ecclesial changes, Saint Peter Regalado chose to turn to poverty and NEX T WEE K’ S RE ADI NGS simplicity to find his path to God. Leading a small band of friars, April 5, 2020 he strove to live Franciscan poverty and penance more fully. PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION March 31: Saint Stephen Of Mar Saba READING 1 IS 50: 4-7 Saint Stephen of Mar Saba, the nephew of Saint John Damascene, became acquainted with monastic life at the age of 10.