St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church

Weekly Bulletin for May 25th, 1997

Masses for the Week

Please check the special information bulletin for details on next week's Mass Schedule.

Join in Singing

Holy Trinity Sunday

Among the most vital of our responsibilities as a community of faith, is sharing in worship with one another. Our Sunday celebration, the Mass, is best celebrated when we all participate. All hymns are located in the misalette.

Gathering 10 Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest (p139)
Preparation of the Gifts 34 Holy, Holy, Holy (p148)
Communion 36 At That First Eucharist (p148)
Meditation 29 On Eagle's Wings (p146)
Recessional 12 Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (p140)

Announcements

On Memorial Day, weather permitting, Mass will be celebrated at St. Stanislaus Cemetery at 9:30am. The Mass will be near the "Pieta". Please bring your own folding chairs.
Special Thanks!

We would like to thank the Persch family and Charlie's Thriftway for the donation of luncheon platters and the Weinrich family for the donation of pastries. These were used for a luncheon served to Father Cy's family on Tuesday.
Thanks to our neighbor Father Steve Hutnick and the parishioners of Holy Ghost Ukranian Orthodox Church for their gift of music and prayers on Tuesday evening.

A special thank you for Father John Oulds, pastor of St. Stanislaus Koska. Father John coordinated arrangements for the funeral and has been a great help and support to us this past week.

We also would like to thank Sr. Miriam, the teachers and students of the Coatesville Area Catholic Elementary School for their service to the parish during Father Cy's funeral.

And finally, thanks to all of you, the parishioners of St. Joseph's Parish. In the face of such a sudden and tragic loss, we pulled together as a parish and made it through a difficult week. We received many compliments from the visiting clergy and also from Father Cy's family.

In Appreciation

May the Son of God through the Intercession of St. Joseph, bless Ann Cigas and her family for her dedication, loyalty, and continuing service to St. Joseph's Parish.

Yours in Christ,
Father Cyril Ponisciak, Pastor

Apostles Make Disciples

Today the apostles go with Jesus to "get things right" before he leaves for the next step in salvation. As "marching orders" he tells each of us what the work of the church has been, is and will be: "Go, and make disciples of all people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe my commands." We are the Spirit-filled children, the heirs of this daily working, and the Lord is with us. Are we with him?

1997 Catholic Charities Appeal

We have a long way to go to reach our goal! Total received to date is $4,579.00. Our goal is $8,000. It doesn't take a mathematical genius to figure out we're a long way from our goal. We ask those who have not responded as yet to please do so at your earliest convenience. The final report to the Archdiocese is due on May 30th. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Ann B. Cigas, Chairman

Bulletin Brief

A very rich family (in Venezuela) had given the sisters land to build a children's home, so I went to thank them. And there in the family, I found the first child was terribly disabled. And I asked the Mother, "What is the child's name?" and the Mother answered me, "Professor of Love. Because this child is teaching us the whole time how to love in action."

Mother Teresa, "Respect Life in the Words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta"
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

Devasting floods continue to affect the upper Midwestern area of our country. The vivid images on the television and in newspaper reports convey the desperate need of thousands of men, women and children who have lost their homes, businesses, crops and personal possessions.

The sufferings of these victims cry out to us as members of one human family and one Body of Christ. While our first response is one of prayerful support for all those dealing with the consequences of this disastrous flood, we also must assist in the alleviation of their suffering through financial assistance. Despite the aid already provided by Catholic Charities USA to several dioceses for immediate emergency needs, far more assistance will be required to respond to the many victims of this major disaster.

To address this tremendous need, I recommend that each parish have a second collection at the Masses of one weekend prior to June 30th, 1997. Through this collection, we, as an Archdiocese, will be able to offer desperately needed financial assistance. Our efforts will be in conjunction with those of other dioceses in the United States.

While it is never easy to comprehend the reasons for such natural disasters, we find comfort in the gift of our faith and in the unity that allows us to be one with our sisters and brothers as they struggle to rebuild their lives.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua
Archbishop of Philadelphia

Women's Club News

Parish Picnic

Reminder - Our First Annual Parish Picnic will be held on Sunday, June 8th. Reservations must be in by June 1st. The cost is $5.00. Children 12 and under are FREE. There will be food, fun, and parish fellowship. Don't miss out on this special event.

Installation Dinner

Our Annual Installation Dinner will be held on Sunday, June 22nd at the Stottsville Inn. Sign-up sheet is posted in the Church vestibule or call Ann Cigas.

House Bill 55

Institutions of Purely Public Charities

Pennsylvania's Charities need House Bill 55 Now!

  • House Bill 55 would preserve the tax-exempt status of our social service centers, schools, colleges, nursing homes, shelters and hospitals. Over 361,000 students, elderly, sick, and poor are served throughout the Archdiocese.
  • House Bill 55 would end years of legal uncertainty that have caused countless dollars to be wasted on lawyers and legal fees rather than being used to serve the poor, the elderly, the sick and students.
  • House Bill 55 is now before the Pennsylvania Senate. It has already been passed by the House. We need this bill to pass before the legislature recesses in June for the Summer.

How can you help pass House Bill 55?

  • Call your State Senator today! Ask your State Senator to bring House Bill 55 up for a vote NOW!
  • Ask your State Senator to support House Bill 55.
  • Ask your friends and neighbors to call their State Senators.

The more calls that they receive, the more likely we'll get a vote. If you are unsure of the name of your State Senator, contact the Office for Public Affairs at (215)587-3509.