St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church

Masses for the Week

Your Prayers are Requested

In the kindness of your prayers, please remember the Sick: Julia Esposito, Vera Lahm, Casper Hracho, John Yankech, Mary Riley, Elizabeth Taran, Carolyn Pechin, Lillian Turansky, Rose Guldan, Jean Moister, Lyndsey Conner, Sarah Hoopes and Marie Reali, as well as the Dead: Father Albert Palombo, Jean Ryan and Mary Scanlon.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

This weekend, Confessions will be heard on Saturday, February 6th, from 5:45 to 6:15pm, prior to the Evening Mass. Next weekend, Confessions will be heard on Sunday, February 14th, from 9:45 to 10:15am, prior to the Morning Mass. Also, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available anytime upon request.

Annual Seminary Appeal

Next weekend, February 13th-14th, brings the Annual Appeal in behalf of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, where education, training and formation are provided for those men aspiring to serve as priests for our Archdiocese. It is there that today's seminarians become tomorrow's priests. We pray for their perserverance, sincerity and discernment in pursuing the priesthood. Likewise, our financial support of the Seminary is requested, as described in materials mailed to the households of our Parish. Please be as generous as your means allow. You may forward your donation directly to the Seminary using the postage paid, self addressed envelope provided in the mailing or you may drop your Seminary envelope in the collection basket next weekend at Mass. Know that you and your intentions have a place in the prayers and good works of the Seminary community. Thank you for your anticipated response.

Ash Wednesday Schedule

The Holy Season of Lent arrives on Ash Wednesday, February 17th, this year. Ashes will be blessed and distributed at Services in both West End Churches throughout this opening day of Lent.

In St. Joseph Church, a Mass will be offered at 9:00am and another Mass at 7:00pm.

In St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, a Mass will be offered at 9:00am, a Service outside of Mass at 12:05pm and another Mass at 5:30pm.

Additional spiritual opportunities for Lent will be published in next weekend's Parish Bulletin.

Lenten Publications

To assist you in observance of the Lenten Season this year, appropriate publications are being distributed to our households at this weekend's Masses. Two pieces are especially featured: The smaller booklet, Lenten Daybreaks, offers reflections for each day of Lent based on the daily Mass readings; the other publication, Journey to Glory, magazine-like in appearance offers various weekly activities to families. Select the publication which best fits your needs.

Parish Volunteer's Dinner

We are sincerely grateful to the many wonderful people who volunteer their service to our parish over the course of the year. As an expression of our appreciation, a fine dinner at The Revere Tavern, Paradise, PA, is being planned for a Sunday afternoon, February 28th. We request that our parish volunteers circle that date on their calendars and watch the mail this week for full details regarding the appreciation dinner.

A Family Perspective

Today's readings make two things clear: that we are the light of the world, and what people of the light do: share with the hungry, clothe the naked, act justly, etc. These are the things we do - or try to do - every day in our families and in our community. What can you do to brighten your family's light?

The Rosary Society

75 Anniversary News

Reminder

Meeting of 75th Anniversary Committee will be held on Tuesday, February 9th at 7:00pm in the School Hall.

Special 75th Anniversary Guest

We are very pleased to announce that His Excellency, Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, has accepted our invitation to act as the Principal Concelebrant of our Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving on April 25th, 1999. Bishop Martino currently serves as Director of the Archdiocesan Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. What an honor it will be for us to welcome him! Please put a circle around the date of Sunday, April 25th, on your calendar and plan to join with our Parish Family for the festive celebration marking our 75th Anniversary of Founding.

Group Photographs

In preparation for the 75th Anniversary Celebration, we will be taking pictures of the various groups who are involved in the various programs in our Church. We are asking those in each of the following groups to be available after the 10:30am Sunday Morning Mass on February 21st. The pictures will be taken in Church. We are requesting each of the Directors involved to please contact those in your group to ensure their attending. Thank you.

• CCD Teachers
• Eucharistic Ministers
• Altar Servers
• Adult Choir
• Youth Choir
• Pastoral Council
• Ushers
• Women's Club Officers

Wanted: Parish Memorabilia

Do you have...

any photographs of the old church?
any statues or other religious items?
any old tickets, invitations from Parish functions?

We are looking for memorabilia from St. Joseph Parish to display at the 75th Anniversary Celebration on April 25th. We would like to display all the items and provide an explanation of each. Our display will give our new members of the Parish an opportunity to see and learn about the history of St. Joseph's Parish and allow the established members to reminisce and share their stories. Please take some time to search for such treasures and if you find something that we may use, please contact Ann Cigas. Please note: all items will be returned to their owners after the Anniversary Celebration Dinner.

Women's Club News

CORRECTION - CORRECTION - In last week’s bulletin, we announced that the Easter Bazaar was to be held on Sunday, April 21st. This was a mistake. THE CORRECT DATE IS MARCH 21ST. Kindly make this correction on your calendars and we hope you will be able to join us at this Annual Affair.

Our First Pierogie Making Session is scheduled for next Saturday, February 13th beginning at 8:00 AM in the School Hall. We will peel potatoes on Friday evening beginning at approximately 6:00 PM. We are looking forward to seeing all those who helped in the past. If you have any questions, please call Fran Shesko.

HELP HELP!! We need some young men to help the ladies when we need to move tables and set up for our various events. Since we are short of storage space in the school hall, because of the need for more classroom space, we have to store tables, etc., in the Rectory that need to be transported to the school when the need arises. Please call Ann Cigas and volunteer your services. Thank you in advance.

Looking to a future spring event - on Saturday May 15th - we are planning a Flea Market to be held in the school hall and also outside (weather permitting) on the school grounds. We make this announcement at this time to ask that when you start your spring housecleaning, please keep us in mind. We are looking for dishes, glassware, bedding, books, toys, craft items, etc. We will not be accepting clothing except for baby clothes.

Other Local Happenings

Attention Ladies of the Parish: To begin the Lenten Season, Our Lady of the Rosary Congrega is sponsoring a retreat with the theme, Reconciliation. The retreat will be held at the church (17th Avenue & Oak Street, Coatesville) on Saturday, February 20th, 1999, from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Confessions will be heard and Mass will be celebrated. A $5.00 fee is required. Morning refreshements and lunch will be served. Please pick up a form provided in your church vestibule concerning registration. We look forward to seeing you at the retreat and sharing the beginning of the Lenten Season together. Diane Mascuilli, President, Congrega Society.

Have you wondered lately "When did the romance slip out of our marriage?" or "Whatever happened to those special times we used to set aside for just for us?" Why not renew your romance by taking a Marriage Encounter Weekend? We have a space reserved for you. Next dates are February 19th-21st, March 19th-21st, April 23rd-25th and May 21st-23rd. For more information call 1-800-4LOVE30.

Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Pottstown will host a Lenten Slovak Hymn-Sing at 3:00pm on Sunday, February 21st, 1999 as part of its 100th Anniversary celebration. All are invited to participate in singing beautiful Slovak Lenten hymns. Light refreshments will follow in the church social hall. For more information, please call Bonnie Stankunas at (610)323-8024.