St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church

Masses for the Week

Welcome to New Families

We welcome to our Parish Community the following new families: Mr. & Mrs. Brian Babcock and their Daughter, Skylar Lynn, as well as Mr. & Mrs. Roger Babcock. We are pleased that they will be making their spiritual home among us.

Your Prayers are Requested

In the kindness of your prayers, please remember the Sick: Julia Esposito, Vera Lahm, John Yankech, Mary Riley, Elizabeth Taran, Rose Guldan, Lillian Turansky, Jean Moister, Marie Reali, Mary Shesko, Lyndsey Conner, Christopher Rosado, Carolyn Pechin, Betty Kilgore, Andrew Benkovich.

Holy Week Penance Service

For both West End Congregations, a Communal Penance Service will be conducted in St. Joseph Church, on Spy Wednesday, March 31st, at 7:00pm. This Service, based on the Way of the Cross, offers the opportunity for the individual hearing of confession, in preparation for Easter. Three priests will be available for the Sacrament of Jesus' Forgiveness.

Other Opportunities for Confession

In addition to the Penance Service noted above, several other opportunities yet remain for the hearing of confessions prior to the Paschal Triduum and Easter: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings of this week at 8:30am (prior to the 9:00 daily Mass in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church) and Tuesday evening of this week at 6:30pm (prior to the 7 o'clock Mass in St. Joseph Church).

Holy Thursday, April 1st

At 7:00pm, the Solemn Mass of the Lord's Supper will be celebrated, concluding with the Eucharistic Procession to the Repository. Eucharistic Adoration before the Repository concludes at 10:30pm.

Good Friday, April 2nd

The Church is opened at 9:00am for Private Devotion before the Repository. At 7:00pm, the Solemn Liturgy of the Lord's Passion and Death will be celebrated, featuring the Veneration of the Cross and Distribution of Holy Communion.

Holy Saturday, April 3rd

The Saturday Evening Mass is not offered at 6:30pm this day, but at a later hour (as noted), so that the Liturgy may begin in darkness. At 7:30pm, the Great Easter Vigil is celebrated, featuring the Service of Light, the Blessing of Water and the Reception of four candidates for the Sacraments of Initiation. It is the Church's Night of Nights, joyously hailing the victory of Jesus Christ, our Champion over death.

Easter Sunday, April 4th

At 10:30am, A Festive Mass of the Lord's Resurrection will be celebrated, featuring the Renewal of Baptismal Promises and Sprinkling with Blessed Water.

Blessing of Easter Foods and Candies

In keeping with the Eastern European tradition, the First Foods of Easter and Children's Easter Baskets will be blessed in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church on Holy Saturday, April 3rd at 2:30pm. Also, at the 10:30am Mass, in St. Joseph's Church, on Easter Sunday, April 4th, the children will be invited to approach the Altar for the blessing of their Easter Baskets and the presentation of an added treat.

Special Appeals associated with Holy Week

Operation Rice Bowl, a Lenten Program of prayer and sacrifice for the world's starving and malnourished peoples, concludes this week, Your kind donation may be placed in the specially marked receptacles in the rear of the Church. Your personal Lenten observance has been transformed into the work of an ambassador for Christ. Thank you for remembering the poor throughout the world this Lenten Season.
Good Friday is the traditional day set aside for the collection of contributions for the Holy Places in Palestine and the Shrines of the Holy Land. These sites, sacred to the memory of our Savior, are under the care of the Franciscan Friars and are maintained by your free-willing offerings.

Outdoor Way of Cross

Good Friday, April 2nd, brings the meaningful local tradition of the Annual Outdoor Stations of the Cross, a walk to fourteen different "Stations" within the City of Coatesville. Prayers that relate to today's social situations are spoken at each symbolic stop. This solemn procession lasts approximately two hours, rain or shine, unless the weather is very bad (when the Service is conducted indoors at the Olivet Methodist Church, 3rd & Chestnut Streets). Participants should wear comfortable shoes and gather at 11:45am in the yard of St. Cecilia Church, Sixth Avenue and Diamond Street. The walk itself begins at 12 noon.

A Family Perspective

The first reading today reminds us that morning after morning, God gives us a chance to hear his word, to read it, to make is part of our lives. If you haven't already done so, Holy Week it a good time to introduce Scripture into your family's faith practices.

CCD

There will be no CCD classes on Easter Sunday. Classes will resume on April 11th.

Pastoral Council Election

Each household will be receiving a letter containing a list of candidates for the Pastoral Council. Each adult parishioner may vote for up to two candidates. Ballots may be placed in the box in the vestibule starting next Sunday. Also, photos of each candidate will be on display starting next Sunday.

Women’s Club News

Special Thanks!

Thanks to the great support of our friends and parishioners, we had another very successful Easter Bazaar. May all of you be blessed for your help.
A special thank you to all who helped in any way with the many details that needed to be handled. We especially want to recognize some of the men of the parish who so kindly helped us with some of the heavy work - our set-up and clean-up crew, Joe Trumpleman, Scott Hillman, Steve Repak and Jerry Bugar and kudos to Joe Trumpleman and Bob Dunlap who started their day on Sunday at 5:00 AM to work in the Kitchen and prepare the food for your breakfast, lunch and snacks. Words cannot express our appreciation for your support. God Bless You All.

Easter Bazaar Winners

We are happy to annouce the Easter Bazaar Winners and thank them for purchasing all the chances on the many things we had to offer: Congratulations!!

• $500 - Anne Florian

• Pansy Planter - Pauline Howell

• Hand Emroidered Picture - Lynette Maholland

• Easter Basket - Cole Calamaro

• Wooden Rabbit - Lynn Rhoades

• Angel - Lisa Przychodzien

• Jelly Bean Guess - Kelly Thomas

• Easter Bunny Basket - Billy Hackmeister

75th Anniversary Collectibles

Attached to this Bulletin is an Order Form for the Replicas of our original church and our present one. What a wonderful way to remember this 75th Anniversary to have a set of them (or one or the other) in your home. The cost is $25.00 per set or $15.00 for one. Please contact Andy Levenite for further information. Profits from the sale of these replicas will help defray some of the costs of our anniversary celebration.