St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church

Masses for the week of August 23rd, 1999 will be offered at St. Joseph Church.

Memorial Donations have been received in memory of Anna Zazo from Rose Olise, Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Emondi and Veronica Bruno.

Bishop Shanahan High School, Downingtown, will reopen with In-Service Days for teachers on Tuesday, September 7th and Wednesday, September 8th. Freshmen should report for a full day of classes on Thursday, September 9th. All students should report for school on Friday, September 10th.

The Fourth Annual Golf Classic, in support of the Chester County Family Service Centers of Catholic Social Services, will be held on Monday, September 27th, at the Chester Valley Golf Club in Malvern. The cost per golfer is $225.00 which includes lunch and dinner. An Evening Awards Ceremony will be hosted by KYW Radio's Harry Donahue. For more information on individual tickets, corporate sponsorships or advertisement rates, kindly call Jill Snyder at 215-587-0590.

In the kindness of your prayers, please remember the Sick: Father Francis Schlett, Robert Hracho, Mary Shesko, Julia Esposito, Vera Lahm, John Yankech, Mary Riley, Lillian Turansky, Jean Moister, Lyndsey Conner, Carolyn Pechin, Ann Hook and Joan Emery.

This weekend, Confessions will be heard on Sunday, August 22nd, from 9:45 to 10:15am, prior to the Morning Mass. Next weekend, Confessions will be heard on Saturday, August 28th, from 5:45 to 6:15pm, prior to the Evening Mass. Also, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available anytime upon request.

Registrations for the Youth Choir will take place again this weekend after Masses. Any child ages 5-13 are encouraged to join. If you have any questions, please call Susan Sandoski.

St. Joseph's in-the-Hills Retreat Center, Malvern, will sponsor the Fourth Annual Bereavement Conference on Sunday, September 19th, in the Upper McShain Conference Center, from 12:30 until 4:00pm. The keynote speaker will be the nationally know Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R., who will develop the theme: "Growing with Grief and Sorrow". For added details and reservation information, please call 610-644-0400, Monday through Friday.

On Saturday, September 18th, at 2:00pm, Father Joseph Tizio, C.S.S.R. will conduct a Healing Service at the National Shrine of St. John Neumann, North 5th Street & Girard Avenue, Philadelphia. This Service will include the administration of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Parking is available adjacent to the Shrine, off North Lawrence Street. For additional information, call 215-627-3080.

A Candlelight Prayer Vigil will be kept from Friday evening, August 27th, through Saturday morning, August 28th. Area pro-lifers will gather to pray to God that the scourge of abortion might be lifted from our land. The Vigil begins with a Mass offered at 8:00pm in St. Agnes Church, 231 West Gay Street, West Chester, on Friday Night. Participants will then relocate at the Office of Planned Parenthood, 8 South Wayne Street, West Chester to continue their Prayer Vigil until 6:00am on Saturday Morning. All are welcome to be engaged in the entire Vigil or a portion of it. Additional information may be had by calling Jack O'Brien at 610-692-2122.

We are pleased to welcome to our pulpit this weekend Sister Florence Wanjiru Nderitu of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate. Sister Florence, a native of Kenya, speaks to acquaint us with the missionary work of her community in Africa, as well as to solicit our prayers and financial assistance. The Second Collection at this weekend's Masses will directly benefit the Sisters' Missions in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. God love you for your generosity to a worthy cause!

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! Who could understand his ways? Who could ever be his counselor? Peter recognized Jesus as "the Christ, Son of the living God." Jesus called Peter the "rock", the strong foundation upon which he would build his church. But Peter objected to Jesus' destiny, and Jesus challenged him. Christ counseled Peter renunciation an single -minded unselfishness in order to become his follower and witness. Like Peter, we have a lot to learn about God's ways. Like Peter, we must always keep trying.

St. Mary of Providence, 227 Isabella Road, Elverson will be holding their Annual Summer Festival on Sunday, August 22nd, 1999 from 1:00 to 6:00pm. Rain or shine! They will have mansion tours (which is a historical site), an Ala Carte Buffet which is served in the mansion, entertainment, games, hayride, clown, crafts, white elephant table, and raffles. For information or directions please call (610)942-4166.

All Board Members, Trustees and Committee Chairpersons are invited to attend an Executive Board Meeting on Sunday, August 22nd at 7:00pm at the Levenite Residence at 106 Beacon Street, Coatesville. I encourage you to attend. If you need directions, please contact me. Thank you in advance for your participation.

In continuation of our 75th Anniversary Celebration, an invitation has been sent to the children of the parish and their families, inviting them to a 75th Anniversary Picnic Celebration. We encourage all children of the parish and their entire families to attend. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

DATE:
Sunday, September 19th, 1999

TIME:
1:00pm to 6:00pm

LOCATION:
Hibernia Park, Pavilion #6

A Children's Mass will be held at 1:00pm with full participation of the Children (i.e. Altar Servers, Children's Choir, Lectors, Offertory Procession and a Reenactment of the Gospel by the Children for the Mass of the particular Sunday. Following the Mass a day of fun, food, and surprise festivities are planned.

If your child/children are interested in participating in the Mass in any of the roles listed above or the making of a banner and scenery for the reenactment, watch the bulletin for dates and times.