The
Epiphany
A PENNSYLVANIA CHARITABLE TRUST
A PARISH OF THE DIOCESE OF GREENSBURG
Of
Our
Lord
Roman
Catholic
Church
EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD PARISH
MONESSEN, PENNSYLVANIA
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
MAIN CHURCH
Saturday, March 21—Vigil
4:00 pm
+Casimir & Amelia Zawicki by Son, John
Sunday, March 22—Fifth Sunday of Lent
10:30 am
+Calvin & Adeline Smith by Smith Family
Monday, March 23
8:00 am
+Rosalind Sagona by Sister & Niece,
Cynthia
Tuesday, March 24
8:00 am
+Dwayne Koget by Patty Bisceglia
7:00 pm
Penance Service
Church of St. Anne, Rostraver
Wednesday, March 25—Annunciation of the Lord
8:00 am
+Leonard Sassak by Rose & Barto Ferrara
7:00 pm
Penance Service
St. John the Baptist Church, Perryopolis
Thursday, March 26
8:00 am
+Ann Organ by M/M Cletus Doptis
7:00 pm
Penance Service
St. Sebastian Church, Belle Vernon
Friday, March 27
8:00 am
+Stella Wawrzynski by Leo & Elizabeth
Karol
6:00 pm
Stations of the Cross
Saturday, March 28—Vigil
4:00 pm
+Leonard Guseman by Wife, Della
Sunday, March 29—Palm Sunday
10:30 am
+Gloria Salotti Dawson and Ella & Joseph
Salotti by John & Sharie Amprim & Frank & Family
CHAPEL
Sunday, March 22—Fifth Sunday of Lent
8:30 am
+Gerry Elyanich by Mary Gustin
Monday, March 23
6:00 pm
Taize Prayer Service
Sunday, March 29—Palm Sunday
8:30 am
+Eleanor Snyder by Andy & Jeanette Bury
Last Sunday’s Offerings: $7,590.00
Epiphany of Our Lord Church
618 Knox Avenue—Monessen, PA 15062
Parish Office: 724-684-7661 • Fax: 724-684-8981
Church Hall: 724-684-9199 • Chapel Hall: 724-684-5512
Religious Education: 724-930-8504
Parish Website: www.eolparish.weebly.com
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday:
Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 [41c-62];
Ps 23:1-6; Jn 8:1-11
Tuesday:
Nm 21:4-9; Ps 102:2-3, 16-21; Jn 8:21-30
Wednesday: Is 7:10-14; 8:10; Ps 40:7-11; Heb 10:4-10;
Lk 1:26-38
Thursday:
Gn 17:3-9; Ps 105:4-9: Jn 8:51-59
Friday:
Jer 20:10-13; Ps 18:2-7; Jn 10:31-42
Saturday:
Ez 37:21-28; Jer 31:10, 11-13; Jn 11:45-56
Sunday:
Mk 11:1-10 or Jn 12:12-16 (procession);
Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24;
Phil 2:6-11; Mk 14:1 — 15:47 [15:1-39]
MARCH 22, 2015
RCIA
This week we celebrate the third
Scrutiny with Bill Brown. As a
parish community we pray for
him as he prepares to celebrate the
sacraments of initiation during the
Easter Vigil. I ask that you keep
Bill in your thoughts and prayers
as he prepares to share in the Life Giving Waters of Baptism
Penance Services
This will be the last week to share in the gift of Reconciliation.
We will be having three penance services in our region all
beginning at 7:00 pm.
Tuesday:
St. Annes, Rostraver
Wednesday:
St. John’s, Perryoppolis
Thursday:
St. Sebastian, Belle Vernon
I hope that you will make an effort to attend one of these services.
Holy Thursday Pilgrimage
It has become a tradition to travel around to neighboring parishes after our Holy Thursday Liturgy. Once again this year
we hope to do this. There will be bus transportation available
for anyone who may wish to use it. You may also follow
along in your car. We are going to have a reception back at
the main church when our pilgrimage is completed.
In order to prepare for the transportation as well as the reception we will need to know how many people will be attending.
I ask that if you are planning to go, please call the office and
let us know. This is a wonderful way to celebrate the gift of
the Eucharist during the Triduum.
Eternal Rest—Please remember in your prayers those who
have died recently:
JOHN F. BILLY, KATHERINE PAKISH, MARY L. YOUNG,
and ANTHONY BALDINI. We commend their souls to rest in
the peace of Christ.
Ministry Schedule
Saturday, March 28, 2015 and Sunday, March 29, 2015
Lector
Eucharistic
Altar Servers
Time
4:00 pm R. Kozar
L. Micenko
J. & L. Dudas
B. Rizzuto
B. & D. Mandarino K. Chavez
8:30 am J. Petritis
G. Pesi
L. DeFelices
B. Hughes, Jr.
K. Zimmaro
D. DeFelices
B. Speicher
10:30 am C. Manderino
R. Godla
W. White
T. Mazzei
L. Mandarino
V. Saunders
M. Germinario
K. Bachinski
Money Counters - Monday, March 23, 2015
J. Petritis—Finance Council Member
A. Daniele, L. Taylor, R. Cocca
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
MARCH 22, 2015
Epiphany of Our Lord Parish, Monessen, Pennsylvania
Like a Grain of Wheat…
With only two weeks left to this Lenten season, our focus is starting to turn
to death and rebirth. Lent is not just a season for our own personal spiritual
growth; it is a time of renewal for the whole church. All over the world, men and
women are using these last weeks to prepare themselves to be reborn through
Baptism and sustained through the Eucharistic table. It is a time of birth for the
Church universal, we all rejoice in the newness that Easter brings.
If we were to look honestly at our lives, we would probably have to agree
that an awful lot of our behavior, attitudes, and opinions, are based on past
behaviors or experiences. There are things in all of our lives that we would just as
soon let go of, but too often we carry way too much of our past with us and it does
affect our present, not always in a positive way. In the first reading today,
Jeremiah is reminding the people of Israel, as well as all of us, that God will make a new covenant. Not one that is
written on stone tablets, but instead, in our hearts. This new covenant is all about relationships in life; ours with God,
as well as with one another. This new covenant, which God offers to us, is one of love, which puts us in a seat of
responsibility, one to another.
This covenant is given birth within us at our Baptism. It is through those cleansing waters of our Baptism that
we are brought into this new covenant. It is through our Baptism that we are forever bound to God. This
covenant ,which is written within our hearts, calls each of us to spend our lives in service of the God who made us
through our service or relationship to one another. Jesus, in the gospel, tells us exactly how this is to be done.
Today we hear from the last gospel of John before the Passion and death of Jesus. In this selection we are
given the analogy of being like a grain of wheat. Jesus is facing His own mortal end and is in anguish over what He
was going to have to deal with. As much as He would have like to turn away and just get on with life, He knew that it
was for this purpose that he came. He reminds all of us who are baptized into this new life, that we are just like that
grain of wheat. In order for it to bear fruit, it must fall to the earth and die. Our lives are just like seeds. Sometimes
we have to bury our past to get new life. Sometimes we need to remember the covenant God has made with us, not to
remember our past transgressions. It is only when we are willing to die, that we can bring forth new life. Dying to self
is what a disciple of Jesus is all about.
Just as we are in relationship with God, so too are we in relationship with one another. We must be willing to
die, or give of ourselves if we are to be productive in life. A seed will not grow without falling to the earth and dying,
and neither can we. It is through the covenant of God’s grace that we are able to allow ourselves to die in order to
bring forth new life. Like a seed or grain of wheat, we are filled with much potential. We must be willing to die to
one way of life in order to bring forth new life. Over the remaining days of this Lenten season, think of the many ways
that you have fallen to the earth and died, just to bring forth new life.
DLA
As of Monday of last week we have heard from 141 of our
parishioners and those families have pledged $19,175! This is
a wonderful start considering we have only been in the process for three weeks. However, we still have a long way to go
to reach our goal of $65,000; we are only 30% there. For
those who have not yet responded, I am asking that you please
consider doing so. There are many ways that we as a parish
can use the money returned to us. If you have any questions
about DLA for this year, please feel free to contact me.
If you need a card, there are envelopes with the information
on them in the back of both churches. I pray that our parish is
successful in this endeavor.
PIEROGI NEWS
Pierogie making is finished for now...
...and...Frozen Pierogies are for sale at the Church
Office. The cost is $14.00 per bag.
The Knights of Columbus Corporate Communion will be
next Sunday, March 29, during the 8:30 a.m. Mass at the
Chapel. Following Mass, coffee and doughnuts will be
served in the Chapel Hall.
CBPW MEETING—The Catholic Business Professional
Women will meet this Tuesday, March 24, 2015, at The
New Alpine Restaurant in Monessen at 6:00 p.m. If you are a
member plan to attend.
Meals on Wheels Collection
Next weekend we will take up the annual collection to help
with the cost of our Meals on Wheels Program here in Monessen. There will be envelopes in this week’s bulletin that you
can use to put your contribution. Over the years the Meals on
Wheels in Monessen has helped feed hundreds of people. They
are grateful for our help and could use more help if you are
available. I think you in advance for your generosity with this
collection.