Church of Saint Benedict
Diocese of Allentown - Bishop John O. Barres, D.D.
March 29, 2015
MASS SCHEDULE
Daily: Mon. & Thur. 6:30pm Tue.,Wed.,& Fri. 8:00 am
Saturday: Vigil: 5:00pm
Sunday: 8:00, 9:30, 11:15am
Holy Day Vigil: 5:00pm; Day-8:00am & 7:00pm
RECTORY PARISH OFFICE
2020 Chestnut Hill Rd, Mohnton, Pa 19540
610-856-1006 Office Hrs. Mon—Friday 9am-5pm
Website: www.churchofsaintbenedict.com
Email: [email protected]
Church of St. Benedict
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
PREP (W) 610-856-5146 - (H)
LaSalle Academy Office
www.lsabear.org
Berks Catholic High School
www.berkscatholic.org
610-370-0199
610-777-7392
610-374-8361
PARISH STAFF
Fr. Philip F. Rodgers ...................................... Pastor
Fr. Tom Kuller, S.J…………….Weekend Ministry
Valerie Christo .......... Director Religious Education
Andrew Angstadt ............................. Music Director
Patti Fisher, Psy. D....... Principal LaSalle Academy
Jeanie Hauck .................................. Parish Secretary
Anne Long ........................................... .Bookkeeper
Clara Lush ........................................ Bulletin Editor
Rosanne Weidner ................ Rectory Housekeeping
Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator:
Wendy S. Krisak, M.S., 800-791-9209 Confidential
Sister Meg Cole, S.S.J. Safe Environment Coordinator
610-866-0581, Ext. 19 - Fax: 610-867-8702
Allentown
Diocese
website
www.allentowndiocese.org
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
Celebrated the 1st Sunday of the month at
12:30pm and the 3rd Sunday at 11:15am mass. Baptism preparation class held 2nd Saturday. Please call
the office to schedule a baptism & class.
SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
Couples should call the priest at least 6 months before the wedding. A marriage preparation program is
offered to every couple.
MINISTRY TO THE SICK
Please call the parish office if a parishioner is homebound or hospitalized. Sacrament of Anointing is
offered anytime. Eucharistic Ministers are available
every Sunday.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Saturday from 4:00-4:45pm or by appointment.
RCIA
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a program for
anyone interested in the Catholic faith or in returning
to the Church. If interested or have questions contact
Mark Schrum at 610-856-7518.
PARISH MISSION STATEMENT
We the Parish of St. Benedict, under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit and our patron St. Benedict, are a vibrant, worshiping and welcoming community of
God. The strength of our people is obtained through
joyful celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Our commitment is to promote the Gospel of the Lord
through our prayers, words, and actions with Jesus as
our guiding light.
Page Two
TODAY’S READINGS
Gospel at the Procession with
Palms — Jesus’ entry into
Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-10 or John
12:12-16).
First Reading — In spite of my
sufferings I am not disgraced. I am
not put to shame (Isaiah 50:4-7).
Psalm — My God, my God, why have you abandoned
me? (Psalm 22).
Second Reading — Christ emptied himself, and God
filled this emptiness with exaltation (Philippians 2:6-11).
Gospel — The account of Christ’s passion according to
Mark (Mark 14:1 — 15:47 [15:1-39]).
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday: Is 42:1-7; Ps 27:1-3, 13-14; Jn 12:1-11
Tuesday: Is 49:1-6; Ps 71:1-6, 15, 17; Jn 13:21-33, 36-38
Wednesday:
Is 50:4-9a; Ps 69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34;
Mt 26:14-25
Thursday: Chrism Mass: Is 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9;
Ps 89:21-22, 25, 27; Rv 1:5-8; Lk 4:16-21
Lord’s Supper: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14;
Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18; 1 Cor 11:2326; Jn 13:1-15
Friday:
Is 52:13 — 53:12; Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17,
25; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1 — 19:42
Saturday: a) Gn 1:1 — 2:2 [1:1, 26-31a]; Ps 104:1-2, 56, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35; or Ps 33:4-7, 12-13, 20-22;
b) Gn 22:1-18 [1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18]; Ps 16: 5,
8-11;
c) Ex 14:15 — 15:1; Ex 15:1-6, 17-18;
d) Is 54:5-14; Ps 30:2, 4-6, 11-13;
e) Is 55:1-11; Is 12:2-6;
f) Bar 3:9-15, 32 — 4:4; Ps 19:8-11;
g) Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28; Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3-4 or
Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 or Ps 51:12-15, 18-19;
h) Rom 6:3-11; i) Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23;
Mk 16:1-7
Sunday:
Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 2223; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Jn 20:1-9
or Mk 16:1-7 or (at an afternoon
or evening Mass) Lk 24:13-35
STEWARDSHIP
GOSPEL THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
Good stewards strive to conform their lives to that of
Christ - emptying themselves of all pride and putting
themselves at the service of others.
Stewardship—Gifts of God
SECOND COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND
will be the special Easter Sunday envelope.
PRO-LIFE CORNER
Many times truth and justice are compromised
by the desire to avoid offending anyone! This
applies to those of us who may be afraid to
speak the truth about abortion. Let us pray for
God’s courage to always speak the truth in
defending the culture of life.
PARISH CONTACT DIRECTORY
All parish groups welcome new members. Please feel
free to contact leaders for more information.
AD Cursillo - Coleen Bleile - 610-286-7939
Adult Altar Servers - Frank Burns - 610-913-6630
Altar Servers - Carie Leggett - 484-631-5743
Bereavement Ministry - Judy Campion - 610-775-7782
Book Club - Anita Harrison - 610-777-4230
CYO - Steve Chuprinsky - 610-775-1228
Disabilities Coordinator - Brooke Frech - 610-777-7111
Eucharistic Ministers - Tom Henefer - 610-603-9196
Family Life - Wendy Clayton—610-913-7744
Food Pantry - Rosanne Weidner - 610-286-5568
Friendly Visitors - Treesa Schools - 610-207-6644
Gardens - Cecelia Kacmar - 610-856-1394
Greeters - Diane Roulston - 610-775-6550
Knights of Columbus - Gene Raser –610-858-2354
Landings - Robin Ball - 610-856-1402
Lectors - Susan Teaford - 610-286-3013
Liturgical Scheduling - Jim Helms - 610-856-7355
Mothers’ Group - Jaclyn Rhoades - 717-991-6645
Music Ministry—Andrew Angstadt—610-451-5664
Our Lady’s Rosary Makers - Charlene Riccio
- 610-913-8561
Parish Nurse—Kathy Meers
Parish Outreach - Ellie Albright - 610-763-9528
Pastoral Council - Pam Kubacki—610-777-9653
Picnic Grove Rentals - Jeanie Hauck - 610-856-1006
Prayer Chain & Shawls - Sylvia Firth - 610-286-5714
PREP/Catechists—Valerie Christo—610-856-5146
Prime Timers - Paul Wirkus - 610-913-0910
Property Committee—Steven Keech—484-947-3143
RCIA - Mark Schrum - 610-856-7518
Red Hats - Sylvia Firth - 610-286-5714
Respect Life - Mary Newhams - 610-777-3858
Rosary Group - Jeanie Hauck - 610-856-1006
St. Vincent de Paul - Carol Nygard—484-794-0428
Stewardship Committee—John Bergandino—
610-960-4318
Ushers - John Coccia - 610-404-0712
Vocations Ministry - Sandy Bach - 610-273-7685
Women’s Club - Lillian Meyers - 610-856-1215
Women’s Spirituality Group - Robin Ball - 610-856-1402
Page Three
WOMEN’S CLUB will be sponsoring their
Annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt on
Sunday, March 29 at 12:30 p.m.
ST. BENEDICT’S BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT
GROUP is for those grieving the death of a loved one.
The group offers an opportunity to come together to work
through the grieving process with the help and support of
others who have experienced this difficult journey. The
group meets for five consecutive weeks beginning April
8, 2015 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the rectory meeting
room. It is free, non-denominational, open to all. To
register or for more information call Judy Campion at
610-775-7782 or the parish office at 610-856-1006.
PARISH PRAYER LIST for the sick and infirmed is
published in our bulletin 3 Sundays per month. We are
happy to receive names and publish them, but we never
hear if they are better and up and around. So, with
Sunday, March 22 all names have been removed. If you
are aware that a person is still in need of prayers for any
sickness, please contact the rectory office at 610-8561006 or email [email protected] to reinstate
or add new names. Please make sure the person you add
to our prayer list is in agreement with this kind gesture.
Today is Palm Sunday and the
beginning of the holiest of Christian
weeks. Let us pray for the grace to take
up our own cross and to follow Jesus
through death to new life.
During Lent through your gifts, the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul was able
to bring the mercy of Jesus into the hearts of the poor by
assisting families, providing food, gifts and help for
utility and rent bills.
ROMA 2016 - Did you ever dream of walking into St.
Peter’s in Rome, or traveling through Tuscany
countryside on your way to Florence, or spending an
overnite in the quaint and highly spiritually charged
Village of Assisi, and much more, then your should come
to an information nite for a trip to Italy led by Father Phil
April 19-29. The information meeting will be in our
parish hall April 20 at 7:00 p.m. Come see the video and
enjoy a special Italian dessert.
Altar flowers this weekend in memory
of Robert Focht by parents Rodney &
Mary Ann Focht.
COVERED STATUES - The current instruction in the
Catholic Church regarding the Lenten practice of
covering crosses and statues is: beginning on the 5th
Sunday of Lent all crosses should be covered until after
the Good Friday liturgy. Statues may be covered starting
the 5th Sunday of Lent until before the Easter Vigil. So
why do we cover statues? The practice of covering
statues is that we fast from looking upon the glorious
saints during Lent in a spirit of mourning or absence.
Much like we fast from festive foods, or wedding
banquets, or flowers in church, etc. Until our happy
celebration of Easter when we pull out all the stops and
create a paradise in church with flowers, candles, and the
images of our saints in the anticipated Paschal feast of
heaven.
BUILDING A CULTURE OF
VOCATIONS
Family Life can build values integral to
a strong vocation - whether to
priesthood, religious life or marriage.
Teaching your children to value
commitment, service and prayer will
help them make strong vocation decisions as adults and
live out those vocations with success and fulfillment.
TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION
Is today “Palm Sunday” or “Passion Sunday”?
Though now known officially as Palm Sunday of the
Passion of the Lord, confusion is understandable, since
before the 1969 reform of the calendar two separate
Sundays bore these titles. Passion Sunday was a week
before Palm Sunday. To add to the confusion, the Gospel
accounts of the Passion of the Lord were not read on
Passion Sunday, but on Palm Sunday! On Passion
Sunday, the cross and statues were veiled in full purple
drapes. The organ had fallen silent at the beginning of
Lent, and now the sanctuary bells were replaced by
wooden clappers. The introit (opening chant) for the old
Mass of Passion Sunday hints at a reason for reform: “Do
me justice, O God, and fight my fight against a faithless
people” (Psalm 42). This liturgy was laden with
references to the “infidelity” of the Jews, a theme that
gave rise to inflammatory preaching and, in some places,
attacks against the persons and property of the Jewish
people. This does not stand as a “treasure” of any sort in
our tradition. Our authentic tradition, rather, is the ability
to reflect and repent and to seek reconciliation with the
Jews, our brothers and sisters in the love and service of
God.
—Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.
Page Four
LENT AT ST. BENEDICT’S
HOLY WEEK AT ST. BENEDICT’S
OPERATION RICE BOWL– Throughout our Lenten
journey, you are invited to participate in Catholic Relief
Services’ Operation Rice Bowl. Please be sure to use the
Rice Bowl from your Lenten packet and follow this simple yet powerful Lenten practice. Altar servers will be at
the doors of the church each Sunday to receive your Rice
Bowl donation. 50% of this collection will go to alleviate
hunger in Third World countries, and 50% will assist the
work of Kennedy Soup Kitchen in Reading.
Monday of Holy Week—Confessions 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Mass at 6:30 p.m.
VOLUNTEER USHERS NEEDED FOR EASTER
WEEK SERVICES: Holy Thursday 7:00 p.m.; Good Friday 3:00 p.m.; Holy Saturday Vigil 8:00 p.m. and Easter
Sunday all Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 & 12 noon. If you
can help at any of these services, please sign up on the
sheets posted on the vestibule bulletin board.
HOLY THURSDAY—Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m.
Mass of the Lord’s Last Supper will be at 7:00 p.m. Collection this evening will go to the Apostolic Work of our
St. Vincent de Paul Society. The foot washing ceremony
will take place during the liturgy. A representative group
of the parish will participate. Eucharistic Adoration will
take place in the church until 11:00 p.m. with Night Prayer
at 10:45 p.m.
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS are encouraged to attend
the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday and walk
in our Eucharistic procession. Please assemble in the parish hall 15 minutes prior to Mass.
WASHING OF FEET—The Holy Thursday liturgy invites us to do what Jesus did the night before He died,
namely celebrate Eucharist and wash the feet of His disciples. This symbolic act calls us to humble, charitable service toward one another. Twelve or more volunteers are
needed to celebrate this Holy Thursday ritual. Parishioners
of all ages are welcome to participate. Please sign up in
the gathering space by Palm Sunday.
PREPARATION OF THE CHURCH FOR EASTER—
Volunteers are needed Friday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. to help
decorate the church for Easter. ALL are welcome!
BLESSING OF EASTER
FOOD—This Eastern European
tradition will consist of a scripture
reading and solemn blessing of
food prepared for the Easter meal.
All are invited to bring a covered basket filled with representative foods to be served at your Easter table
(traditionally Easter eggs, meats, butters, cakes) to the
church for blessing on Holy Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
EASTER HOLY WATER is blest at the Easter Vigil and
is available for anyone to take home any time during the
Easter Season. Parishioners are invited to take some Easter
Holy Water home in containers provided, or you may
bring your own container to fill from the receptacles.
Tuesday of Holy Week—
Mass at 12 noon
Wednesday of Holy Week Mass at 8:00 a.m.
Father Phil will attend Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St.
Catharine in Allentown at 10:30 a.m. People of the Diocese are welcome to attend.
GOOD FRIDAY—Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m.
Confessions will be heard from 12 noon—1:00 p.m.
Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion will take place at 3:00 p.m.
Veneration of the Cross will take place during this service.
Stations of the Cross at 7:00 p.m.
All Catholics are reminded that this is a day of fast and
abstinence.
HOLY SATURDAY—Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m.
While no sacraments are celebrated on this day to call to
mind the stillness of Christ’s tomb, there will also be the
Blessing of Easter Food at 9:00 a.m.
GREAT EASTER VIGIL- will be celebrated on Saturday
at 8:00 p.m. with organ and choir. In the dark of nite we
gather to welcome Christ our Light. Weather permitting
we will gather outside at the Easter fire. (Parents with
small children be advised this Mass is about 2 hours.)
There is NO Saturday 5:00 p.m. Mass.
EASTER SUNDAY:
Please note the time
changes for Easter
Sunday Masses:
7:30 AM
9:00 AM
10:30 AM
12:00 NOON
Page Five
The Sanctuary Lamp burns this week in
memory of Robert Focht by parents, Rodney & Mary Ann Focht.
THIS WEEK AT ST. BENEDICT’S
Tuesday 03/31
6:00 PM Holy Week Movie in the social hall
7:00 PM
RCIA meets in the rectory meeting
room
Thursday
8:00 PM
04/02
AA meeting in the rectory mtg room
Friday 04/03
8:00 PM Preparation of the church for Easter
Sunday 04/05
10:30 Mass with Children‘s Liturgy of the
Word—Leader: Michelle Riehl
7:00 PM Al-Anon meeting in the rectory meeting
room
COMING EVENTS…..
04/06
04/07
04/08
04/11
04/12
04/12
04/19
04/20
K of C General meeting
Women’s Club monthly meeting
Bereavement meeting
Garden Clean-up
Hospitality Sunday
K of C 3rd Degree Ceremony
Teen Mission trip meeting
Rome Trip information meeting
PARISH DIRECTORIES are now available in he
gathering area. If you had your picture taken for the
directory, please pick up your copy of the directory.
THE SANCTUARY LAMP burns to remind us of the
sacramental presence of Jesus Christ. You may have the
sanctuary lamp memorialized for either a sick person or a
deceased lived on or any special intention for a weekly
donation of $10.00. Please call the parish office to reserve
a specific date.
Please pray for a priest each day:
03/29: Father Walter Downs
03/30: Father Anthony Drouncheck
03/31: Father Ladislaus Dudek
04/01: His Holiness Pope Francis
04/02: Pope Emeritus Benedict
04/03: Bishop of Allentown
John Barres
04/04: Bishop Emeritus of Allentown
Edward Cullen
Monday 03/30 Monday of Holy Week
5:30-6:30 PM Confessions
6:30 PM
Kenneth Lee Hassinger
by The William Ward Family
Tuesday 03/31 Tuesday of Holy Week
12 Noon
Ron Ney, Sr.
by Pete & Theresa Nelson
Wednesday 04/01 Wednesday of Holy Week
8:00 AM
Anthony Bukowski
by Irene Didyoung
Thursday
04/02 Holy Thursday
9:00 AM Morning Prayer
7:00 PM
Deceased Priests of the
Allentown Diocese
Adoration til 11 pm with Night Prayer
at 10:45 pm
Friday
04/03
Good Friday of the
Lord’s Passion
9:00 AM Morning Prayer
12 Noon-1:00 PM Confessions
3:00 PM Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
7:00 PM Stations of the Cross
Saturday 04/04 Holy Saturday
9:00 AM Morning Prayer and Blessing
of Easter Food
Sunday 04/05 Easter Sunday
8:00 PM (Saturday Vigil)
RCIA Candidates
7:30 AM
Ed Reidel
by Helen, Tim & Robinn Reidel
9:00 AM
Rev. Robert C. Quinn
by St. Benedict Prime Timers
10:30 AM
Adolph & Dorothy Wilke
by the Thomas Wilke Family
12 Noon
Robert Focht
by Joanne & Phil