Current Bulletin: Jan 19 2025 Bulletin
Past Bulletins:
| VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE
Saturday, Jan 18, 4:00 PM: Saturday, Jan 25, 4:00 PM: |
Mass Schedule & Intentions: Jan 18-Jan 26, 2025
Sat, Jan 18 4:00 PM for Nata Hample by George & Rebecca Wertz
Sun, Jan 19 9:00 AM for Respect Life by the Knights of Columbus
Mon, Jan 20 8:00 AM for Dolores Schirf by a friend
Tue, Jan 21 6:00 PM for Lucy Krug by Louise & Paul Krug
Wed, Jan 22 7:30 AM HOLY HOUR with Communion
Sat, Jan 25 4:00 PM for the People by the Pastor
Sun, Jan 26 9:00 AM for Joe Wharton by Greg & Connie Wharton
- KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MEETING – Monday, January 13, 7:00 p.m., in the Parish Meeting Room.
- Parish Association Christmas Dinner at Marzoni’s in Greenwood – Monday, January 13, 2025, 5:30 p.m.
- PARISH ASSOCIATION MEETING – Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 6:30 p.m. after mass.
- FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING – Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 6:30 p.m., in the Parish Meeting Room.
Poverty Awareness Month: January 2025; Online Overview of Bridges Out of Poverty Offered by Catholic Charities
Pope Francis has decreed the year 2025 as a Jubilee year calling all to be Pilgrims of Hope. Catholic Charities is the human social service sector of the diocese, and we are to bring awareness of the social injustices that impact the marginalized. To do this, we must talk about the importance of looking through different lenses, the individual, the institution, the community, and the policies that often prevent those living in poverty from moving forward to being self-sufficient.
January is the month of National Poverty Awareness. Please consider joining a virtual overview of Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities to have a better understanding of a comprehensive approach to the dynamics that cause and maintain poverty, from the individual to the systemic level: Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. To register for a session, please RSVP to coconnor@dioceseaj.org. Additionally, Catholic Charities will be using this Jubilee year 2025 and the influence of Pope Francis to provide training opportunities to understand what poverty looks like in each parish community. Dates for the live workshops will be shared with each Deanery for the Lenten season. The knowledge provided will have participants embrace how they can bring hope and respond to real situations in their parish communities and local neighborhoods.
PRAYERS and BEST WISHES to the following young people of our parish who will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday, April 2, at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona: Zachary Gonzales, Jalynn Partner & Gracie Rice. Please pray for these young adults that they may continue to grow in their relationship with Jesus and become the persons God intends them to be.
On Sunday, April 7, at the 9:00 a.m. Mass, Nancy Bolinda will be coming into full communion with the Catholic Church.
Sincere congratulations and welcome to these newest members of our parish family. Please make sure you take time to congratulate them and show them our love and support as we journey together into the Kingdom of God.
WELCOME FATHER MICHAEL – Saint Joseph Parish Welcomes you, Father Michael. We look forward to having you Pastor our Parish for many years to come. Trust that we will be here to help and support you with whatever you need. We are very grateful to have a priest to celebrate the Mass with us each weekend. God’s hand of blessing be upon you.
Fr. Michael Pleva attended Gannon University and St. Mark Seminary in Erie, PA from 2013-2017. He attended St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe from 2017-2021 and was ordained a priest on May 29, 2021. He comes to us after serving in State College and Philipsburg. Fr. Michael is excited to walk with us on this journey towards eternal life. His goal is to serve well. He asks for many prayers as he begins his new assignments!
The Bishop is asking the faithful throughout the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown to join him in praying for peace in Ukraine as Russian forces invade the Eastern European country.
The Bishop stands united in prayer with Ukrainian Catholics in that troubled part of the world and with the local Ukrainian Catholic population here in Central Pennsylvania. During this difficult time, he is inviting everyone to join him in praying the following ancient prayer.
We fly to Your patronage, O Virgin Mother of God. Despise not our prayers in our needs, but deliver us from all dangers, since you alone are pure and blessed.
O most glorious Ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ our God, accept our prayers and present them to Your Son and our God, that for the sake of You, He enlighten and save our souls.
“This prayer is a unique part of the spiritual heritage of the Catholic and Orthodox Christians of the Ukraine, dating back to the 10th or 11th century. It is quite similar to the Memorare prayer that most of us learned as children. As we watch the unfolding developments from Ukraine, it is often difficult to process our thoughts and feelings. That’s where a prayer like this can bring calm to our disturbed minds and hearts, and especially to our world.”
Synod means “Journeying Together.” It involves listening to the Holy Spirit and to each other to discern the path we are called to walk together as Church. Usually when we think of a Synod, we think of a Gathering of Cardinals, Bishops and the Pope, and it is occurring in Rome. Pope Francis has Called this particular Synod for the People. You and I and the people who gather in the pews each week. Pope Francis want to hear from the whole church about what is happening in local churches, what is happening here at St. Joseph Parish in Bellwood. Synodality is simply, a way of being Church. It is not a program. The basic question of the Synod is this: What is the Holy Spirit saying to our Church today? Through listening and discernment, which is rooted in the Holy Spirit, the entire people of God will be called to contribute to a process by which the Church deepens and embraces her understanding of the Church’s mission and looks to the future with hope. By entering into this process, every member of the diocese is invited to offer their thoughts on how to grow in holiness, to be intentional disciples, and being sent to witness to others about the beauty of our faith. our input will assist our Parish and diocese in moving forward with parish Spiritual Growth. Through the Synod, everyone baptized Catholic is being invited to personal conversion and to be a Church on mission. “The Church does not have a mission; the mission has a Church.” The primary function of the Church is to proclaim Jesus Christ and draw all people into an intimate relationship with him.
If you would like to better understand the meaning of Synod and Synodality and how you can participate, please come to the “Understanding the Synod” meeting on Monday, February 28, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the Saint Joseph Parish Social Hall. Snacks and good conversation will be provided.
Sr. Linda would like to thank you for the beautiful Christmas Cards and gifts and for your loyal support throughout the year 2021. Be the Blessing that you are. In gratitude, Sr. Linda
THANK YOU KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS for the Christmas Treats for our Children and the bowling/ Pizza Party. St. Joseph Parish is very blessed to have you for you have been a wonderful blessing to our parish.