The Lenten Penance Service for Saint Joseph and Saint Matthew Parishes is scheduled for Thursday, March 27, at St. Matthew Parish, Tyrone, at 6:00 PM

“THE LIGHTS ARE ON FOR YOU” – is a special time set aside for our parishioners for  confessions.  Next Sunday, March 16 will be our ‘THE LIGHTS ARE ON FOR YOU” time for personal confession, in the Church, from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. 

“THE LIGHTS ARE ON FOR YOU” will be a special time set aside for our Junior High and High school Students on Sunday evening, April 6, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. this is their regularly scheduled Religious Education Time. Students should plan to arrive by 5:45 p.m. on this evening.

For other opportunities, follow the link below for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.

Penance Services – DAJ Lent

Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It is a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter.

During Lent:

• We seek the Lord in prayer, by reading Sacred Scripture.

• We serve by giving alms.

• We practice self-control through fasting.

• We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ’s will more faithfully.

• We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ’s death, died to sin and evil, and began our new life in Christ.

Lent 2025 begins on Ash Wednesday (March 5) and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday (April 17).

ASH WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

† 8 a.m. @ St. Joseph – Bellwood

† 9 a.m. @ St. Matthew – Tyrone

† 12 pm Distribution of Ashes only @ St. Joseph – Bellwood

† 12 pm Distribution of Ashes only @ St. Matthew – Tyrone

† 6 p.m. @ St. Joseph – Bellwood

† 7 p.m. @ St. Matthew – Tyrone

LENTEN ADULT ENRICHMENT CLASSES ON: Jesus the way the Truth and the Life, beginning the Fridays of Lent and following the Stations of the Cross, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. In the Parish Social Hall. Classes will be held on the following dates: March 7, March 14, March 21, March 28, April 4, and ending on April 11. A sign-up sheet is in the Vestibule of the Church. Please sign your name and indicate if you would like to purchase a book at the cost of $15.00. 

UPCOMING DIOCESAN PRIEST PRESENTATIONS on the Eucharistic Revival. Three priests from our Northern Deanery will be presenters for the final Diocesan Eucharistic Revival Diocesan Workshops: Father Jozef Kovacik, whom all of you know, who is now Pastor at Good Shepherd Parish in State College, Fr. George Jakopac, from Our Lady of Victory Parish in State College and Father Brian Saylor, Pastor at Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Bellefonte. The priests will share with us on the power of the Eucharist in their lives. Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 29, from 9:00 until 11:30 a.m. at Saint Francis university and plan to attend. Registration forms are available online by going to the Diocesan Website. Hard copy registrations can be found at the entrances of the Church. Contact Sr. Linda for more information.

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.

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!