January 10, 2016 - St. Joseph`s Church

ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH
MOTHER CHURCH OF THE BERKSHIRES
ESTABLISHED 1849
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Liturgical Celebrations
Saturday
The Staff
Msgr. Michael Shershanovich, Pastor
Rev. Geoffrey Deeker, CSS, Priest in Residence
Rev. Mr. Pasqual Baldasaro, Deacon
John Arasimowicz,
Coordinator of Youth Religious Education
e-Mail: [email protected]
Michele Madden, Secretary
e-Mail: [email protected]
Mrs. Patricia Momnie, Pastoral Minister
4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM
11:30 AM
Daily Mass
12:10 PM
RCIA
Tuesdays, 6:30 PM
Holy Hour
Monday-Friday, 11:00 AM
Daily Rosary
Monday-Friday, 11:30 AM
St. Joseph’s Parish Office
Prayer Group 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 6:45 PM
414 North Street. Pittsfield, MA 01201
Tel: (413) 445-5789
Fax: (413) 443-5466
Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
e-Mail: [email protected]
St. Joseph’s Cemetery Web site: www.stjoepittsfield.com
Mr. Paul Guillou, Superintendent
Nancy Nolan, Secretary
Tel: (413) 499-1317
Sacrament of Baptism:
All new parents are expected to complete a course of instruction.
Please consult the parish office for classes.
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Saturdays, 3:00-3:45PM
Sacrament of Matrimony:
Couples should contact the parish office at least one year prior to the wedding.
New Parishioners should register at the parish office. We look forward to welcoming you to the
parish family and hope you will become involved with your time, talent and treasure.
Ministry to the Sick and Parishioners confined to home have visitations that are scheduled on a
regular basis. Please notify the parish office to make arrangements.
Religious Education Classes are held at St. Joseph’s High School following the 9:00 AM Mass
for all public school students, grades K-11, and parochial students preparing for Sacraments.
SAINT JOSEPH CHURCH PRAYER LINE: (413) 443-1221
The Extraordinary Jubilee Of Mercy
Be Merciful During the Jubilee Year of Mercy
Practicing mercy in our lives actually does take practice.
Call someone who you know is lonely, even if you understand why
they’re lonely. Especially if you do.
Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to
the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness.
Misericordiae Vultus, no. 2
"I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his
sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." - Lk 3:16bc
T
he Christmas Gift Card Program for the Diocese Seminarians this Christmas was a huge success. Thanks to you the many generous & support-
ive donors. The Seminarians are appreciative of your support and generosity
and even more with the notes of support contained in many of the
cards.
Thank You from the Springfield Diocese Vocations Director, Fr. Gary
Dailey and thanks for also to
the St. Francis Belchertown and St. Elizabeth
Ludlow Vocation Committees for their assistance. Thank You and God Bless
St. Joseph Religious Education News
January 10th
CCD Classes resume today, Sunday, January 10th
Welcome Back Students!
LECTORS & EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
12th Night
Saturday,
January 9TH
4 PM
Sunday,
January 10TH
9 AM
Sunday,
January 10TH
11:30 AM
Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic Ministers
Walter LaPierre
Bernie Scapin
Lori Decorie
Josie Carchedi
Lectors
Bob Cancilla
Elaine LaPierre
Lectors
John Quallen
Donna Quallen
Lectors
Lillian Trzepacz
Jeff Vincent
Sharon Vincent
Nancy Woitkoski
John Arasimowicz
Edward Boehm
Anne Dunham
J. Weatherwax
Michael Wood
P. McDonough
Charles Knappe
Mary Huska
Paul Mays
Joe Dahrouge
N E I CH B E D ZI E PO CH WAL O NY J E ZU S CH RYS T U S
T
he Food Pantry thanks the Friends of the Colonial Theater and St. Agnes
Church for their most generous donations to us recently. These people are certainly living the work of mercy to "feed the hungry" and we are thankful for their
support of our efforts here at St. Joseph. May God bless them for their goodness.
A MARDI GRAS Bus Trip to Mohegan Sun, Monday, February 8, 2016. The bus leaves St. Joseph parking lot at 8 AM and returns home around 4:15 PM.
Please call the Rectory for reservations.
T
o the Parishioners at St. Joseph, and all of those community members that have
supported our events throughout the year: the Bishop, Fr. Mike, Fr. Geoff, and the staff
thank you. We also wish to send an additional "thank you" for all of the extra acts of kindness you have made during this Christmas Season. Your support and presence throughout
the holiday season continues to strengthen our community and brings joy to our church.
T
hank for from Pregnancy Support Services of Berkshire Country for your generous support during the
Christmas season, providing disposable diapers, baby wipes and clothing. Also, thank you for the crochet and knitted hand-made items.
Kindly silence all pagers, cell phones and other electronic devices before the
Liturgy begins. Thank you!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
ST. JOSEPH PARISH COUNCIL
MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2016
GLUTEN FREE HOSTS AV AILABLE
TO THOSE WHO CANNOT TOLERATE
GLUTEN.
PLEASE NOTIFY PRIEST BEFORE
MASS.
CYCLE C JANUARY 10, 2016
Baptism of the Lord
"After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had
been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened." What a
treat to be in that crowd! Just imagine the experience of
witnessing this manifestation of divinity! To SEE the Holy
Spirit "in bodily form like a dove" and to hear the voice that
"came from heaven" announcing Jesus' true identity. Don't
we all long for this kind of miraculous clarity? Wouldn't it
do wonders for our faith if we had such unmistakable certainty about who Jesus really is?
It's easy to imagine that the first Christians had it easier than we do. They got to be with Jesus in person, and to
witness the miracles that went along with his years on
earth. Because of this, we can quickly forget the benefits we
enjoy that they did not. We live on the other side of the
Resurrection, for example. The first followers of Christ believed in him BEFORE he rose from the dead. We, on the
other hand, have the confidence of knowing that this man
literally conquered death. We also have two millennia of
Christian witness through the saints to pull upon. The first
Christians had no idea what this new religion would produce, how many people would embrace it, or how it would
change the world for the better. We know that Christianity
has been fruitful beyond measure.
Today's Gospel informs us that it was only after they
were baptized that the people witnessed the opening of
heaven. Even Jesus himself was baptized before he heard
this earthly confirmation of his heavenly origin. We who
have been baptized, following the example of Christ, also
have "access" to the voice of God. In the silence of our
hearts, and through God's word in the Bible (another advantage we enjoy), heaven is "opened" for us as well.
Readings for the Week of January 10, 2016
Sunday: Is 40:1-5, 9-11 or Is 42:1-4, 6-7/Ps 104:1b-4, 24-25, 27-30/
Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7 or Acts 10:34-38/Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
Monday: 1 Sm 1:1-8/Ps 116:12-19/Mk 1:14-20
Tuesday: 1 Sm 1:9-20/1 Sm 2:1, 4-8/Mk 1:21-28
Wednesday: 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20/Ps 40:2, 5, 7-10/Mk 1:29-39
Thursday: 1 Sm 4:1-11/Ps 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25/Mk 1:40-45
Friday: 1 Sm 8:4-7, 10-22a/Ps 89:16-19/Mk 2:1-12
Saturday: 1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1a/Ps 21:2-7/Mk 2:13-17
Next Sunday: Is 62:1-5/Ps 96:1-3, 7-10/1 Cor 12:4-11/Jn 2:1-11
Observances for the Week of January 10, 2016
Sunday: Baptism of the Lord
Monday: First Week in Ordinary Time begins
Tuesday:
Wednesday: Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Next Sunday: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday, January 9th
JASON ROCHELO
Requested by Family
Sunday, January 10th
BARBARA KUREK
Requested by Lucy Flossic
WILLIAM WENDELL
Requested by Claire Lydett
Monday, January 11th
ANNA KNIERIEM
Requested by Lisa McDonnell
Tuesday, January 12th
RITA PHELPS First Anniversary
Requested by Family
Wednesday, January 13th
LEAH ACHEY
Requested by Pat Momnie
Thursday, January 14th
ANN McCAFFREY
Requested by Misner-Elias Family
Friday, January 15th
THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
Requested by Misner-Elias Family
Saturday, January 16th
RICHARD BROWN
Requested by Yuko Sutore
Sunday, January 17th
AGNES FUREY
Requested by John A. & the CCD
4 PM
9 AM
11:30 AM
12:10 PM
12:10 PM
12:10 PM
12:10 PM
12:10 PM
4 PM
9 AM
JAMIE LEE KRUGER 10th Anniversary 11:30 AM
Requested by Family