The Vatican has declared this year, from October 11, 2012 through November 24, 2013, a year of Faith and Faith-formation.
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Saint James is a Eucharistic centered Roman Catholic Church where all are invited and encouraged to add to the vibrancy of the parish by sharing their gifts, time, talents, and love.
Come and join us on the Grounds of Saint James School for Bingo, Games, Pony Rides, Food, Prizes, and good old fashioned Family Fun!
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Saint James is a Eucharistic centered Roman Catholic Church where all are invited and encouraged to add to the vibrancy of the parish by sharing their gifts, time, talents, and love.
A parish thank you goes out to Cool Hand Luke for shampooing the carpeting in the church. He noticed that the salt and winter snows had taken a toll on it and brought his carpeting cleaning machine in and did a fantastic job for us. The carpet looks as good a new and will make our summer brides very happy. If you happen to run into Cool Hand Luke, let him know how grateful we all are for his willingness to help keep our church spick and span.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry would like to thank an anonymous person who gave a substantial amount of money. This will help us to continue to making prayer shawls, baby blankets & scarves. Since we started the ministry we have given away 873 items. I would like to thank the ladies who volunteer their time: Bernie Oatman, Loretta Laniewicz, Patty Bogart, Ann Filutze, Carol Dean, Beckie Bauman, Cheryl Bernatowicz, Audrey Dubowski, Cindy Bielanin, Ann Hatheway, & Pat Gustafson. If you would like to have a Prayer Shawl, please contact Bernie Oatman, 899-8452.
Next Sunday is our opportunity to say “thanks” to our priests for their many years of faithful service. Many of our retired priests are still assisting in parish ministry, serving nursing homes and correctional facilities; some are now elderly, ill or incapacitated and need long-term care. Please be as generous as possible.
I’m very grateful to those who have already made a gift to this year’s Catholic Services Appeal. In addition to helping the diocese fund its charitable outreach services, such as the Bishop’s Breakfast Program for the Homeless, and St. Martin’s Center, your gift will also help us pay for the replacement of the floor in St. James Place. Work on that project has already begun and is proceeding well. We are on target to have the facility ready for the Confirmation reception on March 11th. The replacement of the rectory roof will begin at some point in the late spring or early summer. Please help us by making a gift to this year’s Catholic Services Appeal. No gift is too large; no gift is too small; all gifts will be greatly appreciated.
The ministry schedules for the month of March 2013 are now available on the Parish Website. To see when you are next scheduled to serve in a ministry during the Sacred Litugy, click on one of the links below.
Paper copies of the schedule are also available in the Music Sacristy at the church.
Each year, through the Catholic Services Appeal our parish family is asked to take part in supporting the Church in the 13 counties of the Diocese of Erie. This Appeal supports ministries and services that individual parishes cannot afford to provide on their own. Here are just a few examples of some of the programs that are funded through this Appeal: marriage counseling, adoption services, programs for children and adults experiencing loss through death or divorce, family life ministries, outreach to the marginalized, programs for the deaf and disabled, temporary housing for the abused, and emergencv social services.
HOSPITAL FOR SINNERS
Jesus is the promised one who has come to save, heal and raise up all in need of salvation. The sinful woman in today’s Gospel bends low to bathe the feet of Jesus with her tears, wipe them with her hair, kiss them and anoint them. The woman who sits at Jesus’ feet is a true disciple. In this story, Jesus contrasts the Pharisee’s lack of love with the woman’s lavish love. Today’s Gospel is a story about the Eucharist. This story demands reconciliation and asks that those who come to the eucharistic table repent and welcome others. As Donald Trautman, Bishop of Erie, Pennsylvania, has often said, “Our houses of worship are meant to be hospitals for sinners, not museums for saints.”
Text, Michael R. Prendergast, MTS, MA © 2007, OCP. All rights reserved.
