Saturday, 27 January
Vigil of Sunday
4:30 p.m. - CHARLES and ELIZABETH TAMBURELLI
by their sons, Charles and Herb, and their daughter, Mary

Sunday, 28 January
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
7:45 a.m. - ANDREW JOHN WHITNEY
by Michael and Catherine Whitney
10:45 a.m. - E. PAUL HOFFECKER
(5th anniversary) by his wife, Victoria, and family

Monday, 29 January
Weekday
12:05 p.m. - CARMEN PERFETTA
by Barbara Sciarrone Kasper and family

Tuesday, 30 January
Weekday
12:05 p.m. - ALFRED and RITA HALSEY
by their family
7:00 p.m. - STANLEY ROSKOSKY
by Harry and Rosa Lilley

Wednesday, 31 January
St. John Bosco, priest (OblMem)
12:05 p.m. - THOMAS J. FEELEY
(34th anniversary)
by his sister, Patti Feeley Garland

Thursday, 01 February
Weekday
12:05 p.m. - ARTHUR B. WHITNEY
by Michael and Catherine
7:00 p.m. - JESSE and ELIZABETH KRIZNO
by Johanne Luppino Fabiani and family

Friday, 02 February
Presentation of the Lord (Fst)
12:05 p.m. - MICHAEL FRINZI
by his family
6:15 p.m. - ELAINE XEDEAS and DEBBIE XEDEAS BOHR by Bob Costanzo

Saturday, 03 February
St. Blaise, bishop, martyr;
St. Ansgar, bishop (OptMems)
8:00 a.m. - Intentions: THIRD ORDER CARMELITES
by the TOC community
Vigil of Sunday
4:30 p.m. - FRANK and CATHERINE LARISH
by Anthony and Joan Tranquillo

Sunday, 04 February
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
7:45 a.m. - CHARLES F. KUTCH
by his family
10:45 a.m. - JAMES D. McGINLEY
by Elaina

Saint Joseph Parish
$1,148.00 from the envelopes and $111.00 from the plate. Thank you.
When one deducts from the sum of these two figures, $1,259.00 the parish's weekly financial obligation to the Diocese, i.e. assessments, $358.85 plus the weekly premiums for property and liability insurance, $149.20, the sum of which is $508.05, plus its weekly obligation to All Saints School, $987.21, the sum total of which is $1,495.26, one sees that ($236.26) of this collection is available for operating the parish. This is a deficit!

Saint Francis deSales Parish
$157.00 from the envelopes and $79.60 from the plate. Thank you.
When one deducts from the sum of these two figures, $236.60 the parish's weekly financial obligation to the Diocese, i.e. assessments, $55.15 plus the weekly premiums for property and liability insurance, $56.72, the sum of which is $111.87, plus its weekly obligation to All Saints School, $197.44, the sum total of which is $309.31, one sees that ($72.71) of this collection is available for operating the parish. This is a deficit!

GOD ALWAYS REMEMBERS YOUR BIRTHDAY, even if we don't. With that in mind, please note that we accidentally omitted four birthdays recently:

Stephen A. Messina: 28 January
Veronica J. Kevy: 23 January
Madison M. George: 23 January
Katherine A. Whitney: 17 January

Stephen arrives (officially) at the age of reason today (28 Jan). So, we ask him to be reasonable and accept our apologies for not listing his BD last weekend.
We presumed that he would never notice the omission, but were informed by his Dad that he (Stephen) reads the bulletin every week.
That's great! Anyone who reads the parish bulletin can't be all bad!

All Saints is currently looking for a part-time maintenance person. If interested, please contact the school office at 622-0106.

In the event of inclement weather, All Saints School follows the PASD schedule in regard to closing (or not closing), delayed starts, etc.

All Saints is currently collecting all old cell phones (working and non) and ink-jet cartridges. This is a fundraiser for the school. We will receive money back for each item we collect to be recycled. If the print cartridge is bigger than the palm of your hand, it is not an ink jet and, therefore, is not recyclable.

Dear Amy: Recently, my husband and I were surprised with the news that I was several months pregnant. We also learned of complications that seriously compromised the viability of the baby. We discovered that the baby, if it survived, would likely have severe mental and physical disabilities.
We chose to terminate the pregnancy. We told only a few people.
I am certain that we made the right decision, and am getting better, but there are times when the whole thing unexpectedly hits me. I can't help thinking about it, and I know this is part of the process of moving on, but at times I've gotten very emotional.
One of my co-workers is expecting a baby and is having a shower thrown in her honor. Only one of my co-workers knows about my situation, and I'd like to keep it that way, but it isn't easy to explain my random weeping, especially because I am not normally that way.
Should I go to this event or give her a gift beforehand and say we can't make it?
I don't want to avoid these things forever, or develop a complex about them; it's just difficult right now.
Trying To Move On

Dear Trying: Avoiding baby showers for now doesn't mean that you will develop a complex about them or avoid them forever. Many women find attending baby showers difficult and emotional for all sorts of reasons. You could send a gift along with a note saying, "I'm so sorry that I won't be able to make it to your shower, but I want to shower you with good wishes all the same."
Your complicated reaction to what you have been through is not only understandable but expected. Losing a pregnancy is a very emotional experience, even if it was your choice, and even if you feel certain that you did the right thing. Your physician should have advised you to expect this -- she or he could refer you to a support group if you think that it would be helpful (I do).
If you find yourself weepy at unexpected times, don't feel compelled to explain. Just say, "I'm sorry, I'm feeling emotional. Just give me a minute to get it together."
Amy

IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO USE A GLASS OR CERAMIC CHALICE AT MASS?

Someone asked me this question recently.
Apparently, the person had attended Mass recently at a church where (so it seemed) the priest used a ceramic chalice.
I told the person that it is my understanding that the use of glass or ceramic chalices at Mass is prohibited. I also said that I would "look it up" so as to give an accurate answer, based on a clear ruling by the highest authority in the Church.

Based on what I read, I have to say that IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE TO USE A GLASS OR CERAMIC CHALICE AT MASS.
I admit that, prior to 2004, I would not have been so certain of my answer. There seemed to be a certain tolerance or latitude for glass or ceramic vessels.
However, the document REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM that was approved and promulgated by Pope John Paul II, seems to give the definitive answer.
Here is the relevant citation from that document. I have "bolded" the sentence that is most to the point.

3. Sacred Vessels
[117.] Sacred vessels for containing the Body and Blood of the Lord must be made in strict conformity with the norms of tradition and of the liturgical books.[205]The Bishops' Conferences have the faculty to decide whether it is appropriate, once their decisions have been given the recognitio by the Apostolic See, for sacred vessels to be made of other solid materials as well. It is strictly required, however, that such materials be truly noble in the common estimation within a given region,[206]so that honour will be given to the Lord by their use, and all risk of diminishing the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species in the eyes of the faithful will be avoided. Reprobated, therefore, is any practice of using for the celebration of Mass common vessels, or others lacking in quality, or devoid of all artistic merit or which are mere containers, as also other vessels made from glass, earthenware, clay, or other materials that break easily. This norm is to be applied even as regards metals and other materials that easily rust or deteriorate.[207]
This Instruction, prepared by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments by mandate of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II in collaboration with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was approved by the same Pontiff on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, 19 March 2004, and he ordered it to be published and to be observed immediately by all concerned.
From the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Rome, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, 25 March 2004.

TRUE CONFESSIONS!
Yours truly has among his belongings one glass chalice, one ceramic chalice and one wooden chalice. All of these were gifts to me in days gone by. I used them several times, but not over the past (approximately) fifteen years. They are now in permanent retirement and will, perhaps, be placed in a CHURCH HISTORY MUSEUM. They can be displayed in the wing that is called:

This is an alternate response to "Trying to Move On".
(For the original letter and response, see page 6 of this bulletin.)

Dear Trying:
You say that you "chose to terminate the pregnancy".
Well, yes, you could put it that way. In fact, you do put it that way!
I believe that is the same as "having an abortion", is it not?
I notice you don't use the word "abortion" in your letter.
Is there some reason you don't use the word "abortion"?
You say that you and your husband are "certain that we made the right decision".
People who are certain that they have made the right decision don't usually say that they are certain they have made the right decision.
People who are not really all that certain that they have made the right decision are more inclined - strangely enough - to say that they are certain that they have made the right decision.
You may be certain that you and your husband did not make the right decision. Be very, entirely, completely certain of that.
You may be certain that you and your husband killed your baby - poor child, poor rejected child, poor child hated by his (her) mommy and daddy, poor child killed by his (her) mommy and daddy!
You say that you find yourself subject to "random weeping" and you say that you are "not normally that way".
Isn't that strange? Why would that be?
I mean, why in the world would you would be subject to "random weeping"?
It's not as though you did anything wrong, is it?
It's not as though you killed a human being who had a right to live, is it?
As you noted, it was likely that the child had severe mental and physical disabilities.
We all know that people who have severe mental and physical disabilities should be put to death, don't we?
I mean, is there any reasonable person who thinks otherwise?
May God have mercy on you and on all mothers of murdered children.
EBC

I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE!
You will also (probably) find it hard to believe. I pass it on to you for what it is worth.
The person who told me is not inclined to tell tall tales - at least not as far as I know. Nor is this person out of her mind - at least not as far as I know.
Therefore, I have to entertain the horrible possibility that this actually happened!
I am told that, during the 10:45 a.m. Mass at St. Joseph Church on Sunday, 21 January, some girls - not little girls, but looked like teenagers - were eating cupcakes and engaging in mindless conversation.

The person who told me this does not know the names of the girls.
So, of course, I don't know their names, nor do I want to know their names. If I were to know their names, I might have unpleasant thoughts about them, and I prefer not to have unpleasant thoughts about any actual, identifiable person. It suffices that I confine my unpleasant thoughts to abstract categories of persons who engage in wrongdoing. And there is another reason why it is good that I don't know who these girls are: I might be tempted to strangle them, which I really don't want to do because I know that strangling people is poor pastoral practice and might even be illegal, although I can't imagine that any jury would ever convict me once they heard testimony that the deceased (i.e. the stranglees) had been eating cupcakes and engaging in mindless conversation during Mass.
So, let's just put it this way: If you are attending Mass in St. Joseph Church or in St. Francis deSales Church and you see anyone eating cupcakes and / or engaging in mindless conversation while the Mass is in progress, please smack that person up the side of his / her head and say, "THANK YOU FOR NOT EATING CUPCAKES AND / OR ENGAGING IN MINDLESS CONVERSATION DURING MASS!" Follow this up with a meaningful sign of peace, so that there will be no hard feelings.

TRUE STORY
The woman mentioned in this account is not a member of either StJosPar or StFdSPar, nor is she a relative of mine, nor does she live in Schuylkill County.
Last week, a woman (a friend of mine) took her two children to a pediatrician for "routine physicals".
One of the children is a boy, age seven.
The other is a girl, age four.
The physician did not do the physicals. These were done by a woman who is a nurse-practitioner.
Having completed the physicals, the nurse-practitioner sat in the examining room with the mother and the children and made some routine observations and offered some routine advice.
One of the things she said startled the mother.
It startled her so much that the mother said to the nurse-practitioner, "Stop! I don't want to hear any more about that!"
She then wrapped up her visit, took the children and left.
What was it that so startled and disgusted the woman?
Here is what the nurse-practitioner said.
I must tell you, first of all, that what she said was totally out of context. It had no precedent in any conversation the mother had ever had with the nurse-practitioner or anyone else for that matter.
The nurse-practitioner said, "Now you must know that masturbation is a completely normal activity in a boy who is seven years old."

My reflections on this bizarre encounter
#1 - Not only is there a push in our society to encourage children towards acceptance of homosexuality, this push extends now to encouraging acceptance of masturbation.
#2 - Masturbation, in and of itself, is a homosexual activity. If that is not immediately apparent to you, think about it. It will soon become apparent. All autosexual activity is homosexual activity!
#3 - Stay close to Jesus and His Catholic Church. It is our only refuge from this wicked society in which we live.
#4 - Be on guard. Protect your children from the witches and warlocks who would seduce them.