Saturday, 17 February
Vigil of Sunday
4:30 p.m. - LENA TRANQUILLO PICCIONI
by her nephew, James Piccioni, and family

Sunday, 18 February
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
7:45 a.m. - JOHN R. MACCARONE
by his sister, Nancy King, and family
10:45 a.m. - JOSEPH A. PALKO
by his wife, Carmella, and his daughter, Joanne

Monday, 19 February
Weekday
12:05 p.m. - OLGA SINKOVICH SEADOR
by EBC

Tuesday, 20 February
Weekday
12:05 p.m. - BARBARA SWANTNER CESCON
by her husband, Joseph, and family
7:00 p.m. - JANE MARIE GARLAND
by Joseph Dombroskey and Ethel Dombroskey

Wednesday, 21 February
Ash Wednesday
12:05 p.m. - ANTHONY J. LUPPINO
by Vincent and Darla Fabiani and family
7:00 p.m. - JOSEPH A. FABIANI
by the Bosak family

Thursday, 22 February
Chair of St. Peter, apostle (Fst)
12:05 p.m. - RACHEL ANN SNINSKI
by her family
7:00 p.m. - NANCY JONES COOK
by Jim and Patty Garland

Friday, 23 February
St. Polycarp, bishop, martyr (OptMem)
12:05 p.m. - DESOLINA MUNSTER NICOLO (1st anniversary) by her family

Saturday, 24 February
Lenten Weekday
8:00 a.m. - SPECIAL INTENTION
(through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier)
by the Weidner family
Vigil of Sunday
4:30 p.m. - Health and God's Blessings on PHYLLIS C. KEVY and RONI J. KEVY
by Richard and Dorothy Brown

Sunday, 25 February
1st Sunday of Lent
7:45 a.m. - VINCENT and EVA (KRAMER) PASCUZZO
by Albert and Martha Pascuzzo
10:45 a.m. - RONALD R. OWENS
by his sister, Katherine Owens DiCello

Saint Joseph Parish
$1,739.00 from the envelopes and $120.00 from the plate. Thank you.
When one deducts from the sum of these two figures, $1,859.00 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 $363.74 of this collection is available for operating the parish.

Saint Francis deSales Parish
$125.00 from the envelopes and $60.50 from the plate. Thank you.
When one deducts from the sum of these two figures, $185.50 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 $253.25, plus its weekly obligation to All Saints School, $197.44, the sum total of which is $309.31, one sees that ($123.81) of this collection is available for operating the parish. This is a deficit!

BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
In last weekend's bulletin, we overlooked wishing HB to a beautiful girl who turned eleven on 15 February: We are referring, of course, to Christina Marko. Our phone has been ringing off the hook with members of her fan club calling to complain!
We are, indeed, sorry, and we shall try to do better in the future, but we make no promises.

MASS AT NURSING HOME: On Friday, 23 February, there will be a Mass at 2:30 p.m. at the Schuylkill Manor Nursing Home (on the road behind Good Samaritan Hospital). You are encouraged to attend in order to assist our elderly brothers and sisters in worshipping God.

OUR LENTEN OBLIGATION

Church law considers every Friday and the season of Lent as penitential days and times. The practice of penance is a part of our faith and Christian life. When we do penance, we imitate Jesus, who Himself recommended it as necessary to His followers, and gave them the example of His prayer and fasting.
The Lenten obligation, as determined for Catholics in the United States by our bishops, requires that fasting be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The law of abstinence is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.

Who must fast?
All Catholics who are between the ages of 18 and 59. The obligation ceases when one begins his/her 60th year on his/her 59th birthday.
Who must abstain?
All Catholics who are 14 years and older.
What does fasting mean?
The observance of fasting means that those obliged may take only one full meal on the day of fast. Two lighter meals (not equal to another full meal) may be taken to maintain strength according to one's needs.
What does abstinence mean?
The law of abstinence forbids the eating of meat, including poultry. Voluntary abstinence refers to refraining from lawful pleasures in a spirit of penance.
Can anyone be dispensed or excused from fast and/or abstinence?
Individuals for a just cause may be dispensed by their pastor or by a priest with the faculty to do so. In our Diocese all priests may dispense individuals who are committed to their pastoral care. Those who are ill or have a similar serious reason are excused from the observance of fast and abstinence. Catholics are reminded that they should not lightly excuse themselves from this obligation.
Are there other obligations which we should fulfill?
Catholics are obliged to fulfill what has been called their "Easter Duty." They are required to receive Holy Communion during the Easter time. In the United States this obligation can be fulfilled from the First Sunday of Lent until Trinity Sunday (February 25 until June 3, 2007). Those conscious of serious sin are reminded of the obligation to confess their sins once a year.
Catholics also are encouraged to make Lent a time of more intense prayer and to practice almsgiving and other works of charity. Parishes are encouraged to continue participation in Operation Rice Bowl.

Father Z's 20 Tips For Making A Good Confession
We should:
1) Examine our consciences regularly and thoroughly.
2) Wait our turn in line patiently.
3) Come at the time confessions are scheduled, not a few minutes before they are to end.
4) Speak distinctly but never so loudly that we might be overheard.
5) State our sins clearly and briefly without rambling.
6) Confess all mortal sins in number and kind.
7) Listen carefully to the advice the priest gives.
8) Confess our own sins and not someone else's.
9) Carefully listen to and remember the penance and be sure to understand it.
10) Use a regular formula for confession so that it is familiar and comfortable.
11) Never be afraid to say something "embarrassing"... just say it.
12) Never worry that the priest thinks we are jerks. He is usually impressed by our courage.
13) Never fear that the priest will not keep our confession secret. He is bound by the Seal.
14) Never confess "tendencies" or "struggles"... just sins.
15) Never leave the confessional before the priest has finished giving absolution.
16) Memorize an Act of Contrition.
17) Answer the priest's questions briefly if he asks for a clarification.
18) Ask questions if we can't understand what he means when he tells us something.
19) Keep in mind that sometimes priests can have "off days" just like anyone else.
20) Remember that priests must go to confession too. They know what we are going through.

"Father Z" is Father John T. Zuhlsdorf, a priest for whose writings I have great admiration

TO: SAINT JOSEPH CHURCH
FROM: PHILLIP SEALY
EMAIL: philipsealy@HotPOP.com
EFAX: 1-206-600-4256

ATTN: CEO/PRESIDENT

I want you to patiently read this offer. I am Mr. Phillip Sealy the special adviser to the Minister for Energy Affairs and Petroleum in Trinidad and Tobago. I am also the linkman between the diamond-mining sector and the Government of Tobago. I also attend meetings constantly with the Minister on matters bothering on sales of Petroleum and other minerals.
Through the sale of our country's diamond, which I directly oversee, I was able to make US$25.5million, which is currently deposited in a Security company in Europe. I want you to assist me to claim this money as I cannot claim it directly because I am still a civil servant, and the code of conduct bureau forbids me to acquire such amount of money. It is on this basis that I am contacting you for assistance. If you will be interested, all you will do is to travel to the European nation after all official claim documents have been processed and sent to you. The documents with which the fund is deposited will be changed to reflect you as the new beneficiary so that you will be eligible to collect the fund on my behalf. I will give you 25% of the fund for this assistance. Kindly respond
to my proposal through my email address: phillipsealy@HotPOP.com or Efax: 1-206-600-4256.
On the receipt of your email indicating interest I will provide you with my phone number for further correspondence. I want to assure you that there is no risk whatsoever attached to this transaction. You should also try to provide me with your own personal telephone and fax numbers. Expecting your response.

Best regards,
Mr. Phillip Sealy

NOTE ON THE ABOVE
This is an exact copy of the text of a fax that came into St. Joseph Rectory this past week. I know nothing more about the matter referred to than what you see here. It sure looks like a sweetheart deal. I can't imagine that there is any loophole or "fly in the ointment". It seems all kosher and above board to me. What do you think? I don't think I have to exercise any caution here, do you?
So, I just want you to know that, if you don't see me around in the next few days, you'll know that I've gone to Europe in order to have St. Joseph Parish named as the beneficiary of the proceeds of Mr. Sealy's diamond sale.
I should be back soon with 25% of $25.5 million, which - according to my math - comes to $6,375,000. I am going to use this in order to put a substantial dent in the St. Joseph Parish debt.
I wonder if Mr. Sealy is the same guy who makes those mattresses.

HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE!
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor.
Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

"Now consider this: Life is the coffee. The jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."
God brews the coffee, not the cups.
Enjoy your coffee!
The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Note
A friend of mine sent me the above this past week. I thought it was "bulletin worthy" - especially for this weekend prior to Ash Wednesday.
For Lent: Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
If so inclined, please feel free to continue doing so even after Lent.