Saint Joseph Parish:
Receipts for parish purposes: $970.00 from the Sunday envelopes; $79.00 from the second collection (plate); $281.00 from the Dues envelopes; $20.00 from the Building Maintenance envelopes; $93.00 from the loose. Total: $1,443.00
Receipts for non-parish purposes: — $0—
Analysis: When one deducts from the total of the receipts for parish purposes ($1,443.00) our weekly financial obligation to the Diocese, i.e. assessments ($290.08), plus our weekly premium for property and casualty insurance ($444.49), plus our weekly subsidy to Trinity Academy ($358.17), the sum total of which is $1,092.74, one sees that $350.26 is available from this collection for operating the parish.




Saint Vincent DePaul Parish:
Receipts for parish purposes: $909.00 from the Sunday envelopes; $45.00 from the second collection (plate); $280.00 from the Dues envelopes; $2.00 from the Building Maintenance envelopes; $57.00 from the loose. Total: $1,293.00.
Receipts for non-parish purposes: — $0—
Analysis: When one deducts from the total of the receipts for parish purposes ($1,293.00) our weekly financial obligation to the Diocese, i.e. assessments ($183.92), plus our weekly premium for property and casualty insurance ($267.81), plus our weekly subsidy to Trinity Academy ($250.98), the sum total of which is $702.71, one sees that $590.29 is available from this collection for operating the parish.

If these times don't suit you, you can always call for an appointment to go to Confession. If you don't like Fr. Connolly, you can always confess your sins to Kateri, but keep in mind that she is not bound by the seal and she does tend to be a blabbermouth.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CONFESSIONS / EXPOSITION NORMALLY SCHEDULED IN SAINT JOSEPH CHAPEL ON FRIDAY EVENING ARE SCHEDULED THIS WEEK ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. 

ROBERT ALBERT DUVEN,
a member of St. Vincent dePaul Parish, died on Tuesday, 04 May.
Born on 20 June 1942, he was 67 years of age.
Robert is the son of the late Mel Duven and Josephine Mary (Medalis) Rovinskie. His step-father is the late Albin (Ben) Rovinskie.
He was baptized on 04 July 1942 in Annunciation BVM Church, Frackville PA by Father Norbutas.
He has one brother and one sister: Benjamin Rovinskie (deceased) and Helen Ann Rovinskie Borzok
He has two sons: Timothy M. Duven and Robert T. Duven.
He has four grandchildren: Karly M. Duven; Sydney E. Duven; Kelsey Duven; Kylie Duven.
The Mass of Christian Burial for Robert was celebrated at St. Vincent dePaul Church on Saturday, 08 May, at 11:00 am. There was a visitation period in the church prior to the Mass.
The interment will take place in All Saints Cemetery, Elysburg, at the convenience of the family.

Eternal rest grant unto Robert, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

ELLEN VERONICA HOBAN McDONALD,
a member of St. Joseph Parish, died on Wednesday, 05 May.
Born on 13 September 1915, she was 95 years of age.
Ellen [“Buddy”] is a daughter of the late James and Ellen (Brennan) Hoban.
She received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Michael Crane at St. Joseph Church on 23 September 1925.
Ellen has two sisters, both of whom are deceased: Mary Jane Hoban and Rose Hoban Scarborough.
Ellen was the wife of Gerald J. McDonald, who died in 1995.
The Mass of Christian Burial for Ellen will be celebrated at St. Joseph Church on Monday, 10 May, at 11:00 am. There will be a viewing in the church for about 45 minutes prior to the Mass.
The interment will take place in Holy Rosary Cemetery, Frackville.
Additional notes: (a) The deacon and homilist for the Mass will be the Rev. Mr. Michael P. Bahn, a nephew-in-law of Ellen and a pastoral associate at St. John the Baptist Parish, Freedom PA. (b) The principal celebrant of the Mass will be Fr. Edmund J. Brennan, a first cousin (once removed) of the deceased.

Eternal rest grant unto Ellen, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

TODAY (09 MAY) IS MOTHER’S DAY!
When my brother and sisters and I were children, we would, as the dates came near, ask our mother what she wanted for Christmas / Your Birthday / Mother’s Day. Her standard and entirely predictable answer was something like this: “You don’t have to buy me anything. All I want is for you to be good kids!”
This answer, of course, always prompted us to reply: “Oh, Mom! We are good kids! Now, seriously! What do you want us to buy you for (fill in the blank)?”
The answer to the question as to whether or not we really were “good kids” is confidential information and I am not at liberty to reveal it here in the parish bulletin. Actually, I can reveal it partially: Yours truly was always a perfect child, but I can’t necessarily say the same about my four siblings!
(God forbid that any of my sisters read this bulletin! I don’t have to worry about my brother reading it. He has gone back to God and, I presume, is no longer vulnerable to brotherly teasing.)
I sometimes think to myself that we could have saved a few dollars by simply taking our mother at her word and not buying her anything. She was probably being 100% truthful in her response. The main thing that mothers want is that their children should be good. Taking that to its logical extension, what all mothers want is that their children should be permanently good, i.e. united to the Only One Who is Good, i.e. that they should go to Heaven. With that in mind, I recommend to all mothers in our two parishes the following prayer for the salvation of their husbands, children and grandchildren.

PRAYER TO SAINT MONICA

Exemplary Mother of the great Augustine, you perseveringly pursued your wayward son, not with wild threats, but with prayerful cries to heaven. Intercede for all mothers in our day, so that they may learn to draw their children to God. Teach them how to remain close to their children, even the prodigal sons and daughters who have gone astray. Dear St Monica, troubled wife and mother, many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime, yet you never despaired nor lost faith. With confidence, persistence and profound faith, you prayed daily for the conversion of your dear husband, Patricius, and your beloved son, Augustine. Grant me that same fortitude, patience and trust in the Lord. Intercede for me, dear St. Monica, that God may favorably hear my plea on behalf of my husband, son(s) / daughter(s), (mention the names), and grant me the grace to accept God’s will in all things. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, your Savior and mine, the Savior of your family, the Savior of my family.                                 Amen.

As we do every time a Holyday of Obligation comes up, we respectfully but firmly remind everyone that attendance at Mass on a Holyday of Obligation carries the same degree of seriousness as does attendance at Mass on Sunday.
Therefore, even if it is inconvenient, a Catholic is obliged to go to Mass on Ascension Thursday or on the Vigil.
We have scheduled four Masses — two at each parish church — and we think we have scheduled them for maximum convenience. (If you think otherwise, please let me know.)
If a person just plain CANNOT get to Mass on a Holyday of Obligation, there is, of course, no need for agonizing or guilt, nor is there any sin. There is a common sense principle which goes like this: AD IMPOSSIBILE NEMO TENETUR. This translates into: NO ONE IS OBLIGED TO DO WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE.
But, before you excuse yourself from attending Mass on Ascension Thursday (or the Vigil), please ask yourself: “Is it really impossible for me to attend or am I just copping out?”
Missing Mass on a Sunday or on a Holyday of Obligation is always GRAVE MATTER. If the “missing” is “skipping” and if the “skipping” is done with full knowledge and full consent of the will, then the “skipping” is a mortal sin.
And we all know what mortal sin implies: the loss of sanctifying grace and the consequent loss of the right to go to Heaven.