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Saint Wendel in Roman Catholic Parish

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Have you ever heard the term vision quest? How about the term heroes’ journey? These are terms used to describe trials that people put themselves through in order to discover who they really are and what they are called to do. These can be very powerful events in people’s lives. Heroes’ journey is the term that Joseph Campbell uses for this kind of testing. Campbell had a great influence on George Lucas as Lucas wrote Star Wars. Luke Skywalker went on one of these journeys in the early movies. He is tested so that he might discover who he is and embrace his mission. Ok I’m done geeking out to Star Wars! This week, we are challenged - by the example of Jesus - to go on a sort of vision quest in preparation of our mission. This vision quest, this heroes’ journey, is called Lent.

Lent is a time for us to purposely place ourselves in temptation so that we can remember or find out; but probably at best - decide - who we really are. It is the time when we, like Jesus, are faced with a choice. Who will be the center, the focus of my life? Will it be me or will it be God? Maybe that seems too simplistic. It is not. In each of the three temptations Jesus faced in Luke’s Gospel today, He is faced with a choice. Will He serve Himself, His body, His ego or will He serve God? This is another one of those moments where Jesus undergoes something that He really doesn’t have to; but, He does anyway - for us. He does it because we NEED to do it. We need to make this choice between ourselves and God in order to fulfill our mission. God is always about the mission.

So let me ask you this. What are you doing this Lent? How will it be different from the other 40 days of the year? It needs to be different. Whatever you are doing, whether giving up something or doing something extra, make sure that it is something that asks you to choose between your body, your ego, your desires, and God. Make it a vision quest. Make it a heroes’ journey. Let yourself be tested by what you do so that you can choose God. Make it real, because the mission God has for you is real.

Peace and Love,

Fr. Matt

Page 2 St. Wendelin and St. John Parishes February 14, 2016

A Message from the Pastor ...

Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8-10, 15;

Mt 25:31-46Tuesday:

Is 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-7, 16-19; Mt 6:7-15

Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13,18-19;

Lk 11:29-32Thursday:

Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25; Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8; Mt 7:7-12

Friday: Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-8;

Mt 5:20-26Saturday:

Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Mt 5:43-48Sunday:

Gn 15:5-12, 17-18; Ps 27:1, 7-9, 13-14;

Phil 3:17 -- 4:1 [3:20 -- 4:1]; Lk 9:28b-36

Confession - SaturdaysSt. Wendelin - 11:30am - 12:00pm

St. John - 3:15 - 3:45pm Baptisms

Pre-Birth/Pre-Baptism Instruction:Call either office to register.

MarriageSix months notice

Stations of the Cross Fridays of Lent

~ St. John ~7:00pm

~ St. Wendelin ~1:50pm and 7:00pm

The First Sunday of Lent Page 3

Saturday, February 13 - Vigil 4:00pm For the Parishioners of St. John Parish Sunday, February 14 - First Sunday of Lent 8:45am Thomas Neff (Trudy & Betty) Monday, February 15 9:00am Mary Lou PalsaThursday, February 18 7:30am Tom Bayer (The Birch Family) Saturday, February 20 - Vigil 4:00pm Jerry Snyder (Family)Sunday, February 21 - Second Sunday of Lent 8:45am Doris Otto (Family)

Saturday, February 13 Confession ....................... 11:30am to Noon Vigil Mass ........................................ 6:00pmSunday, February 14 Mass ..............................7:00am & 10:30am Grades K-8 ......................................NO CCD Youth Group ....................... ............6:00pm Monday, February 15 AA Meeting ..................................... 8:00pmTuesday, February 16 School - Open House .............. Two Sessions Cub, Boy Scouts .......................6:00-9:00pm Rosary & Faith Alive ....... 6:30pm & 7:00pmWednesday, February 17 Mass .............................................. 10:15am Girl Scouts ...............................5:45-8:00pmThursday, February 18 Choir practice .................................. 7:00pm RCIA ................................................ 7:00pmFriday, February 19 Mass ................................................ 7:30am Stations of the Cross ...... 1:50pm & 7:00pm B-I-N-G-O .....doors-6:00pm, games-7:00pmSaturday, February 20 Confession ....................... 11:30am to Noon Vigil Mass ........................................ 6:00pm K of C Spaghetti Dinner ...................EveningSunday, February 21 Mass ..............................7:00am & 10:30am Grades K-6 CCD .....................9:00-10:15am commences in church, dismissal from school K of C Spaghetti Dinner ............... Afternoon Youth Group .................................... 6:00pm Middle School CCD ..................6:30-8:00pm Confirmation Parent Meeting ......... 6:40pm

Saturday, February 13 Confessions ......................... 3:15 to 3:45pm Vigil Mass ........................................ 4:00pmSunday, February 14 Mass .................................................8:45am Grades Preschool-5 CCD ........ 9:45-11:00am commences in church, dismissal from CCD Center Youth Group at St. Wendelin..............6:00pm Monday, February 15 Mass at Pine Haven ............................9:00amTuesday, February 16 Grade 6 CCD nursing home visits ....... 6:00pmThursday, February 18 Mass ................................................ 7:30am Choir practice .................................. 7:00pm RCIA at St. Wendelin ......................... 7:00pmFriday, February 19 Stations of the Cross ....................... 7:00pmSaturday, February 20 Confessions ......................... 3:15 to 3:45pm Vigil Mass ........................................ 4:00pmSunday, February 21 Mass .................................................8:45am Grades Preschool-5 CCD ........ 9:45-11:00am commences in church, dismissal from CCD Center First Communion Parent Meeting ..11:00am in second grade classroom Youth Group .................................... 6:00pm at St. Wendelin Middle School CCD .................. 6:30-8:00pm at St. Wendelin Confirmation Parent Meeting ........ 6:40pm at St. Wendelin

Saturday, February 13 - Vigil 6:00pm Regis Neff (R.C. Men’s Club)Sunday, February 14 - First Sunday of Lent 7:00am Patty MacKrell (Larry MacKrell Family) 10:30am Fred Collins (Carol) Wednesday, February 17 10:15am Bert Green (Bob & Joyce Geibel) Friday, February 19 7:30am Mary Ann Weleski (The Choir)Saturday, February 20 - Vigil 6:00pm Esther Stephenson (Family)Sunday, February 21 - Second Sunday of Lent 7:00am For the Parishioners of St. Wendelin Parish 10:30am Gary Young (Buck & Phyllis Hindman)

St. Wendelin

St. WendelinSt. JohnSt. John

Youth Group members A.J. Geibel, Dustin Coyle, Hunter Schaffner, and Eric Putney show off their homemade donuts.

Youth Group enjoys Fat Tuesday!

KnighTS oF CoLuMbuSHunger knoWS no SeaSonDuring Lent, the Knights of Columbus is conducting a “40 Cans for Lent” pro-gram at both St. John and St. Wendelin. The goal of this national program is for each council member and each parishio-ner to contribute one can of food per day during the 40 days of Lent. Look for bins at each parish and please be generous.

THIS WEEK’S FEATURED ADVERTISER

hiLAnd goLF CourSePlease support and thank our advertisers!

Page 4 St. Wendelin and St. John Parishes February 14, 2016

Offertory..................................................$2,533.50Weekly Goal............................................$2,650.00PSP Goal for 2016 .................................$24,132.00PSP Payments-To-Date................................$5,313.00PSP Outstanding Pledge Amount-To-Date........$175.00

THAnk yOu for your

generosity to parish

ministries!

SATURDAY 4:00pm SUNDAY 8:45am Maxine Yonosko Susanna Fraley Dorothy Long Rose Hinch Bill Katsko Dixie Mennor VoLunTeer neeDeD Cecilia George Meghan Thornton Tabitha Burke Mason Thornton Paige Burke

ST. JOHN COLLECTIONS

February 20 & 21

LeCTor

euCHarISTICMInISTerS

aLTarSerVerS

February 6 & 7

CCd’S LenTen WorKS oF MerCyFooD DrIVe, Souper boWL CoLLeCTIonSt. John CCD’s Lenten Food Drive starts today, Sun-day, Feb. 14, and runs through Sunday, March 13. Blue donation bins will be located in the bell tower and the CCD Center. Please donate non perishable food items and personal care products.Also, during the Souper Bowl of Caring collection last weekend, CCD students received $242.27. These generous donations will be split between St. Vincent DePaul and the Community Dinner.

Parishioners Abigail Luppe and Shelby Zanicky, Girl Scouts with Troop 20035,

are selling Girl Scout cookies after Masses on February 27 and 28. Price is $4.00 a box.

Abigail and Shelby appreciate your support.(Fr. Matt’s favorite is Thin Mints!)

PAriSh ShAre 2016upDaTe on reporTIng anD neW goaL

The 2016 Parish Share Goal for St. John is $24,132. This year, we will be reporting our progress differ-ently in the bulletin. Payments made to the Parish Share using pledge cards and PSP/EMR envelopes will be recorded as PSP Payments-To-Date. Pledges made without payment-in-full will be shown as PSP Outstanding Pledge Amount-To-Date. Each time a payment is made toward a pledge, the payment total will increase and the pledge total will decrease. This will allow for a more accurate accounting of our PSP progress. If you have questions, please contact the parish office. Thank you for continual support.

pIne HaVen MaSSMass tomorrow - Monday, Feb. 15 - is at Pine Haven at 9:00am. There is no 7:30am Mass at St. John.CCD aT nurSIng HoMe

On Tuesday, Feb. 16, sixth graders are to report to the assigned nursing home at 6:00pm. Students in seventh and eighth grades can join for community service hours.

greAT For PArTieS!LaST CHanCe TabLeS

Approximately eight (8) wooden 8-foot tables are for sale, as is, for $5.00 each. Please contact the parish office (724-287-7590) by March 1 if you are interested. After March 1, the tables will be discarded.

reCyCLe bIn eMpTIeD ToMorroW Thank you to everyone who has expressed concern about the extremely full paper recycle bin. There were a couple hiccups with getting the bin emptied, but the company has scheduled for it to be emptied tomor-row, Monday, Feb. 15. After tomorrow, the bin will be emptied every two weeks. Thank you again to every-one who has been using the bin and earning money for the parish through this simple act of conservation.

The First Sunday of Lent Page 5

SATURDAY 6:00pm SUNDAY 7:00am SUNDAY 10:30am Catherine Rodgers Joel Geibel Jill Geibel Ruth Ann Nebel Monica Perry Mary Bergbigler Nancy Oesterling Lori Welter Patty Sanderson Rob Orloski John Stepansky Dick Sanderson Rosemary WeigandUDominic GeibelU Logan HufUMakenzie Crevar-Kuntz Chance Downing Mercedes Guynup

LeCTor

euCHarISTICMInISTerS

aLTarSerVerS

ST. WENDELIN COLLECTIONS February 6 & 7

Offertory ............................... $4,564.00Weekly Goal ......................... $4,350.00Project Fund .............................. $84.00Adopt-A-Child .......................... $482.00St. Vincent DePaul ..................... $25.00Endowment ............................... $20.00Parish Share ............................. $345.00Parish Share 2015 Assessment ..... $39,948.00Parish Share to Date ........... $35,823.00

THAnk yOu for your generosity to parish ministries!

February 20 & 21

Please include the following parishioner on February’s Prayer List:

James Franz. Prayer - it works.

prayer LIST upDaTeFor February

A bLeSSing: CaTHoLIC SCHooLS Week: Communities of Faith, Knowledge, and Service

Tuesday, Feb. 16 is St. Wendelin School Registration and Open house for 2016-17 K-8 families. There are two sessions - morning and evening. Call 724-285-4986.

roCkIn’!Student Council Dance

on February 5.

To THe rIgHT anD beLoW:Students’ fun-filled,

faith-filled week concludes with Crazy Hat Day and

activities from Junior Achievement.

Third grade:February is

your month!

Please remember spare change for the Animal Friends collection. February is third grade for both CCD and the school.

CaTHoLIC IDenTITy WeekLy VIrTue/VaLue This week’s virtue is

ForTiTude Fortitude is the virtue that enables us to act bravely in the face of trouble and fear.

Scripture References: ~ Joshua 1:9 ~ Be strong and steadfast! Do not fear or be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go. ~ John 15:18-19 ~ If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.

ST. WenDeLIn SCHooL STuDenT oF THe Week

This week’s St. Wendelin School Student of the Week is riley Thorhauer. Riley is a third grade student at St. Wendelin School. Riley has three brothers and one sister. His favorite subjects are Science and Library. He has received the Math 24 and Principal’s Award at St. Wendelin School. Riley enjoys playing video games, reading, and eating pizza. He also participates in Cub Scouts. Riley is very humorous and is always willing to lend a helping hand to his classmates. Congratulations to this week’s St. Wendelin School Student of the Week, Riley Thorhauer!

School & Religious Education News

Page 6 St. Wendelin and St. John Parishes February 14, 2016

All are welcome to join B-I-N-G-O in the church hall. Concession stand will have a Lenten meal option featuring a fish sandwich, French fries, cole slaw, cookies, and a drink for $5.00. Come early, eat dinner, and then enjoy an evening of Bingo.

St. Wendelin School Student Council members collected cans of soup to donate to St. Vincent DePaul Food Bank. The Corporal Work of Mercy is one of several performed by students during Catholic Schools Week. We are asked to ... Feed the Hungry.

St. Wendelin SchoolFamily B-I-N-G-O Night

Friday, February 19Doors open at 6:00pmBingo begins at 7:00pm

MiddLe SChooL CCd LenTen SaCrIFICe, SCrIpTure

Sunday, Feb. 21 is the next Middle School CCD class at St. Wendelin, 6:30-8:00pm. Students: please come prepared with your completed sacrifice and scripture assign-ment. Students absent on Feb. 7 should have received the assignment in the mail. If you did not receive it, please contact Gina Bea-ver at St. Wendelin. This is also the night of Confirmation Parent Meeting, 6:40pm in the church. After the meeting, parents are invited to class until dismissal at 8:00pm.Parents: If completed sacraments or selected sponsors are from a parish other than St. John or St. Wendelin, please bring documentations. We still have time to work of this - DOn’T PAnIC!

CoMMunIon parenT MeeTIngSSt. John: Sunday, Feb. 21, 11:00am, second grade classroom, CCD Center, immediately after classSt. Wendelin: Sunday, Feb. 28, 9:10am,in the church. After the meeting parents are invited to the second grade classroom until dismissal at 10:15pm.If your child was not baptized at either St. John or St. Wendelin, please bring a copy of their baptismal certificate to your meeting. If you do not have a copy, please contact the parish in which your child was baptized and ask for a certificate.FIrST reConCILIaTIon DaTeS

St. John: Saturday, Feb. 27, 10:00amSt. Wendelin: Saturday, March 5, 10:00amPlease report directly to the appropriate church.

a LenTen TraDITIon: ST. paTrICk FISH Fry

The First Sunday of Lent Page 7

St. Wendelin Parishwww.stwendelinbutler.com

210 St. Wendelin Road, Butler, PA 16002Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 9:00am-Noon

StaffFather Matt McClain, Pastor 724-287-0820, X102Nicole Karenbauer - Office Manager 724-287-0820, X111 parish@stwendelinbutler.org JoLynn Clouse - Principal 724-285-4986 stwend@zoominternet.net Dan Vernon - Business Manager 724-287-0820 danielrvernon@gmail.com Gina Beaver - CCD Director 724-287-0820, X112 drestwendelin@gmail.comKaren Love - Music Coordinator 724-287-0820 musicstwend@gmail.combrian roper - Safe Environment Coordinator 724-287-0820 stwendelinsafeenvironment@gmail.comEric Campbell - youth & young Adult Minister 724-287-0820 stwendelinym@gmail.comCemetery - Contact Parish Office at 724-287-0820

St. John the Evangelist Parishwww.stjohntheevangelistparish.org

668 Clearfield Road, Fenelton PA 16034-9743Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday - 9:00am-2:00pm

StaffFather Matt McClain, Pastor 724-287-7590Barbara Boltz - Office Manager and Safe Environment Coordinator 724-287-7590 stjohnchurch@zoominternet.net Laura Eakman - CCD Program Manager 724-287-0426 stjohnccd@zoominternet.netSteven Yealy - Music Coordinator 717-451-2082 stevenyealy@gmail.comJake Snyder - Cemetery Manager (home) 724-297-5485

ST. JoHn prayer reQueST HoTLIneContact Rose Chuba, Prayer Chain Coordinator at 724-285-1134 and leave a short message with the reason for the prayer request.

our neighbors in FaithThiS LenT: CeLebraTe JubILee year

THrougH WorkS oF MerCyOften the word “mercy” is associated with forgiveness or the removal of a well-deserved punishment. But in this year of mercy, it is good for us to reflect upon the broader vision laid out by Jesus: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35–36). The Church teaches that there are seven corporal and spiritual works of mercy. This Lent, put a work of mercy into practice each week. Here are some ideas:Week One: Feed the hungry. Buy gift cards or meals for people standing at street corners. Make a meal and deliver it to your local Catholic Worker house. Volunteer at a food pantry, food bank, or soup kitchen. Send a donation to Catholic Charities.Week Two: Shelter the homeless. The world is filled with refu-gees fleeing war, persecution,and brutalization. Is there a refu-gee resettlement office nearby? Ask what help is needed.Week Three: Clothe the naked. Go through your closets and storage, and collect clothing, furniture, and bedding to donate to shelters for abused women and children, or the Salvation Army.Week Four: Comfort the afflicted. Think of someone in your parish, neighborhood, or at work who is going through difficult times. Invite a widower to dinner, send a note of encouragement to someone in a tough situation, or offer a sympathetic ear.Week Five: Bear wrongs patiently. No one likes being unjustly accused or unfairly treated, but it’s easy to let petty insults ruin a day. This week, pray for grace to let go of the little things, from social media jabs to rude drivers and poor customer service.Week Six: Instruct the ignorant. Too often we approach conflict-ing points of view by assuming our own rightness and everyone else’s wrongness. This week, approach such conflicts by seek-ing to understand why your opponent holds a differing opinion. Beginning with mutual respect makes it more likely that you will be an effective witness.Week Seven: Forgive offenses willingly. Pride hampers both sides of the forgiveness equation. This week, practice humility both by apologizing without delay, and by graciously accepting apologies from others when they are offered.

CaTHoLIC aLIVe! Speaker SerIeSConCLuDeS aT ST. MICHaeL

The final speaker of the six-month series Catholic Alive! is Fr. Michael Stumpf, and he will present “From the Moun-tain with Mercy” on Wednesday, March 2, 6:30-8:00pm. St. Michael is located at 432 Center Ave., Butler, and the program is in the school hall. In addition to Fr. Stumpf’s presentation, the event features music, praise, and fellowship. Child care provided. Call 724-282-4107 for information.

St. Patrick Parish in Brady’s Bend will serve Fish Dinners on Fridays through March 18 from 4:00-6:30pm, eat-in or take out. Select from fried or baked fish, macaroni and cheese, baked potato, or French fries. Each meal includes cole slaw, beverage, and bread. Price for adults is $9.50, children ages 3-12 are $4.75, and 2-and-under are free (no free take outs). For take outs, please call 724-526-5180 after 3:30 pm.