Church of the Immaculate Conception Pastor: Rev. James J. Ward

Rectory office: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Mon-Fri, Closed Wed. 570-325-2791 • iccjt@ptd.net • www.iccjimthorpe.org

Whole Community Catechesis (WCC): wccjt@ptd.net St. Joseph Pre-School: 570-325-3186

Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator: Wendy S. Krisak, MA, NCC, LPC Direct Phone: 800-791-9209

Diocesan Safe Environment Coordinator: Sr. Meg Cole, SSJ, MS, LMFT Phone: 610-332-0442 ext. 19

Mass Schedule Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Church

Tuesday and Thursday: 8:00 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church

Saturday Vigil: 4:30 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church 6:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Church

Sunday: 8:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Church 10:30 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Saturdays: at ICC 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.; at St. Joseph: 6:00 p.m. to 6:20 p.m.

& anytime upon request

**unless otherwise noted in bulletin schedule

Liturgical Schedule ~Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Special Prayer Intentions- these are the people for whom we will be praying at Mass:

Sat. Feb. 9 4:30 pm (@ ICC) Agnes Johnson (Family) 6:30 pm (@ SJC) Intentions of John Dedinsky, 90th bday (Gloria Dedinsky)

Sun. Feb. 10 8:00 am (@ SJC) Matthew Reabold, 3rd anniv. (Mom)/ Living & Deceased Parishioners 10:30 am (@ ICC) Frank Miller, Sr. (wife, Fern, & Family) Mon. Feb. 11 8:00 am (@ SJC) In Thanksgiving to the Virgin Mary (Gedeon Family) / Timothy Dinan (Stephanie)

Tues. Feb. 12 8:00 am (@ ICC) John & Julie Yacapsin (M/M Eugene Yacapsin) / Bernard Schweibinz (Son)

Wed. Feb. 13 8:00 am (@ SJC) Joseph J. O’Donnell (M/M Robert Crampsie) / Margaret Mary Gildea (Blose) Thurs. Feb. 14 (Louise Goldman)

8:00 am (@ ICC) Mr. & Mrs. Jack & Midge Mulligan (Walt Fagan) / Michael Carpenter (Parents)

Fri. Feb. 15 8:00 am (@ SJC) Helen & Charles Burnett (Kathy & Chip Burnett) / John & Maryanne Smolczynski (Louise Serfas) 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Sat. Feb. 16 4:30 pm (@ ICC) Vincent Teichert (Janice, Lori, John Vincent, Carla, & Nicholas) 6:30 pm (@ SJC) Mary Vittorio (Sarah)

Sun. Feb. 17 8:00 am (@ SJC) Irene Milan, 2nd anniv. (Husband, children & grandchildren) / Living & Deceased Parishioners 10:30 am (@ ICC) Lucille Novak (son, James Novak)

Lay Ministers for the Weekend of Feb 16/17 Ministries: Saturday 4:30 p.m. Sunday 10:30 a.m. Lector: D Lisella J Novak E.M.: J & B Miller C & S McGinley, J & K Lawrence Altar Servers: J & J Behrens K & M Aaron

RESPONSORIAL PSALM ~ IN THE SIGHT OF THE ANGELS I WILL SING YOUR PRAISES, LORD.

THE SECOND COLLECTION this Sunday is for Fuel & Utilities. FAMILY ACTIVITY: The readings for this Sunday remind us that we are called by God to go forth and share the Good News. Decide as a family upon one action that would show your willingness to follow the way of Jesus. For example, visit a neighbor who is sick, offer to take a homebound person shopping, invite someone who lives alone to dinner.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES COLLECTION and for helping Jesus in disguise. Your contributions make a difference for the poor and marginalized around the world. If you missed the collection, it’s not too late to give! Just visit www.usccb.org/nationalcollections, and click on the “How to Give” link on the left.

CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS: If you would like a statement of contribution for 2018 please sign the form in church, please PRINT your name, address, phone, and email. THE 2019 MASS BOOK IS OPEN FOR REQUESTS. Mass intention envelopes are available in the Church for requesting a mass. You may also call the Rectory Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, from 9am to 12pm, or email iccjt@ptd.net.

WCC Question of the Week

What is a way that you can follow Jesus?

NEW CHILDREN’S ENVELOPE BOXES are available for pick-up in church. If your child does not have a set of envelopes, please sign the sheet or call the rectory and they will be prepared and

be available the following week WARM HEARTS, HAPPY FEET: The Annual Sock Drive sponsored by Court Ryan 911 Catholic Daughters of the Americas will be held the first two weeks in February. Please put new socks in the box in the church vestibule. They will be distributed to the local Food Pantries. Thanks in advance for your generosity. FOR A HUMBLE GUY, ST. PAUL REALLY TELLS IT LIKE IT IS. Paul lists those witnesses who actually saw the risen Jesus, last and least of these being Paul himself. Now we are used to thinking of Paul as one of the greatest apostles, even though we know he once persecuted Christians. So you might think he is being overly humble, like someone fishing for a compliment. No, Paul is only interested in making sure the Corinthians understand just how much God has done. Besides being "born abnormally" (1 Corinthians 15:8), that is, coming to follow Christ in such an unusual way, he felt unworthy because of so many Christians he hurt before his conversion. Yet he turns that unworthiness into an example of how much God has done through him. So he can say that he worked harder than any other apostles because of God's grace, not Paul's strength. In today's Gospel, Peter has a similar experience. He was a fisherman who knew his business and knew that some days, the fish just aren't there. So

when they caught enough fish to fill both boats, he realized that his pride was sinful. He was

unworthy to receive such bounty from the Lord. And yet Jesus tells him that "you will be catching men" (Luke 5:10). How many of us are like Peter and

Paul, thinking we know just what our place in the world is, relying on our own strengths to do our jobs? They found Jesus calling them to a much more challenging life. Do we have the courage to listen to God's call to serve? Tom Schmidt, © J. S. Paluch Co. CANDLE DEVOTIONS: There are a total of 11 candles in the Church and on the Altars that may be requested for devotions, whether in Memory of or in Honor of someone, or for a Special Intention. Please call or email the Rectory to request a candle and date.

TODAY, WE CELEBRATE WORLD MARRIAGE DAY and National Marriage Week February 7-14. The theme is Marriage: Made For A Reason. It is an opportunity to focus on building a culture of life & love that begins with promoting & defending marriage & the family. Resources & more info for couples can be found at allentowndiocese.org/enrich & ForYourMarriage.org CHECK-IN: There have been times in our marriage when we felt ourselves drifting apart. Not because of any one catastrophic event, but just because we weren’t working on our relationship. We were just getting by. But in a culture antithetical to marriage, just getting by is not enough. All Catholic couples need to work to cultivate a dynamic, vibrant relationship, strong enough to bear the demands of family life, and weather everything the world will throw at it. The reality is, we are never done working on our marriage. St. John Paul teaches us, “Love is never something ready-made, something merely given to man and woman, it is...a task which they are set. Love should be seen as something which never ‘is’ but is always only ‘becoming’...” This is true whether you have been married for 5 years or 50 years. We can never get to the point with our spouse when we say, “OK, now we finally have learned to love perfectly!” We never get there! Take some time on to celebrate World Marriage Day by doing a “Relationship Check” with your spouse. Get away from the kids, from work, from the house and ask, “How are we doing?”. Imagine your relationship as a separate entity (a tree is a good image). Step back from it and assess its health together. This isn’t a time to point out faults or establish blame, instead it’s a time to work together towards a noble goal. You are the primary witness to the sanctity of the sacrament of matrimony. Your marriage is of vital importance not just to your family, but also to the whole Church! Don’t allow yourselves to drift apart, but be intentional about having an exceptional marriage. Get more advice, ideas, and encouragement at our website: messyfamilyproject.org. We can change the world, one family at a time.