MASS SCHEDULE
Saturday Vigil 5:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM
Holy Day Vigil 7:00 PM
8:00 AM
Weekdays 8:00 AM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
HOLY CROSS DIRECTORY
Rev. William C. McGuirk
Pastor & Trust Administrator
Email: [email protected]
Pastoral Council: Gerald Andrews, Bob Kimmick,
Anthony & Sharon Rizzardi, Debbie Schotting,
Kay Sofranko, Joe Sostarich, Rose Yoder
Faith Formation: Brian Lohr
Finance Council: Joseph Adamoski, Mark Frick,
Georgie Gamberoni, Sally Hurrianko, Dennis McManus
Ministry of Care: Facilitator Joan Jones
Prayer Chain: Pat Cassa
Parish Staff Choir Director: Carol Sostarich
Organists: Linda Eismont, Carol Kalich, Mimi McManus
Sacristan: Eleanor Hamrock
Business Manager: Sara Thomas
Women’s Guild: President: Eleanor Hamrock
Health Ministry Coordinator/Parish Nurse: Melanie Orndoff
Knights of Columbus: Charles Stack Meeting 2nd Wednesday at 7:30 PM
Confession Saturday 4:00 PM
Marriages Call the parish office at least 6 months in advance.
Baptisms Contact the parish office.
Anointing of the Sick Call the parish office.
Parish Office Hours Monday-Friday 9:00 AM—4:00 PM
facebook.com/hcyoungwood
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Water & Soft Drink Donations
16 oz. bottled water, 12 oz. cans Pepsi products and
iced tea. Donations may be dropped off in the
stairwell near the parking lot.
Basket Raffle
To donate a basket for this year’s festival, you can
bring them already made up or bring a basket full of
goodies. Please contact Eleanor 724-925-7792.
Dessert Booth
Donations of cakes, cookies & pies, call Kay at
724-925-7408.
Cash Drawing
Tickets for the cash drawing at this year’s festival
will be mailed out.
Dime Pitch
Glasses with your favorite sports team logos, car-
toon characters, vacation destinations, etc., for the
dime pitch may be dropped off in the church hall.
New Festival Workers
Call Carol Kalich about clearances, 724-925-2752.
Stewardship 7/9/17
Offertory $4,099 Loose Collection $182 Monthly Inflation $85 Children’s Collection $13 Total $4,379 Candles $110 Ascension $10 Peter’s Pence $10 Budget: $6,600 Over/Under -$2,221
Sincere thanks for your financial stewardship to Holy Cross Parish.
Due to HIPPA Law, Westmoreland
Hospital can no longer tell pastors who is
ill. Families must call the office. If you
are admitted to the hospital and wish to
have a Catholic Chaplain visit you, you
must let them know.
Any personal injury on church property,
please make sure you call the office or
speak to the priest.
The Sanctuary Candle
If you wish to reserve this candle,
which is the large red candle near the
Tabernacle, in honor of a loved one
(birthday, anniversary, etc.) or in
memory of a loved one, please call
the parish office.
Is God Whispering to You?
Explore singing in a
church setting and see if it
is what God wants for you.
Come join us for an introductory
singing workshop on Wednesday,
July 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the church.
For info or to accept the invitation. contact Penne Steiger at
724-600-5189 or Carol Kalich at
724-925-2752.
Altar Flowers
If you would like to purchase
flowers for the altar, please call the
parish office.
MAGNIFICAT BREAKFAST
The Greensburg Chapter of Magnificat-A Ministry to
Catholic Women, is holding a breakfast at the Ramada
Hotel and Convention Center, Rt. 30 East, Greensburg, on
Saturday, July 29 from 9 a.m.-12 noon. Guest speaker will
be Fr. Bill Kiel, who will give the personal testimony of his
change of vocation from school teacher to priest and his
life-changing trip to Medjugorje. Cost is $20/student rate $15. To register,
please call Brenda by July 21 at 724-836-2094 or visit
www.magnificatgreensburg.com to download a registration form. Please note
that there is no online registration.
Diocese Sponsors Drug Education & Prayer Service Evenings A series of seven Summer Diocesan Drug Education and Prayer Service
Evenings have been scheduled in response to Bishop Edward C. Malesic’s pas-
toral letter on the drug abuse crisis. Sessions begin at 7 p.m. and are open to the
public. There will be an educational presentation about the opioid epidemic in
the region, a questions-and-answer session and a prayer service led by Bishop
Malesic on Thursday, Aug. 3, at Our Lady of Grace Parish, Greensburg. You
can read the pastoral letter at www.dioceseofgreensburg.org.
The Bereavement Support Group at St. Vincent Basilica Parish in La-
trobe will meet on Monday, July 17 at 7 p.m. in the Parish Center Conference
Room. Anyone dealing with the death of a loved one is invited to attend and
new faces are always welcome. The group meets on the 3rd Monday of each
month and there is no cost to attend. Contact Teri Pomerleau for directions or
more information at 724-539-8629, ext. 15 or [email protected].
The Rosary Altar Society of St. Paul Parish, Greensburg will hold its annual
Trash ’n Treasure Sale on Saturday, July 15 (9 a.m.-7 p.m.), and Sunday, July 16
(10 a.m.-2 p.m.). There will be a $4 “Bag Sale” on Monday, July 17, 9 a.m.-1
p.m. Jewelry and “Big Items” will be ½ off original sticker price. For more infor-
mation, please contact the Church Office at 724-834-6880.
Holy Cross Youth Seven Springs Family Fun Day!!
Join us July 30th at 10 a.m. for Mass on the mountain. If you can't make it to Mass, we will get our all-day activity bracelets at 11 a.m. and then enjoy the day! Cost will be $10 for active youth members and $38 for friends and parents. Please contact Bob Chappell @ 724-516-7636 or [email protected]
to reserve your spot.
Sacred Steps
Sacramental Celebrations
At Holy Cross
Viola Wetmore, mother
of parishioner Sharon
Achtziger, recently passed
away.
Please keep her and her
family in your prayers.
Pre-register for NFP Instruction
The next Natural Family Planning CM-BBT Method instruction is set for
Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 at 6 p.m. at the Catholic Charities office in Greens-
burg.
Please call at least one week prior to instruction. To pre-register or for
more information, call Mary Ann Newhouse at Catholic Charities at 724-
837-1840, ext. 1658. Participants are required to attend only one session.
The instruction, continued support and follow-up are provided by a medi-
cally certified CM-BBT professional.
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 16, 2017 “The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest” Psalm 65
MASS INTENTIONS
Sat: Jul 15
5:00PM+
Sun: Jul 16
8:00AM+
10:00AM+
Mon: Jul 17
8:00AM+
Tue: Jul 18
8:00AM+
Wed: Jul 19
8:00AM+
Thu: Jul 20
8:00AM+
Fri: Jul 21
8:00AM Sat: Jul 22
5:00PM+
Sun: Jul 23
8:00AM+
10:00AM+
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Vigil)
Daniel Genard, Sr. (B)
(Family/Children)
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mary Lishego
(Linda Eismont)
Living & Deceased Holy Cross Members
Weekday
Mary & Lewis Capretti
(Tish & Bill Capretti)
Weekday
Stella Morgan
(Louella Free)
Weekday Mr. & Mrs John Backes (Granddaughter Louella)
Weekday Kari Stinebiser (A) (Karen & Paul Hochendoner)
St. Lawrence No Mass
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Vigil)
Genevieve Forsythe (Joe & Margie Altschaffl)
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fred Brown
(Eleanor Hamrock)
Living & Deceased Holy Cross Members
.UNDERSTANDING THE WORD
Writing to the people in exile, the prophet known as Sec-
ond Isaiah encourages hopefulness, using nature as his inspi-
ration. Just as rain and snow fulfill their goal—that of mak-
ing the earth fertile—so too will God’s word be fulfilled. Set
within an invitation to a banquet (Isaiah 55:1), Second Isaiah
charges the people to “see the Lord” by forsaking wicked-
ness and turning to God, who is merciful (Isaiah 55:6-7).
The prophet attempts to explain the mysterious nature of
God (Isaiah 55:8) by appealing to the efficacy of natural
phenomena. In our Gospel, Jesus will also appeal to nature
to explain the kingdom of heaven.
The wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23), so Paul can
rightly acknowledge that “creation awaits with eager expec-
tation the revelation of the children of God” (Romans 8:19),
because creation also experiences death. Paul does not ac-
cuse creation of sin. Rather, he recognizes that the cosmic
dimensions of salvation are meant not only for humanity,
“who are led by the Spirit” (Romans 8:14), but also for all of
creation. However, this redemption is yet to be complete, so
“all creation is groaning in labor pains even until
now” (Romans 8:22). Charged with hope, we are to “wait
with endurance” (Romans 8:25) the fullness of redemption.
The thread of nature is woven throughout our three read-
ings. In the first, nature is a metaphor for God’s faithfulness.
In Romans, creation shares in the same hope of redemption
with humanity. And in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the par-
able of the sower and the seed to describe receptivity to his
word. While the explanation of the parable (vv. 18-23) likely
belongs to the early church and not Jesus, both parable and
explanation focus on who can or cannot receive understand-
ing. When asked why he speaks in parables to those gath-
ered, Jesus answers, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of
the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you” (v. 11). The
quote from Isaiah (vv. 14-15) is used to explain why some
accept Jesus’ proclamation and others do not. “They have
closed their eyes” (v. 15). Like the seed that fell on unfavor-
able places and could not grow, so also some people were
destined not to accept Jesus. The explanation of the parable
(vv. 18-23) addresses the question of the early church: Why
have so many not believed? Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.
The inner word: What’s in Your Heart? Imagine That!
esus taught in parables, often from the
natural world. Our sacraments use things that
come to us from the natural realm, too. All can
lead us to imagine God’s reign among us.
How do I till the soil of my heart to let
God’s seed grow within me?
What keeps my heart hardened to the ways
in which God invites growth and life?
REFLECTING ON THE WORD
Discover what a sign or symbol’s use in everyday life can reveal
about its use in sacramental life.
Are we open to hear what God is saying to us in the events of
life and how we respond to them, or have we become as hard as
the ground that cannot receive the seed? Do we labor to understand
God when we are asked to change familiar attitudes or ways of
living? Do we allow the rain of God’s reign to fall upon us in ways
that soften us so that the seed of God’s will can sow mercy, bibli-
cal justice, and reconciliation in us and our world?
Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.