Saint Aidan Parish Saint Alphonsus & Saint Alexis Churches

Sunday, February 7, 2021

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Pastoral Notes by Fr. Will

Indoor/Outdoor Mass Adjustments: I am in the final stages of reviewing the indoor/outdoor mass survey. I will be making some decisions soon. As I said several times, indoor and outdoor options will continue to be made available based on my discernment of the need. Please stay posted on the upcoming changes. These are difficult decisions; therefore, I ask for your prayers and support as I prayerfully consider a whole host of factors going into these decisions.

Thank you to all those who helped clean out the old church at Saint Alexis to make room for potential overflow seating for Mass.

Bishop Bonnar Update: He sends his thanks and gratitude toward the parish for all those praying for him and those who contributed to Youngstown's Catholic Charities' donation. Please read his letter enclosed on the next page.

Care for the sick, dying, and homebound: As a former parish chaplain, one of my primary concerns is for the sick, dying, and homebound of our parish. Please see the announcement and contact the parish if you or someone you know needs Holy Communion brought to them. I am in the process of training ministers to make pastoral visits in my name. Also, I provide visits to the dying for 'Last Rites.' Fr. Al cannot make visits, so the bishop allowed me to recruit a few other local priests to assist me in the significant ministry. I am grateful for those priests who agreed, as it gives me at least a day off each week without being on call 24/7.

Spiritual Formation Video Series: Please signup for our two formation series. 1.) Year of Saint Joseph Series “Consecration to Saint Joseph” 2.) Lent – Easter Series “The Wild Goose”. Grow in holiness.

Saint Alexis Sound System: We had a professional sound company make adjustments to the sound system at Saint Alexis Church. I know this has been an ongoing issue, and I will continue to work for improvements, but we believe that these adjustments have made a significant improvement.

Ash Wednesday is coming fast. Start making a spiritual plan for Lent in the three pillars of Lent: Prayer, Fasting, and Acts of Charity (Almsgiving). An Ash Wednesday schedule can be found on page 4 of this bulletin.

Fish Fry: Please support our annual Fish Fry. A long time tradition of our local church.

A Message from Fr. Al Zapf As I write this missive, I realize that I have entered a new and interesting world of the North Hills, and Wexford in particular. I had retired in July of 2020, and I was still trying to grasp a ‘retired’ mind set. I was still called upon from some of my former parishes for weekend masses, funerals, and confessions. People would say to me, “HOW’S RETIREMENT?” and I’d say back to them I don’t think that I have experienced it yet. Then in early January I had a call from the clergy office of the Diocese asking if I would come out of retirement for a limited time, because there was a need. I took a little time to pray about it and realized that I would be able to help the new pastor and the people of the parish, and also I had sought to do the Lord’s will. So here I am. For a priest one never really totally retires as we are most likely willing to help at parishes and fill-in when needed. While I was pastor at Our Lady of Joy Parish in Holiday Park, Plum, I was assigned to be Administrator/ Moderator of a newly formed grouping of Monroeville, Penn Hills, and Pitcairn, of 6 churches into one parish and some 12,000 souls. That truly was an experience which took a lot of planning, searching my mind and heart, more grey and white hairs, and even more praying--- that part a good thing. After not too long, of many discussions, and meetings and prayers, we as a clergy team and staff and Councils were able merge the churches into one parish, and the name chosen was CHRIST THE DIVINE SHEPHERD PARISH. At this time all 6 churches remain open. They are still growing in charity and in relationships with one another. I know eventually they will be fine, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Personally I like doing art work, especially painting when I HAVE TIME. I was reminded by someone who read a recent article of mine, that I like ‘THE BEATLES, BEETHOVEN, and BACH’. I enjoy the Steelers, Penguins, and yes for a long time, the Pirates. I hope that I can help in some ways while here, and I thank you ahead of time for your support and kindness which I have already experienced. God bless you all, Fr. Al Zapf+

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Prayer for Vocations to the Consecrated Life

O God, throughout the ages you have called women and men to pursue lives of perfect charity through the evangelical counsels

of poverty, chastity, and obedience. We give you thanks for these courageous witnesses

of faith and models of inspiration. Their pursuit of holy lives teaches us to make a

more perfect offering of ourselves to You.

Continue to enrich your Church by calling forth sons and daughters,

who having found the pearl of great price, treasure the Kingdom of Heaven

above all things. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God forever and ever. Amen.

Choir/Schola Start-Up Auditions Saint Aidan Parish, in accordance with the COVID guidelines of the Bishop of Pittsburgh, will be holding auditions for singers who would like to be a part of a schola/choir. These scholas will be composed of between 6-8 people and will be socially distanced for the safety of all involved. We hope to form many small scholas and to start working on Lenten and Easter music for the upcoming liturgical seasons. If you are interested in auditioning please talk with Ian at Mass or email him at ibrown@saintaidanparish.org.

World Day for Consecrated Life World Day for Consecrated Life was on Tuesday February 2 and is celebrated in parishes over the this weekend, February 6 - 7. Please pray for all those who have made commitments in the consecrated life, and be sure to thank them on their special day. May they continue to be inspired by Jesus Christ and

respond generously to God's gift of their vocation.

Sick or Homebound Do you have a family member, neighbor or friend within our parish community who is homebound? Do they need communion brought to them, a visit from a friendly face, or maybe they just need

the parish bulletin mailed to them? If you know of someone in need, please contact the Parish Center at 724.935.4343 and we can arrange for a parishioner to visit them.

Ash Wednesday

February 17, we will have distribution of ashes as follows:

6:30 a.m. Liturgy of the Word - St. Alphonsus 8:00 a.m. Mass - Saint Alexis 12:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Word - Saint Alexis 4:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Word - St. Alphonsus 7:00 p.m. Mass - Saint Alphonsus

Parish Center Closed The Parish Center will be closed on Monday, February 15 for President’s Day. The staff will return all emails and voicemails on Tuesday.

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Mass Intentions

6 Saturday, February 6 - St. Paul Miki and Companions 4:00 p.m. † Selma McNabb - The Dingle Family

Sunday, February 7 - The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 7:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

For the Living and Deceased Members of St. Aidan Parish † Mary Louise Lioi - The Casciato Family † Raymond Skundrich - The Skundrich Family † William C. Hunkele - Pat and Kathy Connell

8:00 a.m. † Anthony Kummer - Carolyn and Don Gaus

Tuesday, February 9 - Weekday

8:00 a.m. † Mary Roso - The Bruno Family Wednesday, February 10 - St. Scholastica

8:00 a.m. † Richard “Dick” Eichner - Stephen and Emilie Baker

Thursday, February 11 - Our Lady of Lourdes 8:00 a.m. † Debbie Crighton - Amy Rollin

Friday, February 12 - Weekday 8:00 a.m. † Margaret Cornelius - Kim and John Gavel

6 Saturday, February 13 - Blessed Virgin Mary 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.

† Msg. Thomas D. Candreva - George and Kate Candreva † Cindy Hill - Alexis Manor Residents

Sunday, February 14 - The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 7:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

For the Living and Deceased Members of St. Aidan Parish † Patricia Pfendler - Bob and Judy Zehr † Patricia Lyons - Dad, Mom and Family † The Roso Family - Emilia Kosinski

Monday, February 8 - St. Jerome Emiliani; St. Josephine Bakhita

Today’s Readings

First Reading: I am filled with restlessness until the dawn. (Jb 7:4) Psalm: Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted. (Ps 147) Or Alleluia. Second Reading: I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it. (1 Cor 9:22-23) Gospel: He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. (Mk 1:34) Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass ©2001, 1998, 1970 CCD. The English translation of Psalm Responses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. ©LPi

Readings for the Week Sunday: Jb 7:1-4, 6-7/Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 [cf. 3a]/1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23/Mk 1:29-39 Monday: Gn 1:1-19/Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c [31b]/Mk 6:53-56 Tuesday: Gn 1:20—2:4a/Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 [2ab]/Mk 7:1-13 Wednesday: Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17/Ps 104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30 [1a]/Mk 7:14-23 Thursday: Gn 2:18-25/Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 [cf. 1a]/Mk 7:24-30 Friday: Gn 3:1-8/Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7 [1a]/Mk 7:31-37 Saturday: Gn 3:9-24/Ps 90:2, 3-4abc, 5-6, 12-13 [1]/ Mk 8:1-10

SCRIPTURE READINGS

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Saint Aidan Parish wishes to extend sympathy to those who mourn the loss of a loved one, especially the souls who recently passed through death: Lawrence Brehl (87), uncle of Susan and Manuel Vallejo;

Martin T. Mulkerrin (80), husband of Carmel. May the choirs of angels welcome them and, may they find eternal rest.

THANK YOU! We are grateful for the following gifts that were recently made to Saint Aidan Parish:

In memory of Elaine Pietrusinski

From:

Dennis and Mary Kay Ritz

2020 Parish Share Assessment: $ 285,076 Collected: $ 329,794

January 25, 2021 through January 31, 2021 Saint Aidan Income

A special thanks to ARTISTIC Tree & Landscaping Creations or advertising in our parish bulletin. Please patronize our sponsors or be sure to thank them when you have the opportunity. It is through their support that our weekly bulletin is made possible!

May God bless all our benefactors!

WE PRAY FOR THE SICK

We entrust to the care of Christ the Divine Physician, those members of our parish families of Saint Aidan who are in need of healing, especially:

If you know of a parishioner or have a loved one who is ill, contact the Parish Center at 724.935.4343 to add their name onto the prayer list. Names will remain for four weeks unless requested.

Dick Anderson Brian Bart Charles Begley Rachel Borck Emma Bullick John Dagnon Gloria Dudowski Julie Ewell Nancy Greer Patricia Gross David Hoza Gilbert Huckestein John Hunsinger

Al Korade Lois Leahy Shari Lennon Gene Lersch Mary Maloney Eugene Mancino Gerard McArdle Liz McArdle Irene Schultz Janice Spowal Amber VanVickle David Zappa Mark Zywan

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE

Regular Electronic Total Offertory $ 8,414 $ $ 8,414 Parish Share $ 1,874 $ $ 1,874 Christmas $ 30 $ $ 30 Mary Fund $ 220 $ $ 220 Catholic Education $ 85 $ $ 85 Solemnity of Mary $ 25 $ $ 25 Future Diocesan Collections $ 0 $ $ 0 In Memory Donation $ 50 $ $ 50 St. Anthony/DePaul $ 55 $ $ 55 Votives $ 152 $ $ 152 TOTAL $ 11,000 $ $ 11,000

2020 Contribution Statements Parishioner 2020 contribution statements were sent the last week of January. There are separate statements for Saint Aidan (July - December), and the previous parishes of Saint Alexis and Saint Alphonsus (January - June). All statements for the previous parishes were sent via paper statement through the US mail. If you feel there is a discrepancy in your statement, please contact Mary King at mking@saintaidanparish.org or (724) 935-1151 ext. 212.

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Baptism Information If you wish to have your baby baptized, please go to our Website under "Faith Formation" and "Baptism Preparation" to view our guidelines and fill out the request form. If this is your first child, you will need to attend a baptism preparation session. It is recommended that you attend before your baby is born. Upcoming dates are March 18 and May 20 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. If it has been 4 years since you have attended a baptism preparation session, you will need to attend our Strengthening the Domestic Church virtual retreat to fulfill the preparation requirement. Upcoming date is February 18. Questions? Contact Darcy Osby: dosby@saintaidanparish.org.

Faith Formation Update Grades K-6 this week are starting Unit 3 focusing on how we live what we believe. Lesson 11: How do we know God loves us? tells us about our human dignity and gift of free will. God gives us everything we need to grow in his love.The sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders strengthen individuals for particular vocations of service.

The Wild Goose Encounter the Holy Spirit this Lent and Easter season! Join us for this stunning video series on the Holy Spirit presented by Fr. Dave Pivonka, followed by discussion and prayer. On site or virtually, Wednesday evenings starting February 24 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Register on our website under "Connect" then "Events".

Consecration to St. Joseph In this Year of St. Joseph, get to know our spiritual father more intimately and rely on his paternal care. Starting Monday, February 15, we will begin a new 33 day preparation to read through the book Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway, ending with a consecration service on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19. Each week you will be sent an email with the reading for the week and a video of Fr. Will and Darcy Osby reflecting on the passages. Sign up now on our website under "Connect” then "Events"

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Blessed Seelos Academy

St. Aidan Men’s Fellowship 2021 Program

The Men's Fellowship provides a forum for adult learning about the Catholic faith to help us to become better husbands, fathers, friends, co-workers and apostles. In late 2020, the St. Alexis and St. Alphonsus groups were combined. The meetings are typically facilitated discussions on the teachings of the Church. We meet on Monday night from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Presently we are meeting virtually. Pre-COVID we met in person and followed up our formal meeting at a nearby local restaurant for those who are interested in continuing fellowship. We are kicking off our 2021 efforts with three (3) bi-weekly facilitated discussions on the following current topics:

• February 15 – The Hosts of Heaven – Saints and Angels • March 1 – Creation Theology and Evolution Starting on March 15, we will shift to a weekly meeting schedule and expand the program to include a bi-weekly discussion on the Ten Commandments using the Catechism of the Catholic Church as our main reference document. The initial schedule of the weekly meeting is: • March 15 – Introduction/Overview to the Ten Commandments • March 22 – Current Topic Discussion TBD • March 29 – First Commandment • April 5 – Current Topic Discussion TBD • April 12 – Second Commandment In addition to this weekly program, we hope to have special programs/speakers during the course of the year to complement our efforts. All are welcome: parishioners and non-parishioners alike. I hope you will consider joining us for one of our programs to check out this parish faith formation program for adult men. Please contact Paul Spence at either (724) 713-8633 or p.l.spence@gmail.com for more information.

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Please fill out the form on the opposite side, tear out and return with your payment to the Parish Center Office.

Thank you!

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Around the Neighborhood

Priority2Work - Are you currently in job transition, or know someone who is? If so please reach out to at priority2work.org. Priorty2Work is a faith-centered organization that is Guided by H.O.P.E. (Helping Others Pursue Employment). We are not an employment agency, but our experienced volunteers can help you chart your course to that next job or career and beyond. Priority2Work offers skills classes on interviewing, resume writing,

networking, and LinkedIn as well as a Career Marketing Class. Due to Covid-19, all these classes are being done remotely.

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Worship Aid for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Website: saintaidanparish.org Phones - 724.935.1151 or 724.935.4343 Fax - 724.935.1270

S A P D A P C T

10090 O P H W , PA 15090

SERVED BY Pastor Rev. William D. Wuenschel - wwuenschel@saintaidanparish.org/ x 233 Senior Priest, Retired in Residence Rev. Albert Zapf - azapf@diopitt.org Deacons Deacon Albert Heiles - aheiles@saintaidanparish.org Deacon Jeffrey J. Ludwikowski/jludwikowski@diopitt.org Director of Parish Operations/Business Manager Chuck Goetz - cgoetz@saintaidanparish.org/x 223 Office Manager MaryEllen Pendel/mependel@saintaidanparish.org/x 221 Safe Environment Coordinator/Administrative Assistant Mary King - mking@saintaidanparish.org/ x 212 Director of Faith Formation Darcy Osby - dosby@saintaidanparish.org/x 213 Faith Formation Assistant Paula Green - pgreen@saintaidanparish.org/x 225 Coordinator of Youth Ministry /Young Adults and Social Media David Piccirilli - dpiccirilli@saintaidanparish.org/x 227 Director of Music Ian Brown/ibrown@saintaidanparish.org/x 226 Assistant Music Director - Lisa Hoffman - lisachoffmann@gmail.com Music Associate - Mary Heagy - mheagy@saintaidanparish.org

North Hills Regional School Board - www.nhrces.org

BLESSED FRANCIS SEELOS ACADEMY Principal Robert Reese - rreese@seelosacademy.org

School Secretary K-8 Patty Anfang - panfang@seelosacademy.org 724.935.1152

School Secretary Pre-K Chris Schlieper - cschlieper@seelosacademy.org 724.935.3940

* * Bulletin announcements and flyers are due by 12:00 p.m. Friday, a week

in advance of publication. * *

DIOCESAN VICTIM ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR 412.456.3093 (Office)

1.888.808.1235 (Hot Line) PA Child Line - 1.800.932.0313

Call 911 immediately if a child is in danger.

Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (temporarily closed)

MASS TIMES

Daily: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. St. Alexis Weekend: Saturday - 4:00 p.m. St. Alexis Parking Lot Sunday - 7:00 a.m. St. Alphonsus Live Streamed 8:00 a.m. St. Alexis 9:00 a.m. St. Alphonsus Parking Lot 10:00 a.m. St. Alexis Parking Lot

RECONCILIATION

Saturday from 11:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Saint Alexis Church

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Tuesday - 7:00 p.m. Saint Alexis Church.

SACRAMENTS

For Baptism, Marriage and Holy Orders questions, please contact the Parish Center and we will put you in touch with the proper staff member.

NEW MEMBERS

We welcome you! To become a registered member of the parish family, please visit our website at www.saintaidanparish.org. Introduce yourself to us at Mass!