Epiphany is a day to make our homes glitter with the exuberance of gold, frankincense and myrrh. It's the customary day to bless the home for the New Year, although this blessing is fitting whenever you can gather the household in January. There are many variations of the Epiphany Home Blessing, one of the simpler ones is quoted below. It can be prayed as part of mealtime grace, and it can be embellished by writing with chalk above the front door "21 + C + M + B + 21" (the initials of the three holy kings, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, or the first letters of the Latin inscription: Christus mansionem benedicat—May Christ bless this home.). Then everyone walks from room-to-room sprinkling the home with holy water, a sign of the River Jordan. A twig from the Christmas tree makes a fine sprinkler. You can pray: God of Bethlehem and of Cana, God of Jordan's leaping waters in baptism you bring us into your family. You wed us, embracing us as your beloved. May we fill this home we have made with kindness to one another, with hospitality to guests, and with abundant care for every stranger. By the gentle light of a star, guide home all who seek you on paths of faith, hope and love, where we will join the angels in proclaiming your praise: Glory in heaven and peace on earth, now and forever. Amen.
Join us on January 6th for time of reflection, praise, and worship at Holy Spirit Church. The event will start at 7:45 PM, and feature a talk by Louis Bosco on the Holy Family, music by Jonah Soucy and his band, and a time of adoration and evening prayer. Bring family and friends!
A candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. This candymaker incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of the promise of God. The Candymaker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd, with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lamb’s who like all sheep, have gone astray. Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received, by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life. Unfortunately, the candy became known as the Candy Cane a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas. But the meaning remains for those who “have eyes to see and ears to hear.” May this symbol again be used to witness to the Wonder of Jesus and His Great Love that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominant force in the universe today.
The Next meeting will be Monday November 16th at 6:30pm in the school cafeteria. We will be collecting monetary donations fro the food cupboard instead of nonperishable items. COVID -19 protocol will be followed. Mask are required. All women from Grouping 101 are invited
The Music Department is hoping to reinstate a cantor rotation program at all weekend Masses at our four churches as safely as possible. Cantors help support the peoples singing. Indeed, where there is no choir, it is up to the cantor to direct the different chants (songs) . It is our hope that the cantors work in rotation at all the churches. If you are interested in being involved in this important ministry, or have previous experience as a cantor please contact Terry, Alyssa or Jon. Training will be provided.
There is a new Mass intention form for your use when requesting a Mass for your Loved ones. The form can be found under documents on the left hand side of this page.
As on January 4, 2021 there will be a new procedure for scheduling Masses. We will have just ONE Mass Book for scheduling all Mass Intentions for our four buildings. We are in the process of finalizing that procedure. PLEASE NOTE that due to a change in accounts, ALL MASS STIPEND CHECKS are to be made payable to “St. Matthew Parish”
Tickets are available at the side and back entrances of SAC. Tickets valid Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. The winning number is based on the evening lottery drawing. Tickets are $5.00. For information, call Suzy Johns at 412821 2404.
Saturday, September 26 starting at 9am. Light breakfast will be served and physical distancing will be observed. Please wear a mask until seated. Hope to see you there!
You are welcome to view this Assembly online at our website, www.EGMCatholic.org, or on our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/PittsburghCatholicGrouping101. Because I know many of our parishioners don't have access to the internet, there are in person watch sessions at each of our church buildings: Tuesday, 1 September 2020, St. Bonaventure Church, 1:30-3:00 PM; Tuesday, 1 September 2020, All Saints Church, 6:30-8:00 PM; Wednesday, 2 September 2020, Holy Spirit Church, 1:30-3:00 PM; Wednesday, 2 September 2020, St. Aloysius Church, 6:30-8:00 PM. The Parish Assembly is an opportunity to see where we are in the merger process and...click on the title to read more
Please visit this site to register the date for your child to receive Confirmation: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0c45aeaf2fa5fd0-grouping1 You are welcome to participate in any of the four sessions, first come, first served. When you register, please use your child’s name and the quantity of guests is “1”. Using a family email address is acceptable. CLICK ON THE TITLE TO ACTIVATE THE LINK...Thank you
It is that time of year again where we do our big recruiting push for our youth ministry programs! I am once more looking to grow our roster of adult volunteers for the upcoming year, as we continue to grow our ministry and reach more teens in our four parishes and community. There are various volunteer "roles" that we need filled this up coming year. Please pray about potentially joining our ministry in one of these capacities. To continue reading click on the title above
The regular schedule of confessions has resumed. Due to COVID restrictions, Confessions will be heard in the church proper. Please wear a mask and keep six (6) feet of separation as you wait in line. Click on the tab for Mass times to view the confession times.
Registration is now OPEN. The informational letter is posted above in the Document section. You have the ability to register by mail or electronically through our website. If you choose to register electronically payment must be submitted electronically at the same time by using the link on the following website pages. All Saints - Holy Spirit - St. Aloysius go to the Religious Education page for more information St. Bonaventure proceed to the Children & Youth Page. The 2020/21 Children's Faith Formation program will be subject to all CDC and Diocesan guidelines
Beginning Tuesday, May 19: Ages 40 and Over Beginning Wednesday, May 20: Under 40 Ages Alpha is an 11-week Christian video series that explores basic questions about faith. Alpha focuses on relationships - especially having a meaningful connection with God. Alpha is for anyone and everyone, at any point in their faith journey - from non-believers to regular active participants in church. Online Alpha begins with social time in your small group, is followed by a short video, and then a small group discussion occurs about topics set forth in the videos. The small groups allow for wonderful sharing. There isn’t an obligation to say anything, and there is nothing you cannot say. Alpha is not about “preaching or teaching”. It is an opportunity to hear from others and contribute your own perspective in a friendly and open environment. There is not a fee for the Alpha course. To sign up for this adventure - https://www.stmaryglenshaw.org/alpha
BP Adoration Chapel Returns June 15th! I am happy to announce that we will begin Adoration on Monday, June 15th! Due to coronavirus concerns, the Chapel's hours will be limited until we have sufficient adorers signed up. To start, we will have the chapel open from 8 AM to 10 PM on Monday and Tuesday ONLY, with the Chapel open from 8 AM to 2 PM on Wednesday ONLY. The Adoration Chapel will not be open on Thursdays or Fridays for the time being. In order to ensure everyone's safety, some sanitation protocol is necessary. Upon arrival, adorers must sanitize with the provided hand sanitizer. Masks should be worn at all times within the Church building. When finished praying, adorers must sanitize their spot using a spray bottle that will be provided. Instructions will be posted by the sign in table. To Read more click on the title of this article
NOTICE: the following events for Grouping 101 are now cancelled or suspended based on school closings and directives from the diocese. Sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation are postponed until further notice. Bishop Zubik has asked parishes with a May confirmation date to reschedule. We need your help in a short survey to determine when we should reschedule. You can find it at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VG36FFN. Thanks for your help in this matter.
In the about Document section you will find the letter from Bishop David A. Zubik outlining the precautions that the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh will begin to follow. Please become familiar with these precautions while maintaining healthy practices outside of church also. God Bless