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Saint James Parish Goal
To deepen our own faith in Jesus Christ in order to
bring it to and share it with others
.

 
DYNAMITE! 
The current issue of the Catholic Update focuses on how we as the Church are meant to be a light to the world, a light that shines forth with energy and brightness and the power of dynamite!  This CU entitled “Being Catholic Today” is written by Fr. Robert Barron who suggests that if we understand the great story of our faith, we will be better Catholics filled with the dynamic power of the Gospel of Christ and able to light a fire on the earth.    Pick up a free copy of the CU each month from the table in the narthex or contact Sr. Zoe Ann for a copy.  Read it and see what you think. 
 
VOTING

The current issue of the Catholic Update deals with the moral challenge of voting.  The CU entitled “Faithful Citizenship: The Challenge of Forming consciences” is a summary of the U.S. bishops recent statement to Catholics about forming their faith properly before making political decisions.  As is always the case, the bishops do not tell Catholics how to vote, but rather they encourage Catholics to develop their consciences based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to not be single-issue voters.  Pick up a free copy of the CU each month from the table in the narthex.  Read it and see what you think. 

 
ORGANIC PRODUCE

The Villa Greenhouse is now open for the summer on Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Flowers, hanging baskets, flats, herbs, and organic vegetables are available.  All proceeds help in funding the primary mission of the Villa Farm – to donate fresh organic produce for those who are poor in the Youngstown and New Castle area.  For more information contact John Moreira at 724-964-8920 ext. 3385.

 
BOOK CLUB

Interested in joining a monthly Book Club to review current books of fiction from the New York Times’ best sellers list?  Meet the second Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in the Mother Madelaine Room at the Villa.  Books may be purchased at a discount at the Villa Shoppe.  Refreshments will be served, no fee, but registration is necessary.  For more information contact Sr. Barbara Lenarcic at 724-964-8920 ext. 3223.    

 

CONGRATULATIONS
ALLELUIA! A special and joyful WELCOME and CONGRATULATIONS to our 6 newest Catholics.  Christine who was baptized as a child was sealed with the Spirit and then fed at the Table of the Lord.  The other five, our neophytes (newly baptized) celebrated all three Easter sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.  We are so happy that they were chosen by God to be initiated into our church at the Easter Vigil this year!   We celebrate our kinship with them in Jesus Christ!   ALLELUIA!

CHRISTINE BENSON
JOHN BENSON
JOHNNY BENSON
ERIC BENSON
DAVID DeJOHN
MICHAEL KOHNEN

BIBLE DONATION
Recently a generous parishioner made a monetary donation to St. James Parish in memory of Mary Phillian asking that we buy various translations of the Bible and make them available to the parishioners.  Mary was involved in the prayer and Bible study group that meets on Friday mornings.  In honor of Mary who loved the Scriptures, 6 books were purchased.  One of the new books is a comparative Bible which gives each passage of Scripture laid out on a page with four different translations side by side for easy comparison.  You may be interested in reviewing some of the books which are housed for the time being in a specially marked box in the narthex or in the Social Hall.  

Hi St. James Parishioners,

As you probably know from the bulletin articles, there is a Food Cupboard at St. Joseph Parish in New Castle that is supported by the parishes in Lawrence Co.  So now when people come to us at St. James with requests, we can send them to St. Joe's for food.  Anyone from our area who is in need of food can go there for help. 

We are grateful that St. Joe's is willing and able to provide this wonderful ministry, and we want to support them so that this can continue.  Thus, we send monetary and food contributions to the Food Cupboard. 

Each month we at St. James are collecting a specific food item to donate.  This month it is CANNED VEGETABLES.  So when you are shopping this week or see a good sale, remember to throw a few extra cans into your grocery cart for the Food Cupboard. 

Then when you come to Mass this weekend, remember to bring your cans and put them in the containers in the narthex.  Thank you for reaching out to others in this way and helping to feed Christ present among us today!    

ST. JAMES PRAY-ER
A designated Sister at the Villa prays each day for the parishioners of St. James!  One of the special ministries of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary is “the Ministry of Prayer.”  This simply means that each and every HM Sister and her ministry have the support of daily prayer, usually a holy hour, offered by another Sister who is “retired” or semi-retired from her own active ministry.  Sr. Ruth Wolfert is Sr. Zoe Ann’s special “pray-er,” since she prays for her daily and hence, for everyone at St. James, too.  Sr. Ruth, who lives at the Villa, wouldn’t mind us telling you that her 89th birthday was February 6 and that this year she is celebrating her 70th jubilee as a Humility of Mary Sister.   Many of you will remember Sr. Ruth who, up till just a few years ago, had been active at St. James as one of the leaders of our weekly prayer group.  She continues to enjoy relatively good physical health and still has not learned to slow down and just walk.  Any parishioner who has a special prayer request is always welcome to ask Sr. Ruth to include that intention in her prayers.  Sr. Zoe Ann will be happy to pass the requests on to Sr. Ruth or you can send a card to her at PO box 505, Villa Maria, PA 16155.

MARRIAGE MINISTRY
Following are some contacts for marriage ministries sponsored by the Diocese of Pittsburgh.  For more information on any of them, call the number listed or contact Sr.Zoe Ann.

Engaged Encounter Marriage Preparation Weekend for engaged couples Contact Brian & Nancy Stevens at 412-861-0262

Marriage Encounter
(Inspirational Weekend Experience for Married Couples)Contact Mary & Lou Locante at 412-635-7775

Retrouvaille
(Help for Troubled Marriages) weekend experience: private time & confidentiality Contact Eric & Vicki John at 1-800-470-2230

Natural Family Planning Contact numbers for information on NFP include the following:
Jacki Pleska 724-747-2470; Dolores Shipe 412-732-0502; Micha Peters 412-766-4053

VILLA SHOPPE
There is a gift shop at the Villa which is now open to the public each day from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Saturday.  The shop features traditional items, e.g., sweatshirts, cards, jewelry, crosses, rosaries, books, CDs, as well as many unique gifts, e.g., prayer bowls, handheld labyrinths, fair trade coffees and soup mixes, original art prints, holiday baskets and the Villa Cook Book.  Call ahead for evening hours.  724-964-8920 ext. 3279.

NEW ADULT CATECHISM
Many of you are probably aware that there is a new United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.  There have been articles about it in the newspapers and in the Pittsburgh Catholic.   Based on the universal catechism, the book was developed by the U.S. Conference of Bishops.  It is written with a very reader-friendly format including lots of stories, sidebars, and summary boxes.  Copies of the new catechism are available at St. James for purchase at the discounted price of $16 rather than the list price of $25.  Anyone interested in purchasing a catechism should contact Sr. Zoe Ann or sign up on the sheet in the narthex.  Checks can be made payable to St. James. 

BIBLES FOR SALE
$10 for paperback copy. The New American Catholic Bible. Contact Sr. Zoe Ann or The Religious Education Committee

NEW RCIA GROUP
We are presently forming a new inquiry group for the RCIA process. If you know of someone who may be interested in learning more about the Catholic Church and is discerning the possibility of becoming Catholic, please contact Sister Zoe Ann by calling the parish office at 724-964-8276.

HOSPITAL & NURSING HOME STAYS 
A recently enacted law has affected the longstanding practice of hospitals and nursing facilities of providing information to parishes about parishioners who are patients or residents. Because of the new law, the priests and the staff of the parish may not promptly learn or may not learn at all, that a member of the parish has been admitted to the hospital or nursing home. If you, or a member of your family are hospitalized or enter a long-term care facility or assisted, independent living residential facility and you want the parish office to know, please personally or through a family member contact the church office promptly. We will do our best to obtain information about our parishioners, but we are limited in the information we can obtain. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. 

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