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. 2019

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 ~ Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Special Prayer Intentions- these are the people for whom we will be praying at Mass: Sat. Sept. 7 4:30 pm (ICC) Rev. Vincent I. Cronin, 20th anniv. (Friend)

6:30 pm (SJC) Kay Bimler, deceased 100th bday (Erin & Michael Hartman & Family)

Sun. Sept. 8 8:00 am (SJC) John Herman (James Ahlbrandt) / Living & Deceased Parishioners 10:30 am (ICC) Virginia & Jake Lleweylln (Family) Mon. Sept. 9 8:00 am (SJC) Margaret Martino (Family) / Ken Snerr, deceased bday (Snerr Family) Tues. Sept. 10 8:00 am (ICC) Patricia McFadden (Patricia Heaney) / Monica Martino (Terri & Fred Cinicola) Wed. Sept. 11 8:00 am (SJC) All First Responders, Police, Fire, Ambulance & EMT Personnel / Patricia Kurtz Thurs. Sept. 12 (Ken & Rose McArdle) 8:00 am (ICC) William Quinn (Arrighi Family) / Phyllis Steidle (St. Joseph Parish Choir) Fri. Sept. 13

8:00 am (SJC) Mary Agnes McElmoyle (Jim Thorpe National Bank) / Ken Snerr (Joseph Krebs & Family) Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sat. Sept. 14 4:30 pm (ICC) Stella Nederostek (Susan Schatz)

6:30 pm (SJC) Robert Inforzato, Sr. (St. Joseph Parish Choir)

Sun. Sept. 15 8:00 am (SJC) Living & Deceased Members of the Kattner Family (Celine Nauman) / Living & Deceased Parishioners 10:30 am (ICC) All Catechists

Lay Ministers for the Weekend of Sept. 14/15 Ministries: Saturday 4:30 p.m. Sunday 10:30 a.m. Lector: Jay Llewellen S McGinley E.M.: J Novak, G Strubinger, J & B Miller L. Whitehead, J Donnelly, N. O’Shaughnessy Altar Servers: J Behrens K & M Aaron

RESPONSORIAL PSALM ~ IN EVERY AGE, O LORD, YOU HAVE BEEN OUR REFUGE.

FOOD PANTRY COLLECTION: St. Joseph Food Pantry will have bins in the vestibule of church for the month of September for donations of non-perishable foods such as cereal, dry goods, canned meats, veggies and more. Our shelves are low and we are in need of donations. Thank you for your support of the needy in our community.

FAMILY ACTIVITY: As a family watch a movie about a saint who has given up a great deal to become closer to Jesus. EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS - A morning of recollection is planned for Sat. Sept 21st from 9am to Noon at Sacred Heart Parish, Palmerton, conducted by Father Bobbin and his retreat team. Bishop Schlert is recommending that all EM’s attend this (or similar) event. The $5 fee will be paid by your parish. Please call either ICC or SJC Rectory office to register and let Fr. Ward know if you will be attending.

WCC Question of the Week

Which one of your possessions is keeping your from having a closer relationship to Jesus?

OUR PARISH PICNIC IS NEXT SUNDAY, SEPT. 15th from 12-5pm at Memorial Park. Irish Dancers will perform approx. 1:30-2pm, and the cake walk will be at 3pm. Please Note: Food take-out orders will not be sold until after 4pm. Non-perishable items are due this Monday Sept 9. Perishable items should be delivered to Memorial Park the morning

of the picnic. Anyone wishing to donate food items, baked goods, or if you have any questions please call either Judy @ 570-325-3310 or Carol @ 570-325-2129.

TRIENNIAL COLLECTION FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES (AMS) - This national collection will be taken up September 14/15 in the Allentown Diocese. Envelopes are available at the entrances of church (they are not included in the mailed packet). Established in 1985 the AMS is responsible for providing pastoral care to men and women serving in the US Armed Forces, enrolled in a US Military Academy, patients of any US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, or working for the federal government beyond US borders and for the families of these populations. Salaries and benefits of military chaplains are paid by the government, the AMS does not receive and government funding for program and administrative costs. Nor does it have any parishes for weekly in-pew collections, and must rely principally on private donations. For more info please visit www.milarch.org/nationalcollection. This collection is only taken up every 3 years, please give generously. A BIBLICAL WALK THROUGH THE MASS: Understanding What We Say & Do in the Liturgy. Do you ever wish you could get more out of Mass? Discover how all the prayers, symbols, & rituals in the liturgy can come alive for us today once we understand their Biblical roots. Dr. Edward Sri will present at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena during an evening beginning with Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop Schlert at 6:30pm on Friday, Oct. 4. Register at allentowndiocese.org/Liturgy

SHOWER OF ROSES FESTIVAL – October 6th, The Shrine of St. Therese, Nesquehoning will begin with Mass at 1pm. 3pm Procession with Recital of the Rosary, 4pm Benediction at the Grotto, 5pm Shower of Blessings from Heaven (Rose Drop). Ethnic foods, vendors, music, spaghetti dinner!. For more info contact St. Joseph, 570-645-2664, sjpvparish@gmail.com.

HAVE A FEW HOURS A WEEK AND WANT TO CHANGE LIVES? Volunteer For Special Olympics! The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and competition in a variety of sports. Carbon County currently offers track & field, bocce, bowling and powerlifting. We are also looking to add long distance walking/running and gymnastics. We are in need of volunteers and coaches. You DO NOT need to be an expert to volunteer for a sport. All you need is the desire to work with the athletes. The time commitment is 1-2 practices a week for 8 to 12 weeks prior to competitions. To volunteer please contact Lisa Cooper at 610-392-3264 or sign up to become a Class A volunteer on line at vsys.specialolympicspa.org/pages/app/newvolapp HOPING AGAINST HOPE: LIVING THE GOSPEL WHERE IT IS UNWELCOME – The Diocesan Commission for Men is offering a men’s morning of reflection on Sat, Oct 19, at Queenship of Mary in Northampton. An optional Holy Mass will be offered at 8am followed by refreshments. Presentations by Rev. Eric Gruber, Rev. Patrick Lamb, and Rev. David Anthony will begin at 9:15am. To register for this free offering visit www.allentowndiocese.org/cfm-spirituality FREE TO LOVE: St. Paul must have understood today's Gospel very well. Like Jesus, he knew what being a disciple would cost. It landed him in prison. Also like Jesus, he is not afraid to ask others to take that discipleship seriously. And he is not ashamed to ask a favor: Would Philemon accept his runaway slave, Onesimus, back into his home? Not just as a slave, but as a member of his family.

In the Gospel, Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship. Paul takes that a step further--he reminds us to accept that cost freely. He could have ordered his friend to free the slave. Instead of giving an order, he called Philemon to respond to his request freely. Perhaps we can learn from that example.

Like Paul, when Jesus commands us to love one another, he leaves us free to accept that challenge. Remember, he always says, "Love one another, as I have loved you" (John 13:34). Jesus was never compelled to cure anyone or forgive their sins. Yet how often do we go to church because we were told we have to? Do we volunteer for the picnic only because the pastor twists our arm? We can live life just doing what we have to. Or when Jesus offers us a new motive--love for God because God loves us--we can choose to follow him freely. Let us ask the Spirit to fill us with the freedom to love. Tom Schmidt, © J. S. Paluch Co.