Page 2

Parish Information

Joining the Parish

New Parishioners are always welcome. Census forms can be found in the vestibule of the churches. Simply fill one out and drop it in the collection basket.

Planning a Baptism

The birth of a child brings joy to the family. Through Baptism, that child is joined to the family of God, which brings great joy to the church. Parents seeking Baptism are asked to contact the parish office.

Scheduling Weddings

Couples contemplating marriage are asked to contact the parish office

and set up an appointment with Fr. Ken before making any other plans for their wedding. This appointment should take place at least one year before the contemplated date.

Our Parish Intercessory Prayer

Group provides prayers for anyone

in need throughout the parish. Mary Ann Magda is the Coordinator and can be reached at 570-655-1218

Outreach to the Homebound

Sr. Madonna SSCM, assisted by our dedicated EMOCs, provides Sacramental care to the elderly, homebound and hospitalized. If you, or someone you know, are homebound or in need of a pastoral visit, please contact Sr. Madonna.

Anointing of the Sick

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may take place at any time, especially if one is seriously ill. Please contact the parish office to set up a time for Fr. Ken to visit.

Funeral Preparations

The loss of a loved one is a particularly difficult time for those who are bereaved. Our parish community collaborates with local funeral directors in assisting families during their time of grief.

Bequests to the Parish

Please Remember St. Andre Bessette Parish with Memorial gifts at the time of death or with a bequest in your will. Make a return to the Lord for all the good He has given you.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 26, 2015

JOIN US FOR EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Every Thursday beginning at Noon.

The time of Adoration ends with Evening Prayer and Benediction at 5 p.m.

SCHOOL ITEM COLLECTION School Items may be left in the box that has been provided for that purpose in our sanctuary. Your generous help for those who cannot afford these items for school is greatly appreciated. All Items must be in by AUGUST 9th.

The Parish Women’s Spirituality Group will celebrate the Feast of the Queenship of Mary on August 22nd with the coronation of our Lady at the Fatima shrine in front of the church. All parishioners are invited to

take part in this celebration at 3:00p.m. on August 22nd. Watch for the

Parish Labor Day Family

Picnic which will be held on September 7th following the Labor Day Morning Mass. Our Summer Raffle Drawing will take place

then. We are in need of someone with grilling expertise to man the grill. If you are that

person, call Tina Evans

STAT! (570-814-9227)

Sell those Tickets!

Our Parish Summer

Raffle is underway!

First Prize is

$1,000.00. Tickets sell

for $2.00 each or book

of 10 for $20.00.

Proceeds benefit the Parish General

Fund—which pays all the bills! Support

your parish by selling all your tickets!

Dancing Under the Stars— We

are excited to announce that our

Fall Dance will be held on September 19th from 7—11 p.m. at St. Mary’s Hall. DJ Rockin Fr. Kloton will play the best of the oldies

hits and we will feature a homemade dinner and dessert buffet. Tickets are $20.00 each and will be sold beginning August 1st.

A Basket Raffle will

be held at the Dance,

but we would like all donated baskets to be in by August 1st so we can sell raffle

tickets in the church for several weekends prior to the dance. For more

info on the Dance and Raffle, call Tina at 570-814-9227.

Our Parish will celebrate

the Golden Jubilee of

Sr. Madonna on Sunday,

October 4th following the

11 a.m. Mass. Mark your

calendars today!

SAVE

THE DATE!!!

Holy Redeemer

High School

NIGHT AT

THE RACES

Saturday, November

7, 2015

For more info, call 570-829-2424.

Page 3

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS

The next meeting of the Parish Finance Council will be on Thursday, July 30 at 6 p.m. in the POMR.

The next meeting of the Parish Liturgy Council will be on Tuesday, August 25th at 7 p.m. in the

parish office meeting room. All interested parishioners are welcome.

The Parish Pastoral Council The next Pastoral Council meeting is scheduled for

Thursday, August 20 at 6 p.m. in the POLMR. All

members of the Pastoral Council are asked to be present.

The Parish Social Justice Council will meet in the POMR on September 10 at 6:00 p.m. All members are

asked to be present.

PARISH COMMITTEES

The Young at Heart Committee will meet on Wednesday, August 19 at 1 p.m. in the POMR. All who

are “Young at Heart” are welcome to attend.

CHECK OUT

OUR PARISH WEBSITE

FOR UPDATES

ON ALL OUR

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS

AND PARISH COMMITTEES

www.standrebessettewb.com

Resurrection Choir will meet each Tuesday at 1 p.m. for rehearsal. All parishioners are invited

to be part of this choir whose ministry is to provide Liturgical music during parish funerals.

Food for

July is Peanut Butter

and Jelly and /or Coffee

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 26, 2015

Shabbat candles, braided challah bread, prayer, family time. In Jewish communities, Sabbaths are truly set apart from the rest of the week. (Indeed, the Hebrew word for "holy"—as in, "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy"—means, literally, "set apart.") When I practiced Judaism, I would begin my Sabbath with a relaxed Friday night dinner, followed by a day of worship, rest, and celebration. During the Sabbath day, I didn't think about my schoolwork, spend any money, ride in a car, or watch television.

Then I became a Christian. Although I went to church on Sunday mornings, the day never seemed quite as holy. As often as not, I wound up at the shopping mall on Sunday afternoon.

Of course, Christians aren't bound by Old-Testament Sabbath directives. Twice in his epistles, the apostle Paul made it clear that Sabbath observance, like other external signs of piety, is insufficient for salvation. As he wrote to the Colossians, "Therefore do not let anyone judge you … with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ" (Colossians 2:16-17). And Jesus, when rebuked by the Pharisees for plucking grain from a field on the Sabbath, criticized those who made a fetish of Sabbath observance, insisting, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27).

But Jesus never said to forget the Sabbath completely. Keeping the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments, after all! And through the ages Christians have seen the wisdom of devoting

one full day to rest and praise. There's an old Puritan saying, "Good Sabbaths make good Christians."

Still, honoring the Sabbath was easier in Puritan New England, where almost everyone took the Sabbath seriously. Shops weren't open on Sundays, businesses closed their doors, and everyone headed to church. Sabbaths are much more difficult in contemporary America. In fact, in a society that values busyness and productivity, observing the Sabbath is downright countercultural.

That's not to say contemporary society doesn't encourage us to relax. To the contrary, most secular women's magazines and television talk shows (not to mention Calgon ads) instruct us to indulge ourselves. While there's nothing wrong with the occasional bubble bath, Calgon days aren't quite the same thing as Sabbath. The key to the Sabbath isn't merely rest. Rather, it's that in our rest we turn our attention to God, whose rest our Sabbath mirrors.

So how, in our hectic world, can we set apart a day truly given over to rest and reverence?

I've found it helpful to mark the beginning of the Sabbath. On Saturday evenings, I gather with friends for an unhurried time of food, fellowship, and prayer.

I also have taken inspiration from the two commandments that govern Jewish Sabbath observance: to not work on the Sabbath, and to be joyful. On Sundays, I don't shop, I don't grade papers, and I don't touch my phone. I even try not to make any plans for the week ahead. Instead, I do things that will give me and God joy. I take long walks with friends. I take extra time for Bible study. And I'm never overly meticulous about these guidelines. On a recent Sunday, my mother, who's quite ill, ran out of her nutritional drinks. Of course I headed to the store and bought her a pack.

The way into Christian Sabbath observance isn't so much about rules as orientation: away from the busyness of the week and towards the Creator who rested. In this we may find a true sense of Shabbat shalom, Sabbath peace.

Lauren F. Winner is the author of Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity, Girl Meets God (Algonquin Books), and Mudhouse Sabbath (Paraclete Press), a book that opens with a chapter

on Sabbath-keeping.

Copyright © 2004 by the author or Christianity Today/Today's Christian Woman magazine.

© 2015 Christianity Today

Lauren F. Winner

What Does It Mean to Keep the Sabbath Holy?

Christians aren't bound by Old-Testament Sabbath directives, but Jesus never said to forget the Sabbath completely.

Page 4

Climate as a common good

23. The climate is a common good,

belonging to all and meant for all. At the global level, it is a complex system linked to many of the essential conditions for human life. A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing

warming of the climatic system. In recent decades this warming has been accompanied by a constant rise in the sea level and, it would appear, by an increase of extreme weather events, even if a scientifically determinable cause cannot be assigned to each

particular phenomenon. Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and

consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it. It is true

that there are other factors (such as volcanic activity, variations in the earth’s orbit and axis, the solar cycle), yet a number of scientific studies indicate that most global warming in recent decades is due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases

(carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides and others) released mainly as a result of human activity. Concentrated in the atmosphere, these gases do not allow the warmth of the sun’s rays reflected by the earth to be dispersed in

space. The problem is aggravated by a

model of development based on the intensive use of fossil fuels, which is at the heart of the worldwide energy system. Another determining factor has been an increase in changed uses of the soil, principally deforestation for

agricultural purposes.

24. Warming has effects on the carbon cycle. It creates a vicious circle which

aggravates the situation even more, affecting the availability of essential resources like drinking water, energy and agricultural production in warmer regions, and leading to the extinction of

part of the planet’s biodiversity. The

melting in the polar ice caps and in high altitude plains can lead to the dangerous release of methane gas, while the decomposition of frozen organic material can further increase the emission of carbon dioxide. Things are made worse by the loss of tropical

forests which would otherwise help to mitigate climate change. Carbon dioxide pollution increases the acidification of the oceans and compromises the marine food chain. If present trends continue, this century may well witness extraordinary climate change and an

unprecedented destruction of

ecosystems, with serious consequences for all of us. A rise in the sea level, for example, can create extremely serious situations, if we consider that a quarter of the world’s population lives on the

coast or nearby, and that the majority of our megacities are situated in coastal areas.

25. Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the

distribution of goods. It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day. Its worst impact

will probably be felt by developing countries in coming decades. Many of the poor live in areas particularly

affected by phenomena related to warming, and their means of subsistence are largely dependent on natural reserves and ecosystemic services such as agriculture, fishing and forestry. They have no other financial activities or resources which can enable

them to adapt to climate change or to face natural disasters, and their access to social services and protection is very limited. For example, changes in climate, to which animals and plants cannot adapt, lead them to migrate;

this in turn affects the livelihood of the

poor, who are then forced to leave their homes, with great uncertainty for their future and that of their children. There has been a tragic rise in the number of migrants seeking to flee from the growing poverty caused by environmental degradation. They are

not recognized by international conventions as refugees; they bear the loss of the lives they have left behind, without enjoying any legal protection whatsoever. Sadly, there is widespread indifference to such suffering, which is even now taking place throughout our

world. Our lack of response to these

tragedies involving our brothers and sisters points to the loss of that sense of responsibility for our fellow men and women upon which all civil society is founded.

26. Many of those who possess more resources and economic or political

power seem mostly to be concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms, simply making efforts to reduce some of the negative impacts of climate change. However, many of these symptoms indicate that such effects will continue

to worsen if we continue with current

models of production and consumption. There is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases can be drastically reduced, for example,

substituting for fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy. Worldwide there is minimal access to clean and renewable energy. There is still a need to develop adequate storage technologies. Some

countries have made considerable progress, although it is far from constituting a significant proportion. Investments have also been made in

means of production and transportation which consume less energy and require fewer raw materials, as well as in

methods of construction and renovating buildings which improve their energy efficiency. But these good practices are still far from widespread.

___________________________

.

Read the whole encyclical on our website www.standrebessettewb.com!

ENCYCLICAL LETTER: LAUDATO SI’ of Pope Francis

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 26, 2015

Page 5

Financial Page

Your Gift to God

July 19, 2015

Above $100.00 2

$100.00 4

$76-99 3

$75 0

$51-74 1

$50 6

$26-49 16

$25 10

$21-24 0

$20 44

$16-19 1

$15 16

$11-14 3

$10 98

$6-9 18

$5 81

Below $5 32

Total Used 335

Mass Attendance

July 18-19, 2015

Attendance In-Church Collection

4:00 p.m. 136 1,361.25

5:30 p.m. 77 1,164.05

8:00 a.m. 88 917.25

11:00 a.m. 88 1,421.00

Total 389 $4,863.55

Votive Offerings

Bread & Wine

In Memory of

Offered by

Sanctuary Lamp

In Memory of John V. and Anna B. Hudock

Offered by Daughter, Anna

Income Expenses July 16-22, 2015

July 18, 2015

In Church Collection

Mailed In Collection

Loose 172.50 -0-

Sunday Offering 4,025.05 960.00

Holy day -0- -0-

Initial Offering -0- -0-

Dues 299.00 420.00

Debt Reduction 331.00 37.00

Holiday Flowers -0- -0-

TOTAL PARISH COLLECTION

$4,827.55 $1,417.00

Diocesan and Other Collections

Catholic Relief Services

36.00 67.00

Peters Pence -0- -0-

Catholic Communications

-0- -0-

TOTAL

DIOCESAN

COLLECTIONS $36.00 $67.00

TOTAL SUNDAY

COLLECTION $4,863.55 $1,484.00

Other Income

Candles 62.00

Rental of Properties

-0-

Miscellaneous -0-

Perquisites -0-

TOTAL OTHER

INCOME $62.00

TOTAL INCOME

GENERAL FUND

THIS WEEK $6,409.55

Administration -0-

Parish Assessment

-0-

School Assessment

-0-

Clergy Residence

741.21

Liturgy -0-

Religious Education

-0-

Social Justice -0-

Operation & Maintenance

1,294.73

Insurance -0-

Taxes -0-

Loan Principal Payment

-0-

Loan Interest Payment

-0-

Diocesan Collections

-0-

TOTAL EXPENSES THIS WEEK

$2,035.94

+

General Fund Recapitulation

General Fund Previous Balance

$3,588.32

+ Income this week

+6,409.55

- Expenses this week

-2,035.94

Balance Forward

$7,961.93

Monthly Diocesan Bills (July 1, 2015– June 30, 2016)

Title Amount Billed Amount Paid Balance Remaining

Parish Assessment 37,313.98 -0- 37,313.98

Assessment for Schools 55,970.97 -0- 55,970.97

Insurance 22,720.00 -0- 22,720.00

Clergy Pension 6,600.00 -0- 6,600.00

Clergy Medical (BC/BS) 14,663.18 -0- 14,663.18

Post Retirement Fund 5,200.00 -0- 5,200.00

Clergy Care and Wellness Fund (In addition to the Monthly Collection)

9,732.00 -0- 9,732.00

BALANCE 152,200.13 -0- 152,200.13

A new fiscal year began on July 1st. The monthly diocesan bills have been reset for the current fiscal year. Any remaining balance was added to the Parish debt.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 26, 2015

Page 6

July 29

St. Martha of Bethany Too busy to pray? Too preoccupied with all YOU have to do that you miss what other people need?

Then you might want to get to know St. Martha of Bethany. You know, Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. You do remember that story, don’t you? If not, you can read about it in Luke 10:38-42.

Basically, Jesus was coming to dinner. Jesus, the miracle worker. The teacher of profound practicality for the poor regarding the Kingdom of God. Jesus was something of a celebrity. And he was coming to dinner. Of course, this wasn’t the only time that Jesus would visit the house of Lazarus. Jesus was a miracle worker, yes, but he was also a friend of that family.

Still, he was coming for dinner, and there was so much to be done!

You have to remember that cooking dinner 2000 years ago in Palestine was not as easy as it is for me and you today. There were no microwaves. There were no stoves. No electric ovens. No running water. No canned or boxed foods. Everything was from scratch, and everything was by hand.

In those days, Martha would start preparing for dinner shortly after waking up in the morning. It was an all day affair. Grinding wheat by hand at the community mill. Trips to the village well to fill buckets of water for cooking. Picking veggies in the small home garden. Starting a fire to bake the bread and boil the water. That’s right. Fire. If this was in the summer, then it was already over 90 degrees outside. And you had to cook over a fire. Goodness. This time of the year I sweat like crazy grilling steaks or burgers. Or chicken (some of which I accidentally burned last night).

Cooking dinner in the time of the bible was a big production on a regular day. But this day was special. The guest was Jesus.

And then there was the cleaning. The house had to be cleaned. That was a chore in itself.

As a woman, Mary would certainly be expected to help with all these tasks. And maybe she did for a while. But once Jesus arrived, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, enthralled with his words of joy and peace. She obviously forgot all about the work that needed to be done.

Meanwhile, Martha was hard at work. The frustration finally got to her and she told Jesus, “Jesus, you know how much needs to be done to get things ready for dinner. And Mary is just sitting there. Please tell her to help me!”

I’m sure you remember Jesus’ famous response: “Martha, Martha, you are busy about many things. But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Now, let me ask you. How do you read that response? What would your reaction have been?

On the surface I think I would have balked. My feelings would have been hurt. I would have sulked for the rest of the day. And probably the next day too. But looking under the surface, I think there is another way of understanding what was going on.

We can see later in the gospels that Martha really does love Jesus. She believes absolutely that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. We see this clearly at the tomb of Lazarus (see John 11:17-53). So, how might Martha taken Jesus’ “reprimand?”

First of all, Jesus spoke those words in love. I think Martha knew that. Let me paraphrase what I think Jesus’ words meant:

“Martha, you are doing a great job. You have been so busy getting things ready for dinner. You’ve been working all day! I appreciate that. I can’t wait until dinner. You are a great cook and you keep a clean and peaceful house. But you have lost the peace in your heart. You have been worried about Mary sitting here listening to me and not helping you. Are you jealous? Listening to the Word of God is the most important thing. And you and I will have plenty of time to talk later. Instead of losing your peace, thinking only of yourself, consider Mary. Maybe right now she really needs to hear my words. Maybe she needs this more than you know. Please rejoice with me that she is responding to my grace. And rejoice in the fact that you are responding to my grace too. In your own way. In the way that I ask of you. You are serving your God, and serving Him well. Mary is being fed spiritually by your God because that is what she needs the most. Be at peace, Martha. I am here. And you are doing the right thing. Trust in that and do the best that you can do. I love you.”

Thats my paraphrase. You may read it a different way. That’s okay.

What can I learn from this story?

I guess that God calls us to demonstrate our love for him in different ways at different times. And different people will demonstrate their love in different ways. I need to focus on myself, on my relationship with God. What is he calling me to right now? Do I need to be fed by him? Is he speaking to

me in the quiet of my heart? Or is he calling me to serve him

and others right now? Sharing with them the spiritual food he has placed in my heart?

The trick for me is to be Martha when Jesus calls me to be Martha, and to be Mary when Jesus calls me to be Mary. And to do so without wishing that I was the other one. Martha can’t be Mary. She can only be Martha. Ultimately, I think

Jesus is telling Martha (and telling me by extension), “Be who you are. For it is you that I love.”

Amen to that!

This Week’s Saint

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 26, 2015

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Liturgical Ministries

August 1—2 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Servers Lectors EMOC

4:00 P.M. Maggie Benish Ray Fedor Maggie Benish

5:30 P.M. Tina Evans Diane Gregor Brian Clark

8:00 A.M Nicholas Kreidler Andy Katsock John Benz

11:00 A.M Sr. Tina Josh Price Sr. Tina

www.standrebessettewb.com

Come, check us out!

Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time July 27—August 2 , 2015 Day and Date Time Intention Offered by Events of the Week

Monday, July 27 Weekday

NO Morning Mass Scheduled

Tuesday, July 28 Weekday

8:00 a.m. George Horn Wife 1 p.m. Resurrection Choir Rehearsal

Wednesday, July 29 St. Martha of Bethany

8:00 a.m. Sophie Strazewski Family

Thursday, July 30 St. Peter Chrysologus 8:00 a.m. Marion Aaron Mr. & Mrs. Jodi Garnari

Adoration Noon—5 p.m.

Vespers and Benediction at 5 p.m.

6 p.m. Finance Council

Friday, July 31 St. Ignatius of Loyola

8:00 a.m.

Deborah Malys Leona Kuttenburg

Saturday, August 1 St. Alphonsus Liguori NO Morning Mass Scheduled

Confessions 3 p.m.

Rosary 3:30 pm

Summer Choir Practice 3—3:45 p.m.

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Vigil 1 4:00 p.m. Jean Gallagher Bernie

10:30 a.m. Bus trip to St. Ann’s

2:00 p.m. Strawberry Social

CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES Collection

COLLECT SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Vigil 2 5:30 p.m. John Sepela Mr. & Mrs. David

Ambrulavage

Sunday 8:00 a.m. Ronald Wroblewski Edward Gryskevicz

Sunday 11:00 a.m. Parishioners Pastor

AGNUS DAY by Pastor James Weitzstein