A Pennsylvania Charitable Trust

January 6/7, 2018 The Epiphany of the Lord

WEEKEND MINISTERS - January 13/14

4:30PM - Eucharistic Ministers Jennifer Massaro, Br. Raymond Reitmeyer, Ray Werner Lector - Felix Fusco Altar Servers - Elizabeth Boal, Aaron Maricic

Head Usher - Mike DiCarlo 9:30AM - Eucharistic Ministers Michele Capolupo, Nancy Carra, Kathy Tachoir Lector - Janice DiLonardo Altar Servers - Laura Cronkhite, Ron Lomis

Head Usher - Vince Gori

MISSION STATEMENT We are a Family,

United in the Eucharist,

Guided by the Holy Spirit,

Called by Jesus Christ to Grow

in Faith, Love and Prayer

in Harmony with the

Universal Catholic Church

We will achieve our parish mission by worshipping together and working to evangelize, educate and serve

each other and the entire community.

PASTOR: Rev. Charles J. Baptiste STUDENT RESIDENT PRIEST: Rev. Fortunatus Mugisha BUSINESS MANAGER: Kathleen Ulmer SECRETARY: Marie Perticone MUSIC MINISTRY: Sean Thornton BUILDINGS & GROUNDS: Amy Ference HOMEBOUND MINISTRY: Beverly Mazza SAFE ENVIRONMENT COORDINATOR: Lorraine Carter ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-932-0313 VICTIM ASSISTANCE HOTLINE: 1-888-808-1235 MASSES: Saturday 4:30PM (Sunday Vigil) Sunday 9:30AM Weekdays 7:00PM (Monday) 8:00AM (Tuesday thru Friday) RECONCILIATION: After Mass on Monday Evenings & 12:30PM Saturdays BAPTISMS: Call the Parish Office to schedule a class; then a day and time. WEDDINGS: Call the Parish Office at least six months in advance. The Diocese requires each couple to attend a pre-marriage course. ST. CLARE CEMETERY: Worthington Ave. For Information regarding St. Clare Cemetery, call Catholic Parish Cemeteries Association at 412-256-9370.

St. Clare of Assisi Parish

Parish Office: 460 Reed Street Clairton PA 15025

Phone: 412-233-7870 Fax: 412-233-0742

Office Hours: Mondays - Thursdays 8AM-2PM

CLOSED Fridays

Email: stclareparish2@comcast.net

January 6/January 7, 2018 4:30PM For the Parishioners 9:30AM Jim & Helen Hazelbaker (Jack & Jean Timlin) MONDAY, January 8, 2018 - The Baptism of the Lord 7:00PM Catherine McCormley (Family) TUESDAY, January 9 - First Weekday in Ordinary Time 8:00AM Deceased Members of the Vukovich Family (Catherine Vukovich) WEDNESDAY, January 10 - Weekday 8:00AM June H. Bendik (Dolly & Dan Mularski) THURSDAY, January 11 - Weekday 8:00AM Ada DiMattia (Irma DiMarco & Natalie Duymic) FRIDAY, January 12 - Weekday 8:00AM James M. Tullius (Mary Tullius) SATURDAY, January 13 - St. Hilary, Doctor of the Church 12:30 PM Reconciliation SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - January 13/14 4:30PM Patricia (Verba) Dailey (Pavlick Family) 9:30AM For the Parishioners

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS - January 6/7 Pages 58-59

NEXT SUNDAY’S READINGS - January 13/14

1 Samuel 3:3b-10,19 – Page 60 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20 – Page 61

John 1:35-42 – Page 61-62

Matthew 2:1-12

s

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 7

10:45AM - Counting Team #4 9:15-10:45AM - CCD Grades K-4 - Holy Spirit

MONDAY, JANUARY 8

The Baptism of the Lord Liturgy: 7PM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 9

6PM - AFTER CHRISTMAS GATHERING For all Members of the Pastoral & Finance Councils

& Church Committees - Parish Office 7-8:15PM - CCD Grades 5-8 (CVOL) - Holy Spirit

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10

6:30PM - Choir Practice

SATURDAY, JANUARY 13

12:30PM - Reconciliation

Reflection: The Epiphany ‘On Golden Pond’

For some reason, the movie, On Golden Pond, has always been one of my favorites, watching the ‘old poop’ Henry Fonda playing Norman Thayer, a man preoccupied with death. Norman comes back to life when his future step-grandson, Billy, a kid who felt he was always more in the way of life than belonging to it, comes for a stay at Golden Pond. Co-starring is Katherine Hepburn as Ethel Thayer, the long faithful and spirited wife of Norman. Norman was a man who would seem even more morbid in our day than when this movie was made almost 40 years ago. He was always thinking about death, its immediacy and its permanence. He did not seem to be a man of faith in this movie, but none-the-less, a good man at heart. For the most part, we seem to avoid the fact that we are not always going to be as we are. We, too, will have to suffer our passion and death. The diocese has been after me for years to get my affairs in order so they don’t have to deal with all those questions and particulars when it is my time to ‘go home’. Well, I’m working on it. Our culture and economic system are designed to keep us from thoughtfully considering our fate. This is very beneficial for those who profit over our desire to be young and spendthrifts forever. It is a shame, or a sham, because it all will end, but…..the ending can be more fruitful and advantageous to everyone when we look toward the end of this life with hope for the next. Jesus came into the world to die—even the gifts received that we celebrate on this feast today of the Epiphany were for both living now—gold being our cash and wealth for the king, and frankincense and myrrh as symbols of priesthood and anointing for his death and burial respectfully. We tend to live as if we are never going to die and He lived His life in the moment, knowing He was indeed going to die for us. Why do we live as if we were immortal right here on this earth? Imagine living in a world where we all were present in the moment for each other. How much less loneliness there would be. How much better we

could understand each other instead of being off in a race to nowhere, or to supersede each other. Are we on a destination to a place where we can hold ourselves as more important and successful, having more inherent value than those around us?

The most beautiful people I treasure are the ones who gave me the time to listen to my jumbled thoughts and had patience with me to focus and put 2 and 2 together. They walked with me, were not insulated in their hermetically sealed lives, or sealed up in air-conditioned vehicles on their destination, unaware of the world around passing them by. Thanks Lord, You help us know that the journey is also very important and the intended destination comes to those who are present to life and their surroundings, on the journey home to You. Old Norman, well aware of his mortality, none-the-less, becomes fully alive when he has an opportunity to share his life and passions for the wilderness and fishing with this lost teenager. Norman’s passions, awareness and presence were gifts this young boy would always treasure. All life is sacred. May we always pay attention to the gifts the Lord has given us as we stay present in the journey, all the while preparing for the destination.

Peace, Fr. Chuck

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FISCAL YEAR JULY 2017 - JUNE 2018

Budgeted Weekly Offering Required ….... . .$ 5,249.00 Actual Weekly Offering (Dec. 30/31) …….. $ 3,209.00 Weekly Deficit ……………………………….$ - 2,040.00 Repairs & Maintenance …………………….$ 2,080.00 Christmas YTD ……………………………..$ 9,441.70 *Diocesan Children & Youth YTD……...…...$ 3,369.00 Parish Share 2017 YTD …………………….$ 33,078.00 Cemetery Envelopes 2017 YTD ..….….......$ 9,268.00 *This amount is credited to our PSP goal

OFFERTORY COLLECTION

Barbara Antrom, Fr. Chuck Baptiste, Eleanor Berggren, Caden Boring, Cullen Boring, Maria Campano,

Genevieve DelVecchio, Anne Donnelly, Rebecca Farabaugh, Meryl Ferrare, Stanley Kaska, Off. James Kuzak Jr.,

Rev. Peter Murphy, Virginia Perlick, Nancy Razorsek, Edgar Shandel, Fr. Angelus Shaughnessy, Rayne Tortorice,

Catherine Vukovich ~ and all Names and Intentions listed in our Prayer Request Book

Our Sick and Shut-ins ...

Our Seminarians … Thomas G. Kadlick from St. Victor Parish Br. Keon Tu, OFM Cap

Family members of our parishioners serving in the Military:

Dante Capane, Richard Cronkhite, Tara Felker, Michael Goliat, Jason Middleton, Garrett Santoline, Michael Santoline,

Anthony Svetz, Luke Thornton, Zachary Thornton, Andrew West, Jeffery West

We receive credit towards our 2017 PSP assessment from donations that are made to two Diocesan collections: Christmas Charities (December 24/25) and the St. Anthony School/DePaul School for Hearing & Speech (January 20/21). As of today, our PSP balance is short by $3,552. This means that we have the month of January (4 weeks) to meet our 2017 goal of $39,999. Many of our parishioners wait until the end of a calendar year to make their final PSP donation. Remember, any amount paid towards PSP that goes over our 2017 assessment ($39,999) is deposited into our “Savings Account”. If we are under our goal, money will have to come from our parish “Checking Account” to pay any shortfall. Our new Parish Share Pledge Drive for 2018 will begin on the weekend of February 3 & 4.

The SECOND COLLECTION THIS weekend is for the Parish Share Program. The SECOND COLLECTION NEXT weekend will be for our Caring Ministry that helps those in need from our parish and community.

CONCERNING OUR FUNDRAISERS

CONCERNING OUR PARISH

Please use your “First Offering Envelope” that helps to pay for the contribution envelopes that are mailed monthly to our active parishioners at St. Clare of Assisi.

The Wise Men Casper, Melchior and Balthasar followed the star of God’s Son, who became Man. January (JANUA) means “door” and the first month is the door to the New Year. May it be a happy and truly holy one for you and yours. May Christ bless our dwellings and remain with us throughout the New Year.

As we begin the New Year, just to let you know … we secured sponsors for all 52 weeks for our 2018 Bulletins and all 12 months of the Fab Five Tickets! Thank you for your generosity and continued support of

FAB FIVE LOTTERY - December 31 #107 Winner: John Sorrentino Seller: Kathy Ulmer

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY - Drawn December 29 Winner: Peter Schepis Prize: $ 282.50

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

...

DATE 4:30PM 9:30AM TOTAL

December 2/3 139 129 268

December 8 (Immaculate Conception)

64 (8AM)

127 (7PM)

191

December 9/10 148 131 279

December 16/17 134 126 260

December 23/24 147 106 253

December 24 (Christmas Eve)

(4:30PM) 346

(10PM) 104

450

Christmas Day — 75 75

December 30/31 133 97 230

Mass counts for the month of December 2017:

Mass counts will continue through April 2018. The data collected will play a very important role in deciding how

many Masses each Church in our grouping will offer.

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BILLBOARD SIGNS FROM GOD

“There is no pillow so soft

as a clear conscience.”

- God

CONCERNING OUR DIOCESE & COMMUNITY

PARISH MEMBERSHIP FORM Registering at our Parish is a declaration of your desire to be part of a Catholic community.

We extend a warm welcome and hope you will find our Parish Community a place where your faith will be nourished.

If you are moving into, or out of the Parish, please let us know. Fill out this Form and return it to the Parish Office.

NAME______________________________________________ADDRESS__________________________________________ TELEPHONE________________________________________ __________________________________________ Check One: New________ Change of Address________ Moving out of Parish________ Want Envelopes________

Authentic Happiness: A High School Silent Retreat for high school men will be held on February 3-4 at the Martina Spiritual Renewal Center (5244 Clarwin Avenue, PGH 15229). There is no cost. For more info or to register (by January 22), visit PGHPriest.com

Gifts for a King—As the wise men followed the star, they were convinced that it would lead them to something

amazing—a great king who had come into the world. They certainly could

have been caught off guard when they gazed upon the sight where the star led them. Instead of

a powerful ruler, they were looking at a newborn baby surrounded by his mother and foster father. Yet, they

didn’t hesitate to lay their precious gifts before the Lord and do Him homage. After honoring the newborn king, they went in haste to return to their homeland, sharing the good news of the coming of the Messiah as they

travelled along. The witness of the wise men is one we are invited to follow as we journey On Mission for The

Church Alive! We are all being asked to come before the Lord with the gifts we have to offer. These gifts aren’t

gold, frankincense and myrrh, but the gifts of our hearts and lives that we are able to share with God, the Church

and others to enrich our parishes. Even more, as we journey from our faith communities through our family,

work and social relationships, we also look for opportunities to share the good news of God-with-us with all we meet. What gifts do you have to share? To learn

more and stay informed, visit: onmissionchurchalive.org.

Marriage MOMENTS We humans mark time with watches and calendars.

As we start a new year, perhaps it would be meaningful

today to enter into a conscious NOW with your beloved.

As you read this, pause, find your spouse and look at

each other tenderly. Ponder the goodness of being

together. Embrace. Parenting POINTERS Gather the family and remember the joys of the past

year (birthdays, accomplishments, milestones) and

sorrows (deaths, hurts, mistakes). End with a group hug. Family PERSPECTIVE The Magi in today’s gospel were led to Jesus by a

star. Who are the stars your children follow? Don’t let it be

the tabloid stars. Resolve in this New Year to be the

guiding star in the life of your children.

Our Bulletin is Sponsored This Week In Memory of

Harry McNeil By His Wife, Norma

2018 Calendars are available at each church door. If you already picked one up, but would like more, please help yourself. We express our grateful thanks to Bekavac Funeral Homes for their kindness and generosity in supplying these beautiful calendars to us this year as they have done for so many years in the past. There are still a few Josephite (African American) Calendars also available.

For Your Information: The City of Clairton has and will once again open their doors to offer the City Municipal

Building (Ravensburg Blvd.) as a “Warming Center”. The City Building would open at 6PM until 6AM when the weather forecast has overnight temperatures “plunging” Below Zero. If you know someone who would have a need for this service, Clairton citizens can call 412-233-8113 ext. 3, to verify if the building would be open. Light snacks would also be offered.

BRRR … IT’S COLD

The Church is the new Israel, called to attract all people to the Lord. We must be “the place where

the child” is found today. (Matthew 2:9)

God’s glory shines through the Church and, despite our many flaws, we are called to become the “place”

where everyone can find the Lord and “do Him homage”. (2:11)