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| Faithful Chronicles by Father Frank D. Almade
Odds and ends for the Sunday before the last football
game of 2009:
+ Many, many thanks to all our parishioners who have really
stepped up to support the Saint Juan Diego Parish Capital
Campaign. We have more than $275,000 pledged toward our
goal of $350,000, from 229 households or individuals. In
addition, 54 persons or families have made one-time
contributions of over $55,000. Each week we report the precise
amounts of where we are (and on the “piggy bank” board in each
church). Remember, use the “Capital Improvement Fund”
envelope to make the monthly payments for your pledge.
Anything in that envelope goes straight into the Capital Campaign.
+ I don’t usually want to mention specific persons who have
made pledges/gifts to the Capital Campaign at this stage, but
three bear mentioning. Bishop David Zubik, who was a
“weekend helpout” priest for Father Mike Vecchio at Madonna of
Jerusalem Parish, donated $500 to our Capital Campaign.
Father Tom Manion, who was pastor of St. Mary Parish for a
few years in the 1990’s, made a substantial pledge. And the
members of the parish Christian Mothers/Rosary Society
made a group gift to the Capital Campaign of $500. Thank you
so much!
+ The entire parish also came through on short notice, with a
tremendous special second collection for relief to victims of the
devastating earthquake in Haiti. As I mentioned from the
pulpit, we will send all donations to the Catholic Relief Services,
the overseas humanitarian arm of the U.S. Catholic Church. If
you haven’t had a chance to make a donation, we welcome your
contributions, large or small. Just make sure it’s in an envelope
marked “Haiti relief.” And we need to continue to pray for the
people and church of Haiti, both living and deceased.
+ Kudos for several parishioners who represented us at the
annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 22, to speak
up for life and to call for an end to legal abortion. I appreciate
your witness, that of hundreds of bishops, priests and deacons,
and tens of thousands of people marching on the Mall. Members
of our youth ministry took a day off school to make the ten hour
round trip, and exercise their Catholic faith. Cecilia Troyan, the
daughter of Tom and Cathy Troyan and an 8th-grader at
Dorseyville Middle School, was interviewed by the Pittsburgh
Tribune-Review. She said, “I think people getting together to
support one cause is something our world can use more of.”
Way to go, Cecilia!
+ Next week celebrates Catholic Schools. Christ the Divine
Teacher Catholic Academy is our local Catholic elementary
school, and is supported by our parish and three others. There
are a variety of special events this week, including an all-school
Mass on Friday at 10:30 a.m. in St. Scholastica Church with
Father Kris Stubna, diocesan secretary for Catholic education.
+ In two weeks the Pittsburgh Catholic will be mailed to all
households on our envelope list, for the pre-lenten universal
distribution edition. A special treat is the diocese-wide list of fish
fries in parishes. Visit those fish fries on Fridays in Lent!
+ Hints that spring is near: Only 17 days until Ash
Wednesday, 42 days until daylight savings time begins, 63 days
until Easter Sunday, and 64 days until the umpire calls out “Play
ball!” and opens the 124th season for the Pittsburgh Pirates at
PNC Park. | |
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