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St. Oscar Romero Parish
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  • Welcome
    • About Us
      • Welcome
      • Join
      • Visit Us
      • Photos & Videos
    • Connect With Us
      • Contact Us
      • Join Our Email List
    • Resources
      • Parish Calendar
      • Bulletins
      • Mass Attendance Report
  • Liturgy
    • Worship
      • Mass Schedule
      • Live Stream
      • Liturgical/Music Ministries
      • Prayer List
    • Sacraments
      • Confession Times
      • Sacraments
      • OCIA: Formerly known as RCIA
      • Godparent/Sponsor
    • Funerals
      • Funerals
      • Bereavement Ministries
  • Grow
    • Faith Formation
      • Faith Formation Registration 2022/2023
      • Religious Education (K-6)
      • Edge: Middle School Youth Ministry
      • Life Teen: High School Youth Ministry
      • Confirmation
    • Young Adult
      • Young Adult Ministries
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      • Family & Immigrant Resources
    • Bible Study
      • Adult Bible Study
    • Resources
      • FORMED
      • Fr. Carmen's Corner
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      • Helpful Links
    • Safe Environment
      • Safe Environment & Reporting
  • Get Involved
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      • Mental Health Ministry
      • Hospitality Ministries
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    March 19, 2023
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,
      We are now in the midst of our Lenten discipline and our theme for this Lent is “Encountering the Love of Jesus.”  This holy season gives us the opportunity to reflect those areas of our life that need to be reexamined and renewed.  Many times we lose focus of what is truly important and we allow distractions and negativity to consume our lives.  Our Lord is always there for us, but far too often we don’t see Him or recognize Him. 
      Jesus comes to us in ways that we never would expect.  He may speak through someone near to us or through a complete stranger.  His love is there to uplift us and to challenge us.  His desire is that we grow close to Him and that the Holy Spirit will give us the strength and courage to navigate in this world that is constantly changing. 
      The Sunday Gospels during Lent show us the immense love that God has for us.  Jesus knows how strong temptations can be for us.  He allowed Himself to be weakened and tempted by the devil.  He knows that we are weak and many times we fall, but He understands and forgives.  He allowed His apostles to see His glory during the Transfiguration, to inspire them during difficult times and so too with us, He shows His glory to us in inspiring ways during our lifetime.  His encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well shows us that He meets us where we are.  He doesn’t judge us, but He helps us to see those areas of our life that need to change.  The story of the healing of the man born blind shows us that sickness, disease and disabilities are not the result of personal sin, but rather spiritual blindness is what leads to sin in our lives and in the world.  Finally, the raising of Lazarus shows us the full humanity of Jesus who weeps when He sees his friend Mary and the people weeping.  He is deeply moved by this and weeps Himself.
      Our Lord loves us and is moved by our struggles and suffering and He comes to us and speaks to us, but far too often we do not recognize Him and do not hear Him.  Brothers and sisters, let us take this time during Lent to let go of our pettiness, to let go of our selfishness, to let go of our fears.  Let us remove all the clutter in our lives so that we may see Him and listen to Him and be strengthened and comforted.  May we let Jesus love us so that we can love one another. 
      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen
       
       

    January 8, 2023
    • Dear Sisters and Brothers,
          We are in the midst of the Christmas Season and we have been celebrating and rejoicing in the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus. Our God sharing in our human nature completely! Our God humbled Himself to become one of us. God knows our fears, our anxieties, our temptations and our stress. Our God did not spare Himself from the sufferings and trials that we endure, but rather allowed Himself to experience them in His body, from His birth in a stable to His death on the cross, God knows personally, what we go through.
          Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany, when the Magi came seeking the newborn King of the Jews. These astrologers from the East represent all people of every race language and way of life, all who seek out the presence of God. The word epiphany means a manifestation, an illuminating discovery, realization or disclosure. The Magi discovered the awesome and majestic God in the person of Jesus! They saw the living God in this baby of poor parents who was born in a stable. They came looking for Him in a palace in Jerusalem and found Him in a house somewhere in Bethlehem.
           Today we are challenged to seek out Jesus in the most unexpected places. God is with us, but many times, we do not recognize Him. Like the Magi, this Solemnity reminds us that we are called to share our gifts with all those we encounter. Our life is a journey and many times this journey is long and arduous. Many times, we suffer setbacks or we get sidetracked, but remember sisters and brothers, that God is with us. He knows our struggles and He heals, and forgives us. He knows what we go through. He knows that life is difficult and He will never give up on us. That is what Christmas is all about - Emmanuel, God is with us!
      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen
       
       

    June 26, 2022
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      On behalf of my brother priests, Fathers DeVille, Galvin and Gillespie, I want to thank all of you who participated in our Anniversary Celebration. It was such a beautiful event and we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of affection and prayers. We were so humbled by the generous gifts and kindness that was expressed. We want to thank in particular Cindi Fuselier and her committee who planned the event. It was such an elegant affair and greatly appreciated. We are so grateful to God for the opportunity to serve here at Saint Oscar Romero Parish.

      Also, I want to express my gratitude and best wishes to Rita Meyer, she is our
      Parish Liturgical Environment Coordinator and Sacristan. Rita will be retiring after serving at Saint Patrick and Saint Oscar Romero Parish for the past 10 years. Over the years she served as sacristan, secretary, Parish Festival worker, Fish Fry volunteer and assisted with the Parish Progressive Raffle, but it was her tremendous artistic talent and great love for the church that distinguished her as a great blessing to our parish. Her beautiful altar decorations for each liturgical season were thoughtfully and masterfully done. Beautiful flower arrangements, banners and displays enhanced every Church celebration. Her All Souls Day Murals were especially comforting to those mourning the loss of loved ones. Her skills in calligraphy were seen on each and every Baptismal Certificate. Every certificate was a work of art. She used her artistic skill to repair and repaint statues that adorned the sanctuaries of our churches. Rita we will miss you tremendously, not only for your creative gifts, but for your joyful demeanor kind heart and selfless compassion. God bless you in your retirement with good health and peace of mind. You are such a such a blessing to all of us.

      In Christ’s love,

      Father Carmen

    January 16 2022
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

           A blessed New Year to you. We have completed the Christmas Season and are now in Ordinary Time. This time, however, is far from ordinary. It is the time when we put into practice what we have celebrated during Advent and Christmas. We are challenged to live out daily, “Emmanuel,” God is with us. Each day, no matter the circumstances, whether good, bad or indifferent, we live out our lives knowing that God is with us. We are not alone and God will always make a way for us. Our challenge is to not panic or despair when we are waiting for God’s direction. When we live with the assurance of God’s presence and love, our calm attitude and joyful spirit is a light to others. They see in us the presence of Jesus. I pray that you will know that peace and joy each day. 

          Some of you have asked about the Elementary Education Subsidy Envelope in your packet of envelopes.  This is for the support of Catholic Education in our diocese.  Each parish is required to commit 9% of their income to support Catholic Schools.  We recall the days when almost every parish had a Catholic school, however the cost of operating and supporting parish schools became untenable. The diocese has moved away from parish schools to regional schools. This is to ensure that in every region of the diocese there is a strong, financially stable Catholic School that our families can access. In the southern region of our diocese, of which we are a part, there are seven regional schools. Three of these schools service Washington County, JFK School in Washington, Saint Louise de Marillac School in Upper St. Clair and Madonna Catholic School in Monongahela.

           The Elementary Education Subsidy Envelope is a way that we can support the continuation of Catholic education. This year our parish subsidy is $93,616.  Each month we will be assessed $7,800.  Please be generous each month in helping us to reach our goal. Many of us know the benefit of a Catholic School education and many of us know the expense of maintaining a school.  Your generosity will help keep Catholic education accessible to our area. 
          In Christ’s love,
          Father Carmen 
       

       

    December 26, 2021
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      On behalf of Fathers George DeVille, Tom Gillespie and Tom Galvin, Deacons Tony Mobley, Joe Cerenzia and Philip Martorano and our Parish Staff, I want to wish all of you a blessed Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year. We are all so grateful for the thoughtful gifts and delicious pastries that so many of you have shared with us. Your generosity and kindness is so humbling and greatly appreciated. 

      During the Advent Season, our theme has been “Christ, Shine in our lives,” that we may all be a reflection of Jesus.  That we may reflect the love of Jesus in all we say and do, that we may reflect the mercy of Jesus with all those we interact with, that we may reflect the forgiveness of Jesus with all those who have hurt or offended us. When we become aware of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness in our own lives, we desire to share this grace with others. So many of you have been a light to others. You have reflected Jesus by your kindness and generosity to so many who have suffered during this time of pandemic. 

      I want to commend those of you who are part of a parish ministry. You who have dedicated yourselves to the care and support of others. You have been a light during this dark time. You who on a weekly and monthly basis have served as Ministers of Communion, bringing the Holy Eucharist to our homebound and hospitalized.  You who have ministered to those grieving the loss of a loved one.  You who have served the needy at the Food Pantry and in your support of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society and the Ladies of Charity.  You are all a reflection of the Light of Jesus. 

      This is our second Christmas together as the Parish Family of Saint Oscar Romero. I am so grateful to our Parish Pastoral Council for their leadership, as they begin to put together a Pastoral Plan based on the information received in the Parish Census and Survey and I look forward to the many ways in which our God will use us in the days and months ahead.  I am so inspired by the good example of so many in our parish and I am honored to be your pastor. May Our Incarnate Lord Jesus continue to bless you abundantly in this New Year.

      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen
    August 22, 2021
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,
       
      Summer is slowly winding down and soon many will be going back to school and a more regular routine.  It has certainly been an interesting year to say the least.
       
      This past Sunday, August 15th, Bishop Zubik removed the dispensation for the obligation for Sunday Mass attendance. I know that most of us attend Sunday Mass not because of an obligation, but out of a desire to worship our God, to receive the Holy Eucharist and to support and encourage one another as a community of faith.  
       
      During this most unusual year, on July 1, 2020, the three churches of Holy Rosary, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and Saint Patrick became the new Parish of Saint Oscar Romero. Through our combined talents, programs and resources we are called and privileged to minister to all those living in this part of Washington County.  To facilitate in this endeavor and due to the pandemic, the Mass schedule at the three locations was adjusted. I would now like to propose that this adjusted Mass schedule be adopted permanently.

      Each of our three locations has three weekend Masses.  Holy Rosary has a 4 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass and a 9 a.m. and Noon Mass on Sunday.  Saint Patrick has a 5 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass and a 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday.  Miraculous Medal has a 6 p.m. Vigil Mass and a 10 a.m. Mass and a 1 p.m. Mass in Spanish.  I believe that this schedule adequately serves the needs of our parishioners and it enables our priests and musicians sufficient travel time between each Mass. Also, it allows sufficient time for our Religious Education Program on Sunday for our children and their parents. 
       
      I would like to make an addition to our weekday Mass schedule by adding an 8 a.m. First Saturday Mass at Saint Patrick Church to begin in September. I will be asking our Pastoral Council to support this proposal and the adjusted Weekend Mass schedule and then send it to the Diocese for official approval.  
      I thank all of you for your encouragement and support during this past year and I look forward to the many ways in which God will use us to build up His Kingdom here in Washington County.  God bless you.
       
      In Christ’s love,
       
      Father Carmen

       

    June 27, 2021
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      We are once again in Ordinary Time, which gives us the opportunity to put into practice everything we have celebrated during the holy seasons of Lent and Easter. We are challenged every day to live out the Paschal Mystery, the Dying and Rising of Jesus.

      Every time we celebrate the Mass or any of the sacraments we participate in the Paschal Mystery. We are invited by our Risen Lord to die to ourselves and live for God. Which means that we die to our self-centeredness, our selfishness and self-absorption so that we can live for God by living for others. This is our commission as the Church. We are called to go out into the world and share the Good News of Salvation with all those we meet. To share with everyone that we encounter the good news that God loves them. We ourselves have experienced the love, mercy and forgiveness of God and we are called to share His love and forgiveness with everyone. 

      This is what Jesus taught us when He taught the disciples the Lord’s Prayer. We pray: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  This is not a suggestion, but this is what we are called to live out.  Forgiveness is our vocation as the Church.  Every time we begin the Mass, we ask God and one another for forgiveness.  When we pray the Confiteor at Mass, we pray, “I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned …”  

      Forgiveness is a key aspect of living out the Paschal Mystery.  It is very difficult to forgive others if we haven’t been forgiven.  That is why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is so important in our lives. Confession of our sins and Absolution is an encounter with the mercy and forgiveness of God, which is essential to our mission of sharing God’s mercy and forgiveness with others. 

      My Brothers and Sisters, we are once again returning to regular times for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Beginning on Saturday, July 10, Confessions will be held at all three churches in the confessionals!  Please check the bulletin for the times. If you haven’t been to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for a while, this is an opportunity for you to experience the healing and forgiveness of God which is so important in our lives.  If we ourselves haven’t experienced forgiveness, then how are we going to forgive others?  Our world needs healing, our world needs forgiveness, our world needs the Church!  Our world needs you and me to go out and forgive others as God has forgiven us.  God bless you and may this Ordinary Time be extraordinary for you and for me.

      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen
       
       

    April 4, 2021
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      We have completed our Lenten discipline and the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday). Now we are in the glorious Season of Easter. During Easter we celebrate with great joy the promise of new life in Christ. Jesus through His death and resurrection, has destroyed the power of sin and death and made it possible for us to live life eternally. Because Jesus died and rose from the dead, we no longer have to fear sin and death. The victory has been won in Christ. We celebrate Our Risen Lord, who is our Paschal Lamb who gave His life that we might live forever. I am grateful to all of you who have devotedly celebrated these sacred mysteries. 

      To those who have been away during this pandemic and to those who have been away for a while from the Church, I sincerely welcome you home this Easter. It is my fervent hope and prayer that by worshipping with us and celebrating Holy Mass you will encounter the Risen Christ in a new and powerful way.

      On behalf of Fathers George DeVille, Tom Gillespie and Tom Galvin and our Deacons Tony Mobley, Joe Cerenzia and Philip Martorano, may you be blessed with good health and a joyful spirit.

      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen
       
       

    December 13, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      We have begun the new Church Year and are now half way through the Season of Advent.  Advent is the time when we, the Church, look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time.  We long for the fulfillment of all God’s promises when we will rejoice in the Eternal Life that has been won for us through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.  Advent reminds us that we are called to prepare the world for Jesus when He comes again.  To help us prepare the world for His Second Coming, we look back to His First Coming at Christmas. We look at the details of His First Coming so that we will be ready when He comes again.  

      When we look at the First Coming of Jesus, we see that God chose to share our life in the most extreme manner.  He was born homeless, born in a stable.  His parents were not influential; they were at the mercy of others for their well-being.  Most of the citizens of Israel were unaware of what was taking place, only the shepherds received this Good News.  During His infancy, His parents were forced to become refugees and had to flee into Egypt for safety.  The world at that time was not ready for Jesus when He came.  In order for us to be prepared for His Second Coming, we need to be attentive to those who today are in the same situation as Jesus was over two thousand years ago.  We need to be mindful of the poor, the homeless, the refugee and the foreigner, all those who depend on the mercy of others for their well-being.

      Our theme for this Advent season is “We are the Work of Your Hands.”  On the cover of the bulletin and in front of the altar, we see the image of a clay pot that is broken.  This image reminds us that we are made in the image and likeness of God, but that we are also fragile.  Even though we try to do good and to be faithful, many times we fail and sin.  We see that we are broken and that we need to be made whole again.  Our God knows that we are not perfect, He knows that we struggle to live out our faith and yet He chooses us to prepare the world for His Son’s Second Coming.  Why?  Because it’s imperfect people who understand the need for forgiveness and mercy.  Our God will never reject us; He will never abandon us.  He is the potter, we are the clay, the work of His hands.  He will heal us and mold us once again into His image and the image of His Son.

      Brothers and sisters, we prepare the world for Jesus’ Second Coming by treating others with mercy and compassion, by seeing the homeless, the poor and marginalized in the face of Jesus.  In this way, we will be ready when Jesus comes again.  We are the work of His Hands.

      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen
       

    August 30, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      It is now over a month and a half since we have become Saint Oscar Romero Parish and even though it has been difficult to come together as sisters and brothers, we are trying our best to continue the work and mission of Jesus. Our Lord has told us that we must pick up our cross daily and follow Him and He also told us to come to Him when we become heavily burdened. You all have been in my thoughts and my prayers. I can only imagine the struggles that you endure, the pressures and stress that you deal with on a daily basis. That is why it is my role as your pastor to pray daily for your needs and for your well-being. This time of pandemic has challenged our faith, but it has also strengthened our faith, for we know that Our Lord is with us. 

      We are beginning to form our parish leadership. I have called together representatives from our three churches to be part of our new Parish Finance Council. These sisters and brothers will work together with our Business Manager, Barb Turk, and advise me on the parish budget and expenditures. I am grateful for their expertise and support. Our Finance Council members are Victor Cerna, Doug Dinardo, Sue Hofrichter, Bill Lackner, Art Martin, Roly Petrone, Paul Schaefer and Alejandro Viveros. Please keep them in your prayers as we move forward in being good stewards of our parish’s finances. 
      Soon I will be sharing with our congregation the requirements and skills for membership on our new Parish Pastoral Council. The Pastoral Council will be responsible for developing a vision for our parish’s future.  They will be tasked with developing a 3- to 5-year plan for the parish that can be evaluated and updated yearly. Once our Pastoral Council is formed, we can begin the work of bringing the Good News of Jesus to the people of North Central Washington County. Until next time, may God bless you all and again know that you are in my prayers.

      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen
       
       

    July 19, 2020
    • Dear Sisters and Brothers,

      As of July 1, 2020, we are now officially the Parish of Saint Oscar Romero.  It has been a challenging few months leading up to the beginning of our new parish, but with the grace of God, we will be able to accomplish great things. It is important for us to understand the difference between a parish and a church. A parish is a geographical area and a church is a building in that geographical area.  The geographical area of the new Saint Oscar Romero Parish is the North Central part of Washington County, including the boroughs of Canonsburg and Houston and the townships of Cecil, Chartiers, North Strabane, South Strabane and parts of Peters.  Our parish is now made up of the three churches of Holy Rosary, Miraculous Medal and Saint Patrick.  These facilities will serve the worship, ministerial and programmatic needs of our parish. We are blessed to continue to offer the Holy Mass and other ministries at these churches. 

      Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, we had to postpone a number of important events including the Sacraments of Initiation of Adults, as well as the Sacrament of Confirmation and a Baccalaureate Mass for our graduating seniors.  I am pleased to announce that we will be celebrating the Sacraments of Initiation of Adults on Sunday, July 26 at the 11 a.m. Mass at Saint Patrick Church for the English-speaking new members of our Faith and on that same Sunday at the 1 p.m. Mass at Miraculous Medal Church for the Spanish-speaking new members of our Faith. 

      We will be celebrating Baccalaureate Masses for our graduating seniors on Sunday, Aug. 2 at 9 a.m. at Holy Rosary Church, 10 a.m. at Miraculous Medal Church and 11 a.m. at Saint Patrick Church. Finally, we will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation for our candidates on three different evenings on Monday, Aug. 3, Wednesday, Aug. 10 and Thursday, Aug. 20 -- all at 7 p.m. at Saint Patrick Church. 

      This is a great way to inaugurate the beginning of our new parish with these celebrations for our youth and young adults.  It will be the mission of our new parish to find innovative ways to share our Catholic Faith with the generations to come and to learn from the example and witness of Saint Oscar Romero.  May we benefit from his intercession as we continue to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen
       
       

    June 18, 2020
    • Dear Sisters and Brothers,

      We are just days away from becoming the new Parish of Saint Oscar Romero.  While this will be a big change for many of us, there is tremendous excitement in the great things that God can and will do through us.  We anticipate with great joy how God will use us to bring His love, healing and compassion to all those living in North Central Washington County.  Because we are a multicultural and a bilingual community, we have the distinct advantage of being able to reach out to many more people and offer them a welcoming home to worship.

      Even though the name of our parish is Saint Oscar Romero, each of our three sites will retain its original name.  In in this way we can identify where a particular event or program may be offered.  For example, the Saint Oscar Romero Pastoral Council will meet at the New Hall at Holy Rosary Church or the Saint Oscar Romero Parish Youth Group will meet at the Banquet Hall at Miraculous Medal Church or the Administrative Offices of Saint Oscar Romero Parish are at Saint Patrick Church.  In this way we can provide for the various spacing needs of our ministries and programs and utilize our facilities in a better way. 

      We have already combined most of our Parish Staff to serve the needs of our new parish.  This was done by utilizing many of the current staff members of our three former parishes.  I would like announce the new positions of our Parish Staff.  The position of Director of Music Ministry will be Anthony Milbower, who is the current Director of Music at Saint Patrick Church.  The position of Director of Faith Formation with be shared by Sean Austin, our current Director of Youth Ministry and Confirmation Preparation, and Cindi Fuselier, our current Safe Environment Coordinator.  Both Sean and Cindi will continue in their current positions, as well as overseeing the Faith Formation Program.

      I would like to thank the staff members who held these positions at our three former parishes, namely Jennifer Derrick, the former Director of Music at Miraculous Medal Parish, Maria D’Angelo Dougherty, the former Director of Music at Holy Rosary Parish, Clyde House, the former Religious Education Program Director at Holy Rosary Parish and Carol Serbak, the former Catechetical Administrator at Saint Patrick Parish.  These sisters and brother served faithfully the needs of our Catholic community by dedicating themselves to our parishioners.  They have selflessly shared their gifts with us and labored in Our Lord’s Vineyard, many times while sacrificing their own family obligations and needs.

      This is a bittersweet time as we look forward to the Lord bringing us new opportunities and endeavors, while at the same time saying goodbye to those people and ministries who have meant so much to us in the past.  This is a time where our faith will be challenged, but it is also an opportunity to grow in our faith.  Like Saint Oscar Romero, we are called to put our trust in Jesus and follow in His footsteps. May Our Lord fill us with joy as we begin this new mission!

      In Christ’s love,
      Fr. Carmen  
    April 19, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      We have celebrated the great Feast of the Resurrection, not so much
      with public ceremony and pageantry in our parish churches, but more
      so in the simplicity of our family homes. Some of us gathered around
      a computer monitor to watch the celebration of the Easter Liturgy live
      streamed from an empty Miraculous Medal Church, some simply
      watched the live stream on their smart phone or others gathered in their
      living room to watch the Easter Mass on television from an empty
      Vatican City in Rome. As I imagined each of these scenarios, I couldn’t
      help but think of how much this Easter was similar to the very first Easter.

      On that very first Easter Sunday, there were no large gatherings of
      Christians joining together to sing and rejoice that Jesus was risen from
      the dead. There were no large processions or singing of hymns. In fact,
      there was no public display of faith. On that first Easter Sunday, the
      followers of Jesus were secluded in their homes, many afraid to go out
      publicly for fear of injury, imprisonment or even death. Instead of these
      Christians going to be with Jesus in some public celebration, he came
      to their homes. In the Gospel of John 20:19-31, we read that “On the
      evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where
      the disciples were, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them,
      ‘Peace be with you.’ The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.”
      In the Gospel of Luke 24:36-49, we read how on that Resurrection Day,
      Jesus appeared to the disciples in the place where they were staying.
      We read how he ate with them in that place and then instructed them to
      stay there “sheltered in place” or “quarantined” so to speak, until he sent
      the promise of His Father, the Holy Spirit.

      In many ways this Easter reminds us that we are like those very first
      disciples, hunkered down in our homes, wondering when we can gather
      together again. But like them, let us realize that our Risen Lord is with
      us, He is here in our midst!! Every time we gather together in our
      homes and call upon His name, He is present to us! Maybe this Easter is
      really a gift to us. Maybe this Easter is the time when we rediscover
      what many of us learned a long time ago, what the early Christians
      knew and believed, that the home, the family is the domestic Church.
      That our home is a sacred place! Maybe this Easter is the time for us to
      go back to our earliest roots and rediscover the great power of prayer,
      like those first disciples gathered together in prayer, praying and blessing
      each other. Maybe this Easter is actually a great blessing! In fact,
      maybe this Easter is a gift from our God. Maybe this Easter, we once
      again discover the importance of praying together as a family; the
      importance of a father blessing his children before he leaves for work
      in the morning or a mother blessing her children before they leave for
      school; or a grandmother or grandfather reading Bible stories to the
      grandchildren or sharing with them the stories of the lives of the saints.

      I don’t know about you my brothers and sisters, but I believe this Easter
      is very special. I believe we will be stronger because of it. I believe
      our faith will be enlivened, like those first disciples, who went forth
      from their homes and proclaimed the Good News. Maybe this is the
      beginning of a new Pentecost, the beginning of great renewal in the
      Church and in our lives! We know that our God is always at work.
      He takes what seems to be a tragedy and makes it into a victory and
      isn’t that what Easter is all about? On behalf our clergy and staff, I
      wish you all a blessed Easter and may Our Risen Lord grant you
      strength and joy during this very special time.

      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen

    April 12, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      This has certainly been a Lenten Season to remember even though many may want to forget it.
       
      We started out on March 1, the First Sunday of Lent with our theme “Lord, I need You.” Little did we know how true that phrase would turn out to be.  In late January, we had heard about a viral outbreak in Wuhan, China.  It seemed so remote, so far away. We’ve gotten use to that type of thinking.  Our lives here in the United States have become so comfortable.  We are used to doing things when we want, how we want, where we want and with whom we want.  American individualism truly describes us. 

      By mid-February, we learned that the remote viral outbreak in China had now spread to Italy.  It was not as remote, but still far enough away.  It was now being described as a pandemic and some were beginning to ask, could this possibly spread here in the U.S.?  Many were still thinking and saying that it was not possible. 

      When Lent began, we had our perfunctory General Intercessions for the sick in those other places.  We sang, “Lord, I need You,” each of us thinking of our own personal problems and situations, never thinking of how much our lives would change.  By March 8, the Second Sunday of Lent, we continued to sing and reflect on our theme “Lord, I need You.”  But during that Second Week of Lent, we heard about the first reported cases of the coronavirus in Eastern Pennsylvania.  Then we received a notice from Bishop Zubik stating that all elderly parishioners and those with compromised immune systems were dispensed from attending Sunday Mass.  Some of us joked saying that many would use this as an excuse to not attend Mass.

      On March 15, the Third Sunday of Lent, we noticed that the attendance was down - many decided not to attend.  We sang more fervently, “Lord, I need You” because now there were reported cases of the coronavirus in Western Pennsylvania.  Now the situation had become real.  It was no longer a remote far off exotic disease in some far away country. It was in our own backyard.  During the Third Week of Lent, Bishop Zubik ordered all public Masses be discontinued and that priests may celebrate private Mass or a Mass may be live-streamed online. In addition, all fish frys were cancelled.  All of this news was really stunning.  How would we continue?  How would we be the Church?  We prayed earnestly, each from our hearts, “Lord, I need You!” 

      On March 22, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, our churches were locked and we live streamed the Mass from Miraculous Medal.  It was a bit strange to celebrate the Mass without the congregation being physically present, but we were connected spiritually.  We sang and we prayed, “Lord, I need You.”  These words began to take on a more profound meaning.  We began to realize the great blessing of the Eucharist and the other  Sacraments.  In some cases, some of us realized that maybe we had taken for granted these precious gifts of our faith. 

      By the time the Fifth Sunday of Lent came on March 29, we understood how much we longed for the Eucharist and for each other.  We sang again “Lord, I need You.” So many of our parishioners began to discover creative ways of reaching out and being present to one another. We discovered that no barriers can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus and one another. 

      Palm Sunday was celebrated on April 5 and the palms were blessed and then stored.  We wait for the day when we will distribute them.  They are a reminder to us of that day that we long for, not simply that day when we can return back to church to celebrate the Mass together, but that day when Jesus will come again.

      Today is Easter Sunday – Resurrection Day!  This is the day when Jesus rose from the dead!  This is the day when He makes all things new!  This is the day when we celebrate that death has no more power over us!  This is the day when we sing “We believe!”  We believe, O Lord, that you will change our mourning into dancing.  We believe that you will renew our hearts and our minds!  We will be stronger!  We will be more grateful!  We will never forget that we need You! 

      On behalf of our clergy and staff, I wish all of you a blessed and healthy Easter and we look forward to the many new ways that God will use us for His purposes in the future.

      n Christ’s love,
      Fr. Carmen  

    March 22, 2020
    • My Brothers and Sisters,
       
      We are certainly experiencing challenging times with the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19).  In order to protect our most vulnerable parishioners and to prevent the further spread of the virus, Bishop  Zubik has ordered that all weekday and Sunday Masses be canceled.  With that in mind all church activities at our three parish sites will be canceled.  Our church buildings will be locked and church offices will be closed and all parish functions will be cancelled or postponed until further notice. While this may seem drastic, we again must consider the safety and well-being of everyone, including our parishioners and parish staff. 
       
      We will, however, have a local Mass that will be lived streamed on our website Sunday through Friday at 10:00 AM and a Spanish Mass on Sunday at 1:00 PM.  These Masses will be celebrated by one of our priests and the scheduled Mass intentions will be offered at these Masses.  Please note that these  Masses will be celebrated without a congregation present in the church.  Our congregation will be those who log onto the website.  To view the Mass, go to our website at hrmmsp.org.  If you are not able to watch the Mass at the scheduled times, each Mass will be recorded and you can view it later.  
       
      Our regularly scheduled Confession times will also be canceled. If you would want to go to confession, please call the church office to make an appointment.  If you or a family member would need the Sacrament of the Anointing, please contact Father Tom Galvin at 724-745-6560 extension 113.  The Miraculous Medal Novena will be streamed on Monday after the 10:00 AM Mass and the Sacred Heart Novena will be streamed on the First Friday of the Month following the 10:00 AM Mass.  We will also have the Stations of the Cross on our website as well.  You can view the Stations at any time. 
       
      Please use this time to check in on your elderly neighbors and friends and acts of kindness that you can give individually will be greatly appreciated.  Please also sign up for Flock Note on our website, so that you can receive up-to-date messages and immediate Parish news. Since we will not be celebrating the Mass at our three Parish sites, please mail your church envelopes and donations or place them in the mail slot at our administrative office at the St. Patrick Rectory. 
       
      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen

    March 15, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      During this Season of Lent, we have been focusing on our theme “Lord I need You.” It has been a wonderful opportunity to turn to the Lord Jesus in our times of stress, anxiety, fear and sadness.  We know that Jesus is with us and that He loves us, but to put our trust in Him is a completely different matter.  This has been extremely challenging for us these past years with the release of the Grand Jury Report in August 2018.    

      Our trust in the leadership of the Church has been severely damaged.  In many cases, we have felt betrayed and  disrespected.  It has only been through God’s grace and our love of the Lord that we have endured.  As the administrator of our parish grouping, I can only say how amazed and inspired  I have been in witnessing the selflessness and generosity of our parishioners.  So many of you have been so encouraging and supportive in spite of the sadness and embarrassment we have faced.  I know that when I have called out to God “Lord I need you” that He has shown me the witness, love and faithfulness of the parishioners of our grouping. 

      One area that has truly amazed me of your goodness and generosity is your response to the Parish Share Program.  Each of our three churches not only reached our Parish Share goals in 2019, but overwhelmingly exceeded those goals!  This in spite of many being reluctant to give to diocesan programs.  As a result of exceeding our goals, each church was able to deposit thousands of dollars to our savings.  Holy Rosary deposited $41,337, Miraculous Medal deposited $12,461 and St. Patrick deposited $41,319 into each church’s savings account.  This money stays here in our parishes to support the continued efforts to promote the faith here in our communities.  I am so humbled by your goodness and love for Jesus and our faith.

      We are now beginning our Parish Share Campaign for 2020.  There is some more good news!  The assessment for each of our three churches has been reduced or has remained the same.  Each parish is assessed 17.6% of its income to support various diocesan pastoral, social and educational activities.  The Parish Share goal for St. Patrick has been reduced from $118,628 to $106,738.  The Parish Share goal for Miraculous Medal has been reduced from $70,600 to $55,226 and the Parish Share goal for Holy Rosary has remained relatively the same with a slight increase from $31,025 to $32,444.

      Last year we started having a Second Collection on the first and third Sundays of each month to support our Parish Share effort.  Because so many of you split your parish donation on those Sundays between the two collections, we were then able to accomplish two goals – lowering our Parish Share assessment and paying off our Parish Share goal and depositing  thousands of dollars into our parish savings accounts!  As I mentioned earlier, everything collected over and above our Parish Share goal is deposited in our parish savings accounts. 

      I thank you so much for your amazing generosity and I ask your once again to be as generous as you can for this year’s Parish Share Program.   Let us continue to call out to the Lord, may we continue to say “Lord, I need You!”  Through His grace and His love, He is able to turn our sorrow into joy, our fear into trust and our doubt into sure faith!  He is able to do great things!  “Lord, I need You!”

      In Christ’s love,                                                                                                         Father Carmen

    March 1, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,
       
      Now that the holy Season of Lent has begun, we have many opportunities at our three sites to grow deeper in our spiritual lives. 
       
      We have Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent at each site, Adult Faith Formation Sunday on Sunday, March 8 at St. Patrick Center, the Holy Name Society Lenten Retreat with Fr. Michael Greb on Saturday, March 21 at Miraculous Medal Church, a special Mass and fiesta celebrating the life of St. Oscar Romero on Sunday, March 22 at Miraculous Medal Church, the Living Stations put on by our children on Friday, March 27 at St. Patrick Church, Family Friendly Confessions for families with young children on Saturday, March 28 at Miraculous Medal Church.
       
      We also have Soup and Stations on March 27 and April 3 at Holy Rosary, the Light is On Confessions on Wednesday, April 1 at St. Patrick Church, Young Adult Bible Study every Thursday at Miraculous Medal Rectory Basement, the Patriotic Rosary every first Wednesday at Miraculous Medal Church and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every first Friday at the newly renovated Eucharistic Adoration Chapel in the St. Patrick Center. 
       
      Speaking of the Adoration Chapel, I want to thank Fr. Tom   Galvin for organizing the renovation effort.  I am so grateful to him and the many parishioners who volunteered their time to paint, repair and clean the chapel.  Also, to the many  parishioners who contributed financially or through in-kind  donations. What a beautiful expression of faith and love for Our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. 
       
      Lent is a special time for us to examine our lives and see the many ways we can allow Jesus to be at the center of everything we do.  When Jesus is at the center of everything we do, then we can see the effects of His presence in everywhere.  Sadness is turned into joy, bitterness into contentment, hatred is turned into love and confusion into understanding.  Let us take advantage of these many opportunities to refocus our lives and grow together in faith.
       
      In Christ’s love,
      Fr. Carmen
       
       

    February 23, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      We are nearing the end of February and continuing to make preparations for this momentous year when our three faith communities will merge into one.  Starting in July, we will be one parish with a new name and three parish sites.  

      Several Town Hall meetings on the merger process have already been held and we plan to conduct three more in March to keep everyone informed about the process. Our Town Hall meetings will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at St. Patrick Church, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5 at Holy Rosary Church and on Saturday, March 7 at Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Banquet Hall following the 6 p.m. Mass.  Parishioners are invited to attend any of these presentations.

      The presentation will include a snapshot of our grouping, our buildings and our ministries. We will also share our vision for the future. Our staff members, Pastoral and Finance Councils already have previewed the presentation to provide input into this process.  Now we would like to hear from our parishioners.

      There are many preparations that need to take place before we merge in July. While some of them have already occurred, such as combining our bulletins and streamlining Sunday collections, there are other matters which still need to be addressed. For example, our bank accounts will merge in July and financial  and sacramental records will all be one. There will also be one new Pastoral Council and one Finance Council.

      We are not the only church grouping which will merge on July 1.  Seventy parishes in the diocese will merge into 16 parishes in July.
        
      By God’s grace and our openness to his Holy Spirit, we will accomplish much more for our youth, young adults, seniors and all our parishioners.  By our coming together as one parish, we will have a greater impact in the community where we live and serve. 

      Please come to one of the presentations and learn more about where we are and where we are going.

      In Christ’s love,
      Fr. Carmen

    February 2, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,

      As we move deeper into this new year of 2020, we are also moving closer to the date of our parish consolidation in July.  We have already begun to share many things together and are becoming more and more familiar with one another. 

      The heart of our unity is our relationship with Jesus.  It is our love for the Lord that brings us together as one.  We know that Jesus instilled in the Apostles the importance of unity and prayed on the night before He died “that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” (John 17:21).

      It is so important that we make this a priority in our lives and in our new parish.  Each of us has unique gifts and wonderful qualities, all of which come from our God.  All of this gifts and qualities are to put at the service of Our Lord and His Church.  All of the Apostles were different - with different gifts and   abilities, but they all worked for a common purpose, to spread the Good News of the Risen Lord.  Jesus called the Apostles to be leaders and to minister in His name.  Our Lord continues to call forth leaders today.  Those who are called to change will use their gifts and talents to advance the Gospel.  

      For the past year and four months, we have relied on the leadership of the Pastoral and Finance Councils of our three churches.  In July we will need to form a new Pastoral Council and a new Finance Council to represent our new Parish.  These leadership councils will assist the Clergy Team and Parish Staff in implementing our vision of “Preparing for the Next Generation.”  Like the Apostles, we will pursue creative and faithful ways of sharing our Catholic Faith in this part of Washington County. 

      In the next few weeks I will be sharing the roles and responsibilities of a Pastoral Council member and a Finance Council  member.  I ask that everyone become familiar with these roles and responsibilities and pray that God will guide us in the filling of these council positions. Both of these councils will be essential to bringing about a deeper unity among all of us as we become one in Christ Jesus.

      In Christ’s love,
      Father Carmen 

    January 5, 2020
    • Dear Brothers and Sisters,
       
      I hope you are all enjoying this Christmas Season. Today we are celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany. This is the day that the Magi came from the East in search of the newborn King of the Jews. These pagan astrologers were open to God’s call and responded generously to the Incarnate Word made Flesh. They expected to find Him in a palace, with all the trappings of royalty, all the regalia of a king.  Instead, they found Him in a stable among the animals, not with the sweet aroma of incense, but rather the foul smell of animal feces. Even though, this was not the expectation the Magi had in mind, they were, however, open to see the real presence of God. They saw the presence of God in this homeless infant and His poor parents and bestowed on them their gifts of gold,  frankincense and myrrh. They generously shared what they had with this forgotten Messiah. 
       
      This Feast of Epiphany reminds us to share our gifts with the homeless, the poor and the needy.  This feast reminds us to see the presence of Jesus in those the world has forgotten.  You may have noticed a change in your church envelope packet. Along with the regular Sunday envelopes and Parish Share envelopes, you will see an envelope for the Saint Vincent de Paul Society.  As many of you know, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society helps the poor and needy in our area. These are individuals or families who call or come to the door of our three churches and ask for assistance. The members of the Saint Vincent de Paul, who are our parishioners, pray with and assess the needs of those ask for help.  Your generosity in aiding the work of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society will ensure that we treat the poor and needy as we would Jesus Himself. 
       
      Also, included in your packet is an envelope for church maintenance. Your generosity here will help with the upkeep and the repair of the facilities at our three churches.  We want to make sure that our facilities are well maintained and safe. The other new envelope in your packet is for our School Subsidy.  The Diocese requires each parish to donate 10% of their total income to support Catholic Education.  Your generosity here will ensure that we not only meet our assessment, but also that our families will continue to have the benefit of a Catholic School Education for their children.
       
      The Magi are truly our inspiration to recognize the presence of Jesus in the faces of the poor, our fellow parishioners and our children. Thank you so much for your openness to God’s call to be generous and may Our Lord Jesus bless you abundantly for your generosity.
       
      In Christ’s Love,
      Fr. Carmen

Mass Times

Saturday:
4:00 PM Holy Rosary 
5:00 PM St. Patrick
6:00 PM Miraculous Medal 

Sunday:
7:30 AM St. Patrick
9:00 AM Holy Rosary
10:00 AM Miraculous Medal 
11:00 AM St. Patrick
12:00 PM Holy Rosary
1:00 PM Miraculous Medal (Spanish)

Mon-Fri: 7:00 AM St. Patrick 
Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM Holy Rosary
Mo, Tu, Th, Fri: 10:00 AM Miraculous Medal
Wed: 6:00 PM Miraculous Medal

 

Administrative Offices

Saint Patrick Church

Location and Mail:
317 West Pike Street
Canonsburg, PA 15317

Phone: 724-745-6560

 

Holy Rosary Church
246 Muse Bishop Road
Muse, PA 15350



Our Lady of the
Miraculous Medal Church

300 Pike Street, Box 366
Meadowlands, PA 15347


For website questions please contact Don Ross.

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