Pastor’s Note: March 10, 2019
First Sunday of Lent
                                                                                                               
This weekend we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent. We walk this journey together for the next six weeks focusing on prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
 
In the Gospel of Luke, we read how Jesus enters the desert (wilderness) for Forty days, to be tempted by the devil. Temptation is something that we all struggle with on a daily basis. It always starts out as something which seems minor and insignificant but then it can grow. If we develop a habit of daily prayer then we can combat the daily temptations that life throws at us.
 
Congratulations to our Second Graders who are receiving their First Sacrament of Reconciliation this weekend. Special thanks to our parents, teachers, Catechists, and Teresa Maynor our Religious Education Director for helping to prepare them for this special day!
   
Are you Registered?
All registered parishioners should have received a copy of the Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper last weekend that went out as “Universal Distribution.” Please contact Terri at St. Bede, Joyce at St. Charles Lwanga or Cathy at St. James if you are not receiving your parish offertory envelopes, Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper, and/or parish mailings. Please make sure that you are registered and that your information is current. We are unable to issue “Sponsor Letters” (Letters of Recommendation) for Baptisms and Confirmations if you are not registered.
 
Daily Masses are held Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 am in the St. James Chapel, Tuesday and Thursday at St. Charles Lwanga, Mother of Good Counsel and 9 am Monday thru Saturday at St. Bede. The Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration is available every Saturday from 9:30am to 10:30am at St. Bede.
 
Our combined CCEEP Worship and Faith Formation Committees are planning wonderful events during the Lenten Season to get spiritually enriched. The theme this Lent is “Under Construction, Spiritual Renovation.” Please join us this Sunday, March 10, 1 to
3pm at St. Bede Church. Guest Speaker: Ms. Mimika Garesche from the Diocese of Pittsburgh Office of Parish Services.
 
Parish Share 2019
The Annual Parish Share 2019 Campaign has begun. Our goal this year for St. Bede is $ 90,903, St. Charles Lwanga, $15,000, and St. James, $46,190.  Parish Share helps operate the day to day operations at the Pastoral Center downtown, and supports our Seminary, Hospital Chaplaincy and College Campus programs. Please be as generous as possible.
Little Sisters of the Poor
Thank you to all who supported the Little Sisters of the Poor when they visited us here at CCEEP the weekend of February 16 and 17. A total of $4,390.73 was collected at all three of our campuses to help with their ministry to provide compassionate care to the elderly at their home in Brighton Heights. Thank you for your generosity.
 
Catholic Education Plus
Tune into KDKA Radio 1020am on Sunday, March 17 for Catholic Education Plus. My guests will be our very own Stephanie Michael from Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Academy and Lauren Rudy from St. Benedict the Moor School in the Hill District. Our topic will be learning more about the two schools and the Extra Mile Foundation.
 
Spring Cleaning
Since the basketball season is winding down and more weekend athletic and social activities will be moving outdoors in the coming weeks, we are going to do some internal “Spring Cleaning” around the St. Bede Campus. On Saturday, March 23 the St. Bede School and Gym will be closed all day. Tarax Cleaning Services will be here to do some “detail cleaning” to the cafeteria, kitchen, floors and restrooms. We ask that no activities be scheduled that day to allow the cleaning crew full access to the building to clean. We appreciate your cooperation.
 
Congratulations
Congratulations to Patrick August McClincy and Jacinta Zofia Tkoca who were Baptized last weekend!
 
Congratulations to Ryan Michael Smith and Evan Edward Tulenko who made their “Profession of Faith” last Sunday. A Profession of Faith is when a Baptized Christian is baptized in another non Catholic Christian Church but wants to become Catholic. Ryan and Evan are Second Grade Students at St. Bede School and will be receiving their First Holy Communion next month with their classmates. Ryan is the son of Matt and Becky Smith and Evan is the son of Dennis and Mary Tulenko.
 
Something to Think About…
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly;
devils fall because of their gravity.  G.K. Chesterton
 
With God, All Things Are Possible!
 
Fr. Tom Burke
Administrator
E-Mail:[email protected]