Growing up, I can remember my parents, Bill and Marge, reminding me to always say thank you when someone would do a kind gesture. To this day, I still enjoy writing and receiving thank you notes. Two simple words we often do not hear enough of...Thank You!
 
This weekend we celebrate the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings focus on giving thanks. In the first reading from the Book of Kings, we read how Naaman is cured of his leoprosy and offers Elisha to be his servant. Having a conversion, Naaman, who once was worshipping false gods, now wants to follow the Lord. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus heals ten lepers but only one comes back to give thanks. Lepers were isolated from all social interaction and relied on charity of others. In today’s readings both Naaman and the Leper were “outsiders.” It was the faith of Naaman and the Leper to make the healing a possibility.
 
Let us continue to express gratitude to God who loves us deeply in spite of all of our faults.
   
Becoming One
All of the paperwork to request to merge into one parish was submitted to our Regional Vicar, Bishop William Waltersheid this past week. Thank you to the Pastoral Council and Finance Council members for assisting with the process. We are continuing to work to merge the parish offices into one building with the St. Bede Rectory becoming the main administration center.
 
The rectory at St. Bede, which has been neglected over the years, continues to be upgraded with improvements with the roof and laundry room repaired and construction has started on the second floor which will be used for more office space. Funds from Our Campaign for the Church Alive are helping make these renovations possible.
 
Fr. David Taylor continues to live in the Holy Rosary Rectory of St. Charles Lwanga Parish in Homewood, Fr. Augustine and Fr. James continue to live at St. Bede and I reside at St. James in Wilkinsburg.
 
On Line Giving
As we continue to move into being one parish we are going to be using one online giving provider, Faith Direct. St. Bede parishioners who currently use the online giving will be making the transition in the next few months. Please be patient with us as we make this transition.
 
Fundraisers
Thank you to all who attended the 2019 Century Club Banquet dinner a few weeks ago at the Edgewood Country Club. We raised a total of $ 5,850 from the dinner which will go towards our St. Charles Lwanga 2019 Parish Share Goal! Also our Recent Wheeling Island Casino Bus Trip raised $382 and last Saturday’s Meadows Casino Bus Trip raised $816. These profits will go into our Activity Fund. Thank You!
 
Parish Grant Awarded
It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Diocese of Pittsburgh has awarded a $25,000 Grant from the Our Campaign for the Church Alive! to be used to help operate our CCEEP Ministry Center! This will be a huge help to continue to staff and operate our Ministry Center to those neighbors in need. The Diocese of Pittsburgh awarded this very generous grant to us recognizing the wonderful work we do here in the Catholic Community of the East End of Pittsburgh!
 
We are also very grateful to the Estate of Veronica A. Kapcar for a generous bequest to St. James Parish. Please remember CCEEP in your Living Will!
 
RCIA
Do you want to learn more about the Catholic faith? Are you baptized in another faith and would like to be Catholic? Are you baptized Catholic but need communion and or confirmed? The Rite of Christian Initiation Program (RCIA) meets every Tuesday evening from 7 to 8:30pm in the Activity Room at the St. Bede Campus. To register or for more information please contact Teresa Maynor at [email protected].
 
Congratulations
Congratulations to Malcom Ward who is being Baptized this weekend at CCEEP.
 
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to Liz Brown our St. Bede School Office Manager who celebrated her birthday this past week!
 
Welcome
A special welcome to James Fischer, Highland and Shylar Moore, Michelle Nackrelli, S.Wesley, Meghan, and Ginger Morgan, who recently registered at CCEEP.
 
The Second Collection next weekend is for World Mission Sunday please be as generous as possible.
 
Something to Think About…