My Dear Parishioners,

  This weekend we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  The word Pentecost comes from the word for 50.  It is fifty days since we celebrated our Lord’s resurrection from the dead.  Now we celebrate that the promised advocate or Holy Spirit comes to us to reveal God to us, and to assist us in drawing closer to God.  We need to learn to call upon and even depend more on the Holy Spirit.  This is also the closing of the Easter season.  After Pentecost we remove the Paschal candle from its prominent place in the sanctuary and return it to the Baptism font.  The Liturgical season that we will move into is called Ordinary Time and it allows us to reflect on the mysteries of Jesus daily life and public ministry.

This weekend the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is asking that we have the “in-pew” portion of the 2013 Catholic Charities Appeal.  In your pews today are pledge cards for this campaign.  In case you misplaced your pledge card you can fill out one of these out and send it in.  Archbishop Chaput, in his letter stressed the importance of this campaign when he said, “As disciples of Christ we are called to follow his example and to love our neighbor and to care for the poor, the sick and the needy. This duty belongs to each of us personally and it cannot be ignored or delegated away. As Catholics, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are born through our baptism to love and serve all people . . . No one understands better the need to care for those less fortunate in our region than the Catholic Church and we do it well. In order for us to keep doing God's work, it is going to take all of us to do our part.” 

I want to thank you for your continued support of St. Joseph parish in these very difficult and trying times.  If you are able to contribute to the Catholic Charities Appeal, I know it is very effective at helping those in need.  To date, St. Joseph parishioners have contributed $19,616 to the 2013 campaign.May God Bless You,

Fr. Bordonaro

The gifts of the Holy Spirit, the ways in which the Holy Spirit acts in our lives, are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude (or courage), knowledge, piety, and fear (or wonder and awe) of the Lord.

 These gifts are named in a prayer that the bishop or his designee prays at the beginning of the celebration of the sacrament of confirmation. When we trust in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we are formed as good and holy people, living the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.

Come To Us, Spirit Of Holiness

Holy Spirit,

you banish fear from our hearts;

you bear witness in us that we are children of God;

 we pray to you:

Remove from our hearts the spirit of slaves;

place in us the spirit of adopted children

to make us cry out, “Abba, Father!”—From Come, Lord Jesus by Lucien Deiss, CSSp, copyright © 1976, 1981, Lucien Deiss. Published by World Library Publications. p. 184

Manna Drive To Fill Community Cupboard Manna Bags will be distributed May 18/19 & May 25/26 and will be collected the weekend of June 1/2. Canned food items in greatest need are: beef stew, tuna fish, fruit, vegetables, pasta, soups and pork & beans. 

Health and Help Ministry The National Shrine of St Rita, located at 1166 S. Broad St.  in Philadelphia, is dedicated to the values and virtues of St. Rita. She is known as healer, reconciler and peacemaker.  St Rita's Feast Day is May 22.     Please see the website for more information.   www.saintritashrine.org.

Men’s Malvern Retreat Six-Three Men’s Retreat Group at Malvern Retreat House Friday, June 14 to Sunday, June 16 www.malvernretreat.com  484-321-2534

Treasures from our Tradition

  Today we are at the fiftieth day of the Easter celebration: seven weeks of seven days, a week of weeks, now culminating in a festival fiftieth day. While the liturgical color of the Easter season is gold, on this last day we have red. For the first thousand years of the church, there were no firm rules for using colors. Only wealthy churches could afford a full array of colors, and most places used the best vestments, no matter the color, for the greatest feasts. The Church spelled out an exact plan for color, including red for Pentecost, only in 1570, but local differences held on until the 1800s.

Color experts tell us that red is a hot color, best used for fast-paced, upbeat, active experiences. It is hard to be neutral before red, as any matador will tell you. It invites commitment, draws you in. It is a stimulating color, engaging the eye, stirring hunger. It is the most fitting color for this day when we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit into our lives, a dynamic presence overturning neutrality in favor of passion and commitment.—James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Readings for the Week

Monday:                 Sir 1:1-10; Ps 93:1-2, 5; Mk 9:14-29

Tuesday:                 Sir 2:1-11; Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40; Mk 9:30-37

Wednesday:           Sir 4:11-19; Ps 119:165, 168, 171-172, 174-175; Mk 10:38-45

Thursday:              Sir 5:1-8; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Mk 9:41-50

Friday:                    Sir 6:5-17; Ps 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34-35;  Mk 10:1-12

Saturday:                Sir 17:1-15; Ps 103:13-18; Mk 10:13-16

Sunday:                  Prv 8:22-31; Ps 8:4-9; Rom 5:1-5;  Jn 16:12-15

Food Collected for the Needy Sunday, May 5^th, we collected 700 pounds of food for the needy.   May the blessings promised to the compassionate be yours in abundance.

Discernment Retreat Sisters' Night  hosted by the Sisters, Servants of the IHM is an opportunity for young women (18-35) to share informally with the IHM Sisters, Friday, June 7, 6-9pm at Villa Maria House of Studies.  ihmvoc@aol.com or 610-889-1553

Website Administration:

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Website Address: www.saintjosephchurch.us

Mass Schedule

Saturday: 5:30PM

Sunday: 7:00AM, 8:30AM, 10:00AM, 11:30Am

Weekdays: *6:30AM (*Mondays only)  8:00AM (daily)

Saturday: 8:00AM

Holy Days: 5:30PM Vigil, 6:00AM, 8:00AM, 10:00AM, 7:00PM

Confessions: Saturday 4:00PM to 5:00PM

TV and Radio Mass for Shut-Ins:

Sunday:  5:30 AM WPVI Channel 6;  9:00AM 89.3 FM

Televised Sunday Mass

     A televised Sunday Mass is now airing on ABC Family from 6:30 am to 7:00 am each Sunday morning.  THE SUNDAY MASS is produced by the Passionist Fathers and Brothers out of New York City and is available nationally on local affiliates.  Too early for you?  Tape it, TiVo it, or watch it online.  www.TheSundayMass.org.

Baptisms

Parents should make arrangemtns with one of the priest at least one month before the requested date. Baptism is celebrated on the "First" and "Third" Sundays of the month at 12:30PM.

Preperation is held on the "Second Thursday of each month, 7:30PM in room 18 of the Church building. Godparents must be practicing the faith and present a note from thier parish on thier eligibility as sponsor.

No date can be set for baptism until parents have fulfilled these responsibilites.

Matrimony

To set a date for a wedding, couples must makle an appointment at the Rectory at least 6 months prior to the wedding date. Wddings can be scheduled for most Saturdays any time until 2:00PM or any weekday.

Sick Calls

Phone the Rectory @ 215-672-3020

Registration

All Catholics who live within the parish boundaries should register.

Boundaries: South of Street Roard from Lower State Road to Norristown Road to County Lin, Blair Mill Road to Moreland Road to Maple Avenue to Horsham Road to Limekiln Pike, to Lower State Roard & back to Street Road.

Parish Activities

Saint Joseph offcers a variety of activiites including chior, CCD School of Religion, Youth Organization, Home and School Association, Legion of Mary, Men's Club, Maraculous Metal Novena and Rosary, Pre-Cana, Respect Life Committe, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Senior Citizens, and Women's Groups.