You are required to be a member of this forum to participate in discussions. Some forums are for volunteer staff use, others are limited to those who are contributors and content providers.
967 is the record for most users online at IPMS-UK KitMaker Branch on August 30, 2018. 3881 is the record for most users online at KitMaker Network.
How long until you begin your Spring cleaning? It’s a ritual that seems to be very common even today. After the previous and busy seasons of last Spring then Summer then Autumn followed by the long season of winter when our homes are closed, most people try to open their doors and windows to let in the fresh air of Springtime. We also take out our mops, buckets, soap, cloths, vacuums, and other cleaning items to thoroughly cleanse our homes of dust and dirt and whatever else we want out of our homes.
In the Gospel according to John this Sunday, Jesus does his own cleaning of the house—of God’s house, of God’s Temple, of God’s dwelling in Jerusalem. In rightful anger, Jesus throws out the sellers and buyers from the Temple. Jesus wants to restore holiness to this sacred place dedicated to the Almighty, and so he drives out those who treat the Temple as a marketplace for commercial activity, for theft and deception, and for whatever else was going on in the Temple precincts.
Much as Jesus cleaned out the Temple of the Lord, so too should we also clean out the spiritual temple within ourselves. This Lent is a time not only to clean out our homes, but it’s THE time to clean out our souls, our hearts, our lives, and our families as well. May we make the most of these remaining days of Lent to examine our lives and to make the changes needed so that we’ll live in holiness and faithfulness every day of our lives. God bless!
Catholic author and evangelist Matthew Kelly is offering a free daily email message for Lent that will inspire you to become the best version of yourself. Visit www.BestLentEver.com for info and registration! You may may also visit the "Praying Lent" site of Creighton University's Online Ministries here for more internet resources. Lent is our season to renew our Catholic Christian identity that is ours through our Baptism. Lent is our time to renew our lives, our souls, our families, and our holiness so that we are truly are, once again, the holy and loving disciples of Jesus that we profess to be. Have a good Lent!
During this Season of Lent, please keep in mind that we’re all asked to increase our time in prayer, to fast from eating at times, and to perform charity for others.
Abstaining from meat begins at age 14 and is expected on all Fridays of Lent. Fasting for those ages 18-59 (only one regular meal) is expected on Good Friday. All of us are expected to perform other acts of penance and contrition as we seek conversion from our sins and the transformation of our lives toward genuine holiness!
Parents of children ages 4-17 are most welcome to visit our parish’s CDTCA regional school and our local Catholic high schools now. They’re worth the investment!
UPMC Saint Margaret Hospital is offering free tests and cooking sessions on March 25. Call 866-939-7787.
This month, we’d like to add 25 new servers to our ministry of Altar Serving. Students in Third Grade and Fourth Grade at this time — and any students in Grades 5 through 11 — are welcome to register as a new server. Training will begin next week with Meredith Troyan of our Religious Education Staff, and it will be held in two sessions for groups of new servers. To sign up to become a new server, send an email to the parish office here OR to Meredith here. Your service to our Liturgy and to our parish will be greatly appreciated! Please sign up this week!
In these months, our Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has begun this year’s Parish Share Campaign in order to finance the work of Bishop David Zubik and the operations of our Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Each parish is given a goal based on our previous year’s parish contributions. Then every household of our parish is asked to pledge and contribute $250+ during the course of the coming twelve months. If you’re able to contribute $500, $1000 or even more, your generosity will be greatly appreciated! All the funds that are received above our goal will remain with our parish to fund our own operations.
Our goal for 2015 is $ 97,653. As you do every year, please respond generously so that we can meet our obligation to the Diocese soon and then receive additional funds for Saint Scholastica parish once our Diocesan goal is accomplished. Thank you all very much!
On Wednesday, March 18, from 6:00 pm—9:00 pm, Bishop David Zubik is once again inviting all members of our Catholic Diocese to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in our parish church or in any of our 200 parish churches. Come and be reconciled to the Lord!
Girl Scout Cookies from our CDTCA Troops will be available during this weekend outside the church! For many generations, the Girl Scouts have provided opportunities, experiences, and learning for girls. GS cookies are always good, and their sales provide support for their programs as well as for other charitable organization and efforts. All families (and all former scouts) are invited to purchase cookies (and to make donations)!
This April 10-11, the Franciscan University of Steubenville (one hour from Pittsburgh) will host the Veritas Conference with10 noted speakers. In addressing the renewal of our secular culture, they will address the topics of family life, sexual morality, education, politics, law, art and architecture, economic life, the media, and the plight of young people and minority groups. The registration fee is $50. For information and registration, visit www.franciscan.edu/veritas or call 1-740-284-5262 now.
Intersection Bible Study for our Youth . . . this Sunday, March 8, for Grades 8-12, in the Ministry Center from 10 am-11 am. All are welcome!
Pet Therapy at the V.A. will be held on Tuesday, March 10 from 4-5 pm at the nearby Veterans Hospital.
Appalachia Mission Meetings will be held March 11, April 16, and May 11. All participants are asked to attend!
All parish members are invited by our Aquinas Guild to participate in an evening of free Lenten Reflection with Father Joseph Freedy (our Diocesan Vocations Director) on Monday evening, March 9, 6:30 to 9:00 pm. He will speak on ‘Receiving the Love that casts out Fear.’ Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
In addition to purchasing Girl Scout Cookies, our local Girl Scout Troop is celebrating the Girl Scouts’ March 16 birthday by collecting items for the St. Vincent dePaul Food Pantry in Sharpsburg. If you can help, please make donations of: cake mix, frosting, table covers, birthday candles, napkins, paper plates, noise makers, and party hats. Please place all donations in our main church entrance this week. Thanks!
For new and expectant parents, we will hold a Baptism Preparation Seminar on Monday, March 23 at 7:30 pm in the parish hall. Come and learn about the sacrament and the ceremony with Mr. Andy Bechman of our parish staff. Contact our parish office to register. The next Baptism Preparation Session will be held on May 4.
As our Aquinas Guild prepares for the 2015 Spring “A New Beginning” Luncheon, the Social Committee of the Guild is asking you for donations of teacups and saucers in very good condition to use for one of their raffles. If you have a teacup or two (or more) that you’d be able to donate, please bring them to the parish office during regular hours. (Donations will NOT be returned.) Mark your calendar for April 18, and be sure to join us for our Spring Luncheon!
Yes, you can still join our Lenten Bible Study on what the Scriptures say about the Eucharist! Sessions are being held on Thursdays in the Ministry Center Library from 7:30—9:00 pm. Please contact our parish office this week and we’ll get you started in the Bible Study!
This Monday afternoon, March 9, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, members of our parish will be outside Planned Parenthood, 933 Liberty Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh as part of the Forty Days for Life effort. They will be on site to bring peaceful and prayerful attention to the holocaust of abortion and to pray for the women and men giving thought to ending a pregnancy You’re welcome to join them for one hour or more. A supervisor with Forty Days for Life will also be present. Contact Mrs. Mary Catherine Scanlon (412-781-6550) this week for additional information. See you there!
Thank you for your help in keeping our church seating area clean for those coming to the next Liturgy. Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated by everyone!
Please continue supporting our Parish Share Campaign and our Diocesan Campaign for the Church Alive! Your support helps us to continue building God’s Kingdom!
Anyone in the territory of the Fox Chapel School District who is homebound and unable to cook for themselves is eligible to receive weekday meals from the local Meals on Wheels program. The program is here to assist you, and the volunteers are eager to bring meals to your residence.
Also, if you have a few hours each week to assist in any number of ways, you’re most welcome to volunteer your service to this vital ministry. Please give this program some consideration, and call 412-820-8350 to sign up for service OR to volunteer your time for this important and worthwhile volunteer meal service program. Thank you!
If you’re interested in participating in the September 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia (which Pope Francis is planning to attend), our Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has arranged a variety of pilgrimage packages. Contact our parish office for information. It’ll be an historic event that will truly be worth attending!
Our Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh offers a toll-free hotline for anyone needing to report abuse. The Victim's Assistance Hotline is 1-888-808-1235.
The ministry to the homeless and poor is requesting these items: any clean sheets, heavy men’s winter socks and gloves, and size XL+ thermal underwear bottoms. Also needed: canned vegetables, canned beans, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, tuna, and boxed meal mixes (such as Hamburger Helper).
You are also especially invited to donate $5 McDonald’s gift cards and leave them in the small gift bag in the church entrance. Please continue to check the parish website Stewardship page here for information. Thanks very much!
Thanks very, very much to all of our parish members and CDTCA supporters who participated in Saturday's CDTCA PTG Night at the Races! It was another successful and fun evening enjoyed by hundreds of adults in our parish and in our local community! The evening raised significant funds once again to support the students and programs of our parish’s regional school.
Many thanks also to our PTG and the coordinating committee for all their work in making our Night at the Races such a success! Your efforts are greatly appreciated as you support the important work of our local Catholic school in bringing our Catholic faith and life to our children!
Both our CDTCA boys and girls basketball teams have had tremendous success on the basketball court this season. Both programs had much success in their regular seasons as well as in the Diocesan Playoffs and additional tournaments! Congratulations on all your dedicated training as well as your impressive team play and success!
Our school, Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy, is accepting inquiries and applications for new and transfer students for the coming school year. If you’d like to register your 4 year old child for pre-Kindergarten, or if you have children in grades K to 7, please contact Mrs. Traci Giuffre at CDTCA soon (412-781-7927) for a tour of the school and for further information. CDTCA is an excellent school where we nurture faith and inspire excellence!
We’d like to offer monthly donation envelopes in addition to our customary weekly envelopes. According to our envelope company, when we have 50 members who’d like these monthly envelopes, they will provide them. To contribute your entire contribution with one monthly check, call the office, and we’ll add you to the list of those interested.
Our thanks to Patricia M. Navarro, CPA for being a bulletin sponsor. Please see her ad for information.