Category: Announcements

Dear Parishioners,

Bishop Ronald W. Gainer, out of great concern for the health of the faithful and in union with the Bishops of Pennsylvania, has temporarily suspended all daily and weekend Masses in the Diocese of Harrisburg until further notice. Additionally, Bishop Gainer has suspended all public liturgies and devotions, and has asked that all churches and chapels be closed, including all perpetual adoration chapels. Further information for this time can be found at https://www.hbgdiocese.org/coronavirus/

As Pastor, I invite you to use this time of “social distancing” to go the desert with Jesus and pray. Below are a number of links for Mass, the Divine Office, and other spiritual resources. This is a great opportunity to explore liturgies, devotions, and teachings for which you might not otherwise have time. I encourage you to take advantage of this period of reduced schedules and cancelled activities by using these resources to grow spiritually as individuals and as a family.

In order to make an offering for the Sunday collection, you may mail a check (with your regular envelopes) to St. Catherine Labouré Parish, 4000 Derry Street, Harrisburg, PA 17111. Checks should be made payable to “St. Catherine Labouré”. To give electronically go to sclhbg.weshare.org or text “givescl” to 555888.

Fr. Josh, Fr. Jordan, and I will offer Mass daily for the intentions listed in the bulletin and for all of you. Please keep us in your prayers as well. I look forward to the day when we will be together at Mass in person.

Yours in Christ,

-Fr. Lease

Resources:

Sunday Prayer at Home and Spiritual Communion  (provided by the Diocese of Harrisburg)

Mass in English (from EWTN). A listing of local live-streamed Masses can be found at the Harrisburg Diocese website.

Mass in French/le messe en français (from Paris, France)

Mass in Spanish/la Misa en español: (from the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico). Scroll down to bottom of page; in the recording, Mass begins about 30 min after Lauds / el video está en el fondo de la página; la Misa empieza más o menos 30 minutos después de las Laudes.

Mass in Italian (la Messa in Italiano)

Mass in Latin (extraordinary form)

Divine Office Podcast

Divine Office Texts (also available in Latin – scroll to bottom of page)

St. Catherine Labouré Parish Novena

Vatican Website

Formed (St. Catherine Labouré has a subscription; go to “Sign Up”; when you create your account, please select our parish from the list which will appear)

Breadbox Media

Catechism of the Catholic Church

US Conference of Catholic Bishops (links to the Bible, the daily readings for Mass, and all sorts of informative materials)

On Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy: Dies Domini of Pope John Paul II

Handy apps to download:

• MyParish
• Click to Pray
• Laudate (Rosary, readings, and reflections)
• Magnificat (free during this time)

Scammers are taking advantage of the concerns over COVID-19 virus, and are again posing as priests and other clergy.  As recently as today, you might receive an email or a text message that appears to be from your Pastor or another priest that you may know. The scammer asks you to help someone in need by purchasing a gift card and to provide the codes on that card.  DO NOT RESPOND! 

Here’s how to protect yourself from being scammed:

1.   Know that scammers are out there. Be suspicious of any request for funds of any type via an email message or a text message. Verify any request with a call to the person who supposedly sent it or a call to the phone number of the text that you received.
2.   Know that any email from a priest should be from a diocesan or parish email account. Messages sent from free services, such as Gmail or Yahoo, are more likely to be scammers.
3. Many clergy do not share their cell phone numbers publicly. If you receive a text message from someone not on your phone’s contact list, be suspicious.
4. Know that priests will NEVER ask for financial transactions via email or text messages.

For more information on how to protect yourself visit: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0003-phishing

Please see below for information from the Diocese of Harrisburg and a listing of parish event postponements and cancellations:

Updated March 16, 2020:

Today and effective immediately until further notice, Bishop Ronald W. Gainer, out of great concern for the health of the faithful and in union with the Bishops of Pennsylvania, has temporarily suspended all daily and weekend Masses in the Diocese of Harrisburg. Additionally, Bishop Gainer has suspended all public liturgies and devotions, and has asked that all churches and chapels be closed, including all perpetual adoration chapels.

See the full press release from Bishop Gainer.  

Please visit this Diocese page for further information including a listing of live-streamed Masses.

Saint Catherine Laboure Parish Event Cancellations and Postponements:

• Adoration- Cancelled March 16 through 27
• Children’s Liturgy of the Word  – Cancelled March 22 and 29
• Consoling the Heart of Jesus Study – Postponed
• Cursillo – Cancelled March 16 and 23
• Faith Bee – Postponed
• Grieving with Great Hope – Postponed
• Health and Wellness Meeting – Cancelled March 26
• Legion of Mary – Cancelled March 16 and 23
• Lenten Soup Supper – Resumes April 1
• No Greater Love Study- Resumes April 1
• PREP Classes  – Cancelled March 22 and 29
• RCIA – Resumes March 30
• Stations of the Cross at 2:15 pm – Cancelled March 20 and 27
• That Man is You –  Postponed until May
• Traditional Bible Study – Resumes April 1
• Women’s Study, Thursday evenings – Cancelled

Diocesan Event cancellations and postponements:

• Diocesan Youth Conference, March 15- Cancelled
• Italian Mass for the Feast of Saint Joseph, March 15 – Cancelled
• Lorica Award Celebration, March 17 – Postponed
• Solemn Lenten Vespers, March 22 – Cancelled
• Men’s Conference, March 28 – Cancelled
• RCIA Retreat, April 4 – Cancelled

Volunteers are needed to plan and coordinate this summer’s Vacation Bible School for Saint Catherine Labouré. Please indicate whether you are interested in ages 4/5 or Grades 1-4.

Please call Jo Ellen at 717.564.1321 x 105 or email jfrist@sclhbg.org if you are interested in helping or wish for more information.

Morning Star Pregnancy Services wishes to express their deep appreciation to everyone who participated in filing baby bottles for mothers, babies and families served.  Saint Catherine Labouré Parish family collected $6,667.68!  Thanks to the work of faithful supporters, Morning Star is helping more women than ever before.  In 2019, 562 women chose life!

Read or download Morningstar Pregnancy Service Thank You Letter

 

Wednesdays, March 4, 11, 18, 25, 2020
April 1, 2020

5:30 p.m. Mass | Shrine Church
6:00 p.m. Soup Supper and Talk | Leo Hall

A special Mass is celebrated, followed by reflection, discussion, and a simple meal. In 2020, our Lenten series following Mass will feature Hot Soups and Hot Topics with relevant social topics for consideration and prayer as Catholic Christians witnessing to the Faith in our modern world. Guest presenters will make connections between the Sunday Gospel readings, our Catholic Faith, and societal and family concerns.

Weekly Topics: 

• March 4,   “Darkness to Light: New Age Counterfeits and Catholic Truths” with Warren Vale Herman
• March 11,  “Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide: Is It an Act of Compassion?” with Bonnie Finnerty, Education Director for PA Prolife Federation
• March 18,  “What is Catholic Social Teaching and Justice?” with Attorney Thomas Fraticelli
• March 25,  “Trusting God in this Valley of Tears” with Scott Anthony
• April 1,  “Evangelizing the Nones” with Alicia Spelfogel, Assistant Catholic Campus Minister at Millersville University

Wednesdays • March 4 through April 1, 2020
Following Soup Suppers
7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. • Leo Hall

Filmed on location in the Holy Land, No Greater Love is a five-part video series and full-length book that reveals Christ’s amazing love for us. Edward Sri guides you through the last hours of Christ’s life in this biblical pilgrimage. While taking this study you will walk step-by-step with Jesus from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Mount of Calvary. This Lent, draw closer to Jesus than ever before.

Contact Deb for more information: dsalldin@sclhbg.org or 717.564.1321

Please follow these links to read important information recently released from the Diocese.

 

The Council of Catholic Women will have a tuna sub sale on Ash Wednesday, February 26 in the narthex after all the Masses, or until sold out. Please stop by for lunch!

Options include:
Tuna Sandwich—$3.00
Tuna Sandwich, chips and water—$5.00.

Proceeds benefit CCW sponsored projects with the school and parish community.

Free Pancake and Sausage Breakfast
February 23, 2020
8:30 A.M.—11:15 A.M.
Leo Hall

Here in Central Pennsylvania, we have the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition of Fasnachts the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. But in the United Kingdom, it’s Pancake Day. Instead of making donuts to use up flour, sugar, and eggs before the Lenten fast, they make Pancakes.

Sunday, February 23 will be Pancake Day here at Saint Catherine’s. A complimentary (yes…free!) Pancake and Sausage Breakfast will be served from 8:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. in Leo Hall. We hope you can join us.