April 14, 2020

The next Information Bulletin is Monday, April 20, 2020.
Deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 16, at 4:30 p.m.

Email your Information Bulletin items to the editor.



Good Shepherd Collection helps retired priests
The annual Good Shepherd Collection for Erie diocesan retired priests will be taken up at all parishes the weekend of May 2-3. Suggested bulletin announcements are available now at https://www.eriercd.org/Good-Shepherd-Collection-materials.html. Also on the website is a promotion kit prepared by Msgr. Daniel Magraw, director of the collection. The kit will assist pastors and their office staff to effectively promote the collection. For questions or assistance, contact Msgr. Magraw at 814-456-0671 or via email at dmagraw@ErieRCD.org.

Also, pastors and administrators will find attached Bishop Lawrence Persico’s letter introducing the 2020 Good Shepherd Collection. Parishes are asked to publicize this collection in a significant way on the weekend of April 25-26.

Pandemic forces closing of St. Mark Catholic Center through April 30
The Diocese of Erie has extended the closure of St. Mark Catholic Center in Erie through at least April 30, in response to the COVID-19 lockdown in Pennsylvania through that date. This action will be reassessed in the coming days. The diocese is committed to monitoring the latest information available from reliable sources regarding the pandemic. Go to the diocesan website at www.ErieRCD.org for all of the most up-to-date information on the pandemic and its impact on the diocese.

COVID-19 emergency relief effort launched
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Diocese of Erie is collaborating with the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Pennsylvania and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Erie, Inc., to broadly offer and promote Catholic giving for immediate needs. The intent is to encourage local Catholic giving with the ease of three online platforms:

  • A Community Relief Fund has been established through Catholic Charities, Inc., to support specific emergency outreach efforts through agencies, diocesan ministries and parishes.
  • A Parish Offertory Support effort is being made with the assistance of the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Pennsylvania. This will give parishioners an opportunity to make their offertory donations online if they are not already set up to do so.
  • The #iGiveCatholic program in which our diocese participated last fall has been activated to facilitate online emergency fundraising. Many Catholic schools, parishes and ministries throughout the Diocese of Erie used this as a successful platform for a one-day online fundraising effort on Giving Tuesday 2019.

All three platforms can be accessed easily through the banner on the diocesan homepage, www.ErieRCD.org. Everyone is encouraged to share this information broadly through whatever channels of communication are available to them. Questions about these initiatives may be directed to the following:

  1. Parish Offertory
    Catholic Foundation, Lisa Louis at llouis@cfnwpa.org or 814-824-1237
  1. Community Relief Fund
    Catholic Charities, Ann Badach at abadach@ErieRCD.org or 814-824-1252
  1. #iGiveCatholic
    Catholic Foundation, Michelle Basista at mbasista@cfnwpa.org or 814-824-1192.

Resources available to parishioners during pandemic
In an effort to help parishioners who may not have access to the internet stay connected to their parishes during this time of pandemic and social distancing, the Faith Formation Office and the Social Justice and Life Office of the Diocese of Erie have created multiple resources for parishes. Parishes could print and place copies of some of these resources in their bulletins or have them available at the back of churches. See the attachments for the following:

  • a ready-made bulletin announcement that can be personalized
  • a printable guide for instructions on how to make Spiritual Communion
  • instructions for livestreaming. 

For complete information on livestreamed Sunday and daily Masses in the Diocese of Erie, as well as additional inspirational resources, visit www.eriercd.org/inspiration.html. For questions or concerns, contact Deacon Steve Washek, executive director of the Faith Formation Office, at 814-814-1215.

Job openings in the diocese
See the classified section below for current position openings. Here’s a quick link to diocesan, school and parish jobs: https://www.ErieRCD.org/employment.html.



Attachments

Sample bulletin announcement
Instructions for livestreaming
Spiritual Communion

Parish Bulletin Announcements


PW Protected Attachments:

Clergy and Department Heads click here to login.

Good Shepherd Collection
Sample bulletin announcement
Instructions for livestreaming
Spiritual Communion


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There are no activities to announce this week.



Church items available
Religious items from the former St. Joseph Church in DuBois are available to ecclesiastical entities, such as parishes, schools and religious communities. Pictures can be found at www.eriercd.org/mydioerie-cat.php. Scroll down to “3a Clergy” and log in.

Teacher, principal and president positions available
The following are job openings in education in the Diocese of Erie. For details, go to https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html.

  • Full-time high school English teacher, Kennedy Catholic Family of Schools, Hermitage
  • Principal, St. Michael Elementary School, Greenville
  • President, Shenango Valley Catholic School System
  • Principal, St. Gregory School, North East

Director of liturgy and music/elementary music teacher
Immaculate Conception Parish in Clarion is seeking a full-time director of liturgy and music/elementary music teacher. Competitive compensation package. For complete details, go to https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html. Interested candidates should e-mail a resume and letter of interest to Kim Kroh of the Liturgy and Music Task Force at KimKroh@comcast.net.

McKean parish hiring director/coordinator of parish evangelization
St. Francis Xavier Parish in McKean is hiring a full-time director/coordinator of parish evangelization. For a detailed description of the position and the application process, go to https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html.

Oil City parish hiring director/coordinator of faith formation
St. Joseph Parish in Oil City is seeking a director/coordinator of faith formation. This is a full-time, exempt position that reports directly to the pastor and supervises numerous volunteer catechists and parent volunteers. For information about the position and how to apply, go to https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html.