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April 20, 2020

The next Information Bulletin is Monday, April 27, 2020.
Deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 23, 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.

St. Mark Catholic Center to remain closed at least through April 30
St. Mark Catholic Center in Erie will remain closed at least through April 30 and possibly beyond, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.

Fundraising best practices during the pandemic
Are you wondering how to communicate with your parishioners and what to say during these difficult times? It’s important to remember the following:

  • Your parishioners want to hear from you. Check in with them to see how they are doing. Tell them what the parish needs.
  • Be open about how COVID-19 is affecting your parish, i.e., are you behind in offertory, are your cleaning expenses increasing, are you getting more requests from parishioners in financial need?
  • Be open about how you are adjusting your services because of COVID-19. Are you helping the community in a new way? Are you adding extra services or realizing new needs?
  • Invite your Catholic community to help with your specific needs.

Personalize the following suggestion on how to comfortably ask for support from your parishioners:

           During these difficult times, know that you and your family are in our prayers. COVID-19 has turned our world upside down, and [parish name] has been impacted as well. Without our weekly gatherings, our offertory income is significantly down while our operating expenses have not changed. If you are able, please continue to make your weekly offertory gifts and CSA pledge payments [provide details – mail, drop-off, online]. You can safely make your gifts to the parish online from home [offer your parish online giving information] or through the Catholic Foundation at https://www.cfnwpa.org/covid-19-relief. Thank you for donating as much as you are able.

The staff of the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Pennsylvania is on call to offer additional guidance in fundraising. Reach out at any time to Lisa Louis at 814-824-1237 or llouis@cfnwpa.org or Michelle Basista at 814-824-1192 or mbasista@cfnwpa.org.

Important notes from Good for You Wellness Initiative
Full-time employees covered by the Diocese of Erie’s wellness plan are still able to participate in the Good for You Wellness Initiative. The deadline for completion has been extended to July 31, 2020. Complete four easy steps to earn your $150 reward. Learn more at https://www.eriercd.org/wellness.html or see the revised attached document.

Everybody gets stressed sometimes. Do you have a plan for the next time your mental pedal is to the metal? Attached is information from the American Heart Association to help you deal with stress.

COVID-19 emergency relief effort continues
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 support 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 gives 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.

Attention, Office 2010 users
Office 2010 will reach end of support on Oct. 13, 2020. We recommend you upgrade now. Using Office 2010 past Oct. 13 puts your data at risk. Microsoft will no longer provide support for technical issues, fixes for problems or security updates for vulnerabilities. If you’re not sure what version you’re using or to purchase heavily discounted Microsoft Office through the Diocese of Erie, email it@ErieRCD.org or call Kathy Papalia at 814-824-1184. (Kathy is available daily during the pandemic between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.)

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

Wellness Initiative
Stress
Sample bulletin announcement
Instructions for livestreaming
Spiritual Communion
Young People Who Care program director

Parish Bulletin Announcements


PW Protected Attachments:

Clergy and Department Heads click here to login.

Wellness Initiative
Stress
Sample bulletin announcement
Instructions for livestreaming
Spiritual Communion
Young People Who Care program director


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There are no activities to announce this week.



Young People Who Care, Inc. hiring program director
Young People Who Care, Inc., (YPWC), a Clearfield County nonprofit organization, is seeking a program director. See the attachment for full details.

Director of liturgical music/organist
St. Peter Cathedral in Erie is seeking a full-time director of liturgical music/organist. For complete details on the position and how to apply, go to https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html.

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.