January 13, 2020

The next Information Bulletin is Tuesday, January 21, 2020, due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Deadline for submissions is Thursday, January 16, at 4:30 p.m.

Email your Information Bulletin items to the editor.

2020 Catholic Services Appeal
The Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) is the annual fundraising campaign of the Diocese of Erie, supporting the day-to-day work of the Catholic Church in northwest Pennsylvania. The theme for this year’s CSA is “Forward Together…doing the work of Christ.” The Catholic Foundation of Northwest Pennsylvania provides CSA campaign resources and support to the Diocese of Erie. Parishes can expect to receive next week the CSA materials they ordered (brochures, posters, pledge cards, pledge envelopes, parish handbooks and a video DVD). Contact Julia Cooney for sync and other CSA- and PDS-related questions at 814-824-1253 or jcooney@cfnwpa.org.

Guidance during flu season
The Diocese of Erie offers some basic guidelines during flu season for parishioners and Eucharistic and liturgical ministers (including clergy). To read those guidelines, go to https://www.eriercd.org/images/sections/bishop/pdf/lit_flu.pdf. Stay healthy!

Be cautious about sharing personal information
Parishioners at an Erie parish recently received an email from a scam artist claiming to be their pastor and requesting financial help. Please include the following notice in your parish’s weekly bulletin and forward it to your employees and volunteers to keep everyone safe from fraud.

In this age when personal data can be misused by scam artists, please be aware that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, its clergy, and entities such as parishes and schools will never solicit your personal or business information by any method unless initiated by you. Should you receive an unsolicited request for such information – including a request for gift cards of any type – exercise extreme caution. Contact the person or entity by using official contact information only. Do not use contact information provided in the potential fraudulent request.

Looking for free Microsoft training?
To learn more about Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Forms and more, go to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/MicrosoftTeams/instructor-led-training-teams-landing-page#pivot=home&panel=home-all. Click the “More Office” apps link for a complete listing, or download handy cheat sheets and guides at https://support.office.com/en-us/article/office-cheat-sheets-61abfe7b-1c43-483c-b82b-3806d80e027e.

Good for You Wellness Initiative
Highmark and the Diocese of Erie are offering insured employees and their covered spouses a personalized health and wellness platform that provides information that can help you stay healthy and meet your wellness goals. See the attached two documents for full details on how to participate in the Good for You Wellness Initiative and make your year a healthy one.

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 statement
Wellness initiative steps

Parish Bulletin Announcements

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Wellness statement
Wellness initiative steps

Take Back the Site vigil planned this week
A Take Back the Site prayer vigil will be held in memory of Patric M. Phillips on Jan. 15 at 5:15 p.m. at 750-752 E. 24^th St., Erie, the site where he was murdered. The vigil will be about 15 minutes in length and include prayer to reclaim the site for nonviolence. All are welcome. Take Back the Site vigils are sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of Erie and their oblates, Sisters of St. Joseph, agrégées and associates, and Sisters of Mercy and associates.

St. George Parish to offer climate seminar
Erie’s St. George Parish will continue its Saturday seminars on Pope Francis’ environment encyclical, Laudato Si’. Benedictine Sister Anne McCarthy will present the first seminar of 2020 on Jan. 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the parish meeting room, 5145 Peach St., Erie. Her talk, “Climate Crisis and Humility: St. Benedict’s Teaching as Response,” will examine St. Benedict’s 12 steps of humility for deep transformation and for living a new relationship with the planet as individuals and communities. Reservations are appreciated by calling Chris Zurawski at 814-679-4102.

Join Sharpsville parish for homemade spaghetti dinner
The Holy Name Society of St. Bartholomew Parish in Sharpsville will host a homemade spaghetti dinner at the parish social center, 311 W. Ridge Ave., Sharpsville, Jan. 26 from noon to 4 p.m. All are welcome. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Take-outs are available. There also will be a 50/50, gift auction, side raffles and a bake sale. Purchase tickets by contacting the parish office at 724-962-7130 or at https://saintbartholomews.weshareonline.org/. Proceeds benefit the St. Bartholomew Parish Preservation Fund.

Holy Rosary/St. John parishes to host Souper Chili Sunday
The parishes of Holy Rosary and St. John the Baptist in Erie will host a soup and chili cook-off Jan. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hastings Hall, 2701 East Ave., Erie. Enjoy some great food to benefit parish activities and Holy Rosary’s and St. John’s sister parish in Mexico. For information, to purchase tickets or to enter the competition, contact the parish office at 814-456-4254 or Mary Hickin at 814-920-7525. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for kids 4 to 12. Children 3 and under are free and there will be lots of macaroni and cheese for them! There is a $20 maximum cost for families.

Husbands, wives encouraged to rekindle romance
Looking for a way to increase the romance in your marriage? Consider attending Worldwide Marriage Encounter Feb. 14-16 in Grove City. Enrich your relationship with renewed communication and time to remember what brought you together in the first place. To learn more and to register, go to www.WWME.org, or call Fran and Jack at 330-305-9963.

Attend Outdoor Adventures event to benefit L’Arche
L’Arche Erie will host its annual Outdoor Adventures Raffle on Feb. 15 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie. Pre-sale ticket prices are $20 each, or two for $30 (pre-sale ends Feb. 13). Tickets at the door are $20 each. Ticket and event information can be found at www.larcheerie.org or by contacting Sandie Wheeler at development@larcheerie.org or 814-452-2065. Admission includes food and beverages and a chance to win one of the 20 door prizes.

Searching for a pre-Lenten retreat?
Need a breather? Looking to get ready for Lent? Singles and couples are invited to a pre-Lenten retreat Feb.21-22 at St. Thomas More House of Prayer in Cranberry. Retreat master is Father Dan Hoffman. For more information and a complete retreat schedule, visit www.eriercd.org/chastity and click on the retreat tile. Questions? Call or email Kate Wilson at 814-824-1261 or kwilson@ErieRCD.org. The retreat is sponsored by Chastity Education of the Diocese of Erie.

Celebrate the 20^th anniversary of SSJNN
The Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network is celebrating its 20th year of service in 2020. Please save the date for its annual Guess That Tune Gala on April 18 at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie. Proceeds support SSJNN ministries. For more details, go to www.ssjnn.org/gala.

Save the date for Lenten concert and mission
Jeanne Cotter, a liturgical composer, author and retreat leader, will give a Lenten concert and mission at Notre Dame Church, 2325 Highland Road, Hermitage, March 15-17. She will speak and perform at all weekend Masses. There will be a dinner March 15 at 5:30 p.m., followed by a concert at 7 p.m. featuring Notre Dame's children and adult choirs. Mission evenings will be held at 7 p.m. March 16 and March 17. Cost for the dinner and concert is $20. For special dinner/concert family rates, contact Gretchen Wagner at 724-813-5245. Concert-only tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students.

Students invited to enroll in Saint Vincent College summer program
Students ages 15 and older are invited to enroll in the Saint Vincent College Faith and Reason Summer Program June 21-27. Participants will have an opportunity to explore the relationship between faith and reason, examine the perennial questions of humanity, develop their communication skills, learn how to analyze difficult arguments, prepare for college studies and integrate their moral, intellectual and spiritual development. For further information, contact Dr. Michael Krom, professor of philosophy at Saint Vincent, at 724-805-2844 or michael.krom@stvincent.edu. To register or for more information on the summer program, go to www.stvincent.edu/faithandreason.

Full-time youth minister needed at Our Lady of Mercy, St. Mark
The parishes of Our Lady of Mercy, Harborcreek, and St. Mark the Evangelist, Lawrence Park, are seeking an energetic, creative person dedicated to working with teens as a youth minister. For full details, 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.

Administrative assistant needed
The Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Erie is seeking an organized, dedicated and energetic person to provide full-time clerical and technical support for the Catholic Schools Office. For a full position profile and instructions on how to apply, go to https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html.

Youngstown Diocese seeks associate superintendent
The Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, is seeking to fill the full-time position of associate superintendent for Human Resources. This position is part of the Office of Catholic Schools and provides oversight and support for 26 schools in a six-county area. Deadline for applications is Feb. 4, 2020. For further information, call 330-744-8451, ext. 286. Send cover letter, resume and three professional references to:

Ms. Mary Fiala
Superintendent of Schools
Office of Catholic Schools
144 W. Wood St.
Youngstown, OH 44503
mfiala@youngstowndiocese.org