OUR COMBINED PARISHES
SAINT MARK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH
|
900 N. Fourth Street, Altoona, PA 16601
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 814 944-6676 Administrator: Father Ronald V. Osinski ----------------------------------------------------------- MASSES THIS WEEKEND - 3/6 and 3/7 SAINT MARK'S - SATURDAY VIGIL - 4:30 PM SAINT MARK'S - SUNDAY - 8:30 AM HOLY ROSARY - 11 AM NO DAILY MASSES THIS WEEK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NO SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION ON SATURDAY |
----------------------------------------------------------
Memorial Plaques and Bench
|
Father Ronald V. Osinski, Pastor
HOLY ROSARY - HOW IT ALL BEGAN & OTHER HISTORY
The Altoona Diocese was established on May 27,1901. The Church of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the first parish to be established in the new diocese. Its location was in the Borough of Juniata, now a part of the City of Altoona. The Holy Rosary Parish was organized on December 2, 1901, by the Reverend Father George Kim Bigley. His first duty was to provide space for the new congregation. William Lawson donated the lot in the 200 block of Sixth Avenue and with the labor donated by the men of the new parish and financial aid from St. Mark's Parish in Altoona, a temporary structure, familiarly known as "the little church," was erected. It was usually crowded wall to wall. The George Harkey residence located at 213 Sixth Avenue was used as a sacristy, and since there was no available water supply at the church, it was carried from the Harkey residence. In 1907, Father Bigley purchased the small house in the 300 block of Sixth Avenue for which he had been paying $7 per month rent for several years. The property served as the priest's house until the early 1920's when the present rectory was built on the 900 block of Fourth Street. The cornerstone for the new church was laid in 1922 and the edifice was occupied the following year. It stands as a worthy tribute to Monsignor Bernard M. Conley and the parishioners who had the courage to undertake the rather big project and to struggle through the days of the Great Depression and the following years to liquidate the parish debt. The old church property on 6th Avenue was sold in 1926. In 1951, Father McNelis purchased the former Evangelical and Reformed Church and parsonage located in 329-31 Sixth Avenue, Juniata and work began transforming the property into a suitable school with eight grades and a cafeteria which served hot lunches. The official first day of school was September 2, 1952 with 119 children enrolled. The school closed in 1974. In 1966, the parish watched as now Monsignor McNelis unveiled the newly renovated Holy Rosary Church which conformed with Pope John XXIII's request for altars to face the congregation, new baptistry, removal of altar rails, and a completely new and artistic decorating scheme which projected the liturgical manner of the day. |
Most Rev. Bishop Mark L. Bartchak, Bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
3rd SUNDAY OF LENT - March 7, 2021
WELCOME – Let’s extend a warm welcome to Father Richard Davis, T.O.R. who will be the Celebrant for the 4:30 pm Mass this Saturday evening at Saint Mark’s and Father David Bonarrigo who will be the Celebrant for the Sunday 8:30 am Mass at Saint Mark’s and the Sunday 11:00 am Mass at Holy Rosary.
TODAY’S READINGS – In the first reading, God reveals to the tribes of Israel what is expected of them as a people of the covenant. In the second reading, Paul teaches that true wisdom comes from faith in God. In the Gospel, Jesus proclaims that the temple in Jerusalem has become nothing more than a marketplace, indicating that the whole temple system has become corrupt and needs a thorough cleansing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT
Father, I abandon myself to You, do with me whatever You will. Whatever You may do I shall always thank You. I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only Your will be done in me and in all Your creatures.
No more do I wish than this, O Lord. Into Your hands I commend my soul.
I offer it to You with all the love of my heart.
For I love You, Lord, and so need to give myself into Your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence, for You are my Father.
Blessed Charles deFoucauld
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LENT, A TIME TO PRAY MORE AND BE MORE –
Mend a quarrel, call or hug your parents, listen to your children, say the “Our Father” frequently, pray more, and be reconciled. Lent is a call to change of heart. May Lent be for all of us a period of spiritual renewal and refreshment.
Here are some suggestions to do something positive to strengthen the spiritual lives of your family and make the world a better place:
Make a Lenten resolution to let each family member mention one person or problem that they would like to pray for in a special way at dinnertime each evening.
Let your children light a candle at church each week during Lent for people throughout the world who are sick or hungry.
For Your Marriage - Make a Lenten resolution to pray together once a day. Even if it is just a daily Our Father or Hail Mary, it will unite the two of you in prayer.
For Yourself – Slow down and set aside 10 minutes a day for silent prayer or meditation. It will boost your energy level and your spirit. Promise yourself that you will go out of your way to do something nice for someone else every day.
Gimme Five: In the evening, come up with a list of five items to pray about tomorrow and post it on the fridge.
FAST & ABSTINENCE – On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, those who are 18 but not yet 60 are allowed only one full meal. Eating solid foods between meals is not permitted and those who are 14 years of age or older are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent including Good Friday. The Church no longer attempts to prescribe Lenten practices in detail. The above regulations simply highlight Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and other Fridays of Lent. The more fundamental obligation is to Make Lent a penitential season, choosing practices that are adapted to one’s own circumstances.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THESE TWO PRAYERS ARE GOOD ONES TO SAY DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
MEMORARE
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my mother.
To you I come; before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.
-----------------------
PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL - Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
PRAYER FOR LENT
LORD JESUS, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. During this Lent, lead us by your Holy Spirit to live more faithfully in Christian freedom. Through prayer, increased charity and the disciplines of this sacred season, draw us closer to you. Purify the intentions of our hearts so all our Lenten observances give you praise and glory. Grant that through our words and actions, we may be faithful messengers of the gospel message to a world in need of the hope of your mercy. Amen.
PRAYER OF SAINT FRANCIS
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring your love. Where there is injury your pardon, Lord, And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness, only light, And where there’s sadness, ever joy.
Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand. To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, in giving of ourselves that we receive, and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Mass Schedule is on a special tab at the top of this website.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Words of Wisdom: If someone is on your mind, say a prayer for them.
God may have put them on your mind for a reason.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As part of our Mission Statement, we emphasize Trinitarian spirituality
as expressed in the
following prayer: Father use me. Jesus heal me. Spirit teach me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PARENTS – This is a good prayer to teach your children before going to bed. It is a prayer they will remember the rest of their life. You can also add this after the prayer: "God Bless Daddy, Mommy, and name all brothers and sisters and add the words “everybody in the whole world, especially ……. (let them add other special persons in their lives).”
Some of us were even taught to move over and let our Guardian Angel have a spot to sit beside us.
ANGEL OF GOD my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here.
Ever this day be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let us all pray through the intercessions of Saint John Paul II to stop
the Corona virus pandemic, to heal the sick, comfort the dying and
protect the living from all evil and calamity.
Saint John Paul II pray for us and ask God to show his mercy and
compassion towards all people affected by the Corona virus. Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's continue to say this prayer.
A PRAYER FOR PROTECTION IN TIME OF PANDEMIC
O Mary, you always brighten our path as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the Cross, took part in Jesus' pain while remaining steadfast in faith.
O loving Mother, you know what we need, and we are confident you will provide for
us as at Cana in Galilee.
Intercede for us with your Son Jesus, the Divine Physician, for those who have fallen ill,
for those who are vulnerable and for those who have died.
Intercede also for those charged with protecting the health and safety of others and
for those who are tending to the sick and seeking a cure.
Help us, O Mother of Divine Love, to confirm to the will of the Father and to do as we are told by Jesus, who took upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows, so
as to lead us, through the Cross, to the glory of the Resurrection. Amen.
Under thy protection we seek refuge, O Holy Mother of God.
In our needs, despise not our petitions, but deliver us always from all
dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
SAINT MARK, PRAY FOR US.
OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY, WATCH OVER US.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER FOR THE END OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
O Mary, You shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the foot of the cross were united with Jesus’ suffering, and persevered in your faith. “Protectress of the Roman people,” you know our needs, and we know that you will provide, so that, as at Cana in Galilee, joy and celebration may return after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Father and to do what Jesus tells us. For he took upon himself our suffering, and burdened himself with our sorrows to bring us, through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions in our necessities but deliver us always from every danger, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin. Amen.
SAINT DAMIEN JOSEPH DE VEUSTER 1840-1889 – Feast Day, May 10 – was born in Belgium and at the age of 19, he entered the Seminary. Sent to the Hawaiian Islands and ordained (1864), he served as a parish priest before volunteering as chaplain for the leper colony on the island of Molokai (1873) where he spent the rest of his life working to improve the living conditions of the lepers. He eventually contracted leprosy and died there. Beatified in 1995, he is also honored by Hawaii with a statue in the US Capitol. Saint Damien was canonized October 11, 2009.
Let us pray to him for the victims of Covid-19.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PARENTS – This is a good prayer to teach your children before going to bed. It is a prayer they will remember the rest of their life. You can also add this after the prayer: "God Bless Daddy, Mommy, and name all brothers and sisters and add the words “everybody in the whole world, especially ……. (let them add other special persons in their lives).”
Some of us were even taught to move over and let our Guardian Angel have a spot to sit beside us.
ANGEL OF GOD my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here.
Ever this day be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL ADOPTION
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg you to spare the life of the unborn baby that I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion.
I may not know who is spared in this life, but I will know in the next. Amen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We emphasize Trinitarian spirituality as expressed in the following prayer:
Father use me. Jesus heal me. Spirit teach me.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUGGESTIONS ON HOW FAMILIES CAN BUILD THEIR DOMESTIC CHURCH THROUGH A LIFE OF PRAYER THAT CAN HELP ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY.
HERE ARE A FEW IDEAS:
Begin praying as a family and reading from scripture daily, certainly before meals, but also first thing in the morning or before bed. Find a time that works for your family.
Have a crucifix in a prominent place in the home, and in every bedroom.
Make the sacraments a regular celebration – take the whole family to confession and Mass.
Make worshiping God a priority.
Never miss Mass, even while traveling.
Teach stewardship and charity to your children, through word and example. Give them an envelope to place into the collection basket. This gets them into the habit of supporting their church.
Demonstrate love for your spouse, your children, your neighbors and the world.
Talk freely about the presence of God in the joys and sorrows of your life.
Welcome into your home and support priests, brothers, sisters, deacons and lay ministers in the Church.
JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH, PRAY FOR US.
OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY, BLESS US. SAINT MARK, PRAY FOR US.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU WANT TO PRAY AND
DON’T KNOW WHERE TO TURN TO IN THE BIBLE?
When you are not sure what to do – Matthew 22:34-40; 25:31-46; Ephesians 4:25-31 When you are anxious for someone you love – Luke 12:22-34; John 17
When you need to forgive – Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 23:34
When you need to be forgiven – Psalm 51; Isaiah 53; Matthew 16:18-19
When you need comfort - Psalm 23; 2 Corinthians 1-3-4; Psalm 55:22
When you need courage - 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:6 - Psalm 27:1
When you are facing loneliness - 2 Corinthians 6:18; Deuteronomy 31:6; Isiah 43:2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PATRON SAINTS
Carpenters – Saint Joseph Cooks – Saint Martha Stomach Ache – Saint Timothy
Painters – Saint Luke Cancer – Saint Peregrine Athletes – Saint Sebastian
Accountants – Saint Matthew Postmen – Saint Gabriele the Archangel
Fishermen – Saint Peter or Saint Andrew
Girls who want husbands – Saint Agnes
Charitable Works – Saint Vincent de Paul
United States of America – Our Lady Immaculate Conception
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Look above the altar at Saint Mark’s and there you will see the Trinitarian symbolism:
God the Father (the Hebrew letters above the main arch), God the Son (Crucifix),
and God the Holy Spirit (represented as a Dove) above the altar. We are blessed.
The Hebrew letters above the main arch in Saint Mark’s Church are called the sacred Tetragrammaton. They are the four Hebrew letters that correspond to the name for God in the Old Testament. They are transliterated into our alphabet to YHWH as we say adding the vowels “a” and “e” that are not there “Yahweh.” When Moses at the burning bush asked “Who should I say sent me?” the voice replied “Yahweh.” The name means “I AM” among many other meanings. Jesus in John’s Gospel identified Himself as I AM on different occasions. One of the hymns about Yahweh says this: Yahweh’s love will last forever; His faithfulness to the end of time; Yahweh is a loving God; Yahweh the faithful one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAKE IT A GOOD DAY— A good day is one spent in God’s presence. Start the morning by offering your efforts to God. Throughout the day, look for evidence of his nearness to you as you go about your business.
Don’t let minor irritants affect your mood.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOU ARE IMPORTANT - Your presence here on this website matters. Thank you for checking in. When we gather together for Mass, for the celebration of a sacrament, or for prayer, or here on this website, Jesus Christ is present and each of us becomes united with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Your presence makes you part of this connection which cannot be seen on the surface, but is a spiritual reality that strengthens our love for one another and reminds us that we are not alone. This is a movement of the Holy Spirit, who is constantly trying to draw us into God’s love. You may not have noticed these little tugs before, but while you are here, we hope that you will experience that gentle pull of the Holy Spirit. When you leave today, you will carry with you the love of Christ which has the power to instill new meaning and purpose in your life and in the lives of others.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIVE WAYS TO GET MORE OUT OF MASS.
1) Pray Daily
Praying is a skill you have to practice. To participate as best we can at Sunday Mass, we each have to pray daily. Daily prayer attunes our eyes, ears, and hearts to God who is always present to us every moment of the day. This may be hard. Who has time to pray? But remember that prayer is first about listening to God; it’s not so much about saying things to God. If all you can do is spend one minute of silence each day, that’s a great start to a discipline of prayer. Try to incorporate stillness along with that silence, and in that one minute, focus just on listening to God in the silence.
2) Bring more than yourself to Mass
If you want to get more out of Mass, you have to bring more than yourself to it.
In your mind and heart bring
the names of those people who have asked you to pray for them;
those you love who are hurting this week;
those people and places in the news that are suffering.
Bring your joys, things you are grateful for this week;
and your sorrows, your burdens, regrets, and worries this week.
Bring money…no kidding. Giving money at Mass is really not optional. Our Christian sacrifice is not some vague theoretical idea. We have to give the something of ourselves that is a real sacrifice – something we’d rather not give up. For most of us today, that’s money. The collection at Mass isn’t just a way the church pays its bills. It’s primarily the way we bring ourselves—“the work of human hands” along with the “fruit of the earth”—to the altar. That’s why the collection is brought forward with the bread and wine we use at Mass. The money we put in the basket helps the church do the mission of Christ—yes, by keeping the lights on, but also by funding the activities and people of the church who help the poor, teach the faith, prepare the liturgy, visit the sick.
Giving money at Mass is also a way we express our trust in God. Remember the widow in the gospel who gave just two pennies to the Temple while others gave much more? Jesus said she gave the most because she gave out of her lack while the others gave from their surplus. So don’t worry if you can’t give a lot of money. Give what you can, then think about giving just a few dollars more.
Lastly, bring your voice. Like putting money in the collection, singing is not optional. If you think you have an awful voice, make it part of your sacrifice to give back to God what God gave you! If you can’t bring yourself to do even that, then at least pick up the songbook and pretend to sing. Part of your responsibility is to encourage others to take their responsibility seriously too. Others will feel more comfortable singing if the people around them are singing or at least look like they’re singing too. So don’t hinder someone else’s singing by keeping silent when it’s time for everyone to sing.
3) Practice silence and stillness at Mass
Once you’ve been praying daily, it’s a little easier to do this step at Mass. Try to come to Mass early so you can have a few moments of silence before the Mass begins. Now, the room itself doesn’t have to be silent for you to find some quiet space in yourself to focus on what you’re about to do. So don’t go shushing those around you before Mass – that pretty much defeats the purpose of quieting yourself. It just puts you in a bad mood and doesn’t win you more friends at church. Remember, Jesus was able to fall asleep in the boat even while a storm raged all around him and his disciples. So be like Jesus if your neighbors aren’t as quiet as you’d like them to be. In fact, just start your Sunday Mass experience right and offer up a prayer for them.
During the Mass, try to practice some silence and stillness at
three appointed times:
1. At the Act of Penitence at the beginning of Mass and after each invitation to pray (“Let us pray”); these silences give us time to call to mind our sins and to offer our own silent prayers.
2. After the readings and the homily; in these silences we meditate
on what we’ve heard.
3. After everyone has shared in Communion; here we each give thanks and praise to God in our hearts. If you can, accompany your silence with some stillness as well. Closing your eyes, slowing your breathing, and quieting your body will help you to focus your mind and heart.
4) Actively seek Christ at Mass
There are several ways Christ is present at Mass. Christ is present most especially in the Eucharist, and most of us learned that Christ is also present in the person of the priest who leads us in prayer. Christ is also present in the Scriptures, so much so that when we hear them read aloud at Mass, we believe that it is Christ speaking. Last but perhaps most essentially, Christ is present in the people when they gather to sing and pray, for Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20).
This last place may be the hardest for us to see Christ readily. But to be part of the church, we have to gather with others and learn to pray well with them, too, even if we don’t know them or even like them.
So look for Christ in someone new at Mass, and look for Christ in someone you might not get along with. That may be the person sitting right next to you; or it might be that person at church who simply gets on your nerves that day. Try to see them as God sees them as one of his own beloved children. See Christ as you share the Sign of Peace. Look the person in the eye, and see in them Christ in disguise. Look for Christ in what you see: a piece of artwork in the church you’ve never noticed before; the mother who makes the Sign of the Cross on her baby; the way the sunlight shines through a piece of stained glass. Then listen for Christ in the Scriptures and homily, but also in the songs and prayers, in the silence and in the chatter of toddlers, in the voices of those who sing and pray with you. Finally, seek Christ in what you do. When you make the Sign of the Cross, do so slowly, intentionally. When you genuflect or bow, stand, sit, or kneel, do so reverently and actively, that is, attend to what you’re doing and place your focus on what’s happening in the Mass at that moment.
5) Take more than yourself and the bulletin home
As you leave the church, think of one thing that you want to remember from Mass this week. Maybe it’s a word or a song you heard, or a person or a thing at church you saw. Or a feeling you had at a particular moment at Mass. Take this memory with you, and pray with it during the week. Ask yourself what God might be asking you to do or learn this week because of this memory he has given you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When you make the Sign of the Cross, pause to think of the precious and wonderful mystery it signifies. It is all at one time a creed and a prayer, a proclamation and a promise to do all that we do “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Also suggested is blessing yourself when you leave your home, whether you are going to work or otherwise. That is your own silent prayer. It has even been known to bless yourself when another family member is leaving your house – that would be your silent prayer for them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are some good reasons to go to Mass:
God has a special message for us. When we listen to the readings, the homily, and the prayers of the Mass, God speaks to us in a special way. We should come away from each Mass with at least one inspiration that will impact our lives in some way. We just have to pay attention and be open to what the Lord is trying to tell us.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Some one liners to help you get through the day -
Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
God made me on purpose for a purpose.
God calls each of us by name to a personal vocation; the challenge is to discover our role, to use our gifts well,
and to respond generously to God’s call.
Practice trusting in God as you walk through the times of change and uncertainty in your life.
When you tell the truth, you don't have to have a good memory.
Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about; be kind always.
Open the door for someone every chance you get.
GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME; ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD.
God has a special message for us. When we listen to the readings, the homily, and the prayers of the Mass, God speaks to us in a special way. We should come away from each Mass with at least one inspiration that will impact our lives in some way. We just have to pay attention and be open to what the Lord is trying to tell us.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Some one liners to help you get through the day -
Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
God made me on purpose for a purpose.
God calls each of us by name to a personal vocation; the challenge is to discover our role, to use our gifts well,
and to respond generously to God’s call.
Practice trusting in God as you walk through the times of change and uncertainty in your life.
When you tell the truth, you don't have to have a good memory.
Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about; be kind always.
Open the door for someone every chance you get.
GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME; ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD.
PRAYER OF PROTECTION – “The light of God surrounds me; the love of God enfolds me; the power of God protects me; the presence of God watches over me; wherever I am, God is.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grant us, O Sweet Heart of Mary, peace of mind, peace which the world cannot give, peace with God, with our neighbors and with ourselves. Give us eternal peace in Heaven. Amen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prayer to Saint Mark
O Glorious Saint Mark, through the grace of God our Father, you became a great Evangelist who preached the good news of Christ. May you help us to know Him well so that we may faithfully live our lives as followers of Christ. Saint Mark, we implore you to grant your special graces to our parish family. May our parish be a shrine of peace, purity, love, labor, and faith. Help us to share our talents, time, and treasures. Protect and bless all of us, absent and present, living and dead. Open our hearts to concern for others, hear our prayers, and obtain our petitions.
Saint Mark, Pray for Us. Amen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAINT MARK’S FACEBOOK - Shelly Frank is doing a great job maintaining a Facebook Page for
Saint Mark’s. The Facebook page is loaded with information and lots of pictures. Just put the following into your search engine: www.facebook.com/saintmarksofaltoona - when you get there, “Like” the page so that it can reach many more of our Friends.
SAINT MARK'S WEBSITE is maintained direct from the Rectory of Saint Mark's. We have included Holy Rosary on this website.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WORDS OF WISDOM: The best way to succeed is to get your wisdom from old people and
your enthusiasm from young people. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER FOR THE FAMILY
God of all life and love, I offer You thanks for the gift of my family. Help us to work together for harmony in our relationships. Give us the grace to accept each other’s faults and weaknesses. Protect us from harsh words and hurt feelings. Lead us to encourage each other’s strengths and gifts. May we always forgive each other’s failings. Let us rejoice in another’s successes. Watch over my family, Dear Lord, bless us with good health and happiness, and give us hearts full of love, patience and kindness for one another, now and always. Amen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELIEVE IN GOD’S LOVE - DO WHAT YOU CAN AND PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE POWER TO DO WHAT YOU CANNOT
PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED – FOR A FRIEND OR RELATIVE
Lord, please console my heart and my mind as I mourn the death of (Name), my dear friend/relative, who in life brought me great happiness, laughter, solace and companionship.
In your mercy, grant that (Name) may rest in peace until you awaken him/her to glory, for you are
the resurrection and the life. Amen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRAYERS OF COMFORT FOR ALL WHO MOURN – In our sorrow, may God’s love give us a peaceful heart.
May we be blessed and consoled by our Lord, Jesus Christ, who gently wipes every tear from our eyes.
We pray for this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day; unseen, unheard,
but always near, they are always in our hearts, so dear.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE FRIENDS?
You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years
by trying to get other people interested in you. Forget yourself. People are not interested in you. They are interested in themselves – morning, noon, and after dinner. The New York Telephone Company made a detailed study of telephone conversations to find out which word is the most frequently used. It was the personal pronoun “I”. It was used 3,900 times in 500 telephone conversations.
As an experiment, see how long you can get through the day without saying the word "I".
When you hear a person’ name, repeat it several times and try to associate it with the person’s features, expression, and general appearance. Remember that a person’s name is to them the sweetest and most important sound in the English language. You make people feel important by remembering and using their name.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAMILIES AND THE GOSPEL
Forgiveness is crucial to a healthy life. By holding onto an injury, we are hoping for a better past which will never happen. Forgiveness recognizes that we were unjustly treated and that it will not be corrected. Forgiveness does not condone the injustice; it is a decision to not let the injustices control your life.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
God has abundantly blessed each of us with a unique set of gifts. By recognizing our gifts and subsequently sharing them gratefully, we help create that for which we pray in the Lord’s Prayer:
Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A PRAYER TO BRING SOMEONE BACK TO FAITH
Glory be to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are the center of my life; You are the source and the summit. My life is rooted in You. I want those I love to experience You this way, too. I want them to have deep faith and childlike trust in You. I want them to walk in the path You have chosen for them and to know You as a dear and compassionate friend. Please give my loved ones faith, Great God. Please help them to see that You are always with them, watching over them, calling them forward, loving them more than they will ever know. Amen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it, or use it for some good purpose.
But what I do with this day is important to me
because I have exchanged a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever,
leaving in its place that which I traded for it.
Therefore, I hope I shall never regret the price
I paid for today.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PATRON SAINTS FOR FAMILIES
Pope St. John Paul II – Pope St. John Paul, we pray for your intercession to protect our family and all families
throughout the world, now and forever. Amen.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla – St. Gianna, help us to follow your example of protecting human life at all costs. Amen.
Mary, Undoer of Knots – We all have some “knots” in our lives and Mary can untie them! The devotion to Mary,
Undoer of Knots, has become more popular ever since Pope Francis. Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for us.
St. Joseph – Patron Saint of Husbands, Fathers, and the Working Individual – St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. John Bosco – Patron Saint of Youth – St. John Bosco, pray for me and for all who need your assistance.
St. Anne: Patron Saint of Grandmothers – St. Anne, pray for me and for all who need your assistance.
St. Joachim – Patron Saint of Grandfathers – St. Joachim, pray for me and for all who need your assistance.
Grant us, O Sweet Heart of Mary, peace of mind, peace which the world cannot give, peace with God, with our neighbors and with ourselves. Give us eternal peace in Heaven. Amen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prayer to Saint Mark
O Glorious Saint Mark, through the grace of God our Father, you became a great Evangelist who preached the good news of Christ. May you help us to know Him well so that we may faithfully live our lives as followers of Christ. Saint Mark, we implore you to grant your special graces to our parish family. May our parish be a shrine of peace, purity, love, labor, and faith. Help us to share our talents, time, and treasures. Protect and bless all of us, absent and present, living and dead. Open our hearts to concern for others, hear our prayers, and obtain our petitions.
Saint Mark, Pray for Us. Amen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAINT MARK’S FACEBOOK - Shelly Frank is doing a great job maintaining a Facebook Page for
Saint Mark’s. The Facebook page is loaded with information and lots of pictures. Just put the following into your search engine: www.facebook.com/saintmarksofaltoona - when you get there, “Like” the page so that it can reach many more of our Friends.
SAINT MARK'S WEBSITE is maintained direct from the Rectory of Saint Mark's. We have included Holy Rosary on this website.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WORDS OF WISDOM: The best way to succeed is to get your wisdom from old people and
your enthusiasm from young people. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER FOR THE FAMILY
God of all life and love, I offer You thanks for the gift of my family. Help us to work together for harmony in our relationships. Give us the grace to accept each other’s faults and weaknesses. Protect us from harsh words and hurt feelings. Lead us to encourage each other’s strengths and gifts. May we always forgive each other’s failings. Let us rejoice in another’s successes. Watch over my family, Dear Lord, bless us with good health and happiness, and give us hearts full of love, patience and kindness for one another, now and always. Amen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELIEVE IN GOD’S LOVE - DO WHAT YOU CAN AND PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE POWER TO DO WHAT YOU CANNOT
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FEW TIPS FOR A BETTER LIFE - Try to make at least three people smile each day.
- Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
- Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
- Don’t take yourself so seriously; no one else does.
- You don’t have to win every argument; agree to disagree.
- Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
- Forgive every one for every thing.
- However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
- Envy is a waste of time; you already have all you need.
- Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about; be kind always.
- Don’t compare your life to others; you have no idea what their journey is all about.
PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED – FOR A FRIEND OR RELATIVE
Lord, please console my heart and my mind as I mourn the death of (Name), my dear friend/relative, who in life brought me great happiness, laughter, solace and companionship.
In your mercy, grant that (Name) may rest in peace until you awaken him/her to glory, for you are
the resurrection and the life. Amen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRAYERS OF COMFORT FOR ALL WHO MOURN – In our sorrow, may God’s love give us a peaceful heart.
May we be blessed and consoled by our Lord, Jesus Christ, who gently wipes every tear from our eyes.
We pray for this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day; unseen, unheard,
but always near, they are always in our hearts, so dear.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE FRIENDS?
You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years
by trying to get other people interested in you. Forget yourself. People are not interested in you. They are interested in themselves – morning, noon, and after dinner. The New York Telephone Company made a detailed study of telephone conversations to find out which word is the most frequently used. It was the personal pronoun “I”. It was used 3,900 times in 500 telephone conversations.
As an experiment, see how long you can get through the day without saying the word "I".
When you hear a person’ name, repeat it several times and try to associate it with the person’s features, expression, and general appearance. Remember that a person’s name is to them the sweetest and most important sound in the English language. You make people feel important by remembering and using their name.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAMILIES AND THE GOSPEL
Forgiveness is crucial to a healthy life. By holding onto an injury, we are hoping for a better past which will never happen. Forgiveness recognizes that we were unjustly treated and that it will not be corrected. Forgiveness does not condone the injustice; it is a decision to not let the injustices control your life.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
God has abundantly blessed each of us with a unique set of gifts. By recognizing our gifts and subsequently sharing them gratefully, we help create that for which we pray in the Lord’s Prayer:
Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A PRAYER TO BRING SOMEONE BACK TO FAITH
Glory be to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are the center of my life; You are the source and the summit. My life is rooted in You. I want those I love to experience You this way, too. I want them to have deep faith and childlike trust in You. I want them to walk in the path You have chosen for them and to know You as a dear and compassionate friend. Please give my loved ones faith, Great God. Please help them to see that You are always with them, watching over them, calling them forward, loving them more than they will ever know. Amen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it, or use it for some good purpose.
But what I do with this day is important to me
because I have exchanged a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever,
leaving in its place that which I traded for it.
Therefore, I hope I shall never regret the price
I paid for today.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PATRON SAINTS FOR FAMILIES
Pope St. John Paul II – Pope St. John Paul, we pray for your intercession to protect our family and all families
throughout the world, now and forever. Amen.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla – St. Gianna, help us to follow your example of protecting human life at all costs. Amen.
Mary, Undoer of Knots – We all have some “knots” in our lives and Mary can untie them! The devotion to Mary,
Undoer of Knots, has become more popular ever since Pope Francis. Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for us.
St. Joseph – Patron Saint of Husbands, Fathers, and the Working Individual – St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. John Bosco – Patron Saint of Youth – St. John Bosco, pray for me and for all who need your assistance.
St. Anne: Patron Saint of Grandmothers – St. Anne, pray for me and for all who need your assistance.
St. Joachim – Patron Saint of Grandfathers – St. Joachim, pray for me and for all who need your assistance.
PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REASONS FOR ME TO ATTEND MASS EVERY WEEK or more
It takes me off center stage and puts God there. It nourishes me at the deepest possible level.
It makes me look at the purpose of life. It sends me forth to love and serve God.
It reconnects me with all God’s other children. It is like recharging my battery for the week.
PSALM 23:1,2,3,4,5,6
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.
You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.
PRAYER TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE
Heavenly Mother, at Fatima thou has promised peace if the sinful world turns to Thy Immaculate Heart and does penance. We turn to Thee in spirit of penance and filial confidence. Merciful Heart, obtain for us peace, send a just and lasting peace to the world.
Make justice and righteousness triumph over all godless forces, over hatred, tyranny and sin. Mercifully protect our Holy Mother Church, our Holy Father, Bishops and Priests, guard our homes, our churches, and our Country. Watch over our loved ones exposed to the horrors of war and dangers of military life. Be ever with them and return them sound in body and soul to their loved ones, to enjoy true and lasting peace at home.
Finally grant, O Sweet Heart of Mary, peace of mind, the peace which the world cannot give, peace with God, with our neighbors and with ourselves. Give us eternal peace in Heaven. Amen.
HAIL HOLY QUEEN (SALVE REGINA)
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has
not committed to another. I have my mission – I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.
He has not created me for nothing. I shall do good. I shall do His work. Therefore, I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I cannot be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain; He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends; he may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me – still He knows what He is about.
…from the writings of Cardinal John Newman
-----------------------
God’s wisdom often seems to be the opposite of what we are conditioned to think. For example, Jesus said that if you want to be great, you must put others first; it you want to win a conflict with your neighbor, you have to win him over with reconciliations. But the most counter-intuitive wisdom is what Jesus did on the cross – he achieved victory through self-sacrifice (John 12:24). When we submit to God’s will, we must often sacrifice our own will. We have a choice – trust ourselves, or trust God. Saint Paul’s advice to us is not to trust what our eyes and ears tell us is the wisdom of the world, but instead to trust what the Holy Spirit has revealed to us from God.
-------------------------
PRAYER - Prayer is Powerful especially when two or more are praying for the same. Have you ever said to your spouse or someone you are talking to on the telephone “So and So needs a prayer, let’s say one together for them”? (the Our Father or Hail Mary is nice); you might want to try it. When you see someone struggling while walking along the street, say a silent prayer for them – it may be the only prayer they get all day. Do you hear a young parent scolding a child? Perhaps that’s the time to say a silent prayer for both of them. Do you still bless yourself when you pass a church? Perhaps we need to bring back some of these things so that we can pass it on to the younger generation. When something is lost, do you pray to Saint Anthony, the patron of lost things? Are you aware that the Little Infant of Prague also finds things by using this prayer: “Infant Jesus of Lost and Found, please help bring (lost article) around.”
PEACE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REASONS FOR ME TO ATTEND MASS EVERY WEEK or more
It takes me off center stage and puts God there. It nourishes me at the deepest possible level.
It makes me look at the purpose of life. It sends me forth to love and serve God.
It reconnects me with all God’s other children. It is like recharging my battery for the week.
PSALM 23:1,2,3,4,5,6
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.
You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.
PRAYER TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE
Heavenly Mother, at Fatima thou has promised peace if the sinful world turns to Thy Immaculate Heart and does penance. We turn to Thee in spirit of penance and filial confidence. Merciful Heart, obtain for us peace, send a just and lasting peace to the world.
Make justice and righteousness triumph over all godless forces, over hatred, tyranny and sin. Mercifully protect our Holy Mother Church, our Holy Father, Bishops and Priests, guard our homes, our churches, and our Country. Watch over our loved ones exposed to the horrors of war and dangers of military life. Be ever with them and return them sound in body and soul to their loved ones, to enjoy true and lasting peace at home.
Finally grant, O Sweet Heart of Mary, peace of mind, the peace which the world cannot give, peace with God, with our neighbors and with ourselves. Give us eternal peace in Heaven. Amen.
HAIL HOLY QUEEN (SALVE REGINA)
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has
not committed to another. I have my mission – I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.
He has not created me for nothing. I shall do good. I shall do His work. Therefore, I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I cannot be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain; He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends; he may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me – still He knows what He is about.
…from the writings of Cardinal John Newman
-----------------------
God’s wisdom often seems to be the opposite of what we are conditioned to think. For example, Jesus said that if you want to be great, you must put others first; it you want to win a conflict with your neighbor, you have to win him over with reconciliations. But the most counter-intuitive wisdom is what Jesus did on the cross – he achieved victory through self-sacrifice (John 12:24). When we submit to God’s will, we must often sacrifice our own will. We have a choice – trust ourselves, or trust God. Saint Paul’s advice to us is not to trust what our eyes and ears tell us is the wisdom of the world, but instead to trust what the Holy Spirit has revealed to us from God.
-------------------------
PRAYER - Prayer is Powerful especially when two or more are praying for the same. Have you ever said to your spouse or someone you are talking to on the telephone “So and So needs a prayer, let’s say one together for them”? (the Our Father or Hail Mary is nice); you might want to try it. When you see someone struggling while walking along the street, say a silent prayer for them – it may be the only prayer they get all day. Do you hear a young parent scolding a child? Perhaps that’s the time to say a silent prayer for both of them. Do you still bless yourself when you pass a church? Perhaps we need to bring back some of these things so that we can pass it on to the younger generation. When something is lost, do you pray to Saint Anthony, the patron of lost things? Are you aware that the Little Infant of Prague also finds things by using this prayer: “Infant Jesus of Lost and Found, please help bring (lost article) around.”
PEACE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Sr. M. Elaine RSM and
Secretary, Joyce