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THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF
SAINT MARK'S AND HOLY ROSARY

SAINT MARK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH

416 Sixth Avenue, Altoona, PA 16602
TELEPHONE NUMBER:   814 942-0364
Administrator:
Father Nelson Javier T.O.R.

OUR MISSION
The parish of Saint Mark’s Roman Catholic Church is a friendly and family-oriented church. We dedicate ourselves to proclaiming God’s Word, the dispensing of sacraments, and the building of a community of believers. We include in our mission our parish family, guests, our homes for the elderly, and our youth. Our intention is to do what Jesus asks of his disciples in the Gospel of Saint Mark,
“… ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature’.”
     Mark 16:15
We emphasize Trinitarian spirituality as expressed in the following prayer:
Father use me. Jesus heal me. Spirit teach me.

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The Mass Schedule, Ministries, CCD (Religious Education), 21-Club, Activities, Candle Intentions/Prayer List are on special
tabs at the top of this website - just click onto them
and you will be directed there.
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900 N. Fourth Street, Altoona, PA 16601
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 814 944-6676
Administrator:
Father Nelson Javier T.O.R.
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MASSES THIS WEEKEND
September 30, 2023 - Saturday
4:30 PM SAINT MARK'S

October 1, 2023 - Sunday
8:30 AM - SAINT MARK'S
11:00 AM - HOLY ROSARY
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CONFESSIONS
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER - ST. MARK'S - 12 NOON
MONTH OF OCTOBER - HOLY ROSARY - 12 NOON
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FATHER DEMETRIUS GALLITZIN,
THE APOSTLE OF THE ALLEGHENIES
Pamphlets and Book Markers with the Gallitzin Intercessory Prayer are available on the pamphlet rack for you to take home with you. They are also available at both Rectories if you are not able to get to church. They are beautiful!
In 2007, Father Gallitzin was named Servant of God, the title given to a sainthood candidate at the beginning of the four steps toward canonization. The second step, Venerable, would signify his life as one of heroic virtue. The last two steps – Beautification and Canonization – each need a miracle through his intercession.
Let’s Pray To Father Demetrius Gallitzin
For A Miracle in Our Life.
The Apostle of the Alleghenies 1770 - 1840
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SAINT MARK'S - Come hear our Three-Century Shop Bell (1851, 1902, 2006).  Our Bell has a long history in the City of Altoona. Memorial plaques have been placed.  They are accessible and located in the Bell Tower area.
Two prayer benches have been added.

We want it to ring for freedom and moments of reflection on Altoona's great railroad past and for all the dedicated railroad workers. Children and grandchildren of those workers will hear the same bell their parents and grandparents heard. We wanted to share the Bell with our community. We wanted to erect and maintain it for generations to follow. The Bell is located in an area easily accessible by all and open free of charge to the public.

History of the Bell: The 750 pound bell, cast at Meneely's Foundry in West Troy, NY in 1850, was first hung in the original erecting shop of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Altoona in 1851. It is of Doric design and is 22 inches high, 32 1/2 inches across the mouth and 15 inches across the crown. It was used by the P.R.R. to summon its workmen to the shops in the early morning. The bell rang at 5:30 am and again at 5:45 pm and the workmen were supposed to be in the shops at 6 am and leave at 6 pm. With the advent of the steam siren in 1895, the bell was placed in storage in the Altoona machine shops. In 1902, the residents of the Eighth Ward decided to purchase a community clock and place it in the newly-erected tower of St. Mark's Church at Sixth Avenue and Fourth Street. The bell was purchased by the residents to toll the hours. It rang for patriotic celebrations, it rang for funerals, and it rang for joyful occasions. It remained there until 1950 when deteriorating conditions of the tower necessitated its removal. The tower was dismantled and the Bell was placed in the basement of the old rectory. When the rectory was torn down, it was placed in the garage. Father James B. Coveney discovered the Bell in 2001 and he and the parishioners of Saint Mark's started a fundraising campaign to build a Bell Tower and set a goal of having the Bell ring again. On November 16, 2006, many parishioners and neighbors were there to watch the Bell being installed in the Bell Tower.
The Dedication and Blessing was December 2, 2006.

   "A BELL ISN'T A BELL UNTIL IT RINGS"

Memorial Plaques and Bench

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.

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Effective, Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Father Nelson Javier TOR was appointed Administrator of Saint Mark Church and Holy Rosary Church. Happy 1 year Anniversary at Saint Mark's and Holy Rosary to you Father Nelson. God Bless You and Us.
Emergency and Sick Calls - 814 515-9464

Most Rev. Bishop Mark L. Bartchak, Bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.

26th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - OCTOBER 1, 2023
TODAY'S READINGS - In the first reading, Prophet Ezekiel assures the people that God is always at work for salvation. In the second reading, Paul urges us to imitate the Lord, who humbled himself for our salvation. In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about two sons in order to explore the meaning of authentic obedience.

PRIESTS MEDICAL AND RETIREMENT FUND COLLECTION is these next few weekends. Please consider making a donation. Throughout our lifetime, our Priests have been there for us. Now, let’s be there for them. The envelope is in your box of envelopes.
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SAINT OF THE WEEK – October 4 – St. Francis tried to live the Gospel message of simplicity literally: Do not be weighed down by possessions. Do not worry. Preach the Gospel. Spread peace. Do not engage anyone in conflict. Not all Christians can live with the heroism of St. Francis, but we must strive always for detachment from whatever leads us astray. There will be a special 8:00 am Mass at Holy Rosary Church. BLESSING OF PETS – 6:00 PM – Holy Rosary parking lot.
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CHURCH CLEANING – Martha’s Maids will be cleaning the church on Saturday, October 14 - 8:30 am. Volunteers are most welcomed.
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ST. MARK’S RECTORY OFFICE will be open Thursday, October 5 instead of Friday, October 6
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FIRST FRIDAY occurs this week on October 6. Father Nelson will make calls to the homebound on Thursday, October 5 and Saint Mark’s homebound on Friday, October 6. Please keep the homebound in your prayers as they are praying for you.

NOCTURNAL ADORATION – The monthly Vigil of Prayer scheduled by the Nocturnal Adoration Society for Friday, October 6, will be from 8-11 pm at Saint John’s Parish in Lakemont. You are welcome to attend any time during those hours; however, our two parishes will spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament from 10 – 11 pm.

FATIMA DEVOTIONS - The Franciscan Friars, T.O.R., from Loretto, invite you to participate with them in celebrating the Fatima Devotions on Friday, October 13, at 6:30pm at the Immaculate Conception Chapel on the campus of St. Francis University. The presider will be Fr. Malachi VanTassell, T.O.R.

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BAKE SALE – The Religious Education Classes are sponsoring a Bake Sale after Masses at Saint Mark’s and Holy Rosary Parishes October 14 & 15, 2023. Lots of good tasting baked goods are expected. All proceeds benefit the Religious Education classes. Parishioners are asked to help by bringing their favorite baked goods to Mass and have them on plates or in zip-locked bags and marked what they are. Please mark your calendars, bake something to help, and buy something at the sale. Your support will be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, call Suzanne Barry at 814 381-5247.
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May all our children attending school for the first time and all students have a very good year. May God be with you every step of the way.
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PRAYERS – In the Missalette, from page 326 to 337, you can find different and various prayers helpful for meditation and recollection in anticipation of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. When you come to church a little early, look for those pages. There's a prayer for almost anything you are looking for.
You will not be disappointed.
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OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY, WATCH OVER US. SAINT MARK, PRAY FOR US.
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Accept what IS, let go of what WAS, and have Faith in what WILL BE.
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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.
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STEWARDSHIP – TRUST IN GOD – Adopting stewardship as a way of life means having total trust in God. To commit a portion of your time, talent, and treasure to HIS service means YOU have faith that HE WILL provide enough to meet your needs and those of your family.
May we use our time and talent to foster compassion, forgiveness, patience, and love in the spiritual family we know as our parish and our diocese.
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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.
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WORDS OF WISDOM: When people are too tired to give you a smile, give them one of yours.   No one needs a smile so much as he who has none to give.

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WORDS OF WISDOM - You were made on purpose for a purpose –
there are two critical days in our lives:
the day we are born and the day we discover why we were born.
Discovering the purpose of our lives is a deeply personal and spiritual process.
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Families and the Gospel – Jesus was “teaching as he went along.” Every day, as we go through our normal activities, our children are watching us and learning.
What are they seeing? What are we teaching them?
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Thank you, God, for being so good, being so good to us.
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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 and 25:31-46 and Ephesians 4:25-31
When you are anxious for someone you love – Luke 12:22-34 and John 17
When you need to forgive – Matthew 5:43-48 and Luke 23:34
When you need to be forgiven – Psalm 51 and Isaiah 53 and Matthew 16:18-19
When you need comfort – Psalm 23 and 2 Corinthians 1-3-4 and Psalm 55:22
When you need courage – 1 Chronicles 28:20 and Hebrews 13:6 and Psalm 27:1
When you are facing loneliness – 2 Corinthians 6:18 and Deuteronomy 31:6 and Isiah 43:2
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FIND HELP IN THE BIBLE - WHEN YOU NEED…
FAITH – Joshua 24:15 * Romans 10:8-13 * Hebrews 11:1-6
FORGIVENESS – 1 John 1:8-9 * Matthew 6:14-15 * Luke 6:37
GRACE – 1 Peter 5:5-6 * 2 Corinthians 8:9 * Ephesians 2:8-9
HOPE – 1 Peter 1:3-5 * Hebrews 6:9-12 * Lamentations 3:24-25
LOVE – 1 John 4:7-21 * 1 Thessalonians 3:12 * Romans 8:38-39
PATIENCE – Colossians 1:10-12 * Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 * Romans 15:4-5
PEACE – John 16:33 * Philippians 4:6-7 * Numbers 6:24-26
STRENGTH – Philippians 4:13 * 2 Samuel 22:32-33 * Isaiah 40:29-31
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FIND HELP IN THE BIBLE - WHEN YOU’RE FACING…
ANGER **– Ephesians 4:31-32 * James 1:19-20 * Proverbs 15:1
ANXIETY – 1 Peter 5:7 * Matthew 11:28-30 * Proverbs 12:25
CRISIS – Jeremiah 29:11-13 * Lamentations 3:55-58 * Proverbs 3:5-6
DEPRESSION – Nehemiah 8:10 * Hosea 6:1 * Psalm 5:11
DISCOURAGEMENT – Romans 12:11-12 * John 14:27 * Deuteronomy 31:8
FEAR – Isaiah 41:13 * Joshua 1:9 * Psalm 46:1-3
GRIEF – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 * John 11:25-27 * Matthew 5:4
ILLNESS – Acts 3:16 * James 5:16 * Jeremiah 17:14
LONELINESS – 2 Corinthians 6:18 * Deuteronomy 31:6 * Isaiah 43:2
TEMPTATION** – Ephesians 5:8-11 * Hebrews 4:14-16 * James 1:12-15
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WORDS OF WISDOM – Let your light shine before others, that they may see
your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
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WORDS OF WISDOM: 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.
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WORDS OF WISDOM: Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about; be kind always.
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VOTIVE PRAYER CANDLES – Lighting a candle serves to prolong prayer beyond our presence in church. The candle remains behind and symbolizes the desire for prayer to continue. When we light candles in prayer, our intentions remain present even when we are gone. Next time you pass a candle rack, help prolong others’ prayers by offering one for the intentions of the people who lit them.
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Mary Immaculate is the Patroness of Our Country. We need her intercession on our behalf. Hear is a short prayer you can say:
       “Dear Mary, help us to be the people who love the poor and protect all life, both born and unborn.   We pray for the blessing of peace.   Finally grant us, 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.
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If someone is on your mind, say a prayer for them.
God may have put them on your mind for a reason.
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God made us to be good, to seek good, and to do good.
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CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR - In the home, it is kindness; in business, it is honesty; in society, courtesy; in work, thoroughness; in play, fairness; toward the unfortunate,
it is pity; toward the weak, help; toward the wicked, resistance; toward the strong, trust; toward the penitent, it is forgiveness; and toward God, it is love.
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Prayer to Saint Joseph the Worker
O God, Creator of all things, who laid down for the human race the law of work, graciously grant that by the example of Saint Joseph and under his patronage, we may complete the works you set us to do and attain the rewards you promise. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

BELOVED FATHER, HEAD OF THE HOLY FAMILY – The greatness of Saint Joseph is that he was the spouse of Mary and the father of Jesus. In this way, he placed himself, in the words of Saint John Chrysostom, “at the service of the entire plan of salvation.” In a similar way, every father plays an essential role in bringing their families to Christ, because fatherhood is at the service of God’s plan for salvation.
     The veneration and naming of the Feast of Saint Joseph was established by Pope Sixtus in 1479 for the growing commemoration of his marriage to Mary and his conscientious fatherhood and his defense of life. So let us pray that all fathers fulfill that role well, as they love and serve their families.
Saint Joseph, a beloved father, head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
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FATHER DEMETRIUS GALLITZIN, THE APOSTLES OF THE ALLEGHENIES – Pamphlets and Book Markers with the Gallitzin Intercessory Prayer are available on the pamphlet rack and altar railings for you to take home with you. They are also available at both Rectories if you are not able to get to church. They are beautiful.
Here is the Prayer:

Gallitzin Intercessory Prayer
God of mercy and love, your faithful servant, Father Demetrius A. Gallitzin, gave up everything to sow the seeds of faith among the people of the Allegheny Mountains. Please listen to his intercession for us in our day, even as we ask that we be allowed to invoke him publicly as our patron with you.  Pour out your kindness and mercy upon us and listen to our prayer, as we humbly beseech you to grant us the favor of
(Name your intention.)
Give us the humble courage of Servant of God Demetrius, so that we may praise and bless you through service to our neighbor and through witness to the Gospel of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
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In 2007, Father Gallitzin was named Servant of God, the title given to a sainthood candidate at the beginning of the four steps toward canonization. The second step, Venerable, would signify his life as one of heroic virtue. The last two steps – Beautification and Canonization – each need a miracle through his intercession.      Pray to him for a miracle in your life.
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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.
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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 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.
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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.
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PARENTS - This is a good prayer to teach your children before going to bed.

"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."

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.

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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.
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PRAYER FOR HEALING – Lord, we ask you to lift up all those who are suffering today. We ask You to bring Healing, Comfort, and Peace to their Body, Mind, and Soul. Calm their fears and let them experience the healing power of Your Love.

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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.
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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.

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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.
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.

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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
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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
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   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.

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

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.
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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.

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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 by Joyce Veckov.
We have included Holy Rosary Catholic Church on this website.
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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
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BELIEVE IN GOD’S LOVE - DO WHAT YOU CAN AND PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE POWER TO DO WHAT YOU CANNOT
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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 everyone for everything.
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.

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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.

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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.

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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.
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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.

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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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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
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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.
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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.

SISTER ELAINE – Our beloved Sister Mary Elaine Peters passed away Thursday, April 29, 2021 at the Mercy Center in Dallas, PA where she had been living for the past eight years. Sister Elaine came to Saint Mark’s in November of 2002 and stayed until the end of March 2013. That was a long time and we got attached to her. God put her into our lives for a purpose. She helped with so many things at Saint Mark’s and we depended on her. She had a great sense of humor and brought smiles wherever she went. She was a Godsend to the residents of Valley View (now Maybrook) and Garvey Manor. She was loved and respected and was truly missed when she left. Now we can pray to her in heaven. May Sister Elaine Rest in the Peace of God!

Sr. M. Elaine RSM and Secretary, Joyce