From Father George's Desk 11/30/2025

This is Father John’s final weekend with us as our senior priest active. It has been my pleasure and my good fortune to work with him over the past two plus years. While we have all benefited from his wisdom and priestly ministry, I am particularly grateful for his friendship and fraternity. I have enjoyed swapping stories with him, particularly about our shared Fayette County homeland and our experiences serving, in different decades, the good people of Glen Campbell and Northern Indiana County. Father John, I pray the Lord bless you with good health and happiness as you enjoy your re-re-retirement!

As has been previously announced, our weekend and holyday schedule will remain the same. Beginning next weekend, the Benedictine Fathers from St. Vincent Archabbey will be assisting. However, the weekday Mass schedule is going to have to be adjusted. Since we are so near the end of the calendar year, I am keeping the daily Mass schedule unchanged for December. Effective Friday, January 2 the new daily Mass schedule will be: Monday 8:00AM at St. John Thursday 8:00AM at St. John Tuesday 8:00AM at Holy Family Friday 8:00AM at Holy Family Wednesday 9:00AM at Holy Family.

Since we had started scheduling Mass intentions for 2026 before learning of Father John’s retirement, our secretaries have been going through the Mass book to make adjustments to the intentions where necessary because a priest can only accept one intention per Mass. In order to accommodate as many families as possible throughout the year, the limit on the number of intentions per family must be strictly enforced since only so many intentions can be scheduled in a year. While I understand the desire to have Masses celebrated for your loved ones at our parishes, the most important thing is not where the Mass is said but that it is said! Many of our retired priests are able to celebrate particular Mass intentions in short order. If you have Mass intentions that you would like offered beyond our ability to satisfy them here at our parishes, please bring them to either parish office with the customary $10 offering per Mass and they will be forwarded to our retired priests to be satisfied. All Masses sent out to be satisfied will listed in bulletin periodically. Thank you for your understanding as we make this adjustment to our parishes’ Mass schedule.

As we conclude Thanksgiving weekend, on behalf of the whole parish family, I extend a warm welcome to any and all visitors who are joining us at Mass today, especially to all family and friends who have moved far afield and have come back “home” to spend this wonderful holiday with loved ones. We are always enriched by your presence among us. For those who are traveling in the days ahead, we pray for safe travels and we look forward to seeing you again.

Today we embark upon the brand new year of grace 2026 as we begin our Advent journey. As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s first coming at Christmas, we are also urged to “stay awake” and be prepared for His return. St. Paul exorts us today to “throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Plan now to avail yourself of the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Advent, perhaps at one of the Regional Penance Services; make an extra effort to attend daily Mass at least once a week, if possible; pick up one of the Little Blue Books to help guide you through the coming weeks; or spend some extra time in prayer and reflection. Don’t let this wonderful season, which always passes far too quickly, slip away without making the most of it! May we keep Advent faithfully by putting on “the armor of light” that we may celebrate this Christmas more joyfully and be ever watchful and ready for the dawning of the day of the Lord.

This weekend marks the beginning of deer season in Pennsylvania. To all of our hunters good luck and safe hunting! Before you head out into the woods you may want to say a prayer to St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters. Hubert was born around the year 656 in what is modern-day Holland. As a young man he was worldly and dissolute until he was out hunting one Good Friday, while everyone else was on the way to church. As he was pursuing a huge buck, the animal turned and, as the pious legend narrates, he was astounded at perceiving a crucifix between its antlers, while he heard a voice saying, "Hubert, unless you turn to the Lord, and lead a holy life, you shall quickly go down to hell” (in some versions of the story, it is the deer himself who spoke to Hubert). It was his great moment of conversion. Later, after his wife died, Hubert was ordained and eventually became the first bishop of Liege, in modern-day Belgium. He died around the year 727 and is also invoked against dog bites, rabies, and misbehaving dogs. Fun fact: If you have ever paid attention to the label on a bottle of Jaegermeister, the German liqueur, you will see the buck with the crucifix between its antlers featured prominently; “jaegermeister” means “master hunter” or “master of the hunt” in German.