From Father George's Desk 3/8/26

Because the gospel readings we will be hearing for the remaining Sundays of Lent are long and detailed, full of meaning and worthy of deeper reflection by themselves, the other Scripture passages proclaimed at Mass do not get the homiletical attention they deserve.  Today’s reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans is a perfect case in point.  Having experienced the living waters of baptism, we have already been justified by faith.  Standing, therefore, in grace, we boast of hope of the glory of God.  And that leads Paul to conclude: And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.  For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly.  Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.  But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

 I encourage you to take this passage with you to prayer this week and let the reality that Paul proclaims here just sink in.  I hope it will help motivate us as we approach the halfway point of our Lenten journey—a time that our initial enthusiasm we had on Ash Wednesday may be flagging.

 This year, both St. John the Evangelist Parish and the Diocese of Greensburg are celebrating milestone anniversaries…

 On March 10, 1951, Pope Pius XII issued a decree that the four easternmost counties of what was then the Diocese of Pittsburgh—Fayette, Westmoreland, Indiana, and Armstrong—would become the Diocese of Greensburg, with Blessed Sacrament Church becoming the new diocese’s cathedral.  The Most Rev. Hugh Lamb, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, was named the First Bishop of Greensburg.  Events are scheduled throughout 2026 to celebrate the diamond anniversary of the diocese.  One of the highlights of the year is coming up this Tuesday evening when Bishop Kulick will celebrate a Mass at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral at 6:30PM marking the actual anniversary of the establishment of the diocese.  There is an open invitation for all to attend this special liturgy.  Check out the diocesan website and The Accent throughout the year for more details on this special observance.

 Established in October 1901, St. John the Evangelist Parish is celebrating 125 years of faith and service in Latrobe in 2026.  Throughout the year, we will be sharing some of the history of our parish, leading up to a special celebration this fall.  The St. John Pastoral Council has already begun preparing for our special anniversary year.  Being the history geek that I am, I look forward to digging into some of our local history and sharing it with you.

 For the record, Holy Family Parish is 170 years old this year, so we have a milestone to look forward to in a few more years.

 As we approach the halfway point of our Lenten journey—it’s a good time to ask, “How well am I doing?”  Am I taking advantage of the various opportunities for spiritual growth and understanding the season provides?  Is my prayer life deepening or am I stuck in a rut?  Have I been to the Sacrament of Reconciliation yet, or am I going to wait until the last minute again?  If we’re not satisfied with the answers to these questions there is still time to do something about it.  It’s never too late to make this a good Lent...

¨ Make an extra effort to attend daily Mass if possible, even if it’s only once a week. 

¨ Stations of Cross are prayed each Friday at 9:00AM and 6:00PM at Holy Family and at Noon at St. John; this venerable devotion, popularized by St. Francis of Assisi in the Middle Ages, allows us the opportunity to reflect upon the saving death of our Lord as we trace the steps of the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Sorrows). 

¨ Bishop Kulick will be offering a series of Lenten Reflections at various parishes during Lent, including on at St. Vincent Basilica later this month.  There will also be another in the ongoing “Know Him” series at Christ our Shepherd Center on March 19, focusing on the history of the diocese as we celebrate our 75th anniversary this year.  Check the diocesan website for more information and the complete schedule. 

¨ Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation...each Saturday at 3:00PM at Holy Family and 4:15PM at St. John.  And our Regional Lenten Penance Services continue this week with a service at St. Joseph Parish in Derry.  The complete schedule is elsewhere in today’s bulletin.