February 7, 2021

RE: Virtual Parish Assembly

Dear Parishioners,

Our parish grouping’s Advisory Council and I are excited to come together and give you an update on the 'On Mission' process of unifying our parish and the work the team is doing to chart a new course for our faith community.  We have set up two options for you to take in the Virtual Parish Assembly update presentation:

ONLINE VIEWING
A link will be posted on our MACH1 Parish Grouping website for convenient viewing anytime after 7:00PM on Thursday, February 25, 2021. For this option, no reservation is needed – just click and watch!  (To access the Virtual Parish Assembly as found on the 'Merger Report' page, CLICK HERE.)

IN-PERSON VIEWING (Reservation Required)
An in-person viewing session will be held at St. Frances Cabrini Church in Fr. O'Connell Hall on Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 7:00PM for those who have already made seating reservations.  Masks and physical distancing will be required in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.

We look forward to sharing the update with you and thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to building our new parish family.


In Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Fr. Jean-Luc

January 31, 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

New Coordinator of Youth Formation
After several interviews and with the unanimous decision by our youth sub-committee from the Grouping Advisory Council, we have hired a new Coordinator of Youth Formation who will run our Parish Youth Program. We are happy and excited to welcome Joshua Snatchko to our parishes. He will be speaking at Sunday Masses this weekend and next weekend. Please stop and say hello to him!

Our Work Toward the Merger
Thank you for your preliminary questions and feedback in preparation for our Virtual Parish Assembly. We will use your questions and concerns to help us as we put together the presentation for February 25th. Following the February 25th Virtual Parish Assembly, we will again ask for your questions and feedback. The goal is to get your involvement and input, so that in a transparent way, we together are helping to build our parish community into one that is vibrant, life-giving and holy!


Thank you,
Fr. Jean-Luc, OSB

January 25, 2021

Merger Update - Virtual Parish Assembly; Lenten Services

Dear Parishioners,

I would like to provide you an update on the next important step in our parish merger process. The process of bringing our parishes together is already going smoothly because of the deep faith and strong sense of community that we share among our parishes. Additionally, the grouping Advisory Council and Finance Councils continue to meet and work with me on setting the vision for the parish.  We will share the early phases of this work with you via a 'Virtual Parish Assembly'.

VIRTUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY
Our Virtual Parish Assembly will be presented on Thursday, February 25 at 7:00PM. Within this online presentation, we will discuss the parish merger and answer the questions submitted regarding it.  To access the Virtual Parish Assembly, you will need to go to the home page of our MACH1 Parish Grouping website  and click on the Virtual Parish Assembly announcement/link that will be posted and active on Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 7:00PM. Please mark the date on your calendars! The presentation will remain available on our website for at least three weeks.


I also want to call your attention to some upcoming dates for various religious activities:

STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Our parish grouping will pray the Stations of the Cross throughout Lent on Fridays at 6:30PM according to the following schedule:

• February 19: Our Lady of Fatima, Hopewell Township
• February 26: St. Frances Cabrini, Center Township
• March 5: St. John the Baptist, Monaca
• March 12: St. Titus, Aliquippa
• March 19: Our Lady of Fatima, Hopewell Township
• March 26: St. Frances Cabrini, Center Township

2021 LENTEN RETREAT DAY
A grouping-wide Lenten Retreat Day will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2021. (Childcare will be available.) The retreat day presentations, to be given in the social hall associated with each worship site, will begin at 11:30AM and conclude by 3:00PM. Please note that due to COVID-19 guidelines, seating is limited. Seating reservations will be required.  (The addition of an optional lunch will be available at a cost of $10.)  The retreat topics, presenters and locations are, as follows:

Topic: Ethos of Life over Vocation - a retreat for young adults (ages 21 to 49)
Presenter: Br. Barnabas O’Reilly, OSB
Location: St. John the Baptist, Monaca - Msgr. Farri Hall

Topic: Blessed are Those Who Mourn - a retreat for those who have experienced loss
Presenter: Fr. Donald Raila, OSB
Location: St. Titus, Aliquippa - Titan Hall

Topic: It Takes Three to Marry - a retreat for married couples
Presenter: Br. Cassian Edwards, OSB
Location: St. Frances Cabrini, Center Township - Fr. O’Connell Hall

Topic: Our Baptism and the Call to be Holy - a general Lenten-themed retreat for all
Presenter:  Fr. Jeremiah Lange, OSB
Location: Our Lady of Fatima, Hopewell Township - Fr. Kohler Hall

• Eucharistic Adoration as well as the Sacrament of Penance at 3:30PM
• Benediction and Mass (Vigil Mass of the First Sunday of Lent) at 4:30PM

After the retreat presentations are completed, retreat attendees who have seating reservations for the 'Retreat Day Closing' will depart for St. Titus Church to take part in Eucharistic Adoration starting at 3:30PM along with the Sacrament of Penance, followed by Benediction and the Vigil Mass for the First Sunday of Lent (to be offered at 4:30PM) to close our 2021 Lenten Retreat Day.

Registration information for the upcoming Retreat Day will be coming soon; please check the bulletin and/or our grouping website regularly for updates.


LENTEN PENANCE SERVICE
As part of the spiritual practices connected to the season, a Lenten Penance Service for our grouping will be offered on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at 6:30PM in the Church of St. Frances Cabrini, Center Township.
 

EXPANDED CONFESSION SCHEDULE FOR LENT
By way of a reminder, the Sacrament of Confession is offered on Saturday mornings at all four of our church locations.  In addition, a time for confession will also be offered prior to Saturday evening Masses during Lent: at Our Lady of Fatima (Hopewell Township) starting at 3:00PM, and St. Frances Cabrini (Center Township) starting at 3:30PM.


Thank you for your love for our Catholic Faith and commitment to our developing parish!


In the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Father Jean-Luc Zadroga, OSB
Administrator
 

January 24, 2021

Mass Schedule Addition

Dear MACH1 Parishioners,

We have a good problem!

We have seen an increased number of people returning to in-person Mass attendance at St. Frances Cabrini. We’ve been paying attention to this for the last three Sundays and there is a clear upward trend.  In light of this, an 8:30AM Mass at St. Frances Cabrini will be added to our grouping’s Sunday Mass schedule beginning on the First Sunday of Lent, February 21, 2021.

We were going to make the addition on Palm Sunday; however, it will be better to have it added sooner so parishioners don’t feel uncomfortable with the current elevated attendance numbers.  Adding an 8:30AM Mass also allows for the expansion without having to change the entire schedule for the grouping,… yet again.

It’s a good problem, and a happy one!


In Christ,
Fr. Jean-Luc, OSB

Revised Mass & Confession Schedule


Dear MACH1 Parishioners,

With the goal of providing the opportunity to our parishioners to attend the Sunday Mass in-person  as well as offer Masses at all of our worship sites, we will move to a new Mass and Confession schedule.  You can download the December 15, 2020 thru January 16, 2021 schedule pages by clicking on the calendar graphic.

This revised schedule is taking into consideration the size of our churches, the reality of the virus as well as seating restrictions and clergy availability.  We may have to adjust this as we move forward, but it seems reasonable for now under the given conditions.

Please keep in your prayers all people near and far as we face the challenges of each day.  Stay safe and healthy.  Put into practice all COVID-19 and social distancing guidlines.

May the angels guard and protect one and all.

In Christ,
Fr. Jean-Luc

November 23, 2020


Parish Plan Development Input Submissions


Dear Parishioners,

Our survey requesting suggestions from MACH1 parishioners regarding our new parish name has closed.  Thank you to those who participated.  The process now continues with narrowing these submissions to a list of 20 suggestions to be forwarded to the diocese for review by Bishop Zubik.

Recently, a meeting of our finance and advisory councils was held to talk about 'On Mission' and the things we want to be mindful of as we move forward toward the merger. The conversation was fruitful and prayerful.

In addition, I would very much like to hear from YOU about the ways in which you would like to see the parish grow to help you and others in coming to know and love God and our neighbors. Please feel free to share them with me, the parish offices, or council members.  For your convenience, you can use the 'My Thoughts and Ideas’ online submission form located on the Parish Plan Development page.

Thank you in advance and God bless our developing parish.


In Christ,
Fr. Jean-Luc
 

November 15, 2021


New Parish Name Submission Deadline


Dear Parishioners,

Greetings in the Lord, who has done great things for us!

We need your input with is the new name of our one parish. Bishop Zubik is asking for input from all of us as he prayerfully selects a new name for our new parish. The name can be a canonized Saint, it can be a title of our Lord or a title of our Lady. It can be an event in the life of our Lord or an event in the life of our Lady. It cannot be one of the names of our 4 parishes, but an important point to remember is that the parish will have one new name, but the 4 church buildings retain their names given them when they were built and dedicated.

Please prayerfully consider what name might be appropriate for our newly-merged parish. What name will best express our identity as one parish Community? We ask that you share your suggestion with us and also give us a brief explanation as to why you are suggesting that particular name.

An online name submission form is available here on our website to make it even easier to submit name suggestions as well if you prefer.

If you prefer, in the bulletin you will find a form for your use in this endeavor or you can download and print the same document by clicking the 'Update Letter & Name Submission Form' button below.)  You are welcome to complete, detach and drop it into the basket along with (or even placed inside) your Sunday offering envelope.

Only one parish name submission per parishioner.  The final submission deadline has been extended to Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 11:59PM.

We will collate the suggestions and share the list of the top 20 names we will take forward in the process, and then submit our top 20 names to Bishop Zubik. We will include more details on the process in the next week's bulletin as well.


Yours in Christ,
Fr. Jean-Luc Zagroda, OSB
MACH1 Parish Grouping Administrator Pro Tem

Greetings in the Lord, who has done great things for us! Last week Fr. Joachim, Fr. Canice and I went to our school to pray a Living Rosary with our school children. Reflecting on the mysteries of our salvation with children was a great blessing, and filled us with gratitude for all the Lord has done to show us his love.

Our school is doing very well. Our enrollment is up from last year, and our amazing principal, Shirley Martin and our outstanding faculty are working hard to make Catholic education a great choice! If you would like to direct your financial support to assist us in providing Catholic education here in the Beaver Valley, please contact any of our parish offices.

Thank you also to Deanna Stacho, Marilyn Chesko, Tonya McKenna and Diana Wise who have orchestrated the restart of our religious education programs. They are currently planning and preparing our eighth graders for Confirmation, which will be celebrated next month.

Yes, the Lord has done great things for us and we immerse ourselves in his redemptive work in the Sacred Liturgy. The word liturgy means “a work carried out for the people; a public service or work,” and for us as Catholics, the work that unfolds for us on the altar is the sacrifice our redemption. It is encouraging to see so many people returning to the Mass and the sacraments. Fathers Canice, Joachim and I are especially edified by the many young couples who persevered through most unusual circumstances and pressed forward through postponements and countless other obstacles to be joined together in holy matrimony. It has been our privilege to witness your weddings!

The Lord has done great things for us!

In terms of our merger, we recently had a meeting of our finance and advisory councils to talk about On Mission and the things we want to be mindful of as we move forward toward the merger. The conversation was fruitful and prayerful. The council members raised some important points that we need to be mindful of as we move forward together: unity; catechesis; evangelization; keeping our aging parishioners engaged. These were some of the items that emerged from the discussion, but the issue that surfaced more than all others was our young people. How do we keep them engaged? How do we effectively catechize them? What programs do we put in place to reach them and keep them connected? We assure you that these concerns will be on the front of our minds as we move into the merger process. I very much would like to hear from you about the ways you would like to see the parish grow to help you and others in coming to know and love God and our neighbors. Please feel free to share them with me or one of the Parish Council Members.

The other item that we need your input with is the new name of our one parish. Bishop Zubik is asking for input from all of us as he prayerfully selects a new name for our new parish. The name can be a canonized Saint, it can be a title of our Lord or a title of our Lady. It can be an event in the life of our Lord or an event in the life of our Lady. It cannot be one of the names of our 4 parishes, but an important point to remember is that the parish will have one new name, but the 4 church buildings retain their names given them when they were built and dedicated.

Please prayerfully consider what name might be appropriate for our newly merged parish. What name will best express our identity as one parish Community? We ask that you share your suggestion with us and also give us a brief explanation as to why you are suggesting that particular name. In this week's bulletin you will find a form for your use in this endeavor.  (You can download and print the same document by clicking the 'Update Letter & Name Submission Form' button below.)  Please complete, detach and drop it into the basket along with, or even inside your Sunday offering envelope.  If you prefer, an online name submission form is available on our website to make it even easier to submit name suggestions as well.  Only one parish name submission per parishioner.  The submission deadline is Saturday, November 21, 2020.

We will collate the suggestions and share the list of the top 20 names we will take forward in the process, and then submit our top 20 names to Bishop Zubik. We will include more details on the process in the next week's bulletin as well.


Yours in Christ,
Fr. Jean-Luc Zadroga, OSB
MACH1 Parish Grouping Administrator Pro Tem