PASTOR'S PAGE
Very Reverend John D. Byrnes, JV, JCL
Dear Parish Family,
This week we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Mother! Mass will be celebrated at 9:00 AM Saturday Aug 15. Catholic Christians have honored our Blessed Mother since the time of the apostles, and on this day we celebrate her entrance, body and soul, into the resurrected glory which Jesus promises us all.
We continue to discover how ancient Marian devotion really is! At Nazareth, the words Chaire Mariam “Hail Mary”…. are legible on a column of an ancient building found deep under the present day Byzantine basilica of the Annunciation. The name Mary was engraved (and added to the angel’s greeting as recorded in the Scriptures), so the words are undoubtedly intended as, and are a form of, an intercessory prayer from the first centuries of the Church.
Since the time of Fr. Gallitzin, our parish has always had a deep devotion to our Blessed Mother, under her titles Our Lady of Loretto, and Our Lady of the Alleghenies. Join in our weekly Devotions to Our Lady of Loretto every Monday morning following our 7:30 AM Mass. Let us continue to ask Mary’s prayers and follow her example of selfless service.
Big News!! I am pleased to announce that we have received a School Safety Grant that will help to offset the cost on all cleaning and sanitizing supplies for our school due to Covid 19!!!! Our Saint Michael School Health and Safety Plan can be viewed and/or downloaded under the PARENT INFO tab, Health and Safety Plan, on our school website www.st-michael-school.org
MAY DAYS is this weekend!! August 8th and 9th Saturday 4PM-8PM Sunday 11AM-4PM. We will have: live entertainment, basket raffle, flea market, and a silent auction. Stop by for burgers, hot dogs, nachos & cheese, fries and more! Do you know all that May Days supports?
✓ This fundraiser pays Our Lady of Loretto Community Hall loan payment. Since the hall opened in 2005, it has been used not only as a gymnasium for the school and community, but also for: special dinners, funeral luncheons, fundraisers, Loretto Volunteer Fire Company's events, and Bingo. We receive absolutely no funding from any state, county or local agencies; therefore, we must rely on fees, private donations and fundraisers. The hall is a very important asset to our community.
✓ May Days donates all of the proceeds from the Cake Booth to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. (There will not be a Veteran’s Dinner). We will also donate all proceeds from the Yard Sale to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Lilly. This is a great way for our parish family to follow the Beatitudes, reach out to those in need, and honor our Veterans!!!
The May Days committee is committed to ensuring a clean and safe environment for you. We are requiring masks, practicing social distancing, and have hand sanitizer readily available for you.
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS - Bishop Mark Bartchak and the Family Life Office cordially invite all couples celebrating 1, 5, 10, 25, 40, 50, 55, and 60+ Wedding Anniversary in 2020 (and their families) to attend the Annual Wedding Anniversary Liturgy. Couples may attend Sunday, September 13 in ALTOONA at Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament or Sunday, September 20 in JOHNSTOWN at St. John Gualbert Cathedral. Both locations are handicap accessible. Liturgies in each location begin at 2:00 p.m. Bishop Mark will be the celebrant and homilist at each celebration. Refreshments/snacks will be available after the Mass for anniversary couples and their families. Reservations must be made through your parish for either celebration by Wednesday, August 19.
Christian Initiation of Adults - Do you know someone who wishes to become Catholic? It is time to begin preparation for the inquiry stage for those who wish to explore this possibility. If you, your spouse or a friend/neighbor is interested in beginning or renewing your relationship with Jesus, learning more about the Roman Catholic Church and joining in our life of prayer and service at St. Michael Basilica, through the Christian Initiation of Adults you are welcome to call me (472-8551) here at the rectory or call our Director of Christian Initiation, Cindy McMullen (471- 6658). An inquiry session will be held in September. Weekly Eucharistic Holy Hour for Vocations Wednesdays 6-7 PM Begin a commitment to weekly prayer at Eucharistic Adoration! Spend some time
The 2020 Catholic Ministries Drive - Thank you to all parishioners who continue to respond to the Catholic Ministries Drive. I ask all in the parish to join in supporting our Parish and a select group of ministries that provide outreach to the poor through Catholic Charities, family life, youth and seminarians. 100% of your gift goes directly to these ministries! On behalf of these vital ministries, thank you for your sacrificial gifts of prayer and treasure.
The BASILICA IS OPEN - for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Those who come to Mass or church for personal prayer need to recognize the risk of possible unintended exposure to the coronavirus and refrain if they are sick or at a greater risk of susceptibility to COVID-19.
PLEASE USE COMMON SENSE AS WE KEEP EACH OTHER HEALTHY! A FEW POINTS
1. Keep distance utilizing space in pews, choir loft, and if needed, basilica hall for social distancing at Mass. For example …. a family together……spaces…. a couple together…. spaces. Wear a mask if possible. Keep the standard 6 foot distance when coming to Communion. For now, song books/missals are restricted. A worship aid is provided for each Mass.
2. Please try to wipe down any surfaces that you touch (top part of pew where hands rest). Hand Sanitizer, disinfectant solution, paper towels and trash cans are provided and available at the entrances of the Basilica.
3.Holy Communion will also be offered after Mass if a person is uncomfortable being in church or if the church becomes unsafe /overcrowded. The Bishop continues to DISPENSE from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.
4. Restrooms will be disinfected and cleaned regularly, but obviously not after each use, due to our Basilica only having part-time janitorial staff. Please use common sense.
5. Devotional candles at the Shrines of St. Therese and Our Lady of Loretto may be lit. Please use the tissues provided to hold the wooden wick and discard the tissue after lighting the candle. You may mail any donations.
6.Please place the weekly collection in the plastic bins provided. An usher will lock the collection in our safe after each Mass, or you may continue to mail your envelope to PO BOX 10 Loretto PA 15940. You may drop your envelope in the SECURE MAIL SLOT at the BACK ENTRANCE PORCH (NOT FRONT OFFICE DOOR) by the outdoor statue of ST. THERESE! This is also a great time to set up On-Line Giving through our parish website.
The BASILICA IS OPEN -Those who come to Mass or church for personal prayer need to recognize the risk of possible unintended exposure to the coronavirus and refrain if they are sick or at a greater risk of susceptibility to COVID-19.
Please offer the following prayer each day…..
Prayer Against Coronavirus - Lord Jesus Christ, our Divine physician, we ask you to guard and protect us from Coronavirus COVID-19 and all serious illness. For all that have died from it, have mercy; for those that are ill now, bring healing. For those searching for a remedy, enlighten them; for medical caregivers helping the sick, strengthen and shield them. For those working to contain the spread, grant them success; for the afraid, grant peace. May your precious blood be our defense and salvation. By your grace, may you turn the evil of disease into moments of consolation and hope. May we always fear the contagion of sin more than any illness. We abandon ourselves to your infinite mercy. Amen
by Pedro de la Cruz
This week we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Mother! Mass will be celebrated at 9:00 AM Saturday Aug 15. Catholic Christians have honored our Blessed Mother since the time of the apostles, and on this day we celebrate her entrance, body and soul, into the resurrected glory which Jesus promises us all.
We continue to discover how ancient Marian devotion really is! At Nazareth, the words Chaire Mariam “Hail Mary”…. are legible on a column of an ancient building found deep under the present day Byzantine basilica of the Annunciation. The name Mary was engraved (and added to the angel’s greeting as recorded in the Scriptures), so the words are undoubtedly intended as, and are a form of, an intercessory prayer from the first centuries of the Church.
Since the time of Fr. Gallitzin, our parish has always had a deep devotion to our Blessed Mother, under her titles Our Lady of Loretto, and Our Lady of the Alleghenies. Join in our weekly Devotions to Our Lady of Loretto every Monday morning following our 7:30 AM Mass. Let us continue to ask Mary’s prayers and follow her example of selfless service.
Big News!! I am pleased to announce that we have received a School Safety Grant that will help to offset the cost on all cleaning and sanitizing supplies for our school due to Covid 19!!!! Our Saint Michael School Health and Safety Plan can be viewed and/or downloaded under the PARENT INFO tab, Health and Safety Plan, on our school website www.st-michael-school.org
MAY DAYS is this weekend!! August 8th and 9th Saturday 4PM-8PM Sunday 11AM-4PM. We will have: live entertainment, basket raffle, flea market, and a silent auction. Stop by for burgers, hot dogs, nachos & cheese, fries and more! Do you know all that May Days supports?
✓ This fundraiser pays Our Lady of Loretto Community Hall loan payment. Since the hall opened in 2005, it has been used not only as a gymnasium for the school and community, but also for: special dinners, funeral luncheons, fundraisers, Loretto Volunteer Fire Company's events, and Bingo. We receive absolutely no funding from any state, county or local agencies; therefore, we must rely on fees, private donations and fundraisers. The hall is a very important asset to our community.
✓ May Days donates all of the proceeds from the Cake Booth to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. (There will not be a Veteran’s Dinner). We will also donate all proceeds from the Yard Sale to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Lilly. This is a great way for our parish family to follow the Beatitudes, reach out to those in need, and honor our Veterans!!!
The May Days committee is committed to ensuring a clean and safe environment for you. We are requiring masks, practicing social distancing, and have hand sanitizer readily available for you.
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS - Bishop Mark Bartchak and the Family Life Office cordially invite all couples celebrating 1, 5, 10, 25, 40, 50, 55, and 60+ Wedding Anniversary in 2020 (and their families) to attend the Annual Wedding Anniversary Liturgy. Couples may attend Sunday, September 13 in ALTOONA at Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament or Sunday, September 20 in JOHNSTOWN at St. John Gualbert Cathedral. Both locations are handicap accessible. Liturgies in each location begin at 2:00 p.m. Bishop Mark will be the celebrant and homilist at each celebration. Refreshments/snacks will be available after the Mass for anniversary couples and their families. Reservations must be made through your parish for either celebration by Wednesday, August 19.
Christian Initiation of Adults - Do you know someone who wishes to become Catholic? It is time to begin preparation for the inquiry stage for those who wish to explore this possibility. If you, your spouse or a friend/neighbor is interested in beginning or renewing your relationship with Jesus, learning more about the Roman Catholic Church and joining in our life of prayer and service at St. Michael Basilica, through the Christian Initiation of Adults you are welcome to call me (472-8551) here at the rectory or call our Director of Christian Initiation, Cindy McMullen (471- 6658). An inquiry session will be held in September. Weekly Eucharistic Holy Hour for Vocations Wednesdays 6-7 PM Begin a commitment to weekly prayer at Eucharistic Adoration! Spend some time
The 2020 Catholic Ministries Drive - Thank you to all parishioners who continue to respond to the Catholic Ministries Drive. I ask all in the parish to join in supporting our Parish and a select group of ministries that provide outreach to the poor through Catholic Charities, family life, youth and seminarians. 100% of your gift goes directly to these ministries! On behalf of these vital ministries, thank you for your sacrificial gifts of prayer and treasure.
The BASILICA IS OPEN - for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Those who come to Mass or church for personal prayer need to recognize the risk of possible unintended exposure to the coronavirus and refrain if they are sick or at a greater risk of susceptibility to COVID-19.
PLEASE USE COMMON SENSE AS WE KEEP EACH OTHER HEALTHY! A FEW POINTS
1. Keep distance utilizing space in pews, choir loft, and if needed, basilica hall for social distancing at Mass. For example …. a family together……spaces…. a couple together…. spaces. Wear a mask if possible. Keep the standard 6 foot distance when coming to Communion. For now, song books/missals are restricted. A worship aid is provided for each Mass.
2. Please try to wipe down any surfaces that you touch (top part of pew where hands rest). Hand Sanitizer, disinfectant solution, paper towels and trash cans are provided and available at the entrances of the Basilica.
3.Holy Communion will also be offered after Mass if a person is uncomfortable being in church or if the church becomes unsafe /overcrowded. The Bishop continues to DISPENSE from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.
4. Restrooms will be disinfected and cleaned regularly, but obviously not after each use, due to our Basilica only having part-time janitorial staff. Please use common sense.
5. Devotional candles at the Shrines of St. Therese and Our Lady of Loretto may be lit. Please use the tissues provided to hold the wooden wick and discard the tissue after lighting the candle. You may mail any donations.
6.Please place the weekly collection in the plastic bins provided. An usher will lock the collection in our safe after each Mass, or you may continue to mail your envelope to PO BOX 10 Loretto PA 15940. You may drop your envelope in the SECURE MAIL SLOT at the BACK ENTRANCE PORCH (NOT FRONT OFFICE DOOR) by the outdoor statue of ST. THERESE! This is also a great time to set up On-Line Giving through our parish website.
The BASILICA IS OPEN -Those who come to Mass or church for personal prayer need to recognize the risk of possible unintended exposure to the coronavirus and refrain if they are sick or at a greater risk of susceptibility to COVID-19.
Please offer the following prayer each day…..
Prayer Against Coronavirus - Lord Jesus Christ, our Divine physician, we ask you to guard and protect us from Coronavirus COVID-19 and all serious illness. For all that have died from it, have mercy; for those that are ill now, bring healing. For those searching for a remedy, enlighten them; for medical caregivers helping the sick, strengthen and shield them. For those working to contain the spread, grant them success; for the afraid, grant peace. May your precious blood be our defense and salvation. By your grace, may you turn the evil of disease into moments of consolation and hope. May we always fear the contagion of sin more than any illness. We abandon ourselves to your infinite mercy. Amen
by Pedro de la Cruz