751 Locust Street
Rev. Charles F. Bodziak, Pastor
Deacon Dave Hornick
Secretary: Susan Poldiak
Bookkeeper: Kathy Kalicky
DRE: Laurie Sloan
Maintenance: Edward Homway
PHONES:
Rectory / Office: (814) 495-9640
Fax: (814) 495-9424
PO Box 103
St. Michael, Pennsylvania 15951
MASSES:
Saturday Vigil 4:00 pm
Sunday Morning 8:00 am
Sunday Morning 10:30 am
Daily Mass See Bulletin
Holy Days See Bulletin
Office Hours:
8:30 am to 3:30 pm
Monday, Tues., Thurs., Friday
Rel. Education: (814) 495-4873
Parish Website www.saintmichaelchurch.weebly.com
Confessions:
Saturday 3:30 pm to 3:45 pm
Sunday 7:30 am to 7:45 am
10:00 am to 10:15 am
YEAR: 2016 NUMBER: 1
Secretaries’ E-mail: Holy Year of Mercy saintmichaelsecretaries@yahoo.com
Anytime Requested
SERVING GOD AND COMMUNITY FOR OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS!
BAPTISM:
MARRIAGE:
FUNERALS:
REGISTRATION
and
MEMBERSHIP:
By Appointment. Reserve at least one month in advance.
Preparation classes are necessary.
Make arrangements at least nine months in advance.
Preparation sessions are necessary.
Arrangements are made in conjunction with the funeral home service or at the luncheon. No eulogies at the funeral liturgy, please.
Those new to the area, newlyweds, and single adults, (even if registered before with their families) are asked to register by calling the Parish Office.
VISITATION:
Every parishioner must be registered. This is a condition for admission to our Program and reception of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, First Penance, First
Eucharist, and Matrimony; also, for testimonial letters or sponsorship of Baptism and Confirmation outside the Parish.
We are concerned and want to be advised when someone is ill at home or in the hospital. Call the rectory to have the shut-in placed on our monthly Holy Communion calls or seriously ill prayer list.
SACRAMENTAL
POLICY:
Requires a six-month parish registration and active Mass participation for Baptism and Marriage.
BULLETIN ARTICLES: Articles are due to the Parish Office by Noon on Mondays.
Month of the Holy Name of Jesus
MASS INTENTIONS: (January 4 to January 10, 2016)
Monday
Tuesday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
No Mass
8:30 AM
Wednesday 6:30 PM
Thursday 8:30 AM
8:30 AM
4:00 PM
8:00 AM
Thomas J. Murin req. by Mary Ann Murin & Family
Ralph Teti req. by the Kestermont Family
Joseph E. Brown req. by Mary J. Brown & Family
Eileen Aanrud req. by Twin Sister, Arleen Diamond
John L. Podrebarac req. by the Robert Podrebarac Family
William Shay req. by Cathy & Joe Faher
10:30 AM People of the Parish
LITURGICIAL APPOINTMENTS:
Saturday, January 9 4:00 PM Offertory Procession
Podrebarac Family Lector:
Minister of the Host:
Ministers of the Cup:
Altar Servers:
Robert Kudlawiec
Betty Duray
Karen Myers & Babe Richards
Allie Maurer, Shannon & Erik Kudlawiec
Cantor:
Greeter:
Susan Blazosky
Darlene Marshall

Sunday, January 10
Lector:
Minister of the Host:
Ministers of the Cup:
Altar Servers:
Cantor:
Greeter:
Sunday, January 10
Lector:
Minister of the Host:
Ministers of the Cup:
Altar Servers:
Cantor:
Greeter:
Sunday, January 10
8:00 AM
Terri Leach
Eric Tedjeske
Walter Christ & Robert Grattan
Quinn, Eva & Ana Spangler
Joseph Faher
Carol Hautz
10:30 AM Offertory Procession
Michael Barton Michael Caddy Family
Deacon Dave Hornick
Greg Stiffler & Robert Oshaben
Alexia Steele, Elizabeth & Ian Dobbins
Amy Dobbins
Richard Martyak
Collection Counters
John Bizzarri, Rod Kundrod,
Edna Mae Cook & Sara Zybura
Offertory Procession
Cathy & Joe Faher
We are placing names of the sick in the bulletin for prayer providing they give permission. Although we remember all sick and shut-ins at every
Mass, we would like our parish family to be aware of the need for special prayer intentions because of a most serious illness or hospital stay. May the Divine Physician send healing grace for those for whom we pray: Josephine Koshute, Allen C. Rosemas, Patricia Murphy, Todd Euen, Bernice
Myers, Dwight Fyock, Lori Facciani, Dylon Wills, Dawn Hagen, Debbie Dibert, Missy, Joanne (Kolar) Hufford, Christine Flanagan,
Ayden Alan Grata, Remy Beaver, Mary Lou Offman, Marian Chuckalovcak, Mildred Beesoick, John T. Plummer, Gail Margaret,
Arlene Diamond, Mary Zangaglia, Dorothy Rosemas, Theresa Podrebarac, Natalie Zerby, Betty Dremely, John Poldiak, Jr., Dan
Gentile, Patricia Grata, Terry McClemens, Michael Wadsworth, Valencia & Frank Tursi, Homer Locher, Georgette Minor Moreau,
Gloria Weyandt, Brayden Schofield, Steve Faher, Jr, Michelle Kasper, Frank Brattelli, Josephine Danel, Steve Fiffick, Elizabeth
Landini, Violet Partsch, Donald Sherry, Regan Kinley, Mary, Gert Bearer, Sean Wechtenhiser, Suzie Thomas, John Karian, Glenn
Hoffman, Diane Kingera, Allison Krischer, Ted Paluch, Stephen Yanzetich, Sr. Brandt Hutzel, Marjorie Ann Glass, Rose Kuhn,
Caroline Dombrosky, Laura, Francis Powers, Bob Ripper, Blake Ivock, Tony Ivock, Stanley Pomersky, Nicho las “Hop” Kolar, Pearl
Litzinger, Patrick Munro, Carl Tokarsky, Barbara Malchesky, and all of the sick of our parish, the homebound, those in nursing homes, those who care for them, and those in the military along with their families. (Please call the Rectory to have your name removed from the list when no longer seriously ill. Thank You.)
LET US PRAY AND REMEMBER
–
The following Rev. Fathers from our diocese that died throughout the years from January 4 th through January
10 th : Martin Brady, Raymond E. Cupples, Philip B. Curran, James Hanlon, Paul Thomas, James A. Tolan, and William J. Zorichak
PRAY FOR LIVING PRIESTS AND DEACONS IN THE DIOCESE - Matthew Baum, John Gibbons, Leonard Voytek, Patrick George, TOR, Deacons
Thomas Boldin and Joseph Vicinsky, Seminarian Austin Keith
Adults
Loose
Youth
LAST WEEK’S COLLECTION
$3,048.00
$ 600.00
$ 30.00
Monthly
Maintenance Fund
Candles
Christmas
Solemnity of Mary
Religious Retirement
$ 106.00
$ 475.00
$ 65.00
$8,062.50
$ 40.00
$ 6.00
Immaculate Conception
Flowers
Initial Offering
$ 6.00
$ 40.00
$ 10.00
Total $12,488.50
We sincerely thank and ask God’s blessing upon all who have care and concern for our parish.
ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL
Diocesan Goal $ 30,686.00
Pledged
Total Cash Amount
$ 32,360.00
$ 32,135.00
Number of Responses 216/ 452 48%

M Y CO mpliments to the Choirs and Congregation! Singing in the Old Testament Temple and the New Testament
Church goes back centuries. The singing by the people and choirs this Season was/is outstanding! We are pleased to
“hear” it. In fact, St. Pope Pius X, in his 1903 MOTU PROPIO emphasized the music sung by the assembly (in addition to music sung by a choir) was an important means of participation in the sacred liturgy. St Pius X made the concept of liturgical participation a matter of papal teaching: “the faithful assemble for…acquiring this (true Christian) spirit from its foremost and indispensable font, which is the active participation in the Most Holy mysteries and in the public and solemn pray er of the Church.” We have heard the saying: “He who sings, prays twice.” Thanks also to each and every one of you who made Christmas 2015 so special here at St. Michael Parish
– All who helped to decorate, our Choirs,
Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Greeters, Ushers, Altar Servers and staff and especially Deacon Dave Hornick.
God bless you all for using your TIME and TALENT for the celebration of Our Lord’s birth.
Fr. Bo
THE YEAR OF MERCY~More than ever we will be bombarded with reminders that this is a H oly Year focusing on God’s great mercy. The God with us, Emmanuel, is mercy itself, and to use the words of Pope Francis, Christ is the face of God’s mercy.
Since this is the beginning of the year, we can ask orselves the question, “How will we be involved in the work of this Holy Year?” The first activity of which we should be concerned is the activity of the heart
– a sense of the need of conversion – inner acceptance of divine mercy in our lives and how it might affect our family.
Mercy, which is root ed in the Latin “misiericordia” which has two basic elements. MISTRIA which means misery, afflictions, misfortune, distress and pity and COR which means heart. “Mercy” and “compassion” and “pity” and “compassion” are interchangeable in some translations in
English
– eg – The good samaritan story, the man with leprosy, the man born blind story.
So as we pay attention to what’s happening in this Year of Mercy (and forgiveness) may we be renewed in our own “formation of the heart” as we wish God’s loving mercy to all. God is with us – Emmanuel!
God love you,
Fr. Bo
CHOIR PRACTICES ~ Practice for the Sunday Choir will resume on Monday January 4 th at 7:00 PM. Practice for the Saturday Choir will resume on
Thursday, January 7 th at 5:30 PM.
SECOND SUNDAY FOOD COLLECTION ~ Next weekend is our Second Sunday Food Collection. Please bring in non-perishable food items or toiletries with you. Monetary donations are also appreciated. We received the following note from Patsy Senft who is in charge of the Forest
Hills Food Pantry: “Saint Michael Catholic Church, Thank you so much for your faithful donations of food and money to the FH Food Pantry.
People like you make the food pantry a success and many families appreciate and benefit from your giving. Thank you again. Sincerely, Patsy
CHRISTMAS UN-DECORATING ~ We will remove Christmas decorations from the Church next Sunday, January 10 th following the 10:30 AM
Mass. As always, help is needed and appreciated.
HOLY NAME MEETING ~ The next Holy Name meeting will be held at the Sidman Tavern on Tuesday,
January 12, 2016 at 6:00 PM. It is open to all men of the Parish who would like to join the Holy Name Society.
2016 CALENDARS ~ 2016 calendars are available at the Church entrances. Special thanks to the C.O. Dimond Funeral Home for donating these calendars to our Parish.
LAY MINISTRY SCHEDULES ~ Lay ministry schedules for the months of February through May are now being made up. Anyone who would like to serve as an Altar Server, Reader, Cantor, Greeter or any current minister who has scheduling preferences at this time, should call Suzi
Blazosky at 495-5287 no later than Sunday, January 17 th .
MAY SHE REST IN PEACE ~ In your charity, please pray for the eternal rest of Gertrude O’Donnell whose Funeral Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, December 29 th by Father Bodziak May she know the eternal peace and happiness promised by our
Savior, Lord Jesus. Please pray for the consolation of her husband Patrick, her children, their families, and all of her family and friends.
MAY HE REST IN PEACE ~ In your charity, please pray for the eternal rest of Ronald Partsch whose Funeral Mass was celebrated on Tuesday,
December 29 th by Father Bodziak May he know the eternal peace and happiness promised by our Savior, Lord Jesus. Ple ase pray for the consolation of his children, their families, and all of his family and friends.
ADDITIONAL FLOWER REQUESTS
Francis Andrykovitch by Mildred Andrykovitch
The Stupi Brothers by Mildred Andrykovitch
Joseph and Veronica Stupi by Mildred Andrykovitch
The Sanctuary Candle will burn in memory of our grandparents
Requested by Don and Marie Jo Plummer and Family and the Our Lady of Grace Candle will burn for a special intention for a family member
Requested by John and Susan Poldiak during the week of January 3 rd .
MOM’S HOUSE COLLECTION ~ Next weekend, January 9 th & 10 th , the Knights of Columbus will be passing out envelopes for your donations to
Mom’s House. The organization was founded in 1983 by Johnstown resident Peg Luksik, then president of the Cambria-Somerset Chapter of
Citizens for Human Life, as an alternative to abortion. At Mom’s House mothers are plugged into a network of supportive services that enable them to complete their education, find jobs and get off welfare. Mom’s House is free because members of the community and local organizations have believed in them for more than 30 years. The envelopes will be collected the weekend of January 16 th and 17 th .
T HE C OMING OF THE L IGHT
“...Christmas celebrates the dawn of the Light of the World. The powers of darkness are overcome by His coming to share our life. The long reign of sin is ended and grace has been poured out upon the earth. The Sun of Justice has arisen, and evil is vanquished. ”Perhaps the hardest thing to remember about Christmas is this. “It celebrates the incarnation, not just the nativity. The incarnation is an on-going process of salvation, while the nativity is the once-for-all historical event of Bethlehem. We do not really celebrate Christ’s birthday, remembering something that happened long ago.
We celebrate the stupendous fact of the incarnation, God entering our world so thoroughly that nothing has been the same since. And God continues to take flesh in our midst, in the men and women and children who form His body today. And the birth we celebrate is not just a past historical event

but Christ’s continuing birth in His members, accomplished by the power of the Spirit through the waters of baptism.”“...What we celebrate is our redemption in Christ and the transformation of all creation by the presence of the divine in our midst.”
Sourcebook, 1996, Liturgy Training Publications Reprinted with permission from: “Apple Seeds” Fr. Brian Cavenaugh, T.O.R.
New Year’s Eve: On New Year's Eve, Marilyn stood up in the local pub and said that it was time to get ready.
At the stroke of midnight, she wanted every husband to be standing next to the one person who made his life worth living. Well, it was kind of embarrassing. As the clock struck, the bartender was almost crushed to death.
Epiphany is the day we celebrate the visit of the Magi, or the Wise Men. Not much is known about these visitors other than what
Matthew records in the first book of the New Testament. We know they were from the East and studied the stars. We also know that they had some knowledge of the history and prophecies concerning Israel. They followed a star to Bethlehem, but contrary to the popular Nativity scenes, they probably arrived a year or two after Jesus’ birth. There is no mention of the number of wise men, although it has been assumed that there were three based on the three gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh. Religious tradition has even given them names: Balthazar, Caspar (or Gaspar), and Melchior.
Myrrh, an aromatic resin, was used in preparing the dead for burial. Gold reveals that the babe in the manger is actually a king; frankincense tells us that is he God incarnate; myrrh tells us that he has come to die. That someone would redeem God’s people through suffering and death was foretold by Isaiah a few chapters earlier (Is 53). This was the really hard thing for those living in Jesus’ time to comprehend–that the same person who fulfilled all those prophecies about a glorious new king also fulfilled the prophecies about a suffering servant.
All three gifts of the Magi are necessary to convey the true revelation, the true epiphany of who this child is and what he is destined to do. We do know for a fact that wise men came and worshiped Jesus. It was an important enough event for Matthew to add it to his account of the birth of Jesus. This was God announcing his long-awaited son’s arrival on the earth to the Gentile world.
R
E
A
C
H
January 3, 2016
Religious Education S chedule for the Christmas & New Year’s Holiday
We will have a holiday break for our Religious Education students and catechists.
No Class on Sundays, January 3 rd for grades 6-12.
Classes will resume on Thursday, January 7 th for K~5 and Sunday, January 10 th for grades 6~12.
Christmas Un-decorating ~ Sunday, January 10 th immediately after the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
Confirmation Retreat / Saturday, January 16, 2016, 1 —6:00 PM
All students in grades 9, 10, & 11 will take part in their annual confirmation retreat. This retreat will take place on Saturday,
January 16, 2016, 1 —6:00 PM. The retreat will focus on the three required retreat topics of ~ “Baptism”, “Gifts of the Holy Spirit” and
“Parables”.
The program will begin in the church hall on Saturday, January 16 th for the students. The students come to the church hall and join classmates for specific topic discussions with their grade level leader in designated classrooms for their specific retreat from 1 to 3
PM.
At 3:15 PM, sponsors and/or parents are asked to join the confirmation students in the church for a Rosary lead by our 11th grade Confirmation Class followed by the 4 PM Mass. During this Mass, the 9 th and the 10 th grade students will celebrate their “‘Rite of Blessing”
Grade students will celebrate their “Rite of Commitment” as part of their confirmation journey.
At the conclusion of Mass, students will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, followed by a pizza social in the church hall for all students, parents and sponsors, including time for reflection on the day and also time for the confirmation candidates and their sponsors to spend time together discussing their sponsor / candidate session activities.
Upcoming Required Spring Confirmation Sessions
9 th Grade ~ Session 9B —Prayer: Communion with God
~ Sunday, January 10, 2016, 9 —10:30 a.m.
10 th Grade ~ Session 10B – Witness: Word, Worship, Community & Service
~ Sunday, January 24, 2016, 9 —10:30 a.m.
11 th Grade ~ Session 11C – Morality: Your Call to Christian Living and Social Justice
~ Sunday, February 7, 2016, 9 —10:30 a.m.

Diocesan Safe Environment Program / Parental Notification Form
TO: Parents of St. Michael Catholic Church Religious Education Students
SUBJECT: Safe Environment Program
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has implemented a program for the protection of our youth known as our Youth Protection Program.
The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, adopted by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops in 2002, requires each parish or school to provide formation for children in areas of safety and the integrity of their person. This program is mandatory for all
Parish Religious Education programs and Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. The philosophy is to directly involve parents in the formation of their children with the available lesson material. A classroom presentation of safety issues, adapted for grades 1, 5 and 9 and covering the required lessons will be offered during one of the regular January class times.
If you have any questions, please contact The Religious Education Office at 495-4873. You may request to review the specific content material. If you decide you do not desire your child to participate, there is a Parent Verification/Refusal form, which indicates that this mandated instruction is being offered, and that you choose not to have your child participate. This form is also required if your child is absent the day the instruction was given. Yo u may visit the Protecting God’s Children™ program at www.virtus.org
.
Sunday, January 3
Monday, January 4
Tuesday, January 5
Wednesday, January 6
The Epiphany of the Lord
No Mass
Sacraments Class #1 with Fr. Grimme / 6:30 to 8:30 PM / Hall
Evening Mass / 6:30 PM / Holy Family Novena #2
Thursday, January 7
Friday, January 8
Saturday, January 9
Sunday, January 10
Homebound Communion Calls
Envelopes handed out for Mom’s House Collection
Envelopes handed out for Mom’s House Collection
Grade 9---Confirmation Session 9B / 9
—10:30 AM
Church Undecorating after the 10:30 AM Mass
Saturday, January 16
Sunday, January 17
UPCOMING EVENTS
Confirmation Retreat / 1 —6 PM / Grades 9, 10 & 11
Mom’s House Collection
Mom’s House Collection
Bus Captains Dinner / March for Life / 12 to 3:00 PM / Church Hall
SACRAMENTS CLASS (3 Locations) This course is an introduction to a post-Vatican II Theology of the Sacraments within the context of
Christology, Ecclesiology and Ministry. The history of the sacraments will also be covered in this context. Participants will study the sacraments as signs of the Church, the understanding of the theology of symbol, the implications of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the renewed theologies of the Eucharist, of Ministry (both ordained and non- ordained), of the Sacrament of Healing and Marriage as a symbol of the Church.
This course is being offered in 3 locations this January, Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
– Seton Suite, Altoona, St. Michael Catholic Church
Hall, St. Michael and Holy Spirit Parish, Lock Haven.
The cost of registration and material (which includes several books and pamphlets) is $65. To register, please contact Marybeth at the Office of Adult Enrichment and Lay Ecclesial Ministries at (814) 361-2000 or by email at mheinze@dioceseaj.org. Registration forms are also available online at: www.dioceseaj.org/lay-ecclesial-ministry. All are welcome! This is an excellent way to expand the superficial knowledge of what the Catholic Church really professes. Anyone from St. Michael Parish who needs financial assistance to participate in this program should contact Fr. Bodziak.
A SUPER BOWL PORKETTE SALE will be held on Saturday, February 6 th at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Windber. Porkettes are $3 each and orders are due by January 24 th . To place an order, call the parish office at 467-7292. Sandwiches can be picked up from 9am-noon on
February 6 th in the Church Hall. Get ready for the Super Bowl and order your porkettes today!
Christmas Fireman
In a small Southern town there was a "Nativity Scene" that showed great skill and talent had gone into creating it. One small feature bothered me.
The three wise men were wearing firemen's helmets. Totally unable to come up with a reason or explanation, I left.
At a "Quick Stop" on the edge of town, I asked the lady behind the counter about the helmets. She exploded into a rage, yelling at me, "You darn Yankees never do read the Bible!" I assured her that I did, but simply couldn't recall anything about firemen in the
Bible. She jerked her Bible from behind the counter and ruffled through some pages, and finally jabbed her finger at a passage.
Sticking it in my face she said "See, it says right here, 'The three wise man came from afar.'"