REV. JOHN A. SEDLAK Pastor/Trust Administrator

jsedlak@dioceseofgreensburg.org

Mass Schedule Weekday & Sat. Morning: 8:00 am Saturday Vigil: 5:00 pm Sunday: 9:00 & 11:00 am Holy Days: As Announced

Sacrament of Reconciliation Weekday & Sat. Morning: 7:30-7:50 am Saturday Vigil: 4:00-4:45 pm Sunday: 8:30-8:45 am & 10:30-10:45 am

(30 minutes before all other Masses)

Office Hours Monday-Thursday: 8:15 am - 3:45 pm

Mailing Address PO Box 187 4263 Route 981 United PA 15689

Website www.saintflorian.org

Phone Numbers Parish Office/Rectory: 724-423-4431 FAX: 724-423-4438 Pastoral Emergencies: 412-582-0425 Catechesis, Faith Formation & Evangelization (CFFE) Office: 724-423-5087 Preschool: 724-423-4437 Social Hall: 724-423-9008 St. Vincent de Paul Helpline: 724-205-4406

Staff CFFE Director: Dr. Joseph Dreliszak Preschool Director: Lottie Hirak Preschool Aide: Karen Dlugos Music Director: Steven Makar Parish Secretary and Bookkeeper: Angela Reese

Pastoral Council Terry Foriska Tammy Sofranko* Mike Reese Nicole Stull Don Scekeres Dave Shimko *Recorder

Finance Council John Boggess Kathy Sobinsky Stephanie Soflak Jerry Yasher David Lazor* Emily Uhrin Mark D’Amico *Chair

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT March 22, 2020

PARISH MISSION STATEMENT Our mission is to build up the Kingdom of God by offering ourselves

with Jesus for the true good of every person.

EUCHARISTIC SELF-OFFERING PRAYER I am all Yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, Your Mother.

MINISTRY SCHEDULE Saturday, March 21, 2020 ~ 5:00 PM

MASS CANCELED Sunday, March 22, 2020 ~ 9:00 AM

MASS CANCELED Sunday, March 22, 2020 ~ 11:00 AM

MASS CANCELED Saturday, March 28, 2020~ 5:00 PM

Lector ......................................................................... J. Lesko Eucharistic Ministers ........ D. Mizikar, J. Lawrence, C. Kelly Altar Servers......... ........................................ M. & M. Labuda Greeters.......... .................................. E. Carpenter, C. Mizikar Ushers......... ... E. Carpenter, C. Mizikar, A. Smail, K. Labuda

Sunday, March 29, 2020 ~ 9:00 AM Lector ........................................................................ E. Zider Eucharistic Ministers .... H. Szewczyk, T. Jackson, M. Ceroni Altar Servers......... ........................................ T. & R. Sofranko Greeters......... ................ S. Jackson, C. Szewczyk, R. Mizikar Ushers….….Richard Mizikar, D. & G. Vidakovich, M. Bilik

Sunday, March 29, 2020 ~ 11:00 AM Lector ..................................................................... B. Mizikar Eucharistic Ministers ...... D. Neiderhiser, W. Bossart, C. Gricheck Altar Servers......... ..................................... S. Etling, T. Dillon Greeters..................................................................D. Scekeres Ushers..................................D. Scekeres J. Mylant, J. Mizikar Children’s Liturgy ............................................. W. & V. Back

MASS INTENTIONS (Request Form on back of bulletin)

Sat., Mar. 21 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Sun., Mar. 22 9:00 AM 11:00 AM Mon., Mar. 23 8:00 AM Tue., Mar. 24 8:00 AM Wed., Mar. 25 8:00 AM Thu., Mar. 26 8:00 AM Fri., Mar. 27 8:00 AM Sat., Mar. 28 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Sun., Mar. 29 9:00 AM 11:00 AM

Lenten Weekday +Edith Melago by Mary Ann & David Heisler +Richard Frena by Phil Budny Fourth Sunday in Lent +Steve Makar by Helen Stercho For the Parishioners Lenten Weekday +Louise Lopes by Gary Lopes & Sherri Barlock, Son & Daughter Lenten Weekday +Leonard Lucotch by Wife, Rita, Children & Grandchildren The Annunciation of the Lord +Betty Holomon by Claudia Dlugos Lenten Weekday Forty Days for Life by Fr. John Sedlak Lenten Weekday +Betty Holomon by Greg Kuhar Lenten Weekday +Verna Spirko by Joanne & John Boggess +Elizabeth Tirdil by Sons & Niece Beverly McCarrell & Family Fifth Sunday in Lent +Ed & Elise Grabowski by Margi & Dick Mizikar For the Parishioners

Page 2 March 22, 2020

ST. FLORIAN OFFERTORY STEWARDSHIP: March 14-15: Adults: $3491.00; Loose: $302.00; Candles: $131.00; Parish Endowment: $10.00; St. Vincent de Paul: $5.00; Easter Flowers: $160.00; Catholic Accent: $3.00; Catholic Home Missions: $40.00 TOTAL: $4142.00.

God Bless you!

Bulletin Deadline: submissions for the bulletin are due by Monday at 9 am to: areese@dioceseofgreensburg.org.

Readings for the week of March 22, 2020 Sunday: 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a/Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 [1]/ Eph 5:8-14/Jn 9:1-41 or 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38 Monday: Is 65:17-21/Ps 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b [2a]/Jn 4:43-54 Tuesday: Ez 47:1-9, 12/Ps 46: 2-3, 5-6, 8-9/Jn 5:1-16 Wednesday: Is 7:10-14; 8:10/Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11 [8a and 9a]/Heb 10:4-10/Lk 1:26-38 Thursday: Ex 32:7-14/Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23 [4a]/Jn 5:31-47 Friday: Wis 2:1a, 12-22/Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23 [19a]/Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 Saturday: Jer 11:18-20/Ps 7:2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12 [2a]/Jn 7:40-53 Next Sunday: Ez 37:12-14/Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 [7]/Rom 8:8-11/Jn 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45 ©Liturgical Publications Inc.

MEMORIAL GIFTS

With deepest gratitude we acknowledge the gifts

As a Donation To St. Florian’s Endowment

In Memory of Tim Sosko

By: Judy Sosko

Joe and Lita Sosko Ron & Marie Goulding

Thomas Klejka Sam & Genevieve Snively

Mary Poklembo Ron and Nancy Mizikar Becky and Jim Pospisil

Richard and Mary Snively Tim, Cindy, Shannon & Matt Dalton

As a Donation to St. Florian Church

$500.00 In Memory of

Helen Paul and Charles Rylander By: Family

Income Expenses

Ordinary 22,819.10 31,794.59

Extraordinary 364.44 * 3,408.20 **

Other

Parish Endowment 619.00 619.00

Capital Campaign 2,313.03 15.30

DLA Refund 224.00

Catholic Accent 114.00

Second Collections

Home Missions 10.00 10.00

DLA 4,750.00 4,750.00

Eastern Europe 517.00 517.00

TOTAL $31,730.57 $41,114.09*Extraordinary Income includes $1331.00 from the Sub Sale, and ($869.50) in Sub Sale Expense,

($398) in Kolache Sale Expense, $200.00 in outside donations, and $100 in Social Hall Usage Fees

and $.94 in interest.

**Extraordinary Expenses includes $2794.12 in loan payments, $281.41 for Social Hall Signage,

and $332.65 for Chair Lift Building Permit.

Operating Surplus / (Deficit) (8,975.49)

Overall Surplus/ (Deficit) (9,383.52)

St. Vincent de Paul Donations for February 2020: $100.00

Financial Report for February 2020

CATECHESIS, FAITH FORMATION AND EVANGELIZATION Week to Week: March 22 to March 29, 2020

Sunday— NO MASSES THIS WEEK

Monday — No Faith Formation Classes for K to Grade 7—Parents

are encouraged to have their children complete the

assignments sent to them

Sunday — Watch for announcements about Mass

The CFFE Office is open on Mondays and Wednesdays. The phone is

checked daily for messages. For immediate attention, please contact

Dr. Dreliszak at home – 724-887-8079.

Adult Education Opportunities

Adult Faith Sharing: Adult Faith Sharing on Sunday Mornings after the 9:00 am Mass has been SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Consecration to the Father: The book may be used at home or a group session will be held each of the following Wednesdays from 9:00 – 10:00 am in the Faith Formation Building: March 18, March 25, April 1, April 8 and April 15. Please contact the Faith Formation Office if you are interested in this Lenten/Easter expe-rience. All are welcome! POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

CHRISM MASS – HOLY THURSDAY – 10:00 – APRIL 9th

For the past number of years we have formed a “car pool” to this special Diocesan Mass as the oils for the year are blessed and we recognize and give thanks to our priests as they gather with Bishop Malesic for this very special Liturgy. If you would like to attend, please contact the Rectory or Faith Formation Office. We will leave St. Florian Parking Lot by 8:45 since seating at our Cathedral is very limited.

Faith Formation News

K to 7 Faith Formation:

NO ELEMENTARY FAITH FORMATION CLASSES FOR THE IMMEDIATE. WE ARE FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIVES OF OUR DIOCESE AND WILL RESUME ONCE PERMISSION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO RESUME. PARENTS WILL BE RECEIVING WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS FROM CATECHISTS AND PARENTS ARE TO WORK WITH THEIR CHILD/REN TO COMPLETE THE WORK ASSIGNED. PARENTS SHOULD CONTACT DR. DRELISZAK IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

Confirmation Preparation

PARENTS WITH CHILDREN PREPARING FOR CONFIRMATION HAVE RECEIVED AN UPDATE CONCERNING UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THEIR TEENS. PLEASE CONTACT DR. DRELISZAK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

Prayer Chain

Those with prayer intentions are asked to contact the FAITH

FORMATION CENTER. Please call 724-423-5087 and your

request will be forwarded to those who have agreed to take part

in this special ministry. New members on our Parish Prayer

Chain are always welcome to join.

Nicole Kathy Rachel Sr. Antoinette Jill Michael Jenna Jean Cindy Kirk Susan Mike Sr. Loraine Marie Karen Greg Trish Leona Dillon Kirk Mary Jane Ronnie Donald Bob For more to become a Eucharistic Adorer Those Suffering from the Corona Virus

May we continue to remember these

individuals in our daily prayers!

Volunteers are Needed to Distribute “Easter” gifts to our shut-ins during Holy Week.

If you have all necessary Diocesan clearances and are able to help, please contact the Faith Formation Office or Rectory. We have approximately 60 shut ins and our previous response has been so positive that volunteers need only visit 4 or 5 shut ins. What a great way to Celebrate Holy Week. Consider doing this special Corporal Work of Mercy.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WILLIAM AND MARY ANN MIZIKAR

MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP $1,000.00

Now Accepting Applications from High School Seniors

Deadline is April 1, 2020 Contact the parish office or email

areese@dioceseofgreensburg.org for applications

FESTIVAL 2020 Mark your Calendars – August 9, 2020 – our Annual Summer Festival. It’s not too early to purchase items for basket raffle and Christmas Store. First planning meeting is tentatively set for WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15. MARK YOUR CALENDARS.

TURKEYS OR HAMS FOR PARISHIONERS

IN NEED

We are looking for St. Florian Parish members who need a ham or turkey for Easter. Call the parish office at 724-423-4431 or e-mail areese@dioceseofgreensburg.org by Monday, April 6th to submit the name(s) of anyone from the parish who needs this help to make their holiday happier.

Food Drive to Support Our Local Food Bank—Easter 2020

Items may be left in the back of the church in or near the

container to support those in need. Your generosity is so

greatly appreciated! Your support of this “corporal work of

mercy” is so encouraging!

Please join us in prayerfully commemorating

the Stations of the Cross each Friday in Lent at 7:00 pm.

POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Connectionsby Joe Lesko

Fourth Sunday of Lent

The anointing of a new king and the gift of sight to a man born blind have nothing in common other than the objective lesson to be learned from the details in each narrative. The audience is to access the thought behind God’s thoughts and actions for his peo90ple. He always implants into his people’s hearts “his will” for them. Today in the paired Old Testament and the New Testament reading God has presented through the Holy Spirit of how man is to judge the heart of an individual first and only then can man see the merit that and individual possesses. In naming Saul as the first king, Samuel is influenced by Saul’s appearance and stature that mark him as a suitable candidate. Samuel proceeds in his choice of a king by judging what he sees. But God stops him. Samuel has not attributed divine judgement of man’s heart in his choice. Finally, he comes to realize does not have a heart fully attuned to God’s will, but he does not totally dismiss judgment by physical appearance. Ironically he describes David as “ruddy, a youth with beautiful eyes, and good looking” (16:12). The choice of youth over elder is found several times in the Old Testament. Abel over Cain came first, then Jacob over Esau. Age does not necessarily make one superior over youth. John’s Gospel moves this entire Chapter 9 through five parts of details to reveal Jesus as a teacher. His story here can be understood as a metaphor for man who has not as yet accepted Jesus for who he is. Not accepting Jesus makes that man “blind.” When the man reaches a pint of accepting Jesus as the “Son of man”, that man has opened “his eyes” literally to the truth that only Jesus can bring. The first element of the story is centered on a physically bling man. His situation brings the disciples to a pint of sin by blaming his parents for sinning that brought the child’s blindness. Jesus explains the cause of blindness that this man has a designed role to play in the revelation of the works of God. Jesus declares that he “is the light of the world.” He imitates God’s creation of Adam by making a paste of mud and saliva after Jesus has anointed the man’s eyes. He tells the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam, which means sent. Jesus has been sent. The blind man’s meeting of Jesus is his encounter of faith which opened his e yes to the truth that Jesus has been sent to teach or reveal. The washing at the pool is like a baptism for the blind man. The lesson of not to judge by appearance is presented, the blind man and the Pharisees move in opposite directions. The blind man given sight and light proclaims Jesus as a prophet sent by God for only such a one could have restored his sight. The Pharisees rebuke, ridicule, and call him “born in sin” and chase him from their presence. Both passages produce a lesson for all who read or

hear these words of God. Acceptance of others must be based on what is in their heart. God knows the heart of

Saul and David. The blind man “has seen” the heart of Jesus. The inner spirit of one’s heart reveals the worth of

the individual more than his physical appearance. The Old Testament has set the story that Jesus teaches in his usual metaphorical way.

Easter KOLACHE Sale

CANCELED BASED ON DIOCESAN RESTRICTIONS

DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS

Mt. Pleasant Township Lions Club Breakfast The Mt Pleasant Township Lions Club and the Norvelt VFD will hold an all-you-can-eat breakfast on Sunday, March 22nd, from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Roosevelt Hall in Norvelt. Menu includes: pancakes, Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, sausage and breakfast beverages. Cost is $5 for adults, $3 for children 6-12 and free for under 6. — CANCELED

All You Can Eat

PANCAKE BREAKFAST March 29, 2020

CANCELED

WAYS TO GIVE

During this time of closures throughout the church, please consider keeping up your weekly contributions to

St. Florian. There are 4 options available for regular giving.

ONLINE GIVING: Our parish offers Online Giving, a web-based electronic contribution application. This service is safe and secure. And it is convenient for you and for our parish staff. Sign up for Online Giving by visiting our parish website at www.saintflorian.org and selecting the “Donate” link in the top right hand corner.

US MAIL: Contributions can be sent through the mail service to: St. Florian Church

PO Box 187 United, PA 15689

STOP BY THE PARISH OFFICE: The parish office is open Monday—Thursday, 8:45 am to 3:45 pm. Feel free to drop by anytime with your offertory envelope.

HOLD UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH OR THE LIFTING OF MASS RESTRICTIONS: It would be helpful to the church to have all donations received before the end of each month. If possible, please use one of the above options once a month before the end of the month or save all donations until the Mass restrictions are lifted if needed.

2020 LENTEN PENANCE SERVICES

ALL PENANCE SERVICES CANCELED

Thank you to all of our Cemetery Volunteers who helped with the Annual Clean-Up Project. We are truly grateful for your time and effort to keep our cemeteries looking beautiful!

Page 5 March 22, 2020

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK MAMMOTH AUTO Please support our sponsors.

ST. FLORIAN EXTENDED CAPITAL CAMPAIGN pledge total now stands at $782,374.55 and

the amount collected as of March 3 is $767,085.55 which is $117,000 more than our original Campaign

Goal! We are truly grateful to God and to all who have contributed to or prayed for the success of our

Campaign, and to our Campaign Chairperson and co-leaders. Please continue to fulfill pledges, and to

make extra gifts during the one-year extension granted by Bishop Malesic to help us pay off our loan as

soon as possible. All new or extra gifts add to our total pledged and collected. A monthly Capital

Campaign envelope will continue to be included in your packet until the extension ends April 30.

Read Fr. John’s Homily at www.saintflorian.org under the “Parish Life” tab.

IMPORTANT CHANGES WITH REGARD PARISH MASSES AND OTHER MATTERS In an all-out effort to contain, slow down, and mitigate the coronavirus outbreak, Bishop Malesic, in consort with government leaders, public health officials, and other bishops, and in consultation with his Presbyteral Council and Senior Staff, has issued new guidelines for the Diocese of Greensburg which take effect March 17. These will be implemented on a provisional basis at St. Florian Parish as follows: No public Masses will be offered here until further notice; see this bulletin elsewhere for ways to keep up with your

regular Sunday offerings, DLA gifts, and final Campaign donations. Mass will be streamed across the diocese on Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. The link will be available on the diocesan

website, www.dioceseofgreensburg.org, and all social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The church will remain open for private prayer 24/7; no more than 10 persons - appropriately spaced - should be in

the church at any time. Fr. John will offer a private Mass each day in church at some of the usual times (8 am Mon-Sat & 9 am Sun); up to

the first ten people in church can participate in the Mass; there will be only spiritual communion for the participants, except for hardship requests for regular communion.

Funeral Masses will be offered with family only, up to ten members; times will not be publically announced. Eucharistic Adoration with the Blessed Sacrament exposed has been suspended until further notice. Regional Lenten Penance Services have been canceled; confession will be offered at the usual times, and Monday

through Friday, 4:00-4:30 pm and 7:00 –7:30 pm through April 3rd; the sacristy will be used for the afternoon and evening confessions, with a screen set up for those who wish to use this option.

Choir rehearsals are suspended until further notice. Stations of the Cross have been suspended until further notice. Faith Formation (K-7) is being done at home; Youth Ministry and Confirmation Preparations will be revised to

comply with Diocesan guidelines. The Kolache Sale has been canceled. All other gatherings of more than ten people on parish property have been suspended until further notice.

CHRISTIANS UNITING LENTEN SERVICE for this week has been canceled.

DIOCESAN LENTEN APPEAL (DLA) 2020 Our 2020 Diocesan Lenten Appeal is off to a great start. Please do your best to help us reach and surpass our Diocesan

Target ($29,241) and Parish Goal (+$10,000) as soon as possible. We are so pleased to report that 50 donors from our

Parish have already pledged $17,650. Thank you so much for your continued generosity toward the Church. See this

bulletin for the various ways you can turn in your pledge or gift during this time of Mass suspension.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

SILENT EUCHARISTIC ADORATION IS SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! Still, we

need to come prayerfully before Our Lord, present in the Most Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle, to

plead on behalf of our country and the world, for an end to this coronavirus pestilence. Therefore, our

church will remain open day and night, 24/7, for silent private prayer. Up to ten (10) persons can be

present at any time. If the church is “full” when you arrive, wait in the foyer or your car until someone

leaves. This will remain in effect until public Masses resume.

“15 DAYS TO SLOW THE SPREAD” — information can be found at www.coronavirus.gov