ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH

MOTHER CHURCH OF THE BERKSHIRES

ESTABLISHED 1849

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Liturgical Celebrations

Saturday 4:00 PM

Sunday 9:00 AM

11:30 AM

Daily Mass 12:10 PM

RCIA Tuesdays, 6:30 PM

Holy Hour Monday-Friday, 11:00 AM

Daily Rosary Monday-Friday, 11:30 AM

Prayer Group 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 6:45 PM

The Staff

Msgr. Michael Shershanovich, Pastor

Rev. Geoffrey Deeker, CSS, Priest in Residence

Rev. Mr. Pasqual Baldasaro, Deacon

John Arasimowicz,

Coordinator of Youth Religious Education

e-Mail: stjosephccd@berkshire.rr.com

Michele Madden, Secretary

e-Mail: Michelemadden@berkshire.rr.com

Mrs. Patricia Momnie, Pastoral Minister

St. Joseph’s Parish Office

414 North Street. Pittsfield, MA 01201

Tel: (413) 445-5789

Fax: (413) 443-5466

Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 9:00 AM-1:00 PM

e-Mail: msgrmike@berkshire.rr.com

Web site: www.stjoepittsfield.com St. Joseph’s Cemetery

Mr. Paul Guillou, Superintendent

Nancy Nolan, Secretary

Tel: (413) 499-1317

Sacrament of Baptism:

All new parents are expected to complete a course of instruction.

Please consult the parish office for classes.

Sacrament of Reconciliation:

Saturdays, 3:00-3:45PM

Sacrament of Matrimony:

Couples should contact the parish office at least one year prior to the wedding.

New Parishioners should register at the parish office. We look forward to welcoming you to the

parish family and hope you will become involved with your time, talent and treasure.

Ministry to the Sick and Parishioners confined to home have visitations that are scheduled on a

regular basis. Please notify the parish office to make arrangements.

Religious Education Classes are held at St. Joseph’s High School following the 9:00 AM Mass

for all public school students, grades K-11, and parochial students preparing for Sacraments.

LECTORS & EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

SAINT JOSEPH CHURCH PRAYER LINE: (413) 443-1221

12th Night

Saturday, January 9TH

4 PM

Eucharistic Ministers Walter LaPierre

Bernie Scapin Lori Decorie

Josie Carchedi Lectors

Bob Cancilla Elaine LaPierre

Sunday, January 10TH

9 AM

Eucharistic Ministers Lillian Trzepacz

Jeff Vincent Sharon Vincent

Nancy Woitkoski John Arasimowicz

Edward Boehm Lectors

John Quallen Donna Quallen

Sunday, January 10TH

11:30 AM

Eucharistic Ministers Anne Dunham J. Weatherwax Michael Wood P. McDonough

Charles Knappe Mary Huska

Lectors Paul Mays

Joe Dahrouge

St. Joseph Religious Education News

January 10th

CCD Classes resume today, Sunday, January 10th

Welcome Back Students!

The Extraordinary Jubilee Of Mercy

Be Merciful During the Jubilee Year of Mercy

Pra c t i c in g m ercy in ou r l i ve s a c tu a l ly does ta ke pra c t i ce . Call someone who you know is lonely, even if you understand why

they’re lonely. Especially if you do.

Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness.

M iser icord ia e Vu l tu s , n o . 2

"I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his

sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." - Lk 3:16bc

T he Christmas Gift Card Program for the Diocese Seminarians this Christ-mas was a huge success. Thanks to you the many generous & support-

ive donors. The Seminarians are appreciative of your support and generosity and even more with the notes of support contained in many of the cards. Thank You from the Springfield Diocese Vocations Director, Fr. Gary Dailey and thanks for also to the St. Francis Belchertown and St. Elizabeth Ludlow Vocation Committees for their assistance. Thank You and God Bless

NEICH BED ZIE POCHWALONY JEZUS CHRYSTUS

A MARDI GRAS Bus Trip to Mohegan Sun, Monday, February 8, 2016. The bus leaves St. Jo-

seph parking lot at 8 AM and returns home around 4:15 PM.

Please call the Rectory for reservations.

T o the Parishioners at St. Joseph, and all of those community members that have supported our events throughout the year: the Bishop, Fr. Mike, Fr. Geoff, and the staff thank you. We also wish to send an additional "thank you" for all of the extra acts of kind-ness you have made during this Christmas Season. Your support and presence throughout the holiday season continues to strengthen our community and brings joy to our church.

T hank for from Pregnancy Support Services of Berkshire Country for your generous support during the

Christmas season, providing disposable diapers, baby wipes and clothing. Also, thank you for the cro-

chet and knitted hand-made items.

Kindly silence all pagers, cell phones and other electronic devices before the Liturgy begins. Thank you!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR ST. JOSEPH PARISH COUNCIL

MEETING JANUARY 17, 2016

T he Food Pantry thanks the Friends of the Colonial Theater and St. Agnes

Church for their most generous donations to us recently. These people are cer-

tainly living the work of mercy to "feed the hungry" and we are thankful for their

support of our efforts here at St. Joseph. May God bless them for their goodness.

GLUTEN FREE HOSTS AV AILABLE

TO THOSE WHO CANNOT TOLERATE

GLUTEN.

PLEASE NOTIFY PRIEST BEFORE

MASS.

CYCLE C JANUARY 10, 2016 Baptism of the Lord

"After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened." What a treat to be in that crowd! Just imagine the experience of witnessing this manifestation of divinity! To SEE the Holy Spirit "in bodily form like a dove" and to hear the voice that "came from heaven" announcing Jesus' true identity. Don't we all long for this kind of miraculous clarity? Wouldn't it do wonders for our faith if we had such unmistakable cer-tainty about who Jesus really is? It's easy to imagine that the first Christians had it easi-er than we do. They got to be with Jesus in person, and to witness the miracles that went along with his years on earth. Because of this, we can quickly forget the benefits we enjoy that they did not. We live on the other side of the Resurrection, for example. The first followers of Christ be-lieved in him BEFORE he rose from the dead. We, on the other hand, have the confidence of knowing that this man literally conquered death. We also have two millennia of Christian witness through the saints to pull upon. The first Christians had no idea what this new religion would pro-duce, how many people would embrace it, or how it would change the world for the better. We know that Christianity has been fruitful beyond measure. Today's Gospel informs us that it was only after they were baptized that the people witnessed the opening of heaven. Even Jesus himself was baptized before he heard this earthly confirmation of his heavenly origin. We who have been baptized, following the example of Christ, also have "access" to the voice of God. In the silence of our hearts, and through God's word in the Bible (another ad-vantage we enjoy), heaven is "opened" for us as well.

Readings for the Week of January 10, 2016 Sunday: Is 40:1-5, 9-11 or Is 42:1-4, 6-7/Ps 104:1b-4, 24-25, 27-30/

Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7 or Acts 10:34-38/Lk 3:15-16, 21-22

Monday: 1 Sm 1:1-8/Ps 116:12-19/Mk 1:14-20

Tuesday: 1 Sm 1:9-20/1 Sm 2:1, 4-8/Mk 1:21-28

Wednesday: 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20/Ps 40:2, 5, 7-10/Mk 1:29-39

Thursday: 1 Sm 4:1-11/Ps 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25/Mk 1:40-45

Friday: 1 Sm 8:4-7, 10-22a/Ps 89:16-19/Mk 2:1-12

Saturday: 1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1a/Ps 21:2-7/Mk 2:13-17

Next Sunday: Is 62:1-5/Ps 96:1-3, 7-10/1 Cor 12:4-11/Jn 2:1-11

Observances for the Week of January 10, 2016 Sunday: Baptism of the Lord

Monday: First Week in Ordinary Time begins

Tuesday:

Wednesday: Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:

Next Sunday: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Saturday, January 9th

JASON ROCHELO 4 PM

Requested by Family

Sunday, January 10th

BARBARA KUREK 9 AM

Requested by Lucy Flossic

WILLIAM WENDELL 11:30 AM

Requested by Claire Lydett

Monday, January 11th

ANNA KNIERIEM 12:10 PM

Requested by Lisa McDonnell

Tuesday, January 12th

RITA PHELPS First Anniversary 12:10 PM

Requested by Family

Wednesday, January 13th

LEAH ACHEY 12:10 PM

Requested by Pat Momnie

Thursday, January 14th

ANN McCAFFREY 12:10 PM

Requested by Misner-Elias Family

Friday, January 15th

THE SOULS IN PURGATORY 12:10 PM

Requested by Misner-Elias Family

Saturday, January 16th

RICHARD BROWN 4 PM

Requested by Yuko Sutore

Sunday, January 17th

AGNES FUREY 9 AM

Requested by John A. & the CCD

JAMIE LEE KRUGER 10th Anniversary 11:30 AM

Requested by Family