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

ST. JOSEPH PRAYER LINE: 443 -1221

Saturday, January 2nd

4 PM

Eucharistic Ministers Sheila Bouquet Joe Bourquard Sheila Christiana Michael Collins Barbara Dalo Paula Dodds Lectors

Jim Armstrong Sr. Jean Bostley

Sunday, January 3rd

9 AM

Eucharistic Ministers Donna Quallen

Carolyn Rousseau Joe Ryan

Judy Sayers Ron Sayers

Bernadette Scapin Lectors Al Najimy

Nancy Prezenik

Sunday, January 3rd 11:30 AM

Eucharistic Ministers Michael Wood P. McDonough Ron Pelletier Mary Huska

Charles Knappe Daniel Kochapski

Lectors Anne Dunham Anna Stack

St. Joseph Religious Education News

January 3rd No Class

January 10th

CCD Classes resume

The Extraordinary Jubilee Of Mercy

Be Merciful During the Jubilee Year of Mercy

Practicing mercy in our lives actually does take practice. Do something kind and helpful for someone who you don’t get along

with, or who has wronged you.

"And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you

shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd

my people Israel." - Mt 2:6

Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the

path of life.

Miser icord iae Vultus , no. 2

ROSARY JANUARY 3RD

AFTER 9 AM MASS SOUTH CHAPEL

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

ST. JOSEPH PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

JANUARY 17, 2016

NEICH BED ZIE POCHWALONY JEZUS CHRYSTUS

CEMETERY FOREMAN - The St. Joseph Cemetery Commission is seeking a highly motivated and orga-nized individual to supervise the overall operations and staff at this cemetery located in Pittsfield. Appli-cants should have proven managerial experience in cemetery operations or a business with similar work responsibilities, landscaping/lawn care expe-rience, be able to operate landscaping and other cemetery equipment and have a hoisting license for operating a backhoe or be willing to obtain one soon after hiring. Applicants must be able to effectively manage, motivate and supervise staff members, as-sess short and long term maintenance needs, assign work tasks, have experience in promoting team-work and working effectively with the public, and understand and monitor operating budgets. Salary commensurate with experience. Please sent resume to Jack Laviolette, St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 222 Pecks Road, Pittsfield, MA 01201 or email to stjoecem@verizon.net 413 499-1317.

Kindly silence all pagers, cell

phones and other electronic devices

before the Liturgy begins.

Thank you!

The Most Holy Name of Jesus

What is in a name? Why is it so important?

Those of us who are parents know how much time we spend thinking and discussing about what name to give our

newborn children. It is the same with the church. Recall the Scripture passage about how the animals were

named in Genesis. Changing our name is also a way to mark an important moment in our lives. Think of Saul who

persecuted the Christians. His name was changed to Paul when he realized that Jesus was the Son of God. And

even our popes change their names and take on a new name; Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Francis.

The entrance antiphon for the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus gives us a glimpse into how important Jesus'

name is:

At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend,

of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The history of the Holy Name of Jesus goes back to the earliest years of Christianity. How many of you remember

the symbol IHS? It is a monogram. It comes from the Greek word for Jesus. This reverence continued into the me-

dieval devotions promoted by St. Anselm of Canterbury.

It was only during the Council of Lyons in 1274 that the Church added the date to our liturgical calendar. There

are some writings that call the Holy Name of Jesus a healing ointment for the soul.

So the next time you think of the name of someone, recall the long and important history of Jesus' name and why

we hold, with such reverence, Jesus' holy name.

CYCLE C JANUARY 3, 2016

Epiphany of the Lord

"We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."

These Magi did not know the person they were seeking to

honor. They had not met Jesus, but had embarked upon a long and arduous journey in order to come into his presence. Although they were not from among the Jewish people who had received the ancient promises of a Messiah, they were nonetheless antici-pating his arrival. And when they found him, "they were over-joyed." Their quest had come to its moment of fulfillment when "they saw the child with Mary his mother."

For those of us who have been raised Christian since our

infancy, it's important to reflect on the joy of the Magi. They found Christ as a result of great effort and expense. The very tri-als of their journey, and the hope that was fulfilled when it was successful, made them appreciate their encounter with Jesus in a profound way as "they prostrated themselves... and offered him gifts." Converts to the faith may have a kind of advantage in com-prehending the experience of the Magi. But cradle Catholics may need to exert a bit more effort to share in the wonder. Even when Jesus has always been a part of someone's life, it is still important to stand in awe of him. On the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, we meditate on what it means to "find" Jesus. For some of us, this means remembering a conversion experience, but for others it means imagining what life would be like without him, and then rejoicing in the fact that he is truly with us. No matter how we found the Lord, we too should fall down on our knees in adora-tion and offer him the precious treasures of our lives: our fervent devotion and our will to serve him.

Readings for the Week of January 3, 2016 Sunday: Is 60:1-6/Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13/Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12

Monday: 1 Jn 3:22--4:6/Ps 2:7-8, 10-12/Mt 4:12-17, 23-25 Tuesday: 1 Jn 4:7-10/Ps 72:1-4, 7-8/Mk 6:34-44

Wednesday: 1 Jn 4:11-18/Ps 72:1-2, 10, 12-13/Mk 6:45-52 Thursday: 1 Jn 4:19--5:4/Ps 72:1-2, 14-15, 17/Lk 4:14-22a

Friday: 1 Jn 5:5-13/Ps 147:12-15, 19-20/Lk 5:12-16 Saturday: 1 Jn 5:14-21/Ps 149:1-6, 9/Jn 3:22-30

Next 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

Observances for the Week of January 3, 2016

Sunday: Epiphany of the Lord; National Migration Week Monday: Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

Tuesday: John Neumann, Bishop Wednesday: Andre Bessette, Religious

Thursday: Raymond of Penyafort, Priest Friday:

Saturday: Next Sunday: Baptism of the Lord

Saturday, January 2nd

ED SKOWRONSKI 4 PM

Requested by Patty Verdi

Sunday, January 3rd

JENNIE PASTERCZYK 9 AM

5th Anniversary

Requested by Ceil & Sue

ANN WATROBA 11:30 AM

Requested by Lucy Flossic

Monday, January 4th

THOMAS O’BRIEN 12:10 PM

Requested by Friend of Family

Tuesday, January 5th

ROGER & RITA NOLAN 12:10 PM

Requested by Family

Wednesday, January 6th

RITA SCANLON ARICO 12:10 PM

Requested by Fr. Mike & Your Friends at St. Joe

Thursday, January 7th

FRANK MCDONNELL 12:10 PM

Requested by Lisa McDonnell & Family

Friday, January 8th

ELIZABETH J. PUTNAM 12:10 PM

8th Anniversary

Requested by Marjorie

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

GLUTEN FREE HOSTS AV AILABLE TO THOSE WHO CANNOT TOLERATE GLUTEN.

PLEASE NOTIFY PRIEST BEFORE MASS.