St. John Bosco Roman Catholic Church

SSPTV'S MASS FOR INSPIRATION

In the Greater Hazleton Area we are blessed, through the generosity of the Lesante family, to have weekend mass televised for those who are, infirm, elderly, homebound, hospitalized, in an assisted living facility with or for some other serious reason, unable to attend mass in person. You can view it at home on The Service Electric Cable television station, SSP TV, channel 13 and 513 HD. Many of the priests from the area, including Fr, Connell McHugh, Fr. Michael Kloton, Fr., Kevin Miller, Fr. Ric Polmounter and Fr. Sudhir Toppo volunteer as celebrants. The mass is broadcast on television on Saturdays at 4 and 6 PM and again on Sundays at 7 and 9 AM and 6 PM. You may also watch anywhere on any device 24/7 on SSP TV YouTube channel. Pass this on to friends, neighbors, coworkers, and others, who are unable to participate in person at mass. 

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

The New Year is upon us; let us take time to reflect on our personal prayer life. Prayer leads us to a deeper understanding of our role as a Catholic steward. The importance of Eucharistic Adoration is shown in the fact that the Church has a ritual that regulates it: the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction. This is an extension of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which occurs in every Mass: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church. The Rite concludes with the ordained minister blessing the faithful with the Blessed Sacrament. Holy hours are the Roman Catholic devotional tradi-tion of spending an hour in Eucharistic Adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

We are blessed at St. John Bosco Parish to have two Holy Hours each month. Plan to attend one of them.

FIRST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH: Following the 8 am Mass until 9:30 am

FIRST SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH: 2:30 – 3:30 PM, hosted by our Parish Knights of Columbus. The Sacrament of Rec-onciliation (Confession) is available from 3-3:30 pm

INITIAL OFFERING

Once a year, in January, you receive an INITIAL envelope in your set. This helps to defray the cost of the printing and mailing of monthly Church envelopes throughout the entire year. Due to the increase in postage and printing, it costs almost $15 per parishioner/family for 12 mailings each year. These are vital in a large parish. Often parishioners move throughout the year and the envelope company informs us about or gives us the new address so that our membership list is kept current. Whatever you can do is deeply appreciated.

BEWARE OF SCAMS

It has been brought to my attention that some parishioners have recently received an email requesting gift cards, Visa cards, etc. for our parish. THIS IS A SCAM. Our parish and I will NEVER send you an email requesting money or gift cards. Do not fall for this scam. Look at the URL, phone number or email from which it was sent. It is not from our parish or from me. If you ever get one of these, please call the parish office and do not reply to that email or its bogus request.

FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS

As we conclude the year 2024 and begin a new year of Grace, you are requested to bring your financial contributions up to date. Your regular and generous support of our Parish and its ministries throughout the year is appreciated. We will not be sending out the Yearly Financial reports until the end of January 2025. If you desire one for your Income Tax purposes please complete the form below and mail or take it the parish office or drop the request in the weekly collection basket. Please print legibly.

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Email _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Envelope Number _______________________________________________________________________________________________

2025 CHURCH CONTRIBUTIONS

For those giving your contributions to our Church by checks, you are reminded to carefully write your check. At the beginning of this year we have noticed that many have placed the wrong date (2024 instead of 2025) and some forgot to sign their name. The bank will not accept checks that have the incorrect date or no signature. Thank You!

FAITHFUL GIVING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Our Parish (both Churches) deliver the Word of God and Jesus in Holy Communion to the faithful of our area, parishioners and visitors alike. Your weekly offering allows us to do this and much more: maintain our beloved Churches and properties, offer assistance to those most vulnerable in our midst, conduct our outstanding religious education program for our youth and adults, and pay our dedicated staff and our daily operating expenses. We also realize the real financial sacrifice your donation represents.

Our Parish extends a special word of thanks to all those faithful parishioners and friends of our parish who continue to support us financially. It is through your generosity on a weekly basis and especially at Christmas and Easter as well as your participation in our annual fundraising events, such as the Grey Dog, Golf Classic, Spring Fling and Pasta Dinner, that we are able to spread the Gospel message to the faithful and to evangelize others. Thank You!

REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS TO OUR CHURCH PROPERTY AND CEMETERY

Through your generosity in the monthly Maintenance envelope and the Cemetery envelope, the following areas are being repaired or renovated at our Churches. Thank you!

Saint John Bosco Church:

Repair, repainting and sealing of the large outdoor statues for our Nativity.

Repair, sealing and marking of our six driveways and three parking lots.

Trimming of all of the trees on our property.

New roof on shed

Sacred Heart of Jesus Church:

Landscaping in the front of our Sacred Heart of Jesus Church and sign.

Repair of Microphone system and new microphone for the Choir and one for the Celebrant.

Sacred Heart-Saint Joseph Cemetery:

Resurface and repair of the four driveways.

Removal of the Death Vault

New electrical service.

Removal of 13 dead trees

FIND A CATHOLIC CHURCH WHEN YOU ARE ON VACATION OR AWAY FROM OUR PARISH

Traveling on vacation? 

Away from your area or from your regular routine? 

Easily find Weekend Mass times where you are at.  

Click Here to Visit Masstimes.org

or 

Click Here to Visit Catholicmasstimes.org 

Technology keeps the faithful connected to their obligations at home or on the road! 

Remember:  "THERE IS NO VACATION FROM YOUR CHRISTIAN VOCATION."

CONTACT INFORMATION

We need your help to keep our parish membership records up to date and accurate.

It is extremely important that you notify our parish office at 570-788-1997, Ext 3, when you change your phone number, delete a land phone, change your email or mailing address. You may also drop a message in your weekly envelope about the change or simply visit the parish office. With over 1,000 families registered in our parish, we have no other way to update our records if you don't notify us. Your cooperation is deeply appreciated.

Parish Staff

Father Ric Polmounter

Father Christian Ekeh

Father Edward Michelini

Father Steven Brosk

Deacon Maurice J. Cerasaro, Jr.

Melanie Pensock, Parish Secretaries, Option 3

Sarah Woolbert, Office Assistant

Kristina Notaro, Book Keeper

Maureen Ciavarella, Director, Youth Faith Formation, Option 6

Jennifer Gerhard, Music Ministry/Choir Director

Larry Huff and Marie Sauers, Maintenance

Phil and Marie Guza, Bereavement Support

Joseph Gallagher, Parish Finance Advisory Board Chair

Pam Synoski, Parish Pastoral Council Chair

Ed Slusarczyk, Parish Liturgy Committee Chair