Pastor's Comments

PASTORAL MINISTRY

The summer months of July and August are a little less hectic in the parish than the rest of the year. It is a wonderful time to set up an appointment with the Pastor for any of the following meetings

1. TO FORMALLY JOIN ST. JOHN BOSCO PARISH; Call 570-788-1997, EXT 4. Everyone is expected to join and participate in a Catholic Parish in the area. The Pastor is available for appointments on Monday through Thursday from 9 am until 7 pm in the office and at other times. Call to set up a time.

2. TO DISCUSS LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ANNULMENT: If you are divorced and would like to see what the annulment process is all about to bring closure and healing from a previous marriage.

3. TO CONSIDER JOINING THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: You would be asked to meet once with the Pastor during the summer months to talk about your desire to examine the Catholic Faith with the possibility of becoming a Catholic.

4. IF YOU WERE MARRIED CIVILLY AND DESIRE TO HAVE YOUR MARRIAGE BLESSED (CONVALIDATED) IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

DISTRIBUTION OF PARISH BULLETINS

At a recent meeting of the Parish Liturgy Committee, it was suggested that the weekly parish bulletins be handed out after Mass instead of being available when you enter the Church. A discussion followed. This is the practice at many churches in our area and throughout the country. It has been noticed by some that the bulletin is being read by people in the congrega-tion during the mass, especially during the reading of the Word of God, homily and Eucharistic Prayer. The time before mass should be used to quiet oneself down, place ones prayers and concerns before the Lord, and prepare spiritually to hear and respond to God’s Word proclaimed and to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. This will be addressed again at our next Liturgy Committee meeting and its impact on our Ministers of Hospitality and Ushers. In the meantime, you are urged to take the bulletin home with you and read it during at home the week.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AT MASS

It was requested that announcements made at Mass not be made immediately after the reception of Holy Communion. It breaks up the time meant for reflection and prayerful meditation. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM # 90) states that any brief announcements, if necessary, should be made after the Closing Prayer of the Mass and before the Bless-ing, Dismissal and hymn. We will attempt to do this in the very near future.

THE RESPONSORIAL PSALM

GIRM # 61 states that after the First Reading follows the Responsorial Psalm, which is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word and which has great liturgical and pastoral importance, since it fosters meditation on the Word of God. The Responso-rial Psalm should correspond to each reading and should usually be taken from the Lectionary. It is preferable for the Re-sponsorial Psalm to be sung, at least as far as the people’s response is concerned. Hence the psalmist, or cantor of the Psalm, sings the Psalm verses at the ambo or another suitable place, while the whole congregation sits and listens, normally taking part by means of the response, except when the Psalm is sung straight through, that is, without a response." We are blessed at St. John Bosco with wonderful cantors who sing the psalm and a congregation, which sings the re-sponse. At Sacred Heart Church, the Lector reads the verses and the congregation sings the response.

ACCLAMATION BEFORE THE GOSPEL

GIRM # 62c: The ALLELUIA should always be sung. If not sung it should be omitted. Also, during Lent it is omitted.