From the Desk of Fr. Dan
Gratitude
At the end of every assignment, I like to take a step back and thank God for the many blessings He gave me there. First of all, I’d like to thank God for all of you. You’ve all taught me a lot about the Lord, life and God’s love through hanging out after Mass, coffee, formal and informal groups. I’ve learned a lot, grown a lot, laughed a lot and met some great people. Thanks to each and every one of you.
One of the things I got to continue from my last assignment was the Christ Life program. I’m grateful for Fr. Will’s permission and all of your openness to making this journey to the Lord a big success. Around 120 joined us for Discovering Christ and 60+ have continued with Following Christ this past week. The Lord is raising up some great disciples in all of you! Next was the Chosen series. I enjoyed watching it with you, laughing, crying, being moved by the Holy Spirit and everything else. I loved sharing my insights and hearing yours, what a great blessing to share all that with you! We had a great Bible Study for a while at Seelos, Eucharistic Small groups and did some great work with the Liturgy Committee as well.
One of the things I’ll miss, outside the sacraments, (too many wonderful Masses, Baptisms, Weddings, even the solemnity of funerals to count!) is the way we celebrate Lent. From the Stations, to the Fish Fries to the Passion Play, it was amazing. The Passion Play melodies and lyrics were hauntingly beautiful and it was a blessing to get in touch with my inner theater geek and do it with you. Of course the Fish Fries are #1 in so many ways thanks to all of you! Who could forget being welcomed in a the Festival and Harvest Home. Truly memorable times of building and celebrating community.
Our young adult group doubled in the time I was here and I loved meeting and journeying with so many of you, wrestling with young adult questions or growing deeper in your faith. I especially loved the young adult retreat at Lake Milton.
Who could forget the sometimes boisterous Men’s Fellowship and sometimes feisty Ladies of Charity, as well as our faithful Knights of Columbus? Thank you all for being part of my life and the life of the parish.
Also I want to say a big thank you to all the staff, volunteers, clergy, especially Seminarian Brian, Deacon Dave, Fr. Daniel and Fr. Will. I learned something from each of you and I am a better person professionally and spiritually because of it. Thank you!
And lastly, in a general way to anyone or group I may have missed, thank you for journeying with me. I hope you got closer to Christ in some way and let’s continue to do so everyday.
As I prepare to move forward, I say goodbye, middle English for God be with you. The Catholic world is small in Pittsburgh and I’m sure we’ll meet again, but if we do not in this life, may we all journey towards Jesus in our own way, and be reunited when we see Him face to face. Thanks for the memories and know of my prayers. My new address is 2600 Morange Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15205. My email is waruszewskid@gmail.com. My heart is filled with gratitude for the good we had. Peace and God be with you!
Fr. Dan Farewell Luncheon
Please join us in saying farewell to Fr. Dan this Sunday, directly following the 10:00 am Mass in the Faith Formation Center Cafeteria (previously St. Alexis School). We want to thank Fr. Dan for his time with us and all that he has done in our parish community. We hope you are able to join us in wishing him well.
Ministry News
Faith Formation
So far this year, our Faith Formation families have packed over 1000 lunch bags for the homeless and have made 275 favors for the residents at Alexis Manor! Want to join us? Our next Saturday Service Project is February 10 at 9:00 am in the St. Alexis Cafeteria.
Life Teen Ministry
January 14: Social night with walking tacos and Zombie Tag
Choose two volunteers (more if a larger group) to be initial “zombies” for zombie tag. Everyone else is a human. Zombies may not run, and must walk with arms outstretched while grunting. When the zombies tag a human the human then becomes a zombie.
Young Adult Ministry
January 15: Happy New Year! If you have never been to the young adult nights at Saint Aidan Parish, give it a try. We have created a family to share a meal with and support each other in our world. How beautiful the young adult group has shared in the arrival of our first baby born into our family, a young couple getting engaged, and now supporting and loving all while growing in faith together with our friend Blake who is coming into the church on Easter! We are truly a family!! Join us Monday nights at 6:30 pm for dinner in the youth room.
Mission Trip to Kentucky
The trip is set for June 23-29, 2024 in David, Kentucky. We will be staying at the David School, a regional trade school with cabins on the property.
More info to come including information about an informational meeting with Parents sometime in February.
Walking With Purpose
Another glass of wine, just one more episode on Netflix, a little more scrolling on Instagram…Women are numbing out at ever-increasing rates. Why? What is it about our lives that makes us feel so overwhelmed? What might change if we figured out how to build lives that we don’t want to escape?
Ordering Your Priorities: Building a Life Well Lived is an immensely practical Bible study that will help you put the most important things first. We’ll begin by paying attention to the One who made us, because He can best tell us what we need for our lives to run well.
Ordering Your Priorities is ideal if you...
- Are ready to discover not only what matters most in life but also how to prioritize those things
- Long to feel satisfied at the end of the day, knowing that you’ve loved your family not just in your heart but also in your schedule
- Want to create a life that you don’t need to escape
Details
- Tuesday evenings, January 16 - March 5
- 6:30-7:30 PM
- We will meet virtually for this study, then will be back in person in the Spring! An email will be sent with the link.
- Register here
Annual Retreat
Please prayerfully consider our weekend retreat at St. Paul of the Cross Monastery this coming:
January 19-21 For Men
Are you looking for a fresh start? A retreat is a great way to begin the new year. If you've never been on a retreat, 2024 is your year! Also, giving the gift of a retreat to someone is a beautiful idea. (Even if that someone is yourself). Call the Retreat Center to register. 412-381-7676
Marian Consecration
Our Blessed Mother wants nothing more than to lead us to Jesus, so we join together as a diocese to consecrate ourselves to her, that through falling more in love with her, she would teach us how to love her Son. Come each week for a talk on Marian consecration and spirituality, leading up to consecration to Mary.
We will meet every Tuesday from January 9 through February 11. The location will change weekly. Please check the link here for the various locations.
March For Life
The March for Life takes place in Washington, DC each January. On January 19, we will begin with 5:30 am Mass, participants then board a bus which departs from the Saint Alphonsus parking lot at 6:00 am for Washington, DC, where it meets up with marchers from all across the United States to peacefully walk in support of life. Following the March, the bus returns to Saint Alphonsus later that evening. If you need special accommodations, please contact the parish office at (724) 935-4343 and ask for Christine Miller. A free will offering to defray bus costs will be collected. An additional free will offering will be asked for a bus driver tip. Anyone under the age of 18 and traveling without a parent must have a permission slip signed by a parent to attend (found here). For more info, please contact Christine Miller at cmiller@saintaidanparish.org. Sign up for the March here
Volunteer Appreciation Party
Saint Aidan Parish would like to invite all volunteers to join us for a celebration of your commitment and love for this great community! Please RSVP if you are able to join us.
February 2 beginning at 5:30 in the Cafeteria at the Faith Formation Center (previously referred to the St. Alexis School).
Food and beverages to be provided.
If you previously RSVP'd please do so again as the date has changed.
Other Parish News
Special Collection
On January 20th – 21st, a special collection will take place to benefit the students of St. Anthony School Programs and DePaul School for Hearing and Speech. We have been so blessed to have the support of the parishes around the Diocese and look forward to your continued support this coming year! The children of St. Anthony School Programs and DePaul School for Hearing and Speech have flourished and grown thanks to the generous gifts parishioners throughout the Diocese of Pittsburgh have provided.
St. Anthony School Programs offers an inclusive education to children ages 5-21 with Down syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other special needs. DePaul School for Hearing and Speech teaches children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have severe speech delays to listen, speak, and learn. Together, St. Anthony’s and DePaul School empower students to become active and contributing members of their respective communities. Together, through this special collection, we can support our students' spiritual and academic growth, and give back the joy they share with us, each day.
Here is how you can help the children of our programs:
- Please put the enclosed fliers and/or graphics in your bulletin or display in your parish community spaces to raise awareness of the Diocesan collection and these two critical programs in the Diocese.
- Please encourage your parishioners to participate in the special Diocesan collection and help them to understand the importance their support means to the success of some of the youngest members of our faith.
- Remind your parishioners to please update their Faith Direct accounts so they may also contribute to this special collection.
With your support and prayers, we are confident God will continue to work through our programs to help our students grow and succeed. This special collection also allows us to reach out to families within the Diocese who need our services. Thank you for giving your heart to these children.
Eucharistic Adorers Needed at St. Aidan Parish
Will you prayerfully consider being a permanent or a substitute adorer at:
- St. Alphonsus Church on Mondays (Adoration is from 12:30 pm to 7:00 pm)
- St. Alexis Church on First Fridays (Adoration is from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm)
There's an immediate need on First Fridays at St. Alexis Church from 11:00 am to noon for a permanent adorer. Email devotions@saintaidanparish.org or call the Parish Office at 724-935-4343 and provide your name, phone #, email address, the church and the time slots that you will cover and if you can be a permanent adorer or substitute adorer.
Passion Play Auditions and Rehearsals
Passion Play practices will take place every Tuesday and Thursday beginning Jan. 23. They will take place on the new side of St. Alphonsus church 6-8. Any parishioner can be a part of this!! They just need to email me that they want to be a part of this. Just show up at the practices. We have many families that do this as their Lenten journey. The more the better!
Performance dates are Friday and Saturday at 8, March 22nd and March 23
Protecting God’s Children Training Event
If you plan on volunteering for the Fish Fry, Parish Festival, or Vacation Bible School you must have your clearances and they must be up to date.
Saint Aidan Parish will be hosting a training session for the Diocesan training Protecting God’s Children on Sunday February 4, 2024 at 1 PM in the Blessed Seelos Academy Cafeteria. If you have been thinking about obtaining Diocesan clearances, this is a good opportunity to be able to get everything done for most Parish volunteer positions!
Assistance will be available to register as a volunteer on the Diocesan website and filling out forms for state clearances. The training for Protecting God’s Children will be presented by Phyllis Haney, the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s Secretariat for the Protection of Children, Youth & Vulnerable Adults.
Pre-registration is required. To register, or if you have questions, contact Mary King, Saint Aidan Parish Safe Environment Coordinator at mking@saintaidanparish.org or call 724-935-4343 x212.
Knights of Columbus Council 3907 Financial Wellbeing Seminars
As you may be aware, the Knights of Columbus Council 3907 is sponsoring four informational sessions all related to your Financial Wellbeing to show our appreciation and thank everyone for their generous contributions and support of all of our charitable efforts These sessions are open to anyone who would like to attend and all the sessions are totally free without cost or obligation and no one who attends will be contacted.
We recently completed our first session on Tuesday, January 9 covering Retirement Planning which was very well received. If you missed this session, you will not be behind as all the sessions are designed to be attended independently of the other sessions
All of the sessions will be held on Tuesday nights starting at 7:00 pm and will last approximately one hour and will be held at the Ryan Center at
St. Alphonsus Church (Blessed Seelos Academy gymnasium). Please mark your calendar to save the following dates and join us for some informative and insightful sessions:
February 6 – How Insurance Can Work for you - David McIntosh, FIC K of C
March 12 – Understanding Social Security – Neil Mager – Sr Financial Advisor SMA
April 9 – Understanding Medicare – Lisa Lauro Sr. Health Care Specialist SMA
Thank you once again for your past generosity.
St. Alexis Commemorative Book
We still have approximately 25 copies of the commemorative St. Alexis Stained Glass Windows and Stations of the Cross books available for purchase at a price of $85/book. If you would like to purchase the book, please pay with the attached link: saintaidanparish.org/saintalexisbook and pick up your copy at the parish center, or visit the parish center to pay in cash.
Walking With Moms In Need (WWMIN)
Saint Aidan Parish cherishes the dignity of every human life and seeks to make our Catholic church a loving community for pregnant and parenting moms and dads. The Catholic church should be a welcoming place where those with these needs find help. We want to offer ongoing confidential support and resources during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Saint Aidan Parish is among the first in our diocese to join a nationwide United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB - usccb.org) initiative called Walking with Moms in Need (WWMIN - walkingwithmoms.com), a new and confidential parish network of resources for those who don’t know where to turn for help with:
• Planned and unplanned pregnancy support or crisis pregnancy.
• After childbirth support and parenting support.
• Pregnancy loss (abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss).
All parishioners are invited to actively join us in helping those in our community who need it. Once the program is up and running it will include:
• A WWMIN resource list and website.
• Parish projects to support women and men in need.
• A fully engaged Catholic pastoral support program through the priests and deacons.
• Being an ambassador for the program.
• Actively engaging the parish in prayer for WWMIN.
Questions on Walking with Moms in Need?
Contact Keith Young at wwmin@saintaidanparish.org or talk with any of the WWMIN Core Team – Beth Ann Veres, Kim Nolan, Mark Mitros MD, Maria Myron, Barb Griffith, Jen Bailey, Tina Ricci, Pam Surano. Know someone who needs help immediately? Contact Kim Antonacci-Nolan at wwmin@saintaidanparish.org or 724-935-4343 ext 263.
Please pray for all involved in this project.
Need Help Now? Call or text the Women's Choice Network
Call 412-687-7767
Text 412-776-6687
Have questions? wwmin@saintaidanparish.org | 724-935-4343ext263
