On March 19^th of this year, the Spring season officially began. Although it’s seemed unusually cold the past couple of weeks in Western Pennsylvania, we nonetheless have seen some trees budding, some flowers blooming, and the sounds of migrating or hibernating animals returning to the region.  Spring offers a fresh start, a fresh start that is repeatedly offered year after year.

We have arrived at Easter, which for Catholics, is not a weekend celebration but an entire season.  For the next 50 days we will celebrate Jesus’ resurrection until we reach Pentecost.  The Easter season is a season in which we celebrate new life.  We are reminded of our rebirth in baptism, that we are sons and daughters of God our Father.  The Easter season offers a fresh start, year after year.

This weekend is known colloquially as “Divine Mercy Sunday.”  It is a weekend in which the Catholic Church focuses primarily on the mercy of God and the forgiveness of sins.  In our Gospel, Jesus Christ shows us the mercy that comes from God the Father.  We would think that after being abandoned, denied, and betrayed by his apostles that Jesus would bring harsh judgement and payback.  But we see that he does the complete opposite.  The first words out of his mouth after his death and resurrection are, “Peace be with you.”  Jesus didn’t offer sinners retribution, he offered them forgiveness and peace.  He went on to say to his Apostles, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

As we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday on the Second Sunday of Easter, we are invited to experience God’s mercy anew.  It is a mercy that 

St. Faustina Kowalska famously described as “unfathomable” and “inexhaustible.”  No matter how many times we have sinned, we can never exhaust God’s mercy, it is like a Springtime that always returns.  And no matter how grave our sins may be, God’s mercy is even greater, so great that we can hardly fathom it.

If you are a sinner like me, the Easter season is the perfect time for a fresh start, it is the Springtime of God’s love and mercy.

Jesus wanted his apostles to not only experience his mercy but to share it with others. We can experience God’s mercy first and foremost in the sacrament of reconciliation. We can share God’s mercy with others by imitating the love of Jesus Christ.  He did not retaliate when injured by others, he prayed for those who hurt him as he hung upon the cross, and he initiated a peaceful interaction with those who hurt him. May we not only experience a fresh start for ourselves, but may we offer a fresh start for others.  

The Family Program meets Sunday, April 7.
The next Catholic HOM session is April 10 during Faith Formation.
The next Service Saturday is April 13 from 9:00 am - 10:00 am in the St. Alexis Cafeteria 

April 7: Divine Mercy Sunday - The devotion of The Divine Mercy is based on the writings of St. Faustina, a Polish nun, who wrote a diary recording the revelations she received about God’s mercy. The Divine Mercy message is simple, “God loves all of us. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others.” Join us for discussion, dinner and fun!

April 8: Join us for a brief discussion on Divine Mercy! All young adults are welcome to join us for dinner and, weather permitting, pickleball (a backup plan will be organized)! Join us on Monday night in the youth room at 6:30 pm.

Saint Aidan Kentucky Mission Trip June 23-29, 2024

Calling all incoming High School freshman through seniors to join our first ever mission trip! It is a fun, meaningful and easy way to earn your service hours for the school year. To inquire more about this trip, please contact Christine Miller at cmiller@saintaidanparish.org.

We are in need of monetary donations for supplies needed for our seven home projects and to help sponsor a teen to attend this mission trip. Your donations would be greatly appreciated!

Full sponsor - $300

Half sponsor- $150

Checks may be made payable to: Saint Aidan Parish and please include Mission Trip 2024 in the memo line. 

Fortitude defeats laziness. Love of comfort is countered by detachment. The antidote to sensuality is chastity. Humility trumps pride. By acquiring the virtues of fortitude, detachment, chastity, and humility we can attain interior freedom and the ability to love God. Without them we could be like Adam. He lacked the fortitude to fend off Satan and as a result became the first “wimp.” Join us on Monday, April 15 at 6:00 pm at The Ark & The Dove on Babcock Blvd. to explore how to meet the challenge of growing in virtue and personal holiness. All men are welcome. For more info contact Paul Spence: 724-713-8633.

The next Divine Mercy Devotion and Scriptural Rosary will be on Friday, April 5. They will be prayed after the noon Mass at St. Alphonsus Church on the First Friday of the month. All are welcome to join us on First Fridays! 

Join us for the First Saturday Novena of Holy Communions after the 8:00 am Mass at St. Alexis on the first Saturday of every month.

Registration is open for Sharing Christ! If you have gone through Following Christ at St. Aidan Parish or any other parish, please join us for Sharing Christ. We are all called to Evangelize and spread the Good News, but sometimes we can be at a loss for how to go about doing this. We may be afraid of rejection, afraid we will push someone away or that we will fail. In Sharing Christ we will learn how to be brave, be bold, and share the Good News that God Exists, Jesus died for our salvation and that HE LOVES YOU!!! We will meet every Thursday from April 18 through May 23 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm in the cafeteria at St. Alexis. Childcare will be provided if needed. The retreat will be on Saturday, June 1 from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm. Email christlife@saintaidanparish.org to register! 

Great news! Our parish partnership with Hallow continues through Pentecost Sunday (May 19). If you haven't signed up yet, we encourage you to check it out. It's only $1.

Hallow is the #1 prayer app. Through prayer and meditation rooted in the Catholic faith, Hallow helps people grow closer to God and find peace. It also connects people - in a real way. On the Community tab within the app, members are able to share prayer intentions, encourage one another, and learn about their faith through personal reflection. Be sure to join our Parish Community by visiting the "Community" tab (bottom right of screen) and searching "St. Aidan Wexford".

Christ is risen! As His disciples, we are called to go forth and spread the good news of Christ's Resurrection. The fruitful ministries at our parish are examples of how many of you have answered, and continue to answer, that call. To ensure such work can continue requires not only gifts of time, but also of financial help. I ask you to prayerfully consider supporting our parish with electronic donations through Faith Direct.

You’ll provide us with consistent support that helps us always be at the ready with programs, services, and ministries for our church families and for those in need throughout the community.

Register today by: 

·Visiting faith.direct/PA47

·Calling Faith Direct Customer Service at 866-507-8757

·Texting “Enroll” to (724) 932-6440

Thank you for your continued support of our parish family.

We are in need of a volunteer to help with the washing and ironing of altar linens at St. Alexis. If interested in helping please contact Mary Anne Dille at 724-553-6143.

Are you or a loved one ready to embark on the Medicare journey? Perhaps you are already enrolled in Medicare and just have questions. Do I need a supplement? What is an Advantage Plan? Which is better? What about prescription drugs? Glasses? Hearing aids? Gym memberships? Traveling out of the region, out of the country?  These are all common questions.

Come to our no cost, no obligation, totally free seminar on Tuesday, April 9 beginning at 7:00 pm in the Ryan Center at Blessed Seelos Academy on the St Alphonsus Campus to find out answers to these questions. Lisa Lauro, Senior Healthcare Specialist from Secure Money Advisors will help you understand how Medicare works. No one will contact you after the seminar, it is totally free and without obligation as the Knights Council 3907’s way of saying thank you for all of the support you have given to our charitable works. The  seminar is open to everyone. We look forward to seeing you at the seminar.

Will you prayerfully consider being a permanent or a substitute adorer at:

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.

Did you know that our parish serves nine Nursing Care/Senior Living Facilities?! We provide Mass to each facility under the direction of our wonderful chaplain, Fr. Daniel Straughn, and many volunteers take Holy Communion to various facilities during the weeks when we do not have Mass. We need a few more volunteers to join our Advance Team which helps Fr. Daniel by getting to the facility early to set up and assist him at Mass. In addition, as our list of requests grows, we need more volunteers to take Holy Communion to our homebound parishioners. If you are interested in helping, please contact Barb Griffith at ministries@saintaidanparish.org.