Parish Staff, Ministry Directory, and Contact Information

Parish StaffPastorRev. Richard Clement: 610.777.1365ResidentRev. Gene Ritz: 610.777.1365DeaconDeacon F. Joseph Lombardo: 610.777.1697Principal of La Salle AcademyMr. Stephen Mickulik: 610.777.7392Parish SecretaryBernadette Yohn: 610.777.1697Parish Communications CoordinatorSarah Capato: 610.850.4978Director of Religious EducationBernadette Yohn: 610.777.1697For Bulletin / Website Inquiries or AnnouncementsContact: Sarah Capato at 610.850.4978

Comprehensive Catholic EducationLa Salle Academy: Preschool, Pre Kindergarten, K-8th GradeMr. Stephen Mickulik, Principal: 610.777.7392Berks Catholic High School: 9th-12th GradeMr. Tony Balistrere, Principal: 610.374.8361Parish Religious Education Program: 1st-8th GradeMrs. Bernadette Yohn, DRE: 610.777.1697RCIA: Age 18+Mrs. Bernadette Yohn, DRE: 610.777.1697

Scheduling Use of Parish FacilitiesFor those interested in using the Father Lyons room for a meeting or special event, please contact the Parish Office at 610.777.1697

WorshipEucharistic AdorationFirst Fridays of each month from 8:30AM-12:00PMAltar ServersStudents from Grade 4 to Seniors in High SchoolContact: Parish Office at 610.777.1697Adult Funeral ServersContact: Parish Office at 610.777.1697Children’s Liturgy of the Word: Sunday’s at 10:30AM Mass, between September and May Contact: Parish Office at 610.777.1697Eucharistic MinistersContact: Lorna Pfeiffenberger at 610.777.4822LectorsContact: Deacon Joe Lombardo at 610.777.2542Ministers of HospitalityContact: Deacon Joe Lombardo at 610.777.2542Liturgical Music Contemporary Ensemble - Contact: Kelly Keim at 610.780.3905 Traditional Choir - Contact: Marge Vath at 610.373.0227CantorsContact: Marge Vath at 610.373.0227Baptismal PrepContact: Parish Office at 610.777.1697Baptismal BibsContact: Parish Office at 610.777.1697SacristansContact: Elaine Strick at 610.856.7264

Outreach & Parish MinistriesCulture of LifeContact: Bob Peters at 610.775.8965Bereavement MinistryContact: Roseann Kumor at 610.775.7431Justice in Action MinistryContact: Arlene Seeber at 484.794.8027Breaking Bread Social CommitteeContact: Lois Lombardo at 610.777.2542Prayer Shawl MinistryContact: Joan Yanuskiewicz at 610.777.4646Nursing Home Visitors for Rosary & MassContact: Billie & Mike Resch at 610.775.3927Food Pantry / Emergency MealsContact: Lois Carrier at 610.777.6947Advocacy for Persons with DisabilitiesContact: Kathleen Roche at 610.777.4792Parish Nurse MinistryContact: Sharon Shingler at 610.775.9998

Spiritual GrowthRCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)Contact: Parish Office at 610.777.1697Adult Education (Seasonal)Contact: Parish Office at 610.777.1697Spiritual DirectionContact: Arlene Seeber at 484.794.8027Faith Sharing for WomenContact: Arlene Seeber at 484.794.8027Parish Prayer LineContact: Judy Peters at 610.775.8965Charismatic Prayer GroupContact: Amelia “Midge” Biancone at 610.777.2215

OrganizationsPrime TimersContact: Larry Shepherd at 610.777.8337Boy ScoutsContact: Dan Giesen at 610.777.4387Girl ScoutsContact: Britt Kobularcik at 484.256.1782 Daisy: Grade K-1, Brownies: Grade 2/3, Juniors: Grade 4/5

Cub ScoutsContact: Rich Kasting at 610.373.2575 Knights of Columbus Contact: Mike Hall at 804.212.7261Altar SocietyContact: Carol Bensing at 610.777.9360Men’s Recreational Basketball ClubContact: Russ Baver at 610.507.0627CYO (Christian Youth Organization)Contact: Rock Witmer at 610.775.2176Parish GardenersContact: Chris Hofmann at 610.777.2523

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BAPTISMS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE:

We welcome with great joy, our newest members to

our Family of Faith! Delilah Skye Conrad Emma Clare Henneman

Natalie Ann Palmer

Mass Intentions for the Week MONDAY, JULY 4 - Weekday 9:00 a.m. Andrew Katerman TUESDAY, JULY 5 – St. Anthony Zaccaria/St. Elizabeth of Portugal 7:00 p.m. Marianne Donovan WEDNESDAY, JULY 6 - St. Maria Goretti 8:00 a.m. Frances & Michael Wisniewski THURSDAY, JULY 7 - Weekday 7:00 p.m. Dr. Henry Bialas FRIDAY, JULY 8 - Weekday 8:00 a.m. Arlene Peters Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time SATURDAY, JULY 9 4:00 p.m. Thomas Rubright SUNDAY, JULY 10 8:30 a.m. Ed Loeper 10:30 a.m. Claire & Jack Causa

St. John's Baptist de la Salle July 3rd 2016 www.stjohnsfamilyoffaith.com Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary

Away from home? Find a Mass wherever you are at www.masstimes.org

Upcoming Liturgical Ministers SATURDAY, JULY 9 - 4:00PM Lector: Leslie Curran Cantor: ------- Servers: Sophia Pienta, Molly Yohn EM: L.Lombardo, C.Boland, S/T.Yoder, S/J.Baddick, M/R.Favinger SUNDAY, JULY 10 - 8:30AM Lector: Ed Lawrence Cantor:------- Servers: Joseph Giesen, Luke Bennethum SUNDAY, JULY 10 - 10:30AM Lector: Glenn Camardese Cantor: ------ Servers: Nancy Weinheimer, Madison Cannon EM: A.Cannon, N.Faust, C/L.Przydzial, A/C.Turnbaugh, D/D.Giesen

Upcoming Events MONDAY, JULY 4 Holiday – Parish Office is Closed (will reopen on 7/5) TUESDAY, JULY 5 7:30 pm Charismatic Group Mtg. WEDNESDAY, JULY 6 11:00 am Prime Timer’s Bus trip 7:30 pm Faith Sharing for Women SUNDAY, JULY 10 6:00pm Youth Group Event

Please direct all bulletin and website inquiries to the Parish Communications Coordinator, Sarah Capato at 610.850.4978 or sarah@stjohnsfamilyoffaith.com.

Bulletin submissions are due Thursday, ten days prior to the Sunday of publication.

Weekly Stewardship 6/19 - $10,424.50

Todays Readings

Sanctuary Candle for the week of 6/26-7/2 in loving memory of Rita, Bob, and Debbie Gruber

(requested by Mr. & Mrs. Frank Talarico)

Altar Bread for Month of July: In loving memory of: Jennie & Joseph Butz (requested by

Bernadine Keyek)

Altar Wine for Month of July: In loving memory of: Jerry Keyek (requested by

Bernadine Keyek)

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS: Registration forms for our upcoming school year 2016-2017 for our Religious Education Program have been mailed out for returning students. If you did not receive your form please notify the Parish Office, 610.777.1697.

Please Make Note: Monday’s Mass, July 4 is at 9 AM.

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St. John Baptist de la Salle Family of Faith

PRIME TIMERS NEWS Prime Timer’s Super Trip: September 12-16, 2016 Fantastic Trip to MAINE: Trip features tours of Kennebunkport & Acadia National Park, Boothbay, Franciscan Monastery, Eartha, Maine Botanical Gardens, Mt. Battie & Penobscot Bay. Visits to Camden & Rockport, 4 full course dinners, including a “Downeast” lobster bake! Cost: $699.00 per person (double occupancy) $948.00 (single occupancy). Motor coach transportation. Maine is beautiful this time of the year! Come join us for some great fun with a lively group of people! For reservations or questions, please contact Philomena Repoley 610.777.5063 or Larry Shepherd 610.777.8337.

SAVE THE DATE! Patriotic Parish Picnic Sunday, September 25th Mohnton Playground Start gathering your red, white and blue

Parish Happenings

Our Lady's Missionaries of the Eucharist Invite You To:

Jenny Hubbard — Archangels: Walking in Confidence

Tuesday, July 19, 2016: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Evening Session will include Evening Prayer, Conference and Q&A. Jenny Hubbard graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College holding a BA degree in art history and communications. Upon graduating from college, she worked for a Fortune 100 company for 9 years. Jennifer left the professional workforce to raise her 2 children. Her youngest child, Catherine Violet, was a victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Jennifer and her husband Matthew have created the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation, Inc® to support those causes that best represent their daughter and her life. The foundation’s current focus is in creating and developing programming to sustain the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary® in Newtown, CT. Jennifer is a monthly contributor for the Magnificat. Her writings focus on God’s healing presence and His continued faithfulness. She is the recipient of the 2014 and 2015 Catholic Writers award and has had her work published in Fairfield County Catholic. To register for an event contact:

Our Lady’s Missionaries of the Eucharist, olme@olme.org or 610-582-3333

www.olme.org All are Welcome! Bring a Friend! Your generous

donation will be deeply appreciated.

Justice in Action Ministry Meeting All interested parishioners are welcome to the next Justice in Action Ministry (JAM) meeting on Tuesday, July 5 at 7:30 pm at the home of Sue Goodwin (16 Alpine Drive Mohnton 610-777-5827). Come learn more about JAM

outreach-service projects and share your ideas for future education/discussion programs on social justice issues.

Faith Sharing for Women Faith Sharing for Women will continue monthly reflection on The Cup of Our Life, A Guide to Spiritual Growth by the popular spiritual writer Joyce Rupp O.S.M. All women in the parish are welcome to join in this new journey for growth in our faith on Wednesday, July 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Father Lyons Room. Suggestion: bring a Catholic bible, a journal or paper, and pen and a personal cup of your choosing to use in the reflection exercises. For more information get in touch with Arlene Seeber (arleneseeber@icloud.com or 484-794-8027

WIN $10,000 CASH!! The Berks Catholic High School Extravaganza Cash Raffle tickets are now available. Only 350 tickets will be sold. The drawing will be held on Friday, October 7th during the Extravaganza 2016 event. Donation $100. To buy raffle tickets, please send your check with return address and phone number to: Berks Catholic Extravaganza, 955 E.Wyomissing Blvd., Reading, PA 19611. If you would like to receive an invitation to attend Extravaganza, please call the Extravaganza Office at 610-374-1695 or e-mail Extravaganza@BerksCatholic.org

ATTENTION: All American Sign Language Masses will be cancelled for the summer months, they will return in September. Additionally all Advocacy group meetings are cancelled as well, and will resume in September. Have a wonderful summer!

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WORKS OF MERCY Visit the Imprisoned Send a note of encouragement to someone who is incarcerated. Parishioner Debbie Bitting has a brother who is serving a 20- month sentence for drug use.

DENNIS J. ALENOVITZ ID# MH4973 SCI - Mercer 801 Butler Pike Mercer, Pa 16137

When writing your letter please take note of the following: • Use your complete name and return address in the upper left hand corner. No labels with return address may be used • Inmates can receive greeting cards, but they may not contain electronics or be multi - layered. Never embellish your letter or envelope in any way. This means you may NOT use stickers, glitter, or glue in or on correspondence. • For more information or to answer questions call Debbie 484- 650-8765.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE If a Prenatal Diagnosis identifies a possible disability…You are not alone. There is help. The Diocese of Allentown has a network of concerned parents and professionals who have experienced or worked closely with issues surrounding a poor prenatal diagnosis. For support, contact: Sr. Janice Marie Johnson, jjohnson@allentowndiocese.org or 610.289.8900 x 42

Summer Time Pace Is Time for

Prayer Does summer time offer you a slower pace and more time for personal reflection? Do you sometimes wish for greater awareness of the awesome presence of God in your life? Spiritual Direction can help. Arlene Seeber holds an M.A. in Religious Studies from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia and completed a two -year training in Spiritual Direction at the Jesuit Center, Wernersville. Arlene offers her practice in spiritual direction as a volunteer ministry to St. John’s family of faith. Individual sessions are private and held in strict confidence. To learn whether spiritual direction is something you would like to explore you can reach Arlene by phone 484-794-8027 or by e-mail arleneseeber@icloud.com.

Works of Mercy in Action: Feed the Hungry

A team of parishioners will prepare and serve breakfast to the residents at Opportunity House on Sunday, July 10. Please say a prayer in support of their efforts and for the well-being of the 50-60 people who are currently homeless and have found shelter at Opportunity House. Thank you!

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St. John's next Youth Group event will be:

July 10 | 6pm 8th - 12th graders join us!

Meet at the back entrance to the La Salle Cafe. We will enjoy a picnic and some exciting outdoor games. We invite each of our teens to bring a favorite small snack or drink of theirs.

Bring a friend to join in on the fun!

Are you wondering what to do with your life? Have you asked the question, "What am I looking for?” If so, you are not alone. You are in good company because people like Saint Andrew and Saint John the Evangelist had these same questions and then found the answers in a man who was baptized by John the Baptist and called them to be "fishers of men." Bishop Barres invites you to join him, the seminarians of the Diocese of Allentown, and Sisters from various women's religious communities at the 2016 Quo Vadis or Fiat Days at DeSales University from Sunday, July 17 to Thursday, July 21. Quo Vadis and Fiat Days are open to young men and women from ages 14 to 18 (including the newly graduated). This five-day event will include time for personal and group prayer, Mass and other Catholic devotions, talks by priests and religious sisters, and sports and other activities. Registration is now open. Registration materials are available at www.allentowndiocese.org. Click on the vocations information link. Spaces are limited so act fast.

Four Ways to Respond to the Gift of Grace As you manage the usual busyness of your day—paying bills, making dinner, getting the oil changed in your car—consider this: At every hectic or mundane moment, you are invited to participate in the life of God. This can seem almost too much to take in, but it's true. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines grace as “a participation in the life of God.” Because God pours forth grace to each of us at every moment according to our needs and our situation in life, all through our day the Creator of the universe is freely inviting us to share his life. We know what it means to participate in the life of another. Married couples enter that state when, brimming with love, they commit to one another “for better or for worse.” Parents participate in the life of another when, filled with awe, they realize a new life is on the way. Family life is all about participating in the life of others; and at its best, it is full of grace. The Catechism also says that grace is free and undeserved help. We cannot earn grace, but it is up to us to acknowledge and accept it. Here are four ways to open your life to grace: Ask for what you need. In the prayer Jesus taught us, we ask for daily bread, forgiveness, and guidance on the way. You might ask for the grace to deal better with a difficult person at work. Or pray for the grace to be kinder when your child asks “why” for the umpteenth time. Don't be afraid to ask. Ask with an open mind. Be willing to let go of your own agenda and say yes to the grace God offers. Don't hand God your game plan and say, “Here are my ideas, and I'm counting on you to do your part.” Remember, “Thy (meaning God's) will be done.” Watch for the ways God responds. Grace often arrives in surprising ways. Through prayer and being aware, you can learn to recognize God at work in your life. One of the surest signs of God's grace: a feeling of gratitude and a desire to give to others. Pass it on! When we love one another, we pass on God's life to others. Having been blessed, we can bless others in our family, at work, in our community. Having been forgiven, we can forgive others. Having been strengthened, we can share our strength. Grace is not meant to be hoarded and stored. It's meant to touch the lives of others.

When you move through your day buoyed by God's grace, it can spill over into the lives of your spouse, your child, all those in whose lives you participate. Grace is truly the gift that keeps giving.

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An Acceptance of Suffering

We are tempted to believe that just by being good Christians we can make suffering go away. We imagine that God's promise of blessing means that he will spare us all pain. But it doesn't work that way. Jesus made suffering a normal part of the Christian life. He promised his disciples multiple blessings, but tacked onto the end of the good things he said they could expect was a promise of suffering: “There is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land—and persecutions too—now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30). So suffering is not an option for Christians. It's a guarantee. At root, the word suffering means enduring pain or distress, sustaining loss or damage, being subject to disability or sickness, and ultimately submitting to death. It comes in all shapes. Daily nuisances frustrate us. Repeated failures discourage us. Bills we cannot pay pressure us. A disintegrating relationship racks us. Depression defeats us. Violence wounds us or harms a loved one. Illness ravages us or overtakes a family member. Suffering afflicts everybody. Jesus not only promised suffering; he also made bearing personal crosses a daily requirement for all of his followers (see Luke 9:23, NIV). Making the sign of the cross proclaims our yes to this condition of discipleship. When we sign ourselves we are taking up our cross and accepting whatever suffering comes our way. With that ancient gesture we are saying that we welcome suffering on God's terms. And we are subordinating our will—that would rather not endure pain—to God, just as Jesus subordinated his will to his Father when he gave himself to the cross. So tracing Christ's cross over our body has serious consequences. Safety in the Shadow of His Wings Christians attempt to comfort sufferers by touting the benefits of suffering. “Suffering builds character,” we say. “I don't want character,” says the sufferer. “I want relief.” Then come the inevitable questions: “Why does God let bad things happen?” and “Where is God when it hurts?” The care that parents give their children suggests answers to both questions. For example, suppose a seven-year-old girl is taking her first ride on a bicycle. Her father, running alongside her, sees that she is about to hit a rough spot on the road but restrains his impulse to reach out and steady the bike. The dad wants his little girl to learn how to ride with confidence, so he does not prevent her fall. When the bike bounces off the bump, the girl panics, tumbles to the pavement, and scrapes her elbow and knee. The dad scoops her up into his arms and comforts her. Then he carries her into the house, cleans and dresses her scratches, holds her on his lap, and tells her a favorite story. God is like that dad. He lets us navigate our way, but he stays alongside us. He does not prevent bad things from happening because he wants us to learn to deal confidently with hardship. But when we suffer, God scoops us up and stays with us. He shares our pain, sustains us, and consoles us. That's the message of the cross, and signing ourselves opens us to hearing it. God's only Son became a man in Christ. In his human nature, God himself suffered rejection, humiliation, ridicule, abandonment, buffetings, scourging, crucifixion, and death. He embraced suffering as a man so that he could comfort us in our suffering. When we make the sign of the cross we invite the Lord to join us in our suffering. We touch our forehead and move down to our breast, telling the Lord with this gesture that we want him to bend down to us. Then we cross our shoulders in a movement that asks him to support us—to shoulder us—in our suffering. In many psalms, David sings of taking refuge beneath the Lord's wings, which the Church Fathers understood as a prophecy of our finding safety in the shadow of his crucified arms (see Psalms 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7). The Lord's outstretched arms pledge that he understands our suffering and shares it with us. Just as the psalms anticipate the grace of Christ's crucifixion, the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy provided another foreshadowing of the cross as a place of refuge. It reported Moses' farewell address, in which he seemed to describe the silhouette of the cross in the far distance. He assured Israel that the arms of the Lord would uphold them through all their troubles: “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27, RSV). Today we see the cross clearly as a sign of God's mercy and consolation. I take advantage of the grace and support the Lord offers me with his outstretched arms. When trouble strikes, I sign myself often, saying, “Lord, scoop me up in your everlasting arms, carry me through this trial, and comfort me.” Strengthened by his response to that simple gesture and prayer, I find the hardship endurable. from The Sign of the Cross: Recovering the Power of the Ancient Prayer by Bert Ghezzi