St. Matthias Parish 

Join us for this exciting new 7-session series where we gather to share a delicious dinner, listen to a dynamic teaching, and explore answers to some of the most important questions worth asking about God and finding ultimate purpose in life. Thursday evenings, September 23th – November 4th,   6:00-8:30PM at St. Marcellus Social Hall, Jefferson, PA. Dinner and program are offered at no cost. Please register by September 20th so we can plan for food preparation and course materials. You may fill out the Registration Form online, Or call Mike Guritza at (724) 317-8699.

Lectors, Ushers and Altar Servers needed at all St. Matthias Parish Churches If you have in the past been served in any of the above positions at one of St. Matthias’s Churches and wish to continue please let us know. Also, Lector and Altar Server teaching sessions for beginners will be offered in the Fall. Please contact us with your name, phone number and email address. St. Ann & St. Marcellus contact Marci at 724-627-7568 or saintannchurch@comcast.net St. Hugh contact Christine at 724-966-7270 or sthugholcpc.@windstream.net St. Ignatius contact Jennifer at jenniferdickerson@windstream.net

Some of you reading this parish bulletin were never bap- tized; some were reared as members of other Christian de- nominations. Some were baptized Catholic, but you were never instructed in the faith. Some may have been attending Mass, at least occasionally with Catholic family members or friends. Perhaps you were once ready to inquire about be- coming Catholic but did not know how to go about it. Is the Lord urging you to learn more? The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process by which one becomes a member of our Catholic faith. The process not only teaches the Doctrine of the Church, but also explores its practices. The first step is the Period of Inquiry which will begin this Fall. This stage is a time for searching, questioning, discussing and reflecting. No decision is required during this Period. The RCIA is designed for those who have never been baptized, those who have no church to call their own, Catholics who have been baptized but have not received Confirmation or Eucharist, whose who would like to come into full communion with the church, Catholics who have strayed from their faith but would now like to be reconnected. To indicate your interest, please contact one of the St. Matthias parish offices: St. Ann, Waynesburg: 724-627-7568 St. Hugh, Carmichaels: 724-966-7270 Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a series of basic instruction in the Catholic faith Class times and dates will be announced later and adjusted to accommodate participants schedules. These classes are also offered as “spiritual enrichment courses” for our Catholic parishioners.

The AUGUST 18TH MASS at 6:30 pm, will be held at the home of Sarah Karg of Aleppo. There will be an evening of socializing and eating following Mass. If you plan on coming bring something to be shared by all present. The parish provides meat and buns. Please RSVP to Marci at 724-627-7568 or Sarah at sarahkarg@windstream.net. Still Available - Wednesday, September 15th at 6:30 pm. To host a Mass, contact Marci at (724-627-7568). We are looking for hosts at various areas of the parish and look forward to these opportunities to celebrate, both spiritually and socially, together.

Fr. Rick Thomspon will be retiring to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Camp and serving as their camp caretaker. Fr. Rick was ordained to the priesthood in 1996 and has had many assignments including: St. Ann (Waynesburg). For six years he was the director of the Newman Club at Waynesburg University and chaplain to Waynesburg Hospital and Greene County Jail. He has a Golden Retriever named “Honey.”