Join us for a Night of Hope to come together as Church, to be encouraged, and to pray with one voice to Christ our Light. Take hope in the fact that Christ is with us through this moment all the way into eternity.

This virtual Steubenville Youth Conference on July 17-18 engages not only high-schoolers but their families, too! Click here to register (& there is a fee).

Join the Shrines of Pittsburgh for a walking or biking pilgrimage to historic churches in the city of Pittsburgh! On Sunday, July 12th we will gather at 10:15 AM, after the 9 AM mass at Most Holy Name / St. Anthony's Chapel (map). Departure will be in groups (depending on the size of attendance) between 10:15 and 10:30, and groups will stay together throughout the pilgrimage. All are welcome to join - parishioners and non-parishioners of the Shrines, Catholics, Christians, other beliefs - anyone seeking to prayerfully explore Pittsburgh and its historic churches by walking or biking! There will be brief times at each church for prayer, guided by a pilgrimage prayer booklet with readings and prayers relevant to the saints of each church. There will also be water available at each walking pilgrimage stop (if you can help donate bottled water please email epintar@diopitt.org). Both walkers and bikers will meet at Immaculate Heart between 12 - 1 PM for lunch. Please register by July 6th so we can know how many to expect for lunch. Late registrations, or day-of attendees, will be accepted but may have to bring their own lunch.

There will be a planning meeting for the 2020 / 2021 school year for parents currently homeschooling as well as parents exploring homeschooling. Events, activities, and potential service projects will be discussed. Meeting Place: Morgantown, WV, on July 13th at 7:00 pm. Interested? —RSVP to catholichomeschool.morgantown@gmail.com or 304-692-3509. Follow us on Facebook: Catholic Homeschoolers of NCWV.

Knights of Columbus Scholarship - St. Ann Council #12703 - Waynesburg, PA The Knights of Columbus have a goal of supporting upstanding members of our Catholic parish. The purpose of this scholarship is to help fulfill this goal. The scholarship application deadline has been extended to August 1, 2020. Our goal is to award three (3) $1,000.00 scholarships. • Checks will be paid upon proof of acceptance to a school of continuing education. The scholarship (which is a one time grant) will be made payable to the individual AND the school of choice. The money can be used for any expenses associated with further education. The Knights of Columbus expect the course of study to be completed with passing grades. Scholarships will be awarded at the discretion of the Knights of Columbus Council #12703 scholarship committee. Applicants awarded scholarships will be notified. • Scholarship Applicant Eligibility, Selection Criteria and Application Guidelines may be found on this link. Please turn in your application to the St. Ann Church Office.

The Meals on Wheels program delivers hot, well-balanced meals to homebound seniors. The Carmichaels area is in immediate need of drivers. Volunteers needed for 2 hours, one day a week. Choose your route: Carmichaels, Crucible or Nemacolin. To volunteer call 724-966-2290 to help a neighbor in need.

Barry Nelson has been making birdhouses during the entire Corona quarantine. He spends about 3-4 hours making each birdhouse and each one is different. Some are designed to hang and some are designed to be mounted on a post. They are made from the church pews from Our Lady of Consolation Church in Nemocolin as they were trimmed to fit into St. Ann Church. He has about 15 ready. For a donation of $30 or more to the Knights of Columbus #12703 , anyone may purchase one of these birdhouses. Checks or cash accepted. Checks should be made out to Knights of Columbus #12703 (tax deductible). Please give us a call at 724-852-2529 to schedule a time to come to our backyard and pick out your own birdhouse.  Donations will help the Knights' baby bottle campaign in buying ultrasound machines for moms contemplating abortion - so they have the option to have an ultrasound if they choose.  The Baby Bottle campaign also contributes to the local Catholic Charities Parenting and Pregnancy program to help new moms.  Thanks from Barry and the Knights of Columbus #12703 Baby Bottle project!

A message from Father Al: We are opening the churches to a regular Sunday schedule this weekend (June 6 & 7) and we need help. We need to identify who will be at what Masses so we can organize greeters with hand sanitizer, ushers who will be seating people not taking up a collection, cleanup and sanitization crews. So, if any of you are willing to pitch in as ushers who will be required to seat people so that we can maximize capacity of the church, we would need at least 4 for each Mass. Someone needs to stand at the doors with hand sanitizer greeting people; Social distancing means one group of folks to a pew every other pew, even if that group is one (unless another single were spaced at the other end of that pew). Two to five in a pew is about all to fill up a pew. When all the seats are taken, the doors have to be closed and people are turned away. After Mass ushers will have to help let people come out of pews, one pew at a time for communion and people have to leave right after. No collection baskets will be passed, but collection baskets will be at the doors but someone should be attending them at the end of Mass as people leave. Then, we have to clean and sanitize all pews with disinfectant, and a crew can do it very simply in five to ten minutes. So we need cleaners as well. Please contact Marci in the church office (724-627-7568 or saintannchurchcomcast.net) to put your name on the helper list. Please mention what you'd like to help with and what Mass you will attend. Thank you!

To provide greater spiritual support to adults during COVID restrictions, Alpha Catholic will be available online at the end of May through the summer, diocesan-wide. Alpha provides a safe-space where those who may be unsure about Christianity can explore the “big questions” of life together. Alpha is also a powerful experience for those already engaged in faith to rekindle their relationship with the Lord. As participants learn, they also practice the virtues of listening, caring and praying for each other. Three tracks will be available: Young Adult, Adult and Spanish. Small groups will be arranged by parish when possible so that attendees can connect with others from their faith communities. The cost is free. To Register go to: https://www.stmaryglenshaw.org/alpha

Fr. Francis Frazer ~ May 3rd ~ 45th Anniversary ~ Senior Parochial Vicar for St. Matthias Parish

You can download Strong in the Face of Tribulation here free of charge on the website of the Vatican’s publishing house, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, in PDF format in English

Due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19, families have been faced with the challenge of establishing a ‘new normal’ in their daily lives. The disruptions that families experience with the closure of schools, child care centers, workplaces, as well as many other services, can be a cause of tension and distress. Moreover, churches have suspended the public celebration of Masses and other liturgical services for the faithful. Whatever your family situation, there is an opportunity to find grace in the midst of this crisis. Families can use this time as an invitation to focus on our relationships and on building strong family bonds. Click here for a few suggestions on how to use this time well.

On Formed.org (It's Free ~ Sign Up under "Greene County"), "The Faithful Traveler in the United States: East Coast Shrines" ~ Our first series explores some of the Catholic shrines and places of pilgrimage in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey. The series consists of 13 half-hour episodes, each exploring one or more sites on the East Coast.

O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick. At the foot of the Cross you participated in Jesus’ pain, with steadfast faith. You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need. We are certain that you will provide, so that, as you did at Cana of Galilee, joy and feasting might return after this moment of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the Father’s will and to do what Jesus tells us: He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us, through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurection. Amen

THE OTHER SIDE OF CORONA: A PASTORAL LETTER TO THE CHURCH OF PITTSBURGH by BISHOP DAVID A. ZUBIK on MARCH 20, 2020

The Guatemala Mission of St. Matthias will be offering Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Roasts for sale in support of the Children of Patzun Guatemala. Roasts average in weight between 3 and 4 pounds and cost $7.99 per pound. Distribution will be on Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020 at St. Ann and St. Hugh between 9:00 and 10:00 am. Email your order to: missionlambsales@gmail.com. Please specify: Your name, phone number, number of roasts requested, the church you will be picking up your order (St. Ann or St. Hugh). Once your order has been received, it will be verified with an acknowledged email. Orders must be received no later than March 29, 2020. Thank you for your continuing support and prayers for the Children of Patzun.

WATCH MOVIES on Formed.org for FREE! Registering for FORMED is easier than ever: Go to formed.org/signup Select your parish (type "Greene County" to find our parish) Register with your name and email address Check that email account for a link to begin using FORMED ~ You're all set to enjoy the inspiring content on FORMED for all ages!

Most Merciful and Triune God, We come to You in our weakness. We come to You in our fear. We come to You with trust. For You alone are our hope. We place before You the disease present in our world. We turn to You in our time of need. Bring wisdom to doctors. Give understanding to scientists. Endow caregivers with compassion and generosity. Bring healing to those who are ill. Protect those who are most at risk. Give comfort to those who have lost a loved one. Welcome those who have died into Your Eternal Home. Stabilize our communities. Unite us in our compassion. Remove all fear from our hearts. Fill us with confidence in Your care. Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.

This year during our first Lent as the new parish of St. Matthias, we hope to provide opportunities to pray together and grow as a community of faith. One special event that is scheduled is a three day Parish Mission with Megan McKenna as the main speaker. She is a story-teller/theologian, and author who has given retreats all over the world. Her emphasis on being saved as a community is most important. This three-day event will begin: Friday, March 27, 7:00pm ~ St. Ann, Waynesburg Saturday, March 28, 7:00pm ~ St. Hugh, Carmichaels (after 6pm Mass) Sunday, March 29, after 11:30am Mass ~ St. Ignatius, Bobtown Sunday, March 29, 7:00pm ~ St. Marcellus, Jefferson **Refreshments will be served in the Social Hall following each talk. Please pray for the unity of the Parish as we move forward.