February 22, 2022

The next Information Bulletin is Monday, February 28, 2022.
Deadline for submissions is Thursday, February 24, 2022, at 4:30 p.m.

The Diocese of Erie Information Bulletin advertises and promotes activities and events sponsored by diocesan entities such as parishes, schools, religious communities and groups. The IB is unable to advertise or promote activities or events not sponsored by such entities. Submissions may run a maximum of two editions. The administrative offices of the diocese reserve the right to edit submissions.

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Lenten practices 2022
Please find attached the 2022 notice of Lenten practices for the Diocese of Erie.

2023 special collection schedule for the Diocese of Erie
The 2023 special collection schedule is attached. Please use this schedule when ordering collection envelopes for your parish(es). Feel free to contact the Chancery at 814-824-1130 with any questions.

2022 Catholic Services Appeal update
The Catholic Services Appeal is the annual fundraising campaign of the Diocese of Erie, supporting the day-to-day work of the Catholic Church in northwest Pennsylvania. As parishes prepare for Commitment Sunday, here are some helpful hints for a successful CSA campaign:

Promote the CSA in your bulletins, on your parish website and from the pulpit.
Share your parish project and inspire people to give.
In addition to showing the CSA video at Mass, add it as a link on your parish website. It can be accessed at https://www.eriercd.org/Catholic-Services-Appeal-CSA-Materials.html.
Three Facebook posts have been created for use by parishes to promote the Catholic Services Appeal campaign. The posts and suggested text are available along with other resources at https://www.eriercd.org/Catholic-Services-Appeal-CSA-Materials.html.
Thank people who give.

All CSA materials are available at https://www.eriercd.org/Catholic-Services-Appeal-CSA-Materials.html. If you need additional materials, contact the Catholic Foundation at 814-824-1253 or jcooney@cfnwpa.org.

Catholic Foundation Faith Formation Grant opportunity
Are you involved in planning or implementing a faith formation project for your parish? Are you planning a parish mission or faith formation special event in the fall? Have you realized a need in the past year for increased online or digital resources for faith formation? Consider applying for a Faith Formation Grant from the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Pennsylvania. See the attached guidelines.

Catholic parishes and departments of the Diocese of Erie can apply for grants for parish and/or diocesan based faith formation projects that focus on the following:

Projects that promote life-long faith formation activities
Projects that welcome absentee and/or non-Catholics into the church
Projects that promote faith formation through technology
Projects that provide spiritual support to families, singles, youth and young adults.

Knights and Ladies to be inducted; St. Patrick Irish dinner planned
The Knights and Ladies of St. Patrick in the Diocese of Erie are excited to honor their new members: Marybeth Abbott, Laura Chandley, Kathy Dahlkemper, Joe Greulich, Mary Solberg and Patricia Causgrove Wheeler. The induction will take place March 5, following the 5 p.m. Mass at St. Patrick Church, Erie.

After the Mass and induction, the annual St. Patrick Irish Dinner will be held in the Yehl Ballroom, located in the Waldron Center of Gannon University (W. 7^th and Peach streets). The public is welcome to attend the dinner, which includes traditional Irish foods, beverages, entertainment and fun. The cost is $25. Reserve seats by calling Colleen Welch at 814-455-8571. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.; dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Gather your friends and family for an Irish night out!

Pastors: Ministry Platform videos are available
Over the next few months, parishes will replace their old Church Office parish management software with Ministry Platform. Ministry Platform provides the most powerful and flexible church management system for membership, group involvement, contributions, event management, check-in, and public website integration — including online giving and online event registration. Ministry Platform offers a series of short videos to introduce pastors to some of its key features. Knowing what communication and reporting tools are available may be helpful as you plan projects and events. Watch a video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-dMyrnwSp4 to see a demonstration of messaging tools available to Ministry Platform parishes. (For parishes, Ministry Platform will replace MailChimp, Constant Contact and Flocknote.) A full demo of the Ministry Platform product can be found at https://youtu.be/CglWPJsxBCw.

Avoid and report Microsoft technical support scams
Neither Microsoft nor Apple will proactively reach out to you to provide unsolicited PC or technical support. If you receive a phone call that claims to be from Microsoft or Apple, or if you see a pop-up window on your PC with a fake warning message and a phone number to call to get your “issue” fixed, it’s better to be safe and not click any links or provide any personal information. Never call the number provided in ANY error message. Real Microsoft/Apple error messages never include a phone number to call. If you feel like you’ve been the target of a technical support scam, report it at https://www.microsoft.com/reportascam.

Upcoming changes to email support
This is an alert to clergy, all staff at St. Mark Catholic Center, and any parish for which the diocese hosts email. If you use the Outlook app on your Android mobile device to read email, please be advised that beginning May 23, 2022, Outlook for Android will no longer support Android 7.1 or below. Users will need to upgrade their Android operating system to Android 8.0

Job openings in the diocese
See the classified section below for the latest position openings. Here’s a quick link to diocesan, school and parish jobs: https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html. For Erie Catholic School System jobs only, go to http://ErieCatholic.org/careers.

Attachments

2023 special collection schedule
Faith Formation Grant guidelines
Why get married in the Catholic Church?
Lenten speaker series
Lenten practices 2022

Parish Bulletin Announcements

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2023 special collection schedule
Faith Formation Grant guidelines
Why get married in the Catholic Church?
Lenten speaker series
Lenten practices 2022

Take Back the Site vigil planned this week
The Benedictine Sisters of Erie, the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Sisters of Mercy are holding a Take Back the Site prayer vigil Feb. 24 at 5:15 p.m., at the site of the recent murder of Shannon Dante Crosby Sr. Masks are required at this vigil, which will be held at 3904 McClelland Ave., Erie. Vigils are held to reclaim, with prayer, a location where violence has occurred.

Parish mission: Why get married in the Catholic Church?
Join Father Johnathan Schmolt, Deacon Nick and Lisa Cirell, and George and Cassie Best for a parish mission at St. Michael the Archangel Parish, 807 Chestnut St., Emlenton, as they explore the graces and benefits of the sacrament of matrimony. Mission talks will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Sunday through Tuesday, Feb. 27 to March 1. For those who are unable to attend in person, all talks will be streamed on the Facebook page of St. Michael the Archangel Parish. For convenience, the mission flier is attached.

Blessed Sacrament Parish to host Lenten dinners
Blessed Sacrament Parish, 1626 W. 26^th St., Erie, will host Lenten fish dinners on March 4, March 18 and April 1, serving from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The dinners will be served in the parish cafeteria. The cost for adults is $16 (fish dinner), $12 (cheese ravioli dinner), or $10 (macaroni and cheese dinner). For children under age 12, the cost is $8 (fish dinner), $6 (cheese ravioli dinner), and $5 (macaroni and cheese dinner). Take-outs are available at the cafeteria’s take-out window. Also, curbside pickup is available through online ordering only. For information and tickets, go to https://kofc278.square.site/fish-dinner.

Lenten speaker series planned at St. Jude
St. Jude the Apostle Parish, 2801 W. 6^th St., Erie, will host a Lenten speaker series March 10, March 24 and April 7, from 7 to 8 p.m. each day. The evenings will feature a Eucharist presentation and evening prayer. Please see the attached flier that provides complete details.

Paulist priest to give Lenten parish mission
Paulist Father James DiLuzio will present a Lenten mission at Our Lady of Mercy Parish, 837 Bartlett Road, Harborcreek, March 13-15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. each day. There also will be one-hour morning sessions that week (Monday through Wednesday) after the 8:30 a.m. Mass. Father DiLuzio will give a dramatic proclamation of the Gospel of Luke, called “Luke Live,” with preaching and sacred and secular songs as meditations. He will share his insights from more than 15 years of proclaiming Luke’s Gospel throughout the United States. For questions, call the parish office at 814-899-5342.

Pancake breakfast planned
The Knights of Columbus at St. Jude the Apostle Parish, Erie, are hosting a pancake breakfast March 20 from 8 a.m. to noon at the St. Jude Parish Center, 606 Lowell Ave. The cost is $5 for adults, $3 for kids, and $20 for families.

Full-time parish coordinator needed in Clarion
Immaculate Conception Parish in Clarion is seeking a full-time parish coordinator. Occasional evening and weekend work may be necessary. High school graduate with two years’ experience in an office setting preferred. Position requires excellent writing, communication and interpersonal skills, as well as proficiency with Microsoft Office software, The applicant must be Catholic, have all necessary clearances to work in a parish environment, and provide proof of COVID vaccination. If not a member of Immaculate Conception Parish, the candidate selected will be required to register as a parishioner. Competitive pay and benefits available. Interested applicants should mail cover letter and resume to: Very Rev. B. LaMounte Sayers, V.F., Pastor, Immaculate Conception Parish, 720 Liberty St., Clarion, PA 16214. Go to www.eriercd.org/employment.html for complete details.

Mercyhurst Prep seeks director of finance
Mercyhurst Preparatory School in Erie is seeking candidates for its director of finance position. The director of finance is responsible for preparing the annual budget, managing accounts receivable/payable, analyzing financial information, and ensuring that overall school operations are within budget. The candidate will prepare, coordinate and assist with financial aid and scholarships awards, conduct internal audits, and prepare financial statements to demonstrate compliance to auditors. The candidate will oversee payroll functions, administer employee benefits program, including worker’s compensation, unemployment compensation, and liability insurance. The ideal candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minimum of three years of job-related experience. Please email resume and a letter of interest to hr3@mpslakers.com by Feb. 25.

Director of liturgy and music needed
Immaculate Conception Parish in Clarion is seeking a full-time director of liturgy and music. The director forms the assembly, cantors, choir and students in multiple music styles and prayerful worship. Available instruments include a Yamaha baby grand piano and Protégé by Allen Organ. A complete job description and other details are available at www.icclarion.org or www.eriercd.org/employment.html. The successful candidate must be able to secure all necessary clearances. Competitive compensation package. Interested candidates should e-mail a resume and letter of interest to KimKroh@comcast.net.

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