THE SECOND COLLECTION THIS WEEKEND IS FOR THE CARE & EDUCATION OF PRIESTS
CATHOLIC HOME MISSION APPEAL
Thank you for your support of the Catholic Home Missions Appeal! Because of your generosity, the Appeal will
be able to provide funding for evangelization, religious education, youth ministry, and other essential services in
poor dioceses. You have made a difference for the Church in the United States by strengthening the Church
at home. To learn more about how your money is making a difference through Catholic Home Missions, please
visit www.usccb.org/nationalcollections. Total collections in our parishes were: St. Joseph—$ 141.50; St.
Francis—$149.00; and St. Thomas—$213.00.
PARISH MASS SCHEDULE DURING AND FOLLOWING CHURCH CLOSINGS
The schedule of Masses will be the normal schedule until June 19th and 20th. On Saturday, June 19th Mass will
be at St. Thomas Church at 4:00PM. This is the Closing Mass for St. Thomas Church. On Sunday, June 20th
Masses will be at 8:00AM at St. Francis Church and 10:30AM at St. Augustine Church. On the next weekend,
June 26th and 27th, Mass will be at 4:00PM, Saturday, June 26th at St. Joseph Church and Sunday, June 27th
at St. Francis at 8:00AM (symbolic Closing Mass for St. Francis) and St. Augustine at 10:30AM. The next
weekend, July 3rd and 4th, Mass will be at 4:00PM, Saturday, July 3rd at St. Francis Church (“New Name”
Mass) and Sunday, July 4th, at 8:00AM at St. Francis and 10:30AM at St. Augustine. The new Mass Schedule
will continue from July 3rd and 4th forward.
Saturday—4:00PM—St. Francis Church—Friendsville
Sunday—8:00AM—St. Francis Church—Friendsville
Sunday—10:30AM—St. Augustine Church—Silver Lake
ADDITIONAL MASSES SCHEDULED FOR ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH IN MAY AND JUNE
Fr. Alfred Bebel will be saying (3) Saturday afternoon Masses for us at St. Augustine Church. Masses will be at
5:00PM on Saturdays, May 22nd, May 29th and June 19th. Confessions will be held at 4:15PM.
PARISH LOTTERY CALENDARS
THERE ARE A FEW LOTTERY CALENDARS LEFT. IF YOU STILL NEED A CALENDAR, PLEASE CALL
THE RECTORY. Calendars are $ 20.00 each. They run thru December 31st, 2010. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
FUND RAISER FOR OUR PARISHES, PLEASE HELP US TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS AGAIN THIS
YEAR. PLEASE HELP US TO GET AS MANY SOLD AS POSSIBLE!!! SO FAR ONLY 682 RETURNS ARE
IN. PLEASE GET YOURS IN A.S.A.P.!!! We will pay out on winners even if they are sold after April 1st.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION STUDENTS
First Communion is being held this Saturday at St. Joseph and Sunday at St. Francis Xavier. First Communion
will be held on Sunday, May 9th for the St. Thomas group. From St. Joseph/St. Augustine/St. Francis CCD
Program: Skylar Britt, Margaret Tatiana Fitzsimmons, Marina Grace Fitzsimmons, Amya Garriott, Damian
Garriott, Katherine Gatto, Chalice Guyette, Marissa Redding, Mara Redding, Brayden Tims and Laneya
Trecoske. From St. Thomas CCD Program: Sophie Fahringer, William Freyvogel, Alia Rose Joyce, Emma
Milligan, Hallie Milligan, Kevin Nelson, Thomas Nelson, Chase Purtell and Daniel Williams.
ALTAR & ROSARY COMBINED BANQUET
The Altar & Rosary Combined Spring Banquet will be held on Tuesday, May 11th at 6:30PM at Tall Pines in
Friendsville. Mass will be held at 6:00PM at St. Francis Church. Cost will be $15.00 for either Roast Beef or
Chicken & Biscuits. You must choose one or the other when you sign up. The remainder of the menu is real
mashed potatoes and gravy and a side salad. Dessert will be Ice Cream with strawberry or chocolate topping.
Coffee, tea, and iced tea are also included. Sign up sheets are posted in the back of all our Churches. THIS IS
THE FINAL WEEKEND TO SIGN UP.
ST. JOSEPH/ST. AUGUSTINE ALTAR & ROSARY SOCIETY MEETING
The ladies of St. Joseph/St. Augustine Altar & Rosary Society will meet on Wednesday, May 5th at 7:00PM in
Neumann Hall. All ladies are welcome to attend.
LAST DAY OF CCD CLASSES FOR KIDS IN CCD AT NEUMANN HALL
The last CCD Class at Neumann Hall is THIS Sunday, May 2nd. The children will recite the Rosary as a group
and then we will have refreshments and social time. Parents are welcome to participate. Families are asked to
bring either a simple food item such as cookies or muffins or a bottle of juice to share.
ANNUAL PICNIC AT NEUMANN CENTER
YES, we will be continuing our annual picnics. This year the chicken barbeque will be held on Sunday, August
1st. We will need the help of everyone to make this a fundraiser for our entire parish. Picnic chairpersons are
Joe & Mary Homan, Co-chairperson is Julie Perlick for games and booths and Co-chairpersons are John and
Jacquie Meehan for food services. Please say yes when we call and come to our next meeting on Wednesday,
May 19th at 7:00PM at Neumann Center.

MINISTRY SCHEDULE FOR NEXT WEEKEND
St. Joseph - May 8: Lector - Thomas O’Reilly; Ministers - Ann Hawley & Susanne Wolf; Server - Julie Perlick
St. Francis - May 9: Lector - Mary Beth Manns; Ministers - Mary Tims & Suzanne Wolf; Servers -
Bridgette, Patrick & Marty Conboy; Rosary - Bob Curley
St. Thomas - May 9: Lector - Steve Czarnecki; Ministers - Mary Shaughnessy & Michael Warner;
Servers - Nick Freyvogel, Patrick Joyce & Emma Milligan; Rosary - Peg Reed
SANCTUARY LIGHT DONATIONS
REMEMBER TO KEEP THE LIGHT OF THE LORD ALIVE
An Adoration Vigil Candle at St. Joseph burns for a Special Intention.
The Sanctuary Light at St. Thomas Church burns for a Special Intention requested
by Joe Purr.
The Sanctuary Light at St. Francis burns for the return to health of Paul Moran, Sr. requested by Kay Keenan.
CHURCH CLEANING—MAY
St. Augustine cleaners are Barbara & Bill Pichette, Carrie Pichette and Kim Purdy.
St. Joseph cleaners are Bette Brown and Sue McNamara.
St. Thomas cleaner for the week of May 2 thru 8 is Kate Sedlak.
PRAYER LIST
Please pray for the sick of our Parish and Community, especially Katelyn Andre, Michael
Haefner, Bill Jones, Jr., Bernie Popso, David Zevan, Paul F. Moran, Sr., Rita Powers,
Debbie Jones, John Spila, Julia Zangara, Kyle Stoddard, Peggy Ann Reardon, Walter &
Mary Lou Gregg, Sophie Padula, Madigan Gow, John Flynn, Christine Rothwell, Leon
Vanderfeltz, Donald Baum, Marion Neville, Dorothy Stevens, Donnie Butler, Irene Lopez,
Adam Burton, Sean Shumaker, John Hepperley, Bob Piefer, Nancy Jellick, Tommy
Williams, Stephen & Mary Ann Ambrose, Mary Coyle, Toni Colardino, Ronald Kemmerer,
Linda Hollenback, Mary Bakay, Patricia O’Neil, Ruth & Ed Colwell, John J. Glenn, Mary
Riley, Jennifer Lynn, Rosemary Stewart, Emily Donovan, Tom Wenman, Tyler Fletcher,
Evelyn Palulis, Sylvia Rasili, Bob Coleman, Peggy Bistochi, Barb Bogart, Sandy Mundy,
Jim McWilliams, Jerry & Theresa Lynch, Theresa Baum, Hank & Pat Dube, Sandra
Prebula, Avery Toole, Bob Murphy, Betty McFadden, Joshua Welch, Richard Hutchinson,
Jack Williams, John Carr, Lois Bomboy, Roma Laboda, Ann Maynard, Mike Bustin, Betty Pencek,
Richard Brown, Megan Cook, Ed Armstrong, Ben Hawley, Linda Williams, Samantha Sheridan, Jean
Ryan, Leo Curley, Ron White and Mary Louise Keenan. May they all regain full health. Please pray for
the needs in our Parish Intention Books. Our Lady of Good Health, pray for us. Amen.
ARMED FORCES LIST
Please pray for those in our Armed Forces, especially those from our Parishes, Cortney
Allen, Joe Jones, Rhyan Kleiner, Christopher Reichlen, Patrick Allen, Jeffrey Evans and
Shane Kalpokas. We also pray for those from our Community, especially Joshua Arey,
Ryan Gormley, Mike Griffith, Daniel Hogan, Daniel Kelly, Matthew Kramer, Roger Raub,
Dustin Ryder, Dennis Tewksbury, Ricky Trowbridge, Jennifer Buttacavoli, Bobby
Brostoski, Ryan Neville, Anthony Flynn, Michael & Brenda Goodenow, Adam Nelson, A.
Jay Tewksbury, Phil Dearborn, Jason Raymond, Andrew Muscarelle, Adam Barziloski,
Reed Shave, John Matousek, David Teetsel, Lisa Phillips, Carrie Krouse, Ryan Newberry, Wayne M.
Bennett, Lukas Crisman, Duane Thomas, Joseph Elliott, Michael & Sean Plitt, Paul Lewandowski, Mark
W. Gregg, Bradley J. Bryant and all who serve with them. May they all be protected and safe from harm
and return home soon to their families and friends. Amen.
ADORATION HOURS OPEN!
GOD richly blesses you and your family when you take time out of your busy
schedule for HIM. AVAILABLE ADORATION HOURS ARE: Monday—12 Noon to
1PM; 8-9PM; 9-10PM; Tuesday—6-7PM; Wednesday—11PM-12 Midnight;
Thursday—2-3PM; 3-4PM; 6-7PM; Friday— 1-2PM; 2-3PM; 11PM to 12 Midnight and
Saturday—5-6AM. Could you spend (1) hour with ME? If you can help at these
times or if you would like to be a substitute, please call Rosalynd Perlick at 663-2212
or Margaret Flaherty at 553-2532.

POST OFFICE FOOD DRIVE
The United States Postal Service is holding a FOOD DRIVE NEXT SATURDAY, MAY 8TH. All food collected in
the Brackney and Friendsville Post Offices will go to “THE FOOD PANTRY,” which is affiliated with St. Joseph/
St. Augustine Parish. All donations will be welcomed! NO GLASS please. Donations can be left on or by your
mailbox for the carriers to pick up. (Donations collected in the Little Meadows Post Office will go to Our Lady of
Solitude Cloister and Retreat in Jackson Valley/Warren Center for their food pantry.)
MOTHER’S DAY MASS NOVENA
Mother’s Day Spiritual Bouquet Cards and envelopes are available in the back of the Churches. A Novena of
Masses will be offered beginning May 9th for Mothers’ living and deceased. Your intentions will be placed on the
Altar. For deceased Mothers’, please use only the Intention Envelope.
MOTHER’S DAY NEWSPAPER ADS
Thank you to all those who donated a dollar to have their names listed in the Mother’s Day Newspaper ad. We
were able to send in a total of $190.00 from our three parishes. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and helps
support Pro-Life efforts in Susquehanna County.
THANK YOU FROM THE GOLDEN FAMILY
Thank you to all those from our entire Parish Community for their food donations for the dinner following Jim’s
Funeral Mass. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
IRISH FESTIVAL AD BOOK COMMITTEE MEETING
The Festival Ad Book Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 5th at 6:00PM in St. Francis Hall. No further
meetings will be held after the initial meeting, as attendance is poor. When members have ads to turn in, please
call and stop by the rectory with your returns. Deadline for ads is June 23rd.
CHURCH SOFTBALL
May 1st will be the first game for our Church Softball Team! We need men, women and kids
over the age of 12 to join the team. We also need two umpires for every home game. People to
keep score are also welcome. This is a “modified” league, meaning that we need two players
who are any combination of kids under the age of 16, women or people over the age of 65 for
every game. The team is open to all of our parishioners from all 3 parishes. Games are held on
Saturday at 6:30PM. Practice is held on Thursday at 6:00PM unless there is a better time
decided upon by the players. Our home field this year will be LeRaysville. Please call Sean
Kelly at 744-2010 to sign up and check on practice days, times and places!!!!
VALERIE (HOLMES) SHOOK MEMORIAL WALK
Join the Valerie (Holmes) Shook Memorial Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes on Saturday, May 8th at 10AM, a 3.5
mile walk on the Endless Mountains Riding Trail beginning at the Pump ‘n’ Pantry in Montrose. If you’d like to
help but can’t participate, Mary Beth Manns will welcome your donations and walk in your place. Donations may
be left in the collection basket or see Mary Beth after Mass.
DAY OF DISCERNMENT
A Day of Discernment with the Capuchin Sisters will be held on Saturday, May 29th from 2 to 5PM
at the Capuchin Convent, 215 Wellwood Drive, Tunkhannock, Pa. This is for young women
grades 6-12. Please dress for a hike and bring your Bible, Rosary, a snack and a friend. Please
call Sr. Veronica if you are interested in attending (836-2737).
MARY LAURA DONOVAN MARRON SCHOLARSHIP
Applications are available through the Catholic Schools of Broome County, PO Box 90, Binghamton, NY, 13905
or call 1-607-723-1547. This scholarship was established in 1987 in memory of Mary Laura, in order to further
her beliefs in Catholic Education. Any student who resides in a Northern Pennsylvania Parish and is enrolled in
the Catholic Schools of Broome County may apply. Deadline is May 15, 2010.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Please save the dates for Vacation Bible School! VBS will be held Monday, July 19th thru Friday, July 23rd from
6 to 8PM at St. Francis Hall, Friendsville. If you have any questions, please call Sharon Hickey at 623-2502.
ANGEL FOOD
The May Angel Food Menu is available in the back of the Churches. Deadline to order is May 11th at 5:00PM.
Orders will be available for pick-up on May 15th at the South Vestal Baptist Church.

PLANS FOR CLOSING EVENTS AT
ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE CHURCH
The committee is planning multiple events to be held over the last week
both during the day and in the evening in order to provide everyone an
opportunity to participate in whatever way they are most comfortable.
Former pastors from St. Thomas have been invited to be a part of the
week’s activities in whatever way they are able and the schedule of the
events will be determined by the responses received. The events for the
week will be: Sunday June 13th – CCD Mass; weekday Mass; Benediction;
Rosary; Hymn Sing; Stations; and the Final Mass on June 19th. The church
will be open from early morning until late at night to allow for private
visitations. The tentative plan is to be open daily from 6AM until 10PM from June 13th until the conclusion
of Mass on June 19th. The hall will be open each day after the activity with refreshments available, and
memorabilia that has been collected will be displayed. Volunteers are needed to be Lectors, Altar
Servers, Choir members, taking up gifts and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. We would like
representatives from various Parish activities to take up the gifts (ex. Altar & Rosary, Holy Name Society,
Altar servers, CCD, Cemetery Association, youth group etc.). Please see any member of the committee
or drop a note into the collection if you would be able to help in any way throughout the week.
We will be selling tickets for the dinner catered by Gance’s Restaurant after the Sunday Masses. If you
are not at a Sunday Mass, please contact a closing committee member or call Kay at the rectory. Tickets
will be sold until June 6th. Checks should be made out to St. Thomas the Apostle Church. The price is
$12.00 for adults; $ 6.00 ages 6-12 and 5 and under are free.
Monetary donations are being accepted and will be used for flowers for the Closing Mass or other closing
expenses. Memorials & honors will be listed in closing Mass booklet. Donations are needed by May 9th.
W
e are very much in need of pictures of our church, its buildings and grounds. Photos or memorabilia of
the church grounds, the old hall, former pastors, exterior and interior pictures, any construction projects
etc. These photos will be on display and/or set up as a slide show presentation at the hall and possibly in
the Mass booklet for the final Mass. If you have anything that you have not shared with the closing
committee, please do so as soon as possible.
We will be cleaning the church and hall for the closing ceremonies on Saturday, June 5th. The time will
be announced.
ST. JOSEPH CHURCH CLOSING COMMITTEE UPDATES:
~ Closing Mass will be Sunday, July 18, 2010, at 3:00PM, Rev. Gregory
Reichlen will be the celebrant. Following the closing ceremony there will be
a Buffet Dinner at St. John Neumann Hall catered by Gance’s. Cost for
adults is $ 12.00; ages 6-12—$6.00 and under 5 free. Tickets will be
available soon.
~ There are many volunteer jobs to be done, please say yes when a
committee person approaches you.
~ Please consider attending the closing ceremony and dinner. We’re all sad
and disappointed about the closing but we have to remember the wonderful
church community that we have. If we can share this closing as a community we spread the sadness over
everyone and it may lessen the load. We will also be able to celebrate the many years of happiness that
we have shared being at St. Joseph.
~ Any questions or ideas for the closing, please contact a member of the committee.
~ The committee is made up of: Margaret Flaherty, Shirley Kelly, Mary Homan, Lucy McCarthy, Sue
Reichlen, Barbara Pichette, Barbara Mahoney, Bud Mahoney and Bette Brown.

SAINTS & FEAST DAYS OF APRIL
St. Joseph the Worker ~ Feast Day ~ (March 19) May 1 ~ Patron of the Universal Church. Everything we know
about the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture and that has seemed too little for those who
made up legends about him. We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for the skeptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, "Is
this not the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55). He wasn't rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and
Mary to be purified he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not
afford a lamb (Luke 2:24). Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came from a royal lineage. Luke and Matthew
disagree some about the details of Joseph's genealogy but they both mark his descent from David, the greatest king of Israel
(Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). Indeed the angel who first tells Joseph about Jesus greets him as "son of David," a
royal title used also for Jesus. We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he discovered Mary was pregnant
after they had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God.
He planned to divorce Mary according to the law but he was concerned for her suffering and safety. He knew that women
accused to adultery could be stoned to death, so he decided to divorce her quietly and not expose her to shame or cruelty
(Matthew 1:19-25). We know Joseph was man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the
outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was carrying, Joseph
immediately and without question or concern for gossip, took Mary as his wife. When the angel came again to tell him that
his family was in danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country
with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back
(Matthew 2:13-23). We know Joseph loved Jesus. His one concern was for the safety of this child entrusted to him. Not
only did he leave his home to protect Jesus, but upon his return settled in the obscure town of Nazareth out of fear for his
life. When Jesus stayed in the Temple we are told Joseph (along with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for
him (Luke 2:48). We also know that Joseph treated Jesus as his own son for over and over the people of Nazareth say of
Jesus, "Is this not the son of Joseph?" (Luke 4:22) We know Joseph respected God. He followed God's commands in
handling the situation with Mary and going to Jerusalem to have Jesus circumcised and Mary purified after Jesus' birth. We
are told that he took his family to Jerusalem every year for Passover, something that could not have been easy for a working
man. Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians believe Joseph
probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry. Joseph is the patron of the dying because, assuming he died before
Jesus' public life, he died with Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth. Joseph is also
patron of the universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and social justice. We celebrate two feast days for Joseph: March 19 for
Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for Joseph the Worker. There is much we wish we could know about Joseph --
where and when he was born, how he spent his days, when and how he died. But Scripture has left us with the most
important knowledge: who he was -- "a righteous man”, (Matthew 1:18).
St. Philip ~ Feast Day ~ May 3. Philip was born in Bethsaida, Galilee. He may have been a disciple of John the Baptist
and is mentioned as one of the Apostles in the lists of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and in Acts. Aside from the lists, he is
mentioned only in John in the New Testament. He was called by Jesus Himself and brought Nathanael to Christ. Philip was
present at the miracle of the loaves and fishes, when he engaged in a brief dialogue with the Lord, and was the Apostle
approached by the Hellenistic Jews from Bethsaida to introduce them to Jesus. Just before the Passion, Jesus answered
Philip's query to show them the Father, but no further mention of Philip is made in the New Testament beyond his listing
among the Apostles awaiting the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room. According to tradition he preached in Greece and was
crucified upside down at Hierapolis under Emperor Domitian.
St. James the Lesser ~ Feast Day ~ May 3. James the author of the first Catholic Epistle, was the son of Alphaeus of
Cleophas. His mother Mary was either a sister or a close relative of the Blessed Virgin, and for that reason, according to
Jewish custom, he was sometimes called the brother of the Lord. The Apostle held a distinguished position in the early
Christian community of Jerusalem. St. Paul tells us he was a witness of the Resurrection of Christ; he is also a "pillar" of
the Church, whom St. Paul consulted about the Gospel. According to tradition, he was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and
was at the Council of Jerusalem about the year 50. The historians Eusebius and Hegesippus relayed that St. James was
martyred for the Faith by the Jews in the Spring of the year 62, although they greatly esteemed his person and had given
him the surname of "James the Just." Tradition has always recognized him as the author of the Epistle that bears his name.
Internal evidence based on the language, style, and teaching of the Epistle reveals its author as a Jew familiar with the Old
Testament, and a Christian thoroughly grounded in the teachings of the Gospel. External evidence from the early Fathers
and Councils of the Church confirmed its authenticity and canonicity. The date of its writing cannot be determined exactly.
According to some scholars it was written about the year 49 A.D. Others, however, claim it was written after St. Paul's
Epistle to the Romans composed during the winter of 57-58 A.D.). It was probably written between the years 60 and 62 A.
D. St. James addresses himself to the "twelve tribes that are in the Dispersion," that is, to Christians outside Palestine; but
nothing in the Epistle indicates that he is thinking only of Jewish Christians. St. James realizes full well the temptations and
difficulties they encounter in the midst of paganism, and as a spiritual father, he endeavors to guide and direct them in the
faith. Therefore, the burden of his discourse is an exhortation to practical Christian living.