Category Archives: Uncategorized

Catholic education always has been at the heart of the Church’s mission.

THE VALUE OF A CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Uncategorized

Why would a single mother of eight who’s struggling to pay the bills give up everything so that her children could attend their parish school? Why would a father of four who’s been downsized do the same? What about a parish school teacher whose wife was laid off months ago?

No matter the hardship, they value a Catholic education, and their personal sacrifices demonstrate why tuition assistance from the Bishop’s Education Fund is critical to the future of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

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YOUR GIFT ALREADY AT WORK

Uncategorized

A pressing need of the Church is to ordain more good priests, and so gifts to Our Campaign for The Church Alive! support the education of seminarians.

Meet Father Michael Ackerman, ordained less than one year, and hard at work in his priestly ministry.

Thank you – your gift is making a difference!

Mary Magdalene, the first evangelist, with the Apostles. Bishop Zubik’s wish is that waiving annulment fees will help bring Catholics back to the Church.

ANNULMENT INQUIRIES UP AFTER FEE WAIVER

Uncategorized

The number of Catholics inquiring about a marriage annulment in the Diocese of Pittsburgh more than tripled from the previous month following Bishop David Zubik’s announcement that all fees will be waived.

The diocesan tribunal received 138 annulment petitions in April 2015, according to Father Dennis Yurochko, judicial vicar, compared to 40 inquiries in March. The tribunal received 22 requests in February and 29 in January. A year ago, in April 2014, there were 40 inquiries.

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Father Frank Almade, pastor of the Catholic Community in New Castle, was among the first priests in our diocese to be trained in Good Leaders, Good Shepherds. Photo Credit: Jim Judkis

FORMING STRONG LEADERS IN THE CHURCH ALIVE

Uncategorized

Leadership training programs are making a positive impact across the Diocese of Pittsburgh, helping young adults reach out to needy families in the South Hills and strengthening parish pastoral councils.

Our Campaign for The Church Alive! will fund the Good Leaders, Good Shepherds program for priests, a related course for laity called Tending the Talents, and additional pastoral education and training in parishes.

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Top to bottom: The former interior of Immaculate Conception church in January 2013; the way the church looks today as tradesmen completed work on the restoration. Photo credits: (2013) Jim Judkis, (2015) Tom Drewitz

A STRONG BELIEF IN THE FUTURE OF THE FAITH

Our Campaign, Uncategorized

The most extensive church restoration in the 160-year history of Immaculate Conception Parish in Washington, PA, according to a major benefactor, is designed to “take a beautiful church and make it even more beautiful.”

Led by their pastor, Father William Feeney, dedicated lay leaders have shepherded the project from wish list to blueprint to reality as part of Our Campaign for The Church Alive! Bishop David Zubik dedicated the new altar on Palm Sunday.

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Photo caption: Kateryna Bittner (left) and Kelsey Kuzniewski stand in the new Youth Room at St. Catherine of Sweden Parish. The portraits of Blessed Chiara Badano and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati were painted by parishioner Joe Saber. Credit: Sean Norris

CAMPAIGN BENEFITING YOUNG PEOPLE

Our Campaign, Uncategorized

Kateryna Bittner and Kelsey Kuzniewski looked around their new parish youth center and just smiled.

“It’s awesome,” Kelsey said. “I love it. We get to learn about our faith and just hang out together.”

“I am grateful to our parishioners and feel blessed that they made this happen,” Kateryna added.

The new Badano-Frassati Youth Room at St. Catherine of Sweden Parish in Allison Park was built through the generosity of donors to Our Campaign for The Church Alive!, part of a comprehensive renovation plan developed by parish leaders.

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Photo Credit: Jim Judkis

DREAM BIG, SAY YES, AND ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES

Our Campaign, Uncategorized

Declaring that the faithful have a great heart for God and for the Church, Bishop David Zubik announced the extraordinary response to the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s historic initiative, Our Campaign for The Church Alive!

With the goal of strengthening parishes and evangelizing, more than 44,000 donors representing about 130,000 Catholics in 200 parishes have pledged gifts to the campaign totaling $230,309,054.

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