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From the Pastor's Desk (9/7/25)
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From the Pastor's Desk
9/7/25
Cultivating Discipleship in Our Parish Community
Even though we call members of a Catholic parish, parishioners, we are, in fact, called to be disciples of Jesus. What is a disciple? Disciples pray with passion. Disciples worship. Disciples love the Church and serve her with energy and joy. Disciples give lavishly. Disciples hunger to learn more about their faith. Disciples fill every formation class in a parish or diocese. Disciples manifest charisms and discern vocations. They clamor to discern God’s call because they long to live it. Disciples evangelize because they have very good news to share. Disciples share their faith with their children. Disciples care about the poor and about issues of justice. Disciples take risks for the kingdom of God. Would you like to know more about Discipleship as a Catholic? I will be leading a new cohort in the Forming Intentional Disciples Program this fall. This program is designed to help all Catholics transform parish life from within. We will be using Dr. Sherry Weddell’s book, Forming Intentional Disciples, as well as tools from the St. Catherine of Siena Institute. This cohort will meet on three Tuesday evenings from 6:30 PM to 8 PM on October 14, 21 and 28 in the Sacred Heart Hall, located on the St. Frances Cabrini Campus. There is a $10 registration fee to cover the cost of the text and supplies. To register, please call Judi Dalton in our Parish Office at 724-775-6363, EXT. 101.
Presentation of the Gifts
A reminder that we have returned the Presentation of the Gifts at each of our Sunday Masses. If you or your family has a special Mass Intention for a deceased loved one or even for a marriage anniversary at any Sunday liturgy, please consider bringing the gifts of bread and wine to the Altar. Be sure to see the ushers before Mass in order to let them know you would like to participate in the Presentation of the Gifts.
Benedictine Annual Appeal 2025
A collection in response to the St. Vincent Archabbey Benedictine Annual Appeal will be taken up at all Masses the weekend of September 20-21. The purpose of this collection is to help meet the community’s educational and health care needs.
Weddings at Mary, Queen of Saints Parish
If you are planning to get married in 2026 at MQS Parish and have specific questions or concerns related to scheduling a wedding date, please feel free to contact one of our parish priests or deacons. We would be more than happy to answer all of your questions and concerns. I also recommend directing your attention to our parish website for additional information related to weddings at our parish.
Ministry and Service to our Parish Community
One of the most beautiful and most important documents that came out of the Second Vatican Council was the “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.” It was promulgated by the Council Fathers in December 1963, and brought much-needed attention to this important fact: we, ordained and laity, are all called to be active participants in the Mass. Here is the key passage from this document: “Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people’ is their right and duty by reason of their baptism” (SC, 14).
In 2009, our late Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, at the opening of the Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome, reiterated this important call of participation by the laity, when he said: “It is necessary to improve pastoral structures in such a way that the co-responsibility of all the members of the People of God in their entirety is gradually promoted, with respect for vocations and for the respective roles of the consecrated and of lay people. This demands a change in mindset, particularly concerning lay people. The must no longer be viewed as “collaborators” of the clergy but truly recognized as “co-responsible,” for the Church’s being and action, thereby fostering the consolidation of a mature and committed laity. This in no way diminishes the responsibility of the parish priests.”
Therefore, in the coming weeks, I will be addressing the need for you, our beloved parishioners, to pray and consider participating in the liturgical life of our parish, most especially in one of the following ministries at any of our churches: Ministry of Sacristan (Weekdays and Sundays); Ministry of Lector (Daily Mass and Sunday Mass); Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (Daily Mass, Sunday Mass & Visits to the Homebound); Ministry of Altar Server (Daily Mass, Sunday Mass, Funerals and Weddings / Students and Adults / Male and Female); Ministry of Cantor (Sundays, Weddings and Funerals); Ministry of Usher (Sundays).
A further explanation of each of these important liturgical ministries will be forthcoming, along with expectations and requirements for each one. Safe Environment Clearances will also be required. As a large parish with 12,000 members, four active churches, eight Sunday liturgies, eight Weekday liturgies, numerous funerals and weddings, and other liturgical celebrations throughout the year, we are in need of greater participation from you. I hope that you will begin pray and consider joining one of these very important liturgical ministries at our parish. I, along with our entire Clergy Team, look forward to welcoming you to participate in the liturgical life of our parish community. Will you heed the call? Please stay tuned for more details in the next few weeks on this page of the bulletin.