PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL

OFFICERS:
Pat Westhoff - Chair, Karen
Pryer - Secretary, Debbie
Amershek, Dustin Ashmore,
Joe Broyles,, Debbie Shaub

Collections

St. Joseph Catholic Church

100 South 8th Street

Arma, KS 66712
(620) 347-4525
Pastor: Fr. Max Biltz

Last Week

July 2014 to date

Contributions

$1,742.00

$48,246.40

Expenses - Feb.

$12,652.67

$61,376.54

Over / (Under)

MASS SCHEDULE GIRARD

Saturday
5:30 pm
Sunday
10:00 am

ARMA
4:00 pm
8:00 am

CONFESSION
GIRARD
ARMA
Saturday
2:00-2:30 pm 3:15-3:45 pm
Weekdays before Mass, anytime by
appointment
RECTORY HOURS
Thursdays 9:00 am - Noon
Rectory: (620) 347-4525
Fr. Maxs cell: (316) 708-9473
Fr. Maxs email: thomas.becket.fan@gmail.com
STAFF Pastor: Fr. Max Biltz
Secretary: Georganne Galichia &
Gay Kranker
Bookkeeper: Janel Scales
Bulletin Editor: Nancy Bauer
PARISH WEBSITE:
www.stjosepharma.com
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION:
Thursdays from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Finance Council
Parish Council
6pm
Tuesday, March 15
TBA
Following Stations

!St. Ann Altar Society

Meeting: Wednesday,
Mar. 16 @ 6:00pm

Knights of Columbus
1st Tuesday of Month
7:00pm, St. Michael

THE RELIGION WISDOM OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS

Since the Pittsburg post office was forced BY ONE INDIVIDUAL to remove the sign on its
building proclaiming God Bless America, weve seen area residents pushing back with similar
signs, provided by Jakes Fireworks. Theyre displayed in their yards and/or businesses all over
Pittsburg and even area towns like Arma and Girard. Whoever forced that post office sign to come
down surely opened a can of worms, because political correctness backfired! Crawford County,
like most others in America, is 90% Christian and were not going to take this lying down! The
protest is silly, for most of us believe in a Creator and does it matter what that person is called,
whether it be God, Allah, Jesus, Yahweh, Mohammed, or Jehovah?
We know these dissenters base their objections on the so-called wall of separation between
church and state, based on faulty interpretations of the First Amendment to our Constitution. That
amendment NEVER mentions separation; it NEVER mentions the church; it NEVER mentions
the state; nor does it mention a wall. It simply says: Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or forbidding the free exercise thereof. In my forty years of teaching
American Government, Ive never figured out WHERE the federal courts could have come up with
this separation of church and state business and make it LOGICAL enough to endure for nearly
70 years! Its a short amendment, but it has a tortured history. The words make the intentions of
our founding fathers quite clear. Theyd just fought a War for Independence against England and
their State Church; therefore, they had no intention of allowing our Congress the authority to set
up a National Church to dominate the new nation. And so, they denied Congress the power to
create a State church. The amendment placed No Prohibitions on the States or its citizens from
being free to be as religious as they wanted to be!
The result was a miracle of history that lasted nearly 150 years. (1791-1947) The U.S. was the
only nation where religion was free to exercise by all, yet the state did not control it. But, in 1947,
came the disastrous Everson case before the Supreme Court. This nine-member body of unelected
judges broke with legal precedent and history when Justice Hugo Black wrote the majority decision
that adopted a phrase from Jeffersons writings in 1802 when he wrote a letter to Baptists in
Connecticut about a separation of church and state. Jefferson was a Christian and his words were
taken from context about a local problem Baptists had concerning the treatment of their ministers.
Justice Black wrote: The 1st amendment has erected a wall between church and state and that wall
must be kept high and impregnable. This so-called wall has been used to drive religion from our
public life and secularize our schools. In 1962, another Supreme Court decision, Engel v. Vitale,
banned public prayer in schools. Today, federal courts persist in dismantling our institutions and
symbols for the sake of a small minority. We accommodate the atheist who is offended at the
mention of Gods name, but no atheist or skeptic can be forced to accommodate a single religious
person who might be offended by their unbelief !
And what has resulted from secularists like ACLU and others who drive religion from our lives?
We see religious signs removed, no prayer in school, more juvenile crime and suicide, pornography,
and mass shootings everywhere! It was a mistake to exclude faith from public life.








- Marcel Normand

Altar Ministers for Next Weekend

Mass Schedule and Intentions for Mar. 12 - 20

Mar. 12 Saturday
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

4:00pm
5:30pm
Sunday
8:00am
10:00am
Monday
7:00am
Tuesday
5:30pm
Wednesday 6:30pm
Thursday 8:00am
8:30am-3:00pm
Friday
7:00am
8:00am-6:00pm
Saturday 4:00pm
5:30pm
Sunday
8:00am
10:00am

($13,130.14)

Jim Davied
Mary Davied
Elfrida Staub
For the People
No Mass
No Mass
No Mass
No Mass
No Adoration
No Mass
No Adoration
No Intention
Catherine Madl
No Intention
For the People

Arma
Girard
Arma
Girard
Girard
Arma
Girard
Arma
Arma
Girard
Girard
Arma
Girard
Arma
Girard

Saturday (3/19/16) Sunday (3/20/16)

8:00am
!Altar Servers: 4:00pm
Grant Waterman
Cody Burns
!
EMHC:
Fred Bogina
Joan Black
!Lector:
Marcel Normand & Joe Broyles &
Pat Westhoff
Ron Pommier
!Gift Bearers: Dennis,
Eve & Jack Susan & Jaycie
Polhlopek
!Usher/Greeter: Bertoncino
Mike Buche &
Henry Ashbacher &
Dave Petrey
Joe Polhlopek

PARISH FINANCE COUNCIL:

Fred Bogina - Chair, Members: Joe Polhlopek, Judy Wingebach,
Linda Broyles

PARISH SPAGHETTI FEED

Get ready for the FABULOUS Spaghetti Feed this Saturday,
March 12 at the hall from 5:00-7:30 p.m. You do not want to
miss out on this wonderful opportunity to have a great dinner,
fantastic dessert, and fellowship! Parishioners are asked to
bring a dessert to the hall on Saturday, before 5:00 p.m. The
hall will be open by 12:00 p.m.

ST. BRIDGETS FISH FRY FRIDAYS & MEAL

Its time for St. Bridgets Knights of Columbus Council #3316
Famous Fish Frys again! They will be serving Catfish, Cod,
and Shrimp Dinners, along with the St. Elmos Platter, Grilled
Cheese and Chowder. Dinners are every Friday from Feb. 12 Mar. 18, at St. Bridgets Parish Hall in Scammon. Carryouts
are welcome.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

!St Bridgets parish is also hosting their St Josephs Table on

We will be have Stations of the Cross at both parishes at their

regular times: Tuesdays at 6pm in Arma and Fridays at 6pm in
Girard.

Sunday, March 20th from 11AM to 2PM. Cost is $15.00 per

person (full menu), $6.00 for children 6-12, and $2.00 for
children under six. See Church bulletin board for more
information.

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

The next meeting for St. Joseph Parish Council will be

Tuesday, March 15, following Stations of the Cross.

PENANCE SERVICE

PUBLIC ROSARY RALLY

Gods marriage and the traditional family need our prayers.

That is why you are invited to join our 2016 Rosary Rally at
noon on Saturday, March 19th at St. Joseph Church in Arma.
For more information or to volunteer to help, call Herman
Masser at 724-4593.

A penance service for Lent will be at St. Michaels on March

23rd at 6:30PM. There will be multiple priests available to
hear confessions.

THURSDAY ROSARY GROUP

Please join us for praying of the rosary on Thursdays at

10:00am in the Church. Since there are no weekday masses or
adoration, Judy Smerchek has begin this new custom.

ST. ANNS ALTAR SOCIETY MEETING

The St. Anns Altar Society will meet on Wednesday, March 16

at 6:00pm. All ladies of the parish are invited.

BIRTHRIGHT ASSISTANCE

The Knights of Columbus will be collecting baby items to

donate to Birthright over the next few weeks. A basket will be
in the back of church. Diapers, baby blankets, etc. are needed.

DIOCESAN BULLETIN BIT

Once One Chooses to be a Disciple of Christ, Stewardship is

not an Option. The Lord has done great things for us!
Throughout salvation history the Lord's intervention in human
affairs shaped our world. The first reading today recalls the
flight of the Israelites from Egypt and the destruction of
Pharaoh's army. The powerful right arm of God showed no
mercy to the Egyptians. In the Gospel Jesus shows mercy to
the woman caught in adultery and uses it as a lesson to the
scribes and Pharisees that each of us can become trapped in
sin. May we turn to our Lord and seek his mercy and show
mercy to each other.

KAPAUNS MEN FISH FRY

The mens group Kapauns Men will be holding their 3rd
annual St. Michaels Parish Fish Fry on Friday, March 11 from
5:30 to 7:00pm. A free will offering will be accepted. Please
plan to support them and enjoy a delicious Lenten meal!
Kapauns Men meet every Friday morning at 6:00am in the St.
Michael parish hall. All men 18+ are invited.

A big Thank You to our advertisers. Please support them!

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206 N Weichert Brazilton, KS

620-395-2141

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Improve Your Land - Increase Your Worth

952 W. 47 HWY

WORSHIP COMMITTEE:
Chair - Karen Pryer
EMEs - Joann Black
Ushers/Greeters - Bill Harman
Altar Society - Judy Smerchek
Lectors - Marcel Normand
Music - Jan Harman

Girard, KS 66743

Jim OToole 620-724-8536

620-724-3225 c
Ronnie OToole 620-632-5165 620-724-2754 c
Tim OToole 620-724-8990
620-238-0430 c