Lent is coming and hopefully, Father will be too!

Ash Wednesday – Holy Saturday

The life of a priest is one filled with sacrifices and constant selflessness, caring for those around them spiritually, and serving the parishes they are asked to guide as a good shepherd. They show up every Sunday for Mass without complaints about their travels or how hard it was to get there. The greatest gift of all, the Sacrifice of the Mass, is freely offered and Holy Communion is administered to the faithful. Sick calls at all hours of the day and night are carried out as soon as physically possible. The sacraments that we and our children thirst for are readily available and there for us…all we have to do is ask and we shall receive! What a gift! What a blessing! But yet how often do we show our thanks and gratitude for this special privilege of having a priest here at our parish and in our midst? How often do we just come to Mass, receive Holy Communion, and walk out without saying thank you to the one person who God has given to us to make all of this possible? We must be grateful for what we have before it is too late and God takes away His blessings!

Now, during this Lenten season, we all have a chance to open our hearts, prayers, and wallets to come to the aid and assistance of our parish priest and any priest that visits our Chapel! Many of you might not even realize that the only mode of transportation that our priests have to drive each week to and from Pittsburgh, over 10 hours round trip alone, carry out sick calls, to bring the Blessed Sacrament to those who cannot travel, and most of all the Last Rites in the hour of death….is a car that has been for years, and especially in the recent months, growing less and less reliable and on the verge of not being worth repairing. Repairs have been made and even a whole new transmission was installed to help make it last a little bit longer but after 179,000 miles it is approaching its final days! The car just passed inspection, and almost immediately threw another engine light. Noises continue to be worse. Repairs at this point would mostly be a waste of time and money, but at this point, while still running, the car still carries trade-in value to contribute as well.

As a parish and a family, we owe it to our patient and selfless parish priest and visiting priests to provide them with a reliable form of transportation. It could be you or your dearest loved one….in need of the Last Sacraments in the middle of the night and a priest can’t make it to you in time because his car died on the side of the road! Think about it!

And so, as the family of St. James Catholic Church, we come together in this Lenten season to come to the aid of our priest! Let us all join up during this season of giving and open our hearts and wallets, as a family, to take care of our selfless leader! If one can’t, then please pray for this endeavor and pass the word along to all those who might be able to help financially. God will reward our efforts no matter the size or amount! A generous heart is one that gives whole heartily and without reserve or reservation.

P.S. Here are the ways you can donate to this cause!

Cash: Donations should be in an envelope, clearly marked “Fundraiser for parish car” and placed in the collection baskets during Mass or handed to an usher.

Checks: Donations should be made out to “Saint James Church” have “Parish Car” marked on the memo line, be placed in an envelope, clearly marked “Fundraiser for parish car” and placed in the collection baskets during Mass or handed to an usher.

Checks can also be mailed to: St. James Church, PO Box 16315, Pittsburgh, PA 15242

Credit Cards: Please visit this crowdfunding website… "Go Fund Me". Follow the steps, and you can make a donation. This is a great way to pass on the fundraising information to family and friends outside of the parish. Simply share the site with your contacts and pass the word along!

Any questions, concerns, comments, etc. please contact us.

Father has given his life to save our souls, and we must always be grateful!

May God bless us all and especially Father Haynos!

St. James Catholic Church, Pittsburgh, PA

+ Lent 2023

(Please Note: To explain the multiple entities listed above, whereas, our parish had been known for decades as Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, having moved to our current location of Saint James Catholic Church, our parish has now taken that name, continuing under the SSPX.)