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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year, a day for young people to spend time with their beloved ones. On Valentine’s Day, people also recall all loved ones--parents, grandparents, children. There is a tinge of romance in our celebration of this holiday, but all human love is celebrated, not just spousal or romantic love.

Valentine’s Day has its origin in the legend of Saint Valentine, a priest of Rome and martyr who died in the middle of the third century. Saint Valentine was undoubtedly a real person, venerated in the western and eastern churches. A hundred years after his death, in the mid fourth century, Pope Julius built a basilica in Rome to house his relics. Though this church declined and was eventually closed in the 13th century, the Roman Church of Saint Valentine is now a thriving modern parish church in Rome, perhaps a better tribute to a faithful priest than a basilica.

According to the legend, Saint Valentine was a well known evangelizer which caused him to be arrested. While in prison awaiting judgment and death, he sent letters to one of his converts and signed them “from your Valentine”, thus beginning the custom of sending missives to loved ones on Valentine’s Day.

There are many other legends about Saint Valentine. One is that the priest Valentine defied the order of the emperor and secretly performed Christian weddings for couples, allowing the husbands involved to escape conscription into the Roman army. Then in order to remind these men of their vows and God’s love, Saint Valentine is said to have cut hearts from parchment, giving them to these persecuted Christians, a possible origin of the widespread use of hearts on St. Valentine’s Day.

Regardless of the truth of these legends, Saint Valentine was a dedicated Christian, a priest and a martyr. He has come to symbolize human love, a gift from God. Jesus commands us to love one another and even to love our enemies. However, we are also given the gift of mutual love—romantic love, family love, love among friends, the love of a priest for his people.

Mutual love is one of God’s greatest gifts. Even when things go wrong and we face difficulties, those who love us, console us and make it all bearable.

This Valentine’s Day, thank God for your friends and your family.

Cabrini Movie

The 2023 movie, Cabrini, tells the story of an amazing Italian Catholic woman who founded a missionary Order of Catholic Sisters. Her Sisters worked for and defended poor Italian immigrants in the United States. Her path to holiness was hard work for God’s poor and despised.

We will show the movie Cabrini at Saint John’s on Sunday, February 15 at 2 PM in the parish center. Join us for a movie, refreshments and a story of faith and love.

Click here for details.

Firefighters' Mass

Please mark your calendars for the annual Firefighters' Mass. In February 1899, a major fire broke out on Market Street. The fire burned Saint John the Evangelist Church. Four firefighters died fighting that blaze. Each year, Saint John Church holds a Mass to remember and pray for the four firefighters who gave their lives defending the lives and property of others. We also pray for all firefighters who have lost their lives, and we pray for the safety of all firefighters.

The Mass will be at 10 AM on February 22. The Firefighters' Mass is a major commitment of our parish, so I urge everyone to attend and support it. There will be a small reception in the Parish Center following the mass and all are invited to attend.

Father Allan Wasiecko, OFM Cap

Father Allan, who had served for 48 years in Papua New Guinea, spent several years ministering at Saint John Church. Father Allan died on January 30 at the age of 82 in Pittsburgh. Like many of our long term Papua New Guinea missionaries, his heart was always there and he loved the people of that country more than words can tell. Father Allan was also a blessing to Saint John’s. Father Allan was always respectful of others and gentle. May Father Allan rest in God’s peace! We will have a Mass for Father Allan on Wednesday February 12 at 12:05.

Blessing of Throats

Will take place after all the weekend Masses.

This week ...

From the Pastor' Desk