Mother of Sorrows Parish

08/28/2026

Donut Sunday, August 30!! After all morning Masses.

08/28/2026

"WHAT DOES IT MEAN? #20: dogma

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

Never say never. A young man living a life of frivolity, immorality, and devoid of religion turns his life around to become a priest, bishop, and one of the greatest theologians and philosophers in the Catholic Church. Meet St. Augustine of Hippo, son of St. Monica who prayed for him for years, whose feast day we celebrate today, August 28.

As a young man, St. Augustine was known for his brilliant mind and great oratorical skills. He pursued the field of philosophy, however, and sought the “truth”. Initially hoping to find it through the teachings of Manichaeism, he ultimately rejected its teachings, calling them fraudulent. St. Augustine then found himself in Milan. There he met St. Ambrose who inspired him in the teachings of the Catholic faith. He was baptized at age 32, much to the great joy of his mother, and became a priest then Bishop of Hippo.

St. Augustine is best known for his writings. Three of his most famous works include The Confessions of St. Augustine, City of God, and On Christian Doctrine. These writings, along with his teaching, were the foundation of Christian doctrine by more than 1000 years and are still widely read today.

St. Augustine died in 430 AD in the midst of the Vandals invasion of Hippo. He was made a Doctor of the Church in 1298. He is the patron saint of brewers, printers, and theologians.

Though he did not formally found the Augustinian Order (that would be Pope Innocent IV in 1244), the Order follows the Rule of St. Augustine, which can be found in full here: https://www.midwestaugustinians.org/roots-of-augustinian-spirituality
And, of course, Pope Leo XIV is an Augustinian.

08/28/2026

Ethiopian by ancestry. Lived in Egypt. Slave. Thief. Murderer. Leader of a violent band of men who were also thieves and murderers. Doesn’t sound much like a saint. But such began the life of St. Moses the Black, whose feast day both the Church celebrates today, August 28.

Such was his early life but an encounter with a group of monks caused Moses to repent and leave his decadent life behind. Joining the monks, who were initially (and understandably) reluctant to take him in, he withdrew to a solitary life of prayer and austere living.

The drama did not end there. While there, four of his former gang members attacked him. Moses would not be overcome, however. He threw them over his shoulder and led them to the head of the monastery. There, the robbers were dealt with compassion and set free and they also, seeing the kindness of the monks, repented and became monks.

Moses was ordained a priest and became known for his wisdom and humility. In 405 AD, bandits attacked his monastery and Moses was martyred while saving the other monks in the abbey.

His life was not perfect, but it was transformed by the Word. Moses the Black. Servant of God.

St. Moses, pray for us and for all who ask forgiveness.

08/28/2026

Two quotes from St. Augustine, whose feast day we celebrate today, August 28.

08/27/2026

This Sunday, August 30.

08/27/2026

After the death of a loved one, we need a space to step away and breathe.

Mother of Sorrows Parish will hold a bereavement group called Breathing Room which will meet for seven consecutive Thursday evenings, September 17-October 29, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the Ave Maria Room. The sessions will be led by Nancy Matteuzzi, MA, BCC.

Nancy will lead the group through various mourning exercises within the safe and sacred space created together. This program will help you acknowledge the reality of your loss, begin to process your pain, and create meaning from your experience.

For more information and to register, email Nancy Matteuzzi [email protected] or call the Parish Office at 724-733-8870.

08/27/2026

EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT
What an ideal way to connect with other parishioners while sharing good food and fellowship! Come to the informational meeting on Saturday, September 26 and find out more.

Briefly, the Breaking Bread Supper Club meets for four small dinners between November and April. At the dinner, the host provides the main course while guests provide the appetizer, side dish, or dessert. You can participate as a hosting member where you host one meal and attend three others. Substitute members are always needed for unexpected changes in people's schedules.
Dinner dates for 2026-2027 are November 14, 2026, January 9, 2027, February 6, 2027, and April 17, 2027.

The details of the informational meeting are on the graphic.
Hope to see you there and bon appétit!

08/27/2026

We pray for our brothers and sisters in Nepal-Tibet where flash floods have killed more than 300 people and rescue missions are ongoing.