Church of Saint Philip Neri

Pennsburg, PA 18073

May 24, 2009

Rev. Robert A. Roncase, Pastor Deacon Michael J. Franks, Permanent Deacon Rev. Edmond J. Speitel, Pastor Emeritus Rev. John J. Scarcia, Retired Pastor Rev. Raymond W. Smart, Retired, Resident Shirley Misiak, Office Manager Mark J. Meinzer, Business Manager Catherine E. Faust, Director of Music Patricia A. Schleeweiss, School Principal Jeffrey W. Daley, Director of Religious Education Colleen Daley, Parish Youth Minister Sister Patricia Kelly, M.S.B.T., Parish Outreach Rectory Phone 215.679.9275 Rectory Fax 215.679.0386 School Phone 215.679.7481 Religious Education Phone 215.541.3120 Religious Education Fax 215.541.1398 Parish Social Hall Phone 215.679.8116 Parish Outreach Phone 215.679.2282 Neri Center Phone 215-679-6490 Church & Rectory Address: 1325 Klinerd Road Pennsburg, PA 18073 Hours: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Email Address: spnofc@comcast.net Website Address: www.spnparish.org School Address: 6^th & Washington Streets East Greenville, PA 18041 Hours: 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM Website Address: www.spnelementary.com Religious Education Center Address 565 Main Street East Greenville, PA 18041 Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Neri Center Address 6^th & Washington Streets East Greenville, PA 18041 ROSARY: Prayed every Saturday after the 8:00 AM Mass.

SCHEDULE OF MASSES Saturday – Vigil Mass – 5:00 PM Sunday – 7:30, 9:30, 11:00 AM Weekdays – In the Chapel Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday – 8:00 AM Wednesday – 7:00 PM HOLY DAYS: 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 7:30 PM Eve of Holy Days –5:00 PM CHAPEL OPEN FOR VISITS The Chapel will be opened Monday thru Saturday until 7:00 pm for your visits to the Blessed Sacrament. CONFESSIONS Saturdays: 4:00 – 4:45 PM Eve of Holy Days: 4:15 – 4:45 PM BAPTISMS Celebrated the 2^nd & 3^rd Sundays of each month. Please call the Rectory to schedule. 2^nd Sunday Baptisms are held at the 11:00 AM Mass 3^rd Sunday Baptisms are held at 12:30 PM PRE-JORDAN CLASSES 1^st Monday of every month at 7:30 PM in the Rectory meeting room. MARRIAGES Arrangements should be made at least SIX MONTHS before the date of the wedding. NEW PARISHIONERS Welcome to your new home! Please stop by the rectory between 9:00 am - 3:00 pm to fill out a registration card. We are happy to have you in our parish and want to get to know you. SHUT-INS Please call the Parish Outreach Office. SACRAMENT OF THE ANOINTING Please call the Rectory. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Every 1^st Friday from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM in the church, followed by Benediction. FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS If you wish to have a floral arrangement placed in front of the altar, please call the rectory.

OUR PARISH MISSION STATEMENT

WE ARE THE CATHOLIC PARISH COMMUNITY OF ST. PHILIP NERI, ANSWERING CHRIST’S CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH WORD, SACRAMENT AND SERVICE.

WE PROCLAIM GOD’S HOPE AND LOVE TO ALL.

From the Parish Outreach Office of

Sister Patricia Kelly, M.S.B.T.

So far, in my monthly column, I shared my background, and told you what Catholic Charities, U.S.A. and our United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (U.S.C.C.B.) have to say about Parish Outreach, i.e., “the center of the Church’s social teaching is the life, dignity, and rights of the human person.” AND if Catholic Education and formation fail to communicate our social tradition, they are not fully Catholic.” Both of these sources have powerful words to say about our social tradition.

How is this lived out, right here in St. Philip Neri Parish in Pennsburg, PA? Through various Outreach efforts of service, by faithful dedicated women and men, living their Baptismal call.

One of these Outreach efforts of service is a group called Friendly Visitors. This group has been serving others for several years. In August, they will celebrate their Eighth Year of Friendly Visiting. Who benefits from this service? The shut-ins, usually elderly, “alone” people, as well as the Friendly Visitor.

A growing social problem, or situation, is the large number of people who are alone, or, in some cases, alone and isolated. Friendly Visitors Ministry can help to alleviate the loneliness or isolation of people. It is a parish-based, volunteer ministry that is part of the saving activity of the Church. We are supposed to extend the Church’s ministry to our brothers and sisters. Therefore, our activity as a Friendly Visitor is a statement; a statement of faith. We visit because we are part of a faith community. Whatever we do for others extends the saving presence of the Church.

Human beings come from God; are saved by God, and finally return to God. Friendly Visiting is a ministry of caring presence. It helps to answer the question asked of Jesus over two thousand years ago: “Who is my neighbor?”

MEMORIAL DAY MASS

Daily Mass on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25^th is in Church at 9:00 am.

Serving at Mass May 31

Extraordinary Ministers Lectors

Pentecost Sunday

5:00 pm – Bob Talbot Bob Piccone

Kathryn Talbot

Priest

Priest

Lisa Edleman

Michael Edleman

7:30 am – Denise Guckin John Guckin

Mike Heveran Pete Frank

Priest

Deacon

Jim Michels

Pat Scheerbaum

Joan Varallo

Wally Varallo

Immaculata Barndt

Lori Brozena

Maureen Moser

Paul Moser

9:30 am – Bill Gurgick M. Gehringer

Lisa Gurgick Joe Cassarella

Priest

Mary Souder

Joshua Hewitt

Lillian Hewitt

11:00 am – Linda DiTondo Jim Brinckman

Doug DiTondo Adam Canigiani

Priest

Anna Kells

Jeanne Hermley

Bob Hermley

Serving at Mass June 7

Extraordinary Ministers Lectors

5:00 pm – Trish Dornisch Ed Tryon

LaRue Emmell

Priest

Deacon

Claire Holcombe

Lee Johnson

Marci Jaman

Linda Franks

Dawn Ellis

Janet Kendra

Mark Meinzer

Pat Meinzer

7:30 am – Dina Corrado John Gilmore

Peter D’Amico Theresa Gilmore

Priest

Deacon

Michael Duka

Michele Martin

Anna Murphy

Gerald Murphy

Stephan Adelsberger

Christine Adelsberger

Anthony Pongia

Joan Pongia

9:30 am – Jeff Daley Larry Concio

Stephanie Greczek Susan DiMarco

Priest

Priest

Christine Kemp

Lester Kemp

11:00 am – DJ Williams Bob Piccone

Sandy Williams Michele Charlton

Priest

Priest

Marlene Leidy

Anita Weilnau

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

May 24, 2009

Monday, May 25 – Bede the Venerable

9:00 am- Mass in Church

Ed Wisser, (John & Betty Fronheiser)

Tuesday, May 26 – Philip Neri, priest

No morning Mass

6:30 pm – Mass in Church

No Intention

Wednesday, May 27 – Augustine of Canterbury

8:00 am – Michael & Susan Horgan, (Tony Bauer)

Thursday, May 28

8:00 am – Anna Pawson, (Ann & Al Smart)

Friday, May 29

8:00 am – John Virus, (Jennie Virus)

Saturday, May 30

8:00 am – Jane Ilacqua, (Judy & Steve Rothenberger)

5:00 pm – Dr. William Dermody, (Christine Dermody)

Sunday, May 31

7:30 am – Michael J. Doyle, Sr. (Duke & Judy Doherty)

9:30 am – Theodore & Josephine Mikanowicz, (Jennie Virus)

11:00 am – For the living & deceased members of the Parish

WE INVITE YOUR PRAYERS

For the sick, those in hospitals, nursing homes, and also for their caregivers.

Please pray in particular for:

Rev. John J. Scarcia, Jack Conlen, Mary Conover, Barbara Duklis, Olga Durco, Betty Watkins, Baby Robert John Riegel, Jr., Kelly Connolly, Jennie Virus, Robert Rukstalis, Mary Ann Bencie, Frances Cannon, Josh Frumnecht, Steven Gebhardt, Ann Bowdren, Jack Cahill, Dianna Rynkiewicz, Ethel Buck, Gary Lester Keller, Mary R. Giambrone, Michael Andrusko, Betty Risko, Christine Keer, Anna Rickert, Robert Joseph Drelick, Hilda Stine, Donald Abramo Sr., James Abramo, Christine Erb, Delia Grim, Joe Johnson, Baby Lucy Littlefield, Gesse Liguoro, Charlotte Azarovich, George Bradford, Margie Shelly & Angelo Gentile.

For those who have died, and in particular for, Leo Witkoski, grant them eternal rest and peace.

FLORAL/ROSE ARRANGEMENTS

The floral arrangement on the altar is in honor of Ray and Joan Devlin on their Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary.

PARISH ORGANIZATIONS

Knights of Columbus – Fr. Leo J. Letterhouse Council #6614 meets every second Sunday of the month in the Council Meeting Room at the rectory. Consider joining us by calling Duke Doherty at 215-679-0660.

St. Philip Neri Craft Guild meets the first and third Tuesday of each month in the Social Hall Meeting Room from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm.

For more information, please call Connie Marks: 610-287-9829.

Boy Scouts – Tuesday evenings in Social Hall from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Join our Boy Scouts by calling Joe Smith at: 610-754-6316.

Cub Scouts – Thursday evenings in the Neri Center – East Greenville. Join our Cub Scouts by calling Alicia Tryon at: 215-679-4193 or email to: Cubpack591@yahoo.com.

CYO Sports – For more information, please contact Kevin Loose at: 215-679-5481.

Parish Youth Ministry – For more information, please contact Colleen Daley at: 215-541-1716.

BUILDING MEMORIALS

Give a St. Philip Neri Memorial Gift!

For a donation of $25 or more, there is a beautiful folder recording the gift and donor to be presented to the family. A Mass is offered each month.

We also have “Living Memorials” for those special occasions in life.

ACTIVITIES - *BINGO*

No Bingo May 28^th

See you next week!

Bingo: May 14, 2009

71 players

Kitchen: $ 148.20

Games: 427.80

Total: $ 576.00

Hoagie Sale: May 12, 2009

$ 519.07

SUNDAY COLLECTIONS

May 18, 2008

Envelopes: $ 8,644.50

Loose 1,467.00

Children 79.50

Total: $10,191.00

May 10, 2009

Envelopes: $ 9,558.50

Loose 1,332.00

Children 69.20

Total: $10,959.70

MEETINGS AND EVENTS THIS WEEK

Sunday, May 24^th – Parish Breakfast – gym – 7:00 am – 12:30 pm

Sunday, May 24^th – Children’s Liturgy of the Word – Church – 9:30 am Mass

Sunday, May 24^th – Set-up for Carnival – 2:00 pm

Sunday, May 24^th – Men’s 30 and over Basketball – 8:00 pm

Monday, May 25^th – No School

Monday, May 25^th – Memorial Day – Mass in Church at 9am

Tuesday, May 26^th – Feast of St. Philip Neri – Mass in Church at 6:30 pm. Dinner in parish social hall following Mass.

Wednesday, May 27^th – Parish Carnival on Church grounds – 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm – BRACELET NIGHT!

Thursday, May 28^th – Parish Carnival on Church grounds – 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm – BRACELET NIGHT!

Friday, May 29^th – Parish Carnival on Church grounds – 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Saturday, May 30^th – Parish Carnival on Church grounds – 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Saturday, May 30^th – New Altar Server Practice in Church at 1:00 pm

Sunday, May 31^st – Children’s Liturgy of the Word at the 9:30 am Mass.

Sunday, May 31^st – Parish Carnival on Church grounds – 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm – BRACELET DAY!

Sunday, May 31^st – Carnival clean-up – 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

(help needed)

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Usher’s Meeting - Monday – June 1^st – Church – 7:00 pm

Pre-Jordan Baptismal Class – Monday – June 1^st – rectory – 7:30 pm

Welcome Committee Meeting – Tuesday, June 9^th – 7pm

Parish Grade School Graduation Mass – Thursday, June 11^th – Church – 7:00 pm

Knights of Columbus General Meeting – Sunday, June 14^th – rectory – 7:30 pm

Elizabeth Ministry Meeting – Tuesday – June 16^th – Neri Center – 7:00 pm

Cub Parent Meeting – Wednesday, June 17^th – Neri Center – 6:00 pm

SCHOOL NEWS

St. Philip Neri Grade School News

Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to provide your son or daughter with a Catholic School education at St. Philip Neri School! Our school provides a safe, nurturing value-centered learning environment for students in Preschool through Eighth Grade. The Hop Ahead Preschool has a program Tuesdays and Thursdays for 3 year olds and Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for 4 year olds from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Our Kindergarten program is a full day program along with our First through Eighth Grade which begins at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 2:25 p.m. An after school program, C.A.R.E.S., is also available for students in Kindergarten through Eighth Grade.

If you would like any additional information on our school or would like to register your child, please call the school office at 215-679-7481. When registering your child for Preschool, please have a copy of your child’s immunization records. If registering for Grades K through 8, please have the following at registration: original birth certificate, copy of baptismal certificate, and current immunization record as required by the State of PA at the time of registration. Hurry, as we need to prepare for the upcoming 2009-2010 school year!

School begins on September 8th for Grades 1 to 8, September 11th for Kindergarten, September 14th for Pre K-4s, and September 15th for Pre K-3’s.

PARISH NEWS

St. Philip Neri Grade School Tuition Assistance

Did you know that Tuition Assistance is available for your child to attend St. Philip Neri Grade School?

Tuition Assistance is available to those showing a real need. Address your request to:

St. Philip Neri Tuition Assistance Program

1325 Klinerd Road

Pennsburg, PA 18073

You will receive a letter asking for some information and you will be notified of any decision before the school year starts.

Guidelines for:

TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Minimal Criteria

1. Tuition Assistance will apply only to students in grades K-8 who are enrolled at Saint Philip Neri Elementary School.

2. Parent or legal guardian must be a registered parishioner of St. Philip Neri Parish.

3. Must demonstrate financial need, subject to review and approval of Tuition Committee.

4. Must be active and volunteer in parish activities.

5. Tuition Assistance will be applied towards tuition as credit.

SPN PARISH ADULT EDUCATION

Book Discussion

Meeting St. Paul Today –

Understanding the Man, His Mission, and His Message by Daniel J. Harrington, SJ

“The teachings of the letters of St. Paul permeate just about everything Christians believe and practice, but many of us know very little about this great apostle of the Church.”

Newcomers are welcome at our next meeting on Monday, June 1^st – 7:00 pm at the rectory.

For further information, please call Madeleine Gehringer at: 215-679-0737 or email @ mgehringer47@hotmail.com.

Extra books are available and may be purchased at the rectory during regular business hours. The cost is $12.00/book.

CHARISMATIC PRAYER GROUP

Every Monday at 7:00 pm in the Chapel. Come to grow closer to God and experience the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer, praise, song, scripture reading, teaching, witnessing, and use of the charisms.

Discover the love of God in a more profound way.

Call Rich at: 610-323-1127.

YOUTH MINISTRY CAR WASH

Saturday – May 30^th

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

St. Philip Neri School Parking Lot

Come by to have your car washed, have a cold drink and a bake sale item! All proceeds will help our teens travel to Ohio for their Retreat!

Donations of baked goods are welcome.

Any questions or to pick up donations, please call Mrs. Daley at: 215-541-1716.

FROM THE PARISH OUTREACH OFFICE

FRIENDLY VISITOR UPDATE

A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. Sirach 6:14. Are you willing to be of service to one of God’s people by lending a listening ear and making small conversation in order to lift spirits? You would be developing a valuable friendship with another parishioner who is lonely and homebound. The rewards are immeasurable. Call Shirley at the rectory: 215-679-9275, or Sister Patricia Kelly at the Outreach Office: 215-679-2282. Speak slowly, please.

H.O.P.E.

The H.O.P.E. Ministry is part of Outreach and services our Church Community. H.O.P.E. provides FREE transportation for medical appointments, errands, respite care, light housekeeping and to mass. Our volunteers are parishioners who are willing to serve and answer your needs. Please call Kathy or Bob Talbot–Coordinators - at: 215-541-0250 or the Outreach Office: 215-679-2282.

ELIZABETH MINISTRY UPDATE

Sharing our love through positive action; an Elizabeth Minister makes a commitment to celebrate new life, to support families with young children, to encourage those trying to become new parents and to comfort those in crisis and death circumstances. The role of Elizabeth Ministers is not to do the extraordinary, but to engage the ordinary with an extraordinary degree of love.

HOSPITAL VISITS

Please call the rectory to request a visit when you or a family member is hospitalized. Due to the Privacy Act, a request to have a priest or the hospital minister visit and/or bring Holy Communion can be made only by you or a family member.

SPN ROSARY SOCIETY

Come and pray the Rosary every 2^nd Monday of each month at 1:00 pm in the Chapel. Our next prayer gathering is Monday, June 8th.

WANTED!! WANTED!! WANTED!!

DUNKIN’ DONORS FOR CARNIVAL

IF YOU HAVE EVER HAD A DREAM OF SITTING ON A METAL SEAT ABOUT 4-5 FEET OVER WATER WITH PEOPLE THROWING BASEBALLS AT A TARGET TO ‘DUNK’ YOU IN THE WATER,

WE WANT YOU! WE NEED YOU!

The carnival is in need of individuals who would like nothing more than to ‘DONATE” their time and help out “in” our dunk tank. We are looking for adult volunteers (ages 16 or older) for Friday – May 29^th: 6:00 – 10:00 pm; Saturday, May 30^th: 6:00 – 10:00 pm; and, Sunday, May 31^st: 1:00 – 6:00 pm.

Please call the rectory at 215-679-9275 OR e-mail Doris Decker at gmomdecker@yahoo.com

PARISH CARNIVAL

May 27 – 6:00 – 10:00 pm

May 28 – 6:00 – 10:00 pm

May 29 – 6:00 – 10:00 pm

May 30 – 6:00 – 10:00 pm

May 31 – 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm

ADVANCED FOOD TICKETS can be purchased May 2 thru May 24^th at the SCRIP table. For every $5 purchased, you receive $6 in food tickets.

CARNIVAL SET UP - Help is needed with setting up stands and tents, roping off areas, moving tables and getting the grounds ready for the carnival. If you can help either call Shirley at 215-679-9275 or just come to the church grounds on Sunday, May 24^th at 2 pm.

CHANCES – Chances for our grand prize drawing may be picked up at the rectory. The Grand Prize Drawing will be held on May 31^st at 6:00 pm.

RIDE BRACELETS - We will be selling discount bracelets for carnival rides on (3) three days this year. Wednesday, May 27^th, Thursday May 28^th, and Sunday, May 31st. Cost of the bracelet per day is $15.00.

Individual ride tickets will also be available.

EARLY BIRD DRAWING WINNER

Congratulations to Lester Kemp. Lester won the $250 Early Bird Drawing for the Carnival Chance Drive. The Grand Prize and other prizes will be pulled at 6:00 pm on Sunday, May 31^st, the last day of our parish Carnival.

A LETTER FROM THE VICAR

Dear Father Roncase,

Prayerful best wishes to you, Father Smart and all of the parishioners of Saint Philip Neri Parish as you celebrate your Patronal Feast. It is my hope that this special day in the life of your parish will be a source of grace for all of the members of your parish family.

Your intentions will be in my prayers on May 26^th. God bless you.

Sincerely,

Reverend Monsignor Arthur E. Rodgers

Regional Vicar for Montgomery County

ARCHDIOCESAN NEWS

YEAR OF SAINT PAUL

June 28, 2009 – June 29, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI grants a Plenary Indulgence for the year of Saint Paul. What is an Indulgence? “Every sin has consequences. It disrupts our communion with God and the Church, weakens our ability to resist temptation, and hurts others. The necessity of healing these consequences, once the sin itself has been forgiven, is called temporal punishment. Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and other works of charity can take away entirely or diminish this temporal punishment. Because of the fullness of redemption obtained for us by Christ, the Church attaches to certain prayers and actions an indulgence or pardon, that is, the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due to sin. Christ, acting through his Church, brings about the healing of the consequences of sin when an individual uses such a prayer or engages in such an action.”

(United States Catholic Catechism for Adults)

During the year of Saint Paul, the Holy Father has granted a plenary (or full) indulgence to the faithful who:

Make a good confession

Receive Holy Communion

Pray for the Holy Father’s intention

Visit a Holy place, church or shrine which

honors the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Cardinal Rigali has designated the following official sites:

Cathedral of Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul

Saint Paul Church, Philadelphia

Saint Paul Church, Norristown

SAINT CHARLES BORROMEO SEMINARY

Thinking about a summer conference or spiritual retreat? Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is offering a new summer program that combines learning the faith with spiritual reflection. Summer Academic Retreats begin in July.

To learn more and download a registration form, visit:www.StudyCatholicTheology.com.

Undergraduate certificates and a Master of Arts in Theology program also available. Apply now for summer session.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TRIBUNAL?

The Tribunal is a group of specially qualified priests, sisters, and lay persons whose responsibility is to come to the help of people who have experienced divorce.

When a divorce occurs, the Catholic Church always seeks to balance two realities. One is the unbreakableness of the bond of marriage. This is God’s law. It cannot be broken by human intervention. On the other hand, the Church is concerned about the spiritual welfare of the people involved. Was this a true marriage? Even though a Catholic Marriage was celebrated, perhaps there was some weakness in the consent of the parties involved? The Annulment Procedure addresses this problem without affixing blame on either party.

If you are divorced or married outside the Catholic Church, please telephone the Tribunal Office. Have no fear. All Interviews are private.

Write or call:

The Tribunal

222 N. 17^th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-587-3750

NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH

May is National Foster Care Month, a time when we look to individuals and communities to come forward and make a positive difference in the life of a child. At present, there are over 4,000 children in foster care in Philadelphia in need of safe, temporary homes. Catholic Social Services is looking for single or married adults to become foster parents to children of all ages and races.

To learn more about becoming a foster parent, please contact Melissa at: 215-587-2458.

Remember, you can make a difference, a difference that will last a lifetime!

ST. JOE’S UNIVERSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL CAMP

Saint Joseph’s University Women’s Basketball is having two great weeks of Basketball Camp at the Academy of Notre Dame in Villanova – June 15^th to June 19 and June 22^nd to June 26^th. Camp will be held from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for girls ages 9-17. Our Junior Hawk Camp is from 9:00 am to 11:45 am for boys and girls ages 5-8. Skills and drills, stations, competitions, games and much more will be held each day! We are also having an overnight team camp June 20^th to June 21^st on the SJU Maguire Camp for Girls – 7^th to 12^th grades, ages 12-18. All grade school, high school, travel, & AAU teams welcome! Five game guarantee!

For more SJU information, please call Kathy MacDonald in the SJU Women’s Basketball office at: 610-660-1710 or email to: kmacdona@sju.edu or Katie Gardler at: stjoe21@comcast.net.

AREA PARISH NEWS

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DEPAUL

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Philadelphia, serving the underprivileged of the Philadelphia five county area since 1851. is collecting donations of usable men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing. We will also be accepting small household goods (bed and bath linens, pots & pans, dishes, cooking utensils, shoes and books). We also accept small appliances in good working order.

No baby equipment, only clothing.

Individuals are invited to take all donations on Saturday and Sunday – June 6^th & June 7^th from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm to our truck located at the following location:

Sacred Heart Church

838 Walnut Street – Royersford

The Society is an international Catholic organization of lay people that has been active in aiding the area’s needy for almost 150 years. There are over 1,000 local members who work on a person-to-person basis with the poor, providing spiritual and financial assistance as well.

AREA NEWS

APEX LEARNING SUMMER PROGRAMS

Sponsored by St. Pius X High School

All classes start June 30 to July 30

Math and Reading Grade K-6

Math, reading & study skills Grade 7-8

Classes held Tuesday & Thursday as follows:

9:00 am – 10:30 am or 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

SAT Review Class Tuesday & Thursday:

9:00 am – 11:00 am

Registration will be held Wednesday, June 24^th:

9:00 am at St. Pius X High School

For more information or pre-registration, contact Mrs. Sedlock at: 610-326-8990 x37.

BINGO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are in need of Bingo Volunteers for BOTH the kitchen, and working the floor, checking winning Bingo cards.

You only work one each month on Thursday evenings. We have 4 teams for both the kitchen and floor and are in need of help on each team.

CAN YOU HELP?

NOT EVERY WEEK –

JUST ONE WEEK, ONCE A MONTH!

If you can help, please check the area you are interested in.

PLEASE PRINT AND RETURN IN THE COLLECTION BASKET OR TO THE RECTORY.

_____KITCHEN

_____FLOOR WORKER

Name: _________________________

Phone:_________________________

Breakfast Volunteers NEEDED

Our Parish Breakfast is a major fundraiser for our Parish and a tremendous Community and Parish Social Event. We are in need of more parishioners to help with this monthly event. Our breakfast is held the 4^th Sunday of each month (excluding November & December).

CAN YOU HELP?

Not the entire morning…

but only a few hours each month!

Please print and return in collection basket or to the rectory:

Cooks: Line Servers:

___6am-9am ___6:45 am- 9:00 am

___9am-11am ___9:00 am – 11:00 am

___11am-1pm ___11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Dishwashers: Cleaning the gym:

___7:30am-10:00 am ___12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

___10:00 am – 12noon

___12noon – 2:00 pm

Washing Trays Dessert table, coffee

___8am-10am ___7:00 am – 9:00 am

___10am – 12noon ___9:00 am – 11:00 am

___12noon-1:30 pm ___11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Name: _________________________

Phone: ________________________

Invest just five minutes a day, and your faith will deepen and grow—a day at a time.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

God is still with us

The term ascension is susceptible to unintended comic imagery of Jesus waving good-bye from a balloon gondola or being lifted on a wire. Another unfortunate connotation is that heaven is somehow “up,” while we are left down here. Perhaps such imagery does help us to imagine that in the resurrected Lord, God (heaven) and we (on earth) are united. Having become incarnate in Jesus, God is never only watching from some great distance. “I am with you until the end” are the simplest words, but the most profound. There is no need to stand looking at the sky with our jaws hanging open. For Christ is here, as close as our own breath, keeping us alive to carry his presence into our world.

Today’s readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23 or 4:1-13; Mark 16:15-20

“This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Monday, May 25 
Feast of Bede the Venerable, priest, doctor of the church

Book your faith

A Benedictine monk, Saint Bede (673-735) lived his whole life in the same monastery where his parents had sent him for his early education. While we know him as the source of much of early English history, he was also a great student of scripture and a teacher. Church history, scripture—these are two important areas to know something about to have a better grasp of your faith. Find some books on the subject, like A Concise History of the Catholic Church by Thomas Bokenkotter (Doubleday), and Invitation to the Old Testament and Invitation to the New Testament, both by Alice L. Camille (ACTA Publications).

Today’s readings: Acts 19:1-8; John 16:29-33

“Now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech! Now we know that you know all things.”

Tuesday, May 26 

Feast of Philip Neri, priest

What a guy!

What’s not to like about Philip Neri? He was such a happy and loveable child he was called “Jolly Phil.” Studying theology and philosophy in Rome, he helped poor children, donated his time to the sick, and was a friend to the troubled and lonely. He helped start an organization of laypeople to take care of needy pilgrims that eventually became a famous Roman hospital. A kind and gentle confessor who drew great crowds, he did silly things like shave off half his beard in order to deflect people’s admiration of him. What an example of integrity, perspective, zeal, balance, and joy!

Today’s readings: Acts 20:17-27; John 17:1-11a

“I served the Lord with all humility.”

Wednesday, May 27 

Feast of Augustine of Canterbury, bishop

The other Augustine

Saint Augustine of Canterbury sometimes gets short shrift next to the saint of the same name from Hippo whose dramatic conversion and many writings are well-known in the Christian tradition. But he’s worth getting to know. Augustine of Canterbury, a monk and prior of his abbey in Rome, was chosen by the pope to evangelize England. With great reluctance and daunted by the mission at hand (word had it that the Brits were a violent lot), Augustine struggled to carry out his mission. He wasn’t always successful in knowing what to do or how to organize the church and unite the various Christian groups. So when we struggle and do not feel up to a task, we can think of Augustine and trust that God will bring good from even our failures.

Today’s readings: Acts 20:28-38;

John 17:11b-19

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”

Thursday, May 28 

Easter weekday

Out of many, one

Ever since Jesus prayed that his followers “may all be one,” the concept of Christian unity has been easier to agree to in principle than in the real world, where divisions remain. Still, hope remains that the various traditions and confessions of Christian faith might one day overcome their divisions through dialogue and move toward unity. In speaking of the Western and Eastern churches, Pope John Paul II put it this way in an often quoted phrase from his 1995 encyclical Ut Unum Sint (“May They Be One”): “In this perspective an expression which I have frequently employed finds its deepest meaning: the church must breathe with her two lungs!” See if you can contribute to efforts in your local area to bring churches together around common causes.

Today’s readings: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11; John 17:20-26

“. . . . That they may all be one.”

Friday, May 29 

Easter weekday

When redemption does not compute

The dictionary defines redemption as “the act of saving something or somebody from a declined, dilapidated, or corrupted state and restoring it, him, or her to a better condition.” Sounds like the history of Christianity. No matter how far we stray, what sins we commit, or how often we deny God, we are continually offered forgiveness and redemption. Someone once observed that the Christian notion of redemption is incomprehensible to the computer. Sometimes it’s incomprehensible to us, as well. Redemption is not logical or predictable, and often we don’t deserve it, yet God never ceases offering it to us. All we have to do is receive it. But do we? How are you refusing the redemption that God is offering to you right now?

Today’s readings: Acts 25:13b-21; John 21:15-19

“Jesus said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ . . . . And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’ ”

Saturday, May 30 

Easter weekday

Come, Holy Spirit!

For the past few decades going to Mass the evening before “counts” for attending on Sunday or another holy day to follow. That’s what the phrase “anticipated Mass” you might see in the church bulletin means. The evening before, the vigil, counts for the next day. It comes from a Jewish way of marking holidays from sunset to sunset. For Christians it serves to make people aware that the religious way of counting days differs from the regular midnight-to-midnight calendar approach. As the sun sets this evening, begin your celebration of Pentecost by reading two of the accounts of how the first disciples received God’s Spirit—John 20:19-23 and Acts 2:1-13—and reflect on what the coming of that Spirit means o you.

Today’s readings: At the Vigil: Genesis 11:1-9 or Exodus 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ezekiel 37:1-14 or Joel 3:1-5; Romans 8:22-27; John 7:37-39

“I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.”