Church
of Saint Philip Neri
Pennsburg, PA 18073
October 18,
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: 6th & 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 6th & Washington Streets East Greenville, PA 18041 ROSARY: Prayed in the Chapel Every Saturday after the 8:00 AM Mass Every 2nd Monday at 1:00 PM |
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 2nd & 3rd Sundays of each
month. Please
call the Rectory to schedule. 2nd Sunday
Baptisms are held at the 11:00 AM Mass 3rd Sunday
Baptisms are held at 12:30 PM PRE-JORDAN
CLASSES 1st
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
1st 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.
Serving at Mass October
18th
Extraordinary Ministers Lectors
5:00 pm – Monica
Nash S.
Hunsberger
John Nash
Priest
Lee Johnson
Janet Kendra
Catherine Cahill
7:30 am – Joan
Pongia John
Guckin
Anthony Pongia J.
Sakalouckas
Priest
Denise Guckin
Stephan Adelsberger
Christine Adelsberger
9:30 am – Colleen
Daley Eileen Koch
Irene Novelli Susan
DiMarco
Priest
Deacon
Priest
Marianne Peters
Mary Ellen Paulk
Rose Anderson
Sharon Shaak
Judy Sledgen
Mary Weber
Michael Dougherty
11:00 am – Bob
Schwind Adam
Canigiani
Barbara Schwind D.
McCausland
Priest
Deacon
Priest
Anita Weilnau
Sandy Shellaway
Tony Shellaway
Tinamarie Evans
Sarah Franks
Doug DiTondo
Linda DiTondo
Serving at Mass October
25th
Extraordinary Ministers Lectors
5:00 pm – Dave
Boone Pete
Frank
Teri Boone
Priest
Priest
Mark Meinzer
Pat Meinzer
7:30 am – Jim
Michels Theresa
Gilmore
Trish Dornisch John
Gilmore
Priest
Deacon
Pat Scheerbaum
Immaculata Barndt
Wally Varallo
Joan Varallo
Lori Brozena
Peter D’Amico
Paul Moser
Maureen Moser
9:30 am – Alicia
Tryon M.
Gehringer
Ed Tryon Matt
Horvath
Priest
Andy Souder
Mary Godshall
Jeff Daley
11:00 am – Bob
Schwind Bob
Piccone
Barbara Schwind Eileen
Davis
Priest
Anita Weilnau
Mary Lavin
Marlene Leidy
Catholic Bishops
of Pennsylvania issue
FLU SEASON
DIRECTIVES
Catholic
Bishops of Pennsylvania encourage the clergy and faithful to observe the
necessary standard precautions to protect the health of others during this flu
season, and especially with the risks related to H1N1 influenza (swine
flu). The Bishops additionally direct
the following for the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy and for flu prevention.
The distribution of the Precious
Blood for the faithful is generally suspended.
The faith of the Church teaches that Christ, whole and entire, is
received even under only one species.
The exchange of the Sign of Peace is
to be offered without any physical contact.
If the priest celebrant chooses to extend the invitation for the Sign of
Piece, the faithful, instead of a handshake, may bow to the persons nearby.
These
directives issued by Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania are effective this Sunday,
October 18, 2009 until determined otherwise by the local Bishop.
The 4th
Quarter Liturgical Ministers (Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy
Communion, Youth Altar Servers) schedule is now available. You can find it on the parish web site (www.spnparish.org).
Printed
copies for those who do not have computer access are available in the little
room off the vestibule. The schedule
covers the remainder of 2009.
Also
included is the opportunity to sign up for helping at Christmas Masses.
FOURTH QUARTER
GREETER SCHEDULES
The Fourth Quarter Greeter Schedules are available
in the vestibule of the Church and on the website.
TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Monday, October 19, John de Brebeuf &
Isaac Jogues
8:00 am – For all those enrolled in the
Memorial Society
Tuesday, October 20, Paul of the Cross
8:00 am – Charles Snyder, (Clark & Barbara
Robinson)
Wednesday, October 21
7:00 pm – Claudine Waldner,
(Rich & Barbara Grochowski)
Thursday, October 22,
8:00 am – Vince Creamer, (Jean & Alan
Miller)
Friday, October 23, John of Capistrano
8:00 am – Anthony & Mary Tokarski,
(Henry & Rita Tokarski)
Saturday, October 24
8:00
am – John Hoffman,
(Catherine Cressman & Family)
5:00 pm – Second Anniversary, Earl Leister,
(Wife, Irene Leister)
THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Sunday, October 25
7:30 am – Samuel Mann
9:30 am – Frank Bozzelli, (Children &
Grandchildren)
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, Baby Robert John Riegel Jr., Robert Rukstalis, Kathy Rukstalis, Mary
Ann Bencie, Frances Cannon, Dianna
Rynkiewicz, Ethel Buck, Gary Lester Keller, Baby Lucy Littlefield, Charlotte
Azarovich, George Bradford, Margie Shelley, Matthew Melcher, Rick DeStefano,
Catherine Wlazelek, Mark & Margaret Clark, Bill Engle, Carrie Desetto,
Anthony Bodgon, Kathrine Kerivel, Herman Adam, Tommy Slattery, Ruth Wunder,
Baby Olivia Enriquez, Elizabeth & Wayne Brinckman, Jim Quigley, Carla
Kozak, Bill Kulp, Janice Minnich, Al Kornak, Michael Sinisko, Jr. & Bob
McCarty.
For those who have died, and in particular for, Elizabeth
Ciampaglia, grant them eternal rest and peace.
SUNDAY COLLECTIONS
October 12, 2008 October
11, 2009
Envelope: $ 8,127.00 $ 8,420.00
Loose: 1,083.00 1,612.00
Children: 51.00 55.83
Total: $ 9,261.00 $ 10,087.83
SEPTEMBER MONTHLY
EXPENSES
Salaries: $ 44,763.00
Oil: -
Electric: 2,641.00
Telephone: 388.00
Insurance: Parish 5,670.00
Insurance: Medical 5,300.00
Trash: 549.00
Assessment: -
Maintenance/Supplies: 6,703.00
Water/Sewer -
(East Greenville) 259.00
Total: $ 66,273.00
ACTIVITIES -
*BINGO*
Kitchen
opens 5:00 pm – Bingo – 6:30 pm
Working
Thursday – October 22nd – Team #2
All
regular games pay $50
FINAL
COVER – ALL SPECIAL PAYS: $500
Bingo: October 8th – 66 players
Games: $ 274.90
Kitchen: 192.70
Total: $
467.60
PARISH BREAKFAST
Our next & last breakfast for 2009
is next Sunday – October 25th
and the last breakfast for the year!
Save the date and mark your calendars!
BAKED GOODS NEEDED
Donated baked goods are needed for the weekly Bingo and monthly
Breakfast.
Call Rita: 679-7009 or the rectory office: 679-9275.
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.
MEETINGS AND EVENTS THIS WEEK
Sunday,
October 18th – Children’s Liturgy of the Word – at the 9:30 am Mass
Sunday,
October 18th – Little Church – gym – 9:30am
Sunday,
October 18th – Men’s 30 & Over Basketball – gym – 8:00 pm –
10:00 pm
Monday, October 19th – CYO Sports
Sign-up – Social Hall Lobby – 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Monday, October 19th - SPN Pre-Cana –
at the Neri Center – 7:30 pm
Monday, October 19th – Charismatic
Prayer Group – Chapel – 7:00 pm
Tuesday, October 20th – Home &
School General Meeting – Neri Center – 7:00 pm
Tuesday, October 20th – Boy Scouts –
gym – 7pm
Tuesday, October 20th – Choir &
Cantor Practice – Church – 6:00 pm
Tuesday, October 20th – SPN Craft Guild
– Meeting Room – gym – 1:00 pm
Wednesday, October 21st – PREP –
Religious Ed – School – 6:00 pm
Wednesday, October 21st – BETA Program
– Rectory Meeting Room – 10:00 am
Wednesday, October 21st – Estate
Planning Seminar – gym – 7:30 pm
Thursday, October 22nd – Rosary at the
Pennsburg Manor – 1:15 pm
Thursday, October 22nd – Respect Life
Ministry – Food for the Homeless – rectory – 5:15 pm
Thursday, October 22nd – Bingo – gym –
6:30 pm
Thursday, October 22nd – Cub Scouts –
St. Philip Neri School – 6:45 pm
Friday, October 23rd – SPN Quilting –
gym – 1pm
Saturday, October 24th – Parish
Breakfast set-up – in the gym
Sunday, October 25th – Parish Breakfast
– gym – 7:00 am -12:30 pm
Sunday, October 25th – Children’s
Liturgy of the Word – at the 9:30 am Mass
Sunday, October 25th – Little Church –
in the gym – 9:30 am
Sunday, October 25th – Youth Ministry –
World Youth Day in Malvern, PA – day of prayer and fun
Sunday, October 25th – Men’s 30 &
over Basketball – gym – 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
UPCOMING MEETINGS
H.O.P.E.
General Meeting – Monday, October 26th – gym – 7:00 pm
SPN
Pre-Cana – Monday – October 26th – at the Neri Center – 7:30 pm
Charismatic
Prayer Group – Monday – October 26th – Chapel – 7:00 pm
Choir
& Cantor Practice – Tuesday – October 27th – in Church – 6:00 pm
PREP –
Religious Ed – Wednesday, October 28th – School – 6:00 pm
BETA
Program – Wednesday, October 28th – Rectory Meeting Room – 10:00 am
Cub
Scouts – Thursday, October 29th – in the School – 6:45 pm
Knights
of Columbus – Hall set-up – Saturday, October 31st – in the gym –
5:00 pm
Knights
of Columbus Communion Breakfast & Mass – Sunday, November 1st –
9:30 am
Children’s
Liturgy of the Word – Sunday, November 1st – at the 9:30 am Mass
Little
Church – Sunday – November 1st – in the gym – 9:30 am
Men’s 30
& Over Basketball – Sunday, November 1st – gym – 8:00 pm – 10:00
pm
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
PREP SCHEDULE
October
2009:
October
21st – classes
October
28th – classes
November
2009:
November
4th – classes
November
11th – classes
November
18th – classes
November
25th – NO CLASSES
December
2009:
December
2nd – classes
December
9th – classes
December
16th – PREP Advent Prayer Service – Social in Gym at 7:00 pm
December
23rd – NO CLASSES
December
30th – NO CLASSES
January
2010:
January 6th
– classes resume – Happy New Year
January
13th – classes
January
20th – classes
January
20th – First Communion Parent Meeting – 6:10 pm – MANDATORY
MEETING
January
25th – First Penance Prayer Service –
7:00 pm
in Church
January
27th – First Penance Prayer Service –
(SNOW
DATE)
February
2010:
February
3rd – Classes
February
3rd – First Communion Parent Meeting – 6:10 pm – Mandatory Meeting (SNOW
DATE)
February
10th – classes
February
17th – NO CLASSES
February
24th – classes
March
2010:
March 3rd
– classes
March 10th
– classes
March 17th
– classes
March 23rd
– First Communion Retreat – Social Hall/Church
March 24th
– classes
March 31st
– classes
April
2010:
April 4th
– Easter Sunday
April 7th
– classes
April 14th
– classes
April 21st
– classes
April 22nd
– First Communion Practice – Church – 6:00 pm
April 24th
– First Holy Communion – Church – 10am
April 28th
– last class
May
2010:
May 11th
– Marian May Procession – Church – 7pm
SCHOOL
NEWS
Preschool – The children learned
about Christopher Columbus and his 72 day trip to the new world. Everyone enjoyed digging in the sand table
for gold coins to pretend sending back the King and queen of Spain.
Kindergarten – This week the
kindergarten continued working with letters.
The class is practicing the letter sounds and formations. We even learned some neat pencil tricks to
help with our writing!
1st – First grade went on a
field trip last Friday to Green Lane Nature Center. They went on a nature hike to explore what plants and animals are
doing in autumn. The children really
enjoyed God’s beautiful creation.
2nd – We went to Green Lane
with 1st grade for a “Signs of Fall” walk.
They saw and heard all sorts of things such as: squirrels and chipmunks
gathering food for winter, fresh deer rubbings on a tree trunk and a box turtle
walking in the woods. The children were
really active both physically and verbally on this trip and loved it!
3rd – Third grade is
having a special health day on Thursday.
Students will bring in fruits and vegetables to eat. This week students will also learn about the
phases of the moon and will chart each phase on a calendar.
4th – Amelia Earhart and
Eleanor Roosevelt are the subjects of this week’s Reading selection. We’ve practiced how to locate information in
a text, creating interview questions and learned some historical facts along
the way.
5th – The students are
using gloves to see how hard it must be for astronauts to work in space. They are also keeping track of the moon’s
phases and location in the sky.
6th – The students are
creating wonderful posters on “How to Play” a game. They will be presenting their projects on Friday. Also, Literature Circle Groups are in their
second week of meetings. The students
are working in small discussion groups.
7th – In Social Studies we
are working in small groups to create and perform a newscast about the Age of
Exploration. In Science we made mobiles
on taxonomy.
8th – The students have
settled into the school year and are forging ahead. In Math we are working on solving equations. In Religion the class is exploring Palestine
during the time of Jesus. The students
are determining how life was the same and also how it was different from today.
PARISH NEWS
MASS GREETER S NEEDED
We are in need of Greeters at Saturday and Sunday Masses. Greeters arrive at Mass 15 minutes before
the start of Mass; greet parishioners at the door; help take care of any
special needs; and distribute Bulletins at the conclusion of Mass.
If you can be a Greeter on a regular basis or as a substitute, please
call Dawn at: 215-679-2160; Shirley at the rectory: 215-679-9275 or email Doris
at: gmomdecker@yahoo.com.
PARISH YOUTH
GROUPS
Teens Living
in Christ: If you are
planning on joining us on Adoremus TE at Malvern on October 25th, I
need all permission forms and money on Sunday night! This day will be a mini-retreat.
I am sure we all have ‘stuff’ that we need to lay at the feet of
Jesus. You won’t want to miss the
games, Mass with Bishop McFadden, Adoration and Praise and Worship Music.
Any questions, please email or call Colleen Daley: prolifer53@comcast.net or
215-541-1716.
SPN ROSARY SOCIETY
Come and pray the Rosary every 2nd
Monday of each month at 1:00 pm in the Chapel.
Our next prayer gathering is Monday – November 9th.
FROM THE PARISH OUTREACH OFFICE
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.
REMINDER: General H.O.P.E.
Meeting is on Monday, October 26th, 7:00 pm in the SPN Social
Hall. Please try to attend.
ELIZABETH MINISTRY
The mission of Elizabeth
Ministry is to support women of childbearing age. We support women
emotionally and spiritually through various means.
THE PARISH
HISTORICAL COMMITTEE
A new
committee is being formed to catalog and record the Events in our parish. One phase of our task will be to review and
catalog the many photos and newspaper articles we already have. We hope to interview many of our long-time
parishioners and record all future parish Events. There will be a minimal number of meetings; the majority of work
will be done at home.
If you have
any questions or would like to be part of this committee, please call Shirley
at 215-679-9275, or email Doris at: gmomdecker@yahoo.com.
SAINT PHILIP NERI
CRAFT GUILD
Anyone
interested in quilting or would like to learn how to quilt, please consider
joining the St. Philip Neri Craft Guild.
For more
information or questions; call: Connie – 610-287-9829, Rita – 215-679-7009 or
the rectory office – 215-679-9275.
ATTENTION MEN – 30 & OVER
Mens’ 30 & Over Basketball, every
Sunday night at St. Philip Neri Social Hall from 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm.
CYO SPORTS NEWS
Registration for CYO
Sports will be held on Monday, October 19th,
in the Lobby of the Social Hall from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
This is for
any boy or girl in grades fourth thru twelfth.
Any
questions, please call Kevin at: 215-679-5481.
CYO SPORTS NEWS –
NEW CANDIDATES NEEDED
2010-2011 BASKETBALL SEASON
The
following positions will be available for the 2010-2011 season:
Athletic
Director
President
Vice
President
Treasurer
Snack
Stand Coordinator
(newly
created position)
If anyone
is interested in any of these positions, please call Kevin Loose at:
215-679-5481 as soon as possible.
ST.
PHILIP NERI CHURCH
HOAGIE
SALE
CHEESE,
ITALIAN or TURKEY
TUESDAY
– NOVEMBER 10, 2009
12:00
NOON – 6:00 PM
St.
Philip Neri Social Hall
COST: $4.00
All
orders due by:
Monday
– November 2nd
Please
call:
Rita:
679-7009 or Pat: 679-5675
ST. PHILIP NERI CHURCH
PORK & SAUERKRAUT SUPPER
SAVE THE DATE!
Saturday, November 14th
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Parish Social Hall
EAT-IN or TAKE-OUT
Adults - $8.00
Children 4-10 - $4.00
Under 4 – FREE
TAKE-OUT - $9.00
PARISH NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY
SAVE THE DATE!
THURSDAY EVENING – DECEMBER 31st
8:00 PM TO 1:00 AM
Dinner dance for those 21 years of age & older!
Single person: $45
Couples: $80
Tickets will be available soon!
LITTLE FLOWER
GIRLS CLUB
Little Flower
Girls Club is a Catholic Program for girls ages 5 and up based on learning
Catholic virtues through the lives of Catholic Saints, Scripture and the
Catechism of the Catholic Church. The
next meeting is November 5th in the SPN School Library from 6:30 pm
– 8:00 pm. Questions, please email joycepatrick@comcast.net.
ST. PHILIP NERI
CHURCH
is hosting a FREE
Informational Seminar on:
“Aging in America, the
Confusing Legal
and Financial Issues Facing
Today’s Retirees
and the Families Trying to
Help Them”
As much as $23,396 a year is available for Wartime
Veterans and their widows.
What needs to be done regarding your money (and
how to protect it)
Changes that have occurred regarding Nursing Home
and Medicaid rules.
End-of-life decisions and care restrictions that
should be in place (and how to avoid mistakes)
Your Estate Planning Steps under the Medicaid Law
(protecting your assets)
Wednesday – October 21, 2009
7:00 pm
St. Philip Neri Social Hall
Sessions will touch on:
Your Money – taxes are going up, interest rates
are going down and the market is very ugly; learn how to avoid or eliminate the
higher taxes on your income and Social Security you may face this year as well
as investment options that can guarantee your money. Presented by Thomas Rutter, Certified Senior Advisor, Certified
Estate Planner.
Estate Planning; Elder Law – planning your estate
to protect your life’s savings from Nursing Care expenses. Review of how Medicaid rules have changed
significantly. The severe changes that
affect your Powers of Attorney and Living Will. Presented by Gerald J. Mullaney, Sr., Attorney at Law.
Two Excellent Speakers,
Issues that are important to you and your family,
No cost, but it can save you
and your family heartaches and headaches!
Light refreshments will be
served
PLAN TO ATTEND!!!
ITALIAN HOLIDAY
TRIP
If anyone would be interested in a visit to the
eternal city of Rome and travel to Assisi as well as Padre Pio’s home church,
and end our visit in Venice around late Fall of 2010, please call Kathy at:
267-923-5173. Our stay would be between
eight to ten days.
ARCHDIOCESAN NEWS
Office of
the Cardinal
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
At Baptism,
each of us becomes a missionary who is called by our Lord to be a part of the
Church’s mission of evangelization by sharing our faith with those around us.
On October
18th, we will celebrate World
Mission Sunday, and we will
reflect on Pope Benedict’s “Year of the Priest” message. All priests, and particularly Missionary
priests, can help us learn to be examples of living our faith with zeal and of
becoming incisive witnesses of the Gospel in today’s world. We celebrate all priests and missionaries
who quietly present Christ’s words and actions each day and reach out to those
who await the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Before
returning to his Father, Jesus promised His followers that He would send the
Holy Spirit. He charged them with the
task of being His “witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the
ends of the earth” (Acts: 1:8). That
mission is now addressed to each one of us.
We are called to support by prayer and sacrifice the work of
missionaries who bring the Good News of Jesus to such faraway places as Asia
and Africa, the Pacific Islands and remote regions of Latin America.
Please pray
daily for our missionaries and for the people they serve. On this World
Mission Sunday, please show your support by being as generous as your means
will allow. May all of us here in the
Archdiocese of Philadelphia be faithful to our call to be eager and effective
witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Sincerely
yours in Christ,
Cardinal
Justin Rigali
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
CATHOLIC LIFE CONGRESS 2009
Saturday, November 14th
Archbishop Carroll High School
Celebration of the Eucharist:
The Most Reverend Robert P. Maginnis
Keynote Address: Joseph
Paprocki
Presentacion principal: Marta McGlade
Download the
registration at:
:www.archdiocese-phl.org/evangelization/clg.htm.
For information call:
215-587-5667.
AREA PARISH NEWS
SOCIETY OF ST.
VINCENT DE PAUL
The Society of St.
Vincent de Paul will be at St. Eleanor Church, 647 Locust Street, Collegeville
on November 7th & 8th, from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm to
collect donations of usable men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing. They will also be accepting small household
goods (beds and bath linens, pots, pans, dishes, cooking utensils, toys, books,
small appliances in good working order).
You are invited to take all donations to the society’s trailer in the
parking lot of the location noted above.
Tax receipts are available upon request. The Society also offers pick-up service for furniture/large
appliances and vehicle donations.
AREA NEWS
ATTENTION:
BISHOP KENRICK BASKETBALL ALUMNI
Join us for a “Celebration of Kenrick Basketball”
benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer
Saturday, October 31st
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Kennedy Kenrick Catholic High School
250 E. Johnson Highway, Norristown
Coach Phil
Martelli of St. Joseph’s University and Assistant Coach Dave Duda will be
bringing their men’s basketball team to Kennedy-Kenrick for an open practice.
All former players, coaches, and managers, current teachers, and elementary
students are invited to attend. A free
will offering will be taken to benefit Coaches vs Cancer.
If you are
planning on attending or know of a teammate who should be contacted, please
contact current KKCHS basketball coach, Jack Flanagan at: jflanagan@stpiushs.org.
ST. MARY’S
CONFIRMATION PREP
c/o Tom Dewees
WILL YOU TAKE THE
CHALLENGE?
Father Chuck’s
Challenge is committed to building homes and providing the basics of life for
the needy of Nicaragua. In this “Year
of the Priest”, St. Mary’s Confirmation PREP, Schwenksville, is taking up the
challenge of helping to “shelter the homeless” by sponsoring a two (2) mile
WALK FOR THE POOR on Saturday, November 7th at Upper Salford Park in
Salfordville beginning at 10:00 am.
Please consider
this an invitation to join our students and families as a walker or a
sponsor. For an information packet,
please contact Tom Dewees at 610-287-8317 or by email at: s880hydros@aol.com. Pre-registration is required.
“OLD TIME RELIGION”
Musical Program by the
“LYRIC CONSORT”
Sunday, October 25th
4:00 pm
Pennsburg United Church of Christ
775 Main Street
Pennsburg
Please join us!
Exciting and memorable music
Refreshments following
Free-will offering
BASKET BINGO
St. Isidore School
Friday, November 6th
7:00 pm
Doors open at 6:00 pm
Come for dinner
and have a great time playing BINGO!
Many wonderful baskets and pottery filled with great items. Extra games, raffles, and many nice door
prizes. Tickets are $20, and all
proceeds benefit the school.
Call Colleen Erwin
at 215-536-2614 for tickets.
CRAFTERS/VENDORS WANTED
Holiday Bazaar
UPPER PERKIOMEN SENIOR CENTER
517 Jefferson Street
East Greenville, PA
November 14, 2009
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Fee per 6’ Table: $20.00 –
plus donated item/craft
If you would like
to sign up, please call the Upper Perkiomen Senior Center at: 215-679-6550.
Invest just five minutes a day, and your faith will deepen
and grow—a day at a time.
Sunday,
October 18, 2009
Twenty-ninth
Sunday in Ordinary Time
A friend indeed
Have you ever thought or been told
that some difficult situation you are facing is “God’s will”? What does that
say about the kind of God we believe in? After all, if a friend regularly—and purposefully—hurts
us and simply explains that he or she does so for our own good, would we really
want to continue a relationship with that person? Why would we think God is
like this supposedly helpful friend? Scripture shows us a God who is there not
to help us build character but to love and cherish us. God says, unequivocally,
“I came to give my life for you.” In difficult times we may want to consider
not why God is letting something happen to us but how God is working to help us
through it.
Today’s readings: Isaiah 53:10-11;
Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45
“For the Son
of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for
many.”
Monday,
October 19
No fooling
Recent books like Jack Miles’ God:
A Biography trace the changing image of God in Hebrew scripture, pointing
out that God is presented in radically different ways. While God is often seen
as angry at sin, though, it is in the New Testament that God directly calls a
human being a fool! What persuades God to such an insult, however, is an
ancient problem: a person who is so self-involved that they have no sense of
life’s fragility, no sense of compassion for others, no sense of gratitude
toward God. Building up stock in wealth, in stuff, seems logical in a world that
judges on the basis of “who has the most toys when they die.” To God, however,
that is the height of folly, and God is not afraid to call a fool a fool.
Today’s readings: Romans 4:20-25;
Luke 12:13-21
“You fool!
This very night your life is being demanded of you.”
Tuesday,
October 20
Feast of Paul of the Cross, priest
A passion for compassion
While a young man, Saint Paul of
the Cross was unsure which direction his life should take—a military or
business career? Marriage? Then one day he was listening to a homily on the
sufferings of Jesus, and it all made sense to him: He would redirect his life
to bring others the message of God’s love expressed in Christ’s Passion. He
desired to form a community of the like-minded to pursue this mission, but he
had to wait more than two decades—years he spent as a hospital chaplain and
traveling preacher—before the church officially gave him permission to found a
religious order, the Passionists. It can take time to find one’s calling and be
confirmed in it. But the satisfaction is worth the wait.
Today’s readings: Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21; Luke 12:35-38
“More surely
will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of
righteousness exercise dominion in life.”
Wednesday,
October 21
What are you driving at?
On the back of countless trucks on
our highways appears the curious inquiry: “How is my driving?” The accompanying
number to call invites our critique. What if we all came equipped with signs
inviting the moral critique of those around us? We might be surprised and not
at all pleased with the feedback. Thankfully, Christianity doesn’t rely on
external judgment; Jesus even warned against judging others. But we are
encouraged to perform our own regular examination of conscience. For everything
that we have—life and love, relationships and resources, talent and time—we
will one day be accountable.
Today’s readings: Romans 6:12-18;
Luke 12:39-48
“From
everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.”
Thursday,
October 22
All fired up
Jesus shocks his disciples—and
many of us as well, no doubt—when he declares that he came not to establish
peace but rather division, to “set the earth on fire.” What kind of fire did he
have in mind? Fire in biblical times was associated with God’s action in the
world and the lives of people. Jesus is using strong language to impress upon
us the importance of taking responsibility for our spiritual growth. Do our
relationships, choices, lifestyles, and loyalties reflect the seriousness of
the call to spiritual maturity? If not, what can we do today to begin to put
things right?
Today’s readings: Romans 6:19-23;
Luke 12:49-53
“Do you think
that I have come to bring peace to the earth?”
Friday,
October 23
Feast of John
of Capistrano, priest
From politico to saint
Wouldn’t you love to see some of
our politicians dressed in rags and paraded through town sitting backwards on a
donkey? In 1416 the governor of Perugia made just such a ride, much to the
delight and jeers of the citizens. But it wasn’t for messing up the economy.
The governor was renouncing his position to join the Franciscans, and the ride
was his act of public humility following the example of Saint Francis. The
ex-gov, John of Capistrano, went on to preach against errors and heresies all
over Italy and Europe and became a great saint. Are there any politicians you
know who could do that?
Today’s readings: Romans 7:18-25a;
Luke 12:54-59
“For I do not
do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.”
Saturday,
October 24
Decisions, decisions
One of the choices life offers is
whether to let God be part of your life. Of course God is always present,
within you and around you, but you can choose to ignore, shut out, or pretend
God isn’t there. Saint Paul called this “I don’t need God attitude” living in
“the flesh” and believed this illusion of self-sufficiency hid the road to
death. Openness to the divine, though—to the power and Spirit of Christ—guides
you to life in God. Find some ways to choose God today.
Today’s readings: Romans 8:1-11;
Luke 13:1-9
“If the Spirit of him who raised
Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give
life to your mortal bodies.”
