FALL ACTIVITIES RESUME
Now that Labor Day is behind us, the summer season comes to an end and all of our parish activities and organization will resume. Our school already began this past Wednesday, 6 September, PREP begins on Monday,16 September, and Wednesday, 18 September, and all the other parish organizations resume their full fall schedule over the next few weeks. It will be great to have the parish facilities become fully alive again!
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
As fall activities resume, I would like to highlight the several excellent opportunities for the adults of our parish to grow in their relationship with God. One of them is called The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This is for any adult who is interested in joining the Catholic Church, or maybe just curious to learn more about it, as well as adult Catholics who, for whatever reason, never received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
We already have seven people signed up and I would also like to invite any parishioners who would like to learn about their faith from an adult perspective. Many of you have not had any formal education in your faith since you finished grade school or high school. Some of the answers that you learned back then are not adequate for you today. Why not give yourself the opportunity to learn about your faith in an adult environment, where you don’t just memorize the answers that will get you a passing grade on a test, but are invited to delve deeply into the issues of your faith with fellow adults? I will again be coordinating this program this year; it is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm on 24 September in the rectory. Please contact me (610-688-4584 or halb@sks.org) to let me know of your interest to attend or just come to the rectory on 24 September; all are welcome!
Bible Study and Faith Sharing
Another excellent way to deepen your faith is through the study of the Bible. God reveals himself to us through the Bible today just as clearly as he did when it was first written but, just as it had to be understood correctly back then, it is important to understand it correctly today. The Bible Study and Faith Sharing program will resume on Thursday, 19 September, in the parish center, from 9:00 to 10:30am. During this time, I offer an in-depth overview of the readings of the upcoming Sunday. This helps us all prepare for the Sunday Eucharistic Celebration and make it much more meaningful, since we will already be familiar with the readings and the Church’s reason for selecting these readings for the particular Sunday. And, since the Sunday readings present almost all of the New Testament in a three-year cycle, we will have the opportunity to comprehensively explore God’s revelation through his son, Jesus, and the early Christian community. As we continue to be involved in the National Eucharistic Revival, we will also focus on the importance of the Eucharist in our lives over the next several months.
Anyone who is interested is welcome to come and learn about the Bible and share how it affects our lives as followers of Christ. You don’t need any Scriptural background to attend, just an open heart to God’s Word. You don’t have to attend every week, but are welcome whenever you can. You don’t have to do anything to prepare for a session, although you are most welcome to do so. I encourage participants to ask questions about the faith and offer their reflections throughout the sessions; that’s why the program is called Bible Study and Faith Sharing. A strong, faith-filled community of about 20 people already attends these sessions, but there is always room for more! Come join us, and bring your own Bible, so we can benefit from the various translations available to us today.
Walking with Purpose
We believe that men and women are created equal, both made in the image and likeness of God. But, as part of God’s design, we are different in many ways. One of them is in our spiritual development. Walking with Purpose (WWP) is a Catholic Bible study program specifically for women that aims to bring them to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It offers personal study and small group discussion that link everyday challenges and struggles with the solutions given to us through the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church. WWP endeavors to meet women where they are, giving them practical Biblical teaching that is consistent with Church doctrine and uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church as an additional resource. Led by dedicated and well-trained parishioners, this program has, over the past seven years, brought over 50 women in our parish together around the Bible, deepening their understanding of God’s Word and their love for Jesus.
WWP will begin on Tuesday, 17 September, in the parish center. Each session begins at 9:15am and ends at 11:00am. I encourage all women of the parish to prayerfully consider joining this excellent program. If you have any questions or want to sign up, please contact Maureen Reilly (610-989-3747) or Kate Mallach (215-858-9507) or visit our parish website at www.stkatharineofsiena.org for more information. Babysitting is available.
Knights of Columbus
Just as Walking with Purpose helps women come to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Knights of Columbus helps men grow closer to Jesus through spiritual reflections and Christian fellowship with other men. Our local council of the K of C has grown strong since its founding in 2014; there are over 40 men of our parish who are active members. But, there is always room for more and all men of our parish are welcome to join. If you are interested, please contact our Grand Knight, Tom Reusche (skskofc@gmail.com).
Evenings of Reflection for Men and Women
For the past five years, Fr. Scott Reilly, L.C., our weekend assistant, offered excellent, thought-provoking evenings of reflection for the men and women of our parish. Unfortunately, Fr. Scott has been transferred but interest in these evenings of reflection continues so plans are being made to continue to hold them with guest priests celebrating Mass and guest speakers offering reflections and/or faith testimonies. You will find more information regarding these evenings of reflection in upcoming Flocknotes as well as on flyers on the church doors and in the Parish Bulletin.
Our Lord calls each of us ever closer to himself and into faithful community. If you aren’t already attending any of these programs, I strongly encourage you to join in; I assure you, you will be richly rewarded!