As summer quickly comes to an end on this Labor Day weekend, I hope you have all had time for some rest and relaxation. Now, it’s time to begin thinking of returning to full swing! Our school begins this Wednesday, 3 September, PREP begins on Monday, 15 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!
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
As fall activities resume, I would like to highlight the several excellent opportunities for faith formation for all of our adults. One of them is called The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), formerly known as 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. There are already six men and women who have indicated an interest in joining this fall but there’s always room for more. I will again be coordinating this program this year; it is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm on 23 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 23 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, 18 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.
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 ten years, brought over 60 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, 9 September, in the parish center. Each session begins at 9:15am and ends at 11:00am. The theme for this year will be: Touching the Divine: a study of the Gospel of John. 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 Kate Mallach (215-858-9507) or Maureen Reilly (610-745-6320) or visit our parish website at www.stkatharineofsiena.org for more information.
Evenings of Reflection for Women and Men
Women’s Evenings of Reflection will begin on 2 October; Men’s Evenings of Reflection will also begin in the fall. More information will be available in the Parish Bulletin and on the church doors in upcoming weeks. These evenings provide wonderful opportunities for the men and women of our parish to learn about and share their faith.
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!