From Our Pastor

We’re happy to have Fr. Wilfred Emeh, the parochial administrator of our sister parish, St. Martin de Porres, celebrate our 5:00pm and 9:30am Masses this weekend as we continue our 45-year tradition of sharing our faith with our sister parish.  And, as they have done for many years, members of St. Martin de Porres parish will join us at the 5:00pm Vigil Mass.  This year, their parish choir, along with members of our adult choir, will lead us in lively song!  We will then host our sister parishioners for dinner [...]

Reflection of Pope Leo XIV at the Vigil for Peace Last Saturday, 11 April, Pope Leo XIV led a Vigil for Peace.  I offer you his reflection during that Vigil for your prayerful consideration: Dear brothers and sisters, Your prayer is an expression of that faith which, according to the words of Jesus, moves mountains (cf. Mt 17:20). Thank you for accepting this invitation to gather here at the tomb of Saint Peter and in so many other places around the world to pray for peace. War divides; hope unites.  [...]

WELCOME BACK, DEACON DAVID! As quickly and unexpectedly as he left, we’re delighted to announce that Deacon David has returned.  You will recall that, due to the challenging situation between China and the Vatican, his ordination to the priesthood here in Philadelphia remained uncertain.  Then, at the invitation of the Diocese of Orange, California, he left us on 2 February with the idea that he would be ordained there and serve the Chinese community in that diocese.  In the intervening two months, however, an arrangement has been made between Philadelphia [...]

Alleluia!  This Easter proclamation that we repeat over and over again during the joyful Easter Season has a powerful meaning, one that we should all know and embrace.  It is a combination of two Hebrew words: “hallelu” (the plural imperative of “hallel”) which means “praise” and “yah,” the first half of the Hebrew word for God, Yahweh.  So, it literally means: “Everyone praise God!”  We should praise God always because of all the good he does for us every moment of our lives.  But Easter is the time for us [...]

 “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.”  (Mt 19:38).  On Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we are called to join with our Lord, Jesus Christ, as he makes a triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and then suffers derision and mockery, scourging and finally crucifixion because he claims to be who he truly is – the Son of God – and comes to offer a new way of life.  This week is, indeed, what we Christians call [...]

“God has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). Two weeks ago, 92 of our young parishioners received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time.  Our confessional lines have continued to grow every Saturday afternoon as more and more of our parishioners recognize the healing power of this sacrament.  I wish we had more priests who could help us on Saturday afternoons but, as you know, we’re all struggling with a shortage of priests throughout our archdiocese.  On Wednesday of [...]