From Our Pastor

Adopt-a-Family, Christmas Food Baskets, Christmas Giving Tree Halloween is just behind us, Thanksgiving and the beginning of Advent are still a few weeks away and yet, Christmas preparations are well underway in our stores; I saw Christmas cards and decorations in stores at the end of September!  Fortunately, we have the privilege of sharing the true spirit of Christmas that goes beyond the holiday parties, exchange of gifts and cards and seasonal decorations.  We have several parish initiatives that will allow you to give to those in need as you [...]

Ready or not, next Saturday is already the first day of November!  We will join with the universal Church in celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints.  Since it occurs on a Saturday, it is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year.  We will not celebrate a Vigil Mass on Friday and will celebrate the regular 8:00am Mass on Saturday.  Although it is not a Holy Day of Obligation, I encourage you to attend the 8:00am Mass as we celebrate this important solemnity.  We find encouragement throughout the year in [...]

You might have heard an advertisement on KYW or seen one on your favorite television channel promoting the work of our archdiocese.  It’s titled “Catholic. Every day.” and it is intended to bring the great work of our archdiocese to the attention of everyone in the Philadelphia area.  You might have noticed that the advertisement speaks of the Catholic Church of Philadelphia rather than the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.  According to Archbishop Nelson Pérez, this has been done deliberately as a marketing tool to rebrand us as a living Church rather [...]

“Please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth.” (2 Kings. 5:17).  What a curious request we hear at the end of this Sunday’s first reading.  Elisha, the great prophet in Israel, had just cured Naaman, the great army commander of the Arameans, of leprosy.  Why would Namaan want this pile of earth from Israel?  You will recall that the people at that time believed in local gods.  They believed that these local gods ruled over particular lands.  That’s why various Old Testament books speak of the gods of [...]

This weekend, we join with the Church Universal in celebrating World Mission Sunday with its theme: “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples”.  As we continue to celebrate this Jubilee Year, the late Pope Francis called everyone in his 2025 World Mission Day Message to prayer, reminding us that prayer is not only the “primary missionary activity,” but also the key to “keeping alive the spark of hope lit by God within us.” Our Holy Father delivers his Mission Day Message in February in preparation for World Mission Sunday which is [...]

After the celebration of the Eucharist itself, what better Eucharistic event is there than our annual Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion?  It’s a great opportunity to linger with our Lord, recalling all that he has done for us and preparing for our eternity with him.   Our annual Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion will begin next Sunday after the 11:30am Mass and conclude with a 7:00pm Mass on Tuesday.  I encourage everyone to join in this wonderful devotion! As you know, we believe that, when we celebrate Mass, we participate in the Paschal [...]