PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS (PART III)
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS (PART III) On Thursday, the Parish Pastoral Council will meet with the candidates who were nominated to fill the four Council positions that will become vacant in May. Almost 30 parishioners were nominated and I want to take this opportunity to thank those who submitted nominations and to encourage those who were nominated for the Council to prayerfully consider this call to serve our parish in this unique ministry. It is, indeed, an important one as the Pastoral Council offers me invaluable insight and counsel in [...]
FOURTH SUNDAY LENT (Year A)
1 Samuel 16:1b, 6 – 7, 10 – 13a This Sunday, we hear the very interesting account of the selection of David to replace Saul as king of Israel. First of all, we remember that 1 Sam is part of the Historical Books of the Bible, presented in its final edited form probably at the end of the 7th century BC. It is called Samuel because it focuses on Samuel, the last judge of Israel, who was called by God to anoint both the first and second kings of Israel. [...]
THIRD SUNDAY LENT (Year A)
Exodus 17:3 - 7 This Sunday, we hear the well-known account of God providing water from the rock for the disgruntled Israelites in the desert. As we recall from the first 14 chapters of this book, they had escaped the Egyptians and had spent a little over a month in the desert before they complained about having no food. In chapter 16, we hear them complain about having no food and how God provides them with manna and quail (cf. 16:1 – 3, 13 – 15). Then, they moved [...]
COLLECTION FOR THE CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA
Ever since missionary priests accompanied the Spanish conquistadors in the 15th century, the Catholic faith has spread throughout Latin America. Many of the people are faith-filled but the needs in this region of the world are great and can often seem insurmountable. For more than 50 years, the annual Collection for the Church in Latin America has been a way for Catholics in the United States to unite more closely with our brothers and sisters in faith throughout Latin America and the Caribbean through supporting diocesan pastoral catechetical and family [...]
Nominations for Our Parish Pastoral Council
Nominations for Our Parish Pastoral Council – part II As I noted in last week’s Parish Bulletin, it’s time to elect four new members for our Parish Pastoral Council. As you consider who to nominate, allow me to provide a little more information on the purpose and role of a Parish Pastoral Council. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia Rationale, Principles and Guidelines for Parish Pastoral Councils, the document that I mentioned last week, offers a good summary: The general function of the Parish Pastoral Council is to advise the Pastor in [...]
LENT BEGINS
It’s been a strange and unusually warm winter, hasn’t it? With the exception of a few extraordinarily frigid days, it’s felt more like spring than winter. Some of you may still be looking for that one, major snow storm but, ready or not, spring is fast approaching. Liturgically, Lent – which means “spring” – is almost here; it starts this week with Ash Wednesday. Just as the natural world is reawakened and renewed every spring, each year, the Church, in her wisdom, offers us this liturgical Season of Lent, a [...]