An Unwanted Touch of Red in Our Midst or A Board of Limited Jurisdiction
The Christmas season is filled with red and green; they are festive colors that mark the season! As you read last week’s and this week’s Parish Bulletin, however, you may notice some unwelcome red as you see that our expenses exceeded our income. This is the second time in this fiscal year that we have found ourselves operating in the red. It’s the first time since I’ve been your pastor that we’ve been in the red so early in the fiscal year. Usually, we don’t get to this situation until [...]
Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale and VoxAmaDeus Ensemble
As this special season gets underway, all the stores are filled with Christmas music to put us in the right spirit. You might not even notice the music since you’re so busy concentrating on buying all of the necessary food and gifts for Christmas. But, the music often tells the story of this season and helps us capture its true spirit. So, I invite you to come for an evening of Christmas music presented by either the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale this coming Friday, 14 December, beginning at 8:00pm, [...]
The Season of Advent
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the wave. …And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud. …When these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand” (Lk 21:25ff). With these words, our Lord helps to prepare us for his coming. As we begin a new liturgical year today, the First Sunday of Advent, allow me [...]
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
On this, the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year, the Church calls us to think of the end of our lives, our final judgment and our final destiny – the Kingdom of God. The apocalyptic vision that we hear in today’s first reading from the Book of Daniel sets the tone by speaking about the coming of a “Son of man” who receives dominion, glory and kingship over all peoples, nations, and languages who will serve him. The passage from the Book of Revelation that we hear today is [...]
Introducing Our New Parish Pastoral Plan
As we prepare to begin another liturgical year – Advent begins in two weeks - I want to introduce you to our new Parish Pastoral Plan. It may be hard to believe that it’s already five years since our last Pastoral Plan was initiated! But, after working closely with our Parish Pastoral Council over the past year, I am now happy to present to you our new Parish Pastoral Plan. After a careful review of our parish and its various purposes, organizations and initiatives, as well as an evaluation of [...]
Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary Annual Appeal
If you receive the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday, you most likely saw the front page article entitled “Failure at the Top” in last Sunday’s edition. This article, spread out over five pages, outlined how some bishops in our country have failed in their response to sexual misconduct among the clergy over the past few decades. It is a very disturbing account of mismanagement and disregard for the victims of this abuse. Again, I ask you to join me in praying for all of the victims, that they may find healing [...]