My Dear Parishioners,

It’s that time of year again when you will soon be receiving our Annual Stewardship Appeal letter. I ask you to give your donation serious thought and prayer. This is an important appeal for the running of your parish. All of the money raised as part of this appeal stays here at St. Joseph parish and helps to keep the parish operating. Ever since COVID hit, we never returned to full participation. There is no way that St. Joseph Parish could survive simply on the weekly contributions collected. We depend on your generosity throughout the year, but especially during this important outreach. Please believe me that your generosity is sincerely appreciated. If you are not able to make the requested contribution, please make whatever donation that you feel is appropriate and supportive of your parish and know that it does make a difference. I also want to remind you that the Family Update and Information form is included with this appeal. Please take the time to fill out the form so that our records can be as current as possible. If a child is away at college, but he/she still resides at home, please be sure to include them. If they have moved out of the house, please let us know that too. This Wednesday September 28th we will have our Night of Inquiry for those interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith or considering entering it. If you know someone who might be inclined to find out more about the faith, perhaps God is using you to be His evangelist. The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program meets on Wednesday evenings in classroom 18 through the Fall, Winter and Spring. If you or someone you know is considering it, please contact the rectory at 215-672-3020 and let us know you plan on attending.

This past week I met with the parents of our children attending CCD and this week will be their first classes. Please keep the young people and our catechists and volunteers in your prayers for a good and fruitful year.

As part of our 100th Anniversary celebration, we will celebrate our 40 Hours with a special “Eucharistic Retreat.” Our Homilist for 40 Hours will be Fr. Pio Mandato, FMHJ. Fr. Pio is a Franciscan priest living as a missionary hermit. When summarizing his “Eucharistic Retreat” he says, “Jesus’ whole life can be summarized as the offering of Himself in sacrifice on the cross so we could share in deep communion and intimacy with His Father in the Spirit (Hb. 10:12). Three words that synthesize this teaching which is embodied in the Eucharist are presence, sacrifice and communion. These words are the very core of any act of authentic love. The retreat will focus on these Eucharistic realities in the life of the Lord and pray for the grace so we may enter into them.

Our 40 Hours will be on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday October 16, 17, and 18 at 7:00 p.m. Confessions will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the service will start at 7:00 p.m. There will be opportunities for confession, the celebration of Evening Prayer and benediction, and on Tuesday, a healing prayer service with the opportunity to be blessed with the glove of St. Padre Pio.

Even though the unthinkable happened, that is, the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion has been overturned, the work protecting life is not over. October is still Protect Life month. The U.S. Bishops Conference encourages us to continue praying and working to support life. This week it reflects on the Blessed Mother’s support and inspiration. “The witness of our Blessed Mother invites us to become more aware of the needs of pregnant and parenting moms in our own parishes and communities… Following Mary’s example, we can ask ourselves how to better know these mothers, listen to them, seek understanding, and help them obtain the necessities of life for themselves and their children. How can we, like the Blessed Mother, lovingly support mothers in welcoming and caring for God’s gift of life?”

God Bless you,
Fr. Bordonaro

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