First Holy Communion

My Dear Parishioners,

Please keep our young 3^rd graders in your prayers. This Saturday, May 4, 2024 they will be making their First Holy Communion. This is a special time in the spiritual life of a Catholic. We ask that Jesus will stay close to these 15 young people as they take Him into their hearts and souls. Please pray for their families too, that they will facilitate these relationships by bringing them to Mass regularly. If you see one of them at Sunday Mass (they should be easy to spot because we ask them to wear their First Communion outfits), please be sure to congratulate them.

May is also the month of Mary and a time when we reflect on Our Blessed Mother’s willingness to make a home for Jesus within her. We too are called to make a home for Jesus in our hearts and Mary will help us do that. We honor Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Earth in a special way with our May Procession on Monday, May 6^th. The procession begins at 7:20 pm in the grassy area between the two back parking lots (weather permitting). We invite all members of the 2024 Confirmation class and 2024 First Communion class to take a place of honor in the procession. Please wear your First Communion attire or your Confirmation robes. We also ask parishioners to bring flowers from your gardens. The flowers are carried in procession along with a statue of Mary and then placed in front of the statue as a tribute to the Blessed Virgin. After the procession we will pray the Rosary. The night closes with Benediction. It is a beautiful devotion and I hope to see you there.

Archbishop Pérez asked that the following letter be communicated to you this weekend.

God Bless You!
Fr. Bordonaro

May 2024

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Home Mission dioceses are often impoverished and have small or widely dispersed Catholic populations that stretch over vast areas of terrain. These economic, demographic, and geographic challenges make it difficult for the Church to minister to the needs of Her people in those regions. In addition, the populations of Home Mission dioceses are disproportionately impacted by unemployment, natural disasters, and crime rates.

In the Diocese of Amarillo, for example, the diocesan criminal justice ministry answers Christ’s call to visit and serve prisoners and patients confined to hospitals. Since 2004, this ministry has expanded to bring the Eucharist, Sacred Scripture, and prayer to inmates of the seven prisons and two large hospitals in the diocese. This ministry of mercy includes retreats during which inmates can encounter the love of Jesus, heal from past failures and wounds, and develop new hope for the future.  Many inmates have experienced spiritual conversions that have inspired them to join formation programs and enter the Catholic Church.

The criminal justice ministry is one of many innovative outreach efforts made by dioceses supported by Catholic Home Missions. Your participation in the annual Catholic Home Missions Appeal supports dioceses throughout the United States and its territories that need financial help to sustain core pastoral services and missions of mercy to those they serve. Please prayerfully consider how you can support the appeal this year. To learn more about the appeal and those who benefit from it, visit www.usccb.org/home-missions.

Thank you for strengthening the Church at home in places where our brothers and sisters are most in need and please be assured that you are remembered in my prayers.

Gratefully and with best wishes in Jesus Christ,

+Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, D.D.
Archbishop of Philadelphia