Over the past several years, the local media has drawn a great deal of attention to the inequality in the quality of education offered in predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods in Philadelphia.  Not only does Philadelphia have the unfortunate distinction of having the highest poverty rate among the ten most populous cities in our country but its public education ranks among the worst, coming in 42^nd of the 50 big cities in the U.S.A.  This inequality in educational opportunity has a long history not only in Philadelphia but throughout our […]

As we continue to hear on Sunday from the Gospel of John’s Bread of Life Discourse, I would like to offer some reflections on the Eucharist and its essential role in our salvation.  These reflections are based on one of the inspiring presentations given during the recent National Eucharistic Congress.  This presentation was offered by Sr. Josephine Garrett.  She began by summing up the state of the world before and after Christ and the state of each of our souls before and after we are initiated into the Christian mysteries.  […]

JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE

If you have been paying attention to the Sunday Gospels over the past two weeks, you might have noticed that they were taken from the Gospel of John.  If you noticed that, you might have thought it odd since this year, when we are in Year B of the three year Liturgical cycle, the Sunday Gospel is ordinarily taken from the Gospel of Mark.  Since Mark’s Gospel is rather short, however, we have more Sundays than we have Marcan pericopes so periodically throughout the […]

TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD

Every year, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on 6 August, 40 days before the Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross which is celebrated on 1 September.  The account of the Transfiguration is also proclaimed on the Second Sunday of Lent every year – each year from the proper Liturgical Year – and for good reason.  Just as our Lord was transfigured before the three disciples up on Mount Tabor to encourage them as they prepared to accompany […]

JOSH PARMET ON THE NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS:

MY PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

 Happy Sunday!  As Msgr. Brouwers mentioned in last week’s Bulletin, I was blessed to be able to attend the 10^th National Eucharistic Congress from July 17^th-20^th. I was with a group of eight seminarians from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who attended the event.  After participating in a Mass at 5:00am on the 17^th at St. Charles Seminary, we headed out in a van with one of our seminary priests to Indianapolis.  From the moment we arrived at the convention center in […]

This past week, over 50,000 faithful Catholics gathered in Indianapolis to participate in the historic National Eucharistic Congress.  Josh Parmet, who has been living here in our rectory over the summer to experience parish life as he discerns his call to priesthood, was one of eight seminarians who were sent by our seminary to the Eucharistic Congress.  Next week, he will provide us with some reflections on this important event in the life of the Catholic Church in our country; I’m sure you will benefit from it!

At the end of […]

Our archdiocese was blessed this past March by the episcopal ordination of three of our priests:  Reverend Keith J. Chylinski, Reverend Christopher R. Cooke and Reverend Efren V. Esmilla.  They, along with Bishop John J. McIntyre, are now the auxiliary bishops to Archbishop Nelson Pérez and assist him in the administration of our archdiocese which comprises five counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia), an area covering 2,202 square miles with a total population of 4.2 million, of which 1.6 million are Catholic.  There are 214 parishes served by 241 […]

Every week, when I review the Sunday collection, I find myself feeling both relieved and concerned.  I’m relieved that, unlike many other parishes, our Sunday collection income has remained steady through the pandemic and beyond.  At the same time, I’m concerned that it hasn’t kept pace with inflation.  According to the US Inflation Calculator, the consumer price inflation rose 21.6% between January 2020 and May 2024.  Just like you in your household or business, we have experienced this increase in so many of our regular expenses.  As a result, the […]

UPDATE ON OUR SCHOOL AND ITS

BOARD OF LIMITED JURISDICTION

As another very exciting year comes to an end at our school, I would like to offer an update for everyone; there’s lots of news to share.  As was announced just last week, Adria Crowley, who led our school over the past two years in many new and innovative ways, has resigned to tend to ongoing health issues.  I’m sure you join me in assuring her of our prayers.  Jeanne Mulvanerty, a longtime parishioner whose four children attended our school and […]

PHILADELPHIA MARCH FOR LIFE

PHILLY’S BIGGEST BABY SHOWER

 Speaking of the important roles that fathers and mothers play in their children’s lives, the first is to welcome them into the world.  Tragically, so many people today do not recognize the infant in the womb as a unique child who has the same right to life as everyone else does.  We Catholics do, however, and we lead the effort in protecting and promoting all human life from the moment of conception to natural death.  We also support countless pro-life […]