From Our Pastor

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 organizations that [...]

Throughout the year, you are invited to support a wide variety of Catholic organizations and activities through our second collections.  The Catholic Charities Appeal, which is the most important collection each year, allows the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to serve thousands of people in the Archdiocese.  In fact, programs funded by the Catholic Charities Appeal assists one in five people in our Archdiocese.  Every year, you are very generous in response to this appeal.  To provide guidance, the Archdiocese sets goals for each parish.  Last year, our parish goal was $152,390 [...]