Thursday, September 17, 2020 XXIV Week in Ordinary Time
The dispensation from attendance at Mass remains in effect until Archbishop Perez announces otherwise.
All weekend Masses in our parish are now Live-Streamed. After Sunday one will remain on the platform.
Confirmation – New! Last Saturday we rejoiced as our Confirmation class received the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Bishop McIntyre was with us as the celebrant and the weather was perfect. I am grateful to the Parents, Sponsors, Catechists and teachers. I thank Jen Swetland for her work with this class and Julie Sullivan for her efforts as the new DRE. Catechetical Sunday – New! This Sunday is Catechetical Sunday. Those whom the community has designated as Catechists are called forth and commission for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity to reflect on the role that each of us plays by virtue of our Baptism in handing on the Faith and being a witness to the gospel> The Catechists will be commissioned at the 9:00 Mass this Sunday. Walking with Purpose –New ! Walking with Purpose is a Catholic Bible study program for women that aims to bring us to a deeper personal relationship with Christ. Through personal study and small group discussions, everyday challenges are linked with solutions given to us through the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church. This fall we will, of course, be meeting virtually via Zoom. You’ll have to check the bulletin (which will be available tomorrow online) for details and contact information. St. Cornelius Literary Society – New! This month’s selection is Sula by Toni Morrison. Two girls who grow up to be women. Two friends who become something worse than enemies. Our meeting will on Sunday September 27th at 3:00 PM. It will be virtual and I will put out the Zoom Room info at a later date.
Fall Stewardship Appeal – New! In the fall of each year, most parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia conduct a Annual Fall Appeal. I am grateful for your response to this annual appeal at Saint Cornelius. Truly, it provides a great source of financial stability, reliability and support for our parish’s yearly budget. My goal of consistent financial transparency again leads me to provide you with a clear articulation of the purpose of this appeal. I intend to use your contribution to support our parish organizations, the maintenance of the parish buildings and the continued stewardship of our regular financial obligations. Holy Family Project I hope to begin work on the portico soon which would allow us to use that space. It will be a two-part project. The first part will be landscaping the portico and the second will be the installation of the bricks. The bricks will be laid in the spring. As of today, we have just about 65 pavers/bricks that have been ordered for the walkway leading to the Holy Family Portico. I am getting samples of the pavers/bricks to display in the vestibule. I had hoped that the foot traffic before and after Mass would allow our parishioners to see what they could purchase. Please check out the display in the vestibule and online for the plans for this beautiful space. Opening it up will enable parishioners to use this area for reflection and we can extend the monthly coffee gathering on Sunday as well as host some social events there. Attached to this email is the actual form requesting whose name, a person or a family, you wish to memorialize. In addition, it contains a fuller description of the opportunity to participate in the construction by purchasing a paver. Please review the material and drop off the completed form with your check at the Parish Life Center. The re-building efforts continue!
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults R.C.I.A. Our initial Meet and Greet for the RCIA program is this Thursday evening, September 17th at 7:00 PM. This year we will meet regularly on Thursday evenings in the Fr. Simon Room of the Parish Life Center. Everyone’s journey to God is unique and this program enables others to join in the journey as people probe and discover the beauty of our Catholic Faith. I am very pleased to say that we have more than a half dozen people who have made inquiries or committed to the program already.
Thursday Men’s Morning Prayer and Gospel Reflection I invite the men of the parish to join with me and other men of the parish on Thursday mornings at 6:30 AM for prayer and reflection on the Liturgy of the Word for the upcoming Sunday. We meet on the patio of the parish house, the rectory, at 6:30 AM and conclude in a timely manner for the celebration of Mass at 7:30 AM. It is a lovely way to begin the day. Coffee and tea are available.
Collection for Family Promise A parish wide collection drive will take place at St. Cornelius on September 19th and 20th to support Family Promise of Southern Chester. Our parish has been involved in Family Promise for the last several years. Please check the bulletin for details and how you can support this effort with your characteristic generosity.
A Food Packing Event For the last several years we have hosted a food packing event in the fall of the year. This year the need is even greater. I am inviting our parishioners to participate in this act of Social Justice for the hungry in November. If you participated in the past you know the good that can be accomplished and the sense of satisfaction there is in doing for others. Because of COVID the experience will be a wee bit different, but a group of parishioners are beginning to put things in place for Saturday, November 7th. This effort is a collaboration with Catholic Relief Service and Rise Against Hunger.
Loaves and Fishes – New! Thank you for a great turnout today. We were able to deliver over 600 lunches and 37 casseroles to St. John’s Hospice. We also collected baby supplies that will be delivered to either Chester County Maternal Child Health Family Center or Young Moms. The St. Cornelius Community continues to support those in need and we cannot thank you enough. The next pickup for lunches is September 25th. We will have casserole pans available for pick up to use for the October casserole date. If you are not coming by the PLC on the 25th please note that the casserole pans are in the PLC office and you can pick them up anytime the office is open. Looking ahead: September 25th we will be collecting lunches only. October (date to be confirmed) we will collect casseroles and lunches. October 23rd we will be collecting lunches only. Remember that the Young Moms collections will now be held in March and July. However, should you wish to continue the donations (diapers, wipes, formula), please feel free to bring to the PLC and we will deliver to Chester County Maternal Child Health Family Center, as they have a similar need. We meet at the PLC between 10 and 10:15 on the morning of the drop off. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity. Contact JoEllen Muntz joburns66@gmail.com with any questions. Catholic Relief Services - Fair Trade event in the vestibule – New! Through fair trade, small scale farmers are better able to support their families and improve their communities. With this event we can show our regard for the work they do and enjoy their products as we support Catholic Relief Services and them. A fiery finish During the quarantine I began making my own bread and my own ice cream. I am seeing my doc in a few weeks and the evidence will be apparent to him. I believe that the “19” in COVID 19 refers to the weight gained during the lock down. As Oscar Wilde once wrote: I can resist everything except temptation. In the meantime, I am looking for less bread, less ice cream and eventually less me.