Church of Pennsburg, PA 18073

February 15, 2015

Rev. Robert A. Roncase, Pastor EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Rev. Raymond W. Smart, retired; resident 1st Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM in the Chapel, Deacon Michael J. Franks followed by Benediction. Deacon Mark J. Meinzer, Business Manager Rev. Edmond J. Speitel, Pastor Emeritus FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS Rev. John J. Scarcia, Retired Pastor For a floral arrangement to be placed at the altar, Shirley Misiak, Office Manager please call the rectory. Catherine E. Faust, Director of Music Wendy Benner, Coordinator of PREP/Religious ED SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE Tom Dewees, Director Catholic Family Life Center Saturday – Vigil Mass – 5:00 PM Sunday – 7:30, 9:30, 11:00 AM Diane Cunningham, Adm. Assistant CFLC Holy Day Masses as announced Anita Fuhs, Youth Minister

Sister Patricia Kelly, M.S.B.T., Parish Outreach WEEKDAY MASS SCHEDULE - St. Anne Chapel

The Chapel is open Monday thru Saturday until Parish Phone Numbers: 7:00 PM for your visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Rectory 215.679.9275

Youth Ministry 267.733.2572 Religious Education/PREP 215.679.7839 Daily Mass is celebrated in the Catholic Family Life Center 215.679.2237 Chapel attached to the rectory: Parish Hall 215.679.8116 Monday - 5:00 PM Parish Outreach 215.679.2282 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - 8:00 AM Neri Center 215.679.6490 Saturday - 9:00 AM

Fax Numbers: CONFESSIONS Rectory 215.679.0386 Saturdays: 4:00 – 4:45 PM or: Religious Education/PREP 215.679.8370 at the Rectory BY APPOINTMENT anytime. Catholic Family Life Center 215.679.8370 BAPTISMS: Please call the Rectory to schedule Church & Rectory Address: 2nd Sunday Baptisms are held at the 11 AM Mass 1325 Klinerd Rd; Pennsburg 18073 3rd Sunday Baptisms are held at 12:30 PM Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Email Address: [email protected] SPONSORS: Sponsors for Baptism and Confirmation Website Address: www.spnparish.org need to be at least 16 years of age, to be confirmed,

Religious Education Office address & hours: attend Mass weekly, and if married, be in a valid 26 E. Sixth Street, East Greenville, PA 18041 marriage. Monday & Friday: Offices are closed Tuesday & Thursday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm PRE-JORDAN CLASSES Wednesday: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm 1st Monday of every month at 7:00 PM in the Email address: [email protected] Rectory meeting room.

Neri Center Address MARRIAGES 575 Main Street, East Greenville, PA 18041 Arrangements should be made at least SIX MONTHS before the date of the wedding. Catholic Family Life Center Address 26 E. Sixth Street, East Greenville, PA 18041 NEW PARISHIONERS Email address: [email protected] Welcome to your new home! Website Address: www.catholicfamilylifecenter.com Please stop by or call the rectory between 9:00 am -

4:00 pm to fill out a registration card. Youth Ministry Office hours: (East Greenville) Tuesday & Thursday: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Wednesday: 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm SHUT-INS Email address: [email protected] Please call the Parish Outreach Office.

ROSARY: Prayed in the Chapel SACRAMENT OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK Saturday after the 9:00 AM Mass Please call the Rectory. Monday at 1:00 PM 059-St. Philip Neri, page 1 OUR PARISH MISSION STATEMENT 7:30 am - Lori Brozena Ernie Quatrani WE ARE THE CATHOLIC PARISH COMMUNITY Mike Duka Shaun Snyder Priest OF ST. PHILIP NERI, ANSWERING CHRIST’S Deacon CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH WORD, Joan Pongia SACRAMENT AND SERVICE. Rita Tokarski WE PROCLAIM GOD’S HOPE AND LOVE TO ALL. 9:30 am - Jenny M. Josko Ed Tryon PAPAL VISIT TO PHILADELPHIA Marianne Peters Eileen Davis Priest WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES 2015 Deacon Sunday, September 27, 2015 Ken Mayer Six buses have been reserved for this special Marilynn Mayer Event. There are some seats available; if you are interested, it is highly recommended you call or 11:00 am - Bob Schwind Bob Piccone Priest Luke Verna email the rectory office at your earliest Deacon convenience. Barbara Schwind The cost for the bus will be $25/person, and a Dianne Kennedy family price also so that parents and children Pat Kennedy may make this historic Event. The price for LaRue Emmell families (immediate family members - parents Mary Goodfellow and children under 21) will be $80. Non- Doug DiTondo members: $40/person and $125 for a family Linda DiTondo (parents and children under 21). Payments are due ASAP by cash or check. SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Checks made payable to SPN Church. February 15, 2015 We will provide food (sandwiches, snacks and drinks) that are included in the above prices. Monday, February 16 Everyone must bring a Canvas Folding Chair; for 5:00 pm - Shawn Gillespie, (Jessica, Joe, Mia & Charlie) those who have family and friends outside of SPN, please notify them at your earliest convenience. Tuesday, February 17, The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order Fr. Robert Roncase 8:00 am - For all those enrolled in the Society. Serving at Mass February 18 Extraordinary Ministers Lectors Wednesday, February 18, Ash Wednesday 9:00 am - Kenneth Latshaw, (Theresa Mayer) 12:10 pm - Stephanie E. Yanchus, ASH WEDNESDAY (Mr. & Mrs. Joe Josko & family) 7:00 pm - Norma Pickett, (Trimbur family) 9:00 am - Joan Pongia T. Gilmore Priest Thursday, February 19 Deacon 8:00 am - Catherine & Ray Shuhler, Rita Tokarski Nancy Greiss-Brogan, Sarah & Tony Seimes & family) 12:10 pm - LaRue Emmell Bob Keeley Priest Friday, February 20 Deacon 8:00 am - John Dzurenda, Jenny M. Josko (Richard & Louise Bauman)

7:00 pm - Diane Kennedy Pat Kennedy Saturday, February 21 Priest 9:00 am – Mass of Thanksgiving, (LaRue Emmell) Deacon 5:00 pm - For all living & deceased Parishioners. Annemarie Quigley

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT Serving at Mass February 22 Extraordinary Ministers Lectors February 22, 2015

5:00 pm - Jack Nash Larry Concio 7:30 am - 10th Anniversary, Stanley Grochowski Monica Nash S. Hunsberger (Barbara & Richard Grochowski) Priest 9:30 am - Stephanie E. Yanchus, Deacon (Mr. & Mrs. Joe Josko & family) Catherine Cahill 11:00 am - Dr. Guillermo & Mrs. Amparo Gonzalez John Burke (Gloria Martell) 059-St. Philip Neri, page 2

Thursday, February 19 FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS Bible Study 7:00 pm Neri Center The center arrangement of flowers is in memory of Men's Basketball 8:00 pm Parish Hall Catherine Gehringer; requested by: Joe & Madeleine Gehringer. Friday – February 20 Bible Study 9:00 am Neri Center Frontier Girls 6:30 pm Parish Hall WE INVITE YOUR PRAYERS Parish Lenten Fish Fry 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Parish Hall For the sick, those in hospitals, nursing homes, and also for their caregivers. Saturday – February 21 Charismatic Prayer Group 10:00 am Chapel Please pray in particular for: Parish Breakfast setup 7:00 am Parish Hall Reverend John J. Scarcia, Anders, Terry Aston, Charlotte Azarovich, Frances Cannon, Sunday – February 22 Dottie Cappelli, Joe Cassarella, Susan Crain, Sue Parish Breakfast 7:00 am - 12:30 pm Parish Hall Ann Creamer, Helen Crouthamel, Jennifer Diascro, Children's Liturgy of the Word at the 9:30 am Mass Lois Diephaus, Amy DiGirolamo, Sondra Dykie, NO Little Church Charles Eberle, Karen Freed, Steven Gebhardt, Men's Basketball 8:00 pm Parish Hall Stephanie Gebhardt, Fran Jacobs, Bob Kanya, Youth Ministry 5:30 pm Parish Hall Janet Keeley, Ed Lampart, Dottie Mccaa, John McArdle, Annie Moran, Rosalie Nelson, Bernard UPCOMING MEETINGS Nichols, Sophie Nunan, Emil Ondra, Tom Paul, Holy Rosary Hour - Monday, February 23 - 1:00 Virginia Piechocki, Sister Ann Regis. M.S.B.T, pm - Chapel Anthony Sammartino, Salvatore Sarbocca, Mary Parish Council Meeting - Monday, February 23 - Schmidt, Alexis Semler, Beverly Slifer, Sean 7:00 pm in Parish Hall Stefanowicz, Evelyn Steffenino, Anna Tedesco, Bill Boy Scouts - Tuesday, February 24 - 7:00 pm - Tersine, Kathleen Tew, Susan Tew, Christine Troll, Parish Hall Ralph UpDegrove, Martin Waldenberger, Ian RCIA - Tuesday, February 24 - 7:00 pm - Chapel Walker, Sarah Werkley, & Larry Wood. PREP/Religious Education - Wed., February 25 at 6:30 pm at the CFLC. For those who have died, and in particular for Bible Study - Thursday, February 26 - 7:00 pm in Patricia Larson, Sophia Rawluk, & William the Neri Center Simon, grant them eternal rest and peace. Men's Basketball - Thursday, February 26 - 8:00 pm in Parish Hall Due to the circumstances in the Middle East, we Bible Study - Friday, February 27 - 9:00 am - Neri will pray for all the Military, but their names will Center not be published. Frontier Girls - Friday, February 27 - 6:30 pm in Parish Hall FEBRUARY 2015: Parish Lenten Fish Fry Lunch - Friday, February 27 - 11:00 am - 2:00 pm in Parish Hall THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE Parish Lenten Fish Fry Dinner - Friday, February 27 - 4:30 - 6:30 pm in Parish Hall. Sunday, February 15 Children's Liturgy of the Word - Sunday, March 1 Children's Liturgy of the Word at the 9:30 am Mass Little Church 9:30 am Parish Hall at the 9:30 am Mass in Church Men's Basketball 8:00 pm Parish Hall Little Church - Sunday, March 1 - 9:30 am in Parish Hall Meeting Rooms Monday – February 16 Men's Basketball - Sunday, March 1 - 8:00 pm - Holy Rosary Hour 1:00 pm Chapel Parish Hall SPN Quilting 1:30 pm Parish Hall PARISH NEWS Tuesday – February 17 Boy Scouts 7:00 pm Parish Hall RCIA 7:00 pm Chapel PARISH BREAKFAST SPN Craft Guild 1:00 pm Parish Hall Our parish Breakfast is next Sunday,

February 22 from 7:00 am - 12:30 pm in the Ash Wednesday – February 18 Masses in Church: 9:00 am; 12:10 pm & 7:00 pm Parish Hall. Save the date! PREP/Religious Education: NO PREP in East Greenville; If anyone is interested in helping out for just a however, mandatory attendance to Mass at the Church. few hours or so, call Rita at: 215.679.7009. Attendance will be taken. 059-St. Philip Neri, page 3 the rectory office between 10am-4:30 pm or Saint Philip Neri Parish Council Members- email to [email protected]. at-Large welcome any questions or Give a St. Philip Neri Memorial Gift! comments you may have. For a donation of $35 or more, there is a beautiful Folder recording the gift and donor Names/email addresses: to be presented to the family. A Mass is offered each month. Tony Bauer: We also have "Living Memorials" for those [email protected] special occasions in life.

Ed Felix: [email protected] FAST AND ABSTINENCE AND OTHER ACTS OF PENANCE FOR LENT Matthew Fuhs: 2015 [email protected] The Bishops of the United States prescribe, as Dave Klauder: minimal obligation, that all persons who are [email protected] fourteen years of age or older are bound to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Dawn McCausland: February 18, 2015, on all the Fridays of Lent [email protected] and Good Friday. Further, all persons eighteen years of age and older, up to an Theresa Walker: including their fifty-ninth birthday, are bound [email protected] to fast by limiting themselves to a single full meal on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday,

while the other two meals on those days are to SUNDAY COLLECTIONS be light. February 9, 2014 February 8, 2015 Envelopes: $ 6,402.00 $ 6,459.00 All the faithful are encouraged, when possible, Online: 1,647.00 1,850.00 to participate at Mass and to receive the Holy Loose: 579.00 815.00 Eucharist daily, to celebrate frequently the Children's: 50.00 49.00 Sacrament of Penance, to undertake spiritual Total $ 8,678.00 $ 9,173.00 reading, especially the study of the Sacred Scriptures, and to participate in Parish Lenten Devotions as well as Lenten Education Special Second Collections: Programs. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament February 2015 is especially recommended. For those who do not receive Sunday collection envelopes or if you are an On-Line giver, the All are encouraged to participate in Operation following second collections are: Rice Bowl which has aided countless hungry Ash Wednesday, Care of Aging/Ill Priests, persons here in the Archdiocese as well as Parish Debt 3rd Quarter, and Sharing Our throughout our nation and our world. Blessings.

REMEMBER DORCAS??? ONLINE GIVING The DORCAS Fund has been established to Go green with St. Philip Neri Church by signing help parishioners who are temporarily having Online Giving up for . You have the option to a difficult time financially. The DORCAS Fund keep receiving your regular offering envelope can help a registered parishioner one time packets if you wish. (www.spnparish.org) during a calendar year. Thanks to the

generosity of all of our wonderful parishioners CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS - 2014 who donate to the DORCAS Fund, we can help Any parishioner requesting a copy of their each other. If you need assistance, call the contribution statement for 2014, is asked to call Parish Outreach Office at: 215.679.2282.

059-St. Philip Neri, page 4 ALL requests are strictly confidential. 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm

SPN CATHOLIC FAMILY LIFE CENTER Excited about attending the Papal Mass and ARCHDIOCESAN NEWS other activities and talks at the World Meeting of Families? Join us at the CFLC as we explore Office of the Archbishop our Catholic teachings regarding sex, marriage and the family. These topics will be presented February 15, 2015 on a Monday evening by various Presenters. For a complete schedule, visit our website or Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the spring Brochure that you recently received. Pre-registration is required. After the devastating flood that Noah and his *************************************************** family experienced, God established a "Give Up Worrying for Lent" covenant with them, promising never again to We welcome Gary Zimak a leading Catholic let such harm come to them. He promised to speaker on the topic of overcoming anxiety to watch over them and take care of them St. Philip Neri Church on Sunday, February through His Providence. The sign of this 22 at 2:00 pm sponsored by the Catholic covenant was the rainbow that appeared in Family Life Center. Gary is a frequent speaker the sky above them. God is now again asking at conferences and parishes across the you to be a sign of this covenant and country. Mr. Zimak is the author of many providence to His priests who have faithfully books and has appeared on several television served you and your families in the past. programs produced by EWTN. Pre-registration for this Event is requested by visiting Our priests have cared for you spiritually, and www.catholicfamilylifecenter.com or call Tom many times physically and emotionally, Dewees, Director: 215.679.2237. Gary's books through their ministries in parishes, schools, will be available for sale the day of the hospitals and many other areas of your lives. Presentation. A free-will offering will also be Many of them have gone to their reward with requested. God, but there are still many more who need your help. They are in retirement or are unable to minister actively because of SPN SENIOR CLUB physical ailments. Villa St. Joseph in Darby, Attention Seniors age 60 and over....March 25, PA and Regina Coeli in Warminster, PA 2015 is the first meeting of the SPN Senior provide happy homes for all our retired Club. Mark the date! We will meet from priests. Other nursing facilities throughout 11:30 am to 1:30 pm in the Parish Hall. There the Archdiocese provide for those with special will be lunch and an activity. We will ask for a needs. At this time in their lives they depend $2.00 donation for lunch. WATCH THE on your prayerful and financial support to BULLETIN for more information. meet their needs.

LENTEN FISH FRY Our annual 2015 Collection for the Care of ST. PHILIP NERI PARISH HALL Aging and Infirm Priests of the Archdiocese will be taken up on the weekend of February EAT-IN OR TAKE-OUT 21 and 22, 2015, throughout the Archdiocese EVERY FRIDAY DURING LENT of Philadelphia. You have always been so faithful and generous to them in the past and February 18 - April 3 - 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM we are deeply grateful to you. Through your Orders taken during Fry Hours: love and gratitude, God will continue to watch over them and care for them for their 5 EVENING EAT IN or TAKE-OUT DATES: remaining days. You are in their daily Mass intentions and prayers, and we ask you to 215.679.8116 remember them in yours. February 27; March 6, 13, 20, & 27 Gratefully and with best wishes in Christ, 059-St. Philip Neri, page 5

Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

Vocation Office for Diocesan Priesthood "Come after me and I will make you fishers of AREA PARISH NEWS men." Jesus speaks these words today. Have you considered being a priest? SHROUD OF TURIN PRESENTATION Be a Fisher of Men. www.HeedTheCall.org "SHROUD ENCOUNTER" will be coming to Sacred Heart Parish in Royersford on Monday, CATHOLIC PHILLY.COM March 16, 2015 at 7:00 pm and will be Stay informed, educated and inspired by presented by Russ Breault, international visiting Catholic.Philly.com every day. expert on this subject. Discover Catholic news, photos, videos and columns on Catholic life and spirituality. Shroud Encounter is a production of the Shroud of Turin Education Project, Inc. The Help CatholicPhilly.com spread the Good News presentation is a fast moving, big-screen by becoming our fan on Facebook and experience using over 200 images covering all following us on Twitter. aspects of Shroud research.

World Meeting of Families - Mr. Breault has been featured in several national documentaries seen on CBS, History Philadelphia 2015 Channel and Discovery. He was interviewed last year for Good Morning America to discuss Mark your family calendar for the 8th World the latest research. Meeting of Families! Philadelphia is proud to welcome families from around the world to A free will offering will be accepted. Please this event on September 22 - 27, 2015. join us in our gymnasium for this presentation. Families can look forward to speakers, celebrations, activities for kids, and prayer, all of which will bring renewal and SAINT ALOYSIUS CEMETERY NOTICE transformation for you, your loved ones, and A Word of Caution: the world.

Family and friends of those interred in Saint Visit the official World Meeting of Families Aloysius Cemetery, be so advised that no website at: WorldMeeting2015.org & "Light a Memorial, Monument, or Headstone company Candle" with your intentions. or its agents have any exclusive contract with

Saint Aloysius Parish. It has come to our Designate your United Way gift to help make it attention that someone or company(s) may possible! The World Meeting of Families contact you and represent themselves as Philadelphia 2015 code is 51600. Like us on agents of Saint Aloysius Parish. This is NOT Facebook at "World Meeting of Families 2015" the case. Please use vendors of your choosing & follow us on Twitter @ WMF2015. and shop wisely. Contact the Saint Aloysius Cemetery Office at 610.326.5877 with any World Meeting of Families - questions. Do be advised that ALL work in Saint Aloysius Cemeteries requires prior Philadelphia 2015 approval and authorization by the Cemetery Registration for the World Meeting of Families Office. This includes and is not limited to an is now open! To register for the World Meeting, application, sketches and other supporting September 22-25, 2015 or to learn more, visit documents. ALL flowers must be removed WorldMeeting2015.org and go the "Register" from the cemetery in preparation for Easter by page. Sunday, March 1, 2015. Any flowers NOT

059-St. Philip Neri, page 6 removed are subject to removal by our all sorts, and always, leprosy. In every age, cemetery crew. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. people have been ostracized and worse simply because they carry a disease that AREA SCHOOL NEWS is not well understood. Ignorance leads to

POPE JOHN PAUL II HIGH SCHOOL fear, which in turn leads to discrimination Save the date! John Paul II High School and sometimes to measures that in will present "Mary Poppins" on March 13, 14, 19, 20 & 21 at 7:00 PM and on March 15 at hindsight are seen as unnecessarily 1:00 PM. harsh. Thankfully, Jesus modeled another

Tickets go on sale February 27 and can be way of interacting with those who suffer purchased online at: www.pjphs.org; so save your "tuppence" and mark your calendars for from a frightening ailment. Compassionate a "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" time! care is called for.

TODAY’S READINGS: Leviticus 13:1-2, AREA NEWS 44-46; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; RACHEL'S VINEYARD MINISTRIES Mark 1:40-45 (77). “A leper came to

Rachel's Vineyard Retreats are for anyone Jesus and kneeling down begged hurting from the spiritual and emotional pain him and said, ‘If you wish, you can of an abortion. The weekend will help you experience the mercy and compassion of God; make me clean.’ ” grieve your loss; and forgive yourself and others.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Retreat dates are: FEAST OF , BISHOP AND MARTYR March 20 to March 22 at the Spirituality Center in Frazer, PA. Deep faith Call 215.906.6337 or 610.399.0890. The Martyrdom of Polycarp is considered

All contacts are confidential. one of the earliest accounts of Christian National website: www.rachelsvineyard.org. martyrdom and is one of the very few genuine accounts from the actual age of Invest just five minutes a day, and your the persecutions. Polycarp, born less than faith will deepen and grow—a day at a 50 years after Jesus’ death, may have time. been one of the earliest believers, but he

displayed a very mature faith. At the close SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2015 of his life, as he faced martyrdom, he is SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME recorded to have said, “Eighty and six Pray for an outbreak of compassion years I have served Him, and He has done Before the latest Ebola outbreak, there me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme was SARS, AIDS, plagues and epidemics of 059-St. Philip Neri, page 7 my King and Savior? Bring forth what you will.” Though you or I may not face the test of martyrdom, we face small tests of WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 faith daily. How we respond reveals the ASH WEDNESDAY; DAY OF FAST AND depth of our own faith. ABSTINENCE TODAY’S READINGS: Genesis 4:1-15, Traditions, traditions 25; Mark 8:11-13 (335). “Why does The Lenten season is upon us, and with it, this generation seek a sign?” many traditions. For instance, though Lent is 40 days, echoing Jesus’ 40 days in TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 the desert, the actual number of days FEAST OF THE SEVEN HOLY FOUNDERS OF THE until Easter is 46. But the six Sundays, SERVITE ORDER, RELIGIOUS with the celebration of Eucharist echoing Quiet down to listen up Resurrection, traditionally have been Sometimes the burdens of the world seem considered days on which fasting is not so heavy and ugly that good souls feel the appropriate, so Lent runs Monday to need to withdraw. The Desert Mothers and Saturday (six days) for six weeks, and Fathers were such persons, and so were when you add the first four days, from Ash many others over the centuries who took Wednesday to Saturday of this week, the the path of isolation. In 1240 seven total is 40 days from today to Holy Florentine nobles did just that, eventually Saturday. Traditions abound. Another forming the Servite Order. Most people are example: The ashes used today were made neither inclined nor prepared for such a from palm branches blessed last year on radical step, let alone a lifestyle of it. But Palm Sunday. Cherish the traditions isn’t it possible to withdraw regularly even handed down to you. in a single day, to disconnect from all TODAY’S READINGS: Joel 2:12-18; those electronic wonders, not forever, but 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1- for a while? The voice of God is often 6, 16-18 (219). “Take care not to small, a whispering sound. You need quiet perform righteous deeds in order that to hear it. people may see them.”

TODAY’S READINGS: Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-

5, 10; Mark 8:14-21 (336). “Do you THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19

have eyes and not see, ears and not THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY hear?” God willing

059-St. Philip Neri, page 8 Choices are a blessing and a curse. You’re teasing others? This personal choice to lucky if you have plenty of options in life, abstain is not merely about “building but it’s hard to know which ones to pick: character.” It is to build up the body of the Should I go to college? Should I get church. married? Is this the best job for my TODAY’S READINGS: Isaiah 58:1-9a; career? When should I retire? It’s Matthew 9:14-15 (221). “Can the impossible to know what lies ahead, so it wedding guests mourn as long as the helps to let God take the lead. That bridegroom is with them?” doesn’t mean being passive, but simply trusting in God’s will. Relinquishing SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21 control to the One who loves you might be SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY; FEAST OF the best decision you ever make. PETER DAMIAN, BISHOP, DOCTOR OF THE

TODAY’S READINGS: Deuteronomy CHURCH 30:15-20; Luke 9:22-25 (220). “What Your peer group needs a saint profit is there for one to gain the Modern-day sainthood requires endless whole world yet lose or forfeit paperwork before the canonical seal of himself?” approval. Not so for 11th-century Peter Damian, who was never formally FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 canonized. As bishop, he was a one-man FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY; DAY OF revolution against “bad priests”—those ABSTINENCE who took money in return for absolving Abstinence makes the heart grow sins. The rich were always happy to pay fonder for their crimes, and some clerics just as Today, like all Fridays in Lent, is a day of glad to grease the wheels of their patrons’ abstinence, a day of eating simply and salvation. For his learning, zeal, and refraining from meat. This simple act can integrity, Peter was named a Doctor of the become rote, without much thought about church in 1828. Sidestep the paperwork: why. It calls for intentionality: a clear, Be a saint in integrity of heart! thoughtful, informed decision to abstain, TODAY’S READINGS: Isaiah 58:9b-14; but from what? Meat? Perhaps, but how Luke 5:27-32 (222). “I have not come about abstaining—in that same clear, to call the righteous to repentance thoughtful manner—from gossip, from but sinners.” rash judgments, from nagging, from

059-St. Philip Neri, page 9

ST. PHILIP NERI – SUNDAY BINGO

March 1, 2015 Working Team #3 Bingo begins at 1PM; Doors open at 12 NOON Parish Hall 1325 Klinerd Rd – Pennsburg 215.679.8116 All Regular Games Prize is $50 Final Cover All-Special – Prize is $500 Great food available in Parish Hall Kitchen

059-St. Philip Neri, page 10