Good News for January 7, 2026
- St. Raymond of Penafort
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
In this Issue:
A Father's Voice and the Baptism of Jesus
~Thomas Volkert
Saint Vincent de Paul + Philadelphia, Pa.
When I was in my twenties, I went to Oakland for a six‑month internship focused on the Church’s work for social justice. It was the first time I had been that far from home for such a long stretch. It was challenging, but it shaped my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
My dad unexpectedly began writing to me every week during his break from his job on a loading dock. Each letter was a single sheet, folded into four parts, filled with events and thoughts—mostly about our family of ten. He also included his feelings about what I was doing and his support, even though he wished I were home. Every letter ended the same way: “with love from me and all of us.” Those love letters sustained me, and I remember them fondly fifty years later.
I think of that when I hear today’s reading. Jesus’ own ministry begins with a message from his God and Father: “This is my beloved Son.” While Matthew surely wants his readers to hear this, I wonder how much Jesus needed to hear it too. It was this love that galvanized his ministry and fueled his desire to help others recognize that God’s promises were being fulfilled in him and for them. I also wonder whether his prayer involved abiding in that moment—and other precious moments—when he knew himself to be deeply loved by his God and Father.
As with Jesus, so also with us. We begin with the experience of being loved; we abide in that love; and we are destined to be welcomed into it fully.
When things become discouraging or feel as though they are drifting, it is good to treasure the moments that remind us how God sustains us in love.
Celebrate St. Raymond of Penafort's Feast Day Today!
Join us for Bingo January 31
Get ready for a great afternoon of Bingo, fun and games at St. Raymond School Hall. Bring your own everything (food and drinks) and enjoy fellowship with a chance to win some great cash prizes. Pre-register for $35. Or buy your tickets at the door for $40.
Help Take Down Our Christmas Decorations
We're looking for many hands to make light work, Sunday January 11 after the 10 am Mass. We'll need lots of help taking down our Nativity, Christmas trees and all the festive decorations as we change the church back to Ordinary Time.
Children's Choir is Back January
The St. Raymond Children's Choir will be singing at the 5 PM Mass on Saturday, January 31. All are welcome to join!
Snow and Inclement Weather
In the event of severe snow or ice, the 8 am Weekly Daily Mass Schedule will be based on the Catholic School Schedule. If the school is closed or delayed, there will be no 8 am Daily Mass that day. At all times, please use sound judgment before leaving home, and proceed with care when traveling to and from your car and the church.
Financial Facts
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Collection & Envelopes: $14,555.91
Church Maintenance: $1,065.70
Christmas Offering: $919.00
HFC: $500.00
REST: $500.00
Total: $17,540.61
Special Collections
1/18/26 = Catholic Relief Services
2/8/26 = St Raymond School Annual Appeal
Tax Statements are Available
As you prepare your taxes, Brandi in our Parish Office is happy to provide a statement for your 2025 Giving. Please call her at 215-549-3760 or email her at brandi@saintraymond.net. Statements can be picked up, emailed or mailed (mindful of delays in Postal Service at times).
Join our Daily Call to Prayer
Catholic Call to Prayer. Please Call TOLL FREE 1-877-309-2073, Enter Code 319-414-445#. 6:30 am (Monday to Friday): This call lasts 5-7 minutes and can have an amazing impact at the start your day, reflecting on God’s WORD!!
Noon Call to Prayer. Same number, Monday to Friday at NOON. We will pray the Angelus, reflect on the 1st reading from Daily Mass, say intercessory prayer for those in need and beg God to draw us all nearer to Him.
Cell Phone Reminder
Once again, we need to remind everyone to silence their cell phones during Mass. Unexpected electronic sounds lead others to lose their focus during a time that all hold sacred. So we ask you, please, to honor this request and double-check your phone when you enter church.
New Encounters Invites You to its Quarterly Meeting on Racial Healing This Saturday, Jan. 10!
Since March 2024, New Encounters: Catholics Confronting Racism has convened quarterly meetings with Catholics across the city and suburbs to respond to "We Are One Body," Archbishop Nelson Pérez' 2023 pastoral letter on racism. Please RSVP to join us at St Raymond's.
Presenter:
Stacy Williams, Director, Office for Black Catholics
Time & Place:
Sat., Jan 10, 2026, at St. Raymond in the Sister Rosemary Room (the rectory basement)
Doors open: 10:30 am
Program & Lunch: 11:00 to 2:00 pm
Free of charge, but registration is required
For information & registration, contact program director Dr. Mary Laver: 610-324-9388
Free Workshop: Making Sense of Your Emotions January 12
Parishioner, Jessie Marushak is hosting a FREE workshop January 12 from 7-8 PM.
Most of us were never taught what to do with our emotions, just how to keep functioning. This workshops offers a Catholic way to understand your emotions without stuffing them down or letting them take over.
Register here: bit.ly/emotionworkshop101 and we'll send you a Zoom link to join the call. (If you can't make that time, sign up anyway, and we'll share the recording with you afterward.)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Interfaith Prayer Service
Upcoming Archdiocesan Capital Campaign - You're Invited to Share your Thoughts
Join a Local Bus to the March for Life January 23
Batter Up!
Man Up Philly - Mark Your Calendars!
See the latest news from the Archdiocese
See the January Newsletter here.