Jul 1012 min read

Good News for July 10, 2024

Ours is not an age of change, but a change of the ages. (THE APARECIDA DOCUMENT The Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2007)

The Church has always been surrounded by conflict and engaged in struggle. It has been that way since the time of its founding by Christ. At every point, the darkness has opposed the One who came to bring light. Yet, the light continues to shine. God himself is the origin of that light, and “the darkness cannot overcome it” (cf. John 1).

Being a member of the Body of Christ means to share in his divine life and bring that light to the world (cf. Matthew 5). It is up to the people of God to consider the times in which they live. Then they must devise pastoral and evangelistic strategies suited to those times. This is a task for every generation.

We are in a post-Covid era. Everything has changed since the onslaught of the pandemic. In an age of change, the Church needs to pay attention to the ways in which she carries on its spiritual battle. She must make sure she is not ‘fighting yesterday’s war.” The Church can no longer use strategies that are outmoded and have become ineffective.

Pope Paul VI first articulated the idea of the “New Evangelization.” We are now approaching when he noted that Europe was no longer a Christian continent one hundred years ago. Spiritually, the Old World has now become the New World - mission territory. Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI said that we are no longer attempting to make converts from pagans. We are attempting to bring back Church members from the grasp of apostasy. Many do not even know it. There are those who disagree with the Church. Active members consciously fight against Her and what she believes. C. S. Lewis described this in an interesting way. “It is the difference between a man wooing a young maiden and a man winning a cynical divorcée back to her previous marriage.”

Much has changed in society. All times have known the temptation to be cruel to children. Their existence is often inconvenient. Our age has devised a way of thinking that the murder of children is not only acceptable; it is considered an act of moral goodness. It does not enhance personal freedom, or lead to a more fulfilling life. Every age has been tempted by sexual immorality. Our age has constructed intellectual justification for all kinds of sexual immorality. This then gets pushed into our schools.

Every age has suffered from overreaching human pride. Technological development has brought about an attack on human nature itself. Long-standing assumptions about what it means to be human are under siege. Only in our age have humans developed technologies and mindsets focused on recreating humans genetically and robotically from the ground up.

These are intellectual and spiritual wounds. Jesus Christ and His church can help in the healing process. However, to make a Christian appeal to the members of modern societies, we need to pivot. We need a new type of intellectual and spiritual counterattack on the secular worldview. They need to see strange yet attractive new forms of Christian lifestyles. The hearts of our young people need to be moved by a compelling Christian narrative. Our feet need to move according to new missionary strategies. Contemporary young minds need to be captured by the Church’s perennial truths. To accomplish that, you must understand the ideas of VISION and WORLD-VIEW.

Fr. Charles Zlock

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Good Things are Happening at St. Raymond!

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Roy!

Parishioners, Chris Friel and Nick Roy, were married at St. Raymond on July 5th. Many blessings to the newlyweds!

Congratulations to Our Pastor - He is Now a Dean!

We’re excited to share that Fr. Charles Zlock has been appointed as the Dean of the Philadelphia Northwest Deanery through the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. As Dean, Fr. Zlock will oversee pastoral care and support for 9 parishes in the Northwest Philadelphia region, ensuring that our spiritual needs are met and that our faith continues to thrive.

Don't worry—he'll still be pastoring us at St. Raymond, but now he'll have the opportunity to share his gift with an even larger community.

Join us in congratulating Fr. Zlock on this significant appointment and in offering prayers for his continued leadership and dedication to our community.

View the official announcement here:

Getting to Know You...

Here's a message from Mr. Bernie Faia --

As a seminarian assigned to St Raymond Church, I would like to meet and get to know as many parishioners as possible, and for the parishioners to get to know who I am. Please take a moment to sign up for a time to get to know me better.

ATTENTION: ST. RAYMOND NEEDS YOU!

Matthew 9:37-38: Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Numerous needs have been communicated here and in the bulletin. Unfortunately, responses are nearly non-existent. A vibrant parish has members responding to the call for help. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Please scroll below for several opportunities. You can sign up here or complete a signup sheet on the table in the back of church (on the Williams Ave side). We want to hear from you! THE HARVEST AWAITS!

Volunteer Opportunities

Technology

We are in urgent need of support from those with basic technology skills:

Slide Operators – manage slides shown on TV screens during 5pm, 8am or 10am Mass
Camera Operator – manage live streaming of 10am Mass via YouTube
YouTube Host – Engage with parishioners during 10am Mass

Requirements are a love for your parish, and a willingness to learn and serve. Teenagers and adults can contact Brandi at 215-549-3760.

Bethany Team

We are grateful for the folks who have expressed interest in joining the Bethany Team. But we are still in dire need of people who regularly attend Mass at 5 pm Saturday and 8 am Sunday, and might like to welcome others who come to Mass at that time. Please contact Minta at mintabrown@saintraymond.net or by phone at 610-329-7256 if you can help her fill the empty spaces on her Bethany schedule.

Lectors

Likewise, our Lector Team has a major shortage of readers for the 5 pm Saturday and 8 am Sunday Masses. St. Raymond lectors know the joy that comes from proclaiming the Word of God to His people. If you want to share in this ministry, you’ll have the encouragement of the entire team as you do your training. Please contact Brandi at brandi@saintraymond.net or by phone at 215-549-3760 if you’d like to know more.

To volunteer for any of the above tasks, please complete this form and someone will be in touch soon! Or, call Brandi at 215-549-3760.

Part Time Employment Opportunities

We are excited to announce two fantastic part-time job opportunities at St. Raymond:

Director of Religious Education and Social Services

This role involves coordinating faith formation, religious education, social outreach, and related activities to enhance the vibrancy, religious development, and social services of the parish. View the job description: https://indeedhi.re/3RMQS2G

Finance Manager

The Finance Manager collaborates with the Pastor and Finance Council to manage the financial and temporal affairs of the parish. This role ensures compliance with the policies, procedures, and guidelines of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (AOP) and supports the stewardship of the parish’s resources. View the job description: https://indeedhi.re/3RMnlWP

To apply, please send your resume to Saunja Johnson at saunja.johnson@verizon.net and/or Minta Brown at mintabrown@saintraymond.net.

Please share these opportunities with anyone who might be interested!

St. Raymond School Needs Your Help!

We are looking for a staff member to take control of St. Raymond's social media platforms. This staff member would be in charge of making/posting weekly updates and announcements for the school.

This position will be a paid stipend with the following duties but not limited to:

Posting pictures
Updates
Announcements
Mass
Major events
IG, Facebook, School website, etc.

We are looking to fill this position as soon as possible.

Please reach out to Mr. Harris and Ms. Jennings if you're interested. Phone: 215-548-1919.

Called and Gifted Starts Soon!

"As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace." 1Peter 4:10

We were each given gifts (charisms) by the Holy Spirit during baptism. Examples include knowledge, craftsmanship, intercessory prayer, teaching, service, music, administration, and many more! These gifts give you the power to be a channel of God's goodness to others. We can help you to identify, discern and practice using your gifts via The Called & Gifted™ Discernment Process.

SMALL GROUP MEETING OPTION 1: Saturdays, 7/13 – 8/17 (6 weeks), 9 - 11 AM in the rectory office/Sister Rosemary Room. Moderator: Fr. Zlock
SMALL GROUP MEETING OPTION 2: Thursdays, 7/18 – 8/22 (6 weeks), 6 - 8 PM in the rectory office/Sister Rosemary Room. Moderator: Minta Brown

Pre-registration is requested. Sign up here. Please contact Brandi (215-549-3760) or Minta (610-329-7256). Minta can also provide additional details, if needed. Contact her at mintabrown@saintraymond.net

In Case You Didn't Notice...

We're Having a Heat Wave!

Here are some tips to stay safe this summer:

Stay hydrated:

Drink plenty of water. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks.

When you’re outside:

Avoid working, exercising, or playing outside during the hottest part of the day (usually noon to 5 p.m.).
Slow down. Rest in the shade or a cool place when you can.
Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothes.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella for shade.

At home:

Use air conditioners and fans. If you use a fan, make sure your windows are open to release trapped hot air.
Use drapes, shades, or awnings in your home. Outdoor awnings can reduce the heat that enters the home by up to 80 percent.
Take a cool shower or bath.
Visit a friend with air conditioning or spend time in a cool place like a mall, library, senior center, or cooling center. Even a few hours in air conditioning during the hottest part of the day can help your body recover.

Remember:

Never leave older people, children, or pets alone in cars.
Check on older adults who live alone.

You can always call the Heatline: 215-765-9040 for help in keeping cool.

And take a look at this site - "It's a Summer Thing" - for lots of ideas to keep your kids cool, safe and happy: #ItsASummerThing 2024! | Department of Human Services | City of Philadelphia

Our Next Bibles, Boots and Backpacks is July 14th!

Join us for our next hike at Valley Forge National Park. Here are the details:

Length: 30 - 40 minutes
Terrain: Easy. Some minor elevation. Kid friendly
Starting Time: 3:00 pm at St. Raymond Parking Lot
Meeting Place: St. Raymond Church front parking lot.
Description: We'll start at Yellow Springs Trail Parking Lot (Next to Philander Chase Knox Estate Wedding Venue) . We'll hike a moderate hill through hay fields and enter forest. Soon after we'll pause to catch our breath and do a short reflection. Trails wind around, past small creek through lovely National Park forest land. Eventually we'll reach the very popular "Mount Misery" trail where we'll do a second reflection. We'll step our way downhill back to parking lot for a recap and sharing session. Get directions and details at this link. Come alone, bring a friend, all are most welcome!

Explore Your Faith in a New Way with Formed

Did you know that you have access to an incredible resource called Formed? This wonderful faith formation tool will allow you and your family to experience our faith in a new way through e-books, audio recordings and a great variety of movies and video teachings, including a great variety of Bible Studies. Follow these instructions to sign in.

Visit www.formed.org
Enter St. Raymond Philadelphia
Follow instructions to set up your own account and be formed in Christ!

Celebrating Our Youth with Generation Grace

Do you have a child in grades 6th-8th? Please contact Brandi to get them involved in our Middle School Youth Ministry. Below is the schedule that was created for the children. We would love to have all our Middle School Kids involved. Brandi can be contacted at brandi@saintraymond.net or 215-549-3760.

Please RSVP by July 17th.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word – Assistants Needed

All things should be done decently and in order. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace in all the churches of the saints. (1 Corinthians 14:40 & 33)

We are looking for 6 people to support the Children’s Liturgy of The Word (CLOW) as Classroom Assistants. Commitment is 30 minutes during Mass, one Sunday every six weeks. The CLOW Assistant helps to keep order in the room, attends to the care of the children, sets up before and cleans up afterwards. In this way the Assistant supports the Disciple/Catechist who can then fully focus on imparting the Word of God and the story of Jesus Christ to the children. The only qualification is that you enjoy spending time with the children of our Parish. If interested or would like to review the list of duties as an assistant for CLOW, please contact Peggy Evans at peggy@saintraymond.net or 267-262-6594.

2024 Graduates

Do you have a graduate in your family? Please email Brandi at brandi@saintraymond.net or call her at 215-549-3760. We would like to acknowledge our graduates!

Church Announcements

A Reminder about Call to Prayer

St. Raymond offers a twice-daily opportunity, Call to Prayer on weekdays at 6:30 am and at noon. Taking a little time (five to seven minutes) to turn to the Lord will remove stress and restore peace in your life.

Call toll-free 1-877-309-2073, then enter code 319-414-445#. At 6:30 am, we reflect on God's Word. During the noon call, we pray the Angelus, reflect on the first reading of the day, and have intercessory prayer for those in need.

Donate to Support St. Raymond Church

Online giving is a wonderful way to make a one-time or a recurring gift to St. Raymond. We greatly appreciate your goodness and promise to be good stewards of your gift. DONATE HERE. You can also make a gift with your phone: send a text with the message straymond to 833-363-7471. You will receive a text that will give you simple instructions to make a gift!

Or, scan the QR code to donate.

Please note that we are no longer using Cash App as a form of payment for tithes.

We will accept Venmo (@StRaymond-PenafortPhilly), PushPay, Parish Giving & Envelopes. If you would like to receive envelopes, please contact Brandi at brandi@straymond.net and she will add your name to the list of envelope recipients. If you prefer to use PushPay, text straymond to 833-363-7471 to donate.

St. Raymond's expenses continue all year 'round. Your vacation giving is so important to us!

Collection Envelopes for July 7 through September 1 have been mailed out. If you did not receive yours, please contact Brandi at 215-549-3760 or at brandi@straymond.org

Upcoming Special Collections

August 19 - Mission Appeal

September 1 - Black and Native American

To our Online Parishioners

We at St. Raymond are extremely pleased that you continue to be part of our community via livestream. Although you may be unable to attend Mass in person, please remember that we need your financial support in order to remain a vibrant parish. You may give online anytime here: https://www.saintraymond.net/give Feel free to contact the rectory for assistance at 215-549-3760.

Guidelines for Church Temperature

As we navigate through the changing seasons, the topic of our church's temperature during mass often arises. We appreciate when everyone speaks kindly—it really makes a difference.

We know it’s tricky to get the temperature right for everyone. While we can't make everyone perfectly comfortable, we're doing our best to keep things pleasant. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we work together to create a welcoming atmosphere for all our Masses.

Silence Cell Phones

Please remember how distracting cell-phone noises can be during Mass. We prayerfully ask you to silence your phone when you enter church, so that no one is disturbed during this holy hour.

Lost and Found

Have you lost any personal items during Church service and never retrieved them? Please check the bin in the back of Church labeled “Lost & Found." People turn in items often to the Rectory. All items turned in are put into the bin.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers are back, and they meet here at St. Raymond every Thursday from 4 pm to 6 pm. If you are interested or know someone who is, please contact Brandi in the Church Rectory at 215-549-3760 or email her at brandi@saintraymond.net.

Church Safety Equipment

Recently, the Parish purchased two items that are important to church safety. A fully- equipped first aid kit, as well as an automated external defibrillator (also known as an AED device), are located in the sacristy. Both are on a table to the left of the sacristy sink. This ensures that St. Raymond has sufficient means to address significant medical emergencies during liturgical events.

Financial Facts

We thank those parishioners who, recognizing God’s gifts to them, make their response in our weekly collection. Your continued support is vital, necessary, and deeply appreciated.

Sunday, July 7, 2024

Budgetary Goal: $13,500.00

Collection & Envelopes: $4,773.08

Electronic Giving: $3,633.00

Monthly Church Maintenance: $487.02

REST: $50.00

Human Development Campaign: $672.00

Total: $9,615.10

Job Openings at Guiding Star Ministries

Part-Time and Live-In Intern Positions Open at Guiding Star Maternity Home

Guiding Star Ministries is a residential program for pregnant women and their children located in the Northwest section of Philadelphia.

Live-In Intern

Our GSM Intern lives at the Guiding Star Home and must be 21 years old or older with an interest in supporting pregnant women and their families. She must be mature, assertive, and believe in the mission and philosophy of our organization. Clearances are required. Intern is responsible for 4-5 overnights and additional on-call coverage of the home. The live-in intern attends GSM staff meetings and is available for one evening of GSM programming support and community events. Compensation includes room and board and a generous stipend. The intern has her own private room and full bathroom with a sitting room. GSM has cable, wireless network, laundry no charge, plus kitchen use. The intern can go to school and/or work during the day.

Please submit your interest and experience to mail@prolifeunion.org.

Part-Time Rectory Cook Needed

Saint Andrew in Newtown, Pa. is looking for a part-time Rectory Cook, Monday-Friday from 1:30-6:30pm. Duties include: shopping, preparing and serving meals. Please contact Colleen Carroll at (215) 968-2262 x11.

Calling all Young Adults!

Sign up for Fr. Zlock’s Young Adult WhatsApp community for prayers, videos, reflections and events for the young adult community. Click here to join the group.

Connect with Us Online

Be part of our awesome virtual community! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to get the latest scoop, see fun pictures, and hear about our exciting events.