Last week I wrote about my appointment as a Missionary of Mercy. I appealed to you to
provide some ideas. How might I exercise that ministry to the specific needs and
spiritual culture of St. Raymond Parish? Call me at 215-549-3760 or email me
This week I would like to write about the parish Pastoral Staff. Earlier this year, we
discerned that the Holy Spirit was calling St. Raymond to focus on three Parish
Priorities. The FIRST priority involves Ministries, Mentoring, and Accompaniment. First,
this includes finding, training, and accompanying "Missionary Disciples." We are using
the Called and Gifted spiritual gifts process to do this. Second, we would examine, and
choose, 8 key ministries which the parish should emphasize. We would focus parish
resources and Pastoral Staff time on these ministries.
The SECOND priority involves Outreach and Service. Here we asked parishioners to
commit to 2 hours of service monthly in one of the "5 P's". This could be (1) In the
Pews (the church building). It could be (2) On the Property. It could be helping (3) In the
Pastoral Center (the rectory). It could involve serving (4) in the (greater) Parish or (5) in
the Philadelphia archdioceses. We also asked parishioners to invite just one person
each month to a St. Raymond-sponsored event.
The THIRD priority involves Worship, Liturgy, and Music. We recently installed a new
keyboard. We acquired new wireless microphones. Thus, we have already begun
accomplishing the goal of implementing and financially supporting an improved
comprehensive worship technology platform. Deacon Bill and others already recruited
and trained a new team of Lectors. They are currently doing the same for Extraordinary
Ministers of Holy Communion. I have been reaching out to find young people interested
in working as sacristans or helping as altar servers. This moves towards the goal of
increasing the total number of liturgical ministers by 20%.
These priorities and goals offer challenges and opportunities to the people of St.
Raymond. We have also had to reconsider the roles of our parish Pastoral Staff in light
of these priorities and goals.
Recently we extended Minta (Araminta) Brown's hours. She will focus on the first Parish
Priority. Being Missionary Disciples means developing the spiritual maturity of our
parishioners. St. Raymond will continue to offer Life Groups during Lent and Advent.
This year we restarted the Called and Gifted spiritual gifts and charisms course. She
has assisted Deacon Bill and me in recruiting, training, and mentoring liturgical
ministers. This included the Ministry of Lector, the Extraordinary Ministry of Holy
Communion, and the Bethany Team.
We appointed Brandi Whitehead to a newly combined position as "Office Manager -
Youth Director." Her position has three components. 10% of her time will be dedicated to assisting me as my personal Administrative Assistant. The majority of her time (60%) will be focused on Office Manager and Parish.
Mission Support. Her goal will be activities that help address the 3 Parish Priorities. She
is looking to form a team around her as support. She has been working with our Parish
Finance Council and our friend Richara Krajewski to fine-tune her job scope.
As Youth Director, for now, she will only focus on middle-school children (5th Grade -
8th Grace). She will dedicate 30 % of her time to this. Brandi has already gathered a
team of parents around her to form a Youth Advisory and Support Team. They are
currently devising a plan of activities for the next 12 months. These will include
attendance at Mass and participation in other spiritual activities. Her team is also
considering social events and fellowship.
Further clarification concerning the roles of Arleen Daniels and Deacon Bill Bradley are
forthcoming.
This presents two challenges to the parishioners of St. Raymond. Our Pastor Staff is
small. Only Brandi is full-time. I want our staff to focus on the priorities listed above. This
first challenge is Pastoral Staff support. They will need people to assist and support
them if we want them to accomplish goals for the good of the parish.
The second problem concerns logistics. There are many other activities Brandi, Minta,
Arleen, Deacon Bill and I currently perform. These are a sample of small, yet important
activities.
1. Catechists
2. Faith Partners (RCIA)
3. Altar server scheduling and training
4. Altar server robes (weekly straightens, regrouping, and periodic washing)
5. Office volunteers: Administrative support like answering the phone and answering
the door. Filling out sacramental forms for baptisms and Godparents. Ordering office
and liturgical supplies. Office organization. Filing records and forms. Proofreading
articles for the parish bulletin. Moving supplies to the church and office.
6. Mass slides operation
7. Camera operators
8. Ministry to the Sick (phone calls)
9. Home visits to the sick report compiler, communication coordinator, etc
10. Candle closet inventory/purging and cleaning
11. Weekly exterior campus review with a follow-up report
12. Counting the collection
13. Caring for Friends assistant/ coordinator
14. Church Community Builder database update.
15. ESL volunteers
16. Certified drivers for the parish bus
They are not difficult. But they add up and burn a lot of Parish Staff time. These
activities need to "come off of their desk" so they can focus on more critical tasks.
We need your help. We're not asking for major commitments. It's 2 hours each month.
The engagement of parishioners is critical to leading to a St. Raymond that is alive,
vibrant, and joyful. If interested, please contact the rectory office at 215-549-3760,
contact a member of the staff directly (names, phone numbers and email addresses are
on the front page of the parish bulletin), or write to me at pastor@saintraymond.net
God bless you.
Fr. Charles Zlock
Congress XIII (2023)
Theme “Write the Vision: A Prophetic Call to Thrive”
July 20-23, 2023
The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center
201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745
Family Faith Formation Classes
(PREP)
Begins Sunday, September 17, 2023
Please note the new time & schedule.
On-site catechesis will be immediately following the
10:00 Mass on the 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month in the
lower church. Parents are to attend these classes with
their children. Classes will last 45 min to an hour.
At-home catechesis will be on the 2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday
of the month. This new model of Catechizing children
is based on Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:18-19.
” Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie
them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your
foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about
them when you sit at home and when you walk along
the road when you lie down, and when you get up.
Parents are the primary educators for their children, we
are here to assist you in the process.
If want to see a change in the world, it is up to this
generation of children to bring it about. Train up a
child in the way he should go; together, we can.
Let’s Just Do It!
For those who are interested in becoming Eucharistic Ministers and were unable to attend the Monday, 7/10 session in the Church, another information meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, 7/19/23, in the Church.
Wednesday, 7/19/23 Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist Information Session ( 7:00 PM in the Church).
Calling all Parents, Grandparents & Guardians
Jesus is saying:
“Let the children come to me and do not prevent.
them, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.”
Registration for St. Raymond’s Religious Education Program (PREP) for the 2023 - 2024 sessions will
begin soon. The program is open to all students who do not attend a Catholic School and are entering grades Kindergarten through 7 th. Children who have not received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism,
Reconciliation, Holy Eucharist, or Confirmation)
should attend these classes. Scripture tells us to “Train
up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they shall not depart from it.” The faith formation
that a child receives starts in the home and is the
greatest gift that a parent can give, and our PREP
classes are designed to assist you in the process of
imparting the Catholic Faith in your child. PREP
sessions are free of charge and will begin on September 17, 2023. Stay tuned for the revised format and time of classes.
Eucharistic Revival – Join Us! Our world is hurting. We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith: his Real Presence in the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival is a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery here in the United States. Stay up to date on our local celebration of the Eucharistic Revival at phillyeucharisticrevival.org.
7/23 Hospitality Sunday
7/22, 7/23 World Mission Appeal: Pallotine Missionaries will be presenting
7/29 and 7/30 Monthly Prayer Team after Mass (always last Sunday)
Submit your weekly collection envelopes during your summer vacation and travels…..We are counting on you!
The Men of St Raymond (Men’s Group) will be having a Meat Raffle Fundraiser! Tickets are $3.00 each or two @ $5.00 Tickets can be purchased in the rectory office or After Mass in the rear of the church.
Drawing will be Sunday, August 27
Proceeds to Benefit Parish Youth & School
Racism has distorted our vision for too long. The time to see one another as human is now. Two women of faith (one Black, one white) acknowledge the sin of racism and proclaim a way forward – together, with respect and kindness, rooted in the example and words of Jesus.
This day of reflection will name the reality of racism and its destructive impact on each of us. Storytelling, conversation, deep listening, and ritual will provide a basis for healing individually and as a Christian community.
Philadelphia, PA 19116
CALLING ALL SINGERS!
As more people have returned to in-person mass, we’ve had lots of questions about joining the choir at St Raymond. If you’d like to become a part of this amazing ministry, please reach out to our Director of Music, Kenny Arrington, at Tua20523@temple.edu so that he can set up a time to meet and conduct a voice assessment to determine where your voice may fit. We’re looking for people who are moved to Praise God through song, are humble, patient, and able to commit to attending weekly practices and singing for our 10:00 mass.
The Saint Raymond Church Family mourns the loss of Lester Greene, husband of Brenda Greene. We offer prayers of comfort and consolation to the entire Greene family.
The Celebration
of the Life of
Lester Greene,
will take place on Saturday,
July 22, 2023,
at Saint Raymond Church. Viewing 9:00 AM -11:00 AM;
Funeral Service 11:00 AM
Pallotine Missionaries -Saturday and Sunday, 7/22, 7/23
World Mission Appeal
IRISH PALLOTTINE FATHERS MISSION APPEAL
On the weekend of July 22/23, Fr. Stephen Mutie, S.A.C., will visit the parish to speak at all the Masses about the missionary work of the Irish Pallottine Fathers in Tanzania, Kenya, and Colombia. A second collection will be taken up to support their work of evangelization and development in those struggling countries. Please be generous in your support of their missionary outreach.
The Pallottine Fathers were founded in Rome in 1835 by St. Vincent Pallotti. He was a priest of the Diocese of Rome. He founded this religious community to encourage the apostolate of the laity and to promote the missionary work of the Church.
Today, Father Stephen serves at a parish in Michigan. He is looking forward to sharing his missionary experiences and his thoughts on the challenges of evangelization. Please see below for the specific needs of this appeal.
1. Our Missionary Focus for 2023 is to help and assist the Irish Pallottine Missionary Works located in East Africa. Currently, our Missionary focus has three aspects to it; to feed, to educate, and to provide care for the most vulnerable in society.
2. Farming in East Africa is dependent on water and labor. Labor is not the problem, but a shortage of water can be. A two, three, or four-year drought leads to localized famine and the death of crops, animals, and humans. By providing community water supplies through drilling water wells, we are able to sustain a local village of over 200 families through drought periods.
3. In addition, we also assist local communities by providing Greenhouse facilities to allow food to be grown in a controlled environment throughout the year. A $25,000 well will provide water to a community for over 10 years, with small maintenance costs of $100 per year for many additional years.
4. The Siuyu Rehabilitation Center was established by Fr Tommy Ryan, who felt there was a great need for a facility to take care of children with disabilities. The center has 4 dormitories and many volunteers to assist in keeping the center functioning.
A 2nd collection will occur at each Mass this weekend. Please be generous!
St Raymond is collecting School Supplies for the needs of the children in St Raymond School. We will be collecting Backpacks, pencils, crayons, lined paper & folders. If you can assist, please drop off all items in the back of the Church or the Rectory.
Thank you for your help.
Attention Ladies
Catholic Women’s Conference
Sat. Oct. 28, 2023
Registration Information Packets are located on the desk at the rear of the church. Please
complete the pink form and return it to the basket provided to ensure that you are registered for the session of your choice. Please note you may only select one session.
Sign up early- the event fills up quickly!
This year we have 3 graduates from our REST Families!!
Fils graduated from CCP,
Marie Aimee from Little Flower,
Farhad from YouthBuild Charter.
We are extremely excited & proud of them!!
New podcast from OSV will center Black Catholic voices
The new show will premiere later this month, featuring 17 guests interviewed by Black Catholic religious sister Josephine Garrett.
NATE TINNER-WILLIAMS June 19, 2023 9:45 AM 2 min read
A new podcast from Our Sunday Visitor will premiere later this month featuring Black Catholics interviewed by Sr Josephine Garrett, CSFN, a nationally known African-American religious sister serving in Tyler, Texas.
“Hope Stories with Black Catholics,” the latest offering in the OSV Podcasts lineup, was announced by Garrett earlier this year; a 30-second teaser was released on June 8. The new show will feature guests from around the country sharing “extraordinary stories of hope hidden within the ordinary lives we lead,” according to a description on the OSV website. “Sr. Josephine sits down with friends and family to share stories of pain, struggle, consolation, and joy that encourage even the most downhearted to participate in the hope of Jesus Christ more fully.”
A podcast sharing stories of hope beginning with Black Catholics - the first episode will be available this month, go to https://t.co/po0z8kJCQE or wherever you subscribe to podcasts to check out more - I’m SO excited to share these conversations! pic.twitter.com/5MXsJrOcKj — Sr. Josephine Garrett (@SJOSEPHINE_CSFN) June 13, 2023
Known as a speaker and writer covering issues related to mental health, spirituality, and youth/young adult ministry, Garrett has been a vowed member of the Italy-based Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth since 2015. This followed her upbringing in Houston, a career in banking, and her conversion to Catholicism in 2005. Since entering religious life, she has served in her congregation’s vocations ministry and is currently a Catholic school counselor. Garrett is also one of the most popular Black Catholic figures in the online sphere, boasting of roughly 24,000 followers across social media, and tens of thousands of views on various featured videos with the likes of OSV, Ascension Press, and the Word on Fire Institute. She has also written for OSV and says her newest collaboration with the organization has been a fulfilling venture with a diverse array of interlocutors.
“It was a huge honor to serve as an interviewer and receive the stories of 17 Black Catholics from all over the nation who minister and serve in our Church as married, single, deacon, religious, priest, and even a bishop,” she told BCM.
“They are all gifts to the Church, their stories of faith and hope are beautiful, and I hope the listeners will be inspired by them.”
As indicated by its title, the podcast follows the theme of hope—a long-term focus for Garrett, who wrote on the topic for OSV in 2021, in an op-ed encouraging Black Catholics to be bold in passing on their legacies.
“We need to tell these stories so that the whole story is complete and has a voice in the places where there was not previously a voice. It is a part of participating in the hope of Jesus that we may be one,” she wrote.
“A key to unlocking the discernment on how we are each called to participate, I think, also lies in the treasure and talent of our stories. But we have to look at them in hope, no matter how painful.”
Garrett is also the author of an upcoming book entitled “Hope: An Invitation,” which will be available in paperback in early October. Like the podcast, it is being released by OSV, one of the largest Catholic publishers in the world. The “Hope Stories” podcast is available now on all major streaming platforms, and the first full episode will be released later this month.
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
Join us, Tuesday, August 29, from 4 pm-7 pm for our 2nd annual Meet and Greet BBQ for our St. Raymond Church and School families. Food, Games, and Music will be provided. To RSVP, please call the Rectory Office at 215-549-3760 or use the signup sheets in the back of the Church.
https://saintraymond.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/24/responses/new
Saturday, July 8 – Sunday, July 16
Event: Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Annual Parish Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel begins on Saturday, July 8th, at the 5 PM Vigil Mass. For nine consecutive evenings, we will honor Our Lady with devotion and prayer. Throughout the Novena, which will take place at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Doylestown, speakers will lead us in prayer, psalms, meditations, devotions, and preaching.
Location: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Doylestown.
Our Parish Website:www.ourladymtcarmel.org
Monday Evenings, 8 PM
Event: Virtual World Mission Rosary
Join hundreds of people throughout the Archdiocese who have regularly been praying the ROSARY LIVE! United in this most powerful prayer, we ask for the miraculous intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary to hear our intentions and renew our Catholic faith as we pray in unity for our brothers and sisters in mission lands worldwide. On Mission Mondays, we pray the World Mission Rosary, created by Venerable Fulton Sheen, in which we offer each decade for one of five Mission areas, including the US.
Location: Use this Zoom link to join each Monday: https://zoom.us/s/494480541
More Info: Sponsored by the Pontifical Missions Societies (phillymissions.org)
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https://www.phillyevang.org/