Forgive All Injuries
“Forgive us our trespasses - as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Matthew 6:12-14) This work is about mercy. It is a work of justice. You do your part to offer an environment to reestablish a relationship. It is also an act of charity. You have offered mercy or forgiveness. If they have not moved from their position, you bear their burden for them. You have "gone the extra mile" to be reconciled (See Matthew 5:41-48). This might not seem fair. That is correct. It is not fair. This work is hard.
We usually want to emphasize one virtue at the expense of another. For example, in today’s world, people scream for "justice.” Bishop Barron says that conflict will not be reconciled until we are able to go beyond justice - like Jesus.
John Paul Lederach is a Mennonite Christian. He is widely known for his pioneering work in international conflict transformation. He is an American Professor of International Peacebuilding at the University of Notre Dame. He has written a famous proverb on how difficult it is to get mercy and justice in the room at the same time with peace and truth. This one is especially hard. That is why they are called "works" of mercy.
Next week we look at the last Spiritual Act of Mercy which is to “Pray for the Living and the Dead.”
Fr. Charles Zlock
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Lent at St. Raymond
Holy Week
Saturday, 3/30 at 10 am = Decorating the Church for Easter (No 8 am Morning Mass)
Easter Vigil, 3/30: 7 pm (No 5 pm Service) Eleven Catechumens will be Baptized!
Easter Sunday, 3/31: 8 am and 10 am with Easter Egg Hunt for kids 12 & under after 10 am Mass
Confessions
Saturdays from 4:00 - 4:45 pm (Please NO Confessions after 4:45. Fr. Zlock is will be preparing for the liturgy)
By appointment. Call 215-549-3760 to schedule a convenient time.
PLEASE NOTE: Effective the beginning of April, there will no longer be 6 pm Monday evening and 6:30 am Tuesday morning Confessions. As noted above, you may always schedule a time to receive this sacrament of Mercy with a call to the office/rectory, or text or email Fr. Zlock. No matter when, take advantage of this opportunity to experience grace and forgiveness at no charge!
Good Things are Happening at St. Raymond!
Ministry Moment: Refugee Empowerment Support Team (REST)
In 2021, the St. Raymond REST team helped resettle a family of 10 from Afghanistan. Farhad, the oldest son, has some wonderful news to share! Farhad was accepted into a masonry apprenticeship program with the The Preservation Trades Center (PTC) at Eastern State Penitentiary! He was one of 19 people selected out of hundreds of applicants! For the next six weeks, he will gain hands-on training to prepare for a career in the construction industry.
Want to support him?
When he completes the program, he will need connections in the Masonry Union in order to secure a full-time job to provide for his family. If you have a contact in the Union or can make an introduction to someone who does, please email rest@saintraymond.net as soon as possible.
Bibles, Boots & Backpacks
Join us for "Bible, Boots, and Backpacks" — a series of unique hikes led by Father Charles Zlock. On these journeys, we'll explore nature while reflecting on Pope Francis' message in Laudato Si’, an invitation to care for our planet and each other. It's a chance to walk, reflect, and connect with both creation and our Creator. Everyone is welcome, so grab a friend and come along for inspiration, community, and a breath of fresh air. Let's walk, reflect, and grow together!
Get detailed information about each hike here. Call Fr Zlock if you have further questions at 215-549-3760, ext 1.
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.
Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 - Youth Ministry Bake Sale After all Masses - (please note new bake sale dates)
Sunday, May 26 - Caring for Friends Food Preparation
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the children in level 2 of our Family Faith Formation Program who received the Sacrament of First Penance on Saturday March 16th. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to prepare for their First Holy Communion.
Family Faith Formation Sessions
"Let the children come to me”
Attention Parents/Guardians: Family Faith Formation Sessions will run September 17, 2023 – June 2, 2024.
Parents with children entering grades K through 7th grade are encouraged to attend. Sessions are held immediately following the 10:00 Mass every other Sunday in the lower church. Enrollment forms are located on the desk in the rear of the church. Contact Arleen Daniels at 215-549-3760 or arleen@saintraymond.net to receive a form via email. The greatest gift you can give your child is the gift of faith formation. If children do not experience how to live for God, the world will certainly show them how not to!
Life Groups
CONNECT + GROW + SERVE
Lenten Life Groups are open to parishioners, family, and friends (pretty much anyone). If you have never joined a Saint Raymond Life/Small Group, now is the time! 90 minutes + once a week + 4 weeks = a new relationship with Jesus and others.
Groups will not meet during Holy Week.
Our Week Four Member Guide is attached as a resource for all. Enjoy!
Jazz Concert Benefiting St. Raymond School
Join us Saturday, April 20 from 7-11pm for Smooth Jazz / R&B featuring Shirley Lites & Company. Enjoy complimentary wine, cheese, and crackers while supplies last. Feel free to bring your own beverages.
Purchase your tickets in advance for $25 by calling the rectory at 215-549-3760. Tickets will be $30 at the door.
Sponsored by the Men of St. Raymond, all proceeds from the concert will benefit St. Raymond School.
Church Announcements
RSVP for Fr. Zlock's Anniversary Party by April 7th
Join us in celebrating Father Zlock's 30th Anniversary on May 4th from 6 pm to 9 pm in the St. Raymond School Hall. Come and enjoy an evening filled with food, drinks, music, and wonderful fellowship as we honor Father Zlock's three decades of dedication to the priesthood.
RSVP by April 7th at this link.
RSVPs are required. Don't miss out on this joyous celebration!
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.
Tax Time
As you prepare your taxes, Brandi in our Parish Office is happy to provide a statement for your 2023 Giving. Please call her at 215-549-3760 or email her at brandi@saintraymond.net.
Special Collections
March 3 - Rice Bowl
March 10 - Easter Flower Offering
March 29 - Holy Land Sanctuaries
March 31 - Easter Offering
March 31 - Maintenance and Repairs
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, March 24, 2024
Budgetary Goal: $13,500.00
Collection & Envelopes: $ 4,410.00
Electronic Giving: $3,598.00
Monthly Church Maintenance: $230.00
Rice Bowl: $75.00
REST: $50.00
Easter Flowers: $48.00
Easter Offering: $288.00
Holy Land: $35.00
Total: $8,734.00
Prayer Team Help Needed
Are you comfortable having a conversation with God? St Raymond’s Prayer Team is seeking volunteers to pray for and with others. The monthly Prayer Team Partners gather on the first weekend of the month after each Mass to hear and respond to prayer needs. The primary requirements are a love of Christ and love of your neighbor. We will help you with the rest. To learn more or volunteer, please email Deacon Bill or call him at 215-549-3760.
Wanted: Servers and Sacristans!
Attention, young people of St. Raymond’s! We are in need of new altar servers – and we also wonder whether any students or young parishioners would be interested in being hired as sacristans.
Fr. Zlock and Deacon Bill will work with a few adults at St. Raymond to mentor all applicants. They will pray daily for them, observe how they do at Mass, encourage them and offer advice when needed.
Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” If you aspire to be one of God’s workers, please contact Brandi at 215-549-3760 or brandi@saintraymond.net.
Job Search Assistance Needed
St. Raymond needs to fill 2 - 3 positions over the coming months. The positions are in (1) Social Service Outreach, (2) Sacramental Preparation/Religious Education of our youth, and (3) Director of Parish Finance and Accounting.
Fr. Zlock is looking for someone to lead this task. This would include working with Parish Staff to make adjustments to existing job descriptions, posting the jobs on various media and job channels, initial evaluations of any resumes received, initial interviews and helping manage the process for final interviews and hiring.
The work is important to fill positions that are critical to running the parish. If interested, please contact Fr. Zlock at 215-549-3761 (Ext 1) or czlock@saintraymond.net.
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.
Anointing of the Sick
On the weekend of April 13th & 14th 2024, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick will be administered at the Saturday 5 pm and Sunday, 8 am and10 am Masses. Parishioners who have been diagnosed with a chronic illness (cancer, diabetes, arthritis, lupus, diseases of the heart, lung, kidney, etc.), undergoing treatment for another disease/illness or living at a very advanced age are encouraged to receive this Sacrament.
If you qualify and desire to be anointed, sign-up sheets are available on the desk in the rear of the church, or you must call the rectory no later than April 10. No names will be accepted after this date. Should you have any questions please call Arleen Daniels at 215-549-3760.
REST Celebrates Women's History Month
We are thankful for the amazing women we now call family from Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Congo as well as the volunteers with REST walking along side them.
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.
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Community Events & Announcements
Archdiocese and Villanova School of Business offer Master of Science Degree in Church Management
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is pleased to announce it has renewed its unique partnership with Villanova University’s Center for Church Management (CCM) to offer an innovative two-year, online Master of Science in Church Management (MSCM) degree designed to provide students with a high-level skill set in effective church management. Qualified students in the Archdiocese who are interested are eligible for a $14,700 scholarship—equivalent to 50%—thanks to the generosity of Villanova University benefactors. The Partnership scholarship can be coupled with additional Villanova MSCM scholarships. In addition, CCM will award up to fifteen scholarships of $5,000 each for Hispanic pastoral leaders seeking to earn an MSCM.
For more information, please visit business.villanova.edu.
Christ in the City
Presenting the National Black Catholic Congress April Webinars
Calling All Parents of Teens!
Mark your calendars for April 13 to watch a half-day conference offering practical help to parents of teens. Engage24 is a uniquely-tailored event offering practical help, experience and wisdom to parents from one of today's leading voices on the subject of parenting teens. Mark Gregston, author and host of Parenting Today's Teens podcast and radio broadcast will share offer thoughts about the joy and challenges of raising teens in today's fast-paced culture. The event is free, and promises to be fun and informative.
Kimmel Center Offers Free Summer Arts Program for High Schoolers
Rising 9th through 12th grade students with intermediate to advanced-level performing arts experience are invited to audition for a free 3-week camp program at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, focused on Singing, Acting and Dancing.
The program runs weekdays from July 8 to July 26, 9:30 am to 5 pm. Students are expected to attend all days of the program and will participate in skill-building classes, masterclasses, audition preparation, rehearsal and a culminating performance in a Musical Theater production.
Registration deadline is April 1, and acceptance to the program will be audition-based. Register here.
College Scholarship Opportunities
High school seniors and juniors – check out this website.
Right now, we know that college costs are really high, and FAFSA is having problems. But we also know that attending college is life-changing. So see if Quest Bridge can take you where God wants you to go! If you have good grades and are involved in extra-curricular activities at school or in your community, this is a resource you don’t want to miss.
News From the Office of Black Catholics
Check out the March 2024 Newsletter for many additional exciting events.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia Updates
The March newsletter is available here.
Please sign up to find out what is happening around the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
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