Good News for November 12, 2025
- St. Raymond of Penafort
- Nov 12
- 8 min read
In this Issue:
Faithful to the End and After
--Matthew Gambino
Theresa of Avila Parish + Norristown, Pa.
Today’s Gospel from Luke begins with the observation of people looking around the Temple in Jerusalem. They are “speaking about” the building’s “costly stones” and offerings; whether with pride or disdain we don’t know. Jesus points out that the Temple’s grandeur won’t matter in the end. It’s all going to be destroyed. There will be an end, and suffering to be endured before it. So, he teaches, look beyond the ends of things. Luke is writing to believers in the resurrected Jesus, to people who remembered his public ministry, his passion and death on a cross, and his rising to new life. They believed in Jesus’ promise of eternal life, in glory.
That is the glory of the holy ones we celebrated in a particular way at the beginning of this month, All Saints – those who endured all the sufferings and chaos Jesus foretells in this Gospel. Doing God’s will wasn’t easy then or now. To paraphrase a poet of our times, “It’s so hard to be a saint in the city.” This Gospel passage teaches us to look beyond the hardships of life, beyond the calamities of “wars, famines and plagues” preceded by suffering for the disciples of Jesus. Persevere through it all, he commands. Don’t follow anyone but him. Profess the truth of the Gospel no matter how difficult or dangerous.
All the sufferings of the present, punctuated by the joys and graces that keep us going, will be transformed into glory. Jesus shows the way to heaven, which our saintly heroes followed faithfully. God calls us to be saints, every one of us, despite our flaws and sins. He continually offers the grace of healing. He nourishes us with his Word and his own Body to walk through this life, our hand in his, each day, into eternal glory with him forever.
rusted to Him will be lost. He promises that every s
You're Invited - Town Hall Meeting - November 13
We at St. Raymond have a tremendous opportunity to enhance the faith life of our Parish
through the renovation of the church basement. The floods of this past Spring, and the resulting remediation efforts, have effectively rendered the space unusable in its current form. While ideas for transforming the space have been floated in the past, our current situation makes renovation imperative.
There will be a Town Hall meeting in the church tomorrow, November 13, at 7 pm. All interested parishioners are welcome to attend and offer their thoughts to the Facilities Committee and the architects. We look forward to your input and hope to see you there!
Children's Choir
We’re excited to share that our Children’s Choir will return to sing at 5:00 pm Mass
Saturday, November 29. If your child is interested, please bring them to Mass at 4:15 pm. Call the Church Rectory if you have any questions. Thank you for supporting our young parish musicians!
Black Catholic History Month
November is Black Catholic History Month, a time to honor the rich legacy, contributions, and spiritual resilience of Black Catholics in the Church. Throughout this month, we’ll be sharing stories, historical highlights, and insights that shine a light on the profound impact of Black Catholic faith and culture.
Many are wondering why it is taking so long for these saints to be canonized. The answer is, each one needs additional miracles attributed to them. This month, do two things to help the venerable and blessed Black Saints on their way to canonization: First, pray! Second, if you are aware of any desperate cases, ask for intercessions!
Question: Venerable Pierre Toussaint's interests include financial support of churches, schools and orphanages, as well as sheltering, fostering and educating young boys. How are you inspired in your life by his works of charity and kindness?
Biblical Walk with Mary: Starts this Thursday
Instead of the usual Advent Life Groups program, this year we invite you to take a Biblical walk with Mary. We will meet on Thursdays in person in the Sr. Rosemary Room for six weeks, from November 13 to December 18. Please call the Rectory office (215-549-3760) to reserve your seat.
Our Blessed Mother wants to be a part of your daily life.
Healing for the Holidays Workshop November 15
St. Raymond parishioner, Jessie Marushak, is leading a special workshop, Healing for the Holidays, on Saturday, November 15 from 10 am–12 pm in the Sr. Rosemary Room. Refreshments and materials will be provided. Space is limited, so be sure to save your spot. Click here to register.
Christmas Concert DECEMBER 21
Home for Christmas - December 25
Volunteers are needed to help St. Raymond Church welcome more than 200 guests from homeless shelters across the City of Philadelphia for our annual Home for Christmas event on December 25 from 12-3 PM! Everyone is served a delicious meal, receives items from the Blessing Shop, and shares in the joy of celebrating Jesus’ birthday together.
Many volunteer opportunities are available throughout the coming weeks — and we’d love for you to be part of it. Click here to sign up and be a blessing to our brothers and sisters in need.
Thanksgiving Food Donations Due November 18
We are, once again, collecting donations to bless families in need this Thanksgiving. Food Bags are available in the rear of the church, as well as envelopes for monetary donations. Food donations can be left in the vestibule of the Church or dropped off at the Rectory. Monetary donations can be placed in the Sunday collection basket or dropped off at the Rectory. Consider purchasing a gift card from a grocery store. Please bring your contributions on or before November 18.
If you or someone you know are in need of a Thanksgiving Food Basket, please contact the Rectory Office at 215-549-3760.
Hurricane Melissa Relief Collection
St. Raymond is collecting essential supplies for those affected by Hurricane Melissa through November 24. Boxes are located in the back of the church, or items can be dropped off at the rectory.
Click here to view the list of requested items or make an online donation through Food for the Poor or Catholic Relief Services – Caribbean.
Thank you for your compassion and generosity!
Caring for Friends: "Our Supply is Low!"
Rita Ungaro-Schiavone started Aid for Friends in her home in 1974. Rita began a food program at the Archdiocese, delivering home-cooked meals to homebound people.
Fifty years and one name change later, Caring for Friends has expanded to a network of 10,000 volunteers & 200 food pantries providing food and friendship in five counties.
The parishioners at St. Raymond are generous participants in this program.
At present, supplies in our freezer are very low. If you are able, please pick up some trays this week (in the back of church or at the rectory) and prepare some home-cooked meals to fill our freezer so that needy neighbors will not go hungry.
Help Needed for Church Clean-Up Day Nov 22
We’re organizing a church clean-up day and would love your help! It’s a great opportunity to work together, care for God’s house, and enjoy some fellowship. Saturday, November 22nd from 9am-12pm. We need at least 25 people able to lift heavy objects to make quick work of the job. Please come help us: we promise snacks, good company, and lots of teamwork!
Local Food Resources
We know that so many of our brothers and sisters are in need of food as SNAP payments are on hold. Please share this list with folks in need. And if you're in a position to donate, please do.
Men's Group Meat Raffle
The Men of St Raymond (Men’s Group) are having a Meat Raffle Fundraiser!
Tickets are $5 each, and will help to fund scholarships for two of our 8th grade students entering high school in the 2026-2027 school year. Tickets can be purchased in the rectory office or after Mass in the rear of the church for $5. Drawing will be Sunday, November 23. Cash and Cash App accepted. $Cconquest
Meats from: Carl's Farm Poultry/Meats 1037 S. 9th, St. Phila., PA
(1) Prize: PARTY TIME
10 Lb. bx Pork Ribs
8 Ibs. Chicken Wings
10 Ibs. Chicken Thighs
6 Ibs. Chicken Breast
5 Ibs. Turkey Wings (Lrg)
5 Ibs. Bg. Beef Short Ribs
3 lb. Boneless Breast
3 Ibs. Pork Italian Sausage
3 Ibs. Turkey Chops
3 Ibs. Chicken Chops
42oz. Dietz & Watson Hot Dogs
3 Ibs. Dietz & Watson Beef Sausage
(2) Prize: HUNGRY MAN
15 Ibs. Chicken Legs
15 lbs. Chicken Drums & Thighs
8 Ibs. Chicken Wings
10 Ibs. Fresh Turkey Parts (Lrg)
6 Ibs. Pork Slab Bacon
5 lbs. (Bag) Carl's Hot Dogs
2 Ibs. Box) Beef Patties
2.5 Ibs. Hot or Mild Sausage
1.5 Ibs. (Box) Sandwich Steaks
3 Doz. Extra Large Eggs
(3) Prize: 50/50
3 Ib. Chicken Legs
3 lb. Chicken Wings
3 lb. Chicken Drumsticks
3 lb. Chicken Breast
3 lb. Turkey Wings (Lrg)
3 lb. White Turkey Chops
Proceeds to Benefit St. Raymond School
Financial Facts
Sunday, November 9, 2025
Collection & Envelopes: $11,969.00
Church Maintenance: $776.00
REST: $70.00
Stewardship: $150.00
Thanksgiving Offering: $36.00
Thanksgiving Baskets: $278.00
Mission: $5.00
Seminarian: $180.00
Total: $13.464.00
Increased Giving Update
As of 11/3, our Increased Offertory Appeal has been warmly received by our parish community. So far, 100 parishioners have increased their weekly offering, resulting in a combined weekly increase of $1,455.00. The current average increase per household is $14.55.
Many have also expressed interest in our Electronic Giving Program. The parish office will be contacting you this week. And if you haven’t yet submitted your commitment, please take a moment to complete it this week. Commitment Cards are also available in the back of the church if needed.
Special Collections
11/15-Maintenance
11/26-Thanksgiving Offering
Facetime With Jesus - December 8
Please note that FaceTime next month is December 8 (the second Monday) at 7 pm.
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.
Not to be Missed!
Scholarships are available to any young adult at St. Raymond, to help defray the cost.
Public Witness for Immigrants
Fr. Bozeman's Anniversary - You're Invited!
Music Festival
Singing Our Way Through Advent: Mary’s Magnificat
A Journey of Scripture, Song & Sacred Reflection
December 2, 2025 10 am to 12:30 pm
Mother Boniface Spiritual Center
3501 Ryan Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19136
Join us for a spiritually rich Advent journey at Mother Boniface Spirituality Center as we explore Mary’s Magnificat (December 2) and the biblical roots of beloved carols (December 9) through music, scripture, and prayerful ritual.
Speakers: Sr. Theresa Ahern, MSBT and Theresa Leonetti O’Connor, M.Div.
Register for one or both sessions, as your schedule allows.
Time: 10am- 12:30pm (Lunch Included)
Cost: $25 per session or $40 for both sessions
To Register: Email asstdirector@msbt.org or call 267-350-1830.
RSVP by November 24, space is limited.
See the latest news from the Archdiocese
See the November Newsletter here.
