October 7th is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. The Feast celebrates the power of Mary's intercession during a battle in 1573 that saved many Christians. Read the story today. More importantly, make time to pray the Rosary with our Parish - pray for your family!
DID YOU READ THIS WEEK'S CHURCH BULLETIN?
The Women's Conference is BACK (but in a different way). Join women of faith from across the region for a day of prayer and fellowship on Saturday, October 23rd. Women will gather for a Communion Service at 8 am in Church, followed by a Light Breakfast in our School Hall. From 9 am to Noon you will watch videoed talks and have a lively conversation with other women in our School Hall and then have lunch! At 1 pm you will board a bus (or drive on your own) to The Shrine of our Lady of Czestochowa for a Holy Hour and live talk (as well as a chance to visit a great gift shop) and then return around 5 pm. Interested? Want to learn more? Contact arleen@saintraymond.net or mintabrown@saintraymond.net to reserve your spot (WE HAVE 12 SPOTS LEFT - PLEASE CLAIM YOUR SPOT TODAY LADIES).
After a few weeks of waiting, we will be blessed to welcome Wazmina Pashai and her nine (yes nine) children to St. Raymond on Saturday Night! The family is from Afghanistan and has been recently in Texas for processing. We do not know the status of her husband or much of anything else other than God placed them in our care (and that they speak Pashto...do you? Please call Fr Chris is you do)! They will stay with Father Chris in the Rectory for a few weeks and then move into their own home (likely in the Oxford Circle area where there are almost 1,000 ethnic Afghans living). How can you help? We are glad you asked: (1) PRAY for Wazmina, Farhad, Parwiz, Jawid, Gulmina, Arbaz, Bilal, Rohidullah, Fariba, and Mina (the children are 3 to 17; 3 girls and 6 boys) - pray for their journey on Saturday and the grace to trust us as we serve them in the days, weeks and months to come; (2) VOLUNTEER to be a Rectory Host over the next few weeks - basically be here to assist in ways that are needed and offer support in this time (you need to have background checks and safe environment training as you will be in contact with minors; if you want to complete this so you can help contact brandi@saintraymond.net); (3) COOK or SHOP since feeding 10 people can be quite a task and we will need help; please do not drop off items at the Rectory but email Jessie at jm1625@gmail.com and let her know you are interested in helping food the family in the weeks to come (get ideas on food HERE); (4) SERVE this family with your gifts - teaching them English, helping with childcare, playing with kids, helping with the needs of the house in the months ahead, driving them to appointments and more...email Dan at rest@saintraymond.net and let him know what you might be able to do; (5) DONATE - yup, we need money since it is not likely that Wazmina will be able to work as she raises these nine children on her own...use THIS LINK (and choose REST/Refugee Ministry) or mark your envelope REST with cash or a check and put it in the offering boxes this week!
There is an INFORMATION SESSION for men who may feel called to serve the Church as a Deacon. Our parish would be blessed by additional men stepping into this essential role of service. Could it be YOU or someone YOU know? Please share the information.
Very sad news our of France as reports reveal that the Catholic Church's priests abused more than 200,000 children over the course of 70 years. Lord, have mercy! May God bring healing to those who were hurt by the Church and justice to those who caused it. May we remain committed to protecting every child, especially those in the care of the Church!
One of our Church's great blessings is the cloistered nuns who spend their lives in prayer - praying for us and the salvation of the world. In order for there to be these nuns, women have the enter these Convents which thanks be to God many still do in the USA and elsewhere. The "entrance ceremony" is rarely seen but captured in this video as a young woman bids farewell and goes behind the door of the cloister (in some communities, their contact with family is very limited after this so it may be the "final embrace" for her parents). May she persevere in service to the Lord!
The Archdiocese provides news on the local, national and international Church through its website CatholicPhilly. You can sign up to receive a weekly email from them as well. Stay informed!
The Archdiocese sponsors an Annual Mass celebrating the diverse African Communities that call Philadelphia home. Our parish is blessed with many members from the Mother Continent. Consider worshipping with them at the Cathedral on Sunday, October 10th at 2 pm. Learn more about the event with this flyer:
Please join us this Saturday. If the weather is unpleasant, the event will be in our School Hall. Please note that the Pfizer Booster will be available as well as flu shots! Paper shredding is available from 3 pm to 5 pm at the corner of Phil-Elena and Williams (near the mailbox). Spread the word!!!
Have you received the Sacrament of Confirmation? Something this sacrament is "missed" for various reasons. Please contact Father Chris at frchriswalsh@gmail.com so you can be prepared to receive the Sacrament with others at the Cathedral this November. This is for teens, young adults, and not-so-young adults! Come Holy Spirit!
THE STUDY CONTINUES!!! Join us for Bible Study Series as we study a portion of the 150 Psalms - prayers used by our ancestors and Jesus Himself As we face all the challenges of this time, let us imitate the holy women and men of old as we are nourished by God's Word! Sessions are in-person or virtual, Wednesday evenings (Teaching from 7 pm to 8 pm and Discussion from 8 pm to 8;30 pm) until October 27. Please sign up today! LEARN HOW TO JOIN HERE
Faith without works is dead! You do not want a faith that is dead, do you? Have you thought about how you might serve others? The goal is two hours a week but you can start with two hours a month! Here are some possibilities:
Looking for an easier way to make the offering of your tithe? Our parish is using PushPay which is integrated with our data system and saves the Parish Staff a great deal of time processing donations. Please text straymond to 833-363-7471 to use PushPay. Questions? Contact brandi@saintraymond.net
If you have a few OOPS in your life right now...please visit Father Chris for confessions 30 minutes before Mass each weekend (or give him a call if you would like to celebrate God's mercy at another time). You are also encouraged to make use of the Miraculous Medal Shrine on Chelten Avenue on Mondays when confessions are heard