This Morning we celebrated our opening of school liturgy. We celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit, asking for grace and wisdom to be provided to our children and school families. Our school families, even though most do not belong to St. Raymond Church as registered parishioners, are a part of our family. They know that our doors are always open to them as they are open to anyone.
If you or anyone know of anyone that would like to become Catholic, please feel free to contact Toni Reaves or me at the rectory. As Jesus said in Matthew 28: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore,* and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.* And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
We also invite you after the 10 am Mass on Sunday, October 9th to bring your pet to church for the annual Pet Blessing in honor of St. Francis in Assisi. We look forward to seeing you!
God bless you and your families.
Fr. Jeff
"Thank you Ms. Gerri !"
On behalf of St, Raymond's Parish family, we would like to thank Ms. Gerri Dennis for her many years of faithful service to our Church. When asked, she answered all calls for duty! In addition, Ms. Gerri, along with others, has maintained our pastoral robes and altar linens. She helped keep our Church looking beautiful, especially on special occasions. Farewell, Ms. Gerri. You will be missed. May God bless you and your family in Texas!
It is not too late to join us at 7 pm Wednesdays (through 10/12) as we open wide our hearts and minds to a series on prayer and how to pray with scripture. We will use the Lectio: Prayer series in FORMED (Lectio is pronounced Lex-E-Oh). Lectio Divina is a means to hear from God and then respond in conversation utilizing four separate steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate. Meetings will be in the Church Basement.
If you are unable to attend in person, the video series (Lectio Prayer by Tim Gray) is available online at Formed.org. Episode Four - “Oratio - A Conversation With God,” will be covered this week. Handouts are copied below and can also be found on Saintraymond.net
For Our Youngest Disciples
Ages 5 and up,
Children’s Liturgy of the Word
will be Returning on 10/2/2022 during the 10:00 am Mass. Children will have the opportunity to Celebrate a part of the Mass that speaks to them in a more meaningful way.
NATIONAL BLACK CATHOLIC CONGRESS
Register Now for the Day of Reflection Webinar
1-2:30 PM Friday, September 30th
This event occurs this Saturday, October 1st:
National Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 in the United States began on
Thursday, September 15, and ends on Saturday, October 15
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, with the approval of Public Law 100-402.
The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30-day period.
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African-American SVD seminarian makes final vows Saturday, nears ordination
Buffalo native Edwan "Manie" Manuel, SVD has completed one of the last steps in his seminary formation, ahead of his diaconate ordination next month.
You're invited to a Halloween Party for kids 12 and under!!
Please join us Sunday, October 29, from 2 pm-4 pm for Fun, games, Snacks, and a Costume Parade!!!! The party will take place in St Raymond School Hall. Please register via this SignUp Genius link - https://saintraymond.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/19/responses/new or call the office at 215-549-3760. Donations of Halloween treats/candy are also requested.
Please pick all children up no later than 4 pm
CALLING ALL ST RAYMOND SCHOOL ALUMNI!
2022 REUNION MASS - 10 AM SUNDAY, 10/30
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED AFTERWARD IN THE SCHOOL HALL
Pastoral Care Department
10400 Roosevelt Boulevard ~ Philadelphia, PA 19116
Dear Faithful Catholics,
As Chaplain of St. John Neumann, I am responsible for the spiritual welfare of the residents & employees of St. John Neumann Center. While no longer owned by the Church, SJN maintains regular Mass and liturgical service for the benefit of the residents. Before covid, there were many volunteers who helped throughout the building, now there are very few. Typically, Mass is at 11 AM Monday to Friday, and Sunday Mass is usually at 2 PM and sometimes earlier.
In pastoral care, we could use volunteers who are willing to give residents a listening ear, help transport residents to the Chapel, bring them Holy Communion and pray with them. If anyone might be interested, please e-mail me at frmckaleolmc@gmail.com or leave a message at my residence at 215-745-3211.
To volunteer, I would need a letter from your pastor attesting that you are a practicing Catholic in good standing.
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace (1Peter 4:10).
May God bless you & Mary keep you.
Fr. Harold McKale
Chaplain, St. John Neumann Center
The church recently underwent a $1.6 million revitalization necessitated by a leaking roof. In addition to art and architecture restoration, we're excited to present four new murals of prominent and diverse Catholic figures, four culturally significant depictions of Mary on the nave ceiling, and unveil new Stations of the Cross by local artist Cavin Jones.
The celebration will include a blessing of the church, tours of the revitalized parish interior, and light refreshments. All community members are encouraged to visit. Please feel free to bring along anyone you think would be interested. We look forward to welcoming you!
Sincerely,
St. Vincent De Paul Parish
109 E Price Street
Philadelphia, PA 19144
We have three Special days to celebrate this week
9/27/22 Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest (1580 - September 27, 1660)
On Sept. 27, the Catholic Church remembers Saint Vincent de Paul, the French 17th-century priest known as the patron of Catholic charities for his apostolic work among the poor and marginalized.
Vincent established the Congregation of Priests of the Mission in 1625 as part of an effort to evangelize rural populations and foster vocations to remedy a priest shortage. Not long after this, he worked with the future Saint Louise de Marillac to organize the Daughters of Charity, the first congregation of women religious whose consecrated life involved an extensive apostolate among the poor, the sick, and prisoners.
St. Vincent de Paul died on Sept. 27, 1660, only months after the death of St. Louise de Marillac in March of the same year. Pope Clement XII canonized him in 1737. In 1835, the French scholar Blessed Frederic Ozanam took him as the inspiration and namesake for the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, a lay Catholic organization working for the relief of the poor.
9/29/22 Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels
Angels—messengers from God—frequently appear in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are named.
Michael appears in Daniel’s vision as “the great prince” who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God’s armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.
Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel’s visions, announcing Michael’s role in God’s plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.
Raphael’s activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit’s son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah’s marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit’s blindness, and the restoration of the family fortune.
The memorials of Gabriel and Raphael were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their individual feasts to Michael’s.
9/30/22 Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest, and Doctor of the Church c. 345 – 420
Patron Saint of archeologists, Bible scholars, and librarians. Today’s saint lived in Antioch in the 370s when he had a vision. Jerome was standing in the presence of the seated Christ, who asked him who he was. “I am a Christian,” Jerome responded. “LIAR!” Jesus yelled. “You are a Ciceronian, not a Christian, for where your treasure is, there also is your heart.” Jerome indeed loved Cicero and other Latin stylists. Their works and fine prose gave him the greatest pleasure. But Jerome had also been reared in a Christian home, been baptized as an adult in Rome, and had frequently descended into the darkened catacombs to pray at the tombs of the martyrs and saints.
Born in an unknown year in a region northeast of Venice, Italy. His father sent him as a young man to Rome to perfect his education under a famous tutor. Jerome was a superb student and mastered Latin and Greek. At about the age of thirty, he decided to become a monk and traveled to the desert of Syria. For four years, he lived a life of austerity, penance, and isolation. He fasted from the classics he loved so much and instead studied Hebrew from a Jewish convert. When he finally came out of the desert, he was ordained a priest in Antioch but never truly exercised any priestly ministry. He studied under the great Saint Gregory Nazianzen in Constantinople and began to publish some translations and biblical commentaries. Around 382, Jerome went to Rome with his bishop to serve as an interpreter and aide. Jerome impressed Pope Saint Damasus, who asked him to be his secretary.
After just a few years in Rome, after the death of his patron Pope Damasus, and due to the enemies his blunt words and fiery temper always seemed to create, Saint Jerome left Rome for the Holy Land. He lived in a cave near Bethlehem and focused on translating. Some holy and pious women from Rome followed him there and formed a quasi-monastic community around him.
This September represents the 17th annual 40 Days For Life Campaign. On Friday, October 28th, we will pray at Planned Parenthood from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. We ask that you donate one hour of your time for prayer. That is it. Please contact Toni Reaves at 215-549-3760. Please stand up for those who have no voice, and we will continue to assist moms who choose life.
Blessing of Pets - Sunday, 10/9, 12:30 pm-1:00 pm on the front steps of the Church
The Blessing of the Animals is a beautiful annual ceremony celebrating the human-animal bond, originating from a Roman Catholic tradition as part of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment.
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