Archives for June 2017

Earlier today, Sister Maureen Lawrence McDermott, I.H.M., Ph.D., Superintendent of Secondary Schools for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, revealed the aggregate scholarship value earned by the Class of 2017 on social media.

Graduating seniors from the 17 Archdiocesan high schools in the five-county region comprising the Archdiocese earned $319,673,928 in scholarships.

Sister Maureen’s Boomerang video announcement was posted to various Archdiocesan social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

A link to the video on the Archdiocesan Schools Facebook page is provided below. Please note that you do not need to be a Facebook member or log on to Facebook to view the very brief video. Boomerang videos are designed to run on quick loops in conjunction with social media platforms without sound.

Here is the link

https://www.facebook.com/ArchPhilaSchools/videos/1493390627384841/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE.

Please join me in congratulating the Class of 2017 and wishing all of our graduating seniors great success in their future endeavors.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Msgr. Daniel J. Sullivan

Vicar for Clergy

Greetings!

We, at the Catholic Grandparents Association have some exciting news but we
need your help to make it happen.

The Catholic Grandparents Association (CGA)  is a 401 C3, Private
Association of the Faithful with statutes and guidelines written with the
assistance of a Vatican Attorney. Our “Prayer for Grandparents”, written for
us by Pope Benedict XVI, beautifully expresses our Mission to pass on our
faith and keep prayer at the heart of family life.

In our efforts to reach Grandparents and to support them in their vocation,
we are having our first US conference for Grandparents in Philadelphia on
August 26 at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.  We are working with the
Diocese of Philadelphia and a wonderful group of volunteers to make this day
a success.

Attached is our flyer with details of the conference. Please share the flyer
with your parish and with anyone you think would benefit or be interested in
the Mission of the CGA and in being part of this special day for
Grandparents.  Please visit our website
www.catholicgrandparentsassociation.org to learn more about the CGA and our
Ministry and Mission worldwide.

Please contact me for more information or if you have any questions.

May the blessings of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, Grandparents of Jesus, be
with you and your family today and always.

God Bless,

Marilyn Henry
Catholic Grandmother of eleven/US Chapter Coordinator
713-244-4217

All Parishioners in grades 7 through 12 are invited to come learn about and experience Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Saint Joseph Chapel tonight, June 29^th from 7:00 PM until 8:30 PM.

In his Pastor’s Desk article last week, parishioner Dan McCarthy asked “If you had the opportunity to be face to face with God, what would you want to tell Him?” This teen group adoration experience will provide an opportunity for you to have that kind of encounter, a personal conversation with God.

Light refreshments will be served in the Parish Center after the period of adoration. Please feel free to bring your friends!

https://vimeo.com/148643920

On the morning of June 27, it was announced that the Holy Father has appointed Reverend Monsignor Alfred A. Schlert as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Allentown. Archbishop Chaput has released a statement regarding this appointment. The full text is below . Sincerely in Christ, Rev. Msgr. Daniel J. Sullivan Vicar for Clergy STATEMENT OF ARCHBISHOP CHARLES J. CHAPUT, O.F.M. CAP.  ON THE APPOINTMENT OF MONSIGNOR ALFRED A. SCHLERT AS THE NEW BISHOP OF ALLENTOWN “Monsignor Alfred A. Schlert’s appointment as the 5th Bishop of the Diocese of Allentown is a moment of joy for the Church in Pennsylvania and I’m confident he will carry on the work of his predecessors with compassion, zeal, and fidelity. As a native Pennsylvanian, and an alumnus of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Bishop-elect Schlert has an intuitive sense of life in our Commonwealth, the challenges facing the Church here, and the importance of the people and institutions of Northeastern Pennsylvania. His wide ranging pastoral and administrative experience as a parish priest, Catholic educator, and Vicar General in the Diocese of Allentown will serve him well in the office of bishop. The Holy Father has given a true gift to all those Bishop-elect Schlert will shepherd. As he prepares to begin his episcopal ministry, I offer Bishop-elect Schlert heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the priests, deacons, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. I ask that people of good will across the state welcome him as a brother and pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen him as a successor to the Apostles.” +Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. Archbishop of Philadelphia

Pennsylvania’s constitutional deadline of June 30to pass a state budget is quickly approaching.

House Bill 250, which would increase tax credits available under the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program by $50 million (raising it to $175 million) and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program by $25 million (raising it to $75 million), overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

Budget negotiations are taking place and this issue is currently being considered, so NOW is the time to remind members of the House to maintain support for an increase and to urge state senators to follow suit by voting for EITC and OSTC increases!

The EITC and the OSTC programs have always achieved bipartisan support and have been acclaimed as two of the best educational programs Pennsylvania offers to students in both public and private schools.

The tax credit scholarships have been an investment that has paid dividends for students seeking a Catholic or other private education in Pennsylvania. Every Catholic school in all corners of this great Commonwealth benefits from the EITC or OSTC programs.

Each year more than 40,000 families get a scholarship that permits the parents to send their children to a school that best meets their needs. It gives these families a true choice in the right educational path for their children.

We need your help to urge all lawmakers to invest in success and support the expansion of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs by voting YES on a state budget that includes an increase in the programs’ line items.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/Zf4wf8x3b_PNhBA-YvoJyw

Thank you to all the women who gathered last evening to inquire about the new women’s spirituality program titled Walking with Purpose.  It was a great evening it  filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit and excitement to begin the  full program on Wednesday, June 14th.

We are very happy to share that over 40 women gathered on Wednesday, June 7th to discover what this new spiritual Program is all about.  It was an exciting evening filled with chatter and wonder.  You could really feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in the parish center conference room.

It is not too late to join Walking with Purpose!

The program will formally begin on Wednesday, June 14^th at 7:00 PM in the Parish Center.  It will be a Connect Coffee Talk which invites all women to participate for the evening without committing to the whole Series.  Connect Coffee Talk consists of social time, a DVD presentation on The Beauty of a Childlike Faith and small group discussion.   Just call the rectory at 215-946-4040 and give your name if you are interested in attending any of the gatherings.