The Kingdom of God

     Today as we celebrate the feast of Jesus Christ as our Victorious King, let us reflect on His Kingdom and its significance for our lives. The Kingdom of God is His rule over us, announced in the Gospels and present in the Eucharist. We can experience it in part now and we will experience it fully in Heaven. His Kingdom is mysteriously present in the Church, and it will come in its fullness at the end of time. How can we be faithful members of God’s Kingdom throughout our earthly journey and thus for all eternity?

        God’s Kingdom is present where there is truth, justice, goodness, and genuine love for God and others. Imagine what an amazing world this would be if everyone were free from sin and lived with God as the center of their lives. However, we can never make the Kingdom of God a reality in the world unless first, it is a reality in our own lives. For as Jesus revealed in the Gospel: “The Kingdom of God is within you”.

        We can bring about the Kingdom of God within us by frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Praying or communicating with God dwelling within our souls, and giving God “prime time” each day is also of the utmost importance. Our Merciful God asks that we do our best to follow the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, and to practice the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. As the Season of Advent quickly approaches, let us resolve to respond to the needs of the poor and the lonely in our midst, through prayer and the selfless sharing of our time, treasure and talent.

        The Kingdom of God is based on love and forgiveness. For us to find it within our souls, we must first love and forgive ourselves and then reach out in love and forgiveness of others. In the Second Reading, Saint John tells us that Christians who truly follow the Lord are a “kingdom of priests”. It is our duty to help the Lord build up His Kingdom in this world. In order to do this, we must renounce the worthless things the world offers, forget our pride, become docile and obedient to God, and serve the true King, who is Jesus Christ.

        When Christ returns as King, He will do so in majesty and as our judge. He will reward those who followed Him faithfully. Those who have ignored or denied Him, He will also deny before the Father (Mt. 10:33). Jesus has promised that His Kingdom will be triumphant. This is our hope, and it is what we, and the Church celebrate on this great feast.

Long live Christ the King!
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM

Saturday November 20th
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday November 21st Christ The King
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 22nd St. Cecilia
6:30 am † Mary Rose Tobin

Tuesday November 23rd St. Clement I; St. Columban
6:30 am † Thomas Cox

Wednesday November 24th St. Andrew Dung Lac & companions
6:30 am † Mr. James P. Dougherty—60th Anniversary

Thursday November 25th St. Catherine of Alexandria
9:00 am † Margaret Everson

Friday November 26th
9:00 am † Phyllis M. Talese and Steven Minucci

Saturday November 27th
8:00 am † John Kenney

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Pat Kensey, Msgr. Michael Flood, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

⁺Dear Saint David Parishioners,

            Today we begin Discover Catholic Schools Week at 9 a.m. Mass with our Saint David Parishioners. How appropriate that we begin this week with the Eucharistic Liturgy because this is the foundation of Catholic Schools. Jesus is our Center and the Blessed Mother is our model. In most Catholic schools, you will find a plaque that reads: Let it be known to all who enter here that Christ is the reason for this school, the unseen, but ever-present Teacher in its classes, the Model of its faculty, the Inspiration of its students.

     Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School (QOA) offers an excellent academic program through the Office of Catholic Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Financial aid is available to qualifying families. If you are interested in having your child/ren attend QOA, visit our website at www.qoaschool.org.

     Following the 9 a.m. Mass today, we are hosting an Open House in which you can experience for yourself why we believe that QOA is the place to be. We are blessed with dedicated, qualified, faith-filled teachers who give over 100% for the benefit of their students. Father Windle, Father Janton, the Board of Limited Jurisdiction and our Home and School support and encourage the hard work of our faculty and staff.  Finally, we love our terrific students and provide them with an A⁺ faith-based and enriching academic foundation that will serve them throughout their lives.

     Parishioners, we are most grateful for your continued prayers and support. We could not do it without you! You are remembered each day in our morning prayers. Please stop over after the 9 a.m. Mass to see all the upgrades that have been made to our school. In this season of Thanksgiving, the QOA school community thanks you, wonderful Parishioners, for all you are and do for QOA! May God bless you and your loved ones in a special way.

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary

Saturday November 13th
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday November 14th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider
5:30 pm Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 15th St. Albert the Great
6:30 am † Lorraine M. Hendricks

Tuesday November 16th St. Margaret of Scotland; St. Gertrude the Great
6:30 am † Dean Jensen

Wednesday November 17th St. Elizabeth of Hungary
6:30 am † Sandra DeLaurentis

Thursday November 18th Dedication of the Basilicas of Ss. Peter & Paul
6:30 am † Mary E. Mergen

Friday November 19th
6:30 am † Peter Flood

Saturday November 20th
8:00 am † Monahan and Zuefle Families

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Pat Kensey, Msgr. Michael Flood, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…Dorothy Franklin.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Held in Reserve

              When I was a young man, I started my first real job at the new UPS Hub in Horsham as a loader of trunks and a package sorter.  I could not count anymore on my parents’ car to get there every day and I could not afford to buy my own car.  I ended up buying a motorcycle from a friend of mine.  I drove that motorcycle everywhere and in any kind of weather.  It gave me a type of freedom I had not had before.  If you are familiar with motorcycles, you know that a gas tank on a motorcycle has a reserve tank.  There is a switch you flip if you run out of gas using the main tank, allowing you to run on the reserve to get to gas station to fuel up.  Now this may be a good idea for most people, but in my head, I thought, I don’t need gas, I have a reserve.   “E” stands for enough.  I can’t tell you the number of times I ran out of gas with that motorcycle.  I ended up pushing it many times and also had my mom bring fuel to me multiple times.  I was always counting on my reserve but having a reserve ended up not getting me to my destination.

Just last week we heard Christ tell us to love His Father with all our heart, with all our minds, and with all our strength.  Notice Jesus did not say, “… put a little bit of thought, a little bit of heart and a little bit of strength and that is how to love God.”   He uses the word “all”.  This means you have nothing left because you have given everything.  Our journey with Christ back to His Father we must be all in.  Nothing left in reserve to reach our destination.  This is so difficult for us to do.  As Americans we always want a back up plan.  A fail safe. When it comes to our relationship with God, we can’t count on a reserve.  What we must do is follow Jesus’ love commandment and go all in. This takes true faith and total trust in God.   This means giving up control. 

The widow woman from the first reading today was living a difficult life with her son, barely surviving day to day.  Elijah’s request to her was surely a death sentence but with total trust in God, she gave Elijah all she had.   She did not give Elijah just a portion of what she had; she gave it all.  She kept nothing in reserve.  She was rewarded greatly for this. We need to follow this women’s example and be all in with our love for God and each other trusting in God we will get to our destination…Our reunion with our Heavenly Father.

May Jesus live in our hearts forever.
Deacon Chris

Saturday November 6th
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday November 7th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 8th
6:30 am † Richard Gusherowski

Tuesday November 9th Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
6:30 am † Stella Cox

Wednesday November 10th St. Leo the Great
6:30 am † David McInerney

Thursday November 11th St. Martin of Tours
6:30 am † Michael J. Mergen – 50th Anniversary

Friday November 12th St. Josaphat
6:30 am † Eleanor McAnulty

Saturday November 13th
8:00 am † Deceased members of the Link & Simpson Families

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Teresa Riegal, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Pat Kensey, Msgr. Michael Flood, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Christ gave us the first commandment to love God with “all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  The next is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” The Gospel today is a reflection of what Immaculée Ilibagiza will share during her presentation in December. In order to love fully, we need to forgive and open our hearts to be able to give and receive it. It can be easy to say that you love someone when everything is going well and right in the world. What do you do though when the storms roll in and the waves begin crashing overhead? What do you do when you feel unbearable pain because someone has deeply offended you or hurt you? We need to orient our hearts to love and forgiveness in order to grow in deeper relationship with God. He has called us to love as He loves, deeply and unconditionally. Jesus died on the cross and forgave. We are called to do the same, to bear the pain and still pour out our love. 

We must be open to Christ’s love and forgiveness. How else are we supposed to ensure that our hearts are fixed on the Lord than by forgiving those who have may have hurt us? On Wednesday, December 15th, at St. David Church, Immaculée Ilibagiza will share her inspiring triumph over hatred during the Rwandan genocide of the 1990s. Locked in a tiny, cramped bathroom for 91 days with seven other women, she hid from neighbors and former classmates she had once considered friends, who were determined to eradicate her race. 

Immaculée clung to the rosary beads given to her by her devout Catholic father as he commanded her to flee to a neighbor’s house for safety. All Immaculée did, day after day, hour after hour, was pray, especially Our Lady’s Rosary. How could she forgive those she had once considered neighbors and friends that now ran rampant slaughtering innocent villagers, people the savage murderers once called friends, family? Through intense prayer and her fight for the will to live, Immaculée was graced with God’s gift of love to forgive and felt an incredible sense of peace overcome her and settle on her heart. 

By listening to Immaculée’s powerful presentation, the hope is that she may inspire forgiveness in your heart for past hurts that you may struggle with to let go. Her experience is an intense encounter that may seem impossible to some, but how often do you struggle with forgiving pain that has been inflicted by a coworker, a friend, or even a family member? How often do you struggle with forgiving yourself?  

Forgiveness does not mean we have to forget the hurt we have endured, but without forgiveness, we are unable to connect our hearts fully to the Father’s. Immaculée recognized this through her prayer of the Rosary as she remembered how Christ carried our burdens and forgave our sins on His cross over two thousand years ago. If Christ can forgive all those who have turned their backs on him, if Immaculée can forgive the murderers of her friends and family, can you examine your heart and forgive those who have wronged you? 

Saturday October 30th
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday October 31st
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 1st All Saints
6:30 am † Dorothy Galow

Tuesday November 2nd All Souls
6:30 am † Frances G. Ostien

Wednesday November 3rd St. Martin de Porres
6:30 am † Edward Fitzpatrick

Thursday November 4th St. Charles Borromeo
6:30 am † Harry O’Brien

Friday November 5th
6:30 am † Brian Lumpkin

Saturday November 6th
8:00 am † Albert Anderson

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Teresa Riegal, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Marisa Buccini, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased… Stephen McCarthy, Ralph Storti, Kevin Burke, & Barbara Wade.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

What Are We Willing To Do?

           What is Bartimaeus willing to do? The blind beggar Bartimaeus hears that Jesus of Nazareth is walking by him and cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.” The crowd is honored that Jesus was visiting their town of Jericho and didn’t want the cries of a poor, blind beggar to spoil Jesus’ impression of them. Therefore, they tell him to be quiet and stop embarrassing them. Bartimaeus is not discouraged and calls out even louder, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus responds, “Call him.” Bartimaeus, being the most courageous person there, threw aside his cloak, sprang up and came to Jesus. Many Scripture Scholars think that the throwing aside of his cloak is symbolic of his desire to be completely transparent to the Lord. Bartimaeus wanted Jesus to see everything about him. He did not want to hide anything from Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asks. “Master, I want to see.” Jesus responds, “Go, your faith has saved you.” Immediately, Bartimaeus receives his sight and follows Jesus on the way to Jerusalem.

        How are we like Bartimaeus? We may have physical infirmities that we want Jesus to heal. However, we may feel like we have spiritual blindness, rather than physical ailments, that keeps us from growing in our relationship with God, family members and others. Anyone who struggles with addiction or family problems knows what it means to call out to Jesus for help. Sometimes our pride can get in the way of an encounter with Jesus. Like Bartimaeus, we need to be persistent in prayer, and not give up hope or listen to the culture around us which expects us to be quiet, help ourselves or even tries to convince us that vice is virtue. When we call out to Jesus for spiritual healing, are we willing to throw aside our cloaks and be completely transparent before Him? The ego does not like to be completely transparent to Jesus or to anyone else. If we desire to receive the Lord’s gift of spiritual healing, we must allow Jesus to be the Savior and Divine Physician of every aspect of our lives, especially in the areas we are not proud of. Jesus gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as a way for people to throw aside the cloak, and allow Jesus’ reign in every corner of our souls. Finally, after Bartimaeus received his sight, he chose not to go back to his former way of life.

         Once Jesus answers his prayers, Bartimaeus follows Jesus on the way. He embraces a new life of following Jesus. Similarly, when Jesus offers us spiritual or physical healing, grace and spiritual sight, we are called to move away from our former way of doing things and joyfully follow Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. What are the areas of spiritual blindness that I need to present to the Lord for healing? Can we finally hear the encouraging words of the Gospel in our hearts, “Take courage, get up, Jesus is calling you”? Can we be completely transparent to the Lord, allowing his grace into every aspect of our lives, especially the areas we are not proud of? Whatever difficulties or sufferings we are experiencing, look at Jesus on the Cross and ponder what He was willing to suffer for us. That is how much He loves us. How much do we love Him? How much do we trust Him? As we reflect on the crosses we carry, and the witness of Bartimaeus, the most important question becomes, if we are sitting on the side of the road right now and Jesus is passing by us, what are we willing to do to get his attention?

May God love and bless you!                                                                                                                                       
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM

Saturday October 23rd St. John of Capistrano
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday October 24th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider

Monday October 25th
6:30 am † Anthony & Adelina Macaluso

Tuesday October 26th
6:30 am † John Fitzpatrick

Wednesday October 27th
6:30 am † Anthony & Adelina Macaluso

Thursday October 28th St. Simon & St. Jude
6:30 am † Kyle Cassidy

Friday October 29th
6:30 am † Bill Hallman

Saturday October 30th
8:00 am † Richard C. Noel

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Teresa Riegal, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

⁺Dear Saint David Parishioners,

         I write this reflection on the anniversary of my dear Aunt Margaret’s death (10/10/94), Sister Joseph Anne Chapman, IHM, who was principal at Saint David School over 40 years ago. I remember visiting her here as a young college student. She loved her time at Saint David Parish. I think she pulled some strings in heaven to have me missioned here so that I too could experience what a great parish and school we have.

        What makes this parish and regional school so special? I believe it is the deep faith in God that people pass on to the next generation through the parish PREP program and Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School. We know it is a financial sacrifice to send a child to a Catholic school, but where else can a student experience a faith-based education 180 days of the year? The Catholic faith is not just a subject to be taught in our school, it is a way of life, lived day in and day out through daily prayer, by acts of kindness toward one another and the school community, and through service to others by means of various service projects. We say, and I do believe that, “QOA is the place to be!”

        Just as Jesus reminds all of us in today’s Gospel, we, as Parishioners, Parents, PREP and QOA Students, are called to serve one another in love. May we with God’s grace “hold fast to our confession” … so that we may “confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” (Hebrews 4:14-16). Thanks, Aunt Marg, for helping me to experience the goodness and faith of the Saint David Parish Community and Queen of Angels School.

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary

Queen of Angels Mission Statement: Recited at morning prayer each day.

Queen of Angels is a Christ-centered school with the Blessed Mother as our model. Today with God’s grace we will work to the best of our ability and treat one another with kindness and respect. We thrive as a school community when we put our faith into action through service to others. Mary, Queen of Angels, pray for us.

Saturday October 16th St. Hedwig; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday October 17th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider

Monday October 18th St. Luke the Evangelist
6:30 am † Mary H. Garrett

Tuesday October 19th
St. Paul of the Cross; Ss. Jean de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues & companions
6:30 am † Betty Fein

Wednesday October 20th
6:30 am † Teresa McFadden

Thursday October 21st
6:30 am † Lorraine M. Hendricks

Friday October 22nd St. John Paul II
6:30 am † Thomas Dugan

Saturday October 23rd St. John of Capistrano
8:00 am † Phyllis M. Talese

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Teresa Riegal, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

How do we get to Heaven?

      One of my favorite books of all time was written by Wilson Rawls called “Where the Red Fern Grows.” It is about a young boy who dreams of owning coonhounds to become a champion raccoon hunter. I loved this book so much that as soon as I was old enough to buy my own coonhound, I did. This book, though, is so much more than just about buying a dog. It reveals many other things like hard work, dedication, and the importance of family, love, and sacrifice. In one part of the book, the young boy, Billy, needs to catch a raccoon to aid in training his dogs. His grandfather explains to him how to catch one while revealing a life lesson to Billy. He tells his grandson to drill a hole in a log, big enough for a raccoon to get his paw into. Then drive nails on an angle to the hole so that the sharp part of the nail protrudes into the hole. Then place something shiny into the hole. A raccoon will come along and, because they are so inquisitive, it will reach into the hole to grab the shiny object. He will be unable to get his paw out once he grasps the object because his closed paw will be stopped by the nails. He is now trapped. The raccoon will not let go even though letting go will save his life. I think Wilson Rawls must have been thinking of our Gospel today as he was writing this part of his book.

The rich man from today’s story wants to do just enough to get into Heaven. He has and will continue to obey God’s laws; yet, he cannot let go of the earthly wealth he has acquired, his riches. Jesus wants him to be all in. The only way to get to Heaven is to let go of earthly possessions. Our true and complete happiness can only be found in Heaven. Evidence of this is that the young man went away sad even though he still had all his riches.
       I am not saying that we are not meant to be happy on earth, but true happiness is found when we let go and follow Jesus to His Heavenly Kingdom. We see this throughout Scripture, from Abraham leaving his home to Peter leaving his nets. We also see this witness to happiness in the lives of all the saints, whose title of “Saint” itself tells us that they are in Heaven.
The young man’s first mistake was that he wanted to “inherit” Heaven. To inherit something means to just to be given something with no action on your part. For the rich man to receive the gifts offered by God, he needed to let go of the shiny things of this world, pull his hand out and live.

We need to do the same.

May Jesus live in our hearts forever.
Deacon Chris

Saturday October 9^th St. Denis & companions, St. John Leonardi
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday October 10^th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider

Monday October 11^th St. John XXIII
6:30 am Don and Linda Nichols 41^st Wedding Anniversary

Tuesday October 12^th
6:30 am † David McInerney

Wednesday October 13^th
6:30 am † Myrtle Dugan

Thursday October 14^th St. Callistus I
6:30 am † Joseph Garofalo

Friday October 15^th St. Teresa of Jesus
6:30 am † Joseph Gerardi -10th Anniversary

Saturday October 16^th St. Hedwig, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
8:00 am † John Moulder – 2nd Anniversary

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Teresa Riegal, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased… Joseph Melcher and Nancy Walsh

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

This Advent season St. David Parish welcomes Immaculée Ilibagiza to share her miraculous story on finding forgiveness through God’s mercy.

Immaculée Ilibagiza was born and raised in a small village in Rwanda, Africa. She enjoyed a peaceful childhood with her loving parents and three brothers. In the Spring of 1994, civil war erupted among the Rwandan tribes.

To protect his only daughter from rape and murder, Immaculée’s father told her to run to a local pastor’s house for protection. The pastor quickly sheltered Immaculée and seven other women in a hidden 3 x 4-foot bathroom. For the next 91 days, Immaculée and the other women huddled silently in this small room, while the genocide of her people raged outside the home and throughout the country.

While in hiding, anger and resentment were destroying Immaculée’s mind, body and spirit. It was then that Immaculée turned to prayer. Prior to going to the pastor’s home, Immaculée’s father, a devout Catholic, gave her a set of rosary beads. She began to pray the rosary as a way of drowning out the anger inside her, and the evil outside the house. It was that turning point towards God and away from hate that saved Immaculée.

After the genocide, Immaculée came face-to-face with the man who killed her mother and one of her brothers. After enduring months of physical, mental and spiritual suffering, Immaculée was still able to offer the unthinkable, telling the man, “I forgive you.”

Today, Immaculée is regarded as one of world’s leading speakers on faith, hope and forgiveness. She has shared this universal message with world leaders, school children, multinational corporations, churches, and at events and conferences around the world.

Several years ago, I started feeling that God was calling me to a different role in the Church. I wasn’t sure what that was just yet, but I decided to be open to whatever he had in mind for me. As time progressed, I felt a call to the Permanent Diaconate, and after discerning this feeling with my wife Kathy, I applied to be accepted into the formation program.

Now, 3 years into my formation, I have been called to the Ministry of the Word. This is one of the three ministries that form the pillars of the Diaconate (Ministry of the Word, Ministry of the Altar, Ministry of Charity) and an important step on my way to, God willing, ordination as a Permanent Deacon. On September 18, I was instituted as a Lector for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The Church recognizes a diversity of offices in the celebration of the Mass and this is shown outwardly by the diversity of vestments. The common vestment for ordained and instituted ministers is the alb (white garment) and cincture (a rope tied around the waist). Over the alb, the celebrating priest wears a stole around his neck, hanging down in front, and over this he wears a colorful chasuble that indicates the character of the mysteries of faith that are being celebrated. The deacon wears a stole over his alb, diagonal from his left shoulder to his right side, and a dalmatic that matches the liturgical color scheme of the priest’s chasuble.

As a candidate for ordination as a permanent deacon and as instituted lector, I am asked to take the important step of becoming comfortable with being vested in alb and cincture, and taking my place in the sanctuary throughout the Mass. I am excited (and a bit nervous) to take this step in my formation and to be able to share it with the entire congregation.

I am very blessed to be able to join the ranks of lectors, and pray that I may proclaim the Word of God well. I humbly ask for your prayers through the rest of my formation, and that if it is God’s will, I may be ordained in 2025. Be assured of my prayers for you all.

Kris Van Hees

Saturday October 2nd Guardian Angels
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday October 3rd
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider

Monday October 4th St. Francis of Assisi
6:30 am † John & James Tobin

Tuesday October 5th
6:30 am † Nicholas Soccodato

Wednesday October 6th St. Bruno
6:30 am † Mary Swanick

Thursday October 7th Our Lady of the Rosary
6:30 am † Daniele DeSantis

Friday October 8th
6:30 am † Christopher Fessey

Saturday October 9th St. Denis & companions; St. John Leonardi
8:00 am † John Suchanic

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Teresa Riegal, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased …

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

You are Mine

        At the end of each of our earthly lives, we will either hear Jesus say “You are mine” or hear Satan say “You are mine.” There is a constant battle going on in our lives between good and evil. Through His cross, Jesus has won the battle, but it is up to us now to accept His grace and live as those redeemed by Jesus. There are certainly manifestations of grace and manifestations of evil all around us, but we can take the side of Jesus in the battle for our lives by overcoming sin and temptation.
        How do we overcome sin and temptation? If something is leading us into temptation and sin then we avoid that. Perhaps, for some people, alcohol is an occasion of sin because it leads one to commit sin. For others, it could be an internet site, magazine, or other forms of media which present various sins as glamorous. This could gradually break down our defenses to the point where we convince ourselves that certain sins are okay. Jesus is asking us to reflect on our lives to see if anything is leading us in the wrong direction and take steps to remedy it.
        Apart from avoiding the occasions of sin, we can also strengthen ourselves against evil in many ways. We can pray to overcome sin. The greatest prayer is the Mass. St. Pope John Paul II said, “Every Eucharistic Celebration is stronger than all the evil in the universe. It means real, concrete accomplishment of redemption and even deeper reconciliation of sinful man with God in prospect of a better world.”
        Reading Sacred Scripture is also a great remedy because there we encounter God’s words to us, His love letter to us. Our Blessed Mother has repeatedly told us in her apparitions that praying the Rosary is a powerful weapon against Satan. When we pray the Rosary, we let Mary take us to her Son, Jesus. Holy Water is a powerful sacramental that helps protect us from evil. Every time we bless ourselves with Holy Water, we are imploring our Triune God to protect us from evil.
        There is a battle going on in the lives of each of us, a battle between good and evil. Through His cross Jesus has won the battle, but it is up to us now to accept His grace and live as those redeemed by Jesus. Jesus is asking us to reflect on our lives to see if anything is leading us in the wrong direction, and if so, to take steps to remedy occasions of sin and live in the grace of Jesus so that we may hear Him say to us at the end, “You are mine.”

May God love and bless you!                                                                               
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM                             

Saturday September 25th
4:00 pm † Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday September 26th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am † Intentions of the Presider

Monday September 27th St. Vincent de Paul
6:30 am † Lawrence J. Tobin

Tuesday September 28th St. Wenceslaus; Ss. Lawrence Ruiz & companions
6:30 am † Tommy Lasorta

Wednesday September 29th Ss. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael
6:30 am † The Kotoun & Steinmeyer families

Thursday September 30th St. Jerome
6:30 am † Traute McGarry

Friday October 1st St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
6:30 am † Joseph Garofalo

Saturday October 2nd Guardian Angels
8:00 am † Deceased members of the Gusherowski family

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Teresa Riegal, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Adriana Sproehnle, Karen Dale, Mike Dunn, Robert Farrell, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, John Flickinger, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, James Hoctor, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Marie Hagan, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased, remembering Alfred Messina, Patricia Stayt, Adele Tiburzio, and Joan Lesher.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

⁺Dear Saint David Parishioners,

            It is human nature that sometimes when someone who has our best interest at heart points out a fault that we need to correct, we may get defensive and/or critical. Saint James points out in his letter today the tough truth that selfishness and pride are rooted from within. No one makes us have feelings of envy, hatred, or obnoxiousness. It comes from within – ouch!

         Jesus knew the ins and outs of being human, yet He did not sin. He prepared His apostles for what was to come – His Crucifixion and Resurrection. This was difficult for the apostles to hear, and they didn’t ask Jesus for any explanations, but continued on their journey. When they reached their Capernaum destination, Jesus asked the apostles, “What were you arguing about on the way?” No one spoke up, most likely because they realized that Jesus would not have approved of their petty conversation of who among them was the greatest. He taught them in a variety of ways and provided examples that the greatest is the one who is willing to be the servant of all. Jesus didn’t chastise them, rather, He used an actual child this time to try and get His point across. Jesus said, “Whoever receives one child such as this in My name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but the One who sent Me.”

       What is so special about children that Jesus wants us to imitate them? Obviously, it is not to be childish, but childlike, which means to be honest, trusting, loving, curious, accepting, and compassionate, to name just a few of the virtues of young children. I see how special children are to their parents each day as their child/children are dropped off and picked up at school. The looks of love of parents and children as they kiss and hug goodbye and the squeals of pure joy when they get picked up at the end of the day is beautiful to witness. Just as young children give their complete trust to their parents, Jesus wants us to be dependent upon Him, surrendering all our cares and concerns to Him, and trusting that His love and guidance is with us every step of life’s journey.

      Therefore, this week, let us take an honest look at ourselves, not in condemnation, but in truth, since none of us are perfect, and ask Jesus to give us the graces we need to become more like Him – the Servant of all. Then and only then, may we experience some of the freedom, simplicity, and carefreeness that the childlike enjoy! Give yourself permission to let go and relish in the spontaneity of the young, no matter your age. If you are not sure how, ask or observe a child and you’ll soon discover how thrilling it is to be childlike.

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary