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Below is additional information that is not included in the current Bulletin or additional details of the information that is included in this week’s Bulletin.
ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING ALUMNI – CALLLING ALL GRADS! All St. Francis graduates are invited to join their classmates in commemorating the Centennial Anniversary of the first class of the School of Nursing, who were preparing to become nurses from 1924 to 1927. This class was the beginning of the education of over 840 nurses until the final Class of 1976 who will also be recognized as they celebrate their 50th anniversary of their graduation. A celebratory reunion luncheon is scheduled for Sunday, October 18th, 2026 at 1 pm (gathering at noon) at the Ed Oliver Gold Club, 800 N. Wilmington Rd, Wilmington, DE. Information about the permanent St. Francis Hospital display to honor the School of Nursing legacy will be available. Items donated by graduates or their relatives for this display will be gladly accepted. Relatives of the FIRST class (1924 – 1927) members are also invited and should contact the person below.
For further information and to register to attend, please contact:
Mrs. Gerri Irish, Class of 1969
(302) 379-5847 call of text
Email – girlish9@verizon.net
FROM HOLY FAMILY IN NEWArK, DE: Holy Family Faith Formation Center Library Needs Your Help: We are excited to announce a wonderful opportunity to grow and enrich Holy Family’s Faith Formation Center Library! Our vision is to expand this space into a vibrant resource for individuals and groups—supporting deeper knowledge, spiritual growth, and a greater understanding of our Catholic faith.
Resource Donations:To bring this vision to life, we are gratefully accepting donations of Catholic books, CDs, DVDs, study materials, and other faith-based resources suitable for all ages and group settings. (No VHS or cassette tapes, please.)
Drop-Off Information; Please do not bring your donations to St. Polycarp.
Donations may be placed in the designated area in Holy Family’s gathering space during regular business hours or on weekends during Mass. Our address is: 15 Gender Road, Newark, DE 19713.
If you have a significant number of items to donate or any questions about our library, please contact faithformationlibrary@holyfamilynewark.org.
Together, by sharing our gifts and talents, we help strengthen our parish community and create opportunities for all to learn, grow, and deepen their faith. Thank you for your generosity and support.
With gratitude and blessings,
Holy Family Faith Formation Library Ministry
HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL INVITES YOU TO JOIN OUR FAITH-FILLED COMMUNITY! Holy Cross High School is now enrolling students and accepting transfer applications for the 2026-2027 school year. Located in Dover, Delaware, we provide a Classical Catholic education rooted in faith, virtue, and academic excellence. We warmly welcome families to explore our mission and discover how Holy Cross High School inspires students to Learn, Lead, and Succeed while growing in faith, knowledge, and character. For more information or to schedule a tour, contact Christina Klaus, Director of Admissions, at cmklaus@hchs.org or by phone at 302-213-1720.
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church is hosting a pilgrimage to Fatima & Lourdes with Barcelona – September 13-22, 2026.
Join Fr. Volodymyr Klanichka and travel to two of the world’s most revered pilgrimage sites. Experience the culture and beauty of Portugal, France, and Spain along the way! Double occupancy cost is $4,699 including airfare from Philadelphia and at least one meal each day. For more information contact Fr. Volodymyr at Vovaklan@gmail.com or visit: https://groups.gocollette.com/en-US/link/1392151
Saint Mark’s High School Class of 1976 50th Class Reunion – Save the date: Sept. 25, 6-10 p.m.: Saint Mark’s High School Class of 1976 50th Class Reunion, Christiana Hilton. Saint Mark’s is also hosting a Welcome Home Celebration and tour of SMH for Class of 1976 Alumni on Thursday, Sept. 24 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
The reunion committee would like to connect with alumni.Contact Patty Curtin White at: patriciacurtin@comcast.net or PCurtin@christianacare.org Or Terri Larson Seeman at: Glennsman@comcast.net (302)893-3479.
RACHEL’S VINEYARD CATHOLIC RETREAT will be held the weekend of November 6-8, 2026. This retreat offers emotional and spiritual healing for anyone who has struggled with grief and loss from abortion or miscarriage. Whether you are post-abortive or know someone who is, freedom awaits. Contact Nan Bernardo-Freemanat 302-463-7711 (call or text) or lucyminn929@gmail.com by October 11.
RETROUVAILLE: REDISCOVER THE LOVE IN YOUR MARRIAGE: Tens of thousands of couples have healed their marriages through Retrouvaille (pronounced Retro-vy). If you know anyone who could benefit from this program, please pass this on. Couples learn to build communication skills and to increase intimacy. It provides help for marriage problems, difficulties or crises. In 2026, the next program will be held October 21-23, at the Malvern Retreat Center in Malvern, PA. For more information, or to register, visit MarriageHeldDelVal.org or call 215-766-3944. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
FROM THE DIALOG: Get the latest Catholic news sent free to your inbox. Sign up today for The Dialog newsletter, The Angelus. You’ll receive our newsletter, The Angelus, with the latest diocesan news, spiritual columns and feature stories of interest to people in our schools and parishes. You’ll also get breaking news alerts from TheDialog.org and information from our Dialog partners. To sign up, visit thedialog.org and click the “Get Our Newsletter” link at the top of every page. Type in your email address and you’re done.
CATHOLIC IN RECOVERY: Join Catholic in Recovery at Immaculate Conception Church, Elkton, MD on Thursdays at 6:30pm. Catholic in Recovery provides healing from addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments. Meetings combine the spiritual principles of 12-step recovery and the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Join us as we overlap scripture from Sunday’s Mass readings, liturgical themes, and recovery topics with honest discussion and prayer. Confidentiality is protected and all are welcome to attend at any time. Meetings offer help for:
• Alcoholism and drug addiction
• Lust and pornography addiction
• Disordered eating
• Family and friends impacted by addiction
• Gambling addiction
• Technology addiction
• Compulsive spending and debting
• Codependency issues
• Adult children of dysfunctional homes
• All other unhealthy attachments
For more information, visit www.catholicinrecovery.com or contact Lucy at (443) 207-1437 or lucy@catholicinrecovery.com
On May 25, 2026, Pope Leo XIV presented his first encyclical MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS ON SAFEGUARDING THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE TIME OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE to the Universal Church. To read the complete document click on the following link: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html or use this QR code:
SMYRNA-CLAYTON MINISTERIUM FOOD PANTRY is located downstairs at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 22 N. Union St., Smyrna. The pantry is open from 9:30 am to 10:30 am, Monday through Friday. Here at St. Polycarp, we have containers for your food donations in the hallway outside of the Mother Drexel Hall. We collect food all year round. Please no expired food. The pantry is in great need of peanut butter, jelly, tuna, Vienna sausage, potted meat, canned chicken, crackers, bread, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, cheese and peanut butter crackers, spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, hamburger helper, Chef Boyardee canned pasta, ramen noodles, drink boxes, and water. Please do NOT donate food in glass containers. Please make sure that items do not have expired dates. Canned vegetables are Not needed.
MEMORIAL BRICKS
Have you noticed the beautiful ‘Memory’ walkway leading to our outdoor Blessed Mother statue? There’s no time like the present to add your memory brick. Whether you desire to commemorate a loved one, a special occasion, or simply your family name, the choice is yours. Forms can be found in the wall rack in the hallway near Mother Drexel Hall or you can click on this link to print the form https://saintpolycarp.org/wp-content/uploads/Memorial-Brick-Order-Form-April-2024.pdf. Please place the completed order form and a check for $100.00, made payable to St. Polycarp Church, in the envelope. You can place it in the Offertory collection, deliver it to the Parish Office (place in black box), or mail it to St Polycarp Church Parish Office, 55 Ransom Lane, Smyrna, DE 19977-1617. Forms can be found on our parish website or at the entrances into the church.
ST. POLYCARP REMINDERS:
REDNER’S 1% SAVE-A-TAPE FUNDRAISER Hang onto those receipts until we are all together again!
Turn your food shopping into cash for our parish. If you are a Redner’s shopper, we would welcome your participation. It is so easy! Simply be sure to obtain and scan your Redner’s Rewards Card each time you shop. (Remember to shop only out of necessity.) Save your whole receipt. Bring your receipts to the Parish Office or just put them into the collection basket. There is no expiration date — even receipts months old can be turned in! Your receipts will generate cash for us. What a hands-down and effortless way to help St. Polycarp Church.
REMINDER ABOUT THE PARKING
Please do not park in front of the dumpsters on Monday through Friday. This prevents the Waste Management Collection and the Recycling Collection from being picked up. Thank you for your cooperation!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Don’t forget to arrive earlier for Mass so that you won’t miss the announcements!
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