THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
August 5/6, 2023
SUNDAY SCRIPTURE – QUESTIONS TO PONDER
~ How do you strive to listen to Jesus?
~ Have you ever had a powerful experience of God and wanted to linger in that space? What was it like?
~ What do Jesus’ words “Rise, and do not be afraid” mean to you today?
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080623.cfm
LIVE-STREAMING: Visit https://www.youtube.com/c/StPolycarpSmyrnaDE for live stream at 8:30 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 4 pm on Saturdays.
PARISH WEBSITE: Visit: www.saintpolycarp.org/.
WEEKLY PARISH BULLETIN: CLICK HERE . (New Bulletins are posted on Fridays.)
BULLETIN OVERFLOW: Bulletin Overflow – CLICK HERE
THIS WEEKEND, August 5/6 (and Monday, August 7th – Friday, August 11th)
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD (CLOW) will take place this Sunday, August 6th during the 10:30 am Mass. All children ages PK – 4th grade are welcome to join us. Children will be called to come forward before the First Reading. They will return to you after the General Intercessions. All catechists and assistants have a cleared background check.
AGAPE: Please join us this Sunday, August 6th, following the 10:30 am Mass. Everyone is invited to join us for food and fellowship! The Agape will be hosted by our Parish & Family Life Ministry. Take the opportunity to meet the members of this Ministry who help bring positive actions to our Parish.
BULLETIN INSERT: See the insert in this weekend’s Bulletin to find out information about this year’s PSR Wish List and registration information for religious education (PSR). To view the insert CLICK HERE Thank you for your ongoing support of the religious education of our parish youth!
The SHARE THE HARVEST TABLE is now under the Portico. This allows our parishioners to share their abundant garden yield with their Church family.
All are welcome to share and receive.
TUESDAYS – EUCHARISTIC ADORATION – EXTENDED HOURS! We are blessed to have had enough adorers step forward so that we were able to extend Adoration hours on Tuesdays. Eucharistic Adoration is now offered weekly on Tuesdays in the Chapel from 9 am to 8 pm. We are still in need of people to fill in when others are ill or cannot attend. Do you have one hour to spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament on an occasional basis? Call Cheryl Thomas at (302) 363 – 0404 or email her at salcrest7@gmail.com.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! SAVE THE DATE! – SAINT POLYCARP ANNUAL PICNIC! Our next planning meeting is this Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 6 pm in the library. Please call Kathy Curlett at 302 222 9326, if interested in helping. The Saint Polycarp Annual Parish Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, September 17th, 2023, after the 10:30 am Mass. Our Pastoral Council and Parish Picnic Committee are once again planning a fun-filled event. The Knights of Columbus will be cooking up hot dogs, hamburgers and French fries, and there will be three flavors of Rita’s Water Ice. Kids and the young-at-heart will enjoy the inflatable obstacle course. We are looking for volunteers to help make this event a success.
QUARTER AUCTION: St. Polycarp’s Parish & Family Life Ministry will be holding its 1st Quarter Auction on Friday, October 27, 2023. Doors will open at 5 pm, auction starts at 6 pm. Proceeds raised will benefit Parish operational expenses and Ministry needs. Discounted advanced purchase of All-in Paddles will be $40 through Friday, September 15th. All-in Paddles will be $45 after Friday, September 15th. If you have any questions or would like to purchase an All-in Paddle, contact Darlene Sanphy (at (302) 270 – 3915 or darpete87@comcast.net) or Linda Montuori (at (302) 270 – 5347 or lindamontuori@yahoo.com). More information will be posted in future bulletins.
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF WILMINGTON – 2023 FAITH AND CHARITY CATHOLIC APPEAL: We’re waiting for the latest up-to-date figures for our parish. If you have already donated to the appeal, Thank you! If you have yet to make a gift, please prayerfully consider a generous donation and help our parish achieve our goal. (Pledge cards can be found in the pews and at the doors of the Church.) It is important that everyone follows through with payments on pledges. Please mail all payments in the self-addressed, return envelope provided with your payment reminder mailings. Remember – If our parish exceeds the $60,000 goal in paid pledges , we will receive back half of the money collected above the goal for projects around our campus. To learn more about the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal, visit www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal,” or simply scan this QR code with your cellphone.
NEXT WEEKEND, August 12/13 (and Monday, August 14th – Friday, August 18th)
SATURDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION will take place next Saturday, August 12th, following Communion at the 4 pm Mass. Staying for an hour may be difficult for some. You may want to start by staying 5 minutes. If you stayed for 5 minutes last month, try staying for 10 minutes this month. You will soon find out that 10 minutes isn’t long enough! (You should always stay for the Exposition and until Fr. Jim leaves. When you leave, please remember to do so quietly.)
SECOND COLLECTION next weekend is to support the maintenance and ministry of the Cathedral of St. Peter (the Bishop’s own parish and the center of Catholicism in our Diocese).
THE VOCATION CHALICE MINISTRY: Next Sunday, August 13, 10:30 am Mass – Cuttingham. (Please arrive 15 minutes before your Mass time to pick up, or drop off, materials in the sacristy.) Families and individuals are encouraged to consider signing up to host the vocation chalice in your home for a week. Text or call Alice Gaston at (302) 670 – 7924. For more information visit https://saintpolycarp.org/vocation-chalice/
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (August 15) – A Holy Day of Obligation. Masses at St. Polycarp: 4 pm on Monday, August 14th, 8:30 am on Tuesday, August 15th, and 7 pm on Tuesday, August 15th. Mass at St. Dennis, Galena, MD: 7 pm on Tuesday, August 15th. The St. Polycarp Parish Office will be closed on Tuesday, August 15th.
CHANGE THE WORLD: BECOME CATHOLIC! INQUIRY SESSIONS HELD SOON! Is there someone you know who would like to explore the Catholic faith – someone unbaptized, or baptized in the Catholic or another Christian tradition? Do you know someone who needs First Eucharist and/or Confirmation? The Catholic faith can fulfill their desire
for a closer relationship with Our Lord by participating in the RCIA process.
If interested, the parish will hold three Inquiry Sessions:
Monday, August 14th, at 6:30 pm,
Wednesday, August 23rd, at 10:30 am
Monday, August 28th, at 6:30 pm.
Please contact Deacon Frank Weber for more information: DeaconFrank@saintpolycarp.org or leave a message with the Parish office at (302) 653 – 8279.
CHEER ON THE GOLFERS! If you can’t make it to the St. Polycarp’s 4th Annual Golf Tournament, how about sending the golfers YOUR CHEERS! Donation is only $5 per square. Add your personal wish. Boards will be outside the Church on Sunday, August 13th, Saturday, August 19th and Sunday August 20th. Come with your $5 and wishes!
ST. POLYCARP PARISH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT AND BUFFET DINNER – Sunday, September 10th
Golfing at Garrison Lake Golf Club, 101 West Fairways Circle, Smyrna, DE. $130 per individual golfer includes lunch, Green fee, Golf Cart, on course beverages including beer, complimentary gift bags, prizes for best teams, long drive/closest to pin, followed by a buffet dinner.
Not interested in golfing? No problem! Join us for a delicious Buffet Dinner for just $40.00 per person in Mother Drexel Hall at Saint Polycarp Church. For more information and registration, contact Dennis Skinner at papadskinz@yahoo.com or (302) 981 – 8743 and Anna Skinner at ANNA.SKINZ@gmail.com or (302) 883 – 5647. You can also scan the QR Code below or click on the following link https://saintpolycarp.org/st-polycarp-annual-golf-tournament-and-dinner-2023/
UPCOMING
SATURDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION at St. Polycarp will take place monthly at the Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of the month. Saturdays: August 12th, September 9th, October 7th, November 11th & December 9th.
Eucharistic Adoration at St. Dennis Church (Galena MD) will take place on the Fourth Sunday of the month following the 8 am Sunday Mass. Sundays, August 27th, September 24th, October 22nd, & November 26th.
ONGOING
SACRISTANS: We are looking for more people to serve as sacristans! Sacristans have the duty to arrive early to the Church in order to unlock it and set up for Mass. Becoming a sacristan would be a great way to learn more about our beautiful liturgy and become more involved in carrying it out. No previous knowledge is required. If you are interested, please contact the head sacristan Adam Bauer at the email ajpd.bauer@gmail.com.
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Tuesdays from 9 am to 8pm in the Chapel. We are still in need of people to fill in when others are ill or cannot attend. Do you have one hour to spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament on an occasional basis? Call Cheryl Thomas at (302) 363 – 0404 or email her at salcrest7@gmail.com. All are welcome to stop in and adore Jesus between 9 am and 8 pm in the Chapel on Tuesdays. Stay for 10 minutes, 1 hour…
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Our Parish School of Religion (PSR) offers religious education classes for grade PK – 9. Now is the time to register!
Visit https://saintpolycarp.org/religious-education/ for more information or contact our Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE), Erica Taylor, at dre@saintpolycarp.org or (302) 653-4101.
THE VOCATION CHALICE MINISTRY: Please consider signing up to host the vocation chalice in your home for a week. Families and individuals are encouraged to sign up! Text or call Alice Gaston at (302) 670 – 7924. For more information visit https://saintpolycarp.org/vocation-chalice/ August 13, 10:30 am Mass – Cuttingham; August 20, 10:30 am Mass – Sanphy; September 3, 10:30 am Mass – Irwin.
CONNECTED IN CHRIST (ADULT FAITH FORMATION) meets every Tuesday at 9:30 am in the Parish Library – ALL are welcome. Please join us. If you have any questions, please call Cookie Ruane at (302) 540 – 6429.
FAITH WITH FRIENDS (ADULT FAITH FORMATION) meets the first Thursday of every month at 6 pm in Room 3. Everyone is invited. Questions? Contact Ashley Wilson at 302.535.4118.
GLUTEN FREE? Do you have an intolerance to gluten? If so, our parish offers gluten-free wafers to be consecrated for you. Please see our Sacristan 10 – 15 minutes before Mass and let them know that you need a gluten-free wafer put in the pyx. At Communion, please proceed down the aisle to the priest who will have the pyx in his hand and let him know you need a gluten-free host.
IS THAT YOU, FR. JIM? If you receive emails or texts from Fr. Jim asking for favors, gift cards or gifts or stating something similar to “I am currently busy in a meeting now, no calls so just reply to my email.”, please ignore and delete. If an email looks suspicious and you’re not sure, give the office a call.
FORMED: Thanks to a very generous and thoughtful parishioner, our FORMED Subscription has been RENEWED for another year! Please SIGN UP NOW and begin enjoying the abundant amount of Catholic content that FORMED has to offer! You won’t be disappointed! To gain full access to FORMED; follow these simple steps:
~Go to: www.formed.org or scan QR Code
~Enter our parish’s zip code (19977)
~Click on St. Polycarp Church
~Enter your name and your email address
REDNER’S MARKETS 1% SAVE-A-TAPE FUNDRAISER: Turn your food shopping into cash for our parish. Simply be sure to obtain and scan your Redner’s Rewards Card each time you shop. Save your whole receipt. Bring your receipts to the Parish Office or put them into the collection basket. There is no expiration date – you can turn in receipts months old!
BULLETIN SPONSORS: Thank you to all of our weekly bulletin sponsors for your support during the year! Your support has not gone unnoticed by our parish community and is so appreciated!
USEFUL LINKS:
WEBSITE: www.saintpolycarp.org.
BULLETIN: https://www.jppc.net/onlinebulletins/301template.pdf
BULLETIN OVERFLOW: https://saintpolycarp.org/this-weeks-bulletin/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/StPolycarpSmyrnaDE
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SaintPolycarpCatholicChurch/
ONLINE GIVING: Please consider becoming an e-giver. It is easy to make your weekly or one time contributions in support of the Parish. For more information and to sign up for online giving, visit faith.direct/DE831
ST DENNIS: http://www.stdennischurch.org
DIOCESE OF WILMINGTON – LIVE STREAMING https://www.youtube.com/user/DioceseofWilm
FOR THE SAKE OF GOD’S CHILDREN: https://www.cdow.org/giving/fsgc/
THE DIALOG: http://thedialog.org/ Newspaper of the Diocese, copies available as you leave Church or online
EWTN: ewtn.com
FROM THE DIOCESE:
CATHOLIC FORUM/RELEVANT RADIO: Saturdays at 1:30 pm on Relevant Radio 640AM. On Saturday, August 5th, tune-in for part-one of a two-week salute to Father Roberto Balducelli, OSFS, who passed away 10 years ago, on August 9, 2013. On this episode, hear highlights from an interview with Father Roberto from 2006. CLICK HERE You can listen online at cdow.org/CatholicForum, or by searching “Catholic Forum” on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or Amazon Music podcasts. “Like” Catholic Forum on Facebook at facebook.com/CatholicForum @CatholicForum.
LET US PRAY: The Transfiguration of the Lord
You were transfigured on the Mountain, O Christ God, showing Your Disciples as much of Your glory as they could hold.
Let Your eternal light shine also upon us sinners, through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Giver of Light, glory to You. Amen.
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