FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH
SUNDAY SCRIPTURE – QUESTIONS TO PONDER
~ Abraham and Sarah, Simeon and Anna, Mary and Joseph all do what God asks because of faith. How does faith guide your actions?
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/123123.cfm
LIVE-STREAMING: Visit https://www.youtube.com/c/StPolycarpSmyrnaDE for live stream at 8:30 am, Tuesdays & 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: There’s always information that doesn’t fit in our Bulletin – Bulletin Overflow – CLICK HERE
ATTENTION ENVELOPE USERS – There was an error by the company with the mailing of our January envelopes, so if you could, please place your donation in an envelope with your name and address. (If you know your envelope number that would be great as well, if not, no worries). Thank you for your patience and understanding in this matter.
THIS WEEKEND, DECEMBER 30/31 (and Monday, January 1st – Friday, January 5th)
Weekend Masses December 30 & 31 – The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph – Masses at 4 pm on Saturday, December 30th and 10:30 am on Sunday, December 31st.
THE SOLEMNITY OF MARY, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD (A Holy Day of Obligation) & New Year’s Day
Sunday, December 31st, at 4 pm, Monday, January 1st, at 10 am
The Blessing of Calendars will take place at the 4 pm Mass, on December 31st and at the 10:00 am Mass on January 1st.
The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is a Holy Day of Obligation. This year, the obligation to attend Mass on this date is abrogated, in accord with the complementary norm to canon 1246 §2 confirmed for the dioceses of the United States of America. (Whenever the Solemnity of Mary falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.)
While attending Mass for this solemnity is not an obligation, it’s certainly a wonderful way to honor Mary, our Savior’s Mother, our Mother. Attending the one hour Mass New Year’s Eve or New Year’s morning is a great time to thank God for the blessings of 2023 and to ask God for His blessings in the coming year. (Something to think about: There are 8784 hours in the year 2024. If you took the time to attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, that would be 58 hours total, which is less than 1% of those 8784 hours. Think about it, less than 1%. If you watch TV or are on an electronic device 3 hours a day, that would be 1098 hours or 12% of those 8784 hours. How will you use your time this year?)
GIVING TREE: Thank you, to all the parishioners of St. Polycarp who made this year’s Giving Tree Project a big success. Every year we are amazed by the outpouring of love and generosity you show to the families in our community who need it the most. This year you made the Christmas season extra special for so many of our children and families. God bless you all!
BE BRAVE, ANSWER THE CALL: Are you a Catholic living in harmony with the teachings of the Church? Are you at least 18 years old? Have you received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist & Confirmation? Are you sufficiently mature to perform the duties of Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Mass or to the sick and homebound? These are the qualifications needed to be considered for Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. If this is a ministry you feel God calling you to, please contact Cindy Kennedy at Kennedy-078@msn.com. Formation and training will begin early January.
NEW CANDLES: We hope that you have noticed the new candle stands in the back of the Church. The aqua votive candles ($3 each) are available to be lit for your intentions. Place your $3 in the slot and then just press the button in front of that candle that you would like lit. You must press and hold the button until it lights.
The white candles are memorial candles. These candles are available to be lit in memory of someone. The introductory fee of $120 includes the candle being lit continuously for a full year with a memorial name plate placed in front of that candle with the person’s name on it. This introductory fee is good until Ash Wednesday when the fee will be $150. If you are interested in having one of these candles lit, please contact Kathy at the office. (302) 653-8279 or office@saintpolycarp.org
NEXT WEEKEND, JANUARY 6/7,
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD: Next Sunday, January 7th during the 10:30 am Mass. Children will be called forward before the First Reading and will return to you after the General Intercessions. Our lead catechist is Anna Skinner. She, along with her assistants, have cleared background checks.
AGAPE: Come join us next Sunday, January 7th following the 10:30 Mass as we welcome in the New Year and celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord! Enjoy a delicious brunch, fellowship and fun! All are welcome.
UPCOMING
ROCK AND ROLL TRIBUTE: Come join us on in the parish hall on Saturday, January 13th, 2024 to ROCK in the New Year. Brother Vincent Knights of Columbus along with our Columbiettes are sponsoring a ROCK AND ROLL TRUBUTE with an evening of dinner, show and dancing featuring Mr. Charisma! Tickets are $45. Contact Anna Skinner at ANNA.SKINZ@gmail.com or (302) 883-5647. Make checks payable to Knights of Columbus #7517, 55 ransom Lane, Smyrna, DE 19977.
ANNUAL FORUM: The Saint Polycarp Annual Forum will take place on Sunday, January 21, 2024, following the 10:30 am Mass. Come and hear about our Parish accomplishments and voice your dreams for the coming year.
PARISH APPRECIATION DINNER: Reserve your spot for the Parish Appreciation Dinner. If you are active in a church organization or serve in any ministry at Saint Polycarp Parish, the parish would like to show their appreciation by inviting you to the parish appreciation dinner. This year the event will take place on Saturday, February 10, 2024, following the 4:00 pm Mass. Seating will be limited, so reserve your spot today. You may make your reservations using the link below or simply scan the QR code. Not a fan of online formats? Call Kathy Curlett at 302 222 9326 to reserve your seats. https://forms.gle/TREWak6DL8JhndbA9
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
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
NEEDED – NEW MINISTRY SCHEDULER: We are currently looking for someone to take over the scheduling of our ministers for the Weekend Masses and Holy Days of Obligation. This person must have good PC organization and computer skills. If you think you might be interested in this position, please call Frank Patton at (302) 508-5268.
SACRISTAN NEEDED: We are still in need of someone to step forward to serve as sacristan. Sacristans have the duty to arrive early to the Church in order to unlock the doors and prepare the Church 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 ajpd.bauer@gmail.com.
DIRECTORY COORDINATOR: The Pastoral Council is looking for a parishioner to coordinate the preparation for a new directory for Saint Polycarp. Our last directory was published in 2018 and we understand there may be an interest in producing a new directory. Please contact Kathy Curlett at (302) 222 – 9326 if you are interested.
ONGOING
SATURDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION at St. Polycarp will take place monthly at the Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of the month. Eucharistic Adoration at St. Dennis Church (Galena MD) will take place on the Fourth Sunday of the month following the 8 am Sunday Mass. Next Saturday Adoration is January 13th, 2024.
TUESDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Tuesdays from 9am to 8pm in the Chapel. We are still in need of people to fill in the following openings 9:30 am, 10:00 am, 10:30 am; 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm and people to fill in when others are ill or cannot attend. Do you have one hour to spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament? 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…
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/
CONNECTED IN CHRIST (ADULT FAITH FORMATION) meets every Tuesday at 9:00 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 7. Everyone is invited. Questions? Contact Ashley Wilson at (302) 535-4118.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD: Children’s Liturgy of the Word is offered every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month during the 10:30am Mass. This is a wonderful opportunity for children in PreK-4th grade. It mirrors the worship experience of the larger community in an engaging and interactive style. They will listen to Scripture and engage in discussions about what they have heard at their age level. Children will be called forward before the First Reading and will return to you after the General Intercessions. Our lead catechist is Anna Skinner. She, along with her assistants, have cleared background checks.
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.
SMYRNA-CLAYTON FOOD PANTRY: Due to increased need in the community, the Pantry is in great need of cereal, juice boxes or pouches, peanut butter & jelly, hamburger helper, tuna helper, canned tuna, sloppy joe sauce (Manwich), boxed spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, vegetable beef and chicken noodle soups, macaroni & cheese, and Chef Boy Ardee canned pastas. Please, NO CANNED vegetables or beans are currently needed. Bins for your donations are located under the coat rack near the hall.
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!
THE 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 thru Friday. Here at St. Polycarp we have bins under the coat rack in the hallway near the bathrooms to accept your donations. Please, no expired items.
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. Catholic Charities’ Fritz Jones is the guest on the December 30th Catholic Forum podcast. 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.
HAPPENING ELSEWHERE:
LET’S TALK HEALING – St. John-Holy Angels Parish, Newark
January 6, 13, 20, (not the 27th) & Feb 3 Snow date make-up Feb 10, if needed
Is Jesus still healing people today? Are these healings real, and do they last? How can we pray for healing? Can my broken heart be healed as well as my body? In her new book, Dr. Mary Healy answers these questions and more. Join St. John-Holy Angels Parish for an informal book study and conversation on the book, “Healing: Bringing the Gift of God’s Mercy to the World,” led by Terry Haar/aRise Healing Ministry. Discussions will be held at Holy Angels Church, 82 Possum Park Road, Newark, DE 19711, from 10 am-12 noon on each date. Use the San Damiano Center back entrance to the church. You do not need to attend all of the dates. You can check in for the reading assignments missed before each week you attend. Please read the first 66 pages prior to the first meeting. Coffee/refreshments provided. All interested are welcome. Free. Preregistration is required. (302) 731-2219 or arise@holyangels.net.
LET US PRAY:
Lord, You make all things new
You bring hope alive in our hearts
And cause our Spirits to be born again
Thank you for this new year.
For all the potential it holds.
Come and kindle in us
A mighty flame
So that in our time, many will see the wonders of God
And live forever to praise Your glorious name.
– Author Unknown
The Work of Christmas Begins
When the carols have been stilled,
When the star-topped tree is taken down,
When family and friends are gone home,
When we are back to our schedules
The work of Christmas begins:
To welcome the refugee,
To heal a broken planet,
To feed the hungry,
To build bridges of trust, not walls of fear,
To share our gifts,
To seek justice and peace for all people,
To bring Christ’s light to the world.
– by Michael Dougherty, a variation on Howard Thurman’s ‘When the Song of the Angels is Stilled’