8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022722.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. If you are interested in being involved in this ministry, please email Lisa at lisa.titus@saintpolycarp.org or Judy at communications@saintpolycarp.org.
PARISH WEBSITE: Visit: www.saintpolycarp.org/.
UPDATE: In light of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in our Diocese and both Delaware and Maryland, here at St. Polycarp, we will still encourage safety measures that include a consistent sanitizing of common areas and hand sanitizer available at all entrances. We will support a welcoming environment for those members in our parish who wish to continue to wear masks. In person events and meetings may resume. During PSR classes/events, our PSR students, catechists, assistants and all those visiting, are required to wear masks until further notice.
ATTENTION MINISTRY LEADERS: If your ministry is remaining virtual, please send Kathy an email at office@saintpolycarp.org. If we do not here from you, the room you requested will be on the calendar.
LENT BEGINS, THIS WEDNESDAY. WHAT WILL YOU DO THIS LENT?
SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE AND SAUSAGE DINNER
St. Polycarp – 4 – 6 pm on Tuesday, March 1st
PALMS TO ASHES
St. Polycarp – 7 pm (in Church) on Tuesday, March 1st
St. Dennis – 5 pm on Tuesday, March 1st
ASH WEDNESDAY MASSES with distribution of ashes (Day of Fast & Abstinence)
St. Polycarp – 8:30 am and 7 pm on Wednesday, March 2nd
St. Dennis – 7 pm on Wednesday, March 2nd
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. For members of the Roman Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Roman Catholic Church from age 14 onwards. ~USCCB
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
St. Polycarp – 7 pm on the Fridays in Lent beginning March 4th
St. Dennis – 5 pm and 7 pm (Hispanic) on Fridays in Lent beginning March 4th
THIS WEEKEND, FEBRUARY 26/27
OLD PALMS: Old palms may be brought to church and placed in the baskets at the entrances. These palms are burned for ashes.
RCIA RITE OF SENDING at the 4pm Mass.
PSR GRADES P/K – 4, Sunday, February 27th at 9am, in person classes. Masks will still be worn by everyone.
THE VOCATION CHALICE MINISTRY: Sunday, February 27th at the 10:30 am Mass – L. Sanez Family – Please arrive 15 minutes before your mass time and pick up (or drop off) materials in the sacristy.
DELAWARE STATE COLUMBIETTES VIRTUAL BASKET AUCTION FUNDRAISER – Virtual Auction takes place on Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 1 pm on Zoom. If you purchased tickets (advanced tickets were required), don’t forget to join in the fun!
THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 27
CONNECTED IN CHRIST ADULT FORMATION: The gospel stories of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus are at the core of Christian faith. Connected in Christ will explore these essential stories in the unique accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, on six consecutive Tuesdays, beginning March 1st in Mother Drexel Hall. We will begin at 9:30 am and each session will be about 90 minutes. To enroll and receive a book in advance, please contact Peggy O’Connor – peggyo52@aol.com; 302-514-9913. A suggested donation of $10 for the book would be appreciated, though not required, to defray the cost of materials to the parish.
The Knights of Columbus and Columbiettes will be hosting a SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE AND SAUSAGE DINNER on Tuesday March 1st from 4pm-6pm in the parish hall. (Palms to Ashes service to follow at 7pm in the church.) Come join us as we enter the Lenten season. To help get a count for attendance please rsvp to Angela Gibson via phone or text at 302-270-4100 or Darlene Sanphy via email Darpete87@comcast.net
PALMS TO ASHES: Tuesday evening, March 1st, at 7 pm. Come Join Us in Church! All are welcome!!! Did you know that the ashes that are distributed on Ash Wednesday come from the palms that you previously received and returned? It is tradition here at St. Polycarp to burn some of the palm during our Palms to Ashes Service on the eve of Ash Wednesday. We will continue this tradition again this year. We hope you will join us
PSR GRADES 5-8, Tuesday, March 1st. Students are expected to arrive by 6:45pm. PSR will attend the Palms to Ashes Service. Dismissal will be at normal time 8:15 pm. Masks will still be worn by everyone.
ASH WEDNESDAY, Wednesday, March 2nd. See above for Mass schedule.
UPCOMING/ONGOING
PASCHAL CANDLE – LENTEN GIVING OPPORTUNITY: Each year the Church purchases a new Paschal Candle to be displayed on the altar at the commencement of the Easter season. Each candle is truly a majestic celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord and the gift of eternal life. What a wonderful way to contribute to beautifying our worship space. If you are interested in making a donation towards this year’s Paschal Candle, please call or email Lisa at the office. Thank You
OFFERTORY REFLECTION: CALL TO GIVING: The Offertory Reflection letter will be coming soon. Lent is the time where we are called to consider how we are making personal and spiritual sacrifices to renew our faith and thank God for the blessings He has bestowed upon us. Almsgiving is one way that we can honor Christ’s sacrifice while providing our parish the financial means to continue our work in the community to share the Gospel. We have been blessed at St. Polycarp parish by the support we have received during the pandemic. “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
PASTORAL COUNCIL – The annual Pastoral Council elections are approaching. We are seeking candidates to fill open positions for the new term. The Pastoral Council meets monthly. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with and for our parish community. If you or someone you know would like additional information please contact Angela Gibson (302) 270 – 4100 or starrinhaven@yahoo.com.
CHANGE THE WORLD: BECOME CATHOLIC! If you know someone who is looking for a new beginning and wants to learn more about the Catholic Church, “personally invite” them to our RCIA sessions, Monday evenings at 6:30pm. The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is for individuals who are unbaptized, baptized in other faith traditions or Catholic adults wishing to receive Confirmation and Holy Eucharist and seeking full membership in the Catholic Church. We are all called to share the “Good News” and you can make a difference by simply asking! Please contact Deacon Frank Weber for more information at DeaconFrank@saintpolycarp.org or leave a message with the Parish office at (302) 653-8279.
THE VOCATION CHALICE MINISTRY: Please sign up to take home the Vocation Chalice for one week. Call or text Alice Gaston 302-670-7924 to sign up. Each week a family will receive the Vocation Chalice at Mass and take it home with the promise to “pray for vocations” during that week. The family should place the chalice in a prominent place in their home and gather together each day to pray for the awareness of vocations. At the end of the week, the family will bring the chalice back to church so the next family can take it home. A booklet will accompany the chalice that has prayers and instructions. We need your prayers and for you to sign up. See the Bulletin for schedule. March 12 – B & J Watson
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 receipts months old in!
Thank you to our Bulletin advertisers! We appreciate your support!
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
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 640. Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, discusses her new Lent book, “Restore,” on the Feb. 26th edition of the Catholic Forum program/podcast. Listen online anytime at cdow.org/CatholicForum, or by searching “Catholic Forum” on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or Amazon Music podcasts.
LET US PRAY:
“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.”