THE PARISH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED, MONDAY, JANUARY 17, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011622.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. Please bear with us as we work through the challenges with our live streaming. 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/.
With the rising number of covid cases and after receiving new recommendations from the diocese, our Pastoral Council, Liturgy Committee and our staff came to the consensus with the following recommendations:
To help control the spread of covid-19, particularly the Omicron variant, it is highly recommended that masks be worn during all Masses and while inside all buildings. Please sanitize your hands upon entering. With the exception of devotionals (Flame of Love, Divine Mercy, Eucharistic Adoration, Confessions, Mass) committees/ministries will not be meeting in-person. Please check with your ministry chairperson for virtual links. PSR classes will be determined before classes on the 23rd/25th. (This week’s PSR classes, January 16/18, are already scheduled to be posted online.) Thank you.
THIS WEEKEND, JANUARY 15/16
PSR GRADES P/K – 4, Sunday, January 16. As scheduled, no in person classes. Lessons will be posted on PSROnline..
SECOND COLLECTION this weekend is for the Catholic University and Catholic Communications.
TAX LETTERS: The office is working on the tax letters for your 2021 donations. There will be an email sent out sometime during the coming week with the pertinent information.
THE WEEK OF JANUARY 16
PSR GRADES 5-8, Tuesday, January 18th. As scheduled, no in person classes. Lessons will be posted on PSROnline..
Bishop Robert Barron’s series “THE CREED”. Connected in Christ’s presentation of Bishop Barron’s ‘The Creed’ begins this Tuesday, January 18th at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom. If you wish to receive a link to this six-week program, please email Peggy O’Connor at peggyo52@aol.com.
9 DAYS FOR LIFE: JANUARY 19-27, 2022. Sign up at https://www.respectlife.org/9-days-signup to receive 9 Days for Life, the U.S. bishops’ annual Respect Life novena, January 19-27. Receive the daily prayers by email or text message in English or Spanish.
THE NATIONAL PRAYER VIGIL FOR PRO-LIFE ACTIVITIES will take place from Thursday, January 20 through Friday, January 21 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Tune into EWTN (online on your laptop or television) for live coverage of the 2022 MARCH FOR LIFE including:
Opening Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm (followed by Holy Hour for Life) on Thursday, January 20th from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; Closing Mass at 8 am on Friday, January 21st, from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Complete coverage of the March for Life at 9:30 am on Friday, January 21st from Washington, D.C. https://www.ewtn.com/tv/watch-live
To find what channel EWTN is on your television, use https://www.ewtn.com/tv/channel-finder.
For more pro-life information, visit this website: https://www.ewtn.com/prolife/
For additional information, please visit https://www.usccb.org/national-prayer-events-for-life or https://www.nationalshrine.org/event/2022-national-prayer-vigil-for-life.
NEXT WEEKEND, JANUARY 22/23
BLESSING OF LECTORS will take place on Saturday, January 22nd at the 4:00pm. Mass.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS POLAR BEAR PLUNGE for SPECIAL OLYMPICS collection to support this event will take place outside at the Church doors next weekend after both Masses.
This year’s Polar Bears will be in-person and virtual this year due to the ongoing pandemic. More than ever Special Olympics still needs our support. So no matter how you Plunge, what’s most important is that you Plunge in support of 4,200 Special Olympics Delaware athletes. Our Knights of Columbus will once again be collecting donations to support this annual plunge. The Polar Bear Plunge/Special Olympics collection will take place this weekend, January 22-23, 2022. Your generous donations should be placed in an envelope marked Polar Bear Plunge or Special Olympics and then placed in the collection basket, the black box under the portico, or mailed to St. Polycarp Church, 55 Ransom Lane, Smyrna DE 19977. Checks should be made out to Knights of Columbus-Brother Vincent Council. Please make all donations by Sunday, January 30th. Thank you for your generous support.
UPCOMING/ONGOING
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: 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. Call or text Alice Gaston 302-670-7924 to sign up. See the Bulletin for schedule. January 30th – Brimson Family, February 13th – Marshall Family
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
FROM THE DIOCESE:
CATHOLIC FORUM/RELEVANT RADIO: Saturdays at 1:30 pm on Relevant Radio 640. On the January 15, 2022 episode, tune-in to learn about Saint Norbert and the Norbertine Fathers, when the Right Reverend James B. Herring, O.Praem, Prior of the Immaculate Conception Priory in Middletown, Delaware, is the guest. Listen anytime at cdow.org/CatholicForum or search Catholic Forum on Apple, Spotify or iHeartRadio podcasts.
LET US PRAY:
TENDER JESUS, so meek, so mild, teach us to be like You in all our ways. Teach us kindness, gentleness, generosity, and to be giving, forgiving, loving and caring. Teach us to follow in Your humble footsteps. Guide us to the place You want us to be, take control. Mold and shape us into the brilliant beings we were always destined to become. I pray these in Your most holy Name, Amen.