4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your merciful love.
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/013022.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/.
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.
HERE I AM LORD! Calling all transplants! Were you a Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion in another parish? Are you ready to resume your stewardship as a Eucharistic Minister? A small group is already forming to begin their ministry here at St. Polycarp Church. If you were commissioned as a Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion in the past and are ready to serve here, please contact Cindy Kennedy at kennedy078@msn.com or (302) 653 – 7525 ASAP. One small meeting is all it takes to resume your ministry.
THIS WEEKEND, JANUARY 29/30
PSR GRADES P/K – 4, Sunday, January 30. No in-person classes. Lessons will be posted on PSROnline.
THE VOCATION CHALICE MINISTRY: January 30th – The Brimson Family – Please arrive 15 minutes before your mass time and pick up (or drop off) materials in the sacristy.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS POLAR BEAR PLUNGE for SPECIAL OLYMPICS: If you missed last weekend’s collection, you can still support this event by placing your donation in an envelope marked Polar Bear Plunge or Special Olympics and then placed in the collection basket or the black box under the portico. 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.
WORLD’S FINEST CHOCOLATE: Once again, our PSR is selling World’s Finest Chocolate Candy Bars! All candy bars must be ordered and paid for ahead of time. Deadline to order is February 6th. Order forms are available at the doors of the church, in the drop box or you can Click here to print an order form.) Please return forms along with payment to the black drop box under the portico or in the collection basket at Church marked PSR Chocolate Sale. Make checks payable to St. Polycarp PSR. To place your order online (Using credit card, debit card or bank account) CLICK HERE As always, thank you for your support!
THE WEEK OF JANUARY 30
TAX LETTERS: Tax letters were emailed earlier this month. If you did not receive a tax donation letter, and would like one, please contact the parish office.
PSR GRADES 5-8, Tuesday, February 1st. 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’ Tuesdays, 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.
BLESSING OF CANDLES will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 2nd, at the 8:30 am Mass. Parishioners are asked to bring any candles they wish to be blessed with them that day. Please keep your candles with you in the pew and hold them up when Fr. Jim does the Blessing. A table will be set up in the Sanctuary showing the different candles used in our Parish.
NEXT WEEKEND, FEBRUARY 5/6:
SECOND COLLECTION: Catholic Home Missions
UPCOMING/ONGOING
The Blessing of New Drivers will take place on Saturday, February 12th at the 4:00pm Mass. Key Chains for these new drivers (any age) will be blessed and distributed at Saturday’s Mass. Upon entering the church, let the usher know that you are there for the blessing. They will give you the key chain.
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 Saturday, January 29, 2022 episode of Catholic Forum, we kick-off Catholic Schools Week with an interview with St. Mark’s High School President, Listen online anytime at cdow.org/CatholicForum, or by searching “Catholic Forum” on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or Amazon Music podcasts.
LET US PRAY: A Prayer to be Merciful (St. Maria Faustina)
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.
Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.
Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.
Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one.
May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.
Amen.