15th SUNDAY in ORDINARY TIME
July 15/16, 2023
SUNDAY SCRIPTURE – QUESTIONS TO PONDER
~ How has the Word of God nourished you spiritually?
~ What does the “glorious freedom of the children of God” mean to you?
~ Which type of soil from the Gospel parable best describes your heart? Why?
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071623.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, JULY 14/15 (& Monday, July 17th – Friday, July 21st)
SECOND COLLECTION this weekend is for the Church in Africa, Central and Eastern Europe. Please be as generous as your means allow.
IS GOD CALLING YOU! Join our PSR family and share your gifts and talents with us. We need YOU to help US spread God’s message to our youth. Where is God calling you to serve?
We currently need to fill the following positions:
3rd grade: Catechist (Sunday mornings)
5th grade: Catechist (Tuesday evenings)
Please contact our CRE, Erica Taylor, at (302) 653 – 4101 or dre@saintpolycarp.org for more information
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.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! SAVE THE DATE! – SAINT POLYCARP ANNUAL PICNIC! The Saint Polycarp Annual Parish Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, September 17, 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. Our next planning meeting is Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 6 pm in the library. Please call Kathy Curlett at 302 222 9326, if interested in helping.
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF WILMINGTON – 2023 FAITH AND CHARITY CATHOLIC APPEAL: To date, our parish has pledged $59,019.03 and collected $40,403.16 toward our goal of $60,000. We are $980.97 from our goal!!! We’re getting there, but we still need your help! 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. Together, we work toward Shining the Light of Christ. 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. 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, JULY 22/23 (and Monday, July 24th – Friday, July 28th)
The BLESSING OF GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY will take place at the 10:30 am Mass on Sunday, July 23rd.
ATTENTION MINISTRY LEADERS! SAVE THE DATE! Mark your calendar now for our Annual Parish Leadership Organizational Meeting on TUESDAY, July 25th, at 7 pm in Mother Drexel Hall. Leaders from these ministries are expected to attend this important meeting. Remember to RSVP to communications@saintpolycarp.org by July 20th.
CATHOLIC YOUTH MINISTRY (CYM) – Shore Birds Fan? Blue Rocks Fan? Bring your family for fun and baseball! The Delmarva Shorebirds and the Diocese of Wilmington Office for Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) present Family Fun Night next Saturday, July 22, at 7:05 pm at Purdue Stadium (6400 Hobbs Road, Salisbury, Maryland 21804). Come and enjoy a baseball game, good times and the best fireworks show on Delmarva! For more information and to purchase your discounted tickets, visit cdow.org/CYMFam.
Bring your family for fun and baseball! The Wilmington Blue Rocks and the Diocese of Wilmington Office for Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) present Family Fun Day on Sunday, August 27th, at 1:05 pm at Frawley Stadium (801 Shipyard Drive, Wilmington, Delaware 19801). Come and enjoy a baseball game, good times, and pregame on-field catch 12 pm – 12:15 pm. The kids get to run the bases postgame! For more information and to purchase your discounted tickets, visit cdow.org/CYMFam.
UPCOMING
ST. DENNIS CHURCH BULL ROAST FUND RAISER – Saturday, July 29th – 153 N. Main Street, Galena, MD
Come One, Come All, Please! This year’s fund raiser will be a “Drive Thru” event with optional outdoor seating (weather permitting). We will also have a Corn Hole game.
MENU – Back by popular request – ½ a fried chicken, delicious PIT roasted beef, 2 ears of locally-grown corn on the cob, homemade potato salad plus 2 rolls with butter and bottled water for $25. The famed St Dennis Bake Sale will also be available for purchasing dessert as you exit the property. Advance ticket purchases are recommended as a limited number of meals will be prepared. Drive up ticket purchases on the day of the event are possible. Tickets may be purchased at St. Dennis Church before and after the weekend Sunday Masses (8am and 11am in Spanish) OR by calling Jim at 717-575-1235. Pick up of meals with curb-side service is on July 29th from 11am until 2pm. Please follow the directed traffic pattern.
SATURDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION will take place monthly at the Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of the month. Our next Saturday Eucharistic Adoration will take place on Saturday, August 12th, following Communion at the 4 pm Mass.
CHANGE THE WORLD: BECOME CATHOLIC! 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.
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/
ONGOING
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Tuesdays from noon to 8pm in the Chapel. We need a few more people to sign up for a scheduled Adoration time slot so we can expand our Adoration hours. We need adorers for these timeslots on Tuesday: 9:30 am, 12:30 and 3:00 pm. Call or email Cheryl Thomas salcrest7@gmail.com or (302) 363 – 0404.
All are welcome to stop in and adore Jesus between 12 pm 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. 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 9:30 am in the Parish Library – ALL are welcome. Please join us. If you have any questions, please call Cookie Ruane at (302) 540 – 6429.
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. Maryland Eastern Shore author, Marty Mitchell, will discuss his new book “The Capillaries of Christ” on the July 15th episode of Catholic Forum. 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: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha – The Lily of the Mohawk was beatified in 1980 by Pope John Paul II. The cannonization of Kateri Tekakwitha took place on October 21, 2012. Her feast day is celebrated on July 14.
O Saint Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks,
Your love for Jesus,
so strong, so steadfast,
pray that we may become like you.
Your short and painful life
showed us your strength and humility.
Pray that we may become
forever humble like you.
Like the bright and shining stars at night,
we pray that your light
may forever shine down upon us,
giving light, hope, peacefulness
and serenity in our darkest moments.
Fill our hearts, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
with your same love for Jesus
and pray that we may have the strength and courage
to become one like you in Heaven.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen