Weekend Update March 14/15, 2026

STATIONS OF THE CROSS will take place in the Church at 7pm on Fridays in Lent

 

Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence from meat from age 14 onwards. 

RECONCILIATION: Need a refresher? Visit https://saintpolycarp.org/reconciliation-refresher/
 Reconciliation at St. Polycarp Church: Saturdays, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm & Sundays during Lent following the 10:30 am Mass.
The Deanery Lenten Penance Service – Thursday, March 26 at 7 pm at Holy Cross Church      631 S. State Street    Dover, DE 19901    Several Priests will be available to hear confessions.
Reconciliation Monday – March 30 – Monday of Holy Week, 3 pm – 5 pm & 6 pm – 8 pm
Plan on being reconciled with God early during this season of Lent!

IMPORTANT!  IMPORTANT!  IMPORTANT!  IMPORTANT!  The Pastoral Council discussed the impact of the clergy shortage on our parish, specifically, the lack of priests for reconciliation. Please do not wait until the last minute to receive this healing sacrament during the season of Lent. Thank you.

 

FOR HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE

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March 14/15, 2026

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
Laetare Sunday
The Fourth Sunday of Lent is known as Laetare Sunday.  The Lenten Season is more than half over. The celebration of the Easter Feast is drawing near – the Church rejoices!
Rose vestments are worn by the Priest. This rose color reminds us of joy in the midst of penance and anticipation.

   ~What does it mean to see others as God sees them?
~ How has your spiritual vision changed over the years?
~ What can you see more clearly now than before?

 

READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031526.cfm

DAILY BIBLE READINGS: https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

 

LIVE-STREAMING FROM ST. POLYCARP: Until our sound system is fixed, our live stream may not have any audio. Visit https://www.youtube.com/c/StPolycarpSmyrnaDE for live stream at 8:30 am, Tuesdays & Wednesdays and 4 pm on Saturdays. (Once at the site, click on “Live”.)  Live stream from the Cathedral of St. Peter can be viewed on the Diocesan YouTube channel (DIOCESE OF WILMINGTON – LIVE STREAMING) at https://www.youtube.com/user/DioceseofWilm

PARISH WEBSITE: Visit: www.saintpolycarp.org/.

WEEKLY PARISH BULLETIN: CLICK HERE .  or use this QR code. Previous bulletins can also be viewed.  (New Bulletins are posted on Fridays.)
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!

BULLETIN OVERFLOW: There’s always information that doesn’t fit in our Bulletin – Bulletin Overflow – CLICK HERE or use this QR code

 

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MANY HANDS, ONE MISSION: A 50-YEAR LEGACY
For 50 years, the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal has carried faith into the future – strengthening our Church and caring for those in need throughout Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. This year, Bishop Koenig is asking every parish family to join in. Your participation matters as much as the gift itself. When every household gives, our parish grows stronger—and our shared mission thrives. If you have not yet made your pledge, please do so today. 50% of all first-time gifts stay right here in our parish, and funds raised beyond our goal also support local needs. Together, with many hands and one mission, we can ensure our faith remains vibrant for generations to come. Visit www.cdow.org, click Donate → Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal, or scan this QR code to participate.

 

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We kindly request silence in the Church before Mass. We are in the presence of the Lord, and many of us are praying and preparing our hearts for the celebration of the Eucharist. Please be respectful of our time in prayer.

 

 

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THIS WEEK: Friday, March 13 – Friday, March 20

THIS AFTERNOON – DELICIOUS SOUPS OF LENT:  Brother Vincent Council #7517 Knights of Columbus. On sale from 1 pm – 3 pm and 6 pm – 8:30 pm in Mother Drexel Hall. Contact Mike Cunningham with any questions or to reserve your soup! 302-379-8952 or mikec923@yahoo.com.   $12.00 quart container, $6 single serve ½ quart
Friday, March 13: New England Clam Chowder

 

THE VOCATION CHALICE : March 15 –  Charm Sloven will receive the Vocation Chalice for a week of prayer for vocations.

 

SECOND COLLECTION this weekend is for our Parish Maintenance.

 

 

ANNUAL FORUM: Come join us for the Annual Forum THIS  Sunday, March 15, following the Knights of Columbus breakfast. This is your opportunity to hear about our Parish accomplishments, share your ideas and dreams and listen to fellow parishioners’ ideas and dreams for our parish!

 

THE KNIGHTS WILL BE COOKING BREAKFAST THIS Sunday, March 15,  after the 10:30 am Mass. The Knights have generously decided to offer this breakfast free of charge to promote unity, community and fraternity within our parish family in conjunction with our Annual Forum. So come have breakfast and stay for the Annual Forum.  Thank you to our Knights!

 

DESERT, BUT NOT DESERTED: Remember Jesus’ forty days in the desert? He prayed and we need to pray! Our holy water fonts are filled with small pebbles this Lent. Please take one with you to help you focus on your prayer life this Lent. Maybe keep it in your pocket, set it on your desk or table.  May it remind you to turn your heart to God.

 

 

EASTER FLOWERS, particularly the white lilies with their large white trumpet flowers, proclaim that spring is upon us and they symbolize hope and new life.   Add to the beauty of our church during this joyful season by using your Easter flower envelope to help us proclaim that Jesus has risen!

EASTER NOVENA: Easter is the greatest celebration in the Catholic Church because it is the completion of the Holy week that ends with the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus was raised from the dead, and by that He conquered sin and death.  Living or deceased, the best gift you can give a loved one is the gift of the Mass.  Please use the Easter Mass Remembrance envelope to enroll your friends and family in our most holy celebration.

 

SOUND SYSTEM: The new equipment for our sound system has been ordered. Once it arrives, the work will be able to be scheduled.  We now have temporary speakers in place that are used when the sound system fails. Special thanks to our readers and cantors for speaking/singing louder and to everyone else for keeping noise to a minimum except when praying and singing!!!!
LIVE STREAM: Due to the failure of the sound system, our live stream may or may not have sound. Live stream Mass from St. Dennis Church is on Sundays at 8 am.,  https://www.youtube.com/@stdennisparish_galenamd/streams. Live stream Mass from the Cathedral in Wilmington is on Sundays at 9:30 am.,  https://www.youtube.com/@DioceseofWilm/streams

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NEXT WEEK: Friday, March 20 – Friday, March 27

SECOND COLLECTION next weekend, March 21/22, is for our Parish School of Religion.

 

DELICIOUS SOUPS OF LENT:  Brother Vincent Council #7517 Knights of Columbus. On sale from 1 pm – 3 pm and 6 pm – 8:30 pm in Mother Drexel Hall. Contact Mike Cunningham with any questions or to reserve your soup! 302-379-8952 or mikec923@yahoo.com.   $12.00 quart container, $6 single serve ½ quart
Friday, March 20: Shrimp Bisque
Friday, March 27: Manhattan Clam Chowder

 

EARLY BULLETIN DEADLINES: All submissions for the Easter Sunday Bulletin, April 5, MUST BE submitted by noon on Monday, March 23 to submission@saintpolycarp.org
Thank you for your cooperation with the early deadline!

 

DEANERY LENTEN PENANCE SERVICE – Thursday, March 26, at 7 pm at Holy Cross Church      631 S. State Street    Dover, DE 19901    Several Priests will be available to hear confessions.

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UPCOMING:

MOVIE NIGHT! MOVIE NIGHT! The Christian Formation Committee will be showing a movie that was specially requested, on Saturday, March 28, after the 4 pm Mass in the library. Follow the crowd after Mass to the library for an informative video and some terrific refreshments. See you there!

 

PALM SUNDAY AGAPE AND EASTER EGG HUNT: Sunday, March 29: Brother Vincent Council #7517, Knights of Columbus and Squires, invite all our parish family, to join in our annual Palm Sunday Breakfast (Agape) and Easter Egg Hunt, for our younger children immediately following Mass. What a wonderful time, to come together as a parish and share in community! Join us in Mother Drexel Hall, where your Knights will be serving pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage patty, coffee, tea, orange juice and water. Gluten free pancakes will be available on request.

 

RECONCILIATION MONDAY – March 30 – Monday of Holy Week, 3 pm – 8 pm . Our fifth annual Reconciliation Monday penance event will take place on Monday,
March 30^th from 3 until 8 p.m. Once again this year, every church in the diocese will have opportunities for confession during these extended hours.  So if it is more convenient for you to go to another church, feel free to do so. Please invite those friends and family members who have been away from the Sacraments to take advantage of this opportunity. Visit cdow.org/ReconciliationMonday for more information. The Priests of our Diocese look forward to welcoming everyone who wishes to prepare their heart for Easter.

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Palm Sunday – March 28/29
Masses – Saturday 4 pm & Sunday 10:30 am

 

Reconciliation Monday – Monday, March 30
St. Polycarp: 3 pm – 5 pm Fr. Hynes.  3 pm – 8 pm Fr. Herring (with a half hour break sometime between 5 pm & 6 pm)
St. Dennis: 3 pm – 5 pm and 6 pm – 8 pm (Fr. Jim)

 

Chrism Mass – Tuesday, March 31
at Holy Cross Church, Dover DE – 7 pm

 

Holy Thursday – Thursday, April 2
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Polycarp – 7 pm
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Dennis (Hispanic) – 7 pm

 

Good Friday – Friday, April 3
Passion of the Lord at St. Dennis – 3 pm
No Service at St. Polycarp
Stations of the Cross at St. Dennis (Hispanic) – 7 pm

 

Holy Saturday – Saturday, April 4
No Confessions either Parish
Easter Vigil at St. Dennis – 7:30 pm
No Mass at St. Polycarp on Holy Saturday

 

Easter Sunday – Sunday, April 5
St. Polycarp at 8 am and 10 am
St. Dennis at 8 am, 10:00 am, and 11:30 am (Spanish)

 

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Visit www.formed.org.
Type in our Parish zip code (19977),
Click on St. Polycarp Church then enter your name and email address!
You can also scan this QR code.

 

We encourage you to watch The Role of the Parishioner, a brief video from the Formed series titled Elements of the Catholic Mass. You can click on the link or use this QR code.

https://app.formed.org/app/videos/573424

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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 or someone you know need the Sacraments of First Eucharist and/or Confirmation? The Catholic faith can fulfill their desire for a closer relationship with Our Lord by participating in the OCIA process. Please contact Deacon Frank Weber for more information: DeaconFrank@saintpolycarp.org or leave a message with the Parish office at (302) 653 – 8279.

When receiving the Blessed Sacrament at Mass, please consume the Eucharist in front of the Priest, Deacon, or Eucharistic Minister prior to stepping away. It is not permitted to walk away with the Blessed Sacrament, take it back to your pew or leave Church with Jesus in your hand. When approaching the altar to receive Holy Communion, please approach with reverence (folding hands and being in a prayerful mode) and after receiving the Sacrament. Remember, it is the Body and Blood of Jesus that you just received.

HOLY COMMUNION TO THE SICK AND HOMEBOUND – Do you know someone who is sick or homebound and not able to make it to Mass? We would love to give them the opportunity to receive Holy Communion in their homes. Please contact April Corrales at 302-220–9616 or Lori Ostrowski at 302-540–6522.

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.
Upcoming Saturday Eucharistic Adoration at St. Polycarp: Saturdays:  April 11 and May 9.

TUESDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Tuesdays from 11 am to 8 pm in the Chapel. 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 11 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.  March 15 – Charm Sloven

 

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP (Pathway to Peace) meets on most Fridays at 5:30 pm. Please contact the parish office if you are considering joining us. 302-653-8279 or office@saintpolycarp.org.

 

CONNECTED IN CHRIST (ADULT FAITH FORMATION) meets every Tuesday after the 8:30 am Mass in the Parish Library – ALL are welcome. We begin with prayer, then watch a video, usually from FORMED and follow up with a discussion. We close with prayer by 11 am. Come and share your faith with us. Any questions, call Cookie Ruane, 302-540-6429.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD: Children’s Liturgy of the Word is offered every 1^st and 3^rd Sunday of the month during the 10:30 am Mass. This is a wonderful opportunity for children in PreK-4^th 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.

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!

SCAM: If you receive emails or texts from Fr. Jim asking for favors, gift cards or gifts or asking you to return his email because he has a favor to ask of you, please ignore and delete. They are not from Fr. Jim. If an email looks suspicious and you’re not sure, give the office a call. Fr. Jim has never/will never solicit donations or favors in this manner. He will not ask you to email Church directories.

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 through Friday.  Due to the 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 Boyardee canned pastas. No canned vegetables or beans are currently needed.  Please, no expired items. Here at St. Polycarp we have bins under the coat rack in the hallway near the bathrooms to accept your donations.

BULLETIN SPONSORS: Thank you to all of our weekly bulletin sponsors for your support during the year!

                                                                               

 

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CATHOLIC FORUM/RELEVANT RADIO: Listen to Catholic Forum each week. On the March 18 episode, Dan Pin, Director of Catholic Youth, Young Adult, and Family Ministry joins Catholic Forum to discuss the 15th Annual Catholic Youth Ministry Pilgrimage taking place this year on March 28, 2026.  Listen in to find out what to expect at this year’s pilgrimage and learn the meaning behind the theme: Maps of Grace / Mapas de Gracia.  Additional information and registration forms can be found on the CYM website: https://cdowcym.org/pilgrimage/.The Catholic Forum podcast on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music podcasts and YouTube.com/DioceseofWilm debuts every Wednesday at 12:00 pm and on Relevant Radio 640 every Saturday afternoon at 1:30 pm.  More information is available at https://cdow.org/ministries/catholic-forum-podcast-radio-program/.

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