In Loving Memory of POPE FRANCIS
Eternal rest grant unto Pope Francis, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
~Amen~
The conclave to elect the 267th Pope will begin on May 7th. The College of Cardinals has requested that all Catholics pray for them, so that they may listen to the Holy Spirit as they discern whom to choose as the next Pope.
Lord, pour forth Your wisdom upon the College of Cardinals as they gather to discern Your will for the successor to the Chair of St. Peter. Grant them clarity of mind, purity of heart, and courage of spirit, that they may choose a shepherd after Your own heart, one who will lead Your flock with wisdom, holiness, and love. May the new pope be a faithful witness to Your truth, a compassionate minister to all in need, and a unifying presence in our divided world. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.
St. Peter, pray for us.
St. Polycarp, pray for us.
St. Dennis, pray for us.
All holy men and women, pray for us.
(adapted from..https://thecatholiccrusade.com/)
For more information and additional resources on the election of a new Pope visit https://cdow.org/happenings/bishop-koenig-issues-statement-on-the-passing-of-pope-francis/
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
SUNDAY SCRIPTURE – QUESTIONS TO PONDER
~ When Jesus cooks the fish and feeds the disciples, what does he teach us about leadership?
~ What would your answer be should Jesus ask, “Do you love me more than these?
~ When have you allowed God to change your mourning into dancing?
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050425.cfm
DAILY BIBLE READINGS: https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
LIVE-STREAMING FROM ST. POLYCARP: 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”.) Please note: At times the live-stream fails to work. We apologize for the inconvenience. 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 . (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! NEW BULLETIN WEB PAGE: When you click on the link for the Bulletin, you will see a new look. You will see a picture of our current bulletin (click on it to enlarge). You will also find our past bulletins on this page. (Previously our past bulletins were found under “Bulletin Archives”. Now, the current and past Bulletins are all found on the one page. Try it! Use the QR code or CLICK HERE 
BULLETIN OVERFLOW: There’s always information that doesn’t fit in our Bulletin – Bulletin Overflow – CLICK HERE or use this QR code
THIS WEEKEND, May 3/4 (and Monday, May 5th – Saturday, May 9th )
ST. POLYCARP PARISH – ANNUAL SPRING CLEANUP – TOMORROW Saturday, May 3rd, 2025 
9:00 am – Noon
Join us for our Annual Spring Cleanup as we work together to keep our parish grounds looking beautiful! Any amount of time you can contribute is greatly appreciated! What to Bring: Rakes, blowers, and gloves, friends and family to lend a helping hand
Tasks Include: Clearing fallen branches and limbs, light weeding, cleaning around HVAC units
Light refreshments will be provided. 
RSVP: Please text or call Michael Pyle at 302-423-9732 or email mjpyle58@msn.com to let us know how many participants to expect.
We look forward to seeing you there!
L
ET US PRAY for our parish children who will be receiving Eucharist for the first time this Saturday, May 3rd, at the 4 pm Mass.
MAY CROWNING: Please join us this Sunday, May 4th, following the 10:30 a.m. Mass for a short ceremony to honor Mary “The Queen of Heaven”. The ceremony will be in the church. Our young children of the parish will carry flowers during the procession and will place them in front of the statue of Mary during the ceremony. If you would like to donate a bouquet of flowers or single stem flowers for our children to carry, please place them in the baskets in front of the altar at the beginning of both Masses the weekend of the May Crowning.
Join us in the hall after the May Crowning this Sunday, May 4th, for the May Agape. The May Agape is hosted by the Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality.
YOU’RE INVITED – ADULT FAITH FORMATION: Connected in Christ will be hosting our next coffee this Tuesday, May 6th in the Library after the 8:30 Mass. Please consider stopping in for some sweet treats, wonderful conversation, and enjoyable company. We will even show a short video. Hope to see you there. Any questions, call Cookie Ruane, 302-540-6429 or Joyce Tolson, 302-448-9678.
PARISH OFFICE: The Parish office will be closed on Thursday morning, May 8th, until noon. Our Office Ministry members (our wonderful receptionists) will be taking part in a morning of formation.
MEMORIAL BRICKS: Adding your MEMORIAL BRICK to the walkway of our Blessed Mother is a unique way to keep your memories alive. It is a way to remind us of all those special loved ones forever. Baptism, First Communion, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Graduation, honor family and friends! Share a favorite quote, and more! You can order through Faith Direct at: https://membership.faithdirect.net/events/org/831 
Scroll down until you see “Memorial Bricks” (you do not need to sign up for Faith Direct) or use this QR code or return your form with payment of $100 to St. Polycarp Church. Envelopes marked with “Memorial Brick” may be placed in the Offertory collection, mailed or delivered to the Parish Office (place in black box). Forms can be found on our parish website or at the doors of the Church.
ALTAR SERVERS NEEDED: The Mission Statement on our St Polycarp web site reads: Altar servers are responsible for assisting the clergy in the celebration of the sacraments, in particular the Mass. They are representatives of the congregation in direct and public service at the Lord’s altar. If your child has expressed a desire to serve Jesus and St Polycarp Parish at the altar and if they have received the Sacrament of Holy Communion, please contact: Fran and Jim Walls at 302-359-9152 or Email- SmyrnaWalls@gmail.com
DO YOU KNOW YOUR FAITH? What do the words Habemus Papam mean? What language is Habemus Papam?
NEXT WEEKEND, May 10/11 (and Monday, May 12th – Saturday, May 17th )
BLESSINGS: The Blessing of Mothers will take place at the 4 pm Mass on Saturday, May 10th, and the 10:30 am Mass on Sunday, May 11th.
BIRTHRIGHT OF DELAWARE: Please support Birthright’s pregnancy services by purchasing roses during its Annual Mother’s Day Rose Sale on May 10th and May 11th (Mother’s Day weekend). $3/one Rose, $5/three Roses, $20/Dozen Roses, $45/Twenty-five Roses (Bouquet). Your help will truly make a difference! Thank you! We deeply appreciate your support!! You can also make a donation to Birthright of DE in lieu of roses, the address is: 1311 North Scott Street Wilmington, DE 19806
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DEACON FRANK!
Deacon Frank’s Anniversary of his Ordination to the Diaconate is on Tuesday, May 13th. Please say a prayer for him as he celebrates 19 years as a Permanent Deacon. Deacon Frank was ordained a Permanent Deacon on May 13, 2006 for the Diocese of Trenton, NJ by Bishop John M. Smith. Thank you, Deacon Frank, for your service to God and to St. Polycarp Church! May God bless you always!
The CHRISTIAN FORMATION COMMITTEE will be showing a Very Interesting Video entitled “Why believe – Because I Love You”
Come to the hall immediately after the 4 pm Mass on Saturday, May 17th. We will be watching a short video (less than 4 minutes) and serving snacks. The movie contains some very powerful words of a modern day saint. If you have questions, call Cookie Ruane 302-540-6429
UPCOMING:
SUMMER SERIES: FAITH ON FILM : 4 Sessions. 1 Journey. All Summer Long. Dive Into Summer With Us! 
Summer DVD Series Study
Join us as we dive deep into an inspiring DVD series over four refreshing summer sessions! Whether you’re looking to grow in your faith, connect with others, or just soak in some spiritual truth, this is the perfect way to kick off your summer mornings!
Session Dates (All On Sunday at 9:00 am in the Library): May 18th, June 8th, July 20th, August 10th
Come for the coffee, stay for the fellowship and leave encouraged! Contact Ashley Wilson for details: 302-535-4118.
Scan Me!
WHO LIKES S’MORES? We are having S’mores on Sunday! Come join us on Sunday, May 18th We will meet in the Hall before we go outside! And if S’mores aren’t enough, we have “S’more” fun and games planned for the entire family! Join us after Mass for about an hour of family fun! All are welcome! Children 15 & under must have an adult with them.
ANNUAL FAITH AND CHARITY APPEAL
Our parish is committed to supporting the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. While we are most grateful for the generosity already shown by 137 donors, we are still $10,954.55 short of our goal of $61,500 in pledges. Did you know that when our parish reaches its goal in money collected, we receive back half of the money collected over the goal which we can use for our parish? So far, $27,812.09 has been collected.
We encourage all parishioners to participate so that we once again can reach that goal. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference. This appeal supports vital ministries across the Diocese and our own parish community. Pledge envelopes are available at the doors of the Church. Envelopes can be placed in the offertory basket.
If you have already pledged, you can expect to receive your first payment reminder on or about May 31st. Please mail all payments in the self-addressed,
return envelope provided with your payment reminder. To learn more about the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal or pledge online, visit www.cdow.org or scan this QR code.
FORMED ~ SIGN UP FOR FREE: 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
EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL – THREE YEARS OF ABUNDANT GRACE AND TRANSFORMATION – 2022-2025
National Year of Mission: July 17th, 2024–Pentecost 2025
MISSION: To renew the church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
VISION: To inspire a movement of Catholics across the United States who are healed, converted, formed, and unified by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—and who are then sent out on mission “for the life of the world.”
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, May 10th, June 7th
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/
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP (Pathway to Peace) meets on Saturday afternoons at 1 pm in Room 8. 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 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month during the 10:30 am Mass. This is a wonderful opportunity for children in PreK-4th 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.
THE FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the hall. We are looking for parishioners with backgrounds in electrical, plumbing, carpentry, painting and other construction expertise needed for our project. If God has blessed you with a gift you can share, please contact John Irwin, Executive Officer of Facilities Planning at 740-317-3617.
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.
PLANNING PRAYER: Please join our Facilities Planning Committee in prayer as we seek God’s guidance for updating our Parish kitchen. We will be praying the “Planning Prayer” immediately following the Prayer of the Faithful. Prayer cards will be available in the pews. We would encourage you to take one home and pray it there also. Do you know who is pictured on these prayer cards?
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!
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!
USEFUL LINKS:
WEBSITE: www.saintpolycarp.org.
BULLETIN: https://www.jppc.net/onlinebulletins/301template.pdf
BULLETIN OVERFLOW: https://saintpolycarp.org/this-weeks-bulletin/
YOUTUBE CHANNEL/LIVE STREAM: 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 CHURCH: http://www.stdennischurch.org 153 N. Main St. Galena, MD 21635 410-648-5145
ST DENNIS CHURCH LIVE STREAM: https://www.youtube.com/@stdennisparish_galenamd/streams
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. Published every other week.
EWTN: ewtn.com
FROM THE DIOCESE:
CATHOLIC FORUM/RELEVANT RADIO: Listen to Catholic Forum each week. May 3/4 – This week, learn about the Daughters of Charity and their 195-year history at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Wilmington when Sister JoAnne Goeche, DC and Sister Mary Ellen Thomas, DC, are the special guests. 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/
Are you a Jeopardy watcher? Do you participate in Trivia Challenges?
Will you be able to answer the questions on religion?
Check this spot each week!
DO YOU KNOW YOUR FAITH? What do the words “Habemus Papam” mean?
ANSWER: We have a Pope!
After a new pope is chosen, a senior cardinal steps out onto on a balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and proclaims into a microphone, “Habemus papam,” a Latin phrase meaning, “We have a pope.” The cardinal announces his name, and the name he has chosen to go by as pope.