29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101721.cfm
LIVE-STREAMING: Visit https://www.youtube.com/c/StPolycarpSmyrnaDE for live stream. As you may have noticed, our live streaming is not always working. We apologize for this inconvenience. Please see below:
LIVE STREAMING HELP NEEDED: Our live stream continues to be important to many of our parishioners who are homebound or unable to attend Mass but want to view Mass and remain connected to our parish. We are in urgent need of someone to help with the live streaming. As of now, we do not have anyone with the capabilities to set up and maintain streaming. We are confident that God has given our parishioners all of the gifts to build up His Kingdom here at St. Polycarp. Let us all pray that someone with those gifts will step forward and offer to help with our live streaming. Please join us this Thursday at 6:30pm in the Parish Library or contact Judy at communications@saintpolycarp.org
ONLINE BULLETIN: https://www.jppc.net/onlinebulletins/301template.pdf
TODAY – DIVINE MERCY: Join us on Fridays at 3pm in Church to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Questions? Contact Janet at (302) 399–9066 or janethovis7@gmail.com
TONIGHT – ADULT FAITH FORMATION: Jesus is truly present – in his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist!!! Did you realize that not all Catholics truly believe that? Perhaps you yourself are not quite sure about this truth. Or, maybe, you receive Holy Communion automatically, without truly thinking about or appreciating this Mystery of The Eucharist. Now is your chance to explore this central reality of our faith. Come share with other members of our faith community on four (4) consecutive Friday evenings, at 7 pm, starting on October 15, in the Parish Library, where we will present the Augustine Institute’s compelling series on “Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist”. Pre-registration is required to assure you a space. Contact Peggy at 302-514-9913; peggyo52@aol.com.
THIS WEEKEND, OCTOBER 17/18
TOMORROW – PUBLIC SQUARE ROSARY CRUSADE – Please join us in praying for our nation tomorrow, Saturday, October 16th, at noon. The local Public Square Rosary will take place at St. Polycarp Church. Our nation is in great need of public prayer, repentance and conversion. We ask God to save America through the Rosary of His Most Holy Mother.
THE BLESSING OF MARRIED COUPLES will take place on Saturday, October 16th at the 4pm Mass.
2021 ANNUAL FORUM: Come join us for Saint Polycarp’s 2021 Annual Forum this Sunday, October 17th, at 12 pm in the Hall. There will be presentations about our accomplishments over the last year and a chance for you to give your ideas of what you would like to see in the future. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Light refreshments will be provided. Bring your ideas, suggestions and dreams!
PSR REMINDER: Classes will meet in person this week. If you have not done so already, please remember to sign and return all forms. (Acceptable Use of Technology & Annual Consent and Release).
SACRAMENTAL PREP MEETING: Sunday at 9 am in Room 3 for PSR parents who have a child in Grade 2 or in our Intermediate Sacramental Program (ISP) preparing for First Reconciliation/Eucharist. These families will then attend Mass for the Rite of Enrollment.
For information about the Synod, read Bishop Koenig’s letter by clicking on the following link:
WEEK OF OCTOBER 17th
WE ARE HAVING A TECH PARTY this Thursday, October 21st, at 6:30 pm in the Library. !!! We need your help to grow our important Digital Ministry. Please join us if you are willing to lend your knowledge in any of the following areas: *Computer hardware/software/networks/Wifi, *Audio/Video/Projector equipment/Phone systems, *Social media/Website/YouTube/Live Streaming. If you can help in any way, come share your knowledge. Together we can do this! We need you! We look forward to working with you to embrace technology in the Church and spread the Good News in the digital world!
NEXT WEEKEND, OCTOBER 23/24
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD (CLOW) will begin again on October 24 during the 10:30am Mass. All children ages PreK-4th grade are welcome to attend. Masks must be worn. CLoW is a worship experience geared especially for their age level. It mirrors the worship experience of the larger community in an engaging and interactive style. This opportunity allows children to hear Scripture in words they understand and to share their own understanding of God’s Word. Children will be called to come forward before the First Reading. A catechist and assistant will lead the children to the hall. They will return to you after the General Intercessions. All catechists and assistants have a cleared background check. We can use your help! Become involved in this wonderful ministry which will be offered twice a month. If you are interested in helping, please contact our CRE at dre@saintpolycarp.org
ST. JUDE BIKE-A-THON: Our PSR is once again hosting our annual St. Jude Bike-a-thon next Sunday, October 24th at 1pm. Come one, come all…everyone is welcome to join us. Can’t join us? Support us by making a donation. We will be collecting donations after Masses next weekend. Help our children help the sick children at St. Jude’s Hospital. Thank you in advance for your continued support.
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY. Next weekend we will celebrate World Mission Sunday. Pope Francis invites the entire Church to support mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe, where priests, religious and lay leaders serve the world’s most vulnerable communities. Please keep the Pope’s missions in your prayers and be generous in next week’s second collection for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.
ONGOING/UPCOMING
CHALICE MINISTRY: We are all aware of the need for vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate, and to the religious life. Praying for vocations is the most powerful way to support vocations. The purpose of the Chalice Ministry is to encourage families to pray and promote vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. The consecrated Chalice is a tangible reminder of this special intention for the Church. Sign up to bring the Chalice into your home to pray for vocations for a week. Visit the parish web site or call / text Alice at (302)670–7924 to sign-up.
The RCIA is the process by which such individuals become full members of the Catholic Church. We are called to share the “Good News” and you can make a difference by simply asking! If you are aware of someone who is looking for a spiritual and emotional change in their life, “personally invite” them to our RCIA sessions, taking place at the Parish campus on Monday evenings at 6:30 PM. Again, these sessions are for those unbaptized, baptized in other Christian or faith traditions or adult Catholics who are interested in receiving the
sacrament of Confirmation. For information, please contact Deacon Frank Weber at DeaconFrank@saintpolycarp.org or leave a message with the Parish office at (302) 653-8279.
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS AT SEA PROGRAM: This annual program helps the Seamen’s Center of Wilmington deliver the gift of a Ditty Box for Christmas. The crews of the container vessels and tankers that dock at Wilmington are typically at sea for 9 months, working 12 hour shifts, seven days a week. This Ditty Box filled with essentials like toothpaste and toothbrushes, razors, soap, candy, hats, gloves and more. St. Polycarp will be accepting donations, cash or check, throughout the month of October, to purchase the needed items. To donate, please put your cash or check (made payable to St. Polycarp) into an envelope and clearly mark “Christmas at Sea Program” on the front of the envelope. Place your envelope into the collection basket or the black box located under the portico. The last day donations will be accepted is Sunday, October 31st. Questions? Contact Tracie at (302) 242 – 4150 or email Tracie.Bruno@comcast.net
BIRTHRIGHT OF DELAWARE – BOTTLE FOR BABIES: Please take a bottle home today, fill it with loose change, cash, or checks and return it to the parish at the beginning of November. Please do not write or place stickers on the bottles. Birthright reuses the bottles year after year. The proceeds from this fundraiser benefit pregnant women and their babies. Thank you for supporting Birthright!
2021 ST. POLYCARP CHURCH ORNAMENT FUNDRAISER: This unique glass Christmas Ornament is 3 1/4” in diameter and comes packaged in its own gift box for safe keeping. This beautiful ornament is also the perfect gift for friends or family that have moved out of the area. These ornaments are sure to become a cherished keepsake and heirloom. LIMITED EDITION – only $12 each ($15 w/Silver Hanger). Order yours now before they are gone! All proceeds benefit Parish School of Religion (PSR). Order forms are available at the doors of the Church, online at https://saintpolycarp.org/2021-st-polycap-christmas-ornament/, or you may order online using a credit card at https://membership.faithdirect.net/events/details/7693
MEMORIAL BRICKS: Now is a perfect time to add your Memorial Brick to the walkway of our outdoor Blessed Mother Shrine. We are truly blessed to have the opportunity to have our Blessed Mother looking down upon a memory of our loved one, a special occasion or just your family name. You can order through Faith Direct at https://membership.faithdirect.net/events/details/5644, (you do not need to sign up for Faith Direct), or return your form (forms may be found at the Church doors) with payment to St. Polycarp Church in an envelope labeled “Memorial Brick”. You can also CLICK HERE FOR ORDER FORM
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
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 tomorrow’s episode, Dennis Turner, author of the new book, “What Did You Do In The War, Sister?: Catholic Sisters in the WWII Nazi Resistance,” will discuss his book. Listen anytime at cdow.org/CatholicForum or search Catholic Forum on Apple, Spotify or iHeartRadio podcasts.
LET US PRAY: Prayer to Your Guardian Angel
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom God’s love commits me here,
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.