26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
SUNDAY SCRIPTURE – QUESTIONS TO PONDER
– How can you make it a point to pursue love, patience, and gentleness?
– When have you rationalized ignoring the needs of another?
– What can your parish do to help members be more sensitive to others’ needs?
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092522.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 Judy at communications@saintpolycarp.org.
PARISH WEBSITE: Visit: www.saintpolycarp.org/.
WEEKLY PARISH BULLETIN: CLICK HERE . BULLETIN OVERFLOW: Bulletin Overflow – CLICK HERE
THIS WEEKEND, SEPTEMBER 24/25 (& week of September 25)
PRIESTHOOD SUNDAY: This weekend we celebrate Priesthood Sunday. Please keep all Priests, Deacons, and all men considering the call to the Priesthood in your prayers. At both Masses this weekend, the cantor will lead us in prayer for our Priests. Please pick-up a copy of the Bulletin as you enter Mass this weekend so that you will be able to pray the prayer along with everyone else.
SECOND COLLECTION THIS WEEKEND: SHARE IN THE SPIRIT: This weekend’s second collection is taken in support of the diocesan tuition assistance program. Monies raised through this collection coupled with the diocese’s tuition assistance endowment provides financial assistance to hundreds of deserving families who seek a Catholic education for their children but who cannot afford the full cost of tuition. If you are not prepared to contribute today, you may drop your contribution off at the parish office or place it in next week’s collection basket. For further information and on-line giving options, visit the Share in the Spirit website at https://www.cdow.org/share-in-the-spirit
BLESSINGS: The Blessing of the Professional Staff will take place this Sunday, September 25th, at the 10:30 am Mass.
THE VOCATION CHALICE MINISTRY: This Sunday, September 25 at 10:30 am Mass – Ndione Family, Please arrive 15 minutes before your Mass time and pick up materials in the sacristy.
ANNUAL FORUM: This years’ annual forum is taking place this Sunday, September 25th, in the Mother Drexel Hall, following the 10:30 am Mass. All are invited. The forum is presented by the Pastoral Council and Finance Council. The forum offers parishioners valuable information regarding the different committees of Saint Polycarp, and a brief synopsis of each committee. This will be an open forum where parishioners can voice their ideas, concerns and dreams. Coffee and pastries will be available for all those who attend.
PSR FIRST CLASS INFORMATION AND CALENDAR: First class for Grades P/K to 4 will be held this Sunday, September 25th at 9 am. Students and at least 1 parent/guardian will meet in the Church. Please enter under the portico off the back parking lot. First class for Grades 5 – 8 will be held this Tuesday, September 27th at 7pm in the Church. Please enter under the portico. Students and at least one parent/guardian will meet in the Church. To view the calendar, visit https://saintpolycarp.org/religious-education/
PSR ENVELOPE FUNDRAISER : Thank you so much for your support of this important fundraiser! If you didn’t take an envelope, and would like one, some are still available at the front and the side door near the hall. Each envelope has a different dollar amount on it. Choose which envelope(s) you want to fill. In the envelope you pick, place the amount marked on the front & place it in the collection basket this weekend or next week/end. You may also drop it off or mail it to the parish office. Make checks payable to St. Polycarp Church PSR (In the memo, clearly mark Envelope Fundraiser). The beautiful artwork on the envelopes was done by our PSR students. If you choose to keep the envelope for a keepsake, feel free to place the dollar amount in a different envelope. No amount turned in is too small. If everyone gives a little, it will add up to a lot!!! As always, we thank you for your continuous support & prayers. May God bless. This fundraiser is to raise funds to help support the rising costs of running our program and to aide in tuition assistance for our families in need.
2022 FAITH AND CHARITY CATHOLIC APPEAL UPDATE: WE REACHED OUR GOAL! WAY TO GO ST. POLYCARP PARISH! A huge “Thank you” to everyone who graciously donated to the appeal. Special thanks to our anonymous donor whose offer to match recent gifts aided us tremendously in attaining our goal! You, our parish family, have been extremely generous in supporting our Bishop in the Annual Catholic Appeal. Thank you for your generosity and sacrifice in reaching our parish target of $60,000. The parishioners of St. Polycarp Church continue the noble heritage of supporting the Diocese and are an example to be followed! Now that we have met our target, ½ of the money over our target, will come back to our Church to be used for special projects here at St. Polycarp. Please remember the importance of submitting your payments for these pledges. Our budget this year continues to be challenged by the drop in offertory income. If you have not participated in this Annual Appeal, we ask that you please consider supporting the diocese and St. Polycarp Church by pledging now.
BIRTHRIGHT’S ANNUAL BOTTLES FOR BABIES FUNDRAISER: Throughout the whole month of October, “Respect Life month”, Birthright of Delaware hosts its Annual Bottles for Babies Fundraiser. Beginning this weekend, baby bottles will be available at all the entrances to Church. We ask you to please take one or two bottles home and/or give it to a loved one. Please read the insert, fill it out as neatly as possible (if you chose to do so for a tax credit) then fill the bottle with loose change, cash or a check! Checks should be made payable to Birthright of Delaware. Return them at the end of October or sooner. Proceeds benefit pregnant women and their babies. On behalf of our mothers, Birthright staff and volunteers, we graciously Thank You!
ADULT FAITH FORMATION – CONNECTED IN CHRIST: Parishioners are continuing to view the video series, The Wild Goose every Tuesday after the 8:30 Mass. Come join us. If you have any questions, please call Cookie Ruane at 302-540-6429.
ANNUAL PARISH PICNIC: Thank you to all those ministries and individuals that helped make our Annual Parish Picnic such a wonderful event! Your hard work and dedication were obvious! Thank you to all those who came to enjoy this special time with our Parish Family. To view pictures, please visit https://saintpolycarp.org/parish-picnic-3/
NEXT WEEKEND, OCTOBER 1/2 (& week of October 2)
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS: Join us along with your furry, fuzzy, scaly, hard shelled, long haired, short haired beloved pets next Sunday, October 2nd at 12:15 pm for the Blessing of Animals as we celebrate and honor St. Francis of Assisi. Gather on the grass triangle across from the main church entrance.
AGAPE: Sunday, October 2nd following the 10:30 am Mass in the hall. All are invited to come join us as we “Welcome the Fall Season”. Come and enjoy a delicious lunch, fun and fellowship! Hosted by our PSR program. Hope to see you there!
RESPECT FOR LIFE MINISTRY. Respect life from the womb to the tomb, and everywhere in between.
OCTOBER IS REPECT FOR LIFE MONTH in the Universal Church. All who may be interested please attend our first meeting on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 7pm in the Parish Library. Any ideas for ways to help the less fortunate will be discussed. All are invited to attend
UPCOMING/ONGOING
WEEKDAY MASSES: Tuesday and Wednesday at 8:30 am..
ROSARY RALLY: Please join the 2022 Rosary Rally. Our nation needs public prayer, repentance and conversion. We will be praying the Rosary on Saturday, October 15th, noon at Saint Polycarp Church outside by the statue of Mary.
GIRL SCOUTS is about so much more than the cookie. This program provides girls with opportunities to learn new skills in art, science, sports, and leadership. Our girls are active in community service projects, striving to make the world a better place. Girls in grades K-12 are welcome to join. Meeting times for our troops that meet at St. Polycarp will be Thursdays, from 6-7, starting in October. For more information, please contact Tracie Bruno at Tracie.Bruno@comcast.net
BROTHER VINCENT COLUMBIETTES are selling Boscov Passes again this year. Profits from these sales help Brother Vincent Columbiettes support our many charitable activities. The Columbiettes will be at the doors of the Church after Masses on the weekend of October 8/9. This event is Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at any Boscov store.
YOUR $5.00 SHOPPING PASS BUYS A FULL DAY OF
~ 25% Off Discount Shopping Pass
~ A Chance to Win Fabulous Door Prizes
Contact Beth Bishop at (845) 443-1799 or BishopLBV@aol.com; or ask any Brother Vincent Columbiette.
EXTRAORDIANRY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION: To coincide with the three-year National Eucharist Revival which began in June of this year, we will be holding a class on Saturday, 
October 22nd at 9:00 am for all people interested in the ministry of Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. This class is for Extraordinary Ministers of St. Polycarp who have not returned since pre-covid days, Extraordinary Ministers who have transferred here from another parish and new people who feel a love and desire for the Eucharist and want to be a part of this beautiful ministry. To attend you must contact Cindy Kennedy at kennedy-078@msn.com prior to this event to register and get further information.
CHANGE THE WORLD: BECOME CATHOLIC! Is there someone you would like to invite to explore the Catholic faith— someone unbaptized, or baptized in a non-Catholic Christian tradition? Do you know someone who needs Confirmation and/or First Eucharist? Perhaps, the Catholic faith can fulfill their desires for a closer relationship with Our Lord. Then, the RCIA process is for them. Please contact Deacon Frank Weber for more information. DeaconFrank@saintpolycarp.org or leave a message with the Parish office at (302) 653-8279.
Have you had the opportunity to dive into FORMED? To sign up visit www.formed.org. Type in our Parish zip code (19977) and follow the steps to sign up or you can use the QR code below. Take advantage of your free subscription to FORMED! Enjoy thousands of hours of quality Catholic content! 
SHARE THE HARVEST: The Share The Harvest table is now under the Portico. This allows our parishioners to share their abundant yield from their gardens with their Church family. All are welcome to share and receive. Thank you to those who have shared their veggies!
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 process down the aisle to the priest who will have the pyx in his hand and let him know you need a gluten-free host
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/
September 25th at 10:30 am Mass – Ndione; October 9 at 10:30 am Mass – Kaczorowski.
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. On tomorrow’s episode, Saturday, September 24th, hear an interview with Father Timothy Gallagher, OMV, about his book, “Struggles in the Spiritual Life”. 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: St. Vincent de Paul – September 27
Tender God, refuge of the poor, You filled Vincent de Paul with the strength of the apostles to work for the salvation of the poor and the instruction of the clergy. May we who follow the example of his life be driven by unceasing charity to continue the mission of Your Son in the world. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
https://members.ssvpusa.org/